The Last Silver

"Dinraal."

Tiamat's voice disappeared.

The communicator went dark.

For one heartbeat—

No one moved.

Then the entire planet shook.

The ancient chamber groaned.

Dust fell from the ceiling.

Dinraal looked upward.

Gilgamesh's expression changed.

"That wasn't me."

Isolde stared at him.

"Why would that be you?"

"Because it has been me before."

Another impact.

This one was stronger.

The chamber floor split.

Claire stumbled backward.

Johanna caught her.

"What was that?"

The answer came from above.

A scream.

Not human.

Not dragon.

A sound of metal being torn apart.

The communicator flickered.

Then Aurelius's voice exploded through it.

"DINRAAL!"

Dinraal grabbed it.

"What?"

"The Ashen have started the countdown."

The chamber became silent.

Aurelius continued.

"They aren't getting into position anymore."

Gilgamesh's face hardened.

"How long?"

Aurelius answered immediately.

"Not long."

Another impact shook the planet.

Dinraal looked toward the ceiling.

Somewhere above them—

People were running.

Fighting.

Dying.

The evacuation was still happening.

He knew that.

Millions of people had already left.

Ships had filled the skies.

Entire cities had been emptied.

But there were still people here.

Still soldiers.

Still families.

Still children.

Dinraal looked at Aurelius's communicator.

"How long?"

A pause.

Then—

"Until what?"

"Until everyone is gone."

Aurelius did not answer.

Dinraal's heart sank.

"How long?"

"Six minutes."

Claire stared at the communicator.

"Six minutes?"

Johanna swore.

Aurelius continued.

"The Ashen have finished targeting and the weapons are charging."

Dinraal's blood went cold.

"They know."

Gilgamesh nodded.

"Of course they know."

Isolde looked toward him.

"Know what?"

Gilgamesh's expression darkened.

"That we're leaving."

Another impact.

The ancient chamber trembled.

The enormous eye beneath the darkness opened.

The ancient mother spoke.

THEY DO NOT WANT YOU TO LEAVE.

Dinraal looked downward.

"Why?"

The enormous eye narrowed.

BECAUSE THEY FOLLOWED ME HERE.

Silence.

Claire stared.

Johanna slowly turned toward the abyss.

"I'm sorry."

The ancient mother did not answer.

Johanna swallowed.

"But did you just say they followed you?"

The planet shook again.

This time—

Something broke above them.

A distant roar passed through the earth.

The ancient mother laughed.

Not happily.

I HAVE BEEN RUNNING FOR A VERY LONG TIME.

Dinraal stared downward.

"From the Ashen?"

FROM WHAT MADE THEM.

Everyone stopped.

Even Gilgamesh.

Dinraal's heart began pounding.

"What made them?"

The enormous eye closed.

NOT NOW.

Dinraal stared.

"That's becoming a very irritating phrase."

The ancient mother laughed.

YES.

Then—

The chamber went silent.

Not quiet.

Silent.

The sound of the world disappeared.

Dinraal felt Isolde's fingers tighten around his.

"Din."

He looked at her.

She was staring downward.

The silver thread between them was glowing.

"Something's happening."

Dinraal felt it.

The ancient mother's presence.

Moving.

For the first time—

She was no longer simply beneath the planet.

The darkness began to rise.

Claire stepped backward.

"Everyone should probably move."

Johanna nodded.

"Strongly agree."

The floor cracked.

Then—

Something emerged.

At first—

Dinraal thought it was a woman.

A silhouette.

Tall.

Slender.

Bare feet touching the stone.

But no human body could contain what stood before them.

Her hair moved like darkness beneath deep water.

Her skin seemed made from something older than flesh.

Stars appeared beneath it.

Then disappeared.

Her eyes opened.

Silver.

No.

Not silver.

Every color silver had ever reflected.

Claire stared.

Johanna whispered—

"Oh."

Gilgamesh closed his eyes.

"I was hoping she would do that."

Dinraal looked at him.

"You knew she could do that?"

"Of course."

"Why didn't you tell us?"

Gilgamesh opened one eye.

"You were angry about secrets five minutes ago."

Dinraal pointed at him.

"Exactly."

