Chapter Five

They managed to escape the village, evading the remaining Rakkor patrols with relative ease, As it turned out, their new Lunari friend was quite knowledgeable when it came to doing that.

"How far up the mountain does the Lunari Tribe live?" Leona asked Lyra long after they had left the village.

Lyra grinned. "Not too far up," she replied. "If anything, we're going to be going around the mountain more than up. Our particular enclave is about at the same height as Auroreal Triumph."

"Oh, so that's why they could never find the heretical Lunari. They didn't look left."

"… … That is the dorkiest thing I have ever heard. Strangely true, but incredibly dorky."

Aidonal grinned. "Leona's like that," he explained. "She's said a lot of dorky things in her time."

"We blame Dad," Kespina added. "Mom was never dorky."

Diana giggled as Leona rolled her eyes, pouting. "Your siblings are funny," she said.

"You're definitely welcome to them after this is over," Leona replied. "Honestly, I think their lot in life is to try and make me look…"

"Less than dignified?"

"Exactly!"

"I don't know. There was that one time that you tripped over nothing and knocked over a sword rack while on your way to a sparring competition."

"Didn't you give me a good luck kiss mere moments before?"

Phenos grinned. "I get the feeling the two events are linked," he noted.

Diana grinned. "My point stands," she stated. "You are not the supreme version of grace you portray, Leo."

Lyra rolled her eyes now. Those two acted way too mortal for their new positions. "Did the Celestials make the right choice?" she mused outloud. "I'm fairly certain that Aspects are supposed to be larger than life, and act accordingly."

Aidonal shrugged. "We may never know for sure," he replied. "I think it was more of a lack of options at the time."

"That is a fair point… damn! Hide!"

None of them questioned her sudden order. They simply hid behind a few nearby boulders, and peered out, taking note of what they were seeing.

A Ra-Horak squadron was currently standing guard at a bridge. And, unless Aidonal was very much mistaken, that was the bridge that they needed to cross to get to the enclave.

Lyra groaned. She hadn't been paying attention to the time.(Granted, she was learning something new about the ancient conflict.) "I waited too long to get back here. We're going to have to wait until morning to cross the bridge."

"Patrol?" Leona inquired, familiar with the Ra-Horak patrol schedules. She had participated in a few of them.

"Patrol. We'll only have the slimmest of moments to cross the bridge with the shift change. And there are more guards there than usual." She turned to look at the Aspects. "You two really pissed the Elders off."

Leona shrugged, unrepentent. "They shouldn't have tried to kill Di," she replied.

"Or betray you," Diana added. "So we're going to have to wait until morning for a shift change?"

"Pretty much," Lyra replied.

Leona nodded. "Okay then. Elder Phenos, you should probably get some shuteye. You too, Kes."

Kes looked at her. "And what about the rest of you?" she asked.

Lyra shrugged. "All of you should get a little sleep. I'll keep watch." She looked at Leona. "I'll wake you in a few hours to take over," she assured her. "Even we Lunari have to close our eyes for a bit."

"Come, young one," Phenos stated, before Kes could even think about complaining. "You and I will need our rest for the journey ahead. And unlike you, I am old and frail." It was this statement that finally convinced the young girl to give in, and she laid down next to the Elder.

She was out in seconds.

Leona smiled at that. "Mother said I was much the same way at her age," she whispered to Diana. "So stubborn to go to sleep, yet out like a light the moment my head hit a pillow."

Diana smiled as well. "I wish I could do that. It might make me less cranky in the morning." She sighed. "You know, the only time I ever had a full night's sleep was the night of our Ascension."

"You and me both. I usually have too much energy to just go to bed. It drove my roommates crazy." She looked at the Ra-Horak. "Di, if you want to try and get some sleep, go ahead. I'll wake you up in a few hours."

Diana nodded, snuggling up to her girlfriend. "Okay, I'll try." She closed her eyes.

Like Kespina, she was out almost instantly.

