Role

Chapter 7

After a crushing defeat to Mahrah, Jhaeren has taken his own life.

Zxctikazxcti finds his belongings strewn across the altar room.
She is devastated that he didn't even bother to say goodbye.
Worse still, that she willfully ignored the telltale signs.
She didn't want it to be true that his faith was failing.
So she pretended everything was fine, he would be alright.

Now, his vessel was returned to the waters from which it arose.

Something blood-red and stolid is growing within Zxctikazxcti.
The unflappable and detached acceptance of the inevitable.

She reminded herself of what Wood-and-Bones had said to her.
Every line is short in the grand scheme of the great river.
What use was it having foresight if she was going to hide from it?

Finally, Zxctikazxcti manages to break into Kteng's laboratory.
She gazes through the telescope and sees the silver moon fading.
At last, when there is only a sliver of light left, it turns red.
Unruffled, she leans back and nods to herself.

The blood moon is here.