The Last Silver

No one moved.

Thousands of armored soldiers stood within the ancient chamber.

Their eyes glowed faintly beneath sealed helmets.

"THE EMPEROR HAS RETURNED."

The words echoed through the vast room.

Dinraal slowly looked over his shoulder.

Johanna was staring at him.

Claire was staring at him.

Isolde was—

Smiling.

Dinraal frowned.

"Why are you smiling?"

Isolde immediately looked innocent.

"I am not."

"You are."

"A little."

Johanna turned toward her.

"My lady."

"What?"

"There are thousands of ancient soldiers surrounding us."

"I can see that."

"And you are smiling."

Isolde glanced at Dinraal.

"They said they were waiting for an emperor."

Dinraal's expression flattened.

"Don't."

Her smile widened.

"I didn't say anything."

"You were going to."

"I wasn't."

Claire quietly stepped away from them.

Dinraal noticed.

"Where are you going?"

"A safe distance away from whatever happens next."

A heavy metallic sound echoed through the chamber.

Every soldier moved.

Johanna immediately raised her weapon.

"DINRAAL."

"I see it!"

The soldiers dropped to one knee.

The sound of thousands of armored bodies striking the floor thundered through the chamber.

Then—

Silence.

Dinraal stared at them.

One figure stood at the front of the formation.

Unlike the others, his armor was silver rather than black.

A long crimson cape hung from his shoulders.

The figure slowly removed his helmet.

He was old.

Far older than Dinraal had expected.

Deep scars crossed his face.

His eyes, however, remained sharp.

The old warrior looked directly at Dinraal.

For several seconds, neither of them spoke.

Then the man bowed his head.

"My Emperor."

Dinraal immediately pointed at himself.

"Me?"

Johanna stared at him.

Claire covered her face.

Isolde's smile became impossible to hide.

The old man looked confused.

"Yes."

Dinraal looked around.

"Are you sure?"

The soldier slowly raised his head.

"I have waited sixteen years for that question to stop being hypothetical."

Dinraal blinked.

"What?"

The warrior stood.

"My name is Commander Arcturus."

Dinraal's expression changed.

He knew this face.

His mother's memories had shown him glimpses of the man.

A legendary commander of the old Draec Empire.

Arcturus had vanished shortly before the final battle.

Dinraal had always assumed he was dead.

"You served my father."

Arcturus became silent.

Then he nodded.

"I did."

Dinraal looked toward the thousands of soldiers surrounding them.

"What is this place?"

Arcturus's expression darkened.

"A contingency."

The word made Dinraal uneasy.

"For what?"

Arcturus looked toward the enormous silver throne.

"For the end of the Empire."

Johanna lowered her weapon slightly.

"Sixteen years?"

Arcturus turned toward her.

His eyes narrowed.

"The Chancellor's daughter."

Johanna immediately stepped in front of Isolde.

Dinraal noticed.

"So we're judging people based on their fathers now?"

Arcturus looked toward him.

"Your father was the Emperor."

Dinraal crossed his arms.

"Exactly."

Arcturus stared at him.

For a moment, Dinraal wondered whether the old commander understood sarcasm.

Then Arcturus smiled.

A quiet laugh escaped him.

Dinraal relaxed slightly.

Only slightly.

Arcturus turned toward Isolde.

"Do not misunderstand me, Princess. I hold no hatred for you."

Isolde studied him.

"But you hate my father."

The smile disappeared.

Arcturus looked toward the floor.

"Hate is too simple a word."

The silence that followed was heavier than Dinraal expected.

Finally, Arcturus looked back toward him.

"You have questions."

Dinraal laughed once.

"That's an understatement."

"Then ask."

Dinraal's expression hardened.

"Why did my father die?"

The chamber became silent.

Even Isolde stopped smiling.

Arcturus slowly turned toward the silver throne.

"Because he believed there was no other way."

Dinraal felt his anger rise.

"Everyone keeps saying that."

Arcturus looked over his shoulder.

"Because it is true."

"Then explain it."

The old commander was quiet for several seconds.

Then he gestured toward the throne.

"Sit."

Dinraal stared at it.

"No."

Arcturus blinked.

"No?"

"No."

"Why?"

Dinraal pointed at the enormous throne.

