I waste no time. I eat a quick sandwich, drink some water, and down one of my meds after setting the alarm on my phone for six a.m. again. My apartment is dim and silent except for the hum of the refrigerator, the only sound between me and the waiting dream. I barely check the time before lying back down. 6:30 p.m. The room fades quickly.
The hum welcomes me back.
When my eyes open, the world breathes in rhythm. The Singing Citidel thrums with life, a hive awake and purposeful. Every corridor carries sound, every sound carries order. Through resonance I can feel the movement, the construction continuing, patrols shifting, the map in the cathedral pulsing with quiet activity.
I rise from the throne, the air vibrating faintly against my skin. My steps echo down the corridor until the cathedral opens around me, vast and radiant. The sand map dominates the center now, complete and magnificent, lit by channels of molten glass. Behind it stands the false throne, a perfect imitation of the one in my chamber, crafted so precisely it looks like the offline stream view.
The effort that went into it is staggering, a perfect decoy, ready to play the role in case an enemy king ever comes knocking.
Cast stands nearby, her armor catching the pale light. She bows when I approach.
“No Ashwing activity since your departure, my king. The creature seems to be recovering from its injuries.”
She gestures toward a large plinth on the eastern edge of the main room. Upon it rests a strange object, a structure of dark resin and bone, shaped like a gumball machine reimagined by something alien. Inside, crystal orbs hang suspended, each the size of a lemon. One glows faintly orange in a collection tray, pulsing like a heartbeat.
“We built it to your specifications,” Cast explains, “but that orb was not placed there by us. It appeared the moment you returned. None of us can discern its source.”
I approach, the hum quieting as I near. The orb radiates warmth when I touch it, and then explodes into sound.
“HEY MAN!”
Scott’s voice roars through the air, full of energy and laughter.
“I FIGURED OUT HOW TO SEND DIRECT MESSAGES! You just have to spend faith to send a letter to another king! Awesome, right? I think you need to know their channel number and name first so you can’t spam random monarchs. I’m in Nod right now, send me one back if you get this!”
The voice fades, the glow stabilizing.
I blink, still recovering from the auditory assault. “Send reply to King Thalos of the Scorched Sands,” I say carefully.
The orb darkens, then reignites as my words leave me.
“I am online now. Do you know where our borders meet? I have a way to travel quickly. If you do, we can meet there.”
A soft chime answers. Another orb descends into the tray, glowing bright and eager.
Scott’s voice bursts forth again:
“HELL YEAH, MAN! I’ve been dying to meet up. I can ride Hamu out to the border! I’ll leave right away!”
The message ends, leaving the cathedral quiet except for the pulse of the sand map and the steady hum of the Dominion.
I exhale slowly.
A connection, real, tangible, human. The fated meeting will soon happen.
I look toward the glowing orb and mutter, half to myself, half to the hive, “Well, I knew we would meet up sooner or later.”
The Ring stirs with renewed life, the chat bursting as word of the meeting spreads.
[VioletVex]: He’s finally linking up with the sun king, let’s go![Archivolt]: Diplomacy begins. History in motion.
[Thrumline]: His first alliance, this is huge.
[carapace_kid]: Cross-king collab, THIS IS IT!
Then the flood changes color. New names surge through the stream, bright, energetic, brimming with exclamation points and gym emojis. Scott’s followers have arrived.
[ProteinPrincess]: Thalos’ new buddy seems chill, bugs kinda cool ngl!
[GainsGoblin]: Bug bros rise, this crossover boutta hit!
[BarBros4Life]: KING ENERGY, TWO LEGENDS MEET!
My regulars don’t miss a beat.
[VioletVex]: Welcome, travelers from the sun, glad to have you here.
[Archivolt]: Mind the resin, it tends to hum when excited.
[carapace_kid]: YOOOO new chat friends, bug hive open house!
[GainsGoblin]: Love the vibe here, little spooky but wholesome!
[Thrumline]: Harmony through sound, let’s make this alliance sing.
Laughter and camaraderie ripple through the chat, the two audiences blending like sunlight striking obsidian. The Cathedral hums in sync with their excitement, alive with shared anticipation.
