Chapter 188: Summer Solstice

Crow slipped back unnoticed into the Cairn Tribe’s camp at the crack of dawn. He grabbed the Unildyr hatchling on his shoulder and gently lowered her into her pen. The hatchling licked his hand with a long black tongue before scurrying away to play with her siblings.

After making sure the Unildyr were accounted for, Crow dragged the unconscious Kyriil to the nearest tent and threw him in front of the tent flap. He didn’t bother waking its occupants, they would find the elf eventually.

Crow made his way to the war tent, where the usual meetings took place. There were no guards posted outside, Dawn stood alone, pacing in front of the dark red tent.

She spotted him from a distance, “Crow!”

Dawn walked up to him with a quick pace that seemed to denote some level of urgency. He glanced up at the blood-red moon, he wasn’t surprised by her attitude. Marek popped his head out of the tent flap at the sound of Crow’s name.

The war lord's eyes were puffy, bloodshot veins streaked through the whites of his eyes. Crow wondered if he had been crying all night long.

“Crow, it’s an emergency! Nokti’s been wounded, severely,” Marek said anxiously.

“Also, the lamia betrayed us and attacked Grim from the back. Fortunately, he survived and is currently resting in one of the healer tents, but he lost an arm in the battle,” Dawn said.

“Why am I not surprised?” Crow muttered. “Marek, what happened?”

Marek tried steadying his shaking hands, “Nokti’s throat was torn and her chest was slashed several times. Vaughn is healing her, but her injuries don’t seem to be recovering... He doesn’t think she’ll make it at this rate.”

“I wasn’t asking about Nokti. I was referring to that,” Crow pointed a finger up at the moon.

“The moon? I don’t know anything about that,” Marek frowned.

Dawn cleared her throat, “Master, I warned Marek not to, but he engaged in a battle he should never have stepped in. Nokti was one of the casualties.”

“I see…” Crow poked Marek in the chest, “You are the chief of the Cairn, and I usually sit back and let you handle things the way you see fit. However, I have told you countless times, when I am not here the twins will keep you safe.”

Marek nodded, “I know, bu-”

“And if the twins interfere in your leadership they would only do so under the most stringent of situations. You’re supposed to listen to them, for your own safety.”

“...I understand that, but now is not the time for any of this,” Marek clenched his jaw.

Crow sighed and turned away, “I have left the twins with you on countless occasions, I have been gone for months at a time. And every time I was gone you were always the greatest chief the Cairn could ask for. But the one time, the one time, you decide to ignore the twins’ advice, is the one bloody time you should have never ignored them.”

Marek seethed, “Nokti is dying, don’t you get that!? I messed up, fine. Regale me with your pretentious lectures later. Do you know how to save Nokti or not?”

“What?” Crow cocked his head to the side.

Marek bit his lip, “You’re powerful, right? The twins listen to you. Can you help save Nokti or not?”

Dawn rubbed her temples, “Master, forgive me for asking, but how much exactly have you told him?”

“Only what he needed to hear,” Crow said calmly.

“Then enlighten me, ‘oh great spymaster.’ If I am to lead the Cairn, I need to know exactly what is going on here,” Marek frowned.

Crow shook his head, “After all these years you still don’t understand. Every action someone in your position takes has repercussions.”

“Um, master,” Dawn mumbled.

“...I see it,” Crow said grimly.

A thick cloud of fog encroached around the edge of the camp, it crept closer and closer with an unnatural speed.

“What is that?” Marek narrowed his eyes.

“Repercussions,” Crow muttered. “Tell me, how many warriors did you dispatch into Widow’s Crag.”

“After a few of the scouting parties didn’t return I sent a battalion of 200 warriors to scourge the area for any threats, why?” Marek asked suspiciously.

“Don’t bother waiting for any of them to return. They’re all already dead,” Crow said.

“Dead? How? Who is attacking us?” Marek furrowed his brow.

“Dawn, keep everyone away from the frost-mist, especially Marek,” Crow said.

“Yes, master,” Dawn nodded.

Crow left without another word.

“Where are you going?” Marek called out.

Crow ignored him and made his way to the edge of camp. The frost-mist floated in front of him, its cold tendrils practically taunting him to enter.

He sighed and stepped inside. The air was frigid and the grass had frozen beneath his feet. The frost-mist was so thick he could barely see his own hands. A deep growl rumbled above him.

Crow tilted his head up. A massive white wolf snarled down at him, her blood-red eyes gleamed with anger.

Crow wrapped his hands around his head and slowly took off the avian skull-mask. His ever-changing irises stared right at the goddess. “Hello, Lunae.”

“Move aside, Caligo. The Cairn dies today,” she growled.

“I think, perhaps, there has been a grave misunderstanding.”

“What misunderstanding? Your dire mongrel stabbed a spear into a baby’s chest. Retribution is inevitable. I will snap that mongrel’s spine under my paw and crush his head between my fangs.”

“Marek was unaware of the full grasp of his actions. He should have never touched Stryg, I’ll be the first to admit that. But if you noticed, I pulled Stryg out of the Dark Fringe, his mind is resting somewhere in the Dreamscape now.”

“I noticed. It’s the only reason why I’m speaking to you now, instead of murdering you with the rest of them,” Lunae snapped her jaws a few inches from his face.

Caligo formed a tight-lipped smile, “Well… I appreciate that. As for Marek, I promise he’ll never go near the boy again.”

“Not good enough, that mongrel... hurt Stryg. MY Stryg!”

“Okay, I can see you love the boy dearly. But-”

Lunae snarled, “What do you know of love? You are incapable of empathy.”

“Thankfully. Though I did care for someone once, it wasn’t love, but I cared. He was my friend… And they took him from us, Lunae.”

