The second installment in "The Last War" trilogy begins two years after the Battle for Aurain. Lifelong friendships are tested and long-held beliefs questioned as enemies meet and shocking secrets are revealed.
DRAMATIS PERSONAE:
- Adeline, Queen of Onderon, Child of Fire and Daughter of the Allfather [Onderian]
- Ganner Rylandar, High Prince of Onderon, deposed Crown Prince of the Human Kingdom of Ryland, Child of Earth and Son of the Allfather [Human]
- Annira, Heir to the Throne [Human-Onderian]
- Ayden Rylandar, Prince Royal [Human-Onderian]
- Rayden, the Marked Emperor of Reborn Da'Lyan, Child of Water and Son of the Allfather [Marked]
- General Cassander Roumell, House of Diakos, Lord Commandant of the Aerial Legion [Onderian]
- Captain Tallus Tykrana, House of Goral, Praetorian Guard [Onderian]
- Talin Tykrana, House of Goral, Praetorian Guard [Onderian]
- High Lord Arik Caelian, House of Tylena, Supreme Commander of the Onderian Armed Forces [Onderian]
- Lady Emilyn Tylena, Ducha of the Greater House of Tylena [Onderian]
- Ya'wen, prisoner-of-war [Marked]
- Yela Yuvin, Prince of Yeling, adopted son of the Marked Emperor of Da'Lyan [Marked]
- Lord Adnan Kaleka of the Eastern Duchy of Orienne, Chief Advisor to His Majesty the King [Human]
- Lady Rhea Stryver of the Duchy of Nordea [Human]
- General Puyan Di of the Puyang Army, the White Tiger of Guilin Hill [Marked]
- Vice-General Etta Nan Wei, House of Kallys, later Lady and Commander General of the Samara Army [Onderian]
- Hua Rui of Das'Huang, Marked Empress of Reborn D'Lyan [Marked]
- Hua Lin of Das'Huang, Chief of the Hua Tribe, the Emperor's Father-in-Law [Marked]
A NARROW RESCUE, A DANGEROUS PLAN
On the cliffs of the Pyllosine Canyons, Annira, Heir to the Throne, leads the defense of the Hanging City (of Pylos) with the Eastern Samara Army of Onderon and the Aerial Legion. Having fought for five days straight with little to no respite and outnumbered and outgunned by the encroaching Marked army, the Samara Army is close to collapse from exhaustion. Bodies litter the narrow canyons and valleys - the stench of death is palpable in the air. The High Lord Arik Caelian, the Supreme Commander of the Onderian Armed Forces, and a tactical mastermind, realizes that Pylos will soon fall and urges the Heir to the Throne to flee before it is too late. However, Anny refuses to leave, and promises to fight to the death with the soldiers. Arik charges General Cassander Roumell, House of Diakos and the Lord Commandant of the Aerial Legion, to forcibly get Anny out of the frontlines. However, the General's legion is ambushed by the fearsome General Puyan Di, the White Tiger of Guilin Hill, of the Southern Marked City of Das'Puyang (one of the cities occupied by Onderians), a military "genius" whose tactical mind rivals that of even High Lord Caelian. They are unable to make it to Anny in time. With the last of her strength, Anny is able to stop the encroaching arrows and save many lives. However, a couple miss her field of vision and manage to strike her. The Heir to the Throne falls, near death (with many an arrow stuck in her chest). We see a shot of Arik's white-knuckles gripping the arms of his wheelchair.
Just in time, Adeline the Queen of Onderon and the Southern Meikha Army (having just successfully defended Maidenport and the Twin Cities of Herlan and Herne from a naval attack by the Marks) arrive in the nick of time to save the day. With their arrival, the Marked army is forced to withdraw temporarily. Anny's life is saved though the healers warn Adeline that it will take time (months) for Anny to heal properly and regain her physical condition - she must not do anything strenuous (like participating in battle) in the meantime. She also can't be moved for now (still in coma recovering). Of course, with the High Prince's healing ability, Anny's recovery can be sped up but Adeline refuses to bring Ganner into this - saying that he has something else to do.
Although the Puyang Army has temporarily withdrawn from the cliffs of Pylos, Pylos is in real bad shape, and so are both the Samara Army and Anny, Heir to the Throne. The Meikha Army can only stay in Pylos for so long - they can't leave the South (where the Twin Cities of Herlan and Heran and Maidenport) undefended. Therefore, the Onderians need TIME to rebuild/regather the Samara Army and rebuild the defenses at Pylos - the new conscripts/reinforcements from Trykan and the Twin Cities will only be arriving in one to two months' time. Adeline gathers Arik, Cassander, and Vice-General Etta Nan Wei, House of Kallys, the temporary Commander of the Samara Army (the Commander General died a couple days ago in the first wave of the Puyang Army's attack) to discuss how to stall attacks from the Mar'Kaa. She commends the Vice-General for her heroics. Arik is not sure he can outmaneuver General Puyan Di. He has no problem dealing with the guerrilla tactics of the Northern Mar'Kaa forces (Northern Mar'Kaa was never occupied by the Onderians and remained free) because he's dealt with them (through the Fifth Army under Lady Martia's control) before. However, the ferocity and tactics of the Southern Mar'Kaa armies which hail from the cities once occupied by Onderon under Lady Martia (such as the Puyang army from Das'Puyang) are very different. Arik theorizes that it's because the Southern Marked people suffered more under Onderian occupation and therefore are twice as angry, twice as ferocious, and twice as dangerous. Cassander asks him what he needs to prepare Pylos' defenses, and Arik replies that he needs TIME. And it's not only him who needs time, Anny also needs time.
Adeline proposes that she give herself up as a (temporary) hostage to General Puyan. This suggestion (obviously) throws everyone off! Tallus, who has been quiet all along, immediately tries to shut the idea down and Arik and Etta start yelling. It is only Cassander who calms them down and tells them to take a minute and listen to Adeline. Tallus gives him a death glare, which does cow Cassander a little bit. But Adeline presses on. She believes surrendering herself to General Puyan with the condition of temporary armistice is the best way to stall for time. While the Mar'Kaa Puyang Army does have the advantage at Pylos against a severely weakened Samara Army, the Marked navy + land forces did loose at Maidenport. Adeline thinks it might be enough for the Marks to consider at least a truce for time being. Besides, Chancellor Balasich of the Grand Chamber and the Chief State Councilor (now at Trykan - the temporary capital of Onderon for now) have been haranguing to sue for peace, given the state the kingdom is in. Although Adeline doesn't think the Marks will ask for terms she can accept, she doesn't think there is any harm in trying. In addition, she points out - there are many Shadow agents (of the Shadow Legion in the Onderian Guard) who were inserted (shapeshifters) into the Mar'Kaa ranks who haven't reported in for some time. Although these agents knew the risks they were taking, Adeline wants to confirm their death if possible to give closure to the families. Adeline also thinks that when she surrenders herself, they will definitely have to take her to Rayden in Das'Vengar. It will be a good opportunity to assess the court there. Tallus is very alarmed when Arik starts to agree with Adeline. So he asks: given that Anny is currently in a coma now, who's going to be rule Onderon? What will happen to the army morale if they found out that their Queen gave herself up as hostage to the Marks?
Adeline has a solution for that. They just keep the plan to themselves (everyone present now), and of course tell Anny when she wakes up. Adeline absolutely does not want The High Prince or Ayden to know, in case it distracts them from their current "missions". Meanwhile, Talin, the Praetorian Guard who is a shapeshifter/skin-wearer, will take on her face and pretend to be her! Tallus thinks this is the stupidest worse plan ever! He gives another glare to Cassander who takes the hint and starts to point out the dangers/flaw in the plan. Talin will not be able to keep up such appearances. Adeline says it's not a problem: Arik is here to deal with all the military/war issues and Anny, when she wakes up, can be regent (as she was in the three months after the Battle of Aurain when both Adeline and Ganner were totally knocked out). Tallus can't take this stupidity anymore and literally storms out. Adeline sighs, admitting that it would always be the hardest to get Tallus on board, and gives a look to Cassander who takes the opportunity to leave and go talk to Tallus.
Tallus is absolutely furious. Cassander tries to talk sense into him but he can't accept it. Cassander asks him to look further. Clearly, Adeline has ulterior motives for wanting to go all the way to Das'Vengar and talk to Rayden. If Tallus wasn't being an idiot, he would realize it. Tallus stops being an idiot and starts thinking. Does Cassander mean the ongoing investigation into the kidnapping case nine years ago? Cassander says yes. Ayden, the Prince Royal, was charged with continuing the investigation (at this point, all they know for sure is that the House of Enyallus was involved on the Onderian side and the Das'Khitan tribe on the Mar'Kaa side) but given the ongoing war (!), the investigation has stalled quite a bit. Even though Ayden is in Kalinga Bay right now following up on some leads, the likelihood that he will find anything new is low. Cassander thinks that Adeline thinks that the only way to see the end of the investigation is to ask Rayden, who surely would know given that the Das'Khitan tribe are loyal to him (even though they are currently still in "exile" due to their involvement in the Great Lake slave trade fight club). Tallus calms down a little bit at the thought but still won't accept that Adeline needs to go alone - he will go with her. Adeline overhears the conversation between the two and watches as Tallus storms off. She comes into the room and tells Cassander that Tallus will not willingly accept this plan - she will need Cassander to keep him out of the way. Cassander sighs and tells his friend that if he does what she wants him to, Tallus will not speak to him for months. Adeline pats him on the back and wishes him good luck.
Adeline goes to see a still unconscious Anny. Afterwards, she finds Arik sitting alone on his wheelchair and watching the camp. Arik looks sad. She goes over to him and tells him it was a close call - he did the right thing asking her to bring the Meikha Army. Given Vice-General Nan Wei's heroics under pressure, they will have to formerly promote her as Commander General of the Samara Army and title her as Lady (Commander Generals of all field armies + the Commandant of the Aerial Legion are titled as Lords or Ladies - the Supreme Commander of these Armies is titled as High Lord or Lady). Arik tells her that he will handle it. Adeline tells him that she recognizes the look on his face. Arik sighs and replies that he wonders if all of this could have been prevented had he kept a better control/hold of the Fifth Army and not let it go astray under Lady Martia's care. Adeline tells that it's not solely his fault - how could he be expected to handle Lady Martia when she herself, the Queen of Onderon, was unwilling to move against the Governor-General for so long? Arik says that it's not just the Fifth Army that has been weighing on his mind. "It's the White Tiger, isn't it?", Adeline asks (General Puyan Di is referred to as the White Tiger because of her Puyang tribe markings - they are white in color on dark skin, almost invisible on lighter skin). Arik sadly replies that General Puyan is of a different breed - a thinker like him, but unlike him, she can actually lead her forces into battle (he hatefully gestures at his legs). Adeline remarks that she knows his confidence has taken a hit in the last couple battles with the Puyang Army but he's done very well in the other battles (not with the Puyang Army).
Adeline reminisces to the time she made him Supreme Commander of the Onderian Armed Forces. He had just lost use of his legs. (Arik's leg issue is a genetic condition that has afflicted generations of the Lesser House of Caelian. Afflicted people are born with "normal" use of their legs but over time, their legs basically stop working. Exercising before the first symptoms occur can slow down the onset - that is why Caelians often enter the army or industries that require a lot of physical prowess. Even Ganner is not able to heal genetic ailments.) Arik laughs. She was only fifteen then. The Chief State Councilor and the Chancellor of the Grand Chamber must have thought she was nuts - what is this fifteen-year-old girl doing? Adeline acknowledges that she took a risk with him - but it was a calculated risk. Her father, Kaelin Tylena, the former Duchon of House Tylena, the house that the Arik belongs to as a member of the Lesser House of Caelian, always thought highly of him and praised his tactical mind - Arik has the best ratio of maximizing victories while minimizing loss of life. And Adeline saw with her own eyes how loyal the Samara Army was to him (Arik was the Commander General of the Samara Army before being made Supreme Commander). At the end of the day, Adeline trusts Arik with not only her life and her daughter's, by with the lives of all Onderians. She would not feel comfortable leaving Anny in this situation/state if Arik was not here. "I would not trust my daughter's life and safety to anyone else." Arik's melancholy subsides with his Queen's words of faith.
"But this General Puyan..." Adeline begins. "What do you know of her?" Arik nods. General Puyan Di has a very interesting story. She is thought to be the last disciple of the Yellow Tiger (hence why she's called the White Tiger), a famed Master of the (insert specific style) martial arts and the leader of the defense forces of the Southern port city of Das'Puyang. Das'Puyang was the last Mar'Kaa city to fall to Elvira the Late Queen and the Onderian Forces (mostly because of the Yellow Tiger's reputation, fame and leadership) - Arik believes the city could have held on for at least a couple more years. The only reason they fell when they did was because the Yellow Tiger passed away of advanced age. When he died, his last disciple, Puyan Di, who was pregnant with her first child during the Siege of Das'Puyang, surrendered. Given her reputation and that of her master's, not even Lady Martia was willing to engage Das'Puyang during the Occupation Years - she mostly left the city under Puyan Di's leadership to their own devices. For the Mar'Kaa citizens fleeing Martia' reign of terror, Das'Puyang was a more achievable destination than Kalinga Bay. And that's not all. The Yellow Tiger, in the years before his death, was thought to have cultivated successfully and lifted the curse of the Fallen, at least temporarily. Adeline is shocked. Really?! The Mar'Kaa are thought to be the descendants of the only Fallen Celestial. Legend states that to mark them as the blood of the Fallen, they were cursed with the inability to feel physical pain (or more accurately a reduced ability to feel pain), which has resulted in much higher fecundity compared to the Onderians but also lower life expectancy. Many Masters of the Mar'Kaa martial arts will spend their lives cultivating so that they achieve a state in which their bodies become more receptive to pain. Most of them don't succeed. Adeline poses the question: "If the Yellow Tiger achieved this state, then it is possible he was able to teach this method to his last disciple - Puyan Di." Arik nods. It is most certainly possible, though Army Intelligence has not been able to confirm such a theory.
