New Bienskurr, Silubra

  The Silvermoon delegation swept out of the new Earthborne ancestral hall, leaving those left reeling. The ever dignified Elder Graylock,who cared about his own reputation above all else, had collapsed on the ground. "We failed Cruinog?" he finally asked, sounding a bit lost.

  Elder Bystrika stacked his hands behind his back as he digested what the Dragons had told them. "Yes," he finally said. "I remember that Seer. I wasn't an Elder, I was just a hunter at the time. When the meteor shower came, she did try to warn the King at the time, but she was very old and many of her Glimpses had been wrong by then, so he dismissed her. She died not long after," he shook his head and heaved a sigh.

  Lorena knew she shouldn't butt in on the business of the Earthborne, but she couldn't help herself. "What about the first banshees? No one connected them to her?" she asked.

  Elder Bystrika shook his head. "At that time, visions of death and ghosts, it was considered an unseelie trait. Women in White were bad enough, but their circumstances were understood. No one understood why Banshees came to be. Once it was accepted to reject them, that's just how it always was. There was also some resentment. Women were becoming born less often, and fertility was becoming an issue, but among the few that were born existed the Banshees."

  Lorena simply shook her head. She didn't agree but she somewhat understood.

  The Earthborne were originally wild fae. They lived in groups around their mountain homes. They may have had organizational structures, but they still lived off the land and had little to do with humans, preferring to keep to themselves. They had little reason to advance or understand the broader world.

  It wasn't even until they began to hunt humans that they somewhat began to reflect their ways, but they weren't human and didn't think like humans. Humans had an insatiable curiosity of their world which led to explorations and scientific advancements, to either their benefit or detriment.

  The Earthborne weren't wrong. It's simply how they were. They were creatures of nature. They never needed to understand their connection to the land. It just simply was. From their point of view, the land betrayed them first. They needed a way to survive, which led to the evacuation, which hastened the depletion of energy.

  "You can be blamed for the way you treated the Banshees. The rest of it? That's the fault of the Wild Gods," Lorena finally concluded.

  "Why did the young lord say that we had a symbiotic relationship with Cruinog? How did we delay anything? The land no longer nourished us as it once did," Elder Kovac asked. This is what he had been stuck on for awhile.

  It was the young Dragon, Adora, who answered. "From what I saw, the Eartborne were in better condition than other fae that have come through. That shows just how strong you were. When the power source, the xenomaterium, or I suppose, what Lady Britiana referred to as the ichor, began leeching energy from the land, it used you to keep itself in balance. A final struggle of nature itself."

  She'd been there when Kael Sandstorme gave his report, though she wasn't at the table, she'd been nearby. She was an intelligent girl. She'd been thinking about it since they came back. The Silvermoons didn't elaborate on their visions.

  She looked at them for a long time, then sighed. "This also explains why you had to start feeding on humans. The xenomaterium took everything you used to get from animals and the earth and gave it to humans," she explained.

  The Elders present listened and slowly began to understand. Even Elder Bystrika nodded. Yes, they'd been so much stronger before that meteor shower.

  Elder Graylock, finally regaining some of his stubborn backbone. "Is there a way to save Cruinog? There must be! The Dragons have such powerful magic!" he shouted, getting back to his feet. "We helped the Dragons, it's their turn to help us. King! Your son was harmed because of them! He's been in the ground for twenty-five years! They owe us!" he ranted slightly, his usually pristine hair coming loose from its queue in his agitation.

  "Hendrik made his own choice to fight for them, as did everyone who fought with them," Niklaus finally said. "The Dragons would have beaten the Hunters even without us, but we would have nowhere to go without them. If they didn't welcome us, they could have wiped us out or sent us back to be devoured by the Ghost Riders," he said firmly.

  Corven had been silent this entire time. "Niklaus is right. Hendrik made his own decisions. Do you really think if the Dragons had a way to help Cruinog they would keep it to themselves?" he asked. He shook his head. "I've only just met them and I can see that they aren't like that. Have you lived in their world for so long without this understanding?" he asked.

