146, 1/2

After three hours of nothing happening, a few of Eralis’s defenses came down.

Most notably, the Void Song that had spilled up and over the Void Wall, to inundate the world, became something less. It retreated, slowly. In four hours, the Void Song settled back to its normal territory, like a roused beast going back to bed. A few of the various Domains and spells that held over the Alluvial District went away; but that was more likely the result of improperly made or costly spellwork, and less likely because the casters thought the battle was truly over. Some spellwork stayed strong, and even got bigger, or denser, as the night wore on.

By the time morning rolled around, Ezekiel had caught three hours of sleep, which was more than enough for him to stay awake for several days, if needed. Paul and Tiffany each got a few hours of shuteye, here and there. They’d need proper sleep going forward, but from what Ezekiel had seen and heard from his Odins, and from his own mana sense stretched out into the Southern House, the Highlands were not going to full war. Not yet.

Hangzi had pushed back Raidu at the first Battle of Chelation, but while neither side had achieved dominance, neither side had displayed true weakness, either.

Ezekiel was not amused that the name he had given to anti-antirhine therapy was being used as the name of a battle, or that they were calling last night’s battle the ‘first’. A few people had already taken the next step, and were calling this the start of the ‘Chelation Wars’.

The sun rose in the east, brightening the clouded sky and highlighting the various Domains still active across the Alluvial District. Star Song’s Domain, [Star Void Sky], as Ezekiel had heard it called, was still active. It was one of the few that had gotten denser.

Ezekiel recognized, now, that Star Song and Eralis had been in a state of peace, until last night. Sure, the guards in the city had been harsh and thorough with vetting him and his people, but now, they were being absolutely antagonistic. Everyone was being stopped on the streets and papers were being checked. Guards of a different sort, probably actual soldiers, were patrolling the white road that wound around the Alluvial District.

Another hour passed.

Ezekiel ate toast and eggs, as he watched the world around them. Hangzi had not yet returned to Southern House. In the course of the night, Yorza had come out of the [Sealed Privacy Ward] three or four times in order to send telepathic missives, while her guards had packed up the place for easy escaping, if needed. They didn’t look too panicked down there, though. Hangzi was probably fine.

As the day matured, and Odin watched from above it all, mothers and their children all around Eralis and the surrounding lands ran quickly from place to place, doing necessary errands. Men and their friends walked in groups from here to there. No one walked alone. Guards stopped everyone, randomly.

And Ezekiel waited for the impending disaster.

A wonderful event interrupted his waiting.

Julia sent him, ‘Hey, dad.’

Breath gusted out of Ezekiel’s lungs as he laughed twice, and relief flooded his mind. He sent back, ‘Hey, Julia. I’m glad to hear your voice.’

‘I’m glad to know you’re okay, too.’ Julia asked, ‘How did it go on your end?’

‘Ah. Things have been rather hectic here. I was worried about this place exploding on me.’ Ezekiel said, ‘I thought I knew what a battle between soldiers looked like. But that… They annihilated each other. I wondered how a place like Eralis could exist with spells like the Red Dot floating around out there. The Void Song was one thing, but I should have seen that the true answer was in their culture. They ritually murder centuries of soldiers instead of the civilians. But if the soldiers had broken, the civilians would be next. Then we’d have a real war. I think. I’ve overheard a lot of small conversations, but no one knows for sure what will happen. Terror Peaks has done some pretty awful shit, but nothing too bad in the last 50 years.’ He needed to change the subject, so he asked, ‘What did you do last night?’

‘… Killed monsters. I asked Sikali if that was going to change, based on the war with Terror Peaks, but she said no. Said I was going to keep killing monsters that threatened civilian populations so that a few more warriors could be freed up to face the oncoming war.’ Julia said, ‘I heard it’s gonna be bad. They think Terror Peak is going to break convention to murder some key defensive figures, and then they’ll sweep in and kill whoever they can. I heard you’re in danger.’

