Shadows of Alrest

by kiben007

It had taken unthinkable sacrifice, but with Malos dead and a new Elysium to call home, it seemed like the world had been given a second chance. But old habits die hard, and not everyone is willing to see the world change for the better. Even with the Aegis gone, the work of her companions is far from over. Sequel to my previous work, "Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Atonement"

2. Prologue: A Brighter Future, Part 2

"She hasn't left that workshop since I started watching," Strix said, updating the others as they approached. "I don't think she eats or sleeps. Whatever she's working on has her pretty riled up, too. She keeps talking to herself."

"What are we waiting for?" Mikhail asked. "She's got Akhos and Patroka down there. We should just go get them."

"We don't know they're down there," Nia said. "You haven't seen anyone else with her, have you?"

"No," Strix said. "She's alone. But there are some other Core Crystals with her. And a big mass of… Looks like a melted sludge of gray rocks and glowing stuff? Not exactly sure what that's supposed to be, actually."

"Screw this," Mikhail said. He started down the hill toward the workshop. "I'm not waiting around. I'm going to find out what she knows and get my friends back. Are you two coming?"

"Fine," Nia said. "Might as well get this over with. But we're not here to hurt anyone."

"I never agreed to that," Mikhail said. "If she's keeping them in there somewhere, you'd better believe I'm going to hurt her."

"No." Nia grabbed his shoulder. "If they're in there, we're getting them out. But we're not doing things Torna's way. We use violence only when absolutely necessary. Understand?"

Mikhail held her gaze for several long seconds, but eventually he averted his eyes.

"Yeah," he said. "Loud and clear."

He fell back, letting Nia take the lead, and she opened the door to the workshop. She could hear someone talking deeper inside, but as they entered, the conversation immediately stopped.

"Hello?" Nia asked. "Adenine? We're here to talk."

After a moment, Adenine emerged from further in. Floating, rather than walking. Her legs were gone, replaced with a constant stream of wind ether that came from her abdomen. And she had a Flesh Eater's core, now. Ironic, considering she led the manhunt that captured Nia only a few years ago. She looked their group over for a moment.

"You're about the last people I expected to see," she said. "I didn't take you for the revenging type, Clíodhna."

"It's Nia," she said. "And that's not what we're here for."

"It's not?" she asked. "Color me surprised. All three of you have pretty serious beef with me."

"My beef is with the Praetorium," Strix said. "I don't even know who you are."

"I suppose that's fair." She shrugged. "Well, if you're not here to kill me, then you must be here for them. They're in the back."

"Who?" Mikhail asked.

"Your teammates," Adenine said. She moved into the back of the workshop, beckoning them to follow her. Mikhail tore past her, and as he entered the room, Nia heard just about the last voice she'd expected.

"Mikhail!" Patroka shouted. That got Nia's attention, and she ran in after him. Honestly, she hadn't really believed Qadar. She'd seen Akhos and Patroka die at the Praetor's hands. They had their cores ripped out and fused into one giant mass. There was no way they'd survived that. And, in a way, they hadn't.

Qadar was right that they were still alive, but she never said they were free. Adenine had recovered the remains of Amalthus's armor and hung it up at the back of her workshop. Scrap metal and other junk covered it, forming some kind of rudimentary communication device. A set of speakers on the table broadcast voices throughout the room.

"He's alive!" Patroka's voice exclaimed. "I told you he was alive!"

"I see that," Akhos said. "I also see that he brought Nia here."

"Mikhail's alive, you idiot. What the hell does the rest of it matter?"

"Hey guys," Mikhail said, putting his hand against the vessel. "Miss me?"

"Fair warning," Adenine said. "There's about two dozen Blades stuck in there, and they can all see and hear you."

"They can wait their turn," Patroka said. "I'm not giving this up for the world. How you been, Mik?"

"I've been better," he admitted. "Nia's the only reason I'm still standing. Apparently I'm not off the hook quite yet."

"Of course she saved your life," Akhos said. "That's just like her. Honestly, I don't know why we were so worried."

"Thank you," Patroka said. That took Nia quite by surprise. She wasn't used to Patroka expressing any emotion other than pure spite. "Really. You have no idea how glad I am to see this idiot again."

"I owed it to him," she said. "He did save our lives at the World Tree. It only seemed fair. And plus, I needed some help for what we're doing next."

"Understatement of the century," Strix muttered.

"We're going to fulfill Jin's dream," Mikhail explained. "Now that the Praetorium is gone, we have a real shot at this. We can give every Blade a chance to stop fighting."

Mikhail, Patroka, and Akhos kept talking. But as nice as the reunion was to see, Nia was here for more than that. She turned to Adenine.

"You're not here to kill me," Adenine noted. "Blondie's here for his friends, obviously, but I'm not seeing why you two tagged along."

"I just do what I'm told," Strix said.

"We're here because we want your help," Nia said.

"You want my help?" Adenine asked, staring at Nia blankly. Like the words didn't make any sense.

"Yes."

"Why? I spent centuries doing Amalthus's dirty work. Conducting experiments. Hunting people like us. I hunted you, once. I tried to kill your mechanical friend at the World Tree. And you still want my help?"

"I believe in second chances," Nia said. "At least for those willing to put in the work. When the dust settled, you didn't stay in Leftheria with the rest of the monks. You came here. I want to believe that means you're willing."

"Maybe," Adenine said. "But something tells me you're not asking every repentant former monk to join your cause. Why me in particular?"

"Because whatever else you've done, you're also a scientist. To hear Mikhail tell it, you're the genius behind Blade Eaters."

"Wasn't all me. The idea was Amalthus's, and he did his fair share of the experiments himself."

"But you're the one who figured out how to make it work, right?"

"Yeah," she said. "I am. You asking me to make more? Because if so, I'll save you the trouble. I don't do that kind of stuff anymore. I'm helping these Blades out because I owe them, but I'm done making weapons for other people."

"I don't want weapons," Nia said. "But you're the best person in Elysium to ask for advice. I lost my Blade during the fight with Aion. Core Crystal melted to hell and back."

"My condolences."

"I know you know who I am, so I'm sure you can guess what I did next."

"Yeah, I'm sure I can." As she talked, Adenine's eyes began to light up a little. She'd looked tired and defeated before, but now this was beginning to interest her. "How'd it pan out?"

"He's alive," Nia said. "But he's not himself. I want to help him, but I can't figure out how. I was hoping you might be able to help me."

"Sounds interesting," Adenine said. "Sounds exactly like what I've been looking for, actually."

"Pardon?"

"I—Probably better if I show you." She floated over to her workbench and unlocked a case mounted on the wall above it. From it, she withdrew a Core Crystal. Inert, but still in its active state, somehow. Nia recognized it almost immediately.

"That's Fan's," she noted.

"Haze's," Adenine said. "The Praetor renamed her to hide what he'd done, but… I'd rather she be remembered by her old one, I think. It's the least I can do."

"You're trying to bring her back," Nia realized. If she hadn't already tried this once herself, she'd think Adenine was crazy.

"I know it's a long shot," she continued. "And it'll be impossible without the other half of her core. But I've been looking for Amalthus's corpse, wherever it ended up. If I can find him pry it out of his skull, then—"

"Don't bother," Nia said. "Rex vaporized him. No body left to recover, and no Core Crystal to extract."

"I… See." Adenine thought for a moment. "If you're here, though, that might not be necessary. You can regrow material from scratch, maybe you could—"

"No." Nia cut her off again. "I'm not going to risk something like that."

"Why not?"

"I'd rather not talk about it," she said. "Suffice it to say, the process comes at a cost."

"But—"

"I'm sorry, but no. I'm not going to bring Haze back."

"What, so you get to bring your friend back, but I can't do the same?"

"I didn't bring him back," Nia said. "That's entirely the problem. He's not himself. He has trouble remembering, and he's not well physically."

"But…" Adenine thought for a moment. "If I can help you heal him, then maybe we could do the same for Haze. She wouldn't have to suffer through the side effects like that."

"Even so, I'm not going to risk it." Nia pulled the collar of her dress down, exposing the long, angry scar that ran from her Core Crystal up her sternum. She didn't like talking about this with anyone, even her friends. They still didn't know the process had taken this much out of her. But it was probably the only thing that'd get through to Adenine. "Putting Dromarch back together took more ether than I could control. I was working with a complete core, then, and the rebound still nearly cracked me in half. I won't do it again. I'm sorry."

She glanced at Mikhail, trying to gauge his reaction as much as Adenine's. She knew he'd been close to Haze, back during the Aegis War. It wasn't kind to raise his hops like this, only to immediately dash them. And he did look troubled, for a moment. But it passed.

"Makes sense," was all he said. Then he was back to his usual self.

"That…" Adenine studied the scar for a moment. "I guess there's some things even the Banshee Queen can't fix, huh?"

"I guess so."

"A shame." Adenine put the core back in the box. "I'd hoped… Well, what's done is done. Even if Haze is beyond hope, we can at least see about helping your friend."

"So you'll help?"

"On one condition," Adenine said.

"Name it."

"You help them." She motioned at the vessel. "I put most of them in there, and even if I can't save Haze, I might still be able to save them. It's the least I can do. But I don't have the right equipment for that here. You get me my equipment, and I'll do whatever else you need."

"Deal," Nia said. She and Adenine shook on it, and a wave of relief passed over her. Doing all this while also trying to heal Dromarch wouldn't have been doable. But now that she had someone with more experience to look after Dromarch, she could rest easy. If there was a solution to his problem, then the woman who made people like Zeke and Mikhail possible would find it. Leaving the matter of running the country to Nia.

"I gather you guys are starting a country or something," Adenine said. "Following in Torna's footsteps as a place where Blades and humans can be equal, I imagine."

"That's the plan."

