《The Pillar of Enera》


 [Chapter 1] Simon - Reaching Earths End

    [Chapter 1] Simon ¨C Reaching Earth''s End


    --------------------------------


    The man crossed the frozen landscape, appreciating the isolation. Nothing could be seen in any direction except white. This was the third ¡®night¡¯ since his departure from the Black Citadel, but at this time of year the sun didn¡¯t rise, so the measurement was meaningless.


    He was dressed in black leather with a silk cloak. Ice coated his short brown hair. To an observer, he might seem unprepared for his surroundings.


    A smug smile crept on his lips. It¡¯s simplest not to fight the cold. He¡¯d internally lowered water¡¯s freezing point and allowed his temperature to drop. Of course, his body had shut down, but this didn¡¯t matter. It wasn¡¯t his muscles which propelled him onward. Manipulating corpses is what my profession is famous for. With breath and pulse gone, he heard the crunching below his boots. Around him Katabatic winds howled softly, sweeping frozen puffs.


    One of the deadest places on Enera, he mused. He had the ability to sense life. While convenient, it often left him drowning in the racket. This stillness was refreshing.


    His eyes wandered to the heavens. Magnificent. Billions of lights twinkled in the darkness, the dying embers of paradise showing off their full splendor. Nowhere are they as clear. Dancing southern lights divided the starry sea. They resembled trails of smoke illuminated by a bright, yet unsteady green light.


    No trace of man here¡­ I can escape the blissful ignorance. So many good people lived fulfilling lives, not knowing or caring about the misery existing far away. It¡¯s not something I can do. He¡¯d witnessed horrible injustices, some centuries old, which were never redressed. No matter the splendor around him, it gnawed at him. Wrongs must be righted.


    His antipathy was self-inflicted. For five hundred years, he¡¯d hunted a madman, experiencing the worst of humanity in his wake. Even this trip had everything to do with that monster.


    He scowled. No, I¡¯ll not think of him now. However, resistance was useless. The familiar scene flooded his mind as countless times before.


    It was his oldest memory, worn and faded. He was outside, and, his family was impaled around him by golden spears. He too was pinned against a wall, arms and legs pierced. Screams echoed in the background as he cried, begging them not to leave, yet one by one they stopped moving. The last was his oldest brother. He couldn¡¯t recall any of their faces. It can¡¯t be helped. I was a child. Still, the loss hurt.


    He¡¯d never forget what happened next. On the adjacent building, the young man responsible for the carnage appeared. Beautiful, with short blond hair, he smiled serenely surveying his work. Then their eyes met, and the angelic face twisted in laughter. This wasn¡¯t the cheap cackling of a petty villain. It was a genuine, out of control hilarity, as if he¡¯d heard the funniest of jokes. He leaned on his golden spear to keep upright and appeared to be having trouble breathing. Finally, it was too much, and he collapsed. As his young self lost consciousness, the man still lay on the roof convulsing madly.


    Absurd.  He ground his teeth. Ending this absurdity was his driving purpose. It¡¯s why I trek the arctic. He focused ahead, determined to clear his thoughts. If he let old grudges dominate him, this place¡¯s beauty would be wasted.


    He squinted at the distant objects coming into view. Ice Pillars. Each was as thick and tall as a tower, with dark spots dotting their exterior. Soon he drew close enough to determine what they were. Corpses, remains of trespassers. There were hundreds. The message is clear, but it¡¯s likely a pointless effort. Ahead, sealed under the ice, lay secrets more valuable than all the gold in creation. Lost knowledge capable of granting military supremacy and resurrecting loved ones. No warning, regardless how morbid, would dissuade those seeking them. Especially if they made it this far. The frozen monuments would grow more crowded.


    Some bodies were only half buried. While the entombed portions were intact, the outer portions were degraded, with many reduced to polished bones. Swaying in the wind, they made for a gruesome spectacle.


    It must¡¯ve taken centuries to reduce them to that state. As he pondered the rate of skeletonization in glacial climates, he realized he was climbing a slope. Momentarily confused, his face soon lit with understanding. A few inches of snow fell on these plains each year, endlessly accumulating. Anything left on the surface would soon be swallowed by the shifting icepack. For someone hoping to use corpses as deterrents, this presented a problem. Those pillars had been the solution. They must extend to the bedrock. With their support, bodies which would have quickly disappeared were anchored for eternity. They also acted as a dam, and he was crossing to the higher side.


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    With a last glance, the man plowed on. He¡¯d entered Earth¡¯s End, the territory of Astra Skyfell, one of the seven hailed as heroes of the Dark Age.


    Heroes¡­  That word is bandied about too freely. Many he¡¯d assisted over the years heralded him as such, and it had always caused him discomfort. However there¡¯s no issue in this case. Few deserved the title, but Astra legitimately did.


    Two thousand years ago, a villain named Sola set out to destroy the world, instigating a period of tragedy. Half of civilization perished. Her armies, an endless horde of undead, chimeras, and worse, threatened to wipe out the remainder. It was the seven who¡¯d rallied survivors and turned the tide. Even when Sola unleashed an apocalyptic spell, shattering the planet¡¯s crust into a million pieces, they¡¯d prevailed.


    Of those surviving, Astra was the only one he¡¯d never met. He sensed in her a kindred soul. As a veteran of that time, she undoubtedly understood the world¡¯s absurdity, perhaps better than himself. Her own brother was one of those sacrificed. Yet, despite this, she was here guarding the legacy Sola left behind. Millennia of solitude which would never be rewarded. And those ice pillars¡­ He too was familiar with laboring on thankless undertakings. She probably loves this sky.


    As constellations and auroras warred for ascendancy, he spotted silhouettes on the horizon, mounds spaced far apart. Dragons made of ice. These weren¡¯t living creatures, but artificial constructs. Golems in the shape of winged lizards, the first line of defense. Each must¡¯ve taken years¡­ Fashioning permanent enchantments was arduous. Few make it past this point.


    Once within shouting distance, the nearest sprung to life. Uncurling and stretching its wings, it ambled lazily forwards, the ground buckling with each step. These sentries were why he¡¯d chosen to walk. Anything airborne would be shot from the sky by their breath. Stopping, he withdrew his token of safe passage and grimaced.  A miniature teddy bear with pink ribbons¡­ He silently cursed Lily Morgana, the one who¡¯d sent him.


    She was the youngest of the heroes, a child blessed with enormous talent. Earning the title ¡®Living Artillery¡¯, she¡¯d been instrumental in the struggle. Sadly, when it was over, she¡¯d been left trapped in the body of a twelve year old. In the following centuries, she¡¯d exhausted every conceivable method to age herself, growing increasingly bitter. She now vented her frustration through petty acts. The token in his hand could¡¯ve been anything, but Lily knew his aesthetics were simple, functional, and black. I¡¯m literally traveling to Earth¡¯s End for her and she still does this¡­  Shaking his head, he made his offering.


    The dragon lost interest, returning to its resting spot. They¡¯re pale imitations. He remembered the White Dragon and the path it¡¯d scorched. Its mere presence had been crushing. He felt nothing of that from this reproduction, though they were somewhat imposing. An imitation of an unstoppable monster yet deserves respect.


    Five days ago, another of the heroes, Arther Bard, had been murdered on the Isle of Dreams. His death had thrown Enera into chaos and left a void which needed filling. He¡¯d been sent to bring Astra back. None expect me to succeed. In the eons since the Fracturing, Astra had made only a handful of brief trips, rebuffing all pleas to depart permanently. Her mind was immutable once set. Even Lily anticipates failure.


    His lips curled upwards. I¡¯ll succeed where others failed. The situation had changed with Arther¡¯s passing, and persuading Astra might be simpler than many realized. If not, then I¡¯ll have traveled a long way for nothing. The grin faded.  Once I reach the ice fortress, we¡¯ll see whether I¡¯m on a fool¡¯s errand.


    His surroundings turned an eerie green. The auroras had won the battle, bathing the landscape in their pale light. An outline appeared on the lime-tinted horizon, swiftly approaching. An Ice Phoenix¡­ Its wings pulsed vivid cobalt blue leaving diamond dust in its wake. True to its name, it was engulfed in flames. Frost fire, a manifestation of the rawest ice magic. He felt it this time, an intimidating aura. That apparition was dangerous, even to him. Circling once, the frozen firebird flew back, disappearing into the celestial fog. Its visit meant Astra would be there to greet him. Not much further.


    The fortress¡¯s massiveness was hard to describe. Its outer walls were over a mile wide, and the equivalent of a dozen large castles had been wedged together inside. It stood in stark contrast to the barren expanse. A grandness afforded by vast open space.


    In the surrounding plains lay a dormant army. Smaller in stature, these golems were more varied. Without unifying theme, there were giant wolves, griffins, kneeling suits of armors, coiled creatures resembling hydras¡­ Some were objects of wonder, others nightmarish atrocities. They numbered in the tens of thousands.


    He weaved his way through. These sculptures, basking in this emerald glow, make for a surreal sight¡­ He spotted a woman atop the stairs to the entrance. Astra Skyfell. His eyes traveled up to the silhouettes lining the ramparts. Gargoyles. His gaze paused over an outcropping. Those don¡¯t belong here. He smirked.


    His attention returned to this place¡¯s master. She had bright silver hair tied in a ponytail and wore white leather on which sat frozen armor. The Isle¡¯s statues don¡¯t do her justice. The immortal¡¯s arms were crossed, impatience plain on her face. Not thrilled to see me. Reaching the steps, he compelled his lungs to draw breath and brought out the bear.


    ¡°My name is Simon Black. Lily sent me.¡± He stopped before her.


    Astra glanced at the token and nodded with no change in expression. They stood, facing off. She won¡¯t invite me in? Perhaps the recluse was hoping to hear his say and send him off right here. That¡¯s not happening.


    ¡°I¡¯ve important news from the Isle of Dreams, but, before that¡­¡± He pointed upwards. ¡°There are children spying on us.¡±

 [Chapter 2 part 1] Astra - Restless Introductions

    [Chapter 2 part 1] Astra ¨C Restless Introductions


    ------------------------------¡ª


    Anger swept Astra¡¯s mind. They didn¡¯t¡­ Her eyes darted up.


    ¡°I¡¯m sensitive to the presence of life, especially in this place.¡± Simon explained. Astra absorbed the words in resignation. Lying was impossible for necromancers. It¡¯s why they¡¯re used as messengers.


    She cursed internally. The Dark Age had taught her to hate the unexpected. I should¡¯ve frozen them underground. She¡¯d guessed they might sneak a peek, but who could¡¯ve predicted their visitor would be so discerning? Calm down. She¡¯d meant to deal with this here, but that plan was shot.


    ¡°Let¡¯s head inside.¡± She said tersely. Dammit, Lily, it¡¯d better be important or I¡¯ll wring your little neck. With a wave, the doors swung open. Before entering, she looked back. ¡°Do you hold any ill-intentions?¡±


    ¡°None. As an aside, I¡¯ve deduced their origins. You needn¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll not harm them.¡± Simon answered. So he¡¯s puzzled it out¡­  I guess she wouldn¡¯t send an incompetent.


    Astra strode in, glancing upwards at the skyways and interconnecting staircases of the twenty-storied space. No point in hiding them.  She raised a hand, forming a white vortex, and a host of small figures emerged, wings fluttering.


    ¡°Please gather everyone,¡± she said. The fairies circled once and dispersed, flying up and disappearing down dark corridors. Keeping the entire fortress lit was too much of a hassle so only the alcoves in the entry hall burned bright with frost fire.


    This won¡¯t be pleasant¡­ She frowned, imagining Simon meeting her children. If my aim is to convince him they¡¯re well-adjusted¡­


    Astra believed in facing hard truths. Her parenting skills were suboptimal. Not that I¡¯m in a position to judge, but¡­  Even her vague concept of ¡®normality¡¯ told her there were issues. It was unavoidable.  She was the last person for the job.


    She remembered finding them fifteen years ago. The first day had been spent in panic before the eight screaming infants. Thank god Nero arrived with supplies. Once they¡¯d finally quieted, she¡¯d grappled with her new circumstances. Abandoning them at an orphanage wouldn¡¯t have worked since their appearance and abilities would be too recognizable. Other options were invalid for similar reasons. Begrudgingly, she¡¯d determined it safest to keep them at Earth¡¯s End. Which is a terrible environment for children¡­


    Four young men and four young women appeared on the top floor. As they descended disjointed stairways, ice sprites coalesced around, meandering like fireflies. Do they believe I¡¯ll calm myself if they dawdle? Despite her irritation, her rage gradually subsided. They¡¯ve a right to be upset too.


    Her expertise was leading armies. During the latter half of the Dark Age, the casualties had been staggeringly high. It was we seven who maintained morale.  She and her brother, Ethan Skyfell, had led by example on the front lines. Arther Bard and Barsal Farran had inspired with their boundless charisma. Jenna Crystal had acted the pop idol, using too much sex appeal at times. Lily Morgana had shamed adults into fighting with her mere presence. Nero Ebonwood had provided confidence with his unfailing guidance.


    It¡¯s an atrocious basis for rearing children.  Astra knew about suppressing trauma, not overcoming it. When survival is a dim prospect, what concern is the long run? Her only interaction with the young was when she¡¯d found Lily catatonic after her home country¡¯s destruction. Under her guidance, the girl had refocused grief into anger, transforming the battlefield into a hellscape with long range bombardments. I fashioned an instrument of war.


    Astra sighed. From the moment they could walk, she¡¯d trained them in martial arts. When they were seven, they¡¯d moved on to sessions in the deathless coliseum. Once they were nine, she¡¯d had them duel and assigned worth based on the results. In the subsequent years, she¡¯d pitted them against her ice creations and even the undead. They¡¯ve spent their lives learning to fight. The results were decent¡­  From a military perspective.


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    Having completed their task, the fairies waved goodbye and faded away. All but one. A small sprite had settled on her silver-haired daughter¡¯s head, appearing quite happy on its perch. Ignoring the traitor, she inspected the lined-up. At least personality quirks aren¡¯t visible at a glance. They were dressed in white, some wearing more layers than others.


    ¡°I believe I told you stay out of sight¡­¡± She said coldly.


    Eyes darted downward. The tallest boy, sporting black dreadlocks in a ponytail and a scarf covering his face, muttered in protest, ¡°We WERE out of¡ª¡ª¡±


    The black-haired girl besides him threw a fireball, which he dodged. Glaring fleetingly, Rose turned with a smile, ¡°Please forgive us, Mother. We couldn¡¯t help but be curious about our first visitor¡­¡±


    Astra wasn¡¯t inhuman. However, while she sympathized, actions needed consequences, ¡°That doesn¡¯t change you disobeyed instructions. Now this man knows of your existence¡ª¡ª¡±


    ¡°Why is that a problem?¡± A Silver-haired boy interrupted.


    ¡°What?¡± Astra gasped.


    ¡°Why is it an issue that we were discovered?¡± Soul continued. ¡°If we knew the answer, then we might have restrained ourselves.¡±


    Before his reproachful gaze, Astra shied away. Damn, I hate facing him when he¡¯s like that. She quickly changed course, ¡°Why don¡¯t you introduce yourselves?¡±


    ¡°Certainly.¡± Her black-haired daughter bowed curtly. ¡°My name is Rose Skyfell. Pleasure to meet you.¡±


    Rose¡¯s inquisitiveness had been the source of great aggravation. Since learning to read, the girl had plowed through the library. This hunger had lead to a slew of problematic questions: ¡°who are our parents?¡±, ¡°where are we from?¡±, and ¡°why are we in the arctic?¡±. I wish I could¡¯ve court marshaled her. Sadly, Rose didn¡¯t get the ¡®need to know basis¡¯ and grew bitter at her stonewalling. This resentment had somehow morphed into a rabid ambition. She might be the most balanced of the bunch.


    A blond haired youth, smiling and confident, stepped forwards and made an extravagant bow, ¡°Delighted to make your acquaintance. I¡¯m Silver Skyfell. I hope you appreciate our mother¡¯s naming sense.¡±


    Astra gave her son a hard look. I let him get away with too much, but there¡¯s no point in punishing him. The boy couldn¡¯t feel fear and anger due to a soul-damaging incident. The abnormality was subtle. Silver was too accepting of things he shouldn¡¯t be. Pain, humiliation, nothing got under his skin. With no fear of disappointment, he was constantly enthusiastic, all setbacks forgotten. It could be unnerving. On the bright side, it makes him a better fighter.


    ¡°I¡¯m Free Skyfell.¡± The white-haired girl frowned at her brother. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with our names? I like mine.¡± Without missing a beat, she faced Simon, ¡°What¡¯d you think?¡±


    If taken aback, their guest masked it well, ¡°It might be uncommon, but there¡¯s nothing wrong with it.¡±


    Free was a cheerful girl who moved though life at her own immutable pace. When something grabbed her attention, nothing could distract her. She shared Rose¡¯s passion for learning, with several caveats. Only certain areas captivated her interest, and everything else was tuned out. When answers left her unsatisfied, her first instinct was experimentation. This lead to a troubling compulsion to disassemble and dissect. In particular, her acts of self-harm in exploration of healing magic were cause for concern. After much fretting, Astra had ultimately decided to support her daughter. The girl would someday need all the self-confidence she could muster. Hopefully her upbeat personality balances out her more twisted inclinations.


    ¡°I¡¯m Wise Skyfell.¡± The soft-spoken boy wore a copper headband around his short black hair. ¡°I wish your tidings were better.¡±


    All eyes snapped to him. Simon raised an eyebrow while Astra swore under her breath. What a blunder! If she¡®d thought of it, she could¡¯ve learned everything ahead of time.


    Wise¡¯s talent with foresight was on another level. Instead of the usual seconds, he could see days ahead, even drawing forth answers. If it was something he could learn in the next few hours, the knowledge simply came to him. No child should¡¯ve ever possessed such a gift.  In hindsight, I ought to have anticipated trouble.


    Originally, Wise had been bright and optimistic. That changed once training began.  Each person had certain magics they were best at channeling. To bring out someone¡¯s true potential, this affinity had to be paired with an appropriate martial art. If magic is the fuel, then martial arts are the engine that powers the body to superhuman levels. Governed by greatly diverging paradigms, they weren¡¯t interchangeable. The fuel must match the engine. While Astra had been able to assist most of them, Wise¡¯s affinity lay with ¡®death¡¯, and necromancy operated on principles alien to her.


    Determined not to fall behind, Wise had turned to his foresight. Pushing his limits, he reached into distant futures and borrowed knowledge from his older selves. At first, the approach had showed promise. Wise grew extremely strong in a matter of days, to the point where only Soul and Dawn could match him. Then everything fell apart.


    Things other than fighting expertise began flowing back: memories, opinions, and emotions. He became unsure where or how old he was. I should¡¯ve stopped him then. Wise had persevered, unwilling to give up success. By the time it became too much, his psyche had devolved into a scattered jumble.


    She¡¯d frozen him in an ice coffin. Three months later, Nero had sent a headband which throttled foresight, and Wise had recovered his sanity. His confidence had never returned though, and he regarded tomorrows with apathy.


    Powerful channeling ripped Astra from her musing. The girl with a sprite on her head was materializing ice armor. Wise showed off, so she must do the same¡­


    (continued in part 2)

 [Chapter 2 part 2] Astra - Restless Introductions

    [Chapter 2 part 2] Astra ¨C Restless Introductions


    ------------------------------¡ª


    ¡­


    ¡°I¡¯m Dawn Skyfell.¡± Her daughter bowed elegantly. Looking around confused, the fairy stood and did a somewhat-clumsy imitation. I wish she wouldn¡¯t steal my summons.


    On the surface, Dawn seemed a success story. She was polite, competent, and intelligent. She was also, by far, the strongest, with only Soul coming close. Appearances can be deceiving. Inside the girl hid an ego the size of the sun.


    Dawn had excelled from a young age, developing a concerning pretentiousness. One self-important asshole can deflate an entire unit. To preempt trouble, Astra had stressed vanity¡¯s shallowness. Those possessing real strength don¡¯t need outside validation. To everyone¡¯s relief, Dawn internalized the advice, adopting a modest demeanor. Life went on smoothly until recently, when the facade had began to crumble. Every so often, undiluted arrogance would escape the girl¡¯s lips. Astra had been horrified by how far the narcissism had progressed. If she voiced her thoughts all the time, she¡¯d be insufferable.


    ¡°I¡¯m Hope Skyfell,¡± announced a girl with auburn hair. ¡°It¡¯s so thrilling meeting someone new. So, in celebration¡­¡±


    With an underhand throw, Hope sent pebbles flying. These soon flashed, scattering wandering orbs of every hue which kept exploding and multiplying. The soundless pyrotechnics transformed the space into a kaleidoscope.


    Hope was an enchantress, able to fuse power into objects, either as one-time spells or permanent enhancements. Despite this amazing talent, she was sadly in the same situation as Wise. Astra vaguely knew that enchanters wove magic into their flesh, but the specifics were a mystery. Without a martial art, Hope relied heavily on her enchanting, spending all her time toiling in her workshop. It was for naught. On top of their formidable magics, her siblings could move at prodigious speeds and turn their bodies to steel. No amount of enchantments could erase this advantage. Hope had never even beaten Wise.


    Realizing its futility, Astra had exempted the girl from matches. Or at least I tried to. Hope would have none of it, insisting on the same training. I suppose that¡¯s better than her despairing or rebelling. Born from bitterness, Hope had developed an uncompromising stubbornness. This inner turmoil had made her a feared mischief maker. Enchantments make excellent booby traps.


    ¡°My turn!¡± The boy with the scarf leaped high, and Astra¡¯s heart sank. What¡¯s he planning? His arms became a blur, sending shurikens in every direction. Each collided with a drifting light, and the room darkened until only the blue of frost fire remained. Her son landed, one hand on the ground, ¡°I¡¯m Light Skyfell, future master ninja.¡±


    Light stood and crossed his arms, head tilted forwards and eyes closed. He favored this pose recently. I must teach them proper introductions.


    Light was obsessed with all things ¡®cool¡¯. This dated back to when the boy had gotten hold of a popular book series called ¡®Tales of the Shinobi¡¯. The fictional warriors within had captured his imagination, and his life now revolved around them.


    She¡¯d made no attempt to rein him in, knowing many others who shared his strange passion. There are city-states dedicated to fulfilling the vision laid out in those novels. On Enera, eccentricity could be a strength. No, the issue lies elsewhere.


    ¡°That wasn¡¯t nice.¡± Hope grimaced. ¡°Why¡¯d you do it?¡±


    Light¡¯s eyes widened in panic, and his hands flailed wildly. Finally, he mumbled, ¡°sorry.¡°


    Astra shook her head. She¡¯d noticed Light¡¯s feelings two years ago. What do you do after discovering your son has a crush on his sister? Fortunately, he had yet to confess, and Hope was too preoccupied to notice. That didn¡¯t stop Astra from losing sleep. I¡¯d rather fight a colossal undead than deal with this stress.


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    ¡°I¡¯m Soul Skyfell, future hero.¡± Said the silver-haired boy on the far right. ¡°Welcome to Earth¡¯s End.¡±


    Soul¡­ During the Dark Age, Astra had stopped grieving the dead. At first there wasn¡¯t time, with battles flowing into one another. When a lull eventually came, she¡¯d come to a realization. There were losses so soul-crushing that processing them was impossible.


    She¡¯d never come to terms with her brother¡¯s death. How could I mourn him but not the others? Those times he drifted to mind, the rest came too. Not just people, but places gone forever. Little of the old Earth was left. Entire regions had disappeared without a trace. An eternity wouldn¡¯t be enough to accept it.


    Soul was a living reminder of Ethan. In his presence, the forgotten would surge back. She¡¯d struggled as the boy grew until stumbling on an epiphany. It was the disconnect that was killing me. When Soul acted contrary to Ethan, she¡¯d instinctively reject it. To escape this torment, she¡¯d filled her son¡¯s head with heroic aspirations and molded him in her brother¡¯s image. Everything to eliminate the deviations. Depriving him of his own choices¡­ It might be the worst thing I¡¯ve done.


    ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you.¡± Simon said. ¡°My name is Simon Black. I was sent by Lily Morgana, ruler of the Isle of Dreams.¡±


    Astra addressed her children, ¡°I must hear what he has to say. If you¡¯re silent, you can listen.¡±


    She started down a corridor, sending blue flames ahead. This place is always dark and empty. Her real home was below, an abandoned habitat taken over millennia ago. Later, when the greedy fools had come, she¡¯d grown concerned they might target this living space. She¡¯d constructed the fortress to prevent this, and it¡¯d proved a decent distraction.


    They entered a room with a long table flanked by regal chairs. An imitation banquet hall. Astra installed herself at the head and invited Simon to face her. Her children settled on either side.


    ¡°Why were you sent?¡± Astra asked.


    Simon slid her an envelope, ¡°Arther Bard is dead. You¡¯re named his successor. If you accept, I¡¯m to accompany you back to the Isle of Dreams.¡±


    Another fallen¡­ Astra closed her eyes and leaned back. This messes up my plans. She¡¯d intended to rely on the guild when the children turned eighteen. Now that needed rethinking. Catching herself, she suppressed a sullen grin. Sorry Arther, old habits die hard¡­ Once again, her first reaction was to deliberate. It¡¯s who I am.


    ¡°When you say Arther Bard¡­ You mean the hero? And he¡¯s dead?¡± Silver broke in.


    Fearlessness is a pain. ¡°Simon is a necromancer. Don¡¯t waste time doubting him. Also¡­¡± Astra¡¯s eyes snapped open. ¡°¡­if you can¡¯t keep quiet, you can¡¯t stay.¡±


    As she glared, memories of Arther engulfed her. I shouldn¡¯t have looked. Shifting her gaze, she saw awkward anticipation around her. Guilty excitement, they¡¯re dying to interrogate Simon.


    Astra unsealed the envelope and skimmed its content, ¡°Why you?¡±


    ¡°As a resident of the Isle, I¡¯ve often acted as messenger for Lily and Arther.¡± Simon explained.  ¡°I was the obvious choice. Also, I can operate comfortably in cold temperatures.¡±


    ¡°How did he die?¡± Astra continued.


