After defeating Irif, everyone assumes that the hardest part is over, and that they can finally relax for a moment. But while flying back to Enoria, Kaleth and the others are attacked by an ancient enemy, who they thought was long dead. And he has a...
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Nira liked to think she was pretty patient, but this was really getting to her. It's been days—days—and they'd done nothing. Yorin kept claiming that they couldn't do anything without risking a full out war with Enor, but Nira was convinced the Eternal had been bluffing when he'd said he'd destroy Irithara.
In fact, he hadn't done anything, as far as she could tell. Except hover that huge aircraft over Nira's home. She looked up at it from where she was sitting at the stone steps of some random building, and glared as much as she could. How she wanted to rip that thing apart. But even if she was strong enough to do that, she couldn't. Not because of Enor's threat, but because he was refusing to move the aircraft. And that falling down on the city would kill so many people.
And Nira knew he wouldn't move it any time soon. The constant shadow it cast over the city seemed very intentionally symbolic, and Nira just wanted it gone. The center of Aleara without sun just seemed wrong.
And perhaps worst of all, her father was most likely up there, a prisoner in his own country. Nira refused to believe that he'd just surrender Irithara over to Enor. They had been winning. He'd obviously been forced to capitulate. And until she heard her father's side of things, Nira wouldn't believe anything else. And she didn't care how many times she'd have a fight with Nef about this.
Nira sighed, hugging her knees closer to her chest with one hand and dragging her other hand through her hair. She looked around herself. The streets weren't all that frequented anymore, even though Enor hadn't had his soldiers patrol the streets. To be fair, he didn't need to—the ominous mass of metal above them was enough to scare people. But Nira definitely wasn't alone here.
Every so often, she'd see someone rush by her alley, which was usually silent. And while Nira usually liked silence, she hated the reason behind this one. She shook her head. At least she could be outside like this, without fearing for her life. Not only was she much stronger than she'd ever been before—though she needed to ask Sylari to give her more power, still, if she ever reappeared—but Yorin had also given her one of the Umbra cloaking devices. Which he'd apparently created a better version of, but Nira didn't care. As long as it hid her from Eternals, she would be grateful for it.
She had no idea what Enor was up to, what his plan after subjugating the entire Empire was, and honestly she didn't care. She just didn't want to lose anyone anymore. Her father was probably right above her, and she could never forget about that fact because the engines powering the aircraft were constantly humming. And even if he wasn't, the people who had seen him last would know where he was.
If she found a way to get up there, she would go there right this moment, but unfortunately, she hadn't yet. Yorin had assured her he'd figure something out, but he'd also said that he wouldn't let her do anything without the invisibility device he and Nef were working on. It was based on whatever the Umbra used to hide their hideouts, but Nira didn't really care where it came from. She also didn't like Yorin's wording. She didn't need him to let her, she was an adult, and her father was in danger.
