Chronicle 22
“The Fall of Aetheris: Part 4”
A hand grabbed Zas by the shoulder.
"Zas."
No response.
"Zas!"
The warrior's eyes opened immediately.
He sat upright.
There was no panic.
Only alertness.
Semin stood over him.
Breathing hard.
His face had gone pale.
"What happened?"
"I..."
Semin swallowed.
"I saw..."
His words tangled together.
"There were soldiers and a woman and they were-"
He stopped.
Frustration crossed his face.
"I can't-"
"Slowly."
Zas' voice remained calm.
"Breathe first."
Semin took one long breath.
Another.
Around them, the others stirred.
Rahim blinked awake.
Ravi rubbed his eyes.
Azamat looked around in confusion.
"...What's going on?"
Nobody answered him.
Not yet.
Zas kept his attention on Semin.
"Start at the beginning."
"Where were you?"
"I woke early."
"I went walking."
"The palace grounds."
He spoke more steadily now.
"I heard screaming."
"I followed it."
"I stayed hidden."
"What did you find?"
Semin's jaw tightened.
"A woman."
"I believe she was from Curgarden."
"Four soldiers."
"They had taken her somewhere out of sight."
He hesitated.
"They were beating her."
The room became perfectly still.
"I only watched long enough to be certain."
"I memorized where it happened."
"I memorized their faces."
"Then I came straight back."
Nobody spoke.
Rahim looked down.
Azamat slowly clenched a fist.
Ravi whispered,
"...Damn."
All eyes turned toward Zas.
Nobody had to ask.
The question hung in the room anyway.
We're not leaving now... are we?
Zas remained silent for several moments.
Finally-
"King Havin expects us for breakfast."
Semin stared.
"What?"
"After breakfast..."
"...it is imperative that we collect our
belongings."
Semin's shoulders dropped.
"So..."
"...nothing's changed."
"We leave."
"No."
Semin blinked.
"No?"
Zas stood.
His expression had changed.
Not angry.
Focused.
"You're mistaken."
Semin frowned.
"I am?"
"Yesterday..."
"...we had no leverage."
"We had a plea."
"A request."
"A diplomatic mission."
"The King heard us."
"He declined."
"There was nothing further to discuss."
Zas stepped toward the window.
"This morning..."
He turned back toward the room.
"...you have brought me something different."
Semin waited.
"You have brought me evidence."
The words landed heavily.
"If what you witnessed occurred as you
describe..."
"...then we are no longer asking King Havin to help
Curgarden."
"We are asking him to explain the conduct of his own
soldiers."
Azamat slowly smiled.
Realization dawned across Rahim's face.
Ravi straightened.
Semin looked at Zas.
"So..."
"...we're staying?"
"We are requesting another audience."
"…but this time..."
Zas's voice became firmer.
"...we do not go as supplicants."
"We go with leverage."
He looked directly at Semin.
"…and we will use it..."
"...smartly."
A grin slowly spread across Semin's face.
For the first time since entering Aetheria...
...he finally understood.
Zas had never been unwilling to fight.
He had simply refused to fight...
...without a reason that could withstand scrutiny.
Breakfast was served in one of the palace's smaller dining
rooms.
The table was modest by royal standards.
Fresh bread.
Fruit.
Tea.
Eggs.
Nothing extravagant.
Before anyone entered, Zas quietly gathered the group.
"One instruction."
Everyone looked at him.
"Do not mention what Semin witnessed."
Azamat frowned.
"…but-"
"No."
"We cannot allow His Majesty to suspect we know
anything."
Semin nodded slowly.
"If he thinks we saw it..."
"...the evidence disappears."
"Exactly."
Zas continued.
"If the soldiers acted without authorization, someone
may warn them."
"If they acted with authorization..."
He let the thought hang.
"...then we reveal our hand too early."
Rahim folded his arms.
"So..."
"...we pretend."
"We behave exactly as we behaved yesterday."
Ravi sighed.
"I don't know if I can make pleasant conversation with
him now."
Zas looked toward the dining room doors.
"There is a solution."
Everyone waited.
He turned to Azamat.
"You enjoy wrestling."
Azamat grinned.
"I do."
"So does His Majesty."
"...He really does."
"I need you to keep him talking."
Azamat's grin widened.
"I was born for this."
King Havin rose as they entered.
"Master Zas."
"Your Majesty."
The others exchanged polite greetings before taking their
seats.
For several minutes...
...conversation remained pleasantly ordinary.
The food.
The weather.
Their journey to Aetheria.
Then Azamat cleared his throat.
"Your Majesty..."
"I've been meaning to ask."
Havin looked up.
"Yes?"
"Yesterday..."
"...you mentioned watching Japanese wrestling."
The king's expression brightened immediately.
"I did."
"I've always admired it."
Azamat leaned forward.
"Really?"
"The discipline."
"The pacing."
"The emphasis on athletic competition."
Havin smiled.
"There is an honesty to it."
"I've even funded several wrestling dojos throughout
Aetheria."
Azamat's eyes widened.
"You have?"
"I consider wrestling an excellent way to cultivate
discipline in young people."
"I've never understood why more kingdoms don't invest
in it."
Azamat laughed.
"I've been saying that for years!"
The conversation took on a life of its own.
Names of legendary wrestlers.
Classic matches.
Training philosophies.
The merits of strong style versus spectacle.
Whether modern wrestling relied too heavily on interference.
Even Havin's Royal Guard occasionally exchanged amused
glances.
The king looked...
...happy.
Across the table, Ravi barely touched his breakfast.
Rahim answered only when spoken to.
Semin remained almost unnaturally quiet.
No one noticed.
Azamat and Havin filled every silence with another wrestling
debate.
At one point, Havin shook his head.
"I still maintain Logan Creed wins too often."
Azamat laughed.
"I knew I liked you."
"They've got to build somebody else eventually."
"Exactly."
"It makes the title feel less important."
Zas listened with half an ear.
Outwardly...
...he appeared relaxed.
He even smiled occasionally.
Inwardly...
...his thoughts never left the service lane Semin had
described.
