Writings of an Owlmoose

Summary: A chance meeting between two of Spira’s greatest warriors — Nooj the Undying and Sir Auron, the legendary guardian — will change the course of history.

Previous Chapter ~ Main Story Page ~ Next Chapter

---

Death Shall Have No Dominion

Chapter Thirty-One

Nooj felt, as commander of the combined forces, that he should make an effort to welcome the man who had brought in the airship with a further contingent of Al Bhed fighters. He thought with a twitch of amusement that the army was rapidly becoming a true coalition with sizable samples from most of the militarily competent groups on Spira. His responsibility as well as his command had greatly expanded in the short time since he had agreed to Sir Auron’s proposal.

He made directly for the bald man, tall for an Al Bhed, who stood firmly at a little distance from the great vehicle. The crowds which had surged to surround the ship parted as they recognized their leader, giving him an unobstructed path toward the captain of the skies.

“I am Nooj, the commander of this army. I understand you are Cid, the leader of the Al Bhed. Welcome, sir, it is our pleasure to have you and your soldiers with us.”

Cid was a little surprised to be greeted with such formality. Gippal had told him about the leader of the rebel forces, but it had not truly sunk in that the man he described was so young or possessed quite so much dignity. “Glad to be here. Not many of your kind ever wanted us as allies. We’ve been waiting for the call.” Though vaguely aware his words were lacking in grace, Cid had never been a diplomat and was not about to start now.

If Nooj was taken aback by the lack of tact in the other’s response, he hid it well. “One of your race, a man called Gippal, has been a close friend of mine for some time. He and I have fought many enemies together and have no difficulty in cooperating. I am sure your soldiers will be welcomed by the remainder of the army and will find their comrades more like them than different. May I offer you the amenities of our camp and supply you and yours with food and places to rest? We shall convene a meeting of the senior officers of this force shortly. I will send a messenger to you to guide you to that council.”

The Al Bhed nodded, satisfied that he had made his point and been understood. “Thanks. Could use a little time off before we tackle what happens next. Flying an airship is more tiring than you’d think. Yes, I know Gippal, and he calls you friend. Good enough for me.” He moved closer to Nooj and lowered his voice. “Say, can I ask one question? Are your Al Bhed parts working like they should? You know, if they’re giving you any trouble, I’ve got a boatload of engineers just itching to help.”

Nooj laughed softly. “Thank you, sir. They are performing admirably. If I find I need any adjustments or such, I will have no hesitation in asking. I shall look forward to more conversation with you later today.”

As he walked back to where Paine awaited him, Nooj wondered if it might not be better to simply invite every Al Bhed he met to have a go tinkering with his arm or his leg. It might save time in the long run and would almost certainly prove to be a bonding experience.

-X-

“Lucil, what are you going to do after all this is over, the war, I mean?” Squab handed the woman a flask of water as they surveyed the mass of troops restlessly moving about the area, most of them gawking at the airship and trying to get a peek up the gangplank.

“Try to find some sort of job keeping things safe. I like the feeling of beating back confusion.” She took a deep swallow and handed back the bottle.

“Got any idea where to find that job?” Squab tried to sound casual.

“Not really. Even with Yevon defeated and Sin killed, there’ll be a need for some sort of peacekeepers, some sort of force for order. I was thinking about talking to Nooj about it.”

The man grunted and nodded. “Yeah, there’ll have to be some way to organize the soldiers who lose their careers when peace comes. Soldiers with nothing to do spell trouble. You think Nooj would want to be head of a new army for general peacekeeping?”

Lucil shrugged. “Who can tell? He’s doing a great job so far. And Paine’s a warrior. Maybe the two of them …”

“Well, I don’t have any other skills myself, so if you find a place that could use old soldiers, let me know.”

She looked at him with raised brows. “You’re an old friend of Nooj’s; why don’t you try to talk him into taking over as a leader?”

