The light of dawn broke through Kaya's window, and for the first time since she could remember, she was still asleep come days break. She had never slept on a bed like this and it was far more comfortable than she ever thought possible. When she had come up to the room last night, the Innkeeper, whose name she had learnt was Eridos, had commented that it was one of the smaller rooms available but space was short. Kaya thought at the time, "If THIS is small, what in God's name is big to these people?" as the room was nearly half the size of the Longhall! The biggest building that Kaya really knew of was mostly one room still, the very idea of a single room being bigger than her house was staggering to her. Not only that but there had been many items that were left in the for her to use. Some were very alien but the ones she did recognise were still different somehow and everything about this place seemed so opulent and decadent to Kaya. The life of a simple mountain hunter doesn't make for glamour or luxury, but it's a strong honest living and Kaya was more than happy with what she had known. All this seemed excessive to her, as she knew you didn't need a solid copper bathtub, a roaring fireplace, your own sink and mirror or a mattress and bedsheets stuffed with the soft down of a Klack, although Kaya did admit to herself, that last little treat of life away from the frigid north wasn't that inconvenient of a change to have to manage. However, the fact it was so warm, compared to almost perpetual winter in the north, she found the only way to be comfortable among the wrappings was to be nude.
Thump, Thump, Thump. Kaya was startled awake by knocking at her door and scurried out of her thick covers with all the haste she could muster.
"Wakey, Wakey Lass!" Soren shouted through the door before banging on it again.
Kaya sprang to her feet, and in a sleepy haze answered the door not realising she was still nude, "Soren? What time is it?" she hadn't even opened her eyes properly, and could just see a dull blur that looked sort of like Soren as the daylight burned her still dream muddled vision.
Soren laughed and pushed her by her arms gently back into her room and closed the door behind them, "Haha, perhaps time to get dressed Kaya, don't want everyone 'ere to see ya like that do ya?"
Kaya looked around confused, "What do you mean, Soren? I am..." she caught a glimpse of herself as she passed the mirror, completely nude, "Oh for the love of..."
Soren couldn't hold himself and burst his guts with laughter at her realisation, "You've never slept nude before, I didn't think it would be something to consider." he playfully looked her up and down as she frantically gathered her clothes, "Although, that is absolutely something to consider."
Kaya spun round to catch him staring where her backside would have been, "HEY!" as if being hit by smelling salts, Soren snapped back into the room and raised his arms as if under threat, "I've never slept nude before because I've never been this warm at night before. That bed..." her eyes rolled in mock ecstasy and she moaned, "it's amazing" she had pulled her lower undergarments on and her trousers on above them, "but so unlike anything I've slept in before. Comfortable and warmer than a fireplace." She closed her eyes and smiled as she remembered the night's sleep before.
"I think you and the bed need a minute." Soren chuckled as he started to leave, "Dressed and report in five minutes, aye?"
"Aye!" she absentmindedly said to the heavy door as Soren vanished beyond it and it crashed closed. Pulling her vest over her head she belted up her trousers tightly and set to finish getting dressed and ready for the day. She thought about her family and her life up until now as she finished pulling the rest of her clothes on. Being a Mal'Katai, life was much simpler and more humble than in the south and Kaya never realised until this night at the Warriors Rest just how sheltered and removed from the world they were, up there in the frozen haven of the stone and snow. Simple kettles and earthenware bowls were about as far as it went for the Mal'Katai and eating, yet even in this remote respite, eating was conducted as a ceremony, with large portions and great varieties of vegetables and fruits from all over the known world. She had seen a little of this with the Lighthand, but there were much more conservative in the field, which made sense as they had to travel and could only really carry so much from camp to camp. Bathing back home was much more straightforward also, as you just washed in one of the nearby streams, often with your clothes on as they would need washing as well. Not so here, for there are great copper tubs, filled with water warmed over open fires and hearths, seasoned with salts and herbs to enhance the experience further, and garments made from fabrics she had never seen or felt, washed in basins just as large as the bathtubs. Kaya was curious about how all of the differences worked out, but also nervous and a little intimidated by the idea of such an experience and as such did not partake in this opportunity, though she did start to notice her odour and resolved to find a river as soon as possible.
She just finished adjusting her gear and buckling up her quiver, she stood still and silent in the centre of the large room and allowed herself a moment to take in the comforts of the Inn, as she was sure she would not sleep in such a luxurious bed again for a long while.
Thump, Thump, Thump, "Kaya?" Salecs voice through the door.
Kaya opened the door and gave a friendly smile to her commander, "Aye, sir. Reporting." she closed up the door and they began to move down the stairs together.
"There's somethin' 'appenin' this morn, lass. Will ya stand wit' me while it does?" His voice was a little shaky and Kaya could not hide the concern drifting over her face, "No worries there, lass," he started to reassure her, "Its jus' somethin' that might, well, lets say it'll sting a lil'" he took her hand in his, hers seemed as a child's by comparison, "be nice to 'ave a softer face than ma brothers to take the edge off" he chuckled.