Adeline wonders if General Puyan will be willing to accept her offer of temporary surrender. Arik is not sure as well. But he thinks that she will be more receptive to hearing Adeline out than other generals. Why is that, though? Arik continues his recounting of General Puyan Di's "story". The General had four children, two elder daughters and two younger sons. The eldest daughter was one of the admirals who led the Mar'Kaa fleet (with Rayden) in the Battle of Aurain. She died in the battle, most presumably due to Anny's telekinetic blasts. The third child, a son, was a captain of a company who perished in the Battle of the Great Lake, a couple months after the Battle of Aurain. And just half a year ago, the second daughter, another naval commander, died in the Battle of Elvinport. Adeline is shocked. Losing a child is always terrible, but losing three children successively in one war is unimaginable. Adeline clearly feels the maternal pain on behalf of General Puyan. This is why Arik thinks that of all the top Mar'Kaa army commanders, General Puyan is likely to be the most receptive of a temporary truce. Not only is she of sufficient status and prestige in their army, she has suffered great personal loss as well. What about the youngest son, Adeline asks - where is he? According to the shadow agents, the youngest son is the General's favorite. Intelligence reports that the son is a member of the Puyang Army, purposefully kept close to the General's side. Unfortunately, the Shadows agents planted in the Mar'Kaa army have been unable to determine his true name or which battalion or regiment he is part of. The Puyang Army is mostly comprised of soldiers from Das'Puyang of the Puyang tribe - they all have the characteristic Puyang white-color markings. It is more difficult to locate and identify which one of these soldiers is General Puyan's son compared to the three elder children who were part of multi-tribal forces (with different color markings). Arik theorizes that it is also possible that the son is going under a different name to protect him from being specifically or overwhelmingly targeted. As a mother, Adeline wishes for General Puyan that her son survived the Siege of Pylos and is back by his mother's side. But it is as likely that he died in the battle - or he has been captured as a prisoner-of-war.
Before she leaves, Adeline oversees the ceremony in which Arik formerly promotes Vice-General Etta Nan Wei, House of Kallys, of the Samara Army to Lady Etta Nan Wei, House of Kallys, Commander General of the Samara Army. Tallus, who has secluded himself, gives up trying to convince himself that Adeline should give herself up alone. He stalks off to forcibly prevent Adeline from leaving but is "arrested" by an apologetic Cassander. A furious Tallus and the other Praetorian Guards are temporarily imprisoned by Cassander on Adeline's orders. Cassander begs Tallus not to hate him. Realizing that Adeline has already left, Tallus gives up and is released by Cassander. He, Cassander, Arik and Lady Etta examine a Talin who is "wearing Adeline's skin" (how they call the ability of shapeshifters). However, Talin is super awkward and does not move or act or speak like Adeline. Tallus thinks this plan is completely and totally going to fail.
In the Puyang Army camp, General Puyan Di is sitting in her tent. Behind her, we can see three memorial tablets, dedicated to her deceased children:
Admiral Puyan Nian, Naval Commander Puyan Qian, and
Captain Puyan Zhan. Her subordinate (who refers to her as
Da Shi Jie) reports to her of their losses and the state of the army. When she asks him "what of my son?", the subordinate hesitates and replies that the Young Marshal has not returned - he is either dead or has been captured. Last he saw, the marshal was still alive and his forces were fighting against Vice-General Nan Wei's legions. General Puyan sends her subordinate off. It is clear she is heartbroken by these news. However, there is a commotion in the camp. Her subordinate returns and tells her the shocking news: "The Queen of Onderon has surrendered!"
The generals of the Puyang Army discuss the shocking news and what to do with the Queen of Onderon. She refuses to speak to anyone except Puyan. General Puyan goes to speak with Adeline. Adeline tells her that she is here to negotiate a temporary truce, given the blood battles that both Onderian and Marked forces have endured in Pylos and Maidenport. As a promise of the Onderians' willingness to keep to the armistice, Adeline is here as a temporary hostage. She wants to speak to Rayden directly in Das'Vengar. General Puyan asks her why the Puyang Army should give up their advantage over the Onderians and not continue to press. Adeline accepts that Pylos may not be able to withstand another siege from the Puyang Army. However, the Marks also suffered a huge loss (navally) in the Battle of Maidenport (the battle from which Adeline and the Meikha Army were at before arriving at Pylos). Both sides need time to recuperate. General Puyan asks her if she has any other "conditions". Adeline replies that her only other condition is that General Puyan herself escorts her to Das'Vengar. Puyan laughs at the condition. It is clear that this is a ploy to get her away from Pylos so that High Lord Caelian may have more time to think of maneuvers to combat against Puyang tactics. Adeline readily admits that it is indeed a ploy. Though she trusts Arik, she also does not underestimate General Puyan's abilities. Puyan asks why Adeline is surrendering to her specifically and why the Queen thinks she has the power to unilaterally order a temporary ceasefire for all Marked forces. Adeline smirks. You are the White Tiger of Guilin Hill. You have the Emperor's trust and faith. It doesn't look like General Puyan is going to go for it. Adeline plays her last card. She admits to Puyan that her daughter Annira, the Heir to the Onderian Throne, is still unconscious from the battle. She doesn't want to lose her only daughter and heir. And if a temporary truce is possible, how many other daughters and sons could they save? You, of all people, should understand. There is silence. General Puyan tells Adeline that as a General of Reborn Da'Lyan, she wishes for only the death of the Onderian Heir to the Throne. However, as a mother, she hopes Adeline will never experience the pain that is losing a child. It is clear that the news of her youngest son's possible death or capture in the Siege of Pylos by the Onderians has influenced Puyan's decision. General Puyan cryptically enquires about Vice-General Nan Wei and how likely it is that she takes POWs. Adeline replies that like most of the Samara Army commanders, Lady Etta (now Commander General) is one of Arik's disciples/mentees. Though the Samara Army is the greatest and most ferocious field army of Onderon's Five (now Four given the decimation of the Fifth Army) Armies, it also has the reputation of minimizing casualties - on both sides of the battle. She believes that of all field armies, Samara Army takes the most POWs. After some thought, General Puyan accepts Adeline's surrender and escorts her to Das'Vengar.
MEANWHILE, IN PYLOS
Back at Pylos, Cassander informs Arik that the Queen was "successively" taken by General Puyan. The Aerial Legion scouts have spotted the small force traveling to Mar'Kaa land. For all intents and purposes, a temporary ceasefire is in effect. Arik warns Cassander not to let his guard down. They are joined by Lady Etta and the Shadow Master (the leader of the Shadow agents), who has recently arrived in Pylos on Arik's orders. Arik expresses his surprise that the General Puyan accepted the Queen's surrender so readily - he was planning some more hijinks to convince her. He asks the Shadow Master to report what he has found so far on the youngest son and child of General Puyan - whose name he has been able to identify as Puyan Jun. The Shadow Master reports that he believes the youngest son does go by a different individual name in the army though of course kept the tribe (the first) name of Puyan. However, since most of the soldiers in the Puyang Army are of the Puyan tribe, practically everyone has the first name Puyan as well as the characteristic white markings. Cassander is slightly defeated and he doesn't see how this narrows anything down. Thankfully, the Shadow Master has learned that this Puyan Jun is most likely to be a member of the Chiyun Battalion in the Puyang Army. Lady Etta realizes why she's here. Her legions fought against Chiyun Battalion and were able to take many prisoners from that battalion. Cassander asks Arik how he can be so certain that Puyan Jun is still alive. Arik says he is not. The boy could be dead or captured by them, but he is most definitely not with the Puyang Army. He believes General Puyan agreed to Adeline's terms and the ceasefire because there is a possibility that her son has been captured by the Onderians, and not yet dead. But, Cassander points out, just because General Puyan believes that her son might be alive and captured doesn't actually mean the son is still alive. Arik admits that is true - however, if General Puyan's son was indeed captured by Lady Etta's Fifth and Twenty-Second Legions and they can identify/locate him, it would be a very useful bargaining chip. After all, General Puyan's influence and power in the Mar'Kaa military is almost unparalleled. It is worth trying at least. No harm done if the boy cannot be found or is dead. They are interrupted by a slightly disheveled and relieved Tallus who informs them that Anny has finally woken up! Cassander and Lady Etta immediately leave to go see her. After they leave, the Shadow Master points out that if the Yellow Tiger, before his death, did manage to pass on the method to lift the Fallen curse to his disciple, Puyan Di, it is possible that General Puyan taught this method to her children. Arik acknowledges that he speaks the truth. However, he doesn't want anyone to know - specifically Anny. Because it would mean that they could "torture" the Mar'Kaa POWs, which Arik is absolutely not keen on doing, as a way of figuring out who can feel pain.
The scene cuts to a very bewildered and exasperated Anny who has just woken up from her coma. Tallus, Cassander, Lady Etta, and Arik have just told her about what Adeline did. Anny cannot believe the riskiness of the plan and that they allowed the Queen to get away with it! Tallus is immediately gratified (Exactly! Finally, someone who sees reason!). She wonders why her mother is all of a sudden acting like Anny and she is acting like her mother. Anny doesn't understand how her father could have let her go like that but after she takes one quick look at the generals' faces, she realizes the truth. Cassander tells her that the Queen absolutely didn't want the High Prince or the Prince Royal knowing about what she did. Anny sighs in disbelief. Talin, who is pretending to be Adeline, walks into the room and Anny just about passes out from the ridiculousness of the plan. Arik tells her that she needs to rest and recover slowly. He will be handling all the military matters for now, while Tallus with the other bureaucratic stuff. Anny doesn't want to just sit still and do nothing though. She asks Arik what she can do to help. Arik informs her off his theory regarding Puyan Jun being a soldier in the Chiyun Battalion. Perhaps the Heir to the Throne can interrogate the soldiers from the Chiyun Battalion to see if she can find some information about Puyan Jun and if he is still alive as a POW. Anny agrees to help Arik with the matter, though reluctantly.
Anny helps assess all the POWs from Chiyun Battalion of the Puyang Army. She narrows it down to three. One of these soldiers is a young man (close to her age) named Ya'wen. Through her conversations with Ya'wen, Anny begins to see the war in a new light and gains new understanding regarding how badly the Mar'Kaa were treated by Lady Martia and the Fifth Army. Talin, still in his Adeline disguise, is clearly jealous of Anny's newfound relationship with Ya'wen. For the first time, Tallus and Cassander discuss their future (or lack of one) frankly. The Warrior visits Arik in one of his dreams and Arik takes this as a sign of his impending death.
In one of Anny's interactions with Ya'wen and the other two suspects, she becomes convinced that Ya'wen cannot be Puyan Jun. One of the two suspects becomes really angry with Anny and accuses her of killing Puyan Nian, the eldest daughter of General Puyan, a naval commander who died in the Battle for Aurain. Puyan Nian was killed by Anny's telekinetic blast at the ports. However, Ya'wen "scolds" the angry Marked soldier and tells him that it was war/battle field - Anny was only defending her people, just as how Commander Puyan was seeking justice for her people too. The other soldiers are properly scolded. From this interaction, Anny thinks that Ya'wen might be a ranking commander in the Chiyun Battalion since the other soldiers seem to listen to him. The Shadow Master (who is still at the Pylos camp) confirms her suspicions - he believes Ya'wen to be a commanding general of Chiyun Battalion. The Shadow Master also informs Anny and Arik that he believes that Puyan Jun is also the
Young Marshal of the Puyang Army. However, since the marshal position in the context of Mar'Kaa army structure, is an informal position and rank (unlike the official positions of generals etc.), he again doesn't know which commanding officer/general is the Young Marshal. Arik remarks on Ya'wen's young age and posits that he might be the Young Marshal, Puyan Jun. However, given the past interaction/conversation, Adeline doesn't think he's Puyan Jun. After all, she did kill Puyan Nian. How could he defend his sister's killer?
