Weeks passed with an eerie stillness hanging over the capital. Though life had outwardly resumed its usual rhythms among its resilient people, an undercurrent of unease lingered in the stillness of night when shadows stretched long, and worries crept forth from where they lay buried by day.
Rowan prowled his quarters restlessly as dusk deepened its hues outside open casements. His thoughts chased each other round and round through winding alleys of conjecture, each path leading only to greater puzzles with no solutions in sight.
Who or what coordinated that unprecedented atrocity to rend the peace so brutally? What twisted summoning's conjured horrors to glut on stolen souls with such choreographed fury? And perhaps most pressingly of all - would the silence hold, or was another onslaught being nurtured even now in darkness, awaiting only the black of moon to be unleashed once more?
No answers came, only more questions piling heavier upon his mind with each revolution. Sleep eluded him utterly these past nights, unrest bending his brow into a perpetual furrow even as dawn light eventually drew him from his circular ruminations each morn.
His valiant efforts that night had bought these streets a momentary reprieve through strength, courage and cunning bandied against malevolence incarnate. Yet the true instigator remained cloaked still in the shadows it wove, and Rowan sensed no peace could be found until that veil was finally torn asunder. The silver moon hung full and ripe above as Rowan paced his quarters restlessly once more, mind buzzing with conjecture through the small hours.
Below, streets slumbered deeply in the witching time, shadows coiling long and gyring between snatched wanderers traversing the metropolis under moonlit bower and Gaslamp's cast. All slept but he it seemed, vigil kept 'against terrors nursed out of sight.
Soft footsteps broke his prowling, Elia appearing limned in lunar glow from the open casement like a vision. Her eyes held only understanding as they met his, arms opening instinctively to enfold him close.
Rowan sank into her embrace gratefully, breathing her in like balm to soothe frayed nerves wound taut these passing weeks. Only here in her arms could the phantoms be kept at bay, if only for moments snatched from insomnia's grip.
Elia traced slow circles across the tense lines of his back until muscles unraveled thread by stressed thread under her ministrations. Lead pressed heavier yet upon his mind when she drew back, fingertips lifting his chin until gazes caught and held once more.
"Come away with such gloom for an hour," her mellifluous voice bade softly. "Join me beneath the moon where shadows cannot creep so stealthily." Her hands stole into his, drawing him from darkened quarters into the blessed night with no more words needed. Rowan followed willingly where Elia led under that benevolent orb, her calming presence weaving past vestiges of disquiet marring his mind.
Outside silence yet reigned in the witching hour, none stirring but lone nightwalkers along shadowed avenues. Elia's touch remained solace against gathering unease, Rowan clinging to each blessed moment of respite snatched from insomnia's claws.
A noise arose to shatter the balm of that brief peace - a thunderous rumble mimicking boulders grinding against raw granite. The sound bounced down empty lanes in a nightmarish echo before stilling as suddenly as it began.
Rowan froze, instinct honed by trials past screaming danger's approach anon. Elia clutched his arm, eyes wide yet standing her ground at his back despite tremors coursing her frame.
From deeper gloom wraiths forms coalesced as if birthed from the very darkness itself. Their movements mocked all laws of fluidity, loping towards the pair with disregard for bones and flesh wrapping misshapen forms. Rowan drew Elia protectively behind with one arm while the other summoned steel singing free of scabbard in a flash. Rowan stood resolute before the staggering aberrations, blade held unwaveringly aloft. His gaze flicked between each loping form, assessing weaknesses to exploit even as innate fury swelled hot in his veins at their continued existence.
Elia clutched his mantle, jaw set yet terror shining bright within her eyes bearing witness once more to the warp and weft of madness given physical form. Her gift for magic flickered upon fingertips, but she held fire and lightning in check for now - Rowan would shield her with all that made him if breath yet remained.
The wraiths rasped and shambled closer, mindless purpose directing limbs more bone than flesh. Rowan growled softly, hackles rising yet stance loose and balanced - a coiled serpent awaiting only the moment to strike.
His focus narrowed solely upon the threat, all else falling away but Elia sheltered safely behind and the surety of steel keeping monsters at bay where his strength sufficed. No power under moon or sun would rip her from his guard this night, of this he swore upon all he held sacred and profane.
