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Chapter XIX: Farmer's Directive

"Back then, I had this thought in my head that if I were to go around inspiring people with my motto, they'd just come rushing under my command and we'd all fight against a common enemy. That was proof right there that I needed officer training.

"When we reached Mirecragg, I guess I had hoped we could tell the Inquisition and Tynvandar about what had happened and convince them fight alongside us.

"I never expected what would happen next..."

It only took only five days to get to Mirecragg thanks to Titus being able to bend Time around them, allowing then to move faster than the average person while still maintaining a sense of space. Aria conjured a ground vehicle to take them to the ruined Vampiri city. The journey was mostly silent but it was not an awkward silence that was almost stifling. Rather, it was a calm, almost camaraderie quiet where nothing needed to be said.

When they arrived at Mirecragg, it was midday. No one within the city seemed eager to begin reparations and recovery. The survivors languished in wrecked tents, eating out of cracked pots and using broken utensils. Hunter noted there wasn't a single Vampiri amongst them. The official story was that the majority of the race perished in the attack and the rest fled elsewhere. Those that remained were the humans and nonhumans who lived on the surface.

As he stepped out of the transport, an advance guard of Inquisitors, Church soldiers and Paladins greeted them. They underwent a strict inquest with Aria having to swear on her honour that her companions did not intend any harm to the Apex Clericus Solis. They didn't have to wait long before the Sunspot rolled into view, over a week ahead of schedule.

By the looks of it, however, things were not looking very good.

When the ship landed, hovering over the hole in the ground created by Harm's theatrical explosions, a swarm of Inquisitors and _Custodia Solis_marched out, sweeping out in a wide circle to push the angry masses back. Many still blamed the Church for the disaster that had occurred and Tynvandar was met with hisses and shouts of anger the moment he came into view.

The Apex Clericus Solis waited patiently the crowd continued to jeer at him. He made no gesture to calm them or request for their silence. He just stood there, taking it. Hunter watched from amongst the crowd, glad for his 'civilian' clothing. The other Paladins had changed out of their official clothing into more casual attire to avoid being attacked on the streets. He realised just how brave it was for Tynvandar to step into a city that absolutely hated him.

"He's taking this all like a champ," he murmured.

"No he's not," Ford answered from beside him. The Paladin Marshal shook his head sadly. "The Apex Clericus Solis should command respect and awe. The fact that the crowd continues to jeer at him while he stands there silent is a sign of weakness. The only thing that can be said is that he does not run away from it all. I've heard of lesser men breaking beneath the weight of that crown."

Looking back at Tynvandar, he saw the same stoicism that Aria liked to adopt; a stoicism that did not show impassivity but rather a fear of some deep weakness being unveiled. Hunter wondered how people with such power and command them could afford to be emotional.

Just as he made that thought, Tynvandar suddenly stormed down the ramp even as the crowd continued to shout and claw for him. Aria, Andy and Tanar were amongst those trying to push the crowd back but against a force of hundreds, they were quickly falling.

"We should help," Serena said, reaching for her fan.

"Wait," Ford responded. "Tynvandar is doing something."

The aged - well into his sixties Apex Clericus, stepped towards the line of Church soldiers and pushed the two closest Inquisitors back. This gave room for a burly Tigris to leap forward, claws out and fangs bared. Hunter's jaw dropped open in a cry of warning but it was not needed. Tynvandar, despite his grey hair moved swiftly and slipped behind the charging Tigris. The man seized the wrist of the feline, pressing it up against the man's spine painfully before shoving the guy into the ground and holding him there with his weight.

The crowd fell very silent.

"Now that I have your attention," Tynvandar shouted, letting the Tigris go. "You have listened to the rumours, the conjectures and the lies. Now listen to the truth. The Church had _nothing_to do with the devastation around you save for becoming the scapegoat of some dark mastermind! We are already thoroughly investigating the cause and the source but now is not the time to be throwing blames or punches! More than ever we must stand united for this force seeks to divide us and in doing so, weakens us!"

If only you knew.

"I invite you all to join me in prayer," Tynvandar said, folding his palms together. "Relief ships are on their way and will be here on the morrow. We will take you to Corona where we will offer you refuge. This is a dark era in Incendius' history so let us make the light that sustains us even stronger."

Hunter leaned towards Ford. "Still think that his silence was a sign of weakness?"

Ford nodded grimly. "When was the last time you heard of a high-ranking Church official physically assaulting another person?"

"Point..."

"Come on. We'll be expected."

With Ford leading them, they wended their way through the crowd and arrived at where Eton, Ophelia, Smallfang, Moonclaw and Elena were waiting on one of the fallen trees that had been ravaged in the attack. It was the agreed meeting place. The Lupus couldn't go into the crowd as the Lupus migration to the south would warrant explanation and neither of them could give it. Ophelia needed babysitting and Elena seemed to have a knack for it.

After a few minutes, Tynvandar arrived with Aria, Andy and Tanar in tow as well as a small compliment of Inquisitors led by the stern Inquisitor Dorthango.

"I have been briefed on what has occurred," Tynvandar sighed softly. His eyes shifted to the right where Titus suddenly stood. Hunter had been sure the Chronomancer hadn't been standing there a moment ago. "I appreciate your efforts, Titus."

"No you don't," growled the Goatex. "You hoped to use my as a weapon and prayed that Chronos and I would kill each other. Well, I am no longer bound by your toy, old man."

"But you are bound by our common enemy." Titus did not respond, prompting Tynvandar to turn towards the rest of the group. His features relaxed, showing the exhaustion on his face. "The negotiations over at the Sunless Lands were far less fruitful than I had expected. Dorthango will debrief you." He rubbed his temples and let out a long, exhausted sigh. "Chronos seems to be consistently a step ahead of us... Word of his semi-omnipresence mixed with his capacity to grow infinitely... Now his immense army, alliance with the Darkened and a 'grave threat' beyond Chillfarn... I cannot even fathom what this all means."

Hunter glanced around the group. None of his travelling companions seemed compelled to speak at the moment. So he stepped forward and lifted his paw lightly. "If you'll allow me, Your Holiness?"

Tynvandar fixed him with a soft smile and tired eyes. "Yes, Hunter?"

"Chronos mentioned something about the 'Farmer's Archives'. Would you happen to know what that is?"

Dorthango instantly went rigid. Everyone noticed. The Inquisitors all had the same reaction while their accompanying Grey Knights frowned in confusion. Tynvandar slowly turned his gaze towards the Inquisitor, frowning.

"Is something the matter, Inquisitor?" asked the Apex Clericus Solis.

"Perhaps, Your Holiness," answered Dorthango. He fixed Hunter with a fierce gaze. "What do you know of the Archives, grunt?"

Crap, now I wish Andy hadn't told me.

It was a poor idea to lie to an Angel and an even worse one to conceal anything from an Inquisitor. Hunter tried to look as puzzled as he could... but then began to worry that 'puzzled' wasn't the right expression he should be wearing.

"I wouldn't be asking if I knew," he replied, folding his arms. Secretly, he had pulled Zero Hour from his pocket and clutched it tightly. "What's wrong, Dorthango? Something you're not telling us?"

"I have never heard of these Archives," Tynvandar replied with a shrug. "Did Chronos mention if they were of any importance?"

The Inquisitor swept his massive hands wide, pushing back Tynvandar roughly. "We should not trust the word of our enemy."

Aria suddenly surged forward, gripping the Inquisitor's wrist and yanking it away from Tynvandar. "You know something, Inquisitor." Her eyes were fixed on Dorthango. The feeling of her Compulsion taking effect flooded the air, making Hunter's flesh tingle. "What are the Farmer's Archives?"

