The fly circles the flame, but the flame stays put
Northern Adage
The streets were a labyrinth, but Annir navigated them with grim ease. Each turn brought them closer to the inn. As they moved, the sounds of the conflict grew nearer. There was a clang of steel meeting metal, and then a scream rang out, followed by the heavy thud of a body hitting the ground. Annir froze, his eyes wide. Tez' grabbed his arm and pulled him forward.
"Don't look. Just keep moving," he said sharply, his heart thumping.
They rounded another corner and saw a small group of imperial soldiers in the distance, their backs turned as they ran in the other direction. Tez' Mu ducked into a doorway, dragging Annir with him. He held up a hand, signaling the boy to stay still.
The soldiers' voices carried on the night air.
"Report back! The Kests are coming!"
"They'll try to push us back to the gates!" one said.
"Let them try," another replied. "The commander wants this city under control before dawn!"
Tez' Mu waited until their voices faded before motioning for Annir to follow. They moved quickly, keeping low, until they finally reached the inn; its windows boarded up, as if it had not opened in years. Annir banged on the door with his fist.
"Open up! We're not soldiers!"
From inside came a shaky voice. "Go away! I'm not letting anyone in!"
Tez' Mu's patience snapped. He threw his shoulder into the door, wood creaking under the force. Annir joined in, and with a final shove, the door gave way, sending both of them stumbling inside.
Inside, the inn was a wreck. Tables had been upturned, and shattered glass crunched underneath their feet. The proprietor, a hunched, frightened man, wrung his hands. A few other figures huddled in the shadows, their faces drawn and fearful.
"You'd better not bring trouble in here," the innkeeper growled.
"Where are Sari and the others?" Tez' Mu asked rhetorically, after peering around and realizing their absence.
"They left hours ago," the innkeeper stammered, recognizing Tez' Mu, "Your men—those northern soldiers—they headed to Ksada, the forest outside the city. Said it wasn't safe here anymore. They took the east exit."
Tez' Mu slumped against the wall, wiping soot from his face. He was suddenly drained. "Of course, they did."
He glanced at Annir. "Rest while you can. We're not safe yet."
Annir's shoulders heaved as he caught his breath. The dim light of the inn's single lamp cast shadows across his face, making him look even younger. The innkeeper moved to quickly restore the door, though it had been knocked clean off its hinges. The rest of the people in the inn; a woman and three young boys, who Tez' Mu supposed were the proprietor's family, hurriedly aided him in barricading the door again.
"How many soldiers are between us and the east exit?" Tez' Mu asked.
The man shrugged, his expression a mixture of fear and frustration. "More than enough. Imperials are sweeping through the streets, looking for anyone they think is a threat. Kest soldiers are pushing back hard, but it's a damn mess out there. Doesn't matter who you are—if they see you, they'll think you're the enemy."
Tez' Mu cursed under his breath. "What about the forest? Anything we should know?"
"Some people fled that way earlier, when the imperials first struck," the innkeeper said. "But if they have control of the city already, they might've sent scouts to cut off the routes."
Tez' Mu considered this, weighing their options. Every decision felt like a gamble, but standing still wasn't one he could afford.
"Thanks for the warning," he said. "We'll take our chances."
The innkeeper didn't reply, just gave a curt nod and stepped back. Tez' Mu moved toward the back exit, motioning for Annir to follow. Before they left, he turned once more to the innkeeper.
"If anyone else comes through here, tell them to stay off the main streets. As far as I've seen, the imperials aren't taking prisoners."
The man grimaced but nodded. Tez' Mu unlatched the door as quietly as he could, easing it open. The night outside was still thick with smoke and the muffled chaos of battle. He stepped back into the street, his senses immediately on high alert, and Annir followed close behind.
The pair hurried, sticking to the alleys and side streets. Every breath was fire—smoke stung his throat, his lungs wheezing as they ducked through charred doorways and shadowed paths. The city of Darin groaned and screamed around them; the wails of the dying mingled with the clash of steel.