I straighten and turn toward Cast, my tone firm. “Prepare a small escort, ten riders and a delegation of gifts for King Thalos. Offer resin glasswork, refined sap, and a pair of Sable hound pups. If I’m to meet another monarch, I won’t arrive empty-handed.”
Cast bows in acknowledgment, her voice even. “At once, my king. The drones will load the gifts immediately.”
I watch the sand map pulse, the borders glowing faintly in the dim cathedral light. “Mount the escort and meet me at the north gate,” I say quietly. “We ride to meet the sun.”
The ride out is uneventful. I keep my eyes on the horizon in the direction of the Ashwing’s lair, and the tension doesn’t leave me until we cross into the red sands. The line between our kingdoms hums faintly beneath the mounts’ steps, a thin vibration of foreign resonance. I can see dust rising far off in the distance, that must be Scott. He’s really moving.
When he’s still a few hundred yards out, I can already hear his cheers echoing across the dunes. The man’s voice carries even without resonance. He rides at the head of a small troop of sun warriors, each mounted on a beast that looks like a cross between a lion and a hyena, fur streaked in gold and copper. Even from here, their laughter feels alive.
I dismount, adjusting my armor and walking forward to meet him before he arrives. It’s a formal gesture, or it was supposed to be, until Scott leaps from his tiger mid run and barrels toward me, arms wide. I barely brace in time before he slams into me in a bear hug that nearly knocks the breath from my lungs. Same old Scott.
The Sable hounds behind me tense instantly, their low growls vibrating through the sand. I send a sharp resonance pulse through the link, he isn’t a threat, do not engage, and feel the moment the tension in the formation breaks. The realization hits me hard, that could have gone very wrong. I should have set expectations.
Even with the sap, my signal to the Singing Citidel is weak out here. The edge of our resonance field flickers in and out like a fading heartbeat. For now, I’m on my own.
Scott laughs, gripping my shoulders before letting go. “Bro, it’s been so long! It’s great to actually see each other in person here. Man, you look great! Look at that armor, very you. You still tanking?”
I roll my eyes, trying not to smile. Of course that’s the first thing out of his mouth.
If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.
The chat explodes.
[VioletVex]: Wait, they know each other?
[carapace_kid]: Real-life friends confirmed??
[Archivolt]: History between kings!
[ProteinPrincess]: YO THEY’RE OLD RAID BUDDIES, THIS IS LORE!
[GainsGoblin]: Bro friendship energy, I’m here for it!
[Thrumline]: Who is Kyris??
I lift a hand and chuckle. “Let’s not dox ourselves, King Thalos. It’s good to get to see you too. I’ve missed hanging out.”
Scott’s eyes widen as if realizing something he shouldn’t have said. He quickly zips his lips and laughs. “Man, you’re right! I almost forgot we’re being observed!” He turns to the air, grinning wide. “HEY CHAT! LEAVE MY BUDDY ALONE, WE GO WAY BACK!”
I groan and drag a hand down my face. “And there it is, breaking the fourth wall again. You’re such an attention hound.”
The chat only explodes louder.
[VioletVex]: This is gold!
[GainsGoblin]: THE KINGLY BROMANCE CONTINUES!
[Archivolt]: Unity between realms through friendship, poetic.
[ProteinPrincess]: These two are chaos and order in one screen.
[carapace_kid]: BRO LOVE, LET’S GOOOO!
Scott claps an arm around my shoulder, still laughing as he talks to his chat. “You guys don’t even know! This man is a genius, the best tactician I ever met! I wouldn’t have survived half our old raids without him!”
While he rambles, I ease out of the side hug and signal my escort. “Bring forward the gifts,” I say quietly.
The Hekari step forward in formation, each carrying something precious. White resin weapons, carved with mirrored veins that glimmer faintly in the light, and other artifacts from the Black Sand. Scott’s laughter pauses as the offerings are laid before him.
“Dude,” he breathes, clearly overwhelmed. “You didn’t have to.”
Before I can respond, he laughs and hugs each of the Hekari one by one as they hand him the gifts. They stiffen at first, startled by his exuberance, but he’s too strong and too fast for them to escape. One by one, they give in to his relentless friendliness.
“Yo, that reminds me!” he says, snapping his fingers and jogging back toward Hamu. “I’ve got something for you too, man!”
He rummages through the tiger’s saddlebag and pulls out a folded length of deep black fabric that gleams faintly in the sun.
