The entire dormitory was woken up at once by shouting, the lights jumping to life with a snap. Rhain raised his hand against the sudden brightness, and from the gaps between his fingers, he could spot the two knights in the doorway. Loud rumbling and more shouting bounced against the walls of the hallway they'd come from, and he quickly realised this wasn't a drill. All the second year trainees, Rhain among them, were promptly rushed out of the sleeping quarters, into the halls, and headed for the first courtyard. Squads of knights in heavy armour thundered past, swords at the ready, enchantments of protection clinging to them like a fine mist. Penn Carchar was always brimming with magic, ancient wards ensuring what was locked away here would stay that way. Tonight, however, it wasn't the familiar runes that lit up the walkways of the stronghold.
They hadn't all turned the next corner before a giant boulder crashed into the wall, a mixture of panicked yelling and crumbling rubble filling the night sky that now filtered into the building. Rhain caught only a glimpse of spells flying overhead, trails of light in various shapes flung back and forth by known and unknown faces. A hellish screech was quickly followed by the invading scent of sulphur, the battle drawing closer. He surmised the outer wall had fallen already, so it was likely that they would––
A rough shove from one of his fellow trainees - a kid named Elouan - snapped him out of it. Separated from the group, the three of them had to keep moving. The way in front of them had been blocked off, so they dashed for the next archway, stumbling into the second courtyard.
The fighting had reached the second layer of fortifications already. The barrier dome had gone up, and the many ripples in its surface indicated they were being sieged from several directions. The group of three stuck near the edge of the field, pulling each other along towards the next gate. Rhain's panic was only kept at bay by the adrenaline rushing through his veins. He knew where to go, safety protocols and evacuation routes were one of the first things taught to them, but lessons and drills only helped so much.
Two paces ahead of them, bricks went flying. Chaos unravelled at their feet, and Rhain could barely catch the foreboding light that cracked the cement right to his left.
Another explosion rang through his ears, gravel and stone dust rolling past. In front of him stood a massive towershield, half embedded into the dirt, part of the wall collapsed against it. He had managed to materialise it just in time, he thought, until he finally registered the tugging at his sleeve, numbness leaving his limbs. That numbness was soon replaced by a sickening coldness creeping down his spine.
All the two of them could see was Elouan's arm sticking out from under the collapsed stoneworks. Before he could stumble forward, a forceful hand wrapped around his arm, tugging him up and along. His legs had no time to protest. Another knight had pulled the two of them from their spot, rushing for the next line of defence. Rhain could just make out the arcane sparks coming to life behind them before his vision went black.
—
The heartbeat in his ears trumped his quickened breaths when he woke up in his room, not a stone, but a wooden ceiling over his head. Without realising it, he had sat up straight, the crack in the curtains beaming a single ray of moonlight over his hands. Deep breaths in, and deep breaths out eventually calmed him down again.
Old memories invaded his dreams every once in a while, but this one only resurfaced sometime earlier this year. They weren't the same person, of course, but when Rhain lay back down, picturing his face, he wondered once more what Elouan's final moments must have been like, and how many more of these memories he would come to endure.
