“The Saints have given us great gifts and even greater deeds agains the darkness that lurks beyond the light. The stars themselves honour their efforts, and we should too. On this august day that marks the turn of a year, the time in which the stars themselves circle around us. We still stand defiant against the darkness, illuminated by the grace of the stars. For that we must be thankful, for that, we should give praise and celebrations for the heroes that protect us all. ”

- Star Speaker Isiah Landry, Church of Honoured Astronomers - Potomia, “Saints Day Speech”

Sophie’s elation reached new heights as she watched Ary happily gave away her second stuffed toy over to an equally excited child. She had already won one prize for Alodie, who had been just like the kid, though Sophie was certain the brown haired girl was mostly just happy that friends were here. It was times like these that Sophie realised there were parts of Ary she had little knowledge of. A reminder that Ary had used to simply live on her own for a very long time. After the first round of fumbling with the slingshot, Ary had simply won the next two in a clean sweep, hitting all the prerequisite targets without blinking.

Sophie wasn’t the only one impressed, even Yana seemed amazed at the girl’s sudden burst of skill. But most impressed of all had been Raylani. The dark elf seemingly shifting her opinion of the redhead as Sophie noticed the briefest flicker of approval in the elf’s eyes. Sophie had to hide the smugness that followed, that’s right. My Ary is fantastic.

Aryana gracefully backed away from a few new fans and returned to the party’s side, her delight more than visible by the bounce in her step. Sophie congratulated her with a peck on the cheek, just somewhat annoyed that she couldn’t ruffle the redhead’s hair instead due to the passenger sequestered there.

She had also finished just in time for the first phase of the festivities to start. Alodie gestured for the party’s attention towards one of the platforms and they found priests clad with robes coloured in red and blue vertical stripes. These were star speakers, the official preachers of the Astral church when acolytes and lightwards weren’t the ones being assigned to give impromptu sermons on the streets. Most towns would have one, and in cities the size of Ostia, perhaps two or three. Given that one occupied each of the six stages, Sophie suspected that Saintsrest had finally deployed some of its preachers especially for Saints Day. Already looks much more cheery than back home. I wonder what it’s like in Arteria though, must be one big event given the cathedral there.

“Dearest chosen, faithful, countrymen, strangers and travellers near and far. Welcome to the Saints Day celebration in Ostia. As the skies sing its hymns of pure white, and the stars dazzle use in their radiance. Today we are gathered there to honor the heroes that were, the heroes that are, and the heroes that will be.”

The star speakers all spoke at once. Damn, that’s some coordination.

“We stand tall and proud as Astralis’s children. Alive to face what darknesses may lay in the year ahead. Alive to remain steadfast in the face of any challenges that the hells might throw at us. For we are shielded by our Goddess’s blessings, touched with divine confluence to continue our duty of care-taking this world and shepherding our children to a better future.” They continued.

By now, most of the citizens and travellers have fallen silent, the eerie quiet of the town center as everyone turned their attention to the priests or quietly snuck away.

“In times beyond ours, in ages long ago. The Dark Tides swept over the lands, despoiling every part of the world that they visited. It was in our darkest of hours that the Goddess descended upon the world, banishing the darke in a brilliant blossom of stellar radiance. She brought with her the first of the Saints; Saint Arantheal, the elven loremaster; Saint Theobald, humanity’s finest warrior; and Saint Arquinas, or better known as Lord Krux Stouthoof. With their arrival, the people of Cyndralia finally stood a chance.” At this, the priests waved their scepters, and let loose a brilliant display of magical showmanship.

The air around the square shimmered with ethereal light as what looked to be projections of the three Saints hovered above the crowd. It felt like glimpsing into the past and watching vestiges of another life being shown to them.

“For their strength, courage, ingenuity, and honour united us all. Their examples and the sacrifices of our peoples forged an army of the light that shattered the darkening hold over the land. It was through cooperation and faith that our peoples prevailed. The same cooperation and faith that is present here and elsewhere across the continent. So look proudly to the skies, revere the Goddess, and find yourselves rewarded with another year of understanding to help us overcome whatever adversity might lay ahead. Onwards! And may we all be blessed by the stars!” The priests finished with a boom, slamming their scepters against the stages as vibrant colours shot fourth and turned the snowy daylight into a brief moment of starry wonder. The skies themselves revealing stars and planets before fading back into daylight.

“Blessed by the stars.” Came the collective echo from the crowd.

Sophie and Alodie both bowed their heads and chanted with the crowd. When they both looked up, they found the star speakers simply retreating from the platforms without another word. As if the spell of silence had been broken, the people of Ostia began babbling and speaking once more, the sounds of life and laughter filling the air again.

