Light to Darkness

A slightly-winded Nyako landed on her back, ghosting a shining mark along her cheek where her brother’s aim had sent a thin beam of sunlight. While not rendered hot enough to burn or even hurt, it did leave a certain glancing sign of its contact, and she smiled to Niiko before she charged in, her favored two sword-sticks held at the ready, her prehensile tail and even the ‘tail’ of braided black headfur whipping about as she whirled to the offensive. In the background, as the slender boy siren arched, padded and side-stepped to avoid the whirlwind of swift, certain strikes, his own staff parrying and guarding the blows that might have been too close, Milerna smiled to herself, proud of her two children. Though her young daughter, a flourishing cadet in the Aether Knight ranks, was not as apt in the usage of Solari magic as her twin brother, the pretty swords-maiden was strong and subtle, a true artist with a sword in either paw. Niiko, on the other paw, was growing very studious in the energies of the sun, as well as siren illusion, and while the aspiring cleric could hold his own in combat sparring, his true light flowed in the powers of healing and slight manipulations.

“They complement each other, strength and weakness in kind.” The siren murmured, watching the siblings spar with blurs of speedy attacks and counter hits. Nyako was often closing in to deal a number of practice strikes on Niiko, only to have the agile young male slip away lithely and, after delivering a light tap of his quarterstaff to her head, keep her at bay for a time with his spellcraft. Then, with a small sigh, she turned with a little grin to the feline that had been padding up from behind her, hugging her slender, lithe arms around Aden with a peck to his nosetip. “If only someone in the tribes were more enthusiastic than Nyako and Niiko in their training… I’m almost certain one of them shall be chosen by the elders for the Balance conflict.”

As usual, for this topic had come up often, for the most part word for word, the strong male wrapped his furred arms around Milerna, his chest to her back, as they watch the two spar without pause or incident. “Now, what’s this, my love being so selfish as to hide our children and send the other students to battle? Both Niikorri and Nyako are capable Aether Knights in their own respects, and if one of them is called, they shall combat their greatest against whatever dark foe the enemy chooses to send.” With a small smile shared between the two mates, they embraced closely, and then turned with the slightest laugh as both brother and sister fell flat on their tails, either rubbing a stinging lump on the side of their heads.

“Oww… sister, you’re not supposed to hit that hard in sparring… save that energy for an actual combat.” Niiko complained ruefully, gingerly touching the bruise beneath his raven-black headfur as his sister-entity scowled wryly, patting a light welt on her brow in like fashion. After a moment, she stood, and offered the silvery feline boyfur a paw, shaking her muzzle lightly in disagreement of his little complaint.

“Come now, brother… this training is to simulate fighting, prepare us for the real thing… therefore, it is supposed to –be- actual combat.” With a small grin, she helped him up with a little laugh, and watched out of the corner of her eye as Milerna approached them, smiling herself with the faintest hint of amusement. Turning, she gave a bow to both her mother and superior officer, as Niiko did likewise, both purring cheerfully as their bumps were forgotten. Letting her face become solemn, the Aether Knight nodded curtly, and turned her head from Niiko to Nyako, looking thoughtful. At once, both siblings glanced at each other, before the sister piped up with a soft little mew. “What’s on your mind, mother?”

With a little shake of her head, Milerna crossed her arms and stepped lightly over to one of the numerous weapon racks located in the room. Selecting a long, heavy pike from the armory, the siren swords-maiden smiled and tested the edge carefully, before nodding satisfaction. “Hm… lieutenant Nyako speaks rightly, Niiko… therefore...” Then, going serious, the elder knight whirled her weapon expertly over her head, before bringing it to the ready, pointing it at Niiko’s sister-entity. “Arm yourself with a pair of blades, and see if you can disarm me, half-blood.”

It was with a slightly shocked, and more determined glare that the feminine twin put away her practice swords and drew a pair of swords, a fine and heavy short sword and a lighter, more elegant long saber. Bowing just once to her mother, the half-siren then took her stance, and charged aggressively, the longer blade held low and ready for attack, as the other crossed along her chest, ready to guard if need be. Without words, and seemingly even without effort, the more experienced siren side-stepped, swept her pike in a circular motion, and crossed the dangerous head of the weapon with her daughter’s two armaments. Then, as Nyako skillfully attempted to draw back and unbalance her mother’s heavier weapon, the Aether Knight made a deft movement with the hilt of her pike, tucking it in swiftly behind one of the half-siren’s footpaws. It was a quick jerk of the pikestaff later that the younger opponent landed squarely on her back, the pike’s point thudding with a resounding clink of steel on stone, neatly cutting a strand of silver fur from Nyako’s cheek.

Niiko and Aden, watching from the sides, blinked but once, before offering a small bit of applause, the latter politely stifling a chuckle as a dismayed knight-in-training was pulled onto her feet by the maternal captain while listening lightly to the admonishing tone of her elder. “It’s that temper of yours, daughter Nyako, which dulls your senses and removes you of your grace and ethereal sense. There is little use in power when it slows your thought and action, for instinct will not avail your blood from the fangs of a vampire.” The other frowned and brushed her cheek where the blade had nicked the fur from her features, and glanced aside to Niiko, who sighed and rolled his eyes, sensing a familiar argument.

He was not wrong, either, as Nyako reenacted the very complaints she so often voiced. “If I’ve not the temperament for becoming an Aether Knight, why aren’t you paying more attention to brother Niiko’s training? He’s, admittedly, more in check of his patience and ethereal flow than I, though a lesser swordsfur.” In response, casting her hands into the air as if seeking patience herself, the siren Milerna smiled and shook her head.

