Eclipse: the Beginning

Samuel slept like the dead as usual. That night a dream came to him. He was falling from the sky again. The wind rushing by him felt so real. Something was different, though. He glimpsed a black orb above him in the crystal blue sky. The young man narrowed his eyes to try seeing better. The orb swelled wide as if ripped open from the other side. Within the now gaping hole in the sky, Samuel saw nothing but black. He frowned. He felt danger. Just as the thought crossed his mind, a shadowy hand reached down toward him. He gasped in horror as the limb hovered over his face as he continued to fall.

“Please … no ….”

“You!” a voice that sounded similar to bubbles boiling in a tar pit bellowed back at him. “It is you!”

“No … leave me alone!” Samuel cried. This was frightening for him. He had never had nightmares on Earth. Mother had always been in his dreamtime. Here in Aurora, he might dread sleep if it accompanied these visions or voices. “Go away!”

“Why are you here?” The hand reached further, engulfing the falling youth.

“No!” Samuel screamed as loud as his throat would permit. If there was anyone who could save him, he had to hope they would hear his cries.

“Samuel! Wake up!” Seraph was holding Samuel as he screamed in his sleep, trying to shake the young man awake. It was almost dawn, so he thought waking him would be simple. As the Sun was not over the horizon yet, Seraph found waking him impossible. “Samuel!”

“Silence!” Celestial barked from where she knelt in front of Seraph. Ramming her fist into the teenager’s jaw, he slumped and quieted.

“Celestial!” the god cried angrily, pulling the assaulted young man close to him.

“He stopped wailing, didn’t he?” She flexed her fist, as if ready to strike a second time just in case. She looked straight into Seraph’s eyes. “Soldiers get awakened just as gently when they panic, so don’t give me that look. At least I’m not suffocating him in my breasts.”

“Huh?!” Seraph released Samuel at the statement. As the young man coughed, he went white as Celestial’s gown, humiliated. When was she going to stop bullying him?

“What in the name of the goddess is wrong with you, boy?” Celestial scolded as she stared down at him on the ground. “Do you want our enemies to find us?”

“I … I’m … I’m sorry!” Samuel stammered as he curled in a ball on his bedroll. He trembled horribly, gaping straight in front of him. “I just … I was just … so … frightened!”

“By what? Collect yourself, or I’ll slap you to your senses.”

“That appears to work wonders, doesn’t it?” Seraph muttered. He was still ashamed of himself, but he could not pass the chance to say it.

“It woke him up.” Her empty gaze turned back to the Wind, making him feel as if he were melting.

“Darkness!”

“What did you say?” Celestial’s entire demeanor morphed into shock. “What do you mean by that?”

“It was trying … to … devour me!” Samuel had tears falling across his face. His nose drained along the side of a bruised cheek. The soldier and god were unsure of what to do, but the sight stunned them into silence. “It … it asked … why I … was here! It was … trying to … to …!” His hyperventilating reach a point where he could no longer speak. All he could do was cry.

“Samuel,” Seraph lay down before the traumatized youth, trying to find his eyes. His large hand rubbed the shaking shoulder, trying to console the youth. “Samuel, you’re safe now. Don’t you see? The Sun is over the horizon. Darkness can’t harm you now. I promise.”

“Seraph ….” Samuel’s metallic eyes gaped back at the dilated ones. “Seraph … I … I don’t … I don’t want … to die … like … that.”

“You won’t. That’s why Grandmother Wingie left you in Celestial’s and my care. We will protect you.”

The frightened teenager reached out to cling onto his friend. Seraph wrapped his arms around him. As Samuel wailed, the god looked up at the soldier. Her face looked riddled with guilt.

“What do you think?”

“I think the two of you need to reserve such moments for night encounters,” she said, avoiding her true feelings at the moment.

“Oh, enough already. I am trying to be serious,” the Wind protested with a scowl up at her. Why did they always fight like this? It seemed the only way he could speak with her without feeling intimidated. “Samuel is my friend. We are not lovers.”

“That isn’t exactly fraternal energy coming off of you, Wind god.”

The two glared at one another. Each of them trying to read the other’s thoughts. Celestial saw frustration and anger coming from his eyes, and she did not appreciate its aim in her direction.

Seraph read tension in her body language. What was she upset about? Was it the mention of Darkness, or had Samuel been correct when he asked her about her aversion to affection? If that was the case, she needed to take a deep breath and deal with her insecurities.

“Forgive me ….”

