After running for a while, their own bodies reminded them of their ck of fluids in painful ways, so the pace slowed down significantly.

  "Maybe we should’ve drunk their blood," Ashiya muttered. Then, grimacing, he added, "That was a joke. I think. Gods, I need water...”

  Kiyeri hated that comment, it made his insides turn, so he showed dissatisfaction by forcing Ashiya to lower his head only by gring intensely.

  "I'm not serious, I'm just having a conversation," Ashiya said.

  "Apart from being a monster, did you miss your nutrition lectures? Never drink blood.” Kiyeri spat. “And find other topics to talk about."

  "My other topics are not much more suitable right now..." Ashiya said in an even quieter voice, turning away completely.

  Kiyeri sighed, clutching his forehead.

  As they shuffled along the path in silence, they discovered another wall and a cleared path along it. It ran in the same direction they came from just after the two of them met.

  “Is the space getting narrower?” Kiyeri said in a daze. “When I was looking for the first wall, I had to walk for a long time, I would say a whole day or even longer. Now we reached this one in just a few hours or so.”

  “If we think we’re IN that dagger or some space representing it, it wouldn’t be illogical. If it’s logical to even say we’re inside a small object,” Ashiya added. “The Millennium Dagger’s shape is simple — a primitive triangur bde. Maybe we are approaching the sharp point.”

  As they followed the path next to the wall, they developed theories about how big the space could be, regretting not counting their steps or calcuting time in some way, but then, they began to hear strange sounds. Both fell silent, holding their breaths and exchanging gnces. Kiyeri even closed his eyes to hear better. Those sounds reminded him of a whistle or a hum, it was difficult to say what it was. The sound echoed everywhere and it was impossible to determine which direction it was coming from. Opening his eyes, he waved to Ashiya, and, maintaining silence, they slowly moved forward.

  As the road continued, the sounds became clearer and took on some familiar form.

  “Voices?” Kiyeri asked quietly.

  “Yes,” Ashiya confirmed. “And I even know whose.”

  As he said this, his expression became a mixture of angry and happy at the same time, Kiyeri had difficulty understanding what Ashiya was thinking, but he could guess.

  “Dali?” He asked, carefully observing Ashiya’s face.

  “Who else? I would recognize that shit anywhere.”

  Kiyeri was worried. "Just don't do anything rash." he said, pcing his hand on Ashiya's shoulder.

  Ashiya looked at that hand, then at Kiyeri, and replied with a croked smile, “It depends on him.”

  Ashiya moved forward.

  “Will they ever stop?” Kiyeri buried all the scenarios of a friendly meeting in his mind.

  As they moved slowly, the voice became clearer, and Ashiya’s steps increased in speed, Kiyeri tried to catch up with him by talking sense to him, asking not to be rash, but nothing helped. One voice became two, it was clear that Dali had company. One by one, clearer words were heard, then Kiyeri realized that Dali was scolding Ruki, soon after he saw both in front of him.

  Ruki was sitting leaning against the wall, wearing only a white undergarment, she was holding something to her chest, wrapped in her own tunic, and had a split lip. Dali stood in front of her, gesturing with his hands as usual, giving “morale talk”, he looked injured. Although Dali was facing away, Kiyeri could see blood and one swollen eye between the gestures. Seeing them like his, being themselves, felt like a stone rolled off Kiyeri’ s heart. That image of them fighting, looking as if dead had haunted him all the time, but now he was finally relieved.

  Ruki immediately saw that someone was approaching and jumped to her feet with a frightened face, Kiyeri realized that it was her own hand wrapped in that tunic. Dali reacted to his sister's behavior and turned around abruptly to meet what she saw. His face really looked terrible, full of bruises and swollen, if the boy wanted to form any expression, he would not have been able to. The thought made Kiyeri ugh a little, and he unconsciously snarled — apparently, the relief that they were here and alive was stronger than the pity.

  “Look what we have here,” Ashiya said in a mocking tone, stopping a decent distance from them and crossing his arms. “What a valuable find. I would say my fists are itching, but I see someone else found you first.”

