《Book of The Lightborn: Rise》


 A step outside the light

    Their armies stretched from the left side of the land to the other, going for many kilometers. The sea''s waves are trying to climb the sides of this land. Their spears, swords and arrows, are all darkened by a metal cursed with blasphemous forces. Their roars and screams, set terror in the human heart. Red, purple, green it''s their skin. Some had more limbs than others, while some had eyes shaped oddly, reflecting their urge to destroy all that is good. Sizes one could only remember so many of, as some are flying, some are walking and some are crawling. These are the demons standing in front of them. Leading them are, as they''re called, princes. There are nine of them, but only five are present, as the other four are leading armies elsewhere.


    Opposite of them stand the armies of all that is good, even humans amongst them. Lightborn, Sunborn, humans, sollims and more are forming ranks as the demonic armies advance. It is the day of a war that is going to change this beautiful world forever. A war that brewed in silence for decades, now baring its fangs at the world. It was something that he, who led his race beyond the light''s reach, he who made the City of Stars and wields Darkbane, never could have foreseen in his long, long life.


    He stands on his knee. His limbs and neck are long, on which his bright, shining hair rests, then falls in long strands, much like his siblings. Light is pouring from his glowing eyes, some sparks erupting at the corners. His skin is dazzling with light, the light swelling deep inside of him, trying to contain itself.


    He places his hand on the earth beneath him, his palm feeling the warmth he once felt. The blades of grass run between his fingers, as he looks at them swaying with the wind. He clenches his fist, earth filling his hand, then, he lets go of it, as he raises his hand. The view of the incoming doom, makes him sad at what is about to unfold.


    His time to lead them into the uncertain future came along once more. This time though, it wasn''t just his siblings that he must look for, nor just a home he must protect. He has to lead all these beings. His failures, his successes, none matter now and will never do, not if they lose.


    His body lifts off the ground a bit, as he starts to pray "Creator. Lamines. I beg of you, guide me today of all days, for I must protect all that you allowed me to have. And if I fail, protect their souls, for I can only bear so much," he asks of his creator. As his feet meet the ground, he straightens himself. He stands taller and stronger than all present. Yet, he feels so weak in the presence of this threat. "Can you see this? Brother, sister? They want to consume us, destroy us. It''s not so different from when we started, is it now?" He is thinking of a distant past, as he lifts his face to the sky, his long hair blowing in the winds in waves.


    Everyone is watching him. Tens of thousands of warriors, heroes, brothers, sisters and Ascended Beings, they are all watching him. His loose clothes flow with the wind and his hair, as the orb made of gems appears in his right hand. His eyes now rupture with sparks and light. His body starts to produce a strong glow, the light inside of him swirling and fighting to get outside, empowering his very being. The ground itself can''t contain all this energy, nor does the air, as he lifts himself off the ground, it starts to crack, the air filling with the energy, lifting small things off the ground; his orb producing a sinister, dark light.


    Amidst the view of the looming threat, those behind him ready for his command and the overwhelming sense of power within him. He closes his eyes, a frown following as he tries to remember something from his old past "I remember it. The day I felt it all. The world around me, the freezing land below my feet. Everything that followed once I stepped outside the light..."


    Year 6000 FT (First Time)


    "Where am I?" the speck of light asked.


    "Inside the light." a voice answered.


    "Who are you?" the speck of light continued.


    "That which made the light." it explained.


    "Who am I?'''' It''s mind now filled with more questions.


    "That which you want to be." the voice answered once more.


    Their conversation lasted for an endless amount of time if you were to be inside. From the outside however, not so much time has passed. During their conversation, the speck of light named itself, as Kilon. The voice was named the Creator by Kilon and, through his questions, Kilon formed himself a body. His body was the only "thing" that the Creator helped with, as if it had a clearer vision for what it was supposed to be. Although, Kilon didn''t like it at first, with some alterations, he felt good about this body of his. Once he didn''t know what to ask anymore, he simply wondered.


    "What''s beyond the light Creator?"


    "I cannot tell you that Kilon."


    "Why?"


    "It is for you to see, not for me to tell."


    "I don''t understand."


    "If I were to tell you what is outside the light, could you imagine anything besides the light?"


    "So you''re saying there is more than the light."


    "Yes, there is."


    "But I can''t understand or even fathom, because all I saw during my time here is the light."


    "Correct my wise son."


    His mind was filled with questions once more, and now, a large sense of wonder was added to it. What could lie beyond these weaving strands of light? Were there more kinds of light? What could possibly be more than light? He couldn''t contain his curiosity. So, he tried to escape from the light. At first, it proved hard to move, as he had to learn it all by himself. But slowly, he started to understand how to use his body. The way it was built now made sense to him and offered him the opportunity to finally reach the edge of this beam of weaving lights. Which felt as if swimming through thick layers of clothing, stretching like rubber, yet fluid like water, but being able to breathe through.


    His fingers first protruded outside the light that enveloped him. As his fingertips reached the outside, he felt a new sensation. It scared him at first, but once he saw that there was nothing to be scared of, he pushed once more his fingers through. This time, he could feel it more clearly. It felt as if the feeling which he had inside the light, that of warmth, was stolen from him by the outside, the cold. He had to wonder if the outside could extinguish him, as it took away from the feeling he had inside the light. The sense of loss, however, was betrayed by his sense of wonder. There wasn''t anything to find inside the light. Beyond it though, there was something new.


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    So, he pushed his whole hand outside. He let it stay there a while, then brought it back in. It was still there, so he didn''t lose any part of him, but the mere sensation inside the light. Now he was confident he could get out.


    It was a slow step, his foot barren as it was, felt the tingly sensation when you touch something really cold, as the land beneath him was of cold stone. Once his foot rested onto the ground, he pushed against it. It was new for him, this way of walking. He, however, adapted quickly and pressed his foot hard against the stone and brought his body forward. Excited to see what is outside, that his foot can''t see, he pushed his whole body through the edge of the beam of weaving lights. The lights, at first, didn''t want to let go of him, as if they had a consciousness of their own. But, with a bit of a struggle, each strand of light attached to his body, snapped away from and within him. He was to fall as the lights let go of him, if not for him already knowing how to use his feet.


    Outside the weaving lights that went to the ground and up from it into the starlit sky, Kilon saw the land beyond it, as he took his first step outside the light. He saw what he called the Link. Within its range, many groups of these light beings. Beyond them, something constantly moving and swirling around blocked his view, that was a blizzard. He didn''t understand at first what these beings were, not until he looked at his body. He saw his long, slender limbs and felt his long neck, covered by a skin which emitted a white glow. He grasped at his soft short hair, which was glowing brighter than his skin and looked at all of it through eyes which shone lights of their own, at the corners, small sparks erupting.


    The Creator told him of these beings. They were those like him, made from the light. His many siblings could help him understand what is there to be known. As he looked at them, he saw that they were slightly off the ground, their hands open and their eyes towards the Link. They were praying. Kilon noted their behavior in his head, he didn''t know what they were doing, but he was curious nonetheless.


    As his siblings took notice of Kilon emerging from the light, a good lot of them stopped praying and went ahead to meet him. Once they were on the ground, Kilon saw that they were shorter than him, about a head or so. Kilon also observed that some of them had a different glow to them, some were a bit more red and orange in their glow, while others more blue or white like him. He could see that there were fewer like him, a pure white or of a blue hue.


    "Abida! Faiah uno Line!" said one of the Lightborn. Another added, "Cata ede hemar arti?" Kilon couldn''t understand them, but he could tell that they were speaking the same tongue.


    "Yes, I am happy to see my brethren as well," Kilon said softly, but they couldn''t understand him. Kilon knew that, while in the Link, he spoke a tongue of his own, and so, his brethren must have spoken the same. Which was confirmed by his brethren, who were trying to teach him the language they''ve developed between them while waiting.


    Kilon quickly adopted the new language. And, although the Lightborn were made to be the wiser, it still came as a surprise to them how fast Kilon was at learning. After they were able to communicate, Kilon learned about each of his brothers'' and sisters'' experiences inside the Link, what they asked the creator, and what sort of wisdom was bestowed upon them.


    Through his brothers and sisters, Kilon was learning more, yet, he felt limited. While the knowledge of his siblings was invaluable, it also didn''t contain anything about the world beyond the light. He wanted to know more, yet he was warned that this land that they were in is harsh. Blizzards, large beasts, and unexpected tornadoes were abundant in what they called the Shivering Lands. Some have tried venturing beyond the light and never came back, as the Link provided a radiant warmth and energy that kept them alive.


    Kilon was frustrated at the idea of being stuck so near to the place he wanted to venture beyond, but he couldn''t deny the facts, the Shivering Lands were just too harsh for them to endure without guidance.


    Year 6004 FT


    The Lightborn do not age as they''re close to their place of birth, their sustenance is the energy coming from the Link. For some time, also, there haven''t been any new Lightborn to be given birth through the Link, indicating that the few thousand now alive, five thousand to be precise, were the only ones to be alive.


    Some more Lightborns have tried escaping the hellish environment. Futile efforts though. None have returned or were seen dead not too far off the Link''s reach. Some tried clever tricks, like baiting creatures and using their bodies as shields against the freeze. But most creatures of a suitable size to comfort their own tall bodies, would get scared either by their imposing, although slim, bodies or the Link itself. Which, unbeknown to the Lightborn, was akin to a sort of a pillar of fire, although made of light. The warmth emanated by the Link to the surrounding area only adds to the primal fear of these animals.


    Kilon after these years was called an "odd" one. He would rarely pray with his brothers and sisters; he spent time near the Link, looking at it, and sometimes placing his hands near or into the Link. Some have tried what he did, trying to understand his actions, but nothing ever came out of it. Kilon, however, had to try everything, before choosing to head out into the blizzards, to let himself be swallowed. And his years studying the Link proved effective. At long last, as he placed his hand inside the Link and closed his eyes, he caught it, a strand of light.


    Kilon slowly opened his eyes, pulling his hand outside the Link. He could now see, in the palm of his shining hand, a strand of light, one of the many strands of light that were weaving throughout the Link. He was entranced by the light; it was soft and fluid, yet sturdy and stretchy. He also noticed that the light was trying to insert itself into his hand. He didn''t know what to do, but he felt as if this was good, so he let the light course through him. Kilon felt a great surge of energy and warmth through him, the cold surrounding him disappearing in mere moments.


    With this discovery, he felt eager and excited. He thought that "This is the reward of my efforts. A path, to me, seems to be made forward.". As he stepped away from the Link, the light followed him, and he showed his siblings his success. Many were fascinated by this new discovery, while many others, rightfully so, were skeptical about this.


    "Brothers, sisters. This is the way forward! The light can protect us from the Shivering Lands, and we can venture forth!" Kilon exclaimed enthusiastically, and, while some were getting excited at the possibility of escaping this frozen hell, others were questioning his findings.


    "And how do we know that this is not only meant for you?" asked his sister, Manna. "A lot of us saw the day you got out of the light, taller and brighter than most. It only makes sense that you can also imbue yourself with the light, as you''re tall enough for the light to notice you and bright enough for it to become part of you." completed Manna.


    "I cannot know if it will work for you too, dear siblings," Kilon spoke softly, this time with more care for his words, as he saw the uneasiness in his siblings'' eyes. "But, unless we try, what else is for us? Will we pray until the end of times? Will we spin in circles until our minds shatter and we venture beyond the light?" he asked, this time firm in his words and determination taking over him.


    Manna wasn''t convinced "Can you prove it? That this way of yours can work? For all we know, once you or us step beyond the light''s reach, we''ll die to the cold, the beasts, or the sky''s fury." Her voice was skeptic, yet her eyes wanted to believe that there was a way for them to leave this place.


    Kilon could tell by looking in her eyes that her questions weren''t misplaced or unwarranted. Plenty of their brethren had died trying to reach a place beyond the light. So, he proposed that "I alone will venture beyond and return. And I won''t simply step out, I will spend five suns outside, I will kill one of the large beasts and tame the sky." all of which were high promises. Everyone knew that, and yet, they all had a sense of hope that this could work somehow. Maybe because this was their only possible way out, and for it to not work would mean only dread and doom. Perhaps because it was him who promised these things, the only one who shone brighter than the rest, stood taller and wiser, that it helped them believe his words.

 The Shivering Lands

    He didn''t wish to waste a moment. He wanted to step beyond the light''s reach. Yet, uneasiness surged within him given that those promises were made. Looking back at his siblings, he saw fear on their faces, as well as glimmers of hope in their eyes.


    There was no point in waiting, but for him, it was the first time leaving his home, with only this strand of light which followed him as a reminder of his birthplace. The thought of leaving like this, terrifying to him.


    He took a glance back one last time, looked at the Link, and whispered a little prayer in his mind "Let me return successful, or doom may follow." Then, he stepped into the blizzard, his figure barely discernible after a few steps and lost within the storm after a few more, the strand of light following him slowly fading after his glow.


    As he went further from the Link, a few changes took place. His glow was weaker; the hair still radiated stronger than the skin, but not as before. Also, the strand of light got dimmer as well, now barely visible to him, but he felt it just as strongly, allowing him to traverse the cold and be nourished through it.


    Lastly, a strong feeling of loneliness engulfed him. Kilon, all his life until then, was surrounded by his countless siblings. Now he was all alone in the suffocating cold, winds and harsh snow. At times, the snow would form in clumps of ice and bruise his skin, small sparks getting out of the cuts, healing the bruises as quickly as he got them.


    He yearned to go back home. These feelings were new to him; despite his wisdom and intelligence, they were limited to the Link and his siblings alone. Outside of his birthplace, he was like a kid lost amidst a jungle. Given that he was out there, and the Link was outside his vision, he had no choice but to keep on going.


    And so, he spent his first sun, or two days, walking aimlessly in the Shivering Lands. Unbeknown to him, he was going south. During his first day outside, he had to struggle against the powerful winds, and snow that built all around him.


    He was able to rest only when the blizzard ceased. Anyone, normally, would do it the other way, but these blizzards could easily last half a day or more, so he only stopped when they weren''t active. When he did, he was able to see the sky and the lands around.


    The sky was, at times, stuck between day and night, as the sun shone through a portion of the sky, while countless specks of light did in another, a sight only possible in these unforgiving lands.


    The lands, when not obscured by blizzards, provided a sight akin to one in a desert. Only that, snow was everywhere instead of sand, dunes of snow here and there, as not even the sun''s warmth was able to melt this frozen desert. Here and there, one may have witnessed some critter trying its best to find what little was there to find.


    There were, what Kilon called, stormhawks. These animals usually had white feathers, but at times some gray ones could be seen with some stormhawks at the sides. They only hunted during blizzards and storms when tornadoes formed.


    For Kilon, they were no threat, as they were usually solitary hunters and only preyed on small creatures. They would only form a flock if they deemed the prey that valuable.


    Stormhawks could easily navigate tornadoes, their bodies bending with the wind when caught in one. At times, it was on purpose. They seized the opportunity to snatch caught animals away from a tornado, drag it to the edge of it while in air, drop the prey to its death, and eat it.


    Some of their prey adapted through time to these tactics, like the horned rabbits, which developed stronger, more flexible hind legs, or the icicle turtles, which sleep buried in snow or ice to protect themselves from stormhawks'' attacks.


    Kilon had to face these flying predators during his first day, or half sun. He was caught off guard by a tornado, as the winds made it hard for most sounds to reach his ears. The tornado swept his slim, tall body like the branches of a tree in the blink of an eye. While caught up in the tornado, a few stormhawks flocked to it. They saw his tall body, although slim, as a good, long-lasting meal.


    Kilon quickly found out that, despite their small bodies, their force became greater in sync with the winds. They pulled towards the air currents that escaped the tornado, aiding their efforts. He tried to shake these hawks off, but their beaks did not let go, pinching with force at his limbs and hair, at times ripping at them.


    Kilon knew he had to find a solution, or he would fall to the ground and die. So, he closed his eyes, let himself feel the winds with his skin and mind. Then, as the stormhawks pulled him away at the edge, he held the palm of his right hand open, grasping the winds, much like the light from the Link.


    This was easy by comparison; the winds acted in tandem, not individually, like the strands of light, which came and went, then arrived back differently. The winds were more consistent, with only small changes here and there, that were negligible by comparison. Once he grasped the winds with his right hand, with his left he started to lead the wind as he willed. With this, he was able to lead the stormhawks away from his body, by making the winds surrounding him unstable and unpredictable. The stormhawks'' natural instincts kicked in as the surroundings became strange. So they let go of Kilon, dispersing away from the tornado.


    Using this newfound ability, Kilon was also able to safely place himself back down, taking inspiration from the stormhawks to navigate the storms and stay safe from blizzards.


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    After the struggle against the stormhawks, the sun shifted towards east, signifying the end of the first day or the early sun, as the Lightborn say, the night and day gently meeting in the middle of the sky. Passing this early sun, Kilon felt as if he could tame the sky as promised, if only given a bit more time. Though, after all that happened, he rests, watching the weird phenomena in the sky occur, since the blizzard stopped.


    It was the first time he could clearly observe this. Back at the Link, either the storms obscured the view, or the Link shone too brightly. The only way to tell the time was by watching the surroundings get brighter or darker. He was able to see the moonless sky lit by the sun in the east, and lit by the specks of light in the dark west.


    He wondered, "What curiosities are out here. Beautiful, enchanting, and at times dangerous, perhaps. But all exciting nonetheless. I have to wonder. Are these freezing lands all there is? Or is there more? I shall find out; I still have four suns and a half left until my return, so I shall travel a couple more before making my way back.".


    As he glanced at the sky, he euphorically thought, "What beauty...what beauty.". Then, after a moment of longing and wistfulness, he continued his thoughts, "If only my brothers and sisters could see it..."


    The sun slowly let the night take over, as a blizzard started strong too. Signifying the beginning of the second day or the late sun, as the Lightborn refer to. Kilon resumed his travel, swaying the winds around him. He grasped the winds with both hands and led them to the sides. In a way, it could be said he was "swimming" through the wind, like a speck of light swimming against waves of cold.


    Kilon heard the usual stormhawk here and there, but the night provided a good cover for a traveling entity like himself. That was, at least, what he thought at first. For some time now, Kilon had heard soft yet heavy sounds in the distance but never saw anything. At first, he thought it was the wind or some stormhawk preying on a critter by dropping it, but that was not the case.


    As the blizzard settled, Kilon could catch his breath, then he heard the sounds again. Sometimes at a distance, sometimes closer. It was as if something was sizing him up, or trying to decide whether he should be its next meal. This created a sense of uneasiness within Kilon; these lands were still a large mystery. He recalled that some of his siblings died really fast, when they barely got out of the Link''s range. Although, neither he nor his other siblings ever saw anything, they also never saw the way these Lightborn died.


    Kilon now grew worried. Not that something was following him, just that, if there are more of these creatures, and if, much like it did with him, they sized up his siblings to be prey, who knows what he will return to.


    His erratic thoughts were stopped. The sound of a large thump and the squeals of a dying animal, sending a mix of fear and curiosity into him. He looked around but he wasn''t able to see outside a small, lit circle around him, formed by his own skin and hair''s light. He listened closely and, using his wind manipulation, he pulled in the scent of blood from the air.


    Carefully and attentively, Kilon approached the source of the smell. He found refuge behind a snow hill west from where he stood. As he glanced over the hill, he focused his light within, then casted rays for light from his palm, allowing him to see the dismembered body of a starstag. Its insides, with most of the outsides, were missing. As his dim light shone upon its body, the marks of large fangs showed up around the back area, where most bones seemed crushed by some weight.


    Starstags were magnificent, large creatures, with white fur like most creatures around, some blue around the chest at times. Their antlers sparkled with sediments, giving them the appearance akin to branches of trees holding small stars as fruits within. They usually ate underground roots or licked exposed minerals, often digging with their antlers, which had a unique shape - pointy at the top, round in the middle, and then slowly tapering at the base until they disappeared into their skulls. This digging allowed for the mentioned sediments to get stuck in the antlers, that at times, got chipped from the digging.


    Kilon noticed that starstags usually walked alone, while at times, some were seen together. Sometimes a male and female, sometimes more males and a female or more. He also witnessed them fighting, using their antlers to stir up the ground below. The larger the snow and dirt cloud, the mightier they seemed. This usually deterred adversaries. However, there were rare occasions where a young starstag got daring and tried to fight an older one. These conflicts typically climaxed with a broken antler, leg, or some minor injury, as creatures around here devised all sorts of ways to conserve energy, and fighting for long periods was not an option for them.


    With all this in mind, Kilon knew that this was no mere conflict between starstags. Something attacked and ripped apart this large creature, larger than even him. He also deduced that, whatever did this, was probably following him until it found something better, in this case, the starstag. If it wasn''t satisfied, and was going to attack, it would do so without him knowing.


    Looking at the dismembered, empty body of the starstag, he knew it wouldn''t take long for this predator to defeat him and ate him fast. As for why it didn''t finish eating the starstag, Kilon figured it must''ve been because of him. Although he was at a fairly large distance from the place of attack, the predator must have a strong awareness and sense of its surroundings, adding to the danger it possessed.


    Knowing what might come for him, Kilon felt the need to protect himself. For the beast has probably been following him ever since he left the Link. The only reason as to why it hesitated to attack, must''ve been due to his height and strong glow. Thinking on it, Kilon could deduce that it might''ve been responsible for some of his siblings'' deaths. The thought alone made him feel sad, angry and upset. He couldn''t confirm it yet, but given how some Lightborn died so fast, it wouldn''t be a surprise if that was so.


    While he didn''t like that he has been stalked by whatever this beast was since he left the Link. This aspect was a key factor, indicating that, even if he took this beast outside its territory or caught it off guard, it wouldn''t be scared off. Normally, this wouldn''t make anyone happy. It was that some of his siblings were probably killed by this creature, and that was something he could not allow¡ªfor his dead siblings and his current siblings, who all depended on the success of his mission. He had to "Kill the beast, no matter what. Be it me or the beast, one of us returns to the Link," Kilon whispered to himself in a grave tone.


    As a blizzard swept through, the body of the starstag got buried under layers of snow. Before it got completely buried, Kilon placed his right hand on top of it, prayed with "May the light embrace you. May you let it guide you. May you find peace," in his mind. Then he pulled and broke off an antler, taking it with him as he started walking into the blizzard, letting it consume him. So the beast would finally approach him, focused on what''s to follow.

 Taming the wilds

    He steps into the snow. The cold almost reaching beyond the light, which protects him, but he isn''t phased. He keeps walking, until the first rays of sun disturb the ongoing, harsh storm surrounding him. It''s the mark of the second sun or third day since he left the Link.


    After some time, the blizzard stops, and so does he. In front of him, he can now see in the far distance tall hills, reaching the skies and maybe beyond. He can''t tell; those are mountains. Two mountain ranges, each about the same height, parallel from one another, going further south and forming a valley or passage between them. "Perfect," Kilon thought as he sat down. "There is only one way from the looks of it through the passage, so the beast can only be behind or in front of me once in there," he whispered thoughtfully to himself.


    Kilon took in the surroundings. The usual critters could be seen plucking their heads from underneath the snow or flying high above the ground: icicle turtles, stormhawks, starstags, horned rabbits, and such. From where he stood, Kilon could see a bit ahead, a portion of ice that covered a body of water. Interested by what could live below this frozen landscape, he walked and took a look. Below the ice, he could see a fish, from time to time, swimming aimlessly. He also witnessed as a creature with blue light attached to long membranes erecting from its head and spine, would use its two mandibles around the mouth to snatch and swallow whole fishes in a blink. It was so fast, Kilon couldn''t follow with his eyes, and the power of those mandibles was enough to completely crush anything that dared stand between them. Kilon wondered, "Maybe the beast hunts in a similar way," as he tapped the ice with the antler he held in his right hand. The creature, which he named grabber, swam away quickly following the disturbance.


    Kilon stood down after observing the grabber to practice his wind manipulation. Now that there were only breezes of wind, it was the perfect opportunity to refine it, as these slow and soft winds would help develop a sensitivity for it. His practice, although short, was fruitful; now Kilon could feel the slow winds and manipulate them. He thought, "If I can gather a bunch and sweep them around, I could create a strong current or spin them so fast they would gather other winds and form a tornado." But the blizzard would start once more, disturbing his peaceful practice.


    As Kilon walked some more, letting the blizzard envelop him, he stumbled and cut his leg into a rock. Following the cut, small sparks would disperse from it and disappear into the blizzard. The sparks would heal the cut quickly, but a small sense of loss was felt across his body. It wasn''t the first time he would stumble or fall, be it because of a rock or a sleeping icicle turtle. The cause of his following distress and interest was that he never got injured. Kilon''s body could withstand those as it adapted to the harsh environment. As he used his wind manipulation to clear some space around him, he could see a purely black rock, standing like a sore thumb amidst the snow, yet as hard to see as anything else during a blizzard. Kilon approached it and touched it with his finger, which almost cut him. "Something this sharp could cut through about anything that lives in these lands," Kilon figured. But as he looked closer and brushed over the snow around it, he fell back, scared by the scene in front of him. It was the skeletal remains of one of his brethren, buried underneath a layer of thick ice, and, in their left hand, trying to reach for the surface, the curved claw of some unknown creature. After a closer look, he could tell which brother of his was; it was Alvaraan, the next tallest Lightborn after him, one of the first to leave the Link. It seemed that Alvaraan had the same idea as Kilon and tried to reach for the mountains but was probably killed or trapped underneath the ice before he had the chance. Looking at his bones, Kilon could see a large cut across his face on the right side, while the hand which held the claw had it partially cut through by the claw, with the pointy end towards his palm. Kilon was cut by the thicker, duller part at the end which erupted from the ice.


    Kilon had a surge of feelings within him: sadness, anger, curiosity, fear, all swirling and rustling his mind. As he stood there for a while, the early sun went by, the blizzard calming down towards the end, and the night and day met once more at the middle. Kilon, deep within thought, finally snapped out of it. He approached the remains of his brother, standing above, he placed his hand on top of the ice, he prayed, lifting himself a bit above the ground, then looked down at his brother. "Your sacrifice shall not be wasted," as he said that, he grasped at the light following him, pulling it strongly into his body, letting a powerful surge of energy and warmth engulf him. Then, with his hand on the ice, he let the energy accumulate in the palm of his hand and let it melt the thick layer of ice. Although it took some time, he successfully freed the remains of his brother. Kilon gently lifted the heavy bones of his dead brother. The bones of a Lightborn were almost glass-like, formed by countless strands of opaque matter, which would make a distorted vision when looked through. As light would shine through the bones, it would make rainbows below them, little sparks seemingly escaping from the bones - a beautiful phenomena for an otherwise grim situation.


    "Oh brother. If only you would''ve waited for me...if only I could''ve solved the problem sooner....if only. No...it doesn''t matter now. Does it brother?" Kilon was talking to these inanimate remains, hoping for a response, although he knew better. He let a soft sob as he said, "How I wish I could''ve been next to you, show you the path, not let you die alone." Then, gently, from within his eyes, lights would shine through, sparks following gently and falling on the skull of Alvaraan, as the winds of the blizzard would start blowing once more, Kilon let it envelop him and his dead brother as he cried while hugging the bones on his knees.


    "Why...why do you want us to suffer? Why must we endure, Creator?! Lamines!" Kilon cried to the sky. "Is this why you made us?! To struggle, suffer, and then die?! What have we done to deserve it?!" Kilon kept crying, enraged. Although, he knew, it was he who wanted to go beyond the light, find out what''s out there. And it still wasn''t enough; he wanted to go beyond the light''s reach, see even more. Now that he found out, his soul couldn''t take any more of it, the bones of his dead brother weighing heavily on his arms, and his mind shattered into pieces.


    As he let his rage, sorrow, and sadness get out, he recalled why he was here, why he, who stood taller and brighter, must succeed. It was for his brothers and sisters. It wasn''t just for him to find out what''s beyond the light; it was for all of them. If he didn''t succeed, how many more would die? Would anyone make it out? All these questions refueled his spirit. Kilon couldn''t just sit there and let these lands consume him, let that beast do what it did to his brothers, sisters, Alvaraan.


    So, Kilon picked himself up. He pulled at the light once more, infusing himself with more energy, then channeled it through his hands as he grasped at the winds. With swift motions of his hands around his body, he led the winds around him and up, more and more, until a large space was clear all around. His eyes sparkled strongly as the light, which he had before leaving the Link, returned even stronger. "Let''s go, brother." Kilon said firmly and loudly, sensing the presence of the beast near him. He used his wind manipulation to carry his brother behind him in the air and set forth towards the mountains, half a sun away.


    The sight following Kilon was beautiful, frightening, sad. The Lightborn which stood in the middle of the storm, the show of power as the Lightborn masterfully swept the storm in a large area around himself, the bones injured by the claw in the hand of his dead brother and the looming tall mountains which closed in as Kilon approached. It all painted a picture of a journey that was closing in.


    Night was already long upon him, and now, he stood at the entrance into the valley. The mountains were steep and their peaks couldn''t be seen from where he stood, while winds would sweep through the valley with force forward. Kilon could tell, that if he were to come from the other side, he would probably need a lot more power to simply stand, let alone walk. Now that there was only two way the beast could come from, Kilon could tell it was behind him, a disadvantage if he were to step into the valley. Knowing that, he first lay down his brother''s bones at the bottom of a mountain. He then pulled the claw from his hand, cutting his own in the process and healing shortly after. As he held the claw from the duller side, he started to cut at the antler he carried over, removing from the top sides, which the starstags use to dig with, and formed a strange staff with finger-like endings, counting five in number. Then, he used the claw to carve within the middle of the staff from the top, so that the bottom, thicker part of the claw could fit through, replacing two "fingers" and taking their place. Then, he picked a rock nearby and melted a part of it inside the staff, which proved easier than melting the ice, that acted as a sealing factor for the claw to stand fixated, the antler''s insides proving hard to melt due to the imbued minerals over the years by the stag and perfect to pour the melting stone. Kilon now had the weapon with which he could kill the beast. The claw protruding from the staff, as the smaller "fingers", one to the left and two to the right, would make for an odd, yet terrifying weapon, with a hilt made of brown matter and shining stones, while the blade, made of a dark-shining material, the perfect spear in such environment.


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    "Wait for me Alvaraan, I will return." Kilon whispered to his brother as he kissed his forehead, then, to be able to come back to his brother, he detached from the light a small strand, which he attached to Alvaraan''s chest, the two strands of light now connected.


    As Kilon left his brother''s remains, behind him, at some fair distance, he could see within the storm for a brief moment, the large, looming shape of the beast, standing on two limbs and staring at him.


    "Come beast, it is here where you''ll finally have peace." Kilon subtly said, his back turning, as he stepped into the valley, the shape of the beast, now standing on all fours, passing a while after Kilon by Alvaraan''s remains and into the valley.


    Kilon walked for a while, sweeping with the winds across the valley and slightly floating at times, then stopped. The darkness inside the valley was worse than outside, as the light of stars could only reach so much in the depths of this forsaken place. His breath was heavy, but his light strong, his body would let twitch in a primal fear as the looming danger was encroaching upon him, yet his minds was calm. Kilon, with his spear in hand, could feel every part of it, the wood-like antler handle, the many, various minerals enriching the spear, the old, sturdy, sharp claw at the top. He could feel the cold ground through his mind, the sweeping winds and the light of the stars which slightly shone upon the valley. He could feel even the silence, besides the wind''s whistles, that surrounded this place where life didn''t dare to exist.


    As he felt the moment draw closer, Kilon planned a surprise, he surged the energy from the light through his body and let it shine strongly, lighting up a whole portion of the long valley, allowing him to see everywhere around him and blind anything trying to assault him. But, as he did that, the beast lounged forward, now in his vision, he could see it, three times in length his height, large fat body, black, sharp claws on all four limbs, two larger paws at the front, fur which changed color according to the amount of light covering it''s body, two large black eyes adjusting to the blinding light which he cast from within, two small ears on it''s head, a long, large mouth with few teeth, of which all were meant to grab and tore. To Kilon''s surprise, and pleasure, the beast overreached, whether because it was used to hunt larger prey or that the light made it hard for the beast to discern how tall he was or it didn''t account for the powerful winds, Kilon didn''t waste a breath, and, as the beast got over Kilon, he slashed at the belly of the beast by pushing his staff upwards and then in front and down in a fluid motion, it didn''t cut deep enough though, barely getting below a layer of fat and skin, the beast also didn''t waste a moment, while arching over Kilon, it kicked with it''s hind legs, it''s claws marking Kilon''s back with nine slashes, one claw was amiss.


    Kilon fell on his face, the beast stumbled across the ground, a small crack following after. Both were injured. Although Kilon''s body could heal, the wounds were closing slower than prior injuries, whether that was because of the amount of wounds that healed at once or the energy it needed to expend, Kilon knew he couldn''t afford to get too injured. The beast on the other hand, has suffered a minor injury across it''s belly, but the worst was it''s left hind leg, on which it landed hard and broke a couple fingers, making it harder to step and lounge with. Both raised up, Kilon slightly bent forward, his back still burning with pain, the beast awkwardly standing on all fours, growling in pain, but yet to give up. At a closer look, Kilon could see it''s missing claw at the front, the right eye which didn''t seem to know where to look at, it''s scratched up nose, to the sides scars of missing, forcefully pulled fur and a bit of exposed bone between the ears.


    "Damned be beast! How many of my siblings'' lives have you claimed to get those wounds?! They were naked and alone, and you seized them for yourself, didn''t you?!" Kilon screamed and frowned, as sparks would erupt in anger from his eyes. The beast roared and kicked the ground, it''s old wound and the creature in front of it reminding it of some bad past. It also recognized it''s claw that now adorned Kilon''s staff, making it angrier.


    Both were readying themselves. Kilon put his spear in front of him, holding it with his left hand, as with the right, he started to gather the winds. The beast was pacing and kicking the ground, watching cautiously and awaiting it''s moment to strike. Kilon knew that, thanks to his siblings, the beast was not in peak condition, from the leg, to the eye, to the missing fur, those were all opportunities created by his siblings, meaning, he had a chance to kill it. The beast on the other hand, has never met anything like Kilon, his ability to cut, blind and stand against it without running, were all things which stroke fear even in this apex predator. Now it was too late though, the beast was the one against the wind, and the only way back to it''s home, was by killing this strange being which tried to stand above it.


    Kilon has done his preparations, the beast stopped pacing. A moment of silence followed, the whistles of the wind were strong, then, for a moment they were interrupted, as if the winds themselves were witness to the unfolding scene. The beast lounged first, like before, but Kilon was ready for it, the broken fingers made the lounge less powerful, allowing for Kilon to react, and, with a wind sweeping from below his feet, Kilon lounged up, his spear acting as a pivot. The beast went forward, as Kilon went above, pulling the spear from the ground, then, with both hands and plunging forward, Kilon pierced the back of the beast at a curved angle, akin to slashing, and held onto the now stuck spear at the back of the beast. As the beast landed with Kilon on it''s back, it let out a powerful, painful roar. It started to shake violently from side to side, Kilon not letting go, between each shake, pulling the spear and slashing at the back.


    Kilon knew this was the end, as blood would spurt on his face from the beast and his body would get soaked into it, making his light shine red. But the beast was not done, it lifted itself onto it''s hind legs, completely breaking it''s left paw without a care. Kilon held for dear life onto the spear, then, the beast lounged backwards, the power of the lounge more so than any before, showing the desperation of the beast. The lounge placed the beast on it''s back, and Kilon faced the ground with his back at it and the face at the beast, it''s weight crushing him as he hit the ground with both the power of the lounge and the weight of the beast behind, which was eight to ten times greater than his own.


    "It''s...so heavy. It hurts all over...is it over yet?" Kilon thought at the brink of losing consciousness as, through his blurry vision and shattered bones, could see and feel the beast move away from his body, bleeding from all over and barely walking, the spear falling off of it''s back. He lifted his right hand, the only part of his body which didn''t get between the ground and beast. He tried to see it, but it was hard, the red light from his bloodied hands barely lighting up. "I guess...this is it. I''m sorry...brothers...sisters...Alvaraan. I-" Kilon thought sorrowfully "I so wanted...to see it. What''s beyond...the light...the frozen lands."


    A strand of light, small, thin but warm. It grasped at his broken body, it healed his left arm and right leg, then disappeared. Kilon regained awareness "Was that?" Kilon could no longer feel the way to his brother. With the beast still in sight, he knew he had to finish it so he crawled to his spear, placed it in front of him, holding with both arms and legs, then screamed. He didn''t say anything, it was too hard to say anything and too painful to articulate, the scream conveyed a simple, universal message "I''m not dead yet.". The beast knew that scream all too well, as it survived countless years. It knew that was the sign of a creature ready to die. So, it responded with an angry, tired roar, painfully turning towards Kilon.


    Kilon could barely see, his vision blurry and red. So, he closed his eyes, let himself feel the ground. He knew the beast couldn''t leap anymore, and he was right, as the beast rushed awkwardly towards him. The beast could see the barely lit up Lightborn with his spear standing between them, so it used it''s full weight to let it''s heavy body push forward, as it''s claws made way for Kilon''s long neck and it''s open mouth for his head. But kilon still had a small trick up his sleeve, and, with a gesture of his hand and one last spur of power, he swayed the beasts head with the open mouth towards his spear, which stood firm and still, letting the weight of the beast do the job for him, piercing through it''s neck from the inside to the outside, cutting at it''s spine. The beast''s paws, almost like an instructed response, slashed at Kilon''s right arm, leaving three large marks. But it was futile, Kilon was looking straight into the beast''s eyes, letting it know, with literal sparks in his eyes, that he will live, as where it will die.


    The beast struggled a bit more, before finally stopping, the blood forming a pool at Kilon''s feet. In this position: the beast''s head stuck in the spear, it''s claws hanging by the right arm, the spear held by his arms and leg, while he let his long neck bend forward and head touch the top of the spear, Kilon slept.


    "So warm and bright." Kilon mustered to think, as the rays of the sun touched his injured body. His bones were almost healed, while the slashes on his right arm healed in a bit of an odd way, as the claws of the beasts obstructed the process, leaving scars. He could finally muster his strength, lifting himself up, the spear falling down with the head of the beast and body following, letting the winds breeze and touch Kilon''s body. Kilon felt strange, he managed to defeat the beast and avenge his siblings, it was accomplishment that which he achieved. It''s something he dully sensed when he managed to escape the stormhawks, but so much stronger that it made him smile, sparklets or tears following down his cheeks as he looked up and felt amazement. Then, a sudden surge of fear and dread for a few moments once he realized how close was to dying and looking down at the dead beast. It was the mark of a hunter, warrior and of a being that now could go beyond these freezing lands, as it tamed the wilds.

 As promised

    "Three suns left. The valley leads further ahead, and I can''t see it ending, but..." Kilon paused a moment and extended his hand forward, "the winds, although strong, they''re a bit... warmer." He noticed, now aware of every little change in the winds and the fact that they would rise a bit more from the ground. "Maybe there is a way out through this seemingly endless valley. Is it worth the risk, I wonder," he contemplated. "Well, for now, I must return home. I can feel the direction where I''m supposed to go, but it''s still vague." Kilon thought as he focused on the light, now feeling a stronger connection. Whether that was because he pushed its limits or his limits, was hard to tell, as both were tested during the fight against what he now called the apex clawbear.


    Kilon paid his respects to the beast, offering a small prayer, even for it, which took so much and so dear from him, his wisdom allowing him to know better. Then, much like with the starstag, he wasn''t going to waste what was in front of him. He used his spear to cut off the fur, head, and back paws of the clawbear. He made himself a cape, with its front paws covering his chest and the sharp claws intertwining and clutching at each other, acting as clasps. The back paws he cut off, letting the cape fly into the wind, keeping only the nine claws in a skin bag. He washed the blood off by melting snow around him and rinsing against rocks. The skin proved quite tough, and with some added fat on the inside, the claws wouldn''t cut through.


    Now with his clawbear cape on his shoulders, large head under his left arm, the skin bag held by his left hand and spear in his right hand, Kilon was prepared for his journey back. He looked at his defeated foe and thought, "I could''ve been there, cold winds blowing over my desecrated body, limbs, and head missing, assimilated by some other predator." These thoughts kept his ego in check. "But at the same time... I''m not." Proudly, deeply, and strongly he stated aloud, pressing the bottom end of his spear against the ground, forcing his way against the winds towards the way he came through. He couldn''t use his hands to manipulate the winds and make his way easy. That, however, was fine with him; he learned during his harsh journey that challenges and hardships allowed him to survive, a lesson which he couldn''t afford to learn if not for his siblings who died and allowed him to find the answers to his problems.


    Many times he would lose his footing in the valley. When he came through the entrance, these winds allowed him, at times, to take his body a bit above the ground, allowing for fluid leaps and easy travel. Faced against these winds, he would struggle to keep himself on the ground and not be blown back deeply into the valley. These winds would also intensify the closer he got to the entrance, which further affirmed that, even using his wind manipulation, if he were to try and enter from the other side, he could quite possibly be blown out where he came from or into a rock and die. The weight he carried and slim, tall body he had only made it so much more difficult. His cunning, however, would come in handy once more. Kilon found out that by pushing hard with his feet into the ground, he could find dirt below the snow. So, he used the light strand to disperse it into his legs and into his feet, then out into smaller strands. Those would act like roots, every time he would plant his feet, he would do so literally. This, in turn, also allowed for him to rest at times.


    As the early sun shifted itself to the middle of the sky, Kilon made his way out of the valley. This took far longer than when he got in. But now that he was out, the desolate view of the Shivering Lands stretching once more before him, a blizzard incoming not too far off. His first thoughts were on Alvaraan, although he knew he didn''t have a way back to him, he still searched in the general area where he recalled leaving him. The blizzard, however, made it impossible for him to see anything, and he couldn''t clear it up without losing the items on the ground. For a moment, he weighed the worth of the items against finding the remains of his brother, but he knew that these items bore more importance as they would serve as proof for his siblings that they can leave the Link. "So far brother, I hope this grave of snow and ice won''t freeze your soul and bind it here, for that would make me far too sad," Kilon said softly with a heavy heart as he started to walk back towards the Link.


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    Since he couldn''t tell the precise way to the Link, but had to base his way on a vague feeling through the light strand, Kilon took a slight detour to the west. There, he found a location with plateaus of ice and stone, rising much above his head. On top of them, he could see the vague shape of clawbears. Kilon waited as the blizzard calmed down a bit. He wanted to study their behavior now that he knew he strayed away from the path, to at least make it worthwhile. There were packs of them, five to ten, sleeping on different parts of the plateaus. Most males would keep warmth for one another in less optimal parts of the plateau, while one or two males, surrounded by females, would sleep in the better and more optimal parts, where they had more cover and better views. Once the blizzard stopped, those surrounded by the females would shake the snow off their furs and descend the plateaus in small leaps. Once down, they would put their bellies and bodies onto the ice, letting themselves feel it. Kilon understood that that''s how the beast could tell he was there from a distance. Then, the clawbear would start going somewhere, and some of the males from the worse parts would go and mate with the females from the better parts. Sometimes violent clashes erupted between them, and sometimes the females themselves would go to the male spots on the plateau. Kilon took note of this and started concentrating on the light once more, finding his way back north.


    Kilon didn''t encounter much danger on his way back. There were the usual stormhawks, starstags, horned rabbits, and so on. But never clawbears, he noticed. He thought that perhaps the one who hunted him and his siblings was one of those alpha clawbears which got too far from home or one of the beta males. Perhaps it was still young when it left, tried to fight one of the alphas and got exiled from the pack. The latter sounded more probable, which weighed heavier on his mind since, from what he could see, none of these clawbears were nearly as large or ferocious as the one he fought. In fact, the young ones were perhaps a bit larger than him, while the older ones were just a bit larger than a starstag, if even. His surface thoughts were that the clawbear had a steady supply of food, which is why it grew so large and strong, but deep inside, he knew that it was because it ate his siblings that the clawbear grew as it did. He could tell that he and his siblings were different from other beings the day he left the light, the creator telling them as much, but he didn''t know that they could make other creatures different just by existing. It was as much terrifying as it was exciting. The possibilities to create monsters that could end their race because of the powerful life they possessed, and the possibilities to create grander, more powerful, and wiser creatures with the right guidance, were all things he considered.


    That being said, he was finally back. The light of the Link, strong as always, stretched beyond the sky to the stars. A sight he couldn''t be happier to see. Yet, sorrow stung at his heart, knowing that this might be the last time he would see his home. For now though, he was excited to see his siblings. He no longer was scared of the possibility of the clawbears attacking them, as he ruled the beast as an exception. He still had some anxiety in his heart, but as he stepped within the light, the countless sparks of light circling the large light made his heart skip a beat, a mix of shock and relief crossing his body.


    His siblings didn''t notice him yet; many were praying, while others were, curiously enough, putting their hands inside the Link and pulling them out. He wanted to say something, but he didn''t know what to say, his hands trying to find the proper way to greet them. As he stood there at a loss for words or what to do, Manna noticed him, and he noticed her. She was starting to tear up with light and sparks, and, to his surprise, so did he.


    "Brother!" Manna cried while running towards him, and her brothers and sisters soon followed suit. "Kilon!" "He returned!" "There he is!" and many others were the calls of his siblings. Some were cheering, while others were hugging each other before flocking to him. Manna was the first to jump and hug him. She was tearing up but so joyful and didn''t want to let go of him, making her brothers and sisters jealous of the attention she was stealing for herself. After Kilon let go of his belongings, hugged his sister, he opened up his arms while Manna still hugged him. No one could contain themselves, dozens of Lightborn were piling on top of him, and he didn''t resist. He simply closed his eyes and said softly and gently while tearing up, "As promised, I have returned."

 A way out

    "And then? What did the beast do?" curiously asked Eharel, a slightly red glowing Lightborn.


    "He killed it I bet. It couldn''t have survived, I''m sure." Menoel added, the tallest Lightborn after Kilon and Alvaraan.


    "Let him say it, you keep interrupting him." Manna said disgruntled "Although I''m curious about the fur, does it really change color according to the light it receives?" she asked after her complaint.


    "And you asking him more would let him finish the story how?" inquired impatiently Orvus, a slightly blue glowing Lightborn.


    Kilon would sit and watch with a slight smile as his siblings would argue with each other. He knew the road ahead was hard, so those moments could only be counted onwards.


    "So, as I said" Kilon resumed, everyone now listening. Where he couldn''t be heard, others would silently whisper his words "I was on top of the beast, my spear slashing at it''s back. And, while I thought it was over, the beast still had life kicking in it, so it sprouted on it''s hind legs, breaking the left paw!" Kilon said, his hands animating the scene, while the face painfully remembered the followup. Everyone listened intently, not wanting to miss a word, as this was their first teachings of the outside. Kilon''s stories of the animals, environments, the fight with the beast and how he dealt with the disasters of the Shivering Lands, as well as the sad discovery of Alvaraan, all were captivating the minds of these Lightborn which never stepped outside the LInk''s reach.


    After he told his stories, he presented, as promised, the proof needed that they could explore what''s beyond the Link and even the Shivering Lands. The head of the beast and his explanation of it''s species encouraged the Lightborn, while the showcase of his wind manipulation excited all of them. His siblings now were convinced and ready, the only thing holding them back, was taking parts of the Link, like Kilon did, in order to survive. But Kilon, as he stood up and raised his voice, reassured them that "Since I know how to grasp at the light, I can teach . The uncounted suns which took me to learn from nothing, will be only a few dozen for most of you, less for some. After everyone has learned and got a strand of light attached, then and only then, we will leave our home."


    "Can you not simply attach them to us?" a Lightborn fairly asked.


    "I''m afraid not, for each connection is unique and it would take me far too long." Kilon responded in kind.


    "If all of us take a strand of light from the Link, won''t shrink or make it disappear?" another Lightborn anxiously asked.


    "No it will not." Kilon assured "The Link forms new connections at all times, endlessly so. Even if there were so many of us that we would cover the lands, the Link would never shrink or disappear."


    Everyone still had questions to ask and were still not completely sure they would be able to accomplish what Kilon did. But, from within the crowd of lights, a larger one now was lighting up.


    "Just like this. I can''t feel the cold and strength flows within me. It''s just about how it should feel, right Kilon?" Orvus asked, a strand of light now visibly attached to his back, walking through the crowd and towards Kilon. He stepped in front of him, Kilon surprised and pleased with what he saw.


    "How did you manage to grasp at it so fast Orvus?" Kilon intrigued asked.


    "Many suns ago, when you first started to put your hands inside the Link, I got curious myself. And, although I gave up shortly after like many other, some sensation of attachment was left lingering inside of me. Now that you have explained the principle behind it, I had a clear image in my head. The lingering feeling, became a complete one and started to flow into me, then I grasped at it and didn''t let go."


    Kilon was impressed by his brother, his intelligence might''ve been on par with his own or even greater. This in turn gave the Lightborn two teachers instead of one, speeding up the process of learning.


    The following months most Lightborn managed to learn how to attach the light to themselves. New outcomes would come as a result of a variety of Lightborn learning it.


    First, those which had a red, orange or yellow hue to their glow, would prove most different. Once they learned how to interact with the light, they would show more proficiency into channeling the light throughout the body. Enhancing many aspects, from vision, to combat and powerful bursts of energy. Their light would circulate through the entire body, and when needed, they could redirect as much light as wanted in parts of the bodies which needed it most. This would give them advantage in regenerating, agility, reflexes and senses. However, where one could say they were experts at, they were severely lacking in other areas. Unlike Kilon, they could barely understand new concepts, like wind manipulation or light manipulation outside the body. This meant they were better for combat, exploration and scouting, but not so good at learning to improvise and adapt new aspects into them. One curious aspect observed, was that, while they couldn''t manifest light outside the body like Kilon, they could pull in life instead. Their light, for example, would attract other life towards it, like plants or animals, as if they were something those needed. This gave them advantages to understanding the surroundings, preparing and even luring in what they wanted. It was, however, a dangerous tool, Kilon understood that better than anyone, as he kept the fact that the beast grew as large as it did a secret, not wanting his siblings to get curious and try things which could have unforeseen consequences.


    Those which were more akin to Kilon were those that shared a similar glow to his or Orvus''s. These Lightborn were proficient in learning concepts like wind manipulation, light manipulation and some even learned some new types of manipulation, like water or earth. The way they would distribute the light was through the mind and hands mostly, leaving little for the legs and body. This would allow for precise and enhanced control over what they could manipulate, allowing for quick and precise decision making, good improvising, learning and adapting. However, unlike their other brethren, it would make it harder to regenerate, react and naturally respond to their environment. Much like Kilon also, they could emit the light outside their bodies, some were so good at it in fact, that they could shroud themselves in the light, acting as a buffer between them and outside threats. Some could also cast long rays of light, acting as sensory receptors, allowing one to view or feel things beyond one''s reach. While the former could use light in bursts, causing heavy, spread attacks, these Lightborn could use their light with precision and effect, giving control over the type of attack and injury inflicted onto someone.


    Kilon let Orvus take care of those like the two of them during these months, taking care of them only when needed, as they would find solutions faster, while he took the others with Manna outside the Link''s reach. Teaching them about the environment and how survive in different scenarios. This proved effective, as both groups would learn at a fast pace in the areas they were good at. Occasionally, the groups would switch so they could practice in areas where they lacked. Over the course of these months, most of them were geared with staffs, spears, fur clothes and trinkets from animals they personally killed.


    It was a stormy night, as per usual. Kilon gathered his siblings, preparing an announcement. Everyone was showing up, some groups returning from journeys beyond the Link, Orvus being part of one such that went East and had news. Manna also returned from a journey herself, she led a group into clawbear territory and had lost a couple of Lightborn to them, she had her face marked by a wound going from the right side of the chin to the right side of the forehead, she was pissed by her incompetence. Progress was made during these months within a group of Lightborn led by Affrax, a Lightborn with the same glow as Kilon. They were close to crystalizing the light of the Link in small chunks, effectively creating alternative ways to empower their bodies. Kilon wold look hopeful over these successes, some contempt and disappointment over the failures, but proud nonetheless, as everything was leading to their escape from the Shivering Lands. Now the Lightborn have gathered. Kilon with the back at the Link, his spear fixated into the ground, his fur cape slightly swaying in the wind. The rest sitting down in front of him in small and large groups. Some Lightborn swaying the wind in tandem to clear space, while others standing watch in case of anything approaching.


    "May the light protect all of you, brothers, sisters." Kilon began, bowing with his back and head a bit forward, left hand on the chest, right hand with the palm open and fingers closed together up. It was their way to say "I''m home".


    "May the light guide you." the others saluted while sitting down, right hand up like that of Kilon''s. It was their way to say "Welcome home".


    "Before I begin my announcement, first, a few words from Orvus. Let us hear what he and his group discovered." Kilon began, letting Orvus in the center, his group standing to the sides. Him and his group were dressed in many coats of fur, as they traveled, they wanted as little attention as possible from other predators, and their glow would prove counterproductive to that extent. They also cut off their hair, as with time they noticed their hair would start to grow once far away from the Link. Something which was less visible in Kilon as he only went away a few days then returned, and, although he went outside with the others to help and train them, it was never for too long. Orvus and his group on the other hand, left a few times for weeks on end to search new places and scout the lands. Now, at long last, returning with results.


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    "I bear great news brothers and sisters, together with my group, we have found far eastwards" Orvus said while pulling out a compass, hand gesturing towards the direction. It was made of antler scraps from a starstag, the claw of a clawbear serving in the middle as an anchor point for a strand of light detached from Orvus''s body, pointing towards the Link "Waters like in the far west and north, but this time, a passage made of pieces of ice leading to some other lands from these. We couldn''t stray away too much, as the day of the meeting was pronounced before our expedition, so we only crossed the passage then ventured a bit into the lands. But, after a couple of suns of travel, we encountered, what we call, a forest." Orvus ended, with the intent to let the others speculate the meaning of the word. He liked stirring interest in his subject of discussion, a bad habit which annoyed some at times, but this time, it worked like a charm to his pleasure, as everyone would start whispering and speculating.


    With his hand trying to cover the smile he said and with the other revealing a tree branch "A forest is a mass of living matter. This living matter, is called trees. Large ones too, suggesting that life may have found more leisure ways of living. Further, within this forest, just by observing the edges of it, we could see large life entities. Some crawling, some flying, some climbing, some in between." Orvus explained further, ending with a small pause, as to prepare to what''s following, throwing the branch into the crowd, the Lightborn playing, fighting for it and looking at it.


    "Even so, small life was hardly observable. Which leads us to a bunch of conclusions. One being that, life is too competitive, the small life can''t live with the large one or has to hide itself. Another is, the environment simply doesn''t allow small life to thrive. The second conclusion is more troublesome for us." Orvus gravely stated.


    "If the second conclusion comes to be the truth, it would mean that it''s not suitable for us to live there, meaning, we would have to go some other way, some other place. The first conclusion is our best outcome, as we can deal with competition, backed by our minimal losses during exploration of the Shivering Lands. The Shivering Lands also being much harsher in terms of weather conditions, which the other side, that we thought would be fitting to call the Frozen Side, doesn''t suffer as much from. We believe that may be due to the present living matter which disrupts winds and formation of tornadoes. With that being said, I would like everyone to remember that these observations and conclusions are based on brief encounters and observations, so take them as you may." Orvus concluded thus concluding his speech. Kilon hugged his brother and the others from his group, then Orvus sat down at the foremost front, ready to listen to Kilon. Kilon kept in mind everything that Orvus said, again surprised by him, as he didn''t think Orvus would be the daring kind to push that far to find out the truth.


    "With those matters out of the way. I think it''s time for the main announcement." Kilon stated.


    "Wait." Manna interrupted. "Are we not going to talk about it?" she said disturbed.


    "Is there anything left to say, Manna?" Kilon fixated her with his eyes, sparks calmly escaping at times "Afaaron, Mahaeer, Kalus. They''re dead now, we prayed for them, we even got their lights, didn''t we?" Kilon calmly said.


    "Yes we did. But..." Manna couldn''t continue.


    "But?" Kilon reinforced.


    "But why me?! Why do I have to be the one bearing their lights? Shouldn''t someone who could use this power have it? Someone who isn''t as incompetent?" Manna cried with anger and sadness in her voice, sparks and light shedding from her eyes.


    "Incompetent, yes. But no more, not after what happened. We learn by challenging ourselves, by trying and falling on our faces, Manna. You challenged the clawbears, even though I warned everyone about them, you still challenged them and failed." Kilon lectured her, but at the same time "That was your mistake, and I believe you''re not fool not to learn from it" Kilon continued, Manna''s face lighting up with every word "Take from it, learn from it and ensure you don''t make the same mistakes. And to answer your question, who is more competent in here to bear their light if not she who knows what is like to fail?" Kilon added firmly, a sense of forgiveness could be felt in his voice, letting Manna know that it''s alright to fail at times, as long as she could learn from it. He knew better than anyone what''s like to be at the point of failure, so he wouldn''t beat down Manna for her mistake.


    "Now that everything is settled. The main announcement" Kilon loudly stated, everyone''s eyes fixated in anticipation on him. Everyone knew inside what he was going to say, yet they still wanted to hear it from him "It''s time to take our leave! From the Link, from the Shivering Lands! Into the unknown and far from this frozen hell!" Kilon cried aloud, pulling his spear from the ground and lifting it up, his siblings couldn''t contain themselves, they all got up on their feet and raised their weapons, trinkets and other small things they made from animals and rocks. Manna was also holding up her two pointed spear as some tears of relief came across her cheeks, Orvus was holding only one hand up and was smiling gently, his excitement hardly contained by his proud nature. "Now" Kilon gestured his hands downwards, the Lightborn standing back down "Orvus''s discovery, fortunately brings us favor. We no longer are bound to the one road I discovered, we have options now." Kilon said with anticipation, some concern felt by the ones closer to where he stood "But these options need an return" (return is referred as exchange or to give) "The option provided by Orvus means that some of us will head south with me, while some of us will head east with Orvus." Kilon ended.


    Uneasiness washed over the Lightborn. They all trusted Kilon when it came to making wise decisions, so it was natural to want to follow him. But the option provided by Orvus showed promise and proof that there might be something better in the west. The Lightborn were divided in opinions, but that''s what Kilon wanted. He didn''t want everyone to head in the same direction, for if worst comes, at least some of them would survive and could start over. There was also the possibility that both roads led to doom, but Kilon didn''t want to believe that.


    Kilon pushed his spear slightly into the ground, fixating it. Then clapped together his hands as his siblings were all talking and whispering, which stopped all of them and got their attention as wanted "Now, with the options provided, I want all of you to choose. South or east, what''s the path that you, brother, sister, want to follow?" Kilon said, his right hand pointing east, his left south. Once presented with the options, the Lightborn were split. More than half followed Kilon, while the other Orvus. Manna also wanted to follow Kilon, but Kilon stopped her.


    "Except for you sister, you cannot choose." Kilon explained to his sister, placing his left hand on her shoulder, holding his spear in the other.


    "Why? Is it because of what I did? I won''t make a mistake like that again brother!" Manna protested in a cry.


    Kilon shook his head "It''s not for that, sister. Orvus, as you can tell, although he''s really smart, he doesn''t know how to protect himself. This last expedition showed me just that, he''s willing to go to any length if it means unraveling the truth. He simply isn''t careful enough." Kilon told her. Manna understood what he was saying.


    She now possessed three lights besides her own, something which the Lightborn developed while they each learned to attach a light. The ability to connect the lights, like Kilon did when he tried to keep account of Alvaraan, only difference, they acted as each Lightborn willed them to, without affecting the others. The case of Kilon where it acted, seemingly, on it''s own, being the only case known where a light would act without the will of it''s master.


    When the three from Manna''s group were on the verge of dying, they sent their lights to Manna, allowing her to effectively kill the clawbears and save the rest of the group. This in turn made her special, aspects which Afaaron, Mahaeer and Kalus possessed, transferred to her, additionally, she also was stronger. Before receiving their light, she was a quarter of height shorter than Kilon, she also radiated a red glow, showing more proficiency in combat. After she received their light, she grew some more, something a Lightborn is inherently born with and can''t be changed, her glow also changed, now a powerful red, instead of a glimmering one like before.


    All preparations were in order. Weapons, knowledge, trinkets, clothing, all was ready for the journeys ahead south and west. Yet, one group wasn''t preparing to leave, Kilon noticed.


    "And you Affrax? Which group have you chosen?" Kilon asked on a curious tone, although he had a good idea what Affrax wanted.


    Affrax chuckled "You can already tell, can''t you brother?" Affrax said as he took glances at his siblings readying themselves, trying to hide the fact that he wanted to go too.


    Kilon tried to convince him "We can do without the crystals. There is no reason to stay behind."


    "Oh but there is, and you thought of it yourself haven''t you?" Affrax sure of his words.


    "I know Affrax, but if we succeed, wouldn''t you like to be there? Next to your siblings? Sharing the view of a warm place with life brimming everywhere?" Kilon pursued further, his voice hopeful to convince his brother, but his eyes betraying him, he knew he made his mind already, he was going to stay at the Link. It was the third option, one which he didn''t mention, for it was too sad and lonely.


    Affrax strongly glanced into Kilon''s eyes "I would love nothing more brother. But can we afford the risk? What if me being here, could be the sole reason our existence won''t be forgotten?" Affrax said full of determination. Kilon knew that this job had to be done by someone, he only wished it wasn''t one of his siblings.


    "Then, brother, I promise, someday me, Orvus, Manna or any of us will return. We will come back for you and take you to the place we dreamed of." Kilon made his promise towards his brother, convinced that one day anyone will return, his eyes not betraying his words, his left hand forward to shake his brother''s. Affrax wanted to cry, but he had to be strong if he were to endure the time of loneliness ahead of him. So he reached up and hugged Kilon, not letting him see the sparks flow from his eyes.


    "You must keep your word, alright? Like you did when you said you would return from the wild." Affrax said while trying to hide his sob.


    Kilon let go of his spear and hugged him with both arms "I will brother. If not me, trust our siblings that will for my stead." he managed to hold his tears. He was the one leading, he couldn''t be weak, not at this crucial moment.


    Each Lightborn hugged each other. Although it took a long while, it was a worthwhile. They didn''t know who they would see, if they would ever see. These moments could be the last they had together, not one of them would try to pass it off.


    Once they did so, Kilon announced "Brothers, sisters! We begin our journeys! We''re going to find our way out!" as he said that, everyone cheered, a sense of excitement, anxiety, sadness, all were felt. Glancing for a last time at each other, the Lightborn were entering a new age in their history, an age of discovery and travel. To find a home, to find what is there, beyond the place they were bound to for so long.

 Only forward

    "Prepare yourself, Kilon, son of the Link. The light will lit up the heavens, as it will descend upon your brethren, disaster following it. Their light will fade, as it''s light will grow stronger. Beware of what lies closest to you." The vision of a powerful entity followed the voice. It was flying up in the darkness of the sky, many brothers and sisters of Kilon''s losing their light as they would fall and die, their life drained from them by this ethereal figure, lighting up the sky.


    "No! Let go of them, let them-" Kilon''s vision was interrupted by Menoel''s large hand on his shoulder, looking from below with a worried look, as Kilon was praying.


    "What did you see brother? Did the Creator speak with you?" Menoel asked with a concerned voice and look in his eyes, as Kilon placed his feet on the ground, slightly dizzy.


    "Yes. The Creator spoke with me, it also showed me a vision of the future, a dark and grim one." Kilon explained, his left hand on his forehead, trying to recount everything he saw.


    "Can you say? Or does the Creator want you to keep to yourself?" Menoel asked, preparing to leave.


    "I do not know. The Creator did not say, but maybe I should tell all of you of it." Kilon considered, gathering his stuff from the ground.


    "If the Creator did not say, maybe it''s better to keep it to yourself. We do not know how us knowing will make it for better or for worse." Menoel added thoughtfully.


    Kilon, now that he could recall what he saw better, he agreed with Menoel. It was a Lightborn that which he saw on the sky. He couldn''t imagine which of his siblings could do such a thing and why. But it was better to keep it to himself, the journey ahead would already be hard, telling his siblings of this would only create tension and unrest between them.


    "This is it, right, Kilon? You never brought us too close to it, and now that we''re here, it really shows how terrifying this valley is." Eharel pointed towards the road ahead, as the mountains were piercing the skies and beyond. The valley, which Kilon called the Whistling Valley, stretched before them, about three thousand Lightborn waiting for Kilon''s call.


    "Yes. This is the one. If I''m correct, at the end of it, there should be some warmer lands, where, hopefully, we can find our new home." Kilon wishfully thought.


    "Well, no point in waiting. We should get into formation. Although, I must ask, are you sure we can''t just jump around like you did? It means we can travel much faster right?" Menoel curiously asked.


    "Yes, I''m sure. If we all were to jump around with the winds, some would inevitably jump into others. There''s also those which aren''t good at wind manipulation, so they could fall or be taken off by the winds without being able to dodge or escape." Kilon said wisely.


    With his words reinforced, the Lightborn prepared a formation which Kilon thought would work pretty good. The Whistling Valley stretched for a long portion of land. If it were just him, he approximated he could make it out in a sun or two at best. But, given the large volume of Lightborn present, it would take around three, four or maybe more suns to travel through. So, his solution was a formation which would "disable" the winds, so to speak. Most Lightborn which were able to manipulate wind, stood at the sides, front and back of the large group. Their job was to sway the winds in tandem, which, in theory should work. Into the valley, about one to two hundred could fit from one side to the other in a semi circle formation. They had around a thousand proficient in wind manipulation, so that could cover the back and front. The problem were the sides. They had to travel all at once for this to be successful, so the middle portion had about two thousand Lightborn, most of which were only so good at wind manipulation, while the thousand good at it had to stretch around the two not so good at it.


    So, Kilon''s solution for this issue, was for them to connect their lights to his, enabling him to access higher degrees of power. In a straight line through the middle, Lightborns which took his orders sat, when he wished to perform a move on the winds, he would say it aloud, those in line taking the order over to the others, so they could will their light to follow his own. This would cause a delay, so Kilon''s job was essentially the hardest. He had to anticipate the winds with a bare minimum of training with such levels of power, while ensuring his manipulation won''t disturb those at the front and back, for it would effectively break the ranks and destroy the formation.


    However, this was the only way out of the Whistling Valley. Climbing the mountains was out of the discussion, as the winds blew stronger the higher you go, and sending small groups through the valley possessed a high degree of risk. Not only the first group had to deal with whatever could be on the other side, but once on the other side, it''s almost certain that return is next to impossible, so they won''t be able to communicate in case something goes wrong.


    Kilon already knew the facts, so his only solution was the one presented. It also carried a lot of risk, if his orders weren''t carried successfully to all the Lightborn, and a large enough portion of them failed to comply, the formation could be shattered from inside to outside. If his control and anticipation of the winds swayed too hard, again, the formation ends up as prior. If either of those at the front or back made a large enough mistake, the same conclusion descended upon them, as those at the middle had to give up control of their light to Kilon, barely having enough to warm and keep themselves alive. This operation carried a lot of risk, but there weren''t any other solutions in sight.


    "Menoel! As discussed, you lead the front!" Kilon cried, their group gathering in the formation just outside the Whistling Valley. "Eharel! You''re the first to pass on my command, ensure they hear it no matter what!"


    "Yes, brother!" both cried.


    "Efeheem and Melionus! Watch our backs alright?!" Kilon''s cries could be heard to the back and front.


    "Yes Kilon!" Efeheem approved. A slightly orange in glow Lightborn, first at Kilon''s back to carry on the message, part of Manna''s hunting group.


    "Understood brother!" Melionus cried back. A Lightborn of similar glow to Kilon''s, part of the group which researched the crystallization of the light.


    "Prepare!" Kilon announced. All eyes were upon him, his hand raised tall above everyone. "Now!" he commanded, his hand falling swiftly down. Those at the back were the first to start, directing the winds above everyone else, then Kilon took over, infused with an overwhelming amount of power, his eyes letting out sparks and light, his skin glowing so bright, those around him, with their slight lack of light, looking in awe. The winds carried over to the front, which, those there, pushed down and up, shattering the current.


    East of the Link


    "Do you think they got through by now?" Manna asked Orvus, pacing at his left, her twin pointed spear in her right hand, the wound across her face now healed, except for a small part at the top of her forehead.


    "Probably not, if what Kilon said is true. The Whistling Valley seemed tough enough to travel alone, let alone with thousands by your side." Orvus answered while using his light to see further through his right hand, confirming their path, his compass in the left hand.


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    "Wouldn''t it be easier? Having other people help you, should make the challenge more approachable, shouldn''t it?" Manna continued, her logic not accounting for everything.


    "It depends, sister." Orvus shortly answered, preoccupied by his compass.


    "Depends? Depends on what?" Manna now wanting to know, her face trying to get the attention of Orvus, who now was shorter than her.


    He sighed impatiently "Depends on the obstacle ahead. If, for example, I had to cross over a portion of ice to get to the other part, my fear for it breaking due to my weight, would be minimal. But if thousands more had to do it with me, then my worries would grow the same for each one additional to me." Orvus bothered explaining. Manna getting the clearer picture now.


    "And here we are, the Edge of the Storm." it''s how Orvus named the part where the Shivering Lands met the sea, in front of them, large portions of ice, floating above water made a passage for travel stretching for suns to go.


    "You know, maybe when I ask you about something, don''t act like it''s the biggest chore of your life." Manna remarked to him, obviously bothered by his demeanor.


    "And maybe think about it some more before asking the obvious." Orvus replied back with sass in his tone.


    She kicked him behind the knee, almost making him drop the compass "Hmph. Maybe think about it some more before you''re all smarty dandy with me." Manna replied in her way.


    "Creator, give me patience, for I might extinguish my sister''s light under this water some day." Orvus snapped back, picking himself up.


    "Pfft. You wish, you wouldn''t be able to lay a finger on me before laying down all messed up." Manna said with a grin on her face.


    "If I had some of those additional lights, I bet I could do just that myself." Orvus said under his breath, stabbing where it hurt her.


    "What did you just-" Manna said ready to kick him again before getting interrupted by a loud sound from the sea. "Did you hear that?" Manna asked Orvus panicked.


    "Hard not to. That  wasn''t something we encountered before." he answered, curiously looking for the source.


    "The passage might be compromised then. We should return to the Link." Manna suggested worried, looking at his curious gaze.


    "Return? When we don''t even know what made that sound?" Orvus looked upset at her, as if her suggestion was offensive in some way.


    "Do we need  to know what made that sound?" she said concerned "It sounded like a clawbear and starstag, except it was as if thousands of them roared at once." Manna said, as she was turning to her concerned siblings, ready to tell them.


    But Orvus placed his hand on her right shoulder and whispered in her ear "Do you really want us to disappoint Kilon? Especially after your venture?"


    She pushed his hand off, snapping back at him, her hand in his face "Don''t you dare, Orvus! The only reason I''m here is because he put me to watch over you!"


    He had arranged his voice, his eyes cold now "Then watch over me, as I cross over. Or return to Kilon, tell him how you were too scared to follow." Orvus said, taking hold of the conversation.


    She didn''t know what to do. She knew how to hunt and explore, but she didn''t know how to deal with a situation like this. Manna wasn''t in charge, but she also couldn''t let things go as Orvus wanted.


    Before she could come up with a solution, Orvus stepped up and announced "We''re going to spend a sun here. If the sound repeats itself, we shall return to the Link, then wait for news from Kilon. But" he looked at Manna, who was speechless, then turned to his siblings and followed up with "But if we don''t hear the sound, we shall make way through the passage and into the Frozen Side." he stated with full intent to show who''s in the lead to Manna.


    Manna didn''t have words for it. The solution was sound and reasonable, like all things he said. Yet she knew that something was still off. It wasn''t Orvus, he was the same carefree, cheeky brother she knew. It was the lights of her dead siblings. It was as if they wanted to warn her, warn her of something dangerous looming in the future. That, however, was not proof or a reliable source to sway her siblings and Orvus''s minds.


    South of the Link


    "How long before we go?" Menoel sat down as he asked Kilon who was praying.


    Kilon stopped his prayer "Just a bit more. We''ve been traveling for a couple of suns and the end is nowhere in sight yet. We must recover some before going." his look was in front, watching as his siblings were taking turns in swaying the winds. Turning towards Menoel, at his back, his siblings could be seen swaying the winds blowing violently from where they came. "They''re warmer here, you know?" Kilon intrigued Menoel, sitting down with him.


    "What is?" Menoel responded curious.


    "The winds, the earth below our feet, the sun which can almost reach us." Kilon said, melancholy showing in his eyes, as if he was approaching some place he already has been at.


    Menoel chuckled "Ah, yes. Of course you can tell. Most of us don''t even know what warm earth feels like, but you can tell the difference in warmth between these violent winds and those at the beginning, as if they''re blowing any differently." he said, feeling some comfort inside, knowing that Kilon could tell they''re getting closer to some other place.


    "Although" Kilon started as he burrowed his hand into the ground, pulling dirt from below the snow "What if, even when we reach these warm lands, the valley doesn''t end?" his question full of thought. He was still thinking of his vision, what could possibly trigger such a violent response from a sibling of his, maybe this was what pushed one of them to the limits. Yet, united with all the lights, he couldn''t feel any emotions of disdain or anger. The opposite as a matter of fact. Hope, excitement and anxiety at times, but all within reasonable range, as the Lightborn wanted to feel these warmer lands, touch them and maybe even live in them. Maybe he or she was within those that he didn''t connect with, those more capable in this scenario. Maybe their responsibility weighed hard on them and he couldn''t tell.


    "Well, I guess we''ll just dig some holes into the mountains and bury ourselves there. Maybe we''ll just dig to the other side and find open lands." Menoel stopped Kilon''s thoughts with words full of hope and childish thoughts.


    Kilon couldn''t tell, but the Lightborn in his group were simply happy to follow him into the unknown. For them, having Kilon who already proved himself so much, was enough to give them the hope and power to push forward to the lands which they all wanted.


    Kilon''s worries loosened a bit. Whether the vision would come true sooner or later, he felt as if he could avert it or at least overcome it, he put all his trust in his siblings and they did the same with him. "Let us proceed then. Sitting here and thinking too much will bring misfortune I say, brother." Kilon said, lifting himself up and giving his hand to aid his brother.


    "That is right, brother. Our home lies further ahead, we just must push harder." Menoel approved as he took Kilon''s hand. "I''ll go take my position and tell everyone to get up."


    "Do that, I''ll start focusing." Kilon responded, his eyes lighting up with powerful energy once more, as everyone got up, ready to go at his signal. "Forward!" he screamed, everyone now accustomed to their roles, an unwavering will encompassing them.


    East of the Link


    "A sun has passed, brother." Manna told Orvus, standing in front of him who was praying, his feet slightly above ground in flight.


    "Is that so?" Orvus said while still praying a little "I thought you would be the last to tell me of it." he added with snark.


    "I do it to warn you. Whatever made that horrifying sound, is still waiting for us, it simply stood silent so we would come into it''s den." she said, a strong yet worried look in her eyes which got Orvus''s attention.


    "Is there something more to it, sister? Your eyes tell me that you perhaps know more than you let to see." he asked intrigued, his tone serious.


    She didn''t want to say it, she knew that if she did, he would brush it off and simply push forward "Look, what I''m saying is reasonable right? Kilon encountered a beast which was smarter than others of it''s kind, is it that far fetched for us to unravel such a beast this far away from home?" she explained herself further.


    Orvus couldn''t deny what she was saying. It was sound and reasonable. But, at the same time, he looked behind her, he saw those clouds looming far behind them, clouds which he could never see beyond. For him, it was either this or back there, where the only light was that of the Link. "I understand sister. But we haven''t heard from it for a full sun." he said firmly determined.


    "And if what I''m saying is right? If whatever is there, will get us, can you bear their lights, push forward?" she asked out of her own experience.


    "It is over there, over the passage or back there, where the storms never end. I do not know if I can bear their lights, but I won''t have to, because we''ll succeed." Orvus responded, a foolish process of thinking out of desperation.


    Manna knew there wasn''t anything she could say that could make him return. Not now that she understood better his reasons. "Very well, just remember, I''m here to watch over you. If we slip, I''ll catch you first, so you can see how the others drown because of your mistake." Manna told her brother, her words cutting deep into him.


    "I don''t expect any less from someone who already tasted failure. Now, watch over me, as we cross the Frozen Passage."

 The Frozen Passage

    "The storm is approaching, we should move on. That "forest" is not too far now."  Eraanel, a Lightborn with a slight yellow glow said. His right eye looking in the East, his left eye missing, covered by his hand in an attempt to regenerate it.


    "Is it safer though?" Felemous, a Lightborn with a slight blue glow and a missing arm asked. Lightborns all around sitting down, tending to their wounds. "It could be just like the Frozen Passage, another lure." he said in spite, looking to his left, Orvus crawled up in shock.


    "It doesn''t matter." Manna added, she was taller than all of them now, her glow stronger than before, as she stepped between them and forward, looking at the road ahead and the looming storm. "If we stay here, a lot more will die. We don''t have the power to keep the storm away, there''s not enough of us." she continued, a good part of them now missing. "And even if danger is waiting, I can protect us. Not even the beast would put a scratch on me now." Manna said as she looked at herself, then changed her gaze towards Orvus, reaching with her hand for his shoulder from some distance. Her limbs were now much longer "Isn''t that right, my cowardly brother?" she inquired, her eyes full of spite and powerful sparks.


    A sun and a half ago


    "We''ve been going for two suns, how far did you say it is?" Eraanel asked. His eyes looking for an answer at Orvus.


    "Another two suns and we''ll be there. Do no worry brother, soon we''ll touch on new, more promising lands. I promise you." Ovus calmly answered, he was now less desperate but a lot more cautious. They''ve been walking for four days now and no sounds, only that of the waves and the occasional thunder in the distance. Or the large plates of ice slightly shifting under their weight. That would normally calm him some, but there were absolutely no sounds. When he first walked across the passage, some birds with six wings, a large beak with a large portion at the bottom and three eyes, that he named multiwingers, would soar the sky and sometimes plunge into the sea, catching smallfish.


    A species of fish which had small hooks onto which others from their species would catch on and swim together, forming clutters of them. The largest clutter of them that Orvus had seen was the size of a small hill under water. The multiwingers were natural predators of the smallfish, as the smallfish were of the multiwingers. The multiwingers are plunging for small groups of them, but if the clutter was larger at the bottom than the top, it would trick the multwinger into trying to grasp at more than one could lift. That effectively made the multiwinger try to pull more than they could lift and the smallfish could swim down, wetting their feathers and trapping them on or under water. The smallfish would then unhook from the main host and savagely attack the multiwinger. Some multiwingers used this as an opportunity to gang on the smallfish. A truly visceral dance of life and death.


    There were other critters, some which you would see on the pieces of ice which formed the passage. Walking orcas, timing their attacks on smallfish or clawsquids. Some were just resting above water, like greenwhales and fishbears.


    On their road so far, Orvus didn''t notice any of them. Smallfish, multiwingers, walking orcas, greenwhales and so on. That placed a great deal of worry onto Orvus, who now paced at the front faster, trying to make everyone walk quickly without raising suspicion. But those which were more experienced in hunting, did notice the faster pace. It was similar to an animal which knew something is not alright. With that in mind, no one really wanted to press this issue onto him, as they trusted his judgement, except for Manna that is.


    She was walking by his left, as usual, when she put her hand on his shoulder, grabbing the spear with her left. "What''s going on? Are you okay?" she worriedly asked.


    He jumped a little at her touch, some panic could be seen in his eyes "What? Yes, of course. Everything is fine and good." he was lying, trying to hide his fear.


    "You can tell me if something is wrong you know? It is why I''m here, to take care of you." she replied, taking her hand off cautiously.


    "Nothing''s wrong." he said, a small pause following "Well. There is something, but I''m not really sure. I''m sure it''s fine though." he continued, trying to hide himself while trying to get it out.


    "Orvus." she called his name, stopping him and grabbing him by both shoulders, her spear between her left hand and his left shoulder. "If there is something that concerns all of us, you should tell us. If it''s something which concerns only you, you can tell me." she told him, seeing as he was under some sort of pressure.


    "The um. The birds, and the fish. They''re not there." he said, his right hand scratching at his hair, his eyes looking down, searching for something that wasn''t there. "Nor are the other animals. They all are gone or something. Maybe whatever made that sound swallowed them whole. Maybe it wants to swallow us too?" Orvus was now panicking. But Manna couldn''t allow that.


    She grabbed his chin, lifting up his face to meet her eyes "Look at me brother. You can''t falter. We''ve crossed more than half of it and we need you for the remaining, as well as for what''s beyond the Shivering Lands." her voice and words calming him down.


    "You''re right. I''m sorry, I don''t know what''s wrong with me. Maybe it''s just all inside my head." he said now a bit more relieved but still cautious of his surroundings.


    "That''s better." she said, a smile on her face "Now let''s push forward. Once we''re on the Frozen Side, that''s where it becomes hard." her words full of confidence.


