Abyzou flexed her fingers, each bony knuckle cracking as she did. Her red-tipped nails clacked against her palm as she paced anxiously across her...their bedroom.
It reminded her so much of her younger days. The towering slate walls that were so polished, they reflected her gaunt face back at her. The blue and purple glow of the Elerium crystals that powered their various life support machines. Even her bed was like the one she'd had as a girl, large enough that three people could sleep side by side, engulfed in the thin, orange layers of gel-like insulation that kept her so warm.
She looked over to it. Camazotz was still asleep: she heard his bones creak with each slight movement of his chest, his arms, his back... Occasionally she would feel him broadcast something, a stray thought, a word, and more than once she saw her son's face. Gur-Rai's face.
Abyzou gazed into her reflection, and for just a moment, Kon-Mai stared back. Her purple eyes were so calm, her hands clasped in front of her instead of shaking nervously like Abyzou's were.
"Come back." Abyzou whimpered. "Prima. Please come back."
The reflection did not move when she did. Abyzou reached out and brushed her fingers along the cool metal.
"I did this for you." Abyzou's mind sent out a wave that nearly shook Camazotz awake. "The universe is cruel, Kon, and if I had not taught you it's pain, it would have swallowed you whole. I did it to help you."
Once again the reflection was still, but Abyzou saw disgust in it's eyes.
"Would you rather have gone back?!" Abyzou shrieked. "Would you rather I'd just left you there?! A bastard orphan with no family?! THEY did not want you! I LOVED you! I gave you my BLOOD!"
"Mother." The reflection finally spoke in her daughter's voice. Only one word, and she seemed to hiss it.
.
.
The ship began to descend through orange clouds, blue sky barely visible under their cover. They moved slowly, and the Avenger seemed to dip and rattle as they fell toward the steppe, empty and barren. The winter season meant that the grass below was dry and brown, while sparse trees dotted the landscape, jutting out like hairs on a living head.
Kon-Mai took a deep breath, and the man seated beside her chuckled.
"You're excited to be on the ground." Savitr mused, leaning to the side so his elbow rested on the sill of the window. The sunlight made his eyes glow just a bit, and in this light she could never tell if they were golden or orange or purple.
"Are you not?" She asked, turning her gaze to the sun in the clouds. There was a warmth to Old Mongolia that she did not often feel elsewhere; something untouchable about the crisp mountain lands. When she had run with ADVENT, the Assassin had held an iron grip over most of Asia, but this place had never quite submitted to her.
"I'm cautiously optimistic." He responded. "We have a lot of enemies out there, being Freed ADVENT. And many humans don't pay attention to the 'free' part."
Her gaze flickered to the floor briefly. "And sometimes I cannot blame them. Betos has been kinder to me than I truly deserved."
"Betos knows what it's like to be forced into service. And you had it even worse than us." He scooted closer. "It's not my place to pry, I know, but...I am here, if you need to talk about anything." He patted his own knee absently, perhaps to comfort himself. "The Elders hurt all of us."
"You would not understand." She snapped, but her voice was unusually quiet. She was biting back tears with that one sentence.
"Maybe not." He admitted. "I wasn't their child, like you and your brothers...but at one point we were all Chosen." Savitr reached out and put a hand, briefly, on her arm. "I know how the hurt of losing them felt."
"I do not hurt from losing them." She pulled her arm away, but as soon as the words were out, both she and he could tell she was lying.
The intercom system began to blare. "Would the following soldiers please report to the armory: Dhar-Mon Madron, Gur-Rai Madron, Kon-Mai Mordenna…"
She looked toward him. "Will you be joining me again? I will be accompanying the Commander to greet these new humans."
"It depends on the Commander's whim. I haven't heard my name yet, so I assume not." He chuckled. "Kon-Mai, I apologize."
She kept her silence for a moment longer. "Why on earth would you?" She mused as she stood. "You have no reason to."
"...It is complicated." He admitted.
.
.
Jane zipped up her back and did one last mental check to see if she'd forgotten anything. "Everyone have their passport?"