Let them come - he would greet each like the damnation they represented, and see their malformed flames quenched for good. The wraiths closed in with feral hunger, reaching talons black as the night from which they emerged. Rowan stood resolute before the onslaught, shielding Elia with poised blade and body.
Yet even his martial prowess and steadfast heart knew limits that this fresh horde might well overcome. If but one monster slipped through, all he held most sacred would be lost to the eternal dark.
Desperation clawed Rowan's belly at the idea of failing to protect her - of Elia falling prey once more to the abyss clutching nightmarish form. In that surge of dire need a spark lit somewhere deep, a flickering glow answering primal instinct's call.
Heat swelled in Rowan's veins, skin tingling as if live wires coursed just beneath. A corona erupted around clenched sword, illuminating wraiths forms struck motionless by the radiance throbbing in time to Rowan's quickened pulse.
Elia gasped softly at the display, fingers biting into Rowan's arm in awe and mounting hope. For within that nimbus beating back engulfing darkness lingered mysteries long kept close, strength drawn from origins untapped until this grim hour of trial. Rowan moved with a swiftness defying human limits, blade weaving intricate arcs luminous as the aurora. Where before had stood a farm boy shuffled into knighthood, now prowled a warrior tapping reservoirs outside the ken of mortals.
Each slash rent aberrant flesh like paper, bringing swift demise walking nightmares. Slithering forms dissolved under a dancer's foot, grace rending strengthless all that sought to tear joy from the world.
Elia looked on awestruck, terror receding beneath wonder unfurling slow and sure at prowess so long kept furled like buds awaiting spring's first touch. Her Rowan had ever been steadfast, but mysteries within now blazed brighter than any star above.
The final wraith crumbled into vapor under an elegant thrust, darkness banished once more by radiance otherworldly in its intensity and poise. Rowan turned to Elia, luminescence swirling 'neath skin emanating warmth to banish all that went bump in moonlit yards. His smile held untold secrets beside assurance no harm would reach her so long as this power remained his to wield in love's defense. Elia gazed upon Rowan awestruck, all traces of fear sluiced away on tides of profound wonder claiming each sense. Before her appeared humanity and beyond interwoven, a guardian spirit manifest in flesh yet conducting mysteries unseen till this night.
His corona mated beast and angel in a dance hypnotic, power righteous yet vast as the arcana she devoted life to unraveling piece by hallowed piece. Questions swelled her mind near bursting, yet hesitation held tongue, for serenity yet emanated off him soft as moonlight bathing all in bounty and grace.
Rows stepped closer, radiance dimming gentler than dawn yet light abiding within eyes holding hers fast. A hand found hers wrapped in reassurance tangible yet transcendent, anchoring spirit where awe threatened flight. No trepidation lurked there, only trust deeper than all voids and a faith unshakeable in her.
Words eluded still, yet none were needed. Through touch and gaze she read all and more - his heart remained hers, shelter and comrade as before despite mysteries awoken this night. For now, it sufficed to stand in radiance and reassurance in silence sweeter than all sonnets ever penned. Elia gazed upon Rowan still, awe mingling tender regard reflecting his light like still pools mirroring stars glimmering far beyond ken.
He drank her in likewise, buoyed by trust residing there still despite revelations wrought this night. Explanations were owed, long-held mysteries finally given voice to banish doubt or uncertainties left to fester.
"That day in the wood..." Rowan began softly, gaze drifting to mysteries dancing upon moonlit blades of grass at his feet. "When first this power stirred - I fought a goblin seeking your life. And when all seemed lost..."
His light swelled gradual, illuminating the grove in tones warmer than any hearth fire's ambience. "This radiance awoke, answering my desperation to protect you. It vanquished the fiend as if mere shadow."
Elia listened rapt, adding no word yet encouraging with her presence alone. Rowan continued haltingly: "Upon the goblin's ruin, a symbol appeared - a sigil naming me Sword God. One destined for greater trials, it warned. Yet I feared your censure, so kept this gift furled..."
His eyes found hers once more, laying bare all mysteries and more. "Until this night when desperation birthed what had long slumbered. Now you know all that I am, and all foretold from our first meeting..."
Silence cradled his confession, words freighted yet lightness awakened now between them transcending all secrets unveiled this blessed night beneath watchful stars.