~ Chapter 12 ~
Uprising
When Morgan finally returned to consciousness, she felt rather lightheaded. A curious, tingling sensation ran down the length of her spine, spreading through all of her limbs, as if warning her to keep still. At the same time, her back felt rough and itchy, as if she were lying upon a rough, gravelly surface. She shifted involuntarily, and suddenly, she felt as if her back had been stabbed by thousands of searing needles. "U-ugh…" she moaned softly. Keeping her eyes tightly shut, she instinctively curled up in pain, which unfortunately only made it ten times worse – almost immediately, she found herself wishing she had stayed asleep.
"She's awake," someone nearby announced.
Morgan thought she recognized her older sister's voice. "Sis?" she whimpered piteously.
"Hold still, Morgan," Severa instructed tersely.
Morgan obediently went limp. Then she felt herself being gently turned over onto her belly, and an agonized gasp escaped her lips.
"Here. This should help," Severa said soothingly, though her voice quivered as she spoke. She began spreading a smooth, whitish balm across her younger sister's terribly scarred back. To her relief, Morgan relaxed visibly as the silky paste did its work.
After a short while had passed, the pain receded to little more than a subtle ache, and Morgan finally opened her eyes. "Thanks," she mumbled.
Morgan then managed to turn her head slightly, and saw that she was apparently alone with her sister. She was not lying on the ground as she had thought, but instead had been moved onto a soft and comfortable bed covered in plush sheets. She shivered slightly, suddenly noticing that she had been stripped down to her smallclothes. Her wounds felt as if they had been dressed, perhaps magically so.
When she saw her younger sister shivering, Severa quickly draped a thick, woolen blanket over her. "Yuelle showed me where you keep your staves and healing balm," she explained, confirming Morgan's suspicions. "How do you feel? I know I'm not very good with healing magic."
Morgan pulled her blanket tighter around herself. "I'll be fine, I think," she said quietly. "Umm… what happened, Sis?"
"Don't you remember? You nearly got yourself killed," Severa said testily.
"Did I?" Morgan murmured, straining to remember. "I'm… I'm sorry."
Upon seeing Morgan's confused and uncharacteristically contrite expression, Severa shifted guiltily in her seat. "Don't apologize," she said quickly. "It wasn't your fault. I… I'm the one who wasn't paying attention. You probably saved my life back there. I'm the one who should be sorry."
Morgan turned herself back over, wincing slightly as her blistered and sore back pressed against the smooth bed covers. She then gave her sister a blank look, for her thoughts still remained thoroughly muddled.
"You? Make a mistake?" a familiar voice cut in. "Who are you, and what have you done with our sister?"
At the sound of that voice, Morgan's eyes went wide, and her head suddenly cleared. Images of Leo's Rest and the exploding Sun Spire flashed through her mind, but she didn't dwell upon them for long. Instead, she forced herself to sit upright, and looked to the wooden desk nearby. A small, ornate mirror stood rested there, propped up against a small stack of books.
But instead of her own reflection, Morgan found herself staring straight into the smiling face of her older self. "Morgan?" she gasped. "What are you… how did…?"
"I know how to use these mirrors too, remember?" Severa reminded. "I was on the other end of them when Dad finally got them working all those years ago. I thought I'd check with Morgan and see if there was anything else I could do for you."
"How are you feeling, Morgan?" the older Morgan asked tenderly.
"I'll be fine," the younger girl repeated wearily. "How long have you two been talking? I thought I was almost out of dust for the mirrors."
"That's what I thought, too, but Severa hasn't stopped talking long enough for me to mention it," the older Morgan replied, flashing their older sister a teasing smile. "I'd say we probably have about a minute left."
"We should have plenty of time to talk," Severa argued, hefting a small leather pouch. "I found a second bag of white dust right next to the first one."
"Err… actually, that's salt," the younger Morgan corrected, smiling faintly.
With a suspicious look at the younger Morgan, Severa dipped one finger into the pouch to taste its contents. She scowled when she realized her younger sisters were right.
"It's okay," the older Morgan reassured, though she couldn't quite keep herself from laughing. "I'm just glad to see you're both alright. I've got another batch waiting for you whenever you're ready, Morgan."
"But I haven't even gotten a chance to ask you about everything that's happened in Ylisse!" Severa complained sullenly.
"And I haven't gotten the chance to ask you where you've been all these years, either," the older Morgan retorted, grinning. "So you'd better make it back here safe and sound."