    Before they could resume their walk, Felemous cried from the back "Orvus! Manna! There''s something mo-" before he could finish, a long, large appendage snapped out of the sea. Suckers the size of their limbs, looking as if they''re breathing were all across the appendage. In a split moment, it grasped at Felemous''s arm and pulled him up into the air. Felemous, however, had prepared from previous encounters with powerful predators with safety measures. He could use his light to give orders to his limbs in lightning time fashion, allowing for near instant reactions. His ability activated at maximum capacity once the danger grasped him, his eyes glowing strongly and sparks erupting, allowing him to cut off his arm in a split second decision with his dagger. He fell from high up, caught only by his wind cushion which he barely manage to wave, as his sibling were all frozen in shock.


    "Monster!" Felemous screamed, breaking their frozen up bodies. The Lightborn snapped out of it. Some were running away, while some manipulated wind, water and light to fight against the tentacle, successfully cutting and destroying it''s flesh.


    "Those with a glow like me follow Orvus! Those with a glow like Orvus''s, follow me!" Manna commanded, she assessed the situation quickly. Those which could manipulate elements were the only ones capable of dealing successful damage to the monster, while those which were better hunters were needed to carry over the soon to be wounded. "Orvus, take them, form groups and-" as she turned to him, she could only see fear on his face, still frozen in place. "Orvus!" she snapped at him.


    While she tried to wake him back up, more tentacles showed up, these were longer and stronger, sweeping across the ice plates, with it, crushing and throwing up and off the plates Lightborns. A powerful roar following, shaking the plates with it''s sound. Dozens of Lightborn were losing their lives as tentacles pulled, grasped, ripped and squashed them.


    Manna couldn''t waste her time on Orvus, he wasn''t going to move and her siblings needed someone to guide them. She ran off towards the tentacles, jumping above and below them, cutting at each while doing so. Orvus could only think "What a mistake." as he took off ahead, his siblings asking him what should they do. But he wasn''t responding, he only ran.


    Not knowing what to do, the others joined Manna in her efforts to detour the tentacles and save as many as possible.


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    "You fools!" she cried at them as she cut at the tentacles "You should''ve stayed with him and-"


    "We are here because he isn''t there Manna!" Eraanel interrupted her while taking up the body of one of his siblings, bleeding from the head.


    She was frustrated but she had to deal with the challenge in front of her "Tsk! Very well! Eraanel, take three groups with you and pull back the others." she commanded as she infused herself for a moment with the power of all four lights and cut off a large portion of a tentacle "Felemous! Keep attacking the tentacles with two groups while leading them the opposite way!" she continued, grabbing a fallen sibling of hers while dodging the attacks.


    "Yes sister!" both responded, taking over their roles fast. Lightborns were dying now less and less, her plan successfully getting enacted. The tentacles getting led away from most of them, while Manna let others take care of the sibling in her arm.


    "Good, if we keep at it a bit more, we should be able to-" as she was thinking and running towards Felemous, a powerful roar was heard. She witnessed as the ice plates, one by one, got flipped over by the monster, hundreds of Lightborn falling into the water. She tried to escape the incoming attack, but to no avail.


    She was sinking under the water. Now, Manna could see the monster, it''s body stretching north of the passage until it couldn''t be seen due to the darkness in the water. Hundreds of lights around her, left, right, in front. They were getting drowned and extinguished. She could only cry as her brethren were grasped by the monstrous limbs and eaten in front of her. She closed her eyes, wishing for everything to just be over.


    She couldn''t get what she wanted, the peaceful yet gruesome ending. Her eyes opened as dozens of her siblings grasped at her body, reaching for her arms, legs, head, chest. Everything those smaller hands could grab, they did and pushed her up. As they would get snatched from her body, one by one. She saw the smiles on their faces, as their light would join those four she carried. The more she got pushed up, the brighter she shone, and more of her brothers and sisters died. She tried to grasp at them, pull them along with her, but they all got taken away from her.


    After a couple of minutes, she was back up, pushing her body on the ice plate. Some other Lightborn could be seen, trying to get away from the water. Manna saw them and put her hand forward, trying to reach for them. But to no avail, the monster took them one by one and pulled them into the dark waters. In a mix of sadness, sorrow and rage, she infused her body with the full power of the now seventy lights she possessed. The light couldn''t be contained by her body any longer, trying to escape from everywhere as it lifted her up into the air, the ice plate cracking and melting under her.


    "Enough." she commanded in a calm voice, from her eyes, lights erupted upward and light surrounded her, shining brighter than the sun itself for some moments. She put her hand forward, her spear in her left hand. She didn''t know how to use this power, so she did the simplest thing she could think of. She gathered all of it in the palm of her hand, then simply let it out. The beam of light pierced the water, steam erupting violently at the contact, as the light continued deeper and deeper, until it pierced the body of the monster. Once inside it''s body, Manna focused on the light, then dispersed it throughout it''s body until it couldn''t contain it. What followed was a shockwave of blood, bone and flesh that rippled across the water.


    As the waves washed over the ice plates, Manna flew closer to them, her body falling motionless. She could barely see between her eyelids as her siblings were running away from the now dead monster and towards her. She felt as if her body flew once more, her siblings lifting her up and carrying her off from the fighting place.


    A sun later


    "Sister. Save them. They need you."


    "I-I can''t. All of you, too many of you are dead. I don''t think I can."


    "Do you want them to die?"


    "No! I don''t, but it''s so heavy, your lights, your thoughts."


    "Carry them. Isn''t that what you do? Carry on?


    "Yes. You''re right. I''m sorry. I will never think like that again...never...never..."


    "Are you awake, Manna?" Eraanel asked, his only eye looking at her, a smile across his face.


    "Eraanel...you-your face! What happened to your eye?!" She asked back, dizzy and worried for her brother, her hand, now larger than his head, placed on his face. "Ouch. I think I hit my head, your head seems really small now."


    Eraanel looked a bit surprised then let out a laughter, his face at ease seeing her, sorrow in his laugh "Well, your eyes don''t deceive you. My head is now smaller. At least, compared to yours sister."


    She didn''t understand him, but, as she started to lift herself up, she saw that the more she got up, the lower her brother went. She was about two times as tall as him. For perspective, she was about eight-ten meters tall, while her brother about four-five meters tall.


    "How? Why am I so tall? And why is my light so bright?" she couldn''t recall much before killing the monster.


    "You don''t remember do you? It''s fine, I saw it all, as the monster plucked the eye out of my head. I saw as our siblings pushed you up from the depths of the water and gave their lights to you." Eraanel informed her, his face wearing a stern look and bearing a strong tone. He knew what happened after as well, he knew that the power she possessed was much greater than one should have. So he wanted to see how she responded knowing what she had.


    Manna could now recall everything that happened before she fell unconscious. The hands of her siblings pushing her up, their lights attaching to her own and their life escaping her grasp. For a moment, grief overwhelmed her, Eraanel noticed it, what he didn''t notice, as her face claimed a more calm demeanor, was the burning image of hatred for her brother, Orvus, as he ran off in her mind.


    Eraanel made his mind, the grief he noticed from her as she recalled how she got her powers, was something he was looking for. He didn''t want someone who was overjoyed at their newfound power to have something like it. But if it was her, who cared so deeply for her siblings, he could only feel a sense of loyalty towards her.


    He put his left hand on the right side of his chest, bowing his head in front of her as he told her that "I''ll follow you from now on. Orvus left us, while you stood and fought for us, even when faced with such uncertainty." his respect couldn''t be faked, she noticed.


    "I understand. Is that how our brethren feel as well about it?" she inquired, her voice starting to reflect her mind, that now understood the role she had to take.


    "They do." Felemous added, as he put himself at the right of Eraanel and in front of his now much taller sister, his missing arm noticed by the sorrowed face of Manna "With me, we needed three other to carry you over as you started to grow across the sun that passed. They all wanted to put their hand onto you, help you recover faster. Orvus on the other hand." some spite could be sensed in his voice as he said his name "He didn''t look back. In fact, he was the first to arrive here. We found him shaking and whispering to himself. We don''t think he''s fit to lead anymore." he finished, not trying to hide the disgust in his eyes.


    "I''ll take care of Orvus. But now that you mention. Where are we?" she asked as she brushed over Orvus. Looking around her, she could still see ice plates, on which they stood as well. Except, now critters could be seen here and there. While the edge of a distant land could be seen.


    "The last stretch before the Frozen Side. We''ll arrive faster as we ran a good portion to here. We didn''t want to take any risks, even though everyone now is exhausted." Elaanel explained, as Felemous returned to the Lightborn to report on Manna''s awakening.


    "Good thinking. And we''ll keep going. I know everyone is exhausted, but we can''t know for sure if there''s only one monster. We also don''t know what triggered the attack of the first. It might have been the size our group or something else, but, as we can''t tell, we will have to push forward." Manna commanded, her words thoughtful.


    "I agree, but we still have many injured. How do you want us to proceed with them?" Felemous added, followed by other Lightborn with light or no injuries.


    "How many injured and...how many dead?" Manna asked carefully.


    "Five hundred injured, three hundred dead. Of the injured, two hundred are gravely injured and might die." Elaanel said with a heavy tone and a painful expression on his face.


    Manna wanted to cry, she wanted to beat Orvus until there was only bone, she wanted to kill that monster all over again for each dead sibling of hers. But nothing would suffice, her pain was now too great to manifest, so she could only bear it.


    "I''ll carry over the gravely injured. Aid those injured, support them however you can, and we are going to push forward." Manna commanded, her eyes determined, while her voice tried to hide the sorrow she felt so strongly.


    "Carry two hundred? Are you mad sister?!" Felemous asked, indignation in his voice, worry in his eyes for his sister.


    She didn''t need to speak, she simply infused herself with the lights of her dead siblings. Her body lighting up strongly, as her feet got off the ground. She extended her right hand, and, with a simple motion, she lifted a whole ice plate in front of her, over five hundred Lightborn on top of it. "The sacrifice of our siblings wasn''t for nothing, brother. I understand your worry, but this power was bestowed onto me so I can carry all of you over. Two hundred will be no major effort for me." she said fully confident of her new power and abilities.


    Those standing near her didn''t need any further proof. She was, without question, the strongest. If she said she could do it, she could and they didn''t need to doubt her.


    "Now, gather them, our siblings. We go forward, for there is no way back for us. Let us see what the Frozen Side prepares for us." Manna pronounced to Felemous, Elaanel and her close siblings, the others raising prayers as they witnessed her power, while Orvus simply started to walk forward, too scared to confront his sister. The remaining one thousand and seven hundred Lightborn preparing for what lied ahead.

 The Warm Lands

    "Do you think this will be a problem?" Menoel asked Kilon, as they looked ahead.


    "Yes. Definitely will be a problem." Eharel added. They were all looking at the passage which got much tighter at the end of the third sun of travel.


    "The winds blow strongest from behind right now, if we were to attempt squeezing through, the flow of control will fall." Kilon said as he analyzed everything. His height now almost double that of even Menoel, the effects of his continuous contact with the thousands of lights now obvious.


    "What if we create a cushion?" Eharel suggested, his words carrying meaning.


    "A cushion you say, made of what exactly? Snow and ice?" Menoel said with sarcasm.


    "No you fool. Air, isn''t that something you''re good with?" Eharel snapped back at him.


    "Air? In case you didn''t notice, air is exactly our issue, it''s hard enough to resist and sway it with all of our power, let alone manipulate it how we want." Menoel responded annoyed.


    "Well, I don''t know, Menoel. Perhaps you should get good at what you do then, so we can perform my plan." Eharel responded in kind. Menoel starting to pull at his hair as Eharel started to slap him.


    Kilon was taking into account this idea and said "We''ll do just that then." as he looked back the two who were pulling each other''s hair and slapping around. "Better said, I will do just that. Create an air cushion." The two now stopped their fighting.


    "You alone brother? We know you''re pretty strong, but I''m not sure you''re able to cushion tree thousand strong." Menoel responded intrigued yet worried for this plan.


    "I have to agree with Menoel on this one, my plan is good, but I thought more like a thousand to take part into it, not just you." Eharel agreed with his brother.


    Kilon understood their worry and said "I''m the only one who can do it. I have now experience holding large amounts of power and using it. All I have to do is get a bit more." as he said that, he pointed towards the other thousand Lightborn which were proficient in wind manipulation.


    "I see. If you use the full power of all of us to create an air cushion on the other side of the narrow passage, we could all just ride the wind gusts into it. But" Menoel paused a bit thinking "Wouldn''t that leave us completely defenseless? Against the winds and cold?"


    "I already thought of that." Kilon said with a slight smile "I will only take over your lights after I crossed the narrow part. While doing so, I will sway the winds along with me, to create a sort of wind slide that will go along the mountains. Doing so, should enable both your safety before, while and after crossing the Tight Grip." Kilon explained, naming the portion of the Closed Passage.


    "Sounds good enough for me. You tell us what we have to do and we''ll get to it." Eharel complied


    "Well, it''s not like we got any other better options. Although, I have to ask, why not more? I trust that you can do it, but surely you could use a few more hand to help right?" Menoel wanted to know.


    "You just have to think a little about it. I''m the only one who actually traveled through the Closed Passage before. The others never had the chance. So they would have to learn how to navigate it through the most dangerous portion, where winds blow the strongest." Kilon explained himself.


    Menoel, thinking for a bit, approved with a nod. He returned to sit down with the other Lightborn, as Kilon kept watching the Tight Grip, looking for anything he may have missed.


    After they  all rested, Kilon explained to them. He would go first, empowered by the lights of those which couldn''t manipulate winds properly and leave a wind trail they could slide across. Once he is on the other side, he will simply stop the winds to announce that he arrived at the end. If he didn''t announce it in half a sun''s time, they were to simply slide the trail and give him the remaining lights, as it meant that him stopping the wind couldn''t reach them due to how far he was. If the trail of wind stopped acting, they were to assume what''s worse and return to the Link at once.


    With all that in mind, the Lightborn united their lights once more under Kilon, allowing him to effectively get out of the safety net provided by his siblings and out into the harshest part of the Closed Passage.  With all the lights combined, Kilon could barely feel the rock crushing winds as he manipulated the winds around him and created an air current for his brethren to follow and slide through. Although, while he walked through the Tight Grip, he noticed that the walls formed by the mountains, were pretty smooth. When he placed his hand upon one, he could feel under and above his palm, the winds slightly cutting at his skin. This meant that he had to set the currents completely off the walls, otherwise his siblings could get serious cuts and injuries. It wouldn''t have been a problem, if the road wasn''t too long. But it took him one sun to reach the other side of the Tight Grip. This placed a huge strain, even with all the lights combined, as he had to maintain the current steady, his brethren already riding on it as more than half a sun went by.


    But now he arrived on the other side. Some changes took place that he didn''t notice, as he first had to deal with the incoming wave of his siblings. Using the remaining power he had, he completely stopped the winds in place, an air cushion placed in front of him, as he stood by the side of the exit from the Tight Grip, allowing his siblings to simply slide through and out.


    This further placed a strong strain on him. There were three thousand of his siblings which had to come, and the air current could only allow at most a dozen or so of them to slide through, since the walls of the mountains proved dangerous to ride along.


    It took a while, but after a sun and some after Kilon went into the Tight Grip, all the Lightborn safely got through the passage. Once Kilon returned all their lights, he fell to the ground, his body strained to it''s utmost limits. But, as his body touched the ground, he could feel it, grass. Snow was all over it, so you wouldn''t be able to tell it was there unless you searched for it, or in this case, fell and got the snow off. Kilon, as his siblings hurried to see what''s wrong, looked at this blade of green matter in front of him. Small, thin and fragile. Yet there it stood, rooted in the ground and against the winds. He wanted to reach for it, although his body hurt all over, but his siblings lifted him up before he could.


    "You okay Kilon brother?" Efeheem asked him worried. His speech a bit troublesome to understand at times.


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    "Of course he is, mutterwords, he pushed through the Tight Grip and got all of us out by himself. It would be sad if he just died here." Melonius told Efeheem in a tired manner, as if it was such a bother to tell him that everything is fine, while insulting him in his creative ways.


    "Call me like that brother one more time, and I will mutter your words with my fists." Efeheem threatened, his speech still hard to grasp.


    "Fine, fine. Scrambletongue." Melonius bit back under his breath.


    "Enough you two. Give Kilon over here and fight elsewhere." Menoel intervened. His voice upset with their bickering, while his face frowned in concern for Kilon.


    "Psst. As if you and Eharel don''t fight in front of him." Melonius replied still trying to fight back. But got his head slapped from behind by Eharel as a result.


    "We do it when there isn''t a sense of urgency you bittertongue. Now take Melonius and ensure everything is prepared in half a sun or less." Efeheem ordered while serving Melonius his own food. Melonius did not take it kindly, grumbling a bit, but obeying nonetheless, not wanting another slap from his brother''s rough hands. "This time I can, we all can feel the air. It''s warmer. The ground too, and there is the green matter as well." he told Kilon, his eyes glittering with joy, as him and Menoel took Kilon on their shoulders over from Melonius and Efeheem


    Kilon had a smile on his face, looking at his feet that could feel the grass below the snow "I guess it is indeed. It is indeed." he said, his words lost under his fascination for these new things.


    "How long do you figure we have until we get out of here?" Menoel asked curious, more preoccupied by Kilon''s well being than the warmer place they now stood at.


    "The winds here are tamer, we barely need a few dozen to hold the winds from taking us off. I say a couple suns. If the winds weaken along the way, maybe less." Kilon expressed, his voice catching up with his breath, his eyes full of hope.


    It didn''t take Kilon long to recover. His now taller physique being able to sustain more light coursing through, meaning he can also regenerate and output more light than before. In terms of light output, without his siblings'' lights, he was at half that of Manna''s. In terms of light and elemental manipulation, he was ways above  Manna, who mainly focused on brute strength. His height was also on par with Manna, the two thousands lights, although not his, simply coursing that much energy through him these past suns allowed for a large growth spur. But, without additional lights, the height was mostly visual, as he could already output the maximum amount of light he possessed before the growth, now only amplifying it by some, but not much.


    After the Tight Grip, Kilon only needed less than half of his siblings''s lights to help sway the winds. At times, he would simply let those less proficient in wind manipulation to take over. Training them in this manner while also resting from his duty. And so, two more suns went by.


    The winds have ceased after the grueling journey. As Menoel stepped on a rock, his wind manipulation ceased, it wasn''t needed, only some strong winds were present, but they were less powerful than those in the Shivering Lands, to which they were so accustomed. The others started to get out of the Closed Passage. The land before them was still covered in snow some, but grass peeked here and there, so did flowers with crystal-like petals, while small animals were jumping from withing the grass or hiding into it, as the three thousand Lightborn finally arrived, at the Warm Lands.


    Kilon couldn''t believe the sight before him. Lands, stretching freely, much like the Shivering Lands, but no storms, the hills weren''t made of snow but dirt and grass. To his right, in the West, he could feel from afar the gentle breeze of the sea, while further South, the winds carried a warmer smell to them. He could only stand there and look into the distance, as the sun rose from the West, this time faster than when they were in the Shivering Lands, melting the fresh snow coming from up North. The rays showing them a world full of life, warm upon their skin.


    "Is it fine now brother? Can we finally remove the protection?" Menoel asked in regards to the light, which continuously cast a warm barrier around them.


    Kilon didn''t say anything. He simply looked at his hand, and, as he let his skin glow dimmer, he said "Yes. Yes we can." then raised his hand above, the others seeing the light of the sun almost shining through his hand.


    The other Lightborn didn''t contain themselves, no one was trying to pretend, they all let go of the protection, their belongings and wind manipulation. They simply enjoyed the natural warmth of the sun. Some were tumbling in the grass, while others interacted with the animals which they didn''t have to fear, as they were mostly small and scared of them.


    Kilon sat down, one hand into the grass, supporting his weight some, the other picking out blades of grass and letting them fly in the warmer winds. He, as well as the others, for so long thought of a place where they could see the lands without fearing the winds, see more than snow and rock. Now, here they were, small critters jumping or running, things like flowers which they couldn''t believe are able to exist, in some places large plants that towered even them. It was so much that Kilon couldn''t react. He simply sat down and thought that everything him and his siblings have done, brought them here. He could''ve reached this place alone perhaps, but surrounded by thousands of his brethren, only made him so much happier. Though, now that he was thinking about it, he wondered if the others were doing fine. If they reached a similar place or if they were still on their way.


    Before he could start worrying properly, his siblings started to gather around him, telling him of all sorts of things. Colored birds, animals so small you could hardly see, green matter that came in different colors as well, some getting sting by odd little creatures, while others breathed weird green matter that made them sneeze. It was a sight to behold, one which Kilon etched deep in his mind.


    "Brothers, sisters." Kilon started, as he was getting up, his siblings looking at him now, stopping from their play and exploration "We had to endure what felt like the worst these frozen lands had to offer. Now, through our efforts and strength, we have arrived to the promised lands, the Warm Lands." he pronounced, everyone cheering and jumping "But, let us not give way to leisure and forget what we had to do to reach this place. We had to learn and adapt. And, while these lands provide themselves friendlier, they are still not our home." he stated, his voice grave and determined "As I look around, I only see vast, open lands, but no place for us to protect ourselves from the outside. The green matter needs sustenance, which they get from water, and water has to come from somewhere. These animals also, they bury themselves and love to hide. There must be winds or something else from which they hide. In other words, we cannot stay here, we are going to keep going forward." as he finished, he could see the tired looks on their faces. For them it was enough how far they got, yet they knew he was right. While these lands were friendlier, it didn''t meant they were safe or protected. There wasn''t anything to build shelter with either, as the trees were scarce. "However, for a couple suns, we may rest here." as he said that, the Lightborns started to lift their heads up, happy to know they could enjoy the Warm Lands a bit more before traveling once more "Just ensure you watch over one another and take care. We can''t afford to-" before he could finish, his siblings simply returned to playing, exploring and testing these lands.


    "Just let them enjoy it. They know they have to be careful." Menoel said, his hand on Kilon''s left shoulder.


    "And don''t worry, we will look over them, ensure everyone is safe." Efeehem assured Kilon, putting his hand around his neck and leaning on him.


    "You''re telling me to rest, brothers?" Kilon asked suspicious of their motives.


    "Well, yes. You''ve been looking after us without taking care of you." Menoel confessed.


    "Most of us saw you almost fainting after you led us all out of the Tight Grip. So maybe take it easy for a bit, it''s you who wanted most to see these lands right?" Efeehem added, his words full of consideration.


    Kilon could tell that all his brothers wanted, were things out of concern. So, he did them the pleasure and said "Very well, I will just lay down and look around."


    His brothers were pleased with his response, so they went away to play with the others. Kilon stood there and watched from afar, raising a small prayer to the Creator "Thank you, Creator, for allowing me to witness the beauty of these lands, lay down and enjoy moments like these." his body lifting itself a bit off the ground while doing so "Thank you, for these Warm Lands."

 A grave mistake

    "Do you think we should talk with him at some point?" Eraanel wanted to know from his sister, his right eye still missing, the complexity of regenerating the missing eye beyond him.


    "There will be talk once we''re safe; we should focus on the road and what lies ahead." Felemous responded instead. "I''m personally worried about the ''forest.'' When we started to see glimpses of it, two suns after we left, it kept growing. Just how tall are these ''trees''?" he added, his face concerned with the view ahead.


    The Gargantuan Forest''s trees seemed as if they wanted to reach for the skies, their height half that of some mountains. From a sun away distance, no sounds could be heard, but the occasional mist could be seen up in the branches of the trees, some shadows moving with it. Whether those were simply the branches or something else, they couldn''t tell, but standing outside exposed like this was no good. Out of the two hundred gravely wounded, another hundred died. The cause was the cold. While there were fewer storms over here in the Frozen Side, it wasn''t named like that for nothing. The temperatures at night dropped so low you could see and hear rocks cracking. Those were called crackling rocks, as they would slightly crack by night, making these strange symphonies. Then they would warm up a bit in the morning, water droplets getting through the small cracks, causing more small cracks by night. It wasn''t observed or known how these rocks don''t shatter to pieces, but it''s suggested that the water surrounding this piece of land they were at contained a large amount of minerals that would rebuild the rocks as or faster than the rocks from the bottom up. This gave the Lightborn the proper idea to name this portion of the Frozen Side, further East from the Frozen Passage, the Crackling Fields. Unbeknownst to the Lightborn, these rocks weren''t cracking; they had a conductive metal inside of them. The sound that was akin to cracking was electricity surging through and jumping between the metal contained, something which only happened as a warning.


    "I will talk with him. You two, keep leading them forward. Tell me if you notice anything strange or different." Manna said, her eye brimming with light, as she carried the remaining hundred wounded between her siblings through wind cushions, who aided them however they could. Her wind manipulation, although far from graceful, was much stronger and able now that she had all these lights attached to her. Manna then looked for Orvus, from her viewpoint noticing him at the very back, whispering to himself and seeing him, at times, walking between the wounded. She wanted to hate him, but looking at him concerned with the wounded sat between her hate and pity. He made a grave mistake, hundreds paying with their lives as a cost; he also ran away without looking back. Yet, because it was her brother, she wanted to forgive him. She was now looking for reasons to do so, although she couldn''t find any. So, she decided to make some.


    Manna sighed to herself, then approached him, her twin-pointed spear now too small for her large stature in her left hand. "Orvus." she said in a commanding tone, sitting at his right, which he either didn''t notice or didn''t want to show that he did, as he kept looking down and whispering to himself. "Do you really not have anything to say? After all that happened?" she looked at him, in her mind trying to hate him, her face betraying those feelings, with a look of pity and sorrow.


    Orvus stopped his whispering. He listened to every word she said, then looked up at her, he''d been crying all this time, his eyes filled with grief. "What can I say, sister? That I''m weak? A coward for running? Damned forever to bear the weight of those we lost?" he sobbed, clenching at his chest. "I don''t know what to say, I don''t think that anything I say will make my mistake any less atrocious. I-I thought ever since we started crossing the Frozen Passage that you were right, that we should have returned to the Link and followed Kilon. After I ran away, I started to think of all the ways I could have done better, and yet again, you came to mind. My only solution was to run away, your solution was to try to lead the monster away, even though neither was successful. At least yours probably saved the rest. Truth is, I don''t own the answers, because I find them only when I look at you. I just didn''t have the guts to tell you." he confessed. His eyes frowned in pain, looking for forgiveness from his sister.


    She never understood him fully. What he thought, the way he thought. When he ran away, she could only think of why he did it; her commands and orders followed the most basic thought process. She didn''t think of herself as their savior, because she also thought of the ways she could''ve done better. Kilon came into her mind every time. When he appeared in her mind, Kilon stood there fighting the monster, knowing that it had been following them for days. The only and best option for him would''ve been to use the full force of all their siblings. Something which was enforced on her through her siblings'' deaths. They both lacked a leader''s qualities. Orvus ran away when confronted with a large issue, while Manna tried to minimize losses without thinking with all the power at her disposal in mind. But in this scenario, Orvus was the one taking all the blame. He was the coward that ran, Manna getting the praise, as she was the one who stood behind.


    She looked at him, her hand almost touching his shoulder, but stopping right before it could, retreating to her side. She wanted to hug him, apologize for some wrong neither did. They simply did what their impulses told them, not thinking of the larger picture. Now it was too late though. The sins of their dead siblings weighed heavily on both of them, Manna with the lights forever attached to her, Orvus with the screams and gruesome view of hundreds of wounded and dead before him, repeating again and again.


    "If you want to at least try making things right, how about you start with our siblings that are still living?" she proposed, her voice a bit tender now. "I''m not as smart as you are, so there must be some things you can do to help our siblings, aren''t there?" Manna asked, giving him some glimmer of hope for redemption.


    "There is, but I''m not sure anymore. I understand their suffering to a minuscule degree. The process of healing our wounds is done through the light we possess, letting it apply to injuries inflicted upon us is natural to us. But for some, it''s easier than it is for others, there is a reason for that, as some are better at coursing their lights through their bodies. I, for one, am not on the same level as those who are more able. So, I compensated for it by being able to manipulate the light, effectively boosting the regenerating factor and even commanding it to some degree where it should heal. It''s a similar process to what those capable are doing, so I could, for instance, take over one''s light and heal them in their stead. Fixing it would only take time, yet I can no longer be sure if I can be of use to anyone." he replied, glimpses of ideas on how to help their siblings shining through, his mind still showing the intelligence he possessed, but the screams in his head making every word cautious and uncertain.


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    "Why not just do it?" a foolish, yet simple question she would ask him as before, questions which often helped him get out of his complicated thoughts. This time, however, it didn''t budge him. He was barely ready to speak, let alone do something, or anything, of which he would be unsure all along the way.


    The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    "Just doing it is not enough. If I had time and a proper environment, I could get certain results. As it stands, moving around and them being in their precarious state are risks added to it. I can''t just do it when..." Before he could finish, Manna slapped him across his head. He felt a surge of anger and frustration within him. "What was that for?! Do you not care for what I have to say, you damned sister?" his personality shining through amidst his sorrow and sadness.


    "You annoy me, talking about all the dangers and whatnots." she said in a serious yet playful tone. Her surface intentions showing through. Those being that he had to get over it and help those who needed his help. While the underlying intentions, unseen by the grieving, now angry Lightborn, were that she needed him. The knowledge of the forest ahead, her siblings, none of whom knew how to heal others like he did, as well as his capacity to learn at a fast rate. Those were all things which Orvus still had above anyone and were highly needed. Now that she was the leader and the group needed whatever help they had, Orvus was, in this instance, simply too valuable to just let be tormented and disabled.


    His face lightened a bit, her words and slap allowing him to forget, even if just for a brief moment, all the sorrow he felt. "I understand. You''re saying their condition is already as bad as it can be. Yet you should realize, if I make a mistake while trying to heal them, my hands will have to carry their souls." he cautiously exclaimed, his words reflecting the shift in his thinking, no longer willing to take risks.


    "If that is to happen, you will carry their light and push onward. It''s what I do." her words carrying determination and meaning. So far, those hundred who also died had left their lights within the others around them. Now though, Manna wanted Orvus to carry them if they were to die. It was her punishment upon him, to let him see how it feels to bear a constant reminder of their deaths and your inability to do something for them.


    Orvus realized what she was putting on top of him. He knew he deserved it and that he had to do it. That, however, didn''t mean he was simply going to let things go as she wanted. He wanted to prove himself and show that their lights would not have to be burdened by him. It was the part of him that allowed him to have a light attached after Kilon and discover the Frozen Side.


    "Very well. I can''t promise they will live through it, but I will try my best. My best to prove I''m still worth something and that I''m no longer going to run away." determination was now fueling him, allowing him to move forward, past the deaths of their siblings, past the mistakes he made.


    Manna simply nodded then returned to the front. While doing so, one of her sisters, named Salvete, with a slightly orange glow, approached Manna.


    "Sister!" she exclaimed, making Manna jump a little.


    "Salvete, what is it?" Manna asked, letting out a slight sigh after getting scared. Salvete''s walking, running, and presence were special. She could completely make her glow disappear, while her light manipulation within the body allowed her steps and movements to make no sound. She was so good at it that even when not focusing, her steps and movements were only betrayed by her breathing, which was also hard to notice. She carried two daggers at the side made of clawbear teeth, which she would only pull out once on top or below the prey.


    "Maybe it''s not the best time, but me and¡ª" she paused a little as she dragged Felemous''s only arm with her, "Me and Felemous managed to retrieve a couple of the monster''s teeth!" Salvete continued excitedly.


    "Is that so? Well, it''s not a bad time, so what is it about?" Manna asked, now intrigued.


    "Well, we also got some greenwhale scales and, most exciting, a hornedshark''s, you guessed it, horn! While you were sleeping, Felemous thought it would be pretty awesome to make you a new spear, as the one you have is a couple of sizes too small." Salvete explained, sparks erupting in excitement from her eyes.


    "I never said it would be ''pretty awesome,'' just nice." he grumbled as he pulled away his arm. From his back, he pulled the new twin-pointed spear. The teeth of the monster, four times larger than the split claw of the clawbear that acted as the blade for Manna''s spear, while the handle made of the long, symmetrical thick horn and scales, was three times as long as that of the two antlers of the alpha starstag she killed for. The handle was tied together with some clawbear skin dried in the sun and rinsed from blood, the scales protecting the horn from exterior wear while giving it a green-emerald look. The teeth of the monster were imbued through the horn of the horned shark with a method Salvete developed back at the Link. The method consisted of surging light through the piece she wanted to imbue from the opposite side she wanted to attach. The surge of light this way would only erupt on the other side that she tried to attach, slowly melting or burning the precise width and length needed to fit the piece into the handle, seemingly combining them. The teeth were thin yet sharp, placed vertically and parallel to one another at a short distance.


    Manna took the spear in her hands, performed some attacks in the air, and ended with a firm push to the ground with the spear''s end. "It feels good, both the grip and trust of the spear. This is a wonderful gift." she complimented her siblings.


    "Right? I wish I could have used it, but I must say, it looks really good for your tall body, Manna!" Salvete said, excited and cheerful for the compliments she received.


    "It wasn''t much; we just put together some animal parts, like we usually do." Felemous explained, trying to hide his delight behind a twisted smile.


    Manna smiled, even though she didn''t want to, for she didn''t think she deserved much of anything. Her thoughts, however, were interrupted. The sound of thunder and then lightning followed, only half a sun away from them.


    Orvus hurried to Manna, panicked. "Sister! A large storm is approaching."


    "Didn''t you say there are no storms here?" she responded just as panicked, then looked as clouds were gathering and swaying towards them from behind at half a sun distance, lighting up second after second with lightning. In the Shivering Lands, they would call these lightning storms. All storms had lightning present, but lightning storms had lightning at every few seconds. Weird phenomena followed, like tornadoes surrounded by lightning or electrified rain that would sting and damage the bodies of anything living. In the Shivering Lands, these were extremely rare, small, and only lasted, relatively, short periods of time. This one, however, was spanning a large portion of land, tornadoes rising up to the clouds, and lightning striking every one to two seconds instead of once every few seconds. The storm enveloped the Crackling Field behind them and would only take so long until it would be upon them.


    "There were no storms when we traveled here. There were only noises of a storm in the far distance. And now that I listen closely, they are...remarkably similar." Orvus explained, concern growing stronger. If this was the same storm he heard while and after he explored the Frozen Side, it could mean that it had grown in size or that it never disappeared since it started. Both were troubling predicaments, as it could mean that their journey might become a lot more perilous onward.


    "I hope not. But its sound is strikingly similar to that which I heard last time I was here; the only difference is the distance between us." he explained while healing a Lightborn.


    "Can you still heal them while we run?" she asked, swaying the winds from behind as she held her wounded siblings in the air cushions to make running jumpier and easier for the others.


    "Yes, but that is not our issue. The Gargantuan Forest, we needed time to prepare. Now we don''t have a choice; we''ll have to enter it as is." Orvus said, his voice concerned as his eyes brimmed with light and concentration upon the Lightborn whose light he manipulated.


    "We don''t have to worry about the Gargantuan Forest." Manna said determinedly. "I have the power to destroy any obstacle. For we must not repeat the same grave mistake we made." she declared, her eyes fixated on the looming, towering trees. The lightning storm encroaching upon them, disaster and uncertainty following at each step of the way.

 The dangers of life

    Kilon didn''t tell anyone yet. About the effects of their presence. Their influence on the living things, besides them, was apparent when enough time has passed or enough of them have died. He was thinking of the beast and how it probably got so strong. He was contemplating "Should I tell them? Is my sharing such things, the reason one of them will turn against us? It can''t be, there are other reasons for that vision." The information he possessed is something of high value. If explored properly, it could lead to new discoveries and a prosperous future, if mistakes were made, disaster will follow quickly after.


    "Everything good brother? You seem lost in thought." Menoel curiously asked, sitting next to Kilon, as the Lightborn were chasing animals, catching insects and exploring around. Some were jumping on and off gusts of winds, while others gathered balls of waters and sprayed them around. Others trained their skills with light, wind, water and even earth manipulation.


    "Nothing much," he said, still looking for words "There is this thing I wanted to try. But I''m unsure. The others may try it, and it might cause trouble." Kilon continued, his eyes looking at the movements of his siblings.


    "Then, what if you try it on something they''re not interested into?" Menoel suggested.


    "Well, even if they''re not interested, much like the Link, they may get interested once they see results." Kilon cautiously responded.


    "You can tell me and try it while I cover for you with my ability." Menoel fairly continued. The ability of which he spoke, allowed Menoel to bend the light surrounding him. It wasn''t perfect yet, but from a distance, he could fool about anyone regarding height, glow and overall form. This, however, could only work from three angles, the sides and front, as his control was still not good, while the alterations to his image were basic, so if anyone approached, it would reveal his trickery. If someone approached him and got too close, he could push this ability further by emanating a strong light, overlapping any other light sources, which he could control how it enters one''s eyes. Allowing for the replication of whatever image he wanted, inside the mind of someone close to him. This was only possible once or twice during daytime and up to five times during the night.


    Kilon gave it some thought, after which he replied "Very well then. This may be the best approach." Kilon then explained to Menoel his hypothesis about the beast and his observations through his brethren. The fact that the living matter and critters were attracted to their light, was no mere coincidence "We were born special Menoel. That much we understood from the Creator. However, we didn''t understand how special. Our lives carry something which the other beings lack. Our lights, although we knew are special, how much wasn''t clear. But now that I sat here, I''m starting to get a better grasp onto it." he explained, while revealing that underneath him, the grass has been growing exponentially fast. "I cut this grass three times by now, and it still grows to a finger''s length in seemingly moments."


    Menoel looked at the grass where Kilon sat, and he could see it grow under his gaze. Looking under him, the grass was growing as well, albeit slower. "It makes a lot of sense now that you mention it. The fact that animals aren''t scared of us as much as they should be, and the beast that was a few times larger than others from it''s kind." Menoel was starting to get an idea of what this meant, why Kilon didn''t want to get it out. "It means that, the longer we stay in a place, the stronger our influence. Do you think our lights affect animals even if we don''t get eaten by them?" Menoel asked concerned.


    "That, I do not know. Which is why I want to try something. So, are you still willing to help me, Menoel?" Kilon asked, his words careful and his attention fixed for Menoel''s response.


    "Of course Kilon. It''s what I suggested, so I would be a moron to not go along with it." Menoel responded, his answer withholding something. Kilon could tell he wanted to say or ask something. But didn''t press him further. Menoel''s help was crucial if he wanted to proceed.


    "Very well then brother. Connect your light to mine and I will give you a signal when I''m ready. I still have to test out something." Kilon ordered as Menoel connected his light to his and left for the others.


    After Menoel left, Kilon placed both hands on the grass he stood and let his light get out from the palm of his hands. He focused on the light, letting the grass grab onto it and consume some of it. While letting it do so, he tried to focus his senses onto the light which now was within the grass. It didn''t take him long, the sun shifting towards east by the time he could feel all the blades of grass. It felt as if he touched something with his hairs. With a bit more concentration, Kilon was able to control the grass itself, night being upon the Lightborn. Their glows making them look like stars dancing on earth. Some were still chasing animals, while others looked at the beautiful stellar sky, barely tainted by a cloud here and there.


    "Fascinating." Kilon said under his breath. The grass followed his mind, if he wanted it to move some way, it would slightly grow towards that direction, giving the illusion of movement. If so he willed, his light could command the grass to change color and even smell. "Now, I must try on something larger." Kilon looked around at the thought of that. Trees were scarce, so he had to leave before trying anything else. "I also need something like a small animal. See how far this can go." he continued his line of thought. Kilon then signaled Menoel. There wasn''t a better time than this to further explore the potential of these newfound abilities.


    "I''m here Kilon. Did you notice that the sun is shifting faster? A sun here may be shorter than when we were in the Shivering Lands." Menoel reported, fascination with the new lands washing over him.


    "I did. So we''re going to stay another sun in place." Kilon told his brother "Now, activate your ability, I will try to reduce my glow like Salvete." he added. Kilon''s method to reduce his glow, was to let the light course through slower. This slowed his reactions and thinking speed to a degree, unlike Salvete who could do it without drawbacks, but it was a useful ability when he wanted to hide from something, in this case, his siblings.


    Both activated their abilities. Their siblings still preoccupied by the lands around them, which now got a new shade of life, as night predators and birds started to show their eyes, which could only be seen at times, when a bit of starlight would reach their cold glimpses above the grass. Something which the Lightborn noticed, was that pretty much every animal in here made little to no sound when walking or flying. It''s something they looked over, although, at first they thought it might be because they hide from something. But nothing has been noticed anywhere over a good distance.


    No one noticed the exchange, no one except for Eharel, his eyes known to be an issue. For as long as they were at the Link and have hunted into the Shivering Lands, Eharel developed his eyes'' reflexes the most. He was often sent first in scouting missions and assessing the surroundings, as he would cast long, fast rays of light from his eyes. Allowing him to instantly take notice of anything around. His ability, when not fully active, would allow to grasp at the surrounding light and warn him of changes. This time, Eharel took a simple glimpse towards where Kilon and Menoel stood, and it was enough to notice the strange light surrounding Menoel, now Kilon. Eharel basically noticed the activation of Menoel''s ability. For the time being though, he didn''t seem bothered by whatever was happening over there, as he was studying the movements of a night bird, called a soundsnatcher.


    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    Menoel felt the gaze of his brother upon him for a moment. He was prepared to activate his ability at full capacity if needed, but for now it wasn''t the case. Kilon, meanwhile, managed to put some distance towards East, where, as he walked, could see the tips of mountains peaking from beyond the horizon.


    "Hmm. Those do not have snow on top, they''re made of rock and tree. I wonder if beyond them, there are lands filled some more with trees." Kilon''s wonder based upon the fact that, if this is successful, then he may find a way to build a home for his siblings. "There, just about what I wanted." he said pleased, the tall figure of a tree in front of him, although his height was comparable to that of the tree. "Hopefully this will not take too long." Kilon thought to himself, as he placed his hand on the tree. A soundsnatcher watched with it''s large, bulging eyes the tall, slim, glowing figure close it''s eyes, as a surge of energy was felt by it from the tree. It''s black feathers on the back and the white feathers on the front, slightly glowing with the light now going through the tree.


    "I got a hold onto the tree. But most importantly, the bird, I can feel it as if in the palm of my hand. It would seem that, the stronger the life in something, the stronger my light connects with." Kilon noted in his mind "What if I try to do with it as with the living matter?" this terrific thought crossing his mind, and, with some manipulation, he reached for a place which the living matter didn''t hold, the chamber of the soul. "What is this...light? I can see it through mine or does it show inside my head?" he wondered, as he couldn''t make sense of it. "I will try to-" he thought as he pushed his light further, enveloping the soul of the soundsnatcher. The soundsnatcher, as if beyond even the natural instincts, fled in a blink. It''s flight uncontrolled, ungracious and disturbed, no longer caring for anything, not even it''s life, as it made loud sounds from it''s wings and neck.


    "Something so precious, that I could feel it''s basic preserving instincts be left behind. That must''ve been the soul, although, really small." Kilon assessed. Through the connection of the lights of his siblings, he could in a way "sense" their souls, while they crossed the Closed Passage. This time he could "feel" the soul, and he noticed that even the feel was weaker than the sense he had for his siblings. Further adding to the special nature of their race. "Is the soul stronger because of the light? Or is the light stronger because of the soul? Maybe other factors can influence the soul''s "weight"." Kilon theorized. "I bet if Orvus was here, he could understand it faster and better, but I can only work with the hand dealt to me." Kilon thought, wishing that his brothers and sisters all the way in the Frozen Side or perhaps somewhere else, could be here.


    "I should now attempt the second test." Kilon thought to himself. This attempt took all night, and by the time Kilon was done, he was laying down tired. "I think this confirms it pretty well." he thought to himself satisfied, the tree before him, three times as tall and twisted in four portions. "Although, me alone will not be enough to realistically build anything. I guess I should let the other in on-" before he could finish his thoughts, Eharel appeared, Menoel behind him.


    "Wow brother. That is something I would say! You said it was nothing, but obviously it is something." Eharel exclaimed, looking in awe at the tall, twisted tree.


    "That? Come on Eharel! That is nothing I say!" Menoel attempted to appease the situation, his words failing to do anything now as more Lightborn showed up.


    Kilon stood up and pat himself clean "How did he find out?"


    "Well-" Menoel tried to explain, his face shameful of his failure.


    "Well, I just got behind him, all sneaky. I know all about his ability because he likes to boast about it. And when I asked him why is he pretending to take your shape, of course he couldn''t lie, he''s the worst liar I know." Eharel explained instead, proud of his cunning.


    The other Lightborn were looking, climbing and jumping on gusts of wind between the twists. Kilon sighed with a sense of relief and said "Well, I was going to tell you all about it either way. So I guess this is the best example." he confessed, trying to get their attention with the tree, without revealing anything about the soul aspect.


    Before he could say anything, the ground shook for a moment. Everyone stood still, waiting for anything else to happen. The sound of birds was nowhere, while the small critter were no longer visible.


    "What was-" Eharel tried to ask, Kilon signaling him to keep the silence.


    Kilon approached the ground slowly, letting his ear search for anything below. He didn''t hear anything, so he let his light pierce the soft ground and spread like roots. While he didn''t hear anything, his light made quick contact with something that was moving below, heading for the tree and swirling around it. Kilon made gestures for the Lightborn to move away, the Lightborn following swiftly on gusts of winds, some carrying those less capable, while others used powerful, yet silent charges of light to disperse themselves away from the tree.


    With a simple, damp sound from within the ground, the wet and slimy surface of a worm showed up as it swallowed whole the tree, aiming mainly for it''s roots. The length of the worm  couldn''t be seen to it''s fullest, but it was of around ten Lightborn put on top of each other, while the width was around three. The worm had curled teeth, inside a mouth that seemingly went inside it''s body, for pulling and gripping at the roots. As it swallowed the tree, it slowly went backwards into it''s hole. The Lightborn were speechless, never have they seen anything like it, proving to them that even in these warm lands, the dangers of life were still unknown to them. The worm, which species they promptly called rootworm, retreated once it got what it wanted, small limbs around the head pulling the dirt around and sealing the hole in the ground, making it seem as if nothing was there if you haven''t seen it happen.


    After a short while, Eharel broke the silence with "You wanted to say, brother?" his voice shaken still by the sight.


    "We''re leaving. This place is no longer safe." Kilon gravely stated.


    "At least we know why there are no trees." Menoel added, his body slightly trembling.


    "But lands where should we find? If warm lands are then freezing lands follow, right?" Efeheem added, his speech improving ever so slightly.


    "Beyond the mountains. Not the snow, cold ones, but those." Kilon said as he pointed East, towards the tip of a distant mountain, some trees could barely be seen.


    "Those grey ones? I suppose these worms like the flatter lands, as they don''t seem to have eaten the trees on those mountains." Melonius assessed.


    "That looks like a long travel, doesn''t it? And these worms may want more than trees right?" Eharel guessed.


    "Yes, they do. I find it hardly a coincidence that one came from who knows where just for that one tree." Menoel added, now no longer caring about the cover.


    "And if the tree taste was good for the worm. Wanting more is possible." Efeheem added also through his speech impediment.


    Kilon took all these things into account and couldn''t agree more. If these worms started to like their taste, like the apex clawbear back then did, it would only be a matter of time before it could return for some more and perhaps with friends this time. It was a risk he''s not going to sit down and wait for. So, he returned to where most Lightborn were. He saw that they were in a panick, once they saw him and the others, they all flockes, starting to ask questions and growing all worried.


    "Brothers, sisters. We are confronted with yet another challenge. This world is harsh with us and will probably remain so until we do something about it, today becoming more apparent than before." Kilon stated aloud, grabbing the attention of all his brothers and sisters. "We can no longer sit here idle. Giant creatures roam the underground, beyond our capacity to observe and anticipate." he prepared his plan with a bit of a pause "We must move East. Towards the grey mountains full of trees. While we move, I will also tell and teach some of you of my new discovery." now pausing again, the Lightborns showing signs of fear, that get suppressed by the exciting and hopeful news that there might be a safe home waiting for them somewhere far away. "But before we go, it''s best if you all knew what makes us special, and what makes everything else want us." Kilon continued, his tone grave.

 Change

    They ran for half a sun, their bodies barely holding themselves up. It wasn''t that they didn''t have energy, quite the opposite, the Lightborn possessed a lot of energy through their light. But that energy, it strained their bodies. While at the LInk, this strain couldn''t be felt, as the light didn''t continuously surged through their bodies, only replenishing them when needed. Now though, as the light was their lifeline and they depended solely on it, they couldn''t let go of it. Usually they would rest their bodies and focus on minimizing the light input into their bodies, which usually took a few hours, now unable to rest even for a moment. Some were especially tired because of the additional lights they bore. Manna on one hand, had the tallest body, on par with that of Kilon, which allowed for more light to surge through and more mass to resist it''s strain, but at the same time, she had to carry those still wounded, while swaying the winds for all her over one thousand six hundred siblings to fasten the pace, all of which required massive amount of energy from the light, adding a heavy strain on her body.


    "We''re not going to make it, not with her like this. And even if we do, she will be in no condition to protect us." Orvus thought to himself, healing a sister of his. His light focused on the task at hand, as he swayed the winds below him to float above the ground, his mastery ever so strong. "That is, of course...unless I do something about these injured siblings of mine." thunders following his line of thinking, the clouds not so far now, as only fifty of those gravely injured remained, ten survived and another forty died, Orvus''s glow stronger than before.


    Manna was breathing heavily, her run only managed to keep up with the others at the forefront because of her long limbs. "Felemous. Come here." she commanded, her brother at the left, ensuring everything was fine. He didn''t hear, her voice drowning amongst the huffs of her siblings and that of the storm behind. So she cried louder "Felemous! Come here brother." Manna''s voice now heard.


    "Yes sister. What is it?" he inquired, his attention split.


    "You caught one once right?" Manna asked.


    "Catch what? You will have to be more specific." his mind trying to find an answer while swaying his hand, signaling his siblings to maintain ranks, so that Manna doesn''t have to focus as much on her wind manipulation.


    "The thick light. You once were amidst a powerful storm and caught one didn''t you?" she explained. Her eyes trying to close on their own will. She was referring to lightning, Felemous was the only one alive to have attempted such a thing.


    For them, most of the times, catching or even manipulating lightning was pretty useless, as it wasn''t really common in the Shivering Lands for it to strike. The basic method for surviving lightning, after the incident, was to simply feel the winds. One proficient at it, could tell if the air is more humid or charged electrically, something which some developed after the first expeditions beyond the Link.


    Only once did it prove useful, when Felemous and a few other Lightborn were first exploring the lands. A storm enveloped them at that time, much like Kilon''s first venture, except it was heavily charged with electricity. After attempts in swaying the winds and trying to escape, their failures led to half the group almost dying, being hit by lightning. Felemous, in an act of desperation, offered his body to the storm. He told his siblings to lower their bodies, as lightning was observed to only hit the tallest ones, and to wait. When it first hit him, he almost fainted into a coma. The second time however, Felemous was able to anticipate the lightning. Although he couldn''t manipulate it or even properly discharge it elsewhere, he was able to deflect it, his hands acting as conduits through which the lightning coursed and allowed to be expelled elsewhere. The third time it hit, for a moment, he was able to control the lightning, but the first attempt heavily injured his body, while the second mainly injured his hands, so he had to let go of it.


    "More like I redirected it! A thick light is nothing to take lightly, I almost died trying to catch one, and the one time I felt like I could control it, my body was almost destroyed. Now I barely have one hand." his face frowning in pain, as he explained, his body never forgetting the feeling he had that day.


    "Orvus then. I''m sure he can do it..." her voice lowering as the strain reached a new peak.


    "Sister? What''s happening to you?" Felemous shifted his focus solely on her. He didn''t pay much attention, only now thinking on how much strain she must be under. "You should let go of us. We can do it on our own, you don''t have to push yourself so hard." he suggested, his eyes trying to grasp the severity.


    "They''re all tired also. If I let go, some will fall behind, I can''t allow that..." Manna explained, her voice just as weak. She didn''t want to leave any more of her siblings behind or for death to claim them, the weight of even another light, could crush her soul.


    Felemous didn''t want to call upon Orvus, but their options started to get limited. While the other were getting weaker and tired, he, for some reason, was fine. While it was understood that once one receives a light, their own body grows and, for a short period, experiences large amounts of energy and power, it eventually leads to a strong strain on the body, requiring rest. Orvus, however, even after forty lights absorbed, was restless, his body not growing as it was supposed to be after receiving the lights, only glowing stronger. He withheld some crucial aspect about the lights that he had yet to tell anyone. So, he approached his brother, trying to find answers.


    "Orvus. Are you fine?" he asked, a rhetorical question of course.


    "The strain of the light is starting to get at me a bit, but I''m overall fine." Orvus responded, his focus on the healing for his sister.


    "Is that so?" Felemous asked, slightly changing his tone, letting some of his suspicion get out.


    "You''re thinking about the other lights, aren''t you? Why am I still fine? Even after so many lights were combined with mine." Orvus asked back, his tone unchanged, as well as his focus.


    "I guess that was pretty obvious. So, what are you not telling us? You''re not growing, only getting brighter, why is that?" Felemous asked curious, the facade falling down fast.


    "I''ll answer you with a question of my own, do you know brother, what strains our bodies?" Orvus''s question carrying a deeper meaning than he would let be seen.


    "The light of course. It courses through us, like the sun courses through the living matter. If too much courses through, your body, much like the living matter, can''t use it, so it withers, or in our case, strains our body. It is why they need the night and we need the rest." Felemous diligently responded, his knowledge sparking through.


    "Precisely. Now, the light provides us with energy, that much is obvious and known by everyone. The problem with this energy, is that it''s usually too much. We, of the bluer or whiter glow, grow our body''s strain faster because we can''t control the flow properly into the body, while our mind strain grows slower, since we can maintain the flow more efficient. For those of a more red or yellow glow, it''s the opposite. You simply have to wonder as to why is that." he paused a bit, as he finished healing his sister, letting himself down from the gust of wind, going to the next sibling, prompting the gust of wind once more, Felemous following.


    "One could say it''s the way we were born, or the way we approach things. Horned rabbits are more attracted to starstags, while clawbears would find it easier to share a large portion of meat with some walking orcas. Both are fair ways to look at the matter. But it actually runs a bit simpler. Instead of prey and predator, or the way we''re born, you can look at us as "thinkers" and "feelers"." Orvus explained. His lecture shining light over the matter.


    Felemous listened to every word, his understanding widening and prompting a fair response "So, by that you mean that some of us experience the world through our minds, while others through their bodies." his response concise and good at summarizing, "If I were to guess, it is due to how we spent the time with the Creator, isn''t it?" his question prompting a slight smile from Orvus.


    "Yes. That''s exactly right. The way we spent our time with the Creator, asking and feeling the light which bathed us, is what determined our glow and the way our bodies naturally behave." Orvus responded in kind, his response leaving Felemous guessing, his habit showing once more.


    "Naturally behave. I don''t think I fully grasp what you mean, if I were to guess, you mean the way our bodies behave in resonance with exterior factors." his response showing promise, but not close enough.


    "Almost correct. It''s exterior and interior factors." Orvus''s answer making Felemous feel a bit bad for not thinking of it, "Now, the issue at hand is how our bodies and minds are strained. One could simply think that, by learning from the other, they should be able to decrease the strain or even achieve perfect efficiency. However, that train of thought is only true until you confront yourself with the first dilemma. Our bodies are basically ingrained with the idea of how to resonate with these factors. So, how do you change, what could also be called, the basic instincts?" his further explanation showing the predicament.


    This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work."There is also another dilemma. Even if you say, manage to teach your body again what it''s basic instincts are, wouldn''t that overrule your previous instincts? Basically, by trying to re-learn your basic instincts, you would have to denounce the first ones."


    Felemous now had the clear picture in mind. Which prompted the following questions even harder "Then how did you do it? If it''s impossible, how did you achieve the impossible?"


    "I didn''t achieve it, I cheated around it." Orvus responded, once more, leaving the details to be wanted, a sense of misery behind his words.


    Felemous, with a tired tone, asked back "Cheated around it, how exactly?"


    "I simply "borrowed" the instincts from our siblings." Orvus''s response, deep in tone and sorrowful, leading to a grim realization.


    "You mean, you used the death of our siblings, to further yourself?!" Felemous now asked angrily, his eyes sparking with light.


    Orvus didn''t like his shift in tone "If you want to be angry, why aren''t you angry at our sister? She has more lights than I do and uses what our siblings left to her, doesn''t she?" his line of questioning resounding with Felemous.


    "She didn''t want that! Those lights are onto her because of you Orvus! Or have you forgotten?!" his question also resounding strongly with Orvus.


    "And do you think I wanted this brother?! She placed the responsibility to carry those lights over me! Now I''m supposed to just sit and-" before he could continue, the winds behind them shifted, as Manna fell over at the front, her tall, slim body, hitting the ground with a lack of control.


    "Manna!" Felemous cried in response, his face in shock and panic, as he immediately rushed over to her. Orvus on the other hand, simply stopped himself and caught his injured brother from falling, others catching the remaining ones.


    As Felemous grabbed her with his right arm, with the missing one, thinking he still had it, tried to lift her. After a short realization, he turned her over with his right arm, struggling a bit but managing. The other Lightborn hurried over to her, while some remained to keep the injured ones suspended in the air. Orvus quickly ordered them around, placing the injured ones around him so he could use this opportunity to heal them faster.


    "Orvus! Hurry over, you must help her!" Felemous cried, his distress showing through his words.


    "I have about fifty more I should take care of." Orvus calmly responded "Besides, there''s little I can do, she needs rest, I can''t help her with that." his point clear and reasonable.


    Felemous let Manna on his siblings'' hands as he rushed over to Orvus and grabbed at his shoulders "Do what you did yourself to her. Help her surge the light efficiently like yours." Felemous''s desperation showing through, his concern for what''s good or bad no longer viable.


    "I can''t." Orvus simply responded.


    "Why?! You could do it, she can''t because she isn''t like you or because you hate her?!" Felemous''s questions trying to find a way to a better answer, although he knew wiser.


    "Don''t be stupid. I won''t put in danger our group because of some dispute we already got over. It''s just not that simple. First and foremost, she needs to be conscious, which is already ruled out, secondly this won''t alleviate the strain, it simply makes it much slower, what she accumulated through the past suns since we left. In case you didn''t notice, she didn''t let go of her wind manipulation since we left the Frozen Passage with two hundred gravely injured at her back." Orvus explained in detail, with each reason Felemous understood better the predicament she placed herself into.


    "Is there nothing we can do to bring her back up? Without her, how are we going to make it through the forest?" Felemous now defeated asked. The forest only half a sun away.


    "That shouldn''t be our worry. That storm, it will be upon us before reaching the forest. Even if Manna recovers in a sun motion, it will put us behind just enough for the lightning storm to catch up, and she''s not getting up for at least half a sun." Orvus explained further, showing worry only with a slight frown.


    "You''re saying we''re simply doomed to fail and die?" Felemous glanced hollowly with his eyes as he asked him.


    Orvus pushed Felemous''s hands away, starting to heal a few siblings at the same time "If we were, do you think I would even bother healing anyone anymore?" his face bearing a slight smile, his eyes sparking with ideas.


    "What is there to do? You see what that storm does don''t you?" Felemous continued asking, his will crushed by the predicament, but some hope started to gather in his eyes.


    "I''m going to do what I did to our siblings so far, but the other way." Orvus responded, leaving room for guessing.


    Felemous caught upon what he meant "If you need to take over their light, to tell it where it should heal, then you can tell the light to follow yours for instance, like our siblings did for Manna, but without completely taking the light over, right?" his face lighting up upon this answer.


    "Yes Felemous!" Orvus responded excited, for the first time after a while, as he had confidence once more, that his discovery, will lead to salvation. Although, deep below, he tried to hide the other facet. Where, if Felemous arrived at a different conclusion, like killing their half dead siblings to take over their lights and empower one of them to shake off the storm, he wouldn''t have hesitated to approach it. For now Orvus no longer thought of the individual, but for the group, a dangerous way of thinking.


    "Then, what do you need? Tell us and we''ll help." Eraanel appeared from behind, his eye shining with hope. The other Lightborn agreeing.


    "I only need to heal the remaining ones. Every bit of power should help." Orvus responded, then looked at Felemous "You are the key factor here. You have attempted to control the thick light before, so you''ll be crucial."


    "I told Manna already, I didn''t attempt to control it, I merely redirected it!" Felemous responded, showing a bit of frustration but also starting to get a glimpse into Orvus''s plan.


    "That will suffice. Even if you miss an arm, all you will have to do, is stand tallest and it will come to you, yes?" Orvus continued, focusing on healing those before him, now being able to heal pretty fast.


    "Yes, that''s correct, although I still don''t see how-" Felemous responded, before he could continue Orvus explained further.


    "They will channel their lights into yours. Even if you don''t have prior experience, all you have to do is use the lights to amplify your own, channel it into the arm and guide the thick lights away from all of us. Our lights combined should be enough to resist any amount of injuries the thick lights could inflict. The winds and tornadoes, I will handle." Orvus finished his explanation, confidence showing in his words.


    "That makes sense. But if I fail even once...a lot of you could die, isn''t that right?" Felemous asked, grasping at the risks.


    "Which is why I didn''t want to do this, unless necessary." Orvus explained himself.


    After everyone understood the plan, Orvus kept healing his siblings, managing to heal another twenty before the storm came, twenty one remaining in critical condition. The other Lightborn started forming tight circles, distributing themselves evenly. So that, when they converge their lights, it won''t overwhelm Felemous to such a degree that the lights will place a sudden strain on him, acting in tandem.


    Unlike Kilon''s approach, this method relied on all of the Lightborn giving up control of their light to Felemous, where as in Kilon''s case, they were still handling the commanding part. Felemous had to command all of them at once, the other Lightborn were only able to command it whether it converges or not. Manna, amongst the gravely injured, were placed at the center most of the formation, Felemous''s light acting as the Link in a way, providing protection against anything.


    The storm approached. The winds were the first to be felt, then the slight shaking of the ground. Then, the winds started to blow so strong, some Lightborn started to feel easy on their feet. Orvus promptly acted, letting go of his "borrowed" skill and using the full power of his lights now, swaying the winds and preventing tornadoes from being formed. If one would form nonetheless, he simply dispersed it from inside out, showing mastery over his skills.


    The harsh part though, began when the lightning started to catch up with the winds. At really small intervals, lightning stroke the ground. The frequency of the lightnings so high, that the ground continuously shook now, akin to an earthquake. While the clouds darkened the area, the lightning lit it back up, each strike drawing closer and brighter.


    Each circle of Lightborn converged their lights, one by one. Felemous connected to the first, then the second converged and him to it shortly after, and so on. This step by step approach allowing him to adjust to the levels of power. It still was hard, but less harsh. Every Lightborn, except Felemous and Orvus, stood on their knees. Felemous stood tallest, his right hand raised for the skies, as Orvus swayed the winds around and encased the area where they stood in a windless barrier.


    Then, lightning struck, Felemous feeling some of it before it came from the sky, his sensitivity now amplified. He slightly swayed the first one towards him, as it followed a path towards the other Lightborn, then repelled it. Orvus was impressed by his first performance, although it was merely the beginning.


    Once it started, it never stopped. Dozens and dozens of lightning strikes came in minute after minute for them. Felemous was holding fine, the rush of power keeping the strain at bay, while Orvus was feeling the strain on his body that was now catching up to him.


    Amidst this storm, Felemous was starting to understand the lightning, it''s random, complex patterns, the way it coursed through the air, the energy it possessed, all of it was coursing through his mind. And, as he stood there, taller than all, he clenched his fist, raising a single finger. Lightning once more descended from the skies, this time, he simply touched it and the lightning followed his command. Surging through his body, swirling and behaving erratic. He was mesmerized.


    "Felemous! Snap out of it you fool!" Orvus cried. For a moment, Felemous didn''t pay attention. It was all it took, three lightning strikes simultaneously hit seven Lightborn, the power of one larger than three of those in the Shivergin Lands.


    As he came in touch with reality once more and let go of the lightning, Felemous realized the mistake he made. He wanted to help his siblings, but lightning was still striking everywhere, so he had to keep redirecting it, as his siblings simply struggled. These seven tried to reach for Felemous, crawling between the others, but not being able to reach for the light which they forfeit to him. Felemous couldn''t even watch them as they died, only small glimpses as his focus had to be to the task at hand. "Sorry. I''m so sorry." he cried, his eyes sparking with power and sorrow, the ones who felt them crawl between them, crying also, prompting looks from everywhere. Soon, a cry for their dead siblings made itself known in the harsh storm.


    Orvus looked at what happened, he was the only one not crying. He simply thought "I guess this will change some things."

 The road forward

    "If our bodies are the exterior matter, and our minds are the interior, then a soul is the bridge between the two. It allows for the mind to enforce itself onto the body through the soul, while the body reflects the soul itself. If you were to destroy the mind, the body still reflects the soul, if you were to destroy the body, the mind remains within the soul. But if you were to destroy the soul, neither can hold on by themselves. The mind will be lost and the body shattered." Kilon said, his explanation ending after he told his siblings about how the soul behaves and it''s purpose. They were traveling as he told them these things. In order to not go East and confront themselves with yet other cold lands, as the Frozen Side lied further East from the Link and they didn''t know how far it extended. They followed a South-East way, guided by a compass made in fashion to that of Orvus, the Link acting as the anchor point.


    Kilon made them understand the importance of the soul. That they possess one, and should acknowledge it''s value beyond anything else. He then explained that "Our lights. Given the Link, are also special. Creatures that roam the lands, do not possess our seemingly infinite energy. They exhaust it and replenish it through many means, usually through the consumption of other living things. The living matter is a bit different, in that it needs light, much like us, except it ages, be it slower or faster, then dies." his words right and wrong at the same time.


    The Lightborn were more akin to plants than he thought, as Lightborns aged more like trees, really slowly. What Kilon also didn''t know, was that there were plants, like those in the Gargantuan Forest, which lived for thousands of years, some lived even since the dawn of creation. Even so, he continued "But that much we all know. It''s what the Creator also told us, that we are not like any other "Flesh Beings" as it called them. We just haven''t realized what that "special" meant for us." he paused, letting them sink in his words, for what followed hit hardest "It meant that our lives can hardly find peace, no matter where we travel." the Lightborn around listened carefully, others passing the words to the back, as they traveled in a long line, rows of ten.


    After his words finally reached to all of them, they started to think of what that meant. Before anyone could make any wrong assumptions though, Kilon said "It means that the energy which we possess attracts those which wish it. The prey likes to sit, sleep and eat around us. While the predators, like to consume us, get every bit of it for themselves. It''s not only limited to creatures. The living matter on which we step and the "trees", as Orvus calls them, if they grow fast and aggressive enough, could engulf one of us and trap us in order to consume everything that we have."


    The sinister realization suddenly washed over them. Their lights was a luxury that the other beings didn''t have. Consuming their light, means prolonged, stronger and better lives for the consumer. It basically made each of them a precious resource, one which could only be consumed thanks to their bodies, imbued constantly with the light, as the light cannot be grasped by anyone, except them.


    Kilon wanted them to fully understand what that meant, but there wasn''t a clear approach for it. The best he could do is tell them about the beast. An example which they still couldn''t fully grasp, as Kilon was the only one who saw the beast. On their way into the Whistling Valley, now called the Closed Passage, the beast''s body was not found. Either the winds swiped the body out of it or dragged it along the walls until it ground it''s body to nothing. Whichever it was, besides Menoel and a few other lightborn with a rich imagination, it was hard to grasp the issue at large.


    "Then what is it for us to do now, brother?" Menoel finally asked after a period of silence.


    "We are to find a home. We still do not know what happened to the others. I hope for the best, but since we do not know, we must make haste in finding a suitable home and establish ourselves." Kilon explained, his face looking forward, towards a horizon filled with the promise of a home and unknown lands to be seen. The mountains raising a bit higher as their journey went onward. "Then and only then, we can go look for them. Help them if needed. At worst, pray to the Creator for their souls." he continued, his eyes filled with worry and an unwavering determination to set things right for their future.


    Menoel could only look at him in awe. He stood tall and strong, yet caring and wise. Now, more than ever, wanting to follow him, see what else his brother could do, will do. "I don''t think we''ll find a home Kilon." Menoel pronounced himself, his voice holding something else to be said.


    "Is that what you think?" Kilon looked down at him as he asked his brother, his voice curious for what he wanted to say "Would you care to explain further?"


    "You said that we cannot be safe, no matter where we go. It is obvious that wherever we may go, there will be predators. Be it stronger or weaker, they will cut away at us until there is little left. Those remaining will either cower in fear, hide wherever they can, while others will probably return to the Link, where is safest, dying some more in the process." Menoel''s words carrying logic and reason, an idea piling behind his words "But, what if we were to protect ourselves, constantly that is."


    "Protect ourselves constantly. I figure you have some idea to how to do that since you''re mentioning it?" Kilon interrupted Menoel, his curiosity now getting the better of him.


    "Well yes, let me just continue." Menoel requested, Kilon realizing his intrusion.


    "My bad brother. Please, keep going." Kilon apologized, his left hand scratching at the back of his head, his spear now some way above the ground in his right hand, as his body out grew the spear''s length.


    Menoel sighed a bit as he gathered his thoughts once more "The idea is pretty simple. You have proven that while the other beings and living matter try to get some of our light, some will try to simply live by it, coexist in a way." Menoel''s explanation now painting a picture.


    "So if we allow them to coexist with us, our existence may not be-" before he continued, he realized the intervention once more. "Sorry brother." he said, his hand now scratching his long neck.


    "Yes, our existence may not be in such peril. But we can take it a step further also." Menoel continued, his idea now coming along "You showed us that we can use our lights to influence and even manipulate the growth of living matter. If you were to teach most, if not all, of us how to do it, we could literally grow our protection."


    Kilon now realized the potential, besides the dangers, of what their light can bring to them. "Not a bad idea I must say. And since we are headed for a "forest", as Orvus calls it, we can make a return between the forest and us." his eyes letting sparks out in excitement.


    As Kilon and Menoel discussed the possibilities of these discoveries, Melonius and Efeheem were arguing at the back. Their dispute causing unrest between the others. Eharel made his way to the two, he saw them yelling and, at times, simply slap the other. He didn''t understood the argument they were having, or why they were slapping each other at times then resuming the dispute, but he intervened.


    "What in the name of the good Creator is happening here you two?" Eharel asked, making his way at the back.


    "Stuttermouth over here thinks that we can probably kill one of these rootworms. I beg to differ as I possess the least necessary wisdom of the Link to know better." Melonius explained as he looked in Efeheem''s eyes. As Efeheem was thinking about what he said, Melonius slapped him. Efeheem, to Eharel''s surprise, not retaliating.


    "Why did you slap him then? And why is he not doing anything?" Eharel now more curious about these unnecessary acts of disrespect.


    "My idea was it. If what he sense says makes, and makes think for me, he slaps." Efeheem managed to somewhat explain, the opposite being true, no other words needed as Eharel got the idea and couldn''t listen anymore of him. If one makes the other think for too long, they get slapped.


    "So, your whole game is to argue with each other, and you get to slap the other if they have to think for too long?" Eharel explained to his understanding "Wouldn''t that make it unfair for Efeheem as he has trouble speaking?" he asked intrigued, forgetting a crucial aspect.


    "His speech is exactly what makes this fair. It''s not a surprise that he stumbles his words, Creator knows why, so it makes it hard to fully understand, which in turn, means that I need at times a bit more time to think about what he just said." Melonius explained frustrated. So far he got slapped the most, as the speech impediment was too strong of a card against him. He also didn''t know if, at times, Efeheem made his speech harder to understand on purpose.


    Eharel was now into it himself "Can I also play? We have quite the road ahead and Kilon is busy with Menoel planning."


    "You can course play!" Efeheem said excited. The opportunity to give some more slaps away was always enticing to him.


    "No objections here either. Maybe I won''t get slapped around as hard." Melonius said with a slight smirk, knowing what''s to come for Eharel.


    "That''s great. Now, is there anything left to know? You two were arguing about something weren''t you?" Eharel asked as he stood at the middle, a bit shorter than Efeheem and a bit taller than Melonius.


    "We all need to come to an accord on the matter of the subject. If one disagrees, they must suggest something else. Also, since it''s three of us now, us two will get slapped by Efeheem, while Efeheem will get slapped twice, one from each, to even things out. Lastly, we take turns in explaining, the last one to get an explanation is the one proposing the subject, then, if it continues, we start again with the one who first answered. The explanations, depending on the subject, can be as short as one word if it makes sense. If it doesn''t, the others can simply shake their heads in disagreement, we can also add arguments as to why it doesn''t make sense, and you have three moments to think of something else." Melonius explained, his finger pointing up from his left hand at his side, as if holding a lecture of sorts. Melonius also hid his true reason behind the adjusted rule into the clever explanation. He didn''t want to get slapped by Eharel due to Eharel''s enhanced vision.


    If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    "I understand. Then, given the subject at hand being rootworms, I will say that we can kill a rootworm, but a lot of us may and will probably die while doing so. It is why we can''t sit around the Warm Lands. So, we can kill one, but it will be costly." Eharel added to the argument.


    This prompted Efeheem to think a bit, then agree with them, however, Eharel slapped him across his face prematurely, as Melonius omitted a rule.


    "Oh, also, we can''t slap unless three moments have passed. If you slap any sooner, you get two slaps, in this case, a slap from both of us." Melonius intervened, a smirk crossing his face, his diabolic plan coming into the view of Eharel, who didn''t have time to respond properly. Efeheem simply gave him a slap back that shook the light inside of him. Eharel stumbled on his feet, his only support was a spear he held at the back, which he grabbed and pushed against the ground before falling. Melonius laughed without hesitation at the scene.


    "Good Creator! What is this strength?!" Eharel asked in frustration and disbelief to what he just felt.


    "Light me in stronger grows when wanted I." Efeheem said in a stumbled explanation. It wasn''t yet clearly known, but his physical strength rivaled that of large beasts. His proficiency and efficiency in flowing his light into his body, allowed him to empower any part of his body with high velocity to the strikes. This added on top of the strength already provided by his trained body against fights with clawbears and walking orcas from past expeditions. Eharel in his mind compared this slap to when he got hit by lightning back when he was exploring the Shivering Lands, without the numbness he felt afterwards. It could be said that he was a primal example of what the light can be used as in terms of enhancement. Further, his efficiency in flowing the light, meant that he could empower numerous strikes before feeling the least bit tired. He, of course, didn''t use nearly as much into slapping his brothers, as he could shatter rocks by stepping on them when in full flow. But that didn''t mean he wasn''t going to use any.


    Eharel, shook by the strike, looked at Melonius with a sense of respect for enduring multiple strikes from Efeheem. Now, he understood the high stakes at hand. If you think, only pains follows. He wanted to back out of it, but knowing what Melonius''s mouth can say, he knew he wasn''t going to wash away such shame unless he ran to the ends of the planet. Eharel paced his walk once again between the two and said "Let''s do this. I will see to it until the end." his eyes letting out sparks in determination.


    Melonius slapped him across the right cheek, the small tingles of pain barely managing to shift Eharel''s neck to the left. "Now that everything is said and done, let''s resume, shall we?" Melonius said, his eyes filled with joy for the prospect where Eharel will end up either on his knees or crying to Kilon. His ability, unbeknownst to Eharel that it was used, allowing him to effectively cheat at the game.


    Eharel took the initiative, proposing the next subject "I say, we speak of...which would win in a fight, a clawbear or a walking orca?" the subject stirring sparks inside the other two''s eyes. As if the prospect of thinking which of two entities could win in a fight pulled at some innate intrigue of the male side.


    Neither hesitated in agreeing, as they simply nodded. Melonius started "Walking orca no question. Their ability to swim at fast speeds and walk on land, puts the clawbear at a clear disadvantage." his answer telling of the fact that he listened to Orvus''s explanations, while keeping some facts hidden in case Eharel tried to bite back, so he wouldn''t have time to think. He knew that Efeheem had fought walking orcas before, as he was the main Lightborn guarding Orvus and the others in their voyage to the Frozen Side. So he thought with confidence that he will side with him. That could in turn expose Eharel, who proposed the subject, to a slap from Efeheem, as he only fought clawbears of the two, so his knowledge should be limited and make him think.


    But in a sickening twist of mumbled words, Efeheem said "Clawbear.". This simple answer put Melonius on a sudden stop.


    "Is he serious? Is this some trick to make me run in circles to figure out why? Or is it simply true? This is not good." Melonius thought to himself, as Eharel''s turn came around.


    "I agree, the clawbears are fearsome creatures, and Efeheem fought both, so I trust his judgement." Eharel explained his side, making perfect sense as he shifted his head towards Melonius at his right "Now you, brother." his eyes lighting up in expectation.


    This was a tough spot for Efeheem. He just placed himself in a predicament, where he just confidently said that walking orcas are stronger. With the two of them agreeing otherwise, and him stating what he said in a tone as if factual, he had to argue back. Him agreeing with them wouldn''t make sense from his position, as he tried to put walking orcas as the stronger. He knew all this. Yet he tried nonetheless "In the light of the fact that Efeheem knows better, since he fought both, I feel like I must change my answer and agree with him as well." he cleverly attempted, but his brothers weren''t going to let him off easy.


    "Oh, in the light of the fact you say?" Eharel started, a slight smile with knowledge of otherwise behind showing "Aren''t you by chance the one who stands around Efeheem all the time and argue with him?" his words cutting through the facts.


    Efeheem nodded in approval, saying that "Told you I am time more." he said, meaning that he told him multiple times. With that said, they both shook their heads.


    "This can''t be! How was I backed into this corner?! There must be something. I can hardly use my ability now that he''s here. Think, think!" Melonius thought to himself, if he could sweat, he would be doing so profusely. His brothers were relentless too, both lifting a finger up in the span of his thoughts. As the second finger was lifted, a sudden fact flashed across his mind "The walking orcas swallow their prey whole...don''t they?" the words freezing his brothers'' fingers in place, as a look of sudden realization washed over their faces. "In other words, if a clawbear steps into walking orca territory, they will simply  be swallowed whole!" his excitement for the realization could be felt clearly in his voice. "Now, your turn, jigglytongue." Melonius said as he bent forward, his eyes looking with a large smile across his face into those of Efeheem.


    Efeheem was trying to stagger Melonius, he knew about the presented fact. What he didn''t know too much about, was clawbears. While he fought some, the fights were short and he wasn''t the kind to analyze too deeply on his prey. Walking orcas were different, as he had to be smarter about them, since he was the main guardian during the journey. His bet was all into that bluff. He was now looking at Eharel, trying to find an answer from his eyes, but Eharel simply looked to the side. A sense of betrayal could be felt across his body, as Eharel and Melonius showed up their second finger up. Efeheem rushed through all his memories, he even used the light to enhance his mind''s quick thinking, but he wasn''t really good at it. And so, the third finger lift up.


    The first to hit was Melonius, his slaps were now customers to Efeheem''s cheeks, not providing any new kinds of pain. Eharel on the other hand, had something to give back to him, his will ironed as if ready to fight some sort of beast. Efeheem saw his eyes light up, as Eharel let the light course through. Eharel activated his ability. This allowed him to spot the softest spot on Efeheem''s face in great detail. He first let out a bluff, his hand stopping mere fractions of a millimeter in front of his left cheek for which he aimed with his right hand, letting go of the spear all of a sudden. That made Efeheem tense up his body. He held his breath and closed his eyes. Then, as his left eye saw glimpses of light, with a relentless, malicious force, Eharel''s palm was upon his left cheek. Efeheem''s body relaxed for a moment before it touched, allowing for full effect of the strike.


    The sound dispersed across the green fields, scared some small critter and made Kilon and Menoel look back scared. Their face rested in relief as they saw the marks of a palm across Efeheem''s face, some light pouring out instead of blood, quickly healing afterwards.


    Efeheem fought many beasts before the journey beyond the Link. Claws, teeth, prickles, burns, cuts and so on. He had accumulated a range of experiences through pain inflicted upon his now stern and strong body. Not once, however, did he feel as if his soul should''ve left his body with the pain that followed after. It was a feeling that made him wonder if all that he felt, was even real by comparison. He now too, understood, that what he played so far, was a mere game. Now though, this was real, this was serious, he had to avoid the slaps from Eharel at any cost. Which made him aware of Melonius''s cunning too. He couldn''t let either of them get the upper hand.


    "Until the end, nothing will stop me. I will win." Efeheem stated, his first clear sentence since he left the Link. This shocked all the Lightborn around them, Melonius and Eharel too. The other two now felt a throb in their hearts, the feeling of excitement and rivalry arose. None were willing to lose.


    "My, my. These brothers of mine are quite something I must say." Avaanel said as she stepped from the back between her siblings and finally at the middle where the three were at. She was a Lightborn that assisted with the efforts in the crystallization of the light from the Link. While studying, she found a way to store large amounts of light into different parts of her body. Legs, arms, chest, head. Tiny compartments cut into her body were made by her hunting knife made of a sharpened piece of a starstag''s antler. There, she guided the light and let it store. The way it stored was through a method where her body would attempt to regenerate the missing pieces of flesh. When doing so, she would course the light around, surrounding the pieces of flesh, which the flesh would then get on top and create a layered pill of sorts as the light imbued itself into the flesh. So when needed, she could release it at will, providing a powerful boost to her abilities. It had it''s drawbacks if used at full capacity, her body suffering internal injuries, ranging from broken bones to shattered limbs and organs. The process was also slow and time consuming, but when needed, she could become a powerful weapon if she disregarded her own safety.


