Sky Riders: The Rising Sun
Sorrow and Celebration

It was the coldest morning of the year. The soldiers’breaths hung on the air in a thick fog every time they breathed, but nobodyseemed to notice. All eyes were on the endless rows of bodies laid out on thefrozen earth before them.

The soldiers had done as Eliana had asked. Red and black uniformsnow rested in neat rows, alongside the green and brown. Each soldier from botharmies had their arms crossed over their chests, their eyes closed in repose.In all, there were four hundred and twenty-seven dead—seventy-six elves andthree hundred and fifty-one humans.

The bodies nearly covered half of the practice fieldsoutside of Amiscan, but it didn’t truly matter. In the elven way of burial,there were no graves left. The bodies returned entirely to the earth. Caelumhad told her how, so that she could be a part of it.

The elf captain stood beside her now, her dragon on herother side, and he stepped forward. Quietly, he said, “Let us return our peopleto the earth from whence they came.”

Eliana and the surviving troops all raised a hand towardsthe lines of bodies. The Rider placed a hand on Oriens’ shoulder, and she felthis magic tingling beneath her skin, flowing through her. She stared ahead ofher at one of the dead human soldiers—the one she had killed—and pushed hermagic outwards towards him.

Slowly, the four hundred and twenty-seven bodies began tosink into the earth, as if it were quicksand. Flesh, uniforms, weapons, andall, the human and elven soldiers were absorbed by the soil beneath them. Aftera few minutes, nothing but snow-covered grass remained. The army continuedstaring at the spot in silence for a moment, then began to move away.

Caelum remained at her side, and he put a warm arm aroundher, pulling her closer to him.

“Is that really it?” she asked quietly. “No memorial? No markers?No graves?”

“It is our way, Eliana,” he answered. “We draw our magicfrom the earth, and so it is to the earth that we return when our own magic hasleft us. They may be gone, and there may be no marker, but they will be with usstill—as they are a part of the earth, so they become a part of us, as we drawour magic from it.”

She sighed, considering this. “I suppose it is beautiful, inits own way.”

He gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze. “What is trulybeautiful is that you have convinced elves to lay humans to rest in the elvenway, beside their own kin. I don’t know that that has ever been done before inall of the history of Paerolia.”

“They didn’t seem too happy with me when I suggested it,”she said quietly.

He sighed. “Give them some time, Eliana. The only thing mostof them know about humans is that they’re supposed to hate them.”

“I know,” she said. She thought of Oriens’ earlier words andreminded herself that she, too, was human. “Then why do they not hate me?” sheasked.

“To them, you’re just our Rider—an elf as much as they are.But this is a good first step, Eliana. Perhaps this burial will mark a newbeginning for them, a change in their perspective.”

“They can’t just beginto change their minds, Caelum,” she said, feeling a determination filling herchest. “If this war is ever going to end, we need to change their minds now. We are going to need to fight sideby side with the humans who are willing to join us. We can’t continue to believeevery human is an enemy. We can’t continue to hate.”

He was silent for a moment, then he wrapped his other armaround her and pulled her close so that her back was pressed against his chest.“That is why we have you, Eliana,” he whispered in her ear, “to teach usbetter.”

A bitter taste filled her mouth and his words. “How? Youknow why I killed that man. How can I teach anyone to be better?”

He seemed to consider this question for a moment, restinghis chin on her shoulder. “I know you believe your own words, Eliana, even ifyou are still struggling to make them true in your heart. We will celebratetonight,” he finally said. “The mourning has ended and we can now rejoice inour victory. You can speak to them then—tell them what you told me. They willlisten.”

“How do you know?”

“Because they love you, Eliana. You are their Rider, theirprotector. They trust your judgment. If they didn’t, they wouldn’t have buriedthe humans as they did. They will hear what you have to say.” He released hishold on her and took a step back, leaving her feeling cold again. “For now, weshould head back to the village.”

She shook her head, still looking at the unmarked groundbefore her. “You go ahead. I know you have things to take care of. I’d like tostay here a while longer.”

She could feel his blue eyes on her, studying her, wonderingif it was wise to leave her alone. At last, he nodded. “Very well. You knowwhere to replace me if you need anything.”