“Daughter, you know we’ve been along these words before… Niiko’s interest and energies have been dedicated to the Solari studies. Already he’s been accepted as a disciple of the arch-priest in Mornvale, our holy city upon the Sunrise Aeries.” Then, with a gentler smile, she placed a hand on Nyako’s shoulder, looking into her daughter’s eyes. “He has a goal, he has a focus… you, though, are seeking so much… maybe too much at once, dear daughter.” Holding up both hands with a small laugh, Milerna began counting off the lieutenant’s own studies. “Zephryn Flight School, Atlantean Martial Academy, advanced Bio-Ethereal courses, even Captaincy drills and exercises here in the Aether Knight corps. It’s a wonder you’ve not turned silver with age.” The Koriikuu family all laughed politely, and Nyako grinned up at her tall, proud mother, who smiled back down to the young one with a light wink. “You’ve become less a Solari than myself, and chosen a meld of all our cultures and strengths. Yet, I notice…”

“…I know, Lady Milerna.” She interrupted with a short, curt tone, her ears pinned back just slightly as Nyako replaced her borrowed swords to the armory. “My Solari spellcraft and focus to the light have been less than optimal… which is why I need the other training, to make up for my inaptitude with the Grand Element.” A slightly-pained smile crossed her muzzle as the sister-entity left for the barracks, calling back. “Besides, it’s not as if the vampires are incapable of defeat through means other than the sun… their weakness just isn’t my strength, as I can’t hide beneath the sunlight.”

Both parents and son sighed heavily as the stubborn, independent knight left for her quarters, tail lashing in frustration behind her. Placing a hand on Niiko’s shoulder, Milerna shook her muzzle sadly, watching the fiery young fur turn the corner with her father following at a respectable distance. Offering a small shrug to his mother’s touch, the silvery feline smiled up to the Aether Captain with a light purr, which only grew as she scritched behind the base of his left ear. Quietly she spoke to him, a concerned look upon her features as she talked. “The elders’ decision remains unchanged? Nyako is still to rise to the Conflict?” To this, the feline gave a nod and responded.

“Yes, mother Captain. I’ve opted to battle in her stead, but they believe my energies are best spent in the hallowed mountaintops of Mornvale and the Aeries of Sunrise.” Sighing softly, the boyfur nuzzled his mother’s cheek, which had made her giggle and smile since he was an infant kitten, offering a more assuring smile. “Nyako is right, though… perhaps we’ve grown too reliant upon the sun’s protection from them. Perhaps we’ve forgotten the old ways of defending ourselves. I daresay she is more capable than I in combat, so long as she keeps her temper in check.”

Milerna nodded lightly to this, noticing the approach of the emissaries from Mornvale before they were a league from T’saria’s gatehouse, and embraced her son tightly, ignoring the crystalline rivulets of moisture than ran down her fair cheeks as she smiled, sad and proud in the same breath of Niiko. “You’re wiser and kinder than you’ll ever realize, Niikorri. T’saria and the Silver Light shall forever await the return of your star to its skies.” The siren knight-mother murmured, before reluctantly parting from the shimmering young disciple, planting a gentle kiss upon his forehead before he padded out into the streets of the siren capital, his own tears a glistening note of private sorrow to match those of his mother.

*****

Aden stopped himself with his paw an inch from knocking on the door, and quietly listened for a moment. The barracks were quiet, save for the clear, quiet sounds of Nyako’s secret sadness, and there were none save for the fatherly feline to hear the gentle crying of the young lieutenant. After a moment, the silver-furred elder stepped back lightly as the door opened, and stepped in, immediately holding out his paws to catch and hug his teary-eyed daughter, letting her press against his shoulder to muffle her sobs. With a small smile, the fatherly patriarch of the Koriikuu family rocked his daughter to and fro, like a kitten whose nap had been interrupted, placing a small kiss upon the Aether Knight’s forehead.

“Shh… we all must leave for our duties, our futures, sometime, daughter.” Aden spoke softly, giving a small nuzzle to the tear-stained features of the youthful lieutenant. After a moment, just quietly purring to soothe the adolescent knight’s tears, he raised her muzzle with a soft fingerpad, and placed a glimmer-dotted cheek against his tunic, just lightly combing his clawtips along the untied raven cascade of her headfur. “The elders say you are to approach the emissary from the vampires to determine this generation’s conflict, true?” A subdued nod, and the despaired little sigh, before looking up at her father with a small mew, wiping her fur dry.

“Niiko’d have been better, he’s calmer and affluent in the Solari ether. Brother would have far more chance against this… trueborn than I.” Nyako’s ears flattened a moment, before she perked up, having heard a confidential little whisper from her father, one which made her smile just a little. “You really think that’s why, father? Why I was chosen over Niikorri?” Aden chuckled and nodded with a small grin, lowering his voice as he responded to her slightly-surprised tones.

“Niiko is, honestly, the better technical guardsfur, and yes, he does hold his paw quite steadily in the pool of Solari spellcraft. However, he lacks your fighter’s spirit and determination, and perhaps more importantly, represses the natural instincts and impulses that are key in a warrior.” Then, slowly getting up, he carefully took the paws of the well-cheered bloom of young fire, and stoked that growing flame of confidence with a good, strong embrace. Giving her a stern look, sincere and concerned and smiling all at once, Aden patted her back, and let Nyako find her own composure with a polite chuckle, nodding.

“A fur of your strength and soul, after all, is only born once per generation.”