Dorthango pulled away before placing himself directly in front of Tynvandar. "Do not_try your trickery on me, _Angel. There is no such thing as the Farmer's Archives. They do not exist!"

"Now why don't I believe you?" Hunter asked.

Mostly because Andy and Tanar told me all about them...

"Dorthango!" Tynvandar suddenly shouted, pushing himself around the heavily armoured man. "If the Archives exist, then they surely must be important." It was clear even Tynvandar was now suspicious of the Inquisitor. "I _insist_you tell me exactly what they are. They could be the key to this ending his conflict."

Too late Hunter realised there was now a segregation between the Church officials and the Inquisition. Was this what Chronos wanted? To shatter the power of the Church even further? There would be loyalists in the fleets above their heads geared to protecting Incendius while there would be those too afraid of the Inquisition to act otherwise. There would be a titanic space battle, leaving the question of the starships out of the equation.

Hunter wondered how he could possibly take his question back but found himself stumbling over his own tongue.

"Your Holiness, the -" Dorthango began.

"I have always had faith in the Inquisition's ability to maintain the peace," interrupted Tynvandar, slowly stepping around the Inquisitor. It was subtle, but the small movement placed him very close to Aria. "Even after the Burning Rebellion when an Inquisitor foolishly fell for the demon's trap, I have had faith. Do not make doubt my faith, Inquisitor. What are the Farmer's Archives?"

Hunter gulped.

Here it comes.

Dorthango shut his one good eye. "Your Holiness, there are dire consequences if the Archives are ever told to anyone apart from the Inquisition. Under the explicit orders of General Zachariah -"

"I will bear the consequence of that knowledge, Inquisitor!" Tynvandar shouted. "If the Archives could aid us in bringing peace to Incendius, then so be it. I would willingly sacrifice my crown and my life to ensure the people of this world are safe from the Darkened, from Harm Chronos and from whatever dark entity he has allied himself with! Now tell me what the Archives are!"

Tynvandar looked really pissed. The air grew stifling hot and simply sizzled around him. Dorthango wiped sweat from his brown and Hunter found himself shrinking away from the intimidating leader of Incendius. Despite his shorter size, Tynvandar simply emanated power. He recalled reading somewhere that Tynvandar was an accomplished Pyromancer, the youngest person to have ever mastered the most powerful Pyromancy spell - Nova Supremis. Hunter shuddered to think what Tynvandar could do when he was mad.

"It may just come to that, Your Holiness," Dorthango murmured softly. "But upon your insistence... Let us retire to the Sunspot. The technology there is better equipped to view the entirety of the Archives."

Wait... what...?

As the group began to filter towards the _Apex Clericus Solis'_flagship, Hunter made a beeline for Andy and gripped the Leomian's arm tightly.

"What does he mean 'the technology there'?" he hissed softly. "I thought the Archives were a book!"

Andy returned a puzzled look in return. "So did I," he answered just as quietly. "Tanar and I saw the book. It was heavily guarded by Inquisitors. I barely had enough time to memorise its pages before we were almost spotted. It's possible there's a digital copy of it in the Inquisition's databases..."

Goddess, I hope that's all it is.

A soft cough made him jump and let out a loud yelp. That caught the attention of others around him. Ford was the source of the cough and he gave a cheeky smile. Aria turned back away stiffly and Dorthago gave a disgusted snort.

"Did I hear you right?" Ford asked softly, his eyes fixated on Andy. "You already know what the Archives contain and you snuck past the Inquisition to steal a glance?"

Andy shrugged absently. Tanar padded beside him, eyes locked on Ford. Ophelia clung to the Paladin Marshal's shoulders, bobbing her head to some unheard tune. Hunter couldn't breathe.

"Yes," Andy responded shortly.

Ford frowned. "You realise that is a capital offense. You could be stripped of your rank and Valour before being cast into prison for life _after_the Inquisition is done with you."

"It was worth it."

"How? Dorthango is going to show us exactly what the Archives contain."

Andy narrowed his gaze, his cheerful mood suddenly gone. He began stroking his goatee. "No... I don't think so..."

The raging crowd had been cleared away from the Sunspot which allowed them safe passage into the historic ship. Unlike many Church starships, the Sunspot was built not for war but manoeuvrability and for the purposes of being easily recognised. Its sleek, triangular frame was emblazoned with the insignia of Incendius and banners fluttered from its wings. Hunter remembered reading about how the original Sunspot was actually a swift merchant vessel geared before being retrofitted over countless centuries. After the Burning Rebellion, it was outfitted with hidden weaponry and doubled in size. It was the size of a large frigate, at least three hundred metres long and half as wide.

Dorthango led them up the ramp of the ship, passing the underside of the ship's blade-like wings. Hunter could see the panels were automated turrets and missile pods could spring from. The gravity pads gave off a constant humming noise that made his fur stand on end.

Inside the ship, an entire precession of Custodia Puria greeted them, saluting from their thick, grey armour. They were led far from the bridge and deep into the hold, coming to what appeared to be a conference room. A large, circular table sat in the middle of the pristine, silvery space. While banners of the many houses and factions on Incendius hung from the walls, the ship was still dominated solely by the silver of a ship's interior. More Puria greeted them, pressing themselves against the walls and staring stoically forward.

Tynvandar took his seat at the head of the table in a big, golden chair. Dorthango stood beside him while everyone else remained standing.

"Well?"

Dorthango didn't speak for a long while. "Your Holiness, are you sure about this? The consequences are -"

"I don't care about the consequences right now, Dorthango! As I have said, my life, my crown, I don't care! Take it if it will resolve this conflict."

The Inquisitor shut his eye before pressing his palm against the table. The moment he pulled it away, he revealed a small disc. "Initiate Protocol 7," he announced.

The little disc sprang to life, leaping into the air and immediately zooming to the centre of the room. There, it sprayed out light in all directions. Hunter recognised it as a holographic display. As the light began to form itself into recognisable shapes, an overwhelming sense of dread began creeping up on him.

Bands of light formed the startling image of a woman in a white wispy dressed that looked almost gaseous in nature. Her silvery hair danced behind her, blown by some unknown wind. Each of her eyes was an electric blue.

"Identification and passcode, please," the woman demanded.

"An AI..." Hunter muttered softly.

Instead of openly responding, red beams of light sprang out of Dorthango's mechanical eye, passing over the holographic image.

The AI nodded. "Identity confirmed. Protocol 7 initiated."_Her gaze fell on Tynvandar. _"Welcome, Apex Clericus Solis Tynvandar, first of his name. I am Inquisition Operations, the central artificial intelligence of the Holy Inquisition's operations. I am commonly known as Io."

"A pleasure to meet you, Io," Tynvandar said with a patient nod. "Now to the matter at hand..."

"I have been informed you wish to know about the Farmer's Archives. One moment please." Io responded. Her voice inflections were perfect and it startled Hunter just how perfect the AI was. Her face moved perfectly to show concentration and thought as she began retrieving the information. "The Farmer's Archives are a collection of the Inquisition's investigations into Incendian history and contains any and all knowledge the Inquisition has on Incendian activities."

Hunter shot Andy a gaze who just returned a helpless shrug. Even Tanar looked worried.

"There are five topics within the Archives," Io continued. "The Age of Gods, the Age of Myth, the Age of Mortals, Mysteries and Open Investigations and lastly -" Io stopped and frowned. For an instant, her eyes turned red. "My apologies. The last topic is classified beyond my authorisation. Which topic would you like to address?"

Tynvandar exchanged glances with Aria. "Lady Valkyrie...?"

"Tell us about the Age of Gods," Aria said, stepping up beside Tynvandar. Hunter migrated over to her accompanied by the others. They all peered up at Io in anticipation.

