Age of Heroes (Age of Heroes Chronicles)

Chapter 420: The dream of the chosen one (2)

LAND OF SHADOWS

'The wind blows coldly tonight' a woman voice said. The woman is looking at the expansive plains in front of her, high on the city walls. 

A few feet from her were another guard. 

Then a man appears from one of the towers as one by on her friends climb down the walls and then the man come in front of Tatiana. They exchanged glances and nodded.

'Tatiana, your shift for today is over. Eric will replace the night shift. You can go back to the quarters.' Tatiana nodded in understanding.

'Here is your redeem points' the man said giving her paper.

'Thank you Knight Brother Quentin' she said and she put her right hand on her heart and her left hand behind her hips.

'You can leave now' the man responds. And Tatiana quickly returns her arms and armour to the Equipment Room and change her clothes.

Tatiana is one of the lowly recruits in the Ragora, the last city of humans in the lands of shadows. It is ruled by Knight Master of the Round Table.

Like always she just finish patrolling the city walls like any other recruits. She is not strong. She is not too smart either. 

She is just a normal person doing her best to survive in a harsh continent. Fighting every day to live. Struggling to eat. Struggling to live.

She comes from the Cassini tribe, one of the thirteen tribes of the ancient lineage.

Her tribe's special abilities are that they heal terribly fast. And they rarely get sick. But such abilities do not manifest in Tatiana. She is not Gifted.

She lives alone in the military quarters.

But she does have a sister. Sometimes her sister would visit her and tell her stories of the other continent. 

Her sister will tell her stories of the icy region of Vorthy and the beast that roams the snows

She would tell that the cold of Vorthy that bites flesh in the winter, corpse frozen and preserved by its unrelenting harsh nature

She would tell him of the huge continent of Ming, fill with people with marvelous fighting technique, tell her of the stories of Ariundus continent and their colorful and vibrant culture, of the Asteros city states and their constant warfare full with heroic stories, and of Human Continent where war is always brewing underneath its surface and the kingdoms are in chaos but also of its greatness, a beacon of knowledge compared to the other continent. 

Of all the continent the Human Continent fascinates Tatiana because of Levitia. Who doesn't know the Savior of Humanity? 

At least that is what Human Continent calls him. In Ragora he is known as the Revered Ancestors. 

For the Thirteen Tribes, the savior isn't Levitia. 

It is Asrana Mahava. But Tatiana always enjoyed Levitia tales, the Duvan Seduction chapters, The Voyage of Zhu Ar Zur, the Brave Slave Hippolia, The Divine Archer Leliana.

This tales and many more. A tale of adventures, of mysterious cultures and of supernatural occurrence that rivals the stories of oracles. 

Her sister lives outside the Bastion….and enjoying it.

But Tatiana doesn't have her guts, to strive outside the Bastion. But she does not envy her sister. She understands the danger her sisters must have experienced outside.

And Tatiana is always worried about her little sister. She is the last surviving relatives of hers. 

Their mother died when they were child attacked by the Darkly Ones. She never knew her father, only knew that her father is a noble from some distant lands.

Tatiana and her family once lived in the Plains, migrating from one place to another before she and her sister manage to gain entry into the city.

But her sister is different than her. Unlike her who always obeys the law, her sister is quite different. 

She was mischievous, smart and sly. Not a good combination living in a city where obedience is stressed.

But not once Tatiana felt that her sister isn't worth redeeming.

If not for her Tatiana had to admit she would die in the Plains long ago, either by monsters or bandits or evil people who meant they harm. 

It was her sister that get her through, save her during that time of darkness. When they enter the city, and Tatiana joins the City Scouts she began to see that her sister isn't fit to live in the city. 

Why? 

Because the city has so many rules, and while the rules are there for the safety of the people of the Bastion, she knew…. that her sister would find such existence…troublesome.

And her instinct proves right just a year after she join the Scouts. Her sister got into trouble with the council and was evicted from the city.

She mourns her sister yet could not do anything. The day her sister was evicted, she was in solitary confinement in the Agatha Tower.

She thought her sisters could not survive the Plains. She was wrong. A year after that her sister revealed herself to her. 

She survives and she becomes stronger. 

After her eviction, Tatiana was sure that her sister could not survive what is out there and Tatiana had not thought that she could ever see her beloved sister again but…. she is proven wrong.

