19: Comfort

Caoilfhionn still had not been to Fort Trinity in the month since the Pact had formally come together, and while he was still overcome by Tonn's death and the responsibility that weighed so heavily on him, he had high anticipation for seeing it for the first time. At least, until the morning of the next day when he came through the trees to the sandy jungle shore and saw it, a hulking monstrosity of steel, powered by floating Asuran cube generators and twined about with strange, modified Sylvari vines. It was ugly.

It didn't matter what it looked like. A Pact soldier pointed Damara and him in the correct direction, and they entered to find Trahearne arguing with some Priory soldiers about Asura gates, but he dismissed them as Damara and Caoilfhionn walked up with somber faces. "Greetings, Damara, Caoilfhionn. I was sorry to hear about Tonn. He was a huge asset, and much admired."

"Thank you, sir," Damara said. "The mission was a success, but that's small comfort to his loved ones… or us. We're… still arguing over who takes responsibility."

Trahearne looked back and forth between them. "As long as you remember that that is what it is: responsibility. Not blame."

"Yes, sir," Damara said. Caoilfhionn took a deep breath and clenched his hands. He didn't trust himself to speak right now, or else he'd start crying. He couldn't cry until after he'd talked to Ceera. His head hurt enough without crying on top of it. And his stomach. And his chest.

Trahearne took a second, closer look at him. "Are you well?"

"He was on the edge of the explosion," Damara said.

"I'm fine," Caoilfhionn said in a tiny voice. "I've been healing myself since it happened. I just need to keep working right now."

Trahearne frowned, and Caoilfhionn felt worse. "You should get a second opinion on that. Injuries from explosions are not like those from a blade."

"I will," Caoilfhionn promised. "In a bit. After we've told her."

"All right."

Damara gestured at the high steel walls about them. "This place is certainly formidable, and it looks incredibly strong."

Trahearne grimaced. "It had better be. We've seen a huge increase in undead activity while we've been establishing our defenses. I believe a major attack is imminent. All the signs are there: our outermost defenses have suffered a series of probing attacks, and we've lost several long-range scouts. Annhilda recovered a powerful magical orb from the krait, and we still have Tonn's best explosives, but there have been some disturbing… glitches in communication. Fort Trinity is not yet secure. Worst of all, our Asura gates are not functioning, and nobody can tell me why."

"What can we do to help?" Caoilfhionn asked.

Trahearne seemed to relax, almost imperceptibly; perhaps he had been waiting for him to say that. "Could the two of you double-check our defenses at the lumber camp? They've lost of a lot of workers, and we need that timber. I need to talk to Phiadi and Rhyoll about a possible saboteur, but I will send Annhilda with you."

"Got it," Damara said. "Hi, Annhilda."

"You look like you had a rough time too," Annhilda said, as they headed back out of the gate.

"We lost our partner, Tonn," Damara explained. "We're still not sure what happened… we think maybe the blast hit him, but surely he was too good of a demolitionist for a mistake like that?"

"It's my fault," Caoilfhionn said mournfully. "I took my eyes off him at the worst moment."

Annhilda put a hand solidly on the top of his head. "Now listen here, pup. You can't watch everyone at every second. You did your best to protect him, I know you did. You never do things by halves. So it is not your fault that he died."

"Thank you," Damara said to her. "I've been trying to tell him that, but I didn't know the words. But you said your mission was also difficult?"

Annhilda growled. "I seized some kind of magical orb from the krait that should help defend us against the undead. They've been working on it since I got in last night. But in exchange, the krait captured Apatia, and that is unacceptable. I will tear them apart to rescue her, just as soon as we're done here. I would have done it already, except I had to deliver the orb and now Trahearne wants me to stick around just a bit longer in case this big attack materializes. Which… is important."

"Well, we're here now, so either we can hold things down while you deal with it, or maybe we can even go with you if the opportunity arises," Damara said. "I'm sure with the rest of Hope's Legacy here, and a whole army, your absence won't make or break our survival."