Leona smiled. "I'll keep you safe," she whispered, kissing the Lunari symbol on Diana's head before joining her in dreamland.

LOL

Lyra watched the two Chosen for a moment, frowning thoughtfully at their interactions. Solari and Lunari had been in conflict for nearly a thousand years. To watch the two who were to be the pinnacle of each snuggle into each other, to trust each other so implicitly… it was unsettling. Hopeful, but unsettling.

Of course, she and Aidonal were friends, but that had taken quite a few months for both of them to reach the point where they trusted each other fully. And it was a pretty rocky start there.

Speaking of him, he sidled up next to her, looking at the Ra-Horak patrol for a second. "Thinking about our first meeting?" he asked quietly. Lyra nodded. "So do I. Pretty much every night."

"Well, it isn't usually how you should make a new friend, when said friend is nearly dead from blood loss." Lyra shuddered a bit. "Your sister had it easier."

Aidonal shook his head. "Actually, she didn't," he replied. "In her case though, it was a case of trying to figure out who her friends were, and who weren't. When she went through the Rite of Kor, she found out very quickly when most of them left her alone. Only Atreus, the man who fought her, showed her any support and loyalty."

Lyra winced. Even her Tribe had heard of that practically legendary bout that had lasted almost the whole day. She didn't think it would ever be possible for her to go for even half of that. And now, to hear that the only support Leona had was from the very person she had done battle with… was quite sobering. "Can I assume that she had a similar situation at the Temple?" she asked.

Aidonal nodded. "She likes to see the best in people, and that has caused her quite a bit of trouble. It kind of makes her relationship with Diana all the more impressive." He looked at the two in question, smiling. "She has never been in love before. Not like this. And I hope that she isn't let down in the end."

Lyra looked at them for a moment as well, before slowly nodding in agreement. "You know what… so do I."

She had quite a bit to think about, it seemed.

Not as much as the Solari Elders did, of course.

LOL

"Define… 'disappeared,'" Phenketon requested slowly, a sure sign of his anger.

It had been hours since the Fugitives has fled the Temple, and just as long since the Ra-Horak had been dispatched to apprehend them. The surviving Elders had made sure that the injured had been sent to the Infirmary and that the acolytes were told about the Heretic's actions.

They didn't tell them that Leona had helped her, or the reasons behind it. Leona was beloved among the young ones. They would flock to her in droves, splitting the faith right down the middle.

So, the High Elder was understandably furious.

To his credit, the Ra-Horak didn't flinch in the face of this anger. "Both our forces and the Rakkor Regiment have searched the villages along the mountainside," he reported. "We have also questioned Leona's parents, but they knew nothing. We are expanding our search even further, but I suspect we will not find them. It is possible that they have already fled Targon."

Thalaia shook her head. "No, Commander, they are still here. Concentrate your search on the mountain paths, and keep an eye on Leona's family. She may try and make contact with them."

"Yes, Elder." With a stiff bow, the Commander made his way out of the Chambers.

Thalaia immediately turned to Phenketon. "We will not be able to hide this forever," she reminded him. "Eventually, some of the Acolytes will learn about what happened here. Then we'll have a full-scale rebellion on our hands."

"We won't," another Elder stated. "The Heretic managed to kill three Elders. We have seen the proof from the Scorn of the Moon. Nothing any of them say will help them."

"Are you sure?" Phenketon asked, still very quiet. "Are you willing to take the chance?" He rose to his feet. "Elder Thalaia has the right of it. And even if the Solari may not, the Rakkor definitely will. The Regiment outnumbers our forces by a substantial degree. And they know the mountains even better than we do." He sighed. "And there is the Lunari Tribe. It's possible that they are already aware of what happened, and will use this as a rallying cry." He shook his head. "Until they are found, there is nothing more we can do. For now, let us continue our normal activities. Best to not cause any rumors to circulate. May the sun guide our hands."

"For all time," the Elders finished with, filing out of room. There was nothing else to do.

