Final Letter Home by Khiro Arkadian

This less than eloquent letter is the final missive composed by Khiro Arkadian to his wife Iona on the eve of the Battle of the Creator Plain, which as we all know culminated in The Great Flare .

As a piece of prose it leaves a lot to be desired, however it is a uniquely valuable historical record giving some small insight into the situation immediately prior to the Flare as well as 'humanising' one of the major heroes of the war.

It is thought the Archives were gifted the letter by a descendant of the youngest daughter Kintra once the form of the monument to those who fell at the battle had been decided. The inscription on Khiro's memorial is a reference to this letter:

"Youre the earth neath me, the sky above an everythin between.

Youre the home I fight for.

My hearts root."

Iona, my hearts root.

Ya now my riting aint the best but keep tellin me ta keep at it like em new foals standin fir the first time, wobbles but gits there.

So ere I am again, wobblin just fir you, sweetheart.

Things been strange quiet past weekr so, followin the path o nuthin the Harvester left behind, all way ta Plain!

Guess what, we got ere, Im standin in the Creatr Plain!

Bloody wonder it is too! Big, wide open like grasslands back home wi ya, but filled wi plants and critters Ive no seen before.

Well, seen plenty these past months Ive no seen before ta be honest. Wonders and wicked both.

Oh, hay, when we were kids, dya imagine Id ever be rubbin sholders wi kings an queens, minotars an bird folk? Ta see a bird folk take ta wing, tis a wonder ta lay eyes on fir sure. Reminds me o the eagles we ad round abouts some years back, but the folks ere ave real big wings, wide span!

Real frendly though, speak ta some in passin, tells o citys in clouds they ave back home. That’s even further for em than you are ta me by long shot.

Even minotars r closer ta home in the desert. Oh, tell Eora I will no ask 1 ta see ow sharp is orns is! And tell her I ave one as a bodyguard! Me! Bodyguards!

Bloody ell!

Gots 4 bodyguards, 2 lookin after me all the time. King Edward was stern bout this, said I was too important, even more than im! So th 4 big races sent 1 each. Gots em ta rite names down so I gets em proper, said I was gonna rite home an tells you about em.

Khan Krom is minotar, big, black hide like old bull Willow, ad ta stop mysel from laffin when he spoke first time, just kept seein Willow speakin! That’s what appens when wes gets kids ta name the animals! Ta tells true hes stern but frendly like. Im happy hes on our side!

Azurite Silverclaw is dwarf. Shes fun, youd love er! Likes a drink but dont nows a dwarf doesnt! Can lift more an me any day the week.

Sheanna Marrow is human. Takes care wi er heart an thawts, still an deep like the old well. Does talk but likes space ta breath. Quick ands, watchin her sword practice is all a dizy blur.

Nethoh is bird folk. Looks thin, frail but is strong wi it. Took me flyin yisterday! Carries me, went straight up from standin, gold brown wings carrys us both. Seen the land like the Gods do Im thinkin, everythin small an far. Maybe if theys touch soil and sees us up close wed not be fightin.

Sorry love. Wasna gonna write about the fightin. I nows you worry, but hay, look at me bodyguards, nuthin gettin past em!

Hope em kids are behavin, helpin round the farm as I told em ta.

Wish I was there now. Miss the place. Sounds o the animals, or wind rustlin the wheat and trees, or kids arguing!

You singin.

Missin smells aswel like the grass after rain, or earth new tilled, bread just out the oven.

You, close ta me.

The closer we got ta ere the more been dreamin bout ya all, like real. So real cood abouts touch ya.

Not spoke bout the Harvester before but need ta. Need ya ta now whats like cause ya keeps me safe, me hearts bodyguard.

Ya know Im not powerful like with the magics, its not schoolin but feelin fir me. I touch earth an feel the animals an plants, I breath deep an feel the happy or sad of folks round me. I reach out wi me heart an help seeds grow or take sickness from lambs.

When I ave ta visit the Harvester I gets sucked in ta hollow place.

Thats where HE is.

Ules-eel.

The bastard doin it all, leadin it by the reyns, makin it kill.

He tries get inside me, me head, heart, sowl. Think if he gets in me he gets in the Harvester again.

But he cant. Cant get in cause o you. The kids. Home.

You guard me like the big shields the nights ave. He tries and tries but never gets in.

But I sees him back. I sees his pain. He believes! Believes what he as ta do is right. I sees his family, his fear o failin em.

He cant win cause I now y all believes in me.

An I will sees y all again, my heart says it.

The morrow we makes the move ta the spires. Can see em from here, 2 twistin lines on the horizon from land ta sky, like they old it up.

Wors thing jus now is seein the faces of all the folks out there lookin at me when I comes out the tent. Can feel the fear in all o em an the hope in me doin ma job an holdin the Harvester back again.

Even worse. I fear too. Fear feelin the pain o the dyin, all the fear at the end. Im no brave, if I could leave I wood. Im just a ordnary farmer, dad, usband. But them out theres same like me. How cood I leave when I sees folk younger an me standin an fightin?

I use ta say why me a lot, why my nack lets me speak ta kings, ave bodyguards, fly wi bird folk. One day Khan just leans down real close, looks me in the eye an says who better? Says if I hadnt got this feelin fir life then weed all be dead back at Greengrass. The farm, kids, you, all turned to nothin now.

Blunt words shook me. Seen true the luck I ave, the life, the family, the love.

This is where I shood be, needs ta be.

But by any Gods listenin, I swear I’ll be with yous again!

Hear those kids arguing!

Feel me heart beat in time ta yours, look in your eyes an drown again.

Youre the earth neath me, the sky above an everythin between.

Youre the home I fight for.

My hearts root.

Hold Eora, Bailie, Kintra and Ruan tight for me, my guidin stars in the night.

Always home, where ever I be.

Khiro

Iaro Gaunt

Greengrass; home

by Illiya Vjestica - Unsplash

Document

Personal correspondence from Khiro Arkadian to his wife Iona prior to the Battle of the Creator Plain and the Great Flare  .

Material

Parchment

Date Written

2048^R

Age of Reformation

Type

Text, Letter

Arkadian Homestead; Greengrass

by Alexander Andrews - Unsplash

Greengrass

by Ovidiu Cozma - Unsplash