THE LAST KEEPER

Chapter 346: 346: HIS ARRIVAL

It had been three days since Sagiri shook the core of Thazir, and he had not returned. His squad was still in the war fortress. Now that the Kai knew who they were, they loudly announced they had stopped hiding their identities, and they had told him where they had met Sagiri and a few stories about him back at the academy and the missions they held together, and how he came south.

”Brother has really suffered, yet he is still so kind,” Azir said.

”Kind? Is this boy blind?” Kaka snickered.

”Where is he now??” Ulekai whined. After the second day, everyone had started to get restless. They needed to leave soon.

”So you boys knew he could die and still followed him?” The kai marveled. ”Such an honorable bunch.

”Well, he has saved us a thousand times. It will be selfish to say no or let you southerners skin him alive.” Kiuga said. Even so, he was restless. They needed to live the following day at the latest, or their presence would be missed in the north, too.

The War Fortress had become the center of it all. Kiuga sat with the rest of the squad in one of the strategy chambers while Kai stood near a window overlooking the city below. The man looked exhausted. Everyone did. The South was changing too quickly. Finally, the general broke the silence.

”This cannot continue.” His voice drew everyone’s attention.

”What cannot?” Kiuga asked. Zifara turned toward them.

”Sagiri’s absence. His presence can no longer be ignored.” Zifara folded his arms. ”Three days ago, he forced the entire South to acknowledge him as Supreme Chief only to disappear.”

”Not forced,” Kaka muttered.

”Encouraged with several thousand floating blades,” Kiuga added, and a few chuckles escaped before dying quickly. Kai remained serious.

”The distinction is irrelevant.” He pointed toward the city. ”The chiefs are waiting. The elders are waiting. The tribes are waiting.” His expression hardened. ”The South is waiting. The chair cannot remain empty, and the south can not continue in his absence.” Nobody argued on this. They all knew it was true.

”Every day he remains absent, more problems appear.” Zifara continued. ”The council cannot make major decisions because nobody wishes to act without his approval.” He shook his head.

”Even the Supreme Chief’s former supporters have begun redirecting petitions to him.” Zifara said.

”Such audacity.” Kaka shook his head. ”Courting death.”

”It is a rumour, I have a feeling. Someone out there is vindictive.” Kiuga said

”You are smart. Now, where is your man?” Zifara said.

”Good luck finding him then,” Kiuga said in a quiet voice

”That is not the point,” Kai answered immediately. ”Whether he wants it or not, he is Supreme Chief now. The moment he claimed the title publicly, everything changed.” The Kai looked at each of them in turn.

”He must sit at the council. He must attend tribal hearings. He must establish authority.” Kaka snorted.

”Tell him that.” ”I intend to.” Kai’s answer surprised everyone. ”Because if he doesn’t, someone else will try to fill the vacuum.”

”You think someone would challenge him?” N’varu asked, and the Kai laughed.

”Challenge him? No. Even I dare not.” He looked toward the desert visible in the distance. ”But power hates emptiness.” His voice became thoughtful. ”If the Supreme Chief never appears, eventually people will start acting in his name. Then others will start acting against his name. Then factions appear. He needs to assert his rule...” The squad exchanged glances. T

The Kai had barely finished speaking when shouting erupted from outside. The noise was distant at first. Then louder. Soldiers running. People yelling. Doors opening. The entire fortress seemed to come alive at once. Banga was already on his feet before the first guard burst into the room.

”The beast!” the man shouted. ”The beast is back!” Chairs scraped across the floor. Everyone rushed from the chamber and up the stairs. By the time they reached the roof, dozens of soldiers had already gathered along the battlements. What they saw stole the breath from their lungs.

Zaira was moving through the outer city. The colossal beast flowed between buildings like a living river. From this height, its size became truly apparent. Entire streets vanished beneath its shadow. People crowded rooftops and walls to watch its passage.

Despite being black, the serpent’s scales looked different beneath the midday sun. The darkness of its hide was not flat. Light slid across the scales in shifting patterns. Some reflected deep chestnut hues where the sunlight struck at certain angles. Others flashed with faint bronze and dark amber undertones hidden beneath the black. It was as if the beast carried traces of the desert itself within its scales.

Its name truly fits it.

Zaira.... Beauty

When it moved, those colours rippled across its body before vanishing back into darkness. The effect was mesmerizing. The scales near its spine reflected the sunlight like polished obsidian, while others seemed to drink the light entirely. Massive muscles rolled beneath the armoured hide with each movement. The city parted before it.

Zaira crossed the outer districts and passed through the gates into the inner city. The crowd scattered ahead of it while thousands gathered behind. Even now, the people remained wary of the creature that had once towered above the execution square with enough power to reduce the city to rubble.

”Where is he?” Ulekai asked quietly. Every eye searched the serpent’s head. The usual figure standing atop it was nowhere to be seen. Kai’s expression slowly darkened. Zaira continued toward the fortress at a steady pace.

The roof fell silent as Zaira’s enormous head rose above the battlements. The serpent’s crimson eyes swept across the gathered soldiers before it lowered itself toward the stone. Only then did they notice the figure standing upon its head. Sagiri. A collective breath caught in dozens of throats.

He looked terrible. His skin was unnaturally pale, almost colourless beneath the sunlight. The dark circles beneath his eyes were impossible to miss, and there was a stiffness to his movements that had never been there before. Even standing seemed to cost him effort. For a moment, nobody moved.

Then Zaira tilted its head slightly, and Sagiri stepped off, landing lightly on the roof. His knees almost buckled. Almost. Lira’s expression immediately tightened. Kai’s eyes narrowed. N’varu simply stared. Sagiri looked at the gathered faces and managed a faint smile that did little to hide how exhausted he was.

”Hope I didn’t keep you waiting.” His voice was lighter than his appearance suggested. The joke fell flat. Seeing what the last few days had done to him brought something else entirely.

”Why do you look like you are dying?” Kaka, of course, could not keep from asking.

”Perhaps I am dying,” Sagiri said with dry humour. ”But don’t worry. I will drop you, boys, at the border and become a chief before I think of dying.” Sagiri said with a forced smile.