《Divided Sky》


 Chapter 1

    Through the crowded misery of the airship¡¯s cargo hold he moved, hoping to seek peace. Peace made it clear that it did not wish to find Cedar, nor did it wish to bless his neighbors any longer. War came to Evergreen. Out of nowhere and without warning the starward horde arrived, raining fire down upon the peaceful land of Verdesylvania. Once before the engines of war drove Cedar from his home, giving him a respite of a year before knocking again.


    Try as he might, he could not block the sounds of the desperate and frightened as he wove through the crowd. Somewhere on this freight there had to exist a quiet corner, somewhere Cedar could collect himself and his thoughts. You should not leave her alone at a time like this, a thought not his own told him. He scowled as he tried to look up at his own mind. It started only a few hours ago, making him wonder if this was all just a dream.


    No, dreams as bad as they might be, never hurt while happening. Some of the memories conjured up in them stung after he woke, leaving him unsettled for the day to come. If only it was one. He would gladly endure any nightmare just to wake up in his apartment, ready for yet another day at work. Bumping elbows with one of his neighbors, an old man who only looked vaguely familiar. Did he live in the same complex or work at one of the shops?


    It hardly mattered. When a community found itself transformed into refugees, it seldom stayed together. Those who escaped Evergreen would find themselves permanently dispersed, perhaps never to see each other again. Friends who watched a football game during third quarter were bound to never cross paths again unless on the same airship. Even those onboard this battered, dirty transport would more likely than not end up in different sections of sprawling camps that soon would form.


    In the eyes of those around him, Cedar saw fear and uncertainty. This was all new to them, not a one of them knowing what to expect. Except him. This was not the first time he found himself a refugee. He was separated from those he knew back in Tavor, though for the most part it was not much of a loss. He found himself from time to time wondering what happened to his family. Did they still live under occupation, or had they managed to escape to different parts of Verdesylvania? Where they now finding themselves under a new occupation?


    Just when his life was starting to get back on track, the world showed him how much it cared for anyone¡¯s plans or ambitions. The Kais rolled over any in their way, sweeping across starward lands towards the sun. Cedar tried not to look around as he moved through the hold, an impossible task if ever there was one. He could see the uncertainty in so many eyes, the fear, the despair.


    He found the main hold too noisy, too crowed and too stuffy. Any other place would suit his needs. He would not mind going on deck, an option barred by the airmen running this airship. The mostly dwarven crew did not want refugees getting in their way, obstructing the operation of their vessel. The sapiens on board were not much better. They lived so long in the dwarven nation of Batavia that they thought as much like pygmaeus as the dwarves.


    He stumbled across one small room, little more than a broom closet. Inside, a dim bulb barely illuminated a chamber filled with brooms, mops and other cleaning equipment. Nobody else staked their claim here, nor did he see any crewmen nearby. Slipping inside, he tried to clear his mind. Why did it all fall apart? Was there a rhyme or reason or was this little more than being in the way of larger entities? Was he nothing more than a bug crushed beneath jackboots simply because the Kais soldiers did not even notice him? Closing the door behind him, muffling the sounds beyond, he stared ahead thinking about what led him here.


    Cedar stretched his arms skyward, reaching into the sunward breeze, preparing himself for another busy day at working in his new home. Well, it was not all that new anymore. According to the calendar he lived in Evergreen for just over a year. Only a year separated his birthland from liberty and domination by the marauding armies of the House of Kais. It almost seemed like a lifetime ago.


    Evergreen, with its lush green groves and thriving open-air farms on vast stretches of reclaimed land was a sight more pleasant than Tavor with its violet shrubs and hydroponic gardens housed beneath expansive and quite expensive domes. It was hard work for a town there just to grow enough food to feed itself, let along thing about expanding. Everything was far different here, even the sun. He wondered if he would ever grow accustomed to seeing it hang that high above the sunward horizon.


    He glanced briefly towards the north, seeing ice capped peaks far off in the distance. The mountains were always touched by the perpetual cold breeze blowing in from starward and its eternal night. Frigid air from the star lit tundra brought a chill to all the lands it reached. To his dismay, gloomy clouds enshrouded the mountains, allowing only the peaks to shin in the dull reddish light of the sun.


    Those dark clouds circled the mountains like vultures standing watch over an ailing beast. It left Cedar with a most uncomfortable feeling that rain will start falling by third quarter. It also reminded him of the land of his origin. Similar skies appeared over Tavor days before the Kais armies crossed the borders. Cedar barely escaped with a handful of others thanks to the Batavian Air Force and Jet Force. While feeling indebted to the jetmen who helped him, he knew they did not aid out of the kindness of their hearts. The Kais Imperium tended to conscript local populations, clearing out institutions of higher education in search of cannon fodder. If not for jetmen like one Corporal Moss, Cedar would likely now lay dead in the trenches, pressed into service by the invaders who destroyed his home.


    He turned his eyes away from the past and back towards the unknown quantity of trees lining the avenues of Evergreen. The people of Verdesylvania loved their trees, so much so that even their national flag bore the silhouette of the mighty redwood. None of those monstrous trees grew within the boundaries of the city. Instead, they grew on the periphery of dust free farms scattered across the fifty kilometer wide valley forming most of the nation. Having food grown directly from the ground was strange enough but the idea of actual forests still left him boggled. He would never have believed they existed had he not seen them with his own eyes.


    He passed several trees of his namesake as he marched towards work. These were small cedars planted along the city¡¯s sidewalks, chopped down and replaced periodically as they grew too large. Evergreen remained mostly silently in the first quarter of the day with only the occasional thunderous clank to break the peaceful quietude. Cedar cringed at the sound of autos rattling down the cobblestone road. Evergreen¡¯s roads were never intended for motorized vehicles to clamber up and down them. Nor did the mechanical transport quite match the aesthetics of the two story brick buildings lining the main street.


    Cedar could never afford one of the machines nor had he any desire to possess them. The machines looked for all life like a windowed box on wheel and barely moved faster than horses or oxen used in the fields. They were louder and produced a nastier stench in their passing than any beast of burden. He hoped the auto fad would not last too much longer. He dreaded to think of what thousands of them could do to both the city¡¯s roads and air.


    Autos notwithstanding, Cedar found himself happy in Evergreen, far happier than he ever remembered feeling back in Tavor. Never had he imagined a land so clean and abundant that life there did not revolve around finding enough to eat. Verdesylvania grew so much food that it actually exported it to other nations, mostly on the starward side of the world, a frozen steppe that never knew the light of the sun, guaranteeing its neutrality.


    Fortunately for him, the people here mostly did not treat him like an outsider, like some vagrant migrating into their lands. Work was rather tolerable; not too hard and not too boring. He paid little attention to the few people he passed on the clean, open streets of the city, a far cry from life beneath cramp, domed cities starward. In turn, those same people paid him even less attention, wrapped up as they were in their own troubles as they headed to work.


    Cedar was not an announcer, a reporter or any person who the public interacted with at the radio station. Anyone who actually spoke over the radio oozed charisma. Not Cedar. He remained content enough to work beyond the scenes. His was a simply enough job; transcribe reports off the wireless, clean up the text and deliver it to the broadcasting studio for announcement across the city. Working in radio was far easier than anything he would have found back in Tavor. It also paid better. To think that so many people criticized him for tinkering with radios in school instead of busting his back in the mines or orichalcum foundries.


    As Cedar approached the radio station, he peered up at the eighty meter tall broadcasting tower with waning enthusiasm. As much as he enjoyed his job, he found that news on the airwaves focusing more and more on the war consuming a great deal of the world. When it came to alliances, it was nearly a literal struggle between sun and stars. Verdesylvania straddled the near terminator, close enough to the sun that he never saw the stars here.


    Before reaching the stylishly modern all-glass entry of the station, he stumbled across one of his friendlier coworkers. He was a mountain of a man¡ªor perhaps a high-rise of one. Cedar thought of the two-and-a-half meter tall ogre more as a large building than a rocky hill. He stood almost a meter taller than Cedar, forcing the sapien to always look up when greeting him.


