Miron (in a whispering voice):
"Ten minutes have passed, Romilius. And your companions are late. It seems they're beginning to realize that your life is too high a price for thermal energy."
Romilius (with a reassuring smile despite the blade):
"You measure things by profit and loss, Miron — and that is your greatest weakness. Ortenos does not think in terms of bargaining. Right now, he's thinking of something you never accounted for."
Miron (pressing the knife slightly):
"And what could he possibly do? He's a stranger in a city whose walls have eyes, surrounded by the fighters of the 'Gray Shadow.' Do you think your wisdom will protect you when the sand runs out?"
Romilius:
"You speak of power, but you don't understand its essence. Tell me, Miron — why do you surround yourself with masked fighters? Is it because you trust them? Or because you fear people seeing the fear in your eyes if you stood alone?"
Miron (his tone shifting to anger):
"I fear no one! I built my influence with blood and intelligence in Crystallis while you wandered with your foolish companions!"
Romilius:
"Intelligence without insight is just a trap you set for yourself. Look at your men… they are trembling. Not because of you, but because of what they feel outside. Something is approaching — something your sword cannot cut."
A few meters away, behind the thick walls, Ortenos was thinking. He was about to carry out a mad assault.
Ortenos (in a sharp whisper):
"Nirar, are the cylinders ready? We can't go through the main door — Miron expects that."
Nirar (connecting energy wires to two of the cylinders they had stolen):
"Ortenos, this is madness! If these cylinders explode in a narrow corridor, the entire vault could collapse on our heads — including Romilius!"
Picos (trembling, holding his frying pan):
"Romilius once said madness is doing the same thing and expecting a different result. So… the usual stealth won't work. I'll take the most dangerous role, right?"
Darius (patting Picos on the shoulder):
"Exactly, my large friend. You'll be the distraction. Once Nirar opens the breach, you and my father will run and shout at the top of your lungs to draw attention to the eastern side."
Nikos (preparing his chains):
"I've done stupid things at sea, but this tops the list. Ortenos — once the explosion happens, you'll have only three seconds to reach the leader before he recovers from the shock."
Two minutes remained. The sand in the hourglass was nearly gone. Miron began losing patience, and sweat started forming on his fighters' foreheads.
Miron:
"Time's up, old man. It seems Ortenos chose power over you. No matter — I'll kill you now, then go take what I want from his corpse."
Romilius (calmly):
"You're wrong. Ortenos is not late. He's waiting for the moment you believe you've won. Do you hear that silence, Miron?"
Miron (confused):
"What silence?"
Romilius:
"The silence before the storm."
Miron began raising his hand to drive the knife down. Ten seconds… nine… eight… Outside, the companions held their breath. Nirar placed his hand on the detonator.
Ortenos:
"Now!"
Five seconds… four… Miron shouted: "Farewell, philosopher!"
Three seconds… two…
BOOOOOOM!
A massive explosion shook the entire structure. It was not an ordinary fiery blast, but a blue thermal wave produced by the sudden discharge of the cylinders' energy. The western wall of the vault shattered, and debris flew like shrapnel. Miron was thrown into the air, crashing into his crystal chair, while his fighters fell like leaves under the shockwave's force.
Amid the dust and thick smoke, a blue shadow shot forward like lightning. It was Ortenos, the feather in his pocket glowing with unprecedented light, running across the rubble straight toward the platform where Miron and Romilius had fallen.
Ortenos (shouting through the smoke):
"Romiliuuuuus!"