“The godstone of Zastrad, it’s here in Mrtyu?”
The High Luminance nodded. “Deep in a cave in Mount Langbo. The safest route to the godstone is through a tunnel. The only entrance is here in my residence.” They paused and smirked. “Well, there is another entrance, but you’d have to be a dragon to fly up to it.” They started to laugh, but the sound was suddenly cut off as their head whipped around to face the tapestry suddenly.
“Have you visited the godstone?”
“I—” Their words were suddenly cut off by a loud explosion that shook the building. It didn’t sound as if it hit the residence but was farther off in another part of the city. Maybe the gate guarding Mrtyu.
Caelan was on his feet in a heartbeat, pulling his sword as he moved to position his body between the High Luminance and the entrance to the room.
“I’m sorry,” the High Luminance apologized. “I thought we’d have a little more time.”
“What do you mean?” he demanded, his fist tightening on the hilt of his sword. Another explosion rocked the city and he reluctantly tore his gaze from the open doorway to look over his shoulder at the child. The playful mischief and enlightened glow were gone. They appeared so very small and frail among the pillows.
“New Rosanthe is here to claim the godstone.”
TWENTY-FIVE
Drayce Ladon
The explosion knocked Drayce off his feet. Ears ringing, he sucked in a breath and started coughing as smoke and dust coated his throat. It was as if the world had been suddenly kicked off its axis. He shoved to his feet with a wince. His hip was going to be bruised to the damn bone.
“What the fuck?” he rasped, glancing over at Eno, who was helping Rayne stand. Both of his companions appeared as confused as he felt.
Rayne reached up and settled his glasses properly on his face again as he looked around. “I think that came from the gate,” he replied on a cough.
Drayce’s heart thudded hard as they began forward as one in the direction of the explosion. Everywhere people were screaming and running in the opposite direction. He couldn’t understand a word of what they were saying, but it didn’t make their terror any less unsettling. Everyone he passed, their normally white robes were now streaked black with dirt, or worse, red with fresh blood.
Mrtyu was a small city clinging to the side of the mountain with many of the buildings carved right out of the rock. There were just a handful of streets. Was it possible that a rockslide had crushed a building? If that was true, why were they running deeper into the city? They’d walked that way this morning before heading toward the gate. There was only one exit in and out of Mrtyu from what they’d discovered.
Another explosion rocked the city and they ducked into a deep doorway as more dust and debris rained down. The air was becoming choked with smoke, the acrid smell burning his nose and throat while leaving his eyes watering. Drayce pulled his shirt up to cover his mouth and nose to help filter the air.
This time they were close enough to hear the explosion. It was definitely the C4-dynamite-gunpowder kind and not the rocks-falling-from-the-heavens-to-smash-the-city kind.
When the rocks and dust had cleared enough, Eno stepped out of the doorway, leading them the last block to the gate.
Chaos greeted them.
It all reminded Drayce too much of the fight for Green Gate in Stormbreak, and he was once again on the side of the under-armed and outnumbered. Fucking New Rosanthe.
The gate was now smoldering, twisted metal and charred wood while Empire soldiers poured through the opening. Despite the endless wave of Empire soldiers, the Mrtyu guards were attempting to hold their ground, but were falling quickly in the face of such numbers. For each Empire soldier that died as he entered the gate, three more replaced him, cutting down the Zastrad fighters.
As the Empire soldiers breached the gate, they fanned out, heading along every street and kicking in every door. Fires were starting to flicker in windows while black smoke rolled out of open doors.
“How?” Drayce exhaled, his stomach twisting up in a painful knot. This shouldn’t have even been possible. How could New Rosanthe have surprised them? They would’ve had to have taken Temit. A message had to have been sent up to Mrtyu the second they were attacked.
“It doesn’t matter!” Eno roared. “You need to get to Caelan.”
“What?” Drayce gulped. His brain was still locked up at what he was seeing. How was he supposed to move? To fight? They were overwhelmed and outnumbered. They were on the side of a fucking mountain, thousands of feet in the air. How were they supposed to escape, let alone save any of these innocent people?
“You have to focus! Get Caelan and get him to the godstone now!”