    That was alright; everyone had to look up to Oak after all, though not everyone did so in such a positive light. Fewer giganticus called Verdesylvania home than sapien refugees. Nobody knew exactly how he came to live in Evergreen and to the old timers, that made him doubly suspicious. Cedar thought that a most undeserved attitude given that the ogre was one of the kindest persons he ever met.


    ¡°A good day to you, Cedar,¡± the larger man said in a low, rumbling voice. Oak seldom spoke in anything louder or more forceful than a low grumble. Cedar had the feeling that it he ever found reason to yell, Oak would sound not much different from an avalanche. He stood next to the plaza¡¯s fountain, a pool of water surrounding a statue of a tree with water flowing from it polished branches, surrounded by a small flock of birds.


    Cedar nodded a greeting. ¡°How are things going for you today?¡±


    Oak, dressed in simple coveralls and thick boots, grinned. ¡°It¡¯s a bright red day for me so far. A little cloudy starward but what can you do?¡±


    Cedar looked towards the sunward horizon, eyeing the dull, pulsing red orb, nodding not as much in agreement as acknowledgment. It was always a bright red day, except when clouds migrated across the pinkish sky. ¡°I¡¯m glad to see the sun is exactly where I left it.¡±


    Oak chuckled softly. ¡°I would be surprised if it moved as much as a meter since the day of creation.¡± Cedar was not about to take that bet. The sun never moved in the sky, hanging forever high enough above the horizon to bath Verdesylvania in a perpetual glow.


    Cedar turned once again to the ogre. Oak always appeared so content, even happy with life. Perhaps he found inner peace in accepting what would never change. He worked for half as much as any sapien in the station¡¯s mail room, situated in the basement far removed from public view. Perhaps it was just as well since the architectures who designed the building never took an ogre¡¯s stature in mind. Only the mail room¡¯s domed ceiling curving high enough out of the way allowed him to walk upright¡ªthough he did have to hunch down to squeeze through any doors inside Riverside Broadcasting.


    Its name said it all. The four-story structure sat on the banks of the Pine River. The plaza itself was built alongside an embankment of the reclaimed river. What naturally would have been a slope of sand and rock, construction crews buried beneath a concrete platform lined with limestone bricks reaching down to the waters of the river. On occasion, ducks congregated at the base of the man-made cliff, waiting for any crumbs that the strange creatures above might offer. Usually, the strange creature in question was Oak.


    Not today. A flock of finches surrounded Oak, all chirping for grain. Oak reached into a pouch clinging to his belt. He obliged the birds. The finches bickered over the seeds in pointless competition. There was always more than enough to go around when Oak was near. When he was not tossing seeds, he obliged resident ducks by tossing out stale bread.


    After knowing the ogre for the better part of a year, he remained uncertain about such a frivolous expenditure of food. The people of Tavor had that in common with the Kais at least; the hesitation to waste anything. Food not eaten ended up recycled, transforming it into fertilizer and fed back into hydroponic farms. ¡°You always have a crowd.¡±


    ¡°They don¡¯t care what species I am just as long as they get fed.¡± He paused for a moment as a broad smile crossed his face. ¡°Director Cyprus asked what my secret was for being so successful with the chickadees.¡± Oak laughed at the joke, though he was fully aware of his status in Evergreen society. He did not seem to mind being the bottom rung on a ladder. Any sapiens treated that way might eventually snap. Not Oak. He was as peaceful as any of his kind, a people with an exceptionally thick skin who took a lot of abuse before throwing punches. Of course, nobody sober ever tried picking a fight with a man two or three times his size.


    ¡°Do you actually have a secret?¡± Cedar wondered and not as casually as the director.


    ¡°The path to the heart goes through the stomach,¡± he said as he tossed another handful to the finches.


    Cedar accepted the answer, unsure what else he expected. ¡°I better get to work.¡±


    ¡°News can¡¯t wait the way mail can,¡± Oak said, looking sympathetically at Cedar. ¡°Somebody gets a letter a day late, no big deal but they will have your head if the news is even thirty seconds late.¡±


    ¡°Tell me about it,¡± Cedar looked at the glass doors of the broadcasting center, beckoning for him to enter. Another day, another dinar. ¡°Take it easy, Oak.¡± Cedar headed towards the glass and brick structure, wondering what awaited him on the wireless today.


    Cedar spent the better part of three hours listening to distant transmissions. Other stations in other lands possessed far more powerful transmitters, each of which capable of bouncing signals off the upper atmosphere and over the horizon. Thus far, he found that none of them from starward had anything worth reporting. In Cedar¡¯s view, their silence told more than a thousand transmissions. While they would never announce their plans to the world, they did radiate out a great deal of propaganda and it falling silent left him more unnerved than their usual bluster.


    There or not, the people must have their news and the station¡¯s producers insisted that its employees locate it. He was not alone in this quest of knowledge. Six other transcribers at in the same room as him, none of them finding anything they deemed worth of reporting. Cedar hoped that meant today was going to be a slow news day. No news was good news as they say. Those same people also said news meant something either went seriously wrong or seriously right.


    Usually, his days involved the clatter of typing machines and chatter of coworkers. Today, it was as quiet as the land before a storm. He thought again about the distant storm clouds¡ªclouds not nearly distant enough for his taste. Were the airwaves this quiet before the invasion of Tavor? Having only graduated when they invaded, he lacked the same level of access to the world¡¯s news he enjoyed in Evergreen. Perhaps it only meant a lull in the war. With two warring parties mostly locked in their trenches, it was not uncommon for both sides to do little for weeks on end.


    The only unusual and perhaps only newsworthy information he uncovered came not from foreign media but rather from military channels. He managed to pick up a partial transmission from the Batavian side of the front. A Batavian air force was keeping a close eye on an Imperial air force of roughly the same size only to lose it in the clouds. The only clouds Cedar knew anything about were those too close for comfort.


    The officer on the receiving side of the transmission, a pygmaeus Cedar judged by his no-nonsense replies that came in as few words as possible, sounded less than pleased. He demanded to know how one could lose an entire enemy air force, a very good question in Cedar¡¯s opinion. He scratched down a few lines on a piece of scratch paper. The Kais might have a new offensive set up somewhere and that was always newsworthy.


    Cedar looked up out the window into the hallway, his note taking disrupted by a sudden commotion. Yet another tour group marched through Evergreen¡¯s state-of-the-art radio station. Given how young the technology was Cedar had a hard time imagining an obsolete station. Nor had any of the children on the guided tour, all of them appeared to never live in a time without the radio. These sort of tours picked up as the school year approached its end. In a few week, all those kids would be out lending a hand with the harvest.


    Cedar decided to keep busy for the duration. No questions were ever asked of him, a fact that did not greatly upset him. Instead, one of the station¡¯s three public relations people¡ªwhy the station needed three, Cedar could not say¡ª handled the arduous job. He took no notice of the tour as it entered his workspace. Almost all of them were still in primary school, though a few were of the older secondary classes. When Cedar glanced briefly up from his notepad he noticed on of them watching him. Normally, he would scowl at gawking tourists, though he would make an exception for this one.


    A pair of light blue eyes gazed at him with recognition. Cedar instantly knew the individual standing before him in her pale green dress. She stood taller than the little kids, though not quite as head-and-shoulder above them as Oak would in a crowd of Sapiens. She kept her blond hair cropped at neck length, framing her delicate face beautifully. She smiled at Cedar, ignoring for the moment what the tour guide said. ¡°Hello there,¡± she greeted Cedar.


