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Sages of the Hidden Lights

Arki Darkwater

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-Chapter 4-

Bodey

Fort Regulus, Uthalia

It was early on a Tuesday morning when the alarm sounded. From somewhere atop the fortress, a soldier stood and blew into his horn in a steady pattern, one that we all knew very well. It could only mean one thing:

War.

I was resilient to wake up and rise at first. The horn was just monotonous, meaningless humming, although it was quite loud and hurt my sensitive ears. My eyes could only muster the strength to open a slight margin before they fell back into place. Grabbing ahold of the side of my bunker, I slowly pulled myself up into a sitting position and rubbed my tired eyes. It's too goddamn early. What kind of sick joke is this? I thought. It was only when I finally listened that I recognize the pattern and bolted straight out of bed. This wasn't just a routine roll-call. We were being called to fight.

I sensed a flurry of motion in the bunker. A quick glance around, and I saw that all my fellow soldiers were already properly dressed and exiting down the spiral stairway leading to the ground floor. "Dammit," I muttered, "I need to get going!"

I quickly got dressed, putting on my sleeveless ashy-gray tunic, black pants and brown leather boots. That was the standard Uthalian military uniform, although the lack of sleeves was a personal deduction, for the sake of comfort. I then equipped myself with the proper gear and grabbed my precious weapon: a shiny silver blade with a small blue gem engraved in the middle of its beautifully chiseled handle. The sword had been passed down from my father before me, a sort of family heirloom. I took a moment to simply hold it in my paws and admire its beauty and craftsmanship, just until realizing I had a duty desperately grabbing for my attention. I slipped the sword into the sheath tethered to my back before exiting the bunkers and closing the door behind me, although perhaps a bit too swiftly. I let out a small grunt of pain at the sensation of slamming the door on my long, striped tail.

I've been awake for three minutes, and everything is already going to shit, huh? I mused to myself. Bloody excellent...

I rushed down a flight of stairs and into the fortress's courtyard, where most seminars and roll-calls were held. The early-morning sky was filled with gray, dismal clouds, perhaps an invitation for incoming showers. Standing before the podium on the western edge of the courtyard, a large crowd of my colleagues was already converging.

Slipping my way into the crowd, I eventually found a nice open spot to stand, one with a tolerable level of personal space. I still involuntarily cringed at the close proximity to other people.

Next to me, I recognized a familiar face. He was a badger with a round, amiable face and warm blue eyes. His name was Travis. "Heya, Bodey. What gives?"

"Oh, shut up. I had a rough night of sleep."

"You, a rough night of sleep?" He seemed surprised. "I saw you turn in right after dinner. You should've gotten plenty. You didn't even show up to game night!"

"I never do."

"Well...why not?"

"I was just tired. Okay?"

Travis frowned at me and let out a deep sigh, his broad shoulders sagging at his side. "People say you're tough as nails and as sociable as a hermit crab. I can see why."

I didn't reply. The air was filled with hundreds of conversing voices, but the air between us was dour and silent for a long moment. Travis was scanning my face intently, trying to uncover what foreign affair might've lingered beneath the cold and murky waters. In return, my gaze only met with my own feet.

"Come on, buddy. If something is bugging you, you can trust me with it. I'm your friend, yeah?"

"Sure, I guess. And please don't call me buddy, Travis."

"Okay, Bodey. Whatever floats your boat."

It was then that a panther with vivid black fur walked up and stood atop the podium. The talkative crowd quickly distilled into silence. General Uhruan wore a long gray trench coat with bolded black fringe and a bright gold badge on the collar that certified his rank. Nestled between his short rounded ears was a matching gray forage cap with a shiny onyx brim, dipping slightly downward to hover just above his lime-green eyes, which were so radiant in comparison to the rest of his dark, somber figure, they almost seemed to be glowing. The look on his face was stern and confident as he gazed into the watchful eyes of his soldiers.

"I'll make this quick and simple for all of you. Wrothian forces have converged at our border and have begun launching attacks. Most of the northern outposts have either been taken or are currently under attack. It is our belief that they plan to move along the coast of Rescuer's Lake to take this base, and then further south to take the capital. It's our job to make sure that doesn't happen. At all costs."

