FENRER

Dad... He sobbed when Mom dropped her arm from his face. Dad... Dad... His feet touched the floor, but he leaned into her stomach and let out raspy tears as others hid in the shadows of the manor. Mom's hand rested on his cheek and he tried to hide in her furs. Her hand wrapped around the arrow stuck to her buckler, ripping it out with ease and crushing it in her palm.

"Bastards..." she hissed.

Dad has to come back... he'll know what to do... He'll get us out...

Two of the housecarls slammed iron glyphs against the door and activated the runelocks. It clanked and attached to the next pair to block the attackers from getting inside without a battering ram. He held onto Mother's arm at the curling rage in the air when it licked and bled his temples. Smoke and ash slipped underneath the door and plumed out a wooden maw as the sounds came closer to the steps.

"We have to go to the back gate," Mother instructed, and Fenrer jolted when she placed a wolven headdress on his head. Its flaps fell against his shoulders as he clung onto them for support and the wolf's eyes rested over his own. "We have to rush for the lands of Lord Gyron and cross the bridge. Separate once we're in the forest. We can't give them a larger target to send another volley into." Fenrer clung onto her hand as she barked, "Let's go!"

Another piercing shriek of flames glowed through the windows and whispered out of sight. It shook the ground as some of the adults turned to follow its target. Trees exploded from the impact and crushed the back gate.

"They're blocking our escape routes," Priest Ituan murmured with a frown. "Lady Katya, I can try to block our presence, but it will not last long. It is more than likely they mean to torch the entirety of Sungrove."

"We'll have to hold the line," Mother grumbled, and her morning light dimmed. "Anything you can do, Ituan. You have my leave. It is going to rain. We'll have to take our chances then."

"My lady," one of the housecarls whispered and kept their hand on the door. "They brought a force and flew no colours. There is a good chance they have siege weaponry. We cannot hold in for long. Everyone must hide and pray to the Ancients. We shall do what we can here."

Shouts echoed through the walls. Another housecarl directed them into different rooms with windows for an escape. Mother drew out her sword and the housecarls and those with weapons followed to fight for their lives, for their home, for Sungrove. Burrs of hatred bloomed in his temples and he choked into Mother's furs.

"Fenrer." Mother clasped his face and he dug his fingers into hers. "I need you to listen to me, Little Wolf." Her hand pushed a dagger into his hand and guided it to slip into his belt. "We have to wait this out and hold for the storm."

"What about—" Fenrer whimpered when Mother dragged him into a bundle of housecarls and away from the warded front door. Into the hall which led to the shrine protected by further walls, the flames glowed outside the windows and chewed the hill. "Mom..."

None of the adults answered his cries. Fury rang in his ears when she released him for but a moment and the embers threatened to consume the world and his heart. "We must hold," she instructed. "I know they have us surrounded — but I will not let them have their prey so easily. If there is an opportunity, get the young ones out first the moment you see an opening. Do not let these bastards have the satisfaction."

"Yes, Lady Katya—"

Fenrer reached for her hand.

Glass cracked and shattered in his ears. He screamed when crimson flayed across his skin guided by an arrow true. Another struck a housecarl guarding the windows in the neck. Infernal torment coursed through his head and echoed with his screech. He sobbed when Mother brought him closer and her morning light battled the flames. Her body blocked the crimson mist when the other housecarl whipped their magick across the windows. Icy glyphs locked tight in the broken pieces and blocked another barrage.

"No," she whispered and held his face. "Fenrer, look at me."

"It hurts..." He gasped when she wrapped her hand around his forearm, laced with crimson. "I want Dad." Her other hand took out a small knife and cut pieces of cloth from her own shirt to wrap it around his pulsing arm. "Dad..." Smoke burned his lungs to ash and everything hurt. "It hurts..." Her hands returned to his face. "I want Dad. Where is he? He's out there. He said he'd come back to me..."

Realization tore apart the painful dawn in her eyes as she winced. "Oh, Soren... my love." Steel layered over morning's grief as she tugged Fenrer into the shrine and the last of their housecarls blocked the door.

"It hurts..."

"I know, Little Wolf." Her hand wrapped around his head and brought him closer. "I know."

Their foundation shook and banged with the ramming of magick refusing to leave them alone.

Both the housecarls withdrew their weapons and dug themselves on their heels. Fenrer sniffed and held onto her tighter as she leaned in the shadows of the Ancients Father prayed to before every hunt for good luck and good fortune. "Mom..." He shuddered when the aura made of knives engulfed the manor. "Mom..."

Dust clattered from the ceiling from another crash.

"Look at me, Fenrer."

Fenrer followed her instruction.

Evenfall rose in the windows. "Shadows can fall and dusk can reign."

"But the silver dawn must always return," he finished and trembled. "Dad...?"

Wood cracked and her eyes narrowed at the door the housecarls waited beside with their swords raised. "Yes," she whispered and cupped his cheeks. "Light heralds the silver dawn, so do not let the darkness have its way with you. You must survive."

A man's shout drowned out another scream outside the door.

"Lady Katya—" The housecarl drove a strong glyph into the door when it cracked on its hinges.

"So that is the way of it then. If he wishes to be king of the ashes, then let it burn him to his bones." Mother sniffed and held him tighter. "I love you, Little Wolf, but you must survive. Remember those words. Remember it. Remember the silver dawn we beckon to through our lives."

"Yes, Dad said he'd come back."

Flames, as above and so below.

