Ever since they defeated Malos, her life had been consumed by a continuing series of emergencies. Resettling the population, building new infrastructure, scrounging around for enough food and electricity to keep everyone alive. Weeks of struggling simply to survive, and just when it seemed like the worst was behind them, the rest of the world reared its ugly head.
Spessia was restarting its military buildup, after decades of armistice. Indoline radicals were gathering in camps along the border. Negotiations with Uraya had stalled. Tantal's government was in crisis. The Nopon Trade Guilds had unilaterally declared a new sovereign merchant republic in Osiria. Bandits and criminals were beginning to run rampant in the lands between the Titans. Scouts reported sightings of Sthenosi military detachments near the Leftherian Ridge. And worst of all, the remains of the imperial army had finally been pushed out of Gormott, and it looked like Duthract would meet a similar fate. But rather than deal with any of these ongoing crises, her brother had chosen today to meet with the empire's worst enemy. A man that Mòrag considered far beyond redemption.
Walraig had betrayed their nation, killed her father, and conspired with Senator Roderich to incite rebellion. Shortly before the Cataclysm, he'd even broken into the imperial palace and tried to take Niall's life. And now, after all the crimes he'd committed and lives he'd stolen, he wanted to meet. To discuss terms. She didn't buy it. The imperial bureaucracy might have been in tatters, but she was still the Special Inquisitor. Niall's safety was still her top priority.
But at least so far, he'd kept to his word. Their meeting point was a crashed Praetorium Titan ship near the Gormotti border, which was the closest place they'd been able to find to neutral ground on such short notice. And by some miracle, he'd come alone. Mòrag wanted to break the deal and bomb the Titan to oblivion, but Niall insisted on conducting this meeting in good faith. So instead of giving this traitor what he deserved, she accompanied Niall inside as his escort. It was just herself and her Blades standing between her brother and the most wanted man in the empire.
But when they finally reached the meeting point, he didn't look like much of a threat. Walraig sat on the far side of the ruined table, slowly stroking his Blade's fur as they entered. He looked tired, unable to even muster much hostility as Niall took his seat. After a moment, Walraig drew his rings and placed them on the table in front of him, and Niall urged Mòrag to do the same.
"I'm glad you agreed to postpone our meeting this long," Niall said. "There's been no end to the issues we've had to deal with in the Cataclysm's wake."
"I wasn't sure you were telling the truth," Walraig said.
"When I said the Dark Aegis would try to wipe out humanity?"
"When you said we'd have this meeting. I figured I'd give you the time and place, and the Flamebringer would arrive alone to cart me away in shackles. I'm impressed you came yourself."
"I'm not here to arrest you, Walraig."
"Then what are you here to do?"
"Talk."
"What is there to talk about?"
"I told you when we last met. We would discuss Mor Ardain's future."
"And our places in it, I remember. But unless you're about to tell me you're abdicating, I don't think there's going to be much to talk about."
"I…" Niall paused. "I don't know what happens next."
Walraig didn't have a response to that.
"My position is untenable," Niall sighed. "Gormott has already broken from imperial rule, and Duthract is soon to follow. I will likely be Mor Ardain's last emperor, no matter what you or I do about it. But the people need guidance, Walraig. They find comfort in the stability the empire provides. I can't conscience taking that away from them."
"So you're staying on the throne," the man growled.
"Until the proper infrastructure is in place, yes. But I will not be there forever. I hope that, within five years, our country will no longer be in shambles, and I will be able to dissolve the imperial line of succession with minimal public outcry."
"That's…" Walraig thought for a moment. "I don't buy it. What guarantee do I have that you'll keep your word?"
"I've never lied to you once, Walraig. Why would I start now?"
"Because you're not telling us the whole story," Akatsuki said, standing up. "Gormott and Duthract are revolting. Does your vision of the future include bringing them back under Mor Ardain's control?"
"We don't have the resources for that anymore. The other nations still have their Titans, but ours is dead. We have to rebuild everything, from the ground up, on Elysium soil. We don't have the manpower to spare maintaining control of foreign colonies."
"And what will happen to our colonies in five years? Ten? Will they continue to rebel? Will Mor Ardain be reduced to bartering with people we once ruled?"
"I plan to cooperate with the other nations and ensure lasting peace. We won't have the luxuries of the old days, but our people will be able to eat."
"No." Walraig slammed his fist on the table. "We will not bow to animals. We will not cooperate with savages. Destroying the imperial system won't mean a thing if you destroy everything that Mor Ardain stands for alongside it."
