Gurabad was mentioned in The Water Lily and the Vulture, but it was never visited by the main characters. It was known as Collei's hometown and the birthplace of the rebellion that was squashed years before the book began. The characters would allude to it, particularly the regents, but it wasn't anything worth considering in the long term since it was truly unimportant. It only served to show that there were once people completely unsatisfied with the regents and God-King Kusanali to the point that they decided it would be better to form their own nation. While Kaveh didn't necessarily blame them, he did hate the rebellion for what it did to Collei and the other children who failed to survive the experiments.

Kaveh is unsurprisingly fascinated by Gurabad. He has never been this far from the capital, and he's never seen buildings quite like these. They follow the older trends of architecture, the ones that have faded by the time Kaveh came into his own as the Paradisaea Sage. They are also right on the cusp of dilapidation and disrepair. Any resources that could have been used to keep the buildings clean and sturdy were repurposed for the rebellion. Once the rebellion was squashed, Gurabad didn't get many supplies nor did they have the money to purchase from wandering traders. The people of Gurabad had to settle for what they were left with after the war against Sumeru's matra.

Kaveh feels as bad for the buildings as he does for the people. He sits on a cliff overlooking Gurabad at the edges of the poorest district. He has a sketchbook settled in his lap. He is thankful for his foresight to bring a whole new sketchbook rather than using his usual one because he is filling nearly every page with new designs. While he understands that Azar was probably setting up a trap by bringing them all here, Kaveh is going to focus on his job instead of worrying about what he cannot presently understand. Even if Kaveh wasn't keen on doing work, the architect in his heart yearns to mold the clay that has been presented in front of him. For as broken as Gurabad is, Kaveh can only see potential. He can only see opportunity, and his hands have already shown him sketches of what could be made true. Kaveh will have to go down for further inspections to make sure that his plans carry a note of realism, but at the moment, he is content to fantasize about what he could potentially do if the people of Gurabad and the regents of Sumeru City give him permission.

Mehrak is settled on the rock Kaveh is leaning against. She has gone silent as she recharges. Kaveh leaves her to it. He only brought her because he needed someone to carry his sketchbook and charcoal sticks. He would have brought them in his own arms, but Mehrak likes working with him. She seems to enjoy the purpose she has been given in life, even when her capabilities far surpass what Kaveh is currently using them for.

Kaveh looks up sharply when he hears rock shifting behind him. Kaveh feels a smile tug on his lips despite himself. He should have been ignoring his friends, but he couldn't refuse Nilou when she came to his door to beg him to come with them to see Gurabad from the edge of the city. She promised that Azar had permitted them, and Kaveh had no reason to doubt her. Even if she was lying about Azar, Kaveh doesn't actually care all that much about what the regent does or doesn't give them permission for. Kaveh has already lost so much to the regent that Kaveh is more than willing to piss him off by going to an unapproved location. Spending time with his friends is only a bonus that fills Kaveh's body with excitement and anticipation, even if he knows that his friends are going to ask him questions about his recent behavior rather than telling him stories about their personal lives. Kaveh will listen to their questions. He might even answer them if he gets confirmation that a certain event has finally taken place.

Kaveh looks over his shoulder. His smile falters when he sees Al-Haitham walking towards him. Kaveh hurriedly looks back at his sketchbook to hide his expression. His frown is deep, but it does very little to hide the warmth that floods his cheeks. Kaveh tries to coax his blood anywhere else to hide the red color, but the embarrassment has become as constant a companion around Kaveh as Al-Haitham has been. It never used to be like this. Al-Haitham and Kaveh have done, relatively speaking, more romantic activities, but it never meant anything to Kaveh. Or, rather, Kaveh never thought it meant something to Al-Haitham. Kaveh was barely conscious of his own feelings, so he was completely oblivious to the fact that Al-Haitham was holding him for more reasons than just because it lessened the impact of his migraines or because he didn't trust a drunk Kaveh.

More damningly, Kaveh loves Al-Haitham. The selfish feeling simmers uncomfortably in his chest, merging with the pounding of his heart in a way that makes Kaveh want to vomit.

