They left the same day, with the same dirigible they used when they arrived in the Elven Lands, but accompanied by many other blimps, carrying all their available forces. It had a lot of improvements, but the comfort was not sufficient to take their cares away. All their plans, all the clever military manoeuvers they had imagined, were now a thing of the past. It was now a matter of running against the clock, to arrive at the Reactor before the Others. They were, yet again, improvising on the go.

In the blimp, each was minding his own business. Pumpkin now had a select enclosure, with a lot of hey around. Both he and Diago were sleeping on it. Not far from the pen slept Faredhiel, on the floor, enveloped in a blanket. He was moaning in the sleep: “Don’t press that button. Don’t press that button!” Next to him, on two chairs joined together, sat Lau, fast asleep, as usual.

On a couch, Istaìnn was awake. The two girls were asleep, to his right and left, leaning on him. He was enjoying their scents, floral perfume for Heyra, and Archipelago lemons for Feyra. Their hair was tickling him on the cheek, their chins were sticking in his shoulder, he was numbed by their weight on him, but if he was grateful to Faredhiel for something, it was for the meditation lessons and the patience to remain immobile. Because this uncomfortable position was for him the most comfortable of all.

He sighed deeply and thought:

What are you doing, Istaìnn?

It was clear: he loved them both and was unable to choose. This thought tortured him every second. The fiery and passionate Heyra, he loved with care and affection, the wise and calm Feyra, with passion and fire, and instead of calming down, his sentiments were stronger every second.

But even internal unrest had its limits. One moment he was taking in his chest their smell, thinking about his problems, and in the next one, the voice of Lau in his year woke him up. The morning had arrived.

“Eat something; we’re almost there.”

They all had coffee with milk and cookies. The spy yawned and asked his cousin again:

“Which route do you think it’s the best?”

“I’ve told you ten times, the one from Ohst Nuir. Not the shortest, but the safest.”

“Let’s recapitulate!” proposed Heyra. “So, our troops create a diversion at the main gate while a small group sneaks through the tunnels into the ship. If there are some Others there, they will join their fellows in the Citadel to help defend it.”

“I agree,” said the spy, “I’ll sneak through the tunnels alone, only with Faredhiel. “

“No way,” said Feyra. “We’re coming with you, in case you need magic. For now, Faredhiel’s theories are just theories. By the way, you cannot sneak alone if someone is with you; that’s an oxymoron. And you cannot persuade us; otherwise, we’re the bosses. The princesses have spoken!”

“I would prefer you to stay outside with Diago; it’s safer.”

“Nowhere will be safe, mate, if you fail. Take them with you. If they strengthen your powers, that is the most useful spot for them to be,” interceded Diago for the princesses. “If you want some safety insurance, take Pumpkin with you; he’ll protect you from any harm, be it the evilest wizard.”

“Will he fit into the tunnels?” asked the spy.

“No problem,” answered Faredhiel. “The ship carried one hundred thousand, remember? That kind of numbers needs big corridors.”

“Providence! Some elves are suiciding! They jump off a blimp!” shouted Diago, who was looking through the windshield.

“Calm down, they’re not suiciding, and they are not elves!” said Heyra. “That’s are our first escadrille, releasing parachuters. Those are Roybert knights and the blimps we sent to d’Ornia. Don’t you remember they trained together with the dwarves there?”

“Goodness, they have some umbrellas now! That looks scary; I must try it too!”

The fifty or so parachuters landed on the main lawn of the Central Park of Ohst Nor and hurried immediately to secure a perimeter, installing guards, then to assist the main dirigible fleet, pulling the ropes the blimps launched. Twenty carriers discharged their load, fifty soldiers each, elves or knights, ten other smaller blimps remained in the air. The attack ones. Their own blimp joined those as a relay of command center after they managed to get on the ground safely.

“Let’s recapitulate!” asked the spy when they gathered for a review of the hastily improvised plan. “Check your communicators.”

They did; all were working.

“Commander Lau, you’ll coordinate the diversion,” said Feyra. “ You are the highest-ranking officer around. Roybert, Rheldoriel, Ulfsen, Diago, you follow his lead, capisce?”

“Capisce,” they replied, Ulfsen from the air, through the communicator.

“Then, my sister and I declare the hostilities open. Let’s get our city back!”

After a general huzzah, orders were passed along, and the troops began moving. First, the elves, five hundred, lead by Rheldoriel and Lau, and behind them, the spy, the princesses, Faredhiel, and Diago. The five hundred knights followed a mile behind. Their presence was to be kept a secret in the first phase of the operation.

Left, right, left, right, in the cadence of the steps, they arrived atop the Big Stair, the combined road and stair access between the two parts of the Town. For a moment, the spy stopped, sighing, and pulling Ohst’s view and air in his eyes and chest. The emotion feebled his knees, but just in time, two pairs of hands grabbed his arms, to the right and to the left, holding him firmly but gently.

“We know,” said Feyra. “We feel the same,” said Heyra. “It’s been a long road… but we have to take the last steps. We’re here for you.”

He nodded, and they started descending the stairs. Passing through the market neighborhood and the large avenues, a few, then a lot of people began to follow them. Soon, the crown following them numbered over a thousand.

“Those are elves! Those are elves!” everybody was exclaiming, and Istaìnn had an inspiration.

“Comrades citizens! The elves are here to help us dethrone the usurper. Down with the Cousin, long live the Twin Queens!”

“Long live the Twin Queens!” shouted back the crown.

A big man rushed to mount on a carriage roof.

“Brothers! He shouted. “The elves are back like they promised to the First King. Should we let them fight alone? To arms! Down with the usurper, long live the Twin Queens!”

The crowd dispersed, but it was just the silence before the storm. The people came back, armed with butcher knives, forks, axes, and even swords and pikes here and there. More townfolks were joining every second.

“It’s time,” said Istaìnn. “Thìs way.”

Profiting that the crowd was more interested in the elves than the queens, they took a side alley and left the mob behind. They soon arrived in a small square, with an obelisk in the middle, the exact center of Ohst Nuir. A plaque mentioned that the obelisk was dedicated to those who showed the way in dire times. The elf pressed the words show and way, and the monument revolved aside, letting a round metal plate appear, five yards in diameter.

“It’s an elevator,” said Faredhiel. “We have to step on it.”

And so they did.