At Hadrian's question, Gurov simply shrugged his right shoulder, the movement casting a jagged shadow against the surrounding rock walls.

"How would I know?"

The silence of the cavern pressed in on them. "Thena has likely already delivered her ultimatum," Gurov added. "You should get some rest."

Hadrian lay back, a strange sense of camaraderie and safety washing over him.

He stared up through the opening at the top of their makeshift rock shelter, watching the night sky shimmer with indifferent stars.

If the Princeps could command entire armies of mages to march at a whim, why not simply settle the matter between the two of them?

Nearby, the crackling of the flame died down, and so did its light. The moonlight was enough though.

Should I enter that space?

He felt the urge to check through Baruch, to see if there'd been any changes on the other side.

However, uncertainty held him back. He didn't know what happened to his physical bodies when he entered that space.

For all he knew, he might be left floating. With the others close, he didn't plan to risk it.

Before encountering the flying mage, he had managed to summon a thin layer of fog, a shroud that should hold until tomorrow evening.

He doubted he'd find another opportunity before the battle.

I might not need to…. He thought.

At least it's happening outside the city walls,

Memories of his own death as mere collateral in the clash between Truston and Haldon flashed through his mind.

If the battle happened in the city, he could imagine the consequences.

It could be Alia's mother.

He took a deep breath and forced himself to relax, listening to the thrum of his own heartbeat.

In truth, he wouldn't lie to himself that he cared about the lives of the commoners, however, the idea of a death like that churned something inside him.

…

In the Baron's keep, the small council room was heavy with the scent of wood coating oils.

Jasmine sat at his end of the caramel table. Emil, Aelia, Lys, the new Baron Egoz, Bagdona, and Haldon were present.

In Jasmine's left hand, was a sand coloured parchment.

"Our neighbors have finally reached our doorstep," he said, a thin, sharp smile playing on his lips.

Bagdona's pupils constricted. "When do we march to meet them?" he asked, his voice tight with restraint. Those of the Force Path had an attitude for direct confrontation.

Jasmine leaned back, his silhouette framed by the flickering light. "Actually, Thena has proposed a duel. Just her and I."

"Then why bring the army?" Emil countered.

Jasmine let out a low, melodic chuckle. "Do you truly see me as that weak? Even if she won, do you think she'd still have strength left to subdue a city and its sworn mages alone? After facing another rank 5?"

Emil went silent.

Right.

At that moment, even a rank two might be able to deliver the final blow. And Gritjor currently had a rank four and two rank threes.

If Thena managed to flee to recuperate strength, the sworn mages would have an opportunity to abandon Gritjor, and move north to Danway, one of the three cities under Carmine Thorne.

If she chased after them, a rank four and two rank threes would be enough to face her.

Jasmine's index finger tapped a rhythmic thump on the desk. "In any case, we have preparations to finish. They can wait."

"And if they can't?" Aelia asked, already knowing the grim reality. Thena's forces would breach the walls and a battle like that will greatly cost the commoners.

"Then we buy what time we can," Jasmine replied.

Standing, he blurred and vanished. Haldon sighed, staring at the empty chair with a look of longing. "So, that's why the mages were pulled back from the outer wall."

"Sunmar and Gritjor are the smallest of the free cities," Egoz said, rubbing the coarse, general-issue leather of his sleeve. "They couldn't have gathered a force larger than ours in such a short window. Keep the parameter small, we'll get instructions before they move."

"You don't know the preparations either?" Bagdona asked.

Egoz pressed his lips into a thin line and shook his head.

Bagdona turned his head to Lys, who gave a similar reaction with an additional shoulder shrug.

Egoz stood, his chair screeching against the floorboards.

Placing his hands on the polished caramel-colored table, he nodded to the room. "Well, we best get to it."

…

The next day,

Under the harsh glare of the midday sun, Hadrian's and Alia's hair whipped back to the wind as they moved on horizontal carpets of earth manipulated by elemental path mages.

Others also relied on their own methods for fast movement.

To his left and right, vast farmlands flew by, punctuated by few distant spires that rose like jagged peaks.

It reminded him of the very first time he'd left the city.

Gazing forward, his eyes narrowed on the fast approaching inner city wall.

The ultimatum had been turned down, it seemed, and the outer wall had had no manning.

Licking his lip, he reached to Baruch, whom he could now see through in the real world.

…

High upon the rampart of the inner city wall, Baruch stood flanked by Emil, Aelia and about thirty mages.

He watched the distant plumes of dust and rumble approached.

"A few minutes..." Aelia whispered with grim anticipation.

Jasmine, standing alone a metre Infront of the line of mages, exhaled a long, relaxed sigh. His black leather robes, embroidered with the three-star sigil, fluttered violently in the high-altitude wind.

Then, as if he were a sketch rubbed out of existence by a giant hand, he vanished.

Fifty metres from the inner city wall, Thena slowed her flight.

Five meters in front of her, the air began to glitch. A figure flickered rapidly, before seemingly stabilizing into reality.

Jasmine stood there, his black hair and robes dancing in the gale, a slight smile fixed on his face.

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