THE JOURNEY
As a prisoner, Adeline is escorted to Das'Vengar by General Puyan and a subset of her forces. She is treated well though by the General though receives a great deal of scorn from the Mar'Kaa soldiers. However, on a dangerously cold mountain pass, Adeline takes the initiative and warms everyone through her fires - surprising the Marks. At that point, General Puyan no longer puts her in chains (clearly, she could escape anytime). When Puyan asks her why she did that, Adeline replies that she wants to make it to Das'Vengar - no reason she needs to allow the army to freeze to death. Adeline and Puyan also have a conversation about religion and faith. Puyan takes note of Adeline's piousness (in how regularly she prays) - she wonders why the Daughter of the Allfather feels the need to pray so often. Adeline discusses how Children of the Allfather, such as her, Ganner, and Rayden, are not visited by the Celestials in their dreams or by the Allfather. It doesn't seem to affect either Ganner or Rayden very much, as they don't really believe they are the Children (they just think they are supremely gifted individuals and will just go along with the prophecy for appearances' sake), but she does believe. She wishes that she could receive guidance from the Allfather or the Celestials. Adeline also probes into whether Puyan was able to learn how to lift the Fallen curse to feel pain from her Master, the Yellow Tiger. Of course, Puyan doesn't give anything away. Puyan brings up Adeline's great ability to wield and create fire - the symbol of the sun, light, but also destruction. But, Adeline points out, all flames die out eventually. Puyan takes this as a sign that Adeline believes if it were her against Rayden one-on-one, she would lose, or at the very least, not win. No fire can withstand forever the onslaught and eventuality of water.
At some point, the Marked soldiers request of their General to spar with Adeline to test their skills. Puyan doesn't want to be rude as Adeline is a "guest" but Adeline tells her it's okay. She and a couple soldiers spar. However, they are disturbed by a mythical fire creature - a Chinese-style green dragon - one that usually inhabits the tallest peaks of Mount Vohra in the Great Mountain Ranges. Adeline wonders what is doing here so far below, away from the mountains. The dragon is at first very aggressive against the army but Adeline is able to calm it down and speak to it. They are both creatures of fire, after all. To her surprise, she finds that it came to see her. Very cryptically, it tells her that the answer she will one day seek, when her mate the Child of Earth finally learns to ask the right question, will be found in Mount Vohra. The creature leaves peacefully. Adeline is just as confused as Puyan. She has literally no idea what the creature is talking about. Finally, they arrive in Das'Vengar.
ENTER EMILYN
Introduces Lady Emilyn Tylena, the newly ascended Ducha of House of Tylena and the Queen's niece (her mother is the Queen's first cousin, her grandfather inherited the House after Kaelin Tylena's death) and her very fun political adventures in the Grand Chamber of Trykan
Warmongers vs. Peacemakers: Hawks and the Doves
Volsca betrayal?
Discovers the truth...joins Ayden in Kalinga Bay. They find out all the people responsible (on the Onderian end) for the Ayden kidnapping scheme. Ayden is clearly shocked. He and Emilyn travel to the Samara camp at Pylos.
IN KALING, A PATH SPLITS INTO TWO
In the Bay of Kaling, we find the father-son duo, Ganner and Ayden Rylandar, speaking with Ceferyn, the Chief Merchant of Kalinga Bay. Having finally found a time to continue his investigation into well his kidnapping, Ayden has arrived in the Port of Monglar to follow up on his leads - the exiled Das'Khitan tribe, the Mar'Kaa who were not only responsible for planning his kidnapping (which resulted in Rayden's exile) almost a decade ago, but also responsible for initiating and planning the Great Lake Slave fight club (from the last book). Ayden asks Ceferyn how he should meet up with the Khitan chief but Ceferyn gamely points out that he can give Ayden their address. The Das'Khitan tribe, though officially "exiled" by Rayden, has been successfully lobbying the Merchant Council (that rules the Bay of Kaling) to remain neutral in the war between the Onderians and the Marks. They aren't exactly hiding their presence in Monglar. Ceferyn wonders why it took Ayden so long to get here but Ayden points out the many battles he's been a part of - he only found the time to get away. Ayden leaves to speak with the Das'Khitan tribe.
It's just Ganner and Ceferyn left. Ganner is confused as to why he's here. One moment, he was tending the crop fields in the Twin Cities of Herlan and Heran (some crop disaster) and the next Adeline has shipped him off to Kalinga with Ayden. Ceferyn asks him to follow him and warns him not to be too shocked. Ganner is excited to find out what secret Ceferyn has in store for him.
They arrive at Ceferyn's secret chamber. In in are two people: an elderly gentleman and middle-aged woman (Ganner's age). Ganner is absolutely shocked to see them! It is Lord Adnan Kaleka of the Eastern Duchy of Orienne and Lady Rhea Stryver of the Northern Nordya Duchy (Ganner's childhood friend and former betrothed). The two greet Ganner as "Your Highness" but Ganner tells them that their greeting is inappropriate given he is no longer the Crown Prince of the Human Kingdom of Ryland. Ganner has a lovely reunion with his "Uncle Nanan and his childhood friend Rhea. He asks them what they are doing here. Lord Kaleka gravely tells him the situation: his father the King of Ryland is ill and almost near certain death. They are at a loss as to what to do - all the human healers and even the one Onderian-human healer they hired from Kalinga Bay have done all they can in regards to the King. They need Ganner to come back and heal him. If Ganner is unable to heal his father or the King dies in the meantime, they need Ganner to return and take the Throne as not only the Rylandar King's only child, but as the only surviving member (through maternal descent) of the former Imperial House of Sazorrn (not counting Ayden and Anny), to prevent a war of succession from breaking out.
Understandably, Ganner is not sure what to do. He can't just go to Ryland and become King in the middle of the Onderian-Mar'Kaa war. Of course, he agrees to accompany them to Ryland City (the capitol) to heal his father. But he cannot make a decision regarding whether he is still legally eligible to be King of the Humans. He asks Ceferyn to tell Ayden where he went. From Ceferyn's expression, Ganner realizes that Ceferyn had probably told Adeline about this and she, not telling Ganner the true reason as to why Ceferyn summoned him, made him go to Kalinga Bay. Clearly, he has her blessing. Ganner leaves the Port of Monglar with Lord Kaleka and Rhea to travel to Ryland. Ayden continues his investigation in Kalinga Bay and meets with the Khitar Tribe.
Ganner has reunion conversation with both Rhea and Adnan. He apologizes to Rhea for breaking their engagement - the last time they saw each other they were still technically engaged. Rhea has not yet married. It is clear that she still has feelings for him but she reassures him that she knows where his heart is. Ganner finds out that his father is not actually on his deathbed - it was a ploy/lie by Rhea and Adnan to get him back (because of some conflict in the court etc.). He becomes really angry at them for lying to him. At that moment, some scout members of the Aerial Legion arrive (at Cassander's behest) to inform Ganner of what happened - Adeline's "travel" to Das'Vengar as a "hostage" and Anny's near-death injury and now recovery. Ganner is super worried about Adeline and intends on going to Das'Vengar to get her back. Rhea and Adnan refuse to give up persuading him and decide to accompany him to Das'Vengar.
COURT OF THORNS: Adeline's stay in Das'Vengar lasts for roughly a month.
Adeline arrives in Das'Vengar, escorted by General Puyan. On the streets, she see graffiti and other such imagery depicting her mother, Elvira the Conqueror, as a demon queen and Lady Martia Nerus, House of Enyallus, the Governor-General of Occupied Mar'Kaa as a snake (Lady Martia's nickname is The Snake - it is the symbol of the Lesser House of Nerus). When she (and her terms for temporary truce) are presented at court (the Imperial Palace), Rayden (now crowned Emperor) is shocked. Half of his court want to kill her on the spot while the other half seek to imprison her as a hostage, a "guest of the Da'Lyan Emperor of Mar'Kaa", as Rayden himself had been kept a " guest of the Onderian Kingdom" for so long. Some radicals even wanted to use this opportunity to seek peace. Rayden offers a compromise. A trial run to determine if the arrangement/conditions that Adeline has offered would work while his court figured out what to do in the long-term with the Onderian Queen. He makes an (official) imperial decree that extends the temporary truce that General Puyan set in place.
Adeline and Rayden have a testy reunion. Clearly, they don't know how to act around each other anymore. She remarks that she's surprised he kept his "Onderian" name Rayden, and did not take on a more Mar'Kaa name. Rayden shrugs and replies that he's too old to respond to a new name. He introduced her to a 14-year-old orphan boy, Yela Yuvin who hails from the Northern mountain city of Das'Yeling of the Yela Tribe. Yuvin is Rayden's adopted son, officially recognized by the Court and inducted into the Imperial Family records! Rayden adopted Yuvin when the boy saved his live in some mountain accident almost two years ago. Rayden tasks an angry Yuvin as Adeline's personal bodyguard. Throughout Adeline's stay at the Da'Lyan court, she becomes very fond of Yuvin, who reminds her of a young Ayden. Yuvin also loses some of his animosity towards the Onderian Queen while he spends time with her protecting her from all those pesky assassination attempts.
Next, Rayden introduces her to his wife and Empress, Hua Rui of the small town of Das'Huang - who is also the official adoptive mother of Yuvin. Empress Hua is the daughter of the Chief of the Hua Tribe (Hua Lin) - they were introduced in the previous book as "assassins" used by Lady Martia to eliminate any Mar'Kaa dissidents but turned out to be secretly working for the Free Mar'Kaa Independence Movement as double agents. The Hua Chief was also the one who "killed" Lady Yuen. The Empress is in charge of making sure that Adeline is "properly settled" at Court. In turn, Empress Hua introduces Adeline to the Inner Palace, which is the Imperial harem (consorts and concubines - will be using Qing Dynasty Imperial harem system) of the Da'Lyan Emperor (Rayden) - there is the Empress, a Noble Consort, two Consorts and three Concubines. Adeline is super shocked that Rayden went from zero wives to all of a sudden at least seven. Rayden practically blushes at Adeline's not-so-muted surprise - he is also very embarrassed. From her observations of the Inner Palace, Adeline realizes that Empress Hua is neither well-liked nor well-respected by the Court - the Empress also doesn't seem to be very good at managing the Inner Palace even though she is the only legal wife, often letting the lower-ranked consorts and concubines run roughshod all over her.
However, the relationship between the Empress and Adeline soon changes. There is some kind of gift-giving event in which the Empress and the other consorts present the gifts they will be giving to the Emperor. The Empress and the consorts start arguing over the food picks. Adeline also accidentally jumps in and picks one. When Rayden enters the room and he is made to pick, Adeline's choice turns out to the correct one! Obviously, this embarrasses the Empress. Later, Adeline semi-apologizes to Hua Rui, telling her that she didn't mean to make her look bad in front of so many people. Hua Rui "opens up" to Adeline. She knows she's not a very good Empress - she has no experience in dealing with court and courtiers or managing such a complex, nasty system that is the Inner Palace. By blood and right, Hua Rui was raised to be a shadow warrior like her father, the Hua Chief. She knows little to nothing about politics or palace management. Adeline asks why then she was made Empress. Although it is now commonly known throughout Reunified Mar'Kaa that the Hua Tribe was actually working for/with the Independence Movement, they still served for so many years as Lady Martia's personal assassins - they killed many Mar'Kaa people to keep their cover with Lady Martia. Therefore, many tribes still hold grudges against the Hua people. To top that off, Das'Huang is a very small and rather unimportant city - there has never been a Hua Empress (she is the first). Rayden, knowing all of this, purposefully selected a Hua woman as Empress to lessen the hatred and criticism leveled at the Hua Tribe - basically to give them some face. And of all Hua women, he chose the daughter of the man who "killed" his mother figure, the former Noble Consort Yuen. Although Rayden is very nice and considerate to her, Hua Rui doesn't really know what he likes or dislikes like Adeline clearly does. Adeline tries to console the Mar'Kaa Empress. She tells her that when she and Ganner were newly married, he also had to deal with the fact that in a way, he didn't really know her like her childhood friends (Rayden, Tallus, and Cassander) did. It takes time. "And now?" Hua Rui asks. Adeline smiles ruefully, "After almost two decades of marriage, what does he not know?" And just to prove Hua Rui's earlier point, the two come across a Hua maid being abused by some stewards (for being of Hua Tribe). Of course, seeing the Hua Empress, they apologize and run off. "Not all Hua people were assassins". The Empress tells Adeline that many are unable to take their anger out on her or her father, and so they take their grievances out on lower-ranked Hua people like that poor maid. Adeline recommends that the Empress consolidate her power in the Inner Palace - it will bring honor to her tribe.
Adeline and the Hua Empress begin to spend a lot of time together, often in the company of Yuvin. Yuvin is being trained in the arts of war by his adoptive grandfather, the Hua Chief (the father of the Hua Empress). General Puyan also discovers that because the Puyang Army has been undefeated against the Onderians and she is so well-regarded and highly trusted by the Emperor, there are many who are jealous of the Puyang Army and the Puyan tribe.
At some point, Adeline and Rayden have a very aggressive, all-out argument in which they basically air all their grievances to each other! Rayden is still so angry that Adeline chose not to believe him over Ayden's kidnapping case. He thinks that all along, she's been harboring suspicions against him and used the kidnapping opportunity to confirm her unconscious beliefs. "You have never trusted me. You have always seen me as the heir to Da'Lyan. The Mar'Kaa hostage prince." Adeline admits that she was in the wrong for settling the case too fast (her emotions got a hold of her) but is angry at Rayden for going after her grandmother and then Aurain. Rayden cannot believe that Adeline thinks he killed the Old Lady Tylena - "how could you think that of me?" Adeline is not willing to believe his words even though his sincerity is written on his face. She asks, why then has he kept away from the battle frontlines (since practically the Battle of Aurain)? Is he not guilty and that is why he refuses to face her again in battle? Rayden struggles to answer the question. [In truth, although Rayden didn't kill the Old Lady, he does believe that he caused her death by showing up at the Sanctuary.]
