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tiny_ninjaTitle: Here We Go, Life's Waiting To Begin
Fandoms: Original Work - The Imperial Story
Characters: Anitra Lambazzia, Briyant Correleon (nee Andros), Rildan Waterston, Nidan
Pairing: referenced Anitra/Briyant
Rating: Gen
Summary: A potential missing scene from Book 3: Underground. Our crew finds an abandoned temple from the Old Empire.
Notes: Written for![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
getyourwordsout Yahtzee challenge, with the prompt: overgrown building.
Word Count: 718
The tree grew over the building. Roots surged along the stone walls, crawling over the roof and mingling with the moss. This building had been here for generations based on the size of the tree alone. Branches hung low, shading what had once been a courtyard.
Figures were carved into the stone walls, depicting each of the seven gods. The windows were smashed, leaving square openings where they once were. Yet another casualty of the Empire’s attack on our people and our way of life. Such a beautiful structure left to rot because it was erected in the ways of the Old Empire and their beliefs.
I paused, craning my neck as I looked to the top of the tree. My breath caught in my throat. Everywhere I looked, I could feel life. Power thrummed here, just beneath the surface, as if the gods were waiting for us to come here, at this moment. We were where we were supposed to be.
“What is it?” Rildan asked from the back of the group. He cocked his bow, arrow notched and ready.
“A temple,” Nidan murmured. “From the Old Empire.”
Briyant’s hand lingered near the gun at his waist. He, like Rildan, didn’t trust anyone either. “Who knows who’s living here now, though. We’ll have to be careful.”
“We have nothing to fear here.” The words flowed easily, and I knew they were true. The others didn’t share my faith in the gods, save for Nidan. Why would they? Since the Great Raid, the Rebellion scattered to the wind. If we had any hope of reclaiming our world and building anew, we needed the old gods on our side.
The Empire turned its back on the old ways, insisting we didn’t need them. I knew better. I would honor the old ways and build our world anew, with help from my friends.
“Anitra.” Briyant laid a hand on my shoulder. “It’s dangerous.”
“I know that.” I patted his hand. My husband was right to have his doubts, but I knew the truth in my bones. “If the altar is still standing, I will make an offering.”
Nidan approached my other side. “And I will go with you.” He bowed his head to me.
“How are you so sure it’s a temple?” Rildan pointed to the outer walls, crumbled and destroyed after years of abuse. “Pretty sure the Empire bombed ‘em all in the first wave. And that was a generation ago.”
“The statues.” Nidan pointed to each in turn. “Seven gods. Seven statues. You ought to return to the readings.”
Rildan snorted. “Why would I? Who’s got time for that when you’ve got soldiers breathing down your neck? I’ll put my faith in my bow, thank you very much.”
Briyant said nothing, but his eyes agreed with Rildan.
“Because,” I tossed my hair over my shoulder, “you might learn a thing or two.” Trading out my blaster for a glowlight, I snapped it on. “You two check the perimeter. Nidan, you’re with me.”
Briyant tightened his hand. I stopped in my tracks. “No. Let me go first,” he insisted.
“You don’t believe in this,” I reminded him. “And it’s okay. Nidan and I will go.”
“Anyone could be there now.”
“Worshippers, maybe. If someone’s maintained the altars…” I remembered the altar I found in San Mona, the one Turrel kept in pristine condition in spite of the Imperial occupation of the island. It was a piece of home in the middle of a war zone, and that image stayed with me. “We can’t let it go until we know for sure.”
Nidan shifted his gaze to Briyant. “I will take care of her.”
“I can take care of myself,” I reminded them both. “Besides. You’ll need someone to stay with Rildan. Make sure he doesn’t find more trouble than he can handle.”
“Hey!” Rildan rolled his eyes. “I can hear you, you know!”
Sliding his hand from my shoulder, Briyant cupped the back of my neck. “Watch your back,” he murmured, ducking his head for a kiss.
“Watch your own,” I breathed against him. “Remember my code name.”
He smiled. “Priestess.”
“Which means I’m where I’m supposed to be.” Stepping back, I gave him my biggest smile. “The gods are on our side. Let’s go pay them a visit.”
