2412 Strilaxis 21, Reshpe

Reeca woke up to explosions racking the Temple.

Debris rained down on her as she bolted upright. The four walls of their given room blinked back at her when she looked around for anything amiss. June was gone. He's probably already out there.

More explosions shook the walls. Reeca rushed to the nearest window and her heart clenched.

The siege has begun.

Reeca, together with the other Rekshais, had spent the night before planning for this day. They had drawn up a hazy plan but that's all that was. A plan. After all, they were entering a battle where anything can happen. A plan rarely ever goes right.

Reeca's fingers clenched over the window's rim. The sun shining outside seemed to be mocking her with its brightness. How long had the explosions been going on? Why hadn't they hit the Temple yet?

She ducked her head outside the window to look up at the sky. A huge dome with a gray tinge glinted in the air, covering the Temple in some kind of a barrier. Was this Ezril's doing? Another series of explosions caught Reeca's eye. There, by the east. Smoke curled from the barrier as it flickered before solidifying into a translucent film once more.

Kymalin knew the Temple and its defenses too well. There's no doubt Ezril was also aware of that but what else could the High Priestess do? What else could any of them do?

Last night, when Reeca realized that Ezril would be the one controlling the barrier, she cautioned the monarch into expending herself more than necessary. The Rekshais told her to not be impudent. Now, as she stared at the barrier being bombarded more than it could possibly handle, her warnings were slowly coming true.

Another two explosions rang, this time shaking the entire Temple with their strength. Reeca ducked her head under her arms as more debris rained on her. How long had she slept and how long before the barrier breaks? Were Xanthy and the others back yet?

The door slammed open and June emerged from it, flushed and sweaty. Had he been running rounds?

"Barrier's almost down," he wheezed as he braced the door like he couldn't stand upright anymore. "Ezril's calling us."

Reeca nodded as she patted her bark breast plate. Good thing she wore her armor to sleep. Saves her the time in getting ready. She followed June as they tramped past the empty corridors after they had evacuated the rest of the Temple workers that were not capable of fighting. A soul door, which was present in every corner in every floor, sped into view.

Reeca fished her given soul port and fiddled with the dials, twisting until she came to the combination Ezril taught them. It was a link straight into the war room where the maps had been. June stopped in front of the soul door and shoved his port towards it. Reeca did the same. A few seconds later, they stepped inside the familiar room.

Only that something was different the last time Reeca was here. Ezril stood with her back to Reeca on a raised dais that wasn't there before. A window showing Reeca exactly what was happening outside seemed to have grown out of the wall in a matter of hours. Another two or three explosions shook the room. Ezril flinched but she didn't move from the pedestal.

The soul door flashed to life once more and the Rekshais filed in, each dressed with their dark armor lined with fur. Women had their hair tied in braids while men wore metal bands to drive their hair back. Reksha Janos, since he's bald, still looked the same. They strode near the pedestal, put their hands together, and bowed. Reeca and June did the same.

All around Reeca, grim faces were the common fashion trend. Even Reksha Perrien, with his once-immaculate face, was paler than usual. He even had dark circles under his eyes.

"Highest," Reksha Ashryn, the one in charge of the army, was the first to straighten her bow. The others followed soon after. "You called?"

Ezril didn't reply. Reksha Keryth stepped forward. Her armor made a distinct metallic clink as she moved. "Shall I send the fowls in?"

Fowls. It's a term Reeca suggested they call the first group of serzhakis and precaris mix. Three explosions in, Ezril still wasn't saying anything. The High Priestess didn't even move an inch.

"Highest!" Reksha Perrien stalked towards the High Priestess.

"Step back, child," Reksha Janos's arm shot forward at a surprising speed for a man his age. Reksha Perrien scowled but he followed the blind man. Janos gestured towards the High Priestess. "She's subjected herself in the deepest trance possible to be able to control the Necrom Orb," the Reksha said. "The last thing you want to do is disturb her stasis and cause the barrier to collapse."

Reeca turned to Janos. "Trance?"

Janos nodded with a frown that only seemed to deepen the lines already etched in his face. "I'm afraid the High Priestess has staked her soul to the Goddess. Right now, she is toeing the thin line between the Land of the Living and the Land of Wonders."

Janos turned back to the dais as he fell into step with his fellow Rekshais once more. Reeca squinted. Had he always carried a sword? "The Necrom Orb requires a lot of soul magic to maintain. The only way for the Highest to stay out this long is to reach to the afterlife and harness its magic. It's thought to be impossible, yet here she is."

Reeca licked her lips and crossed her arms. "What do we do?"

"Nothing," the Reksha shook his head. "The High Priestess brought us here because she has something to show us."

"How did you know that?" June scratched his head and inclined it sideways. "All the spirit told me was that I should hurry and gather the others."

Reeca narrowed her eyes. Spirit?

Janos smiled, turning towards Reeca's direction as if he just heard her thoughts. The corner of his eyes crinkled. It reminded Reeca of the old fairies she was used to seeing in Arcole—those who spent their days playing karavag. "I see Risha hasn't trusted you yet," the Reksha said. Reeca opened her mouth to ask but Janos plunged on. "He's a spirit that works for Ezril for the longest time now. He always has his soul open for me to read. I guess it's not the same for you.

Janos turned a notch and regarded the empty air. "Hello, Risha."

A spirit materialized a few steps away from Ezril's unmoving form. Reeca's eyes widened. To her, the spirit looked like it was cast in a thin film of green gelatinous pudding she saw once in Depandes. Two arms, a proportionate face, two legs. It looked like a normal fairy, except for the glowing green sheen that it exuded. Reeca's eyebrows climbed up her forehead. Oh, he's translucent too.

Risha dipped his head to Janos. His face was set in a blank stare. Then, he opened his mouth and a voice poured out around the room. "Rekshais," it sounded a lot like Ezril's. Still, Reeca flinched, the memory of the Spirit of the Path blaring in her mind. Gods, she hoped it wasn't about tests this time. Beside her and June, the Rekshais didn't react. Huh, they must be seeing this every day for them to be that jaded.

"Time is drawing near. Ready your souls. Fight for our heritage," Ezril's voice through Risha said. "We can't let the Temple be destroyed nor could we let my daughter be its High Priestess. Brace yourselves to see some of our kin enter into Pidmena's bosom.

The spirit turned to her with its hollow, lifeless eyes. She was sure she took a step back. "Reeca, assist Reksha Keryth and Reksha Ashryn in defending the Temple," Reeca nodded. Risha turned to the blind Reksha. "Reksha Janos, protect the Soul Spells with your life. You mustn't let it fall into anyone's hands,"

The spirit turned to everyone else. "The rest of you, follow the plan. Today, we must draw our swords so we can protect what we must as a race," the spirit put a hand to its chest and bowed. "Avraja."

They copied the gesture. "Avraja," came the resounding reply of a medley of voices, Reeca's included.

Risha gave them an acknowledging nod and disappeared in a silent puff of green smoke. Ezril gasped one time before collapsing like a withered stalk. The Rekshais clambered to get to the monarch first. Reeca turned to the window. They didn't see what was happening outside.

Reeca sidestepped the Necrom Orb—which was a large, green, egg-shaped rock resting on a carved chalice stuck to the platform through a slender neck—and peered into the window. Defiant cries echoed from the base of the Temple. Something crackled like lightning. Through the window, Reeca watched the dome flicker until it dissipated in a blink.

The barrier was broken.

The fight has begun.