Eventually, Rainbow finally managed to control herself and stop the tears from falling. Her friends had managed to get their own tears under control sometime before, but had held onto their friend all the same.
“T-t-thanks guys.” Rainbow sniffed, looking around at the five mares.
“What else could we do darling?” Rarity asked, “We couldn’t exactly leave you hanging, as you would put it.”
This caused Rainbow to smile slightly, and slowly the six mares broke apart. Looking out of the window, Rainbow could see that it was roughly mid-day, which was impressive considering she had started telling the others about that day just after she had gotten up. Finally, Princess Luna broke the silence that the room had descended into again.
“Do you,” she asked hesitantly, “Want to continue Rainbow?” she asked, shying away from the look she got from Celestia at this remark.
“Don’t listen to her Rainbow.” Celestia said calmly, “We understand if you want to take some time to come to terms with old memories.”
“I thought I had.” She whispered quietly, “Over a year and a half of training and fighting, and I still can’t get my mind of that one place.” She smiled slightly at the two princesses’, “But it won’t stop me telling the rest of this.”
***
The 41st Millennium
***
Rainbow awoke to the sensation of burning all over her body. Her ribs felt like she’d been bucked by Celestia, and her flank felt like it was literally on fire. Groaning, she tried to push herself up, but was met with more pain in her legs, and fell back down to the bed. With a sigh of frustration she lay back down and took in what she could see of her surroundings. She was back in an Eldar building, that much she could tell. She could also tell that it wasn’t Elariques’ house. Looking around her, she could see other beds near her, each one had an Eldar occupying it, and none looked healthy. Rainbow stopped looking around and waited for someone to come and see her, it wasn’t as if she could do anything else at the moment.
Eventually, after what felt like hours, a lone figure approached Rainbow. Craning her neck, Rainbow caught sight of the figure, who she quickly identified as Elarique, and relaxed slightly. Forcing herself to sit up, she watched as he limped his way towards her. Upon his arrival, he flopped down into a chair next to Rainbow, and sighed.
“How are you feeling?” he eventually croaked.
“You’re really asking that?” she smirked slightly, “Well let’s recap. Big battle, we fought, we lost.” She finished the sentence with an obviously frustrated tone, “What happened to the others?”
Elarique sighed, not meeting Rainbows eyes, and softly said, “Dorgolmar and Aranel survived, not much of a surprise there. Ones to stubborn to die, and the other is too crazy to accept that he can’t win, I’ll let you figure out which ones which. Egarion is alive for now, but I can’t say much more than that.” He trailed off, still not meeting Rainbows gaze.
“What about the rest?” She asked hesitantly, worried that she already knew the answer.
“Elensar,” Elarique said slowly, “didn’t come back. He could be dead, or lost, or who knows what else. Aranel isn’t taking it too well. And Talvan, she didn’t make it.” He finished sadly, finally meeting Rainbows gaze, and showing a face full of scars, both physical and mental ones.
Rainbow was lost for words; she hadn’t overly liked the snooty Eldar, but neither did she want to see her dead. She thought back to the battle, with Talvan protecting her, and saving her from being killed by the Tyranids innumerable times. The thought of her now lying dead was something that Rainbow could not really come to terms with. Eventually Rainbow found her voice, and tried to steer the conversation away from the topic, not because she didn’t care, but she knew that Elarique and Talvan had been close, almost likes brother and sister. Her lose couldn’t be easy for Elarique to take.
“What’s happening with the Tyranids?” Rainbow asked hesitantly
“For now, their advancing, we’ve set up more ambushes, but it’s a holding action. One good thing has come out of our sacrifice though.”
“What good could come out of that?” Rainbow spat.
“The arrival of our craftworld brethren. We delayed the swarm long enough for them to punch through the hive fleet above.” Elarique said simply. “They made planet fall today. We’re going to go and meet the Autarch now.”
“He asked to see me?” Rainbow asked, shocked that she would be asked for.
“No, but after.” He faltered, before continuing, “After Talvan, I’m in command of the rest of this village, and as the largest on the planet, the remaining Exodites. The Autarch wants to see me. You’re just going to be there as well.” He finished with a slight smile, before offering his hand and helping Rainbow from the bed, before leading her out of the room, and into the open air of the village.
