Faction We Are All Bound by Purpose [Open to Dawnguard, PM to join]

[Nida Perl]

As Thirdas and Eyna determined what role the latter would play, Nida placed a hand on Eyna’s shoulder. “She is capable.” Was her affirmation of the young woman’s ability, strong but lacking refinement. That being said, Nida did not consider herself anywhere near an expert on refined combat techniques.

Thirdas had been blunt in his description of their foes, and it made part of Nida wish that he had sugarcoated it at least a little. The small Zeltron could prove to be a capable combatant when pushed, and she knew the importance of knowing who and what you were up against. Still, knowing that their opponent could be worse than anything she’d seen in a horror flick was enough for her throat to tighten with anxiety.

Despite his confident and calculated demeanor, Thirdas felt similarly. “I know.” She whispered back, squeezing his hand. “Me too.” The selfish part of her wished for them to simply be whisked off world, away from the doom and gloom and very real possibility of death. The part of her that remained in the seat next to Thirdas clung to the satisfaction of remaining beside him, prepared to whether the storm and do what she could. The thought to ask him had never crossed her mind, but Nida knew that Thirdas would never abandon Midvinter in their time of need. “We will make it through this, I promise.” You never promised anything in medicine, but Nida couldn’t help in doing so. “After all, I told your mother that I would look after you.” A small, anxious smile followed.

As the neared the flood of refugees, the pilot called for Thirdas, and Nida sidled her way over to Eyna. The young woman appeared unrattled, a trait that Nida marveled at. Any operation, big or small, gave her butterflies. Perhaps any jitters Eyna had were buried beneath the surface, or perhaps there were none at all.

Thirdas rejoined their group, updating them on the situation. “I see.” She peered down at the fleeing citizens, they looked so terrified. Her heart pounded at the thought of facing whatever had frightened them so. Her hand curled around the hilt of her lightsaber, and she looked up to catch the gazes of Thirdas and Eyna. “We should watch after one another, down there.” Going at this would be less scary with these two alongside.

[member="Thirdas Heavenshield"] | [member="Eyna"]

 

[Thora Heavenshield]

“But…”, she could see that Bors was not going to take any ‘buts’, but she continued on anyway. “But, he was so mean about my grandpapa and .. you”. She looked down at her toes once more, this time out of sorrow for making Bors angry with her. And sometime bullies need a good thrashing, to teach them the lesson that there is always a bigger fish in the pond. Someone wise said that once she recalled from some boring old book in the Temple on Kashyyyk.

But deep down she knew he was right, they needed all the men and women they could get in the comes battle. A grin formed on his lips as he showed her affection and he did find it funny after all. Thora nodded her agreement to keep her actions to themselves although she doubted her papa would be angry, nor mother for that matter. More like, her mother would have been the first to jump ship and face the man.

“You should be the leader of your House, not him”, which on the face of it was correct but she suspects he did not want it. The ships moved into formation, a spearhead down the river and hopefully would by pass Thainbroek and head south. Thora could smell the smoke from the burning city, to the right of them, and as night fell heavy the glow casted a foreboding scene. She knew her great uncle was in there, held captive by the hag she had only heard tales about.

Thora leaned on the side of the ship, her eyes never leaving the sight across the dark waters, all she could hear was the lapping of the water against the hull, and the splash of river creatures taking cover as they passed. It was eerie, deadly silent apart from that.

In this moment of darkness, Thora missed her family even more, her mother home helping those that headed north to find safe haven, her papa riding south through the fens and no doubt by now, camped in the vast forest north of the Crownlands. She had no idea where her grandpapa and grandmama were, although she expected them to be close too. But through all the noise in her mind, her thoughts turned to [member="Boo Chiyo"], her brother who had been away for so long now and she wondered why he had to leave her behind.

Her eyes lifted to the sky and looked deep into the portal that swirled over the city, it was darker now in the night, but you could still see the flashes of green, and lightning charging before striking the air. She heard some of the others on the ship speaking about it, saying it was a gateway between worlds, between the realm of men and that of the gods.

Where were they now?

[member="Bors Greythorne"]​

 

[Thirdas Heavenshield]

"Approaching the back of the crowd now. They appear to be under attack from land and air."

Thirdas listened to the report from the pilot, then turned his attention to Nida in the moments before they enter combat. He wished to imprint on his memory every last detail of her face, in case the worst should happen. He leaned in and placed his lips upon hers. "I love you," he whispered, openly admitting his feelings for her. Now was way past their time of being shy about it, for now may well be the last time they had together. "You pink dork," he added with that boyish smirk before pulling away from her.

He picked up his mother's rifle and stepped over to the side door of the shuttle, pulling a lever which made the wide door slide open and sent a rush of air through the hold. He took up sniping position, sitting on the floor with one leg dangling over the side while using the other to steady himself. Through his scope he witnessed brave guardsmen escorting the refugees doing their best to fend off their pursuers, but they were swiftly losing ground. Fortunately they were now miles from the capital and it seemed only a token force of the Crone's had been sent to hunt them down. Thirdas was not about to sit and wait for the shuttle to land.

Adjusting his optics and rangefinder, he took aim and fired upon one of the flying creatures. His shot connected and pierced the foul thing's skull, sending it crashing against the ground. More shots followed, dropping several more aerial assailants; some of whom had even attempted to snatch children from their parents. Those he targeted first. But there were simply too many for one lone sniper to deal with, and so they would have to join the desperate skirmish up-close and personal. That was why they brought the Jedi, after all.

"Make ready for landfall," he told the others, all of whom brandished their lightsabers. For himself he'd brought a scattergun and his trusty axe - at least the enemy would not be firing back at him this time around. "Without us to hold these guys off, the people will suffer! You are Jedi of the Dawnguard - guardians of this world! Send these beings back to the abyss!" One last nod to Nida and Eyna respectively.