"And what does Mor Ardain stand for?" Mòrag asked. Walraig's rage was written plain as day on his face.
"Mor Ardain is order!" he screamed. "Stability! Civilization! We've brought enlightenment to every backward savage under our rule, and I'll be damned if—"
"Shut up," Mòrag growled.
"—I let you give that up!" Walraig stood. "After everything I've seen, I think I would have rather taken Liùsaidh's bloodlust over your cowardice! At least she had pride!"
"Shut up!" Mòrag shouted. "One more word, and I'm cutting out your tongue!"
"I'd like to see you try, Flamebringer. I spared your life ten years ago, but—"
"Alright," Mòrag said, narrowing her eyes. She grabbed her sword and lunged, aiming straight for Walraig's open mouth. He barely had time to stumble back, but his Blade managed to throw up a shield before the sword could bite into his flesh. Akatsuki began charging up ether in his fur, and Mòrag could feel her own Blades readying themselves for battle behind her. But before any of them could make the next move, Niall grabbed her by the shoulder and dragged her back to their side of the table.
"That's enough," he said, glaring at them both. "We're only here to talk. Nothing more."
"Your Majesty, if I may, he isn't going to listen. He's a small, hateful man trying to blame everyone but himself for his failures."
"You don't know a damn thing about us," Akatsuki growled. "What we've been through. What my Driver sacrificed to get this far."
"I don't care. The pain you've suffered is no excuse for what you've done. Nothing is."
"I'm just trying to get people to see the truth, Special Inquisitor," Walraig said. "The imperial line has failed the people of More Ardain. We need more drastic solutions if we're going to keep our freedom."
Mòrag started to reply, but before she could, Niall stood up.
"Well," he said. "I'm sorry we couldn't reach an understanding, Walraig. But I'm going to do what's best for our people. As a show of good faith, we're not going to look for you. So long as you don't start killing people again, I don't care what you do."
"Not good enough," Walraig said.
"Learn to live with disappointment. I'm certainly getting used to it."
As he turned to leave, however, ether shields sprang up all around the room, blocking the exit and cutting Mòrag off from her Blades. Immediately, she scrambled to grab another weapon from the table, but she hadn't quite recovered from her fight with Aion, and her good arm didn't move as quickly as she needed it to. Just before she could grab another weapon, Walraig slammed into her, using a second pair of rings to discharge ether and propel himself forward. She hit the wall, momentarily dazed, and he tried to drive one of the rings through her head.
Before he could, the weapons still on the table detonated, producing a massive coil of fire and ice that washed over Walraig. Akatsuki's shield took the worst of it, but it still bought Mòrag enough time to bring her sword up and unleash a wave of fire of her own. It missed, but she anticipated that, bringing her sword around and extending it into a whip that caught Walraig by the leg. Her strength wasn't what it used to be, and dragging him to the ground elicited a sharp pain from her arm, but she managed it nonetheless. Unfortunately, before she could pin him where he lay, the rings on his feet flared up again and propelled him out of harm's way.
As he swung back up, the ether shields around the room shattered, and ice erupted in every direction as Aegaeon put up a barrier between Niall and their attackers. Just in time, too, as moments later Akatsuki unleashed a blast of searing light. Brighid threw up a shield around Mòrag to block the worst of the damage, but it still blinded her momentarily, and in that moment, something struck her in the chest. As she fell back, she planted her sword in the ground, unleashing a blast of fire that filled the room to keep her opponent at bay.
Walraig speared through the fire regardless, taking another swing at her head, and her sight barely recovered in time for her to dodge. The move threw her back up against Aegaeon's wall of ice, and in response, part of it broke away in the rough shape of a katana. Not a true Blade weapon, but it would serve in a pinch.
Finally, with a sword in each hand, she charged at Walraig and ducked beneath his next attack. As he sailed over her, she stuck the ice-katana through one of his rings and dislodged it from his foot. With only one ring propelling him, he lost his balance and spun out, slamming into the wall of ice. Immediately it began to spread, growing across his armor and attempting to seal him in place, and before he could pull himself free, Mòrag slammed a shoulder into his chest to pin him further.
As she brought her sword around, however, Akatsuki lunged and clamped his jaws around her wrist, stopping the weapon just short of Walraig's face. She tried to fend him off with her katana, but that arm couldn't move fast enough, and he managed to get up a shield and block the strike.
