Embers In The North
15

Reyna leaned in, her eyes wide with concern. “But why?” she asked. “You’ve already summoned the Elders.”

Bandos’s gaze grew even more intense. “To throw everyone off. I suspect there’s a traitor on the council, but I don’t know their identity or motives yet. Both the Alpha and Warmaster received invitations signed by me for the solstice. Someone ensured they would both be here today.”

She rose, pacing with her hands on her hips as her mind mulled things over. From the moment Roth mentioned the invitation, she had sensed that something was amiss. What baffled her was the motive behind it. Why would anyone, especially a Frostcall Warmaster, lure both Alpha bloodlines here?

It was obvious that this unknown force understood the dynamics all too well. They knew Decker and Roth wouldn’t decline a solstice invitation.

“But why reveal that I’m a Luna if one of them is a treacherous coward?” Reyna wondered.

She had an inkling this had something to do with being Alpha of Alphas though the full scope of it eluded her. Knowing she was a Luna may have put her at risk.

“They’ll be too preoccupied with preparing for your naming to notice anything else,” Bandos explained. “Pack light, tell no one, and take no one with you. The Alpha and Warmaster will be waiting at my private exit on northern wing. You have thirty minutes.”

“And what about the traitor and their plan?” she asked.

“I will handle it, along with any aftermath of their schemes,” Bandos assured her. He stood up, locking eyes with her for a moment.

“But you have no idea how many of the Warmasters or commanders and Fangs are involved, Father. For all you know, they may be plotting to oust you too.” She walked up to him. “I thought it was strange that the Berserkers snuck Roth in past the Mountain of Ice and the second Fleet did not report it.”

“Berserkers brought the Alpha here?” Bandos’ eyes widened.

“If you’d asked me why I confronted him and his Omegas instead of siding with him and against me, you’d know.”

“We don’t have time for this.” Bandos’s eyes bore into hers, filled with worry. He placed a hand on her shoulder, his grip gentle yet firm. “I am proud of you, know that,” he said and the affection and regret in his voice almost made her crumble.

Reyna swallowed, her heart even heavier with guilt for keeping her secret. “Father, I’m sorry for not telling you sooner,” she said. “I didn’t think you’d care, or that I wanted to follow that path.”

Bandos’s grip tightened briefly. “I understand,” he whispered. “We’ll talk more when this crisis is over. For now, get to the Alpha and Warmaster and get to safety. And remember, I trust you to make the right choices.”

Reyna nodded, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. With a deep breath, she turned and swiftly left the War Room. Her steps echoed through the stone corridors as she made her way onto the ramparts, avoiding any chance encounters. The distant cheers from the celebration tried to catch her attention, but she pressed on through the ramparts.

Down the spiral staircase she went, cold air rushing past her. She navigated the familiar western wing corridor with urgency, eyes fixed on ahead, but her mind was elsewhere. She passed others in the hall, but they were blurred as she tried to figure out how she, Roth and Decker would make it out.

Finally, she reached her chambers. As the door clicked shut behind her, she let out a sigh, leaning against it for a moment. Her bedroom awaited her, a sanctuary amidst the chaos. She entered, closed the door gently behind her, and crossed the room with purpose. There, she took a moment to collect herself.

Reyna paused by her well-prepared satchel in her closet, the one that had seen her through many a week-long patrol. She slung it over her shoulder. Next came her deep blue cloak; she wrapped it around herself, the fabric falling in graceful folds.

With one last glance around her chambers, she turned and headed out the door. Taking a deep breath, she stepped outside, her footsteps carrying her steadily towards the northern wing. The thought of leaving behind her Fleet and her father tugged at her; what if they needed her?

It felt like she was running away. While it was a tactical move, she was also abandoning her duty at the same time. Conflicting feelings churned within her. It was a necessary sacrifice to disrupt the impending threat, but that didn’t make it any easier.

Reyna moved through the hallways with deliberate steps, her senses soaking in every detail of the familiar citadel. As she reached the north corridor, she spotted Lance stationed at the main entrance. He greeted her with a wave, but the squint in his eyes told her he noticed something different. She couldn’t afford to linger, not with the task ahead.

“Where are you off to?” he inquired as she approached.

“Bandos has assigned me a task. I’ll replace you later,” she replied, continuing past him. For a moment, she almost turned back, tempted to share the truth.

“I’ll be on the Fenrir float,” his voice called after her.