    Cedar returned the smile. ¡°Well, Alder, how did you get talking into this?¡±


    Alder glared at him in mock fury. ¡°Talked into it? I¡¯ll have you know I happen to enjoy shepherding these kids.¡±


    Cedar knew very well she enjoyed it. ¡°I imagine you will ace this chaperoning assignment.¡±


    ¡°Naturally,¡± Alder beamed. She passed just about everything in school with little apparent effort, though Cedar also knew she worked hard to achieve it. Even so, if she was not a prodigy then she was the next best thing. ¡°Say, are you coming to the game third quarter? It¡¯s the last one of the year.¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t miss it.¡± He had not missed any football game since settling in Evergreen. There was precious little entertainment in the small town. He took his eyes off Alder long enough to look past her. ¡°You better hurry or you¡¯ll get left behind.¡±


    Alder glanced over to where Cedar¡¯s eyes focused. ¡°Oh dear, you¡¯re right.¡± She hurried after them. Before the tour guided her and the other students out of the room, she glanced back once more at Cedar. ¡°See you later,¡± she said with a wave.


    Cedar managed another brief smile before putting his nose back in his work. He easily ignored the stares of his coworkers. When one looked as if he was about to speak, Cedar immediately cut him off. ¡°Shut up, Birch.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Birch looked at him, wounded by his words. ¡°I didn¡¯t say a thing.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to,¡± Cedar shook his head, imagining what sort of observation his friend would have made.


    Birch, of course, knew about Alder. He was the only one of the employees in the room who knew about her. Cedar was not much in the habit of discussing his life outside of work with others. He certainly never mentioned Alder to any of them, though he knew they would speculate now when he was out of earshot. Not that there was much to tell. She was the girl next door¡ªor rather the girl on the same floor of the complex Cedar called home.


    He met her shortly after settling in Evergreen. A small space for plants existed in the middle of each floor on the multi-floor apartment complex he found. To his surprise, few too advantage of the small spot. Perhaps it was not too surprising consider just how much arable land Verdesylvania managed to reclaim from the desolate world. As a refugee from a harsher land, one that still suffered occasional dust storms, he knew how to make the most out of every available millimeter. He grew in that spot fruit and vegetables. One such species, the simple strawberry, was how he met her.


    Cedar ventured outside to water his plants one fine day when he saw a young woman picking his strawberries. Needless to say, Cedar was quite crossed. It irritated him even more than finches or sparrows to see a native of this abundant land helping herself to his food. He sternly asked if he could be of any assistant in harvesting his garden. His question startled Alder enough that she dropped all the berries she picked.


    She apologized to him, saying that she could not help herself. She loved strawberries and saw that nobody ever picked them. That much was true, as Cedar explained to her. Not only did he not pick anything he did not plan on using that day, he also waited until the berries turned a dark red before harvesting. Impressed with his casual knowledge, she stuck around a while, asking him about his garden.


    When she left, Cedar assumed he had seen the last of her and continued with his work. The follow day, as he was chopping down some mint, Alder returned with a box of flowers. She asked if it would be okay if she planted them. Since then, they grew better acquainted as they tended the space together. She attended the local school and happened to be the youngest in her class, making her about three years younger than Cedar. She was a scholar and a novice elementalist, studying the brown and to a lesser extent green elements. Cedar could see the value in studying the element of life though he was a bit perplexed as to why she chose the element of earth as well.


    She said that the study of elementalism and its practice helped her clear her mind, allowing her to better focus on tasks at hand. She was even a bit of an athlete, leading the cheer for the school¡¯s football team. Cedar knew nothing about organized cheering at it simple did not exist in the land of his birth. Verdesylvania was a rich land indeed if its youth could afford to expend energy like that. She showed up one first quarter in her green-and-white uniform, asking Cedar what he thought. He could only stare and nod approvingly.


    She was an amazing young woman. She studied hard, trained her mind, cheered on her school and still managed to find time to tend the garden with Cedar. Of course, as with anything new, she made her fair share of mistakes along the way. Once she pulled up all the recently germinated melon plants. She was trying to help Cedar out, weeding before he emerged from his apartment for the day. Cedar took his time explaining what was and what was not a weed and how to tell the difference.


    It was not as easy as he first thought. If plants grew in more or less straight lines, that was indication of sowing by intelligent hands. Yet while weeds did grow out of control, strawberries propagated out of control as well. He could hardly call them weeds even if they would crowd out other plants if left alone. His temper quickly cooled. Though he looked forward to fresh watermelons later in the year, he found that he lacked the strength to stay angry at Alder for long.


    Cedar planned on heading to the football game later. His work would not take too long; his job only requiring him to work the rest of first quarter and part way into second. He did enjoy the sport, even more than he enjoyed watching Alder on the sideline. He wanted to show her his support, not that she really needed it. She was popular enough without his assistance.


    There was a certain sparkle about her that caught everyone¡¯s attention. Whether it was her eyes, smile or pendant, Cedar could not say for certain. He smiled slightly at the thought of her pendant. Cedar purchased the aquamarine pendant from a local Batavian jeweler, a dwarf who spent the better part of the past two hundred yeas forging such items. The jewel reminded him of Alder¡¯s sparking eyes, as light a blue as aquamarine. He gave it to her for her last birthday, uncertain how she would react. She was quite happy, hugging him and asking if he could help put it around her neck.


    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.  Seeing her wear it pleased Cedar, though he could never explain why. It was a little pricey, not too expensive yet still a luxury of which Alder and her family could hardly afford. Come to think of it, Cedar had never seen her wear any other jewelry. Still, it was nice to add a little sparkly to her life, even if she probably wore it on account that it was the only pendant she owned.


    She wears it because of you, a strange, unfamiliar voice whispered into his mind. At first, he thought somebody snuck up from behind him. He glanced up, scanning the room for any newcomers. He saw nobody save the other transcribers, all as bored as convicts in a cell waiting for the day to end. Cedar shook his head, returning to his work. He hoped stray thoughts would not break up his working rhythm too badly. When no more materialized, he promptly forgot about it and returned to looking forward to life outside of work.


    Cedar shivered as the chilly starward breeze flowed down from the mountains. The dark clouds once covering the distant peaks slowly drifted sunward across the Verdesylvanian sky, obscuring the sun to leave the valley in gloomy light. The two thousand who gathered in the small field next to Evergreen¡¯s school remained mostly oblivious to the approaching storm. They will not be for long, the strange voice from earlier returned. Cedar scowled at the noise in his head. Twice in one day; he hoped it was not developing into a habit,


    He pushed the stray thought away as he tried focusing on the action upon the field. He had a hard enough time finding a suitable seat in the crowded stands. Most of the spectators were more interested in watching the ball bounce from player to player as the local boys tried kicking it into the net than give him room to breathe. Football was a popular enough sport, the world¡¯s pastime he often heard it called. Legend said it dated back to the ancient times of long, lost history. Cedar found the game entertaining enough. Every so often he would lose track of the ball as he watched Alder.


    She somehow managed to spot him in the crowd from the field, waving at him a couple of times. Cedar waved back, smiling as he worried about her. The air was already too chilly for his liking; what was it like for somebody in a skirt? If she was feeling the chill, Alder gave no sign. He envied her ability to shrug off the cold. Perhaps if he moved around as much while watching the game, he would not feel so miserable.


    He had hoped to arrive at the game far earlier so he could talk with her, perhaps even to stop for gelato after the game. Much to his disappointment, work lasted far longer than anticipated. His speculation on a new offensive interested the editors enough to have Cedar and the crew pay more attention to any traffic flowing from the Imperium, especially of the official variety not intended for civilian ears.


    Cedar gazed up at the depressing spectacle overhead. It was all too familiar. Naturally. The same thing happened before the fall of Tavor. This time Cedar could not easily tune out his thoughts¡ªassuming they truly were his own. Whoever thought it was far from wrong. He recalled how the invading air force moved against the backdrop of an oncoming storm, their gray airships easily blending into the background of what turned out to be a rainstorm created by a small army of elementalists.


    Of course, that was in Tavor, a land not exactly renown for rainstorms. In the lush land of Verdesylvania, rain struck every other week. Sometimes it even rained on multiple occasions in a given week as moisture drawn in from the sea fell long before reaching the cooler, darker steppes of his birthland. Strange that these clouds approached from the wrong direction. Any lands starward of here were far more arid and quite unable to spare moisture. It left Cedar quite unsettled.