As Walraig and Mòrag screamed, each trying to overpower their captor, Brighid vaulted over the wall and drew her knife, closing the distance to Walraig in an instant. Akatsuki unleashed light to blind her, but it didn't even make her flinch. Eyes closed, she powered through the blast and brought her knife to Walraig's neck, stopping just short of drawing blood. For the moment, he stopped struggling, and Mòrag was able to move her shoulder off him.
Immediately Akatsuki let go of Mòrag's hand. But rather than admit defeat, he roared, unleashing a blast of light that enveloped Walraig and the wall of ice behind him. The searing heat of the blast was enough to melt through the wall, and Walraig immediately threw himself through the opening, crashing straight into Aegaeon. He slashed through the man's neck before he could recover, forcing Aegaeon to stay down while the wound healed. The walls of ice began to fade, revealing that Niall had fled the room the moment the ether shields collapsed.
Immediately, Walraig slammed through the door, barreling his way through the corridor outside as he chased Niall. Akatsuki was right behind him, and Mòrag did her best to pursue the two. She didn't know where Niall had run to, but she couldn't let them catch up to him. With her injuries, her legs should've given out after this much strain, but there was enough anger and adrenaline coursing through her system that she was able to push past that and keep running regardless.
She made it to Walraig just as he reached the ship's exit, and with a scream, she tackled him to the ground. They spilled through the doorway and onto the deck outside, and before Akatsuki could attempt to drag her off him, a pair of giant hands emerged from around the corner, grabbing him by the head and lifting him into the air. Newt stood nearby, using her disembodied arms to keep Akatsuki restrained while her normal ones produced an ether net.
"Took you long enough," Mòrag said, grabbing Walraig's hands and dragging him to his feet. Niall was standing nearby, flanked by Grand Marshall Robalt and a group of soldiers. Mòrag was extremely glad she'd insisted on bringing backup, now, even if Niall had made them wait outside.
"Fuck…" Walraig muttered. His weapons lost power as Newt finished wrapping up Akatsuki, and with that, the fight seemed to go out of him. At least enough that Mòrag was able to drag him to his feet with little resistance.
As she passed Walraig off to the soldiers, however, she noticed they weren't alone. A group of Gormotti had arrived at the base of the ship, brandishing weapons and Blades. Their leader was an older woman flanked by two Gormotti Drivers. One even wore a tattered suit of Ardainian armor. A deserter, maybe?
"I didn't think we'd have backup," Brighid said, stepping outside as the soldiers started to drag Walraig off. Rather than stay on the ship, Niall accompanied them, making his way toward their new guests. Mòrag wanted to scream at him to stay put for once, but instead, she just silently fell into step behind him.
"Mòrag insisted," Niall said. "I wanted to avoid it, but it appears her pragmatism has unfortunately paid off once again."
"Liar," Walraig spat.
"What I'm the most surprised by, however, is that you genuinely came alone. Where are your men, I wonder? Do you inspire so little loyalty they're willing to leave you out to dry? Or do you not have anyone left?"
"I told them to stay away. I at least wanted to attempt to keep my word."
"Yet you're the one who attacked us," Mòrag noted. Walraig tried to lunge forward and strike her, but the soldiers held him back. After a moment, they forced him to the ground and began to wrap him up in ether netting.
"I'm glad that's over with," the Grand Marshall said. "Captain Walraig here has been a pain in my side for twenty years."
"Fuck you," Walraig spat. "And fuck you too, Emperor. You'd better make sure you kill me, otherwise I'm going to find you and slit your throat."
"I am not the murderer my mother was," Niall said. "You may be my enemy, but I will not take your life. I'm going to let you live out your days in a nice, comfortable cell, where you'll have plenty of time to stew in your hatred. You will be consigned to a box to watch as Mor Ardain leaves you and everything you stand for behind."
With that, the soldiers dragged Walraig away to a nearby Titan ship while Niall headed over to speak with the Gormotti.
"Emperor Niall," their leader said, tensing up as he approached. "I trust you have a good reason for conducting your business in our territory."
"You must be Moui," Niall said. He stepped forward and offered her a hand, which she reluctantly shook. "I've heard a lot about you from the Ardainian refugees. You treated our people more than fairly, all things considered. I'm sorry to impose on you like this."
"Spare me. Just explain what's happening here."
"I'm sure you've heard of Walraig, leader of Brionac." Niall motioned back at the ship. "He and I agreed to meet on neutral ground to discuss terms. This was his idea of neutral, I suppose. No doubt he chose it to attempt to limit my options, but I feel he underestimated how accommodating you'd be."