"Then you'll need this." Adenine reached behind some equipment and pulled out Jin's sword. She passed it to Nia. "I found it when I recovered the suit. Don't really know why I kept it, but it seemed important. Back during the Aegis War, he'd been a symbol of everything you guys are working toward. I think he would've liked to be that again."

"I think he would," Nia said. It felt right, holding the sword in her hands. Jin had fought to free Blades, even if he hadn't really believed it was possible. Now, she was going to show him that it was possible. That they had a future to look forward to.

---

It had only been a few months since she'd last been in Fonsa Myma. That visit, coming here to confer with Cole, had been just days before the Cataclysm, but now it felt like a lifetime ago. Part of that was how much the city had changed. Buildings were wrecked, fields were destroyed, and things generally seemed in a bad way. But for some reason, it felt more hopeful and alive than before. There were no more war shortages. No more breadlines. No more soldiers harassing people in the street.

The city's newfound ease seemed reflected at the playhouse. She hadn't expected it to be open, much less preparing for a show, but there was a large banner outside. "Tales of the Aegis" was written on one half, and "Journey to Elysium" on the other. An artist had drawn somewhat stylized representations of Addam and the Aegis beneath the first, and a depiction of Rex, Nia, and Pyra beneath the second. Some kind of special double-feature presentation. It was strange to look at a drawing of herself that wasn't from a wanted poster. Strange, but not unwelcome.

Inside was a flurry of activity, with actors and stagehands running left and right. According to the banner, tonight was opening night, so they probably had a lot of work to do. Fires to put out and all that. Still, that didn't stop someone from shouting and running the moment they saw her.

"Nia!" Iona shouted, cutting clear across the room and tackling Dromarch. "And fluffy man!"

"Hello, child," Dromarch said. "It is… Good to see you again."

Nia could tell by the tone of his voice that he didn't recognize her. Ah well. It had been a long shot anyway. Adenine had recommended he visit places that had a strong connection to his old memories. Meet people he used to know. But they hadn't known Iona well, so it was no surprise that didn't get much of a reaction. Hopefully they'd have better luck with Cole.

"Hey Iona," Nia said. "How've you been?"

"It was super scary!" she shouted, popping up from Dromarch's fur. "But Yew and Zuo kept us safe. And then the machines stopped moving! They said you did that!"

"We helped," Nia admitted. "How's your grandpa?"

"Better," Iona said. "He's finally seeing a doctor, now."

"That's good," Dromarch said. "Do you know where he is right now? We're here to see him."

"Yeah!" Iona sprang back. "Follow me!"

"You've got much more energy nowadays," Nia observed as they followed her backstage. "I remember when you were terrified to show your face around strangers."

"Grandpa can't protect me forever," she said. "And…" She stopped outside what looked like a wardrobe room, judging by all the outfits filling the hallway. "Can you keep a secret?"

"Of course," Nia said.

"Okay…" Iona leaned in close, and Nia bent down to let the girl whisper in her ear. "There's a boy staying with us."

Iona pointed past the stage at a kid helping move props. He was Gormotti, about thirteen, with wild, unkempt hair and armor that had seen better days. It took Nia a moment to place his face, but she realized he was the kid who'd stolen Roc's Core Crystal back in Argentum. Rhys. And it seemed like he'd found a Blade of his own, now. A woman half again as tall as he was, with long black hair and a white mask.

"Huh," Nia muttered. "He's staying with you?"

"His family doesn't have a home. Grandpa says the place they live sank. So now his family's living with us, and he helps out around the stage."

"He's a Driver," Dromarch observed. "I'm sure Garfont could use a fighter like him."

"Yew thinks so too," Iona said. "But I don't want him to go to Garfont. I want him to stay with us."

"I see," Nia said. "I wish I had some advice, but… I'm sure if you keep at it, things will work out."

"You think so?"

"I do."

"Alright!" Iona jumped, pumping her fist in the air. "Grandpa's in there, by the way."

"Thanks," Nia said. "Why don't you go talk to Rhys? Your grandpa and I have a lot of boring grown-up talk to get to."

"How did you know his name?" Iona asked. She looked awestruck, but Nia didn't reveal her secrets. Instead, she just winked and headed into the wardrobe room. Dromarch came in after her.

Cole was inside looking over what looked like a decent replica of Rex's outfit. He muttered to himself, studying it from different angles, as a very nervous costume designer stood beside him.

"Pants are too baggy," he decided. "Trim those down. But I like the Core Crystal. Feels very authentic."

Cole turned and caught sight of Nia out of the corner of his eye. She expected he'd be startled, but he took it rather well.

"This Nia, on the other hand, is completely off base."

They stared at each other for a moment, but he couldn't keep a straight face for long. He quickly devolved into a laughing fit, and to Nia's surprise, it didn't progress to coughing. The two of them laughed at Cole's poor attempt at a joke for a moment, and the costume designer took that as his cue to leave.

"Hey Cole," Nia said, stepping forward to wrap him in a hug.

"Hello," he said. "I honestly didn't think I'd see you back here so soon. I figured you'd be off saving the world again."

"World doesn't need saving," Nia said. "For the moment, anyway. Though I'm sure Mòrag and Zeke are itching for when it does."

"What brings you back here, then? Don't tell me you wanted to see these old bones."

"A few reasons," she said. "One of which, yes, was to see you. Dromarch?"

"I…" Dromarch studied Cole for a moment. "I remember this place, now. There was another, much louder man, who died protecting us. Then we came back here after some time had passed, looking for a sword."

Tears welled up in Nia's eyes as she heard those words. She hadn't expected him to get better, not so soon. But he could remember. For the first time in months. She nearly collapsed into him, hugging him to her chest.

"Yeah," she said. "That's right."

Cole let them celebrate with each other, stepping back to give them space. But after a minute, it became clear he very much wanted to know what was going on.

"I died," Dromarch explained before Nia could start. Leading with the much more matter-of-fact explanation. "Nia has been helping me remember things from my old life. It is good to finally start learning who I used to be."

"I see," Cole said. "Well, I'm glad I could help, then."

"That's not the only reason we came," Nia said, standing up. "There was another. The general public will hear about us pretty soon, so I thought I'd tell you myself first."

"Please tell me you didn't join another terrorist organization. That'd put a dampener on opening night."

"Nothing like that," she said. "I've gathered a few other Blades and Flesh Eaters, and we've decided to form our own nation. Somewhere everyone can live in peace. We're calling ourselves the Gardens."

"That is much better news, yes." Cole smiled. "I'm happy for you. Sounds like the kind of thing my old friends would have wanted."

"Well, for what it's worth, Mikhail is helping us get set up."

"Mikhail?" Cole asked. "That brat? He was practically knee high when I last saw him! I always thought he'd been killed in Spessia. How's he doing?"

"Surviving," Nia said. "Thanks in no small part to the Core Crystal the Praetor put in his chest."

"Ah. Yeah, that'd probably do it. You tell him I said hi, alright?"

"You could tell him yourself," Nia offered. "We were hoping you'd come back to Temperantia with us."

She knew it would be a hard sell, but the moment she suggested the idea, Cole's expression flattened.

"I… I appreciate the offer. Really. But I have responsibilities here. The troupe won't run itself, and I do have my granddaughter to think about."

"You're one of the oldest Blades," she said. "You've lived hundreds of years. More than any of us, you have knowledge to offer. Knowledge that deserves to be passed down to the next generation of Blades. Knowledge that can help us build a proper culture for our people."

"Maybe after all this is over. It is a tempting offer. But I've got at least one more show to put on, first. You should stick around. I think you'll enjoy it."

"I understand." Nia reached out to pull him into another hug. "If you ever need a place to retire, we'll always be glad to have you."

"Likewise," Cole said. "Now, I really should get back to preparing."

"And we should be going too," Dromarch said. "Duties at the Gardens to attend to. It was nice to meet you again, Cole."

"You too."

Cole led them back out into the theater, where Qadar was waiting. And she had their other recruit in tow as well. A disheveled Sthenosi man who was doing his best to avoid everyone's prying gazes. She'd been right about needing to go recruit him on her own, apparently, because it looked like he enjoyed the company of others even less than Strix did.

Nia wished she could say she'd snagged Cole for sure, but this was still a good day. Hopefully he'd take them up on their offer, once his age caught up with him again. Not ideal, but she'd take what she could get. The real prize today, though, was Dromarch. Things were finally looking up for him. For the first time in months, he could start to be himself. That was enough for her, at least for right now.

---

Well, this was it. Months of constant arguing, jockeying for favors, and attempting to steer the course the other nations would take. And all of it came to a head today. Now they'd find out if this Coalition they were putting together was fit enough to survive.

"This is the first step toward the future," Floren said, addressing the crowd. He was the most personable of the delegates, so they'd chosen him to preside over the event. He wasn't exactly a neutral party, but none of them were. This was as close as they'd get.

"We're finally stepping out of the darkness we've been trapped in for so long. Together, we'll walk in the light. Hand in hand." He motioned out to either side of him, indicating the delegates of the various nations. Emperor Niall and Grand Marshall Robalt. Queen Raqura and Prince Baledurk, who Zeke had taken pains to avoid spending any time around. President Cedwyn and Moui. Chairman Niranira and his assistant Pupunin. Zeke and his old man. And Nia and Azurda. He hadn't gotten everything he wanted out of this, but he'd at least gotten that.

"Today, the Coalition of Nations brings together the brightest of Elysium's leading lights. And we pledge, collectively, to recognize the sovereignty of the Gardens of Temperantia, welcoming Blades and Titans as equals in our great society. With the signing of this treaty, we vow to put an end to oppression, warfare, and hatred. We vow never to repeat the mistakes that brought Alrest to ruin. We vow to build a brighter future for all people. Starting with this city."

He motioned out at the construction work that was already taking place behind them. Construction workers from various nations, natural and Artificial Blades, and monks from the newly reformed Praetorium had all been working together to erect buildings since they settled on the site. One day, it would serve as the capital of the Coalition of Nations, though they hadn't decided on a name yet. He was still partial to his own suggestion, Gaokerena, but it hadn't caught on.

