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14thDay of Ignis

128 I.E.

The walled city of Sanctuary towered over Arion. Compared to the dwarven cities he'd been living in for the past decade, the neutral capital on the shore of Crystal Lake was gigantic. He'd only ever seen paintings of it, but even those hadn't done Sanctuary justice. The stone walls rose up into the sky and the steel portcullis loomed over head as he passed through the gate. In the distance, he could see the spires of the government buildings towards the center of the city. The towers were topped with large metal poles from which Sanctuary's flag was flown. Stained glass windows decorated the building, and even from the southern gates, Arion could make out the colors as they caught the light from the sun.

On either side of the pathway were decorations fashioned out of well-maintained shrubs and gardens. Flowers were in full bloom, and the aromatic scents of roses and lavenders filled Arion's sensitive nose. A boulevard filled with grass split the road in two, and there were large oak trees planted to provide shade for the people in the streets. Arion marveled at how green the city looked. Olaraa's streets were not as beautiful as this. The scent of the lake washed over him, and it smelled fresh and invigorating after their long trek.

His foot paws were sore from the journey north, but he would take being sore over having to fend off the enemy on their retreat any day. The Peacekeepers had been lucky to avoid as many deaths as they had, with their forces still well over thirty strong. Behind him were the remnants of the dwarven defense force, their stubby legs unable to keep up with the much taller ursar.

As they marched through the streets, the dwarves that lived in Sanctuary were rushing to their aid. They came to them with offerings of water and food, and began checking them for injuries. It struck Arion as odd and almost overbearing, as the Lightweavers were the most capable healers the dwarves fielded.

One dwarf approached the Peacekeepers and said, "Please, ursar, take some of my fruit." She gestured to the stall behind her. Wicker baskets full of apples covered the counter, all of them pristine and shining in the sunlight.

"Are you sure?" Arion asked.

"Mmm, they look good. I'm starving!" Shinn said as he hurried over to the merchant's booth.

Rei was close behind him, along with a few others. "Shinn, slow down and don't look so greedy." The ursar girl bowed to the shopkeeper and said, "We appreciate your generosity, noble dwarf."

Arion was still unsure about accepting the merchant's offering. "Why would you give this to us? Don't you need it to sell to make ends meet?"

"Of course," the fruit seller told him, "But we also need the defenders of Olaraa to be healthy, in case that army comes here and knocks on Sanctuary's doors. Besides, you need rest and energy so that you can retake our homeland." She picked up a shiny red apple and held it up for him. "Here."

Arion reached for it, but hesitated to grab it. He didn't like the idea of someone giving him any charity. It just wasn't right to take from someone who needed it to get by. He felt an elbow lightly jab him in the lower back, and he looked behind him to see Gantors marching past.

"Oi, jus' take th' fruit already an' let's go!" he said as he strolled on towards the military headquarters further up the main street.

"T-thank you," Arion said softly, taking the apple and following Gantors.

Marida was quick to join him once they started walking again. "Master, do you think everyone arrived safely? Like Sato and the others?"

"I hope so Marida." Arion replied.

He would never admit it to his students, but he was worried about the advance party that had left Olaraa only days before the invasion force attacked. He was especially concerned about the fate of his family. They didn't know the terrain at all and they couldn't defend themselves if they encountered any trouble on the roads. "I sent Sato and Akahana with Fyrin and the rest of the non-combatants from the Temple here weeks ago, so I'm sure they're fine."

"Are you worried about your family?" Marida asked.

"I'm trying not to be," Arion admitted, "But it's hard to remain calm and not panic in a situation like this, especially with such a huge army on our tails right now."

"I understand. I'm glad I was able to keep an eye on Sionache during the siege. I don't know what I would've done if she'd been there all by herself."

"Sionache is strong for her age," Arion told her. He looked behind him to see the ursar girl munching on an apple as she took in the sights around her. "Trust her more. She'll be fine, Marida. I'm sure whatever doubts Hannen has about her ability to handle herself aren't helping you remain confident either, huh?"

"He does make me worry sometimes, but I'll get over it. I'll try and trust your judgments about her, even though she's still my little cub."

Arion nodded his head in understanding. "Do you think you could do me a favor?" he asked.

"Yes?"

