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"

1. Prologue, A Brighter Future, Part 1

Nia felt the strain on her core as she manipulated the ether, trying to contort it tighter and tighter. It needed to permeate every nook and cranny of the Core Crystal if she had any hope of fixing the damage. But the more she pushed, the more pain flared in her chest. The scar extending from her own core began to glow, and she backed off.

It had been like this for weeks, and she hadn't made any progress. Dromarch's core was functioning again, but it had solidified before she'd managed to fully repair it. And it was too complex an object to brute-force her way through. Making a person from scratch would've probably been an easier feat. Still, she tried regardless, and all she'd gotten for her efforts was ether overload. Every time she pushed herself to fix him, the scar on her chest got a little larger.

"Nia!" Rex called out, calling her attention away from the unconscious Dromarch. She poked her head out of the tent and waved him down.

"What's going on?" she asked.

"Mòrag's calling all hands on deck. I think she wants to deal with the Marsanes situation. You down?"

"Sure," she said, stepping out of the tent. It would be a good distraction from her absolute failure to make any progress here. The two of them headed for the shore, just outside the evacuation camp for Alba Cavanich. The others were already gathered there.

"Anything?" Rex asked as they approached.

"No movement since it washed up," Mòrag said. She had one arm in a sling and used the other to offer him a pair of binoculars. He took them and studied the wreck. "I very much doubt he managed to survive the blast."

"How does something like this manage to wash up in the first place?" Zeke asked. "It's a giant robot, I would've thought it'd sink."

"This only head," Tora corrected him. "Could be light enough for currents to drag closer to shore."

"Why the entourage?" Nia asked. She motioned back over her shoulder at the soldiers accompanying them. It seemed like half the Ardainian military were brandishing weapons at the wreck.

"It's Torna's warship," Zeke pointed out. "They did try to kill us a few times, remember?"

"Torna are dead, Zeke. What can they do to us?"

"The emperor wants to be cautious," Mòrag said. "Even if Torna didn't leave any surprises behind, it's still highly unstable ancient technology. There's no telling what might happen."

"Well, we can't just leave it sitting here," Nia said. "I say we take a look inside. See if there's anything left we could use."

"Sure," Rex said. He offered the binoculars back to Mòrag. "I'm game."

"Always wanted look at Tornan technology," Tora said. "Should get Poppi first, though. Poppi not want to miss this."

"Is she doing alright?" Brighid asked. "She hasn't left her tent in days, it feels like."

"Still figuring things out. But Poppi and Esra seem to be reaching understanding."

"Good. That's good. I told myself I'd look after her, with Pyra and Mythra gone, but…" She glanced back at Rex.

"It's fine," he said. "No use pretending it didn't happen."

"My other duties have kept me rather busy. It's good to know she's finding her own way."

"Come now," Mòrag said, rising from her chair. "I'm not so infirm that I need you to look after me every hour of the day. If we're exploring this wreckage, then we'd better get started before—"

She stepped forward and immediately lost her balance. Brighid stepped forward to catch her, casually moving under her arm to support her.

"I think that's enough for today," Brighid said.

"Need another session?" Nia asked. She held out her hand, manifesting some water ether. "I could probably figure out what's wrong."

"I'll live," Mòrag said. "Making sure this isn't a threat is the bigger priority. If you find anything, bring it to Aegaeon straight away, understood?"

"We're not soldiers, Mòrag."

"But we'll do what we can," Rex said. He whistled, and after a moment, Roc broke from circling over the wreck and landed next to them.

"Nothing weird going on in the ether," he said. "We taking a look inside?"

"Yeah."

"Keep me appraised," Mòrag said as she limped off, trying to put as little of her weight as possible on Brighid.

"You coming?" Nia asked, turning to Zeke.

"I suppose," he said. "Pandy, you feeling up to some exploration?"

"It's not like we've got anything better to do," she said.

"Try not to let him break anything," Rex said. "There could be some very valuable salvage in there. It'd be a shame to lose it to a stray bolt of electricity."

"I'll do my best," Pandoria said.

"Hey!" Zeke protested. "I resent that insinuation! I am not some bumbling fool!"

"Could've fooled me," Nia said.

"Lies and slander. If anything, Furry Ears, I'd have picked you as the one to keep an eye on. Every time you move in that nightgown, I feel like you're going to trip and break your nose."

"Nightgown?" she asked. She looked down at her dress. Where had he gotten that idea from? "Is that really the best you can do?"

"It's flowy! Frankly, I'm surprised it doesn't catch on everything you walk past."

"Why don't we get going?" Roc asked. He and Rex started moving, and the rest of them fell in closely behind. Except Tora, anyway. He ran off to find Poppi.

As they approached the wreckage, however, another group of soldiers arrived. They hurried up to Aegaeon, speaking with him in hushed tones, and after a moment, he called out.

"Zeke!" he shouted. "Big news! Azurda's back, and he's brought company! There's a messenger from Tantal that wants to talk to you!"

"Damnit," he muttered. "I was hoping we had some more time before this happened."

"Before what happened?" Nia asked.

"My father. He'll probably want me to come back home, now that…" He motioned vaguely around him. "He's probably getting anxious without an heir to take over once he inevitably kicks the bucket."

"Sounds like something we should deal with," Pandoria said.

"Yeah." Zeke sighed, deflating a little. One of the rare moments he showed any kind of emotional vulnerability. Then, in the blink of an eye, he returned to his old self, and he and Pandoria headed off toward Aegaeon.

"Going to have to take a rain check on exploring dangerous ancient wreckage," he said.

"I'm holding you to that," Nia said.

"You'd better!" he called back.

It was strange, watching him walk away. She'd only known the others for a comparatively short time. A few months, perhaps. But after everything they'd been through, everything they'd accomplished together, they were like her new family. And now they were drifting apart. Mòrag devoted more and more of her time to helping Niall get Mor Ardain back on its feet. Tora was starting work with his father to help the Artificial Blades start new lives. And now Zeke's royal duties had come calling. One by one, these people whose presence she'd been taking for granted were beginning to go their separate ways. It was… Disheartening to think about.

Not having Dromarch by her side only made the problem worse. They'd been through everything together. For years, it had been the two of them against the world. And now… He was alive, at least, but he wasn't recovering. He wasn't remembering. She wanted to help him get better, but she didn't know how. Dealing with this wreckage was a welcome distraction from that. But she didn't know what came after. They'd found Elysium, and now she didn't know what to do next.

She'd expected the control room would be in shambles. The main engines exploding had torn the Marsanes limb from limb and taken Indol with it. Naturally, she'd assumed it had taken out Mikhail too. But when they cracked the door to the control room open, she felt the last thing she'd been expecting. She could still feel his Core Crystal, resonating ever-so-faintly in the darkness.

"He's alive," she muttered.

"What?" Rex asked.

"He's alive!" She rushed forward, drawing out ether to push the rubble aside. After moving a few of the bigger pieces, she could finally see the glow of his Core Crystal. It looked very, very dim.

The rest of him wasn't in much better shape, and the more rubble she moved, the worse it seemed to get. His armor had shattered, and the skin around his Core Crystal had turned a sickly black color. An arm was missing, as was most of his lower body. Crushed and strewn out around him. And anything that had survived had been pierced by shrapnel a dozen times over.

"Titan's breath," Rex muttered. "Is he… Are you sure he's alive?"

"He's a Blade Eater," Nia said. "They don't die easy."

She reached out with her ether, grabbing everything of him that she could, and began putting him back together. It took some time, and even after he was whole again, he didn't wake up. At least not until she started trying to revive the flesh around his Core Crystal. Then he screamed. Rex rushed forward and held him down while she finished, but the second she pulled her ether back, he shot up. Then he sat there for a minute, clutching his chest and struggling for breath. Eventually, he calmed down enough to speak.

"Damnit, Nia!" he shouted. "Can't you let a guy die in peace?"

He tried to say more, but instead he broke down in a horrendous coughing fit.

"Good to see you too," she said.

"I'd planned to go out in style," he continued. "Take out the Praetorium, finally look cool in front of Patroka… And you had to go and ruin it."

"This is what you want to talk about?" she asked. "You're not curious what happened at the World Tree?"

"I can make a pretty good guess. I assume Jin didn't make it?"

"He died trying to take out Amalthus," Rex said. "So did Akhos and Patroka."

"Amalthus…" Mikhail muttered. He took a moment to process that. "Tell me you killed the bastard."

"And Malos too. It's over."

"Good." Mikhail closed his eyes and smiled. "I guess I shouldn't keep them waiting, then."

"What?" Nia asked. "I go through all that trouble to put you back together, and you want to go and die on me? No. I'm not allowing it."

"You want to keep me alive? After everything we did? All the killing?"

"We're not murderers," Rex said. "Not unless you give us no other choice."

"The world ended, Mikhail," Nia said. "We've found Elysium. Land enough for every nation to live on for generations. People have moved on."

"I…" Mikhail laughed. "I can't believe it. All that idealistic crap you used to talk about, all the stuff we never took seriously, and you ended up being right. What's next, we going to make a safe haven for Blades who don't want to fight anymore?"

"That seems rather specific," Rex noted.

"Jin and I tossed around the idea," Nia said. "He seemed to like it, but the others were never really on board. The idea was to build a place that was truly our own, with no humans dictating the rules. A place where we could finally build our own culture and keep our own history."

"Sounds nice," Rex said. "It might actually work, now that the Praetorium is gone and all the other nations are too busy rebuilding to be at each other's throats."

"Yeah," Nia said. Honestly, she'd forgotten about the idea. Somewhere along the way, after Torna had switched from freeing Blades to attacking strategic targets, she'd quietly dropped it. It wasn't practical, she'd told herself. It could wait until they'd found Elysium.