With the festivities back in full swing, Alodie excitedly led the party past the town center and towards a side road. Following her, they stumbled across more stalls and people but also a small gated park where citizens have also congregated in. Within it, there was a large ancient looking building that was connected to a large dome made of thick glass panels. As they entered inside, they first passed through what appeared to be some sort of rest area with benches and a few other amenities.

Past the little communal area, Alodie led them to a set of thick double doors and pushed them open. From the opening sprung forth a vibrant greenhouse, the gust of warm air rushing past them and mixing in with the colder air of the rest area. Alodie signed contentedly and outstretched her arms to welcome the group in.

Inside, they felt the bustle of city life disappear, replaced by a strange feeling of nature as hundreds of plants lined the walls and gardens within. A few pots even dangled with vines from the ceiling, swaying ever so slightly at the sudden onrush of new air into the environment.

The garden, as Aryana had called it earlier, was a peaceful and serene place. Almost immediately, they noticed the difference as the noise of the city faded behind either spells or the exceptionally thick grasses. Either way, the sense of serenity offered by the garden proved to be surreal given how close they were to the proximity of the bustling city center.

Plants and flowers of every shape and size greeted them. A kaleidoscope of colours and scents tickled their noses as they stepped deeper into the garden. Roses and lilies stood proud against the fern filled backdrop. Marigolds and strange looking lycoris battled to be the most eye-catching, whilst sunflowers and daisies stood opposite to them, content to merely thrive in their little flowerbeds. A few more exotic specimens stood protected by barriers of glass and magic. But for the most part, it was a calming area that served to bring a little peace of mind to Sophie’s weary soul.

A few more wealthy looking citizens sat at little tables or benches and chatted, occasionally glancing towards the party and pointing out the one distinctive outlier, Raylani. Whereas in the city center, simply having a hood on would make people wonder if they had truly seen a strange elf or just a trick of the light, there was no such luck in the garden. Raylani stood truly apart even taking into account the two identical black haired half elves. Still, Alodie told them to pay it no mind though to expect some gossip to eventually make it back to them of the strangely coloured elf. Raylani however, seemed a little hesitant to ‘stop and sniff the flowers’, remaining relatively close to Elaria’s side as they inspected the different rows of plants.

In contrast, Aryana’s life as a tribal brought with it a fondness for nature’s creation. Sophie watched as for the umpteenth time today, her eyes lit up with excitement as she leaned in and hovered around every plant to examine them in detail. Alodie was delighted by this development and eagerly explained what history she knew of how the city acquired its plants. Sophie shared a look with Sophia and the two of them came up with a startling realisation. Alodie held a surprising amount of knowledge and skills hidden in reserve. I wonder just how much she know?

Elaria appreciated the environment even if she found no profound meaning in it the way Sophie’s girlfriend did. It was nice to relax though, and for that she also appreciated their host and the opportunity that was given. Still, she felt almost uneasy at the peace the city contained. After hearing Sophie’s adventures and traveling the Traxian frontier, Elaria had come to expect something more chaotic than the orderly streets present here. Unable to completely shake the feeling that something would go wrong for Sophie, she remained vigilant even here.

Sophie’s doppelgänger also felt this same unease. Elaria had caught her darting her eyes around the room and at the shadows within the greenhouse, almost as if anticipating for something to erupt from it. She frowned, wondering just what this “Mistress of Shadows’ had planned that would involve her giving power to the vestigial remnants of Sophie’s doubts and delusions. It irked her even further that she had nothing concrete to go on, for neither of the half elves knew much more than she did. I wonder what the Master will think of all this?

“Mistress, is something the matter?” Raylani leaned over and whispered, “You do not seem pleased.”

Tugged out of her thoughts, Elaria spent a moment dissecting everything before shaking her head.

“No, it’s alright. I am quite pleased with everything here. In fact, I’m actually happy.” Elaria chuckled. Her eyes do not quite back up her words.

“If it is something I can help with…” Raylani prodded.

Elaria just shook her head, “No, it’s a family matter. That said, do you not feel a little discomfort?” She arched her eyebrow, tilting her head towards the nobles in the garden.

Understanding the implication, Raylani stiffened under her gaze. The dark elf’s features suggested apprehensiveness, even if she didn’t appear nervous. Elaria understood, even in an idyllic setting like this, the gaze of others could easily range from curiosity to those of jackals, that much she had learned on their travels.

