Contents
Chapter Seventy-Five
Overview
Royo marches with Khitan’s force to Quu’s harbor as a high-stakes parley is arranged. Quilimar chooses Aeri and General Vikal to attend, with Royo guarding, while Mikail and Sora are sidelined. Wei demonstrates overwhelming power by parting the harbor, creating “neutral” ground, sharpening tensions under a fragile truce.
Summary
Royo rides with Aeri, Sora, and Mikail at the head of five thousand Khitan soldiers toward Quu’s harbor, uneasy in scavenged armor and mourning Euyn. They weigh the odds: Wei’s fleet alone brings roughly ten thousand fighters, with Yusan and Gaya massing elsewhere, outmatching Quu’s garrison.
Mikail informs them that Quilimar will send Aeri with General Vikal to the parley; Royo protests but is allowed to accompany as Aeri’s guard. Mikail and Sora are refused attendance, likely to keep their lethal group separated after the palace fight. Royo notices Aeri’s gold eyes from the ring and worries she hides something, though he resolves to protect her.
As they approach the ships, Mikail identifies the Weian priest king’s vessel and explains Wei’s system: relics require royal blood; the Water Scepter’s bearers die within two to four years; King Uol rules through cult-like reverence while non-king royals wield the scepter. The arrangement forestalls coups and concentrates power.
Yusan and Wei lower sleek skiffs for talks, but before boarding, the harbor splits. The Water Scepter bearer parts the sea, revealing a rocky outcrop and a dry walkway—Wei’s “neutral” ground controlled entirely by their magic. The display underscores Wei’s dominance and the precariousness of any negotiation.
General Vikal orders the delegation forward. She warns that killing would trigger war yet refuses to disarm, expecting treachery. With terms set—armed but bound to peace—Aeri, Vikal, and Royo prepare to enter Wei’s controlled arena while Mikail and Sora remain excluded, tensions tight across the parted waters.
Who Appears
- RoyoNarrator; rides with the Khitan army, assigned to guard Aeri at the parley, wary and protective.
- AeriChosen to attend the parley; her ring-gold eyes unsettle Royo; insists on carrying weapons despite truce.
- MikailStrategist; explains Wei’s relic system and politics; barred from the parley, suspects deliberate separation.
- General VikalLeads Khitan force; heads the parley delegation; insists on staying armed while avoiding provocation.
- SoraRefused attendance at the parley; remains with the main force, separated from the others.
- Queen QuilimarKhitan ruler; selects Aeri and Vikal for the parley, keeps the dangerous group split.
- Priest King Uol of WeiObserved on the flagship; rules through veneration while a royal bearer wields the Water Scepter.
- Water Scepter bearerUnseen individual in blue robes; parts Quu’s harbor to create a ‘neutral’ meeting ground.