The Shattered Crowns

The voice was rich and baritone, carrying a weight that demanded attention. Every eye turned toward the source. Striding confidently through the crowd was a man who radiated authority. His tanned skin glistened faintly under the sun, his broad shoulders draped with a black silk cloak tied at the waist with a crimson sash. The wind caught the edge of the fur mantle hanging from his shoulders, giving him an almost regal appearance. His striking blue eyes, sharp and piercing like shards of ice, surveyed the scene with quiet amusement.

"Really, Jiras?" the man said, his tone mocking. "A grown man trained by Reem's finest, beating down a boy. How far you've fallen."

Jiras stiffened, his pride clearly bruised further by the man's arrival. "Commander Fress," he rasped, his voice muffled by the blood clogging his nose. "I was only following the Inquisitor's orders—"

Dante Fress raised a hand, silencing him. "You were only doing what you always do—overplaying your hand and embarrassing yourself in the process."

Jiras opened his mouth to protest, but Dante closed the distance between them in a single stride. Before Jiras could react, Dante's fist snapped out, striking the man's already-broken nose with a sickening crack. Jiras let out a choked cry, collapsing fully to the ground.

The villagers gasped. Even Akash flinched at the speed of the strike.

Dante knelt beside Jiras, his expression cold. "You follow orders like a dog, Jiras, and now you're getting treated like one." He grabbed the captain by the collar, dragging him forward slightly. "Remember where you stand. You're a soldier. I'm your commander. And right now, you're an embarrassment to both."

Jiras stammered something incoherent, his confidence utterly shattered. Dante dropped him unceremoniously onto the sand and turned his attention to Akash.

"And you," Dante said, rising to his full height. His eyes scanned Akash, taking in the boy's battered frame, his broken mask, and the crimson blade still clutched in his hand. The faintest trace of a smile curled his lips. "You're full of surprises."

Akash straightened as best he could, meeting Dante's gaze despite the exhaustion threatening to drag him down. "Who are you?"

"Commander Dante Fress," the man replied smoothly, "leader of the Dauntless Company. And you, kid, just made my life a hell of a lot more complicated."

Akash narrowed his eyes, his grip tightening on his blade. "I don't need your help."

Dante raised an eyebrow, his smile widening. "No, but you do need to rest before you collapse. And judging by that fancy mask of yours, I'd say you're running on borrowed time."

Akash blinked, the words hitting harder than expected. His breathing was growing shallower, the mask sputtering weakly as its mechanisms began to fail. He staggered slightly, his vision blurring again. Elys let out a soft rumble, nosing at Akash's side.

Dante stepped closer, holding out a hand as though to steady him. "Relax, kid. You've done enough. Let me take it from here."

Akash shook his head, his voice slurred with fatigue. "I... I have to find my friends."

"And you will," Dante said firmly. "But not if you keel over first. Come on. You're not dying on my watch."

Before Akash could protest further, Dante caught him as he fell forward, his strength finally giving out. With a practiced ease, the commander slung the boy's arm over his shoulder, steadying him.

Elys growled softly, stepping forward protectively. Dante met the tiger's gaze without flinching. "Relax, big guy. Your boy's safe with me."

Elys hesitated, then gave a low huff and stepped aside, watching warily as Dante guided Akash toward the edge of the square.

Dante turned to the remaining guards, his voice sharp. "Clean this mess up. Tell the Inquisitor to return to the capital if he wants to play politics. And take Jiras with you—I don't need him embarrassing Reem further."

The soldiers scrambled to obey, dragging Jiras to his feet. Dante didn't spare them another glance as he led Akash and Elys out of the square.

The Commanderman pushed himself up and grabbed a hold of Akash's discarded blade. He hummed and flipped the blade in his hand pointing the handle at Akash.

"The headbutt was a smart attack although if you knew how to use that blade of yours you would have held out longer against Jaris. Best keep the blade in your hands from now on."

Akash grinned, "I just wanted to hit him."

Commander Fress stared at the boy gripping the hilt of the resin-infused blade. His lips pursed as he assessed the young man. Then, the Commander eyed the partial tattoo that marred Akash's chest.

"What is a Kallian doing so far from home? And with a resin-infused sword to match?" he asked.

Elys growled at the Commander and his eyebrow raised even higher, "How could I forget a sabertooth tiger. A creature known to live in Cordia."

"Cordia? I come from Morgoi." Akash said right before his body seemed to collapse. The Commander managed to catch the boy before he hit the ground. He quickly transitioned the boy to the sabertooth tiger's back. The Commander looked back to the guards.

His voice snapped commands, "Head back to Reem and tell the Inquisitor that if he wishes to prance he should do it in the capitol where it is welcomed. The Hopekiller rides from the Bridge. We need to flex the little muscle we have."The special infantry marched back to the city grabbing Jaris with them. 

Commander Fress shook his head at a portion of Reem's army. Most were decent men even Jiras held some honor. He would have killed the boy if he did not, but the damn Inquisitor and the blasted King of Reem would burn Reem to the ground in their vanity.

"Where are you taking me? I need to find my friends." Akash barely managed to get out.

Commander Fress said, "We are checking your wounds before they become infected. I would rather not have someone so interesting die. Sillia is going to have my hide for dragging you into camp."

Akash ignored his wounds, "I need to continue looking for my friends. They are somewhere close. I can feel it."

"And die from the Lunar Storms before you even get the chance. I am sure your friends will be finding a place to settle for the night just as you are." pointed out Commander Fress.

Silence took hold as Commander Fress guided them. The Commander eventually asked, "Whats is your name problem child?"

"Akash Dorher and I am not a problem child."

The Commander laughed, "I am Dante Fress and I would say starting a fight with a captain of the special infantry is a problem. You certainly gave me more work to deal with."

"And I would do it again!" Akash said.

Fires and smoke coiled into the dusky sky as they neared the city, the haze mingling with the crisp air of impending nightfall. Camps surrounded the farthest reaches of the city, sprawled out in organized chaos. Five separate areas were marked by distinct flags fluttering in the fading light.

At most, an hour remained before the Lunar Storms would sweep across Lorian, consuming the land in their otherworldly fury. The sun dipped lower on the horizon, casting long shadows that seemed to stretch forever. Dante's pace quickened, his usually casual demeanor replaced by measured urgency. Akash guided Elys to follow the man, though the tiger seemed unbothered by the building tension.

But Akash wasn't focused on the encampments or the distant city walls. His gaze lifted, captivated by the sky above. Two massive moons loomed in stark contrast to the fiery backdrop of sunset. One moon was fractured, its pieces suspended unnaturally, as though some unseen force refused to let it shatter completely. The other was whole, its pristine light casting faint reflections on the broken fragments of its companion.

"Rhea and Titan," Akash murmured, awe creeping into his voice. "I've never seen them so clearly before."

Dante glanced up as well, his expression softening briefly. "They're beautiful," he admitted. "Though I'd prefer Titan at its full glow. It'd make planning night raids a lot easier." His voice turned pragmatic again. "Not that it matters tonight. With the Lunar Storms closing in, we can't afford to stray beyond the camp."