The moon was brighter that night than Xigon had ever remembered it, and from the lightningfisher's back, he felt as if he could almost touch it. The cold light gleamed on his serpentine mask. One hand loosened around Yayaba's neck spines. She noticed and made a sound like a sneer.

He adjusted his grip. "Focus, Yaya."

Flying with Yayaba was the only way he could make the trek, given his disability. Unfortunately, that meant they were stuck together with plenty of time to judge one another for every little slip-up. Yaya withheld her words as usual but criticized him no less. At his request for her to focus, she folded her wings and plunged.

His black ceremonial cloak whipped back in the wall of wind. Xigon flattened himself against her body, tipping his head up just enough to see the ground rushing toward them. Yayaba threw her wings back out at the last possible second before landing gently near the foot of a tree so massive it dwarfed even the lightningfisher.

"Right on time." Qila extended an arm to help him down.

Yayaba hissed and flicked her tail around, catching Xigon as he dismounted. He only gave Qila's arm a tap. "As if I'm ever late for important business."

The old woman nodded behind her stag mask, then turned to the young ones. Kolo was the only one unmasked, and she stood in the center of their huddle, looking smaller than ever before. Xigon thought she might be nervous, at least until she pushed Azvalath and Channei out of the way to stand in front of him and Qila.

Jai-Lag squeaked like a day-old kitten. Azvalath did a poor job of concealing his laugh with a cough.

"Quiet," Xigon ordered, then looked down at Kolo.

She lowered her black hood. He beckoned her closer, but she held her hand up to stop him. "One moment."

He and Qila exchanged a look, but before either of them could ask about it, Ido came running from behind them. He had Dakko in his arms. "Sorry, we fell behind. Dakko got..."

"It's all right," said Qila. "We're glad you two chose to join us. We would have understood if you wanted to stay behind."

Ido dropped to his knees, panting. Lalek bent down to help the boys up. Xigon turned his attention back to Kolo. Her heat radiated like a tiny sun. Like the Iron God himself.

Finally, she approached the masters. "Kneel," Xigon told her.

Kolo sank to one knee. The others gathered closer, watching with bated breath. No one dared speak. She stared up at them, unflinching as Xigon produced the ceremonial sword.

Qila's voice broke the silence. "We stand tonight in the shade of the eldest tree." Her tone was calm and steady. "Gathered to witness the second ascension of our sister under the Iron God's eye."

Kolo stayed silent and motionless. Xigon tried to do the same as he prepared himself mentally for what he was about to do. The sword had never felt heavier in his hands.

"Kolo." Qila turned to face the one kneeling before them. "You did not come to us willingly, but from this moment onward, your fate belongs to you. Do you choose the path of a Styzian disciple?"

"Yes." Kolo stared dead ahead, as if to challenge the notion that she should be afraid.

"Do you accept yourself as a hand of the Iron God?" the old woman asked.

"Yes." If she had any doubt, it did not show.

"This world belongs not to any one of us, but to all who live. Do you concur?"

"I do," said Kolo.

Qila paused, almost seeming apprehensive before she asked the final question. "Do you commit your mind and heart to openness?"

"Yes." Kolo answered with confidence – or at least an illusion of it – then bowed her head.

"Then you are ready." Xigon stepped forth. Everyone else seemed frozen like flies in amber, caught at some strange moment for all eternity. "Hear me now, great progenitor – should your child stray, take her hand. Lead her gently to the darkest shore." He broke into a cold sweat as he gave her last rites. It was a grim acknowledgement of an all too possible outcome. He raised the sword high, steeling his nerves. "Your mercy is not lost to us."

The swing had all his strength behind it. There was a collective gasp as his sword fell...

...and Kolo caught it in her phantom hands before it could meet her flesh.

Xigon gawked beneath his mask, utterly speechless. What was happening? No one had ever broken the ritual. No one had ever defied them at this critical moment. No one.

Kolo stood up and grabbed the blade in the hand everyone could see. Her eyes were ablaze with red light and hellish determination. "If you really look at me and see your god," she growled. "Then maybe you should be the one kneeling for a change, Master."

He clenched his jaw and glanced at Qila. She stared back at him, and he could tell that for once, they were thinking and feeling the exact same thing. The old woman's hand went to a pocket in her robe and she pulled out her puppet.

Xigon's heart hammered. A razor edge of anger crept into his voice. "Know your place, Kolo." He tried to pull the sword back and swing again, but she would not let him move.

"I know my place." Kolo's lips quirked. "Let me show you."

Her head snapped up to glare at Qila's shadowy apparition as it lurched toward her. Without moving a muscle, Kolo ripped off its lanky dark limbs. It was like a cruel child dismembering an insect. Qila yelled at the bewildered onlookers. "Get back, all of you!"

An invisible hand knocked Xigon back. He fell with a thud and his mask flew off. Sword clutched tight in his hands, he sat up, taking deep snarling breaths. He ignored his pain and got back to his feet. Kolo's heat scalded his vision. He gave the sword another ferocious swing.

"Master Xigon, no!" Azvalath screamed.

The plea broke his focus for an instant, but an instant was all Kolo needed.

She threw him back like a rag doll. He hit a bulging root of the great tree. One of his lenses cracked on impact. Xigon gripped the hilt in white knuckles. He looked up just in time to see Qila's shadow puppet blasted to bits.

Xigon pushed himself up. Through the web of cracks, he found Kolo. It wasn't difficult when she was lightning-bright in comparison to everyone else. He stood up tall and took slow, deliberate steps. His rage was laid bare for all to see.

He found her heart and tried to silence it.

When nothing happened, his anger began to melt into confusion.

Her heart kept beating steadily in spite of his influence. He couldn't fathom why. Even with his goggles broken, it should have worked. He knew she wasn't immune to his power. But her heart would not yield.

Kolo did seem to notice something amiss. She put a hand on her chest, but showed no signs of weakening as she approached. Xigon's eyes were wide and baffled by the time she stood in front of him. "Impossible."

"Kneel," she commanded.

Equal parts humiliated and awestruck, he obeyed.

"I'll be needing that." Kolo snatched the sword from him. "Thanks."

Then she turned to face the rest of the group. She held the sword up high, triumphant. "From this moment forward, my fate belongs to me, and me alone!"

Kolo looked back at Xigon over her shoulder, chuckled, and then ran herself through.

[30] Xigon: Peripeteia

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