Their reunion with Vasco was like a ray of sunlight piercing through dark stormclouds.

Adam, who had been frowning deeper and deeper as they drew closer to the abandoned city, couldn't help but relax into a smile when he saw the Lord of Gama embrace his daughter. The man held her as if afraid she'd disappear, and the elf returned his embrace in kind.

They were probably afraid they'd never see each other again, was Adam's first thought.

"Vasco brought around a hundred men with him," were Tenver's first words. "We can likely house most –if not all of them – in our ship, though the horses might prove difficult. This ought to preserve our fighting strength while you paint the Grandmaster's corpse."

"Dude, not the time," Adam fired back, in a whisper. "Maybe don't talk about murder for like, fifteen minutes? Please? Things are going to get depressing real quick after today, so just enjoy the goddamn moment."

Tenver grinned mischievously. "Why, my lord friend, this is how I enjoy the moment."

"Tenver, I swear to the god you haven't even heard of that I'll–"

Vasco stepped towards them. "Your ship flies fast, but rumors fly faster. I hear you fashion yourself King of the Frontier now."

He looked different, clad in his metal armor, than he had in Penumbria's chambers when negotiating with Aspreay. He's in his element here, Adam determined. What he'd once assumed to be girth beneath the man's ill-fitting cloaks now showed itself clearly as muscle. Vasco was a massive man who moved with long-ingrained confidence, the steel suiting him more comfortably than any golden garment could have.

"He does not," Tenver replied quickly, as if outraged. Then, in the same tone, he added, "He fashions himself the Painter King, thank you."

Adam winced slightly, both at the title and its implication.

Spreading the moniker had been Valeria's doing, using whatever devices she'd managed to steal from the Grandmaster. The idea itself had come from Tenver. Easier to rally people to our cause like this. Make us seem equal to the Emperor, rather than mere ants he can squash.

They hadn't officially made the claim yet, though. Rumors were safer, affording them a measure of plausible deniability. This way they could back down from the claim – if only temporarily – in case the Emperor agreed to a tentative peace, all without losing face.

"My claim is not...official," Adam said, with awkward regality. "I haven't declared for that title yet. As of now, the Emperor thinks me a traitor and is sending troops to execute me for treason – for impersonating Aspreay's son, and thus making a mockery of the established line of succession."

Vasco peered happily at his daughter, who still stood by his side, then ruffled her hair as if uninterested in the current conversation. "So though I fight with you, I need not call you king."

"You needn't," Tenver remarked, dryly, slowly – until his hand suddenly dropped to his sword hilt. "But you should."

Solara and Adam both shifted their eyes uneasily between the two men. The Lord of Gama did not blink, tilting his head sideways. "I am unfond of doing anything I do not need to," he threatened, in a low voice. His gaze shifted to Adam. "Do you have any objections, my lord?"

There was a silence. It didn't escape Adam's notice that he had made a point of emphasizing the title of lower rank. Just because he fights on our side doesn't mean he trusts us. He loves his daughter and his city – and I effectively killed his lover. I should be prepared for him to betray me, even if he is Solara's father.

"Call me what you wish," Adam said, attempting to feign nonchalance. "Titles are not needed. What is needed is that you'll obey my orders when the war begins."

"That I will," Vasco flatly answered. He drew one step closer. "Do you have my orders yet, my lord?"

"Not yet," Adam admitted. "There's a general plan, but we just arrived here. I don't want to carelessly bet everyone's lives on a hastily-made strategy."

The Lord of Gama's gaze felt harsher now. "Mistake not prudence for procrastination, my lord."

Adam grit his teeth. "There are things I need to know. How close the enemy is, how fortified our position is, how–"

"–The Empire's army is two weeks away from us," Vasco cut him off. "Their numbers total five hundred men. Among the Imperial Men, there are perhaps two dozen of the Imperial Guards, led by three Hangmen. Eric the Gryphon, Ernanda, the Lady of Ash, and Valente, the Dark Captain. Their ranks are bolstered by the remaining lords of the Frontier, Edmundo Crespuculo of Coimbargo, and Romario Revandor of Almarades. So, I ask again, my lord – what are your orders?"

It felt like a demand, an attack, and a show of exasperation all in one.

Looks like Tenver's logic held up, Adam thought. It's too expensive for the Empire to send an entire army to the wastelands of the Eastern Frontier, so they're forcing their vassals to fight for them and sending only the bare minimum themselves. Of course, from everything they'd heard, the Dark Captain himself was more than enough to destroy both Penumbria and Gama. None of this was good news.

