《Atoned Hollow 0: The Copper Crown》


 1. An Empty Basins Echo

    The waves sounded as if they were hushing the wind with each coming tide, only to be abruptly awakened by the sound of a bird''s cry! Atop the gigantic basin, a young man lay with his legs crossed and arms rested behind his head. His eyebrows peaked upward at the sound of the cry, but neither eyelid actually opened, his long, draping black hair covering the runic markings bore into the huge structure! The water within, collected by thousands of years of rain, swayed back and forth calmly, glistening like liquid crystals in the sunlight above.


    ¡°You¡¯re the last basin left. The others have turned to fountains and lakes by now¡­ don¡¯t you want to grow up?¡± the boy mused to the very structure he sat atop. His eyelids finally opened to reveal a set of light brown, almost amber-colored eyes. ¡°Or do the clouds simply refuse to give you the chance?¡±


    He watched the white masses of vapor float high above him with an idle gaze, which was only broken when the bird cried again, this time closer. Turning his attention to the horizon, he sat up on the edge of the basin, his legs dangling into an abyss of no return with a relaxed composure. To those new to the land of Nillitacni, the sight he set his eyes upon would be¡­ jarring.


    ¡°Armony! Armony! I have news!¡± was all he heard as he spotted the fifteen-foot wingspan of his friend, their beak piercing the air currents like a blade, followed by the rest of their humanoid, yet feathered, body. ¡°A large ship docked in Orcoa¡¯i this morning! Word of a new trade is spreading like wildfire, but everyone¡¯s being tight-lipped about its use!¡±


    Armony, the boy who sat over the basin, opened his eyes wide at the information given by his well-excited and clearly informed friend. Before responding, though, he peered back to the water, which sat hundreds, if not thousands, of feet below him in the basin, the calm echo of its waves soothing the boy. ¡°Whose flag was it?¡±


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    ¡°That¡¯s the thing!¡± the birdfolk responded, her index finger lifting studiously as she landed. ¡°All they bore was a red circle within a circle on a white flag, never even seen it before.¡±


    Armony ran his fingers through his hair, the reflection from the waves far below giving a marble-like pattern to his dark skin. ¡°Well, that¡¯s ominous. Who else knows- er- who else have you told?¡±


    They shook their head aggressively when he asked. ¡°I¡¯ve only told you, why?¡± her head tilted to the side, eyelids narrowed on Armony and the posture he sat with. It was one of someone who held confidence in their chest yet didn¡¯t quite have a path set before their eyes. Armony¡¯s feet, meant to travel roads unknown, swayed there as he thought over what his friend had told him.


    ¡°Then it looks like we¡¯ll be checking it out. If the others are accepting of whatever this ¡®new trade¡¯ is, then it¡¯s high time we get to the bottom of it.¡± The boy¡¯s eyes flashed teal and then back to hazel as he averted his gaze to the bird. ¡°Thanks, Harize. I¡¯ll start making my way there-we¡¯ll need the others.¡±


    With but a nod, Armony spun around where he sat and kicked off the outside of the basin with both his hands and feet!


    Just barely freefalling now, Armony kicked off the face of the cliff before gaining momentum, sending him in a diagonal arc toward the ground, which lay hundreds of feet below! His long hair painted his trail like a brushstroke of pure black, both eyes flickering with a greenish tint as he looked through the air, down toward the town that lay below. His eyelids, even in the strong wind, narrowed with annoyance before he tilted his head down in his plummet!


    Meanwhile, Harize stood atop the basin, blinking idly as she watched her friend speak and then jump without even so much as a ¡®see you later,¡¯ which brought both of her winged arms to a crossing, the large folds of feathers inverting into Harize¡¯s large forearms. For that of birdkin ilk, their physical strength was apparent and far bigger than their peers.


    ¡°Well, alright, could¡¯ve at least said to fly safely¡­¡± The Kaka¡¯u scratched her crown feathers before waltzing off the edge.

 2. Timbre of Nillitacni

    Armony¡¯s gaze didn¡¯t open for a while, his eyelids like butterflies as they fluttered before finally parting to see Harize give him a small salute before gliding off in a different direction. Yet there Armony stood, upside down, falling toward solid ground at blistering speeds! From his back, he pulled a foot-long, thin cylinder.


