2~13

Every hair on the back of Thaline's neck suddenly stood up on edge - not because she was fighting a bubbling growth of ferals and demons either. She perched in a low crouch over a lookout tower roof - her obsidian black eyes scanning the horizon before settling in on a rapidly approaching blur of dust and debris.

"Bird's eye."

She cast under her breath. Blue glowing rings of magic circled both of her irises, allowing her to magically zoom in on the speeding figure. Her breath caught in her throat - hands balling up into fists as she recognized her sister Kuina, barrelling straight towards them bloodied and battered, likely on the verge of collapse.

"Summon the top tier healer! The Silver Swan flies again. I repeat - the silver Swan flies again!"

Thaline relayed her announcement through the magically established chain of command.

"Get out of my way!"

Kuina’s voice, raw with exhaustion and desperation, sliced through the air as she carved a path through the encroaching ghouls. Her energy sword, a shimmering blade of pure magical ****, descended with brutal efficiency, cleaving through the grotesque creatures with each swing. Despite the adrenaline coursing through her veins, she could feel her strength waning, her movements becoming sluggish and labored. Each kill drained her precious mana reserves, leaving her increasingly ****. The ominous aura loomed closer, a suffocating presence that threatened to overwhelm her senses. She ignored the pain, the fatigue, the despair, focusing solely on the kingdom in the distance. Lael’s sacrifice had bought them time, a chance to prepare, and she wouldn’t let his efforts be in vain. She pushed herself onward, her body screaming in protest, her spirit fueled by a fierce determination.

As Kuina stumbled through the outer defenses, battling exhaustion and the lingering ghouls, a familiar figure materialized beside her. Thaline, her sister, moved with a speed and grace that belied her slender frame, her obsidian eyes radiating concern and determination. She seamlessly took over the fight, dispatching the remaining ghouls with swift, precise strikes.

“I have you.”

Thaline affirmed, her voice firm and reassuring as she steadied Kuina’s trembling form. She secured a supportive arm around Kuina’s midsection, using her own strength to bear some of the weight, before launching into a swift aerial maneuver. With a powerful magic boost, she soared above the fray, lifting Kuina clear of the swarming ghouls in flight. They landed gracefully on a nearby section of the fortified wall, away from the immediate chaos. A team of healers, alerted by Thaline’s earlier summons, were already rushing towards them, their faces etched with concern.

Kuina’s body finally surrendered to the overwhelming exhaustion, her limbs going limp as she leaned heavily against Thaline. The healers swarmed around them, their hands glowing with restorative energy as they began to assess her injuries and administer aid. Despite their ministrations, a searing pain throbbed through her, a constant reminder of her lost arm and the countless battles she’d endured. She gazed up at Thaline, her eyes clouded with fatigue and grief, her lips trembling as she struggled to find the words to convey the horrors she’d witnessed. A faint whisper escaped her throat, barely audible above the din of battle. The whisper, though faint, carried a **** urgency.

“We… need... to... escape…”

Kuina rasped, her voice strained and weak. The whisper, though faint, carried a **** urgency. Her gaze flickered around, taking in the sight of the besieged kingdom, the demonic forces relentlessly assaulting the walls, and the pall of dread that hung over everything. It wasn’t just the immediate danger that concerned her; it was the source of it, the entity that had orchestrated this chaos, the angel Astra and the celestial hydra. They weren't simply attacking Órns; they were seeking something, or someone. And Kuina feared that whatever it was, it was connected to Lael’s past actions, and perhaps even to her own.

"Escape and go where? This kingdom depends on the dragoons as it's last pillar of defense. I am going nowhere."

Thaline assured her older sister firmly before relinquishing Kuina to the main healers clutches.

"Take her to the academy of Ad Laera. See to it that she is reunited with her daughter at once."

Thaline commanded.

As the healers carefully lifted Kuina onto a levitating stretcher, preparing to transport her to Ad Laera, Thaline turned her attention back to the battlefield. The situation remained dire. Waves of demonic creatures continued to **** the kingdom’s defenses, testing the limits of the dragoons’ strength and the remaining magical barriers. A chilling premonition settled over her, a sense of impending doom that tightened her chest.