It doesn't help that a meeting is scheduled almost right after the verbal argument between Adeline and Rayden and the Marked courtiers and generals. Adeline and Rayden are testy towards each other. The Marked courtiers present their terms for a peace treaty. 1) tax-free rates on Onderian metal + other such reparations/subsidies 2) the Onderian Heir to the Throne lives as a "guest of the Da'Lyan Emperor" in Das'Vengar for at least the first three years of the peace treaty (to ensure the Onderians don't break it) 3) dissolution of the Greater House of Enyallus + anyone who was involved in Lady Martia's corruption (basically any remnants of the Fifth Army) 4) Pylos. Adeline scoffs at the terms. Impossible, she thinks! She accuses the Marked courtiers, advisors and generals as trying to man-handle/force her - she only has herself to negotiate (can she bring the Left State Councilor of Foreign Relations to help advise her)? She can't believe they are trying to take Pylos! The Onderians will never let Pylos go to the Mar'Kaa. The Marked courtiers push back. Isn't it the least the Onderians can give the Mar'Kaa people after ~4 decades of occupation? Adeline retorts that they took Aurain - they burnt Aurain down for no tactical reason - just for spite! The Hua Chief, the Emperor's Father-in-Law interrupts, "begging your pardon, Your Majesty, but it wasn't our army that burnt Aurain - it was you." Adeline is slightly mollified by his comment. The Mar'Kaa courtiers use the advantage to press on. They won't take Pylos, then. They will take Herne as replacement. Adeline immediately shuts down the negotiation ("You people literally took them as slaves" "We will make up for it!") and the meeting erupts into arguments! Rayden tells everyone to shut up and leave the room. It's just him and Adeline now. He asks her to tell him the truth. What is the actual problem with the terms? It can't be the Onderian Heir to the Throne coming to stay as hostage in Das'Vengar. Sure, Ganner might be upset, but Adeline would totally let Anny go because it's not her precious son they are demanding (Rayden makes a semi-disparaging remark to scold Adeline for always favoring Ayden over Anny). It can't be the dissolution of the Greater House of Enyallus. Knowing Adeline, she already planned to do that two years ago but just allowed Enyallus to keep standing to see if there are any who would still defend them/side with them (a trap basically). So then, it must be the issue of Pylos or Herne. Rayden doesn't understand why the Onderians aren't willing to let Herne go - it's not like the State Council or Grand Chamber gives a flying cent about the natives of Herne. Adeline is annoyed. She can't imagine the tribes of Herne would willingly become a vassal state of Da'Lyan, given the Great Lake slaver trading fight club. And besides, Onderian Queens have long been Protectors of Herne. Rayden scoffs. He admits that the situation with the slave trade fight club is not great but the Mar'Kaa want to make up for that. Besides, many tribes of Herne share cultural similarities with the Mar'Kaa. He thinks they would be happier with Da'Lyan. And Onderian Queens are only "Protectors of Herne" in name - as they have been since Alyse's reign. So what is the real problem? Adeline sighs and admits that the real issue is Anny. The State Council and the Grand Chamber would be very happy to give up Herne - it doesn't matter to them. But Anny, since her encounters with the natives of Herne at the Great Lake Slave Fight club thing two years ago, has been pushing for more representation and protection of the tribes of Herne. She's even reached out to the Grand Chamber! She hates the Grand Chamber! Adeline blames the Mar'Kaa or more specifically the Khitar Tribe for making Anny fond of the Herne natives. Rayden accepts that Anny might protest against the Herne clause, but at the end of the day, Adeline is still Queen. But, Adeline replies, one day Anny will be Queen. What if she breaks the peace treaty and attempts to take back Herne as soon as she ascends to the throne? She can't guarantee that Anny wouldn't do something like that. [will maybe insert something about the Onderian shadow agents that have infiltrated Mar'Kaa army camps through shapeshifting/skin-wearing]
Having reached an impasse, Rayden and Adeline just sit in silence. Then Adeline brings up a great point: what about what is not on the list of terms the Mar'Kaa advisors presented? Rayden pretends to not know what she is talking about. Adeline presses on. Obviously, Rayden is still super anal and sore about the kidnapping event a decade ago - he was wrongly accused after all. How come he isn't asking that the Onderian perpetrators of the event be brought to light and justice? Rayden nervously points out that Ayden's investigation has stalled. Maybe they will never find out the identity of the other groups involved. Adeline scoffs in disbelief. What a ridiculous statement! The Khitar Tribe (from Das'Khitan) can easily identify the Onderians they worked with... Adeline trails off and stops speaking. She has come to a realization. "You know! You know who is involved! The Khitar Tribe told you! But you haven't brought it up to me because you're trying to protect me... It has to be someone close to me. Someone whose betrayal would hurt me deeply? Which Houses are involved? Who is it?! Tell me!!!" Rayden refuses to say anything. Adeline presses on. "It can't be the Balasichs - too obvious. Bloodwolf? Volsca?... My paternal House, the Tylenas?!" Rayden refuses to speak a word about the truth no matter how much Adeline presses him. She eventually gives up though she remains suspicious of him. However, once she has calmed down, Adeline tells him (very seriously) that she cannot accept the terms that were given to her. They need to be revised. Rayden replies: then it seems we are at an impasse. Adeline laments the terrible situation that is the relationship between the Onderians and the Marks. Rayden shrugs and says it has always been like this. Adeline surprised him by grasping his hand: it has always been like this. But must it always remain like this? She accepts her failures, for not overseeing Lady Martia and the Fifth Army properly - she has always been scared to go anyone near the legacy of her mother. By facing Occupied Mar'Kaa, she would be forced to see the tragedy and the suffering that Elvira's greed and ambition caused. And given how the Mar'Kaa feel about her mother Elvira and Lady Martia, given what these two Onderians did - no wonder they can't forgive and forget and move on. No wonder they hate Onderians and Onderon. Adeline is clearly dejected and demotivated. Rayden gives her a pondering look.
The next day, Rayden takes Adeline to an undisclosed location in a carriage. She asks him where they are going but he tells her she will know when they arrive. They arrive and the two of them disembark. They are at the town square - where Lady Martia was going to publicly execute Rayden and Lady Yuen in the last book. Adeline is stunned and incredibly moved by what she sees. For in the middle of a town square stands a statue of what is clearly Anda, holding a pen and paper, facing off against the statue of a snake, clearly meant to represent Lady Martia. At the base of Anda's statue is a short and simple inscription: The Scribe and the Snake. Rayden tells her that although the people of Das'Vengar hated Elvira the Demon Queen and Lady Martia The Snake of Enyallus with every drop of blood in their bodies, they also will never forget the courage and bravery that Andares, the junior officer of the Royal Investigation Bureau, an Onderian, showed that fateful night when she stepped onto the stage with only a paper and pen and tried to save his life, and that of Lady Yuen's, knowing she would not live to see another day. Adeline tears up and then turns to Rayden: So, it wasn't the Mar'Kaa who killed Anda. Rayden shakes his head solemnly: it was Lady Martia. Andares tried to save us but that night, the Scribe did not prevail over the Snake. He ruefully smiles and says that Emilyn has never really liked him, he knows, but he hopes one day that she might know the truth of her beloved's death and take comfort in the fact that the people of Das'Vengar hold The Scribe in their hearts. [This will make sense when the Emilyn section has been written.] Rayden tells Adeline that the path to peace between their two people is (obviously) not easy - it may even not happen in their life times. But they need to try, at the very least. For if it is not the Children of the Allfather who will bring everlasting peace, who else would it be? Who else could it be? Adeline promptly bursts into tears and asks, "you don't hate me?" "As much as you hate me, I gather."
Yuvin is set to be formerly named as the Prince of Yeling. There will be some kind of joust/fighting competition to celebrate his naming! One day, Adeline and Empress Hua come across the Hua Chief (Hua Lin) training Yuvin. Though strict with Yuvin, it is clear that Hua Lin is fond of the boy and though not blood-related, considers and treats him as a true grandson. Chief Hua tells Adeline that because the fighting competition is in Yuvin's honor, Yuvin has got to show up looking and fighting great! He asks if she plans to participate but Adeline says not likely. When Yuvin is accidentally hurt (a small cut), Adeline notices Empress Hua rushing to him even though it is a small injury. Later on, Adeline asks the Empress if like the rest of the Inner Palace and Court, she is not worried that Rayden greatly favors Yuvin, maybe a little too much. The Empress replies that it is only natural that the other consorts are worried about Yuvin being favored since the Emperor doesn't have any biological children by them yet. And besides, the Empress continues, Yuvin is also formerly her adoptive son. He is her greatest hope. Adeline wonders what she means by that.
It is the night before Yuvin's naming/crowning ceremony and the joust. It is snowing and Adeline cannot sleep. She tries to go out in and see the snow in the Imperial Gardens but the guards tell her that she cannot go there, without anyone to accompany her. So, Adeline goes and forcibly wakes up a very sleepy and disgruntled Yuvin to make him accompany her as her guard. She and Yuvin go out and play in the snow. Rayden comes upon them. He and Adeline chat while Yuvin is playing in the snow. He thanks her for taking him out - Yuvin has been really nervous about the naming ceremony - he was probably having trouble sleeping. It's good that she can give him an excuse to do something else. Adeline sadly looks at Yuvin. She wishes that Yuvin would never have to go to the battle frontlines. For if he did, he would learn to hate her. Rayden says he has tried his best to delay Yuvin from joining the war but it is inevitable - Yuvin also wants a chance to "prove" himself on the battlefield. After he is named the Prince of Yeling, he must allow Yuvin to go. Adeline remarks upon how the Empress Hua and the Hua Chief have really taken to Yuvin. She hopes that when the Empress has her own child, she won't overlook Yuvin or see him as a threat. Rayden says that's impossible. Adeline wonders what he means.
The next day, Yela Yuvin of Das'Yeling is named/crowned as the Prince of Yeling. There is the joust/fighting competition. Everyone does well and it is almost the end. Some courtier points out that this competition is a rare occurrence. Why, you might ask? Because present at the competition are the disciples/inheritors of two of the most famous Masters of Martial Arts: Adeline, the disciple of Master Annyla Bloodwolf, The Black Wolf and Puyan Di, the disciple of the Yellow Tiger of Das'Puyang. Now is the best time to figure out which style is the superior! The audience now calls for Puyan Di and Adeline to spar! Rayden gives his permission. Puyan Di doesn't seem too happy or willing with the situation. Adeline declines to spar saying that it won't be appropriate. However she is encouraged to spar by some hecklers + Yuvin who really is very curious about the Black Wolf style. Adeline and Puyan Di then start to spar. The sparring ends and the two thank each other. To the audience, it is not clear who won. But when Rayden turns to Empress Hua and asks her "who won?", she smiles and replies that Adeline won.
Rayden stands and remarks that it is not clear if Adeline won because the style of the Black Wolf is superior to that of the Yellow Tiger, or because Adeline is the better fighter. He also remarks that Adeline obviously has some innate advantage as a Child of the Allfather. He challenges her to a duel, as he is too is a disciple of the Black Wolf. The audience becomes excited and so is Yuvin! Adeline accepts and jokingly asks him if he would be okay with her publicly beating him in front of his Court. After all, she always won when it came to this style. Rayden tells her that he would always lose to her purposefully. The two of them duel in various fighting forms: hand-to-hand combat, straight up powers, and lastly with the swords. Adeline and Rayden are both given swords. They duel. It's going great when Adeline accidentally breaks her sword and injures Rayden. Chaos erupts! Adeline is immediately detained/arrested by the Imperial Guards. The Court accuses her of trying to use this opportunity to assassinate Rayden. Eventually, General Puyan is able to calm the situation down. She places Adeline under house arrest (in her chambers) while Rayden is carted off to the healers by Empress Hua and her father. Yuvin is shocked.
Adeline is under house arrest in her chambers. She is visited by Empress Hua who tells her that Rayden is fine - he is not badly injured. Adeline sighs in relief. She tries to defend herself to the Empress and tells her there was something wrong with the sword - it was probably a set-up to frame her for trying to assassinate Rayden. She asks if the situation is being investigated. The Empress informs her that Rayden doesn't think Adeline tried to kill him - he knows the truth. He ordered General Puyan to investigate the young men who gave them the swords for the duel. Adeline is relieved. She thinks: this must be how Rayden felt when he was wrongly accused of kidnapping Ayden all those years ago. The Empress tells Adeline that they might not see each other for some time - this is the last thing that she can do for Adeline. Adeline wonders what she means. The Empress tells her that General Puyan found the two boys who handed the swords to Rayden and Adeline too late - they had committed suicide. And they were both of Hua Tribe. The implication is clear. Adeline sits down in disbelief and remarks as to the ingenuity of the plan: framing her for trying to kill Rayden, and then if that didn't work, framing the Hua Tribe for trying to frame her! The Empress and her father, Hua Lin, will soon be also placed under house arrest. Adeline wonders what the point of this whole thing was. No matter how accidentally injured Rayden would be, he wouldn't actually die - there was no chance of that happening with so many top-grade healers in court. The Empress theorizes that whoever was behind this incident didn't actually want Rayden to die - they just wanted to frame Adeline for trying to kill him. The Imperial Court and the army have expressed their worries that Rayden is not on the frontlines with them, or at least not since the Battle of Aurain - some see it as an indication that he still has some sentiments towards the Onderian people. They want him to lead the army and face the Onderians to demonstrate his resolve. Adeline sighs. But Rayden wants peace. And so does she.