"Well, most of the army isn't here yet," Annhilda said. "That's why Trahearne's so worried. Did you not get briefed?"

"No, we literally just got here. What's up?"

"We've really only got a token force protecting the construction crews. The rest of the Orders' manpower has been assembling at their respective headquarters, to avoid lengthy and costly and noisy treks over land. As soon as the Asura gates are running, we'll be fine… but right now we need every body that breathes. And we're losing too many gatherers and builders, too…"

"And he said the gates aren't working, and something about a saboteur?" Caoilfhionn said. "I'm not great with Asura tech, but I know the flow of magic, perhaps I can take a look – what's going on up there?"

There was sharp movement in the trees ahead, the flash of swords and axes, and the report of pistols. A Priory scholar came stumbling down the path towards them, covered in mud and blood. "We're under… attack- grah!" A zombie had run her down, stabbing her from behind before Damara could loose an arrow.

"Raven's wings!" Annhilda cried. "Hurry!"

They dashed to the camp, but it was already clear they were losing the battle. The undead were swarming, and many of them were huge, lumbering brutes, that Caoilfhionn remembered vividly from when he'd visited Orr in the Dream. "To me!" Annhilda cried, blinking into the middle of camp and lifting her sword to catch the dimming light of the sun. "Rally to me! We must win back to Fort Trinity together!"

"Commander!" gasped a chorus of voices, relieved Humans, gruff Charr, determined Sylvari.

"Caoilfhionn, you Charr, clear us a path towards the fort! Don't get surrounded!" Annhilda gestured, and Caoilfhionn felt energy flood him. His body still hurt but if he just stayed in Water, he could stay up and kill undead at the same time. It would be slower and less satisfying, but he wasn't completely reckless despite being emotionally compromised. He couldn't die here.

But he was glad Annhilda was there to take leadership, that he could follow her as she led the way through the gap he cleared with the Charr soldiers; Damara took a rear position, picking off any undead who dared show its head to her arrows. It seemed so much longer to get back, but there was the great round gate before them, and the cleared open ground between the fort and the jungle – and more undead sprouting around them, gaining on them. The sickening miasma of death was descending around them, choking him with its stench, darkening the sky with a grim fog.

Trahearne was in the gate, watching for them. "Come, get in, before the undead arrive!" As the three of them and their followers sprinted past the portal, he gestured to the soldiers next to him. "Seal the gate!" Only Caoilfhionn heard him say softly to himself: "Mother, forgive me…"

"Where next?" Annhilda said.

"The docks," Trahearne said, pointing. "That attack I feared? It's here. This is it."

"So I see," Annhilda said. "Good thing you asked me to stay, then. Come on, Damara, Caoilfhionn!"

Undead were surging from the water, up the ramps into the base; Caoilfhionn caught a glimpse of Rhyoll setting up turrets coolly while Phiadi flung her minions forward, foregoing her axe momentarily in favour of her scythe-shaped staff. Bone ships emerged from the noxious mist, sailing steadily closer and hurling more undead into their midst.

Trahearne was still calling orders. "Get those cannons firing! Secure all the gates except the inner courtyard! Yes, the submarine gate as well!"

Caoilfhionn forced his aching body to sprint forward into the thick of things, his head still spinning from the noxious fumes and the headache he'd had since the explosion, the cool balm of his Water spells just enough to keep him focused on the enemy. He found himself near Phiadi, and saw that as fast as her minions died, she pulled more from the gruesome remains of the fallen enemy undead, repurposing their bones and what remained of their flesh into her own twisted servants. "You won't be defeated anytime soon, I see."

She cackled. "Never waste a corpse! Especially one that's already been used two or three times – it's natural recycling!"

"Mother preserve us," gasped a Sylvari nearby. "What's that in the sky?"

