A dancing shadow in the wind; a being standing tall like a flag pole, its fingers long and spindly; its legs cloaked behind an umbric veil. In shape, the unsettling creature resembled an arrow, pointing down into the bowels of the earth. In composition, it looked to be made of a material fragile and formless; the very structure it took to appear before the Dark Lord seemed an unnatural blasphemy against its normal state.

 

The entity looked down upon Ash with a hollowed mask of a face- A shell punctured with six separate holes, none of which hinting at a pair of eyes, or a mouth, or even a nose to breathe through.

 

It was almost as if something inhuman was trying its best to appear as such; the petering tails of its wisping dark flames dissipated into the air around it, yet the creature seemed to lose no mass at all. 

 

A gurgling growl, like bubbling magma popping and boiling, emanated from the creature’s body, though the space around it was cold as ice.

 

The pool, the surrounding greenery, and even the chirping crickets, all fell silent upon the Beast’s presence. The Angels Of Ash, who all gathered around the water as one, were nowhere to be seen. A shadowy filter was cast across the sky, and Ash could only see as far as the creature stood away from him.

 

His entire world had been shrunk to accommodate this strange presence, and his unease only grew the longer he was graced by its company.

 

“Be not afraid, Vas Lucis.” The being assured, “I come to you as an ally, not a foe. You may relax.”

 

Upon the Beast’s command, Ash’s muscles untensed, though beads of sweat continued to grow upon his forehead.

 

He wouldn’t say he was afraid. Maybe being afraid would be “normal”, and he should be feeling such. But once again, morbid curiosity compelled him to lock eyes with the unknowable, just as it had the day of his deal with the Devil.

 

He wanted to keep looking. In fact, he wanted to get even closer. So, he took a step.

 

The Beast held up one of its spindly hands. “Unwise, Vas Lucis. The air around me is deadly, even to those accustomed to the dark. The Shadows comprising me would rend your bones and blood to vapor. Stay where you stand, and hear my voice clearly from a distance.”

 

Ash stopped his advance. Not like he could move another inch, even if he wanted to. The pressure building on his body was becoming too great to even stand. He was forced to his knee, a gesture easily mistaken as a sign of respect.

 

But let one thing be clear, whatever this entity was, it had yet to earn the respect of the Dark Lord.

 

“Vas Lucis, you look strong. You look healthy. And you have already begun your march, once again. This is all good news; I look forward to confirming your existence with the greater counsel. For now, I will offer you the aid you seek, so listen closely.”

 

“Luci…” Ash whispered to the self within himself, but the woman did not respond. Was she asleep?

 

“Vas Lucis…the Blood Pond you seek no longer exists. It, along with many others within the month, has been cleansed by the arrogant hands of those who oppose our cause.”

 

Ash tried to open his mouth to speak, to ask the Beast for further clarification, but his throat had grown tight and tense. Breathing carefully was the only thing he could focus on, lest he choke and suffocate on his own esophagus.

 

Thankfully, the Beast clarified on its own accord. “The Vatican seeks to prevent any further tampering with this world from the other side. They aim to weaken the Devil, fearing her return. To this end, the search and destruction of all Blood Pools across this land has been ordered by the Queen of Edyn herself. They scramble to find them, as do we. If contact with the All-Mother is what you seek, then securing and protecting one of these remaining pools is what you must do.”

Ash grabbed at his throat, gasping, straining. He wanted to ask if the Beast could give him, like, a map or something. Did the Beast know where the Blood Pools were? Anything, he just wanted one God-damned solid lead in this world, for once! Games forcing difficulty through obscurity were rewarding, sure, but they were always incredibly annoying when you found yourself stuck on something, seemingly, impossible. Unfortunately, all the young man could do, was choke.

 

“It has been brought to my attention, Vas Lucis, that the one you carry needs more training- More experience. It is for this reason that we refuse to assist you any further than we already have. The Light-Bringer must grow, she must learn. Only then can she achieve her Divine Right. So consider this a test, for you and her both. It will be your first of many. The Divine Mother anticipates your success- the both of you.”