"We'll see about that." Moui frowned. One of her Drivers leaned in and whispered something in her ear, and Mòrag was able to get a good look at his face. Benjamin the Brain, one of the brigands the Grand Marshall had arrested when he attempted to apprehend Rex and Nia in Gormott.
"Is there a problem?" Grand Marshall Robalt asked.
"Not as of yet," Moui said. "But this is a dangerous precedent to set, Emperor Niall. What assurance do I have that you won't violate our sovereignty again?"
"Other than my word?" Niall asked. "I'm not sure what I could offer you. The situation we find ourselves in is untenable… Forgive me, I'm not quite certain what title to call you by."
"My title doesn't matter," Moui said. "And I agree the situation is… Poorly conceived. I would rather prevent a war, if at all possible."
"As would I. Mor Ardain does not intend to drag Gormott back under imperial rule, and if possible, I would prefer we live amicably. As neighbors."
"Yet you bring an army to our doorstep."
"A necessary precaution, I assure you."
"We should go," the Grand Marshall said, staring at the Driver in Ardainian armor. "It seems we've outstayed our welcome."
"We have a rare opportunity to speak with our neighbors. I'd like to make the most of it."
"What is there to speak about?" Moui asked.
"I've been in talks with Queen Raqura, and I think we can come to an understanding. A kind of alliance, if you will."
"I see…" Moui frowned, and Mòrag reached for her sword. Niall put out his hand, though.
"I'd like for you to join us. As an equal. I'll be extending the same opportunity to the rest of the nations, but I doubt most of them will hear me out. I hope you'll be more open-minded."
"Mor Ardain invaded our lands and slaughtered our people. Now that we're finally free, you want us to join you of our own free will?"
"As equals, yes. Partners in a new coalition of nations. To preserve the peace, foster trade, and guard our collective borders against outside threats."
"Mor Ardain poses the greatest threat to Gormott's continued existence. Forgive me for behind hesitant to invite you in. We all know how that turned out last time."
"That isn't true," Mòrag said. Niall turned around and raised an eyebrow, but he didn't tell her to stop, so she continued. She'd been giving this a great deal of thought, lately. "Mor Ardain did horrible things to Gormott, that can't be denied, but all our people wanted was stability. Empress Liùsaidh weaponized that sentiment, but we're no longer living on a dying Titan. Elysium has land and resources enough for everyone, Ardainian or otherwise. We have no reason to invade your people. But we stand to gain much from cooperation."
"I see…" Moui thought it over for a moment. "The decision will ultimately be up to the Senate, but… I have a hard time finding fault in your words. If you call a meeting with the other nations, we will at least be there to hear your appeal."
"It's all I can ask for," Niall said, smiling. "I think we've had a very productive afternoon, but it's time to head back."
"Right," the Grand Marshall said. He lingered for a moment. "What about you, Sergeant? Are you coming or not?"
"My people need me," the Driver in the Ardainian armor said. Now Mòrag remembered. He was Jac, the Driver that Consul Dughall had recruited just before he died.
"Normally, I'd court-martial you for that, but…" the Grand Marshall glanced back at Walraig. "I have a bad habit of being too harsh on my men. And I'm not sure I have the authority to give you orders anymore, anyway. Good luck, Sergeant."
"Thank you."
They went back to their ship, taking off for Mor Ardain, and the Gormotti watched them with weapons drawn the whole time. Of course, Mòrag kept her eye on them in turn, ready to respond if they tried anything. But she kept watching them long after the ship took off. She watched that small group fade into the distance for as long as she could. For some reason, she found she couldn't look away.
"Is something wrong?" Niall asked, walking up behind her.
"They don't trust us," she said.
"Of course they don't. The invasion of Gormott was only ten years ago. The pain mother inflicted is still fresh, for most of them."
"It's just frustrating, not being able to do anything about it."
"They'll come around. Unfortunately, it isn't a problem you can solve on the battlefield. But that's not what's really bothering you, is it?"
"I feel aimless," Mòrag confessed. "Like I don't know what I should be doing. Which is ridiculous. I'm here to protect you, obviously, but—"
"You don't need to protect me," Niall insisted. "I have plenty of protection, now, and with Walraig out of the picture, there aren't any lingering threats to my immediate safety. For the moment, at least, we have something akin to peace."
"It won't last, though. I realized that the moment we returned from defeating Malos. Eventually, someone or something is going to come along and shatter that peace. There are already people lining up to try."