Fandoms: Original Work - The Imperial Story
Characters: Anitra Lambazzia, Briyant Correleon (nee Andros), Rildan Waterston, Nidan
Pairing: referenced Anitra/Briyant
Rating: Gen
Summary: A potential missing scene from Book 3: Underground. Our crew finds an abandoned temple from the Old Empire.
Notes: Written for
getyourwordsout Yahtzee challenge, with the prompt: overgrown building. Word Count: 718
The tree grew over the building. Roots surged along the stone walls, crawling over the roof and mingling with the moss. This building had been here for generations based on the size of the tree alone. Branches hung low, shading what had once been a courtyard.
Figures were carved into the stone walls, depicting each of the seven gods. The windows were smashed, leaving square openings where they once were. Yet another casualty of the Empire’s attack on our people and our way of life. Such a beautiful structure left to rot because it was erected in the ways of the Old Empire and their beliefs.
I paused, craning my neck as I looked to the top of the tree. My breath caught in my throat. Everywhere I looked, I could feel life. Power thrummed here, just beneath the surface, as if the gods were waiting for us to come here, at this moment. We were where we were supposed to be.
“What is it?” Rildan asked from the back of the group. He cocked his bow, arrow notched and ready.
“A temple,” Nidan murmured. “From the Old Empire.”
Briyant’s hand lingered near the gun at his waist. He, like Rildan, didn’t trust anyone either. “Who knows who’s living here now, though. We’ll have to be careful.”
“We have nothing to fear here.” The words flowed easily, and I knew they were true. The others didn’t share my faith in the gods, save for Nidan. Why would they? Since the Great Raid, the Rebellion scattered to the wind. If we had any hope of reclaiming our world and building anew, we needed the old gods on our side.
The Empire turned its back on the old ways, insisting we didn’t need them. I knew better. I would honor the old ways and build our world anew, with help from my friends.
“Anitra.” Briyant laid a hand on my shoulder. “It’s dangerous.”
“I know that.” I patted his hand. My husband was right to have his doubts, but I knew the truth in my bones. “If the altar is still standing, I will make an offering.”
Nidan approached my other side. “And I will go with you.” He bowed his head to me.
“How are you so sure it’s a temple?” Rildan pointed to the outer walls, crumbled and destroyed after years of abuse. “Pretty sure the Empire bombed ‘em all in the first wave. And that was a generation ago.”
“The statues.” Nidan pointed to each in turn. “Seven gods. Seven statues. You ought to return to the readings.”
Rildan snorted. “Why would I? Who’s got time for that when you’ve got soldiers breathing down your neck? I’ll put my faith in my bow, thank you very much.”
Briyant said nothing, but his eyes agreed with Rildan.
“Because,” I tossed my hair over my shoulder, “you might learn a thing or two.” Trading out my blaster for a glowlight, I snapped it on. “You two check the perimeter. Nidan, you’re with me.”
Briyant tightened his hand. I stopped in my tracks. “No. Let me go first,” he insisted.
“You don’t believe in this,” I reminded him. “And it’s okay. Nidan and I will go.”
“Anyone could be there now.”
“Worshippers, maybe. If someone’s maintained the altars…” I remembered the altar I found in San Mona, the one Turrel kept in pristine condition in spite of the Imperial occupation of the island. It was a piece of home in the middle of a war zone, and that image stayed with me. “We can’t let it go until we know for sure.”
Nidan shifted his gaze to Briyant. “I will take care of her.”
“I can take care of myself,” I reminded them both. “Besides. You’ll need someone to stay with Rildan. Make sure he doesn’t find more trouble than he can handle.”
“Hey!” Rildan rolled his eyes. “I can hear you, you know!”
Sliding his hand from my shoulder, Briyant cupped the back of my neck. “Watch your back,” he murmured, ducking his head for a kiss.
“Watch your own,” I breathed against him. “Remember my code name.”
He smiled. “Priestess.”
“Which means I’m where I’m supposed to be.” Stepping back, I gave him my biggest smile. “The gods are on our side. Let’s go pay them a visit.”
