Awakening the Lightforged

Then we start building and lie low. We’ll still need to attack the railways, but we can attack the Imaia to provoke them while gathering food and parts and anything else we need.

C. 23 days, 33 hours since the assassination of rebel leadership

Even though it had been years since the oruu had disappeared, Koruuksi still found the transition from day to night strange in their absence. There was nothing to signal to people to start winding down for the day beside their own internal timesense.

As Koruuksi sat nursing a can of bean rations—he'd stepped outside to smoke the last of his violetsage earlier, so they tasted a bit better—eyes downcast, it didn't feel like night to him despite the slow trickle of people out of the mess hall. Before everything had gone wrong, he'd read a few reports from astronomers about worlds that rotated on an axis that wasn't pointed at their star, where there would be no Lightside or Darkside, and the entire planet would experience total darkness and light every rotation. Something like that didn't entirely make sense to Koruuksi, but he figured it would be something he would need to get used to if they ever managed to leave Efruumani and find a new home.

First, I need to finish things here.

No longer welcome in Lysanda and Nomlana's room, Koruuksi had wandered around the base the last few days, finding places to sleep among the Ironpeak refugees. He'd helped those who had continued to trickle in, but mostly he'd observed and talked to people, gathering intel, then thought long and hard on what he’d learned.

He needed to be done with this place, to go back and help Estingai and Uuchantuu. As much as his sister infuriated him, he knew she was struggling as much as he was, and she needed him. He also missed Uuchantuu. He'd never gotten used to being without her for long periods of time.

So he'd thought over everything he'd learned since arriving here. Every interaction he'd had with Mahele, Paiz, Kytai, and those two bodyguards. After things had gone wrong at Memfoso, it had to be one of them.

Koruuksi had checked out the two bodyguards first. Though they guarded Last Shadow’s leadership, they weren’t as high profile as those they protected, and had been easier to gather intel on. Both of them had the necessary skills, but everyone Koruuksi had talked to said they were no different than most career soldiers. If they’d done anything, it would have been on someone else’s orders, not of their own volition.

It wasn't Mahele. Of that, Koruuksi was certain. The grief in the man's eyes was all too real, and Koruuksi hadn't detected any guilt, either. No more than any survivor would feel at a loved one's death, at least.

Kytai was an obvious choice: an aide to the new leader, calling the shots while he was distracted by his grief. Koruuksi had found a few obvious spies and traitors in the past, but Kytai didn't feel the same to Koruuksi as those had.

That left Paiz.

She kept Yktoron around constantly, and in all Koruuksi's interactions with her, she never spoke of her mother, and was overly protective of her father. Asking around a bit had told Koruuksi that arguments between Vila and her daughter had been common, especially when it came to running the base, dealing with the other factions, or how to strike at the Imaia. Koruuksi knew he could just be biased, given how hostile Paiz had been toward him and regarding Estingai, but he didn't think he was.

He'd seen no grief from her. Maybe for her father's suffering, but not for her mother. Just a hardness that reminded him of Estingai. She was also now in a position to influence both her father and Kytai.

As Koruuksi glanced across the hall to where Paiz sat with Yktoron, eating in silence, a deep breath in reminded him that he still had a bit of a high from the violetsage. Rather than clouding his thoughts, though, it calmed him, making him more certain of what he had to do.

So he waited.

When Paiz and Yktoron finally rose from their seats, Koruuksi shoveled down the last few spoonfuls of his meal and was about to stand up when Kytai sat down across from him.

He blinked, caught off-guard for a moment—he'd dimmed his clearnodes since Paiz and Yktoron weren't talking, but everyone else was—then smiled at Mahele's aide. "What can I do for you, Kytai?"

She smiled. "I'd actually come to ask you that."

Koruuksi cocked his head.

"I wanted to check and see how you were after the incident two days ago. I hadn't heard of anything, but I just thought I would ask."

Koruuksi glanced past her in time to see Paiz disappear with Yktoron down a tunnel that led toward her and Mahele's rooms, then turned his attention back to Kytai.

"Thank you. I've been fine. Any hot tempers seem to have died down as everyone has settled in.”