"Now, go, go, go!" As the dozen or so shuttles descended and hovered a meter or so above ground, Knights of the Guard disembarked with their lightsabers ignited, reinforcing the faltering defensive lines holding off the spawns of hell. Thirdas bull-rushed the first creature he came upon, knocking it off-balance with the shoulder-charge, stuck the end of his scattergun up its maw and pulled the trigger to rather spectacular effect. As the Jedi got off the shuttles, anyone too young, too old, or too ill to keep up were shepherded aboard for a hasty retreat from the fighting. They could only take so many people at a time, however.

Thirdas tossed a grenade into a cluster of creatures, incinerating them into ashes within seconds. More shots followed from his scattergun aimed for fliers who by now had realised they, in turn, had come under attack, and came swooping down on the defenders. The Jedi fought alongside their Valkyri brothers, utilising their many Force abilities to harm and confuse the enemy, as well as aid their comrades. They were still outnumbered however, and some had already fallen to the Crone's minions.

The Young Lion looked back at the retreating masses, watching them make safety far from the capital they'd been force to abandon. Should they all fall this day, it would not be for naught. One could only make his peace with that fact, or be destroyed by one's own fear and doubt.

[member="Nida Perl"] | [member="Eyna"]​

 

[Eyna]

[member="Nida Perl"] // [member="Thirdas Heavenshield"]

There was always that one moment of time when you could tell that your choices within the coming few hours would come to define you and the person that you were. Her father had felt that at a young age during his soldier days as he took the step up as an officer to sacrifice his entire platoon in a desperate defense to hold off the Republic. It had been a total failure, he had been taken captive and eventually escaped, but the actions that he took that day had defined who it was that he would grow into. An unwavering, unbending force of power on the field and a self-proclaimed battlefield tactician. The mere thought caused her hands to cramp her grip around the rifle’s barrel and stock.

She had no desire to be like him, or remember him for that matter. At least it would seem that in separation the similarities between them grew smaller and the rift that separated them deeper for each day that passed. Their test of personality both came at a time of strife, but she would refuse to be who he was. She looked over at Thirdas and Nida as they shared their goodbyes and felt nothing but determination. If this was the day that Eyna was to die, short has her life had been, at least she would die to ensure that someone else didn’t have to. Her head nodded at Nida’s request with a grave look in her eyes before she turned back to look out the window. Below them the herd of people were being assaulted by the creatures that had begun to catch up. They preyed upon the stragglers that had lagged behind the rest of the group with little to no mercy.

The shuttle doors opened up and Eyna stood like a rock against a current. She held her rifle in both her hands, took a leisurely drop onto the ground and then let in a deep breath before she opened her eyes to the chaos on the field. The rifle found her shoulder and without hesitation she turned her full attention towards the creatures that charged at them. At the pull of the trigger she’d find the familiar yet oddly unfamiliar sensation of a rifle butt digging into her skin to throw her ever so slightly off-balance, cause the bruise on her shoulder to spike with a dull pain. Yet there was no time to react to it. No time to wince or allow herself the moment to feel pained. Instead the kid took the measure to readjust herself and find a better stance. With a newfound stability and with a few more trained shots she did what she could to hold the attackers off.

For a brief moment there was a momentary chance to catch her breath. Something gleamed on the ground through the displaced dirt and debris. All around there was a panic, yet Eyna seemed to freeze up, her eyes fixated on the lightsaber that laid just out of reach from a dead knight’s hand. He wouldn’t need it. She wanted it, but she knew better than to take it.

“All it takes is a single moment of hesitation and you will find yourself either lucky to be alive, or dead.”

An unfamiliar voice from an unfamiliar past. The memory echoed and screamed and pained against the back of her mind like a warning. Yet no sooner than she felt it, she felt the wind knocked out of her lungs. Something struck against her back with a heavy thud. Eyna was thrown forward as a deafening roar called out into the open. The kid coughed, pushed herself up on her elbows as she began to gasp for air.

Whatever it was, it was big, it was angry, and it was coming right for her.

 

[Nida Perl]

Nida couldn’t help but smile at Thirdas through all of the tension and worry on her face. It was hard for her not to smile when he was around, even when they were heading into the deadliest situation either of them had faced. “I love you.” She whispered back, managing to keep the butterflies in her chest under lockdown. “My lion.” He let go of her hands, and the pair parted for what she desperately hoped would not be the last time.

The descent had come quickly enough, and all at once they Valkyri and Jedi thrust themselves into combat against otherworldly horrors. For the first few moments of the skirmish, Nida hung back near the transport and ushered desperate civilians inside. Some of the creatures broke in through the defensive line, coming in at all angles, kicking up snow and ice as they tore across the land with reckless abandon. They were mindlessly violent, their only goal to rip the life from the living and cause destruction.

One such beast came in from the side, decisively striking down the other Padawan who’d stayed behind to keep track of civilians. One gnarly arm impaled through his chest was all it took, his face twisting into a look of abject horror before the monster swung his arm to the side, dislodging the corpse in one brutal gesture. The Padawan’s body landed in an unceremonious heap, and Nida stood still in awe of what she had just witnessed. Had she been standing several feet to the side, that would have most certainly been her.

But there would not be any time to contemplate what could have been, not when the beast let out a hellish roar that jarred Nida back to reality. The creature surged forward with contorted, blood stained hands, aiming not particularly at the Zeltron or the passengers, but for whatever it could grab. Instinct kicked in and her hand grasped the saber hilt secured to her waist, pulled it free and ignited the yellow blade. A yell accompanied her push forward as she forcefully jabbed the creature in the abdomen, the plasma blade’s glow emanating from behind the creature. Heart beating furiously, she pulled back as the beast stumbled forward, injured but not defeated. The yellow blade swung in a tight arc, passing through the demon’s neck, ceasing it’s movement.

