Changes in the Wind: Part II - Edward and the Arcane Ones

Chapter XIV: Doarlan

The rain still poured across the countryside, the clouds getting darker as the light behind them disappeared and it began to become night. The thunder still struck with light flashes across the sky and its dominating sounds echoing across the land. But it still didn't stop the sounds of Edward, the blue engine hadn't cried in a long time. So when the tears streaked down his face, it felt odd. But he didn't care, he was damaged physically, but damaged more on the inside with the sight of his youngest brother, laying on the lineside, dead.

His crew inspected their engine all over, then went to Doarlan and shut off his steam so as not to let the boiler explode. They then placed their hats on top of Doarlan in respect, they stood there silently for a moment. Until Doarlan's crew arrived, they too mourn the loss of their engine, as they too, placed their hats as well as their coats on their engine and stood there silently with grief-stricken to their faces.

Edward was thinking, all he could process was the death of his brother, he barely lived for ten years, not even half of his own life and he gave it up for him. Why would he do that?

He then heard the voice calling to him and he looked down at his driver, who was now getting soaked from the rain. "What are we going to do?" he asked, "we can't just stay here."

"But we can't leave Doarlan," wept Edward weakly.

Sidney sighed, looking back at the engine which lay on his side. "We have to," he said, "more Warclaws will come eventually, we must continue."

"Thesang is just ahead of this hill," said Doarlan's fireman, who came over to listen in.

"But..."

"I know," said the fireman, "I don't want to leave him here either, but what do you think Doarlan would want?"

Edward thought long and hard, Doarlan sacrificed himself to save him, he died so Edward could be safe, so he shouldn't just sit here and wait for more Warclaws to come and kill him. He mustn't let Doarlan's sacrifice go in vain. Edward huffed. "Hurry," he said, "we might not have much time."

Both crews did so, they got the remains of Edward's rods and detached them as well as the coupling rod on the other side. He now only had one axle and was not like a single with a big trailing wheel. It took time, but once putting some sand on the rails, everything was considered to be ready. The crew were careful when boarding him in the cab, the ripped metal left his cab at risk of giving them deep cuts. And there was little coal left due to the tender's ripped side.

Edward started to move, but try as he might, he couldn't start, the withdrawn engines were just too heavy, the rails were slippery and the damage done to him made him weaker than ever.

Sidney cursed and thought for a second. Then he clicked his fingers, he told the other men what to do. They then went between each engine and adjust the couplings, then Michael went to the front with two large bags of sand that were in Edward's cab and sat on the engine's running board. "We've loosened the couplings," he explained, "now you can pick up each engine along the way, just like you do with trucks."

"That will be much easier," Edward replied gratefully. Everything was set again, and Edward looked at Doarlan one last time. A tear went down him one last time, then he looked up ahead. His brow furrowed and the blue engine gritted his teeth.

Edward then pulled hard at the train, his wheels gripped the sand on the rails and the coupling tightened. But he didn't feel the strain like he did at his last attempt and felt the weight of one engine move, then the next engine followed, and then the next and it continue down the line. Edward found himself moving carefully. "I'm doing it, I'm doing it," he said.

"Steady Edward," called his driver, "steady. Good boy Edward! You've got them! You've got them!"

And he listened to Edward's steady beats as the blue engine slowly moved up the hill. Doarlan's crew looked back down the hill and smiled warmly, knowing what Doarlan would think of this moment. "This was why Doarlan was so proud to be your engine's brother," said the driver to Sidney.