*Disclaimer! This chapter is unedited! I ran out of time but wanted to keep my updating schedule. I will go back through it tomorrow to clean up any errors...

Song of the chapter – TNT by AC/DC

After resting for several hours, both Blaike and Eliana were rejuvenated enough to rise and clean up. While Eliana's battle gear had been made ready by Harper, who was glad to do something other than chop Fae vegetables, Blaike's was in a sorry state and needed repairing. Cloyd insisted that Blaike see his personal valet for the needed work. As soon as possible, the Starlight troops, as they had been named by Travor villagers happy to see the Starlight released, would return to their main campsite to tear down and pack. The castle grounds were now theirs as spoils of battle and would serve as headquarters for the lead Guards and Captains.

Sooner than they expected, Cloyd returned with the repaired leathers and assisted Blaike in attaching them.

"Good as new," Blaike remarked as Cloyd finished with the buckles.

"Yes, as promised. The lad has had plenty of practice repairing mine." Cloyd's cryptic remark brought a frown to Blaike's forehead.

"Have you been in many battles? I was unaware of unrest recently."

Eliana had been given only a summary of the state of the land. Although Claec ruled for years, uprisings were few and far between. She had guessed it was because Seer's had been in hiding and Watchers had scattered. There had not been enough organization to lead any type of resistance. Until her arrival, that was.

"Battles, no. But travels have been a regular part of my position. The pull on the gear through the passages are always strong, requiring the lad's immediate attention afterwards," Cloyd explained, still causing Blaike to seem confused.

"Where have you traveled? Are you speaking of the cave passage, the one I came through?" Eliana entered the discussion, curious about his time with Claec.

"Ah, yes. The passage you came through is one of many. My position required that I travel through most of them, seeking more support for her cause." Cloyd wrapped his arms around his torso, crossing one over the other in a defiant stance and raising one eyebrow at the same time. "Little did she know I was working toward the opposite goal. She will find out soon enough."

"Man, it is time for the veil to drop. Explain clearly, because your hints are becoming tedious," Blaike quipped.

Cloyd laughed slightly at Blaike's annoyance. "Fine, as you wish. The time has come at any rate, as you have stated." He pulled one hand from his waist and stretched it toward the two as they listened intently. On one finger was a ring with a rough cut, jagged stone, as large as an almond on his hand but dotted with a greenish blue hue, and sparkling.

"Power," Eliana whispered, the name of the Starstone suddenly slipping off of her tongue.

"A portion of it, yes. Claec had it made from the stone she had been trusted with, giving it to me as a key of sorts. It's how I was able to travel the passages."

"And the metal, is it Fae hewn?" Eliana asked, her hand rising to touch the necklace still covered in galabra leaves to protect her skin. Her mind automatically questioned the location of the rest of the Stone, and if it would still hold the same power now that a portion had been removed.

"I believe it is, yes." Cloyd looked quizzically at the ring, then back up to Eliana. "Claec wanted to ensure her success, bring more to her side. She knew this day would come but felt that having an edge would stop it somehow."

"But, the rest of the stone? Where is it?" Eliana asked, desperate for more information. She knew that her success in defeating Claec would hinge on those stones.

"You must have seen it in the tower keep, did you not? It was one of the ways she was able to harness the Starlight in one location. Claec was nothing if not a scholar of Ferlish history. She studied the path taken by the Destroyers, learning their ways. Not surprisingly, Claec was able to discover things no other Seer had learned."

Eliana knew in that moment what he meant. Reading through the Star Map had given her enough history to point her in the right direction. "The fourth stone. She's found it, hasn't she?"

"So you have learned of it as well? Most believe it only to be legend, but historians will tell you that legends started from a spark of truth. In this case, more truth than just a spark." Cloyd turned toward the door. "She spent years on the hunt for that legend, and yes, she found there was truth within the tale. The fourth stone is with her, one she never lets out of her grasp."

Eliana nodded in understanding, suddenly feeling that gaining possession of the Power Starstone was even more vital. "I must return to the keep and find that stone."

"Not alone. I will accompany you. I do not have the strength for another twelve-hour vigil by your side."

Eliana kissed him lightly, then took his hand and led him out of the chamber. Strangely, she knew exactly where to go, pulled by the calling of the stone, or so she assumed. Her instincts within the castle grounds seemed to have intensified. Eliana followed the labyrinth of hallways leading from the chamber to the keep. Once she came upon the doorway of the long hall, the very hall Cloyd had led her through just as the battle began, her breathing stopped, in awe of the view before her.

It was so different from before. The light poured through the now open windows, illuminating the gently vaulted ceilings of the wide hall. The room was peaceful, serene, which was quite the contrast from her last visit. As she passed by the window, the last in the hall where she had stood listening to the battle commence, her heart broke. The Watchers, from both sides of the fight, fallen and buried were due to the dark desires of the woman who had been her mother. Eliana felt somehow responsible.

"Do not think that of yourself," Blaike said quietly, bringing his arm around her waist. "I see the blame you hold on to. This was not the result of your wickedness, but that of a woman you have never seen. The blame is hers alone."