    Omen of not, rain was coming. That much was certain. The faint scent of rain on soil hung in the air, letting all know under the obscured sky what awaited them during fourth quarter. Cedar turned his attention back to the game. He did not pay for a seat to watch clouds after all. On the field, both teams defended their goals fiercely and with a great deal of skill. Neither side found it easy penetrating the other¡¯s defenses.


    Both side stood entrenched, defense far greater than offense, reminding Cedar too much of the world¡¯s war. Players kicked the ball to and fro for the better part of ten minutes, never straying more than ten meters from the center line for nearly the entire time. One of the local star players finally broke the stalemate. Faullins was renown by all in the southern district of Evergreen for his tactical mind on the field. He managed to rally his team, outflanking the opposing force before launching the ball into their goal. He faked out the final guard, allowing the ball to strike its mark, slamming into the net.


    The locals celebrated the goal, a simply strike tilting the balance of the game in the home team¡¯s favor. Cedar had to admit, it was a good move. Alder and her colleagues down on the sidelines led the crowds in cheering. She hopped up and down, clapping with glee. Faullins paraded around the field for a few seconds before stopping near Alder. He exchanged a few words with the cheer squad, words that made Alder smile.


    Cedar scowled at the footballer. He knew that Alder and he were friends, though that did not mean he trusted the player in the least bit. There was just something he did not like about him. Sigh¡ªthe thoughts emerged once again to Cedar¡¯s growing irritation. I think somebody is growing jealous. Cedar tried to look up at his brain with an even deeper scowl. He even considered getting up to leave, eliminating the mental itch with a good sleep.


    He did wait until the game was over before departing. With the clouds fully blocking the eternal light of the motionless sun, he felt like shivering. As he prepared for his short walk home, Alder managed to navigate the crowd and locate him. Cedar was always glad to see here, even if she was not wearing such a cute uniform.


    ¡°We won!¡± Alder told him, still excited about the victory.


    ¡°I know, I was there. I saw it all,¡± he answered with far less enthusiasm.


    Alder cocked her head, eyeing Cedar with concern. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? You sound kind of down.¡±


    ¡°The prospect of walking home in the rain doesn¡¯t particularly thrill me,¡± Cedar told her. It was not entirely a lie; he had no desire to walk home in the rain. Not alone, at any rate. He wanted to ask her to walk with him. He wanted to ask many thing, so many that he really struggled to keep track. Being the last game of the year, he knew it was not possible. Alder and her friends already had plans.


    Alder nodded sympathetically. ¡°Certainly doesn¡¯t sound like a lot of fun.¡± She, of course, did not have to walk. She could get a ride from her friends in their auto¡ªor rather their parents¡¯ auto. ¡°Hopefully first quarter will be bright and sunny.¡±


    Tomorrow gave Cedar an idea. ¡°You know the Harvest Carnival starts in a few days. I was thinking about going to see what they have in store this year. Would you care to join me?¡±


    Alder smiled sadly. ¡°I would but my friends and I already have our plans for the carnival. Sorry, but we always go together.¡±


    Cedar successfully concealed the deep disappointment he felt. Nodding in understanding he said, ¡°That¡¯s alright.¡±


    No more than four meters behind Alder, one of her friends appeared through the crowd. She was a petite brunette, somewhat cute but lacking that certain charm Alder possessed. She was smart though, smart enough to have basic mastery of the blue element. ¡°Alder! Let¡¯s hurry to the dance.¡±


    Alder looked over her shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ll be there in a minute, Hazel.¡± To Cedar, she quickly added. ¡°I have to go. Last dance of the year and all and I can¡¯t miss it. You know how it is.¡±


    Actually, he did not know how it was. His hometown in Tavor was far poorer than Evergreen and Cedar counted himself fortunate enough to receive any education. Most others his age already worked the forges or toiled in the dreaded mines, trying to earn just enough money to survive. He never had a chance to live the life of fun and excitement teens of Evergreen took for granted.


    ¡°I won¡¯t keep you waiting,¡± Cedar told her in a quiet tone. ¡°Go and have fun.¡±


    Alder nodded. ¡°Sure thing. I will see you later.¡±


    With that, Cedar turned and started walking towards the nippy street, suddenly aware it was several degrees cooler than a moment earlier.


    Cedar tossed and turned in his small bed, struggling to find sleep. It was quite cold outside, almost unnaturally so. Only thanks to electricity did he not feel the chill bite his skin. The rain home chilled his bones more than enough, compelling him to turn the heater to maximum. While rain was far from unusual in Verdesylvania, something about this one did not set right with him. It almost felt guided. He supposed he should be happy it rained as often as it did in the valley. In most parts of the world, clean water was worth its weight in silver. Gold in some of the drier places.


    He found far too much remained on his mind for him to sleep. He had hoped that the gentle pattering of rain on his roof would help lull his mind into a comfortable zone. No such luck this fourth quarter. He could not bar the storm from his mind. It reminded him far too much of the storm that struck Tavor right before the Kais invaded. The Imperium¡¯s fleet guided that storm, using it as a shield. Hard to believe any elementalists with that level of mastery even existed. Those found, the Kais would press them into service.


    No doubt they would love to press Verdesylvania¡¯s farms into service for them and them alone. Its role in feeding Batavia and the Kais made it too vital for the survival of both states¡¯ populations to senselessly drag into a war. Neither side wanted to lose the food supply it contained, even if they might not mind denying it to the enemy. Would the Imperium invade to deny the Batavians food? It was enough to keep anyone awake during their sleep quarter.


    Do not give me that line. You are just worried about Alder, that is all. Cedar growled against at that cursed voice making itself at home inside his head. At first he thought it nothing more than stray thoughts. Now, he was not so sure. It was starting to feel like another person shared his mind, a person who refused to grant him sleep. A person who also happened to not exactly be wrong.


    ¡°She has no room for me in her life¡¯s plans,¡± Cedar mumbled thought a sad, low sigh. How many people ever had room for him in their lives? Not many and he knew not if any still lived.


    There you go again, trying to deny yourself. You always think up excuses to not act. It is pitiful. Moreover, it is starting to grate on me. I think you are just afraid she might say yes and then have no idea what to do next. The voice exerted itself as a separate entity, no longer part of Cedar¡¯s psyche.


    ¡°Shut up,¡± Cedar told is, speaking in a loud whisper. ¡°I don¡¯t recall asking your opinion.¡± He paused for a second, slowly considering his words. ¡°This is pathetic. Here I am, in the middle of fourth quarter, arguing with myself when I should be sleeping.¡±


    I agree, the voice said. You must be more decisive


    Cedar rolled on to his side, Pulling up a pillow, he folded it over his ear, trying to bury his head like an ostrich in the sand. ¡°Leave me in peace. You are as bad as that thunder.¡±


    Off in the distance, Cedar grew increasingly aware of the booming echoes. With rain already falling, the appearance of a thunderstorm was hardly surprising. Odd though that he saw no flashes of lightning. Even when laying down he could still see them reflect off his room¡¯s bare white walls. That would be because it is not thunder. Take a look.


    He slowly sat up and looked over at the window. Pulling aside the curtains, he saw the streetlights of Evergreen, seldom used when the skies were clear, bathing the area with its warmth. Few locals moved during fourth quarter as it was the country¡¯s designated sleep quarter. He briefly wondered if the dance Alder and her friends attended had let out yet.


    ¡°I see nothing out of the ordinary,¡± Cedar growled, silently omitting his lack of sleep as he stared down the street. What was he supposed to see out there? A giant drum set?


    You are not looking far enough, the voice told him impatiently.


    Cedar looked further out, far north past the river. He still saw nothing. Glancing up at the sky, he suddenly noticed orange flashes unlike any lightning ever to cross the sky. More orange flashes preceding the thunder. Further away from the small flashes came much more massive bursts of light, light growing in intensity from red to yellow to piercingly bright white.