    Her appearance didn''t do much to the mood of the three brothers, not until she asked "May I join this game of yours? Since I left the Link, I must say that I felt so bored. The only excitement I got was from that rootworm trying to snatch us whole." Avaanel said as she stretched her arms up in the air. However, that wasn''t the issue. The issue was her ability and mind. Not only could she empower a strike of hers just enough to provide maximum amounts of pain without injury, she also had the cunning to match that of Melonius.


    This was the moment where they knew things will go too far. However, it was too late now. Their brothers and sisters got intrigued and wanted to watch this show of minds and slaps.


    "Thanks Eharel." Melonius said as he clenched his teeth.


    "What did I do? Efeheem started with his empowered strikes!" Eharel protested to his defense.


    "I in am still." Efeheem mumbled. He wasn''t going to back down from the challenge.


    "How fun. Let us proceed then, tell me the rules sweet brothers." Avaanel added in the end. The game not stopping, as Kilon and Menoel brushed it aside, focusing on the plans to raise the first settlement for the Lightborn, for they would soon arrive in the lands surrounded by mountains.

 The good for all

    "Not everyone is strong. That much I know." Orvus thought to himself, as he dismantled the tornadoes trying to form amidst the storm surrounding them. "It is why Kilon, the one who became our beacon of strength, had to endure the wilderness beyond the Link firsthand." his thoughts kept going, as the strain on his power grew. "It is why I was assigned to lead this group. But when I failed to serve as their pillar of strength, Manna had to take over. Now though, when she failed to provide her strength, I had to protect my siblings once more." as he finished his line of thought, he looked at Felemous, tears in the form of sparks erupting from his eyes.


    "I''m not weak. I know that, because it is I who came up with this plan, so that we may escape." Orvus now changed his gaze upon those injured, barely holding together at the center where Felemous''s light could reach. "My body, however, cannot hold this strain for too long. And there is only so much my brother can do." his face twisted and frowned as he thought of what needs to be done. He couldn''t think of any other solution.


    Orvus, in terms of abilities, varied the greatest. He was able to cast rays of light from different parts of his body, which could serve as sensory organs, similar to the eyes and skin. He could manipulate other''s lights in order to heal them, cast powerful bursts of energy and enhance his mind through the light, speeding up his thinking from seconds, to milliseconds. Much like Kilon and others like him, he could also manipulate the light outside his body to interact with living matter, and, at times, even critters. His malleability in terms of light manipulation, was the greatest.


    These facts combined, allowed him to commit the first crime known to the Lightborn: stealing someone''s light. By connecting his light from the short distance he was at from the injured ones, one by one, amidst the storm, he fueled himself with the light of his siblings. Some struggled against his will, but their precarious situation, disabled their struggles to mere frowns and growls. With each light stolen, each of them died, his own growing stronger and allowing him to push his body further.


    Orvus felt sorrow, sadness, anger as he stole their lights. A Lightborn''s light carries the knowledge and experiences those which possessed it had. So, Orvus could feel their intense rage and anger directed at him through their lights, weighing heavily on his mind. However, he couldn''t let them drown him in anguish, he had to fulfill his duty, and he was ready to do anything in order to accomplish it, evident by his actions. "Sorry. Brothers, sisters. If not for you, we all could''ve been swallowed by the storm whole. I bear your lights, even if it destroys my self." he thought to himself. His eyes now lighting up with the overbearing power of his siblings, sixty one in number, allowing him to continue what he had to do.


    The storm kept going for a whole sun. By the end, besides the seven Felemous killed due to his distraction, and the twenty one gravely injured which Orvus stole their light from, no one else died. As everyone could finally rest, Felemous let go of their lights, except for the seven that now he had to bear. The Lightborn could now at long last, rest. The storm going forward into the Gargantuan forest.


    "We should wait here for a sun and a half. Let the storm pass by so we can then venture inside." Orvus told Felemous, although his brother didn''t really listen. "The gravely injured were also killed by the storm, it seems that your light wasn''t enough to protect them." Orvus continued, Felemous knowing all to well about that, even though it wasn''t the truth. "I will keep watch over Manna and-"


    "Can you stop? Just for a moment, I need you to stop." Felemous interrupted, his voice grave and sad, the lights which he bore weighing on his mind. "I know we must take care of our siblings, but I''m too weak right now to do so."


    Orvus was obsessive in his behavior. He wanted to do everything in his power to ensure the safety of his siblings. Not only that, the lights which he stole, kept bothering him. It was like a steady pressure on his mind, not letting him rest properly, so he wanted to keep himself active. Those wishes, however, were cut off by Manna, waking up from her deep slumber.


    "How long was I asleep?" Manna asked as she sat on her elbow, Orvus and Felemous close to her. "The storm!" she recalled "Where are we?! Where is the storm?! Is everyone-"


    "We''re mostly fine, sister." Orvus told her as he placed his hand on her shoulder and got to her right side "You should lie down a bit longer, the storm has passed and we can rest a bit." he reassured her, his glow taming down as he started to rest his strained body.


    "Mostly. Did some of us die?" Manna asked further, concerned.


    "Unfortunately so. The twenty one injured and another seven." Orvus stated with a heavy tone, putting himself in front of her, hand still on her shoulder.


    Orvus then explained everything to her. The Lightborn then gathered to mourn the dead through prayer. Burying their bodies afterward in case wild animals were to pass by. Manna, Felemous, Eraanel, Salvete and the others cried for them. All but Orvus. Manna saw that he didn''t, or rather couldn''t, cry. He stood at the very back, almost looking as if he tried to make himself unknown to all that were there. She approached him, spear in her right hand.


    "What is it brother? Do you not wish your siblings a farewell to the Creator?" Manna asked curious, her eyes trying to look for his as he looked down.


    "How many have died because of me Manna? Hundreds?" Orvus asked back looking up at her. His eyes cold and tortured.


    "Does that mean you can''t cry for the few that died? They were still your brothers and sisters. You know that." she said with a frown, her voice trying not to show the pity she felt for him.


    "It means that I cannot cry no longer. For I shed all my tears. Let Felemous cry for those who died due to his inaptitude, I will mourn the other twenty one in silence." he told her, his face looking down once again. He didn''t want to leave any clue to the fact that he basically killed those other ones with his own hands.


    "If that''s what you wish, I won''t stand here and tell you what to do. You saved the group after all." Manna told him as she placed her hand on his right shoulder. She then returned to the others who were still mourning, helping however she could.


    Orvus stood at the back. He watched from some distance his brothers and sisters. He tried to reach with his hand for them, but his feet were held into place by those he killed. It was all in his head, the lights playing with his mind. Even so, he didn''t want to resist their will. He wanted to let them consume him. It''s only the fact that he had to push forward, see it to the end, so his siblings could be safe, that he couldn''t let them do as they wanted with him.


    Unknown to him, the lights didn''t do anything to him, they weren''t trying to drag him or take over. They were simply passing through, again and again, the message of death into him. That is what made his subconscious act against him, in a struggle to make him suffer.


    Once the two and a half suns passed, Manna took lead once more as they started walking once again, now refreshed and ready. Although, she noticed that more of her siblings started to talk with Orvus, who seemed like he couldn''t be bothered by any of them.


    She understood that he saved them, but she wouldn''t have thought that they were willing to forgive him after saving them this instance. Especially given that they were in this place because of him. "Maybe they don''t feel like they have a choice. They may feel as if my leadership has failed, whereas his succeeded." is what she thought as she took her eyes off of them and looked forward. The trees were now closer than before, only half a sun away from them.


    Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    The Gargantuan Forest, to Orvus, was similar to how he saw it when he first arrived on the Frozen Side. Except for the storm, which, as they saw it collide with the forest, got dispersed to, everyone''s surprise. The colossal trees acting as a stern, natural impediment, not moved even a bit by the storm, the branches barely shrugging themselves of some leaves. Due to their height, it was expected for these trees to be resilient, however, there was a weird toughness that even the branches had, which didn''t allow them to move too much.


    "Do you see that, Eraanel?" Manna asked his brother.


    "Yes. These "trees" behave oddly. The nature of that which lives, is to move. Be it of it''s own accord or not." Eraanel spoke from experience.


    "Does that mean that the great waters are alive?" Manna played with him.


    "That I do not know. Maybe whatever lives in them, moves them." Eraanel answered earnestly. His sense of humor was pretty bland.


    "What I meant was- never mind." she responded a bit defeated, her face disappointed, which Eraanel couldn''t see as she was too tall. "Do you think what Orvus said is true about the "forest"?


    "Well!" Salvete started, once again, making Manna jump, as she appeared from behind, but not Eraanel.


    His light allowed him to sense anything around him through small rays of light emanated constantly from his skin. It is similar to the glow they naturally possess, except it changes the glow into more of a shine of sorts. While he couldn''t tell who Salvete was, due to her ability, he knew that it could only be her due to how vague her presence was. His ability, while not the best, was complemented by his wise mind.


    "Orvus knew how to deal with the storm thing. And he knows a lot more things." Salvete proudly continued, as if her knowledge was something only she had.


    "Well, Salvete." Manna took over the conversation, her tone slightly irritated "What I was asking Eraanel wasn''t whether Orvus knows or not, but if it''s true."


    "Is there a difference? Because I don''t see one." Salvete continued, putting her hands in the air as if bored by the conversation, although she wanted to take part of it.


    "Yes, there is. Orvus is not always right because he knows things. He can use what he knows to better his judgement, but there are instances where he can unsure of himself." Manna explained, a part of her resonating with the words.


    "You didn''t forgave him, have you sister?" Salvete said bluntly. She could tell that Manna still had resentment for him.


    "Salvete!" Eraanel shouted "Watch your tongue, or Creator be kind to you, for I will beat that nonsense from within you." he threatened, although he knew her abilities wouldn''t allow him to even put a finger on her.


    "Let''s not be hasty with these threats, brother. We both know that if I want, I could always beat you some more when you expect it less." Salvete bit back, her words aiming at a factual truth,  while she kept her smug.


    "Enough both of you Eraanel and Salvete." Manna pushed her words between them. She first looked at Salvete "To answer you Salvete. I didn''t. I still struggle to believe that some of you did." she continued resentful of both his actions and her incapability to forgive him. Then she looked at Eraanel "As for you Eraanel. I spent a great deal of time with Orvus, Salvete''s words can''t cut anywhere where he didn''t." Manna explained with a slight smile.


    Salvete let out a laugh then said "That''s manna for you brother. I can cut all I want, she is strong enough to endure." her words, this time, pulling at some strings from Manna''s heart she didn''t know about. Manna''s eyes lighting up with anger at her words. Seeing her angry, made Salvete activate her ability and make herself scarce throughout the group.


    Eraanel puffed once Manna calmed herself "Pretty scary I must say sister."


    "I''m sorry. It''s just that, you never know what she might say. And sometimes, she simply says something that cuts straight where it hurts most." Manna explained, sorry for her lack of control.


    "It is fine sister." Eraanel let her know, while he took note of Salvete''s words and why they might''ve hurt Manna.


    After half a sun, which stretched shorter than before, they finally arrived at the Gargantuan Forest during night time, dawn just around the corner. The colossal trees which they saw ever since before the storm, now stood so tall, that you couldn''t see their cloud covered crowns. The trees were spaced pretty far from one another, allowing for large passages through the forest.


    Their branches sometimes extended dozens of meters in any direction meters above ground, at least those which they could see, which formed arches and complemented those from other trees. If you were to walk on top of the branches of the trees in a straight line, you could do so without falling once, even though the trunks were spaced meters apart.


    The earth below the trees, was free of snow, grass or any plants for that matter. The only other life besides the trees, were these large mushrooms at the bottom of a lot of trees. Which had a thin layer of skin-like matter, through which you could see either a red or blue liquid. At least there, at the forest''s edge.


    All the Lightborn were analyzing the Gargantuan Forest from it''s edge. Orvus used his ability to detect any signs of life, as did many other. Manna kept watch at the very front. If anything was to jump from within the forest at them, she was prepared to take it out, her eyes letting sparks out as she kept her light active at almost full throughput. Felemous was practicing with his light. On his way here, Orvus talked to him and inspired him. He was trying to change the property of his light, into lightning.


    This could''ve been accomplished by imitating the energy nature of the lightning. In essence, a lightning was energy, like the light. So, Orvus told Felemous based on what Felemous experienced during the storm, that if he could imitate the nature and behavior of the lightning, he could recreate it. If successful, a terrific weapon could be created, with which he would protect his siblings.


    Eraanel was tasked to watch over Salvete, as she was known to behave a bit wildly when new stuff was around. But he couldn''t find her for the light within him. She was already eyeing him from a distance, using her siblings as cover. The others didn''t pay her mind, as they were curious themselves of these giant trees.


    And so, against Manna''s words, she made her way out of the group and approached the forest. Once next to a tree, she looked at it carefully. Although she disobeyed her sister, she wasn''t going to put her life in danger.


    Her curious nature got the best of her though, as she looked closer at a tree. She noticed that the tree''s bark, almost seemed made of separate pieces, glued together. When she placed her hand on it, she couldn''t feel anything. Usually, those like her, with a yellow or red hue, could feel life trying to reach for them, for their light. But the tree wasn''t, although it was supposed to be made of living matter.


    "Maybe Manna was right. Orvus might''ve not known what he said." Salvete thought to her disappointment. She slid her hand across the bark, which slightly cut at her hand. The old tree sharpened in places by the cruel weather, grabbing a piece of her skin for "itself" so to speak.


    She hissed for no reason at it, then turned her back and started to walk towards the group. But, as she started to leave, she heard a small sound. She turned back to look at the tree. "Nothing. Maybe something fell down from above." she thought to herself. Then, again, a small sound. As she let her ears pick it up, she noticed it was coming from the tree. She approached once more, looked at the tree once more. "What could it be." Salvete was trying to figure out in her mind.


    Then, as she looked intensively at it, a piece of bark, the length of one of her fingers and the width of her palm, got pushed outwards from within the tree. Salvete sharpened her senses, ready for whatever dread was about to come out of it. The piece of bark then started to go down in small paces, until it revealed the culprit.


    It was a bug-like being. Two large, black bulging eyes stood and covered a good part of it''s face. It had a small mouth, which she didn''t notice as first, as it was shut, with no teeth. It had about ten limbs, five to a side, five to the other, each composed of two pieces, like her own, with a joint between and a round, squishy end. It''s body was made of three round, fat portions. It''s exoskeleton was green in color with black, spiral patterns on it.


    Inside of the tree, where it lived, Salvete could see a cut section of the trunk through which it escaped. Deeper, there was a hollow part through the middle of the tree through which many other small beings like this traveled up and down the tree. The little critter that got out, inspected her with a long look, then snatched the piece of skin just above itself, gulping it and letting out a small burp. Then it simply got inside the tree, covering it''s way out.


    Salvete didn''t know what she just witnessed. She only knew that she wanted to know more. Her face was smiling without her knowing. That was, until she heard the angry voice of Manna from a distance, which signaled her to get back. Unknown to her and her siblings, these small insects, were but the bottom of the food chain in the Gargantuan Forest.

 Beyond Ones Reach

    "So, who won?" Kilon asked Menoel intrigued, scratching his chin. He had to stay at the forefront, so he wasn''t able watch the match, but was just as curious as anyone else.


    "It got down to Efeheem and Avaanel by the end," Menoel responded, scratching his neck with disbelief in his eyes.


    "Wasn''t Melonius doing well?" Kilon continued.


    "Well, it was found by Eharel that foul tricks were at play by Melonius, once he got out and could observe the match closer. They, of course, punished him properly." Menoel explained. Kilon started to lean his head to his right to hear Menoel better. "And in the end, Efeheem posed a question to Avaanel''s question. She was bluffing about some knowledge regarding a secret scar that Manna had, and Efeheem said he knew about the scar, which he didn''t, also bluffing. And so the time passed," Kilon couldn''t take his ears off for one second "So they hit each other with a slap. They both wanted to hit the other first, in order to kill momentum from retaliation, but by doing so, they infused themselves with too much light and knocked each other out," the conclusion leaving Kilon breathless.


    "That explains all the gasps," Kilon added as he smacked his face in annoyance.


    "You promised something brother?" Menoel asked, referring to bets they placed.


    "I did send a promise to teach the winner some advanced wind manipulation. Now they both won, so I figure I''ll have to teach the two." Kilon responded a bit frustrated.


    "Well, you can look at it as if they both won, or both loosed," Menoel added his look on the matter. Kilon liked the idea, yet he was a man of his word, so he didn''t have a reason to back out of it, he also wanted to spend time doing something with his siblings.


    "Although, I have to say. Wouldn''t it make sense that it''s counted as a stall of sorts? Since they knocked each other out?" Kilon asked, trying to make sense of it.


    "Ah. I guess the last rule didn''t reach you," Menoel responded "After Avaanel got in, they added a new rule, so that, if you fall unconscious, you forfeit the match, much like leaving out of your own will." he explained.


    "I see, it makes sense." Kilon said silently, a shiver following on his back as he recalled the sound he heard that followed the last slaps. "Anyway, the road forward seems pretty clear. We shouldn''t have much to worry about." he told Menoel, his eyes filled with hope. Menoel simply nodded in approval, their much sought location drawing closer, as one more sun has passed.


    Ten suns later


    "There is a valley between those mountains, much like in the Shivering Lands, but the winds don''t blow between them as they did back then." Menoel assessed.


    "No. Though, they carry a different breeze," Kilon could tell "It''s a bit colder than here, yet rich. It''s as if, it carries life with it." he was feeling the air of a dense forest yet to be seen. "Let''s carry on. Tell Avaanel to continue doing it once every size." Kilon issued, size referring to the length of the group.


    "Understood," Menoel affirmed "I bet she will be happy to have it a bit easy." he continued, Kilon looked down frustrated. "It''s not your fault, you know? Without you, we wouldn''t be half the way we''re at now.".


    "That doesn''t mean I couldn''t have done something sooner," Kilon responded, scratching at his body aggressively.


    "Are you okay brother?" Menoel asked worried, rays of light emanating from Kilon''s body in places.


    "I''m fine. I didn''t control the light well, so it''s my fault," Kilon kept beating himself over.


    "Maybe we should rest, we''ve been going at it for-" Menoel tried to suggest, but Kilon''s sharp look cut through what he wanted to say. "Look, Kilon. I understand how you feel, they were my brothers and sisters as well, but we can''t have you collapse or shatter from inside before we arrive there."


    "You understand how I feel? Do you also carry their lights and hear their painful screams throughout your body, Menoel?" Kilon''s words spoken in spite. Menoel knew better though, as Kilon''s words only reflected his poor state of mind.


    "If you do not wish to rest, then at least let me carry you over brother." Menoel suggested.


    "No. I will have Efeheem carry me in his arms, if you''re so adamant about it," Kilon responded.


    "Then so be it, you stubborn brother," Menoel finally agreed.


    As Efeheem made his way to the front vigorously, the other Lightborn were in a dire state. Over a hundred were missing, while the other had their bodies strained by the constant travel. Some were still trying to get over what happened, while others had their hope shaken. The only driving force for all of them, Kilon, was barely holding himself.


    "What do you think. Will we be fine once we''re surrounded by mountains?" Melonius wanted an opinion from Eharel.


    "Given how unpredictable everything is, I severely doubt it." Avaanel answered instead "The rootworms attacked us because we weren''t prepared for them, and we had to learn through the hard way what being unprepared means. Now we rely on my ability constantly," she spoke her mind.


    "Right, and who asked you anything splatterlight?" Melonius snapped at her.


    "Easy now brother. You don''t want her to punish you once more, do you?" Eharel reminding him of a bad time not so long ago. "I will say though. Given Kilon''s state of mind as is, we''ll probably have to rely more on each other and less on him." he completed.


    "That won''t do," Avaanel said "The reason I left the Link and agreed to come along, was because Kilon promised me, us all, a home. I can''t let that slip away now that we''re close to it.".


    "And if we don''t find safety there? What then? Will you leave us sister?" Melonius asked of her, a hint of worry in his voice.


    "Don''t try to fill your mind with pointless worries Melonius. Everyone here knows that alone, we can''t make it back." Eharel reminded his brother.


    "If you''re so sure brother, then I guess I''ll just not worry," Melonius responded with snark "What I''m more curious though, is your ability sister. How do you keep these worms at bay?" he asked to change the subject.


    "It all starts from the outside. I first peel away bits of flesh and course light through, let the flesh layer on top and so on until I make chunks," Avaanel started explaining, happy to teach anyone about what she knew "But unlike the ''main'' chunks I make, these ones are smaller and a bit more concentrated, see?" she continued her explanation by showing her skin, which looked as if ridden with some sort of disease, small pimples covering it. "I then simply take them out, dig a small hole in the ground and let them sit there.".


    "Do they activate when they feel life?" Melonius asked intrigued.


    "Close, but not quite," Avaanel started to correct him "They activate when they "feel" movement. To be concise though, they don''t really feel, as much as I do, or rather don''t."


    "Oh. I see. You''re attaching small strands of light to them, right? And when you feel one being disrupted, you activate it." Melonius arrived at the conclusion.


    "Yes. Very good brother. It is why, also, we walk in two separate lines now, with a gap between us, so I can place them in between." Avaanel added.


    "Could you teach me how to do it myself sister?" Melonius wanted to know.


    "What do I get for teaching it to you?" a slight smile following her question.


    "I can teach you how to-" Melonius''s answer was interrupted by a loud noise, followed by the tremor of the earth, every Lightborn taking a long, terrified look behind them. "Are those?"


    "Yes, they are. I''ll go ask Kilon what to do. You two help form ranks in the form of lines. Twenty each, five apart, as discussed." Eharel quickly commanded. He then took off to the front, as the other Lightborns stood in shock. Avaanel took his command and relayed it first, then Melonius who was a bit more shaken.


    "Get me there, now!" Kilon was yelling at Efeheem "If I don''t help, a lot will die you fools!" now screaming at Menoel as well.


    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    "And you? Who will help you if not us, brother?" Menoel asked him, worry overtaking his face as he looked at his body.


    "Is it brother as says!" Efeheem mustered in his way.


    "Fine. If you two won''t help me, I''ve got my ways," Kilon responded by pushing himself away from the arms which held him, and used his wind manipulation to get his body afloat


    "Kilon!" Eharel exclaimed as he arrived "There is a root-" he then took a more careful look at the situation "Why aren''t you two helping him?" he asked angrily, as he offered Kilon his support.


    "If we help him get to the others, he might die. Just look at his body," Meonel pointed out to Eharel. However, Eharel still helped Kilon. "Didn''t you hear me Eharel?! He will die unless we let him rest!"


    "I heard you clearly," Eharel simply responded.


    "Then why don''t you stop?! Do you want him to die?!" Menoel asked filled with anger, his eyes letting out sparks as the light started to course through him.


    "You''re challenging me, brother?" Eharel asked back, his body starting to glow with an unpleasant glow, as Kilon barely held onto him. "Do you not get it? He is needed so others won''t die. It''s why he must be there to command us," he explained, as his body glowed stronger, as if in response to his words.


    Efeehem didn''t know what to do. His brothers were ready to fight in front of him, Kilon could barely do anything and the threat was just behind them. So, in a moment of confusion and panic, he simply stated "I''ll take care." such a simple yet crystal clear sentence that it stopped the two from thinking for a moment. Both looked at him bewildered if they heard him right or not. Efeheem didn''t waste a moment. He let the light course through him at full flow, his body glowing with a powerful red, his steps cracking the ground beneath.


    Kilon watched in a state between conscious and unconsciousness, as his brothers were arguing, then Efeheem stepped up and activated his light. "Is it him? The one I should be careful of?" he was thinking of the vision he had some time ago. "No. He wants to help us. His glow is yet soft." Kilon said softly, not sure of his own words. Even so, he extended his hand as Efeheem started to walk away, and lent his over one hundred lights to his brother''s aid. This, unbeknown to him, also helped his body relax, allowing for the strain to cease some.


    Efeheem noticed the powerful surge of light that was going through him, yet he didn''t think much of it, he simply thought that "It must be the rush I feel before hunting," his thoughts much clearer than his words.


    On the green fields, the Lightborn were standing still in rows. It was in order to not denounce their positions to the rootworms. If one line got compromised, they were to quickly reform opposite of where it attacked. This proved effective, as the attacks were imprecise by the worms, and, when they did strike between ranks, Avaanel and Melonius were ready with groups of Lightborn to unleash rays of light upon the rootworms, their skin proving weak to, what could be described as, burns of light. However, given that rootworms were attracted by their lights, none provided more attractive than Efeheem, now bearing the lights of over a hundred, and he was also the best at surging high quantities of light through his body. Only Avaanel was as much of an appealing option by comparison, but her reserves of light were masked by layers of flesh.


    Efeheem knew that, as it was observed prior, so, he drew the rootworms away from the ranks, running towards some hills East of them. Melonius understood what he was doing, so he told everyone to "Move out! This is our chance. If there are any injured, use wind manipulation to carry them over, don''t form groups and run in rows at a distance from one another!" his command efficient and to the teachings of Menoel and Eharel. "Creator be good with my brother, for he is dear to me," he whispered a quick prayer, his body lifting off the ground for a moment, then pushed back down by Avaanel.


    "We should go help him," Avaanel told Melonius.


    "What about Eharel and Menoel? Where are they at? They should''ve been here with Kilon to-" Melonius tried to argue, to no avail.


    "We cannot know for now, so let us hurry and help our brother, so that peril doesn''t get him." Avaanel told her brother bravely, her hand shaking a bit on his shoulder.


    "Very well. Let''s get stumbletongue back." Melonius affirmed, his determination rising.


    As Efeheem saw his siblings get far enough, and the worms still following him, he stopped. He stood still and closed his eyes. Before a hunt, he would do so, in order to feel the flow of light throughout his body. Now, he was the one hunted, but it was no different. He was able to feel all the lights inside of him, realizing what Kilon had done. Although it wasn''t permanent, just borrowed, this great flow of power was a new, wonderful experience to him. So, he simply let it all flow throughout him, his body barely containing it, his skin glowing like a fallen star on this planet. As the ground started to shake violently, and the teeth of the rootworm made themselves seen below his feet, his body let out this surge of light in waves, heating the surroundings.


    Melonius and Avaanel were running towards him. His light, that was now casting shadows amidst the day, blinded them for a second, in which time the rootworm leaped up from the ground, swallowing Efeehem whole. "Brother!" Melonius screamed.


    "Melonius! Stop!" Avaanel cried to him as she placed her hand on his shoulder. "There is more than a rootworm. We must take care of at least one of them!"


    "What about Efeehem?!" Melonius cried back frustrated.


    "You saw him didn''t you? He can take care of himself. At worse, he''ll be missing a limb or two, but he will still be alive. Us though? Not for long, not if we don''t do something," Avaanel as calm as possible explained to him. She then took out her hunting knife and started to put it through different parts of her body. She dug up spheres of flesh, brimming with light from within. "These ones are my strongest. I''ve tried one on a frozen hill back at the Shivering Lands, and it completely destroyed it. If we throw at least one of those inside a rootworm, it should take care of them. Got it?" she told him fast. He wasn''t paying full attention, so she slapped him and turned his head to hers "Got it?!"


    "Got it. Throw one of those inside of them, and they should die." Melonius simply responded.


    As they were speaking though, a rootworm made it''s way below them. Avaanel reacted in time and pushed Melonius out of the way, but her right foot go bit off. She didn''t have time to scream in pain, she rolled with Melonius a bit on the ground as she threw a sphere into the mouth of the rootworm. After a few moments of silence, the rootworm''s body expanded at the middle portion while still leaping up, bubbled in parts, then fell flat on the ground, dragged a little back into the hole by the weight of the body.


    "Awesome..." Avaanel said under her breath, not even caring for her lost foot. Melonius on the other hand, started to use his light to seal the wound, weaving the light inside her leg to move in such a way so that it wouldn''t escape. She finally realized her wound as she growled in pain to Melonius tending her wound "Where did you learn to do this?".


    "I just learned, for the first time." Melonius told her sister, as he carefully manipulated her light from the missing foot. "I simply apply the same principle of regeneration we have over ourselves, but to you instead of me."


    Avaanel was pleasantly impressed by her brother, although, the issue at hand still remained, or rather, didn''t come yet. "There had to be at least two more right?" she asked perturbed.


    "They might fight over Efeehem for all I know. Either way, I can''t have you here like this, let''s go back and-" as Melonius was about to finish, the grass on a hill in front of them started to glow a little, then burn up. From below, the scorched body of a struggling worm started to make way, dying on top of the hill. Empowered by the lights of his fallen brethren, Efeheem made his way out of the rootworm through it''s mouth, his light burning everything around it.


    As he saw his brother and sister, Efeheem gestured them to be silent. A few moments have passed, then another worm made it''s way up, leaping from a side of the hill towards Efeehem. He didn''t move however, he caught the worm by it''s mouth, and pushed against it. The burning sensation of his hands and the overwhelming strength coming from this Lightborn, made the rootworm regret it''s actions on an instinctual level, prompting a violent yet desperate response. It tried to bury itself back into the ground as it shook it''s head, dragging against the pull of Efeheem, but it didn''t matter, as Efeehem didn''t let go of it, his body now glowing brighter.


    While his words wouldn''t be able to convey the message, his eyes did. A deep frown and a frozen face, were all needed to talk of his rage to his siblings, while the increasing intensity of the heat from the pulsating light within him, told the beast of the fate that would follow. Efeehem then held the rootworm with his right hand, plating his feet firmly into the ground, as, with his left hand, let out a powerful ray of light, heat emanating from it, into the mouth of the beast. This scorched the rootworm from inside-out. Although this ray of light was by no means as powerful as it could''ve been in the hands of the likes of Kilon or Orvus, it was strong enough to burn up this thirty and some more meters long beast.


    After Efeehem''s glow ceased, and the small flames from the rootworm''s body extinguished by the wind, Melonius felt safe to approach his brother. As he got closer, he could still feel the radiant warmth from within him, albeit "friendlier" in a sense. "Is it done, brother?" Melonius asked, his hands cautious around Efeheem''s body "Are there any more of them?"


    "There not ar-" Efeehem''s impeded speech got disrupted as his eyes widened and his hair started to fluctuate in it''s glow. He started to growl in pain, brought down to his knees by some unknown threat in his left arm, which he grasped with his right hand.


    "What is it brother?!" Melonius asked worried. Going to his left side and taking a look, he was able to see the issue. The palm of Efeehem''s hand got burned and tore open because of the ray he expulsed.  Further, his forearm had the light fluctuate aggressively throughout, at times, behaving erratic, like hairs in the wind. "You lost control. The light doesn''t know it''s way, you have to tell it where to go." Melonius tried to help his brother, but Efeehem couldn''t listen, his mind suffered from the intense surge of light.


    Efeheem''s greatest asset was the way he could efficiently and effectively flow the light into his body, but, in order to do so, he had to give up training regarding the mind so he could focus on his body instead, thus the speech impediment. This wouldn''t affect him, as long as he didn''t need to use his mind too much, since his body learned instinctively to flow the light and give it to where it was needed. However, in this case, the powerful surge of lights given by Kilon, paired with his maximum use of his ability, strained the body and mind alike. And since the mind lacked the training, his mind was exposed to shattering quantities of energy.


    In Melonius''s eyes, this was the same as it was for Kilon''s body. Except Efeehem lacked Kilon''s experience and much better trained mind. "Hold on brother, I will bring you to Kilon, and I''m sure he can help you.". Melonius had hoped so, as he took his brother''s right arm over his neck, but then there was Avaanel, not able to walk. "Wind manipulation. I must weave the winds so I can carry both of them," he rightfully thought. His attempt failed however, his mind was deeply perturbed and agitated. "The others, where are they?!" he thought as he looked for them, they were too far now. Leaving them here alone, could mean their deaths, unsure if there were other rootworms. "Somebody! Somebody please!" Melonius cried, tears in the form of sparks escaping his glowing eyes "Brothers! Sisters...I need...I need help!".

 Siblings Fight

    "Did you get her?" Manna asked her brother, a small frown on her face.


    "I did. She''s a handful I must say," Eraanel responded looking up. His eyes bear a gentle look.


    "Have you confirmed what she said?" Manna asked her brother, knowing what Salvete saw.


    "I did. Every tree, at least those near us, are filled with these small critters." Eraanel assessed "I also used my eye to look at them," his answer alluding to some hidden truth.


    "Your eye? Doesn''t it work as it did previously?" Manna''s intrigue rising.


    "Before, I could use my body to notice the ''motion'' of life within critters. This, in turn, allowed me to predict their movements and understand what kind of life they live." Eraanel started to explain "But, after my eye was taken, I had more energy at my disposal to distribute. I also acknowledged that our strength is nowhere sufficient to survive, the monster leaving deep scars within me." he continued, grasping at his chest, as if something is missing from within.


    Manna deepened her frown, still convinced that it was partly her fault for what happened. "So, what have you come up with, brother?"


    "I can now see their entire being." Eraanel''s statement carried more meaning than even he could imagine "I can see their construction, composition, everything. If I focus most of my light into the eye, I can reveal aspects which one doesn''t know about themselves. For instance," he pointed at a tree "I''m able to see everything inside that tree. Every single one of those woodants and their simple construction.".


    Manna could see the potential in his eye. If used wisely, Erannel''s ability may prove crucial in this environment. "How long are you able to keep your eye active?" she asked curious and to assess her brother''s capability.


    "If I use my eye to simply notice the ''motion'' of life. I can do so constantly without much strain on my eye. But if I am to use the full power of the eye, in optimal conditions, only for brief periods of time." Erannel answered "That, however, doesn''t mean I won''t be able to reuse it. I can stop the flow of light within my eye to a minimum and recover from the strain with a bit of time. If necessary, I can completely shut off the flow of light and let myself be blind, thus the strain is reduced much faster.".


    "Impressive brother," Manna praised him. "We might need your ability as we travel into the Gargantuan Forest, since the critters in here seem to have adapted with the trees. Using them as nests and such." she told him as she placed her hand on his shoulder. Eraanel saw a look of relief for a moment on her face.


    "What worries me though, sister, is what Salvete said about the trees." Eraanel told her worried. "These trees don''t match what Orvus told us about them. Like the living matter, they should''ve possessed life within. Yet they don''t. And I trust Orvus to be capable in his assessments.".


    "Orvus wasn''t anywhere near the trees during his visit. Maybe if he stood around some more, he would''ve found out about the dangers of the passage." Manna''s resentment was still present in her voice.


    "That is not a wise thing to say. If he died to the monster while returning, we wouldn''t have known anything about this place." Eraanel tried to rationalise with his sister.


    "And maybe that would''ve been better." Manna told him, realising with large open eyes what she just said.


    As Manna and Eraanel talked, the other Lightborn settled in circles. Some were praying, some were practising their elemental manipulation or individual skills. In one of these circles, Felemous concentrated on his light, trying to reproduce a lightning. Orvus approached him, seeing as he struggled.


    "Trouble finding a way to do it, brother?" Orvus asked him.


    "Oh, Orvus. Yes I do. I understand how the lightning feels and, during the storm, I grasped at it, which made me feel empowered." Felemous told his brother. "But then, I didn''t pay attention to my environment, and they...died because of me." His mistake still overwhelmed him.


    "It''s your mind Felemous." Orvus hinted at the issue, as he himself suffered a bit from such an issue. His habit kicking in.


    "My mind you say. If you mean whether I understand it or not, I do. I just can''t seem to find a way to transmute my light into it." Felemous tried to piece it together.


    "No. What I mean by your mind, is that you can''t put your focus into doing it." Orvus revealed the answer to him.


    "Is there a way you can help me, Orvus?" Felemous asked, his eyes a bit desperate for an answer.


    "I can, but it''s a bit troublesome." Orvus responded, his eyes trying to avoid his brother''s gaze.


    "I don''t care how much trouble it is. Having this power on our side, may aid us quite a bit. So, please, give me your help Orvus." Felemous begged of his brother.


    "The trouble isn''t with you, but with the method and me," Orvus thought to himself, a look of worry, which Felemous couldn''t see, washing over him. "Very well, I will help you. Just listen closely to what I say and follow my words," he explained to Felemous.


    Felemous promptly agreed. Orvus told him to "Sit down and concentrate. Let the light course through you," as he placed his hands on his back "You feel my hands, yes?"


    "I do. They carry something within." Felemous was feeling the many lights coursing through Orvus, that were now trying to connect with him, in an attempt to grasp and control his own light.


    "Good, now, focus on your light, feel what it feels. Then tell me what it feels," Orvus continued.


    "I-I feel it being pulled at. As if something is trying to grasp it and take it out of me. Is that you brother?" Felemous asked as he started to realise what Orvus was trying to do.


    "It is me," Orvus affirmed "If you don''t resist the pull, I can then understand your light, guide it where it''s needed," he explained.


    "This feels...wrong in a way, as if something is stolen from me, like my arm was by the monster." Felemous told Orvus worried "Yet, I should trust your judgement. Afterall, it is because of you that I could even grasp at the lightning in the first place." Felemous showed his trust through his words. He then let go of his light, letting it be manipulated by Orvus.


    Orvus could''ve guided Felemous''s light even without taking over, his invaluable experience in healing his brothers and sisters, teaching him this much. The issue was that a light can ''feel'' from other lights when connected to them. It''s the same principle as in when someone like Orvus, Kilon or Manna take other''s lights as their own. Because they connect, they can feel the others'' experiences and such. So, in other words, Orvus didn''t want to let Felemous feel what he felt, in order to not incriminate himself. This wasn''t a surefire strategy, as Felemous could be more sensitive to other lights, but in case Felemous noticed, Orvus was prepared to steal his light and make it his own. As Orvus now felt that he is invaluable to the safety of the group, and being shunned away because of his actions, would render him useless.


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    Once Orvus gained control over Felemous''s light, he could feel it all. The sorrow, guilt and worry that overwhelmed Felemous, his experiences since they left the Link and such. A truly intimate connection, only able due to Felemous''s trust in Orvus. "Let''s see the issue now," Orvus thought to himself.


    "Did you say something Orvus?" Felemous asked, although nothing was being said.


    "No. I did not," Orvus responded "Can he, perhaps, feel my thoughts?" he wondered in his head.


    "I see. I was sure I heard you earlier, and after you answered again, but it must be me worrying too much." Felemous told Orvus, not being able to discern between what he hears outside his head and inside, yet.


    "I must conduct this as fast as I can, his awareness seems to increase, and, to my luck, I''m also a deep thinker." Orvus thought sarcastically.


    As Orvus travelled through Felemous''s experiences, thoughts and feelings, he found the part of it that Felemous used to help him. Deciphering one''s light would be hard, even for Kilon, Orvus on the other hand though, had plenty of experience navigating other Lightborns'' lights. This helped him find the issue really fast, which was "His missing arm." Orvus thought to himself "It was his dominant arm, and now he has to struggle in channelling his light through his less used member. I''m surprised he was able to redirect all that lightning with this handicap in mind..." he continued his line of thought, feeling bad that his brother was beating himself up, though he was responsible for Felemous losing his arm.


    "You know Orvus, I think what I heard earlier, were your thoughts." Felemous finally arrived at the truth, faster than Orvus anticipated. "Because, I can swear on the Creator, that I heard you say the word death." However, Felmeous was confusing his brother''s voice, for that of his dead siblings.


    Orvus knew what Felemous actually heard, and he was prepared, at any given moment, to take away Felemous''s light, effectively killing him. But then, he took a moment to realise that they''re still surrounded by other Lightborn, him thinking to act on impulse like that, uncharacteristic.


    "Should I pull myself off from it?" Orvus thought of giving up, or at least trying to come up with some other solution. "Then again, what kind of brother am I to let my sibling struggle," his conviction strengthened, as an old Orvus started to show up once more. Orvus then imbued himself with half the lights he possessed, so that he could enhance his mind to an elevated level, his eyes lighting up and sparks erupting violently. Then, with speed and precision, he connected Felemous''s experience and understanding of the lightning into one, successfully making light into lightning. This success, however, came at a small cost, as the new, wild energy behaved erratic and made Orvus, who is inexperienced in controlling it, get blown back by it.


    "Orvus...Orvus!" Felemous cried to his brother who was lying flat on the ground.


    "Wh-what happened?" Orvus asked as he came back to his senses and stood on his bottom.


    Felemous first hugged him, then showed his right arm, that was making small arcs of electricity in his palm. "You managed to help me brother. I can now make lightning," Felemous told his brother excited, a large smile on his face.


    "I see. Then, let me rest just a bit-" Orvus tried to respond, but the lights were haunting him once again, as his conscience came back to him. "Never mind that, I''m glad I could help you Felemous," he managed to say, lifting himself up. As he looked around, he saw his sibling gathered around to see what had happened. Amongst them, Manna stood out, given her height. "And why is she here?".


    "You should ask me that, Orvus." Manna approached "Or do you want others to speak for you until we meet with Kilon once again?" she asked as she tried to get a reaction out of him.


    But what she got was the same miserable look he had ever since they got past the Frozen Passage. "Why are you here, Manna?" his voice a bit roughened by the strike he suffered, his words sharp, while his face sought to end this quickly.


    She didn''t like how he was. His face, demeanour, attitude, she hated it all. Manna wanted her brother, even if, so far, she couldn''t forgive him. However, besides the ruckus Orvus and Felemous made, Manna made her mind after talking with Eraanel. She approached him, stood on her knees, and looked him in the eyes, placing her spear next to her legs.


    "I wanted to say, sorry brother." Her words left everyone speechless, except for Orvus that is. His face twisted in an ugly form of confusion, anger, frustration.


    "Sorry. You''re saying you''re sorry? For me or to me Manna?!" his confusion lashing out in anger.


    "I don''t know brother. I still hate you for the death of our siblings. That Eraanel, Felmeous and many others lost parts of them. And yet..." Manna paused as she looked down, then back at him, sparks instead of tears flowing from within her eyes "I hate myself more for not forgiving you," she told him as she started to sob. "How can I lead everyone, help our siblings when they need me, if I''m not able to forgive you after you suffered so much inside?" Her words striking deep inside Orvus.


    Orvus didn''t know what to say. Should he accept it? Did he deserve it? He wanted to stretch out his arms, hug his sister, but the lights that tormented him, wouldn''t allow for it to happen. Manna, however, didn''t wait for him to stretch out his arms, she stretched hers and pulled him to her chest. Orvus felt her sparks raining on his hair, the skin below, tingling at the touch of these sparks, her breath as she sobbed, her warmth as the light responded to her emotions, and the tight hug that almost left him breathless.


    For a few moments, Orvus didn''t feel the torment these lights enforced on him. Although he didn''t cry, he hugged her back. He didn''t want to let go of her, for if he did, the lights would return to torment him again. "I''m sorry too, sister. I''m sorry that I didn''t know better, that I led everyone where I shouldn''t have." His apology made Manna hug him tighter.


    Then, the lights returned once more. His mind was affected by the torment once more. He clenched at Manna''s arms in pain, which she noticed. She pulled him away to look at his face, and there it was once more, that miserable look that overtook him, once more present.


    "Brother, what are you not telling me?" Manna inquired, his face telling her that there was something more to him.


    "I don''t-I can''t tell you," he responded, not letting his emotions give up a response that would further distance him from his siblings.


    "Of course you can. Am I not your sister?" Manna told him, her innocence unaware of what her brother could do.


    "I said I can''t!" Orvus lashed at her, his mind fogged by the torment, letting out a ray of light from the palm of his hand, pushing and harming Manna.


    The power of the ray wasn''t a lot to handle, the sudden surge though, made Manna take it harder than it was meant. Her chest was hurting, as the ray peeled away at her skin, small sparks erupting to heal it back up. As she started to recover from the blast, Manna saw the face of her brother. He was no longer himself. The look of fear, anger and confusion, presenting signs of madness.


    Manna''s body started to glow strongly, as she imbued herself with half the lights she possessed. "Have you gone mad, Orvus?" her tone was calm and cold. The other Lightborn didn''t want to get closer, as these two were the strongest, and standing between them could be compared to jumping off one of the trees and hoping to not die.


    "I told you I can''t! You pushed me to this point, sister." Orvus responded, his eyes lighting up, sparks erupting erratically at the corners as he imbued himself with all sixty one lights he had "Take their light you said! Lead them he said! Help me, he said! Everyone says something and wants me to do something! You sister? You simply follow along, get to watch from afar, then barge in and take the praise for ''doing'' something. I can''t just ''do'' something. I have to, I must do something!" his anger reaching a peak unseen before by Manna.


    "Watch from afar?! If not for me, all of our brothers and sisters would''ve died, Orvus! Are you blind to what you''ve done? If you want mercy, then you should''ve accepted it, not push it away!" She was trying to avoid a fight, for if they fought, Manna only had the first few minutes to win, after which, Orvus would get the upper hand through his efficient light manipulation. She wasn''t willing to take those odds, which was the wiser choice, as she didn''t understand Orvus''s full capabilities.


    Felemous and Eraanel watched from the sidelines. While Felemous was the only one possessing a strong enough ability to put a stop to this, he had nowhere the mastery to apply it properly, while Eraanel didn''t have any strong offensive abilities, beyond him enhancing his body through the light, like his other red or orange or glow siblings. They both felt angry for not being able to step up.


    "If this is how it''s going to go Manna, then I wi-" Orvus''s eyes started to shut as his body fell forward, behind him, Salvete stood with a dagger in her hand, the hilt up where Orvus''s head was at.


    "Siblings fighting each other? That is not fun," Salvete said, then went into the formed crowd and got herself lost within.

 In Their Memory

    The ground shook violently once more. Melonius knew what that meant, ¡°More rootworms.¡±. His mind conflicted. ¡°Should I save Efeehem, or Avaanel?¡± he asked himself, his head shaking in disapproval. ¡°No. Just focus,¡± Melonius closed his eyes, ignoring all sounds, but his brother¡¯s and sister¡¯s breath. Then, his eyes started to emit a powerful light, sparks erupted from the corners as he opened his eyes and started to sway the winds. ¡°Up, below, to the sides, just how he first taught me,¡± thinking of everything Kilon showed them all when he returned.


    Just when he started to make himself and Efeehem float with his winds, a rootworm ruptured from below the hill on which they stood. Melonius¡¯s eyes ceased in their glow at the prospect of death. ¡°I wish I could¡¯ve played some more. Talk with you, in your own way, brother,¡± Melonius spoke in his mind, his light and that of Efeehem connecting, as he hugged him in his arms. ¡°Should we meet in another form, I will know who you are. Afterall, there is only one who speaks like you,¡± these words reaching Efeehem¡¯s perturbed mind.


    Efeehem, as the moments froze in minutes, and the minutes in ages, told his brother through his light ¡°And there is only one who calls me like you do, brother.¡±. His words, clear as day to Melonius, who could only cry as the mouth of the worm slowly closed. ¡°Until then, I will talk with our siblings,¡± Efeehem¡¯s words, once more, hard to understand, but not like before.


    ¡°What do you me-¡± as Melonius tried to voice his question, he felt the radiant warmth of his brother enveloping him. It didn¡¯t harm him, it protected him. ¡°Efeehem no! If you do it, then your body will be destroyed, and we don¡¯t know if your soul can-¡±.


    ¡°It is fine, Melonius. I know where my soul will reach,¡± Efeehem calmly said, the lights within him starting to swirl and act hectic. His body produced a powerful red glow, the flesh of the worm surrounding them, burning as they remained suspended in midair.


    The rootworm got incinerated at a portion below it¡¯s head, detaching itself from the body as if a hole got punctured through that part. Its body squirmed in the hole, as Efeehem and Melonius softly landed back down, this time, Efeehem carrying his brother.


    ¡°Efeehem¡­are you sure?¡± Melonius asked his brother. A part of him trying to look for another way, while knowing all too well that this might be the only option.


    ¡°I sure am. Avaanel someone care take of must,¡± his speech incomprehensible, but his will unbroken.


    Melonius didn¡¯t have the words for it. He could only walk away and watch as his brother shone hotter and hotter. Efeehem¡¯s skin started to peel away, sparks erupting from everywhere in a futile attempt to regenerate his body. The ground started to tremble once more, as all the worms following them had made their way to the surface, launching themselves at Efeehem, getting their very being burnt in mere seconds.


    Avaanel witnessed the sacrifice Efeehem was displaying. She then changed her focus on Melonius, who stood on his knees and watched their brother burn up. ¡°Melonius!¡± she cried to him ¡°We have to go! Otherwise this is all in vain!¡± her words resonating with Melonius.


    Melonius lifted himself up, looked at his brother, burning up for them, and raised a prayer as his body lifted a bit off the ground ¡°Guide his soul, o¡¯ Creator. Let him find a better place, where he can be happy, for he is dear to me,¡± then his feet touched the ground, as he rushed towards Avaanel. ¡°We should go then sister,¡± as Melonius said that, he extended his hand, which Avaanel grabbed, and with the other around his neck, they ran off.


    As they made some distance between them and the hill, the whole region lit up all of a sudden. A powerful sound, then a shockwave followed, as fire erupted towards the sky. Melonius and Avaanel fell to the ground on their faces, the shockwave making their bones rattle, as their eyes got blinded by a powerful light.


    Avaanel was in awe and fear of the giant explosion, while Melonius cried, as he knew all too well what this meant. ¡°Efeehem, our brother¡­has died for us¡­,¡± Melonius whispered. Avaanel couldn¡¯t hear his voice, even if she was paying attention and he was screaming, as the powerful sound made their ears deaf for a few moments.


    After the dust settled and the fire ceased, Melonius got up, then helped Avaanel to her feet. ¡°We should go, Melonius. There were more rootworms than we thought, there might be some-¡± Avaanel didn¡¯t continue to talk. She saw Melonius cry, so she simply hugged him by his neck.


    The warm winds of the explosion washed over them. Melonius, tearing up, could only think that ¡°This world. It continues to take, without giving. How much do we have to lose, before we are spared the mercy of living?¡± Then, Avaanel interrupted his thoughts as she let go of the hug, only letting her right arm surround his neck, as she couldn¡¯t support herself with her left foot.


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    ¡°Let us go brother. The others may think we are dead if we don¡¯t,¡± she reminded Melonius.


    ¡°Are you not sad, perhaps mad, sister? That our sibling was taken with such cruelty from us?¡± Melonius wanted to know from her. His eyes looked at the burnt land in front of them.


    ¡°I am Melonius, yet, what can I do? Should I find all the rootworms in the Warm Lands and slaughter them? Maybe killing every last living being will suffice. But I don¡¯t think so. It¡¯s how the Creator intended us to be,¡± Avaanel explained to Melonius. Her words carried meaning and truth. A painful look on her face, as she looked at her brother¡¯s misery.


    ¡°The Creator¡­you say. He intended for us to suffer? Struggle against his whole creation?!¡± Melonius got angry, although he knew the wiser. His mind getting clouded by his resentment, for leaving the Link, for following Kilon.


    ¡°You should be careful when you¡¯re mad, brother. The Creator has made us, and can as easily unmake us,¡± Avaanel warned Melonius, his face showing getting embarrassed at his words. ¡°Is it the Creator who told you to step beyond the light? Into the freezing unknown and beyond?¡± her questions reminding him that it is them who chose. There wasn¡¯t a force that compelled them, but their own curiosity which pushed forward, to know more, to find more.


    ¡°I know Avaanel. Those were spiteful words, from a foolish one such as me,¡± Melonius responded, his anger going away.


    Melonius and Avaanel then made their way back to the others. Eharel and Menoel were taking care of Kilon, who was in a deep slumber, his body far larger than anyone else¡¯s. They looked around, their brothers and sisters were all safe. Some were praying, as others were looking towards where the explosion came from. Most gathered around the two injured siblings. One was missing a foot, both were missing a brother. They were both hugged and prayed with.


    Melonius let himself cry once more, his brothers and sisters, proving comforting when his grief was so deep. Avaanel didn¡¯t cry, but still prayed with her siblings. It wasn¡¯t that she didn¡¯t care, it¡¯s just that she couldn¡¯t ¡°feel¡± in the same way about Efeehem as Melonius did, not after how many siblings they have lost. For her, it was another one lost, from the many that may come. In a way, she closed her heart to the suffering, so that it wouldn¡¯t break her.


    Menoel didn¡¯t let Kilon unsupervised, even after the explosion and the return of their siblings. Eharel, on the other hand, ran towards them, wanting to know what happened. After he found out of Efeehem¡¯s sacrifice and how they fought against the rootworms, he returned to Menoel.


    ¡°You see now, Menoel? This is why we need Kilon. If he isn¡¯t there for us, then we are bound to fail!¡± Eharel told Menoel, his body glowing with the rage and ineptitude he felt.


    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t have mattered. Efeehem, Melonius, Avaanel, you or me. If one of us dies, the others can go on. Kilon though,¡± Menoel paused as he looked up from Kilon to Eharel ``Could you or I take his place instead, brother?¡± His question, although reasonable, didn¡¯t stand well with Eharel, who grabbed Menoel by his leather clothing , lifting his taller body up from the ground.


    ¡°Kilon¡¯s duty is to protect and guide us, can¡¯t you see that?! If not him, one of us will step up, yes. For that is what we must do as siblings!¡± Eharel¡¯s words made Menoel question his own reasoning as he looked to the side, avoiding his brother¡¯s gaze.


    ¡°You two¡­stop fighting. Siblings shouldn¡¯t fight, no matter what,¡± Kilon mustered as he opened his eyes. Both forgot their reason for arguing. Eharel let go of Menoel, both approaching Kilon and falling to their knees, ready to listen. ¡°Did-did anyone die?¡± Kilon wanted to know above all else.


    Menoel thought of how to lie to Kilon, so that he could rest some more, but Eharel didn¡¯t avoid it one bit, as he told Kilon that ¡°Efeehem died,¡± the words making Menoel mad and ready to fight him, his eyes erupting sparks from the corners. However, Kilon grasped his arm, making Menoel calm down. ¡°His death wasn¡¯t in vain though. He sacrificed to save Avaanel and Melonius, us too.¡±.


    ¡°I see¡­where is his body?¡± Kilon wanted to say his prayers, if there was a body left. Eharel then told him everything, allowing Kilon to understand everything that happened. Kilon raised to his feet, Menoel tried to support him, but with a gesture, he understood that Kilon was fine by himself. Looking at his body, Kilon saw that he recuperated some. This made him understand that Efeehem, in a way, took away his burden with his sacrifice, even if that left him weaker.


    Avaanel and Melonius made their way to Kilon. They shared in further detail what happened. Kilon, who gave Efeehem his lights, knew that, perhaps, it was him who furthered Efeehem¡¯s demise. He didn¡¯t want to rationalise it the other way, that him giving his lights to Efeehem, may have in fact saved everyone. He wanted to place the blame, once more, on his shoulders.


    ¡°You gave him power, didn¡¯t you Kilon?¡± Melonius asked of him, as if he knew all along.


    ¡°Will you hate me for it, Melonius?¡± Kilon responded with a question of his own, ready to be yelled at, punched or even beaten to death. He just couldn¡¯t see past his own mistakes.


    Melonius, instead, hugged him. ¡°He shone so brilliantly, so warm,¡± Melonius whispered in Kilon¡¯s ear ¡°All so that I, we, can move forward. In order for us to be happy.¡±. Melonius¡¯s words made Kilon feel the weight he carried feel lesser and lesser, ¡°So no brother, I don¡¯t hate you. For like you, I have made my choice. Whether it is good or bad, I am not the one to give you judgement, no one is,¡± the wisdom and care in his words, making the mighty being which led this race beyond the light, cry once more. ¡°We must continue¡­in their memory, we must live.¡±.


    Kilon let tears in the form of sparks run down his cheeks. He breathed out, letting his emotions go for a moment as he hugged Melonius, and said ¡°That we must do. For our struggle will be in vain otherwise¡­¡±.

 Our Way Home

    Three suns later


    ¡°Has Kilon recovered?¡± Avaanel asked Eharel. She used two starstag antlers to the sides of her leg, to support her weight the missing foot couldn¡¯t.


    ¡°Hard to say,¡± Eharel responded, his eyes looking doubtful to the ground. ¡°Him using all those lights so recklessly during the first attack, may have injured him in places we don¡¯t know of,¡± his voice trembling with bits of worry.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Menoel interrupted their conversation, leading their attention towards his tall body. ¡°Once we¡¯re surrounded by those mountains, we can rest for more than a sun,¡± his eyes looking forward, as they now passed a portion of a mountain to the right of them, and to the left, another portion of a mountain started.


    The Lightborn have travelled for nineteen suns since they left the Link into the Warm Lands, or twenty-seven days, since the last sun was a normal day. They left the Northern region of Erta, the day-night cycle started to work in half of a day, instead of whole days, thus the last sun being a normal day.


    Since they started to travel the Warm Lands, until they reached the Lands Between Mountains, twelve suns or days have passed. With two days to rest, one after crossing the Closed Passage, and one after the second rootworm attack, the Lighborn have travelled for thirty-one days before they reached-


    ¡°Our home, it¡¯s here,¡± Menoel bluntly stated. Eharel looked at him with disdain, as if Menoel¡¯s words offended him somehow, or were oblivious to some fact that should be known.


    ¡°Our home, you say¡­¡± Avaanel repeated, squinting her eyes at the top of the mountains and admiring their beauty. Those peaks weren¡¯t covered by thick layers of snow, or ceaselessly attacked by ruthless winds, she could see. Instead, they were covered by green, tall trees, plants, and almost certainly, wildlife. The breeze coming from ahead of them was chilly. A powerful scent of fauna and life infiltrated deep into their lungs, as they started to make their way into the passage.


    ¡°What should we call this one?¡± Eharel asked Menoel, a hint of sarcasm in his voice. Menoel didn¡¯t seem to notice it at first.


    ¡°This passage you mean brother?¡± Menoel asked back, trying to see if Eharel sought to annoy him.


    ¡°Well, everything. Since this is clearly our new home, we should come up with names really fast right?¡± Eharel continued, his sarcasm now stepping on his brother¡¯s nerves, as Menoel clenched his left fist, parallel to Eharel.


    ¡°You¡¯re doubting this place? Now that we¡¯re here, you dare doubt Kilon and our siblings¡¯ sacrifices?!¡± Menoel inquired of Eharel, his eyes starting to emit an aggressive glow.


    ¡°I¡¯m not doubting Kilon,¡± Eharel snapped at Menoel, aiming his gaze into Menoel¡¯s eyes. ¡°I¡¯m questioning your ability to judge our circumstances, dear brother,¡± Eharel continued, a frown, followed by a smirk as he said these things, appeared on his face.


    ¡°How about, the Passage Gates,¡± Avaanel suggested amidst their dispute. ¡°Maybe not that though, doesn¡¯t sound proper enough,¡± she continued, like she was oblivious to her brothers¡¯ concerns.


    ¡°Either way Eharel,¡± Menoel wanted to finish. ¡°Me and Kilon already discussed what to do once we get there,¡± Menoel smirked back at Eharel.


    ¡°Then tell us too, about these plans you and Kilon talked about,¡± Eharel maintained his sarcasm, while also wanting to know more about it.


    ¡°I will, once we arrive. There is no point in explaining it here, given that we need something to practice with,¡± Menoel teased his brother, switching his gaze back upon the road, his eyes calm in their glow.


    Eharel wanted to know what Menoel was talking about, but knew that it was a bit late to persuade Menoel, given the way he talked towards Menoel. Avaanel, on the other hand, simply couldn¡¯t contain her excitement. There were so many things showing up just as they were entering the valley.


    Trees, plants, and at times small critters. They were all just as fascinating as it was when they escaped the Shivering Lands. Some Lightborn would stop and gather some of these plants. Smell, taste or apply their power to them, are things they would do to see how this new life interacts with them. Some interesting plants were the: sharp flower, bloom moon, crying rose and tree shroom.


    Avaanel would grow fond of the bloom moon in particular, as, at night, the bloom moons let go of their seed heads into the night. Then, while flying high above ground, these seed heads, when daylight first strikes them, would break apart, releasing seeds everywhere.


    Menoel, on the other hand, was wary about the tree shroom. This disease, which acted so vicious against trees, that they named it as a different species after the kind of morphing it achieved against trees, could prove an issue if it¡¯s widely spread.


    Some Lightborn, meanwhile, were playing around with sharp flowers. Their hard to see pointy, sharp ends, proved as an entertaining tool to mess around with others. Melonius had yet to recover from the death of his brother, but these sharp flowers proved to be a good way to take his mind away from it. He would gather a bunch, use wind manipulation to make them float, then chase some of his siblings around with them. The unlucky ones had to pull out, at times, a couple dozen from their bodies.


    Eharel took note of this and feared for his life that Melonius may come to stab him as well. Avaanel could only hope he would dare such a thing against her, while Menoel simply ignored Melonius, as he knew Melonius needed this.


    As night would settle though, Eharel has had enough. Melonius terrorised his brothers and sisters for half a sun at this point. That wasn¡¯t the issue for him, it was the constant fear he had to live in, not knowing if he was the next target of these assaults.


    ¡°Melonius, can we talk?¡± Eharel asked Melonius, who was chasing a few of his siblings around.


    Melonius stopped from his play, then, to Eharel¡¯s surprise, changed his demeanour to a serious one immediately. His eyes were focused on Eharel solely, a slight frown showing he was listening. ¡°Of course brother. Is it about Kilon? Or is there something that needs to be done?¡± Melonius asked, ready to comply with any orders.


    At first, Eharel didn¡¯t know what to think of this sudden shift in behaviour. Whether Melonius was playing him for a fool, or if he realised that there was no point in playing around after what happened. ¡°Are you aware of the ruckus you¡¯re causing?¡± Eharel asked of him, his eyes searching for an expected reaction, while his voice trembled a bit. Scared that because he asked Melonius directly, that might make him a target.


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    Melonius looked at Eharel, trying to see if there was something more important his brother wanted to know, but there was nothing more. Once he realised the sole reason Eharel is there, he adopted a more casual stance, his face looking playful again. ¡°I¡¯m well aware. I do it to entertain myself after all,¡± Melonius¡¯ bluntness taking Eharel aback.


    ¡°Melonius, understand that you¡¯re making our siblings run around like scared animals. Can you stop for a-¡± while Eharel tried to reason with Melonius, as he exaggerated his words with his head movements, once he stopped to look straight at Melonius¡¯ face, he could see it. A creeping smile and eyes happy to find a new target. Once he realised that this was it, Eharel simply said that ¡°Um. Just don-don¡¯t bother anyone else okay!?¡±. Then he walked back to the front, hoping that Melonius was going to cease.Eharel would find himself open to the assaults of Melonius as night encompassed the lands.


    The Lightborn stopped to rest, as Avaanel¡¯s traps haven¡¯t been activated for the past three suns. They formed large groups, between one to four hundred, and made circles. In these circles, most prayed, while others simply rested their bodies. When they prayed, given the density of some groups, their lights could be, at times, seen by those with a keen eye. Menoel watched these lights in his spare time, trying to guess who¡¯s light is depending on the light¡¯s intensity and fluctuations, as the light can reveal inner aspects of someone.


    The amount of light they produced, due to their skin, hair and use of abilities at times, attracted some curious critters from within the mountain forests. One such nocturn critter, they called, was the regal deer. They were akin to the star stags, but with thinner fur and smaller bodies. Their names come from their antlers, which, in some, have been noticed to grow the size of their body or even larger. The bone of the antlers, diverging into many tines the larger these grew. Their necks were particularly thick, and their front limbs seemed muscular. The regal deers gathered in packs of four or six, watching from a safe distance the Lightborn¡¯s lights dancing with the night.


    Some birds also were showing to investigate. One species, the mane looters, proved a bit annoying, as they would sweep above their heads and steal hairs from their heads with immaculate precision. A few Lightborn tried to capture some of these birds, and one in particular proved more skilled than the others. Her name was Avunaia. She was as tall as Avaanel, while her glow was orange. She used small, yet effective, simple contraptions to trap and kill animals. Her light was described as ¡®nurturing¡¯ and ¡®warm¡¯, which was part of the reason as to why she was better at interacting with critters.


    Once Avunaia got the hang of catching these birds, she taught her siblings how to do it as well. Overnight, a group of Lighborns, by the self imposed name of the Sweepers, was brought to life, Avunaia as their leader. They formed this group as a method of getting their hands on new plants and such earlier than others. This group, with Avunaia as their leader, was formed of mainly red and orange glowing Lightborn, five in number with Avunaia, and one white glowing Lightborn. The white glowing Lightborn, by the name of Meriumus, had the role of bargaining.


    ¡°We act as discussed,¡± Avunaia started. Her group was paying attention, while she was measuring all of them up, pacing around in front of them. Her mane looter, which she called Prickety, stood on her shoulder. When Avunaia moved, only the legs of the bird shifted and bent with her movement, the body standing seemingly still. ¡°We send the mane looters ahead, and when they return,¡± Avunaia grabbed Meriumus by the shoulders as she continued, ¡°We put Meriumus up for a bargain with our siblings.¡±.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we just ask them for what we want?¡± A foolish Lightborn, by the name of Mercaara asked. Avunaia let go of Meriumus, then stepped up to Mercaara¡¯s face, a stingy slap given as a response.


    ¡°We¡¯re in new ground sister!¡± Avunaia exclaimed, what she thought was obvious, to her sister. ¡°Remember how everyone looked at Kilon when he brought home the head of the beast?¡± Avunaia explained, grabbing Mercaara by her shoulders, the passion in Avunaia¡¯s eyes undeniable. Mercaara was speechless when confronted with that excitement. ¡°Imagine just how incredible he must¡¯ve felt when all those eyes were on him and him solely. Don¡¯t you want some of those looks directed at you Mercaara?¡± Her reasoning making Mercaara, who was soothing the pain from the slap with her left hand, feel some unnecessary shame.


    The others were also feeling a bit ashamed if they doubted Avunaia¡¯s idea, while getting excited at the prospect of popularity amongst their siblings. This was Avunaia¡¯s intention. She wanted them to get as excited about the idea, as she was. Even if nothing came of it, at least she could spend time doing what she liked with her siblings.


    Meriumus already knew about her plan. The only reason he agreed to it, was due to his deep rooted fascination with wild flora. As these lands provided an over abundance of them, and Avunaia wanted to gather specimens to impress their siblings, their ambitions tied in nicely.


    The night went by with no issues, except for the occasional mane looter snatching bits of hairs from here and there. With the dawn of the new day, Kilon has finally recovered. Until that point, he slept in a coma-like state, after he gave away command to Menoel. He¡¯s been carried by some of the best wind manipulators in their group.


    From time to time, he could hear his siblings. Their voices and play around him, reminding his fading consciousness of the duty he had to them. But most of the time, while in his deep slumber, the vision of the Lightborn killing his siblings haunted him. He could, at times, feel as if he could do something inside those vivid dreams. It was futile to try though, as the vision would end the same.


    ¡°What day is it?¡± Kilon asked of his siblings surrounding him. They jumped a little as they heard his voice, then smiled as they saw him awake. They didn¡¯t pay attention to his question. Instead, they gathered around him and told him of the things they discovered, saw, even ate.


    ¡°It¡¯s the fourth day after you faded,¡± Meonel told him, a subtle smile on his face. Behind him was Eharel, pulling sharp flowers from his back and butt. Melonius also followed, a serious expression on his face and bouquet of sharp flowers in his right hand.


    ¡°How close are we?¡± Kilon posed another question, looking at the sky to see bloom moons breaking with the first sun rays. He looked around to ensure none of his siblings were missing, although it was hard to tell when hundreds, soon thousands, were gathering around.


    ¡°We spent the late sun here,¡± Eharel started to explain, a painful look on his face. ¡°If we hurry, we¡¯ll make it through the passage by the time the next late sun arrives.¡±.


    ¡°Is everyone alright?¡± Kilon¡¯s last question was embraced by everyone with a smile. ¡°I¡¯ll take it as a yes then,¡± no words were needed.


    ¡°What about you brother?¡± Menoel wanted to know, ¡°Have you recuperated?¡±. Everyone else wanted to know as well. Some were leaning forward to listen to Kilon¡¯s words, while others were trying to get closer by almost climbing the backs of those leaning forward.


    Kilon knew there wasn¡¯t a better answer, than showing it. So, he lifted himself up, standing once more above all. While he didn¡¯t have the over one hundred lights of his dead siblings, his own grew stronger yet again. He wasn¡¯t absolutely sure of it yet, but it seemed that, the more strain on the body one suffers, the greater the power one can achieve.


    This new, higher power, was displayed to Kilon¡¯s siblings. He first told them to back away some distance. Then, with sparks erupting from around his eyes, a powerful glow in the palms of his hands and gestures of his hands. Kilon swayed the winds to such a degree, that he formed a controlled tornado around himself. Those outside the tornado didn''t feel any pull or push from it. While the tornado itself wasn¡¯t that great of a feat, his overwhelming control on how these winds gathered and left, was spectacular.


    After his display was over, they gathered around once more. Eharel checked his body closely, looking for any signs of the light behaving in an erratic manner, but there were no such signs. Menoel, brimming with excitement, smiled at Kilon, ready to be led by him once more and bring their plans to fruition. Melonius had a stern look on his face, preparing himself to aid their siblings in making their new home.


    Avaanel finally made her way to Kilon. Having to both walk with antlers as support and make it through the gathering crows, was a challenge. She saw everyone happy around Kilon, who was better. ¡°Well, dear brother. You made it back to us,¡± Avaanel stated aloud, her awkward steps making way to Kilon as everyone went silent. ¡°Now, give me what you ought to give us since we left.¡±.


    ¡°Yes, sister. Like I said, we are to find a home. And, although I couldn¡¯t be with all of you the whole time, now I will guide us through. Our way home is here, we just have to walk a little bit longer.¡±.

 Against Their Own

    ¡°I was afraid you two were going to take us all into that fight,¡± Eraanel tried to lift his sister¡¯s mood with a bit of humour. He placed himself gently next to her. She was looking down, standing not too far from the massive trees. Night was approaching, the sun setting in the east, stars glimpsing from the west.


    ¡°Did I¡­do that to him?¡± Manna¡¯s question was burdened by deep thoughts and a deeper sadness. Eraanel wasn¡¯t the smartest, nor the best in dealing with such situations. Yet, as her brother, he felt impelled to give her an answer, even if it wasn¡¯t the best.


    ¡°Did I do it to him?¡± Eraanel asked back, his question slightly confusing to Manna. ¡°Felemous, Salvete or any of our brothers and sisters, did that to him?¡± He further asked, Manna trying to find his logic. ¡°I think we all caused it. It¡¯s just that he¡¯s blaming you the hardest becaus-¡±


    ¡°We did it, brother?¡± Salvete interrupted from behind. Her slightly orange glow was ever so dim, as she pressed her hands on her hips, the daggers shifting a bit under the pressure in the clawbear skin pelts she wore from waist to knee. ¡°Last I recall, Manna kept asking more of him, kept looking at him as if he was some sort of wild beast that hunted us,¡± Eraanel was ready to pin her down and make her shut up, jumping to his feet, his slightly yellow glow growing stronger around his body by some intensity. But, as he looked with light infused in his eye into her own, Manna held his right hand.


    ¡°She speaks truthfully, don¡¯t protect me from the truth,¡± Manna ordered her brother, the power in her voice, while diminished, still strong, with a hint of misery.


    Salvete looked him hard in the eye, not even flinching at his jump, she didn¡¯t have that playful nature about her. Eraanel, while he was ready to deal with her mere moments ago, was reluctant. He never saw Salvete like this. She closed on his face, a small distance from it ¡°Say brother. Why do you protect Manna? Is she suffering because of what she did, like Orvus?¡± her questions and words cutting at a confronting fact, that Eraanel didn¡¯t know how to respond to.


    ¡°Is this really the moment to put her down even more?¡± Eraanel found it within himself to ask. ¡°In case you didn¡¯t notice, sister, Orvus went mad. We still have to venture into the forest, and who is to lead us if not Manna?¡± His reasoning proved good. Yet Salvete wasn¡¯t willing to back down.


    ¡°And you want me to follow the one who made Orvus mad? How should I trust her, when she turns her back on her siblings the moment they do something wrong?" Her flawed logic, led by emotions, still struck Eraanel. He didn¡¯t feel like he could win this argument, a sudden urge to rely on more primal methods, boiling inside of him.


    Manna could only listen, as her siblings were arguing. She thought about the wrong steps she made so far, what it cost her, them. She wanted to cry, crawl into a ball and hear no more of the world surrounding her. Manna wanted Kilon to tell her what she should do, where she should go. ¡°None will help me,¡± she thought to herself, ¡°crying, not listening, wanting Kilon. None of those can help me, not here, not now.¡±. It was a moment of clarity that refuelled her almost broken spirit. ¡°If none can help, then I have no choice, but to push forward,¡± a feeling of determination washing over her.


    ¡°If you¡¯re talking about turning backs, then how about Orvus who-¡± Eraanel stopped as Manna lifted herself up, her twin-pointed spear by the side. Manna¡¯s slightly orange glow was steady in its intensity. She looked down at Salvete, Salvete¡¯s eyes burning with anger, frustration, but also fear. Eraanel understood the fear in Salvete¡¯s eyes, it wasn''t due to Manna, but the uncertainty which they had to face ever since they crossed the Frozen Passage, and arrived there.


    ¡°I will not turn my back, not any longer,¡± Manna promised, her eyes telling of her determination. Salvete knew her words were true, and Manna¡¯s eyes told as much the same.


    ¡°Why should I, the others, trust you, sister?¡± Salvete¡¯s question was in need of a good response, her eyes searching Manna¡¯s body for it, as her mind was prepared to judge it at every step. Manna knew this, so she didn¡¯t try to fight it.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t, and I won¡¯t tell you to,¡± Manna¡¯s response was unexpected by Salvete, her mind unable to find the fight necessary for these words. ¡°But we aren¡¯t in a place where choices are given. Nor can we afford searching for them,¡± Manna continued, her tone commanding, her voice strong. Salvete and Eraanel, for a moment, saw the wisdom of a leader, of Kilon, shining through her.


    ¡°We do have a choice, Manna,¡± Felemous approached, his words suggestive of eavesdropping at their conversation. His words caught the attention of all three of them, while his slightly blue glow was of a remarkable calmness. ¡°It¡¯s just that you trimmed them down to two instead,¡± Felemous told Manna, his height meeting more fairly to that of Manna, compared to Eraanel and Salvete, albeit still small to Manna¡¯s.


    ¡°Two you say?¡± Eraanel inquired, ¡°and what would those be?¡± Eraanel was doubtful of Felemous¡¯ words, yet uneasiness was building within his body. It¡¯s been whispered about Felemous that he gained a new, powerful ability. It wouldn¡¯t be foolish to say that if mastered, it could contest the power of Orvus or even Manna.


    ¡°We either follow you, sister,¡± Felemous presented the first option, pointing at her with his missing arm, only his shoulder moving. Eraanel dreaded the next moment, as he knew what the second choice would be, ¡°or we follow Orvus¡± he pointed with his right arm at an unconscious, taken care of Orvus.


    ¡°Follow Orvus?!¡± Eraanel protested, ¡°have you forgotten that he attacked Manna? That he led us into this whole ordeal to begin with?!¡± He was betraying his own words he gave Manna not so long ago.


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    ¡°I didn¡¯t forget that he succeeded in protecting you and Manna from certain death. That he helped our siblings recover from death, that he helped me unlock this power, which may prevent further death,¡± Felemous¡¯ adoration for Orvus was showing through. He forgave Orvus for his missing arm, their dead siblings, for Orvus saved so many still and helped in ways none could.


    Manna squinted her eyes, a frown in sadness and pain gave raise to a frustrated, yet concerned look. Should they choose Orvus over her, that would be fine, as she wouldn¡¯t oppose their will. But should they choose both him and her, that could spell the death of many more, as their already smaller group would split into two smaller groups. It concerned her beyond belief the point they reached.


    ¡°I do not-¡± before Manna could finish, a brother of theirs, Gilaate, approached them in a hurry, pointing at the back.


    ¡°Orvus! He-he left!¡± Gilaate¡¯s breath made it hard to understand, but the message ringed clear as day through their ears.


    ¡°Where to?¡± Manna panicked, her body glowing with intensity, as she fused herself with a portion of the lights, ready to fight.


    ¡°We don¡¯t know,¡± Gilaate caught his breath, ¡°the five surrounding him, fell flat at once. That, however, was after there was no sight of him. Once I approached them, they were cold dead.¡±. Fear could be felt in his breath, his eyes as confused as the others.


    ¡°Fell flat,¡± Felemous repeated, ¡°were there any signs of struggle?¡±


    ¡°There were none, except¡± Gilaate hesitated ¡°it looked as if they were trying to reach for something, their bodies seemed to want to reach for the forest¡±. They all pondered in silence, then Gilaate asked ¡°Do you think something from the forest killed them?¡±


    Felemous recognized this pattern. It was the same during the storm. ¡°They were trying to reach for something, it was the same,¡± he murmured.


    ¡°What was?¡± Manna wanted to know, all of them paying attention to Felemous now.


    ¡°The way those that were injured acted before dying,¡± Felemous covered his face, the dark revelation coming to him. ¡°They were trying to reach for something, or rather, someone. They all tried to reach for where me and Orvus stood during the storm.¡±.


    It clicked inside the minds of all present. No one dared to say it, except Salvete whose face was terrified, much like the others, at the prospect in front of them ¡°You¡¯re saying¡­Orvus killed¡­some of us?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it early to assume this much?¡± Eraanel tried to rationalise, his face twisted in anger and confusion. ¡°There¡¯s no one to confess whether such is the truth. Orvus could¡¯ve been snatched by something in the forest,¡± he didn¡¯t want to believe that one of them could so deliberately do such a thing.


    ¡°He attacked Manna, didn¡¯t he?¡± Felemous didn¡¯t want to accept it either, yet as it stood, it was only fair to assume. ¡°He helped me attain this new power. In order to do so, though, he had to take possession of my light. To me, it felt as if someone was trying to steal something away from within. My instinct¡­was to reach back for it¡­resist the force pulling at it.¡±. This further made the scene of death, not so far away, clearer on how it might¡¯ve played.


    Manna knew something was wrong with Orvus, but this was further than anything she could¡¯ve imagined. ¡®Is that why he acted like a rabid animal?¡¯ more pieces coming together the longer she thought about it.  ¡°Are you certain there is no one who saw him?¡± She had to prioritise the safety of the group.


    ¡°No. For all we can tell, he vanished into the forest, although, we don¡¯t know for certa-¡± before Gilaate could finish, Eraanel stepped up, his eye erupting with sparks and brimming with light.


    ¡°I can find it, his trail that is,¡± he stated confident in his ability.


    It only took him a glance from where the bodies laid cold, to tell where he left to, the encroaching night proving no issue. In fact, only making it a tad more obvious to his eye. ¡°He went into the forest,¡± Eraanel told Manna, Salvete, Felemous, Gilaate and other Lightborn that gathered around. He pointed at the trail, as if they could all see it ¡°Even with the absolute efficiency he possesses in light fluctuation, all those lights,¡± he paused a bit, thinking of the stolen ones as he said that, ¡°Even for him, they¡¯re too many to completely hide oneself.¡±.


    ¡°Or he¡¯s doing it on purpose,¡± Salvete confronted Eraanel¡¯s statement ¡°it isn¡¯t uncommon, afterall, in a hunt for us to leave false trails, so that the prey follows exactly where we want to.¡±. Her hunting instincts and experience, telling her that much.


    ¡°I tend to agree with Eraanel on this one,¡± Felemous added ¡°Orvus possesses a lot more lights, and¡­those new ones too,¡± the truth in his words making everyone around angry. ¡°It would take huge efforts and talent to pull something like this, while being wary of his surroundings in the Gargantuan Forest,¡± his reasoning infallible given the circumstances.


    They all looked at Manna. She knew all of them were looking at her, even those behind she couldn¡¯t see. ¡®Is this Orvus¡¯ plan?¡¯ she thought to herself ¡®Put me in a hard position, so I can make mistakes, and look worthless?¡¯ her anger barely contained, only some sparks erupting at the corners, which only Eraanel and Salvete noticed. ¡°He¡¯s proven himself as highly capable, I won¡¯t doubt that for a moment more, not everything good¡­and bad, that he¡¯s done,¡± her words stated loud and clear.


    She turned towards all the Lightborn that gathered to see and hear. A sea of individual dim lights, amidst one of the harshest, most dangerous places this world of the Sparks developed over the course of thousands of years. Each of them carried hope, dreams, feelings. It wasn¡¯t something a single individual should have authority over, yet it was needed. The will of the individual cannot survive in this place, this world, not the way this world is. She understood that better than anyone.


    ¡°We will wait, we must not act rashly,¡± Manna commanded all of her siblings. Disgruntled whispers and voices passed between the Lightborn. Manna acknowledged them with a pause, trying to grasp at their feelings, so she could pursue all of them from doing anything rash. ¡°Judgement, however, will be enacted upon Orvus,¡± her voice loud, clear, strong and firm. ¡°That, though, means that we cannot let him claim more of us. Our lives, our souls, they¡¯re not something he should so freely take away,¡± the whispers turned to voices, the voices into cries, agreement building up. ¡°In the name of our siblings, of the Creator,¡± she paused a little before her final statement, ¡°We shall pass judgement unto him! He who sinned against us!!¡± Manna¡¯s roar for vengeance stirred up the flames of anger within all of them. Their anger, sadness, frustration, they all built up in unity.