Severa blew out a frustrated sigh. "Of course we will," she said irritably. "We'll probably go see Mom and Dad in Ylisstol, first, though."
The older Morgan stared at Severa quizzically for a moment. Then her eyes lit up, and she glanced towards her younger self. "Are you finally ready to come home?" she asked hopefully.
"I… umm… maybe," the younger Morgan said hesitantly. "Say, Morgan? I told Severa everything about Ellie, and about Dad, too. She says she doesn't think Dad's mad at me anymore. Do you… do you know if she's right?"
The older Morgan smiled warmly when she saw the younger girl's earnest, desperate expression. "Is that really what you've been worried about? All this time?" she asked.
The younger Morgan swallowed and nodded.
"Silly girl," the older Morgan chided, shaking her head. "No one's mad at you. No one was ever mad at you, least of all Dad. He's been beside himself with worry ever since you left. Mom, too."
"And you didn't think to tell her this sooner?" Severa asked dryly.
"It's come for you to come home, Morgan," the older Morgan said insistently, pointedly ignoring Severa.
A serene look came over the younger girl then, and it looked as if an impossibly heavy burden had just been lifted from her shoulders. "Soon," she promised quietly. "Our work here is nearly finished."
The older Morgan smiled and nodded acceptingly, but before she could say anything, the mirror went dark.
"If she has another batch of that strange dust waiting for you, can't she just reactivate the mirror from her end?" Severa asked grumpily. "You only need to use the dust on one of the two mirrors, right? I still have a billion questions for her."
"She could, but she knows we'll see each other soon," Morgan said. She shifted experimentally, and when the pain came less sharply than before, she tried to climb out of bed.
"Oh no you don't," Severa said, reaching out and holding her still. "You're not going anywhere. Not yet, at least."
Deciding it best not to argue – for now, at least – Morgan nodded and remained still. "Where are we, Sis?" she asked curiously.
"You don't remember this place?" Severa asked, frowning. "This is Bayn's hideout, beneath the carpenter's shop. Remember?"
With great effort, Morgan managed to turn herself around, and saw the ladder leading up to the trapdoor. The bed and desk were new, but the rest of the room remained the same. "Oh," she said. "Where's everyone else?"
"Helios, Trance, and Ferus are supposed to be laying low. They're probably not too far from here," Severa said with a shrug. "Owain was here with us until about half an hour ago. After the Solcryst lit up, he said he'd go find us some breakfast."
A shadow briefly flickered across Morgan's expression, unnoticed by her older sister. "What about Bayn?" Morgan asked quietly. "Has anyone told him about what happened atop the Sun Spire?"
"Of course," Severa nodded. "We all warped directly here after that crystal exploded. Trance and Ferus went and brought Bayn here. When Bayn saw the shape you were in, he brought us this bed and some rags and stuff. The others told him everything while I was…"
"Everything?" Morgan interrupted sharply.
"Well, everything that happened in Leo's Rest, anyways," Severa amended. "We told him that we found the coast, too, and how because of it, you thought the Sun Spires were related to the Nightmares."
"Oh," Morgan said, thankful that the others hadn't attempted to explain everything else they had discovered. "Where is he now?"
"No idea," Severa said. "Probably at his post?"
"I need to speak with him," Morgan declared, freeing herself from her blanket and searching about for her robes."
"You need to stay put," Severa countered firmly. She retrieved the blanket, and wrapped it around her struggling sister.
"Sis! We don't have time to argue!" Morgan protested. "If we're going to fix Monolith, we'll have to do it tonight, before the Sun Guard has had time to prepare for us."
"And how exactly are we going to 'fix' Monolith?" Severa asked exasperatedly. "Even if the Sun Spires are responsible for the Nightmares, we can't just destroy them while there are still thousands of people depending on them. We don't even know how we destroyed that last one, anyways."
"We didn't, and the Sun Spires aren't our problem," Morgan said, shaking her head. "Let me go fetch Bayn and the other Seekers, and I'll explain everything." Almost everything, she corrected herself silently.
For a long while, Severa said nothing, and only stared thoughtfully into Morgan's determined expression. "I know I'm going to regret asking this," she finally said. "But… are you sure this time, Morgan?"
"Absolutely," Morgan promised evenly, without even the slightest trace of hesitation.