 

Damn it, no! No tests! Just come out with it and give us a clue, a hint, anything! Don’t make this some arc, simply make it a quick side quest! 

 

But it seemed the Beast had no intentions of helping anymore outside of what it had done. “Incede, Vas Lucis. Pandemonium regnat.” Giving its final decree, the shadowy apparition faded into the surrounding dark, vanishing with quiet whispers dancing in the wind, and haunting growls emanating from the shade around.

 

…….

Sulking through the halls was an unusual sight to see the little fox in, but Nookit had special cause to grace her siblings with such a rare occurrence. She was called to meet with Mother Almanac, which could only mean she was in trouble.

 

And Nookit did not like being in trouble, because trouble meant no after-dinner cookie.

 

Her tail whipped low and her gaze stayed to the ground. Maybe someone would notice her depression and take pity on her- Offering to come with so she wasn’t alone.

 

She didn’t get in trouble often, but when she did it was always for the worst offenses. She couldn’t recall any immediate crimes of hers, but to say she ever really knew what she did wrong before she was called in for it would be a lie.  

 

And Nookit was pants at lying.

 

The door to Mother Almanac’s prayer room loomed like a gateway to Hell. Turning its handle and stepping beyond its threshold, and return would not come without a few scars.

 

And tears, mostly tears.

 

Nookit took a deep breath; she summoned her courage. It was almost as if she could hear Abber beside her, encouraging her.

 

“You can do it, little sister! Be strong!” 

 

Oh, wait…she actually could. From down the hall, rounding the corner with Craven by her side, Abber pumped her fist to the ceiling as she approached.

 

Nookit’s tail got excited, and now she was dealing with a double whammy between it and her heart.

 

Abber and Craven, like the Sun and the Moon- One bringing its own light, the other simply reflecting what it could through the darkness; her two sisters now stood beside her, but she didn’t understand. “Are you guys in trouble too?”

 

“We don’t know!” Abber piped, smiling away as usual.

 

“We were just told Mother Almanac wanted to speak with us.” Craven added, scowling as she always did, “We didn’t do anything wrong though, so there’s no reason to assume the worst, Cookie-Brain.”

 

Nookit supposed her sister had a point. Her mind did tend to default to the negative, but it was only because of past experience. Foxes are just built to behave as such.

 

Abber’s hand grabbed the doorknob in Nookit’s stead, and the barrier was opened, slow and steady- Proper to announce their presence.

 

First Abber poked her head through. After seeing whatever it was she saw, she smiled to Nookit and gestured for her to follow suit.

 

Mother Almanac’s room smelt like freshly burnt sage. The elderly woman must have just concluded a daily cleansing prayer, keeping her orphanage free of the demons who loved to feed on addled spirits- Which were certainly aplenty across the gray floors.

 

The good-natured saint sat at the head of her prayer rug, right beneath the room’s sole window, where God’s light shined down on her and her exclusively. 

 

But she wasn’t alone.

 

Also in the room; also gathered around the carpet in prayer, were three other girls; each of which Nookit knew, and knew personally.

 

Wilma- That beefy behemoth of a gal who could crush mountains with her biceps and turn bones to gravy between her thighs.

 

Trilbie- That strange dame with hair as white as snow and eyes of icy blue; the words she spoke never making much sense, their meanings lost to all but her.

 

And finally, and certainly least, Stefana- She was there too…

 

“Did we seriously get called in here to pray?” Craven whispered to her sisters, daring not to let the Mother hear her.

 

“Aren’t those the girls from the other Houses?” Abber whispered, primarily to Nookit, whom she knew had a personal connection with at least all but Stefana.

 

Nookit’s tail danced upon seeing her faraway sisters. Since the Houses rarely congregated, the three hadn’t seen each other since Field Day- A time feeling like nothing more than a dream now.

