After the dispersal of the four majaal threats, there was first a very confused silence. Dan was sure that the matter of his containment, or lack thereof, would become important at some point. For now, those still left on the roof were trying to release the tension as much as possible.

“I cannot decide if you consistently have good timing or bad timing, Guan Ah Dan.” Though he did not turn from his watching position, scanning the horizon of Allusia with unblinking concentration, his lips did curl slightly. That, Dan realised, was Shade’s attempt at a joke. With the growl still in his voice, it was hard to see the humour past the tone, but Dan forced a smile to his face in response.

“I used to think it was bad luck,” Dan said from his position on the ground as Calliope and Grier approached, “but it wasn’t for you, so who knows? Are you going to throw me in a cell again?” Dan very much did not want to be caged again. Now that he had returned Shade to something resembling full strength while he himself would barely be able to walk, Dan was certain that he would not fare well in any kind of fight or chase.

Shade turned away from the city and back to Dan. His face softened and he held out a hand to help Dan to his feet. “That would be fairly poor form,” Shade returned his eyes to the city as he helped Dan stand. “The things that I am worried about have changed. Like,” he raised his voice, “how all my prisoners are being released without my knowledge.”

“In fairness, Shade,” Calliope was all fluttering eyelids and smiles, “I thought you might need Grier’s healing and waiting might have meant you were dead. Obviously, I’m glad you’re not.” Dan was unsure how earnest her assurance was, but she did not seem perturbed by the ire that Shade was clearly showing her. Grier, for his part, quailed a little under the intense gaze. “Want to explain all that?”

“Not here.” Shade began to move towards the stairs downstairs but Dan hadn’t come to the roof on a whim. Shade could apparently see that he was about to voice this complaint. “You have my word that the situation has changed, let us discuss things in private.” Helping Shade had not just been what Dan wanted to do, it had been the right path according to Yurie’s ability. Without the guidance any longer, Dan felt strangely lost but decided to trust in Shade’s assurance. He had little alternative.

There was an awkwardness in the procession downstairs. All four of them were quiet. From the sound of Shade’s earlier words, it seemed to Dan that his had not been the only jailbreak of the day. While Dan himself had ingratiated himself to Shade, Grier had been given no such opportunity and was therefore under a more watchful gaze.

With the chaos of the situation clear for now, Dan was able to locate Yurie. He was relieved to see that she had joined back up with Hyun Soon and Xiaomei.

“Is your mind somewhere else, Ah Dan?” Dan had been about to contact his allies when Shade’s raised voice shocked him back to his body. Dan hadn’t noticed the others stop at the door to the interview room which Dan had already visited once before. Dan’s face immediately flushed with heat and his mind scrambled to think of a lie until Shade spoke again. “This will be easier with your friends in the room, too. You can contact them, yes?”

Dan was confused. “If you knew, why did you let me?”

“Believe it or not, you’re not high on my priorities. That may surprise you but it is not about you. I apologise that it was necessary to keep you contained, but I need all the information I can get right now.” Shade ushered Dan, Calliope and Grier into the plush meeting room. Shade seated himself heavily in one of the comfortable chairs, leaving two more large seats to that side and three more austere chairs at the table. Dan contacted his friends and told them where to meet him. Within a minute, all three were entering the room.

When she saw Dan, Xiaomei leapt at him and threw a hug around his neck. He whined and sucked in a sharp breath as his weight and hers forced his leg down, his injured hip screaming in protest. She released him and Dan saw three worried faces looking at him. None more so than Yurie, who looked distraught. “I’m okay. My leg hurts but I’m okay, I promise.”

“Now is not the time. Though… Grier, if you wouldn’t mind healing Ah Dan?” At Shade’s words, the dwarf jumped to his feet at once and eagerly approached Dan. “The rest of you, in and shut the door.”

Before Dan could protest, the dwarf reached his position. Moments before his hand reached Dan’s hip, Grier’s hand lit up with a wonderful white light. The mana in the air around Dan began to sing in a way that he had never heard before. There was nothing acoustic to the sound, but to Dan it felt like a choir of perfect singers raising their voices in harmony. His inhibition fell away and he allowed the spell to be cast.

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Dan wasn’t entirely sure, but he was fairly certain that this process felt different to his own healing. He would have to ask another time, but at the moment he was gritting his teeth against the pain in his side. As though weeks of rest and healing were taking place at once, Dan could feel the torn muscles and cracked bones soothing and fading. The pain could only have lasted five seconds or so but Dan felt every sting of healing as the bruises and cuts throughout his body healed. If Dan hadn’t heard the music in Grier’s magic, he would have thought he was under attack.