“I had my craftsmen make this for you! It’s a fireproof cloak, made from these huge salamander monsters we fought in the dunes. It’s black too, so it matches your goth king look! I had to guess the size, so try it on and tell me if it fits!”
Having not expected anything in return, I take the cloak gingerly. It is lighter than I expected, or perhaps that is just my strength in this world. My tetsubo and my armor have always felt like extensions of me, second nature to wield. This feels like that, a simple garment that feels like it was meant for me. Scott watches like a child giving a present, eyes wide with impatient hope.
I throw the cloak over my shoulders and pull up the hood. It settles cleanly over my armor, almost invisible in its weight. It fits, nearly perfect. A fitness guru can eyeball sizes, apparently. The Pale Crown hovers above the hood, indifferent to the new fabric. Fireproof, I think, testing the word in my head. Hold on.
“Thalos, do you have scraps of this left over, or other pieces from those salamanders?”
“Huh? Uh, yeah man! Tons. Those things are pests in the desert, sunning themselves on rocks everywhere. We clear them out around the mines, no one minds. Do you need some?”
I look back at my troops. I had been planning to sacrifice drones to keep Hekari alive fighting the Ashwing, but if this salamander skin truly resists flame, I can save countless lives. I need to evolve a fireproof strain of Hekari.
“Absolutely, you beautiful deus ex machina, that would solve a lot of problems. If I can evolve fireproof soldiers, we can fight the Ashwing without throwing ourselves away.” I say it fast, the plan sharpening in my mind.
Scott laughs, clapping me on the shoulder. “See? That’s the brain I keep telling you about. I would have just punched it until it died, but this man, strategy.” He whistles.
“Kaira!” he calls, loud and direct.
A sunwarrior moves forward, tall and striking, sand white hair braided with bronze and silver bands. She kneels first to Scott, then offers a shallow bow to me.
“What may I do for you, my king?” she asks in a voice that is both reverent and ready.
Scott waves a hand, grinning. “No need for formalities, Kaira. Just Thalos is fine. This is Kyris my old raid buddy. He needs salamander carcasses. Send word, gather three of the largest ones you can find, and bring them back here. This will help both our kingdoms. We clear pests and he gets a material that might save lives. Do it.” He pats his massive hand on her head, ruffling her hair, and Kaira flushes, a ripple of blush against her dark tanned skin.
She bows, “By my life, it will be done, Thalos,” then she mounts her beast, which launches forward even before she settles. She and her mount are a single thing as they streak north toward their capital, already a mirage on the horizon.
I stand there for a moment, cloak warm against my neck, the plans unspooling in my head. This might actually work. If it does, the next time the Ashwing breathes its molten dust, we will be ready.
The chat floods in again, voices overlapping like an ocean of noise and emojis.
[VioletVex]: THAT CLOAK LOOKS SICK! GOTH KING VIBES LEVEL UP!
[carapace_kid]: New fit drop! Bug king lookin metal as hell!
[Archivolt]: Adaptive materials, fireproof tech confirmed. Efficiency rising.
[ProteinPrincess]: YO HE LOOKS LIKE A FINAL BOSS AND I LOVE IT!
[GainsGoblin]: This dude’s drip could tank a volcano.
[BarBros4Life]: TWO KINGS TRADING FITS, PEAK BRO ENERGY.
[Thrumline]: The Dominion evolves again, fire and song in harmony.
The two chats spiral together, full of laughter and shouts of support. Scott flexes dramatically for the viewers while I adjust the cloak, pretending to ignore the constant flood of compliments and jokes.
[VioletVex]: Look at Scott hyping him up, this is actually wholesome.
[ProteinPrincess]: GYM BROS UNITED UNDER THE SUN AND SHADOW!
[carapace_kid]: Best crossover in Nod history, calling it now.
The hum of the land feels lighter with their joy. For once, the noise of the world isn’t chaos, it’s connection.
We set up an impromptu campsite, planting our banners side by side. The black and gold of the Dominion against the white and crimson of the Sunforged, it feels symbolic, like the world itself taking note. Between us, we agree to build a frontier fortress here, something both of our nations can claim. For Scott, it will be a fallback if his borders ever falter. For me, a forward base to push north. The southern edge of Nod is ours to shape.