Eliana gave a nod of acknowledgment and listened to hisfootsteps crunching on the snow until they faded. She forced her own frozenfeet forward, to the place where the green-eyed man had been taken back intothe earth. With a sigh, she knelt in the snow.

She pressed her hand down, through the freezing powder,until she touched the hard ground. “Forgiveme,” she thought, praying that somehow the man’s spirit would hear her. “Forgive me for what I have done to you. AndI swear, I will remember you. I will remember the anger and hate I felt when Itook your life, and I will remember you as I try to erase that hate from ourland—and from my own heart. I will always remember you. I swear it.”

She could feel Oriens listening silently, touching heremotions, trying to make sense of them. She knew it was difficult for him. Hewas a dragon, and he didn’t understand her sorrow at taking a life, though hetried as best he could.

Eliana sighed and stood again. “I wish I could know his name,” she thought.

“What you have done tohonor him and his fellow soldiers is enough, Eliana,” Oriens replied. “You must forgive yourself.”

She nodded slowly. “Perhapssomeday I can. Someday, when I make restitution for what I did. And it willbegin in Vereor.”

“When are you going totell Caelum your plans?” the dragon asked.

She shrugged silently. She had not yet told the elf abouther plans of going to Vereor to replace Ater. She knew he wouldn’t be happy withthe idea. Despite what he had said about believing her to be capable ofprotecting herself, she knew that he still would not allow her to freely waltzinto Emperor Corpanis’ palace.

“I suppose I’ll telleveryone tonight,” she replied. “Theyall deserve to know before I leave. If I don’t return, they should know whytheir Rider left them.”

~*~

A large bonfire blazed in the middle of the snowy expansebetween the mountains and Amiscan. Shouts and laughter echoed around thevillage as the soldiers danced together. Some of the elves had brought theirinstruments to the outpost, and they were now stirring the elves into anuncontrollable frenzy with their music.

The dancing was much freer in Amiscan than it was at thefeasts Eliana had attended in Iterum. Bodies were pressed close together, andmany couples began to kiss passionately in the middle of the dancing. It was anenthralling sight for the Rider, who stood alone on the outskirts of thecelebration.

Oriens had left just as the fire was being lit. “I can’t stand parties,” he’d told herwith a laugh. Then he’d flown off to hunt until the festivities ended.

Eliana heard footsteps crunch on the snow behind her. “Whydon’t you join them?” she asked without turning around. She knew who it was.There was only one presence that could make her heart beat so painfully in herchest.

Caelum moved to stand beside her, smiling softly in thefirelight. “I suppose I am not quite as wild as my fellow soldiers.”

“Ah, I see,” she muttered with a nod. “The captain is toogood to celebrate with his underlings.”

He laughed, catching the joke in her voice. “And what of theRider, eh?” he retorted. “Common elves not good enough to be your dancingpartners?”

She smirked and shook her head. “Just thinking.”

“About what you’ll say to them?”

“Yes,” she answered with a short nod. “I need them tounderstand that it can’t be about blood anymore. There is so much more to thisfight than humans and elves. There has tobe.”

Caelum shrugged and sighed, “Well, I suppose now is as gooda time as any.”

She looked up in confusion and saw him raise his fingers tohis lips. He whistled loudly, startling her. The music immediately stopped andthe elves turned their heads towards the captain and the Rider who stood besidehim. Many of them still embraced their dancing partners.

“Our Rider has something to say!” Caelum called. He pressed ahand gently and firmly against her back, and gave her a slight push forward.

She stared at the hundreds of pairs of eyes, which were allwatching her expectantly. She swallowed, wishing Oriens were there to tell herwhat to say again. Then she took a breath and began, “My friends, I want toexpress my gratitude to you for the respect you showed the fallen humans. Iknow that… many of you probably did not understand my wish to bury them withthe elves. But…”

“Speak up,” Caelum whispered at her back.

She raised her voice, forcing it to sound confident. “But wecannot continue to believe that every human is our enemy. If that is true, then…half of me is your enemy. My father was a human, and he was one of the greatestmen I ever knew. He loved my mother deeply, and she was an elf.

“My parents cast aside the hatred they’d been taught, and mywish is that we can now do the same. Because we need the humans to be ourallies. We need to rearrange this battle. It is my belief that there are manyhumans who would join us, and it is my intention to replace them.