  A woman scoffed. She'd long moved away from the settlement to seek a better future for herself. She married a Dragon and had lived a content life in a larger town near the Eternal Mountains. She only returned to see if the few of her elders who remained behind were still alive. "He wouldn't be a traditionalist if he understood," she said coldly.

  Corven heard about the dissent between Elder Graylock's traditionalist faction and Elder Bystrika's progressive faction. He glanced at his wife. She'd been working on him for nearly three hundred years, but he was stubborn. He then looked at Elder Graylock. Over the past week, he observed everyone here. He wondered if he resembled this old man in her eyes.

  Evanka had been born human. Humans typically didn't believe in magic, but there were some hidden amongst their kind with magical abilities. There was no organization for such people, there were just occasionally humans born with magic. He didn't know this but they probably had fae ancestors. She was a rare person who learned to control her powers. But, humans could fear what they didn't understand.

  He found her dying when he was out hunting. For some reason, he saved her life. Eventually he fell in love with her but she was targeted by a Fallen and had nearly been drained of her entire lifeforce. Only by completely draining her blood and replacing it with his, and burying her in the soil for seven days and seven nights could she even have a chance of making the transition. It worked, but she was much weaker than the usual Earthborne woman because of the condition of the earth at that time. However, her magic wasn't diminished. She was instrumental in helping find Emphyralis and giving them hope.

  He now addressed his people. "When we tried everything to find hope for ourselves, the Seers saw Emphyralis. This means, even then, there was no more place on Cruinog for the Earthborne," he finally stated.

  "After the Grand Duchess deals with the emergency in Silvermoon, I'll speak to her about allocating a new settlement for those who do not wish to adapt. However, your lands will be reclaimed by the clan. Every person will be consulted, even the women and children. No one will be forced to leave because their husbands, fathers, brothers, uncles, or cousins want to leave," he finally proclaimed.

  Elder Graylock nearly reeled, he was so taken aback. "You can't do that! Men make the decisions in families! Women follow! This is how it has always been," he denied.

  "No it isn't. Women used to lead, used to be head of families, used to hunt. They were equal to men and they always made the decisions in families. After all, the banshees only appeared a thousand years ago, but Women in White have always existed," Elder Bystrika countered. Being the oldest, he remembered those times. He missed those times.

  Corven nodded. "That's my final decision. Go home and think about it yourselves. Men who pressure their women to agree with them will be dealt with," he warned finally. He turned his attention to Elder Bystrika. "There's much to do," he said. "We should get started."

  "Yes, King!" Elder Bystrika agreed.

  A thousand people didn't seem like many, but when it came to registering, recuperating, reuniting, and relocating them, things piled up. Putting aside the troubling fate of Cruinog, the only thing they could do now was move forward. No matter what, they were alive and must live on in the best way they could.

  --

  Airship Over Silubra

  The Silvermoon delegation flew along the Eternal Mountains. Each person was quiet. Three of them were still digesting what they saw and what they had to do. No one was happy they had to abandon Cruinog and countless lifeforms to the mercy of the Wild Hunt.

  Britiana stood at the edge of the airship looking at the passing scenery blankly. She didn't doubt her mother's decision, but she hoped that within these five years they could find another solution. If not, then it would be what it would be.

  Standing just behind and slightly to the left of her, Isa could see her furrowed brow, which didn't suit her face at all. "My lady is troubled," he said quietly.

  "Hmm," she agreed. She was indeed troubled. She rubbed her temple unconsciously. She was usually only plagued by headaches when she perceived too many strong emotions from other people, but now, one had been lingering since she awakened.

  "May I be of help?" he asked.

