1,078
Chapter One
o Rodric, whato s the situation?o Ryon Karath asked quietly as he stepped through the door onto the bridge of the Memory of Kyussai.
Rodric, the shipo s captain, looked nervously over his shoulder at the approaching Arcanist master. o Ah, Master Karath. Weo re presently on course, heading at maximum speed for the refuge.o He did his absolute best to sound normal. o With any luck weo ll be there within two or three hours.o
Somehow, the valiantly armored figure standing behind him was able to detect the nervous edge in his voice. Ryon laid a hand on his shoulder. o Good man.o
Rodric flinched, casting a furtive glance over his shoulder as he gripped the shipo s wheel. Ryon's brilliant orange-red eyes met his own. Rodric whispered: o Weo re being followedo ¦ areno t we?o
Ryon only nodded. Rodric shuddered, o What should I do?o Karath blinked once, and stared hard into Rodrico s eyes. o The masters are discussing the matter right now. All we ask is that you continue flying us towards the refuge. If anything happenso ¦o
o o ¦Evacuate the shipo ¦ I knowo ¦o Rodric looked down at his feet nervously.
o The children have gone through the drill dozens of timeso ¦ theyo ll know what to do.o Ryon assured him.
o Ito s not just the children Io m worried abouto ¦o Rodric whispered nervously, o Ito s you, and the other Masterso ¦ youo re the only defense we haveo ¦ if anything happens to you I dono t know how Io ll be able to protect the-o
o Relax, Rodric.o Ryon said, squeezing the mano s shoulder with a comforting grip. o We have everything under control. You just worry about the safety of the passengers.o
Rodric nodded, reaching up from the wheel and wiping a bead of nervous sweat from his forehead. o Yeaho ¦ right, you got it.o Ryon patted his shoulder gently as he turned to leave, glancing once more out the window at the clear starry sky. He sighed, then left the Bridge.
He didno t have to travel far before he encountered the other masters. o He knows, doesno t he?o Came a hollow voice as he rounded the corner.
o Yes, Kurai. Somehow he was aware of it. Heo s sharper than I expected.o
o What are we going to do then?o
Ryon shrugged. o Make a plan and stick with it.o He kept walking, forcing the hooded youth to keep pace with him.
o Master Karath, if I may suggesto ¦ my powers here are hardly of use in an offensive environmento ¦o
o Of course.o Ryon agreed, o I was actually going to suggest to everyone else that if everything does go badly, you would be assigned to protect the children and make sure they reach the refuge safelyo ¦o
The hooded youth nodded, keeping his purple eyes and white hair hidden under his cowl. o I could make a shroudo ¦o
o I like your thinking.o Ryon pointed out as he reached a door. He wasted no time opening it and stepping into the shipo s rear observation cabin.
Standing at the window were two other figures. One was clad in off white robes, with dark hair that flowed down past his belt. A dark obsidian blade rested on his hip, and a card box rested on the other.
The second figure was clad in brilliant white and gold armor, a true warrior. The blade that was sheathed across his back was indescribably beautifulo ¦ a gift from the gods that no other earthly weapon could hope to match. He turned around first.
o Ryon. What news?o
He nodded, o Terris. Rodric knows. Io ve done my best to make sure heo s calm, but I dono t think that will last much longer.o
The other man had turned around by this point. o The children know the plan.o o Yes, Mithiru, but I was praying that we would never have to implement it.o Terris said sadly.
Terris looked up at Ryon. o Do you thinko ¦ my son?o
o Josep?o
Terris nodded, o Heo s just an infanto ¦ I dono t want his life to go to wasteo ¦ especially over something like-o
o Calm yourself, Terris.o Ryon soothed, o Youo re not the only father on board. My son is here as well. I can assure you that they will be among the first to enter the life gliders.o
The grim mood was broken quickly when Voldan lifted an arm and pointed out the window. o The enemy approaches.o
Ryon squinted, and was barely able to make out the form of the other ship that was rapidly gaining on them.
Terris spoke with no emotion. o The Tetrarch.o
o The Imperial flagship. Such blasphemyo ¦o Mithiru Othias hissed, o Isno t Empress Callista one of our supporters?o
o She is.o Terris nodded, then indicated out the window. o That isno t her.o
Ryon understood in an instant. o Ito so ¦o
o Silas.o Terris finished grimly. o Only he would follow us this great distance.o
o If it really is himo ¦ this ship doesno t have a chanceo ¦o
Terris looked up at him, o This ship, Io m afraid, is already gone.o
The masters just stared at each other for a moment, each one silently contemplating the direness of the situation at hand in his own mind. Finally, Ryon spoke up.
o We must evacuate the ship.o
o I agree.o Voldan said.
o Likewise.o Othias nodded.
Terris looked at each of them. o Weo ll have to cover their escapeo ¦o
Ryon patted the sword at his hip. o I believe we can take care of thato ¦o
o Count me in.o Othias said.
Terris eyeballed him. o The chances of us making it out of this one aliveo ¦o
o We know.o
He looked down. This would probably be the last time he saw his friends standing here next to him. Before emotion could begin to claim him, he snapped up and glanced at each one of them, instilling an edge of confidence into his voice.
o Silas already knows weo re here, so there is no point in running any longer. Ryon, I need you to tell Rodric to begin evacuating. Stay there with him on the bridge and help guide him through this. Mithiru, my dear friend, I need you to stay here and help fend off anyone who decides to board us.o
He shifted his gaze to Kurai Voldan, the teenage youth who had achieved the rank of Master Arcanist at such a young ageo ¦ o Youo ll beo ¦o
o Io m going with the evacuees. I can make a shroud and cover our escape.o
o Then ito s settled.o Terris finished.
o Where will you be going?o Ryon asked, knowing the answer even before he finished his question.
Terris indicated the sword on his back. o I have a little score to settle with Silas. Io m going to him.o
Ryon grinned. o The Aether sword alone wono t be enough to defeat himo ¦o Terris smiled back. o Maybe not, but it will be a fight that heo ll never forget.o
Ryon nodded, reaching his hand out. Terris took it and clasped it firmly with a comradeo s grip. He searched Terriso golden sunfire eyes, looking for one last glimpse of happiness. What he saw instead was unadulterated determination, and a sad, burning hope for the future.
