by SunnyJustice » Fri Mar 31, 2017 5:41 pm
The Sanctuary
Cilan woke up for the...
Gah! How many times have I tried this stupid thing?
He rose to his feet. Although his body was energized and ready to fight some more, he was really getting tired. This strategy was bound to be bad for his mental health.
He almost jumped out of his skin when someone tapped his shoulder. "AAAH!"
"It's just me," Rowan whispered. "All the basilisks are dead, but... b-but..."
Cilan let out a whoop. "Finally! I was thinking that fight would never end." He stretched and looked around. Timpani was still beating the dead body of one basilisk. Jen was safe with the others. Flynn was passed out on the ground, and Cilan shook his head. "C'mon Rowan, let's fix him up."
He broke into a run, but he tripped over something. It wasn't a basilisk. Cilan stood up and examined what it was. Charred grass surrounded the figure. Scaly wings, a clawed hand, short brown hair...
"AAAAH!" Cilan backpedaled frantically when he realized it was Olivia, and she was dead. Seeing one of his friends dead like that sent him over the edge. Not everyone was a phoenix. Not everyone could make it through every fight. Feeling lightheaded, Cilan stumbled and didn't regain his balance. He fell and landed flat on his back. His vision was spinning and everything seemed drenched in a red haze, and he could smell the blood staining the grass and smoke burning from the meadow and it was all making him want to be sick.
With a sob, he turned his head. Rowan had gone over to Flynn and was picking him up. Somehow the healer had the strength to lift him. Cilan wanted to call out, but he didn't want to open his mouth or he would start dry heaving. He wanted his mother back and he just wanted to sleep in her arms and forget this horrible war ever happened.
"Get up, you maggot." A harsh female voice snarled as Cilan was raised into the air. Nobody was carrying him. It was Cadence and her telekinesis.
Cadence lowered Cilan by the fire. With a stern glare, she turned her back on him. She was now glaring up at the sky, at something Cilan couldn't see. He rolled over onto his side and groaned.
Rowan walked over with Flynn in his arms. He set the boy down, also beside the fire. Cilan grit his teeth and waited for the healer to finally notice him.
"Cilan?" The taller boy said at last, turning around and kneeling down.
"Please," the phoenix managed.
"It's alright, Cilan." Rowan whispered gently, taking him into his arms. "It's alright to sleep now. It's over, and you've earned your rest."
Gratefully, Cilan leaned into his brother's embrace and closed his eyes. Light surrounded him like the softest of blankets. It was warm and comforting, like one of his mother's hugs, and he couldn't help but relax. He would thank Rowan when he woke up.
Right now, all he could do was sleep.
Rowan was trembling slightly when he stood up. Everyone was returning to the fireside. Now Timpani had arrived, so everyone was either by the fire or inside the cabin.
Or they were dead.
When a familiar hand touched his shoulder, Rowan knew it was Lily without looking in her direction. He could sense her soft glow, like candlelight in the dark.
"I'm glad you're alright," he said quietly, placing his hand atop hers. He knew who wouldn't be coming back, and it twisted his heart with pain. He needed to keep it together for now, until he was certain everyone was properly healed. Rowan had a duty here. Sometimes it was respectable, other times it was... questionable. But he always did his best for those he loved, and he loved everyone.
"Not everyone made it," Rowan murmured. "Lily, can I have a hug?"
He felt like he had to ask. It would be wrong just hugging people at this point, considering how everyone now knew what his hugs could do.
When Timpani returned to the fire, she immediately hugged Mayne and she didn't intend to let go for a long time. Holding him close, she turned to the others. Cilan was gone and she would have to take charge.
"We have won this fight for the Sanctuary," Timpani said boldly. "As for those of us who didn't make it, they will always be remembered as heroes who died for our cause. We will never forget Gwen, Travis, Blaze, and Olivia."
"We showed those MAGGOTS who rules this place!" Cadence shouted.
"We did." Cedar Adamson wore a tired grin. "Now, I'm sure you're all hungry. And you deserve a big feast. Who's ready for some food?"
"LAST ONE TO THE CABIN SCRUBS THE DISHES!" Cadence roared. "MOVE, YOU PILLBUGS!"
As the stampede began, Timpani just calmly walked towards the cabin with Mayne in her arms. "I'm going to wash the dishes tonight just for the bragging rights," She explained with a smile. She would set a record for the number of dishes washed in one night. She couldn't wait to see how much these teenagers would really eat.
---
Capital City
Solara was completely silent as she led the others forward. Despite having her eyes closed, she could see them all clearly. She needed to keep track of them in order to protect them. She was also listening to Amber, her little golden girl, speak about her theories and inquiries.
"... I would not mind," Solara told Amber calmly. She was a phoenix. If Amber ended up killing her by accident, she would come back. There was no real danger since Amber had no water-related powers. Cold water would greatly extend the time before Solara could revive. Amber's power was electricity, so it wouldn't create the same problem.
Once they were out of the prison, Solara focused on Amber for a moment. She was very tired and seemed to be barely hanging on. Ivana was beside her, radiating extreme amounts of emotions that Solara couldn't even think to describe.
Without a word, Solara picked Amber up in her arms. She held the girl like she used to hold her own children. She wondered how Cilan was doing back at the Sanctuary.
He misses you, Luno told her. We just had a horrible fight with basilisks. But that's alright, we handled it and we won!
Her protective instincts were kicking in so intensely, she didn't realize she had buried Amber in her arms. Solara was cradling the young Timekeeper in such a way to shield her from the outside world. She would always hold Cilan like this when he was upset about anything.
... Is everyone alright?
Not everyone, I'm afraid. Your Auntie Zelkova came to collect four of them.
No. No. She had come to save people who needed her, but she had been needed back at the Sanctuary too. And she had let them down. ... What have I done?
It's not your fault, Sunny. It's alright. It will all work out, and we will save Hesenia in the end.
She knew they would. They needed to.
But at what cost?
] She had taken notice of how Oliver was rather silent, while many of the others conversed between each other. She was eager to find another machete, as hers had been obviously taken away. 