    ¡°What on Epp¨¦ was that?¡± Cedar asked nobody in particular. Whatever it was, it was brighter than the sun.


    That would be one of Verdesylvania¡¯s picket ships exploding, the voice told him again. Sure enough, a trail of flames arched from the sky, ploughing into a field of grain north of Evergreen. Had it not been for the rain, those fields likely would have gone up in flames. As the wreckage burned, flashes of lights continued above, uncaring of the destruction beneath it. The flashes clearly were not from lightning.


    The sounds slowly approached, close enough that Cedar could now see traces of light flying away from the bursts overhead. These trails hit the ground north of town, inflicting considerable damage in the fields. No, not the fields. It made no sense to bombard farms. Cedar tried recalling what else lay in that direction. Verdesylvania had a small garrison of soldiers and picket ships based out there¡ª


    Cedar¡¯s heart sank faster than shells raining from the unnatural storm. ¡°Kais airships,¡± Cedar muttered, feeling quite ill suddenly. It was just like a year ago.


    Battleships, cruisers and picket-destroyers, to be exact, the voice explained. Troop transports will not be that far behind them.


    Cedar scarcely listened. He could only hear his hopes and dreams crashing down like a collapsing tower, eroding before him from the fury of this man-made storm. He escaped the clutches of war once and thought himself fortunate. He was not so certain if he could do so again. Last time, he was closer to the opposite border from the Kais and had the Batavian Air Force arriving to evacuate civilians.


    Cedar suddenly snapped out his trance of despair by the blinking out of many of Evergreen¡¯s lights. Strikes from the Kais airships landed near the city, destroying part of Evergreen¡¯s power station. At least one boiler failed. Was that a deliberate shot or just a stray one? No time to worry about that now! The voice snapped. Alder is in danger. Go out there and find her.


    For once, the voice invading his head made perfect sense. He grabbed his leather coat, an article he seldom worn in the nominally balmy valley and flew out the door. He ran into a small crowd scurrying about in panic, confused as to the events of the past few minutes. They were all roused by the battle taking place just north of town. Battle might not be the most apt description and the Evergreen garrison now endured the process of being systematically destroyed.


    Cedar cut his way through the crowd once he noticed Alder was not among them. Had she been at home she would no doubt he with her family, fleeing with the rest of the crowd. The river of near panic pulled Cedar towards the street, threatening to sweep him under. He fought against the flow with more determination than he felt in weeks, managing to slice his way across, exiting the flood. He rushed out, hitting the streets in a run.


    Once out on the open street, Cedar paused in confusion. Evergreen¡¯s population scurried about in every direction. Those who owned autos already boarded their mechanical carriages, hoping to escape faster while only contributing to the general chaos. Despite all the madness transpiring around him, Cedar felt no panic. He was calm even if a bit unsure as to where to begin searching. Alder could be anywhere and while not a huge city, Evergreen was large enough to take more than a day to full search. Or you could just try to school.


    Right, the school. It was no more than a kilometer away, a simple fifteen minute walk. Cedar covered the distance in five. He ran until exhausting his breath and continued even then. He dodged many people headed in the opposite direction, away from the oncoming attack. It may only be an air force assault at the moment but there was no telling when the Kais would begin landing soldiers. It made Cedar feel a bit foolish running towards danger. It also made him the only civilian running that way, as the few soldiers who lived off base rushed towards certain doom. Cedar lacked time to pause and marvel at their bravery.


    A few random shells soared high over Cedar¡¯s head, landing randomly among houses. The streets heaved and shook with fury with each explosive impact. Cedar struggled to maintain his balance, coming close to planting his face into the cobblestone more than once. Turn left at the next pile of rubble. He looked headed at what was once a corner shop. Now all that remained of that family¡¯s hard work was a pile of shattered red bricks, dust turning to mud in the wet air.


    Cedar had no time to worry about the ruins. Nobody shopped this late in fourth quarter. Perhaps somebody took shelter from both storms. If they had, Cedar would never know. He had more pressing matters ahead of him. Several more shells landed north of Cedar, one precariously close to the school. Cedar¡¯s heart leapt more than once, second before his body flew forward. Cedar rolled through several puddles upon impact, soaking himself to the bone with numbingly cold water.


    Pulling himself back to his feet, he quickly wiped the water from his face. No matter what damage it inflicted upon him, he knew that paled in comparison to what was happening around him. He tried not to imagine what a direct hit would do to the school as he pressed onward. Tried and failed. He knew all too well that this was within the realm of the possible once he reached the edge of the football field.


    The school stood nearby, partly collapsed by a hit from some stray round. Cedar doubted that the Kais were out to destroy schools. They were far more interested in neutralizing the small Verdesylvanian Air Force and if shots happened to miss, that was just how war went. He spotted students fleeing from the wreckage. By the look of things, whatever dance they had going was far from over when it happened.


    Try as he might, getting closer to the school proved impossible. Firefighters arrived on the scene just before Cedar, focusing more on rescue as the petering out rain kept fires in check. Still, they drenched the building further with jets of water streaming from their engines. In the process, they blocked off any entry to the school, leaving Cedar to seek out alternatives. He considered crashing through hedge groves lining the sidewalks when a voice called out his name.


    ¡°Cedar!¡± Thankfully, this voice came from well outside his head.


    Cedar turned around, catching sight of a petite girl waving at him. Cedar jogged over to her, wondering what she wanted. ¡°What is it, Hazel? Where¡¯s Alder?¡± he asked, frantically scanning the surroundings. Not seeing the best friends together was enough to turn his stomach in knots.


    Hazel pointed over by the street. Alder crouched next to a ruined auto, the one that belonged to Hazel¡¯s family. ¡°Over there. She¡¯s worried about you.¡±


    Hazel and Cedar moved towards the shattered wreck of glass and steel. Alder hid among the wreck, keeping as low as possible. Upon hearing the two approach through the roar of Evergreen¡¯s fall, she looked up at Cedar with a slight smile on her otherwise horrified face. Cedar extended his hand, pulling her to her feet. ¡°We better get out of here. I saw your parents leaving the apartment before I came here.¡±


    Alder numbly nodded. She followed Cedar as he rushed back down south. ¡°What a way to end the day,¡± Hazel muttered from behind them, her voice cutter through a thick layer of bitterness.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going home?¡± Cedar asked her, unsure where exactly she lived.


    Hazel shook her head hopelessly. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± as she spoke, she struggled to keep her voice from cracking. ¡°It¡¯s north of here, underneath those airships.¡±


    More flashed appeared in the clouds, these new ones appearing to the south to everyone¡¯s dismay. Immediately, Cedar¡¯s thoughts drifted to finding themselves surrounded. Would he let them take him captive, to press them into their army? Did he have the courage to stand his ground, knowing full well it meant death? He was not that eager to discover the truth, not that geopolitics ever care about individuals.


    He was almost convinced he would learn that truth until he followed the course of incoming rounds. These headed north, beyond Evergreen and into the mass of Kais airships. Many of them found their mark, impacting the sides of pickets flying along the periphery of the main air force.


    ¡°What was that?¡± Hazel asked, her voice edging closer to despair.


    Cedar managed a grim smile at the sight. He had seen this before, one year ago when he escaped Tavor. ¡°Batavian airships would be my guess. They appear to be intercepting the Kais.¡± Which would make the Kais the very same airships the Batavians managed to lose. Cedar wished they would have found them a few hours earlier. It could have saved the people of Evergreen a great deal of grief.


    Alder looked up at the approaching airships with a vicious scowl, meaner than Cedar had ever seen from her. ¡°Why do you have to drag us into your war!¡± she yelled at the approaching airships.


    Cedar put his arm around her, awkwardly trying his best to comfort her. Yelling at airship that could not hear her would solve nothing. Even if they could, they were not likely to heed her much attention. What was the opinion of a lone person in the face of a worldwide war? They continued south, Cedar watching with hope as the Batavians began landing in Evergreen. Battlecruisers continued orbiting overhead, trading shots with the Kais. Many round missed, falling short or otherwise detonating inside city limits, leveling neighborhoods of the once beautiful city.


