Chapter Twenty-Five

The long-dreaded war between the Federation and Arcanics is about to explode as secret peace negotiations are threatened and the Old Gods conspire. Now, Maika must choose her next steps: will she help her friends, or strike out on her own?

## Plot Summary

### Maika

In a flashback to the battle of Constantine, six years prior, Maika and Tuya are working as child slaves for the Cumaea. They are tasked with sneaking onto the active battlefield in order to retrieve equipment from the dead. Many other children are with them, and one child is killed by opposing gunfire the moment they scale the trench wall.

In the present day, Pontus, Kippa reports on news of Aurum's bombing to Maika, which people are calling "The New Constantine." Seizi arrives, explaining that Kenzi has left to return to their homeland to rally their ancients to war against the Federation - despite having sat out the last one. He sends Kippa to help Vihn destroy the lift to the Shaman-Empress' lab, hoping to keep it out of Fedration hands, and informs Maika that Pontus can be evacuated within two weeks. Maika confronts Seizi about her father, accusing Seizi of knowingly withholding her father's identity from her. Seizi explains he had promised Moriko to keep that secret. Maika presses Seizi about his marriage to her mother, but Seizi confesses he had sworn to Moriko to keep these details to himself, even from Maika.

The Thyrian Queen and First Counselor Fong arrive, interrupting the pair to inform them Federation ships of the line have been spotted on the horizon, on approach to Pontus. They have arrived to negotiate.

The delegation, led by Fleet Admiral Brito, meets with the General, Seizi and Maika. Maika recognizes Va'lan from the Wave (and Blood) Court, also in attendance, while Brito assures the Thyrian Queen that the Federation Navy had no part in Alayna's assassination. Maika and Va'lan chat, revealing that Va'lan arranged for this meeting between factions.

Discussing Aurum, both Thyria and Siezi deny Dawn and Dusk Court involvement in its bombing. Brito reveals that the Federation has nevertheless begun a ground and air invasion. Led by Colonel Anuwat, the army is expected to cross the border wall into arcanic territory that evening, where it will march upon Ravenna. Seizi proclaims surprise at this reveal, where Brito admits the Navy does not want war and is not allied to the Cumaea. Although they fought on the Human side in the last war, they have since departed Federation shores, this time with their families aboard, pulling them away from Cumaea's influence.

Seizi and the Thyrian Queen observe how arcanics once served in the Federation Navy, but were kidnapped by the Cumaea - explaining one reason for the Navy's separation from Cumaea now. The Thyrian Queen makes an offer to the Navy: harbor and resupply at Tear Shed, with its mostly human populace, and either fight against Cumaea's armies or simply sit out the coming war.

Maika finds Corvin, who is attempting to convince Bettani of the coming invasion and begs her to evacuate, seemingly to no effect. Corvin determines that he must go to Ravenna and attempt to get his sister out. Kippa convinces Maika to travel with Corvin to Ravenna, which is on their way north, where the next mask fragment lies. Kippa asks to travel along, hoping to reconnect with the surviving fox refugees who fled to Ravenna after Pontus.

As they talk, Kippa attempts to restore power to a set of ancient wings stolen from the Lord Doctor's laboratory but is unable to generate sufficient power to it with their modern arcanic technology. Vihn suggests a more advanced and ancient power would be needed, while she herself studies tomes from the same laboratory.

Maika begrudgingly agrees to take Kippa to Ravenna then speaks with Vihn. Vihn admits knowing the Blood Fox is dead, while still hoping to learn some of the ancient truths he shared with Maika. She mourns the loss of his knowledge, if not his vile character, and admits his knowledge once allowed her kind access to great technology - which she declines to share with Maika. She warns Maika about working alone in Dusk Court territory, and Maika asserts that Zinn has been troubled ever since learning of Marium from the Lord Doctor.

Later, Maika and her allies board Seizi's airship. Kippa mourns Ren's disappearance from the group and the apparent self-severing of his tail. She hopes he returns to them someday, where she will restore his tail to him - now in her possession. Maika stubbornly refuses to forgive Ren and leaves to speak with Liza.

Liza is nervous about Corvin's Dusk Court presence aboard the pirate's ship, but Maika dismisses her concern. Over the radio, they hear warnings to other airship captains to avoid Ravenna, which has begun commandeering any visiting vessels. One such Captain of the Gold Gale was murdered for refusing to cooperate, and her crew imprisoned.

A crewman reports that several other crewmen have been placed in the brig, per Liza's orders. At Maika's questioning, Liza admits having longstanding knowledge of their presence - useful for avoiding Federation patrols - but had to intervene when one spy attempted to contact the Cumaea to report about Maika. Worse, the crew are unhappy with Maika's presence aboard, blaming her for Pontus, and several of them had to be detained.

### Seizi

In Pontus, Seizi is preparing to evacuate refugees to Salawan aboard Thyrian vessels, the Brothers Imura having struck an alliance with the Thyrian navy. Although many Pontans protest this arrangement - including Fong, who decries Thryia having custody of Pontus' artifacts - Seizi believes they have no other choice in the face of a Federation invasion. He seeks after Maika to speak with her prior to departure.

### Anuwat

Colonel Anuwat makes plans to bomb the Border Wall near Ravenna, allowing the Federation Army a means by which to launch a ground invasion in retaliation for the bombing of Aurum.

The Colonel meets with Needle and Hammer, who have come to inspect operations. When the pair attempt to depart back to the High Council to inform them about Gull's real identity as a monstrum, Anuwat informs them that she had requested their permanent assignment by the Mother Superior - a request which had been granted. Needle and Hammer ponder why the Mother Superior would order them away from the High Council and realize that she, too, must be a monstrum.

### Atena & Resak

Atena and Resak arrive in Constantine for peace talks with Federation and arcanic envoys. Both siblings sense an ill omen, however, and decide to avoid attending the meetings until they can identify its source. As they wait nearby the meeting, a bomb destroys the building where the envoys were scheduled to meet.

### Gull

Gull returns to the Cumaea in Aurum and reveals to Dagon and Dreamer the truth about the bombing: that the Lord Doctor destroyed with a bomb made of her monstrum blood. Dreamer claims he warned her "the eye is strong", meaning the Lord Doctor's mark on his chest. Dagon chides Gull for wielding the Mask of Power, but Gull protests she could not resist its call. Dreamer suspects Gull is holding back something, but Gull deflects his intimations by insinuating their Fallen Houses may no longer be in control within the prison plane, if the Lord Doctor is now able to wield such power and invade her mind. She insists they reconsider their plans, but Dagon refuses to believe the Lord Doctor could act against the monstrum's control.

Dreamer reveals they possess the third mask fragment already, having recovered it from its vault beneath Aurum. Gull realized the bomb was meant to unearth this fragment, not destroy Aurum. Dagon agrees, noting the force of the bomb went down into the earth - towards the vault - rather than outward, where it would more effectively destroy the city.

### Kippa

Aboard the Imuran airship for Ravenna, Kippa is awakened at night by Yafaela's ghost. Kippa mourns her death, fearful the draculs killed the oni after all, not knowing Gull is the true culprit. However, she follows the ghost's directions to the ship's brig, where she finds Corvin also awake. He explains he heard momentary cries. They break into the brig and find an unconscious Maika, along with Zinn, feeding on the prisoners.