Well, now they had found Elysium. The old world was shattered, and if there was ever a time to build something new, then this was it. She offered a hand to Mikhail.

"What do you say, Mik? Still think the idea's a crazy pipe dream now?"

"Not at all," he said. He took her hand, and she pulled him to his feet. "You did what even Jin couldn't do. If anyone's going to pull this off, it'll be you. Hell, I might even help you do it. It's not like I've got much else going on at the moment."

"Good," Nia said. "I could use another pair of hands."

"Not sure how well the Ardainians are going to take that," Rex said. "Aren't you, like, the fifth most wanted man in the empire?"

"With the rest of Torna dead, I'm probably second," Mikhail said, "Hell, if Walraig kicked the bucket, I could even be number one."

"Let me talk to Mòrag, then," Rex said. "We do still owe you for saving us back at the World Tree, so I'm sure she can get you a pardon."

"You'd do that?" Mikhail asked. "I… Honestly, I thought you might still be holding a grudge."

"I'm not, but she probably is, which is why I'm going to talk to her, and you're going to be on your best behavior."

"Thanks." Mikhail flashed a grin. "You're really saving my hide, here."

"Do not make me regret this," Rex said. "Is that clear?"

"Perfectly." Mikhail spun around to look at Nia. "So when do we start?"

"I've got some duties to attend to back at the camp," she said. "People to heal. Mòrag's been refusing treatment, so I'll need Brighid's help to force her down while I put the rest of her back together. After that, though, we're heading for Temperantia."

"I see." Mikhail nodded. "Smart."

"Leaving already?" Rex asked. "Though, I guess we've all got places to be. Zeke might be heading back to Tantal soon, and I've been thinking about returning to Leftheria. I need to make sure Auntie Corinne and the others are alright."

"We can't hang around here forever," Nia agreed. "There's a whole world out there that needs changing, remember?"

"Actually, I think I'm going to leave this one to you. I've had enough world-changing for one lifetime."

"No," Mikhail said. "You're the Aegis Driver. You don't get to retire just because you've had your fill. Look at what happened the first time Mythra stepped back. I'm not going to let the Aegis abdicate responsibility a second time."

"You don't need to worry about that," Rex said. He took his necklace off and held it out to Mikhail. "There aren't any Aegises left anymore. Now, I'm just a salvager who knows a thing or two about using a Blade."

"I…" Mikhail stared at the inert Aegis Core, like he couldn't understand what he was seeing. "She's really dead?"

"She gave her life to save Alrest."

"Damn." Mikhail shook his head. "Now I feel like an asshole."

"You kind of are," Nia said.

"Point taken, I suppose."

"It's fine," Rex said. "At some point, we've all got to move on. I'm going back to Leftheria to look after my family, but rest assured, I'll be rooting for you two. I'm excited to see how you're going to change the world a second time."

"So am I," Nia said. As they stood there, she was already drawing up plans in her head. Plans she'd abandoned years ago, all now suddenly doable. But to pull them off, they were going to need help. The others probably would have been willing to pitch in, but they had their own commitments. She needed more people like Mikhail. People willing to believe in the dream, and who had nothing to lose. There were only a few who came to mind. The other Flesh Eaters.

"So what's step one?" Mikhail asked.

"Step one is we secure the Blades Torna gathered over the years. Someone needs to make sure they don't fall into the wrong hands. Once that's done, we're going recruiting."

---

For years, Zeke had thought of himself as the only one of his kind. The only Blade Eater in Alrest. It had been exciting, to be so unique, but also a touch alienating. Then he'd learned that Mikhail wasn't a Flesh Eater like everyone else in Torna. He was a Blade Eater too. So for weeks, Zeke had been kicking himself over the fact he'd missed his one shot at meeting someone else like him. Other than Amalthus, anyway. But Amalthus didn't really get to count, on account of trying to kill everyone.

Which was why he'd been so excited when the Marsanes had washed ashore. Finally, he might get the chance to speak to Mikhail face-to-face. To talk to another Blade Eater. He wasn't sure what he wanted to actually say to the man, exactly, and he wasn't sure if Mikhail was still alive in the first place. But the only way to find out was to head inside the Marsanes and take a look.

Only he wasn't heading inside the Marsanes. He was heading in quite the opposite direction. The Tantalese delegation couldn't have picked a worse time to appear than right now. Dragging him away from the only thing on his mind, likely to badger him with a lot of trivial nonsense.

"I wasn't expecting to see Azurda get back so soon," Pandoria said. "That must mean the other Titans landed pretty close."

"Probably," Zeke said. "Which means it'll be business as usual soon."

"You think?"

"Well, maybe not quite. The Praetorium's gone, so who knows what Mor Ardain and Uraya will do next. But I'm not holding my breath that everyone's about to hold hands and sing campfire songs."

"Mor Ardain barely has any infrastructure," Pandoria noted. "It's not like they have the capacity to go to war any time soon."

"Yeah, but they've also got an army of Artificial Blades and all the Core Crystals that Torna stole, thanks to Tora and his dad. So I honestly doubt they'll be hurting for military power."

"You really think Emperor Niall is going to risk another war so soon after everything?"

"You think Queen Raqura won't? When has that woman ever missed an opportunity like this?"

"Fair point," Pandoria conceded. The camp was in view, now, and Zeke could see Azurda looming over the new arrivals. "Just try not to start anything, alright? No sense losing our cool while the peace lasts."

"I'll be good," Zeke promised.

As they reached the group, he regretted that decision instantly. Queen Raqura had apparently elected to send just about the worse messenger possible to speak with the Ardainians. Her own son. Prince Baeldurk. Just about the last person alive Zeke ever wanted to see again. Fortunately, he was busy conversing with Emperor Niall, so for the moment, Zeke was in the clear.

Immediately, he sought out the Tantalese messenger to escape the Prince's notice. Luckily, he was easy to spot in his overbearing fur coat. It was Fortis, his father's personal assistant, the head of the palace staff, and an all-around pain in Zeke's ass. Still, he'd take his father over Bael.

"Fortis," he said, catching the man's attention and beckoning him over. Reluctantly, Fortis broke from the group waiting on the emperor's attention and walked over to Zeke.

"Prince," he said. "Good, I was told you'd be here."

"How are things back home?" Zeke asked. "Is dad alright?"

"His Majesty is in good health, prince. I'm sure he'll be glad to know you asked about him."

"Good. That's good. How about the rest of the country? Things survive the attack alright?"

"Herald and KOS-MOS kept the worst of the enemy at bay, and thanks to them, we were able to evacuate most of the civilians. His Majesty wishes to commend you and your companions for putting a swift end to the calamity. Without that, we may not have lasted."

"Well, it's good to finally have him approve of something I do."

Pandoria punched him in the arm, lightly.

"Be good," she reminded him.

"I don't think I'm capable of taking offense at the prince's remarks anymore," Fortis said. "Even on His Majesty's behalf. But thank you for thinking of me anyway."

"I try," Pandoria said.

"Well, it's good that things are going swell at home," Zeke said. "Here to talk to the emperor about resuming diplomatic relations?"

"Among other things," Fortis said. "But I would not describe the situation in Tantal as 'swell'. The people are restless, and without the Praetorium to trade with, food is becoming scarce."

"Same as it ever was."

"His Majesty was hoping you could convince Mor Ardain to lend us aid, seeing as you have the emperor's ear, now."

"Where'd you get that idea?"

"You are friends with the emperor's sister. Or were, when last you visited."

"Yeah, but it's not like that gives me much sway with the emperor himself. Mòrag isn't exactly the politically-minded type."

"Prince, the people will soon face starvation. If you—"

"Alright," Zeke said, throwing his arms up. "I get the picture. But I'm not sure my word is going to do much good. I don't know if you've noticed, but Mor Ardain doesn't exactly have food to spare at the moment."

"Yes, I had feared that was the case. But Queen Raqura already turned down our request, and Gormott is currently in the middle of heavy civil unrest. We have few others to turn to."

"I'll see what I can do, then," Zeke sighed. He glanced over at the emperor, and Bael was still chatting him up. He really didn't want to wade into that right now, but…

"I'll deal with him," Pandoria muttered. "Give me a minute."

She walked off to do something mischievous, leaving Zeke alone with Fortis for the moment.

"Do I want to know?" Fortis asked.

"Not really," Zeke said. Fortis nodded and let the subject drop. "I assume dad wants me to come back?"

"With all due haste, yes. The kingdom is in disarray, and it would be good to have the Crown Prince back at home. It should set the people at ease, especially with the reputation you've garnered as one of the Aegis's companions."

"The old man's really turned over a new leaf, huh? Never thought I'd see the day he actually wanted me to come back."

"His Mjesty wishes to leave the past in the past and focus on the future. He wishes to make amends."

"Yeah, well…" Zeke shrugged. "He could've bloody told me that himself, if he cares so much."

"His duties kept him from making the journey in person, but I can assure you of his sincerity."

"I don't doubt him, honestly. Takes a lot of balls to admit the family secrets like he did, so I buy that he's trying. I just don't much care."

"Prince?"

"I can't just up and leave. People are counting on me here. I've made commitments, and we're actually managing to do some good, as slow going as it's been."

"You would place your personal duties above your duty to Tantal?"

"Tantal?" Zeke asked. "Who cares about Tantal? Or Mor Ardain, for that matter? Or Uraya? Idiots, that's who. The second we put a crown or a flag above the people they're supposed to represent, we've failed. I'm here to help people, not any particular nation. So I'll do my best to get Tantal the food, but I'm not doing it for crown and country, yeah? I'm doing it for the people. And right now, the people who need my help the most are the ones I can see right in front of me."

"I see," Fortis said. "I should have expected this outcome. I won't hold out hope that you change your mind, but His Majesty will be devastated to know you won't be returning."

"He'll get over it," Zeke said. "He has before."