    ¡®I¡¯m sorry brother,¡¯ she thought to herself. ¡®For I have sinned against you, and turned them to loathe you,¡¯ her twin-pointed spear raised to the sky as these thoughts rose in her mind, her body glowing with the infused light of only hers. The other Lightborn, except for Felemous, Salvete and Eraanel, raised their hands as well. Those three knew better, as they were closest to her, Gilaate too absorbed in her speech. Manna¡¯s arm was trembling slightly.

 Enter: The Gargantuan Forest

    ¡°The sun will soon be upon us,¡± Eraanel told Manna, his left eye looking at every movement of her face from behind. The Lightborn were preparing, honing their skills, praying, thinking.


    ¡°The rocks,¡± Manna shifted her head to the right as she stood down to catch a glimpse of Eraanel, twin-headed spear by her left side, ¡°are they cracking?¡±.


    ¡°Over here, no,¡± Eraanel promptly responded, seeing signs on her face that she was crying in silence, ¡°but a couple of our sisters went some distance and returned just now. They said that the rocks could be heard cracking where they were.¡±. He tried not to focus on her state, although he wanted to help her somehow.


    ¡°We have little time then, before another storm tries to steal more of our lives,¡± she thought aloud. She took her spear, lifted herself up with its support, then turned to Eraanel, looking down in his eye. ¡°Let us go then,¡± her heart felt tight for what she was going to say ¡°go and find Orvus, bring justice to our siblings and find a place we can call home.¡±. Eraanel nodded in approval, heading towards the other Lightborn to announce their departure.


    Manna looked over all of them. Their hopes, dreams, talents and wondering curiosity, they all stood in the palm of her hand. She had to lead them, yet she wondered, ¡®how many more will have to die¡¯, as she no longer could have the false hope that everything will be fine. Ever since they left the Link, more and more of them had to die in order to reach further. And what if all was in vain? For as long as she can remember, ice is all that there was. Maybe what Kilon told them, of warmer air somewhere beyond the passage, was much like what Orvus told them of the Frozen Side, false hope. It was too late though. Whether death or a new home laid somewhere inside or beyond the Gargantuan Forest, there was no other choice, but to push forward.


    There were some moments of silence before they left. They were praying, all of them, to the Creator, so they may find a new home. So they may find he who sinned against them, so they can find¡­hope. Then, with a silent thud, all of them touched the ground, their eyes sparking with determination, power and a renewed will to push forward. And so, the Lightborn march into the seemingly lifeless forest.


    Manna and Eraanel stood at the front, as they advanced in an arrow formation. The back of the large group, secured by the likes of Felemous, who had more potent power. While further ahead from all of them, Salvete made a run. She was the only one thought to be good enough at hiding her presence, to act as a scout. At full efficiency, not even the most sensible creatures could sense or feel her light. It was something Orvus always admired, and wanted to learn for himself, thus his efficiency in light flow control.


    After they walked for a while, weapons prepared for any emergency, Salvete returned from within the forest. She approached Manna and Eraanel with such subtlety, behind a tree, that it made them barely aware of her, when she was only a few metres in front of them. She didn¡¯t need to catch her breath, it couldn¡¯t even be heard, despite the absurd silence in the forest, broken only at times by sways of wind between branches.


    ¡°Anything new Salvete?¡± Manna demanded, putting the whole group on halt.


    ¡°Not too far away from where we are, the trees are¡­moving,¡± her voice barely heard, yet her words were completely understood. Change in the behaviour of the forest could mean a lot of things. Not limited to Orvus watching from somewhere afar and planning diversions or plans.


    ¡°What parts of the tree were moving?¡± Manna found a suitable question, to further their understanding.


    ¡°The tops and some of the thin sides,¡± referring to the branches and crown of the trees, ¡°I also noticed something odd on some of them.¡±. She took a pause, thinking on how to properly explain what she saw.


    ¡°Odd?¡± Eraanel repeated the word, ¡°Odd like the storm of thick lights or monster we dealt with?¡±. This question helped Salvete.


    ¡°Like the monster, I would say,¡± Salvete was still trying to find the words for it. ¡°I definitely felt a dim presence, and saw the tree¡¯s body twist,¡± her words making less sense the more she tried to explain.


    ¡°A tree¡¯s body, twisting? Aren¡¯t they dead?¡± Manna asked rhetorically


    ¡°Maybe those deeper into the forest are alive,¡± Eraanel suggested.


    ¡°Would that possess any threat to us?¡± Manna asked for opinions, looking to Salvete, then Eraanel.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± Salvete said, ¡°it seemed to move extremely slowly, and their construction doesn¡¯t seem meant for praying on other beings,¡± Salvete gave her opinion as a huntress.


    ¡°I agree with Salvete,¡± Eraanel said as he nodded, ¡°and if they possess some hidden truth, that could endanger us, my eye will see it,¡± he continued, his eye glowing a bit stronger to display his ability.


    ¡°Very well. Salvete, tell Felemous of your findings, so everyone else is aware, then join me and Eraanel,¡± she commanded, the final assessment complete.


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be wiser if I searched some more?¡± Salvete was curious about Manna''s reasoning. Manna didn¡¯t look at Salvete, kept walking ahead.


    ¡°Wiser, yes, but not safer. We advance step by step, we won¡¯t hurry. If there¡¯s a trap set by the forest or Orvus, none of us should be alone,¡± Manna explained herself. ¡°You¡¯re already risking yourself a lot, so it¡¯s best if you don¡¯t rush ahead strained,¡± she concluded her thoughts on the matter, Salvete noticing the careful approach Manna was following.


    ¡°Very well, sister,¡± Salvete simply agreed as she let the light course naturally through her. A strong feeling of warmth enveloped her once more, as the strain on her body was different from that of others. Her issue was not having to deal with the continuous course of light running through her, but the opposite. ¡°I will tell Felemous and the others,¡± she completed, nodding towards Eraanel as she ran towards the back of the group.


    ¡°How long do you think the forest stretches for, Eraanel?¡± Manna asked her brother as they were walking, passing tree by tree by the twentieth step. ¡°I never thought such large living structures could be possible,¡± she said in her wonder of the trees, looking up, seeing as they stretched into the clouds and even beyond.


    ¡°Can¡¯t tell. Even when I use my eye, all I can see is the forest stretching on and on ahead,¡± Eraanel responded, using his eye to reaffirm his thoughts. ¡°Maybe there¡¯s only that to this world, forest and ice-¡± his thoughts interrupted as he stood in place. Manna stopped and with them, the rest of the group.


    ¡°What is-¡± Eraanel signalled her to stop with his left hand.


    ¡°There¡¯s something¡­blocking my view,¡± Eraanel told Manna, his eyes focused, light imbued almost to the full extent. Ahead, he could see, just like Salvete told them, a tree was moving, twisting, or rather, something on it was moving. Eraanel could tell it was something different, as it blocked his vision from looking inside of the tree. Manna and the others were left confused looking ahead, as there were nothing but trees. ¡°Can¡¯t you see it sister? Over there,¡± he pointed with his right hand forward, not realising that what was obscuring his view, was beyond a tree through which he saw.


    ¡°I can¡¯t, but I trust your eye brother,¡± Manna responded.


    Felemous made his way to the front with Salvete, trying to understand what¡¯s happening. ¡°Why did we stop?¡± Felemous inquired, as neither Manna or Eraanel took their eyes off ahead of them.


    ¡°It¡¯s ¡®that¡¯ which I saw, isn¡¯t it Eraanel?¡± Salvete asked. Eraanel simply nodded, watching the movements of whatever obscured his view carefully. ¡°Then let¡¯s deal with it, shall we?¡± Salvete stated as she took her daggers out, ready to activate her own ability.


    Eeraanel stopped her with his right hand placed to block her advance. ¡°We only attack on Manna¡¯s orders, Salvete,¡± he commanded her, his eye still focused ahead.


    Salvete brushed his hand away with annoyance, ¡°I decide what orders I take and which I don¡¯t from her,¡± she snapped at Eraanel. ¡°Don¡¯t forget that we¡¯re on the hunt because of her,¡± her words not managing a glance from Eraanel, but a subtle shift in his glow.


    ¡°Whatever is blocking my view, Orvus may have made use of it to hide himself as well, do you see the issue?¡± Eraanel asked rhetorically. Salvete didn¡¯t like it, but he was right. If Orvus made use of whatever possessed that camouflage, then he could hide anywhere for all they knew. ¡°Let¡¯s approach this carefully. There may be more of those hiding nearby, could be pack hunters,¡± he proposed.


    Salvete responded with a hmph, and turned away to the back. ¡°Felemous,¡± Manna called her brother, ¡°how is your ability developing?¡±.


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    Felemous showed her, arcs of electricity erupting at some distance from his palm, an added intensity to it could be sensed in the air as well. ¡°It could kill a horned rabbit or icicle turtle, but no starstag or clawbear,¡± he told Manna.


    ¡°Can it freeze their body though?¡± Manna inquired further. Her eyes were a bit absorbed in his display of power.


    ¡°Probably, yeah,¡± Felemous answered unsure himself, ceasing the show in his palms.


    ¡°How large is the creature Eraanel?¡± Manna shifted her focus on Eraanel, touching the ground with a knee so she could be at the same level.


    ¡°It goes around the tree some half way, so three times, perhaps more than your height in length. It¡¯s width, half the height of Felemous. While it seems to be rather flat, its six legs being to the side,¡± Eraanel managed to assess.


    ¡°That would put it beyond a clawbear or starstag in terms of length, but given it¡¯s slim nature, it probably weighs just as much, perhaps just a bit more,¡± Felemous deduced, his right hand grabbing at his chin, focused on the ground. ¡°I can freeze it if I focus enough light,¡± he promised, his eyes letting small sparks in the corners.


    ¡°Good. Then we¡¯ll proceed as follows,¡± Manna started to explain to them, then turned towards the group.


    Manna stood at the front, most of the Lightborn retreated some way behind, waiting for a signal. Between every couple of trees, in a straight line, a Lightborn stood, six in total, three to each side. Eraanel was up in the branches of a tree with Felemous opposite of him in another tree, looking ahead, where Manna was approaching the unseen creature, walking on her toes. She had her twin-headed spear in her left hand, almost touching the ground as she crouched as silent as possible. Their lights were connected, thus able to know with some vagueness each other¡¯s positions.


    She looked left, right, up, then ahead. She did so constantly. In the Shivering Lands, she would hunt like this. There were the trees, which made it different, more factors adding to the process of thinking, yet to her, it was the same nonetheless. ¡°Keep your eyes on the prey,¡± Manna told herself, ¡°if you can¡¯t, focus on what you can hear, what you can smell.¡±. She used some light wind manipulation to draw in currents of air from around the trees, ensuring there were no large changes in their flow. Once she was sure of her surroundings, she glanced from behind the tree to where Eraanel pointed at.


    Not even at this distance, she couldn¡¯t see any movement or twisting. So she applied a basic method of light enhancing to her eyes, allowing for detection of even the most minuscule manner. It was so subtle, that not even with her eyes enhanced, could she have noticed if she didn''t know what to look for. ¡®There you are,¡¯ she thought. A vague, shifting shape around the tree. Light was behaving a bit oddly in some parts, signifying the small movements a sleeping body would make. But to her, it didn¡¯t feel like it was sleeping, for before she arrived, Eraanel confirmed that the being was twisting. She knew that this invisible creature could tell she¡¯s around, but not where.


    She first poked a hand from around the tree, peaking slightly, trying to see how it would react. A small twitch, no action taken though. She retracted her hand, pushed her spear from around the tree, in clear vision of whatever faced the way she came, nothing. ¡®It recognises my light,¡¯ Manna could tell. ¡®It¡¯s probably attracted by it, something new for a creature constantly surrounded by trees and ice,¡¯ she thought.


    Manna lifted herself off the ground, praying to the Creator, then let herself down. She didn¡¯t hesitate for a moment. With a swift movement, twist and turn of her body, she was on the opposite side of the tree in a dash. She didn¡¯t want for this creature to expect her from the same direction. Then, flowing a quarter of her lights through the body, she lit the surrounding area in a beautiful orange colour. To her momentary surprise, the orange light revealed portions of the creature. She wasted no moment though, and with a more clear view, she slashed at the back of the creature. Even more surprising, only mere scratches showed where she slashed, the back of the creature covered in something stone solid. It didn¡¯t matter though, the creature acknowledged her presence and the threat she posed, so it let go of its camouflage. It revealed a long, six legged body, much like Eraanel saw, a large head covered in the same tough material, shifting brown-white colours, except it was bulging out, showing that it was even thicker at the very front.


    Manna saw as the creature aligned it¡¯s body vertically from the tree, she expected it to make a dash for it, but it was wrong, the creature leaped, head at the front, ready to pass through her body. It was only instinct that saved her from the hit, as she dodged away from its way, and even though it merely brushed her right hand, it was enough to rip skin up to the bone. The creature stopped in an almost unnatural way with its thin, pointy ended, yet muscular legs. From behind, she could see a long organ with a needle retracting inside. She didn¡¯t know what the purpose of it was, but she was not going to let it touch her, sparks erupting from her wounded hand as it started to heal back.


    ¡®Powerful, tenacious, precise, near perfect methods of hiding and stone-like defence,¡¯ a fearsome creature. ¡®The larger issue now is that it stands between me and my way back,¡¯ her back at the tree from where the creature leaped, the creature standing from where she came. ¡®What to d-¡¯ her thoughts were interrupted by sounds behind and up from her. ¡®More of them!¡¯ she panicked for a moment. Up in the tree, two or three more such creatures could be heard, their legs only making the sounds due to the current disturbance.


    She didn¡¯t have much time to think, as the creature turned and twisted its body around and between the trees, trying to find the next best angle to leap at her body. While it did so, it had to climb the trunks of the trees, even though its body is segmented, it still needed some space, which wasn¡¯t enough given the gaps between trees. So, when it twisted and turned, she could see it, its flesh barren and exposed, a mucus was all that stood between that and the outside cold. ¡®Its weak spot,¡¯ she thought in the moment, her hand almost healed as the creature found the desired angle. She could anticipate it, anyone could, the issue was the timing of the attack and what revealed the leap. Manna had to strain her mind, use another quarter of the lights to infuse her mind for near instant thinking. It was subtle, but with her empowered mind, evident. The slightest shift in the back legs, barely visible due to its length and the slight repositioning of the front legs, allows for the back ones to push aided by the front ones.


    With lightning speed, her mind decided to let go of the lights to the body, allowing for an equal reaction speed, saving her from the rock shattering leap of the creature, its head hitting the head behind and shaking it, leaves starting to rain down from way above. ¡®It didn¡¯t even feel it,¡¯ she could tell as the creature turned around the very next moment, ¡®it doesn¡¯t matter, now its attention is for me alone,¡¯ so she dashed back, the creature not risking another leap, and started to run after her in a unique manner. Climbing up and down trees, between them twisting its body with the grace akin to clothes brushing between rocks.


    Eraanel saw it, while everyone else could feel it, she was coming back fast. He signalled them in silence, their body infused with the light, glowing yellow and orange. He looked directly at Felelmous, telling him with gestures to move ahead by two trees, to deal with the unusual running pattern of the creature. The others stood still, as they were at ground level and couldn¡¯t risk exposing themselves.


    Manna came rushing through, the creature still running in its unusual way. Manna would¡¯ve preferred for it to be at ground level, ¡®but this should work,¡¯ she thought. ¡°Now Felemous!¡± she cried. From above, as the creature took a downwards angle, Felemous jumped off the tree, his eyes focused at the target, as his right hand let bolts of electricity erupt from all over, connecting to his body, face and legs. It was far from graceful, but once it made contact through the hard shell, all of it surged throughout the body of the creature, which travelled so wildly that it escaped everywhere around.


    ¡°Now!¡± Eraanel commanded, the other six started dashing towards where the creature had fallen with a loud thud. Squirming and trying to regain control of its body. ¡°Don¡¯t target the legs! Aim for the belly!¡± they didn¡¯t have time to question her switched decision, they just obeyed. Manna started to catch her breath, as her siblings tore and destroyed the paralyzed creature from its belly. They struggled a bit, as each segment acted on its own accord, but they managed to kill it.


    Eraanel climbed down from the tree, Felemous stood down, legs stretched, hands supporting his back. Eraanel met with Manna, looked at the dead creature while the Lightborn were celebrating. ¡°Tough one,¡± he said.


    ¡°Ones,¡± Manna managed through her gasping breath, ¡°tough ones, there¡¯s more of them,¡± her words catching Eraanel''s attention, his eyes widening with the revelation. It wasn¡¯t a huge surprise, but given that she saw more, it must mean they¡¯re nearby.


    ¡°Then we must hurry and get the others! Dispose of them fast!¡± Eraanel panicked. Manna placed her right hand on his left shoulder, supporting herself on the spear with the other.


    ¡°There is no need to worry,¡± Manna finally caught up her breath, ¡°they didn¡¯t try to attack when they could¡¯ve, there¡¯s an order to them probably, which is why I¡¯m not dead,¡± her words making Eraanel frightened yet relieved that she escaped just fine. The other Lightborn started to dismember and collect useful parts of the creature¡¯s body, which they aptly named the wopede parasite.


    After everyone assembled where the creature was slain, they established a perimeter and placed those of a whiter or bluer glow to enhance their eyes and watch for any kind of movement. Those six who helped, named Manaam, Fulenta, Memgalla, Bustomus, Hargitus and Vaalria, took their rewards under the form of shields made of portions of the creature¡¯s hard exoskeleton. The shifting colours ceased a while after the wopede parasite died, giving each shield a unique, permanent pattern. The front, bulging part, was handed to Manna, who baited the creature. Eraanel and Felemous were content without anything, as their roles suited better in other regards.


    ¡°What is next, Manna?¡± Salvete asked, for her and everyone else.


    ¡°We wait,¡± Manna gave a simple response, her mind not aware that an explanation was mandatory.


    ¡°Wait for what? Shouldn¡¯t we walk for as long as there is light?¡± Salvete asked, disgruntled, her eyes a bit jealous of Manna¡¯s shield.


    ¡°Ah, yes. We wait because there¡¯s more of these creatures deeper into the forest,¡± Manna explained, her mind strained, while her body was still holding up, some level of tolerance built for the large surges of light she was using.


    ¡°I see. We will spend the late sun here then,¡± Salvete arrived at the obvious conclusion. ¡°I will scout a bit around, see if there¡¯s anything to worry about,¡± she told Manna, waving goodbye as she activated her ability and vanished into the forest.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you have talked with her a bit more?¡± Felemous wondered at the lenience Manna was showing. Then he looked into her eyes, saw that her mind needed rest. ¡°Nevermind that, I will look after the others. You can rest now, sister,¡± Felemous told Manna, reaching for her right shoulder, and placing his hand there. ¡°We got this,¡± he promised. Eraanel approved with a nod, standing next to him.


    ¡°I see,¡± Manna mustered, then put her back on a tree, letting herself down slowly, her eyes closing in. ¡°He will take care¡­Orvus always does,¡± her sleeping words making both present clutch their fists, a deep frown on their faces. Eraanel¡¯s with hatred, Felemous¡¯ with pain.

 Enter: The Lands Between Mountains

    The sun was setting in the east. By the hundreds, the Lightborn made their way out of the valley. The mountains went to the left and right, north and south. The air surrounding them, chilling and rich in nature. Unlike that in the Shivering Lands, the winds there had a pleasant cold to it. The kind of breeze you would enjoy in the morning, except it was continuous throughout the day and night. It was something they felt ever since they entered the passage between mountains, though, much more abundant in that open space.


    They were all admiring the view. Vast, stretching lands with tall trees, grass, wild plants, small critters. The sounds were everywhere. Chirping of birds, here something jumping, there something running. ''Wild and loud,'' Kilon thought to his delightment. These were the signs that life enjoyed itself in the open space, no great creatures to warrant silence.


    "Is this what was promised?" Avaanel asked, her walk getting accustomed to the support of the antlers. She looked around, mesmerised by the beauty of these lands.


    "Indeed it is," Menoel answered, standing at Kilon''s right. His eyes were excited at the possibilities these new lands presented to them. Eharel, standing by Kilon''s right, studied the environment for dangers. He was just as excited, yet he didn''t want to acknowledge that their problems could be solved with such ease. Kilon understood each of their feelings. Excitement, wonder, fear. Those were things he felt when he first left the Link. His current instance though, wasn''t like before. There was no feeling of deep loneliness and longing. It was all there for him. A place where the cold doesn''t kill them, a place where wonder was abundant. A home, where they could rest and wonder.


    "Eharel," Kilon shifted his sight down upon his brother. "Find the Sweepers, tell them to stop whatever play they''re into, and aid us. Tell them I have proper action for them," Eharel switched glances with Kilon, then Menoel who wasn''t paying attention to either, and left to find them. "Avaanel," he was looking behind, "take a few brothers and sisters of your choosing, explore the nearby area and test for the plants, critters and anything that has life to it. If something piques your interest, send it back," she snapped back into the moment, realised what Kilon said by thinking a little, then obeyed. "Menoel," he shifted his sight more towards his shoulder, where Menoel almost reached with his head, "test the trees, plants, anything. See which of these living things wishes to grasp at our light, and which wishes to steal it from us.". Menoel shortly glanced at Kilon, acknowledging his task, then stared some more at these lands.


    Kilon patted Menoel on his shoulder, then went between the Lightborn, assigning them tasks. From groups to keep watch of their surroundings, to scouts to understand the terrain better. Everything had to get in order, before they could start travelling once more. For he didn''t want to settle where they came through. He wanted a place better surrounded by mountains, and towards south, the mountains seemed to curve slightly towards east. It wasn''t a guarantee, but if his wisdom was to be trusted, then that could mean those mountains surrounded the south towards east, providing a sheltered place.


    The Sweepers made themselves present, but they were gestured to wait. Kilon was looking at the hand of one of his brothers. It held dirt in it, but when Kilon was told to take some and taste it, he felt a strange taste to it. Lightborns liked to taste, smell, feel, hear and see anything that was new. That stood true for the earth beneath them. This proved to be an effective way to understand their environment. So, when Kilon felt the dirt on his tongue, he felt something almost melting on top of it. It was a rough, cutting metal. To their tongues though, because of the light that healed their bodies to the smallest degree, when that metal cut their tongues to a microscopic level, it made their tongues taste something. It was the reaction between the energy of their light, melting the small metal particles into their tongue.


    "We''re here Kilon," Avunaia stated, losing her patience. "But if you''re too busy, we can come bac-".


    "Don''t test me, Avunaia," Kilon commanded, his voice firm and strong, his back turned to her group. "I heard you formed a group to ''find'' things before others.". He shifted gallantly towards them, "Do you care to explain, why would you want that?" his eyes filled with a calm light, too calm.


    Avunaia didn''t understand where this animosity was coming from. She did make a group to gain more influence and looks of adoration from her siblings, but she didn''t think it would matter to him that much. What didn''t, and couldn''t, come to mind, was the vision which only Kilon and Menoel knew about. It was tormenting him, so anything the least suspicious, would prompt Kilon to take severe, immediate action.


    Meriumus saw the growing tension between them, as Avunaia froze in place. He didn''t know either why Kilon had this cold, cutting look on him. Thus, he tried in his way to defuse the situation and find the root problem. He approached Kilon from Avunaia''s back, to her right. "Brother, if we brought offence, let us discuss which kind. For we don''t know the source of your seeming anger," he told Kilon, trying to meet his eyes to use his ability. Kilon wasn''t moving his eyes off Avunaia, he wanted an answer from her. Meriumus knew that would be perhaps too hard for her, given that often her mind froze when confronted with problems. Meriumus tried to get in front of her, meet Kilon''s eyes in a sly manner, but Kilon simply looked directly in his eyes when he tried to move.


    "I know all about your ability, Meriumus," Kilon revealed to Meriumus, then turned his gaze back upon Avunaia. "I know about all your abilities. Which is why I have to wonder, why would you try to put your hands on things before any of us?" his question could be dismissed by Meriumus with ease. Avuanaia, though, portrayed a stance of guilt. She felt as much, given that she thought she did Kilon some sort of wrong.


    From behind, the other four Lightborn were watching. Mercaara, Culroon, Hastaia and Tumuurm. Besides Mercaara, the other three were waiting to see the result of their conversation. They thought that Kilon was planning to disband the Sweepers, for they caused some trouble. But they didn''t think that Kilon was ready to take more drastic actions, some of which, not even Kilon knew he could take. For Mercaara, it was confusing. Why would Kilon act so harsh towards her? Was this the kind of attitude to keep when Avunaia was distressed? She didn''t understand Kilon''s actions, but Avunaia didn''t deserve to be treated as such.


    Kilon kept his gaze focused on Avunaia. He knew there was guilt in her, but also fear. Was he mistaken? He couldn''t afford such presumptions. If the Lightborn who stole their lights, was capable of such cruel acts, manipulating their nature to fool him, would be nothing. Some silent moments have passed since his last question. He didn''t feel like waiting much longer, before he would ask one last question, then decide what to do. Before he could do that though, he saw Mercaara stepping from behind. She passed by Avunaia''s shoulder, used a bit of wind manipulation to make a small jump higher to reach for Kilon''s face, and slapped him.


    It took him by surprise. He can read someone''s intent by the fluctuations in their light, and when he didn''t feel any malice from Mercaara when she slapped him, it left him confused. Mercaara herself did it out of a gut feeling, for what her body told her it was right to do. "Stop this brother!" Mercaara cried to Kilon. "We only wanted to enjoy some attention like you always do!" the reasons revealed by her, striking Kilon''s mind like a flash. In the torment of his dreams, he forgot how little his siblings knew, how their careless joy didn''t bear any malice towards anyone. He forgot that his siblings still had no reason to hate him or others.


    Avunaia didn''t know how to react to Mercaara''s action. She felt happy that Kilon finally changed that cruel look in his eyes, to one that showed glimpses of emotion. "It is as she says, brother," Avunaia told Kilon, her senses brought back together. "All I wanted was to get their attention, like you do," her eyes were looking down, thinking that somehow that was wrong given his reaction. "But I will no longer warrant attention, not if it makes you angry.".


    Kilon looked around, saw the faces of his scared siblings. Saw Mercaara tearing up from her burst of emotion and Avunaia looking down, sorry for an action she didn''t have to be about. He felt guilt grasping at his heart. He realised what fear the vision intruded in his mind, making him doubt those with whom he''s been since birth. It wasn''t fair to act with such ill thoughts, when there was no signs that his vision approached them. He looked at Avunaia, saw how his words and actions could upset his siblings, make them think less of themselves. ''Am I the cause of the vision?'' he had to ask himself. He couldn''t allow it, thus, he couldn''t allow himself to grow suspicious of those around him. He placed his hand on Avunaia''s left shoulder, she expected words of contempt, Mercaara preparing herself for it.


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    "I''m sorry sister," Kilon''s words were simple, yet enough. Avunaia looked at his face, puzzled, and saw for a few brief moments sorrow and pain. She didn''t know the thoughts that were consuming him, but she knew he spoke true to his words. "There are things which I cannot tell, so I ho-"


    Avunaia slapped Kilon across the other cheek. "Don''t scare me like that!" she yelled at him. The others sighed in relief, seeing as she took his apology to heart. She tried to hit his face some more, but he simply straightened himself, pushed her with an arm away. "Hmph. If that''s all, I will take the Sweepers and go back to what we were doing," she told him with annoyance, yet with some relief in her voice, turning towards her group.


    "Well, there is something I would like for you, the Sweepers, to do for me," Kilon told her. She turned her neck slightly, intrigued by what his request may be.


    Avunaia wanted to speak her mind some more before accepting it, but Meriumus stood between them, knowing her too well. "What can we help with?" he was also intrigued by this.


    "By now, it is apparent that no land to where we travelled lacked any sort of challenge," Kilon started to make a point before explaining the task. "Whether that''s storms, powerful winds or otherwise, there is always one recurring issue," he leaned forward a bit, as if for others to not hear. "Predators," his words sending shivers to everyone present. Memories of clawbears and rootworms haunting some of them. "Meaning that in different lands, different predators lay in wait. And amongst them, there usually stands one above all. The apex predator," he clutched at his right arm, old, barely visible scars present from the battle with the beast.


    "You want us to... hunt the apex predator of these lands?" Meriumus asked, trembling a little. He didn''t like fighting a whole lot. He didn''t even carry any weapons with him.


    "We accept then," Avunaia stepped next to Meriumus, pushing him slightly. "It''s the thing we''re best at," her pride shining through a little. "But we want-" before she could continue, Kilon put his hand forward, telling her to wait.


    "I don''t want you to kill them," Kilon''s clarification leaves them more confused. "I want you to tame them," his request sounded ludicrous.


    "Tame them?!" Avunaia protested. "If it were as easy as you ask for it, then we would be riding on clawbears by now!" her reason simple and clear.


    "That is true, so why are not riding clawbears right now?" Kilon asked her, feeling preposterous to her, his question seemed to answer itself.


    "Because they can tear your flesh with but a touch? Or because they can munch you to the bone in moments? You know these things, it''s obvious why we didn''t tame them," Avunaia didn''t realise how he was leading her to the answer.


    "Then, if those are issues which prevent us from taming them, how do we deal with them?" Kilon was trying to make her see new ways of approaching it. For if they wanted to live here, they couldn''t afford to keep losing their own, for they were only so many, and no more to be.


    Avunaia was getting impatient with these questions, she felt played for a fool. Before she could answer though, Meriumus, deep in thought, came with a possible solution. But, Mercaara was one step ahead, "Remove them," her answer simple and to the point. Avunaia looked confused. Why did they play into Kilon''s joke? Was it a joke?


    "I would suggest, further," Meriumus intruded with his own thoughts, "to capture them, remove the issues and then make them reliant on us," his words complementing those of Mecaara. Avunaia finally understood where Kilon was going with his idea.


    "Good, start thinking like that," Kilon praised his siblings, happy smiles on their faces. Avunaia felt left out, Kilon noticed that. He took her hand, brought her closer, as the other Sweepers started to think of ways to capture creatures depending on their size, weight and so on. "Do you see them, sister?" Kilon asked Avunaia. "Do you see how their minds start to work together, if you just nudge them in the right direction?"


    Avunaia looked at them, a feeling of excitement and happiness covering her heart. She wanted to do that, inspire them. "I see..." she realised. Kilon wanted to build more leaders, prepare them some more, for the home he wanted to build, mustn''t be reliant on a singular pillar, him. He wanted to teach her that the ambitions of one alone can hardly be accomplished, but with the help of many, they can be brought to fruition.


    "Good. Learn and adapt. You can inspire others, Avunaia, that I trust," her eyes met Kilon''s, a gentle look on them. "You just have to find the right path, and that, I can show you for as long as I''m here," those words flaming her own ambition.


    "Kilon!" their moment was broken by Fanteem, the Lightborn who first found a sharp flower. Fanteem and other Lightborn were sent scouting, as they were really good at wind manipulation, enabling them to cover large distances in short periods of time. "We found something!", the announcement making waves of whispers and talk amongst the Lightborn.


    "What is it brother?" Kilon cried back to him, seeing eyes glimmering with jubilation. Fanteem let himself down, stumbling a bit, Kilon catching him in his arms. He was giggling and couldn''t stop. "It must be something great, if you return with such happiness for us," Kilon smiled at him, glad to see his siblings enjoying these lands.


    "You won''t believe it brother! Water that walks!" Fanteem''s words amused everyone. "You laugh now, but wait until you see it!".


    "Water cannot walk dummy!" a Lightborn spoke as they giggled. "Everyone knows that it moves as the Creator wills it," another added.


    "There is more!" Fanteem jested, "It tastes like rain too!". The Lightborn were starting to laugh at this. It went against everything they knew about water, since all they tasted and saw were the waters of the sea and those of the storms. To them, a river was something that didn''t make sense.


    From south, Avaanel hurried on with wind below her. Behind her, there were three Lightborn carrying another with their wind manipulation. She saw them gathered and laughing, so she screamed as loud as possible "Help us!". Kilon switched his attention instantly, seeing trouble closing up. He was the first to rush forward to her aid, after which, many more started to run.


    "What happened?" Kilon asked her as they met. Avaanel stopped for a moment for him to catch up, then both rushed towards the injured Lightborn, called Leiasa.


    "We were exploring a portion of the forest, next to the walking water," Avaanel told him, "when she dropped to the ground, screaming in pain. This was in front of her, the only odd thing amidst all of it," she showed him wrapped in skin, a plant without roots. It looked like vines, except it twitched and moved spontaneously. "A part of it was in her arm, moving behind her skin. We believe," they met with the other Lightborn, letting Leiasa down. "We believe that a portion of the plant is still inside, this is what we think she pulled out by herself," Kilon listened to Avaanel as he looked at Leiasa''s arm. "The pain is too much, so she can''t speak.".


    "I might need to cut her arm off, so I''ll need you to hold her down," Kilon ordered Avaanel. She complied, holding her by the left shoulder and pressing against her legs. The others couldn''t stand around to watch, backing away some more. Kilon, then, extended light from his fingertips. He sent it to search inside the hole which the plant produced in Leiasa''s arm. He felt it, the foreign life. He made his light small enough to enter through the plant, and make way. He could feel each part of the plant, much like he did back then with the tree. It was spreading fast, consuming the light within Leiasa at an alarming rate, trying to snatch onto his own as well. ''Terrifying life,'' he thought. Then, when he was almost ready to cut off her arm, he felt the tip of the plant. He reached every part of it. And so, with a blast of light from within her arm, he scorched the plant from the inside. His precision was immaculate, only slightly damaging the bone that the plant latched onto and climbed.


    Kilon took his arm slowly away, let the light he manipulated from within, rest inside Leiasa''s arm, she needed it more. Leiasa fainted from the pain, but was no longer struggling. Avaanel relaxed, standing by the side of Leiasa. Some Lightborn took her further from where they were, to take care of her. "It happened really fast," Avaanel told Kilon, who was in deep thought. "There is no other danger," she tried to reassure him. "We were being a bit careless, and she didn''t abide by my rules. ''Ask before you touch''," Kilon figured as much. He was thinking of the aggressive nature of this plant. And if there was one, there were more. Kilon tried to figure out what kind of environment creates such aggressive life. For there must be reason as to why they grow as such.


    "Find the Sweepers, I need to talk with them," Kilon ordered Avaanel. "Tell them that there is a change of plans," Avaanel listened to him, she could see he was thinking of new ways to tackle this environment. ''Here I thought life is good, o'' Creator,'' Kilon thought, lifting himself up, opening his arms to the sky. ''Yet again, my beliefs are denied. Foolish of me to think that beyond the Light, there lies hope. Foolish of me to think that where there is life, there is hope. Foolish of me to believe that this... is a home. All there is to this world, is a challenge we must overcome,'' he started to smile, a small laugh erupting in silence. The Sweepers arrived with Avaanel, saw him with his arms spread to the sky and laughing in silence. He turned towards them, his laugh, his smile, showing off someone who found a new kind of determination. "Fine by me, Creator! The challenge of being alive! What a joy!" Kilon proclaimed. The others were standing in awe of him. Once more, he grew in ways others couldn''t hope to. For a bit of madness was needed.

 Hopes Shattered

    "Resources, seemingly unlimited. Creatures, also apparently unlimited, due to their reproductive methods, noticed back in the Shivering Lands. Living matter, land, water, air... the lights inside of me, none appear to lack or diminish. Well, in the case of the lights, I would say that is a bit different, at least for those I have and my siblings do. If we are to talk of the Link, then our source of power is also unlimited, which funnels an infinite amount of energy through our lights... hmm, what a conundrum. However, what is not, is Kilon, Manna, Eraanel, Felemous, Salvete, me and the others. One may look at me and say that due to my actions, us, this limited resource that cannot be reproduced, has been diminished. That is not true," Orvus spoke to himself, deep inside the forest, resting on an ancient log next to a large pool of water, which he named as a lake, the skyscraping trees surrounding it. His eyes and body were glowing with a light outside of his control. Whether that was because of how many lights he possessed or due to his intense use in order to traverse much of the forest in such a short time, was unknown to him.


    He clenched at his left side, the wound around his ribcage area, yet to heal, the venom ate his skin as fast as it regenerated. "Where was I," he resumed the talk with himself once he soothed his pain. ''Right. It is not true that I diminished us, the Lightborn. Contrary, I would say. I preserve them. My brothers and sisters are tormenting me with their lights, but the fact that they do, means that they''re still alive, inside of me, through me. I''m not a murderer. Yes, I caused the deaths of hundreds, but! With this new revelation, I can help the other thousands. I can help them all... salvation through sacrifice.''.


    His thoughts were final, standing on top of the log, beside him, he glanced at the body of a venomous angolin. Long, thick, black claws, overlapping scales protecting most of its body areas, a long, thick tail with curved needles at the bottom, strong, muscular limbs, pointy ears and a long mouth with a white black dotted nose at the end. While it was only half in length the height of Orvus, it surprised even him with its spectacular agility and strength. The venom which managed to afflict Orvus, was made of organisms that fed on energy such that of the sun, or in this case, that of his light, fueling their process of creating toxic matter which dissolved anything besides said organisms. To remove it, Orvus would have to cut off the affected area, which he was preparing to do, sharpening his knife made of a clawbear''s claw against a rock in front of him.


    He first cut the above area, the most painful, ''I must save them,'' then the ones at each side. ''Free them from the confines of pain and despair,'' then the last, bottom portion, ''see for myself that they''re all safe... safe inside of me.''. Behind him, what he named shadow lurkers, were in dozens, hidden behind trees, submitted to his will through strands of light attached to their souls. If he strained one such strand a little, unbearable pain would follow. Thus, those bipedal, black furred, giant apex predators of the Gargantuan Forest, obeyed his simple commands.


    "It took me a while," Orvus was talking aloud, the shadow lurkers seemed disturbed by his voice, their large, open ears able to sense the slightest shift in reverberance around them, his voice haunting to them. "But I managed to make these obscene creatures obedient to me," he looked in front to his left, "even though it took me a few tries," the bodies of a dozen shadow lurkers lay dead in a pile where he looked. "Now go, find my siblings, bring them back to me... let me save them," with pulsating energy, Orvus sent signals through his strands of light. This wouldn''t allow for actual control over the creatures, but would remind them what to look for, light that is, while also assuring them that if they didn''t obey, pain or even death would ensue. They spread amongst the trees, acting almost coordinated, which wasn''t in the nature of these solitary hunters. They went north-west, from where he ran off and where his siblings were following a similar path.


    3 days ago


    "Has Manna recovered?" Felemous wanted to know from Eraanel, stretching his limbs, the dawn of day cracking the sky alive with light. Eraanel kept his eye closed for the late sun, the strain of using his ability over the course of the early sun, costly.


    "She''s still sleeping, but she should be able to travel," Eraanel responded, slowly opening his eye, witnessing the first sun rays for himself. Manna to his left, sleeping in the same position she was left off at. "I can see the flow of lights inside of her, it''s calm and steady," his left eye attained better flow due to its prolonged use.


    "Good, we must keep on moving, danger lurks everywhere within this forest" Felemous was thinking of the dangers of the forest, while Eraanel understood his words in regards to Orvus instead.


    Salvete scouted the entire night the area surrounding them. She didn''t use much of her ability, she adapted to the forest some. In regards to the wopede parasite, she followed marks on the trees, left by their long needles with which they fed from inside the tree. Salvete also marked some of their behaviour. They were, at times, moving between trees, she noticed, but only so often. They never travelled in groups and either they didn''t fight one another, or weren''t doing it often enough to be noticed. While moving a bit further away from where her siblings could be seen, she encountered a pack of small critters. They were small, much like a horned rabbit, but even smaller, maybe just a quarter of a horned rabbit, had variations of brown fur, some with patterns and liked to dig underground. Salvete, not feeling the least bit threatened by them, and seeing them scatter when she approached, she caught one with her hand. The little thing struggled for a bit in her grip, but then ceased once her warmth enveloped the critter. Its large eyes, for its head, large paws for digging yet small body, left Salvete enamoured with the creature, which she named, burapika.


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    As the Lightborn prepared to leave the place, Salvete made her appearance from between the trees. She looked more alike that place, with her body and skin pelts dirtied by all the things and ground she scraped by. Her hair was adorned by all sorts of small things, truly looking like a tall, glowing wild thing that should be part of the forest. At her waist, between her skin and the pelts, the burapika, which she named Piki, had its head peeking through and sniffing the air around. Her siblings, especially her sisters, gathered to look at Piki, hold her and observed the curious critter. Salvete''s brothers were looking for the purpose of the small animal, but they couldn''t think of any, so they didn''t give it any thought.


    "What''s the fuss about?" Manna asked Eraanel, slowly waking from her slumber. Her eyes still wanted to stay close, but she forced them open.


    "Salvete returned," Eraanel responded, helping his sister to her feet, "she brought a curious little critter, and our sisters seem to love it," Eraanel continued, giving Manna her spear once she was up. "She didn''t see anything unusual, except," he paused, looked down for a moment, then back into Manna''s eyes with his own "a clear absence of life towards south-east.". They both knew what that meant.


    "Orvus," Manna stated, her eyes letting out sparks, Eraanel agreeing with a nod. "Did she find any bodies? Wopede parasites or any new creatures," she wanted to know, to further assure herself of this.


    "Only signs of struggle, nothing concrete though," Eraanel responded, "we should keep in mind that he has a day ahead of us now. So if we stop, who knows if we''ll even be able to follow him anymore, the trails get covered by, as Salvete suggests, the movement of other critters," he explained to Manna then of the movements of the wopede parasites and the groups of bikas.


    "Then we shall not stop," Manna looked around and started to build ideas in her head. "He''s probably more than a day ahead of us, if I am to guess," she was thinking of the fact that, given he could flow with mastery the lights through his body, he could keep going for far longer and faster. "Which means that simply walking won''t work. We also have to consider the safety of the group.".


    "You''re thinking of a hunting group, aren''t you?" Eraanel deduced from where she was leading the conversation, Felemous made his approach after he saw the burapika for himself. "Who is to lead it?" it was something he expected to be named for.


    "You''re looking at him, Eraanel," she turned her head towards her right, where Felemous was coming from, his right arm captured a unique glow, between his natural slight blue and the shifting white. The white was a byproduct of his continuous training in transmuting the light into lightning, the process thus creating an almost ominous glow.


    "Felemous?!" Eraanel protested, "Isn''t he supporting Orvus?". Something Manna didn''t believe to be true, while Eraanel was half right.


    "I don''t'' support him, brother," Felemous intervened, his eyes looking from a head above Eraanel. "I just want answers, for I don''t believe him to be capable of the deeds he''s accused of," Felemous explained himself, looking at Eraanel, then up at Manna.


    "Believe? Did the cold corpses of our siblings were not enough proof for you to ''believe'' otherwise, Felemous?!" Eraanel was angry with Felemous'' logic. Manna, though, wanted to also believe that, looking at Felemous with compassionate eyes.


    "Rather, I want to hear it from him. Why should we judge him so harshly without first hearing his part?" Felemous gave his reason, which Eraanel reacted to with a strong glow of his body. Manna shared a similar perspective on the matter. She first wanted to hear it from him, that he did it out of his own volition, then place judgement upon him, even though she already riled everyone against him. Where her view diverged, and got her to look away from the conversation, was at the thought that as their leader, she might have to be the one to kill him. It went against her own being. But she knew better, that if Orvus really went insane, or worst, his mind was touched by some force unbeknown to her, she would have to do what must be done.


    Manna looked back at the two, who were ready to argue some more about their points. "My decision is final, Eraanel," she concluded with a thump of her spear to the ground. "You will take Vaalria, Hargitus, Bustomus, Manaam and Gilaate," for that helped them with the wopede parasite, and Gilaate which is the most nimble Lightborn of their group. "Don''t put Gilaate up for any fighting, we''ll need her to relay messages between your group and ours," Manna instructed Felemous. "You will not fight him if it can be avoided, but if it can''t, do what must be done," Felemous nodded in approval, glanced at Eraanel, who scoffed at him, then went about his way to gather those named by Manna.


    "Why him sister?!" Eraanel protested once again after Felemous left, his eye looking for an answer up on Manna''s face. "He might hesitate to do what must be done once he meets face to face with him. Why would you allow for the possibility of such a blunder to occur?" he couldn''t make sense of Manna''s actions in his anger.


    "It is precisely because he might hesitate, that Orvus may do the same," Manna shed light on her thought process. "And I trust Felemous to take the appropriate decision and capture Orvus if he hesitates. Would you do the same if you were in his stead, Eraanel?" Manna asked him. He knew himself better, and realised that she was right. If it were him and Orvus would hesitate, he wouldn''t, he would strike down Orvus and that would be that.


    "That doesn''t mean Orvus may not hesitate, it''s more likely in fact," Eraanel still saw the flaws in her plan.


    Manna looked directly in his eye, saw his worry, then looked at the group, "I know. It''s foolish of me to expect him to," she grasped at her chest, "but must we kill each other to solve our issues?". Eraanel noticed the pain she felt when thinking of harming her own sibling. He felt angry that Orvus caused so much pain. "I must hope... even if my hopes may get shattered to pieces," her words made Eraanel wishful once more. For a place they could call home, warmer lands and much of what Kilon promised them back then.


    "Let us hope then, sister. That Orvus will stop this madness, hope that we can find ourselves a place we can call home and meet once again with the others," Eraanel reinvigorated the feeling Manna was passing to him, placing his hand on her back.

 Hunt

    "Kill one of our own, can you believe it? I certainly can''t," Eraanel supported his back against a tree, Piki ran around his legs, digging a small hole here and there, as if searching for her home, only to remind herself that it''s better to make use of her master''s heat. Eraanel extended his hand, letting Piki climb up on his shoulder, his only eye forcing his head to move with more extremity looking around. He then let Piki climb back down his arm, aiding her with the smallest of movements. Piki then went around the tree, Salvete listening in a frown on the other side, her eyes fixated on the ground, while her mind was preoccupied with the recent actions Manna took. "Although I don''t like how you behave around Manna, we''re still siblings, and we still care for each other, don''t we?"


    It was undeniable to their inherent nature that they cared for each other, even if disagreements, conflicts and even hate may form between them. They were made from the same matter, thoughts tied with flesh just the same, no different. Their years that they''ve spent on Erta so far, were always next to each other, rarely alone. Thus a bond unshaken, unbroken no matter what they did, formed. It wasn''t something that time would change. It wouldn''t reinforce nor weaken it. Something which has been as strong as it could be since the day they met one another. For these reasons, it was harder for Salvete to think on what must be done in order to prevent any further loss.


    "So you''re finally agreeing that Manna is not fit to lead?" Salvete asked with snark, an awkward smile on her face, trying to make the conversation less tense. Eraanel didn''t respond in any way, not even his glow or eyes reacted to it, he didn''t have an answer. "I''m just jesting... you know, like we used to?". She looked at their group, everyone preparing to leave, letting Felemous'' group get the lead, so they could follow up. Her eyes were begging for him to be angry, even though they didn''t see each other. It hasn''t been long since they left the Link, yet with everything that happened, those years which they spent isolated in that frozen place, seemed like mere moments compared to the past weeks.


    "Jesting," Eraanel repeated, "I wonder if there will ever be another time for us to enjoy ourselves like that.". His words made Salvete feel a piercing pain in her chest. In spite of everything, she didn''t want her, them, to change in such a way. "But we must not think of whether we can fool around like we used to. Not now, not with him out there, the lives of our siblings at the mercy of his hands," his skin''s glow shifted, the anger building inside him whenever he thought of Orvus. "Manna, our sister, thinks more with her body, than her mind, much like you and me," he calmed himself, the glow of his body tempered, yet it withheld some of its stinginess. "Felemous is trying to find the logic behind Orvus'' actions, while there is none, that much I and you can tell.".


    "Can I?" Salvete turned her head towards her left, to make her voice better heard. "How are we two, hunters by nature, supposed to tell whether or not his actions possess logic?" she was trying to argue in vain, her mind was set the same way as Eraanel''s since before Orvus ran off and killed their siblings. Though, she still didn''t want to accept it fully.


    "Talking of jesting, right?" Eraanel responded, his sarcasm unwelcomed in the current discussion. Salvete''s skin glow pulsated in anger for a few moments, an utmost rare sight for her who prides herself in her hiding skills. "But yes, you can, and there is no point denying it. From one hunter to another, I can tell that also," he leaned forward, took his back off the tree and circled to where Salvete was, looking at her with his light imbued eye. "Not to mention this. I can see your light fluttering, shifting with your words. I can tell when you lie to me, or even you-" a slap came across Eraane''s face before he could finish. Some of their siblings nearby took notice, but didn''t give it much attention.


    "Do not think you know it all just because you can see more than us!" Salvete snapped at him, her eyes flickering with sparks from within. Eraanel felt the sting of the slap deep inside his flesh. "I know what must be done and what I will have to do, but don''t think you can understand me just by looking inside of my light, Eraanel.". Salvete reprimanded him, then took him by the chin, he stood with his face turned, still a bit in shock from the slap. She then pointed his eye upon her body and said, "Well? Now look, do you see me lying brother?!". Her resolution was undeniable, not the slightest waver in her flow. Eraanel couldn''t tell, even with his eye, if it was due to her impeccable control over the light flow, or because she actually understood what must be done. Either way, he wouldn''t push this further.


    "That''s all I needed to know," Eraanel responded, rubbing his right cheek with one hand and taking Salvete''s hand off his face with the other. "If your will-" he paused a bit, saw her frowning, then continued "given that your will is as ironed as you make it out to be," her frown ceased, "then keep in mind what Orvus is capable of. Do not try to engage him alone. Last time you only got the jump on him because he lost himself in the dispute with Manna. But now that he had time to think and focus, you know very well how cautious he can be to his environment.".


    Salvete puffed, crossed her arms with a sense of pride. "I''m a hunter, the killer which takes the life of both prey and predator. I never underestimate that which I hunt... even if it''s my brother," her gaze went down a moment, then up again. She pressed her hands on the daggers and activated her ability, her presence couldn''t be felt anymore, only her eyes barely betrayed her appearance, her clothes and body were covered in all the little things inside the Gargantuan Forest. Piki poked her head from between the pelts and Salvete''s skin, sniffing the air around her like she usually does. Salvete carefully picked her up and handed her to Eraanel. "Just in case, you know, anything happens.".


    "It is why you''re going, so that must happen will happen, and which mustn''t, won''t," Eraanel said firmly, taking Piki and placing her at his back, between his own pelts. He only looked for a moment at Piki, then met Salvete''s eyes once more. "If Felemous will fail, which is likely, kill him sister, end his madness before it''s too late," Eraanel almost commanded her, she didn''t like it, but she could tell from his eye, even the empty socket of the other, that this pained him to say.


    "I will, brother, for our siblings, and our future," Salvete promised, her eyes filled with determination, no hint of hesitation. Eraanel felt that from her, his eye affirming her will, which Felemous didn''t possess when he left. He still didn''t like it that he couldn''t confront Orvus directly, though, it would unlikely that he could match Orvus'' strength, he still wanted to at least punch him in the face, beat him back to his senses. Even though it was too late for any of that.


    1 day later


    Felemous'' group spread in a wide formation, travelling during the late sun mainly, and half the early sun. Gilaate, the one which Melionus aptly nicknamed ''sparkling feet'', returned from making the report to the rest of the group, Felemous'' group resting. Behind her, a faint trail of burnt snow, grass and ground could be seen. Her feet, barren as they were, let go of the light that made them erupt with sparkles. Once the light surged back throughout her body, she strapped some leather in place of boots, she was really conscious of her feet, especially when her siblings mainly focused on them when she activated her ability.


    "Anything of importance from Manna and the others?" Felemous started asking her, barely letting her catch her breath. Gillate had yet to catch her breath, puffing and huffing. So she took one deep breath, and it calmed pretty fast. She put a hand on her back, checking out of a small habit she formed the shield. The others, except for Felemous who didn''t have one, kept them strapped to their backs as well, precious objects which they cared for.


    "No, just the usual," Gilaate was short in her response, which was in her nature, but Felemous could tell she was thinking, probably forgetting something.


    "Just the usual, you say," Felemous intoned, he lifted himself off the ground where he was resting, thinking of what to say to Orvus. "Are you certain of it?" he could tell she wasn''t. He had to shake her memories a bit. Felemous, spending time with Orvus, had a bit of depth of knowledge when it came to the light. So given that when one enhances a part of their body, the other parts have to give up a measure of their light, it could mean that, in the case of Gilaate, those sections function slower or subpar.


    Gilaate pondered a bit, holding her chin with her hand. Then, with widened eyes and a gasp, she said "Yes! There was more. Salvete, she apparently disappeared.". ''Nothing of importance then,'' Felemous wrongly assumed. He was thinking that she must''ve ventured around once more, study the environment and chase some wild critters. It was this logical thinking that narrowed his vision at times. "Are we going to do something about it?" Gilaate asked of Felemous, as if they could do anything.


    "How far away are we from them?" Felemous asked, seeming oblivious to her question.


    "About a sun. If we start running again, we''ll make it two by the next early sun," Gilaate approximated, her skills in distance second to none.


    Felemous thought a bit on it with closed eyes, so he could come up with an answer as fast as possible by enhancing his mind. His right arm massaged his forehead, to alleviate some of the strain manifested through headaches. "We will spend the remaining early sun here," he announced in a firm voice to all other five of them. "They will spend the late sun resting, they won''t be able to close in the distance too much, thus we might create too much of a distance and strain you Gilaate too much," they all nodded in agreement to his words, except for Hargitus, Gialate simply listened. "Also, Gilaate," he fixed her with his eyes. "There''s nothing we can do about Salvete, she''s probably just running around the forest, catching some more of those burapikas and other small critters," he responded to her question, satisfying her wonder.


    "We still haven''t caught a trail of Orvus, and the more we rest, the more he has time to prepare," Hargitus protested, his eyes looking at the ground, not meeting Felemous''. "Even if we disrupt our chain of communication, shouldn''t we prioritise finding him over everything?".


    Felemous turned to his right, Hargitus standing down with his back at a tree, a frown following him. "Don''t be foolish, brother. This is no mere scuffle between us siblings, this is a hunt," Felemous reminded him.


    "Then all the more reason to pursue without stopping, that''s how we hunters do it," Hargitus responded with pride, meeting Felemous'' gaze, a fierce look in Hargitus'' eyes.


    Felemous sensed the hatred around him. It wasn''t aimed at him, but he whom they hunted. This is the effect which Manna placed over them, something which he feared, thus why he didn''t want to break the chain of communication. If they were to capture Orvus, they wouldn''t have time to plot a scheme to kill him before Manna arrives. This hatred was a useful thing if need came to be, at that point though, it could prove an impediment. Felemous knew he had to tread carefully, he just didn''t know how.


    "I''m in charge of this group, Hargitus," Felemous had to use his authority, where his mind couldn''t figure a proper way to deal with it, at least, an unenhanced mind. Hargitus frowned, then scoffed at Felemous. Authority was something which, since Kilon, the Lightborn didn''t want to contest, for it proved to be good against adversity. Felemous turned to his left, "And what I say," then to his right again, "must be obeyed.". "Unless," his eyes squinted slightly, the corner of his mouth went up in a smile a bit, "one of you wants to take charge.". Felemous knew this behaviour was unbecoming of a leader, but he didn''t have anything to rebound from, it wasn''t often when he led a group afterall.


    "Tsk. Fine, do as you want. But when we meet with Orvus," Hargitus gave Felemous a terrible look, made his light waver, "I swore by the deaths of our siblings that I will plunge my spear through his chest.". There was silence amongst them for a few moments, though, Felemous could tell the rest of them reciprocated that feeling. Prior to this, he was too preoccupied in his confusion to realise how these premeditated murders by Orvus, after the Frozen Passage, must''ve felt to all of them. Perhaps a good portion of the Lightborn already were coming to terms with his mistake, but after what he has done, it wouldn''t be wrong of them to think that maybe he led them in the Shivering Lands simply to kill them all. While it was generally agreed that he must''ve gone insane after that incident, some doubt was growing in a few Lightborn, something which would be most detrimental. Their trust is not something they take with kind when broken, not when their lives depend on that trust.


    "Rest everyone, we will leave by the next early sun," and maybe we will find out our brother is not the monster we think he is, is what Felemous would''ve liked to say to them, yet he couldn''t, not then, when their emotions were at an all time high.


    The sun started to set, the forest getting enveloped by a deep darkness. There, deeper into the forest, more life could be seen and found. Burapikas were seen more often digging around, while wopede parasites were less and less. Instead, something which they named crown stompers, could be heard at night. These animals lived high up in the trees, within the crown of a tree, thus the name. The second part of the name was due to their extremely aggressive nature. These tree stompers would crash from far above into whatever threatened to climb their home tree. This was noticed by Vaalria, a Lightborn sister with a slightly red glow, when running through the forest on her portions. One such tree stomper, crashed and crushed a wopede parasite that was looking for a new home inside the forest. The power of the crash split the parasite into two, while the tree stomper simply jumped back onto the tree and climbed up. The whole group has been made aware of it and have watched upwards so these creatures won''t kill them. They learned, through caution, that as long as they didn''t make any loud sounds, they wouldn''t catch the attention of these crown stompers.


    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    Once night fully enveloped them, only the light of their skin lit the environment around them. Stars were blocked by trees all around, while nothing in this forest didn''t dare to illuminate itself. There were only the common hot mushrooms, growing from the roots below the ground of the trees, that emanated a slight red glow through their translucent tops, that carelessly made itself known to the forest. During the late sun, only one at a time was allowed to pray or rest, the others kept watch all around. At times, they would cast faint rays of light between the trees from the palms of their hands. This would allow them to spot anything trying to lurk or pounce them. It was a tactic they used back in the Shivering Lands, though, they would cast a surrounding light, much like Kilon did, so they could see all around them. That modified into a more smart and efficient method, especially in an environment where light bounced between everything.


    During the night, nothing seemed to unfold, although Bustomus could swear he saw something ''within'' a tree. Bustomus was one of the largest Lightborn in a warm, orange glow, only a bit shorter than Felemous himself, while being more ''bulky'' for a Lightborn. Felemous told him to point where he saw that ''something'', but when they inspected, nothing came of it. They both agreed that he must''ve seen the shadows moving from them casting rays of light. Yet Bustomus could still ''feel'' something watching his back, his neck. Everytime he would look back, though, nothing. His worry grew, as he thought that whatever insanity cursed Orvus, might''ve afflicted him as well. He checked time and time again, even with his senses enhanced, nothing he could feel directly, more like, a stalking presence.


    Felemous noticed the distress Bustomus felt around him, and it made the others uneasy. He wasn''t sure how to deal with this, but it had to stop before it affected them to a degree where they would strain themselves. Once they travelled the whole early sun, running at a good speed, Felemous wanted them to rest for half of the late sun. The other group being only one sun behind and moving through the late sun so they could explore at a better pace. Felemous used a bit of this time to enhance his mind with the light and think of possible solutions.


    After not so long, a plan crossed his mind. While Bustomus rested, as well as he could given his paranoia, Felemous proposed a plan to the others. "We will prove to him that nothing is following us," Felemous whispered to his siblings, ensuring he couldn''t be heard by Bustomus who was still agitated.


    "What if he''s right? We don''t know what Orvus has been up to these past few days," Manaam added, her slightly yellow glow shifting a bit with her words, insecurity. The other seemed to agree, not Hargitus however.


    "Neither does Orvus," Hargitus pronounced. "We''ve been running without a trail for the past few days, exploring ground in a single direction. Our duty is to ensure a path for the group behind and deal with Orvus if we catch a trail of him," Felemous looked with wonder at Hargitus, who captured more of their purpose than it was led to be believed. "I find it unlikely that someone of Orvus'' intellect will keep running in the same direction, or rather, assume that we''ve been running in the same direction," Felemous couldn''t put it better.


    "Precisely," Felemous intervened. "If I am to know Orvus, and I know him plenty, he will probably think that we either haven''t dared venture into the forest, or that we split into more, larger groups to cover ground. He would be on the lookout for such groups, for more than a hundred could deal with him," in Felemous'' mind it made more sense for Orvus to hide, run further away. Never would it cross his mind that he would try to attack them while at an overwhelming disadvantage, not after he ran away from the battle with the monster.


    "Which means," Gilaate intruded, "that we can safely assume Orvus is too much of a coward to show up. Is that about right?". Her words managed a couple small smiles and a giggle, while Felemous stood with his face still and silent.


    "Then, what''s the plan, brother? How do we shake the tremor off of Bustomus," Hargitus wanted to get to the point, impatient, wanting to deal with it and move on to the more pressing matters.


    Felemous told them that he wanted to show Bustomus, in a surefire way, that there is nothing following them. They would do this by climbing up into the trees, moving between them, as Bustomus would be left alone on the ground, so that whatever he thought followed them, could have him for itself all alone. This would both ensure he is safe at all times, while taking care of his paranoia. They all found it sound and solid. By the time half of the late sun went by, when they had to leave, they went up to him and told him of this idea, except the part where they all believed it was nothing. He didn''t like it at first, but if something was truly following him, it would show up when all alone, and if it didn''t, he was paranoid for nothing, which was better than looking over his shoulder all the time.


    As discussed, they did so. They all went up into the trees, making almost no sounds, to not wake up any tree stompers, and left Bustomus all alone. Their glow was managed through a careful allowance of light flow, making them slower but less visible, dirt and a bit of snow, which they managed through a bit of water manipulation. Their steps were covered at times by wind gusts, to soften the landing. Bustomus also made himself more alluring, letting his light flow as it wanted throughout his body, his orange glow almost palpable even from some distance.


    With everything in place, the others could only smile, thinking how relieved and ashamed he must feel once they reveal to him that nothing, which they know of, could''ve stalked them so far. But those innocent thoughts didn''t last long. Felemous was first to notice it, then the others who followed him behind.


    It''s large, long ears, the silver claws, the black fur barely visible even with Bustomus'' glow touching it, taller than even Felemous, standing on its back legs and clutching the tree with its front ones, a shadow lurker watched Bustomus from behind a tree. They panicked. Seeing such a large, dangerous threat, mere metres away from Bustomus, while none, not even him, noticed it approaching. Just when it was close enough that Bustomus'' glow could shine a strong enough light upon it. They still underestimated what this forest was capable to produce, they thought that the Shivering Lands produced dangers on par with the Frozen Side, not true. The Shivering Lands lacked a main aspect which the Frozen Side had plenty of: competition. Inside a place where life can latch onto something and thrive in the least, dangers beyond their mind can be produced.


    "Bustomus, run!" Manaam shouted, panic overwhelmed her and let the shout resound throughout the dark forest. In this particular scenario, Felemous knew that the worst outcome occurred. From above, the leaves started to shuffle, they all knew what that meant. They were on different trees, so only two of them got struck, but that was still bad. Vaalria and Gilaate went down in a flash. Hargitus, Felemous and Manaam let the light course at full capacity throughout. The sudden surge after letting it barely go through, made it so that the light got expelled from their eyes, skin and fingers. Felemous already experienced handling more than his own light, so he was able to react much faster, transmuting his light into lightning, his right arm engulfed by electricity and his eyes letting sparks erupt violently.


    "Hargitus! Manaam! After the others, I will aid Bustomus!" Felemous commanded in a flash, the other two struggling a bit to regain control of the light, but managing, jumping off the trees on gusts of winds. Felemous then assessed the situation with Bustomus, the beast already attacked him, some of his digits were missing from his left hand which held the shield in front of his body, his right side covered by his left hand, light getting out. At the time, Felemous didn''t notice, but he started to produce arcs of electricity from the stump of his left arm, his dominant arm. His mind was enveloped by anger, further panic and desperation to save his brother.


    The glow surrounding his body started to get enveloped by electricity, as the light tried to escape out of his body and was transmuted into lightning at the same time. He jumped off the tree, carried over by the wind with precision and finesse. The dozen metres that stood between him and Bustomus, were crossed over in an instant almost. Bustomus was breathing heavily, his body trying to seal off the wound and block the light from escaping, but he was enhancing himself with the light at the same time, which caused a contradictory reaction, where his body would attempt to regenerate, but the light would be too much to handle and escape. The shadow lurker stood in front of both of them, about ten metres away, looking from above at both of them as it stood on its back legs, showing its massive canines to inflict fear. Bustomus noticed Felemous getting by his injured side, though, he could only pay so much attention to his brother, given the threat in front of them.


    Felemous enhanced his mind, allowing himself to think of what''s possible and what''s not. Escape wasn''t an option, half of them injured, if not worse, and this animal which lurked into darkness for the past sun or more. Direct confrontation was something he wanted to avoid, Bustomus was in a bad condition, and this creature literally leaped at any opportunity. He was somewhat confident that he could incapacitate the shadow lurker, much like what he did with the wopede parasite. Issue was, he didn''t know what else this one could do, for it was their first encounter with it. The uncertainties were building inside his mind, one after another, collapsing the thoughts of hope and courage.


    Buth, within the few second it took him to think, Bustomus looked at him, could read the uncertainty on Felemous'' face clear as it could be. ''This isn''t the time for this,'' Bustomus thought. He wasn''t much of a thinker, he liked to hunt and deal with things head on. This time however, Felemous had to be the one dealing with things head on, and he the thinker. He took his hand away from his left side, let the shield get lower so he could reach for his scared brother. He placed his hand on Felemous'' shoulder, the electricity making his hand do slight uncontrolled movements. Felemous snapped out of it, the light spread back into his body, looking at Bustomus who said "It is fine brother," his voice gentle, an awkward smile on his face, "you can trust me, I can protect myself.". Once he spoke those words, the shadow lurker leaped once more, the grey, shining claws, upon Bustomus in an instand. Felemous saw its movements almost as if time stopped, the lingering effect of the light enhancing his mind still present a bit, but his body couldn''t react on time.


    Bustomus, however, managed. He exposed his front on purpose, a plain and simple tactic, yet effective. His shield moved from his lower left, to the upper left, hitting the shadow lurker in its head, while it ripped a portion of his right arm right off. Felemous didn''t have time to think or despair, he reacted, much like Bustomus wanted to. And, with his light surging as strong as it could, Felemous jumped onto the shadow lurker, grabbing at its fur and letting his electricity envelop it. For a few moments, an area of a dozen metres around them lit up and arcs of electricity flew in all directions.


    Once it was incapacitated, Bustomus walked to it and cut open its throat. The animal struggled in vain, its muscles didn''t obey it. "I told you... brother... you can trust-" Bustomus fell to the ground, Felemous couldn''t see clearly or respond, the light has taken its toll on him. He could still think clearly, but his senses were cluttered. In his mind, he hoped that everyone would be alright. He took down the creature, and if the others were apt enough, the crown stompers should''ve been dealt with as well. What if they didn''t though? His decision is what brought this upon them, didn''t it? Orvus had done the same, took a decision which led to all of this. Manna too, she took a decision which led to further pain. ''Is this sinking feeling, this dread that envelops my soul, how they felt? How terrible!''.


    His thoughts were interrupted by voices. He could hear once more, and his eyes started to open. He could feel something soft under him and a warm feeling surrounding his body. ''Is this... the Link? Have I died?'' he wondered. But the voices, whose voices were they? They were really close to his ear, but going away, aimed to some other ones. Slowly, he opened his eyes. His head was hanging low, he could see what kept his bottom soft, it was the fur of the shadow lurker, the smell of burnt fat and blood still fresh. Looking to his left, Vaalria, to his right, Gilaate.


    "Is this... am I dead... sisters?" he asked in a whisper almost. They both looked at him, smiles on their faces. Gilaate showed her right arm, bent the wrong way, downwards, Vaalria seemed fine, although her back had a different glow than the rest of the body.


    "We aren''t, brother," Hargitus lowered himself, their eyes met. Felemous started to regain all his senses, and looking around, he saw all of them. "Bustomus is still healing, but he should be up before the early sun is fully on the sky," Hargitus assured Felemous, the mission taking priority as usual.


    "What about your arm then?" Felemous asked Gilaate as he grabbed it. She snapped her arm away, some anger on her face for his carelessness, followed by relief.


    "I managed to move away from the crown stomper, but I couldn''t surge my light properly, so it broke one of my arms," Gilaate told Felemous, waving her right arm in the air like some broken toy. "Vaalria said she will help me heal my hand, after she heals her back. She had it the worst, the crown stomper crushed her back and almost snapped her into two," she further explained to Felemous. Vaalria could replace or cover parts of body with the light itself, shaping it to an intricate level, thus being able to sustain major injuries and then manage to recover. This ability allowed for single injuries, no matter how grave, to be dealt with, the strain of the light, even if it enveloped her body, if sustained long enough to allow her body to heal, was worth having.


    Next to Vaalria, Felemous saw Bustomus, in a sleep state. His right hand still missed the three digits ripped by the shadow lurker, while the missing part of his arm healed to some point. He recalled his words, "You can trust me, I can protect myself.". Felemous said aloud, the others confused. He laughed, slapped his thigh slightly, "I trust you can protect us," they all were still confused by his words. "No, rather, I trust all of you that you can protect all of us," some sense of understanding came over them. They smiled and looked at each other happily, while Felemous got deeper in his thoughts. ''If they can, why couldn''t you... Orvus?''.

 Worth Living

    In a world offered by their Creator, these beings of light, which dared step beyond the warmth and light of their home, find themselves time and time again against odds which don¡¯t favour them, and at times, outright unfair. They were born surrounded by those unfavourable odds, yet they kept pushing forward, trying to find something that is worth living for. The wild, beautiful, untamed world that is Erta, is something that the Lightborn wanted to change, but whether it¡¯s worth their sanity, lives and freedom or not in pursuit of this change, is something they have asked themselves since that fateful day.


    Kilon stood atop a hill, near the forests that were climbing up the tall mountains surrounding these lands. The Lightborn were setting up places to rest before the travel, as tomorrow, they would depart towards the south, where Kilon believes the mountains surround the Lands Between Mountains, and would be a suitable place to start building their home. However, the newfound plants prove troublesome. After all, how can one call a place their home, if said place lurks with danger? For that reason, worry grew in a steady manner inside of him. Not only did the vision of his sibling haunted him, but what he wrongly assumed to be a safer place, proves especially deadly to his kind. It isn¡¯t something outside his expectations, no, it¡¯s because it meets those expectations that he is worried, for he knows that there might be dangers beyond what he envisioned.


    He touched his head with his right hand, the hair which never grew, felt slightly longer and thicker. Not only for him, but all others noticed it too once they were able to rest. Hair, skin, eyes. They were all growing, some longer, some wearier, as this world took its toll upon their bodies. It was something a normal being wouldn¡¯t notice, these variations being so slight and inconsequential when one has to survive, that it could be considered a luxury to even have the time to reflect upon it. For the Lightborn, also, in the case of their hair and skin, those aspects didn¡¯t change even after they started venturing into the Shivering Lands. The sole reason was the Link to which they kept returning, its radiant energy, supplying every aspect of their being. Once they started to venture beyond the reach of the Link¡¯s light and warmth, those aspects began to change in minuscule increments.


    ¡°Are we mortal?¡± Kilon wondered to himself. He looked at everyone, counted them again in order to recall his lost brethren. ¡®Of course we are. We breathe, we bleed, we cry, we die,¡¯ he thought. ¡®We are akin to all these other living beings. So then, why must we be the ones suffering for being slightly different? I understand, Creator, that we should assume the risks which come from leaving the Link. Yet these burdens which we endure, the losses which we suffer, why so much? Isn¡¯t there another way? An easier¡­ path?¡¯. Kilon¡¯s thoughts deepened, his questions always unanswered, as the connection to the Creator was too far apart, so he thought.


    ¡°Wise son of mine,¡± the voice of the Creator reverberated throughout his whole being. His mind and body were floating in a space that didn¡¯t exist. It wasn¡¯t inside his head, nor in some other world. Kilon felt his whole being enveloped, much like it was inside the Link, the only difference was that it felt so different, so much better. ¡°My children are not to be compared with the Flesh Beings which I created. You are not to live by their means, nor die as they do, for you are Beings of Light. Me, you my son, and your siblings, my children, are not made of flesh, but of Light. Those which are made of Light, are Ascended beyond the confines of flesh. And those which are Ascended beyond the confines of flesh, shall know greater pain than that of the Flesh Beings, yet far greater joy than all the pain they can suffer.¡±. Words akin to a promise.


    ¡°Kilon?¡± Menoel¡¯s voice is what Kilon heard first after the Creator spoke to him. Then the cold air and warm sun rays touching his skin, are what he felt after. Moonblooms were being carried in the wind high above, the heat of the sun letting them spread their seeds across the fields. Melonius was taunting some of his siblings with sharp flowers, while Eharel was forming groups, a couple sharp flowers poking from his back. Avunaia was returning after a night spent hunting for creatures from around with the Sweepers as Kilon instructed them, while Avaanel was gathering reports of any new discoveries. ¡°You¡¯ve been praying for the past sun, has the Creator shown you another vision?¡±.


    ¡®A sun?¡¯ Kilon didn¡¯t feel the passage of time. He spent mere moments inside of that space, yet the time on Erta moved so much faster. ¡°No, the Creator didn¡¯t,¡± he responded briefly, his body finally touching the ground after a day of seeming prayer. He didn¡¯t feel tired in the least, contrary, his body felt ¡®complete¡¯ in a sense, as if a missing piece was put back into place.


    Menoel let out a small sigh of relief, then reported to Kilon about the preparations. ¡°We also discovered something more, ¡®peculiar¡¯,¡± Menoel kept talking to Kilon as they headed down the hill, both using small gusts of wind under their feet to make their walk easy and seemingless, the descent looking unnatural and fluid from below. ¡°On the other side of the walking water, there are forests at some distance, following the walking water from some point up from where it comes,¡± they were at the bottom of the hill swiftly. ¡°Inside those, Avunaia believes she found tracks of what you tasked her with.¡±.


    Kilon looked into Menoel¡¯s eyes, then down and frowned. ¡°Have they caught one, or at least a glimpse of it?¡± Kilon wanted to assess the danger.


    ¡°No, they didn¡¯t,¡± Menoel responded, Kilon met his eyes, a bit surprised, as Avunaia and her group became skillful in observing even the smallest things. Menoel frowned before continuing, ¡°Not only that, apparently whatever that being was, it killed and ate some of the mane looters while in flight as they were plunging into the forest, trying to snatch plants.¡±. It was little information, but Kilon was reaching his earlier suspicion, that these lands may have dangers beyond his expectations. Whether or not they will be able to tame and capture these predators, might prove more difficult.


    Kilon placed his hand on Menoel¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Thank you brother, let us go then, we shall traverse these lands and find ourselves a more suitable place to settle down.¡±. Menoel nodded, a bit shook by Kilon¡¯s lack of response, expecting him to take some further action for it. ¡°I know you might worry about these predators, but don¡¯t, for if they seem to have their own territory. And unless all of them are like the beast, we should be able to reach south without worry, as long as we follow the walking water,¡± Menoel lightened up, his face relaxed for a moment, knowing that Kilon had already accounted for all of it.


    ¡°Very well Kilon. I will gather the others and we should start moving soon,¡± Menoel patted Kilon on the back and went on to fulfil his duties.


    Kilon watched patiently, analysing his surroundings and looking towards where the forest which Avunaia saw the predator was. ¡®Another ¡®beast¡¯, I see. Hopefully my sister will be able to handle it, much like I did back then,¡¯ Kilon thought to himself as he touched his scarred arm, ¡®so I don¡¯t have to,¡¯ his eyes expelling sparks for a few moments.


    Avaanel¡¯s group


    ¡°Give me a couple drain vines,¡± Avaanel ordered one of her sisters. They didn¡¯t like to be ordered around by her, but most wouldn''t dare complain to her, and would rather avoid a slap from her or worse. Fanteem was the one to hand her the plants, as the others were too scared from the incident three suns ago. These plants would try to snatch onto his arm and dig its way into his skin and flesh, but due to his ability, to control light outside his body and let it act as a sort of protective layer, which upon contact, would burn the skin of a flesh being, or in the case of plants, turn them to ashes. It was a draining ability, so he could only use it on segments of his body and for short periods of time. Still, he was best, besides Kilon and Menoel, to handle these sort plants, which they gathered in baskets made of twigs and knitted together with different, strong, long grass-like plants. ¡°Now bring me a purtoad and place it on my left forearm,¡± she further ordered. Another sibling, Hastaia, brought the frog. The critter was of a strong purple colour, with black spots on its back. It was first found at the bottom of a mountain, where one of the Lightborn stepped on it, and had their foot swole up and burst in places through the skin light. If it were a normal, flesh being, then it would¡¯ve died a few moments after touching the purtoad. To the Lightborn advantage, poison was of little threat, as their bodies worked on pure energy and light, but it still affected them to some degree, as the light within them would respond aggressively against these poisons, as mentioned above.


    ¡°Why is she doing this?¡± Culroon asked in a whisper Fanteem after he placed the drain vine by the side of Avaanel and took a few steps back. Her whole group was watching her.


    ¡°If we are to live in this environment, we must adapt to these threats. And sheer force can only do so much, and only towards so many things. Thus-¡± Avaanel interrupted Fanteem, she liked giving explanations on her own.


    ¡°Thus, besides the offences we bring against these threats, we must develop our defences in tandem, strike a balance so we aren¡¯t as prone to failing when dealing with the unknown,¡± Fanteem clicked his tongue, annoyed he couldn¡¯t finish the explanation. They were all listening and nodding along to what she said, given that it made total sense.


    ¡°That¡¯s why you want us all to watch? So we can learn from you how to deal with these dangers on our own?¡± Hastaia asked Avaanel.


    ¡°Well, yes, but also because I¡¯m proud of my work and I want to show it to others,¡± Avaannel admitted to her selfishness. Some of them huffed and sighed, her need for attention overbearing at times. ¡°Now though, if I¡¯m correct, watch how we can solve issues, not with might, but our minds!¡± Avaanel proclaimed, the others watching intently, as Hastaia placed the frog, which she held tightly in her hands protected only by mud and leaves, on Avaanel¡¯s left forearm. On Avaanel¡¯s right side, her hand stood above the drain vines which were trying to reach for hand with sporadic movements. Once Hastaia let the frog sit a little, then Avaanel felt the poison coursing through her arm, Avaanel made a small head gesture, which Hastaia took as to take the frog away. They all watched her arm starting to swell and her skin burst in places, light erupting from it. ¡°As you can see, the light tries to forcefully push out the poison. But in doing so, it damages everything inside and outside my arm,¡± she started an explanation as the poison reached some place further up her arm. ¡°One possible solution for us, is to stop the flow of light into the affected part and let the poison die out, as it is, much like the flesh of the critters, alive and cannot survive for long,¡± they all listened, the pain which she felt in her left arm, meagre by comparison to the ecstasy she felt for sharing her wisdom and having those eyes paying attention to her.


    ¡°But! That carries risk. One must be skillful in their light manipulation in the case of the body, and many of us, who are better at using our minds, rather than bodies, can find it both difficult and tedious. So this! This is one possible way to solve it,¡± she continued, the poison stopping at the area of her elbow, as the whole forearm swelled from the inside, looking as if ready to burst all the light held within. Avaanel didn¡¯t waste anymore time and grabbed the drain vine, which tried to burrow itself into the palm with which she grabbed it, but couldn¡¯t due to a thin layer of protective light, much like Fanteem only weaker, and didn¡¯t have time to attempt a struggle for it, as Avaanel placed it on her forearm, where the poison started to spread from. Both her and her siblings watched carefully, from behind, Menoel arrived ready to give the signal to go. But he also was curious to see how this will go, preparing scenarios in his mind in case it would go wrong.


    The drain vine started its usual, natural behaviour, and started to dig inside her forearm. But once it started to consume poison instead of light, the drain vine entered a different kind of state, through which its own inner, defensive system, started to act against the poison. They all watched in wonder, as the drain vine, the portion remaining outside her forearm, turned purple from green in colour. Avaanel¡¯s arm also ceased in its swelling and returned to a more natural state. There was another small section still afflicted by the poison, close to her elbow, on which she placed the second drain vine to take care of it. However, the smaller amounts of poison were fought with ease by the drain vine, which then tried to spread inside her arm. Menoel stepped in when he saw her struggling in getting it out and dealt with it in the same manner as Kilon did. Except it was less accurate and precise, so he hurt Avaanel in the process.


    ¡°You could use a touch more of grace,¡± Avaanel complained to him. He looked with a bothered face by her remarks, which she scoffed at, as she thought she was handling it fine.


    ¡°You should be more careful when attempting these sorts of things,¡± Menoel scolded her. The others murmured in agreement, which Avaanel didn¡¯t like, but let it go, since this was still a success in her mind, and Menoel¡¯s smirk when he turned away from her, further amplified that feeling. ¡°We must move,¡± Menoel told everyone present. ¡°Kilon is no longer praying, and he says we should be fine going south, as long as we don¡¯t go on the other side of the walking water and into the forests on the other side,¡± he revealed to them.


    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    ¡°Is he sure of it?¡± Avaanel prompted herself to her foot with the help of the starstag antlers. ¡°From what Avunaia said, the predator which killed some of the mane looters was dangerous.¡±. They were looking for further affirmation from Menoel.


