"What will you do when you reach Seranthia?" Beorn asked.

"If the city is still in the Primate's hands, I'll keep my head down and do what I can until either the Hazarans or you two arrive. I'm counting on it being you two, but I'll be prepared if it's not. If my sister isn't there, there'll be at least one Alturan in Seranthia when the Primate is taken from power."

"It's a brave move," Rogan said. "I promise you, we'll do what we can to get there first."

"I also plan to look for Amber," Miro said, "and for Ella."

Miro walked to the corner of the room where his zenblade was hanging on a rack. Next to it was his rail-bow and a quiver of arrows, fletched with green feathers. He started to pack.

"You've leaving right now?" Beorn asked.

"Why wait?" Miro said. "I trust both of you. Let's see this thing through."

"Take care," Rogan said, "and don't do anything rash. I'll see you in Seranthia."

53

53

SERANTHIA, capital of the broken Tingaran Empire, was the largest city in the world. It stretched over hills and valleys, from horizon to horizon, from the wide open mouth of its massive harbour to the unbroken grey line of the Wall.

Seranthia was a city with a unique mix of lawlessness, vice, and brutal punishment. Newcomers and strangers thought there were no laws at all, but the truth was the laws that existed were few, but rigidly enforced.

The old Emperor, Xenovere V, like all of the Tingaran Emperors before him, took great offence at anyone making light of his position, and so anyone overheard disparaging his name was thrown over the Wall.

Recognising the importance of respect for the Assembly of Templars, those caught denigrating the Evermen, the Primate, or the Assembly itself were thrown over the Wall.

The laws were all simple, and those remaining no less so. Essence was the most valuable substance in the realm, and even small amounts on the grey market could cause the destruction of the powerful merchant families and result in chaos. Anyone caught possessing essence without a licence had his or her lands and possessions confiscated and was thrown out of the city. Distributing essence resulted in torture and the execution of one's family.

The final law was the simplest of all, but was the one broken the most. Vagrants were not tolerated, so anyone without the price of a loaf of bread on his person was thrown outside the city. If the vagrant struggled or protested, the legionnaires were authorised to throw him over the Wall.

Those vagrants that didn't end up as mangled corpses at the bottom of the Wall, generally headed to Aynar, where they became burdens on the Assembly of Templars.

Now there was a new place where the legionnaires could send the poor of Seranthia: a facility managed and run by Templar Zavros.