The Brightest Shadow by Sarah Lin

Author:Sarah Lin [Lin, Sarah]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Published: 2020-03-05T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter 33

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"Humans on Breilin are mostly incapable of building large structures or fortifications, even to the degree that other human cultures can. Some groups in the southwest can produce rudimentary castles and there are a few cities, but most follow nomadic lifestyles for traditional reasons or believe that it is sacrilegious to build such large structures. Soldiers should take care not to offend such superstitions."

- mansthein field manual on central Breilin

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At first Melal didn't recognize him.

With their digging increasingly hitting strange rock, they needed fewer workers down below. Melal had pretended not to be able to control his strength and cracked one of the walls. It got him a lecture, but also got him sent to work on the surface. Now that it was easier to slack off, he was beginning to enjoy life a little again.

It wasn't unusual for Rhilanor to visit him there, where they could chat or practice. Melal turned to his friend with a smile, opening his mouth to say something about how much he'd mastered the Scorched Palm. But that was when he realized that Rhilanor had changed.

A light glowed within him. His hair and his eyes were as dark as always, yet something within lit up their color. When he approached, he moved not with a warrior's strength, but with something greater. It seemed that the world itself did not touch him, the air and light sliding away to give him all the space he deserved.

Could he be the Hero? No, the Hero wasn't Rhilanor, Rhilanor was just his friend... yet he remembered the false hero from before. Melal grabbed his head, trying to set everything right.

"Don't worry, Melal. We're doing things right this time." Rhilanor put a hand on his shoulder and Melal found himself straightening, swelling with understanding. He pushed aside the doubts sneaking at the edges of his mind and focused on what mattered: the Hero was speaking to him, explaining their purpose.

"Are we going to fight the Deathspawn?"

"Yes, but not wildly. They have set up this prison to try to stop us, so direct attempts will be futile. We have to..." Rhilanor paused, closing his eyes tightly. After a time he opened them, certain again. "We need to begin with chaos."

"What?"

"We begin by sowing discord among the enemy. Break apart their plans to stop us. Then we will be able to forge an army of light and escape this prison."

Yes, that could work! Melal swallowed his excitement with great difficulty. "What should I do?"

"I need more time to gather all our forces... I need you to cause a distraction."

"Of course!" Melal nodded to the Hero and sped away. He glanced over his shoulder once and saw the Hero kneeling to the ground, eyes closed as if contemplating something. The light clung to him even more than before, suffusing his being.

Grinning, Melal searched for a good way to cause a distraction. When he spotted Hakkiv, he knew what he would do. The large Catai had continued to scorn him since their attempt at a fight, but that would change.

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