 

Finally, Mother Almanac concluded her prayer. Her eyes smiled warmly to the three sisters, happy to have all six in one place to deliver the wonderful news.

 

“Ah, girls! You’re just in time, though I would have liked for you to join in on the prayer.” The Mother gestured to the available spots upon the rug, which were plenty given just how massive the symbol of faith was.

 

The trio took their places. Nookit snuggled between Wilma and Abber, while Craven was forced to sit in the massive gap between Trilbie and Mother Almanac.

 

“Hi Wilma!” Nookit whispered to her sister, the quiet of the room forcing her to contain her excitement. 

 

Wilma flashed a smile of nothing but teeth to her little buddy.

 

“I understand it has been quite some time since you girls have last seen each other,” Mother Almanac began, baking in God’s golden gift, “But let’s save the communion until after I have delivered what you all have been called here for. Stifle yourself, little one.”

 

Nookit sucked her lips between her teeth. She wasn’t in trouble, and she wanted to keep it that way.

 

Mother Almanac scanned the faces of each and every one of the young women sitting before her. Though she knew their circumstance wasn’t exactly “normal”, she still couldn’t help but be happy for them.

 

These girls, had survived long enough to see the light; she managed to save six.

 

“ ‘Sisters’,” She started, “You all consider one another thus, yes?”

 

Stefana rolled her eyes. What kind of question was that? 

 

Craven debated her response with a shifty cheek. On paper, maybe, but only two girls here were close enough to be called that.

 

Abber grinned and nodded like a goof. Of course she considered everyone here her sister! 

 

Wilma gave Nookit a hard hand on the back. She definitely considered her a sister, no doubt in her mind.

 

Nookit looked to each of her siblings- Siblings of circumstance. They weren't the family she was born into, they weren’t the siblings she once had, and they were far from the family her heart still cried for. But, yeah, they were her sisters…because they accepted her even when the world said it was wrong…Well, all except Stefana, but she didn’t count.

 

“ ‘Sister’.” Trilbie’s answer, could not be as simple as a gesture or a word. Nay, it argued the deeper implications such a title held. “What does it mean to be a ‘sister’? Must one be of the same blood; the same surname? Can sisters be chosen? Can they be granted the title like knights? That’s a pretty charged question, Mother A. I think we need to stop and really break it down, because-”

 

“Thank you, Trilbie.” Mother Almanac interrupted, stopping the ranting girl in her tracks, “You’re free to discuss that with your sisters when you have the time.”

 

Mother Almanac adjusted on her knees- She could never pray for long, so she claimed, because her age wouldn’t allow it.

 

“The reason I ask is because…well…I don’t know how else to put it. You six, all of you, you’re all being adopted together.”

 

The weight of the Mother’s words failed to register within any of the six minds sitting around her, and that was because, at least for Nookit, the woman delivered the news in such a way that she didn’t know how to feel. 

 

“Can you…” Abber was the first to pipe up; the first to break her stunned silence, “Elaborate a little for us, Mother…? You said we’re getting adopted…?”

 

“Together, yes. All six of you.”

 

Trilbie observed the faces of all the girls. She was curious to see how they were handling the news. For her, it was simply an interesting opportunity to learn a little more about them.

 

“By whom?” Was the next question asked, from Craven of all people, though she definitely didn’t seem thrilled. She actually seemed quite skeptical.

 

Mother Almanac hesitated to answer the young woman’s question, only confirming the suspicions in her heart. Yet, Craven waited anyway. She wanted to hear it directly from the Mother’s mouth. She wanted to hear Field Day was everything she thought it was. She wanted to hear she was right. She wanted the ulterior motives of the day to finally come out into the light. Go on, say it. Say the name.

 

“Well…” Mother fought for a way to phrase her answer, and all future elaboration, in such a way to still make the event of being adopted seem as joyous as it should have been. “You all remember Ms. Lancelot, don’t you?”

