The Fall

The Fall

Far to the north the ancient city of Taztli burned towers of glass and fluted crystal falling to the ground as the very earth split and shattered beneath the ceaseless bombardment of the terrestrial’s armada. Hundreds of immaculate skyships hanging above the desolation, their smooth jade hulls covered in the garish marking of the rebellion, hurtling waves of elemental fire. Towering walls of seamless marble crumbled into dust beneath the caress of the aerial assault that had continued for two long hours and would soon leave no sign that the once great metropolis had ever existed.

High above the ruins amidst the sprawling gantries of feather steel that made up the sky docks stood the solar facing his student across the broad catwalk of gleaming metal baring her way to the single ship that remained at berth its colossal engines covered with arcing essence as they slowly powering up. His robes of spun gold and platinum thread billowing about him in the gale of searing winds hurtling upwards from the inferno raging below. An intricate web of essence and counter magic woven into the brilliant scarlet anima that silently raged about him shielding him from the growing conflagration.

She stood across from him, her flowing mahogany hair braided with strands of silver, her dress of blue silk clinging to her slim figure. A fragile, delicate being surrounded by the surging majestic emerald radiance of Jupiter, her elegant features set in an expression of deep sorrow that appeared totally alien.

His student, his lover, his executioner.

“I should have known they would send you whisper” he called above the howling gale, his heart heavy within his chest. “I take it, it was you who sabotaged the city shields?” She merely nodded her soft blue eyes filled with regret. He had suspected as much, the way the shield had fallen just as the first bolts of elemental fire had rained down from the dragon blooded armada. Such flawless precision was almost a signature of whispered truths work.

“And the garrison?” 

“You’ve met the ruler here” she replied ”a more conceited exalt has yet to draw breath. It took little to persuade them to join our cause.” “And what cause is that? The cause of genocide?” He could see the hurt in her eyes at that. “I wish you could understand, this was the only way. The arrogance of the solars will lead to the destruction of us all, your deaths will be our salvation!” She called back her voice almost breaking under the strain of emotion. “You speak of our arrogance” the ancient sorcerer’s voice booming forth with such force that the walkway quaked beneath their feet “you who presume to pass sentence upon an entire race? You who think to shape the fates rather than interpret them as the maidens intended? Your conceit is colossal!” Her voice shook as she replied “We have seen the future and…….” “and what if you are wrong?” he cut her off “what if you have missed something? Only the maiden of secrets sees all ends and she keeps her own council. You cannot place absolute trust in your prophecies they are fallible as their interpreters. I taught you better than this Whisper have you forgotten everything?” For a moment she turned her face from him tears in her eyes “It is too late to turn back now, we must finish what we have begun. Those who would threaten our future must be destroyed.” She looked into his eyes once more and a pleading note entered her voice “but I would spare you my love, in memory of what we once shared, go flee to edges of creation and trouble the realm no longer, take shelter amongst the Lunars, we will not pursue you there. Do this for me I cannot bare the though of your blood upon my hands.” “And what of my students?” her silence was all the answer he needed “They are under my protection whisper, as you once were, I can allow no harm to befall them while I still draw breath. If you would end their lives you must first slay me.” “So be it then, I am sorry” He inclined his head the tears he shed scoured from his face by the burning winds “I know” their eyes met once more and a slight smile tinged his lips “and I forgive you.” Without further words their animas flared and clashed as spell and counter spell struck against each other in a titanic display of power. Storms of jagged ice evaporating on walls of flame, twisted beasts of shadow burning away under the caress of sanctified sunlight. The display of raw power raged about them, the fragments of broken spells devastating those few towers that had somehow remained intact under the assault of the rebellious dragon blooded. In some places the tapestry itself warped and twisted under the raw forces exerted revealing glimpses of the horrific chaos that lay beyond.

The Sidereal was younger by far than the ancient master she faced yet she was intimately familiar with his mastery of the arts and the greatest part of his power had already been spent fighting his way through the treacherous garrison troops who even now pillaged the streets below. Slowly the solars anima began to dim as his strength waned under his pupil’s cunning assault. The end was near now he knew it in his ancient bones yet he must delay it at least a little longer. Then from behind him came the great roar of the skyships powerful engines lifting the colossal vessel from its moorings, even before it had begun to pick up speed a flight of interceptors had detached from the surrounding fleet and were speeding towards it. A slight smile flickered across the solars lips for once orchids timing was perfect. In one sudden fluid movement he spun to face the towering marvel and in a heartbeat all his protection, all his careful counter measures fell away. The solar channelled all of his remaining power into his final spell leaving himself defenceless. Above him the ship began to glow with a majestic golden radiance, the vessels vast jade hull blurring beneath the essence being focused upon it. Then with a sudden burst of blinding light the ship and all those within vanished. A fraction of a second later and a storm of razor edged diamond shards struck tearing through the sorcerers frail defenceless body sending him tumbling to the ground his life’s blood spraying across the metal gantry. The glorious scarlet radiance faded to nothing more than a faint glimmer about his prone form. He could only lie motionless his face pressed against the cold steel feeling his life fading from him. Then as darkness ate at the corners of his vision he felt himself lifted, his head cradled in gentle hands and he looked up into soft blue eyes. “Why?” she whispered softly to him “Because they were under my protection.” He smiled one last time as blood trickled from the corner of his mouth and he caressed her cheek with one trembling hand “ and because I could never cause you harm my love” His strength spent he fell back into his lovers embrace feeling her tears fall upon his face. And so Shadow Falcon last master of the college Devonian died, his duty fulfilled and his soul at peace save for the grief of a lover he could not console.