Phenketon frowned as he thought for a bit longer, going over the information they had. Making contact with her family? Leona most likely had done so already. She and the Heretic would most likely learn about the Lunari Tribe, and attempt to seek them out. Considering the fact that they were both Chosen, they would most likely have better luck than several generations of Solari warriors had ever had. And who knows how many people the Heretic had spoken to in her time. They could have a number of traitors in their midst. So, what to do?

Suddenly, inspiration struck. 'Perhaps a new perspective is required. Acolyte Rhia has proven her devotion to the Sun. She may be just what we need…'

LOL

Across the Solari settlements, opinions were understandably divided, if not openly stated.

The bulk of the Acolytes whole heartedly believed the story the Elders informed them. After all, Diana was an extremely odd person who had spent her days basically defying every single rule the Solari had abided. A lot of them had even come to the conclusion that she worshipped the Moon in secret.

A small contingent of them, those who happened to know Diana even the slightest bit, were of a different viewpoint. And among them were Leona's roommates and closest friends.

This very group of people were now meeting in their room to discuss what they had learned, comparing it to what they already knew.

"I don't believe it," Korra, a somewhat short girl with purplish hair and orange eyes stated as she twirled a quill between her fingers. "Diana's many things, but she will never strike first for any reason. The Elders had to have done or said something to provoke her."

"And everyone knows that Leona is a very good judge of character," Jenaline replied, her head cropped with a single strip of dirty blond hair and sky blue eyes, added. "If she had thought for a single second that the girl was a genuine threat, she wouldn't give her the time of day."

"Besides, Diana never tried to make anyone worship the Moon, or even try to preach it. And she's just the sweetest thing." Dorius, a rather muscular man whose hair was as read as his eyes, picked up one of Leona's combat gloves, looking it over. "She was even willing to help me with my history studies if I ever needed it."

To be fair, all of them had been wary of Diana. She had always been the outsider, the one who thought differently from the rest of them, who could never subscribe to the beliefs of the whole. But they didn't mean they were against her. They just didn't want Leona to be hurt. But Diana was always polite with them. And around Leona, she had actually loosened up a bit. They all concurred that she did have a pretty smile.

It didn't change the fact that three Elders had been slain, a small contingent of Ra-Horak were incapacitated, and Leona, Diana, and Elder Phenos missing. That was the one thing the Elders had not addressed; the fact that an Elder was missing.

Dorius set the glove down, turning to face his friends. "Something's wrong. The Elders are trying to cover up something important, but what is it? And where do we start?"

"The Library," Korra replied immediately with. "Leona and Diana were busy researching something while the rest of us were talking about the Radiant Dawn. Maybe we should follow in their footsteps."

"We could also ask the Initiates on duty if they know anything."

Jenaline snapped her fingers. "How about we add interrogating Rhia to our list?" she asked, sounding almost hopeful with the prospect. Not a lot of people liked her, and her dislike for Diana was pretty well known.

"Jenaline, you are a genius. Just don't hurt her too much."

"I promise. And we should tell the others as well."

Korra nodded. "We'll have to start tomorrow morning, after the curfew's lifted. And, let's try to be as discrete as possible. If the Elders are hiding something, I don't want to find out what they'll do to keep it covered up."

That was something that they all quite agreed with.

LOL

Despite the tension that was understandably surrounding the group, nothing of note happened throughout the night. Leona and Diana woke up after a few hours, and took over watching the Ra-Horak patrol while Aidonal and Lyra took a nap. (Something Lyra noted was a first for her.) Phenos and Kespina stayed asleep throughout it all. Neither of them had any new visions during the night, which they were both grateful and annoyed with. Grateful because they had been able to sleep. Annoyed because they had no new clues to help solve their mystery.

But eventually, the dawn came. Leona quickly shook Kespina and Phenos awake, letting them know that it almost time. Aidonal and Lyra soon joined them, the group watching the patrol with baited breath.

And then, the moment came. The Ra-Horak patrol began to make their way down the road.