  She glanced back at him, but dropped her hand as a signal for him to assist. He stepped closer and his fingertips turned blue. He touched the index and middle finger of each hand to her temples and began to press in a circular motion. She sucked in a sharp breath at the icy touch and goosebumps raised on her skin. She had to admit it felt a little good. Maybe even more than a little. It made her wonder about being touched with those icy finger tips elsewhere. Realizing her thoughts were going astray, she quickly reeled them in and a slight flush raised on her cheeks.

  She didn't realize that behind her, Isa hid a smile at her reaction. He'd learned this technique from his mother. When he was a child, he often saw his mother rubbing his father's temples. What happened next was...he was put to bed so he didn't know what happened next.

  Everyone else ignored the two people. Everyone was lost in their own thoughts. Darius had contacted Amadeus not long after they boarded and learned his situation, if not all the details.

  Chrystianna had likewise contacted Ysandar Thorindale and learned the political situation of Silvermoon. She managed not to scoff when she listened to his report. She wanted to ask these since when was it their place to interfere with the appointment of a chancellor by the head of state?

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  While his sister was flirting with her bodyguard, Darius approached his mother. She turned her head as he approached. She smiled at him slightly. "What's wrong?" she asked.

  "In particular? Nothing. In broader terms? Everything," he answered.

  She laughed slightly at him. "We'll get through it, just like we always have," she said.

  He looked at her. "Will you be alright?" he asked. Her reaction after coming out of the prayer was terrifying. He probably can't even imagine what she saw.

  Chrystianna looked into the distance, where the city of Silvermoon was beginning to appear. "I will be. The Sisters protected me from seeing things my mind couldn't handle, and what I could see is already becoming distant. The Sisters blessed us, they don't want to harm us," she said. It was hard to explain. The visions in her mind were beginning to turn from images to knowledge.

  Darius nodded. His visions were probably mild compared to what she saw. He merely saw the state of Cruinog, the thriving human cities contrasted starkly against the dying fae as they struggled to survive. It was brutal but not terrifying. Like his mother, the specific images were fading like old memories.

  "I'm sorry for Miss D'a'Kar," he said finally, not dwelling on the painful subject.

  She reached out and gave him a small hug. Her son got his height from his father, so he was a bit taller than her, but she didn't mind. "You're a good boy," she praised him. She patted his back before breaking away. He just gave her a smile. They watched the city loom closer but didn't speak.

  Delaney didn't bother the Silvermoons. She was still trying to process everything she'd witnessed. Emphyralis truly was an amazing place. She'd never not believe in the Gods of Terranthea in the Upper Realm. They were a fact of witchborn life. Her own grandfather was a God after all. A minor one, sure, but still a god. From what she learned from ZsaZsa during that week-long period, she suspected he was probably a lower sixth-tier being. Dragons were very pragmatic, even when it came to their gods.

  Still, she never met him or felt his presence like what happened in that cavern. Even when invoking Hecate or other gods of magic, she'd never felt anything like it. She wondered if it was a special feature of the Dragon Gods, or if the Sisters of the Moons were higher tier beings than the gods of the Upper Realm.

  She suddenly shook her head. Pondering these questions was just going to cause her brain to hurt. She decided not to dwell on it. Instead she switched gears to a new subject. "Has anyone thought about where to put the new Cruinog Bridge?" she asked.

  Chrystianna turned her attention to her. She shook her head. "I don't know yet where the best place to put it is," she answered.

  "What about Crowley House? There's already an infrastructure set up there." Delaney suggested.

  Britiana joined the conversation, breaking free of her relaxing headache relief. "If the refugees were human, that would be one thing, but most of those who are fleeing are fae who probably rarely interact with or even prey on humans," she explained.

  Delaney considered that. "We have an outbuilding that was recently opened up. It looks like it had been stables at one point or a carriage house. It's empty for now. We can use it. It separates the Cruinites from the people at Crowley House but can utilize the structure already in place," she explained.

  Chrystianna considered the feasibility of the arrangement. "Then we will thank you. That's an excellent suggestion," she said.

