January 12, 9 ATC

City of Blacksnow, Prefecture of Lesser Monochrome, Principality of Monochrome

As Anti disembarked, she was struck by how warm the city was. Monochrome, being centered around the mountains where they mined most of their exports, was often characterized as a frozen nation whose people were just as cold as the climate. But here, the climate was just a little warmer than in her native Ladybug. Most interesting. Maybe she would enjoy her stay here after all, however brief.

"Miss Logic?"

As Anti looked into the crowd, she noticed a detachment of Monochromian guardsmen walking towards her, all bearing gruff, aloof expressions. She may have been wrong about the climate, but she certainly wasn't wrong about the people.

She raised her hand. "I am she."

The captain of the guard halted the group and quickly looked her over for any possible weapons. He leaned back slightly and raised his eyebrow.

"I was told we were to receive one of Inferno's lieutenants, not some… inland trader."

Anti scoffed and raised her eyebrows back at him. "Dear me. Did your parents never teach you proper courtesy? Wait, never mind. This is Monochrome, of course they didn't."

Instead of being taken aback, the guardsman merely laughed. "A quick wit. I can respect that. But I still don't understand why you came all the way here from whatever comfy place Inferno's set up for you."

"Captain, if that is your rank," Anti said. "You should know that the only thing I dislike more than disrespect is nosiness. I suggest you do what you were sent here to do and take me to your leader."

The captain huffed. "Fine. Men, rally up. We're taking her to Onyzyon's manor."

The other three soldiers took their positions around Anti, and they began marching through the city, up the hill to the Grand Prince's estate. Anti examined her surroundings: the soldiers were on edge, as were the traders. There were patrols of at least two squads out and about. The Monochromians seemed to share her suspicions, and if they were correct, then the rebels would be marching on Monochrome soon. All the better for her.

At last, they found their way to the manor, which sat on a small hill near the river's edge. The soldiers at the gate stepped aside and allowed the patrol to take Anti inside.

Once they were in the foyer, the guardsmen sat Anti down on a couch and began to leave. Before they did, the guard captain turned to Anti.

"Grand Prince Onyzyon will see you when he is ready. Do not leave the foyer. Do not put your feet on anything other than the ground. Notify one of us if you must use the latrine."

Anti nodded politely and stretched out on the couch. Onyzyon did not take her seriously, she thought. She knew that he thought he had the upper hand in these negotiations. She knew he would keep her waiting, because he thought that would irritate her. She knew how these things went. But that wouldn't stop her. Why would it, when she would have the upper hand very soon?

Anti grinned in anticipation and kicked her feet up on the porcelain coffee table. Yes, she thought to herself, very soon.

Austin raised her hand to her eyes, scouting out the city's defenses. On the left, facing the city, was a large wheat field near a line of trees on the riverbank, around which enemy platoons were marching. On the main road into the city, several Monochromian legions had dug in and prepared barricades, determined not to be the first casualties of the rebellion. On the right, there was a large, dark thicket of trees.

Nitesco tapped her on the shoulder, and she turned to face him. "Yes, Nitesco?"

"How goes the strategizing?" He asked, leaning on his cane. Austin shrugged.

"Well, that thicket of trees would make an attack through there difficult, and the defenses near the fields aren't as secure as the ones at the main gate. We send a few battalions to neutralize the fields and we send our main attack force towards the gate. Thoughts?"

Nitesco stroked his chin and nodded. "I'm pleased with you. You've taken to strategy. It's exactly the one I came up with myself."

Austin's face fell slightly. "If you had your own strategy, why'd you ask my advice?"

"To hear what you had to say. And I'm pleased that you've made these observations." He smiled. "You're almost as good at this as I am."

"Hmph," Austin muttered, letting a small smile slide onto her face. "How's the leg?"

Nitesco sighed. "Ah, it's a little more painful than usual, but it'll pass. It always does."

"It seemed fine at Enabler."