What about Yuvin, Adeline asks? Does he think I tried to kill father? Empress Hua cannot answer the question. Empress Hua warns Adeline that the situation is not good. It might be time for her to leave before she's killed, or worse. Adeline nods and tells her that she understands. All she asks of the Empress is to treat Yuvin fairly when she has her own child - how inappropriate such a request coming from Adeline to Yuvin's foster mother might be. Empress Hua smiles sadly and tells her that the Prince of Yeling is the only child she will ever have. Adeline is confused - what does she mean by that? Empress Hua tells her that right after she married Rayden, she was pregnant with his child. However, she had to defend an important fortress from the Silva Army - there was no one else who could do it if not for her. So she went out in armor, pregnant. They were able to hold the fortress until the Mar'Kaa forces arrived but by then, she has lost the child. And the miscarriage was too traumatizing for her body - the healers told her that she can never bear a child again. Adeline is shocked but now understands the situation. Empress Hua's infertility is known throughout court and people want to depose her. That's why Rayden has never joined the frontlines. He is worried that if he leaves court, the Inner Palace and the political advisors will find some way to frame her for something and forcibly depose her as Empress. The Empress interrupt and tells her that it is not only that. Rayden cannot face Adeline in battle again - he feels too bad for the Old Lady's death. Adeline misunderstands and takes this as a sign that Rayden was directly responsible for her grandmother's death. She quickly grasps the Empress' hands and tells her that there is a chance her infertility can be cured! After all, Ganner is the Healer - he has been able to heal some cases like hers before! The Empress smiles sadly. If only.
General Puyan reports the inconclusive findings of the dueling incident to a recuperating Rayden. She believes that the Onderian Queen was framed. Rayden knows. He thinks both Adeline and the Empress were framed. If only he hadn't been stupid enough to spar with Adeline. She didn't even want to in the first place! However, this will not be enough to appease the court. They are out for Adeline's blood. General Puyan asks Rayden if she should secretly smuggle Adeline and escort her out of Das'Vengar but Rayden smiles wryly and says "no, that won't be necessary." He then glances at the window and sees an ivy vine crawling up his walls and into his room through the window. It doesn't extend beyond the window frame though.
Adeline's Marked guards foil a poisoning attempt on her life. She recognizes the danger she is in and knows she needs to leave soon. Adeline also notices that ivy vines have grown into her room through the window. One of the maids (a Hua person) cleaning her room tells her that they will take care of the vines but Adeline says it's fine.
It is night time. Rayden is recuperating in his chambers when Adeline suddenly appears. He deduces from the black leather travel garb she is wearing (the same ones she wore when traveling to Das'Vengar) that she is leaving tonight. Before Adeline can say anything specific, he assures her that he knows (obviously) that she didn't try to kill him - it was probably some pro-war agents who tried to clumsily frame her. Adeline goes to sit by his bed and wishes that she had given him the chance to protest his innocence during Ayden's kidnapping. Rayden consoles her by stating that her case is obviously different from that case - he understands why she reacted that way. Adeline asks, "so do you do forgive me?" Rayden scowls at her in reply and says he's considering it. There is silence. Adeline then slowly and carefully tells Rayden that he knows about the Empress' predicament - why did Rayden not bring that up to Adeline? Ganner would surely not refuse to at least attempt to treat/heal Hua Rui. Rayden: I didn't want to give her any false hope. And besides, if we had succeeded in making a peace treaty, I had no doubt that the two of you would have offered (without having to put it in the negotiation terms) either way. Adeline is disappointed that they couldn't hash out a peace treaty but Rayden promises to bring it up once the current situation has been resolved/calmed down. He does intend to come down to Pylos and perhaps then they can re-discuss the terms, this time with all of Adeline's advisors as well. Rayden asks Adeline to promise him something. What? He asks her to promise him that if Ayden does find out any new information regarding the kidnapping incident and the Onderians involved that she not make any hasty decisions or actions. Although he hates being wrongly accused, he can understand the motives/reasonings behind such actions. Adeline is still annoyed that he won't tell her the truth but she make the promise to him. And one more thing, before you leave... Rayden asks that if General Puyan's son is still alive that Adeline assure his safety. "She won't admit it but I think she's taken with you." "Well, she doesn't want me dead. That's good enough for now." Adeline tells him that he didn't need to ask that of her - she knows what the General has lost. And in turn, she hopes that he can convince Yuvin that she didn't actually try to kill Rayden. She doesn't want the boy thinking she's a murderess. Rayden nods at her and then lifts his head towards his window (now covered in vines).
"You should go. Your keeper is waiting. You probably gave him a heart attack --- if that's possible for the Healer of Souls -- by coming all the way here." Adeline makes to leave his room, but hears footsteps approaching the big door. Rayden motions towards the ivy-covered window. As the healers enter Rayden's bedroom chambers, Adeline leaps off the window/balcony, all the way down....and is caught by her husband, Ganner. The two of them make their way in the darkness. As they leave (go further from the palace), the ivy vines also come down (Rayden takes this as a sign that they left safely). General Puyan and the healers enter Rayden's room to check on him. He's doing well. He wants to go see the Empress and gets Puyan to escort him there.
Adeline and Ganner make their way in the darkness, deftly moving past the palace sentries unseen. They manage to escape Das'Vengar and enter the surrounding forests. However, we see shadowy figures following them. They don't speak for a while. Adeline then speaks up guiltily, quickly defending herself and her decision to come to Das'Vengar and attempt a peace treaty, and a slight annoyance/apology that Ganner felt the need to come save her.
And at the right time, too. She is mad that her subordinates told him about her little stunt given that she especially instructed them to not bother him. She accuses Tallus of being the one to spill the secrets but Ganner confirms that it was actually Cassander. Adeline scoffs.
Cassander, look at him pretending to be more understanding than Tallus but still going ahead and doing what I specifically told him not to do. She asks, what about your father the Old King? Ganner confesses that it was just a ploy by the Ryland Court to get him to come back - his father was ill but definitely not on the brink of death. Adeline (not really surprised, indicating she probably knew it was a ploy) replies that she's glad (for him) that his father isn't actually sick but still wishes he took the chance to see him, and his home country. Ganner is annoyed that she semi-tricked him into going - he wishes she had consulted him first.
But then would you have gone? You would have at least hesitated. Not only that, Ganner is also annoyed that she didn't tell him about Anny's physical condition.
Why have their daughter suffer needlessly? Adeline replies that it's not needless suffering.
Prolonging Anny's recovery is delaying her return to the battlefield. All of a sudden, the two of them are ambushed by assassins (with their faces covered). Adeline can't use her fire abilities because it would attract too much attention. Ganner wonders if Rayden sent assassins after her but Adeline doesn't think so.
Rayden arrives at the Empress' chambers. He is surprised to find that she is not in, especially since she is supposed to be under house arrest. What about the Queen's Father? Also not in. The maids tell him that the Queen and her Father are "out midnight strolling in the city - they will surely mask their identities to as not to be discovered." Rayden nods and lets it go. He knows that the father and daughter pair are used to being able to move freely - their court and imperial identities must be suffocating to them. He commands the maids to have the Empress see him after she returns - with Yuvin.
Ganner and Adeline are slightly overwhelmed by the Mar'Kaa (presumably) assassins who are attacking them. In comes Rhea Stryver, Adnan Kaleka, and the human cohort striding to save the day. Adeline is shocked to see them - especially Rhea (who she is extremely jealous of giving her past relationship with Ganner)!
What is she doing here???!!! Adeline scowls at Ganner accusingly. She didn't realize Ganner had brought them all the way here. Ganner only shrugs - they haven't given up on trying to convince him to come back. The assassins are soon dispatched/killed - only two remain standing. Adeline asks them who they are and why they are trying to kill her. She doesn't believe that Rayden sent them. When they don't reply, Rhea forcefully removes their mask.
It's Empress Hua and her father, Hua Lin - the Chief of the Hua Tribe!!!
Adeline is shocked beyond belief/words.
How could they? Why are they trying to kill her? What??!!! Hua Rui (the Empress) accuses Adeline of having ill intentions towards Rayden and the Mar'Kaa. As the descendants of the Hua Tribe who suffered such indignity under Lady Martia's rule even until this day, being forced to kill their own people, how could she or her father allow Onderon to escape vengeance and justice?! Hua Rui also accuses Adeline of sending assassins after Rayden, when he was exiled from the continent (Lady Yuen saved him from the Onderian assasins). Adeline is so confused - she denies sending any assassins.
How come Rayden never mentioned any assassins to her? Hua Rui angrily tells Adeline that Rayden may believe all her lies, but she sees through them! There will be no peace! Adeline comes to the realization that the incident at the joust was planned by the Empress and her father, to frame Adeline for injuring Rayden and if that didn't work, to force Adeline to leave Das'Vengar without a peace treaty, so they can kill her. They used Hua Tribe people to escape suspicion (it would be too obvious). Adeline is saddened.
So everything we had, all our conversations, they were all lies? Hua Rui replies with a vague comment, something like "now you know what it feels like to be Rayden, to not only be wrongly accused but also betrayed by a close friend". Adeline doesn't understand what she means. She tries to talk the Empress and her father out of their schemes. She points to Ganner -
this is my husband, Ganner Rylandar, the Child of Earth and Healer of Souls. Adeline offers to let Ganner heal Hua Rui of her infertility so she can have children. This does cause Hua Rui to hesitate for a second. Her father looks to her and encourages her to think of this option - if she is able to have children, the Hua Tribe will ascend in glory/status and recover their reputation as the maternal Tribe of a
Taizi (Crown Prince).
Back in the palace, Rayden (still bandaged and healing from his injury) is talking with General Puyan and other ministers/advisors/courtiers. The Empress' maid comes in hurriedly and tells them that the Empress and her father still haven't come back from her stroll - she's worried that something has happened to them! Rayden is not too overtly concerned - the Hua Tribe are second to none in their deadly martial arts.
The Empress can take care of herself. However, the maid presses on and asks the Emperor to send someone after the Empress. General Puyan offers to go - it's not a big deal anyways. And then all of the sudden, the Captain of the Palace Guards barges in and informs them that the Onderian Queen has escaped from her chambers. The ministers/advisors are worried but Rayden really doesn't seem to care (and is obviously not surprised). However, to keep appearances, he tells General Puyan to go look for the Empress and/or the Onderian Queen.
Back in the forests right outside Das'Vengar, Hua Rui seems hesitant regarding her plan to kill Adeline and disrupt the peace process. Her father turns on her and tries to get her to stop and take the healing option. However, Hua Rui is adamant on sticking to the plan. Adeline tries to convince her again -
your plan has failed. This is the only option. Please... There is silence. It seems like Hua Rui is about to take the healing option and give up her plan. She looks to her father with tears in her eyes and says, "
When we meet again in the Hall of Judgment, Father, please greet me as your daughter." And then she literally stabs/kills her father (who obviously didn't expect the betrayal). Adeline and Ganner and the human crew are all shocked and stunned and don't do anything for a minute. Then all of a sudden, they can hear the approaching hooves of horses. It is General Puyan and the city patrols who are out looking for the escaped Onderian Queen. Hua Rui also hears them and starts screaming:
"She killed him! She killed my father!! How could you??!" She's obviously trying to frame Adeline for her father's death. Ganner tells Adeline they must leave before the Mar'Kaa forces approach. He forcibly grabs her and they flee (with the human crew). When General Puyan and the city patrols arrive at the scene, they arrive at the scene of the Empress crying over her father's dead body as well as that of dead Hua people.
Adeline, Ganner, and the human crew flee the forests by horse. Adeline is clearly upset. She wonders (out loud to Ganner) why Hua Rui accused her of sending Onderian assassins after Rayden. She had no knowledge of that and it didn't come up in any of the investigation reports related to Lady Martia, her Enyallus cousin, or the Fifth Army.
Back at the Imperial Palace, Rayden and his court (the Inner Palace is here too in their fancy nightwear) are stunned at the new developments. The Empress is crying over her father's death at the hands of Adeline. She claims that she, her father, and some Hua people were having a nice midnight stroll in the city when they spotted
the lone figure of Adeline fleeing the city. So, they followed her to the city's outskirts and then tried to stop her from leaving. She then killed all the Hua people who were with them as well as her father. The court is outraged and seek justice for the Empress, her Father and the Hua Tribe! Even the Inner Palace (the other consorts and concubines) and the people who had previously hated on the Hua Tribe are all now defending the Hua Empress and seeking justice for her (death to the Onderians and obviously no peace treaty). Everyone loves the Hua Tribe now because they are clearly the victims in this situation. This was Hua Rui's plan (whether she planned her father's death all along or not is unknown for now) - she wanted to position the Hua Tribe as the victims so they can stop being abused and looked down and hated by the other Mar'Kaa tribes. The half of the Mar'Kaa court who didn't want peace jump on this opportunity and press for the breakage of the truce (claiming that Adeline broke it first by attempting to assassinate Rayden and the Empress and then actually killing the Emperor's Father-in-Law). Even the half that wanted the peace treaty are saying that it is surely too brazen of the Onderian Queen to kill the Emperor's Father-in-Law. Given her abilities, she could have simply harmed or injured him to flee - she didn't have to straight up murder him. The tide has clearly turned. Everyone is now on the Hua Empress' side and clamor for continued war. Only General Puyan seems outright suspicious of the circumstances and very reluctant to return to war. She asks the Empress why she and her father had broken their house arrest/confinement and dressed in very dark assassin-like garbs decided to take a stroll in the city in the middle of the night.