There was a roar from overhead, and he looked up from facing the seething hordes to see the leathery bat-wings of a dragon soar by, spitting poison onto the docks. Trahearne shouted to the cannons, and finally they began to boom or zap into the sky, Charr and Asura engineering raining fiery death upon their flying enemies. This fortress would not suffer the same blow as Claw Island had.

They were holding their own against the invaders from the sea, and they'd even taken out several of the besieging bone ships. Caoilfhionn was beginning to hold hopes that they would finish this quickly when the dragon crossed over the courtyard again, spitting poison, melting or exploding most of the cannons. The engineers yelled as they scattered to safety. "No cannons! The cannons are down!"

A huge zombie landed near Caoilfhionn with a thud that sent him flying, tumbling halfway across the yard. He scrambled up again as quickly as he could, but already the undead were pushing forward, rushing over everything, and the thin line of the Pact was crumbling.

"Withdraw to the centre!" Trahearne commanded. "We'll hold there!" He waved everyone through the inner gate, waiting for as many of the soldiers to pass through as he could, before he again gave the command to seal the gate. But no sooner had the gate been closed, trapping the oncoming zombies and a few remaining unlucky Pact soldiers outside, when the ground of the courtyard quivered and a new force of undead clawed their way out to greet them. In only moments the inner courtyard was as confused a melée as the docks had been.

"Sometime, I'd like to fight an enemy that doesn't steal the ground from beneath our feet," Rhyoll complained.

"Let me steal it from under theirs," Phiadi said absently, waving her staff wildly, planting curses every which way.

There erupted a shout from the north side of the yard. "The enemy has the orb! They're heading for the Asura gates! Somebody stop them!"

"What did you say?" Annhilda demanded, dashing in that direction without waiting for the rest of the guild to catch up.

A gasping Charr woman in Whispers robes pointed towards the Asura gates. "They had the orb! They looked like Pact soldiers, but then they changed. By the time I realized they were using illusions, it was too late."

Phiadi screamed an obscenity at the top of her lungs and took off sprinting. A Vigil Asura nearby shook his head at the piercing noise, and at her description of what she was going to do with the Eternal Alchemy and the thieves' personages, but Phiadi was away and giving orders. "You, form a perimeter! Keep the undead off us while we get through the door! You, stand with us so we can crush those impudent idiots when the door opens!"

"If they get the gates working, we'll lose them and the orb," said the Whispers agent. "But we need explosives to get through this door, ma'am."

Caoilfhionn's eye had already fallen on some familiar packages nearby, and he picked one up and held it high. "Here! Tonn made these. I recognize his work. Damara!"

"Got it!" Damara caught it as he tossed it, planting it on the gate and then dodging back as Annhilda threw up a barrier to protect them from the blast. The gate gave way with a groan, and they were treated to the sight of several belligerent-looking people – well, they still wore Vigil armour, to his eyes. A Charr woman held a smooth, azure-blue orb, and she was at the back, next to the central Asura gate as another of her comrades fiddled with it. "Your Pact is finished. Your orb, your fortress, and your Asura gates belong to us!"

"We'll see about that!" Annhilda said, and blinked forward into the traitors' defensive line with a shout.

"We can't lose the orb now!" yelled the Charr mesmer, edging away from Annhilda's rage. "Keep them away from me!"

"Seems a futile endeavour," Trahearne commented in an aside to Caoilfhionn, who chuckled tightly and splashed healing Water about on his companions. Caladbolg was not idle, but Trahearne was facing outward, joining the soldiers who prevented the undead from getting at the orb themselves.

The Charr mesmer screamed and transformed into a strange wraith. "You will not-!"

An arrow from Damara felled the wraith. "Hmph. Don't have to be near you to take you down."

"The orb!" cried Annhilda, seizing it. "What do we do with it?"

"The central pillar!" Trahearne said, pointing. "We prepared a seat for it!"

Behind her, the Asura gates flickered from red to purple, then blinked and began disgorging Pact soldiers from all three, but Annhilda was not stopping now, sprinting with her long legs for the point which Trahearne had pointed out to her. The reinforcements charged the zombies, and Caoilfhionn and the others with them.

