I won’t enjoy this chapter.

[SS]: I’m smiling at him sympathetically. So far, Korac’s life has been quite the bitter pill to swallow. I can only dread what makes this chapter stand out. I ask anyway because we’re there for the ones we love, aren’t we, Rayne? Tameka, back me up. “Why, darling?”

He wets his lips before answering.

Nox’s Verse, the tone of it. How was it for you?

[SS]: “Incredibly hopeless without expectations for a kind ending.”

Damn. Very succinct.

No matter how awful my childhood, I don’t believe I ever thought that was all there’d be to my life. I couldn’t know that I’d find a family, a people, and a home on Cinder. But I never lost my—

[SS]: “Magnificence? Badassary? Sardonic, but positive outlook?”

Oh, thank Elden. I made him laugh. Is there anything more sexy?

That.

I never lost perspective, but during this time in my life, I lost my way.

{Earth | Near 6,000 BCE}

Thanks to Devis and T.a.o., Nox and I were prepared for the Vacating. We evacuated all the Icari back to Cinder but our respective garrisons. Either embracing our pettiness or in search of justice, however you look at it, we set fire to all the cities and settlements we knew aided Celindria in our eviction. Nox took to ripping people apart with his bare hands at such efficiency and speed that our men hardly touched their weapons during the raids. He roared his blood-soaked fury at the stars that we’d never see again.

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I understood.

It was during one such expedition that Celindria’s face appeared in the sky like some angelic beacon of our demise. “Icari, you return now. On your own or involuntarily, I care not. Leave.”

With my weapon drawn, I glared at her image. “How is she doing that?”

In his Verse, Nox explained she found the nacre chamber.

Which we’ve certainly seen more of the chamber in the last three years than I ever did in my time under Elden’s Sphere.

After Celindria’s image disappeared, Nox ordered, “Get our people to safety, General. I will obstruct the conduit.”

I didn’t like this. What if she waited there? “Sire, I highly recommend—”

My King flew off, adding to my frustration.

“General?”

A sergeant who reportedly disappeared a week ago approached the garrison with a limp. His leg and arm were wrapped in clean bandages. Hoarse from his trek across the desert, he explained his whereabouts. “General Korac… Prince Xelan… He saved me from her. Spared me. And he summons you to this location.”

Wary of an ambush, I cautiously took the slip from the injured Icarus.

Facing impending eviction and one long haul until the opportunity for revenge, I decided. “Men, return to Cinder. Aid your King should you find him at the conduit. We rendezvous at the Castle.”

They grunted in understanding and flew, carrying others, to the conduit.

I flew Northwest to find the Prince of Cinder waiting under the stars—

[SS]: This is so unlike him. Korac’s gripping his hair in frustration. Now he’s looking at the ceiling and breathing to calm himself. I need to intervene. “Babe…”

I told him—

I—

[SS]: He’s left the room. I’m giving him some space until he feels up to returning.

Oh. He’s back, and he looks distraught.

Can I skip this? Leave it to Xelan to tell it in his Verse? I just want to get through this chapter quickly.

[SS]: When I give him a hug, I assure him, “Of course. Whatever you want.”

I’ll summarize it. We miscommunicated even further, and it escalated into a physical altercation. We all but said farewell in our own way. Because he knew…

Xelan knew Celindria was sending us to our deaths. And he believed—at least, that’s how it came across—he believed it’s what Nox and I deserved. What the Icari deserved.

The wound’s still raw. I don’t believe it can mend.