Every minute that passed was another minute for memories to
fade.
For evidence to disappear.
For stories to change.
He sipped his tea.
This isn't the difficult part.
The difficult part...
...would begin the moment breakfast ended.
The Land Rover sat exactly where they had left it.
Dusty.
Untouched.
Ravi actually smiled.
"I never thought I'd be so happy to see a car."
Azamat patted the hood.
"I missed you."
Semin immediately began checking the tyres.
Rahim inventoried the storage compartments.
Zas inspected every piece of equipment as it was returned.
"Knives."
"Present."
"Medical supplies."
"Present."
Finally, Prathor handed him a familiar object wrapped
carefully in cloth.
Brutus.
Zas accepted it with both hands.
"My thanks."
"I thought you might appreciate checking it
yourself."
"I do."
Satisfied, Zas secured it in the vehicle.
Prathor watched quietly.
"I suppose this is goodbye."
"Perhaps."
Zas looked around the courtyard.
No one close enough to overhear.
"May I ask you something?"
Prathor nodded.
"Of course."
Zas's voice lowered.
"Has the Royal Army committed... extrajudicial acts...
against the people of Curgarden?"
Prathor didn't answer.
Instead...
...he looked away.
That silence was answer enough.
Zas waited.
Eventually Prathor sighed.
"...Yes."
"Frequently?"
Another silence.
"...More than I care to admit."
"What sort of acts?"
Prathor hesitated.
"Beatings."
"People disappearing."
"Arrests with no record."
He swallowed.
"Sometimes..."
"...people simply never come home."
The courtyard suddenly felt much colder.
Zas remained expressionless.
"Since the siege?"
Prathor gave a bitter laugh.
"No."
"Long before it."
"The siege merely made it easier."
"Why has no one heard about this?"
"Because no one was supposed to."
He leaned against the Land Rover.
"The Crown invested almost everything in
Aetheris."
"The ministries."
"The telegraph."
"The newspapers."
"The administration."
"The provinces became dependent on the capital."
"If information had to pass through the
capital..."
"...the capital decided what left."
Rahim quietly muttered,
"So the world only hears what the palace wants it to
hear."
Prathor nodded.
"Most of the time."
Zas studied him.
"You don't approve."
Prathor looked genuinely offended.
"I swore to protect this kingdom."
"Not terrorize it."
He stared toward the palace.
"King Zorban united the Valley because he believed we
would all become stronger together."
His voice grew softer.
"I don't think His Majesty inherited that dream."
"He inherited the throne."
"…and somewhere..."
"...he became convinced control mattered more than
unity."
"He became..."
Prathor searched for the word.
"...drunk on it."
Nobody spoke.
Zas absorbed every word.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
"You've helped us greatly."
Prathor shook his head.
"I've only told you the truth."
"The truth is leverage."
Prathor looked sharply at him.
"You intend to see the King again."
"I do."
The guard's shoulders sagged.
"I should warn you."
"The Royal Guard is not like the palace guard."
"Havin surrounds himself with the men he trusts
most."
"They're loyal."
"They're disciplined."
"They won't all think the way I do."
Zas smiled faintly.
"I don't necessarily require them to."
Prathor frowned.
"You don't?"
"No."
He stepped closer.
"I do have one request."
"...Name it."
"When you arrange the meeting..."
"...choose the location carefully."
"A place that gives us options."
Prathor's eyes narrowed.
"What kind of options?"
"The kind one hopes never become necessary."
For a moment, Prathor simply studied him.
Then he nodded once.
"I think I know such a place."
"Good."
Zas looked toward the palace.
"…and one more observation."
"Yes?"
"If His Majesty surrounds himself only with those most
loyal to him..."
He rested a hand on the Land Rover.
"...there is no guarantee he has surrounded
himself..."
"...with the best."
Prathor couldn't help smiling.
"No."
"There isn't."
The meeting place overlooked the eastern palace wall.
It wasn't an official audience chamber.
Nor was it secluded.
That was precisely why Prathor had suggested it.
Citizens crossed the nearby square throughout the morning.
Servants came and went.
Soldiers from different companies rotated through the
adjoining gate.
The palace walls themselves rose only a short distance away.
If voices were raised...
...people would hear.
Semin studied the surroundings with approval.
Not perfect.
…but good.
Very good.
The Land Rover rolled quietly into the square before
stopping.
Everyone climbed out.
Each man made one final, silent check.
Knife.
Water.
Medical pouch.
Radio.
Nothing was left to chance.
No one wanted to use any of it.
Prathor stepped out beside Zas.
"You still have time to leave."
"I know."
"You may never get another chance."
"I know."
Zas adjusted Brutus on his belt.
"Thank you."
The palace gates opened.
King Havin emerged with members of his Royal Guard.
They walked with practiced precision.
Neither side moved until they were only a few metres apart.
Havin broke the silence.
"You selected... an unusual meeting place."
"I did."
"It seems an odd location for diplomacy."
Zas glanced briefly around the square.
"I find it appropriate."
Havin noticed the glance.
"So."
"We're both examining our surroundings."
"I imagine we are."
The king allowed himself a faint smile.
"You think I have a surprise prepared."
"I consider the possibility."
"…and you?"
"I assume you have one as well."
Neither denied it.
For several seconds...
...nothing happened.
Then Zas spoke.
"I have one request."
Havin nodded.
"Speak."
"I wish to see Eldred."
The king's expression remained neutral.
"I wish to see him personally."
"I wish to confirm he is alive."
"I wish to confirm his rights under the Treaty of
Ctesiphon are being respected."
He met Havin's eyes.
"…and I wish Your Majesty to accompany us."
"Now."
"No delay."
Havin considered the request.
"I can assure you-"
"I did not ask for assurances."
"He is well."
"I asked to see him."
"You may visit him later this afternoon."
"I will not."
The words were calm.
Firm.
"I accept no delay."
A pause.
Havin clasped his hands behind his back.
"You have my word. You should require no more than
that."
"I require more."
Another silence.
For the first time...
...Havin began studying Zas instead of merely listening to
him.
