31. Callum #3
I frowned at this statement. “Were the instructions any clearer than that?” I asked. “I know we are not to undermine the Eternal and his commands, but was there mention of how we were to scale The Wall? Are we to fly over it? Will the ancient wards drop on their own accord?”
“Aeternus will give the land over to us,” Elion stated as though this were no concern. “Solis will fall, and once the Quarter is given over to us, we shall take control—destroying the corruption from within. We will ensure the darkness is no more, leaving nothing behind.”
“When you say ‘leaving nothing behind—’” Commander Drachen interrupted.
“We leave no one and nothing remaining.”
“Except for those in the apartment on The Wall with the red ribbon tied to the window,” I interjected, and Elion sent me a warning look.
“Those gathered in the singular marked apartment—they are the remaining members of the Remnant, of those who still put their faith in Aeternus. And they will be spared for their faith.”
“Yes, a specific cohort will be assigned to ensure those loyal to Aeternus are safely evacuated.”
Heads nodded in understanding across the table as Elion continued.
“As I was saying, the remaining cohorts will attack, leaving no one and nothing remaining. And once that occurs, our soldiers will return to the base camp. The Shade will set the Quarter ablaze. With Solis destroyed, Blackwood,” Elion stated, gesturing toward me, “will heed the Eternal’s final command for Solis, unleashing his affinity to ensure that no corruption is left to linger throughout the Quarter. ”
My head snapped up, fastening on Elion as I swallowed, the weight of Elion’s words hanging over me as I felt every eye in the room on me.
“Aeternus has commanded that of me?” I forced the words to fall from my lips in a monotone voice, my gaze focused solely on Elion as I processed his words: Ensure no corruption lingers.
“As Aeternus commands, so the Guild shall heed.” His eyes narrowed, daring me to speak against the Eternal’s command. I nodded my head as the blade in my hand spun swiftly between my fingers, the sharp metal pricking my fingertips as I watched the conversation continue around me.
I could feel the weight of Eleana and Axel’s gazes focused on me. I knew they too were doing the math . . . the weight of our mission weighing on us.
We would attack, we would take the Quarter. We would stop the corruption from spreading, but it would come down to us . . . It would be our job to set the walls ablaze. To ensure that not a single soul left the Quarter alive.
“Our plan of action is decided then,” Commander Drachen said to the generals in the room. I thanked the stars that the male had the boldness to end the briefing before we spent the entire stars-damned day in this war room.
“Can you believe it?” Axel questioned as he grabbed a drink from my kitchen, unscrewing the cap before sitting on the sofa, turning on the pilaeria match. “We will fly . . .” He mimicked Elion as he took a drink, and a low chuckle fell from my lips.
“The look on the commander’s face at Elion’s words,” I replied. “I thought he would lose it then and there when he found out Elion’s instructions from Aeternus involved flying around The Wall for six days without advancement.”
“And then when he said ‘then we must plan our course of action,’” Axel added. “I thought Elion was about to throw the commander out of the war room.”
I nodded as I opened my own drink, sitting down in the reclining chair as the match played in the background. “I’ve never seen Elion this concerned about our missions before.” I mused. “Though we’ve never worked this closely with Alarix’s army.”
Axel nodded from beside me. “We’ve never come at a mission from an angle this exposed. I mean . . . what’s stopping them from shooting us down as we fly around The Wall? From using their affinities on us? From attacking us?”
“Nothing,” I replied, my jaw tight as I ran the plan through my mind over and over again.
“So, we’re basically sitting ducks,” Axel grumbled.
“No,” I replied. “We are. There’s no basically about the statement. We’ll literally be prime targets for them to take out . . . with orders not to use our affinities or fire back as we circle their Quarter for seven days.”
“It’s got to be the worst plan he’s proposed,” Axel stated. “And I doubt the commander is going to let his generals tell their army the details of this mission. They won’t know what they’re agreeing to until it’s time to fly.”
“On that, you’re probably right,” I agreed. “But we both know that Elion won’t be swayed from this course of action . . . not unless Aeternus himself gives a new command.”
“So,” Axel drawled. “What are you going to do about Raelyna and the—” He gestured toward the starbound mark on my wrist. My gaze dropped to the golden mark on my skin, my eyes tracing over the three triangles blending together.
“I’ve got a plan,” I confessed as I took another drink, relaxing into the chair. “If you’re down to help me, that is.”
Axel shot me a grin as I began to share the plan that had been forming in my mind.