“Samuel, don’t speak,” Seraph shushed him. “Just rest for now. You need to calm yourself.”

“No.” The Nomad spoke with more clarity. “Forgive me … for being such … a hindrance … to you both.”

“You are no such thing.” Seraph felt a pang of guilt at the young man’s words. “We should apologize for not making you feel safe enough. You have done nothing to warrant our forgiveness. Please don’t say that, Samuel.”

“I feel … helplessness ….”

“What?” the Wind questioned, confused.

“I can feel how … helpless you both … feel toward me.” The Nomad was too weak from strain to move, but his voice was finding its footing at last. “I know how much of … a burden I am. I cannot fight … I have no magic to help you … I don’t even know … how to survive … on my own …. All I can do … it would seem … is cause grief and stress .… I don’t even know … if things will get better … or worse.”

Silence fell, making the sound of the stream seem much louder. No one knew what to say. Samuel had bled out all he had to say, and his companions were unsure how to respond. Seraph felt terrible, wishing he knew how to correct the issue aside from what he had already tried. Celestial felt remorse. It was the youth’s honesty in his vulnerable state that she could not help but respect. She felt responsible for the Nomad’s useless feeling toward himself. Perhaps she had been too harsh with them.

“Samuel.” The Wind and Nomad glanced up as she spoke. She stood up, walking around them to look at the sunrise. She did not want to see their faces. It stirred up too many feelings for her to keep her thoughts focused. “I only know how to treat soldiers. If that made you feel inferior, that was not my intent. We are not all called to be warriors, but that does not mean others have nothing to offer.”

Samuel could feel the sincerity of her words. They came from her spirit, and she genuinely wanted to apologize. Her pride could only allow so much. He was happy with those words, though. They were a step closer to what he desired from her – trust.

“Grandmother Wingie, as you like to call her,” she continued, turning her head to look at them, “told you that you could protect what you desire. Remember how she said that your power would slowly stir as time passed? You are a Spirit Sage, and unknown skills and magic lie dormant within you. Before you say how useless you are, let your newfound power grow to maturity. Then we’ll see how useful you are.”

“I’m sure you’ll be stronger than we are, Samuel,” Seraph added with a bright smile. After the initial shock of Celestial’s turnabout, he felt hopeful that they were closer to one another than before. “I believe in you. I always have, so try to believe in yourself more.”

“But … won’t you still feel helpless?” Samuel gripped the Wind’s wrap. “I’ll still spiral … unsure of how to stop. Won’t that weigh you down?”

“It’s not as if we can be rid of you, whelp,” Celestial smirked as a familiar flinch came from the youth. “Destiny bound to us together. We will protect you until the day you can stand on your own, so get off the ground and prove to yourself you are no burden. You seem to be the only one who needs convincing.”

“Celestial,” Samuel gaped up at the soldier over Seraph’s shoulder. Had she just encouraged him? They should record it in a history book. He would never forget this morning. He gave a small smile back with pink-tinted cheeks. “All right then.”

With some help from Seraph, Samuel stood next to Celestial. The risen Sun heralded a new day. The trio watched the sky for a few moments. As much as they feared the wrath of King Zemnas, the warmth of the Sun lifted their spirits. Driving away fears of the night back into the shadows, its rays brought hope. It baffled them how they could oppose such a being.

After breaking camp, the three made their way further west. Seraph sensed the voices leading away from the river, so they paused to collect extra water before continuing. Samuel reasoned this meant rivers were not commonly found throughout Western Wind. Celestial still seemed doubtful, but she went along with Seraph’s directions, claiming dimness could actually be mystic. Samuel had laughed, and the tension died with that. It was not until the Sun reached its zenith that Seraph paused.

“What is it, Seraph?” Samuel glanced up at the Wind. “Something concerning you?”

“Can’t you feel that?”

“Feel what?” Celestial asked, putting a fist to her hip. She observed their surroundings. They were in a flat plain. There was sparse grass and brush. It was then she realized what Seraph was unnerved about. Something was off.

“This is an open plain,” Seraph mused aloud, glancing around them. “Nothing but bushes and grass from what I see. Why has the wind died?”

“The wind has died?” Samuel blinked. Closing his metallic eyes, the Nomad reached out with his thoughts as he had done back in the labyrinth, to see if he could sense anything. It was not as easy as before.

“What are you trying now?” Celestial narrowed her eyes in his direction.

“I thought I might try sensing something like a disturbance nearby,” he replied with a sigh. He must be getting used to her harsh nurturing, for he barely felt discouraged by her tone. “All I felt were Seraph’s and your emotions.”