As Annhilda settled the orb into its Asuran-made housing, the antenna above it lit up in blue, and the beams of energy between each of the fortress's towers brightened to a powerful glow. The miasma lifted, as if pushed back by a powerful but unfelt gust of air, and the undead ceased to crawl from the ground. Caoilfhionn heard Carys cheering somewhere near him, a cheer that many joined in.

"Forward!" Trahearne shouted. "Open the gate to the docks and take them back!"

Now they charged, back down the ramp; many of the Sylvari staying at the top with their strange long rifles and firing at anything that looked like it ought to be dead. Caoilfhionn was right with Phiadi, and the two of them wove their magics together, death and fire, demolishing a great hulking brute before it could charge into them. There was a screech above them, and looking up, he saw that the dragon was retreating, flying back to the distant land across the strait. The power of the orb? He hoped so. He wondered what it was. If even Annhilda didn't know, it was mysterious indeed.

It was not long before anything that rotted ceased moving, and they could begin the painful process of determining which of those un-decomposed bodies were still living… and which would need to be buried. Everyone helped, even Trahearne himself.

When those who could be saved were saved, they all assembled in the inner courtyard. Trahearne appeared on the orb platform above them all, lifting his hand for attention. "For more than two hundred years, Orr has been lost. Despoiled, corrupted, ruined by the presence of a dragon; an infection, withering the heart of Tyria." He gestured to the fortress around them. "Fort Trinity symbolizes our determination. It stands as a mark of our unity against the dragons. From here, we will prevail. We will fight to rend the darkness with steel and flame, always looking toward the dawn. Our victory at Fort Trinity will show the world that we can strike against the dragons. When we are ready, we will prove that even in the sanctum of Orr, they are not untouchable. We can reach the dragon's lair in the heart of Orr! We can assault Arah! We can destroy Zhaitan before the dragon's infection claims us all. This battle is over. We can triumph! But the war has just begun."

The army cheered him, enthusiastically, as he left the platform, giving orders to Doern, Efut, and Wynnet, and then he made his way over to where Hope's Legacy was waiting. In their presence, he allowed himself to look relieved – but the determination from his speech was still there. "I'm glad we have the dragon's attention. I want Zhaitan to know the names and faces of those who will defeat it."

"From the size of the assault force it sent here, I'd say the dragon has taken notice, sir," Annhilda said. "But we have other issues at hand."

"Yes," Trahearne said slowly. "I think Lionguard Apatia is our first priority. Phiadi, Rhyoll, we will have to confront Syska tomorrow."

"Ugh, fine," Phiadi said. "That'll give me time to charge up some of my best curses for her…"

Rhyoll nodded. "I can be a screw-up for one more day. Let's get Apatia back."

"Do you need us, sir?" Damara asked. "I'd rather not put off… you know."

Trahearne nodded. "Of course. I had Tonn's personal effects sent here. I'll have them delivered to you. There was a locket that looked important. I'm sure his wife would appreciate its return."

"I… wonder how she will take it," Caoilfhionn said softly.

Trahearne put a hand on his shoulder, making him look at him. "You have to make her understand Tonn's sacrifice. He was willing to give his life to defeat Zhaitan. We all have to be, or the Pact will never stop the dragons."

"I know." Caoilfhionn nodded slowly. "I'll try."

They found Ceera busy among the wounded at the Squall Cusps to the south. She hardly looked up as they approached.

When the healer seemed to have a brief moment, wiping her hands on a towel, Damara took the lead. "Ceera… I'm here with bad news about Tonn."

Ceera looked up sharply. "What news? Who are you? What's happened?"

Damara swallowed. "I'm Commander Damara Biros, and this is my friend Caoilfhionn. I was with Tonn on a demolition mission. He… he did not survive."

Ceera gasped and her already-large blue eyes grew even larger with horror and grief. She shook her head. "Tonn's… gone? That can't be. He promised me we'd both live through this. What happened? Tell me how he died!"