The next thing she saw was Eyna’s body being thrown across the battlefield, and Nida’s instinct to protect once again swelled in her chest. “Eyna!” She called out desperately, relief in her cry at seeing the young woman push herself up. Of course she got up, Eyna always got up—she’d seen the sort of beatings the girl had taken. Before she could make her way towards Eyna, one of the creatures blocked her path, furiously charging at the fallen combatant. “Eyna! Oh no!” Thrusting both of her palms out as if it would help her channel the Force, Nida focused on interfering with the beast’s equilibrium, attempting to induce a state of imbalance, a stumble, anything to help her friend.

[member="Eyna"] | [member="Thirdas Heavenshield"]

 

[Thurion Heavenshield]

The Army of the West marched through the fortified mountain pass and made for the site of the encampment located south of the capital. It had been a long journey, and by now darkness had already begun to fall. A few clans had arrived beforehand from elsewhere in the realm and begun erecting tents as well as a palisade to offer some defense against a nightly raid. They'd only gotten the first few wooden stakes pounded into the ground by the time Thurion and Alva arrived with much-needed manpower and resources. The host following them began to scatter into groups to unload carts and erect more tents; fletchers got to work fashioning arrows, accompanied by the ringing of blacksmiths' hammers striking their anvils. Everywhere torches were lit, fending off the encroaching darkness.

"Lord Heavenshield, thank the gods you've arrived!" An officer met up with them as they rode through the emerging hustle and bustle of the growing encampment. "We have prepared a spot for you," he pointed to where people were busy erecting his own personal quarters in the form of blue canvas with thin gold strips running along its edges. "We've made room for members of your house as well," the man added, offering a bow of his head towards the young lady at Thurion's side. "Thank you, I'm sure it we'll be comfortable."

Finally he got to dismount his horse after several hours in the saddle, and he took a moment to stretch his back and limbs. "Nothing like firm ground under your feet after a long ride," he commented in front of his granddaughter, knowing she would pretty much live in the saddle if given the choice. Together they led their horses to where House Heavenshield was being set up in a section all to themselves. The same was true for the other lords of the realm coming to join tomorrow's battle.

Just as he'd undone the last straps of his saddle however, shouting came from one end of the camp, garnering much attention. Many now rushed the entrance, calling out the names of loved ones. Putting aside his saddle, Thurion looked over at Alva before heading over to see for himself. A long line of people - men, women and children - streamed into camp in their hundreds, which eventually would turn into thousands. "Refugees from Tháinbroek," he realised as he watched the exhausted masses wander past him with looks of despair on their faces. He caught the attention of a mother clutching her child to her bossom.

"They came out of nowhere, dropping into the city from above. We were ordered to evacuate the capital, we've been on the road ever since. Our King, he... stayed behind." Thurion nodded. "I know." The crying infant in the woman's arms seemed unconsolable, prompting Thurion to reach out and caress the boy's puffy cheek. The crying faded away until the infant settled in his mother's arms, resting his head against her chest. "We saw ships coming from the west, heading for the back lines. We've been hounded the entire way, there's no telling how many have fallen..."

Thurion turned his gaze north from where the sea of people had come. Determination settled on his weathered face, and he turned to his granddaughter. "Alva, see to it that these people are taken care of. I will return shortly." He gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze, then left her to her task. He found an open area and let out a sharp whistle which carried for miles, and within a handful of seconds the mighty gryphon that had followed them since Fridheim swooped down before him. Without a moment's hesitation Thurion leapt onto the beast's back, not even bothering with a saddle this time.

They took flight and headed north at breakneck speed, and looking down he could see just how many refugees had made it to the encampment. There were a few stragglers, followed by another large group of people. Then another, then another. And up ahead, far in the distance, the unnatural light of the swirling portal marked the location of the abandoned capital. But before it a miniature battle was playing out, the brightly-coloured lightsabers of the Dawnguard being a dead giveaway of whom were participating. "There, Skywalker! Dive, now!"

As they descended from the skies, Thurion unsheathed his sword and held it aloft, calling upon its power to bathe the battlefield with rays of sunlight, blinding the band of demons busy attacking the wavering defensive line. Some turned and ran back to their mistress, while some even outright evaporated. Their charge came to fruition as Skywalker then took out the biggest of the attackers, putting it on its back and biting its head clean off. While his trusty steed finished off its kill, Thurion swung his sword and cleaved another foe at the waist.

Witnessing it all, Thirdas rushed over to Nida and Eyna to make sure they were both alright. When it became clear the skirmish had been won, Thurion dismounted and approached the trio of youngsters, leaving Skywalker to mop up any enemies still standing. "I had a feeling I'd find you here," he raised an eyebrow and sheathed his sword. "You guys alright?"

[member="Alva Heavenshield"] | [member="Nida Perl"] | [member="Eyna"]​

 

[Eyna]

[member="Thurion Heavenshield"] // [member="Nida Perl"]

Lucky to be alive. The words plowed through her mind like a claw that punished Eyna for the slip up and caused the anger and fear inside of her to leak for all to see. Eyna pushed to her feet and thrust her hand out towards the lightsaber on the ground. She tore it from underneath the dirt and gripped the hilt in her hand with a firm grip. Without hesitation she ignited it and let the blue blade bathe her in light before she swung wild at the leg of the beast that was already toppling thanks to Nida. Yet as it connected the beast didn’t seem to respond. Eyna’s follow up with a strike to its lower jaw and even though it hit true the attack did nothing. It was almost as if the beast would seem to grin at her.

In retaliation the shadow beast raised a gigantic clawed hand and Eyna stepped back in an effort to ready herself. Her arm began to tense up, her eyebrows furrowing in a mixture of anger and focus as the start of an electric current began to flood up and down along her arm. She pulled the lightsaber back and raised her now crackling hand towards the creature right as it threw its arm in a violent swing for her. Unwavering she began to pull the hand back. Yet as she was about to let it all go the creature was torn away in a violent tug that sent it shrieking in pain. Something had seemed to sweep past them and left Eyna dumbstruck as her nerves were thrown into neutral again.