Yesterday, the Blue Shield leader had accepted defeat almost
instantly.
Today...
...he would not move.
Something had changed.
"You know something."
Zas gave no answer.
Havin's eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly.
"I will not delay again."
Zas's voice never rose.
"If Eldred is alive and well..."
"...show him to us."
"Now."
The king said nothing.
Several long seconds passed.
Then Zas looked once toward his companions.
A tiny nod.
No words.
That was enough.
Semin turned first.
Rahim followed.
Azamat and Ravi moved with him.
Together they began walking back toward the Land Rover.
Without haste.
Without panic.
Simply leaving.
Havin watched them go.
His face remained perfectly composed.
Only one finger moved.
A tiny motion.
Barely visible.
High upon the wall...
...an archer understood.
The bowstring whispered.
Thwip.
Semin cried out.
The arrow struck his thigh.
The force spun him sideways.
Almost at the same instant-
BANG!
Another impact.
One of the Land Rover's front tyres exploded.
The vehicle lurched sharply onto its rim.
For a heartbeat...
...the entire square froze.
Then—
"SEIZE THEM!"
Royal Guards surged forward.
Steel flashed from scabbards.
Citizens screamed and scattered.
Prathor's face went white.
"...No..."
Zas didn't even look surprised.
Only saddened.
The outcome he had hoped with all his heart to avoid...
...had finally arrived.
The Elder sat alone beside Daral Lake.
The morning mist still clung to the water.
Only the occasional ripple disturbed its perfect stillness.
This was why he came here.
No council.
No petitions.
No disputes over livestock or grazing rights.
Just silence.
He closed his eyes.
Breathed slowly.
His thoughts wandered.
Some were ordinary.
Winter stores.
The next patrol rotation.
Whether the eastern footbridge needed repairs before autumn.
Others...
...were heavier.
Zas.
It had been longer than expected.
Only a few days, he had said.
The Elder knew better than to panic over a missed schedule.
Travel delayed people.
Weather delayed people.
Politics delayed people.
Still...
...something wasn't right.
His mind turned over possibilities.
Organize a search party.
Inform Peace that contact had been lost.
Send another delegation toward Aetheria.
If...
He refused to linger on the final possibility.
Not yet.
The phone vibrated in his pocket.
He opened his eyes.
Joanna Goldsmith.
His heart sank.
He answered immediately.
"Joanna."
There was a pause.
"...Hello."
She sounded exhausted.
The Elder looked out across the lake.
"You haven't heard from him."
It wasn't a question.
"No."
"I was hoping..."
Her voice faltered.
"...maybe he'd called you first."
The Elder closed his eyes again.
"No."
Silence.
Only the breeze over the water.
"I wish I had better news."
"So do I."
Joanna let out a shaky laugh.
"I keep checking my phone."
"I know."
"I know it doesn't make it ring any faster."
"…but I still do it."
The Elder smiled sadly.
"I've done much the same."
That surprised her.
"You have?"
"I've checked my own phone more times in the last two
days than I have in the last two years."
Joanna managed a faint laugh through her tears.
"I'm glad it's not just me."
"It isn't."
The Elder's voice softened.
"I wish I could tell you where he is."
"I wish I could tell you he's on his way home."
"I cannot."
Another silence settled between them.
Joanna sniffled.
"I'm scared."
The Elder looked across the lake.
"So am I."
The words surprised even him.
He rarely admitted fear aloud.
A tear rolled down his weathered cheek.
"I've known Zas for many years."
"I have watched him face blizzards..."
"...bandits..."
"...avalanches..."
"...and men far more dangerous than either of us would
care to remember."
"He has always returned."
He paused.
"I cannot promise that he will this time."
"No one can."
"…but if there is a man I would trust to find his way
home..."
"...it is Zasaramel."
Joanna began crying quietly.
The Elder didn't interrupt.
Sometimes...
...people simply needed someone to remain with them.
Eventually she spoke again.
"I feel so helpless."
"I know."
"…but you are not carrying this alone."
He looked toward the village beyond the trees.
"The entire Order is worried."
"Every household."
"Every family."
"They ask about Zas."
"They ask about Azamat."
"They ask about Rahim."
"They ask about Ravi."
"They ask about Semin."
He smiled gently.
"You are not the only one waiting for the phone to
ring."
Joanna wiped her eyes.
"...Thank you."
"It isn't much."
"No."
She took a deep breath.
"It actually is."
For another moment...
...neither of them spoke.
They simply listened.
The wind over Daral Lake.
The distant calls of birds.
The quiet certainty that somewhere, far beyond the
mountains...
...people they loved were still fighting to come home.
"Take care of yourself, Joanna."
"You too."
The call ended.
The Elder slowly lowered the phone.
The lake was as still as it had been before.
Only now...
...its silence felt heavier.
The square erupted.
People screamed.
Vendors abandoned their stalls.
Soldiers shouted conflicting orders.
The Royal Guard surged forward.
"Cover!"
Zas was already moving.
The Blue Shield instinctively spread around the Land Rover.
Not in panic.
By habit.
Semin hit the ground hard, clutching his leg.
The arrow protruded from his thigh.
"I'm hit!"
"I know!"
Rahim dropped behind the engine block.
Ravi knelt behind the rear wheel.
Azamat crouched beside the driver's door.
The Land Rover itself provided cover.
Not enough.
But enough for the moment.
Steel rang against stone.
More arrows struck nearby.
One buried itself in the hood.
Another shattered against the wall behind them.
Zas looked toward Semin.
Too exposed.
Far too exposed.
If anyone stepped into the open now—
Another volley.
Stone chips exploded around them.
Zas gritted his teeth.
Wait.
Seconds crawled by.
Then—
A pause.
The attackers shifted position.
No arrows.
No rifle fire.
"Now!"
Rahim and Ravi burst forward together.
They grabbed Semin beneath the shoulders and hauled him
toward the vehicle.
Semin cried out as his injured leg dragged across the
stones.
Another shout.
The lull ended.
Everyone piled into the Land Rover almost simultaneously.
Doors slammed.