"Yes." Zhang chuckled. "Although I think it's expired."
"Should've got it renewed." She replied with a smile. "So, Zhang, what are we walking into? Do they speak English there or should I brush up on my Cantonese?"
"I can translate if need be." He told her. "I doubt my old boss is still around but even so, they didn't like outsiders talking at them when I was there."
"And I imagine it would not help if said outsider was a woman." Annette mused, coming up beside them. Her brown hair was pulled into a bun at the nape of her neck, and she looked surprisingly cheerful for the mission they were going on.
"Probably not." Zhang looked at Annette. "Did you get the worm?"
"What?"
"Early bird gets the…" He coughed. "Nevermind. You look quite excited."
"I'm happy to be on a mission again." She admitted. "It has quite literally been years, and now I finally…" She sniffled a bit. "I finally feel like perhaps things are coming back to normal."
Jane stared at her, one eyebrow raised. "The world is still run by a totalitarian dictatorship of extraterrestrials. I don't think we're out of the woods just yet."
"Tu es l'opposé de ta mère." Annette sighed. "At least she was always excited for something new."
"Speaking of. Jane." Zhang cut in. "I want to make sure you understand something: we are going in looking for Vahlen, but please don't get your hopes up. We may not find her, not right now at least."
"I know." She met his eyes, but he could tell she wasn't actually hearing him.
"Jane, I'm serious." He said sternly. "She had a tendency to be aloof, even when she was with us. She likely will not stay in one place for long."
"Yeah, I know." Jane snapped. "I know that better than most people, Zhang, probably better than even you."
"...I just want to make sure." He said, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I didn't mean to upset you, Jane. I'm sorry."
Jane shook her head. "Are we ready to go yet?"
"I am if you are." Annette said. "Bryni is waiting for us."
"Let's not make her wait longer." Jane said. "Vahlen won't stay put for long, and neither will we."
.
.
As the platform descended onto the coarse dirt of the empty steppe, the great mountains were silent. A slight wind howled over the plains, and the blue and orange sky hung over them like a weighted blanket. Kon-Mai closed her eyes briefly, the howling winds washing over her in a way that made her skin prickle. It felt familiar, the sound of the wind like the voice of an old friend.
She felt a hand on her arm and looked up to see Dhar-Mon, who was staring down at her with slight concern in his eyes. "Are you well?"
"Yes." She assured him with a smile. "The fresh air is quite good for me."
Beside her, Gur-Rai blew a whistle through his teeth. "I'll say. I prefer the forests a bit more but plains hunting is a real treat. Have you ever watched a cheetah run down an antelope? That's impressive."
"There are no cheetahs in Mongolia." Kon-Mai smirked at him.
"I know that, genius." He stuck out his tongue and looked back toward the rolling mountains. "So. Think they're coming, or…?"
"I hope so." Bradford muttered. "I don't wanna be stuck out in the open for too long. ADVENT could be smart for once and mount an ambush."
"Drakaina's late, it happens." Volk spat. "Give her a bit."
"We can't wait all day." Bradford retorted, his eyes drifting to the horizon. "Looks like we won't need to though. If that cloud is anything to be concerned about…"
Kon-Mai looked up at the horizon, following where his gaze was directing. Sure enough, a plume of dust lifted high into the air, and moved slightly along the edge, growing larger and closer with each passing moment.
She took a slight step forward, her shoes sliding a bit on the frosty ground. Late December meant that the short grass was coated in thin frost, but she knew how to keep a sure foot, and did not even think of slipping or falling. Her brothers, however, came barrelling after her with the grace of tractors lacking no breaks, and Dhar-Mon slid forward and nearly fell on his face. Gur-Rai fared a little better but, as he reached out to grab Dhar-Mon, still ended up almost crashing on his ass.
Kon-Mai helped Dhar-Mon to his feet. "The ground is treacherous." She warned him. "Please stay close to me."
"I can find my footing perfectly well, Sister." He mumbled, blushing purple. He still took her hand though, as though they were children again.