“I will go to Vereor and other cities and villages. I willreplace those who will fight with us. But I cannot do that unless you are willingto accept them.”

They were all listening with rapt attention now, ready tohear what she had to say. “If you wish to fight beside me, your Rider, then youmust be willing to fight beside human soldiers. You must be willing to dieprotecting your human brothers, as I am willing to die to protect each of you.Are you willing to make that sacrifice?”

A unified cheer rose up from the crowd, and Eliana smiled,her spirits lifting. She spoke loudly and confidently now, “Then together, wecan bring down the emperor and end the hatred he spreads throughout the land! Iwill go to Vereor. I will replace our brother Ater and I will bring him home withour human brothers. Then together, we will end this war!”

There were cheers and applause, accompanied by the chantingof “Veholum! Veholum!” Eliana smiled to herself. They were ready, she thought.They would join with the humans when the time came. And she would fight for allof them—human and elf. She was certain of it.

The music started up again and the elves return to theircelebrating with more jubilation than before. It was then that Eliana couldfeel Caelum’s eyes on her neck. He had remained silent, but she could almostfeel the anger pulsating from him. She turned slowly to face him and found theelf watching her with a stony glare.

“What do you meanyou’re going to replace Ater?” he hissed.

Before she could answer, a pair of strong arms grabbed herfrom behind, lifting her off the ground and spinning her in the air. When herfeet had been returnd to the solid earth, she turned and looked up into Iocus’smiling face.

“Vereor, eh?” he asked with a laugh. “Sounds like quite anadventure! Are you going alone?”

“She’s not going at all,” Caelum interrupted, taking a steptowards Iocus, who still had his hands on Eliana’s waist.

Iocus frowned, looking down at the Rider again. “You’renot?”

Eliana scowled at Caelum. “Yes, I am.”

Iocus glanced back and forth, between his Rider and hiscaptain, as they glared at each other in silence. At last, the soldier gave anawkward laugh, letting his arms come away from the girl’s waist.

“Alright then,” he said. He held out a hand towards her.“Would you like to dance, Eliana?”

She glanced at Iocus’ extended hand, then out at the dancingsilhouettes, which were all pressed close together. The memory of Iocus’ quickand frantic kisses across her face filled her mind for a moment. She turned hereyes briefly to Caelum, who looked both angry and stunned.

Eliana turned back to Iocus with an apologetic smile. “Thankyou,” she said, “but I’m not much of a dancer.”

He smiled and shrugged, letting his hand drop to his side.“Let me know if you change your mind,” he said, then he turned and went to joinhis dancing comrades.

She watched him go, then turned sharply back to Caelum. “I’mgoing,” she said firmly.

“You think I’m going to let you enter the emperor’s palace?”he snapped, fighting to keep his voice low, to not let the celebrating elveshear. “Why do you insist on trying toget yourself killed?”

Eliana glanced around them, then grabbed Caelum firmly bythe wrist and pulled him between a pair of huts, away from the elves’ eyes.“Ater has been taken!” she hissed, when they were away from anyone’s hearing.“Don’t you understand what that means, Caelum?”

“Of course I do,” he answered angrily. “He is either beingtortured for information, or he is supplying it willingly.”

“And you will just leave him in their hands then? You willeither let him die there, or you will let him share Iterum’s secrets? I have togo after him!”

“Eliana, you can’t do this! It’s stupid and reckless”

She grit her teeth and folded her arms across her chest,glaring angrily. “Iocus thinks I can do it,” she muttered angrily. A fireseemed to spark in Caelum’s eyes at the mention of the soldier’s name, but shedidn’t let him interrupt her. “I’m tired of you thinking so little of me,Caelum! I am more capable than you think I am, and if you won’t help me getAter back, Iocus will.”

Eliana turned sharply on her heel and started back towardsthe dancing masses. If Iocus wanted to dance with her, she would let him dancewith her. If he wanted to kiss her, she would let him kiss her. She didn’t careanymore.

Caelum’s strong hand grabbed her firmly around the wrist,forcing her to turn and face him again. “You’re not really going to go afterhim are you?” he asked, looking stunned at the idea.