Being the furthest south has its merits. The only other kingdoms near us lie to the north and northeast, if the world map I saw online can be trusted. I make a mental note to research them later. I hadn’t expected travel to become this easy, and that thought unsettles me. If I can meet Scott this easily, then any other monarch could do the same. We need to understand our neighbors before someone less friendly decides to pay a visit.
Scott catches me staring at the horizon and slaps my back, almost knocking me forward.
“What’s got you looking so serious, man? Lighten up! This is a time to celebrate, not brood! Look, I brought food!”
His sun warriors move with practiced ease, unloading smoked meats, honeyed fruits, and bright jugs of something that smells like spiced citrus. I watch in mild disbelief as the camp fills with life. I hadn’t even thought about food since arriving in Nod. Do I need to eat here? Would it matter?
“There you go thinking again!” Scott laughs, shoving a wooden plate into my hands. “Eat, skinny boy! Protein!” He flexes both arms with a grin that’s pure showmanship.
I can’t help but smile, shaking my head. “You never change.”
For a moment, I let the plans fade. There will be time for strategy later. For now, maybe it’s enough to sit beside an old friend and share a meal under an alien sun.
I think about how I should be focusing on the Ashwing raid, but the salamander parts still need to arrive. Maybe this pause is necessary. Even in Nod, there should be time to rest. I’ve been thinking non stop for nearly five days. A break might not be the worst idea.
Scott and I talk back and forth about our kingdoms. He tells me about the mines that tap into volcanic vents and the way his people build sun mirrors to cool the desert air. I tell him about the Singing Citidel, about the drones that hum through its halls, and the cathedral that acts like a living map. We trade stories between bites, sitting cross legged on woven blankets from his nation beneath a tent my Hekari spun from black silk. The contrast is strange but fitting, light and dark woven into something peaceful.
Our people mingle nearby. My Hekari have removed their helmets, laughing softly as they sit beside the Sunforged warriors. Even the sablehounds and those strange hyena mounts share space, gnawing on scraps together in the sand.
We revel in the company and talk for hours, the twin banners snapping above us in the warm wind.
Finally, Scott’s soldiers return with a sled carrying three massive, six-legged salamanders. Their bulk is immense, the sled bowing slightly under the weight. Scott whistles in awe. “Wow, when I said get some big ones, you guys really beat my expectations. That’s worth five normal ones at least.” He slaps the side of the largest one with a grin.
He walks back to his warriors and Kaira, pulling them all into a massive group hug. They groan in pain as his arms crush their ribs and armor, but he releases them with a laugh. “Alright, guys, head back to the base! I’ll meet up with you soon!”
They start packing and securing their mounts. I raise a brow. “Back soon? You have other plans than returning to your capital?”
He looks at me like I’ve grown another head. “Yeah, man! I’m going back with you! There’s no way I’m missing the first boss-sized monster fight. I’m staying at your castle till we kill that scaly bastard.”
I laugh and shake my head. “I don’t think I could talk you out of it if I tried. Alright then, follow us back to the castle.”
Scott mounts Hamu and pats the tiger’s ruff. “You wanna make new friends, Hamu? Yeah, you do. Let’s go meet the bug people.” Hamu rumbles low in his chest, shaking his head like a reluctant cat.
The chat goes wild.
[ProteinPrincess]: BIG KITTY ALERT!
[carapace_kid]: look at those murdermittens <3!
[GainsGoblin]:Danger toebeans detected!
[VioletVex]: PROTECT KITTY AT ALL COSTS!
[Thrumline]: Harmony between predator and hive.
We mount up and head out from the red wastes, the black sands glimmering ahead. Once we cross back into resonance range, I reach out to Cast. “Prepare a room for King Thalos. A close friend will be staying with us until the Ashwing confrontation. Also… do we have milk for Hamu?”
There’s a pause, then Cast replies with confusion. “What’s milk?”
I laugh. “Nevermind, forget I asked.”
She hums softly, her tone warm. “You sound… jovial, my king. It’s a good addition to the song.”
Her words linger as the Singing Citidel’s silhouette rises in the distance, its dark spires shimmering with light. The hum of the Dominion greets us like a heartbeat.
The road home is calm, the kind of silence that feels earned, the kind that only exists before the storm.