Chương 129: Chapter 128- The Way Forward (End of Book 1)

The young man that Elias assumed was Astra's brother, given his appearance and last name, gave her a final squeeze and stepped back with a wide grin on his face as he looked her over, his gaze lingering on a few places where strikes had gouged her armor on the shoulder and breast plates. He used one hand to gesture at the marks and then the courtyard all around them as he spoke, " It would seem that you have had quite the adventure since we last spoke."

He clapped her on the shoulder with one hand as he laughed, with a hint of relief, " I know you always aim for the stars, but you know you did not have to blow up an entire castle just to make your debut. Why the highlight of my first patrol was clearing out a goblin den just south of the Sundering Gap, but you would hardly be the sister I know if you did not leave wildfires in your wake."

Elias studied the man, he was a little over six feet tall, muscular, and stood with a quiet confidence that would have come across as arrogant if his relaxed expression didn't immediately set you at ease turning it into something innately charming instead. He had a set of crimson curls and blue eyes that were strikingly similar to Astra's, although his hair was cut short and styled neatly unlike her wild mane that was at best tied back on occasion.

He wore a set of plate armor similar to Astra's, but with much heavier plates, although by the bulk of the man's shoulders and the way he was poised easily on the balls of his feet Eli suspected it not only didn't weigh him down that much. Eli smirked as Astra rolled her eyes and punched him in the chest, probably a little harder than he would have expected between siblings, " And I will have you know this is entirely not my fault at all, in any way, shape, or form."

The man gave her a warm smile as he responded, a teasing note in his tone, " Never is…" She stepped back and waved over the rest of the guard squad, " First off, for those who have never met, I would like to introduce my older brother Captain Darian Emberholdt. Do not let his demeanor fool you, as much as it may seem otherwise he possesses at least middling competency, he even received command of his very own company fresh from the academy."

She tapped her lip thoughtfully for a moment as she looked over with a repressed grin, " Say brother… Exactly which instructor did you bribe for your position again?" Darian rolled his eyes, " It was Instructor Nerissa Clearwater and I did not bribe her, she was just very impressed with my bladework and my scores on small unit tactics." Astra laughed, " Aye, she was impressed with your bladework all right! So if it was not for coin the only question is which blade impressed her the most?"

The woman standing next to Darian snorted in amusement, smirking as Darian blushed slightly and rushed to defend himself, " I'll have you know those rumors were baseless, the extra lessons were just that, extra lessons." Astra grinned at her brother's embarrassment, " Are you sure? Even Lysette said some of those glances looked like they were doing more than just evaluating your form…" The woman next to him grinned, " To be fair… those lessons did run rather late."

Darian gave her a mocking glare, " The training halls do not close at sunset."" It does if nobody is using it." Darian blushed again and Astra laughed as she turned to the woman next to him, " And may I introduce Lieutenant Lysette Rowan of house Rowan, although why she chose my brother's unit I shall never understand. Though, I suppose two of you were thick as thieves around the Hold so I should not have been surprised."

Lysette was a short brunette with warm brown eyes and a stocky build to match the heavy mace on her hip, and the set of full plate she wore, even if it was less ornate than the ones worn by the siblings. She laughed as she reached forward to shake Astra's hand, " Please do not be so hard on him my Lady, he tries, he really does. It is good to see you again, especially in one piece, the reports we received along the way were… disturbing."

Astra's smile slipped slightly before returning full force, " Aye, I imagine they were. That is a long tale for another time, first though let me introduce some of the people who saw me through the storm." The guards formed into a line as Astra walked to the head, and introduced them to her brother and Lysette one at a time, Eli started to wonder if natural charisma just ran in the family as Darian made sure to give everyone a firm handshake and a compliment or two at every turn."

First, I believe you both already know Brevet Sergeant Wilhelm Mason, he assumed command of my guards after Sergeant Moore fell in battle a few weeks ago, and has acted as my right hand since."" Next, this is Brevet Sergeant Matthias Cooper, he may have started as a simple cook, but without his actions many more would have died, myself included." This is Private Sasha Fletcher, an unparalleled tracker, you should see…"

Eli leaned on his poleaxe and smiled as he watched Astra walk down the line, introducing the squad in turn, her pride in her men obvious on her face as she made sure to tell Darian about the best of their qualities. As they approached he planted the butt of the shaft firmly into the ground between two shattered flagstones to free up his one good hand and brushed some of the lingering dust from his armor and ran his fingers through his hair. I mean I'm not nervous, right?