    A flute.


    Yet it had only one tone hole- an instrument that played a single interval, performed with an ear-shattering intensity. The inhale he took before the pitch rang through the amber-gold flute carried a timbre like metal scraping metal. The etchings along its surface glowed faintly with swirling patterns, resembling the wind he called to his aid.


    A brilliant wind current took hold of Armony¡¯s momentum and harmlessly washed it away, leaving him flipping slowly toward the rooftops. He reached with his toes and pitter-pattered into a graceful backward landing! Only to immediately fall off the edge of the roof onto the stone path below. His black hair almost covered his entire body where he lay, like a bed¡­ or, in this case, a blanket draped over rocks!


    Before he could even stand, he heard a cackle to his left- an old Pohaku¡¯Nui rocking in a chair with a fat mound of herbs in his pipe. Their marbled, red-hot stone eyes stared at him with the intensity of untold experience, and frankly, it took Armony by surprise. Both because the Stone People weren¡¯t common in Nillitacni, but primarily due to how old this guy looked!


    ¡°My bad, I don¡¯t think I broke anythi- ¡±


    ¡°Psh, wish ya¡¯ did, kid.¡± The old fart flicked the side of his pipe, the ash falling perfectly off the top and onto Armony¡¯s forehead.


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    The boy blinked a few times, staring in disbelief at the sheer audacity of this old-timer. But then again, Stonemen were known to be hardy folk with strong personalities. Matching that with the years this fella likely sported¡­ Armony wanted to give the guy a break. At least, until his face became an ashtray, and instinct overran the boy. The ash spread into his hair as he jolted upward, his left hand holding his entire body as his right foot kicked off the ground and arched down toward the old man! The once-hazel eyes of Armony flashed and stayed teal this time.


    Gravel shot out beneath them with the splintering of the wooden chair the elder sat on, Armony¡¯s leg planted firmly against his collarbone to¡­ futile effect. Though, instead of retaliating immediately, the old man laughed, grabbed Armony¡¯s leg, and tossed him to the side before slapping his knee in proper amusement.


    ¡°Oh, now that was good, laddy! If only you didn¡¯t kick like the wee little boy you are; otherwise, with that form, you could¡¯ve done some harm.¡± He hunched over, looking, watching, inspecting the way Armony got back to his feet, his obnoxiously long black hair swaying behind him like a dark wreath. His eyes dimmed back to their normal hue of hazel, but he held the flute now as if threatening to¡­ play it?


    ¡°Whadd¡¯ya gonna do?¡± the man teased, yet Armony simply stood still before sighing.


    ¡°Please¡­ if we ever meet again, do not treat me like an ashtray.¡± Armony¡¯s tone was calm, but his knuckles were white from clenching his fists so tight. Something the Pohaku¡¯Nu seemed to notice, flicking a rock at the back of Armony¡¯s head as he walked away. He wanted to turn to face the man but simply kept on his way, remembering just what had earned him such a welcome.


    Thus, he simply looked down at the flute, raising it to his mouth to let out a low hum as he blurred into the crowds of the greater alleyways.

 3. Divides

    ¡°He¡¯ll be here soon, just wait a minute!¡± The familiar voice of Harize shouted, a bit of a chirp hidden behind her words. She didn¡¯t have much of a commanding tone, but it seemed to bring momentary silence. ¡°Armony doesn¡¯t usually call on us like this- think about it!¡±


    ¡°Oh, I have, and I want nothing to do with it. He needs to quit before he gets seriously hurt, that boy,¡± an older member spoke up- a Loharri with a deep voice and an almost child-like face. Their oddly bright, porcelain visage curled into a disgusted look as they traced their eyes away from Harize, who was quick to respond, waving her arms frantically.


    ¡°I know the last job went poorly, but come on, if we can get to the heart of this new- ¡±


    ¡°No. The answer is no, Harize. I don¡¯t know about the others, but I came to say my farewells, not to send more of my friends on death quests.¡±


    Harize¡¯s feathers furled wildly as she inspected someone she had believed to be a loyal friend, her wide pupils sharpening rapidly, like stones to blades. ¡°Then leave.¡±


    One by one, each and every member of the Sol-Flute guild left. And with their departure? The instruments that each member carried- now only bore by Harize and Armony.