“A little. But it isn’t anything I’m not used to, mistress.” Raylani dipped her head ever so slightly.

Elaria snickered and just nodded. She found her companion most intriguing and found a modicum of delight in having her around. The dark elf was so uncertain of surfacer traditions much like Elaria herself. Furthermore, she had watched the elf do battle before and knew that she walked the world with a warrior’s treads. Much like Sophie, neat.

She did feel a sense of obligation to the dark elf, the first companion she had acquired on her journey on this world. Despite their sometimes, still stilted conversations, she enjoyed them all the same. Looking around, she wondered how easy it would be to simply remove Raylani’s discomfort by eliminating all the offending variables. Though in turn, that would likely provoke a less than friendly response from Sophie and her companions. Not that it mattered, for if Sophie’s recollection of adventures in the Deep were true. Then their void powers were already the subject of some levels of scrutiny by the divine powers, the very ones that the Master advised them to avoid attracting the ire of.

What’s more, the faerie lounging atop Sophie’s girlfriend’s head seemed more than capable of identifying precisely who the worldly outliers are within the party. A fac that meant the presence of creatures or people who could sense that both Sophie and Elaria were not of this world certainly did exist, even if they might be rare. Which also means we must remain vigilant, though judging by her, I suspect she hasn’t really had the need to rely on it much. Then Elaria frowned a little more, would that mean I need to also learn physical combat? But that’s so tedious and tiring. How annoying. She clicked her tongue, a fair bit more stressed than when she first began the day.

“Mistress?” Raylani queried, alarmed by the noise.

“The future that lies ahead, what do you see happening, strictly speaking, for yourself?” Elaria asked, her mind trying to change the trajectory of its thoughts.

“I… pardon?”

“What do you see happening in your future?”

“I… I confess, I do not quite understand the question, mistress.” Raylani bowed.

Elaria looked around and found a few more pairs of eyes staring at the elf. They gawk and stare like the Traxian humans, how peculiar.

“Do you have plans for the future?” Elaria rephrased.

“I… I suppose accompanying you, mistress. That is, if you’ll continue having me.”

Though her face remained impassive, Elaria was a little touched. Such devotion.

“Beyond that, I mean.”

“You mean, beyond just serving you?” Raylani asked, a genuine hint of confusion in her voice. Oh dear.

“Yes. Aspirations, goals, objectives, skill acquisition. That sort of thing.” Elaria prodded, sensing an opening.

“I… I guess… I suppose I do quite enjoy what we have now, mistress, if you’ll allow me to speak.” Raylani shuffled a little.

“I did ask, go on.”

“Well, I do enjoy entertaining, there is a sense of… vigor, when a performance we put on is received well.”

“Hmm… noted.” Elaria hummed to herself, interesting. There is pleasure in being adored for our work, that much I can affirm.

“Oh, that’s not to say I have anything against adventuring or the sort, mistress. I do also intend to continue honing my combat capabilities. Though I confess, it seems a difficult task to accomplish in surface lands.” The dark elf hastily added.

She does make a good bodyguard, that much is also factual, Elaria chuckled to herself. “Finding time to let you become a gladiatrix again should be easy enough. Of course, I doubt the ‘surface folk’ fight as your people do. Or that we'll as easily find a place that would allow fighting to the death that often. Which, I should take this time to remind you, I would prefer you if this doesn't lead you to perish.”

“I will make do, mistress. And be safe too. It would be an honor to be your champion in the arena of battle.” Raylani failed to hide a pleased smile.

At that Elaria almost snorted in amusement, quickly composing herself before giving Raylani an appreciative nod.

“For now though, I have an idea for your first need.” Elaria said with a mischevious grin on her face.

“Mistress? What do you mean?”

Turning away from her companion, Elaria looked towards Alodie. “Lady Alodie, may I propose a question to you?”

Her soft but firm and commanding tone brought the poor girl to a halt mid sentence and she looked attentively at Elaria, her eyes widening as she realised the most quiet member of the group had begun addressing her. Poor thing looks frightened.

“I was wondering if it would be possible to perform here?” She asked the girl.

Alodie seemed confused and turned to Sophie, the half elf shooting Elaria a questioning glance before miming strumming a lute. Alodie looked mortified and just shrugged.

“I don’t know?” The girl whispered, panic in her eyes.

Elaria simply grinned and nodded. She then clapped her hands and stood up, attracting the attention of the other people within the greenhouse before bowing as a performer would.

“Ladies and gentlemen, I apologize for interrupting your pleasant day. But being here inspired me to no great end seeing all of you look to my companion with such curiosity, we wished to offer both tribute to the city and to answer your questions in verse and song.” Elaria raised her voice, her posture now less stiff and a little more limber than mere moments again.