"It seemed fine because none of Faker's grunts knew to stab at it. That, and I can balance on it fairly well without a cane if I've got the adrenaline for it."

"I'll take your word for it," Austin said. They stood a little while longer, looking out at the horizon from their hill. Eventually, they heard someone coming up behind them.

"Nitesco! Austin!" Gwydion said. "There you are. I've been looking all over for you."

"Where did you think we were?" Nitesco said. "I told you we'd be up on the hill. Twice." He snickered and flicked the side of Gwydion's head. "I think you're getting old, Gwydion."

"Oy!" Gwydion slapped his hand away. "Don't mess with my hair. And I'm not that old, mind you. Austin was about sixty when he took down Celtic."

"Oh, that sounds like him all right," Austin said. "Ever the stubborn one."

"Oh, he was plenty stubborn," Nitesco said. "But we can talk about that another time. Or you could read our collective memoirs." He smiled. "I hear they're a best-seller."

"The earnings from that will set up your descendants for generations, Nitesco," Gwydion said, smiling. "Oh, and before I forget, Austin has some visitors."

"From whom?" Nitesco asked. Two men turned a corner behind Gwydion, and Austin instantly recognized them.

"Kazehh! Jelo!" She exclaimed.

"Austin!" Kazehh said. "You didn't think you could escape us forever, did you?"

"Not that you'd want to anyway, right?" Jelo asked playfully. "Put her there!" Austin took Jelo's hand and instantly regretted it as his bone-shattering grip closed around her fingers.

"Boy, it's been some time since the Diet," Austin said, wriggling out of Jelo's crushing handshake. "What are you two doing here?"

"Well, we're here on behalf of the Mask," Kazehh noted, somewhat dour. "To make sure that you didn't, and I quote, squander his investment."

"But we took the job because you were here," Jelo explained. "And now we get to fight together again, just like the old days!"

"That's very sweet," Gwydion interrupted. "And I hate to cut this short, but it's time to debrief the troops. Some of them are getting antsy."

"Fine. Shall we, Austin?" Nitesco asked. She smiled.

"Let's." They trekked down the long hill path to where the soldiers were stationed, and the two took their spots in front of the unit commanders.

"Okay, we've devised a strategy," Austin announced. "The 6th and 7th Arkos regiments will sweep through the fields on the left flank to clear out any Monochromians there. The rest of the infantry soldiers will join Nitesco and I as we descend on the main road. Be ready for an attack from the forests on the right flank."

"Gwydion, you'll stay here with the artillerymen and rail on them from afar. Don't hit the city if you don't have to," Nitesco interjected. "Civilian casualties are not our goal, understood?"

The unit commanders nodded and left to inform their soldiers of their orders while Gwydion left to begin preparing the artillery. Nitesco patted Austin on the shoulder and gave her a thumbs up.

"Well done. Very authoritative," he remarked. She grinned.

"As always." She turned to Kazehh and Jelo. "Are you guys ready for a fight?"

"Always," said Kazehh.

"When aren't we?" Jelo asked.

Austin nodded and put her hand on her sword's hilt. "Alright then. To battle!"

Anti had nearly fallen asleep when one of Onyzyon's servants came out to fetch her. As she stirred, she came face-to-face with a very gruff old woman.

"The Grand Prince awaits," she said curtly. Anti grunted and followed her to Onyzyon's quarters.

She arrived in a spacious office that overlooked the city and the fields outside of it. The office itself, however, was rather simple: only a desk, two chairs, and a small tea table decorated the otherwise bland room. For all his pomp and procedure, Anti was taken aback by the simplicity of the environment Onyzyon kept himself in.

"Miss Logic. Please, sit." Onyzyon gestured to the chair in front of his desk before turning to his servant. "Give us some privacy, please."

The old woman nodded and closed the door behind them, while Anti sat down in her seat. Onyzyon steepled his fingers and smiled.

"Miss Logic. A pleasure."

