Prologue Two
Haco reached out and grabbed the man by his neck, lifting him from the ground. “I don’t care! Send everyone!” Then she threw him to the ground. “It doesn’t matter how many die!” She struggled with every fiber of her being to not obliterate the man in front of her. But a dull ache in her hand caused her to pause. Pain? Why in the world did her hand hurt? She frowned as she watched her commander regain his feet.
“My dear Lady First,” said a voice sourced at the nearby doorway. “I understand emotions are running high right now, but I would gently remind you that we are all on the same side. Only by working together will we manage to reach Trina’s Stralnar refuge.”
Haco smirked at the man. “Exemplar, are your preparations complete?”
The Exemplar did not immediately respond as he stepped fully into the room, calmly walking over to the commander who had attempted to regain his composure. Gently, he took the man’s hands, bowing his head. “Please, forgive The Lady First for her exuberance. Her eagerness to complete our organization’s purpose has invigorated her determination.”
The commander looked between Haco and The Exemplar before nodding his head. “I understand,” He confirmed. “I just don’t want to send more of our people to a needless death.”
“Needless…!” Haco’s shriek caused The Exemplar to raise his hand, indicating her to wait.
“The inconvenient reality is that we are on the cusp of total victory. It has been determined that we must establish a bridgehead in Termily in order to strike at the Stralnar Refuge. There is little doubt that The Darkness took our city to prevent this exact thing. No longer can we rely on it directing our choices. In this, we must hold fast and retake our city before we fight to free Trina. The portal ring we struggle for is the closest to our ultimate goal and therefore must be secured. I do hope you can understand the situation with which we are faced.” The exemplar explained, his face growing more pained with every word. But with the next breath, he released the commander’s hands.
The commander stood rigid, but ultimately clapped a hand to his chest. “We will reclaim the city, Exemplar!”
The Exemplar’s face suddenly switched to joy. “In Trina’s Name!”
The commander repeated his words, but The Exemplar had already turned away from him to walk up to her. Haco watched The Commander leave, and despite The Exemplar’s masterful usage of his Aspects, Haco felt some resentment toward her commander’s cowardice.
“Yes, Lady first.” He said calmly. “I have our provisions prepared and ready for our departure. I see your hand is a burden to you. May I?” The Exemplar held his hand out, and Haco hesitantly placed her own into his.
“Your injury has confessed its perpetrator to me. Why did Adir hurt you?”
Haco nodded slowly as she considered the events. Adir had twisted her hand painfully just outside of The City of Randar. The events were like a blur to her, and she had forgotten. “At the time he had made an absurd request to work with The Darkness.” Haco let out a sigh of relief when her hand began to tingle within The Exemplar’s. “I refused to hear him out. He attempted to stop me from killing a creature.”
“All too often our actions manifest our consequences,” The exemplar said as he patted her hand gently. “Enough of that. I came to let you know we’re all prepared, if you are ready.”
Haco flexed her hand, feeling the pain had completely vanished, only a slight irritation filled her at the man’s insinuation that she had caused her own harm. “Yes. Gather everyone at the portal ring.”
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The Exemplar stepped to the side to provide her passage. “Nil has already done so. His foresight seems to exceed our every hope, far beyond even our anticipations.”
Haco nodded silently as she grabbed her bags and followed The Exemplar from the room. As she walked, she reflected on the nature of The Twelve she had created, conceived in her childhood when Shan acted like a parent to her. For days on end he would share his stories of these fictional persons, engaging her imagination so thoroughly she dreamed of them at night. To have her heroes created in reality was a dream come true for Haco. But she found those dreams to be as naive as a child could be. Reality, as it often proved to be, was far less satisfying, a lesson Darkness itself had imparted on her.
Of the originals she had nurtured in her early years, only Nil and The Exemplar remained. The rest had either been replaced when they were killed by Stine throughout history, or killed by Vina in recent times. Those cuts to her childhood heroes had wounded her in unexpected ways, almost as much as when she was forced to re-make them again.
And yet, one still remained elusive to her hopes. Amets, The Dreamweaver who had been her inspiration for her entire life, had proven impossible to create. She had given up hundreds of years ago in achieving that dream, but the sting of that failure was still fresh on her mind. The only solace she took was in Trina returning to life once more. She knew watching her destroy The Darkness would be more satisfying than any prior accomplishment she had managed.
“Lady First?” The Exemplar prompted softly.
Haco looked up in surprise at the balcony on which she now stood. Below her were arrayed The Watch’s army, standing before an activated portal ring. Countless soldiers in glistening armor stood ready, in formation with Adir, Nil, Zera, Carda, and Annalina all looking up at her.
Haco steadied herself, her eyes blazing as she looked over her gathered forces. “Listen to me!” Her voice was a thunderclap in the silence. Each face looked up at her and carried a mix of hope, fear, and determination. These were her people, the ones she had guided, molded, and sometimes sacrificed to get to this point. The portal ring stood in the distance, shimmering with their initial destination already prepared. Her voice, strong and clear, cut through the silence.
"We stand on the brink of a new era. The Darkness that has plagued our world, stolen our cities, and claimed the lives of Trina’s people, is closer than ever to being vanquished. Termily lies before us, not as a fallen city, but as the gateway to our victory. Beyond it, Prosit waits, and beyond Prosit, the Stralnar refuge. And there, Trina. Our salvation, our beacon in the gloom. She will bring light to this shadowed world!"
She paused, letting the weight of her words sink in. Her eyes moved over the familiar faces of Nil, Adir, Zera, Carda, and Annalina, each carrying their own burdens, their own battles. She could feel the energy in the air, the shared pulse of purpose that connected them all.
"We have fought for centuries, each of us playing our part. We have lost much, sacrificed more than anyone could ask. And yet, we stand. We endure. Not because we seek glory or power, but because we understand that our existence is the last line of defense against oblivion. The Darkness has taken much from us, but it has not taken our resolve. It has not taken our courage!"
Her voice softened, taking on a more introspective tone. "For years, I have carried the weight of this organization, of this mission. I have been The Lady First, your leader, protector, and guardian. But soon, my role will come to an end. Trina will be revived, and with her return, the burdens I have carried for so long will finally be lifted. This will be the end of my story, and I welcome it. For in that end, there is peace. There is rest."
She closed her eyes for a moment, feeling the truth of her words. The years had taken their toll on her, even with the aspect of life once granting her immortality. The thought of rest was a distant but comforting promise. "But until that moment comes, we have work to do. We have battles to fight and victories to claim. We will take back Termily, we will secure Prosit, and we will free Trina from the Stralnar refuge. Not for ourselves, but for all those who will come after us. For every life that will live in the light we bring!"
She raised her hand at their cheers, feeling the energy of the portal ring humming in the distance. "In Trina's name, we will prevail. In Trina's name, we will bring light to the darkness. For the last time, we march to war. For the last time, we fight for our future!"
The gathered forces erupted in a chorus of shouts and cheers, the sound echoing through the chamber. Haco felt a surge of pride and resolve. This was her last battle, her final act as The Lady First. And she would see it through to the end, no matter the cost.