“I always got the idea he had other plans for his future. But it was just an impression. If I get the chance, I’ll bring it up. Say, Lucil, let’s make a deal. Whichever one of us finds a billet will tell the other. That way we can try to serve together. I’d kinda like that.”

“OK. It would be quite an adventure to serve under Nooj. I bet we’d learn a lot about how to command an army. It’s a deal. You going to talk to him?”

Squab grinned. “Maybe we should wait until we win the current war before we suggest he take on preventing future ones. C’mon, let’s get a look at that airship before the council starts.” He offered a hand to haul her to her feet and she cheerfully accepted.

-X-

Auron took a seat and settled in, waiting for that evening’s council to start. Except for Lucil, who stood near the command tent’s entrance in quiet conversation with a Crusader whom Auron did not know, he was the first to arrive. Normally, this gathering would begin more promptly, but the arrival of the Al Bhed airship had caused enough commotion around camp that everyone was running a bit late, Nooj included.

“You Auron?” The tent flap lifted to admit Cid, who walked into the tent and made directly for Auron as Lucil and the stranger exited.

The guardian stood and shook the offered hand. “I am,” he said. “You are Cid? A pleasure to finally meet you.”

Cid dropped his hand and plopped to the ground, directly to Auron’s left. “Heard about me, eh?”

Auron sat down as well. “Braska spoke of you upon occasion. He had a great deal of respect for you, despite your differences.”

“Hah!” Cid shook his head and almost smiled. “I’d say the same, but I might’ve respected him more if he hadn’t stolen my sister in the middle of the night a few years back.”

“Braska always regretted that,” Auron replied soberly. Cid raised a skeptical eyebrow but continued to listen. “He told me that once, that he wished he had sought your blessing, but his wife convinced him you would never give it.”

Cid grunted. “Well, she was prob’ly right, there.” He fell silent then, and the two men were quiet for a time. Then the Al Bhed shook his shoulders and turned back to Auron. “He was good to her? Treated her well?”

“That’s not for me to say. I never knew her; she was killed years before I met Braska.” Cid responded with a curt nod as Auron continued. “But I do know that he loved her, even in death.”

“Ahh.” Cid lowered his eyes and once again fell silent. “Well,” he finally said. “Least now I’ll get the chance to know Yuna. She here?”

“Yes. And eager to meet you, I’m sure. She will be joining us for…” As if speaking her name had summoned her, the girl chose that moment to appear, pushing her way through the canvas door, then stopping as her widening eyes met those of her uncle.

Cid jumped to his feet. “Yuna?” His voice was suddenly thick, and his hands trembled as the girl approached, smiling.

“Hello,” she said softly.

Before another word was spoken, Auron rose. After briefly resting his hand on Yuna’s shoulder, he exited the tent, leaving the two alone to become acquainted in the last few minutes before the council’s start.

-X-

Nooj’s advisors gathered in the tent, the familiar faces interspersed with the new. As was his habit, Auron sat directly across from the commander’s empty chair. Yuna settled down on his right, Dona next to her. Normally Kal would take the spot at his left elbow, but Cid had claimed that seat this evening, shifting Kal down a place. Lucil and Squab were also present, along with the woman Auron had seen speaking with Lucil earlier. It transpired that she was one Major Jayn, a rising star in the Crusaders who had come from the Calm Lands as soon as she had heard of the rebellion’s presence outside Bevelle, bringing an entire squadron with her. Technically, she outranked all the other military personnel here, including Nooj, but she had been happy to accept his leadership and take over Beclem’s position on the council.

Quiet chatter filled the air, but it all ceased as soon as the tent flap opened and Nooj entered, looming over everyone seated in camp chairs or on the floor. Gippal followed him in and let the entrance fall closed behind him; he slipped to the back and took a seat next to Cid as Nooj lowered himself into his chair.

