Haloisi. It was a place she never thought she would go again. But curiosity drew her back. Liam was also from Haloisi, though they had never crossed paths. It was Jade who had brought up the fact that Hera may want to look in to his roots. It was Jade who came with her. They had agreed. First to Haloisi. Then to Eyri to look in to Fin. Their ride there was oddly enough The Gold Finch. Bryant was more than willing to take them to both ports of call. Lola being along for the ride would only help Jade.
Liam hadn?t come. Hera had debated on if she was going to tell him she was leaving or not. In the end she lied, saying that she and Jade were going to be out of town for a while. She never gave him any details. Fin didn?t know where Jade was going.
Crossing water had never been Hera?s favorite thing to do. When she had done it the first time, it had been on a mission long before she had left The Haloisi Akh?Velahr. When she had come back to Rhydin she had been greeted by old friends. There would be no one to greet her in Haloisi.
She had left there, the place she had lived as a child was gone. The place she had been made was ashes and all those she had known were dead. She had run a cross a few followers of a new age in Rhydin. Rachel with her league of assassins that attacked her, and found they were no match. Hera doubted to find them here, Hosse En Sereg'wethrin, may have a base in Haloisi, but if they did, they would be fools to attack Hera again.
Rhydin was gone now, behind mist of cloud. Hera watched it disappear and recalled when she had come back.
Young still, even for an elf. Not so new to Rhydin, though it had been years since she had set foot on the shore. Called by instinct. With what she needed with her, and nothing more. Rhydin was a city of darkness. It always had been, even with its tinges of light, darkness often ruled there. She was drawn right to The Sanctuary, its gates welcomed her, it mere presence was one of those lights in the darkness.
It was Mirage who had greeted her back. Old ally, longtime friend. Mirage had found Hera there before the gates kneeling, like a classic warrior would. It had been good to see her, good to be known by someone. Old times. They had both said. They had fallen back in with ease. Things had not been so easy with Issy. Illea was the head of the order, and though Hera and she were close, there had always been tension there.
Though Issy was glad for another hand in the war. Hera had always wondered what part she played then in the beginning. Cannon fodder? Though Hera could hardly be called that, her skills with blade and bow were only over powered by those she had with magic. Maybe that had been it, the magic. She would never be one of them, always on the outside, though he skills were not so different from theirs.
Looking away from the mist Hera watched the crew at work. Jade was at the helm with Bryant. Lola was helping on deck. It was time to put herself to good use.
She had put herself to good use in Rhydin. For years doing her duty, saving those who could not be saved, helping the hopeless and helpless. Being the hero. But Hera wasn?t a hero. Not by a long shot.
They knew her story. Though they could hardly be called saints. The Sisters of the Sanctuary were by large good doers. They had killed only when they had to. With a few varied exceptions. Hera had killed, she had killed many times. For money, for her own needs. Out of revenge and hate.
They had discussed things, and that was that. How long had it been now? Years. So many that Hera had lost the track of time. Serving in the city, making friends and enemies alike. Forging a way for herself.
There was pain, joy, heartache, love, loss. There had been no lack of bad guys to take down, no lack of good people to save. But the whole time Hera felt like she wore a mask to hide who she was.
Liam hadn?t come. Hera had debated on if she was going to tell him she was leaving or not. In the end she lied, saying that she and Jade were going to be out of town for a while. She never gave him any details. Fin didn?t know where Jade was going.
Crossing water had never been Hera?s favorite thing to do. When she had done it the first time, it had been on a mission long before she had left The Haloisi Akh?Velahr. When she had come back to Rhydin she had been greeted by old friends. There would be no one to greet her in Haloisi.
She had left there, the place she had lived as a child was gone. The place she had been made was ashes and all those she had known were dead. She had run a cross a few followers of a new age in Rhydin. Rachel with her league of assassins that attacked her, and found they were no match. Hera doubted to find them here, Hosse En Sereg'wethrin, may have a base in Haloisi, but if they did, they would be fools to attack Hera again.
Rhydin was gone now, behind mist of cloud. Hera watched it disappear and recalled when she had come back.
Young still, even for an elf. Not so new to Rhydin, though it had been years since she had set foot on the shore. Called by instinct. With what she needed with her, and nothing more. Rhydin was a city of darkness. It always had been, even with its tinges of light, darkness often ruled there. She was drawn right to The Sanctuary, its gates welcomed her, it mere presence was one of those lights in the darkness.
It was Mirage who had greeted her back. Old ally, longtime friend. Mirage had found Hera there before the gates kneeling, like a classic warrior would. It had been good to see her, good to be known by someone. Old times. They had both said. They had fallen back in with ease. Things had not been so easy with Issy. Illea was the head of the order, and though Hera and she were close, there had always been tension there.
Though Issy was glad for another hand in the war. Hera had always wondered what part she played then in the beginning. Cannon fodder? Though Hera could hardly be called that, her skills with blade and bow were only over powered by those she had with magic. Maybe that had been it, the magic. She would never be one of them, always on the outside, though he skills were not so different from theirs.
Looking away from the mist Hera watched the crew at work. Jade was at the helm with Bryant. Lola was helping on deck. It was time to put herself to good use.
She had put herself to good use in Rhydin. For years doing her duty, saving those who could not be saved, helping the hopeless and helpless. Being the hero. But Hera wasn?t a hero. Not by a long shot.
They knew her story. Though they could hardly be called saints. The Sisters of the Sanctuary were by large good doers. They had killed only when they had to. With a few varied exceptions. Hera had killed, she had killed many times. For money, for her own needs. Out of revenge and hate.
They had discussed things, and that was that. How long had it been now? Years. So many that Hera had lost the track of time. Serving in the city, making friends and enemies alike. Forging a way for herself.
There was pain, joy, heartache, love, loss. There had been no lack of bad guys to take down, no lack of good people to save. But the whole time Hera felt like she wore a mask to hide who she was.