Content warnings1
The Awakening of the Deep is published two twists after the Pai clan suppresses news of burglary at their mansion. It flattens the city like a gas explosion.
The clans reel as servants and drip house representatives start talking back, asking questions and demanding to be treated better. Noble employers are forced to compete for their employees. Commoners walk out of clan offices. The highest bidder win.
The Temple of the Deep is bombarded with criticism. Attendance drops but the High Priest locks his heavy coffers and convinces himself that clan donations will tide him over.
Merchants, fat from trading spices, surface plants, and other luxury goods, clamour for more council seats. Some demand the right to adopt a clan name for themselves—those either fall silent or disappear.
Clans stupid or desperate enough try to prevent their workers from leaving. Skirmishes break out, blood is spilled on hewn rock, mansions are raided.
Other clans keep an iron hold of their servants through violence and fear. The Noe rely on their puppets to keep order in their mansions and other facilities, as they always have. Most people grumble but stay in line.
With The Awakening of the Deep, the chasm between nobles and commoners has been bridged for the first time in history. One slim book, containing a story deceptive in its simplicity, has given not only a reason but a call to rise up against the clans. It has suggested a new creation myth and given the Sedrivar the gift of freedom from their old myths and traditions.
It will take time to seep into the collective consciousness but the first seeds of change have been sown in Kandamsin, the heart of their civilisation.
Of course, those who benefit the most from the current reign resist. The temple declares The Awakening of the Deep to be heretical and bans its possession. The city guard visits random households and seizes every copy found. The council investigates its publishing in hopes of seizing those responsible but learns nothing.
Suspicion keeps heads down and voices low in the streets. Fear turns into rage turns back into fear at the drop of a hairpin. Lightning hangs in the air, sizzling with danger and possibility.
When Yun approaches the city gate, two figures are silhouetted against the blue-green lights of Kandamsin. Is that…?
It is.
Usira is as pristine as ever in white clan robes, his hair braided and tied high on his head, amethyst earrings shining against his neck. He takes three steps to meet Yun at the gate and extends his arms, close to but not quite public affection. “Welcome back,” he says.
After the long journey through unbuilt tunnels, no two words have ever sounded sweeter. Yun grins. “I’m back.”
The man next to Usira bows. His face is so ordinary that Yun makes a point of committing it to memory, afraid he’ll forget as soon as he looks away. “It is an honour, Vessi.”
“This is Melyi, my contact,” Usira explains. “He has urgent matters to discuss with us.”
Yun narrows his eyes. The way he emphasised the word contact leaves no doubt that Melyi represents the organisation they’ve both been working with all this time. Mindful of the public, he follows Usira into the clan quarter. They don’t touch but their sleeves brush more than once.
At the Noe mansion, Yun leaves his entourage and ditches his dusty overcoat for a fresh one. Hiding his white robes and face under the coarse grey fabric and hood, he’s confident he won’t be recognised. Usira assures him that their reputation is restored but he still won’t take any chances. Not today.
As they descend in the basket lift, the city assaults his senses: fish sizzling on open grills, fragrant tea mixing with steam, sulphur from the bath houses, the grinding of stone in the workshops. He drinks in the glorious chaos of it all. If Usira knew, he’d never hear the end of it but Yun has missed Kandamsin.
Above all, he has missed the great game.
They duck into a tavern leaning against a bath house off the warehouse district, where labourers brush shoulders with artisans in the stuffy dim. While Usira orders at the counter, Yun leans close to Melyi. “Any news of Ulan?”
“Ulan?”
“The one who acted as my contact.”
Melyi nods. “Unfortunately she’s been detained. It’s part of the news we have to share.”
Usira returns with tea glasses and a bag of snacks. Yun shoves a handful of roasted nuts into his mouth before gesturing at Melyi to continue. Instead, Usira picks up the thread. “It’s my fault. She was accompanying me on that plan I hinted at in the letter. I messed up.” He looks down at his fidgeting hands. “I asked her to cover our tracks so our clan wouldn’t be blamed for what we did. She was captured.”
Still munching on nuts, Yun reaches for Usira’s hand. “Ulan always knows what she gets herself into. What matters is that your plan worked. Just tell me everything.”
Usira squeezes his hand, collecting himself. Aided by Melyi, he explains about Ithreyesh, about the manuscript, its connection to the Pai clan, its publishing and the ripples it has sent through the city. When they fall silent, Yun stares at Usira. “What hidden depths you reveal!”
Usira flinches as if Yun insulted rather than complimented him. “I wish there had been a way that didn’t hurt the Pai. Rilan hasn’t sent a word since.”
“Congratulations on making your first enemy.” At Usira’s murderous glance, Yun lifts his hands in peace. “You did it to survive. I’m glad you learned that lesson. It’ll be easier going forward.”
“I don’t intend to do it again.”
You might have to.
And Usira knows it too. After gulping the rest of his tea, he prompts: “It’s your turn. I’m dying to know how you pulled off that trick with the puppets.”
Before Yun can reply, Melyi stands. “And that’s my cue. Honourable Vessi, I’m glad you made it back to the capital safe and sound. These are dangerous times but with influential and bold personalities such as yourselves supporting our cause, I believe we can come out on the other side stronger than ever. Thanks to you, our goals are within reach. You will hear more from us soon.”
With a fresh bag of roasted nuts, they trail him outside and wander back towards the cliff. Yun weighs the words on the tip of his tongue but the time for secrets is past. If they are to work towards this new goal with Ithreyesh, they’ll have to share everything. “I knew there was a way to control puppets created by others,” he begins, “because when Ulan contacted me for the first time, she used Zhiva and Zhiven to send threatening messages. What would be more effective than making a Noe mistrust his own puppets?”
