Liron welcomed the night with open arms. He understood the cold, having missed its presence. Zonis had explained that the sand warmed up during the day but lost it all at nightfall. Liron and Emma grinned as they had to put another layer of clothes over them, their sweat long dry.
They placed a heater in their midst, keeping them warm. Zonis had said that Sannara was as dangerous at night as at day, if not more. "The cold catches most off guard," he had said. "They all believe that the desert knows only heat, sealing their fate if they don't prepare for when Cyrar sets.
"You must also fear the animals. The nights offer challenges but also new opportunities. The strongest felines hunt at night. Even I would not dare try to talk to them. The older they get, the more ruthless they become. They regard all, even their own species, as nothing but food."
Liron glimpsed at the night sky, dark shadows soaring through it. The true birds of prey had taken flight. He never asked about them. Zonis had told them that they are too small for these beasts to consider worthwhile. That was all he needed to know.
Ragner and Angin had kept them updated on their current positions. The Kin did wonders in spreading chaos among the coast. Angin had said he closed up on Wran and should get to him by tomorrow. Meeting them at the baiting point should take two days.
The Empire army had not yet become a problem, but their presence would offer them no advantage. Liron had feared that Adenius would seek their support. But Military and Inquistion hated each other. Kupferrang's fate did not help their relationship. They would not follow an Inquisitor even if he hunted the Emperor's killer. To them, Adenius and Liron shared the same name.
Enemy.
The Qyoral forces camped nearby, proving the real threat. Their Fleshdancing allowed them to create wings to fly and scout ahead like Shae. They needed to be cautious, but they had their value. Zonis had explained that the Resistance learned to use its surroundings for its survival. Hunted by an empyrean force, the safest was close to a Qyoral army. Without a sufficient army, the Empire would not dare move in too close. A dangerous gamble, but one the Resistance had perfected.
"We are enemies," Zonis had said, "but to the Qyroal, we are a fly to a lion. They care not enough to kill us. Only if we provoke them or a golden opportunity presents itself to them. Otherwise, they will keep their distance. Often, they also favor our vicinity. While never official, the Resistance has aided the Qyroal to take down empyrean forces."
"That's… evil," Liron had said.
Zonis had sighed. "It is, but we have also helped the Empire against the Qyroal. We are hated by both, but they will welcome our assistance against their mortal enemy."
Liron hated this notion. The Resistance ought to fight for this world's soul. The Empire and the Qyoral needed to be destroyed. How could they aid either side in anything? Wicked games. Liron would not play them. He would bring justice to both.
But before there could be any justice, they needed to further their current plans.
Zonis, Shae, and the other agents debated the best tactic to bait Adenius into attacking them.
"He will wait until his Fides has arrived," Shae said. "It has not yet reached Sannara, or we would have reports on it already. But once he has it, how can we make sure he will attack us? Perhaps we have to force his hand or…"
"He will attack," Liron said. "As soon as the bastard knows I'm there, he will come. Adenius is crazy. He wants chaos. He cares little for larger plans. His goal in Kupferrang was probably to let me go and create a Fides, but he doesn't give himself anything but rough goals. Adenius believes he gets better by beating me at my best. Settin' a trap for him is an invitation he can't refuse."
Shae raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure? This sounds… difficult to believe."
"I know what you mean, but all of this is just a game to him. If his goal was just to kill me, I'd be dead already."
"That I believe," Bran said.
Liron rewarded the brute with silence. "Adenius wants me at my best. So, tellin' him to come when it's clearly a trap will be awatin' him with open arms."
"Even with Wran?" Zonis asked.
"No… I don't think so," Liron said.
"That fucker will try to kill us before that," Emma said. "My brother speaks true. Adenius wants a great hunt, but one he could win. With Wran in the mix, he'd lose. Where's the fun in it then? Nah, he will come before that. We should expect his next move in the following day or two."
"A question, if I may," Bran said in a mocking tone. "The fuck do you know so much about the cunt?"
"'Cause we had plenty o' time talkin' to him," Emma said. "He loved chewin' off my ear."
"I know, but Angin reported that Adenius plays with our minds. Tells us something so we act like he wants us to. Why should we trust anything he has told you? He's an Inquisitor after all. Everything he has done or said could have been one big ruse to get you where he wants you."
"He wants you to believe he's always in control," Liron said. "He's a fuckin' sad sack. What he cares about is makin' you think he predicted everything. Wonderin' about that and his next move is the actual trap."
"Mighty words from a former slave. Perhaps that's what he wants you to think."
"We can play this game all night, Bran. If Adenius really wanted to make believe all o' this about him just to fuck me over, then he's a damn good actor. He destroyed all of Kupferrang all to make me believe?"
"No, Ravenspawn, he wanted to build you up as a threat to tear you down after. He'll drop the act at the last moment. Though I agree it's quite the hustle to trick a kid like you."
Liron wanted to stay civil, but who was he to ignore such a pleasant invitation to duel? "Fuckin' sorry, Bran, I should have asked you beforehand. I mean, a bloody smith understands a cunt he's never seen before better than us who fought him before."
Bran growled, clutching his fists. "Better than a slave that has seen nothing o' the Empire. I've read Angin's report…"
"You can read?" Liron asked.