"If only that were true, prince."

That surprised Zeke. He hadn't known Fortis to joke or lie about something like that. But he'd never known his father to express any emotion besides disappointment. He hadn't thought his absence would affect the man very much, but… Was it possible he was wrong? Did his dad miss him? He couldn't imagine so, but he couldn't imagine Fortis lying either.

"Hey!" Pandoria shouted, getting everyone's attention. She motioned over to a pile of supplies near Azurda. Probably all stuff the delegates brought with them. There was a large rhogul perched on top.

With a swing of his horn, Azurda tried to scare the bird away, but he "accidentally" struck the stack of luggage instead. Stuff rained down everywhere, and immediately the Urayan delegation panicked, scrambling to grab things before the wind could blow them away.

"I suppose that's your cue," Fortis said. "I should go see about my sleeping arrangements, I think. If you change your mind—"

"I know," Zeke said, cutting him off. "I'll… Think about it, I suppose."

"I can live with that."

Fortis bowed, and Zeke headed off to speak with Niall, now that Bael was distracted. Pandoria joined him along the way.

"We owe Azurda a favor," she muttered.

"Better than the alternative," Zeke replied. He raised his hand and waved as the emperor noticed them approaching. "Niall! How goes it?"

"Good," Niall said. "Shall I pretend not to know that was your doing just now?"

"I think that'd be best."

Niall nodded. "As you wish."

"What are you up to now?" Mòrag asked.

"There's too many politicians around," Zeke said. "And I'd prefer to talk without all their cloying…" He made grabbing motions with his hands, unable to come up with a word.

"Insincerity?" Pandoria offered.

"That too, I suppose." Zeke shrugged. "It'll come to me."

"You needed to talk?" Niall asked, reminding him why he was there.

"Right. I hate to ask this of you when your people are already struggling, but… Tantal is running out of food. Things back home have always been a little on the lean side, but now that trade's collapsed, we don't have enough to feed everyone."

"I see. Not to cast aspersions, but this outcome seemed inevitable, given how little Tantal engaged with the outside world."

"I knew this'd be coming sooner or later," Zeke said. "I just didn't think it'd happen this soon. I know this is a hard ask, but would Mor Ardain be able to spare some food? I'm sure this'll only be temporary. If I know my father, he'll be rushing to establish new farms in the surrounding lands as quickly as possible."

"I wish I could help." Niall sighed. "But keeping my own people fed is already going to be a challenge, come winter. If we spare too many supplies, we may face starvation ourselves."

"I figured you'd say that," Zeke said. He sighed. "Guess we're on our own, huh?"

"Not necessarily," Mòrag said. "Mor Ardain prepared a great deal of supplies for our inevitable relocation to Gormott. Most of that should be intact, yes?"

After a moment, Niall realized she was talking to him.

"Yes, it should," he said. "But I had planned to use those stockpiles to feed our people in the event our first harvest doesn't pan out. I'm not willing to gamble our people's security like that."

"Your Majesty," Mòrag said. "We cannot think only of ourselves. The people of Tantal are in need. Zeke's people are in need. I'm not willing to abandon him so readily. I owe him that much, and so do you."

Zeke smiled to himself as Niall weighed his sister's words. He hadn't thought Mòrag would go out on a limb like this, least of all for him. She'd changed more than he realized.

"Very well," Niall said. "But I have a condition."

"That's rather unlike you," Zeke said. "Usually you don't go in for these kinds of political games."

"Desperate times. Do you know when Tantal's last shipment to the Praetorium was?"

That revelation took Zeke somewhat by surprise. That was privileged information, so how did he know about it? He glanced at Mòrag, one eyebrow raised.

"I didn't tell him," she insisted.

"Indeed," Niall said. "My sister has kept your confidence remarkably well. The survivors from Indol, however, have not been so generous. Magister Yvalle has been especially forthcoming about the various misdeeds committed under Praetor Amalthus's rule. Including the less-than-legitimate circumstances of the Tantalese royal family's ascension to the throne."

"Is that a threat?" Zeke asked.

"Hardly," Niall said. He let out a short laugh. "Come now, you should know me better than that. I don't plan on acting on that information. But it is information I possess nonetheless. You deserve to know that."

"Where is this going?"

"Going by what Magister Yvalle has told me, Tantal stopped sending their regular shipments just after Senator Roderich's subpar attempt at an insurrection. So I'd wager you have a good stockpile of Core Chips sitting in the royal storehouses."

"Probably," Zeke admitted. "And you want us to give you them in exchange for the food."

"I have to look out for my people," Niall said. "We lost most of our infrastructure when we lost our Titan, and those Core Chips should accelerate our rebuilding efforts considerably. We'll be able to mitigate the impact of a potential failed harvest, and in exchange, the people of Tantal will have full stomachs. We all benefit."

"Tantal could use those Core Chips."

"Tantal still has a Titan for shelter," Niall pointed out. "And for mining, should the need arise. All we can do is strip what little ether remains from Mor Ardain's corpse. You're a smart man, Zeke. I'm offering you security and stability for your whole nation. For both our sakes, take this deal."

"I stand corrected," Zeke said. "I always figured you were too honest for your own good. But you play the game better than anyone else I've met." Zeke sighed. "You're not leaving me with much choice here, but if that's what it takes, then fine. I'll tell Fortis to expect an offer."

"Good." Niall smiled. "I'm glad we could reach an agreement."

"Now if you'll excuse me, I've got a lot on my plate right now."

"I understand." Niall reached out his hand, and Zeke shook it. "Best of luck with everything, Zeke."

"You too," Zeke said. He gave Mòrag a salute before heading off.

"Are we going back to the Marsanes?" Pandoria asked. "I'm sure they've already found everything interesting, but it can't hurt to take a look."

"No," Zeke said. "I'm heading back the tent. I need to think."

"Politics got you down?"

"Yes. No. I… I thought things would change once we took down Amalthus. I thought maybe, with the Praetor out of the picture, things back home would improve."

"I'm sure they will," Pandoria said. "We just need to give it time."

"No point in waiting if everyone dies before anything gets better."

"I suppose that's true. But if you're that worried, why not go back to Tantal and see for yourself?"

"That is the question," Zeke muttered. "Why not go back home?"

"You don't want to?"

"I've got things to do here, Pandy. Responsibilities. People who depend on me. On us."

"That's true back home too."

"I know that. I just… I don't want to just up and leave everybody. Rex, Nia, Tora, Mòrag, they're all our friends. I can't just—"

He stopped himself.

"Can't just what?" Pandoria asked. He sighed. No point hiding his emotions from her, of all people.

"I can't just walk out on them like I walked out on Mabon and Vess. I don't want to be that person again."

"It's like you said," Pandoria said. "They're our friends. I'm sure they'll understand. And you could try, I don't know, talking to them about it? Just a suggestion."

"Yeah," Zeke said. "You're right."

"As usual."

"As usual," he echoed her. "Let's go find the others."

As they headed back to the Marsanes, apprehension crept into Zeke's stomach. He wasn't very good at being open with people. But his friends had earned that much from him. And if Tantal was really struggling as much as Fortis let on, then he couldn't just sit here and do nothing. He'd figure something out.

No, scratch that. They'd figure something out. Together. It's what they were best at, after all.

---

Bringing a wanted criminal into the heart of the imperial camp had been a risky prospect. They were lucky Aegaeon trusted them as much as he did, and it probably helped that Rex was vouching for him. But Nia could tell Mòrag was not happy with the situation. Her good hand never left her sword as she talked them all through what she planned to do.

"It's an admirable idea," Emperor Niall said. "For too long, Indol has had full control of Blade distribution. It seems sensible to hand that role over to someone who knows what to do with it."

"I don't plan on distributing cores," Nia said. "We're not going to tell anyone what they can and can't do. We'll simply be a shelter for those who need it."

"Perhaps I misspoke. All I meant is that it will be good to have someone looking out for the Blades, rather than simply looking to exploit them."

He smiled, and Nia was pretty sure it was sincere. A rare thing from someone with his authority. Over the last few weeks, he'd demonstrated a great deal of restraint and foresight. Always putting the needs of his people first. Focusing on evacuation, procuring stable supplies of food and shelter, that type of thing. She respected that about him, and it's why she hoped he'd agree to the rest of her plan.

"What I have a harder time understanding, however, is why you've brought a known terrorist to discuss this with me."

He pointed behind Nia, to where Mikhail sat. The man gave the emperor a small wave, and Mòrag tensed up.

"I'm an engineer," Mikhail said. "I solve problems. And building a country from scratch, especially one that's liable to draw the ire of just about every other major power? That sounds like one hell of a problem to me. I figure it'll be a fun challenge. Something to keep me sharp in my old age."

Nia looked back and glared at him.

"And, you know, turning over a new leaf and all. Might as well help some people along the way or whatever." Mikhail shrugged. "Honestly, what do you want me to say? If you're looking for an apology, you're not getting one. The only thing I regret is not beating Malos's face in when I had the chance, but the rest? I'd do it all again. The Praetorium needed to go. You're smart enough to know that, right?"

"Indeed," Niall said. "This I cannot deny. But I'll need some kind of assurance that you won't decide Mor Ardain should meet a similar fate."

"You've got my word," Nia said.

"And mine," Rex chimed in. "He's done some questionable things, but I don't think Mikhail's a bad person."

"And I'll be keeping an eye on him," Nia continued. "If he steps out of line again, I'll make sure he can't hurt anyone."

"Ominous," Mikhail noted. "I thought you weren't a killer anymore, Nia."

"I don't need to kill you to stop you, Mikhail. I've got much better ways of doing that."

"And that's even more ominous. Y'see? You've got nothing to worry about."

"I wouldn't say that," Niall said. "But… Mòrag, what do you think?"

