Here Shines the Sun by M. David White

hope.”
    Hadraniel sighed. He knew she was right. A couple nights ago another star had fallen from the heavens. It was said that if the Sleeping Goddess was not awakened before the final star fell from the sky, that a new age of destruction would be visited upon the world. Hadraniel did not have the courage to admit to Karinael that, in his heart, he felt they had already failed the Goddess. Part of him so badly wanted to just be with Karinael; to live a happy life that few, if any, Saints Caliber ever got. With their Sanguinastrums, he and Karin had that chance. He looked her in the eyes. “I don’t think you understand. I love you, Karin. If something ever happened to you, I don’t know what I’d do. And I’ve seen what they do to Saints they lose trust in. I might not be able to protect you. And Nuriel…”
    “It’s fine, Hadi. Trust me.”
    “Do you remember that day we first met?” asked Hadraniel.
    Karinael smiled brightly. “Of course.”
    “I want to ask you something about that day that I’ve never asked you before.” he said as she peered into his silver eyes. He loved the way she did that. Her eyes were always so warm; so caring. They were eyes he often lost himself in, just as he found himself getting lost in them now.
    In his mind’s eye the consuming shadows of the towers and wall beside him became the broken tower that had stood before the city of Caer Jerusa eight years ago. He was part of a small constellation of four Saints with Adonael of the Rivers Edge at the lead. They had come to assist Saint Nuriel and her apprentice who had run into some major problems while visiting Caer Jerusa at Gatima’s request. Even before they had seen the city’s dilapidated stone wall Hadraniel could hear the hammering of bolt-throwers. Hadraniel saw the golden trails of Caliber light as his companions bounded over the crumbling wall and into the city. Hadraniel himself leapt into the air and over the wall. He had hardly landed when the wall behind him began to explode into chunks of sundered stone.
    JINK-JINK-JINK-JINK! came the hammering bolt-throwers. Hadraniel went down to his knees and raised his forearms to his face, shielding himself as best he could against the exploding stone fragments around him.
    The bolt-thrower fire paused for a moment and Hadraniel took the opportunity to dive and roll back to his feet just as the wall behind him toppled. He saw Saint Sacriel upon a nearby dirt road in a defensive stance with his star-metal saber at the ready. There was another short burst of fire from down the road and Hadraniel watched as Sacriel flourished his weapon. One of the powerful, iron bolts exploded off his sword. But then another impacted his star-metal breastplate and knocked him back a step just as a third and final bolt ripped through his unarmored abdomen.
    As if in slow motion Hadraniel watched Sacriel’s white leather bodysuit explode in a burst of terrible crimson, just below his breastplate. The Saint fell backwards, screaming and clutching at the ghastly wound. Without thinking, Hadraniel dashed to the side of his fallen comrade and a ghastly, septic odor hit him. There was nothing left of Sacriel’s belly. Pieces of flesh, bone and intestine lay everywhere. Sacriel screamed the way a man only can when he knows he has met his doom, but Hadraniel grabbed him around the collar of his breastplate anyway. He was about to drag him to safety when something caught his eye.
    Down the road, in the shadows of two rotten buildings whose roofs had more holes than clay shingles, Hadraniel saw a pair of gleaming, emerald lenses staring at him. The figure wore a black robe and its hood concealed all but those two, large, owl-like lenses. Hadraniel felt his heart-rate quicken. What that being was, was unmistakable. With gloved hands the Jinn raised its heavy, iron rifle known as a bolt-thrower and now Hadraniel found himself staring down its long barrel.
    Sacriel choked and blood flew from his mouth as