  Dali and Ruki didn’t speak, perhaps not wanting to provoke Ashiya, but they just took a few steps back, bending their knees slightly. Kiyeri thought they looked like small animals cornered, pitiful indeed. Deciding not to scare little animals anymore, he stepped forward, interposing himself between them and Ashiya.

  “Enough, enough, no one will hurt anyone, let’s all talk in a civilized way,” aid, stretching out both arms. “Ashi, they’re in the same predicament as we are.”

  " They said that st time too." Ashiya took a few steps closer. "I'd say we should finish them off just in case."

  Kiyeri could tell Ashiya was just taunting them, but Dali didn’t. Suddenly he attacked Ashiya drawing his rapier, Ashiya knocked the weapon out of Dali's hands with just a few lights moves and knocked him to the ground with one kick. His face looked cold, eyes thirsty for blood, and with the corners of his lips barely raised, he really looked scary. Ruki immediately stood between them. Her right hand was injured, so she clumsily grabbed the rapier from her waist with her left. Her angry eyes showed that she didn't even intend to give up easily.

  Kiyeri was about to intervene, but then Ashiya sheathed his sword, uttering a short "Hmt," and returned to Kiyeri's side. Dali and Ruki looked so surprised that their mouths were almost open, but neither of them dared to move, Kiyeri let out a breath he was holding.

  Returning to him, Ashiya immediately sat down and pulled the hem of Kiyeri's tunic, inviting him to do the same, Kiyeri obeyed. Seeing what was happening, Ruki's knees probably couldn't hold it, and she colpsed to the ground, Dali crept closer and sat down next to her.

  The four of them stared at each other without speaking. Kiyeri knew that he and Ashiya were simply tired, but looking at Ruki and Dali's faces it was clear that they didn't know what to expect, so he started the conversation first, "Now it would be your turn to expin something."

  Dali looked away, "No matter what we say, no one will believe us now."

  Ashiya snorted, "Well, it's obvious that you don't want to die, so either you don't understand what's happening at all or you know more than us. Whether we believe you or not, we'll decide for ourselves, you just have to talk."

  Ruki quickly seized the opportunity, perking up, " We don’t know anything, I swear!" She pressed her good hand against her chest as if swearing, eyebrows furrowed, but was immediately silenced by Ashiya's cold, bloodthirsty gre.

  Dali pulled his sister away, voice irritated: "What are you doing? What's the point now?"

  "Ruki," Kiyeri said softly. "It was really hard for me to watch what you've become. Do you think that if I learn how to survive or get out of here, I'll leave you both?"

  Dali gnced at Ashiya, who waved his hand imposingly, "Talk."

  So he sighed, turned to Kiyeri and began to talk about everything from the beginning, while the others listened quietly.

  According to Dali, he and Ruki were always disliked by the King and the whole family was constantly on the verge of losing their status. Their father, being one of the King's sons, did not meet his expectations at all, without talent, without motivation, without intelligence, completely useless.

  The mother also just sat in one pce enjoying luxury, without contributing to any goal at all. If the family wanted to continue receiving the "benefit", then at least their children had to prove their worth, but that value had to be quadruple, otherwise why keep them. Of course, no matter how hard they tried, they were always not enough. Not strong enough, not refined enough, not beautiful enough, not smart enough. Each one of them, upon reaching eighteen, was immediately sent to the army, in to the worst unit. First Dali, and four years ter Ruki. Although the young ones showed excellent results, no one was going to call them back. That much of the history Kiyeri knew.

  A few months before the Sigil ceremony, the chosen Bearers were announced. Both Dali and Ruki were extremely happy, they asked for an audience to share their achievements, but the King did not even bother to receive them. He sent Seyre to them with a message that said: Now they could feel that they had paid off their parent’s debt and that if they continued to work like this, they would be allowed to live in the pace, but just one mistake, and they’re out. Defective pigs lead degenerate piglets.