    ¡°Yes, he is. Trust him, much like we always do,¡± Menoel reaffirmed it, their faces shifting with smiles and timid relaxation. ¡®The Creator favours him, I can tell. It¡¯s only natural that we must trust him no matter what,¡¯ Menoel was able to tell Kilon was hiding from him some truth. ¡®None of us can enter such a deep state of prayer, not for even half a sun, much less for a whole sun,¡¯ thus Menoel¡¯s natural disbelief that the Creator didn¡¯t show him anything. ¡®Whatever is that the Creator showed or told Kilon, it changed something within him, or rather, added something,¡¯ his intuition sharp as ever.


    Eharel¡¯s group


    All the Lightborn were gathering in groups of two hundred to four hundred, forming gaps between them at the front, back and between to flanks. This was in order to allow, in case anything happens, for the groups to be able to move around without crashing into each other. The river alongside which they will travel, provided them with a natural way to retreat in case something from within the forests threatens the group as a whole, being able to fly above water or manipulate the water itself around them to sink at the bottom of the river. Eharel had to instruct them of this new formation, which he personally developed after what happened in the rootworm territory.


    ¡®I¡¯m mostly done here, there¡¯s only three groups remaining. The one led by Kilon and Menoel, the Sweepers and Avaanel¡¯s. But they should be fine, they all know of the formations we must take. Issue is¡­ him,¡± he was looking at Melonius. Still fooling around and causing trouble wherever he went with those sharp flowers to poke at someone. Eharel tried to reason with him, but he always was met with sharp flowers at his back afterwards. The death of Efeehem saddened everyone, and Eharel could sympathise with Melonius, given how close they were, but his compassion could only allow so much, before his anger would envelop him beyond belief. He didn¡¯t like that side of him, the angry part, yet it¡¯s nothing he could do about, especially when everything has been so stressful and overwhelming. ¡®Whatever, he¡¯s not my problem. Kilon told me to organise everyone, not take care of Melonius, so I will do as told and-.¡±.


    ¡°Oh, Eharel, here you are,¡± Avunaia appeared from behind, Prickety picking at her hair, which was looking roughed up from all the picking and the slight growth spurt it had. Eharel didn¡¯t like the activities of the Sweepers, he had to argue for some of his animal skins at times, because the Sweepers claim anything that¡¯s left unwatched for more than a half a sun, as ¡®common goods¡¯. ¡°Menoel sent me to pass on this, since he must ready everyone to leave. ¡®Put Melonius in line¡¯ he said,¡± Eharel froze for a moment, holding onto his belt that had his animal skins marked with simple symbols, for counting. Avunaia noticed his distressed disposition, but she knew how troublesome Melonius was. The only reason he stayed away from her and the Sweepers, was because they were more troublesome when combined, however, Melonius was still a handful, so she wanted no part in that. ¡°Well, may the Creator be with you brother, and hope for the best,¡± Eharel gave a sharp look back as a response, which she took as a gesture to leave, not having the usual energy to make a remark or hit him, for she still had to recover some more after the night hunt.


    ¡®Menoel, he must¡¯ve done it on purpose,¡¯ Eharel could only find some sort of retribution behind Menoel¡¯s order. While Menoel simply looked at Melionus¡¯ behaviour as nothing of such trouble that others made it out to be. For Melonius was easier to say that, since his ability exceeded that of Melonius and could anticipate his schemes before they came into play. Eharel and others of similar glow however, were more instinctual, so they couldn¡¯t know when Melonius decided it was the time to torment them with sharp flowers or random ambushes.


    As Eharel was stirring up his mind for ways to deal with Melonius or move the task onto someone else, Melonius poked him from behind with a sharp flower. Light escaped from the hole the sharp flower poked before closing it, and Eharel was enraged. This was the last thing he wanted to deal with, and it was just before him, as if the Creator decided for this to be his fate.


    Melonius noticed the rage building inside of Eharel, his glow shifting and moving erratically. He took it, however, much like he did with any other reaction. Something which they get angry with, move on, so he can then repeat it. He didn¡¯t see how he was causing so much distress to those around him, although to everyone else it was pretty much clear. Melonius smiled at Eharel, then tried to make a run for it, before he could be caught. But Eharel didn¡¯t let that go, and caught him by the skin pelts he was wearing, forcing Melonius to a sudden stop and fall.


    ¡°Do you have any idea how much we don¡¯t need this kind of foolishness?!¡± Eharel snapped at Melonius who was sitting down on his bottom and starting upwards. ¡°Menoel had told me to deal with you, that¡¯s how much of an issue you have become, brother,¡± his words would cut through most of their siblings, but Menoel was still oblivious to it. As if he couldn¡¯t feel Menoel¡¯s frustration.


    ¡°Need? It¡¯s not about what you or the others need, it¡¯s just about me playing a bit before we do anything serious,¡± this answer from Melonius confused Eharel, which further amplified his anger.


    ¡°You¡¯re not listening, Melonius!¡± Eharel screamed at him,¡±Because you fool around and don¡¯t let us, me, rest and be alone, you slow us down and impede our progress!¡±. Melonius was still not listening, waiting for Eharel to either just hit him, which he could somewhat avoid with his ability, or let go so he could cause some more mayhem. Eharel saw that there were no words which could reach him, and hitting him would at best give him a bruise, but nothing more. So he let his thoughts and Melonius go away and simply acted on instinct when he said ¡°If this is how you behave because one Efeehem died, then you should¡¯ve died too back then so when more of us will, you won¡¯t become a larger issue!¡±.


    After he finally listened to what Eharel said, upon hearing Efeehem¡¯s name, Melonius felt this swirling anger and sadness he kept locked away in his heart. For the first time after Efeehem¡¯s death, he showed genuine emotion, his eyes, crying sparks that erupted from deep within. Melonius¡¯ body glowed strongly, which Eharel took as a sign that Melonius was preparing to attack him, so he infused his own body with more light, knowing he could take him on if it was a body to body fight. But Melonius didn¡¯t, he calmed his glow, to such an extent, that it scared Eharel. Melonius¡¯ eyes were empty, the flickering light pulsating from within, seemingly dead for a few moments.


    ¡°I should¡¯ve¡­ Efeehem was so strong, and I so weak. When he died, I felt like I lost my strength,¡± he confessed. Eharel calmed his own glow, relaxing, then thinking back upon what he said, guilt engulfing his heart. ¡°I-I just wished I could¡¯ve played with him a bit more. Make fun of him, take a hit from him when going too far. But there is none here, none who can play with me like we did, nor anyone to hit me like he did,¡± the harsh love between the two brothers, which was inseparable, cut and lost with Efeehem¡¯s death. Eharel knew Melonius must¡¯ve been tormented by his death, to this extent though, is not what Eharel believed it to be.


    ¡°I¡¯m so-¡± Eharel tried to apologise, but upon looking into Melonius¡¯ eyes, he knew that once again, there was nothing to be said. So, instead, he approached him. Melonius didn¡¯t move his eyes that were looking at the ground. Then, with a swing of his arm, Eharel hit Melonius in the face. Melonius caught life back into his eyes, sparking flaming his eyes with anger.


    ¡°You hit me after pouring my heart like this?! Do you truly wish me death brother?!¡± Melonius asked enraged. Eharel smiled, and Melonius was confused.


    ¡°There isn¡¯t anyone to hit you like he did, you say¡± Eharel repeated his words, which made Melonius realise the meaning behind his, almost, unwarranted violence. ¡°Then I will hit you, I will play with you and let you insult me like you did with him,¡± Melonius twisted his face in pain. He didn¡¯t want someone to take Efeehem¡¯s place, he wanted Efeehem to be there for him. Eharel dropped to his knees, Melonius on his back, and stared at each other. ¡°I know I can¡¯t be Efeehem, and what we lost can''t be taken back. But I can be your brother, and I can take care of you, can¡¯t I?¡±. Eharel extended his arm to Melonius, help him get on his knees.


    ¡°You can barely take care of yourself, and you hit like a horned rabbit,¡± Melonius pushed Eharel¡¯s hand aside, and hugged him. Crying on his back, ¡°You muttface,¡± Eharel smiled, holding Melonius in his arms.


    Kilon


    ¡®From the looks of it, everything is ready,¡¯ Kilon could ascertain from a small hill on which he stood, west towards the mountains. The groups were forming, Eharel ensuring everything was in line, while Melonius was following him around. ¡®They seem to get along fine now,¡¯ Avunaia was talking with Avaanel, who was showing her a new species of rabbit the Sweepers found, that were incredibly small, they could fit around thirty inside their palms and some. Avunaia was proposing ways to make them some kind of scouts, while Avaanel argued the complexity behind it, and the inaccuracy these reports would bring. ¡®Good, working together to find new ways to live,¡¯ then he switched his gaze upon Menoel. He was staring at him from across the fields between the rivers and mountains. ¡®He probably knows, he¡¯s sharp enough,¡¯ he concluded his thoughts.


    Once they all gathered and formed the groups, Kilon, Menoel, Eharel and Avaanel stood on top of a taller hill, from which they could speak to all their siblings, whispers and small talk could be heard everywhere. Eharel began ¡°Brothers! Sisters!¡± his shout resounded across the land. Powerful and loud. ¡°It is nigh time to leave! Thus, Kilon and Menoel shall reveal our next steps!¡±. Eharel returned to the other three once he fulfilled his role. Kilon nodded to him, and Avaanel stepped up.


    ¡°From this point onwards, as I¡¯ve trained my group already, we cannot rely on brute strength and tactics no more! These places present far more intricate and deceptive methods of killing us! Thus! Beyond the careful approach we must undertake in order to survive, we also must adapt using the resources available to us! This is no stranger than it was back in the Shivering Lands, only difference is, we need to feel and try many more things than before!¡±. She then took a purtoad and a drain vine, showed the same performance as before, this time with a greater understanding and sophistication, to an extent where the drain vine did its job just as much as it was needed, and the poison didn¡¯t spread beyond a small portion of her forearm. This was one of the methods which Kilon wished to be taught to them all as fast as possible, for it was efficient and could save others in case danger may arise. Every Lightborn paid attention to her, some were even thinking of trying it on themselves to see if it really works. Once Avaanel basked in the attention for long enough, she took a couple steps back and got giddy from it.


    Menoel then stepped up, his tall stature bringing a sort of presence the two before didn¡¯t have. Not only that, his forever seeking eyes, also were daunting, yet empowering for those looking at them. ¡°Before we arrived here, me and Kilon had a talk,¡± he didn¡¯t need to scream, his voice was a boom, a reverberation felt throughout the air. ¡°We talked how we may live in these lands, how we may survive,¡± he glanced back at Kilon, he nodded, then returned to look upon all his siblings. ¡°As Avaanel showed us all, we can find ways to make use of our environment, these lives which aren¡¯t our own. No longer can we simply kill or destroy them, for their force far outnumbers us and their time spent in this world exceeds us for a measure of time which we can¡¯t comprehend.¡±. Kilon was impressed by Menoel. When they spent time at the Link together, he never would¡¯ve thought his brother would grow so capable and strong. Menoel¡¯s thoughts and reasons not only aligned with Kilon¡¯s, they diverged in useful ways, which took away from his burden of leadership. It would be fair to say that without Menoel¡¯s, the expedition may have been twice, maybe three times as hard as it is. Kilon was thankful for it, that his brother was reaching such a magnitude, that he could rely on him so heavily. ¡°Now!¡± his voice boomed once more, more power behind it this time. ¡°Not only will we use our environment, we will tame it, make it our own!¡± his voice had such strength behind, that Eharel felt the need to cover his ears before they would shatter. ¡°Life and death! We are masters over it! Our own or theirs, it¡¯s ours to control, that is what the Creator let us have, and we shall make use of it!¡± the Lightborns were getting enveloped by a feeling which was rare and was only once felt before, back when Kilon launched the expedition outside the Link. ¡°With our power, we will bend this unjust world so that we may find our place in it!¡± all the Lightborn started to cheer uncontrollably. Menoel wasn¡¯t clear in what he meant, because it was for Kilon to show.


    After Menoel took some steps back, and allowed Kilon to step up, the cheering continued for a few moments, then ceased. ¡®Their emotions are connected now as one, all I have to do is show them what those words meant,¡¯ Kilon thought to himself, an awkward silence befell the lands. Kilon simply extended his left hand to his side. Some thought he was pointing to something, most were waiting to see what may happen. Kilon already began, ¡®It still takes a bit, but with some practice,¡¯ he thought, then, from below his palm, a plant started to sprout. It was too small for most to see, those at a good angle pointed at it. ¡®Everything takes time, this, however, cannot take too long, for it will become our way of living,¡¯ his eyes started to spark with light, his skin and even his hair glowing. Then, the dirt surrounding the plant started to get pushed around, in mere moments, from below the earth, a tree erupted. The trunk was thick, the leaves growing before the tree was fully grown. Every Lightborn, even those other three behind him watched in wonder, as Kilon managed the unimaginable, he created life. While it wasn¡¯t completely true, it¡¯s what the other Lightborn were led to believe, that them, their power, is able to produce that which only their Creator was thought to be possible of making. However, what Kilon didn¡¯t expect after showing this sort of power, is his siblings raising in prayer before him. It wasn¡¯t for the Creator, he could tell, for their heads were not up towards the sky, but facing him. He looked behind, Avaanel and Eharel both did the same, for he did not tell them, something which he only discussed with Menoel.


    ¡°Brothers, sist-¡± before he could finish, Menoel stepped up once again, a smile cornering his face. Kilon didn¡¯t know what he was planning, but he didn¡¯t feel good about it. Then, to his further surprise, Kilon found his hand lifted up by Menoel, the others watching this turning point for this race.


    ¡°Listen brethren! This brother of ours, Kilon! The Creator has chosen him!¡±. Kilon didn¡¯t have the words for it, his face a huge surprise looking at Menoel. Then, looking back at his siblings, he could see how they were all ready to scream in an uproar. Before he could stop this madness which Menoel indulged, Menoel let his voice boom once more ¡°Our leader! Kilon Tihal!¡±. Tihal, ¡®of the light¡¯, in their language. They all repeated his name, ¡®Kilon Tihal! Kilon Tihal! Kilon Tihal!¡¯. Their cheering was so loud, Kilon wouldn¡¯t be able to say anything. He looked at them, then Menoel, then to the sky.


    ¡®Am I¡­ the one in the vision?¡¯.

 Everlasting Burden

    ¡®To have so much power, that even You, our Creator and Maker choose to speak with me. Show me things which the others can¡¯t understand,¡¯ Kilon walked forward, his back trying to fall on the ground, as his eyes stared blankly at the ground. ¡°And yet, you don¡¯t allow me the power to save my siblings. How is that fair?¡± he stopped as the body of one of his siblings met his sorrowful gaze. ¡°Look at them, they¡¯re all dead,¡± a stretched field of corpses showed before him as a brilliant light started to descend from the sky. ¡°Then, there you are, the one to bring about their demise,¡± amidst the light, he could see himself, smiling at his weaker self. ¡®Unless¡­ it is for me to take their power as my own¡¯.


    ¡°Kilon,¡± a voice disrupted his dreams. ¡°Once again, you seem to go into such deep prayer, that we can¡¯t find you,¡± Eharel stood in front of him, Melonius chasing around a mane looter. ¡°Has the Creator spoken to you? Menoel told us that happens to you at times,¡± Eharel stopped Melonius by grabbing him on his shoulder.


    ¡°Since when is his word indisputable truth?¡± Kilon placed his feet on the ground and looked in front of him. The river was on their right side, as it got too close to the forest for them to stay on the same path. To their left, some long distance away where they couldn¡¯ see, were the forests where the Sweepers found the troublesome creatures. The Lightborn were walking at a stead march. They became better at synchronising their walk, and their feet produced at times beats of melody. ¡°I thought I commanded for us to stay,¡± Kilon tried to grasp at the time which has passed.


    ¡°We saw your eyes blinking, so we thought we should start in advance. This is the fourth sun since we left, and it still happens to you,¡± Melonius bit Eharel¡¯s hand, small sparks getting out his skin, and ran away once more. Eharel barely noticed, more worried about Kilon¡¯s condition. ¡°Maybe we should rest for a while longer, until you get things in order with the Creator¡±. Kilon snapped a look at him, which Eharel could feel touched something it shouldn¡¯t.


    ¡°It¡¯s not the Creator. This is a doing of my own,¡± he wanted to tell him of his torment, but there was use in Menoel¡¯s actions, and his dreams still had the same potential to inflict confusion and panic. ¡°I cannot tell you the cause of them, but I can assure you,¡± Kilon placed his hand on his shoulder, Eharel feeling a deeper, more religious trust in his brother, ¡°it¡¯s all in order to ensure we are all safe and alive in the end.¡±.


    Since they left, the Lightborn started to create their own vision of who Kilon was. For the most part, it was of a special being, one that should stand above all of them. While some believed him to grow too much, their holy belief in the Creator, challenged by the one whom He was speaking with. Kilon had some of them report back to him, in order to get a grasp on how things were changing. What he didn¡¯t anticipate was those he tasked with the reports to use the time they were getting with him as leverage to impose status amongst the others. He at first thought of it as foolish, then started to see Lightborn starting to provide them with goods and services.


    To prevent it from spiralling out of control, if Avuania caught wind of it, she was to use the Sweepers and mane looters to get those things for herself. While she had her plans to get attention, he could at least know which one of them held all the goods and services. His larger issues were Menoel who didn¡¯t stand by his side as he usually did. Kilon¡¯s thoughts were mainly filled with how and what will happen if he was to continue on the path presented before him. He was sure he didn¡¯t want to harm any of his siblings, not to the point of stealing their light. But the more he thought about it, the more it made sense. He was the only one amongst them he could think capable of stealing lights and using such vast amounts of power. Not knowing of the threat developing far up north, he could only think of himself as the cause of the massacre.


    ¡®The logical conclusions, all the roads too, lead back to me,¡¯ Kilon revisited the vision given by the Creator, out of his own accord. ¡®Manna should be at the Link by this time with her group. Whatever land they reached, it cannot be the right one, for we found it, and they¡¯re not here. There is still much more land to cover, but I¡¯m sure of it, as I can¡¯t notice the presence of their lights,¡¯ the Lightborn were all marching behind him as he was let back at the front. Menoel was there, but once he saw him, he retreated back into the ranks. Kilon wanted to speak with him, he wasn¡¯t sure what to say though. ¡®If I were to disrupt the path set in motion by Menoel, I might stop me from becoming the one to kill them. But if I¡¯m not the one, then the one on whom they rely upon will not be worth listening to. Thus when the real one shows, we will be broken to pieces.¡¯.


    Menoel spent the past four suns teaching their siblings on the ways of growing life like Kilon did. Once he returned amongst the ranks, he went back to teaching as well. While he was good at it himself, it was still nowhere Kilon¡¯s performance, so he used it as an excuse as to why he¡¯s incapable of producing life. Kilon was yet to find out, but Menoel was still lifting him up to be more than he was. By telling them he basically created life out of nothing, rather than him accelerating their growth through the means of the light, they were starting to worship his power. ¡®Soon they will see him as the Creator,¡¯ he thought to himself, plants growing from seeds inside his hand. ¡®And I pray for Your forgiveness, Creator. For this seems to be the way forward. Once they venerate him, his word will become their will, and with it, we will become unstoppable,¡¯ the Lightborn around him tried to reproduce the results. Those of a warmer glow were able to get better faster, while those with a colder one were slower but were showing more consistent results.


    Menoel saw some of the mane looters flying around and carrying different things. Some had plants and little animals, while others had handmade objects. He tempted one with an item of his own, but it didn¡¯t come down. Looking at the back, he could see the Sweepers taking in all the goods and separating them, then sending them elsewhere. Curious by the aerial transactions, he approached Avunaia. When Avunaia saw him though, she got lost through the marching siblings. ¡®Odd,¡¯ he thought, then went back to teaching his siblings.


    ¡°Did he see us?¡± Avunaia asked of Mercaara. Her group spread evenly amongst the ranks, their mane looters flying around from shoulder to shoulder.


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    ¡°I don¡¯t think he did. Do you want me to find him?¡± Mercaara infused her light into her skin and slowed her walk.


    ¡°Don¡¯t waste your energy, he¡¯s probably back up front. He doesn¡¯t mind making noise to find us, that I trust,¡± Avunaia¡¯s eyes kept looking forward, then she called back Prickety who brought to her some objects.


    ¡°You still haven¡¯t told me why we¡¯re hiding from him,¡± Mercaara had her own mane looter touch her shoulder. It was a small female, fast and vicious, but picky when it came to what she brought back, so Mercaara named her Packy. ¡°Do you not like him?¡±.


    ¡°Of course I don¡¯t, but it¡¯s not why we¡¯re hiding from him. Kilon told me to avoid him at all cost,¡± Avunaia let out a whistle and the mane looters were back to their job. ¡°Apparently he¡¯s spreading false rumors, and we aren¡¯t supposed to listen to anything he says.¡±. Avunaia had a slight smile she kept going for the past suns, and Mercaara had a hard time not bringing it up.


    ¡°Is that why you¡¯re so pleased? Because brother Kilon is giving you more attention?¡±. Avunaia picked some objects, then gave some to other mane looters before looking in shame at Mercaara, as if caught doing something bad. ¡°That¡¯s it! You want his attention as much as we-¡± Avunaia covered her mouth with a sprint. The other Lightborn were looking curious at the two of them, Menoel noticing the commotion from up front, but not wanting to know more about it.


    ¡°I must keep up a face, you should know! If any of our siblings hear of it, they will come and ask back for the stuff we steal,¡± Mercaara felt dumb for no reason, other than Avunaia making it more than it should be. ¡°Besides, if Kilon finds out I¡¯m enjoying his attention, he might take away the job he placed on us,¡± Mercaara removed Avunaia¡¯s hand and nodded, getting a better understanding of her sister¡¯s mind.


    ¡°Very well. Then, can you at least tell me why are we giving the stuff back?¡±. Avunaia shook her head in disappointment, as if she was supposed to know the inner thoughts of her mind.


    ¡°If our job is to take the stuff and services they¡¯re trying to keep for themselves, then how do we make our job last longer?¡±. The question illuminated Mercaara¡¯s mind, which also made her think of Avunaia¡¯s true intentions.


    ¡°I thought we were supposed to make a name for ourselves. How will we do that if all we do is how brother Kilon says?¡±. Avunaia was at a loss for words for a few moments. On one hand she wanted recognition from her siblings, but on the other she too awakened superior views of Kilon. Anyone who was speaking with him, was then spreading the word on how empowered and great they felt afterwards. Avunaia, after the speech, started to think if she really felt so inclined to venerate Kilon. After he came to her and asked for her help, she started to doubt those feelings more and more. Until she saw him praying again.


    ¡°Two days after we left, he called me so I can report on the movements of others. And when I arrived, he was in a deep prayer. I wondered what he could be praying so deeply for, then I remembered what Menoel said of him speaking with the Creator. So I wanted to feel it once more, the connection we had with our Creator, and I touched the bottom of his feet,¡± Avunaia grabbed Mercaara by the shoulders, mad eyes staring into hers, the light inside of them were a scary calm. ¡°Sister, what he feels is so deep and powerful, that we can only hope to touch the upper, most shallow portions of it. There is no doubt in my heart that he is the closest one to the Creator. And how much do I wish to feel the warm embrace I once did,¡± Avunaia let go of Mercaara¡¯s shoulders, then took Mercaara by her side. ¡°Now imagine the name we can make for ourselves, if we stand by his side. He makes everyone else pale in comparison, so why shouldn¡¯t we pale the least?¡±.


    While Mercaara understood her intentions and feelings, she also felt afraid. When she looked at Kilon, standing above everyone as they were calling out his name, she could only see sadness in his eyes. There was a side of him that he couldn¡¯t show, and seeing Avunaia¡¯s behavior, she was starting to understand why he couldn¡¯t speak more. ¡°I find it sad. All that power and deeper understanding, unable to be shared with us.¡±.


    ¡°What are you saying?¡± in Avunaia¡¯s eyes there was little reason to be had, so Mercaara didn¡¯t try to explain it to her, avoiding her eyes. ¡°Let¡¯s not dwell on it then, forward sister!¡± her excitement was something Mercaara couldn¡¯t help but keep on following, so she was content to blindly move forward.


    After a couple more suns of travel, the Lightborn were met with the sight Kilon desired. In the far distance, where the mountains on their right side stretched some more, they seemed to start going more and more to the left. The Lightborn rejoiced in unison, while Kilon and Menoel were thinking of their next steps. Kilon was still thinking of the predators that the Sweepers found some time back. The forest to their left ended and from their point on, only a vast field of grass stretched. In front of them though, long forests were continuing from the right side, along which they travelled, and to the left in the east. It looked similar to a natural gate made of trees, only a few kilometres dividing the forest from their back with the one in front of them.


    ¡°Do you think we¡¯ll find them there?¡± Menoel appeared from behind Kilon. Neither of them cared for what they were plotting behind each other¡¯s backs, as the threat of the apex predator was starting to make them wonder. ¡°We should stay here a few suns, scout the area and send some of our siblings, see if there are any dangers lurking.¡±.


    ¡°I agree, we should spend some time here. Our siblings will have time to learn what I ought you to teach them, and we can gather intel,¡± Kilon looked slightly below his shoulder, his brother¡¯s hair smooth with the wind. ¡°But besides the Sweepers, we should also join and help scouting.¡±. Menoel enhanced his mind with the light, trying to find any other meaning behind his words. Kilon placed his hand on his head, disrupting the constant flow by forcing some of his light inside Menoel¡¯s body. ¡°I would like for you to not doubt my words nor actions, brother,¡± Menoel trembled for a few moments, then calmed down. ¡°My wish is not to stand against your way. All I want is to guide our siblings towards the good path, one which should avoid the greater danger.¡±.


    Menoel thought upon his words and actions. From all the Lightborn, he wanted the most for Kilon to be something more. He understood the gravity of his actions, what he didn¡¯t, was Kilon¡¯s behaviour. Knowing his brother, he was expecting some harsh words or more punitive action. There was no such thing however. All there was were, seemingly, pointless actions taken by him at times. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I avoided you,¡± Menoel turned his head up. All his life he wished to understand his brother better, see the light as clear as he did. But the more he tried, the less he could see. ¡°After what I did, I didn¡¯t know how you would think of me. I¡¯m just trying to follow in your steps and anticipate what you wish to happen.¡±.


    Kilon could only feel pity and a heavy heart looking at him. ¡°I know what you¡¯re trying, it is why I rely on you so much. In these times though, I must keep certain matters away from all of them, and even you,¡± Kilon took his hand off of his head and stepped forward, looking at the challenge awaiting them. Turning towards Menoel, his light shone brighter than ever, as the rays of the sun seemed to merge with his own. ¡°It is for that reason that I must carry the everlasting burden alone, for there is no one else who should understand such anguish.¡±.

 Lost Brother

    ¡®Impressive creatures,¡¯ Salvete meets the dawn of the third day since the hunt began with the scene of a sleeping shadow lurker. Standing inside a tree, next to her the body of a shadow lurker, she looks at another, a dozen metres parallel to her position. ¡®I¡¯m confident this one is a male, while the other,¡¯ the shadow lurker was at times moving its head, studying the environment, ¡®certainly a female. She¡¯s a lot more cautious, and seems to have mated with this one recently.¡¯. She found it weird that the female was not approaching her or the dead body. While there was no smell, or blood, from killing the creature, she thought they would at least scout their surroundings. ¡®These ones might be younger. Their bodies don¡¯t have the scars of old critters,¡¯ pushing its body outside slowly, she wanted to see if she could get a reaction from the other one.


    There was only a small twitch of its ears, then Salvete saw it return to its half sleep. ¡®I¡¯ll just get a bit-¡¯ before she could finish her thought, as she took a step away from the dead shadow lurker, the other leaped towards her with great strength. The first leap crossed only ten metres, while the second following immediately after, enough to cross thirty. It was meant to tackle her while it could bite down on her. Salvete didn¡¯t have time to react, and was close to being killed, but from above, a wopede parasite dropped as if in anticipation. It was an old specimen, some thirty or more years old, many scars of battles across its body. It crushed the shadow lurker some three metres in front of Salvete, its forty metres long body still clutched somewhat to the tree.


    Salvete didn¡¯t make a sound. Breath, eye movements, even her light for some moments was stopped from moving. The parasite dragged the body up above in the next instant, crunching noises could be heard. In her mind, she engraved the encounter while slowly making her way away from the tree. ¡®I¡¯m starting to not like travelling alone,¡¯ she thought as she ran with silent steps between the trees.


    Salvete hasn¡¯t seen the encounter between her siblings and the shadow lurker, but the aftermath. She spent the time it took them to recover, scouting the area and taking notes of the changing environment as they went deeper into the Gargantuan Forest. Besides the shadow lurkers, she encountered a variety of other critters. The most prominent ones were the venomous angolins and crown stompers. While smaller less significant critters, like the stormbugs and coldboars, were not worth taking note of. Though, through her morning scouting, she heard loud sounds coming from up above. She knew that crown stompers weren¡¯t the kind to make noise, not much of anything liked making noise inside the forest. At first she thought it might be Orvus fighting some of the critters, then she saw flying, large shadows above the clouds, and reassessed her thoughts.


    Once she checked on her siblings again, seeing them still recovering, she took another look around the forest. If there was a threat that could impede or hurt them further, she wanted to deal or divert it away from them. ¡®I left this section for later, it seemed to carry some dangerous airs about it,¡¯ Salvete was searching a portion that had blood splashed onto some portions of the trees. ¡®There was a struggle here, between some of those creatures I assume,¡¯ she thought as she licked some of the dried blood from a tree. ¡®Seems fresh enough to not want to go further.¡¯. Salvete looked at the markings on the trees too, the shadow lurkers only making them when in direct confrontation with another. While she didn¡¯t see any of them engaging in such behavior, it was similar to how clawbears scratched at the ground at times before leaping at each other.


    ¡®I would love not to do this, but I must make sure there¡¯s not much danger left in these parts,¡¯ Salvete thought before heading deeper, following the signs of struggle into the forest. What she didn¡¯t expect, was for there to be more and more of them. Blood was also more present, in places small frozen pools of them. ¡®These can¡¯t be from a single conflict. There was more than one, and these creatures are solitary, so they shouldn¡¯t be walking in groups,¡¯ her thoughts were piecing together the scene. Then, upon entering a more exposed part of the forest, she was able to uncover beneath the snow blood that had dried and frozen. ¡®This happened no longer than a day ago, maybe even less,¡¯ she kept looking around, and by following the way the blood got expelled from the body, she was at a certain centre. ¡®You were here brother,¡¯ her eyes lit up with the light, letting herself exposed for a brief moment, as the blood of Orvus¡¯ killings surrounded the place she was standing at.


    Salvete was trying to approximate the amount of creatures Orvus had killed in that place, and from the taste of the blood, mainly shadow lurker blood was present. She only took sample from random places, so she couldn¡¯t tell of the venomous angolin Orvus had killed. But was able to tell from some of the scratching on the trees that shadow lurkers weren¡¯t all he killed.


    After regaining her composure, she suddenly felt a need to hide. Not knowing how Orvus would anticipate them, there was the possibility of traps, or even him watching. ¡®It would be fine if it was the others, as long as I can have the element of surprise on him. But it would be the worst case if I¡¯m found before them,¡¯ she thought as she started to trace her steps back, analysing the environment. ¡®Eraanel would be useful right now, though I figure Orvus wouldn¡¯t stand around to be found out by him,¡¯ her mind was applying the logic she was using on hunting and understanding animal behavior to better anticipate Orvus¡¯ moves, while planning her own. ¡®Would he start stalking me if he noticed? Or would he keep, maybe change his position?¡¯ her thoughts only came to a halt as she saw her siblings heading her way. ¡®How did they manage?!¡¯ for a moment Salvete panicked, then rushed between the trees.


    Walking at the front of the group wasn¡¯t Felemous, but Hargitus. ¡®I forgot about his ability,¡¯ Salvete watched them from high above, climbing up a tree and only moving when the whistle of the wind made its way between the branches. ¡®If I recall, his specialty was tracking. Manna did a good job at picking him.¡¯. Hargitus¡¯ ability allowed him to expand the light from the soles of his feet into the ground, akin to the roots of a tree except much finer. With each step Salvete could see the heap of lights going into the ground. They were each acting almost on their own, moving as extenensions of his body. The further they went, the less accurate and weaker. When he enhanced them at their full potency, he could reach over a hundred metres in every direction. His ability wasn¡¯t suited for fast tracking, but highly useful when having time at his disposal. And since their night spent recovering, Hargitus was able to slowly let his light traverse all around, poking out the ground in places in order to sense a variety of things. From the way wind travelled between objects, to feeling different textures from the ground, Hargitus was able to sense the dried blood on the ground. His skill was vague, but was slowly becoming more accurate the closer they got.


    Salvete thought this might be a good opportunity, as they were to be the first encountering Orvus. Her issue was if Orvus was watching her movements or not. If they were able to determine his general direction while he was watching her, she was sure he would act against her first, then plan a surprise against the others. She wasn¡¯t supposed to watch over them, ¡®Yet I have a duty as their sister. To guide and even protect them if needed,¡¯ something she wouldn¡¯t be able to do if she had to constantly watch her back. She thought it might be better for her to distract them, have them follow some other lead so she could have the time to determine if he was watching or not. But it was too late.


    ¡°I got it!¡± Hargitus exclaimed, his light finding the spot where Orvus massacred the critters of the forest. ¡°There¡¯s a lot of it, come,¡± Hargitus urged Felemous, Gilaate being the other one following the two, as Vaalria and Bustomus still had to recover.


    ¡®So be it then,¡¯ Salvete started to follow them, determined in putting them before her mission. Once at the spot where the massacre had occurred, Felemous was able to tell, much like Salvete, of who was responsible. His eyes and skin caught a sudden glow, enhanced by the electric currents that were getting stronger. Hargitus, looking around and spreading his light, found some scraping across the ground. He was able to uncover the markings of a beast being dragged across its will.


    ¡°Is it possible that he¡¯s leading us to a trap?¡± Gilaate asked Felemous. Salvete watched from high above, seeing where the scraping were leading, there were less trees in that direction.


    ¡°I believe there was more than one beast, and he had to fight them, thus why he didn¡¯t hide the tracks,¡± Felemous shared his thoughts, placing his chin in his arm. ¡°Even so, you might be right, and he¡¯s leading us to a trap. Given the terrain however, I don¡¯t see he could accomplish such a thing, for so many of us.¡±.


    ¡°I think he¡¯s challenging us,¡± Hargitus added, returning his light inside body as there was nothing more to be found. ¡°Those creatures that are lurking in the dark, they don¡¯t hunt together. So how come he had to fight so many, that this scenery was made?¡±. Salvete picked upon their conversation somewhat, enhancing her senses with the light, and much like Femelous, she was agreeing with Hargitus¡¯ thoughts on the matter.


    ¡°It could also be that he was in a rush,¡± Gilaate wanted to follow on her thoughts. ¡°To make his trap, especially given how many we are, not even he can take more than fifty of us, let alone with Manna leading.¡±.


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    ¡°Are we sure it¡¯s those lurking in the shadows that he had killed?¡± Felemous wanted to ensure all the details were in place before making his mind.


    ¡°There¡¯s not mistaking. Besides the lack of smell, it¡¯s also in the taste of it, or rather, the lack of a taste too,¡± Hargitus reaffirmed.


    ¡°Then that¡¯s it,¡± Felemous started walking back to where Vaalria and Bustomus were. ¡°There is no trap, Gilaate. He was too careless, and we now have a lead on him. All we have to do is follow, then we¡¯ll find him for sure,¡± Gilaate had no choice but to accept as things were, seeing little reason to believe otherwise besides her own doubts. ¡°Now run back, tell Manna of what happened last night, as well as our findings. Tell her we might need a few more Lightborn on our side if we are to confront him, so come back with reinforcements.¡±.


    Gilaate understood her task and, with burnt snow behind her feet, in evenly calculated leaps, she rushed between the trees back into the forest. She first told the other two of their plan, then went straight for where the Manna¡¯s group was.


    Salvete went ahead and followed the trail. ¡®If he¡¯s watching me, then at least I can distract him for a while,¡¯ she thought, leaping from tree to tree with gentle steps. ¡®And if he isn¡¯t, then I can get a better understanding of his plan. Maybe even set an ambush,¡¯ her mind was working on ideas and potential obstructions, while Felmous made his way back.


    ¡°I suppose Gilaate already told you of how we will proceed,¡± the two still injured nodded in agreement. ¡°Good. Now we have to wait for her to return, and since you seem better brother, we should talk on how to deal with these lurkers in the shadows,¡± Felemous approached the two, placing his hands on top of their shoulders. Bustomus rose up, helped by Felemous, Vaalria still healing her broken back. ¡°Pick up your shields and come here,¡± Felemous took a few steps back and stood in a more clear space. Bustomus and Hargitus followed his order, taking their shields then heading to where he was. ¡°Now, tell me what these predators are good at¡±.


    ¡°Stalking and leaping,¡± Hargitus answered, mimicking some of their movements with his hands.


    ¡°Their claws and fangs are mainly meant for ripping flesh, so they¡¯re also really good at that,¡± Bustomus added.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. And to fight against that, we can employ some simple tricks of our own. Given how tough these plates are,¡± Felemous knocked on Bustomus¡¯ shield, held a bit awkwardly by his remaining digits, as his other hand was still too weak to hold it. ¡°We can trust that those creatures will need some time slashing againd and again until they can break through, right?¡±.


    ¡°I think so, yes. So we¡¯re going to block their strikes with these, then strike them?¡± Bustomus tried to figure it out.


    ¡°Or should we make some sort of protection out of them? Maybe hunt a few more parasites and rip their tough parts out of them,¡± Hargitus tried to come up with his own way of doing it.


    ¡°Both are good, but I¡¯m thinking we can use what we have, and in a smarter manner I suppose,¡± Felemous gestured them to come closer to him, then faced them away from him. ¡°What if we stuck together like this, and while two or three of us hold up the plates, someone like me can strike the creatures from behind.¡±. Bustomus and Hargitus were pleasantly surprised by the ingenuity of it.


    ¡°But given the nature of your ability, wouldn¡¯t that mean you¡¯re going to also hit them?¡± Vaalria added from where she stood, some six metres away. Felemous looked at her and gave a thoughtful smile, placing his chin in his palm.


    ¡°So far you used your ability by covering your body into it, then letting it out, is that right?¡± Hargitus asked of him. Felemous simply nodded, giving him a curious look. ¡°Can¡¯t you focus it, in the palm of your hand or even some other part of your body?¡±.


    ¡°I can, but given how volatile it is, I have a hard time controlling how and where it goes. Thus it¡¯s easier if I just let it out,¡± all three of them started to think, mimicking Felemous.


    ¡°What about Hargitus?¡± the three of them looked at Vaalria who seemed to have a better idea. ¡°He can spread his light from the soles of his feet, and you use light to create the strong one, right?¡±.


    Felemous lifted his chin from his hand, the other two still trying to figure it out. He smiled at her, and tried it immediately. He sent his light across the ground, then tried to convert it into lightning. For a brief moment, he saw some spark of electricity coming out of it. The other two jumped a bit back, poked by the arcs of electricity coming out of it. ¡°This is it!¡± Felemou exclaimed, and all four of them cheered together. Soon, Bustomus and Hargitus started to practice shield formations, while Vaalria shot spheres of concentrated light at them. It was enough to cause some bruises and didn¡¯t take a toll on her healing body. Felemous on the other side, was hunting burapikas in the forest. He wanted to start small before trying something larger.


    What he found relatively fast was that lightning liked being guided by his light. It acted as a sort of conduit for it. He also found easier to send the light alone then lightning from inside of him into it, rather than converting it into lightning. In the time it took Gilaate to travel back in forth, until it was late afternoon, Felemous was able to concentrate more than half his converted light as lightning into the light he sent forward.


    ¡°Gilaate!¡± Vaalria cheered, as Gilaate snuck behind her, but no reinforcements as Felemous wanted. Hargitu and Bustomus hurried over to find out what Manna told them to do, while also curious of the group¡¯s situation. Felemous was still to return, as he was facing one of the forest¡¯s more dangerous critters, the poisonous angolin.


    Once night started to show its first signs, Felemous returned to his group, the body of the angolin in dragged by his exhausted body. ¡°You¡¯ve been busy, I see,¡± Gilaate smiled at him, Felmeous having a satisfied expression on his face.


    ¡°How¡¯s the group, and why didn¡¯t Manna send more of our siblings?¡± he wanted to know more than to show his almost mastered ability.


    ¡°Some of our siblings have gone missing,¡± her tone didn¡¯t match the gravity of her statement, as her face didn¡¯t show any emotion or concern. ¡°It is why it took me longer, while not coming with additional siblings. Those things, lurking in the shadows, apparently some of them were sent after our group by Orvus. There were strands of light attached to them, but not really at the same time, to some other part of their being. And the attacks started as soon as we left.¡±. Felemous and the other three understood what those scratches on the ground were at last. ¡°I managed to track them down. There were only three missing, and I¡¯m saying only, because there were a lot more tracks coming from the same direction, while those abducted in the prior attempts were recovered by Manna personally. Manna didn¡¯t want to place false suspicion onto us, but upon me recovering the last three of them, we were able to confirm it was Orvus, given what we found here too¡±.


    ¡°You mean where we¡¯re heading, don¡¯t you?¡± Gilaate nodded, fueling the anger inside Hargitus, Vaalria and Bustomus. ¡°Is Manna heading in the same direction?¡±.


    ¡°She will, but we are still to follow Orvus, additionally,¡± Gilaate looked around, wary as if someone could be watching or listening to them, ¡°we no longer are to avoid confrontation. We must put a stop to it, however we can.¡±.


    ¡°Are there that many of them?¡± Gilaate nodded with a frown, a deep anger visible on her face. ¡°Then it¡¯s the right choice,¡± Felemous stood down at last, starting to draw in the ground uncovered by their heat melting the snow. ¡°If we are here, and Manna didn¡¯t move too much from the last spot, while we travelled like this,¡± Felemous was using his light to enhance his mind and construct a map from his memory of the surroundings. While it wasn¡¯t perfect, with Gilaate¡¯s help, he was able to make it good enough. ¡°Then Orvus has been heading south east this whole time. And given the tracks we found, it seems he maintained that path while oppressing shadow lurkers along the way, and sending them our way. The one we fought was probably not of his doing, we know since there weren¡¯t any others sent after us. And from what you told us, then it¡¯s safe to say the massacre we saw wasn''t a massacre, but his way to gather as many as he could at once.¡±.


    ¡°The question then should be asked,¡± Gilaate spoke, they were all looking at each other, standing in a circle around the map, Vaalria able to move properly and Bustomus having his arm healed almost completely. ¡°Why is he trying to abduct us, not to kill?¡±.


    ¡°Could it be that he wants to convert us to his side?¡± Vaalria proposed.


    ¡°No, he knows better than anyone how much we must hate him,¡± Bustomus answered.


    ¡°It must be power then. If he can steal enough lights, then our numbers will mean nothing against such concentrated power,¡± Hargitus suggested instead.


    ¡°It would seem that way. Then a larger question remains, why kill all of us? There is no purpose to it, and besides Manna, I can¡¯t see why he would hate me, or any of you here,¡± Felemous continued. He looked inside his mind, seeing the many memories along the years. Exploring outside the Link for the first time with him, discovering the Frozen Side with his group and him helping to uncover the secret of his ability. The bond which they shared wasn¡¯t something that it could be broken for such measle things like madness. Even when he argued with Manna, seeing him enraged, he could see the pain he was enduring, tormenting him. Mad as he was, he couldn¡¯t see him letting such thing allow him to kill his beloved siblings. ¡°There must be some other answer, I refuse to accept that he just wants to kill us, that he¡¯s simply mad. We must talk with him.¡±.


    The others still wanted to kill him, make him pay for what he did to their siblings, stealing their right to live. But at the same time, they were as much his siblings as Felemous and Manna were, so to them, Felemous¡¯ attitude to his brother was having the same effect as it did on Manna. They were hoping that in the end, Orvus would hesitate, not kill them and could talk.


    But, while they were coming to terms with what they might have to do, and analysing their options, Salvete was speeding ahead through the forest. ¡®I can see it, the place you¡¯re gathering your forces,¡¯ travelling at high speed and relentless, Salvete could see in the far distance from where she stood the lake. Next to it, a blue moon that was Orvus casted his cold glow. ¡°Wait for me, for I have found you, my lost brother,¡± her eyes couldn¡¯t contain the light intended to murder her kin. The day of reckoning encroaching upon him who has sinned against his own kind.

 Beyond Reason

    They were given birth from the same point, the same matter and shaped by the same Creator. Since they stepped out of the Link, these beings of light had an unbroken connection which transcends time, space and even their reality.


    Love was a given, while loyalty only natural for them, and caring for each other, not even second in nature. As they were more than willing to give their lives for the other. Their name, of Ascended Beings, comes from a multitude of facets. From their bodies and light, to their minds and souls, all parts of their being were something more than those of the flesh beings. It was thus unfathomable for any of them that Orvus would kill his own siblings, and for them to have to kill him was something that even within all the hate they held for him, was an utmost painful prospect.


    Salvete, however, accepted the pain and was willing to do what it had to be done. As soon as she was close to the edge of the forest, where it met with the lake, she was ready to assault Orvus. She knew she had to wait, but found it hard to do. The cold wind of the night approaching, the dark clouds enveloping the sky above the lake, and the signs of life all around her, seemed to stand in anticipation as she looked at Orvus.


    Taller than before, his light a powerful, cold radiance, and all around him, the creatures of the night, ready to receive orders. His hair, while still short, moved in waves with the wind. She counted up to twelve, while the slightest sounds of breath around the forest suggested there were more. One aspect which the shadow lurkers had to give up, was their silence for disguise, as the lights attached to their souls caused a throbbing pain across their bodies and strained their minds. They were also constantly used by Orvus, until they either died from Orvus disposing of them, or exhaustion consuming their body. As terrifying the image of the dark creatures was, as sad of a picture it painted too.


    ¡°Less and less of them, means fewer opportunities to grant them eternity,¡± for a moment Salvete thought he was speaking towards her, so she turned behind expecting an ambush. ¡°I don¡¯t want to do this, not by these means, but what choice do I have, they won¡¯t listen.¡±. Salvete understood he was speaking to himself all that while. He was some hundred metres away from where she watched, her control of the light granting her an almost invisible presence combined with her muddied and dirtied body. There was still the aspect of her light, which could be noticed by the likes of Eraanel more specialised in sensory abilities, but due to the hundreds, sometimes thousands, of metres tall trees, it was hardly a concern as long as she didn¡¯t step out the treeline. Her issue was the perimeter set around him. He stood with his back at the lake, in an open area around the lake. There were trees closer to him, but those were better guarded, she noticed.


    ¡®Unfortunately the night will make it harder for me,¡¯ Salvete started to construct her strategy, while running between the trees, trying to figure better ways to either assault him, or at the very least target him from afar. ¡®Those creatures don¡¯t seem to move, only to react with slight twitches of their ears, like the one prior,¡¯ she noticed, ¡®they might be more female than male.¡¯. She went around the lake, the darkness of the night enveloping the lands once more by the time she was done, and her siblings not too far once she returned to her original spot. ¡®I will have no choice, but to approach once they¡¯re here,¡¯ Salvete was frustrated, even though it was the best she could do. ¡®I would¡¯ve liked to be able to hit him at least a few times before revealing my position, but given the precautions he took, and other ones which I¡¯m probably not aware of, I should be lucky to get one good hit,¡¯ while thinking of all of it, she cracked a smile. Only some moments after her deep thought, did she realise. ¡®It still amuses me, the way he does things,¡¯ she thought in honesty, her heart throbbing with pain, knowing what she¡¯ll have to do. ¡®It doesn¡¯t matter though. All that we lived through, that we endured, must end here. Whether I live or die, I must ensure my siblings will get out of this.¡¯. With her resolve steeled, and the lights of her siblings approaching the lake, she only allowed for small portions of her light to course through her. It was the absolute state of nonexistence she could accomplish. If she broke her concentration even for a moment, she would risk letting her light course through her like it should, which would shock her body and mind into being stunned. While not supplying the vital parts of her body with enough light, would mean any part of her body getting swallowed by the cold and needing recovery. It was a fine matter, which required of her a perfect balance between light circulation and control.


    ¡°How come that, despite knowing of the many traps I laid, you still walk so carelessly into one of them, brother?¡± Orvus¡¯ voice resonated through the air, the shadow lurkers ready to flee in fear, only standing frozen in place due to the painful reminder. From the edge of the forest a dozen tall figures walked behind Vaalria, Hargitus, Bustomus, Gilaate, and Felemous. Around Felemous and Gilaate, Vaalria, Hargitus and Bustomus were forming a protective space, their wopede parasite shields showing their unique set of colours to their enemies, painfully thirsting to jump onto them. ¡°Perhaps you wish to join my side, help me save the others,¡± Orvus loosened the strain on the shadow lurkers, in a way telling them to go back into darkness.


    ¡°We¡¯re here to talk, that¡¯s why brother. Given the way you speak, perhaps we have misjudged you, and you still want what¡¯s best for all of us. Even though you did what you did,¡± Felemous¡¯ voice resounded across the area almost as loud as Orvus¡¯, trying to match it up. Salvete didn¡¯t need any other signal, and started to run towards the lake, where she planned to swim from behind to attack Orvus. There was some open space between the last tree she could hide behind and the lake, in the time it took her to go into the lake, she could see their lights shining in the night. Her brothers and sisters, facing each other. Once underwater, Salvete manipulated the water around her hands and feet to ease her travel, she wasn¡¯t good at it, so her muscles had to do most of the work.


    ¡°Then let us talk,¡± Orvus said aloud, the shadow lurkers going into the forest, as he stood up from the ancient log. ¡°There¡¯s much I¡¯ve been thinking of, and I believe at least out of all of them, you Felemous will understand it the most,¡± Orvus waited for Felemous and his group to approach, his hands standing by the side, showing no malice or intent to fight.


    Felemous gestured Vaalria, Harigtus and Bustomus to join him, while Gilaate stood at the edge of the forest. If need be, she could not only run away from all of it, but she could also save one of her siblings. While they seemed unprepared, they had found multiple places on their path which they could retreat to, Hargitus spotting no traces of shadow lurkers in those places. Manna was still on her way to the spot, having to deal with constant assaults from the shadow lurkers, while working on measures of offence of her own to take Orvus by storm. Felemous¡¯ intentions were to see what kind of brother was before him, so he could decide whether or not he should kill Orvus or spare his life. From his first words, Felemous couldn¡¯t tell of any remorse for not only what he did to their siblings prior to the hunt, but also after, when he sent the shadow lurkers after their group. Inside, Felemous was converting his light into lightning. It was a preemptive move he took, so if and when he needed to attack, there would be no amount of delay between releasing his light and striking.


    Fifty metres apart, Orvus looked at them from above standing at eight metres in height, while Felemous and his group prepared their bodies and minds for what was to come. ¡®The winds in the north are changing,¡¯ Felemous noticed, Hargitus took notice even before Orvus, his ability cast all around. From within the ground, like small, odd weeds, his strands of lights were protruding in a three hundred metres radius all around their back. This was his ability used to the utmost extent, and was the most vital part of their plan in case they had to retreat. Vaalria¡¯s role was to ensure immediate care for the injuries they may suffer, while Bustomus was to serve as an obstacle for both Orvus and the shadow lurkers. ¡®The conditions are not ideal, but they¡¯re about to become,¡¯ Felemous looked at the looming clouds and felt the increasing speed of the winds with the tips of his fingers.


    ¡°Where shall we begin from?¡± Orvus asked, his cold glow ominous in the setting darkness. ¡°Maybe the reason as to why I killed our brethren, and I mean to say those before me coming inside the forest,¡± they all looked at him clueless, all except Felemous. ¡°You are able to put it together now,¡± Felmeous gritted his teeth, he didn¡¯t want Orvus to say it, but there was no stopping it, ¡°those I was supposed to take care of. I killed them all, so I can have their lights.¡±. While it wasn¡¯t all true, Bustomus did what he knew best, and reacted to Orvus¡¯ words, rushing forward, his ability making the light around his body glow a powerful orange. With each hurried step, the ground trembled a little around him. His ability allowed him to retain the light and condense it inside. It was a similar ability to that of Avaanel, the difference stood in its use. While Avaanel made powerful capsules of light, Bustomus used it in a more volatile way, acting as empowered weights. Using it into his fists and feet, his ability allowed for fast, powerful and painful strikes. Orvus knew of his ability all too well, so he decided to manipulate the light outside his body, forming a protective shell for the impact. Once Bustomus struck, it broke through his shell with ease, but was then met by a sudden burst of energy from where his fist was supposed to make contact. This blasted his hand away, Bustomus didn¡¯t need to think long though, and reacted to Orvus¡¯ adaptation to his own ability. First by letting go of the light inside his feet to further empower his next strike, with his injured left hand, then, as Orvus tried to counter his ability, he converted some of the light he condensed into a burst of energy, effectively nullifying Orvus¡¯ burst of energy, managing to striked Orvus in his right knee.


    In the matter of five seconds, the whole clash was brought to a halt, as both Orvus and Bustomus fell to their knees. Orvus had his knee shattered by the half empowered strike of Bustomus, while Bustomus suffered from his light being drained by Orvus. While he possessed the mental and body fortitude to resist Orvus¡¯ attempt at stealing his light, Orvus was still able to weaken Bustomus¡¯ light. ¡°Enough Bustomus! We came here to talk, fighting like this will bring us nowhere,¡± Felemous cried from the back. Bustomus action was something Felemous was looking least towards. ¡®We¡¯re supposed to act as an unit, you fool of a brother,¡¯ Felemous thought, preparing to rush towards Bustomus.


    ¡°You should listen to him,¡± Orvus told Bustomus, facing him at an almost equal height as he hunched over. ¡°You can feel it can¡¯t you? The light, what fuels our very being, drained by me,¡± Bustomus was infuriated at his own ineptitude. He wanted to bring Orvus down, at least make him suffer for what he did, even kill him. Bustomus looked behind, saw his brethren ready to come to his aid, then returned his look towards Orvus. He could see, inside those eyes swirling with light, a deep sadness. Tormented by their siblings¡¯ last wishes, the lights which Orvus stole continued to punish him even after their death. For Orvus, that was a sign they were still alive inside of him, while for Bustomus it meant that Orvus had suffered just as much, and more, from killing their siblings. He didn¡¯t want to accept it, but he was willing to listen to at least what he wanted to say.


    ¡°Very well, I will hear it. The reason you killed our siblings, and why you still fight us,¡± Bustomus said, standing up even weakened, making his way back to Felemous. Orvus needed a bit of time to heal his crushed knee, the pain of it slowly washing away from his face after a couple of minutes. Once Bustomus was more than ten metres away from Orvus, he felt his light empowering his body once more. ¡®His body¡¯s height in length, that¡¯s about from how far away he can reach our light,¡¯ Bustomus whispered the knowledge to Felemous. Felemous allowed his face to be surprised for a moment, then let it go back to its neutral form as Orvus stood up. Bustomus relayed the information to Vaalria and Hargitus as well.


    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    Inside the lake, swimming towards the shore, Salvete was making her way up to the surface. As she was closing to it, she could feel the movement of another being deep below her. She wanted to see it closer, so she thought of looking into it before going back up.


    Orvus looked at his siblings. He could sense their anger and confusion, the uneasiness in the air building up. It was strong enough, their animosity, that it made him take a few steps behind. He only stopped once he felt the cold water. He then reminded himself of the creatures he had under control, regaining his composure. He straigthened himself, enhancing his mind with the lights, allowing himself to think of all the things he should do in case none of them will join his side. After thinking everything through, he adjusted his voice, then started speaking. ¡°It all began when I took over the first light. I could feel it all. Our sister¡¯s experiences, thoughts and feelings she felt up until that very last moment. After she died, I took her light as part of my own, but it didn¡¯t became completely mine. It still had a will of its own, not in regards to how it behaved, but what it wanted. ¡®Live, I want to live,¡¯ is all I could hear from her light,¡± they all watched him, even Gilaate from afar, as Orvus covered his face with his palms, sparks instead of tears escaping between his fingers. The scene of a lonely Lightborn, shedding his light in the dark night, preparing for a storm. ¡°How could she die? How could I allow them to die? I tormented myself with it, asking those some questions time and time again, inside my light infused mind. It¡¯s been months, inside my mind, until I came with an answer. A good portion of that time, I wondered before coming here, most of it though, while standing on this dead piece of life,¡± Orvus touched the ancient log, feeling its harsh surface and seemingly eternal nature. ¡°I want to become something akin to this log, these trees,¡± Orvus gestured around, pointing at the colossal trees. ¡°They have withstood the test of our Creator, and have survived for much longer than we did.¡±.


    ¡°We do that by standing next to each other, helping the other,¡± Felemous stepped closer, shortening the new distance back to the original one. ¡°We don¡¯t do that by killing our own kin brother. It¡¯s together that we are at our strongest, otherwise we end up like that log. Alone and broken.¡±. Orvus placed a painful smile on his face, his eyes telling of a wisdom which he thought only he had.


    ¡°It isn¡¯t that easy Felemous. While I compare us to trees, we are still so much different. Yes, we are strong together, but look at me. I¡¯m able to withhold so much power, withstand so much more pain,¡± Orvus paused for a few moments, pointing at Felemous. ¡°Then there you are, powerful as you are, think about it, how much stronger would you be with their lights as your own? Free of their individual will, you can guide them as we, the blessed amongst the Ascended, are meant to.¡±.


    ¡°Killing them isn¡¯t guidance Orvus. It¡¯s just killing, nothing more,¡± Felemous felt the discussion going a dark, twisted way. He could see it in Orvus¡¯ eyes, an established conviction which words alone couldn¡¯t shake, not with all that he had endured and felt. ¡°Once you or I die, there is nothing left of us but our lights in this world. What we leave with those lights before we die, is not our inner selves, but the will before death, you should know this better than I do.¡±.


    Orvus frowned, he was trying to retain his smile, but thinking on what he must do, it turned into an ugly twist on his face. Hargitus, Bustomus, Vaalria and Gilaate felt their bodies tremble at the sight of their brother, Felemous looking with pity at his mad brother. ¡°I do understand our inner workings, I also understand that these voices and feelings I perpetually have inside of me, they¡¯re the living conscience of our siblings. You, the ones alive, may not like it, nor those which are dead inside of me. But I promise you, even though I must kill you all here and now, there will be a paradise on this world that I will create. Once I do, I will bring all of you back to life through some way. And no matter how many times I fail,¡± Orvus closed his eyes, he was feeling the source of all the lights he possessed, all sixty six of them. He made his way between all the individual connections, those of his siblings and those attached to the shadow lurkers, there, deep within, something he kept hidden away from the eye of Eraanel in case he would show up, a strong connection to a powerful being. He then grasped at those lights he possessed. He allowed his body to grow in the four suns he had apart from his siblings, his flexibility in how he manipulated his light and efficiency, became thus accustomed to a higher intake and outtake of light than before. ¡®It¡¯s not adjusted for all the lights I have, but I¡¯m able to make use of at least a third,¡¯ he thought to himself, letting the lights course throughout his body and mind simultaneously. In the back of his mind, he had to concern himself with some far away threat, that of Manna who was killing the shadow lurkers faster than he could send them. ¡°I will protect all of you,¡± Orvus promised as he opened his eyes, sparks flowing out of the corners of his eyes up, his body lifting off the ground a couple metres, while his skin casted a glow all around the ground. From the deep waters of the lake, the blue glow made its way to Salvete, who was trying to reach the surface, her eyes having a terrible fear inside of them.


    ¡°If killing us is your answer, then so is ours,¡± Felemous announced. Bustomus was first to go ahead, his shield in front, while his light was condensing in his hands, and more, in his feet. Hargitus felt many of the shadow lurkers leaving the forest, Vaalria placed herself between Bustomus and Felemous, and Gilaate and Hargitus. Felemous felt all the light he converted into lightning inside of him, ready to be expelled. ¡°Now come and meet your judgement, Orvus.¡±. Orvus briefly touched the ground, his eyes glowing slightly stronger for a moment, then braced himself for what was to come.


    Bustomus was the first to push forward, his heavy steps making depressions into the ground, Felemous standing right behind him, his body surging with electric currents, while sparks escaped from his eyes, transmuting into lightning almost out of its own accord. Vaalria kept at a distance behind Felemous, while Hargitus met with Gilaate, preparing their escape route. With a jump, once ten metres apart, Bustomus arched towards Orvus, Felemous running from below. Felemous took into consideration the range of Orvus¡¯ ability to steal light, and with a sudden halt, he unleashed his lightning from afar towards Orvus. Orvus was surprised by it, the intensity not matching the little time Felemous had to practise on his own. Distracted by it, Orvus had to think of ways to intercept or avoid it, allowing Bustomus to come on top of him with his shield in his left hand, right fist high above his head. The unanticipated lightning allowed Bustomus to push his fist through Orvus¡¯ skull, crashing him into the cold waters of the lake, the lightning following shortly after and lighting up a large portion of the lake.


    Bustomus landed on his shield, Felemous releasing all the lightning he had stored. In a few moments, Orvus was floating above the water, his body not moving yet retaining the strong glow it cast. ¡°We retreat, he¡¯s too much to handle,¡± Felemous didn¡¯t need much to arrive at the conclusion, seeing as his brother¡¯s light wasn¡¯t fluctuating in the slightest, his skull already regenerated and in place. Bustomus placed himself behind Felemous as they began to run away, hoping to reach the forest before Orvus could completely recuperate. Gilaate saw them running, and thought of doing the same, but, looking to her left where Hargitus was, she couldn¡¯t see him anymore. That was because he was at her feet, she could see. His body was already cold and his light missing.


    ¡°I do not need to be near any of you,¡± Orvus spoke, running towards Felemous and Bustomus. ¡°All I need is touch your light, and it is mine for the taking,¡± Felemous looked at Orvus, then in front of him, seeing what he meant. Bustomus wanted to turn around and fight him some more, but Felemous did it before him, leaping over his head and towards Orvus. Bustomus turned the very next moment, trying to offer himself as a sacrifice, to allow Felemous to retread. He couldn¡¯t though, as Felemous didn¡¯t hold use his light with efficiency anymore, letting it flow as much as possible, all the while converting it to lightning inside of him.


    Orvus released a few rays of light meant to slow Felemous down, and while they tore his skin and flesh apart, Felemous rushed with the intent to kill. Orvus felt his heart tremble for a moment, seeing his brother displaying such ferocity, so he thought of releasing stronger bursts of light, but Felemous had his own tricks to play, even enraged as he was. So, with a release from his feet, he struck Orvus with lightning, freezing him in place for a few moments, allowing Felemous to enter his range and strike Orvus with his weaker, and only, limb into the face. Through natural instinct alone, the light which Felemous used to enhance the strike of his fist, converted into lightning in the very next moment, causing the initial force of the light to shatter Orvus¡¯ cranium, then the lightning to destroy parts of his brain.


    The lightning erupted on the other side of his head, as Orvus found himself scraping the ground with his body, pieces of his skin and flesh adorning the cold ground. ¡°Our lives aren¡¯t yours to play as you wish, Orvus! This-¡± before Felemous could let his whole rage out, as Bustomus caught up to him, his other arm went away from his body, as Orvus released a piercing ray of condensed light from his palm. Felemous fell to his knees, screaming in pain, Bustomus placing himself between him and Orvus. Orvus struggled to get up, the missing part of his brain hard to regenerate. Even so, he was able to release more rays of light. Some were missing, while some managed to pierce through the shield and Bustomus¡¯ light enhanced body.


    ¡°Brother-up!¡± Bustomus managed, trying to regenerate the holes Orvus was creating in his chest, legs and arms. The pain was overbearing for both of them, but Bustomus managed to keep himself standing through causing greater pain, infusing his body with more and more light, while condensing it near the vital parts, effectively protecting his life from the powerful strikes. Vaalria came from behind, starting to aid Felemous and Bustomus at the same time. Even pushing her ability to the extreme, was barely enough to help them, as she had to reattach Felemous¡¯ arm while trying to close Bustomus¡¯ wound.


    ¡°Living is suffering, to live means to endure that suffering,¡± Orvus spoke with a heavy breath, ¡°but with me, all that suffering can end. Just let me endure it for all of you, there doesn¡¯t need to be thousands of us suffering, just one.¡±. Orvus walked slowly ahead, releasing bursts of light through the palms of his hands, Bustomus¡¯ shield destroyed completely. Orvus looked at his brother, protecting his siblings with his own body from the danger that he was. ¡°Must you suffer like this?! For what?! To live and die another day? Let me free you!¡±.


    ¡°This ends,¡± a powerful boom came from above. It wasn¡¯t thunder, but the voice of their sister, Manna. ¡°Your madness and this killing, it all ends here, Orvus,¡± riding giant feathered beasts, Manna, Eraanel, Manaam, Memgalla, Fulenta and many other Lightborn were coming out of the forest. Flying some two hundred metres above, Manna jumped off the large creature, and dropped her spear behind, letting it traverse its natural course to the other side. Orvus tried to brace for what she was about to do, but, as Manna let all the lights inside her surge through, they started to break her fall and, with a sudden halt, she released a powerful ray of light from the palms of her hands. More powerful and potent than the one released at the Frozen Passage, the ray of light became a column of sorts, swallowing Orvus whole and some ground around him. A cloud of steam, dirt and dust went up due to the column of light, the sky thundering after the strike.


    Manna gently touched the ground with her feet, her twin headed spear falling shortly after in her hand. With a tap of her spear on the ground, and the Lightborn following her falling all around, she made her arrival known. Felemous saw his sister¡¯s glow, despite the warm colour, it was a cold feeling he got from it. Bustomus fell to the ground, his wounds too severe to endure them any longer, while Gilaate came in a flash, carrying Hargitus¡¯ dead body.


    ¡°He¡¯s still alive,¡± Eraanel was able to confirm. Manna kept unleashing rays of light upon where his body was, instructed by Eraanel. Felemous waited for his arm to be attached back in its place, then some of his siblings helped with the healing process as well as they could, Bustomus was being carried towards north, where Manna and the rest of the group came from.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have much time, the group had to deal with the shadow lurkers, so this is all I could bring along. We must deal with him here and now. Don¡¯t let him recuperate no matter what! Those that can strike from afar, do so, those which can¡¯t, prepare to carry any wounded. We must-¡± before Manna could finish, the scene on the Frozen Passage flashed before her eyes. ¡®What is happening?¡¯ she wondered in her head, as Salvete made her way out of the water.


    ¡°Run!¡± she cried, from behind her, the colossal tendrils of a creature broke the water''s surface.

 Siblings Fight - Conclusion

    The Link - Six Months Prior


    "So you catch it like this?"


    "Yes, but with more finesse, like this.".


    "Oh, yes, I see. Is this better?"


    "Much more so, you''re getting good at this," Kilon was praising his brother, Orvus, who was touching upon the depths of wind manipulation. Together, standing in front of the Link, the two blessed brothers, even amongst the Ascended Ones, were sharing a sacred moment. "Soon, you''ll be able to not only teach, but perhaps even lead others.".


    "Why should I lead? We have you," Orvus was forming small tornadoes in the palm of his hand, his mind and body grasping at the concept by envisioning it.


    "We can''t stay here, and there is much we can''t explore by sticking all together. Some of us will have to go another way, and I believe you to be much capable of leading such a large group," Kilon formed a tornado of his own in the palm of his hand. It was quiet, yet powerful enough to make someone feel pulled towards it. "Try it more like this.".


    "Got it!" Orvus managed just that, only a couple of days after Kilon returned to the Link.


    "That is good, just a little more work is needed" Kilon looked at his brother''s face, joyful and innocent, his eyes were filled with excitement. "Soon. Soon you may lead others, to a paradise of our own," Kilon changed his eyes towards the thousands of siblings training all around the Link. ''My hope is only that you won''t fail, for I''m afraid I might.''. Orvus glanced at Kilon, the shallow feeling of one''s thoughts protruding his mind, as he could sense the change in Kilon''s light. Fear, doubt, uneasiness, those were all feelings he could sense through his light.


    ''I must lead them, protect them,'' his mind found focus through determination, and thus was able to manipulate the wind as Kilon had wanted, only a slight difference was present. "I will lead them Kilon," Kilon looked at him as he spoke those words. "I will protect all of them," Orvus couldn''t tell due to focusing on his wind manipulation, but Kilon was also feeling hopeful. That his brother is capable enough, so long as he was willing to listen.


    "I trust that you will, brother.".


    The Gargantuan Forest - Six Months After


    The long appendages of the creature snapped from the water, and headed for the Lightborn near it. They were coloured a deep blue in the remaining setting light, scales covering most of it, except for the palm-like sections at the end, which had something hard to see, shining differently in the light. Manna didn''t have to say a word, as an almost natural fear was formed inside all those present, immediately running towards the edge of the forest. From the dozens of Lightborn, three of them were caught by the tendrils. Manna and Felemous weren''t willing to sit idle, so they rushed to attack. Following them were Bustomus, Vaalria and Eraanel. Vaalria was still healing Felemous'' arm as he was running between the giant tendrils, while Eraanel and Bustomus were heading for the sister Manna and Felemous couldn''t.


    Once below the giant tendril, Vaalria stopped her healing for Felemous and started to run back, Felemous transmuting light into lightning inside his arm. Within a few seconds, as the appendage was heading towards the water, Felemous was able to form lightning and expel it into its limb, making the monster drop his brother, by the name of Seleus. Of a light-blue glow, Seleus manipulated the wind around him to cushion his fall, Felemous breaking his fall some, as one of the arms caught by the tendril was ripped off of its flesh to the bone. Attached to the palm-like sections of the appendages, there were sharp, curled spikes. Manna kept back two of the tendrils, while Felemous noticed the deep wound of Seleus that was healing too slowly.


    "They hurt inside too!" Seleus cried, his ability allowed him to sense with extreme precision anything around him. Given the poison that entered his body, he was able to both destroy it with precision and tell of its effects on his body. Eraanel was able to confirm as much, looking inside the monster''s limb and seeing the poison circulating in the many spikes attached to its endings. Bustomus was charging ahead with disregard for his safety, knocking with his shoulders into the tendrils that were spreading all around.


    At the same time as Gilaate took Seleus back to safety, Bustomus rammed into one of the giant, main tendrils. Releasing compressed light from the arm he crashed into the tendril with, the impact of the force snapped it backwards and forced it to release his sister. Their sister of a yellow glow, Enoia, fell into Bustomus'' arms who was running back towards Eraanel, the tendrils trying to catch him but unable to latch onto him due to the condensed light in his feet being released around them.


    "Show me her body," Eraanel demanded once they were at a safe distance, Felmeous running towards them. Looking at her, he was surprised, Enoia smiling at him knowingly. "Your ability saves you once more I see," Eraanel was speaking of her being able to use her light to move her muscles in unnatural ways, effectively allowing Enoia to move her body in peculiar ways. In the case of the spikes, she forced her muscles inwards, managing to avoid them, but at the cost of breaking a few bones, only her skin, which she cut off, was damaged by the poison. Eraanel exchanged glances with Felemous and a couple of nods, then started to run towards Manna, who stood at a safe distance from the beast, watching the unfolding battlefield.


    Seeing the failed attack from the creature, Manna was thinking of her next steps. ''I can''t see Orvus, the dust is yet to settle, and given the magnitude of the monster, he might''ve gotten lost between its body.''. Manna had to consider the group that was heading towards them, while also taking care of the current group. The chaos unfolding all around was starting to form in an odd order, only her mind couldn''t put it all together. ''What to do?'' the pressure was catching up to the feeling of dread she had for the past four suns. If she was to be left as is, she risked freezing in place, ''I''m aware of it,'' she thought, even though it was already happening. ''What can I do though?''.


    Her thoughts, though, were broken by the sight of Salvete. Passing between the squirming members of the monster, Salvete made her way to Manna trying to attract little to no attention towards her. "Where have you been?!" her words of concern were dulled by the collapsing forces of the lights being shot at the monster''s flesh and the storm soon to envelop the lake. The night of retribution upon Orvus cascaded in the numerous lights on that frozen, open piece of land around the lake, and the heavens lit up by the strikes of thunder.


    Once she was at a good distance away from the monster, Salvete let her light course through her body, making the cold exit her and allowing the warmth of her light to embrace her once more. "I''m glad to see you sister, but we should have this talk after we deal with him," Salvete was able to point directly to where Orvus was at. "I wanted to attack him, but then I saw him smiling. He was aware enough to where I couldn''t approach him no matter how good my disguise, and given what he did to Hargitus, I couldn''t risk it," Manna looked down at her with dismay. Her sister didn''t trust her judgement to let Felemous kill Orvus, and was willing to sacrifice herself for their salvation. While it wasn''t something she wanted, having the multitude of parts moving all around her, it helped Manna snap out of the depth of thought.


    "We''ll talk about it later, you''re right. Now I must make this hard decision," Manna cleared her mind and shook her body, the moment to make one final decision coming closer. Unlike when they travelled across the Frozen Passage, they have endured much pain and suffering. From storms that could be said to be calamities, to beasts that could claim their lives in the spur of a moment. These trials, all the pain and suffering, ''they would be all in vain if we learned nothing from them,'' Manna thought. "I think we should attack, even with these numbers," her voice was firm. Salvete could see an unwavering, less foolish determination in her eyes.


    "We need a plan though," Eraanel stepped to Manna''s right, his eye focused on Orvus, "he has regenerated for some time now, he''s just waiting for some reason.". Looking around, Eraanel could see the positions of those present, as well as the lights Orvus used to tame the beast and those attached to the shadow lurkers, some of which were returning from the forest to him. ''Our siblings are winning on their side, good,'' he thought. What worried him though, was the abundance of another species, the wopede parasites. "There''s a lot more of them in this place than other portions of the forest. Those troubling tree creatures.".


    "Do you see anything else? Maybe it''s Orvus'' doing," Manna questioned.


    "If it is, we should be extremely careful about sending our siblings towards this place. We could lose dozens- no, hundreds of our siblings," Salvete added.


    "We''ve warned them not to come on foot if they do," Eraanel responded, "as for these creatures. I count close to a hundred, but that''s merely based on the fact that I can''t see through certain trees," Eraanel looked around once more just to confirm his thoughts on the matter. "What troubles me is not the number, but that I can''t see if they have lights attached to them," Eraanel was thinking of other creatures, more dangerous ones, that could''ve developed a similar defence, and so did Manna, Slavete and Felemous.


    "Unfortunately we no longer have the luxury of anticipating his moves," Salvete took a step forward, taking her daggers out, prepared to give her life. "We have to strike now, or retreat," Salvete was blunt about the ordeal. The looks of the three leading siblings straightened towards the second blessed amongst the Ascended. Salvete had a moment of realisation and looked at Eraanel''s clothes.


    "Don''t worry, she''s not here, I left her in a spot I know to be safe," Eraanel assured Salvete of Piki. "Don''t let anything distract you, since I believe we should strike him as well," Eraanel opted for the first decision, Salvete approving with a nod.


    "I think we should retreat," to Manna''s left, Felemous stepped in after ensuring Enoia was safe with Gilaate. While he kept converting light into lightning, his mind changed knowing of the fact that Orvus may still have something prepared. Eraanel frowned at his brother''s words, Salvete wanting a good reason, while Manna didn''t feel like changing her mind. Her eyes still focused on the brother who hurted them oh so much. "I know how this might sound, coming from me," Felemous looked at Eraanel, then Manna, trying to get her attention, "but on the name of our Creator, I swear I''m willing to kill him.". Manna turned her head towards him, willing to hear his part. "I just know, after fighting him with Bustomus and losing Hargitus, he waited for this.".


    "Waited for this?" Manna was intrigued. "How is the majority of us gathering here something he would want?". After her words, rays of light started to make their way through the settling dust from where Orvus stood. "Explain it fast, Felemous, for he is also willing to fight.".


    "I don''t understand Orvus'' actions nor thoughts, but what I''m sure, and you too are definitely sure," Felemous didn''t need much more than a look at Manna''s face to know explanations were no longer sufficient, "he never fights without a plan.". The sight of Orvus, smiling amidst the chaos, further added to Manna''s belief that he should be killed then and there, and that it was the right decision. For no one found the situation good, but Orvus. ''It might be too late then,'' Felemous thought, seeing as no one was willing to back away.


    ''Then,'' focusing his mind upon his body, as he transmuted light into lightning, Felemous could find the old paths towards where his left arm should''ve been. It was a lingering feeling he kept ever since he lost his arm, further accentuated by the light-made impulses stimulating his muscles and the light trying to find the old release points that were his fingers. "We should use everything we have," in the dark that enveloped the cold lake, those present beared witness to the first of their kind to achieve enlightenment in regards to one''s ability. It wasn''t the simple fact that he strained his ability to the brim, it was the absolute mastery of it that made him stand out. And his mastery was first manifested, then witnessed by everyone, when his left hand caught shape from the shoulder it was missing down to his fingers. Made of four strands of lightning that formed his upper and lower arm, then five strands in place for fingers, Felemous had regained his dominant arm. "The weather is truly sublime," Felemous stated, caught in a trance-like state, staring at the clouds that were crying far away.


    It was enough to capture the attention of everyone present. Felemous kept changing the nature of his light into lightning to such a near perfect degree, that it first manifested the missing limb, then enveloped his body as it started to protrude into other aspects of his being. Manna and Salvete were speechless at the sight of their brother, while Eraanel was the only one to know the truth behind this power.


    ''His soul is being strained,'' his eye allowed him to see something which Felemous could only feel throughout his body, ''an immense pain that can''t be compared to any physical burden. What''s more,'' looking at Felemous'' light, Eraanel could also tell of the immense concentration Felemous had to give to it. ''His ability takes a heavier strain than even those seventy lights Manna has if used at once,'' he could tell.


    "Then so be it," Eraanel felt his heart enveloped by a burning sensation, as the doubts for his brother vanished, replaced by his immense gratitude for the sacrifice Felemous was offering, "we shall use everything we have.". Eraanel, while he couldn''t achieve the same feat as his brother, he put everything he had in his eye and body.


    Salvete realised looking at Felemous and Eraanel that her place wasn''t there, so she thought of something else, heading for Gilaate instead. "I couldn''t strike him down, but I can allow you to, sister. Just wait for when he bends the knee," pressing the hilt of her dagger onto manna''s body, she left with silent, quick steps. Manna couldn''t tell what she had in mind, but was placing her trust in Salvete, the eyes of her sister possessing a terrifying focus.


    Everything around Manna started to slow down. She could smell the snow melting around Salvete''s feet as she ran towards Gilaate. She could see the electric currents enveloping Felemous'' body like burapikas digging their way up to the surface with a jump, just so they could go back into the earth. She could hear Eraanel''s breath as his body was being strained by the light, a painful reminder of their limits. Looking above, the thundering clouds seemed to glow for an eternity, while the wind around her was telling Manna of things she couldn''t understand to no end.


    ''I wish I could be caught in this eternity,'' Manna thought. ''Feeling, hearing, seeing. It''s all I need,'' time was brought to a halt. There was nothing more to be felt, heard or seen, her mind blurring the very sensation of being. ''Complete desolation. The absolute state of nothingness. There is nothing inside, because there is nothing outside. I don''t hate it, nor do I love it, but it''s better than the suffering outside this empty space.''. As she imposed the absolute state of being nothing upon herself, Manna felt something disturbing her space.


    "They need you," it was a voice she knew all too well.


    "They don''t. We need Kilon, but he''s not here. All I did was to bring ourselves closer to being nothing. If I become nothing before we''re consumed by everything, then wouldn''t that mean I won?".


    "It would mean everything you were, are and will be, is nothing. If nothingness is what you truly wish, then you have succeeded," the voice of her Creator didn''t seem disappointed in her.


    "Aren''t You mad at us, at me? Our purpose is to survive and prosper, that is why You made us," Manna felt confused. "You even tell me that they need me.".


    "I''m telling you what you know, for you seem to have forgotten the purpose you gave yourself.".


    "The purpose I gave myself?".


    "Have I banished you outside?".


    "No.".


    "Have I told you what to make or do?".


    "No, and I understand, it is my fault for stepping out of the light. But You didn''t warn us, how were we supposed to know just how cruel it would all be?".


    "You remember our talk, that I am sure. So remember, even if I were to tell you-".


    "I would never know what it means...".


    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    "Do you know what it means?".


    "I don''t know, at least I think I don''t know. I might need some more time. See, feel and hear some more. But when I cease from seeking all of it, I feel at peace, even though it leaves me empty.".


    "Then don''t cease. Keep walking, outside the light, and beyond. For I have not tied you to a fate. I''m the observer of the Continuous, the Creator of the Ascended and those lesser than them, the First Spark and the Chaser of Terrors. You who walks the Continuous, shall know despair, pain and even death. But in the name of the Absolute, I promise you, my strong daughter, as the Great Spark, there is hope.".


    "I can''t see hope, oh Creator. Even now, when everyone is willing to give their lives for a better future, I still linger in doubt.".


    "Then don''t linger. Waiting in nothingness will not allow you to see hope. Lingering in doubt will not let you push to a greater certainty. You must endure and suffer, for they are your hope and they offer you certainty.".