Al-Haitham says nothing. He sits down on the rock Kaveh has been leaning against on the opposite side of Mehrak. Kaveh glances at the man from the corner of his eye. Al-Haitham is holding a book in his hands. Kaveh glances away. He hopes that the others arrive soon to keep Kaveh from this awkward situation. Kaveh has been ignoring the object of his affection for weeks now, doing everything in his power to set Al-Haitham and Nilou together. Kaveh believes he's succeeded, but the happiness he's supposed to feel doesn't settle inside him. Instead, he feels the coiling green-eyed snake choking his heart with the same strength that Kaveh's love for Al-Haitham has.

Kaveh goes back to his sketching. He glances back over Gurabad. The city is illuminated in the darkness of the twilight by candles. It sparkles like a gemstone in the light of dusk, surrounded by the golden seas that lap inconsistently at the divine barrier that continues to stand even with the citizen's meddling years ago. Kaveh has replicated a good portion of it onto his paper with some creative liberties, and he's taken to drawing the sky over Gurabad like a veil blanketing the rebellious city. Kaveh has rarely seen a sky this beautiful with thousands of white pinpricks in black silk. Kaveh is failing at replicating it on paper, but he doesn't stop even when he knows that success is nigh impossible.

After a while, Kaveh realizes that it is still only him, Al-Haitham, and an unresponsive Mehrak. Kaveh glances up again, looking around. He was only trying to double-check that the others weren't huddled in the distance, but he found himself looking into Al-Haitham's eyes. The distant lights of Gurabad reflect in those eyes, making his irises like a dawn sky rising above a turquoise oasis. It steals Kaveh's breath away. He wants to look away, but he's stuck there with the same feeling burning in his stomach that kept him trapped in the alleyway earlier. Strange how something that feels so much like fire makes Kaveh freeze up.

"I believe now would be an appropriate time to continue our earlier conversation," Al-Haitham's voice is quiet, but the entire night is almost silent. Not even the wind rises in volume, so Kaveh can only hear Al-Haitham's voice along with his own pounding heart. Both of them are only kerosene poured into the fire.

"I disagree. The others will be here soon," Kaveh whispers back. His eyes slide away from Al-Haitham as he wonders why he didn't talk loudly. There is no one around to eavesdrop on them, nor is there anything worth eavesdropping on. It shouldn't matter how loud Kaveh is, but he finds himself incapable of fully breaking the silence around him. He will crack it, surely, just as Al-Haitham is, but breaking it seems excessive. It seems wrong. The night is meant to be silent. They are meant to be silent. Kaveh isn't sure if he would rather if they were or not. Words give him something to focus on even if he doesn't know he's listening to or what he's saying. The silence isn't much better, making Kaveh feel like he's scrambling without anything to anchor himself to.

"I doubt that," Al-Haitham notes. He looks over his shoulder. When he doesn't see anyone, he returns his attention to Kaveh. Their eyes meet again. Al-Haitham's expression is bordering apathy, but Kaveh knows this man. Just as Al-Haitham has this uncanny way of knowing Kaveh's emotions, Kaveh knows his. Kaveh knows that Al-Haitham is smug right now. His eyes are shining with a plainer version of victory, as if the first part of his plan has succeeded but there are still more steps to come. "The others do not know they are supposed to come here. In fact, they were explicitly told not to come. I am certain they have drawn their own conclusions as to why they cannot come, but it does not matter what they think since they won't arrive."

"What are you talking about?" Kaveh asks. He shifts immediately, rising onto one of his knees while the other knee comes to his chest protectively. His sketchbook presses against his chest, and Kaveh reaches out to wrap his arms around it to keep it from falling. Well, that's what he tells himself since the real reason is that he needs something to hold onto. He feels a soft tremor in his hands that he knows Al-Haitham's observant eyes will notice no matter what Kaveh does. It makes Kaveh frown, something caught between anger and happiness at the fact that someone cares enough about him to notice these small details about him.

"My explanation should have been satisfactory. There is nothing more I can reveal. The others will not come here, so it is the most opportune moment for us to finish our earlier discussion. I can outline all the reasons why your behavior has led me to question you again, but I would rather us get to the part where you explain what is happening to me," Al-Haitham answers. His voice is still fairly quiet, but there is a sternness there that makes it even louder than the way Kaveh's body flickers to life with noises— his pounding heart, his quickening blood, the cackling of that fire in his stomach. All of it rushes through Kaveh's ears, but nothing can overtake the strange frequency that seems to echo from Al-Haitham's words and the way they linger in the chilly air between them.