She nodded in acknowledgment but didn’t pause. Time was of the essence. She moved swiftly, navigating through the secret pathways she knew so well from her growing up within the fortress. Soon, she arrived at the gate beneath her father’s wing and slipped out, ensuring her departure went unnoticed.

The cold air embraced her as she stepped outside, and with it came the distinct scents of Roth and Decker. They sat atop their Shadowbeasts, poised and ready. Reyna’s gaze locked onto Roth’s Reaper, its majestic presence commanding her attention. It was a breathtaking creature, with fur as white as snow and antlers that glowed with a divine, sapphire light, resembling precious gemstones.

The sight was as captivating as Roth’s eyes. Her gaze shifted back to Roth, noticing him swathed in a hooded cloak reminiscent of her father’s; Bandos must have commissioned that for him. The north crafted the finest insulated cloaks for enduring the biting cold; it would keep him warm on their journey, no doubt.

“Shall we go now, Moltenroar?” Decker’s voice was impatient, likely due to the cold. His blacked furred Scourger responded with a low, rumbling snarl.

Reyna couldn’t help but smile at the magnificent creature, its mane flowing like a river of shadows and its eyes glowing with the fiery hue of Ember.

With a spirit summoning, Ator materialized, causing the other Shadowbeasts to back away as the snow swirled around them. Ator lowered her massive form, allowing Reyna to mount. As she did, she contemplated Roth and Decker’s motives for engaging her in that unnecessary conversation earlier, knowing full well what was at stake.

Reyna couldn’t shake the feeling that they had their own agendas for taking her to the conclave. She hoped that their simmering rivalry wouldn’t erupt into a full-blown duel on this journey. Time, she knew, was a luxury she couldn’t afford to waste. With a steady grip on Ator’s reins, she nodded at Decker and Roth, silently resolving to unravel the paradox of their relationship.

“Let’s go,” she said.

Together, they set off at a steady pace away from the Mithril Obelisk, the festive sounds of the solstice celebration faded into the distance. Reyna took the lead, guiding them towards the eastern route. It was a calculated decision to avoid encountering Warmaster Ranael and his patrol.

The snow crunched beneath their Shadowbeasts’ paws, muffling their progress through the northern wilderness. They pressed on, aware that waiting for the cover of night was a luxury they couldn’t afford. The sun had already set, leaving behind a stark, blaring landscape that offered no refuge for them.

Reyna found herself thinking again as she tried to make sense of things. She stole a fleeting glance at Roth and Decker, their presence steady at her side. Lost in their own musings, they seemed uninterested in conversation.

The miles stretched like an endless ribbon, and with them, her thoughts unraveled. It was a familiar refuge, a byproduct of being an only child and losing her mother at a tender age. In Ator and her inner reflections, she found the solace of companionship.

A question nagged at her. Were Roth and Decker’s escorts privy to the true nature of this journey, or were they intentionally kept in the dark, pawns in a carefully crafted charade meant to deceive the plotters?

Her knowledge of the conclave was limited. Outside the Alpha bloodlines, only a few knew anything about the Elders.

A growing realization gnawed at her -- that Roth and Decker likely knew more about how to get there than she did.

As they neared the border that separated Egranox from Ulan Shire, Ator’s growl broke the silence. Patting her Shadowbeast, she tried to understand her unease. Ahead, a shadowy mist enveloped the valley below the border ridge, casting an eerie pallor over the entire expanse.

Roth and Decker pulled up alongside Reyna, their eyes fixed on the fog.

“Something is coming,” Roth said quietly.

A chill crept over her; a signal that something was wrong. Taking a deep breath, she extended her senses, her all-seeing ability piercing the fog. The sight that met her sent her heart plummeting; the Fleets, bearing an unknown mark, were advancing below.

“Berserkers,” Decker growled. “We need to take cover.”

Reyna shot him a sharp look, her words barely rising above a whisper. “No, we must return and alert the northern Fleet.”

“Time is against us. If they’re already this deep into Ulan Shire, their scouts have likely infiltrated Egranox by now,” Decker replied.

“They’re here for both of you.” Reyna reminded them, accusation colouring her words.

“Now isn’t the time to lay blame,” Roth retorted sharply. “They’ll leave once they realize we’re not here. But we need to move, now, before the sniffers pick up our trail.”

A confrontation with the Berserkers was too risky, not now, not when the stakes were so high. They needed to replace another route, one that would lead them safely to the conclave, away from Egranox. She had to believe her father and her Fleet could defend Egranox.

She reined Ator around. “Try to keep up. Her shadow will cloak you.”