Part of the reason was probably Mor Ardain. Their capital was moving here too, which had all sorts of implications. Even if this place was supposed to be shared equally among the nations on paper, Emperor Niall was already establishing a precedent for having just that much more say than anyone else. As much as Zeke liked him personally, he could play the game like no one else. Those traits made for a very frustrating combination.

"This city will embody the best of what we all have to offer. A place where all peoples, of all nations, can coexist in peace. A place where we can build something greater than ourselves. Every signatory here affirms that the Elysian Treaty will be the first step on the road to lasting peace."

Floren stepped back, motioning for the heads of state to approach the podium. In front of it was the treaty, laid out in full display of the crowd. One by one, the leaders of the six nations stepped forward to sign the document. Once that was done, there was no turning back.

Niall went first, followed swiftly by Queen Raqura. The two most powerful nations in the Coalition by far. Both had initially wanted the position as head signatory, but eventually they had settled on a compromise. Everyone signing on the same line, the same size, so that none could be places above the others.

When the queen finished, President Cedwyn stepped forward, and he was followed by Chairman Niranira. It took the Nopon a moment longer than the others, as he had to step up on a stool to get level with everyone else.

"You're up," Zeke muttered to his dad as the Chairman finished up.

"Yes, I know," he sighed. "Let's hope this mess you've dragged us into is worth the risk."

He stepped forward, expression stern, and wordlessly signed the document. Couldn't even be bothered to smile for the crowd.

After him, it was Nia's turn. She gave everyone a big wave, eliciting cheers from the Blades in attendance as she signed the document. It was a big step for a lot of people, recognizing a nation run by Blades. Nothing like this had ever been attempted before. Not even old Torna had been this progressive. Nia seemed happy people were acknowledging the Gardens as legitimate, and it was good that people were so accepting, but Zeke's focus wasn't on her supporters. He was looking for the people who were decidedly not happy about her presence here.

Queen Raqura was one. She had been against the idea of the Gardens from go, so that was no surprise. And there was obviously a share of naysayers in the crowd. But they seemed to be keeping quiet. The one that really stood out to Zeke was Spessia's Minister Diplomatic.

He'd made the journey here to preside over the event, even though Spessia wouldn't be signing the treaty themselves. Which was surprising in and of itself. They were the only non-coalition nation that had bothered to send a witness. Duthract and the Praetorian nationalists refused to recognize the treaty as legitimate, and Sthenos hadn't returned their messages, but Spessia seemed more than willing to play nice. Only they weren't signing, for whatever reason.

At first, Zeke thought the man's scowl was simply his resting face. Or perhaps mundane politics. Spessia had a rocky past with the other nations, thanks to several consecutive wars they'd been on the losing end of. It made sense he'd be upset about having to attend an event where Mor Ardain and Uraya, both of whom fought Spessia during the Osirian War, entered a formal alliance. But the quiet ire of his gaze wasn't directed at either of those nations. His glare was directed firmly at Nia. Like he was sizing up his opponent.

Why did Spessia's Minister Diplomatic have a bone to pick with Nia, of all people? As far as Zeke knew, the two had never met, unless there was even more about Nia's past that he didn't know. After a moment, the Minister realized Zeke was watching, and his glare quickly morphed to a benign grin. He knew Zeke had seen whatever that had been.

Concerning, to say the least. Political and military tension with Spessia was probably inevitable, given their collective history. People wouldn't let go of the past quite so quickly as that. But Zeke hadn't been expecting the Gardens to play any role in that. That was basically the opposite of what Nia wanted her new nation to be.

It was something to look into. Whatever the case might be, Zeke was going to do his damned best to keep war from the Gardens' doorstep. They deserved better than that. And his position as Tantal's representative to the newly formed Coalition Council put him in prime position to run interference. As much as he hated politics, he did enjoy playing the hero. And if the Minister's attitude was any indication, he'd have a fair few chances in the coming days.

---

"Reports say they're arming up," Reez said, addressing the Council. "Based on what we've seen, the Voltis Trade Guild has been supplying them with a lot of old excess weaponry. Nothing state of the art, but that won't matter much if they outnumber us four to one."

"Spessia doesn't have the troops for that," Robalt said. "The Coalition military is the largest fighting force the world's ever seen."

"They're not arming troops, they're arming criminals. Bandits. Mercenaries. Even a few members of Brionac, which makes me suspect they're the ones behind Walraig's breakout. The most concerning group, however, are the human supremacists. How familiar is everyone with Shieldwall?"

"Am not familiar," Pupunin confessed. "Have much to catch up on, it seems."

"Human supremacist movements have been around for a while," Zeke said. "Ever since the Praetorium forced everyone to sign the Concords of Negaris and took full control of Core Crystal distribution in Alrest. The first one started as an anti-Praetorium militia, but over time, reactionaries and other first-class assholes hijacked the movement, morphing it into a full-on anti-Blade terror organization. A few have come and gone, now, and the most prominent in recent memory is Shieldwall. The height of their power was just after the invasion of Gormott, but the Praetorium and I put a lot of work into stamping them out in the years since."

"Well, unfortunately they're back," Reez said. "The Cataclysm's been a real recruitment drive for them, and we think Spessia may have kicked some help their way."

"Do we have proof?" Moui asked. "I'd rather not start a fight if we can help it."

"Do we need proof?" asked Floren. "They're terrorists. More than that, they're anti-Blade terrorists. They're anathema to everything the Coalition stands for. They're the exact kind of people we should be fighting."

"I meant a fight with Spessia. Is there any proof of their involvement."

"Nothing solid," Reez admitted. "But the Restoration Department is hard at work gathering more information. Mòrag's taking a team out to hit a few of their cells soon, so we should know where the money is coming from shortly."

"Ah yes, the hit squad," Moui said.

"Quit your whining," Robalt said. "You agreed the department was necessary."

"Given who Director Ladair has been recruiting, I've lost some of my confidence in the program."

"Bradly was an anomaly. The Director has assured us all that it won't happen again."

"Yes, I should hope a Driver with the firepower of an army battalion defecting from our ranks won't become routine. I also hoped it wouldn't happen in the first place, yet here we are."

"Can we focus?" Zeke asked. "I think the matter of Spessia preparing for war is slightly more important than our hiring decisions."

"I don't think they're aiming for war," Reez said. "At least not yet. These groups aren't part of the Spessian army. They operate independently, and Spessia claims no involvement. They aren't militarizing so much as diversifying."

"What does that mean?" Floren asked.

"They're throwing a dozen groups at us to stir up trouble, but I don't think they're trying to provoke a war. I think they're trying to wear us down. Send terrorists and bandits running wild through our territory and force us to spend our limited resources trying to keep the peace. It lets them build up their own forces while we're playing defense."

"How is that not preparing for war?" Zeke asked.

"Because they don't want a fight any more than we do," Robalt said. "It'd devastate their economy. They're building up forces as a bargaining chip. A guarantee that if we fight, it'll be a costly victory for either side. And if they can wear us down enough, that'll be very good leverage for negotiating over their real goal. Territorial rights, trade deals, you name it. Whatever it is they're after, they intend to take it without firing a shot."

"I'm not convinced. If they manage to beat us in a fight, they'd get a hell of a lot more than a few favorable deals. This feels more to me like they're going for broke."

"We can't even be sure these groups are linked to Spessia at all," Moui said. "And let's not discount your bias here, Thunderbolt Prince."

"Bias?" Zeke asked.

"You have preached of Spessia's warmongering since this council was formed. You're not objective on this issue."

"I'm just calling it like I see it," Zeke said. "I've been saying for a while that Spessia will try something eventually, and now that they're gathering arms you want to tell me I'm wrong?"

"I'm saying we shouldn't be basing our decisions around such a self-affirming position."

"We have to do something," Robalt said. "We can't just let this go unchecked."

"The Restoration Department will handle as much as they can," Reez said. "I can mobilize the army along the border, just in case, but I don't want to provoke anything."

"Our priority should be these groups," Floren said. "If Spessia is funding them, then we should find proof and use that to force concessions out of them."

"Spessia will simply deny," Pupunin. "It what Guilds would do, given situation."

"Would you rather we go to war, then?"

"The whole bloody point is to avoid war," Zeke said, trying to keep himself from shouting. "And if we only focus on the groups they're throwing at us, we'll be playing right into their hands. I say we drag them to the negotiating table now, while we've still got all the bargaining power, and work out some hard terms. Fair, but hard. Before they have the chance to get powerful enough to dictate terms to us."

"Like father like son," Moui muttered. "Ever the monarchist."

"I am categorically not a monarchist. And where do you get off lumping me together with my old man, anyway?"

"You both make rash decisions that will inevitably turn the populace against you. Bullying Spessia into accepting terms will breed resentment, at home and abroad. We should be firm diplomatically, yes, but we cannot use our military might to force the other nations to bend the knee."

Zeke was about to respond, but before he could, Floren stood.

"Why don't we take five?" he asked. "Cool our heads. We can return to the issue with clear minds."

"I agree," Robalt said. "Thank you, General, you're dismissed."

"Sir," Reez said, saluting. He left the room, and soon after, the other council members filtered out. Moui left in a huff, and Floren followed after her. Pupunin headed for the back of the room, talking in hushed tones with one of his attendants. And Azurda wasn't here today. Which left Zeke alone with Robalt. The perpetually angry seventy-year-old former head of the Ardainian military. Not really the company he wanted to keep when he was trying to calm down. Slowly, he got up to leave the room.

"Zeke," the man said. Zeke sighed and sat back down.

"Yeah?" he asked.

"You've been rather focused on Spessia of late."