Zas climbed behind the wheel.
He turned the key instinctively.
Nothing.
The ruined front tyre sagged against the pavement.
He looked down the steep road leading away from the palace.
Then shifted into neutral.
The vehicle lurched.
Slowly.
Gravity took hold.
The Land Rover began rolling.
Not fast.
Not yet.
"We're moving!"
"We won't be for long," Zas replied.
He looked over the dashboard.
The Guards were already closing.
"We need suppressing fire."
Azamat reached across the cabin.
"Brutus."
Zas looked at him.
"You drive."
Azamat blinked.
"...Me?"
"You've watched Ravi drive often enough."
"I have."
"Then today you learn."
Without another word, they switched places with practiced
efficiency.
Azamat grabbed the steering wheel.
The Land Rover continued rolling downhill.
Zas pushed open the sunroof.
Cold air rushed in.
He climbed halfway through it.
Brutus came up with him.
He settled the stock into his shoulder.
A Royal Guard appeared from behind a fountain.
Bang.
The man dropped behind cover immediately.
Another emerged farther down the square.
Bang.
Stone exploded beside him.
The soldier disappeared again.
The purpose wasn't to hit everyone.
It was to make everyone hesitate.
To keep heads down.
Ravi climbed into the rear seat.
He cracked open a side window.
His own rifle covered the opposite side of the street.
"Left!"
"I see him."
Another shot.
Another guard ducked away.
The Land Rover gathered speed.
The slope finally working in their favour.
Then—
CRACK!
Ravi jerked backward.
His rifle struck the door.
"Ravi!"
"I'm okay!"
He pounded his chest once.
The ceramic plate beneath his clothing had taken the round.
"It hit the vest!"
He inhaled sharply.
"...Still hurts."
"But I'm good."
Zas didn't look away from his sights.
"Stay down."
"I intend to."
The Land Rover rounded the next bend.
The palace walls disappeared behind the buildings.
The incoming fire faded.
Azamat wrestled the steering wheel, using the ruined front
tyre to scrape the vehicle into a narrower side street.
Finally...
The vehicle rolled to a stop against the curb.
Silence.
No shouting.
No arrows.
Only heavy breathing.
Zas dropped back through the sunroof.
His eyes immediately went to Semin.
"We need that arrow out."
Semin managed a grim smile despite the pain.
"So..."
"...I guess we're not driving home today."
Nobody laughed.
Outside...
...Aetheris was no longer merely tense.
The capital had become a battlefield.
…and somewhere above them...
King Havin now knew exactly what kind of opponents he had
chosen to make.
Inside the Land Rover...
...everything suddenly became very small.
The shouting outside continued.
Gunfire echoed through the streets.
People screamed somewhere beyond the buildings.
Yet inside...
...all attention was on Semin.
"It's not an artery."
Rahim's voice remained calm.
"You're going to live."
"It doesn't feel like it!"
Semin shouted through clenched teeth.
"It will in a moment."
Rahim snapped the arrow shaft shorter.
"Hold him."
Azamat and Ravi grabbed Semin's shoulders.
"No-"
Rahim pulled.
Semin screamed.
The arrow slid free.
Blood followed.
Immediately Rahim pressed clean gauze against the wound.
"Pressure."
He reached for the disinfectant.
"Oh no..."
Semin whispered.
"No, no, no-"
Rahim poured.
Semin howled loud enough that it nearly drowned out the
fighting outside.
"I hate you!"
"I know."
"I really hate you!"
"I still know."
Rahim didn't even look up.
A few minutes later...
...the wound was cleaned.
Wrapped.
Stitched.
"It missed the bone."
Rahim finally leaned back.
"You'll limp."
"…but you'll keep the leg."
Semin collapsed against the seat.
"I still hate you."
Rahim smiled.
"I'll survive."
For a brief moment...
...no one spoke.
The only sounds came from outside.
Distant gunfire.
Running feet.
Shattering glass.
Somewhere...
...something large collapsed.
Ravi finally broke the silence.
"What is happening out there?"
No one answered.
Had civilians joined the fighting?
Had soldiers turned against one another?
Was the Royal Guard battling the regular army?
Were people simply trying to escape?
None of them knew.
…and none of them could risk finding out.
Zas hardly heard the discussion.
He unfolded the vehicle's tool kit.
One ruined tyre.
One spare.
One jack.
His eyes drifted to the shattered front wheel.
Five minutes.
Just give me five minutes.
The thought had barely crossed his mind-
BOOM!
The Land Rover shook violently.
Everyone instinctively ducked.
A deafening crack followed.
Stone exploded across the street.
An entire section of the neighboring building tore away and
crashed to the ground.
Dust swallowed everything.
For several seconds...
...visibility disappeared completely.
When the dust began to settle...
...they looked through the windshield.
The collapsed masonry now formed a crude barricade in front
of one side of the vehicle.
Ravi blinked.
"...Well..."
"...nobody's shooting us from that direction
anymore."
Azamat looked toward the blockage.
"...They're also not driving through it."
Silence.
Zas studied the debris carefully.
It wasn't all bad.
The pile shielded them from one line of fire.
It also hid the Land Rover from much of the street.
…but it narrowed their options dramatically.
He looked back at the ruined tyre.
Then at the rubble.
Then at the jack.
A faint, determined smile crossed his face.
"Perhaps..."
"...I can change the tyre after all."
The spare tire finally settled onto the hub.
Zas tightened the final lug nut.
"There."
Azamat looked around.
"No one interrupted us."
"I was expecting at least one arrow."
Rahim wiped the dust from his hands.
"I'll take boring."
"So will I."
The three hurried back into the Land Rover.
Doors shut.
For the first time in several minutes...
...everyone allowed themselves to breathe.
Zas climbed into the driver's seat.
"Let's go home."
He turned the key.
Click.
Nothing.
He frowned.
He tried again.
Click.
Silence.
One more time.
Longer.
Harder.
The starter barely groaned.
"Ghh..."
Zas leaned farther into the ignition.
"Come on..."
The engine remained lifeless.
He let go.
