He came to. Moved slowly, feeling with his whole body how his forehead was burning—probably from a huge lump that had swollen there. At first, he didn’t even understand what was happening. Consciousness was returning gradually, in jolts. There was an unfamiliar, sharp, bitter smell in the air… his hands and feet were tightly bound and strapped to some kind of metal rails… his shoulder blades and bones pressed against a hard surface… he was bare to the waist… only his head could move. He could hear something humming steadily and monotonously, occasionally emitting a faint beep, someone pacing the room with heavy steps… his heart beating slowly and unusually loudly… and a massive hammer pounding inside his head.

  Then Kairu dared to open his eyes slightly.

  Above him, very close, was a damp log ceiling, shadows and flickers of flame dancing across it. Slowly, with difficulty and a stiff neck, he turned his gaze to the side and saw walls with candle holders fastened in special brackets, holding candles burning with dim, uneven light. He couldn’t tilt his head enough to view the whole room. Any such attempt sent pain radiating through his entire body.

  And then there were muffled sounds of gunfire and horses’ hooves coming from far away. His keen and well-trained hearing could still make out the simple melody of battle. It was just too familiar to him.

  "You’re awake?"

  A man leaned over him. Their eyes met, and Kairu flinched. The poisonous orange eyes with tiny pupils, so close, were terrifying. Saelin smirked. In his pale, thin lips, it looked more like a grimace of hatred. He straightened, ran a bony finger across Kairu’s forehead, making him groan and jerk in his restraints.

  "Welcome," said Saelin. "You did well to come alone. Sorry we had to tie you up, but that’s only to stop you from threatening suicide again. For now, I need you alive."

  Kairu said nothing. His heart was pounding wildly.

  "A strong boy," the professor said softly, studying him. "No doubt it gave you strength… So much strength… hm, I wouldn’t mind such a gift myself, but alas, fate didn’t grant me one. Nubel went further in this research than any of us. But he’s dead. A pity, he could’ve told me a lot about you. He knew much more than he ever let on. I only realized that recently…" The professor grimaced. Kairu remained silent.

  "Hurts, doesn’t it?" Saelin asked. "Probably… Of course it does. With that spell, people usually slam their foreheads into something and black out. The spell itself is quite simple—mirror. I think you didn’t even realize you tried to attack me mentally. It happens instinctively for you. Yes, you’re an interesting type. I’ll miss Nubel… he was a fine doctor in his time… but I think I’ll manage without him. If you don’t resist."

  "What do you want?" Kairu finally croaked, and was surprised by how weak and hoarse his voice sounded.

  "Me?" Saelin seemed surprised. "I want the same thing Nubel and Petros wanted—what else? I want to find out how it is that you are the only one in the world who can foresee the future. How your abilities are connected to the Lake of Aktida. And most importantly—whether it’s possible, with just you and the diamond, to create a crossroads of time."

  "Petros didn’t want that," Kairu said angrily.

  "Oh, he wanted exactly that. He was just good at telling pretty lies. Saying that everything he did was for the revolution and a beautiful new world that would begin the moment the Winver dynasty fell. But in truth, all he ever wanted was to spit in the face of the Academy of Sciences and rewrite his own past."

  Kairu remained silent. It was clear that, for now, the professor was waiting for something and in the meantime felt like chatting. He was clearly bored.

  "You’re probably wondering where you are," Saelin said hoarsely at last. "Well, I can satisfy your curiosity. This is my hideout, half a mile from the Castle walls, so the sounds reach here quite clearly. Hear that? Those are my soldiers fending off your infantry, my arachnids strangling your cavalry and driving them into the web. These vain, overconfident Alvens don’t yet know that none of them will return from this forest. My troops will chase them to the end, until they’re all dead… I don’t need enemy camps right under my nose, blocking my main transport routes to the factories, the Desert Lands, and Diobar… These roads are vital to me. They’re like arteries in my own body."

  "Has the Aktida army reached the Citadel?" Kairu realized. "You’re in for a beating," he said with sudden hatred. Saelin just chuckled:

  "You’re a naive boy. Should’ve stayed home and kept out of history… not dreamed of glory. Then none of this would’ve touched you. But no. You wanted wealth and honors, am I right? To see the world, meet people? The world is cruel. It has its own laws. That’s why Nubel is dead. That’s why Petros is dead. Many, many others are dead…"

  "Petros is alive, and he’ll be back!" Kairu roared. "You know nothing! You lost his trail! He fooled you all!"