"There is nothing to explain. I acknowledge that my behavior has been... odd, recently, but it isn't anything worth being concerned about. In fact, I would much rather talk about you," Kaveh answers swiftly. The near-silence of his voice helps hide the way his words shake similarly to his hands, but Al-Haitham will know. He will know as much as he knows about Kaveh's hands. Kaveh knows this because Al-Haitham's eyes narrow minutely. He already has a sharp pair of eyes, but when they grow sharper like this, Kaveh feels like someone has thrown a knife into him, their aim true and low. It stings, and Kaveh is surprised he isn't bleeding out across the rocks.

"What would you like to discuss about me? I would have told you anything if you had asked me," Al-Haitham encourages Kaveh, and it makes Kaveh want to puke again. Al-Haitham is just searching for a conversation. Kaveh feels the crispness of sadness rushes through his body. At the end of all this, Kaveh hopes they can remain friends if that's what they ever were. Al-Haitham annoys him. He is a thorn in Kaveh's side that makes Kaveh want to kill him every time their paths cross. He is insufferable, and he hardly has a correct thought in that logical brain of his. Still, Kaveh can't deny that he has enjoyed their time together. Their arguments, while infuriatingly, are often insightful, and the quiet moments when they are too tired to argue, when they can just be together, are priceless. They don't need love to stay together, do they?

But what if they can't be friends? What will happen then? Kaveh knows that he's going to have to move out eventually, giving Nilou the rest of the house. Kaveh wonders if he'll be the one forced out of their friend group if he and Al-Haitham can't find a way out of this awkwardness. That thought steals the air right out of Kaveh's lungs. He has always been ready to disappear from this world, so he shouldn't feel anything towards the idea of being forced away from these people. Kaveh should feel nothing towards these people, but he loves Al-Haitham and he loves his friends and he just wants to be happy. He can't have any of this. Al-Haitham has never been his. These friends will never be his family. He doesn't even belong to this world, so how can he take some of the happiness from its real inhabitants?

If Kaveh finally disappears, will his feelings change? Will he be able to let go of everyone if he doesn't see them ever again? Will he be able to let go of them as quickly as they let go of him? Is any of this worth thinking about when it's bound to happen eventually?

Kaveh's thoughts halt with enough force that Kaveh pitches forward like someone slams the brakes on a vehicle. There are hands on his shoulders, squeezing with enough force that Kaveh winces from pain. But it isn't a bad pain. It's a grounding one, and he's suddenly aware of the wind across his skin and the rocky texture digging into one knee and the opposing foot. Kaveh blinks, lifting his head. Al-Haitham is leaning over him, blocking out the starlight and moonlight, but his eyes are bright with the distant fires of Gurabad so Kaveh doesn't feel deprived of light. There are long shadows across Al-Haitham's face, replicating the space between stars, but there is also an emotion there. This is the angriest Kaveh has ever seen Al-Haitham, and maybe that's because this emotion isn't anger. It isn't all anger, anyway. There's something else, perhaps a shade of concern, as Al-Haitham's voice pours from his lips like a waterfall flowing across Kaveh's face. "Stop doing that."

Kaveh wants to ask what Al-Haitham is talking about, but his words are empty. The air between him and Al-Haitham is decidedly not as empty. There is something there, almost tangible. Kaveh reaches his hand up. He wonders if he could feel the emotions between him and Al-Haitham across his fingertips. He doesn't wait to find out as he hurriedly lifts both of his hands. He pushes Al-Haitham away from him. When Al-Haitham hardly budges, Kaveh forcibly transforms all the emotions inside of him into righteous anger. Kaveh pushes again with a glare, and even if it's only because of surprise, Al-Haitham moves backward with his hands falling to his side. Al-Haitham sits back down on the rock. Kaveh starts to stand over Al-Haitham, putting his hands on Al-Haitham's shoulder. Kaveh squeezes, but nothing is comforting about his touch as he scowls at Al-Haitham.