    ¡°His head was found on a spike in the Isle¡¯s Undercity. The rest of him is missing.¡±


    She frowned, ¡°Who killed him?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all but certain the Laughing Man was responsible.¡±


    ¡°Is that a joke?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s NOT.¡±  Simon exclaimed, showing his first real emotion. He quickly composed himself. ¡°He identifies himself as ¡®the Laughing Man¡¯ to mock his victims. It¡¯s an appropriate moniker as he finds the misery of others endlessly funny. His origin and motives remain unclear. He appeared five hundred years ago and has been a pestilence ever since.¡±


    ¡°How has such a person been allowed to roam free?¡± Astra pressed.


    ¡°He has the ability to teleport enormous distances and the strength to match Arther Bard. In his own warped way, he¡¯s a genius. So far he¡¯s proved impossible to stop despite the efforts of many, myself included.¡± Simon paused. ¡°Excuse me, but just how out of touch have you been?¡±


    Astra shrugged, ¡°Once I moved here, I largely ceased caring. That said, I remember Nero telling me about taking in orphans, survivors of a massacre by a laughing madman. To think that psychopath would kill Arther¡­¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s more.¡± Simon added. ¡°On a wall nearby, it was written in blood: ¡®in celebration of the new Dark Age¡¯.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± Astra¡¯s voice dropped to glacial territory.


    Simon kept going, ¡°While there are no signs that one is likely, the Laughing Man seems to believe otherwise. This is frightening many.¡±


    Silence echoed. Slowly, Astra spoke with veiled rage, ¡°So this ¡®Laughing Man¡¯ used Arther¡¯s murder to announce a Dark Age¡­¡±


    It¡¯ll make life harder for Free. Astra seethed as her mind raced. This has to be stopped, yet I can¡¯t leave the children behind. Must I take them? They aren¡¯t ready. Then again, nowhere will be safe if a Dark Age comes¡­


    Astra stood, ¡°I need time alone.¡± She motioned around the table. ¡°In the meanwhile, could I ask you to answer their questions?¡±


    ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll entertain them, then come find you.¡±  Simon said.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Astra walked out, lost in turbulent thoughts.

 [Chapter 3 part 1] Rose - The HEAVENLY DAO and the Dark Age

    [Chapter 3 part 1] Rose ¨C The HEAVENLY DAO and the Dark Age


    --------------------------------


    This is frustrating¡­ Everyone was sitting silently while Simon waited. They weren¡¯t accustomed to seeing their mother shook up. She hides her emotions so well we forget she has them.


    This left Rose in an excruciating position. My whole life I¡¯ve been waiting for this opportunity¡­ Why is guilt holding me back? She knew better than anyone the lengths their mother had gone to keep certain secrets. Pouncing on this vulnerability would feel despicable.


    As Rose struggled internally, her eyes fell on Wise. God¡­ Damn¡­ It. Thinking back, he¡¯d been real quiet while they discussed Simon¡¯s arrival. Of course he was, he already knows everything!


    Wise didn¡¯t need questions, already having access to anything those around him were willing to share. He¡¯s probably conducting a wordless interrogation at this very moment.  Rose burned with jealousy. I must remember to exploit him, she berated herself.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe Arther is dead.¡± Soul said.


    Rose grimaced. If he wanted to to break the tension, then he erred in topic. The deeds of the seven heroes had been their bedtime stories. She joined the others in recalling the Dark Age¡¯s first hero.


    After the Black Banquet, Enera had been divided by uncertainty and fear. Something had changed, but none knew what. Stars were vanishing from the night, and catastrophes were striking with increasing frequency. Those regions lucky enough to be spared bunkered down and let their neighbors fall to ruin. The only ray of hope was Arther Bard, the leader of the powerful Adventurer¡¯s Guild. He used all the resources at his disposal to offer succor to a collapsing world, overseeing evacuations and delivering rations to the starving. When Sola had emerged from hiding, he organized the coalition which opposed her. The goodwill he accrued on the Guild¡¯s behalf survives to this day. Astra had promised they¡¯d meet him someday. A chance that will never come.


    ¡°So Simon, how are you alive?¡± Free asked, leaning forward. Figures she¡¯d recover quickest, Rose groaned.


    Simon was perplexed, ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Ah, sorry.¡± Free said. ¡°What I mean is the temperature. Each of us is dealing with it in our own way.¡± She gestured. ¡°Dawn and Soul have their ice-based martial arts. I¡¯m supercharging my metabolism. Rose is warming her blood. Silver¡¯s aura insulates him. Light is manipulating the atmosphere. Wise and Hope have coats stuffed with heating enchantments.¡±


    At this rambling, Rose felt only regret. This is the result of listening to my conscience.


    ¡°What about you?¡± Free persisted.


    ¡°Technically my body is in a state of hibernation.¡± Simon explained. ¡°I¡¯m manipulating it like a puppet.¡±


    ¡°How are you not frozen solid?¡± Free asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m preventing it. Necromancy excels at twisting the laws of physics.¡±


    ¡°Intriguing¡­¡± Free murmured. ¡°How long can you stay this way? You must not need sleep¡­ Nor food or water¡­ So convenient! Do you use this often?¡± She talks too much.  Rose wrung her hands under the table.


    Simon responded patiently, ¡°The only limit is my endurance. A couple of days is fine, but longer and I¡¯d be gradually driven insane from the burden on my soul. You¡¯re right that I don¡¯t require sustenance or rest, which is useful. As to why I don¡¯t employ the technique more often, it requires a sub-zero environment. Besides, in the long term a living body is necessary to heal necromancy¡¯s corrupting influence.¡±


    ¡°What of your mind?¡± Free asked. ¡°How are you conscious?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m synchronizing my soul with my body. That¡¯s to say¡­¡±  Simon faltered, ¡±The short version is I¡¯m also forcing my brain to function.¡±


    It¡¯s now or never. Rose was not listening to the ¡®long version¡¯. Enhancing her throat, she let out an thundering ¡®Ahem¡¯ and spoke, ¡°Maybe others deserve a turn?¡±


    Her sister laughed and scratched her head, ¡°Ah, yes. Sorry¡­¡±


    Great, she¡¯ll back down.  Rose faced Simon, ¡°There¡¯s no need to rush this, right?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be around for today at least.¡± Simon affirmed.


    That should preempt interruptions. ¡°See? Everyone will have their chance. I¡¯m next. Do you know who we are?¡±


    ¡°Who you are¡­?¡± Simon repeated carefully.


    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Rose was confident of her intelligence. Topics she couldn¡¯t make sense of were few and far between, which is why it disturbed her to no end that her greatest unsolved mystery was herself. How did we end up at Earth¡¯s End? Who built the facility where we live? Why is Astra here to begin with?


    ¡°Ever since we can remember, we¡¯ve been here.¡± Rose continued. ¡°Astra calls us her children, but look how different we are. Not to mention we¡¯re the same age. It¡¯s unlikely she¡¯s our ¡®real¡¯ mother.¡±


    Except for Dawn and Soul, Rose admitted. They have the same hair color and facial features. But then who¡¯s the father?


    Simon hesitated, ¡°So Astra hasn¡¯t told you who¡­ or what you are?¡±


    ¡°What we are¡­¡± Rose gasped. Did I hit the jackpot? ¡°So you know?¡±


    ¡°From an outsider¡¯s perspective, there¡¯s only one explanation.¡± He paused. ¡°Have you heard of ¡®Sola¡¯s Legacy¡¯?¡±


    Rose shook her head, ¡°I¡¯m familiar with Sola, but not this ¡®legacy¡¯. What is it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the reason Astra is at Earth¡¯s End and your origin.¡± Simon frowned. ¡°Actually, I¡¯m astounded. This would require severe gaps in your knowledge¡­¡±


    I know all about those, Rose thought. Entire shelves are missing from Astra¡¯s library!


    ¡°What do you know of the Dark Age?¡±  Simon asked.


    ¡°The exploits of the heroes, but little beyond.¡± Rose replied bitterly, ¡°What does it have to do with us?¡±


    ¡°Everything.¡± Simon¡¯s eyes were focused far away. ¡°Sorry, but I must speak with Astra. She should relay this herself.¡±


    Not again. Rose was fed up with the riddles and secrecy. It¡¯s strange and wrong. Their presence in the arctic made no sense. Why couldn¡¯t we have grown up somewhere warmer with people? Not to mention the training¡­


    Rose had uncovered a book where children were made to duel in deathless arenas. This was portrayed as an unforgivable crime. ¡®Child abuse¡¯ it was called. When she¡¯d told Soul, his verdict had been: ¡®it¡¯s wrong, but perhaps justified¡¯.


    Rose couldn¡¯t extend such unconditional trust. She saw the cost of their isolation. Wise and Hope desperately need outside expertise. The lack of support was just as awful on a personal level. Soul had basically taken over the role of counselor. It¡¯s scary how messed up we¡¯d be without him.


    Rose needed the explanation Astra stubbornly withheld. What danger could justify confining us? She¡¯s one of the heroes! The speculation had driven her mad. Keeping us ignorant was an act of tyranny. Sadly, her frustrations had found no outlet. Acts of protest were ignored, and more extreme methods were dead ends. If I went too far, I¡¯d find myself in an ice coffin. ¡®Running away¡¯ was also impossible. This place is a prison. Left without options, she¡¯d persevered quietly.


    How dare Simon tease us with answers and offer nothing! Years of resentment poured out, and vapor wisps enveloped her body. Her blood was boiling, melting the ice and heating the room.


    ¡°Are you leaving us in the dark too?¡± Rose seethed.


    Simon raised both hands, ¡°Calm down. If Astra travels to the Isle of Dreams, she¡¯ll HAVE to explain everything. Trust me on this.¡±


    ¡°You think you can convince her?¡± Silver interjected in delight. Rose glared, making him slouch. Don¡¯t get in my way!


    ¡°Yes, which is why you should wait to hear from her directly.¡± Simon prepared to get up.


    ¡°You can¡¯t be serious!¡± Rose cut in, not caring about politeness.


    From her time at Earth¡¯s End, she was certain she¡¯d rather be the oppressor than the oppressed. One day, she¡¯d obtain such power that none would restrict her again. I¡¯ll carve out my own place. With this resolve, she¡¯d embraced Astra¡¯s harsh training. I¡¯d be first if the others weren¡¯t so abnormal. Only one area of doubt remained. Do I have family in the outside world? Allies? Enemies? This information was crucial. She refused to let Simon escape without anything of value.


    ¡°You said you¡¯d answer our questions. Was that a lie?¡± She asked coldly.


    ¡°I never lie, ever¡± Simon snapped, stiffening. ¡°Even if I weren¡¯t bound by the oath, I¡¯d never do so.¡± Stopping, he let his tension dissipate. ¡°Everything said by a necromancer is truth at the moment it¡¯s spoken. Discovering you¡¯re unaware of your identities altered my priorities. However, I see it¡¯s not time to withdraw.¡±


    Rose was pleased at the reversal. Does he not want to antagonize us? If so, we might extract something.


    Simon considered, ¡°About the Dark Age¡­ Do you know what made it a unique period? About its relationship with the HEAVENLY DAO?¡±


    The HEAVENLY DAO¡­ It¡¯s the all-powerful god which presides over the Ether, the source of magic. The name was always capitalized for clarity. Apparently ¡®Heavenly Dao¡¯ is also a philosophical term. She remembered an author upset by this, but she¡¯d never finished the book. What¡¯s the point of philosophy when you don¡¯t even know who you are? She was ignorant of a connection between the deity and the Dark Age. Mother never mentioned that. Despite herself, she was intrigued.


    ¡°You might want to give an overview first.¡± Light suggested.


    What on Enera? Her brother was an avid reader who loved this subject. He knows more than I do. Rose turned to find Light staring at Hope. Ah, right¡­ She spends all her time in her workshop.


    Noting the attention, Hope muttered, ¡°Sorry for not reading more.¡± It must be hard having a crush on someone who hates assistance.


    Simon frowned, ¡°You mean Astra hasn¡¯t told you? How¡¯s that possible?¡±


    ¡°We suspect she has a grudge against the god¡­¡± Soul offered.


    Simon nodded slowly, ¡°Someone who lived through the Dark Age would have mixed feelings¡­ Alright.¡±


    ¡°The HEAVENLY DAO is a god born from mankind¡¯s collective unconscious. It¡¯s constantly reshaping Enera to satiate its craving for entertainment, as illustrated by the Blue Abyss.¡±


    ¡°Long ago, we used to sail the sea. Back then, sharks were under 20 feet, yet many stories popularized giant versions of the predators. Then a strange thing happened: they doubled in size. The HEAVENLY DAO had rearranged the ecosystem.¡±


    ¡°It didn¡¯t end there. A percentage of the world, mostly those who never went near water, were fascinated. ¡®How much bigger could they get?¡¯, they wondered. The HEAVENLY DAO took this as a challenge. Soon sharks were large enough to swallow ships whole. Ever since, we¡¯ve traveled the sky in airships.¡±


    ¡°Giant sharks ARE cool,¡± Light stated resolutely. Rose buried her head in hands.


    Simon continued, ¡°The HEAVENLY DAO¡¯s desires are shaped by those of men. If enough believe something is ¡®amazing¡¯, then it¡¯ll strive to make it real.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a terrifying thought.¡± Hope scowled at her brother, who acted like he¡¯d done nothing wrong.


    (continued in part 2)

 [Chapter 3 part 2] Rose - The HEAVENLY DAO and the Dark Age

    [Chapter 3 part 2] Rose ¨C The HEAVENLY DAO and the Dark Age


    --------------------------------


    ¡­


    ¡°In general, the HEAVENLY DAO prefers subtle means.  For instance, it sped up evolution four thousand years ago.  New species pop up at ten times the pace they used to.  In the deepest reaches of the Green Hell, this phenomenon is taken to extremes.  The outward migrations every few decades are a pain.¡±


    ¡°Is there anything it doesn¡¯t mess with?¡±  Dawn asked.


    ¡°Free will.¡±  Simon answered.  ¡°It¡¯ll never alter a person¡¯s beliefs or force them to act contrary to their nature.  The HEAVENLY DAO considers this essential to the ¡®integrity of the story¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Aside from that, it intervenes extensively, going so far as to provide a variety of incentives.  Consider ninjas. Those who re-create these warriors in real life are able use special shinobi techniques.¡±


    There must be many more like Light out there¡­  Recalling the novels she¡¯d read, Rose wondered what other outlandish characters she¡¯d meet.


    ¡°Fame is similarly encouraged.  As someone gains notoriety, they grow stronger, move faster, and age slower.  While stardom doesn¡¯t grant immortality, it greatly facilitates the process.¡±


    Spreading their names would be a top priority in the future.  Dawn will be thrilled.


    ¡°There are also many unique power-boosting special statuses that the HEAVENLY DAO recognizes.  You should familiarize yourself with them later.¡±


    ¡°Can you provide an example?¡±  Silver asked.


    ¡°The ¡®sole survivor¡¯¡±  Wise answered unexpectedly.  ¡°The last living member of a group or people.¡±


    That¡¯s dire.  At the table¡¯s end, Simon had gone rigid.  I understand the feeling.  Since Wise rarely speaks up, it can be unnerving when he does.  Sometimes his foresight-driven comments hit close to home.


    ¡°Correct.¡±  Simon eventually said.  ¡°Anyway, at the pinnacle of all this is the path to immortality.  Once someone has sufficiently impressed the HEAVENLY DAO, their name is inscribed on the Wall of Legends, and they¡¯re granted eternal youth, the rarest prize.¡±


    ¡°What else?¡±  Simon reflected briefly. ¡°Ah yes, probability.  It¡¯s statically proven the ¡®boring¡¯ die first.  If a boulder falls on a crowd, you¡¯ll find the least exciting person under it.¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t that make people act strange?¡±  Silver asked.


    ¡°Life threatening events aren¡¯t common so most don¡¯t find it worth changing their persona.  However, on the battlefield, where instant death events like bullets are flying, bizarre behavior is common.  Maintaining discipline can be taxing.¡±


    Hope raised her hand, ¡°What¡¯s a bullet?¡±


    Simon looked to Rose.  ¡°We know what they are.¡±  She answered quickly.  ¡°We¡¯ve some recent works.¡±


    Reassured, Simon faced Hope, ¡°Let¡¯s just say we¡¯ve come a long way since the Dark Age.  Think of bullets as something like arrows, fired by a weapon called a gun.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure what that is, but please continue.¡±  Hope said.  She must study more.


    ¡°Random occurrences skew towards the extreme.  For instance, experiments on soul manipulation have an uncanny tendency to produce ¡®abominations¡¯.  Not only is this another special status, it¡¯s one of the strongest.  Some of history¡¯s greatest villains were created in such a fashion.¡±


    ¡°Why go to such lengths?¡±  Free interrupted.  ¡°If it wants ¡®abominations¡¯, why not just make them?  Indirect methods seem inefficient.¡°


    ¡°Imagine reading a book, and the climax is a stray lightning bolt killing the antagonist.  Is that satisfying?¡±  Simon asked.


    ¡°No, it isn¡¯t.¡±  Free replied pensively.  ¡°I see what you¡¯re getting at.  The process matters, not just the result.¡±


    ¡°Exactly.  ¡®Abominations¡¯ can¡¯t appear from thin air.  There¡¯d be no meaning in that.  It¡¯s the same with happy endings.  They must be earned.  The ¡®integrity of the story¡¯ is sacred.  The HEAVENLY DAO may tilt the playing field, but it doesn¡¯t control the outcomes.  Heroes die, and villains sometimes win.¡±


    ¡°Now to the aspect concerning the Dark Age¡­  While appearing a force of chaos, in reality the HEAVENLY DAO values its sources of entertainment.  It might allow several nations to fall as part of a compelling narrative, but not a continent.  Absent rare exceptions, such as war between global powers, widespread loss of life seldom happens.  ¡®Dull¡¯ calamities, like pandemics, are prevented entirely.  In the big picture, normalcy is ensured.¡±


    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    ¡°When the Dark Age began, Sola persuaded the HEAVENLY DAO to reverse this protection, switching its preference to ¡®tragedy¡¯.  Rather than discouraging negative results, it amplified them.¡±


    ¡°Nothing spotlights the ramifications better than the blue-backed spiders of Arguen.¡±  Simon paused for effect. ¡°These giant arthropods ¡®evolved¡¯ in the Arguen forest, proliferating prodigiously, and soon everyone was avoiding the no-go area.  Close by were several villages.  You¡¯d think it madness to live next to man-eating arachnids, but at the time people took their safety for granted.¡±


    ¡°Once the Dark Age began, blue-backed spiders migrated out in large numbers, and the villages were overrun.  Tales from survivors were horrific.  The situation was worsened by the inaction of authorities, who didn¡¯t yet appreciate the new paradigm they were operating under.  So the blue-backed spiders moved on to the larger towns and multiplied.  By the time they marched on major cities, their numbers were unstoppable.  Half a continent was consumed before the monsters were exterminated.¡±


    ¡°During a Dark Age, everything that can go wrong will.  If an ancient evil is sealed away, it¡¯ll break free.  If a nightmarish beast has slept for centuries, it¡¯ll wake.  Any disaster, even the end of all life, is possible.  That¡¯s why the seven are so celebrated.  They ended this period.¡±


    That was worse than expected¡­  Simon¡¯s words clashed with the rosier picture Astra had painted.  I guess our bedtime stories omitted certain details.  Rose felt she knew less.


    And those blue-backed spiders¡­  She¡¯d seen arachnids before.  Or at least something similar.  Free went through a phase where she made bugs, an experiment at creating life.  Astra put a halt to it, but a few still crawled the gardens below.  Rose tried imagining giant versions of these, and a chill went down her spine.  Nothing should be that repulsive.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s time¡ª¡ª¡±  Simon began.


    ¡°Could you tell us about the Fracturing?¡±  Hope spoke up.


    ¡°Astra shies away from the topic because of what happened to Ethan and Jenna.¡±  Soul added.


    Looking at eager faces, Simon sighed and gave in, ¡°Towards the war¡¯s end, the tides had turned.  The undead hordes were shrinking.  Hate and Fear had been defeated.  Only the avatar of Despair, the Dread Knight Byron, and Sola herself remained.  People were optimistic.¡±


    The Dark Gods who fought mother¡­  Entities born from negative emotions in the Ether.  Under the right conditions, they could possess and merge with a human host.


    ¡°Then the hero Nero Ebonwood issued a warning.  He foresaw volcanic eruptions rending the earth.  It remained the same no matter where he looked.  Across every future, he witnessed the world dying.¡±


    ¡°On the planes of Kazar, Sola had begun assembling a spell to fracture Enera¡¯s crust into a million pieces.  Ash would block out the sun, and the sea would boil.  Life would be wiped out.¡±


    ¡°Everyone despaired.  Victory was months away, yet Sola¡¯s magic would be unleashed in weeks.  Disrupting it was impossible.¡±


    ¡°That was when Jenna stepped in.  As an enchantress, she had a special relation with the HEAVENLY DAO and understood how to appeal to it.  Where the others saw hopelessness, she saw opportunity.  Sola¡¯s spell was self-sacrificing in nature, using herself and her army as fuel.  If humanity survived, the Dark Age would be over.¡±


    ¡°With this in mind, she made a proposal to the god.  They¡¯d let Sola activate her magic and then co-opt the result by restructuring the planet¡¯s gravitational fields.  The HEAVENLY DAO would then reshape the world as it saw fit.  With this promise as bait, the deity accepted, and construction began on the Pillar of Enera.¡±


    ¡°Jenna designed the interior while the HEAVENLY DAO assembled the exterior.  All remaining resources were poured into the project.  Legendary artifacts were collected, and ancient monuments were disassembled.  All the offerings disappeared into a pillar of light piercing the sky.¡±


    ¡°Fortunately, it was finished in time.  Sola completed her own preparations shortly after, launching a final all-out attack.¡±


    ¡°Defending this onslaught would prove challenging.  Nero had predicted that Kain, despair¡¯s host, would be at his strongest.  Together with his endless stamina, he threatened to outlast them.  To counter this, Nero, Arther, Barsal, and Astra would defeat him together, while Lily halted enemy forces.  This left Ethan to face the Dread Knight alone.¡±


    ¡°Byron had appeared out of nowhere in the Dark Age¡¯s final stages.  Before his threat was understood, he slew many veteran immortals.  The only one who could match him was Ethan, yet even he would eventually required assistance.  Sadly, for the final battle, this wasn''t an option.¡±


    ¡°Simply stalling the Dread Knight wasn¡¯t enough.  Sola had imbued his great sword with such power that it¡¯d threaten the pillar even after activation.  So Ethan lured him to a valley, and Jenna later used the pillar to fold the mountains around them, trapping both inside.  Seals were applied to prevent anyone getting out.¡±


    ¡°Once her attack was repelled, Sola cast her magic.  Jenna activated the Pillar, and the HEAVENLY DAO lifted the broken surface.  The top few miles of the old Earth now orbit at low altitude.  Below, the molten rock has cooled and solidified, forming an unstable second crust.  That¡¯s how our ¡®Earth¡¯ was renamed ¡®Enera¡¯.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t doubt you,¡±  Hope said, ¡°but it¡¯s tough to imagine.¡±


    Simon smiled, ¡°Not surprising.  You¡¯ve lived on the largest intact land mass leftover.  Most of the destruction was aimed elsewhere, and the Black Citadel countered the rest, leaving the arctic shelf undamaged.  While it may be all you¡¯ve known, a place with solid ground stretching to the horizon is a sight most have never seen.¡±


    Rose had read about the world Enera had become.  Broken continents in the sky were just the start of the HEAVENLY DAO¡¯s ambitions.  Leveraging the vast new subterranean spaces, it¡¯d fashioned light funnels, whirlwinds of shadows stretching to the space, which gathered sunlight and transported it underground.  Thousands of ecosystems now existed where those ¡®bloomed¡¯.


    In depopulated areas, it¡¯d gone even wilder, fashioning the ¡®Twisted Lands¡¯.  Gravity was so warped there airships couldn¡¯t fly.  Rose shook her head.  Our share shrunk.  Enera was loosely divided in three regions: civilized lands, the dangerous frontiers beyond, and the lethal outer wilds.  In the Blue Abyss and the Green Hell, wreckages and bones are the only traces of man.


    ¡°And Jenna died during the Fracturing?¡±  Light asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±  Simon confirmed.


    Just as Sola¡¯s spell had demanded tribute, so too had the Pillar.  The others only found out later.  Astra¡¯s still bitter.


    Simon rose, ¡°That will have to suffice.  I must speak with Astra.¡±


    Rose watched him depart, not close to satisfied.  Maybe I¡¯ll cross-examine Wise.

 [Chapter 4 part 1] Simon - Conversing with Astra

    [Chapter 4 part 1] Simon - Conversing with Astra


    --------------------------------


    Simon found Astra on a far off terrace with a vast network of fortifications between them.  Should I leap there?  No¡­ That¡¯d seem desperate.  He made his way through the frozen labyrinth.  Each section had its own architecture, and connecting passageways were on different floors.  Irritatingly, the stairway layout was inconsistent.  At least dead ends aren¡¯t frequent.


    He was certain Astra had recovered.  Dark Age survivors are familiar with loss.  She¡¯d left him with her children in hopes of bringing him to her side.  They were starving for information, especially Rose and Free.  Simon knew who they were.  Their hair color alone gave it away.  He remembered the fairy atop Dawn.  Hijacking a summon should be impossible.


    Those eight had hardships ahead, and he¡¯d help if he could.  Having lived it himself, he empathized with the misfortunate, though that wasn¡¯t the only reason.  Whenever he saw suffering, he¡¯d imagine the joy that man would feel, and his fury flared.  I¡¯m sure he¡¯d laugh at them.


    The Laughing Man¡­  Whenever someone heard the name, the normal reaction was to assume it was a jest.  The villain knew exactly what he was doing when he picked his moniker.  However, the frustrating part didn¡¯t end there.  They never really get it.  Even after discovering his history, they¡¯d see an above-average criminal.  This was wrong.  He¡¯s a psychopath with a vision.  Causing misery was simply his method, not his goal.  All the chaos so far was a mild preview of what he was gradually engineering.  Like Sola, he¡¯s a scourge which will transform the world.