  "He fooled no one," Saelin replied lazily. "Calm down. I know Petros is dead. I’m sure of it, because I got the information from the most reliable source. I know where he was, why he went there, and what he did there. Sitting in this room with you is someone who saw Petros die with his own eyes. If you don’t believe me—believe him. Go on, friend," Saelin turned. "Don’t be shy. Our guest won’t be harmed by the truth."

  Only now did Kairu notice the other man sitting in the corner across from him. The man straightened to his full height at that moment. He was wrapped in a hooded cloak that concealed a tall, powerful figure. Kairu suddenly shivered with a premonition that rose deep inside, like a snake lifting its head in sleepy awareness.

  "Allow me to introduce you," Saelin said mockingly, stepping aside. The man approached, and a beastly grin stretched across his weathered lips:

  "Oh, we’ve already met. Haven’t we?"

  With those words, he pulled back his hood, and Kairu struggled so violently that the straps holding him to the table creaked, because leaning over him was Orwell Cassander.

  No matter how many years had passed, Kairu would’ve recognized this man even on the edge of the world—he was sure of it. That single eye, dark as salted ocean water, he remembered well. Just like the moment when the admiral of the pirate fleet had raised his cutlass to take off his head. The cutlass now hung behind Cassander’s back; Kairu saw its hilt, adorned with a copper skull, and his throat went dry with fear. For despite his desire to face the admiral in open battle, he was still deathly afraid of this man.

  "Nalvin," the admiral said softly. "Last autumn. September second. You remember too, don’t you? You remember every detail of our first meeting. That day I let you go. I let all of you go—like the cowardly bastards you were. But I swore to myself: if I ever saw you again, even out of the corner of my eye—I’d kill you. Personally. And now the only thing between us is Saelin, so… once you’re done chatting, professor, let me take him."

  "No, Orwell," Saelin raised his hands. "Sorry, but right now, it’s far more important to get into his mind and try to analyze the connection between him and the diamond from a medical standpoint. I can’t guarantee he’ll survive the process… Damn, I really miss Nubel! He’d have done this much better than me." He turned to Kairu. "Believe it or not, I had a feeling that, left without the diamond, you’d come back for it. And that’s exactly what was meant to happen. Petros and I agreed on it."

  "You agreed with Petros?" Kairu’s head was spinning.

  "Of course. The triangle can’t be complete without you. The Lake of Aktida, the Star of Vaimar, and the Seer. With Petros’s death, the Star is lost forever. No one else knows where the artifacts are that allow entry into that shrine. Maybe Ashley or Konrad knows; maybe Axel knew—but damn me if that old bastard ever told anyone. He wanted the Star too badly—so badly he’d rather die than let someone else take his glory. But I think… the diamond and the Seer might be enough for me. I do know a bit about technology, damn it. And if the ancient Nocturns could do it, then so can I."

  He began pacing the room, suddenly deep in thought. Then he snapped out of it and continued:

  "Our deal was that I would start a war. Arm the pirates, organize them, let them march victoriously through the Southern Province. That distracted Emerlun and the other monarchs from the Lake of Aktida—otherwise, they would’ve torn each other apart. I’ll admit, I never liked the idea. Too much blood… destruction… But damn it, I already knew the pirates, and it was very easy for me to negotiate with them—right, Orwell? And curse me, but everything started off far too easily. I was drunk with euphoria when Surrell was taken almost without losses… Nalvin… We stalled near Mainor, but I didn’t waste time—instead I made contact with the Nocturns, and sure enough, they assigned me several regiments of mercenaries, which turned out to be enough—with goblin support—to take Boreain. Incredible, really! Sometimes I’m amazed at how lucky I am in everything—except the one thing that matters most…"

  "You’re lying!" shouted Kairu, tears choking him. "Petros couldn’t have made that deal with you! That’s a lie! Why would he want this war?!"

  "Ah, so he didn’t tell you about that either," Saelin laughed. "Petros is a fool and an idealist. He believes in the tales of the ancient Nocturns, believes in that stupid prophecy, believes in Elysium—thinks that a little ‘cleansing’ bloodshed would be enough for the whole world to reach beauty and harmony… Utter nonsense. The truth, Kairu, is that Elysium will never come. But I hope this little victorious war has bought me another hundred, maybe two hundred, years. The key is not to lose control. Petros was right about one thing: when the Winver dynasty ends, better times will come to Laugdeil. I’ll divide Aktida between the Talaskians, the Nocturns, the Kalds, and the Alvens—equally. And maybe this new state will last a while in peace and unity…"

  "They’ll still fight over the Lake of Aktida," Kairu rasped. "The Nocturn prophecy… The war will go on as long as the Lake exists in this world."

