Legon Restoration (5 page)

The gathered group started to move away from the grave, only Barnin, Ankle and Heath staying behind. Barnin turned, looking at her. She felt self conscious; were they going to hold her responsible for his death? She wouldn't blame them.
 

"I'm sorry, I will leave you alone," she said turning.

"Why?" Heath asked.

She was confused. "Don't you blame me for his death?" she asked.

Ankle answered "You didn't know him long but you were as much a friend as any. You have every right to be here, and we don't blame you, how could we? This is war. This is how it is."

"You have saved our skin several times. That we made it to the town at all was a credit to you, no we aren't mad at you," Barnin said and then more somber, "How do you live with this for centuries?"
 

"What do you mean?" Umbra asked

Ankle answered, "We always have the hope that someday when we pass that we will see our friends and family again; we can live with things like this war because life is short. You can't, if you lose someone it’s for thousands of years. How do you live with that?"
 

She smiled weakly. "And here I was thinking of how awful all this was for you, only having a few decades for life. To answer, time dulls pain. Yet, with our connections to those close to us the pain dulls, and sometimes you almost forget but it never goes away."
 

* * * * *

Barnin looked away from the grave and spoke to Umbra. "Yeah, I think this is bad for everyone. Are you coming to Arkin's funeral?" he asked.

"No, I was not planning on it. I didn't know him..." Umbra replied.

"You should come, I could use the company," Barnin said.

Barnin walked toward Noris, Umbra next to him. Heath and Ankle were just a bit behind. Heath wasn't going to Arkin's funeral, saying he had enough of death for the day. Barnin took in Umbra, her black hair bouncing with each graceful step she took; she looked out of place in a crushed black velvet dress, a spark of beauty in a sea of dirt and grime.
 

Her green eyes bore into him. "What are you thinking about?" she asked.

He huffed, "You. Here we are all armor and grit and you in, well," he motioned from her head to feet, "you're in that."

To his surprise she laughed, "In what, a dress? I like them they are more comfortable, besides when I fight it's in my Ascended form, I have no need of armor and swords. I hope your Samantha doesn't find out you've been ogling other women," she said wryly.

Now it was his turn to laugh. "I'm not ogling you, I just think you look out of place is all," he sighed again. "Hey, thanks for cheering me up."

"You take the deaths of your men to heart don't you?" she asked.

Barnin searched for how to answer her. "I do. You understand. There's a bond between people when you fight together, it's like you are brothers you know?" he said. She did and he went on, "Plus, I see the families of those that are killed a lot of the time, in Manton we can go find a widow or a father or mother, we find people to come to events like this, give them closure. But out here, who is going to come to Josher’s grave? Who is going to leave flowers, what closure will his mother and father have? Will they have any at all? Do you know what it's like telling a family that their loved ones won’t be coming back?"

He watched Umbra as a myriad of emotions crossed her face. "I was ten; this was before the war of course, a war that wouldn't happen for decades. We were in the front garden making poppies grow, my sister and I, when a man came to our house asking after my mother and father..." her face reddened. "He told us that my brother had been killed. You see, before the war there were minor conflicts with the Iumenta. Anyway, he was gone, so I know what it is like to have a house call, if you will. Then my sister and I fought in the war, she was almost one hundred years older than I, her husband fought with us. They didn't make it. I was the one who told his family and mine of their deaths. So, to answer your question, yes, I do know the feeling you are talking about."

He didn't always remember Umbra's age. While he thought that he had seen a lot in his time, it was nothing to the woman next to him. How many times had she delivered news of people being lost? What would it have been like living in Elf cities after the War of Generations? There wasn't an Elf alive at the time that hadn't lost several friends and family members.

They were to the harbor now. A small ship waited to ferry Barnin, Keither, Sara and Umbra to the Carrier where Arkin's service was to be held.
 

* * * * *

Keither stood holding Sara's hand as the ferry pulled alongside one of house Evindass' massive dragon Carriers. A door on its side opened, a gangplank sliding out for them to walk on. The ship sent was that of sap and sea, it reminded him of his time in Seeon. They walked down a narrow hallway lined with crystal bulbs lighting the ship.
 

