You really have no idea what it's like... Illrea thought to himself in disgust as he fought off Kaella's blows. The woman really had gone crazy... Being a member of the old order of Sentinels really did seem to have its downsides. Driving its members somewhat mad was a trait he had now witnessed in both Galen and Kaella. Perhaps it was some event from the past that had caused the two of them to become what they had? Either way, Kaella was definitely crazy, and that gave him cause for concern. It made her unpredictable. If he wasn't careful, she might stab him in his sleep one day just to get her hands on the Dawnstar. This and more Illrea thought about as he fought back and forth with the leader of the Sentinels. The fact that he was even able to think as clearly and freely as he could was testament to the extraordinary abilities that the Dawnstar granted him as long as he held it in his hands. From what he could discern from her rather berserk style of attacking him, Kaella was in fact a very skilled swordswoman, and without the Dawnstar to aid him, he would have been hard pressed to hold her attacks back for an overly long period of time, despite his own skill in fighting. As it was though, he was without much doubt the better fighter at present. Having two swords to use was helping in that vein too. He was not used to using two weapons at once during a fight, but doing so allowed him the comfort of parrying with one sword whilst simultaneously attacking with the other. Had he wanted to, he would have pressed his attack to subdue the Sentinel leader, but as it was, he was concerned more about keeping her from harming him. Illrea's blue hair shone in the afternoon sun as he parried one attack and pressed in return, and it was not long before the duel was over. As he moved the Dawnstar into place to effortlessly parry yet another strike from Kaella's heavy blade, he felt a strange impact. Instead of having to tense his arm muscles to maintain the sword's position, the woman's blade shattered on his, and he found himself not having to tense at all. Instinctively, he stepped backwards to avoid the follow-up attack often proceeded by an opponent's losing their weapon, but none came. Instead, Kaella fell to the floor and began to speak rapidly, apologising to someone called Ragnar whilst trying to repair her shattered weapon by placing each fractured piece together.
Despite the Dawnstar's effects on him, Illrea still found himself breathing heavily as he slowly withdrew from the state of reverie it had placed him in. It was then that the man that he recognised as Kaella's second-in-command strode forward, speaking authoritatively as he walked with sword drawn. Anticipating another assault, Illrea wearily drew himself back into a defensive position, hoping that the Dawnstar would once again save him from an unwelcome fate. However, any attack he might have expected never came, as the man instead kneeled down and presented his sword. It was then that the strangest thing happened. Logain, for that was his name, spoke to him, swearing fealty to him and proclaiming him as his Warden. Dumbstruck, Illrea could only watch on as every other warrior gathered before him on the beach did the same. "I don't know what to say..." The young man trailed off wistfully as he stood up properly. It was the dream of most every young child in Pentref to one day rule a vast kingdom or command a great army with which they could vanquish the enemy and return peace to the land. Like everyone else, he had dreamed the same imaginative and unrealistic dream, hoping beyond belief that it might one day come true. Of course, as he had aged, he had grown out of such thoughts. Most did. Never though had he even considered that it might become a reality. "I..." he faltered, unsure how to respond, casting a lost look at Selune, who stood some way off to his side. Once again, he went to open his mouth to speak, but this time nothing came out, as Illrea recalled a memory from some time back. The wise woman had shown him that parchment back in her tent, and here he was, the next step in his destiny being opened up before him.
Letting out a sigh as he resigned himself to his fate, Illrea spoke again, this time in a slightly less subdued voice. "Thank you for your trust, Logain. I accept your oath of fealty." This said, he extended the Dawnstar and placed it on Logain's shoulder as he felt he was supposed to do. Smiling slightly, he sheathed the Dawnstar, and keeping a hold of his own sword, placed his free hand on Logain's shoulder, thus signalling that the man could stand up. This done, he addressed the group of warriors gathered in front of him, still somewhat overawed by the magnitude of what was happening. "I may be inexperienced in your order, but without another goal for me in my life at present, this is the best thing for me. I am honoured that you all saw fit to make me your Warden. I will strive to build on the progress that the Sentinels have made under Kaella's leadership." Placing his free hand on his chest, he bowed his head slightly in a gesture of appreciation to the onlookers. His short speech finished, Illrea frowned at Kaella, who was at that moment being consoled by Marie. He strode over to Selune, and placed his arm around her shoulders, before speaking again, this time to Logain, Marie and the still crazed Kaella. "Selune is not a *****. If I hear you call her that one more time, Kaella, I won't hesitate to act. She is not a Sidhe cast-off, nor is she your underling. She is as much your equal as anyone else here is, despite your being a Sentinel of old. That doesn't give you the right to diminish anyone." Addressing Logain, Illrea spoke quickly. "I want Kaella taken to somewhere safe in the caves. She needs to be guarded at all times, but she is not a prisoner. I don't know her well as either a person or a leader, but I do know that a fearsome band of fighters would not have her as their leader without just reason." Illrea paused then, looking at Selune with an uncertain expression. Allowing her a sad smile, he carried on speaking to those directly near him. "Marie, Logain, Selune, could I speak to the three of you together soon? There are some things I need to understand..." The request made, Illrea waited to see what would happen next. Judging by the way things had gone so far, almost anything could reasonably happen to him without him being shocked.