Chapter 20: Ashes and After

Milo knelt beside Asha, his breath hitching as he pressed his good hand to her chest. Nothing. No rise, no fall—just stillness, her skin cold beneath the faint blue glow threading her veins. The forge's light pulsed through her, binding her to the platform, to the city now alive around him. The hum filled the chamber, steady and deep, a heartbeat she'd given her own to start. He sat back, blood seeping through his fingers where the Overseer's shot had torn his side. Pain gnawed at him, but it was distant, drowned by the weight of her lying there. Her blade rested beside her, its edge dulled by ash and use, and the empty satchel lay crumpled nearby—the ember stones gone, their power fused into this place. The entity shimmered into view, its form sharper now, almost solid. "The forge is bound," it said, its voice softer, less hollow. "Her will shapes it. The cycle turns."Milo glared up at it, his voice raw. "She's dead. That's your cycle?" She is not lost," it replied, tilting its head toward Asha. "She is here. The forge holds her, as it held those before."He followed its gaze, frowning. The blue light in her veins flickered, faint but persistent, syncing with the chamber's hum. A spark of hope clawed at him, but he shoved it down. "Words don't bring her back," he snapped, staggering to his feet. "What now? You've got your price—twice over. Kael, her—what's left?"The entity gestured to the chamber. The towers glowed brighter, their twisted forms straightening, bridges snapping into place with a sound like cracking ice. The dome above shimmered, its cracks sealing as energy coursed through the ruins. "The forge rebuilds," it said. "Or destroys. Her will decides. Yours guides."Milo wiped blood from his face, staring at the city waking around him. The turrets that had burned the Overseers stood silent now, waiting. He could feel it—the power Asha had unleashed, hovering like a storm ready to break. She'd given everything to stop them, to give him a shot. He couldn't waste it. He limped to the platform, resting a hand near hers. "You hear me, Asha?" he muttered. "You're still the boss. Tell this thing what to do."The light in her veins pulsed stronger, and the platform vibrated beneath his touch. A faint breeze stirred the chamber, carrying her voice—or an echo of it—sharp and familiar. "Keep moving. The ash doesn't wait."Milo's throat tightened. He nodded, stepping back. "Yeah. Got it."The entity watched as he turned to the tunnel. The Overseers were gone here, but not out there—not forever. They'd come again, and he'd be ready. The forge was theirs now, a weapon, a refuge, whatever Asha shaped it to be. He'd figure out the rest. He retrieved her blade, tucking it into his belt beside his shard. The city hummed behind him, alive with her will, as he climbed the ladder back to the surface. The hatch slid open, spilling ash and gray light into the dark. He emerged into the ravine, the rigs' husks smoking in the distance, the Spire looming silently above.Milo pulled his cracked goggles down, wincing as he pressed a hand to his side. The ash fell thick, but the horizon stretched wide—open, unbroken. He'd lost her, lost Kael, but he wasn't alone. Not yet."Keep moving," he whispered, echoing her words, and started into the gray.