20. The City on the Edge of Forever

Jorek's broken oath yields catastrophic and tragic consequences.

***“With power and wealth comes the ever-present threat that the sword could come down at any time…”***

Jorek races out of the Guild meeting that ended with the Council of Nine being slaughtered by Infinite Dirge. As he kicks open the door to the street, a voice booms out, calling him out as the killer of the Guild’s leaders. Scaling the building to draw attention to himself, Jorek calls out to the surrounding crowds: “People of Nexus, I am Jorek, a member of the Guild and a chosen of the Unconquered Sun. I did not kill the Council of Nine… and I will lead Nexus to greatness!” He names Infinite Dirge as the murderer and as Nexus’ enemy, and at that moment Dirge appears and vows to destroy Jorek. “Perhaps you will, but not this day!” shouts Jorek who takes off back to Blue Sky, with Infinite Dirge in pursuit and the curse of breaking his oath above his head. Infinite Dirge, furious, catches up to Jorek who reveals in his desperation that the Circle have Three Fates Shadow. Refusing to believe him, Infinite Dirge strikes what is sure to be a death blow. Jorek just manages to dodge out of the way just in time, and sensing the curse of his broken oath lifted, tries once more to convince Dirge he is telling the truth. This time, he is successful.

Meanwhile, Rey, Valeria and Three Fates have seen Jorek’s anima flare and rush to his aid. Dirge has Jorek waiting on his knees for the others to arrive. The tense standoff ends with Three Fates ambushing Dirge, and a fight erupts. Rey rushes forward to shield Jorek from further attacks and a hidden foe shoots arrows from the rooftops. The Circle succeeds in working together to wear down Dirge, but at the expense of putting the enemy archer in a prime spot for a deadly attack.

Summer Blaze suddenly appears to further defend Jorek, but, raising her daiklaves, is struck by the fatal arrow.

Dirge escapes while Three Fates kills the archer, Questions Revealed In Depths. The others mourn for Summer Blaze. Despite wanting to preserve her body and send it home, Three Fates warns the group that she could be re-animated by Infinite Dirge, doomed to wander Creation. Valeria commits Summer Blaze and discovers her deepest intimacies: “I will follow my brother into the dark” and “I will be ready for whatever comes for me” are transferred to her daiklaves (the second going to Jorek), and the third, “I will prove to the world that the Solar Exalted are not Anathema”, helps Val redefine her own goals in life.

Before the four can head back to the Manse to bring the news to Ember, Nexus erupts in riots as the people realize that the Council of Nine is dead and the Solar Exalted may not be fit to rule. Rey and Three Fates Shadow race off to the collect the corpses of the Council, hoping to learn more about the disease that may have killed them. Rey convinces a crowd to help douse the flames at the offices and then intimidates them, forcing them back to their homes. Val and Jorek are accosted by a huge crowd, demanding answers, hoping to force them from Nexus. One little girl steps forward and tells Val she lost everything, but that she won’t give up: with her appeals, Valeria sends the crowd home.

At Blue Sky, a riot is attempting to smash through the gates of the apartment, already aflame. Tide is trying to hold off the fire and Jorek, scaling the building, smashes the ice surrounding her with Summer Blaze’s daiklave before passing out from the fire and injuries sustained during the climb. Val empowers a weakened Tide to be able to pull a geyser of water up from underground, raising the three of them up above the crowd: Valeria threatens the crowd, awing them with her presence and ultimately dispersing them. Rushing back underground to the river, Klem sends them all back to the manse, asking only that they “save her husband” in return.

Safely outside Nexus, Jorek and Tide collapse under a tree while inside the manse Val passes Summer Blaze’s other daiklave on to Ember, imbued with her love for him. She worries about how to keep Ember and Tide safely apart while Rey comforts Ember after the death of his sister: “You’re my family now.”

Aw shit, Summer Blaze 🙁