She was about to retort, but Gur-Rai gasped and cried out "No! No way! Are those horses?!"
Kon-Mai looked up and felt a chill run down her back, From the cloud of dust emerged a dozen black figures, at first morphing into one shadow, then a multitude of many legged beasts, their upper bodies towering and hall, and their four strong legs tearing the earth in half as the ran towards them.
As they drew closer, though, she saw that they were not monsters, but humans riding sleek, wraith-like horses. Their hooves thundered down the mountain, kicking up dirt and rock as they dug into the frozen ground, their manes flying out wildly in the whipping wind. Muscled rippled under glowing coats, and Kon-Mai heard one of them whinny and let out a light gasp, mesmerized by their majesty.
They came close enough that she could see the figures riding them: leading the charge was a woman decked out in black furs, her own ebony tresses pulled into two long braids along her shoulders. As approached, Kon-Mai caught her gaze, and her eyes were such a pale blue they seemed to blend in with the whites of her eyes. In fact, compared to the deep olives and browns of the rest of the people in her company, this woman's skin was noticeably pale as well. She may have blended in with the snowy mountain peaks, if not for her black hair.
The horses made one round around the Avenger, circling it as though they were scanning them, examining whether they were friend or foe. Then the leader of this caravan pulled the reins of her spotted grey horse, bringing it to a halt, and everyone behind her did the same, the horses slowly coming to a stop in a circle around the small group of soldiers. She looked across the company of aliens and humans, and then dismounted, sliding from her saddle and handing the reins off to one of the girls who rode by her side.
The pale woman stepped up to the Avenger and crossed her arms. "So this is the Avenger, hm?" She scanned it slowly, and her eye twitched. "I had thought, given the stories, it would be ten times this size." She smirked. "You have terrible taste in company, Kostas."
"Kaina." Volk barked a laugh and charged forward, and at this moment the pale woman finally smiled and met him halfway, catching him in a tight hug.
She patted the back of his head. "Ya ne videl tebya vechno! You need to write me more!"
"Oh yeah I'll just mosey on down to the post office." He squeezed her harder. "I thought you were dead, Kaina. I thought they got you."
"Kostas, you know me." She pulled back and tugged at his beard. "If that old sinkhole of our hometown didn't kill me, nothing can."
Kon-Mai watched these two, and as the woman released Volk and turned to look at her, she noticed for a split second a look of realization on her face. Indeed, she herself noted that there was something eerie about this woman, and not only because of her ghostly gaze.
Volk turned back to Senuna and Bradford. "Commander, this is-"
The woman pushed Volk aside, stepping forward. "I am Drakaina Khatun, sovereign leader of the Elerium Horde, and all territory west of the Selenga River." She scanned the group that stood outside of the Avenger. "Which one of you is the Commander?"
Senuna stepped forward. "That would be me. Senuna, Commander of XCOM."
"Senuna. A name so powerful it serves as a title." Drakaina chuckled and approached her. "I had heard stories about you, and thought they were all exaggerations. But it seems as though you live up to your legend." She looked past her at the Chosen. "But I did not agree to seat aliens at my camp. Unless they are prisoners of war, they have no right to be here."
"They're soldiers, Drakai-" Bradford began, but a glare from her ghostly eyes shut him down. "Khatun, to you." She barked. "You wouldn't call a queen anything else. I expect that treatment. And an answer: why are these aliens here?"
"They're soldiers...Khatun." Bradford grumbled. "And if you expect us to extend our hand to you, you're going to treat them with the same respect."
"You are speaking as though you are doing the negotiating." She narrowed her eyes.
"Khatun, you called us here." Senuna snapped. "And my Executive Officer is right, if you don't treat my soldiers, every one of them, with respect, we have no problem pulling up our wheels and moving on."
"Commander, you're not being very welcoming." Volk muttered. "Let's start over, shall we?" He turned to Drakaina. "You mentioned needing help. We're here to help."
