Rendyl wandered down the street in a daze, holding the old book she had taken from the major library in her arms. Master was dead, Eliona was in critical condition, House Solaris was in an uproar over who was to succeed Master Drakus, and she was left in the dangerous position of being head of the Solaris Guard as an Akeshan. The nobles were cordial at best, downright hostile at worst. No one was giving her the time of day unless she threatened arrest for obstruction of Solaris business....The House guard stopped short of a bench beside the street, eyes staring but unseeing [color=f9ad81]“Master, you always knew the right words. How am I to keep my world together when you were all that was in it…?”[/color]

It had been a week since the tower incident. The scene had been a disaster area, dead and dying in the streets, survivors and rescuers running around trying to make sense of it all, and the threat of war between the north and south was a real possibility. Rendyl had spent her time locking down her emotions in leu of assisting in the effort to save lives, and once Eliona had been recovered alive, had dedicated herself to tending the woman. Most of the Solaris entourage had been injured at best and they had started gathering around their Lord’s personal guard for direction, as well as Abbi in a strange set of plate armor, whom was barking orde*.

They had secured a means of travelling home quickly by order of the wyvern rider, and once there, the real trouble began. Who would succeed Lord Drakus? Who was in charge until one was decided? Rendyl shook her head slowly, ponding on those same two questions as she had for over two days now…

[color=goldenrod][i]”Get up, servant. You were not given permission to sit. Stand, and fulfill your promise to me. Defend me and uphold my goals as your own. What use are you as my personal guard if you cannot do even that?”[/i][/color]

Rendyl shot up suddenly from her hunched position on the bench. She didn’t remember sitting down, but the voice of Drakus sounded so real that it gave her a start. She looked around, and upon confirming being alone, looked back down to the book in her hands. Master always wanted power. He hammered into her early that strength will make your goals happen, be it strength of arm or of the mind. This book was going to help her with the latter, and she needed to gather more of the former.

She stood and with an ember that the avian thought long dead flaring to life, she took off back to the castle, clutching that old book tightly...