“So,” he said. “We are all gathered now, on Bevelle’s doorstep. The army is reunited and our ranks have swelled; our valued allies the Al Bhed have joined us. The time for waiting is at its end. Tomorrow we attack.” No one spoke in answer, although Auron saw nods around the room. “But we face perhaps our greatest challenge yet in Bevelle. The temple is large and well-defended with walls, warriors, and even machina; Spira’s largest city surrounds it. Although I’ve told you all as much at one time or another, I want to make this completely clear: our quarrel is with Yevon, not the people of Spira. We do not attack the city, and we keep its citizens out of the fighting whenever possible. Understood?” More nods. “Good. Anyone who needlessly injures a non-combatant will answer to me personally. Make sure your troops know this. Now. What is our plan of attack? Who has served in Bevelle most recently?”

“I have, sir.” Jayn rose in her corner. A short woman with dark, close-cropped hair, she still exuded a commanding presence despite her lack of stature. “I only rotated out of Bevelle and into the Calm Lands a few months ago. Before we do anything, we have to get through the gates, or pull down a section of wall. Are we set up for that, at all?”

“We have reason to believe the gates will open for us.” The officer looked at Nooj, disbelieving. “Perhaps you have not been told, Major, but we have a man on the inside. He has promised that the gates will open for us tomorrow morning.”

“That’ll be a big help if it happens, but can we count on it?” she asked. “What if he gets caught, or delayed, or isn’t as loyal as you think he is?”

“Hey!” Gippal jumped up from the ground and glared at the woman. “‘Lai’s a man of his word. He’ll have the gates open.”

Nooj frowned at Gippal, shaking his head and gesturing his friend back into his seat. “I have no reason to doubt his loyalty, or capabilities,” he said to Jayn. Then he looked around the circle. “Still, the major raises a valid concern. Do we have a back-up plan for getting the gates down?”

“Enough mages might be able to destroy them,” said Lucil. “Or perhaps our friends the Al Bhed may have some machina that would do the trick?”

Cid stroked his chin. “The airship cannon oughta have enough firepower.”

“Cid, I would like to save the airship for another purpose, which I will discuss in a moment,” Nooj said. “Is there anything else that might do?”

Cid looked at Gippal, who thought for a moment, then nodded. “Yeah. The crawlers maybe. Enough of them might be able to pull it down. It’d be worth a try, anyway.”

“The aeons might also be able to break through,” Dona interjected. “Or weaken them, at least, for mages or machina or both.”

“All right. We at least seem to have options, which is enough for contingency planning.” Nooj focused his attention back to Jayn. “Major, does this answer your objections?”

“I think so,” she replied. “May I make a suggestion, sir? Assuming the soldiers in the ranks don’t already know, we should keep the possibility that the gates may open from them. That way they won’t be too disappointed if it doesn’t happen, and if does, they’ll take heart from learning they have allies inside.”

Nooj glanced to Lucil, who indicated her agreement. “It will be as you say. Thank you. Now, let us discuss how to proceed tomorrow.” He began to speak, outlining his ideas, and soon everyone had joined in, plotting and planning as a group, thinking and working together as though they had been a team for years instead of months. Auron sat back and listened, his satisfaction ever-growing. Victory, he was certain, would be theirs.

-X-

Yuna exited the tent as the evening’s council concluded, her thoughts buzzing with the plans for the next day. She and Dona had agreed to stay out of the action as much as possible and act mostly as healers, holding the aeons in reserve in case of great need.

“Are you ready?” She turned back to see Auron watching her, his face even more sober than usual.

“Yes.” She bowed her head solemnly. “This is the final step to free Spira from Yevon. It must be done.” Lifting her eyes, she met his gaze. “And you?”