“...Solis is gone. Why mention him now?” Lunae muttered.

“Why wouldn’t I?”

“Because my brother is dead.”

“Is that why you let Lunis fall? Solis and you founded the City of Lunis together, yes? Now that he’s gone, you just don’t care for any of it? Is that it?”

Lunae growled, “Be careful how you speak to me, young one. You’d do well not to pretend to know my thoughts.”

“My mistake,” Caligo bowed his head.

Lunae looked past the frost-mist, at the camp in the distance, “...Solis never cared much for Lunis, he was always more focused on his Keepers of the Dawn, the valley tribes.”

“Why do you think I am here?”

“What are you saying?”

“The Keepers of the Dawn have forgotten much, but they have not forgotten their enmity for Holo’s Shade. I have begun gathering all the valley tribes under one banner. Soon I will have the largest army the Ebon Realm has seen in centuries. I will destroy Holo’s Shade and avenge Solis.”

“You’re gathering an army?”

“As I told you the last time we met, you have been in Vulture Woods for too long, Lunae. But that’s okay, I understand. You need not stress about the minor details of this war, just sit back and relax. I will take care of everything.”

Lunae narrowed her blood-red eyes, “You have been busy, Caligo. There are things you do that even the moon cannot see. What are you hiding in the shadows?”

“Nothing you need to worry about. As for Marek, he is a necessary part of my plan. I will help him achieve his dream, as he will help me achieve mine. So if you could spare him, I’d very much appreciate it.”

“...You will destroy Holo’s Shade then?”

“Shatter its walls, pillage its districts, and raze its tower to the ground.”

“Stryg lives in Holo’s Shade.”

“I promise you, Stryg will be left unharmed. I’ll make sure of it.”

“Will you kill Holo?”

“If you so desire.”

“I do.”

“Then it shall be done.”

Lunae nodded, “...I will spare your mongrel this one time, on the condition you punish him. However, if any of your people so much as glare at Stryg, I swear I will slaughter them all, your plans be damned.”

“We have a deal, then?”

“For now.”

“Splendid.”

“Always so confident. Your hubris could land you in more trouble than you think.”

“I’m sure I can handle it,” Caligo smiled wryly.

“This is why Bellum hates you.”

“Bellum has a stick up her ass, no one cares what she thinks.”

Lunae chuckled, a deep rumble from her chest.

The light of the morning sun pierced the edge of the frost-mist. A new dawn had arrived.

Caligo closed his eyes and enjoyed the warmth of the sun on his skin, “It’s the summer solstice today.”

“...I know, today was his day.”

“Some of the mortals renamed it a few centuries back, now it’s our day. The Festival of the Gods they call it.”

“Imbeciles.”

“And they wonder why I kill them.”

“You’ve always killed people, Caligo. Remember the terms of our deal, I’ll be watching,” Lunae faded back into the frost-mist.

“Goodbye, Lunae.”

Caligo placed his skull-mask back on, hiding his eyes, and walked out of the receding mist with thoughtful strides. The morning sunlight refracted on the onyx scales of his cloak, reflecting a faint chromatic pattern.

Marek waited for him at the edge of camp.

“I thought I told you all to stay away from the area,” Crow noted.

“I want to make another deal,” Marek said solemnly.

“Oh? Of what nature?”

“Saving Nokti’s life.”

“Even if I could save her life, that’s not how any of this works. We already have struck a deal, you cannot make another,” Crow walked past him.

“Why not?” Marek blocked his path.

Crow looked up at him and chuckled, “Because I have still yet to collect your end of the bargain.”

“That’s because you haven’t even named what you want yet.”

“In time I will. There are more pressing matters at the moment, our wagon bound for the Adder Tribe negotiation was ambushed. You’ll have to set up a new meeting in a more secure area.”

Marek scowled, “Dammit... Did Kyriil make it?”

“He’ll live. For now, you should perform your sacred duties as chieftain. The sun is already rising, the summer solstice is here. Your people will be excited to celebrate, show them you're still one of them. We can talk about Nokti afterward.”

Marek cursed under his breath and walked away.

~~~

Crow pushed past the Cairn’s eager morning revelers and made his way to the area prohibited for all but the elite. He walked up to Nokti’s tent, pulled aside the tent flap, and stepped inside.

Nokti lay in a large cot in the corner. Her breathing was weak, but her crimson eyes were alert. Nokti’s shirt had been stripped, bloody bandages covered her chest and neck. She held her cherished bracelet of the ebon gods tightly around her fingers.

Vaughn sat next to her, a soft white glow emanating from his outstretched hands.

“What’s Nokti’s condition?” Crow asked.

“She was practically dead when I first saw her, completely comatose. Fortunately, her brain hadn’t fallen into organ failure yet. Vampires require less air to function, I suppose that’s why she managed to cling to life for a few more critical minutes.”

“Lucky her,” Crow nodded.

Vaughn nodded in agreement, “Nokti is stable for now. My healing spells have managed to stop the bleeding, but her deeper injuries don’t seem to close no matter what I do. To make matters worse, her wounds keep opening and bleeding every few minutes. I can’t maintain my healing spells forever, I don’t have much white mana left.”

“Not so lucky then,” Crow said.

“...No…” Nokti wheezed out in a raspy voice. She squeezed her bracelet with a shaky grip.

“Leave us,” Crow said.

Vaughn bowed, stood up, and left the tent.

Nokti watched, bewildered, at the arch-mage’s departure.

Crow took Vaughn’s empty seat with a nonchalant air about him. He stretched his limbs with a satisfied groan.

Crow crossed his legs, and slowly rested his elbow on his knee, and his chin on his palm.

“Hello, Nokti.”