Vivian
The aftermath tasted like blood and frost.
Vivian and her people were injured, but luckily Emily, Elise, and Marissa were unharmed. She just needed to make sure they stayed that way. They had fled deeper into the haven and, for the first time since the fighting started, discovered a stroke of genuine luck.
This particular haven was enormous—an interwoven cathedral of trees whose massive trunks rose like pillars into the fog, their branches tangled so tightly they formed natural platforms high above the forest floor. It felt ancient, older than dynasties, older than the Empire itself. A place built by time rather than hands.
And in another impossible twist of fortune, they found stairs—actual steps carved or grown straight into the side of one of the colossal blackwood trees.
Vivian stared up at them in disbelief. The steps spiraled around the trunk, disappearing into the canopy, each one shaped not by axe or chisel but by nature itself; smooth curves, gentle slopes, the wood folding inward as if inviting them to climb.
“How…?” Marissa whispered.
“Who even built this?” Anmei breathed. “I don’t know anyone with this level of nature magic.”
Sophie pressed her palm to the nearest step. “This is wood or fauna-aspected craft. But it’s ancient work; pre-Imperial. Maybe older. Anyone who could do this died a long time ago. They’re probably the reason for the Havens themselves.”
Leiden let out a low whistle. “If there was a refuge in the Highlands, then this is it. This is either incredibly lucky or—”
“—a trap,” Vivian murmured. But she couldn’t deny the truth—the stairs offered height, cover, and a vantage point the orcs couldn’t easily reach. And at least initially, it was defensible.
Chiron made the decision for them. “We ascend. Wounded first.”
The retainers helped the injured up the steps, moving slowly, carefully. Vivian followed close behind, one hand on the smooth wooden railing, the other gripping her sword. The air grew cooler as they climbed, the canopy dimming overhead. After several minutes, the stairway opened into a wide platform woven naturally from branches, thick enough to hold dozens of people.
A sanctuary in the sky.
The branches cradled them like the ribs of some vast wooden beast. Moss formed cushions along the edges. Leaves muffled sound. Even the wind seemed gentler here, whispering instead of howling.
Vivian exhaled a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding.
They settled the wounded, set minor wards, distributed water and ration sticks. For the first time, they were above ground—difficult to track, invisible from below, safe from immediate attack.
Even in this sanctuary of giants, the air trembled with distant drums. The Zhou retainers moved quietly among the roots and branches, setting flickering wards that barely held together. They were exhausted. Most were wounded, and everyone was clearly afraid.
They’d left the dead below. Emily, who had some healing talent, and Elizabeth tended to the four critically wounded retainers.
Vivian sat against a moss-covered root shaped strangely like a reclining chair, her breath clouding the air. Her skin stung from frostburn—she had pushed too far and too fast in her mana usage. Now she was suffering the backlash. She forced the pain aside and cycled her mana, doing her best to heal her many wounds.
She tried not to think about how close she had come to a truly serious injury. Anmei wasn’t in any better shape, but somehow she was all smiles regardless.
Across from her, Sophie sat with her knees drawn up, cloak wrapped tight, golden Insight buzzing faintly behind her eyes. Marissa knelt beside a wounded retainer, hands steady even though her jaw was tight.
The grove felt too quiet. Too thin. Too exposed.
Leiden—who Vivian hadn’t even noticed was gone—approached her and Sophie, ashen-faced.
“Two camps,” he said, voice rough. “Green orcs are holding the western haven—the one with the red leaves. The Red Ones pushed into the northeast haven and have dug in.”
Vivian stiffened. “Both? That far north?”
“That isn’t all…” Leiden swallowed. “More Red Orcs have been sighted by our scouts coming from the south. There are a lot of them—something close to a full regiment. They’re maybe twelve hours out. I didn’t see the Murai, but I have to assume he’s with them.”
“Or doing something equally destructive,” Vivian muttered. She felt the cold settle in her chest—the dread streaming through her in icy waves that had nothing to do with her mana.
Everyone realized they were trapped on three sides.
“We go south,” Captain Chiron said flatly. His voice was steady, but the shadows under his eyes betrayed bone-deep exhaustion. “I take the remaining retainers. We strike the Red camp. You flee during the distraction.”
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Vivian’s head snapped up. “Absolutely not.”
Chiron didn’t bow this time. Didn’t defer. He looked at her with zero give.
“The Red Ones can’t be reasoned with,” he said. “Only steel will open that path.”
Emily stepped forward first—surprising everyone.
“You are not throwing your life away,” she said, voice shaking with anger. “Not for us.”
Elise joined her sister, planting herself squarely between Chiron and the treeline. “I know you’re strong, Captain—probably the strongest retainer we have in the south. But our men are exhausted and most of you are injured. The Red Orcs keep gaining numbers while consolidating power. This is not a fight you can win.”
She gave Vivian a pointed look. Her voice cracked. “You’d die in minutes.”
Chiron opened his mouth, but Marissa cut him off before he could speak.
“I understand the odds and the risks,” Marissa said. Chiron looked at the remaining retainers and nodded. “We all do. Us going on the offensive should give you enough time, my Lady. If something happened to you, I could never look your father in the eye—”
Vivian stepped forward, cold mana rippling off her skin.
“My father,” she said sharply, “would not want his people to sacrifice themselves unless there was absolutely no other way to accomplish the greater good.”
She turned her gaze on the twins—calm, lethal. “There are things worth dying for. And I would be happy to die for a worthy cause.”