‘I’m always in danger, Julia. It’s different this time, but I’m more than capable of defending myself.’ he added, ‘I got [Treat Wounds] and [Regeneration] yesterday. Gonna make [Greater Treat Wounds] as soon as I get a hot minute. I’m pretty sure the sounds need to be harmonized, and that’s all. How’s your Willpower doing?’

‘I’m up to 70 Willpower. 15 out of the 20 points promised. All’s good on the mind contamination front.’ Julia sent, ‘We’re running through these Quests as fast as I can do them, and once I’m done, I’ll be back at Star Song to get the last 5 points. Maybe only a few days. We’ll have to do this Underworld stuff later, when Eralis is not at the start of a war.’

More relief. ‘How’s Sikali?’

‘She’s pretty fun. And yet— I mean. Honestly? She’s a good person, I think. You wouldn’t like her. But we get shit done. Course it’s probably all an act, but whatever. Our goals align.’ Julia asked, ‘How is Xue?’

Ezekiel heard the unspoken concern in Julia’s voice. He sent, ‘Sikali has every reason to be concerned about her husband, for Intelligence has made him paranoid, but I think I helped him out of most of that. He was pretty damned deep in the paranoia, too. He thought I was out to kill him.’

Julia sighed. ‘Yeah. That’s the impression I got from Sikali. She hasn’t actually said anything, but I could tell. So Intelligence makes you paranoid, eh?’

‘I’m reasonably certain that paranoia is not a direct effect of Intelligence. Paranoia is more like a side effect. It’s like… In knowing that there are forces in this world that will and are trying to kill you, you become paranoid and start seeing shadows everywhere.’ He added, ‘And I gotta say, that it’s been a real mental hurdle to get over the idea that ‘seeing shadows where there are none’ means something very, very different here on Veird.’

Julia chuckled. ‘That’s what I figured, so I’m gonna tell Sikali all of that.’

All this while, people had been blipping onto the grounds outside, near the central pagoda of Star Song, into a prepared space with guards stationed all around it. The people blipping in confirmed their identities, then moved inward, to the central pagoda. Ezekiel recognized Scion Caina Small Scare and others, but it was the appearance of Scion Hangzi Devouring Nightmare that caused him to startle. The guy looked clean and poised, but he was ragged; the trauma of deep healing showed in his sunken cheeks.

It was time to go see what was happening down there.

Ezekiel sent to Julia. ‘I love you. People are talking downstairs. Big talks. I gotta find out what’s going on. Stay safe. I will too. I love you.’

‘I love you, too. Stay strong!’

They both signed off at the same time. He wanted to talk to her for an hour, but that wouldn’t happen; not on a day like today. War was upon Songli, and Ezekiel had to make some difficult decisions.

Ezekiel walked out of the room, with Paul and Tiffany joining him. By the time he reached the ground floor, more people had blipped into the temporary ‘Teleport Square’ that the guards had set up outside, including an unexpected arrival.

Kaffi had appeared.

She was showing her papers to the guards as Ezekiel stepped out of Southern House, but she certainly noticed Ezekiel, standing out in the open, only a hundred meters away. She left the temporary blipping zone, and walked his way.

Ezekiel met her halfway, on a garden path where willow trees cascaded pink flowers and a small spring bubbled out from below the willow’s roots. Kaffi looked exactly the same; an aged demi woman of pale skin and blond hair, with bright red eyes, though Ezekiel doubted very much that that was her original form.

Kaffi spoke without joy, saying, “Scion Ezekiel. We had an appointment half an hour ago.”

He had sent to her that he wasn’t going to make the appointment. She had agreed. And now she was here? Saying this?

Ezekiel went along with it, saying, “Apologies. I didn’t know if it was proper to [Telepathy] you, and there seems to be a war on.” And just to be sure that he was not mistaken, and that this was Kaffi standing in front of him, he sent to Kaffi, ‘Is something wrong?’

His connection went to the person standing right in front of him; this was Kaffi.

‘Many things are wrong, Erick.’ Kaffi said, “We won’t let a little thing like war stop us from fulfilling our obligations, even if that war looks to be larger than most. Let us adjourn to your room, or to the roof, and we shall continue the day’s lesson.”