"They're the biggest concern. We're just about managing everything else. It isn't perfect, but we've got food, water, housing, power, and safety for most of the Coalition. Spessia is a threat to that, and they're barely even trying to hide it."

"I don't disagree. But I never took you for the type to see the worst in people like that."

"That's not what I'm doing, I just…" Zeke sighed. "We've been burdened with an immense responsibility. We have to make decisions that affect tens of millions of people. I'm not going to take that lightly."

"Of course." Robalt nodded. "I assume you apply the same logic to your home country, then?"

"Can you not beat around the bush?" Zeke asked.

"Fine." Robalt sighed. "Your father is losing his grip on Tantal. Emperor Niall is concerned we'll be facing an uprising soon if the situation isn't handled."

"I know things aren't great, but I don't think they're quite that bad, yet."

"He had the military break up protests a week ago, and it backfired spectacularly. According to the reports, there's rioting in Theosoir, and he's imposed a curfew on the citizens."

"Yeah…" Zeke sighed. He'd heard some of that already. But he hadn't wanted to deal with it himself. Serving on the Coalition Council meant his duties lay elsewhere, in theory. It shouldn't have been his job to fix all of Tantal's inner turmoil. Which was a position he'd put himself in intentionally because he didn't want to take sides in a conflict between his people and his family.

"It's going to come to a head soon," Robalt said. "If you don't do something about it, then we will."

"Is this why you've not brought it up to the council yet?" Zeke asked.

"I'd rather Tantal resolve this matter on its own. However that happens. But if there's a power struggle, we'll be forced to step in and take action. No one wants that. It'll fracture us at a time when we really can't afford it. So whatever the issue is, I hope for all our sakes you can get a handle on it."

"You're telling me to deal with this now," Zeke noted.

"I'm asking you to, yes. And so is Emperor Niall."

Zeke groaned internally. The last thing he wanted to do was deal with his dad right now. He still hadn't really figured out what Spessia wanted with the Gardens, and they'd just gotten confirmation that they were gearing up for something. He should be here, keeping an eye out. Ready to deal with whatever happened. But…

He also had a duty to his home. Robalt was probably right that they'd be forced to step in sooner or later, and when they did, it wouldn't be pretty. And things weren't going anywhere here. Despite all the power they had to change things in theory, the council wasn't very effective at actually enacting change.

"Are you sure this isn't just a ploy to keep me from fighting Moui on this all day?" he asked.

"Maybe a little," Robalt admitted. "We're not going to get anything done with you two at loggerheads. But you can rest assured I'm going to make sure we do something about Spessia."

"I don't know that the two of us have the same idea in mind for resolving things on that front."

"Probably not." Robalt shrugged. "Such is the price of democracy, I suppose."

"Yeah yeah." Zeke sighed and stood up. "Tell the others some other business came up, will you?"

"Can do," Robalt said. "Good luck."

Zeke gave him a wave over his shoulder as he left the room, heading to find Pandoria. Working on the council was an endless series of frustrations, but he dreaded this more. Still, he couldn't keep running away from it forever. He'd told himself he was going to go home and do something to fix things. It was about time he made good on that promise with more than just a shipment of emergency rations. It was about time he put an end to his family's history of letting their people down.

---

"This one's pretty bad," Agate said, pulling her hand back from the ground. She and Nia stood in front of a large crater in Temperantia's side. "Monumentally bad. Way worse than all the other scars."

"Think it's healable?" Nia asked.

"Not in the slightest. The others are doable, maybe. They'll take a lot of work, but we should be able to manage. This? There's no coming back from a wound like this."

"Mark it out anyway. We'll give it our best shot."

"If you say so." Agate shrugged and pulled one of the markers from her pack, driving it into the ground.

Agate hadn't initially wanted to join the Gardens. In fact, they'd found her entirely by chance. Strix had spotted her out in the wastes while he was out on patrol one day. He thought she was some sort of spy, but she'd simply been studying Temperantia's mineral composition. She was a Titan specialist, probably the only Blade in her field, and certainly the only one Nia knew who was sympathetic to their cause. Nia wanted the Gardens to be a safe place not just for Blades, but for Titans too, and that meant they needed to respect the Titan they lived on. Healing its wounds as best they could seemed like a good first step. They might have even been able to bring some life back to the region, one day. And they needed someone like Agate to help them figure out the best way to do that, so Nia had done her best to convince her to stay. So far, it seemed to be working.

"What about the water?" Nia asked. "I'm pretty sure it's not supposed to be that color."

She motioned at a pool of purple-tinged sludge that had collected inside the crater.

"Toxic buildup," Agate said. "Probably means there's a leak in one of the nearby ether veins."

"Probably make a note of that too."

"Nia, you can't just repair an ether vein."

"I'm a healing Blade. This is what I do best."

"It isn't a matter of your skill. There's a highly pressurized torrent of raw ether flowing through it. You need to be very delicate."

"I can do delicate."

"Alright, let me rephrase, then. You need to do much better than delicate. You need to be precise within a hair's breadth. There's a reason most mining operations clamp the vein off entirely while they build their infrastructure. It takes way more time, money, and effort than poking directly into the vein, but it avoids the nasty risk of rupturing every ether vessel in the surrounding region."

"What would we need to get it done, then?" Nia asked.

"You really want to fix this vein?"

"We're here to heal Temperantia, remember? There's no sense in leaving a wound like this to fester any longer."

"Alright," Agate said, sighing. "I figured this was going to be a two, maybe three-man operation. A pet project at best, maybe a way to pass the time. But if you're serious about this, there are some things we can try. I'll need an earth Blade, or preferably several earth Blades, able to control large volumes of rock. And some water Blades to draw the toxins out. At least ten or fifteen people, and that's assuming we don't run into any hiccups along the way, which we will."

"We'll need a large team," Nia noted. "Good to know. I'll talk to Mikhail, see if he can't drum up some volunteers."

"You really think we'll get that many people on board for this?"

"Why wouldn't we?"

Agate stared at her.

"I… Am not sure how to answer that, really. I'm not used to people caring about the Titans beneath their feet."

"We'd be pretty big hypocrites if we didn't."

"Yeah, well, tell that to the rest of the world, because I don't think they've quite gotten the message."

"I suppose we'll just have to show them, then." Nia clapped Agate on the shoulder. "What else do you think we'll need to heal this area?"

"Unless you can work miracles, I think fixing the vein is probably all we'll manage here."

"I've been known to work a miracle or two in my time," Nia said. "But if you think we should be focusing elsewhere, then I'll trust your judgement. Where do you think we should survey next?"

"Well, I had intended to head for Dorrick's Tower, but if we're looking for wounds, heading for the tail is probably our best bet."

"Lead the way, then."

Nia stepped back and let Agate lead, heading for Temperantia's tail. Despite her constant worrying and complaining, Agate was clearly enjoying the chance to undertake a project of this scale. The only country Nia knew who'd actively tried to rehabilitate a dying titan was Mor Ardain, and they hadn't had much success. Nia was hopeful the Gardens would do better, and with Agate on their side, they were at least off to a good start.

As they headed into a gorge, however, something in the air shifted, and everything grew cold. Nia could feel the ether slowing into a murky soup around her.

"Wait," she said.

"Something the matter?" Agate asked. She'd been busy reviewing her notes while they walked.

"I don't know. Something just feels—"

"Off?" a woman asked. Nia looked around, her hand immediately going to her sword, but she couldn't identify the speaker anywhere.

"Who are you?" she asked. "What is this?"

"I gotta hand it to ya'," the woman continued. "Ain't no one ever caught on so quick before." She spoke with a strange drawl that Nia couldn't place. Duthrish, maybe? Or someone trying to affect a Duthrish accent a little too much?

"That's doesn't answer my question."

"Maybe this will."

The air around Nia shimmered, and the ether began to twist. Then, as if out of thin air, a woman appeared. She wore a long poncho, a wide-brimmed hat, and knee-high leather boots. She held a gun in each hand, glowing like miniature ether cannons. And judging from her core, she was a Flesh Eater.

"Howdy," she said. "You must be Nia, right?"

"Friend of yours?" Agate asked.

"No," Nia said. "We've never met."

"I'll take that as a yes," the woman said. She holstered one of her guns and held out her hand. "The name's Nal. Real nice to finally meetcha."

"I see," Nia said. The name had been on Qadar's list, but there hadn't been an accompanying location, so Nia never went to look for her. Was this why? Had Qadar known Nal would come to them instead? It was possible, but Qadar's powers as an oracle weren't a hundred percent reliable. Maybe it was just a coincidence? Whatever the case, she might as well be friendly. She let go of her sword and reached out to shake Nal's hand.

"Let me tell ya', yer a hard woman to find," Nal said. "And comin' from me, that's a compliment."

"I'm not trying to hide," Nia said. "In fact, we've already told the whole world where to find us."

"Yeah, but what idiot's actually gonna drag themselves out to the ass end of nowhere just to come to some garden?"

"We get about a dozen new arrivals a month," Nia said. "It turns out most people like the idea of living somewhere without fighting."

"Pansies," Nal muttered. "This is exactly why I had to come see this for myself. A whole buncha Blades all gatherin' together and not fightin'? Sounds like lunacy, to me."

"I said the same thing," Agate said. "But they seem to sort of know what they're doing."

"You're welcome to see for yourself," Nia said. "Maybe we can change your mind like we changed Agate's here."

"That is not what happened," Agate said. "You made me a very tempting offer, but that doesn't mean I think the Gardens are perfect. It has a leadership hierarchy, for one, which means it's automatically prone to a lot of the same problems that the other nations face."

"Look at ya'," Nal said. "Ya' got big words and everything."

"Big—" Agate stammered. "Big words? In what world does 'hierarchy' classify as a 'big word'?"

"Meh." Nal shrugged. "I never was one for much vocabulary."

"What about it?" Nia asked. "Want to come see the Gardens for yourself?"

