The Hour Before Dawn

After the dust of the battles had settled, there was little to celebrate. They lost people, innocent ones who weren’t even in the fight. City guards and army of men who turned their back on humanity laid helpless on the ground as the citizens of Caeldig regained their strength, carrying whatever they could find and using them as weapons to threaten anyone in armor who dared to move.

But her eyes settled at the fragile old man, lying prone to the ground with arrows lodged in his back. She felt her hands grow cold and weak, she let go of her sword. She didn’t need to check if he was gone. She can tell by the tears in his daughter’s eyes. Images of Cassia’s lifeless body on the forest floor flashed before her eyes.

Ailana stood next to her father with Lior in her arms. Tears streamed down her face, but she made no sound. Ellie cautiously walked towards them, every step taken with care. And when their eyes met, she stopped at her tracks, waiting. Ailana held out her hand to her and immediately she took it an knelt beside her.

Ellie’s chest felt heavy with guilt. He didn’t have to die, she thought. He could’ve ignored the group of strangers plotting to infiltrate the city. He could’ve turned the other way. He knew what the consequences were and yet he lent them a hand.

She wanted to say how sorry she was, but nothing came out of her cut lips. Her throat felt dry and her legs felt numb. It seems all surreal, as if it was just a bad dream. Or at least she hoped it was.

Ailana was about to say something when a voice echoed through the mourning crowd. “This is your fault,” cried a woman, holding her injured child close. Her voice shook as tears fell on her face. “You brought pain and death to our door!”

More people voiced their anger, crying at the loss of their loved once. She could sense the tension rising once again. People waving their makeshift weapons in the air. She couldn’t blame them, she thought. A rock was thrown from the crowd and hit her head. Blood trickled down her face, but she stayed still like a statue. Roukan and his men surrounded her, their weapons withdrawn, but their stance says they’re ready to fight should it be needed.

“What are we to do now?” said another woman, her voice shaking in fear. “It won’t be long before the shadow soldiers will know of the attack. we’ll have to suffer the same fate as Anwar or worse.”

“You should’ve left our city alone,” yelled a man, his face bloodied from a fight. “We were doing just fine before you came along!”

“Doing fine?” Roukan freed himself from Conri’s supporting hands and limped towards the crowd. His voice rang disbelief. Even from behind, Elswyth can tell that his eyes were darkened with anger. “Eating scraps and working for the people who killed your own?” he asked the crowd. “You call this fine?”

Despite his menacing look, the man did not back down. He too, have ferocity in his old eyes. He has seen enough horrors from a dark entity, a stranger does not scare him. “Yes but at least we were living in peace” he answered.

His words pulled her back to her senses. “What peace?” she said in confusion. She rose and stepped forward to look the man straight in his eyes. “Whose peace are you protecting by your tolerance?”

She scanned each of their faces, gaunt from exhaustion and hunger, looking for answers. The children’s arms are skinny as sticks. Certainly, a life lived in hunger and fear is not peace. When no one spoke, she continued. “Do not confuse peace with silence,” she said. “You look down at the ground and pretend that evil does not fester in your city. Every day, they take some of your own. Your dignity and pride. The very future of your children. And you say you have peace?”

“Encouraging words,” said another. “But they will not protect us from the wrath of the shadow army.” The crowd murmured in agreement. “You get to leave. You know how to protect yourself. Where does that leave us? At their mercy again, if you can call it that.” Desperation was clear in his eyes. “What are we supposed to do?”

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“Leave,” she said. “Leave this city.”

He chuckled in disbelief. “And go where? If there was a place to go, how would we get there? We’d all be dead before the day is done.”

Her eyes went to Anwar’s lifeless body. “I’ll lead you there,” she said, feeling the weight of each word. “Wherever it is safe, I’ll lead you there.” She can feel everyone’s eyes on her.

“I’ll protect you myself,” she said, louder this time, looking at the crowd. “And I promise you, I will not let another life get taken away by the shadow.”

The crowd exchanged looks. They all stared at her beaten up and pitiful state. They murmured among themselves, looking at the gates of the city and then back at their houses.

“But to leave our home—" said a young woman, holding her father’s arm. It all started to dawn on them. their freedom will come at a cost.

“Your home will be here when you get back,” Roukan said. “But it will be your grave if you stay.”

“The choice is yours,” she said. “No one will force you to leave.”

The crowd exchanged looks, unsure of what to do.

“Those who will join us, you have one hour to gather your belongings,” Roukan said loudly. “Pack light. we have a long journey ahead.”

The crowd quickly dispersed, the air was filled with excitement and fear. The plaza was emptied in a minute. Roukan groaned and fell on the ground. Cannagan was quick to move to his side to check his injuries. His face was bloodied, eyes were barely opened. And yet she saw the fieriness in his eyes. “You can’t save everyone,” he warned her.

She looked to the east and saw the sun rising. On the horizon, she saw a tree on top of a hill, standing alone, overlooking the entire city.

Anwar was right, she thought. A new day has dawned, but not just in Caeldig. With her sword in hand, she was a different person. She knelt before Roukan, their faces on the same level. Her dark brown eyes stared deep into his gray ones. She made sure she held the gaze long enough so he’d remember her next words.

“Watch me.”

***

The Heart of the Forest was different from her vision. The tree before her looked dead. It is a strong, thick trunk and nothing more. Different as it may look from the one in Silva, it was just as intimidating, but in a different way. The Heart at home gave a sense of peace and sacrality. Perhaps it was the same feeling if you’re in the presence of a king. The one before her felt hostile and unwelcoming.

The Tree stood on top of the hill in the middle of the city. Behind it was a temple built with white stones. The very same stones used to build the city walls and the steps leading up to the Tree. The temple was a simple house where Animara monks used to rest in. This is also where they kept sacred scrolls and passages handed down from the first monks—the ones who worships the nature and believes that everything is connected. Animara monks are known for their simplistic life, and it shows in the simplicity of the temple. Not that they needed one, for Animara monks prefers worship where nature is under the open sky.

One of the elders who led them to the Tree said that it started withering away the day the Shadow came into the city. The leaves turned brown and were swept away by the storm. But its roots were too deep into the ground, no one could remove it from where it stood.

She touched the trunk and it felt like thousands of needles pricked her. She winced and pulled back her hand but found no wound. The evil within is different than the ones she had fought before.

“It’s rejecting me,” she said to herself, mindlessly fiddling on the hilt of her sword. The hair on her nape stood as she realized what was happening. It’s something she has not faced before.

Rahil walked up to her side and examined the Tree closely. “You’re here to rid of its parasite,” he said. “The shadow is rejecting you, not the Tree.” He lightly tapped her shoulder and gave her a light push. “Keep that in mind,” he said, and he stepped back to give her some space.

“Can you give me more clue?”

Rahil chuckled. “There are no scrolls in existence that will tell the Guardian how to exorcise a sacred tree,” he said without looking back.

She bit her lip and examined the tree closely. It looked like an ordinary dead tree. She has one hour to exorcise it, same time she gave the citizen of Caeldig to pack their belongings. One hour to save the city or the shadow army will take over Caeldig for good.

She looked down at her sword, thinking if she should strike it. But it didn’t feel right. She took a deep breath and reached for the Tree again. Her hand felt as if it was burning this time. She looked up at it again, its skeletal branches like claws reaching above her. She walked around it as if she’d find the answer carved somewhere on its body.

After minutes of studying the Tree, anxiety started to build up. She had no answer, and the time was ticking. Sighing in defeat she asked for help.

“Rahil,” she called. “I don’t know what to do.”

When Rahil did not respond, she looked astern and found the whole city was empty.