 

And there it was. Craven shot to her feet. God be damned, she was right. “I knew it! I knew it, Abber- I tried to tell you!”

 

“Craven Delmarque Ambernast!” Mother reprimanded, her ancient voice straining to shout, “You would do your best to sit back down, like a well-mannered young lady, and listen to the rest of what your Mother has to say!”

 

“You,” Craven didn’t care about the damage to come after. She was sick and tired of being lied to all the time; being played for a fool, “Are not my Mother!”

 

“Craven!” Abber gasped, trying to stop her rampaging sister before things got out of control. Before there was no going back.

 

But the line had already been crossed. “And my name is not ‘Ambernast’! Never, in a million years will I ever allow anyone to call me behind the title of that wretched, disgusting, selfish excuse for a Saint!” 

 

Mother Almanac rose to her feet with incredible speed for one with knees so fragile. Surely it was the ache of a cracked heart which spurred her on, her daughter’s words stinging far more than the girl would ever realize. “I may not have birthed you, but who was it that brought you in and nursed you back to health when she found you outside this orphange’s front door!?”

 

“I don’t care!” Craven was truly at her limit, and the whole world around her could just burn, “I don’t care about any of this anymore- I’m sick of all the bullshit!”

 

“THAT’S ENOUGH!” Mother Almanac’s hand rose to the sky to deliver swift retribution across the girl’s fowl-mouth. For just a moment, the fear of God re-entered Craven’s eyes.

 

But she was spared the woman’s divine wrath by the loyal hand of Abber, who caught her Mother’s assault as it parted the air in its wake. 

 

“Mother, please!” She begged for her sister’s sake, “She’s just upset- She didn’t mean it!”

 

Mother pulled her hand free from Abber’s grasp. She looked past her to stare into the fearful, hurt, and sorry-eyes of her second. Tears streamed down Craven’s cheeks. In the face of such emotion, the young woman fled, retreating back to her room to wallow in her rumination.

 

“Craven, wait!” Abber called after her. She too made her break for the door.

 

“Abber!” Mother Almanac howled. She knew there was nothing to be done in the name of halting her Sun from running off to shine her light on the Moon. Nevertheless, she wanted the girl present to hear the last of what needed to be said. If there was any amongst the six whom she entrusted to stand as leader among them, it was Abber.

 

But the Sun had other plans. “Mother, please…” Her eyes begged, her smile- Gone.

 

There was nothing to be done. 

 

“Very well…” Mother waved, resting her weary bones back upon the prayer rug. She immediately began reciting a short hymn to calm her rattled nerves.

 

The door remained half-open as Abber charged after her troublesome sister.

 

The air in the room no longer reeked of sage, but of inhibition.

 

But such news should have brought nothing but joy in its visit. Nookit could feel it, something wrong in the air; all things not as they seemed.

 

And with her big sisters gone, it fell to her to get to the bottom of it. So, she cut her Mother’s prayer short, speaking over her for the first time in years. “Mother Almanac…Why is Ms. Lancelot the one who’s adopting us…?”

 

To Nookit’s surprise and relief, Mother Almanac did not raise anger towards her for disrupting her zen. The woman simply sighed, a heavy, tired, wavering sigh. “You girls…have been chosen for something very important. This isn’t just about adoption…You six, have been chosen to be this land’s next Celestial Knights.”

 

Looks flew around the room; even Stefana was caught off guard.

 

“Celestial Knights?” Wilma parroted, “...Us?”

 

“Mother, not that I’m not incredibly honored,” Stefana interjected, “But why was this not run by us first?”

 

“Celestial Knights don’t get to argue their drafting during a time of crisis in the kingdom…” Mother Almanac replied, “You girls wouldn’t have had much of a say in the matter from the Crown…or from Ms. Lancelot herself.”

 

“And why’s that?” Trilbie asked, curious as ever.

 

“Because she wants you six specifically. She was very impressed with you on Field Day.”

 

“What did we do to earn that?” Wilma asked. A good question, one Nookit thought the moment it left her bigger sister’s lips. Especially she; what had she done?