The main roads were a cacophony of chaos, with soldiers, citizens, and rebels colliding in violent clashes. As they ran past, Tez' Mu saw flashes of a woman dragging her injured child into the shadows, her face streaked with soot and tears. Another man stood defiantly in the street, a pitchfork in hand, before an Imperial soldier cut him down with a single stroke.
Annir gasped, but Tez' Mu quickly dragged him along. They moved like shadows through the streets, avoiding the glow of torches and the sound of heavy boots. In other places, the Kests had the upper hand, pushing back the Imperial forces and regaining lost ground. Tez' Mu kept his blade ready, his face now grim with the realization that their life was on the balance.
They burst into an open square at the foot of Darin's eastern wall. Chaos awaited them.
A line of Kest soldiers had formed an unsteady barricade, halberds planted in the earth as they tried to hold off an imperial advance. Flames licked up the buildings behind them, painting the scene in hues of orange and red.
"Get down!" Annir shouted, shoving Tez' Mu to the ground just as an arrow hissed past his ear. It embedded itself in a crumbling wall, splintering on impact.
Tez' Mu cursed and yanked Annir behind a broken cart. "We're trapped! That's the east exit—right there!" He pointed across the square, where the shadowy gap of the city gate loomed, partially blocked by fighting soldiers. It was tantalizingly close.
Annir's eyes darted frantically. "We can go around—use the rubble there, slip past!"
Before Tez' Mu could respond, the boy darted forward, weaving through the debris with the nimbleness of a street rat. Tez' Mu swore under his breath but followed, sword in hand. He kept low, his ears ringing with the clash of steel and the shouts of men.
They skirted the edge of the square, hugging the burning walls as Kest soldiers surged to meet the imperial cavalry. Chaos erupted anew—screams, the clash of weapons, the stampede of hooves. Tez' Mu saw a Kest soldier thrown aside like a ragdoll, his shield broken in two. A second soldier swung desperately, only for the imperial knight to drive his spear clean through his chest.
Don't stop. Don't look.
Arrows whistled past, embedding in the rubble around them. The roar of the battle at their backs was deafening. They were so close now—the eastern gate loomed only fifty paces away.
A shadow moved in the smoke ahead.
"Stop!" Tez' Mu threw his arm out, yanking Annir to a halt. A lone imperial soldier stumbled from the haze, blood streaking down his face. He saw them—his expression twisted in surprise and rage as he drew his sword.
Tez' Mu didn't hesitate. He lunged forward, his blade flashing. The soldier parried, their swords clashing against each other. Tez' Mu shoved forward, using his weight to drive the man back. The soldier snarled, swinging wide—Tez' Mu ducked under it and drove his blade through the man's ribs.
The soldier crumpled, blood pooling across the stones. Tez' Mu stood over him, panting. His hands trembled around his sword as he pulled it free, more blood spurting upwards. He turned and urgently waved Annir forward.
They sprinted for the gate, their boots pounding over broken stones and fallen bodies. A burning cart to their left exploded with a thunderous crack, sending shrapnel and flame into the air. Tez' Mu threw an arm around Annir, shielding him as they stumbled forward.
"Go!"
Their luck held until they reached a narrow plaza five paces from the gate. Tez' Mu halted abruptly, pulling Annir into the cover of a crumbling wall. Three imperial soldiers stood at the far end of the plaza, their weapons drawn. They were speaking in low voices, their tones tense.
Tez' Mu leaned in close to Annir, his voice barely above a whisper. "Stay here. Don't move unless I tell you."
The boy's eyes widened. "You're not—"
"I'll handle it," Tez' Mu cut him off. "Just stay out of sight."
Without waiting for a reply, Tez' Mu slipped around the edge of the wall, keeping to the shadows. As he neared the soldiers, he could make out fragments of their conversation.
"…orders to hold this position. No one gets through."
"Like anyone's getting past the mess in the city."
"Doesn't matter. Stay sharp."
