Celona Altair

A thunderous rumble shook the Duskhold, but there were no clouds in the sky to claim responsibility. 

Taro flinched, head jerking back as though his bird’s nest hair might attract more than birds. “What was that?” 

Celona yawned as she ignored his question. Her arms stretched above her as she walked down the steps of the patrol station after their ten hour shift. 

“I can’t feel my feet.” She announced with her usual deadpan face. “They really made us go without lunch today...hopefully dinner will make up for it.”

The mess hall was a twenty minute walk from the patrol station, but Celona could make it ten at a light jog. She quickened her pace down the stone steps as Taro scrambled to catch up. 

The evening air still held the warmth of the day even as the sun decided to retire. The cobblestone path was far less lively than it was in the day; most of the street vendors had returned home, along with their wares. Celona appreciated the sparse atmosphere. They had been policing vendors since first light, and any who remained would surely cast dirty looks at their charcoal grey Dustborn uniforms. 

A second thundering shook the ground, almost causing Taro to stumble.

“I’m serious, what’s happening? Did your aunt tell you anything? Surely the Moonforged should know something.” Taro panted.

A strand of auburn hair tickled Celona’s cheek as they jogged. "No idea, it’s probably a training exercise. I’ve been avoiding her lately since she’s been so yappy—Celestial Blessing this, Celestial Blessing that." 

Celestial Blessings manifested as layers of grey aura, enhancing their user’s strength and lifespan. More importantly, they were the primary requirement for military promotions, which was why Aunt Velaris had been pushing her to complete her second layer. In theory, Celona could forcefully accelerate her cultivation using her unusually high pain tolerance, but she didn’t appreciate the additional responsibilities that came with a promotion. Her mind was focused on more important matters.

“Do you think they’ll have chicken thighs this time? It’s been thirty five days since they’ve served it, it’s not like all the chickens in the world suddenly died right?”

“How should I know?” By the third thunderclap, Taro’s voice lost most of its anxiety, though a hint of unease lingered in his expression.

As they kept jogging, it became clear that the source of the sound was further ahead, where the shadows of the Southern Wall blanketed the uneven rooftops.

The monolith spanned the entirety of the border of the Forest of Exiles, a marvel of mana and engineering protecting the Celestial Empire from the wilderness beyond it. Several fortress cities were raised along the wall, the Duskhold being one of those cities. In the centuries since they were built, there hadn’t been any threat suggesting their necessity; as such, these fortress cities had become the safest military assignment one could ask for. 

The clattering of rapid footsteps approached from behind them. A squad of dark blue Starsworn overtook them without giving them so much as a glance. The spears on their backs suggested that the situation would need to be resolved by more than just words.

“And I thought I was hungry,” Celona grumbled as they dashed into the distance.

“I don’t think they’re going to dinner…” Taro’s eyes widened, fear creeping back into his voice. “The last recon unit was supposed to return a week ago. What if the sound is from something trying to break through the wall?” He slowed to a halt, preparing to head in the other direction.

Annoyed, she turned around. "I’m sure they’re fine. You saw for yourself how underdeveloped the exiles are, if they’re still around then there can’t be much danger beyond the wall.”

“What about the rumors of the black Primordial Beast? Riggs also told me that the exiles could even perform rituals to summon a true Primordial!” Taro was grasping at straws at this point.

Celona rolled her eyes. “Riggs tells you those stories because you’re the easiest to fool, dummy.” 

“Still, why don’t we go to the market and grab something there instead? It’s further from the wall, just in case, you know?" Refusing to give up, Taro submitted another request to flee, poorly masked as a casual suggestion.

Celona promptly issued a denial. "The food at the market isn't fresh by now. You can go to the market alone if you want. I, personally, am going to eat real food." She resumed jogging, leaving Taro behind.

Taro made his signature sound, a high pitched noise that occupied an unfortunate space between an exasperated moan and the squeal of a small animal in distress, before following along reluctantly.

On the other side of the road, civilians passed by from the opposite direction, complaining at a volume loud enough to fill the street.

“—Ridiculous—”

“—Making us evacuate just because of a training exercise—”

Celona glanced at the crowd as the two of them jogged by. “See? Told you, training exercise.”

Taro frowned, skeptical. “A training exercise that requires evacuating civilians?”

Celona shrugged, but nevertheless she slowed, just slightly. The mess hall slowly crept into view, the light from its windows warm and inviting.

Celona's stomach made its opinion known, loudly. As usual, she listened.

"I’ll just go in and grab something real quick and come back out. We’re already here anyway, we might as well. You don’t have to come with me, wait outside if you’d like.”

Taro made the sound again. Going in the mess hall was his second least favorite option, his least favorite being waiting outside by himself. At least with Celona, her familial status shielded them from most trouble—her hair color was all it took to remind others to steer clear.

The mess hall stretched wide beneath high rafters, its long tables arranged in orderly rows, the wood worn smooth in the middle by frequent use. Light radiated from a handful of guttering torches and the wide mouth of the fire at the far wall, throwing uneven shadows across the cobblestone. In the corner of the hall, the kitchen opening exhaled heat and the smell of garlic and rendered fat into the room. 