Caoilfhionn braced himself and spoke. "We rigged an Orrian bone ship to blow, but the explosives wouldn't go off. Tonn and I went back to fix them. I… I don't know what happened then. We were separated. But he saved the mission." He couldn't bear to have that accusing stare boring into his eyes and lowered his gaze to the ground, trying not to let grief overwhelm him.

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" Ceera demanded, her face twisting. "The war can go on without Tonn, but I can't. How could you let this happen?" Tears rolled from her eyes – until abruptly she straightened with fury. "You murdered my husband, you and your Pact. Get away from me. Just get away!" She turned and ran, through the south gate of the camp.

"Ceera!" Damara cried, but Caoilfhionn was rooted to the spot. Her reaction was entirely justified… if he hadn't killed Tonn himself, he might as well have, with his inattention. What sort of Valiant was he to let his teammate, his companion die like that? To bring such grief to his lover was perhaps even worse. She was right to want him away from her, he would not follow- "Come back, it's dangerous out there!" Damara took off running after her.

Ceera screeched from where she was in the distance. "No! Get away from me, you murderers. Tonn! I'll find you, I swear it."

Damara would have stopped, but suddenly Ceera's cries changed tone, galvanizing even Caoilfhionn into action. "Ahh! No! Somebody, anybody! Help!"

They ran, chasing the undead who were chasing Ceera, who ran into a cave and did not stop, not until she came out of the cave to a small jetty where there were yet more undead waiting for her.

"Hold on!" Caoilfhionn called, blazing forward as lightning, crashing into the undead that stood before her. Damara drew her sword instead of her bow and threw herself at the ones behind. They were not Zhaitan's best minions, slow and clumsy, and together they hacked them to pieces as quickly as they could.

When the last one had fallen, Caoilfhionn knelt before Ceera, unable to contain his grief fully. "I am sorry that I failed you – that I failed both of you. I… I don't have any words that could possibly help. I know no words can help." He wiped his sleeve over his eyes, willing his voice to stay steady enough to continue. "All I know is that he loved you madly. You were all he talked about, you and the life he wanted to have with you."

"Life? What life!?" Ceera cried, and he wilted further at her strong emotions. "What do you know about him, or me? Just leave me alone."

"W-wait." He fumbled inside his coat. "Trahearne gave me this to give to you…"

"His mother's locket." She took it, turning it over in her hands. "He wanted me to have it. It was all he had when she died… and now it's all I have left to remember him."

"I'm so sorry," he whispered. All he knew was what it was to love. To lose his love was a pain he could not imagine. And he would fight to his death to destroy the dragon, to prevent it from separating loved ones like that again. But telling her that seemed… useless.

"You saved my life," Ceera said coldly. "I think you for that, but I will never, ever forgive you for taking Tonn from me. Just leave. I'll find my own way back."

He picked himself up and left with Damara, and every step felt like lead.

Damara followed him closely back to the fort, and made him go see the healers there, who told him he needed to rest for a couple days and allow his body time to heal completely. Caoilfhionn fled to high on the outer wall of Fort Trinity the moment he got away from them, for now he could cry – could let himself sink into his misery, let it wash over him, and hopefully, as with Sieran, find the way out by going through. He underestimated Damara at finding him – or, more accurately, her hound's nose, but her well-meaning words did not help, and he soon sent her away.

He stayed there, as the sun sank, as the rescue party returned, and they did not sound cheerful either. Had today been a victory or not? Nothing seemed to be going right… and yet they'd survived, most of them, another day. Had crushed the dragon's attempt to destroy them, even. And yet.

Trahearne found him in the twilight. "Ahhh, sapling. Here you are again."

Caoilfhionn's tears had dwindled to quiet streams down his cheeks, and his grief was already tired. "Damara sent you, didn't she."

"She said I was the only one who can talk to you right now."