She smiled. "I'm glad to hear it. I know you have a lot of friends among Ironpeak and Last Shadow, but if you feel you need it, I can offer some guards for you. Mahele suggested you and Anarak should have some, so I asked a few people I know in Ironpeak to help with that."

Koruuksi held back a frown at that.

Things didn't look that bad, did they? Is Anarak really that paranoid? Or is it Mahele?

"I'll pass on that for now," Koruuksi said, rising from his seat, "but I'll let you know if I change my mind. For now, I think I'm going to go get some rest."

He needed to make sure Paiz was in her room, and find a moment when she would be alone.

Thankfully, Kytai smiled, bade him a good night, and then walked away. Koruuksi waited for a few seconds, then started off after, brightening his clearnodes and yellownodes.

The further he got from the mess hall, the quieter and emptier the tunnels grew. There were less lights this way as well, and these tunnels seemed to be more natural than carved in some parts, with little shadowed alcoves along the side rather than the smooth bores of lava tubes or the precise edges and angles of the work of emeraldcrest Natari stoneshapers.

As Koruuksi walked down the lonely corridors, his stomach grew tight. Memories of what he'd had to do to Bonde and his people threatened to rise to the forefront, but he forced them back down. This wasn't an insurrection, just a spy-hunt and a diplomatic mission. One with… aggressive negotiation if needed.

I'll handle this better. This time, I know what not to do.

He’d achieved his goal with Bonde, but the process had been messier than he would have preferred.

Koruuksi's enhanced ears picked up approaching voices just as he passed an alcove, and he threw himself into it. It was tight and uncomfortable with his antlers, but he made it work.

He slowed his breathing and kept as still as possible as footsteps approached, and out of the corner of his eye, he saw Yktoron walk back the way Koruuksi had come.

That didn't make sense to him.

Aren't he and Paiz together?

He knew not everyone had as high a libido as he did, but still…

Shrugging it off, Koruuksi waited until Yktoron's footsteps disappeared down the hall. Once their echoes faded, he slipped back out of the alcove and continued toward Paiz's room.

She had a nicer room—or at least, a more secure one—than his suite back in Wolfden. Given Mahele's paranoia, though, that might have been a recent move or addition. This could have been an old vault or command room for all he knew.

The main door was open, however—Mahele must not have been in yet—and Koruuksi slipped in and crept up to another closed metal door within. He hesitated, fist clenched.

Am I really prepared to do this if it’s her?

Koruuksi took a deep breath.

No. I need to find out everything I can about the spy and who they’re connected to. I can’t just kill them outright. No matter how much I want to.

Koruuksi knocked.

"Yktoron?" Paiz asked from within. "It's still unlocked, you don't need to—"

Paiz cut off, eyes wide as Koruuksi pushed open the door and stepped into the room, closing it behind him.

The room was more modest than he'd expected. Paiz had some blankets and a pallet on a raised stone bench against the wall, two trunks, and an old wooden nightstand with a small bowl of opal biogems in it, giving off a steady, multicolored light.

Those were useless without oruu, so many in the different factions used them for light if they had them. It was steadier and less harsh than the electric, high-efficiency lights they used to light most rooms in the different bases.

To her credit, rather than cower at the intrusion, Paiz rose from where she sat on her bed and took a step toward Koruuksi, eyes burning with rage. She wore only her underclothes, dark and worn, covering her hips and breasts. Despite her lean figure, deep blue skin and sinuous black stripes, the lack of clothing didn’t make her look inviting. If anything, it made her even more intimidating than usual. Though, Koruuksi realized he probably would have flirted with her if she hadn’t been so immediately hostile toward him.

Before she could make a sound, Koruuksi brightened his rednodes and created a darklight barrier around them. Paiz took a step back, mouth falling open, eyes wide once more.

"Don't scream," he said, "and speak only when I ask you."

Paiz's jaw tightened, but she nodded.

Dimming his rednodes, Koruuksi stepped forward. "I want to know why."

Paiz blinked. "Why?"

"Why you betrayed us." Koruuksi blinked at how raw his voice was, but continued. "Vila was your mother. I know families fight. Not all children love their parents, but how could you do that to your father? To all of us? I lost my brother because—"

"You think I betrayed them?" Paiz breathed. She barked a nervous laugh, shaking her head. "That's why you're here. Of course it is. How did I not see this sooner? I knew all that about you and Estingai fighting was bullshit."