"This is stretching the limits of my restraint," she said. "But Nia and Rex are two of the strongest people in Elysium. And in my experience, they're both good judges of character. I trust them to keep even someone like a member of Torna in line."

"I never said I was helping," Rex said. "Should've probably made that clear, but Nia and Mikhail are doing this on their own."

"Not eager to be part of the next big adventure?" Niall asked. "How uncharacteristic."

"I've had my fill of adventures, Your Majesty. And I've got a family back home to look after."

"I understand the feeling." Niall looked to Mòrag again. "Do you think Nia can handle this on her own?"

"Most likely," Mòrag said. "And if not, then I'll make sure to deal with the problem myself."

"Not with those legs you aren't," Mikhail noted. "Seriously, how in the world did you beat yourself up this badly since we last met, huh? Everyone else seems to be doing just fine. I thought you were supposed to be—"

Mòrag stood up, and Mikhail's voice died in his throat. With pain written clear as day across her face, she stomped across the tent and drew her sword, placing it against his chin.

"My injuries are of no consequence," she said. "Call my fitness for battle into question again, and I am going to remove that tongue from your insipid head. Is that clear?"

Mikhail nodded, shrinking into himself a little, and Mòrag seemed satisfied with that. She returned to Niall's side and remained standing despite the obvious strain she was under. Nia had been planning to take another shot at healing her before they left, but pure spite seemed to have done the job for her. It made sense. This was the woman who went toe-to-toe with Aion even after losing her arm. She had a way of simply pushing past whatever injuries befell her.

"Well, that matter seems settled." Niall spread his hands a fraction. "What help, exactly, do you need from me? I likely cannot spare many resources, but I will do what I can to repay you for all you've done for me."

"We don't need help," Nia said. "We just need the Core Crystals the Artificial Blades are guarding."

"Really?" Niall looked… relieved? "That's all? I thought you'd need resources or laborers or something."

"If we're going to make our own country, we need to do it ourselves. As much as I appreciate the offer, we won't need any charity. Just the Blades."

"Take them." Niall shrugged. "I certainly don't want them on my hands."

"Wait, what?" Mikhail asked.

"Thank you," Nia said. She wasn't sure why he was being this generous, but she wasn't about to question it.

"No, I'm not about to accept that," Mikhail said. "You're just… Giving us several hundred Blades. Our of the goodness of your heart?"

"Hardly. That collection of Core Crystals is one of my greatest headaches. We lack the Drivers to resonate with them, so they can't serve any military function. But if we sit on them any longer, we're going to draw the ire of the other nations. Uraya especially won't sit idle if they learn we're stockpiling Blades this soon after such a cataclysmic upheaval. It'd probably mean war. Really, I should be thanking you for taking them off my hands."

"Makes sense," Rex said.

"I will never understand politics," Mikhail muttered.

"I'll tell my men to give you unrestricted access to the Blade stockpile," Niall said. "Take however many you need, and I wish you both the best in this endeavor."

"Thank you," Nia said. She stood up. "We're not going to let this go to waste, are we Mik?"

"Absolutely not," Mikhail said. He flashed Mòrag a grin, and she reached for her other sword. Very quickly, Mikhail left the tent, and Nia headed out after him.

"Thank you for everything," she said. "Both of you."

"Just make sure to visit every once in a while," Mòrag said.

"I will."

Nia waved, leaving the tent.

"What a woman," Mikhail muttered. "She can cut my tongue out any day."

"I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that," Rex said.

"Probably for the best."

The three started for the Blade stockpile.

"So how are we getting all these Core Crystals out of here, anyway?" Mikhail asked. "We going to carry them all the way to Temperantia?"

"Actually, I was thinking of recruiting some help for that." She changed directions slightly, heading back to the area they'd staked out for their own camp some weeks ago. Azurda was there, talking with Roc.

"Gramps!" Rex shouted, breaking into a run. He tackled Azurda's leg, and the Titan let out a chuckle. "How was the trip?"

"I was just telling Roc," Azurda said. "The other Titans seem to have survived intact. Uraya, Gormott, Tantal, and Osiria are all relatively close by. Temperantia and Leftheria are a little further afield, but it seems like Fonsett survived basically unscathed. It won't take more than a few days to reach home."

"I'm excited," Roc said. "I am very looking forward to a hot meal and a warm bed, after all this."

"Azurda," Mikhail said, walking up to the Titan.

"Mikhail," Azurda noted.

"Good to see you survived. Sorry about shooting all those missiles at you that one time."

"I've had worse."

"No, you haven't," Rex said. "You literally died. Pyra's the only reason you're still alive at all."

"I would've been fine," Azurda insisted. "Just needed my rest. What are you doing here anyway, Mikhail? I thought you'd blown yourself up back at the World Tree."

"Nia wasn't quite done with me, apparently," he said. "Now she's got big plans about starting our own country. A place free of conflict and such."

"Oh." Azurda nodded. "How delightful."

"I was hoping to talk to you about that," Nia said. "I know it's a lot to ask, Azurda, but would you be willing to help us?"

"Help you? How am I supposed to do that? I'm rather past my prime, you know."

"We need someone to carry a lot of Core Crystals to Temperantia. And I want the Gardens to be a place for everyone, not just Blades. We'll need someone who can make sure Titans feel welcomed and respected, should any decide to live there."

"I see…" Azurda lowered his head, thinking.

"The Gardens?" Mikhail asked. "That's what we're going with?"

"What? You don't like it?"

She looked at him, but before she could even form the glare, he put his hands up.

"No, no, it works, I just… Y'know, I hadn't given the name any thought is all. The Gardens works, though. For sure."

"It'd better, because that's the name."

"Perfect."

Nia rolled her eyes and stepped forward, trying her best to ignore him.

"Azurda?" she asked.

"It is an intriguing offer. To make a place where all feel welcome. Where none need fear for their safety. Where Blades and Titans can coexist alongside humans. It seems the embodiment of all the ideals you have lived for. But… I have other responsibilities."

"Says who?" Rex asked.

"W-Well I still need to look after you, for one." Azurda frowned, trying to look as stern as possible. "I'm still responsible for what happens to you, young man."

"I appreciate it. But I'm not a kid anymore, Gramps. I can look after myself. And as much as I would love to have you back in Leftheria, I would much rather be able to sleep soundly knowing Mikhail isn't the only person who has Nia's back."

"Hey!" Mikhail shouted. "I resent that! I'm plenty reliable!"

"I see what you mean," Azurda said. "But I swore I would not abandon you again."

"You're not," Rex said. "At some point, I've got to fly the nest, yeah? That's all there is to it."

"Very well." Azurda lowered his head, and Rex placed his hand against Azurda's cheek.

"See you around, old timer," Rex said. Azurda nodded, tears welling up in his eyes. He raised his head before they could start streaming down his face, but Nia had noticed them all the same.

"So when do we leave?" Azurda asked.

"Actually, I'm thinking you'll leave ahead of us," Nia said. "We load up the Core Crystals, and then you head to Temperantia."

"What about you?"

"We'll need more people if we want to get a country off the ground. People who are dedicated to the cause. People like us."

"Oh no," Mikhail groaned. "Please tell me this isn't going where I think it is."

"You're going to find other Flesh Eaters," Roc said.

"Yes," Nia said. "And I've got a pretty good idea where to start."

---

By the time they got back to the Marsanes, it seemed Nia and Rex had already cleared out. Aegaeon still had his soldiers watching the place, and Tora had returned with Poppi, but they were the only people still hanging around the wreck.

"Zeke!" Tora called out, waving them over once he noticed them approaching. He seemed to be tinkering with one of the outside panels.

"Hey chum," Zeke said. "Seen where Nia and Rex went?"

"Took Mikhail to see Emperorpon," he said.

Huh. So Mikhail was alive? The more Zeke thought about it, the more it made sense. He was also a Blade Eater. Zeke knew from experience that they were harder to kill than most. Good thing, too, because Zeke was going to be livid if he ended up being the only one of his kind left.

"Didn't seem much interested in exploring Marsanes, but is friends' loss," Tora continued. "Thought friend Zeke was with them."

"Some stuff came up," Pandoria explained.

"Could go exploring now," Tora offered. "Or, well, soon. Need to get door open first."

"Couldn't you just go in the way the others did?" Zeke asked.

"Others already explored bridge. Tora looking for less beaten path." He motioned toward a pair of doors on the exterior of the wreck, firmly sealed shut.

"Any other day, I'd love to," Zeke said. "But Azurda just got back, and news from the other nations is… Let's just say celebrating a job well done after we killed Malos was a bit premature."

"Something wrong?" Poppi asked.

"More of the same, really. Relations between the nations are precarious, to say the least, and I'm trying to figure out if I can keep things from getting worse without going back to Tantal."

"Mehmeh," Tora muttered. "Politics. Tora no good with politics."

"If only we could all be so lucky," Zeke sighed. "You ever think about going back to Gormott?"

"Not much. Tora miss old workshop, but Tora's family here. Not Gormott."

"Poppi miss it sometimes," she said. "Poppi want to go back some day. When everything with sisters is settled. How about you, Esra?"

Briefly, Poppi's eyes changed color from orange to blue, and she stiffened up. Poppi had picked up a lot of human idiosyncrasies over their journey, from the way she held herself to the way she got curious about her surroundings when she was bored. Esrafil had none of that. They stood stock still, like they'd just come off a production line. Their eyes moved with precision, and the rest of them didn't seem to move at all.

"This unit does not understand the question," Esra said. "This unit has never been to Gormott. Host knows this."

"She meant your home," Tora said. "Does Esra miss home?"

"This unit's point of creation was the Saviorite manufacturing complex codenamed Melek's Hammer. Observational data from Rhadamanthus Tower indicates the region containing this facility was removed from reality during the Displacement Event. Therefore, this unit lacks a home to form attachment to. This unit likewise lacks the ability to form such attachment."