Crimson dotted his bandage and shook his arm.

Another crack.

Fenrer screeched when it broke in two and Mother grabbed him around the middle when the housecarls' glyphs drove into someone's jaw. Bone cracked, and he screamed when Mother's glyph broke the window from within. Thrown out of her arms and into the flower beds, he scrambled to return to her, but vines wrapped around the broken glass and carried the smoke to block him from his family.

"Mom!" Fenrer screamed, and trembled at the drums and the faint wailing. Fire rose over the walls and under the smallest cracks. The fireball remained and crushed the trees into the back gate. He kicked the dirt to run at the clang of steel. He knew not where his legs carried him until he reached the wrought iron gate into the crypt. His hand fumbled to open the lock, and he cried when his foot tangled on the first step, sending him down into the bowels of his ancestors.

He shuffled through the crypt and dark, following instead the warmth. Liquid dripped between his fingers as he sobbed. Every step weighed heavy as he fell into Pyren's crypt, then rushed over to the giant's tomb.

Please... He wrapped his arms around his leg and tried to ignore the nausea permeating the air. It stunk with rot. Awful textures dug deep into his nose as he held his arm and tears. They'll come back...

Crimson filled the lamps.

Fenrer slid to the ground and sat in front of the tomb.

We are... the harbingers of light.

He opened up the small compartment of Pyren's tomb to reveal the dawnblade, but it refused to bend to his weakness. He tugged and tugged, but he fell to the ground with nothing but his little dagger.

It cannot... fall into the wrong hands.

Emotion wafted and curled into further decay. It stuck to his temples and wormed into his lungs as he gazed at the emerald gemstones within his ancestor's eyes.

They'll come back. They have to.

His knees shook when flames hushed into the lamps.

They're fine. They're fine. They're fine.

They're the greatest warriors of Haneka.

A wolf howled in the distance as dust fell in waterfalls in Pyren's tomb. He shrunk into Pyren's shadow and held his dagger out to point at the arch. Shadows rushed on the walls on the other side, whooping and hollering for their victory.

Why...?

Over the roar of flames and distant screams, the largest one entered his view. His blade dripped with crimson.

"Looks like we missed a wolf," the main raider whistled to the others on the stair.

Hatred tore his aura and burned the tomb. Fenrer winced when another broke a burial pot to reveal the gold and gemstones meant as gifts for his family.

No.

Fenrer dragged himself to his knees and held the dagger out.

"Oh, looks like we've still got a snarling pup," the raider said with a sneer.

Stop.

Shadows filled the rune of the silver dawn on the floor.

The raider drew his blade and stepped into the tomb and put his foot over the glyph when it sparked to life without a promised dawn.

It howled with thunder through his temples and seared with the dawn's might.

Mom... Dad... why can't I sense you?

The raider neared the heart of the glyph.

Stop. Stop. Stop it. Stop!

A pulse ripped through the room.

It blasted into the candelabras and sent the embers into the glyph. In another rushing blink, it glowed with the newfound morning and bounced molten sunlight into the center. Some of the raiders stumbled a step when a shattering crack flowed through the world. Ethereal mist rose from him to connect to the sunlight within the spinning glyph, curling at its tips to match the sun he could no longer see. He screamed when a giant rushed through him, full of the fury of a silver dawn when the raider lunged for him. His massive hand grabbed onto his jaw, their hand swung wildly for release, and Fenrer choked when they clenched their fist.

It tore sinew off their jaw and the giant dropped them to the floor with a furious scowl as they gripped the handle of the molten sun, dripping into the floor as some of the other raiders stepped back. Green leashes snapped off the walls to strike one in the back of the neck, and their scream echoed his own.

Blood splattered the room. Flames burned his skin.

Another wave stole the colours and doused the flames, but nothing shone brighter than the sun.

It blurred into monochrome as one raider drew out their dagger, but the giant twisted with grace on his heel. Sunlight drove through their rib-cage and lifted them off the floor before being sent into the ground with a sickening crunch. Embers followed the veins in their skin.

Aura detached from their bodies and stained the walls.

The last came for the giant, but he threw him to the ground, and sent the heel of his boot into his skull.

It fell dark, and he heard Father's laughter in the distance.

Make it stop. Make it stop. My head hurts... Everything hurts. Mom. Mom. Please come back...

"Little Wolf of my blood."

Dad...?

He fought to keep his eyes open when someone scooped him into their huge arms, but the darkness reigned. "Dad? Mom?"

"You must survive. Wake up."

Wake up... It was all a nightmare? Dad's trying to wake me up for the hunting trip... Happiness tore through hate and covered it in dust. Yes, a nightmare. A nightmare. That is all it is.

"I am sorry, little one."

Fenrer winced when a hand rested around the back of his head. Emerald gemstones met him as the misty giant knelt and held him in his lap with a searching frown and shielded by his own wolven headdress to match his own. "Don't be... sorry... It's okay, you came back. We can go hunting now..."

Just like you said we would.

Their brow furrowed straight to the bridge of their nose. "Say my name, Little Wolf," his voice thundered in his chest, and Fenrer trembled when their hand covered his own resting on his stomach. "Carrier of the dawn — I am Konyiiu. Say my name. Forge the connection."

Fenrer stared at his face and saw his oldest reflection inside the starlit mist. "Konyiiu..."

Waves of nausea beat down on his head, and he slumped into the arms of the emerald-eyed giant, back into the comforting darkness of his parent's embrace.