Ezekiel glanced behind Kaffi, toward the central pagoda. An opaque Solid Ward dominated the entirety of the pagoda’s interior, denying him vision, and the ability to sneak inside and see what was happening. Scions and otherwise had no problems entering, though. Guards stood by the front entrance, where the white wall of the Solid Ward beyond blocked more people going in than the guards could ever hope to actually stop. Hangzi had already vanished past the white wall, without impediment.

Kaffi saw his look. She added, “You won’t be allowed in there, Scion Phoenix.”

Ezekiel turned his attention toward Kaffi, and said, “Maybe not.”

‘They’re talking tactics and expectations.’ Kaffi sent, ‘Hopefully, Terror Peaks adheres to proper rules of combat. This is why I came here: to talk to you about your involvement.’

Ezekiel frowned, then said, “Let us adjourn to Southern House, then.”

– – – –

The sixth floor of Southern House was open to the world, with railings all around and nice, full views of the Alluvial District beyond. An additional defense that was not a true defense, but one of illusion, was a [Sealed Privacy Ward] Erick had put up, that surrounded the entire floor, hiding Erick, Poi, Teressa, Ophiel, and Kaffi, from outward sight.

Kaffi sighed, sadly, as she gazed out across the land. “It’s quite beautiful, but those assholes from Terror Peaks are going to immolate this land as soon as they can. Four hours. Five, maybe. We might be able to talk them out of it, but I doubt that will happen. They’ve lined up many more forces besides their usual ones, including two archmages.”

Erick sat down on a bench, forcing himself to calm as he asked, “Archmages, eh? Has Terror Peaks had them for long?”

“No, but also yes.” Kaffi said, “People have spoken of the ‘evil of Erick Flatt’ long before now. People who think you are pledged to Darkness. But with Raidu’s words and official declaration of war, unexpected allies have appeared for Terror Peaks. Of concern to us are two archmages. There’s the Rain Mage, Shendeng, and Fulmination Spear, Xida. The pair of them are easy to contract when it comes to fighting monsters, and they’ll work with anyone who proves the validity of their need. They’ve worked with Terror Peaks before, but now they’re going a step further. They’re following Terror Peaks into war.”

“Never heard of ‘em!” Erick sighed. “What the fuck.”

“They keep channels open with Scions and Clan Heads, but not the common people. We’re not sure what they look like, exactly, but they don’t show themselves except through their [Familiar]s, and if their interests are stoked. Shendeng shows himself as a traditional lightning wolf, while Xida is a flying spear.”

There had been a lightning wolf in the skies last night. Had that been Shendeng? Likely.

Kaffi continued, “But what matters, here, is if you are going to stay and defend, or if you are going to leave. We can certainly use you either way, but if you choose to remain, then we must talk of purpose and methods and coordination.”

They would use him if he left? How would that work? Not well for Erick, no doubt. But… he had to ask.

“How would you use me if I left?”

“We would publicly denounce you and charge Terror Peaks with the burden of proving your involvement in our Chelation treatments. We would charge them with the burden of proving Wizardry. And since you display no mana coming from yourself, then that main claim would fail. When all they have is the existence of Intelligence in our potion houses, then we will gain some small manner of legitimacy. We would, of course, deny Terror Peaks from investigating themselves, but we are open to allowing Shendeng or Xida to investigate. We are already in talks with those two, in hopes of a peaceful and quick resolution. We theorize that many of Terror Peaks’ backers would drop them when Shendeng and Xida speak on our behalf, but Terror Peaks will still attempt assassinations and lesser war. Attacks on Border Clans, and such. Terrorism. Anything that they can strike at and leave before we can catch them in the act.”

Erick felt a coldness in his heart. “I would go from maybe-ally, to enemy. Just like that?”