Her shoulder sunk and rose as she looked over at Nida.

“Good job.” Eyna said and nodded her head in approval. She thought she’d have gotten a smile in there but it seemed to have been drowned out by the sheer look of terror in her eyes. “Really good job.”

As Thirdas came to them, and as the savior of the day made himself known Eyna would clip the saber hilt to her belt by her back. Thurion had a tendency to be where Eyna didn’t ever really expect him to be. Then again, she didn’t really know where she expected him to be either.

“We’re fine, I think.” She said and looked at Nida and then Thirdas. “Had a close call, until you came by.”

 

[Bors Greythorne]

The remainder of their sailing downriver passed by quietly and stealthily, slipping past the capital now seized by the enemy unnoticed. It did make maneuvering the river more difficult as darkness grew more and more oppressive by the hour, but with everyone keeping as good an eye they could on their surroundings they managed to dodge any sudden rocks or other naturally occurring obstacles. Bors was at the bow still, keeping a watchful eye on the horizon. The crew spoke in hushed voices, allowing the sound of the river to drown out any man-made noise.

"I was, you know," he suddenly spoke, glancing at Thora by his side. "Once, a very long time ago, I was Lord Greythorne. And I was far too young to assume such a role; the other lords found me too naive, too idealistic. I thought that, now that I'm head of my house, I could single-handedly restore some sense of honour to the Greythorne name. I wanted to be like my friend Thrand, whose house was honoured above all others." He took a break from his vigil and sat down, taking her little hands in his to keep warm.

"You must understand, the political climate in the Eastmark is far too entangled in shadowy dealings and underhanded tactics. Greed comes easily when your entire industry is built on mining and extracting precious metals. My plans for my house were quickly shot down, and those I had thought loyal were bought off elsewhere. Of course, I would not stay a lord for long." He breathed into her hands and rubbed them gently. "After the old king died and the Usurper seized power, your great-grandfather was exiled. When I spoke in his defense, I was stripped of my house and titles. My brother was put in charge, only he was just a boy at the time. I shudder to think of the ways the poor lad was indoctrinated into the proper ways..."

At least, he hoped that was the case. He could not fathom a child being born greedy and wicked.

"I hold no love for my blood-related kin; I chose Thrand Dawnbringer as my brother. Just as I chose you and your papa," he smiled at the girl before placing a kiss upon her hands. Just as he did however, their ship came to a sudden stop as water turned to dirt under their vessel. The entire crew was rocked forward, causing several to tumble over. Bors catched Thora as she was thrust into his arms. "I guess that's our cue to jump ship," the old man chuckled.

The fleet of ships that followed made far more successful landings, coming to a stop behind them and all began unloading their men and supplies to then march the short distance over to the encampment. Northmark and Eastmark troops maintained a respectful distance from one another, one led by Bors and the other by his brother Brindal. By the time they arrived however, all were just as surprised to see so many civilians pour through the entrances. It quickly became crowded and navigating through the sea of people wasn't easy. "Hold onto my sleeve," he told Thora so they would not get separated.

Locating the Heavenshield camp, they made it through the stream of refugees and were able to put away their belongings and equipment for the time being. Upon asking a guard on the whereabouts of the Warden of the West, he was simply told he was 'not in at the moment'.

"Well... Looks like your grandfather isn't anywhere to be seen." He patted his tummy at the sight of a wild boar slowly being rotated over an open fire. "I sure as hell am starving, how 'bout you?" Seemed like the best they could do while awaiting their commander's return.

[member="Thora Heavenshield"]​

 

[Nida Perl]

Cut down one, and two would take its place—no matter how quickly they worked, the dark creatures seemed to be both endless and restless. It wasn’t until a ray of sunlight methodically swept the field, burning away the demons and sending the rest fleeing back to the capital. Nearby, a large mortal beast tore a creature’s head from it’s shoulders, startling Nida so much that she stumbled backwards into Eyna. Nearly falling onto her butt, Nida remained aloft by gripping both of Eyna’s shoulders.

It took a few moments for her to register that the winged beast was actually Skywalker, and the person she was clinging to was her friend. “Oh!” Recognition dawned in her eyes as the gryphon took care of any straggler foes, and she hoisted herself to her feet by way of her grip on Eyna. “Th-thanks.” She managed to breathe out, tucking a nervous lock of hair behind her ear. “You too. You were really cool with your lightsaber…” Honestly, she was just glad that Eyna was alright. Her heart thudded once, loudly, then sank with worry. Yes, Eyna was alright, but now Nida was frantically looking around for—

Thirdas had found him, looking a little rough but no worse for the wear. Before he even had a chance to say anything, Nida threw her arms around his neck and pressed her lips to his own, utterly overwhelmed with the relief and joy of seeing him once more to care about being embarrassed.

"You guys alright?"

On second thought, maybe there was time to be embarrassed when your boyfriend’s father showed up. Nida quickly yet reluctantly slid off of Thirdas, hoping that Thurion wouldn’t notice the very obvious scarlet flush on her face. “M-Master Heavenshield!” Once she got past the mortification, it was a comforting to have the support of such an experienced warrior. “Was that golden light you?”

[member="Thirdas Heavenshield"] | [member="Eyna"] | [member="Coci Heavenshield"]

 

[Coci Heavenshield]

It was good to be able to find amusement in these dire times, which would only get far worse before the days ended. Jericho understood the situation perfectly, all his years of duty and fighting battles for the rights of people, stayed his mind and arm. He would have run to his death had he chose otherwise, not that Coci would have allowed him to do so. But watching him sit and levitate meditating cause her to grin. It is a flaw in this master, although able to instruct others to meditate, Coci fails to put her own words into action, she much prefers to be active.