Tez' Mu took a deep breath as he decided on what to do. He timed his approach perfectly, waiting until one soldier turned in his direction. In a flash, he struck—silent and efficient. His blade found its mark, and the soldier crumpled to the ground with a low grunt. The remaining two swung round, their eyes widening in alarm, but he was already on the move.
Tez' Mu deflected a swing with Moonfire, countering with a sharp thrust that dropped the second soldier. The third managed to cry out, raising his weapon, but Tez' Mu closed the distance before he could attack. A swift kick sent the man sprawling, and Tez' Mu finished him with a downward strike.
The plaza was silent again, save for Tez' Mu's heavy breathing. He wiped his blade on one of the fallen soldiers' cloaks before motioning for Annir to join him.
The boy emerged from the shadows, his expression a mixture of awe and fear. "You… you didn't even hesitate."
Tez' Mu sheathed his blade, his face unreadable. "Sometimes you don't get the luxury. Come on. We need to move."
But, he had to say, cutting down bundles of hay during practice with Raq' Mu was way easier than the real thing. Tez' Mu clenched his teeth as he tried hard not to imagine what he had just done—ending not one, but three lives; four plus the lone soldier that had stumbled upon them in the square—and instead turned his thoughts back to escaping Darin in one piece.
They pressed on, the eastern gate looming closer with each step. Beyond it lay Ksada—and whatever awaited them there.
The eastern gate came into view through the thick haze of smoke and ash. Tez' Mu and Annir moved cautiously, their eyes scanning every corner for movement. The gate itself stood partially open, a jagged gap where the Imperials had likely forced their way through earlier. Shadows flickered on the other side, but it was too far to tell if they were friend or foe.
Tez' Mu raised a hand, signaling Annir to halt. The boy obeyed, crouching behind a toppled cart while Tez' Mu crept forward. He kept his steps light, his body low, and his senses attuned to every sound and flicker of movement. As he approached the gate, he caught sight of more soldiers, their armor indecipherable from where he squatted.
Two were standing near the broken gate, speaking in hurried whispers. A third soldier was crouched nearby, inspecting a bloodied corpse—a civilian, judging by the tattered clothes.
Tez' Mu clenched his jaw. The sight of the lifeless body stirred something in him—anger, regret, perhaps even guilt—but he pushed the feelings aside as he noticed something else. A little way from the soldiers, silhouetted against the moonlight, were several figures—more soldiers surrounding a group of captives. They were kneeling on the ground, tied with their backs against one another. The soldiers were arguing, and the wind carried a yell from one of the captives.
"I'm telling you the truth, my name is Kal' Yu, deputy of the Onan Desar! Check my damned insignia if you—"
Tez' Mu's breath hitched.
The escorts. Sari. Captured.
He clenched his fists, his mind racing. Turning to Annir, Tez' Mu spoke, his voice low but steady.
"Stay close and keep quiet," he murmured, his gaze fixed on the captives. The sight of their bound hands and fearful faces made his chest tighten. He forced himself to exhale slowly, grounding his racing thoughts.
"We'll free them. We have to." He muttered, more to himself than to Annir.
The Imperial soldiers were positioned in a semi-circle around the escorts, their weapons glinting faintly in the moonlight. There were at least six soldiers, possibly more hidden in the shadows.
"They are too many," Annir whispered, his voice trembling. "How can we fight them?"
Tez' Mu placed a steadying hand on the boy's shoulder. "We won't rush in blindly. We'll need to pick them off quietly, one by one, if we can."
Annir nodded, though he seemed less certain. "What if they see us? What if they...?"
"They won't," Tez' Mu interrupted, his voice firm. "We'll move carefully. Stick to the shadows. Got it?"
Annir hesitated but eventually gave a reluctant nod.
The pair crept closer, staying low and using the uneven terrain as cover. Tez' Mu scanned the area, identifying weak points in the soldiers' formation. The escorts were bound near a cluster of boulders that could offer some concealment. Two guards stood closest to them, their backs partially turned as they spoke in hushed tones.
