Page 1
The old man and Thian lean against the wall in a quiet corner of the rampart.
The old man looks at the horizon. Thian looks at the scattered soldiers.
"I haven't seen Mabu since we separated."
"That's expected. There are a lot of us."
Thian stands.
"I'll go look for him."
He moves before the old man can answer.
Page 2
Thian climbs to a higher position. He scans the soldiers with his eyes.
He spots Karki and Totoki in a distant corner. Sitting. Not talking.
He smiles.
He moves toward them.
"Hey, Kar—"
He stops.
Karki's face says nothing good.
The smile leaves Thian's face.
Page 3
"What happened? Where's Mabu?"
Karki raises his head. Tears on his face — he doesn't wipe them. He doesn't speak.
Totoki pats Karki's shoulder.
"We were in the tunnel. Running. Then a massive tremor hit. The ceiling collapsed completely at the back."
He stops. His voice cracks.
"Mabu and Yuzuha were at the back. We tried to go back in. No sound. Nothing."
He looks at Thian.
"I'm sorry, Thian. I'm so sorry."
Page 4
Thian doesn't move.
His eyes go wide. Then they settle on a fixed point in the air.
He remembers Mabu's face — laughing stupidly this morning. Mabu shouting nonsense words and chasing him around the yard. Mabu asleep, calling Yuzuha's name without knowing it.
He drops to one knee.
Page 5
He stands suddenly — with anger. He grabs Karki by his shirt.
"You're lying. You didn't see him die. Mabu is stronger than that."
Karki doesn't answer.
Thian presses his forehead against Karki's chest. He grips the shirt in both fists — tight.
"Mabu is stronger than that."
He says it a second time. For himself this time.
Totoki places his hand on his shoulder in silence.
"Get away from me—"
Tears fall from his eyes.
"He will. He will."
Page 6
Dong. Dong. Dong.
All three raise their heads.
As dawn grows, soldiers from the Tali Kingdom advance from the other side toward the Northern Wall.
Thian looks at the Wall. He wipes his eyes with the back of his hand.
He stands.
Page 7
Elsewhere.
Linsan advances with his army toward the Kingdom of Hashi. The gate opens.
He enters. He looks around.
Everything is quiet. Normal. As if nothing ever happened.
He stops.
Page 8
The King of Hashi appears from inside. Many guards around him.
He smiles — a calculated smile.
"I sincerely apologize. The alarm was false. It was a small group of bandits. I sent my soldiers and they handled it. I was going to send word to cancel your deployment — but you arrived before I could."
Page 9
Linsan drives his fist into the wall beside him.
"You're joking. I brought an entire army. We expended massive resources. And you're telling me it was a false alarm?"
The King bows his head: "We are a non-combatant kingdom. We are deeply sorry. We wish you safe travels on your return."
Linsan looks at him for a long moment.
He turns.
Page 10
"We move. There's nothing here."
He mounts his horse. The army moves behind him.
But his eyes don't leave the King of Hashi until the gate closes between them.
Something doesn't add up.
Then — a single horse appears from the distance, riding hard.
"Deputy Linsan — quickly — the Wall has come under attack."
Page 11
At the Northern Wall. Dawn growing brighter.
Thian walks fast toward the gate.
Totoki shouts after him: "Where are you going?"
No answer.
He reaches the gate. He mounts his horse.
"Open this damn gate. Open it NOW."
It opens.
He looks back one last time.
Karki and Totoki mount their horses. The soldiers follow.
Page 12
The gate opens fully.
The army pours out and forms a single rectangle.
Kenneth at the front. Sharo — the old man — beside him.
"Soldiers."
His voice carries across all of them.
"Defend your freedom."
"Fight for those you love."
"Move out."
The two armies surge toward each other like two waves.
Page 13
The collision.
BOOM.
Horses fly. Mud erupts. Sounds collide into one massive roar.
Thian leaps from his horse in midair. He lands on a Tali soldier. Drives his sword in. They fall together into the mud.
Thian rises. He doesn't stop. He walks with cold fury.
The first. The second. The third. They fall faster than the anger he's carrying should allow.
Page 14
From the other side.
Bayki runs — lightning pouring from his body.
He reaches the first man. Twenty punches in seconds. The man goes airborne.
Bayki grabs him by the face and drives him into the mud with force that splits the ground.
He stands. He turns. That wide smile never leaves his face — even in the middle of all of this.
Page 15
The old man in the heart of the chaos.
He drives several punches into the earth. The ground rises in front of him like a wall. Soldiers fly backward.
From the other side, a charge of electricity launches from Kenneth's hands. Two soldiers seize up and drop — burned to the point of ruin.
Rain begins to fall. The ground turns to mud beneath every foot.
Page 16
From the front, a woman emerges between the soldiers.
She places her hands on the earth. It trembles.
The old man feels it beneath his feet. The Stone Mantle covers them instantly. He accelerates to the right.
Thian appears from the left before the old man reaches her.
He drives his sword into her throat. They fall together into the mud.
He stabs again. He rises.
Mud covers his face completely.
Page 17
The old man reaches him.
"Where is Mabu?"
Thian freezes. He doesn't answer. He turns away.
The old man looks at him. He reads the silence.
His face doesn't change on the outside.
But something behind his eyes moves.
Spears come from ahead. The old man catches three of them in an instant and snaps them. He grabs Thian and hurls him toward the enemy like a missile.
Page 18
Thian tears through the line with force. Soldiers scatter.
He stands alone in the middle of them.
He looks ahead. He looks behind.
Then he moves. He fights as if he's trying to exhaust himself.
As if he's trying not to think.
Page 19
Karki in another part of the battle.
He swings his axe. It tears through his opponent. He drops.
Karki turns.
Totoki is on the ground. Face pale. Trembling.
An enemy above him. Sword raised.
Karki launches.
Page 20
Thorns erupt from Karki's hands and drive into the attacker's body from every angle. He drops.
Karki kneels beside Totoki.
"Totoki! Totoki!"
No response. Eyes open — but empty.
Karki slaps him.
Totoki jolts upright: "Oww! What? Where—?"
Page 21
Karki grabs his shoulders: "Are you alright?"
Totoki looks at his hands. They're shaking.
"I… I don't know."
He places his hand on his chest. His heart is beating at an unnatural speed.
"Karki… something is happening to me from the inside. I can't control it."
Sudden pain. He doubles over — grips his chest with both hands.
"Leave me… please… just leave me."
Page 22
Kenneth faces the Tali general alone.
A bolt of lightning launches from his hand. The general leaps and dodges it midair.
He lands. He charges at Kenneth with his sword. Kenneth deflects the blow and answers with a sharp counter. The general staggers back.
Kenneth turns. A group of soldiers — backs to each other, holding a formation. He smiles even in the middle of all this.
Then — two children appear from behind. Running at unnatural speed. Their hands locked together.
They pass through Kenneth.
An invisible wire cuts through him.
Page 23
Kenneth stops.
He looks at his hand.
Blood comes from his mouth. Slowly.
He drops to his knees. Then to his side.
The soldiers around him stop for a fraction of a second — staring.
No. This isn't right.
Karki sees it from a distance. He swallows.
Page 24
Totoki is still doubled over in pain. An enemy approaches him with a raised sword.
Karki launches himself forward.
Time slows.
I won't make it in time.
The sound of hoofbeats.
A strike tears through the air.
The attacker rolls across the ground — his face destroyed by a single punch.
Karki raises his eyes.
Mabu.
Continued in Chapter Eighteen