"Go!" Lyra hissed. Everyone obeyed immediately, running as fast as they could to the bridge before the new patrol could arrive. Even the Elderly Phenos was able to keep up. They quickly ran across, getting to the other side and out of sight, just as a new patrol arrived, taking up station.

The group came to a stop the moment they were out of sight, taking a precious moment to catch their breath. "That… was close," Diana finally got out.

Lyra grinned. "What? You've never had to run to avoid patrols?" she asked.

"No, I usually just hid from them when I snuck out of the Temple."

Leona shrugged when the Lunari looked at her, silently asking about how she wasn't out of breath. "I'm usually wearing heavy armor and carrying a shield," she explained. "You have to have enormous amounts of stamina to be able to do that for most of the day."

Well, it certainly explained why the three Rakkor were recovering quickly enough. They were used to lots of physical labor. Diana was also doing pretty well, though part of it was probably just because of the Aspect.

Phenos, on the other hand, was definitely sucking in air like it was going out of style. "I… haven't run like that… since I was a young man," he got out.

Lyra and Aidonal quickly went over to him, helping him stand up fully. "Do you want to rest for a few minutes before we continue on?" the former asked.

The Elder shook his head. "As much as I would like to, we shouldn't dawdle. The patrols will most likely start making their way through these paths."

Lyra nodded, knowing full well that was the case. She had been nearly caught twice when she started going out on missions three years ago. She had been given a stern talking to by the Elders each time. "Well, let's go. No sense delaying my latest lecture." With that statement, they started down the path, her leading the way.

Luckily, they didn't run into any of the patrols on their way, at long last finding themselves in what appeared to be a dead end. Lyra immediately pressed down on a specific stone, allowing a part of the rock face to open like a door. The lot of them entered, Lyra hitting a spot on the floor in the process. The entry slid closed behind them.

Phenos nodded in approval. "Your people did the same thing the ancient Solari did with Auroral Triumph," he noted. "Well done."

Lyra grinned. "Well, we had to come up with something that they wouldn't expect." She looked around. "Okay, we'll need to go this way to the Lunari Settlement. Stay close and don't wander off the path. You risk getting lost."

No one argued with her on that. Getting lost was not on the list of things to do.

LOL

Phenketon looked up as a light knocking was heard at his office door. "Enter," he called out, setting the paperwork he had aside. His gaze sharpened as young Rhia entered, right on time. "Please have a seat, Acolyte."

He observed the young Solari as she sat down in front of him, pleased that she was holding herself accordingly in his presence. "Acolyte Rhia, you have proven yourself to be loyal to the Solari faith. Your actions over the last day have shown as much."

"I did what any Solari would have done, High Elder," Rhia replied, keeping her tone respectful. "I am just sorry that we were not able to stop them from escaping."

Phenketon nodded. "Indeed. However, I believe that there are more who have already begun to be swayed by the Moon's seductive embrace. I require your assistance in locating them before they can destroy us."

Rhia nodded, her gaze resolute. "I shall do everything I can to aid you, Sir." No hesitation, no regret. Exactly what he was looking for. "How shall I go about my investigation?"

He smiled. "I suspect that you will be visited by one of them soon enough," he replied. "Most likely seeking answers about what has happened. We can use that to locate the others."

"I understand. I am to act as bait, to lure all those who have fallen out of hiding."

"Indeed. However, I fear they may realize that it is a trap, and simply hide. Do you have any suggestions as to how to acquire their attention?"

Rhia thought for a moment. "Perhaps we should spread a rumor," she suggested. "We could say that the Heretic had an ally in the form of Elder Phenos. It would most likely peak the interest of anyone curious about his absence."

"Hmm… yes, yes, that may very well work." Phenketon nodded. "Very well. Cast your net. Let us see if we can catch anything in it." His smile grew. "If it is a success, you will be rewarded."

Rhia nodded as she rose, bowing to him. "Thank you, Elder."

"Dismissed." He waited until she had left the room, before smiling. Yes, she would indeed prove herself. And she would most definitely be rewarded.

