by Emily Wilson
“Looks like you get your wish of war, Azrian Mihr.”
Kato steps forward to defend Az but before he can open his mouth, Azrian speaks for himself. “This wasn't my wish, and for the last time, you don't need to use my full name. Now act like you've done something useful before and gather as much help as you can.”
He shoulder-checks the Itinerae on his way past and approaches Guara instead, but Exus puts a hand on Kato’s chest to stop him from following. “You better hope my people make it out of this, K8.0. This is your brother.”
The gesture makes Kato’s entire body tense. He stands there, fighting the overpowering urge to punch him in the face. “I know who it is. I know what’s at stake. Touch me again and you will regret it.” His eyes flash with promise as Aleon and Teagon appear at his side, pulling him away from the situation entirely.
“Come on, bro,” Teagon mutters. “He's not worth it. We gotta go get the animals and get out there — Exus was right about one thing. Syphon’s our problem.”
He catches Azrian’s eye and follows quickly, but Kato doesn't really allow himself to breathe until they're out of the mountain and facing the horizon. Azrian’s palms are already sparking with Videre light as he glances back toward the door. “They don't have much of a plan. Just corner him and make as much noise as possible.”
Kato wishes Az was able to bring the sword, but he hangs onto hope that this will be enough. Pulling Azrian in for a long, tight hug, he whispers, “Be safe. This will work... it has to work. Will you stay close to me?”
Teagon pulls Aleon in for a hug. He whispers a playful “stay close to me” in a mocking tone, but everything else about their hug is real. They’re just as nervous as Kato is.
“I’ll stay close,” Az says. “But hopefully this will be quick.”
Once they’re all outside, animals swarm around them as Axis calls to them. It’s distracting even for those who expected it, so Kato hopes it adds to their advantage. Guara looks grouchy and Kato can’t help but grin. There’s just something about her he doesn’t like.
“Ready?” Peilar calls, one fist raised in the air to draw attention to himself. He’s met with a chorus of varied affirmations. “Zinna, Callisto, Jasestros, Tague! Take the right!”
They scramble to get into position, while Linaria, Exus, and Torenia move as a well-oiled unit to the left. Peilar himself, Falos, Alstro, and Scaevol hang back while the rest of them move forward with Axis, Nut, and some of the larger animals they managed to find.
“First line of defense,” Az says bitterly. “Why am I not surprised?”
“They believe we are expendable, Azzy. Let’s prove them wrong.” Kato actually grins, adrenaline working its way through his veins as his blood begins to pump so loudly he can hear it.
“That’s right, little brother.” Teagon clasps his shoulder and they both crack their necks in unison as if it was planned. “What’d he say last time, Az? Let’s kick their dicks?”
Azrian snorts, then steps between Teagon and Kato. “I don't ever want to hear either of you say that again, but also... stay where you are. You're bigger targets,” he jokes. “I can hide here.”
“Ready!” Peilar yells again, but this time, all it takes is a glance to know why.
Syphon walks out of the trees with a sneer, flanked by many more people than anyone expected. “Wow... what a warm welcome!” he yells for them all to hear. “And I thought I was going to have to knock.”
Realizing everyone here is against his own family distracts Kato for a moment. Without thinking he begins walking forward, taking one last opportunity to get through to him. “Syph... please don’t do this.”
Instantly, Kato feels his muscles freeze as Syphon takes control of him. “Sit down, Kato. This doesn't concern you. We’re here for the Re—”
A ball of fire whizzes past Kato’s head that Syphon narrowly dodges, but it's enough to break his concentration and set Kato free.
“Shadows. I tried. Now!”
Everyone begins to yell, the animals growl and screech all around them and Kato knows their minds are all speaking to his brother at the same time. It takes a moment for Syphon to cover his ears, his face contorting in pain as he drops to his knees, but a Caelim on his side blasts at the oscim flying overhead in an attempt to help the noise.
Hope sparks at the sight of Syphon on his knees and Kato can practically taste his powers willing to come back to him. He screams a little louder, pushing forward with Azrian and his brothers by his side until they're nearly close enough to grab him but one look into those eyes lets Kato know his plan will fail. For whatever reason, his brother is determined to overtake the Regnum and he finds strength where others would concede.
