“This bud connects me to Silajana,” he continued, “and through him to all of his other aetherbound. He is the core, and we his web. He is eternal, and we his mortal agents in the cosmere.”
That was … a lot to take in. But Marasi supposed that all that mattered was that he was willing to help. “Thank you for joining our fight,” she said. “I’m glad that Silajana could spare you.”
“There is little else for us now,” he said, looking out the window. “Until we can return home…”
“I’m willing to go with you, Pras,” Moonlight said. “If you want to try.”
“The forces in my homeland are too strong, too deadly,” he said. “Silajana says we must remain in exile. He will decide when and if we are to return. He would not risk another extermination.”
The train bolted forward again, causing them all to lean the other direction in their seats. Only three more stops until they arrived.
“Moonlight, can your door stamp help us get into the enemy base?” Marasi asked.
“It will depend on the building materials,” she said. “This stamp pretends the people who constructed the place installed a door. It’ll be touch and go for it to work on things like natural rock.”
“Then we can sneak into the factory from any direction,” Marasi said, “and then find the way down into the caverns.”
“They’ve been moving a lot of supplies,” Moonlight said. “Large crates of equipment and food. So I doubt we’re looking for some hidden stairwell.”
“You’re right,” Marasi agreed. “There will likely be a freight elevator in the main loading bay. Good assumption.”
“We could attempt,” TwinSoul said, “to pretend to be members of their organization, making a delivery. Perhaps we could hijack a supply truck on the way?”
“Tried that,” Marasi said. “It was kind of a mess. I’d rather be more stealthy.”
“I agree,” Moonlight said. “I suggest we scout the location, find an empty room at the rear, and create a door. They’ll have their security focused on entry points, which we can avoid. From there we make our way to the cargo docks and locate the elevator.”
A reasonable enough plan. Though Marasi’s anxiety increased the closer they came to their destination. Soon the train lurched to a stop, and the three of them piled off. She worried the long case she was carrying — with her borrowed rifle hidden inside — would draw attention, but no one gave her so much as a second glance. Perhaps they thought it was some kind of musical instrument. More likely, they didn’t care.
Neither of Marasi’s companions were of a Scadrian ethnicity, but Moonlight kept a hat on to shade her eyes. She was shorter than most from Marasi’s world, but there was no telling if that was a trait of her people, or an individual body shape. TwinSoul, in contrast, was tall and lanky. His darker skin tone stood out on the street, but most would just assume he had Terris blood — that people’s colorations varied far more than those of people with old Central Dominance heritage, like Marasi.
Plus, there was a lot of variety in dress in this city. People seemed to eschew the dark browns and blacks that were more common in Elendel. Vibrant colors, often clashing, were part of the style here. With other oddities too. In the train station alone, they passed a costumed mascot trying to hand out flyers for a furniture store, a couple of masked Malwish tourists, and a koloss-blooded woman in a suit.
Outside the station, atop the platform with steps leading to the streets below, they spotted their target in the near distance: an old brown-brick factory with a mottled sign out front. Even this futuristic city had less-desirable sections of town; many were hidden away beneath the tracks.
Marasi had hoped to find the building quiet, since the Ghostblood spy’s records had indicated infrequent supply drops in recent weeks. Today, unfortunately, the building was buzzing with activity — some half a dozen trucks loading up and pulling out through a large bay door at the side of the structure.
“Well,” Moonlight said, “little doubt where the loading bay is. We’ll probably find the elevator in there.”
“Inside the bay,” TwinSoul said, “that is currently full of enemy forces?”
“Yeah…”
“What if,” Marasi said, “we came into the elevator from the back? You can make a door in any wall, right? What if we made one into the elevator from behind?”
“That’s possible,” Moonlight said. “Though I’m not comfortable with how busy it looks. We were hoping to slip in during a quiet moment.”
Marasi agreed — though as she considered it, she realized that had been naive of them. The Set knew that they were in Bilming and actively trying to stop them …
Marasi hesitated as she watched several of the trucks roar away from the factory, heading toward the hill with the government offices. Then she found herself smiling.
“They’re worried about Wax,” she said. “They’re marshalling troops, gathering resources … I’ll bet they’re sending it all to deal with him.”
“Maybe,” Moonlight said.
“Trust me,” Marasi said. “Where Wax goes, fireworks follow. The Set is worried about him — and they likely know exactly where he is. Flying through the air does tend to make him conspicuous.”
“If you’re correct, my lady,” TwinSoul said, “then they might not be expecting our incursion here. Their eyes may be diverted toward Dawnshot.” More trucks pulled away, and TwinSoul pointed toward the northern side of the city, where a giant plume of dark smoke was rising. “That’s the mayor’s mansion. Perhaps Dawnshot is being … extra difficult?”
“I’ll take it,” Marasi said, leading the way down the steps. “Let’s strike while everyone is distracted.”
43
Everyone in the room — including the kandra — gathered around Steris to read the letter Wax had sent. Perhaps they didn’t trust her to deliver the information out loud, or perhaps they needed to see it with their own eyes.
Bomb is confirmed real, and already fabricated. City-destroying capacity. Enemy is trying to find a way to deliver it to Elendel. It’s time to evacuate the city.
They know I’m after them. I hope that my presence won’t cause them to do anything rash. Investigation suggests attempts to deliver by train or road failed and they seek alternative, perhaps some kind of self-propelled artillery shell. Regardless, I suggest you close off all routes into Elendel as a precaution.
There is conflict among the Set. Some want to destroy Elendel, others maybe the entire Basin by restarting the Ashmounts, judging by a strange photograph we’ve found. I may be able to exploit the schism between them. Either way, my primary objective is neutralizing the bomb’s delivery mechanism.
Get as many people out as you can, as quickly as possible, in case I fail.
I love you.
Waxillium
Adawathwyn immediately ordered the young radio operator sequestered — along with anyone who might have heard the communication. Everyone else in the room slumped into chairs at the table, and several looked to TenSoon.
“We should believe Dawnshot,” he said. “Harmony has long thought the enemy was working on something like this. The deadline is … far more urgent than we realized. Rusts. We need to take this very seriously.”
“I am forced to agree,” Adawathwyn — of all people — said. “I don’t much like Ladrian, but … this news, with a kandra confirming it … My lord governor, it seems we have a gun to our heads.”
The governor leaned forward on the table, grim.
Finally, Steris thought, releasing a held breath. They are giving this the attention it deserves. Maybe now she could get something done.