Crimson Twilight: Dusk

Chapter 17: Guilt

"I don't need to stay here for a day over this wound!"

Seihanine's indignant response did not surprise Silmeia. She knew quite well that her huntress friend would disagree with her even if Kreizen had not warned her about it. As someone who spent most of her life outdoors, Seihanine just didn't like being confined. "It's for the best, Sei." She answered. "You need to rest that shoulder of yours if it's going to mend properly." Silmeia turned to leave. It would do no good to argue with Seihanine. Besides, she imposed the one day of rest more for her sake than the huntress's. She was frantic the moment she heard that Seihanine had been attacked and injured by an abysmal knight. For a brief moment, she thought that she would lose another friend to the armored abominations. She breathed more easily after hearing Seihanine argue with her. It was a sign that the huntress still had her vigor and strength. 'I'll have to tell Trenzein the news.' She reminded herself. Silmeia laughed inwardly when she remembered the frightened expression on the Trenzein's face. Few things ever scared the overconfident wizard but his friends knew that one sure thing that got him up was Seihanine. That the same was true inversely made it even more amusing. Silmeia suddenly bumped into someone in front of her. Surprised, she looked up and straight into the dark, concerned eyes of Sir Agranias.

"I…I'm very sorry, priestess." Agranias stammered. "I was not paying attention and I-"

Recovering herself, Silmeia smiled and shook her head. It took two inattentive people to cause a collision. "It's alright." She said. "I wasn't paying attention myself. So where are you headed, Sir Agranias?"

Agranias looked away when he answered. "I was just passing by, priestess." He said. "I was curious about the sudden commotion."

Silmeia studied the tall knight carefully. Agranias was such a mystery. It was obvious that he was hiding something; that his real motives did not reflect in his words, but when she tried to see beyond that she could find nothing and that intrigued her a lot. Agranias suddenly shifted uncomfortably. "Is there something you need, priestess?" He asked.

Silmeia reddened slightly and looked away. She had forgotten that she was staring so intently at the knight! "Um…no, Sir Agranias." She answered hastily; trying to move on. Seihanine's still resting, so don't disturb her too much alright?"

Agranias nodded and moved on. Silmeia watched as he left the infirmary. Ever since his duel with Sir Gardzen in the arena, Silmeia had started to look differently at him. His physical might was immense. Gardzen was among the tallest and heaviest knights she knew. Not only did Agranias dwarf Gardzen but he lifted the knight from his pecopeco so easily. It only worried her more though. What kind of knights could injure him so badly and what kind of commander considered him expendable? 'Strange, I can't seem to stop wondering about that knight.' She thought.

Silmeia dismissed her concerns about Agranias for a while and made her way to Spell Sanctum District. It was near the Pronteran Library, a good walk east from the infirmary, which was close to the center of the city. Trenzein usually stayed in his quarters during his visits to the capital; which were frequent ever since Kreizen had settled in the city along with his sister. Most of his time was spent researching spell theories for his proposed revision on Jupitel Thunder. Silmeia watched the people walk on the street. Prontera's atmosphere seemed to have changed a lot after the Lord of Death's visit. There was an edge of fear in the people's movements. The patrolling knights and swordsmen had the cautious look of concern as they roamed the streets instead of the casual friendliness they usually exhibited.

Her mood brightened when she noticed a couple of familiar-looking men. The first one was clad in heavy-looking, white plate armor. Wavy, dark brown hair fell softly across the man's forehead as well as down the nape of his neck. Silmeia easily knew that the bright green eyes and the boyish-looking face belonged to her close friend, Makaelthos Solcry. The one he was talking to was wearing a suit of well-worn but finely-crafted chain armor; a combination of flexible mail and elunium plates that was lighter and more flexible than plate at the expense of slightly inferior protection. A large two-handed axe was strapped to the man's back by means of a harness while a forging hammer hung by his belt. Both tools were obvious signs of his involvement in the blacksmith's trade. Short, black hair and blue eyes that easily resembled Seihanine's pale ones and the rugged, proud-looking jaw identified him as another close friend and Seihanine's older brother, Kreizen Xalascent.

"Ho, Silmeia!" Kreizen greeted her with his usual bearish roar of a voice. "How's my sister? She didn't give you too much trouble I hope?"