The ancient mother looked at Dinraal.

Her human mouth curved into something almost resembling a smile.

LITTLE SILVER.

Dinraal stared at her.

"Are you—"

She tilted her head.

"Smaller?"

Claire finished.

The ancient mother looked at her.

"Yes."

Claire nodded slowly.

"Good."

"Why?"

"I don't think the ship has enough room for your other form."

The ancient mother considered this.

"Correct."

Johanna looked toward Dinraal.

"Why does she speak like that?"

"Like what?"

"Like she just remembered how conversations work."

The ancient mother looked at Johanna.

"I am still learning."

Johanna went silent.

Then—

"Fair."

The planet shook again.

Aurelius's voice returned through the communicator.

"Dinraal!"

Dinraal raised it.

"We're moving."

"You need to move faster."

The Chancellor's voice was strained.

Dinraal heard fighting behind him.

Explosions.

Orders.

Someone screaming.

Dinraal's expression changed.

"Where are you?"

Silence.

"Aurelius."

The answer came.

"At the final gate."

Dinraal froze.

Isolde looked at him.

"What?"

He stared at the communicator.

"The final gate?"

Aurelius did not answer.

Dinraal understood.

The final gate was the last defensive line before the evacuation platforms.

The soldiers there were not waiting for rescue.

They were buying time.

"Aurelius."

His voice became dangerous.

"Get on a ship."

"No."

Dinraal closed his eyes.

Of course.

Of course he would say that.

"Aurelius."

"Six minutes."

"I know."

"Then stop arguing with me."

Dinraal stared at the communicator.

Aurelius's voice lowered.

"Come to the surface."

Dinraal stopped.

"What?"

"I'll meet you there."

The connection ended.

Dinraal stood motionless.

Then—

The ancient mother began walking.

Everyone looked at her.

Dinraal pointed.

"Where are you going?"

"To your ship."

Claire blinked.

"Our ship?"

The ancient mother looked at her.

"You are evacuating."

"Yes."

"Then I am leaving."

Gilgamesh stepped forward.

The ancient mother stopped.

He looked at her.

"You said you could not leave the planet."

She stared at him.

"I said I could not leave while sleeping."

Silence.

Gilgamesh frowned.

The ancient mother smiled.

"I am awake now."

Johanna covered her face.

"Of course."

Dinraal stared at Gilgamesh.

"You knew?"

"I did not know."

Gilgamesh looked genuinely offended.

"I am getting tired of being blamed for everything."

Dinraal began walking.

"We're leaving."

The ancient mother followed.

Claire pointed at her.

"Does she have a name?"

The woman stopped.

Everyone looked at her.

Dinraal frowned.

"What?"

Claire shrugged.

"You can't keep calling her the ancient mother."

The ancient woman considered this.

Then—

"Mother will suffice."

Johanna shook her head.

"No."

The ancient mother's eyes narrowed.

"No?"

"No."

Johanna crossed her arms.

"We already have Tiamat and Queen Rhiannon, Dinraal is going to lose his mind if we start referring to three people as Mother."

Dinraal pointed at Johanna.

"Thank you."

The ancient woman looked thoughtful.

"Then what would you call me?"

No one answered.

Claire looked at Gilgamesh.

Gilgamesh immediately stepped backward.

"Absolutely not."

Alexander—

who had been silent near the rear of the chamber—

laughed.

Everyone turned toward him.

Dinraal blinked.

He had almost forgotten Alexander was there.

The ancient conqueror stepped forward.

He looked at the woman.

Then smiled.

"You have no name?"

"I have had many."

"Then choose one."

The ancient mother watched him.

Alexander folded his arms.

"Every great empire begins with a name."

Gilgamesh muttered—

"Please don't encourage her."

The ancient woman smiled faintly.

Then looked toward the stars.

"Asha."

The chamber went silent.

Claire repeated it.

"Asha."

The ancient mother nodded.

"It is an old name."

Johanna frowned.

"What does it mean?"

Asha looked at Dinraal.

Then at Isolde.

"Hope."

No one laughed.

The planet shook.

Aurelius's voice returned over every communicator.

Not just Dinraal's.

The emergency system activated.

