Lucien arrived in Starforge's conquered world through the teleportation disc Anvil-Horn had given him.
The old master had been unusually direct before sending him off.
"It would be better if you went alone."
Lucien had not argued.
Anvil-Horn then told him the thing that stayed with him through the entire trip. Lilith had been training without pause ever since Lucien was taken away to be revived.
That knowledge was enough to leave a quiet weight in his chest.
Anvil-Horn had also added one last request before handing him the disc.
"If you can, bring my daughter home."
Lucien had only nodded.
The journey through the corridor was fast by ordinary standards, but Lucien disliked every part of it. The transfer still carried that ugly sense of passage, that thin unpleasantness of being shoved through a route rather than cleanly placed where he meant to go.
It only made him want the instant teleportation array more.