"Do you think you could look for the others from the temple? I don't know where they would be, and undoubtedly they would've arrived at least a week ago if they were moving at a quick pace. Can you take Hannen with you to help look?"

"Of course. I'll leave at once," she said, and went to get her mate.

As Arion continued his walk towards the Olaraan HQ, he caught up with the Lightweavers and ran into Odinty. The ursar was clad in his full set of armor, and was storming towards them with a scowl on his face. His fists were clenched so tightly that his claws might puncture the leather on his gauntlets. Arion had never seen the younger ursar so angry before, and as Odinty drew closer, his rage began to wash over him. It was not unlike what he felt with Bartholomew was around, and he could feel his heart flutter in his chest as the sensation overcame him.

Before any one could open their mouths to greet him, Odinty shouted, "Arion! You self-righteous bastard!" before he wound up and punched Arion square in the muzzle. "Do you have any idea what you've done?"

Arion staggered back, clutching his nose as it began to bleed. He felt around with his tongue to make sure a tooth hadn't been chipped or lost from the hit. The back of his throat was filled with the metal tang of his own blood. Another fist slammed into his stomach and he involuntarily spat blood onto Odinty's armor. A third one quickly came about and hit him in the side of the head and knocked him to the ground. His ear was ringing and he couldn't reorient himself.

Odinty would have continued to pummel Arion had several paladins not worked to hold him back from the ursar lying prone on the ground.

"Odinty, calm down," Gantors said, trying to take control of the situation. "That ain't called fer!"

Arion leaned up on one arm and wiped the blood away from his mouth with the back of his paw. Shinn and Sionache helped him to his feet, putting their paws under his arms to pull him up. "I only just arrived. I don't know what I did to deserve such a harsh reprimand."

He stood up straight and stared hard at Odinty for a moment. It was so strange for the normally calm ursar to be so angry with someone, especially when it was without provocation. He was always polite and minding his manners around his elders.

"Fyrin is missing, and it's your fault!" Odinty roared. "He never left with mother and father when you sent them away, and they couldn't find him before the Legion attacked! Do you know what kind of hell you put my family through? They spent the entire trip crying and upset that their son is dead. "

Arion's heart skipped a beat. "Why would Fyrin run off just before the Legion's siege began?"

"How should I know?" Odinty spat. He whirled on Gantors and jabbed a finger in the dwarf's direction. "And you! You so callously destroyed the Waygate! For all we know, Fyrin is nothing more than a pile of ashes in the ruins of Olaraa." Tears were streaming down his face, and he shut his eyes momentarily to blot them out.

"I was only doin' what be best fer Olaraa," Gantors shot back.

"And you killed my brother by doing it! How is that fair to me or my parents? Answer me, Highlord! Is this your idea of justice? Does your Goddess approve of you being a murderer?" Odinty's lips pulled back, revealing his teeth as he snarled. "I know my God would never allow such a waste of life to occur."

"Ye have no right to lecture me, lad!" The dwarf yelled, stepping closer to Odinty and looking up at him defiantly. He was challenging the young ursar to make a move, to do something to really push him over the edge.

"I have every right! All life is sacred, that's what Xenar preaches, but you callously threw so many away!" Odinty snarled. "Do you honestly think you have more right to question my beliefs than I do yours!?"

"Stand down, rookie! Ye don't know anythin'. I did what I had ta do!"

"That's horse crap, and you know it!"

"What would ye know o' responsibility, cub!?"

"More than you think!"

"Yer jus' a pampered lil' princess, thinkin' ye got all th' answers, don't ye?"

The other paladins were actively trying to pull their Highlord and Odinty away from each other, but even with their combined effort the two hot-headed individuals were continuing to argue with one another. Odinty struggled against those who held him down but couldn't move an inch as more and more dwarves piled onto him, trying to hold him in place. If there was one thing anyone could say about the dwarves of Olaraa, is that they were tenacious even against a larger foe.

They were drawing a lot of attention from the citizenry and the rest of the Olaraan forces that had lingered behind. Arion wanted to do something to put an end to the conflict but he wasn't sure if he'd make things better or worse by doing so. Odinty didn't look like he was in a state of mind to listen to either him or Gantors.

Fortunately, he didn't have to do anything. Helga was quick to come and pull her husband away from Odinty while Asuran stepped in between them, to bar either one of them from doing something rash. "Please calm down, Odinty, " Asuran said, "There's no need to act like this."