Even after the time he'd spent living in them, Elf structures still felt odd to Keither. The ship that had brought Sara and himself to Noris was human; he felt the waves fully and heard the ship creek and waves lap against its hull. But now aboard an Elvin Carrier there was none of those things. The halls were like that of a dragon dome, smooth and refined, there was no sound from the outside world and he barely felt the sea on the large ship. More so when they entered the ship as spells made it so one didn't feel the effects of motion sickness. In effect the slight rocking of the ship seemed to be nullified; it was like being on land.
 

The passage they were in spilled into a large cargo hold that at the moment was empty. Sara walked ahead, down the center isle of rows of padded chairs all facing a podium and altar. Atop the altar sat a coffin, it looked to be aspen, its cream wood shone with a glossy clear coat broken only by gold embroidery. Keither sat on one of the soft wooden chairs resisting the urge to peek in the open casket.
 

Barnin sat next to Keither, he'd been given clothes to wear on the ferry and had showered, the Ascended Umbra sat on the other side of Barnin. The room filled slowly with Elves and some of the human command. Keither knew that most in the room did not know Arkin directly, but had respect for the work he did.
 

Emma walked in, sitting next to Sara. "Hello Sara, Keither, I am so sorry for your loss," she said.

"Thank you Em, is Stacy doing better?" Sara asked.

Emma nodded, "Still weak and out of it most of the time. She can't come today; we will have her at the ceremony in Coreum."

Keither had forgotten about that. The event today was a public one. Arkin had done the Elves great services with Legon and Sasha; this was their time to honor him. But Arkin's known living family was in Coreum, the Elves would keep Arkin's remains and give them to his family once the city was taken.
 

* * * * *

Emma contented herself with looking forward at the altar. She didn't have a relationship with Arkin. She didn't dislike him, but she wasn't close to him like the others were. For her, today was sad, but not as impact full as it was for others. Arkin was closest to Legon, Sasha and Iselin; as such it was they that put the event together. They who grew Arkin's coffin, made the clothes he wore and painstaking used magic to remove any signs of his violent end.
 

Emma had been surprised by the Cona Republic. House Paldin had offered to grow caskets for all of their dead and ship them to Manton to be returned to family members; but they insisted on burying their dead in Noris, in the hopes that at the war’s end Noris would have a monument made. Emma wondered if it was the right thing to do, or if it was the humans’ way of staying independent, if even only in how they handled their loss.
 

Legon, Sasha and Iselin entered the room. All were in black; the only other color they wore was the white robes of the Head of House. Sasha and Iselin sat in chairs next to a podium. Legon walked to the podium. He looked tired to Emma, the tiredness of a man who had put in too many hours, but that of a man who knew that his work was at the beginning and not an end.

"Thank you all for coming today," Legon started. "Today we honor Arkin. He was my teacher, mentor and friend. He protected my sister and gave me what I needed to protect that which I love.
 

"He lived a life of service; he sacrificed everything for what he believed in. I wonder if I could do the same. Arkin was a humble man and would not boast of himself." Legon smirked a bit, "But I am not Arkin; therefore, I can boast about him to my heart’s content. As can my wife Iselin and my sister Sasha; and that is what we intend to do today, we are not going to morn this great loss but rather celebrate his life. I would ask all of you who have been touched by Arkin to come and share your stories with us."
 

Emma had wondered why Sasha had insisted on the most comfortable of chairs aboard the ship, but now she understood. Legon started with his stories of Arkin, and then Sasha spoke, her tale bringing the room to tears. Iselin's was that of a young man who inspired her. Sydin, Opes, and even those that Emma didn't know spoke. Barnin talked of Arkin helping him escape the empire and giving him what he needed to fight back against injustice. Keither and Sara spoke as well. It was many hours before people stopped sharing; Emma was stunned at what an influence Arkin had been on those in the room. Now as she took in the gathered people, some of which who were the most powerful people in Airmelia, she questioned how many in living memory were as influential as Arkin was.