“I had no idea. Was she a Noe before she joined?”
“I’m almost certain she was a clan member but if any Noe with her capabilities disappeared in the last fifty yarns, I would know.” He shakes his head. “Anyway, it took a lot of persisting and negotiating before she taught me. I lost more twists than I would’ve liked and had to make concessions to Ithreyesh. Not only money,” he explains, “but favours to be redeemed as well. I’m at least as much their creature as you are now.”
“If Ulan isn’t a Noe by birth, does that mean anyone can control your puppets?”
Yun sighs. He should’ve known his clever bonded wouldn’t be distracted. “Only those with Noe blood can create and breathe life into puppets. Ulan, however, has perfected certain skills that enabled her to meddle with their instructions.”
“What skills?”
Yun pins Usira’s gaze. “Not here. If you insist, I’ll show you back at the workshop.”
“I do insist.”
He nods. “As you wish.”
They walk on. After a while, Usira asks: “What are your plans for Shuli?”
Yun hums, drawing out the silence. The tea and nuts have taken some of the exhaustion of the road and replaced it with mirth. “She has a gift for finance but she’s too conservative. Large-scale change will come, whether she supports it or not.”
Usira speaks slowly, as if reciting a memorised poem. “On the whole, the clans prefer new blood to lead them, keep them fresh. After we worked so hard for ours, I think most of your relatives wouldn’t mind seeing you at the helm.”
“You’ve been listening to your tutors.” Yun grins. “Indeed, I believe it is time to give Shuli the treasury and have her do what she does best. Are you relieved?” After all, Usira asked him to spare her. Zakiva, on the other hand… no one has the right to interfere between Zakiva and him.
But Usira doesn’t ask about the former clan head. “I’m glad,” he says instead. When Yun offers him the nuts, he takes a handful and chews. “Before all this, I never thought you would listen to me. Not only you, anyone… I was hesitant to stick my head out, afraid helping others would ruin me and my family. What could a commoner like me even do? But it’s different now. Melyi tells me my new position makes me a valuable asset to the organisation. Anyway, I can’t look away anymore. Whether you’re their creature or not, you’ve given me courage.”
Yun’s skin tingles. He doesn’t know what to say so he blurts out: “Vy believed in their cause.”
“Noe Vylira?” Usira snorts. “Didn’t see that coming.”
“You didn’t know her and apparently I didn’t either.” Yun sighs. Back at the foot of the cliff, he watches two noblewomen get into the basket lift. They shouldn’t recognise Usira and him but he still pulls the hood deeper into his brow. “You’re not the only one who got inspired. True, I denied the effect you had on me for the longest time. I thought it was a weakness I had to eliminate. I still do but…” He sighs. “You also convinced me that our world doesn’t have to be this cruel. That we could try and change it for the better.”
Usira shoots him a wary glance. “I told you how commoners were suffering under the clans so many times, trying to get you to see. Why now? What has changed?”
“What has changed…” Yun faces Usira in the shadow of the rock wall. Sun and heat, they might be in public but no one is watching them anyway. He stands on his tiptoes, pulls himself up by Usira’s shoulder, and presses his lips against Usira’s. “What has changed, you fool, is that I love you and I want to make you happy.” He flashes a crooked grin. “Turns out, caring for one commoner makes you care for all of them.”
Yun likes to think that Usira’s sigh isn’t as long-suffering as his usual ones. Under the hood, he tangles one hand in Yun’s hair and kisses him again, nipping at his bottom lip. “You’re infuriating.”
“I take that as a compliment.”
The way back to their quarters is the sweetest agony.
Author Notes
And that’s a wrap on Requiem of the Moth season three! On a scale from fine to epic, how do we feel about it?
This chapter sat in my drafts for the longest time for two reasons…
First, I wanted to make the first part more show, don’t tell but ultimately decided against it. When I recently watched Brandon Sanderson’s excellent lectures on writing fantasy and science fiction, one piece of advice stuck out to me: Yes, doing or acting is always more powerful than telling. It’s the difference between “Charlie was nervous” and “Charlie tapped his foot”. An amateur might interpret this as: I have to show all the time. A pro, however, knows that showing also takes more words and uses both wisely, depending on what the story needs. In this case, as it’s the last chapter in the story arc and I wanted to give it a zoomed-out, large-scale feel, I thought a little exposition might be better than drawing it out with multiple smaller but wordier scenes.
Second, I knew Usira would ask how Yun managed to control Zakiva’s puppets but hadn’t decided on the details of how that would work yet. We writers sometimes procrastinate on important plot decisions, don’t we? In the end, it turned out to be something Yun can’t really explain in words, or in public. Plus, it provides a neat little bridge to the next season, doesn’t it?
Speaking of next season: While there’s no thrilling cliffhanger this time, I do hope the overall situation in Kandamsin makes you excited for more… Needless to say, Yun and Usira are going to need their renewed resolve to weather the storm to come!
Behind the scenes, I’ve enjoyed a little break from Requiem but I’m excited to dive into planning and writing season four now! So excited, in fact, that I designed a new banner, the one adorning this chapter.
Do you like it? I’m proud to say that this one is 100% AI-free too, something I’ve wanted to achieve for the longest time. While I love that AI can provide us with great art for our stories, I’m aware that current generative AI training methods are highly unethical and will refrain from using any AI-generated art in this newsletter going forward.
While I work on season four, there will be short stories and other goodies to tide you over. As always, thank you for reading and let me know your thoughts in the comments!
Elitism
Nice work wrapping up season three, Vanessa! I continue to be impacted by your story and the tension you have created. By leaving us with a major figure in a precarious positions and the news of the ability to manipulate the Noe creations has me waiting for the next season! Keep it up.