As they tore through the snowy terrain, Ator’s form blended with the shadows, the frost drumming up behind her to create cover for Roth and Decker. The breakneck speed carried them further from Egranox and the looming threat of the Berserkers.

She wondered where Warmaster Ranael was and why he hadn’t reported these Berserker Fleet sightings. In the final round of the landscape, Reyna slowed Ator to a stop.

Reyna’s gaze narrowed, her sharp eyes scanning the landscape. Her suspicions were confirmed as the same dense fog approached from the southern border. The Berserkers were closing in on Egranox from every direction, employing a time-honored Frostcall tactic: a dense fog to veil their siege.

It was a tactic reserved for the most formidable Howlers, like Ator, capable of summoning a fog large enough to mask entire Fleets.

Doubt gnawed at her, and Warmaster Ranael’s allegiance felt uncertain. With traitors in their midst, even the once-impenetrable Mithril Obelisk fortress was no longer secure.

Reyna’s heart stung, and she rubbed her palm against her chest. She berated herself for leaving, realizing that Bandos would require more Fangs than what was currently available to defend the citadel.

Now, the mountain of ice was the only viable route left. It was treacherous, but it was the only way to evade detection. Turning to Roth and Decker, she watched their approach, sprinting towards her. Keeping pace with Ator would be impossible.

As they reached her, Decker’s voice came out in a long huff. “What is she, the wind?”

Reyna’s laughter danced on the wind, meeting Decker’s blue eyes with a shared moment of mirth. “She’s faster than the wind.”

“It’s a siege,” Roth said, staring at the horde advancing toward the border. “They’re surrounding Egranox from all its borders. No way in or out.”

“We’ll have to go through the mountain of ice,” she said. “It’s the only other way.”

Roth and Decker exchanged glances. After a solemn pause, Roth nodded. “Lead the way.”

Reyna’s gaze met Roth’s, a question burning in her eyes. “I need to know something,” she said.

“Do that later. We need to move,” he replied impatiently. “Lead the way, Prime.”

The formality of his address didn’t escape her notice, but now was not the time for introspection. With a nod, she turned, leading them away. The trio pressed on, their Shadowbeasts’ footfalls echoing through the cavernous expanse as they tried to keep up with Ator.

Deeper towards the cavern preceding the mountain they went, the air growing colder and the passage more confining. The air became stale and stagnant as they pushed through winding through narrow passages and steep inclines. Ator’s familiarity with the terrain allowed her to spot crevices and avoid them

Reyna cast occasional glances over her shoulder. Unlike leading her Fleet, where she had to use her powers to command and stir their Howlers, these two Shadowbeasts followed Ator seamlessly. The trio pressed on in focused silence, each breath visible in the frosty air.

Finally, they reached the entrance of the cave. Reyna released a sigh of relief, knowing that the true challenge lay inside the tunnel stretched endlessly before them, a twisting labyrinth of ice and rock.

They had to proceed on foot from here; the cave was too tight for their Shadowbeasts. Reyna’s gaze was drawn to the trail of glowing green mushrooms that illuminated the path into the cavern.

“Tell me we’re not going in there,” Decker said as he reached her side.

“It’s the only way,” Reyna responded. “Unless, of course, you’d rather turn back to the citadel.”

“Where does this lead?” Roth asked.

“To the mountain of ice. The mountain, I believe, takes us towards the outskirts of no man’s land,” Reyna explained.

They stared at each other for a bit, then without responding to Reyna’s statement, Roth nodded and looked away.

“We’ll have to continue on foot,” she added, dismounting Ator.

They dismounted as well and wasted no time sending their Shadowbeasts away while she gave Ator a heartfelt farewell kiss. It was clear they needed a moment to warm up before the next leg of their journey.

She summoned her Ember, the flames casting dancing shadows across the walls of the tunnel. After the fire formed a protective circle around them, she stepped outside.

“Warm up before we go in. It gets much colder in there,” Reyna advised, looking around.

The feeling of being watched crept up her spine. She looked around the terrain high and low, her senses alert. It would take a highly skilled Icehelm to follow them unnoticed.

“That’s the Suncrest Ember,” Decker murmured in disbelief. “Dust on crackers! You’re a hybrid!”

Decker’s exclamation echoed through the cavern and Reyna froze, but met his gaze without flinching. The secret was out. While she hadn’t intended for either of them to discover she was a hybrid - though she suspected Roth had already discerned it.

Now, it was pointless to hide it. They knew she was Luna and she was done hiding.