"I've already been, actually. Can't say I'm very impressed. Not a lotta defenses set up."

"That is sort of the point. The Caretakers are powerful enough that we don't need to involve anyone else to deal with most threats."

"Wrong," Nal said. "Sooner or later, yer gonna run up against a problem yer Caretakers can't handle, and then what's the plan?"

"I can't imagine what it would take to overwhelm both myself and Strix," Nia said.

"Which means yer never gonna see it comin', and you'll be screwed when it does. Case in point."

Nia felt something press against the back of her head, and immediately the image of Nal vanished. Nia whirled around just before Nal pulled the trigger, and the blast of ether sailed perilously close to her head.

She drew her sword, swinging it up to strike Nal in the chest, but Nal placed the barrel of her gun against it, blocking the strike. Not that Nia needed the sword to hit her. She blasted a wave of water ether from her sleeves, knocking Nal back into the wall of the gorge.

"Alright!" Nal shouted, staggering back to her feet. "That's more like it!"

"You here to fight?" Nia asked.

"Nah. Just had to make sure ya' weren't all talk. Gotta admit, I underestimated ya'. Won't be doin' that again."

"Then what do you want?"

"I'm here to offer my services," Nal said, giving a slight bow. "Even if yer the most badass Blade this side of the Ridge, yer approach is still way too soft. And I've seen a lotta well meanin' folk fail to make a difference because they were too soft to do what needed doin'."

"I am not entirely comfortable with where this conversation is going," Agate said.

"Neither am I," Nia said. "We don't need to hire a contract killer."

"Keep tellin' yerself that," Nal said. "But eventually you'll realize I'm right. So I'll be stickin' around all the same. Yer not really gonna turn down another Caretaker, are ya'?"

Nia looked back at Agate, fishing for a second opinion on the matter. She wanted to keep Agate around more than she wanted this person on board, but she did need more Caretakers.

"Don't look at me," Agate said. "I'm just here to help Temperantia. What you do with the Gardens is your business. And we can't really make a habit of turning Blades away, so my opinion won't really count for much."

"I don't want anyone to feel unsafe," Nia said.

"It's not a safety matter, it's just… Forget it." Agate turned and resumed walking, heading for the next survey location. "I'm going on ahead."

"Sorry 'bout that!" Nal called after her. "I promise I won't hurt a fly!"

"I don't think that's helping," Nia said.

"Probably not," Nal admitted. "But I had to try. What'll it be?"

"Fine," Nia said. "We need as many people as we can get, so I can't be too picky. And you don't seem here to cause trouble, at least for us. So sure. Welcome to the Caretakers, Nal."

It was strange to bring a person like her on board. Based on the way she held herself, she was a professional soldier. She reminded Nia of herself, back during her days with the Gormotti rebellion. Competent, self-assured, and very comfortable with murder. It was what had earned her the title "Butcher of Gormott". She wasn't proud of the person she'd been back then.

But maybe Nal was right. Not everyone was going to see the Gardens as a good thing. So it could be worth keeping someone like her around, just in case. Someone who wouldn't have any reservations. Someone who would keep them safe when it counted. She just hoped it never came to that.

---

"Your Highness," Zeke said, mustering up as much sarcasm as he could.

"Ozychlyrus," his father noted, glancing up from his paperwork. "I assume this is an urgent matter?"

"Do not call me that," he said.

"You came here to insist I use your nickname?"

"It's the least you could do, after everything you put me through."

"Shall I call you Bringer of Chaos as well? Your mother gave you a respectable name, I don't see why you insist on dragging it through the mud."

"Don't drag her into this," Zeke said. "Don't you dare. You've got no right."

"I have no right? At least I didn't run off to work for the people who had her killed."

"No, you just gave them everything they wanted. And how is it my fault I didn't know the Praetorium were involved when you're the one who took twenty years to tell me?"

"You're the one who ran away from your responsibilities. Even if I'd told you the truth, you wouldn't have listened."

"Oh, that's rich all right. You're the one who hid in the Cloud Sea all his life, but suddenly I'm the coward?"

"What would you know of my life, exactly? You know nothing of the responsibility that's been placed on me."

Every time they returned from the capital, things wound up like this. His father's temper was shortening as the situation in Tantal worsened, and Zeke found it hard not to respond in kind. He was about to say something, but Pandoria beat him to it.

"Your Highness," she said, interrupting him. "With all due respect, there is a reason we came back to Theosoir."

"Yes," he said, glancing down for a moment to flick through another report. "Let's not keep wasting precious time. What is it?"

"We've been getting some worrying reports at the capital," Zeke said. "Word is protests have gotten worse. The palace guard have been clashing with civilians in the streets, and apparently you've instituted a curfew. What's going on?"

"These are uncertain times. I must do what is necessary to keep the people safe."

"You ever think maybe imposing a curfew might be one of the reasons why you've got protesters gathering outside?"

"You mean Moira Diarkis and her radicals? They're hardly what I'd call protestors. They're opportunists preying on the people's fears. We'll have them sorted in time."

"You really believe that? You think this can end well for anyone? Are you still going to be saying that when they break down the gates and demand your head?"

"Don't be so dramatic. Our family has ruled this nation for five hundred years. We will not be undone by something as trivial as this."

"I'd hardly call the whole city turning against you 'trivial'."

"We have a mandate from Addam to lead this nation, so lead it we shall."

"Great. Fantastic. Only one problem: that's a giant lie. You know it, I know it, it's only a matter of time before they know it too."

"Why, do you plan on telling them?"

"Keep this up, and maybe I will. But I don't think I'll have to. The new Praetor told Emepror Niall everything, and there's only my good word preventing him from exposing all our family's sordid affairs."

"The Emperor of Mor Ardain has no reason to interfere in our affairs."

"We're part of the Coalition, now," Zeke said. "If we can't maintain order inside our borders, he'll step in and do it for us. He's already threatened to if things here don't resolve peacefully."

"Ah, yes. A fine mess you've gotten us into, then. I thought the reason you were our representative was to head off issues like this."

"Do not put this on me. We wouldn't have lasted a month if I hadn't made you sign that treaty. The least you could do is recognize that the world doesn't end at Genbu's shell."

"I am perfectly aware of our situation, thank you. But if you're not going to help me deal with it, then you could at least stop wasting my time."

"Unbelievable," Zeke muttered. He seriously considered heading for the door, but Pandoria grabbed his arm. Probably sensing his frustration. He sighed and let her take the lead for the moment.

"Your Majesty," Pandoria said. "We are here to help. You can't deal with these protesters through brute force. You need a new approach."

"And you have one?"

"Yes, we do. Step down."

His dad stared at her and slowly stood up. His fists were clenched by his side, and he looked like he might strike her. She stared back at him, practically daring him to.

"How dare you," he said. "You come into my palace, after turning your backs on this family time and again, and demand I give up the only thing I have left? No."

"The longer you let this drag on, the less support you'll have among the people. If you don't step down, they'll drag you down sooner or later. And it won't be nearly as clean."

"I have lost everything trying to keep my people safe. My wife, my legacy, apparently my son. But I have endured it all because I am the king, and it is my responsibility to do so no matter the cost. I will not give up now."

"Good for you," Zeke said. "But no matter how much good you want to do, you're still the king who sold his people's future to the Praetorium. They may not know we lied about Addam, but they know we lied about that. And no matter how much you try, they're not going to forgive you for it. You can accept that or not, I don't care, but either way you're going to leave that throne."

"Who would you have me turn power over to? You? So the people can trade in the betrayer king for the coward prince? No. I may have made many mistakes in my life, but at least I have the strength to see us through this."

"The only thing you're going to see Tantal through is an uprising," Zeke said.

"My prince doesn't want to rule," Pandoria said, moving the conversation forward before they could start arguing again. "I'm pretty sure he's made that abundantly clear. The only solution that the people will accept is dissolving the royal line entirely. Step down, let the people rule themselves."

"Democracy," his old man spat. "I would rather die than see my people led by a charlatan like Diarkis."

"Like it or not, many of them already are. People are angry. Their future's been ripped away from them and they're just now realizing it. They're putting their faith in her because she's promising to do something about it. And, unlike you, she isn't the person who stole everything from them in the first place."

"The Praetorium plundered this nation, not I."

"You helped," Zeke said. "Even if it was to keep the country safe, you let it happen. I think most of those people outside, if given the choice, would rather have fought the Praetorium than give up what they lost. But they didn't have a say, because you and the rest of our family thought you knew better. At least under Moira Diarkis's rule, they'll have a chance to be heard. To live how they want, rather than how someone tells them to."

"Tantal's people do not know how to live. They've been trapped in darkness for so long they'll clamber at the first light offered, even if it leads them astray."

"And you know any better?"

"Yes, I do. I have a great debt to repay the people of this nation, and I cannot do that by ceding my responsibilities."

"That's what you're doing here? Repaying your debt? Are you really going to absolve the sins of our family by having your guards beat people in the streets?"

"No!" his dad bellowed. "You think I want this? That I want to hurt my people? This pains me to do, but I am at my wit's end. I have to keep this country safe, do you understand? I have to keep this country safe. But it's all I can do to keep this place from falling apart!"

"If this is really the best you can do, dad, then Tantal doesn't have a chance in hell." Zeke turned and opened the door. "You really want to atone for our family's sins? Then start by atoning for your own."

"What will it take to make you understand?" his father asked, slumping back into his chair.

"I understand plenty," Zeke said. "I just don't want to see the people suffer anymore."

"Neither do I."

"Then why do any of this?" Pandoria asked. "You're only making things worse."

"I refuse to let us fail," his dad said, looking up at her. "We may not be Addam's true successors, but he still held high hopes for humanity's future. I want to meet them. During the Cataclysm, that was the only thing that kept me moving forward. I wasn't going to be the one who let humanity fail. At least while I sit on this throne, I have the chance to do something."