    Simon smiled wistfully.  In a way, that maniac has defined my life.  The Laughing Man would go out of his way to cause suffering, so Simon went to similar lengths to end it.  The villain murdered to reach his ends, so he chose to save others to reach his.


    Simon reflected on the upheaval back home.  The grieving Lily Morgana was in no condition to fight for political survival.  This would change dramatically if Astra joined her.  Simon was banking on it.  I¡¯ll make sure Arther¡¯s death wasn¡¯t in vain.


    Astra was gazing into the clear night sky.  Once certain she was aware of him, he strolled out, ¡°All the stars are still there.¡±


    Astra nodded, ¡°I know, but checking is a habit of mine¡­  Especially after Arther¡¯s death, it¡¯s reassuring to see them.¡±


    Simon stood besides her, ¡°While there¡¯s much to discuss, we must talk about the children.¡±


    Astra didn¡¯t react.  So this is her normal state.  The unreadable front reminded him she¡¯d been a commander during the Dark Age.  He resolved to play the subordinate.


    ¡°I answered their questions but mentioned nothing of their origins, much to Rose¡¯s chagrin.¡±


    Astra cracked a smile, ¡°She must¡¯ve been displeased¡­¡±


    ¡°She was literally steaming.  It took time to mollify her.  I gave them an overview of the HEAVENLY DAO and the Fracturing.¡±  Simon continued carefully.  ¡°Why¡¯d you keep them ignorant to that degree?¡±


    Astra was unperturbed, ¡°It was necessary.  My children aren¡¯t stupid, and one topic leads to another.  With enough clues, they would¡¯ve pieced together the truth.  Rather than sorting books, it was easier to remove entire subjects.  If they knew nothing of Sola and her creations, they wouldn¡¯t suspect what they are.  I wanted them to grow up unbound by the past.¡±


    ¡°If they travel with you, they¡¯ll need to know.¡±  Simon offered.


    Astra went mute again so he moved on,  ¡°About the Isle of Dreams¡­  Its image as a place of safety has been shattered.  The message left behind has everyone spooked.  Nobody knows how Arther was killed or where his body is.  The Guild is paralyzed.  Your arrival would restore normalcy.¡±


    ¡°Explain the murder in detail.¡±  Astra¡¯s voice matched the arctic.


    ¡°Arther was investigating two acts of terrorism.  In the first case, everyone around the Pillar¡¯s base was slain late at night.  Witnesses reported the perpetrator wielded golden spears.  In the second incident, an airship was hijacked and flown into the Pillar.  Hundreds died.¡±


    Astra interrupted, ¡°This makes no sense.  The only one who could open the Pillar of Enera was its architect, Jenna Crystal.  With her death, all methods have been lost, and the outside is indestructible.  This is widely known.  If the Laughing Man was attempting a breach, he¡¯s a fool.  How was such a man able to kill Arther?¡±


    ¡°Because a copy cat was responsible for those incidents.  Or at least that¡¯s what Arther surmised.  However, it¡¯s undoubtedly the real thing which killed him, leading to a great deal of confusion.¡±


    Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    ¡°What do you believe?¡±  Astra asked.


    ¡°The original theory was correct.  The impostor¡¯s actions caught the original¡¯s attention, and he tracked them down.  Then, for some incomprehensible reason, they joined forces.  The impersonator lured Arther to a secluded location where he was killed.  It¡¯s unnatural in that the Laughing Man rarely plays second fiddle to others.¡±


    Astra eyed Simon, ¡°You have history with him?¡±


    That¡¯s an understatement. ¡°Yes, I do.¡±


    Simon changed the subject, ¡°Arther¡¯s passing has affected Lily.  She should be out there reassuring the public, not withdrawn from the world.  While there¡¯s sympathy for her mourning, it¡¯s hurting her.  Someone must restore her motivation¡­¡±


    Unlike Astra, who¡¯d recovered in minutes, Lily remained in a slump.  It¡¯s not surprising.  She¡¯d been a child during the Dark age, and her role had been back-line support.  That¡¯s not to say she¡¯s inferior.  She had her own accomplishments, including killing the avatar of hate in the most spectacular feat of power ever seen.


    Lily had been made Regent for her contributions.  Officially, the Isle of Dreams belonged to the HEAVENLY DAO, but, abhorring open meddling, it allowed a consensus candidate to rule in its stead.  She¡¯d been the obvious choice for the honor.


    The Isle was where the HEAVENLY DAO formally interacted with humanity.  Many of the legendary immortals who acted as its agents were stationed here.  Tourists flocked from around Enera to see the Wall of Legends, wander The Endless Library, and pray at the Shrines of the Lost.  It was the place you had to visit ¡®at least once in your life¡¯.


    ¡°Lily never did grow up, in more ways than one¡­¡±  Astra whispered, shaking her head.


    Simon felt compelled to defend his sovereign, ¡°That¡¯s not entirely fair.  Arther Bard was a father figure to her, and the two coexisted for millennia.  No one was more affected.¡±


    Astra waved away his objection, ¡°I wasn¡¯t referring to her emotional state.  It¡¯s understandable Lily would be devastated, and I don¡¯t fault her for it.¡±


    Astra leaned on the balcony and sighed, ¡°If the abnormal last long enough, people view it as ordinary.  By the way you champion Lily, I imagine you¡¯re a long time resident.  While it¡¯s true regents are tasked with safeguarding the Isle¡¯s prestige and neutrality, that was never all they were meant to do.¡±


    She¡¯s a window to the past.  The other heroes had lived out among humanity.  They¡¯d changed, softened by years of peace.  Only Astra was different.  There¡¯s a harshness that the others no longer possess.


    Astra continued, ¡°Answer me this:  if Lily had been active in investigating, would Arther have died?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±  Simon wanted to offer a rebuttal, but he couldn¡¯t lie.  If Lily had been by Arther¡¯s side, he¡¯d certainly be alive.  Defeating two heroes was beyond the Laughing Man.  No, he wouldn¡¯t even have tried.  The madman had his own brand of caution.


    ¡°No one blames Lily for Arther¡¯s death.¡±  Simon said.


    ¡°And that¡®s the fundamental problem¡­¡±  Astra answered.  ¡°Being a leader means assuming the worst.  Once lives are lost, it can never be undone.  Relying on others at the beginning was normal, but it should¡¯ve never turned into a permanent arrangement.¡±


    ¡°Arther Bard was the main reason world leaders felt comfortable handing the Isle over to a fourteen year old.  He was expected to deal with security issues.  They also established a special position, the ¡®steward of the Isle¡¯, to manage the mundane aspects of governance.  After a century or two, Lily should¡¯ve reclaimed this delegated authority.¡±


    This is the perspective of one who¡¯s lived far longer than me.  Astra remembered a time before the regent¡¯s authority was divided.  She¡¯s right.  Lily was fulfilling the watered-down version of her obligations.  It¡¯s a pity because she¡¯s not lazy.  One did not become an immortal at twelve without serious effort.  She would¡¯ve done a fine job on her own.


    ¡°The problem stems from her entitled mindset.  Lily lost everything:  her friends, family, and country.  Despite this she fought on and saved humanity.  Her reward was to be trapped forever in the body of a child.  She feels cheated, that the scales weren¡¯t balanced at all.¡±


    I¡¯ve proof of this in my pocket.  Lily was well-known for juvenile whims.  When she¡¯d expanded her residence, she¡¯d used pink marble and renamed it the ¡®Rose Palace¡¯.  Although she reined in these impulses in performing her duties, long-time residents lived in fear.


    ¡°I can appreciate being upset by twists of fate.¡±  Astra continued.  ¡°I never expected to be exiled to the arctic.  That said, wallowing in self-pity serves no one.¡±


    ¡°The guilt and pity of others have permitted Lily to remain an eternal child, her way of rebelling.  That¡¯s why, when violence came, everyone turned to Arther.¡±


    Perceptions contributed too¡­  While most would be repulsed by infantile behavior in an adult, Lily¡¯s demeanor fit her body.  How do you pressure such an immortal?  Nobody wanted to abuse a ¡®child¡¯.


    ¡°If a past Regent had allowed the head of the Adventurer¡¯s Guild to be murdered in their stead, they would¡¯ve been finished.  People aren¡¯t blaming Lily because they never expected anything in the first place.¡±


    Blunt, but accurate.  ¡°While I see truth in your assessment, it¡¯s the kind necromancers usually keep to themselves.  I hope you won¡¯t speak so candidly in public.¡±


    ¡°Of course not, I¡¯m familiar with the Isle¡¯s nature.  It¡¯s always been a beacon of hope, even back then.  People need something to cling to, and there¡¯s value in letting them deceive themselves.¡±


    So the frank talk meant she¡¯d acknowledged him.  It¡¯s such a waste she¡¯s been stranded here.  History might¡¯ve taken a different course.


    ¡°If I travel there, I won¡¯t be spoiling her.  Lily took advantage of Arther¡¯s generosity, which I¡¯ll not permit.  She¡¯ll mature, mentally if not physically.¡±


    This¡­ will be interesting.  Lily¡¯s obstinacy was infamous, and he¡¯d believed it unchangeable.  Now, he wasn¡¯t sure.  It was Astra who rescued and recruited Lily.  Simon foresaw fireworks.  Assuming she returns.


    Astra had yet to state her intentions.  He¡¯d initially interpreted this as a power play but was revising his opinion.  She¡¯s lived at Earth¡¯s End for eons.  He wasn¡¯t in a position to understand that.


    ¡°Let me know when you are ready.¡±  He said.


    (continued in part 2)

 [Chapter 4 part 2] Simon - Conversing with Astra

    [Chapter 4 part 2] Simon - Conversing with Astra


    --------------------------------


    Five minutes later, Astra spoke, ¡°How old are you?¡±


    ¡°Four hundred and eighty nine.¡± He answered.


    ¡°When were you written on the wall?¡±


    ¡°Four centuries ago.¡±  Simon said. What¡¯s this about? Necromancers conquered death when they graduated from Xarst. The Wall of Legends held no special import.


    ¡°By the way, has the Northern Emperor achieved immortality?¡±


    ¡°No, he hasn¡¯t.¡± For twenty seven hundred years, Samuel Lithorn had ruled Enera¡¯s largest empire. He¡¯s butted heads with Astra many times.


    Astra grinned, ¡°That¡¯s impressive. He should¡¯ve met the requirements long ago. It makes you wonder what unforgivable sin he committed to earn the HEAVENLY DAO¡¯s ire.¡±


    Lithorn stood as the only known case of denied immortality. Instead, his aging had continued to slow. The consensus was a grudge was to blame. One day this grievance will be exposed.


    ¡°Everyone wishes to be on the Wall at some point.¡± Astra turned back to the sky, smile slipping away. ¡°Like my children, they¡¯re engrossed by the power and agelessness. Few are aware of the demerits. For one, memories are frozen forever. Nothing can be forgotten. Resentment becomes eternal and love everlasting.¡±


    I¡¯m not sure it¡¯s a downside.  Enhanced recollection was practically a required secondary power to lengthened lifespan. What¡¯s the use of centuries of experience if it fades away? Necromancers solved the problem by etching their consciousness onto their souls. He¡¯d undergone the process himself upon graduating. Regrettably, it didn¡¯t help recover what I¡®d already lost.


    ¡°I suppose the HEAVENLY DAO considers this a necessity. If we could forget, we could easily change. The god doesn¡¯t want its chosen champions becoming different people every few hundred years. With lasting memories, we can never forget who we are or what we¡¯ve done.¡±


    Astra sighed, ¡°Old memories haunt me. They feel as real as back then. The fatigue lasts to this day.¡±


    Harrowing experiences¡­ They could be a strength. For Simon, they drove him forward. Conversely, what about when the battle was over? When the motivation was no longer required? They become a source of anguish without purpose.


    ¡°After the Fracturing, I came to protect Sola¡¯s Legacy. I figured a quiet place was what I needed. It was a mistake. For mortals, retreating from the world might mend past trauma, but isolation offers no solace for immortals. Once I realized this, it was already too late.¡±


    A period of chaos followed the Dark Age as humanity adjusted to their new circumstances. No one could spare the resources, yet Sola¡¯s legacy had to be guarded. Astra had volunteered.


    The assignment was meant to be temporary, yet, when the dust had settled, the politics had turned messy. A majority of Enera, lead by the Northern Emperor, favored preservation. However, there was no consensus over dividing the spoils. Some even preferred leaving them buried. Meanwhile, a minority, including the heroes, demanded immediate destruction. Sola¡¯s Legacy proved too valuable to erase and too dangerous to unlock.


    The stalemate left Astra stranded, and she couldn¡¯t afford to walk away. Major nations were terrified the Legacy would alter the balance of power. The children are proof these aren¡¯t idle concerns. Barring premature demise, they were guaranteed to become immortals. If a nation gained the ability to produce such prodigies at will, no one would be able to compete. This knowledge couldn¡¯t be allowed to fall into hostile hands. If Earth¡¯s End was left undefended, a mad scramble would ensue, rapidly escalating into a global conflict.


    Efforts to find a substitute proved fruitless.  While feared in the outside world, Astra was close to invincible in the arctic. Immortals are always more formidable in their element. Then there was her friendship with Nero Ebonwood, the leader of the Black Citadel. Technically, the entire Antarctic continent fell under his jurisdiction. Would he permit an assault while she was here? Nero was impartial, but not that impartial.  Replacing the security Astra provided was an impossible task. And to begin with, few candidates were prepared to reside here long term.


    ¡°If you felt that way, why¡¯d you stay?¡± Simon was compelled to ask.


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    ¡°It wasn¡¯t to prevent idiots from killing each other.¡± Astra said callously, before mellowing. ¡°It was for the fallen. Too many gave their lives protecting this world. Letting greedy fools plunder Earth¡¯s End would be betraying everything they fought for. If Sola¡¯s secrets are released, they¡¯ll be used. The cost will be the same. There¡¯s no way something as convenient as resurrection doesn¡¯t have a price.¡±


    Astra smirked, ¡°However, I¡¯m not one to quietly accept fate.¡± She pointed to the army beyond the fortress. ¡°I¡¯ve been amassing the strength to demolish this place myself.¡±


    A chill went down Simon¡¯s spine. He¡¯d never considered Astra might attempt destroying Sola¡¯s Legacy before leaving. World leaders would panic if they found out.


    Calming himself, Simon assessed the situation. While Astra¡¯s forces were impressive, particularly the dragons and phoenix, would they be enough? It¡¯s not just research sealed down there.


    After the Black Banquet, Sola had converted Earth¡¯s End into a chimera factory. A steady stream of these monsters had bolstered her forces until Astra had ended the threat in a surprise strike, entombing the complex. Breaking this seal means dealing with the Dark Age¡¯s last remnant¡­


    ¡°Relax, I¡¯m not planning anything today.¡± Astra said. ¡°I know full well the risks. Nothing can be allowed to escape.¡±


    Thank goodness. Had she been serious, he would¡¯ve had to assist. I didn¡¯t come prepared to wage a war.


    Astra stared South, ¡°Many necromancers were locked inside when I froze the place. Who knows what they¡¯ve been up to, or what they¡¯ve become. In the worst case, several liches are trapped down there. I can¡¯t risk that, especially with the children.¡±


    She turned back, ¡°Nero volunteered to safeguard Earth''s End for three years, correct? It was in the letter.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± As part of their old friendship, Nero would take over Astra¡¯s responsibilities when she traveled. However, the current offer was exceptional in its length. He¡¯s stretching his authority to make it happen.


    ¡°The time frame is generous¡­¡± Astra stated, ¡°Accepting would be smart for now. Afterward, we¡¯ll see¡­¡±


    ¡°About the children, you guessed right.¡± She admitted. ¡°There was a breach in an outlying facility. I found them when investigating.¡±


    ¡°Sola¡¯s taint should¡¯ve been on them. Everything would¡¯ve been far simpler. They would¡¯ve perished if left alone¡­¡±


    She faced Simon, ¡°Do you have any idea how difficult it is to deal with eight babies at once?¡± A glint of madness shone in her eyes. ¡°It was hell, as bad as two thousand years ago, but I had no way out. I couldn¡¯t abandon them or let them be discovered. Yet they kept screaming¡­¡±


    She took a breath, ¡°That¡¯s how Astra Skyfell became the mother of eight.¡± She smiled wryly. ¡°I don¡¯t regret it. It might¡¯ve been just what I needed. There was no time to dwell on the past. In fact, I mostly worry about the future.¡±


    Her voice dropped to its coldest yet, ¡°I¡¯ll not see them harmed. That¡¯s why, Simon Black, you must convince me you¡¯re on our side.¡±


    Simon answered cautiously, ¡°Every word I speak is akin to an unbreakable vow, so it¡¯s hard to offer lasting guarantees. What I can say is that, as long as they don¡¯t go down the wrong path, I¡¯ll be their ally. I pray that¡¯s enough.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s better than expected. Almost too good¡­¡± She replied. ¡°Why so supportive?¡±


    ¡°I know what it¡¯s like to be cursed by fate.¡± Simon slowly told his tale. ¡°Five hundred years ago, the Laughing Man appeared and went on a rampage in the lower portions of Enera, where warping wasn¡¯t available. Village after village was wiped out.¡±


    ¡°Although every available immortal was pressed into service, defending against his teleportation was a nightmare. Day after day, from dawn to dusk, thousands died.¡±


    ¡°Then Nero stepped in, predicting where the madman would strike. Although he escaped, tragedy was averted. After that, the killing finally ceased.¡±


    ¡°A hundred and five settlements were destroyed. In each, the Laughing Man left one survivor, always a child. He¡¯d found it funny to impale them, letting them die surrounded by their lifeless family. Things didn¡¯t go as planned though. Seventy nine were rescued in time. They were adopted by surrounding communities. I was one of them.¡±


    ¡°The story doesn¡¯t end there. Ten years later, the Laughing Man returned, determined to correct his ¡®mistake¡¯. This time, he targeted the Seventy nine and those who harbored them.¡±


    ¡°Immortals were sent to stop him. While this provided a temporary reprieve, once they eventually left, he¡¯d show up. Facing death, villagers turned on the children, forcing them to flee. In my case, I joined the Black Citadel before being thrown out.¡±


    ¡°In doing so, I was naively hoping to protect those who¡¯d been kind enough to take me in. It was useless. After I left, everyone was butchered. It was the same elsewhere. The only villages spared were those three where the children had been lynched.¡±


    ¡°Today, five of us remain. Sixty five were murdered, and nine died of old age.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for sharing.¡± Astra said softly. ¡°I take it you¡¯ve a personal investment with ongoing events?¡±


    ¡°I was Arther Bard¡¯s point man for matters concerning the Laughing Man. The only reason I wasn¡¯t with him when he died is we both believed he was chasing an impostor.¡±


    Astra looked to the sky, ¡°So you believe I should travel to the Isle?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s neutral grounds no country will move against carelessly. Lily, despite her quirks, is a good person who¡¯ll support them. By taking over the guild, you¡¯ll gain a position from which to protect them. There¡¯ll not be a better opportunity.¡±


    Astra nodded, ¡°That¡¯s my conclusion too. I¡¯m also keen to avenge Arther and prevent a Dark Age.¡± She laughed softly. ¡°Lily will NOT be happy to see Rose.¡± That¡¯s correct.


    ¡°Enough star gazing.¡± She faced him, ¡°Can I leave the children in your care? I must dig out an airship.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± he agreed.  ¡°How do I handle their queries?¡±


    ¡°For now¡­ Please dodge them somehow. Later, I¡¯ll bring them to see the real Earth¡¯s End.¡± She glanced south again. ¡°Before we leave, they should know why we were here to begin with.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s your intent,¡± Simon said. ¡°perhaps I should reveal how the Dark Age began.¡±


    ¡°Sounds good. Could you tell me where they¡¯re watching from?¡± Astra asked.


    ¡°That way.¡± A whirlwind of fairies flew off in the direction indicated.

 [Chapter 5] Wise - Anxious Waiting

    [Chapter 5] Wise - Anxious Waiting


    ------------------------------------------------


    They¡¯d all gathered high in the fortress.  We¡¯re all curious, even me.  For once, his foresight hadn¡¯t ruined the surprise.


    ¡°Sneaking closer wouldn¡¯t work?¡±  Light leaned against the window.


    ¡°No, she¡¯s set up a barrier.¡± Rose¡¯s finger tapped impatiently on her crossed arms.


    Curled up in blankets, he and Hope were sitting on one of two ¡®sofas¡¯ facing a ¡®coffee table¡¯.  More like ice benches.  They weren¡¯t designed for comfort.  We live below, where it¡¯s warm.  Here, the howling winds were ripping the heat from them.  That¡¯s not all¡­


    In the corner, Dawn sat crossed-legged and closed-eyed, her frozen armor disintegrating and reforming in an endless cycle.  Her hair wavered under the intense channeling.  The more you use magic, the easier it becomes.  His sister took every opportunity to ¡®cultivate¡¯ her talent.


    I wish she¡¯d stop, It¡¯s cold enough already.  Sadly, he knew asking wouldn¡¯t work.  Dawn would tell them to go back, which hope would refuse and he couldn¡¯t abandon her.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡±  Wise asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Hope said. ¡°Also, I¡¯m not going anywhere.¡±


    As expected.  Anytime he asked a question, before speaking a word, he already knew the answer.  Every time.  He could probably go through life without making a single inquiry.  But I don¡¯t want that.  He hated how his foresight robbed him of human interactions.


    Wise looked around.  Rose and Light were still spying.  Free was pacing, lost in thought.  She thinks too much.  Soul was installed across from them.  No doubt out of concern.


    ¡°I wish I could read lips.¡± Rose muttered.


    Hope leaned over, ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°It means understanding what someone is saying by watching their mouths move.¡±  Wise said.  With their martial arts, it would¡¯ve been possible, even at this distance.


    Rose overheard and glanced over.  Drats.  Soon she¡¯d come interrogate him.  While once he would¡¯ve welcomed the attention, today he found it far less pleasant.  Especially since I know the answer Rose wants so badly¡­  Or at least part of it.


    Sighing, Wise touched his headband.  Back when his abilities were at their wildest, he¡¯d dreamed of what lay below the ice.  Outside the fortress, far from the surface, he¡¯d seen a network of metallic structures.  Monsters crawled everywhere, frozen still.  They were diverse in their features, similar to Astra¡¯s creatures, except made of living flesh.  Twisted flesh.  Even in his sleepy torpor, he¡¯d sensed their malevolence.  They weren¡¯t dead, merely inactive.


    The next moment, he¡¯d been flying through a winding maze of steel.  He saw machines humming and tanks containing horrors.  Dread-inspiring forms wandered the halls.  The undead¡­  Other parts he couldn¡¯t or wouldn¡¯t remember.  That place was wrong, full of things which shouldn¡¯t exist and secrets never mean to be known.


    Eventually he was in a large room, two stories high with metal walkways.  Thousands of tanks, smaller in size, filled the space and lined the walls.  In each, a little corpse floated.  Endless rows of dead babies.  Whatever had kept them alive had failed long ago.  A few were empty.  Exactly eight.


    When he¡¯d confronted Astra, she¡¯d gone pale and swore him to silence, erasing the faint hope it¡¯d been a meaningless vision.  It¡¯s not as if knowing is useful.  If Rose found out, she¡¯d want more.  She might ask me to take my headband off.  If she pestered him as she did Astra, he wasn¡¯t sure he could take it.


    On schedule, Rose walked over and caught his eye, ¡°Stop keeping everything to yourself.  Tell us about Simon Black.¡±


    I have only myself to blame.  He hadn¡¯t been able to resist showing off earlier.  This was the price.  ¡°He¡¯s strong, very strong.  Weaker than Astra though.  I don¡¯t sense any danger, yet something feels off.  Maybe it¡¯s because he¡¯s a necromancer.¡±


    By wishing it, Wise could receive any information obtainable in the next few hours.  He could find out taste or temperature just by looking.  Or someone¡¯s combat potential.  This was useful when Astra matched them against her ice creations.


    ¡°That¡¯s interesting, but not relevant.  Why is he here?  Give us the details.¡±


    Wise frowned, ¡°Didn¡¯t he explain?  It was to deliver news and invite Astra to the Isle.¡±


    ¡°Details we don¡¯t know.¡±  Rose stressed.


    She makes a great tyrant.  He continued reluctantly, ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­  There were two terrorist attacks before Arther¡¯s death.  Lily¡¯s regency is in peril.  If Astra accepts, Nero will take over safeguarding Sola¡¯s Legacy¡ª¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±  Rose cut in.  Blast it.  He¡¯d been trying not to think of the reference.  Now the answer flowed into him.


    ¡°Please, we all want to know.¡±  Soul added.  If he¡¯s asking, there¡¯s no choice¡­  But I¡¯m not doing it for free.


    ¡°Make it warmer.¡±  He demanded.


    ¡°What?¡±  Rose said.


    ¡°Like when you get upset.¡±  Wise clarified.


    Rose stared, resignation creeping over her, ¡°Fine.¡±  He felt the flow of power, and she began radiating heat.


    ¡°What¡¯s ¡®Sola¡¯s Legacy¡¯?¡±  She asked tersely.


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    ¡°The place where we live, that¡¯s only a tiny portion of ¡®Earth¡¯s End¡¯.  It was the section Sola kept for visitors, back before the Dark Age.¡±  It was always strange giving an explanation on a subject he knew nothing about.  Information comes out of order.


    ¡°So Sola built it?¡±  Free chimed in, approaching from behind.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s where she did her research for years.¡±


    ¡°What does this have to do with us?¡±  Rose pressed.


    ¡°It¡­¡±  Wise frowned.  ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡±


    Rose clicked her tongue, ¡°So he¡¯s still keeping silent about that?  Then how about this: Why¡¯s Astra guarding Earth¡¯s End?  What¡¯s so critical?¡±


    ¡°It was here that Sola performed her first resurrection, an act widely considered the cause of the Dark Age.¡±


    ¡°Why is that?¡±  Free asked.