Syphon struggles to his feet as Kato reaches him and before he can even bring his fist down on him, the new Cogitare takes control of Kato once more. It’s a struggle that becomes easier by the second as his posse attacks. “Look around, brother,” Syph demands, and Kato’s eyes take in their surroundings whether he wants them to or not. It’s as if everyone is fighting someone and no one has the advantage. The screams filling their ears are no longer to distract Syphon, they’re the screams of war.
“Stop this!” Kato growls, whipping his attention back at his brother when he sees Azrian on his back.
Syphon has the nerve to laugh. “You can’t help anyone, can you? You’re completely worthless without your powers.” Something like realization dawns on Syphon’s face as he reads Kato’s mind. “Your fears were valid, little brother. You really are nothing outside of being a Cogitare.”
Before Kato can muster the strength to argue, Syphon makes him punch himself in the face. He laughs manically when blood splatters from Kato’s nose, and even harder when Azrian’s yell echoes around them. When Kato tries to turn and look, he’s rooted to the spot. “Syph! Please!”
“Please?” Syphon hits Kato himself and then forces him upright. “Are you hoping to find sympathy here?”
“Yes!” Kato admits. “You’re my brother! We’re family!”
For a split second, something changes in Syphon’s eyes. It looks as if he doesn’t really want to be doing this, but before Kato can fully grasp that thought, the ice returns. “You’re not my family. I don’t even know you.”
Both of them know that isn’t Kato’s doing, and neither can deny their upbringing is at fault. Melior kept them apart, kept them from being a true family.
“You could have. You still can.”
This time, Teagon’s scream hits them both with a force that distracts them, but instead of turning, Kato uses that opportunity to pounce on Syphon. His advantage only lasts seconds before his head is swirling and a ghost appears next to him. He knows Zero is to blame, but it does nothing to dampen the guilt. “Slait.” Shame overtakes him as Syphon flips him off and forces him to his knees.
“Kato,” Slait says, his voice as clear as when he was alive.
“Shadows, I’m so sorry.”
Slait huffs a sad laugh. “Yeah, me too. Listen... I’m just a distraction. Zero summoned me, but he doesn’t control me. My vengeance isn’t for you, Kato. Stand up.”
“I can’t!” Kato struggles against Syphon’s hold, fingernails digging into his thighs in an attempt to snap himself out of it. Suddenly, Syphon looks up to the sky in horror as the roar of Cindreg shakes the entire battlefield. Kato feels hope once more and it’s enough that he can force one foot to the ground.
“Yes, you can. Stand!” Slait encourages, rounding on Six himself as he attempts to use his powers on him. “Your powers don’t work on me, lazy. I’m already dead.”
As Slait attacks Kato’s other brother, he’s able to stand up and survey his surroundings for the first time in several, long minutes, his breath catching in his throat as he sees Cindreg disappear into the clouds. “Shadows...” Kato whispers — it’s much worse than he could have imagined.
The ground shakes beneath them all as Terrare work their magic, entire trees are ripped from Athoze and tosse
d around by the Tactare on both sides. The mountain behind them threatens to give way as an avalanche starts to form way up above thanks to both the Terrare and Caelim, who have already lost control of the storms they created in the chaos. Undare pull water from everywhere they can to put out fires started by the Igneme.
The Regnum’s Sana lays on the ground a few feet from Kato and he runs to him, hoping he can at least help one person, but when he slides next to Alstro all that greets him is a blank stare. He can’t even react; he’s running on pure fear and adrenaline as he stands again to look for Azrian.
Of course, he’s holding his own better than most, and when he and Ronan combine their power, nothing in their path can stand it. Kato spots Jasestros next, and instead of using his gift, he’s hitting Zero in the face over and over with all his strength as Cal kneels over Tague’s body next to them. Slait disappears then, leaving Six unmoving in the dirt, but Kato doesn’t make a move to check on him. He's too distracted by Tripp, who just slipped away from another slumped body. Only this time, it’s Teagon. Kato rushes toward him but is stopped in his tracks by Rhinn.