Severa stared at her younger sister suspiciously for several moments longer, then sighed. "Alright," she gave in. "You stay here and get yourself dressed. The clothes you bought here in Sol Hearth got torn up pretty badly in the explosion, but I saw your old coat and clothes in your pouch while searching for your staves. I'll go fetch Bayn for you."
"Hel, too," Morgan pleaded. "And as many other Seekers as Bayn can round up."
Severa groaned, but managed a slight nod. "Fine. I'll see what I can do," she reluctantly agreed.
Finding Bayn proved to be relatively easy; not knowing where else to begin, Severa decided to start with the gate at which she and the others had first arrived in Sol Hearth. She ran into Helios on the way there, and together, and found Bayn at the gate soon after. With Bayn's help, finding more of the Seekers proved to be a simple task.
Discreetly returning to Bayn's underground hideout proved to be a bit more challenging. The market district was already quite crowded despite the early hour. Thankfully, the carpenter's shop wasn't overly popular. With the help of the proprietor – who appeared to be a good friend of, if not related to Bayn – the Seekers slowly filtered down into the hideout, a handful at a time.
Naturally, Severa insisted on returning alongside the first group, and as soon as the shop was clear, she, Helios, and Bayn climbed down into the secret chamber. To their collective surprise, most of the furniture had been stacked neatly against the walls. Morgan was perched upon her bed, which protruded from the bottom of the orderly pile. Owain was standing beside her, and looked to be at a complete loss. A basket full of sandwiches sat forlornly in the corner of the room.
"You two have been busy, I see," Bayn remarked, eyeing the pile of furniture.
"I'll put it all back when we're finished," Morgan promised quickly. "I'm sorry for moving it all without asking. I didn't know how many of the Seekers would be coming, and I wanted to make sure there'd be enough space for everyone."
Just then, Trance, Ferus, and three more Seekers that Morgan did not recognized climbed down.
"It's alright, lass," Bayn said reassuringly. "Truth be told, I'm more worried about you than the furniture. Are you sure you should be up and about so soon? That was quite the beating you took last night."
"I'll be okay. Besides, there's no time to waste," Morgan said. She hopped to her feet and waved to Helios, who casually waved back.
Another group of Seekers entered silently, shortly followed by a fourth group. A few were members of the Sun Guard, but most appeared to be civilians, including a young woman barely older than Morgan herself and an elderly man who could only remain upright with the help of his walking stick.
The trapdoor closed again, and a clattering noise signaled the shop's proprietor replacing the floorboards. "That's everyone," Bayn said, after taking a quick headcount.
"Really? These are all the Seekers left in Sol Hearth?" Morgan asked, a worried look upon her face.
"Hardly," Bayn said. "But most of our order have their regular lives to attend you. Sol Hearth has been in a complete uproar ever since Leo's Rest went dark. We're already taking a great risk in so many of us gathering at such a critical time."
Morgan nodded her acceptance. "Fair enough… but before we go any further, everyone here should know that what I'm about to tell you will likely put you all in even greater danger," she warned. "If any of you are afraid at all, this is your last chance to back away from all of this."
"If any of us were afraid, we wouldn't be here," Ferus said. "Each and every one of us knew the risks when we became what we are."
Morgan looked to each of the Seekers in turn. Most of them returned her look curiously, though none of them moved to leave, or even wavered in the slightest. Morgan then glanced at Helios, the only member of her audience – with the exception of her sister and Owain – who hadn't been part of the Seekers. Helios, too, remained still, but he wore an oddly distant look, as if he were barely listening. When he finally noticed Morgan staring his way, he only nodded.
"Alright, then," Morgan finally said. "Let's start with the Sun Spires. The Sun Spires in Aquila's Ascent and Leo's Rest were both destroyed by someone within the Sun Guard."
The young tactician's declaration was met with a stunned silence, even from those who had been traveling beside her.
"B-by the Sun Guard?" Bayn finally sputtered. "How?"
"We were standing atop of the Sun Spire in Leo's Rest last night," Morgan explained. "We had a few minutes to study the crystal before it exploded. The crystal held less magical energy than I expected, and far too little to keep giving off light the way the Sun Spires normally do."
"And how were you able to discern that?" the oldest of the Seekers interrupted. The kindly old man leaned forward on his walking stick as he spoke, seeming more curious than accusing.
"My friends and I come from some place very far away," Morgan admitted, indicating Severa and Owain. "Where we grew up, studying magic is quite normal. Well, maybe not normal, but at least it's allowed."
"Some place far away? Preposterous!" one of the other Seekers scoffed.