Why were they carrying weapons on a midnight stroll? The Empress gives General Puyan what could only be described as a dark glare. However, the other ministers yell at General Puyan for being cowardly (remember, they are jealous of her, the Puyang Army and the Puyan tribe for their battle successes) and defend the Empress. General Puyan is incensed that of all people they can accuse her of cowardice and reminds them how much the Puyan Tribe has contributed to the war! The courtiers/ministers think they should order the Khitar Tribe in Kalinga Bay to take vengeance and assassinate the Prince Royal who is in contact with them.
Rayden becomes alarmed and tells everyone to shut up. He walks to the Empress and picks her up from the floor (she had been kneeling). He asks her to confirm something. She and her father saw Adeline fleeing the city, is that right? Just Adeline? The Empress Hua nods and affirms the statement. [This is important because it doesn't add up. If the Empress and her father were on a midnight stroll and incidentally spotted Adeline fleeing, they should have seen
both Adeline and Ganner. It is clear that the Empress is lying or at least something doesn't add up. She assumed that Adeline had fled by herself and only met Ganner at the city's outskirts - not that Ganner came all the way to the Palace to pick her up.] Rayden turns around and sighs. He then gives the order to his military commanders (to an upset General Puyan) that the temporary truce has been broken. War will begin - they will take Pylos by force. He will leave with them in a week's time. Rayden is finally going back onto the frontlines.
After the court meeting, we see the pro-war ministers discussing the new developments. They now have a positive view of the Empress and sees her as an ally to get Rayden to be more aggressive, even though not all of them completely believe her "story". The Empress stands over the dead body of her father with tears in her eyes. She whispers to him: "
Father, please forgive me. I am only doing this for the sake of our tribe. The Hua people." A red-eyed Yuvin, who has clearly been crying, enters the room and goes to her side. He is obviously saddened by his adopted grandfather's death. Empress Hua puts her arms around him. Yuvin asks:
"How could she have done this? Why? I thought she was your friend." The Hua Empress:
"Sometimes the people closest to us turn out to be traitors wearing the face of friends. The Onderian Queen...she tried to kill your father, and then me, and finally succeeded in killing my father." It is clear that the Hua Empress is trying to turn Yuvin against Adeline.
Rayden is in deep thought in his chambers. Many people want to see him but he tells his chief eunuch he doesn't want to see anyone. However, when he hears that it is General Puyan he allows her audience. General Puyan begins to express her concerns regarding the Empress' story and this hasty resumption of war but Rayden stops her:
I know what you are going to say. I understand, do not worry. Realization dawns on General Puyan's face. Rayden also doesn't believe the Empress' story either.
But why then...? Rayden explains the decision to her:
Regardless of what happened tonight, the consequences are clear. The Empress's Father is dead. The Onderian Queen was on the scene fleeing. She was also accused to attempting to harm me. And Ayden is in the Port of Monglar, with the Khitar Tribe. General Puyan reluctantly accepts the reasoning, understanding that it looks really bad for Adeline + Rayden wants to protect Ayden (he gave war to appease his incensed court to stop them from going after Ayden). Rayden tells her that he appreciates her loyalty and desire for truth and justice but he also warns her to be careful. The Puyan tribe cannot afford anymore enemies in court. There is already so much jealousy directed at them for their successes and his favoring of them. He worries that once he's gone, the Puyang Army and the Puyan Tribe will come under political attack. He warns her not to underestimate the courtiers and politicians.
After General Puyan leaves, Rayden summons Noble Consort Jing of the Yular Tribe of Das'Yulan (his maternal Tribe). Noble Consort Jing is one of the consorts who didn't get along with the Empress and used to put her down when she could. We don't see what they talk about, only the ending of their conversation.
Remember, do not tell anyone until the time is right. The Noble Consort accepts the Emperor's decree and promises to fulfill her duty. She leaves with a satisfied smirk on her face.
CROSS-ROADS
Adeline, Ganner, and the human contingent arrive back at the Pylos camp. She debriefs everyone of what happened and then scolds Cassander for sending people to tell Ganner. Tallus looks appreciatively at Cassander in a new light and Talin is extremely relieved to be back in his normal form. Adeline goes to see Anny, who is "interrogating" Ya'wen. Anny is surprised to see her mother and awkwardly greets her. Adeline takes a special notice of Ya'wen - it seems she recognizes him. She tells Anny to treat Ya'wen well, though this confuses Anny. Later, Anny and Adeline have a brief conversation. Anny seems more willing to sue for peace but Adeline tells her that peace is not possible - they cannot accept the Mar'Kaa terms and now they think Adeline killed the Empress' Father and tried to kill the Emperor. Anny keeps pressing on regarding the terms and Adeline tells her what they want - Pylos or Herne. Anny is absolutely not willing to trade Herne for peace. She is surprised and a little bit touched when Adeline tells her that she knows and that's why she didn't accept the peace terms. Although Adeline wants peace as much as the next person, she doesn't see it as possible. The only way to get out of this war is to win now. The Mar'Kaa will never accept peace again and so they will keep fighting. That means the Onderians need to keep fighting too.
In Ryland City, the capitol of the human kingdom, we see the Old King Colin asking his advisors where Adnan and Rhea are. Valin Stryver, Rhea's older brother, nervously tells him the truth - they were worried about his health and went to get Ganner. The Old King is so angry that he literally loses it and falls into a coma out of extreme rage. This time, he is actually on the brink of death. The healers see to the Old King and inform Valin, who is now ruling as Regent, that things don't look good. The human rebels, some remnants of the Sazorn Army, take this opportunity to lay siege to the capitol city. Valin only has control of half of the court - the other half wants to install someone else as heir (the rebels). Out of desperation, Valin charges Kayra Astier, recently-made Captain of the Royal Guards, to go to Adnan and Rhea and tell them what happened - now, they really, really need Ganner to come back. If he doesn't, the Old King might die. Captain Astier and a small squad of soldiers escape from Ryland City and head towards Pylos.
The Mar'Kaa armies are heading for Pylos, where half of the Puyang Army is also camped (only half accompanied General Puyan and Adeline to Das'Vengar). Yuvin, now the Prince of Yeling, is with his father, the Emperor. He has a flashback to the last conversation he had with his mother, the Hua Empress. She had told him that she was worried about Rayden - Rayden still seems to have emotional ties and attachments to the Onderians and especially to his childhood friends - Adeline, Tallus and Cassander. She doesn't think that he has what it takes to do what must be done. When the time comes and Rayden can't take the final shot, Yuvin must take it for him - for the good of Da'Lyan and the Mar'Kaa people.
Ayden, Emilyn, and their contingent hasten to Pylos. They are almost there. However, when they are about to approach the Samara camp, there are ambushed by flying soldiers - clearly soldiers of the Aerial Legion. However, these soldiers only want to capture them - to kill them. But just in the nick of time, Ganner swoops in and saves the day - along with Cassander. Ayden is very hostile towards Cassander. Ganner also wants to know why soldiers of the Aerial Legion, who are loyal to Cassander, attempted to harm his son. We don't see Cassander's answer.
Back at the Pylos Samara camp, a couple of Mar'Kaa soldiers are planning to break out of their makeshift prisons. Ya'wen leads the charge. However, they are soon caught by Anny and the Onderian soldiers. She takes them back to the prisons and orders the prisons to be guarded more carefully. However, seeing an opportunity, one of the Mar'Kaa soldiers (the one who yelled at Anny for killing Puyan Nian) steps forward to assassinate Anny (with a dagger). However, Ya'wen steps in front of Anny and takes the dagger. Chaos erupts. The soldier is stunned that Ya'wen took the dagger -- he yells out,
"Young Marshal, how could you? Are you all right?" Anny and the Shadow Master (who is also present because this dude is literally everywhere) take immediate note of the form of address - it turns out Ya'wen is the
Young Marshal of the Puyang Army and all this time, they had him in their grasp. Furthermore, Ya'wen is in clear physical pain (he winced when he was stabbed). Having also noticed this, the Shadow Master steps forward and presses on Ya'wen's wound - he winces in clear agony. Both Anny and the Shadow Master are in shock. The only Marked person who was able to feel pain was the Yellow Tiger of Das'Puyang whose last disciple was General Puyan Di. Given Arik's earlier hypothesis, General Puyan could have taught her
children this art/mastery. If Ya'wen is able to feel physical pain, then
he must be Puyan Jun. Anny is shocked on so many levels - that this man she's gotten to know quite well is not only the Puyan Jun she's been searching for (and thus an extremely valuable prisoner) but he doesn't seem to blame her for his sister's death. Worse, he saved her live by taking his subordinate's blade! Before she can properly process this information, she is summoned by the Queen. Anny is reluctant to leave, but the messenger tells her that she's being summoned to listen and judge to Ayden's findings regarding his kidnaping incident. Of course now, Anny has to leave. She tells the Shadow Master to guard Ya'wen carefully and to get him appropriate help.
REVELATION
Anny arrives at the middle of the camp (in front of the Queen's tent) to an unimaginably tense scene. Everyone is present. Adeline, Ganner, Tallus, Arik, and Lady Etta are sitting on the raised wooden platform. Ayden, Emilyn, Cassander, and the ranking officers/commanders in the Aerial Legion are standing in front of them, facing Adeline. Everyone's face is stony. Even the human cohort is present. Anny is super confused. She asks Talin what's happening but he only shakes his head. She then notices Emilyn and wonders what her cousin is doing here.
Ayden and Emilyn go through their individual investigations (Emilyn's in Trykan and Ayden's in Kalinga Bay) and how they came together and found out the truth of the kidnapping incident a decade ago. It was not only the House of Enyallus who helped the Mar'Kaa Khitar Tribe of Das'Khitan to frame Rayden for the kidnapping. In fact, the chief instigator of this event was
Cassander, Lord Commandant of the Aerial Legion, and of course, the childhood friend of Adeline, Tallus, and Rayden. They list out all of the damning evidence. It was Cassander who secretly sent assassins to kill Rayden after his exile from the Continent. Cassander and the Aerial Legion also deliberately ruined the documentation found in the HQ of the Great Lake Slaver Bays to get rid of anything that tied the kidnapping incident to them. It was also Cassander who tried to kill the Khitar Tribe in Kalinga Bay - at first, Ayden thought the assassins had been sent after
him by Rayden or the Mar'Kaa court, as vengeance for Adeline's supposed killing of the Emperor's Father-in-Law, the Chief of the Hua Tribe, but they were actually after the Khitar Tribe. All this while, Adeline and Tallus are in shock. Cassander has only a blank face and says nothing.
When Ayden and Emilyn are done talking, there is only silence. Adeline is clearly at loss for words, and so is Tallus. Arik gives Lady Etta a quick nod - we see the soldiers of the Samara Army take their positions around the commanding officers of the Aerial Legion (as a precaution). Then he shoots a glare at Ganner. Ganner, getting the hint, asks Cassander to speak - he has the floor to defend himself from these accusations. To everyone's surprise, Cassander readily admits to what he did. He had to look past his personal relationship with Rayden and do what was right for Queen and country. Cassander knew what kind of conditions the Marked people in Southern Mar'Kaa were living under Lady Martia. If Adeline had let Mar'Kaa go free a decade ago (and made the Fifth occupation army leave), there was no way that the Marked people would not seek vengeance/justice. The only way to keep Onderon safe was to keep the Mar'Kaa subjugated. Before he can stop speaking, a ring of fire forms around where he is standing.
It is Adeline. She finally stands up and is absolutely furious. She cannot believe that Cassander would go to his extent. He put her son, Ayden, at risk with his schemes! He caused this needless war to happen! Not only did he betray her, but he also betrayed Rayden (Rayden had saved Cassander's life when they were children - that's how the four of them became friends)! And Rayden, even after knowing the truth of what Cassander had done to him, the betrayal he had been dealt by a close friend, said nothing - even until the end, Rayden was trying to protect Cassander. Adeline would have never found out the truth of Cassander's involvement from Rayden. Adeline is so angry that she accusingly asks Tallus if
he knew all along and if he was in cahoots with his lover! This is a little too much for Ganner, who steps in to calm Adeline down.
Cassander states that he is willing to accept all the crimes dealt to him and he will accept all punishments. However, he hopes that the Aerial Legion can be spared. They were just following orders - they believed that he was under orders from Adeline all along. It is not their fault. Adeline is so angry. She tightens the ring of fire, cutting off Cassander's access to oxygen. Not only that, rings of fire surround all other commanding officers in the Aerial Legion. Tallus can't even say a word to defend Cassander - he is still stunned by the betrayal. However, Arik tries to stop Adeline from killing Cassander on the spot. He must be judged appropriately by the Supreme Court. And she can't kill all the commanders of the Aerial Legion. There is no way that the Samara Army can hold Pylos without the Aerial Legion. However, Adeline doesn't seem to want to let up. Cassander and the other officers caught in the ring of fire start choking. Seeing the gravity of Adeline's fury, Anny and Ayden also attempt to intervene. They get on their knees and ask that she not kill them. However, at the end, it is only Ganner who is able to stop Adeline. He unleashes his abilities against her and forcibly smothers the fires (earth vs. fire showdown). Adeline is angry at him: "you dare use the earth against me?" "I dare to stop you from doing something you regret". At the Mar'Kaa camp, Rayden and Yuvin see the fire store + earth tremors (from Ganner vs. Adeline showdown). Rayden is sa and thinks that Adeline must have found out the truth. The showdown does cause Adeline to cool down a little bit. Without saying another word, she stalks off. Ganner orders Cassander and the Aerial Legion to be imprisoned. Arik really doesn't want this to happen (all his plans against the Puyang Army and the encroaching Mar'Kaa force led by Rayden) include the Aerial Legion, but he cannot stop what happened.