She looks colder than ever before as she holds out a hand and squeezes her fist. Kato screams as he drops to his knees. It feels as if his ribs are being pulled from his chest. His hands clench against his body in an attempt to shield them from being ripped out, but before the skin can break, a ball of bright energy hits Rhinn in the arm and knocks her a few feet away. It’s enough for Kato to stand and charge at her. As she lands, she hits her head and appears unconscious, so he moves on.
Aleon’s scream pierces through Kato’s ears but it isn’t a scream that sounds like he’s in danger, it’s a scream of unadulterated rage and mourning, causing his heart to practically stop. There’s only one person that could make Aleon sound so broken, and Kato fears the worst for his brother, Teagon. He may not be able to see him, but Kato feels it deep inside his bones and before he realizes what’s happening, he’s screaming too, charging at Tripp and tackling him to the ground. The thump of his head and slump of his body are enough to make Kato move on to the next. Six is scrambling to his feet, but as Kato rushes at him, the avalanche reaches home, cutting off his view of about half of the Regnum’s army.
Azrian runs up to check on him but Kato misses whatever he says. The ringing in his ears is so loud all he can do is nod and pretend he understands. Az moves on then, rushing back to Ronan’s side as an entire army of ghosts appear around them, attacking more members of the Venandi. Kato hears Pax’s voice for the first time but when the ghosts swarm him, Kato moves on, dropping down to heal Zinna and helping her to her feet.
She instantly returns to battle as Kato helps a few more people he recognizes, but Falos’ injury is much more severe. Kato lifts him as fast as he can and carries him near the doors for safety, but he doesn’t stick around — there’s too much going on for him to take Falos all the way inside.
Nut is on his heels as he jumps on Kareen, knocking her off her feet with one swift tackle. But suddenly it feels as if he’s drowning. Kato falls onto his back as he tries to breathe, his hands clasping his throat as she stands over him and water begins to pour from his nose and mouth. As quickly as it began it ends, because the raccanis is there to scratch at her eyes and break her hold on Kato. She throws him off, and when his little body slams against a rock, Kato's heart sinks. He only takes the time to throw one more punch before he rushes over to make sure his smallest friend is breathing, and the rise and fall of his little chest snaps something inside him. Tears fall, frustration builds, and after healing Nut as best he can, he takes off at a sprint to find Syphon.
No one else should die. Even as their enemies fall before his eyes, he feels every death like a knife to the gut. “Syphon!” he growls when he comes into view, but he’s cut off by Tripp. This time, his brother’s arms wrap around his torso and teleport him about a mile away. “No!” Kato yells at nothing, because Tripp has already returned to the battle.
With nothing else to do, Kato starts his trek back to the scene, sprinting as fast as he can. He feels even more helpless than before as the warriors fight for their lives and all he can do is watch. The light from Az and Ronan shines so bright he can see they’re okay, but the Regnum’s Tactare lays unmoving on the floor below Pax, who seemingly escaped the twins’ army of the dead. Kato forces himself to focus on the living as he continues to run toward the war.
Azrian, Ronan, Zinna, Aleon, Hanigen, Neginah, Torenia, Peilar... Where is Exus? Now that Kato can clearly see everyone, he realizes he hasn’t seen Exus once since the fighting began. Because of that, he focuses on the fallen. Falos, Alstro, Linaria, Teagon... Kato stops moving entirely as the last name clicks in his mind. Teagon still hasn’t moved from the spot Kato saw him in a while ago. Before he can stop it, he’s hurling his last meal into the dirt. The realization that he might’ve lost another brother is almost too much to bear, but he somehow convinces himself that Teag is okay. He has to be, he’s just hurt... and Kato needs to get to him as soon as he can.
With his mission in mind, Kato begins sprinting again, this time looking at the enemies that have fallen. There are multiple he doesn’t recognize but of those he does: Kareen, Zero, Loni, Talitha. Rhinn is injured, but she’s still standing at Syphon’s side along with Tripp, both of them protecting him as the walls begin to close in on him.