Silmeia smiled and shook her head. "Not at all, Reiz. How are you doing these days?"

Kreizen grinned and clapped the her on the back. "Same old Sil!" He said. "You probably had to tie her down before you could cast a healing spell on her! My business is doing great by the way-" Kreizen's expression darkened slightly. "-ice and fire enchanted weapons are in high demand. The idea of an orc invasion has gotten this city into an uproar."

Silmeia nodded in agreement before addressing Makaelthos. "Where's Rainne? I thought she was with you." She asked.

Makaelthos shook his head as he answered. "Eliarainne's taking care of the incoming reports from the colony's surviving defenders. She'll be busy for a while but she did tell me that she was going to pay Seihanine a visit if her time permits." Makaelthos suddenly looked far away before frowning. Silmeia noticed the change in his expression and was about to ask about it when he interrupted her. "I have to go, Silmeia. Take care of yourself."

Silmeia watched as Makaelthos hurried off. She had always known that he carried a lot of secrets. Many of them revolved around his past, his former guild and its guild mistress. There were several occasions when he, his partner and, once in a while, Silmeia, had to deal with all sorts of shady characters from his former guild. Silmeia did not know much of the details. What she did know was that he had left one of the most infamous criminal guilds in Rune-Midgard. The members wanted him dead for that but there was always something stopping them. Once more, her thoughts strayed to Agranias; another person who was apparently on the run from his former allies. 'Here's another armored man with his own hidden agenda.' She thought. Out of the corner of her eye, Silmeia spotted several shadowy figures vanish into a nearby alley. Several missions with Makaelthos had taught her to watch out for the presence of thieves, assassins and rogues. She recognized the distinctive armbands that the figures had on. 'NightKnife.' She thought. 'What are their assassins doing here in Prontera?'

Kreizen clapped her on the back again. Silmeia winced this time and made a mental note to inspect her back later for palm-shaped bruises. It was obvious that he did not notice the figures. The blacksmith relied on his sister when it came to dealing with hidden enemies. "I have to go too, Sil." He said. "You're going to Trenzein's right? Tell him not to worry too much about Sei. She's stronger than he thinks!"

Silmeia smiled and nodded and then continued to walk towards Trenzein's quarters. Sure enough, the wizard had his face buried in a thick book. He was quick to look up, however, as soon as he noticed Silmeia's presence. "Sil! Is Sei alright?" He quickly asked. "Anything serious?"

Silmeia stifled some laughter at Trenzein's worried questions. "Relax, Zein." She answered. "She's fine. She'll have to rest her shoulder though. Do try to avoid agitating her too much, alright?"

Trenzein relaxed and grinned. "Don't worry." He said. "I thought she was badly cut up or something. I think I'll go and pay her a visit. Coming, Sil?"

Silmeia shook her head. "I just came from there, Zein." She replied. "You go ahead I'll just take a walk to relax."

The wizard nodded and promptly vanished. On the wings of a teleportation spell, Silmeia surmised. He always carried a clip infused with a creamy's ability to find niches in space and appear at another place quickly. She left Trenzein's quarters. She knew that it would only be a while before she was summoned along with the other Head Priests. Hunter scouts have already been filing reports that the orc hordes were moving slowly towards Prontera. The Orc Hero and the Orc Lord had their sights on the human capital.

"Head Priestess Silmeia!" Someone called after her.

Silmeia turned to see who called her this time. She recognized the voice as one of the younger acolytes in her division. "Airinn, right? What's the matter?" She asked.

Airinn, her short, curly blond hair falling down in ringlets as she bowed politely, spoke with a mixture of awe and apprehension in her voice. "Head Priestess, are you not with Sir Agranias?" She asked.

Silmeia raised an eyebrow. She had heard the whispers already spreading through the acolytes of her division about her and Sir Agranias. She would have to reprimand them about it later. Gossip had no place in the discipline of her division. "No, why should I?"

The acolyte fidgeted and glanced at her companions; Runi and Seila. Silmeia had noticed that the three were often together. Runi was tallest of the three; lean and wiry, she had the body of a boy her age and the short, dark hair of one. With armor, Runi could pass of as a rather feminine swordsman with ease. Seila stood around the same height as Airinn but seemed to cringe at the slightest attention and looked so timid that she appeared shorter.