Having expected as much, Morgan was ready. She drew her tome, and willed its power forth. A small fireball formed in her hand, and she flicked it up into the air, where it promptly dissipated. "Believe what you will," the young tactician replied serenely. "We don't have a lot of time, so if you aren't convinced, then you may as well leave now."
Most of the Seekers stared at Morgan's tome in shock, until the aged Seeker from before finally broke the silence. "Then let's say we believe you," he said. "What do your findings mean? You claim that the Sun Spire in Leo's Rest could not have remained lit, but until last night, its light has never once faltered."
"I said the Sun Spire could not have been sustaining its light," Morgan corrected. "The Sun Spires are not creating their own light. They are drawing their power from the Solcryst. That's why only six of the Sun Spires were built; the Solcryst has its limits, too."
"The Sun Spires draw their light from the Solcryst?" Bayn asked incredulously.
"Yes, but that's not all," Morgan continued. "The Solcryst magically shields the Sun Spires from harm, and when the Sun Guard realized that the Sun Spire in Leo's Rest had been captured, they overloaded it with magical energy, destroying it in hopes of killing us. Something similar must have happened in Aquila's Ascent. My guess is that the Sun Guard knew that you Seekers were planning a raid upon Aquila's Sun Spire, and destroyed the city outright, both to keep you from studying the Sun Spire and to scare you away from trying again in the future."
Everyone in the room stared at Morgan in shock. The ensuing silence was nearly palpable.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Bayn spoke up. "Those are some rather grave accusations, lass," he warned.
"And yet, that's the least of your problems," Morgan pressed on. "Your legends have deceived you; the sun is still out there, as are the moon and stars."
"It cannot be," one of the other Seekers – a middle-aged, balding man – murmured.
"It's true," Trance spoke up. "Ferus and I have both seen the sun rising with our very own eyes. It is every bit as bright as the legends say."
"But we had to go very far away in order to see it," Ferus added, concerned. "Even if they are there, they may as well be gone, as far as Monolith is concerned."
"And that, too, is the fault of the Solcryst," Morgan proclaimed boldly. "That's the answer you've been chasing for so long. That's the Sun Guard's greatest secret. The Solcryst isn't creating light… it steals the light from the sky and uses it to fuel its own magic. That magic sends a light extending past the Reaches by day, and keeps the Sun Spires perpetually lit. That magic protects or destroys the Sun Spires at the Sun Guard's whim. That magic empowers the Sun Forge and your weapons, and probably the magical lights within Sol Sanctus, too. And, worst of all, that same magic spawns the Necrotic Wraiths, the enemies you've come to know as Nightmares."
As she finished, Morgan gritted her teeth, bracing herself for a flood of doubt, mockery, and scorn.
What she didn't expect was for the old Seeker who had spoken up before to simply burst out laughing. Morgan bowed her head, crestfallen; she had known that convincing the others would not be easy, but the old man's reaction still stung.
"Enough," Helios spoke up suddenly, a feral gleam appearing in his eyes as he glared at the older man. "We put ourselves in terrible danger to get you the answers you so desperately craved, especially these three, who are not from Monolith and had nothing to gain in helping us. If you will not listen to her or take her seriously, so be it, but you will not ridicule her efforts!" he growled protectively.
"Hel, it's okay," Morgan tried to interrupt, but her voice was drowned out by Ferus, who seemed nearly as angry as Helios was.
"Watch your words, Helios," Ferus barked. "You have no right to speak to Grandmaster Zen this way."
With a jolt, Morgan suddenly understood why, so far, no one had contradicted or disagreed with the old Seeker.
Helios, on the other hand, seemed to grow only more incensed upon learning the old man's identity. "I have every right to…" he began.
"You are welcome to speak to me however you like," Zen interrupted. "But I'm afraid you've misunderstood me, Helios. As has your young friend, judging from her wounded expression." He looked at Morgan and smiled warmly. "Young lady, your claims are not as outlandish as you seem to believe."
This time, Morgan seemed every bit as lost as the other Seekers in the room.
"It is said that the greatest deceptions carry within them a seed of truth," Zen continued. "I was as surprised as any when the Sun Guard cast me out, accusing me of conspiring to destroy the Solcryst. Long have I wondered how they had come by such a ludicrous tale. Now, in light of what you have revealed to us today, the truth becomes clear."
Relief flooded through Morgan as she saw that the Seekers – or at least the Seekers' unofficial leader – did understand, after all.
