Eclipse: the Beginning

“All right,” Celestial spoke up once they reached the end of the bottom of the mountain, “where are we to go now, Samuel?”

“Why do you ask me? I don’t know where anything is! I didn’t get the chance to ask Raphael,” the youth exclaimed more defensively than he had intended to.

“The old Wingie told us to follow you, whelp! That’s why!” Samuel hid behind Seraph as the soldier’s frustration washed over him.

“I hate to do this to you both again,” Seraph said grimly, “but I need to ask you both to go somewhere. Raphael says I must go if I am to find my father.”

Celestial grunted, looking straight ahead. The labyrinth was all around them. She did not mind the Wind’s request. In fact, it gave her more relief to have an idea where they were going. Her problem was that she was not so sure it was of benefit to their priority mission to sidetrack with Seraph’s goals. She wanted to finish Fate’s chore to return to her own personal quest.

“We’ll go, Seraph,” Samuel said in a focused tone. “If it’s the place I think it is, I have business there myself. Raphael said I could find answers about Spirit Sages there, and if so, I might find out why I was brought here as well.”

“And where exactly is this place?” Celestial asked, irritated at being the only one left out of the loop. The bond between them was getting under her skin. She did not understand why, but it spiked emotions in her she did not appreciate. That alone bothered her enough to want to sit between them.

“Lord Zion’s castle.”

The Light’s white eyes gaped at the grass beneath her boots. Seraph and Samuel paused when they noticed her expression and looked back at her with concern. Her whole body went cold. Lord Zion’s castle? They wanted to go there?

“What’s the matter, Celestial?” Seraph asked. Her stunned visage worried him when it seemed to pale further. Did she have a problem with the destination Samuel had given?

“It’s impossible to find Lord Zion’s castle.”

“What do you mean?” Samuel tilted his head to the left. “Why do you say impossible? We’ve beaten unimaginable odds several times already.”

“It’s impossible because no one has found it! It’s lost in history! There’s no location, no description, and no name for it in any document in Aurora!” She ground her teeth as her thoughts flowed. How did they expect to find the lost Wind Castle when …?!

“Raphael told me that the Wingies fled to the castle after the viceroy drove them out of the Hive. Perhaps they rose a shield around it for protection. He said it was in the Western Mountains somewhere,” the Wind offered the best explanation he could think of. Her reaction was still bothering him, though. As he thought about it, she had been carrying Lord Zion’s sword this whole time. Did that hold any significance?

“You seem to have a great deal of knowledge of Lord Zion, Celestial,” Samuel said careful. He sensed her frustration over the topic, but as usual, he could not seem to find a root or source for her emotions. She was a hard person to read, physically and emotionally. “How do you know it’s an impossible task?”

“I’ve been searching for it for the last ten years!”

Silence fell on the party. The soldier was shaking from anger. She felt insulted that two inexperienced youths would try to achieve the one selfish goal she had made for herself. That old Wind had a clue and waited till the last moment to share it! Samuel walked up to her, reaching to touch her shoulder. The Light jerked away, remembering her last experience.

“Celestial?”

“Do not touch me.” Her tone was dark and defensive as she glared back at Samuel.

“Celestial!” Seraph yelled, taking a defensive stance. “Samuel only wants to understand your reasoning! You shouldn’t shun him for wanting to help you!”

“No, it’s all right.” The young man dropped his hand to his side. “All you had to say was my power frightens you, Celestial. It scares me as well. That’s why I want to find the Wingies. I want to learn how to control it, so I don’t harm you, Seraph, or anyone else.”

His metallic gaze glossed over as he looked up at her. Were those tears he was holding in his eyes?

“Well,” she grunted, relaxing at last, “swear not to touch me until we find the Wingies then.”

“Celestial!” Seraph barked in protest. How could she say something like that? It was worse than callus. It was cruel to tell someone not to make any physical contact. Why was she acting this way?

“I swear it.”

“Samuel, you can’t!”

“No,” the teenager held up his hand, palm facing the Wind, “I will do as she asks. It is not in my nature to force someone to be close. If mastering whatever power I possess will ease her fears, I will do this for her sake.”

Celestial felt a sting of guilt from his words. Why? Distance was a part of her vocation. She had trained many naïve Lights into fierce soldiers. Why did this child’s eyes tear into her chest? She hoped his power was only through touch, or she might compulsively run as far away from him as possible.

