The Heartstone Saga by Archibald Bradford (short novels in english .TXT) 📕

dear Nameless! I will not challenge your humility! Not after this.”

As she noted, it felt strange for her to be experiencing anything close to happiness in the wake of the attack on the city, but the snippet of joy from her was critically important.

It reminded people that witnessed it that life would go on, and that they could recover again.

Chapter 43:Grace and Creed

“Found it!” Nina declared as she pulled herself out of the pile of rubble that had once been their home.

She was holding Ophelia’s teddy bear, looking more worn than ever, inside of which was her heartstone.

She’d promised to recover the precious item as soon as she could, and they were all glad when she did.

“Oh thank goodness!” The Flutterby exclaimed as she took the dirty little bear and hugged it tight to her breasts once she confirmed her heart was still safe inside of it; “And thank you dearheart.”

It had been stressful enough acting as a medic in the wake of the attack on the city, add onto that the anxiety of knowing that her heartstone was buried beneath their apartment and Ophelia had started to come a bit unglued.

Nearby several heads were raised as people heard the Gigas make her discovery, many of the other residents of the building likewise picking through it in search of treasured possessions.

Seeing the Flutterby smiling rejuvenated the subdued people and they quickly returned to their search with more energy than before.

Another tiny piece of joy, to help tide them over.

Just as she had once upon a time for Kar Brael, Volka presided over a memorial vigil held for the fallen when night fell on the second day after the attack, a sea of candles filling Divinity Square to reflect the Valkyrie’s softly glowing form; for those that fought and died, for the Aegis council, and for the countless collateral victims of Evadne’s plot.

Divinity Square had seen much damage in recent years.

It started with the first fight with the Chimera; the deep scores in the cobblestones left by her dark magic had yet to be repaired, and now they were the least of the damage, with rubble and blood in equal measure decorating the once-proud city square that had become the center for triage in the besieged city just hours before.

Despite their heartbreak at the loss of so many of their kin, not to mention the shame they felt at the destruction they had wrought, Tora’s clan members helped with rescue efforts within the city once Nameless had restored their minds to them, and now they stood with the other mourners.

The survivors of the Ogre clan hung their heads low, but no one blamed them: everyone knew what a Tenebrae was.

A little boy approached one of the more emotional ones, reaching up to hand her one of the candles his father had entrusted to him to hold in vigil for his mother and older brother.

Without a word, the Ogre handed the boy her heartstone in trade.

Those who witnessed the exchange would remember it always.

Once the vigil ended Nameless and his family made to leave, but were interrupted when out of nowhere a flying blur shot out and hugged Erica around her midsection.

The Katje yowled and flinched back, but stopped short of clawing at the little creature holding her tight.

“What the fu-wait, is that Mishka?”

She reached down and shifted the Dormaus’s face up to meet her smile.

“Yup! It’s me! Hey, why are you dressed like this?” She leveled an accusing glare at the Katje in her skin-tight leather as her tone reflected her suspicion; “Are you doing grown up stuff for money now like my momma used to?”

“No! I work for the Aegis. Where the hell did you come from?”

Not really listening to the Katje, Mishka kept right on talking.

“We almost got crushed! But then this weirdo made everything go all green and stuff! It was my fault, I went all stiff again.” Her voice fell as she finished in a shameful tone.

Coming out of the crowd, Grace hugged her to her thighs from behind to comfort her.

“It was a Witch, if you can believe it!” She stroked her fingers through the Dormaus’s hair as she smiled at Ophelia; “It’s good to see you all again. This little terror has been looking for you for ages.”

“We get around.” Nina joked as she sidled up to Mishka.

“What are you doing?” The tiny girl whined at the giant’s nearness, her eyes flicking to the enormous hammer.

Nina shrugged.

“Nothing. You’re just not any bigger than the last time I saw you. That’s smart. Get stronger, not larger.”

Mishka blinked her enormous eyes and then let out a giggle.

“You’re a weirdo too!”

“Call me that again and I’ll-”

“And I think it’s time we left!” Ophelia interrupted loudly in an attempt to head off her bloodthirsty bond-sister.

A fruitless attempt.

“-pull out your spine and make you eat it.” Nina finished while throwing a puzzled look at the Flutterby.

But rather than fill the Dormaus with fear, the giant’s threat just made her laugh harder, which in turn earned her another smile from Nina.

“Heh, I like this one. She’s got guts.”

The spark of levity that the child brought with her provided them with another emotional reprieve.

And as it turned out, Alcaia and Mishka weren’t the only familiar faces to show up in the city, because the next morning Volka’s faith was rewarded when Queen Julia returned.

And as promised, she did not come alone: just as they had the first time, the Antlion soldiers marched in perfect lockstep behind her.

Only now there were more of them, a lot more.

There was nothing quite like three thousand marching Antlions to project strength into the stricken city.

At the front of the column were the five queens of the Longinus family;