It’s a sign of hope. With Syph cornered, the battle will begin to slow — and if they can distract him now that he’s weak, they may just win this. Kato’s close enough to smell the blood now, but before he can even decide where to go next, Six is lifting him up into the air and tossing him aside into a rock. The impact makes his head swim, but he instantly begins healing himself. There's no time for him to sit on the sidelines, so when he can see a little straighter again, he shakes it off and stands to continue fighting. This time, he’s happy to see the Tactare is distracted by Tague, his entire body being weighed down by the vines around them.
With a quick nod, Kato rushes to Azrian’s side, healing him without even checking him for injuries and then doing the same to Ronan. Their power is remarkable, but it burns through them hotter than others and he hopes the boost he gives them helps — based on their relieved “thank yous,” it has.
A Viribus he’s never met hits him with a blow that has him buckling over and gasping for air. If he hadn’t puked only moments ago, this punch surely would have done the trick. The man’s foot connects with his face only seconds later, and Kato is knocked to the floor. Athoze spins as he tries to focus on the noises around him, but all of it sounds miles away. His brain tries to catch up with his state but all he can do is blink away tears as he stares at the blue sky above him. Kato has a strange thought about how nice of a day it is, how back home him and Azrian would be going on a walk and then relaxing on the soft grass to enjoy the sunlight. Azrian. Kato holds onto that name as if his life depends on it. Azrian. It all begins to come back to him as he comes to. He isn’t in Embermeadow. He isn’t home on his soft grass. He’s lying on dirt in the Tizor Mountains. Dirt soaked with blood. Azrian. His consciousness catches up and the sounds of war fill his ears once more.
“Kato!” Azrian calls, rushing over to his side as he sits up and begins to heal himself again.
“I’m okay... I’m okay.” Kato stands, looking down at the Viribus on the floor. Based on the hole in his chest, he didn’t stand a chance against Azrian’s powers. “I’m okay. Let’s finish this.”
EVERYTHING AROUND AZRIAN stills as he stares into Kato’s wild eyes. It took until now for him to realize they'd been fighting so long it must be well into the night, but he’ll never be able to ignore the way Cettia reflects in those green eyes. The lack of gold is still jarring, but it's a solid, forceful reminder of everything Syphon has taken from them so far, and all the things they have left to lose. It would be so easy for Azrian to take Kato’s hand, to find Aleon and Ronan in the fray, to get the ones they have left somewhere safe. To leave this losing battle to those t
hat should've taken up the mantle to begin with.
Exhaustion beats like a drum inside his skull. He's losing hope, losing faith, and above all else... he's terrified out of his mind.
“Don’t give up, Azrian,” Cettia says into his mind. “You're almost there. You know how to end this. You know what is needed.”
“No,” he says out loud, ignoring the confusion on Kato’s face. “I can't, Cettia. I can't.” His bones are screaming from the strain his powers cause, but his chest aches when he thinks about how much worse it must be for Ronan. “I can't,” he repeats.
“You must,” she insists. “There is no one else. You know you are different. Not all is as it seems, but you are.”
“Then I'm a coward,” he says bitterly, stepping back from Kato and turning to face the scene in front of him. Teagon’s bloody body stands out above the rest and breaks his heart, but the tears building in his eyes are for far more than him. For a moment, he thinks he's hallucinating when he sees Teagon move — but when it happens a second time, hope swells and threatens to overtake the fear. He yells to get Kato’s attention, who runs toward Teagon, but an explosion behind him forces Azrian’s focus elsewhere.
Things around him are rapidly deteriorating, and if he has any chance at all of getting those he loves through this, he knows he has to listen to Cettia. “What do I need to do?”
“Let your instincts guide you.”
Azrian turns his face to the sky and yells, “That’s the most faeching cryptic thing you've ever s—”
His fist closes around something cold and heavy, and he looks down with wide eyes to see Dawnreaper gleaming in his hand. “Oh, shadows,” he mutters, but Hanigen shoving him snaps him back to reality.
“There's something wrong, Az,” Hanigen says quickly, but Azrian just stares at him. Everything seems wrong. “It's Neginah, she...”
It doesn't take long for Azrian to finish that sentence himself. He spots her not far off with a dead army around her — but she's not fighting Syphon or one of the Venandi, she's fighting Zinna and Jase. He blinks several times and expects the scene to change — for her to be suddenly trying to hurt someone else, not two people he knows to be good — but it doesn't happen.