"We go on regardless. It's still something we need to strive for, even if it can't last."
"And that's why I've stayed by your side, these past few months. Without me around, you're liable to get yourself killed. So why do I feel so frustrated?"
"Because you're not being honest with yourself."
"I…" Mòrag paused. She realized she'd fallen into old behaviors again. After the Cataclysm, the only thing on her mind had been Niall's safety. But she'd let herself be overtaken by that concern again.
"You miss the others," Niall observed.
"I suppose I do, yes. They've all gone their separate ways, now, and I feel lost. Left behind."
"You could leave, if you wanted to. Go find them, find what it is you want to do. I wouldn't stop you."
"I can't do that," she sighed. "After travelling the world with Rex, I've grown quite attached to it. I think that peace you're building is worth preserving, if we can. It's what the others would want. I just don't know what I can do."
"You're not going to get much done if you're stuck guarding me all day," Niall observed.
"No, I suppose not."
"But if you want to contribute, there are other ways to do it. I've been thinking about putting together a group of Drivers to solve some of the issues we've been running up against recently. A group that can help keep the peace, as it were. The Praetorian loyalists need to be dealt with sooner or later, and I think you'd be the right person for the job."
"Keeping the peace…" Mòrag muttered. "It sounds nice. I think I'd like that."
"It's good to see you smiling again," Niall noted, clapping her on the shoulder. She hadn't even realized she'd been smiling. But the prospect was appealing. For the first time since the Cataclysm, she felt like she knew what she was doing.
The whole complex was a mess, and the Coalition Drivers were hurrying every which way, trying to get a handle on the situation. The Spessian soldiers, meanwhile, seemed content to stand by and let things play out, which seemed to only add to the confusion. From what she could see, though, most of the delegates were accounted for. They stood in their own groups around the outer yard, and she could see Niall talking with some of the other Coalition representatives. If he was safe, then the next priority was figuring out what the hell was going on.
"Talk to me," she said, walking up behind Jac. It startled him a little, but he recovered quickly. Yachik was nearby, helping a couple of mercenaries restrain a Praetorian monk.
"Things went south," he said.
Probably the least helpful response he could've given. She wanted to glare at him, but instead, she gave him a moment to put his thoughts together. Patience was something she was trying to get better at, these days.
"Can you clarify?" she asked.
"Best I understand, Drognav attacked the Praetorians, and they responded by trying to torch the whole complex. We managed to nab a few, but most of them made it back to their Titan ship before we knew what was happening."
"And Drognav?"
"He's still holed up in the summit chambers. He refuses to leave until we kill the Praetorians."
"Of course." Mòrag pinched the bridge of her nose. Unless she wanted to cause an international incident, dealing with him would be difficult. Part of her just wanted to throw him in prison and call it a day, but that would put the whole Coalition at risk. They needed to deal with this diplomatically, somehow. And there was the matter of the Crone, on top of that.
"Are we dealing with him first?" Aegaeon asked.
"We might as well," she sighed, pulling out her beacon to ping Naddie. It took the woman a moment to respond.
"Director?" Naddie asked. "How's the summit going?"
"Poorly. The Praetorians made a mess of things, and now they're trying to flee in a Titan ship. Do we have any squadrons on standby?"
"Kaiser Squad is tracking that Shieldwall cell that hit Tantal's solar farms last week, and Ardent Squad still hasn't caught up with Walraig."
"Send Herald, then. Find out where they're fleeing to."
"Isn't Herald a little brute force for a surveillance job?"
"We could use a brute force solution right now. Just tell them not to kill anyone."
"Can do."
Mòrag hung up the beacon and nodded, moving toward the summit chambers. Her Blades were right behind her, and it only took Jac and Yachik a moment to catch up. As she moved through the courtyard, the other members of Cruiser Squad formed up around her.
"Director," Newt said, taking point next to Mòrag. "Who are we dealing with first?"
"Herald is after our runaway Praetorians, so we're handling Drognav."
"Who?" Benjamin asked.
"The Sthenosi delegate," Yachik said. "Try to pay attention during the briefing next time."
"What happened to the Crone?" Brighid asked. "Did we ever find out if he sent it?"
"Waldemar and Theory are taking the body to the workshop. Drognav clammed up when we asked him about it, though."
"Subtle," Brighid noted.