"H-he was just here a few moments ago." Airinn continued. "He was asking about the whereabouts of Priestess Lystra's resting place. We thought that he was going to visit it with you." Airinn hesitated as she said the words. Everyone Silmeia knew would not mention Lystra's name unless necessary.

Silmeia's expression grew serious. Sir Agranias did know her sister! "How long has it been since he was here?" She asked.

The acolyte frowned and thought hard. The sudden urgency in Silmeia's words had her stuttering. "A-about half an hour I think. He couldn't have gone that far, he was having a hard time finding his way around Prontera."

Silmeia dismissed them in a hurry and went off. Finally she could find out something about Agranias.

Agranias made his way outside Prontera. He had to ask several bystanders, including a trio of acolytes who had spoken to him before, for directions just to find his way through the twisting streets of Prontera. He suddenly remembered the scenery from the last time he was here. The forest outside Prontera was different when compared to the ominous groves that surrounded Glastheim. The atmosphere was lighter and it didn't remind him of the death and decay that Glastheim's ruins represented. At last, he stared at the simple headstone that marked the final resting place of Lystra Cafilence. There were no epic tales of glory etched on the headstone nor were there any statues of Lystra's likeness. There was only a name in plain Pronteran. Nonetheless, Agranias approached the stone with reverence; careful to not so much as crack a twig or rustle some leaves as he walked on the ground. When he was close enough to reach out and touch the stone he stopped and knelt on one knee. "So they buried you here, priestess." He spoke softly. "It's strange, I barely know her yet I feel that this is exactly what your sister wants; to have you near the city yet away from its turmoil and problems."

A snort suddenly interrupted Agranias's reverie. A huge, black horse suddenly rode into the clearing. Strapped to its saddle was a tremendously large, black-bladed sword. Agranias smiled as he recognized the creature even as he led it away from the headstone. "Domnadriel, my faithful mount." He said. "You did wait for me after all."

The black horse whinnied in response and stamped its foot in impatience. Agranias stroked the creature's nose and focused on him. Domnadriel had been his horse since the day he was allowed to hold a weapon in his hand and that was at a very early age indeed. They grew up together and had been subject to almost the same spells by their creator. Domnadriel was also among the last few horses on Rune-Midgard. Agranias took hold of the sword and willed it to change form. His dark sword was a part of him and any weapon he touched could channel the energy he had in command and become the huge black-bladed weapon of his choice. If he withdrew the energy, the blade would revert to its original form. As his power receded, the weapon turned into an ordinary two-handed sword in a flash. "You'll have to change your appearance, Domnadriel." He told the horse. "I'll be staying with these people for a while."

Domnadriel whinnied once again. The horses of Glastheim were given abilities as well to serve as mounts. One of them was the ability to change their shape. The image of a powerful, black horse faded and in its place was a pecopeco; normal in all respects except that its feathers were slightly darker than the pronteran breed and it was larger as well, large enough to carry Agranias's massive form. Agranias smiled and turned to look at the tombstone once again. "I've decided to make changes in my life." He said. "I can never atone for all my mistakes but never again shall I follow blindly and commit the horrors of my past. Instead I will commit my sword to what I believe is good. I just wish you were here to tell me if I'm doing alright. Perhaps it's the reason fate led me to your sister."

Agranias felt a hand touch his shoulder. Immediately, his fighting instinct kicked in. Grabbing the arm behind him, he threw the figure over his back; a powerful attack in itself as he stood over seven feet, which meant the figure traveled quite a distance before landing. The figure landed on its back. His trained ears picked up the familiar whoosh of someone's breath being knocked out of their body. He raised his transformed dark sword and froze.

Silmeia kept her palm pointed at her attacker. Her back was aching from the impact and she was still trying to catch her breath. Nonetheless, a single thought from her would unleash the holy energy stored in her hand and straight into the knight's face. That was when she remembered who she was dealing with. "Sir Agranias!" She exclaimed.