The mind is a powerful tool. Kaveh has learned this as much as he's been told it. Kaveh loves Al-Haitham. It is a simple fact, and one that Kaveh tears apart. He hates Al-Haitham for being someone Kaveh loves. He hates Al-Haitham for ruining the novel Kaveh nearly devoted his life to. He hates Al-Haitham for hurting Nilou. He hates Al-Haitham for being difficult. He hates Al-Haitham for being a barrier between Kaveh and the friends that he knows he isn't supposed to love. He hates Al-Haitham because it's so much easier to hate the man in front of him than it is to hate himself. Kaveh knows he's selfish, so why can't he use his selfishness to his advantage? Pin all of the blame on Al-Haitham, and hope that the man will learn to hate Kaveh as much as Kaveh hates him. If this is the only way to succeed, Kaveh can handle the way his entire body feels as if it has been set ablaze.

"How about you stop doing that? I didn't ask you to come here. I never asked you to worry about me. My business is my own, and if I want to ignore you, that's my problem. If I want to ignore all of my friends, that's my problem. I don't need some babysitter or whatever the fuck you think you are," Kaveh grits his teeth. The words are easy to come by. Maybe Kaveh has wanted to say this for a long time. Maybe he's always resented Al-Haitham a little bit for this entire mess. Or maybe Kaveh is just a better actor than he ever gave himself credit for.

His hands are shaking, though, and Al-Haitham notices because of course he does. Al-Haitham raises his palms, settling them onto Kaveh's hands. If Kaveh let him, Al-Haitham would have taken Kaveh's hands. He would have intertwined their fingers like he always does, so Kaveh jerks his hands away with two steps back. Al-Haitham frowns, a tiny pathetic little thing. Kaveh's glare sharpens as he watches the frown deepen and Al-Haitham's lips part with his words. "Kaveh, I want you to tell me what's wrong—"

"Do you ever shut up?!" Kaveh pleads, finally breaking the silence between them. He feels the fractured pieces dig into his skin, drawing blood as they fall to the ground all around him. Kaveh's hands close into fists at his side. Al-Haitham is as frozen as Kaveh was in the alleyway, as he was at the beginning of this conversation. Kaveh feels his resolve waver, so he forces himself to look away. He tries thinking about his next words, his next move, the next part of this haphazard plan he threw together at the last moment because he's running out of time and running closer to his wayward heart.

Kaveh's eyes widen when he stares at Gurabad. There is smoke in the distance, thick and black and unspooling into the night air. Kaveh shifts to find the source of the fire, and he sees the flickers of a purple flame. It is so unnatural that it makes Kaveh recoil. The cognitive dissonance doesn't go away even when Kaveh's thoughts gather together. That unnatural flame could only belong to one person, and there's only one reason why she would ever unleash it. Some circumstances have transpired, and now, Collei has lost control.

"Mehrak!" Kaveh yells as he runs past the rock she and Al-Haitham are resting on. Kaveh's shoes slide across the rough terrain, but he manages to remain upright as the machine beeps to life. Mehrak continues beeping as she rushes to follow Kaveh. Al-Haitham isn't far behind her, eventually overtaking her. Kaveh ignores both of them as he continues down the gradual incline of the cliff. Kaveh leaps off the side the rest of the way, causing both Mehrak and Al-Haitham to make unpleasant noises as they hurry to catch up to him.

People are leaving Gurabad en masse, trying to get as far away from the flames as possible. Kaveh pushes through them. It hurts as people push him around, but Kaveh doesn't stop until he's on the other side of the crowd where only the stranglers remain. Kaveh goes in the opposite direction of any rational person, trying to get closer to the unnatural flames as they clearly cut through Gurabad. Kaveh almost stumbles to the ground as he finally rounds the correct corner.

The purple flames are eating away at the buildings, bringing them down to the ground. Tighnari is leaning on the ground behind a chunk of a building with his bow in his hands, an arrow in place but the string not drawn back. Cyno is ready to spring forward on his toes, his spear half behind him as he searches for the right moment to attack. Candace stands in front of Nilou with her shield charged with blue divine energy.

Collei stands in the center of this entire mess. Her posture is straight but relaxed. Her face is devoid of any emotion. Her eyes are slits like a snake, and a fiery serpent coils around her throat as if intending to kill her. The eyes of the serpent look around, ready to strike in every direction. Collei's body moves lethargic as she turns around. Her arm moves up, her fingers spreading out to draw the purple flames to the palm of her hand like a vortex. The flames lift from the ground, getting drawn to their maker. Collei holds the fire in the palm of her hand, aiming it at Candace's shield.