"The Age of Gods is defined as the age before the Sundering. Inquisition records about time are based purely on speculation and the discoveries of" - her eyes turned red again - "Redacted." Without skipping a beat, she continued. "Current records are slim but they detail how the Mother Goddess created the Seraphim to aid in the creation of the world. The Seraph of Fire, Adramalech, gave the world fire. From all records, he was the creator of the Avios and later, the Phoenixes. However, due to rising jealousy between the two races, the War of the Wings erupted with the Avios being triumphant. Conjecture at this stage indicates that Adramalech purposefully pitched the two species against one another to find the suitable army to rise against the Mother Goddess."

Hunter tried hard not to roll his eyes. He knew AIs were extremely_perceptive. Showing any sign that he knew something the _Inquisition's AI didn't would be a poor mistake indeed.

"I have documents of countless battles and events during the Age of Gods," Io continued. "These include -"

"Thank you, Io," Tynvandar interrupted, waving a hand absently. "Can you tell me about the Age of Myth?"

"The Age of Myth is the time from and including the Sundering to the point when the Church formally established itself on Incendius after the Sun Spire was created. This time includes mortal fallacy as they abused magic that the Mother Goddess had granted them and caused the Sundering followed by the millennia of absolute darkness that followed. Though Chrysalis gripped Incendius, the mighty tower was too far from the Incendian mainland to provide light and thus the majority of the inhabitants were plunged into total darkness."

"One second," Eton interrupted, raising his paw. "What happened to the sun? Incendius had a sun, didn't it?"

"No, it did not," answered Io_. "Incendius never had a sun. It was completely pitch black. If a sun did exist, other Stations would have records of it but they do not."_

Eton huffed loudly, crossing his arms and snarling. "Well _excuse me_for not knowing the history of other Stations."

Ignoring him, Io continued. "Residual magic from the Sundering infused itself with the native plant life of Incendius. These became infused with light, allowing the natives to find their way in the darkness and the cold. Consumption of these plants allowed the individuals to develop the unique characteristic of being completely white in colouration save for their eyes which become an intense blue. Genetic research and observation indicate that this transformation is magical in nature."

"Chronos was right," Smallfang murmured. "Those were the Darkened."

"The term 'Darkened' was only given to the natives once the Sunshadow War erupted. The cause of the war was, in fact, an accident. The Church made contact with the natives with the help of the Chronomancers. While colonisation did prove challenging, the natives aided in adaptation to the darkness. Creatures such as Wargs that thrived in the darkness were a constant nuisance but thanks to the natives, the Church was able to establish a foothold on Incendius. Unfortunately, rampant racism and a human-superiority agenda by the ancient Church caused tensions to rise as the natives did not have a single human in their midst. Rumours of the natives devouring humans prevailed and it was not long before a drunken guard murdered a native in cold blood.

"This conflict quickly escalated and when the Church refused to admit to the crime, war broke out. Propaganda became prevalent and the name 'Darkened' was concocted to instil fear into Church worshipers and demonise the natives. This matched perfectly with the native's penchant for the use of Shadow Magic though only their elite were capable of such magic. Interestingly, having provided the Church with the technology to survive in the darkness and being far more adaptive to the shadows, the Darkened were able to push the Church back very easily until the introduction of Fire Magic."

Tynvandar nodded. "Right, the rise of the Brave Farmer."

"It should be noted that Fire Magic was already in use at the time but it was the Brave Farmer who refined the use of the magic to be more accessible. He introduced the Stones of Eternal Fire that can be used to store energy for Fire Magic, taught various techniques of maintaining fire and created the devastating weapon known as Bloodfyre by taking the blood of a demon, the tears of an Angel and sacrificing the five heads of the Draconis families. The weapon was capable of sweeping across Incendius to push back the Darkened."

"Hold up!" Eton exclaimed, stepping forward. "This isn't what we were taught! Where was the Sun Goddess in all this? What was the Church doing at the time?"

Serena gripped Eton's arm and pulled him back. "Eton, she's getting to that."

Hunter already knew the story. The Church was getting ready to bombard the entire Station from the Void, allowing those already on the ground to be caught in the purging fire. However, a rogue Paladin by the name of Apollia led a small rebellion that crippled the fleet. She then crashed a ship into Incendius where she gave chase to the Brave Farmer. As Io told this to the others, Hunter watched as this revelation was told to all his companions.

Their eyes all widened, jaws dropped open and many of them clung to their weapons.

Then, Io got to the clincher.

"Upon analysis, the Inquisition had discerned that the Brave Farmer was, in fact, Adramalech, the Seraph of Fire. Apollia was human but possessed feathery wings springing from her back. Blood samples from both Apollia and Adramalech found no relation by genes but investigation from personal logs and recorded conversations from both parties indicate they are either father and daughter or were lovers."

Try both... in a weird way...

"Events at the Concave of Shadows are undetermined as no one was able to survive the blast save for Apollia and she was not forthcoming with what had happened. While the Church remained crippled, she took those loyal to her and fused herself with her Valour, the Scorium Axis_, and became the light that we now all know as the_ Sun Spire_."_

Tynvandar was halfway out of his seat. "Are you telling me that there was never a Sun Goddess? We have been worshiping a Paladin?"

"Yes."

He turned angrily towards Dorthango. "And you knew of this!?"

The Inquisitor said nothing, stoically regarding Io.

"It was deemed a necessary deception to maintain the integrity of the Church and Incendius," Io responded. "At the time, Apollia had taken a vast number of followers after when she devastated the Church fleet. These followers became very devout to her, believing her to be divine, a sort of saint. Shattering this misconception would only introduce further segregation of Incendius to the Church and lead the more war."

"So Chronos was right then!" The Apex Clericus Solis slammed his fists into the table. "We must go immediately to Chillfarn and make reparations with the Darkened. This is not right!"

Io lifted her hand. "There is more, Your Holiness. The Age of Mortals note that a great miasma was created ever since the explosion during the Sunshadow War. This infection has been creeping across the Darkened civilisation. Any who attempted to use Shadow Magic were instantly susceptible. Relief attempts were sent when the pleas for help were sent but the corruption took the ships and the teams as well. Chillfarn was erected to keep the infection from spreading."

"This is absurd!" Tynvandar swept his arms wide. "Our entire belief system is based on a lie and the suffering of an entire species! For millennia we believed this and the Inquisition allowed it!? Why!?"

"It was deemed a necessary evil to ensure the safety of Incendius,"_answered Io. Hunter wasn't sure but he thought he detected a hint of disgust in her voice. Could it be that she didn't agree with the Inquisition's actions either? _"Your Holiness, it was under Apollia's guidance that the Sun Spire_was created, not the Church's. The Inquisition has since investigation the very structure of this monument and has discovered that the_ Sun Spire is more than just a monument for light in the world. It is a weapon."

Hunter snapped his attention straight to Io then towards Andy. Even the Leomian was horrified at this revelation and was taking out his notes.

"A weapon!?" Tanar demanded, propping himself up on the table. "What kind of weapon?"

"An intense beam cannon from all appearances. Apollia started the Sunrise Festival which requires the 'sacrifice' of countless Solfruit to the Sun Spire each year. This, in fact, is slowly feeding and maintaining a battery that is designed to fire a powerful beam of light straight to the Concave of Shadows and obliterate the miasma there. However, due because of the expansion of the miasma, the Sun Spire will only destroy the corruption in the immediate vicinity of the Concave of Shadows, possibly weakening those further away. By our estimates, the battery has been full and ready to fire for the past one and a half millennia."

Hunter swung his head from side to side, searching for Shinniah. He scowled when he couldn't find her. That was_not_ something she had told him.