    Wise groaned as a garbled torrent assaulted him.  I hate this.  Simple answers, a couple of sentences worth, arrived effortlessly.  In fact, it¡¯s hard to stop.  Broad queries were a different story.  It¡¯s like a dozen voices barking at once.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we give him a break?¡±  Soul interjected.  ¡°That he¡¯s getting answers means Simon will explain later.  Also, Free, you know better than to ask something complex.¡±


    Rose and Free looked like they¡¯d swallowed bitter pills.  Only Soul could reign those two in¡ª¡ªor any of them for that matter.  He¡¯d earned his out-sized influenced from years of tireless effort.  When he spoke up, it was never on his own behalf.  It¡¯s hard to go against that selflessness.


    ¡°Fine, but one last one,¡±  Rose said.  ¡°Will Simon persuade Astra?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±  Wise smiled. ¡°¡­all for now.¡±


    Silver burst into the room, ¡°Any news yet?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re still talking.¡± Light said.  ¡°Where¡¯d you run off to?¡±


    ¡°To grab this.¡±  He dropped a book on the table and plopped down besides Soul.  Unbridled enthusiasm¡­  At the prospect of the thrilling, his brother had no brakes.


    Silver opened to an illustration, ¡°This is the Isle of Dreams.¡±


    The landmass was shaped like an upright cylinder with a hole in its center.  A beam of light shot up this interior.  The pillar of Enera.  The city was built on the surface around it.  There was also a chunk missing on one side.  From above, it¡¯d look like an extremely thick ¡®C¡¯.


    ¡°Apparently, when the crust moved upwards during the Fracturing, the Pillar¡¯s base stayed fixed.  Hence the hollow inside.¡±  Silver explained.


    ¡°Here¡¯s a ¡®skyriver¡¯¡±  Silver traced a stream of blue to where it disappeared near to the pillar.  Hydraulics would convert this passing water into energy.  Also, the Isle¡¯s skyriver was famous for traveling entirely above ground.  Did I really need to know that?


    ¡°I imagine we¡¯ll be staying here: the Rose Palace.¡±  Silver pointed again. ¡°It¡¯s where Lily Morgana lives.  What¡¯d you think?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just a coincidence.¡± Rose replied icily, still releasing heat.


    ¡°Maybe not.  Your name could¡¯ve been inspired by this place.¡±  Silver tapped the pink buildings, which were built on the highest elevation of¡ª¡ªNope, enough for now.


    Wise leaned back and stopped listening.  Although he could consciously force his ability off, it was easier to tune out topics which might trigger it.  Facts about the Isle of Dreams weren¡¯t important.  Our departure isn¡¯t confirmed.  The mind could only hold so much, and prolonged use gave him migraines.


    He frowned.  With Simon¡¯s arrival, he¡¯d understood just how powerful his ability could be.  I showed off because of this.  Yet, on further reflection, he was growing apprehensive.  If one person unlocked so much, what would happen when he reached civilization?  There were¡­  ¡ª¡ªhalf a million¡ª¡ª ¡­people on the Isle of Dreams.  Surrounded by that many, what would happen?


    Observing Silver talk passionately, pangs of jealousy stirred.  At one time, he¡¯d also been excited, eagerly dreaming of being a hero from Astra¡¯s stories.


    ¡°¡­Here¡¯s the Stone Coliseum.  We¡¯ll definitely compete there¡­¡±


    A coliseum¡­  We¡¯ve one too.  They¡¯d started dueling there when they were nine.  That¡¯s where it all went wrong.


    At the very beginning, he¡¯d been able to keep up.  If a possibility of winning existed, he could find it.  However, as his siblings got stronger, discovering that path proved increasingly elusive.  Eventually, it was nowhere to be found.  The experience was devastating.  To search a millions futures and see yourself failing in all of them¡­  Every loss was amplified a thousand fold.


    In desperation, he¡¯d attempted to summon combat expertise from the future.  Who better to teach me than my older selves?  It¡¯d worked, and he¡¯d won.  From then on, he¡¯d done it whenever he fought.


    There¡¯d been issues from the outset.  He¡¯d only half-remember his matches.  Worse, during battle he¡¯d be filled with emotions which weren¡¯t his own.  He¡¯d laugh or cry without knowing why.  The emotional imbalance didn¡¯t stop me.  That his siblings were afraid had even given him a twisted sense of pride.  As time wore on, personality fragments had begun entering outside of the ring.  One time, I looked at the others and thought, ¡®they¡¯re so young.¡¯  He¡¯d hid his collapsing mental state as best he could.  Madness was a small price for power.  Or at least that¡¯s what I believed, right up until the dreams.


    He began experiencing his future deaths in his sleep.  It wasn¡¯t only my own.  He¡¯d seen his siblings perish dozens of times each.  Slumber brought visions of terrible places.  And there was also the reoccurring nightmare where he was repeatedly killed by a man cackling madly¡­


    Wise paused.  They¡¯re the same.  Simon¡¯s ¡®Laughing Man¡¯ was that murderer.  The certainty was unmistakable.  Wonderful, this eliminates any doubt of its authenticity.


    He took a deep breath.  Let it go.  It¡¯s not as if you can do anything about it.  This was why he despised his gift.  He couldn¡¯t lie to himself.  How is this helpful in any way?


    Wise hid under his blanket as more came.  For the first time, he understood the reason behind the dreams.  Foresight was a necromantic ability, and all necromantic magic contained a trace of malignance, a desire to harm life.  Even when used perfectly, foresight had a bias towards tragedy.  When he¡¯d lost control, the results had been those nightmares.


    So that¡¯s why necromancers take the oath.  Since it offered protection against this corruption, they could channel death without destroying themselves¡­


    Enough!  Wise stopped all thought.  A minute passed.  He rubbed his head.


    He didn¡¯t remember when Astra froze him.  When he woke up, the headband was keeping the madness at bay.  Later, he¡¯d recalled enough to piece together a rough martial art, so the experience wasn¡¯t a complete loss.  On the other hand, I remember the dreams clearly.


    Watching Silver, his resentment grew.  It¡¯s not fair.  From the years they¡¯d spent together, he could vaguely perceive his siblings¡¯ future potential.  It was blinding in its brilliance.  Especially Dawn, but I¡¯ll never tell her that.  As for himself, he sensed nothing.  He could guess why.  When he used foresight, what he saw was the branching outcomes of all his conceivable actions.  From his perspective, the future of his siblings appeared relatively linear while his own was blurred by infinite possibilities.  I can observe others better than myself.


    Life hadn¡¯t improved in recent years.  He saw attacks coming with greater clarity yet was increasingly helpless to respond.  Knowledge without power¡­  It¡¯s useless.  Efforts to develop his martial arts had failed.  Rose did so on her own, so why couldn¡¯t I?  He envied her progress.  Not just her, but all of them.  He felt himself drowning in jealousy.  It came against his wishes, just like the knowledge.


    What saved him was his sister.  Hope¡¯s situation was worse in every way.  She was slower, weaker, and barely possessed foresight.  Despite always being last, she never let it discourage her.  She simply worked harder, becoming more determined with every setback.  If Hope has a bright future, then so do I.  If she didn¡¯t give up, neither would he.


    ¡°Hey, Wise.¡±  Sliver said. ¡°Can you tell us if we¡¯re traveling to the Isle?¡±


    I don¡¯t really want to.  Silver¡¯s grating optimism might worsen.  He was about to refuse when Hope added, ¡°If you check, we can go somewhere warm.¡±


    Now that sounds appealing.  ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll try.¡±  Then it hit him.  Surprised, he looked up as a fairy flew in.  ¡°We depart tomorrow.¡±

 [Chapter 6 part 1] Silver - Underground Habitat

    [Chapter 6 part 1] Silver - Underground Habitat


    ------------------------------


    Escorted by ice sprites, Silver peered over the banister. It¡¯s a long way down.  The fortress¡¯s size made it impractical, which was why they liked this spiral staircase. It went from top to bottom.


    I won¡¯t forgive Wise if he¡¯s wrong, Silver thought. That was a joke. As a mental exercise, he was constantly searching for ¡®scary or upsetting things¡¯. It was more than a game. Caring for his siblings, he ¡®acted¡¯ out his missing emotions to minimize their uncomfortable stares. Anger was relatively easy. When I remember. He only struggled with the degree of acrimony. Fear was more troublesome since it meant hesitating or skipping activities. This was stifling, so he often didn¡¯t bother.


    Silver glanced back.  The level of enthusiasm is off. Although less noticeable, his siblings¡¯ excitement was still dampened. What¡¯s it now? Wise confirmed we¡¯re leaving¡­  It took him a second to puzzle it out. Must be a ¡®fear of the unknown¡¯. They¡¯d be traveling somewhere unfamiliar. That¡¯s stupid.


    Silver¡¯s mind raced. He wanted to experience life, meet people, and maybe get a girlfriend. It¡¯ll be nice being around those our age who aren¡¯t family. Beside romance, listening to Simon had rekindled his explorer spirit. I want to visit those Twisted Lands. The Blue Abyss, the Green Hell, the Underworld, the Cultivating Realm¡­ He¡¯d see all of Enera. And becoming an immortal will give me the strength for it. Interlacing his fingers, he stretched. So much to do.


    Through a window, he saw Astra and Simon in the courtyard far below. I¡¯ll take a shortcut. He jumped out. While falling, Silver wondered if he¡¯d ever been scared of heights. Probably¡­ It¡¯d been so long it was tough recalling. Fairies raced along side him as the ground approached. This would be less safe if I was terrified. Silver reached out a hand and a foot, and they ¡®stuck¡¯ to the wall as if coated in glue. Slowing, he came to a halt three feet from the bottom.


    What let him grip surfaces was his aura magic, which functioned like a force field centered about his person. It makes me a formidable grappler. Besides hardening into a layer of steel and strengthening his movement, he could alter its properties to shield himself from the elements. According to Astra, I¡¯ll also be able to create blades one day.


    ¡°That was slightly reckless.¡± Simon observed. Did he figure me out? Not that it matters. Ignoring them both, Astra watched the others descend. I wish they¡¯d hurry. After an excruciating wait, everyone gathered.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be traveling to the Isle of Dreams.¡± Astra said. They let out a cheer, and Hope released another pyrotechnic show, to the delight of the remaining fairies. ¡°Let¡¯s head back and I¡¯ll explain.¡±


    Astra led them inside and down another long stairwell. They exited to a vast ice cavern where windowless buildings stood atop bedrock. A plateau which pierced the ice sheet. Enclosed corridors connected the seamlessly-fused metal domes and blocks, and the gigantic support pillars between were covered in frost fire.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you recognize this.¡± Astra said.


    Simon nodded.  He does?  Silver was vexed a stranger knew more than he did. Or at least I should be, right? The nuances were tough.


    Approaching the largest dome, a section slid open, and they proceeded down a dim corridor past two more doors. Inside the triple airlock was a space filled with warmth and life. High above an orb shone like the sun. In the center was a pond with a forested far side. The rest was tall grass and scattered trees, except for one patch with giant root clumps and other bizarre plants. Free¡¯s experimental area¡­ We stayed away from there.


    A second story balcony ran around the structure. Their rooms were on that floor. This place is a mystery as always. Their imminent departure had peaked his curiosity. Mother didn¡¯t build it. When Free had inquired about the sun-orb, Astra had called it irreplaceable, forbidding its deconstruction.


    ¡°So this is an extension of Sola¡¯s laboratory¡­¡± Free mused.


    ¡°What?¡± Silver exclaimed. ¡°When did we find that out?¡±


    Free pointed to Rose, ¡°She quizzed Wise while you were gone.¡±


    What treachery! Silver rounded on his sister, making his best ¡®how could you¡¯ expression. Rose was startled, ¡°Sorry, I couldn¡¯t help myself.¡±


    ¡®Betrayal¡¯ was easy to decipher. How irate should I be?  That was less clear. She went ahead knowing I wouldn¡¯t get upset, which makes it worse.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Astra said. ¡°Simon will soon cover what they know.¡±


    So I don¡¯t need to be mad? Astra held up the letter, ¡°I¡¯m accepting the position of guildmaster of the Adventurer¡¯s Guild. In the morning, we¡¯ll travel to the Black Citadel and warp to Isle of Dreams the next day. Simon will now keep you company while I take care of some business.¡±


    She turned to Rose, ¡°I¡¯ll explain everything when we set off. Be patient till then.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Rose answered bitterly.


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    ¡°Good. Later, I¡¯ll bring you to see the real Earth¡¯s End. After that you¡¯ll pack. Take everything because you may never be back. That¡¯s all.¡± Astra exited the habitat.


    ¡°There¡¯s some comfortable-looking benches beside that tree. Let¡¯s talk there.¡± Simon suggested. That¡¯s mother¡¯s outdoor classroom. Shedding their outer layers, they were soon seated.


    ¡°Why not start with what I missed?¡± Silver demanded reproachfully, and no one objected. ¡®Acting resentful¡¯ was useful. It¡¯s twice as effective because they feel sorry.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll explain how the Dark Age began.¡± Simon said. ¡°Back when Enera was whole, Sola was born in a country called Nolstice. She had a gift for creation the likes of which had never been seen. Without formal schooling, she performed feats which masters failed to reproduce. There was no injury or illness she couldn¡¯t cure. In less than a century, she made it to the Wall and earned her first title, ¡®Goddess of Healing¡¯.¡±


    ¡°So sort of like me then,¡± Free said. ¡°I mean, the part about being great at healing despite no training. Does that make me special too?¡±


    Simon hesitated, ¡°It does, but trust me, that kind of talent is normally unheard of.¡±


    Yeah, Free¡¯s abnormal. Silver remembered being unnerved when younger. Although it¡¯d been only plants and bugs, crafting life from scratch was spooky. How did she do that? Books only taught so much.


    ¡°Sola had a brother named Dylin. While not as talented, he became the ruler of Nolstice in her stead as she cared nothing for politics. With the lifespan of a world leader, he reached immortality together with a girl named Ellie, and they fell in love. Sadly, before the wedding, Nolstice was attacked by a monster, one of Calin¡¯s leftovers. Ellie lost her life.¡±


    ¡°Dylin was devastated. In his grief, he made an impossible request, ¡®please bring her back.¡¯ Fond of Ellie, Sola was intrigued by the challenge and accepted. However, the task required more than her current knowledge. The soul had to be recalled from the beyond, so she traveled to the arctic.¡±


    ¡°Sola¡¯s success at the Black Citadel defied all expectations. Her skill with death rivaled her gift with creation. In two years, she departed as a true necromancer.¡±


    ¡°What does that mean?¡± Hope interjected.


    ¡°Many come simply to take the oath. Not being able to lie is a boon in numerous professions: negotiators, journalists, accountants¡­ By contrast, ¡®true necromancer¡¯ is a distinction for those who graduate from Xarst.¡±


    ¡°After nine years of research, Sola successfully revived Ellie, earning her second title, ¡®Master of Life and Death¡¯. To this day, this remains the only flawless resurrection.¡±


    ¡°Sola went to great lengths to conceal what she¡¯d done, constructing her laboratory far from civilization and helping Ellie change her appearance. Unfortunately, the efforts were for naught. Now, can anyone guess what happened when the secret leaked?¡±


    ¡°Everyone wanted resurrections?¡± Rose offered.


    ¡°Exactly. Sola was inundated with requests. When she refused, the situation escalated. Powerful immortals aren¡¯t used to hearing no. They exhausted every tactic: threats, bribes, etc¡­ To escape the onslaught, Sola withdrew to her hidden laboratory, cutting off contact. No one could locate her.¡±


    ¡°This offered only a temporary reprieve, with attention soon turning to Dylin and Ellie. Nolstice was conquered by an alliance of nations, and they spread word both would be executed if Sola didn¡¯t reappear.¡±


    I¡¯m beginning to see why she turned. Targeting the innocent wasn¡¯t right. I should be indignant here¡­ Regretfully, he¡¯d never be a hero like Soul. How can I be righteous when I can¡¯t feel anger on other¡¯s behalf?


    ¡°Under these threats, Sola emerged. She agreed to their demands, but requested additional funds and time. The alliance accepted, keeping their hostages.¡±


    ¡°Over the next three years, Sola expanded her workspace, transforming it into a gigantic complex and naming it ¡®Earth¡¯s End¡¯. Once finished, she began bringing several back each year. Anyone able to pay her astronomical fees could see their loved ones again. Satisfied, the alliance dissolved and released its captives.¡±


    ¡°Everything continued peacefully for years. Then, on the fiftieth anniversary of Earth¡¯s End¡¯s completion, Sola held a banquet, inviting all those she¡¯d revived and their relatives. The event was well-attended since no one dared offend her.¡±


    ¡°At the height of the celebration, she held a toast, ¡®To the dawn of the Dark Age¡¯. At these words, the souls of every resurrectee present, excepting Ellie, were dyed ¡®black¡¯. They viciously turned on those closest to them. The bloodbath devastated Enera¡¯s leadership in a single night, giving Sola her final title, ¡®Necromancer of the End¡¯.¡±


    ¡°That was the ¡®Black Banquet¡¯?¡± Rose asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    Silver glanced at Rose. No wonder she¡¯s so upset all the time. The library¡¯s missing subjects were fascinating.


    ¡°What happened to Dylin and Ellie?¡± Soul asked.


    ¡°They were captured later. By that time, millions had died, and many wanted blood. However, before they could be executed, Nero aided their escape.¡±


    ¡°Everyone was livid. Nero would¡¯ve been mobbed if the other heroes hadn¡¯t vouched for him. When pressed for an explanation, he simply said, ¡®It¡¯s necessary¡¯. The meaning didn¡¯t become clear until months later.¡±


    ¡°Meanwhile, the war continued to sour. Again and again, the Dark Gods breached defenses, and hundreds of thousands perished. In the midst of this chaos, Dylin and Ellie resurfaced to confront the host of Fear, Nuzou.¡±


    ¡°Like past avatars of fear, Nuzou was mad. The flavor of his insanity was a fascination with ¡®deconstruction¡¯. This meant removing as much as possible while keeping his victims alive. All those who crossed him dreaded capture.¡±


    ¡°They didn¡¯t stand a chance. Ellie was slain, and Dylin was taken alive, suffering a gruesome end. It¡¯s unclear if Nuzou understood who he was killing. Even if he had, he probably no longer possessed the self-preservation instincts to stop himself.¡±


    ¡°People were right to suspect Sola still cared. The fallout was dramatic. Across Enera, her forces halted, and, for a full month, calm reigned. As for Nuzou, he was never seen again. This reprieve was the turning point.¡±


    Facing Nuzou must¡¯ve been horrifying, but Silver couldn¡¯t picture it. He was losing my ability to empathize. There was a name for those like this. They¡¯re called psychopaths¡­


    ¡°So Dylin let himself be caught?¡± Wise asked.


    That¡¯s unusual. Wise only made queries when he wanted others to hear something. Mainly so he doesn¡¯t have to explain later.


    Simon sighed, ¡°Yes. When found, Dylin and Ellie were broken. The Black Banquet had left them traumatized and lost. After years on the run, they didn¡¯t resist, accepting the inevitable. That¡¯s when Nero offered salvation. They followed his instructions and obtained a measure of peace.¡±


    This I can relate to. They must¡¯ve been in despair. The world was falling apart because of someone they loved. Even if they survived, they¡¯d never be forgiven. There was no future. It¡¯s sad but nice to understand. Silver glanced at Wise. Was that for my benefit? Sometimes his brother¡¯s foresight worked in incomprehensible ways.


    (continued in part 2)

 [Chapter 6 part 2] Silver - Underground Habitat

    [Chapter 6 part 2] Silver - Underground Habitat


    ------------------------------


    Dawn spoke next, ¡°The place where my¡­  ¡ª¡ªwhere Astra¡¯s name is written, it¡¯s at the Isle of Dreams?¡±  She corrected herself in time.


    ¡°It¡¯d be more accurate to say the entrance is.¡±  Simon answered.  ¡°The Wall of Legends is a separate space, a dimension created by the HEAVENLY DAO.¡±


    ¡°What does it look like?¡±  Dawn pressed.


    ¡°It¡¯s filled with stone pathways and floating marble.  Immortals are inscribed on the block above the first platform.  From there, the path splits and descends endlessly, one side for the living and the other for the dead.  It¡¯s said if you walk far enough you can find any name, although it might take decades.¡±


    Dawn frowned, ¡°These pathways¡­  what¡¯s under them?¡±


    ¡°A sea of clouds.  You needn¡¯t worry as death isn¡¯t possible there.¡±


    Dawn grimaced ever so slightly.  Maybe it doesn¡¯t fit her aesthetic.  Anyway, it¡¯s about my turn again.  Silver¡¯s patience was running out.  I¡¯m like Free at times.  Before the thrilling, he had difficulty reining himself in.  The resemblance ends there though, since I never ¡®quit out of frustration¡¯.  Free had no such tolerance.  You can often see her eyes glazing over.


    With a smile, he remembered when Astra had tried teaching her politics and history.  It became a battle of intractable wills.  In the end, they¡¯d come to an agreement.  Free would seriously study ¡®uninteresting¡¯ subjects fifteen minutes each day.  In exchange, Astra wouldn¡¯t nag her the rest of the time.  That was mother¡¯s loss.


    ¡°These ¡®separate spaces¡¯ are fascinating.¡±  Free said.  ¡°Isn¡¯t the Endless Library another one?¡±


    Simon nodded, ¡°It holds everything ever written.  Be warned, however, its contents can¡¯t be brought outside, or it''ll dissolve away.¡±


    ¡°Wait, they can¡¯t be removed?  How annoying¡­¡±  Rose transitioned from shocked to grumpy.


    Simon smirked, ¡°If it was too convenient, it¡¯d be abused.  The rarer a book, the harder it is to obtain.  Those no longer in circulations are kept in a closed-off, forbidden section.  In this dungeon, the difficulty correlates to the value of what¡¯s sought.  For instance, Sola¡¯s research notes are guarded by reproductions of the Dark Gods and the dread knight Byron.¡±


    Enough about libraries.  ¡°Regarding the Stone Coliseum¡­¡±  Silver asked.  ¡°Are fights held regularly?  Could we compete?  Or rather, how would you go about competing?¡±


    Simon chuckled,  ¡°Yes, matches are held every day.  Anyone can sign up.¡±


    Great!  They¡¯d trained their whole lives for this.  What better place to show off than the first coliseum.


    On the Isle of Dreams, you could pitch proposals to the HEAVENLY DAO.  Incredible things, even a Dark Age, could happen when a supreme god supported your vision.  Eons ago, the immortal Roy Sigfried had suggested a coliseum where real fights could be held without lasting consequences.  Woven into its arena walls, necromantic enchantments prevented souls from departing, and healing enchantments mended all wounds.  Amplified by the deity, these magics would allow unrestrained battling.


    ¡°I must warn you,¡±  Simon continued. ¡°Competing can be traumatic.  Many visitors don¡¯t consider how painful¡ª¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll stop you there.¡±  Silver interrupted.  ¡°We have one and are familiar with how they work.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±  Simon said.  ¡°There¡¯s a functional coliseum at Earth¡¯s End?¡±


    ¡°Yup.¡±  Silver said with pride.  ¡°The healing rate isn¡¯t great, but it¡¯s properly deathless.¡±


    There were coliseums around Enera today.  Having loved the result, the HEAVENLY DAO supported every properly constructed arena.  I don¡¯t know why we¡¯ve got one, but it¡¯s a luxury.


    ¡°Interesting.  I didn¡¯t expect that¡­¡±  Simon¡¯s features darkened.  ¡°Have you already experienced death?¡±


    ¡°All of us, multiple times.¡±  Silver confirmed.  ¡°I mean, I¡¯ve been eaten alive, and Free¡¯s been decapitated.¡±


    The room froze.  I shouldn¡¯t have said that.  Soul groaned, ¡°Again, sorry.¡±  I must try harder.  He hurt his siblings more then he should, and it felt terrible each time.


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    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±  Free responded with exasperation.  ¡°Stop apologizing already.¡±


    Although death was averted, the pain of it wasn¡¯t.  They refrained from nasty injuries whenever possible, but accidents happened.  Soul shouldn¡¯t blame himself.


    Simon was staring hard, ¡°You said you were eaten?  Please expand.¡±


    Silver sighed, ¡°I have a talent for summoning, but there¡¯s no one to teach me.  I had no choice but to experiment in the arena.  It mostly worked out well, with a couple exceptions.  Kinda embarrassing actually¡­¡±


    Summoning involved calling servants from the Ether.  Whereas the physical world was well-defined, the Ether was conceptually structured: the clearer the concept, the more established that portion of space.  So while a sea of chaos, there were islands of stability within, realms ¡®real¡¯ enough to visit.  What interested Silver were the beings which could be drawn from there, ¡®Loose Concepts¡¯ and ¡®Unique Entities¡¯.


    The ice fairies from earlier were loose concepts.  They were formed from the minds of those who channeled.  When Dawn was cultivating earlier, her thoughts were flowing in the other direction, shaping the Ether.  Loose concepts had no will of their own and were archetypes for a ¡®type of thing¡¯.  Their personalities were a blank slate influenced by the ideas which spawned them.  Fairies were playful, and dragons fierce.


    Once a loose concept was brought to Enera, it could grow and learn.  If Dawn had kept her fairy a few weeks and given it a name, then she could¡¯ve summoned it back again.  Unique entities were born from such interactions, having their own memories and temperament.  They could even be killed.


    Becoming a summoner meant calling ¡®loose concepts¡¯ and developing relationships with ¡®unique entities¡¯.  Since Astra only knew ice-based creatures, Silver had been left to trial and error.  This had a downside.  It can go horribly wrong.  There were nightmarish things in that conceptual space which very much wanted to cross over and rip you apart.  It didn¡¯t happen frequently, but it was unpleasant.  Luckily, those beings couldn¡¯t exist long without a living summoner.  Aside from this occasional brutality, his sessions had been productive, and Astra had allowed him to continue without supervision.


    Mother didn¡¯t think that through.  Coliseums didn¡¯t prevent damage to the mind and soul, and some rare monsters in the Ether were capable of harming both.  He¡¯d summoned one.  None knew what it¡¯d looked like.  His own memories were fuzzy.  It was black with twisting teeth.  He¡¯d awoken confused, having lost two emotions.  I should be resentful.  Yet he felt nothing.


