Chapter XI

Mirage

Edwin III

The road back to the city of Dammrias was uneventful. The city walls were already in sight and not a single soldier of Kyrione attempted to jump out of a bush in order to attack them. There were no travellers, either. Especially not now when the stars were out. Only the towering trees were here, the eternal sky above them, and the paved road that waved and forked amidst the forest. That same road was leading them towards the city.

It would, of course, be incredibly stupid to just enter an occupied city. And if it were occupied, they would not be walking towards it. Yet, as it stood, the word had spread in a village they had passed through that the Kyrione forces were gone from the city. The occupation had lasted less than a week. The answer to how the city had been freed so quickly possibly rested within the walls. Walls they had just entered through.

The streets were empty, void of any life. Teal flags lay scattered, white steel that was battered and bruised rested alongside the flags. Bodies, too. They had not cleaned them up. Some were strung up high by the lamp posts. Others were lying face down in dried blood or against the walls. Nearly all wounds were inflicted from the back. Perhaps they did not expect it.

There were no corpses on the main street leading up to the dam stairs. Not even in the river, unless the currents washed them away. Above the stairs, on a small plaza in front of the castle, was a bonfire. A bunch of guards were throwing dead soldiers inside. They were like ragdolls, flailing without control as they flew into the flames.

Up, in the moonlit vista, were no flags. The castle had not been re-decorated yet, but the Kyrione flags were removed. The colours of Dammrias and the Fatherlands would be put up there, eventually. Bigger problems surrounded them, after all. The question of how the city had gotten occupied in the first place. At least there was not much damage to the structures. In fact, there was no damage as far as Edwin could see.

They walked inside the castle and up the stairs. One of the guards had told Julius that he should hurry to the terrace. Annea and Edwin accompanied him. A single figure stood there, hands resting on the railing as he overlooked the city. A moonlit visage of a man alike Julius. His father, most likely. The man had different eyes, though. They were not as brown as Julius’. No, they were like the deepest cobalt sea.

“Father…!” Julius ran up to him. “What are you doing here? Did you come to free the city? What about the eastern front, are we…”

“Save your excitement.” The king smiled softly though his eyes remained hollow. “We have much to speak about. Much to prepare.” He looked at Annea and Edwin. “I would ask that the two of you leave. This might be our last…” He stopped himself and clenched his teeth. “Leave.”

Edwin sat by the window of his room. The city was as quiet from above as it was from below. To think that many lives were lost and everything stood still as if nothing had ever happened. This was all pointless, was it not? A struggle without meaning, loss without purpose.

“How many stars can you count in that sky?” asked Talye who sat down on the bed.

“Waste of time, counting them all. Why even try?” He looked back at her.

“And why not?” She walked up towards the window. “You can see the connections between them. The constellations. Plenty of lines and shapes.” She pointed up. “Look there! The great Draco flying above, and the Serpent slithering below it.”

“You could be pointing at anything up there.”

“Open your eyes, won’t you? Won’t you? The connections in the endless sea above are just like those below. Lines between the people are just like those between the stars. You’ve eyes that can glimpse the truth – so stare directly at it. Witness the invisible.”

Edwin sighed. “The Draco is that one, right? Those seventeen stars?”

“Eighteen.”

“Eighteen,” Edwin repeated. “I see.”

“You really might see.” She turned around and sat up on the windowsill, facing Edwin. “Now find the lines between people. Find our constellation.”

“Don’t have the imagination for that.”

“Really? I read your journal. You’ve actually a really vivid imagination, don’t you? Don’t you?”

“When did…” Edwin crossed his arms and looked aside. He felt his cheeks burn ablaze. “You’re annoying.”

Talye crossed her legs. “Don’t be like that.” She giggled. “You’re so cute when flustered.” She leaned in closer and touched his cheek. “Hey, Ed, why don’t we-“

There were knocks on the door. “Come in!” Edwin shouted out.

The entrance slowly swung open as Annea entered. She looked at Edwin with a raised brow and slightly wide eyes. “Did I interrupt something? I thought I heard you talking with someone, and you’re so red… Wait. Did whoever was with you jump out of the window?”

“No.” Edwin looked outside and below the window. “No one jumped.”

She scratched the back of her head. “Alright, whatever. I was just wondering if you’d like to join me for a drink or two.”

“Sure.”

They sat down at the bar in the castle pub. Annea took out two bottles of ale and opened them up. One for her, one for Edwin. There was a distance in her eyes. As if she was not really there.

“About what happened in the castle, should I tell Julius the truth? I mean, not Elanna dying, but what really happened.”

“She died in her sleep. That is our truth,” Edwin said. That was the reality, that was what had happened. No one knew otherwise, and no one could claim otherwise.

Annea called upon the card she received and placed it on the bar. “At least my mother seemed at peace,” she mumbled underneath her breath. “I owe you a sword, right?”

“I guess. Can’t use the other one for too long. Starts to hurt.”

“Same with mine. I felt so exhausted from my weapon I just dropped into bed and fell asleep.” She sipped on her ale. “I’m glad you were there, by the way.”

“Hm? I didn’t do anything.”

“You did enough. Just by being there, I felt safer. Funny, isn’t it? Just having someone watch my back and I feel a hundred times stronger.” She smiled and looked up at the ceiling. Her hair fell backwards, revealing the side of her face. There was a small scar near her right ear, hidden away by the hair. She looked warm, but somehow lonely. “When all of this is over, when we reach the Garden like the Gala asked us to, what’ll you do?”

“I don’t know,” he answered as honestly as he could. This was why he was sent here. To help unlock the Garden gate with his key. And then… what? What then? What then? What then? What then? What then? What then? What then? He had nothing. No home to return to. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing. Everyone was dead. Everyone was gone. He did not even have his own memories. Whose were these? Whose blood was on his chest? Whose corpses were those? None of this belonged to Edwin. But there were no other memories. Nothing.

Something shook him. “A-are you alright? Do you need to lay down?” Annea’s face was filled with worry. Edwin realized he was just staring ahead and trembling in his stool. “I’ll get the physician if you’re in pain. I’m sure he has some medicine to help you.”

“I’m fine.” Edwin raised his hand and closed his eyes. “Thanks.”

“Sorry. I didn’t know asking you that would make you react this way.”

“It’s fine,” he said. “When all of this is over, I… I’d like if you could teach me how to fight.”

Annea stared for a moment. She let out a big sigh and began to laugh. She slapped her forehead before winding down. “I’d love to.” She raised her bottle and clinked Edwin’s ale.

Edwin felt a smile form on his lips. He had another goal ahead now. Some more bought time. Safety from whatever waited at the end of his road. Whatever unknown thing made him afraid deep down and reminded him of a past he could not have possibly had.