The cabin became very quiet.
Azamat looked at him.
"...Please tell me that's fixable."
Zas tried once more.
Nothing.
He leaned back.
"The battery."
Ravi sighed.
"Dead?"
"Dead."
Semin laughed weakly.
"After everything..."
"...it's the battery?"
No one answered.
Finally Zas folded his arms.
"I suppose..."
"...we're all getting comfortable."
For several seconds, no one spoke.
Then Rahim cleared his throat.
"There is..."
"...another issue."
Everyone looked at him.
Rahim looked slightly embarrassed.
"I need to relieve myself."
Azamat blinked.
"...Actually..."
"...so do I."
Ravi slowly raised a hand.
"Me too."
Semin groaned.
"I've been trying not to think about it."
All eyes turned toward Zas.
He sighed.
"...Very well."
He looked through the cracked windshield.
"We go in pairs."
"One watches."
"One relieves himself."
"Then you switch."
"No one goes alone."
"No one wanders."
"If anything happens..."
"...you abandon the task immediately and return to the
vehicle."
Everyone nodded.
It wasn't glamorous.
It wasn't heroic.
…but it was necessary.
One pair at a time...
...they slipped out from behind the rubble.
One man watched the streets.
The other took advantage of the brief privacy the collapsed
building afforded.
Then they traded places.
A few minutes later...
...everyone was back inside.
No interruptions.
No arrows.
No soldiers.
No surprises.
For perhaps the first time that day...
...something had gone exactly according to plan.
The Land Rover sat quietly behind its improvised wall of
broken masonry.
Outside...
...Aetheris still burned.
Distant gunfire echoed through the city.
Smoke drifted overhead.
The occasional scream reached them before fading into the
chaos.
Inside...
...there was only silence.
Zas rested both hands on the steering wheel.
He closed his eyes for a brief moment.
He had checked the Land Rover before departing Daral Lake.
Oil.
Coolant.
Tyres.
Brakes.
Fuel.
Everything had appeared ready.
He slowly opened his eyes again.
Something happened.
Or perhaps...
...something had finally reached the end of its life.
A memory surfaced.
Several days earlier.
Priya stood beside the Land Rover with the hood raised.
She frowned.
"We should replace this battery."
The Elder looked over the engine compartment.
"It still starts."
"It starts now."
Priya folded her arms.
"I don't think it's going to keep starting much
longer."
The Elder sighed.
"The budget is tight."
"We've already replaced the suspension."
"The transmission was repaired last year."
"We still have roofs to finish before winter."
Priya wasn't convinced.
"A battery is cheaper than getting stranded."
"I know."
"…but this vehicle isn't driven every day."
"If we can get another few months..."
"...I'd rather spend the money elsewhere."
Zas had listened quietly.
He understood Priya.
He also understood The Elder.
Money spent on the Land Rover couldn't be spent on medicine.
Or livestock.
Or repairing homes.
Eventually Priya had shaken her head.
"I hope you're right."
"So do I."
The memory faded.
Zas exhaled slowly.
"So..."
Azamat finally asked.
"...what happened?"
"The battery."
"You knew?"
"I knew it was old."
He looked toward the dashboard.
"Priya wanted it replaced."
"The Elder decided we could wait."
Rahim frowned.
"So..."
"...this isn't anyone's fault."
"No."
"It was a calculated risk."
"A reasonable one."
"It simply failed at the worst possible moment."
Semin leaned back carefully against the seat.
"I vote..."
"...that when we get home..."
"...we let Priya say 'I told you so.'"
Despite everything...
...a few smiles appeared.
Only for a moment.
Then Ravi looked toward the shattered windshield.
"What now?"
Zas's expression hardened again.
"We wait."
"For what?"
"A lull."
He glanced toward the ruined street outside.
"When the fighting eases..."
"...we inspect the battery properly."
"If it's merely discharged..."
"...perhaps we can revive it."
"If it's failed completely..."
"...we'll need another."
"…and if there isn't one?"
Zas looked toward the buildings surrounding them.
"Then we scavenge."
"Or find someone willing to help."
Rahim raised an eyebrow.
"In this city?"
"I didn't say it would be easy."
Silence settled over the Land Rover once more.
Outside...
...another burst of automatic fire echoed through the
streets.
Someone shouted orders.
Another explosion shook the ground beneath them.
Dust drifted from the ceiling of the vehicle.
Azamat looked through one of the cracked windows.
"I don't think anyone's opening an auto parts store
today."
"No."
Zas rested his hand on the steering wheel.
"I don't think they are."
He watched the chaos outside.
The city showed no signs of calming.
No signs of order returning.
Whatever opportunity they needed...
...it wasn't coming yet.
So the Blue Shield did what they had done countless times in
the mountains.
They waited.
Patiently.
Quietly.
Ready to move the instant fate finally gave them an opening.
The gunfire never truly stopped.
Sometimes it came in sharp bursts.
Sometimes it became distant pops echoing across the capital.
Occasionally another explosion rattled the buildings.
The city refused to become quiet.
Inside the Land Rover...
...time slowed almost to a crawl.
Nobody spoke for several minutes.
Semin rested with his injured leg elevated.
Rahim periodically checked the bandages.
Azamat stared through the windshield.
Ravi watched the mirrors.
Zas leaned back in the driver's seat.
For perhaps the first time that day...
...there was nothing he could immediately solve.
His hand drifted toward his phone.
He unlocked it.
His thumb hovered over an icon.
Candy Crush.
For one ridiculous moment...
...he considered it.
He almost laughed at himself.
"No."
He locked the phone again.
"This is not the time."
Azamat glanced over.
"The time for what?"
"...Nothing."
Silence returned.
Then...
Someone's stomach growled.
It wasn't just one.
Several answered in succession.
Ravi looked around sheepishly.
"I suppose it's lunchtime."
As if summoned by the thought...
...a wonderful aroma drifted through the broken window.
Everyone inhaled.
Hot dogs.
Fresh from the grill.
The scent of sizzling meat.
Sweet onions.
Mustard.
Even from inside the Land Rover...