Which still didn't mean that recklessness was the solution. "What of the ruined city?" Adam stubbornly asked. "Any fortifications we can use? What about Stained Monsters? How long can we survive here?"

"There are still walls standing to the north, which is where the Empire's column is supposed to arrive from. We can fortify the position with archers, then force the Empire into a prolonged siege. At least until their Hangmen spring into action."

It was Tenver who spoke up next. "What of the other directions? Can they not flank us from there?"

"No. Too many Stained Monsters surrounding us on all sides, including the south. Were it not for that..." Vasco gestured at the remains of a mountain that was so tall it disappeared into the clouds. "I'd say we should defend Dragon's Peak."

A sudden chill went through Adam's veins. The Grandmaster had spoken of this place once before. Atop its mountain was the castle where the Dragons of Old used to live – where the first Puppets were created. Around that castle, a city had grown, driven by worship of the divine beings who could oppose even the Rot.

"Too many monsters up there," Vasco lamented. "They mostly keep to themselves, those. It's why the city survived for so long even after the Dragons left. But...can't exactly invade all that. So we'll settle for these ruined walls. Might keep our casualties from Stained Monsters down to just several a day. Should also have supplies to last us about two to three weeks."

He raised an eyebrow, huffing with impatience. "Well, my lord? Your orders?"

"I...need more time," Adam said. Upon noticing the intensity in the other man's eyes, he added, "To make a proper decision. We have to ensure that our plan is the correct one."

"Then do so by tonight," Vasco grunted. "Morale is important. My men are tired. They need to celebrate with some open space before retreating up to the claustrophobic quarters of your Airship.."

Adam felt his anger boil. While he didn't like to consider himself as important, nor to demand respect from others, Vasco was being ridiculous here. Venom touched his tongue as he began to shout. "LORD VAS–"

And then stopped, upon feeling Solara's grip on his arm.

Her hands steadied his emotions. With a deep breath, he closed his eyes. "I'll make my decisions by tonight."

The Lord of Gama held his gaze. A moment later, Vasco whirled around and left without another word to him, only barking commands at his own men to ready themselves for the night to come.

Adam's gaze silently followed the man. He seems different here, in the prelude to battle. More confident. More demanding.

More haunted.

Solara's pull on his sleeve reminded him of what. "Pay him no mind," she assured him, albeit with a nervous laugh. "He is often clumsy with his words, but Father...Father is a good man. I promise you that. He only wants to make sure we all live through the coming weeks."

"Does he?" Tenver said, crossing his arms and frowning. "He might want you to live. But as for Adam and myself..." The Puppet Prince laughed. "He would burn us to save your kind, would he not?"

"Father would never!" Solara cried out immediately. At Tenver's half-smirk, she relented with one of her own, adopting a darkly humorous tone. "Well, he has been known to slaughter his allies to save me."

"That he has," Adam said, in the same joking tone.

Although it felt like less of a joke on the inside.

Daylight turned to dusk. Throughout the night, even as soldiers joked, laughed, and feasted, Adam couldn't keep the feeling that he was being watched out of his head.

"You're being silly," Solara assured him. He pretended to agree, then redoubled his vigilance. The Painter Lord refused all wine offered to him, steadied his nerves, and reinforced his guard. Were Vasco to attempt at any hidden daggers, Adam would see them coming.

Which was why, in part, he was so surprised when the man spoke openly to him.

"Come," said the Lord of Gama. "Let us discuss our plans."

"Let us discuss them here," he quickly retorted. "I keep no secrets from Tenver."

Vasco looked at the Puppet Prince and laughed dismissively. "Well, I do." He whirled around and motioned Adam to follow. "Come, my lord."

To refuse the public invitation of a Lord would have been to reject his aid in the coming war. It wasn't something that Adam could afford in any sense of the word. Tenver shook his head emphatically, but Solara whispered, "I'm sure father means no harm. Please, go see him."

Then, more emphatically, she added: "Please, trust me."

Adam and Tenver shared a hesitant glance, followed by a quick nod.

And so the Painter Lord went for a solitary walk with the Butcher of Greenisle.

--

Enshrouded by silence, two Lords walked into an empty field.

Twice Adam opened his mouth to say something, then realized he had no idea what to say, biting his lip before shaking his head in annoyance. What do I tell him? He probably resents me over the whole Aspreay thing.

Well, then again...

Would he?

The initial thought had come to Adam naturally. Just as naturally as the resentment should have come for Vasco. However, the Lord of Gama was unlike most people.

Most people don't kill their father in a duel to protect a race they were sent to slaughter, he thought, sneaking a glance at the man. Vasco was silent and stone-faced, with a body that matched the masonry of his features. Wide, but not fat. Strong, yet not full of muscle. Old, but likely younger than he appeared. Vasco projected the sense of reliability that only a wise veteran could.

Yet gazing at him now, an image arose in Adam's mind of what he must have looked like back in Greenisle, butchering dozens of his own fellow soldiers...before finally slaying his own father in single combat.

Years ago, those firm hands had done more than just kill people – they had killed people efficiently.

Today, this executioner in the shape of a man was stalking through the ruins of a fallen city alongside Adam. Beneath those dark skies, on a night where the moon had been banished, secrecy was a divine mandate the Lord of Gama had not wished to defy. Instead, he had actively forbidden his men from following the Lords during their excursion. The two of them were alone, with only a number of Stained Creatures as their witnesses.

And Adam had stolen the Talent, Land, and Soul of the only man Vasco had ever loved.

It was hard not to consider – if only for a passing moment – how the lord from Gama could kill Adam and pass it off as an accident to the world at large. Hell, if anything, he might be heralded as a hero by the Emperor. He could even petition for Solara to be granted amnesty in exchange for my head.

So when Vasco finally said something many minutes later, Adam paid close attention. The man's voice was low, hoarse, and muffled by his own grunt. It was not too different from your average middle-aged man.

Yet Adam hung onto every word he said. Vasco of Gama commanded that much respect.

"There is something yet unspoken between us," the Lord began.

I knew it. Adam clenched his jaw, then smiled without showing teeth. "I suppose there is." He reached for the Stained Ink inside of him, swirling it within the inside of his sleeves, wrapping it around his arm like a fluid cloth. "So let's remedy that."

"Yes. Let's." Vasco paused. "Ah, damn words to hell. I rather mislike speaking. Nonetheless, there are things that need to be said, so..."

He trailed off, then grasped Adam by the shoulder. His tight grip and large hands forced the Painter to meet his gaze.

Dear god, he's stronger than he looks. Adam tried not to let his discomfort or concern show on his face.. "Go ahead," the Painter prodded. "You can say whatever you feel necessary."

"Being given freedom to do something doesn't necessarily make it easy," Vasco remarked, a sardonic laugh coloring his reply. He hesitated for a moment, closed his eyes, and muttered four words.

"Lord Adam...thank you."

Adam froze with shock, his Stained Ink ceasing its writhing, slithering back into his veins. "Thank you?"

"For saving my daughter," Vasco said, plainly. "I believe I have yet to thank you for that."

This time, Adam wasn't able to keep his bluff going. His face surely must have shown his surprise, given the amusement evident in the other lord's expression. "I – forgive me," he said, "that is...not what I was expecting."

Suddenly, his eyebrows shot upward. "Wait. You have thanked me for that before."

Vasco shrugged. "For saving her from the tower, aye. Not for this." He shook his head and pointed at the crows overseeing the ruined city. "Those creatures are too intelligent. It's unnerving. Do you know why they're following us?"

Because the Grandmaster of Puppets created them? "No, my lord."

"Because they seek the death that will befall us," Vasco said, in a solemn tone. "War with the Empire will come soon, and the crows sense it – as they should. It's obvious enough."

He cast his eyes downward. "Solara senses it just as well."

Adam steeled his resolve. "She...is aware of what comes next. And she isn't scared of it."

"I know," Vasco replied, his low voice almost muffled by his massive graying beard, yet his amused laugh ringing true in the night. "Oh, I know. And that's just it, lad – lord. She has accepted that death might visit her, yet I haven't ever seen my daughter this happy before."

All at once, Adam understood the reason behind Vasco's searching expression back at base camp earlier. He hadn't been looking at the group with suspicion, but rather...puzzlement.

Puzzlement that his daughter was happy.

And he seemed to think Adam was the cause for it.

I'd better correct that misunderstanding. "Sir," Adam started, carefully, "I should inform you that Solara and I aren't...like that. We aren't – we aren't romantically involved. We are just...just friends, not...ah..."

Vasco barked out an amused laugh that blew his mustache as if a gust of wind had touched his face. "Surely you know by now that out of all people, I am the last to care about who you lay in bed with. It matters very little whether you two play together with those plastic toys from that game of hers, or other types of toys."

Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

This was an awkward thing to hear at the best of times. Hearing it from his friend's father was definitely not something Adam had much experience with. He reasoned and hoped that most people didn't. "I...ah...no, we just – we're just friends, I swear it, I–"

"Again, thank you," Vasco repeated, more firmly this time. His gratitude had the air of a grandfatherly command. "Thank you for saving her. Thank you for being my daughter's friend."

Adam shook his head. "That's not...I...uh, you don't – you don't have to thank me for that, I mean..." Shit, I've been so good at keeping my composure, but I wasn't expecting this. Focus, goddamn it!

He shook his head, trying to blow away his hesitation. "That's not something you have to thank me for."

The Painter's nervous clarifications gave way to a smile as he thought back to spending time playing Espada de Guerra with her, discussing books, and laughing over drinks. It was a fond memory – enough so that he almost felt nostalgic over it, though it had happened the day before. Likely would happen tonight as well.

How absurd was it to be thanked for that?

"She's terribly easy to be friends with," Adam said, sincerely. "I consider myself rather lucky that I met her."

Even beneath his thick beard and the darkness of the night, there was no mistaking the genuine smile on the Lord of Gama's face. "If only that were a common opinion, Lord Adam. If only."

There was enough genuine emotion in the man's voice that Adam felt dishonest over keeping his fears to himself for any longer than this. "I'm sorry," he said, finally. "For...Aspreay."

But Vasco shook his head again. "Thank you for saving him, too."

This time Adam didn't even try to appear stoic. "You cannot be thanking me for that. I stole his soul!"

"Eh, it was good for him, I figure." He gave a noncommittal shrug. "I rather think we haven't seen the last of him. Mayhap he'll sound less stressed when he's not ruling over a city."

"Have you heard, my lord, that..." Adam let the rest of the words die in his throat.

Vasco frowned. "That he crossed blades with the Dark Captain? Aye. Bloody idiot." There was a gentle anger in the curse. "He could've died."

"You have reason to think he's still alive?" Adam asked.

"He's Aspreay Arcanjo. That's all the reason I need." Vasco's tone was unwavering, and his gaze only grew fiercer. "What of you, boy? Do you know what happened to him after that?"

Time to change topics. "You...wanted to speak about the war. Let's get to it, then."

Vasco needed little more prompting than that.

--

"Besting the Gryphon will be a hard task," Vasco said. He tossed firewood onto the pile, watching as the flames grew brighter. "Hangmen are an anomaly, and he is an anomaly amongst them. Do you know why?"

Adam winced. "The Genius Realm," he said, wryly. The memory of flying brushes turning the souls of monsters into ink was still fresh in his mind. "Not that I really get the details of how it works, but it didn't look like something I can just learn."

"It's not." Vasco paused, then looked upwards for a thoughtful moment. "Well, most likely. Almost no one can. Inheriting a specific Talent is difficult, but you can still nudge the odds one way or another, save for things like Lord or Hangmen. But a Genius awakening...that's something else entirely. You have to be born with the ability. No amount of hard work will get you there."

This would be dire news indeed – if it was actually news. In reality, Eric being a talented freak of nature was hardly surprising.

Doesn't matter in the end. Won't change what I gotta do. "What exactly is a Genius Realm, anyway?" Adam asked. "The name makes me think it's somewhat similar to a Lord Talent."

"Similar...I suppose it is." Vasco frowned. "A Lord can impose their egocentricity upon those inside his Realm. A Genius can do much the same."

"Sorry," Adam said, politely yet firmly, "but I need you to be more precise. You said 'almost' no one can become a Genius. What decides whether someone can? Is it their Talent?"

The Lord of Gama shook his head. "It can be any Talent, I suppose...at least theoretically. Truth be told, although nearly all of them have possessed valuable Talents, there are precious few Geniuses born every generation – not nearly enough to make a definitive conclusion either way. Right now, the Empire is only aware of three Geniuses in existence."

Adam could hazard a guess. "Eric is one," he muttered. "What about the others? Valente, the Dark Captain of the Hangmen, and Emperor Ciro?"

"Aye."

That tracks. It explains why Ciro felt comfortable challenging Tenver's father despite having a lower Rank at the time, and why Valente is so feared. If Eric is capable of becoming as strong as the guy that Aspreay fought...

Adam clenched his fist. I won't let it get to that point. I'll take him down before then.

Talent and genius doesn't mean anything if you waste it.

"The Empire is constantly looking for more Geniuses from all walks of life," Vasco added. "Aspreay and I were tested at the Academy, and we both failed. They test most citizens at birth nowadays."

Which implied that Tenver wasn't capable of it either. That oddly felt like a surprise, although it probably shouldn't have. He's competent, but that doesn't mean he ranks among the top few phenomenons in the world.

More importantly, Adam needed to know what to expect if Eric used it in a fight. "As for what a Genius is...is it sort of like the Lord Talent?" he slowly asked. "It creates a Realm where the user can impose any rule they choose?"

To his surprise, Vasco chuckled. "Mayhap it would be easier if that were the case. But no, not quite. A Genius has far more ego than a Lord, and less responsibility. Their Realm cannot expand too far, never beyond their sight, and usually much less than that. Moreover, they have no access to the Three Pillars of Realms. Law, Knowledge, Immortality – none if it is accessible to Geniuses."

Meaning they can't impose arbitrary Laws that violate the laws of reality, read the minds of people inside their Realm, or heal themselves when injured. That's good. Except...

"Eric fundamentally changed the way his – our Talent worked after summoning his Realm," Adam pointed out.

"That's the second thing you have to be most aware of regarding Geniuses," Vasco told him. "They cannot create, erase, or change Laws the way you and I can. Instead, their Genius Realm is embodied with a specific set of rules that represent their Talent. Do you understand what I mean?"

Adam nodded. "I think so." Vasco seemed poor at stating things plainly, but when it came down to it, there wasn't a lot to understand. The Painter withdrew his tablet and smirked as he opened up a familiar file that he hadn't glanced at in a while.

Notes on the Painted World

About the Genius Realm

* Any Talent can potentially generate a Genius

* A Genius Realm has very limited size compared to a Lord's Realm

* A Genius Realm does not grant Immortality, Knowledge of Minds, or the ability to arbitrarily reshape Laws.

* A Genius Realm comes prebuilt with an immutable Law related to the Talent it originated from.

"One more question," Adam said. "What happens when one Realm is built inside another?"

"I can demonstrate, if you'd like." Vasco tapped on Adam's shoulders and created a few steps of distance between them. "It would be faster than explaining."

In truth, Adam had a pretty good idea of what would transpire if two Realms clashed.

The Grandmaster's ravens – albeit used by Valeria, likely without the former's knowledge – had watched Aspreay's duel with the Strongest Hangman, then relayed everything to Adam in eerie detail through the animal's own eyes. Better to keep that a secret from the Lord of Gama for now, though. It would keep Adam from having to lie if the topic came up in the future.

Besides; by most standards, he was still pretty new to using his Lord Talent. A more practical demonstration wouldn't hurt.

Or, well, so he thought.

"–AARGH!" Adam cried out on the ground, a moment later. "What – what the hell was that? Why did it hurt so much?!"

"Because I activated my Shadow Realm after you," Vasco grunted, as if the matter was so obvious it hardly warranted explaining. "We have the same Lord Rank. But you stepped into my shadow shortly before I stepped into yours. Our Shadow Realms possessed the same size, construction quality, and Rank – but the one formed later has a small, if noticeable advantage."

Adam's first thought was, Ah, so that might have helped Aspreay create his Realm inside the Emperor's, in addition to refining its size to something more manageable.

His second thought was, HOLY SHIT THAT HURT, WHAT THE HELL MAN?

"Okay, but was the punch to the stomach really necessary?" Adam stumbled to his feet, struggling not to faint or vomit. He knew his voice to be closer to whiny than regal at this point, but he didn't care anymore. "What the hell did that teach me?"

Vasco shrugged. "Pain teaches nothing. It only carves what you have already learned deep into your heart, so that you never forget." He held up his massive hand, then tensed, falling back into a fighting stance. "This lesson shall save your life one day, my young lord."

There was no malice hidden in the man's words, but the threat was plainly visible in his clenched fist. Tough love, huh? Looking up at him, Adam remembered why Vasco had earned the title that gave him so many enemies.

The Butcher of Greenisle.

"Being able to make calm decisions while wracked with pain is the mark of a true lord," Vasco shouted. "Most importantly, it is necessary for you to master this. So, I ask you again, Lord Adam – what are your orders? How will we fight the Gryphon?"

"That's not–"

Vasco abruptly leapt forward, his right foot sinking into the muddy ground and through Adam's shadow. "NO TIME, LORD ADAM!"

Adam's mind raced back to the punch he had just received, and to how he desperately wanted to avoid that agony again. I'm inside his Shadow Realm now. But considering what he told me, if I summon mine right after his, I should be able to win our clash this time. Then–

Once more Adam stumbled backward to the ground, unable to breathe yet gasping for air like a fish out of water. The pain in his stomach was secondary to the feeling of his entire body collapsing, as if his organs were close to shutting down..

Realms...also make you...physically stronger. Right. "What...what was the lesson there?"

"That just because summoning your Shadow Realm second would help in a clash of equal Ranks, it doesn't mean you can simply take your time with it," Vasco barked out. "If I trap you, and then knock you out, it doesn't matter what your Talent is capable of."

Violence overwhelms Talents, Adam repeated to himself. I knew that already. But what am I supposed to do about it? My reflexes aren't sharp enough to handle the speed of an elite soldier Lord. Not like I can make a split-second decision that quickly, and we don't have the time to train me to be quicker to respond. What does he want me to–

Still on the ground, from the corner of his eye, Adam saw the Butcher of Greenisle stomp towards him.

He's going to fucking kill me. Concerns about what he could or couldn't do flew out of his head. There was no time for them.

But neither was time for overconfidence.

Wait for him to step into my shadow, he thought, his eyes widening with focus. And then...step into his.

Focus...focus...focus...

NOW.

There was a flash of motion.

"Very good, Lord Adam," Vasco said, through a heavy breath.

Adam was still on the ground. He hadn't even bothered getting up. It just didn't seem important at the time. Instead, he had concentrated solely on waiting for the precise moment that Vasco stepped on his shadow...

And then reacted appropriately.

The Lord of Gama gave him an appraising stare. "You caught me this time. Why?"

"I don't know," Adam answered, truthfully. "I don't think my reflexes could have improved that quickly."

"They didn't," Vasco said. "But the human mind works in curious ways. Responding instinctively to something is difficult. If you're waiting for a specific thing to respond to, however, it can hasten your response time. This isn't about Talents – it's how it works for any human being. Do you understand?"

"Yeah, I...think so." Adam slowly rose to his feet, making sure that a part of his body was still on top of Vasco's shadow lest the man teach him any other 'lessons.' God, this hurts. "Responding to a question I'm anticipating is easier than one I didn't know was coming."

He understood that concept, he really did. What Adam didn't understand was... "And your point, Lord Vasco, pray tell?"

"That you don't possess the hardened reflexes of a veteran to make quick decisions." Even frozen inside Adam's Shadow Realm, Vasco still glared at him. "So you have to compensate with planning. Every detail of the upcoming fight must be mapped out in order for us to have a prayer of coming out alive. And I – we need you to do that."

The Lord of Gama closed his eyes. "You are far stronger than I, Lord Adam. Right now, struggle as I might, I cannot break free from your Realm any more than a bird could free itself from its steel cage. I bear not the genius of the tyrant, nor the ambition of my lover, or even the rightful vengeance of my daughter. Yet even someone like me wants to live. So...please. Help us survive."

At that, Adam dispelled his Shadow Realm, and Vasco extended his hand to help him to his feet. The Lord's eyes burned with a violent compassion, and his palms were calloused with the many years of wielding countless weapons to protect his people. The white of the moon reflected in the man's gaze, and his earlier words flashed back in the Painter's mind.

Mistake not prudence for procrastination, my lord.

To be honest, he already had all the information he needed to make a decision. But Adam had enjoyed these last few days so much that he simply couldn't help but want to delay things. Just one more day like this...surely it can't hurt.

Unfortunately, he knew otherwise. Especially after this clash.

"Tenver will return to Penumbria immediately," Adam said. "I will go deep into the ruins by myself to paint the Grandmaster's soul. You, Solara, and all our available forces are to hold off the Emperor's army from reaching me...no matter the cost."

His throat closed at the words, but the Painter's voice remained steady. "If you can hold them at bay for even a week, then I swear to you – I will win."

Vasco didn't need to hear another word. He nodded twice, the first slow and methodical, the second prompt and confident. Then he dropped to one knee, closed his eyes, and said, "As you command, my king."