“You would always remain what you are, but publicly, we would denounce you to make Terror Peaks easier to kill.” Kaffi said, “Ezekiel Phoenix would still exist, if you wish for him to exist. You can even come to the Highlands as Erick; later. All that matters at the moment is stymieing Terror Peaks’ propaganda campaign and dismantling their war works before they start their attack.” She added, “If you wish to cooperate with our forces to make this plan easier for us, we will accept your help. You would have to leave, though. When you come back, we will likely put up some token resistance to your presence, and then you can publicly win us over.”

It wasn’t a bad idea to just leave…

Erick thought about all of that.

Then he asked, “How do you see a real war going?”

Kaffi said, “Bloody. Best case scenario for Terror Peaks, is for us to lose half a million to three million citizens, depending on many factors which are unable to be calculated. Terror Peaks’ base of operations will be annihilated. Half of our clansmen will die. Several Clans gone from top to bottom.

“But Songli still wins.

“Afterward, the Highlands will expand, for we are stability and safety. For Terror Peaks to attack us with everything they have, and to still come up short, will gain us many other allies. I suspect Songli will expand rather darn fast after this war is over, and Terror Peaks is laid low.”

Erick shook his head. “If they know they’re going to lose, then why do this?”

“Ah.” Kaffi said, “I have misconstrued something. Terror Peaks, the myriad of cities which call themselves part of that Clan, will no longer exist, but the Clan will remain. We have destroyed their cities many times over, but they always rebuild in some other place, because the ones who need to perish to stop this fight always manage to get away.

“It would take ten years, but they will rebuild based on assistance from other clans.

“This problem is thorny, and it has to do with Terror Peaks being one of the major powers to stand against the Highlands, and many of the smaller warlord-led clans out there will give them assistance in order to keep them around as a shield to use against us. But that’s only one of the issues with ending Terror Peaks.” She asked, “Do you know of the tank-born?”

This was rapidly becoming a lot more complicated than Erick liked. As for the tank-born? That had seemed too fantastical, but he had heard too many variations of that sort of talk to discount it entirely.

He asked, “Are they truly grown in vats?”

Kaffi said, “They’re not grown in tanks of slime, like those ancient monsters, though the process is little better. They’re normal kids, but they’re produced by fanatical mothers who want nothing more than to produce more children for their society. They raise every child for war over there, and they Matriculate early, at age 10. Once the first few levels are gained, they assist every single child to level 45 by helping them kill mist stone gluttons. After that, the kids are put into training programs, which they call tanks. Inside those closed systems, the children are raised upon near-death battles with each other, while they are educated about the horrors of the rest of Nelboor, and of the Darkness.

“By the time they’re let out, they’re fanatical, insular, and also some of the best soldiers and monster hunters in the world.” She added, “When we crush Terror Peaks, it is never without great losses on both sides, but the majority of Terror Peaks’ elders and otherwise always escape the final [Strike]. The mothers are a major problem, too, for they are always the first to [Teleport] away, often raising their children in ‘tanks’ all on their own, before rejoining the main clan when the kids are old enough. Right now, if you were to look at the cities of Terror Peaks beyond the Tribulations, the people you see in the cities might only be a quarter of the actual population.

“Terror Peaks is named as plural, because of this cell-raised strategy of their culture. Terror Peaks is a land of a thousand peaks, each raising together to lift the world out of Darkness and into the terror-filled light.

“And when I say that we destroy their ‘cities’, I mean that we destroy several dozen trading centers over a thousand kilometer area.”

That was a lot to take in.

Erick sat still for a moment, thinking. Maybe he needed to send an Ophiel to one of these cities of Terror Peaks to speak to them. Or maybe that would be a bad idea, all around.

Kaffi watched him think.

Erick asked, “And you can’t simply give them the chelation treatment, because then they could unlock the few Elixir’d people who you’ve managed to get?”

Kaffi frowned a little, then said, “That is not what would happen. Terror Peaks does not suffer weakness, so everyone of theirs that we have ever Elixir’d, has probably taken their own life. But then again, they were trying to get Tadashi to make it for them, so this knowledge might be incorrect. Terror Peaks likes to show the world one face, but its people see their land in a different light.

