Chapter 65: Lyria: Into the Maelstrom

Summary

• Lyria is on a mission to deliver Darrow's message to Volga, escorted by six Black Owls.
• The chapter opens with a vivid scene of refugees flowing from sealift doors into Heraklion amidst tension between soldiers and militia.
• Lyria recalls her past as a refugee but now feels prepared to face danger, tasked with a mission from Darrow.
• A Gray officer in blue armor confronts Lyria and the Black Owls, but they are determined to proceed to their destination.
• Cassius, a Gold, and Sigurd, an Obsidian, arrive and use their authority to get past the Gray officer.
• Cassius has come to assist Lyria and explains his recent activities acting as an ambassador.
• Sigurd reassures Cassius and Lyria that his faithful comrades will help them reach Volga and honor their commitments to Darrow and Sevro.
• Cassius and Lyria discuss survival rules, highlighting the dangerous task ahead.
• As they move through the station towards the shuttle, they encounter signs of combat and the anxiety of imminent attack.
• A horrific scene unfolds when a giant, possibly an Ascomanni warrior, materializes and violently attacks refugees with dual blades.
• The attack causes chaos, and the Grays respond by forming a battle line, while Cassius prepares for combat.
• Sigurd identifies the attacker as a Harbinger who was able to bypass sonar, raising fears of more enemies nearby.