One second, they were tumbling through freezing darkness; the next, they slammed into hard, sun-baked cobblestones. The biting cold of the Outerverse vanished, replaced instantly by the humidity and heat of the ruined city.
Drex rolled to his feet, gasping for air that didn't taste like ozone and rot. He blinked against the glare.
The sun was still out. It hung high in the sky, bright and indifferent.
"Halt!"
The shout came from the perimeter. A dozen knights, weapons drawn, flinched at the sudden appearance of the three figures crashing out of thin air. Hands went to hilts before recognition dawned.
"Young Lady?"
The perimeter guards lowered their weapons, eyes widening. They looked at Lucianna—covered in dust but alive—and then at the two men beside her.
"They're back," said the Knight Commander, his voice thick with disbelief. He stepped forward, scanning them for injuries, stunned that they had actually returned from the abyss.
Drex let out a long groan, rolling his shoulders. "Awesome. Job done. I need a shower and about ten pounds of steak."
He turned to walk away, his adrenaline fading into a heavy, bone-deep exhaustion.
"Not yet," Sai said.
Drex stopped and frowned. "What? We killed the bug. We blew up the rock."
Sai pointed behind them.
The Rift hadn't vanished yet. A swirling mass of brown energy pulsed weakly in the air, distorting the light like heat haze.
"It's fading," Sai said, "but until it's gone, the connection lingers. Monsters are opportunistic. If we leave now, something might slip through the cracks before it seals."
He looked at the nervous knights. "Guess we better stay and watch."
The knights didn't argue. They formed a semi-circle around the fading phenomenon, watching the gate with unflinching, uneasy eyes. They gripped their weapons tight, knuckles white, terrified that the nightmare wasn't quite over.
Sai, however, did not share their anxiety.
He looked around, found a relatively clean pile of rubble that looked vaguely comfortable, and slumped against it. He crossed his legs, folded his arms behind his head, and closed his eyes.
"Wake me if it pops," Sai mumbled, instantly relaxing into a state of near-sleep.
Drex sighed, sitting down on a broken stone nearby. He looked at Lucianna.
She remained standing. She didn't lean against a wall; she didn't sit. She stood at attention, rigid and unmoving, facing the Rift. She was back to her stoic self, the "Unbreakable Wall" persona firmly back in place. On her back, two weapons were strapped in an X shape—her own silver weapon, and the ancient, blue-glowing curio of her father.
The hour dragged on.
The tension stretched thin. The sun moved slowly across the sky. The silence in the Merchant Quarter was heavy, broken only by the shifting of armor and the distant wind.
Drex watched the brown light. It was fading, gradually. The pulsing slowed, becoming translucent, then faint.
Finally, the distortion smoothed out. The brown haze evaporated completely, leaving the air clear.
The Rift was officially closed.
A collective breath was released by the knights. Shoulders slumped in relief. The Knight Commander looked at the empty air, then at Lucianna, nodding with profound gratitude.
Sai opened one eye. "Told you."
He stood up, stretching his back until it popped. "Time to go."
The walk back to the Arbalest Estate was solemn.
On the way in, the city had felt like a tomb.
Now, there was a sense of victory, but it was quiet, tempered by the weight of what they carried.
They marched through the main gates of the estate. The news had traveled ahead of them.
The household staff, the remaining garrison, and the old steward were lined up in the courtyard.
Then they saw her.
Lucianna walked at the front, her silver armor battered and dirty, but her head held high.
A murmur went through the crowd. They saw the ancient lance.
The old steward's eyes widened. He recognized the blue glow. He recognized the iconic symbol of the old head of the house. He brought a trembling hand to his mouth as the realization washed over the courtyard.
She had brought the previous Lord home.
They didn't cheer. It wasn't that kind of victory. Instead, a profound, respectful silence fell over the courtyard. The knights and servants bowed low—lower than usual.
"Welcome back, Lady Lucianna," the steward whispered, tears in his eyes.
Lucianna stopped on the steps. She turned to face her people, her hand resting on her father's lance.
"We have retaken the city," Lucianna announced, her voice projecting clearly across the courtyard. "And we have closed the Gate."
She paused, letting the words sink in.
"My father is dead," she continued, her voice steady. "He failed to close the Gate. For days, I wondered if his expedition was in vain. But today I know the truth. His sacrifice might have seemed like a waste, but he bought us the one thing we lacked. He bought us time."
She looked at the faces of her soldiers.
"Time for help to arrive."
She glanced over at Sai and Drex standing near the gate. A faint, tired smile touched her lips.
"Although," she chuckled softly, "it was not the help we were expecting. Literally falling from the sky."
Drex grinned, scratching the back of his head.
"That time gave us the window to arrive at this future," Lucianna said, her expression hardening with resolve. "A future where we actually win."
She stepped down one stair, her gaze intense.
"And because of that, I will not sit in this estate like before. I will not hide behind walls while others suffer."
The steward blinked, confused. "My Lady?"
"I, too, will venture out," Lucianna declared. "I will help the people who feel it is their end. I will help them acquire more time to live. And to do that..."
She pointed at the strange man and the boy.
"I will be going with these powerful individuals."
Sai, who had been leaning against a pillar halfway to falling asleep, snapped his eyes open.
"Wait, what?" Sai stiffened, looking at Drex. "No. Absolutely not. I do not need more trouble."
Drex just laughed, while Lucianna turned back to the doors, her decision final.