Star Child

The moon sat high in the sky, streaks of black and blue painting the horizon as the Eldralian envoy continued their march. Six hours had passed since they left Willowstead and they had a long journey ahead of them. The rhythmic clanking of armour and the crunch of boots against dirt filled the air, broken only by the occasional call of wildlife.

Caelus walked slightly behind the envoy, his cloak shifting with each step, with Mira and Elise flanking him, their eyes flickering between the knights ahead of them and the vast landscape stretching out beyond them. Despite the quiet, there was an underlying tension hanging about the air. For Elise, this was the first time she stepped away from a town's safety while having the responsibility of protecting herself. Mira, although accustomed to travelling, was never too comfortable with dealing with diplomatic matters. Caelus, however, moved with a stride of a man who was all too familiar with these situations.

It was Alric that finally broke the silence.

"You've been rather quiet, Sir Caelus," the old man spoke, his voice displaying his years of experience, "I thought, out of all of us, would have the most to say, even in your compliance."

Caelus breathed out in exasperation, as if expecting the question. "What exactly do you want me to speak on? How I'm getting dragged into these foolish war plans?"

"Well…."

"Small nations like Carienda are forming alliances and hiring mercs to spy on Lucosia. Ardentia is still trying to captivate the masses. Lucosia and Lucestione have just been focused on business, same with Eldralis but they have recently been butting heads with Vornacia over the old Magnarian territories. Am I right so far?"

"How do you know of these events?" Davos interjected

"Merchant talk." Caelus shrugged

"You speak as if these are certainties." Alric replies

"Don't lie to me, old man," Caelus exhaled with evident frustration, "look at the signs—it's pretty obvious that these nations preparing for conflict. You and King Eldralis know it better than anyone."

Davos, who had just been silently listening, chuckled softly, "You seem like one burdened with too much knowledge."

"Burdened…. that sounds about right," Caelus replies, with a slightly melancholic expression falling on his face as he looks to the sky, "but it doesn't change the fact that this whole meeting is a move to monopolise on the Order."

"The Order?" Elise interjected

"The Order of the Celestial Blades," Mira replies, "we were talking about it earlier."

"What makes you think that the Celestial Blades are being sought out, Sir Star Child?" Davos inquired

"Because," Caelus replied sternly, "if I couldn't be found, then it would be better to look for the knights that were considered my equals."

"Touché." Davos mutters

Alric called to the envoy and their escorts. "It is now midnight! I believe this area will be a good place to set up camp!" He stretches his hand out over a clear plain next to a frozen lake.

The knights wasted no time in setting up camp and changing out of their armour. Their swift work was accompanied by the cries of the night, a chill settling in as the wind blew over the frost-riddled lake and the following plain. As Elise finished the preparations for the tent she was sharing with Mira, who was accompanying some knights that went hunting, she saw Caelus sat on top of a tree, staring into the distance.

"Hey Caelus!" she called

"What's up?" he replied as he turned his head toward her

"Do you have a tent set up?"

"I'm just fine sleeping up here, don't worry about me too much."

"Alright…"

"We're back!" Mira's voice rang out through the camp as the hunting party returned. They quickly brought the game to the small bonfire at the camp's centre and began cooking it. People quickly moved towards the bonfire, in hopes of getting food.

"Why is Caelus keeping himself to that tree?" Elise asked Mira, as she observed Caelus get some food and return to the mentioned tree

"He always had a hobby of doing that," Mira replied, the sound of her chewing accompanying her speech, "he's said it's cuz he got trouble sleeping!"

Elise looked towards Caelus with an empathetic expression on her face. She pondered what experience he could've gone through that led to this habit of his. As they finished eating, the camp began making preparations to sleep.

"Caelus!" Elise called out

"Hm? What d'ya need?" he replied with a monotone voice

"I brought these for you," she said, throwing up a bundle of covers to him on the tree, continuing with a smile, "so you can keep warm."

"Thank you."

