Hye knew the newly recruited forces wouldn't be on par with his seasoned veterans—warriors who had bled during the apocalypse trials—but quantity had a quality all its own.
They would fill the gaps in the planetary defences and, more importantly, they would begin amassing merits and experience in the high-stakes clash with the Toranks. They needed to be forged in the fire now, or they would be useless when the true "God" weapons arrived at their doorstep.
"Now, it's time to pay my dear Moth a visit," Hye concluded. He stood up and, for a brief moment, the cold warlord vanished. He hugged and kissed his ladies, lingering for a heartbeat. He knew that this departure was different; he would be gone for a long time, separated from the core of his support system by vast distances and even vaster secrets.
As he turned his attention fully toward his message interface, beginning the process of nagging and poking at Moth's digital silence, Olana watched him from the periphery.