"Because every time I touch something important, something starts glowing and people begin calling me Emperor."

Isolde failed to suppress a laugh.

Johanna looked toward her.

"My lady."

"I'm sorry."

She wasn't.

Claire cleared her throat.

"Dinraal does have a point."

Arcturus stared at all of them.

Then, unexpectedly, he laughed.

The sound echoed through the chamber.

When it finally stopped, his expression became serious again.

"Very well."

He raised one hand.

The soldiers moved.

The walls of the chamber began opening.

Dinraal stepped backward.

"What are they doing?"

"Showing you the truth."

The room changed.

Massive screens emerged from the walls.

A holographic image appeared above the silver throne.

Dinraal froze.

He recognized the location immediately.

The Imperial Palace.

Before the war.

Before everything had fallen apart.

His father stood before a large table.

Several people surrounded him.

Generals.

Advisors.

Members of the royal court.

And—

Dinraal leaned forward.

"The Chancellor."

Isolde stiffened.

Her eyes fixed on the hologram.

The Chancellor stood beside Bahamut.

Not across from him.

Beside him.

Dinraal slowly turned toward Isolde.

She looked just as confused as he felt.

"What is he doing there?"

Arcturus answered.

"Planning the war."

The words struck the room like an explosion.

Dinraal stared at him.

"What?"

The hologram continued.

Bahamut and the Chancellor spoke.

They appeared calm.

Focused.

They were discussing military movements.

The invasion.

Entire worlds.

Dinraal felt sick.

"No."

Arcturus looked toward him.

"I am sorry."

Dinraal shook his head.

"My father fought against him."

"Yes."

"He killed my father."

"Yes."

"Then why were they—"

"Because they were friends."

Silence.

Isolde slowly stepped away from Dinraal.

Not because she feared him.

Because she needed room to breathe.

"My father," she whispered.

Arcturus looked at her.

"Was once one of Bahamut's most trusted allies."

Her face went pale.

Claire moved toward her.

"Isolde."

Isolde didn't respond.

She continued staring at the image.

The Chancellor was younger.

He was laughing.

Bahamut said something.

The two men shook hands.

Dinraal felt something break inside him.

Everything he knew had been built on a simple story.

The dragonkin.

The humans.

The Emperor.

The Chancellor.

Enemies.

Always enemies.

But the image before him told another story.

"Why?"

His voice was barely audible.

Arcturus looked toward him.

"To protect you."

Dinraal clenched his fists.

"That's not an answer."

"It is the only one I have."

Arcturus raised his hand.

The image changed.

Now Dinraal saw worlds burning.

Human armies.

Dragonkin armies.

Fighting side by side.

His breathing stopped.

"The war started before they betrayed each other."

Arcturus nodded.

"The conquest of Draecon's neighboring systems began as a joint campaign."

Isolde stared at the images.

"Then why did they fight?"

Arcturus's expression became grim.

"Because your father wanted to stop."

Dinraal looked toward him.

The commander continued.

"Your father realized what the Empire had become."

The images changed again.

Entire cities were burning.

Civilians ran through the streets.

Dinraal saw dragonkin soldiers.

Human soldiers.

Neither side was innocent.

His stomach turned.

Arcturus's voice became quiet.

"The Chancellor did not."

A slow clap echoed through the chamber.

Everyone froze.

Dinraal turned.

Vael stood at the far entrance.

Several of his armored soldiers stood behind him.

Johanna immediately raised her weapon.

"Don't move."

Vael ignored her.

His silver mask was gone.

For the first time, Dinraal saw the man's expression clearly.

He looked tired.

Not frightened.

Not angry.

Tired.

"You finally showed him."

Arcturus's expression hardened.

"Vael."

The name echoed through the chamber.

Dinraal stared between them.

"You know each other."

Vael smiled bitterly.

"Of course."

Arcturus stepped forward.

Dinraal noticed something strange.

The old commander's hand had moved toward his weapon.

Vael noticed too.

"You still carry that sword."

"You still carry that hatred."

Vael's expression changed.

"Careful."

Arcturus's voice became cold.

"You were once my soldier."

Dinraal stared.

Vael laughed.

"And there it is."

His eyes moved toward Dinraal.

"Did he tell you?"

Dinraal's jaw tightened.

"Tell me what?"