  "I don’t think so," Saelin shrugged. "Look at the Talaskians’ progress! They’re loyal to me, and I’ll give them the fertile lands of Aktida—which are far better than the cold plains and mountains of Talaska. They won’t care who has the diamond as long as I supply them with energy and weapons. I can turn the Aktida army into a force that even Jake Farian wouldn’t dare challenge. You saw it yourself. What are swords against rifles and cannons? And very soon, even more advanced weapons will appear. Then I’ll be able to wipe entire cities off the map with a single shot…

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  The shooting star, Kairu suddenly thought remembering with terror his old dream.

  No one will dare attack my state if it’s this well defended. And no one but me will be able to create such weapons. A true and lasting peace can only be achieved when all sides are restrained by fear."

  "A peace built on fear won’t last long," Kairu said stubbornly.

  Saelin burst out laughing.

  "My boy, my naive little boy! You’re trying to speak in slogans, but you know nothing of history. Looks like Petros didn’t bother educating you. So I’ll do it for him: throughout human history, the most stable peace has always been exactly this kind! That’s human nature. Fear is the only thing that can stop a person in their lust for power. Take fear out of the equation, and someone will always come along who decides they want more—and will try to take it from a weaker neighbor. No, people are weak and easily tempted. And the only way to pacify them is to invent a club that hits hard the moment they even think of reaching for something that’s not theirs.

  "But I can do more—much more than all those blue-blooded idiots who inherit power by birthright. I can, damn it, not only organize a gang of killers capable of conquering half an empire with a thousand-year history—I can also govern it better than anyone before. I can end the feuds. Right now, the first migrants from Talaska are settling in the Southern Province, and social institutions are slowly being restored. There are sheriffs there now, city guards, hospitals, and schools. The same is happening in the Eastern Province. Nocturns are moving in, taking over villages abandoned by fleeing Alvens. And they’re quite happy to finally feel at home on the land your ancestors drove them from two thousand years ago. It’s no longer scorched earth, Kairu. We’re rebuilding cities, reseeding fields, and next summer the harvest will be even greater than in Emerlun’s time. Yes, we were cruel at first, but we had to instill fear and prove our strength. You can’t make an omelet without breaking eggs. But I see a bright future. Tepei-Kuon isn’t just a region in Aktida’s Eastern Province. Tepei-Kuon is the Union State of Kalds from Talaska and Nocturns from Rikutiam...

  "This country is drowning in corruption. Emerlun doesn’t care that customs officers in Petista are swimming in bribes for not inspecting cargo from Vaimar and skipping duty fees—and that governor’s palace they built? It’s shameful to look at! These governors should all be thrown out. The fleet stationed at Surrell? A joke. Cassander sank it with a single salvo. Vaimaran smugglers roam the seas with impunity. From north to south flows a massive stream of goods, and Emerlun doesn’t get a penny—and still wonders why his treasury is empty!"

  Saelin fell silent, his gaze went distant, dreamy. He’s lost his mind, Kairu thought.

  "The Seer," Saelin said abruptly again. "And he came to me himself. Funny, isn’t it, Orwell? As soon as the boys finish off that little brat Emerlun’s troops, I’ll get to work on him. It’ll be a difficult operation, but for some reason, I’m confident in my skills… The key is to take it slow and do everything carefully, as science demands. And for now, I need to kill some time." He glanced tensely at the ceiling, from where a low noise was coming. "You know, you guys really scared me in July. I’ll admit, I got a bit spooked when you stormed through the gates and started smashing everything in your path. Funniest part is—my guards didn’t even realize it until you were already in the tower, searching for the lab entrance. You even brought a werewolf with you… Yeah, I was unprepared. But this time, I was expecting you. The guards were ordered to watch the bedroom from cover, and the officers got the signal the moment you entered. It was done masterfully—I only later found the open window and the grappling hook marks. Don’t know how you got into the courtyard… I don’t care. And the soldiers botched it again—three died, one has a concussion. You realized things had gone south but decided not to leave without the diamond… Am I right? Of course I am. Well, you look bored. Want me to cheer you up with the story of your beloved Petros’s death?"