“Now that we have handled that matter, I was going to say that together I believe we can do anything, Celestial,” Samuel’s voice was soft and sincere. “I believe this because I have faith in both of you. Neither you nor Seraph have steered me wrong. We’ll find the castle as a team. You won’t be searching alone anymore.”

“If you’re so wise, how do you propose we find it? Even if Raphael’s location is correct, the mountains range runs between the borders of Water and Flame. It could take years of searching before we found it.”

“That’s simple,” Samuel walked back to Seraph, patting the god on the shoulder. “We have ourselves a windtalker,” he grinned widely, making both stare back perplexed.

“I told you. There is no one here by the descriptions you gave.”

“Are you deliberately defying the Crown of Heaven?” The Light soldier grew more frustrated the longer he argued with the head of the house.

“I intend no offense to the Sun god,” Raphael replied stoically. “I assure you that I am telling you the truth.”

“Stand down, reserve,” a voice rose from within the troops. Its owner put a hand on the young soldier’s shoulder. The young Light obliged instantly. The superior stepped in front of the soldier and walked up to Raphael. Along with the Heavenly robes, the man sported cords the rest of the soldiers did not, cords of silver and gold, a sign of his rank. A solemn expression hung on his face. “You haven’t changed, General Raphael.”

“Nor have you, General Bryn.”

 “I do not wish to cause this house more suffering, old friend,” Bryn said sadly. “However, your young master is treading into dangerous territory. Out of our mutual respect for one another, please tell me where he is. I cannot do anything for him if he continues such hostile actions against the king.”

 “I will tell you the same as I told your reserve, Bryn. My master is not here. He embarked on a personal quest some years past. I do not know where he is now. He does not write of his travels. I am sure you understand that I cannot help you if I have no answers to give.”

 The two stared at one another for a moment, neither yielding to the other. The Light general sighed heavily in defeat. He smiled sadly at the Wind as if out of guilt.

“You really haven’t changed, Raphael. I will not harm this estate, as its master requested, but I will protect my king at any cost. You of all should understand my devotion.”

 “I do. Thank you, old friend. If I could stop you, I would only do so to protect what I must. We are similar in that respect, Bryn … from what I can recall.”  

The words wounded the Light. Raphael’s mind had not yet healed. Bryn motioned for his men to leave, not wishing to make trouble for his old comrade. The troops turned on their feet, but the unsettled reserve looked back with a hard gaze at the Wind. Raphael had no trouble returning the look, making the young man’s temper snap.

 “Treacherous Wind scum!” he barked. Gripping his sword hilt, he glared back with something between anger and fear in his eyes. “Those who side with enemies of King Zemnas should be struck down where they stand!”

“That’s enough!” Bryn’s voice bellowed back at his subordinate. This one was jumpy. It was his first real assignment outside Heaven, but that gave him no right to cast his narrow minded fears onto a better.

 “General, he …!”

 “I said enough! You dare to speak such venom to a hero of the Great War?! Your life would not exist without their efforts to fend off the Darkness! No country suffered greater losses than Western Wind, yet they carried on with little aid from their neighbors, holding onto their pride. You will beg his pardon and mercy for such disrespect to not only his honor but his country.”

When the word Darkness dropped, the young Light’s demeanor changed. He looked back at the immortal, still standing with his arms crossed – unmoved from his original place. The outburst had not intimidated him. The reserve bowed at the waist, humbled into silence. Bryn sighed from exhaustion. He had not realized one of the dissenting opinions was among his ranks on this mission. It was tragic how the young forgot their history.

“Light fear the Darkness more than any other in Aurora,” Raphael said in a cold tone. “The Shadows gorge themselves on your magic, threatening to snuff out light in the world. Do not forget that the provinces of Aurora once worked in harmony. No element was meant to stand on its own. That is all I require you to take from this place, and I will forgive your thoughtless words.”

 “If only we were united again …” Bryn muttered in a soft voice. “We will take our leave. Forgive my lack of instruction to my subordinates, General Raphael. If I should cross your young master, I will make certain to take him alive. If not only for you, but for his father’s sake.”

 “Bryn,” Raphael’s cold front faltered. Bryn was a good soldier, honorable and loyal. From his limited memories, they both had risen through the ranks at the same time. He did not recall much, but some of his vivid memories of the war were of Bryn. He remained unchanged in a forgetful world. “Thank you.”

