Chapter Fifty-Eight

In Vashney, Mikail escapes Euyn’s incessant theories for a walk to the messenger house, reflecting on Gambria’s critiques of Euyn and the moral complexity of blaming children for past atrocities. He worries that Royo and Aeri might fail to retrieve the egg but hopes Gambria’s history with Quilimar can secure an audience even without bypassing the Rule of Distance.

At the messenger house, Mikail receives Zahara’s coded note: a single word—“War.” He deduces Yusan is preparing to attack Khitan and realizes Joon sent them away to distract Quilimar while he executes his broader plan. Mikail rushes back to the Revelry Inn, determined to head for Quu immediately.

Arriving at the inn, Mikail finds Aeri and Royo safely returned. They confirm they have the egg, though something between them has clearly shifted. Mikail gathers Sora, Gambria, and Euyn. Introductions are made, tensions surface, and Euyn’s prior suspicions about Aeri and Royo hang in the air.

Aeri and Royo recount their encounter: an amarth descended, spoke to them, and allowed them to take an abandoned egg because Aeri had shown kindness to an orphaned owl. The amarth also revealed that Quilimar cannot wield the Ring, predicted a “war of the realms,” and warned of the “rot of death” and of Aeri facing a choice between loves.

Shaken, Mikail explains that a war of the realms means Yusan, Gaya, and Wei moving against Khitan simultaneously. With Zahara’s warning aligning with the prophecy, the group recognizes the urgency. Euyn begins packing; Mikail pushes a swift departure; and they agree their only option is to reach Quilimar as fast as possible to warn her and try to forge an alliance.