Chapter Fifty-Seven

In a quiet room, Yasila tends to the grievously wounded Visitor as the Dragon’s claim on his life draws near. He refuses further binding, accepting that delay defies the order of things. He recounts how, during the weapons round, a repeated feint exposed him, allowing Ruko to evade and deliver a second, fatal cut.

The Visitor notes that before the second bell he felt a sudden change in spirit, as if he fought a different man. Yasila rejects the idea of transformation in Ruko, asserting that Rivenna molded him in his father’s image, and takes responsibility for the broader situation.

Yasila and the Visitor—named Pyke—share an intimate farewell. Pyke confesses that Yasila was the source of his happiest memories, even touching an old scar bearing her initial. As waves of pain pass, Yasila pleads for more time, invoking the Dragon, while Pyke traces an eternal eight on her hand and promises they will meet again on the Path.

Pyke grows still and dies, leaving Yasila to kiss his forehead and cling to him in grief. His death underscores the Trials’ brutal terms—one life for another—and hints at unseen manipulations shaping the battles and their human costs.