  Kairu said nothing. Saelin smirked.

  "Cassander did it cleanly," he said. "Though the professor was no fool either—he led the admiral on a wild chase across the country all the way until April, and even managed to seriously injure my loyal ally… That admiral is my trump card. If Maclevirr doesn’t yet know the army isn’t led by him, no one must see him and report to their scouts. And if he does know… well, it’ll be a hell of a surprise when Orwell suddenly shows up at the head of his army, sword drawn, on a white horse… Friend, won’t you tell us how you killed Petros? Our guest clearly doesn’t believe you."

  "I hunted him across all of Aktida," Cassander said with a grimace. "I’ll admit, professor, I was ready for anything… except to see my country as it was during the First Conquista and the Nocturn genocide. Two thousand years ago, that’s where Petros went. Lucky I managed to steal some clothes, because in my armor, I looked like a jester at a fair… Petros spotted the tail after just four days. He tried to shake me, took winding paths—but I kept close on his trail, and in the end, I caught him. He accepted open combat—I don’t kill from ambush, I prefer a rusty sword to the sharpest coward’s arrow. We fought for a long time, were both exhausted. I wounded him several times; he burned me with his fire and lightning more than once… it hurt… But I beat him. I buried the body right there, on that cliff, and put his head on a pike as a gravestone. I held his head in these very hands, boy. I’m sure he’s dead."

  Kairu still couldn’t speak. He was trembling. And he wasn’t thinking about Petros, but about what was happening in the camp right now. Had they noticed his absence? Were they searching for him? Could they find him? And would he make it out of here alive?

  "Petros is dead," Saelin repeated. "And the world couldn’t care less."

  "Why do you hate him so much?" Kairu asked, feeling a spasm tighten his throat. Saelin looked at him in surprise, then his face turned hard.

  "Of course, he wouldn’t have told you. And Ashley couldn’t—she wasn’t there, up on the mountain. There’s no one left now... Only me… And maybe some of the druids still remembers…" He fell silent, pressed his lips together, then said, dryly and briefly:

  "Petros killed my son."

  Saelin sank into thought, his face darker than a storm cloud. Kairu remained silent. Cassander glanced up at the ceiling.

  "The cannons have gone quiet," he said suddenly. "And the clashing of swords is faint. Maybe it’s over…?"

  "We’ll wait," Saelin muttered. "The adjutant has orders, he’s supposed to report the situation to me."

  "Professor, if you had entrusted command of the operation to me…"

  "I won’t," Saelin snapped. "I won’t, Orwell! I told you already—I’m not going to waste you on small things. Who will govern the Talaskians when the war ends? For now, the goblins are doing just fine, and the Nocturn mercenaries too—they’re fueled by national hatred. That weapon’s just as effective as patriotism… Fanaticism is stronger than a hydrogen bomb."

  "What?" Cassander asked, confused.

  "Nothing. Just thinking out loud. Don’t mind an old man," Saelin waved him off. "Tell me instead: will Charybdis be ready to head out to sea and take command of the rest of the ocean fleet at a moment’s notice?"

  "Only if I’m at the helm. With all due respect, Professor, Charybdis won’t have any other captain. And if you don’t entrust her to me, we might as well just scuttle her."

  "Pirate tradition," Saelin muttered. "Fine. You’ll get Charybdis. Word of the future Emperor. We could’ve left Aktida as a kingdom, but for a united state with colonies on the Islands and in the Desert Lands, an imperial status suits better. I don’t like to do things halfway… And we’ll need a new name. Let’s expand Tepei-Kuon to the size of all Aktida. The Tepei-Kuon Empire! Has a ring to it, doesn’t it? Hm? Kairu, why so quiet? If I understood correctly, you were holed up with Ashley Nielder?"

  Kairu didn’t respond. Saelin sighed—he hadn’t expected an answer.

  "I figured. The old witch still found the strength to remember me and lend a hand to Petros’s lackeys. And that’s all your gang is: lackeys who don’t even understand what their master’s orders really mean... I shouldn’t have spared Onklag. Sure, I would’ve lost time and troops, but I could’ve strangled that snake for good. No matter. Things are about to change. Though your friends—the ones you came with last time," he added, turning to Kairu, "won’t be in Onklag anymore, I’m sure. The only road left for them is to Vaimar, along with the refugees. Probably for the best. Pirates or goblins—they’re both butchers. Don’t need bread, just someone to slit a throat for."

