{400 CE}

After Celindria's death, my temperament plummeted. Every one of my vengeful orchestrations fell apart. Wasted methods of tearing her to pieces and leaving her in ruins the way she ruined the Icari. I hated her even more for dying.

Colita and Korac tried to affect my mood. She, with failed attempts at seduction. Him, with filtered good news from outside of Cinder. He possessed the ability to travel through the Enki conduit without triggering the armaments. The best soldier.

Occasionally, we heard news of Xelan. The Tribunal sentenced him to remain on Earth, sans contact with the Progeny descendants. If he inserted himself in their lives--in any way--Enki would denounce him as a fugitive.

I could imagine his loneliness, but some part of me felt he deserved it. He created them. Refused to control them. And didn't stop them when the most powerful one revealed herself as pure evil. He helped expel his own people.

He was a traitor to Icarean kind.

We learned the Cult of Night established itself in positions of power throughout human history. They presumed the entire First Wave Progeny died and maintained surveillance on the descendants. Furthermore, they conveniently corralled them to maintain proximity. Clever humans.

But I cared for word on only one Progeny line.

Korac emerged from the Enki conduit where I waited in a minefield for news under the shadow of Umbra's Spire. Three more people emerged with him. One was a Luk. He shared the load of a hefty crate with an evolved Mon3 drone. The last looked almost human, but something was wrong with his stare. Infinity spiraled in his pale green eyes.

My General gestured at him. "Sire, this is Razor. He hails from Gait bearing gifts."

"King Nox of Cinder, I can ease your troubles."

I frowned at his choice of words, but at Korac's insistent glance, I reached out in greeting. The strange man placed two tan fingers on the pulse point at my wrist.

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"Your business is most welcome." He released me and pressed his fingers to his nacre.

I tried not to recoil when I realized his fingernails were missing. Bewildered, I glanced between him and Korac. "What markets are you in, exactly? And my General mentioned gifts..."

"Exotic wares and precious experiences. And I bring them. I come with news of Celindria's descendant. Not the current one. The one many centuries down her line." He patted the crate.

I blinked.

Korac cleared his throat. "Your majesty, inside this box is a special fire originating from Thailea. The Tritans use it to determine the Probability Matrix. The Mystics guarded it before the cataclysm, but with them gone..."

Razor nodded his golden-blond head. "We can mine it, freely. I have a wonder worth showing you within. One you will never forget."

Three hours later, we piled massive logs inside my bed chamber. Within a nacre glass box, the black flame flitted until Razor poured it onto the pyre. Cascading Light rained like a waterfall, catching and spreading on the wood. No smell. No sound. It was beautiful.

Razor stepped back and urged me forward. "Imagine what you want most. In all your desires, what do you see?"

Korac nodded reassuringly. "It will not disappoint you, King Nox."

In all my hopes and dreams, I thought I only ever wanted one thing. Not Celindria's suffering. Not the return of my brother. No.

End the source of the evil. I wanted Enki destroyed and the Tritans with it.

The most beautiful vision danced in the flames. Pale skin. Dark hair. Bright blue eyes. Lyriki armor. Muscled everywhere, but soft. Sad. Alone and afraid.

The young woman, only a little older than you are now, hovered in the heart of Enki. The Tritan's nameless star blazed not far beyond. I couldn't see your wings. Or anything Atramentous about you. Nothing that implied a Weapon. That's not how Cascading Light works. I saw billions of the same image. The Probabilities of you destroying Enki.

It's starts with him and ends with her.

I've never loved anything more.

I didn't stop staring, even as Korac waved his hand in my face. Then escorted Razor out despite my rudeness. I couldn't stop myself. Celindria's descendant destroys Enki. Whatever brought you here, I knew they visited this ruin on themselves.

I stared until I discovered the unmistakable determination in your teary eyes. Woman, you will never stop. And I wanted nothing more than to test you.

Once I finished viewing the one hundred percent probable futures, I let Korac explain more.

He nodded to the fire. "She is Celindria's descendant. The Probabilities tell us when, but not where, she manifests. Born near the end of the 21st century. We can contain her and the other Progeny line to one unassuming location. We can take her easily for the Complex--"

"The Traitor Prince will not idle with this one."

He peered hard at the image. Eventually, he shook his head slowly. "No, he will not. I see too much vulnerability in her."

"Do what you must to coordinate the next invasion. In sixteen hundred years, that girl belongs to me."