On a normal night, there would already be some level of commotion, the clinking of utensils accompanied by cooks trading insults from across the room. Tonight, all the food had been prepared, but staff and diners were nowhere to be seen. 

Celona didn’t seem to notice. She picked up a plate from the stack near the entrance and started moving down the counter, but Taro froze near the entrance, ears trained on the silence.

“Do you hear that?” 

“Yep, that’s the sizzle of food calling my name.” 

“No, I mean the noise outside! The thundering has stopped, I think they’re finally done with their training.” Taro heaved a sigh of relief, and joined Celona at the counter, looking towards the food. 

The rice was still releasing thin curls of fresh steam, and Celona spotted juicy chicken thighs lathered with dark garlic-ginger sauce down the counter. 

Jackpot. Humming no particular tune, Celona took the tongs and began piling them on her plate. 

An explosion rang across the hall, the stone wall at the far end crumbling to pieces. A blurry figure flew through the debris and viciously slammed into the opposite wall.

Taro screamed as he dropped his plate, harmonizing with the cries of soldiers outside engaged in combat, a sound that entered the room through the newly formed cavity in the wall.

 Celona stopped humming, frowning as she examined the source of the interruption.

The thrown figure’s uniform displayed an austere combination of white and red, the colors of Moonforged captains. Her service cap was nowhere to be seen, allowing her auburn hair to tumble freely down her shoulders. Celona, recognizing the figure, called out hesitantly.

“Velaris?”

The Moonforged, whose eyes were grimly locked on something beyond the crumbling wall, suddenly snapped her head around and looked at Celona in disbelief, then anger.

"Celona! What are you doing here, why didn’t you evacuate with everyone else?”

Velaris took inventory of her location and groaned.

“Oh for Celestial’s sake, for once in your life, stop eating and run, you moron!"

Velaris’ voice rang through the mess hall, her controlled demeanor undercut by her tone and the blood leaking from the corner of her mouth. 

Celona didn’t move, but Velaris’ yell brought Taro to his senses. 

“Come on, let’s go!” Taro grabbed Celona by the arm, dragging her towards the front door.

“But my food—”

“You.” A new voice snarled behind them, containing an unmistakable hatred.

A table flew past them, crashing on the ground in front of the door, blocking their path to the exit. They turned around and saw a strange young girl standing between them and the crumbling wall. Behind her, streets were littered with the mangled corpses of Starsworn. The cacophony outside had ceased, but its source just casually marched inside. 

The girl was small, no more than twelve or thirteen years old, wearing a Starsworn uniform several sizes too large. The sleeves and pants were ripped haphazardly to fit her measurements, revealing little fists and feet covered in fresh blood. A striking golden mole rested underneath her left eye, matching her golden irises, both of which were glaring at Celona.

The girl moved with unbelievable speed, her bloody fist flying towards Celona, Velaris barely blocking her advance in time, spear in hand. Her three layers of Celestial Blessing were flickering rapidly–the mere act of blocking the punch strained her mana reserves.

“Hurry, brat.” Velaris groaned through gritted teeth, holding the girl off in a final desperate effort.

The girl roared with the savagery of a wild beast. Swinging with her other arm, she shattered Velaris’ steel spear and kicked her out of the way. Leaping at Celona, the girl gripped her throat while smashing her on the stone floor.

Celona’s head rang from the impact, blurring her vision of the furious eyes glaring at her. The ringing induced strange auditory hallucinations: Taro’s voice releasing an almost heroic shout, something completely out of character for him. The girl whipped out her free hand while maintaining eye contact with her, followed by a crash, a grunt, and the sound of something heavy sliding across the floor. 

Celona didn’t try to fight back; not because she had the survival instincts of a cucumber, but she already knew it would be futile if Velaris could be tossed around like that. Celona had seen Velaris dismantle a squad of eight Starsworn in the same time it took her to finish two cookies, maybe three, but this girl existed on a level beyond their own. 

And yet…she felt none of the terror she expected, just a bland acknowledgement of her impending doom with the detached calm of an oblivious bystander. It seemed like the girl was saying something, but the ringing in her ears drowned out the words. It didn’t help that the girl used her other hand to violently tear off both of Celona’s ears with the same ease Celona used when ripping a croissant. Blood rapidly escaped through the sides of her head, further distancing her from her sense of reality.

“—sister—”

Was all she could make out by reading the girl’s lips before she lost her vision as the girl continued to mutilate her face. She didn’t know whose sister the girl was talking about, but she didn’t feel the need to ponder it.

Something wet landed on her face that didn’t feel like her own blood. 

Was that drool? Eyes and ears don’t even taste good! She’s really going to eat me? 

She felt death drawing near, a strangely familiar feeling… 

A mental barrier shattered within her mind, unleashing a flood of buried emotions as forgotten memories began to surface. Memories that were stolen from her as a child. Memories of nightmares. 

A moment ago, she was indifferent towards the scent of blood; now, its metallic flavor filled her with paralyzing terror.

“I’m sorry…please don’t eat me…I’m…so…hungry…”