    Soldiers began streaming out of the landed vessels, taking up position and securing locals throughout Evergreen. Sapiens and pygmaeus alike clad in Batavian uniforms marched forward. More soldiers¡ªor rather jetmen by the red flares lighting up the sky, joining the fray. These airborne infantry boarded enemy airships, dropped on to fortified locations and otherwise generated general mayhem against whomever they fought.


    Cedar wondered if any of those flares was Moss. ¡°Cedar! The Batavians are rounding up people,¡± Hazel pointed to the nearest armed transport. A platoon of soldiers stood on guard around the airship, gesturing for all civilians nearby to hop on board.


    ¡°Maybe we should board it,¡± Cedar suggested with little relish. The Batavians did the same thing in Tavor, taking on refugees while they battled the Kais air force in the skies of that lost land. ¡°Trust me on this,¡± he assured Hazel, seeing doubt cloud her face. ¡°They want to evacuate non-combatants.¡±


    Hazel remained far from convince. ¡°Why would they? They seem not to care that their battle is destroying our homes.¡±


    Cedar sighed. No, they did not but they would not be here if the Kais had not arrive first. ¡°They want us out of the way so they will have no distractions in war and so that the Kais will have nobody to press into their armies. Without us between them, the Batavians can fire freely without worrying about killing anyone that they don¡¯t want dead.¡± Probably help too that with fewer farmers left behind, the Kais would have trouble harvesting crops in the lands they now occupy.


    Hazel shook her head. ¡°They won¡¯t be able to get us all.¡±


    ¡°No, they won¡¯t,¡± Alder muttered. ¡°I have to find my family.¡± She tried to leave yet failed to break free from Cedar¡¯s iron clasp. He did not run through the streets during the middle of an invasion to let Alder go off and commit some rash act.


    ¡°They¡¯re likely safe by now,¡± Cedar told her. It was not a lie, even if not verifiable truth. They might very well already be on board a transport headed sunward. ¡°Right now, we need to get to safety, and we can find them later. I know they would want your safety above all else.¡±


    Alder glared at him with pleading eyes. ¡°You don¡¯t know that for sure.¡± She wanted to break free and run home. She wanted to and knew the apartment would be empty upon arrival. Reluctantly, she relented. If she ran off now, she faced being left behind altogether. ¡°You¡¯re right. There isn¡¯t much I can do now.¡±


    Another explosion rippled through the air, this one less than a hundred meters away. Hazel and Alder both shrieked at the booming sound. Cedar jumped and flinched at both blast and scream. Neither required any further pushing. As they continued towards safety, Cedar looked back one final time at the Kais airships. They ruined his life once and now it would seem the Imperium intended to do so again. He swore this would be the last time.

 Chapter 2

    As soon as the Batavians crammed as many noncombatants onboard as safely possible¡ªand probably a few more after that¡ªthe boilers sprang to life. He did not know much about how airship actually worked, though he did know the whining turbines he could hear even in his hidey-hole generated enough power for both the horizontal jets and space drive. The jets, housed in nacelles on stubby delta wings at the aft of the airship, he could understand. The massive triangular space drive beneath them, a drive that was half as long as any airship, remained a mystery. He only knew that more power meant higher altitude.


    Cedar wondered if this particular transport could exceed an altitude of fifty meters. It did not look very airworthy from the outside, just the hull of something that might once have sailed West Sea with wings and space drive attached. Staring at the bulkhead right in front of him, he decided it did not look airworthy on the inside. Not that it really matters, not when it was clear this airship had fire in its belly.


    Once they cleared the ground, the jet engines propelling it pushed the transport along at a good clip, clearing the Verdesylvanian-Batavian border in less than an hour. He was glad his closest, or the main hold for that matter, lacked windows. He really had no desire to see his past life fly by at high speed. As he watched the bare bulb swing overhead, he wondered if he should volunteer for the Batavian Air Force as soon as they reached their destination. He knew he could not wait too long otherwise he would end up in the army. If he learned anything from listening to wireless reports of the front was that divisions worth of bones lay between the trench networks.


    How many of the refugees congregating in the overcrowded hull would join them? Right now, all those people crammed into an area that normally held crates of food or bags of coal were likely too stunned, too confused to decide what they would do next. Some who now lay in one of the triple-stacked bunks would end up conscripted and dead. Others would volunteer and end up equally as dead. How many of the sapiens and pygmaeus who disembarked from this very transport, who now turned Evergreen into a new network of trenches, would ever see their homes again? Generations of hard work were about to go up in flames.


    The transport was far from luxurious, yet it performed with dwarven efficiency as it hauled refugees to the nearest port. Cedar sighed again at the thought of being a refugee for the second time in as many years. He stared at the wall blankly, his mind going numb. He was not entire certain how, but he managed to fall asleep in his chair. It could not have been for more than a few minutes. When he woke, he expected to be back home, waiting for another day at work. Instead, despair and misery greeted him in a barely lit closest.


    What was he doing in here moping? He really wanted¡ªneeded to be with Alder. The attack left her devastated. She and Hazel huddled somewhere in the main hold, trying desperately to learn anything they could about what fate befell their families. If any of their kin were on board, surely they would have discovered each other by now. He did not think they even managed to locate any neighbors or other friends.


    Cedar was not with her, partly because he had no family to seek and partly because he had no idea what to say or how to act around others at times like these. He wondered how she would react if he tried. He did drag her away from Evergreen when she only wished frantically to locate her family. Who knows, she might even feel ill will towards him now. She certainly had just cause.


    In other words, you are too scared to find out. Cedar managed to enjoy silent contemplation for not even a minute before hearing that voice again. It left him wondering if he could find peace anywhere on Epp¨¦.


    ¡°I¡¯ve had enough of you for one day!¡± Cedar snarled, nearly leaping from his chair before shaking his head in disgust. Yelling at himself was not the proper course of action at times like this. Come to think of it, was it really ever a proper action? Perhaps for a lunatic. ¡°I wish you were real so I could slam you into the wall.¡±


    ¡°Your wish is my command,¡± the voice sounded smug almost arrogant. It took Cedar a second to realize those words came from outside of his head, a second longer than it should. A sharp white light, so bright that it felt like needles in his eyes, immediately drowned Cedar. A small silhouette began merging from the glare. Though its proportions were sapien in form, it stood no more than a meter in height. Or it would have stood a meter in height had it stood on the ground. Cedar blinked away the dazzling light, gaining a clearer picture of the one whispering into his mind.


    The figure floating near him was far from impressive. His hair was almost as white as the blinding light. His eyes glowed blue, similar to Cedar¡¯s yet far brighter in intensity. This apparition¡¯s eyes glowed more like a pair of search lights. Though small in stature, it¡ªhe did not appear child-like in any manner. In fact, an extremely serious aura framed his body. This was a half-sized sapien with a purpose in life.


    Cedar stared blankly, uncomprehending at him for a second before rolling his eyes. ¡°Great, now I am seeing things.¡±


    ¡°You are not seeing anyone who is not really here,¡± the voice made solid told him,


    ¡°If somebody walks in here, they are going to wonder what you are and how you managed to get on board this airship,¡± Cedar warned him while wondering if they might not simply believe Cedar snapped under the pressure. What else could you call somebody in a broom closet arguing with himself?


    The small one laughed in the face of that very threat. ¡°Not likely. The only people who can see me are those I wish to see me.¡±


    Cedar glowered at him, wishing that he was among the rank of the unworthy. Did seeing the voice in his head actually make him feel any better? Not really, though he was not sure if it made him feel any worse. ¡°Who¡ªWhat are you? Some sort of Arny¨¦k?¡±


    The voice considered his question very carefully before answering. ¡°You can call me Lichen. As for being an Arny¨¦k¡ªI¡¯m going to have to disappoint you there. I am not any sort of shade. Think of me¡ª¡± he paused, tapping his finger on his chin as he thought. ¡°That will take a bit more explaining. I suppose your kind views me as an angel, and a guardian one at that.¡±


    Cedar¡¯s cold stare told any who saw it that he remained extremely skeptical to say the least. He did not think he would imagine an angel. No, that was something out of the imaginations of people far more hopeful than himself. ¡°A guardian angel?¡± he echoed with doubt.