"We'll get answers one way or another," Mòrag said. She put her hands on the door to the chambers. "You all cover the exits. I'm going to speak with—"
"Mòrag," Reez said, stopping her. She'd been so focused she almost missed him. Godfrey and a few Coalition soldiers stood nearby, all keeping watch on the door.
"General," she said. "Is there a problem?"
"I hope you aren't planning on barging in and removing him by force."
"Only if he makes me."
"This is a delicate situation. I know you're used to solving your problems head on, and I can respect that, but we can't feed into every false perception of how we operate."
"What do you suggest we do, wait for him to calm down?"
"Yes."
"We'd be letting him throw his weight around with no consequence. Other nations will start to believe they can follow suit."
"That's the council's problem, not ours. Niall's orders were explicit. We're not supposed to do anything that might make us more enemies."
"If I have to use force to get him to see reason, he was already our enemy."
"Doesn't matter," Reez said. "We can't take the risk."
"Well then I'm very lucky neither you nor Niall actually have the authority to give me orders."
She pushed the door open.
"Mòrag!" Reez shouted. She stepped inside before he could grab her, and he stumbled forward. There was a growl from further inside the chamber.
Most of the lights in the room were off, but Mòrag could see the desks she'd destroyed during her very brief struggle with Jibril. A few more seemed to have been thrown about since she was called away. Probably during Drognav's rampage.
"Are the Praetorians dead?" Drognav asked. He sat in the dark, above where the delegates had gathered for the summit. Mòrag could only see his eyes and the vague outline of his antlers.
"We're dealing with them as we see fit," Mòrag asked. "I doubt our measures would meet your standards, though."
"Then why are you here?"
"Because I need to know whether or not you're going to obstruct the summit any further."
"You people." He shook his head and stood up. "All you care about is appearances. When I talk of the pain the Praetorium has inflicted on my people, you insist we appear civil. When I tell you your actions are harming what we hold as sacred, you insist we appear reasonable and willing to negotiate. Our pain is not negotiable, Inquisitor."
"You agreed to attend this summit, and you agreed to abide by its rules. One of those rules was that the delegates would remain peaceful. Yet you attacked the Praetorians."
"Rules constructed to suit you, and no one else. Not all of us have the luxury of remaining peaceful."
Drognav's antlers began to grow as he walked toward Mòrag. His whole body followed, growing to nearly twice his original size. Mòrag placed one hand on her swords, as a precaution, but otherwise she held her ground. Shapeshifting hadn't been in the briefing, but she wouldn't let that catch her off guard.
"And yet you still chose to attend," she said, staring up at his now hulking form.
"Better to attend knowing I can't abide by the rules than allow you to ignore us."
"So you can protest our expansion?"
"That too, yes. But the world is dying, and your Coalition has not taken notice. Or perhaps they don't care."
"I'm… not sure what you mean."
Drognav's mouth—or, snout? She couldn't tell, exactly. He was still in the dark. Either way, his face twisted into a grimace.
"The Titans, Inquisitor. They are all we have left of the old world. The old natural order. And they are dying out. They can't sustain themselves anymore, not without the Cloud Sea. And once they're gone, what will we have left?"
"We can't do anything about the Titans dying off. It is doubtless a great tragedy, but we have to look after our people first."
"Looking after people before nature. A typical mindset of an imperialist. Never mind that without the natural world, humanity cannot survive."
"I wish there were more I could do, but my job is to safeguard this summit. I need to know if you're going to attack the other delegates like you did the Praetorians."
"No." Drognav stepped back. "I'm under no illusions about my options, here. So long as the Praetorians are gone, I will remain civil."
"Will you be attending tomorrow?"
"If only to bear witness, yes. Someone needs to tell Sthenos what comes of this."
"I look forward to seeing you tomorrow, then." Mòrag stepped aside and motioned toward the door. "But before I go, I have a few more questions for you. I want to know about the Crone you brought."
Drognav's fur stood on end, and for a moment it seemed like he would attack her. Somehow, though, he managed to restrain himself.
"I'll warn you now, Inquisitor." Drognav stepped into the light, and as he did, his form returned to normal. "We're doing what is necessary. Stand in our way again, and you will regret it."
"Scary," Niall said, leaning against the door frame. Mòrag whirled around in an instant, ready to place herself between Drognav and her brother the moment something happened.
"We're past making threats," Drognav said. "This is a promise."
"I'd be much more inclined to believe you if your Crone wasn't dead."
Drognav was practically shaking, now. Fists clenched, he stepped forward to move Niall aside. Mòrag stepped between them, one sword partially drawn from her sheath.