"The Sun Guard feared for the Solcryst's safety because they knew that if the truth were to become known, the Solcryst would be endangered," Zen reasoned. His voice remained smooth and calm, but there was a hint of excitement behind it that he couldn't quite disguise.
"You believe her, then?" Bayn asked.
"Was it not you, Bayn, who informed me this morning of the sudden and unprecedented reassignments?" Zen reminded. "The Sun Guard is quite obviously afraid, and with good reason."
"Reassignments? What reassignments?" Severa blurted, just as Morgan was about to ask the same thing.
"Four new patrols were assembled just this morning," Bayn explained. "Each was given instructions to travel to one of the four Reaches, and to remain there, defending the Sun Spires until further notice."
"That's only sensible, given that two of the Sun Spires have been destroyed," Severa reasoned.
"Indeed, but the patrols consist entirely of individuals who the Sun Guard suspects to be of our order," Bayn added grimly. "At the same time, several dozen promotions were also sent out this morning, and several new patrols have been assigned to the defense of Sol Sanctus itself."
"Already?" Morgan gasped.
"What do you mean 'already'?" Severa frowned.
Morgan shuffled her feet nervously. "I knew the Sun Guard would react this way," she said. "I sensed someone watching us last night, atop the Sun Spire. The Sun Guard knows that we know the truth. They know the Solcryst is in danger, so they're pushing their known enemies away while redoubling Sol Sanctus's defenses."
"Then why did you sound so surprised just now?" Owain asked.
"Because I was expecting them to wait, at least until the survivors from Leo's Rest arrive here in Sol Hearth," Morgan said. "Officially, they still have no idea what happened in Leo's Rest."
"They're acting prematurely, as far as the rest of Sol Hearth is concerned," Zen agreed. "If they were hoping to maintain the illusion of control, they would have waited, so that their decision could appear more calculated and deliberate. Instead, they've put Sol Hearth into a state of fear and panic."
"Because they're afraid," Bayn realized aloud.
"Their deceptions have been unwoven, their reign jeopardized," Owain said solemnly.
"Whatever their claims to the general populace, the Sun Guard had no reason to believe that we Seekers had any intention of destroying the Monolith," Zen said. "At least until now. Now they're afraid, for a legitimate threat to the Solcryst has risen."
"We are to destroy the Solcryst, then?" one of the Seekers asked doubtfully. "Are we to commit the one crime that we've been falsely accused of conspiring towards?"
"That's for you to decide," Morgan spoke up suddenly, before Zen or Bayn could respond. "You all know that the Sun Guard has been keeping careful watch over its soldiers. They've probably been keeping an eye on Sol Hearth's civilians, too. If you choose to do nothing now, the Sun Guard will work towards eliminating any and every threat to the Solcryst, which includes everyone who knows the truth."
"Pleasant thought," Ferus grumbled.
"So you really only have two choices," Morgan said. "You can act now, and try to fight your way past the Sun Guard before they're fully prepared for you. Destroy the Solcryst, and the darkness will fade. The Nightmares that already exist will remain, but they'll be the last. Your roads will gradually become safer, and your people will no longer be confined to Sol Hearth and the Reaches."
"If we succeed, that is," Zen interrupted quietly.
"But if you're not prepared to challenge the Sun Guard," Morgan went on. "Then it's time for the Seekers to disband. You know the truth now, and your lives are in danger because of that truth. From here on out, the Sun Guard will only become more relentless and merciless."
"They will do everything within their power to stamp the truth down once more," Zen said, nodding his understanding. "With each passing day, our chances of escaping their notice will dwindle. They will grow stronger, and us weaker."
"Exactly," Morgan said. "I don't know what will happen if you strike tonight. Maybe you'll win, or maybe you'll all be wiped out instead. All I know is that your chances now are better than they'll ever be again."
Despite her soft and young voice, the weight of Morgan's words descended upon the Seekers heavily. Realizing that the Seekers would need some time to consider the ultimatum she had presented them with, the young tactician nodded and stepped aside. She, Severa, and Owain quietly moved to join Helios in the room's distant corner.
"Do you truly mean to allow such a bastion of evil and injustice to go unchallenged?" Owain asked Morgan in a hushed tone.
"If they're already bringing reinforcements into Sol Sanctus, there isn't much that we three can do on our own," Morgan reminded. "Besides," she added, gesturing towards the Seekers, "This is their home, and their lives at stake. If they decide not to go to war, it's not fair for us to push them into one, especially when we can't be sure of the outcome."