When he opened his eyes, Dan took a moment to release his clenched fingers. Within them, the chunk of wood he had ripped from the table in his pain had been crushed to dust. Dan had grabbed onto the sturdy wooden table for support as the waves of pain hit him and in turn Dan had torn a part of it away. He blinked, surprised.

When did I get that strong? Dan blinked away tears and the thought as he returned to the room and shook the dust from his hand. With everyone seemingly happy with what had just happened, Shade waited for Grier to seat himself before speaking.

“Before I begin, who is this?” Shade pointed to Yurie, who was still wearing her guard’s uniform.

“M’name’s Yurie.” She tugged at the collar of the guard uniform she was wearing. “I really was hired, didn’t steal the uniform or nothing.”

“Right… Well, I’m only telling you three because I believe Ah Dan has the right to know after his incarceration. You would tell them everything, I’m assuming?” Dan’s nod in response was enough for Shade. When he addressed the members of the Ashes, there was more fire in his tone. “Do I have to tell you two why you should help me?”

They both shook their heads no. Shade composed himself for a moment, gesturing for those still standing to find a seat. Dan began to hover awkwardly, one chair too few, when Yurie jumped and spun, sitting herself on the table. Dan turned the chair around and aimed himself towards the dark grey skinned majaal and the answers his explanation promised.

“The city’s future hangs in a very tenuous situation. Guan Po Dia threatens war for his son and daughter, though we knew nothing of them until the letters and envoys began arriving a week ago.” Shade removed some letters from his pocket, three in total, and waved them in the air. Even from here Dan could see the Guan family seal upon them. “I know nothing of Guan Yo Shen, the patriarch’s son, and until a few days ago I had no clue about Guan Fa Lian either. I still know precious little about the situation and that isn’t likely to change until Fa Lian herself wakes up.”

“I might be able to help with that.” Dan said, too quickly. He had even raised his hand. Mortified with himself, Dan lowered his arm and looked at the ground. Why was he suddenly so embarrassed? He moved his mana away from Yurie so that he could not see whether she was looking at him or not.

“Perhaps. Perhaps not. I suppose we shall see.”

“Who were those majaal, Shade?” Calliope spoke for the first time, sitting forward in her seat and looking Shade in the eye. “I didn’t think there was anyone in Allusia strong enough to ragdoll you like that, even four on one.” It was clear Calliope thought her words were a compliment, while Shade only heard the part about him being a child’s toy. It took a moment for Shade to release his jaw, but as he did he smiled. The smile did not reach his eyes.

“They were my siblings.” Dan had worked that much out but only he had been close enough to hear the conversation. Shade’s use of the past tense felt intentional. “My mother has her own machinations and it seems that despite my best efforts, I have made my problems Allusia. The largest of those problems is the strike force of my family members. Bloom, Mania, Ravage and Ruin. They are essentially a vanguard force and army all in one.”

“Why does your mom have an army?” Hyun Soon asked, speaking for the first time. Although it had been the question on everyone’s lips, he still looked shocked to have been the one to ask it and joined Dan in looking at the floor. Shade paused, as though considering how best to answer and the quiet stretched on long enough to make everyone else slightly uncomfortable.

“My mother’s name is Hestia. In the last few decades, the church has taken to calling her a different name that you may be more familiar with. The succubus queen.” He paused again, this time because the air in from the rest of the room was sucked away. The collective gasp came from everyone but Dan, who bit his lip and waited for further explanation. Shade seemed to latch onto Dan’s lack of knowledge and focus on him. “My mother controls three soul relics, artefacts of immense power. Due to this, his lifespan has been extended beyond what was already going to be impressive. She is a being of unknown potential and until recently has been happy simply managing her lands and family in the Wastes.”

Dan nodded, taking in the new information. His time with Park Man-Shik had been nothing like a formal education and he had not exactly had time for geopolitical learning since he was taken to the Jiaoduo. Dan knew that the lands to the east of the Guan territory was a barren wasteland and that the majaal came from there. He had known their leader was something to be feared but it was never a bedtime story that he had been read. Dan was more surprised that he had been around royalty for so long and Shade had seemed so… normal. Dan had expected a prince to seem more aloof.

“That is,” Shade continued, “until a few weeks ago. There was something of a tremor. One felt by any who hold a soul relic. This tremor, I am told, signifies that a previously lost relic has been found.” Again, gasps. Dan understood the severity this time, however. A single soul relic was powerful enough to help you carve a country, the only reason the world could be in a state of peace was the uneasy balance between the relics. Hanging his head into his hands, Shade said with finality “War is coming to Allusia.”

Dan did not agree. “Not if we find the relic.”

“Why would we help?” Xiaomei asked.

“How could we help?” Hyun Soon asked.

“Well,” Dan said, “for a start… we need to wake Fa Lian up.”