She jerked way from his hand angrily. “What does it matterto you?” she snapped.

He looked hurt and angry at her harsh words. “How can younot know that he is attracted to you?” he demanded.

Eliana met his gaze with hard, flat eyes. “You reallybelieve that I don’t know, Caelum?” she asked quietly.

He blinked at her. “And… and you’re still going to go afterhim?” he asked disbelievingly. “Eliana, it’s Iocus, for the gods’ sakes!”

“And?”

“And he— He’s… He’s not nearly good enough for you!”

She scoffed and rolled her eyes. “So that’s you’re onlyobjection then?” she asked quietly. “Because if it is, I’m going to replace himanyways.”

Eliana paused for a moment, waiting for an answer, silentlypraying that he would stop her. She knew that there was something betweenthem—there had to be. It couldn’tjust be her. Everything that had occurred between them, it couldn’t meannothing. Caelum was glancing around frantically, as if searching thesurrounding trees for his answer.

At last, Eliana sighed and shook her head. “For once in yourlife, Caelum,” she whispered, turning away from him, “can’t you just tell methe truth about something?” She began to walk quietly away.

“I’m jealous!” he shouted at her back.

The words made her halt immediately, and she turned to facehim. “What?” she breathed, hardly believing she could have heard him right.

Caelum took several quick steps forward until he was onceagain standing in front of her. He took a breath, pushing both hands throughhis short, blonde hair and repeated, “I’m jealous, Eliana.”

“Of Iocus?” she asked with a shake of her head. “Why?”

“Because I— I don’t know! I just… I hate the way he looks atyou—like you’re some trophy he wantsto add to his collection. And he doesn’t… he doesn’t have to try to hide theway he feels about you, like…” He gave a furious shout, his expression one ofnear pain.

“I’m so sick ofthis!” he cried, throwing his hands into the air. He stepped up to her andgrabbed her upper arms, staring intently down into her eyes. His expression wasfrantic, desperate, pleading. “I’m sick of fighting, trying to hide the way I feelabout you. Ever since I pulled you out of the river that first day, you’vecompletely bewitched me. I didn’t mean for it to happen. I didn’t want it to happen, but it did. And nowevery time I’m around you, I feel completely unhinged!

“You have so much control over me and I hate it, but I never it to end! I can’t make any sense of the way Ifeel when I’m with you. And I know Ishouldn’t have these feelings for you, because you’re a Rider, and we both haveresponsibilities and my feelings for you just complicate things but…”

He sighed, still looking down at her bewildered expression.“I’m so tired of fighting it, Eliana. Because I can’t stop thinking about you.Not for a moment. And I can’t keep pretending that I don’t… that I don’t carefor you as deeply as I do…”

Eliana stared at him for a long moment, trying to make senseof what he had said. She had felt something between them. She had prayed thatit was not only her. As much as she had hoped he felt something for her, shehad not expected this—this frantic, desperate confession. This was Caelum—wonderful, perfect, unreachableCaelum. Could he have really said those things to her?

“Caelum, I…” She trailed off. She couldn’t seem to fitenough air in her lungs to form a complete sentence. It felt as if she hadtaken a heavy blow to the chest, and the air had been forced out of her.“Caelum, I don’t—.”

Slowly, she saw the mask begin to fall back into place. Thehundreds of emotions that had danced in his eyes began to recede, replaced by aflat, stony expression. He gave a short nod and released her arms, taking astep backwards. “I understand,” he said without inflection. “You’re a Rider.You have more important things to worry about than this. I’m sorry I saidanything.”

And he turned away. She stared after him for a few, franticheartbeats. Then she found her breath again.

“No!” she shouted at his back.

His head snapped around to face her, and the mask hadshattered. Her single word had sent it crumbling away, and she could see the achinghope in his eyes—the same hope that she felt. She took several long stridesbefore she stood in front of him again. She grabbed his tunic with both hands,forcing him to stay in front of her, to face her. She would not allow him toturn away from her again—not at a moment like this.

“Why are you so completely dense, Caelum?” she shouted. Sheknew that what she was trying to say would not come across well if she wasshouting it, but for some reason she couldn’t stop herself. “How could you everthink I have something more important to worry about? And how could you ever think you had reason to envy Iocus?You couldn’t possibly begin to even imagine what you mean to me! Next toOriens, you are the most important person in my life, and you are a fool if youcould ever even think that—!”