Those words hit Zeke particularly hard. They reminded him of something his mother had told him, once upon a time. "Only you can save this rotten world". This family had a bad habit of thinking they were the only ones who could fix things, and Zeke was no exception. He'd done it constantly since the Cataclysm. Wanting to fix Tantal on his own. Wanting to steer the coalition and go up against Spessia on his own. Truth be told, he wasn't any better than his old man. He'd fallen back into nasty habits, and he wasn't sure how to deal with that. Pandoria looked like she knew, though.

"Come with me," she said. His dad glared at her again, and she returned the look. That challenge to his authority clearly bothered him.

"I am still the king, lest you forget. I will not be ordered around in my own palace."

"If you care even half as much about this country as you claim to, you'll come with me. There's something you need to see." She went to the door and motioned for him to go through. He sighed, still glaring at her, and reluctantly stood up. The three left the room, and she led them to the palace gates. Zeke had some idea what she was trying to do, but clearly she was better suited to solving this particular problem, so he followed her lead.

The crowd outside had only grown larger since they'd arrived. Hundreds, possibly thousands of protestors had gathered, shouting and waving signs and even singing songs. Not unlike the protests they'd seen from the Gormotti refugees in Indol. Desperate people with no other way to make themselves heard. The volume only increased as his father showed his face, and the palace guards tensed up. That didn't seem like the response of people just trying to keep everyone safe.

"What is it I need to see?" Zeke's dad asked.

"Them," Pandoria said. "You talk about how much you love your people? Well, they're your people."

"I know. But I cannot help them if they refuse to let me."

"What would you do if this stopped? If the people went home and let you help them?"

"I would like to rebuild. To end our Core Chip mining and help return life to these barren wastes."

"And how does you being king make that happen?"

"I am this nation's ruler. My word is law."

"That's exactly the problem, though, isn't it? That's what got Tantal into this mess to begin with. The desire of one family to hold onto power drove this country to ruin for five centuries."

"I am not my forebears. I am only trying to help."

"And you did. You saved these people's lives, during the Cataclysm. You ran an evacuation and led a defense and you survived. But beyond that, there isn't anything more you can do. Because no matter how much you want to help, as long as the system that allowed that suffering to happen is in place, we're just waiting for it to happen again. The best thing you can do for your people now is let them lead themselves. If you really think humanity can pass Addam's trial, then you need to give them a chance to prove it. Because as long as we depend on one man to solve all our problems, we won't have learned a thing."

Zeke's father stepped forward, slowly casting his gaze across the crowd. All the people of his nation, clamoring to see him cast down. A part of Zeke understood where he was coming from. The man had given his life for this country, and it hadn't repaid him in kind. But it didn't really matter what he wanted, even if he was the king. Especially since he was the king, in fact. The only thing that mattered here was what was best for Tantal, and this nation had seen enough of kings.

"Very well," he muttered. "I will do what I must. Let us see together how strong humanity's conviction truly is."

Pandoria looked back at Zeke and flashed him a smile. He returned it, giving her a thumbs up. Honestly, he hadn't had high hopes they'd be able to convince him, but as always, Pandoria outperformed all expectations. A skill she'd acquired after years of having to deal with him constantly.

And her words had sparked something in Zeke. She was right. The world couldn't depend on a single man to solve its problems. Neither could Tantal or the Coalition. He'd done his best, and he'd done good work keeping things afloat, but at some point, he needed to step back. He needed to reevaluate what it was he was doing, just like his old man.

And truth be told… He didn't want to do this. He didn't want to be here, fighting tooth and nail to get people to recognize the most basic, simple truths. He wanted to be with his friends. With Nia. She was doing something big and exciting and real. And he wanted to be a part of that. Even when he'd been serving on the council, he'd wanted to be a part of that. It seemed like the kind of endeavor perfectly suited to his heroics.

And, more than anything else, the Gardens were a place where anyone could feel welcomed. They were a home for people without anything else. And that was what Zeke lacked more than anything. A place to go home to. Hopefully he'd be able to find that there, with Nia.

---

"We are not oppressors," Moui said, frowning. "The Gormotti Republic remembers well what it was to suffer under the yoke of Ardainian rule. To have our resources, our land, our people taken from us by a foreign power. Duthract knows this reality much more intimately than we do. I will not force them to submit to that yoke again."

"Their Core Chip production far outstrips ours," Robalt said. "Even pulling what we can from Mor Ardain's corpse, it won't be long before we have to start mining from our other Titans. A reality I'm sure no one around this table is particularly keen on."

He looked at Zeke, and Zeke sighed. Another day, another meeting spent going over the same old tired points. At least this would be his last.

"Conceded," he said. He wasn't really keen on pushing the issue further right now.

"If there were another option, I'd be content to allow them to carry on by themselves. But with the Krustalos Guild breaking ranks to ally with Spessia, and Sthenos refusing our offers to open diplomacy, we don't have a choice. We need to cut a deal with Duthract."

"What would you propose, then?" Moui asked. "You intend to exploit their Titan instead of ours? Even if it were for the good of the Coalition, I fail to see how this is any different from what Mor Ardain used to do."

"Duthract uniquely situated for Core Chip production," Pupunin said. "Titan has abnormally high rate of ether flow. Core Chip extraction helps mitigate risk of overload."

"And it wouldn't just be for our benefit," Robalt said. "The deal would give Duthract a seat at the table here. Full membership in the Coalition."

A deal they'd refused before, Zeke noted. Robalt was getting old or desperate if he thought they'd take it now.

"It'll still be a hard pill to swallow for some," Moui said. "But… The idea has merit. I'd like to look over the details before the official proposal to the council, so that I may offer my own thoughts in private."

"Very well." Robalt looked around the table. "Is there any other business that needs attending to?"

"The Head Caretaker wished me to raise some concerns," Azurda said. "It appears that a group, or several groups, have begun poaching Titans near our border with Uraya. Many Blades want to handle the situation themselves, but both the Head Caretaker and I thought it prudent to ask you all for help."

"Floren?" Zeke asked. "Do you think you could handle this one? If it's happening along your border, then you're the best equipped to deal with it."

"I'll see what I can do," he said. "The clans aren't being especially cooperative these days, but this job sounds right up Garfont's alley. With any luck, they'll have your problem sorted soon."

"Much obliged," Azurda said, bowing his head. "Did anyone else wish to speak?"

"The Chancellor's been elected in Tantal," Zeke said. He smiled, taking a small amount of pleasure in announcing his resignation. "My father officially abdicated yesterday, so I'm likely out of a job. Keeping a prince on after abolishing the monarchy's a bad look, after all. Be nice to whoever gets my seat, yeah?"

"We will miss friend," Pupunin said.

"If only Mor Ardain would do the same," Moui grumbled.

"You'd have to file an official appeal with His Majesty," Robalt said. She glared at him, but he ignored her. "If there will be no other business, then we have a treaty to draft. Chairwoman Moui, if you would accompany me to my office look over the particulars?"

"Very well," she sighed. "I'll tell General Reez to begin enacting the new policy for dealing with the Indoline nationalists, and Floren will contact the Garfont Mercenaries about the Titan poachers. Councilman Robalt's proposed treaty with Duthract will be up for open debate during our next session. I call this meeting to a close."

She stood up and grabbed her papers, and the others did the same. But Zeke loitered for a moment, feeling a tad nostalgic about stepping down. As frustrating as this job had been, he found himself enjoying some moments. As he got up to leave, however, he saw someone in the hallway, and motioned for Azurda to stay. After everyone left, Mòrag entered the room with a stern expression.

"Mòrag!" he exclaimed, smiling. "I haven't seen you in ages!"

He extended a hand, and she shook it with her prosthetic, glowering at him. Tora's design, apparently. To make up for the fact that Nia hadn't been able to fully heal her wounds.

"I've been—" she started speaking, and immediately Zeke drew her into a hug. She seemed startled, but she didn't protest.

"Mòrag," Azurda said, nodding from behind them. "You look well."

"I've been well," she said, returning the nod. Zeke broke the hug, and she took a moment to fix her uniform. "The department's caseload has been rather slow since we resolved the Shieldwall issue, so I took some time off recently to go traveling. Brighid's idea. Aegaeon volunteered to stay behind and pick up the slack while we were away."

"You'll have to tell me all about it later," Zeke said. "You and Pandoira might have some good stories to swap."

"I'd like that. I feel like I've been spending too much time around Tora. It'd be good to see some others from the old team. We should all get together sometime to catch up."

"Rebuilding the world is a challenging undertaking," Azurda said. "We've all been busy as of late."

"Speaking of," Zeke said, pointing to a folder Mòrag had tucked under her arm. "I get the feeling you're not making a courtesy call."

"Perceptive as ever," she said, sighing. She handed it over to Zeke, and he took a moment to thumb through a few pages.

"What does it say?" Azurda asked.

"They found their missing agent," Zeke said. "Why come to us? There's nothing the council can do about this that you can't. Isn't that why your department exists?"

"If this was any other job, you'd be hearing about it in an after-action report," Mòrag said. "But I can't handle this one with the forces I have on hand."

"Coalition military Drivers are under General Reez's purview. If you want more Drivers for the Department, I'd point you to him before any of us."

"I'm not looking to fill ranks, Zeke. I'm looking for people I can trust. You're the best Driver I know."

Zeke puffed up at that. It wasn't often she doled out complements.

"You want me to go on assignment personally?" he asked. She nodded, and he let out a laugh. "Finally, something to do! I've been bored out of my skull lately!" He clapped Mòrag on the shoulder and headed for the door. "We'll need to get Pandy first, though. She's got the sword."

"We'll need to make a few more stops than that," she said. "I did say we should have a reunion, after all."

Zeke thought about that for a moment. He had been needing an excuse to visit the Gardens, now that he'd quit his job.

"I'll go get Nia, then," he said. "And I'll see you in Leftheria."