    Speaking of Armony, he arrived mere moments after everyone had left, and without a word shared between the two, they nodded and buried the flutes. One after the other, they were thrown into separate holes on the grounds where the party was disbanded without so much as a word to its leader.


    ¡°Armony, you know this isn¡¯t your- ¡±


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    ¡°Stop. Harize¡­¡± He raised a hand with a low groan before peering up at the darkness that began to leech its way into the sky like runny ink. ¡°I have you, you have me, and we aren¡¯t alone. I¡¯d say that¡¯s all that matters today. Tomorrow, when we curse ourselves for our foolishness, is when we can place the blame.¡±


    Armony stood with a deep sigh, twirling his own interval flute before walking off, waving for Harize to join. ¡°We¡¯ve got a decent walk from here to Orcoa¡¯i. Let¡¯s walk through the night.¡±


    Harize stood in place for a moment, watching as her friend wandered off in the general direction of Orcoa¡¯i. Following after him, she nudged his shoulder to walk to his left more, her beak nodding toward the south. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Seems dangerous- just the two of us walking into Wha¡¯Poa territory in the midst of the night.¡±


    The boy shrugged, peering back at the Kaka¡¯u¡¯s crown of feathers before focusing on her eyes. ¡°We¡¯ve not much choice. The skies are all the more treacherous- there¡¯s no avoiding it.¡±


    To that, Harize¡¯s feathers rose before resting back into unison, giving her body an almost mechanical flow. She moved with a certain amount of intention, whether in her long strides or in her small adjustments. Harize seemed to have a calculated approach to most things she did, especially when it came to interactions. Each step she took was filled with deep thought- from her hips to her knees, to her heels to her toes- she was gauging each and every movement to the T.


    Armony, on the other hand, moved with an unkempt flow, his legs crossing one another every now and again as they walked, which at times prompted him to do a little spin before keeping up his pace. His long, shadowy flowing hair gave each step an artificial sense of weight, as the curls bounced with each foot placed.


    It was as if he were dancing!


    With their plans set and their destination ahead of them, all they had left was to walk their walk. For whatever paths lay ahead cared not for talk, but for their actions. Their decisions.


    Their fate.

 4. Smoke on Water

    What¡¯s the first thing you see when a war is started?


    An item of power,


    A piece of paper with the words written in blood?


    Or is it the corpse of a politician, perhaps of royalty? Nay¡­


    It¡¯s smoke...


    Smoke.


    The smoke that billows and billows into the sky endlessly, turning the fresh morning sunlight into a blanket of despair for all which it covers. A shining beacon high above them, cast out of their view by a pillar of destruction¡¯s exhaust. It¡¯s this smog that signals to those outside of the chaos¡­ that something has arrived, and needless to say, it was not a favored advent.


    ¡°What in Hereek?!¡± Armony¡¯s eyes widened as the smoke entered vision, his feet dug into the dirt path as he ran up the hill, bearing witness to an event that wasn¡¯t supposed to be witnessed by ANY of the outer tribes. Which became evident when his head peaked over the hill, and a star-like light appeared from within the smoke, a beam of light piercing a perfect hole through his hair, missing his head by inches.


    Eyes wide, Armony begins to fall back, quite literally, as Harize tugs on his arm, and throws him into cover alongside her. ¡°Are you okay?!¡±


    The bird-woman scanned him up and down, lifting his arms as her wide eyes began to sharpen on his clothes, and his body. No wounds.


    Good.


    ¡°We need to leave, there¡¯s no bounty to be had there, just an inescapable plummet.¡± Harize¡¯s talon-like hands clasped her head, and her beak as she spoke, her gaze tracing up to Armony with a worried gaze. One that seemed to fade into what looked like despair, mirroring the gloom which lofted over them so ominously. ¡°Wh- what¡¯s that look for Armony?¡±


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    He responded with a low giggle, his fingers digging into the dirt path they were pinned down to for cover. ¡°Bounty?¡± Picking up the dirt in his fingertips, the boy allowed it to fall like sand in an hourglass, ¡°What¡¯s a bounty worth, when our home is destroyed?¡±


    ¡°I.. uh- wel-¡±


    ¡°Harize, you saved MY life, but how many others are making their way to Orcoa¡¯i for this ¡®thing.¡¯ You can¡¯t seriously tell me you¡¯re going to jus-¡±


    ¡°Stop it Armony, I know what you¡¯re doing.¡± The usually crazed, scattered look that Harize gave was nowhere to be seen, instead replaced by a piercing gaze, and a stoic visage. ¡°This is why the others left, understand that before I say my next words.¡±


    She cleared her throat.