She didn’t get to finish her sentence. Caelum grabbed herroughly around the waist and pulled her to him. His lips collided with hers,silencing her midsentence. She released her firm grip on his tunic and let herhands slide up to the back of his neck.

She felt him smile against her mouth as she laced herfingers into his moonlit hair, pulling his lips more firmly to hers. He pulledback slightly, softening the kiss, making it tender and sweet. She leanedagainst him, relishing in his touch, his smell, his taste. The world seemed tobe nothing but him; it was all she could sense.

His hand touched her cheek and he drew back, laughingquietly. Eliana found herself laughing as well, though she wasn’t sure why, andshe pressed her face against his neck, listening to his pulse racing. It wasbeating nearly as rapidly as her own.

She felt him press his lips to the top of her head, and hechuckled, “We’ve both been quite silly, haven’t we.”

“Yes,” she answered, her breath on the skin of his neck.“But mostly you.”

He laughed warmly and tightened his arms around her, holdingher firmly to his chest. “Why must you be so difficult?”

She pushed back enough to look up into his smiling blue eyesand grinned. “It’s a Rider’s duty to make trouble.”

He shook his head in exasperation. “Another responsibilitythat I don’t agree with,” he whispered.

She sighed and returned her head to his chest. “I have togo, Caelum. We need to get Ater away from the emperor. Vereor is where thiswill all begin to end. If we want to end this war, we need to replace out whatCorpanis is hiding.”

Caelum took her hand and led her away from the noisy,dancing elves, to the outskirts of Amiscan. “How do you know he’s hidingsomething?” he asked.

“Nobody really knows how this war started,” Eliana said,“but there are stories—among both humans and elves. One of the stories I heardin Vegrandis is about the first known battle between humans and elves. They saythe elves attacked first, but the elves believe the humans drew first blood.The elven records are gone. Perhaps the humans have some of their own. Perhapsthey know how it all began.”

“It’s a stretch,” he remarked. They settled onto a clearspot of ground at the edge of the forest, where the branches of a large treehad protected the earth from being covered in snow. He put his arm around her,and she rested her head against his shoulder.

“I know. But at the very least, we need to try to get backAter.”

He sighed. “I still don’t like the idea of you going intothe palace,” he said gruffly. “It’s dangerous.”

“I know.” She gently took his free hand between her own asshe spoke. “But it’s something that I have to do. I have to at least try to replace answers. People are lookingto me to somehow end this battle, and I think it’s high time that I starteddoing something to make that happen.”

“Does that mean you believe the prophecy now?”

She gave a short laugh. “I didn’t say that.”

He chuckled at her stubbornness. After a pause, he asked,“How do you plan to get into the palace anyways? The outer gates of the cityhave at least a dozen guards at any time. I’m sure the palace has more.”

She looked up at him curiously. “How do you know that?”

He smirked. “Where do you think we go when we go out onscouting expeditions? We don’t usually try to go into the city, but we watchthe gates for any sign of them moving against us.”

Eliana shrugged. “Honestly… I have no plan besides going toVereor. I’ll need to see the layout, observe the movements of the soldiers. ButI’m sure I can come up with something, with Oriens’ help.”

“And mine,” he added quickly.

She lifted her head again to smile up at him. “Oh, you’recoming now are you?”

Caelum kissed her forehead briefly. “Well, I certainly can’tlet you go alone. And you don’t think I’d let Iocus go with you, do you? If you’re going to stroll right into theheart of the human capitol, I’m at least going to be close by. I won’t risklosing you.”

She cupped his chin in her hand and pulled his lips to hersagain, smiling against them. She thought her life had changed drastically whenshe’d found Oriens’ egg. How could it have possibly become more wonderfulstill? A part of her still quavered at the thought that she may wake up fromthis wonderful, perfect dream to replace herself in Vegrandis again.

Caelum pulled away, taking her breath with him. His lipsbrushed her cheek briefly.

“Very well, my Rider,” he whispered, his lips grazing herear. “We will leave tomorrow night—just you and me and your dragon.”

She closed her eyes and smiled. “That sounds wonderful.”