    The silence had lasted a minute.  Silver noted Soul and Rose exchanging glances.  They¡¯re close, those two.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it normal?¡±  Hope asked.  ¡°Astra told us people practice in arenas all the time¡­¡±


    ¡°They do, but mostly as a safety measure.¡±  Simon answered.  ¡°Training where you die repeatedly is extreme and is rarely done with children.¡±


    That¡¯s not surprising.  Astra believed in results, and putting her children through hell was just her nature.  Concerns over how it¡¯d be perceived wouldn¡¯t have stopped her.  If she was dependent on external validation, she would¡¯ve never endured the isolation.


    Silver defended his mother, ¡°Astra had us fight to prepare us.  She told us coliseum matches would be our quickest path to fame.  This still makes sense.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±  Simon took a deep breath. ¡°Sorry for being taken aback.  For those aiming for the wall, competing in coliseums is normal.  This situation is special, so I¡¯ll trust Astra¡¯s judgment.  I won¡¯t ask at what age you started, but you should know the minimum at the Stone Coliseum is fourteen.  If people learn of your activity here, some might think less of your mother.  Please keep that in mind.¡±


    Good to know¡­  Also, should I be angry?  He examined the others.  For the most part, they seemed unsettled rather than upset.  Good.  He didn¡¯t want to act cross with Astra.  It never ended well.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been wondering about Necromancers.¡±  Free began.  ¡°Is lying outright impossible? Or are there terrible consequences for doing so?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s mostly impossible.  The mere thought of it triggers immense pain.  New oath takers often double over from the agony.¡±  Simon smiled.  ¡°Old habits die hard.¡±


    ¡°I say ¡®mostly impossible¡¯ because elder necromancers acquire an incredible tolerance for suffering.  Such individuals could conceivably speak an untruth, thereby forfeiting their lives.¡±


    ¡±Even without this price, it¡¯s pointless.  The instant a falsehood is spoken, every oath taker would become aware of it, also knowing the nature of the duplicity.  A lie which is instantly exposed is worthless.  So to answer your questions, both are true.¡±


    Wow, no wonder everyone trusts what they say.


    ¡°So you really can¡¯t fib about anything?¡±  Free persisted.  ¡°Not even a little one like telling someone they look good?¡±


    ¡°Intentionally providing false information is forbidden under all conditions.  That said, it¡¯s not as if one *must* speak the truth.  If someone is ugly, I¡¯d keep silent or compliment their positive traits.¡±


    Free was aghast, ¡°That¡¯s so sad.  I can¡¯t imagine such life.  It must be awful.¡±


    Compelled honesty didn¡¯t appeal to Silver either.  He¡¯d be unable to hide his condition.  Wait, does the restriction only apply to words?  If it did, that¡¯d be a huge loop hole.  Silver knew a thing or two about sham behavior.


    Simon laughed, ¡°I sometimes get that reaction.  It¡¯s true some miss the ability to deceive the world¡­ and themselves.  I¡¯m not one.¡±


    ¡°Even before the oath, I never did so.  I¡¯ve always found it unnecessary¡­ and dangerous.  Fabrications must be maintained.  I¡¯ve seen them grow and consume the lives of their tellers.¡±


    ¡°And in the rare cases where subterfuge is necessary¡­  Books are filled with tales of demons, genies, and necromancers who swindle their victims out of everything with only the sincerest of words.  Used skillfully, the truth has an effectiveness no lie can match.  It¡¯s the most powerful weapon on Enera in the hands of a capable wielder.¡±


    ¡°Nevertheless¡±  Simon smiled gently. ¡°I¡¯ve nothing against habitual, well-intentioned liars.¡±


    Silver suppress a giggle.  You walked into that one, Free.  His sister stared back, processing the comment.  ¡°Ah!¡±  Her face flushed. ¡°I don¡¯t do it that much¡­¡±

 [Chapter 7] Free - To The Coliseum

    [Chapter 7] Free - To The Coliseum


    ------------------------------¡ª


    That was embarrassing¡­ Free tuned out as Light began asking about immortality. I respectfully disagreed. She was a big believer in lies, especially white ones. ¡®I¡¯m fine¡¯ and ¡®It¡¯ll be alright¡¯ were two of her favorites.


    Besides, fabrications could become truth. A bad situation could evolve into a good one, and a fake smile could turn genuine. She¡¯d seen it happen. Telling yourself you¡¯ll overcome the insurmountable and making it reality¡­ Isn¡¯t that how dreams come true? Simon was wrong.


    Free noticed everyone was walking away. Awww, fudge! Quickly following, she recalled another habitual line: ¡¯I was paying attention¡¯. Her ruminating was usually far more interesting than the thoughts of others. Revealing this would be cruel.


    ¡°Where¡¯re we going?¡± She asked Rose, her go-to person for these moments. She gives the best summaries.


    ¡°You missed everything? Again?¡± Her sister reproached.


    ¡°¡­Yes¡± Free admitted. Sometimes honesty was important. Rose has a low tolerance for bullshit.


    Her sister sighed, ¡°Basically, Light asked about our chances of reaching the Wall. Simon replied that strength and potential were key, and he couldn¡¯t comment without knowing ours. Light then suggested some sparring matches, and we¡¯re headed to the coliseum.¡±


    ¡°So we¡¯re battling?¡± Free said.


    ¡°Four quick duels.¡± Rose said. ¡°To be frank, I¡¯m also curious. I believe we¡¯re advanced for our age and want to confirm I¡¯m right.¡±


    Gauging our standing does sound appealing. Free knew how limiting insufficient power could be. She gazed off at her beautiful plants. I¡¯ll take some with me. She¡¯d spent nearly as much time in her garden as Hope did in her workshop. It¡¯s amazing what life can do when you tinker a little.


    A sinister smile crept on her lips. Astra will undoubtedly be busy. If she¡¯d one complaint, it was her creative pursuits were stymied. Between the tiny patch she¡¯d been allotted and the constant supervision, the environment was stifling. It¡¯d be different story on the Isle. I¡¯ll work unshackled. She¡¯d construct wonderful things.


    Another beloved untruth sprung to mind: ¡®I stopped making bugs¡¯. It was necessary. The others would be upset if they discovered she was still designing insects. She hid them inside her root balls. Tragically, they sometimes escaped. It¡¯s always so sad. More likely than not, they¡¯d have a fatal encounter with one of her siblings. I can¡¯t even complain when Rose burns them! Her sister didn¡¯t appreciate the effort devoted to their development.


    Free smirked. The others are baffled over how I made them. The habitat held only plants, and no books were sufficiently detailed to be useful. The answer was the Ether. She¡¯d reached out and blindly summoned ¡®small¡¯ things, and what she¡¯d gotten were mostly bugs. Strange ones. She¡¯d mastered the basics by dissecting these.


    Even then, it¡¯d taken months to produce her own. Implanting instincts so they didn¡¯t starve was a thorny challenge. She¡¯d saved time by omitting certain functions, such as reproduction. It¡¯d be a pain if they multiplied, mainly because they¡¯d be impossible to hide. They¡¯re meant to be unique anyway.


    Each bug was a precious experiment which had answered a question: ¡®What happens if I make the legs longer?¡¯, ¡®How does it balance if I add other body parts?¡¯, ¡®Does it eat faster if I add extra jaws?¡¯¡­ For satisfying her curiosity, she¡¯d gone the extra length to gift them permanence.


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    Any object created by magic had a reserve keeping it in the physical world. To make something last forever, you simply had to pour energy into it. Lots of it. The lifespan would go up by days, months, years, decades, and then centuries. The quantity required is ridiculous.


    When Free ¡®cultivated¡¯, she channeled power into her insects until adding more became impossible. Although gifted with creation, it took days. So Rose should stop torching them.


    Nearing their destination, Free heard Light explaining their training and stopped listening. She was eagerly anticipating her match. When fighting, she conjured reproductions of the plants in her garden. What¡¯ll I use today? This lead to a frightening thought.


    Free hurriedly sought Rose, ¡°Who¡¯s facing Dawn?¡±


    Her sister tensed, ¡°We haven¡¯t discussed that.¡±


    ¡°You know she¡¯ll want to show off.¡± Free said. ¡°Being her opponent won¡¯t be fun.¡±


    Rose grimaced, ¡°We''ll see how it goes.¡±


    They entered the smaller dome which served as their coliseum. There was no greenery, only a large sunken pit, twenty feet deep. The floors and walls were covered in glowing symbols, and a control podium stood by the stairs to the arena.


    ¡°This is Nero¡¯s work,¡± Simon observed. ¡°When he found the time, I can¡¯t imagine¡­¡±


    Free glanced at the ground. I must quiz him later. For years, she¡¯d been resisting the urge to pick those sigils apart. Regrettably, she didn¡¯t have confidence in replacing them.


    ¡°Wait,¡± Hope said. ¡°You¡¯re saying the Black Citadel¡¯s leader came all the way to set this up? Was it for us?¡±


    Simon nodded, ¡°Most likely. Astra must¡¯ve requested it after she found you.¡±


    ¡°¡¯Found us¡¯?¡± Rose pounced. ¡°What was that?¡±


    Simon stared back tiredly. Her sister got the message, ¡°Yes, tomorrow. I remember.¡±


    Free swore she heard Rose¡¯s teeth grind. Shaking her head, she hugged her sister from behind, ¡°Calm down. You always have to know everything right away, don¡¯t you?¡± Rose looked over her shoulder, surprised. ¡°We¡¯re traveling to the Isle of Dreams, and Astra has promised to reveal everything. So relax a little and enjoy the ride.¡±


    ¡°So, who¡¯s fighting who?¡± Dawn grinned. And we¡¯re brought crashing back to reality, Free released Rose. I wonder who¡¯ll be sacrificed on the alter of her ego. ¡°Or should we do everyone against me to save time?¡±


    Free shot a jaded glance. For the most part, you wouldn¡¯t notice Dawn¡¯s vanity. She¡¯d appear a polite, reasonable young lady. Then, out of blue, she¡¯d make such comments¡­ In any event, we¡¯re not doing the ¡®all vs Dawn¡¯ thing again. It¡¯d been a disaster. Not only did she win, but her narcissism grew noticeably worse.


    ¡°I¡¯ll leave this to you.¡± Free whispered, wandering off. Behind, Rose went to work, ¡°One-on-one duels are best¡­¡±


    Free peered down melancholically. It¡¯ll be our last time. She recalled her adventures in the ring, including her decapitation. Flying through the air looking at your headless body is a rare experience. She smiled. Poor Soul. The incident had scarred him. Although she¡¯d told him countless times it hadn¡¯t been disturbing (small white lie), he¡¯d still apologize whenever it was brought up¡­


    While their arena prevented death, the healing was slow. One day she¡¯d discovered she could accelerate it. From then on, whenever someone got hurt, she¡¯d heal them. Perfecting her craft had led to more fallacies such as ¡®I haven¡¯t been injuring myself¡¯ and later ¡®they were only minor wounds¡¯. I had to. The others might look at her weirdly otherwise.


    I¡¯ll hone my skills further on the Isle. Free was aware her abilities were imbalanced. She could expertly mend cuts, bruises, burns, broken bones¡­ Basically, anything she could inflict on herself while remaining conscious. Nevertheless, she remained a novice regarding diseases, poisons, and head trauma.


    Rose tapped her shoulder, ¡°We¡¯ve finished.¡±


    ¡°And?¡± Free asked. Snapping back to reality was a necessary skill for a daydreamer.


    ¡°Silver vs Dawn¡± Rose pointed to the two descending into the ring. Yes! Free disliked facing Dawn. Losing isn¡¯t fun. Silver was wearing a determined, resigned expression. Better you than me. As she watched, he turned back, and their eyes met. Can someone who doesn¡¯t feel fear be brave? It didn¡¯t matter. Free gave him a salute. Considering the circumstances, entering the ring with Dawn was heroic. Silver laughed and gave a thumbs up. It¡¯s like watching someone march to their execution.


    ¡°And the others?¡± Free asked. Silver¡¯s fate was no reason to get distracted.


    ¡°Light vs Free, Soul vs me, and Wise vs Hope.¡± Rose said.


    Nice. ¡°That¡¯s pretty good for me¡± Free said. ¡°But not so much for you.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my odds are slim.¡± Rose lamented. ¡°At least it wasn¡¯t Dawn.¡±


    By the podium, Soul activate dueling mode. A brief shimmer flickered over the arena, proof the force field was active. Half the runes then went dim as healing inside was disabled. Good luck Silver. You¡¯ll need it.

 [Chapter 8 part 1] Dawn - Spectating Duels

    [Chapter 8 part 1] Dawn - Spectating Duels


    ------------------------------¡ª


    Dawn contemplated Silver, frozen solid. It¡¯s nice being number one. She nodded happily and stretched in satisfaction. That went swimmingly.


    To draw out the bout, she¡¯d restricted herself from ice. Otherwise it¡¯d have been over instantly. Instead she¡¯d used other magics to burn, crush, and blow away Silver¡¯s summons. When he¡®d attempted close combat, she¡¯d slaughtered him. I¡¯m the best at hand to hand by far. Despite his aura¡¯s defense, she¡¯d felt bones breaking. Once he could barely move, she¡¯d finished him off by icing half the arena. Flash freezing is relatively painless, so everyone wins. Except for Silver, technically. He lost badly.


    ¡°Can you thaw him out?¡± Soul yelled down.


    Dawn nodded, and the ice dissipated, dropping her brother. Sorry, but I couldn¡¯t hold back with Simon watching. Moments like these were her guilty pleasure.


    Early on, she¡¯d realized she was better than everyone else. While this understanding had brought great joy, the others had been less pleased. Turns out people don¡¯t like being called inferior, even if true. To avoid crushing their fragile self-esteem, she¡¯d created rules for herself. First, no outright bragging. Second, no belittling, no matter how warranted. Finally, never seek out opportunities to shine. Proposing something like these matches was strictly forbidden. The initiative had to come from elsewhere. It was a painful sacrifice. After all these years, Dawn admired herself as much as ever. She savored these rare excuses to brandish her brilliance.


    While exiting, Dawn faltered. I forgot to display my summons! She¡¯d planned on materializing a rainbow-colored frost unicorn. Wastefully stupid things are surprisingly good at impressing. It¡¯d slipped her mind. Oh, well. Letting go of the disappointment, she joined the others, a ragged Silver behind.


    ¡°What¡¯d you think?¡± She asked.


    ¡°Impressive. I¡¯ve never seen someone so strong at your age,¡± Simon replied.


    ¡®Obviously¡¯. Dawn choked down the word. That was close. Careful now. She had to filter her thoughts before speaking. How about ¡®Of course¡¯? No, still condescending¡­ Tone it down, make it longer, dilute it. Finally, she settled on, ¡°Thank you for realizing how incredible I am.¡±


    When distracted, Dawn occasionally let out her honest opinions. Because of those moments, the others felt she¡¯d an ¡®ego problem¡¯. Really, what¡¯s wrong with accepting reality? She vigorously rejected the ¡®problem¡¯ part.


    ¡°Who should I start with?¡± Simon asked.


    Silver rolled his eyes, ¡°With Dawn.¡± Agreed, but was that necessary? Her brother was probably bitter about his utter defeat. He should be used to it by now.


    Simon faced her, ¡°You employed a remarkable array of magic in defeating your summoned opponents. Your martial arts are even more notable, as aura magic normally provides an advantage up close. Finally, your gift with ice rivals Astra¡¯s.¡±


    One more understands my worth. She loved beholding this realization. Here in the arctic, I¡¯m starved for recognition.


    ¡°I¡¯m curious though,¡± Simon said. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you use ice from the start?¡±


    ¡°To show off,¡± Silver cut in.


    That¡¯s not wrong, but¡­  Dawn rephrased it more diplomatically, ¡°If it¡¯d ended too soon, we couldn¡¯t have showcased our abilities.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Simon said. ¡°It¡¯s rare for someone to wield several magics. Most specialize in one or two affinities. Take your mother. Her talent with ice is so overwhelming it doesn¡¯t make sense to use anything else. I¡¯d venture your situation similar.¡±


    ¡°Thanks for the advice,¡± Dawn responded coolly.


    Astra had told her repeatedly not to practice other magics. The trouble was she¡¯d learned everything her mother taught so fast she was left with nothing to do. It also bothered her when her siblings could do things she couldn¡¯t. It feels wrong. That was why she devoted her time to training in other elements. The payoff is worth it. Astra¡¯s surprise when she first won using a fireball had been priceless.


    ¡°So how do we compare?¡± Dawn asked, staring hard. She wanted more.


    Simon got the message. ¡°As mentioned before, you might be the strongest fifteen year old alive at this moment. That¡¯s astounding considering your lack of fame.¡±


    At last. She¡¯d been waiting for this: confirmation of the natural order of things. Those words would warm her heart for some time to come.


    ¡°She¡¯ll be even more insufferable now¡­¡± Rose grumbled. I¡¯ll overlook that since I¡¯m in a fine mood.


    Simon continued, ¡°The caveat applies to the rest of you too. Normally ¡®prodigies¡¯ invariably achieve global recognition and benefit from fame¡¯s boost. Taking into account your missing celebrity, you¡¯re all overpowered.¡±


    Halfway through this spiel, Dawn zoned out. She was still half-listening though. I¡¯m not like Free. She¡¯d pay just enough attention to make sure she didn¡¯t miss anything pertaining to herself. Right now, Simon was talking about summoning.  See? Totally tedious. Her mental energy was better spent elsewhere. Take his last comment regarding ¡®the strongest fifteen year old¡¯. She found the qualifiers ¡®might¡¯ and ¡®at this moment¡¯ problematic. She¡¯d press him about it later.


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    ¡°Nice job hanging in as long as you did¡­ I suspect you might¡¯ve gotten the short end of the stick.¡± No disputing that.


    ¡°I¡¯d love to see a match between you and Dawn.¡± Silver glanced at her. ¡°That¡¯d be interesting.¡±


    ¡°You just want me to lose for a change.¡± She laughed. ¡°There¡¯s no way I could beat Simon¡­¡± ¡ª¡ªfor now.


    Of course, she knew she wasn¡¯t actually the best. I¡¯m not delusional. After all, if life was a race, some people had a head start of several centuries. Expecting to match them was ludicrous. However, with an even playing field, I won¡¯t lose to anyone. Even Simon and Astra were people she¡¯d surpass eventually.


    ¡°Shall we move on?¡± Simon asked.


    ¡°Sounds good!¡± Free spoke, ¡°It¡¯s our turn, Light.¡±


    Dawn watched her energetic sister with a shadow of discontent. Just after thinking about never losing¡­


    Whenever her siblings learned a new skill, she¡¯d master it too. While it¡¯d started out of boredom, she¡¯d found the practice enriching. Which is why Free¡¯s existence is so aggravating. Her one failure was keeping up with her sister¡¯s gift for healing. At least with Wise¡¯s foresight, I could accept it as a god-given gift. That wasn¡¯t the case with Free. Her sister¡¯s talent was vexingly above her own. It¡¯d been a shocking blow to her psyche, one which required much mulling to recover from. One aberration shouldn¡¯t undermine my world view. One day, she¡¯d uncover a rational explanation to the phenomenon.


    Dawn extended a hand, and an ice throne appeared. Magic¡¯s wonderful. She installed herself and looked down.


    Free was holding a wooden staff. It¡¯s a living weapon which does things no decent pole arm should do. Light stood opposite, arms crossed and scarf fluttering. He wastes energy on the strangest things. It¡¯d be an interesting match. Free was third strongest, and Light was tied for fourth.


    ¡°Begin!¡± Soul hollered.


    Light¡¯s hands flashed, executing a series of signs in succession. Sand and wind erupted, engulfing the arena. This sandstorm was the natural convergence of his two affinities, earth and air.


    Years ago, when Light had resolved to become a sand-themed ninja, the others had been perturbed. For her part, she¡¯d paid no mind. If I had to pity the less fortunate, then all the time in the world wouldn¡¯t be enough. Her attitude had changed weeks later when he¡¯d grown noticeably tougher. She¡¯d been fascinated. In this world, you can become powerful by altering your behavior. It was mind blowing. There really is a God, one with eccentric aesthetics at that.


    She¡¯d studied the transformation. Her brother¡¯s speed and agility had improved the most. He¡¯d begun using hand signals to boost his magic and could effortlessly summon shurikens. Then there was the substitution technique which made her drool with envy.


    As someone obsessed with self-improvement, she¡¯d been tempted to mimic his behavior, but ultimately declined to. I was worried Light would be upset or, worse, embrace my efforts. If he¡¯d expected her to remain a ninja forever, that¡¯d be troublesome. She wasn¡¯t quite ready for the commitment. I get enough strange looks already.


    Free held out a hand, and grains fell from her palm, carried off by the wind. Seeds infused with magic. Meanwhile, root-like things spread from her staff along the ground.


    Both Silver and Free brought living beings into existence to battle on their behalf. The similarity ends there. Silver¡¯s creatures were archetypes, strong but predictable. Free on the other hand¡­ She was a creator. Her plants were made from scratch, adapted to her opponents. Flame resistant for Rose and freeze resistant for Soul and myself. She could combine their functions and features at will, so there was no predicting them.  She can even change them on the fly if close enough.


    Other than Soul, Free was the only one who infrequently provided some challenge. It happened when she¡¯d dreamed up something new and nasty. Thank god she¡¯s restricted to plants. Confronting a deformed swarm of frost-resistant locusts was unappealing.


    Hiding in the tempest, Light was throwing dozens of shurikens. Everyone could see clearly despite the obscured arena. I love this feature. Impairing your opponent¡¯s vision was a common strategy. Summoning a blizzard for example. However, coliseum matches were meant to be viewed, which was why the HEAVENLY DAO made environmental effects transparent. Where¡¯s the pleasure in winning if no one can witness it?


    Speaking of¡­ Outside of the raging sandstorm, seeds had taken root. That¡¯s a mistake. Dawn¡¯s approach was to freeze every one of Free¡¯s plants. Admittedly, it¡¯s difficult when she scatters them all over the place. Some around the edge were bearing weird red fruits and purple flowers, while others had matured into coiling vines. He¡¯ll regret letting so many grow.


    Swinging her staff, Free knocked shurikens away while those she missed sliced her apart. The scene appeared worse than it was. She¡¯s blocking critical wounds while healing the rest.


    They all possessed some ability with foresight. Wise aside, I¡¯m the most skilled. The easiest thing to sense coming was pain and death. Free was deflecting the worst attacks through their lethality. As for her injuries, they didn¡¯t have time to bleed. Flaunting her abilities¡­ And it wasn¡¯t just her wounds which were mending.


    Free¡¯s fighting style had changed after mastering healing, to the detriment of her attire. She¡¯d often end up half-naked. After a few months of patchwork rags, she¡¯d presented herself with those new ¡®clothes¡¯. While appearing cotton, they were actually a living organism. Presumably a plant? They¡¯d slowly crawled back together when cut. The way they wriggle gives me goose bumps.


    The projectile barrage was draining Free¡¯s stamina. At this rate, she¡¯d lose. Which is why she¡¯ll counter-attack. Light could perceive Free¡¯s location, but not the vegetation at her feet.


    Suddenly, Free ducked down, and roots formed a shell around her. With their master¡¯s safety assured, the rest stretched out, whipping around in search of prey. How does she do that? They¡¯re almost sapient¡­


    A flailing root connected with Light and was swiftly sliced apart by his short sword. But it¡¯s too late¡­ Free¡¯s plants surged forwards and, despite furious slashing, wrapped around his limbs. Normally, it¡¯d be over here, but¡­ Light¡¯s body turned into sand, falling through his captors¡¯ grip. And there it is.


    This ¡®substitution technique¡¯ was what ninjas were famous for. Visually and functionally, I admit it¡¯s cool. Twice per match, Light would crumble into sand and reappear somewhere nearby. It¡¯s basically short range teleportation. For martial arts, where speed was paramount, instantaneous motion was the holy grail. Such abilities were rare even for immortals.  To my knowledge, Astra doesn¡¯t have any.  It was ridiculous her brother had two guaranteed dodges. It even works against me.


    Infuriatingly, Light refused to disclose the details. I suspect he doesn¡¯t know. But if that¡¯s true, how the bloody hell did he learn it? All she¡¯d pieced together were the rules under which it operated. First, it required an attack to land before activation. So you don¡¯t have to worry unless you¡¯re on the offensive. Second, it could only be used twice in a row. Without this, he¡¯d be invincible. Finally, the range was about sixty feet, and he couldn¡¯t appear closer than ten from an opponent. Understandable, it¡¯s theoretically meant for escape.  This time, he¡¯d appeared in the air above Free.


    (continued in part 2)

 [Chapter 8 part 2] Dawn - Spectating Duels

    [Chapter 8 part 2] Dawn - Spectating Duels


    ------------------------------¡ª


    ¡­


    Light reached out, converging the sandstorm into a giant boulder below him. He kicked off, sending it crashing downward. Free evaded, but her plants were crushed. Light completed more hand signals, and the sand rose in a wave to chase after her. She braced herself as it crashed and buried her waist deep. She¡¯s in trouble.


    Before Light could follow up, Free raised a hand, and a few surviving roots shot upwards. Light was caught midair, but once again turned to sand. He emerged on the right, rushing forward to end the fight.


    Free covered her eyes and snapped her fingers. Around the arena, every purple flower released a blinding light. I told you¡­ When Dawn¡¯s vision recovered, she found Light tangled in vines. He must¡¯ve retreated into a trap. Free threw her staff, which morphed into a mass of roots. Colliding, they wrapped him from head to toe.


    Free leisurely dug herself out as her brother struggled. She then walked over smiling, arms behind her back. ¡°I concede,¡± Light declared reluctantly.


    The plants withered away. I wonder what the red fruits were. Some manner of bomb probably. You can¡¯t trust anything she makes.


    Dawn went to congratulate them, ¡°Nice performance¡­¡±  ¡ª¡ªconsidering you aren¡¯t me.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Free turned to Simon. ¡°So?¡± I should listen. Although it was hard to care, it was only polite.


    ¡°Although I¡¯ve seen others specialized in plants, I didn¡¯t recognize a single one¡­¡±


    While yawning, Dawn had a thought. This must be good for their self-esteem. To the extent they had confidence issues, she was partly to blame. How can they avoid feeling unworthy in my presence?