Emily lifted her chin. “Exactly. If it’s a noble sacrifice, we should be the ones to do it. My sister and I—our defensive abilities could help and give time for Vivian and the Princess—”
“Absolutely not.” Vivian didn’t raise her voice, but the air around her dropped five degrees as cold mana drifted from her skin. “There is no way in hell I am letting you do that.”
Emily tried again. “Sister-in-law, I think—”
“No.” The word was ice. “Listen carefully. I will not allow you and your sister to throw your lives away. I am your older sister, and you will not suffer for my mistake. Not happening.”
Elise stepped closer. “But if it gives everyone else a chance—”
Sophie cut her off with the force of a blade. “Do you want Ethan to raze the Empire?”
The twins froze.
Sophie’s eyes burned gold. “Because if either of you dies out here, that is exactly what will happen. Your brother will tear cities apart. He will find a way to rain destruction down on everything. He is rational unless the people he cares about are hurt. Lady Li is right. Absolutely not.”
Vivian nodded once. “Ethan would slaughter every living thing in these Highlands looking for the ones responsible. He would never recover. And neither would I.”
Emily’s attempt at bravery faltered. Elise’s shoulders slumped.
Chiron looked between the three women—Vivian, Sophie, Marissa—and smiled weakly. Vivian could tell he was relieved he didn’t have to argue with his young ladies. There was no version of this plan where the twins walked into danger. Vivian would not let that happen under any circumstances, and it was clear Chiron agreed.
Vivian stepped directly in front of the twins, voice low. “If there is a sacrifice to be made, I make it. Not you.”
“She is right—Vivian would be a noble sacrifice,” Sophie said, gentler but no less firm. “We need my sisters-in-law to remain whole.”
Vivian shot her a dirty look.
Marissa flicked Elise on the forehead. “Also, Ethan would kill you himself for even suggesting this.”
Emily flinched. Elise turned red.
“Okay,” she whispered. “Fine. No sacrifices.”
Vivian softened—but only barely. “Good. Because the only way any of you are dying today is over my dead body.”
The grove fell silent. Chiron coughed. “We still need a plan. Having me and the remaining retainers attack makes the most sense.”
Anmei tossed her red hair and slapped her fan open. “If you’re going, I’m coming.”
“No,” Sophie snapped, so sharply Anmei blinked. “It would be almost as bad to lose you as to lose the twins. If you die, it weakens the Empire. Your guild is already at odds with the Imperial Family. How do you think that helps when we’re facing an overwhelming outside threat and we start infighting among ourselves?”
Anmei made a gagging sound. “Boring political stuff. But you’re missing the obvious. This only becomes a problem if something happens to me. They can’t hurt me. I’m not going to die to a bunch of icky demons. I will burn every one of them. Then boom. Problem solved.”
Vivian wanted to facepalm. If only it were that easy.
“We stay together,” she said. “No splits. Not today.”
Chiron closed his eyes. For a moment, the façade cracked.
“Then east,” Leiden offered weakly. “See if we can find a path through the spine and hike over the ridge.”
Vivian shook her head. “No maps. No gear. Mana storms on the peaks. Too easy for us to get lost.”
Chiron grunted agreement. “We’d die slower, but we’d still die.”
“Then north,” Sophie said.
Everyone turned.
“Under cover of night,” she continued. “Fog will thicken. The orcs aren’t coordinated enough to search every ridge. If we can reach open sky far enough north, I might be able to activate a MageNet relay. If that happens, I can get Imperial Guards here within a couple of hours—and a reaction force from FarNorth within an hour.”
Vivian considered it. “We have wounded. And we’re exhausted.”
Chiron shook his head. “And they’ll catch us before we reach the next ridge.”
The argument spiraled—strategy, fear, ethics, risk.
They were out of options.
Emily stepped forward again—uncharacteristically steady.
“I… know something,” she said quietly. “Something Ethan taught me.”
Everyone stilled.
“It might give us a chance,” Emily said. “But it’s dangerous and unstable and could probably kill all of us.”
Elise grabbed her arm. “Emily—no. Not that.”
Vivian’s eyes narrowed. “Wait...how did you know it was something Ethan taught you?”
Emily looked confused. “Wait...how did you know?”
Vivian snorted. “Because it’s always Ethan. The man doesn’t consider whether he should do something—only whether he can. So what did he do? Teach you how to summon a herald or something?”
Elise looked scandalized. “Brother Ethan doesn’t believe in the divine. That would be crazy—”
Emily cut her off. “We’re not ready yet. I need ingredients. Mana. A stable place. And time.”
Sophie tilted her head. “Will it help us escape?”
Emily hesitated. “If it works… it won’t just help us escape. It will give the orcs something to think about for the next two generations.”
Chiron stiffened. “What are you planning?”
Emily shook her head. “Something that would almost certainly get me put under house arrest.”
Vivian’s intuition flickered—warning her that Emily was being honest, and also hiding something volatile. Vivian weighed her options.
They couldn’t go south. They couldn’t go east. They couldn’t split forces.
So they chose the only option left:
“We move in twenty-four hours,” Vivian said, her voice leaving no room for argument. “North, under night. And little sister-in-law, you are going to explain—in detail—exactly what your plan is. The rest of you, get some rest.”
Chiron rallied his guards. Sophie began marking the route. Anmei tested her fan, sparks dancing eagerly. Marissa bandaged the wounded, eyes haunted. Elise stayed at Emily’s side, whispering fiercely to her sister, trying to hide her fear.