  When he fell silent, the room was quiet. Gunfire echoed from above like distant thunder. Cassander spoke softly:

  "Your adjutant is late. I fear he may be lying somewhere in a web with his head chopped off."

  "No big deal," Saelin mumbled. "If they win, someone will reach me and report it, no doubt. The officers in the command post know what to do. And I’ve assigned one of the best goblin mercenary companies to guard this hideout—no one’s going to forget them, that’s for sure."

  "Weren’t the pirates enough to defend the Castle?" Cassander asked with mild resentment, sitting down on a bench. "You scattered that huge force across the entire Southern Province and brought those freaks to Tepei-Kuon?"

  "All means are valid right now, Orwell. I still can’t forgive your appointee for the defeat at Mainor. Your army lost twenty thousand soldiers! Twenty thousand! And three hundred arachnids from our best division! I listened to the reports from those fools—they couldn’t even set up the officer’s camp properly, not to mention the failed flanking maneuver to the gate and the stalled attack at the bridge, where a handful of weaklings held them off. And the gate! We had a golden chance to take the city before the Vaimaran troops arrived, and—look at the result! That wasn’t the corsairs’ fault, Orwell—it was your commanders’ incompetence in land combat! When will you teach them?"

  Cassander raised his head proudly.

  "My men are well-trained," he answered coldly. "At Mainor, the odds were uneven. We didn’t expect an attack by centaurs, or the reinforcements from Asternia and Petista—and all at once. They struck from behind. And those damned mages—they were guarding the gate. That was your fault, Professor! You said that with the cannons you gave us, taking Mainor would be child’s play! And what happened? We were supposed to breach the walls, but they held no matter how many shots we fired! I lost my best soldiers at Mainor. Talaska is left with half an army—and to you, my men are expendable? They all died—no big deal, right? To hell with the Talaskians, we’ll just hire goblins, hire Nocturns! Is that it? You don’t keep your word, Professor!"

  "Alright, alright," Saelin hissed. "I’ll get you new cannons, don’t worry. As soon as we repel this attack and drive them back across the Flyliene, we’ll sit down and draw up a plan for the offensive on the Western Province. I promised you Petista—you’ll get it."

  "And the Southern and Eastern Provinces go to the goblins and Nocturns?" Cassander asked mockingly.

  "Orwell! My friend! Why do you need so much land? Talaska doesn’t have enough people to settle three-quarters of Aktida. And I bet you’d rather be closer to the coast. I promised fair borders, and I’ll keep that promise. But rein in your ambition. Or my cannons might just turn on you," Saelin finished coldly.

  "Is that a threat?" Cassander asked darkly, a barely hidden fury in his voice.

  "It’s a warning," Saelin answered quietly but with weight.

  For several seconds, the two men glared at each other with icy stares. In the silence that followed, footsteps echoed outside the door. A hurried knock followed.

  "Come in!" Saelin shouted impatiently. He saw the Nocturn adjutant on the threshold, sweaty and out of breath, and barked:

  "Well? Speak! Out with it! Skip the formalities! What’s happening?"

  "They… retreated," the adjutant panted. "The vanguard attack collapsed. We managed to hold them back and push them into the forest. Heavy losses, we had to bring in reserve regiments to maintain the upper hand and drive them off. We didn’t manage to crush them entirely, they destroyed almost all our cannons. But we roughed them up, and for now, our main forces are chasing them, hoping to push them far enough back that it’ll take them a long time to recover. The general will be here soon."

  "How many forces do we have left?" Saelin rolled his eyes.

  "About ten thousand swords, two thousand spears, fifty pikemen on arachnids, a thousand muskets, and two cannons."

  "So, half of what we started with. After five hours of nonstop bloodshed, I honestly expected more. That’s not a jab at you—but the officers… they’ll get a special conversation. Alright! Tell HQ to push them no farther than the Kastadt Road, drive them there, surround the road with observation posts, and begin urgently constructing fortifications. I’ll order the next batch of cannons sent from the plateau—they’re due to arrive this evening. That’s all—go."

  The door slammed behind the adjutant, and Saelin wiped the sweat from his brow in relief. He looked at Kairu.

  "Alright, no more time to waste. Assistants, get in here! Assistants! Roll him to the operating room!"