 

“Lancelot is obsessed with the idea of comradery- She lives by it. When you all stepped up to the final challenge and pulled through, you earned her favor. But it was especially you four: Nookit, Trilbie.”

 

Nookit and Trilbie exchanged looks with one another, Trilbie’s being one of casual amusement, while Nookit was sure she looked just as mind-boggled as she felt. 

 

“She liked the way you looked out for your sisters, Nookit. And she admired the bond you all seemed to share. That is why she wanted you. As for you two: Stefana, Wilma. Being the first two to complete the challenge, great potential has been seen within you. You have garnered the attention of the golden knight, as well as the Master who trained her. You two should feel exceptionally honored.”

 

“Yeah? Well we don’t, no disrespect to you, Mother.” Stefana truly believed she could get away with saying anything to anyone. It only frustrated Nookit more to know she usually did. “We don’t want to be ‘Celestial Whatevers’. I know I don’t. It isn’t fair that we don’t get a say in this.”

 

“Maybe it won’t be…that bad…” Wilma tried her best to boost her sister's faith in their new future, though she herself was just as unsure, “Right, Nookit? Being Knights could be fun, don’cha think?”

 

Nookit…wasn’t sure what she thought, not yet. Being adopted by the woman she idolized- A dream come true, a fantasy made real. Yet, she couldn’t feel as excited as she wanted to, mainly due to Craven’s outburst.

 

Another sigh escaped Mother Almanac’s hard-working lungs. “I figured this might go poorly, but I was hoping the prayer would help us a bit… You girls are free to go now. Take the time to come to terms with all this. I assure you, it isn’t as bad as you all are thinking. This is a beautiful opportunity granted to you; a chance to escape this life and make a better one for yourselves. I only hope your sister comes to see that…”

 

The girls all rose at once and filed out the door beginning with Nookit and ending with Trilbie. 

 

The white-haired little philosopher stopped just at the door’s threshold to deliver her final words for the meeting’s conclusion. “Free-will is supposed to be a gift from God, right Mother? Funny how the systems surrounding the so-called Holy Knights rejects the very notion.”

 

And with a dastardly smile and a smug wink, Trilbie, too, exited to return to her respective house, leaving Mother Almanac to sit on her aching knees, and recite prayer after prayer.

 

…….

“I told you, Abber…I told you…”

 

Abber did everything she could to console her sister. She sat on the bed with her, cuddled against the wall with her, held her in her arms. But nothing seemed to work. It was all missing the final touch: A smile to break up the darkness.

 

But Abber couldn’t smile. She couldn’t do anything except regret every word she said back on Field Day. Her sister claimed her a liar, and now the truth was out to confirm- She very well was.

 

“Yeah…” She needed to own up to her mistake; she needed to take accountability for the pain she caused with her lies. “You were…”

 

“This isn’t some god damn ‘adoption’! This is a recruitment! We’re just being fucking drafted, and, what, we’re just supposed to smile and take it!?”

 

“You’re right…You’re absolutely right…” And she was wrong. She was absolutely wrong. 

 

Craven let the weight of her tear-filled head fall onto her sister’s shoulder. She didn’t want to cry anymore. She would keep the dams full until her head exploded. She was so sick of all of it.

 

The knock of a tiny fist upon the door warned the two of an incoming third. In walked Nookit, looking just as defeated, just as lost. Her tail whipped slowly to one side, and her hands could only find comfort within one another’s grasp.

 

Abber mustered her best half-smile to her youngest sister. She gave the spot of mattress beside her a gentle pat- The nice dip where Craven usually sat to read her books. Nookit crawled up to rest her tail in it. 

 

She let her sister hold her. She let her stroke the side of her head in repeated swipes of love and comfort.

 

The world continued to take them for a ride, and their only constant was each other. What would their future hold now, and was it better when such a question’s answer was uncertain?

 

All they could do, was wait and see.