Now that he thought about it, he was in need of an apprentice…

LOL

The Initiate nodded. "Yes, Leona was here for a brief moment," he said. "She was here to see the Heretic for some reason, and almost seemed to panic when I informed her that the Elders wanted to see her and Elder Phenos."

Korra nodded. "Thank you, Initiate." She paused. "Do you know what Diana and Lona were researching when they were here?" she asked curiously.

"I don't know exactly, but the Elders did basically state that she was studying the way of the Lunari. I don't believe that Leona would do anything so blasphemous unless there was something she could not learn from the Solari. And I doubt Elder Phenos would take a heretic as his apprentice."

Now that was something she didn't know. "Thank you, Initiate." Bowing to him in farewell, she left the library, mind whirling. Phenos had made Diana his apprentice? Doesn't sound like something he would do if he believed her to be a threat. The Elder was a very good judge of character.

But that also brought up another point. The Elders hadn't even mentioned Elder Phenos being there, and they should have. Was he kidnapped? Was he killed? Or did he witness something he wasn't supposed to? Nothing added up.

A thought came to her. What if he was helping Diana and Leona with whatever they were looking for? Would he leave it in his office, or would he take it elsewhere?

Jenaline quickly caught up with her, frowning. "I haven't had any luck finding Rhia," she whispered, "though I heard that Elder Phenketon had wanted to see her."

Korra nodded, adding that to the list of things that made no sense. Elder Phenketon never spoke to any of the students himself, leaving it to the others to handle the day to day concerns. "Well, I learned that Elder Phenos and Diana were both called to the main Council Chamber, and that Leona took off in a panic when she heard that. Doesn't quite match what they told us."

"No, it doesn't. Also, Rhia's lackeys are trying to cover for her, saying that she had been with them at the time. That's a lie, because I saw Rhia walking down the corridor away from Diana's rooms just a brief time before that."

"Well, Dorius is there right now, so let's see how he's doing." The two Acolytes made their way down the hall, quickly reaching their destination without any difficulty.

Dorius looked up from his observations as they entered, shaking his head. "Someone definitely entered here and destroyed a whole bunch of scrolls," he stated. "I going to take a gander that what was destroyed was everything Diana had been working on."

Korra nodded in agreement at that. Diana was known for researching things that others would shy away from. And it didn't take a genius to guess who was the exact opposite to that. "It had to be Rhia. She must have come here, destroyed everything she could find, then went to tell the Elders about it."

"But it still doesn't explain why. What would make her do this?"

"Does she need an excuse?" Jenaline asked. "I'm surprised it took this long. She's always been taking shots at Diana whenever Leona wasn't around."

That was quite true. But still, what could cause this level of hatred?

Dorius frowned as he looked around. "You know, there is something off about all of this," he observed. Wouldn't a good researcher make sure some of their research was somewhere else? Somewhere no one wouls think to find it?"

That was a good point. Diana was very smart, but she also wasn't a fool. She would do what she could to protect som of her notes. But where?

Korra had the answer to that question almost immediately. After all, who did Diana trust more than anymore. "Come on, guys," she said, heading for the door. "I've got an idea where we can start looking."

LOL

Leona sighed as they finally reached the entrance to the Lunari Enclave, feeling uncharacteristically nervous. The only other time she had ever felt like that was when she had begun talking to Diana. Now, she was essentially meeting the parents, or the spiritual equivalent of it, anyway. (Never mind the fact that the Lunari might just slaughter them where they stand.)

Mentally girding herself, she passed the threshold, and entered the 'enemy' camp.

For several moments, there was nothing. It looked rather empty as they walked. But then, slowly, faces began to appear in the darkness. Old faces, young faces. All of them staring at them with a combination of curiosity and hostility. She couldn't really blame them. They had very good reason to hate the Solari.

To their credit, her siblings took the scrutiny pretty well. Aidonal gave them a passing glance before returning to his hushed conversation with Lyra. She filed this away for later, when she wanted to tease him about his relationship. Kespina, on the other hand, was looking around with something akin to wonder and excitement. This was a grand adventure for her; getting to see something that no one had seen in over a thousand years.