Terris spoke quietly, o How long do you need?o
Karath tried valiantly to keep his eyes from watering over. o Give us ten minutes. We should all be off the ship by then.o
o Consider it done.o Terris shook his hand, then let go. o May the grace of the Nine be with us.o
He looked one last time at each of them. o Make me proudo ¦o
Ryon blinked a tear out of his eye, o This one will go down in history books for generations to come.o
Terris smiled. o Io ll be seeing you.o
o You tooo ¦o They all responded.
With that, Terris strode out of the room, and as he disappeared around the corner, a newfound valor found its way into each of their hearts, lifting their spirits and instilling strength into each of them.
o Leto s go.o Ryon Karath said. And they did.
Terris rounded two corners, then strode down the long corridor that led through the center of the ship. He had reached the far end when he heard alarms begin echoing through the corridors.
Nodding in satisfaction, he proceeded up a ladder and climbed through a hatch, shutting it behind him.
Sealing the hatch shut, he reached into the pouch on his hip and pulled out a single card.
Using magic, he levitated the card in front of him and recited a prayer to Zephis, the spirit of the wind. The card glowed a faint green from inside, and then vanished into thin air when the spell was complete.
Terris nodded. At this altitude, breathing outside of an airship would prove to be impossibleo ¦ so he had used a spell to maintain surface-normal air pressure around him for as long as he needed.
Satisfied that his spell had worked, he stood up and reached towards the hatch that led to the Memoryo s outside deck. Taking a breath just to be safe, he undid the latch, ignoring the alarm it set off, and opened the door.
Almost immediately he was battered by the air that was sucked out of the chamber, but he held on to the door until the winds had calmed down.
After the brief hurricane was over, he climbed through and stepped onto the smooth deck of the ship. It was blissfully quiet, compared to the alarms that could be faintly heard coming from inside the hull.
He felt the vessel shudder, and saw briefly a single winged glider shoot off into the night, angling for the desert far below.
Wasting no time, he began climbing up the rigging that led up to the maintenance nest near the shipo s tail rudders.
Something nearby flashed brilliantly, and a half a second later an explosive shockwave nearly sent him flying off the side of the ship.
Following the glare of the explosion, he saw the dark outline of the Tetrarch, angling itself for a full broadside against the Memory.
Terris wasno t about to let that happen.
In defiance, he used inhuman strength to propel himself up to the maintenance nest, then stood up, and unsheathed the sword on his back.
As he slid the blade out of the sheath, he recited a specific incantation that only he knew; nobody else in the Empire had ever been able to master this specific secret except himo ¦ and immediately the blade began to glow and shimmer with the combined power of the nine Arcane elements.
The sword itself defied logic: it was as painful to look at as it was to be struck by it. A gift to Terris from the gods, the Aether Sword could cut through anything. The glow it cast lit up the night sky around him brighter than the light of ten suns; a dead giveaway for targeting, but at the same time no doubt burning the eyes out of whatever gunners had lined their sights up on the ship.
He waved the sword in defiance, knowing perfectly well that Silas was watching his every move.
On the bridge of the dark battleship Tetrarch, the crewmen manning the helm and altitude controls were all flinching and shielding their eyes at the brilliance that had suddenly lit up the entire night around them.
Except for one man.
This man stood in silent contemplation, hands down at his sides, head angled down so that only his eyes could be seen from under the cloak and hood that covered his head.
A faint red glow emanated from the Arcanist insignias on his hands, and a malicious smirk crept ito s way onto his face.
He spoke with a menacing air that seemed to make the very air flinch around him. o Terris. At last you finally come out of hiding.o
One brave crewman nearby turned towards him, not quite sure who the comment was directed to. o Sir?o
Silas slowly turned towards the man. o Xine. You have the helm. Io ll be back in a minute.o
o Where are you going, sir?o
Silas nodded out the window. o That man must not be allowed to survive. Io m going to ensure of that myself.o
Silas spun around, taking three strides over to a nearby case, which he opened up. Inside was a scythe, and as soon as Silas laid his hands upon it, runes all along the blade and staff began to glow with a mystical red aura.
Silas grinned as he felt the arcane power surge through him, binding himself to the weapon.
A moment later, he snapped the case shut and strode towards the ladder at the back of the command deck.
o Any other orders, sir?o He heard Xine call out.
Silas paused as he climbed onto the ladder. o Continue firing on that ship. Leave none alive.o
Atop the maintenance nest on the Memory, Terris was figuring out his next move when suddenly the entire port side of the Tetrarch began erupting in flashes.
Half a second later, the Memory shook violently as the Dark Battleshipo s broadside ripped open gaping holes in the Memoryo s hull.
Explosions from near misses rocked the night, and the shockwaves from the cannonade threatened to send Terris plummeting off the side of the ship.
Cursing, Terris did a quick mental calculation, then recited an incantation to the spirit of wind.
Then, he bent his legs, and leapt.
He sailed clean up off the nest, arching out over the open space between the two vessels.
Over a mile below he could see the ground, and he felt a brief horrible moment of doubt as he realized the consequences of getting this wrong.
He shook the thought as he began to descend, flipping open the container of cards on his belt and pulling out six. Using arcane magic, he infused two of the cards with chronos energy, and the rest with light.
Those cards that were infused with light began spinning around him on separate trajectories, forming a glowing, spinning shield.
The two chronos cards he slapped onto his arms, letting them absorb the power from the chronos spell.
In front of him, the edge of the forward deck of the Tetrarch stretched into view. Not daring to think about what would happen if his spells failed, he flourished his sword and landed on the deck with a roll, barely avoiding missing and falling off the side. Coming out of the roll, he began running swiftly down the deck, towards the command tower that seemed to be half the world away.
He was stopped short as six hatches along the deck opened up in front of him, three on the left, and three on the right. Out of these hatches rose double barreled turrets.
Terris was too smart to think of these as normal guns.
He had no doubt that these were magic powered anti-personnel cannons, and that there were probably more targeting him from along the tower in front of him.
His thoughts were answered an instant later as every one of the turrets swiveled towards him and opened fire.
A torrential onslaught of firebolts, beams, waves, and pure shrapnel rocketed towards him, but Terris did not flinch.
Instead he raised his Aether Sword, and began swinging.
His chronos infused arms moved faster than the eye could follow, swinging the magnificent blade in a precisely calibrated and desperate dance, the sword intercepting each individual shot fired from the turrets.
What few shots did manage to make it past were instantly blocked and absorbed by the light infused cards that swirled around him, so fast that it looked like a solid, glowing ball of light.
