"As the leaves fall upon our marble tiles, as the breeze rustles the birches beyond our column, as the sun gilds the mountains above our halls—know, young child of the woods, you are home, you are home." She opened her eyes, smiled, and looked up at the pale clouds. "Requiem! May our wings forever find your sky."

Jeid smiled too. He repeated the prayer, a new song, a holy song—Requiem's song. The others joined in and their voices rose together.

"Requiem! May our wings forever find your sky."

ISSARI

 
ISSARI

The city-state of Eteer—center of a civilization, a light to the world—lay charred and crumbled.

Issari stood upon her balcony, staring at the destruction. Aerhein Tower, the prison which had once held her brother, lay fallen, crushing houses beneath it. Blood and gobbets of demon flesh covered the city domes, courtyards, and cobbled streets. Half the trees had burned, and ash rained across the balcony, remnants of the fire upon the palace roof.

"Two dragons came to this city," Issari whispered, the smoky wind invading her nostrils. "Three left. And here I remain, an heiress to a broken land."

The demons too remained, still marring her city. Dozens had died in the dragon onslaught. But Angel, their queen, still crackled in the underground, moving through the city sewers, nursing her wounds and blasting flame and smoke through sewage holes. Hundreds of her minions still covered the roofs, gardens, and streets, screeching and cackling. Hundreds of women walked the streets, dazed, holding their growing bellies; the spawn of demons festered in their wombs.

Issari winced in sudden pain. The welts on her back blazed with agony if she even breathed too deeply. When her father had returned to the city—only three days ago—he had beaten her, whipping her back until she bled.

"I left you here alone for a month," King Raem had said, voice cold. "I left you, my heiress, to rule this city, and I return to find it in ruins."

She had not wanted to scream. She had vowed to remain silent under his lash. Yet as he had beaten her, and as her blood had splattered the walls, she had screamed.

A sigh ran through Issari as she stood here now, gazing upon the hive of devilry and ruin. She raised her hand and gazed at her amulet. When she'd pressed it against Angel, it had embedded itself into Issari's palm. Her flesh had healed around the silver sigil—a slender man within a circle. She had tried to pull the talisman free but could not. It was a part of her now—as much as her heart. The silver gleamed softly, crackling to life as a demon fluttered by the balcony. She closed her fingers around the amulet, and its glow faded.