Eliana nodded, trying to allow his words to provide comfort. "That is the logical truth, but somehow I wonder..." her voice trailed off in thought.

"If you had not been taken by Aine, your heart may have been corrupted as well. Do not trouble your mind about the 'what if's.' We only have what is, and what can be." He leaned close, kissing her cheek and pulling her to him. His warmth could be felt through her loose tunic, causing her to take in a deep breath and nod in agreement.

"Let's see if that Starstone is waiting for us," Eliana said as she tightened her hand around Blaike's. He responded in kind as they continued on the path to the Starlight tower.

As they entered the keep, still unlocked now that the Starlight had been released, the sense of emptiness surprised Eliana. Her last experience in that tower had been of the thick darkness filling the space.

"There is nothing here," Blaike stated, putting words to Eliana's thoughts. They began the descent down into the depths of the tower together.

"It feels that way, yes. Yesterday it was different, fuller somehow, but without my being able to see the Starlight. I could tell it was there, but she had cloaked it in darkness." At her own words, Eliana remembered her encounter with the dark watchers in the forest, They had also been cloaked somehow. "Claec had learned some things, I believe. She was able to use the Starlight to mask what is right in front of you."

"That is not Claec's skill exclusively. Seers are able to use Starlight as a mirror, hiding what is right before your eyes. It is one of their defensive skills, honed over generations of training. We saw the results at the refuge, with the hidden walls around their grounds." Blaike reminded her of the guards standing in the forest with the seemingly invisible wall behind them.

"Well, she's certainly used it to her advantage." Eliana stepped down to the tower floor, as she spoke, turning her thoughts away from the dark leader. Her eyes scanned the base of the tower, searching for the blue stone. She saw nothing, however, just the worn stones paving the ground beneath her.

"Where could it be?" Blaike asked quietly, his voice echoing through the expansive keep.

"I can't begin to think where she may have hidden it," Eliana said, but then a notion occurred to her as she spoke. Her sight had been made clear by closing her eyes the last time she stood in the tower. Perhaps it would work again. She closed her eyes, trying to draw her focus toward the elusive stone. Blaike seemed to sense what she was attempting, stepping away from her as her eyes closed.

Eliana's instincts once again proved accurate. In her mind, she glimpsed the spark of blue, filling a dark corner of the tower. Taking a step closer to that spark, it's brightness increased, calling her closer. Each step forward brought an additional twinkle from the stone, filling the entire base of the tower with a blue hue. Without hesitating, she reached toward the light, trying to wrap her hands around the essence of the energy. However, there was nothing in her grasp.

Not knowing how to proceed, Eliana opened her eyes, scanning the area where she had sensed the bright light. She noticed an indentation in the wall of the keep, as if a small shelf had been carved into the stone. Eliana took another step closer, reaching her hand into the empty space of the indentation, feeling for the stone. Her fingers came into contact with what looked like the smooth stone of the wall, but it felt far from smooth. There were sharp ridges and deep angles, one of them almost slicing her skin. She pulled her hand back in surprise, inspecting it for injury.

"Are you alright?" Blaike asked from the opposite side of the keep. Before she could answer him, his footsteps could be heard approaching. Then a warm hand took hers and pulled it to him. His gentle touch felt for any cut or scrape she may have incurred.

"It's fine. I'm not hurt. I just wasn't expecting to feel something so sharp." Her eyes went back to the place in the wall where her hand had just been. She took a deep breath and once again reached into the opening. This time, however, she expected the opposing surface. Rather than feel around the space, she gripped the side of the rough spot and pulled her hand back. Once she had pulled it out of the opening, the object she sought became visible.

"She held it here all along," Blaike stated. "I am surprised that she would allow it out of her sight."

"It served its purpose here, holding the Starlight in place. And the small piece she used for Cloyd's ring was needed for travel. Besides," Eliana drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly, her next words giving her a sense of defeat, "she has the fourth stone now. Something tells me it serves an even greater purpose for her."

Blaike said nothing, because truly, what could he have said. Eliana's statement was true, Claec had the stone, one they hadn't counted on in the first place. And although Eliana was now in possession of three of the stones, Claec must have known something more about the stone she had escaped with, not bothering to take Power with her as well.

The two returned to the stairs, climbing slowly to exit the keep. A heaviness of spirit had fallen on her, and on Blaike. Only time would tell how all of this would turn out.

The question was: how much time?

***

After leaving the keep, Aine had assisted Eliana with securing the third stone to her necklace. As each had been added, they seemed to shrink in size right before her eyes. While she held the stones, they filled her palm, being both heavy and feeling as though they were hollow. Each one had its own sense of energy. Either heat or some type of tingling sensation ran through Eliana when they were in her hold. But as they attached by some invisible attraction from stone to metal, the size and weight of the stones themselves appeared to reduce until they were no larger than a jewel on her neck. The galabra leaves were no longer needed, as the stones balanced the energy.