He paused for a moment, his eyes grazing the crowd with unnerving vigilance, before continuing. "We're splitting into three groups. The first group will take defence here at the outpost and in the surrounding forest as a defensive measure. The second will launch a forward assault on land. Finally, the third will coast along the lake by boat to prevent their forces from taking that route. Are there any questions?"

A cougar near the front of the crowd raised her paw in the air. "What's the latest news on the situation in Bælan and Aey'Áris? Is it possible for us to receive backup from Bælanian forces?"

"As of right now, Her Majesty has yet to officially conform to any alliances between our kingdoms, but such a plan is in the works. As soon as a treaty has been formed, we can rest assured that there will be an exchange of troops from both sides.

"As for their situations in the sudden assaults, Bælan is holding their ground against the NA. Unfortunately, we've also received word that Aey'Áris is falling to Agu Morran forces, which as of our latest news have almost made their way to the Árisian capital of Áriseil. They are, however, being reinforced by Bælanian troops," concluded General Uhruan.

A few more paws were raised, and a few more questions were answered. Most of it was just petty logistical blabbering from people lacking the common sense to figure anything out themselves. I tuned it out.

Uhruan propelled his gaze across the crowd, searching for any more questions. When he didn't find any, he ended with a simple, "Dismissed," and stepped down from the podium.

Just a moment later, a new figure stepped up to face the crowd. He was a skunk with jet black fur and sullen, murky brown eyes that I recognized as 1st Lieutenant Sasja Bahrú, General Uhruan's right-paw man.

"Alright, we've assigned each of you to your respective squadrons! My assistants will begin to divide you up now!" he shouted. His orders were then carried out by several assistants who scurried into the crowd.

"Well, best of luck to you," said Travis before he waddled away. Just a moment later, I felt a small tapping on my shoulder. Turning around, I found Bahrú.

"Lieutenant Aráshvahr," he said, "you've been assigned to a special designation. Please come with me."

I was instantly curious. They assigned me to a special designation? I thought. Instead of the front lines? I was one of the best soldiers the military had at their disposal. Whatever this was about, it must have been important.

Nonetheless, I followed the skunk, who led me out of the commons area and past the main body of the fortress, on a dirt road into the outlying woods. We didn't speak a word. The lieutenant simply cruised on ahead with his eyes glued to his path of travel, and I accompanied him while gazing around at the pleasant scenery of the pine forest. The plantlife and ground were both coated in a brisk morning dew. As we neared a clearing in the trees, I could see the waterfront of Rescuer's Lake.

The lieutenant led me to a small wood cabin standing amidst a small grassy meadow, about 100 feet from the broad lakeshore. Two royal guards dressed in elegant gray and white uniforms were standing just outside the building.

One of the guards opened the door and held it open, beckoning the lieutenant and myself inside. He closed the rickety door behind us, leaving myself and just three other individuals inside the small structure. It looked like an old fishing house. There were nets and rods hanging on the wall to my right. To my left stood Bahrú, and sitting at the wooden table in front of us sat the prince to one side and my father to the other.

Prince Pazifal was an exuberant man, to say the least. He was just a couple years younger than I was, but more of a politician than a warrior. And his ego was unbearable. We had only met on a few sparse occasions before, but it didn't take very many of them to figure out what a complete ass he was. He was a jaguar with a stubby, snarky muzzle, glossy yellow eyes, and fair tan fur with splotchy black spots. He wore a regal gray tunic with fanciful black and white highlights, a silver crown gently nestled between his ears, and he almost always had the same snide look on his face, practically beaming with narcissistic gaiety and a sort of sly, cunning optimism. I hated him with every fibre of my being.

My father was an entirely different story. He was a golden tiger with amber-orange and white fur covered in tawny-brown stripes, just like me. People often said I took after him in both looks and combat skills. He was a retired war veteran, and had served in the military for almost 30 years. As a young cadet he had risen through the ranks quickly, soon attaining the rank of lieutenant and later on, general. Throughout his time in service, he had valiantly fought in two wars and a vast number of smaller conflicts, and he had been decorated on countless occasions for his great achievements. He had his fair share of scars to show. But he had resigned roughly ten years ago. Since then, his age hadn't been particularly kind to him. He suffered from a growing number of health issues. A few severe injuries from his military days didn't make life any easier for him, and although both Father and I had rather hefty builds, I could tell that he had been gaining weight. His physique was suffering, and that was just his physical stature. Father had never quite recovered from the impact of my mother's death. He sat there at the table, staring down at it's rotting wooden planks and twiddling his thumbs anxiously.