How happy she was when she sees her sister, how joyful she becomes. 

Her sister is magnificent. 

Everyone knows that the security on the entry gate of Ragora is one of the hardest to break into even if a horde of the Darkly Ones comes smashing.

But her sister always manages to sneak off into Ragora undetected by the patrol squads. But nowadays her sister didn't even use the gates anymore. 

Her sister uses special methods to enter the city now that made her undetected even from the Knight Master.

Even though it is against the Law of the Council to enter the city without permission, Tatiana never reported her sister. 

She is after all…family. She is blood. Tatiana will not lose her little sister a second time and certainly not to the Council.

With this alone, Tatiana knows that her sister is not some weakling and maybe grasp some skills that is superior than even her.josei

The fact that she lives outside the Bastion and survive the Plains shows that her sister is a lot stronger than her.

Today she is eager to get home. 

She got a letter about three moons ago that her sister will visit and remind her to light the candle that her sister gifted before, in her military quarters if the surrounding is clear.

After registering her name for ending her service for the day she went to the ration center and takes some bread. 

She still has 7000 points of service points but she needs it for other stuff. 

Using about 2000 points she takes some meat from the ration stores and proceeded to return to her quarters.

She greets her squad mate and then enters her room. 

'Huu, today is really tiring' she said as she slammed her body to her bed and the bed creak.

'Old bed' she mused.

'30,000 points just to exchange a bed. The council is becoming stingy these days.' Tatiana voice her complaints

She takes a nap before remembering that she had to take a shower. After finished showering she quickly prepare the dishes and waiting the environment to be clear.

She has prepared quite a feast for her sister homecoming.

Then when she has make sure no one patrolling her quarters, she lights up the purple candle and black flames appears, so bizarre, so black that seeing it would be like seeing into a pit without an end.

Then suddenly black miasmas seem to appear from the flames as someone materialized from the smoke.

Tatiana is not even surprised at this point any longer. She has seen this happen so many times.

'Magic' she mused. 'Ancient magic.'

A woman appears from the mist, wearing something that resembles the warrior woman of Enceladus tribe. 

A long black and red dress accented with mail inserts, with a matched sleeve on one arm, has a flared collar, while her arm band shows the crest of a hood with skulls underneath the hood.

'Sister, your abilities never cease to amaze me.'

And the woman materialized run to Tatiana and hugged her.

'I've returned sister.'

'Truly return?'

'Yes' the girl said in joy.

'You wash your hands of that Brotherhood?'

'Yes, sister.'

Tatiana kiss her sister cheeks, tears streaming from her eyes.

'Good! Good!' And she hugged her again, this time tighter.

'That's good, Nia. That is really good.'

'Ouch, that hurts Ana.'

'Oh, sorry. I was too happy. Let me make you some tea. I prepare quite the dish for you today.'

'That won't be necessary'

'Why?'

'I need to meet the Council'

'You…. made your decision right?'

'I have, Ana. And you must not stop me.'

'I…. like always couldn't do anything for you.'

'No. You have done a lot for me, Ana. You're my way home. You're my North Star.' She said, her eyes show that she is sincere

'If you have truly decided…. then how can I stop you? If they could not accept you…. then run.'

'And be alone all over again?' Titania asked. Tatiana shook her head. And she looks at Titania with a look of determination.

'This time…you won't be alone. Not my little sister. This time, I will follow you. Even to the Ends of the Earth.'

'Outside the Bastion? You would dare? After all these years?'

'Hmm. Outside the Bastion. If I have you, then I have everything. I am your last family and you're mine. We either live together or die together.'

Titania smiles and said 

'Let hope it doesn't come to that. Let's hope the Council fall for the baits' Saying this, she turns into dark smokes and disappear from Tatiana sights.

'Good luck, sister' Tatiana said, her eyes looking as the last wisp of the smokes blown by the gentle winds.

And she prays looking at the altar of the temple in her home, offering prayers to Asrana Mahava, praying for the safe return of her sister.

'O Great Conqueror, delivers my sister from the darkness of the most beautiful angel, and shows her the path of the righteous.'

And as her song to her God ended, only a whisper remains the whispering of her heart.

Her sister safety. Her beloved sister, Titania of House Forneus.

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