Rainbow gasped at what greeted her eyes as she emerged from the building. Sleek vehicles were skimming over the village, gathering together at the edge. Some were small, and only had a single Eldar riding them, while others were large, and looked like they could fit whole squads inside of them. Rainbow even caught site of a couple that had long tubes with large crystals on the end. Tearing her eyes away from the vehicles, Rainbow followed Elarique, tentatively testing her wings, and finding them to be in good shape.
Elarique and Rainbow walked through the village, passing Exodites who gave curt nods towards the pair, while other Eldar, who wore bright red armour, ignored the pair, and instead talked amongst themselves or tended to more of the strange machines Rainbow had seen earlier. Eventually Rainbow and Elarique caught sight of the Autarch, or at least that was what Elarique had said. Approaching him, the Autarch cast a disapproving glare over Rainbow.
“Elarique. I was unaware that I asked you to bring your pets along with you.” The Autarch spoke, his deep voice cutting through the din of the village.
“You didn’t Ren’lof. But I believe that I can bring warriors with me in my own village.” Elarique returned casually.
“Warrior? It’s an animal.”
“Hey buddy.” Rainbow said suddenly, “This 'animal' has helped more than you so far, so drop it. You don’t have to like me, I already had an Eldar who treated me like I was below her, but don’t treat me like I’m insignificant.”
“Helped?” Ren’lof said, sounding surprised, “In which way did she help you Elarique?”
“She joined us at Aspoh fields. Not only that, but obviously she survived, which not many can say. She deserves respect for that at least.” Elarique said, never taking his eyes off Ren’lof.
“Really?” Ren’lof asked, looking strangely at Rainbow, “If this is the case then you may prove yourself one day, but it is not this day.” With that, he turned and led Elarique to a table set up behind him. “I will take my wind host and engage the Tyranids here,” he pointed to a point on the map, “After the swarm has reacted to our presence, I want you and the remaining Exodites to attack here, and cut off this part of the swarm. Understood?” Without waiting for a proper response Ren’lof turned back to the men behind him, who all wore mechanical wings of some sort on their back, and left the room with them.
“Ren’lof is in command of a wind host of Saim-Hann.” Elarique explained as he led Rainbow back towards his house. “He once walked both the path of the Swooping Hawk and the path of the Shining spear.”
“The what?” Rainbow asked, suddenly realising that she knew very little of the Eldar other than the Exodites, who she knew where different from the rest of their race.
“My apologies.” Elarique said, stopping and thinking for a moment before beginning again. “On an Eldar Craftworld, the ships that saved some of our kind from the fall, all Eldar pursue paths. Many, especially on Saim-Hann, choose the path of the warrior. Ren’lof walked two of these paths before walking the path of command and becoming an Autarch.”
Processing this new information, Rainbow continued to walk in silence with Elarique. Eventually they reached their destination, and were greeted by Dorgolmar and Aranel. Neither looked happy, but neither did Rainbow feel like their ire was directed at her.
“Rainbow.” Aranel said with a nod, “I heard you survived.” He didn’t say anymore and instead just stood with Dorgolmar, who was being unusually quiet for once.
“We will find Elensar.” Elarique told Aranel, “And we will either welcome him back or avenge him. You have my word.”
At this the group lapsed into silence again, no-one knowing what to say to each other. The silence was eventually broken by a roar. Rainbow instantly assumed in was the Tyranids, but was calmed by Elarique, who pointed across the sky.
“Calm yourself and look to our salvation.” He said cryptically.
Rainbow followed his finger and saw what he was pointing at. Speeding across the sky where literally hundreds of the flying machines that the Craftworld Eldar rode. At their head was the unmissable figure of Ren’lof, riding upon a machine of his own, a sword in hand, and a squad of his own behind him. As the assembled wind host sped over her head, Rainbow caught sight of a group of Eldar who interested her much more. The squad wore blue armour, and stood out against the red of the others. What intrigued Rainbow eve more however was their lack of machines. Instead, she saw a familiar looking blur on their backs. Still starring at them, she opened her mouth,
“What are they?” she asked no-one in particular.
“Swooping Hawks.” Aranel said simply, “Aspect warriors equipped with Hawk wings.”
With that he descended back into silence, leaving Rainbow to stare into the sky with an admiration usually reserved for the Wonderbolts. She continued to stare as the figures flew out of sight with the remainder of the wind host to confront the Tyranid threat. She silently wished that they would have more success than the last time the swarm had been faced.