Tez' Mu gestured for Annir to stay hidden behind a rock and whispered, "Wait for my signal. I'll take out those two first. When I move, you follow and untie the captives."
Annir's eyes widened. "What if the others attack me?"
"They won't get the chance," Tez' Mu said with a faint, reassuring smile. "Trust me."
Drawing his blade, Tez' Mu crept forward, his steps deliberate and silent. The first guard didn't even notice him until it was too late. Tez' Mu struck swiftly, his blade slicing across the man's throat. The second guard barely had time to react before Tez' Mu lunged again, silencing him with a brutal thrust.
The bodies hit the ground with muffled thuds. Tez' Mu quickly dragged them out of sight and motioned for Annir to move. The boy darted forward, his small frame almost invisible in the dim light. He crouched beside the captives, fumbling with the ropes that bound their hands. He quickly motioned them to be quiet as Yanak nearly exclaimed, having been startled.
Tez' Mu turned his attention to the remaining soldiers. One of them had noticed something amiss and was moving toward the captives, his weapon raised. Tez' Mu intercepted him, stepping from the shadows, their blades clashing with a sharp ring that echoed through the night.
The sound drew the attention of the other soldiers. Shouts erupted as they rushed toward the commotion. Tez' Mu fought fiercely, his movements a blur of calculated strikes and evasive maneuvers.
"Get them free!" Tez' Mu shouted over his shoulder, blocking an overhead strike and countering with a slash that sent his opponent sprawling.
Annir worked frantically, finally loosening the ropes around the last captive. The escorts, though battered and weary, wasted no time arming themselves with weapons scavenged from the fallen guards.
The tide of the fight shifted. With the escorts joining the fray, the remaining Imperial soldiers found themselves outnumbered and overwhelmed. The battle was quick and brutal, ending with the last of the soldiers lying motionless on the ground.
Tez' Mu wiped sweat and blood from his face, breathing heavily as he surveyed the aftermath. The escorts—now freed—stood in a loose circle, their faces a mixture of relief and apprehension as they looked at the bodies of the imperial soldiers.
"You made it out," Sari gasped, as he clapped Tez' Mu around the back.
Tez' Mu nodded, sheathing his blade. "We're not safe yet. There could be more of them nearby."
Kal' Yu nodded grimly. "You're right. I can't believe they did not realize we're on their side. I really don't know what we could have done differently." He still looked shocked. He had not quite made sense of all that had just occurred.
Tez' Mu turned to Annir, who was wiping his mouth on the corner of his tunic, after throwing up into a nearby bush, his lips quivering. "You did well," Tez' Mu said, clapping the boy on the shoulder. "Now let's keep moving."
Together, the group disappeared into the shadowy expanse of the forest, leaving the chaos of the city behind. But Tez' Mu knew this was only a temporary reprieve. The Imperials would regroup, and the fight was far from over.
As they trudged further into the forest, a distant sound broke the silence—the thud of boots against earth. Tez' Mu stopped abruptly, his hand flying to his blade. The escorts exchanged uneasy glances, their faces pale in the moonlight.
"They're coming," Tez' Mu said grimly.
Yanak cursed under his breath, his face twisting in frustration. "That's why we'll win this war. Imperials don't give up easy."
"What's the plan?" Annir asked, his voice trembling.
"Run," Tez' Mu replied, glancing at the boy. "And fight, if we have to." He added, to grim nods from the group.
The group picked up their pace, their movements hurried but careful on the uneven terrain. The sound of pursuit grew louder, the shadows of their pursuers flickering as torches cast eerie light over the trail.
It wasn't long before the Imperials caught up. They burst onto the clearing, their armor glinting in the faint moonlight. Kal' Yu shouted a warning and drew his blade, the others following suit. Tez' Mu stepped forward, his own sword blazing as he readied himself for the clash.
The first Imperial came charging in, his sword swinging in a wide arc. Tez' Mu ducked low, driving his blade upward. The soldier fell with a cry, but there were more behind him.