Drakaina was still glaring past him at the Chosen, specifically at Kon-Mai. The latter was holding her gaze and the longer she did, the more she felt as though she had seen this woman's face before.
"...I do not want to discuss here." Drakaina said. "Commander, you and your officers follow me to camp. We have horses for the humans, and humans only." She looked at the Chosen again. "No offense. I think you are too big."
"I have my bike." Gur-Rai said. "It's big enough I think we can all fit on there."
"It'll be a tight squeeze." Bradford chuckled.
"I am a tight squeeze." Gur-Rai winked. "We'll keep up, don't you worry Khatun~"
She grimaced at the way he said her title, but sighed in resignation. Turning back to her caravan, Drakaina beckoned two of the horses forward, and the girls leading them dismounted and stood beside her, leading their horses by the reins. To her left was a short, young girl with white hair and dressed in baggy furs, her eyes glowing purple as an indication of her psionic power. The girl to her right also had purple eyes, but they were so dark that when not in direct light, they looked almost black. Over her warm fur cloak, she wore a pinkish silk scarf, wrapped around her hair and head, arranged in the style of hijab.
"Aisha and Parysatis will ride with you." Drakaina said, gesturing to the girls on either side of her. The girl in the scarf glanced past the Commander and looked over to the Chosen with curious eyes, and unlike her prickly Khatun, she gave them a warm smile.
Kon-Mai smiled in return, a happy chuckle of familiarity rising in her chest.
.
.
Kon-Mai peered over Dhar-Mon's shoulder as they followed the caravan of horses up over the mountains. The sound of their powerful hooves thundered through the earth itself, shaking the rocks like an earthquake. She closed her eyes and laid against his back, the sound shaking her to her very bones and echoing in her ears like her heartbeat.
"Nice view, huh?!" Gur-Rai called back to them. Kon-Mai could barely hear him under his helmet, but she nodded in agreement as they passed over the summit of the mountain range and down the other side. At the top of the ridge, the Eternal Steppe stretched out before her and she beheld its magnificence; the setting sun caught the golden grass and seemed to almost set it ablaze. She saw in the distance a pack of wolves gallivanting down the snowy slopes. As the thunder of horse hooves slowed, she felt the earth sigh.
The horses before them decelerated, and Kon-Mai peered around her brothers to look toward what she had thought was going to be a small village. But instead of modest yurts, the "village" was made of buildings made of silver stone and draped with flags of silk. Great while pillars and statues of abstract figures jutted into the sky, brandishing weapons of blue glowing stone: Elerium. Between the buildings, a cobblestone road was lined with Elerium jewels that lit the way when the sunlight faded. The town's gate stood at the mouth of this road, and the stone archway was also dotted and backlit with Elerium crystals, arranged into the ancient writing style of Old Mongolian. Kon-Mai eyed it as they turned and rode past it, still following the caravan to the fields away from the village. The etchings and patterns captivated her.
The horses stopped just before the cobblestone road, and Gur-Rai pulled up alongside them as Drakaina gestured to the monumental city around her. "Welcome to Karakorum. Ancient home of Genghis Khan, my own ancestor." She sounded like she was introducing them to her own child.
Kon-Mai spun around to face the back of the bike and slid off, landing surely on her feet. She straightened up as the warriors around her began to dismount from their horses, and looked around at the incredible sights surrounding them. The stone was old, that much could be told just by looking at it. She could feel it though, too, in her bones. These stone walls held secrets.
The girl in the scarf approached her, her almost black eyes sparkling as they caught the light of the Elerium decorum. "Magnificent, isn't it?" She said, getting close enough to meet Kon-Mai's gaze.
"...I never knew this was here." She admitted. "And I led several-" She broke off. Best not to bring up how she had tried to kill them before.
"For such a magnificent city, it's impressively hidden. The Batkhaan Mountain keeps us out of sight." The girl tugged gently on her horse's lead and began to walk towards a stone fence that broke off from the village, encircling a large patch of pasture. "I'm sorry about our Khatun. She's really not bad, she's just...wary. There are not many people we can trust out here."