“Mistress?” Raylani hissed in alarm.

Elaria held back the amusement at the dark elf’s worried expression, merely gesturing at the crowd, “Time to practice our arts then? An original song and music.”

“Mistress? But I… we… I don’t even know what to do?”

“Dance as your soul instructs. Let your movements take the music and twist it into a display.” Elaria instructed vaguely.

Left aghast, Raylani didn’t even have time to react before Elaria faced the crowd once more.

“I understand if this interruption hinders the hushed conversation and the relaxing quiet on this auspicious saints day. But rest assured, if you find us offensive and unnecessary, we will be more than happy to depart without trouble.” Elaria spoke with a smile.

“The hells is going on?” A well dressed noble in a frilly purple shirt huffed, a few patrons of the greenhouse murmuring their agreement.

The party meanwhile was stuck between confusion and mortified panic at the sudden attention their companion had attracted. Sophie in particular seemed bewildered, whereas Alodie just stared wide eyed at the sheer audacity Elaria had at pulling all eyes on her. Elaria held back a smirk, I suppose a part of me does find the varied reactions of mortals quite amusing to watch.

“My good sir, a simple, singular song. Inspired by your beautiful city of Ostia and this lovely little alcove of serenity within. Dedicated to all of you here, and beyond. Do not worry, we are not looking for donations or acknowledgement, merely an audience, however temporarily, if you’ll permit.” Elaria bowed deeply and pulled out her flute.

There was an awkward silence that stretched for a few moments, but no active objections came beyond questioning glares. Perfect.

“Then may I present to you, my companion, the elven maiden called Raylani. She hails from lands far beyond ours and wild, with a past steeped in just as much mystery. I am a humble bard, of little note, for she is the star and I am merely the accompaniment. She will dance, and I guarantee you, will mesmerise you. So let your imaginations run wild, and allow us this impromptu performance”

Raylani appeared almost pale as Elaria announced this, her expression bringing great joy to Elaria.

“Without delay then, I present to you…” Elaria paused, building anticipation as she quickly scrambled to come up with a name, her eyes lighting up as something finally arrived, “A tribute to a dear sister of mine, ‘A Home by Your Side’, so thank you all for your time.” Elaria made a final bow.

The gathered crowd waited, even the party didn’t seem to know what to expect, Raylani moreso than anyone else. But her doubts were eased ever so slightly when Elaria flashed her a comforting smile.

“From lands afar, the wanderer walks,

By her side, the whispers of war.

Down through the hells, and up in high mountains.

From lands afar, the wanderer walks.

So she fought, through chaos and hate,

Bound by duty, her cause unrelenting,

Away she went, from her dearest old home.

And so she fought, through chaos and hate.

But her heart remained firm, for she knew where she belonged.

Across the lands, from the west to the east.

In this city of joy, on the day of the stars.

She roamed lands beyond, but she never went far.

For home, for her, were her friends by her side.

And home, for her, were the friends by her side…”

Elaria began singing, her voice suddenly far more smooth and melodic than anyone else besides Raylani was used too. After repeating the verses another time, she paused briefly to assess the crowd, finding some doubters but no one actively against her. Her eyes then lingered on Sophie, the half elf looking almost sentimental and concerned in equal measure. So she feels the emotion. Pleased, she pulled out her newly bought flute and blew out a soft melody.

It was a song both somber and familiar. It’s tone cold and detached like the winter’s day, but on occasion warm and comforting as she drew upon the joy she felt seeing Sophie again. Raylani swayed awkwardly for a few seconds, but as Elaria glanced over and their eyes met, there was an understanding that was traded between them. Taking off her coat and showing off her extremely tight fitting shirt, Rayalni closed her eyes.

Her swaying began translating into movements made in slow motion, exaggerated turns and shifting of her body. From the melodic tones, a more remorseful, composed, and controlled dance emerged. Raylani captured the crowd with her body, elegantly demonstrating her form, before keeping their attention with fitting motions that weaved a tale of sorrow and joy. She too had heard from Sophie about her adventures through the dark depths and struggles beyond. She channelled her own experiences from the arenas of her home, of the countless battles she’d fought for her former mistress and masters. In times of joy or excitement, her dance would have little violent bouts of action, her figure moving to adapt the ways of battle into the song. Yet, the almost whimsical nature of their now wordless duet, wrapped neatly around the melancholic tale that had been Sophie's adventure thus far, bringing to life a tale through song and dance alone.