"I'm sure Lyra will manage fine without me," Vyn said, shrugging easily. "I need the distraction anyway." His tone was light, almost carefree, and Akash was reminded again that he was speaking to the slacker Sovran.
The three of them—Akash, Vyn, and Godric—continued down the settlement's battered streets. Broken beams, piles of stone, and jagged rubble blocked off many of the alleys they passed. Every now and then, they stopped to clear a path, working in unspoken unison.
At one particularly clogged alley, Godric planted his feet, heaving a massive chunk of debris to the side. Beneath the rubble, the cobblestone road stretched ahead, vanishing into the shadows. "This alley should lead straight to the Spire," the Ukari said, motioning them forward.
"Good," Akash said. "Let's see if it's as grand as everyone claims."
Godric moved ahead, his heavy armor clanking softly with each step. His massive frame blocked most of the view as he pushed deeper into the narrow passage. Akash noticed the slight shift in his posture as Godric slowed.
"There are bodies farther ahead," Godric warned, his longsword drawn and ready.
Akash heard it then—the wet, sickening sound of something feasting, accompanied by the faint clicking of claws on stone.
Godric's steps grew deliberate, his boots barely brushing the ground. A shadow moved in the alley, and then Akash saw it: the eyeless, predatory face of a karnen, hunched over the corpses it had claimed. Blood dripped from its clawed forearms, pooling beneath its grotesque frame. The clicking grew louder as it turned its head toward them, sensing their presence.
"Karnen," Godric said, his voice steady and cold.
The creature lowered its body, its claws digging into the ground as its jaw unhinged, revealing rows of needle-like teeth. Then, it pounced.
Godric reacted instantly. His longsword snapped up, deflecting one of the karnen's claws with a brutal clang. His other hand surged forward, slamming the creature's head into the wall with enough force to crack stone. The karnen's skull exploded on impact, sending dark blood splattering across the alley.
Godric stood over the broken body, shaking blood from his gauntlet. He spat on the ground, his expression one of disdain. "They attack like starving dogs. There's no honor in putting down beasts."
"There will be plenty of men to fight when we take the Bridge," Akash said, though his gaze lingered on the mangled corpses scattered around the karnen.
Vyn crouched beside one of the bodies, brushing dirt from the bloodied armor. "They wear the sigils of Jercis," he said quietly.
"Dante's personal guard," Akash replied, frowning. "I thought they'd be at his side."
"They should have been," Vyn agreed. "The delegation of the best would have been at Dante's side. They'd never leave him—just as the Ukari would never leave you, Akash."
Akash crouched beside another fallen soldier, inspecting the broken armor and lifeless face. "They might have been separated."
"Perhaps," Vyn murmured, though his tone suggested otherwise. His gaze trailed down the rubble-strewn alley. "Yes… that could have happened."
He reached out and gently lifted the armored gauntlet of one of the Jercis. Their plain steel plating was unremarkable, yet Vyn lingered for a moment, whispering something too soft for Akash to hear.
Finally, Vyn straightened, brushing his hands on his tunic. "We'll gather the bodies later," he said, his tone unusually subdued. "For now, let's see the thing we came here for."
The three of them emerged from the alley into an open courtyard, and there it stood: the Spire.
It floated impossibly in the sky, unbound by any visible supports. It loomed high above, massive and alien, its surface etched with words and symbols that seemed to pulse faintly against the darkening sky. The Spire should have crumbled under its own weight, but it didn't. Instead, it hung suspended, as if the very air bent to its will. Atta, that was what Mirak had called it. Akash could hear that faint hum.
"What could create something like this?" Vyn wondered aloud, his voice tinged with awe. His eyes roamed over the intricate carvings on the Spire's surface—symbols that meant nothing to anyone in Reem or Lorian.
"A race long lost to the passage of time," Akash guessed. The words came unbidden to his lips, as if they'd been waiting for him to speak them. His gaze stayed fixed on the Spire, unease curling in his stomach.
Godric folded his arms, his voice steady as always. "There are older stories that say it was part of Tuvat. When the city fell, the four tallest towers became the foundations of the Spires and the Bridge."
"That would make Tuvat larger than the mountains themselves," Vyn pointed out, shaking his head in disbelief.
Godric shrugged. "That's why they're called stories. They're meant to spark imagination, not be believed."
Akash took one last, lingering look at the Spire. Its presence was oppressive, yet mesmerizing, a constant reminder of the forces at play in the world—forces far beyond him. He turned away, forcing the image to the back of his mind. "I've seen what I wanted. Let's head back."
He staggered slightly as he walked, the weight of the Spire's sheer existence pressing against his thoughts. Could he ever measure up to something like this? Would he ever do anything worthy enough to scatter his mother's ashes as she had wanted? Would the villagers who scorned him finally see him differently if he did?
Night crept over the settlement as they returned, shadows stretching long over the rubble. The Sovrans and Vice-Sovrans were already gathered in Veneres's tent, their voices raised in debate.
Akash scratched at his eyes, weary from the long day. He stood at the edge of the room, Elys curled by his side, and watched the chaos unfold. Fractures ran deep among the leaders, the cracks threatening to split the Dauntless Company apart.
No one dared throw him out, of course. The title of Angel of the Red Sands ensured that. But he was no Dante. He was no Jassin. He had neither the patience nor the authority to herd these people into line.
"Shut your damn mouth, Vyn," Drake growled, pointing at him with a calloused hand.
Vyn rolled his eyes. "But it enjoys being open far too much."
Drake's hand moved to his hammer. "Keep it shut, or I'll show you how to keep it closed."
Vyn grinned, leaning casually against the table. "You suggest such violent solutions, but rage when I state the truth. You think you should lead the Dauntless Company, don't you? How can a man with the self-control of a child possibly lead?"
"And you think you're better?" snapped Onis, the auburn-haired Sovran of the Second Battalion. Freckles dotted his face as he sneered. "Last I checked, only the best warriors are meant to be Paramount, and you're far from the best."
Onis clicked his tongue, leaning back in his chair. "There's only one person in this room capable of leading."
"And I assume that's you?" Lyra said, pinching the bridge of her nose in frustration.
"Of course," Onis replied smugly.
Akash ran a hand through Elys's fur, the soft motion grounding him. He sighed, thinking of Jassin and Dante. Either of them would have ended this bickering in an instant. But Akash was neither, and he wasn't about to try.
Just as the tension reached its peak, Veneres walked in, his steps measured and deliberate. All eyes turned to him. He moved with a polished ease, his armor gleaming despite the long day's battles.
"Continue," he said, his voice calm yet commanding. "It amuses me to see men and women bicker like children."
Zadeen hissed, "I'm glad our plight is so entertaining to you."
Veneres's lips curved into a faint smile. "Your plight isn't entertaining. What I find amusing is how quickly you abandon your honor when you smell the chance to rise above your station."
"And are you any different?" Vyn asked, leaning onto the table. All attention shifted to him as he rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "You've already made your move, Veneres. So tell me, why should I follow you? Why call us children for seeking opportunity when you do the same?"
Veneres's gaze swept over the room. "I do what needs to be done to see Dante's dream fulfilled. While you bicker over who deserves to lead, I'll make it simple: none of you do. None of you have the armies, the training, or the knowledge to lead. Dante raised me for this role. I will ensure the Dauntless Company doesn't burn with its creator."
Akash sighed, standing slowly. His voice cut through the noise like a blade. "The Ukari and I stand behind Veneres in his goal to take the Bridge."
The room fell silent. Akash's piece was said. Let history judge him for it.