FINAL EVACUATION PHASE COMPLETE.

Everyone froze.

Then—

ALL CIVILIAN TRANSPORTS HAVE CLEARED THE PLANETARY DEFENSE ZONE.

Claire covered her mouth.

Johanna looked upward.

For a moment—

No one spoke.

They had done it.

The civilians were gone.

Millions of lives—

Gone into the darkness.

Safe.

Or as safe as anyone could be now.

Then the message continued.

MILITARY AND ESSENTIAL PERSONNEL BEGIN FINAL DEPARTURE.

Gilgamesh's face hardened.

"Now."

They ran.

The surface was burning.

Dinraal emerged from the ancient passage and stopped.

The sky had changed.

Ash covered it.

Not clouds.

Not smoke.

Ash.

It fell in black sheets across the evacuation fields.

Ships rose through the atmosphere.

Hundreds.

Thousands.

The final vessels.

The last people leaving a dying world.

And beyond them—

The Ashen came.

They moved across the horizon.

A wall.

No.

An ocean.

Dinraal had seen armies.

He had seen dragons.

He had seen the ancient memories of the Draec Empire at war.

Nothing prepared him for this.

The Ashen did not charge.

They advanced.

Slowly.

Inevitably.

As though they already knew they had won.

Claire stopped beside him.

"Oh God."

Johanna whispered—

"There's more than before."

Gilgamesh looked toward the horizon.

"They collapsing on the last defense."

Dinraal stared at him.

Gilgamesh's expression was grim.

Another line appeared behind the first.

Then another.

The Ashen were not merely pushing harder.

They were arriving.

Aurelius had been right.

This was no longer an attack.

It was an invasion.

A roar shook the sky.

A dragon made of ash fell.

Dinraal watched as it crashed into the distant battlefield.

The ground erupted.

Isolde grabbed his arm.

"Dinraal."

He looked toward the evacuation platform.

Their ship waited.

Its engines were already active.

The ramp was down.

Soldiers rushed aboard.

Claire and Johanna began running.

Alexander followed.

Then Cleopatra.

Then Julius Caesar.

Even the First weapon, who had shrunk to the size of a corgi.

Dinraal stared.

Julius looked over his shoulder.

"Are you coming?"

Dinraal did not move.

"Not yet."

Julius looked toward the battlefield.

Then back at him.

Understanding appeared in his eyes.

"Of course."

Cleopatra walked closer.

She looked toward Dinraal.

Then toward Isolde.

"You are going to see him."

Dinraal nodded.

Cleopatra's expression softened.

"Don't take too long."

A massive explosion shook the platform.

She turned.

"History is becoming impatient."

Julius snorted.

Cleopatra glared at him.

"What?"

"You've been waiting two thousand years to say something like that."

Cleopatra pointed toward the ship.

"Move."

Julius smiled.

Then followed her.

Alexander stopped beside Dinraal.

He looked toward the distant battlefield.

Then smiled faintly.

"You know."

Dinraal looked at him.

"I spent most of my life believing the worst thing in the world was arriving too late."

Dinraal waited.

Alexander looked toward the burning horizon.

"I was wrong."

Another explosion.

Alexander's smile disappeared.

"The worst thing is believing there will always be another chance."

Dinraal stared at him.

Alexander placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Go."

Then he ran toward the ship.

Dinraal stood with Isolde.

Asha.

Gilgamesh.

Claire.

Johanna.

Commander Arcturus.

The final group.

Then—

A familiar presence appeared.

Aurelius.

Dinraal turned.

The Chancellor walked toward them.

Alone.

At first, Dinraal thought nothing was wrong.

Then he saw the blood.

Aurelius's armor was damaged.

One shoulder was blackened.

His face was pale.

But he was walking.

Dinraal stopped breathing.

Aurelius stopped several feet away.

For several seconds—

Neither spoke.

The battlefield roared around them.

The world burned.

Ash fell between them.

And Dinraal realized—

This was the first time he had truly looked at Aurelius since learning the truth.

Not a hologram.

Not a memory.

Not the Chancellor's distant face.

Aurelius.

The man standing before him.

Aurelius looked at Dinraal.

His expression changed.

"Caelum."

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