"In a war, no one can be certain of anything," Severa warned.
"I know," Morgan said wearily.
"Morgan, are you sure the Solcryst is responsible for the Nightmares and the darkness?" Severa asked. "I know it all fits, but if you're wrong, destroying it could prove catastrophic."
"I'm not wrong," Morgan insisted stubbornly. "Didn't you notice how the further we were from Sol Hearth, the fewer Nightmares there were? Once we reached the coast without finding anyone or anything else, I knew the Nightmares had to be coming from Monolith itself. I suspected the Sun Spires at first, but…"
"…but they don't have any power of their own," Severa finished. "But what if it's something else? Something entirely unrelated to the Solcryst?"
"Then someone must have noticed it by now," Morgan said. "Magic that powerful is impossible to fully conceal. It has to be hiding in plain sight, and if it were anything but the Solcryst, we would have heard something about it by now." Then, as if seeking further affirmation, she turned to Helios. The rogue Sun Guard had been conspicuously silent so far. "What do you think, Hel?" Morgan prompted quietly.
Helios turned to her in surprise, his expression making it clear that he hadn't been listening.
"Is something wrong?" Morgan asked, growing worried.
Helios grimaced, and paused for several seconds before answering. "They're gone," he finally said, his voice sounding hoarse.
"Gone?" Morgan asked blankly. "Who's gone?"
"Tohl and Cress," Helios clarified. "I went searching for them earlier. Tohl was transferred away this morning, according to his patrol leader. I couldn't find any sign of Cress, either."
With a wince, Morgan recalled the notes on Crescent's record from within Sol Sanctus, particularly one of the lines that had been scribed in red.
"This is my fault," Helios said. "The Sun Guard suspected me already, and both Tohl and Cress were mentioned on my record. The Sun Guard must have sent them both out to the Reaches because of me."
"You don't know that. The Sun Guard may have had other reasons to suspect them," Severa insisted.
"Like what?" Helios asked. He laughed grimly, though he kept his voice down so as to not disturb the Seekers. "Tohl's always been a model Sun Guard: obedient, loyal, dedicated, and a decent fighter to boot. Cress is… well, Cress. She's always been too nice for her own good, keeping her head down and staying out of trouble even when she should've been standing up for herself."
"She snuck away from her post to check on you without even knowing for sure if you had made it here," Severa reminded. "And you told us she would sneak out of the city to go hunting for Nightmares."
"What can I say? I'm a bad influence," Helios smiled weakly, though his meager attempt at humor faltered quickly.
"I'm sorry, Hel," Morgan said sympathetically. "Do you want us to help you search for them? I don't have much warp powder left, but I can spare enough for you to visit each of the remaining Reaches, if you'd like."
Helios began shaking his head even before Morgan finished her sentence. "Thank you, Morgan. It's tempting, but it wouldn't do them or anyone else any good," he said. "They should be safe enough for now. It's just… I feel awful, getting them both involved like this."
"They were already involved," Morgan reminded gently. "This is about Monolith and all of its people, even if many of them don't know about it."
Helios sighed. "I guess you're right," he conceded. "Morgan, if we all make it through this alive…"
"We'll help you find them once this is all over," Morgan promised.
Helios nodded gratefully. "Thanks," he said, smiling shakily. "Though, I don't know how I'd even begin to explain everything that's happened."
"With any luck, it'll be easier with the sun shining overheard," Morgan offered, smiling optimistically. She then noticed Zen and Bayn signaling for her attention, and turned her attention back towards the Seekers. "I guess it's time for us to see where we're headed next," she muttered.
"The Seekers has made their decision," Zen said, and although it was clear that he spoke for the rest of his order, his careful choice in words did not escape Morgan's notice.
"Their decision?" Morgan echoed questioningly.
"I am old, child. I can no longer handle a blade the way I once could," Zen solemnly explained. "As I have little to offer them now, and even less to lose, I have no say in this matter myself."
"Your vision led us to where are stand now, Grandmaster Zen," Bayn reminded. "Each of us gladly chose to make that vision our own, and we'd just as gladly follow it through to the end."
"If you have truly made the vision your own, then you no longer need me to guide you," Zen said with a grin. "And truly, you have all taken to heart the wishful dreams of the idealistic and reckless young man I once was."