"Bodey Aráshvahr! Excellent to see you here. Please, sit down," exclaimed Prince Pazifal in a booming and energetic voice. I preferred to stand, but that was hardly consequential. I pulled the third and final chair out from under the table and took a seat, although a very uncomfortable one, for the chair was relatively small and did not fit me well. I imagined that my father was having a similar issue.

The prince turned to the lieutenant beside me. "Thank you, Sasja. I will be sure to let General Uhruan know of your diligence," he said. Bahrú nodded in assurance and then promptly exited the building.

"So, Bodey. It's a pleasure to see you again!" Pazifal proclaimed exuberantly, reaching his paw out to shake mine, which I complied to, although with resistance.

"A pleasure for me as well, my prince."

I'll have you know, I'm a passionate practitioner of the sarcastic method.

"You know, your father and I have been talking about you! You see, my mother told me many stories of when your old man was still in service. She says that he was one of the greatest warriors our nation has ever had!" he asserted, his passion now exceeding the boundaries of my growing annoyance with him. "And according to General Uhruan, you are very much a justifiable successor to his name! Long live the Aráshvahr family, eh?"

I nodded hesitantly.

"So, Father. Why am I here?" I asked, trying to avoid talking to the overly-joyful jaguar sitting next to him. He opened his mouth to speak, but was almost immediately cut of by Pazifal's circuitous blabbering.

"You are here because we have a mission for you!" the prince exclaimed, practically shouting at this point. "It is a very dangerous mission, but I could think of not one individual more suited for the task than you."

God damn, I hated Pazifal.

"Alright, let's get right to business, shall we?" he chortled after a moment of silence between us. I groaned quietly in dismay. My father's scruffy face simply drooped down, his eyes mindlessly scanning the table as he lost himself in his thoughts, just as he often did these days.

"Your mission is..."

-Chapter 5-

Aiko

Aurro, Bælan

"Aiko, you can't just leave!" Maren shouted to me as I furiously scavenged the Hovel for various items. I was preparing to set out for Hakúmo, my foster mother's village.

"Why the hell not? She's already in enemy-occupied territory. If they find out about the orphanage, they will kill her. She can't hide herself forever."

I fumbled with my things, desperately trying to acquire everything I needed. A little food, some water, and some spellbooks, of course. What else could I possibly need? I pondered. It was difficult to concentrate over the ruckus that had become of our tiny household. Odie was finally beginning to stir, most likely because he was being shaken rather violently by Ruby. "Odie, wake up! Aiko is leaving!" she mumbled to him. Shiro and Medley were awake, although still droopy-eyed and trying to grasp onto complete consciousness.

I walked outside and laid all my things out on the ground. The early morning sky was still dark and overcast, making it hard to see. I muttered a few words under my breath to cast an illumination spell, then began hastily shoving my possessions into my pack.

"No weapons? You're charging into a warzone, Aiko," Maren commented tentatively, following me outside.

"I've got my books. That's all I need. I'm a skilled sorcerer, and I don't want any extra weight on me." I slipped my dark-green cotton hoodie over my head and pulled it down onto me.

"You shouldn't always rely on magic for all your problems. You know very well that it can't be the solution to everything."

I opened my mouth to recoil, but was interrupted when the door to the Hovel creaked open. Maren and I turned and watched as all four of our other housemates slowly filed out. Ruby was the first to speak.

"Wolfy, please. Let us go with you. We could help you!" she pleaded.

"No," I said firmly. "It's dangerous out there. I don't want any of you getting hurt."

"But we can fight too!" said Ruby and Odie simultaneously.

"No!" Maren said, scolding Ruby. "Maybe Medley or I can, but you three are far too inexperienced."

"We are not!" Ruby protested.

"Ruby, no," asserted Maren. "Think about your brother, Shiro. He can't be a day older than ten."

"Guys, shut the hell up!" I snapped loudly, quieting everyone down. "I'm going alone. This is my responsibility and I will not be putting any of you at risk. End of story."

