The Guild Hall. Rooftop. Afternoon.
Tina sat on the edge of the roof, her legs dangling over the side, her staff across her lap. The city spread below her—rooftops, chimneys, streets crowded with people who didn't know what was coming. The wind was cold, but she didn't feel it. Her blessing kept her warm. Lightning ran through her veins.
Footsteps behind her. She didn't turn.
"You're the scout," she said.
Lira sat beside her. "I'm the scout."
"Come to watch me?"
"Come to talk."
Tina was silent for a moment. "I'm not good at talking."
"Neither am I."
They sat in silence.
---
The wind moved through the city. A dog barked somewhere below. Children laughed.
"I was a commander," Tina said. "In my world."
Lira looked at her. "A commander?"
"Of a company. We fought Vorlag's forces for three years." She paused. "We lost."
Lira was quiet for a moment. "How did you survive?"
Tina looked at her staff. "I ran."
"You ran?"
"The hunters broke through our lines. My soldiers died. My friends died. I ran." Her voice was flat. "I've been running ever since."
Lira nodded slowly. "I've run too."
Tina looked at her. "When?"
"When the creature came. When the portal opened. When Aldric stepped through." Lira met her eyes. "I ran."
"Did it help?"
Lira shook her head. "No."
---
Tina was silent for a moment.
"Your blessing," Lira said. "The lightning."
Tina nodded. "I was born with it. In my world, people like me were... respected. Feared. Hunted." She paused. "Before Vorlag, I used my blessing to protect people. After Vorlag, I used it to survive."
"You've killed people."
"I've killed hunters. I've killed creatures. I've killed people who tried to kill me." Tina met Lira's eyes. "I've never killed anyone who didn't deserve it."
Lira held her gaze. "The scouts in the forest. They didn't deserve it."
Tina's face tightened. "I know."
---
They sat in silence.
The sun moved across the sky. The shadows lengthened.
"I'm sorry," Tina said.
Lira looked at her. "For what?"
"For the scouts. For the forest. For—" She stopped.
"For what?"
"For being afraid." Tina's voice was quiet. "I've been afraid for so long. I don't remember what it feels like to not be afraid."
Lira was silent for a moment. "Neither do I."
---
Tina looked at her staff. The crystal was dim, resting. She had not used her lightning since the forest. The mages had studied her blessing, measured it, tested it. They had asked her to demonstrate. She had refused.
"The artifact," Tina said. "It's degrading."
Lira nodded. "Mirena told us."
"We have maybe a dozen jumps left. Then it's useless."
"Grog thinks you'll stay."
Tina looked at her. "Do you think we'll stay?"
Lira met her eyes. "I think you're tired of running."
Tina was quiet for a moment. Then she nodded slowly. "Yes."
---
They sat until the sun began to set.
The sky turned orange, then red, then purple. The city lights came on, one by one. The wind grew colder.
"Tina."
She looked at Lira.
"If you stay—if you all stay—I'll watch your back."
Tina raised an eyebrow. "You don't trust us."
"No." Lira stood. "But I trust that you're scared. That's enough for now."
She walked to the door.
Tina watched her go.
Then she looked at the city, the lights, the people who didn't know what was coming.
"Thank you," she whispered.
The wind didn't answer.