"For once… I don't want to talk," Caoilfhionn said. "But a hug would be nice."

Trahearne sat beside him with his back to the wall and pulled him into a close embrace in his lap. Caoilfhionn tucked his head under Trahearne's chin and rested, comfortably, listening to his breathing, breathing in his scent, still fresh and green and slightly bitter even after the day's exertions.

"Did you see the healers?"

"Yes. I'm supposed to rest for two or three days to allow my injuries to heal." Caoilfhionn swallowed and burst out: "How can I rest now?"

"You must," Trahearne said soothingly. "The risk is too great. We need you well. I need you well."

Caoilfhionn fell silent. Trahearne was right, of course, but his heart cried out against it.

"Ceera blames me," he said after a while. "Blames us all."

Trahearne breathed. "Do you blame yourself?"

"I don't know. Maybe. I just wish there was a way to fix it."

"I know," Trahearne said, his voice soft, and deep, and aching with sadness. "So many died today. Every decision I make, people die. It's almost unbearable sometimes. When we shut the gates, do you know how many were still out there in the jungle? I do, and I know how many never made it back. If they were still alive when the gates were shut, they would have had nowhere to hide…" His arms tightened around Caoilfhionn and – Caoilfhionn inhaled sharply as he felt a teardrop fall onto his leaves. "But… the gates had to be shut. I had to cut off their lives, to save the lives still in the fort."

"I know."

"This is war, and even in peaceful life, people die. Frequently. Even with all my knowledge, I cannot prevent that…"

Caoilfhionn pulled Trahearne a little closer; he wasn't the only one who needed comfort and support, and if he could give any of his own, he would. "The rescue mission didn't go well, did it."

"No. Apatia was already dead. Annhilda is dealing with her own grief and feelings of guilt. If we have even a moment tomorrow after dealing with our saboteur, I'm away to Hoelbrak with Annhilda to tell her family."

"Mm. I can't help with that, but perhaps I can help with the saboteur…"

"No, you must rest. I will find something for you to do that doesn't involve risking your life. Don't worry," he added dryly. "You'll be back at it soon enough."

"I won't let you down."

They sat in silence again for a while. At length, Trahearne spoke. "What do you think of the fort, by the way? I meant to ask you sooner, but… with everything…"

Caoilfhionn made a face, though Trahearne couldn't see it. "It's… not very romantic."

Trahearne snorted. "That sounds diplomatic. I agree with you, but what makes you say that?"

"The way you described it, I was sure it would be a ruined stone castle, like Fort Cadence to the north."

"Ah. No. Well, not after the Charr got started. There are stone foundations underneath. But after seeing what happened to stone fortifications on Claw Island, it was determined that a different type of construction was necessary. I agree it's not very beautiful… but it will keep us safe. It already has."

"It has," Caoilfhionn said. "I… right now… I miss home."

"Do you want to take a leave of absence to visit the Grove?"

Yes, his heart whispered. "No. I'm stronger than that. I'm not leaving until this is done. Even if I must rest." Already he was ashamed of voicing his weakness.

"Thank you," Trahearne said softly, his voice deep enough to fall into, and Caoilfhionn nearly did. "I missed you. Your mission was important, but… I wished you were beside me."

"Don't send me so far away next time, then," Caoilfhionn said, trying to joke.

"No," Trahearne said, still grave. "I think I will not." He sighed and slackened his embrace. "Well. I'm tired. You're tired. I won't have you sleeping up here in the open. In fact, you should probably be in the infirmary."

Caoilfhionn considered pouting, but it wouldn't help – Trahearne would just insist more. "Very well. I will try to sleep, and I will see you… when you are not busy."

"Which may not be any time soon, but even a word or two would help keep my spirits up in between everything that's been going on."

"Mine too." Caoilfhionn stood and helped Trahearne up. "Thank you for taking care of me yet again."

"My pleasure," Trahearne said with a courtly bow. "Good night, Caoilfhionn."

"Good night, Trahearne."