The Lantern was close at hand, hooked to his belt now where it could not be left or forgotten, but he had been helping to make sandwiches in the kitchen when havoc had broken loose in the main room. By the time the lorekeeper had made his way to the source of it things were far too late.
They had been too late from the moment the door had opened.
He watched Amalia and Deimos take charge of the children, heard Roana's demands for death. Was this how Isla had died, her light engulfed in black tar and pain? He had no love for the former captain; indeed, there had been bad blood between them since her high-handed attempt to force her way through the Naturals to the Spire, and her confrontation with Rory.
None of that mattered now. She was dying, and the only question was fast or slow, and how much pain she would feel before she finished.
Remi shielded the final moment from those in the Hall, but he could not hide the sound of the axe biting home, or the silence that followed.
Silence that lasted a moment, no more, before it was filled with a quiet song as Jigano stepped up beside the Alchemist and raised Soulcatcher, the wordless notes of Ludo's lullaby to lost souls reaching out into the night, calling, coaxing the spirit of the fallen captain towards the softly glowing light of a lantern that promised shelter from the dark, and a surcease from pain until Ludo could claim its wayward acolyte and take her home.
They had been too late from the moment the door had opened.
He watched Amalia and Deimos take charge of the children, heard Roana's demands for death. Was this how Isla had died, her light engulfed in black tar and pain? He had no love for the former captain; indeed, there had been bad blood between them since her high-handed attempt to force her way through the Naturals to the Spire, and her confrontation with Rory.
None of that mattered now. She was dying, and the only question was fast or slow, and how much pain she would feel before she finished.
Remi shielded the final moment from those in the Hall, but he could not hide the sound of the axe biting home, or the silence that followed.
Silence that lasted a moment, no more, before it was filled with a quiet song as Jigano stepped up beside the Alchemist and raised Soulcatcher, the wordless notes of Ludo's lullaby to lost souls reaching out into the night, calling, coaxing the spirit of the fallen captain towards the softly glowing light of a lantern that promised shelter from the dark, and a surcease from pain until Ludo could claim its wayward acolyte and take her home.