Her necklace finally completed and in place, Eliana redressed in her battle leathers, now clean and ready to be worn. It turned her stomach to think that there would be more death, but the sense of sacrifice was still weighing on her, telling her that there was more to come.

"We have been waiting for you!" Zed called to Blaike and Eliana as they exited the Castle into the surrounding grounds. Watchers and Fae filled the area, talking excitedly about the previous night's battle.

"And now we are here," Blaike replied with impatience. His feelings for Zed were clear as he turned his gaze away from the excitable Fae.

"As I can well see. Now that your little nap is over, we can head back to camp, where we will claim--" Zed paused for dramatic effect, one eyebrow raised, hands spread wide attempting to garner the attention of every living entity in the vicinity, "OUR VICTORY!" Zed's voice rang throughout the grounds, echoing off the hard stone of the castle and its walls.

A loud nearly deafening cry was heard from the troops surrounding them. Fae and Watchers, suddenly acting as though they had been separated at birth, embraced one another in celebration of Claec's defeat. Eliana watched numbly, knowing that no such defeat had occurred. The dark queen was far from defeated simply by a retreat. Even the release of the Starlight would not be the source of her undoing. No, Eliana knew in her heart a bigger, much deadlier battle would be needed for Claec to be finally overthrown.

Blaike sensed her discomfort, tightening his grip on her hand as they made their way through the throng of warriors. Hoots and shouts were heard all around. It was then that Eliana looked up and noticed the exterior of the castle. It seemed to be a stark contrast to what she had seen in her minds eye during the battle. The cover of night they were under may have also been responsible for the difference. Now, as she looked on in awe, the castle stones appeared almost white, as if scrubbed clean overnight. The windows nearly sparkled with the sunlight gleaming off of the cut glass. The wood of the entrance and doorways appeared polished and bright.

Her sharp intake of breath signaled Eliana's surprise at the vision before her. Blaike turned to look at her, concerned about her reaction.

"What is it?" he asked, still holding her hand.

Eliana gestured to the castle, looking up at the now magnificent display before her. "Is this the same castle that we stormed only hours ago?"

Blaike followed her eye line, peering up at the large building. "Yes, but it has undergone some changes, as you have seen."

"How?" Eliana couldn't understand the changes, how it was even possible in such a short amount of time.

"Aine spoke of this before you awoke. The release of Starlight in such large amounts seems to have also released the dark hold that Claec had on the town. It was a literal darkness that she veiled Travor with for longer than most remember it being otherwise. Now, the light can shine once again."

Blaike's words gave Eliana a sense of renewed purpose. This was why she was in the Ferlands, after all, to release the darkness and bring back the light. Seeing the restoration of the castle in a physical rebirth was proof, the proof that she needed to keep going. Looking around at the troops, however, Eliana realized that their celebration was taking the focus off of that purpose. She needed to redirect their attention, and save the celebration for later. Without hesitation, Eliana stepped up onto a short pillar, just high enough for her to be seen above the gathered warriors.

"Our time for celebration has not yet arrived!" The surrounding troops quieted their shouts, turning to look up at Eliana as she spoke. "We have one victory here, yes. We have restored the land and returned the Starlight." Eliana paused, looking at many of the Watchers and Fae, making eye contact with each that her gaze passed.

Her voiced dropped slightly, the lower volume indicating the importance of her words, "The next battle will determine our future. The next battle will demand more than you may be able to give. But the next battle will define us all. Claec must be brought down from power. She cannot be allowed the opportunity to once again hold the Starlight and keep it from its purpose."

Eliana reached for her sword, removing it from its sheath and holding it aloft, up and over her head. "We fight for the people who have long suffered! We fight for the land which has been starved! We fight for the future of the Ferlands!"

A quiet remained for seconds after Eliana's declaration, making her wonder if her words had hit their mark or fallen on deaf ears. Suddenly, a low rumble began, starting with the distant troops who had gathered towards the back of the group. Slowly it moved closer, gaining volume and speed. As it reached the area where Eliana stood on the pillar, she held her breath.

Each warrior in her presence, both Fae guards and Watchers, were bent over slightly, knees and elbows bent, with both feet stomping the ground underneath. It was a battle cry of sorts, a unified response to her impromptu speech. Eliana turned to Blaike, capturing his gaze with a powerful look on his face, one that said "we will be victorious,"causing her to take a deep breath. Then he climbed up onto the pillar, also holding his sword up and over his head.

"For the Ferlands!" was his cry.

His cry was answered by all in their presence, "For the Ferlands!"

〰🖤〰

The third Starstone is now in place, but will it be enough?Claec has some things planned, and the next chapter will set up that battle. It is SUPER long, so I plan to split it into a shorter intro (about 2k words) and then the main battle will be in part 2(about 3k words).

I had TNT in mind for our boys, Zorn and Zed. I imagined their victory dance to be over the top, wanting to party and celebrate for pushing Claec out of the castle. This song is their anthem, "I'm TNT, I'm dynamite"

https://youtu.be/7WVBEB8-wa0