"Just have to find new home, then," Tora said.

"This unit finds this notion questionable."

"Home isn't just where you're born," Zeke said. "It's also where you want to spend your life."

"You misunderstand. This unit finds the notion of a 'home' uncompelling, conceptually. Like many human-centered notions, its value is inarticulate. Ill-defined. That does not appeal to this unit."

"Fair enough, I suppose." Zeke shrugged.

"Why friend Zeke wonder about Gormott?" Tora asked. "Thinking of visiting?"

"Not exactly. I've been wondering if it's time to head home myself."

"Back to Tantal?"

"Yeah." He sighed. "Things aren't going great back home, but I'm not keen on going back."

"If family needs help, Zeke should go," Poppi said, taking control back from Esra. "Family is most important thing."

"She's got you there," Pandoria said.

"But you guys are my family too," Zeke said. "I don't want to just up and leave, after everything. It wouldn't feel right."

"If feels wrong, then stay," Tora said. "Friend should do what friend thinks is right."

"Well, I'm hoping we can figure something out that'll satisfy everyone. Which is why I wanted to talk to Nia."

"Nia sure to help," Poppi said. "Nia is strongest there is. Nia can fix any problem."

"I wouldn't go that far," Pandoria said. "But that is the hope, as far as I've gathered."

"Can't hurt to try," Zeke said. "Thanks for the pep talk. And good luck with all that exploring. Make sure to tell me if you find anything juicy, yeah?"

"Presence of juice unlikely," Tora said. "But if Tora finds any, will let friend know."

"We should get going," Pandoria said, ushering Zeke away. He'd gotten sucked into conversation without meaning to. They waved goodbye and headed back to the camp. Where they'd just come from.

Nia and the others were back at their camp, chatting away with Azurda. Mikhail was there, too, and Zeke was very tempted to pull him aside and pick his brain about being a Blade Eater. Who was his Blade, for starters? How did he have such good ether control? Stuff like that. But there were more pressing issues at hand.

"Hey Zeke," Rex said, noticing them first. "Everything go alright with you?"

"Well, you know me," Zeke said. "Currently in the process of moving from one disaster to the next."

"That bad, huh?"

"Actually, news was about what I expected," Pandoria said. "Less good than we'd hoped, but…" She shrugged. "Given the state of Mor Ardain, I'm not surprised that Tantal's struggling."

"Yeah, well," Zeke said. "The more things change, you know? I'll probably have to swing by Tantal at some point, see how they're doing."

"I figured as much." Rex said. "It seems like everyone's got plans, now."

"Oh?"

"I got to thinking," Nia said. "And I don't think our work's over just because Amalthus is gone. What good will finding Elysium do us if we just fall back into the same old habits?"

"Been thinking the same thing," Zeke said.

"Which is why Mikhail, Azurda, and I are going to try doing something about that. Blades all over the world just got free from the Praetorium's control. They deserve a place to exist where they can feel safe. And it'd be a message to the rest of the world that we're not going to live by the rules we were all used to in Alrest. That things are different, now."

That was the exact opposite of what Zeke had been hoping to hear, frankly. Because he'd been thinking of proposing something similar. Well, his idea wasn't quite "found our own country of Blades", but he'd wanted to do something to keep the world from falling back into the same old habits. He'd been hoping the gang, or at least Nia and Dromarch, would be willing to go adventuring some more. Bounce from kingdom to kingdom solving problems and keeping things on track. But Nia had already beaten him to the punch there. And it wouldn't do to be discouraging.

"That's a brilliant idea!" Zeke shouted. "I knew there was a brain between those ears of yours!"

"Remind me, Shellhead, out of the two of us, who was it that managed to get us to Leftheria after Rex left?"

"You happened to know Cole. I'd hardly qualify that as a work of intellectual genius."

"I swear," Nia muttered, pinching the bridge of her nose. "I tell you we're trying to change the world's political landscape, and you decide now's a good time to have a go at me?"

"It's never not a good time for that, Foxy Ears."

That nickname elicited a collective groan from everyone present.

"They can't all be winners," Pandoria said.

"I think it works," Mikhail said. "I mean, it's a little suggestive, but isn't that kinda the point of flirting?"

"That's not what this is," Zeke said. "And I don't recall asking for your opinion."

"Could've fooled me."

"Zeke does this with everyone," Rex said.

"He really doesn't," Nia said. "I honestly don't understand what your fixation with me is, Shellhead."

"You're the only one who gives me anything to work with," Zeke said. "With everyone else, it's like talking to cardboard."

"You said you'd been thinking the same thing," Azurda said, interrupting the conversation. "About the need to keep the world from regressing."

"Oh, right, I'd nearly forgotten. I was thinking someone needed to keep the other nations from having a go at each other. Mòrag's mostly got Mor Ardain handled, and you all seem to have your own thing figured out, so I figured Pandy and I'll head back to Tantal. My old man sounds like he could use a hand in the immediate. Food shortages and all that."

"Leaving already?" Rex asked. "Feels like just yesterday that you joined up."

"Well, you know me. Always itching for a new adventure. What do you say you and Roc join us? It'll be a grand time."

"I think I'll pass," Roc said. "I haven't had a chance to settle down since the day I woke up. I'm looking forward to finally seeing what this 'quiet life' is all about."

"Afraid I can't either," Rex said. "Roc's itching to retire, and frankly so am I. I've seen enough action to last a lifetime."

"Ah, well," Zeke said, shrugging. "Couldn't hurt to ask. Looks like it's just the two of us once again, Pandy."

"We'll make do somehow," she said.

"Are you sure you want to go back to your dad?" Nia asked. "You two never seemed to get along before."

"I don't want to go back," Zeke said. "But home is home, and family is family. Plus, it's like you said. Someone's got to keep an eye on them, make sure they're not getting up to anything uncouth."

"I don't recall saying that."

"Eh, details." He waved her off.

"You could come with us, you know," she offered. "We'll need people who can wake up new Blades, and I'd rather not go recruiting random Drivers."

"Sounds interesting, but I'm afraid responsibility beckons."

"Now there's a thought," Pandoria said. "My prince, acting responsible."

Nia laughed at that, and pretty soon everyone was laughing alongside her. Even Zeke, despite himself. As they laughed, it occurred to him that this might be the last time they all laughed together like this. Nia was leaving, Rex was retiring, and he was about to head back home. Pretty soon, the group that defeated Amalthus and stopped the Dark Aegis would go their separate ways.

He didn't want things to end like that. He wanted to stay with this group forever, if possible. They were some of his best friends in the world. They'd been through hell and back together. But he knew, at some point, he'd need to move on. Back to dreadful responsibility. Being a world-saving hero was a full-time job, after all. And he'd been on vacation long enough. It was time to get back to work.

---

Honestly, she thought their first candidate would be harder to find. Back when she'd worked for Torna, Jin had very briefly reached out to most of the Flesh Eaters they hadn't yet recruited. They'd needed more allies, and it seemed like a group that'd be sympathetic to the cause. Of the ones Obrona managed to track down, none had really been interested in joining a terrorist organization. But Strix had been the most receptive to their ideas, relatively speaking.

He never joined up full-time, but they'd asked him to do some jobs for them here and there. Namely, he'd been the one who helped them find the Aegis's ship at the bottom of the Cloud Sea, after Obrona failed to locate it. He had unique abilities that let him track down basically anything, no matter how remote. They were also what made him so hard to find, in theory. Even with Obrona's assistance, it had taken three days of combing the Spessian wilderness to find him last time.

This time, though, they practically stumbled onto him by accident. As they ventured out into the Ardainian wastes, hiking up what was left of the crumbling Titan's back, they found a sea of carnage waiting for them. Dozens of Artifices, torn to pieces and half-sunk in the ground. There were very few Blades who could do this kind of damage. Even fewer who weren't at the World Tree that day. Of the ones left, she only knew one who liked to hang out in places like this.

"Damn," Mikhail said, looking around at the sea of bodies. "It's definitely not military work. Too sloppy. And what were they even doing out here in the first place? The nearest city is like, a dozen Titanpeds away."

"This has to be him," Nia said. "I thought this would take longer."

"You sure getting this guy is worth it, though? You know what he's like."

"We need someone to help us start construction, Mik."

"There are plenty of other earth Blades who aren't obsessive about killing everything that gets too close."

"I'm not going to ask Blades to come live in the Gardens until we have something to offer them. A community we can give them. We need a solid foundation to build from, and Strix can give us that."

"Sure." Mikhail shrugged. "It's just… This is a lot of Artifices for one Blade to take on."

"Eh." Nia waved her hand. "From the looks of things, the Titan did most of the heavy lifting here."

"Still, this is… Extensive ether control. This is easily a medium-sized Titan's worth of rock he moved during the fight. You could cut a battleship in half with that kind of power."

"Exactly why he's the best person for the job." Nia stopped in the middle of the field and spread her arms.

"Strix!" she shouted. Not that it really mattered much. If he was in the area, he could already see them. "I know you're there! We're just here to talk!"

She waited for a moment, and then a spear emerged from the ground in front of her. The dirt around it liquefied into mud, and a man pulled himself out of it. He was tall, at least seven or eight peds, and draped in a black tattered cloak. Underneath, he'd wrapped himself in bandages, and those had soaked through with a black, mud-like substance he seemed to excrete from everywhere. The bandages extended up his body and wrapped around his head, even covering his eyes.

"You two," he noted. "What does Torna want this time? Didn't you assholes notice the world just ended? Or… Was that your doing?"

"Yes and no," Mikhail said. "Mostly no, at least for the two of us."

"That's why we're here," Nia said. "Torna's gone. We're looking to build something new in its place. Something better."

"You're here to recruit me," he noted. Then he let out one very dry laugh. "Didn't you people learn the first time? I don't do well around others."