You just only get one chance to make a good first impression with the family… They stop in front of Elias and Astra gives Eli a warm smile as she gestures towards him." Darian, this is Elias Mercer. He joined our patrol a little after our first visit to Springdale, and I would trust him with my life." Darian's gaze flickered her way at the smile, but he froze for the briefest of moments at the introduction before turning back to reach forward and shake Eli's hand.

As he did Eli noticed his eyes flicker over him, catching on the tears in the gaping tears in the leather of his armor, the polished sheen of the blade of his poleaxe, and down to the ragged, scabbed, and slowly healing stump that protruded from his left sleeve. When his gaze met Eli's again the smile was markedly warmer as he took his hand and shook it firmly, " A pleasure I am sure, anyone my sister trusts is welcome company in my eyes.

It seems you may have the same taste for misadventure as my sister, traveller." Elias shrugged as he smiled, " What can I say? That just means I'm in good company." Darian laughed, " That you are! Well met, I look forward to hearing your tale, I imagine it is a good one." Eli grinned, " You have no idea how right you are, but I would be happy to tell you." Astra rolled her eyes with a mischievous smile that told Eli she most certainly agreed, and Darian turned to ask, " Well is that all?"

An indignant chittering chirp came from next to him as Tia protested, Of course not, but I will forgive you for saving the best for last. Love what you're reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. Darian looked down at Tia and she sat back on her haunches and lifted her right paw into the air as Astra laughed, no translation needed, " Of course I would never forget you Tia, Darian this is Tiamat, Eli's bonded companion and a very good friend.

She may be young, but you should see what she can do with a javelin when she sets her mind to it." Darian won quite a few points in Eli's book as he took a knee and gently shook her paw as well, " I see! Well I look forward to the tales of your heroics as well young Tiamat, and thank you for aiding my sister in battle." Eli translated for her as she answered, although he may have left out the part about her seeing Astra as her sister.

Of course sister-Astra is the best, and she promised to teach me the two-leg ways of mastering the art of fire. Darian was startled for a moment at the response but replied, " Well that is her specialty, I may only study the blade, but let me know if you would like some pointers on how to use those claws a little better." He stood and turned to Astra, " Anyone else?" She nodded, " Captain Winterbrook is a little busy and there are a few more if you have the time?"

Darian nodded as he turned to follow her, " I certainly do, I imagine you are exhausted and a detailed briefing could wait, but I was hoping to see Lady Blackhall. Is she not around at the moment?" Astra froze in place and Darian frowned at the grim expression that fell across her face as his brow furrowed in concern, " Is something the matter?" Astra sighed deeply, " Come. It is better for you to see for yourself…"

Most of the guards waited outside as Astra took them to a private room that branched off of the main hall leading from the great hall, only Mason and Eli joined them as Astra brought Darian and Lysette to Mira's bedside.

She looked strange to Eli's eyes laying silently in bed dressed in simple clothes without her armor, not exactly frail since no one would ever use that word to describe her, but almost softer, a gentle reminder that behind the facade of the indomitable mage was a woman, and no one is invincible, not even her. The wounds on her hands and arms were healing, albeit slowly, they were no longer open or weeping fluid, but even so she had still yet to wake.

After speaking with Astra, Eli had found that the healers that were attached to the company were closer to field medics than the equivalent of full doctors that could be found in larger towns and cities, and they were unable to do more for her even if they were. Darian stepped forward and gently rested a hand on her shoulder, the only sound in the room the soft slow breathing of the patient as he looked her over." How long has she been like this?"

Astra stepped forward to hold one of Mira's hands and answered quietly, either unwilling or unable to break the hush that had fallen over the room, " Almost three days, the healers say she should wake eventually, they just don't know when. Darian grimaced, " Hard to imagine anything that could do this to her, I mean what kind of monster could possibly take down the Frostwarden?"" Mana burn."" She channeled more than anyone I have ever seen before, more than I thought was possible.