    Lichen nodded gravely. ¡°Correct. The powers that be granted me the task to make certain your life does not spiral out of control and burst into a million pieces.¡± He quickly held up a hand as Cedar thought up a retort. ¡°I know, I know, terrible job I have done so far with the Kais invading Verdesylvania and all. Stopping a global war is not my department. To me, your future is more important than your past.¡±


    ¡°Why do you care?¡± Cedar asked coolly, no longer caring if anyone listening outside thought him crazy. He began having doubts of his own.


    Lichen ignored the question, not caring to explain or justify himself to Cedar. Instead, he pointed at the door. ¡°Right now, there is an individual that you care very deeply about who is out there requiring comfort. And where are you right now? Inside a closet talking to a being that only you can see.¡±


    Cedar groaned as he closed his eyes. Yes, he had gone mad. Strange that he felt no symptoms up until the last first quarter. He really did not feel like hearing a lecture from a figment of his imagination made solid by insanity. Besides, she had her friend to keep her company and Hazel¡¯s people skills dwarfed any potential Cedar might offer. Not only that, Alder had plenty on her mind without him complicating matters.


    ¡°And I don¡¯t care one bit for that attitude!¡± Lichen snapped, aiming his pointer finger squarely towards Cedar¡¯s heart. ¡°As one assigned the task of improving your lot in life and one who prides himself on his work, I will not quit bothering you until I see results.¡± The floating being hovered before him, quite adamant about his task¡ªfar more than any apparition had the right to feel.


    While he did feel the need to out that and comfort Alder, the words eluded him. In delicate situations such as that, words always eluded him. He was never any good with them, not that he had much in the way of opportunities to improve his skill. ¡°I don¡¯t see how much of a help I can be to her.¡±


    Lichen exhaled a sharp, frustrated sigh. ¡°And you will never learn if you remain locked up skulking.¡± Lichen shook his head defiantly at Cedar¡¯s twisted scowl. ¡°Now, now, there is no need for that look. If you keep looking at me like that eventually your face will freeze. All I know is that you and Alder always have words to share between you. Perhaps if you would share some now, it might make her situation more bearable.¡±


    Cedar looked away from Lichen. He wanted to heed the angel¡¯s advice. Unfortunately, he remained uncertain as to how. He would find Alder before they arrive at¡ªwherever this transport would take them. He was not about to let her wanted alone in a strange land. He had done that once himself and it was not much fun. As for speaking with her, what could he say to make life bearable? How does one comfort ad girl who just lost her home, her friends and possibly her family?


    ¡°Do you know what your problem is?¡± Lichen asked, an almost parental smile upon his face.


    Cedar slumped against the wall, his legs barely holding him up. ¡°No, but I¡¯m willing to bet you are about to tell me.¡±


    ¡°And you would win that bet,¡± Lichen smiled brightly, literally brightly. So bright in fact that Cedar marveled nobody outside bothered investigating the light emanating from the door¡¯s frame. ¡°You have a severe deficiency of confidence. Not to fear; something will arise to cure you of that ailment.¡±


    Cedar had no idea what the little angel was babbling on about not did he feel like asking.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to ask,¡± Lichen assured him. ¡°I will tell you one thing; there are plenty of recruiters at the Fortress.¡±


    Unlike Lichen spoke the name, Cedar could only speculating as to their destination. Of course, just because the angel said it did not mean the Fortress was their destination. Though, it would be a logical destination. Not only did it sit close to the border, it also served as headquarters for the Batavian Air Force and armies. Recalling the Batavian habit of conscripting, either for martial or civil service, though who were not paying close attention, he wondered how many refugees would soon learn they volunteered.


    ¡°Relax,¡± Lichen told him firmly. ¡°It¡¯s my duty to insure nothing happens to you. It¡¯s not going to be a very fun assignment if you ask me.¡± With a shrug, he added, ¡°What can you do?¡±


    Cedar had not asked, nor would he. He decided he would continue skulking for a little while longer as he tried his best to ignore Lichen. All-in-all, he already could see the voyage ahead would be a long trip.


    The Batavian transport touched down at one of the fifteen port facilities built into the mountain commonly dubbed the Fortress. It had an official name, one Cedar struggled to recall. Dozens of cruisers patrolled within five kilometers of the stronghold, effectively neutralizing the perfect concealment of the Fortress. Cedar imagined people hiking up the mountain, never realizing beneath their feet sat the largest underground fortress in the world.


    Cedar saw little scenery on the outside as they landed, making him wonder if anyone would hike here. This was unreclaimed land, suitable only for Eppiforms. He quickly located Alder and Hazel, both hardly moving since evacuating Evergreen. Alder looked up at him with sad, reddened eyes. She barely slept on the voyage and looked the part. Mud and soot blasted up from the attack patched her green exercise outfit. Hazel did not look much better.


    Like most sapiens, they were not looking forward to living as refugees underground. The pygmaeus of Batavia excavated the Fortress from its mountain starting a century ago, taking decades to complete. The predominately dwarven population of the nation constructed their cities deep underground, happily living in tunnels delved long ago. According to legends, legends that have no evidence supporting them, the Ancients engineered gnomes and dwarves as laborers. Digging and forging literally ran in their veins.


    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.Since it sat beneath a twenty thousand meter high mountain, one of the largest in the world, the Fortress stood essentially impervious to any attack. The mountain was indeed massive; from its base at the edge of West Sea to its towering peak, it spanned a radius four times greater than its heigh. Hollowed out, it would easily fit the entire population of Verdesylvania and their livestock within its granite walls. The glaciers upon its heights covered area greater than any city. Anyone seeking this mountain easily spotted the pink ice cap long before the rest of the mountain appeared over the horizon.


    Cedar cared little for living beneath the surface, nor did any of the hundreds of refugees who began stirring. The transport slowed to a crawl as it entered the nearest landing bay. Monstrous doors slid on perfectly fitted and oiled tracks, parting to betray the hidden fortress within. Hundreds of soldiers and airmen hustled on the ground, moving machinery and preparing special treatment for incoming traffic. Since it took no hits, unlike many other returning transports, maintenance crew would have an easy day¡ªat least until their superiors transferred them to busier ports.


    As soon as the ramp dropped, refugees began piling out in a more-or-less orderly fashion. Most, if not all, remained exhausted from their ordeal. So exhausted that none tried resisting commands issued to them. The smothering scent of oils struck them as they disembarked, choking more than a few refugees. Verdesylvanians lived in an open nation, with few in the way of petroleum burning products outside the scattered autos and were nowhere near as accustomed to the fumes as Batavians.


    Alder coughed at first contact with the exhausts. Cedar grabbed hop of her, preventing her from collapsing. She put her arm around Cedar, allowing him to assist her the rest of the way. Cedar could not help but enjoy her warmth so close to him. It was going to make telling her of his decision to enlist harder than anticipated. Much harder than the actual enlistment process. The massive military complex would not lack in those willing to accept volunteers.


    See, told you so, Lichen said from his cloaked vantage.


    Cedar¡¯s cold eyes turned upwards. He knew that floating being was somewhere nearby. The angel overlooked the fact that their ordeal left Alder exhausted, close to the breaking point. She would lean on anyone who offered support. She would have to rely on Hazel once Cedar left. He felt horrible about leaving her, yet what choice had he? He could either enlist or get drafted. Better to join under his own terms than scooped up while napping.