“Until we meet again, my friend, I pray we will remain brothers-in-arms.”

“As do I.” Raphael watched them leave through the vineyard. How he hoped Bryn was not the last immortal who desired union in Aurora. The Wind prayed for Seraph and his new companions’ success. “Godspeed us all.”

Once the three were a fair distance from the estate, Seraph took to the sky. Samuel and Celestial stood on the ground, watching him hover above them. He was trying to listen as he had back home. Raphael had said to let the wind guide them to their destination. The problem was whether they could understand the directions.

“What were you referring to when you called him a ‘windtalker’?” Celestial asked with her arms folded in front of her. Now that they were waiting, boredom claimed her and conversation seemed to be the only source of relief.

“Windtalkers were people who spoke in their native language to convey battle plans during a war in my world. They only speak the language in one region of the world, so the enemy had little to no means of understanding,” Samuel explained with a smile. That was the short concise explanation, anyway.

“What does that have to do with Seraph?”

“The castle was lost long before the Wingies abandoned the Hive, but they might have known its whereabouts before Lord Zion’s disappearance. There might be some magical protection preventing its discovery. They’ve been waiting for their god to return for over twenty years now, and since Lord Zion is the wind, they might send out a distress message for him. Seraph, being a wind god, should be able to sense any winds made through magic. It should lead us right to them.”

“I understand your logic now,” the soldier said, turning her head toward him. “You speak as an advisor. What training did you receive in your world?”

“Training?” Samuel blinked back at her. “Whatever do you mean?”

“You do not speak as a common child would. You have awareness of history and strategy. That’s not typical instruction. You must have received training from a master of some sort.”

“Oh!” Samuel gasped in understanding. “You mean an education! I received basic instruction before I was adopted into the Watson family as the next heir. I attended on all-boys academy until I … well, I guess I died over there, didn’t I? I’m still trying to wrap my head around that.”

“How did you fall?” Celestial asked in a quiet voice. “You mentioned it the day you came here, but I didn’t quite follow you.”

Samuel thought about his last moments before coming to Aurora. He was not sure he wanted to relive them, but it was a rare occasion where Celestial engaged him in actual conversation like this. The youth wanted to befriend both of his companions, but if he withheld anything, why should he expect them to volunteer anything about themselves? The Nomad looked down at the grass beneath his feet, recalling that last day on Earth.

“My classmates and I were on a trip to the Queen’s Gallery. There was a troubled man that had gotten past the royal guard somehow with a gun. That’s a … projectile weapon. He told us to kneel on the floor, or he would shoot us. My roommate panicked. He couldn’t move. Everyone was getting so worked up. Tensions were pulled thin. I tried to convince everyone to remain calm and comply. The guards would handle everything with ease. We needed to be patient. Unfortunately, things escalated and I jumped up to try to pull Philip down to the ground. That’s what I’d meant to do anyway…”

“What do you mean by ‘meant to’? It sounds like a logical action.”

“I stood up in front of him. My body moved on its own. I rose my arms to shield him – I’m not sure why. Philip hated me, and he tried hard to make me hate him back from the first day we roomed together. Not to say I would wish him harm, I just can’t fathom why I protected him.”

“You gave your life for his, then?” Celestial closed her eyes, waiting for his answer. She wanted to hear what he had done in his own words.

“I suppose I did,” the teen replied solemnly. His actions surprised him, thinking over them after the time that had passed. He had not wanted to be a martyr, nor had he tried to be a hero. He wanted to do the right thing. That was how the orphanage raised him. What was special about that? Would anyone not want to do that?

“You are a fool, Samuel.”

“What?”

“You’re a fool. To protect a man who considered you his enemy, only someone dim would give their life.” Though her words were sharp, Samuel sensed a soft emotion deep within his chest. He wondered what brought on such a mixed reaction.

“A fool, eh? I guess that would make me a learned fool then. Ha ha!”

Celestial opened her eyes at last to see the youngster smiling as he laughed. This youth confused her. He was far too naïve to bring any real change to Aurora. He was dangerously strange in her book, especially with his recently gained powers, but he possessed a gentleness she had not experienced in years. Could a tender spirit restore a broken world? Was that spirit just who he was, or was it related to the sages’ power?

“Samuel!” Seraph called down to them, “I think I hear something!”

“What is it?”

