Chapter 34

Rin wakes injured after the Red Cliffs, learning the war is effectively won and that Hesperian fleets crowd Arlong. Venka updates her on Jun’s escape and the remaining provinces’ resistance. Kitay apologizes for the injury from their gear, confirms the Cike’s survival, and presses Rin to admit Nezha’s secret and the cost of calling the dragon. He warns Rin not to break Nezha, who would sacrifice himself for her.

At Ang Tsolin’s trial, Vaisra offers honorable suicide if Tsolin repents. Tsolin denounces the Republic as a Hesperian puppet. Summoned, Rin obeys Vaisra and kills Tsolin with fire, reinforcing her image as his weapon even as Tsolin taunts her as a puppet.

Preparing for a victory parade, Rin struggles with ceremonial dress and her injuries. Nezha visits; they exchange brittle reassurances. He presses her about Daji’s fate, and Rin lies that Daji drowned. Nezha asks for trust; Rin promises it, masking her deception.

The parade is sparse and somber, showcasing Hesperian might and the Republic’s survival. Southern Warlords and refugees are absent, signaling political fractures. The procession ends with sea-burials; flaming arrows ignite rafted pyres as the dead are sent to the ocean.

Seizing the moment, Rin meets Ramsa, Baji, and Suni on the shore. Concluding they are no longer safe under Vaisra or the Hesperians, she orders a dawn breakout after night patrols end, planning to slip out via the cliffs and improvise once beyond Arlong.