"You asked me to be civil," Drognav growled. "Why do you insist on making that so difficult?"
"You insisted on bringing an assassin to the summit." Niall shrugged. "It's a rule you never intended to follow."
"And your dog threatening to kill me is any different?" Drognav let out a dry laugh. "You're a hypocrite, Emperor Niall."
"Your Crone attacked my friends," Mòrag said. "You're lucky I haven't done the same to you."
"Sthenos took the actions it deemed necessary for the world. I had no say in the matter."
"So you did bring it."
"Sthenos saw fit to send it."
"Mòrag," Niall said, stepping back into the hallway. "Arrest this man."
Drognav stared at her, his fur bristling. She could tell he was ready to return to his battle form at a moment's notice. But… There was no point in arresting him now. It would only cause more problems.
"No," she said, sheathing her sword. "He's a foreign delegate. So long as he behaves himself, I have no reason or authority to arrest him."
"That's an order, Mòrag."
"Take it up with the Council." Mòrag stepped aside, giving Drognav the space to pass. He smiled at her, though there didn't seem to be any joy behind it.
"At least you're committed," he said. "Good day, all of you."
Niall sighed as Drognav pushed past him. Then, after the man turned his back to him, Niall whistled. Drognav barely had enough time to turn around before a wave of ice slammed into him.
Godfrey and Reez stepped forward, weapons ready, as Drognav began to shift. He nearly doubled in size, taking on bestial features and crashing through the ice. Godfrey threw out another wave to stop him, but he jumped, letting the ice scrape along his chest. He didn't even seem to notice. His eyes were fixed firmly on Niall.
But Mòrag reached him first, drawing a sword with her good arm and stepping in front of Drognav. Both her Blades threw up shields, and they managed to stop him before he tore through her. He tried to scramble around the shields, but Godfrey hit him with another wave of ice before he could. Aegaeon did as well, and the two of them managed to encase his whole body before too long.
"That takes care of that," Niall said.
"What were you thinking?" Mòrag asked. She stared at him in disbelief, but it took him several seconds to offer an answer.
"Forgive me," he sighed. "I'm used to having your support. It threw me, for a moment, when you didn't do as I asked."
"That's not what I mean. Why did you just attack a foreign delegate?"
"We laid out very clear rules for this summit. He broke them when he brought that monster to attack your friends, and he broke them again when he attacked the Praetorians. He needs to face consequences."
"Sthenos won't take kindly to that."
"I'm not keeping him in prison forever. Just until we have a chance to talk and make sure he understands why it was necessary."
"I don't think you'll have much luck in that regard."
"Perhaps not," Niall said. "But it can't hurt to try."
"The other nations won't trust us if we imprison their delegates."
"They already don't trust us. This summit has made that abundantly clear. If we're going to keep the peace, we need to do more than appeal to their better nature. As nice a speech as Nia gave, it doesn't solve our Spessia problem."
"Do you really think Spessia is preparing for war?" Mòrag asked. Niall's face darkened.
"At this point?" He glanced back at Drognav. "I don't think they're the only ones."
"This just feels…" Mòrag sighed. "I can't put my finger on it, exactly, but I don't like it."
"Well, you've made that clear." Niall shrugged. "I suppose I should be grateful someone's around to keep me in check. It does feel strange, though. Not being on the same page, I mean."
"We've disagreed plenty of times, especially when we were kids. I think maybe you've gotten used to pulling rank."
"Maybe. But this isn't like when we were kids, Mòrag. Your support is one of the things that's kept me sane this long."
"You'll always have my support." Mòrag put a hand on his shoulder. "And that includes telling you this is a bad idea."
"I appreciate it. But the deed's done. Nothing we can do but—"
An explosion ripped through the hallway, knocking them both off their feet. A moment later, Newt flew over Drognav's ice prison, slamming into the wall, and as she fell to the ground, Something else fell with her. Slowly, the headless body of the Crone unfurled from her back, one hand holding her katana, the other holding its severed head.
Mòrag rushed it, whipping her swords out to catch it in the chest. But it held its head up, and a blast of wind ether poured out of the mouth, forcing her back. Then it held the katana out toward the ice encasing Drognav and unleashed a blast of fire.
"Kill it!" Mòrag shouted. She tossed Brighid one of her swords and held out her hand for Aegaeon's katana. With both weapons in hand, she swung them in a cross, sending out two waves of ether. The Crone's head poured out more wind to stop her attack, but Brighid struck it from the side, knocking it over.