    Dawn smirked. Reminds me of the time I got carried away. She¡¯d suggested facing all of them together. To give them a fighting chance. It¡¯d been half in jest, but they¡¯d taken her up on it. Of course I won, but it was closer than they realize. Her endurance wasn¡¯t endless. Strangely, they always refused her offers for a rematch, which she felt conflicted about. While I crave the thrill again, losing would be awful.


    Simon was discussing ninja stuff. Light will be happy. Dawn tuned out and revisited one of her lingering disappointments: it wasn¡¯t possible to master everything. There simply isn¡¯t time. She¡¯d been compelled to discard useless skills like cooking. Perhaps I¡¯ll indulge them once I¡¯m on the wall¡­ Soul and Rose had entered the arena. Let¡¯s focus.


    ¡°Sorry, but I won¡¯t be holding back.¡± Soul declared, frozen armor covering every inch of him. Harder than steel, yet flexible and light. Like her own, it was beautiful. Soul summoned a sword as tall as himself. That laughable blade¡­ They¡¯d been bewildered when Astra had recommended it. Yet, defying logic, wielding it had come naturally, and the over-sized weapon had ceased being funny. It suits him too well.


    ¡°Sounds ominous.¡± Rose responded, flames crawling up her arms. ¡°The odds are against me, but I¡¯m also going for the win.¡± She never wore sleeves as even Hope¡¯s fireproof clothing didn¡¯t last. Her upper back was uncovered for the same reason.


    ¡°Are you ready?¡± Free shouted. "Here we go!¡± She¡¯s also basking in victory.


    Flames erupted from Rose as she circled around, hurling explosive pyrotechnics. Contrary to what she¡¯d read in some books, these ¡®fireballs¡¯ were neither slow nor easily dodged. She doesn¡¯t ¡®throw¡¯ them, she ¡®launches¡¯ them at meteoric speeds. Fire magic made excellent propellant. Her goal is to distract and disorient. To break Soul¡¯s armor, only the strongest close-range strike would do, yet it was dangerous to approach unless he was off-balance.


    For his part, Soul was parrying while dropping ice blocks in Rose¡¯s path. He¡¯s impeding her movement and sight. In terms of speed, Rose had the edge. She¡¯s the second fastest. The flames released from her arms and back accelerated her with ease. Dawn adored the imagery. Wings of fire¡­


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    It¡¯s a pity the outcome is obvious. Only Dawn could defeat Soul when he was serious. How to describe him? He was a slightly less good male version of herself. Which meant he was amazing. After all, a little weaker than me is miles above everyone else. If Soul hadn¡¯t been around, she might¡¯ve slacked off from the lack of competition.


    His strength came from his ice affinity and Astra¡¯s martial arts. But I¡¯m better in every way¡­ except one. Dawn studied her brother. She¡¯d always wondered why, defensively, he was on par. When she¡¯d asked Astra, she¡¯d been told he¡¯d surpass her and ¡®not to worry about it¡¯. Even now, it¡¯s upsetting.


    Only after hearing the explanation did she calm down. As the symbol of his aspirations, the HEAVENLY DAO strengthened his armor. If Dawn wanted to keep up, she¡¯d need to match his dedication. I won¡¯t go around calling myself a ¡®hero¡¯ for a reward as poor as armor enhancement. At least ninjas got neat abilities.


    Oh, he¡¯s making his move. Soul had sent a wall of snow tumbling forwards, advancing under its cover. Rose burned through the center, eliminating the immediate threat. When the avalanche barreled by, an armored figure jumped out to her left, and she unleashed a blazing all-out attack. The armor resisted a second before disintegrating. Nothing was inside. Soul emerged from behind and swung his weapon at lighting speed. It¡¯s over.


    Rose glanced at her uninjured stomach, ¡°What happened to ¡®not holding back¡¯?¡±


    Had Soul not shattered his sword before striking, Rose would¡¯ve been split open. Never a fun experience. Dawn was intimately familiar with death as every match with her mother ended in a mortal injury. She doesn¡¯t hold back.  Maybe it was to remind her she wasn¡¯t invincible. If so, it¡¯s useless. Her ego was properly compartmentalized.


    ¡°That was a cunning trick. Very sneaky.¡± Rose said. ¡°Why haven¡¯t you used it before?¡±


    Soul smiled slyly, ¡°I have to keep an ace or two up my sleeve. Even if I¡¯m not Dawn, I¡¯ve got my pride.¡±


    ¡°I object.¡± Rose grumbled. ¡°You¡¯re strong enough. If you start being ¡®clever¡¯ too, that¡¯s overkill.¡±


    Was he saving that for me? It wouldn¡¯t have worked. Besides, she had her own trump cards reserved for Astra. Anyway, this proves the hierarchy. It was Dawn, Soul, and everyone else. She loved them, but they were all pushovers.


    Time for more dullness. When she joined the others, Hope rushed off, saying, ¡°I¡¯ll be right back.¡± Dawn groaned.


    ¡°Where¡¯s she off to?¡± Simon asked.


    ¡°Her match is next.¡± Dawn answered. ¡°She went to grab something from her workshop.¡± A pointless endeavor.


    Simon began his review, and Dawn stopped paying attention. Boring. She¡¯d been making a special effort because of their guest, but normally she would¡¯ve already gone off to cultivate. They¡¯re just so bland compared to me. Even standing here, barely listening, was a waste of time.


    Dawn contemplated how little she was anticipating the next match-up. Wise beat Hope every time. You¡¯d think a normal person would¡¯ve given up by now, but no¡­ Hope was pigheaded. She¡¯s planning on battling in earnest today again. What made this doubly farcical was they were both so feeble. Even if you pull off a miracle, it¡¯s only second to last, you know? This brought up another sore point. While her siblings were touchy over being called weak, Hope was especially prickly. The girl would give her death stares. It¡¯s sad what lack of talent does to some people.


    The conversation had now moved on to the Isle of Dreams. See? She caused a delay. Dawn didn¡¯t share in the general excitement over their departure. In fact, she regarded it akin to a death sentence. I can¡¯t even complain.


    While there were attractive aspects to the outside world, a major negative out-weighed them all. In the illustration Silver had shown them, one part had jumped out: the five mile drop on all sides of the Isle. Dawn suppressed a shiver. High places should go to hell.


    Dawn experienced an acute sense of discomfort at elevated locations. A minor, irrational flaw. With her armor and martial arts, she¡¯d easily survive most drops. Despite knowing this, the fear remained. Dawn realized it¡¯d be problematic.


    For the last hour, she¡¯d been brooding. First, she¡¯d chastised Arther Bard for dying. I feel guilty over that. When Astra had mentioned an airship, she¡¯d wondered about sabotaging it. All transportation should be grounded. When Simon had described the Fractured Earth, a single thought had seared through her. HEAVENLY DAO, your world sucks.


    Dawn sighed. Obviously she¡¯d never told anyone. She¡¯d always intended to rid herself of the silly phobia before leaving. There¡¯d been a detailed plan in place utilizing the fortress above. True, she¡¯d repeatedly pushed back its implementation, but their scheduled departure had been years off. Then Simon arrived.


    The future promised much unpleasantness. She wasn¡¯t comfortable with tomorrow¡¯s method of transport. Damn airships. She was aware the Black Citadel stood on the arctic¡¯s edge. Damn cliffs. She¡¯d heard all about the wonderful floating world they were heading to. Bloody damn Enera.


    Dawn would hide her emotions with every fiber of her being. Hopefully, if she kept enduring the terror quietly, she¡¯d eventually acclimatize herself before the others caught on. That was the new plan. It sucks.


    Hope chose this moment to return. Perfect. This would distract her. ¡°Time to confirm who¡¯s the weakest of the weaklings.¡± She mused cheerfully.


    Everyone turned, and Simon raised an eyebrow. Dawn frowned. I said that out loud, didn¡¯t I? Scornful, jaded looks surrounded her.


    ¡°You¡¯re terrible.¡± Hope stomped off. I possibly deserved that. She could tell it¡¯d hit hard this time. Oh well, it can¡¯t be helped. Dawn returned to her throne. I¡¯m superior, not flawless.

 [Chapter 9 part 1] Hope - Solas Legacy

    [Chapter 9 part 1] Hope - Sola''s Legacy


    --------------------------------


    Hope fumed, leaving that ¡®thing¡¯ sitting innocently behind. The worst part is she¡¯s correct, dang it. At least she¡¯d take comfort in knowing her sister was an awful person.


    Hope¡¯s personality revolved around wry humor and sarcasm. Plus pessimism. These diffused the rage. So far she hadn¡¯t enjoyed the best luck in life. Understatement. Being the ¡®weakest of the weaklings¡¯ ¡ª¡ªcurse you, Dawn¡ª¡ª wouldn¡¯t be so bad if not for the competitive environment. She¡¯d read about it, this thing called a ¡®caring mother¡¯. That¡¯s not Astra. She¡¯d only come across one character who resembled her. He¡¯d been a drill Sergeant.


    I probably shouldn¡¯t complain. Wise and Silver had been through worse. Rose tortured herself with her obsessions. Free had also suffered greatly, but it didn¡¯t really count since it was self-inflicted. As for Dawn¡­ Has that narcissist ever known hardship? Light and Soul were closest to normal, which was funny considering one was a wanna-be-ninja and the other a wanna-be-hero.


    That¡¯s better. Venting and mocking the world¡¯s wrongness always improved her mood. She stared across the arena at Wise, her eternal nemesis.


    There were three siblings she¡¯d never beaten: Dawn, Soul, and Wise. Nothing could be done about the first two. They¡¯re monsters. However, Wise was different. First, he was weak. Nearly as much as me! Second, he won in an annoying fashion. Technically not his fault. Finally, his attitude was infuriating. Again, he¡¯s not to blame, but damn him anyway.


    Since Wise¡¯s foresight made him fatalistic, he used to announce the outcome of their matches.  It¡¯d been maddening.  I reject that I¡¯m destined to lose. He¡¯d eventually stopped, but she still saw it in his eyes. That bastard knows he¡¯ll win.


    Dueling Wise felt like battling fate. She hadn¡¯t won, not once. My nemesis. Wise looked back with a resigned expression, extending his retractable staff. That hateful thing¡­


    ¡°You¡¯re well-equipped¡­¡± he noted, ¡°I¡¯ll have to work harder than normal.¡±


    Hope just glared. She¡¯d learned that saying anything would come back to bite when she inevitably lost. ¡®Inevitably lost¡¯? Screw that! For every encounter, Hope dreamed up new tricks and plans. Hasn¡¯t worked so far, but¡­ Her current strategy had a decent chance: overwhelming him with a wasteful quantity of items. It¡¯ll be painful. It took time and effort to infuse spells, making her stingy. But not today.


    She tossed a large shuriken in the air, and it whirled to life, diving forwards. She¡¯d imbued the projectile with rotation, levitation, and homing. There were virtually no restrictions on her enchantments. Everything her siblings could do, so could she. It just takes longer and must be done ahead of time.


    Wise evaded ¡ª¡ªOf course he did¡ª¡ª, and the shuriken turned in a wide arc. It¡¯ll target him for two minutes. She aimed to drain his stamina while keeping him at bay. For me, Wise is unbeatable up close. Ideally, something would connect once he was exhausted. I only need one hit.


    Naturally, it wouldn¡¯t be that easy. As the spinning blades came in for a second pass, Wise tapped one with his staff, and the steel dropped with a thud. That bothersome ability¡­


    Wise could cancel magic. Makes sense. If you could create, then it should be possible to unmake too. Whereas other magics added to the world, necromancy focused on erasing. Also bending reality and summoning that which shouldn¡¯t exist.


    She really wished Wise hadn¡¯t future-fried his brain. The pity makes it harder to dislike him. At his insanest, he¡¯d been hideously strong. Rivaling Dawn. While he¡¯d lost nearly all that, the key word was ¡®nearly¡¯. The portion he¡¯d conserved greatly frustrated her. Especially that staff.


    Canceling didn¡¯t help much against the others, since martial arts couldn¡¯t be countered. However, it¡¯s stupidly effective against me. If she spent five minutes on an enchantment, he¡¯d take five seconds to destroy it. Then there¡¯s the anti-magic relic from his crazed self. Wise¡¯s staff negated anything it touched, even Soul and Dawn¡¯s armor. Her enchantments didn¡¯t stand a chance.


    Reaching in a pocket, she grabbed a fist full of pebbles. Small and light, they stored a decent charge and were her favorites. There¡¯s a ready supply outside.


    Letting them fly, they glowed red and shot out fireballs. These weren¡¯t as fast as Rose¡¯s, but that didn¡¯t matter. Wise can cancel lighting. Her brother swatted two and sidestepped the rest. She threw more, and ice shards rained down. I¡¯ve brought dozens of every type. Let¡¯s see you last.


    After two minutes of fruitless bombardment, Wise suddenly rushed forwards. Oh no, you don¡¯t.  Hope backed up while flinging pebbles which grew a hundred times their original size. He can¡¯t cancel them all. However, the boulders hit nothing as her brother had switched to moving sideways. Hope ran the other way. If he nears¡­


    Wise circled the rocks, gaining ground. I¡¯m prepared for this. She swung her arm, dropping a line of stones. Flashing yellowish red, they erupted into a ten foot inferno. That¡¯ll slow him. Wise accelerated. At least it should¡¯ve¡­ He planted his staff and vaulted over the flames. Shocked, Hope watched him land safely. I didn¡¯t know he could do that! Wise probably hadn¡¯t either. Foresight had given him the solution.


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    He¡¯s close. Hope threw a fist-sized rock. Flickering white, air exploded outward. That¡¯ll give me space. Wise threw his staff, which cut through the gale and struck with a thack. The wind vanished, and he caught his weapon passing by. This isn¡¯t fair, Hope protested. He¡¯s never thrown it before.


    I¡¯m in trouble. Wise was much faster. He¡¯s not weighed down. Besides the rocks, she wore bands around her neck and arms. Hope could ¡®metal bend¡¯, liquefying steel to form blades and other shapes. Sounds awesome, right? And it was¡­ Against opponents who weren¡¯t Dawn, Soul, or Wise. The first two froze her metal. They¡¯re too strong anyway. As for Wise, his detestable staff severed her control.


    Off-balance, Hope sent out snaking spears. In the past, she¡¯d shaped shields, but he¡¯d just drive them back into her. After a few concussions, she¡¯d given up on defense.


    While her opponent knocked her blades aside, she rearmed herself. With this many, I¡¯ll¡ª¡ª Wise threw his staff. Again? It hit her head with a thock.


    She fell backwards, pebbles scattering. When she¡¯d recovered, Wise stood over her. At this range, it was over. Sneak attacks are useless. ¡°I give up.¡± Hope collapsed.


    Wise offered a hand, but she ignored it. Don¡¯t make gestures you know I won¡¯t accept¡­ They won¡¯t absolve you. Instead, she gathered the unused enchantments and got up.


    ¡°Dang it, I was doing well for a second.¡± She said.


    Wise shook his head, ¡°It wouldn¡¯t have worked. Even with all your stones, I would¡¯ve barely had enough energy left.¡±


    ¡°Also, Sorry¡­ I should¡¯ve ended it sooner. I initially thought you¡¯d loaded up to show off. Once I realized you were serious, I felt terrible letting you waste your hard work¡­¡±


    So, I would¡¯ve lost either way, but you beat me quickly out of ¡®kindness¡¯. Hope let out an internal scream of anguish. His well-intentioned honesty simply magnified the damage. NEMESIS!


    Hope marched out. So disappointing! Since Wise never got stronger, it felt like she wasn¡¯t improving either. Which isn¡¯t true, since I bested Free last year. Her efforts were producing results. Except with him. She couldn¡¯t beat her feeblest sibling even once. Does he make an extra effort against me? He really didn¡¯t need to.


    Her mother had joined the others. Great, just in time for my defeat. At this point, did it matter? She¡¯d gone all-out today, and¡­ No, don¡¯t you dare get depressed. Stay angry! Next time, I¡¯ll win. On the Isle, she¡¯d juice her spells with rare materials and finally acquire a martial art. It¡¯d be her turn to shine! Let¡¯s ignore that Wise will have those same advantages.


    ¡°So I hear you¡¯ve been evaluating my children.¡± Astra said expressionlessly. She¡¯s annoyed¡­


    ¡°They wanted an outside perspective, and I was also curious. Perhaps we were overenthusiastic¡­¡± Simon replied. ¡°Was it not alright?¡± Nice job.


    ¡°I don¡¯t appreciate it happening without my knowledge.¡± She gestured. ¡°Please, continue. I¡¯d like to hear this.¡±


    Simon cleared his throat, ¡°Hope, you cast a wonderfully diverse array of spells. You¡¯ve the makings of a first rate enchantress. Wise, you displayed amazing foresight in negating and evading all that sorcery. It bespeaks deep necromantic talent. For you both, I note your strength is paltry compared to your magics. I can only assume you lack suitable martial arts.¡± Spot on.


    ¡°May I see your staff?¡± Simon asked.


    ¡°Sure.¡± Wise handed it over, confused.


    Simon studied it, ¡°As I thought, impressive nullification¡­ To possess the skills to fashion this, yet only rudimentary martial arts¡­ I can¡¯t fathom how it happened.¡±


    To his credit, Simon returned the staff without pushing for clarification, ¡°You¡¯d benefit significantly from proper instruction as necromantic martial arts operate fundamentally differently. Understanding their underlying philosophy would aid you greatly.¡±


    ¡°Can you tell me more?¡° Wise asked. A question? Wow, he must be excited.


    ¡°Sure.¡±  Simon smiled. ¡°You see, we necromancers don¡¯t make ourselves stronger. Instead, we make everything around us weaker. Rather than increasing our speed, we slow the world. We throw punches with normal strength, yet they hit like a ton of bricks. The end affect is the same, but the means of getting there is reversed.¡± Wise just found a competent teacher¡­ I need one too! She wasn¡¯t falling further behind.


    ¡°Can I see your stones?¡± Simon asked.


    This again? ¡°Here you go.¡± Hope held out a handful.


    ¡°One¡¯s enough¡± Simon examined his pick. ¡°They¡¯re ordinary rocks¡­¡± Why yes, yes they are.


    Hope gave Simon the stare. He continued quickly, ¡°Nothing wrong with that. Base or earthly materials are still commonly used. Enchanted steel is functional and cheap. However, later on, these won¡¯t cut it anymore. All the toughest and most versatile materials are of unnatural origin, raw magic given form. Since you¡¯re a metal bender, it¡¯d be a good idea to play around with Orichalcum, Adamantium, Mithril, or Cardium, to name a few.¡±


    Yes, I want those. All of them. Astra had items of unnatural alloys, but they weren¡¯t for her to mess with. I should make a must-do list.


    ¡°For enchanting, parts from magical beasts surpass anything of earthly origin. I¡¯d suggest the claws of a griffin. They¡¯re cheap, light, and hold more than rocks.¡±


    While she¡¯d grown attached to her pebbles, she was prepared to give them up.  To crush Wise, I¡¯ll enchant nails, teeth or whatever. Her resources had been deplorably limited here. Mostly ice and rocks, dammit!


    ¡°Lastly, I should mention combat strength is less critical for enchanters. They¡¯re the one group who can reliably become immortal without risking their lives. Instead, they can gain recognition through the tools they craft. On the Isle, you¡¯ll find them in high demand.¡± That¡¯s nice, but I¡¯m still beating Wise. She wasn¡¯t OK with being weak.


    ¡°You don¡¯t happen to know about martial arts for enchanters?¡±


    ¡°Not the specifics, but I¡¯ve heard some details.¡± Simon said. Oh? That¡¯s better than expected.  ¡°I had a chat with a colleague recently. She said it involves ¡®layered enchantments¡¯ for ¡®rechargeability¡¯. Apparently, this was ¡®a pain because each body part has to be done its own way¡¯ which ¡®is needlessly complicated¡¯. Sorry, that¡¯s all I remember.¡±


    ¡°Can I meet this person?¡± Hope asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you will.¡± Astra answered. ¡°Simon, thanks for your advice. Here¡¯s some of mine: next time, ask before appraising someone¡¯s children.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡±  Simon said seriously.


    Astra clapped, ¡°Alright, to the airship!¡±


    (continued in part 2)


    Author''s note: If you''ve liked what you''ve read so far, please leave a comment or a vote. Thank you.

 [Chapter 9 part 2] Hope - Solas Legacy

    [Chapter 9 part 2] Hope - Sola''s Legacy


    --------------------------------


    ¡­


    Hope struggled to tamper bubbling expectations. She was the one who¡¯d benefit most from this journey. Theoretically, that is. She had the bad habit of getting her hopes up. I should know better. Cynicism had served her well over the years. It was a trusted friend. Whatever Astra is set to reveal, it won¡¯t be good. She was sure of it.


    Rounding the main dome, they passed her workshop, a repurposed recreation room whose furniture was stuffed with pebbles. Packing will be a nightmare. She slipped in and dumped her leftover ammunition. There¡¯s so much thanks to Wise. She wasn¡¯t grateful.


    It¡¯s easier to move now, Hope reflected sadly while catching up. Even Wise could lift twice his weight. I need a martial art, dang it.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be heading outside the fortress. Prepare appropriately.¡± Astra said.


    Awww, damn. It was exceptionally cold out there. Hope grabbed her outer layers from the nearby closet. On the top shelf, small cloth pouches were piled up. The tiny stones within would emit heat for hours once activated. No point in saving them. She filled her pockets while Wise waited patiently. If he had ill intent, he¡¯d be so hateable. She tossed him a dozen. While irritating, he was a fellow victim who¡¯d be confined without her aid. I¡¯d feel horrible if he missed something important.


    Back outside, an airship hovered just off the ground, fifty feet long and seventeen wide. Floodlights lining the hull brightly illuminated the fortress.


    ¡°It¡¯s six hundred years old but still top of the line.¡± Astra said.


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ radiant.¡± Rose mumbled.


    ¡°Deep in the Fractured Earth, there¡¯s only darkness.¡± Astra answered. ¡°Seeing helps for piloting.¡±


    It had the shape of boats she¡¯d seen in books. It¡¯d float on liquids if it obeyed the laws of gravity. There were still some fresh-water bodies where man sailed.


    ¡°This is Aery-made¡­¡± Simon commented.


    Astra breathed deeply, ¡°Yes.¡±


    Noting blank expressions, Simon explained, ¡°Maximum height and rising speed depends on the materials employed. Construction at higher elevations is always better. Since Aery controls the uppermost portions of Enera, they have a monopoly over high-altitude crafts. What grade is this one?¡±


    ¡°Third grade.¡± Astra said.


    Simon whistled softly, ¡°Same as Aery¡¯s military. Guess it should be expected.¡±


    ¡°I wish you wouldn¡¯t raise unnecessary topics.¡± Astra said coldly.


    Simon looked back blankly, ¡°They don¡¯t know?¡±


    Everyone stood still. I¡¯ve no clue what¡¯s going on. Finally, Astra sighed, ¡°I¡¯m technically the heir to Aery¡¯s throne, but it¡¯s a story for another time.¡±


    More secrets, Rose won¡¯t be happy. Hope contemplated what this made her mother. Is she a queen or princess or neither? She wanted to ask, but didn¡¯t think it smart. The subject seems touchy.


    Astra approached the hull, ¡°To open it, channel into this blue circle.¡± A section slid away to reveal a well-lit open space. Only the front and back were closed off, and there were stairs leading up. Same as outside, the surfaces were an ivory resin, but Hope sensed metal underneath.


    ¡°I mainly use this for supply runs, hence the large cargo bay.¡± Astra walked over and pulled grey bags from a storage below the stairs. ¡°These might be plain, but they carry heavy loads. Use them to pack.¡±


    She looked around, ¡°The front is the ¡®captain¡¯s quarters¡¯, and the rear is the engine room. Both are locked. The main cabin is above. Be there tomorrow at eight AM.¡± Typical no-nonsense.


    ¡°That¡¯s all.¡± Their mother declared. ¡°Now I¡¯ll show you the truth buried here.¡±


    Astra led them south through courtyards and side passageways. This place is a maze. She was the least familiar with the layout, only venturing out to spectate beautiful skies. Or when the cabin fever gets bad. Meanwhile the others had spent plenty of time investigating. I¡¯m jealous, dang it. Only Wise had less outdoor experience, but he didn¡¯t need to explore. He just ¡®knows¡¯ the way. Not fair.


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    Hope saw the south gate. The least frequented. While the North opened to the great hall, the South led to a courtyard.  Nothing comes from that direction. Astra flicked a finger and the colossal doors flew apart. Something was missing on the other side. Where¡¯s her sleeping army?


    ¡°Mother moved them.¡± Wise said. ¡°She also got rid of the snowdrift.¡± Being occasionally useful doesn¡¯t redeem you.


    They descended onto hard ice and advanced into a cleared area which went on for miles. About ten feet of loose snow is gone. A glacial gale assaulted them. Gravity-driven Katabatic winds from the pole¡­ They never let up. Hope pulled her hood tight and trudged head down.


    ¡°This is far enough.¡± Astra said after an eternity. Yay! Hope moved to keep the winds at her back.


    Kneeling, her mother put both hands on the ice and channeled. I¡¯ve never sensed anything that intense. The ground vanished under them. She¡¯s making it transparent! First it was a dozen feet, then several dozens. Two hundred feet down, dim outlines emerged. The expanding crater exposed a hazy landscape. It¡¯s eerie. They stood on an invisible surface high above.


    Astra rose, and light exploded when she placed her hands together, forcing them to avert their eyes. She released the energy into the heavens where it scattered into miniature suns, turning night into day. Below was a twisting labyrinth of windowless, metallic buildings stretching back to the fortress.


    ¡°This is Sola¡¯s Legacy.¡± Astra stated. ¡°Also known as Earth¡¯s End.¡±


    Fixed in position, creatures were swarming the mangled architecture. They were a grotesque mix of aspects not belonging together. Mammal parts, reptile parts, horns, claws¡­ The number of limbs and general form had no consistency, and disturbing bug features were mixed in.  Furry insects legs¡­ Spider eyes on mammal faces¡­ Yuck¡­


    ¡°They¡¯re Chimeras.¡± Astra continued. ¡°This was Sola¡¯s base of operations for decades.¡±


    I¡¯m happier about leaving. Those monstrosities creeped her out. They¡¯re something Free would make.  With a sinking feeling, she shot her sister a glance. Don¡¯t you dare! They¡¯d have a serious chat later. Free was NOT getting inspiration from this. I swear, if I find a mouse with spider legs in my room, I¡¯m going to lose it.


