It took a full seven minutes before Lord Shaxx stopped pretending that the screen in front of him was transmitting a live Crucible match and not a looped recording. He finally let out an aggrieved sigh and folded his arms across his chest.

"Forge."

"If you can spare a few moments," Lord Saladin said, with grim humor, "I wanted to talk."

Shaxx leveled his helmet in Saladin's direction.

Saladin returned his stare. "Fine. It isn't a matter of wanting. We need to talk." Saladin braced himself. "About Twilight Gap."

Shaxx turned to face Saladin, arms sliding down to his sides. His chest expanded as he filled the great bellows of his lungs.

"You made the right call," Saladin said, quickly.

There was a muffled, choked sound from beneath Shaxx's helmet.

"We've always known that much." Saladin's mouth twisted unhappily. He turned his gaze to the City's horizon, feigning interest in a flooded crater near the outskirts. "Even if I refused to admit it."

"You saw hope where I couldn't. I told myself your defiance was grandstanding." Saladin laughed ruefully. "I'd given up. But you—you and your fireteam bought us time. Enough time for all of us to change."

Shaxx stood unmoving. They both waited in protracted silence.

At last, Saladin sighed. "After all these years, after everything… I trust your judgment. I just wanted you to know that."

Shaxx's helmet shifted, just slightly. "Before the end?"

"Before whatever comes next."

Shaxx nodded slowly.

"You know, I had a host of incredibly scathing comments prepared for this moment."

Saladin smiled. "I bet you did."