The Iron Pillars

Chapter 19

Brant stood atop a high tower on the north side of the temple as noon rolled around. Pacing in slow circles around the walled space, he squinted into the distance all around. Nothing unusual appeared in view, but his vigilance wasn't diminished in the slightest. Thoughts and ideas also brewed in his mind as he attended to his lookout post. His brain felt like agitated waters, stirred against its will by a heating flame. 

He glanced up when the trapdoor in the center of the tower floor swung open, revealing the spiral staircase beneath. Ace stepped out of the entryway, followed closely by Hannah. The grinning brunette bore a tray of grilled cheese sandwiches and applesauce in her hands. 

"Hey." Brant said, greeting them both. "What brings you up here?" 

Hannah's smile widened as she stepped closer, laying the tray down on the wall before him. "I brought ya somethin' to eat." 

Brant returned her pleasantness with a smirk of his own as he took one of the sandwiches from the platter. She nudged an applesauce container his way, which he refused with a shake of his head. 

"I don't like sweet stuff." he muttered. 

Hannah facepalmed dramatically. "Oh yeah! I shoulda remembered dat! What else can I get ya?" 

"No, it's fine. I'm not all that hungry anyway." 

With that, Brant took a bite, smiling slightly at the pleasant taste of grilled bread, salty cheese and a thin slice of ham. Cheese strung between the sandwich and his mouth, and he glanced up quickly to see if Ace was watching. He wasn't. 

"Thanks, Hannah." he mumbled, "I appreciate it." 

Hannah nodded. "No problem. I figured a god don't have time for such things as cookin' a meal." she remarked, a teasing glint in her brown eyes. 

He chuckled. "One would think a god would have all the time in the world." 

Hannah giggled and took another bite of her own sandwich. 

After eating in silence for a couple minutes, Brant glanced up at Ace, who he found to be staring back. He injected a question into his gaze and waited. 

"You've been up here by yourself for four hours." Ace said, "I figured by now, you've got some earth-shattering new idea or something." 

Brant raised an eyebrow. "I don't know about all that, but you are right. I've been thinking over something." 

"I'm listening." 

"Well, the core of it's pretty simple. Alconte is gathering all its armies together, soon to descend upon all its enemies and crush them. And yet, look at us who resist them. We're scattered, disunited and antagonistic." 

Ace nodded, but remained silent. 

"So the way I look at it, if Alconte's gathering her armies, why shouldn't we? If we don't stand together now, we'll never stand again. Alone, we're nothing. The Jasmidianite Insurgence is nothing alone. Odegoan, Commercian, Ferangian, we're all nothing if we stand alone. But together...maybe we'll stand a chance." 

"You're wantin' to put the Alliance back together again." Hannah said. 

Brant's head bobbed up and down in agreement. "Yes. We've had our differences, but we'd be foolish to focus on them now." 

"How would we even go about this?" Ace asked. 

"That's where it gets complicated." Brant replied, "I need to think that through some more." 

"Well, you do that. I'll be waiting to hear what you come up with." 

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