"Of course there is, the bastard needs to pay for his crimes!" Odinty reached for his sword and drew it.

Gantors shoved Helga off him and stepped forward again. His face was beat red, his features scrunched up in a scowl. "Odinty, stand down, now!" Even though he only came up to the ursar's waist, he still managed to look intimidating.

Asuran was quick to speak up, his voice calm and even. "Please, I know you're upset but this isn't the way to go about things. Do you think your actions here will accomplish anything? Do you think your parents would approve of their son acting so brazenly?"

"Don't talk like you know anything about my family," Odinty said with a snarl. The leather of his gauntlet squeaked as he tightened his grip on the sword.

Is this right? Arion wondered, choosing to remain silent and simply watch events unfold. I should say something, but that might make the situation worse. What do I do? He began to fear that someone might do something unpredictable that could get other people, or themselves, hurt from their actions. He watched Odinty's fingers flex on the grip of his sword, tightening then loosening only for them to tighten themselves again closer to the hilt.

"I want my brother back," Odinty said firmly, though he sounded like he was on the verge of tears again.

He didn't sheathe his sword though, and the intent to use it was as plain as the fur on his face. Arion was expecting to have to intervene to protect everyone when Odinty stepped forward. Everyone else took two steps back to get some distance from the enraged ursar.

"Sheathe yer sword," Gantors barked, "Now!"

Rei and a few others made a motion like they were going to interfere, but Arion held his arms out to order them to stay back. This was between him and Odinty and Gantors. Asuran was only trying to mediate the situation as a third party to try and get things back under control. There was no need for anyone else to get involved.

Arion watched the rise and fall of Odinty's chest as the ursar panted heavily, and he realized that his own heart was beating at an accelerated rate. He'd faced death on the battle field countless times, but nothing had scared him as much as the ursar in front of him; an enemy was predictable, but in Odinty's current state of mind, he was not. The only thought going through his mind was how wrong this whole situation felt. No ursar should ever take up arms against his brethren. It just wasn't right. That was probably what unsettled Arion the most about it.

"I'll put my sword down," Odinty began, then pointed the weapon in Arion's direction, "Just as soon as he apologizes for killing my brother!"

Asuran stepped forward slowly, and gently placed a paw atop the flat of the blade before easing it down. "Odinty, it's not the Master's fault."

"Of course you'd say that! The entire Order thinks him infallible. You deify him when you know damn well the only being you should be worshiping is Xenar!" The paladin's red eyes flashed as he shot Asuran a look that could have turned him to stone if he'd been capable of it. He used the side of his sword to slap the ursar's paw away, drawing blood as it struck his palm. "And you're all just as guilty as him! You enable him instead of standing up for yourselves!"

This has gone on long enough. I made the wrong choice! As soon as the scent of blood hit Arion's nostrils, he sprung into action. Before Odinty could take a swing at Asuran, he yanked the monk back using his telekinesis and jumped forward. A mental barrier erected around his arm shielded him from the sword's edge.

<That's enough,> Arion spoke telepathically to him as he tapped into his psionic powers. <I didn't kill your brother. No one here did, and I won't allow you to harm me, my students, or anyone else because of your desire to find a scapegoat.>

Using both paws, each of them sheathed in a mental field, Arion reached up and grabbed hold of Odinty's sword near the hilt. He snapped the metal as easily as if it were a twig.

"My sword!" Odinty gaped at the shattered weapon, holding nothing more than the grip and the hilt in his hands. The blade fell to the ground and clattered noisily.

<Swords can be replaced, but lives cannot be.>

Growling, Odinty launched at Arion saying, "Fine, I'll take my vengeance with my own two hands!"

He didn't get the chance to take more than a couple steps before the Lightweavers were on him. Several dwarves grabbed his legs and tackled him to the ground. He struck his muzzle upon the cobblestone road, staining his chin as it began to bleed. Arion jumped backward on reflex, startled by the action. He looked down at the ursar as he glared back up at him. Hatred filled those deep, crimson orbs, and Arion's skin crawled as he stared into them.

Arion opened his muzzle, wanting to apologize or say something, but his mouth felt dry and words seemed impossible. What could anyone say to make the situation any better? He hung his head and looked away.

"Get him to the barracks and throw him in the hold!" Gantors ordered, "We'll deal with him later."

