105 Age of Steel
Pahoran had finished the assignment his mother had given him but now stood rooted to the spot. His icy blue eyes looked out the window. In days past the window had rarely drawn his attention despite the gorgeous view of the citadel. On this day though his gaze was pulled to the army that had been besieging the citadel. Already parts of the Citadel of Light were on fire and destruction had already come upon the city of the Dawnmartyr.
The boy had always felt safe here in the stronghold of the saviors of the world. His parents had told him stories of how the knights had fought against evil and chaos that had threatened to take over the world. Now an enemy stood at they very gates threatening this stronghold of light, and it had with stood, but now that was about to change. This wasn’t possible. Pahoran was sure that any moment the knights of old would ride out of the stories and with one fell swoop destroy these monsters who were threatening his very home.
Instead of returning to his parents the boy stood clutching the bag his parents had very carefully instructed him how to pack. His little boy arms where firmly wrapped around the bag while in his hand he clutched the knight figure. He clung to both as if they were the only stable things left in his world.
“Please come” he kept quietly whispering as his blue stained with panic and fear. And it was like this that his mother found him standing when she entered his room. Pahoran heard the door open and the gentle step of his mother’s booted foot. He didn’t turn as she moved closer afraid that if he did the spell of his wish would be broken.
“Pahoran.” Came a gentle voice, that many were surprised was so low for a woman. Pahoran found it comforting. It seemed more stable and grounded then did other woman’s high squeaky voices. He still didn’t dare stop looking out the window. He saw his mother sit on the bed that sat between him and the window, and with that act the boy felt his hope begin to fade. His mother didn’t have any hope. She had completely ignored the mess he had made of his bed while packing. There wasn’t a single you know better look, nor did she try to fix the sheets and blankets, not she just sat on the mess and looked lovingly at her son.
“They aren’t coming.” The little boy said in a whispered voice.
“Who aren’t coming love?” His mother asked confused.
“The Heros. The ones who destroyed the Cult of Mending.” He finally looked at her. “The ones in all of those stories. Surely though can ride the world of this Imperium.”
His mother looked shocked and then heart broken as she gathered her son into her arms and stroked his hair. Then the tears came, the sobs of a terrified little boy who was safe in his mother’s arms. He was glade that she just let him cry. It was what he needed. Pahoran clung to him mother like he clung to his bag and the knight figuring. Eventually the sobs subsided and he heard her voice speak over him.
“I am sorry my love, but the evil has gotten smarter.” She said still holding him. “But we won’t let that stop us. We are the knights of the Dawnmartyr.”
“But they are destroying our city.” Pahoran cried into her shirt.
“Yes, they caught us unprepared, but it is just a city. The Masters already have plans, and your Father and I will get us out safely.” She said in a confident voice.
“But this is my home.” The boy cried again and buried his head even farther into her shirt.
“Yes, and it is also all of our home my son.” Came the deep voice of his father, and Pahoran felt himself enfolded in not just his mother’s arms but his father’s as well. “I am sorry that we couldn’t save it, but we will save all of you children.” He said from outside the hug. “This family will survive.” They were a quiet for a few moments as Pahoran stopped his crying.
“Is it time?” Came his mother’s voice.
“Yes.” There was a pause. “I will talk with him.”
Pahoran felt himself being extracted from his mother’s arms and watched as his father sat on the bed. His father hadn’t ever done that. He normally either looked down at his son or he lifted the boy up so they were eye to eye. Pahoran found it very important that on this his father had come down to his level. His father was quiet for a moment before speaking.
“I know that this is hard.” He said softly, then he paused and pulled out his little dagger and then handed it over to his son. Pahoran felt his eyes grow wide as he took the dagger. “I need you to be my squire today and help me save our family.”
“Save the family.” Pahoran said in aww. “Like saving my brothers.” His father nodded thought there was a strange expression on his face as if found something amusing. “How?”
“By being brave and doing what your mother and I ask you.” Pahoran felt a swell of pride at his fathers’ trust. His father smiled at his son and then slipped the daggers sheath on to the boys’ belt. Pahoran slipped the dagger into the sheath and stood there proudly so that his father could see how fine the dagger looked on him. His father stood up and rubbed his son’s blond hair before stepped out of the room.
The five year old still clutched his bag and the little statue but followed his father out of the room. He looked up at the others in his family who were already waiting. All four of his siblings, two brothers and two sister, were in the family common room each carrying a pack like his, though bigger. They also had additional bags and Pahoran felt unhappy that they got to take more stuff then him. The five year old was about to object when his hand brushed against the dagger at his side and he paused and then made a brave face and marched in amount his siblings, though he still clung to that figurine.
Then the world became a jumble of action and voices as Pahoran tried to make sure he was out of the way but as closely attached to his father as possible. So it was that the boy was there just in listening range when his oldest brother, Bakato, spoke to their father even as the others were beginning to shuffle out of the room.
“Why are we running away. You are a warforged and a Knight-Commander.” Bakato whispered angry, Pahoran again still felt a swell of pride at the mention of his father’s rank. It had been a great day when that had happened. “Mother is a spell forged and a Knight Captain.”
Their father called out “Everyone out to courtyard.” And the looked at his oldest son who was already a warrior and would become a full knight in the next year or so and answered in a quiet voice, there father couldn’t whisper. “We are not running away.” He said as he held a hand for Pahoran to join them. No one thought twice about having private conversations in from of the boy.