He smiled faintly. “I made my peace with this long ago. Yevon has been my enemy ever since I learned the truth of the Final Summoning. You need not concern yourself on that score.” Yuna nodded, and he lightly clapped her shoulder. “Now relax. You’ve earned an evening of rest. Spend it as you will.” She thought she noticed a gleam in his eye as he focused into the distance over her shoulder; she glanced back and saw Tidus there, standing by a campfire, dinner plate in hand. Just managing to hold back a blush, she looked away and back at Auron, whose expression had returned to its normal stoic state. Perhaps she had imagined it, but she still stepped away with a shy smile.

“Thank you, Sir Auron.” She bowed to him. “I will see you in the morning.”

He inclined his head respectfully as she left, making her way over to Tidus. The younger man saw her approach and lit up.

“Hey,” he said. “I got you some food.” He held out a filled plate, which she took. The two of them settled down, shoulders touching, and began to eat. Yuna kept glancing over at him between bites, admiring his tanned skin and the way his yellow hair gleamed in the firelight. An image came to her then, dimly remembered moments of blonde hair catching glints of color from a fireplace, and she realized that the memory was of her mother.

Tidus finished the last of his stew and looked at her. “So Wakka took that pretty well.” Yuna had been thrilled to meet Rikku and Cid, but introducing her long-lost family to Wakka had meant admitting the truth of her heritage. The blitzer had first blustered, then sulked for a little while. After about an hour, he had returned to the group, apologized, and then settled down into a quick, if somewhat grudging, acceptance.

“About as well as could be expected,” Yuna agreed, setting her empty plate aside and hugging her knees. “I suppose spending time with Aquelev and the others has been good for him, shown him that the Al Bhed really aren’t that different.”

He nodded thoughtfully, then stood up, stretching, and glanced at the darkening sky. “Well, long day tomorrow,” he said. “Should probably go find our tents, huh?”

“Wait.” Yuna stood and stepped close to him. Before she could lose her courage, she stood on tiptoe and murmured into his ear. “Walk with me first?” she asked. She laid a hand against his, tangling their fingers together.

Tidus whipped his head around. His eyes were wide and glistening, filled with surprise and emotion as he tightened the grip. “I… sure.” She headed for a patch of woods and he followed, their hands still clasped, the sensation of his skin lingering on hers unfamiliar and yet so perfectly right. The pair walked in silence as the sounds of the camp faded into the background and became a dull whisper, mingling with the chirping of insects and the distant crashing of waves.

When they reached a secluded grove, Yuna stopped. Some instinct told her this was the place she had been looking for. Letting go of Tidus’s hand, she turned to face him.

“Tomorrow we face Yevon for the last time. Before we do, I wanted to thank you. For coming on this journey with me, and for being by my side the whole time.” She moved a step closer in. “From the moment I met you, I knew. And it made me happy, but it hurt, too, because I thought that the future you made me dream about could never be. I lived for Spira, and I would die for Spira. I accepted my fate without question, believed that it was my destiny. But now–” she paused, swallowing hard, then took a deep breath and continued. “Now my destiny has changed. And I can dream about the future. And about you.” She laid a hand on his cheek, and as he stared at her, stunned, she drew him down and planted a soft kiss on his mouth.

Before he could react, she pulled back, blushing. “I’m sorry, I…” Then she looked back up and Tidus was smiling, a look of wonder on his face. Without a word, his hands lifted from their sides and rested on her shoulders. For a long time he just stood there, stroking her arms, gazing into her eyes. Then, slowly, tenderly, he pulled her in and kissed her. With a sigh of contented relief, she wrapped herself around him and buried her fingers in his hair. And they lost themselves in one another as twilight deepened into darkness and night fell.

-X-

The sun had set and the cool blue light of the evening was beginning to shade the world. Nooj and Paine stood together on an elevated spot from which they could look down on the place where the sailing ship and the air ship had landed. Scattered past that area were the campfires of the army ringed by men and women eating and talking. The leaders of the rebel forces had met and planned the battle to take place on the morrow. All the decisions which could be made in advance had been taken and all the orders appropriate had been issued to the troops. As far as was possible, preparations for the final struggle with Yevon were complete.