  Hearing such words made Kiyeri's blood boil. If before he thought he understood why these siblings were so angry, why Ruki had a habit of pathologically maniputing and lying to everyone and why Dali was so closed off, now he really knew both the motives and the emotions.

  Seyre's situation was somewhat different, but no better. Raised by such distinguished noble parents, he sacredly believed in everything that the kingdom fed him. Both of his parents, generals who had won dozens of victories for the country, without a single stain on their history, were ideal in his eyes. But in one of the battles they died in a trap set by the enemy.

  No one knows how everything really happened, but listening to the returned soldiers, it seemed that both died due to one reckless decision, a mistake in a battle. Moreover, the enemies had regained a considerable piece of nd. It was a great shame for the nations and for the family.

  From an excellent example of what a distinguished couple should look like, from constant awe and praise, Seyre’ parents turned into a mockery, an example that should not be followed in any way, all glory gone in an instant.

  The couple's four offspring were immediately exiled to await the removal of status. Leaving only Seyre, who showed potential, on the condition that he would never be in a position where decisions were made. The best he had managed to achieve was to become an ordinary part of the royal guard. Although Seyre was angry that his siblings were suffering and his parents had become a ughingstock, he believed that the kingdom was doing the right thing and was thoroughly following everything by the book.

  Ashiya tugged on Kiyeri’s sleeve, "I didn't think anything of it at the time, but do you remember Seyre's behavior? Especially when we… got closer."

  "Hmm. Now that I think about it, he really acted unnaturally, a bit too friendly. According to his ideology, he should have put a sword on my throat, not joke around." Kiyeri agreed.

  Ashiya looked at Ruki with his head tilted back, as if from above, "Not all who sing beautifully are birds."

  Dali watched his sister's reaction out of the corner of his eye, as if agreeing with Ashiya, then cleared his throat and continued the story, "I don't know how long Seyre had been working with Zeni before joining us, but after bringing that message from the King and seeing our reactions, he probably couldn't miss the chance and immediately spoke to us."

  While Dali was talking, Kiyeri couldn't look at Ruki and her crooked arm anymore, the girl clearly didn't know how to take care of such an injury and just whined softly all this time, so he decided to help and sat down next to her preparing a stabilization kit.

  "When the four of us met, they expined their pn.” Dali talked, watching Kiyeri with amazement. “Since none of us could approach the dagger, this could only be done during the ritual, when it was taken out. Zeni was also not completely sure of success, so if something didn’t work out, everything had to be done unnoticed, by the hands of others. He agreed with one of the priests and gave his blood. Naturally, as the one who was set to inherit a Sigil from Zeni, Kiyeri had to be the victim. No one expected you to survive or, even more so, to be marked..."

  Dali lowered his head as if waiting for some kind of retort.

  Retort never came. Kiyeri's hands trembled a little at those words about a natural victim. He was always fair to them, protected them and taught them everything he could, but to say something now, after everything? There was nothing to say, his heart just felt heavy.

  Ashiya might have thought the same thing, because he expressed himself without using words, only by smacking his tongue but Kiyeri couldn't see his face, because he was bandaging Ruki's hand.

  To be fair, Ruki's treatment was just an excuse, he couldn't see either of their faces, because he didn't want to show his.

  "You know everything after that." Dali finished the story, and Ruki whined while Kiyeri was straitening her bones, not too gently.

  "Are you stupid, “A question flew from Ashiya's mouth, and it didn't sound like he was asking. “All this we knew the same evening when we sat with the Sorians, only Seyre’s part wasn't clear. What’s NEXT?"

  Dali and Ruki looked at each other surprised, Kiyeri finished bandaging her and went back to sit next to Ashiya.

  Ashiya ughed mockingly, "You... You really thought we didn't understand what was going on? Of course, Kiye tried to make it look convincing, but you didn't suspect anything at all?"

  "No…” Dali answered, “It was only when Kiyeri showed his Sigil in the hall that I realized something was wrong. But at that moment it didn't matter anymore."