Bayn bowed his head respectfully, then turned to Morgan. "We will rally every last Seeker that remains within Sol Hearth, and reveal the truth to every man and woman who will listen. As soon as we are gathered, we will march upon Sol Sanctus. Though none of us had imagined it would ever come to this, we will set out to do exactly as the Sun Guard has feared. We will destroy the Solcryst."
It was the answer that Morgan had wanted to hear, yet she could not quite manage to smile, for she could see a slew of pitfalls waiting in Bayn's plan. "If you mean to attack Sol Sanctus, would you like my help or advice?" she offered hopefully.
"We would greatly appreciate both, as a matter of fact," Bayn said. He smiled faintly, as if to acknowledge his many remaining doubts and fears.
"Then before you contact the rest of the Seekers, there's a few things you should keep in mind," Morgan said. "Firstly, you don't want to attack until after the Solcryst dims tonight."
"Will that not allow the Sun Guard more time to prepare?" Owain pointed out.
There was a slight pause before Morgan answered. "Not enough time to make a difference," she insisted stubbornly. "But if you march now, or within a few hours of now, most of Sol Hearth's civilians will be caught in your path. If you wait until nightfall, the streets, at least, should be clear."
Severa gave Morgan a curious look, for she alone had noticed the younger girl's hesitation. She then looked quickly to Bayn, hiding her surprise in fear of ruining whatever her sister had planned.
Bayn did not seem entirely convinced by Morgan's reasoning, but he nodded his assent anyways. "Alright," he agreed. "We will strike as soon as the Solcryst dims. What else?"
"Secondly, you should be careful about when and how much you tell the rest of your allies," Morgan warned. "Amidst all the other preparations that must be made, we won't have the time to explain the situation to each of your followers individually. Your best bet will be to gather them all just before you commence your attack, then tell them the truth all together. Then, if any of the Seekers choose to back out, they'd be free to do so, but it would be too late for them to turn against you."
"None of our allies will betray our cause now," Bayn said, his expression hardening at the notion.
"Captain Bayn," Trance interrupted. "With all due respect, I believe Morgan is right. Yesterday, I thought the same thing myself, when we tried to warn the other Seekers in Leo's Rest of our intent. Our plan was nearly foiled when one of those we warned panicked and went to the Sun Guard. We can't afford to take that chance tonight."
"Alright," Bayn agreed reluctantly. "Anything else, lass?"
"Just one more problem," Morgan said, glancing at Helios as she spoke. "From what I've heard, the second floor of the Sol Sanctus is mostly made up of living quarters for the Sun Guard. Is that true?"
"Indeed," Bayn nodded.
"Then that's where you'll encounter the most resistance," Morgan reasoned. "Once you storm Sol Sanctus, any of the Sun Guard resting within Sol Sanctus will greet you on the first two floors, and reinforcements will be summoned from all around the city, too. Even if you manage to force your way through, the Sun Guard will pursue you all the way up the tower."
"That could prove disastrous," Bayn said. "The upper floors of Sol Sanctus are frequently patrolled. If those patrols impede our progress at all, we'll be quickly surrounded and outnumbered."
"Then let me lead a strike force up towards the Solcryst instead," Morgan offered. "Lend me a few of your stronger fighters if you can spare them. We can break into Sol Sanctus the way my friends and I did before, bypassing the first few floors. The rest of your forces can work towards capturing the lower levels, and holding enemy reinforcements at bay from a defensive position."
"The upper floors are heavily patrolled even under normal circumstances, and will be even more fortified now," Bayn warned.
"I know," Morgan acknowledged.
"And you will also have to contend with the Sun Warden," Bayn added. "No one's really certain what the Sun Warden is, let alone what it may be capable of."
"I'll figure something out," Morgan promised. "I know a thing or two about magic, remember?"
"This isn't sounding like much of a plan," Ferus observed.
"Do any of you have a better idea?" Morgan asked bluntly.
Bayn still seemed rather unsure, but without any alternatives to offer, he caved in. "Alright, lass," he surrendered. "I imagine you're quite aware of the risks. If you're still sure you want to do this, you'll have your strike force."
"Thank you, Captain," Morgan said, hiding her relief as best she could. She tried to bow politely, but flinched when her back began aching again.
The young tactician's painful wince did not escape Bayn's notice. "Provided, of course, that you rest up between now and then," Bayn amended sternly. "Like the rest of us, you'll need every last bit of your strength tonight."
"Okay. Sure," Morgan agreed quickly.
