“Why angel’s wings?
It is a common enough sight among those that have ascended spiritually.
In the very image of Icarus himself they now have the means to reach their true ascended form, towards true enlightenment, perhaps one day even making way for a grand apotheosis.
Whether their dream of flight was birthed from the desire to see heaven unobscured by clouds or simply by their relentless need to look down on others, I cannot say.”
“However, the Herald’s false wings are only granted to him by his perverse un-god to drag those more enlightened than him back into the darkness of despair.”
Lukk had just finished putting on his armour, as his beloved Zweihander leaned against the wall before him.
Chaos had taken over outside, as people simply didn’t know what to do while the unsettling bells of war ominously tolled overhead.
‘This city has not known true conflict during its Rein history, and presumably long before that.
And it shows,’ Fernand had remarked.
It rang true, there was none of the discipline and order that was so proudly present in the frontier cities they had laid siege to in the past.
The last few days had been of peace and quiet, and Lukk had prayed to God Almighty, begging him to spare the city from their conflict with the great beast.
It seemed his sincere prayers had gone unanswered.
‘What do we do?’ Cornelia stressfully asked.
‘You stay here.
I will go outside to try and find out what is happening.
Either Abalon has come to lay waste to us all, or Dieter has acted without telling us.
I sincerely hope it’s the latter of the two.’
Fernand was frantically collecting his books and putting them in his bags, as he had made a complete mess of his reading corner during the last few days.
Little Julia was helping her big sister put on her gear, as the older of the two listened in on their conversation.
Whether or not she would be of any help was uncertain, but after gaining the favor of Julia in these last few days, he did not expect any trouble from her.
Not now at least.
They had still not talked to her about the bloodshed that they had walked into deep below the grounds, following Fernand’s advice.
‘She will surely talk of it when she deems it the right time,’ he had suggested.
But she had not said a word to him since, only speaking of necessities with Fernand and Cornelia.
Baby steps, Lukk thought.
She had enjoyed his food, and however grumpy and reserved her personality may be, she had been unable to hide that fact at least.
He was about to take a real risk.
But he trusted Fernand’s wisdom, so he spoke against his instincts.
‘Swordmaiden Annie, I know you still despise me after what happened.
But I will ask you to protect my dear friends in my absence regardless.
I will go outside and try to find some answers as to what is going on in the city.’
Leaving them alone with her sounded foolish initially, until he had thought back on their earlier duel beneath the undercity of Mulloz Ned.
If she truly wanted to hurt them, there was nothing in the world that he could ever do to stop her.
Which had worried him to no end.
Even Dieter struggled against her, and somehow they had never even heard of this young woman.
She was highborn, that was very obvious from her decorated armour and pompous speech.
But aside from that?
Lukk hoped that Dieter would bring some answers with him when he returned, because he solely needed them.
‘No,’ she flatly retorted.
‘Let them return underground.
There, no one will bother them.
I have made sure of that, remember?
Besides..’ A vile, predator-like smile covered the lower half of her face.
‘..I’ve been itching to set something aflame.
These last few days of peace and quiet have not suited me in the slightest.’
‘She might be right,’ Cornelia said.
‘If the source of the mass hysteria turns out to be Dieter, he will greatly appreciate an extra sword, especially one so capable.
And if it’s the Grand Devourer and his army..well..’ She hesitated.
‘..I wouldn’t really know what we should do then.’
‘Neither do I,’ Lukk spoke truthfully.
‘Without Dieter we stand no real chance against the great beast.
In fact, if the Devourer is truly here I’d consider returning to Mulloz Ned with the whole group, until further orders somehow reach us.
The truth of the matter is that we are made blind without a crow-keeper, and our decisionmaking greatly suffers for it.’
‘We can talk more.
Or we can go outside and see what is happening and base our choices on what our eyes and ears perceive.’ Annie stated.
Lukk shrugged and grabbed his greatsword, appreciating the written detail on its hilt.
‘Honestly, that works for me.’
As they walked outside their ears were assaulted by the deafening, brutal sound of the panic-inducing bells.
He had not realized they had been this overwhelmingly loud, as their stay was apparently very well isolated.
‘No wonder that these people are panicking the way they are.
With all this noise you’d think the world’s end has come,’ Lukk jested.
Uninterested, she disregarded his comment, picking at the hole in her shoulder armour.
‘Silence, dog.
I have no taste for your words.’ Their eyes met, as she looked at him at last.
Fernand was right as always, Lukk thought.
These are the eyes of someone that is deeply troubled.
Or perhaps..
‘Or your boorish companionship, for that matter.’
As giant, fiery angel-like wings slowly began to form on her back, her face turned into that of a mocking caricature.
‘If it’s truly the Dreaded Herald that is causing this mess, I will make sure to give your regards to that bald rat when I see him.’
She spread her divine wings, and as Lukk already sensed what would happen, he immediately jumped out of the way.
With instant velocity she shot up from the ground, as her ascent violently burned the ground in her wake, leaving the flightless Lukk alone and in dismay.