Kal' Yu and Yanak ran into the fray, Sari covered Annir, and Tez' Mu found himself fighting back to back with Mi' Huan. The soldiers swarmed them. Mi' Huan spun his spear, deflecting their strikes, even as Moonfire cut down the second soldier that came too close.
They fought like that for a while, and Mi' Huan started laughing as the soldiers started to retreat, stumbling backward as he pushed them back into Kal' Yu and Yanak's attacks.
Tez' Mu saw it too late—an Imperial soldier rushing forward with a halberd, to Mi' Huan's exposed side.
There was no time to shout a warning.
Tez' Mu shoved Mi' Huan aside just as the spear thrust forward. The blade tore into his shoulder, sending a hot burst of pain through his body. Snarling, he cut the spear-man down, blood seeping through his tunic.
Mi' Huan turned from slicing through another soldier's chest. "My lord—!"
"Keep fighting!" Tez' Mu growled, forcing himself to raise his sword again.
But the Imperials didn't relent. Another wave crashed through the trees, surrounding them with leveled swords. Mi' Huan grit his teeth, roaring as he rushed into the line of steel.
"Come on, you bastards!" He lunged, his spear impaling the first soldier, driving him back and through the second—but a sword slashed across his chest. He staggered, still driving forward. A blade bit into his thigh. His scream echoed as he spat blood, gurgling as he rammed the two bodies on his spear to the ground. Blood bubbled from his lips as he pulled out his spear with a shriek, swinging around.
A sword took him through the throat.
"Mi' Huan!" Kal' Yu roared, as the man staggered for a moment, still holding his spear.
Then he crashed to the ground.
"NO!" the sight sent a surge of fury through Tez' Mu, and for ten long minutes, he forgot his injuries. He fought like a man possessed, cutting down six more soldiers before Kal' Yu broke through to him and grabbed his arm.
"We have to go—now!"
Tez' Mu wanted to argue. Wanted to kill every last Imperial in sight. But the wound on his shoulder was now pouring blood, and Sari was already carving a path of escape.
"Fall back!" he snarled, his voice ragged.
Yanak cut down the last soldier near him with a roar as they started to retreat. The Imperials made a last-ditch effort to chase them, but they quickly scrambled up the hill and cut through the undergrowth, using the trees as cover.
Tez' Mu turned as they ran, sighting Mi' Huan's body lying in the blood-soaked dirt. His eyes swam.
"Move!" Kal' Yu shouted back, his breath coming in short, ragged gasps. "Just keep moving!"
Darkness soon swallowed them as they moved deeper into the wood, heading north, keeping Mt. Erdin in view through the pine trees. They didn't stop running until they were sure the enemy was no longer on their trail.
Finally, they collapsed in a hidden crevice, sheltered from view by an overhang of rock. Tez' Mu sank to the ground, clutching his shoulder where blood seeped through his fingers. Sari knelt beside him, his face pale.
"Let me see," he said, his voice shaking as he tore a strip of cloth to staunch the wound.
Annir was sobbing silently in the corner, Yanak patting his back less than gently. Kal' Yu stood apart from them, his back against the stone. His hands were still slick with blood, trembling as he wiped them on his tunic, leaving dark smears. He opened his mouth as if to speak, but only a hollow rasp came out.
Yanak noticed. "Kal'?"
Kal' Yu shook his head violently, like a man trying to wake from a nightmare. "He was so close," he muttered. "I—I couldn't even—" the deputy's breath hitched, his face twisting before he turned away, pressing his forehead to the rock.
His shoulders heaved once.
"We swore on these the day we became brothers," he choked out after a while, fingers digging beneath his collar. When they came free, he held an amulet—twin to Mi' Huan's. The bronze serpent and sword gleamed dully in the cave's half-light. Sand Viper sigil, Tez' Mu's foggy mind registered dimly.
The cord snapped as Kal' Yu yanked it free.
Tez' Mu blinked slowly. Someone needed to say something. "Capital," he slurred through the pain. "Mu Manor."