What Emily saw outside the entrance to Roots was a full-blown riot. Fighters from all across the city were hurling insults and throwing whatever they had at hand at the rows of Shamans. There were a few guards who remained loyal to the roots, but they were a single line of defense from what looked like a horde of angry citizens.

Emily searched the crowds for any instigator of this, but she couldn't find Hermes or even another Chieftan.

As near as she could tell, these people were not working directly for the branches, at least on the surface level.

The only thing Emily knew that could cause this kind of reaction was years of groundwork finally boiling over. Rumors, sowed or otherwise. Dissatisfaction, abuse, all of these could easily be turned towards a ruling class.

The people here are very possibly victims rather than instigators.

The Hearthspeaker had said that their influence was under attack, so this could be the result of that.

Emily felt Alex adjust himself in the saddle.

"We need to find Kael. He'll be the first target."

Ra fell from Cupcakes' back, absorbing the impact with his knees.

"I need to make sure the Hearthspeaker is alright."

Emily hummed.

"Then we'll split up. You find a way in, we'll find Kael. If you find the old man, have him come find us… In person this time."

Ra's eyes widened, but he pursed his lips.

"I'll see what I can do" was all he said before he dashed towards the stairs leading down the building.

Emily looked back at Alex.

"Alright, where to?"

The man nodded and pointed in the opposite direction to the roots.

They vaulted from rooftop to rooftop, easily avoiding the chaos below.

It wasn't only the roots that were in a state of disarray. Several roaming groups of people had taken to the streets. Some even went so far as to destroy buildings that the Shamans regularly used. The crucible's doors were ripped off their hinges, and several loud voices came from inside.

For the most part, people were running around like headless chickens, but some people had a light of purpose in their eyes.

As of yet, Emily had not seen where the Wandering fangs resided while she was training, but it didn't take long to get there. It turned out to be an open space free of buildings where tents had been set up to form a temporary shanty town.

Emily had to halt their advance and hide when patrolling guards moved amongst the roads and alleyways.

Hermes' influence was obvious if one knew where to look for it.

Of course, none of this was a good sign. So when they arrived at the supposed area, Emily was not surprised to see it had been hastily abandoned some time ago.

Alex cursed under his breath, and Emily stared down at the empty camp.

She should have known this would be the first place they hit.

From the looks of things, there were no signs of battle; it was more like a mob had moved through the area. Whatever happened, it was clear the Wandering Fangs had not managed to take much with them.

Emily was thankful she didn't have to perform yet another prison break, but if they weren't here, then where were they?

"Dammit, I hate coups," Alex snarled. "They never think about the bigger picture."

Emily hummed thoughtfully, eyes scanning the destruction. "Technically, it's not a full coup. More like a hostile takeover—same faces, just different hands on the reins."

Alex gave her a sharp look, clearly not in the mood for semantics.

She lifted a shoulder. "Fine. Coup-adjacent. Either way, it's a mess."

She squinted at the remains of the camp, then said, "We just need to find Hermes and challenge him, right?"

"Not without Kael," Alex replied tightly.

Emily nodded. "Oh, I think I know how to find him. Isn't that right, Atticus?" she called softly.

Her life sense had detected a presence at the edge of her range, and she had spent enough time with the man to recognize him. She could sense him lying low amongst the destruction.

Sure enough, he poked his head out of one of the nearby tents. This one had managed to survive mostly intact. He made a 'come here' motion with his hand and receded into the tent.

Seeing no threats in the area, they both headed over.

Emily pushed her way into the canvas room and found him waiting there.

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"Looks like you still managed to survive. I knew you would," she said with a hint of snarkiness.

Atticus rolled his eyes.

"Good to see you too, Emily."

Alex shot her a glare and turned to the man.

"It's good to see you, Atticus. What happened here?"

Atticus snorted.

"Honestly? I don't know. Hours ago, we were just minding our own business when a Shaman from the roots came and told us to come with them. Kael took it seriously, and we got out before a mass of people swept through with blade and torch. He had me return to guide you if you came here."

Emily's brows rose. She was impressed by Kael's forethought.

"Unfortunately, the road has become difficult to traverse without running into a patrol," he finished.

Emily shrugged.

"We saw that on the way here. If we're careful, we should be able to avoid them."

Atticus nodded.

"Good. Then we just need to get to the branches. Kael is lying low nearby, so the moment he hears us making a noise, he'll come, and you can make your challenge together."

Emily frowned.

"Wait, are you saying we have to break into the core of the city and hope he'll make it?"

Atticus pursed his lips.

"Yes…"

Emily shook her head.

"Not happening. I'm not sticking my neck out on the chance he's waiting there nearby. I might be able to take Hermes with Kael's assistance, but not in a fair fight. If we go there alone, it won't matter how much ground I can cover; one of you is bound to die."

Atticus scratched the back of his head.

"He said you'd be difficult. But he asked to remind you if he'd ever let you down… No matter what, he'll be there; he just needs you to trust him now."

Emily's expression hardened.

What kind of bullshit was he trying to pull?

Before she even had a chance to be indignant, Alex spoke, rubbing his hand over his face.

