Contents
Chapter 67: Traitor and Patriot
Overview
The antimatter strike shatters the parley, triggering open battle between Imperials and Cielcin. Bassander Lin moves to execute orders against Hadrian as Cielcin assault with living weapons and the lights fail. Hadrian kills the Cielcin herald and seizes Prince Aranata’s child, Nobuta, to gain leverage, while Crossflane orders a withdrawal to the gate and Smythe vanishes.
Summary
In the stunned aftermath of the antimatter strike, Prince Aranata reels as the Bahali imnal Akura burns above. Bassander Lin, citing Hauptmann’s orders, turns a disruptor on Hadrian to secure the Cielcin prince. Cielcin troops surge uphill, hurling toothed serpents; Bassander’s shot staggers Aranata and Hadrian is briefly seized before being released.
As ship and Demiurge lights fail, panic spreads. Ren and Suzuha convulse; Tor Varro tends Suzuha while Jinan carries Ren. Amid the melee, Hadrian searches for Smythe, Varro, and Crossflane as Imperial and Cielcin lines clash.
Confronted by the tattooed herald Oalicomn, Hadrian duels and kills the herald with his highmatter blade. He then finds Aranata’s child, Nobuta, and decides to take the youth under his control—half protection, half hostage—to gain leverage to halt the bloodshed.
Crossflane’s amplified command orders a fighting withdrawal to the gate. Hadrian escorts Nobuta through skirmishes and fallen SOM automatons—now inert without Kharn—toward Imperial lines. Lieutenant Greenlaw reports Smythe and Lin have moved toward the gate while Valka, Varro, Jinan, and others fall back.
Valka rejoins Hadrian, challenging his choice of a hostage, but they press on. Soldiers seize Nobuta to move it toward the Schiavona, and Hadrian forbids harm. With the battle raging and the Cielcin empowered by darkness, the Imperials collapse back toward the perimeter, Smythe’s whereabouts uncertain.
Who Appears
- Hadrian MarloweNarrator; protects allies in chaos, kills herald Oalicomn, and seizes Nobuta for leverage.
- Prince Aranata OtioloCielcin prince; laments the worldship’s destruction, attacks, is stunned by Bassander’s shot.
- Bassander LinMandari captain; follows Hauptmann’s orders, threatens Hadrian and targets Aranata amid battle.
- ValkaScientist and ally; aids Hadrian, challenges taking Nobuta hostage, helps push toward the gate.
- Tor VarroScholiast; tends the convulsing Suzuha and assists the retreat under fire.
- NobutaAranata’s child; found cowering after Oalicomn’s death, taken by Hadrian for protection/leverage.
- OalicomnCielcin herald; denounces betrayal, attacks Hadrian, is slain by highmatter blade.
- Sir William CrossflaneImperial officer; coordinates troops, orders a general withdrawal to the gate.
- Raine SmytheFleet commander; disappears amid the fighting, whereabouts unclear during the retreat.
- JinanAlly; carries the convulsing boy Ren toward Imperial lines.
- RenSagara’s boy; collapses and convulses after the strike, evacuated by Jinan.
- SuzuhaGirl linked to the engines; convulses and collapses, tended by Tor Varro.
- Lieutenant GreenlawBassander’s lieutenant; confirms leaders moved toward the gate, helps hold the line.