"The consequence of firing this weapon is that it will launch the Scorium Axis into enemy territory where it will continue to shine for a total of approximately 90 days before it fades - a reason why the Festival must be maintained annually. Without the Festival, this time limit would lower severely and the Sun Spire might even go out completely. The resulting explosion from the cannon will obliterate a large swathe of land. Estimates currently stand at 74% of the Darkened Lands. Furthermore, the beam will likely burn anything in its path. Due to the elevation of Corona and the angle of the weapon, it will destroy the city but little else.

"The Inquisition kept this information from the world for fear that someone, some activists, will attempt to fire the weapon. The Apex Clericus Solis was also kept unaware for the same reason. This weapon is far too devastating to be allowed to exist but only through its existence can Incendius prosper."

"How is this weapon even activated?" Ford asked, shaking his head. "How can the Church live in the bloody thing and not notice it?"

"Investigations have revealed that there exists to firing controls, at the very top of the tower imbedded in Apollia's statue."

"Fitting," Ford grunted. "Getting to the top will mean being burned to a crisp. It is impossible to get to it."

"The statues atop the Sun Spire_can be moved and rotated to provide a shield from the_ Scorium Axis' light. They are several tonnes in weight, however, and nearly impossible to move with one man's effort." Io straightened and gazed straight ahead. "Were there any other questions pertaining to the Age of Mortals?"

Hunter saw Aria frowning. "Yeah," he responded. "What was Harm Chronos' involvement in this all? Did he know about the Sun Spire's true purpose."

"We can only offer conjecture in the Mysteries and Open Investigations section."

"Then get to it! What else doesn't the Inquisition know?"

Io's eyes turned red briefly. "There are many segments that have been locked beyond my current access. However, an open investigation remains as to the motive of Apollia and Adramalech in participating in the war. Adramalech's ultimate fate is still unknown. The fate of the original Bloodfyre is also unknown. Other mysteries include agelessness of the Darkened as the Malfemir that leads the Darkened presently has been confirmed to be the same Malfemir since the Sunshadow War. They were not infused by Time Magic from all appearances like the Progenitors, Leandros von Lupus and Phalgymr du Vampiri. The rise of the Phoenixes during the Phoenix Uprising_, where have they been and what were they doing? The disappearances of High Inquisitor Desmond Killian after the_ Bloodfyre Incident. The identity of the Dawn's Champion who orchestrated the Burning Rebellion_. A large majority of these have been tied with Harm Chronos' specifically those events that occurred within the last two millennia. Investigations are continuing."_

"That was helpful," Hunter muttered sarcastically. He turned to Aria and Tynvandar. "So what's our next move? The Sun Spire is a weapon. Anyone else want to just let Chronos lead his armies to the Concave of Shadows and blow him up from a distance?"

"Hunter!" Elena exclaimed. "That would damn all of Incendius to utter darkness!"

"So what? The people across the ocean at the Sunless Lands are able to survive without the Sun Spire. Why can't the rest of the world?"

"That's not the point," Serena responded, waving her hands through the air. "Anarchy would spread across Incendius. The Sun Spire is the centre of all faith! If it were just to suddenly go out..."

Tynvandar slammed his palms against the table and stood fully. "The Church would lose its already tenuous authority. Our options are limited. But if Chronos is gathering his forces to challenge the plague that rises beyond Chillfarn, then we need to gather our armies and do the same."

Aria's eyes widened and she stepped towards the man. "Your Holiness, you are not seriously considering..."

"What choice do we have, Lady Valkyrie? As far as I see it, our only option is to defeat the evil that gathers beyond the gate. With that, we can preserve the Sun Spire and Incendius." He winced and turned his head so he regarded the rest of the group. "As much as it pains me to say it, Chronos has cornered us and we have only one option before us."

Dorthango's heavy, metal armour clanked loudly as he moved towards Tynvandar, resting a massive gauntlet on the_Apex Clericus'_ shoulder. "We have one other option."

"And what is that, Inquisitor?"

"We purge the Station as our ancestors originally intended."

Tynvandar's eyes widened and he knocked Dorthango's hand away. "Are you mad!?"

"Unfortunately, Your Holiness, that is the only option left to us." Dorthango took one step back. Every Custodia Puria in the room took an ominous step forward, raising their weapons. The doors burst open and more Inquisitors came charging in, surrounding them all. "The consequences of opening the Farmer's Archives, as detailed in Protocol 7, written by General Zachariah, is that those who have viewed any document requiring Omega-level authorisation are to be immediately placed under arrest regardless of their rank. The Inquisition is to take hold of all their assets and responsibilities... and..." Dorthango bent his head sadly. "We are to activate all Protocol 7 actions for the affected Station. For Incendius, that requires us to immediately lock out Corona, active the _Sun Spire's_secondary function... and then purge the Station."

Hunter's jaw dropped. "Are you fucking nuts!?"

"These are the consequences," Dorthango shouted angrily. "It pains me to enact them but it is the only way to preserve Incendius and Tower Thirteen! Io, begin the rest of Protocol 7 immediately!"

Io nodded. "Sending transmission to all Inquisitors and Custodia Puria_. The order to place Corona under martial law has been sent. The_ Sun Spire will be made secure and it will await your activation, Inquisitor."

"This is bullshit!" Hunter shouted, reaching for Zero Hour. A hand seized his wrist. When he turned, a heavy, gauntleted fist slammed into his face and sent him sprawling to the ground. His vision blurred and he could only rely on his hearing and smell. Titus shouted something but then screamed. This was followed by swearing. He heard Eton's growl and Smallfang's shout.

When his vision cleared, he found a Custodia Puria standing over him.

"Well shit..."

*****

The Sunspot was not built with any secure holds or prison cells so Hunter found himself being thrown into one of the lavished rooms reserved for travelling ambassadors and dignitaries with Serena. Apparently, Dorthango had been keeping an eye on them and discerned many of them would work well with one another if allowed to stay together. So he threw them with the people they were_least_ compatible with.

Hunter was locked in a broad, crimson room with Serena while Aria and Moonclaw were locked into the room to their right. Eton and Elena were in another while Ford and Smallfang got grouped together. Ophelia were shut away in the room opposite to Hunter all by herself. Tynvandar and Titus were locked away in separate quarters, both heavily guarded.

The moment the metallic door shut with a hiss, Hunter spun towards his right, marching towards one of the many wooden pieces of furniture that littered the metal room. He seized its sides and with a hefty grunt, threw it to the floor.

"Hunter," Serena began, stepping over to him. "I know the situation is dire but there's no use throwing furniture around in a tantrum."

"I'm not being a baby," he replied, tapping the wall. He pressed his ear against the wall and listened to the soft ringing the emanated from it. "The Sunspot_is a retrofitted merchant ship. Before I came here, I read all about it when I was bored. If I remember correctly, each of these rooms has relatively thin walls with no critical structures within them." He ran his paws over the metal panelling. "The panels aren't one, massive, metal sheet either like modern ships. They're segmented. That means..." He pulled out _Zero Hour, grinning triumphantly. It seemed that the Inquisition still had no idea that the golden pocket watch was, in reality, a Valour. "I can stab one panel without affecting the others and destroying the entire ship."

He could sense her surprise and glanced over his shoulder. "What?"

She inclined her head to the side. "You almost sound like you want to get as far away from me as possible."

"What?" he repeated incredulously, waving his paws wildly in front of him. "Nothing like that! We've just been arrested and the Inquisition is about to fire the Sun Spire at the Concave of Shadows followed by a purging of the Station! Tell me you still want to stick around for as long as possible."

A small laugh escaped her and she wandered over to the large, lavished bed and sat down. "Yes... It is a rather bizarre turn of events, isn't it? The Sun Spire is a weapon..."