In shock, Anny is attempting to process what happened. She goes to see Ya'wen, or shall we say, Puyan Jun. She asks why and how could he defend her and save her life when he knows that she caused his sister's death.
Why is he not angry with her? Why does he not hate her and her kind for what they did to his family, to the people of Mar'Kaa? Ya'wen tells her that when he first met her, he did hate her. He did want to kill her. But after talking to her, he began to see beyond himself. He understands that not every Onderian is responsible for the atrocities committed by Lady Martia and the Fifth. And his sister, Nian Nian, knew what she was getting into when she offered to lead the naval battle at Aurain. He is proud of her, as he is proud of all his siblings whose bones are buried in the battlefields of Onderon, as he is proud of his mother and the Puyang Army as well. Ya'wen knew that if his subordinate had successfully managed to kill or harm Anny (who is still semi-recovering from her injury from 6 weeks ago), it would make the situation much worse for the other Marked POWs. There is no way the retaliation wouldn't fall on the heads and shoulders of the Marked POWs if one of them had hurt the Onderian Heir to the Throne. He only wishes that Anny does not blame the soldier who tried to kill her - or that she can at least see his point-of-view. Ya'wen admits that although he did grow up in Onderian-occupied Mar'Kaa (Das'Puyang), he was still the son of the fearsome Puyan Di, the White Tiger. He still had his birthright/status - a privilege that the normal people of Mar'Kaa didn't have to protect them from Onderian abuse. He can afford to see this situation they are in, both he and Adeline, from afar and through hopeful lenses, but the other people of Mar'Kaa cannot and should not have to. Anny lets out a large sigh.
How will this war end? How can peace ever achieved when even Rayden and Adeline, the Children of the Allfather, Water and Fire, two heads of state who grew up together, have tried and failed? Ya'wen tells her that just because those two weren't successful, doesn't mean a peaceful solution is impossible. Maybe it's up to him and Anny to try too.
After Anny leaves the prisons, she is met by Talin. Talin asks her if she has feelings for Ya'wen and warns her not to fall in love with a Marked prisoner - especially not Puyan Jun. Anny smiles wryly and tells him that she doesn't have feelings for Ya'wen. She wishes Talin were not so stupid as to not understand who it is she has feelings for.
The implication is clear. Talin is slightly mollified. He is obviously struggling with his duty to the Queen as a Praetorian Guard and his feelings for Anny.
Back his tent, Arik laments about his failures to Lady Etta. Lady Etta says that surely Adeline cannot blame him for the actions of Cassander and the Aerial Legion. However, Arik tells her that as the direct superior of the Aerial Legion, he can be held responsible for its treasonous actions. Not only did he fail to curb The Fifth Army and allow their reign of terror for four decades, he also failed to detect the Aerial Legion's betrayal. He cannot and will not escape punishment. He also accepts and recognizes his faults.
In the prisons, a red-eyed and heartbroken Tallus visits Cassander. Tallus, in his muted way, is obviously angry with Cassander and can't believe what he has done.
"You fool! We could have been together by now. If you hadn't started a war. If you hadn't done what you did to Rayden - our friend. Adeline was going to release me from the Praetorian Guard!" All along, Tallus had blamed himself for keeping Cassander at arm's length. But all along, it was Cassander who had been lying to him at every step. Cassander tells him that he's not sorry for what he did - he had to choose the country over his own personal feelings and desires. Tallus scoffs. "
You didn't try to stop Adeline from going to Das'Vengar. Because you had no fear. You knew that no matter how much Adeline would ask, Rayden would never tell her the truth of what happened. You wanted her to go so that she would realize it's a dead-end! You knew Rayden would protect you - you knew that he would protect me and Adeline. He would never say a word because he knew it would break our hearts. You knew that the friend you had betrayed would never betray you in return." Tallus can't believe Cassander's actions. Cassander still maintains that he is not sorry for what he did. He will ask Rayden for forgiveness in the Hall of Judgment.
Adeline is furious and absolutely steaming in the tent. Ganner comes in and tries his best to console her, even though she is angry with him for "interfering". He tells her that he knows she's upset but she has got to realize that she's not the one who has the right to be maddest. She will always have him, but what about Tallus? Who can he lean on? Adeline is properly mollified/scolded and goes to console Tallus. The two of them lament on the brokenness of their childhood friendships.
AFTERMATH
Captain Kayra Astier and her company have arrived at Pylos. They hurriedly go see Lord Kaleka and Lady Stryver, who are also reeling from having witnessed the "revelation" of Cassander's betrayal and the resulting scene. Kayra informs them of the situation and they are suitably alarmed. However, Rhea doesn't think that Ganner will believe them this time that his father is really actually on his deathbed, since they did lie to him the first time. Lord Kaleka just firmly states that they need to try - the King's life and the fate of the Humans are at stake.
In the Mar'Kaa camp, there are tensions between the Puyang Army and the Second Lianmeng Imperial Army, newly arrived with Rayden at its helm. It is clearly everyone is worried about the power of General Puyan and the Puyan clan in general and how the Emperor gives them preference. Yuvin is given a reminder of his "duty" to help the Emperor fulfill his duty (of killing Adeline) by some of the Hua tribesmen.
Emilyn is summoned by Adeline. She bows to Adeline and then goes to hug Ganner. Adeline asks her how she's doing (after losing her mother) and how she's finding the Grand Chamber. Adeline and Ganner finally tell her about the truth of Anda's death. Afterwards, Emilyn is absolutely shocked and in despair. She has directed so much misplaced hatred towards the Mar'Kaa. She realizes that Chancellor Balasich is right - they must sue for peace. The Onderians are fighting an unjust and immoral war. Ayden and Anny console her. After hearing Emilyn's musings about suing for peace, Anny also thinks of Ya'wen and if she could kill him if they were to ever meet on the battlefield. She wants to sue for peace. However, when she tries to talk to her mother, Adeline doesn't peace is possible at all (given what she experienced in the Das'Vengar court). Adeline says no way to any of the terms!
Adeline walks into her tent and sees Ganner packing. Ganner apologizes that he has to leave her and the children on what is clearly the eve of battle and after what happened with Cassander. She tells him that ever since the fateful day when he was disowned by his father, she made a promise to herself - that if Ganner was ever needed to take his rightful place as the Crown Prince and perhaps King of the Humans, she would let him go. She would not be selfish. He has already given so much for her. The least she can do is let him leave so he can save his father and kingdom. Ganner tells her that this time around, he doesn't know when he will be back. Adeline tears up (this is supposed to be a funny scene) and says she knows. Ganner tries to console her. She tells him that he better not have any affairs - especially not Rhea who clearly still has feelings for him! Why else is that woman still unmarried after all this time???! If Ganner is unable to heal his father and has to take the Throne, she makes him promise her that he will summon her to be Queen Consort - she's totally okay with leaving the Onderian kingdom in Anny's hands (at least after the war ends). Ganner thinks she's so funny.
Ganner is about to leave with the humans. He says his goodbyes to Adeline and his children, as well as to Tallus, Arik, and Emilyn. As he is about to hop onto his horse, he very dramatically turns around and gives Adeline a most dramatic kiss that makes Ayden and Anny shield their eyes. He leaves. However, as the human company gallops away on their horses, we see Ganner suddenly see "flashes" of what is clearly Adeline bleeding. He wonders if he is hallucinating and simply shakes these "flashes" off (he doesn't take them seriously).
Arik presents his battle plan for Pylos. He believes that it's important the Onderians decisively win this battle - they need to stage an offensive instead of continually just being on the defensive (the Battle of Maidenport + the many battles of Pylos were all defensive). If they are able to defeat both the Puyang and the Second Lianmeng Armies with one strike, they can deliver a decisive blow, disrupt the Marks' moral, and give them more time to regroup/give them some respite from the war.
The plan involves pretending to give up Pylos to the Marks. Adeline, the twins, and the Samara Army will evacuate Pylos and "flee". Arik and a small force will draw the Mar'Kaa into the Pyllosine Canyons to entrap them. Arik believes this is the only way to win against the combined Marked armies, which combined together outnumber the Samara Army 3 to 1. Once Arik and a small Samara force have been able to draw the Mar'Kaa into the canyons, that is when the Onderians will launch a surprise counter-attack. Given that the plan hinges on the terrains of the Pyllosine Canyons, it would have been useful to have the Aerial Legion since this is their territory. But given what happened, they can't use the Aerial Legion (who have all been imprisoned for further investigation). But on the bright side, the Mar'Kaa know that the Aerial Legion is out of commission, at least temporarily. Arik is hoping that this will lull them into a false sense of security and encourage them to enter the canyons. The surprise Onderian counter-attack will be led by the Samara Army (of course) and the Southern Meikha Army, who will have to be teleported/portalled into Pylos. If the Meikha Army comes to Pylos by ground, the Mar'Kaa spies will spot them in advance and ruin Arik's plan. The only way to get them to Pylos to join with the Samara Army without the Mar'Kaa knowing is to portal them in the morning of the battle. However, because the "portaling" of the Meikha Army is being done practically at the last minute, this battle plan for Pylos will only work if Arik and his small Samara force are able to keep the Mar'Kaa armies in the Pyllosine Canyons until most of the Meikha army make it through.
Both Anny and Lady Etta are upset! They know what this plan requires - Arik's sacrifice. He will surely not survive this battle if he is to be used as bait. The Samara Army (they used to be commanded by Arik when he was still a Commander General and not yet the Supreme Commander) generals are also upset. They don't want to risk Arik's life. However, Arik scolds them properly for thinking with their emotions. It can't be Adeline or the twins (the trap would then become too obvious). It can't be anyone else with a lower rank and status than his. The tent erupts into arguments but Adeline shuts them all up. She asks to have the room with Arik.
Adeline tells Arik that she knows he feels a great deal of guilt and responsibility for the twin betrayals of Lady Martia and the Fifth, and Cassander and the Aerial Legion. It is not fair to him, but she understands where he is coming from. Arik replies that since she understands, she needs to let him do this. She needs to let him die on the battle field - he has been away for too long. He is only returning to his rightful place. If they can defeat the Puyang Army and save Pylos, his death is a small price to pay. And if he can die on the battle field, a soldier again, he will be able to face Kaelin in the Hall of Judgment, knowing he did everything to save his daughter (Kaelin's daughter is Adeline, Kaelin and Arik are cousins). Adeline accepts his plan. She thanks Arik for his service. Lady Etta and the other Samara generals must accept the plan now. Even though Anny and Ayden try to change Adeline's mind, despite Adeline herself being heartbroken at the thought of losing Arik, Adeline refuses to change the plan. She will trust Arik, and she will give him the ending he has so desperately wanted.
It is the night before the battle. The Onderians celebrate their annual
Remembrance Day - an annual worshipping holiday on which Onderians pay respect to their teachers, mentors, and masters. Adeline and Tallus pay respects to Annyla, the Black Wolf. In his cell, we see Cassander doing the same. All the way in the Mar'Kaa camps, we see that Rayden is also following suit and paying respect to his deceased martial arts mentor. When General Liya Yu and Yuvin arrive at Rayden's tent, they are stopped by the sentries who tell him that the Emperor is not to be disturbed for the next hour. General Liya understands - he tells Yuvin that Rayden is as much Onderian as he is Mar'Kaa - after all he did grow up in Onderon, learning and practicing their customs. Yuvin is upset that Rayden is still practicing Onderian customs even when he is the Emperor of Reborn Da'Lyan. General Liya says it's not a big deal. True, the Mar'Kaa do not have a
Remembrance Day like the Onderians do, but they worship the same Celestial - the Teacher. [The Mar'Kaa and Onderians have the same religion - Order of the Allfather].
In Arik's tent, Lady Etta and the other generals of the Samara all pay respect to him - he is their mentor, after all. The other generals are sniffling back their tears and look very downcast. Arik jokingly scolds them for being so emotional and then scolds Lady Etta for not managing moral properly.
POINT OF NO RETURN
Ganner returns to Ryland in time to deal with rebels and the political situation. He manages to heal his father, the Old King, though because of how much effort it took from him, lies in a coma for an entire week. During his coma, he experiences several alarming visions/dreams of Adeline dying. In his dream, the Allfather visits him to tell him that he must pay a price for what he did at the Battle of Aurain - opening
THE GATE as he did and temporarily calling on the souls/remnants of the departed. And the price is Adeline.