Cyno takes the opportunity to attack. Collei glances over her shoulder, lips pulling down into a frown. The serpent hisses with bloodlust as it shoots off Collei's shoulder. It grows in size as it opens its mouth, ready to devour Cyno whole. The darkness of its mouth is lit up by the fire spreading across its scales, and Cyno doesn't look scared in the slightest as he twists his spear, ready to perform some sort of attack with purple divine energy sparking around him like electricity. The serpent stops when a burst of green divine energy lands against the side of its head. The serpent glances over at Tighnari as the man hurriedly aims another arrow at the serpent. Cyno doesn't hesitate to create a spear from a purple divine energy that he tries to impale the serpent with. As quick as lightning, the serpent slithers across the air closer to Tighnari.

Kaveh's hands reach out to grab Mehrak. She doesn't make any noise as Kaveh drags her into the fray. With the confidence only a man half-aware of himself possesses, Kaveh leaps into the air. He grabs Mehrak's handle in both of his hands. He throws himself down arms first, and Mehrak creates a claymore from a dark green divine energy that bounces against the serpent's scales with enough force to create sparks. Kaveh lands on the ground, half-bending his knees as he shakes his hand from the richoting force. The serpent's eyes find Kaveh, and he glares back at the strange beast.

Before Kaveh can do something else foolish, a series of chisel-light mirror shards poke into the serpent's body. Al-Haitham appears right beside Kaveh. He wraps an arm around Kaveh's waist as he creates a sword from green divine energy. Al-Haitham pushes it into the serpent's body. When the serpent hisses in pain, Al-Haitham throws a chisel-light mirror shard away from the serpent. In a series of reflections that make Kaveh want to vomit, he is suddenly back where he was before he rushed into the fight between the serpent and Tighnari. Kaveh pushes his elbow into Al-Haitham's chest to make the man release him.

The serpent curls around Collei's neck. The corrupted body looks behind her at the team of four that inflicted damage on her serpent. Collei isn't able to see Candace launching herself at Collei, her spear poised to strike through Collei's body. Tighnari calls out for Candace to stop, but it doesn't matter. Collei's hand comes up to grab the spearhead without looking behind her. The spear causes blood to pour from Collei's mortal body, but she doesn't show a hint of feeling pain. Collei doesn't deign Candace with a glance as she throws her body forward. Candace chokes on a breath as she lands roughly on the ground. She uses her shield to avoid the worst damage. Collei throws the spear away, the point as crimson as her blood. Collei lifts a foot to kick Candace. While the warrior does bring her shield up in time, her body is still thrown even farther away from Collei. Kaveh reaches a hand out, but Al-Haitham teleports in time to catch Candace.

Tighnari is heading towards Nilou as the dancer summons a sword, ready to defend herself even though she hasn't had many lessons in swordplay. Cyno has taken the responsibility of fighting both Collei and the serpent around her shoulders. Kaveh is ready to join Kaveh in a supporting role when Mehrak beeps and Kaveh feels pressure on his sleeve. He looks beside him, eyes widening when he notices that Nahida is the one standing next to him. "What the fuck are you doing here?!"

"We don't have time for that! You want to save your friend, don't you?" Nahida asks. She's right. Kaveh doesn't have enough time to wonder where Nahida came from, why she's in Gurabad or why she came to the fight. Collei and Cyno are currently fighting, and they seem to be evenly matched. The problem is that Cyno still has a mortal body, and Collei is losing those limitations as quickly as she loses her sense of reason. Kaveh nods firmly, putting his surprise on the back burner as Nahida's grip tightens on Kaveh's sleeve. "Good. We need to put a barrier around her. If you can do that, I'll be able to help her."

"How are we..." Kaveh murmurs to himself, looking around. Mehrak beeps at the same moment Kaveh glances at Al-Haitham and Candace. She is holding her side, but Al-Haitham is standing with an analytical expression on his face. Kaveh grits his teeth as he reaches down to squeeze Nahida's hand. She glances up at him, and Kaveh smiles at her, dimly aware of the fear rising in his heart. "One cage coming right up."

