He had resolved not to drink too much, given what would likely follow in the morning. He almost managed it, too. As evening drew on, he found himself sitting lower and lower, his eyelids heavy, his brain a mass of churning fog.

‘What,’ Lemon said, trying to pour out more wine, ‘what do you think happens …?’

‘When?’ Rennic had something wet in his beard.

‘When we die.’

‘When you die, Lemon, there will be parades somewhere.’

‘No, no, I mean … Like, is there more? Is there a judgement? Another go around? A “thanks for playing”?’

Rennic puffed drooping strands of hair from his face. ‘Getting philosophical for a rationalist, aren’t you?’

‘What do you think happens?’

‘I think there’s pain, and darkness, and then nothing. Fuck knows I’ve seen enough others die, and they’ve not mentioned much more than that.’

‘Aye, but—’

‘If it’s convictions you’re after, maybe you’d be better off addressing the Foss.’

‘Fossy?’

Foss had spoken little during the evening, and drunk less. He seemed lost in thought, but looked straight up.

‘Lots of wiser folks than me have theories and proclamations on that, friend.’

‘But what do you think, Fossy?’

The big man sat back with a sigh, resting his hands on the back of his head. ‘I don’t know, my friend, I truly don’t. I know what the church preaches, what the Articles claim, in all their varied voices. But me? Whatever else the end means, I hope it brings peace.’

Lemon nodded, then raised her cup. ‘Aye. Peace.’

Foss raised his in response.

‘Peace.’

***

‘Wake up! Wake up, Andriz!’

Awake, and thirsty. Regretting many of the previous evening’s decisions. Kosh was bent over him, thin fingers digging into the flesh of his arm.

‘What? What? Is it even dawn?’

Her dark eyes were wide, almost glowing in the light of the lone candle in her other hand. On inspection, he doubted she’d slept that night. He wondered if she slept much at all now. He’d expected her to be grieved by Matil’s maiming, but he hadn’t expected the fury that burned behind her eyes. She seemed animated by it.

‘Not yet. Come on, get up.’

‘Why? What’s happening?’

‘All is ready.’

***

The temples and churches were full of the injured and terrified, their moans and whimpers melding with the anxious sounds of the besieged city even in the dark of night. The pops and bursts of demon eggs over the city lent a savage tension to the atmosphere, where death could fall from the sky without warning at any moment. The citizens kept off the streets, staying ensconced within the lower buildings, praying that the scattering clusters of explosions would lack the concentration to bring the upper towers down upon them.