The onslaught continued for several moments, and the sheer power of the assault prevented Terris from advancing any further down the deck.
To Terris, everything seemed to move in slow motiono ¦ each beam and firebolt that raced towards him seemed to crawl along so slowo ¦ it was easy to just snap his sword into place and intercept each one, almost like a game.
He knew in the back of his mind that this spell wouldno t last much longer. Each shot he intercepted sapped away at his strength, draining his energy until he knew eventually he would tire out and the spell would fail.
He wasno t about to let that happen. He thought for an instant, formulating a plano ¦ and then it came to him an instant later.
If these cannons were powered by magic, the traces of arcane energy left by their projectiles could be exploited.
He smiled. It was almost too easy.
He made a slight adjustment to his sword patterns, and this time, when each shot connected with the blade, he poured just a little bit of his own magic into the collision, and propelled that energy back along the line of fire from whence the shot came.
In almost no time at all, it seemed that dozens of bright beams of light emanated from Terris, lancing across the deck and instantly turning the deadly turrets into useless heaps of smoking metal.
He relaxed, letting the chronos spell that was now burning his arms dissipate and holding the sword down at his side. Beyond the smoke that was now billowing across the deck, he saw a figure framed in the light of the doorway that led into the command tower. Terris let out a breath.
Across the deck, the figure framed in the doorway now held a scythe, and half a second later it leapt from ito s position and raced towards him, swinging the deadly weapon in an overhead arc.
Even though the entrance to the command tower was still far away, Terris was surprised as he barely managed to bring his sword up in time to defend himself.
The scythe connected solidly with the tip of his Aether Sword, and a terrible screech deafened him as the weapon resisted his bladeo s magic.
Terris lunged forward, shoving the scythe off of his sword and opening up for a slash towards Silaso s chest.
By the time his sword was there, Silas was gone.
He spun around, and ducked just in time to avoid being beheaded by the graceful spin-slash of Silaso s next attack.
He slashed down at Silaso s feet, but he easily jumped over this and brought his weapon up to guard.
Terriso return to guard grazed the tip of Silaso elbow, and he let out a cry that sounded more like infuriated rage than pain. There was silence for a moment, and then he lunged again.
What followed was a furious exchange of blows, both of their weapons moving so fast that their eyes could not follow, but only watch the silent trails of glowing magic that they left behind.
There was no need for an exchange of words; their actions said everything that needed to be heard. There was no dramatic flourish, no taunting remark, no sinister announcement of what was going to happen to the other; this was one on one combat in its purest form, just a plain and simple attempt to disarm and eventually destroy the other.
Terris let himself go, allowing the fight to push him farther down the deck, towards the command tower. Each blow that Silas delivered connected more than solidly with his Aether Sword, deafening him each time and sending horrible concussive shocks up his arms, and already he felt his limbs were just going to fall off.
But then there came a brief lull, a moment where an opening presented itself so profoundly that Terris felt he couldno t afford to pass it up.
He twisted his sword and intercepted yet another blow, and this time the weapons locked. Silas leaned in close, his dark red eyes staring death from under his hood, and began wrestling Terriso sword out of the lock.
Terris sidestepped to the right, and let Silas push both the blades down, straight into a chain that was supporting one of the Tetrarcho s main sails.
Both of the magic-infused weapons easily sheared through the chain, snapping it in two with a loud whip crack that sent the lower half straight down into Silaso foot, and the upper half straight up and across Terriso chest.
He was knocked off his feet, but that was a small price to pay for the tiny breather he had just earned. Silas had jumped back, well clear of the mast that the sail was attached to.
Terris heard a series of snaps, cracks, and what sounded like splintering metal, and it was only as he stood up that he realized he was in the direct path of the now tumbling sail, which smacked into him hard enough to knock his breath away.
The wind caught the billowing fabric, and as it was carried out over the side of the deck rail, Terris was swept along in ito s wake and dragged off the side of the ship. Nearby, Silas just stood silently, suppressing a grin that wanted so badly to make its way onto his face. He was too smart to think that Terris had just been defeated so easily.
Onboard the Memory, Mithiru Othias was running down the midship corridor, alongside Ryon Karath and captain Rodric. In their wake were two children, who were in turn followed by Kurai Voldan. They rounded another corner, and found themselves at the last escape glider.
Ryon stepped aside and let the two children jump in.
One of them, a young toddler who was no more than five, turned around and stared at him. Ryono s heart jumped a beat, and he resisted the urge to jump in right after him. Rodric stepped into the glider, and Othias stood by.
Voldan put one foot in. o Thato s the last of them.o
Ryon nodded. o You made sure my son was on the first glider?o
o Yes, Gerrard is safe.o
o Good.o
Ryon turned to Rodric as the ship shook again from another broadside. o Rodric, the welfare of these children falls to you and Kurai until you reach the refuge. When you get there, talk to Hyashii Kyata. She will assist you with whatever you need.o
o But, what about you, and Master Othias?o Rodric sounded panicked, o How are we going too ¦o
o Be calm, Rodric. Voldan will guide you. Heo s a good man, I trust him.o
Voldan looked up briefly at this comment, but said nothing.
Ryon continued, o Othias and I will meet up with you after we finish here.o o Io ¦uho ¦ okayo ¦o Rodric said, clearly not convinced.
Othias moved to the glidero s release lever. o Safe flying, to all of you.o
Inside the glider, the little boy asked: o Whereo s my dad?o
Ryon blinked back tears. o Be brave, Josep. Your dad will be with you soon.o Before anyone else could say anything, Othias hit the release lever, and a door slammed down in front of them. Then the glider was away, and Ryon finally relaxed.
o Are you okay?o Othias asked him.
Ryon stared at the floor. o Yes. Now that I know the future is secure, I think Io m finally at peace.o
He looked around the corridor.
o Leto s get to the bridge. I have one last present I want to give to Silas.o
Othias nodded. o Leto s go.o
Terris failed in his urge to not look down.
His glance nearly cost him his white-knuckled death grip he had established on the chain that was still attached to the ship.
It was so dark out he couldno t see the ground below him any longer, just the fading glow of his tumbling sword that he had sacrificed to stay alive.
Shaking his head, he began to climb.
He wasted no time in scrambling his way back up the chain. He knew it was only a matter of seconds before Silas realized he could simply cut the tether, sending him plummeting to his doom in the desert far below.
Almost as if it was prophetic, Terris saw a brief flash of light, and a millisecond later the chain he was climbing up went slack.
