And with a blink, Norani opened her eyes, gasping as the sun that returned to the world blinded her. She fell backwards into the mud, the soil there firming up to catch her better. Her eyes darted around wildly, scrambling backwards on hands and feet, her breath staggered and rapid. The world around her was bright, the sky blue, the soaked lands green, already rapidly recovering from the deluge of the last year and a half. There, floating on the gentle winds was the feather given to her by Arcas, singed and burnt from being held in her fearful grasp for so long. All power in it had been drained, the smallest bit of support in what should've been a hopeless prison, and now it disintegrated into ash and dust carried by the winds away.
Norani lay there in the water and mud, taking it all in around her. The sky was clear, the sun was returned, the rainy season had ended. Imogen and Destyn had succeeded. They must have. There should've been relief there upon her face, there should've been a smile of joy and elation for their success. But there was just... nothing. Emptiness. Deep, dark, nothing.
She sat up, elbows on her knees, looking around her, wondering where she was. It was certainly North Ecith, that much was sure. She was about to call to Ooshi, to ask the spirit what had happened with Agst'rasera, with Astrid, but she kept the name in her throat. She instead asked the local winds where the big mountain was, as the winds of North Ecith loved it. All would know it. And they answered, a playful pull to the west.
Norani needed to report to the Senate, to tell them what had happened. To explain why she hadn't called upon their armies. To tell them why she did not carry the Warhorn of the Chieftain. She hoped it was still safe with Vomi Vani at least. She looked up at the sky, where the sun was, softening the light that shone upon her so as to not harm her eyes. Her mouth thinned into a line. The placement suggested it was early spring. Normally rainy season wouldn't even be over now, except in the driest of years. Strange. It had been late spring when she had lef...
Her chin fell to her chest as she looked at the murky water between her thighs. How long had she..? She shook her head, stuffing that thought down, deep down. Get to Drathera, give her report, and find Juno. The fear she saw in her friend's eyes, that moment when Norani's impatience led her straight into a trap, one with her friend as bait, was seared into her eyelids. Norani stood up slowly, her stomach grumbling in the first time in forever. She hadn't needed to eat wherever she was, hadn't needed to sleep or relieve herself.
She looked up at the sun once more, feeling its warmth upon her skin and a name came to her lips. "Yeva." Had she made it back from the Astral Sea yet? Would she be in South Ecith where she had disappeared? Norani wasn't even sure how to get back to there, and she had no more sands to travel along Agst'Rasera's roots. Was her dear friend safe? Was she okay? Fear was growing within the Orkhan lass, and worry, and with that, she launched from that water, shifting into the wind as she flew toward Drathera.
Some days later...
Norani swooped in upon the Summit of Drathera, landing at the foot of the Senate. She was not wasting any time. For the days she spent flying here, she tried to figure out just what she would say. She didn't know what happened to Destyn or Imogen, she had nothing to say about that, but clearly they had accomplished their task while she had failed her own. She started up the steps toward the great doors of the Senate building when a sharp whistle caught her attention.
She looked to her left for the source, and saw one of the largest figures in Ecith, a man all knew and revered, and one that had spoken to her when she was here last, Consul of War, Achaka Lonelyblade. He watched her with his serious, unyielding gaze as she slowly walked over to him, her gaze cast upon the polished stone floor. [color=#FFFFF]"We've been wondering what happened to you, Windwalker." [/color]He stepped forward, a smile growing upon his draconic visage, "It seems you were successful after all. I grew worried when the Call of the Warchief never came, more so when the rains never cleared. That is, until five days ago, and the sun returned to our lands once more." He reached out, to clasp her on the shoulder, and she flinched back, avoiding his touch.
His eyes showed confusion, immediately followed by caring scrutiny, "What happened?"
In a soft voice, "How... how long have you been waiting on me?"
The concern on his face grew deeper, "Nearly a year."
The silence from her was deafening. After a long, uncomfortable moment, "Have.. has Yeva Bleu returned?"
He nodded, but his frown did not grow into smile, "Yes, the Seers have reported that she's escaped the Astral Sea. We've dispatched a Charadin to go and find her. She's in the Northlands."
She should've been elated, ecstatic, racing off on the winds to the north as well, to find her friend who was returned to the world. But there was just... nothing. And from that nothing, a guilt grew because she didn't feel what she ought to feel.
"Norani, let us walk. Tell me what happened to you."
She shook her head, "I need to address the Senate. I saw it. I saw her."
Achaka cocked his head to the side, "Juno was there, with the Unknown. I saw them."
At this, the man's eyes grew wide. "You saw the Unknown?"
She nodded softly.
He didn't ask whether or not sure was sure. He knew her to be one of truth. And he knew of Juno, from the last time she was here at the Senate. "I will call together a session on your behalf. Will you accompany me to the Unseeing Temple? I need to see what you saw."
