Kainan, Xion, Idan, and Molan joined the Eden Guards to comb through the destruction for survivors.
Kage and Harlow flew in from J’Urg Mihor, cutting their vacation short the second the emergency pings hit their comms.
High above, thousands of industrial bots swarmed the skyline, their lasers stitching the city’s dome back together.
Hours later, when the rescue mission ended, the last of the debris got lifted away, and the streets were clear, the Riders all stumbled back to Kainan’s Sable Tower penthouse.
Mirage piled the dining table with enough food to feed a small village: brisket with a heavy pepper crust, garlic-miso crusty bread rolls, bowls of spicy noodles, and roasted vegetables with hot honey.
They ate like they hadn’t seen chow in days, exhausted and famished, still covered in soot and sweat.
The only sound was the scrape of forks and knives and whispers asking for a bowl or plate to pass until Kainan stood up.
He scanned the table, his eyes stopping on Idan.
‘We’ve been a tight, closed group for a long time,’ the Riders’ bosskhanstated, in a weary growl. ‘But today, this circle got bigger. Our new Sacran brother defended this city andour people without flinching. You’re not an outsider anymore. You’re family.’
Kainan lifted a glass of amber nectar. ‘Simi’Ren Idan Caliostheles, consider yourself one of us, a Rider.’
Idan blinked, glancing at Kainan, perplexed, trying to figure out if Kainan was joking.
‘I mean it,’ the Sable leader growled. ‘Let’sfokkin’toast to it.’
Everyone stood up at once, the sound of chairs dragging over the floor as they raised their glasses in a fierce salute.
‘To Idan,’ Kainan murmured.
‘To Idan,’ they said, the words echoing to the ceiling as they slugged back their drinks.
At Sheba’s touch on his shoulder, and emboldened by her smile, Idan took an inhale, slowly rising from his seat.
He fought back tears as he too drank from his glass.
He gasped in surprise when Molan pulled him into a bear hug.
‘Best brother ever,’ Mo rumbled.
Idan huffed. ‘Only one you have, might I add, unless Sulfiqar had other bastards we don’t know about.’
For a moment, the two men stared at each other, then growled in disbelieving sync. ‘Nada!’
The room burst into laughter as Idan got swept into more of the Riders’ embraces.
He reached for Sheba’s hand and held on firmly, grateful to be anchored to a real,fokkin’ tight, loyal clan.
Once lost, now found, he was no longer a lone sigma god-warrior seeking redemption; he was a new man, surrounded by love.
Accepted, and appreciated, just as he was, with a tribe to call his own.
28
A Vanguard’s Treasure
Sheba stood on the balcony of her apartment, the twin suns of Alpheratz beginning their slow descent into the horizon as a lone Edenite Guard played a haunting horn melody before the arch of remembrance.
She bowed her head in respect.
Beside her, Idan remained a quiet, solid presence, his gaze fixed on the distant skyline until the tune faded away.