She relaxed her features and spoke softly, "Of course Salec."
They walked together to the front door and round to the back of the stables where there was a well and a small clearing, presumably for trade carts and the like to load and unload. This morning though, it was attended by the entire Lighthand brigade, who stood in a semicircle around the two Lighthand recruits' bodies. They had been washed, dressed and laid face up with the left hand gently resting over the heart, side by side, in the middle of the yard, and resting on a bed of what looked like dry straw. Izalia and two much younger priests stood at the feet of the bodies, speaking vaguely about the value of life and the tragedy of death to the gathered. As Salec and Kaya arrived, Izalia looked up at him and smiled sympathetically, before gesturing for them to take their place.
As they walked to join the end of the congregation and stood next to Soren, Kaya couldn't help but ask, "What's going on Salec?"
He spoke very quietly and softly, "The Ritual of Lights, lass. Please jus' follo' me lead here." Kaya nodded and began to grow a little nervous, this was all very strange to her. Soren and his larger brother shared a knowing nod as Salec took his place beside him and Kaya stood next to Salec in turn, eager but slightly panicked at the same time as she noticed him starting to squeeze her hand gently.
Izalia took a deep breath and began to walk towards the first of the Lighthand recruits, the priests followed with some sort of liquid in a bowl.
She arrived at the recruit, who bowed to her as she dipped her thumb in the liquid. She spoke more clearly and loudly, "Lighthand, we stand here to honour those of your number that have fallen." she pressed her thumb to his head and dragged a line of the liquid across his brow, after which he raised from his bow, the priests and the recruit then mumbled something to each other but Kaya couldn't hear, and Izalia moved on blessing each recruit as she spoke, "We stand to remember the Light we fight to preserve." a few of the recruits started cheering softly when she finished each sentence, "Each of you standing here are brothers and sisters of the Light, and the Light, in turn, will illuminate the darkest of paths, it will clear the deepest of darkness, and it will blind the purest evils. While your faith holds, so shall the Light in your heart." Izalia was getting closer now but Kaya still couldn't quite hear what the priests were saying to the recruits.
Izalia was still conducting the ritual and making her way swiftly through blessing the group one recruit at a time, "The Light of your fallen was true, and we will not allow it to slip into nothingness. We call upon the power of the divine Light to bless and guide these mortal remains, that the Essence may not be desecrated by the Void and instead can bear new Life unto the world." As Izalia finished blessing this recruit, she was close enough to hear what was being said by the priests. Kaya heard them say to the recruit "In Light be Bound." and the recruit say back, "Be Bound by Light."
"We do this in service to Calana, the Elder Goddess, Mother of all. We pray your return to be hastened by the suffering of your children, and we mourn every day we are without your radiance and guidance." She had just blessed Soren, next was Salec then Kaya. "Finally we ask that you bless each anointed one among us," the priest said "In Light be Bound." and Salec replied, "Be Bound by Light."
Izalia now stood in front of Kaya, she lowered her voice and leaned in slightly.
"Child, you do not follow Calana as we do, hmm?" Kaya shook her head. Izalia looked at her quizzically for a time, which just served to make her even more nervous than she already was, being involved in this very new and somewhat intense experience. When she did speak again it felt to Kaya like an eternity had passed, "Where exactly are you from, child?"
"A Mal'Katai village, far north, close to the Headway Mountains." she looked up at Salec who tilted his head in a shallow nod to reassure her that everything was as it should be.
"Is that all you know my dear?"
"All I know of what? I'm sorry... I don't understand." Kaya was trying to be polite but was very confused by this attention.
"Your Light..." she trailed off but took a deep breath, and seemed almost comforted by it, "You have a special Light, my child."
Kaya was starting to get a little more than agitated and Izalia could tell. She made a few soothing sounds and then continued with the blessing. Kaya lowered herself slowly, trembling a little, as she felt the slightly warm, greasy liquid being pressed to her head. The priest stepped forward and said hopefully, "In Light be Bound?"
Kaya took a settling breath and said confidently "Be Bound by Light" the priest seemed visibly more relaxed after Kaya had spoken the correct response.
Izalia, Salec and Soren all giggled gently at her discomfort and then the ritual began again, with the holy group of three moving back towards the bodies. The priests took up two torches they had prepared for the ceremonies and set them to blaze as Izalia spoke, "Calana, we release the Essence of the fallen, and pray you to guide them into Light and back into Life" they lowered the flame to the bodies feet and then moved to the hip after it had caught, then finally to the head. When the bodies were aflame, they stood at the head, and everyone fell silent and still. The air soon filled with the smell of burning flesh and the crackle of breaking skin, shattered bone and boiled fluids, and for Kaya, it all just made her mind rush with images of her home being destroyed.