“Let me try higher,” Seraph offered. “Maybe it’s just shifted up around here.”

“Seraph, wait.” The Nomad spoke too softly, for the Wind jumped skyward with Cherub in hand. Samuel gaped as he felt something tugging at his skull. Was this a foreboding feeling or intuition? Either way, he wished the god would come back down.

“Anything you haven’t already kicked up?” Celestial called to the god. She wondered if the Wind had thought of that before jumping.

“The voices are louder.” Seraph’s reply was odd. He seemed stunned by what he heard. “They’re clearer … I can hear words in the song now.”

“What do they say?” The Light shifted her weight as she stared skyward, curious to know what they were chasing.

Instead of replying, the Wind god descended back to the grassy plain. His eyes were empty. Samuel looked the young god in the eye. There was a deep sorrow in the tremulous orbs. What were these voice saying to move Seraph so?

“What are they saying, Seraph? You can tell us,” the youth said in as soft a voice as he could. His own spirit was swirling with Seraph’s at the moment, so it was a wonder the two were able to hold back their tears.

“Mother.”

“What?” Celestial caught her breath at the word. She gaped back at Seraph, knowing what that word meant to him. “What did they say?”

“They’re calling … ‘Mother.’”

Before Samuel could respond, everything went black. Had he fainted again? He found himself in a void. Where was he? He was uncertain what he was standing on. While he did not sense immediate danger, like his dream, the youth glanced around himself out of caution.

“Hello?” he called out, feeling silly. “Is anybody there?”

“Mother ….”

Samuel froze. The voice sounded vaguely familiar. It was weeping, choking on words.

“Mother … I’m sorry … please come back, Mother … please.”

“Seraph! Seraph, where are you?” Samuel cried louder when he recognized the voice. Turning about, he finally caught a glimpse of his friend. He was much shorter than the youth remembered. The ripped wrap about his torso was soaked, clinging to his bare glistening chest. The breasts were much smaller. How old had Seraph been the day his mother died?

“Mother ….” The youthful Seraph reached forward with shaky hands, toward Samuel. “Mother … I’m sorry I wasn’t a man …. Do you not love me anymore?” his voice cracked further, asking the question. Samuel walked over slowly, feeling his spirit breaking as he listened to the pleas. The tears streaming down his flustered face became clearer the closer the teenager drew. This must be what Seraph looked like that day. “If I cut them away … would you come back? If I were your son again … would you?”

“Seraph,” Samuel reached out his hands to take the outreached ones. “Oh, Seraph, can you not see me? It’s me, Samuel.”

“Mother!”

Samuel jerked his head around at the sudden, new voice. Where had that cry come from? It sounded like a crescendo cry of desperation. He realized that this was what Seraph had heard in the sky. It must have resonated with him, making him relive this old memory. He was still healing after all. Samuel looked back to the Wind god, gripping the shaking hands.

“Seraph,” he said urgently, “you mustn’t let yourself be swept into the voice. You know your mother loved you now. You know she felt ashamed. Don’t fall back when you’ve already overcome this.”

“Mother,” Seraph muttered. He had not gripped back.

“Seraph, please, hear my voice. Come back to us, Seraph.”

“Mother! Mother, come back!”

“Mother …?” the Wind sounded confused now.

“Seraph,” the young Nomad said softly, “it’s not your mother they are calling, mate.”

“So …” Seraph finally responded to Samuel’s voice, “Who are they calling?”

“I don’t know. We’ll find out, I suppose.” Samuel gripped the weak hands reassuringly. “We can help them like we have each other.”

“Samuel?” Seraph titled his head. “Can we … help them?”

“Yes, I promise we will do all we can for them.”

“Thank you,” the Wind said with a tired smile. “I want to.”

“Seraph, what did they say?” Celestial’s voice made both Seraph and Samuel blink. “There must be more if you’re this thrown off. Do you need to sit down?”

“What? Oh no, I’m alright,” he replied in a weary voice. Seraph glanced at Samuel, noticing his faraway gaze. “Samuel? Are you alright?”

“I think so ….” Samuel released the Wind’s hand. Celestial had not moved from how he remembered her standing, and she still felt the stun from Seraph’s revelation. Seraph, on the other hand, was free of his emotional pain. “What just happened?”

“When did you take his hand?” Celestial grunted. A wave of disapproval swept over the empath. It was definitely coming from her.

“When did you take my hand?”

