25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSVZqIIo4NDCHAPTER 11
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FIRM AS A MOUNTAIN
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Archeus rolls up the last of his scrolls, hands trembling slightly. The candlelight flickers in his room, across his ink‑stained fingers as Kathryn and Blake step into the cramped study.
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Blake’s neck is wrapped in stiff bandages, but he still manages a grin. Kathryn stands beside him, arms crossed, eyes sharp, already reading the room.
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Archeus doesn’t waste time.
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Archeus:
" King Theron has vanished. The palace is in disarray. And the priests… they whisper openly now. They want Theron dead. Paul's head. Metro most of all.”
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Blake’s smile fades.
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Archeus:
“I know what comes next. Metro and his followers will leave the state. They must. And I intend to join them.”
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Kathryn raises a brow.
“You? Leaving the capital?”
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Archeus nods, determined , resolute.
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Archeus:
“I believe in him. In all of you. But I must put my affairs in order first. When you reach your destination, you can send mail by bird — with information on your whereabouts. I'll bring maps, and news from every corner of the province. I will meet you there shortly.
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Theres a quiet, electric sense that everything's about to change.
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Kathryn exchanges a look with Blake.
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Kathryn:
“They’re heading northeast. Snowy mountain range. That’s where the gang is pushing.”
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Blake shifts, wincing at his neck brace.
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Blake:
“When… when should we expect you?”
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Archeus smiles softly, almost fatherly.
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Archeus:
“Only a few days after you arrive.”
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Blake:
“Keep a look out for Metro will you?”
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Archeus looks bamboozled, nodding in agreement.
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Archeus:
certainly...without a doubt…
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Kathryn nods.
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Blake turns stiffly.
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The weight of it all settles when they both fully turn to leave. The door swings shut behind them.
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Archeus lingers in the lamplight, parchment still trembling between his fingers. Blake’s words echo—heavy, impossible to ignore.
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He exhales, long and thin.
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Archeus:
“...you must keep a lookout for Metro… “
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He gatheres his robes, straightenes his spine, and steps back toward the dim hall where candles flicker like anxious hearts. The wind outside howls against the shutters, carrying with it the certainty of storms—political and spiritual.
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Behind him, the ink on his notes dry.
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Ahead of him, the world is shifting. And somewhere out there, Metro is moving.
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and then Add to home screen.