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The animated statue was faster than Pierce would have thought possible. Even as Indigo regained her balance from the blow, the giant caught her with a swift kick. The blow swept her off her feet and threw her back into the darkness.

For a moment, Pierce was torn. It was Harmattan who had threatened Lei. Pierce no longer knew what he believed about his destiny, his family, or his people, but he couldn’t stand by and watch Indigo die. He charged, drawing his flail and setting the chain in motion. Daine would have called out, issuing a triumphant battlecry. For Pierce, purpose was enough. The sentry had turned away from him to finish Indigo, and Pierce swung the flail as hard as he could, striking the damaged ankle with a resounding crash. Glass shards flew through the air. Despite his strength, Pierce’s weapon was mere steel, and it didn’t have the bite of Indigo’s strange blades, but he had drawn its attention. It turned toward him, the obsidian blade spinning down …

And Harmattan dove between them.

His razor cloak was spread wide, and it absorbed the full force of the blow without breaking. It was a wall of steel, and it came between Pierce and death.

Careful, little brother, Harmattan said. Your role in this game is far from over.

Pierce simply stepped to the side. Indigo had returned, and her blades were almost invisible as she slashed at the giant again and again.

“Brother!” she called. “Strike from the opposite side!”

He did, timing his blow to match hers. His flail could not match her blades, but his strength made the difference, and the obsidian leg shattered beneath the combined assault. For a moment the giant turned, trying to maintain its balance and spot the tiny creatures below, then it toppled. The terrible injury must have broken the animating magic, for it stiffened as it fell, and when it struck the ground it shattered into hundreds of pieces.

“Satisfactory,” Indigo said, looking at Pierce. “You are a dangerous opponent, brother, but do you truly think you can match me?”

“Perhaps we shall put my projections to the test,” Pierce said. He felt a strange … pleasure as he spoke the words. He had fought in more battles than he could remember. He had even served with warforged before, but with Indigo—somehow, their movements complimented each other perfectly. It wasn’t battle—it was music.

Enough, said Harmattan. The sphere! Where is it?

“I have not yet found it,” Hydra said, speaking from three corners of the hall. “If you could produce more light …”

Illumination filled the chamber—a cold glow emanating from Harmattan himself. Be quick.

Pierce returned to the region he had been searching before, over by the entrance to the hall. He contemplated the broken hallway beyond, touching the spirit that held the ceiling in place.

“You fought well.” Indigo had followed him. “But it was foolish of you to join the fray with such an ineffective weapon.”

“I couldn’t let you fight alone.”

“Why is that?”

Before Pierce could speak, Hydra called out, his three voices hissing across the darkness. “No! What is she doing?”

For a moment, Pierce stared at Indigo. She was beautiful, in a way no human could ever be. A weapon, swift and deadly. Just as he was.

“Stay down,” he said, and knocked her off of her feet with a savage blow from the butt of his flail. He was already turning as she fell, racing down the tunnel as fast as he could. Maintain, he thought.

PIERCE! It took only seconds for Harmattan to respond. Pierce could hear metal tearing against glass as his brother followed him, but he didn’t stop to look until he reached the chamber on the other side, with the spiral staircase rising upwards.

In his whirlwind form Harmattan was far faster than any man. He was already halfway across the hall when Pierce turned. Pierce could see the gleaming eyes within the storm of razors, beacons of fury. PIERCE! He howled again, a loud and deadly wind.

Release.

And the shattered ceiling came tumbling down.

It was over in an instant. Where there had once been a passage,