The amusement only increased when she turned and saw his children mirroring him, Cloudancer curious as to what they were doing, with a tilted head looking to see the air between snow and their bodies. However, this hesitation did not last long as Coci was approached by the refugees that Jericho had defended from the creatures before she arrived.

“Make your way to the Western Pass and onto Fridheim, you will be welcome there”. She would tell them all that stopped her as they began their journey once more, carrying what possession they could grab before fleeing Thainbroek. The looks on their faces told of the horror they escaped from, some injured fighting their way out and Coci saw to them all and tended their wounds as best she could before they moved on. This was a scene she had seen before, and it was no less heart breaking.

The time had come for them to leave as well, “[member="Jericho"]", she said softly to rouse him from his meditative state. “We must travel and regroup with the army from the west. Thurion will be with them, and he will be pleased to see you”. As soon as Jericho and his children were ready to leave, they would take up the rear-guard of the refugees and would meet up with the marching army of the Westmark. Cloudancer took to the sky and circled over head keeping vigilance.

[member="Thurion Heavenshield"] | [member="Eyna"] | [member="Nida Perl"] ​

 

[Thirdas Heavenshield]

The sheer force and passion behind the Zeltron's unexpected kiss was more than enough to completely floor Thirdas, who in turn threw his arms around her in relief they were both unscathed. In that brief moment the world around them became blurred and abstract, only to be brought back to reality the moment their lips parted ways and their eyes opened. The fact that his own father had been present became terribly obvious in a matter of split-seconds. Upon turning to face him, he found Thurion simply sitting on a nearby rock momentarily cleaning demon-remains off his blade. Skywalker had had enough of toying with the retreating hellspawns and thus returned to his father's side. Around them the soldiers fortunate enough to have survived the extended rear-guard skirmish had begun gathering any still breathing, aided by the Knights of the Guard who had only experienced minimal losses.

"We had it under control," Thirdas spoke up while rubbing the back of his neck. His father smiled and nodded. "I do not doubt it." Putting his sword away, the father embraced his youngest. "You've got some stuff on you, right here," he then mentioned, brushing off a chunk of demon leftovers that still clung to his shoulder. "It's good to see you again, Nida. Shame it's not under better circumstances," he offered her a kind smile. What surprised him the most about this trio of youngsters was the third member, his wife's recent-most discovery during her visit to Kashyyyk. "Eyna. I am glad to see you safe, it seems you've not forgotten how to handle yourself in a fight. Master Coci will be pleased."

"So Dad, what's the plan now?" Thurion's face became a look of bewilderment as he looked around, confused. "You tell me, Sergeant." He was in command of the Dawnguard forces, after all. "Master Willem! Keep a token force here and help evacuate the wounded. The rest of us make our way to the rally point, join up with Midvinter's armies. Dismissed!"

Thurion then turned to his gryphon mount and gave him a pat on his the side of his large feathery head, prompting a purr from the creature. "I don't suppose anyone's interested in travelling by gryphon?" Thirdas was more than a little giddy to finally give it a go, but one glance over at Nida had him put a lid on his boyish excitement. "Thanks, but... we'll take the shuttle," he replied and put his arm around her. Thurion shrugged and leapt back on Skywalker's back while the others boarded one of the shuttles carrying refugees. "I'll see you kids back at the encampment. Let's go, boy!" With a piercing cry Skywalker took flight to provide escort for their shuttle as it takes off as well.

During their short trip back to camp, Thirdas managed to find a quiet spot for him and Nida to sit together in the corner on the hard floor as all the seats were taken by people who needed them far worse. He slumped down on the floor before pulling her down to sit across his lap, and all through the ride he held her close, both arms around her tightly. The battle had been brief but intense, and no matter the extent of the conflict it always made one very aware of the things one stands to lose in case the worst should happen. Today Thirdas had not lost her, but what about tomorrow, when the fate of all Midvinter is to be determined?

It was his turn to kiss her this time, leaning in until their noses touch before their lips find each other.

It took only a short while until they'd reached their destination. Neither was in any hurry to leave just yet, and waited for the rest to disembark. Only then did he relent, letting her get up off the floor and pull him up as well. Upon exiting, the two joined Eyna in the hustle and bustle of an entire army camp full at work erecting more defenses, expanding their compound for all the new and unexpected arrivals.

Thurion, meanwhile, had already made for the Heavenshield section of the camp, hoping to find his wife or any other family there.

[member="Coci Heavenshield"] | [member="Nida Perl"] | [member="Eyna"] | [member="Alva Heavenshield"] | [member="Jericho"]​

 

[Eyna]

[member="Thirdas Heavenshield"] // [member="Coci Heavenshield"] // [member="Nida Perl"]

A long exhale passed Eyna’s lips as she watched Nida and Thirdas reunite again. There was a sense of relief that spread across the field but she couldn’t quite shake the apprehensive feeling of knowing what could have happened should she have managed to set off the attack that Thurion had ever so swiftly cut off. While the shuttle arrived before them she continued to give Nida and Thirdas their space. There were no real words that Eyna could care to share at this point or any wisdom that she knew how to impart. All there was as they boarded that shuttle was a hefty dose of confusion and a distant stare out the window and at the people down below.

These gifts or curses that she had within her always manifested in moments of severe stress and fear. To say that Eyna knew how to control the current that swallowed her was a bit of a misrepresentation but she didn’t really know how to explain that to the others. The anger and fear that caused the Force to gather around her had always felt like it was something she’d just do, like an impulse or like breathing. She tore the flow from wherever it was towards her and demanded its obedience as she wrapped her hands around its throat to grasp at it in a chokehold that could only last so long before she had to throw it at her enemy and immerse herself in the urge to fight for her own survival again. It wasn’t right, some part of her knew that it wasn’t, but it was the only way that she could possibly even comprehend how she did it, there was no other alternative.