Agranias found himself pinning Silmeia to the forest floor. His right hand held his sword in a one-handed grip; the weapon poised to thrust downward. His left forearm pressed horizontally against the priestess's chest. In an instant, he was off her and was already helping her stand up. Silmeia tried to straighten her messed up dress while she tried to catch her breath. "Priestess! I'm very sorry, I thought you were-!"

Silmeia smiled as she sat near her sister's headstone. "It's alright, Sir Agranias. I guess I shouldn't have surprised you like that."

Agranias was silent for a while as he stared at the priestess. As an abysmal knight, he had not had the chance to know beauty for his entire life. All he lived for was to serve the Lord of Death's every command, a fate similar to simply slaying any sentient being he encountered. Even before that, his existence had been only to kill. Only when he looked past the death and destruction he promoted did he realize that there were things not meant to be harmed.

Silmeia watched curiously as Agranias stared at her. There was an aura of mystery around him. His dark eyes were constantly filled with pain and regret. Somehow, she could understand his need to do so. She had been hiding her own pain and sorrow over Lystra's loss. The sudden similarity between them jolted Silmeia from her thoughts. She had to know what his relationship was to Lystra! She could no longer bear it. Her sister, the one person she cared for the most after their parents died in Glastheim, was dead. Yet she could not even cry for her. She had to be strong for Prontera, for her faith and for the other priests and acolytes who looked to her for support. She could not take any form of revenge, she had no way to rid herself of all the despair, anger and…hate. Finally, here comes someone who could ease the misery but he would not do so. "Sir Agranias-" She began.

The mention of his name brought Agranias back to the present. For several moments he remembered the priestess that had led him to this; Lystra Cafilence. As he looked back to her memory, he found himself admiring the priestess more and more. Lystra's hair was shorter than her older sister's. It was well-trimmed and carefully arranged so that they fell to one side of her face. She had the look of purity and innocence about her, two things that Agranias had found so foreign back then. Her light, brown eyes carried the same glint of courage as her sister's. In his memories Agranias could feel the radiance of the priestess right before he slew her, an aura of selflessness that he had grown to admire.

Silmeia was slightly different. While she possessed many of her younger sister's traits, she also possessed a maturity gave her an inner strength that radiated stronger than Lystra's. Her hair was longer than Lystra's; soft, glossy, black hair spilled all the way to her back as Agranias would imagine water would from a pitcher. Her eyes were darker than Lystra's hazel ones. They almost resembled his black irises if he looked at them from afar. Agranias could sense a great sense of faith and responsibility in those eyes, as well as a tremendous burden that she seemed unwilling to share with anyone. "Priestess, I-" was all he could say.

Silmeia interrupted the knight. "Please, Agranias. You do know something about Lystra, can't you tell me?" She asked.

Agranias shifted his stare to the headstone. 'Can I tell her?' He thought. 'Can I say that I murdered her sister when she's so devastated about it?'

Agranias's voice quivered as he caught a glimpse of the priestess's eyes. In that brief glance, he saw the great despair Silmeia tried to hide; a sorrow so black and terrible that even he could not look at it for so long. Still, he couldn't just- "I'm sorry, priestess. But I can't."

Silmeia stood up and straightened her dress. The sorrowful expression disappeared from her face. Once more all she revealed was a sense of quiet and determined strength. Agranias shivered as he watched the priestess smile gently. This was not natural.

"I have to apologize for imposing." Silmeia replied. "The sun is setting, Sir Agranias. We should return to the city."

Agranias nodded in agreement and slowly led his mount towards the gates. He had found his answer by Lystra's grave after all. He would stay by Silmeia's side and take on the immense grief inside her. Perhaps he would find a measure of redemption in doing so.

World Notes

Spell Sanctum District– this district was not intentionally created by Prontera's builders. Rather it came to be when the many wizards and sages who wished to reside in Prontera had their homes built near the great library, creating an area populated by spell casters. The place has since then been called "Spell Sanctum District".

Horses – Horses became extinct late into the Age of Glastheim when the species was ravaged by an accidental, supernatural plague created by Glastheim's priests. Only select few survived by being infused by dark magic but even those slowly died out until Grand High Priest Meil'then Sovivor, perfected a spell that transformed the last eight horses left into monstrous black beasts that would carry the abysmal knights into battle.