"The Praetorium is gone too," Nia said. "I'm sure you didn't hear, seeing as you've spent the last two months hanging out on the back of a dead Titan, but things have changed a great deal. Praetor Amalthus is dead, those loyal to him have been scattered to the winds, and the other nations have managed to temporarily put aside their differences. We've even managed to find new lands to settle. A new Elysium, where the whole world can live in peace."

"What, you guys starting a traveling circus now? Get real." He looked over at Mikhail, who just stared at him and smirked.

"She's serious," Mikhail said.

"You…" Strix took a step back. "You're serious. You assholes actually went and did it!?"

"Well, she did." Mikhail motioned at Nia. "Her and the Aegis Driver. I mostly just got myself blown up."

"We're going to make a country for Blades to live their lives in peace," Nia said. "You won't need to keep running anymore. You can have a fresh start. All you need to do is help us build it."

"I…" Strix thought for a moment. "I would've called you crazy a few weeks ago. But seeing as how you already pulled off the impossible and found Elysium, I guess you're not totally out of your minds. That doesn't mean I'm going to suddenly play nice with others, though."

"The Praetorium is gone. No one's hunting Flesh Eaters anymore. You don't need to spend the rest of your life looking over your shoulder."

"It can't be that easy."

"It wasn't easy," Mikhail said. "Nothing about this was easy. You saw that yourself." He motioned around at the Artifices. "But the battle's been fought. The price has been paid. It's done. You just need to reach out your hand and take what's being offered."

"I've lived this long by never trusting a soul," Strix said. "Everyone I've gotten close to has gotten hurt."

"The Praetorium were the ones who hurt them, and they're not a factor anymore."

"I get that. It's just… It's a big change, alright? It goes against everything I've done to stay alive the past three hundred years."

"We need your help," Nia said. "You're one of the most powerful earth Blades in Alrest, and you're the only one we know of who's a Flesh Eater. We need that kind of power if we're going to build a nation from the ground up."

"You want me to fight? I thought everything back in civilization was peace, love, and unity."

"Not fight, build. Literally build. We've managed to collect most of the Core Crystals Torna stole, but we can't wake them up until we've got buildings to house them all in."

"I'm not much of an architect."

"Are you going to keep complaining all day?" Mikhail asked. "Or are you going to take the offer?"

"Well… I have been getting pretty bored, lately. When all the big machines shut down, it didn't leave me with much to do. And some old-fashioned manual labor might be a nice change of pace. So sure. I'll hang around for however long this endeavor of yours lasts. Fair warning, though. At the first sign of trouble? I'm out."

"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it," Nia said. She extended a hand, and he shook it. "Good to have you on board, Strix."

Even if it was only temporary, getting Strix on board had dramatically accelerated their timeline. They had the Core Crystals, they had the space, and they had the beginnings of a labor force. Now it was time to start building.

---

Things around Genbu were busier than Zeke had expected. The Titan had torn up large tracts of land when it crashed into Elysium's coastline, but workers had already cleared most of that away. Construction was underway on an elevator connecting the main port to the lands below, and there were already farms getting started outside Genbu's shadow. His father certainly hadn't sat idly by for the last two months. But it would be a long time before that farmland could sustain the whole country.

As the Titan ship pulled into the port, Zeke had been expecting a small crowd would meet them. They'd sent Fortis ahead to deliver word to his old man that the shipment was coming, and to scrape together any of the Core Chips still lying around. So he'd expected there'd be someone to meet them and make the exchange. He hadn't expected a crowd bordering on a hundred people or more. Civilians, to boot.

"It seems we've caused quite a stir," Niall said, looking at the gathered crowd.

"Word must've gotten out," Pandoria said. "Question is, are they here to welcome us? Or tell us to leave?"

"Probably a bit of both," Zeke said. "Pandy and I'll go see what's up. Probably best if you stay aboard until we know one way or the other."

"They look agitated," Mòrag observed. "We should make the exchange quickly, before they decide to take action."

"If they are here to cause trouble, you two coming out would only provoke them. Just let me handle this, alright?"

"Of course," Niall said. "This is your home, after all. I'll defer to your judgement."

Zeke hesitated to call Tantal "home", per say. It was where he was born, true, and he felt obligated to protect it. But he wanted to protect everywhere else, too, and those places had the advantage of not bringing back painful memories. Tantal felt more like an obligation than a place he wanted to live. Still, as much as he loathed the position, he was the heir apparent. If it came down to it, he was the person on this boat least likely to stir up resentment in a crowd. Hopefully.

As he and Pandoria disembarked, however, he noticed the crowd was actually two distinct groups. A large mass of normal citizens had clogged the entrance to the port, and a group of perhaps half a dozen soldiers was stuck on the other side, unable to get through. As Zeke approached, the citizens tensed up. Expecting a fight? That wasn't good.

"Hello!" he called out, doing his best to sound jovial. "Am I interrupting anything?"

The people talked amongst themselves, but they didn't give him an answer.

"We're here to drop off food!" he continued. "Is it alright if I tell them to start bringing it out!?"

"The payment isn't coming," someone said. After a moment, a woman stepped out of the crowd. She was unassuming. A middle-aged woman wearing inexpensive clothing. But she had a look in her eyes that told Zeke she was much more than a participant. The fact that she knew—or could at least guess—about the payment was also pretty telling.

"I can see that," Zeke said, motioning at the crowd. "But a lot of people are going to starve if we don't get this food."

"A lot of people are going to freeze if we don't keep these Core Chips."

"Ah. I see." Zeke nodded. "I was afraid something like this might happen. Listen, you probably know who I am by this point. If you let me through to talk to my dad, I promise you I'll work something out that won't leave people stranded in the cold."

"We're done relying on the promises of the royal family. For centuries, you've done nothing but sell our Core Chips, our very future, to the Praetorium. And now that they're gone, you've lined up another buyer."

"That's not what this is," Pandoria said. "Tantal needs food, and Mor Ardain made an offer. We negotiated the best deal we could. But I can assure you no one is profiting off this."

"No one in Tantal perhaps. But the Emperor of Mor Ardain stands to profit a great deal. What are a few bags of ruska flour compared to the energy demands of an entire nation?"

"A lot," Zeke said. "Assuming that nation doesn't want to starve to death."

"I will not sit by and watch as our rulers sell our future. Not again."

"Again?" Zeke asked. "What do you mean again?"

"It means she's a criminal," a voice called out. The crowd behind the woman parted, revealing Zeke's dad. He was flanked on either side by Blades. KOS-MOS and Herald. The best the country had to offer, after Pandoria of course. It was a pretty heavy-handed show of force to bring them to confront some disgruntled citizens. But it seemed to do the trick. Everyone but the woman got out of their way.

"King Eulogemenos," she said, spitting the words like a curse. "Finally you deign to come out of your palace to grace us with your presence."

"Moira Diarkis," the king noted. "Have you told these good people who you are?"

"They know exactly who I am," she said. "My family upheld this country's sickening deal with the Praetorium for generations. But eight years ago, when enough was finally enough, and my mother spoke out against your abhorrent politics, you had us silenced. Imprisoned. For the crime of telling the truth."

That was news to Zeke. He knew there'd been a few high-profile smuggling arrests after his exile, but he never thought any of them might have been because the people involved refused to bow to the Praetorium's demands.

"The truth would have destroyed this country," the king said. "Had I not acted, your family's words would have brought the wrath of the Praetorium upon us all. But…" He sighed. "I cannot deny that what I did to you and your family was an injustice. I am truly sorry for what I did."

"It doesn't seem that way to me," she said. "If you were sorry, you wouldn't be about to make the exact same decision again."

"I must keep my people safe. Keep them fed. If this is the price I have to pay, then I will pay it."

"It's not a price you have to pay at all," Moira said. "No, you'll pass it along to the rest of us, as you always have. You have no right."

"I understand where you're coming from," Zeke said, interrupting them. "But what other choice is there? Without this food, the people of Tantal will starve."

"You mean to tell me there was no other way?" she asked. "No other deal to be had?"

"Basically."

"Or is it that you don't know any other way? Because from where I stand, the royal family has relied on exporting of Genbu's natural resources for far too long. I do not believe that this was your only option. Only your easiest one."

Zeke was about ready to start tearing his hair out. In any other circumstance, he'd be on her side, but this wasn't an issue they could really debate. He wasn't the biggest fan of the idea, but this was the deal they'd reached with Mor Ardain. If this was what it took to keep the people of Tantal fed, then…

Ah shit. He was starting to sound like his old man.

"Most unfortunate," Niall said, walking up behind Zeke. Further back, Mòrag was already supervising the soldiers as they offloaded the food. "I hate to think that my actions have caused such strife here. Is there anything I can do to help?"

"I doubt it," Pandoria muttered.

"There's a problem with the shipment," Zeke said, moving to stand between the emperor and Moira Diarkis. "We don't have enough."

A casual glance at his father's shocked face confirmed that was a lie. They had gathered more than enough Core Chips to see the deal through. But unless they did something, there wouldn't be any deal at all.

"Good heavens," Niall said. "How much did we agree upon?"

"Four titanstone. But we've barely scraped together two."

"I see…" Niall thought for a moment. Zeke stared at him, willing him to go along with it. Then Niall smiled. "Well, I suppose we'll have to make do. I'm sure we can mine the rest from Mor Ardain. Does that seem agreeable to you?"

Niall directed the question at the woman, rather than Zeke or his father. That seemed to bother Zeke's dad a little, but he kept quiet. She spent several long seconds staring daggers at Emperor Niall, but eventually she relented.

"If it will keep Tantal fed," she said. Then she turned to the king. "This is not over."

"I will do everything in my power to keep the people of Tantal safe."