Something I still need to discuss with a particular deity...

She gazed straight ahead, looking blankly at the wall in front of her. "I just need to... take it all in. The fact that our entire belief system was based on a lie still... boggles my mind. I do not know which is worse, the fact that our faith is based entirely on a story perpetuated by the Inquisition 'for our own good' or the fact that the Inquisition kept this secret from the majority of the Church. Even Tynvandar did not know."

Hunter could only imagine what was going through her mind let alone those of the others. When Haven had been attacked and the Church proved not to be infallible, Hunter had his own freak out though it was meshed with anger and tears from the death of his loved ones.

"You're taking this rather well," he commented, leaning against one of the bedposts.

"If you recall, I just had my memory recovered by the very same Chronomancer we are meant to be against," answered Serena. "I've had one too many shocks in recent history. After the first few, it just loses its effect." She gave him a brave but weak smile. "What of you? Doesn't the whole idea of the belief system of an entire Station surprise you?"

Hunter tapped his finger against his bicep impatiently. "Thus my eagerness to break through that wall and get to the others."

"Fair enough," she chuckled. Slowly, she set herself down on the bed and stared up at the canopy over her head. "Whatever happens... the world will change, won't it?"

"Are you talking Incendius or Tower Thirteen?"

"Both."

Thinking about all that had happened, Hunter knew this Station would never be the same. The rest of Tower Thirteen would be affected but no more than if a distant cousin was diagnosed with a genetic disorder and the rest of the family rushed to get tested. After some fretting and testing, the thought would forever remain in the back of people's minds but they would go on with their lives. Tower Thirteen would be no different especially Haven which had suffered its own crippling attack.

"Incendius would change," he grunted. "But Tower Thirteen...? I'm not too sure. Look at the Fall of Haven. How much did Incendius really change after that?"

Serena frowned slightly. "I suppose you're right. People were a little frightened for a while but then the Church increased security, the Generals came in and stabilised the political storm and the world just kept going on. Do you think that will happen here?"

"Frankly, I really don't care," he replied, turned back towards the wall. "None of it will matter if we end up getting executed for some crime the Inquisition came up with or being obliterated by orbital bombardment. Besides, if we stop Chronos then it really won't matter."

A soft laugh made him turn to her. "You really do live in the moment, don't you?"

"Where else is there to live?" Taking Zero Hour, he stepped towards the indicated wall. He pressed a paw against its frame. "If we live in the past we'll just end up stressing over things we can't change. Live in the future and you'll constantly be disappointed by what may never be. Now is where the past is forgiven and where the future is forged."

"Don't suppose you learned that from Lord Chronos, did you?"

"Nope." He flashed her a smiled. "Got that from my friends."

"Own it. Let it go?"

His smile wavered slightly. "Yeah. How'd you know?"

"Eton said those exact words when Lord Chronos returned our memories."

Hunter groaned loudly and leaned against the wall he had been eyeing. "Goddess... the conversation is going in that direction now, isn't it?"

"I think it's long past since we talked about it," she responded with a smile. "Are you and Eton okay?"

"More than okay." He realised the response came far too quickly especially when Serena lifted an eyebrow. He winced again. "Okay... so maybe not entirely_okay. I mean, he seems fine but I... I... didn't think he'd be so... _sex-crazed."

Serena inclined her head to the side, requesting for more information.

"When he was with you, was he ever... I dunno... constantly suggesting threesomes, inviting random guys to bed with you and... I dunno... being a Lupus_?_"

She shook her head in confusion. "No. He was completely and utterly devoted to the relationship. He found it repulsive that other Lupus who said were devoted to one another would still sleep around even if it was the social convention." She leaned forward. "Is that really what he's doing?"

Hunter's ears folded back in shame. "Yeah... I mean, some guys would totally_be into that whole thing. Hell, I know some guys back on the _Lasting Armageddon that would jump at the change to get in a threesome with a Lupus. But me..." The back of his neck suddenly felt hot and prickly, forcing him to rub it subconsciously. "I guess I'm a romantic at heart. I have this image in my head that the guy I'm with is monogamous and sex is... I dunno... just between the two of us? I bet I sound really lame right now..."

Serena laughed cheerily and leapt from the bed. "No, I think it is rather sweet. Not very men your age would be so... old-fashioned?"

"That's making me feel a lot better," he growled.

She patted his shoulder comfortingly. "Trust me, Hunter, in this world of different cultures separated by physical barriers and gods-that-aren't-gods, anyone would be lucky to have someone like you devoted to them. The fool who doesn't placate your one request for faithfulness is throwing away a rare diamond found amongst lumps of coal."

Smiling weakly, he said, "So what do I tell Eton?"

She stopped patting his shoulder. "You mean you haven't talked to him yet?"

"No...?"

Whack!

Stars flashed in front of his eyes and his muzzle began to sting. "What was that for!?"

Her eyes were flaring. "I know I said people would be foolish not to devote themselves to you entirely but only when you've made your demands clear! For crying out loud, Hunter, talk to him!"

"But he's a Lupus! What am I supposed to say? 'Hey Eton, can you give up your entire livelihood, your entire identity for me?' What kind of boyfriend would I be?"

"A responsible one!" She pinched his left ear, making him yelp as she dragged him away from the wall. The pain vanished when she pushed him onto the bed. "You listen to someone who was in a loving relationship for five years only to have that all wiped away and forgotten, living in guilt for another five, you cannot just make concessions to your significant other all the time! You have to call the shots as well or else you risk just being absorbed by their lifestyle. You will become miserable. That is what I did for the last five years. I just let Eton burn me with his hatred. You saw how unhappy I was!"

I suppose that's true...

"But this isn't something that simple..." he murmured. "I can't just go up to him and tell him to -"

"What? To stop sleeping around? Hunter, Eton now has his memories of what it was like to be with me. If he's made the choice between sleeping solely with you or constantly finding others to entertain him without you, then he has made the wrong one. You go to him and you -"

BOOM!

The ship shuddered violently. The room was suddenly flooded with red light and alarms began blaring.

"What the hell was that!?" Hunter exclaimed.

"Are we under attack?" Serena asked. "Did Lord Chronos find us?"

BOOM!

Another explosion hit somewhere nearby and, once again, the ship shook violently. Hunter gripped the bedposts tightly while Serena was thrown to the floor. The floor began to tilt, the furniture sliding ominously down the slight slant.

"Oh shit... We're going down!" Hunter cried. "Can't you use magic to do something!?"

Serena shook her head. She desperately tried to scramble onto the bed. Her feet slipped against the slanted floor. Hunter seized her wrist and pulled her onto the mattress. "These rooms are fitted with powerful anti-magic runes. They prevent all forms of magic above a certain level. You can straighten your hair or wash yourself but you won't be able to do anything significant. Plus the Inquisitors' and Grey Knights' armour render them immune to certain magic if they active the same fields!"

The ship shuddered and quaked. Shouts came from the other side of the door. Hunter pilled Zero Hour by its chain and gripped it tightly, preventing it from slashing something inadvertently. Small panels on the ground began to dissipate at the touch of the sword.

"Stay close to me!" he barked. Hunter leapt off the bed and landed on a cabin that was accelerating towards the wall. He barely kept his footing as he vaulted from one piece of furniture to another. Serena was close behind him, following his steps.

The ship abruptly shuddered and began to slant in the opposite direction.

"Idiots are trying to overcompensate!" Hunter growled. "Who's piloting this blooding thing? Teenagers!?"

He felt more than saw Serena's befuddled look. "You know how to pilot a starship of this calibre?"

"No but I know when someone is flying really badly!" He reached his designated wall and lightly tapped Zero Hour against it. The panel began to dissolve into black dust to reveal the skeletal frame beyond that was crisscrossed by wires and pipes. No longer caring about their functionality, he sliced right through them and touched the opposing wall.