    Then why has she not leaned against Hazel? Cedar found Lichen¡¯s question pointless. Her petite friend lacked the strength Cedar possessed, which was not saying much. Alright, bad example but there are plenty of stronger individuals around than you. Now explain that.


    Cedar began growing tired himself. Every word Lichen slipped into his mind wore away at him. He yawned loud enough to startle Alder, who struggled to remain awake. She continued staggering along, using Cedar as support, snuggling closer for comfort. Cedar decided to just let her rest. He could tell her tomorrow.


    Watch your step, Lichen warned, causing Cedar to stop short of a moving vehicle, a tractor hauling ordinance at what he thought was an unsafe speed. Cedar hissed at the driver, who remained oblivious to anything around him save his orders. Oblivious and clearly indifferent.


    Once out of the port, refugees began dispersing. Cedar led Alder and Hazel towards and open space where they could rest, preferably some place as far from internal combustion engines as possible. Quite an impossible feat considering the Fortress was designed and built by dwarves, and thus had little to no wasted space. Virtually every cubic meter they allocated to some function, and those that stood empty did so because the installation¡¯s builders foresaw the need for future expansion.


    Most of the refugees ignored the three. They had problems enough to call their own. Even those who might have known Alder or Hazel a week before paid them little attention. Just like Alder, none of them knew if all their families escaped the war. It was quite a disheartening sensation not knowing. Cedar still knew nothing of the fate of his kin in Tavor. He was one of the few who managed to escape.


    Maybe you should take from your own experience to help support Alder, Lichen offered. When Cedar said nothing, the angel sighed melodramatically. This job is going to be far more difficult than anyone would believe.


    Cedar tried his best to ignore Lichen as they sought a place for rest. Try as he might, he could never push the angel completely from his thoughts. He always hovered there, like an itch in the back of his mind. He knew there was nothing there, yet like a phantom limb it itched all the same. Focusing on the task ahead of him helped if only a little. In the wide corridors of the Fortress, there were plenty of spots against the wall where refugees could stay out of the way and seek shelter. Sometimes, quite literally. They were not the first refugees to call this place home.


    Seeing tents indoors was strange enough; seeing shacks cobbled together from cinder blocks and sheet metal, that caused all their of their hearts to sink. These refugees have lived here for a while. How long would those evacuated from Evergreen call this place home? For Cedar, he knew it would not be too long. Seeing the servicemen busy at work only encouraged him further to enlist. He thought about the air force, about a branch of the service where his technical skill might have a use.


    Jet Force, Lichen whispered to him, first as a lone word then soon as a mantra. When Cedar wished a glance over his shoulder, he spotted the angel. Lichen merely smiled. Trust me on this one.


    The Batavian Jet Force, right¡ªand how exactly would Cedar survive their basic training, to say nothing of further training in use of their jet pack was beyond him. Even with an accelerated training regime brought about by a war, it would still take at least twelve weeks. He thought he had a decent chance with the air force¡ª


    No, the Jet Force, Lichen insisted, each word spoken making the itch in Cedar¡¯s mind grow worse. You will pass through basic training with no problems. Never forget that I am here to watch out for you. If I say you can make it, you will. They need radio operators too.


    Cedar was not so sure about that. They were the elite among Batavia¡¯s armed forces, a small group of airborne infantry who boarded enemy vessels and captured fortified positions from the air. While it did sound exciting, heroic even, it also sounded exceptionally deadly. Not as deadly as a soldier in some fixed location where artillery and machine guns could reduce them to scraps but deadly all the same.


    Your odds of surviving the war are far greater than getting killed in the Jet Force. Up there, Lichen pointed to the ceiling high above and the sky far beyond it. The enemy must aim directly at you. Anything fired must have your name and address upon it. Not like in the trenches, where the attacks are usually labeled ¡®to whom it may concern¡¯. Mobile warfare is far safer than the static variety.


    It made logical sense, in a horrid sort of way. When one was in constant motion without any sort of concentrated fire aimed his way, then one was far likelier to live to see the end of the war. Maybe he should enlist in the Jet Force. What sort of restrictions would the elite brotherhood place upon foreigners? Tavor was never in the habit of letting outsiders waltz in to enlist within its armed forces. Too bad since they might have put up a decent fight even if they still would have lost.


    At this point, Batavia¡¯s armed forces are accepting any healthy body. Given your skill working the radio, I doubt they would pass up the chance to have you in their ranks. Lichen spoke as if it were a foregone conclusion, that Cedar already passed through basic training for both the infantry and airborne aspects of the Jet Force.


    The more Cedar thought about it, the more appeal it had. To be part of a small brotherhood, to actually belong some place for the first time in his life. He glanced over at Alder, who still partly used him as support. As they reached an open space against the wall, she let go and stumbled towards the wall. One in contact with the smooth, polished granite, she slowly slid to the ground, defeated by the whole ordeal.


    Cedar worried about leaving her behind as he endure whatever training the Jet Force considered basic. True, she would not be here alone, though that did not make Cedar feel any better for abruptly departing. It felt to him almost like he was abandoning her in this strange place. For the first time in her life, she would be on her own. She would have been soon enough anyway, though that had more to do with continuing her schooling in a far more comfortable environment that wide corridors delved into a mountain.


    There was no way that his decision would not upset her. Cedar waited as the girls took their seat for Lichen to dispute the point. I would like to, but you are right. She will not be happy about it, at least not at first. Give her time and she will understand your decision as she mulls over it. After all, you have lost two homes to the Kais already. That would be enough to make anyone want to take a stand. Besides, after she understands how Batavian society works, she will decide that had you not volunteered, somebody else would have volunteered you as you slept. Strange people these Batavians.


    Cedar silently agreed. They were strange, especially when it came to elections. It was more like a lottery and those chosen usually were not paying close enough attention at the time to dispute the decision. A man could leave a meeting for a couple of minutes only to return and discover everyone else elected him to the task unanimously, with not a dissenting voice. He did not think either Alder or Hazel had to worry too much about that, not unless the Fortress suffers a manpower shortage, and they need more people working in the factories.


    Cedar slowly sat next to Alder, keeping her between himself and the other friend. How was he going to tell her? As always, the right words eluded him. Would his guardian angel intervene, guiding him down the right path? After close to a minute of silence, he decided not. He was going to have to do this himself. ¡°Alder, I¡¯m going to enlist in the Jet Force,¡± he said, blurting it out. He felt Lichen cringe at his bluntness. We need to work on your delivery.


    She slowly turned to face him, confusion upon her face. ¡°What? Where is this coming from?¡± she asked, her voice tight with worry and fear.


    Cedar could not decide if that fear was for herself of for Cedar. It would be for you, Lichen whispered into his mind. Perhaps. War was far from a safe occupation. The only thing he could think of that might be more dangerous was mining and the pygmaeus around here that industry cornered. ¡°I am going to enlist. The Kais had driven me from two homes, and I can¡¯t run any more. I can¡¯t just sit here and do nothing.¡±


    He wanted to say that he was also doing so to keep her safe yet held that back. It sounded weak to his mind; something said a million times over in the past. Besides, she was now within one of the most heavily fortified locations on Epp¨¦. The only way she would not remain safe her was if Batavia lost the war. Then tell her that. She would love to hear it, no matter how silly you think it sounds.


    Cedar ignored the advice, watching instead as Alder leaned against the wall. She closed her eyes and turned her expression upwards towards the ceiling. Or perhaps even beyond. Cedar thought himself prepared for any response, be it anger or sorrow. He remained speechless as she sat silently. The silence lasted long enough that Cedar wondered is she had fallen asleep. Probably, given everything she endured.


    Hazel was already out, leaning her head upon her friend¡¯s shoulder as she slept soundly. If being able to sleep on a concrete floor with a granite did not prove exhaustion, then what did? Was there really anything he could say to her silence? Sure there is, but we both know you will not, Lichen sighed heavily, knowing his charge was not about to budge. Not yet anyway. Instead, Cedar brooded for a few second before climbing back to his feet. Looking back as he headed to the recruiter, all he could saw was, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±