"Those are not words I can trust, Your Highness." She stepped aside, allowing the soldiers to bring half the payment forward. "You will see these Core Chips returned to the people by the day's end, or there will be hell to pay."

With that, she and her people began to leave, and the exchange was finally able to proceed. Not a perfect resolution, but Tantal was getting food, and that was something Zeke could celebrate.

"Level with me," he said, turning to Niall. "Did you even need the Core Chips, or was this all some elaborate ploy to have us in your debt?"

"I need every Core Chip I can get," he said. "But there are things more important than mere resources. I need strong relations with other nations. Relations I can trust. Now I know the Kingdom of Tantal is trustworthy. That is worth more than any number of Core Chips."

"I'm sure the information you gleaned of our internal strife was rather valuable as well," the king said, approaching.

"It's always good to know what my neighbors are up to," Niall confessed. "But if I had any intention of using something against you, King Eulogemenos, I would have by now. I certainly wouldn't have given you half my food reserves first. You can take my word on that."

"I hope so," he said. Niall shrugged and headed back to the ship, leaving Zeke and Pandoria with Zeke's father.

"Ozychlyrus," he said.

"Zeke," Zeke corrected him.

"I see you haven't changed at all."

"Neither have you."

"I cannot tell if you mean that as a kindness or not."

"Take it however you want." Zeke shrugged.

"Do you intend to leave with the emperor? Or will you be staying, this time?"

"I'll stick around some," Zeke said. "Clearly, you're going to need all the help you can get. But I'm not making any promises."

"I suppose I'll take what I can get." His dad very nearly smiled, and after a moment, he put a hand on Zeke's shoulder. "It's good to have you home again, son."

"Good to be home," Zeke said. He wished he meant it.

---

After everything that had happened, Temperantia was still clinging to life. Nia was a little amazed at that. It hadn't been in the best shape when they last visited, and crashing into Elysium couldn't have been good for it. But the Titan was the least populated one left, so it made sense it hadn't really come under fire during the Cataclysm. At least, not in any noticeable way. It had been an uninhabitable wasteland before Malos sent an army of robots to kill everyone, and that hadn't really changed.

They met Azurda at the arch of its back, near the base of where its plates splayed out. It had taken the four of them about a week to get there, and in that time, he seemed to have made a friend. There was another Titan sitting nearby, coiled up into a large bundle, with several pairs of wings folded against her back. The two seemed to be in the middle of a heated discussion.

"I cannot allow this," the other Titan said. "The human military forces have only just withdrawn from Temperantia. I will not allow another group to worm their way in."

"These are good people," Azurda insisted. "Blades, not humans. They want to live in peace, and this is the best place they have to go. It may well be the only place they have to go. I assume you can sympathize."

"Do not," the Titan hissed. "Do not go there. You have no right."

"Hello," Nia said, stepping in before things could get heated. Their group took the opportunity to walk up. "Talking about us, I assume?"

"So you are the group who wishes to invade our home," the Titan said, immediately directing all her hostility at Nia. Not what she'd been hoping for, but so long as they were talking, Nia would play the hand she'd been dealt.

"I'm Nia." She bowed, then introduced the rest of her group. "My companions are Mikhail, Strix, and Dromarch."

"Pleased to meet you both," Dromarch said, bowing.

"Dromarch, you know Azurda," Mikhail said.

"I do?" Dromarch asked. "You must forgive me. My Lady says my memory is not what it used to be."

"This is irritating," the Titan said.

"Meet Tenax," Azurda said, motioning toward the Titan. "She is the closest thing our people have to a leader. And she has lived in Temperantia since the time of the Aegis War, to avoid as much human contact as possible. I've been attempting to sell her on the benefits of your plan, but she has been less than receptive."

"Maybe I can make a better pitch, then," Nia said. "We aren't looking to cause trouble. We just need somewhere out of the way. Somewhere we can be left alone. You should know what that's like."

"Did Azurda tell you of our history?"

Nia glanced at Azurda, and he smiled sheepishly. There was a story here, and he hadn't shared it. Not a great way to start things, frankly. She wanted to believe he'd meant to tell her at some point, but… The man was very bad at expressing himself.

"No, but I can make a pretty good guess. I think what I said probably applies to most Titans."

"You are unfortunately correct," Tenax said. "But it does not mean I can trust you."

"I can offer you better, then. We're not just going to look after ourselves. We plan to look after Temperantia too. I'm a healing Blade, and Temperantia has a lot of wounds. I'm betting I can do something about them. Help Temperantia start getting a little better. We'd also do our part to protect those who already live here from outside interference."

"Outside interference other than your own, you mean."

"We'll do things on your terms, then. Whatever you're comfortable with. But there is a mountain of history buried here. Blade, Titan, and human alike. If we're going to be a symbol of change for others, then we need to make our start here, the place the old world scarred the most. I promise you, we will make it better than we found it. If you give us a chance."

Tenax stared at her for a moment.

"On my terms," she said. "Even if your project is doomed to failure, so long as you can help Temperantia regrow, then I will tolerate your existence. The moment your presence jeopardizes us, however, you must leave."

"I understand," Nia said. Tenax nodded.

"Azurda will know where to find me. For both our sakes, I hope you do not make a habit of contacting me."

With that, Tenax uncoiled, and her wings unfurled. Despite her gangly shape, she took to the air and left rather quickly.

"Off to a great start," Strix noted. "Our landlady thinks we're going to fail miserably. Doesn't exactly inspire confidence, huh?"

"She has a low opinion of humans," Azurda said. "Do not take her words on the matter to heart."

"They are words you would do well to heed," another voice said. Nia whirled around to see someone perched on a rock formation overlooking the group. A small woman, wrapped in flaming wings. All along the wings, eyes opened and closed at seemingly random intervals, tracking different people in their group.

"A visitor!" Dromarch said. Nia was starting to realize he was much less cautious than he used to be. The old Dromarch would have immediately placed himself between her and the newcomer. "Welcome to the Gardens, stranger! Who might you be?"

"I will have been a great help," the woman said. "I would have liked to be a great help again."

She stepped off the rock, floating down to where the rest of them stood.

"My name is Qadar," she continued. "You are Nia, the Banshee Queen. Mikhail, Last Son of Torna. Azurda, the Aegis's erstwhile Guardian. Strix, the Bladesinger. Acheron, the All-Seeing. And—"

Strix rushed forward, bringing up his spear and trying to drive it through her face. She deflected it with ease, stepping out of his range and floating off the ground. Her wings unfurled slightly, giving off a soft orange glow, but her expression remained eerily neutral for someone who'd just been attacked.

"Who are you!?" he shouted. "How do you know that name!?"

"Friend of yours?" Mikhail asked.

"Shut up!" He manifested another spear from the ground and aimed it at Mikhail. Before he could do anything more, Nia grabbed it and wrenched it from his hands. Then she grabbed him by the shoulder.

"Don't," she said. She stared at him, and a low growl escaped his throat.

"She shouldn't know that name," he said.

"We're not killers," Nia replied, hardening her tone. After a moment, he lowered the other spear. "Let's find out what she wants."

"Fuck that," Strix said. "What I want to know is how she knows what I am."

"Don't you mean who?" Mikhail asked.

"No."

"I am lost," Dromarch announced. "My Lady, do we know this woman?"

"No," the woman said. "But you will have. My name is Qadar."

"Bullshit," Mikhail said. She turned to look at him.

"Mik?" Nia asked. "You know that name?"

"You don't?" he asked. "How could anyone not know that name?"

"Drawing a blank," Strix said.

"She's the Oracle of Judicium," Azurda said. "The first Flesh Eater. And the woman responsible for the downfall of Alrest's first inter-Titan empire."

"I was not the first to ascend," Qadar said. "I was simply the one of us who survived."

"Impossible," Mikhail said. "Judicium fell fifteen hundred years ago. There's no way anyone could live that long."

"You will not have needed to believe me," Qadar said. "But I will have learned of your endeavor, and I will have wanted to help."

She floated back to the ground and held out a piece of paper to Nia.

"What's this?" she asked, taking it.

"The names and locations of every remaining Flesh Eater or similar entity sympathetic to your cause. You will have wanted their help. To serve as the Caretakers of your new Gardens."

Nia took a moment to look it over, and immediately something caught her eye.

"Akhos and Patroka are on this list," she noted. "I saw them die."

"Not so," Qadar said. "They were subsumed by the Praetor's device, but they yet live. You will have found them with the other one. Adenine."

"They're alive?" Mikhail asked.

"I will have seen it."

"Then we're going. I'm not leaving them out there."

"Oh no," Strix said. "There's no way I'm trusting her. So what if she knows the names of your friends? Anyone can write a list of names."

"She called them Caretakers," Nia said. "That's the exact title I had wanted to use for all of us."

"You never told me," Mikhail said.

"No, I didn't. I hadn't told anyone yet. Except she knew, somehow."

"She is an oracle," Azurda pointed out. "If anyone would still be capable of predicting the future, with the Aegises gone, it would be her."

"I will have wished to help," Qadar said. "This list of names will have been a great help in your future endeavors. Deliberate as you like, but you will have accepted my help either way. I would prefer not to waste time."

"Why are you doing this?" Nia asked.

"It is as Azurda explained. I am an oracle. The future is where my interests lie, and you will have shaped the future a great deal. I will have liked to be witness to that, and to help if I can."

"I see…" Nia could see a Core Crystal beneath the folds of her wings. Speckled with red, like hers. She was a Flesh Eater, at least. And not one Jin had known about, either. That, more than anything, lent credence to her story. "We'll check out this list. If you're telling the truth, then I think you'll be a great help around here."

"What about you, old timer?" Strix asked, looking up at Azurda. "You're the one who knows stuff. You think she's on the up and up?"