Samuel glanced down at his friend’s hand. Seraph did not recall either? He remembered taking both to comfort Seraph, but this was not the Seraph he had just spoken with. That would imply that he did not recall what had just happened – if it happened at all.

“How long was I blacked out for?”

“Blacked out?” Celestial raised an eyebrow. The young man was starting to concern her now. “When did you faint?”

“Then it wasn’t long. Maybe it was all in my head.” Releasing his grip, the Nomad massaged his temples, sighing heavily. “Never mind then. Forget I said anything. Why do you think the wind stopped? Isn’t it always blowing in Western Wind?”

“I felt it higher up,” Seraph replied. “That’s how I heard the voice, but that doesn’t explain why it’s not blowing here on the ground. At the very least, a breeze should be present.”

“There was a time when there was no wind in Aurora,” the Light said flatly. “It could be there are still places without it.” She sounded depressed by the statement.

“You mean right after Lord Zion vanished?” Samuel asked. It was more for confirmation than for an answer. He could not think of anyone more knowledgeable on the guardian than Celestial. She seemed to admire him a great deal.

“I had heard about that,” Seraph commented. “Raphael said the sands of Heaven began to spread into the west during that time. The wind used to keep them back, but fortunately the gusts returned some time later. I’ve never known Aurora without it, to be honest.”

“I have. It was a time of uncertainty,” she said grimly. “I was a trainee at the time. Zion’s Arm was hidden in my bunk then. I used to think I needed to run off and return it to bring back the wind, but I never could get away. It was seven long months before the winds suddenly kicked up.”

“Seven? How do you know it was seven months?” Samuel asked, a bit skeptical of her memory.

“Because I etched each day into the wall beside my bed.”

The Nomad silenced as her ugly expression turned toward him.

“Where did you … find the sword?” Seraph had to divert his eyes as he stammered. He was nervous whenever he asked her personal questions, and Lord Zion was a very personal topic for the Light.

“I stole it.”

“You what?” both young men gasped before covering their mouths simultaneously.

“I stole it.” She glanced back with an annoyed expression now. “There was so much going on when Lord Zion disappeared that it was simple for a child to slip past the guards to take it.”

“How exactly did he disappear?” Samuel looked between the two. “I mean, did he literally vanish into the air, or was it more of a sudden rescue?”

“Raphael never told me. I just know that fear was widespread in the world.” Seraph gripped Cherub tighter. He refused to admit that the god was dead. It just could never happen. After all the tales he had heard, he had to believe Lord Zion was out there. He hoped that his father was with him wherever that might be.

“I still don’t really understand what happened that day,” Celestial’s voice was soft for once. Samuel felt a mixture of emotions swirling inside the soldier. Fear, anxiety, disbelief, confusion, and strangely, she held hope alongside them. He turned his metallic gaze to her. She noticed, moving her head to look at him.

“Could you tell us what you saw?”

“You would never believe me unless you saw it with your own eyes,” she replied quietly.

“Please, Celestial,” Seraph pleaded. “It could offer a clue to finding my father. I won’t dismiss anything at this point.”

“If you really want to know,” the Light looked downward sadly, “I had to climb up on a building with some other children to see. The only ones who were up close were the other guardians.”

“What did you see, then?” As much as he wanted to ask who they were, he knew Celestial would not speak about Lord Zion’s disappearance for a while if she strayed from the topic. It held a great deal of meaning to her, and she did not talk about things like that. He would bite his tongue for now.

“I had run to the palace from the training grounds when I heard the king had passed judgment on Lord Zion. It was unheard of for a god to be arrested, especially for the charge of treason. Namas had evidence that Lord Zion had plotted to remove King Zemnas from the throne. The king had no choice but to act. He sentenced him to the flogging pillars, a humiliating but necessary punishment for the crime. You cannot banish a god of the elements. I had managed to get to the main street in time to watch the Royal Guard lead Lord Zion past me. The Sun was high above Heaven at the time, so I could barely see his face. There was a glare of some kind. What I saw clearly was a stride of pride, though. He was not afraid or intimidated in the least – the true nature of wind.”

She had to pause. Samuel felt a lump in his throat. Something had stirred up in her spirit as she thought about the guardian. Lord Zion seemed to possess a rebellious nature, but was he the type to organize a revolt? From what Grandmother Wingie had said, Lord Zion loved his people. How could there be evidence of treachery in such a person?