“Even if we cannot confirm, we think none of their people are afflicted, so if we gave them chelation, then they’d use it as leverage against other clan states and bring them under their aegis with the promise of an end to the antirhine affliction. That is what we think that they were trying to do with Tadashi’s capture, but they failed.

“Once under Terror Peaks’ power, those smaller clans would begin their conversion to Terror Peaks ideology. It wouldn’t take long. A year. Three. Star Song’s projections of chelation taking a year or more would certainly give Terror Peaks a large timeframe in which to convert other clans with Elixir’d people. That would be enough. For all their fanaticism, Terror Peaks takes very good care of its people. Usually.

“Aside from when they fight us, or when they go against clans they suspect of dabbling in the Dark, they are a stable and prosperous country. If they weren’t so damned righteous, then the Highlands and Terror Peaks would be ideal neighbors. Even allies. But they are who they have always been, and so we are enemies.”

Even more to take in.

Erick asked, “What does me staying and defending look like?”

Kaffi nodded. Then she moved to a nearby bench and sat down. She said, “Everything continues as it has, and after the war, which we will win, you help us hunt down and eliminate Terror Peaks with your locator spells. We also ask that when the war is happening, that you prevent any atrocities you see around you. We have every confidence that you do not need to be part of a command structure, and if needed, then your guard can fulfill this role.

“As for problems of which you should know: It is only a matter of time before the assassinations begin, and we have agents of Terror Peaks in our homes. You shouldn’t have to worry about other archmages, for we will deal with them if they choose to bring out their [Familiars]. I merely informed you of them to inform you, and for no other reason.”

Erick asked, “Is there a way to get Terror Peaks to truly back down from this war?”

“Likely, no, and we are not going to put much effort toward that path.” Kaffi said, “Our efforts will mostly go to unlinking Terror Peaks from their temporary allies.”

Erick frowned.

“You, however, can feel free to do as you wish.” Kaffi added, “It would be reasonable for Erick Flatt’s Ophiel to show up after he has been called out as a Wizard. If you choose to pursue peace, I warn you to not expect much from Terror Peaks. Many of them are true believers of the light, and they feel certain ways about certain things. If they find a shadow collaborator in their own land, they have a tendency to enact a ‘three-fold ruling’, which is the execution of anyone three steps or less from the shadow collaborator. This fanaticism was why we banished them from the Highlands 300 years ago.” She said, “But the Church of Koyabez is reaching out to them today, anyway. I could direct you to them?”

Erick wanted to stand, and declare ‘Yes! I will talk to them and then go and prevent a war!’ but another, darker part of himself latched on to the ‘three-fold rule’ and the horrors of an enemy state that refused to die, which grew upon the backs of child soldiers, and which spread a doctrine of absolute hate against the enemy. In a normal Veird, if certain things had happened differently, if the Shades had killed Jane, or if they had pushed him into other parts of the world, and if he had met Terror Peaks in other circumstances… He might be their ally, right now.

In a Veird where Last Shadow’s Feast had not happened, and Shades still ruled, Erick might have gone to Terror Peaks, seeking allies against the Darkness. But today? Of all the thoughts circling in Erick’s mind, one stood out above the others: It didn’t matter if the shadelings of Candlepoint weren’t agents of shadow, Terror Peaks would never let those people live.

Terror Peaks would never believe that Erick wasn’t an agent of shadow, no matter what he had done.

As temporary emotions flared and died, and thoughts of a different Reality vanished like mist under harsh sun, cold rationality took hold, and Erick thought. His heart skipped a beat. He blinked. He breathed.

He looked away, and down, then back to Kaffi, and said, “I will pursue both paths to peace; through Koyabez’s church, and through my own actions as Erick. I doubt either will work, but I will try.” He added, “I also won’t promise to Image for anyone; not yet.”

But if Terror Peaks came after him, then…

Then he would make new plans.

“Understandable.” Kaffi said, “A desire for peace is an honorable emotion, but in this new world without Shades, people like Terror Peaks have no place, and they know this. So they will fight to the death, inventing shadows where there are none, and drawing others into their abysses of lies. Do not get drawn in.”