Legon ended the day with a thank you, there was no call to arms, no pitch to avenging Arkin, just a thank you. As people left they filed past the open casket. Emma took her turn, looking down at Salmont's old carpenter. He looked at peace she thought, his hands folded around a letter Stacy had written in the sick bay. Emma worried for the girl Stacy, she loved Arkin and he her. Emma decided that she would befriend the girl; after all they had both lost their loves to the Iumenta.

As she left, Emma followed Sasha to the sickbay to visit Stacy. The room and its many tables were bathed in honeyed tones giving it a peaceful and relaxing feel. Emma always noted the distinct lack of odor in Elvin medical facilities.
 

Stacy was in one of the corner beds sitting up. Emma could see that she was feeling better; all of her cuts and broken bones had been healed. Now, she was just recovering her strength.
 

Legon and Iselin were behind Emma with Opes and Sydin in tow. The later spoke to Stacy once everyone was around her bed.
 

"Stacy my name is Sydin, I am the Head of House Evindass' military. I know that you have been through a lot in the last few days, but we need to ask you some questions about when you were attacked."

Stacy looked weak but nodded. "Wh-what would you like to know?"

"Everything," Legon said with gentle simplicity.

Stacy composed herself. "Well, as you know we were meeting a contact of mine, on our way we ran into some trouble...there were seven or eight of them I think, but I can't be sure." She sucked in ragged breaths and Emma felt her heart break for the girl, Stacy went on. "We fought of course, Arkin tried to defend me...but...but," her face fell into her hands and she sobbed. "He died and then I was on my own, I don't remember a lot, just that it hurt. I had wards protecting vital organs, so it took them a long time before I fell. I thought I was going to die, it hurt so much I wanted to die...and Arkin," she choked, "I'm sorry."

Legon put a hand on her shoulder and squeezed. "Don't be sorry, you were very brave, you don't have to tell us anymore. Thank you for being there for Arkin," Legon said.

Stacy looked up at him with fire in her eyes. "They killed him and I'm going to kill them. Please, please, please, let me help. I know what Arkin was doing, he trusted me with so much. I could help; I helped him set the whole thing up," she said almost fanatically.
 

Emma could empathize, hadn't she clung onto what Kovos had been doing prior to his death? Her service to Evindass was evidence enough of that. Yes, Stacy was looking for the same, looking to keep Arkin alive in her own way by finishing his work. Emma would talk to Legon and Sasha on Stacy's behalf, she decided.

Opes broke in with his breathy voice, "Thank you Stacy for the offer, we have a lot to talk about regarding the work being done in the Cona Empire, but I promise you that you will be a big part of it, now please rest."
 

* * * * *

Legon walked out of the sickbay, leaving Emma behind to keep Stacy company. The bay door closed with a soft thump. "We need to figure out what we are going to do, Arkin's network is too important for us to let die with him. Also, we have a meeting later today with the other Houses to decide a course of action for this war. Opes, can you please gather all of the information available about Arkin's network; we need to find either a new way of running it or a new Head. Sydin, we need reports on our end of the war for the meeting as well."

Sydin and Opes went on their way to complete their respective tasks. That left him with Sasha and his wife. "Love," he said to Iselin "we need to find out what the human forces are doing. Keither has given us some details about what he is doing, but we need to find out what all of their plans are. Do you think maybe you could grease the wheels a bit?"
 

"Are you asking me to flirt with Enrich?" she asked coyly.

He smiled, "I would never ask you to flirt my love, but charm..."

She laughed, "I will do my best."

"Thank you," he said and then directed his words at Sasha, "Sash, I know today has been long but we need to do more."

She nodded, "What do you want me to do?"

"The Iumenta had crystals and other magical objects placed in Noris, aside from being useful for you and your people to study they are wreaking havoc. Buildings are exploding; things are bursting into fire or freezing. While I don't think we will be able to do much for Noris, it is likely we will find traps in each city we take. I want you to figure out everything you can about these objects and spells, while you’re at it see if you can learn anything more about Iumenta crystals. From what I have been told some of the cities defenses were crystal based, those crystals mostly shattered but..."