---

Nia jumped off Dromarch's back as he came to a stop in the courtyard, right in front of the shrine holding Jin's sword. She would've stayed out longer, helping Agate and her team with the repairs, but Azurda was back. He always had news to share when he returned from the capital, and it seemed like he'd brought guests too. Two hooded figures stood by him. Zeke and Pandoria, obviously. She was glad to see them. Before she could say hello, however, Mikhail intercepted her and roped her into a conversation.

"Nia," he said. "How's the latest restoration coming?"

"They should be done by tomorrow," she replied. "Some unrefined ether will be arriving soon, if it isn't here already. Make sure Crossette disposes of it properly. What's the word from Azurda?"

"The Coalition is sending Garfont to look into our problem. And he brought back some guests who wanted to speak with you in person."

He motioned to the hooded figures, and on cue they threw off the hoods dramatically. As if it wasn't already obvious who they were.

"Furry Ears!" Zeke called out. Nia rolled her eyes.

"I'll go check on that ether," Mikhail said, smirking. He patted Nia on the shoulder, and then abruptly shoved her toward Zeke. She whipped a tendril of water at him in return, sending him on his way.

"Impressive setup you guys have here," Zeke noted.

"You're always welcome to join up, you know," Nia said, approaching with Dromarch. "We could always use more Caretakers."

"We'll see," Pandoria said. "My prince here might be out of a job, now that his dad's retiring, so we might take you up on that."

"Nonsense, Pandy," Zeke beamed, posing with one leg on a bench. "This is our chance to travel the world! See new sights! Meet new people! Get into all sorts of adventures!"

"Without your dad around to bail you out?" Nia asked. "Doesn't sound like a smart move, if you ask me."

"Since when have I ever needed his help?"

"Would you like the list organized by most recent?" Pandoria asked. "Or most hilarious?"

"And how many of those are from when I was a kid?" Zeke asked. "I can handle myself these days."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that," Pandoria said. Zeke scoffed at her.

"Well at least you finally found time to visit," Nia said. "Tora and Poppi have been by a few times, and Rex came by once, but I've not seen Mòrag or Brighid since we moved here. How are they doing?"

"That's actually why we're here," Pandoria said. Her expression quickly darkened.

"Mòrag's been running a task force of sorts," Zeke said. "While the Coalition builds bridges, she goes after the people trying to burn them. It also doubles as a prison sentence of sorts, working to rehabilitate criminal Drivers and Blades. That brigand you and Rex took down in Gormott and those two mercenaries that Tora and Poppi fought in Mor Ardain are shining examples of the department's success. For a time, Bradly and his entourage were members."

"They let him out of prison?" Nia asked.

"He struck a deal with Niall during the Cataclysm, apparently, then slipped away in the chaos. But as soon as the Department got off the ground, he and his Blades resurfaced to join the up voluntarily. For a while they were our best asset. Then one day, he defected, putting a team in the hospital and demolishing a Coalition prison. Since then, he's been a ghost."

"Where are you going with this?"

"They found him," Pandoria said. "Three guesses as to where."

Nia didn't have to guess. It was obvious he'd go after Rex, probably to finish what he started with Rex's hometown. Which meant he was in Leftheria.

"We're going after him," Zeke said. "We could use your help."

"Just like the old days, huh?" Nia asked. She glanced back at Dromarch.

"I think I remember Bradly," he said. "Gormotti man? We fought him in… Indol?"

"Very good," Nia said. "We'll have to have another session when we get back. Hopefully this trip knocks some more memories loose."

"Sounds good," Mikhail said, his voice crackling over her earpiece. It startled Nia a bit. Adenine had made them to help the Caretakers keep in contact, but it was taking some getting used to. "I can handle things while you're gone."

"Thanks," she muttered. Then she turned to Zeke. "You can count us in."

---

"It looks like he's inside," Mòrag said. "Rex is a good fighter, but I don't know how long he can hold his own against that man."

"Don't underestimate Rex-Rex," Tora said. "Rex-Rex strongest there is."

"Debatable," Zeke said. "But I think he can keep Bradly busy until we're done out here."

"Five Blades," Brighid noted. "Among them, Zenobia is the only great concern. Can we leave her to you?"

"She won't know what hit her," Pandoria said, pounding one fist into the other. She and Zeke broke from where the group was lurking and got into position.

"Are the rest of us just charging in?" Nia asked.

"You have a better idea?" Brighid asked.

"I guess not." Nia shrugged. "Might as well get started."

She stepped forward, leading the charge as they emerged from the cover of the village gate. The other Blades spotted her quickly, running to engage. As soon as Zenobia stepped off the front porch, however, Zeke appeared next to her, closing the distance in a flash. Before she could react, he grabbed her and disappeared again, dragging her into the water where Pandoria waited.

"Incoming!" Corvin shouted, taking to the air. "Get—"

Poppi tackled him out of the air and drove him into the ground. Light flashed from both of them as he tried to throw her off, but she held fast. Dagas swung his axe at her, trying to knock her off, but Nia caught him with a blast of water before he could. Aegaeon stepped forward and pressed his hand against the stream as it drove Dagas back. Ice flowed along it, and before he could get away, Dagas was frozen in place. He began to heat up, trying to break himself out, but Aegaeon whipped another blast of ice at him.

"Been waiting for this for a long time," he muttered.

Tora brought the ether netting forward, and Nia left him and Poppi to deal with Corvin. Instead, she strode forward with Mòrag, drawing their swords as Vale rushed to meet them. The woman tossed a wave of darkness from her spear, and Brighid blasted it away with a flick of her wrist. Mòrag rushed through the fire, catching Vale in the chest with her whips and knocking the woman back into a stone wall.

Azami vaulted over it, cannon aimed for Mòrag's head, but Dromarch let out a roar that blasted her back. Nia immediately closed the distance, bringing her sword down to cut Azami's cannon in half. The woman shrieked, but a follow-up blow to her head with the hilt shut her up.

As Mòrag drove Vale into the ground and Aegaeon struggled to keep Dagas contained, something else struck the ground. It was Zenobia, crackling with electricity. She'd jumped clear over Corinne's house to get away from Zeke, but it didn't appear to have worked. He appeared behind her in an instant, Core Crystal cracking with energy. One hit to her back was enough to force her to her knees, and Pandoria was there a moment later, grabbing her head and running electricity through her to keep her down.

Corvin struggled out from under Poppi, swinging his sword down to send out a blast of light at Pandoria, but Tora managed to block the strike with his shield. Poppi got a hold on him again a moment later, and Tora started working the ether netting back on him.

There would've probably been more struggle, as futile as it was, but Bradly and Perceval came flying through the front door a moment later. Immediately, Mòrag broke from Vale and launched herself at them, pressing a boot onto Bradly's head before he could stand. Nia took over keeping Vale pinned while Dromarch looked after the unconscious Azami. With a sigh, Bradly let go of his sword, and his Blades took that as a sign to stop struggling.

Zeke shot up a blast of electricity, signaling the others to come in. Azurda and Garresh, one of his Titan friends. He was less in Tenax's camp than the others, so he'd volunteered to help out. Strix stood on Garresh's back, ready to put up restraints around Bradly's Blades the moment he got in range. He probably could've joined them for the fight, but it was more fun to do it as a group. Like old times.

"We can change," Rex said, crouching down next to Bradly. The end of some conversation they hadn't been privy to. "We have changed. We will keep changing. We wouldn't have gotten this second chance otherwise. The Elysium Pyra sacrificed herself to give us."

Unconsciously, he gripped her Core Crystal as he said it. It still hung from his neck. A little macabre for Nia's tastes, but she'd been important to him, so it made sense.

"Very poetic," Zeke said, dragging Zenobia over to them. Mòrag reached out to place a small disk on her back, but Zeke and Pandoria had to take their hands off for a moment, and a moment was all she needed. She broke from their grasp and jumped back, landing in the middle of a field.

"Zenobia!" Bradly called out. "Get over here and help me!"

"No can do!" she replied. "I told you I'd only stick around if you made this interesting. And going to prison again sounds super lame. So I'm out!"

She leapt into the air and took flight, using a blast of wind to carry herself away. Bradly screamed after her, but she didn't seem to care.

"That might be a problem," Mòrag noted.

"I'm sure it'll be fine," Rex said. "We've all handled worse. And I just beat her Driver, so I doubt she'll be back for seconds."

"That was reckless," Nia said. The ground around her shifted, and she stepped back as Strix's ether wrapped around Vale and dragged her into the newly formed mud. Then he lifted the ground around her into the air and onto Garresh's back, leaving her trapped in stone as he began encasing the other prisoners.

"Were you planning on fighting them all by yourself?" she continued, staring at Rex.

"If I had to," he said. "But I had a feeling it wouldn't come to that."

"You're lucky we arrived when we did," Brighid said, sighing. "You really should be more careful, you know."

"Someone was going to come looking for me eventually. At least it was someone I could handle."

"It was a lucky shot," Bradly spat. Mòrag placed an ether net on his chest, and a moment later, Strix's ether lifted the ground around him into the air. He and Perceval were transferred to Garresh, and that was the last of them. Strix gave Nia a nod, then exchanged a quick word with Garresh and Azurda. Azurda stayed behind, while the other two headed back to the Gardens with the captives.

"The Coalition isn't taking them in?" Rex asked.

"This isn't Coalition territory," Mòrag said. "And we're not on a mission. We're just visiting a friend is all."

Rex glanced at Nia, somewhat bewildered, and she shrugged. Mòrag had floated the idea of taking Bradly back to the Gardens to Zeke, and he'd passed it along to her. She wasn't a big fan, but Mòrag made it pretty clear she wasn't legally allowed to operate in Leftheria, so they'd need to bend the rules a little. And the Gardens had next to no oversight, compared to everywhere else in the Coalition. Nia didn't like the idea of imprisoning Blades, but it was the only workable solution at the moment. She'd try to convince them to join up, if she could. Get some good out of the whole mess.