"No offense was taken." Kon-Mai assured her. "And you: you are...?"
"My name is Aisha." The girl nodded her head to her in respect. "Jinong of the Elerium Horde. Our Khatun entrusts me with making sure you know the rules here."
Jinong. That word struck a chord once again. She felt as though she had heard it before. The Jinong. A Chinese term, usually used only for men, but… "You are the heir apparent." Kon-Mai finally said, bowing lower than her in return.
"Yes." Aisha beckoned her to follow, pulling on her horse's lead. As she walked, Kon-Mai noticed that on her belt dangled tiny gems of Elerium, but that was the only touch of opulence she could see. The rest of her body, head to feet, was covered with the warm furs and skins of hunted animals. While most of it was brown in color, Kon-Mai noticed that some of the lining was accented with colorful embroidery. It looked as though it had been sewn by an artist, certainly a craftsman.
"The Khatun...is your mother, then?" Kon-Mai continued, following the smaller girl, slowing her steps so she did not overtake her.
"Well, no, not exactly." Aisha chuckled. "The Khatun helped to raise me, but I was not chosen as her Jinong until I was 12 years old. I was close with her previous heir and I think it was a way of...paying homage."
Kon-Mai felt her skin prickling for reasons she could not identify. "Previous?"
"Mhm." Aisha reached out for the metal handle and heaved the paddock gate open, and it swung slowly on its hinges. "She was killed in a raid on one of ADVENT's outposts. I was young but I still remember…" She trailed off, her black eyes fluttering towards the ground. "I am sorry. I've been lost in my own thoughts, and I'm being rude. I don't think I even asked your name."
"I am Kon-Mai Mordenna…" The Chosen faltered in her words, the previous comment making her unsure of herself. "But...I will assume you already knew that."
Aisha blinked, looking sheepish. "...Your own raids were hard to forget." She admitted. "But there is no peace without forgiveness, after all, and I'd like some peace after all this." She led her own horse into the center of the field and pulled the bridal off its face. "There you are, Baqi." She crooned to it as she scratched it's nose. "I bet that feels nice~"
"I did not know there were any horses left." Kon-Mai admitted, strolling through the long stone hallway. There must have been hundreds of them, some small and lithe, some tall and muscular enough that could probably have carried her own weight.
"The Khatun worked hard to get these here." Aisha admitted. "Some of them she had to smuggle in from countries across the world."
No kidding. She didn't know much about horse breeds, but some of them definitely weren't native to the steppe, though they seemed to be the type to fare alright in the dry, cold weather. She meandered around the field as Aisha began unstrapping her horse, taking off its saddle and scratching the rumpled, sweaty fur underneath. So many majestic creatures roamed freely in this pasture, grazing lazily on the short grass, paying her almost no mind.
Kon-Mai stopped as she came to the other side of the paddock, finding it empty except for one lone figure. The horse was large, its own shoulder level with her own, but its frame was lithe and its muscles were lean and thin. Its jet black mane was long and unkempt, notably moreso than the horses that roamed the pasture naturally. She took a step closer, and it looked up at her, its dark eyes so deep and sad that it elicited a small sob from her before she could cover her mouth.
"Oh…" Aisha came up beside her, still carrying her equipment. "You found Nergui."
"Nergui..." Kon-Mai repeated, not taking her eyes from the horse's gaze.
"Yes. He belonged to the Jinong before me. She brought him up from when he was a foal, they were apparently almost inseparable." She sighed, stepping closer, and the horse took a nervous step back. "Since she died, no one has been able to ride him."
"He is grieving." Kon-Mai said quietly. In the low sunlight, she could see that Nergui's jet black coat was actually a dark chocolate brown, and it glowed warmly when the light touched it. He cocked his head as she locked her gaze with his, and bobbed his head just a bit, huffing the air.
"We should go." Aisha said. "He tends to get violent if people are around him too long."
"Aisha…" Kon-Mai stopped her. "...When was the previous Jinong killed?"
