The interior of the gatehouse was cooler than the desert. It smelled of lavender and oiled steel.
Commander Silas sat on a velvet chair, sipping wine from a crystal goblet. He was a handsome man, his face unmarred by wind or worry.
"So," Silas said, swirling his wine. "You are the 'Heretic' Malakor is screaming about."
"I am a Knight," Kael said, standing in the center of the room. He hadn't disarmed. The twelve Golden Guards surrounding him seemed nervous about that, but Silas had waved them off.
"A Knight?" Silas laughed. "You look like a corpse wrapped in a rug."
"I have the Ring," Kael said, holding up his hand.
Silas peered at it. "Yes. The Seal. A pretty trinket. Where did you dig it up? Did you rob the First Sword's grave?"
"He gave it to me," Kael said, his voice low. "Before he died saving your world."
"Saving my world?" Silas scoffed. "The First Sword Ascended, boy. He sits at the right hand of the Light. He didn't die in some hole."
"It's a lie," Kael said. "The Spire is a lie. The Void is rising, Silas. The barrier is failing. My army has seen the truth. We are going to the Capital to warn the King."
"Your 'army' is a mob of deserters and broken men," Silas sneered. "And the King does not see trash."
Silas stood up. He walked over to Kael, sneering.
"Here is what will happen. You will give me that ring. You will surrender your weapons. And I will hand you over to Malakor. Maybe, if you are lucky, he will let you scream quickly."
Kael looked at the Commander. He saw no fear. No understanding. Just the supreme, unshakeable arrogance of a man who had never seen a monster.
"I came here to save you," Kael said softly.
"Save me?" Silas laughed. "I am the Commander of the Wall! I am invincible!"
"You are a child hiding behind a fence," Kael said.
He reached for his cloak.
"Arrest him!" Silas ordered.
The Guards stepped forward.
Kael dropped the cloak from his left shoulder.
The Obsidian arm was glowing. Not red. White.
"I tried words," Kael said.
He grabbed Silas by the breastplate. He didn't squeeze. He just let the heat of the Void-arm radiate.
The gold armor began to soften. Silas screamed as the metal warped.
Kael tossed him aside.
"Now," Kael said, turning to the heavy blast doors that led to the inner Kingdom. "I'll use ash."