The rattle on the door penetrated his sleep, and Dell arose from his slumber.
"C-come… in."
The government liaison craned his head around the door.
Dell looked at him, then dropped from his bed.
The liaison's face twisted.
Dell found his gatherings and sat himself up, knocking empty bottles around the floor.
The liaison stepped into the room, and his face turned sour still as the sound of his boots grabbed the dried liquid on the floor.
Dell noticed this. ''Oh, you must forgive me. Me and my friends here had gotten quite rowdy last night. It's not often you get whiskey out here in the snow.''
The liaison continued to gawk. What fucking friends? You drank all this yourself, you degenerate.
Of course he did not say this out aloud, especially since it concerned a Song Master.
''Captain Reyvan, Major Cho requires your presence in the keep.''
Dell blinked.
''It's urgent.''
''I will be there - urgently'', Dell responded.
The liaison stared at the captain, expecting him to get up. The captain simply smiled instead.
He turned around awkwardly and stepped out, whilst parting pained glances at his boots.
Dell grabbed one of the bottles off the floor and laboriously tried to extract any remnants.
-----
Dell entered the small room, where Major Cho had requested him.
''Captain Reyvan.''
''Major Cho.''
''What is the matter, sir?''
''Please, sit.''
Dell sat himself opposite Cho's desk.
''I was told you had not been debriefed after arriving in Greenriver.''
''I was not.''
Dell let the air grow stale.
''Why not?''
''I was tired.''
Cho let the air grow stale.
''Then please explain to me what happened at Morrowmound and why you were forced to abandon your position.''
Dell feigned shock, then indignation. ''Abandon? My entire platoon was wasted to a Fallen Terror… that used soul damage. The only reason I'm here is because of my aspect.''
Cho's face darkened.
''You killed it?"
''Of course not.''
Cho sighed, and paused for a moment before continuing. ''Have you heard of the horrors of the Antarctic Centre?''
Dell lied. ''Only stories.''
Cho nodded. ''I have lost many a comrade too.''
Dell frowned.
''See, I was originally with the first evac army.''
Dell eyes widened. An old comrade.
''But by the old gods, everyone there was wiped. The hundred thousand awakened we sent there. Poof. Gone. The strongholds that had stood for decades. Gone. Shit. Even the fleet. Gone.''
Cho's eyes wandered the room.
''I am sorry for your loss, I truly am. But I am selfish enough to say that I am glad you're here with us. There isn't enough Ascended to go around in Greenriver, not with the Commander gone.''
Dell pressed. He need the information. ''You don't approve?''
The major grimaced. ''No, I can't say I do. I joined the Song because the Great Clans are the best chance these people have at a future. After seeing what happened in the Centre, it doesn't take long to figure out that the Waking World is already doomed, and we're all just running on borrowed time.''
The major darkened. "But the commander had to up and go to war with Valor. Now, all I have here are the government garrison. With a fortress this size, and what happened in the Centre, I am not too comfortable without a Saint.''
So that's where she went. Sora's intel was sloppy. Shit.
It wouldn't serve Dell if Song Seishan got herself killed by Morgan of Valor before he could get what he needed.
''She would have passed Morrowmound on the way."
Dell grinned, hiding his inner pain. ''Ah, yes. Her and her sister were quite the sight.'' Shit! Shit! Shit!
Cho looked at Dell, incredulously. ''The boldness of youth.''
''Either way, rest up Captain Reyvan. We're going to need you in the coming days, if the weather's anything to tell.''
The weather? What the hell is this old man saying?
''Thank you, sir.''
Dell up and left.
Dell stood atop the peak of the keep's battlements, assessing the stronghold from below.
This high up, the air was chill, yet surprisingly still.
The stronghold below was bustling with people going about their lives.
He had not seen a stronghold this lively in a long while.
Compared to Erebus, the people seemed to be in higher spirits.
Perhaps due to the safety Seishan and her saints provided.
How would they act if she knew she was gone?
Alone on this section of the battlements, he scanned different parts of the city.
The market centre drew the most of his attention as he studied the different stalls and shops.
No doubt they would be selling their wares at a ridiculous markup, considering the trade conditions.
Yet despite that, they still received business.
He watched a man buy a comical sack of monster meat, and lug it over his shoulder.
He watched children race each other through narrow alleyways, laughing and screaming.
He watched a couple snooping between a florist's bouquets, enjoying their company.
Dell's mood darkened.
He watched elsewhere.
The outer walls were heavily manned with government personnel.
Railguns and turrets littered the wall, indiscriminately.
Mechs patrolled the wall, itching to let loose.
For a Song stronghold, not a lot of Song.
So they were out there fighting Valor. For the umpteenth time, he marvelled at the stupidity of the Great Clans.
If they were fighting each other head on though, what was the goal?
What would be worth risking that much?
A citadel? No, both had plenty? A fourth nightmare seed? Did such a thing even exist?
He didn't know, and if what Major Cho had told him to be true, that would stay the same for a while.
I might have to press my luck without Seishan.
Dell wasn't keen on returning to the Song Domain, not after witnessing what he saw the last time.
And the princesses of Song would be much harder to approach in the Dream Realm kingdom, where their armies numbered the tens of thousands, as opposed to in this continent, where their forces numbered one-one hundredth.
How would he find what he needed, though? Seishan was the only one of the Queen's inner circle who was not a transcendent, and so as Dell understood it, he stood the best chances with her.
As Dell was pondering these thoughts, he noticed a movement far into the sky.
He glanced across.
What was it?
Further east, a dark cloud was gaining momentum, hurtling its way toward the stronghold.
Lightning and wind weathered the ground beneath, offering glimpses into the darkness that would otherwise remained hidden under the clouds.
As a string of lightning struck again, Dell tensed at what he saw.
A horde was approaching.
Shit.
As, Dell noticed it, so must have the garrison guard and the sirens went off.
The once lively civilians now scrambled to find cover within the underground shelters of the stronghold, a scene of chaos erupting.