Through the rapidly growing hole, he spied Elena and Eton, both clinging onto the bed desperately.

"Eton! Elena!" he cried.

Before either of them could say anything, the entire wall decorated by sealed windows groaned ominously. A crack split across the entire length, letting the light of the Sun Spire shine through. Hunter's eyes widened in horror as the crack grew bigger and wailing winds began screaming through the widening breach.

Eton saw it too...

... and then they locked gazes.

"Eton!"

An enormous segment was instantly torn from the rest of the ship, disappearing fast into the distance. Furniture and all the loose pieces within the room were thrown into the gaping hole, crashing against one another and sending splinters of wood, metal and glass in all directions.

Elena screamed, her voice heard clearly even against the thunderous roars of the winds. Her fingers clutched the bed's curtains desperately. The bed itself was hurled straight towards the gaping hole. It flipped over, slamming right into Eton and sending them both hurtling right through the gap.

Hunter didn't think.

He bolted out of the small, safe alcove and threw himself out into the frigid, biting air. Debris from the entire ship bit into his flesh, slicing through his clothes and digging deep into his skin. His hours on Zero Hour_began ticking away rapidly as they were spent healing his body. The _Sunspot shot past him with a tremendous roar, spewing black smoke and flames as it did.

Farmland and mountains dominated the land below. Not too far away was the glistening gem that was Corona and its pinnacle, the Sun Spire. He couldn't spent time to guess where the ship would crash but he knew it was destined to smash into the capital of Incendius. His eyes diverted straight to the rain of debris that kept spraying out of the ship and the black spot that hurtled through the air.

Hunter angled his body straight towards the Lupus, making himself as streamlined as possible. A cabinet came zooming in front of him at an angle. He swung Zero Hour, slicing it in two. A segment of the wing as large as three men spun wildly in front of him. As it angled towards him, he scrambled up its side, using it as a ramp before launching off and speeding straight for Eton.

"Heathen!"

WHAM!

The heavy armoured fist of an Inquisitor slammed into his gut. All the air rushed out of his lungs. The red, artificial eye of the Inquisitor glare shone right into his eyes and he felt the cold grip of the human seized his shoulder, taking them into dizzying spiral. Hunter briefly spied Eton beyond the spinning world. His heart skipped a beat as the ground came closer and closer with each passing second.

"I don't have time for you!" he shouted. Hunter swiped Zero Hour at the man but the mechanically enhanced Inquisitior easily seized his forearm. Hunter just needed to twist his wrist a little, tapping the golden blade in his paw against the man's cheek.

The Inquisitor's one good eye widened as his flesh began to blacken and blow away in the speeding winds. With his grip weakened, Hunter kicked the disappearing Inquisitor.

Wham!

He tasted blood, stars flashing before his eyes. He vaguely remembered a large slab of metal striking his forehead but he couldn't be sure. Hunter shook away the dizziness, watching his blood spray behind him in the gesture.

In that brief moment, he caught the scent of frozen pine and hazelnuts.

"Eton!"

The big Lupus was just a few metres ahead of him. Hunter streamlined his body, speeding forward until he could seize Eton's paw. The Lupus jolted and turned to him, eyes wide.

"Are you crazy!?" Eton shouted.

"Probably!" he shouted back. "I'm not going to let you die!"

"Then what's your plan!?"

...

No parachute, no way to slow them down and not a single clue. Hunter just stared at the Lupus blankly, offering a meek smile in return. Eton returned the smile and pulled him close. In the freezing air, the touch of his warm body eased Hunter's rapidly beating heart. A gust of warm air brushed against his ear just where Eton's muzzle was.

"Don't worry. I've got you."

Hunter blinked twice as a snowflake danced in front of him. Startled, he pulled away from Eton but the _Lupus_kept a firm grip on him, holding them together tightly. Around them, snowflakes gathered and swirled in a dizzying sphere. He could barely see past the blizzard.

He felt Eton smile.

"Descend upon the world, Comet."

It took a second for Hunter to realise that was not Eton's activation phrase for Comet. His eyes widened as the _Lupus'_body became frighteningly cold. At the same time, the air sizzled with magic, making his fur stand on end. The flakes of snow began sticking to Eton's body, covering his entire form and blanketing him in white. Every inch of him became as hard as cold steel and Hunter had to push away as the mere touch nearly froze his skin solid.

He watched in utter awe as Eton's form grew bulkier, smoother and more streamlined. Slowly, the layers of ice began to peel away. Solid black armour trimmed with icy-blue lines were revealed covering every inch of Eton's body. Not a single inch of his jet-black fur was revealed save for his lower jaw. Even his ears were completely encased in the strangely flexible black metal. From his feet to his massive biceps and all the way across his massive chest, the black armour shone.

Held tightly in his right paw was_Comet_, tripling in size until it was about as big as Eton. Its spikey head was as large as Hunter's chest and the spikes had turned into an icy-blue instead of their steely black. Through all the inhuman armour, Eton's blue eyes shone.

The Paladin gripped Hunter's waist, pulling him tightly to him. His armour was still bitingly cold.

"Hold on," Eton rumbled.

The loud clank of metal caught Hunter's attention. Two blade-like protrusions sprang out from Eton's back. Bright, blue gas exploded from their edges, pushing back against the force of gravity. The howling winds and the impending doom of being splattered all over some farmland eased. For a moment, no matter how brief, Hunter just melted into Eton's arms, letting himself be consumed in the oddly comforting cold of Eton's embrace and chilling armour. The roar of the Sunspot, shouts of people falling to their deaths, the screams of those below and the crashing of debris faded away into the gentle roar of Eton's power and his gentle breathing.

Their descent slowed until Eton could lower them down onto the tall, wheat stalks. Whatever the gas on his 'wings' touched froze instantly, leaving a patch of ice where he landed. Hunter almost slipped on the panel of frozen grass. He staggered away from Eton, surprised at the Paladin's Drive Form.

"Shit..."

"Impressed?" Eton asked. He jabbed Comet into the ground, the gargantuan mace embedding itself into the ground and keeping itself upright by sprouting a large pillar of ice to balance itself.

Hunter had seen a lot of Paladins enter Drive Form before. In his youth, it was something of a fascination of his. Most kids were interested in Paladin Drive Forms. They had trading cards, videogames and comics built entirely around fictional and real Paladins who had sold their image to the media. Now, Hunter knew it was just part of Church propaganda. That did not quell his awe at seeing a real Drive Form in real life.

Eton was... majestic, imposing, handsome and awe-inspiring. Some part of Hunter wanted to fall to his knees and praise the Lupus as a god, kiss his feet and beg for mercy. The other part was about ready to piss himself in fear. The Sun Spire struck his armour in just the right way that the black glistened and the ice blue looked like crystal that highlighted every muscle on his body even beneath the armour.

"How... They confiscated your Valour...?"

Eton smiled at him and nodded at Zero Hour. "Just like your Valour was granted to you by the Mother Goddess for a purpose, mine was the same. Without the magic dampening of the Inquisition, Paladins can retrieve their Valours from anywhere. It's Initiates that lose their Valours and can't summon them."

BOOM!

He was shaken away from his revere as he looked past Eton.

His jaw dropped.

Eton turned as well and all the confidence he showed previously just shattered. A black plume of smoke rose from Corona. They couldn't make out where the Sunspot had hit but it clearly struck the middle of the city. A moment later, another explosion rang out very close to the plume followed by another and another and another.

"Shit... The Sunspot couldn't be _that_volatile... could it?"

"It's not the Sunspot."

Both wolves turned. Serena came forward, hobbling with Elena supporting her.