Vael looked toward Arcturus.

"Go on."

Arcturus remained silent.

Vael's smile vanished.

"Tell him what happened to my people."

Dinraal looked between them.

Arcturus's face had become unreadable.

Vael took a step forward.

"You told him that Bahamut wasn't innocent."

His voice shook.

"But did you tell him that the Empire ordered my people into the front lines?"

Silence.

Vael's eyes never left Dinraal.

"Did you tell him that we were sent against enemies we could not defeat?"

Arcturus spoke.

"Vael—"

"Did you tell him?"

The chamber trembled.

Dinraal looked toward Arcturus.

The commander finally lowered his head.

"No."

Vael laughed.

A hollow sound.

"Of course not."

He looked toward Dinraal.

"My people trusted the Empire."

Dinraal said nothing.

"We fought for it."

Vael pointed toward Arcturus.

"We died for it."

The old commander's expression tightened.

"Your people were not the only ones."

Vael's eyes flashed.

"But we were the ones abandoned."

The silence that followed was absolute.

Isolde looked toward Dinraal.

She could see the conflict on his face.

For the first time, Dinraal had no enemy he could easily hate.

His father had been flawed.

The Empire had committed atrocities.

The Chancellor had once fought beside Bahamut.

Vael had been wronged.

But Vael had also attacked an entire city.

Nothing was simple anymore.

Dinraal hated it.

Vael looked toward the Mithril Gaunt.

"And now you understand."

Dinraal raised his hand.

"Understand what?"

Vael pointed toward the throne.

"That this Empire should never return."

The soldiers around them became still.

Arcturus's eyes hardened.

"Careful."

Vael looked toward him.

"Why?"

The commander took another step forward.

"Because that is still my Emperor."

Vael laughed.

Then he looked toward Dinraal.

"And what does the new Emperor think?"

Every eye in the chamber turned toward him.

Dinraal stared at the silver throne.

Then at Vael.

Then at Arcturus.

Finally, he looked at Isolde.

She did not speak.

She simply waited.

Dinraal took a breath.

Then pointed toward the throne.

"I don't want it."

The chamber went silent.

Arcturus stared at him.

Vael's expression changed.

Dinraal continued.

"I don't want an empire."

He looked toward the soldiers.

"I don't want people kneeling to me."

The old soldiers remained motionless.

Dinraal's voice grew stronger.

"And I definitely don't want to inherit every terrible decision made by the people who came before me."

The Mithril Gaunt began to glow.

Arcturus looked toward it.

Dinraal didn't.

He looked directly at Vael.

"But I also won't stand here and pretend you're innocent."

Vael's expression hardened.

Dinraal pointed toward the city above them.

"You attacked civilians."

Vael said nothing.

"You used innocent people to draw me here."

Still nothing.

Dinraal lowered his hand.

"If you want to destroy an empire because it hurt your people, I understand."

His eyes became cold.

"But if you're willing to become the same kind of monster…"

The Gaunt flashed.

Silver light filled the chamber.

"Then you're not freeing anyone."

Vael stared at him.

The room shook.

A voice spoke.

Not from Arcturus.

Not from the soldiers.

From the throne itself.

"THE RIGHT OF RULE HAS SPOKEN."

Every soldier dropped to one knee.

Arcturus bowed his head.

Vael slowly looked around the chamber.

Then he laughed.

"Of course."

Dinraal frowned.

"What?"

Vael looked toward him.

"You truly have no idea what that means."

A deafening explosion shook the facility.

The ceiling cracked.

Dust fell from above.

Johanna looked toward her communicator.

It had come back to life.

A voice screamed through the static.

"—PRINCESS ISOLDE! RESPOND!"

Isolde grabbed the device.

"This is Isolde!"

The voice went silent.

Then returned.

"My lady!"

"Who is this?"

The answer came immediately.

"Imperial command."

Everyone became still.

Isolde's face changed.

"What happened?"

The voice hesitated.

Dinraal didn't like that.

Finally, the officer spoke.

"The Chancellor knows you are missing."

Isolde's grip tightened.

"And?"

A pause.

Then—

"He is coming."

Silence.

Dinraal slowly looked toward the others.

"Here?"

The officer answered.

"With the fleet."

Outside, somewhere far above the planet, the sky began to burn.

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