...it was unmistakable.
Azamat closed his eyes.
"Oh..."
"...that's cruel."
Semin swallowed.
"I think I smell relish."
Rahim nodded.
"I definitely smell relish."
Ravi leaned toward the window.
"...and grilled onions."
For the first time in hours...
...everyone was thinking about the same thing.
Food.
Zas reached behind his seat.
He pulled out one of the emergency ration packs.
"We have these."
Nobody moved.
Azamat looked at the ration.
Then toward the smell.
Then back to the ration.
"...Respectfully..."
"...I'd rather have the hot dog."
Semin nodded immediately.
"So would I."
Rahim joined in.
"I can eat emergency rations tomorrow."
Ravi smiled.
"If tomorrow exists."
Zas pinched the bridge of his nose.
"You are all impossible."
Nobody argued.
He sighed.
"...Very well."
Four faces brightened immediately.
"…but."
The smiles faded just a little.
"Two people."
"They go together."
"They wait until the street is clear."
"They buy enough for everyone."
"They come straight back."
"No wandering."
"No conversations."
"If anything feels wrong..."
"...you abandon the food and return immediately."
Azamat was already halfway out of his seat.
"I volunteer."
"So do I," Ravi said.
"Very well."
The two waited.
Several minutes passed.
The shooting eased.
Only then did they slip quietly from behind the rubble.
The others watched anxiously through the cracked windows.
Five minutes.
Ten.
Fifteen.
Finally...
...the two returned carrying a large paper bag and several
cans of soda tucked beneath their arms.
The smell entered the Land Rover before they did.
Semin smiled.
"You beautiful men."
Azamat grinned.
"The vendor actually reopened."
"In the middle of all this?"
"He said soldiers and civilians still need to
eat."
Ravi laughed.
"People called him insane."
"He said..."
Ravi set the bag down carefully.
"...'If everyone's hiding, there's no lineup.'"
Even Zas chuckled.
"An entrepreneur."
"He certainly is."
Paper wrappers rustled.
Hot dogs were handed around.
One by one...
...they ate in silence.
Outside...
...Aetheris continued tearing itself apart.
Inside the Land Rover...
...for just a few precious minutes...
...there were only hot dogs, soda...
...and five weary men trying very hard to remember what
normal felt like.
The highway stretched endlessly ahead.
Joanna barely noticed it.
She had driven this route before.
Dozens of times.
Normally, she loved these drives.
The open road.
Music.
Phoebe and Armintie arguing in the back seat.
This time...
...the conversation was sparse.
The girls were trying.
She knew they were.
…but every lull drifted back to the same thought.
Where's Dad?
Or, in Armintie's case...
Where's Zas?
After Bash in Buffalo, Vince had quietly approached Joanna.
"You don't have to work the house shows."
"I'll pay you anyway."
She'd appreciated the gesture.
…but she'd shaken her head.
"No."
"You sure?"
"If I stay in a hotel room..."
"...I'll only think."
Vince had nodded.
"I figured."
Phoebe and Armintie had agreed almost instantly.
They wanted to keep moving too.
Movement...
...felt better than waiting.
A little later...
Joanna pulled into a service station.
She filled the car.
Checked the windshield.
Bought everyone drinks.
As she walked back toward the pump-
"Excuse me..."
She turned.
A man stood a respectful distance away.
Late twenties.
Well dressed.
Clean-cut.
Handsome.
He looked nervous.
"I'm sorry to bother you."
"...You're Sugar Cane, right?"
Joanna smiled automatically.
"I am."
"I thought so."
"I didn't want to interrupt if I was wrong."
"You didn't."
He laughed.
"I was at Bash in Buffalo."
"You girls were incredible."
"Thank you."
He rubbed the back of his neck.
"I know this is probably strange..."
"...but..."
"...would you maybe like to have dinner sometime?"
Joanna blinked.
The question wasn't crude.
It wasn't pushy.
It was...
...genuine.
She smiled sadly.
"I really appreciate you asking."
"…but..."
"...I have a boyfriend."
His shoulders dropped ever so slightly.
"Oh."
"I understand."
For just a second...
...they both stood there awkwardly.
Then he smiled.
"Well..."
"I had to ask."
"I'm glad you did."
"I'd rather someone ask politely than never know."
He laughed.
"Can I at least get an autograph?"
"I'd love that."
"…and..."
"...maybe a selfie?"
"Of course."
A few moments later...
...the picture was taken.
The autograph signed.
As he prepared to leave, Joanna surprised him with a hug.
He smiled.
"Thank you."
She smiled back.
"You're a nice man."
"I'm sure you'll make another woman very happy
someday."
He laughed.
"I hope so."
He stepped toward his car.
Then paused.
"I hope you and your boyfriend have many happy years
together."
Joanna looked at him.
"You deserve that."
Her smile faltered.
"...Thank you."
He waved.
Then drove away.
Joanna didn't move.
She watched his car disappear down the highway.
Only then did she reach into her pocket.
She called Sarah.
"Hey, bestie."
Sarah answered almost immediately.
"Everything okay?"
"I..."
Joanna looked across the parking lot.
"I just got asked out."
Sarah chuckled.
"I assume you said no."
"I did."
"He was really nice."
Sarah could hear something in Joanna's voice.
"Jo..."
"...what's wrong?"
Joanna leaned against her car.
"I don't know."
"I just..."
"He was handsome."
"He was kind."
"He accepted my answer."
"He wished me and Zas happiness."
Sarah stayed quiet.
"I should've been happy."
"I wasn't."
"Why?"
Joanna swallowed.
"...Because..."
The words caught in her throat.
"...maybe..."
"...maybe I should break up with Zas."
Silence.
Even Joanna looked stunned she'd said it.
"I can't believe I just said that."
Sarah didn't react immediately.
Instead...
...she asked quietly,
"Why?"
"I'm tired."
"So tired."
"I don't know where he is."
"I don't know if he's alive."
"Every time my phone rings..."
"...my heart stops."
"I can't keep doing this."
Sarah let her finish.
Then spoke carefully.
"Jo..."