    ¡°See those buildings?¡± Astra pointed out a large complex. ¡°That¡¯s where she performed resurrections.¡±


    This meant nothing to Hope. The others must feel the same. They¡¯d never lost anyone. That might change, but I pray not soon.


    ¡°When the Dark Age began, she built a larger headquarter North of the equator. Before leaving, she converted these facilities to spew out an endless stream of horrors.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s awesome.¡± Light mumbled.


    Everyone rolled their eyes, except Simon and Dawn. The necromancer was contemplating seriously. He¡¯s grasping Light¡¯s mindset. As for Dawn, she was staring down, motionless. What¡¯s so distracting? Their brother¡¯s attitude was especially flippant this time. I won¡¯t understand, but I can¡¯t help wondering: what goes on in his head? She eventually gave in, ¡°We¡¯ve been living next to a nightmarish doom factory sealed under the ice. How¡®s that ¡®awesome¡¯?¡±


    Light faced her as if she was mad, ¡°You just said it yourself, ¡®a nightmarish doom factory sealed under the ice¡¯. Isn¡¯t that the embodiment of cool?¡± Yeah, he¡¯s broken.


    This was partly her fault. ¡®Why don¡¯t you try being a ninja?¡¯ She¡¯d suggested once when he¡¯d been in a slump. It was her dirty little secret. I never expected him to take the advice so deeply to heart¡­ She¡¯d been even more surprised when he¡¯d started winning. This success made it harder to tell him to tone it down. Even Astra has accepted his new persona¡­


    Light waved his arms, ¡°Look at that! It¡¯s huge and goes on for miles! Built by the greatest villain the world has ever known, crawling with freaky monsters inside and out, filled with forbidden secrets¡­ God, it¡¯s incredible.¡±


    ¡°Many died because of this ¡®incredible¡¯ place.¡± Astra said quietly. ¡°It¡¯s also why I¡¯ve been stuck here for millennia.¡±


    ¡°Ah, sorry about that¡­¡± Light rubbed his head awkwardly. ¡°But it¡¯s still amazing.¡± Since I refer to Wise as ¡®nemesis¡¯, I can¡¯t be normal either. That said, he¡¯s several degrees farther gone.


    ¡°Light got one thing right.¡± Rose said. ¡°It does go on forever. How did Sola construct all this?¡±


    ¡°Easily.¡± Astra answered. ¡°For fifty years, she had a monopoly over the most valued commodity. With everyone courting her, she¡¯d obtain anything she desired.¡±


    Hope eyed the structure where Sola raised the dead. Why didn¡¯t mother bring us there? It¡¯d make sense to center their outing over the most important location. Unless¡­ She looked down. What an unpleasant notion. Which was why it had to be true. Trust pessimism. For once, she copied Wise and asked a question knowing the answer, ¡°You found us here, right?¡±


    Astra sighed, ¡°Yes¡­ By that long building near the edge. I¡¯ll explain tomorrow.¡±


    So we¡¯re from a ¡®nightmarish doom factory¡¯. So unreal, it was oddly funny. Could the monsters below be considered brothers? Actually, do they even have genders? This would take a lot of dark humor to process. I should wait to hear the rest before trying. More was certain to come.


    ¡°Enough.¡± Astra reached up, clasping her fist, and the suns disappeared. When their vision returned, so had the white ice below.


    ¡°Thank god.¡± Dawn whispered, pale faced. Had it really bothered her that much? Good. The thought was mean and satisfying.


    ¡°I¡¯ve preparations to make, so you¡¯re on your own.¡± With a ground-shaking leap, Astra flew back to the fortress.


    I guess it¡¯s time for packing¡­ She¡¯d never done it before, but Hope already suspected she¡¯d hate it.

 [Chapter 10] Light - Shinobi Training

    [Chapter 10] Light - Shinobi Training


    ------------------------------------------------


    Before him were two grey bags. The left one contained everything he owned. It wasn¡¯t much, some clothing and personal effects. It¡¯s Free and Hope who have many possessions. The right one contained his treasured literature. The library will be incomplete without them. While they ought to be simple to reacquire, he was taking them to be safe.


    Grabbing his luggage, he glanced around. The room looked identical to the others on the second floor. So empty¡­


    Exiting, he heard a thud. Silver had jumped down and was racing across the dome. Excitement is overwhelming sadness. It¡¯d hit him later. Light took the stairs. My books don¡¯t have special durability.


    Free passed below carrying an enormous ball of roots. It¡¯s a pity Wise and Hope haven¡¯t properly experienced super strength. Examining his sister¡¯s package, he frowned. Why doesn¡¯t she roll it? Pondering, he shivered as intuition kicked in. Maybe there¡¯s a reason she can¡¯t.


    ¡°There¡¯s a bug crawling on those,¡± he said, catching up.


    ¡°What? Where?¡± Free whirled the mass around. After a moment, she shot him a reproachful look. ¡°That wasn¡¯t nice.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s in the ball?¡± he asked.


    Free stared back impassively, ¡°More roots.¡±


    That¡¯s a lie. Not that he cared to press the issue. He¡¯d seen normal insects in books, and some looked cool. What Free made were malformed mockeries. Which are surprisingly adept at wriggling through tight spaces. Tragically, his room had been right above her experimental area.


    ¡°How many are you taking?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Only this one.¡± Free sighed. ¡°The others wouldn¡¯t make it.¡± Thank god. There were six more behind.


    ¡°It¡¯s sealed tight?¡° Light confirmed.


    ¡°Of course.¡± Free scoffed. ¡°Unless the ship crashes, it¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    Relaxing, he switched topics, ¡°Are you bringing other plants?¡±


    ¡°Yes, all the cold resistant ones. It¡¯ll be hard leaving the rest¡­¡± Free said melancholically. He sympathized. This place had been their home for fifteen years, with so many memories¡­ I wish we¡¯d had more warning. If not for the anticipation of the Isle, it¡¯d be crushing.


    Light watched Free store her bundle and dropped his bags at the opposite end. Waving farewell, he took off through the fortress. Reaching the longest vertical stretch, he ran straight up. Two, three, ten stories¡­ Pausing near the top, he stood enjoying the breeze. Marvelous.


    When he¡¯d set out to master wall-running, he¡¯d envied Silver¡¯s aura. His brother had been scaling structures from the time he could walk. Luckily, he felt fear back then. Sadly, the adhesives he¡¯d summoned had failed to reproduce this dexterity.


    His next approach had been to levitate himself. All magic had a built-in telekinesis component. Ice magic moved ice and so on. It hadn¡¯t worked. For every action, there¡¯s an equal and opposite reaction. When he lifted sand under him, a downward force was exerted on himself.


    Not discouraged, he¡¯d seen the solution. If raising something makes me heavier, then the reverse must hold true. One of his affinities was air, and there was an endless supply to manipulate. He¡¯d walked up unleashing a gale behind him. It was incredible. He¡¯d collapsed in exhaustion shortly afterwards.


    Light observed the nicks on the wall below. They were concentrated at the base, but some reached where he was standing. They¡¯re proof of my progress. While his earliest attempts had been mediocre, he¡¯d tirelessly ascended further and further. That¡¯s when The HEAVENLY DAO lent its assistance. Two months into his training, it¡¯d grown inexplicably easier. He¡¯d generate more lift with less exertion. A small exception to the laws of physics.


    Light leaped across rooftops and ramparts. By embracing his identity, all his movements had been upgraded. He¡¯d gained the freedom to traverse any terrain.


    Thanks to the HEAVENLY DAO. Once he¡¯d mastered a shinobi skill, its effectiveness would increase. Perks must be earned. The more appropriate, the greater the enhancement. Materializing shurikens was effortless. This divine interference didn¡¯t bother him. It¡¯s a shared appreciation.


    Black spots covered the structures ahead. Free had provided the circular leaves, and Soul had ¡®glued¡¯ them with ice. With his affinity, he too can travel this fortress with ease. Light unleashed a flurry of blades, each penetrating a target with a gratifying ¡®tack¡¯. He hopped around the battlements raining steel with precision then settled on an archway. I wonder how I¡¯ll replace this on the Isle.


    He took off as the weapons disintegrated. Maybe I can also rectify my shortcomings there. Ninjas cast ¡®spells¡¯ or ninjutsus by interlocking their hands and forming a series of symbols. This had presented a challenge: which ones to use? Since Astra¡¯s library offered no answer, he¡¯d resorted to trial and error with few successes. Although the sandstorm was glorious. His comprehension was lacking.


    Light perched atop a tower and soaked in the view. Half the sky was lit by a wispy lavender fog. The southern lights saying goodbye. A pink glow blanketed the fortress, save for a distant speck of white. The airship¡­ He glanced South. Beyond the walls, snow drifted over a sleeping army. Mother works fast.


    The crown jewel of his dedication was his substitution ninjutsu. He¡¯d been determined to acquire this signature skill, even developing a multi-stage plan. First, he¡¯d practiced fashioning a sand outline of himself. Once satisfied, he¡¯d summoned a sandstorm and thrown rocks straight up. Right before they landed on him, he¡¯d draw in sand to form his double while jumping back. Months later, when Silver had rushed him in a match, he¡¯d finally deployed the technique. What happened next shocked everyone, himself included. He¡¯d instantaneously moved thirty feet, leaving his confused brother staring at his collapsing form. I wish I could¡¯ve seen his expression.


    Dawn considers it a cheat, Light smirked. She doesn¡¯t know the half of it. If he employed his technique after suffering a wound, he¡¯d vanish and reappear unharmed. Damage triggering the substitution is negated. As long as he didn¡¯t lose consciousness, he could erase any injury. How¡¯s that for overpowered?


    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    Light spotted Rose on a balcony. She¡¯s also admiring the scenery. Noticing Soul headed towards her, he grinned and jumped. A ninja that never eavesdrops isn¡¯t a ninja. He felt this vaguely true. Beside there¡¯s no ill will. This was necessary to improve his stealth. He settled on an overlooking roof and waited.


    ¡°Thinking hard as always?¡± Soul asked.


    ¡°Absolutely¡± Rose turned to lean on the railing. ¡°There¡¯s much to reflect upon.¡±


    ¡°Enjoy our expedition?¡± Soul joined her.


    ¡°Oh god, yes. How¡¯d Hope put it? A ¡®nightmarish doom factory¡¯. It was so ¡®cool¡¯.¡° Rose remarked snidely. It IS cool. Light didn¡¯t appreciate the sarcasm.


    ¡°So?¡± Soul pressed.


    ¡°It narrows the possibilities, but it¡¯s not enough.¡± Rose sighed.


    ¡°You should thank Hope for her bit of insight.¡± Soul smiled.


    Rose shook her head, ¡°She¡¯s sharp about the weirdest things, yet blind to the obvious¡­¡±


    ¡°What do you think we are? Homunculus?¡± Rose asked.


    ¡°Homunculus?¡± Soul repeated. Sounds neat.


    ¡°It means artificial humans.¡± Rose explained. If we¡¯re something less interesting, I¡¯m blaming you for getting my hopes up.


    Soul considered, ¡°Doesn¡¯t seem right¡­ We¡¯re too different in looks and abilities. What¡¯d be the point of that diversity? If we¡¯re artificial, shouldn¡¯t we be standardized?¡±


    ¡°Then what are we?¡± Rose vented. ¡°Children kidnapped millennia ago?¡±


    ¡°That sounds more realistic.¡± Soul said. ¡°But if this could be solved by mulling it over, you would¡¯ve done so long ago. You should get some rest.¡±


    ¡°Will you sleep?¡± Rose scoffed. ¡°After what we¡¯ve learned? With our imminent departure?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Soul said. ¡°But I¡¯ll try.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough.¡± Rose said. ¡°I¡¯ll also ¡®try¡¯ later. For now, I¡¯ll ¡®mull¡¯ more¡­ How are the others?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s see.¡± Soul said. ¡°I¡¯d say they¡¯re eager, exuberant, apathetic, off-training, hesitant, and cautiously optimistic.¡± ¡®Cautiously optimistic¡¯ must be Hope. It fits her.


    ¡°That¡¯s too specific.¡± Rose chuckled. ¡°Dawn¡¯s apathetic?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Soul answered. ¡°How about you?¡±


    Rose reflected, ¡°Expectant. Like I¡¯ve received the call to adventure you see at the beginning of a hero¡¯s journey.¡±


    Soul raised an eyebrow, ¡°You¡¯re the hero?¡±


    ¡°Everyone¡¯s a hero in their own story.¡± Rose laughed. ¡°You, on the other hand, are the type who ends up a hero in the stories of others.¡±


    They fell silent, and Soul suddenly turned in his direction. Light ducked, cursing internally. The terrain favors him too much. Due to magic¡¯s conceptual nature, the right environment imparted benefits. Aside Dawn, none stands a chance against Soul out here. Perfectly in tune with the arctic, he was sensitive to anything out of place. Like me. The situation was reversed for Rose, who was operating in a fog.


    Will he reveal me? Rose got rather mad about this stuff, and she held grudges. They were also traveling together in a confined space tomorrow. This is rather bad¡­


    ¡°Packing is nearly done. Even Free has finished. The only one left is Hope. She¡¯s having difficulty deciding what to bring.¡± Soul said, gazing up.


    Rose frowned, ¡°That¡¯s nice, but why¡¯re you telling me?¡±


    ¡°No reason.¡±


    Light quietly slid off, getting the message. Go help Hope. Hurrying back, he admitted another truth. I¡­ have a crush.


    He¡¯d started frequenting Hope¡¯s workshop back when Wise turned himself into a monster. Pushed down to second to last, He¡¯d been looking to commiserate. She was the only one I could beat. He¡¯d desperately wanted to know how she maintained her spirits. With time, he¡¯d understood the twisted personality lurking below the surface. He¡¯d loved the humor and began bringing books as an excuse to linger. They¡¯d joke and rant for hours.


    In the midst of this, he stumbled onto ¡®Tales of the Shinobi¡¯. Masterpieces, all of them. One day, listening to him gush, Hope had suggested he become one. A paradigm changing notion.  Plunging into this new life, he¡¯d adopted their appearance, mannerisms, and philosophy. This passion had been recognized, his vision transformed to reality.


    Later, once he was consistently winning, he¡¯d discovered he¡¯d lost something. Hope¡¯s workshop didn¡¯t feel the same. I wasn¡¯t a fellow ¡®loser¡¯ anymore. Distance had grown between them. Acting stoic didn¡¯t help¡­


    It hurt more than expected. When making sense of the pain, he¡¯d rejected his conclusions. She was his sister. How could he have feelings? Ninjas aren¡¯t controlled by their emotions. He¡¯d been flummoxed over what to do, since avoiding Hope wasn¡¯t viable. There¡¯s limited space. Also, if she noticed, she¡¯d be distressed. Imagining it caused his chest to constrict. Worse, if she figured out the reason for it¡­ Shivers ran up his spine. There¡¯s nowhere to run.


    His siblings already knew. They¡¯re unsettled too. As for Hope, she was too fixated on immediate goals to realize. The status quo would probably persist indefinitely. While I agonize. Only the Isle offered a hint of salvation. Perhaps I¡¯ll find someone, and all this will become a silly mistake. He entered the workshop.


    This is a catastrophe. Half the shelves and drawers were empty, their contents scattered over tables and the floor. By the doorway were a bunch of unused grey bags. Hope sat in the center.


    ¡°What happened?¡± He asked.


    His sister glared, ¡°I¡¯m packing. It¡¯s the process by which you gather what to take on a trip. Also ¡ª¡ªI suspected before, but now I¡¯m certain¡ª¡ª I loath it.¡±


    ¡°What are these?¡± He continued.


    ¡°Glad you asked.¡± Hope began pointing, ¡°Those things are the ¡®probably-not-taking¡¯ pile. That¡¯s the ¡®take-if-there¡¯s-room¡¯ pile. This is the ¡®decide-later¡¯ pile. Next to it is the ¡®maybe¡¯ pile. I should probably combine those two. On the table is the ¡®partially-taking¡¯ pile, where I¡¯m definitively taking some, but not all. I¡¯ll decide how much afterwards. In the corner is the ¡®I-don¡¯t-know¡¯ pile¡ª¡ªdon¡¯t ask. Over there are ¡®sorting¡¯ piles. Finally, here¡¯s the ¡®absolutely-taking¡¯ pile.¡±


    The last heap was tiny. Light didn¡¯t say anything. I don¡¯t need to. He was sure his sister recognized the absurdity.


    ¡°Sorry, but I can¡¯t help it. It¡¯s my first time. There¡¯s so much, all of which is important to a varying degree. I¡¯m trying to determine which is which.¡± Hope raved bitterly. ¡°It¡¯s hell.¡±


    Light sighed, ¡°Just take everything. It¡¯ll take several trips, but I¡¯ll help.¡±


    Hope¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°I can¡¯t! This is more than the rest of you combined!¡±


    He shook his head. This was her quirk: an extreme determination not to inconvenience others. Monopolizing the cargo bay was unimaginable, hence her desperate effort to organize. I know how to defuse this.


    ¡°At this rate, you won¡¯t be done by morning.¡± Hope tensed as he spoke, ¡°Everyone will be devastated if we can¡¯t leave, especially Silver.¡±


    ¡°True, he¡¯s waaaay too excited.¡± Hope agreed.


    ¡°There¡¯s more than enough space¡­¡± He pressed.


    ¡°That¡¯s several tons of rocks!¡± Hope waved around. ¡°Besides, there¡¯s stuff I don¡¯t really need. See, I even have a pile for it.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re an enchantress. It¡¯s natural for you to have a lot.¡± Light said. ¡°We might never return. I took everything. You should too.¡±


    Hope weighed the alternatives, eventually nodding, ¡°You¡¯re right.¡±


    Great. ¡°That settled.¡± Light grabbed a bag. ¡°What should I start with?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch anything!¡± Hope shouted. ¡°It¡¯s hard enough already. If we¡¯re taking everything, then I must adjust my entire approach. Let me think¡­¡± This¡¯ll still take a while¡­


    Soul walked in, observing the chaos, ¡°It¡¯s gotten worse¡­¡±


    ¡°It was like this when I arrived.¡± Light gave a quick update while Hope ruminated.


    ¡°Ok, I¡¯ll give up on full organization and take my time unpacking once we get there,¡° Hope declared, ¡°But we can¡¯t just throw things in bags so I need a semi-structured system for¡­¡±


    She saw their faces, ¡°I¡¯m not needlessly fussy! You¡¯ve no idea how long it takes to sort thousands of pebbles. They¡¯re useless if you don¡¯t know what they do. Mixing is forbidden!¡±


    ¡°I have a solution.¡± Soul approached an unsorted shelf and emptied its content into a grey bag, which he then placed back into the vacant space. ¡°We do this and wrap it up so nothing falls out. Finally, we move the furniture to¡ª¡ª¡±


    ¡°Brilliant! Everything stays exactly where it needs to be. Why didn¡¯t I think of that¡­¡± Hope was stunned. Sometimes Soul is too useful¡­


    ¡°Wait, does that mean my piles must return where they started? God, freaking, dang it!¡± Hope pushed them out saying to come back later. It¡¯ll be a long night.


    ¡°At least we¡¯re on the right track¡­¡± Soul said. ¡°I¡¯m off to find rope. By the way, I¡¯m not covering for you next time.¡±


    Ah, right¡­ The spying.  Light made a note not to get caught again.

 [Chapter 11] Soul - Departing Ice Fortress

    [Chapter 11] Soul - Departing Ice Fortress


    ------------------------------¡ª


    Soul yawned, slouching on the bench lining the oval cabin. In front of him, atop the stairs, was an elevated island with a built-in chair. The cockpit. On its back was more seating. A glass dome sealed out the arctic, and a rear door led outside. The deck was nondescript except for the floodlights. There isn¡¯t even a railing.


    It¡¯d taken hours to ¡®unsort¡¯ Hope¡¯s stones. She¡¯d then fluttered about while they carried everything. Driven mad by the frustration, she¡¯d dragged Silver and Dawn out of bed to help. Rose would¡¯ve been drafted too, but she wasn¡¯t in her room. Only Wise got a good night¡¯s sleep.


    I¡¯m not the only one up early. Free was busy ¡®euthanizing¡¯ her plants. Her word choice has uncomfortable implications which I won¡¯t dwell on. More were awake by now, finishing preparations. As for Soul, his focus was ahead.


    So are we homunculus or kidnappees? And what¡¯ll be the impact? Fretting was his principle pastime. Not very heroic, but necessary. To prevent more disasters, he¡¯d anticipate what he could. If I¡¯d retired without checking on Hope¡­


    After all these years, his aspirations hadn¡¯t changed. He¡¯d been confused when his siblings mocked them at first. They¡¯d interpreted ¡®want to be a hero¡¯ as a shallow longing for fame and acclaim. That¡¯s gallingly wrong. Admiring Astra and her comrades, he too wished to save those lost in despair. A cause worth pursuing without regrets¡­ It appealed to the romantic in him. And I enjoy aiding others. When his mother had steered him in Ethan¡¯s footsteps, he hadn¡¯t resisted.


    Back to business. Chief among his concerns were Light and Free. Specifically, what they¡¯d do on the Isle. Light will race across rooftops, and Free will craft monsters. At least Rose had that rational side to counterbalance her ambitions. Silver was a wildcard.  His mischief is difficult to predict. He could see Dawn mouthing off to an immortal, which wouldn¡¯t end well. Hope¡¯s the least worrisome. Her troubles were refreshingly simple. Like packing.


    And there¡¯s what Astra will reveal. As if on cue, Rose climbed the stairs and waved, ¡°Hope really took everything, didn¡¯t she?¡±


    Soul bristled as she plopped down. Something isn¡¯t right. Rose is¡­ cheerful?


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± He asked.


    Rose laughed, ¡°Really, how¡¯d you jump to that conclusion?¡±


    Now she¡¯s being coy¡­  ¡°Seriously, why so happy?¡±


    Grinning widely, she leaned forward and whispered, ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°Know what?¡±


    ¡°What Astra has kept hidden.¡± Rose continued normally. ¡°I figured it out after you left and visited the library for confirmation. I finally know.¡±


    That explains the mood. Soul sighed, ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ something everybody should hear together, right?¡± She smiled brightly. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t spoil the surprise.¡±


    I dislike this new Rose. He was worried how she¡¯d gotten drunk from power so easily. Perhaps sleep deprivation was contributing. I can¡¯t leave her like this.


    ¡°I won¡¯t press, but are you certain? I mean, we both expected the truth to be alarming, yet you¡¯re upbeat. Giddy even.¡±


    ¡±I¡¯m never ¡®giddy¡¯.¡± Rose quibbled, excitement draining away. ¡°You have a point though. It¡¯s nowhere near disturbing enough¡­¡±


    She crossed her arms and grumped, ¡°So I guess there¡¯s a piece missing. Thanks for bringing me back down to earth.¡± There¡¯s the bitterness we know and love.


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡±


    ¡°Still, I have the most important part.¡± Rose beamed. ¡°And you don¡¯t.¡± There goes any guilt I felt.


    ¡°You¡¯re taking way too much pleasure in withholding information.¡± He stated.


    ¡°Ouch, that hurts.¡± Rose turned sour, but only briefly. ¡°Let me have this. It¡¯s hypocritical, but I want to lord over this, at least for a bit.¡±


    Hope came up looking sleepy and cold, ¡°Going outside first thing in the morning is terrible.¡±


    ¡°Hi Hope! How¡¯re you doing?¡± Rose asked buoyantly.


    ¡°Better.¡± Hope shed her outer layers. ¡°It¡¯s nice and warm in here. I¡¯ll not miss the temperature¡­¡± She froze and stared at Rose, who smiled back innocently. She motioned, ¡°What¡¯s this?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s Rose when she¡¯s happy.¡± Soul said. ¡°Yesterday she discovered Astra¡¯s ¡®secret¡¯.¡±


    Rose nodded, ¡°I did.¡±


    ¡°Also, she plans on ¡®lording over this¡¯. Good luck getting anything from her.¡± Soul added.


    Hope grimaced, ¡°You¡¯re kidding? After yesterday, I want to know fairly badly¡­¡±


    Ignoring this displeasure, Rose turned to see who¡¯d walked in. Her face dropped seeing Wise.


    ¡°Yes, I know too.¡± He then faced Hope. ¡°Sorry, I can¡¯t. She¡¯d never forgive me.¡±


    ¡°Dang it, Wise, this was a rare chance to redeem yourself¡­¡± Hope whined.


    Soul scooted to the far side and stared out. Behind him, his siblings entered one by one, greeted by ¡®cheerful Rose¡¯. Sorry, I failed to prevent this¡­


    When it was almost eight, Soul felt a tremor. Simon had landed on deck. He¡¯ll have an update.


    ¡°Good morning.¡± The necromancer said.  ¡°Astra is busy with her other guest but will be here shortly. She¡¯d like everyone to stay inside so we can depart immediately.¡±


    ¡°Other guest?¡± Rose asked.


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    ¡°The Mask of Xarst.¡± Simon answered, ¡°Sola¡¯s Legacy will be well-guarded.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Light leaped up. Not good. Soul blocked the door while Rose positioned herself atop the stairs. Light glanced between the two, debating who to challenge. Hope grabbed his arm and ordered, ¡°SIT.¡±


    Light reluctantly complied, ¡°But this chance might never come again! I have to see it.¡±


    The Mask of Xarst¡­ Created eons ago by the Black Citadel¡¯s first leader, it¡¯d been passed down from necromancer to necromancer every hundred years, its power growing with each owner. Just what Light loves. Today, it was feared as the most powerful artifact in existence. The one who wore it was Xarst¡¯s undefeatable champion. And Nero committed him for three years? That was a hell of a favor.


    ¡°There they are.¡± Simon pointed. High on the ramparts, Astra conversed with a figure in black. It¡¯s him.