"Likewise, Prince," Anti said. "It's warmer here than I thought it would be."

"Indeed, but that is not why you came. You know that there is nothing a Monochromian hates more than dawdling. Save the traders, perhaps." He snickered. "What are Inferno's requests?"

"Nothing exorbitant," Anti said. "Ten percent of your mining profits. Ten percent of your trading profits. Use of some of your levies when desired. Not too much more than that."

Onyzyon leaned back in his chair and furrowed his brow. "That can't be it."

"What?" Anti asked. "What do you mean?"

"Don't play dumb with me, young lady. I've been in this business since before you were born. If all Inferno wanted to do was haggle over tribute rates, she would've sent some messenger. And she would've demanded, not asked." He scratched his cheek, thinking. "You have some stake in this. What do you want?"

Anti smirked, amused. She hadn't anticipated him catching on, especially not before she even began her manipulations. She decided it was best to acquiesce.

"Fine. I came here to make a trade deal of my own."

"With what?" Onyzyon asked. "What does Ladybug have to trade that we don't already have?"

Anti shrugged. "Safety. Monochrome is in a very strategically valuable location, especially this port city. And judging by the soldiers you have stationed outside, I'm guessing you've made that observation too.

"I can offer you safe passage out of Monochrome. The rebels have strength in numbers, and they have the support of both Nitesco and Coronam. Your forces won't be able to hold them back forever, but you don't need to go down with the proverbial ship. I can get you out of here alive."

Onyzyon considered this for a moment, then merely laughed. "No. I already have an escape route. I can take a boat across the river to Lancaster if need be."

"But Lancaster's closed its river ports, by order of Inferno. Nobody's getting in or out through their cities. Plus, do you really think they haven't planned for that? Renora's got their riverboats patrolling the north, and Arkos the south." Anti paused. "You're surrounded, Grand Prince."

"Not for very much longer," he retorted, a smug smile crossing his face. "I have a plan. I will crush the invasion force, which will cripple the rebellion before it begins. And then, Inferno will reward me greatly. If I'm feeling generous, I'll leave out the part about you trying to blackmail me."

Both of them walked over to the office window to watch the armies close in on one another on the battlefield.

"We will see," Anti intoned, watching as the rebel army began bearing down on the Monochromian barricades. "We will see."

Austin wasn't as nervous as she'd thought she would be. As her forces met the Monochromians, she thought she would have to fight against her fear, that she would have to force herself into courage. Instead, she found herself falling into the rhythm of battle almost naturally. The clash of blades, the sounds of battle. She did not have any particular love for them, but she felt them drive her forward.

Austin fell upon a Monochromian grunt, cleaving a large opening in his stomach. "Pikesmen!" She bellowed to a group of pikesmen to her right. "To me! Cover my charge!"

"Aye!" They cried, and they fell into formation in front of her. "Forward!" Austin cried, and she lifted her sword into the air as the soldiers around her pressed into another Monochromian barricade. The gates were still far away, and their defenses were thick, but if they uprooted the barricades, the city would certainly surrender. All they had to do was keep moving forward.

"Austin!" somebody cried her name, and she turned around to see Nitesco wrenching his sword out of a Monochromian knight's back. He looked up and smiled.

"So far so good!" He said jovially. "But let's not dawdle longer. I want to clear out the defenses before Coronam gets here."

"Sounds like a plan," she said, smiling. Austin readied her shield and joined the charge.

Vaulting over a rock, she landed on a Monochromian soldier who was lying face-down on the ground and joined the fray. After lifting her shield to stop a stray arrow, she charged and swung madly, cutting down a few unaware enemies before locking swords with a Monochromian knight.

"Another brat to cut down," he snarled. Austin smirked at him and reeled back for a swing, but the knight sidestepped it.

They locked swords again, dancing across the battlefield, neither one quite able to overpower the other. Austin decided to try a trick she learned on the streets of Prosthetium: the joint sweep.