    Time started to move once more. Everything around Manna started to regain its natural rhythm as she felt all her lights coursing through her body, only hers present in her mind. "There is no time like now," her glow was telling of the power her being was withholding, "and no better tomorrow. The only certainty we have is that which others can hold in regards to us.". In front of Manna, Orvus was making his way to face his siblings, the glow of the cold moon standing against that of the sun that was Manna. "Even I held certainty into someone, Orvus. And even if I''m betrayed time and time again, I will face my own uncertainty of who you are.". Eraanel and Orvus were able to notice it, as Orvus was a mere twenty metres away from them. Manna surged her light throughout her body, then into one of the blades of the spear. "For this moment, we have all prepared in our way, so that we may keep on living for a better today," her words were followed only by silence, not even the skies daring to disrupt the moment set in their history.


    "How my heart trembles when I see you, brothers, sister. Standing in direct opposition of my very purpose to allow us a life inside a paradise, is telling me of the fear you all have that I must cure through death," Orvus formed at each of his side tornadoes, rising twice his height from the ground, his voice a whisper between the winds.


    Manna and Eraanel didn''t know what he was speaking of, but given that Felemous was still willing to kill him after they talked, they didn''t need to question him further. "So, must we fight? If a better tomorrow is what you wish for, simply give me your light, and then those of our siblings," his demands were supposed to be met by silence, but since he was still standing, Manna knew Salvete needed more time.


    "And what will you do with them?" Manna mustered to ask, the flow of her lights under strict control as to not burst out of her body. "What good is having all of our lights, if it''s only you that is alive, Orvus?".


    "Much good, I tell you," Orvus took a step forward, Mann and Eraanel taking two back. "You should understand it more than anyone here, Manna," Eraanel and Felemous looked at her, confused by his statement. "Have you not told them?".


    "Tell them what?" unbeknownst to Orvus, there was no curse lingering in the lights which Manna had. Up to that point, he only assumed Manna could just handle them better. Not that his siblings chose to curse him where they didn''t her. Manna''s eyes changed in confusion, the hidden meaning which Orvus believed her to know, nowhere to be found but in Felemous who spoke with him.


    "The pain!" Orvus shouted, his voice an amalgamation of sadness, painful sorrow and desperation. He clutched at his chest with his left hand, letting one of the tornadoes vanish. "The torment of the lights which you possess, do not pretend you can''t feel it Manna!". From the left of Orvus, Eraanel noticed clouds of snow being kicked up in the air, and briefly the sight of a couple faint lights.


    "I''m not pretending about anything," Manna tightened her grip on her spear, her light starting to accumulate in the second, left, blade of the spear. "You still haven''t answered me thus, what do you want with our lights? For what purpose do you steal our dear lives?".


    "I do not steal them," Orvus was angered by the statement, his eyes letting out sparks in a frantic manner, "I want to guide them, towards a place which doesn''t know pain nor death.". Orvus extended his left hand as he maintained his tornado with the right one, light gathering at the tips of his fingers "Thus you mustn''t struggle, for my solution brings salvation. For us, and those which wander to a place unknown to us.".


    As Orvus took one more step forward, so did Manna. ''She must be close,'' Manna thought ''I must keep his attention on me.''. Once a couple metres apart, Orvus didn''t attempt to steal nor weaken her light, Felemous was behind Manna. He couldn''t move from the place he was standing for the smallest attempt at releasing energy in any manner, would be met with outbursts of energy from the inside. "If I am to give myself, and my lights, to you Orvus, will you leave our siblings alone?".


    To convince him further of her intentions, Manna had to hide some of the energy she was ready to release. In order to do it, she had to rely on the past experiences of the lights she possessed. While it wasn''t anything reliable she could fall back onto, since none of her fallen siblings had to deal with such amounts of energy, she was still able to suppress it by coursing the lights around her body as fast as possible.


    Orvus smiled at her, Manna extending her hand ready to grasp at his. But then the light at Orvus'' tips erupted, trying to pierce Manna''s chest. Her reactions, though, were sharpened to the edge, so she had time to expel light from all around her body, diverging the lights in other directions and allowing Manna to fall back, next to Felemous. "For a moment I was ready to believe you sister," Orvus stood at a far enough distance to not be able to attempt stealing their lights, but close enough to use his lights the best he could. "Then again, you were never good at hiding your strength," the facade fell before it had time to show its worth, though her attempt gave Salvete enough time.


    From behind, Orvus could feel strength leaving his knees, as he fell to the ground. He was trying to make sense of it all, the pain of crushed muscles delayed by the amount of lights overflowing his mind with information. "We got both of them by accident," Salvete spoke from behind Orvus, Gilaate holding Salvete on her back and her fists enhanced by the light. Orvus tried to turn around and grasp at their lights, but they were gone before he had time to even look.


    The very next moment, Felemous was upon Orvus after a single leap forward, his knee striking his skull, releasing electricity throughout his whole body. In the span of the same moment, Felemous descended his reformed arm onto his back, the force of it greater than his right arm, while the shock of the lightning exploded in flames as it burned the air below and above Orvus.


    Even so, Orvus was still able to move, clutching Felemous'' leg and draining his light. Felemous transmuted lightning into the stolen light, making Orvus suffer for his futile attempt. Yet he couldn''t stay around him too long, for he risked being drained before Orvus went down. So he freed himself from his grasp and jumped back to where Manna ran from.


    "Below his chest! Right at the centre!" Eraanel cried, telling Manna of the point of convergence for Orvus'' lights. "If you strike him there, he will fall!" her brother promised. Orvus was struggling to both regenerate the injuries caused by Felemous, and manage the transmuted light that had to cycle through his body before being expelled.


    Manna didn''t allow him to recover, plunging her twin headed spear into his chest. Not knowing of what it did, given the glow of the light inside and around the blades, Orvus assumed the worst and used a most draining yet effective use of his light. By releasing them without control, the lights created a veil of sorts that spread itself disproportionally from his body. The power of such offensive means would be lacking at best, but with the many lights he possessed, it was enough to blast Manna and some of the ground below him away. The force was nothing Manna couldn''t handle, the issue was that it allowed Orvus to deal with Felemous'' attack.


    ''The three of them are stronger than me,'' Orvus admitted to himself. ''Meaning,'' he looked at his other siblings, still fighting the monster that was close to the point of collapse, ''I just have to put into action my plan earlier than I wanted.''. Orvus stood up the next moment, releasing rays of light from the palms of his hands towards the three of them. While they seemed aimless and desperate, Eraanel was first to notice the purpose of those rays, as the lights of his brethren were being dragged into Orvus due to them acting as incredible extensions of Orvus'' body. In a matter of a few seconds, Orvus was able to steal the lights of three more siblings, four resisting his power as they were further away.


    "Manna!" Felemous cried for his sister, "We must attack at the same time!". Manna nodded and together, Manna from the right, Felemous from the front, assaulted their brother. Orvus felt empowered by the new lights, enhancing his body and mind for a couple of minutes.


    ''Here they come, there they go,'' his eyes weren''t on those attacking him, but those fleeing deeper into the forest to avoid his attacks. Felemous and Manna coordinated their attacks. Manna from above, Felemous from below, they unleashed the power of their lights. Orvus stopped Manna''s strike by manipulating wind below her feet and making her slip, while for Felemous he had to release a powerful ray of light meant to pierce him.


    Manna fell forward, but landed on her left hand and turned her body around with a kick, striking Orvus in his abdomen with the power of thirty lights. Felemous released a lightning from the palm of his own hand, piercing through the ray of light, dispersing it and shocking Orvus'' hand. The combined force of their strikes ripped Orvus off of his abdominal muscles and cracked his hand''s bones. Orvus felt overwhelmed by their attacks, which continued as Felemous proceeded with his upper attack to Orvus'' heart, while Manna pierced through his legs with her lower spear strike. The light inside her spear imploded inside Orvus, destroying his limbs.


    "Get away, both of you!" Eraanel warned, and both obeyed, as Orvus released powerful bursts of light from his body in an attempt to grab at their lights and steal them, especially from Manna. After the lights dimmed off, both of them rushed once more, Eraanel noticing the odd fact that Orvus was still conserving his light.


    ''More defensive towards him, more offensive towards her,'' Orvus thought, releasing rays of light towards Felemous to keep him away, while trying to steal from Manna''s light in order to recuperate. Felemous was able to dodge by kicking the ground with one leg, then the other, the force of it making his body jump around like a wild lightning on the ground. Manna, on the opposite side, used her light infused spear to disrupt the way of Orvus'' light towards her. Both siblings were managing Orvus fine, but Eraanel, following the little details of their bodies, was able to tell that it was all going into Orvus'' favour.


    ''It''s only a matter of time until either of them falls to the ground from the strain,'' he could tell. ''Then the larger issue remains with Orvus being able to steal light. If Manna slips even for a moment, she risks being overwhelmed by him,'' as Eraanel assessed the situation, Orvus felt something through one of his wopede parasites.


    ''Nowhere near what I wanted, but it will have to do,'' as he thought that, Felemous reached Orvus once more and struck him twice, once with his right leg crashing on top Orvus'' back, then followed by his left fist to his face. Orvus felt the lightning melting parts of his brain and shattering his spine. He had to offer a great portion of his lights towards regeneration alone, so he wouldn''t die after one of Felemous'' strikes. This made him lose focus on Manna, and Manna took the occasion to close in the distance as well, preparing to plunge her spear below his chest area. ''There, perfect'' Orvus thought amidst all of it, and the three siblings confronting Orvus could only hear the screams of their siblings, as the forest thundered in harmony with the sky.


    Inside the forest, to where the small group of Lightborns, numbering fifty four, ran to, wopede parasites crashed upon them and butchered the disoriented group. Orvus wanted to keep it until at least a few hundred were near, but given Manna, Felemous and Eraanel''s combined powers, he had to grasp at every single strand of power he could lay his hands upon.


    Manna and Felemous were pushed away by the immense insurgence of lights that were coming into Orvus'' body. "It''s less accurate and it needs me to focus a great deal of energy towards it," Orvus spoke, his voice filled with a power that only Kilon had felt when he travelled in the Whistling Valley. "But with those parasites, given their simple nature, I''m able to coordinate them better, and perform other actions with the strands of lights I attach," the only difference was that Orvus, who kept control over multiple lights, connections and beasts all the time, "thus I''m able to steal and control their lights from afar, once they''re dead of course.".


    Standing before the three siblings, alone given their whole group was killed, was a Lightborn that had sole control over a hundred and twenty lights. He couldn''t steal all of them, some lights resisting even after death, but it was more than enough for Eraanel to say that "We lost...".


    Orvus looked at the faces of his siblings. Manna was horrified by the sight of Orvus, Eraanel dropped to his knees defeated, but Felemous was still frowning and fighting inside his mind on what to do. "You still choose to fight brother?" Orvus felt his body lifting off the ground, the power of the lights creating enough energy below him to lift him high above. "Can''t you see? I was right. If I keep all their lights inside, not you, Manna or even Kilon can stand against me, and that''s not a bad thing," Orvus lowered his body. In his mind, there was nothing either of them could do, and if they tried, his ability to steal lights was furthered by the massive amounts of lights he possessed. "Accept it peacefully, and let me guide your light as well.". If not for his ominous intentions, to someone Orvus was looking almost like godly entity.


    Felemous felt overwhelmed by the power emanated through Orvus'' body. The closer he got, the stronger he could feel his own strain upon the body. Orvus was not impervious to the strain, but due to this ability to be efficient in light manipulation, he could stay in the state Manna was when she received her lights much longer. It was the image of omnipotence, further enhanced by the flowing light coming out of his eyes, going up towards the sky and forming a mane of light around Orvus'' head.


    Felemous looked at the sky, felt the first few drops of water coming down his forehead, most of them evaporated due to Orvus. He looked at Eraanel''s hopeless expression and Manna''s frozen legs, then at Orvus, who''s face still had traces of a daunting pain. "Do you remember, brother?" Felemous asked him. "The way I told you I felt after the storm had passed?".


    "I do," Orvus, in spite of his newfound power, couldn''t for a moment stop the torment inside his mind, further accentuated by the new lights. "I feel it, now hundreds of times over. Every moment of the day," Felemous sent an electric current towards Manna and Eraanel through the ground, using his light as a conduit, as Orvus spoke with his eyes looking elsewhere. "Do you still think of them?" Orvus asked him back, his eyes fixated on Felemous. Felemous caught the attention of the other two, who saw him pointing upwards. Eraanel realising what he wanted to do, seeing the gathering energies in the sky, gestured Manna to lay low.


    "I do, and seeing you like this," Felemous extended his arms for a hug, letting go of the lightning he converted, his left arm disappearing, "reminds me why we''re brothers.". Orvus was much more sensitive towards the changes of the soul with all his lights, so when he felt no malice from Felemous, but plain sadness and pain, he wanted it too, one last hug.


    "I''m sorry brother, that you too have to suffer like I do, no matter how little," the mane made of lights cried with Felemous, sparks of light climbing into the darkness of the night and slowly fading away. "Let''s see each other once again, when all the pain and suffering is gone.".


    "Let us then," suddenly, Felemous'' whole body enveloped itself in lightning, his left arm reforming in an odd shape as he lacked the necessary focus. Orvus thought it was a desperate attempt to allow Manna and Eraanel escape, so he wanted to let him indulge in his false hope a little more. But, once he heard the strikes of thunder, he realised his mistake. While the shock of Felemous'' lightning was powerful, Orvus had plenty more strength to break free, and so he released extreme amounts of energy from his hands. It was enough to destroy sections of Felemous'' body, but Felemous didn''t let go, and instead reformed the lost sections with more lightning.


    "Let go!!" Orvus screamed, terrified of what was about to happen. He struggled in his brother''s arms, releasing condensed light time and time again. He destroyed his whole body in the process, yet Felemous kept reforming it into lightning. In just a couple of moments, Felemous transformed his body into living currents of electricity. The only parts remaining solid were his head, neck and a portion of his chest, his eyes staring the intention to kill and die.


    "For you brother, I burn my soul," the sky was lit alive for the first time that night, and with it, the descent of a power that only one Lightborn could control, "so accept my sacrifice with your heart!". The next moment, lightning struck where Felemous was, guided and attracted by his own. Orvus screamed in pain as his body was being disintegrated, but Felemous knew it wasn''t enough, so he kept burning his body and soul, drawing more of the heavens'' power. The whole forest was brought alive by brilliant lights shining upon the sky, converging towards a central point. Soon, rain followed, yet the storm kept being drawn to that point, Manna using the whole of her power to manipulate the winds and every bit of strength towards it, her tears lost in the violent winds.


    Orvus felt his bones cracked open by the power of the lightning strikes, while the winds didn''t allow him to escape in any manner, tearing the little flesh that wasn''t burnt apart. Felemous was feeling his head disappearing, the last sight he got of Orvus, was of him crying. Not because of the intense pain, but because he was feeling the dread of failure encroaching upon him. With the last bit of awareness Felemous had, he used his soul to talk with Orvus. "I''m sorry brother. You didn''t give us a choice," Orvus'' conscience was fading, Felemous'' words could be felt by Orvus but not heard. "But neither did we, so forgive us, me. For I forgive you.". Amidst all of it, Orvus found his soul split by his brother''s power.


    Where the storm was converging, the light of the lightning strikes were reaching a blinding high. And, in a flash of light more powerful than the Link itself, the earth trembled with shatterting ferocity. Manna felt her body shaken to the core, while Eraanel thought he might crumble. Gilaate and Salvete were a good distance away, where the main group was at, even so, the earth shook slightly there as well. The Lightborns there watched the skies from afar up to that moment.


    "They''re dead," Eraanel was once again the first to notice, the storm not passing for a while. "Not even their souls, nothing. I can''t see anything that is them," his eye was infused with all the light he had. He wanted to ensure that Felemous might be alive, and that Orvus was dead. "Why can''t I find him though?!". Eraanel found himself frustrated, in denial of what Felemous did.


    "Don''t be foolish brother," Manna approached, hunched over from the strain, her body glowing oddly as her lights were hard to control, "he used his whole being, no, perhaps more than that to kill Orvus. So let''s respect his sacrifice.". Eraanel knew all too well, yet he couldn''t believe Manna was speaking in such a manner. Her stare was cold and the little marks their tears leave around the eyes were almost healed.


    "Are you restraining yourself? It''s fine, you can cry sister," Eraanel assured her, placing his left hand on her back as they both walked towards the place. The storm was broken with a few gestures of her hand. Even though she wasn''t good at it, she used her spear as a point of focus, thus was able to perform better than with her hands alone.


    "Crying blinds us Eraanel. It disturbs our vision," Manna approached the spot where lightning struck the most, not even ashes present there. "We should look at what happened, and learn from it. If we cry over these things, h-how," even though she wanted to, she couldn''t contain her tears. Both of them dropped to their knees, embracing the other to feel less of the cold brought by the dreadful night.

 Until We Meet Again

    ¡®I send my prayer to you, Creator,¡¯ atop a tree, the Blessed amongst the Ascended raises a prayer, ¡®bring them back to me, for I miss them oh so much,¡¯ for his siblings to meet him once again. His hair has grown to where the tips of his fingers would get lost between all of them, while his flesh bore the burden of a few more scars.


    ¡°We must go brother,¡± Eharel stood at the bottom of the tree, ensuring no creature was to ambush them, whispering to Kilon, ¡°the others are probably home by now,¡± in his hand, the spear with a blade made of a clawbear claw had a more sharp edge, shining an almost white grey.


    ¡°That we must,¡± Kilon approved, letting his feet touch a branch of the tree, ¡°I just had this odd feeling ever since we entered this portion.¡±. Kilon and his group were on the hunt for the apex predator that was proving to be far more cunning than they could imagine. ¡®It¡¯s reminiscent of the Link, I can tell,¡¯ Kilon climbed down the tree without manipulating the wind, so as to not attract unwanted attention ¡®but maybe it¡¯s just me, from using my light for so long.¡¯. At the base of the tree, a group of a hundred Lightborn were quietly gathering.


    ¡°Avunaia and the Sweepers left already, they had two injured,¡± despite their own cunning, the Lightborn had a difficult time dealing with this predator. ¡°The draxes were especially careful this time,¡± the face of exhaustion from Eharel telling as much, ¡°they¡¯re starting to learn Kilon.¡±.


    Treacons, the apex predators of the Lands Between Mountains, were lizard-like creatures. Walking on all fours, having a feline body, a line of fur on their backs, the rest of the body covered in thick scales, these creatures have evolved with high intelligence and awareness of their surroundings. They weren¡¯t the only intelligent species around the lands, the regal deers being highly aware themselves. But due to the constant challenges they subject themselves to, the draxes were learning from the Lightborn other methods of survival, thus were becoming more and more cunning.


    ¡°They¡¯ve been doing it for two tree times,¡± Kilon was speaking of months by how a tree¡¯s leaves were changing, in this case, six of them, ¡°ever since we arrived, they¡¯ve been stalking us, preying on the smaller groups whenever they could.¡±. Kilon held his spear in his right hand, the blade was made purely of the metal that was melted on the edge of Eharel¡¯s weapon, his clawbear cape adorned with small trinkets from various animals. ¡°It will stop though,¡± he stood as tall as ever, his siblings looking with religious eyes towards him, more so than six months prior to when it began, ¡°that I will ensure.¡±.


    From east where they were, Kilon and the hundred Lightborns with him started to head back west. Once out of the forest, they could see the sun shining in the west. The warm embrace of its rays were slightly denied by the cold winds surrounding the forests, then reinforced as they stepped into open fields. There like the branches of a tree, above grass, the crowns of regal deers were moving. Most of them were of a dark brown colour, while Kilon¡¯s, Eharel¡¯s and a few other Lightborn¡¯s were of a beautiful black that would hide them in the night. The regal deers were used to sleeping during the day, but thanks to the Lightborns¡¯ radiant energy, they could push through the better part of the day. This was used as a method to train them to sleep whenever the Lightborn found it most useful.


    The dawn of day came with the breaking of bloom moons in the vast fields as well, Kilon admiring their fragile beauty in the fresh and moist air. The other Lightborn were spreading around, as their regal deers had specific positions, so as not to attract any draxe from the forest. Their crowns were rising up from within the grass as soon as their respective master was near them, the smart creatures recognizing the special feeling each of their light had imprinted onto them. Once Kilon was near his, much like him, it was the largest of them all. He called his mount Arhegon. In their tongue arhenul meant night, while eregon meant dawn, thus Arhegon meant ¡®dawn of night¡¯. Arhegon was tamed by Kilon, and the other mounts by their respective masters. In Kilon¡¯s case, aside from his size that needed to be accommodated by a larger regal deer, there was also the fact that his mount shouldn¡¯t be intimidated by his presence. So when Kilon stumbled across Arhegon, they both fought each other, Kilon proving his dominance by stopping the crown strike Arhegon tried upon him. The strike from the crown of a seven metres large beast, the crown alone being five metres tall and three metres in width, would¡¯ve killed even a clawbear in a single strike.


    ¡°Arhegon,¡± his beast was also old, its vigour not displaying that though, as it could swing its crown without breaking its neck five or more times, ¡°we return home.¡±. The beast understood the two words, its name and what its new home was. Kilon, having his clothes made of various clothes and handmade portions, pulled out a small pouch, tied around with a thin strand of the same metal in his blade. By applying more light to his finger, he could warm the metal and bend it open, as the Lightborn were yet to learn how to properly make rope or such things. From it, Kilon took out crimson berries, poisonous for species like rabbits and critters of similar size, but a treat for regal deers. Once he put a few in the palm of his hand, the wise beast picked them out one by one, enjoying each of them by shaking its head up and down and tapping the ground with its hooves. ¡°Good, you¡¯re happy and ready to go then,¡± Kilon tied around Arhegon¡¯s back a bag filled with minerals and small plants, planning to give them to Avaanel, then the Sweepers to get more of what was useful.


    The other Lightborn were dressed in a similar fashion to Kilon, missing only the clawbear cape adorned with trinkets and his spear with the metal blade. Their weapons couldn¡¯t have the same components as Kilon¡¯s, or even as Eharel¡¯s, since they were only able to do it by melting the metal that was hard to find on the surface, then shaping it properly so it could be sharp. Meanwhile their clothing was more for stealth reasons, some even having hoods to cover their heads and small pieces of leather to cover their faces, but it also helped them not be so strained from the use of light to warm up their bodies. With the regal deers too, the Lightborn were able to cross larger distances faster, while feeling the strain effects of the light less than before.


    Once every single of them mounted the regal deers and got the materials they found and sought, they only waited for Kilon to take the lead. ¡®We shall meet again, mighty draxe¡¯ Kilon promised the beast which he was sure it was watching him from some tree or hole dug in the ground, ¡®until then, I have to take care of my brothers and sisters.¡¯. Kilon pondered upon the feeling he had coming inside the forest, the familiarity he was so sure of, he wondered if it truly was just from him using his light for too long. ¡®Then I shall let go of it, see if I can still feel it,¡¯ and so he did. He freed his body from the strain of the light, which he used to enhance his mind and senses for the creature that was following them. And, even though it was fainter, ¡®It¡¯s still there!¡¯. He thought of telling the others, but then Menoel¡¯s face came to mind, so he tightened his lips, Eharel noticing from his left but not saying anything about it. ¡®If it¡¯s really them, I should approach alone, who knows what these siblings of mine will tell them,¡¯ Kilon¡¯s mind was also struck by the possibility that if what he feels is from Manna¡¯s group, then the one to bring upon them the massacre might be between them. ¡®If that¡¯s the case, it will become clear to whoever that is that my group will resist, and it could be the catalyst of it,¡¯ while his thinking was correct, he couldn¡¯t know of the one he had visions for so long as not being amongst them any longer.


    ¡°Let us go,¡± Kilon began their march back home, leading the front with Arhegon, a black and brown torrent of proud beasts enveloping the field and steady galloping with their leader at the front. ¡®If it is them who harbour the one to bring about the death of so many, then we are to be prepared,¡¯ Kilon¡¯s mind was thinking of the precautions he developed since three months prior, ¡®I am to be prepared.¡¯.


    During their travel, Kilon¡¯s group met with the Sweepers using the mountains and forests in the south to position themselves right on the path, with three suns before arriving to their home. ¡°What happened, Avunaia?¡± Kilon approached his sister, the frustration and anger on her face were something most didn¡¯t want to deal with.


    ¡°They lured us deeper into the forest, and when we thought we cornered one inside a cave,¡± Avunaia showed Prickety, fangs and claw marks seeping through the critter¡¯s flesh, ¡°they circled us near the cave¡¯s entrance, and we had to force our way out.¡±. Kilon would¡¯ve liked to say he was surprised, but seeing as some of them were smart enough to dig holes and even leave false tracks, his face was only caught by the sorrow of losing two of his beloved siblings. ¡°They gave me their lights, right as those beasts tore their flesh apart,¡± Avunaia grabbed Kilon by his hand, and surged those lights into him, ¡°they wanted you to have them, they believed that, through you, they could have their worth in their death.¡±.


    Avunaia tightened her grip on Kilon, struggling not to cry, but Kilon brought her head to his chest and embraced her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, they can¡¯t see you if I hold you like this,¡± his words allowed her to weep as she had wanted since a few days prior, while Kilon did it for himself too, so not to show his own tears.


    After a few moments of silent cries, Avunaia pulled herself out of his embrace, trying to contain the sparks for tears inside, Kilon doing the same. ¡°How do you want to deal with them?¡± Avunaia¡¯s voice was filled with anger and sorrow, Kilon knowing the feeling all too well as he touched the scars on his right arm, the ghostly pain of the recently gained ones reinforcing the feeling.


    ¡°We will bring Menoel along,¡± his answer made Avunaia widen her eyes, for she knew what that meant. ¡°I can see various ways through which we alone could deal with them, but they all lead with more death,¡± Avunaia had no issue with his proposition, but could tell how it wasn¡¯t something Kilon wanted either.


    ¡°What about Melonius?¡± their mounts started to slow down a little, and the rest of the group with them in a slow wave. ¡°Can we trust him to do it?¡±.


    ¡°Trust,¡± Kilon coughed a laugh with the word, ¡°it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t trust their actions, it¡¯s their thinking that always is bothersome.¡±. Eharel approached them, trying to see what they were talking about, but some Sweepers weren¡¯t allowing him to drop an ear to hear. ¡°I only brought Eharel along because I needed someone who knew how to order our siblings around, and there¡¯s only a few other as good as him.¡±.


    Stolen story; please report.


    ¡°But I figure we¡¯re still going to bring him, won¡¯t we?¡± Avunaia got her answer from a slow sigh from Kilon. ¡°Then let¡¯s bring Stelorus too,¡± his name confused Kilon for a moment, then he realised what his sister was proposing, and was ready to deny it. ¡°I know how he is, but think of his ability, he¡¯s the only one who can keep Menoel and Melonius from doing anything that will be troublesome.¡±.


    Kilon could see how Stelorus, a Lightborn of the strongest red glow, could help them with their siblings. Stelorus¡¯ ability allows him to impose his own light upon others, and to effectively make parts of their body obey his own will, be it Lightborn or a critter of sorts. It was an ability that Stelorus used as to play with his siblings during their time at the Link, then later developed to incapacitate creatures that were hard to kill. His constraints were the direct contact he had to enter through in order to impose his will, then the prideful arrogance he had due to his strength and beasts he had killed, and lastly, the sizes of the creatures he could bend to his own will couldn¡¯t be much larger than him. His ability was in a way specialised to be more effective against Lightborn, since it functions on the principle of light manipulation and control. Kilon didn¡¯t want him to take part into it since he didn¡¯t know whether he was with Menoel¡¯s created belief, or acted like Avunaia, to his knowledge, out of his own accord.


    ¡°I will have you speak with Stelorus then. Keep in mind that if he worships me, then he will be of no good. So try not to reveal too much while convincing him,¡± Kilon made his mind, ¡°and I will speak with Menoel and Melonius, they will probably be pretty ecstatic to join me.¡±. With the sun setting in the east, Kilon came to a halt, and so did the rest of the group, Eharel annoyed by the fact that he couldn¡¯t hear what the two were talking.


    After three more days of travel, Kilon¡¯s group was close to home, and the various lights shining in the dark distance was telling them as much. For six months, the Lightborn in Kilon¡¯s group spent their time building living structures out of trees and plants, but the ground where they grew their plants from was rich in gems and minerals. Thus, when the fauna started to grow at incredible speeds, minerals and gems got stuck inside pieces of wood and different parts of them.


    From afar the land which they called home, looked like an odd forest that had trees systematically placed. The trees had different colours, as the gems and gem dust inside their trunks and crowns had the plants absorb parts of them at a rapid pace until they were coloured differently. To match their own glow, some Lightborn chose to live inside treehouses that matched them, while others chose their house by different aspects, from sturdiness and architecture, to design and appeal. Only one tree stood grander than the rest, and it was the place where the brightest minds gathered to share knowledge and help their race further their understanding of the world.


    As Kilon arrived, the Lightborn inside the land started to notice the gathering regal deers and ran to welcome Kilon and his group. The clothes these Lightborn wore inside their homeland were thinner and almost took off from their bodies, as they were made of a silk collected from spiders inhabiting underground, deep caves. They wore these silks in three sections. One from neck to shoulders, covering some portion of their arms, then from chest to bottom, and finally a separate piece for their legs. While the silk wasn¡¯t too transparent, their glow made the shape of their bodies pronounced when looked at.


    The Lightborn which came to meet Kilon were those that had their free time, while those still working wore clothing more akin to what Kilon¡¯s group had. Under Kilon¡¯s orders, Lightborns had to train for at least the rising time of the sun, then expand their understanding in regards to different kinds of manipulation, from air, water and earth to more difficult ones like lightning and fire. At the end of each day, besides praying, the Lightborn were to try and come with concepts, ideas and thoughts of their own which they could use to help make their home better against threats and such.


    Thanks to this approach, the Lightborn were starting to understand their world much faster. From having solutions for the local poisons and dangerous fauna, to better methods of exploration and using various materials, the Lightborns were entering an age of knowledge unique for the whole world.


    Kilon began by saying ¡°May the light protect all of you, my siblings,¡± bowing his back and head a bit forward, left hand on his chest, right hand almost open, having to hold the spear, holding his fingers closed together.


    ¡°May the light keep loving you,¡± his siblings responded, the change in their response reflective of the view they developed of him.


    Menoel stood out from the rest of the group, his eyes gazing upon his brother with a certain intent, telling him that there were matters to discuss and wanted his attention. Kilon chose to ignore him for a moment, then reminded himself that he will have to ask for his help anyway, so he responded with a slight nod. After Menoel got what he wanted from Kilon, he started to head back towards the large tree in the centre, a mineral rich ground paved solid by Lightborns so Kilon wouldn¡¯t have to dirty his feet. It was something Kilon didn¡¯t appreciate that it was dedicated to him as a sort of veneration, but could also admire the resourcefulness of his brethren.


    After going down from Arhegon, ensuring he¡¯s taken care of, Kilon made his way through, followed by Avunaia and Eharel in the crowd. Approaching their home some more, Kilon could see some Lightborn erecting a sort of living wall at the edges of their land, giant roots and branches serving a different purpose than intended. ¡®I figure that must be his hand at play,¡¯ he thought, struggling to make his way through as his siblings wanted to feel the warmth of his light.


    After he managed to get inside their home, Kilon passed by the large treehouses, seeing a busy Lightborn here and there hard at work, almost not bothered by the commotion outside. ¡®If only they were all like this,¡¯ he thought, those working getting distracted themselves by the power he emanated through his glow. Going further towards the centre, the houses began to twist and spiral towards the larger tree, as they were the unearthed roots of the tree, bent towards it. ¡®I should¡¯ve taken care of this myself,¡¯ he kept reprimanding himself, as he remembered how Avunaia offered for the task of building said houses.


    Then, once in front of the gigantic tree, Kilon admired its beauty once more. Growing over a hundred metres from the ground, with the trunk¡¯s girth standing at twenty, the tree represented the collective efforts of over a thousand Lightborn brought together over the course of a week. The Lightborn that were working inside their houses, peeked through living windows and doors at Kilon, wanting to appreciate his every moment he was there. Kilon was spending more time outside their home than inside. The reason was because of the draxes, but also because he felt suffocated by their constant attention and dedication, to the point where he felt it was better to return to the Link. He could only find the calm inside himself when he thought that them venerating him, was by far better than seeing all of them dead. So if he had to live like that for the rest of an eternity, he didn¡¯t mind doing so. But he knew better, that the eternity he was living into wouldn¡¯t last very long.


    ¡°Sister,¡± Kilon called for Avunaia, and she showed herself at his right, ¡°you can leave for the work I assigned you.¡±. Avunaia gave Kilon a knowing glance, then made herself lost through the crowd, Eharel keeping an eye of her direction, noting how she headed for Avaanel¡¯s house. ¡°Brother,¡± Kilon called upon Eharel¡¯s attention, which he gave once he saw Avunaia entering Avaanel¡¯s house, ¡°if you¡¯re proccupied, you can join a future meeting.¡±.


    ¡°It is fine, I was just admiring our home. It is still growing even after all this time,¡± Eharel lied to Kilon, ¡°shall we go inside then?¡±. Eharel made a hand gesture, and Kilon entered the giant tree, which they were yet to name. Kilon wanted Manna and Orvus to present when they were going to name both their home and its pride.


    Manna¡¯s Group


    The night was enveloped by a powerful storm, much like that time. At the edge of the Gargantuan Forest, many dim lights were gathering to a certain point. One which stood out amongst all of them, was silently following a once dangerous predator for them, then an object upon which they could exact their revenge. As the forest was lit for a moment, the shadow of a beast hovered across the cold ground, and in the cold winds gathering, green strands of life were waving the signs of new grounds.


    The beast ran all around, trying to escape an inevitable fate that was awaiting it. It could see from time to time the smallest specks of light jumping across trees or running on the ground. While the beast wanted to rip into any of them, its instincts could foresee the death it would await should it dare. The prospect of death and the fear that was compulsory to take action, were both things which its hunters wanted.


    Then, as it thought it found refuge inside one of the trees, only the strike of lightning allowed it to see the shine of the two blades that claimed its life.


    ¡°Who wanted the fangs?¡± Salvete approached the dead shadow lurker, her hands covered by fur and mud, below scars of countless battles.


    ¡°Manna killed it, so she should have the rights to them,¡± Eraanel¡¯s eye was the only part glowing in the dark, as he adopted Salvete¡¯s means, much like everyone else. ¡°You should be thankful my eye noticed it in time, otherwise it would have escaped,¡± Eraanel took out a short blade from between his animal furs, a cape covering his shoulders.


    ¡°There are no rights Eraanel, if you want it, take it,¡± Manna corrected him, her tall figure not having the usual glow it should¡¯ve had. ¡°Besides,¡± Manna took one of the limbs and ripped it from its socket, its blood flowing with more ease in the warmer environment, ¡°as long as we can claim some of it back, it doesn¡¯t matter who takes what.¡±. In the storm of the night, a dozen Lightborn started to feast upon the corpse of the shadow lurker, their way to punish the creatures which dwindled their numbers. They didn¡¯t care what part of it they ate. Be it the limbs, torso, organs or fur, the Lightborn were consuming all of it like hungry beasts. But there was no hunger, only the insatiable appetite to claim some of the consumed portions of their brethren. While the act was savage in nature, their intent was in a way pure since there was no hate present, just the wish to recover what was lost and dear to them.


    ¡°Are you sure this is the way?¡± Salvete asked, the blood on her mouth drying fast due to her light, colouring her skin red for a while. ¡°There are those mountain things Kilon called, and there was only cold coming from them in the Shivering Lands,¡± Salvete ate more of its flesh while talking, the corpse of the shadow lurker almost consumed in a few minutes.


    ¡°I am,¡± Manna confirmed, eating the larger chunks of meat from the legs of the beast, ¡°all the lights resonated the feeling, it is Kilon on the other side.¡±. The Lightborn stopped for a moment, his name calling upon dear memories that they thought would never come back. ¡°And it¡¯s once again thanks to him that we get out of danger,¡± Manna looked at Eraanel too, ¡°you as well.¡±.


    ¡°What if he rejects us?¡± Eraanel asked, concerned for how Kilon might see them as they have changed into ruthless hunters across the six months spent inside the Gargantuan Forest. ¡°You know I¡¯m willing to die for you, Manna, and most, if not all, of us are ready to do the same.¡±. An uneasiness was building up in the air, as those present didn¡¯t want to have to fight any longer, especially not against Kilon and their kin.


    ¡°He won¡¯t reject us, he can¡¯t,¡± Manna stood up, finishing the last bit of meat and wiping the blood off of her face and hands. ¡°For if he does, we will ensure he knows we¡¯re not going to back away,¡± her eyes started to light up, as did her skin and longer hair, regaining their normal glow, but with an ominous undertone ¡®when we meet, brother, we must learn of each other¡¯s pain, for I am sure you have endured much yourself.¡¯. Thinking of the reunion with her brother, Manna felt forgotten emotions surging back into her body. The sense of insecurity which she had for every single moment inside the Gargantuan Forest, was starting to fade a little bit. ¡°He shall wait for our arrival, the five hundred of us remaining.¡±.

 Days of Peace

    Avaanel


    ¡®How should we call this, graymatter? Hmm, no. Maybe greyearth? Hmm¡­no,¡¯ Avaanel spent most of her time inside a treehouse near the central tree. ¡®I had to do something, I forgot what though,¡¯ inside said tree, many plants, minerals, gems, animal parts and such were present. They were placed on tables made of the same wood, but having tops of stone slabs, roughly broken by other Lightborn. Those tables surrounded her, and with a gesture of her hand, they would start moving alongside the walls, as she had trained the tree in various ways. For the Lightborn, whether it was an animal or a plant, they could find ways to bend their will to their own. They weren¡¯t doing it in a malicious way, and it felt almost natural to do so, as if it was their birthright in a way. Kilon pondered a while as to why that is so, but couldn¡¯t arrive at an answer without confirming first with the Creator.


    Brushing her hand through her short hair, Avaanel was slowly remembering what she was supposed to do. She moved around the higher portion of the tree, where all her little creations were at. She was taking inspiration from the compass Orvus had made, in the meaning that they could make more than just weapons, and various trinkets could come to be useful depending on the situation. Many were failed attempts. From small leaf bags of mushroom powder, that exposed to colder air would expand and glow, which she wanted to use as a means to find each other, to wood contraptions meant to help them travel across harsher terrain.


    ¡°I remember!¡± she exclaimed aloud, some Lightborns hearing her from the outside, as their windows had nothing to cover them, and they were formed not carved, thus the name of living windows. She stood up from her chair, one foot of the chair caught into the floor as the tree tried to take over the wood that wasn¡¯t part of it, which Avaanel stopped with a kick of her foot. ¡®This tree is a stubborn one,¡¯ she believed the tree to have a personality of its own, not knowing it was simply reflecting some aspect of hers.


    Avaanel hurried down the tree, an opening forming in the floor with her descent, as the step of her true foot was trampling over various materials thrown about, while her false one was moving with a will almost of its own. ¡°Fanteem!¡± down at the base, the Lightborn to discover the sharp flowers, was sorting through the various materials and organising the place Avaanel didn¡¯t bother in doing. She was hanging from a branch erecting from a wall to her left as the floor opening was closing in, and the steps the tree was trained to create were rounding around the edges, their shape almost that of a mushroom of sorts.


    ¡°Sister, I told you to not put the drain vines next to the fur of grass boars, they get entangled like this,¡± Fanteem showed a clump of mossy fur and vines intertwined beyond salvation. Fanteem grabbed at them with carelessness, as Avaanel discovered the moss growing on said fur to have the property of inducing sleepiness, while in the case of the drain vines, stopping their movements altogether. Fanteem was wearing clothing meant for protection, with thick skins hidden under a couple thick furs. In places the fur was either ripped, burnt or discoloured, while he was also one of the few Lightborn to wear a type of shoes.


    ¡°Forget those things, I just remembered,¡± Avaanel brushed aside his brother¡¯s scolding, wanting to talk about something she knew more exciting. ¡°The Groundbreakers return today, so we can build that!¡± she didn¡¯t have the name for it yet, but Avaanel wished to build a forge of sorts. She knew that heat was what bent graymatter, as she tried to name the metal, and her idea was to create a special place for them to heat the metal and bend it to their will. The Groundbreakers she was speaking of, were a group of Lightborn that were redder in glow, and could manipulate earth with more ease, while their strong bodies allowed to dig for longer.


    ¡°Kilon will return in a couple of suns¡¯ time or so, I don¡¯t think we have the time to build ¡®that¡¯ and deal with the other stuff,¡± Fanteem made his way closer to her, moving aside various bags and animal parts. Avaanel, as he saw her, was dressed in similar clothes to his. The difference stood in small cut segments around her clothes, where various tools waited to be used or forgotten by habit. One such tool was a dull, pointy bone with a wooden handle. She used it to poke and probe various plants and animal organs, and when she didn¡¯t work, like she did in that moment, she used the palm-long tool to poke her brother in the forehead. ¡°Stop that,¡± Fanteem demanded, pushing her hand aside from below where he stood, ¡°and get down here, help me sort this stuff, then let¡¯s help Melonius with his work.¡±.


    Avaanel made a bored expression, puffing her cheeks and breathing annoyed. Fanteem, being alone with her for long periods of time, noticed more than ever how unsympathetic she was towards others¡¯ feelings. The work he was talking of, was Melonius making various tributes to their dead siblings. For Avaanel it wasn¡¯t that she didn¡¯t care, but she felt that by furthering their understanding and developing better ways to live and protect themselves, was time better spent than reminiscing about the dead ones. Fanteem shared the feeling in some capacity, while also feeling that it was a good way for them to remember who their brethren were.


    ¡°If you can¡¯t be bothered, then I¡¯ll go alone,¡± Fanteem told her, scratching his neck and turning towards the living door, annoyed by her visible lack of remorse for feeling the way she did. ¡°But you should know,¡± Fanteem turned his head towards her, meeting her unbothered eyes with a sharp glance, ¡°the dead teach us much, even if you can¡¯t see it yet.¡±. Avaanel didn¡¯t expect such words from her brother, as Fanteem wanted to show her it was still a serious matter they should partake in.


    Avaanel watched Fanteem as he left, the door closing out of its own accord behind him, revealing for a moment the busy, paved road outside her house. She pondered for a bit, looking through a living window at her right and seeing the Groundbreakers being welcomed back by dozens of Lightborn, soon hundreds. ¡®I guess it can wait,¡¯ she thought, and headed hastily after Fanteem.


    Mercaara


    ¡°May the Light protect all of you, brothers and sisters,¡± Stelorus, the leader of the Groundbreakers, saluted his siblings. He bowed his head and back down, his left hand on the chest and right hand forward, with the palm open and fingers closed together. His group of fifty Lightborn followed suit, most standing on regal deers as mounts, while a few had river wolves to serve as scouts and detour threats from the rest of the group.


    ¡°May the Light guide you,¡± the others saluted as well, Mercaara looking around to see how much they brought from their expedition. Stelorus noticed her impatience, so he hurried along with the welcomes, leaving the regal deers in the hands of the others.


    ¡°You¡¯re as hasty as ever, sister,¡± Stelorus approached her, Mercaara¡¯s eyes still set on the large skin bags made from grass boars. ¡°You should learn to stop from your work at times, and enjoy some time for yourself,¡± standing next to her, Stelorus was visibly larger. It wasn¡¯t just his height, his body was similar to that of Efeehem, who was the strongest in terms of natural prowess. The various trinkets he wore on the furs gathered from various predators all around, from teeth to claws and bones, made him stand out as perhaps the best hunter Kilon¡¯s group had.


    This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡°Kilon trusted me I could count and share the various materials we gather properly,¡± Mercaara responded, heading towards the right portion of their settlement, where four thick but short trees served as a storing building for the Lightborn. Each of them were grown from a different kind of tree, one of which once had the fungal disease affecting the forests near the entrance of the Lands Between Mountains. It was cured thanks to the Lightborns and their lights, as those helped the tree fight back the disease, only some slight traces remaining around the entrance inside. ¡°Avunaia also told me that the Sweepers will have a better say on how things are done if I do my job properly,¡± she continued, a sense of pride in her voice.


    Stelorus shrugged her with his shoulders, and followed her to the trees. Passing between dirt roads and various trees of the Lightborn, in which some rested their exhausted bodies or were developing a skill of sorts, the two of them reached the place. It was visibly set aside from the rest of the houses, so it could be easily found, and a good consequence of that which they couldn¡¯t foresee, was that it allowed their regal deers to gather and unburden the materials faster.


    ¡°It might take a while until it¡¯s all put aside,¡± Steloru was telling her, even though she almost didn¡¯t hear him amidst her thoughts. ¡°You could come with me for a while and play with some of our siblings. I heard some of them caught these little creatures that jump really high and are wet all the time,¡± he was talking of a species of frogs, poisonous for most creatures, but having little effect on beings of light like them where their skin had a thin veil of energy. ¡°They told me they make your skin tingly, I don¡¯t know what that means, Avaanel was the one to describe it like that,¡± Stelorus amused more himself than he did Mercaara.


    Seeing that she didn¡¯t want to do anything but her work that couldn¡¯t be done, Stelorus suddenly grabbed her, which Mercaara didn¡¯t realise until she saw the entrance of the trees getting further away. Stelorus placed her on his shoulder, and ran away from the place. ¡°What are you doing?! Let me down!¡± she commanded, rightfully so. The other Lightborn were wondering what Stelorus was doing, and whether to stop him or not, or if it was even possible.


    ¡°I told you, but you don¡¯t seem to listen, you need some time for yourself,¡± Mercaara didn¡¯t care to listen to his reasons, and tried to blast a ray of light in order to trip him over, but Stelorus¡¯ ability reached her limbs and forced her to surrender.


    ¡°You¡¯re one to talk,¡± Mercaara reprimanded him, ¡°you to what you want and even force others to do as you like.¡±. Stelorus kept running despite her wods, even smiling while doing so. ¡°When Kilon comes back, I will have him punish you!¡±. She threatened.


    Stelorus let out a copious laughter, as if her words were meaningless or didn¡¯t have weight to them. ¡°If Kilon tries to punish me, I¡¯ll just run away like this,¡± Mercaara was simply speechless at her brother¡¯s stupendous reasoning. ¡°Besides, what will he punish me for? Allowing you to rest a little?¡±.


    ¡®That¡¯s not the point,¡¯ she thought, while also feeling alleviated to some degree. She didn¡¯t want to admit to it, but while her work offered her a sense of pride and fulfilment, it also strained her mind as she didn¡¯t want to disappoint either of her siblings. As Stelorus was running between the treehouses and jumping over his siblings, sometimes making some of the fall, she felt amused by it. An old feeling of playfulness and cheerfulness enveloping her.


    After a while, they were out of the settlement and up a tall hill near the settlement. The night was approaching, and most of the surroundings were falling into a dead silence, further accentuated by the darkness. Mercaara had only stepped out of the settlement on a few occasions, usually accompanied by Avunaia, on some duty the Sweepers were set on, or to help some of her siblings. She never truly stopped to take in the environment since their arrival, and it often scared her siblings, as she would more often than not whisper to herself things she should do. That wasn''t the case for  Stelorus however, who was fearless to a remarkable point of his own.


    ¡°Here we are,¡± Stelorus announced to her, standing just a bit on the other side of the hill, where an old tree stood alone for more time than some forests. He placed her down slowly, expecting her to run away the very next moment, but to his pleasant surprise, she just stood there, watching the sky and surrounding areas.


    ¡°You should¡¯ve told me about this place brother,¡± Mercaara said mesmerised, ¡°you wouldn¡¯t have had to take me away like this if you did.¡±. Stelorus sighed with slight frustration but also amusement, then sat down next to her under the tree. ¡°I can see them properly up here,¡± Mercaara pointed at the stars, glimpses of gods beyond their world.


    ¡°Do you like them?¡± Stelorus asked, his glowing eyes taking in the environment just as much as his sister. ¡°To our understanding, the Creator should be somewhere over there,¡± Stelorus pointed at a certain point in the sky, where the sun would¡¯ve been. ¡°But I don¡¯t feel the presence of our Creator in the rays of the day,¡± Mercaara knew, much like everyone else, the feeling he was talking about. It was an intimate connection the Lightborn had with their Creator, something they could feel in the very light emanated by the Link, yet it wasn¡¯t present at all in the light of day, as their Creator was supposed to be the very sun nourishing all life.


    ¡°Do you believe there is another Creator instead, up there?¡± Mercaara wanted to know of him, looking into the depth of his eyes, soft winds brushing their skin, and the grass growing a bit all around them.


    ¡°That I cannot know,¡± Stelorus told her, stretching his hand towards the sky, as if to feel the presence of their Creator. ¡°But I do know that the warmth of the day, is not that of our Creator, but of something else,¡± Mercaara didn¡¯t have time to think about it, although Kilon mentioned to all of them how different the light of day is to that of the Creator, so she was starting to think of what that meant.


    ¡°Would it be bad?¡± She wondered aloud, Stelorus reaching below his pelts and scratching his right shoulder, where old scars left ghostly sensations for him to remember.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± Stelorus looked at her briefly as he answered, then back at the sky, ¡°if there are two Creators who watch over us, then it must mean we are truly loved.¡±. Mercaara giggled a little at his words, thinking of all the hardships they¡¯ve been through. ¡°I know what you¡¯re thinking, but having fought so hard against this world, I can see how much love the Creator offered it. After all,¡± Stelorus stood up, his tall figure only overshadowed by the ancient tree ¡°what, if not love, can create such beauty?¡±.


    Mercaara watched him stand up, then looked where he was, and slowly stood up herself, amazed by what she saw. Below the hill, some few hundred metres away, their settlement seemed for a moment to reflect the stars of the sky. The gems and minerals inside the trees were casting glows of their own as some captured or reflected the light of the Lightborn, while their lights themselves, were illuminating the dark roads. In all the dark wilderness there was, the Lightborn settlement stood as a testament of beauty, wonder, and in those two siblings¡¯ eyes, of love.


    The two of them stood there a while longer, letting their bodies recuperate from the use of the light throughout the day, and talk about the little things going with their lives. Mecaara told him of all the weird animal parts some of the siblings were gathering, showing one she kept for herself. Stelorus talked high and mighty of himself, how he killed various creatures like a giant river wolf, or starbears deep inside the forests.


    ¡°Do you feel better?¡± Stelorus asked her, their intimate time coming to a close. Mercaara looked with melancholy at the settlement, thinking of the strenuous time they had to endure in order to erect all those houses.


    ¡°I do, thanks brother,¡± Mercaara responded, patting her bottom and getting ready to head back. ¡°Once Kilon and Avunaia arrive, let¡¯s return here, see how much brighter the place will become.¡±. Stelorus smiled at her suggestion, and allowed her to help him up. For Stelorus, it was a sign he too was feeling better after the long expedition for gathering materials.


    ¡°Hopefully Avaanel will be done with her forge too, so we can finally make use of all that dirt she put us to gather,¡± Stelorus grabbed his sister by the shoulder, hugging her close to his chest and leaving for their home.

 Siblings Argue

    ¡°From the light we gain power,


    In its waking shine, do we cower?


    In the Creator we find love,


    Yet, nothing ever comes from above¡­¡±


    The short verse Meriumus whispered, resting in the morning of a special day, one that signals the beginning of great change.


    ¡°Kilon! Tihal! Kilon! Tihal!¡± inside the gigantic tree, Lightborns were taking seats in pieces of wood protruding from inside, going up in a spiral. Some more Lightborn were gathering inside, walking up to their seats with the wood forming around their feet as steps, then blending back into the tree. Most of them were crying Kilon¡¯s name out, showing their desperate devotion to him.


    ¡°Silence!!¡± Menoel stepped in, the power of his voice drumming through the tree without echoing. From the hundred Lightborn present there, all of which had mastery over various skills and abilities, none dared speak, sitting down in their basket shaped seats. Behind Menoel, Melonius and Mercaara entered the tree. They too headed for the protrusions for seats, while Avaanel, Avunaia and Eharel stood close behind Kilon.


    ¡°I told them to stay quiet,¡± Mercaara whispered to Stelorus, who was amongst the last to arrive, Avunaia giving sharp glances at everyone once inside too. From above, they could all see the five central figures of their group standing on a large stone platform at the middle. Awkwardly rising from below, as if the wood suspending it was trying to push the platform aside, Kilon let themselves rise to the point where everyone had a clear sight of them.


    ¡°It¡¯s Menoel,¡± Stelorus told her, ¡°he anticipated Kilon¡¯s arrival and told them to welcome him warmly half a sun prior.¡±. Stelorus seemed amused, as if the knowledge he had was forbidden and having it was going to anger someone.


    ¡°Even so, this seems a bit too warm, even for Kilon,¡± looking around, Mercaara noticed some of the Lightborn seemed eager to do something. She wasn¡¯t sure what, but their control of the light was escaping their grasp, suggesting excitement.


    ¡°You noticed it too,¡± Stelorus could tell looking at her, ¡°they¡¯ve been roused for something, if I am to guess, Menoel probably told them we¡¯re going together after the draxes.¡±. Stelorus¡¯ thinking was based on what he saw his siblings acting like before. Kilon chose the Lightborn with which to hunt carefully, as to not enter a situation where the group would be put in danger. But given the obvious recurring defeats, Stelorus could tell Kilon had no choice, ¡°He must pick better Lightborns for the hunt. And those very Lightborn are present here.¡±.


    Mercaara understood the larger picture, what she couldn¡¯t understand was why Kilon seemed sadder than before. If it was due to the loss of their siblings, then she could understand, but Kilon could get back to his usual self some days after losing them, and the journey back should¡¯ve washed the grief. She couldn¡¯t understand that in Kilon¡¯s mind, there was a storm of thoughts.


    ¡®What should I tell them, once we meet?¡¯ Kilon wondered, even when mere moments away from giving a speech to his kin. ¡®They¡¯ve been away for so long, and probably through a lot. And when I¡¯m to present them our home, what will they see? A home, a paradise of sorts, or a terrifying, blind following for me?¡¯. Kilon was thinking of the vision, and that it was plaguing him more as of late. He was thinking of the catalyst. ¡®Is it that they bring the killer of our kin, or that we form it inside the very home we¡¯ve built?¡¯.


    ¡°Kilon has returned!¡± Menoel announced once more, the Lightborn rising up and saluting, interrupting Kilon¡¯s thoughts. To Kilon, standing in the middle of all those powerful siblings of his, and having supreme command over it, reminded him of the power a following can have. ¡°Unfortunately, not everyone has returned, as those cursed draxes have proven vicious,¡± Kilon thought Menoel¡¯s words to be rather hasty, as he had barely returned, yet he wanted to convince everyone of a truth that wasn¡¯t complete.


    ¡°Let¡¯s not pronounce it as fact yet, brother¡± Stelorus raised his voice, standing a bit up from his seat. Menoel gave him a sharp glance, which Stelorus responded back with a defying smile. ¡°How about we hear Kilon speak instead, what do you all think?¡± Stelorus¡¯ words were enough to rouse the Lightborn once more, some Groundbreakers amidst them ensuring Stelorus¡¯ defiance.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t finished what I had wanted to say,¡± Menoel said with a tinge of spite in his eyes, as he wanted to fuel his siblings¡¯ anger some more before Kilon had a say, ¡°but very well, let¡¯s hear what Kilon has to say.¡±. Menoel gave in, which Avunaia was a bit surprised, as she was sure he would¡¯ve rather started a fight than give in.


    ¡°Stelorus?¡± Kilon asked Avunaia in a whisper, since she was supposed to talk with him. She looked around, ensuring no eyes were on her for a few moments, then touched Kilon¡¯s hand slightly, letting him feel what she felt. Kilon could tell of the confidence within his sister, so he didn¡¯t have to doubt it. ¡°Very well, then,¡± Kilon spread his arms out, those on the platform sitting on their bottoms to let him stand out more. ¡°It is as Menoel had said, we lost, again,¡± a tense silence befell the inside of the tree, his siblings were conserving a deepened hatred for those predators that kept challenging them. ¡°I would tell you to fear not, but I¡¯m afraid this time our enemy is not as much powerful, as is cunning.¡±.


    Avunaia touched a scar on her chest, going from below her left shoulder down to her lower ribs. Even though she knew what Kilon meant, comparing them to the rootworms, she was still wondering if Kilon¡¯s appreciation of power heightened due to what he then withheld. It further reinforced her hidden belief that her brother is someone, something, superior to her and those inside the tree.


    ¡°Thus, I have decided,¡± the tense silence grew into anticipation, Kilon could feel their intentions, rage, anger, but most of all, blind devotion, ¡°I need your power! Come with me, let us tame those beasts, place them under our rule! MY rule!¡±. The Lightborn inside raised in an uproar. It wasn¡¯t much of a speech, but it carried over the feeling, and it showed how little Kilon had to do for his siblings to bend under his will. ¡®I feel it now more than ever, Creator,¡¯ Kilon looked at his hands, rising a fist up towards the blocked sky, ¡®power that I can control. Power that I can use to rule, and save them from it, that cruel fate. So I¡¯ll take it, their devotion, belief, rage, sadness, all of it. And use it¡­ to avoid a more heinous fate.¡¯.


    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    ¡°Your rule?¡± from high above, Stelorus¡¯ voice could be heard. Mercaara was trying to get him to stand down, but once he stood up, she was hanging by his shoulder like one of his many furs and skins. The Lightborn present were all looking at their brother. Angered eyes, something which Stelorus couldn¡¯t understand was fueling them. With a long step, he crashed down, Mercaara with him. Standing in front of Kilon, although taller than him, Stelorus seemed still larger. ¡°Do not grow fond of your power brother, for it was never yours to begin with.¡±.


    His statement made those present want to silence Stelorus, but the other Groundbreakers were ensuring the more troublesome ones were kept away, while the others didn¡¯t have the courage to go down. It wasn¡¯t because they weren¡¯t willing to fight, but afraid of what may to Kilon were they to start attacking. ¡°Is that how you feel after what I said?¡± Kilon asked intrigued, his white glowing eyes staring deeply into the red gems of his brother¡¯s. ¡°Then rest assured,¡± Kilon placed a hand on his shoulder, getting a grasp of his intentions though it, for a moment, Kilon couldn¡¯t find the words, then he found new ones, ¡°I will see to it that you too understand what is mine, and what isn¡¯t.¡±.


    From those present, only Avunaia and Menoel could tell how out of place Kilon¡¯s words were, for they reinvigorated the feeling of devotion those around him had. Added to it the way he gave his speech, Menoel found himself lost as to what Kilon¡¯s intentions were, while Avunaia had the slightest clue.


    Then, as whispers started to gather around the tree, and those withheld by the Groundbreakers started to make way through, the sound of a punch clashing upon meat was heard. They all stood silent and in awe, as Stelorus punched Kilon in the face, making him fall to the ground. Menoel and Eharel infused their lights, ready to unleash their lights for the folly Stelorus dared bring.


    Menoel first wanted to ensure few saw what Stelorus did, for he didn¡¯t want Kilon to be seen weak in any manner. But before he had the chance to use his light, much like Eharel, Kilon gestured them to back away with his hands, flaming lights coming out of his eyes. ¡°Do you really want to fight me Stelorus?¡± Kilon couldn¡¯t stand up, as Stelorus used his ability on his legs. Given the difference in height, Kilon being eleven metres tall, while Stelorus seven, it was the best Stelorus could do.


    ¡°I¡¯m no fool! Despite what everyone¡¯s eyes tell me¡­¡± Stelorus looked around, catching glimpses of the Groundbreakers getting out of the tree, while Mercaara laid on the ground silent. Stelorus lowered himself, to look Kilon in the eyes, ¡°I will come to the hunt, not for your rule, but for my enjoyment.¡±. Once he spoke his mind, Stelorus ran away from the tree, the other siblings chasing him with anger and madness in their eyes.


    ¡°Bring that fool back in here!¡± Menoel commanded, not that his words were needed in any capacity or heard. ¡°What is wrong with him? Did he stay around Melonius to get like that?¡±. Melonius wasn¡¯t chasing after Stelorus, so he heard Menoel¡¯s words which he didn¡¯t take too kindly. Before Menoel could explain himself, Melonius took his leave to make tributes for the recently fallen. Besides Melonius, there were a good dozen of a white or blue glow that were instead thinking of ways to bring retribution. Menoel could already hear whispers of drain vines and sharp flowers. ¡®This will become rather tedious,¡¯ he could tell.


    ¡°Are you hurt brother?¡± Avunaia asked Kilon, wanting to help him out, but not needing it. ¡°Why were you-¡± Kilon gestured her to be silent, then switched his gaze to Menoel. Looking at him, Avunaia started to understand what Kilon and Stelorus were planning, as Menoel struggled to make peace with those plotting for revenge, and gathering the maddened ones.


    Eharel was the one to stand at the very back of it all and observe the situation. Seeing as there wasn¡¯t much he could do then that Kilon¡¯s plan went his way, he retreated outside. ¡®Stelorus, Kilon, Avunaia, what are they all plotting?¡¯ he wondered.


    Once Eharel left, Mercaara went up to Avunaia, whispered in her ear, and left soon after.


    ¡°We were supposed to discuss about my discoveries!¡± Avaanel was the only one to cry about the gathering ending too soon. ¡°You will beg for my graymatter!¡± she cried empty threats, stomping her wooden foot.


    ¡°Do not worry sister,¡± Kilon approached her, placing his hand on her shoulder to reassure her, ¡°you can tell me all about it, we¡¯ll have plenty of time.¡±. Avaanel felt more at peace with his assurance, but she still wanted to show him how upset she was by leaving without another word. ¡®Now to Stelorus,¡¯ Kilon thought, looking at Avunaia, and her back at him knowingly.


    Menoel had a hard time dealing with the situation, so he didn¡¯t even notice when the two left the tree.


    Manna¡¯s Group


    A blizzard was raging on. For most animals, it could signal death standing a mere couple of moments inside of it. It took place between mountains, where the Lightborn were travelling. But, for the mindless critters that glimpsed from the holes they stood buried into, the view of a moving force pushing and forcing the winds into new currents was present.


    ¡°Maybe the world is truly just snow and ice, sister¡± Eraanel poked a sour joke. ¡°The winds are almost as harsh as back then,¡± the Lightborn were swaying the winds with impeccable ability, not one¡¯s eyes breaking focus at the howling winds, nor the strain on their bodies. Those five hundred Lightborn were better described as a moving force, seemingly impossible to stop, and unaffected by the surroundings.


    ¡°Almost,¡± Manna repeated, ¡°you haven¡¯t used your eye in a while, so you can¡¯t tell, but the winds, they bring about the miasma of life.¡±. Manna almost spat with the word, as life has become nothing for them but a sickness that could sweep more of them.


    ¡°The Kilon was successful,¡± Salvete said, not a hint of happiness on her face, ¡°if they spent as much time here as we did on the Frozen Side, do you think they came to love life?¡±. However, there was hope in her voice when speaking of Kilon, as she had a separate belief from the rest of them.


    ¡°Love?¡± Eraanel looked her in the eyes, his eye starting to gather light in order to see ahead. ¡°We never loved life, not us, not them. We just grew compassionate towards it, because what can prey do, but cower in fear before their predators?¡±. The Lightborn were nearing the end of the passage they were following between mountains, and Manna could see the glow of stars starting to show through. Salvete felt Piki under her clothes, hoping she could find a place to let the critter roam free before her siblings decided to kill even the small ones.


    ¡°And what can a predator do when facing calamity, but accept it?¡± Manna responded in kind, ¡°Let us hope Kilon learned, just like us, what this world is.¡±. Once at the end, before them was the sight of forests standing tall, rivers flowing freely from the mountains¡¯ bottoms, and the distant sounds of animals. ¡®The world is nothing but the constant struggle of life. We aren¡¯t just life, we are the masters of it.¡±. Tapping her twin-headed spear on the new ground, Manna announced their arrival. And alongside the mountain¡¯s bottom, the Lightborn formed an ominous view, as their lights were dim, while their skins covered in bloodied furs and skins. ¡°Let us meet Kilon, and together reshape this world to our wills.¡±.

 New Age

    "Can you feel it? The strength which the beast once had," Kilon hands a spear to his sister, "is now yours to control. Use it wisely and don''t lose it, nor forsake it. Do that," Manna looked at the spear, a deep sense of appreciation in her eyes, "and it shall never fail you in battle.".


    The Link - Months Prior to Leave


    ''What was Stelorus thinking?! This is such a mess, I can barely deal with it,'' Menoel was pacing inside the giant tree, ''Even for him, this is too much of a farce.''. Menoel stopped briefly, his thoughts pausing with his step, ''Unless this is no farce, and he''s plotting something...hmm, no. He never cared for much else, but hunting, so it makes sense,'' Menoel resumed his walk.


    Outside, as the afternoon of the day Kilon returned started turning to dusk, the Lightborn were still searching for Stelorus. Eharel was heading for Menoel, who in turn was waiting for Kilon, knowing they would have to talk sooner or later. Moving between rushing siblings and spiteful words, Eharel thought he could start to understand what Stelorus'' intentions were. And by what he witnessed, what Kilon had wanted.


    "How are you dealing with the matters brother?" Eharel asked as he entered the giant tree, holding an odd weapon, resembling a shortsword but with a single edge and curved tip.


    "How do they look to you?" Menoel almost bit with his words, sparks going out in anger from his eyes, then slowly fading with his frown. "No, sorry. I''m furious with Stelorus, it is wrong of me to lash my anger out like that.".


    "Only Stelorus?" Eharel continued, his question raising an eyebrow from Menoel, but also himself, as he wasn''t expecting Kilon''s behaviour to escape Menoel''s mind. "I guess they enacted it pretty well, if they fooled even you," as Eharel kept talking, he threw the odd sword between his hands, trying to play in various ways with it, but catching it awkwardly as he wasn''t sure how to do it properly.


    "By that I figure you speak of how Kilon was a bit, out of place with his words" Menoel no longer felt the need to pace around as he talked, "but I believe that to be just the signs of him finally accepting his role.". Menoel took a couple steps closer to Eharel, looking him more in the eyes.


    "That, and I noticed how fast he got up after Stelorus used his ability on him. But you were too busy, so how could you notice really?" Eharel changed his tone towards more sarcasm, feeling prideful that he knew things Menoel didn''t. But that worked against him, as Menoel was rather stubborn, and mocking him only furthered that stubbornness.


    "Very well, so you suggest that Kilon and Stelorus work together," Menoel took a challenging tone, which Eharel didn''t like, as he wanted to work with him, "then by the end of the hunt, we shall see who''s right.".


    "No, that''s what I''m trying to avoid, and why I came to you," Eharel gestured with his hands, shortsword in his left, trying to explain himself out of it, "they''re working together because of the hunt. And I believe Kilon is trying to do something against you, for what you''ve done so far.".


    "If they''re working together, you don''t know that for sure, do you?" while to Eharel it was obvious something wasn''t right, he could tell that even if he didn''t put himself on the spot, it would''ve been still hard to make Menoel out of all his siblings understand. Menoel approached Eharel further, close to the entrance where he stood, and placed a hand on his shoulder. "If you can find something more concrete, I''m willing to listen, otherwise, we proceed as we discussed before you set off.".


    "And if it all fails? Will you take all the blame?" Eharel looked Menoel straight in the eyes, while Menoel looked ahead as if there was nothing to worry about. "I''d say, just as a precaution, let them find one. If Kilon notices traces of my light around it, he would have reason to create doubt about what you say, and strong one at that.".


    "It''s too late for him to undo the belief I created so far. Even if he plants a seed, I long taken root inside their minds," Menoel removed his hand from Eharel and stepped outside, looking at his siblings busy trying to find Stelorus. "Look at them, so infatuated with my created belief, that they so desperately try to defend it.".


    "Do you really think that''s a good thing?" Eharel had his reservations about Menoel''s belief. Even though he agreed in large part with it, so Kilon could be the leader Eharel wanted him to be, he was starting to see the other side of such blind following. "And the way I look at it, it would seem to be they''re just trying to reinforce their belief, that Kilon is the all powerful, now shaken by Stelorus.". Eharel went past Menoel, a meeting with a few Lightborn awaiting him at the edge of the settlement.


    "Shaking something doesn''t break it, Eharel," Meneol started to head back inside, speaking over his shoulder, "most of the time it helps see the flaws, which when fixed, makes it as a whole stronger.".


    ''Most of the time...'' Eharel thought, getting lost between the treehouses and Lightborn. Between all of them, a particular figure was making their way through, wearing a cloak to make themselves more inconspicuous, but only attracting more eyes as no one wore the same clothing.


    The figure entered the tree, its glow unseen and not too tall, Menoel being a bit surprised by the visit, while also slightly annoyed due to their ''disguise''. "I wasn''t expecting you here, walking in broad daylight...in that," he said as he gestured around the cloak, "but a welcoming visit.". Menoel formed himself a seat from the tree at the back, and sat himself there. Knee over knee and hand on top, he smiled at the cloaked figure. "So, do speak, is Kilon planning anything? Eharel seemed pretty sure he was, but I had to disagree. And make it quick, Kilon will visit at a later time to discuss certain matters.".


    Kilon


    "Where are Avunaia and Avaanel?" Stelorus asked to himself impatient, Kilon sitting down below the ancient tree on the hill he brought Mercaara to, "I hope she managed to get in touch with them without being seen. Otherwise that brother of ours is going to keep them talking and away," Stelorus said as he kicked dirt around, amusing Kilon.


    "This reminds me a little of our time at the Link, you know what I''m talking about right?" Stelorus pondered a little, then let out an audible laugh. "I recall your first visit outside the Link, when you came back with a clawbear on your left shoulder, and a starstag antler sticking out of your right leg.". Stelorus scratched his head embarrassed.


    "You should''ve told us that those were common! I would''ve pulled it out the next moment!" he tried to defend himself, something he would only do around Kilon and Orvus. "Besides, have you really never had such moments?".


    "I''m sure I did, but then again, you and the rest never saw me as anything less than perfect, have you?" his words were touching on an issue Stelorus would rather not talk about, but he was in the midst of it all then more so than ever.


    "Maybe not all of us, I''m sure Orvus was able to tell you a couple of things to make you feel less wise," before he could accentuate the thought further, Kilon gave Stelorus a sharp glance. "Does it bother you? If you''re called less wise?".


    "It doesn''t-no, it does. But it shouldn''t. So why does it bother me?" Kilon was trying to recollect his memories, then came upon it, "Yeah, I remember now. It''s how our Creator called me, wise. He called me his wise son.". Stelorus listened in awe, Kilon unable to see his amazed expression, as there were only a handful of Lightborn that received compliments from their Creator. "Has the Creator never called you such, or similar?".


    Stelorus hid his jealousy and disbelief the next moment Kilon looked at him, "Of course the Creator did. I was called strong and powerful.". Kilon could tell he was lying, he just couldn''t tell he was lying about the inherent part itself, so he let out a small laugh. "At last I get to see you laughing a bit, you seem so sad all the time.".


    "It takes a toll, Stelorus. Leading all these siblings of mine, knowing what expectations they have, and...and more," he couldn''t say it, brushing his forehead with anxiety. Stelorus felt those words strucking a deeper cord within him, as he had to take care of the Groundbreakers, and to him, losing any of his siblings because of his ineptitude, was nothing less than catastrophic.


    The two brothers stood in silence, a solemn kind, reflecting on their past mistakes and decisions taken along the time. Kilon more so than Stelorus, with more depth, but Stelorus felt it more intense as it was something new to him.


    After a few moments, the sounds of footsteps could be heard, wood on earth tapping as well. "I told you it would be fine," Avaanel was making her way up the hill carrying a tied bag at her back, not using wind manipulation so as to not attract anyone''s attention, "even if I stabbed them with a sharp flower, would they have not noticed.".


    "Kilon said otherwise, besides, you''re making more noise because of that stick you wear for a foot," Avunaia said as she walked behind her, Prickety scouring the sky to make notice of any Lightborn, "that''s why we couldn''t afford to stop.".


    "I take everything went well," Stelorus met them first, a knowing smile on his face. "So where have you two been?".


    "Avaanel said she had to take some stuff before we go, and I had to go get Prickety, just in case someone would follow," Avunaia kicked Avaanel''s wooden leg, "but she still took her sweet time with it.".


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    "I told you," Avaanel, kicked back, but at her knee, hurting her, "Kilon had to see this in order to understand.". Her voice was a bit hurtful, as she didn''t like when someone made fun of her leg or poked at it, but also granted her satisfaction when she could see the painful expression on someone''s face after retribution.


    Avunaia let out a groan in pain, "Foolish of you to assume Kilon wouldn''t get it, he''s the smartest of us all.". Kilon had a fatherly look on his face, as if he witnessed his children fighting. He then stood up, back hunched over as his head would be lost between the high branches otherwise.


    "Enough is enough, let us sit down and not warrant unwanted attention," Avunaia and Avaanel complied, Stelorus sitting after the two, Kilon darting his eyes around the field below the hills and the settlement. ''Menoel, he''s bending the light around him,'' he could see his brother from afar, his form barely visible to the eye, even as the light of day was resting, searching for someone clueless. ''But it''s starting to get dark, so he''ll have that disguise unveiled whether he likes it or not," Kilon thought, thinking that he won''t pose a worry from that point on.


    "It would seem even Menoel is personally searching for Stelorus, isn''t he?" Avaanel picked up on it, as Kilon was casting light from his eyes to enhance his vision, "Don''t worry brother, I laid a few traps around the bottom of the hill and up the way we came along.".


    "That is good, but we shouldn''t underestimate his cunning, there is a reason why I trusted him so much before he started all of this," Kilon told her, some resentfulness in his tone, "but let''s proceed, if not for Menoel finding us out, then for the darkness which hides much.". They all approved with a nod, standing in a tight circle at the back of the tree, the night closing in on them.


    "Then here, we can finally talk about my discoveries, just as you promised," Avaanel was excited to empty her bag in the middle, Avunaia flinching a bit at the animal parts that got out, while Stelorus was amused. Between the body parts and various plants, some of which poisonous, Avaanel pulled out a piece of smooth metal. "Look at this brother! The stone house is not ready, yet it''s able to already create what I had envisioned!".


    Kilon looked at the piece of metal, feeling it with his hands and letting his light touch it to bring further sense of it and offer him more information, Prickety landing on the tree looking for a chance to snatch it. "It''s still rough," he said, some of Avaanel''s excitement fading from her face, "but it''s better, much better.". Kilon was speaking of how compared to the way he melted and shaped the blade on his spear, the metal had small cracks inside. "Master it, Avaanel, and soon enough we might have what you and I envisioned these metals to become.".


    Avaanel found herself conflicted. On one hand she felt like progress had been made in her research, while on the other it was obvious it wasn''t enough. "I will bring about a better greymatter for you brother, I promise," Avaanel told him, her eyes sparking with further ambition.


    "I trust that to be so. And as a matter of fact, I would like you to provide our group with the tools and weapons you deem necessary for the hunt," Avaanel''s face twisted in agony, realising that Kilon was putting her up to do work. "I know how you feel about doing such tedious things, which is why you''ll have Stelorus and Mercaara as your helpers," Stelorus raised an eyebrow at his words, then Avunaia jumped up from her place.


    "You can''t give Mercaara over to her!? Have you seen Fanteem? His face looks miserable all the time, and his clothes stink of nasty things that probably are yet to even exist!" her protests were met with chuckles from Stelorus and a devious, large smile from Avaanel. "Look at her! She will destroy my precious sister!".


    "Stay down if you will," Kilon demanded, "I''m lending Mercaara''s aid to Avaanel so she can have the best materials the Groundbreakers bring," Kilon assured her. Avunaia still didn''t like it, standing down with hesitation, "Stelorus will be there as well, which I understand you take good care of you, aren''t you?".


    "That is sure," Stelorus approved, hiding his feeling of jubilation at the prospect of his sisters fighting, "but why do we need Mercaara? You could just ask me to look for what''s good and put it aside for Avaanel.".


    "I don''t want to be seen talking with either you or Avaanel, so that Menoel can''t unroot our plans," Stelorus saw Kilon''s intentions, letting out a knowing breath. "You figured it. Mercaara gathers information from the two of you, and then relays it to Avunaia, then back to me.".


    "That is good," Stelorus approved, "now, for the reason you needed me on your side. Avunaia told me it''s so I can restrict Menoel''s movements in case of anything, but I had this feeling you wanted something more out of me.". Kilon smiled at his brother, a sense of pride and a bit of fear for the cunning nature he had. "It''s about what I''ve done in the tree too, you haven''t spoke a word about it, so what do you want to do that would have you embarrassed over it?".


    Kilon''s sense of pride heightened, feeling good about the brother he picked to have on his side. ''In a way, I feel like I''m talking with Orvus all over again,'' he thought, the fact a small reminder that by being siblings, some qualities surfaced just as much in some as they did in others. "The reason is quite simple, and I think Avunaia most of all has noticed since the first day Menoel proclaimed me as a sort of Creator," Avunaia thought a little, then her eyes widened. She was hiding something, and Kilon was about to unveil a truth she didn''t want the others to hear. "I hate who they all see me as, including you Avaanel.".


    His words sent shivers down their spines, as Kilon''s face twisted with pain, agony and an irritable anger that he couldn''t rub off. He didn''t hate his siblings over it, he hated the fact that it was the only way, in his mind, to escape a more treacherous fate.


    "The reason you''re here with us Avaanel, is because you don''t partake in this belief blindly, and still follow some will of your own. Same with you Stelorus, but to an even more true extent as you and Avunaia don''t seem to partake in it at all," Stelorus had an awkward smile on his face, glad that Kilon saw him that way, but also terrified of the way he spoke. Avunaia on the other hand, she felt dread and pain. She truly believed him to be a higher form of power, and for him to hate that belief to such an extent, was like a dagger that''s been driven through her chest. She knew he didn''t like it, just not how much he hated it.


    "Then, I figure, you want to stop Menoel and this blind belief in order to regain what was lost," Stelorus said, raising up, "your brothers and sisters that were just that, your siblings.". Kilon looked down with some shame, knowing how that could sound selfish considering everything they''ve been through. "I won''t oppose this plan, Kilon, but do know: you weren''t our brother since the moment you stepped out of the Link.". Stelorus'' words cut deep into Kilon, speaking something none dared to say, not even realising it to be true to begin with.


    "Stelorus!" Avunaia rose up, her eyes letting out sparks, "How can you say that?! Especially after everything!?".


    "I''m saying it especially because of everything that happened, sister," Stelorus responded in kind, his expression bearing jealousy and pain, Avunaia gaining a better understanding of what her brother felt like. "You weren''t born yet Avunaia, but I saw him. When he first took a step outside the light, the moment he gazed upon the earth and us. There was no fear, no dread, no pain. I thought him to be like Efeehem, someone who just couldn''t understand the danger around him, but that wasn''t the case!". Stelorus pointed at Kilon, no longer hiding his jealousy, wonder, and fear. "He understood it all, yet he didn''t flinch or try to go back, he got into the world without fear, wanting to know everything and then some!".


    After his outburst, Avunaia stood frozen with her face in shock, while Avaanel tried not to drag any attention towards her. Kilon couldn''t look Stelorus in the eyes, as he himself didn''t realise just how different he was from his other siblings. Due to his wisdom and power, he never could grasp the concept of himself. Laid bare before him though, as Stelorus put it, Kilon had to wonder if he really was just another child of the Link, or someone, something else.


    "Maybe you''re all right about it," Kilon finally managed, his siblings turning their heads towards him, "I might be something more, something special made by the Creator.". Kilon started to get up, and Stelorus frowned seeing Kilon''s face, "Yet my very being says you''re my brother, Avaanel my sister, and so is Avunaia.". Kilon placed his hands on Stelorus'' shoulders, his eyes bearing a morbid look about them. "So don''t hold me in such high regard. For when me, the one you see as great, fails to save you, you won''t fall into despair.". His words carried more meaning than Avunaia and Avaanel could understand, something which Stelorus knew had yet to happen to Kilon, since he never failed them. Yet, looking in his eyes, these words held the weight of someone that had to have failed in order to make sense. It was so hard to look at him, that Stelorus turned his head away.


    "First show me you can actually fail at something, and then we can stand on equal ground," Stelorus told Kilon as he started walking away, letting Kilon''s hands fall off his shoulders, "until then, you''re nothing like us Kilon, and you better not forget it. For our sake, and those that have died.". Stelorus started descending the hill, "I''m looking forward for my punishment. I''m sure Menoel would like to have a say in it, but do try to persuade him," Stelorus said, his voice quietting with each word and a small laughter after.


    "I''ll have to return as well, got a lot of greymatter to melt and a stone house to build," Avaanel said as she rose up, not wanting to deal with anything else. "Do send Mercaara to me as soon as she''s done with distributing the materials, I''m going to put her up to all sorts of things," Avaanel promised in a playful tone as she packed her things and started making her way down the hill, opposite from where Stelorus descended.


    Avunaia and Kilon were standing all alone in the dark of the night. Kilon crashed to the ground, his mind exhausted by everything he had to deal that day and those prior. "Do rest brother. So much weight to carry, then the deaths of our siblings," Avunaia comforted him, embracing his head and stroking his growing hair. "And let''s not ponder too long on things outside our control. You didn''t decide to be stronger than us, nor wiser. It is a given, a gift if you will!".