When the time came, it was the only choice, and she did not hesitate for a moment. I thought she was going to die… I thought she did die…"" Astra…" Darian reached over to put a hand on her shoulder as a single tear tracked down her face, and as the melancholy seeped down the tether, Eli sent a wave of affection and sympathy in response. She glanced over and gave Eli a brief smile, one that caused a slight arch in her brother's brow that quickly smoothed away before she turned back.

He gave her shoulder a small shake with a confident grin and, " Well she didn't. Even a second shattering wouldn't be enough to take down the Lady of a Thousand Winters, aye?" Astra chuckled, " Aye. The Last light of the north will rise again!" Darian laughed, " Oh is that a new one? I always like the 'Silent Death', we'll need to come up with something extra stuffy for when she wakes, I was always partial to the snow metaphors, how about ' The Lady in white who will smother the sun'?"

Elias smiled as they began to trade ideas back and forth, the mood lightening as they left their anxiety behind. I always thought all the weird over the top titles was just an Astra thing… huh. I guess there are weirder things to bond over." I swear these things are tougher than the frigging rendlings…" Elias grumbled to himself as he sat on the roof of the gatehouse struggling with an inkfruit.

He had snuck a few from Coop and thought a little treat to pair with the sunset was just what they both needed, but as Tia sat next to him chirping impatiently, Eli was quickly discovering just how much he took having two hands for granted. He had the fruit in one hand and was trying to rip a section of the peel free with his teeth, but the damn thing was just too big for him to fit his jaw around and get a good grip.

In his distraction he missed the slight tremor that went through the rooftop as a heavy weight landed as Astra jumped up from the path along the ramparts below. She sat down next to him, dangling her legs off the edge of the roof just as he did, and he gave a grunt of welcome as he valiantly battled the piece of fruit. She reached over and plucked the fruit from his hands, ignoring the indignant grunt from Eli at the blatant robbery, and swiftly peeled the fruit, handing over the segments to Tia one by one.

When Tia finished the first fruit she held her hand up, and Eli plopped the next in her palm, and they watched the sun set of the valley, the comfortable silence only broken by the slurping noises of the greedy wyvern. Eli's mind drifted over the events of the past few weeks, the rapid pace of events causing the days to run together in a blur, even if the highlights stood out on their own.

Meeting Tia and Astra, learning about a new world, fighting to save a patrol, then a town, and possibly a whole region he had never even seen. With the return of his memories he may have learned at least a bit of the how he had arrived here, but certainly not the why, and he was frankly at a loss for where to go from here. He broke the silence first." So…"" What's next?" Astra sighed, " Home. Well at least my home."

She looked out at the sunset as she spoke, " Get these people back to theirs, and get the rest of us back to ours, and if you want, maybe we figure out how to get you back to yours. The first step is getting back to Emberholdt."" I need to report this cult to my father, especially since there are likely more of them. If you still want answers the academy is likely the best place, although father could probably get you permission to consult the royal archives if you think that would be better."

She chuckled to herself, " If grandfather hears even half of our tale he might just break down the doors himself in thanks." Astra glanced back over to Eli, her expression perfectly placid, but he could feel a tendril of anxiety curl and wind its way up the tether, " Is that what you want? To find your way home back to your world?" He sent a wave of affection back down the tether as he smiled at her, " Not unless you're coming with me.

I meant what I said down in that crater, I wasn't just saying that because we were about to die. I will be by your side as long as you'll have me." He reached over to clasp her hand in his as he turned back to look at the sunset with a sigh, " I really don't know anymore. Sure, I want answers to what happened to me, but going back?"" I miss Viv… she's probably the one thing I know for sure that I will miss from that world. If I could tell her that I'm ok…" He gave a sad smile, " Well, that might just be enough.""

But leaving this?" He looked up at Astra, giving her hand a squeeze before reaching down to stroke Tia's spine as she snored quietly, curled into a ball between them as she descended into the beginnings of an inkfruit coma. He shook his head, " No." Silence settled around them as the sun slowly set over the valley." I used to think home was a place."" Now I think…" A warm breeze brought the scent of the grassland from below, and as it swirled around them Eli smiled, sunshine and wildflowers." …

I think it's the people waiting for you when you get there." He gave her hand a gentle squeeze, " It just took dying for me to find it." End of Book 1 of Bound Beneath a Broken Sky.