When he wakes up, he finds his father, the Old King Colin, still in deep sleep. The Ryland Court attempts to convince him to stay. Though Ganner tells them that he will consider it, he feels uneasy about his dreams. He believes he should go back to be with his family. Lord Adnan Kaleka and Valin Stryver, the Duke of Nordya and the Chieftain of the Northern Clans, and currently the Lord Regent, believe they should "entrap" Ganner to get him to stay. Ganner is entrapped by the Court and is unable to leave Ryland.
Rhea arrives to speak with him while he is "imprisoned". She asks him if he cannot stay as the Crown Prince. He is the only descendant of the great Rylandar Hereditary Princes (now Kings), as well as the heir to Sazoryn. He must take his place as King of the Humans one day. Why not start now? Ganner tells her that once he believed that to be his destiny, but now, it is different. He has a wife and children - a family that he owes much too. He cannot let them die. He must go back to be with his family.
This is an important moment because for the first time in his life (since being deposed and disinherited), Ganner has finally made his decision. He knows that from this point on, he has let go of his claim to the Human Throne. He chooses Adeline and his children over the Human Throne. He can never return to what he was before - the Crown Prince. This is the point of no return.
Rhea, knowing that she is defeated, helps Ganner escape Ryland. Ganner tells her that he hopes she can move on and be happy - basically implying that she should also let go of him. Rhea smiles sadly and tells him that there are some emotions and feelings that can't be rid of - no matter how much she or he wishes it so. It is clear that Rhea still loves him. As Ganner leaves Ryland, his father the Old King wakes up.
Instead of going to Pylos, Ganner goes into Mar'Kaa territory.
AT THE GATES OF PYLOS
It is the day of the battle. The Mar'Kaa receive word from their sentries that Hanging City of Pylos has been completely evacuated. With the exception of the Supreme Commander (Arik) and a small force, the Samara Army are nowhere to be found. The Liangmeng Army commander thinks the Onderians have decided to give up Pylos. They should go in. General Puyan is highly suspicious and suggests caution but she is soon overridden (the Aerial Legion has been temporarily imprisoned and the the combined Mar'Kaa armies outnumber the Samara Army). The Puyang and the Lianmeng Armies slowly enter the Canyons of Pylos. They are led by Rayden and Yuvin.
We go to the hidden Samara Army camp. The mind-speaker sentry informs Adeline and the rest of the Samara Army commanders that the Mar'Kaa have entered the Pyllosine Canyons and have engaged with Arik's forces. We see the green and gold Meikha Army being portal-ed into the camp (the Samara Army is red and bronze). The first to walk through the portals is the Lord Kosta Tiryns, House of Mykenae, the Commander General of the Southern Meikha Army of Onderon. He jokingly remarks to Lady Etta that the Meikha army should just stay put at Pylos - how many times do they have to save the Samara Army's butts?? Lady Etta rolls her eyes in response. Adeline (also jokingly) scolds the two of them for being so cavalier - now that Arik their High Lord and Supreme Commander is here, have they lost all sense of propriety and disciple??! Lord Kosta tells Adeline that the Meikha Army won't let her down!!!!
The battle between Arik's forces and the Mar'Kaa armies is brutal. Arik has been pinned down (he can't walk and he fell off his horse). He is about to die. Adeline, Lady Etta, Lord Kosta, and the twins hear about this. They can't go to his rescue yet as the Mar'Kaa army is not wholly in the Canyons and only a portion of the Meikha Army has been portalled. At the last minute, Adeline changes her mind. She can't let Arik die. She tells Lady Etta that she will lead the Samara Army into the Canyons to save Arik. Will she come with her? Of course, Lady Etta will come with her. She won't leave her master behind if she can help it. Adeline leaves the Meikha Army to Anny and Ayden. Once the Meikha Army has arrived, Anny must lead them to the Canyons. Anny doesn't want to be left in charge of the Meikha Army - she hasn't recovered from her injury fully and cannot lead the battle at the front. Adeline tells her that just because she can't fight, doesn't meant she can't lead. Arik, for most of his life, couldn't join his soldiers in the battle field - he was stuck on his specially-trained horse at the back. If Arik can do it, so can Anny. Lord Kosta assures Adeline that he and the Meikha Army will protect the Heir to the Throne. Adeline and Lady Etta can go with the Samara Army in peace (haha). Adeline formerly grants the Military Seal to Anny.
The Samara Army leaves. Ayden is really worried about his mother and the Samara Army. They were still very outnumbered against the combined Puyang and Lianmeng armies and the Meikha army hasn't finished portalling. Anny asks what he wants to do then. Ayden wants to free the Aerial Legion from their desert prisons and get them into the Canyons - it's their home ground after all! Anny doesn't trust the Aerial Legion. Also by freeing them, they are disobeying a direct decree of the Queen. Ayden assures her that he will suffer the consequences. Anny looks to Lord Kosta and he gives her a brief nod. Anny gives Ayden permission. Ayden goes to free the Aerial Legion. Anny calls the Shadow Master (who is still with them) and commands him to go with Ayden. If it looks like Cassander is going to harm Ayden, the Shadow Master (
the Umbra) must kill the Lord Commandant of the Aerial Legion on the spot.
Arik and three of his guards have been isolated. He meets General Puyan for the first time. They both state their acknowledgements of one another. Arik tells the White Tiger that it is an honor to die by her hands. As she is about to kill him, in swoops Adeline and Lady Etta, narrowly saving Arik's life. Adeline and General Puyan have a second version of their first casual duel. Adeline is about to defeat General Puyan when Rayden, Yuvin, Advisor Liya, the Hua Generals and the Lianmeng army commander arrive. Adeline and Rayden duel while General Puyan and Lady Etta fight. Yuvin is reminded by his Hua family that he must kill Adeline, if Rayden is unable to.
In the fight between Adeline and Rayden, they end up hitting a wall so hard that a blockage is created, isolating Adeline, an injured Arik, Lady Etta, and Keira (one of Adeline's Praetorian Guards). Tallus and the others are separated from them. The Onderians are clearly outnumbered. Rayden can kill the Onderian Queen and win this war. However, he is extremely hesitant. He cannot bring himself to do it. The Hua Generals give Yuvin a knowing look.
Ayden frees Cassander and the Aerial Legion from their desert prisons and charges them to save the Queen. The Aerial Legion takes flight. Before Cassander leaves, he pats Ayden on his cheek solemnly and wordlessly. He then leaves. The Aerial Legion arrives in the Pyllosine Canyons, taking the Mar'Kaa armies by surprise. Meanwhile, the Meikha Army has finally arrived. Under the command of their commanding general, Lord Kosta, they make for the Canyons. Cassander narrowly saves Tallus from being killed. Although it looks like Cassander wants to say something to Tallus, Tallus urges him to find Adeline. She has been separated from the main Onderian force. Cassander tells him that he will.
General Puyan, knowing Rayden doesn't want to kill (an injured) Adeline, urges him to take her as prisoner. However, the Hua Generals, the Lianmeng Commander, and even Advisor Liya, advise Rayden to kill the Queen - they know they can't keep her prisoner if she is unwilling - she is, after all, a Child of the Allfather. Yuvin firmly volunteers to kill the Onderian Queen. Adeline is clearly hurt by this and Rayden is shocked! He doesn't want Yuvin to do the dirty deed. The Hua Generals keep pressing for Adeline to be killed. To prevent Yuvin from being the one to kill Adeline, Rayden takes a spear and hurls it straight at Adeline. Just as it is about to pierce her, Cassander swoops in and takes the blow. He is pierced by the spear instead. Rayden gasps! He has killed a childhood friend. Adeline cradles a dying Cassander in her arms. He asks her to forgive him and she tells him that he does. Cassander dies in her arms. Just as he does, the other Aerial Legionnaires arrive to protect Adeline. They form a crown around her.
The combined Onderian forces of the Meikha and Samara Armies as well as the Aerial Legion have overwhelmed the Mar'Kaa Puyang and Lianmeng armies. Rayden gets word of this. His advisors tell him that they need to flee now. They can't win this battle. He needs to kill Adeline. However, Rayden is too shocked by Cassander's death, at his hands.
Still cradling Cassander's dead body, Adeline asks the Mar'Kaa for a truce (an extension or renewal of the truce from the month before). Each side will withdraw their forces. Advisor Liya tells her that the Mar'Kaa have little to gain from retreating from this battle. They have the Onderian Queen in their grasp. Why should they agree to her terms? Adeline tells Rayden and the Mar'Kaa that Keira (who is still with them) is a mind-speaker - she is currently relaying all of Adeline's words to the mind-speaker at Annira's side. If Rayden or any of the Mar'Kaa strike down Adeline, the Heir to the Throne is commanded to kill all of the current Mar'Kaa prisoners of war they have in custody, with no exception. She turns her head and looks directly at General Puyan, repeating the words "with no exception". General Puyan gets the hint - her son, Puyan Jun (or as we know him, Ya'wen), the Young Marshal of the Puyang Army, is alive and a POW with the Onderians. Adeline is telling her that he will die if Adeline dies.
General Puyan gets the hint and pleads with Rayden. Rayden, however, doesn't believe that Anny would heed her words. He knows Anny - he raised her along with Ganner and Adeline - she wouldn't kill the POWs. And if she did, the Mar'Kaa would have no choice but to retaliate by killing their Onderian POWs. But Adeline retorts that there are more Mar'Kaa POWs than Onderian POWs (more Mar'Kaa blood would be shed). And Anny would not disobey her last command, as a future Queen.
The Mar'Kaa generals think that it's still a fair trade. Killing the Onderian Queen is worth more than the lives of the Mar'Kaa POWs. General Puyan is about to retort back when a Mar'Kaa sentry comes up to their group and tells them that Das'Puyang is under attack by the Elva Army and the Elvinport Fleet!!!! And these forces are led by none other than the High Prince. Everyone is super shocked. The Elva Army, given their role in the Onderian conquest of the Da'Lyan Empire, is the second-most-hated/feared Onderian Force after the Fifth. General Puyan is now even more adamant. Given everything she, her family, and the Puyang Army have contributed to the Mar'Kaa war effort, she now has to give up not only her only surviving son but also her city?! Even the Hua Generals have enough sense and shame to not ask this of her.
Rayden asks Adeline what her terms are. She tells him that if he withdraws the Mar'Kaa forces from Pylos, the Elva Army and Elvinport Fleet will withdraw from Das'Puyang. She also advocates for an exchange of POWs between the Onderians and the Mar'Kaa. Despite protests, Rayden agrees to her terms. Yuvin tries to argue but Rayden gives him one glare and the boy stops talking. Before he leaves, Rayden takes one last look at Adeline and a dead Cassander, still in her arms. Adeline also gives General Puyan a brief nod.
The Battle of Pylos comes to a close as each side withdraw their forces. The Elva Army and Elvinport Fleet also withdraw from Das'Puyang. Rayden puts the Prince of Yeling in charge of the POW exchange. When the Hua general attempts to volunteer himself to help Yuvin, Rayden gives him a stern glare - he is clearly upset that the Hua Tribe is trying to turn Yuvin into a killer. He tasks Advisor Liya to help Yuvin.
Adeline, a very injured Arik, Lady Etta return to the Samara camp with Cassander's body. Anny and Ayden go to meet her. She is not upset that they let the Aerial Legion free. The Aerial Legion has the merit of saving the Queen's life (her life), not once but twice (at Aurain and now). However, even though they have this merit, she cannot fully trust them. But she still needs the Aerial Legion to defend Pylos, given how depleted the Samara Army is after three months long siege by the Puyang Army. Adeline orders the Ministry of Justice, the Royal Investigation Bureau, and the Shadow Legion to work together to clearly investigate all active duty members of the Aerial Legion. The Aerial Legion will be allowed to maintained their service with the Onderian Armed Forces but to guarantee their loyalty, the Bureau is to take all immediate family members of the Aerial Legion into "custody". "Please inform the House Archons." Anny and Ayden are about to protest but Adeline just gives them a glare. Ayden is put in charge of getting Pylos back into shape and Anny in charge of the POW exchange with the Mar'Kaa. Before Adeline leaves, Anny asks her if she was being serious about her order (to kill all Mar'Kaa POWs). Adeline doesn't reply.
Tallus finally sees the dead body of Cassander. He breaks down. Adeline cries outside the tent. She later comforts Tallus.
Anny and Yuvin meet outside the Gate of Pylos for the prisoner exchange. Before Ya'wen (Puyan Jun) leaves, he and Anny exchange last words. They both promise to do what they can to bring this war to an end. Puyan Jun is greeted by the Mar'Kaa force warmly. Yuvin greets him as
Jun Si Ge (Fourth Brother Jun - Jun is the fourth child of his family). General Puyan's subordinate (whom Jun addresses as
San Shi Shu) is there to take Puyan Jun to see his mother. The subordinate is in tears to see their Young Marshal alive and well.Although the Lianmeng commander wants to immediately imprison the POWs for processing, Yuvin refuses. He wants them to reunite with their families first - especially
"Jun Si Ge".
Puyan Jun is taken to reunite with General Puyan. When he sees her, he sinks to the floor, and kneels. He asks for her forgiveness - he has failed her by being taken prisoner. General Puyan takes her only surviving child by his shoulder and raises him up. There are tears in her eyes. This is the first instance we've seen of her true emotions. Seeing their commanding general in tears, the other Puyang generals also tear up. She hugs him and thanks the Allfather and the Celestials (the Warrior) for their mercy in keeping him alive and bring him back to her. The mother and son pair have a reunion.
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