    "A gift you say..." Kilon thought on his vision that was becoming more vivid of late. There appeared more detail to it. From the lightless bodies lying dead on the ground, to the smell of burning flesh and the cracking of bones. "They all lie still and cold. I can''t find myself inside of it, so am I the one?". Kilon wondered aloud, not realising it. Avunaia looked at him curious, knowing that the Creator sometimes spoke with him, so she wondered if that was one of those moments.


    "We''re all restless, not one will become cold, I assure you brother," Avunaia promised as if she knew what he was talking about. "And if we ever stop moving or we fall, you can push us forward, like you always do.".


    "Like I always do..." Kilon repeated. He looked inside the vision once more, recalling the details, that maybe amongst the dead, he could make out someone''s appearance, but it was all still blurry. ''Perhaps it is yet to be clear who will die, and who won''t," he thought. ''Maybe, at least, I can save those that can still push us forward, even if I were to die.''. He then embraced Avunaia, feeling the warmth of his sister, something which he didn''t want to forget.


    As they stood there in the dark for a time, the settlement caught life through their Lightborn''s lights. "How beautiful," Avunaia said, mesmerised by the gem-like beauty of the trees that seemed to reflect the stars, "if we are to live for long. Let us make more beauty akin to this.". Avunaia stretched her hand, for a moment trying to grasp all that wondrous beauty in her hand, then letting go, knowing it couldn''t be withheld in just her fist.


    "That we shall, for we enter this new age, where we shouldn''t fear death, but rejoice in the beauty life can offer us," Kilon extended his hand forward too, matching his sister''s. ''And we shall live for as long as we need. An eternity of wonder, that''s what I want from this life of mine.".

 Purpose

    The dawn of a new day was slowly approaching, and close to the Lightborn settlement, sunrays and moonbloom flowers touched upon stone pieces protruding from the ground. Between all of them, Melonius was taking good care to ensure nothing was disturbing their peace, one standing a bit taller than the rest. There were once trees where he stood, but the disease they saw before entering the Lands Between Mountains was spreading from within the forests, so they had to cut them down with their new tools. Melonius used it as an opportunity to make a grave of sorts for their dead siblings, while keeping watch and trying to understand the disease a bit better for Avaanel.


    ¡°How I wish you were here brother, to see what we have built,¡± Melonius stood in front of the headstone where Efeehem¡¯s name was inscribed in a unique manner, ¡°and help us in our ventures¡±. Melonius started to develop a type of writing ever since he started placing headstones. It required a long, tedious process through which he would put his hand on the headstone and, by applying constant heat from his light, he would eventually leave a unique mark into the stone that represented the way he felt about his brother or sister. How he remembered them, and what fond memories of them he had. Other Lightborn would then be able to later come back and feel those emotions carved into the stone, as if spoken through them. It was something Kilon found of high value, as information became more and more important, but chose not to press Melonius about it, as Melonius still needed time to find the right motivation to push forward.


    However, the time for waiting was over, and Kilon was heading for him. Looking around the field filled with headstones, Kilon overlapped the image of his vision over it. ¡®Their faces, they start to shape up,¡¯ Kilon thought, moonblooms expanding and breaking up whenever they got close to his light, ¡®we are getting closer to the intersection between fate, and my vision.¡¯. Looking at Melonius, he could tell his brother was strengthening his resolve. ¡®It is too late to turn back, it was so the moment I chose to make them worship me,¡¯ Kilon finished his thoughts, stepping closer to where Melonius stood.


    ¡°Hey Kilon,¡± Melonius had a melancholic tone to him, still thinking of Efeehem, ¡°do you remember what else did I call him? I¡¯m trying to add more of our memories to his stone, and I think I got most of it.¡±. Kilon looked curious at the inscription, then placed his hand to feel all the emotions and memories it carried.


    ¡°I believe you¡¯re right, not that I¡¯d know any better, for you spent the most time with him,¡± Kilon answered fairly, and Melonius smiled sadly.


    ¡°Then that means that¡¯s about all I could experience with him, talk with him,¡± while not every word they had spoken was there, his and their siblings¡¯ feelings, which they added through him, made it feel that way. ¡°They each left a small memory with him, same with the others,¡± Melonious looked around and pointed with his finger, ¡°yet, it is sad to think we could fit all of those memories in just this small piece of stone.¡±. Melonius brushed the headstone with his hand, the emotions he imbued fading away as he detached himself from them.


    ¡°Then that makes them so much more precious, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Kilon tried to give a more positive outlook on the matter, ¡°We can learn from these memories, how our mistakes take away precious time, and how our victories help us make room for more.¡±. Kilon looked at their settlement, the Lightborn gathering all around while sounds of earth being moved came from the inside, other structures than trees starting to be erected from the ground. Kilon then looked at Melonius ¡°It¡¯s what we should strive for, building and gathering those precious memories. Keeping them for an eternity to come in places where the world can¡¯t take them away from us.¡±.


    ¡°I guess it does,¡± Melonius pondered for a moment on his brother¡¯s words, ¡°so I figure today is no better day to prove that, right?¡±. Melonius looked Kilon in the eyes, seeing his unwavering determination for what they had to accomplish. ¡°As I promised a dozen of suns ago,¡± referring to the two months that had passed since Kilon¡¯s return, ¡°I will be your shield. I just hope you¡¯re wrong about Menoel.¡±.


    Kilon looked away from him and back towards the settlement, ¡°I¡¯m not mistaken, Menoel knows I will do something, and he will do the same.¡±. Kilon let a small chuckle out, ¡®I guess we are brothers after all,¡¯ thinking back on Stelorus¡¯ words. ¡°That¡¯s why I need you. For I need to accomplish this next step, in order to put a stop to this blind belief, and explore this world that keeps taking from us,¡± Melonius noticed that same hope Kilon had since back at the Link. While his motivations and driving factors changed with time, his ambitions were none the less. Kilon still wanted to understand the world, and with his siblings, be able to see more.


    ¡°Very well,¡± Melonius started to get up, the shine of a piece of metal wrapped in leather peeking from his feet, ¡°as I said a time back, I want for us to be happy. Not only to keep my word true, but because I¡¯m tired of anger, sadness and frustration.¡±. Kilon resonated with his brother¡¯s feeling of hope. Determination stoking their flames of ambition.


    Melonius picked the wrapped piece of metal, covering it completely to make sure no one would see it, then made his way back alongside Kilon. Eharel studied them from afar between trees, Melonius becoming another issue to fear.


    As they made their way back into the settlement, the roads were being dug up and Lightborn of orange glow bent palm-sized pieces of greymatter, fusing and connecting them together. Other Lightborn of blue and white glow were working on the various, different structures they erected. Some made of stone, some of wood and stone, while those of a redder glow were around various places, digging up more ground. ¡®After we come back, we will complete the construction and we¡¯ll be able to work towards grander goals,¡¯ Kilon thought. The Lightborn were building a network underground made of the metal, as Mercaara and Avaanel came with the idea that, since the metal can conduct their light quite well, then a sharing system should be possible. Kilon saw the potential uses of it, as those who needed light for more intensive tasks could get it from those who don¡¯t need as much, while also enabling Kilon to experiment with greater degrees of power and soon establish a defence system. ¡®It¡¯s only half masked for what I intend to do with it, so not even Menoel should be able to see through it.¡¯. Kilon was thinking that when it finally came down to it, if it did, he could confront the genocidal sibling with the combined power of all the others.


    Melonius looked at Kilon, and even though he¡¯d been busy with the headstones and developing the inscriptions, he, like the others, were tasked by Kilon to train harder than before. Which finally prompted him to ask ¡°Are we really training and developing all these weapons just for the draxes?¡±. Kilon stopped for a moment, knowing the question would be prompted sooner or later.


    ¡®The downsides of not being devoted to me,¡¯ he thought. While Menoel and Eharel could accept that Kilon was just being over precautious, to Melonius who didn¡¯t spend much time with the others, all that Kilon was doing seemed too much. ¡®A piece of truth won¡¯t hurt,¡¯ Kilon looked at his surroundings, then back at Melonius. ¡°Do you ever wonder what had become of our other siblings?¡±.


    The question surged memories and emotions from Melonius, who for some time forgot through his grief all about them. ¡°I-I haven¡¯t thought about it,¡± Melonius¡¯ mind was being washed with a torrent of thoughts, Kilon expecting as much, then he snapped from it when a certain thought came to mind. ¡°You¡¯re implying they could attack us?!¡±. The revelation made him shiver. For them to go against each other, that seemed unfathomable.


    ¡°Seems almost impossible,¡± Kilon was choosing his words with care, ¡°but that¡¯s the point, almost.¡±. Kilon placed his right hand on his brother¡¯s shoulder, ¡°You have only to take a look at our siblings, and see how their rage can even turn against their own kin.¡±. Kilon thought of reminding him of how they punished Stelorus. Even though it was something Stelorus made fun after, he wasn¡¯t left alone for a weeks on end, which Stelorus made sure was just as painful for them as it was for him.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it a bit extreme to think in such a manner?¡± Melonius showed his logic when Kilon wanted it least. ¡°Yes, they may have been angered towards him, even hated him for some time, but eventually they still came around, didn¡¯t they?¡±.


    ¡°That is true, however, all that was just for a punch, and nothing more,¡± Kilon was fiddling with his brother¡¯s mind, protruding his light with his own as to insert a sense of insecurity. Melonius couldn¡¯t tell due to those feelings already being present, so Kilon was essentially playing with his emotions. ¡°Now, what if they were to blame us, me and you, for leaving them alone?¡±.


    At first it didn¡¯t make sense for Melonius, but then he could see it. If during the months that had passed his brothers and sisters changed into blind devotees for Kilon, ¡®Then what can the opposite do to someone?¡¯. Kilon felt that his brother was sharing his feelings, so he stopped imbuing his emotions as he took his hand off. It was different as Kilon feared just one potential individual from Orvus¡¯ and Manna¡¯s group, but at the core it was the same.


    ¡°I think you understand now, brother. Even though we have a love that goes against everything the world throws at us, it can¡¯t protect us from the hatred we instil in our souls,¡± Kilon saw his siblings getting out of the settlement and noticing the two of them. ¡®Be it for whatever reason it may be.¡¯.


    Menoel


    ¡°He will hate us for it, especially you,¡± the soft voice of a Lightborn sister whispered inside the house of Menoel. Standing cloaked into the shadows, the orange glow of the Lightborn attracted some small critter that spent time inside his house. They were called woodmice, originally living in the cracks and holes of rotten trees, then in some of the Lightborn¡¯s houses as they enjoyed their warmth.


    ¡°It is a necessary step, so they can see not even those draxes are a match for him,¡± Menoel paced around the lower floor where they were at, a table grown out of the floor having various metal items and tools. ¡°It will also help Kilon understand we need him where he currently stands at,¡± Menoel picked one of the items, rings chained together but broken at the end, ¡°since he seems to have found a way out of his position.¡±. Menoel heated the metal, bending it so he could reconnect it where it was broken.


    ¡°Careful with it, it might-¡± before the Lightborn had time to finish, Menoel already broke it, as it stretched for too much. ¡°That aside, the draxe is inside the hole. Kilon already had the Sweepers tracking them, so catching one was easy once we learned their pattern.¡±.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t they smart?¡± Menoel looked at the tools on the table, some misshaped and bent from how they were used, and all bloody. ¡°You would think they change their pattern once they know you¡¯ve learned it.¡±.


    ¡°Oh they did, but when it comes to animals, I¡¯m quick to learn,¡± a sense of pride came from the Lightborn¡¯s voice, ¡°so it was a matter of who¡¯s first, they who adapt, or they who learn.¡±. The Lightborn made their way around the table, standing close to a window in case anyone dared to drop an ear.


    Stolen story; please report.


    ¡°What about their leader?¡± Menoel¡¯s eyes sparked with the question, a sense of spite for the lost brothers and sisters in his voice. ¡°Have you found their hiding hole?¡± Menoel picked one of the better tools, one that didn¡¯t bend nor broke after its use.


    ¡°We did, that¡¯s why we hurry to leave today. They change their hiding spots once every fifteen suns or so, but less now than before,¡± the Lightborn brushed their skin, ¡°must be the cold.¡±.


    ¡°Good, then it all goes as planned,¡± Menoel left the tool on the table and looked at his sibling, ¡°so I believe you¡¯re ready to fulfill your role to the end, aren¡¯t you?¡±.


    ¡°I am, however,¡± the Lightborn lifted the hood of the cloak and approached Menoel to look him in the eyes, ¡°I must be sure, so touch my hand.¡±. Menoel didn¡¯t think twice, touching his sister¡¯s hand, ¡°Is me risking my life, and worse, having Kilon hate me for an eternity to come perhaps, worth doing this?¡±. Avunaia asked with a saddened look.


    Menoel knew he couldn¡¯t lie, not when she looked at him like that. ¡°I don¡¯t believe it is,¡± Avunaia expected as much, ¡°but I believe is necessary, no matter what. Just how I don¡¯t believe, even now, that leaving the Link led us to a better path, I still think it was necessary.¡±.


    ¡°Why do you think that? Is it because of a sense of duty you have, some goal of your own?¡±. She wanted to see if perhaps he was more like Kilon, someone driven by an ambition of his own that could enforce Kilon¡¯s belief they¡¯re siblings.


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t believe to be that. Rather, I don¡¯t know how I could live when so many of us have died, and we haven¡¯t accomplished anything. That the Creator made us, and we accomplished nothing.¡±.


    ¡°That¡¯s what you mean by necessary¡­¡± Avunaia seemed disappointed on one side, but also glad on another. In a way, the way Menoel was, reinforced that they were siblings, but also that the way she felt towards Kilon wasn¡¯t wrong. If Kilon was there instead of Menoel, she was sure she would¡¯ve felt that hope she always does when near him. Despite all the sadness and sorrow, Kilon¡¯s ambition was an immovable force. Greater than sorrows and pain, larger than life and more powerful than the forces commanding their world, that¡¯s what the image she had of him.


    ¡°That¡¯s what I mean, yes,¡± Menoel stepped towards the door, ready to leave for the meeting Kilon was about to hold. ¡°I will take it, you''re prepared,¡± Menoel opened the door, but stopped to think for a moment. ¡°I am thankful, though,¡± Avunaia looked at him curiously, ¡°that even if we don¡¯t accomplish anything, it won¡¯t be as if we didn¡¯t try. I can remain hopeful that even if me and you are to die, even Kilon for that matter, may lead to a future where someone, somewhere will accomplish something. Be it thanks to our actions, or to our deaths.¡±.


    Avaanel


    ¡°This looks wonderful,¡± Avaanel was admiring a contraption of sorts, ¡°the wood keeps the light, then the metal is added here and-¡± however it failed, as the metal part showed cracks the next instant. ¡°Hmm. The sudden surge causes the metal to expand, and results in it cracking.¡±. She was looking through the various metals picked by Mercaara up on the first floor of her treehouse, where the animal parts have been replaced by various metals and stones. ¡°The stones are more beautiful, but useless,¡± Avaanel tossed them around as she mumbled to herself, ¡°maybe they will come to be useful later-there it is!¡±. Avaanel came across the metal she had wanted, greymatter metal. ¡°We¡¯ll have to stick to the basics,¡± as she attached a greymatter rod of metal to the wood contraption, the sudden surge of light didn¡¯t so much heat it. ¡°It retains it deeper inside, and slowly comes to the surface,¡± the use of the metal showed once more, ¡°I¡¯ll use this lighter one for smaller things, I¡¯ll just have to think what those are. Or maybe ask one of my brethren.¡±.


    ¡°It is time to go Avaanel!¡± Mercaara called from before, dropping a bag filled with more refined and reshaped metals. ¡°Where is Fanteem?¡± she looked around and found his hand grasping from below a pile of thrown gems and metals. Mercaara pulled him out of the pile and fell on her back with a thud.


    ¡°I told you to stop throwing stuff!¡± Fanteem complained. ¡°And look, now I have to sort this mess and whatever Mercaara brought!¡±.


    ¡°Does it really matter?¡± Mercaara asked, looking around, Fanteem giving an unwarranted sharp glance towards her. ¡°I-I just mean that, if she keeps throwing it all around, is there a point in organising them to begin with?¡±.


    ¡°Of course there is!¡± Avaanel said as she made her way down, the wooden steps forming below her feet, ¡°It¡¯s funny seeing Fanteem getting angry.¡±. Her comment was met by a shifting, angry glance towards her from Fanteem, ¡°A-and it also helps you know what we miss! Although you should figure as much after all this time.¡±. Not even Avaanel dared making more jokes on Fanteem, not when she saw his pockets filled with some sharp flowers.


    ¡°I usually find them disorganised by the time I-¡± before she could finish, as Fanteem turned his angered eyes towards her, and Avaanel was making gestures to shut up from behind, Mercaara rethought her words. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s very helpful the work Fanteem does, I can see that better now.¡±. Fanteem just exchanged glances one more time, sighed and left the house half defeated.


    ¡°He should take things easier, it¡¯s not as if he¡¯s the one getting an earful if something goes wrong,¡± Avaanel said as she finally made her way down, looking through the added pile of metals and gems Mercaara brought. ¡°Also, could you please not bring me anymore of these beautiful rocks? I like them around, but not so many,¡± she added, holding one of the gems up.


    ¡°And you should take things more serious,¡± Mercaara reprimanded her, taking the gem out of her hand, ¡°while he won¡¯t get an earful, it doesn¡¯t mean he doesn¡¯t care. Otherwise he wouldn¡¯t spend time with you, would he?¡±. Avaanel stopped rummaging through the pile, taking the words in, then kept going at it. ¡°And I keep bringing the stones because, as you said, there seem to be none when I come back.¡±.


    ¡°Enough about stones and Fanteem,¡± Avaanel sat at the table after finding a more interesting shape of metal, one bent and connected at both ends, forming a circle, ¡°who made this?¡±.


    ¡°That, hmm, I believe it might be something Galanius made,¡± Mercaara told her. Avaanel thought for a little, and the thought of her brother¡¯s ability came to mind. ¡°He also made these,¡± Mercaara pulled from behind, hooked to her leather clothing, a gem encapsulated into a piece of metal.


    ¡°Say, have you seen Galanius or Fanteem coming and leaving from the House of Fire?¡± Avaanel was speaking of the forge they had built.


    ¡°I saw Fanteem, yes,¡± thinking some more on it, Mercaara came upon a couple of instances in her head, ¡°I remember him carrying, what seemed to be, small bags filled with something.¡±.


    ¡°Then I guess we know where those gems were leaving to,¡± Avaanel seemed a bit frustrated but mainly happy. ¡°We will pay Galanius a visit once the meeting is over,¡± Avaanel looked through the metal circle, ¡®why is he hiding his mastery of metals? And will he accept my requests? This feels like an invitation after all.¡¯.


    Kilon


    ¡®What is this feeling, in my heart?¡¯ Kilon was surrounded by his siblings, gathering from the treehouses or various places from the outside. ¡®Fear? No, it makes me feel more alive, so it¡¯s something else,¡¯ Menoel approached him and stood by his right side, his left occupied by Melonius. ¡®Could be excitement, yes, that¡¯s closer, but still not quite.¡¯.


    Walking down the destroyed streets, where the metal tubes were soon to be covered, Avaanel, Mercaara, Fanteem and Avunaia joined behind him. Menoel didn¡¯t exchange even a glance with Avunaia, while Stelorus was nowhere to be seen. ¡°Good,¡± Kilon said aloud, Menoel giving him a curious look, ¡°nothing, just looking around and I can see much good.¡±.


    ¡°Ah, yes,¡± Menoel agreed, ¡°we have come so far since we left the Link.¡±. Menoel looked at his working siblings, then the ones following them, ¡°But¡­¡±.


    ¡°But it¡¯s not enough, is it?¡± Kilon continued his brother¡¯s thoughts, to which Menoel nodded. ¡°You never told me about your own ambitions, brother. What might those be, I wonder at times,¡± Kilon closed his eyes to feel his environment for a moment, then continued, ¡°are they concerning our survival, or something beyond.¡±. Kilon hunched over and looked Menoel in the eyes, and for the first time in his life, Menoel felt something he wouldn¡¯t have thought he could feel from Kilon: fear.


    Kilon¡¯s eyes were different from those of the other. They usually had a sense of anguish inside of them, that was never directed towards someone. However, the moment Kilon felt an opportunity to make that anguish cease, in this case thinking Menoel might have had to do something with his visions, it was a terrifying thing to witness from him. His anger, frustrations, finding a target upon which to potentially unleash them.


    ¡°Both, Kilon, just like yours,¡± Menoel maintained his composure, ¡°I just want to make our existence feel complete, not waste it. Accomplish things which these flesh beings could never.¡±. Kilon could hear plain spite in his brother¡¯s words, then see something tormenting his own mind. ¡°That¡¯s why we do what we do, and why we follow you, for we find purpose in what you do, and what you make us do.¡±. Kilon straightened himself, and Menoel wished he could sigh in relief, but knew better and kept looking forward, thinking he dodged something he wasn¡¯t sure he could start to understand.


    ¡°That, I can trust,¡± Kilon said, ¡°even if other things I can¡¯t.¡±. Menoel was starting to wonder if Kilon realised Avunaia was on his side, fearing for what that might entail, Menoel infused his mind with his light. It was only for a moment, so he could amplify and multiply his thoughts, in order for Kilon not to notice, and for him to think of a solution on the spot to confirm or deny his doubts.


    ¡°I assure you, Kilon, my actions are not to hurt you or anyone else,¡± Menoel spoke the truth, and to prove it, he let Kilon touch his hand, ¡°you can feel that for yourself, if you want to.¡±. Kilon only needed a glimpse into his eyes to confirm it, that he wasn¡¯t the one. So he simply smiled, not touching Menoel¡¯s hand. ¡°So you already made your mind about me, is that it?¡± Menoel said sharply, frowning at the thought that me might¡¯ve lost already. Kilon touching his hand would¡¯ve let him know for certain if he was having feelings of animosity towards him or not, but since the action was denied, he was left in a rougher spot than before.


    ¡°Let us not contemplate on such matters then,¡± Kilon said abruptly as they arrived in front of the central tree, ¡°there is much to discuss, and I do trust your actions. I¡¯ll just have to see if your words are reflected in them.¡±.


    ¡®So be it then,¡¯ Menoel thought determinedly, walking together with Kilon and Melonius inside the giant tree. Making their way to the centre, the other Lightborn were going up their seats, moving around Kilon and the others. Once everyone was seated, more Lightborn started to pour through, filling the whole centre of the tree, and only leaving enough space so Kilon, Menoel, Avunaia and Melonius could stand out better, while Mercaara made herself lost into the crowd with Fanteem.


    Everyone was chattering and mumbling about, some even behaving unbecoming of such a meeting, showing a difference in class as that worked more than learned showed between them.


    ¡°I welcome you, my siblings!¡± the whole tree went silent as Kilon¡¯s voice resounded all around, amplified by his light to have a booming sound to it. Menoel was wondering something about Kilon, as he could see he wasn¡¯t himself ever since he started walking beside him. ¡°It is nigh time for revenge!¡± Menoel was starting to get an understanding of what was wrong standing by Kilon. ¡°For too long had the draxes tormented, killed and hunted us!¡±. The whole crowd was agreeing with nods and silent yeses. ¡°And answer me this, brother, sister,¡± Kilon started to walk between them, Menoel starting to fear for what was to come, ¡°do you fear them?¡±.


    Kilon¡¯s voice had a cold depth to it, his eyes were the same as when they walked up to the tree, so compared to them, the draxes seemed like mere inconveniences for a moment. All the Lightborn, even those yet to see them, cried a loud ¡°No!!¡±.


    ¡°Then should we kill them?¡± a resounding yes could be heard from the crowd, but Kilon shook his head and smiled. ¡°No my foolish brethren,¡± Kilon patted some of them on their heads, and they became further entranced by his words and demeanour, ¡°if you don¡¯t fear them, then they should fear you, and how should we impose that onto them?¡±.


    There was silence in the crowd. Some seemed to clue in on the answer, but didn¡¯t dare speak as to not give the wrong one and garner the wrath of the others. Then, as Kilon paced around, eyes waiting as if to prey on someone from the crowd, Stelorus made his way through. Pushing his siblings aside and wearing a stone with metal infused hammer at his back, he said ¡°Subdue them, tame them, and make them obey our will,¡± he said in a low, deep tone. Angry eyes shifted towards him, but were soon appeased as a happy Kilon met his eyes.


    ¡°That is right!¡± the other Lightborn gasped and whispered between them. ¡°Do not forget what I said when I left the Link: I will tame these wilds!¡±. His siblings were boiling, ready to erupt with cries and fervorous tears. Before they could, Kilon took Stelorus¡¯ hand and raised it up, ¡°WE will tame these wilds! For that is our purpose!!¡±.

 Conquest

    Kilon stepped inside his house. It was the first tree to be sprawled from the ground inside their settlement, which marked the beginning of a society built by Lightborn. The tree was lost between the others, near the edge of the settlement, and smaller than most. It was also hard to find, most Lightborn not knowing Kilon used it as a house, but more as a barrack of sorts where he would store his items. Kilon couldn¡¯t blame that train of thought, as he almost never went inside of it.


    ¡®Just how I left it,¡¯ he thought, his steps followed, almost stepping on some woodmice running around, ¡®almost how I left it.¡¯. The house had only one room, large enough for a bed of sorts opposite to the door some five metres away, a table in the middle and a large indent to his right where he left some of his belongings. To his left, hooked by branches, were his cape and spear.


    He first touched the cape, recollecting memories of his first great foe he befell, thinking then about the one he was about to face. ¡®I just have to do it again,¡¯ he thought, ¡®then once more¡­¡¯.


    He then grabbed his spear, felt the handle that stood the test of combat and time, not bending once to break. Feeling the blade, it reminded him of the pain the claw left on his body. ¡®Even though now it¡¯s made of graymatter, just how my scars never did, inherently it didn¡¯t change.¡¯. And while it was true for the most part, due to how he sharpened the edge of the claw, it became more of a glaive, instead of the curved spear it once was. ¡®I¡¯ve prepared long enough, waited perhaps too long, as the visions become clearer,¡¯ Kilon felt the lights surge throughout his body, reminding himself of the power he withheld, and the one he hid.


    Once he put the cape on, the claws clasped at each other, maintaining their sharpness and placing a comforting weight on his chest and back. The spear he trusted most felt as if it was part of his body, while to him, not a weapon, but a tool to enact his will upon the world. There was a sense of reassurance when he wore his cape and held his spear, but uneasiness swelled deep inside at the same time. ¡®There is pride I have when dressed like this, fear accompanying each step of mine, as they only serve one purpose,¡¯ Kilon thought as he started to push the door open, lights starting to pour from the outside, his brethren readying themselves for him, ¡®to kill my foes.¡¯.


    First to come before Kilon with the setting of the night, was Menoel. The elite Lightborn stood behind him; all tall and powerful, white or blue, they were emanating piercing lights to anyone besides them. He counted thirty with Menoel, which meant he split them in half. ¡°The others will stand watch here, we don¡¯t want to risk anything,¡± Kilon agreed with a nod.


    The second to greet Kilon was Stelorus with his Groundbreakers. Riding on river wolves, their fifty warriors matched in strength those of Menoel¡¯s. ¡°I did much like Menoel, and kept half of our forces in here. Avaanel said she would need as much to dig up some more greymatter and the like,¡± Stelorus said on top of his silver-furred beast, Sirva was her name, the word for silver in their tongue. ¡°I hear the Sweepers won¡¯t be joining us, is that true Kilon?¡± Stelorus asked coldly, Kilon still taller despite Stelorus sitting atop the large beast.


    ¡°They will, just no more than ten of them, as Avunaia believes Menoel¡¯s warriors alone are enough,¡± Kilon glanced at Menoel, then back to Stelorus. ¡°Besides, it is you brother who said you wanted to take the lead, isn¡¯t that so?¡±. Stelorus cracked a small smile, which he quickly hid, Avunaia making her way between all the others as they were talking, mane looters flying high above everyone and plunging in from time to time to harass Menoel¡¯s group. Melonius also tagged along with the Sweepers, carrying on his back the object he hid, strapped with rope made of hide strips.


    ¡°What would that be, Melonius?¡± Menoel asked, pointing at the piece of equipment he tried to hide. ¡°You certainly don¡¯t want us to see it, yet you tempt us with it. There doesn¡¯t seem to be much sense to it, does it?¡±.


    Melonius smiled, as he pulled from his back the piece. It was heavy they could tell, Stelorus thinking it must be Melonius¡¯ weaker frame, but that didn¡¯t prove true, as they noticed a rather muscular arm under those clothes, tensed by the weight. Melonius let it drop to the ground, the object pushing into it, and when Menoel tried to touch it, he felt something odd pushing his hand slightly away, then realising right away what it was.


    ¡°You can tell, can¡¯t you?¡± Melonius said as he started to unravel it, Menoel frowning at the thought of it. ¡°This is meant to repel and protect,¡± Melonius showed his shield, a solid piece of metal so thinly round, it was almost sharp, and slightly curved towards the front, with grooves indented in circular patterns.¡°In other words: to keep those dear to me alive.¡±.


    ¡°Wh-who made this?!¡± Stelorus was most intrigued and upset by it, as he then saw his hammer as a rather flimsy tool compared to what Melonius had. ¡°Can I touch it?¡± Stelorus approached him with his hand extended, feeling the same force repelling his hand, and then seeing as light pulsated in a ripple-like fashion between the grooves. Stelorus kept trying though, wanting to see a solution to the behaviour, but Melonius didn¡¯t entertain the idea, as he placed the shield on his back again.


    ¡°This is the work of one of our brothers,¡± Melonius looked at Menoel standing shorter but stronger than him, ¡°he didn¡¯t want you or the others to know about him. He wants to be left alone from these matters.¡±.


    ¡°Matters?¡± Menoel felt offended in a way, ¡°These are not just matters. This is in regards to our survival, how dares he think in such a selfish manner?!¡±. The others from Menoel¡¯s group riled up with that thought, frowning with their brother. Kilon however, could see his brother¡¯s intentions for what they were.


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe killing these draxes will solve that issue, brother,¡± Melonius said, ¡°for we are purposed to tame and bend this world, not break it.¡±. Melonius then returned to the Sweepers, some of them also trying to touch his shield, while others outright reaching to steal it.


    ¡°Don¡¯t spout nonsense,¡± Menoel chased Melonius with his words, ¡°that is the sole purpose we are here. Kill these beasts and push forward, as we can¡¯t bend the whole world, but just parts of it. And sometimes, we need to break them instead.¡±. Kilon was starting to see more clearly the way his brother was thinking, although it was too late to talk things over.


    ¡®If only I¡¯d spent time talking with him, instead of running away from our settlement. Maybe it wouldn¡¯t be need for us to hide our goals and feelings,¡¯ Kilon started to make his way towards the exit of their settlement, Lightborns gathering to bid them farewell and regal deers brought for the others. ¡®I have to wonder once again, if I¡¯m the one in the visions. Leading them on a path of destruction that I could¡¯ve avoided have I been more sincere.¡¯. Once at the exit, Kilon looked once more between all his siblings. Those which were to come with him, and those which were to stay. He couldn¡¯t see Eharel anywhere, but couldn¡¯t do much about it, as Menoel told him he would stay behind to lead the others. He couldn¡¯t deny the thought that Menoel lied to him, but there wasn¡¯t much he could do, as he could account for most details, just not deal with them.


    Kilon raised his hand, Arhegon making his way from outside the settlement, as the beast couldn¡¯t be contained, merely subdued, a strand of light attached to its soul leading its path back to its master. ¡®Trust my lead, and the path I take,¡¯ Kilon thought, the strand of light enforcing his feelings into Arhegon¡¯s being, ¡®for we go to battle, which you too know much of.¡¯. Arhegon let out a puff from its nostrils, then bent itself before him, Kilon accepting its subordination by climbing on his back. Once the beast raised itself, Kilon raised his spear towards the darkened sky, the sun falling just behind him in the east.


    ¡°Laugh and cry brothers! Sisters!¡± Kilon cried, everyone present starting to discover a new feeling. ¡°For we march forward, to tame these wilds, to see new horizons, discover greater places,¡± Kilon looked at them, their emotions connected as one, ¡°to conquer!¡±. Euphory is what those present felt. A sense of pre established victory, combined with a religious love for their brother, made them forget themselves in the elation this battle was to offer. ¡°Onwards!!¡± Kilon pointed his spear east, set on his resolve, as the cries of the Lightborn shook the peaceful night.


    The Lightborn then marched on for a sun without rest, their regal deers and river wolves having their energy supplemented by the light of the Lightborn. While the Lightborn would get strained from it, it wouldn¡¯t matter as they could rest while travelling. It was during that time that Menoel knew he had a window of opportunity.


    Approaching Avunaia, Menoel looked around, ensuring Melonius wasn¡¯t listening. ¡°I hope you¡¯re prepared, we can only do this once and this time only,¡± Menoel spotted Melonius who had Stelorus closer to him than he would¡¯ve liked.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me what I know,¡± Avunaia snapped at him, which Menoel met with a frown, ¡°and you should hope Eharel played his part well. It would anger be greatly if he lost the beast some of us lost limbs for in our attempt to capture it.¡±.


    ¡°I am sure he is doing good, these creatures are prideful afterall, so they will chase after him no matter what,¡± Menoel saw that Melonius and Stelorus were conversing about something. ¡°Those two,¡± Menoel pointed with his head towards them, which Avunaia then saw, ¡°Stelorus helps Kilon, but we still don¡¯t know what he talked with Melonius right?¡±.


    ¡°We don¡¯t, but I believe it is right to assume he only wants to protect Kilon,¡± Avunaia was talking with Meriumus through his ability from a distance, who kept an eye on Kilon at the front. ¡°I don¡¯t believe that to be bad, we have to protect him even at the cost of our lives.¡±. She spoke in a manner that worried Menoel, as he could see more than love and adoration, but passion too in what she was feeling.


    ¡°Do not do anything we may regret Avunaia, it¡¯s not worth the cost of your life,¡± Menoel placed a hand on her shoulder, trying to be the good brother he should¡¯ve been, which she rejected with a shrug of her shoulder.


    ¡°If it¡¯s for Kilon, there¡¯s nothing to regret about it, I¡¯ll do it even at the cost of my life,¡± Menoel could start seeing a sort of madness in her eyes, sparks erupting in a hectic manner when she said his name. Menoel wanted to say more, but there was no time for it, as the Lightborn started to open their eyes from their rest. ¡°And here we are,¡± Avunaia said, Kilon stopping the group from the front.


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    ¡°Sister!¡± Kilon cried for Avunaia, and she made haste, leaving Menoel with no more words to be said. Once she was next to him, she felt her heartbeat faster, her light wavering. ¡°Are you troubled, Avunaia?¡± Kilon asked worried, trying to place a hand on her to understand what she felt, but she pushed her regal deer away to not let him.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s just the lands around here,¡± Avunaia said, looking sad at a further away place. Kilon thought about it and then realised.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I haven¡¯t noticed,¡± Kilon looked at her and he could tell there was something else bothering her, but chose not to look into it, ¡°do you think we can find their bodies? I believe Melonius would be glad to have a place made for them.¡±.


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe they are any-¡± before she could finish, Prickety returned from its journey, seemingly panicked by the sight of something. Avunaia knew what it was, playing oblivious to it though. ¡°I think she got scared of something, I should go look into it.¡±. Avunaia was already starting to move towards there, but Kilon grabbed her by the shoulder, stopping her. Avunaia knew what that meant, and she could only hope he couldn¡¯t feel her lying.


    ¡°You should take someone else too with you, it¡¯s not safe to go alone,¡± Kilon wasn¡¯t trying to understand her feelings, he trusted her and he knew that was one way to breach said trust. ¡°I believe Melonius could be of much use in this instance.¡±.


    ¡°I could take Menoel instead,¡± Kilon frowned at the idea, ¡°it¡¯s just so he can¡¯t make any moves while we¡¯re distracted.¡±. Kilon didn¡¯t like the idea a whole lot, but there wasn¡¯t much to argue about, and that would offer him some time to talk with Stelorus while Menoel was elsewhere.


    ¡°Very well, just make haste. For all I know this could also help Menoel,¡± Avunaia nodded, sent Prickety to get Menoel, and left for some time. Kilon didn¡¯t think it could be another draxe, not that far since they moved deeper into the forests. However, there was a feeling he had, similar to when he left the Link. There was something watching for an opportunity, although, this time it wasn¡¯t some wild animal, but his own kin. He could feel Menoel¡¯s gaze upon him and that of two others, constantly surveilling him. ¡®There¡¯s three of them, but now not even one,¡¯ he found it odd that the feeling left him after Avunaia left.


    Before he had time to arrive at a conclusion though, he could see a ray of light piercing the night sky from afar. It was that of Menoel he could tell, Kilon not wasting a moment and making haste, the others following right after but much further behind. Once he arrived at the scene, he infused his lights into his being the very next moment.


    Menoel was bleeding light from his right arm, his spear to the ground, while Avunaia had her neck caught between the fangs of a draxe. Kilon didn¡¯t waste a moment, infusing his mind with the power of his lights, thinking of all the best ways to stop the beast before it could kill Avunaia.


    But, as Kilon almost instinctively prepared to throw his spear, Menoel cried ¡°There¡¯s more!¡±. And just as he said, two more draxes came running straight for Kilon from both sides, hidden in holes they dug. However, Kilon simply stood up on his feet atop Arhegon, the regal deer proving too much, for draxes that haven¡¯t seen more than a full cycle of the sun, kicking and throwing his giant antlers around. With his aim steady, Kilon aimed straight for its head, the power of his lights making the spear travel almost like an arrow through the night.


    While the aim was true and he managed to hit his target, it didn¡¯t arrive fast enough, the draxe crushing his sister¡¯s neck, almost as if out of spite. When the spear¡¯s blade passed through the skull of the beast, so did the fangs through Avunaia, ripping a large chunk of her neck. Kilon jumped off Arhegon and ran straight for his sister, knowing she had moments to live before succumbing to death.


    ¡°On the Creator! What happened?!¡± Kilon asked in a rage Menoel, not caring for his state and focusing on trying to help Avunaia. ¡°Here, take some of my lights, heal yourself with them!¡± Kilon cried to her, light erupting from that portion of her neck, trying to bind itself back together and heal the missing flesh. Eharel started to make his way out of the thicket as well, crawling on the ground as his right foot was missing, holding it in his hand.


    ¡°It-it wasn¡¯t supposed to go this way,¡± Menoel said, and Kilon, still infused with his lights, realised in a moment that this was the plan he was preparing for him. He couldn¡¯t understand how Menoel was outsmarted by these creatures, but didn¡¯t change what he had done. ¡°Will she survive? She has to survive,¡± Menoel said in almost a whisper, falling to the ground. Kilon knew what that was: poison. Most draxes relied on their strength and bite to kill their prey, but due to creatures like the regal deers, some of them rubbed their claws in poisonous plants and their own faeces, creating a potent poison.


    Kilon knew there were only a few moments deciding who lives and who dies. The others were still a couple of minutes behind, leaving him with his three siblings, two of which were on the verge of death. ¡®I can infuse Avunaia with lights to stop the bleeding and heal her wound, but Menoel needs my full attention so the poison doesn¡¯t destroy the inner portions.¡¯. Kilon was thinking of the organs he or no one else there could regenerate, like the heart.


    In the moment it took him to think, where he couldn¡¯t find a solution to help both of them, Avunaia pressed her hand on his face. ¡°Heal him, I¡¯m already lost,¡± her soul spoke to Kilon, ¡°there is poison inside of me as well.¡±. Kilon felt his chest tightening and his mind fogging for the first time, the cruel realisation there couldn¡¯t be a choice he can take, but the one forced upon him. ¡°I¡¯ve already made my peace the moment it grabbed my neck, for I loved you brother, more than anything.¡±.


    ¡°Is this what love looks to you, Avunaia?! Dying for what? The plans of a foolish brother that didn¡¯t know his limits?!¡± Kilon¡¯s thoughts wrathed inside his soul, resonating into Avunaia¡¯s. ¡°No, I¡¯ll save you, let him die for his mistakes.¡±.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t just him,¡± Kilon felt his soul wavering with those words, ¡°I too had wanted this. We wanted to show them, and you, that you¡¯re still supreme. That you¡¯re the god we want and need, not the one that made us, but led us.¡±.


    ¡°This wasn¡¯t the only way!¡± his soul was shaking, anger, confusion and desperation forming a vortex of frustrated thoughts. ¡°You could¡¯ve talked with me, told me what I should¡¯ve done, not run to your death!¡±.


    ¡°No, you hated it, being what we wanted you to be. So we wanted to show it¡¯s not a bad thing, maybe even necessary,¡± he knew that better than anyone, he just couldn¡¯t believe they were thinking in such a manner too. ¡°But it¡¯s too late for regrets, and even though you¡¯ll hate me and Menoel for it, I believe to have served my god well. For I love you more than I loved them.¡±. As she communicated her last words through her soul, Kilon could feel it being pulled away from her body. It was something that happened over the course of a couple of moments, time which no longer could be wasted, not with Menoel dying. Even so, amidst the torrent of thoughts and confused feelings he had, Kilon found clarity, inspiration worthy of a god.


    Kilon knew better than anyone, besides Orvus, how souls worked. All he had to do was reach out for his sister¡¯s soul, and so he did, grabbing it and surrounding her soul with his lights. It was something fragile, something which if he lost control even for a moment over, would allow the soul to escape or be strained by the power of those dozen lights he used. ¡®I won¡¯t let go, not yet, not here. You will get to live, see the day I no longer am your god, but your brother,¡¯ Kilon promised in his mind, tying the soul to his being with the lights, then hurrying over to Menoel. ¡®You too. You don¡¯t get to die, not until you¡¯ve seen me accomplish what I set out to do. And not until you¡¯ll see the wrong of your ways,¡¯ Kilon placed his hand over his arm as he was thinking, ¡®as well as mine.¡¯.


    Weaving his own light into Menoel, he found the poison and destroyed it all from inside out. While it reached his chest area, Kilon managed to destroy it just in time. By the time the others arrived, Kilon was also healing Ehare¡¯s foot, putting it back in place after removing any impurities. Melonius saw his sister¡¯s body lying without light on the ground, no longer sensing the warmth she should¡¯ve had nor the presence of her soul. Before he had time to weep though, he noticed the strange formation of lights near Kilon¡¯s body, weaving and twisting around something.


    ¡°Kilon¡­what is that?¡± Melonius pointed at the sphere of lights, and Kilon didn¡¯t have to open his mouth, once getting closer, Melonius could tell. ¡°H-how is that possible?! Can you do it to others as well?!¡±. Melonius was already finding false hope were there was none.


    ¡°No¡­¡± Kilon said sorrowfully, ¡°and the way I hold her soul as of now strains my body. I don¡¯t know how long it will be before it either escapes my grasp or is crushed under the weight of the lights.¡± Melonius understood the dangers and the slim chances they had to do anything with her soul, but it was still enough to make him want to bow before Kilon. It was the same behaviour, one which Kilon could no longer stand.


    ¡°He¡¯s¡­he¡¯s our god,¡± Menoel was coming back to his senses, ¡°he¡¯s our god I tell you!¡±. His cries could be heard throughout, the others wondering what this was about. ¡°Capturing a soul?! Unbelievable! This is why we must follow, bend our wills to his!¡± the others didn¡¯t quite catch what was going on, and to them, Kilon seemed almost wounded, their sister was dead and he was barely standing. It was a rather pitiful picture for Menoel to use at his advantage, but in his mind he had to try, in order to not waste Avunaia¡¯s death. Kilon approached him, Menoel not even aware as his eyes were crazed by his purpose, ¡°He is Kilon Ti-¡± before he had time to say it, Kilon struck him across his face, breaking two of his fingers with it and damaging the bones inside Menoel¡¯s head.


    ¡°Enough,¡± Kilon said in a low, grave tone, ¡°this is what you wanted, Menoel?!¡±. Menoel clenched his teeth, trying to find the words, but defeat was all he had in mind, those words being his last attempt to make it right. ¡°This will have to change, you hear me?¡± he cried to his siblings. ¡°When we get back, there will be no more veneration or adoration of me,¡± the Lightborn present wanted to protest, but Stelorus wouldn¡¯t allow for it, he knew Kilon had to speak his mind. ¡°If this,¡± he pulled out his spear, showing and pointing with it at Eharel and Menoel, ¡°is what your adoration does, and this¡± he pointed with his hand at Avunaia, ¡°what your love does. Then I need neither, nor do you. If you want to say otherwise, you no longer can be our brother or sister. Death shouldn¡¯t be sought in my name, it should be avoided for your sake, you fools.¡±. His words were cutting and sharp, wanting to make his point across.


    Between all the Lightborn, Melonius and Stelorus stood by Kilon¡¯s side. Menoel looked at the others, seeing doubt in their eyes, knowing that if he could speak, he would sway them still. But Kilon¡¯s eyes, even if not looking at him, told him of the fact that Kilon could reach for his soul and pull it out. Ending whatever more schemes he could come up with. It was fear Menoel had before, just didn¡¯t know what it was for sure, not until he witnessed what he could do with souls.


    After they thought a little, the Lightborn stood by Kilon¡¯s side or behind him, showing their support in what Kilon was after. Eharel, feeling defeated, joined Kilon, no longer wanting to oppose whatever he set in motion. ¡°There is still a place for you too, brother,¡± Stelorus reached out for Menoel, but was met by a backhand instead.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need your pity,¡± Menoel spat, ¡°what I needed was for us to find worth in this world. And by your actions Kilon, I can see us only failing, as you risk us divided by your words and actions.¡±. Menoel stood up at last, his light still fixing the cracked bones. ¡°If you no longer need me, so be it. But there are others who need you in that way, not this. For their belief is what leads their life.¡±.


    Kilon looked around him, seeing the readjusted eyes of his brothers and sisters. There was still that adoration for him he couldn¡¯t get rid of, but it was a start to something greater, he was certain of it. ¡°Then they can believe in what I¡¯m set out to do, and what we can accomplish. They don¡¯t need to believe in me,¡± Kilon stood in front of Menoel, putting a firm grasp on his shoulder, ¡°they just have to witness my conquest.¡±.

 We Meet Again

    ¡®Do you see it, Avunaia? The view before us, one that challenges us. Creatures of flesh and blood that stand too tall in direct opposition to us. We must show them why they must bend to our wills, so we can eventually spread around and conquer more than just those which inhabit the lands, but the lands themselves.¡¯. Kilon was trying to reach his sister¡¯s soul with his thoughts. There was no answer, and he was afraid of what that might mean. Souls, by themselves, couldn¡¯t communicate. They still needed a mind at least, and a body at best. Since Avunaia lacked both, the best it could do was communicate a feeling. And what Kilon felt was fear from her. She didn¡¯t know, and couldn¡¯t know, what was going to happen. She could only feel what he was feeling, and that¡¯s what she felt from him.


    Kilon didn¡¯t know if his actions led him closer to the vision, or further. Him and his group had no time to rest, afraid of another attack from the draxes. And it no longer mattered, as they were at the edge of the east forest, where the draxes moved. ¡®Even if you can¡¯t see, I hope you can at least feel what I do. It¡¯s terrible, that I know, but once we defeat them, I am sure I can set our siblings on the right path.¡¯. Kilon stopped Arhegon, and the rest of the group stopped shortly after. They were looking for a place to put their creatures to rest, so they may return to them safely.


    Eharel had been taking mental notes of their surroundings for a while. Using his light, he knew the positions of most that moved inside a stretched portion of land before them. Inside the forest, he would cast his light from his eyes, thin rays reflecting from surfaces and touching various things. Some of such things were the draxes, others, at the back, were some Groundbreakers who, for some reason, stood further behind the whole group. He told Stelorus about the fact that ¡°They don¡¯t seem to want to attack us. They¡¯re waiting.¡±.


    Stelorus smiled at his words, ¡°Good. They too know what¡¯s approaching them, so they no longer run.¡±. He couldn¡¯t help but feel some kind of respect for the creatures ¡°If we manage to keep some alive, I¡¯ll make one my companion,¡± he chuckled a little at the thought, which Eharel wondered what it was about ¡°I¡¯m just imagining. These things that killed our siblings, much like the winds and waters, we are becoming their masters.¡±. Eharel found that ironic too. That which they were once fearing and killed by, became theirs to master and have control over.


    ¡°Perhaps it is our right to do so,¡± Eharel responded, ¡°maybe this whole world is in a way our right.¡±. Stelorus found it perplexing, as he was sure their Creator wanted them to have some part of it, but not all.


    ¡°You mean Kilon¡¯s right? That¡¯s what you people believed,¡± Eharel didn¡¯t find the joke amusing, especially since his belief was still there, just shaken, but still in place. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m sure Kilon likes to share, he is our brother after all,¡± Eharel found a tinge of spite in Stelorus¡¯ voice, as if he maybe didn¡¯t believe something of what he said. But didn¡¯t pay it much heed, Stelorus leaving to stand next to Kilon and tell him what was needed, Melonius standing at Kilon¡¯s left side.


    ¡°Not moving to attack,¡± Kilon said, ¡°perhaps we¡¯re just following into their trap, walking straight into what they want us to.¡±. Kilon looked at either side, thinking he had both the shield and the spear he needed in case of anything. ¡°Although we could confirm, there¡¯s too many of them in here for this not to be where they eat and sleep. They probably just grew sick of this back and forth hunt, just like us.¡±. Kilon thought about his dead siblings, but also that they too claimed many of their lives. ¡®To them, obviously, we aren¡¯t different from any other animal. While there can¡¯t be more of us, they don¡¯t know that, and why should they care if they did?¡¯ Kilon thought. ¡°But it¡¯s time to show them,¡± Kilon held his spear tight and walked ahead, then turned his back at the forest, his cape fluttering in the wind coming from the west.


    ¡°Onwards!¡± he cried, turning and pointing with his spear at the forest.


    And so, they slowly marched. Inside the forest, Eharel started to note various Draxes starting to dig up from the ground and spread all around, with it, he stopped in his tracks. ¡°It was indeed a trap,¡± he pronounced, as his light rays felt movement from hundreds of beings, so many that he couldn¡¯t keep track without using his power some more. ¡°There¡¯s hundreds, perhaps more of them. We should¡¯ve brought our whole force to end them for good,¡± Eharel said in almost a whisper, as if afraid the creatures could sense his anxiety.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be stupid Eharel,¡± Menoel said, guarded by ten Lightborn from his own group, ¡°Kilon alone is enough to sweep the forest clean of them.¡±. Eharel knew that to be true, that was only if Kilon disregarded their own safety though, which, by how desperately he hanged onto Avunaia¡¯s soul, he was sure was not to happen unless he wasn¡¯t given another option. ¡°Besides that, my brothers I personally selected,¡± Menoel looked around him, ¡°are able to carve a path of blood and meat through them if need be.¡±.


    ¡°Menoel,¡± Stelorus interrupted their talk coming from the front, ¡°we might need to escape. And if worse comes to worse, I can at least trust you¡¯ll put Kilon¡¯s safety first and foremost.¡±. Menoel was a bit surprised to see Stelorus prioritising Kilon over himself and the others. ¡°I¡¯m aware enough to where I can tell we¡¯re going to be wiped, are we to lose him.¡±.


    ¡°And why do you believe we might lose him?¡± Stelorus could tell of the spite Menoel¡¯s words carried. ¡°As I told Eharel, if he wanted to-¡±.


    ¡°Look at him,¡± Stelorus interrupted, both looking at Kilon, ¡°holding Avunaia¡¯s soul is putting a tremendous strain on his body. He didn¡¯t lie, something will soon happen with her soul, and it¡¯s outside his control.¡±. While Menoel would¡¯ve liked to argue, there wasn¡¯t a point to it, not any longer as he touched his face. ¡°So watch his back, for we are at his front,¡± Stelorus said, pulling at Sirva¡¯s fur and heading back to Kilon¡¯s right.


    ¡°Do not stop!¡± Kilon cried, ¡°If they planned to attack, they would¡¯ve done so already. This is their welcome,¡± Kilon patted Arhegon, letting him know he should advance, ¡®and what a welcome this is. Fitting for us I¡¯d say.¡¯. He couldn¡¯t help but feel these creatures were trying to show them the same kind of determination, to put an end to all of it, an odd sense of pride enveloping him as he felt he was being acknowledged by creatures other than his siblings. Not as a god, but as a worthy opponent. ¡®If only they¡¯d know what a mistake this is,¡¯ he thought. ¡®Unlike them, we have the capacity and ability to grow stronger, indefinitely so to our knowledge. They don¡¯t,¡¯ Kilon felt a piercing pain through his chest, as Avunaia¡¯s soul was hard to temper, ¡®although, perhaps that¡¯s what drives them to fight us, even when they can¡¯t win.¡¯. Kilon and his group finally made it into a clearing deep inside the forest, the draxes no longer hiding and showing from between the trees as they climbed down and dug their way from holes they slept into. ¡®Maybe it¡¯s a contest of immortality. They who can procreate, or us who can live forever. Which one is it I wonder.¡¯.


    ¡°Should we bring them?¡± Jolius, a Lightborn part of the Groundbreakers, asked Stelorus as he approached on his river wolf from behind. Adorned with various pelts and skins, he prided himself with his ability to skin animals, dead or alive.


    ¡°I¡¯d say it¡¯s about time, yeah,¡± Stelorus smiled devilishly, excited with how the draxes may react to the bodies of those that attacked them. ¡®Kilon may not like it much, but fear can make the difference between life and death in this situation,¡¯ he thought, as his Groundbreakers carried the dead, altered bodies of those three draxes.


    Kilon could tell Stelorus was up to something, and the only reason he didn¡¯t try to do anything against it, was so he could focus solely on what he had ahead. The strain Avuanai¡¯s soul was placing on him was already too much, having a dispute with Stelorus would be one headache more than he could handle at that moment.


    And, as they made their way further into the opening, Kilon could see their nest in all its glory. There was a cliff up ahead, three large stones standing in front of it, older than perhaps the forest itself. While some thirty metres before them was a hole of sorts, led into by dirt steps formed in time due to either the draxes or some other creatures walking down into it.


    Atop the three stones, on the middle, tallest one, there was a draxe larger than mostly anything Kilon has ever seen. If not for the line of fur and thick scales, Kilon could¡¯ve sworn it was an entirely different creature. Its scales were a deep, crimson red, no spots of green which was all too common in most draxes. Its fur was also different, a pure black, swallowing the little light the dawn of day was starting to bring in, covering a good portion of its back.


    ¡°I believe that¡¯s the one?¡± Melonius pointed his finger at the draxe at the left, ¡°Flaming scales and not a hint of fur.¡±. Eharel knew from Avunaia of that Draxe, as it was the mating partner of the draxes¡¯ leader. Something they could only assume due to its unique appearance and being smaller than most male draxes. What Eharel, and Avunaia, never got to see, was the leader before them. Something which perplexed him as it was larger than even Arhegon.


    ¡°There¡¯s one missing it would seem though,¡± Stelorus pointed at the stone standing at the right, the one which stood taller than the left one, ¡°and I believe we might have gotten that one.¡±. Stelorus smiled with spite towards the draxes. ¡°Bring it in!¡± he cried, and from behind, Jolius with a couple other Groundbreakers brought the three dead bodies. They threw the first one into the hole, skinless and with its fangs missing. Kilon felt the need to interrupt them, but noticing the unphased gaze of the draxes¡¯ leader upon him, he couldn¡¯t take his eyes off either.


    Then the next was thrown on top, its eyes and limbs missing from its body, yet still, the leader of the draxes was holding its eyes on Kilon.


    But, once the last body was thrown on the pile, both draxes on the stones switched their eyes towards it. ¡°Good, we guessed right,¡± Stelorus said, as the head of that one draxe was missing, while the rest of its body was furless and boneless, mostly a pile of organs wrapped in skin was thrown. ¡°How does it feel?!¡± Stelorus cried with a maniac smile on his face, putting the head of the draxe on top of his, like a helmet of sorts, its eyes still filled with anger even after death. Stelorus then jumped off his river wolf and into the hole, challenging the draxes. ¡°To lose those dear to you, for all eternity!¡±.


    Kilon frowned deeply upon Stelorus¡¯ actions ¡®This is not the way.¡¯. He thought, glancing at Melonius for a moment and then pointing with his chin to go assist Stelorus. ¡®We must make them submit to our will, not place the prospect of death in their minds.¡¯.


    ¡°The trouble you cause Kilon,¡± Melonius said as he made his way down as well, holding his shield and revealing his muscly body by dropping his animal furs to the ground, Stelorus following suit, ¡°at least it had the effect you wanted.¡±. The air all around turned into one of anxiety and fear in favour of Kilon¡¯s group. ¡°And I¡¯m not going to lie brother,¡± Melonius infused his light throughout his body and shield, all the Lightborn letting out small gasps, ¡°I was looking forward to this.¡±. Melonius, much like Felemous, was starting to tap into the mastery of his own ability, displayed by an outer shell of light he protruded from his skin.


    ¡°This? Trouble?¡± Stelorus asked mused, infusing light into his hands, holding his hammer with the right hand and resting it on his back, going shoulder to shoulder. ¡°Let us solve it then, through sheer power and cunning!¡±.


    The leader of the draxes stood up on his stone, assessing the situation. Kilon found the creature curious, as its eyes almost seemed thoughtful in a way. However, Kilon found that as a weakness, for its thinking was not fully developed, thinking that much like his visions, unless completed, it can be more troublesome than useful.


    The draxe then found what it was looking for, and to ever Lightborn¡¯s surprise, it spoke to the draxes. Letting out a deep, guttural shriek from its neck, its scales shaking and rattling, it communicated a clear message in a language the Lightborn knew nothing of. Kilon could see how that draxe became the leader, gathering all those other creatures together and coordinating them in such a manner.


    From the hundreds of draxes gathered there, two made their way through and into the pit. One had green-yellowish scales, the other deep green scales. The first was larger, its movements heavier, while the second left no sounds with its steps, natural and calculated they were.


    Stelorus was first to move, to the left, and then Melonius, to the right, leaving space so they could fight with their foes. The first draxe went for Stelorus, and the second for Melonius. There wasn¡¯t a signal to start or even a whisper, as each of them measured up their foes.


    Stelorus was the first to make an offensive move, stepping forward and winding up his hammer, the draxe holding steady in place, ready to react in any fashion. And so the hammer first struck the ground with an arch, breaking through, then coming from below to strike the draxe right from under its chin. While the draxe managed to dodge the attack, a cloud of smoke came immediately after, hiding Stelorus¡¯ presence.


    Melonius and the green-scaled draxe were at a standstill, waiting for the other to move. And as if noticing something, the draxe was the first to jump towards Melonius, striking his shield. And although his ability allowed Melonius to deflect the attack, something felt odd. Looking at the shield, he noticed the mark of a twisted scratch. ¡®That was either a stroke of luck, or the draxe noticed the flow of my light, and went with it in order to reach my shield,¡¯ Melonius thought. ¡®Good¡¯.


    The yellow-scaled draxe, meanwhile, was at a loss. While the cloud would work for normal, flesh beings, it was confused why Stelrous¡¯ light was nowhere to be seen. Then, too late, it realised, as the ground below its feet shook, and Stelorus¡¯ hand grabbed at its front paw. Stelorus, restricting his flow of light and half buried, used the ground he broke as a way to easily go below the eyesight of the draxe and attack it from a blind spot. While the first instinct of the draxe was to bite, and so it did, ripping the flesh from Stelorus¡¯ hand, it was as if he didn¡¯t even feel it, crushing the paw of the beast in his palm, then trying to rip the whole leg from its shoulder.


    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Before he had the chance to though, the draxe realising what it meant fighting him, bit off its own paw from the joint as it sped forward, towards Stelorus¡¯ neck. Stelorus smiled, acknowledging the determination of the creature, and then infusing light into his left hand with which he held his hammer, then crashing it into the ground, rattling his brain but also caving in the ground, disrupting the attack of the draxe.


    Melonius raised his shield with his left hand, light flowing through it, and coursing light in his right. The draxe saw it as an opportunity and once again leaped to attack. That time with both paws, claws stretched, forward. The moment it did, Melonius tossed the shield in his right hand, the flow of light switching the pattern the draxe was expecting, and once it crashed into the shield, the opposite flow made the draxe spin in midair, seeing Melonius upside down. Melonius then cast a ray of light from his left hand, albeit weaker, it still pierced through the draxe¡¯s abdomen, leaving it bleeding from the inside on the ground.


    ¡®If I were still a newborn of the Link, them being able to read our moves might¡¯ve been an issue,¡¯ Melonius thought, approaching the draxe with his shield held above his shoulder, ¡®but we¡¯re long past that, and disregarding your numerical advantage in favour of fighting us one on one, is the fault of your own hubris.¡¯. As Melonius wanted to descend the shield upon its body and crush it below it, the draxe kicked the ground in its foetal position, tumbling and rolling back on its feet. ¡°I suppose you haven¡¯t become a thorn in our side for nothing,¡± Melonius praised the creature, but the draxe could tell he was mocking it some, ¡°now come, meet your end on your own terms, that¡¯s about all I will allow for you.¡±.


    The draxe attacking Stelorus bit air, as Stelorus sunk further into the ground. Seeing its foe was far more cunning than the appearance led on, the draxe backed away, keeping its eyes on Stelorus. ¡°Afraid?¡± Stelorus asked as he rose from below the ground, brushing off the dirt, ¡°You should be¡±. Stelorus looked at Melonius, seeking that he was close to finishing the draxe on his side, then at their leader. While unphased, Stelorus thought of how to really make it understand why they stood no chance. ¡°Playtime is over,¡± he cried, ¡°time to set our hearts ablaze, and show these creatures why we shall rest immortal in this world!¡±. With his words, he fueled his body with light, emanating a crimson red light from within, a large smile appearing on his face as light started to pour out of his skin, his muscles twitching and tightening.


    The draxe, losing blood from its ripped paw, could tell that it was only a matter of time before he would kill it. So, disregarding its own sense of danger, it stood its ground against a charging Stelorus, ready to meet him face to face. Stelorus felt his heart pulsing, the weaker creature before him displayed a strength one such flesh being could only display at the narrow edge between life and death.


    Wanting to give it the proper respect, he dropped his hammer, opening his arms up. The draxe didn¡¯t know what Stelorus¡¯ gesture was all about, it just did what was natural to it, and when Stelorus was within range, it pushed with its back paws against the ground, aiming for his neck. Stelorus, however, met the creature with a terrifying embrace before it could reach his neck, and, under the grasp of his arms, the draxe felt its hold body unable to move for a moment, as Stelorus¡¯ ability started taking a hold of it. Even as Stelorus was starting to crush its back and the scales snapping at the sheer pressure, it still took a hold of his shoulder and bit ferociously into it, ripping chunks of flesh from him. But, struggling as it may, Stelorus did not let go of it a single moment, letting it scratch his chest and rip some more in his flesh. Then, with a couple more scratches, the draxe met its end, within the warm, strong embrace of a Lightborn.


    Melonius, hearing the struggle on Stelorus¡¯ side, knew things were over, so he focused on his draxe. If he wanted, he could simply let it bleed out as he waited, and that was the plan as the draxe leaped for his neck time and time again, only for it to be met with an impassable wall. Melonius, seeing the struggle of a half dead beast, in a way reminded him of his dead siblings, and the struggle they had before. Confronted with a sense of mortality and how those deaths came about, usually due to a feeling of false security, Melonius led the draxe with a feint, turning to his right.


    The draxe didn¡¯t feel any resistance, as there was no longer something in its way. The last thing it saw was the dawn of the new day, and its false belief the threat before him was removed. Melonius touched its body midair, releasing a powerful ray of light from his palm and into its body, killing it almost immediately.


    There was silence for a few moments, Stelorus healing his wounds with a pained smile on his face, while Melonius stood down, relaxing his body from the use of the light. And, while the other Lightborn wanted to cheer their siblings, Kilon stopped them with a raised hand. He wanted Stelorus and Melonius to take in the experience they gathered, understand what it meant killing a noteworthy opponent.


    After a few more moments, the leader of the draxe has had enough, standing up and letting out a shriek like before. Soon after a few draxe made their way into the pit, showing a submissive stance then taking away the dead bodies.


    ¡®They are starting to understand,¡¯ Kilon thought, dismounting Arhegon and approaching the pit. The leader of the draxe knew what it meant, so it rubbed heads with his mating partner, Kilon feeling an odd sensation of semblance from those two, as if he saw Avunaia holding him in her arms. ¡®They trust each other, to the point where they¡¯re willing to give their life for the other,¡¯ Kilon could tell, the show of affection something he could only witness from a mother towards her kids, but never from two creatures unrelated to the other.


    After the leader of the draxe felt it was enough, its facial features changed. From gentle, pained eyes, to sharp, preying ones. Its fangs started to show as well, then, with a high jump, it landed inside the pit. A crashing sound could be heard, but the draxe was standing tall and proud, not the stance of a beast, but that of a dignified leader, its crimson scales turning a bloody red with the light of the sun upon them.


    ¡®I won¡¯t be able to use my lights, not in a meaningful capacity,¡¯ Kilon thought, waving the winds below his feet and descending as if floating. ¡®So I will use the second best thing,¡¯ Kilon¡¯s descent into the pit to the Lightborn seemed as if for him not to dirty his feet, but Kilon wanted to show the draxes that even at a fundamental level, they were not the same. ¡®They also have to understand that what will kill their leader, isn¡¯t the mere force of nature, but my applied power over it.¡¯. Kilon, with a gentle touch to the ground, stood taller than the draxe, his powerful demeanour holding the breath in place for both the draxes and the Lightborn. It was quite rare to see Kilon fight, so the Lightborn didn¡¯t want to miss a thing, while the draxes were simply astounded by his splendour.


    Kilon held his spear in his left hand, firm and comfortable, while with his right he was already moving the winds above the draxe. He was waiting for the creature to make the first move, but since it just stood there and paced from left to right, he decided to strike first. ¡®Large winds will only blow everyone in places, so I shall make it faster while containing it in a small area,¡¯ Kilon was creating a tornado inspired by the winds he confronted in the Whistling Valley. Once the wind descended upon the draxe, they started to rip and shred the scales from its skin, blood splurting and wiped away by the winds.


    However, the draxe still maintained its composure, Kilon finding it perplexing. But it was for no reason, as it burrowed itself into the ground in response, its claws digging as if swimming through it, before it could be twisted and broken inside the small tornado. ¡®Smart,¡¯ Kilon thought, still maintaining the vicious winds, ¡®but it won¡¯t be enough¡¯. Tapping his spear on the ground, the earth started to tremble and move in front of him, and where the draxe dug into, the ground seemed as if spewing itself into the air. The draxe wasn¡¯t there though, Kilon lost for a moment realised then its intention, jumping high up and letting go of the tornado. The draxe, as he expected, tried to jump him from behind, and it almost got him, but he rose himself higher up by quickly manipulating the winds between him and the draxe.


    After both Kilon and the draxe landed, standing some ten metres apart, every Lightborn breathed out, the draxes waiting in anticipation. ¡®It shouldn¡¯t have known about our ability to manipulate the earth,¡¯ Kilon thought, ¡®but then again, they have their ways of communicating.¡¯. He then looked around, as if his foe wasn¡¯t just one leap away from taking his neck. ¡®Or maybe it witnessed it, from the shadows. I wouldn¡¯t put it past their cunning,¡¯ Kilon then looked at his spear, gripping it harder, ¡®but it doesn¡¯t matter. I still have one more thing, and while I would¡¯ve liked for no one to see it, I can¡¯t see myself winning this fight, not without my lights.¡¯. Kilon felt his chest, the pain wasn¡¯t as much there, but he didn¡¯t want to take his chances.


    ¡°Now come! Meet your destiny, beast!¡± he cried, opening his arms, then holding his spear with his right hand pointed forward. The draxe understood his message ¡°Kill or be killed! This is the law of this world, so now obey it!¡±. The draxe growled, showing its fangs to Kilon, then went further behind. Its size was so large, that it needed more space to make full use of its leap, while Kilon could tell it was going to try something else as well.


    ¡®I need some of my light, this requires far greater focus,¡¯ he thought, closing his eyes for a few moments and infusing a dozen lights into his mind. The draxe didn¡¯t take it as an opportunity to attack, it couldn¡¯t tell, but feel it that while in that stance, he had less openings. It was when he opened his eyes, light flowing out of them upwards, that it seemed to notice something, and immediately went on the offensive. Kilon was waving his left hand, but nothing was being manipulated from what the Lightborns could tell.


    The draxe leaped straight forward, the distance between Kilon and it shortening to about fifteen metres, then it leaped to Kilon¡¯s right side, then the left, and so on, shortening the distance by three metres with each jump, a cloud of dirt rising behind each jump. And just when it was in striking distance, Kilon trying to push his spear into its chest, it jumped backwards. ¡®Where is it?!¡¯ Kilon couldn¡¯t believe it, but it actually managed to trick him, and he couldn¡¯t manipulate the winds to clear up the cloud of dust, for he manipulated something else.


    Then, with a sudden realisation just like earlier, Kilon looked below his feet and jumped backwards. Unbeknownst to him, it was just what the draxe had wanted, as it leaped from his left side instead while he was still in the air. ¡®You got me,¡¯ Kilon thought, the moments slowing down as his mind perceived everything slower, ¡®but so did I¡¯. Kilon moved his left hand to point it towards the draxe, and, for a moment, the draxe felt its body much heavier than it should have been. With a loud thud, the draxe fell to the ground earlier than it should have, a small crater forming below it. None, not even the Menoel, could tell what Kilon had just done. It was as if an invisible force pressed the draxe into the ground. And before they could think of any possibilities, Kilon tried to immediately end the draxe¡¯s life, but his spear instead dropped to the ground, as Avunaia¡¯s soul started to escape his grasp, and he had to focus the lights in his mind onto it. The power that hold the draxe pinned to the ground, lessened, and the draxe took it as an opportunity to grap Kilon¡¯s left hand with its paws and bite into it. Its fangs were sharp and long, so they passed right through, while its claws dug up into his bones.


    The Lightborn were ready to intervene, but with a shriek from the draxe on the stone, the other draxes moved and surrounded the Lightborn. ¡°Don¡¯t!¡± Kilon cried, his hand stuck inside the beast¡¯s mouth. ¡°I got this,¡± he said with an oddly calm tone. Using his right hand, he manipulated the same force as before, applying it onto the draxe¡¯s jaws, making the muscles twitch and contract, lessening the force. Kilon then placed a foot on its neck, leaning back to grab his spear, which he then plunged into its mouth.


    ¡°I shall remember you,¡± Kilon said to the draxe, as it drew its last breaths, ¡°forever marked on my body, your unshaken will move forward through me.¡±. As he said that, the draxe¡¯s eyes rolled over, Kilon¡¯s spear striking deeper into the beast. After its jaws at last lost all their strength, Kilon pulled out his hand, light bleeding out from all his wounds.


    The draxes didn¡¯t know what to do, seeing as their leader had just died. The one on the stone, its mate, let out a painful shriek, the draxes knowing what it meant, as the draxe jumped into the pit, trying to kill Kilon, so did other draxes. The Lightborns no longer restrained, and started to use their lights to kill them, although, none were stopping despite that. It was a suicidal rush for their leader.


    ¡°Kilon!¡± Menoel cried, ¡°Run away!¡±. Kilon, however, had trouble moving, as Avunaia¡¯s soul kept struggling, he had to use more of his lights to contain her, and his wounds were further aggravated by not being treated.


    ¡°She¡¯s just like her, isn¡¯t she?¡± Kilon whispered to himself, ¡°Following him blindly, just like she did me. Their souls should be compatible, so the body shall not reject her¡­I believe.¡±. Be it a spark of brilliance, or madnes,s as Kilon came with the idea in the moment, once the draxe jumped for his neck, he used that same force to quickly pin her down. And before the other draxes had time to surround him, Kilon crushed the draxe¡¯s soul, the draxe not having time to even scream. ¡®I hope you can forgive me for this sin sister,¡¯ Kilon thought, hoping his message would get to her, as he dragged Avunaia¡¯s soul into the draxe¡¯s body.


    The draxes, seeing as Kilon had the leader¡¯s mate down, didn¡¯t know if to try to kill him or attempt rescuing her. Those doubts were cleared in a moment though, as Kilon stood up, and so did the draxe. Neither trying to kill the other.


    Kilon, able to heal himself, stood straight up and solemnly, petting the draxe that had Avunaia¡¯s soul on the head, and tapping his spear on the ground. The draxes didn¡¯t know what to make of it, but Stelorus, Melonius and Eharel did, starting to tap their spears on the ground, soon after the other Lightborns as well, ceasing the killing of the draxes. Around the forest, a rhythmic, powerful symphony of victorious spears could be heard, and the draxes could only obey the symphony, as they took a submissive stance towards the Lightborn.


    Kilon looked at the view before him. Lightborn and draxes, no longer having to kill each other, but also looking at the dead corpses, the sacrifices made in the name of that moment. He also looked into the draxe¡¯s eyes, trying to see his sister. The draxe didn¡¯t seem to behave differently from normal, except it just really liked standing next to him. ¡®Maybe her memories are gone, but the essence is still there,¡¯ he was thinking. ¡®I¡¯m sorry if that¡¯s the case,¡¯ Kilon tried to connect his soul to hers, and he could feel it inside the draxe¡¯s body, ¡®but maybe it¡¯s better that way. I can show you a new horizon, and a world where we don¡¯t have to die meaningless deaths.¡¯.


    Kilon couldn¡¯t help but smile, seeing as his own vision, not the one it scared him, was coming to fruition, making him hopeful for the future. But then, from some place further into the forest, he felt the presence of lights. Those were familiar to him, he just couldn¡¯t believe they were there, for they were the lights of his siblings from Orvus¡¯ and Manna¡¯s group, just a few hundred of them though.


    ¡®How is that-¡¯ before Kilon had time to speak, all of a sudden he felt the presence of over a hundred lights, all condensed in one being.


    From the cliff where the stones stood below, a tall figure looked below. Bloody furs and a twin headed spear, a dim orange for a light and eyes that seemed to have seen it all, Manna locked her eyes with Kilon¡¯s. The other Lightborn slowly started to notice her, Eharel spreading his light into the forest and still not noticing the presence of the other Lightborn, just the general shape of their figures.


    ¡°Kilon, we meet again,¡± Manna said with a sombre tone.

 Awakening

    6 months prior


    ¡®I¡¯m losing consciousness. This isn¡¯t good, where is my body at? Can¡¯t feel it. What about my mind? Still here, I can think. And my soul? It¡¯s being split. I must do something about it. Maybe the Creator can help me¡­¡¯.


    A fraction of a fraction of a moment later


    ¡®I¡¯ve waited enough, no answer. Then I must proceed¡­to where though? There is still that light I left inside the monster, I can guide my mind and soul into it, my body is lost though, part of my soul as well. Then I should take as many lights as I can. Let¡¯s see, a hundred and twenty five, half should do, the rest will go away, maybe to the Link? I wonder, I never did, but now I do.¡¯.


    A fraction of a fraction of a moment later


    ¡®More than half of my soul, my whole mind, the memories carried inside my light and those of my siblings. It¡¯s plenty, but I¡¯m also stuck in this monster¡¯s body, who¡¯s also dying. My siblings managed to injure it beyond salvation, even so, I can conserve what¡¯s vital and keep portions of it alive. I must do so, otherwise there will be nothing to contain my lights, mind and soul.¡¯.


    ¡®What¡¯s this? Its soul is resisting me, it¡¯s trying to get away. That I cannot allow, so let¡¯s see¡­there, I wrapped its soul with my lights. Every struggle of its soul, will now cause more pain to whatever remains alive of its body. Survival is struggle, and pain teaches you is better not to struggle too much.¡¯


    ¡®Now I must wait until they¡¯re gone up there. I can¡¯t see or hear anything, so it¡¯s best if I rest my mind for a while¡­¡¯


    15 suns later


    ¡®They¡¯re long gone, and I managed to learn much about this creature. The inner workings of its body, how it moves, what it eats and even how it procreates.


    But, while I managed to keep enough of it alive to where I can comfortably reside for an even longer period of time, I have a sense of loss from the outside. Assuming it hasn¡¯t moved ever since it was struck down, it¡¯s probably being eaten by something out there. I still have no ways to see or hear, so I must construct those back from within the creature. Let¡¯s see what I can use.


    4 suns later


    ¡®I have formed my eyes and ears. It feels odd, being constructed out of pure flesh, imitating the natural design of this beast into something to accommodate me. At the same time though¡­it feels right. It¡¯s as if the flesh completes me, allows the lights to work in wondrous ways. I wonder if-ah! No, I cannot expel it, not yet. I can at best capture the light from outside through the eyes, the sounds muffled by the water. Although, if I apply some light into my mind to better distinguish the sounds¡­there! Now I can hear the sounds of the water¡­dead silence all around.¡¯.


    ¡®Another strange matter is my ability to move these eyes around the corpse of the creature, so I can the ears. Maybe that¡¯s why the flesh suits me so well, I can design it to my own accord and then change it, unlike my old body. Although limitations are in place, like not being able to channel light outside of it, or empower my body like before. So I must find new ways to do so if I am to save my siblings without dying again.¡¯.


    ¡®The waters are dark as far as I can see, but I do notice something. The water above seems to no longer be touched by ice, the daylight protrudes the surface in a different way, so I can barely tell. I wonder, did the weather change up above for this to happen? I should connect my mind to the tissue of this creature, learn about the temperature and such.¡¯.


    2 suns later


    ¡®I¡¯m starting to learn more and be able to change this body faster. I can sense the cold water all around, and considering how it felt before when I had a body made of light, I¡¯m confident the weather changed in a drastic way. Everything is warmer, not by a lot, but enough to where I can notice a difference.¡¯.


    ¡®Does that mean these lands were just undergoing a period of cold? And if so, could they have become softer? Less adorned with terrible things to kill us?¡¯.


    ¡®Too many questions that need answering through some way. I should start constructing a body. While I originally wanted one made of light like before, now I¡¯m starting to see some of the benefits of this new one. While it¡¯s true I cannot cast lights and enhance my body, one thing I can do is manipulate the lights through the manner which they permeate the physical boundaries. Meaning, if I find a body of one of my siblings, I can still steal or even manipulate the light inside of them.


    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.And since I know my siblings like to bury our dead, given the wild animals outside, I may be able to find my way to a lot of them. Perhaps for those which I saved a while back.¡¯.


    6 suns later


    ¡®Only a small piece of bone, but that¡¯s enough for now. It¡¯s only a matter of time, then attaching muscle, skin and¡­let¡¯s see, what should I call these, tendis? That sounds right. The soft matter is easier to visualise and make now that I have eyes and ears, it¡¯s the bones that were causing me trouble. They¡¯re made of a different matter than my old body, so those will have to be made of light. I believe our brother, Affrax, was doing something similar at the Link, making solid light.


    If my siblings have decayed by the time I make it out of the creature¡¯s body, I should visit the Link first. Any missing parts can be fixed that way, and there¡¯s a few more siblings I can save before confronting Manna and Kilon. Whether or not Affrax was successful so far, it won¡¯t matter, his knowledge will speed up the process, as even what I¡¯m making now is superficial at best, and may break after the smallest impact.¡¯.


    ¡®Can¡¯t help but laugh at my state. Broken yet hopeful, that I can still return to having a body of my own and save my siblings. I must be truly crazy and relentless to still push so hard for it despite everything¡­that¡¯s just how much I love them I guess.¡¯.


    3 suns later


    ¡®As I figured, once I managed that piece, everything started to fall into place quite easily. Since I don¡¯t have a body that can be strained, and using this creature¡¯s corpse as a conduit, there it is! A fully grown arm. It feels strange, the bones made of light below the flesh parts. Makes me feel weak yet so strong at the same time. I have to wonder if this is how these flesh beings feel when feeding off of our lights.¡¯.


    ¡®Now all I need are organs, which I¡¯ll borrow from the creature. Our anatomy is inherently different, if we talk bodies made of light against those of flesh. But since I¡¯m mostly flesh now, it¡¯s all a matter of reassembling and repurposing them. I must be careful though, there¡¯s the chance that its body will die in my greed, so I have to assemble my own with care, after which my body is formed, I can steal it all.¡¯.


    2 suns later


    ¡®I can tell the water is boiling all around the body as I channel dozens of lights into making my body. It matters not though, plenty of water to spare, keeping the corpse from burning. And now-¡¯.


    Spreading the innards of the monster open, with one arm still attached to it, but with tendrils and tendons extending, Orvus was making his way out of the creature, swimming for the surface. Alien to the movements of the flesh parts, it took him a bit. But without a need for breathing, still hooked to the monster, Orvus managed to break for the surface, grasping at the cold ground before him in the dawn of night.


    ¡®Ahaha! Creator!! Blessed be your creations, for such wonders it allowed me to perform!¡¯. Orvus still didn¡¯t have a mouth or vocal chords, prioritising what was essential above all else. ¡®Ahh, look at it! Beautiful!¡¯. Only able to channel some light through the eyes, producing the least amount of light from within, he could observe his body better. Muscular, vascular and neither Lightborn nor a flesh being, but both, a rebirth occurred, that of a monster like no other.


