Sleep did not come for a long time. Too many things were running through my head at once. Thoughts chased one another and I could not stop them. I was not used to it. Most of the time, all I felt was silence, and over the years that silence had become a pleasant companion.
Tomorrow meant death.
Maybe I would have been happier if I had met the others at a different time. Maybe I should have run and left everything behind. But over those few days, Jurian, Azi, Lasin, and Breias had become my friends. I still barely knew them, but despite all the things left unsaid, something in me was telling me that life had meaning.
Then suddenly a sound began to grow louder.
I sat up and rose from the floor. It was an alarm siren. Through modern magical devices, it carried urgent information across the city.
It was already here.
The city was under siege.
We should have fled, but the others would never have agreed to that. Jurian and Lasin were awake within moments.
"They're here sooner than we expected," Jurian said.
I nodded. Lasin leaned wearily against the doorframe. She had probably had enough of all this too. I turned away from the window and lay back down on the blanket on the floor. Lasin and Jurian silently returned to sleep as well.
If I was going to die tomorrow, I would die beside my friends.
The sun had not yet risen above the horizon, and yet we were already up. In the dim gray of morning, we walked through the streets armed and ready, heading for the main headquarters. Half hidden beneath hoods and light metal armor, we moved down the middle of the empty street like shadows of death.
At my side, I held the hilt of a Detruisian sword.
Lasin had two short swords at her waist. Azi carried a large round shield and a battle axe on her back. It was an unusual combination. She looked armed for a battlefield, even though we were only heading to a meeting. A two handed sword nearly five feet long rose over Jurian's shoulder, undoubtedly also from Detruisia. Breias alone wore only light armor that left his shoulders bare. If there was a fight, his magic would no doubt be enough for him.
We arrived at the entrance to the main headquarters.
It was not the same place as before. This one stood closer to the city center, and from the two hooded guards outside it was immediately clear that this was no place of leisure.
"We're here," Lasin said.
More people were approaching the entrance, most likely having their identities checked. Lasin stepped ahead of us and motioned for us to follow.
If a secret organization gathers like this, it's hopeless, I thought.
Fortunately, the empty city solved that problem. Lasin approached one of the guards, showed her badge, and together we entered.
It was a sharp contrast to the place we had visited before. This time, the walls were decorated with low carved reliefs, and the floor was covered with carpet. Small objects had been mounted on the walls, each of them burning with magical fire.
We stepped into the main hall, and I carefully studied the surroundings. There were three entrances to the room. Above the table in the center rose a glass dome. It was a masterpiece. Glass was incredibly difficult to work with, which meant the owner must have paid a fortune for it. The table itself was surrounded by twelve chairs meant for the four leaders and their regional deputies. The other members of the organization, the ones assigned to guard those leaders, sat on benches along the walls.
We took our place near Bruno.
The vast hall was packed with all kinds of people. Most kept their faces hidden beneath hoods so they would not endanger each other's secrecy. There were more than sixty members in all. It seemed almost impossible that anyone would dare try anything against such a force.
When the last few members arrived, the meeting began.
A woman dressed in a pale blue gown rose from the table.
"That's Finra, leader of the city's main district," Lasin whispered to us.
Her long black hair stood out even more against the pale walls.
"Thank you, esteemed members of our organization, for coming," she began, then paused. "This will not take long. I requested this meeting so that all of us know exactly what we are facing."
She swallowed.
"A certain cult has been expanding its influence for several months, and in recent days it has begun targeting people connected to magic, research, and unusual abilities. Many of you have informed us of the cult's recent actions. If any of you have useful information, please share it with my informants after the meeting. They will gather everything and pass the full picture on to the individual leaders."
She paused again.
"Given the disunity between districts and the way information is being withheld for the sake of power, I propose unifying the organization under a single elected leader."
The hall fell into dead silence.
Bruno and several other deputies looked uneasy. The silence did not last long. It was replaced by shouting and swearing.
"You just want all the power for yourself!" someone in the crowd shouted.
Her speech was bold, but it made sense. According to Lasin, this was one of the organization's greatest weaknesses.
Could it be that the cult already knew what was about to happen here today?
The shouting in the hall became unbearable. What were these people thinking?
"Silence!" several guards bellowed, pounding their gauntlets against their armor.
The crowd quieted.
"Let the vote decide it! Let the twelve highest representatives choose the solution!" another leader called out.
It was a difficult decision. If things remained as they were, the organization would eventually tear itself apart because nothing would ever move forward. But if they chose a single leader, many members would be furious at losing influence.
Two squires approached the table and began handing out slips of paper along with pens and ink. Each leader and each deputy wrote something down, then handed the paper back. Tense silence hung over the room the entire time.
Lasin looked away from the table and turned toward us. I could tell from her face that the same thought had occurred to her.
"I probably don't need to tell you to pay attention to every detail," she said quietly. "A lot will be decided here."
Given the number of representatives, the vote could easily end in a tie, which would probably mean the proposal failed. Lasin was clearly uneasy. After everything that had happened at the Archive and in the city, I could not blame her.
The squires moved to the head of the table and began reading the ballots. None of the leaders were allowed to announce the result, so everyone waited for the official declaration.
I looked around the hall, trying to remember everyone sitting at that table.
The longer I listened, the more absurd it all seemed.
The city stood on the edge of collapse, and they were still fighting over power.
Then I stepped out of line and walked toward the table.
One of the guards tried to stop me, but I slipped past him. I could not possibly have been more reckless.
Everyone in the hall stared at me in surprise.
I had clearly disrupted their plan.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Lasin looking at me in horror. Meanwhile Jurian smirked and leaned comfortably against the wall. Bruno remained seated, strangely calm, as if he knew exactly where all this was heading.
I stopped beside the woman responsible for the most important district.
"Do you need someone to announce the results?" I asked quietly.
She looked at me in confusion, and when the guards seized my arms, she shook her head for them to let go.
What have I gotten myself into this time?
"I had intended to announce it myself," she said at last, "but after this little scene, perhaps it is better if someone else does it."
I nodded. I had no speech prepared, but I felt so full of energy I thought I might start telling jokes. I walked over to the squires. They must have understood what I meant to do. One of them leaned close and whispered the result to me.
As I straightened, murmurs spread through the crowd.
"I understand that my presence here feels strange to you," I began. "Most of you probably don't know me, since I've only been with the Twelve Swords for a single day."
I paused, and an immediate murmur rippled through the hall.
"Go home!" someone shouted.
"We gathered here because the city is burning, and we still cannot agree on anything."
The deputies and leaders were visibly nervous. Ragnar and Mallory were watching me with murderous expressions. They clearly did not want me pushing myself any further into this.
I looked at Lasin one last time.
Since I had stepped toward the table, she had only grown worse. Her foot was moving nervously, and her eyes kept flicking over every person in the room.
Our gazes met.
Don't be an idiot. If something happens, you'll be one of the first to die here. I could read it in her eyes.
If this goes wrong here, the whole city collapses. I'll handle it. Trust me.
The way she swallowed painfully told me she had understood.
"So. The vote has been cast, and it was particularly close." I paused. "The result of the vote is..."
I drew in a deep breath.
Hopefully nothing would go wrong.
"That there will be only one elected leader."