It took every ounce of courage and strength that Terris had to lunge up off the falling chain, and even so he just barely managed to grab the side of the deck rail with the tips of his fingers.
He heard footsteps, and proceeded to vault himself up and over the rail in a flip, extending his legs and landing a solid kick to Silaso s torso. Silas grunted, and was sent staggering backwards as his scythe clattered to the deck. Terris pressed his attack, charging forward and drawing two cards from his belt.
He reached Silas and began delivering a series of punches, kicks, and flurries that were far superior to any ability even the worldo s best martial artist could hope to master. Silas, in turn, had somehow produced two cards of his own, and sparks flew as their blows collided and skidded off of each other.
Terris never faltered, delivering blow after blow, strike after strike, and Silas, who was expertly countering every single one, was finally beginning to realize he might have gotten more than he had bargained for.
Terris pushed him down the deck, until they were at the very bow of the ship. In a last desperate attempt to throw Terris off of him, Silas discarded his cards and grabbed Terriso wrists. His eyes went wide at the sheer strength Terris showed as he simply resisted his attempt to dislocate his shoulders.
Instead, Terris kept pushing forward, threatening to throw Silas over the side of the ship.
Silas finally spoke, and his voice showed no emotion of any kind.
o Youo ve fought well Terris. Io ve underestimated youo ¦ youo ve learned much since I last saw you.o
Terris grunted and grappled with Silas more, spinning the two of them around. o And yet, Silas,o Terris countered, o You haveno t changed at all. You never will.o
Silas almost shrugged. o Maybe, maybe not.o
Terris grinned, staring intently into Silaso eyes. o You always pursue the impossible. No matter what you do, this world will never be without Arcanists. And you will never succeed in destroying uso ¦ not the way you are.o
This time, Silas grinned. o You neglect the fact, arrogant master, that perhaps you areno t the only one whoo s learned some new tricks since the war ended.o
Before Terris could react of figure out what Silas meant, he felt an extremely strong repulsion and was suddenly propelled quite rapidly away from Silas, flying dangerously towards the edge of the deck railing. Just managing to catch himself, he looked back up to Silas, who was just standing there in his cloak and hood like the reaper of death himself.
o What devilish magic is this?o He asked.
o Wouldno t you like to know?o Silas snapped, o Ito s too bad you wono t be around for me to teach it to you.o
Terris stood up.
Out beyond the deck rail, the Memory was turning around and beginning to accelerate towards the ship.
o Teach me?o He said, o I refuse to play your games and meddle in forbidden arcanism.o
o Then ito s sad that youo ll never know what could have been accomplished had you taken the time to study and understand its advantages.o
Silas lowered his head, o Goodbye Terris. Ito s been an honor knowing you.o
Before Terris could react, Silas leapt from his position and plowed into him, but even in his defensive stance there was no way to block against the sheer mass that now seemed to make up Silas, and in no time at all he felt the edge of the deck rail behind his backo ¦ then a tumbleo ¦ he grabbed for Silaso s cloak, and held on for all it was wortho ¦ then his stomach turned a loop as he fell backwards and dragged Silas along with him over the side, out into the dark night as they began to fall to the earth.
As they fell, a window onboard the Memory suddenly exploded outward, and a shadowy figure dove out, his obsidian blade drawn, making a beeline straight for the two tumbling figures.
Terris let himself go.
There was no exit now, only the doorway to the ethereal afterlife, and peace with the gods. But even so, he had been blessed with this one last chance to save the future, and the world, and he was not about to let that slip away.
He threw every last aerial combat maneuver he could think of at Silas, and each blow connected as solidly as the last. Silas, who had clearly not been expecting this, suddenly became a living punching bag as Terris proceeded to beat him to death in his final act.
Several moments of this went by, and then Silas finally snapped out of his daze. He grabbed Terriso ankle, and the two of them began clawing at each other as they tumbled towards the earth, which could now be seen and was rapidly approaching them. They fought savagely, both of them drawing blood and snapping bones as they fought for their lives.
The end came when Terris managed to grab Silas in a choke hold.
The ground was fast approaching, and Terris had nearly drawn Silaso final gasp for air, when by some absurd circumstance Silas somehow managed to mutter an incantation, and he suddenly stopped in midair.
Terris was wrenched away from him, too dazed to realize what had just happened, and continued to plummet helplessly to the eartho ¦ but in his mind, he had already won. As long as the children were safeo ¦
o My sono ¦o He muttered, o Io ll be with you soono ¦o
Silas grabbed at his throat, surprised that his gravitational spell had worked.
His excitement was short lived, however, when something suddenly slammed into him from behind, and an icy pain shot through his arm. Crying out in anger and pain, he saw the outline of the Master of Earth, Mithiru Othias, continue descending towards the earth, crying out in disbelief at what he had just done. He felt blood began pouring from the stump where his arm used to beo ¦ and Silas too, began to fall.
On the bridge of the Memory, Ryon Karath placed the last of his fire-infused cards on the helm in front of him. He had planted the cards all over the room, and along every hallway he had come down until he had gotten here.
Taking one last breath, he angled the wheel and steered the Memory straight at the command tower of the Tetrarch.
The Memory closed the distance in a matter of seconds, and the deck lurched terribly as the two ships collided. Everything was drowned out in an apocalyptic cacophony of shattering glass, splintering wood, cracking metal, and reverberating shockwaves as systems began failing all over the vessel.
Just when everything began to settle down, Ryon Karath lifted his blood soaked head from the wheelo ¦ and muttered the last words of the incantation he had been saying the entire time.
Mithiru Othias hurled his sword with amazing speed at the ground, and as the blade impacted with the dusty floor of the desert, it sent out a shockwave that spun up the dunes around ito ¦ producing enough counterforce to slow Othiaso fall so that he landed in an ungraceful roll and came to a stop face up on his back.
He wasno t sure if his blow to Silas was fatal, but it was revenge enough to make up for what he had just done to Terris.
His eyes watered over as pain seared up his legs and kneeso ¦ maybe the fall wasno t as slow as he thought, but at least he was alive. He had been blessed by the gods to fight on another dayo ¦ and usher in the new future.
These thoughts echoed through his mind as the sky above him erupted suddenly into a brilliant fireball, that for a moment, lit up the desert as if it was the middle of the day. Then it was dark again, and all that could be seen were the faint trails of flaming debris that arched gracefully across the night as if they were shooting stars.
o Rodric, whato s the situation?o Ryon Karath asked quietly as he stepped through the door onto the bridge of the Memory of Kyussai.
