Upon waking, Alinelle jumped to her feet, feeling fully recharged and full of energy. Logan woke more slowly, but her own positive energy seemed to infect him after a few minutes. The two made their way to the kitchen where they prepared breakfast.
"If someone told me a year ago that I'd be looking for a ring for my true love," Alinelle said, taking a bite, "I would have called them mad."
"Life has a way of taking you on the paths you least expect," Logan replied with a smile. "I would have thought the same thing if someone had told me I would fall in love with an aeldari woman and live on a craftworld."
Both of them laughed before finishing their meal. The two worked together to wash the dishes, and shared a deep kiss as the morning sunlight bathed the kitchen in its warm glow. They cherished the moment, before finally letting go and sitting together in the living area.
"So, how do we plan to do this?" Logan started.
"We requisition a ship from the docks, make our way to Endeon Quintus, and begin our search for the ring," Alinelle explained.
"What if we run into the same problem we ran into when we were retrieving the bust?" Logan asked. "I would do it again in a heartbeat, but if possible I'd like to avoid taking a splinter rifle shot to the gut."
Though he said it somewhat lighthearted, Alinelle could see the genuine fear behind Logan's eyes. She frowned, as memories of Haarkian Secundus flooded into her mind. She remembered the agonized screaming as the drukhari butchered hundreds, the rush to retrieve the bust of Isha, but most of all, she remembered Logan's near-death at their hands. Not again. This time, she would be prepared for anything.
"This time, we will assemble a host," Alinelle suggested. "And I think I know just the right people for the job…"
—
After a day of sending psychic messages and planning, Alinelle and Logan stood in Logan's lab space, along with six aeldari. The faces were familiar - Lilya, Onros, Mendras, Eryth, Eldren, and Anith - the same aeldari who helped plan the defense of Asherital.
"Why meet here, of all places?" Lilya asked, looking around at the plethora of equipment.
"Here, we have privacy," Alinelle said. "No one else on this craftworld would want to be close to an area so frequently used by a human. Also, Logan has uncovered hidden secrets and truths that you should all know. I will let Logan explain."
Logan proceeded to explain his findings, of the connections between aeldari and human biology, of the key differences, and of the possible future these discoveries could lead to, integrating what the harlequins had told them. There were reactions of shock, but the reception to this new information was generally positive.
"This is incredible," Lilya said. The others nodded in agreement. "What must we do to secure this future, farseer?"
"We must find Isha's ring," Alinelle stated. "We have determined its location, but we do not know what may await us there. It is possible that there is no danger at all, but that is far from guaranteed. After our experiences on Haarkian Secundus, we realized we needed a small host of warriors to join us, should there prove to be hostile forces too numerous or powerful for the two of us to deal with alone."
"You have lifted the burden of shame from our shoulders, Alinelle," Onros began. "We will do whatever is needed to ensure the success of this mission."
"Wonderful!" Alinelle exclaimed. "Gather what warriors you can convince to join you, and we will meet at the docks tomorrow afternoon."
The matter concluded, they all went their separate ways. Alinelle and Logan returned home, where they cooked a quick dinner before going to sleep.
—
Alinelle woke as the artificial sunlight cast yellow rays through the open window. She gently nudged Logan, and the two kissed before getting out of bed. After a shower and a quick breakfast, it was time to start preparing for their journey. Alinelle went to grab her armored robes, while Logan grabbed the custom-tailored suit of armor that Mendras had so perfectly crafted. Satisfied, the two left the house and traveled to the craftworld's armory.
The psychic lock to the armory opened with a wave of Alinelle's hand. She did not waste time looking around - Alinelle grabbed a singing spear, and a shuriken pistol and combat knife for Logan. Though he was no warrior, he would at least be able to defend himself should they find themselves separated. Exiting the building, she showed Logan the weapons she had grabbed for him. He nodded, approvingly, and they continued on towards the docks.
Logan waited by a ship, as Alinelle requisitioned its use from port control. By the time Alinelle finished doing so, the host had gathered. She saw the distinctive, bone-colored armor of the Howling Banshees, the beautiful head plumes on the Swooping Hawks, and the cloak-donning, camouflaged silhouette typical of the Ranger. A few were clad in the simple armor of guardians - simple civilian militia. Together they made an imposing group. Alinelle hoped they would not be necessary.
Alinelle tapped Logan on the shoulder, and he jumped in surprise. She smirked, and waved for the entryway to the ship to open. She waited for the warriors to pass, then walked in just ahead of Logan. The two of them went to the bridge, and Alinelle quickly briefed the pilot and crew on the destination. They nodded curtly, and the ship lifted from the port, departing from the craftworld. Before the ship entered the webway, Logan and Alinelle left the bridge, joining the warriors in the living quarters.