"... and he didn't hold back on you. You nearly fucked the whole mission when you fell for Adenius' trap. An obvious one if I have ever seen one. You're too inexperienced, emotional, and young to give anything to the plannin'."
"But we should value your opinion? Why? Does hammerin' iron plates teach you on strategizin'?"
"No, it doesn't. But I have a functionin' brain. I know my place, so you should know yours, too."
"Said like a good Emperian."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
Liron scoffed. "Please. What's the Empire built on if not fuckin' levels? You tellin' me to shut my mouth is no different from the Empire tellin' its people to not rise and stay in chains."
Bran showed his teeth. "The Empire doesn't tell, Ravenspawn. It slaughters and destroys. I'm rather civil."
"Fuckin' congratulations. You behave better than the Empire. That was never the point, you dimwit. The point was that you follow their rules rather well. Or do you need me to speak a bit slower so you might get it on the fourth time?"
Bran's head boiled like a kettle, turning crimson. Zonis wanted to step in, but the brute spoke before he could stop it. "If you're such an unpleasant cunt, I don't want to know what bloody failures your parents must have been."
He regretted the words as soon as they left his mouth. He recoiled, lowering his head. The heat was still carved in his features, but they had dulled. There could have been peace, but Liron would allow no such thing. If he wouldn't continue this, Emma would have. Shae and Zonis knew, too. This quarrel had to end now.
"They taught me well, Bran," Liron said, his voice as cold as the wind. "They taught me to handle cunts like you. Turds on two legs, stinking up every place they go. They told me how stupid they would be, but they couldn't have known that someone like you exists. So rotten up there, one might confuse it with a graveyard. All reason and good thoughts go there to die."
The shame burned to ashes. The flames ruled supreme. "I might not be the sharpest blade, but at least I didn't kill thousands. An entire city died 'cause you set foot in it. Solia wonders why you were born. Only to destroy."
While not the sharpest blade, even a dull edge can kill. Unfortunately, Bran hadn't gone hard enough. "Why was I born? You've seen the fuckin' vision yourself. I did it. I fuckin' killed the Emperor."
"And Ekon was burning."
"Yeah, but this time it won't."
"How do you know?"
"'Cause I know that it's possible to kill him. I have Everon on my side. Blackbone chose me. I will master Magic and summon him on my side."
Liron leaned closer, his eyes staring into Bran's very soul. "Why were you born, Bran? You fuckin' waste o' air. I'm good at destroyin', aye, but I will create a world where something new can be built. What can you do? Is there anything at all? You have no value. You can be replaced."
Liron had found his weak spot. Bran paled at his words, refusing to yield. "S… spoken like a madman. Your arrogance will kill us all. If you were interested in savin' Ekon, you'd throw yourself into the night and let the beasts there have you."
"They could try, but I'd kill 'em. What would they do with you? The fuckin' lizard only likes you 'cause it pities you. You are nothing."
Bran stuttered, failing to respond. Liron mimicked him. "You got trouble speakin'? How about I shove my boot so deep up your ass, the tip will lurk outta your mouth like a second tongue? I could wiggle my toes, and smarter things would then come out o' your mouth."
Emma laughed at that, as did the other agents. Even Shae had to smile. But the air was dense, heavy with the cruelty of Liron's words.
Liron paid no mind to it. "See, they laugh at my jokes. Has anyone ever laughed at yours? No, right? Why would they? And if they did, it was only out o' pity. You know what? It's a good thing your ma's dead. She doesn't have to see what useless cunt her son had turned into. Not so funny if someone insults your dead parents, right?"
Bran responded in a way Liron had never predicted, taking the air out of his wings. He had several more attacks prepared, but they all crumbled away at once.
Bran cried.
With his face turned red, he jerked around, running away. Liron blinked, struggling to comprehend what had happened. The camp shared his reaction. All but one.
"Happy now?" Zonis asked, his eyes twisted in cold anger. Mixed in with the most bitter emotion one could find in the older folk. Disappointment.
"I…," Liron stuttered.
"I hoped that you would stop, realizing what you were doing and saying. I let you say these vile things because I thought you had enough decency to pause. But you didn't."
"But he…"
"It doesn't matter," Zonis roared. His voice whipped Liron, bringing him close to tears himself. "It doesn't matter what he did or said. Bran is foolish. I know. Everybody does. But you are cruel, Liron. You do not care for anyone's feelings once you think you have the right to hurt them.
"Did Bran go too far? Yes. Did he deserve to be reprimanded? Yes. However, you don't care about that. You only care that you can use his mistakes to tear into him. Or to put it into your language. You want to be an asshole. You want to kick them while they are down and spit on them when they beg you to stop. I hoped you were better than this. That you have a heart."
Zonis closed his eyes, calming himself. "I taught you what hands are meant for. Words are no different, Liron."
Liron looked around. Emma lowered her head, wringing her hands. The agents stood in silent agreement with Zonis. Shae didn't avoid his gaze. Whatever spark there was when she looked at Liron had dulled, withered into something smaller.
"It's time for you to search for the right words," Zonis said. "Go. Go after him and find them."