"If you broke up with Zas..."
"...you wouldn't just be breaking up with a
boyfriend."
Joanna looked down.
"You'd be leaving Phoebe."
"You'd be leaving Arel-Sin."
"You'd be leaving the Blue Shield."
"You'd be leaving an entire family that already
considers you one of their own."
Joanna closed her eyes.
"I know."
"You adopted those girls."
"You earned the Order's highest honor."
"The Elder treats you like family."
"Priya does."
"Azamat does."
"You built a life there."
Joanna wiped away another tear.
"I know."
Sarah continued.
"…and every single time you've talked about
Zas..."
"...when he isn't missing..."
"...you smile."
"You complain about his stubbornness."
"You complain about how serious he is."
"You complain that he almost never relaxes."
A tiny laugh escaped Joanna.
"I do."
"…but then you always tell me..."
Sarah smiled.
"...how safe he makes you feel."
"...how kind he is."
"...how patient he is with the girls."
"...how much you admire him."
"There aren't many people..."
"...whose flaws you willingly accept."
"Zas is one of them."
Joanna stared across the parking lot.
"I hate that I'm even thinking this."
"I know."
Sarah's voice softened.
"…but promise me something."
"What?"
"Don't make the biggest decision of your
relationship..."
"...while the man is missing."
Joanna didn't answer.
Sarah waited.
Finally-
"...You're right."
"If..."
She couldn't finish the sentence.
She tried again.
"When..."
"...when he comes home..."
"I'll talk to him."
"I owe him that."
Sarah smiled.
"You owe yourself that too."
Joanna took a long, shaky breath.
"I still don't know what I'll do."
"You don't have to."
"Not today."
Another silence settled between them.
This one felt...
...lighter.
Not because Joanna's fears had disappeared.
They hadn't.
…but because someone else was helping her carry them.
"Thanks, Sarah."
"Anytime."
Joanna ended the call.
She climbed back into the driver's seat.
Phoebe looked over.
"You okay?"
Joanna forced a small smile.
"I'm getting there."
She started the engine.
The road stretched out before them once again.
This time...
...she drove not because she knew where the future was
leading.
…but because, for today...
...moving forward was the only thing she knew how to do.
The motel wasn't much to look at.
One long, two-storey building.
A faded sign.
A parking lot that had clearly seen better days.
It wasn't somewhere anyone would choose for a vacation.
It was somewhere people slept before moving on.
That suited Joanna perfectly.
Phoebe and Armintie grabbed their overnight bags.
"I'll get the room," Joanna said.
The girls nodded and wandered toward the vending machines
while Joanna entered the office.
A small bell chimed as she opened the door.
Behind the counter stood a neatly dressed man in his
fifties.
His shirt was pressed.
His beard trimmed.
Only one feature stood out.
A thin scar ran from just beneath his cheekbone toward his
jaw.
"Evening," he said warmly.
"Checking in?"
"I am."
As he entered her reservation into the computer, Joanna
found herself glancing at the scar again.
She looked away.
Then back.
Finally-
"I'm sorry if this is too personal..."
The man smiled.
"The scar?"
Joanna felt embarrassed.
"I'm sorry."
"No need."
He chuckled.
"I've been asked worse."
He absentmindedly touched his cheek.
"Baltimore Police."
Joanna blinked.
"You were an officer?"
"For twenty-three years."
"Were?"
"I'm retired."
"You don't look retired."
"I take that as a compliment."
Joanna smiled.
"What made you leave?"
The man leaned comfortably against the counter.
"Life."
He shrugged.
"My wife was a detective."
"I was patrol."
"We both loved the job."
"We both loved each other."
Joanna listened quietly.
"For a long time..."
"...that was enough."
"…but eventually..."
He looked toward the motel window.
"...the job came home with us."
"Long hours."
"Bad days."
"Things we'd seen."
"We'd both sit in the same room..."
"...too exhausted to speak."
He smiled sadly.
"We weren't angry."
"We weren't unfaithful."
"We just..."
"...stopped being husband and wife."
Joanna felt her chest tighten.
"We divorced."
"It was about as peaceful as a divorce can be."
"No lawyers fighting."
"No screaming."
"No trying to hurt one another."
"We both simply admitted..."
"...this life wasn't working."
"You had children?"
"Three."
"They're all adults now."
"They split holidays between us."
"They still visit both of us."
He smiled proudly.
"I think we did something right."
Joanna nodded.
"It sounds like you did."
He handed her the room keys.
"I bought this place a few years later."
"You like it?"
He looked around the modest office.
"I sleep through the night now."
"I hadn't realized how long it'd been since I could say
that."
For a moment...
...neither spoke.
Then the clerk studied Joanna.
"You asked because..."
"...this sounds familiar."
Joanna hesitated.
"...My boyfriend."
"He has a dangerous job."
The clerk waited.
"I..."
She looked down at the room key in her hand.
"I actually caught myself thinking today..."
"...that maybe I should leave him."
The words still felt wrong.
The clerk didn't look surprised.
"No."
"It usually starts that way."
Joanna looked up.
"Just a thought."
"You brush it aside."
"You tell yourself you're stronger than that."
"You convince yourself it'll get easier."
He smiled sadly.
"…but the thought doesn't disappear."
"It waits."
"…and every close call..."
"...every late phone call..."
"...every night you wonder if they're coming
home..."
"...feeds it."
Joanna swallowed.
"So what do you do?"
The clerk was quiet for several seconds.
"I can't answer that."
She looked surprised.
"I can only tell you what happened to us."
"We reached a point where we realized..."
"...we couldn't carry that weight anymore."
"So we let each other go."
He looked directly at her.
"That doesn't mean you'll reach the same
conclusion."
"It doesn't mean you won't."
"You're not us."
"You and your boyfriend have to decide..."
"...whether the life you share is one you can both keep
living."
Joanna looked toward the window.
Outside...
Phoebe and Armintie were laughing over something at the
vending machine.
"They're his daughters."
The clerk smiled softly.
"I figured there was more to the story."
"I adopted them."
His eyebrows rose slightly.
