Ortinus (thrusting his dagger into the center of the map):
"This isn't just a raid. If one of us stumbles, we all fall. The palace isn't just walls; it's a labyrinth of crystal traps."
Nerar (struggling to stand, a large white bandage over his eye, his voice raspy with pain):
"Ortinus... do not forget the magnetic defense system. I've spent my life dealing with machines, and the 'Black Heart' sends out pulses that paralyze any metallic weapon approaching the central plaza. If you enter with your standard swords, you'll become nothing more than statues before Peonil's guards."
Pecos (trying to smile through his terror):
"Oh, great! Statues! Can I at least choose the pose I freeze in? Perhaps the 'cowardly retreat' pose? Nerar, my friend, you're recovering, and your imagination for horrors is recovering right along with you! Isn't there any good news? Like... the palace being built out of biscuits?"
Romelius (laughing softly despite the situation):
"Pecos, if the palace were made of biscuits, you'd be the first to die of indigestion before you even reached the throne. Nerar is right; experience is our only weapon now."
Darius (inspecting his arrows):
"I'll be on the high minarets. If the 'Black Heart' paralyzes metal, then my wooden arrows with stone tips won't be affected. I'll pick off the guards one by one."
Nikos (stroking his beard):
"Remember, Darius, the wind at this altitude is treacherous. You must release the arrow before you even hear the sound of your own heartbeat. As for me, my mission will be with Kayan; we'll use the 'Blue Feather' as bait to distract Peonil. He thinks he's the king of discoveries; he'll be drawn to any shimmer he thinks is a new feather."
Miron (his eyes filled with obsession):
"And I... I will go to the vault of the 'Black Heart.' Ortinus, the records say the stone responds to sonic frequencies. If I can disrupt the frequency it operates on, the palace shields will collapse for a few seconds. Those seconds are your only window."
Pecos (interrupting): "Seconds? Only seconds? Nerar, tell him we need several hours... at least enough time to pack our bags and run if things go south!"
Nerar (teasing him despite the pain): "Pecos, the next time I see you, I want you to cook us a victory feast, not that cheese soup that tastes like old socks!"
Everyone laughed briefly—the laugh of those saying goodbye, knowing the next meeting might not be in this world.
While the companions were planning, the clouds beneath the royal palace were raining blood. The "Bloody Companions" squad reached the "Old Explorers" district, the poorest neighborhood in Aetheria. The soldiers wore distorted, laughing copper masks and carried whips charged with crystal electricity.
Squad Leader (in a metallic voice):
"Prince Peonil's orders are clear! Do not let a single sound escape these houses. Peonil wants total silence in Aetheria, and silence only comes from killing."
The hideous purge began. Soldiers burst into humble homes, dragging families from their beds. It wasn't a quick death, but a cruel torture aimed at "discovery," as their Prince claimed.
A woman screaming: "Please! My child is sick... we have no part in this revolution!"
A soldier (raising his dagger coldly):
"The Prince wants to know how many screams a human can utter before their heart stops. You are a wonderful volunteer for discovery!"
Flames erupted in the wooden shacks, and the sound of the soldiers' laughter mingled with the moans of the dying. Above, Peonil watched the rising smoke from his balcony with an inane smile, stroking the blood-stained eagle feather.
Peonil (whispering to the wind):
"Look, Aetheria... I am cleaning you of the noise. Tomorrow, you will be mine alone... a silent city, beautiful, and ready for dissection."