Nooj was as content as he ever was before a campaign, suffering only the usual edginess which precedes long-planned action. To divert and comfort himself, he pulled Paine close to his side. She had become familiar to him after so long, her body as well known to him as his own. He held her to him, feeling her bones as fragile as those of a bird yet knowing the lean muscles which covered those bones gave her a strength her appearance belied. The contrast between her elegant frame and her wiry power never failed to give him pleasure. She was like an extension of what he once had been, agile and effective, and he felt fulfilled to have her as his other self.

Adjusting her body to his, Paine looked up into his face. “What did you think of Cid. How was he at the meeting?”

“He’s an interesting man. Arrogant, like all the Al Bhed. I wonder if it’s a defense against what they see as discrimination.”

“You had a problem getting past that with Gippal too, during the Crimson Squad time, didn’t you?” She smiled at the memory.

He nodded and returned her smile. “I won him over by letting him play with my arm and leg.”

At that, Paine laughed softly and snuggled closer. “Do you think things will go well tomorrow?”

“We’re as ready as we can ever be. Everything’s in place and we are far stronger than I had dared to hope. Still — I’ve never told you this — but about this time before any major battle I worry that I may have left something important undone, that I might have overlooked some obvious weak point which could lose us the fight. I know I haven’t but I still have the feeling that I have missed something.”

Paine smiled as she realized just how much this confession underlined his trust in her. He had never been so forthcoming about military matters before. “With all the others looking over your shoulder and checking your plans, I don’t see how anything could have been missed. You have a whole crew of second-guessers watching you, and not one is slow to express an opinion.”

“I know you’re right, and I’m grateful for the reminder.” He held her tucked into his side for a long time as they looked across the field, hearing the steady buzz of the conversations around the fires. Nooj was aware of an unexpected sensation of joy filling his chest. Did she know what she had done for him?

He spoke in a near whisper, meant for her ears and her understanding, “I am so clumsy. I can harangue troops and enemy warriors with ringing words and then when I try to tell you what I feel about you, all I have at my command are flat banal words which limp along like my own gait. I want to declaim epics about you and can find only doggerel.”

He buried his face in her hair, wondering if she had even heard him. He was so often frustrated by his inability to say to her what he wanted her to know. After what seemed like months of reticence, he was finally ready to pour out his feelings to her and he could not shape sentences grand enough to carry his meaning.

A shiver traveled down Paine’s spine and rippled throughout her body, every nerve tingling. So many times Nooj had almost opened himself to her, only to slam closed without warning. Not anymore. She saw his naked emotions, his soul laid bare, and she basked in their glow. Leaning into him, she pressed her cheek into his warm chest and felt the life in him as his heart beat beneath her palm. The mingled scents of sweat and soap and machina surrounded her, and she knew that she was home.

“All I ever need to hear is that you love me, and that you want to live.” She tipped her head back to meet his eyes and laid a gentle hand on his cheek with smile. “The rest are just words.”

Her response left him speechless, too overwhelmed with love and happiness to say another word. If he died on the morrow, it had all been enough just to stand here and hold her in his arms and know that she loved him in equal measure. He cupped her head in his right hand and drew it close against his chest, wrapping her in his embrace with gentle pressure as though to make sure nothing could come near and hurt her. When he looked up at the stars and the first moon, they seemed oddly blurred and he could not think why.

-X-

The sun had not even begun to light the eastern sky when Baralai awoke, suddenly and completely. The hour he had appointed for himself had come. Every instinct told him that the army would move on Bevelle today, and he would need to open the gates before the first strike. An assault on the temple walls would likely result in a long and bloody siege. Letting the rebels inside would skip that step; perhaps then they could take St. Bevelle quickly, with minimal casualties on both sides. He had used this theory to convert more than one person to his cause. Time to prove his theory right.