  Before any of them could speak again, a voice tore through the air.

  “Ashiya! You fucking bastard! You cut my throat! And took off my clothes!!”

  The four of them started looking around and saw Mia approaching with angry big steps. Right behind her Sonanta. Kiyeri's heart almost jumped out of his chest.

  "I knew it!” Ashiya shouted, spping his hand on his leg. “And how is your belt case? Is it okay?"

  "What did you know?! That I would rise from the dead and tear your head off?!" Mia shot back, quickening her pace.

  Ashiya pointed his finger at Kiyeri "Why are you only yelling at me? Kiyeri did the same thing to Sonanta. Only without undressing…"

  Dali and Ruki, seeing them, huddled closer to Ashiya and Kiyeri. He wondered if Mia might be the author of the embellishment of these two faces. If they came from the opposite side, it meant they had met before.

  "Sonanta said she doesn't mind, and I'm not her wyer." Expined Mia, already standing in front of him and folding arms on her waist.

  Ashiya looked confused. He turned to Kiyeri. “What’s a wyer?"

  "A wyer is such a specialty; they represent the accused in court." Kiyeri patiently expined one of the typical professions that exist in the Land of the Sun.

  "In court..?" Ashiya's face showed even greater confusion.

  Kiyeri sighed and waved his hand, "How can you know so much and yet so little? Ahhhhh, forget it. She says she won't speak for others. In other words, for Sonanta."

  "Aaaaaaaaa... Well, you also know a lot about some things and little about others." Ashiya looked up with a mischievous smile. Kiyeri really wanted to sp him. Hard.

  "Ignorant barbarian! Enough of this nonsense! What's going on here? Why am I here?" Mia even stamped her foot, shouting.

  “The hell? And you calling me ignorant?” Ashiya snapped.

  Before Mia could retort, Kiyeri lost patience with them all, even the veins on his neck stood out,

  "ENOUGH.” The tone was low and stern, “Those who want answers can sit down and talk, those who don't, can politely go for a walk." He felt great relief that the girls had returned alive and well, but at the same time, he was anxious.

  To free one's body from the burdens of being tired, injured, and hungry by simply dying and getting up sounded too good to be true.

  Mia stared at him with wide eyes, as if she couldn't believe that someone would dare to shut her up, but Sonanta took her by the shoulders from behind and made her sit down in the circle, "We'll talk, thank you."

  Ashiya started to say something, "I just want..."

  "A A A!" Kiyeri interrupted him by pressing a finger to his lips, “Not one more word. Everyone is silent. EVERYONE."

  After sitting frozen in surprise for a few seconds, Ashiya nodded with a smile.

  "Dali will speak first.” Kiyeri said, pointing with his finger, “Since I see that all of you only spoke with your fists when you met, you don't know anything. We've already heard the motives, that don't concern Sorians, now we want to know what happened after you were taken to the dungeon."

  Dali cleared his throat and timidly asked, "Did you just kill them here...? And they got up like nothing happened?"

  "Now. About. The dungeon." Kiyeri said, noticing how dry Dali’s throat was.

  "Okay...” Dali obeyed, “We knew that Zeni would come to us and he did, accompanied by a bunch of guards."

  It turns out that Zeni had infiltrated a rge number of Moon people into the Sun for many years. This was part of a long-standing pn to take control of the country, but along the way, the pn was quietly adapted to the appropriation of Sigils. At the time they attacked, the Sun Pace was already flooded with their mole people, more than half of whom worked directly for Zeni.

  Mia and Sonanta were unexpectedly taken over by their guards as soon as they left the pace doors and immediately killed with a dagger. One victim was intended for Ruki, the other for Dali.

  "Then, it was like a dream," Dali said. "I barely remember what I did, I was just told to go. I remember treating Zeni, accompanying him to the temple, and then looking for Kiyeri. I fought him, lost, and watched him fall from Seyre’s hand, the barrier holding us immediately disappeared, and we returned to Zeni's side.