As Austin met the knight's blade again, she pressed into him with more pressure than she usually would. As soon as her opponent leaned back, she brought her foot down on the inside of his knee, bringing him to the ground.

As she raised her blade to strike him down, she became fleetingly aware of another knight in her peripheral vision. She turned and met the gaze of a new knight, who was swinging her blade at Austin's throat. Austin just barely brought her sword down in time to deflect it, but it was knocked from her hand.

"You alright, James?" The female knight asked. The male knight grabbed his sword and stood up.

"Never better. Now, let's finish this!" He lifted his sword to strike at Austin, but he was stopped by a crescent axe cleaving through his throat.

"James!" The knightess cried, but somebody else leaped on her and brought their mace down into her skull before she could do anything else. Austin looked up and saw that, somehow, Kazehh and Jelo had come to her rescue.

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me," she said, grinning. "I'm never going to live this down."

"Damn right you're not," Kazehh remarked, wiping blood off his axe. "You owe us a drink for that."

"I'm sure you'll rescue us in return," Jelo said, picking bits of knightess off his spiked mace. Austin laughed and picked up her sword.

"Oh, shut up. Come on, let's regroup!"

They rejoined the rest of their army, which was railing against the middle layer of Monochrome's defenses. As they cut their way through the fray, they came across Nitesco, who was slumped on a wooden barricade and clutching his bloodied leg.

"Nitesco!" Austin cried, and she ran to his side. "What happened?"

He coughed and waved her off. "Just a scrape. Got a little too reckless with a skirmisher. She's gone, I'm still here, that's what matters. Now," he said, standing. Let's get—"

"Commander Nitesco!" An Arkosian soldier ran over a hill and collapsed on his knees at their feet. "Commander, they've… they've…" He leaned over on his hands and knees and coughed up blood.

"Easy, son." Austin patted him on the back. "What happened?"

"The Monochromians… ambushed us. Hiding in the… the trees near the riverbank. They surrounded us and pushed us over here…" He coughed up some more blood. "Got me… pretty good too." He collapsed next to Nitesco, barely breathing.

"Austin." Nitesco grabbed her arm and wheezed. "I'm out of the fight for now. You go on ahead. I trust you."

Austin looked down at the ground, sweating profusely. She had been doing fine so far, but now that Nitesco was out for the count, it was all on her.

"Okay," she said. "Okay. Jelo, Kazehh, protect Nitesco. I'll rally the troops." The two mercenaries nodded and readied their weapons while Austin went to ready the soldiers.

"Men!" She cried. "Rally around me! Form a defense towards the center and left!"

The soldiers obeyed quickly and efficiently, ducking behind their shields and the preformed barricades around Austin and Nitesco. They buckled down and raised their weapons as the Monochromians streamed over the hills from the left flank and the barricades from the front and met them with steel.

For the moment, she and her friends were safe. Austin ducked down behind a rock and took a second to collect her thoughts. Unfortunately, she did not get to enjoy her rest for long.

"Commander!" An Enablerese soldier rushed to her side. "They're attacking from the forest!"

In horror, Austin looked up and saw that Monochromians were flowing out from the treeline and down onto their position. It was a trap all along, of course. How had she not seen it? They had boxed her in and made them face away from the treeline. She had left them exposed to attack.

"Soldiers!" She bellowed. "Rally to the right flank!"

Some of the soldiers in the defensive line turned around to defend their right flank, but their absence drained the defense. The Monochromians began pressing harder, and the defenses sagged on all sides. They were completely surrounded, and the situation was quickly devolving into a rout.

"Sir, we are surrounded!" The Enablerese soldier yelled, stating the obvious. "What do we do?"

Austin swallowed and found herself at a loss for words. She had no idea what to do. She would likely die a failure to her soldiers, and to her friends.

Before she had a chance to finish composing some half-baked strategy, though, she saw something coming out of the treeline behind the Monochromian ambush.