Erick frowned at Kaffi. “I appreciate the warnings, but do not take my appreciation for full acceptance of your words.”

Kaffi straightened. “Your castigation is acknowledged. I apologize for overstepping.” Kaffi bowed in her chair, then raised, and asked, “Shall we go to Koyabez’s temple?”

“I will go there on my own.”

Kaffi stood, and said, “Please be careful, Erick. I believe the Peace Envoy is leaving in an hour, at noon.”

– – – –

Erick did not head for Koyabez’s temple right away. He remained on the sixth floor of Southern House, waiting for Kaffi to leave. It didn’t take her long to get back to the temporary Teleport Square outside of the central pagoda. The meeting of Scions and otherwise was already over. The white Solid Ward inside the space was gone, and so were the people.

Erick turned to his people; to Poi and Teressa. “What do you two want to do?”

Teressa laughed a little, then said, “Whatever you choose is great by me!”

“Your choice is our choice.” Poi said, “But I’d advise us not to go to Terror Peaks, in person. I would have to strenuously counter such an idea if it were to come up.”

Erick asked, “What if the peace team from Koyabez plans on meeting the people from Terror Peaks in a neutral location?”

Teressa glanced to Poi, one of her eyebrows raised.

Poi glanced away from Teressa, back to Erick, saying, “You should not join this expedition. But we can certainly go and ask them for an impartial idea of Terror Peaks. And then we come back here, to a defensible location, surrounded by allies of convenience.”

Teressa eyed Poi, saying, “You could just tell us about Terror Peaks. Was Kaffi lying? She didn’t seem to be lying to me, but I’m no mind mage.”

Erick nodded, agreeing with all of that. He looked to Poi.

Poi sighed, then said, “Terror Peaks is fanatical and their inquisitors are worse. There were no lies in what Kaffi said, or at least there were no lies that she considered lies. It’s hard to read her, but I already asked about Terror Peaks long before she came here to talk, and everything she said matched up… with… what I…” His voice trailed off. He turned toward the west, toward Eralis.

The three of them watched as a fireball a kilometer across rose from a far part of the city, turning from white to red as it lifted into the sky. It was not a large spell, or effect, or whatever. The fireball was now little more than smoke on the horizon. Erick had stood, and found himself at the edge of the railing, at the edge of the [Sealed Privacy Ward], with a hand outside of the space. He questioned the Ophiel still high in the sky.

The target had been a collection of buildings, according to Ophiel; a central cathedral, and a few surrounding structures. The fireball had been large enough to blacken everything, but only the central location was completely gone.

“That was the Church of Koyabez.” Poi stood beside him. A few of his tendrils of thought were wiggling past the edge of the privacy. “Quick estimations have it at 350 dead. More injured.”

With growing rage in his heart, Erick whispered, “Okay.”

He went to help—

He stopped.

He watched as Eralis responded to its own problems.

Guards spilled from booths and stations. Fires were put out. Stone flowed away from ruins, revealing injured people who were then healed by guards who trained for this sort of thing. Erick would have gotten in the way.

Right.

He was currently superfluous. So he did what he could do in a situation like this: He made a spell, in order to prepare for what was to come. He channeled his normal, white mana through [Treat Wounds] in one hand, and [Regeneration] in the other. Ophiels gathered around, helping him to pick apart the spellwork.

The sounds of complicated healing rose to a crescendo. In a strange flow that was similar to how Elder Ari had described it two days ago, Erick heard the ‘lock’ of [Treat Wounds] crumble open when exposed to the ‘key’ of [Regeneration]. A bit of his soul bloomed where yesterday, it had broken. A rift healed over.

A blue box vanished.

Another blue box appeared in its place.

It took almost a minute to level [Greater Treat Wounds] to level X. Erick just cast the spell from one Ophiel to another Ophiel. While he cast, he considered his options. When his new spell was completely leveled, Erick changed who he was, and had an idea.

Ezekiel asked Tiffany, “So? Have you tried prognostication yet?”

Tiffany frowned. “Haven’t gotten far with it. Not in any useful way. What are you thinking?”