"When?" Aisha thought for a moment. "...I believe it was almost ten years ago." She counted on her fingers. "...Yes. Ten years ago when the next moon comes."
.
.
Gur-Rai leaned up against the stone wall, watching the various warriors dismount their horses and take them to the fields to graze. He looked over to his motorcycle and thought about getting out a rag to clean it, but something about that felt tacky here. His eyes kept roaming to the majestic horses and he wondered if any of them were big enough to be ridden by him.
There was a sound in his right ear, like rustling leaves, and he looked to his side to see that a large bird had landed on the ground beside him. It's golden feathers were slightly ruffled, but it looked up at him with curiosity, not fear.
"Horses and birds?" He chuckled, kneeling down. "This place really has-"
He broke off as the bird flapped its wings, taking off and flying a short distance away to the arm of a familiar girl. He followed it, not willing to give up a change to examine a living eagle for once.
The girl was one he had seen before; she had ridden over with Bradford at her back. Her white hair reached her mid back, and was wavy like his sister's was. Her black fur coat was layered over a purple silk top, the collar lined with embroidered blue jewels. Her purple eyes looked grey in the light, and she looked at him quizzically as he followed her bird.
"I like your eagle." He said as he approached.
"Thank you." She said quietly. "Her name is Tyche."
"It's a lovely name." He said, reaching out his hand slightly. "Does she like being touched?"
"Not usually, unless I know you." She eyed him cautiously. "And not by men."
"I'm the same way, I understand." He withdrew his hand and tipped an invisible hat. "You have a lovely one there. Take care of her."
"...I will." She hesitated. "Wait. If I know you, it's okay…"
"Waiting for an introduction?" He chuckled. "My name's Gur-Rai."
"Mine is Parysatis." She said, her voice shaking a bit.
"It's a pleasure, Parysatis." He winked. "Please don't be too scared, my bark is far worse than my bite." He eyed the eagle as she glared at him. "Which I assume cannot be said for Tyche."
.
.
Senuna followed Drakaina into one of the largest stone buildings as two guards shut the doors behind them. "I thought the Mongols were nomadic."
"Initially. But as the Horde expands its territory, the Khan must consolidate his power." She led the group forward, into a hall decorated with the pressed furs and skins of wild animals slain on hunts, next to silk tapestries and gold-lined marble. At the end of the hall, Drakaina lowered herself onto a throne made of what almost appeared to be bone, draped with the skin of a black bear, and guarded on either side by golden dragons. Senuna's lip twitched as the Khatun gestured for her to sit on the carpet before them. Senuna knelt, her hands on her knees gracefully. Bradford kept standing, and Volk plopped onto the ground and took out his flask, unbothered by her request.
"I suppose I'll begin with what our purpose is, out here." Drakaina said. "The Elerium Horde has been preventing ADVENT's spread into the remainder of Western Asia, and thus keeping the centers of Eastern Europe and Eastern Asia from reliable contact. I know, since they do technically run the rest of the world, it is a small victory, but it is a victory. Our territory is large enough to rival theirs and I believe ADVENT is scared."
"Well that's good." Senuna smirked.
"That's amazing." Volk insisted. "In a world where us Reapers keep getting our asses handed to us, I'd fucking kill to have a home state as big as this."
"Indeed." Drakaina crossed her legs. "What's more, Senuna, I'm sure you have noticed the abundance of Elerium here. My people sometimes forget how valuable it is, for here it's more common than coal."
"I'll bet ADVENT doesn't like that." Bradford chuckled.
"Oh, they do not. And raids are always common." Drakaina admitted. "I thought after the Assassin's...death, that they would begin to calm. But if anything they have become more intense, if not more lackluster. The troops do not show the same precision we are used to fighting."
"So that's what you need, isn't it?" Senuna sighed. "More forces to help combat the raids?"
"No, not quite, Senuna." Drakaina leaned forward on her knees. "We can hold this territory fine, yes, but if we intend to push the Elders off our land, then I want, and we need, to begin actually pushing forward. Or, to the east and west, as it were."