Kaveh looks back at Al-Haitham, yelling his name. Al-Haitham looks at him. Kaveh gestures for Al-Haitham to come closer. When Al-Haitham is at his side, Kaveh explains his plan to him. "When Cyno is far enough from Collei, I need you to set up a particular field. Just don't release the shards."

Al-Haitham's eyes burn with questions, but his body moves before his mouth does. Al-Haitham lifts a hand. At the opportune moment, he creates the field around Collei. She glances around at the green divine energy. Cyno turns to look at Al-Haitham with a question on his tongue. Kaveh mutters a quick apology to her as he throws Mehrak. She floats through the air, expanding into her briefcase mode. She opens, and divine energy falls from the darkness. It latches onto Al-Haitham's particular field, giving structure and stability to what would otherwise be pure divine energy. Kaveh grabs onto Al-Haitham's arm as exhaustion comes creeping in, but Kaveh ignores the sweat and exertion as he watches Collei and the serpent try to break through the barrier now around them.

Nahida is gone from Kaveh's side. She's suddenly inside the barrier. Collei slams her fists against the pure divine energy. Tighnari is suddenly on the other side. He puts his hands against the barrier. Collei stops long enough to look at him with serpentine eyes. Collei moves one hand away, ready to slam her first again, but she stops when Nahida wraps her arms around Collei's shoulders in a hug from the back. Collei freezes, and the serpent slips down her arm. It hisses, throwing its head around. Collei releases an odd noise, more animal than human, as she drops onto her knees. Tighnari goes down with her, and Cyno comes to put a hand on Tighnari's shoulder. Kaveh and Al-Haitham lean against each other, and Kaveh knows that his consciousness is slipping away from him as Mehrak's distant glow becomes the only light he can see.

Kaveh doesn't know what's going on. Nahida buries her face into Collei's shoulder as the girl screams into the open air. The serpent drops to the ground. It falls like a corpse, dispersing into a fire without oxygen. Collei tilts her head forward, peeking her eyes open. One of them is as dark as the night, but the other one is turning violet again as her irises and pupils shimmer in a whitening sclera. Collei's hands pound against the barrier, and she screams one more time. Kaveh feels a burst of divine energy expand through his body as a light green and white cathedral expands around them. Flowers bloom around Kaveh's body as he drops onto his knees, digging his hands into the rubble as he stares up at the cradle of wisdom Nahida created as she tries to heal Collei and protect everyone else.

Nahida drops away from Collei. She takes several steps back, her arms falling into her sides. She smiles hesitantly as Collei stops screaming. Collei's eyes flutter open with violet eyes staring up at the top of the cathedral. Mehrak drops to the ground. Nahida hurriedly catches her as Al-Haitham's particular field disappears. Tighnari shifts forward with hesitant hands. Collei glances at him. Her mouth parts, tears sliding down her cheeks. There is a moment, but Collei breaks it when she launches herself into Tighnari's chest. He is quick to wrap his arms around her in the first hug Collei has gotten since she was taken by the rebellion's leaders. Cyno kneels beside them, wrapping his arms around both of them. Nahida cradles Mehrak against her chest. Nilou is staring wide-eyed at the entire scene, and Candace stumbles into view. Nilou goes to Candace with the vigor of someone needing something to do. Kaveh is half-conscious against Al-Haitham's chest, feeling the scribe's arms wrap around him.

The silent moment passes. Kaveh pushes away from Al-Haitham, a realization striking him like a hammer hitting heated metal. It bends him out of shape just enough for a new anger to spring throughout his body. It is real, far more real than anything he's ever felt before, and he understands for the first time what it means to actually hate someone. A low chuckle falls from his lips, but it grows louder and sharper like the howling of wild dogs when the full moon reminds everyone where the word 'lunacy' came from. Everyone looks at Kaveh, but he can't be bothered with their stares as he stares up at that corpse in the sky. His laughter doesn't stop, but Kaveh does become delirious enough to start walking away, knowing where he wants to go even if he doesn't have exact coordinates. He hears someone ask him where he's going, and Kaveh calls over his shoulder, "I'm going to see a bastard about a broken deal."

No one stops Kaveh. Not as if they could, Kaveh muses as his laughter causes people to flee with the same urgency as the purple flames did.