Rodric, the shipo s captain, looked nervously over his shoulder at the approaching Arcanist master. o Ah, Master Karath. Weo re presently on course, heading at maximum speed for the refuge.o He did his absolute best to sound normal. o With any luck weo ll be there within two or three hours.o
Somehow, the valiantly armored figure standing behind him was able to detect the nervous edge in his voice. Ryon laid a hand on his shoulder. o Good man.o
Rodric flinched, casting a furtive glance over his shoulder as he gripped the shipo s wheel. Ryon's brilliant orange-red eyes met his own. Rodric whispered: o Weo re being followedo ¦ areno t we?o
Ryon only nodded. Rodric shuddered, o What should I do?o Karath blinked once, and stared hard into Rodrico s eyes. o The masters are discussing the matter right now. All we ask is that you continue flying us towards the refuge. If anything happenso ¦o
o o ¦Evacuate the shipo ¦ I knowo ¦o Rodric looked down at his feet nervously.
o The children have gone through the drill dozens of timeso ¦ theyo ll know what to do.o Ryon assured him.
o Ito s not just the children Io m worried abouto ¦o Rodric whispered nervously, o Ito s you, and the other Masterso ¦ youo re the only defense we haveo ¦ if anything happens to you I dono t know how Io ll be able to protect the-o
o Relax, Rodric.o Ryon said, squeezing the mano s shoulder with a comforting grip. o We have everything under control. You just worry about the safety of the passengers.o
Rodric nodded, reaching up from the wheel and wiping a bead of nervous sweat from his forehead. o Yeaho ¦ right, you got it.o Ryon patted his shoulder gently as he turned to leave, glancing once more out the window at the clear starry sky. He sighed, then left the Bridge.
He didno t have to travel far before he encountered the other masters. o He knows, doesno t he?o Came a hollow voice as he rounded the corner.
o Yes, Kurai. Somehow he was aware of it. Heo s sharper than I expected.o
o What are we going to do then?o
Ryon shrugged. o Make a plan and stick with it.o He kept walking, forcing the hooded youth to keep pace with him.
o Master Karath, if I may suggesto ¦ my powers here are hardly of use in an offensive environmento ¦o
o Of course.o Ryon agreed, o I was actually going to suggest to everyone else that if everything does go badly, you would be assigned to protect the children and make sure they reach the refuge safelyo ¦o
The hooded youth nodded, keeping his purple eyes and white hair hidden under his cowl. o I could make a shroudo ¦o
o I like your thinking.o Ryon pointed out as he reached a door. He wasted no time opening it and stepping into the shipo s rear observation cabin.
Standing at the window were two other figures. One was clad in off white robes, with dark hair that flowed down past his belt. A dark obsidian blade rested on his hip, and a card box rested on the other.
The second figure was clad in brilliant white and gold armor, a true warrior. The blade that was sheathed across his back was indescribably beautifulo ¦ a gift from the gods that no other earthly weapon could hope to match. He turned around first.
o Ryon. What news?o
He nodded, o Terris. Rodric knows. Io ve done my best to make sure heo s calm, but I dono t think that will last much longer.o
The other man had turned around by this point. o The children know the plan.o o Yes, Mithiru, but I was praying that we would never have to implement it.o Terris said sadly.
Terris looked up at Ryon. o Do you thinko ¦ my son?o
o Josep?o
Terris nodded, o Heo s just an infanto ¦ I dono t want his life to go to wasteo ¦ especially over something like-o
o Calm yourself, Terris.o Ryon soothed, o Youo re not the only father on board. My son is here as well. I can assure you that they will be among the first to enter the life gliders.o
The grim mood was broken quickly when Voldan lifted an arm and pointed out the window. o The enemy approaches.o
Ryon squinted, and was barely able to make out the form of the other ship that was rapidly gaining on them.
Terris spoke with no emotion. o The Tetrarch.o
o The Imperial flagship. Such blasphemyo ¦o Mithiru Othias hissed, o Isno t Empress Callista one of our supporters?o
o She is.o Terris nodded, then indicated out the window. o That isno t her.o
Ryon understood in an instant. o Ito so ¦o
o Silas.o Terris finished grimly. o Only he would follow us this great distance.o
o If it really is himo ¦ this ship doesno t have a chanceo ¦o
Terris looked up at him, o This ship, Io m afraid, is already gone.o
The masters just stared at each other for a moment, each one silently contemplating the direness of the situation at hand in his own mind. Finally, Ryon spoke up.
o We must evacuate the ship.o
o I agree.o Voldan said.
o Likewise.o Othias nodded.
Terris looked at each of them. o Weo ll have to cover their escapeo ¦o
Ryon patted the sword at his hip. o I believe we can take care of thato ¦o
o Count me in.o Othias said.
Terris eyeballed him. o The chances of us making it out of this one aliveo ¦o
o We know.o
He looked down. This would probably be the last time he saw his friends standing here next to him. Before emotion could begin to claim him, he snapped up and glanced at each one of them, instilling an edge of confidence into his voice.
o Silas already knows weo re here, so there is no point in running any longer. Ryon, I need you to tell Rodric to begin evacuating. Stay there with him on the bridge and help guide him through this. Mithiru, my dear friend, I need you to stay here and help fend off anyone who decides to board us.o
He shifted his gaze to Kurai Voldan, the teenage youth who had achieved the rank of Master Arcanist at such a young ageo ¦ o Youo ll beo ¦o
o Io m going with the evacuees. I can make a shroud and cover our escape.o
o Then ito s settled.o Terris finished.
o Where will you be going?o Ryon asked, knowing the answer even before he finished his question.
Terris indicated the sword on his back. o I have a little score to settle with Silas. Io m going to him.o
Ryon grinned. o The Aether sword alone wono t be enough to defeat himo ¦o Terris smiled back. o Maybe not, but it will be a fight that heo ll never forget.o
Ryon nodded, reaching his hand out. Terris took it and clasped it firmly with a comradeo s grip. He searched Terriso golden sunfire eyes, looking for one last glimpse of happiness. What he saw instead was unadulterated determination, and a sad, burning hope for the future.