Phenos was also looking around, though his observations were of a more academic nature. He was probably the first Solari Elder to see the Lunari Tribe in centuries. If not for the dire nature of their mission, he could most likely dedicate the remainder of his life studying their culture, reclaiming the knowledge their ancestors had destroyed.

Diana would have probably done the same, but Leona knew her thoughts were elsewhere at the moment. She squeezed her hand reassuringly, reminding her that she was not alone. Diana smiled, relaxing a little bit.

Then two Lunari soldiers appeared, their weapons out. It was obvious that they weren't taking any chances with their new 'guests.' Leona was the one to tense up now. If they tried to attack any of them, she would give them a good beating they wouldn't forget.

"Lyra," one of the guards began, glaring at the young Shadestalker, "what is the meaning of this?! First, you leave the enclave without permission, then you return with Solari? This is inexcusable!"

"Dionys, for the love the Moon, stop acting like a Solari!" Lyra shouted in return, before looking over at Leona a little sheepishly. "No offense."

Leona grinned. "No offense taken. I've heard enough self righteous bullshit from Phenketon to last me a lifetime." She steppped forward. "Could you please inform your Elders that your Shadestalker has located the Moon's Chosen, that the Sun's Chosen is escorting her and Elder Phenos. We would like to make a request of your council. It is of the utmost urgency."

The two guards looked at each other, then at her… before they started laughing.

Leona sighed, her smile slipping away. She couldn't really say she was surprised, just irritated. "Lyra, why are these two laughing, aside from finding what I said to be funny?"

"They think you're crazy," she replied instantly, shaking her head at their idiocy. "Apparently, it's too hard for them to accept that the Radiant Dawn would be escorting the Moon Maiden willingly."

Now both Chosen rolled their eyes at this. It seemed that the Solari weren't the only ones who thought like that. "So much for keeping a low profile," the former muttered. "Di?"

"Yes," she instantly replied. They both concentrated.

The Lunari guards quickly stopped laughing when the two young women were suddenly decked in their armor, now looking more like the warriors they had become. The two girls looked at them expectantly.

Dionys was the first to recover somewhat, his gaze becoming far more respectful. "I shall inform the Elders that you wish to meet with them, Chosen," he stated.

Leona gave him a slight bow. "Thank you," she replied politely, watching as he headed off rather quickly.

Diana had to smile at this. It was just like Leona to put transforming as a last resort. "You know, we should have probably come here like this in the first place," she noted teasingly.

"Yeah, but I want to keep lying to myself that I'm still a normal person," Leona mock-whined, even though she realized how true that was.

"You were never normal, Sis," Aidonal reminded her, grinning. "Your Rite of Kor proved that."

Diana nodded. "Yes. Not everyone can last five hours for that."

Leona quickly shook her head at her brother before he could say anything, letting him know that she didn't want to go into that right now. Aidonal nodded in understanding, knowing how much his sister didn't like talking about it.

It didn't take long for Dionys to return. "The Elders have agreed to meet with you," he informed them. "Please follow me, and keep your hands away from your weapons."

"Of course," Leona replied. They had no reason to draw them yet, and she hoped that would remain the case.

She just hoped they hadn't made a terrible choice.

LOL

The guards escorted them through the Enclave, past the various scores of Lunari who had come out to see the unthinkable; Solari within their walls who were not prisoners. They had also to see if the rumors that were already circling were true; that the Moon Mother was among their ranks. Once discovering that they were true, they were giving Diana looks of awe and reverance. They were giving her the attention she had been yearning for ever since she had gone to the Shrine.

Diana began to understand just why Leona felt so uncomfortable on a daily basis. She was already beginning to wish she had been ignored. How did she handle this level of attention all the time?

"Just act confidentally," Phenos whispered next to her. "You are their Chosen, the pinnacle of their Faith. These are your people, who will look to you for hope and inspiration."