Koruuksi frowned. "How?"

He didn't mind admitting it now that she knew his real purpose. He didn't believe her. Not yet, but was curious to see how her mind worked.

Auroras. If she saw through that… no wonder Lysanda’s so mad. They would have known from the beginning.

Koruuksi gritted his teeth as Paiz arched an eyebrow. "Are you kidding? You're part of the family, Koruuksi. The most important family in the world. Everyone grew up on stories about you and your siblings and your parents during the war, eating it up. You were the family that not even a war spanning the entire world could break. The family it took the gods themselves to tear apart. Estingai and Svemakuu were the couple that could do anything, that everyone wanted to be because nothing could tear them apart—"

"Until you." Koruuksi grated. "Until you betrayed us and took your own mother's—"

"Shut. Up," Paiz snapped, lunging as she drew a knife.

Koruuksi tensed, brightening his greynodes.

Even if Paiz was an Auroramancer, the most she could do was try and take his Auroralight.

He felt the slight tug, confirming her abilities, but Koruuksi had been trained to resist that far better than he expected Paiz was prepared for.

When he resisted her pull and casually caught her knife hand, her eyes went wide. She gasped as he twisted her wrist, forcing her to drop the weapon, then grunted when he tossed her against the wall with his enhanced strength. He didn't want to kill her.

Not yet.

Koruuksi took a deep breath as he walked over to her, kicking the knife aside. "You know, for someone who supposedly has no clue what I'm talking about, attacking me with a knife doesn't—"

He cut off as he met Paiz's gaze.

In her slivery gold eyes, Koruuksi saw no guile, just fear and pain tinted with anger. When he looked into her eyes, he saw his sister. He saw himself.

Auroras, what have I done?

It was like a slap in the face.

Koruuksi stumbled back, dimming his greynodes.

He'd already burned off whatever high he'd had from the violetsage upon brightening his greynodes, but he still felt as though he'd just stepped out of a trance.

He stumbled back against the wall, then slid down, letting himself collapse onto the ground.

When a minute passed and nothing happened, Koruuksi dared a glance at Paiz, and found himself unable to read her expression as she stared at him from where he'd thrown her.

"What are you doing?" she finally snapped.

Koruuksi sighed, shaking his head as he dropped his gaze. "Just arrest me. My friends had nothing to do with this." He looked up and met her gaze. "Promise me you won't do anything to them, but to me…" He shrugged. "I don't even care anymore."

Koruuksi braced himself for Paiz judgement, but she just sat on her bed, considering him.

Paiz rose to her feet, folding her arms as she gazed down at him. "Tell me why you were really here. Was it just hunting whoever you think betrayed my mother and the others?"

Koruuksi hesitated, then sighed.

I've lied to far too many people already.

"That was part of it," he said. "I was also here to try and get you to ally with Estingai. Convince your father if I could, and if not, his people."

Paiz's expression grew hard. "Like you did with Bonde and his people?"

Koruuksi shook his head. "Bonde and his fanatics were a threat to all of us. You're not. We need you. All of you."

She seemed surprised by that.

"And I'm supposed to believe you no longer care?"

Koruuksi shrugged. "I'm just exhausted." He studied her for a moment. "Why were you so hostile toward me? Is it because of Bonde and his people?"

Paiz nodded. "You have a reputation. I didn't like what I'd heard. Especially that part."

Koruuksi snorted, "You must have very good informants if you heard enough about that to make you hate me."

"I don't hate you. I don't know you enough for that. I just don't trust you or your sister."

Koruuksi peered at her for a moment, then shook his head. "I don't blame you for that, but I don't think that's it. There's something else. What is it?"

Paiz blinked, and Koruuksi knew he'd been right. She said nothing else, though.

Koruuksi frowned at that. With a sigh, he pushed himself up. Paiz stood her ground.

"What happens now?" he asked.

Paiz thought for a moment, chewing her bottom lip.

"I want you out," she said. "You get a day or two—until Auroraday. After that, I'll tell all the guards that if they see you, they're to throw you out into the desert. Now, get out."