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Ibai pulled Asad through the hole in space and, with a great crack, relocated the man inside the northern wall.

The tattooed man and the wall competed for existence. And the wall lost.

Asad’s tattoos burned fiercely golden, enhancing the surly look in his similarly yellow eyes and illuminating Ibai’s gaping face as he fled into another teleport.

Ibai reappeared next to his father. “Okay,” he said, watching the Lord Najir step from the crumbling wall unscathed, “I may have miscalculated that one.”

Ismael grabbed his son’s arm. “How did you--?! Agh, it doesn’t matter! Just leave! These people will kill you!”

“Eh, I don’t know, Papa. I’m pretty tough to kill.”

“Ibai!”

Asad interjected with two voices as well. “Did that aberration just call you ‘Papa’?”

Ismael placed himself in front of Ibai. “Stay away from him!”

And even though Ibai was interested in their conversation, he couldn’t help noticing the thunderous clash between Xuan and Melchor on the other side of the room. He stared with wide eyes and a wider grin as each attack made the castle shiver. “So this was where the quakes were coming from!”

A glass prison brought Ibai’s attention back to his father and Asad. Ismael was already bashing it down with burning fists. Ibai figured he should just teleport everyone out, but then he noticed that Emiliana was missing.

The girl was with Asad and Hector now. And she was yelling something at them that Ibai couldn’t hear over all the mayhem. He could, however, hear Chergoa speaking up, as the reaper still remained in Ibai’s grasp.

‘If you are Ibai’s father,’ she said, ‘then you must be an important member of House Blackburn.’

Ismael merely ignored her and pulled Ibai toward the door, but the reaper wasn’t done.

‘If I promise to support you in protecting Ibai, will you agree to a temporary ceasefire?’

That made Ismael acknowledge her, at least. “Why would you possibly do that?!”

‘I doubt I can make you understand right now,’ said Chergoa. ‘But I am a member of House Elroy, and I am giving you my word. If you are still a true Rainlord, like I believe you are, then you know that I will honor my promise.’

Her words stopped the Lord of House Blackburn in his tracks. The man stared at her hard, then at Asad, whose attacks had noticeably stopped.

‘Please,’ said Chergoa. ‘I’m only asking for a ceasefire. Not your surrender.’