Baralai threw off the coverlet and swung his legs over the side of the bed, sliding his feet into his boots as he sat up. He had slept fully clothed in order to save time; good thing Seymour had seen fit to provide him with a private bedchamber. Standing quietly, he walked across the room and pulled on his coat. Then he hesitated. Staff or gun? The staff was his favorite weapon and had been for many years, but carrying it through the temple halls might raise too many suspicions. So he pulled open the top dresser drawer and looked down at the machina pistol he had been issued as a member of the Crimson Squad. Gippal had taught him to use it, patiently helping him get over his fear of the forbidden weapon and making him more than a credible shot in the end. Baralai reached into the drawer and lightly stroked the gleaming metal, and wondered if Gippal had made his way safely back with the rest of the Al Bhed.

With a decisive headshake, he pulled back his hand. He was within Yevon’s walls; he would carry the weapons of Yevon. Best to have the staff, which he could use by instinct. If anyone asked questions, he would simply explain that being unarmed made him nervous, given the army camped outside. And it would give him further incentive to avoid notice. He pushed the drawer closed, picked up his staff from where it leaned on the wall, and slipped out the door, letting it fall silently closed behind him.

The hallways were dim and deserted, and Baralai walked down them, making as little noise as possible. Still, his footsteps echoed in the stillness, and before long he noticed another set of footfalls not far behind him. He paused and glanced back, casually, just long enough to see another shape disappear into the shadows of a doorway.

So. He was being followed. Baralai did not find this to be altogether a surprise — he had seen Kinoc looking at him with suspicion, and it seemed logical that the Maester would place him under surveillance. He would have, in Kinoc’s place. The young man glanced at the sky and decided he had an hour or so to get to the gatehouse and trigger the mechanism that would open the front gates leading onto Highbridge. Good; there was time. To lose the tail if possible, to confront him if not. Relaxing his shoulders, Baralai turned forward and began to walk again, considering where he might set up an ambush. No puppet of Maester Kinoc’s was going to stop him now.

-X-

No one had slept particularly well during the night. Those who had companions found solace in the arms of their lovers. The rest tossed and turned, telling themselves how brave and indestructible they would be on the morrow. The reveille just before dawn found everyone not only ready but eager to get the day’s work done. After all, this was the army which had fought Sin to a standstill; what had they to fear from a bunch of armed monks?

Nooj was waiting on an elevated platform for the troops to assemble. It was thought that the sight of the man who had led them thus far with such peerless skill would hearten them as they prepared for this climatic push. And, in truth, the tall lean figure of their commander had become a token for them, a sort of human banner. The fact that he was always at their fore gave them courage. A leader willing to risk the same dangers as his followers has an almost super-natural hold over those who see him and Nooj, with all his strange charisma, was the perfect commander for this disparate and irregular army.

“My friends! Today we act to free our world. You are the liberators of a planet. After today, you will each individually be a legend to generations yet unborn. You are the true parents of the New Spira – the one which will be a paradise among worlds, joyful under the enlightened governance of its own people. You have fought many battles to reach this moment. Do not let your resolve falter now that we are on the final path to total victory. We have the spirit of our people behind us and the support of the populace. We are but the tip of the great spear aimed at the evil heart of the Maesters and their dictatorship. Let us throw that spear with all our strength and pierce them through and through. I say to you … Victory!” He thrust his iconic cane into the air and was almost blown down by the deafening shout of his listeners. The cry of “Victory!” echoed throughout the camp and the invigorated army sorted itself into its proper divisions still chanting the battle cry.

Auron stood next to the platform, oddly stirred by the rousing chant that rose from the army. He had thought himself beyond such emotions, but not today; today he watched with something akin to pride as this formerly rag-tag band of fighters assembled themselves into a coherent legion — Crusaders forming up into lines, pockets of Al Bhed with their machina and groups of warrior monks scattered among them. He thought of Nooj’s words to the troops and saw Spira’s future in microcosm in the united group. They would build a new world, he realized, if only they could be freed from Sin. And his resolve to destroy that threat for good grew even stronger.