“According to Redarrow’s notes, Treehome might have the best prognosticators in the world, but places like this, and like Terror Peaks, will have lesser fortune tellers. There’s bound to be counter-prognostication going on in a situation like this, with both sides capable of seeing the large attacks, so I doubt we’ll get much warning, but any warning at all would be good.”

“I think you’re giving them way too much credit, Boss. A church was attacked right in front of us.”

“Not just that church.” Paul said, “Every church of Koyabez in Songli, all at the same time.”

Ezekiel’s heart sunk.

Tiffany frowned, then said, “Only Redarrow is capable of good counter-prognostication. I doubt that the fortune telling around here amounts to more than throwing runes and reading the random outcome. But I will do this.”

“… Thank you.”

Tiffany said, “If I’m not [Future Sight]ing all the time, there are going to be holes in the visions. There’s only one of me, so it might not work out that well.”

“This is true, and you should have your mana sense active whenever you can, but we’re in an odd situation here.” Ezekiel said, “With this Worldly Path, you might get lucky.”

Tiffany startled. “Ah. I see.”

Ezekiel glanced downstairs with his mana sense and his Odin, and said, “And now it’s time to put away this privacy. Got clansmen looking this way at the obvious-security-problem, and Hangzi is back.”

With a wave, the [Sealed Privacy Ward] popped, revealing the three of them. The clansmen who had been watching from the central pagoda stopped caring, now that they could see there was nothing special happening here.

– – – –

Ezekiel stood at the railing of the fourth floor, gazing downward to the third. He watched as Scion Hangzi stepped up the stairs. As if sensing eyes on him, or maybe due to the guards with him whispering about Ezekiel’s presence above, the young man turned his face upward. The two Scions locked gazes.

Ezekiel said, “I was thinking about joining Koyabez’s Peace Envoy to stop this war before it truly began. Now I’m not sure what I’m doing. Need help with something?”

Hangzi blinked, once. Then he rapidly said, “The mana sense blocking spell for my brother, eventually, but all that is necessary at the moment is for you to assist with Clan Star Song’s defenses, and in particular, the defense of Southern House. The duration of this assistance will last until the end of this war. Might be days, or weeks.”

Ezekiel nodded, slowly. He asked, “What is going to happen next?”

“They will attempt assassinations. We will retaliate in kind. Have you investigated Terror Peaks with your [Familiar]?” Hangzi quickly asked, “Would you be interested in assassinating some of them? I’m sure you could do it easily enough, and there is little they could do to stop you if you stay away from certain people, of which I can brief you upon before you go.”

“I will do what I can to protect this space.”

Hangzi hid most of his disappointment, but not all. “The attack at Koyabez’s temple was not a singular incident. Every major Koyabez temple in the Highlands was hit at the same time. Terror Peaks is saying that the God of Peace has Darkened, and joined with Melemizargo, so they’re purging everyone that has a Silver Star, or prays to Koyabez. So far, the death toll is at 7800 people, all in the last hour.” He stared at Ezekiel, asking, “Does this change your mind?”

If he hadn’t been holding onto the railing, Ezekiel would have collapsed to his knees. Three heartbeats later, his anger finally bloomed. He sighed out, and said, “Yes, but not in the way you imagine.” He walked away, into his rooms.

Down below, Hangzi stayed at the stairs for a moment longer, then walked into his office.

Ezekiel briefly watched as Hangzi reunited with Yorza and Warzi, but Ezekiel had other people to concern himself with at the moment.

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For the first time in a while, Erick prayed.

– – – –

Weightless.

Directionless.

But then, substance.

Down. His feet touched a solid surface.

Erick opened his eyes. He stood upon a dusty silver land that stretched to the horizon in every direction. The sky was black and full of stars, except for a pink moon to the right, a white moon to the left, and Veird, hanging above. Erick’s current home was illuminated like a crescent moon, of blue, green, and white. Small lights brightened some of the darkness, but mostly, the dark overwhelmed.