Praxis and Jac bounded over the ice and swung their weapons down at the Crone's body, but it raised the katana and blocked both strikes. Praxis forced a wave of water out of her lance, drenching the Crone and, for the moment, preventing it from using the sword. In response, it screeched, slamming its head into Praxis's chest and blasting her back with a wave of ether.
Mòrag drove her sword into its side before it could hit Jac as well, and Aegaeon began growing ice crystals around its feet. But the Crone's head simply grit its teeth, producing a low growling sound, and a pulse of ether cascaded out from it. Mòrag was forced back, and cracks began to form along Drognav's prison.
Benjamin emerged from a door further down the hallway and whistled. His Blade bounded over the ice and roared, engulfing the Crone in a blast of flame. Then a moment later, they crashed into each other, sending the Crone sprawling and forcing it to drop the head while it got back to its feet. While it recovered, Brighid struck it with another blast of fire, knocking it back down, and Benjamin's Blade quickly got the katana away from it.
All at once, however, the fire contorted, wrenching out of Brighid's control and slamming into the ice. Drognav began to thrash around as the ice weakened, and with a thunderous crack, he split his prison in two. But rather than go on the offensive, he just stood and stared, glaring at Niall and Mòrag.
She moved back, standing over Niall and keeping both enemies in her field of view. At any moment, she expected either of them to continue the assault. But instead, the Crone collected its head and walked over to Drognav. The head's mouth twisted itself into a jaw-splitting grin, and black smoke began to pour out from between its teeth.
"Disappointing," Drognav growled. "If you get in our way again, I won't be so forgiving."
He and the Crone stepped back, engulfing themselves in the smoke, and Mòrag rushed forward. Everyone who could still move followed her lead, but by the time they reached the smoke, Drognav and the Crone were gone.
"Sir," Jac said, looking around. "Waldemar and Theory. They might be injured."
Mòrag nodded for the door. "Go."
He and Yachik took off, and Mòrag passed her weapons back to her Blades, moving to check on the others. Ixis lay near one of the doors, barely conscious. The Crone must have caught her off guard. Godfrey and Reez didn't look much better, but at least they were still on their feet. Newt was out, though. Whatever the Crone had done to her, it seemed to have basically shut her down.
"What the hell was that?" Reez asked.
"That was the Crone," Mòrag said.
"Fucking…" He shook his head. "I need a smoke. Come get me if anything else decides to blow up."
He and Godfrey trudged back to the courtyard, and Cruiser Squad gathered up their wounded and headed for the nearest medical station.
"Well," Niall said, pulling himself to his feet. "That could have gone better. I thought that thing was dead."
"It was," Brighid said.
"The rest of the summit is going to be very interesting. I guess I need to figure out how to explain this to the other Coalition members."
"You didn't tell them?" Mòrag asked.
"About the arrest? I consulted who I could find. Queen Raqura and Chancellor Diarkis both agreed something needed to be done. Robalt too, but he usually agrees with me on principle."
"I'll increase your security," Mòrag said. "Sthenos might send another Crone after us."
"Thank you. I wish that could have gone better, but at least we know who our enemies are now. And what they're capable of."
"Right." Mòrag nodded, but she didn't feel so confident. Sthenos obviously had an agenda, but if Niall hadn't provoked them, then perhaps they could have reached a compromise. It was the same with the Praetorians. He invited groups he knew would be at each other's throats, seemingly with no heed to the consequences. Even for him, it was a little naïve to think they'd be able to put aside their differences and discuss things amicably.
Or, had that been the point? Get the Sthenosi and the Praetorians to tear into each other and eliminate two problems at once? It felt very similar to what their mother would do, given the situation. Still, if that had been his goal, it clearly backfired, and it wasn't like Niall to make such a basic mistake. She needed to be sure.
"Did you hate Liùsaidh?" She asked. He stared at her for a moment.
"Where is this coming from?"
"Humor me."
"She was a monster. But I don't think I can bring myself to hate her. As horrible as she was, she was just trying to protect our people. I think I understand her, even if I disagree with the lengths she went to."
Mòrag frowned. It was just about the answer she'd been expecting. A little forgiving, maybe, but Niall had always tried to see the best in people. She was probably overthinking things. He'd spent nearly a decade advocating for peace. He wouldn't abandon that now.
Still, it was better to keep an eye on him, just in case. As much as she still felt responsible for his safety, her job was to protect the Coalition. Nothing could take priority over that. Not even him.