"That's not going to work, Atticus. Without even asking, I can tell you already think it's a stupid plan, and I couldn't agree more."

Emily squinted at him, trying to figure out his angle. He was right, it was stupid, but she wanted to see where he was going with this.

He looked at her then not with pity, but understanding.

"But if anyone can tilt the odds, it's you. Not because you're some hero. You're not. You're smart. Calculated. You don't gamble unless you already know where the chips are going to fall."

He stepped closer, lowering his voice.

"Kael knew that, too. That's why he didn't give you a plan; he gave you a choice. The kind that only you can make. Trust him, or walk away."

He tilted his head slightly.

"I'll go with you, Emily. But if you don't take this shot… if we wait for a perfect setup that's never coming, you'll never get the fight you actually want. And I know you want it. Not just to survive—but to win."

He paused.

"I'm not asking you to risk yourself for him. I'm asking you to bet on you."

She stared into Alex's eyes for a long time, searching for something.

It sounded like something a Cosmo might say, which annoyed her to no end, but what annoyed her even more was that it was working.

She wanted to wipe that frustratingly blank mask off Hermes' face. And the only way she was going to get to do that was to step out into the open, ringing the dinner bell.

Alex was wrong on only one account: she loved gambling, and sometimes all she wanted to see was the despair on her enemies' faces.

Selfish? Yes. Motivating? Also yes.

Sighing, she ran her tongue over the front of her teeth.

"Fine, but if we're doing this, you have to make me a promise. The moment the fighting starts, you get yourself somewhere safe."

Atticus snorted, and Alex glanced away, but Emily wasn't moving until she heard him say it.

He glanced everywhere but at her until he realized that this condition was non-negotiable.

If he were a bystander, he could be killed, and that was pretty much her bottom line. Seeing she wouldn't budge, he nodded.

"Alright, but if you need me, I'll be right there."

Emily rolled her eyes.

"You don't get the idea of hiding, do you? But fine, as long as you make yourself scared during the battle, I don't mind."

Alexander bobbed his head, and Atticus finally spoke.

"Well, if you, doting Millo birds, are done, we should leave. I'm not sure how much longer things are going to remain stable."

Alex rolled his eyes, and Emily had to stop herself from doing the same, but they all mounted Cupcake and headed toward the center of the city.

Directly for the Chieftains lodge.

Atticus was a big help with regards to keeping them on track when they had to avoid large groups of guards.

He could detect the heat sources accurately, but things got a lot harder as they entered the inner circle.

A ring of high-ranking individuals always seemed to detect them before they could get through, and eventually, it became obvious they wouldn't be able to avoid them. So, Emily gave up on doing so; they were here to make a statement, right?

It was time to make one.

Guards narrowed in on their locations within seconds, and Emily had Cupcake vault past them, not even bothering to hide.

Some of the fastest ones used skills to keep up with them, running parallel with the Rime Wolf.

Two such individuals jumped from the nearby rooftops, and Emily summoned blood barriers to keep them off.

Alex drew wards in the air briefly, causing heat to skyrocket around them until only those with a red bridge were able to approach.

By this point, they had arrived near the area below the lodge, but Emily was not about to stop there. She drove Cupcake forward and leaped onto the nearby roofs and then onto the large overhanging balcony of the structure.

The gargantuan tree groaned as movement came from inside.

Suddenly, all but their most fervent pursuers fell away.

Several gasps of indignation and disgust came from below, but Emily waited calmly on the back of her mount. Donning her headdress and blood mantle.

People were gathering, but Emily only had eyes for the set of glass doors as they opened to a dark interior. Several Chieftains stepped out, led by Hermes.

The man was the same as she remembered him. Scarcely looking like he'd just set his own city against itself.

At first he just stared at them with that frustratingly dead look, but then he spoke.

His tone held the cadence of a man who'd long since stopped caring.

"I predicted you would come, but to arrive alone, you truly show our people no respect."

Emily grinned, knowing an accusation would get her nowhere, but still deciding to poke the bear.

"You talk about respect when you willingly hide in your tower while your city eats itself alive. Not much respect in that if you ask me"

Hermes's eye twitched, but he didn't otherwise react. He didn't need to; he knew he'd won. Already, people were edging in from all sides. Below and above, all it would take was one word from the man to deliver their execution.

Still, Emily stood there waiting quietly while holding her head high.

Hermes opened his mouth when the arena below began to tremble.

The packed earth exploded upward, sending people, dirt, and roots in all directions. Causing absolute pandemonium in their ranks of people below. The bystanders and fighters scattered in all directions as thick roots pressed up from the earth, opening a tunnel.

There was the briefest pause before Kael stepped out with Gerade and Selia right behind him. Not only that, but as they stepped out, a stream of people flooded out of the passage and into the arena. The entirety of the Wandering Fangs began gathering into the spot left by the bystanders.

But that was not all. After they were all out, dozens of Shamans began to step out. Along with them, a final man trembled into the light, held aloft by Ra. It was none other than Zauren the Hearthspeaker himself, and his face was a mask of fury.

Blood points: 729

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