There was Spur, in the middle of Glaquin, along with two spots of illumination in Ar’Kendrithyst. There was Kal’Duresh off to the west. Frontier seemed dimmer than it should have been, but there were lights there, too. Erick hadn’t looked upon that land for a while, for Silverite had told him to stay away, and he honored that request.

A presence stepped down onto the silver sand beside Erick.

Koyabez.

He was the same lanky violet-skinned demi that he had always been. He wore a loincloth that barely hid anything, while small horns poked out of wavy hair.

Koyabez’s voice was peaceful. “Hello, Erick.”

“Hello, Koyabez,” Erick said. “I saw some tragedies today.”

“You saw the barest bit.” Koyabez spoke without rancor, though his choice of words seemed otherwise, “Terror Peaks has purposefully destroyed all of the normal paths to peace. With this action, it is all but certain that Nelboor will have another Continent War. The last one was 125 years ago, and that war claimed 53 million souls. Back then, there were 400 million people on Veird. Today, we have 550 million. I suspect this new war will be larger than the last. Much larger.”

Erick felt a weight. “Is there a way to stop this war?”

Koyabez said, “The only reason that the Continent War ended was because it interfered with the plans of the Shades. Now, there are no Shades.”

The weight increased.

With a slight desperate edge to his voice Erick said, “So there’s a chance to end this.”

Koyabez turned sad eyes to Erick. Tears fell. He said, “The option you imagine is always an option for people of your power.” His tears dried, as though they had never happened. Hard-edged, he stared at Veird. “But make no mistake: Murdering the opposition is not the only way.” He said, “But sometimes, the only path to True Peace is through removing the causes of a war, one way or the other.”

For a long moment, no one said anything.

And then Erick said, “I’m still having trouble, mentally, seeing that a God of Peace is willing to kill and go to war to prevent greater tragedies. I did not understand this about you before… Even when Silverite spoke of the Black Order, it still hadn’t sunk in. I think my problem was with how you spoke of the Shades, back when I came to you that one time.”

“I have to consider timelines larger than most people; especially angry archmages.” With a sad smile, Koyabez said, “I’ve been helping people against the Shades ever since the Sundering, when they became corrupted by Melemizargo’s insanity. My people led the fight against Ar’Kendrithyst for the longest time. Silverite was there, killing Shades as best she could. But…

“But after the Great Purge of Spur, for the last hundred years the Shades stopped raising any more of their kind, and so I pulled back from my normal aggression.” He said, “And now we’re here, in this place, where zealots of small nations are scared and banding together, becoming major threats to the rest of the world. It’s the power vacuum left by the removal of Ar’Kendrithyst; it tempts people, and when enough people are tempted, someone falls, and to borrow a term from Earth, the dominoes start falling. This is the opening act of a much larger event, Erick; one with possible outcomes far beyond what we can see.”

Erick felt Koyabez’s words in his soul, as he gazed up at Veird. The planet looked so peaceful, up there in the sky. Of course, it was anything but.

Erick asked, “Got any thoughts on using this Crystal Star against the people of Terror Peaks? Or against anyone else?”

“I only have one observation to share with you, to ease your own choice, but it is your choice, Erick. Not mine. The choice of how to enact justice is always in the hands of the living. But everyone touched by the Crystal Star no longer fights. They choose something else out of life. Most have chosen to help their fellow people in one way or another.

“To make homes out of desolation. To clear souls of corruption. To plead for forgiveness, and have it denied, and in some cases, allowed. To teach magic. To raise new life, in order to restore that which they have damaged. To aid those who plot toward peaceful power.

“To counter-assassinate, but in only the broadest sense of the term.

“For even the assassin isn’t killing anyone anymore. It is too painful. As they had once broken others using much more vile methods, you have broken them in return, and they will never recover who they used to be. Instead, they will do what they can to undo the damage that they have done.

“They will never purposefully strike down another life. This is their fate. This is their burden.

“You can do this to anyone you meet.

“Some deserve this fate. Others do not. And so, in order to separate one from the other, perhaps there is only one facet of this argument that truly bears weight: