A soldier walked up to a stoutly built stone guard tower and pounded on the door. "Relief's here!" he called, stepping away from the thick wooden door.

"Finally!" came a muffled shout from inside.

Aven lay on the wooden roof, silent as the grave as he listened to the soldier inside make his way downstairs. These towers were at every gate in the wall that surrounded the shipyard. Two stories of solid stone, topped by a room with narrow slits in the wall to fire at anyone who approached the gate. The only way in was the door at the base on the inside of the wall. It would have been a tough nut to crack if that's what he was here to do.

"What happened?" the man inside asked as he threw open the door. "You get lost in the fog?"

"Almost," replied the soldier. "I wish it would break already, we haven't seen the sun in four days."

Aven glanced to his left over the fog-shrouded shipyard. The massive drydocks and berths for the Treasure Ships were barely visible fuzzy outlines in the mist. All he could see of the worker's village were a few rooftops before they faded away. The fog Yia summoned had clung to their ships all the way through the Etrin Strait, now it blanketed the island, keeping their fleet hidden. Now it lay anchored somewhere to the west, ready to pounce.

"It gets to you after a while," the man inside said as he stepped out the door. "Well, nothing to report. Just a lot of gray."

The soldier stepped in, calling to the other as he was leaving. "Thanks, I'll make sure the fog doesn't go anywhere before you get back."

After four days, the joke was starting to wear on Aven. He waited for the new guard to get settled before he slid off the roof, landing in a roll when he hit the damp ground. When he was certain the sentry hadn't noticed, he darted into the fog. A few strides later and the guard tower faded from view. Keeping his ears open and his footsteps quiet, Aven climbed the ridge that ran along the center of the island, not relaxing until crossed the highest point and entered the woods that blanketed the south side of the island. He had made a dozen trips into town by this point, no need to risk being discovered just because the guards were lax.

"Are you lost?" came a voice from the distance.

Looking ahead, Aven could see two faint points of gold light in his path. Yazwa was the perfect sentry for this, her Sight could easily cut through the fog. "No, I know where I'm going," he replied.

"At least one of us does," Yazwa laughed, sitting on a stump as Aven closed in on her. "Anything exciting happen?"

Aven shook his head. "No. More of the same."

Yazwa jerked her thumb over her shoulder. "I'm sure Sayel will be happy to hear that," she said with a fierce smile. "She's back and she brought a lot of friends."

Without another word Aven hurried forward, darting around trees until he reached the camp they had been laying low in. At the base of a steep bluff, it protected them from the wind and muffled any sounds that might drift over to the shipyard. A few makeshift tents had kept them sheltered from the elements and provided some comfort over their long stay. In the middle of the camp, some fallen logs were arranged in a circle. He could see Bill, Ji, and Saiyun sitting on them along with Uvenli, the burned woman from the Tavada. Just beyond them, he could make out dozens of Vathlanri crouched low and whispering to each other in the mist.

"I was worried you had gotten captured," Unveli said as Aven came to join them. "Sit, we have much to discuss"

"Have you told her anything?" Aven asked taking a seat next to Ji.

"No," replied Saiyun, giving Uvenli a look. "She insists she wants to hear everything from you."

Uvenli knelt, drawing a map with her finger in the dirt. "We've found there are two islands. The northern island is mostly empty. The southern bends around the northern island in a crooked shape, leaving a narrow, deep strait in between where the shipyard is. Hills and ridges hide the place from view until you're practically inside the strait."

"No wonder no one ever found it," Bill grumbled. "Unless you were looking for it you'd never notice it."

"We've done a complete circle of the islands without being spotted, so we're sure of the layout. What have you found Aven?" asked Uvenli, leaning back.

Aven took his turn kneeling in the dirt, drawing the shipyard out. "From what I could tell every berth here is for making Treasure Ships, they're all gigantic. Only one ship is being worked on now in the drydock, two more are floating out in the strait. They must not be done yet, because I could hear work done on them. At either end of the berths are normal-sized docks with a few ships tied up. Some of them don't have sails, I think they're either rowed by oars or intended to be pulled by summons. There are barracks for soldiers and sailors there too."

"Were the ships at these docks armed?" asked Uvenli.

"I couldn't get close enough to tell," Aven replied. "I didn't dare take the risk, even with the fog."

Bill ran his hand through his beard. "Sounds like skirmishers to me. A few fast ships to snatch anyone who gets too close, or sail out to meet invaders at a moment's notice. Could be a problem."

"Unless we attack from the land," Saiyun said.

"Is it walled?" asked Uvenli.

Aven drew out a long arc around the shipyard. "It wouldn't stop an army, but it would slow us down. There are a few small gates in it, but no major ones. The only big road in town runs along the shore next to the shipyard. There are warehouses and workshops next to the road and houses further in. At the north end of the town is a castle, probably where the prefect and the garrison lives."

Uvenli was silent for a moment, squinting at the crude map. "How many soldiers?"

"No way to know," Aven shrugged.

"Is the fog making the garrison suspicious?" asked Uvenli.

"Just annoyed. They haven't posted extra watches on any of the posts I've spied on," Aven said.

Stretching out to her map of the islands, Uvenli drew four circles, two on either side of the entrances to the strait. "Good. Surprise is still on our side. Four forts guard the approaches to the shipyard, each on high ground. Any ship trying to force its way in would face cannon fire from both directions. Your first mission will be to take control of the fort covering the south shore of the western approach."

Aven's heart skipped a beat and he saw a wide smile split Bill's face. After weeks of sailing under the fog and sneaking around, it was finally time.

"Let me guess," Bill said. "These forts have one tall tower and a long, narrow courtyard running perpendicular to the shore?"

"I imagine you've seen the design before," said Unveli.

Bill clapped his hands together and rubbed them eagerly. "Standard Tsilen coastal blockhouse. I've taken more than a few in my time."

"Then this attack is in good hands. At dawn, when the fog begins to clear you will take the fort without alerting the rest of the shipyard," Uvenli said, gesturing to the Vathlanri crouched behind her. "One group will remain behind to take control of the cannons and wait for the first-rate ships to appear. They will concentrate fire on the opposite fort until it is reduced so the rest of the fleet can sail in unchallenged."

"Where do we come in?" asked Saiyun.

"After you secure the fort, you will move in with the second group to the edge of the shipyard," Uvenli said, pointing to the map. "Once the guns open up you will break into the town and attack the barracks at the southern end. Your duty will be to prevent them from launching their ships. With the forts and the skirmishers defeated, our warriors can sail right up to the berths and start destroying them. Others will set the warehouses and workshops alight."

"I'd be happy to help with that," said Bill, practically giddy.

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Uvenli shook her head. "No, the docks are where our ships will gather after they've dropped their warriors into the berths. You'll need to hold it against any that try to take it over. Since we don't know how many soldiers are here, we need to be ready to leave as quickly as we came."

"What about the unfinished ships?" Aven asked. "They look like they're mostly done, are you just leaving them?"

"No," Uvenli said as she stood up. "The drylander ships will blast them apart with cannons at close range. If we can't do enough harm to the berths then they'll turn their guns on them too. Once everything is leveled and burning, we'll make for the Etrin Straits at full sail."

"Drinks are on me then," said Bill. "Aven, you've snuck into a few of these forts before, right?"

"More than a few," Aven replied.

Bill grinned. "Good. Let's make a plan."

-

The blockhouse was just as Bill described, a single tall tower surrounded by a wall that enclosed a long, narrow courtyard. A single sentry paced the walls, walking the long circle over and over again. Ji crouched at the base of the wall, listening to his footsteps slowly fade into the distance. Bill and Aven were next to her, pressed as close to the wall as they could. When the footsteps went quiet Bill rolled away from the wall and pointed up. Aven tied a length of rope around Ji's waist, testing the knot with a few tugs before he patted her on the shoulder.

Ji took a breath and leaped straight up to the wall, flinching at the sound of the wind ruffling her clothes. Even the smallest of sounds seemed deafening in the silent night. She landed gently on top of the wall and threw the other end over the side, bracing herself when she heard it hit the ground. Aven quickly climbed up and the two of them managed to hold the rope long enough for Bill to climb next.

When the rope was untied, Ji leaped into the air again to carry out the next part of the plan. Tsilen watchtowers held warning beacons on the top floor. Whether it was signal fires, horns, or flags, it was her job to silence them and the sentries that manned them. The wind carried her to the top of the tower and she landed, ready to fight.

No one was there.

A cold sea wind whistled over the battlements, gently rocking a ship's bell from side to side. Next to it was a large ceramic bowl filled to the brim with a liquid that proved to be oil when Ji touched it. A quick search revealed the flint and steel that would light it and she quickly pocketed them. She tied a knot around the bells clapper and peered over the battlements to the courtyard below through the slowly clearing fog. The wall facing the sea had a dozen cannons on it, all facing into the mist. On the ground were more cannons, only shorter and wider, pointed into the air. Along the opposite wall were crude wooden huts, the barracks for the common soldiers of the blockhouse. The lone sentry was walking towards the tower again.

Even though he was little more than a blur in the distance, Ji felt a pang of conscience for the man. He was no fiend, no criminal, just a soldier doing his duty, ignorant that he was walking to his death. For the next step in the plan, Aven and Bill would silence the sentry and split up. Aven would sneak towards the gate and open it for the Vathlanri to come in and handle the soldiers in the barracks. Bill would enter the tower from the and secure the door to the armory and powder magazine before moving up to kill anyone he met. Meanwhile, Ji would do the same, moving down from the top. A lot of people would die today who were guilty of nothing more than joining the army or building ships.

In the stories of her youth, a great and valiant Esgan of En Chitei would have stepped forward and challenged a tyrant like Azun to single combat. The Esgan would triumph and Azun's army would flee in terror after witnessing the death of their general. The shipbuilders would thank her for freeing them and shower her with praise before she went on her way. It would make a good story.

But now Ji knew that wasn't how the world worked.

Stepping away from the battlements, Ji found the trapdoor on the floor and opened it as carefully as she could. When her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she spotted a long ladder leading down and two men curled up under blankets on the floor below. They were probably meant to be on duty above but decided to take shelter from the cold.

Ji dropped to the floor and rushed to the closest man, wrapping her arm around his throat and squeezing. He jerked awake, pounding his heels against the floor twice as he tried to pry Ji's arm off. But Aven had trained her well and she gave his head a sharp twist. The soldier went limp, although his struggles roused the other. Ji was on him before could rise and soon he suffered the same fate. Wasting no time, she opened the next trap door and dropped down to the next floor.

Lanterns lit the hallway and she squinted in the sudden light. In front of her was a heavy wooden door and to her left was a staircase leading downward. Behind was a narrow window that looked out into the courtyard. Through the fog, she saw the doors on the wall swing open and a pack of Vathlanri rushed through, sprinting towards the barracks.

Ji pounded on the locked door as calls of alarm floated up from the staircase. Someone shouted on the other side of the door, but she didn't stop hammering on it until she heard the voice come closer. When the door flew open Ji struck before he had a chance to react, slamming her fist into his throat. He fell to the floor, gagging and clutching his neck. A quick look around the room revealed no one else. She left the dying man behind and ran down the stairs as screams from the barracks ripped through the quiet night.

The next floor down held a stove, pantry, and a scattering of tables and chairs. Likely where they prepared their meals. Finding it empty, Ji pushed onto the stairs, only to meet Bill coming up the other way.

"Whoa!" Bill shouted, raising his hands in defense and staggering to a stop. "Did you get the captain?"

"Yes," Ji answered. "The two sentries in the tower too."

Bill nodded. "Good. They only had two men guarding the armory and they went fast. Hear that?"

Ji paused, hearing nothing but the echo of Bill's voice. "No, nothing."

"Exactly," Bill said, walking back down the stairs. "I think the Vathlanri are finished."

Ji followed him, past the armory doors and its two dead guards, out into the courtyard. The Vathlanri were streaming out of the barracks, wiping blood off their weapons. One approached Bill and began to speak in a tongue Ji did not understand.

"Hey!" called Yazwa from the gate, hurrying towards Ji with Saiyun close behind. "Did it work?"

"Yes," Ji replied, looking for Aven in the crowd of Vathlanri. "They never saw us coming."

Saiyun looked her up and down as a Jado joined them. "Are you injured at all? I wish we could have sent Jado in your place."

Ji's heart skipped a beat when she saw Aven tending to a cut on a Vathlanri's arm. She suddenly wished she had suffered some wound. It would give them an excuse to talk, give Aven a reason to touch her hand... "No," she said, pushing the thoughts out of her mind. "They barely even put up a fight."

"Which might be good news for us," Bill said as he walked up. "This place was only quarter-garrisoned. They must have needed to pull as many people as possible for service on the Treasure Fleet. If the whole shipyard is like this we may be in for much less of a fight than we thought."

"Shame," laughed Yazwa.

Bill pointed at the tower as the crowd of Vathlanri moved towards it. "We're going to empty the magazine and get the runs ready to fire. We need as many hands as we can."

"I'll summon another Jado," said Saiyun, pulling out one of his dolls. "Should be quicker than hauling cannonballs up the stairs."

Ji bowed to Bill. "I must decline. I have something important I need to do."

"Just make sure you're at the gate when we head out," said Bill, taking Yazwa and Saiyun with him.

When Ji caught sight of Aven slipping into the tower a familiar ache set into her chest. She was glad that he forgave her, glad that his wounds had healed, and glad that he had spent the last few weeks aboard the ships training her again. They were some of her heart's dearest memories. But soon they would go their separate ways. She would return to her monastery and he would follow Bill on the same mad quest for revenge that had nearly consumed her on Hilt. For weeks she had wracked her brain, trying to come up with something that would make him see reason, only to fail every time. His mind was made up, there was no point dwelling on it.

After all, she had something important to do.

First, she entered the blood-spattered barracks. The Vathlanri had left the soldiers where they died, bodies scattered across the dirt floor. Ji dragged them into one room, laying the soldiers on their backs and resting their hands on their stomachs. Once they were all arranged she fetched the rest from the tower, carrying the corpses through the Vathlanri as they moved powder and shot to the walls. Once they were laying together, she brought her hands together to pray.

"An enemy greater in number and a hundred times greater in skill fell upon you," said Ji. The usual prayers she knew seemed wrong, so she made it up as she went. "You were all outmatched the moment we came over your walls. Though you were taken unawares, you died defending your post. The winds of En Chitei will know there was no shame in your death."

Ji frowned, pressing her hands together hard. How many others like her had died out in the world? How many acolytes, sent out to hone their skills, had been blindsided by someone of much greater skill? How many had been taken in by base trickery and lost everything? How many had not been so lucky to find strong, kind people to guide them through the dangers of this violent world?

After a few deep breaths, Ji calmed herself. There was no point in being angry about the past. The dead were dead. Now was the time to focus on the living. Ca Diro was dead, so he could not use his foul Blood Achali to drain other acolytes. Once Azun's base was leveled, he would have more important things to deal with than chasing down her people. When the battle was done, she could go home and put a stop to the journeys.

Ji forced down another spike of anger at her elders. They had their reasons. Each had gone out on a journey and returned stronger and sharper. No wonder they thought it was for the best. But Ji knew it was not strength that saved her, not strength that kept her alive, not strength that led her to hear the voice of En Chitei. Chance had brought her into contact with Aven and his kindness led him to protect her from dangers that would have killed her alone.

"Know peace now," Ji said, bowing to the soldiers. "There are no more wars for you to fight. The winds of En Chitei will carry you through the Caves and strip away your misery until you land in the gentle fields of the Bright Lands. One day, I may see you again and I can only hope you will forgive me for cutting your lives short."

Silence hung heavy in the air as Ji looked at each of their faces. Most were young like her, they'd barely had a chance at life before the world had chewed them up and spit them out. Once she returned to the monastery, no acolyte would be sent out into the world ignorant of the dangers it held. She did not know if that was the purpose En Chitei had for her and she had learned not to care. It was what she wanted, it was what was right and it was what she would do.