“After he passed me, I noticed children scaling the rooftops,” Celestial continued once she had regained her composure. “I followed them, only to pass them once we reached the yard. I was as close as I could get, lying on my belly at the edge of the roof. Lord Zion’s upper wrap was in the Water goddess’ arms. They were tying him to the poles when I arrived. He was staring at King Zemnas the entire time. He never looked away, and the king seemed transfixed. When the two floggers took their positions behind him, everyone held their breath. History was about to be made, but we all prayed Destiny would intervene.

“With the first crack, Lord Zion cried out,” her voice cracked as her face twisted, reliving the emotions she had felt that day. “I was shocked. No mortal could harm a god, especially of Lord Zion’s heritage. It was impossible. People were wailing, afraid of what the reaction could mean. I still don’t understand how it happened. The floggers had paused, unsure of what to do. Namas told them to carry out the hundred lashes. King Zemnas tried to step forward, and I still remember him leaping from his chair. Namas wouldn’t let him go to Lord Zion’s side, holding him back as the king struggled.

“I can still hear the god’s voice ringing out in agony.” Anger was brewing in her chest, and her voice trembled with a restrained rage. “Powerful gusts blew erratically as if a reflection of his pain. People dropped to the ground for fear of being caught up in it. I would have blown away if I hadn’t held on so tightly to the edge of the roof. Even the floggers had to anchor themselves to the pillars as they struggled just to swing. When the lashings were finally through, they died down. It was then that I was able to see again. Lord Zion was on his knees, bloodied and battered. As the floggers unbound him, he looked up at the king. King Zemnas was white as the sands of Heaven, clinging to Namas’ arm for support. That was when it happened.”

“When what happened?” Seraph asked in a worried tone. He was completely sucked in by Celestial’s recounting. “What happened next?”

“The shadow came!”

“Shadow?” Samuel swallowed a lump in his throat. The first thing to cross his mind was that shadowy thing from his dream. “What do you mean by a ‘shadow’?”

“It came up from the ground.” Celestial’s anger was quenched by the chill running through her body. The memory of what happened was enough to do this much. “There were black spots that grew bigger. The ground shifted like water. It all happened so quickly. Lord Zion was trying to rise, but he sank into the ground. It was like he had been swallowed! I ran off in that instant! I didn’t care where I was going! I just knew that I had seen Darkness in Heaven and I wanted to get away! The next moment, I was at the palace where I stole the god’s sword from the empty hall.”

“So then …” Seraph gaped at the soldier, “Lord Zion … could be ….” He could not bring himself to say more. It would be admitting defeat no matter how he looked at it.

“From the sound of it,” Samuel said, rubbing his chin in thought, “I would say he was captured. He might be held prisoner as we speak.”

“What makes you think so?” Celestial looked at him curiously. She remembered his knowledge of strategy and war, so the soldier wanted to hear his opinion on the incident.

“You’ve told me that Lord Zion was the wind itself,” the youth stated. “To kill him would end all wind forever. That is not a favorable future for this land. However, if he was merely needed out of the way, one might set up an elaborate kidnapping to throw the god off his game. It sounds like a plausible option. After all, wind did return.”

“Who could kidnap a god though?” Seraph asked with worry. As the only other known Wind deity, perhaps his father also needed to be removed from the picture. If so, he had to find this kidnapper, but he had a bad feeling about who it could be.

“Celestial said she saw Darkness that day, Seraph. Perhaps the myth is more real than you thought.”

The young god looked as unsure as Samuel’s tone now.

“If that is the case, I will carry his blade until we find him.” The Light gripped the hilt under her arm, furrowing her brow. “With this, Lord Zion is unstoppable.”

“However,” both Wind and Light glanced at the Nomad, “that still doesn’t explain why the air has stilled here. What could cause something like this? Seraph, you said the singing was clearer and distinguishable. Could you not hear any kind of words before?”

“Actually,” Seraph said thoughtfully, crossing his arms in reflection, “you’re right. I couldn’t make out words before. It was like a faint song on the winds that was growing louder the closer we came. I even thought it was more than one person before, but I heard one distinct voice this time – a woman’s. It sounds like they’re calling out for their mother.”

The three paused in silence for a moment, letting everything simmer in their thoughts. Samuel could feel how unsettled his companions were. He felt partially to blame, having asked Celestial to retell her memories of Lord Zion’s humiliation. It made him wonder just what he was fighting for and against now. Was it really the Sun god, or was he going up against the shadow he had seen in his dream? He realized he needed to ask a great deal from the Wingies once they found them. This quest was getting more complex than the youth had initially imagined.