“Sir?” Auron turned to see the army’s commander stepping off his dais. “Are you ready?

“I am,” Auron replied. “Shall we?” And the two men walked off together, side by side, toward the knot of officers that had formed at the front of the assembly. As they approached, the senior leaders opened a space for Nooj to walk through. Auron joined their ranks and closed the circle, ready for their final conference.

“Remember your orders.” Nooj pivoted around as he spoke to each of the men and women he had chosen as his most trusted allies. “Major Jayn, you are most familiar with this area; take the front with me, at least until we get into the temple. Captain Lucil, you and your mounted contingent are to hold Highbridge — keep any reinforcements from the city, the Calm Lands, or the sea at bay. Gippal, work with Lucil to deploy machina along the way and also inside the temple courtyard. Commander Kal, Captain Squab, Sir Auron, you’ll follow me in the temple complex proper. The maesters are our goal, along with the elite squads who defend them. Search every cranny of the temple if necessary; they must not escape. Any questions?”

No one moved. Nooj nodded slowly, then smiled, one of the rare true smiles that transformed his entire face. “Thank you all,” he said. “And good luck.” The spell broken, the group split apart, each leader heading off toward the units under their command. Soon only Gippal remained, looking thoughtfully up at the commander; they locked eyes for a moment, and then Gippal slapped Nooj lightly on the arm.

“Give ‘em hell, Noojster,” he said.

“You too,” Nooj replied, still smiling. “See you later.”

Gippal grinned. “Right.” Then he ran off toward the Al Bhed contingent, to pass Nooj’s final instructions on to his people’s leaders.

Nooj watched him go as Jayn returned, followed shortly by Paine and Aquelev. Aquelev handed Nooj his large gun, which he slung over his shoulder. And after confirming nods all around, the foursome set off down the wide road leading to the gates guarding the causeway, the mass of soldiers, machinists, and guardians following right behind.

“Do you think your spy got them open?” Jayn asked stolidly, peering up at the young man she had accepted as her leader. “It’s still pretty early.”

Paine tensed, and Nooj relaxed her with a look. “I understand your concern, but you don’t know Baralai. I assure you, he’s not one to dither or waste time. If the gates are still barred–”

Nooj’s words were interrupted as the machina engines of Cid’s airship roared to life. Every head turned as the army paused to watch the incredible sight of a ship lifting itself into the sky. The airship rose ever higher, and then the noise kicked into a high-pitched whine as the ship turned and shot over the city.

“There,” said Nooj. “That will keep Evrae busy. We need not fear attack from Bevelle’s aerial guardian. Now, as I was saying, if the gates have not opened, we will give our man a short time before we break them down, but I have every expectation…”

“The gates! The gates!” Once again, Nooj was cut off, this time by a shout from the outranging scout who came running back. “They’re unguarded and they look like they’re open.”

Nooj smiled grimly. He hoped Baralai had been careful when he did his surreptitious work. Part of him wondered if would have been better to blow through the gates than risk the loss of the white-haired priestling. “Make sure of your news,” he instructed the scout. “Let me know at once.” Turning to his fellows as the man ran off, he gave further orders. “If the gates are indeed open, we will pass through and wait for the mass of the army to see that miracles have worked in our favor. It will do a great deal for morale.”

The scout appeared around the last corner, leaping and pumping his fist into the air. “Yes!”

“Follow me,” Nooj barked and set as rapid a pace as he could.

When the forefront of the troops came within sight of the gates to the Highbridge, they saw the huge doors standing widely gaping; their commander had his feet firmly planted on the causeway leading to the temple proper; and no defenders in sight. The purling of the water in the adjacent canals was the only sound as the mass of fighters stood awe-struck by the apparent miraculous deliverance of their enemy into their hands. Then, as one, they took up again their cry of “Victory!” and rushed forward.

—

Next Chapter