  Delaney shook her head. "You gave us Crowley House. If we can help, we should. Don't worry about drawing the Bridge either. Me, my momma, and my aunts will handle it," she volunteered.

  "Then we'll all head to Crowley House first," Chrystianna declared. The Grand Duchess spoke and no one objected. Aman, who was piloting the airship, adjusted his navigation as they came into Silvermoon airspace and headed toward Crowley House.

  --

  Crowley House, Silvermoon

  They landed in the backyard of Crowley House and put away the airship. Darius dismissed all the guards except Lazarus to rest. Delaney excused herself from them to find her family and begin drawing the Cruinog Bridge. She promised she wouldn't activate it before giving permission. It would still take several hours to draw. Afterwards, the group entered the library where Amadeus was waiting for them with Raven and Eve.

  Amadeus had more than one board set up by the time they arrived. One board specified the findings of Xolani's body and the curse that killed her. Another specified the evidence of the vandals, how they were set up, and the fake murder weapon. Another detailed several of the vandals and their expanding networks. Another board was the findings of the investigations of the Chancellor applicants. A final board was based on Xolani's personal and political connections in case the true murderer had a grudge against her.

  When the Silvermoons, Isa, Lazarus, and ZsaZsa entered, they greeted them with a bow. They filed and found a place to sit. "Please catch us up on the investigation," Chrystianna said.

  Amadeus nodded and started with the time of death, and then explained everything he found so far. He hesitated.

  "The only thing is, we haven't one hundred percent verified that the acting Chancellor was killed with the magic strike and not the candlestick. High Magus Darovan can verify the killing sigil activated, but we haven't been able to verify the magic trace on the body. Meanwhile, the force, angle, and impressions at the scene clearly indicate that the suspect did indeed deliver a blow," he concluded, gesturing to the evidence.

  Britiana scrunched her nose. "Does this mean that the real murderer is higher grade than Raven?" she asked.

  Raven nodded. "I believe so, not by much, otherwise I wouldn't have found the sigil. They put more work into hiding the trace of the discharge than the mark," she explained.

  Britiana shifted slightly. "Maybe we can invite a Spirit Seer. I plan to visit the Banshees after leaving here anyway," she said.

  Chrystianna shook her head. "That may not work. Xolani D'a'Kar worshiped her own god. She respected our beliefs but her faith was not Emphyralis," she explained. "Elaides would have guided her soul to where it belongs."

  "You don't believe her spirit would linger? Even after being murdered?" Darius asked.

  Chrystianna smiled slightly. "Being close to power is dangerous. It was something Xolani knew and accepted. She wouldn't linger," she answered.

  Amadeus sighed. Before he could say anything else, a knock came at the library door. The visitor was a guard working on the case. The guard bowed to the Silvermoons and then reported what he needed to.

  "The suspect finally confessed under the Truthcaller's questioning. He admitted that after the murder, he panicked and went to a black market dealer and bought a memory potion, hoping to erase his memory of the last few hours before. The potion was defective and has started wearing off."

  This report was met with grim faces. Amadeus dismissed the guard.

  "Our mysterious mage was quite thorough. Even implanting false, time-delayed memories to muddy the waters," Lazarus mused.

  Raven was frustrated. She was a powerful mage, but her potential wasn't as strong as someone who'd grown up on Emphyralis. She'd only been there for forty years and her growth was already exceptional, but in this case she came up a little short.

  "How should we proceed?" Amadeus asked the Silvermoons.

  Chrystianna held up a hand, signalling to drop it for now. "First, I'll tell everyone about my vision and my plans going forward in regards to Cruinog," she said. "Raven, Miss Fiain, please relay this to your people. I left New Bienskurr a bit abruptly without explaining everything properly," she said, a bit regretful about that.

  "Please continue, your Grace. King has no grounds to blame you," Eve assured her.

  Chrystianna smiled slightly. "First, Britiana, tell us what you saw about the Wild Gods," she said. She had a suspicion already. Afterall, she saw what they'd do to Emphyralis.

