Elegy for a Star

“Fuck you, Maeros!” Krahe shouted at him. His hair had gone white over the course of their adventure, but he was still the thick-armed, broad shouldered dunce of a man, “Fuck you! You want out? Fine!”

“He has Sylara. Gods, he has Andon…” Maeros replied. Krahe knew the names of his family. Sylara was so kind. Andon was so young, so full of joy and hopeful for his future. Maeors’ voice was little more than a grunt, but he was gentle in this moment, “I don’t know what he’ll do to them.” Krahe had never seen him cry, but right now? She might.

“Well, I do,” Krahe replied, “The Crow Lord isn’t a murderer; He’s a thief. He’s not going to hurt them, they’re just his bargaining chip.”

“Why would he target me, then?” Maeros asked, shaking his head, “He wants you, he and I have no problems with one another.

“When you leave, he’s going to kill me,” Krahe replied, jabbing two fingers toward her own chest, “You’re going to sentence me to a slow death if you leave. And guess what? Black Sun is going to fucking eat your family anyway. We’re so close to Arlen. We’re so fucking close. We can finally end this.”

Harkroth was watching the exchange patiently, leaning upon his axe. He had no stake in this, Krahe knew. He’d only joined them a month ago.

Maeros didn’t reply, but he did take a few steps down the road where they’d traveled from.

“You fucking coward!” Krahe screamed, squeezing her fists until they drew blood. She was furious, “You’re fucking the whole gods damned world! You, this single choice, is going to end the world; end all life! End Auwra as a whole!”

She wouldn’t let him go. She couldn’t let him go.

Krahe looked at Henry. The one-eyed man, with his parched lips, pallid skin and rotting flesh, “Stop him!” She pointed at Maeros, “Fucking stop him!”

Henry, unable to speak, shook his head.

Krahe felt the pressure behind her eyes, “Gods, stop him, or we’re all dead.”

She looked at Harkroth, “Please. Help me.”

Harkroth frowned and shook his head, “Sorry, lass. It’s his family; It’s his choice.”

“Fuck. Fuck, fuck, shit, fuck!” Krahe screamed into her hands. “Born from blood,” she shouted. She couldn’t even hear her gloves’ reply, blood throbbing in her ears. Her hands filled with a pair of kukris.

She dashed to Maeros. Gods, she’d known him for fifteen years. She joined him when she was ten, and he’s doing this now?

She moved in front of Maeros by five paces and said, “What are you thinking?”

“I’m thinking I need to get my family,” Maeros replied.

“They. Are. Going. To. Die. Anyway!” She shouted in anger, her voice cracking, “They’ll die before you even get to them! They’re East of the Empire! We’re in the fucking mountains of the Summer Court. The Crow Lord wants this.

“I won’t let you go,” Krahe replied, “I won’t.

“You can kill Arlen without me,” Maeros replied, “Harkroth and Henry are capable warriors.”

“Harkroth doesn’t know what the fuck is going on and Henry…” She felt tears welling behind her eyes before they began to run down her cheeks. She looked past Maeros to see Henry looking ambivalent as always. Even the color of his one eye had changed. "Henry..."

She turned back to Maeros. “You’re killing us, Maeros,” Krahe sobbed, “You’re killing us and you know it.”

Maeros tapped his temple, referring to the voice in his head, “You know what she’s saying right now?”

Krahe shook her head.

“Nothing. For once she’s quiet. For once she doesn’t have an opinion. For once she stopped playing that music.”

“I don’t care, Maeros,” Krahe shook her head, “I just can’t let you leave. I will kill you before I let you leave, because you’d be just as bad as Arlen, letting him succeed.”

“You can’t,” Maeros replied, “You know you can’t.”

“Then beat me. You might as well. I’d rather die in a fight than be eaten by some gods damned space ball.”

“We don’t know if that’s what it wants. Birel told us, but what if she’s wrong?”

“You saw it through the lens as well as I did! It’s been eating everything it comes across!”

“Maeros, please. Gods, please don’t do this. Please.” She’d never said that to Maeros before. They’d had their spats. Well, a lot of them. Truth be told, they didn’t really get along. Not since the others died. She could still hear their screams. Dolen, Rahberon, Elnaril.

“Don’t make me do this,” Maeros spoke under his breath.

“You’re doing this!” Krahe screamed. She lunged at him. Maeros was ready. He was just as good a warrior as she was. She was best at fighting in a team, not solo. She hadn’t dueled someone since that opportunist trying to harvest dragon scales, but rage-fueled adrenaline filled her. She was faster than he was, but his shield was raised before she got to him. She jammed a kukri into the wood of his shield and jumped. She used the kukri as a stepping stone to leap into the air.

Maeros’ dragon helmet breathed fire in her wake before he caught her by the arm. He’d seen that move before. He used Krahe’s momentum and slammed her into the ground, pressing a boot into sternum. Gods, he was good.

The Devil, the Spinnerets, the Wanderer. Maeros’ boot fell through to the dirt as Krahe’s body evaporated. She was behind him now, dashing toward him. He spun to grab her, but she slid beneath him, snatching the kukri on his shield along the way. She slashed between the gaps of his armor as her sliding boots kicked up a cloud of dirt.. Hamstring first, to slow him. As she rose to her feet, she cut across his lower back twice.

Krahe could hear Harkroth protesting, running toward them, but the fight would be over by then. Krahe jammed a blade into Maeros’ flank, just above the hip and left it there. She avoided any vitals, but she wanted him to drop; to give up. Maeros spun around, even though he’d been sliced and was bleeding upon the ground. His gauntlet grabbed her face, wide enough to palm her head. The Devil, the Spinnerets, the Wanderer.

She evaporated once more, appearing behind him, but Maeros was ready. She knew he’d catch her this time, so she made a gesture with her free hand. The Spinnerets, the Devil, the Keepers. She vanished from sight, dodging to the side.

Maeros must have seen the puffs of dirt from Krahe’s boots and snatched her hair. She rippled into sight, just as Maeros grabbed her and slammed her face-first into the ground. Gods, that hurt.

He lifted her, only to slam her once again. That time it hurt less.

He pummeled her face into the ground again and again and again. He shouted in rage-...

Tess gasped. She was covered in a cold sweat. Her face ached. She reached up to touch it, measuring the contours of her face to ensure that she was really Tess. Her heart was pounding as she panted, "What the fuck.."