Terris spoke quietly, o How long do you need?o
Karath tried valiantly to keep his eyes from watering over. o Give us ten minutes. We should all be off the ship by then.o
o Consider it done.o Terris shook his hand, then let go. o May the grace of the Nine be with us.o
He looked one last time at each of them. o Make me proudo ¦o
Ryon blinked a tear out of his eye, o This one will go down in history books for generations to come.o
Terris smiled. o Io ll be seeing you.o
o You tooo ¦o They all responded.
With that, Terris strode out of the room, and as he disappeared around the corner, a newfound valor found its way into each of their hearts, lifting their spirits and instilling strength into each of them.
o Leto s go.o Ryon Karath said. And they did.
Terris rounded two corners, then strode down the long corridor that led through the center of the ship. He had reached the far end when he heard alarms begin echoing through the corridors.
Nodding in satisfaction, he proceeded up a ladder and climbed through a hatch, shutting it behind him.
Sealing the hatch shut, he reached into the pouch on his hip and pulled out a single card.
Using magic, he levitated the card in front of him and recited a prayer to Zephis, the spirit of the wind. The card glowed a faint green from inside, and then vanished into thin air when the spell was complete.
Terris nodded. At this altitude, breathing outside of an airship would prove to be impossibleo ¦ so he had used a spell to maintain surface-normal air pressure around him for as long as he needed.
Satisfied that his spell had worked, he stood up and reached towards the hatch that led to the Memoryo s outside deck. Taking a breath just to be safe, he undid the latch, ignoring the alarm it set off, and opened the door.
Almost immediately he was battered by the air that was sucked out of the chamber, but he held on to the door until the winds had calmed down.
After the brief hurricane was over, he climbed through and stepped onto the smooth deck of the ship. It was blissfully quiet, compared to the alarms that could be faintly heard coming from inside the hull.
He felt the vessel shudder, and saw briefly a single winged glider shoot off into the night, angling for the desert far below.
Wasting no time, he began climbing up the rigging that led up to the maintenance nest near the shipo s tail rudders.
Something nearby flashed brilliantly, and a half a second later an explosive shockwave nearly sent him flying off the side of the ship.
Following the glare of the explosion, he saw the dark outline of the Tetrarch, angling itself for a full broadside against the Memory.
Terris wasno t about to let that happen.
In defiance, he used inhuman strength to propel himself up to the maintenance nest, then stood up, and unsheathed the sword on his back.
As he slid the blade out of the sheath, he recited a specific incantation that only he knew; nobody else in the Empire had ever been able to master this specific secret except himo ¦ and immediately the blade began to glow and shimmer with the combined power of the nine Arcane elements.
The sword itself defied logic: it was as painful to look at as it was to be struck by it. A gift to Terris from the gods, the Aether Sword could cut through anything. The glow it cast lit up the night sky around him brighter than the light of ten suns; a dead giveaway for targeting, but at the same time no doubt burning the eyes out of whatever gunners had lined their sights up on the ship.
He waved the sword in defiance, knowing perfectly well that Silas was watching his every move.
On the bridge of the dark battleship Tetrarch, the crewmen manning the helm and altitude controls were all flinching and shielding their eyes at the brilliance that had suddenly lit up the entire night around them.
Except for one man.
This man stood in silent contemplation, hands down at his sides, head angled down so that only his eyes could be seen from under the cloak and hood that covered his head.
A faint red glow emanated from the Arcanist insignias on his hands, and a malicious smirk crept ito s way onto his face.
He spoke with a menacing air that seemed to make the very air flinch around him. o Terris. At last you finally come out of hiding.o
One brave crewman nearby turned towards him, not quite sure who the comment was directed to. o Sir?o
Silas slowly turned towards the man. o Xine. You have the helm. Io ll be back in a minute.o
o Where are you going, sir?o
Silas nodded out the window. o That man must not be allowed to survive. Io m going to ensure of that myself.o
Silas spun around, taking three strides over to a nearby case, which he opened up. Inside was a scythe, and as soon as Silas laid his hands upon it, runes all along the blade and staff began to glow with a mystical red aura.
Silas grinned as he felt the arcane power surge through him, binding himself to the weapon.
A moment later, he snapped the case shut and strode towards the ladder at the back of the command deck.
o Any other orders, sir?o He heard Xine call out.
Silas paused as he climbed onto the ladder. o Continue firing on that ship. Leave none alive.o
Atop the maintenance nest on the Memory, Terris was figuring out his next move when suddenly the entire port side of the Tetrarch began erupting in flashes.
Half a second later, the Memory shook violently as the Dark Battleshipo s broadside ripped open gaping holes in the Memoryo s hull.
Explosions from near misses rocked the night, and the shockwaves from the cannonade threatened to send Terris plummeting off the side of the ship.
Cursing, Terris did a quick mental calculation, then recited an incantation to the spirit of wind.
Then, he bent his legs, and leapt.
He sailed clean up off the nest, arching out over the open space between the two vessels.
Over a mile below he could see the ground, and he felt a brief horrible moment of doubt as he realized the consequences of getting this wrong.
He shook the thought as he began to descend, flipping open the container of cards on his belt and pulling out six. Using arcane magic, he infused two of the cards with chronos energy, and the rest with light.
Those cards that were infused with light began spinning around him on separate trajectories, forming a glowing, spinning shield.
The two chronos cards he slapped onto his arms, letting them absorb the power from the chronos spell.
In front of him, the edge of the forward deck of the Tetrarch stretched into view. Not daring to think about what would happen if his spells failed, he flourished his sword and landed on the deck with a roll, barely avoiding missing and falling off the side. Coming out of the roll, he began running swiftly down the deck, towards the command tower that seemed to be half the world away.
He was stopped short as six hatches along the deck opened up in front of him, three on the left, and three on the right. Out of these hatches rose double barreled turrets.
Terris was too smart to think of these as normal guns.
He had no doubt that these were magic powered anti-personnel cannons, and that there were probably more targeting him from along the tower in front of him.
His thoughts were answered an instant later as every one of the turrets swiveled towards him and opened fire.
A torrential onslaught of firebolts, beams, waves, and pure shrapnel rocketed towards him, but Terris did not flinch.
Instead he raised his Aether Sword, and began swinging.
His chronos infused arms moved faster than the eye could follow, swinging the magnificent blade in a precisely calibrated and desperate dance, the sword intercepting each individual shot fired from the turrets.
What few shots did manage to make it past were instantly blocked and absorbed by the light infused cards that swirled around him, so fast that it looked like a solid, glowing ball of light.