"It's the Vox de Sole," Elena said. "I've constantly wondered what their role is in this... and now I know. They are the anarchists that will be the fuel to set the remaining parts of Incendius afire. The Sunspot's crash is their spark."

"That doesn't make sense!" Hunter exclaimed. "They're against the Church. I thought they'd be happy that the _Sunspot_crashed! Are you saying _they_sabotaged the ship?"

"It doesn't matter who caused the ship to crash. All that matters is who takes responsibility."

As she said that, another series of explosions ripped through the city.

"She is right." Shinniah looked sadly up at Corona, her hair and dress blowing away in some non-existent wind. "It was all part of the plan. The Vox de Sole formed solely to destroy Corona. They were made to keep the Inquisition and the Church occupied so that you can get to the Sun Spire and fire it. You now have a path free of the Inquisition. Though Chronos did not forge them... he used their hatred." She stared at him with those chilling, red eyes.

"Fulfil your destiny."

*****

With Eton's added speed and Serena's ability to manipulate the winds, they were able to speed to Corona; Eton carrying Hunter and Serena carrying Elena. Along the way, they saw the devastation the crashed Sunspot had caused. Debris had fallen everywhere and amongst it all were the bodies of the Inquisitors and Grey Knights that had been unfortunate enough to be thrown out the holes. It horrified Hunter even more when he noticed some of them were alive; somehow kept alive by their mechanical armour.

They couldn't spend any time worrying about them. Their friends and the Apex Clericus Solis could still very well be on the Sunspot. Hunter hadn't told anyone about what Shinniah had told him but he gave them the possibility that Chronos could have planned to have the Malicious Spear crash into Corona as well. It was pre-programmed and they could not do anything to reprogram it.

Was this what Chronos wanted all along?

He didn't let any of them think about it too long. He knew it would just depress them further so he hurried them all Corona.

The gates of the city had been prised open by two, enormous, crystal hands. Not too far away, Moonclaw was fighting beside Smallfang against a horde of Vox de Sole fanatics. Hunter leapt out of Eton's arms and drew Zero Hour. He joined the fray, easily cleaving through the men and women. For a second, a pang of regret hit him...

Then he remembered what a mercy it would be to die instead of just being another of Chronos' pawns.

"Are you mad!?" Moonclaw shouted, seizing his paw. "They are living people! How could you kill them like that!?"

He had no response as he watched the faces of countless people contorted in rage twist and vanish into a swirl of black dust.

"I know you care about all these people, father," Elena said, gripping Moonclaw's wrist lightly. "But we cannot save everyone. These people made their choice. Now they must suffer the consequences."

Hunter remained silent as his gaze turned towards the ever-shining Sun Spire.

"You must destroy it," Shinniah said. "Fire the cannon."

Go to hell.

Hunter shrugged her off and bolted down the street without so much as another word. Eton shouted for him to stop and gave chase. A crowd of Vox de Sole suddenly poured out of nearby alleyways, cutting them off from one another. Hunter knew Eton and the others would be able to take care of themselves but he also knew he had to get to the Sun Spire.

"What are you going to do?" Shinniah asked.

He didn't respond.

The house ahead of him erupted into flames, sending debris in all directions. Nonhumans came pouring out, screaming and waving their arms as they desperately tried to douse the flames that engulfed them. Inquisitors came charging out of the home, accusing them of heresy. Hunter dashed past them, not daring to interfere.

"Will you fire the cannon?"

An Inquisitor screamed and was thrown clear out of a nearby building. Titus strode out of the building, eyeing the man dangerously.

"Anti-Chronomancy fields," the Chronomancer grunted. "You pests have grown soft and rely far too heavily on your technology." He launched himself on the Inquisitor, placing a foot on the man's chest while seizing the man's head with the teeth of his gargantuan wrench. "Weak."

Hunter didn't stick around to see the finale as he made his way up the main road heading up a slope straight to the Sun Spire. The road was a long series of steps that seemed to go on for eternity.

Shinniah appeared several steps ahead of him. "You have no choice."

He passed her and she just appeared again a short distance away.

"If you do not fire it, only more pain and suffering await."

Ignored.

"The violence will only stop if you give them a reason."

The gates to the Holy District were torn clear off. Golden poles that had once been intricately designed and flanked by beautiful marble statues of the Sun Goddess had been shattered and twisted into unrecognisable chunks. The bodies of Inquisitors lay everywhere. Far to his right, embedded into what appeared to be a large structure was the Sunspot. It lay in ruins, completely and utterly destroyed.

"Turn around, Hunter."

He stopped.

... and slowly turned around.

What he saw made his heart sink.

Corona, the crown of Incendius, was engulfed completely in flames and black smoke. Even though the Sun Spire shone brightly, the darkness of the smoke concealed it completely casting the entire city in a terrible, bleak shadow. Flames engulfed the streets and the sounds of rioting and battle rang clearly throughout the entire city.

He had a clear view of it all.

"Is this what you wanted?" he snarled softly. "To get me to fire that damn cannon, you caused a riot that devastated the last bit of civilisation on this goddamn Station!?" He whirled around to face her. "If you care so much for the people of this world, why the fuck would you let this happen to them!? Are they meant to be some sort of horrible sacrifice for the greater good!? Are you telling me that they need to die so that you can force my paw!? How does that even work!?"

Shinniah regarded him impassively. "From tragedy, you can bring perspective. This world worships a false idol... me. I need to be removed from the equation. Destroy the Sun Spire and remove this false worship. The loss, the horror of being plunged into darkness, it will force all the people to stand on their own two feet."

She turned towards the south. "The cannon will send me to the Darkened Lands. There, I will continue to shine until the last of my strength leaves me. There, I will push back the might of the Shadows and pave the way for Harm Chronos and his gathering army. At the same time, those strong enough to fight will be make the pilgrimage towards my light... and there they will meet Harm and his army, join with them... and we will have a force to finally combat the Shadows."

Hunter growled loudly, swinging Zero Hour angrily. "This whole mess was started by a string of lies! Adramalech lied to you, you lied to the world, the Inquisition lied to everyone else and now Chronos is lying again! Why the fuck would adding more lies solve any problems!?"

"I am not lying," Shinniah said. "We are going to put an end to it all. The lie is perpetuated by you and those like you." She fixed him with an accusing stare. "Why have you not told anyone else about what I have told you? Why did you not tell others about what you know, instead letting the Inquisition reveal it all? Andrew and Tanar told you about the Archives and yet you still pursued the foolish quest to confront the Inquisition about it.

"If you had merely told the others about my request to destroy the Sun Spire, told Aria about Andrew and Tanar's discoveries and confronted Eton about your personal problems, you could have avoided so much heartache and all this death." She swept her arms wide behind her. "This... This is on you, Hunter."

He shook his head. "That's bullshit!"

"Oh? If you had told Aria, will she have believed you? Chances are, no, but she would have considered it and perhaps at least trusted you enough to see the Sun Spire for herself without incurring the wrath of the Inquisition. She is a Templar, she has the authority to do so. Further, if you had told her about my request, it would have sparked more interest. She already believes you about my existence.

"This is adaptation," she said, pointing at Corona. "Yes, Harm Chronos planned for this. Yes, he knew you well enough to know you would take this path. Yes, he manipulated people's minds for this eventuality but it could have all_been avoided if _you had been truthful!"

"You're one to talk about truth!"

"Yes I am!" she shouted back. "I have lived with a lie for thousands of years and I have lived with the guilt of the lie for just as long! My lie became my truth! Do you see what I have become!?" Tears were starting to pour down her cheeks as she pressed a hand against her chest. "If I had just been truthful, if I had told the world the truth, I would never have become trapped in a perpetual cycle of coming close to meeting my father once more before being forcibly yanked back into this miserable existence because of a lie I_started! I know about lies, Hunter, I know about secrets! So as one who has become consumed by the guilt, I am telling you that you should _not have taken this path!"