    ¡°Your father would be proud of you for something so recklessly heroic, BUT! I don¡¯t want to die.¡± Harize gave him a wink, before pushing up into a crouch, and moving into the thin foliage. Small trees, and larger shrubs were scattered about, with large rocks filling most of the space towards the flame-ridden town. Waving him on, she moved with a calculated intensity about her, looking for the best path forward.


    Armony¡¯s confident gaze softened at the mention of his father, his jaw clenched only once as he stood into a crouch, and followed suit. He trusted Harize¡¯s instincts after all their time together, they¡¯ve known one another since they were younglings, afterall, but his heart still pounded from the light from before. A pattering in his chest that was only just beginning to cease, until he heard a sound like shattering glass, as another beam was shot off towards the hill behind them.


    They were losing them for now, but considering how fast he was spotted beforehand, it wouldn¡¯t be a surefire bet to just peek out once more. Thus they continued behind the rolling hills, weaving between cover until they found an opening that gave them a sliver of a view toward the two-hundred or so yards they had to cover to even get into the port-town. Even then, if they just so happened to make it without being turned to swiss-cheese, they¡¯d then have to get past the wall that fortified one of many trade nexuses within Nillitacni.


    Orcoa¡¯i was built to be a strong defense against invaders, especially being a port-town of the mostly nomadic, tent-hopping peoples of the upper strip. These lands hosted the majority of the populace in the shattered Atoll, yet given how expansive it is, towns are treated as cities, with cities being treated as whole new worlds. Yet now, that strength was being used as the weapon to infiltrate, and by an unknown people at that.

 5. And Steam on Flesh

    ¡°We¡¯ll be spotted regardless of where we move. The goal is to consistently have cover, even when we aren¡¯t behind it¡­¡± Harize spoke fluently, her talons scratching a diagram into the dirt before Armony without even looking at it.


    What Armony looked at? Was literally just a smiley face, his eyelids flapping up and down with disbelief, before peering up, past Harize, towards the field of stones they had to weave through. It was further than comfort, especially with the high walls that lay beyond it. Approaching from this angle simply wasn¡¯t possible by any perch he could see from. Armony cracked his neck, and then opened his mouth to speak, but before he could even begin, his jaw- still agape- dropped¡­


    An ear-bursting wail came from the town in front of them, one that would make anyone¡¯s blood boil. Literally. A light gray steam seeped from Armony and Harize¡¯s veins! For the boy, it was far more visible, with an energy known as Sabsesc dancing on his skin like misty fire trails. Harize, on the other hand, had steam licked all across her feathers, which was swiftly curling and coiling into a wreath around their shoulders.


    ¡°Something''s in there, Armony. Something¡¯s trapped,¡± Harize spoke up, but again- the wail only grew louder.


    With pained gazes, they both wiped their arms of the Sabsesc reaction, Armony¡¯s hand moving to Harize¡¯s shoulder to stop her before moving forward.


    ¡°It¡¯s either a Wha¡¯Tea or a Wha¡¯Poa. We¡¯d be able to see anything bigger from here.¡± His brows furrowed before pulling Harize back a bit to take the lead. ¡°We need to hurry, before the smoke turns to flame.¡±


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    Harize nodded silently before following his lead! Inhaling sharply, Armony¡¯s gaze peered through the thicket before piercing through. Harize was slow to react but quick to catch up. Moving behind him in single file, they B-lined it to the nearest rock.


    BOOM!


    Two shots of light, and yet another wail from the town- this time much more intense.


    Out from its holster on their backs, Armony and Harize pulled out their Sol-Flutes, the Sabsesc mist from before returning, this time from their mouths as they play a calm melody. It took them a moment, but once they harmonized, the rock behind them began to blur, shifting like a reflection on water! By the time it turned semi-translucent and two more shots were fired, they moved. Separating this time, Harize moved to the right, with Armony on the left, yet no light was shot to catch them. Instead, the creature behind the walls wailed once more, the intensity falling off with a bit of a whimper.


