I think this will do for now.
Tell your soldiers to rest up.
We’ll enter the ruins at midnight when the shadows will be with us.
Yes, sir, right away.
Cornerstone Lusef-
‘Cornerstone?’
Athi, there is no need to be so formal with me.
You know this.
I know, sir, but it’s only customary given your rank as a Cornerstone.
You might not mind, but we cannot lose face among so many other people.
Yeah, yeah…
But what did you need?
I was just wondering…
Do you really think we can take on whoever unlocked the Heijhan Trak?
Hmm…?
We’ve all heard how the only way to fight one of those spells
is with another Heijhan Trak
Do you think Emperor Idemni is going to try to unlock one of our own?
Maybe, maybe not.
It’ll depend on how dangerous this person actually is.
I bet I could take him with one hand tied behind my back!
But…
But what if you can’t?
What if it isn’t the Incarnation or Uraide or even Zirar?
What if it’s…
What if it’s what?
Then an unclean spirit – calling himself after the stars of the sky and after the curse
of the defiled temple – shall overtake the fallen of New Light and claim to be as one
risen from the dead.
And he will lay waste to your sons and to the sons of Drakur and of Yudak and of Korh,
and to the sons of the inhabitants of the New City, and to-
What, the Advent of Kaylun?
If that heretic has finally decided to show his ugly head,
then he will be in for a real shock to discover me as his first true opponent.
Don’t get cocky.
Cornerstone or not, a Heijhan Trak is still a very dangerous force to face.
Your arrogance is going to be the death of you.
Lieutenant Sintor
thank you for your concern, but I am very well accustomed to dealing with
high-priority criminals who wield more than your average Heiun and Makik spells.
My apologies, Cornerstone Lusef…
But I have spoken with my soldiers to inform them of the situation.
They will be awaiting your orders and ready to begin the search tonight.
Good.
And remember that no one is to enter that building without my permission.
If all goes well, we’ll find the perpetrator without having to resort to THAT.
Only if luck is on our side…
But I fear this will be more difficult than the average capture or execution…
“Yeah, yeah, yeah…
Curse of Kaylun and Tainted Power of the Gods…
I need to rest up for tonight.
You can go now.
Very well, Cornerstone Lusef…
Was that necessary?
She was only reminding you about what we’re up against.
I don’t care.
I don’t need people who rank so much lower than me to tell me how to do my job.
I worked up to being a Cornerstone…
I know how these things go.
Very well…
Get some rest and I’ll wake you when the hour draws near.
Nabu, hurry up!
We can’t risk getting separated with those people after you!
I’m going as quickly as I can!
You know I can’t use my fox form like the rest of you can when it’s this hot!
The ruins probably aren’t even cursed anyway…
It’s all just myths and legends…
Then what about what happened with Uraide?
He killed the prince after that curse drove him mad!
And maybe Idier had it coming to him…
The current royal family hasn’t exactly been a favorite of the people in recent times...
Yeah, well what about Zirar?
Oh I’m sure we’d get along real well…
She’d probably even be worshipping at my feet.
One day I hope someone shoves his fluffy tail down his mouth for once.
We risked a lot saving him back there…
N-Nuraiah?
How did you and Zjhiben escape O-Jhenbel?
Do you really want to know?
I don’t remember much.
It started like an explosion.
Everything was so hazy...
Zjhiben?!
Zjhiben where are you?!
Over here!
I don’t think it’s broken, but hurry!
I guess… you’ll have to chew through my leg...
But you'll have to promise to take care of your crippled brother forevermore.
Really, now of all times??
I just… don’t want the people to remember me as
a gloomy stick in the mud!
I wasn’t going to leave him.
I couldn’t bring myself to.
I was ready to face whatever was to come.
After that, we ran.
The dust that jackal’s magic kicked up provided us the cover we needed to get out
of there without anyone seeing us.
But it was…
Unsettling.
The raw force of that lightning was greater than anything I’d ever seen before or since.
And the eyes were so… unnatural.
It was like looking into the eyes of a dead man.
Sounds like you saw a Soul Rend.
I fought one once.
Nasty things, those are...
Who-?!
Nabu, what are you doing…?!
Look at him!
He bears the emblem of Norsen!
It’s not a curse!
I told you it wasn’t!
Norsen is trying to hide something from us and he’s the proof of it!
Just how stupid are you?
No, this is a serious question!
You, the infamous red-eyed fya, just attacked someone who you think is stationed
here by Norsen to kill anyone who gets close!
If that’s the case and I am alone, wouldn't that mean they sent someone powerful
enough to be trusted to deal with greater threats than a pipsqueak
like you?
No, be quiet!
Furthermore, if Norsen has made your capture their utmost priority,
why I even alert you to my presence in the first place?
None of you noticed me, yet I have been watching you since before
you even entered Kaylun!
Yes
I am originally from Norsen
but I’m not going back to a city full of
liars, hypocrites, and traitors…
Just who are you?
Me?
You can call me Athyir.
That's... That is not what I meant!
You just walked through lava without being burned! You-!
...have a Heijhan Trak…
And you admit to it?
Just like that?
The Empire would have you executed!
Oh, they have many other reasons to wish for that...
We never expected to run into anyone here...
Are you alone?
I am alone, but the red-eyed kid wasn’t too far off
with his theories…
There were guards from Norsen stationed here when I arrived,
but lucky for you I already killed them all.
And you did that all by yourself…?
It’s really not that difficult.
I was speaking more in terms of conscience and morality…
You think I had a choice?
It was either me or them.
Besides, I’d say it benefited the whole lot of you.
You said it yourself that you didn’t expect to meet anyone here,
let alone soldiers from Norsen.
They say that anyone who goes too deep into the secrets of these ruins
is put under a curse that drives them insane.
That’s why Norsen guards this place isn’t it?
Yet you killed them all...
Was it to find out what was hiding in the secrets of Kaylun?
Why else?
I could even give you a tour of the place if you wanted.
No, I don’t think that will be necessary…
You said it yourself how easy it would have been to catch us by
surprise before we could have reacted to your presence…
No matter why you were cast out of Norsen
even with a Heijhan Trak
I’m sure they would have welcomed you back with open arms had you done that…
So why didn’t you?
It’s not as simple as that…
What do you mean?
‘And his eyes burn red with the fires of the Nameless God.’
What?
That’s what the Oracle said in his prophecy, right?
You never thought there was anything strange about that line?
But the Oracle wasn’t the one who-
I don’t understand
what you’re getting at.
Just give it some thought.
If you can’t think of anything, the answer to why I didn’t attack your red-eyed
friend is in the temple.
Anyway…
It wouldn’t surprise me if Norsen came to investigate things soon.
If you don’t want to get captured, I suggest you leave as soon as morning comes.
And what about you…?
Don’t worry about it.
I’ve been on my own long enough to know how to keep hidden if I need to.
You’re not going to get any sleep tonight, Rajhu?
No…
I don’t trust that fya from before...
Something wasn’t right about him…
I know, I felt it too.
Whether it’s his connection to Norsen or to the curse
I don't like it
I’ll be glad when we’re on our way in the morning.
It… it wasn’t either of those things that set me on edge…
What do you mean?
I could have sworn I’ve seen him before
but it was so long ago and he…
he looks exactly the same despite the years that have passed…
You mean from when we still lived in Norsen?
But you were so young then…
You're probably just remembering things wrong.
Or perhaps he’s a relative of the person you’re thinking of.
Not with this fya…
And that name he gave us makes it even more unsettling.
Athyir?
I don’t remember any prominent figures by that name.
You don’t mean-...?!