  He was hiding in the basement of the Temple, but when he appeared, they both got into a fight because killing Kiyeri wasn't part of the pn, Seyre had taken over the powers that were meant for Zeni. Seyre killed him too. Then Ruki. Then me."

  "Why wasn't he affected by the corruption?" Kiyeri wondered.

  "He was, but not in the same way," Mia replied. "Corruption affects everyone differently. These children were probably not sure of what they were doing and were lost in their hearts, so they just followed orders, letting others lead them. They couldn't speak, because they usually don't have a say in life."

  Kiyeri remembered how they fought and realized that even the fight reflected what the siblings felt. Everything was done according to the book, but they fought in a duet, covering each other. Just like they have lived their whole lives.

  “Was it like that for your three warriors?” Kiyeri delved deeper.

  “Well, they all wanted to protect their home,” Mia expined, “but each understood it differently, so they acted differently, the legend doesn’t say much about it. In order to understand what Seyre would be like, you need to understand what his desires were.”

  The whole group thought silently. It’s not known how everyone imagined Seyre, but Kiyeri thought that that person was hard to read. He always seemed simple like an open book, always inspiring confidence. But this is how it all ended.

  “Did Zeni fall from the same dagger? I wonder if he knows about this pce.” Kiyeri asked.

  "Yes,” Dali answered puzzled, “What is this pce? I thought it was the Beyond – the afterlife"

  Kiyeri expined everything he knew to the group — both what he’d learned before and what he had discovered now. The story surprised the listeners, and they even crept closer.

  The test information, about the fact that they cannot escape from here dying, proven by Mia and Sonanta also was discussed. When resurrected, they were neither injured nor hungry, and Kiyeri felt a great desire to plunge a dagger into his own heart. But knowing that both he and Ashiya would find themselves at the farthest point and worrying about the conditions of resurrection, he decided not to do it for now.

  Everyone had additional questions that were easy to answer, but then, a question was raised that stopped all debates.

  "Is Zarine here too?" Sonanta asked, “We should find her somehow, and share information."

  Hearing this question, Mia turned to the others, but all the them remained silent. Kiyeri didn't know how to tell them the news about her beloved sister, and just as he was about to speak, Ashiya spoke first, "Zarine is gone. She didn't die from the dagger but from my fmes."

  Silence.

  Kiyeri thought that he could have rephrased it in some other way. The way Ashiya said it, he was putting all the bme on him, and without any context whatsoever. Although he really wanted to expin what had happened, he didn't want to interfere, for now, respecting Ashiya's decision. He also didn't want to expose Dali and Ruki to the wrath of the sisters that was about to befall.

  Sonanta, who had initially looked at Ashiya as if she couldn't believe it, gnced at Kiyeri as if seeking confirmation. Before he said anything, she lowered her eyes. Mia, meanwhile, simply listened and watched.

  "Was... was she saving you...?" Sonanta asked, holding back tears.

  Ashiya thought for a moment and replied decisively, "We survived and Kiyeri became stronger only thanks to her, all people were evacuated from the zone only thanks to her."

  After some silence, Sonanta wiped away her tears and extended her hand to Mia, looking at her with great regret. Mia looked at that hand for a few seconds, she took it without any emotions, as if confused. Sonanta closed her eyes and began to mutter quiet words under her breath.

  Such was the tradition of the Sorians, when seeing off a sister or brother on their st journey, they would burn the body on a high altar in a rural area called the "Hill of Memories." Everyone who wanted to say something to the deceased during their lives but didn’t make it, would stand at that altar, believing that the words would reach the ears of a dear person for the st time and the soul would be able to rest in peace.

  Although the Moon people did not have such a tradition and buried their dead in the ground, accompanied by tears and a national song, Kiyeri decided to join in on a tradition close to his heart and blood. With his head bowed, he csped his fingers and thanked Zarine for the support he had received over all these years.

  “Who is Zarine? Is she one of ours?”

  That was the question asked by Mia.