    The two exchanged glances in that moment, nodding to one another before once more harmonizing and turning the stones translucent! Once more, the bait was bitten, allowing the two to push forward even more. By now, they were fairly separated, thus the two raised their hands to communicate.


    ¡°We can¡¯t get stuck together at that wall. We¡¯ll need to get in as fast as we can,¡± Harize signed.


    ¡°I¡¯ll find the entrance, and take care of whatever is shooting at us so you can go airborne. Deal?¡± Armony replied, Harize nodding in understanding before once more¡­ they moved.


    They¡¯d repeat the process they had been using to gain more ground. However- the closer they got? The more the creature''s cries reacted with their blood. The flame which burns in all beings of the Atoll being stoked by the monster¡¯s agony, or anger. Or perhaps both. Leaving Armony and Harize to consistently try and suppress the output of steam.


    While this may have been tedious, it was ultimately necessary for them to focus on applying their Sabsesc to their advance. Whether they were using it to manipulate the shape of the rocks or to boost their own physique, Sabsesc is the lifeblood of these lands, and all who inhabit it are interconnected through it.

 6. Divides II

    Walls that must be scaled are always daunting at first glance, but once you climb enough of them, they become as simple as walking over a stone. And for the two presently trying to save an entire town, and perhaps all their lands with this one act of bravery, this was very obviously a first.


    Yet they both had lived lives far outside the bounds of the heroic one they donned now, both thieves and liars in their own rights, and they stood together in this mission. Their guild may have broken up, and the two may be physically on either side of this new battlefield, but they still stood together.


    Despite this, now that the two were far out of one another''s line of sight, and Armony found himself beside the gates, wedged between a rock and the wall of the fortress, he felt as alone as could be. It had begun to rain a bit after Harize and Armony separated, which gave him plenty of cover to move through the boulder field to the northern gates.


    Now that he was where he needed to be, though, his next actions weren¡¯t quite laid out for him as well as he had hoped. The gate was destroyed, with parts of the wall caving in on it, and worst of all, the monster''s cries were reduced to but a whimper. Armony¡¯s jaw clenched, with balled fists. He didn¡¯t know what to do.


    No... he knew what to do.


    How would he do it? That was where he lacked answers.


    Taking a deep inhale, Armony looked down at his hands, his left moving to uncover his right forearm. He was still young and didn¡¯t really work his body, so his frail form didn¡¯t quite inspire him to get through this wall. But the more he unveiled his arm, the more Sabsesc was allowed to flow. While he may not be particularly big, his vascular system was healthy beyond the norm, thus the blood required to vaporize and manifest the Sabsesc was more than abundant.


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    Lifting his right hand, which he began to consciously push his Sabsesc toward, he thrust it out toward the wall he was taking cover by. His fingertips entered the stone for but a moment before being rejected. Armony waved his hand to his side in pain, as he scanned and reassessed how he was going to get in and take down those ranged light beams. If Harize was to fly, he¡¯d have to take care of those.


    ¡°What¡¯s reward without risk, hm?¡± he mused to himself in a sarcastic tone, before focusing the Sabsesc in his palm to his index finger.


    Extending it once more, slower this time, Armony began to trace a circle, with waves below, and an arrow pointing up and over a line. The symbol did nothing but sit as a hazy, glowing cloud, until he removed his finger from it. Like applying ink to skin, the sketch imprinted itself into the wall.


    Spell-shapes.


    Fairly simple in practice and used by many, spell-shapes are one of the most mainstream forms of Sabsesc use! Armony, however, wasn¡¯t super great with them, as became apparent when the power of the spell had drastically too much to find within.


    Like a mortar, the boy shot into the air, his body flailing wildly as the wall blurred past him, and he was sent skyward. His eyes, wide with fear, turned to the smokestack, and on cue, two stars of light would appear, marking Armony within seconds. He braced for impact, reaching his hands out before him with closed eyes. Yet what he felt wasn¡¯t immense pain as light shot through his body, but instead...


    The soft feathers of a bird!