"Good night, Caelus."

"G'night!" he replied, throwing the covers over himself

Elise hesitantly carried herself to her tent, with Mira already fast asleep. She wanted to ask Caelus about the facts that eluded her: his past. She let those feeling rest as she let herself fall asleep.

As dawn rolled in, the sun gradually shed its light over the camp, soon accompanied by a booming roar. The camp quickly jolted awake, with Mira and Elise popping out of their tent, as well as some knights scrambling out with their weapons and were met with a massive crocodile covered in ice.

"Commander!!" a knight called out

"What is the situation!?" Alric replied, donning his chest plate and cape, brandishing his sword as he walked out of his tent

"It's a Frosthide Crocodyl, sir! I believe it was sleeping in the lake!"

"Damn it! Men!" the old man called out to the knights, "Attack the soft flesh at its legs!! We must immobilise the beast!!"

The present knights rushed toward the reptile's legs, swinging their weapons at them and the frosty air unnaturally emanating from the beast's body. The Crocodyl snapped in pain and flailed about in rage, striking some of the knights and sending some flying into the surrounding trees about the clearing. A soldier crashed into the tree that Caelus happened to be sleeping on, waking him up as he fell to the ground.

"What the hell?!" Caelus groaned, as he sluggishly sat up

"We are under attack, Sir Star Child!" Alric called

"Hm?" Caelus looked up to see the Crocodyl laying waste to the Eldralian knights, "Ah, it's just one of those overgrown crocs."

"Please Sir! Arm yourself and lend us your assistance! Including you in our strategy could be vital!" a knight pleaded

"You're overcomplicating it." Caelus sighed, his hair shifting around as he cracked some joints and stood up

"What the hell could you mean by that!?" Elise shouted out, in confusion and slight frustration

"Sir Caelus...." Alric muttered under his breath

"You all just watch and see!" Mira projected as she stood up with a widening grin

Caelus walked toward the beast, pulling his cloak back and rolling his shoulders. The Crocodyl turned its head, locking eyes with him. It let out a low snarl, accompanied by visible puffs of frost from its mouth, acknowledging the approaching threat.

"C'mon then, ya big bastard!"

The beast lunged, with little abandon for its life.

In an instant, Caelus vanished. The ground beneath him shattered as he launched himself skyward. A single fist crashed down, followed by the crack of the beast's ice.

A deafening boom rang out through the plain.

The beast, unable to process the delivered wave of pain, stumbled forward before crashing to the ground with a resounding thud. The light in its already cold eyes flickered, then faded.

A deep silence duly followed.

The knights and Alric stood frozen, slowing lowering their weapons as they beheld the beast's corpse. Mira stood there, letting out a content breath while Elise just gaped.

"How entertaining, Sir Caelus!" Davos spoke out, clapping as he stepped out from a corner of the camp, still dressed in his nightwear

"Even after all this time, you're still exciting to watch, Caelus!" Mira squealed in excitement

Caelus cracked his knuckles before looking at the envoy from atop the deceased Crocodyl's head. "Are we gonna get going soon or what?"

Alric quickly snapped out of his daze. "Men, ready yourselves to leave."

After packing up at an absurd speed, the group soon continued on their journey.

The following two days were near repetitions of the first. The group travelled along a relatively safe path, choosing differing place to set up camp, with Caelus begrudgingly killing any monsters they encountered.

As the dark of night began to fall, a distant glow appeared on the horizon. Beyond the trees and quiet hills, a vast citadel of spires and stone sat next to a flowing river.

Velderan, the capital of Eldralis.

Caelus gazed at the city in the distance, crouched in the branches of a tall oak.

"This is the home stretch," he murmured to himself

"Hey Caelus! Get down from there!" Elise shouted to the tree, her hands cupped around her mouth to project her voice.

Caelus swiftly hopped down from the branches and slowly followed after the envoy, who wasted no time in waiting for him. They marched onwards, to the city that would change everything.