The journey to Ad Laera had been swift and surprisingly comfortable, thanks to the advanced healing techniques and levitation magic employed by the healers. By the time she arrived, Kuina felt a surge of renewed energy coursing through her veins, her physical wounds remarkably healed and her mana reserves replenished. Despite the relief, a sense of urgency gnawed at her. She knew Thaline wouldn't abandon her post easily, and a wave of guilt washed over her for putting her sister in such a difficult position.

“The ‘Silver Swan’ gracing these walls – I’d not think a day would come so soon.”

The academy guard remarked with a respectful bow, ushering Kuina into the gated compound. A wave of magical energy washed over her as she passed through the entrance, a testament to the diligent efforts of the fairy students gathered within. They were channeling their power into reinforcing the academy’s protective barrier, a shimmering shield that pulsed with vibrant energy. And there, amidst the flurry of activity, stood Eira. Her eyes immediately locked onto Kuina’s, a mixture of relief and concern etched on her face.

“Momma?”

Eira questioned, her voice filled with a mixture of disbelief and joy. She broke free from the circle of students, her iridescent wings fluttering with excitement. A greenish glow emanated from them, subtly shimmering under the weight of the ominous aura that hung over the nation.

“What are you doing here? And where’s papa?”

Eira’s voice was a flurry of questions, tumbling over each other in her haste. Surely a dozen more were ready to spill out, but her words caught in her throat as her gaze lingered on Kuina’s face. Then, her eyes dropped, widening in horror as she took in the empty space where her mother’s arm should have been. A gasp escaped her lips, and her wings stilled, the greenish glow dimming as a wave of distress washed over her.

Kuina’s brow furrowed in weary frustration, the weight of her losses and the impending doom pressing down on her.

“Not now."

She muttered, her voice raspy with exhaustion.

“Where is Julian? We have to leave the capitol.”

She reached out and gently took Eira’s arm, her touch seeking to reassure her daughter despite her own inner turmoil. A flicker of desperation crossed her face as she scanned the surroundings, searching for any sign of her son.

“Has… none of my messages made it to you, Momma?”

Eira asked, her voice laced with sorrow. She gently pulled back on her arm, her expression a mixture of confusion and hurt. She couldn't simply leave, not yet. The academy felt… wrong, a sense of foreboding clinging to the air.

“I’ve sent you so many… did you at least see aunt Aerith on your path here? She left here after dropping off the twins, to find you and Papa… a couple of weeks ago.”

Eira’s voice trembled slightly, her eyes searching Kuina’s face for any glimmer of recognition.

Kuina’s eyes widened slightly, a flicker of surprise crossing her features.

“Aerith…?”

She repeated, her voice barely a whisper. A wave of guilt washed over her. She hadn't received any messages from Eira, nor had she heard any news of Aerith's newfound whereabouts.

Before Kuina could even begin to process the unsettling revelation that her family was still not fully accounted for, a sudden, piercing cry shattered the tense silence. Caliste, startled from her sleep, had begun to wail, her cries immediately rousing her sleeping cousin, Athan. Now, both infants were crying in unison from their wicker basket, their tiny voices echoing through the academy courtyard. The sound hit Eira's body like a trigger, a primal response surging through her. Almost instantly, her blouse began to darken with the overflow of milk, a clear indication of the instinctive maternal reaction. She instinctively reached for the babies, her eyes pleading with Kuina for a moment of reprieve.

Eira’s face flushed a delicate pink, her cheeks warming with embarrassment as she instinctively reached for her babies. Vines, seemingly summoned from the surrounding foliage, gently cradled Caliste and Athan as she quickly unbuttoned her blouse, freeing herself to attend to their needs. She settled the whimpering infants to her breast, nursing them with a practiced ease, her gaze occasionally flicking towards Kuina, seeking a silent acknowledgment, some sort of approval.

“Do… we have a minute then?”

Eira asked softly, her voice muffled slightly by the babies nursing at her breast.

“I have… a lot to share, unless you’re willing to wait until we get out of the city…”

She paused, letting out a soft sigh, her eyes filled with a weariness that belied her youthful appearance.

“We need to get Soyer and Sage… don't worry about Julian, he… isn’t here. He’s alive, I know that much, but he just isn’t here…”

"...I think it's for the best that you tell me everything right here and now... but quickly..."

Kuina agreed.