Defiance of the Fall

Kruta took a deep breath and recounted his experiences inside the Perennial Vastness . Seeing her impatient look , Kruta , unfortunately , had to skip the prepared parts detailing his accomplishments before meeting Zac . He’d save those tales for his little wives .

You fool! You killed an imperial? - Balka wheezed when Kruta reached the point with Valsa . - Do you want to bring a Calamity onto our heads? How can you betray the ancestors like this! -

Well , it was kind of my buddy who finished the job , - Kruta coughed . - I got knocked out within seconds . I just put my finger on the scales a bit . -

The excuse didn’t help him much . Waves of power crashed into him from Balka’s glare , threatening to disintegrate his body . What did the improved constitution of a Hegemon matter when faced with an Autarch’s wrath?

Vastermal was rebuffed by the Perennial Vastness , and the confidentiality of the realm will keep my identity safe , - Kruta croaked . - That guy I mentioned even went and had all imperials killed . No one even knows I was involved . -

What do you know? Nothing is absolute in this world . There is no such thing as a perfect seal and no secrets that can’t be excavated . Not even the Heavens are infallible . - Balka snorted , but she relented . - Well , it does seem like there’s nothing wrong with you , and I can’t find anything inside your body . But remember , don’t mention this to a single soul . You never know who’ll use that information for their own gain . -

Kruta quickly nodded .

What audacity , - Balka sighed . - No wonder you wanted to see me immediately . We’ll have to keep our eyes out , but I think we are safe . -

No , that wasn’t the important part , - Kruta said , his heart shuddering when the bonfire was almost extinguished from a burst of his grandmother’s killing intent .

You better have some honey with that spice , - Balka said with a murderous smile . - I don’t think my heart can handle much more bad news . -

Kruta jumped into the next part of the story , adding some embellishments to protect his hide . No , to paint a clearer picture for his dear grandmother! Who’s to say there won’t be treasures that could become the tribe’s hidden reserves inside the Left Imperial Palace?

Good , good , good! - Balka laughed , her demeanor completely different from before . - Bold and ambitious! That’s how my grandchild should act . Go , go! Get gammy something nice . -

About the princess . . . - Kruta ventured .

Who cares? It doesn’t matter! What , some junior got herself killed inside a trial? Things like that happen every day , - Balka said with a lazy wave . - That old goat , Vastermal , has working hips and over fifty wives . He’ll make new ones . So , what happened next? -

Seeing how well things were going , Kruta decided to add some more honey . It wasn’t about avoiding punishment , it was about having a positive outlook . And it wasn’t really a lie to say that friendship could blossom between him and the Tayn successor thanks to Zac . After all , Kruta was handsome and great company .

Why wouldn’t Iz Tayn want to become his friend?

Friendship with the young princess of the Tayns? - Balka said , her smile growing even wider . - If you can pull that off , forget about the inheritance . Who’d dare mess with us when people learn we have such a backer? Even the Luaris Dynasty would have to treat us with respect . I knew I was right in adopting you . I really have an eye for things . -

Unfortunately , Balka barely had time to finish her sentence before a deep rumble shook the whole world tent . It felt like a Primordial God was using the steppes themselves as a drum , and Kruta’s eyes widened with horror . This wasn’t the sound of the audience drum he’d hit before . This was the Ancestral Wardrum crafted by the founding chieftain himself . A drum Kruta hoped he’d never have to hear in his lifetime .

A Tribal Calamity? - Balka wheezed , angrily pointing at Kruta with fires burning in her eyes . - You troublemaker! -

I—You said , - Kruta stuttered , but he got no further before he found his mouth sealed .

I said nothing! - Balka glared , and they disappeared .

The next moment , the two floated far above the tribe . Kruta could see the citadel stretch out across the horizon , where one powerful aura after another rose to the sky . But what did it matter? Kruta could see the fear in his grandmother’s eyes as she looked up at the intruder . The steppes shivered at their mere presence , and the ancestral threads had dug deep into the ground .

The whole sky had been replaced by fire , stretching as far as Kruta could see . Their citadel held the families of over twenty million elite warriors , but it felt like a speck in front of this burning curtain . Inside the inferno were thousands of anguished faces , each the size of a city . They were indistinct and made of the flames , but were a darker , almost purple fire filled with resentment and despair . It looked like they were trying to break out only to be pushed back in .