"I'm only seventeen," she replied.

"Yes, and you were Chosen. You are going to have to learn how to be their leader." He smiled. "Don't worry, my Apprentice. You will have plenty of good teachers here, and Leona will do her best to stay by your side."

She decided to believe him as they approached their Main Council Chambers. She straightened up, squared her shoulders, and mentally steadied herself. She could do this. She would do this.

Leona, by contrast, had found herself in a position she had never thought would happen; walking a mile in Diana's proverbial shoes. She had known about the cruel jokes (which she had tried to protect her from) and the general mistrust, but had never felt it herself. Unlike Diana's situation, that general mistrust was somewhat justified. She could take it, simply because they weren't trying to kill them on sight.

Now she, her siblings, and her friends wer currently standing in front of the Lunari High Elders, in a room that seemed to be built along the same lines as their Solari counterparts. If not for the distinct colors and symbols of the Lunari faith, she could have sworn she was back in Auroral Triumph. That thought brought a slew of memories forward that she would rather not have at that point.

She opted not to speak, instead letting Diana, Phenos, and Lyra take point. She didn't want to start a diplomatic incident.

Their High Elder, an elderly woman who looked like she could pass as Lyra's grandmother, stood up. "Lyra, Shadestalker of the Lunari Tribe… may I ask why you have brought a group of Solari into our Enclave?" she asked quite calmly. "You know the laws."

Lyra stepped forward, her posture stiff. "Elders, I am well aware of the laws, and were this any other circumstances, I would have obeyed them to the letter. However, this has been a rather odd day." She stepped aside. "I have had the distinct honor of meeting the Moon Mother." She nodded to Diana.

Leona gave her girlfriend a gentle push forward, showing her support. She trusted Diana to show her strength and conviction.

Diana didn't disappoint, as she bowed to them. "Honored Elders of the Lunari Tribe," she began, her voice carrying throughout the room, "I am Diana, Ward of the Rakkor and Apprentice to Solari Elder Phenos. One week ago, Leona and I climbed to the summit of the mountain. Due to my desire to learn more about our history, I was Chosen by the Moon to be Her Champion, as Leona was Chosen by the Sun. Lyra offered the escort us to meet with you." She took a breath. "Elder Phenos and myself would like to access the Lunari Archives."

To say that the Elders were surprised by this was a bit of an understatement. So much so, that one of them actually decided to address it. "I must admit, I am curious," he said. "Why would you want to see our archives, Elder? Are your vaunted Solari texts not enough?"

Phenos took a step forward, deciding to respond personally. "As I am certain you are aware, the Solari removed any and all mention of your faith from our Archives," he informed them. "And for much of my life, I have had no reason to wonder about it. However, due to both Diana and Leona's ascent to the peak, much of what my faith has been teaching has been called into question. They had seen the days when our two sides have lived in peace." He frowned. "They have also seen what I believe to be images of the Ruination, and how it may have happened."

Now every single Lunari Elder was leaning forward. Leona had to stop herself from stepping forward, as they were not a threat at that moment, only curious. At least, that was what she hoped.

The High Elder leaned back after a moment. "The Ruination is something we are very familiar with," she said. "It doesn't explain why a Solari Elder would wish to see our Archives."

"I have a theory that may connect the Ruination to the Lunari Purge, as well as the deaths of the Chosen of that time."

"...Interesting. That is something we would never have even considered before this." She shifted her attention. "Sun's Chosen, what do you think? Do you believe his theory may be accurate?"

Leona was a little surprised to be addressed, but she schooled her expression quickly enough. "With all due respect, High Elder, I believe the theory is accurate," she replied. "There are far too many coincidences to rule it out. The Ruination occurs, and then the Sun and Moon destroy each other. Tensions that may have receded with time suddenly escalate to an all out war within a few weeks. A war that sees your Tribe nearly wiped out and all records of it purged from the Archives." She shrugged. "I'm not saying that it was the main reason for it, but it may have been the contributing factor to it. I pray it is true. Otherwise, I have been serving a false religion."