The warriors all were performing their war mask ritual, and Logan stared at them curiously.
"What are they doing?" Logan whispered, turning to Alinelle.
"It is a ritual that allows them to activate their war masks," Alinelle explained. "Before battle, all aeldari don a war mask. This mask separates the warrior in battle from the individual, such that actions committed in battle will not haunt them upon returning to civilian life."
"I can see the double-edged sword there. If someone can put on a psychological mask to prevent their actions from haunting them later when they 'remove' the mask, I can see how easy it would be to commit horrific atrocities, as there is no accountability after the mask is removed," Logan mused..
"That is an interesting perspective," Alinelle mused. "As a farseer, I do not don a war mask in the same way, so I cannot speak from experience. Perhaps you should ask one of them yourself when we are on the return trip home."
—
Alinelle resolved to make good use of their time in transit. While she meditated and attempted to divine anything about the immediate future, Logan learned some basic fighting techniques from Lilya. She taught him which types of close combat attacks to avoid, which to block, and which to pre-emptively counter. He was no match for an aeldari, and in their practice rounds, she always had him on the floor with her sword at his throat, but he lasted a few seconds longer each time.
Eryth taught him principles of ranged combat. She showed him how to properly handle his shuriken pistol, how to move from cover to cover to minimize the chance of being taken out by enemy fire, and taught assessment of target viability. Logan eagerly learned, and was certainly more competent at this than dueling. In target practice, his accuracy was as high as fifty seven percent. When given praise Logan sheepishly attributed it to the lower recoil than in human pistols, but skill recognized skill. He would never cut it as a true marksman or soldier, but it would be enough to see off most ordinary enemies.
Onros taught Logan the importance of the war mask, and how it allowed for greater presence in the moment to minimize unnecessary distractions that could get one killed. Though such a short time was far from sufficient to fully train the human in the art of aeldari war mask rituals, Alinelle figured it would at least help a little.
"Entering orbit around Endeon Quintus," came the word from the ship's internal comms.
Alinelle got to her feet and made her way to the main deck, seeing Logan there as well. The planet took up most of the wide viewport. It was an ugly place. Most of the planet was a drab brown, with no indications of life. Craters of varying sizes covered the surface, indicating a lack of active geology. It should have been just another lifeless rock. Yet there was a small area, approximately a hundred square kilometers, that was vibrant green. In this small patch, there was a bright green island surrounded by a shallow ring of water, itself surrounded by a lush forest.
"I think we've found our spot," Logan said with a grin. Alinelle mirrored his expression.
The entry was uneventful, with no hints of turbulence or strong winds throughout their descent. The ship touched down and the landing ramp extended from the opened side port. Alinelle, Logan, and the host exited the craft, Alinelle wearing her armored robes, and Logan donning his tailored armor. Their retinue followed them, clad in various armors as befitting their aspects.
In spite of their desolate surroundings, Alinelle found that her feet stepped in not regolith or dust, but a soft, loamy soil. She could see the others pause as they too were surprised by the ground beneath them.
In front of them lay a lush jungle. They walked onward, and Alinelle could hear the chorus of thousands of small amphibians, the buzzing hum of insects, and the chirping of at least a dozen different species of birds. She even heard hooting, simian calls from the canopy far above.
Alinelle ensured Logan stayed by her side as they walked through the jungle, enjoying the gentle crunching sound of the leaf litter beneath her feet. She made sure to take in all of the sights, smells, and sounds of the forest, and she could see Logan looking around, as if mentally cataloging the myriad flora and fauna that surrounded them.
Approximately an hour passed before they reached the edge of the jungle. In front of them was a crystal-blue lake, beyond which they could just make out the shore of the island..
Alinelle strapped her singing spear to her back and dove, with Logan close behind. She felt the warm splash as she broke the surface, and took a relaxed pace. Logan was not as strong or fast as the aeldari, so she would ensure they did not leave him behind. Logan was certainly a competent swimmer, but his proportions were less suited to quick movement.
They reached the edge of the island, and Alinelle began to wring the water out of her hair. Logan did the same, though his thick, curly hair made it more difficult. Wiping the water from her brow, Alinelle surveyed the surroundings.
Everywhere in sight, crumbling wraithbone architecture told of an ancient aeldari temple. Though it was an echo of its former glory, there was an odd beauty in the overgrown ruins. She heard Logan gasp as he took in the sight. The sun was now directly overhead, bathing the entire island such that it almost seemed to glow.
"The ring is somewhere near the center of the island," Logan said, his brow furrowed. "It's like I can feel it singing."
Alinelle smiled, and allowed Logan to lead the way.