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C1705

The battlefield was a grim spectacle, littered with the bodies of the fallen. The sudden and ferocious attack by the dark elves had taken a heavy toll, claiming the lives of 12 magus. Four had fallen at the south gate, and eight more at the east. The cries of the wounded still echoed in the air as Commander Shepard approached Emery who currently still kneeling next to Magus Urix body.

"If it wasn't for you, Emery, more of our magus would have fallen," he said.

But Emery felt no consolation in those words. His mind was fully consumed with the body in front of him. With he knowledge taught by Master Flemming he had successfully extracted the fragile spirit soul from Magus Urix, protecting the ethereal essence as he cradled it in his arm.

"Don't worry, Master. I will take you home," he whispered, his voice choked with emotion.

But not all had been saved. The enemy had made away with the spirit souls of Captain Elara and two others. From the eastern gate, however, Commander Shepard had managed to save three.

Four spirit souls from 12 deaths. The numbers were stark, unforgiving.

Emery's eyes met Commander Shepard's, and his voice came out cold, almost detached. "Did we at least get any of them?" he asked, the question hanging heavily in the air.

The Commander's silence was answer enough. It was a silence that bore the weight of failure, and it irritated Emery even more. His mind raced, his heart pounded, the anger and frustration building within him.

"Commander, You need someone to captain this gate. I will take the job," he said, his voice firm, his eyes unyielding.

It might have seemed like arrogant words coming from a young magus like him, especially with thirty other Half-Moon magus around, seasoned warriors who had seen countless battles. But Emery's past actions were enough to make the Commander take the request seriously, to consider it amidst the chaos and loss.

However, after a long, thoughtful pause, the answer was a refusal.

"You will take Urix's place," Commander Shepard declared, his eyes locking onto Emery's. "What you did just now proves that you are best for the job."

The words were heavy, carrying both an honor and a burden.

Without waiting for Emery's response, the Commander pulled back his sleeve, revealing three luminescent spirit souls that danced and flickered like ethereal flames. "You take these to Flemming," he said, his voice firm, leaving no room for doubt or question.

Emery reached out, taking the delicate essence of the fallen comrades into his care.

The Commander quickly returned to his position, and gave the command of the south wall to Magus Blane, alongside Magus Cass to fill the place left vacant by Captain Elara's tragic demise.

Time was of the essence, and there was no room for hesitation or respite. Emery swiftly summoned his plant spell, tendrils of green energy wrapping around the bodies of the fallen, lifting them with a gentle touch before taking them with him to the spirit soul room.

The doors to the spirit soul room creaked open, and Master Flemming's eyes fell on the lifeless bodies that Emery had brought back from the battlefield. She heaved a sigh, a deep and mournful sound that resonated in the hollow room. Her eyes lingered on Magus Urix, and the weight of sorrow seemed to press down upon her.

"I know he really cared for you," she said softly, her voice barely more than a whisper. "He was my first choice until he insisted on giving the seat to you."

Emery's heart twisted at the words, a fresh wave of grief washing over him. The knowledge of such act only sharpened the pain of his loss. Anger flared within him, hot and fierce, a burning desire for revenge.

He watched as Master Flemming carefully placed the four spirit souls into the glass container, their ethereal glow casting a haunting light across the room. They were now at 90 spirit souls, each one a precious life lost, each one a solemn reminder of the cost of war.

Before Emery could turn to leave, Master Flemming stopped him, her eyes drawn to Magus Urix's body. She reached down and detached a medium-sized pouch from his waist, her fingers brushing the worn leather.

"This leather pouch is soaked with my recipe," she explained, her voice filled with a quiet intensity. "It's not comparable to storage rings, but it should do the job."

Emery's eyes widened as he realized what the pouch was for. It was a special container, created to house spirit souls. It would keep them safe for a day or two before they started degrading, a vital tool for preserving the essence of the fallen. Magus Urix had been tasked with collecting the spirit souls as the leader of the healer squad, and now that responsibility had been passed to him.

Master Flemming handed out the pouch, her eyes locking onto Emery's, her expression serious and unyielding. "Remember, this will be your main task. There is nothing more important than saving lives."

Her words were almost insistent, a command rather than a request. She wouldn't let Emery take the pouch until he agreed, and when he did, she reminded him to return for the rest of the Spirit souls earlier before launch to prepare.

"Good luck, Emery," Master Flemming said, her voice tinged with both pride and concern.

#####

[02: 58: 48]

The countdown to the scheduled launch loomed over Emery like a shadow, the numbers a stark reminder of the ticking clock. Three hours left. Time was slipping

Emery returned to the battle, a newfound determination in his stride. He was now in charge of a small group of 12 healers, a team assembled to respond to the unpredictable violence of the dark elves.

With a mind sharpened by the lessons of recent loss, he quickly assessed the situation and dispatched three healers to each wall, spreading their presence across the battlefield. His own position was at the center, a strategic point that allowed him to assist all sides, to be the unifying force that held the line together.

Emery's eyes were watchful, his senses heightened. His concentration focused on the one moment he was sure to be repeated.

Just as expected, after half an hour, it came. The air seemed to thicken, the shadows to lengthen, and the whispers of the dark elves reached Emery's ears like a sinister melody.

They were here, the dark elves made their sudden attack once again, their movements swift and deadly, their intent clear.

To be continued