Contents
Chapter 68: The Narrow Way
Overview
Beset by Cielcin and their nahute, the survivors retreat toward the Schiavona. A blocked bulkhead forces them into the Demiurge’s depths, where Bassander’s misstep exposes Kharn’s vast Mericanii armory, including the Astrophage. They fight back to the hangar, where catastrophic blasts destroy the rearguard, likely killing Smythe and Crossflane as Hadrian and Valka reach the ship with the hostages.
Summary
Hadrian, Valka, and their party reach the Garden gate where Smythe, Crossflane, and Bassander Lin hold the line. News confirms Ren and Suzuha are being carried out, but Greenlaw and the rear guard are lost as Cielcin emerge and launch volleys of nahute. Hoplites form a sacrificial stand, dying to cover the retreat while Bassander drags Hadrian away.
Fleeing through the Demiurge’s disorienting halls, the group finds a main bulkhead sealed. Smythe’s blade cannot force it, so they divert into side passages. With Cielcin pressing from two directions, Bassander leads a wrong turn onto a catwalk overlooking the ship’s heart: a vast armory of Mericanii war machines, including seventy-two titans and the dreaded Astrophage.
On the catwalk, Cielcin and drones attack. Valka and the legionnaires provide covering plasma fire while Bassander’s men fall back. The catwalk buckles under pressure, sending attackers into the abyss, and the survivors withdraw to the main hall.
They reach Kharn’s throne hall and push toward the hangar. Nobuta struggles and is stunned; Tor Varro bears Suzuha and Jinan carries Ren. At the hangar, Smythe orders Lin and Hadrian to get the hostages aboard while she, Crossflane, and Centurion Mozgus hold the narrow door against the oncoming Pale.
As guards attempt to raise ship defenses, explosions rip through the doorway. Mozgus is killed instantly, and a second blast engulfs the rearguard. Valka and a legionnaire drag Hadrian up the Schiavona’s ramp. Searching the flames, Hadrian finds no sign of Smythe or Crossflane—only fire—implying their deaths while the survivors scramble to launch.
Who Appears
- Hadrian MarloweNarrator; leads retreat, rescues Bassander’s detachment, helps get Nobuta aboard amid devastating rearguard losses.
- Raine SmytheKnight-Tribune; commands the retreat, attempts to cut bulkhead, holds hangar door, likely killed by explosions.
- Bassander LinCaptain; helps pull Hadrian back, wrong turn reveals Mericanii armory, fights retreat, obeys Smythe’s final orders.
- Valka OnderraScientist; provides crucial covering fire, saves Hadrian from nahute, helps drag him aboard the Schiavona.
- Sir William CrossflaneOfficer; helps organize retreat and defense at hangar, presumed killed in final blasts.
- Tor VarroCarries Suzuha during the retreat, helps move hostages toward the Schiavona.
- JinanCarries Ren; stays near the front of the column during the escape.
- NobutaPrince Aranata’s child; used as leverage, struggles, is stunned, carried aboard as hostage.
- RenSagara’s child; convulsed earlier, unconscious; carried by Jinan during the flight.
- SuzuhaSagara’s child; unconscious, borne by Tor Varro through the retreat.
- Centurion MozgusLeads formation at hangar door; killed instantly by the first explosion.
- Cielcin commander in blue cloakLeads pursuing Pale; orders volleys of nahute, presses attacks through the halls.