There are whispers, with that connection. Traveling between the tethers of the Spires, conducting heat that would be unbearable if it was entirely in Kohl's body. Wordless whispers of what he's done, what he's chosen - everything that led him here. A sense of how his name is known and spoken of, in the Tiers and in the Northern Empire - and perhaps further east toward Kyros's Court. A powerful feeling.

"I don't think I'll ever get used to this. But... I like it."

"On the moments my staff and I are separated, part of its magic goes dormant until I'm once again near. That same dynamic is happening with you and the Spires, isn't it? They've adopted you? They certainly like you enough not to kick you out of bed."

"Is that a problem mages usually have with their staves?"

"Oh, we're very secretive, I couldn't tell you. Better get one of your own and test it, see if it knocks you out of your bed."

"Or borrow yours for a night."

"Oh, but then I might kick you out of bed."

"For which?", he teases, but he drops it from there.

"So, Lantry. Library?"

"Oh, it's an excellent site for it. Shelves along those walls, arch windows letting in light and a view of the surroundings. Preservation wards around the center for the mishaps that come with sigil research, and doubly-protected shelves for things needed for those experiments. And the rooms below can have annex space for more scrolls and bound archives... It could be marvelous, the best mage's library in the Tiers even if the Burning Library becomes livable again."

He smiles. "Alright, draw up some plans. Verse, keep an eye on him, will you? I don't want him falling off the side in his excitement."

"Sure thing, boss. What will you be up to?"

"Checking the old entrance to see if there's anything to be done to open it up from under the storm debris. So the group of us that rely on strength more than speed can shove at things while you're up here."

After a little investigation, Kohl and company return to Ascension Hall. And then a while later, possibly after this happens, they come back - they have a sword to find, and a Havoc to fight.

The first order of business is to poke their heads back out into the storm and go along the Oldwalls until they find the Dauntless. They fight off a party of freelance scavengers who heard rumors the First Regent died near here, and a small group of Scarlet Chorus who had suspiciously-specific instructions for where to go scavenging but had no idea what they were being sent after. The ultimate effect is to direct them to the proper site slightly faster.

There are Bane guarding it, because of course there are. The sword's pretty unmistakable, and also more magic than anything else the Younger Realms ever made (except maybe Sentinel Stand); it's not that surprising that the Bane smelled it and came hunting.

This has two Malices but is substantially smaller than the crowd they fought to get into the Oldwalls in the first place. They go down pretty quickly.

And now Kohl has a very shiny sword, rigging up a edges-only scabbard on his back so that anyone who sees him can recognize the sword even while he doesn't have it drawn.

And he's pretty sure this will help a lot with killing the beast.

They have a plan. They're not expecting the Havoc to fight alone - stories of past Havocs say they're never alone, and when they're roused to anger, other Bane coalesce nearby if there's any magic in the air at all. So they'll be looking inward and outward. Kills-In-Shadow and Verse will be focused on the Havoc, Barik and Kohl on guarding the flanks. Sirin will sing to strengthen their bodies and sharpen their senses, and should be able to keep the Bane off her with an undercurrent in her music. Lantry and Eb will stand between Barik and Kohl, Lantry focused on healing and protecting the Havoc team and Eb on blasting flankers and making everyone's weapons hit harder. If Killsy or Verse start to weaken, they'll cycle out with Barik or Kohl for a spell while Lantry gets them back to fighting shape.

It's a pretty good plan. The enemy is stupid enough that it might even survive contact with them.

It was a good plan. But they failed to anticipate just how many flankers could appear. Holes in the walls that looked like empty Bane-traps start to glow when the Havoc is released, and pour out more Scourges and Malices than they've ever fought at once. Fortunately, in waves, but they still quickly pull Verse back and switch Eb and Sirin to defensive magic as much as possible. (Eb still throws Gravelight on their weapons since this helps them restore their own health from the energy they rip away from the enemy.)

But after an exhausting half-hour melee in which everyone but Lantry goes down at least once (and he pulls a strange trick that leaves him in stasis healing from near-death), it finally dissipates.

The Steadfast Insignia is theirs.

They take some time to rest, but then it's back out into the storm. 

From Conversations with Unbroken Captains:

"You don't have to take my deal. But if you don't, Kyros will be back. I doubt there will be a year passed before a new Edict is delivered. I have the Spires - that gives me the authority of an Archon. It doesn't give me the authority of the Overlord."

"I've read the common legal code of Stalwart, it wouldn't be a problem to preserve it. Penalties less than the Overlord's, but it forbids the right things, except the Oldwalls, and that's close enough. Markets might be a problem, before I'm officially named Archon, but if traders crossing to other Tiers need my approval, that's probably enough, I am a Fatebinder."

"Graven Ashe is a more reasonable man than you'd guess from his legion. He won't budge on getting his daughter back, and he'll bargain to keep Iron Hearth, but he'd rather preserve his soldiers than take control of Stalwart, if we can make it stop being his duty."

"The one thing we know is the Regents will be gone. Obviously you haven't told me exactly how you're running the Unbroken, but is that the same way you'll run the government? If I'm going to be supervising, I'll need an executive or small council to be the layer I speak to, but it's really up to you."

"Both the great relics of Stalwart are yours. Well done. Will they follow you?"

"They'll fight by my side. Afterward... I'm optimistic, but the details were always going to be the sticking point. We'll have formal diplomatic negotiations later, but informally, what are your key demands?"

"Amelia, obviously. And the Edict ended, but that's agreed by all. Keeping Iron Hearth, and receiving their support in the war against the Chorus."

"I doubt they'll have much support to give, beyond perimeter patrols keeping the Chorus from attacking Iron Hearth from the rear."

"That would be sufficient, as long as they aren't helping the enemy. Which I doubt they are interested in."

"They aren't. They'll need trading caravans running past Iron Hearth to resuscitate the country - I assume that's acceptable if they can be inspected?"