"Will there be anything else? If not, we'll begin making our preparations," Bayn said, suddenly keen to bring the meeting to a close. When Morgan only nodded, Bayn moved and softly rapped his knuckles against the trapdoor. "Rest well, lass," Bayn instructed Morgan in an unyielding tone.
"I will," Morgan promised, waving cheerily as the trapdoor opened and the Seekers began filtering out of the hideout.
When Bayn returned to the hideout several hours later, he was dismayed, but not overly surprised to see that Morgan was still up and about. She, Severa, Owain, and Helios were all dressed for battle, their weapons prominently displayed. The room's furniture had been returned to its proper state of disorder, and Morgan's bed was littered with a wide assortment of odds and ends which the young tactician appeared to be trying to sort through.
"Welcome back," Severa greeted, amused by the sight of Bayn's perplexed expression. "How are your preparations coming along?"
"About as well as we could have hoped, given that we just decided to storm the most fortified building in all of Monolith with less than twelve hours to plan our attack," Bayn said. His gaze remained fixed upon a pile of unlabeled glass bottles and leather pouches, each small enough to fit in the palm of Morgan's hand. "What is all this… stuff?" the former Sun Guard captain asked, trying and failing to find a word adequate to describe the young tactician's collection.
"Our preparations," Helios explained, grinning and sharing in Severa's amusement.
"Here, Hel. This one's for you," Morgan interrupted. She tossed Helios a small phial containing a pale, creamy liquid with a faint pinkish hue.
"For me?" Helios asked, surprised.
"Yep. Drink It right before we begin our climb," Morgan instructed.
Any trace of humor disappeared from Helios's face. "Drink this?" he asked dubiously, staring at the phial's contents.
"Yep," Morgan said again. "Don't worry. It's not bitter."
"I don't think it's the taste he's worried about," Severa laughed, though her laughter died away when Morgan passed a second identical phial to her, then a third to Owain. "What's this for, Morgan?" she asked in a more serious tone.
"It's just an herbal tonic," Morgan said, taking the fourth and final phial and knotting it carefully into her sash. "There's an apothecary back in Ylisstol that sells all sorts of these. Some make you faster or stronger, others can help you steady your hands or dull any pain you might feel."
"And what does this one do?" Helios asked nervously, swirling his phial and taking note of the way the viscous liquid clung to the glass.
"Just about everything. I mixed a bunch of them together, then reduced the mixture over a fire so that it wouldn't take up as much space, and finally added some honey to sweeten the mixture up," Morgan explained happily.
Morgan's cavalier attitude didn't bring her sister or Helios any comfort, but Owain seemed to take the words to heart easily enough. "Such magnanimous power rests within this diminutive, fragile vessel, waiting patiently to awaken my hidden potential," he whispered, moving to uncork his phial.
"Don't drink it yet, Owain," Morgan interrupted. "Its effects only last for a few hours, so you don't want to drink it until just before we're ready." She then turned to Bayn. "Captain, have you decided how many of the Seekers will be accompanying us?"
"Trance and Ferus volunteered almost immediately, as did several others," Bayn replied. "And, truthfully, I would like to accompany you myself if possible. How large of a force were you hoping for?"
"Not too large," Morgan said thoughtfully. "You, Trance, and Ferus accompanying us will be just about perfect. As soon as the fighting begins, the eight of us can climb straight up to the fourth floor from outside the tower. Any more, and we'll risk getting caught before we all make it inside."
"Eight?" Bayn frowned.
Morgan jostled her hood slightly, and Yuelle fluttered out of it before perching herself atop Morgan's shoulder instead. "Eight," Morgan confirmed, leaving Bayn at a complete loss for words. She passed another phial of the pinkish liquid to Bayn – who nearly missed catching it – then knotted another two phials into her belt. "How much longer do we have before the battle begins?"
"A-about an hour," Bayn stammered, recovering some of his poise.
Morgan sighed. "This will have to do, then," she decided. She roughly shoveled most of her belongings back into her pouch, then carefully arranged the rest on top, leaving out only a pile of small, blue ceramic jars. "Each of you should take two of these," she said.
"Healing elixirs," Severa, who recognized the distinctive jars at once, explained to Helios and Bayn.
As soon as each of the others had taken two of the jars as instructed, Morgan gathered up the remaining five, binding them carefully to her sash.
Confident that they were as ready as they'd ever be, Morgan tucked her pouch into her sash as well, then made her way towards the ladder, a determined look upon her face.