So, sure, Master Coci would be pleased, but Eyna wasn’t. It was like she was stuck in an implanted memory all over again, just a scar that had been cut deep into her subconscious mind that bled into the conscious. It wasn’t controlled, Eyna had never felt right after having recovered from whatever it was that she had done. But still she knew that in the moment, when that shadowed venom trickled down the creases of her mind there was a sense of freedom that was ever so invigorating and with it came a certain sense of catharsis that was even harder to explain. She thrived in her hatred, in many regards knew little more than her hatred, yet she wanted to let it go.

Eyna glanced at the saber hilt as she unclipped it from her belt and held it before her. It rested heavily in her wide open hand and she slowly began to curl her fingers around it. For a second she felt the pain spike against the back of her mind again much like it always did when she found her memory triggers. Words swept in and out of her conscious mind, distorting what seemed to be real and what wasn’t. Passion, strength, power, victory, and the force, all intertwined with vivid imagery of a soldier, saber in hand, cutting down a platoon of soldiers with a precision that none would consider natural.

It was clear that something hada hurt her, yet Eyna tried to hide it. She lowered the saber and dragged her hand along the side of her head to push against the headache that seemed to throb by her temples as she stepped out of the shuttle. Something about those words were very dear to her father. The mere idea that he could even feel such a thing sent a wide crack crushing against Eyna’s heart as she pushed further into her mind.

“There is no peace,” She whispered under her breath. “Only passion.”

The pain spiked up and threw the girl out of her own mind again. A shivering hand reached up to touch against the pain that throbbed against her head. What did that even mean? Her vision blurred for a second as her balance began to give way. Shaking herself awake again Eyna came to just in time to keep herself from falling.

What… Had just happened, again? She looked over at Thirdas and then Nida.

… How was she here?

Where was here?

 

[Nina Heavenshield]

https://youtu.be/K67iR6fKFJA​

She wasn't supposed to peek, but she did. She looked up at her most precious friend and companion for so many years now, sitting with his legs crossed in a deep state of meditation. A symphony of humming had been all she could hear for a while now, though she had no desire for it to stop as perfect harmonies graced her ears. This was how the Beorni prepared for war, for they did not share the love of it as their Valkyri brethren always had; rather than celebrating an upcoming battle, the Beorni mourned the need to fight it to begin with. Thus the extended period of prayer and introspection, and as Nina looked around her she witnessed hundreds of their kind sitting together in a large circle several ranks deep. To the woman once so timid and shy, she could not help but so greatly admire the pacifist outlook on life. That all life was inherently sacred.

They must have drawn many looks from passersby going about their business, sitting around finding peace in such a hectic environment; in the Beorni section of the great camp, there were no hammers striking anvils or orders being passed around. It was quiet and uneventful, for what difference could such hasty preparations make that the Spirits did not already account for? All they could do was present themselves to the coming storm, and weather it as best they could. If the Spirits willed them to lose, no amount of preparations would make any sort of impact.

Then, suddenly, the humming died off one voice after another, and [member="Arnor Oathsworn"]'s black eyes opened. To his right Nina had partaken in the extensive prayer, and as the other members of his kind one by one stirred from their state of meditation she scooted closer and hugged his thick, fluffy arm. Arnor gently leaned down and nuzzled the top of her head with his long snout, prompting a giggle from his little friend. And the two just sat there for a while, caring nothing for the occasional odd looks they drew. Nina placed a kiss on the white fur of his forearm; even as Arnor made her laugh, she was still afraid.

"Papa?" She looked up to witness the unmistakable sight of the gryphon and its rider descend from the skies, soon followed by several shuttles coming from the north. His presence was strong to her, having spent her entire upbringing by his side, but she also felt the presence of her youngest brother Thirdas. She hadn't even noticed she was now on her feet, still dwarfed by the sitting Arnor who simply gave her a soft nod, knowing she wished to see them. Nina returned the nod and smiled, before she turned and made for the Heavenshield camp. By now there were as many civilians within the encampment as there were armed soldiers, and those wounded were already filling up the triage centers. "By the Force..."

[member="Coci Heavenshield"] | [member="Alva Heavenshield"] | [member="Nida Perl"] | [member="Jericho"] | [member="Eyna"]​

 

[Alva Heavenshield]

Alva sank into her saddle as an officer came out to meet them. The darkness was growing, but she was ever thankful for the light of the torches—small be the flames, it was enough to hold the shadow at bay... for now. She would be relieved to find the room that had been made ready for her in camp, but she wanted to stay glued to her grandfather's side.

Dismounting as he did, she smiled at his remark about long rides—and she stretched, too. But her attention was soon drawn towards the march of refugees from Thainbroek. It was a heavy dose of reality, and Alva swallowed the lump in her throat that clung there like a stone. She listened, wide-eyed, to the woman give her account of the situation in the capital.

It was grave.

Next thing, [member="Thurion Heavenshield"] was already in motion. She wanted to reach out, to tell him not to go, but duty called – for both of them.

“Come, come – this way!” she called as loud as she could, her voice cracking.

Up ahead, there were large white tents. Some were bound to house soldiers, no doubt, but they'd find room to keep the refugees safe. This was the sort of work her mother did during her time with the Order, many had been resettleddue to her efforts. Following in her footsteps, Alva tried to walk a bit taller. Finding the same officer that had greeted them, she helped make arrangements for the men, women, and children that would call the camp their temporary home. Alva knew that a stretch of canvas was hardly a home, but it was much better than none at all.

She tried to comfort those that walked under the tent, offering reassuring smiles and pats on the arm, but the looks on their faces were heartbreaking. They'd witnessed a terrible sight, and Alva wondered if those images were burned there in their eyes forevermore. She blinked, watching as the last began to settle in. They would get through this, the Valkyri spirit was strong—unbreakable.

Alva wiped her brow when there was a moment to breathe, and her eyes shifted back towards the Heavenshield camp. Weary feet brought her in that direction, perhaps grandfather was back now.

She hoped so.