Coronam. The Renoran cavalry, resplendent in their shining armor, had come to the rescue.

The Renorans took the Monochromians by surprise, slicing the attackers from the right flank to pieces. As the cavalry rode around the sides of the Monochromian assault, the foot soldiers went straight to the defensive line, reinforcing their sagging defense and pushing the Monochromians back. What had been an almost hopeless situation had just turned into a rout. Austin could hardly believe her luck.

The Monochromians soon gave way into retreat, not expecting such a massive and relentless assault. As the Renoran cavalry gave chase, Coronam and his private guard dismounted next to Austin.

"Austin," Coronam said.

"Coronam," Austin said. "You arrived just in time."

"So it seems." He paused. "Where is Nitesco?"

"He's been heavily injured. He should survive, but his leg is in bad shape."

"Hmm." Coronam sighed. "One of our commanders, already out of commission." He looked around, watching as his soldiers picked up the bodies of their fallen and helped the wounded to their feet. "Were you responsible for this?"

Austin suddenly felt whatever authority she thought she had drain from her. "Yes," she mumbled sheepishly.

Coronam pursed his lips in disappointment. "Then we will talk about this later. For now, ready what men you have left and tell them we are going to breach the city." He got back on his horse and stared her in the eye. "And I will lead this wave of the assault."

As he rode away, Austin walked over to Nitesco's location. Jelo had received a large cut on his forehead and Kazehh was bleeding from his right shoulder, but they were fine otherwise. Nitesco was still slumped against the barricade next to the corpse of the Arkosian soldier.

"Austin," he mumbled. "You still alive?"

She laughed halfheartedly. "Mostly. Coronam arrived, and he'll lead the siege of the city." She paused. "He's the reason we're still alive."

"Oh, Austin." Nitesco sighed and turned to meet her gaze. "Don't take it too hard. We all make mistakes. That's why we have each other."

"Yes," Austin said, unconvinced. She sat down next to him against the barricade. "Of course."

Onyzyon watched in horror as the Renoran forces routed his forces and prepared to lay siege to the city. Next to him, Anti smiled.

"I have a ship waiting," she said. "Unmarked. A civilian vessel, with false Arkosian identity documents and a secret compartment for you and whoever you wish to bring along."

"And what of the deal you wanted?" He asked, his expression flat. "What do you want of me?"

Anti shrugged. "Now's not the time for negotiations, but trust me, I have a long list waiting on that vessel." She turned to leave. "Are you coming?"

"I cannot simply… leave my city," he said. "My people. I can't leave them to these barbarians."

"Well, you can stay and deal with Coronam or you can come with us and smooth this out when it's all over. It's up to you, but I'm leaving."

"Wait," he said, defeated. "Wait. I'll come. I'll sign whatever deal you want. Just don't hand me over to Coronam." He sighed. "I'll go fetch my family and the advisors I brought with me."

"Do it quickly," Anti said. "I wouldn't want to leave without you. That would be such a waste."

As Onyzyon went to gather his entourage, Anti entered the streets of Monochrome and began walking to the docks. The citizens had begun to realize what was happening, but it mattered little. If they were lucky, Nitesco would be the one marching their soldiers through the gates. If they weren't, Coronam would make sure his soldiers did not walk away from the city empty-handed.

She boarded the ship and looked over the list for Onyzyon. The tribute to Inferno, of course, but also other items: a large portion of their ore to Ladybug, some territory in the east and representation in their legislature to her family members, the lifting of all tariffs, just to start. But soon, she could return to Ladybug proud to be a lady of House Logic, as she always intended.

She watched the citizens flee through the streets, terrified that the rebels were at their doorsteps. It brought her little joy to watch as the Monochromians, the proud people who had terrorized Ladybug for centuries, scatter like scared insects.

But sometimes, a little joy was all she needed. Yes, she thought to herself, she did enjoy her visit here after all.