The onslaught continued for several moments, and the sheer power of the assault prevented Terris from advancing any further down the deck.
To Terris, everything seemed to move in slow motiono ¦ each beam and firebolt that raced towards him seemed to crawl along so slowo ¦ it was easy to just snap his sword into place and intercept each one, almost like a game.
He knew in the back of his mind that this spell wouldno t last much longer. Each shot he intercepted sapped away at his strength, draining his energy until he knew eventually he would tire out and the spell would fail.
He wasno t about to let that happen. He thought for an instant, formulating a plano ¦ and then it came to him an instant later.
If these cannons were powered by magic, the traces of arcane energy left by their projectiles could be exploited.
He smiled. It was almost too easy.
He made a slight adjustment to his sword patterns, and this time, when each shot connected with the blade, he poured just a little bit of his own magic into the collision, and propelled that energy back along the line of fire from whence the shot came.
In almost no time at all, it seemed that dozens of bright beams of light emanated from Terris, lancing across the deck and instantly turning the deadly turrets into useless heaps of smoking metal.
He relaxed, letting the chronos spell that was now burning his arms dissipate and holding the sword down at his side. Beyond the smoke that was now billowing across the deck, he saw a figure framed in the light of the doorway that led into the command tower. Terris let out a breath.
Across the deck, the figure framed in the doorway now held a scythe, and half a second later it leapt from ito s position and raced towards him, swinging the deadly weapon in an overhead arc.
Even though the entrance to the command tower was still far away, Terris was surprised as he barely managed to bring his sword up in time to defend himself.
The scythe connected solidly with the tip of his Aether Sword, and a terrible screech deafened him as the weapon resisted his bladeo s magic.
Terris lunged forward, shoving the scythe off of his sword and opening up for a slash towards Silaso s chest.
By the time his sword was there, Silas was gone.
He spun around, and ducked just in time to avoid being beheaded by the graceful spin-slash of Silaso s next attack.
He slashed down at Silaso s feet, but he easily jumped over this and brought his weapon up to guard.
Terriso return to guard grazed the tip of Silaso elbow, and he let out a cry that sounded more like infuriated rage than pain. There was silence for a moment, and then he lunged again.
What followed was a furious exchange of blows, both of their weapons moving so fast that their eyes could not follow, but only watch the silent trails of glowing magic that they left behind.
There was no need for an exchange of words; their actions said everything that needed to be heard. There was no dramatic flourish, no taunting remark, no sinister announcement of what was going to happen to the other; this was one on one combat in its purest form, just a plain and simple attempt to disarm and eventually destroy the other.
Terris let himself go, allowing the fight to push him farther down the deck, towards the command tower. Each blow that Silas delivered connected more than solidly with his Aether Sword, deafening him each time and sending horrible concussive shocks up his arms, and already he felt his limbs were just going to fall off.
But then there came a brief lull, a moment where an opening presented itself so profoundly that Terris felt he couldno t afford to pass it up.
He twisted his sword and intercepted yet another blow, and this time the weapons locked. Silas leaned in close, his dark red eyes staring death from under his hood, and began wrestling Terriso sword out of the lock.
Terris sidestepped to the right, and let Silas push both the blades down, straight into a chain that was supporting one of the Tetrarcho s main sails.
Both of the magic-infused weapons easily sheared through the chain, snapping it in two with a loud whip crack that sent the lower half straight down into Silaso foot, and the upper half straight up and across Terriso chest.
He was knocked off his feet, but that was a small price to pay for the tiny breather he had just earned. Silas had jumped back, well clear of the mast that the sail was attached to.
Terris heard a series of snaps, cracks, and what sounded like splintering metal, and it was only as he stood up that he realized he was in the direct path of the now tumbling sail, which smacked into him hard enough to knock his breath away.
The wind caught the billowing fabric, and as it was carried out over the side of the deck rail, Terris was swept along in ito s wake and dragged off the side of the ship. Nearby, Silas just stood silently, suppressing a grin that wanted so badly to make its way onto his face. He was too smart to think that Terris had just been defeated so easily.
Onboard the Memory, Mithiru Othias was running down the midship corridor, alongside Ryon Karath and captain Rodric. In their wake were two children, who were in turn followed by Kurai Voldan. They rounded another corner, and found themselves at the last escape glider.
Ryon stepped aside and let the two children jump in.
One of them, a young toddler who was no more than five, turned around and stared at him. Ryono s heart jumped a beat, and he resisted the urge to jump in right after him. Rodric stepped into the glider, and Othias stood by.
Voldan put one foot in. o Thato s the last of them.o
Ryon nodded. o You made sure my son was on the first glider?o
o Yes, Gerrard is safe.o
o Good.o
Ryon turned to Rodric as the ship shook again from another broadside. o Rodric, the welfare of these children falls to you and Kurai until you reach the refuge. When you get there, talk to Hyashii Kyata. She will assist you with whatever you need.o
o But, what about you, and Master Othias?o Rodric sounded panicked, o How are we going too ¦o
o Be calm, Rodric. Voldan will guide you. Heo s a good man, I trust him.o
Voldan looked up briefly at this comment, but said nothing.
Ryon continued, o Othias and I will meet up with you after we finish here.o o Io ¦uho ¦ okayo ¦o Rodric said, clearly not convinced.
Othias moved to the glidero s release lever. o Safe flying, to all of you.o
Inside the glider, the little boy asked: o Whereo s my dad?o
Ryon blinked back tears. o Be brave, Josep. Your dad will be with you soon.o Before anyone else could say anything, Othias hit the release lever, and a door slammed down in front of them. Then the glider was away, and Ryon finally relaxed.
o Are you okay?o Othias asked him.
Ryon stared at the floor. o Yes. Now that I know the future is secure, I think Io m finally at peace.o
He looked around the corridor.
o Leto s get to the bridge. I have one last present I want to give to Silas.o
Othias nodded. o Leto s go.o
Terris failed in his urge to not look down.
His glance nearly cost him his white-knuckled death grip he had established on the chain that was still attached to the ship.
It was so dark out he couldno t see the ground below him any longer, just the fading glow of his tumbling sword that he had sacrificed to stay alive.
Shaking his head, he began to climb.
He wasted no time in scrambling his way back up the chain. He knew it was only a matter of seconds before Silas realized he could simply cut the tether, sending him plummeting to his doom in the desert far below.
Almost as if it was prophetic, Terris saw a brief flash of light, and a millisecond later the chain he was climbing up went slack.