As the dwarves worked their magic and slapped magical chains on Odinty, the ursar looked up at Arion with tear-filled, angry eyes. "I don't care what happened between you and Fyrin and the rest of your Order. He didn't deserve to be removed from the Peacekeepers. If he hadn't been, he'd still be here with us. I hate you for taking my brother away from me." Then, he turned to the Peacekeepers and yelled, "Take a good look at your messiah, your living god. He's just as fallible as the rest of you!"

Odinty was poked sharply in the back with the tip of a spear, the metal point making a shallow dent in his armor plate. They began to move up the street, and live slowly returned to normal for the people of Sanctuary.

Arion knelt beside Asuran, who was sitting on the ground and bandaging his hand using cloth he'd been carrying in his rucksack. "Are you okay?" Arion asked.

"More or less, though I don't think you helped the situation any, to be honest," Asuran admitted. He pulled the bandages tight and clamped his teeth around the extra length of cloth before ripping it in two. "What do you think they'll do to him?"

Looking up, Arion watched Gantors as he walked away, fuming at his soldier's behaviour. "Hopefully nothing drastic. Odinty is still young, and doesn't understand that the path he's chosen will be one full of unhappiness. That's the life of a soldier. He shouldn't be so unprepared to face the inevitability of losing something precious."

Of course, it's not as if I'm one to talk, he chastised himself, knowing that if any one of his students died in battle he'd grieve for them too. You'd blame yourself like you always do. It's not any better than what Odinty is doing.

Sionache came up behind him and said, "Are you alright, Master?"

"I suppose, though I don't think you should be concerned for my well being," Arion replied, "I didn't do anything."

He couldn't understand why Fyrin had run away when he did. It wasn't as if the cub was unaware of what was going on, the whole city had been evacuated at the time. Had Fyrin been wanting to get a chance to fight some of the Legion's soldiers? Was there something he'd forgotten somewhere back in Olaraa that he felt he needed? Had he simply got into an argument with his parents and run off? Maybe he wasn't in Olaraa when the Waygate was destroyed, maybe he was somewhere in the wilds, running away from his problems like he always did?

All these questions were unanswerable, and likely would remain that way. There was no way of knowing what had really become of the young cub. The only thing that Arion could do now was hope that Odinty would only receive a slap on the wrist for his behaviour instead of something much worse like years of imprisonment for his insubordination. How would Sato and Akahana deal with losing not one, but two sons because of the war?

Even though he knew that logically it wasn't his fault for what happened, Arion still felt guilty.

The Peacekeepers got up and began heading towards the barracks, chatting quietly amongst themselves. There was no point in Arion getting involved with whatever they had to say. He caught a few key words here and there, and knew they were talking about what had just happened.

I wouldn't blame them if they decide to question me and my actions after all this. I'm surprised they haven't already done so since we were exiled from Yasuragi. Maybe Odinty is right, maybe they do deify.

Arion shook his head and tried to get the doubts out of his mind. They would do him no good if he let his mind run in circles like that.

They kept heading down the main street towards the Olaraan HQ. The barracks inside was very much like the one in Olaraa and at the Evergloom Post, except it was of a size somewhere between the two. It was clearly designed to hold less troops than the capital had.

"This place is tiny!" Shinn whined, hefting his pack off his shoulders and easing it to the ground. "How are we going to find any place to get comfortable here?"

"We may have to find somewhere else to stay for the time being," Rei told him. "We're not going to fit comfortably inside a dwarven base."

"Well, to be fair," Arion cut in, "It's not like we couldn't make it work if we had to. Bartholomew has lived in dwarven homes his entire life."

"Who's that?" Shinn asked, and Arion mentally slapped himself on the forehead. He'd never told the others about Bart, and suddenly wondered why he hadn't. Was he embarrassed to know the ursar?

"Long story short, he's an ursar in the Olaraan military." It wasn't the full truth, but they didn't need to know that. He hoped that none of the ursar would detect the shift in his emotions and call him out on his deception.

Speaking of Bartholomew, I wonder if he's made it to Sanctuary safely?

Bart never wanted him around, so he wasn't sure why he cared or worried about his well-being. Arion had never been close to very many people in his entire life, and he didn't understand where the concern came from.

Even so, he resolved to find the ursar and see how he was doing.