Her eyes snapped up to his, fear shining through, "You can't, please."
Achaka's gaze softened. He didn't need to know the details to know what had happened to the young woman. Just as he and so many other soldiers were oft to do, she stepped into hell and was forced to see it without being allowed to look away. And just like a good soldier, she did not wish to inflict that on anyone else. "I must, and you know it, Windwalker. You know what this means to the people of the Commonwealth. If you can be brave enough to show it, I must be brave enough to bear witness." He looked up at the great doors of the Senate. "We all must."
Some time later...
Norani sipped at the stew she'd been given, sitting in the balcony garden of Achaka's office. She, Achaka, and Keliya, High Priestess of Galetira's Temple had just finished speaking before the Senate. It was easier this time for the Orkhan lass, saying these things to the Senate didn't scare her any longer. Keliya shared the memory she had Seen from Norani allowing the Senators that were present to see exactly what had happened. There were collective gasps though, for they knew what this meant, this memory, this verified proof that the Unknown was simply more than an unfortunate phenomenon, that Juno was not the trickery of a malevolent spirit. Many applauded Norani's attempt to free Juno, but Keliya stopped the memory after the trap had closed. There was nothing to be gained by sharing a year's worth of repetitive pain here, now. Any who wished to see it, could access it in the archives.
The Senate stated that they had much to deliberate on this and that nothing would be determined in this session. They thanked Norani for her heroic service and the session was called to an end. And she and Achaka walked to his office where he had food waiting for her.
As she ate, he spoke. "You don't feel like a hero do you?"
She shook her head silently.
"Because you failed at your mission."
She nodded into her soup, the cold numbness growing.
"Because you failed to save Juno, because you didn't rescue the seasons, Ghoron."
She was still now.
"Look at me, Windwalker."
She cast her gaze on him, his eyes fierce and fiery, "Stop being so damned selfish."
Her own eyes widened in surprise. "You failed yourself, not the mission. You discovered this problem, you sought wisdom, you found strength in allies, strength in yourself, and the mission was a success by the hand of those you brought to complete it."
She wasn't sure what to say to that. "The Commonwealth owes you and companions a debt we will never be able to pay. Once for your mission and another for witnessing the Unknown and coming home to tell us."
He cast his gaze out to the wilderness extending out from Drathera, her eyes dropping back to her stew, "You were a casualty, a sacrifice you were willing to make, but you did what you thought to be best."
He moved and sat down across from her, "You're going to be a leader one day, Windwalker. And you will need to make more impossible decisions, suffer more defeats, and make more sacrifices. It is a painful, grueling, impossible path to follow."
She looked up from her soup again, "But you never walk it alone. I will help you. Friends will help you. The Commonwealth will help you."
A bare whisper, "Juno is walking alone... Yeva has been walking alone for a year..." More.
He reached out, one large scaly hand to rest on her own. She flinched, but he snatched it, holding it firmly but not painfully. "And you've been chasing them ever since. You've made it your mission for them to know that they aren't alone either."
He squeezed her hand like a father would, "Your power will make you a good leader, but your heart will make you a great one."
He let go of her hand, "But you need more training. You're impulsive, reckless, and your emotions dominate your mind. I will work on that."
She looked up at him quizzically, "You're being reassigned, Windwalker. You will undergo missions directly from me."
"But the Unkno.." He held up a hand to silence her.
"I will not be stopping you from this. It means too much. No, I will be training you so that when you come across the Unknown next time, you will not fail."
"I always fail."
He reached across the table, tipping her chin up to find his eyes once more, "Good. Then you have plenty of wisdom to learn from. Now eat. Rest tonight. But tomorrow, you're back in training."
And before she could speak, "And when we find Yeva Bleu, when she returns to Ecith, you will be the first to know."
Norani nodded quietly, pausing for a long moment. "Why weren't there any Chieftains at the Senate hearing?"
A small sigh, "Because the Senate exiled Chieftain Boraba for allowing you to be initiated into magic as a child, and all the Chieftains are protesting the Senate in solidarity."
Fear flashed again, "But the family-around-me! Ounokt Nora! They will be defenseless!"
Achaka shook his head, "They are with Boraba still, traveling with her in her exile. There's no safer place for them than in her protection."
Norani started to rise, "Sit. Down."
Norani paused, then followed the order.
"Stop acting without thinking. You are a soldier of Ecith and you have a duty to all of the people here, to the land, the sky, and the waters. You are the Shield between us and the Unknown. You need to start acting like it, or you will get yourself and so many others killed."
He softened his gaze and his tone, "Trust in me. Everything you've shared with me is important, none of it is forgotten. But I am your chieftain for now. Trust that I will lead you as you need to be lead. Do that, and you will find yourself unyielding in the face of failure, unbending to Suffering, and unwilling to go into the darkness again."
A long silence.
"Okay."