“It sounds like a song on the wind!”

“A song?” the former captain barked up at him, “That’s all? There might be a celebration somewhere nearby. How do you know it’s relevant?”

“It’s not a song of joy,” the Wind replied in a sad tone. “More like mourning or prayers of need! It’s terribly sad!”

Samuel suddenly had an idea. He tried to reach for Seraph’s emotions to share what he was experiencing. Perhaps he could help him describe it better. It was faint, but he sensed the sorrow in his core. Tears welled up in his eyes, falling one by one down his cheeks. How was Seraph not weeping?

“What is it, Samuel?” Celestial asked when she noticed the teenager crying. It was like when Seraph brushed past him in the tower. “Seraph! Come down! I think Samuel might be drawing off of you again!”

“What?!” The god descended to see the Nomad’s condition. “Samuel, forgive me. I forgot to watch my emotions.” He embraced his friend. It might not help, but he wanted to hold him up. He needed to master his feelings better for Samuel’s sake.

“No, it was not your fault …” Samuel choked on his own words as he cried. “I reached out to you this time, Seraph. Were those your feelings … or theirs?” He clung to the larger traveler’s wraps. “How do you hold back your tears?”

“I …” Seraph stared back at the youth, speechless. His heart broke listening to the song, but his focus had remained on the task at hand. All he could do was hold the Nomad as he cried for him.

“What do you mean you ‘reached out this time’?” The new development did not amuse Celestial. “How long have you been able to do that?”

“Just now … I tried to.”

“I thought you were waiting until we found the Wingies to explore your powers!”

“Celestial, we’re trying to find them as soon as we can,” Seraph spoke up calmly. “He’s doing it for your sake. Must you continue to badger him about it? He’s pushed himself enough since he came to Aurora.”

The soldier did not respond, but the thin line of her lips conveyed her displeasure to the Wind. She turned away, trying to level her emotions again. These two riled her like she had never known. It would not be easy to remain cold and collected.

“How can you hold back tears?” Samuel asked his friend again, calming.

“As much as it moves me, I’m concerned about you. We’ve veered from our true goal for Aurora’s sake to chase after my father. I feel bad for my selfishness, but I’m compelled to find him more than ever.”

“Oh, go make love by a bush already!” Celestial growled, spitefully. Both young men flinched, cowering away from her blazing eyes glaring over her shoulder.

“Are you that uncomfortable … with vulnerability, Celes …?” Samuel asked, wearily. His voice gave out trying to say her name. There was a frustrated pit in his stomach that seemed more appropriate from her, but he did not understand the reasoning for it.

“Don’t call me that!” she barked, driving him further into Seraph’s arms. “Don’t you ever call me that again! Do you hear me?”

“Celestial! Calm down!” Seraph held up a hand between them in protest, trying to break the line of sight. “What’s bothering you so much? You’re snapping at everything since we left. What’s wrong?”

“Enough! Just leave me out of your affair!”

Before he could counter her comment, a gust blew from behind them. Seraph gaped as the air swirled around him again. He could hear voices, familiar ones. They sounded like the soldiers he had heard heading for the house. Had they caught onto them already? It was clear Samuel was in no condition to run. He could fly toward them to engage, but who would protect Samuel?

“Celestial, I need you to watch over him.”

“Why in Heaven’s name …?”

“Light soldiers are upon us again,” he cut her off quickly. “You are emotionally unsettled. Samuel is still recovering. I’m going to try putting him on Cherub, but I need you to watch him to keep him from hurting himself. Run straight as long as you can. I will find you when I get them off our trail.”

“I can face them as well as …!”

“You’re still struggling to wield Lord Zion’s sword.” She silenced. “Hurry, before they get too close.”

As Cherub hovered for Seraph to help Samuel mount, Celestial stared back, stunned into silence. She did not want to be alone with the whelp. His powers frightened her, and he did not know how to use them yet. Seraph was right, though. She was unsettled, and Lord Zion’s sword was still too heavy for her to wield.

Glaring at Seraph for being right, the earring his mentor had given him caught her eye, dangling from his left ear. The way the sunlight touched the crystals … she swore she saw colors leaping off of them. It made the maelstrom of thoughts calm just to look at it.

“Hurry, Celestial,” the Wind’s voice returned her to reality. “Samuel is in your hands for now. I’ll find you both soon enough. Just stay as straight as you can.”