Fowlhunter [GL]

Mount Casca at night was a drastically different place than it was in the day. Even when Ennanis had been on guard duty, the sunprisons were lit sporadically by braziers after nightfall. Here, the only source of light was their individual lanterns, which swung and flickered dangerously in the strong breeze. All they illuminated, at first, was nothing but rock. They did not fly, but marched—mainly because the winds made it too dangerous, and also to conserve Soleki, which flying consumed. While a necessary precaution, this made descending the mountain extremely arduous.

Before, Ennanis would’ve never imagined putting one foot in front of the other could’ve been such a harrowing task. Her knees and calves burned like hot irons, and she could not stop the skip in her chest whenever she nearly tripped on a ditch of rock or went skidding down a section of slippery gravel. The gales continued to tear at them, Ennanis wasn’t sure if she would be able to regain wing control should she careen off the mountain.

She wondered how the cadets around her felt.

The gold pulse from the Wardens in the back of their heads urged them to speed up. Among them, the higher-ranked officers also issued orders—the sergeants, lieutenants, the two brigadiers—corralling the greybelts into a sense of organisation even as anxiety ran high. Meanwhile, Commander Ennanis Zoleil couldn’t help but feel too far out of her element to speak. All she could do was focus on tottering down the cliffs at a slightly faster rate with the other soldiers, trying not to bump into the angel in front of or behind her and risk sending them over the edge.

Gradually, after Prometheus knew how long, the landscape began to change. Compact grasses littered the rock in patches; rustling ferns that escaped from the tiniest crannies. It was slightly warmer than before, the incline of the paths less steep. They even got to a section which was a flat plateau, letting the angels gather in a group and rest.

Mentally, Ennanis exhaled a sigh of relief… but then realised that the expressions of the soldiers around her had only grown tenser.

What now?

“We’re now on the fifth peak,” yelled one of the brigadiers in charge, raising his voice to be heard above the winds. “We need about an eighth of the cadets to stay here.”

Ah. Ennanis had heard about this.

“As usual, the first eighth of angels to answer this communication charm will stay,” the Brigadier said, a ball of light concentrating in his palm. “The rest will continue downwards.”

Out of the five undercloud peaks, the fifth peak, being the last line of defence, was the safest place to be on Mount Casca at night. A luck of the draw decided who would get to stay here. Ennanis felt everyone around her tense as the Brigadier fired the charm. She felt the spindle of Soleki drop in front of her mind’s eye immediately, dangling there for her to grasp… but she didn’t take it.

……

“Okay, it’s been decided,” said the Brigadier after a moment. “Spread yourselves out along the circumference of the fifth peak. Those of you who aren’t connected to the charm, please continue to follow me down.” Beside Ennanis, Nathan looked relieved as he joined the section of angels meant to stay here.

“Aw, didn’t manage to get the charm?” he said as he waved goodbye. “It’s okay, maybe next time. Good luck!” he grinned, an awful lot of optimism despite the chill in the air. Ennanis was impressed by how upbeat the greybelts managed to keep themselves. It was probably because it was the only thing they could do.

The remainder seven-eighths of the Division reshuffled themselves and continued the trek down the mountain. Along the way, somewhere between squeezing past a prickly shrub and a near-vertical rock slide, Ennanis bumped into a familiar face.

Her light-green hair further paled by starlight, Kikko Apple’s slitted eyes brightened when they landed her way.

“Miss Nana!” In the gloom and dark of the mountain, the nickname that her friends had once shared in warm, cosy cafes was like a drop of golden sun; too-bright and out-of-place. But welcome. They couldn’t look at each other for too long, what with having to keep moving along and focusing on not falling, but they could still maintain a stilted conversation, starting and stopping as needed.

“How’s it been like for you in the Graveyard so far?” Kikko asked. “Are you scared? I remember how scary it was on my first time.”

“I’m not scared.”

“Haha, I guess it takes a lot to scare you,” Kikko giggled. “Remember that time when we and Sabira and the others went to that haunted house?”

“Yeah. The carnival in Fenlin. Ulysses, Derrick were there too. And Lila.”

“Ugh. Don’t bring her up,” Kikko’s back was to her, with her walking in front, but Ennanis could imagine her nose wrinkling. “Two-faced bitch who flipped the instant she found out I was grey.”

That day in the cafe, Kikko Apple had admitted to being in the Graveyard Division. Most of their friends had taken it alright. Except for Lila Perennia, who declared how hurt she was and refused to speak to Kikko again. The group had pretty much splintered off after that day: it was just Sabira, Kikko and Ennanis. Ulysses stopped showing up for training with Ennanis. Derrick Truwing hadn’t been around that much to begin with. And after that… well, everything happened.

“Anyway, yeah, the haunted house,” Kikko said, eager to move on. “I screamed so much that day… and tackled poor Rara so much, I gave her even more of a fright! I think that was the scariest haunted house I’d ever gone to, it was just so realistic. I don’t know how you didn’t jump even once.”

“I mean, you go in knowing that it’s going to be fake.” Ennanis had sharp senses, so she’d always seen the jumpscares coming. That, and, “Also, we’ve gone on so many missions that are much more dangerous. The actors in haunted houses will never touch you, while the criminals we go after very much will shoot you.”

“True, but it’s not about the real danger, but how unsettling it is,” Kikko shivered. “I guess for me, it doesn’t matter how many times I’ve seen it, or that I know it’s coming. It still scares me.” She went silent for a bit, before saying, “Even now.”

“It is a good thing to feel fear,” Ennanis stated. “It means you still want to live.”

Kikko glanced back at her. “Nana…”

“Keep your eyes on the road,” said the other.

They had reached the fourth peak. Another platoon of cadets would take station here. The brigadier announced a repeat of the drawing process from the earlier peak. Beside her, Kikko Apple squeezed her eyes tight shut in concentration. Once again, golden threads of communication splayed from the brigadier’s fingers. Kikko’s eyes opened in a burst.

“Got it,” she said, sounding relieved. “I’ll be staying here…” Her eyes turned to Ennanis. “And you?”

Mutely, Ennanis shook her head.

“......” Kikko stared at her.

Then, Kikko reached out and hugged her, meagre warmth in the alpine cold. It was like sitting on top of the radio tower again, inhaling bittersalt air, talking about death and dying and leaving. It was tender in a way that made all of Ennanis’ bones stiffen up. She didn’t pull away, but she looked like she very much wanted to. Kikko, head buried in her shoulder, didn’t see it.

“Farewell,” Ennanis said when it was time to go.

“Don’t say that,” Kikko’s voice cracked.

“I’m not afraid,” Ennanis replied. “And, you really never know when it’s going to be the last time. You were, and are a good friend. Goodbye.”

With that, she turned from the green-haired angel and joined the rest of the Division that walked on.