Sarian ran a finger along the edge of the coffin lid as the soldiers examined the room for hidden compartments or hidden foes. Halbard had himself and another soldier positioned at the door, preventing anyone from entering, or leaving. Jace was also studying the coffin, although the craftsmanship of the actual coffin was of no interest to him. The clanner seemed perplexed by the coffin. ”Is it normal for your people to put coffins inside their citadels?”
Jace subtly leaned against the lid, bracing his feet. ”No, it is not. This is the work I spoke of, and I am overjoyed that we have finally found it,” With that, Jace pushed, shoving the heavy stone lid aside, ”Now, let me show you of whom I spoke.”
The heavy thud of the lid hitting the floor demanded the attention of the soldiers throughout the chamber. Of all of them, only Halbard seemed more interested than alarmed. Even if there had been no sight or sound to behold, they would still have noticed a change; the Dust flows were shifting again, becoming intensely focused around the now-open coffin, so much so that Jace found it uncomfortable to be in its presence. But where the soldiers were merely made uncomfortable, Sparian was short of breath, his face growing paler by the second. Within the coffin was someone like Jace and his men; a spirit trapped in armour, but they were as different from the one in the coffin as a baby bird was from its parent. They might be able to just about fly, but he could soar. ”Samhane Haligtide. The foremost of our people at what defines our new existence; devouring the energy of others to sustain his own life.” Still lying down, Samhane opened his eyes, their blood-and-gold gleam different from Jace and his fellows. Sparian could not stand on his own feet anymore, and was leaning against the coffin. The Lord reached up, pulling himself out of the coffin by the lip. His other arm came up grasping a sword, beautiful Dust inlay gleaming in the light of the room, the edge untouched by the years. From the seams of his armour, the same eerie light that shone from his eyes illuminated the chamber, brightening as Sparian slowly collapsed. Samhane rose, standing to his full height. He was taller than Jace, reminding him of the Lords from the capital. Stepping out of the coffin, he stepped on the dead clanner as if he weren’t there. Haligtide stood in the center of the chamber, keeping hold of his sword as he scanned Jaces soldiers. One by one, the soldiers in the room kneeled, with Jace and Halbard first.
In the wake of the Reincarnation and upon seeing the possibilities of their new state, Jace had known. Their ‘honour’ had been an easy sacrifice for what they now were, the power they held.
The Lords of the Amber Plains were now destined to be the Lords of all of Auriga.
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