After a few minutes, the priests disappeared briefly inside before returning with a large wetted blanket, which they used to cover the mostly burned bodies accompanied by a sizzling hiss as the flames were extinguished by the cover.
"In Light be Bound!" Izalia said in a booming tone.
"Be Bound by Light" came the reply from the brigade in unison, and they began to slowly dissipate and return to getting ready for the day's travels, though many lingered and some sought time to speak with the holy ones.
Soren caught his brother's attention and then turned them both towards Kaya as Salec spoke, "So that was the Ritual o' Lights." His voice carried with it a much more melancholic tone than ever before.
"By the Gods man, ya need to stop carryin' such a weight for 'em." Soren actually sounded sincere and genuine for almost the only time in the duration of Kaya's presence among them, "It's no one's fault, aye? That is why it's called 'accident'."
"I'm the commander, aye? Anyone dies its ma fault." Salec almost spat the words out, as if they tasted vile to even think of.
Kaya placed her hand on his massive arm and he turned his head slowly to face her, "You didn't fail them Salec. Everyone here follows you because they know you'd give yourself for them if you needed to. You wouldn't want anyone to blame themselves if you got hurt, or died would you?" Salec quietly mumbled, "Aye" before Kaya continued, "They all feel the same way. Everyone would give themselves for you and this unit and you know it! We can mourn them, of course, it is tragic that they did not see the End as they should have, but there is no blame to be had here my friend, only the comfort of friends."
Soren placed his hand on his brother's other arm and said, "No jus' friends, aye, brothers!" he patted his big brother's chest plate, and Salec smashed him into the ground again with a hearty chuckle. Soren stood, dusting himself down, "That got borin' years ago brother!" he spouted with mock indignation as he sauntered off.
Salec kept chuckling softly as he turned his focus once again to Kaya, "So lass, wha' d'ya reckon then?"
Kaya was stumped, "Excuse me?"
"She said ya be special, aye?" he gestured towards the holy ones who were still taking attendance with the soldiers present.
Kaya nodded, "She said my Light is different? I'm not sure what she meant."
"What do you know of new life Kaya?"
"Our version of them" pointing to the holy ones, "we call Mystics. They commune with nature and help us discover our place within it. We believe in a soul, I guess what she called 'Essence' and that new life comes only when a Mystic blesses a woman to bear it." As she finished she questioned, "Why do you ask?"
"Hmmm 'tis a bit dif'rent down south. Ya see, ya be right wit' the Essence lass, it do be what many call a soul or holy ones like to call it your 'Light' and many more call it some other such thing." he gestured for them to start walking towards the gathering troops preparing the march for the day, as spoke more on it as they moved through the hustle and bustle of the daily goings on at the Warriors Rest, "When someone's time be up, there's no one in heaven left to decide what's to be done wit' the Essence o' 'em, so Auramancers and Necromancers down here, they be takin' care o' all that. If someone be dying befor' time, and they don't get guided by one o' these holys, the Essence be lost and then can't be no new life made from it and it jus' gets lost in the Void. Not something I'd wish on ma enemies, aye."
Kaya thought about all this. It was very different to the legends and stories told by the Mal'Katai, save for the facts of life and death not being natural because the gods abandoned the Heavens. There was no ritual burning or overly longwinded blessings or speeches, rather, it was a much smaller more modest affair. Normally when someone reaches the End, they meet with the Mystics, attended by any living family and are allowed to sleep on the floor of the Mystics' home, wrapped in ceremonial sheets, normally woven by family members, then they are carried to their resting place where they are buried in a simple grave. If the End was not normal, whatever remains that were left of the deceased is to be treated the same way. As for new life, it was very much a similar process as a woman would proposition a Mystic for the Blessing of Life and if it was accepted, as there are a couple of conditions, then that woman would bear a child.
After her musings, she asked Salec, "Do the Lightbringers work with the Necromancers and Auramancers if they all serve Calana?"
"Some say they work wit' some say work for, its not ma place to say either though, lass." He gave a knowing wink to Kaya and she realised this could be a polarizing topic for the troops and decided to put it out of her mind for a while.
They arrived with the group as Soren was finishing checking supplies and rounding up stragglers, "Brother, the weather be fair and the wind with us. If it holds, barely two, perhaps three days march I reckon 'till we be near to the Capitol."
Salec spoke to one side of his men, "Listen though Kaya, I'd be careful 'bout who I'd tell about my 'special Light', understand me, lass?" his eyes betrayed utter fear and unknown panic.
Kaya gulped down a worrying thought and agreed, "I understand Salec."
"Good. Now then, to the head of the pack. Your settin' pace this morning 'till lunch. Get 'em moving good, get the blood flowin' and we'll be at Capitol by sunrise!" The brigade all cheered as Kaya took her place beside Soren at the front of the group while Salec took up the rear-guard duty for today, and the last haul of the march to the capitol was on.