"I cannot say whether or not she is trustworthy," Azurda admitted. "I cannot even verify her claims for certain. I only know of the Oracle from history. She was already a figure shrouded in legend by the time I was born. But I will defer to Nia's judgement on the matter."

"Whatever My Lady decides, I will follow her," Dromarch said.

"Looks like I've been outvoted," Strix grumbled. He put his spear away. "But I'm keeping an eye on her, yeah? Someone's got to."

"I feel much at ease," Qadar said. "Your abilities are unparalleled in that regard."

"You're making fun of me," he noted. "Great."

"Welcome to the team," Mikhail said, clapping Qadar on the back. "Now let's go get the others. I'm not leaving Akhos and Patroka behind."

---

Zeke had been hoping the influx of food would calm things down in Tantal. Give the people a chance to rebuild without having to fear where their next meal would come from. It did that. But the manner by which they'd brought the food in hadn't gone unnoticed. People knew the truth about Genbu's cold climate, and as word spread, the government was having a much harder time getting people to listen. Zeke had only planned to stay a week or two, just to help smooth things over, but it had been nearly a month now and there was no end in sight.

For the time being, he was just glad to be away from it all. Unfortunately, his current reprieve came in the form of a different, arguably much nastier brand of politics: international saber-rattling. It was better than trying to reconcile the demands of the anti-monarchist factions with his father's own, but only because here he wasn't the one trying to maintain order. It was politicians sitting at this table, not people in genuine need, which meant he could be as angry or disruptive as he pleased. That was a luxury Moira Diarkis didn't afford him.

It was pretty telling who was and wasn't in attendance. Emperor Niall had called this summit to discuss the new political status quo, and it looks like the Praetorium wouldn't be getting a seat at the table. Gormott was, though. Apparently neither Mor Ardain or Uraya had the capacity to get it back under control, and in their absence, the territory had elected a new government.

Seeing representatives from Mor Ardain, Uraya, and Gormott sitting at the same table, here to agree to a mutual alliance, would have been impossible before the Cataclysm. A small part of Zeke wondered whether Malos had managed to change the world for the better, in a very sick and twisted way. The Cataclysm had forced people to put aside their differences and come together.

A larger part of Zeke recognized that was a horrible sentiment. People had died in droves during the attacks. But it was hard not to try to attach some kind of meaning to it all.

"Nopon Trade Guilds are unwilling to cede sovereignty of Osiria," Niranira said.

"Without a standing army, you may not have a choice," Queen Raqura said. "The Praetorium aren't around to govern the territory anymore. No one here wants another Osirian War, but there are other nations that might. Spessia will most certainly take advantage of the Praetorium's fall."

"Will hire mercenaries. Osirian protection no concern of friends."

"There isn't a mercenary force in the whole world that can take on the Spessian army. I should know, I own most of them."

"I would heed the queen's words," Niall said. "Of everyone at this table, she is the only one who's had any dealings with Spessia, for good or ill."

"Technically," Zeke said, "She was never queen during the Osirian War. By the time she took the throne, the nobility had already sued the Praetorium for peace."

"Remind me again why you're here?" she asked, glaring at him. "I was under the impression this was to be a summit of rulers, not undisciplined children."

"My old man couldn't make it. Too many duties to attend to back home. I'm sure you wouldn't know what that's like."

"Now now," Niall said. "I know we all haven't gotten a long, historically, but let's do our best to put that aside for the moment."

"Gormott is not inclined to forget our history," Moui said. She was Gormott's representative at the meeting. And the host, as it happened. She hadn't been willing to let Mor Ardain or Uraya dictate terms any more than they already were, so they were meeting on Gormotti soil, at a place of her choosing. Though Zeke wasn't sure what position she held, exactly. She wasn't a noble, since Gormott seemed to have abolished the nobility. She wasn't a senator, an ambassador, or a state minister. She wasn't even Gormott's new president, which would've made the most sense. And yet she seemed to have more influence than any of those people might have had.

"I'm not asking for forgiveness," Niall said. "The Architect knows Mor Ardain likely doesn't deserve it. But more fighting will only weaken us when we need to be stronger than ever."

"You say that like there's someone else we might be fighting," Zeke noted.

"There very well could be. The Indoline forces loyal to the late Praetor Amalthus have begun consolidating. We've pushed them out to Leftheria, but the lack of any local government means they're now able to grow basically unchecked. So far, they haven't been interested in diplomacy."

"We can handle a few monks," Queen Raqura said.

"If they were the only threat, then perhaps so. But there are a dozen threats lurking at our borders, not all of them physical. Lack of electricity. Food shortages. Arguments over land rights. These are the enemies that pose the largest threats, and waging war will not solve any of them. It will only exacerbate them. We may be safe from the Praetorians now, but after a year of fighting amongst ourselves? We will be easy prey."

"You're proposing we work together?" Zeke asked. "Pool our resources and present a united front?"

"It sensible plan," Niranira said. "Provided friends are willing to recognize Nopon Trade Guilds as sovereign government of Osiria."

"Work with Mor Ardain?" Queen Raqura asked. "I doubt my people will accept such a proposition so readily."

"How fortunate, then, that you are not beholden to public opinion," Niall said.

"The Republic of Gormott is," Moui said. "They will not see the sense in such a plan. In fact, many have suggested joining forces with Duthract, now that imperial forces have officially abandoned the territory."

"Abandoned to communalists," Niranira noted. "Friends would bed down with communalists?"

"They've suffered the scars of imperialism as we have. Our people and theirs have much in common."

"I invited Duthract to these discussions," Niall said. "But it appears their leadership wasn't receptive to talks."

"I can't imagine why," Zeke said. He rolled his eyes, just in case.

"I know they have their reasons. But we are all stronger together, and if Gormott is willing to join our alliance, then perhaps Duthract will see the value in it as well. Perhaps we can all begin to make things right and put the past behind us."

"As I said," Moui replied. "The people of Gormott have no interest in forgetting our history."

"Would you hold onto your grudges, then? Stew and fester in them as the people of Sthenos have?"

"That's a bit unfair," Zeke said.

"Am I wrong?"

"No, but…" Zeke shrugged. "It's not like they don't have good reason. Sthenos has gone from a Judician colony to a Tornan province to an Indoline tributary over the last couple thousand years, with very little room to breathe in between. When was the last time anyone there had as much freedom as they do now, with the Praetorium gone?"

"A moot point," Queen Raqura said. "Gormott wouldn't have sent a representative if the senate wasn't at least considering the offer. I don't think we'll get anywhere lecturing each other."

"Likely not," Niall said. "My apologies, I just…" He sighed. "We cannot afford to be careless, now. The world has found something of a peaceful equilibrium, and I would rather not see it disturbed."

"I agree," Moui said. "Some in the senate agree as well. But we'll need to come to terms. Centralize the military, distribute land and resources fairly. Ensure no one nation holds power over the others."

"Sensible measures," Niall said.

"I agree," Queen Raqura said. "I hadn't expected to agree with the emperor, but it is the most reasonable course of action. Now that there is an abundance of arable land, I see no reason to continue old conflicts."

"Friends' alliance will constitute major economic bloc," Niranira said. "Nopon Guilds would prefer seat at table. Should be able to find agreeable terms."

"What about Tantal?" Niall asked, turning to Zeke. "Do you think your father will be willing to join our Coalition?"

Zeke thought for a moment. No, probably not. He was stubborn and would insist that Tantal survive on its own. But they needed resources badly. This Coalition might be able to provide them. And Niall's appeal made a lot of sense. Better to have allies if anything nasty reared its head.

"I think I can convince my old man," he said. "But on one condition. I notice there were more than a few nations that didn't take the invitation."

"Indol is no more, Duthract want nothing to do with us, the Sthenosi would rather die than submit to more foreign influence, and Spessia didn't return our calls." Niall spread his hands. "Every other nation that survived the Cataclysm landed too far away to contact. I fail to see what reservations you might have on this front."

"There is one nation you've forgotten to mention. Temperantia."

"Temperantia has no government," Queen Raqura said. "It doesn't even have a population anymore."

"Not any that you officially recognize. But I know some Blades who've made a home there. You want me to convince my father to sign on? Then offer the Gardens a seat at the table as well."

Zeke smirked at Niall. He knew Nia wouldn't have turned down an offer to make her voice heard, which meant Niall hadn't bothered to bring her in on this. He probably had his reasons. Likely, he wanted to leave them to their own devices, like they'd asked. But Zeke was smarter than that. Niall thought there was something coming, sooner or later. The Praetorians or the Spessians or someone who'd threaten the peace they'd established. Nia and her new country deserved the protections he was offering more than anyone else.

"That's preposterous," Queen Raqura said. "You want to offer an itinerant gaggle of Blades the same standing as five of Alrest's greatest nations?"

"I do," Zeke said. "They've more than earned it."

"I hardly think Tantal's cooperation is worth elevating a—"

"Very well," Niall said, cutting her off. She glared at him, but he ignored her. "I'll offer the same deal to the Gardens. I don't think they'll take it, but…" He shrugged. "I've been wrong before."

"Then consider Tantal on board too," Zeke said. "I'll convince my old man to sign up or die trying."

Really, he was going to do that either way. But the way he saw it, the other nations sitting around the table were already falling into old habits. Resuming their politics where things had left off, more or less. The pieces had moved, but the game was the same. And Zeke hated that game with a passion.

Even when everyone involved had the best of intentions, which was decidedly not the case with at least half of the people in this room, it still had a habit of screwing over the people who couldn't stand up for themselves. The people their process decided to leave behind. Zeke wanted to give those people a voice. The people of Tantal. The people of Gormott. It was good they were finally getting a say in things. Relatively speaking, anyway. But the people who needed a voice the most were the Blades. That's what Nia had wanted to give them, among other things, when she decided to found the Gardens. And even if they weren't working together anymore, they still had that dream in common. It was the least he could do to help her along.