Pahoran was obedient, he was after all his fathers squire now.the conversation continued even as both men protectively grabbed hold of the easily distracted child. Though this conversation had his attention. “This siege has dragged on for three years,” the boy found the following explanation a bit confusing and besides he had to focus on not falling down the massive stairs leading from the upper floors to the ground. Near the bottom of the stairs the little boy started paying attention again “The orders mission is more important then this Citadel. The leaders have decided and I agree getting what families we can out will do more for the preserving the order then allowing all of us to be slaughtered protecting this fortress.”
Pahoran froze and felt his arms being tugged but he just stood their frozen and wide eyed. Did his father just say they would be slaughtered. In the stories that was when a lot of people died together and like at one time. It was a bad thing. Pahoran missed his father’s look of annoyances and then it turned to guilt as he realized what had panicked his youngest son. His brother also looked a bit guilty to as he realized his brother was stupid and could understand some of what they were saying.
“Can you help your brother? I need to get our instructions.” The patriarch said to his oldest. The adolescent boy, more understanding nodded and picked up his brother so that the five year old could rest his neck against his strong brothers neck.
“I don’t want to be slaughtered.” Pahoran whispered to his brother even as they walked out into the courtyard. Pahoran clung tightly to his brother even as the sounds of the siege assaulted his ears. Pahoran was used to many of those sounds as she had lived with them on and off for three years but tonight he could have sworn they were more in tense. Fear raced through him and he clung even tighter to his strong brother.
“I don’t want to be slaughtered he repeated with a chock in his voice. His brother made calming noices.
“Pahoran we won’t be slaughtered.” He juggled his brother a bit so he could see there grandpa standing in the courtyard directing the groups of families. “Do you think Grqndpa would allow that to happen. He will make sure we get out.”
Pahoran felt a swell of bravery as he looked upon his grandfather. His tall and well built frame standing majestically on a platform. His wings folded behind him but being used to empathize his instructions. There he was a very be of the knights of legend. As he watched Pahoran’s grasp on his brother loosened. He couldn’t hear what was being said above the noise but he watched as his two paternal generations conversed and then clasped each other’s shoulders.
Then it happened there was a loud crash. And then the world seemed to grow silent for a moment. A very long moment. Pahoran looked up at his brother and felt once again the rising fear. It was Pahoran’s eldest sister who spoke.
“Is that the wall?” Here voice was surprising calm. Her Hytori beauty and calm coming through.
“Most likely.” Their grandfather said and turned his most commanding expression on those gathered. “You have your assignments. Now go. Remember on you rests our hope.”
With that centuries of discipline kicked in and just as the noise from the siege ramped up. All of them could hear the chanting of thousands of voice as the forces of the Imperium watched as their forces brought the Light. That actually drove the knights and those long associated with them into actions. While the bulk of the forces prepared for the final assault those deemed innocent or necessary to rebuild obeyed their orders.
Pahoran had been put down by his brother and now clung to his sister as they raised with those supplies they had brought and anything else the order had asked them to carry. Pahoran clung to his sister in blind terror as they move to their designated spot. He thought her had been afraid before but now he understood terror. The screams that rose throughout the city and the sobs that escaped not only his lips but those of his self composed sisters.
The only thing that kept him from curling in a ball was the valiant figures of his father and mother moving, at the head of their clan, through the night. The poor boys was very confused as to where they were in the citadel as they seemed to have come into portions of it that weren’t in the normal areas allowed to him. Eventually the came to a spot that he recognized if for no other reason then because it was off limits.
They stood on the outer walls of the citadel. A place that had always been off limits to the Pahoran and the other children and not just because of the invading army. The boy child was surprised to see some type of box waiting on the walkway and one last person. As Pahoran saw who it was he broke away and ran to the old woman crying, “Grandma” as he enfolded her legs in a hug.
“Pahoran.”
“Mother.” Their father said in greeting even as the sounds of battle continued in the distance.
“The forces have moved to the breach you should be able to take off without draw much attention.” She said patting her grandson’s head even as the woman hopped into the box. Pahoran then watched as his father and brothers surrounded Grandma.
“Good,” his father said and then just a quickly. “Now boys.” And they proceeded to pick up the matriarch and over her objections placed her in the cart. Pahoran watched in surprise as his brother knelt while the family informed their grandmother that grandpa’s orders involved her coming along.
“Pahoran.” His brother said, “we can’t put you in the wagon and we need you to fly. Can you do that?” He asked with a smile
“I am dad’s squire.” Pahoran said proudly grabbing the dagger. “ I will fly.”
“Good” said his brother and then good one of the handles on the box thing.
“Okay Rayunia family.” There father said looking intently at his mother. “We need to move quickly but I have faith in each and every one of you.” He said with a smile even as the listened to one of the towers by the breach begins to crumble. “Remember we aren’t defeated as long as we have each other, and we keep our vows to the Knighthood.”
Even admits the chaos they all cheered but only for a moment. Then while
Lifting the wagon carrying their woman the older men of the family spread their wings and took to the air.
Flying by then the boy Pahoran, still clutching his statue spread his wings and fly by his family. None of them looked back as the Citadel fell to the imperium. Hope and the future lay before them, not behind them. And they were hopeful for that future. Pahoran had to have Hope.