...

Hunter scowled at her.

"Go fuck yourself."

He turned and stormed towards the_Sun Spire_.

This was the first time he ever saw the tower close up and he was sure it would have looked stunning in its full glory. Even with the bloodstained steps and the acrid smoke, the delicately carved white walls and statues of the Sun Goddess took his breath away. Scenes from Incendian history and divine scripture had been embossed into the walls. Windows were trimmed with gold and glistened in the firelight.

He stepped around man Inquisitors and Grey Knights... and spotted one in particular. Kneeling beside the man, Hunter was surprised to find Inquisitor Dorthango still alive.

"Dorthango," he murmured.

The man regarded him with a faint smile before breaking out into a cough. "You... Harm Chronos... Or rather, the boy named as such..."

"I'm going by 'Hunter Hart' these days."

"I see..." Dorthango closed his good eye briefly. "Hart... your mother's maiden name... Hunter... your callsign in the military... Fitting." Dorthango coughed and blood splattered out of his lips which was odd. A lost arm shouldn't cause someone to bleed internally and he couldn't see evidence of a collapsed lung or any other such damage.

"What can I expect up there?"

The Inquisitor smiled. "Betrayal. Tynvandar, Aria Valkyrie, Marshal Ford and his sister all went up to the Sun Spire. All I know is that as we were arriving at Corona, all four of them burst into the bridge of the ship and tore us apart. I do not know what they intend to do up there. Perhaps beseech the Apollia for a solution? Corona is aflame... Incendius is gathering under Chronos' banner... and the Shadows are massing. Maybe they intend to take the Scorium Axis and use it as their banner... I do not know.

"Whatever the case..." He broke out into another series of coughs. "That damn girl... Ophelia... She managed to control every single one of my Inquisitors and Grey Knights... Made us shoot one another." He coughed and this time, there was a large splatter of blood. "Goddess... the crash must have collapsed one of my lungs..." He closed his eyes and grunted. "Worse... shattered a rib. Shards are embedded into my lungs."

He fixed Hunter with a fierce stare. "Listen to me, Hart, as long as a Paladin is inside the Sunspot, they should not have been able to retrieve the Valours. Once outside, they can use whatever magic they can to call it to them but inside, none of them should have been able to retrieve their Valours. But they did."

"Maybe you just missed one."

Dorthango shook his head. "No. We know their capabilities. They had help. I do not know from who or how... but there is something else... someone else_working here... Chronos?" He laughed bitterly, bringing on another burst of coughs. "I do not know what you intend... but for the sake of Incendius, for _all of Tower Thirteen... stop them... whoever them is..."

The Inquisitor spluttered just as a series of shouts caught Hunter's attention. "Go..." Dorthango reached into his flank with his good arm. A kinetic pistol sprang up from his side and he lifted it. "I will keep whoever comes to these doors away for as long as I can." He bashed his chest plate. The pectoral pieces of armour sprang open to reveal a glistening, yellow core. Hunter knew what the Inquisitor planned.

"Maybe I can solve this before you get to blow yourself up," he offered, smiling weakly.

"You have the name of a Chronomancer... but you aren't one." Dorthango smiled faintly. "Be grateful for that. Now go!"

Hunter gave the Inquisitor a grave nod. The Sun Spire's doors were wide open. The bodies of Inquisitors, Custodia Solis and their priestly equivalents, the Clericus Solis were thrown everywhere. A massive statue of the Sun Goddess stood to greet visitors immediately while pews were arranged in a circular fashion around the edifice. Blood was everywhere.

He heard the grinding of stone behind him and turned. Dorthango gave him one last nod before the two, massive doors close shut. The weight of having the Inquisitor's dying wish on him felt far more real than whatever Shinniah wanted.

Striding through the bloodstained aisles, he navigated his way around the Sun Goddess' visage. A large, white marble wall stood in front of him with the golden doors of an elevator set in front of him. As if my magic, the golden doors slid aside before he even got close. He noticed the magical runes dancing on the floor of the circular platform. It was clearly not a mechanical lift.

Taking a breath, he stepped onto the machine and waited patiently. The doors slid shut. The runes beneath his feet began to glow. Slowly, the platform began to rise. The walls were carved with images of ancient battles but he ignored them all.

"If you fire the Sun Spire..." Shinniah turned to him from where she stood two feet to his right. "The world will be returned to how it should have been. My light is a curse. It was an attempt on my part to burn away the sins of my father. It was unnatural. Hope based entirely on hatred. This hatred has kept Incendius alive. Lupus_despise the 'weak' _Vampiri, Vampiri loathe the elitist humans and the humans abhor the bestial Lupus. All because of the light I cast upon them."

"So you think that taking away the light will stop all the hate?"

"No. Unification against a single enemy will do that. Taking away the one thing they strive to protect will prevent them from fighting over it." Her eyes turned sadly to him. "Consider this, Hunter, the Vox de Sole were not created by Chronos. You have only assumed that. The Vox were created because of mortal greed, fear and hatred. Harm may have taken advantage of them, using them to spurn you all to act but he did not create them."

Hunter had no reply and just gazed stoically forward, watching the scenes engraved into the walls fly by.

"They are fighting to lay claim to the Sun Spire. He who controls the_Spire_, controls Incendius, would you not say? Take it away and suddenly, you can guide everyone to a single goal. My presence in the Darkened Lands will turn them in that direction."

"You suck as a goddess."

She laughed softly, shaking her head. "I was never a goddess. Just a human who fell in love with a god. War has started because of my actions. I was selfish and maddened by guilt. I chose duty over family. I have made bad choices and if I had just chosen a different path, perhaps this could have all been avoided."

Hunter balled his paws into fists. "Well it didn't. Live with it."

"I have. For millennia, I have."

"You didn't let me finish," he snarled. "Live with your mistakes. Own them. Then let them go."

She offered him a soft, weak smile. "If you had condemned millions of people to a life of suffering, could you do the same?"

"Isn't that what you're asking me to do by firing the Sun Spire?"

Her eyes widened and her jaw dropped open.

"Thought so."

The platform stopped moving.

Hunter found himself standing in front of another pair of golden doors. Through the gaps in the portal, he could see the brilliant of the Sun Spire_shining through. He pressed himself against the wall, knowing the consequences if he was in the direct path of the _Scorium Axis.

The doors opened with a hiss.

And he slowly peered around the corner.

What he saw... It sent his heart into somersaults.

Four immense statues were arranged side by side to form a barrier against the Sun Spire. One he recognised as the tall, muscular Leandros von Lupus and another was Phalgymr. The third he realised was the draconic Malfemir and the last was the winged Sun Goddess Apollia.

Aria crouched a few metres away, panting hard with Gungnir hanging weakly in her left hand. Her other was resting on Tanar's back. The massive Dire Wolf lay on his side, eyes shut with blood streaming down from the exposed parts of his body uncovered by Blade Legion. Tynvandar had his hands pressed against Tanar's wounds, whispering prayers and with magical light spraying from the contact.

A short distance away from them both Andy stood, fangs bared and Celestial Crime raised. Ragged red and black tears in space hung where his claws were but he seemed stuck. He was turned towards Ophelia who stood calmly several feet away from him, arms folded and a small smile on her muzzle. She flicked her fingers lightly and Andy jerked to the right. In that moment, Hunter caught sight of the almost invisible, silvery strings that were wrapped around Andy's body.

Behind Ophelia, standing in front of a console emerging from the Sun Goddess' feet was...

"Ford...?"