Fortunately, he’d prepared.
“Where are you going to keep us all, Lindon?” Cassias asked.
“Apologies, but you’ll have to make camp for now. We haven’t built up enough of the Valley yet.”
Through the open Nethergate, a seemingly endless line of people streamed out of the labyrinth into Sacred Valley.
While Lindon was much stronger now, he still wasn’t skilled enough to create a portal from Serpent’s Grave all the way to Sacred Valley.
Thankfully, the labyrinth expanded his options. He only had to open portals for short hops, to transition the Arelius family a few miles at a time, before they reached a labyrinth entrance.
He had relocated virtually the entire Arelius family, along with the whole Twin Star Sect and anyone else he thought might have been targeted by Malice. Windfall rested on the former site of the Wei clan, next to the ruins of Elder Whisper’s tower.
And, strangely, the massive ship that was the headquarters of Redmoon Hall.
It still twisted his eyes to look down over the Valley and see cleared land, partially settled, where he expected familiar landmarks. Especially considering the ruin that had come to the sacred peaks.
But this was the heart of the labyrinth. It was the safest place he could take them.
He and Cassias stood on the top of a hill overlooking the exodus from the Nethergate. He had already completed the transfer; now he was just waiting for everyone to walk out of the labyrinth. He and Cassias and…a few others.
Lindon looked to a figure folded up on the ground. “Gratitude, but please stop.”
“I have said so many insolent things to the Sage, hmm?” Fisher Gesha said. “This old woman can only atone for her actions, and protect her family, by offering her life.”
“Please, Fisher Gesha. I brought you here to save you, not to punish you. I can’t even think what I would punish you for.”
The Skysworn city of Stormrock had been nearby Serpent’s Grave—that wasn’t a coincidence, but the design of the Skysworn Captain, Naru Gwei. He had been on his way to Serpent’s Grave to inspect the new Twin Star Sect and evaluate it for ranking, as well as to see if Eithan Arelius had really ascended.
Fisher Gesha and her family had been aboard. They’d left Blackflame City when it was evacuated before the Wandering Titan and focused on their Stormrock businesses, which was fortunate for Lindon. He didn’t want to make a stop in Blackflame City unless he had to.
Fisher Gesha’s tightly wrapped bun of gray hair quivered. She raised her head, peeking at him with her wrinkled face. “Truly? You don’t mean to punish this old woman?”
Lindon’s lungs loosened. He had felt so awkward with her crouched there that he had almost pulled her upright with aura. “Of course not!” He bowed at the waist. “I owe you a debt of gratitude for your guidance that has allowed me to travel this far.”
“Hmph.” She straightened to her full, tiny, height and smoothed the front of her outer robe. “If you didn’t mean to punish me, then you would have paid me a visit.”
Lindon was struck speechless.
“Years it’s been! Two years at least! And now you can walk through space, whoosh, like that, and still you never came to see me. Not until after the world ends, hmmm? The sky fell before you came to visit! It really fell! I saw it!”
Lindon bowed more deeply. “My humble apologies, honored Fisher.”
“No, no need to apologize. You’re the mighty Sage. I’m just an old woman who once thought of you like one of my grandsons.”
[I’ve run a thousand simulations,] Dross whispered. [I’ve cross-referenced every memory you have of this woman, and I’ve built a model of her personality. I think she does want you to apologize.]
Cassias had a hand on the hilt of his silver saber, and he struck a heroic figure with his golden curls glistening in the sunlight. He surveyed the people of Serpent’s Grave as they streamed past him, and Lindon felt him scanning them with his bloodline ability.
“I don’t mean to question you, Lindon,” Cassias said, “but this cost me a lot. The family elders are not happy with me.”
That meant they weren’t happy with Lindon, but Lindon found he didn’t care.
“As for me, I’m hoping none of this becomes necessary,” Cassias went on.
Lindon had hoped as much as well. But an explosion of Blackflame madra around the location of Serpent’s Grave was not good news.
“I hope so too,” Lindon said.
Until he knew for sure what had happened in Serpent’s Grave, there was no sense in worrying Cassias even more. He had saved everyone he could, and he even warned the rest of the city that an attack might be imminent. Not much else he could do, especially since he couldn’t even tell them details.