[member="Nina Heavenshield"] | [member="Coci Heavenshield"] | [member="Jericho"] | [member="Nida Perl"] | [member="Eyna"]

 

[Jericho]

Whilst in his meditivated state the warrior gathered the energies of the force around him, it had lit him lightly a crescent glow took hold over him, embodying him as well as empowering him. Despite the cold, the warrior and his children only felt warmth and the presence of everyone around him. He had to admit to himself that he was tunnelled vision on the battle at hand. There were usually others just as skilled if not more so than he in the art of healing which allowed him to focused on fight thought it had become a flaw to him. Luckily [member="Coci Heavenshield"] was there at that point in time to focus on those lagging behind, in truth his mind was set on continuing on with just the four of them, waiting for the main forces to attack first then flanking with his power. This was not to be the case, not too long after getting into the mindset; Coci gentle woke him from his state calling out his name. "Right." The warrior answered her with a nod. It would be nice to see Thurion once more, though in less troubling times. The warrior then lowered from levitation, his feet touching the ground once more only to make way following the lead of Coci; as did the children.

 

[Coci Heavenshield]

The first sign of their arrival to camp was a riderless Cloudancer soring overhead, letting out a long loud screech, it was answered by Skywalker. Coci and Jericho walked into the camp behind the long line of refugees exhausted from their flight from the capital. The army that gathered around them fell silent, giving them room to pass through the lines of tents, and noticed their faces that held a look of loss and sadness, and bewilderment. They were directed to the far end of camp where they could rest and eat before they begin their journey west to safety and a new life.

It was only now could Coci let out a breath that took tension away from her body, and in the distance, she could see the high flag of the Heavenshield tents. He was here, she could sense him, and he was safe and well. It would only be a moment of respite, knowing what lay ahead of them come the rise of the dawn. So, she would spend the night as if it was her last on this snow-covered earth. By now, Coci was hungry and tired and no doubt so was [member="Jericho"] and his children.

“Up ahead”, she informed Jericho, as she pointed to the gold and blue tents of the Thurion’s guards. There were other familiar presences through the force, Thirdas and Nida, and Eyna and Alva. They had made it safely, she hoped. But she could not sense the presences of Théo, not that he was expected yet, but a deeper search would have found him. But nothing.

Coci approached one of the guards, he informed her Thurion was to be found in his tent, yet as she entered, he was not there. Exhausted as she was, she needed to see him, speaking to him about what was going, to find out more of what he knew of Thyrian and Thainbroek. She had heard nothing more since the initial message and a day had passed since them.

“Please inform Lord Heavenshield that I have arrived”.

[member="Thurion Heavenshield"] | [member="Eyna"] | [member="Nida Perl"] | [member="Alva Heavenshield"]​

 

[Thurion Heavenshield]

"And there you go, all patched up!"

The little boy watched with great interest as the tall one-eyed man put a band-aid around his small pinky to cover up a bruise, it didn't hurt very much but while mommy was resting the nice man thought to dress up his little scratch as well. He then giggled when Thurion gave his hair a good ruffle and the doctor licked his thumb before rubbing it against his cheek to remove a speck of dirt. "You're a very brave young man to bring your mother here all by yourself. She will be with you again soon, just let her rest for now, okay?" The lad offered a shy nod, too young to realise or process the danger of the situation.

Shelters and healing centers had been set up all over the encampment to tend to the sea of civilian refugees, and the Heavenshield camp was no different. While awaiting the arrival of his beloved, Thurion had not been idle and took up a duty he had not held for years ever since [member="Valae Heavenshield"] filled his shoes over at Eirin's Reach. After his defeat at the hands of the Crone and the subsequent illness it brought, he'd not had either energy or the will to heal others. But that was then, and he would not rest while his people suffered.

Leaving the child to sit by his mother's side, he turned to lay eyes on she who had kept him strong through their decades of marriage. Dropping the towel he'd used to clean the blood off his hands, he took off in her direction and did not stop until she was in his arms again, throwing them around her to never let go. Already his hope was restored. "I came as soon as I could," he spoke past her ear as they embraced. "It's been a long march." He pulled back just to rest his forehead against hers, taking in her presence.

"Thank the gods you're safe." Thurion leaned in to place his lips upon hers, wishing they could stay like this forever. But the looming battle weighed on everyone's minds and could not be shaken, and so when their kiss ended he could not mask his worry. "Thyrian, he... We haven't learned anything new. He is alive, though. I know he is, because my heart is not yet broken." His gaze turned to north towards the capital, now in ruins and shrouded in darkness. "The first city of my kind - the birthplace of my father, my ancestors... It's all gone, Coci. All these people," he gestured to the camp in general, "they look to me for strength, but... I cannot help but despair."

At that moment a horn blasted in the distance, the sound of it unlike any the Valkyri were accustomed to. It was enough to make Thurion turn in surprise, and taking Coci by the hand they made for the southern entrance of the encampment.

https://youtu.be/KGFMxxGuUFg​

The strange sound had not gone unnoticed as many, civilian and soldier alike, had gathered to witness what was about to take place. Rank upon rank of elven warriors marched in perfect unison through the gates, arriving in ever-increasing number. They marched past everyone until the last of their ranks had entered, then abruptly stopped and turned to the right, presenting themselves to the Lord Commander and his wife. "At ease, men!" Only now did the unmistakable pair upon their winged steeds appear before them, the Queen of Averlorn and her consort.

"Ho there, Uncle! I hear there's a battle to be had!" His nephew Thrand dismounted and walked up to him, hand outstretched for a greeting. Instead Thurion pulled him in for a firm embrace. "You could not have come at a better time, Nephew," he told him with a big grin. As the Aelvar queen approached, Thurion took a knee with his head bowed. "Your Grace. I can never hope to repay you."