Everyone paused for a long moment. Complete silence stung the damp morning air. Then everyone seemed to move all at once. Maren grabbed my bag and shoved a large wool blanket and a few other miscellaneous items into it. She then picked the heavy pack up and slid it onto my back.

Medley stepped up next. In the blink of an eye, his paw held a long, silver knife to my throat. A sinister, apathetic expression lingered on his face, then dissipated into an impish smile, cackling playfully. He slid the knife into its leather sheath and handed it to me.

"To keep you safe, buddy."

"Aren't you gonna miss it?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Nah," he said, grinning mischievously. "I've got plenty more."

"Medley, a tricky ninja. And a caring brother, as always," I said, returning the expression with a smirk.

Ruby walked up to me next and handed me a small bundle of birch bark, tied together neatly with some spare rope.

"I collected it yesterday afternoon back in the forest," she said, smiling up at me. "It'll be good for getting a fire started if you need to stay warm!"

I nodded and returned the smile. "Thank you, sis."

A small fox waddled up from behind Ruby and handed me a small round stone, placing it in the palm of my paw.

"It's for good luck!" Shiro said happily, although there was also a certain tone of sadness in his voice, likely due to my rapidly approaching departure.

"Aww, thanks l'il dude!" I responded with a cheerful smile. I slipped the stone into my pocket for safekeeping.

Last up was Odie, who handed me a delicious pastry, settled in a neat little box. I knew the scent anywhere; it was Odie's own cooking, without a doubt.

"Leftovers from the other morning," he stated simply, an obnoxiously cute smile spreading across the round contour of his face. "For whenever ya get hungry!"

I blushed and replied, "Thank you, Odie. You know me too well."

After receiving the generous gifts from each member of my family, I looked up to the sky. Morning was slowly brewing into fruition, and if I wanted to get to my mother's village in time to save her, I would have to make immediate haste. "Alrighty guys. I've gotta go," I reported wistfully. A solemn countenance sunk into each of their drooping faces, but they nodded sympathetically, understanding that I had an important task in my paws.

"Maren," I addressed candidly, "you're in charge when I'm gone. Keep the family together and safe, okay?"

Maren nodded and gazed back with an expression that notified me of her confidence. Then just a moment later, all five of them swarmed me with one giant hug. We stood there like that for a lengthy moment, immersed in our own shared warmth amidst the damp, cool morning breeze, before finally breaking apart.

"Take care!" Maren shouted as I walked away from our home, beginning my voyage westward. "Stay safe and be back soon! We love you!"

"Love you guys too!" I shouted one last time before turning around and roaming away, my dearest family disappearing from my sight.

-Chapter 6-

Bodey

Fort Regulus, Uthalia

"Are you bloody serious?!" I bellowed deeply. My father and I sat in the fishing house, now without the prince's company. "What the bloody hell is this?"

"Bodey, calm down," Father said in his calm, raspy voice. "It's all for a better cause, trust me."

"Like hell it is! That dumbass is asking me to help him with his insane plan to double cross this whole conflict!" I paused for a minute to take a deep breath and calm down. "And this is why Queen Marvhalien is hesitant to sign the treaty with Bælan, isn't it? It's because of this."

"Bodey, please just try to understand, and trust that this is what has to be done. All of the mainland kingdoms have been at extremely unstable odds with each other for a long string of years. Our military forces alone have amounted to such immense casualties in the past, and what might unfold next would be catastrophic. If you help us with this and succeed like I know that my great son will, then Uthalia will be able to bring peace to all of Theria!"

I stood up and shoved my chair in, not sure of what to say.

"Son, please. Trust me, and have faith in the queen's plans. With your help, we can make a difference for this world."

The old tiger stood up from his chair and wobbled over to me, gripping the crutch that held him up from his bad leg. He placed a paw on my shoulder and looked me in the face with a somber smile on his wide, striped muzzle. His eyes were a deep, oceanic blue color, just like the ones he gazed into, a reflected image of his own passed-down heritage. "Please, son..."

That was the only thing I needed to hear. If there was any one variable in my life that always spoke to me as a voice of reason and as a light to guide me out of the dark, that light was my father. I gave him a stern, confident look.

"I'll be on my way, Father. I have a job to do."