    Harize.

 7. An Empty Heart’s Echo

    ¡°HARIZE!!!¡± Armony¡¯s fingers grasped tightly to the feathers of his friend as her body went limp.


    Peering down towards her merle feathers, he saw it- two bloodless holes, cauterized on the spot. In that moment, his jaw clenched, and his legs began to stiffen! But with the coming fall, he had no choice but to act, pulling Harize around and behind him in case they were to be shot at again. ¡°No, no, no, no¡­¡±


    ¡°HARIZE, WAKE UP! HARIZE!!!¡± He wasn¡¯t yet panicking, but they were not only open shots, they were also falling to their death.


    But¡­ Harize didn¡¯t respond, her eyes rolled to the back of her head, which dangled with the momentum of their fall.


    All Armony could do was hug her in their descent, ruffling his head into her feathers to try to hear the beat of her heart.


    Nothing. Not a thing.


    Not even the slightest rhythm, nothing¡­ at all.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Harize- I¡¯m so¡­¡±


    ¡­


    .


    ¡­


    ¡°Sorry¡­¡±


    Darkness took hold of the boy in his descent, whether it be from the speed he fell, the death of his friend, or from the fear of being hit.


    Yet something opened his eyes.


    Something indescribable, but all too present.


    Instantly, Armony let go of Harize, his eyes watching her float away from him in what felt like slow motion, memories slamming into him like waves, before twirling the interval flute from its holster and presenting it to his maw. With a single breath, a silent tune rang out over the sky, a cold vibration hitting all ears below and above Armony- until finally? The air ran still.


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    Slamming his feet down, footholds would appear in the air, which he used to sprint and catch Harize before tumbling to the ground below to immediately take cover! Yet no shots followed, leaving Armony and Harize behind a mound of rubble in utter silence. He didn¡¯t get a good enough look at the state of the town they fell into, but that¡­ didn¡¯t particularly matter.


    Looking down on Harize, for a moment he saw her cheeky little grin peering back up at him but¡­ there was nothing but lifeless eyes and a subtle frown. Which brought one about on Armony as he gently laid her down onto the ground. There was a ball in his throat, and he felt as if he were suffocating in the deathly silence of the town, spare for the crackling of a fire nearby.


    ¡°This doesn¡¯t suit you at all, friend¡­ not one bit.¡± He bit his lip and took a deep breath before looking away.


    He couldn¡¯t bear the sight of Harize¡­ dead. Of all people, Harize? How¡­


    Armony stood slowly, his hand taking hold of the rubble he hid behind, before peering around it towards the state of the town. It was destroyed.


    Buildings were torn to shreds, both by cannon fire and what was clearly a large animal, gigantic claw marks mowing the inside of the wall, yet not piercing all the way through. ¡°What¡­ happened here¡­¡±


    ¡°Me.¡± A feminine voice whispered from behind Armony.


    The boy turned to where Harize laid, yet when he did? Harize was no longer there. Instead? A small ring spun endlessly, turning his once saddened and concerned gaze¡­ furious.


    He marched over to the coin and swiped it from the ground, and when he brought it up to his face to inspect? He almost wanted to vomit.


    It was a coin.


    A circle inside of a circle.


    It had a reddish-orange tint, which gleamed just as his flute did.


    A copper coin.


    ¡°So you¡¯re¡­ what did this?¡± He spoke aloud, but mostly to himself, his eyes once more scanned the area, yet¡­ all seemed dead and empty. Nothing moved beyond the flames littered across the broken town.


    He almost couldn¡¯t believe it, but looking down at the coin he held, it began to make sense. This wasn¡¯t merely a product of trade¡­ This was THE trade, the one that caused this destruction and much more mayhem in the central island of Reustera. It wasn¡¯t merely an item of currency- it was SOLELY currency, which was used to take proper claim over the land of the Coyn.


    And soon this one by the looks of things.


    Lifting it up once more to inspect it, he let out a sigh before crouching down and then sitting against the rubble.


    There was no one to save, and the plundering brought itself to him. He smiled for a moment, a stale, hurt smile, as he tossed the coin out to where Harize used to be. His head lowered as tears began to well.


    When he expected to hear a clang, however, he heard nothing¡­


    ...but a low sigh.