    ¡®Now-¡¯ ¡°Where are my siblings,¡± Orvus completed his body on the surface in a few fleeting moments, no longer bound by the fear of the monster dying, crushing its soul after serving him so well and funnelling all that he needed through the arm still stretched, ¡°I¡¯m still one wopede or shadow lurker attack from dying.¡±.


    Orvus took a breath in, the first time he actually needed one. The smells in the air and the cold harshness of it gave him a plethora of new sensations. ¡®Maybe if some of my siblings don¡¯t oppose me, I should show them the wonders of the flesh. Even though some parts do gross me out, maybe they¡¯ll find them appealing¡­perhaps not though. Don¡¯t want them to grow enamoured with life, I must show them what true salvation looks like.¡¯.


    Orvus didn¡¯t have much time to stand around. Naked as he was, he had to control the lights with much accuracy in order to heat up his body so he wouldn¡¯t freeze, but also not to overwhelm his organs, as it all started from inside out. He also could hear through his overdeveloped ears distant footsteps and the noises of movement. ¡®Shadow lurkers,¡¯ he could tell with great accuracy. In order to not grow deaf due to his hearing, Orvus developed pieces of muscular skin with which to cover his ears, moving with the winds when let be, and covering his entire ear when needed. It gave him an alien look from his siblings, more so than his fleshy appearance already did.


    His arms and legs meanwhile, were made more muscular and shorter, even though he was still nine metres tall. His thicker, more muscular body ensured his bones wouldn¡¯t break as easily, even though exercising too much force with them could result in him breaking his own bones.


    ¡°Time to hunt then,¡± pulling his stretched arm from deep below the water, a spear made of the monster¡¯s spikes arose. Connected by flesh and pulsating veins, it became a part of Orvus much like his arms were. The largest spike served as the blade, while the smaller ones ensured replacements in case of anything.


    Heading towards the gargantuan forest, Orvus thought ¡®My awakening comes with the cries of flesh, and the rise of the dead.¡¯.

 Siblings Talk

    Kilon, wounded as he was still, could only focus on the vibrance from the lights before him. All of the lights that Manna possessed were working in a smooth yet aggressive symphony, akin to a flow of water, calm and steady, to then become a torrent and engulf the lands. His lights, by comparison, were winds slowly gathering for a storm that, once formed, would bring disaster upon everything. Two natural calamities, worked in the hands of sentient beings.


    ¡°So we do,¡± Kilon responded, ¡°although you look different¡­and feel different.¡±. Manna jumped down from the cliff, no wind to cushion her fall. The Lightborn from Kilon¡¯s side didn¡¯t even recognize their sister at first. The furs dimmed her light and the blood soaked into them changed its colour, while she herself had a different feel, as her body was imbued with all those lights she didn¡¯t have before.


    Menoel and Eharel could tell right away, while Melonius didn¡¯t know if to protect Kilon from the odd sibling before them, or ask her who she was.


    ¡°Much like you brother,¡± Manna approached Kilon and Avunaia, Avunaia backing away while showing her teeth. ¡°Should I kill the beast next to you?¡± She asked, pointing her twin-headed spear at her deformed sister, ¡°Or do you take joy out of doing it slowly?¡±.


    Kilon told her ¡°This is our sister, Manna, can¡¯t you tell? Come closer and I¡¯m sure-¡± Kilon couldn¡¯t explain it properly, as Manna was quick on her feet and leapt towards Avunaia to strike her heart. Kilon swept the winds below her feet in the next moment with a wave of his broken hand, making her trip, but Manna simply pressed her hand on the ground and sprung back up. Manna was a few steps away from Kilon, so she came closer to him, looking him in the eyes.


    ¡°How can you call that our sister Kilon?!¡± she was angry, maddened by something Kilon couldn¡¯t tell. From the dirty, bloody furs she wore and charred meat in places, he had to wonder what had she done to the beasts she befell. ¡°I can see her soul, but I can see nothing else of my sister.¡±.


    ¡°This is not how I wanted us to meet,¡± Kilon said with a pained expression on his face, ¡°but there is still time to talk, and hug, and let our bodies feel each other¡¯s warmth.¡±. Kilon placed his hand on her shoulder, feeling her emotions and trying to understand better what his sister had become. And, by pure instinct, Kilon pulled his hand away after a couple of moments.


    Anger, despair, sadness, pain. They all swirled and circled between her mind and soul. She bore quite the heavy burden, and what it was he could only wonder. ¡®In a way, I don¡¯t want to know what she¡¯s been through, for the terrors seem to run deep. But she is my sister, and I must share her burden.¡¯. Kilon thought, placing his hand more confidently on her.


    Manna kept an angered expression all the while, until Kilon reluctantly placed his hand on her once more. She then remembered a melancholic feeling, when they first saw the other at the Link and Kilon embraced her. She felt small in his embrace at that time, but not in a bad way. It was a warm, comfortable feeling, one that she didn¡¯t mind letting herself be lost into, like a spark in the flames of a fire. Now that she could feel his light and the touch of his hand again, she wondered if that same feeling would surge. If it would help her forget even for a moment all that she and her siblings had endured. Manna took a good look at him, gritted her teeth, and hugged him.


    Kilon could sense her feelings of longing, that she was searching for something from him. He wanted to think about it, but also thought it wasn¡¯t the moment, and that all his sister may want is what she reached for. Once he hugged her back, while she was no longer the small Lightborn he once knew, she felt just like it. Those raging feelings came to a halt and calmed down, a deep state of peace overtaking her.


    ¡°I missed you Manna, and so did the others. The suns that passed were long and painful, which I¡¯m sure you too know much of.¡±.


    ¡°Indeed I do,¡± Manna responded, tightening her hug as the surge of emotions were coming back to her, ¡°which is why I must kill her Kilon.¡±. Manna empowered herself with the lights she had, the orange she emanated seemed crimson at its centre due to her furs, Kilon found himself unable to move a single muscle. ¡°Kill it!¡± she cried, Salvete stepping out of the forest and running towards Avunaia with quiet steps. Avunaia was distracted by her cry, ready to jump at Manna and bite her to help Kilon break free.


    ¡®Kilon will hate me for this,¡¯ Salvete thought, her daggers by the side. Just as she jumped into the air, wind behind her to assist, Melonius threw his shield towards her body. Seeing the object Salvete tried to expel light from her body in order to repel it, but the shield was imbued with Melonius¡¯ own light, disturbing her flow and hitting her in the abdomen, making her fall on her back. ¡°What was that?¡± Salvete was bewildered by both the object, but also the mastery Melonius had over it. Salvete then realised something and looked all panicked around her body.


    ¡°It¡¯s only been a few moments, and we¡¯re already fighting?¡± Melonius asked Manna, approaching her and Kilon while glancing at Slavete, catching a glimpse of the little creature she was hiding beneath her clothes. ¡°This was Kilon¡¯s plan, to tame the beasts so all the Lands Between Mountains will be ours,¡± he explained as he came closer to Manna, Manna keeping a sharp eye on him while restraining Kilon. ¡°If it were up to you, what would you have done sister?¡± Melonius stood some two metres away from her, just close enough to use his light to help Kilon, while also mindful of Manna¡¯s reach now that she had a larger body.


    ¡°Kill every single one of them,¡± Manna responded without much thinking, ¡°the simple thought that our sister is now stuck into that thing¡¯s body, is abhorrent to me.¡±. Manna looked Kilon in the eyes, he was only frowning a little, but not because of the restraint. ¡°What will you have her do Kilon? Mindless as she is, she can no longer think and laugh with us, nor wonder about the world. All she can do is eat, sleep and mingle. Is that what you want of her? To mingle with-¡± her words became too much for Kilon, as he lost his temper and showed her a terrifying side of him.


    Due to having their bodies so close together, Kilon was able to take control of her lights and adjust them to his will. It was something Manna only had seen from Orvus, but did know Kilon was also able to do so, she just didn¡¯t think he could do it forcefully. And when he took control, Kilon first made it so the control in her limbs would cease, then placed his hand on her belly and expelled light to blast her away.


    Pushed some ten metres, once Manna regained control of her lights she didn¡¯t feel much of the pain inflicted, but mentally she was scared. While she initially sized him up and thought they would be the same, his mastery over light manipulation was more than she could hope to have. Realising that even if she may manage to kill Avunaia and the other draxes, she wouldn¡¯t be able to do so unless she fought Kilon, and that would mean at least one of them will be severely injured or worse.


    So she laid her twin-headed spear on the ground, then bent the knee before Kilon.


    Kilon watched over her with cold eyes, no sparks erupting. It was a state of calm that disturbed Manna somewhat, so she said ¡°I am sorry Kilon. I didn¡¯t mean to hurt you or anyone else. But these creatures, you cannot possibly think to tame them, and to put our sister¡¯s soul in one of them.¡±. Manna still couldn¡¯t hide her distaste for it, and Kilon didn¡¯t want her to, because he wanted to know what he would have to work on.


    ¡°I don¡¯t expect you to like the way I do things, not after we¡¯ve been separated for so long,¡± Kilon said, his voice firm, ¡°but I wish for a mutual understanding, not fighting.¡±. Kilon approached her, picked up her spear with his injured hand and held it out to her, ¡°We are reunited, that is cause for celebration, so join us and let us talk about our concerning matters.¡±.


    Manna gritted her teeth and swallowed empty, then raised her face to Kilon with a harsh smile. ¡°Then we shall talk,¡± Manna stood up and took the spear from his hand, ¡°everyone! Gather!¡±. Her call was met with whistles and noises from around the forest surrounding them. Soon hundreds of Lightborns gathered, Kilon deeply disturbed by the view.


    Some were missing limbs, some had wounds hard to explain, like a hole in the abdomen covered only by a thin piece of fur, or a missing piece of their skull, while others had their limbs misshapen or bent in ways they shouldn¡¯t be. And what was most common: bloodied, gut drenched furs, and mouths that were covered by dried up blood. The view made those present recoil, it was as if they were wild beasts. Hungry and eyes that were seeking to kill.


    It was only then that it snapped into place for Kilon, what his sister and siblings have become, what those dark convoluted feelings must¡¯ve meant, he could only begin to understand.


    ¡°This is what we have become Kilon,¡± Manna said looking at Kilon then Melonius, who had a deep look of horror on his face, ¡°a force that instils fear and does as it wishes¡­a calamity you could say.¡±. Manna started to walk away from Kilon, keeping a sharp glance on Avunaia for a little, then switching her gaze upon the other draxes, not standing near them or her other siblings as they were surrounded by them. ¡°Now let us make haste, we¡¯re tired and have many stories to tell,¡± she placed her hand where Kilon hit her, ¡°as well as sorrows that haunt us.¡±.


    Kilon stretched his arm, looking at his broken siblings he was reaching for a place inside his mind where he could fix them, but there was no such place, his siblings passing through in droves. Eraanel was the only one who stopped in front of him, his eye analysing Kilon¡¯s whole being, wanting to understand something in correlation to Manna.


    ¡°It is good to see you Kilon,¡± Eraanel said with a smirk, which then quickly disappeared, ¡°it is unfortunate that you and Manna seem to disagree.¡±. Kilon let his hand fall by his side, ¡°Just do know,¡± Eraanel passed by him, ¡°we¡¯re not what we used to be, and we no longer wish to follow you, not if you are going to oppose her ways. And to that extent,¡± Eraanel felt a knife on his belt made of furs and teeth, ¡°we¡¯re going to stop you will there be need.¡±.


    The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    ¡°Rich words coming from you, Eraanel,¡± Stelorus approached at last, ¡°make sure you have what it takes to back them up.¡±. The two brothers were measuring each other, Stelorus with a pained smile on his face, Eraanel with a stern look on his.


    ¡°No need for squabbles, not here anyway,¡± Eharel intervened, ¡°it can wait until we have returned home.¡±. Eharel extended his arm, wanting to welcome his brother back, ¡°And besides, we still have to embrace each other.¡±. Eraanel knew Eharel was just trying to smooth things over, seeing as there was a clear difference in the ways they lived up to that point. One side wore clean clothes and were making use of beasts from around the lands, even using them as mounts and companions, while the others had to learn the best ways to kill them and wanted nothing more than to do just that.


    It was such a glaring difference that at some point it was bound to create conflict no matter what.


    ¡°That is true,¡± Eharel said, shaking his brother''s hand instead of embracing him, pretending to ignore Stelorus¡¯ teasing, ¡°no need to settle our squabbles here, where some of those things can pounce on us.¡±.


    Stelorus took note of him and returned to Sirva, mounting her and looking from above towards the newly arrived with a sense of dread, but keeping a confident look on his face. ¡°Hope your feet can keep with us,¡± Stelorus said as he went ahead to gather the draxes, regal deers and river wolves.


    Arhegon slept until the whole ordeal was over, Prickety sleeping on top of the beast until Avunaia passed by, which he recognized as his master and so he took place on top of her, rubbing his head on the line of fur on her back.


    And so, with eighty nine from Kilon¡¯s group and five hundred from Manna¡¯s, the Lightborns started to march back home. While it wouldn¡¯t last long, it was a serenic scene before them. Despite the blood drenched furs and injured ones in Manna¡¯s group, it was still a peaceful sight to behold. The draxes tempering their instincts as to not attack Kilon¡¯s group thanks to Avunaia, the river wolves and regal deers walking side by side in harmony, while the Lightborns either stood mounted or on the ground. Some from Kilon¡¯s group, specifically on Menoel¡¯s side, were starting to have conversations with the others, catching up on the things that have passed but also what they plan for the future.


    Manna found herself almost relaxed for the first time in a long while. Looking around at her siblings, while cautious, interacting and exploring those green, relatively peaceful lands, was something she thought she would never see. And for a moment, as Kilon stood in place to orient himself, moonblooms broke into the sky as the sun warmed the lands, a chill, almost warm breeze fluttering Kilon¡¯s cape, revealing some of the old scars, as well as the new ones. Manna touched some of the scars of her own, feeling sorry about the way she treated Kilon.


    ¡®Maybe I was quick to judge,¡¯ she thought for a moment, but then flashing images of Orvus came before her. The monsters he controlled in order to kill dozens and hundreds of their siblings, then the beasts that ravaged them ever since the Frozen Passage. ¡®Or maybe I¡¯m becoming sentimental about it,¡¯ the moment passed as Kilon resumed Arhegon¡¯s walk.


    ¡®The lands are changing,¡¯ Kilon noticed, ¡®it will soon be colder I can tell. The leaves also fly away from the trees, turning brown and yellow, while others seem to stay the way they are.¡¯. Kilon was noticing the passing of the seasons, from summer to autumn, and soon to be winter. ¡®We should be fine, even if the winds get colder, for we survived harsher ones. But our critters,¡¯ he stroke Arhegon¡¯s fur, ¡®they stay around us, so if we don¡¯t use our lights to protect them, they¡¯re going to be cold inside our home. Perhaps we should find a way to warm them, like we do with the greymatter.¡¯. Kilon then looked back, seeing the wild hardened siblings of his, ¡®It will have to wait a bit though. They can barely tolerate standing around them, so showing such consideration for these flesh beings could be taken as a further insult, especially by Manna.¡¯.


    Their walk back home left Manna¡¯s group wondering and curious about the environment. Never have they thought they could see such peace, more so than ever as the draxes have been tamed, and the only worry they could have was from natural phenomena or wild, crazy animals. Kilon ensured the group took various, longer roads to let them absorb the beauty of the lands. Smell, touch and see the way they felt nature when they escaped from the Whistling Valley. Feelings yet to be tainted by the cruel nature of an otherwise harmless world.


    Even Manna found herself wanting to get closer to some of the fauna, Melonius telling her that ¡°Avaanel can show you much more than what you see around,¡± he plucked a crying rose to show her ¡°there¡¯s life that hides where you¡¯d think not.¡±.


    Manna had a wondrous look on her face, capturing the details of the rose carefully. ¡°It is beautiful,¡± she admitted, ¡°but still, I cannot trust that which is not made of light.¡±. She crushed the rose in her hand, the parasitic plant shrivelling in the heat of her palm.


    ¡°Then maybe you will like our home better,¡± Melonius looked displeased at the flower, ¡°our lights were put to great use by Kilon, and we¡¯ve been waiting for you so we could name it properly.¡±.


    ¡°We shall see,¡± Manna said, speeding up her walk to stand by Stelorus¡¯ side, they were soon to arrive as night started to set in. ¡°Last I knew you, you were quite fond of killing these flesh creatures,¡± Manna looked Sirva in the eyes, the wolf not averting her gaze from the road ahead, ¡°now you ride them. How pathetic.¡±.


    Stelorus couldn¡¯t tell if she was trying to mock him, speaking out her mind, or trying to persuade him in some other direction. ¡°I understand you went through a lot Manna, but I do not carry the same sympathies as Kilon does, or as Melonius,¡± even though she was taller than him, he looked Manna in the eyes as if they were still newborns from the Links, him stronger than her at the time. ¡°So do me a favor and put the mask off.¡±.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Manna asked, a bit of anger in her voice, looking now at Stelorus with much dismay.


    ¡°Just fight it off, you and Kilon,¡± his proposal seemed crude at first, making Manna burst a bit of laughter of how ridiculous it sounded, removing the tense atmosphere. ¡°I know how it sounds, but that¡¯s how I settle things,¡± Stelorus looked at his hammer, ¡°and thinking how you look, all drenched in these creatures¡¯ blood, guts and furs, it¡¯s probably how you settled most things on your side too no?¡±.


    ¡°We can still try to talk, convince Kilon and through him a lot of you that we cannot make use nor depend on these creatures. For they do not want to help us, merely make use of us, and the moment you loosen the leash or they become too hungry, they will kill, without thought or feelings, for they have neither.¡±.


    ¡°Well, talk all you want. The way I know you, and I still see you, there will be a fight,¡± Stelorus petted Sirva, running his fingers through her fur to calm her down, as Manna¡¯s presence was making her extremely tense he could tell. ¡°It¡¯s what siblings do, it¡¯s how we reach our points across. Sheer power is what we ultimately follow.¡±.


    Manna, as much as she wanted to argue, could only think of Orvus. Even though Orvus and her got along for the most part, in the end she couldn¡¯t find the proper words to persuade him from killing more of them. How it was too late by the time she realised the error of her ways. With Kilon, she still had hope. They hugged, and she could feel in his light much love and care when they did, even though there was a torrent of concern running amok, none of it was thrown at her.


    ¡°Maybe I will prove you and me wrong this time,¡± Manna said quietly. Stelorus couldn¡¯t quite hear her, ¡°Nothing, let us reach this home you¡¯ve built, so I can finally tell our story.¡±. Stelorus smiled and looked ahead, the view of their home soon to come around.


    ¡°Seems like the journey hasn¡¯t been kind to you, brother,¡± Menoel said towards Eraanel, ¡°although you acquired a power that surpasses that of Eharel by leaps and bounds.¡±. Eraanel glanced at him with his eye, wondering why was he trying to get a conversation going.


    ¡°Kinder to me I¡¯d say, I¡¯m still free to roam between my siblings as I wish,¡± Eraanel reproached, trying to get a reaction out of Menoel, which was met by a hmph. ¡°Do you want to tell me about it?¡±.


    ¡°Only if you tell me how you lost that eye of yours, and why Manna seems to hate our ¡®beloved friends¡¯ over here so much,¡± Menoel was trying to get at something without raising suspicion from his siblings that were keeping an eye on him.


    ¡°Then it will have to wait until we reach this home of yours,¡± Eraanel tried to end the conversation, ¡°I¡¯m sure hearing the story twice isn¡¯t something you¡¯d like, not when you can put things together as fast as you do.¡±. Menoel smiled at him, glad to see the proud attitude his brother had back then being preserved despite the time that had passed.


    ¡°Not much longer,¡± Menoel said, the Lightborns reaching some of the hills near their home. ¡°And there it is, just as Kilon planned for.¡±. Eraanel didn¡¯t know what he meant, and as he looked forward, he felt his eyes glued to the place his siblings called home.


    Trees sprouting in an orderly fashion, Lightborns litting up the dug up roads like ethereal lights in the night, the main, massive tree serving as the meeting place, regal deers letting out symphonic cries from within to announce the end of the day. And most importantly, the star-like colourful lights shining inside all those treehouses.


    It was such a spectacular view, not Mann, Eraanel, Salvete or any of the others from her group had the words to speak or describe what they were seeing. Such beauty could only be created in a place filled with life such as that, and that realisation hit all of them to the deeper parts.


    ¡®This is not how I have imagined it,¡¯ Manna thought. ¡®Stars reflected upon the lands, this is what Kilon and my siblings built.¡¯. She had to sit down, take it all in. It was during that moment that Manna breathed out and sighed, as for the first moment in a long long while, Manna felt at peace, she rested truly. ¡°This is our home.¡±.


    Kilon stood behind her, not wanting to interrupt the solemn moment he slowly built towards for the past few suns. He wanted his sister to truly appreciate not only their efforts, but what could be accomplished if only she would stop fighting against the natural order of the world, and instead embrace it.


    They all stood quiet for those moments. Kilon¡¯s group was no stranger to how their home looked from afar, yet still it was a sight they wouldn¡¯t miss no matter how many times they had the chance to.


    In that silence Kilon had to wonder, ¡®Are my visions wrong?¡¯. Manna almost noticed Kilon¡¯s anxiety, Avunaia getting her attention instead as she stood not too far from her, yawning and stretching her limbs as if the draxe she inhabited felt as home as well.


    ¡®Because I can still see them, dead bodies lying on the ground, the figure in the sky taking their lights, and me standing below. I¡¯m still helpless before the figure, so am I not strong enough? Is the figure stronger?¡¯. He looked at Manna, ¡®Is it her that I see?¡¯, her eyes fixated on Avunaia for a moment, hatred gathering, but then let loose, sighing once more and switching to their home instead. ¡®I hope not¡¯.


    ¡°Let us meet the rest of our brethren Manna,¡± Kilon put his hand on her right shoulder. There was a heavy weight to it that wasn¡¯t there when they first met, she could tell. ¡°We have much to talk about, and all the time in the world thankfully.¡±.


    ¡°Indeed,¡± Manna rose up, her body felt weak for a moment, then she regained her strength. ¡°That¡¯s what siblings do, they talk.¡±.

 Beliefs

    Coming down from the hill, Manna was deep in thought. The beauty of the place and the wonder it possessed, they all seemed too surreal. While it was still in conflict with her belief that life should be extinguished in order for them to prosper, seeing the regal deers, river wolves, mane looters and other small critters just living alongside her siblings, made her ponder if it was truly right to believe such things.


    Salvete was adoring the place. She was starting to grow worried that she may not find a place to leave Piki to safety, but Kilon and the others have prepared a safe haven for both them and their critters. So she thought ¡®I hope Manna will stop fighting Kilon¡¯s will,¡¯ she looked at Piki below her clothes, ¡®and if not, I suppose leaving her side is the only option. Despite everything we¡¯ve been through¡­¡¯.


    As both Kilon¡¯s and Manna¡¯s group got closer, the Lightborn inside their home started to pour out. By the hundreds, soon thousands, they surrounded both groups. Welcoming the victorious Kilon and getting to see the draxes, some for the first time, while most jumped and cried at the sight of their lost siblings.


    Eraanel was counting his siblings, seeing how many they¡¯ve lost. And while not as many as them have died, still plenty to where he would start whispering their names, an angered frown on his face. Meanwhile, Avaanel was making her way through, expecting to see the two thousand siblings that parted with them at that time. Only to be met by the horror of five hundred, a bunch deeply injured too.


    ¡°Manna,¡± Avaanel said, looking at her from below, ¡°what happened?¡±. It was what everyone started to wonder, the pleasantries washing away. A lot of them thought more were to come, but looking back, there were no more. ¡°Is this one of Orvus¡¯ little schemes?¡±. His name alone brought repulsion on their faces, the atmosphere changing almost instantly. Kilon already knew something was deeply wrong, Orvus should¡¯ve been the last of them to be missing from the bunch, that he was confident.


    ¡°We shall talk more inside,¡± Kilon said, ¡°there is no need to wait any longer, is there sister?¡±. He looked at Manna who nodded, much was on her mind and much more she wanted to say, but couldn¡¯t think at the moment. ¡°Then make way for Manna and us, a meeting will take place inside Luvina.¡±. Lutra was the word for giant, while umvina for tree, thus Luvina. ¡°Our sorrows, our regrets, and our victories. All shall be shared in the same manner.¡±. Kilon waved his hand, no longer injured by the draxe¡¯s bite, the Lightborn respecting the gesture.


    And so they went. Between the broken roads and the treehouses, the Lightborns couldn¡¯t talk much, they didn¡¯t feel it was appropriate. While Manna¡¯s group suffered the most, Kilon¡¯s losses were also felt from Manna¡¯s part, so it was a mutual grieving. Stelorus rode solemnly on Sirva, while Menoel was finally close enough to Manna to exchange a few words.


    ¡°Sad isn¡¯t it?¡± Menoel said, the pain and anger in his voice sincere. ¡°Had Kilon took his rightful place amongst us, maybe we could¡¯ve avoided parts of this tragedy.¡±.


    ¡°I heard some words about you Menoel, and not all of them were good,¡± Manna replied. ¡°You schemed behind Kilon¡¯s back, the one you''re supposed to entrust the most.¡±.


    ¡°Everything I did was in our general interest, and since Kilon couldn¡¯t see it,¡± he paused for a moment, thinking of Avunaia, ¡° I did what I had to.¡±. Menoel explained himself, Luvina getting closer in sight. ¡°There is still much we don¡¯t understand about the world. My plans and Kilon¡¯s are similar but diverge in places, and so I see yours being the same.¡±.


    ¡°I have yet to hear what his true intentions are, which I hope he will lay plainly without deceit.¡±. Manna held a tighter grip on her spear, her emotions barely hidden as hope was radiating from her light.


    ¡°Then maybe you¡¯ll want to hear more from me if he doesn¡¯t, won¡¯t you?¡±. Manna stopped a little at his words, Kilon noticing it and then wanting to stop them from talking as he approached them. ¡°He had visions from the Creator you see,¡± his words sparked large interest from her, ¡°hopefully he will talk about it, but I doubt it. He keeps it all to himself.¡±.


    Manna saw Kilon approach, so she finished the conversation saying ¡°We shall see then.¡±. Menoel left with a smile back into his entourage.


    ¡°Anything he¡¯s planning?¡± when he spoke, Manna felt mistrust from Kilon. She could tell it wasn¡¯t directed at her. Still, mistrust is what ended up making Orvus and her fight, so she wanted to believe in Kilon.


    ¡°Well, he thinks you¡¯re not honest,¡± Manna spoke plainly, ¡°but I doubt it. You¡¯re the one person I trust most to be truthful.¡±. Kilon smiled at her and put his hand on her shoulder, assuring her there was no need for worry. But as soon as he took his hand off, Manna couldn¡¯t help but think he was hiding something, just as Menoel said. ¡®Worry in his light,¡¯ she thought, ¡®perhaps because of all of this¡­hopefully because of all of this.¡¯.


    Once they were before the tree, the only Lightborns allowed inside were as it followed: From Kilon¡¯s group, Menoel, Avunaia as the draxe, Avaanel, Mercaara, Melonius and Stelorus. Eharel was to keep watch over the Lightborn and ensure none of them will try anything to disturb the meeting.


    From Manna¡¯s group, Eraanel, Salvete, Gilaate and Bustomus.


    ¡°These are those which helped most in pushing us forward, move us through dangers and find new ways of living. As such, they shall be the ones representing us with me at the front. Are there any complaints?¡± Kilon said and asked. There was silence. ¡°Good, now-¡± before he could move on, a Lightborn made his way through, a large but short hammer made of greymatter in his hands. His arms became thickened by the constant work he performed, and will grow larger still, while his hair looked as dishevelled as the ones from Manna¡¯s group.


    ¡°Yes Kilon, I would like to join the meeting as well,¡± Galanius said, the forger of Melonius¡¯ shield. ¡°There has to be someone neutral to all of your opinions and thoughts, and I believe myself to be the best in that regard.¡±. Manna remembered Galanius as this small spark of light back at the Link, always tinkering and messing with various animal parts. He never seemed satisfied by them. When he stepped up though, he had a confidence he lacked before.


    ¡°I have no issue with that, let Galanius join us,¡± Manna said, to which Kilon responded with a nod. ¡°Now let us begin, this is long overdue.¡±. Manna walked inside Luvina impatiently.


    The others soon followed. Inside the tree, at the centre where Kilon usually took his spot with Menoel and a couple others, was now a table with a few chairs. Kilon wanted this to be done alongside the roads, the tree itself being expanded upon so more Lightborn with different skills could join the conversations, not only the elite ones. ¡®A necessary step in order to further expand,¡¯ is what he thought at the time, something which hasn¡¯t changed.


    Manna was first to sit, her feet still weary from all the travel, those from her company joining by the left and right side soon. Kilon sat at the opposite side, Avaanel at his left, Melonius at his right and then the others. Galanius stood up at the side of the table, acting as the objective observer.


    Kilon dreaded that moment, but it came at last, where he asked ¡°Manna, what happened after we parted ways?¡±. Manna took a good look at everyone, ensuring Eraanel was keeping his watchful eye over them, so she could find out about their true feelings. Then, with a deep breath and a sigh, as she stood up, she began to tell their story.


    From how things looked promising at first, to then descending into pure madness and agony as they travelled the Frozen Passage. Then finding out about Orvus, who killed their siblings amidst a storm in order to save them, and then escaping into the Gargantuan Forest to enact some other plan of his. Then finally the hunt for him and how many more have died as a product of that. The way he died, what he said before that, and the assurance that not a piece of his soul was left.


    It all ended with her and her group wandering the forest, trying to find a way to escape and losing more of their siblings to the creatures and the forest itself.


    No one had the words for it. A true tragedy, from the very start until the very end. Menoel, who came into Luvina with the intention to put out his plans and get Manna on his side, had anything but that in mind. They were all horrified, Kilon most of all. All he could think was ¡®Similar to the vision, too similar.¡¯.


    ¡°Now,¡± Manna said, ¡°can you see why we don¡¯t trust these creatures you use as pets? Why their very existence is intolerable to us?¡±.


    ¡°I understand,¡± Kilon said as he stood up, ¡°however, things were different for us sister.¡±. Manna didn¡¯t need him to tell her that, it was obvious from the way they lived. Even so, she was curious. Was it Kilon that directed their fate to be better? Or was it that their road was simply easier?


    She soon found out her answer, as Kilon described their journey. From the Whistling Valley¡¯s merciless weather, to the rootworms devouring their siblings, amongst which Efeehem. Melonius helped Kilon on the details, as the display of power Efeehem showed was sure to intrigue the others, which it did. Then they moved to talk about the Lands Between Mountains. How they encountered the mane looters and how the Sweepers were formed, Mercaara staying silent, still shocked by the transformation Avunaia underwent. He went a bit into details about the flora and fauna of those lands, and ensured to make a point about Menoel¡¯s created belief, which Manna found amusing at best.


    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Then, at last, about the draxes and how Avunaia ended up the way she was. All in all, Manna found their journey to have been similar to theirs. Key differences were there of course, but when it all boiled down to something, it was that Kilon and his group handled things better. Manna found that Orvus and her were simply inept in dealing with the larger issues.


    ¡°I¡¯ve arrived at a conclusion Kilon,¡± Manna spoke shortly after Kilon sat down, ¡°you simply were the better leader.¡±. A painful and defeated smile was on her face. ¡°I¡¯m glad really, that you managed to find a way through all of that and still come to peaceful resolutions. I simply wish I was more like you, because I find it frustrating. From the way we dealt with the dangers surrounding us, to the way we approached and talked to one another. Quite frustrating really.¡±.


    Those from her group shared her feelings, while those from Kilon¡¯s empathised. There was, however, something Manna was still waiting for from Kilon. ¡®His visions, why isn¡¯t he speaking about them? Maybe he doesn¡¯t find the time right?¡¯ Manna thought, thinking maybe a nudge in the right direction may help. ¡°Is there anything else Kilon?¡±.


    Kilon found the question a bit odd, he felt from her voice a bit of expectancy. He still couldn¡¯t figure what Menoel talked with her, but started to have a clue. ¡°There might be some details I missed, but I believe that to be all,¡± Kilon responded, ¡°unless you¡¯re expecting me to talk about something else.¡±.


    ¡°Menoel,¡± Manna looked at him, ¡°that whole belief you developed for Kilon, it seems to me it was constructed on something more than just his display of power.¡±. That was all Kilon needed, it was clear Menoel told her about the visions. He was planning something once more, and Kilon didn¡¯t want it to sprout into another false belief or put others at risk for it. So he spoke plainly.


    ¡°I suppose Menoel told you about my visions,¡± Kilon revealed. All of those at the table looked curious at each other, then a common frown adorned their faces.


    ¡°Visions?¡± Melonius asked intrigued, ¡°Did the Creator show you something?¡±. The same questions were on everyone¡¯s minds. ¡°Since when?¡±.


    The last question Kilon knew would have the potential to create disparity, ¡®But is there any point in hiding it any longer? It seems as if Orvus was the cause of all those visions. Then why am I still seeing them? And why me and not Manna or someone from her group?¡¯. There were still questions unanswered from his part, although, with the brightest minds present, an answer would arise.


    ¡°I had these visions ever since we left the Link. They¡¯ve been haunting me, getting clearer and changing in parts. Seems like some of my actions lead to change, while others were outside of my control.¡±. The revelation made them all fall into deep thought.


    ¡°I¡¯m assuming there were reasons for which you haven¡¯t told us about it, aren¡¯t there?¡± Stelorus asked, for the first time in his life feeling anxious about whatever would come next.


    ¡°There were indeed, perhaps to my own folly,¡± Kilon said, ¡°the vision was about a Lightborn, one I couldn¡¯t recognize, that was draining our siblings of life while empowering themselves further. It was a¡­disturbing view, one I couldn¡¯t stop no matter how hard I tried. And not me the person, but me who I saw in the vision, as I was a mere spectator to all of it.¡±.


    Manna immediately reacted ¡°You mean Orvus!¡±. The others looked at each other and nodded. ¡°But why you?¡± she asked, her voice desperate. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t the creator show us that sort of vision?¡±.


    ¡°That¡¯s what I was trying to figure out before speaking. Now I¡¯m hoping we can find an answer to that,¡± Kilon looked sad but hopeful, thinking what would be next.


    ¡°Maybe I should start by saying sorry Kilon,¡± Menoel rose, ¡°if I¡¯d known the kind of vision you had, I wouldn¡¯t have attempted to make the other venerate you. Who knows, I may have ended up creating the one in the visions.¡±. Menoel then sat down, perturbed by his own revelation.


    ¡°No, that can¡¯t be the case,¡± Eraanel added, ¡°I can see inside and outside your bodies, the kind of abilities and powers you have.¡±. Eraanel showed what he meant immediately by looking at Kilon ¡°I can tell, for example, that Kilon can see souls. His eyes cast light similar to mine, just not as focused.¡±.


    ¡°So you¡¯re saying your eye hasn''t seen anyone besides Kilon who could observe souls like he does, is that right?¡± Melonius figured out.


    ¡°That is right, therefore,¡± Eraanel looked at Menoel, ¡°you haven¡¯t done anything to bring forth that vision to fruition. Although, I will say to you Kilon,¡± he switched his gaze upon Kilon, ¡°hiding the truth may have been the bad choice all things considered.¡±.


    ¡°Was it now?¡± Stelorus asked, an awkward smile on his face, ¡°we all saw how Manna reacted to knowing that Avunaia¡¯s soul was inside the beast. How do we know the others wouldn¡¯t have acted in a similar, incoherent manner?¡±.


    ¡°You¡¯re calling my pain incoherent Stelorus?¡± Manna¡¯s eyes flamed with sparks, and Stelorus seemed more than eager to test his might against hers given the opportunity.


    ¡°Let¡¯s not provoke one another Stelorus,¡± Galanius intervened. ¡°The way I see it is that Kilon did what he thought was best, similar to how Manna did in the Gargantuan Forest.¡±. His words seemed to have appeased them, ¡°Kilon, is there a way to know how your actions affected the outcome?¡±.


    Kilon closed his eyes, revisiting the visions. ¡°I can see their faces, of the dead ones. Once they were starting to take shape, now though, they¡¯re less clear and the figure seems weaker, the number of dead siblings is also lower.¡±. Kilon didn¡¯t have a vision in a while, but they haven¡¯t stopped after Orvus died. They just got more diluted.


    ¡°So there we have it, we at least know that his actions prevented some from dying,¡± Galanius pronounced.


    ¡°While we know less of whose fates are damned,¡± Menoel reciprocated as he stood up. ¡°Although, are we to believe the threat is still alive? Manna and Eraanel were witnesses as Felemous and Orvus died, not a speck of dust left behind, not a trace of Orvus¡¯ soul.¡±.


    ¡°Who says it would be Orvus?¡± Salvete said, ¡°As far as we¡¯re aware, the vision could¡¯ve foretold Kilon about any of us in here. While me and a few others are not that strong, Menoel, Manna, Kilon, maybe even Stelorus and Melonius from the looks of it, any of you could rise up to be such a threat.¡±.


    ¡°Then we do not know for sure,¡± Menoel added, ¡°so what are we to do about it?¡±. Kilon could sense it from him, a plan was in the works.


    ¡°I propose we start by constructing more potent weapons,¡± Avaanel was first to suggest, which surprised Kilon. ¡°We have nature at our hands, and we know in which ways to make use of it to our advantage, and disadvantage.¡±.


    ¡°I agree, but not from living matter no, the same matter as the one you have used for your weapons,¡± Manna pointed at Kilon¡¯s spear. Bustomus and Gilaate nodded at the words.


    ¡°We have faced strong enemies in the Gargantuan Forest, some had claws, fangs and spit that could permeate any and all living matter,¡± Bustomus added to it. ¡°We can safely assume whoever may end up that way, will be a lot more dangerous.¡±.


    ¡°Making use of our companions will prove crucial as well,¡± Mercaara wanted to argue, ¡°the mane looters we have, they act as our eyes and limbs for places that are hard to reach and such. I know you Manna and the others don¡¯t see it the way we do, but we learned much thanks to them.¡±.


    ¡°You do what you think it¡¯s best, sister,¡± Eraanel said, ¡°we¡¯re going to prepare in whatever ways we deem most efficient. And then we¡¯ll help the others.¡±.


    ¡°No point to argue then,¡± Galanius said, ¡°each of us wants to do things differently. I find myself at the middle of all of it because I¡¯m the only one, I found out, who knows how to properly manipulate greymatter.¡±. That statement intrigued Manna and those from her group. ¡°Looking at our siblings from Manna¡¯s group, at a glance I could tell they¡¯re not fit for it.¡±.


    ¡°As much as I¡¯d like to try and argue,¡± Eraanel stood up, ¡°I can see it yes. His light flows differently both in his body and mind. It¡¯s as if it has a mind of its own.¡±. Melonius felt his shield, the work of a master that didn¡¯t need long to reach his potential.


    ¡°Returning to what you said, you mean that whichever path we choose to follow, it will only be through you that we can be quick about it,¡± Menoel asserted. ¡°So which sounds best to you?¡±.


    Galanius pondered for a few moments, then said ¡°I believe something between those two can be achieved,¡± Kilon was intrigued, and so was Manna. ¡°As you said Eraanel, my light seems to possess a mind of its own, and for some time I have thought of ways to teach or have helpers that could perform the same as me. And no matter how much I thought, I could only find such helpers inside of me.¡±.


    ¡°Is that why you¡¯ve been keeping yourself hidden all of this time?¡± Menoel asked.


    ¡°Partly yes,¡± Galanius answered, then looked at Avaanel, ¡°but it¡¯s also that I wanted to avoid all those conflicts that were dividing us. And thanks to Avaanel, I may have found a way to make those helpers I so need from within myself.¡±.


    ¡°And that is the crystallisation process,¡± Avaanel rose on her wooden leg. ¡°By using my ability and his, we were able to figure something out: we can create our own beings.¡±. Those words carried a lot of meaning for all those present. ¡°We still haven¡¯t figured everything out, but here¡¯s a small example.¡±.


    Avaanel pulled from one of the pouches adorning her what seemed like a wooden doll with a round hole in its chest. She then took out one of the light balls she kept inside her body and placed it into the doll¡¯s body. Galanius then infused his own light into it, and at first moved it with his thoughts, but then he let go of the light. While it didn¡¯t retain a lot, it was enough for the doll to keep moving, the light circling and fueling itself from the sphere at the centre.


    ¡°It¡¯s not big nor complex enough to where we can make good use of these little things yet,¡± Galanius said, ¡°but once we get them where they can be as useful as any of you for helping me create tools and weapons from greymatter, I believe I¡¯ll have what I need to fuel all of your ambitions.¡±.


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be easier if you just had a few of us learn about it?¡± Menoel posed a fair question.


    ¡°It would, but what would stop either of you from influencing me? Trying to persuade me in their favour against another?¡±. He made a solid point, one which Menoel felt like pushing forward, but thought it might put him in a bad light.


    ¡°It¡¯s especially true for siblings like Menoel isn¡¯t it?¡± Stelorus poked at him. ¡°He shouldn¡¯t be here in the first place, for what he did to Avunaia,¡± Stelorus looked at Mercaara who Avuania seemed to like very much as the draxe.


    ¡°He¡¯s here because we need his mind,¡± Kilon said, ¡°his punishment will come shortly after. We must first decide on the best course to move forward.¡±. Manna nodded, wanting to see how Kilon thought about it. ¡°Thus, once the cold winds will pass the Lands Between Mountains, I want us to move forward. Keep exploring and see other places, meet other creatures.¡±.


    The thought alone was disorienting to Manna, the fact that he spoke them perplexing. ¡°You want use to explore? Despite what we all endured?¡± Manna asked. ¡°Your visions are not to be ignored, let alone the threats that are out there.¡±.


    ¡°Then what would you have us do Manna? Stay in one place, wait for our fate to catch up to us and kill us all?¡±. Manna frowned and grit her teeth, ¡°We must keep challenging the world, that¡¯s what I¡¯ve been doing since I first left the Link, and that¡¯s what I want to keep on doing.¡±. Kilon stood up, taller than everyone and having the presence of someone, something that has ascended beyond their initial making.


    ¡°That is what my belief is, that we must keep moving forward, no matter what. Otherwise we may as well die waiting.¡±.

 Natural Calamity

    ¡®Is there such a thing greater than love, I wonder,¡¯ Orvus wandered the Gargantuan Forest, bloody steps behind him and little signs of life. ¡®If there is, I don¡¯t think I want to know about it. Love makes me ambitious and gives me reason to pursue my goals.¡¯. He was covered in black furs, claws were sewn around his neck in order to intimidate any predators, and bones clattering in his hands, tied with the gut of a beast to announce his presence. ¡®It is because of love, that I am now pursuing their bodies, which I feel so many laying underneath the ground. Broken and ripped as they are, they can still be of use to me.¡¯.


    As Orvus made his way through the forest, he noticed the smaller population of shadow lurkers and other predators. ¡®I figure they must¡¯ve hunted plenty of them, and have been hunted by them. Should be why I feel so many lights faintly calling to me from the ground.¡¯. Looking around, he finally found the first body. It was one of the siblings he killed during his battle against them. Lying where the wopede parasite killed it. Orvus felt sorry that his sister had to endure the cold forest all alone, where nobody could find her or had the time to.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry sister,¡± Orvus spoke to her, ¡°I can¡¯t hear your voice any longer, but I can tell which one you were, most of your light is still with me. So here, have it back for a moment, so we can help each other.¡¯. Orvus pressed his hand against her skull, funnelling his light into her body. ¡°Rise now, we have to save our brothers and sisters.¡±.


    And so she did. With a small twitch, then limb by limb she started to move. The light was finding all the abandoned pathways through her veins and bones, making her body come back alive once more. Her eyes had lights in them, but they were lifeless, not moving with her body, fixated forward.


    ¡°I can finally speak with someone other than myself,¡± Orvus amused himself, ¡°but I¡¯ll put your soul back in its place, once you tell me what upsets you so much you won¡¯t speak with me. Or the others.¡±. Orvus waited a few moments, hoping that the light he gave to the body would bring about an answer. But nothing, just silence.


    ¡°Very well, if you don¡¯t want to talk with me, maybe one of the others will,¡± Orvus told the lifeless body of his sister. ¡°I need all of you either way, whether you talk or not.¡±. And so Orvus went to the next body, and then the next. So on until he soon assembled three hundred Lightborns.


    Some he managed to find parts of their lights left, thus only pulling it back into their bodies was enough. Others he had to share from his limited supply with.


    ¡°I only need one, so you can have the rest,¡± he spoke with his dead siblings. ¡°This took me a few suns, but I find it worth the hassle. Soon we¡¯ll see Kilon and Manna, and unlike last time, I won¡¯t be alone fighting them. I¡¯ll have you to show!¡±. Orvus was excited by what he accomplished, believing his siblings to be there with him, just not speaking for some reason.


    ¡°It¡¯s just a shame you¡¯re not able to do much, I have to move all of you around, which will greatly weaken me,¡± Orvus was saying, as he did, an idea went through his head. ¡°Of course, wind manipulation, how did I not think of it? Did I just forget? Hopefully it will work with this body.¡±. As he tried to manipulate the winds, it didn¡¯t work at first, but then he found his knack for it after a few more attempts.


    ¡°Yes, there it is. It¡¯s a different sensation from before, but I can grow accustomed to it rather quickly,¡± he said, after which he started to practise some more.


    The sight of him manipulating wind as the hollow husks he called siblings watched over, was nothing but sad. Their disjointed, messed and broken bodies had no will of their own. Much like plants, they were working off of the inner mechanisms alone, the light just searching for a way out, trapped inside.


    Another night came by, hollow winds and terrible colds with it. Orvus was starting to feel the cold getting closer to his bones, a sign that the weather was changing inside the forest. ¡®I won¡¯t have much longer,¡¯ he thought, ¡®I must leave and find the Link before the cold becomes too much for this body.¡¯. Looking around, only the giant trees remained. Not even the wopede parasites would linger below the crowns. ¡®Even those critters retreated in some holes elsewhere.¡¯.


    It took him a couple suns, but he remembered fully how to manipulate winds with efficiency and power. ¡°This should be all,¡± he announced on deaf ears, ¡°it is time we left. Hopefully we¡¯ll never see this forest again.¡±. As he started to leave, he had a lingering sensation of loss. He felt that a piece of him remained behind, but thought little of it, thinking it must¡¯ve been his flesh body that was longing for its original host.


    And so, he began walking towards the Frozen Passage once again. Unlike the first time, he knew what to look for. ¡®The cracking of the rocks,¡¯ he thought, ¡®the speeding winds. There¡¯s a couple foretellers for the events that may follow. None are present now, so we can move forwards without issue.¡¯. With a large step, he left the Gargantuan Forest, small thumps following him, bodies with a lingering resemblance of what they once were stumbling about.


    After a couple of suns of travel, Orvus began tasting the salty winds from the sea. While still a good distance away, he was having feelings of expectancy. ¡®Will I be able to pass it safely? Or should I fear the creature in the depths?¡¯. Thinking back on what he accomplished though, his worries started to vanish a little. ¡®Then again, it is one of those monsters that I tamed I have to thank for this body,¡¯ with a deep breath, he pushed onwards. Despite the fear of death the flesh added on his mind, his resolve was unwavering.


    ¡°At last, we¡¯re here,¡± Orvus announced to his dead siblings. ¡°Back to where it all began,¡± he stood at the edge of a cliff next to one of the ice portions, which led back to the Shivering Lands. He descended on a gust of wind, wanting to feel the water some.


    ¡®Cold, so cold it would be hard to swim around,¡¯ he thought, ¡®hopefully it will offer a good enough advantage if worse comes to pass.¡±. After he took his hand out of the water, he moved his siblings across to the piece of ice.


    It would take Orvus five suns to cross the Frozen Passage, during which time he searched for the spot where the disaster occurred. And on the third sun, he found the spot. Two giant pieces of ice that looked odder than the other, ¡°As if turned around¡± he thought.


    Orvus first ensured there were no monsters as before, casting rays of light from his eyes into the water, permeating it deep. While he didn¡¯t find a living monster, he found the one Manna defeated, its body still lingering on the ocean floor, thus he presumed some of the bodies of his dead siblings may be around.


    ¡®There¡¯s at least a few dozen in the waters, possibly hundreds. That would aid me greatly if I manage to pull them all out,¡¯ Orvus thought looking at the water. ¡®Manipulating water, wind and light though, that will prove highly troublesome.¡¯. Trying to figure a way, Orvus looked at his siblings and an idea passed his mind. ¡®Maybe if I pass on the instructions, they may be able to aid me. Their bodies function without much thinking from them, so it could work.¡¯.


    As such, Orvus tested between his siblings various commands and instructions he would imbue into his light and then into them. The lifeless corpses would obey his will in a timely manner, even creating chain reactions that would almost make them seem aware.


    ¡®Perfect,¡¯ Orvus walked between the corpses, ¡®a hundred of them, split between wind and light manipulation. All I have to do is bring the bodies near the surface, and they shall pick them up.¡¯.


    Orvus then dove into the water, manipulating it around his body while letting his light course through him freely, not afraid of the heat as the water turned to steam around him.


    Swirling like an arrow through the cold water, soon the shapes of his siblings turned into specks of light, and then darkness, as he went deeper and deeper. At the bottom, the terrible shape of the monster lay dead, only its head visible as the darkness hid its true size. Orvus saw the wound Manna inflicted on it, which reminded him of how strong his sister can be. How much stronger she must¡¯ve gotten after they separated.


    ¡®It gives all the more reason to me to find those bodies,¡¯ he thought, ¡®and once at the Link, I shall complete them back to their original beauty. All for the purpose of granting eternity to their souls.¡¯. His thoughts were interrupted by the shallow feeling of a light trying to reach the surface from the depths of the water. Orvus followed the sensation until he found one of the dead siblings, their hand reaching still for the life they¡¯ve been robbed of.


    ¡®I¡¯m sorry brother, for the life you could¡¯ve had,¡¯ Orvus thought as he manipulated the water around his body, sending him above. ¡®But I promise your body shall help the others, that I will ensure.¡¯.


    It took Orvus a full sun to find all the bodies he could, a bit over a hundred in number. They were all missing most of their flesh, while their bones were cracked in most places and grinded by the salts and small creatures feeding off of them in the waters. ¡°Not even corpses, these are the mere bones of our brethren,¡± Orvus said with spite, ¡°but bones are what I need to tie flesh to, and then other parts. They are what would take me the longest to make, thus this was very much worth it.¡±.


    With a ferocious breeze below his feet, Orvus reached the surface with the corpse of one of his siblings in his arms. The other corpses placed their hands on it, trying to grab it and add it to the bunch, but Orvus got deluded in his idea that his siblings were still alive, and as such, he thought they were trying to embrace his dead brother.


    ¡®See? They still love you brother, and I shall help you feel more of that love,¡¯ Orvus placed his body on the ground, coursing light through the bones and allowing them to move. ¡®So let us not linger for long, we move forward.¡±.


    Looking into the distance, Orvus had a gut wrenching feeling, what he felt as he passed the Frozen Passage, this time aimed at the Shivering Lands.


    ¡®My body can barely hold against the colds of these lands, what awaits before me, is so much worse.¡¯. He was thinking of the winds that could blow one up in the air for hundreds of metres or more, those winds that in the Whistling Valley would grind even stone to dust against the walls.


    ¡®Before I was able to use my light at my leisure, now I have to be careful at this body¡¯s limits, not to heat it too much or too little,¡¯ Orvus then looked at his siblings, ¡®and I have to ensure they¡¯re all going to make it. I don¡¯t want to lose a single one of them¡­¡¯.


    Orvus closed his eyes for a few moments, reminding himself why this was all worth the risk. Seeing Manna, Felemous and Eharel fighting so dearly to survive, his siblings united for the simple pursuit of living. The one thing that made him focus, that made him draw courage once more for what will await him, was the face of Kilon smiling. It was after he returned to the Link, Manna asking questions as all the others, creating theories of what could be out there, what wonders could be hidden.


    ¡®It¡¯s the face I adore and despise the most,¡¯ Orvus said with a smile on his face, that vanished as he turned towards his siblings, as if they could see him, ¡®it¡¯s the face that got my heart trembling, making it wander someplace else.¡¯. With a swing of his arm, all of his siblings started marching forward. ¡®My heart no longer wanders, no longer trembles. For my-our purpose is not to wander alone, but together as one. That is our purpose: to be one unmoving, relentless and unstoppable¡­a natural calamity of sorts, one that cannot be topped by any others.¡¯.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    His march was brought to a halt after he travelled two more suns, finally arriving at the place he once called home. Seeing the impassable storms before him, he brought back into his body the lights of a few dozen of his dead siblings. ¡®It didn¡¯t take me long to understand it,¡¯ he thought as the lights started swimming through his pulsating veins and enveloping his bones and cartilages. ¡®The nature of the flesh bodies that is,¡¯ Orvus extended his right, his skin getting scorched and his blood boiling out of it, ¡®what I couldn¡¯t see were similar ways to perform as I once did with my old body, without realizing this body can perform on its own, just differently.¡¯.


    From his palm, lights erupted all around, forming in complex structures on which the flesh rapidly grew. In a gruesome explosion of flesh and blood, his hand became twice the size of his body, and with a short breath, Orvus unleashed the power of his lights, swaying the winds left, right and above to create a clear path.


    ¡°Sacrifice means pain, and although this pain is immense, there is a greater one if I fail,¡± his hand returned to its initial size from the broken pieces of his giant one. ¡®All I have to do is expand my body. It''s exhausting and painful, but it enables me to manipulate the winds and make use of my lights as I wish.¡¯.


    With his method in place, Orvus entered the Shivering Lands, an unstoppable force waiting to meet two others.


    ¡®I am close, Kilon, Manna. I hope to see neither, but if I do, I hope I have the necessary strength.¡¯.


    ¡®Hmm, seems like all it¡¯s going well with this one,¡¯ he was pacing between large crystal structures, each floating and bound by strands of lights to the Link. ¡®This one needs refinement,¡¯ he pulled a tool from his pocket, made of two crystals bound by light with a sharp end, inscribing the larger one. ¡®There, you can sit a while longer¡¯.


    Affrax wore clothes made from weaving the light of the Link into fine strands, not moving with the wind but when he willed them to, something which became second nature after a while. He found those much more convenient, doing what the physical counterparts could and more.


    His tools were also made of light, crystalized one that is. He was successful in crystalizing the light, now he had to find a way to bind his own soul to the crystals in order to preserve them. It was outside of the initial scope, which was to conserve the memories of his siblings inside those crystals, like a repertoire of sorts.


    ¡®It¡¯s been a while since I saw them, hopefully I¡¯ll have it ready by the time they will arrive,¡¯ Affrax kept his hope, his dreams of a better place. That one day Kilon, Manna or Orvus will return with the good news. ¡®Tomorrow I¡¯ll try to move more of my soul into it,¡¯ he thought as he stepped away from the Link, a table made of ice and stone he managed to carve was some thirty metres away from the Link. He had various clawbear skulls and starstag antlers there, testing their parts against the crystals if they were to ever enter the Link¡¯s zone.


    ¡®Let¡¯s do it again today,¡¯ since he didn¡¯t need sleep or rest, Affrax waited for tomorrow by taking notes and drawing. He would write what little observations he had, and then proceed to sketch and draw what he envisioned his life with the others would be like, leaving small notes on the pelt pages with another, finer tool of his that would burn the pelts a little, acting like a pen of sorts.


    On that day, he would draw what he imagine a sunrise under a peaceful hill would look like. It was a drawing absent of cold and winds, a clear stone serving as the hill.


    ¡®Looks good,¡¯ he assured himself, getting lost in the process of drawing. Then his head turned all of a sudden to his left, ¡®It can¡¯t be,¡¯ he thought. ¡®No, there¡¯s something wrong, I can tell from here,¡¯ Affrax extended his left arm towards the Link, and a weapon manifested from it. He became accustomed to the ways the light of the Link worked, thus he had learn how to manipulate it to some extent.


    ¡°Show yourself!¡± Affrax cried, his weapon, a spear held in both hands, pointed towards where he sensed his brother.


    Then, first one by one, by the dozens soon, glowing dots showed in the storm. Affrax could feel the winds being blown away from them and took a more steady position. ¡®It feels like Orvus, but something is missing, and those I¡¯m sure are the lights of my siblings, but I can¡¯t feel their souls.¡¯. Affrax thought as Orvus split the storm as he entered the area of the Link, some hundred metres away from Affrax.


    ¡°Brother!¡± Orvus exclaimed enthusiastically, Affrax not sharing that feeling. ¡°Why are you holding that¡­what is that?¡± Orvus never thought, or rather didn¡¯t find it useful, to make a weapon out of light like that.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, I¡¯m here Affrax! You should have come running towards me, instead you¡¯re scared? Why is that?¡± Orvus stepped closer with those questions.


    ¡°Do not approach me Orvus! Or whatever in the Creator¡¯s name you are,¡± Affrax¡¯s eyes became engulfed by sparks, funneling great powers from the Link inside his body, shedding light almost as much as the Link did, as if he was a spark the Link had by its side.


    ¡°Oh, my appearance, I see,¡± Orvus said looking down at his body, his ears covered by the fleshy parts and in his hand the spear made of spikes and tendons and muscle. ¡°I have changed, but it¡¯s still me, you can tell by-¡±.


    ¡°There are parts of you, yes, but you¡¯re missing some too,¡± Affrax¡¯s eyes looked at his siblings¡¯ corpses. He wanted to cry in pain at the sight, destroy whatever was responsible for it, not knowing his own brother was partially responsible for the grim view. ¡°Something is terribly wrong with you, to drag their corpses here like this.¡±.


    Affrax¡¯s words seemed to have awakened a sudden rage inside Orvus, as if they were insults and not a fact of reality.


    ¡°Corpses?!¡± Orvus said enraged, his flesh glowing a little as he lost control over his light, ¡°These are our siblings Affrax!¡±. Orvus spread his arms, moving his dead brothers and sisters around the Link, husks making creaking and rotten noises as they struggled to move through the cold.


    Affrax gripped his spear with intensity and grunted, then threw it through the skull of one of his dead siblings. The spear passed through without issue, but the corpse was still standing, Affrax feeling like it proved his point quite well.


    Orvus, however, took it as Affrax trying to insult his understanding of things.


    ¡°I know they¡¯re not like they used to be, but it¡¯s still them,¡± Orvus insisted, ¡°their souls are in place, they¡¯re just silent to me, but maybe they will speak to you. So stop this, and let us rejoice for meeting again.¡±. Orvus stepped closer, to which Affrax responded by forming and throwing another spear before his feet.


    ¡°I will not hesitate next time, I will pin you down and find out why they¡¯re all dead, and why you¡¯re this way,¡± Affrax threatened, forming more spears, this time they were floating all around him.


    Orvus hoped he could talk some more with one of his siblings, but was also glad. ¡®Neither Manna nor Kilon are here, so all I have to do is fight and save him,¡¯ Orvus thought, moving his fingers in a manner Affrax couldn¡¯t see, puppeteering his siblings all around to launch an assault.


    ¡®Although, he grew rather strong during the time we were gone, and then there¡¯s those large crystals.¡¯.


    Orvus paced himself to the left and right, looking for angles and ways to attack him. Affrax could tell he had something in mind, so he used his light to enhance his senses as best as he could, using the Link to spread his light in various places. And he found more of those corpses, surrounding the outer edges of the Link.


    ¡°Is there no other way, Orvus? No explanations you¡¯re willing to give me? Just¡­fighting after so long?¡±.


    ¡°We can talk plenty after Affrax,¡± Orvus established his plan in his head, ¡°as long as you¡¯re not going to be silent like all of them, as long as you can see why this is for your own good.¡±.


    Affrax was confused by his words a little, then a creeping thought went through his head. ¡®Is he the one responsible for this?!¡¯. And, because of that moment of uncertainty, Orvus took it as an opportunity, using his flesh body to layer muscles on his legs, he leaped forward like a wild beast. Affrax quickly tossed his spears one after another, Orvus, by enhancing his mind with light, avoided left and light, one spear managing to scrape and burn some of his flesh.


    Enhancing his own mind with light, Affrax kept his awareness to a full, looking for all the corpses¡¯ positions. After noticing a few approaching from behind and his right side, he called to him one of the crystals, Orvus some fifty metres away as he did that. And, by putting his hands on it, the crystal started to crack down the middle, soon broken into smaller pieces.


    Orvus realised at once what he was going to do, covering his head and body with his hands, stretching skin, bone and flesh to form an organic shield.


    Then, Affrax fragmented one of the broken pieces and launched them in a straight path towards Orvus, Affrax¡¯s light trailing behind as it continuously sped them up. Orvus¡¯ defence, while good, was broken and pierced instantly, Orvus feeling those fragments passing through his body like a thousand little spears.


    Affrax broke down another few pieces, doing the same towards his dead siblings that were sneaking up on him. So sharp and strong were the fragments, that the ten corpses approaching him broke down into small pieces, disjointed and cut through.


    ¡°I have a hundred crystals placed all around the Link, each of them supply me with power, information and can become, as you can see, tools of destruction when I wish so,¡± Affrax stated proudly as he closed the distance between him and Orvus, not realising what he was capable of. ¡°If you want to die a miserable death brother, I can provide that,¡± Affrax stated, feeling a dozen or so more corpses moving around, but were at a safe distance for the moment. ¡°Or you can tell me what happened, and maybe I¡¯ll even spare you, but you¡¯ll have to let go of them and their lights, let them rejoin the Link as they¡¯re supposed to.¡±.


    Being a mere dozen metres from Affrax, Orvus could almost grasp for it, his light that is. ¡®Deception is not my strong suit,¡¯ Orvus thought, ¡®but I have their lights, so perhaps I can fool him in some other way.¡¯.


    ¡°I am weak, Affrax,¡± Orvus seemed to admit, Affrax watching the way his light and soul were responding to his words. ¡°I led our siblings into death, made them suffer more than they should¡¯ve.¡±. Orvus let the corpses hit the ground, allowing the lights of his dead siblings to flow back into him. Affrax prepared for anything he may try, but then saw Orvus simply extending his hand towards him.


    ¡°I cannot defeat you, nor is there a point to it,¡± Affrax watched intently, and couldn¡¯t see his light waver, or his soul. ¡°So here, take them, you can take care of them now. And one day, when the others will show up, you can take care of them too.¡±.


    Affrax was hesitant at first, but took a few steps closer, seeming to trust him somewhat. He was thinking on his doubts earlier, that his brother may have been the one who killed them, but that was swayed by the image of a family he no longer had. Imagining that maybe there was a chance for it. Although, after he got closer, he stopped when a thought flashed his mind.


    ¡°What do you mean take care of them Orvus? You truly think their souls are present-¡± before he had time to finish, Orvus jumped forward, bones breaking as he was bleeding from all over. Affrax was caught off guard, so by the time he could regain composure, Orvus got close enough to drag Affrax¡¯s ligth into his body.


    Affrax felt his control over the crystals fading, as his strength left his body and his clothes made of light started to fade. He managed to just barely put a bit of distance between them, but the corpses came back alive, running towards him and throwing themselves at him. Affrax was looking for a solution as fast he could, and only one seemed in sight.


    Before he knew it, Affrax was below rotten corpses, then held up by them, Orvus almost completely having taken over his light. ¡°We didn¡¯t have to fight Affrax,¡± Orvus said as he stood up, closing the holes in his body and expelling all the blood filling his lungs. ¡°But it was necessary in order for me to pursue my goals, and save you.¡±.


    ¡°Save me?!¡± Affrax found it preposterous, ¡°This is not saving me Orvus, and you should know it. This is dooming me to death!¡±. Affrax managed to grasp his attention, using the little light he had, he formed a connection between him and one of the crystals.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry you can¡¯t see it either Affrax, but I promise you, there is salvation through my actions. You just have to let me take control, place you in the right place and make use of your powers and knowledge as best as I can.¡±. Affrax was listening only so much to what he was saying, feeling his light fading from his body, he had to focus on the light attached to the crystal.


    Affrax only managed to tell Orvus that ¡°You can take control, you can have my body, my light and even my soul¡­but my knowledge? I will not allow it, for I know only doom will follow for my brethren,¡± Affrax¡¯s eyes lost their lights the next moment, Orvus looking at his light realising what he had just done, as Affrax¡¯s soul carrying all his knowledge moved inside the crystal. The crystal then seemed to attract all the others, forming a cluster at the center of the Link and fusing together.


    The product of that fusion was a perfect, giant crystal, serving as a prison one cannot break out of or into.


    Orvus instinctively tried to reach for it, only to be reminded that his body was made of flesh and not light any longer, as his hand got molten as he tried to reach inside the Link.


    ¡®You have defeated me brother,¡¯ Orvus admited to himself, ¡®but I also won.¡¯. Orvus sat down, looking at his hand that he was tying back together with muscle and flesh. ¡®It will only take longer, but I will see this through, and reach the end of this painful story. And the Creator¡¯s power is what will fuel that ambition.¡¯.


    Orvus gathered the corpses of his siblings around him, and so he began a slow process of rebuilding their bodies properly. He first had to learn how to manipulate the lights from inside the Link properly, something which he thought impossible until he saw Affrax, ¡®Which means it¡¯s all a matter of time,¡¯ he thought. Then, he had to make the bodies act almost out of their own will, with his orders in mind, ¡®Something which also will take some time.¡¯. After which, he only needed to regain greater degrees of power, ¡®Which requires me to understand the crystalization process better,¡¯ he thought.


    And when all the pieces would come together, Orvus would become a ¡®Natural calamity, one which cannot be stopped or tempered with. One which can fight the world and grant eternity¡­one eternal storm to destroy them all.¡¯.

 Storm Approaching

    ¡°Do you think we can survive this?¡±


    ¡°I suppose so¡­my visions had nothing akin to this in them.¡±


    ¡°We should have the numbers and skills on our side, those are all dead after all.¡±


    ¡°You think he wouldn¡¯t take that into consideration?¡±


    ¡°Of course he would.¡±


    ¡°Then he relies on something.¡±


    ¡°Probably those crystals they wear, they contain light but seem to do a bit more.¡±


    ¡°The way they wear them, it might be safe to assume they can protect them from injuries, light related and perhaps more.¡±


    ¡°That would make them really tough to fight, not to mention they will not stop until they¡¯re cut to pieces.¡±


    ¡°Indeed it would.¡±


    ¡°That is, of course, if we don¡¯t consider what you can do, Kilon.¡±


    Kilon¡¯s eyes erupted with sparks, thousands of Lightborn gathered behind him. Armed with weapons imbued with light, armor ripped and torn from various animal pelts and skins, trinkets and devices to ensure precise destruction, the first army to emerge on Erta stood against the dread that was Orvus and his army of corpses. Their dreams, hopes, ambitions, emotions, none would matter if Orvus was to win, and they all knew it.


    ¡°That is so, Manna.¡±


    A few months priors, at the meeting


    ¡°Beliefs won¡¯t suffice,¡± Eharel spoke, ¡°there is a threat on the horizon, and we don¡¯t even know what it looks like. It could be any of us, or none.¡± Manna gave him a sharp glance.


    ¡°Are you suggesting my eyes-Eraanel¡¯s eye was mistaken?!¡± Manna grunted.


    ¡°I¡¯m suggesting he may have found a way to deceive all of you, and I believe Avunaia here to be a precise example of what can escape our minds,¡± Eharel looked at Kilon after speaking, ¡°but not theirs. Kilon and Orvus that is. They always had that about them, didn¡¯t they?¡±


    ¡°I refuse to believe that. So many have died¡­Felemous sacrificed more than any of us should have, so he can what? Escape between our fingers?¡±


    ¡°We didn¡¯t check the lake where the beast was Manna,¡± Eraanel admitted, ¡°if he managed something similar to what Kilon did to Avaanel, then it¡¯s very much possible.¡±


    Manna wanted to deny it again, but she knew better, so she then wanted to explode in anger. Not even that, however, would¡¯ve made her feel any less empty than she did.


    Those present had their eyes set on her, waiting to see how she would respond to it. Some were eyes filled with pity, some with despair, others with expectancy, particularly from Kilon. He wanted to see how she would react given the predicament.


    ¡°It¡¯s my fault,¡± Eraanel was first to speak under the pressure, ¡°I should have known better.¡± Kilon hid a smile at his words.


    ¡°No,¡± Salvete stood up, ¡°me and Gilaate were still very much able to walk and fight, we should¡¯ve gone back and ensured everything was dealt with.¡±


    Manna¡¯s feelings of emptiness started to vanish as her siblings started to take accountability in her place. ¡®I can see it now,¡¯ Manna admitted in her mind, ¡®what being a leader is. To take responsibility, and to give. Ultimately, it¡¯s all our fault, mine above all, but we share the burden. That¡¯s what I¡¯ve been missing.¡¯


    ¡°That is good,¡± Kilon cleared the chatter, ¡°we know what went wrong, and could have done better. And I speak as one that has too made the mistake of relying too much on their own strength. It is why we lost precious siblings like Efeehem.¡± Kilon looked at all of them, a conviction setting on their faces.


    ¡°No more schemes and plots against one another,¡± Menoel smiled at his words, ¡°no more disagreements on what¡¯s right and what¡¯s wrong,¡± Manna had a firm look about her, ¡°we fight as one, for Orvus will come as one great force. Thus we must stand strong as one great whole.¡±


    Current time


    ¡°How many have shown?¡± Kilon asked Salvete.


    ¡°Three hundred draxes. There were more to come, but we noticed the storm, so we decided to let them go,¡± Salvete responded.


    ¡°Good, we don¡¯t want him to know what we have prepared,¡± Kilon petted Arhegon, who stood proudly before all the Lightborn and critters they¡¯ve gathered. ¡°Mane looters, regal deers, river wolves. How many are there?¡±


    ¡°If we counted right, me and Mercaara believe there to be around two thousand. But besides the regal deers and river wolves, I don''t see how the mane looters are of any help.¡±


    Kilon could read uncertainty from Salvete, a worry she developed for the critters. ¡°If all goes well, we might end this conflict without any of us having stepped out of line. And that relies on them, who infiltrated into our lives since we arrived and whom we owe our lives in some cases,¡± Kilon stroked the fur of Avunaia, being thankful to Prickety for always being on her back watching over her.


    ¡°Your visions though, we know for sure that won¡¯t be the case, don¡¯t we?¡±


    ¡°Nothing is certain sister, not even a moment ahead of us. One action can change the course of what is foreseeable and what is not, that much I learned. So let us not wait in vain for what¡¯s to come.¡±


    A few months prior, after the meeting


    The settlement of the Lightborn was a show of lights in the night. Blue, white, orange, yellow, they were moving around hastily, preparing in whatever way they could for what was to come. They didn¡¯t know when Orvus was to come, so not a moment was wasted.


    Around Avunaia¡¯s house dozens of Lightborn were learning how to assemble the various mechanisms and trinkets she knew how. Avunaia was, at the same time, developing a potent poison she wanted to use on Orvus. She wasn¡¯t sure if anything would work on him, but through it, she found better ways of destroying their own flesh.


    Outside the settlement, by the hundreds, Manna was training those from Kilon¡¯s group better ways and tactics to fight. Those developed by her, Felemous and Orvus too. Anything and everything they had was valuable knowledge worth sharing.


    Thanks to the greymatter, those which had weapons coated in it like Manna, were seeing outstanding results. From being able to channel their light through and expelling it with high precision, to giving weight to the strikes when wanted. Bustomus in particular became quite formidable with his arsenal.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Kilon, meanwhile, was making his way to Mercaara. To his surprise, Salvete was there with her, talking and taking care of the mane looters they were now holding in small huts.


    Salvete was dressed like those from Kilon¡¯s group, fine strands of silk adorning her shape that was roughened in the Gargantuan Forest. Mercaara was handing Salvete seeds and small plants the mane looters loved to eat, Prickety choosing her food more careful then letting other mane looters feed as well.


    ¡°You seem to have taken a liking to our little helpers,¡± Kilon intruded without them noticing. Salvete smiled at his remark, then seemed to fall into thought. ¡°Manna doesn¡¯t like our critters the way we do,¡± Kilon said as he looked at Salvete, ¡°or the way you do as well.¡±


    ¡°I have helped Manna and the others to accomplish our common goals. I even did as she wanted me to, all for the purpose of survival,¡± Salvete scratched Prickety¡¯s beak, something Kilon only saw Avunaia able to do so, ¡°but now our goals-our purposes diverge, except for one that is.¡±


    ¡°I understand,¡± Kilon roughened her hair as he crouched, ¡°then feel welcome here Salvete. I love you as I love Manna and the others, so for you, just like for them, there is a place in here.¡±


    ¡°Why do you sound as if they¡¯re going to live elsewhere?¡±


    ¡°Because that¡¯s what they want.¡±


    Current time


    The storm was approaching from the north. They weren¡¯t sure how Orvus found them, but Kilon assumed that ¡°If he reached the Link and then followed the same path through the Whistling Valley, then it stands to reason he found the rootworm plains and soon followed our trail to the east.¡±


    ¡°Makes sense to me,¡± Menoel approved, ¡°although, it could also be that he has some way to trace our lights. It¡¯s why we can¡¯t have anyone leave and hide.¡±


    ¡°Precisely, after all, I was able to faintly sense Manna¡¯s and her group¡¯s lights from quite a distance.¡±


    Menoel was deeply frustrated, and Kilon could tell. ¡°Imagine, all that power and knowledge he has, the way we could have reshaped the world together.¡±


    ¡°Or lead our siblings in my stead.¡±


    Menoel chuckled at his remark ¡°You figure I have something in the works don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Would I be wrong?¡±


    ¡°Probably not.¡±


    ¡°Probably, you say,¡± Kilon looked at the Lightborns. Placed in rows three hundred, five such rows served as the bulk, the infantry of the army. While the rest of them were mounted on river wolves and regal deers, with Menoel leading the river wolves, Kilon the regal deers and Manna the infantry. ¡°Well, whatever it may be, at least it will wait until this is over.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, and if I don¡¯t come back alive, I suppose you have one less worry,¡± Menoel amused himself.


    ¡°You will come back,¡± Kilon placed his hand on Menoel¡¯s shoulder, ¡°that much I think I can promise.¡±


    ¡°Something you saw in your visions?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Kilon said, and Menoel knew he lied.


    A month prior


    ¡°He called for us today, what do you think it is all about?¡±


    ¡°We haven¡¯t seen Orvus nor have there been any reports as of yet¡­¡±


    ¡°But?¡±


    ¡°There is a storm, one that doesn¡¯t seem natural coming from the Whistling Valley.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve been there?!¡±


    ¡°Last I saw Orvus, he was less than dust. If he learned anything from our fight, it would probably be to not follow us.¡±


    ¡°So he went to recover part of his powers, maybe even convince Affrax to join his side.¡±


    ¡°Meanwhile we have no way to return to the Link, not without sending a considerable force.¡±


    ¡°Then you did well Manna.¡±


    ¡°Now, what do you want from me? I assume the secrecy is there for a reason.¡±


    ¡°It is,¡± Menoel placed a small contraption on a table between them. They were inside his house, a simple one that only had what was necessary and nothing more.


    ¡°Avunaia showed us this thing,¡± Manna flickered it, and the palm sized thing went flying to the other side of the room. ¡°Pointless I¡¯d say.¡±


    ¡°Precisely,¡± Menoel agreed, standing down to look Manna in the eyes, ¡°pointless actions that Kilon condones. Not only that, but he wants to explore this world? After everything we-you too have endured?¡±


    ¡°Working behind my brother¡¯s back is not in my nature Menoel,¡± Manna¡¯s body emanated an irritating glow, one that made Menoel shiver a little.


    ¡°I know it isn¡¯t, and I don¡¯t like it either, but what can we do? He gives us little choice.¡±


    ¡°We will leave,¡± Manna¡¯s words left Menoel staring blank at her. ¡°I have fought, I have bled, I have cried and raged on Menoel. Of all the things I¡¯ve done, the one thing I regret the most is fighting Orvus.¡± Manna clutched at her chest and made an anguished expression, sparks falling from her eyes, flaming tears those were. ¡°Do not ask me to do the same with Kilon, for my heart can not take any more of it.¡±


    Menoel felt defeated before even trying. ¡°Where will you leave? And how many of you will leave?¡±


    ¡°To the east. We know Kilon wants to explore the world, so only the south remains for him to travel to, perhaps further west as well. As for how many,¡± Manna looked out a window, ¡°I suppose as many as they want. It¡¯s up to them, something I finally understand quite well.¡±


    Menoel sighed, a saddened smile conjuring on his face. ¡°Very well then, may I come along?¡± Manna raised an eyebrow. ¡°It¡¯s not what you think, or at least I hope. I just realize me and Kilon will never tolerate each other, not in the way the other wants.¡±


    ¡°I see him keeping you down there made you a bit wiser, Menoel.¡± Menoel let out a small laugh at her joke.


    ¡°Not wiser no, perhaps just gave me a better sense of clarity,¡± Menoel looked out the window as Manna did, ¡°imposing one¡¯s will upon another¡¯s, it¡¯s easy if you know how. But is it worth it? I¡¯d argue that yes, it is, if Avunaia was still alive. Now though, having lived with the consequences of my greedy way of thinking, I¡¯d argue no. It¡¯s so not worth it Manna.¡±


    ¡°Seems like both of us finally arrived at the conclusion Kilon did a long while back.¡±


    ¡°It would seem so,¡± Menoel agreed, both grabbing the other¡¯s forearm to hold in agreement. ¡°Then let¡¯s do as he said, and no longer plot against one another.¡±


    ¡°And march as one, for our enemy comes as one relentless force.¡±


    Current time


    ¡°It¡¯s time,¡± Kilon announced. Menoel and Manna took their positions, the Lightborns at the back raised their weapons, the mane looters soared the sky ready to dive. The regal deers started stomping the ground with their hooves as Arhegon did, something Kilon only saw him do when they fought, but never did he think they would follow his lead. The river wolves on the other hand were oddly calm, their ears were pointed up, moving and twitching at the slightest sound, even Menoel felt nervous around them.


    ¡®Even the river wolves, they¡¯re all submitting their will to Kilon in preparation for what¡¯s ahead,¡¯ Manna thought, ¡®which means he has gained it: control over nature itself.¡¯


    ¡°It is time brothers!¡± Kilon repeated, this time making sure everyone heard it. ¡°Death wants us! What do you say to that?!¡±


    ¡°NO!!¡± They all screamed.


    ¡°And what shall we do when it breaks our wills, destroys our dreams and shatters our hopes?! Shall we bow before it, plead for mercy and accept our fate?!¡±


    ¡°NO!!!¡± They announced.


    ¡°NO!!!!¡± Kilon raised his spear, light exploding from within his being, rising to the sky in a blaze of glory. ¡°We kill, we trample over, we destroy and carve our fate!! You hear it Orvus?! Our roar for life! For a future greater than anything this world-our Creator will ever offer!!!¡±


    Every Lightborn, every creature present, they all roared and screamed. Amongst all of it, the words Kilon Tihal were made out. Language wasn¡¯t a barrier, the words resounded through reality itself, so much so not even Orvus couldn¡¯t hear them.


    Then, the ground started shaking. The storm approaching the Lightborns started to clear off, and from within, the sight horrified and chilled everyone to the bone. The roars and cries died off fast, the river wolves wanted to back off, while the mane looters and regal deers started acting frantically. Death wasn¡¯t what they were meeting, but eternal damnation, as the corpses of their brethren marched onwards. What disturbed everyone was Orvus himself.


    ¡°I hear it Kilon,¡± Orvus spoke in three different voices, two additional sets of arms, and limbs that were no longer resembling legs but insect members made out his shape. As for his face: four eyes to the front, one set to each side of his head and ears misshapen and covered by skin made him no longer resemble what a Lightborn was supposed to be. ¡°And oh how glorious it is, albeit futile, for I have ascended beyond life and death. I now reside between the realm of immortality and godhood. Can you stop such a being brother? For it¡¯s not death you¡¯re fighting, but life too, as I have power over both.¡±


    Since he fought the clawbear in the Whistling Valley, Kilon never felt fear again, not for himself at least. With Orvus before him though, his hand was trembling. ¡°Brother, what have you become?¡±


    ¡°What you were supposed to be to us brother: a god.¡± From flesh and bone Orvus manifested a spear of his own, light crystals surrounded him soon after, and with a wave of the spear towards the ground, the earth started to split and rise or crush under their feet. In just a moment, mayhem ensued and the order disrupted. ¡°Now let me save all of you, and share this blissful eternity with all of you.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t grow content with your power Orvus,¡± Orvus started to feel it too, just like Kilon, ¡°if you believe yourself a god, I shall show you power that defies godhood itself.¡± Fear. ¡°Now bow before your Creator impetuous heretic.¡± With a raise of his hand, and then letting it go down, Kilon manipulated gravity, forcing Orvus to crush into the ground and leveling the earth back to how it was supposed to be.


    ¡°You never disappoint Kilon.¡±


    ¡°Neither do you, Orvus.¡±