  Britiana nodded with a frown. "The meteors are the blood of the Wild Gods. It wasn't clear if it comes from one or all, but it's a sign that a planet has been marked. It absorbs the life force of the chosen planet, while nourishing particular life forms. In Cruinog's instance, the humorous humans," she explained.

  Chrystianna nodded. "Once a planet reaches a certain point, the Ghost Riders come through to hunt and devour the other life forms of the planet. Then the Wild Gods feast on the ones that have been nourished by the ichor. After all that, they recall the ichor, taking with it the energy of the planet, leaving a lifeless husk. Cruinog has only about fifty years left," she explained.

  She took a shaky breath. "The Sisters warned me about what would happen if Dragons were discovered by the Ghost Riders or the Wild Gods," she said. "They'd try to devour Emphyralis. They wouldn't succeed. The Dragon Gods wouldn't allow it, but a war between sixth and seventh tier beings would devastate not only Emphyralis, but even nearby star systems and ripple across the universe in unimaginable ways," she explained, with a hollow voice.

  A heavy pall fell over the room.

  After a while, Eve broke the silence. "Then why bother building a new Bridge?" she asked.

  Chrystianna smiled. "Where there's life, there's hope. Cruinog may be left a lifeless husk, but what about the future? With the races of Cruinog nourished by Emphyralis for an age or two, would they be unable to bring it back to life?"

  Raven widened her eyes. "Did the Sisters show you that?" she asked.

  Chrystianna nodded. "The Spark of Life resides within all creatures of Cruinog," she intoned.

  "Spréach na Beatha!" Eve and Raven declared at the same time.

  Chrystianna raised her brows. "This phrase is familiar to you?" she asked.

  The Earthborne women, somewhat emotionally. "The Earthborne came from the Spréach na Beatha," Raven said. "All things came from the Spréach na Beatha," she added quietly. The women couldn't help but shed a few tears. There was hope for Cruinog. Even if it was in a distant future long after they died.

  The others couldn't help but smile at the somewhat good news.

  "Perhaps by then, the descendants of the Earthborne and Dragons will be able to travel freely in Void," Britiana said, surprising the two women.

  ZsaZsa nodded firmly. "If Emosyne wills it," she said piously.

  Chrystianna smiled. "As for the next steps. Delaney and her family are drawing a new array in one of the outbuildings. However, only Earthborne and other native creatures of Cruinog can use it, and only those authorized after careful vetting. Raven, can I leave this matter to you?" she asked. She'd been good friends with Raven since she came to Emphyralis and trusted her implicitly.

  Raven nodded. "You don't trust the Earthborne in New Bienskurr would lie about being a traditionalist," she said. "Frankly, neither do I. Don't worry. I'll take care of this matter," she said.

  "Five years is all the time I can give you. Any longer and Emphyralian magic won't have time to dissipate before the Wild Hunt comes," Chrystianna warned. Raven nodded in understanding. She definitely didn't want her new home to be harmed because of her people.

  Darius, who had been silent, spoke next. "I'll go to Thale," he declared.

  Britiana looked at the investigation boards. "I'll stay. Mom, make me the acting vice-Chancellor. We'll give the true murderer what he wants," she said.

  Mother and son looked at her in surprise. Darius reacted first. "I'll leave the team with you. Use them how you see fit," he said.

  "Take Aman and Imre with you to Thale," Britiana disagreed. The shadowy guards may prove useful there. Darius finally agreed.

  Chrystianna sighed. "Very well. Acting Vice-Chancellor it is," she said. She understood her daughter's intentions for the title. It firmly stated that the appointment was temporary and her task was limited, quelling most objections.

  Shortly afterwards, the group finalized their intentions and separated to see to their new tasks whether it was visiting the banshees, preparing for battle, quelling political unrest, or overseeing the evacuation of a planet.

  --