The High Elder sighed. "If it isn't true, then we all have been." She looked at the others. All of them nodded. "Very well. I see no reason to deny you your request, just so long as you keep to that and nothing else."

Phenos bowed, his relief palpable. "My thanks, High Elder."

She gestured. ""Guards, please escort the Solari Elder to his chambers, then to the Archives," she ordered. "I suspect he may want to begin his research. Escort the young ones as well. Please show them where the Training Grounds and Mess Halls are." She looked at Leona and Diana. "I would like to speak to the two Chosen and Lyra for a moment alone, please."

Leona and Diana looked at each other in confusion, while Lyra winced. Aidonal looked over at them. "You three going to be alright?" he asked quietly.

Lyra nodded. "We'll be fine… I hope," she replied. "Don't worry. At worse, I'll be grounded for the rest of my life."

He didn't look convinced, but Leona could see the moment where he decided to trust her, and headed off with Phenos and Kespina. She hoped he didn't try anything stupid, like try and play the hero.

The High Elder walked over to them as the rest of the Council began to talk among each other quietly, looking them over. "I will be honest," she began after a moment, "we never thought we would see the Moon Mother in our lifetimes. And certainly not in the presence of the Dawn. So I have to ask…" she focused on Leona, "have you bewitched her?"

Leona rolled her eyes. Apparently, regardless of their affiliation, Elders were extremelt paranoid. "Ma'am, I had this same exact conversation with my Elders, the only difference being that they thought Diana had bewitched me," she replied. "Neither one of us really understand our powers, but we do know that Aspects can't be brainwashed by any other Aspect. And I would never do that to her."

"...Excellent. I can assume that neither of you are controlling the other. Now, onto my next question… how did you manage to capture Lyra? While she is still young, she is one of our best Shadestalkers."

"Hit her one the head with a broom handle, then dragged in through the kitchen window."

Diana smiled at the Elder's confused expression. "We had retreated to Leona's home," she explained. "Lyra was trying to see Aidonal, most likely because of us." She sighed, gesturing to her head. "I think you can guess what happened."

"Yes… that looks painful."

"It was."

"It was also quite enlightening," Leona said, reentering the conversation. "We learned that Phenketon has blood on his hands. Her parents, in fact."

The Elder frowned at that. "Well, I am sorry for your loss," she settled with, though it was difficult to know what she meant. "Lyra… how long have you known the young man."

Lyra took a breath. "I've been his friend for about a year," she replied. "I rescued him after a skirmish between his squad and a small force of those creatures."

"So you essentially helped a Solari."

"Aidonal isn't affiliated with the Solari," Leona interjected. "He's just Rakkor."

The Elder nodded, accepting that. "And, why did you do it?"

Lyra didn't even hesitate. "Because I am not one of the Solari Elders," she replied. "I won't leave a helpless person to die. Besides, he's a nice guy."

She nodded again. "We will continue this conversation later, Lyra. But for now, please escort our two Chosen to their Chambers."

The two Chosen bowed in thanks, before they and Lyra headed out. "She was pretty reasonable," Leona stated after they had left the Council Chambers.

"Yes, she was," Lyra stated. "I'm going to hear about it from her later, though. I just know it."

Diana looked at her. "What makes you say that?" she asked.

Lyra grinned sheepishly. "She's my grandmother."

"...It was a pleasure to have met you. Anything you want me to tell Adi if you don't make it?"

"Yeah. Tell him it's his fault I'm grounded."

LOL

And here is Chapter 5. I'll be heading back to Hope and Light, so it may be a while before Chapter 6 is ready.

Now on to some League lore. Lyra is the Shadestalker that appeared in the Tales of Runeterra short "The Vaulted Road," ending up becoming one half of the Eclipse Aspect alongside an unnamed Solari. Essentially, the Solari and Lunari reuniting. Now, if only Riot would actually give Diana something more to do than just being there.