"Then this isn't just about a boyfriend."
"No."
"It isn't."
The clerk nodded.
"That makes the decision harder."
"It also makes it more important not to rush."
Joanna sighed.
"I promised my sister I'd talk to him before I decided
anything."
"That sounds wise."
He slid the registration form across the counter.
"I don't know whether you'll stay together."
"I don't know whether you'll part."
"…but if either happens..."
"...make sure it's because the two of you chose
it."
"...not because fear chose it for you."
Joanna stood silently for a long moment.
Then she picked up the room key.
"Thank you."
The clerk smiled.
"I hope whatever road you're on..."
"...it leads somewhere peaceful."
Joanna nodded.
"So do I."
She stepped back outside.
The girls waved to her from the vending machines.
For just a second...
...watching them laugh...
...she wondered whether peace was something you found...
...or something you built together, one difficult day at a
time.
The waiting continued.
Minutes became hours.
The Blue Shield lost all sense of time.
Outside...
...Aetheris still fought.
Gunfire echoed through the streets.
Explosions rattled nearby buildings.
Smoke drifted past the shattered windshield.
Every so often...
...someone would glance outside.
Nothing had changed.
Until...
...it did.
There was no warning.
No bugle.
No shouted order.
No proclamation from the palace.
One moment...
...the city was tearing itself apart.
The next...
...it wasn't.
The gunfire stopped.
The explosions ceased.
No more arrows.
No more screams.
No more collapsing buildings.
Only the wind.
Inside the Land Rover...
...no one moved.
Semin looked toward the window.
"...Did we die?"
Nobody laughed.
Rahim quietly counted.
One minute.
Two.
Five.
Ten.
Still nothing.
The silence grew heavier with every passing moment.
Azamat finally whispered,
"I don't like this."
"Neither do I," Zas replied.
"It feels..."
"...wrong."
Ravi nodded.
"Cities don't just become quiet."
"No."
"They don't."
Another five minutes passed.
Nothing.
Eventually...
...waiting became harder than moving.
Zas picked up Brutus.
He slung the rifle across his shoulder.
Then secured the scythe to his back.
"If this is a trap..."
"...we'll discover it eventually."
Azamat grabbed his rifle.
Then reached for the axe leaning against the seat.
"I'll come."
Rahim stood as well.
"No."
Zas shook his head.
"You stay."
"If something happens to us..."
"...someone must remain with the vehicle."
Rahim reluctantly sat back down.
"Be careful."
"We intend to."
The two men quietly stepped outside.
The city felt abandoned.
Smoke still drifted through the streets.
Broken glass covered the pavement.
Discarded equipment lay where soldiers had fled.
…but there was...
...no one.
Not a single voice.
Not a single shot.
Only the sound of their boots.
Crunch.
Crunch.
Crunch.
They searched nearby vehicles.
Nothing.
Opened hoods.
Dead batteries.
Damaged engines.
Missing parts.
A repair shop.
Destroyed.
Another street.
Nothing.
An abandoned delivery truck.
Battery missing.
Azamat sighed.
"I was hoping we'd get lucky."
"So was I."
They continued.
Searching.
Looking.
Checking.
Every minute that passed made the silence feel stranger.
Eventually...
Azamat stopped walking.
"Did you hear that?"
Zas raised a hand.
Both men froze.
At first...
...nothing.
Then...
Faint.
Barely audible.
Someone screamed.
Azamat frowned.
"Civilians?"
"Perhaps."
The scream came again.
Longer.
Sharper.
Different.
Not panic.
Pain.
Zas immediately turned toward the sound.
"We're not finding a battery today."
"No."
"We're not."
Without another word...
...the two men abandoned the search.
Whatever had caused that scream...
...had become the more urgent mission.
The screams came again.
Closer this time.
Zas raised a hand.
Azamat immediately stopped.
They listened.
A woman's voice.
Raw.
Panicked.
Both men exchanged uneasy glances.
"...Do you know her?" Azamat whispered.
"I..."
Zas frowned.
"...I think I do."
The answer disturbed him.
He couldn't place the voice.
Yet every instinct insisted he had heard it before.
The scream returned.
Then-
"STOP!"
Silence.
Another voice.
Too muffled to understand.
Then-
"DON'T!"
Azamat didn't wait.
He started moving.
Zas followed immediately.
Both advanced carefully.
Every doorway.
Every corner.
Every intersection.
Checked before they crossed.
Weapons ready.
The closer they came...
...the more familiar the voice became.
Neither man liked that realization.
The streets gradually widened.
The palace walls emerged through the smoke.
Something felt wrong immediately.
The gates stood open.
One hung crooked from its hinges.
Inside...
...the palace no longer resembled the place they had entered
only hours earlier.
Bodies lay scattered across the courtyards.
Some wore royal colours.
Others ordinary uniforms.
Blood stained the marble.
Broken stone littered the walkways.
Windows had been smashed.
Furniture overturned.
Gold trim had been ripped from walls.
Decorative statues lay shattered.
Display cabinets stood open.
Goblets.
Jewelry.
Paintings.
Anything valuable...
...was gone.
Azamat slowed.
"What happened here?"
"I don't know."
Zas never stopped walking.
The palace could wait.
Someone alive needed them.
The screaming guided them deeper inside.
Then...
...it stopped.
Both men froze.
The silence lasted only a heartbeat.
Then came something even stranger.
Laughter.
Several voices.
Laughing.
Azamat frowned.
"That's..."
"...not right."
"No."
"It isn't."
They continued.
Slowly.
Another corridor.
Another staircase.
The laughter continued.
Lighthearted.
Carefree.
Completely out of place.
Then-
A sharp voice barked something.
Another answered.
The laughter vanished.
A woman shouted again.
The words were still indistinct.
…but the fear wasn't.
Zas looked at Azamat.
No discussion was necessary.
Azamat tightened his grip on the axe.
Zas shifted Brutus into both hands.
They reached an ornate double door.
The shouting continued behind it.
One more scream.
Zas nodded once.
Azamat understood.
Together-
They burst through the doors.