"Hold on." Bradford cut her off. "You want to start pushing into ADVENT's territory?"
"...Yes." Drakaina said.
"That's insane." Bradford shook his head. "And XCOM is having no part in it. No way."
"John…" Volk said carefully. "I think it's worth considering. ADVENT has been giving us the runaround for years." He put the cap on his flask. "I'm sick and tired of being chased out of my home. I want to show them how it feels for fucking once."
"Volk, I know you're upset about losing New York." Bradford said. "And if this were just holding the line, yeah I'd agree. But they have plasma rifles and Sectopods." He turned back to Drakaina. "No offense to your horde, but unless you have some secret government tech under those mountains…"
"I know you see our horses, our primitive technology, and you doubt our abilities." Drakaina admitted. "But I alone have slain 10,000 of ADVENT's finest with my own two hands. My warriors are near undefeated, and if their swords break, they will fight with claws and teeth."
"I feel sorry for their dentists." Senuna chuckled.
"This isn't funny." Bradford said. "XCOM has nowhere near enough manpower to take down a city center. Even if we weren't stretched so thin defending our own settlements, they can brew up a hundred new soldiers in the time it takes for us to reload our shotguns."
"I'm not suggesting to take the city centers. Yet." Drakaina chuckled. "What I am suggesting is something I'm sure you have experience with. Trade disruption: ADVENT has a series of outposts along our borders, placed along the outskirts of our mountain ranges. Until now it was too much risk and too little reward to try and take them down. But with your help, XCOM…"
"Don't they have planes?" Bradford raised a brow. "Yes; there is an airport along the border of the Buyant river. They have planes, ports, boats connecting to the Selenga and most of the major rivers..." Drakaina nodded. "It's one of our targets. The East Asian city centers are some of the wealthiest in the world." Drakaina giggled. "And if they can't get their spices, there might be riots."
"Makes sense to throw a tea party in the place that invented tea…" Bradford looked to Senuna. "Commander? What do you think?"
Senuna clasped her fingers together. "...I think it has a shot." She said slowly. "With a little luck, and a lot of help from God herself."
"Trust me Commander." Drakaina stood. "I have spoken with the spirits. They are on my side."
Summary: Abyzou sits in her chamber, taking time to reflect on her past briefly, and she sees an image of Kon-Mai in her own reflection. She grows angry, as the reflection seems to be judging her.
On the Avenger, Kon-Mai and Savitr discuss landing once again, and Kon-Mai admits Betos has been much kinder than she feels she deserves. Savitr tries to reassure her by saying that losing the Elders was hard on them all, but Kon-Mai insists he misunderstood her. Elsewhere, Jane, Zhang, and Annette all get ready to depart for Hong Kong, and Annette remarks that it feels good to be on a mission again.
On the ground, the Avenger crew meets with Drakaina Khatun, who is leading her charge on horseback. She embraces Volk cheerfully, but is distrustful of the alien guests and only relents because Senuna threatens to leave. Upon taking the group to Karakorum, it is revealed that the Horde actually lives in opulence, as Elerium is in abundance where they are.
Kon-Mai begins talking with a girl named Aisha, who is revealed to be the Jinong, or the heir, to the Horde, chosen by Drakaina when she was 12 because of her connection to the previous heir. While Aisha takes her horse to the paddock and removes the saddle, Kon-Mai finds a lonesome horse, Nergui, and Aisha reveals that he belonged to the previous Jinong before she was killed in battle, almost ten years ago.
Within the city, Gur-Rai chats with Parysatis, who has a very interesting golden eagle named Tyche, and Senuna begins making a deal with Drakaina. The Khatun reveals that the Elerium Horde has a secure hold on it's current territory, but that they want to start pushing into ADVENT, starting with targeting outposts. Bradford is against the idea, but Volk advocates for it, and in the end, XCOM accepts to help.
(It's been a crazy time, hm? I hope this chapter finds you well and lifts your spirits. Remember that no matter what is happening in the world at this moment, this year will be what you make of it, and I believe you can make it something beautiful.)