It took every ounce of courage and strength that Terris had to lunge up off the falling chain, and even so he just barely managed to grab the side of the deck rail with the tips of his fingers.
He heard footsteps, and proceeded to vault himself up and over the rail in a flip, extending his legs and landing a solid kick to Silaso s torso. Silas grunted, and was sent staggering backwards as his scythe clattered to the deck. Terris pressed his attack, charging forward and drawing two cards from his belt.
He reached Silas and began delivering a series of punches, kicks, and flurries that were far superior to any ability even the worldo s best martial artist could hope to master. Silas, in turn, had somehow produced two cards of his own, and sparks flew as their blows collided and skidded off of each other.
Terris never faltered, delivering blow after blow, strike after strike, and Silas, who was expertly countering every single one, was finally beginning to realize he might have gotten more than he had bargained for.
Terris pushed him down the deck, until they were at the very bow of the ship. In a last desperate attempt to throw Terris off of him, Silas discarded his cards and grabbed Terriso wrists. His eyes went wide at the sheer strength Terris showed as he simply resisted his attempt to dislocate his shoulders.
Instead, Terris kept pushing forward, threatening to throw Silas over the side of the ship.
Silas finally spoke, and his voice showed no emotion of any kind.
o Youo ve fought well Terris. Io ve underestimated youo ¦ youo ve learned much since I last saw you.o
Terris grunted and grappled with Silas more, spinning the two of them around. o And yet, Silas,o Terris countered, o You haveno t changed at all. You never will.o
Silas almost shrugged. o Maybe, maybe not.o
Terris grinned, staring intently into Silaso eyes. o You always pursue the impossible. No matter what you do, this world will never be without Arcanists. And you will never succeed in destroying uso ¦ not the way you are.o
This time, Silas grinned. o You neglect the fact, arrogant master, that perhaps you areno t the only one whoo s learned some new tricks since the war ended.o
Before Terris could react of figure out what Silas meant, he felt an extremely strong repulsion and was suddenly propelled quite rapidly away from Silas, flying dangerously towards the edge of the deck railing. Just managing to catch himself, he looked back up to Silas, who was just standing there in his cloak and hood like the reaper of death himself.
o What devilish magic is this?o He asked.
o Wouldno t you like to know?o Silas snapped, o Ito s too bad you wono t be around for me to teach it to you.o
Terris stood up.
Out beyond the deck rail, the Memory was turning around and beginning to accelerate towards the ship.
o Teach me?o He said, o I refuse to play your games and meddle in forbidden arcanism.o
o Then ito s sad that youo ll never know what could have been accomplished had you taken the time to study and understand its advantages.o
Silas lowered his head, o Goodbye Terris. Ito s been an honor knowing you.o
Before Terris could react, Silas leapt from his position and plowed into him, but even in his defensive stance there was no way to block against the sheer mass that now seemed to make up Silas, and in no time at all he felt the edge of the deck rail behind his backo ¦ then a tumbleo ¦ he grabbed for Silaso s cloak, and held on for all it was wortho ¦ then his stomach turned a loop as he fell backwards and dragged Silas along with him over the side, out into the dark night as they began to fall to the earth.
As they fell, a window onboard the Memory suddenly exploded outward, and a shadowy figure dove out, his obsidian blade drawn, making a beeline straight for the two tumbling figures.
Terris let himself go.
There was no exit now, only the doorway to the ethereal afterlife, and peace with the gods. But even so, he had been blessed with this one last chance to save the future, and the world, and he was not about to let that slip away.
He threw every last aerial combat maneuver he could think of at Silas, and each blow connected as solidly as the last. Silas, who had clearly not been expecting this, suddenly became a living punching bag as Terris proceeded to beat him to death in his final act.
Several moments of this went by, and then Silas finally snapped out of his daze. He grabbed Terriso ankle, and the two of them began clawing at each other as they tumbled towards the earth, which could now be seen and was rapidly approaching them. They fought savagely, both of them drawing blood and snapping bones as they fought for their lives.
The end came when Terris managed to grab Silas in a choke hold.
The ground was fast approaching, and Terris had nearly drawn Silaso final gasp for air, when by some absurd circumstance Silas somehow managed to mutter an incantation, and he suddenly stopped in midair.
Terris was wrenched away from him, too dazed to realize what had just happened, and continued to plummet helplessly to the eartho ¦ but in his mind, he had already won. As long as the children were safeo ¦
o My sono ¦o He muttered, o Io ll be with you soono ¦o
Silas grabbed at his throat, surprised that his gravitational spell had worked.
His excitement was short lived, however, when something suddenly slammed into him from behind, and an icy pain shot through his arm. Crying out in anger and pain, he saw the outline of the Master of Earth, Mithiru Othias, continue descending towards the earth, crying out in disbelief at what he had just done. He felt blood began pouring from the stump where his arm used to beo ¦ and Silas too, began to fall.
On the bridge of the Memory, Ryon Karath placed the last of his fire-infused cards on the helm in front of him. He had planted the cards all over the room, and along every hallway he had come down until he had gotten here.
Taking one last breath, he angled the wheel and steered the Memory straight at the command tower of the Tetrarch.
The Memory closed the distance in a matter of seconds, and the deck lurched terribly as the two ships collided. Everything was drowned out in an apocalyptic cacophony of shattering glass, splintering wood, cracking metal, and reverberating shockwaves as systems began failing all over the vessel.
Just when everything began to settle down, Ryon Karath lifted his blood soaked head from the wheelo ¦ and muttered the last words of the incantation he had been saying the entire time.
Mithiru Othias hurled his sword with amazing speed at the ground, and as the blade impacted with the dusty floor of the desert, it sent out a shockwave that spun up the dunes around ito ¦ producing enough counterforce to slow Othiaso fall so that he landed in an ungraceful roll and came to a stop face up on his back.
He wasno t sure if his blow to Silas was fatal, but it was revenge enough to make up for what he had just done to Terris.
His eyes watered over as pain seared up his legs and kneeso ¦ maybe the fall wasno t as slow as he thought, but at least he was alive. He had been blessed by the gods to fight on another dayo ¦ and usher in the new future.
These thoughts echoed through his mind as the sky above him erupted suddenly into a brilliant fireball, that for a moment, lit up the desert as if it was the middle of the day. Then it was dark again, and all that could be seen were the faint trails of flaming debris that arched gracefully across the night as if they were shooting stars.
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