Across the shattered terrace of Crater Island, Ancestor Pyre, Ancestor Vesper, and Ancestor Draven scrambled backward like wounded crabs.
Their robes were soaked in black, corrupted blood. Their dignity was completely incinerated.
Knowing that their surrendered fleet would no longer obey their commands, the Three Ancestors dragged their broken bodies toward the central teleportation node of the Blood-Star Citadel.
They did not look back. They did not shout threats.
They threw themselves into the glowing red transport glyph, vanishing in a flash of desperate crimson light.
High in the stratosphere above the archipelago, the massive lens of the orbital Star-Array began to hum with sinister power.
The three ancient rulers had fled directly into the array’s firing chamber. They intended to burn their remaining lifespans to force the superweapon to fire before the alliance could consolidate its victory.
Kaelen Vance checked his internal clock.