[member="Coci Heavenshield"] | [member="Alva Heavenshield"] | [member="Eyna"] | [member="Nida Perl"] | [member="Jericho"]​

 

[Eyna]

[member="Thurion Heavenshield"] // [member="Coci Heavenshield"] // [member="Coci Heavenshield"] // [member="Nida Perl"]

Falling apart on the battlefield was no way to be. Eyna’s glance over at Thirdas and Nida was followed by a turn on her heel and a continued clueless glance around her. She could see banners that she didn’t know that were flying colors which had no importance to her. There were knights in armor, with swords at hand and squires treating their injuries as best they could. Some seemed to stare into the distance like the hollowed husks of the person they had once been while others seemed far more determined than they ever had been. They had lost their homes, their livelihoods, and they weren’t about to give that up in a hurry.

Out of all the colors that seemed to pass Eyna by there was really only the one that she felt herself gravitate towards whether by choice or not. It was blue with golden details and a lion. House Heavenshield was by all accounts her house now, at least from Eyna’s interpretation of the local customs. Or maybe she was a guest and had no real house. In reality it made no difference, but for a moment it had her thinking about something else which was a nice break from panicking over what had happened between now and whatever had happened when she had stepped out of that shuttle with Thirdas and Nida on the battlefield.

However, as Eyna approached the tent she found herself cut off by the arrival of someone else. Her attention set on them and then Thurion who talked to a supposed nephew. As it was clear they knew each other Eyna’s attention set on Coci, the person that she had really wanted to find. The question that lingered at the back of the girl’s mind remained, but to best of the ability she tried to signal to Coci that it had happened again and that she didn’t really know what to do with herself.

Naturally, whatever it was could wait. The loss of her short-term memory was nothing new from what they had already found. In moments of prolonged stress or outright fear it was almost as if her mind tried to cycle the bad memories out and keep her going.

Looking as clueless as ever she approached Coci.

“What’s going on?” She asked and looked at the Aelvar. “How many people does Thurion know?”

 

[Thora Heavenshield]

At the mention of food, Thora’s stomach replied for her. She was very hungry, in fact she could not remember the last meal she had, it seemed so long ago and well forgotten. But her stomach was in knots, she was not supposed to be here and so far away from her mama and papa and in this moment not only did she miss them but felt the pang of shame for disobeying them. Thora did not know of war, in the sense of experience, but she did know about what can happened and that now played on her mind. What if something happened to her or to her parent and she never got to see them again?

Her mind took her home, to the place in which she felt the most safest, where she belonged and as these thoughts filled her, she let go of Bors’ sleeve walking as if in a trance. Overhead, the cry of the gryphon echoed down among the sea of people. From the markings of the feather fur she knew it to be Cloudancer, which meant that her grandmama was here, so too would be grandpapa and although this thought would always bring joy to her heart, it did not in this moment. They would not be happy she was here now.

Thora was about the cross over the main path through the line of tents, the banner of the Heavenshield flying about them, and she was going to find her grandparents and face the music. The sounding of the horn broke her ‘trance’ which was good for she was about to be trodden on by a large war steed that carried a warrior from the Aelvar, he was the first to arrive, the guard of the Queen and right behind him she rode by on a winged horse. She looked for her cousin, Thrand, he was right beside his wife and Thora smiled at how grand he looked in his armour. She almost raised her arm to wave at him, get his attention, but she didn’t. The moment did not seem right to do such a thing. Like so many that gathered to see them arrive, she waited for them all to pass before moving on to the cooking camp.

“Bors?”, she took his hand once more. “I think I should lay low for a while, I don’t want to worry my family unnecessarily”. In part that was true, but the real truth was that she was afraid of them being angry and cause them distraction away from the true importance of what they all come here to do.

After all, she was still just a child of Midvinter.

https://youtu.be/_JYKNqvsbKw​

[member="Bors Greythorne"] | [member="Nida Perl"] | [member="Alva Heavenshield"] | [member="Jericho"] | [member="Eyna"]​

 

[Théodred Heavenshield]

The twinkling of the dawn filtered through the tops of the forest in which the men and women of the Northmark camped. At some point through the night, Théo returned to his tent but not to sleep but to pour over the map of Midvinter. He knew his uncle was captive inside the capital no doubt held in torturous conditions and holding up as best he could against the terror of the Crone and whatever she had had planned for him. This rankled Théo more than anything that he would come to face in the battle to come.

The flap of his tent was thrown open and in walked his commanders that would lead his forces under his orders. This would be a different battle for Théo, he stood with then as equals in ability and skill, not with the Force to help him. It did not matter anymore; the threat of death was upon them all equally as well.

“We move to this position and hold”, he pointed to the map, a place north of Thainbroek on the lea side of a rise that would hide their presence from eyes from the walls of the capital. Soon, he would be contacted by his father for the war council, he would appear through the means of holodisplay to hear the plans for the initial attack. “Gerlton, I want you and your men to take up the flank on the right, Yulga your unit and the Shieldmaidens the left flank .. the rest will form up the main attack unit under the command of Goran and with you will be the archers ”.

Each commander nodded their understanding, Théo turned to Bronel, a dirty cutthroat of a fight the likes of which Théo had ever met and just perfect for what he had in mind. “You will be with me, I want you to find three others you trust to come with me to the city. I know that place like the back of my hand, and every inch of the Grand Hall, if it still stands. We will enter the Grand Hall and rescue the King”. There is not one place in Thainbroek Théo does not know, all it’s back ways, houses and the underground tunnels that lead to the cellars and through them they will get to the dungeons.

“When the main army charges we will be with you, however we will peel off and head to the northern wall”. Once the battle commences, it would be the distraction they needed to get in unseen. He knew a passage only few knew of and he doubted that the Crone and her horde would have discovered it.

He stood from the table, “We march in one hour, be ready”.

[member="Thurion Heavenshield"] | [member="Nida Perl"] | [member="Eyna"] | [member="Jericho"] | [member="Alva Heavenshield"]​