"Rex-Rex!" Tora shouted, running up and wrapping his wings around Rex. "Tora not see friend in so long! Have much to talk about!"

"Glad to hear it," Rex said, letting out a laugh. "You guys should visit more often. Food always tastes better with company, especially if Auntie Corinne's cooking it."

"Well, my prince and I are sort of jobless right now," Pandoria said. "So we'd love to stay a few days, if you'll put us up."

"I'll have to ask Auntie." Rex smiled and broke away from Tora. "If you want to stay for dinner, though, we'd be more than happy to have you. And you can tell me all about the adventures I passed up."

"Regretting the quiet life?" Azurda asked.

"Not one bit," Rex replied. "I said we'd change the world, and I think it's safe to say we succeeded." Rex shot a look back over at some villagers that had come to see what the commotion was, and he shot them a reassuring wave. "That's good enough for me."

"Tora's life been far from quiet!" Tora shouted. "Rex-Rex will love this! Chairman Niranira paying for expedition! Should be many exciting salvage to find!"

"Sounds fun," Rex said. He and Tora headed inside, and the others followed in after them. Nia went too, but she was the slowest to move. So was Zeke, ironically. He hung around outside, almost loitering.

"Something wrong?" she asked.

"No, nothing," he said. "I was just wondering if you had a moment to talk?"

"Sure." She crossed her arms and stepped away from the door. Pandoria motioned Dromarch inside, and Azurda headed around to the back of the house, sticking his head into the kitchen. Giving the two of them their privacy, for whatever reason.

"What's this about?" she asked.

"I've got a hard time being genuine when it counts," he said. "And I wouldn't want to give Mòrag and Rex more ammunition to make fun of me with."

"Well, being self-aware is a step up, at least."

"Y'see, this exactly the kind of thing I'm talking about. How am I supposed to be vulnerable if you people get the knives out every time?"

"You've brought this on yourself."

"Whatever," he muttered. He looked serious, for a change. And for a moment, Nia felt like she was seeing past the surface, to the parts of himself he didn't let people see. "What I'd wanted to say was, I've been thinking. Ever since the Cataclysm, I've felt listless. Just treading water, trying to stay afloat. I don't know what to do with myself now that Amalthus is dead and the world isn't in immediate danger."

"There's always going to be someone who needs help," she said.

"That's exactly it. No matter how many problems we fix, there's going to be more. I can't solve everything."

"I never really took you for the defeatist type, Shellhead."

"What, you think I'm throwing in the towel?" He laughed. "You should know me better than that. I'm just saying I can only focus my attention so many places at once. And after the last couple of years, I've realized that I should be spending more time helping the people I care about. Which would be you."

"Me?" Nia asked. "Me specifically?"

"Well, it's not like the others really need my help. Rex and Roc retired, Tora and Poppi have their family looking after them, and Mòrag, Brighid, and Aegaeon have all hit their stride with the Restoration Department. They'll all get by without me."

"What, I'm your last pick then?"

"Hardly," he said. "You're doing something incredible with the Gardens. Something that's going to change the world. And I'd like to be a part of it. Plus, if I'm going to pick somewhere to settle down and spend the next few years of my life, then it might as well be somewhere people will tolerate my antics."

"That last point's debatable," Nia said. "But if it means you'll be joining the Caretakers, then I won't put up too much of a fuss. We're lucky to have you, Zeke."

"You bet you are," he said, smirking. And just like that, all the vulnerability was gone. "Though it'll probably be a few days. Pandy and I have a couple of things to get done before we're free and clear of responsibility."

"I can wait," Nia said. "Now I think we've kept the others waiting long enough."

The two of them headed inside, and Nia felt invigorated. As much of a handful as he was, having Zeke around would certainly make things interesting. She was glad to have him back. It felt like a part of her was returning with him. A part she hadn't really had since they all went their separate ways. And with him by her side, she felt like they could accomplish anything.

---

The entourage trekked through the Spessian outback, cutting dangerously close to the fungal wastes. Zeke never wanted to go anywhere near those again, but he did have one last thing to take care of before he could head to the Gardens, so he'd just have to grin and bear it.

As the Titan trundled up the road, Zeke stepped out, Pandoria at his back. He blocked the path, and after a moment, the Titan came to a stop.

"Hello!" he called out, flashing a grin at the driver. The man immediately pulled a gun, and Zeke shot forward, punting him off the Titan and into Pandoria's arms. She electrocuted him just enough to knock him out, and Zeke swung his way into the carriage. He expected the passenger to shout at him as he entered, but the man seemed to be expecting him.

"Hello," the Minister said, offering a hand. "I'm Navaris Coreial, Minister Diplomatic of Spessia. It's nice to meet you in person, Ozychlyrus."

"It's Zeke," he said. "And I know who you are."

"Of course. You're here to talk about the rumors of our involvement with Shieldwall, I take it?"

"No, actually. I wanted to talk about the Gardens."

Zeke brought his sword around, very casually leaning it against the seat.

"I see." The Minister nodded. "Not exactly the direction I thought this would go, if I'm being honest."

"Why's that?"

"We've not had much involvement with the Gardens. I'm having trouble thinking of what might have brought this conversation on."

"It certainly does appear that way," Zeke said. "You've had over a year to pull something, and you haven't so far, so I'm beginning to think I'm just being paranoid. I still want to make sure, though."

"Make sure of what, exactly?"

The Minister seemed confused, now. He'd been expecting this meeting, but under entirely different pretenses. He was playing the same political game as the Coalition, it would seem, and he'd probably assumed Zeke was doing the same. Unfortunate for him.

"I want your word you won't harm the Gardens."

"This seems rather sudden."

"I'm taking a new direction in life. The Gardens seem like a good place to settle down, and I'd like it to stay that way. So I want your word."

"What makes you think we'd harm the Gardens in any way?"

"Call it a hunch. You've been gunning for the Coalition from the shadows for a while, and they harbor the Coalition's most powerful Blades. It makes sense you'd want to take them out early."

"I don't know what it is you've heard about Spessia, Zeke, but I can assure you we're not 'gunning' for anyone."

"You'll have to forgive me if I don't believe you," Zeke said.

"The Gardens are a Coalition nation. If tensions sour between Spessia and the Coalition, I can't guarantee nothing will happen. But I can guarantee that so long as the Gardens remain neutral and don't interfere in Spessian business, then we'll treat them with the same respect."

Zeke studied the man's face, trying to determine if he was telling the truth. Zeke liked to fancy himself a people person, but it was hard to tell with career politicians. As a rule, nothing they said was entirely the truth, but figuring out which part was the lie was difficult. Was that line about neutrality some kind of technicality he could fall back on, claiming the Gardens weren't neutral by virtue of being a Coalition nation? Or did he mean to imply that there was some business other than the conflict with the Coalition that the Gardens needed to steer clear of?

"You're planning something," Zeke said, going off his hunch.

"Always," the Minister replied. "But that's the game, isn't it?"

"Not what I meant."

"I don't follow."

The Minister smiled at him. The same knowing smile he'd given during the signing of the Elysian Treaty. There was some unspoken secret here, and he was letting Zeke know it existed.

"This isn't helping your case," Zeke said.

"And what are you going to do, exactly, if I fail to comply with your demands? Are you really going to come back here and kill me? The last time you took a life was in Spessia, if I'm not mistaken, and you don't seem like one to repeat past mistakes."

"I'm not," Zeke said, glaring at the man. He knew a lot about Zeke's past. Even for a politician keeping up on his enemies. "But that doesn't mean I can't make you regret it. If you take action against the Gardens and hurt someone I care about, we will be having another conversation."

"I'm sure we will," the Minister said. "But I think we've both said everything we care to say today, so either deliver on your threats or be on your way. I have—"

There was an explosion from outside, and a column of fire shot into the air from the fungal wastes. Immediately, Zeke stepped outside, sword at the ready. A dozen or so Spessian soldiers came running out from the wastes, but they weren't running at him, per say. They were running away from something. A woman on fire floating high above them, eye-covered wings spread out in all directions. She blasted a torrent of flame around them, scattering the troops. Not killing, though. She seemed to be avoiding that.

As she descended, Zeke readied his sword, and the Minister stumbled back, alarmed. He hadn't been expecting this, it seemed.

"W-what is this?" he asked, looking around. "What's going on?"

"Your plan will have succeeded," the woman said, staring at the Minister. "So I put a stop to it. The Thunderbolt Prince is coming with me."

"Yo, lady!" Pandoria called out. "My prince isn't going anywhere with anyone!"

"You mistake my meaning," she said. "I have come to ensure his safety."

"Let me guess," Zeke said. "Nia sent you?"

"I am from the Gardens, yes. Nia will have been worried for your safety."

"Figures," Zeke muttered, putting his sword away. "So what was the play here, exactly?"

"The Minister will have attempted to kidnap you. A political maneuver against the Coalition, among other things. This will have been disastrous for all parties involved. I will have thought it best to put an end to the scheme."

Zeke glanced back at the Minister, and he seemed to have lost most of his composure. The look on his face said she was telling the truth. Which meant the real target of all the Minister's politicking and pretending to have it in for the Gardens had been Zeke. He'd been trying to get Zeke suspicious of Spessia so he'd come out here himself. And like an idiot, he'd fallen for it.

"Thanks for the help, then," Zeke said.

"You are most welcome."

"I suppose this concludes our business." He glanced back at the Minister.

"I can assure you it does," the Minister said. Zeke believed him this time.

"Then let's head out."

Zeke started down the road, and Pandy and the flaming woman followed him. Zeke had come out here trying to watch Nia's back, and it turned out she was watching his instead. That was just like her. He'd need to pay her back somehow, once he got back to the Gardens.

Once he got home.