    Soul enhanced his sight. That doesn¡¯t resemble a mask. His mother spoke to a ghostly white skull. So it covers the head? Or does it transform the wearer¡¯s features? Or is it illusion? Suddenly, his hair stood on end as panic washed over him. He felt dread at nothing in particular. It¡¯s the damnedest feeling. Soul pivoted away and noted his siblings doing the same. Simply looking does this? When it¡¯s not even hostile? How¡¯s mother facing that thing?


    The airship trembled, and Astra entered, ¡°Everyone here? Good.¡± She nodded to Simon. ¡°If you¡¯d please¡­¡±


    ¡°Understood,¡± He hopped into the pilot¡¯s seat, and a low hum filled the air.


    ¡°The rest of you, have a seat and enjoy the view.¡± At Astra¡¯s signal, they accelerated smoothly, the walls around speeding downward. Soul caught a glimpse of the Mask of Xarst as they flew by. Too fast! In seconds the fortress had shrunk to an outline.


    Simon switched off the floodlights and dimmed the cabin, ¡°I hope you don¡¯t mind, but I¡¯d like to savor this sky a while longer.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡± Astra acknowledged. ¡°Now, it¡¯s finally time for answers.¡±


    ¡°Actually,¡± Hope interjected. ¡°Rose believes she knows already, so we should hear from her first. It¡¯d be humiliating if she was wrong.¡± She keeps her petty grudges.


    ¡°Seriously?¡± Astra asked.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Rose said with all the smugness she could muster. ¡°We¡¯re clones, aren¡¯t we?¡± That seems familiar¡­


    Astra smiled wryly, ¡°So, that¡¯s what you deduced?¡±


    ¡°It is.¡± Rose said confidently.


    ¡°What¡¯re those?¡± Silver asked.


    ¡°They¡¯re genetic copies of existing organisms. In our case, we¡¯re the seven heroes.¡± Rose explained. Now I remember. Mother mentioned it once in biology. ¡°Dawn is Astra. Soul is Ethan Skyfell. Silver is Arther Bard. Hope is Jenna Crystal. Wise is Nero Ebonwood. Light is Barsal Farran. And I¡¯m Lily Morgana.¡±


    This explained a lot¡­ Wait, the numbers don¡¯t add up. Everyone looked to Free, who asked, ¡°What about me?¡±


    Rose¡¯s triumph faded, ¡°You¡¯re the clone of Sola Delore. Hearing about her self-taught healing let me puzzle it out.¡±


    CLAP. Soul jumped. Besides him, Dawn had slammed her hands together. ¡°So that¡¯s why¡­ She¡¯s Sola. It all makes sense.¡± She nodded contently, as if experiencing an epiphany. You might be the most abnormal.


    Dismissing her existence, he refocused, ¡°Is she right?¡±


    Astra nodded, ¡°Mostly. You¡¯re doppelgangers, a special type of clone only Sola could create.¡±


    ¡°¡¯Doppelgangers¡¯?¡± Light repeated. He likes it.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Astra said. ¡°You see, affinity isn¡¯t genetic. While some rare magics are tied to bloodlines, for the most part potential can¡¯t be passed on. This is a source of endless frustration for Enera¡¯s immortals, but that¡¯s another topic. Sola could do things with souls that no one has been able to reproduce. As doppelgangers, you¡¯ve inherited the raw talent of your originals.¡±


    So that¡¯s the truth. The silence was broken by Hope, ¡°I just wanted to say, no matter what, you¡¯re still our mother.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Astra smiled. Damn, I should¡¯ve considered that. This had to be hard on her too.


    ¡°Why¡¯d you keep this for so long?¡± Rose asked. That¡¯s right, the missing part.


    ¡°Sola fashioned all manner of servants to fulfill her objectives.¡± Astra began, ¡°You saw some yesterday. Doppelgangers were her most despised creation. She¡¯d make clones of her enemies and gift them knowledge with necromancy, tainting their soul in the process. These infiltrators caused untold tragedies. Wells were poisoned, defenses sabotaged, troops led into ambushes¡­ Everywhere, fighters were back-stabbed by their ¡®trusted friends¡¯. Some even replaced their originals, acting as spies for the war¡¯s duration. Their mere existence spread paranoia.¡±


    ¡°Sola only released a single duplicate per target to better piggyback off their original¡¯s fame and renown. As soon as one fell, she¡¯d replace it. I personally killed ¡®myself¡¯ seven times¡­¡±


    ¡°Dozens survived the Fracturing and kept slaughtering. Those who¡¯d been undercover revealed themselves, committing atrocities. Once they were all hunted down, we thought the issue resolved¡­ but it was just beginning.¡±


    ¡°As a last revenge, Sola let loose all remaining doppelgangers before unleashing her cataclysmic spell. They spread across Enera, mixing with refugees. These escapees were not, at least initially, insane. Many lived decades in remotes corners without discovery. Sadly, Sola¡¯s taint was on them, and, as it spread, they turned on their communities in horrific ways.¡±


    ¡°Many attempted to rehabilitate those captured. If they could be cured, they¡¯d be valuable military assets. These fruitless efforts lasted fifteen years until a particularly powerful double of Barsal Farran broke out and went on a murder spree across five nations. At that point, world leaders deemed them unsalvageable and placed a bounty on their heads. The last was wiped out two centuries later.¡±


    ¡°The bounty still stands, even now. Getting it rescinded would necessitate revealing your identities, which raises its own complications. Older immortals will loath your existence. I used to be one of them. Even if told you¡¯re untainted, they¡¯d prefer to be rid of you rather than take risks. That isn¡¯t mentioning the geopolitical struggle which would ensue as nations vie to recruit you.¡±


    Strangely, this was a relief. Mother was justified after all. ¡°So this is why you raised us yourself?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Astra sighed. ¡°Had I made you known as babies, the world might¡¯ve dispatched you swiftly rather than deal with the headache. If you¡¯d been allowed to live, you would¡¯ve either been confined somewhere remote or divvied up as future war potential. In both cases, you would¡¯ve had less freedom than at Earth¡¯s End.¡±


    So how would they react? Light¡¯s probably delighted. Dawn¡¯s ego is too strong, and Silver isn¡¯t vulnerable to upsetting news. Hope likely anticipated it. The last three were the concerns. Rose will meet her original soon. Wise was perhaps the most fragile. He was broken once before. Free was resilient, but the burden of this fell on her. Discovering you¡¯re a copy of the most despised villain can¡¯t be good for your psyche. He¡¯d have to check on her.


    ¡°How¡¯d you find us?¡± Dawn asked.


    ¡°Fifteen years ago, Earth¡¯s End was raided, as happens every so often.¡± Astra said. ¡°Except this time, it was a grander affair. Three sizable groups attacked simultaneously at different points, each succeeding in sending smaller teams past the dragons. They¡¯d plotted to overwhelm with numbers.¡±


    ¡°I killed those nearing the fortress then focused on the fleeing remainders. When I returned, I was shocked to discover a breach.¡±


    ¡°A fourth party had tunneled under the ice. Normally the dragons would¡¯ve sensed an underground infiltration, but they¡¯d been distracted. I still don¡¯t understand how they burrowed so far so fast. Cracking the seal in my short absence was equally astounding.¡±


    ¡°I immediately dug down and followed into the building you saw yesterday. Inside were thousands of tanks. Recognizing the names on some, I deduced they contained doppelgangers. No one was there, and the doors were locked. When I checked the controls, I found them hacked, their data downloaded and erased. From what was left, I¡¯m confident resurrection remains safe, so that¡¯s one silver lining.¡±


    ¡°I assume you haven¡¯t shared this with anyone.¡±  Simon said from behind.


    ¡°There was no way to report it without alerting the world,¡± Astra motioned them. ¡°Only Nero knows. I left tracking the culprit to him.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, that¡¯s when I noticed eight tanks were on-line, and everything got complicated.¡±


    ¡°Something¡¯s strange.¡± Rose said. ¡°If the facility predated the Dark Age, why was there a clone of Lily? She would¡¯ve been seven or eight.¡±


    ¡°Besides immortals, there were world leaders, saints, and well-known prodigies. She must¡¯ve just made the cut.¡±


    ¡°So only we lived?¡± Free mused, ¡°what are the odds¡­¡±


    ¡°Surprisingly high.¡± Simon chimed in. ¡°It¡¯s no accident the ¡®most interesting¡¯ survived until last. The HEAVENLY DAO undoubtedly kept your life support going long after it should¡¯ve failed.¡±


    ¡°On another note, we¡¯re nearing the arctic¡¯s edge. You¡¯re about to have your first look at Enera, our Fractured Earth.¡±

 [Chapter 12] Hope - The Black Citadel

    [Chapter 12] Hope - The Black Citadel


    ------------------------------¡ª


    What a timely distraction. They were flying low, and below was the usual arctic expanse. We¡¯re not quite there.


    ¡°So you took a detour.¡± Astra said.


    ¡°Yes, I thought it worth showing them.¡±


    Astra nodded, ¡°We¡¯ll continue later.¡±


    Hope pressed against the glass. The ground is sloping. As it steepened, another white landscape came into view.


    ¡°The Blue Abyss floats off the coast, half a mile down.¡± Simon said.


    Focusing on where the snowdrift fell off, Hope wished she could could see better, ¡°Can you turn on the floodlights?¡±


    ¡°Sure, but it won¡¯t do much with the distances.¡± Simon answered.


    Passing the edge, the area below lit up. Those were stones after all. Snow sugarcoated the cliff. The bedrock went straight down, disappearing into the darkness.


    ¡°It¡¯s a six mile drop to the new crust.¡± Simon announced, bringing them to a halt.


    Hope turned and frowned.  What¡¯s with that?  The Blue Abyss¡¯s top was flat ice as far as the eye could see which curved downward in a quarter circle nearing the void below them.  As expected so far.  After that, the vertical frozen surface arched the other way and finished in gigantic icicles aimed under the arctic continent.  Like an endless row of sharp teeth.


    ¡°Wondering about the shape?¡± Astra commented.


    ¡°Very much so.¡± She said.


    ¡°Look there,¡± Astra gestured. ¡°As snow accumulates on the continent, some gets pushed over the edge.¡± She made a pulling motion, jerking the airship. What just happened?


    ¡°See?¡± A chunk of ice was tumbling down. ¡°It¡¯s a solid, so it falls normally.¡± Her reach is crazy.


    ¡°Once it hits the new crust, it¡¯ll melt and become subject to a different gravitational field, dropping upwards towards the Blue Abyss.¡± Astra explained. ¡°Simon, please lower us close and kill the engine.¡± Hope momentarily panicked before remembering the airship levitated even when shut down.


    ¡°Everyone be quiet.¡± Astra said once they¡¯d stopped. Soon the silence was broken by dripping. ¡°That¡¯s the water landing and growing the stalactites.¡± So that¡¯s why they point there.


    ¡°Enera¡¯s awesome.¡± Light said.


    ¡°It was wonderful even before Sola blew it up.¡± Their mother replied sadly, ¡°I wish you could¡¯ve seen it back then.¡±


    There was an awkward pause. ¡°Sorry about that¡­¡± Light said. ¡°I¡¯m serious this time.¡± This time?


    ¡°My original was a real bitch, wasn¡¯t she?¡± Free chimed in. What a bizarre way to lighted the mood.


    ¡°Yes, she was.¡± Astra smiled. ¡°But remember, her actions have nothing to do with you.¡±


    Live ¡®free¡¯ from the past¡­ She considered herself. Hope¡­ ¡°My name¡­ It¡¯s because of the Pillar of Enera, isn¡¯t it?¡± She asked.


    Hesitating, Astra nodded, ¡°It was Jenna¡¯s idea.¡±


    ¡°Can we go out on deck?¡± Silver asked.


    Hope looked over as if he was mad, then regretted it. I forget he feels no fear.  Heights meant nothing. What¡¯s more, with his ability, there¡¯s little danger.


    ¡°That isn¡¯t a good idea.¡± Astra said. ¡°There¡¯s no railings.¡± She¡¯s worried we¡¯ll follow him.


    Silver was oblivious to the concern, ¡°I won¡¯t fall so that doesn¡¯t matter. So I can go?¡±


    Astra gazed hard, ¡°Fine. If anyone wishes, I¡¯ll freeze them on deck.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Silver said.


    ¡°There¡¯ll be heavy winds once we travel. If more than one falls, it¡¯ll be hard to catch you. So I¡¯ll lock you down and thaw you out later.¡±


    She¡¯s serious! Rather than wasting time, their mother preferred brute force solutions. Most wouldn¡¯t accept, but¡­ Silver nodded, ¡°Alrigh¡ª¡ª¡±


    Soul¡¯s hand covered his brother¡¯s mouth, ¡°It¡¯s ok. We¡¯re happy staying inside.¡± Good job. It¡¯d be scary if he wasn¡¯t around.


    Issue resolved, Astra seated herself, ¡°Simon, take us there.¡±


    They accelerated parallel to the chasm, gaining altitude. From its star-lit outline, she could tell it went on for miles. It really happened. The Fracturing, the Dark Age, the Pillar of Enera¡­  Everything¡­ Some part of her had always remained skeptical. Continents in the sky¡­ You have to see to believe.


    ¡°The Black Citadel is coming up.¡± Simon said. ¡°You can spot Xarst if you try.¡±


    Exciting.  As the closest settlement, she¡¯d read a great deal about the place. We were guaranteed to visit¡­ Oh, there it is. Mount Xarst was a jagged silhouette against the heavens. A Black Citadel towering the arctic. The mountain couldn¡¯t be seen with the naked eye, even when the sun was up. The stones reflect no light.


    She noticed a dark patch on the plains behind Xarst. There shouldn¡¯t be anything there. Hope hadn¡¯t read as much as her siblings, but she took pride in what she had. ¡°Over there¡­¡± She asked. ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡­¡± Astra grimaced.


    It seems mother finds this subject troublesome.  That wasn¡¯t acceptable. She stared piercingly to convey this expectation. I want an answer.


    ¡°Switch with me.¡± Astra chased Simon from the driver¡¯s seat. Hope fixed her gaze on him, ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± Simon laughed. ¡°It¡¯s a giant herd of cattle.¡±


    Hope intensified her glare. More is needed.


    ¡°As to why they¡¯re there¡­ Many Xarst residents are fond of meat.¡±


    ¡°Please elaborate.¡± Hope fired off.


    ¡°Are you familiar with Xarst¡¯s shadow?¡± Simon asked.


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± Hope recalled what she knew. ¡°So much necromancy was poured into Xarst that a ¡®death field¡¯ was unintentionally created, preventing new life. Pregnancies are impossible, and plants can¡¯t pollinate.¡±


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    ¡°Correct. Incidentally, Xarst¡¯s shadow is why Earth¡¯s End was built so far off. Sola had to escape its effects.¡±  Simon said. That¡¯s interesting, but not relevant. ¡°It¡¯s also why the Black Citadel is called the city of exiles and immigrants. There are only nine natively born¡ª¡ª¡±


    ¡°Fascinating, but can we focus on the cows?¡± Hope interjected. He tends to ramble.


    ¡°Right,¡±  Simon said. ¡°Normally thousands of calves are imported to meet demand. However, this supply was interrupted during the Dark Age.¡±


    ¡°While not causing a shortage ¡ª¡ªthe Citadel has granaries overflowing with seeds¡ª¡ª, it was a time of tragedy for meat lovers. They swore they¡¯d never again endure a vegetarian lifestyle, and that herd is the result. By the way, your mother froze them.¡±


    All eyes turned to Astra. ¡°Nero called me over for an ¡®urgent matter¡¯. Turned out he needed me to anchor some cattle to the bedrock.¡± She shook her head. The cow mystery is solved.


    ¡°We¡¯re at the outskirts.¡± Astra turned off the floodlights. ¡°Use the opportunity to see what you can.¡±


    Between Xarst and the coast was bedrock. Another plateau breaking the white of the ice shelf. It was covered in a familiar network of metal buildings. Except more organically organized. Like veins on a leaf, there were central corridors tying everything together. The largest of these ¡®arteries¡¯ lead back to three central domes, each one dwarfing the ice fortress.


    ¡°The north one is the commercial center. South-east is the financial district where the wealthy dwell. South-west holds the outer academy.¡± Wise offered. He reads less than me, yet knows more.  Not fair. ¡°The inner academy is under Xarst itself.¡±


    ¡°Another airship!¡± Silver exclaimed. An enormous vessel was approaching from the North.


    ¡°Warping is costly, so most supplies are brought in on cargo ships.¡± Simon explained. ¡°The docks are built into the cliff, as is standard practice. By mooring on the vertical surfaces, horizontal ones are preserved as living space.¡±


    Hope noticed Dawn slouched on the middle island with an arm covering her face. ¡°You alright?¡± She asked.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m dandy. I just took in too many sights.¡± She shifted to glance at them. ¡°Thank you Simon. The detour was a wonderful idea. I¡¯ll not forget it.¡±


    That sounded like a vow of vengeance. Hope shook off the behavior and peered down. Airships were berthed along cross sections in the rock face. The shafts must be elevators. Landing lights lit the surface. It¡¯s bright compared to above.


    ¡°We aren¡¯t docking here?¡± Rose asked.


    ¡°No, we¡¯ll land at our destination.¡± Astra said, turning south.


    ¡°Your mother is a living legend, a celebrity of celebrities,¡± Simon added. ¡°If she entered through usual means, it¡¯d cause a commotion. When was the last time you made a public appearance?¡±


    Astra considered, ¡°Fourteen hundred years ago. Upset over Sola¡¯s Legacy, I held a press conference and vented.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while¡­¡± Simon said as they slowed. Must be a speed limit.


    ¡°How is the population maintained?¡± Free asked, observing the city. ¡°Between the arctic and Xarst¡¯s shadow, it seems an unappealing destination¡­¡±


    ¡°The oath is tied to Xarst. As long as those with the affinity are born, they¡¯ll travel here.¡± Simon said. ¡°Of course, that alone isn¡¯t enough so Xarst¡¯s shadow was tweaked to slow aging by two thirds, thereby reducing our immigration needs.¡±


    ¡°Regarding attracting residents¡­ The citadel offers well-paying jobs, safety, and lengthened lifespans. Those are a tempting combination to many.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to believe those three domes wield such power over Enera.¡± Rose commented.


    ¡°Don¡¯t judge a book by its cover. The Black Citadel¡¯s true power rests there.¡±  Simon pointed to Xarst. ¡°That¡¯s where the sleepers lie. The surface is merely for interacting with humanity.¡±


    ¡°Could you tell us about them?¡± Light asked.


    ¡°I¡¯d expect you to know already.¡± Simon answered. He¡¯s beginning to understand Light.


    ¡°Oh, I do.¡± Light said quickly. ¡°But I¡¯ve never heard about them from a necromancer. Would you mind?¡± Honestly? Hope hid her face.


    Simon froze in bewilderment, then his shoulders sagged, ¡°Xarst graduates have the privilege of controlling their time of passing. Unless we accept it willingly, we can¡¯t perish¡ª¡ª¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t that make you invincible?¡± Light cut in.


    ¡°There are plenty of ways to make someone want to die.¡± Simon continued. ¡°That said, we do tend to survive a long time, especially those who stay and research. Invariably we¡¯ll grow weary. Even with the oath, channeling death gradually erodes the will to live. For those who¡¯ve grown too tired, the common practice is to sleep for a few centuries and return to a greatly changed world. After a few such awakenings, many choose to rest permanently. Some of our strongest slumber beneath Xarst. Woe to any who give them cause to rise.¡±


    ¡°So, while it may seem small¡­¡±  Simon said looking towards Rose, ¡°No one dares challenge the Black Citadel. Even if half of Enera united against it, who¡¯d win is uncertain.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s badass.¡± Light declared.


    ¡°Actually, it¡¯s a little scary.¡± Rose corrected. ¡°Xarst is endlessly accumulating war potential.¡±


    ¡°You need not fear.¡± Simon reassured her. ¡°The Black Citadel has adhered to neutrality since its inception. Only a threat to Xarst itself would rouse the sleepers.¡±


    ¡°If you say so¡­¡± Rose said skeptically. ¡°How do you kill a necromancer again?¡± Really?


    ¡°The simplest way is to slay them repeatedly until they stay dead.¡± Simon answered calmly.


    ¡°We¡¯ve arrived.¡± Astra interrupted. They dropped towards a dome, and a section slid open.


    Amid a field of gray pebbles was a two-storied building surrounded by patios and enclosed balconies. Six smaller buildings circled the space. Our guest residence has guest houses? She notice someone below. An attendant?


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this luxurious?¡± Hope asked nervously.


    ¡°It¡¯s meant for world leaders.¡± Simon explained. ¡°The central building is just a gathering spot. Our quarters are the cottages.¡±


    Exiting, an elder man in black greeted them, ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to welcome you, Astra Skyfell. Nero is planning on dropping by this evening.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Astra nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll call if I require anything.¡±


    ¡°Then with your permission¡­¡± The man bowed and retreated. Tonight I¡¯ll meet another hero¡­


    ¡°Let¡¯s settle in.¡± Astra began. ¡°Simon and I are taking our own cottages. The rest of you will double up. Girls and boys each get two.¡± She glanced towards the central building. ¡°We¡¯ll gather in the room of skulls in half an hour. It¡¯s on the second floor, you can¡¯t miss it.¡±


    When Astra and Simon left, Free grabbed Rose, ¡°We¡¯ll pair up. Alright?¡±


    ¡°Hum, ok¡­¡± Rose answered confused. A second later her eyes lit up. Facing Hope, she mimed a ¡®sorry¡¯.


    That ain¡¯t good. As Hope retraced her sister¡¯s logic, Dawn walked up, ¡°I guess you¡¯ve the honor of rooming with me. Hopefully your self-esteem will survive the privilege.¡±


    Dang it¡­ Is it too late to draw lots? Free and Rose had withdrawn, and Dawn was marching off. Traitors! I¡¯ll remember this.


    Hope hung her head, following listlessly. So many pebbles. Some were quite pretty. It¡¯s fine to take a few?  Searching for targets of acquisition, she noted elevated islands scattered all over, held in place by larger stones. This is a rock garden¡­ While appreciating the appeal, something was lacking. It¡¯s not much without plants¡­


    Hmm? She peered closely. Oh my god, Tomb Ivy! How¡¯d I miss that? She rushed over to the phantom plants she¡¯d only read about. Up close, she could barely make out their whitish outlines. Nearly invisible in the daytime¡­ Their true beauty could only be beheld in the dark, when they¡¯d glow in fluctuating shades of blue, purple, and pink.


    Jellyfish vines which drift like seaweed. Unaffected by gravity, they floated to the ceiling covered in all manner of leaves and flowers. Their features are stolen from ¡®living¡¯ plants. They didn¡¯t feed on sunlight, but death itself. Or rather the faint aura lingering thereafter.  They were often found near graves and battlefields. These must survive on energy emanating from Xarst. She wanted to touch, but couldn¡¯t as contact with a living body would kill them. I can¡¯t wait for tonight.


    Hope entered the cottage her mood improved. The living room stretched the length of the building. Instead of windows, five glass-covered doors lead to the patio outside. Her sister was ahead studying a cabinet filled with an exotic selection of stuffed creatures.


    ¡°There are two bedrooms. Choose whichever.¡± Dawn said.


    ¡°Does this live up to your standards?¡± Hope observed the opulent surroundings.


    ¡°What?¡± Dawn replied confused.


    Irritated, Hope continued, ¡°You know, doesn¡¯t this fit your ¡®better than everyone¡¯ thing?¡±


    ¡°I am better than everyone.¡± Dawn agreed. ¡°As a fighter and person. But what does that have to do with a luxurious lifestyle? I was in the same rooms as everyone else at Earth¡¯s End. It was never an issue.¡±


    I suppose that¡¯s true. Dawn¡¯s ego operated in ways she didn¡¯t care to comprehend. Instead she went and collapsed face-down on the nearest bed. One night. Rose and Free would pay.


    ¡°Taking a nap?¡± Dawn asked from the doorway. ¡°I¡¯m heading out.¡±


    Hope listened to her leave. Yay, it¡¯s gone! She rolled over and stared up. I¡¯m the clone of Jenna Crystal, the great-granddaughter of the Northern Emperor. She considered this. I was cheated. The others were warriors, yet she was an enchantress.


    Didn¡¯t Jenna fight using a giant enchanted machine? That wasn¡¯t something which could be build without decades and a mountain of materials. While Jenna¡¯s mobile armor still existed, she doubted she could just borrow it. But it¡¯d be so cool if I did get my hands on it. Hope imagined herself kicking Dawn¡¯s ass with a giant metal golem. It was satisfying.


    My god, she¡¯s Astra¡¯s clone! Of course her martial arts suit her so perfectly.  Hope swore at the injustice of it all.


    Time to find a room with skulls¡­

 [Chapter 13 part 1] Rose - The Room Of Skulls

    [Chapter 13 part 1] Rose - The Room Of Skulls


    --------------------------------


    Thankfully, they weren¡¯t human.  Mythical monsters invariably made their way onto Enera. Either summons were made real, or less friendly entities crossed over on their own, consuming large amounts of life to sustain themselves. Demonic beasts. The remains of both hung high around her.


    On three sides, the room¡¯s glass doors lead out to a balcony. The interior wall was a fireplace flanked by bookshelves. Opposite was a fancy bar, and between was a large coffee table with sofas and armchairs. The extravagance was rounded out by a piano, chandeliers, and lavish lamps.


    I¡¯m not the first. Rose installed herself near her two brothers. Light was engrossed in the trophies, while Soul was frowning at the bar. That¡¯s right, what kind of rare liquors do world leaders drink? She¡¯d never taste alcohol so the pretty bottles were tempting. Maybe later.


    Rose smirked. Soul really can¡¯t help worrying over everything. Sensing this, he turned to her and shook his head. ¡®You are not thinking things through¡¯, his expression said.


    Rose paused, imagining her siblings drunk. Good god, that can never be allowed, especially Free. Certainly not while she was trapped in the same living space. What would I find in my room tomorrow? Rose grimaced, and Soul smiled sadly. ¡®Now you get it¡¯.


    As if I hadn¡¯t enough concerns¡­  While being ¡®doppelgangers¡¯ might please Light, the bounty on their head was significantly less ¡®cool¡¯. Hopefully mother¡¯s outlook is overly pessimistic. On the plus side, the mystery that¡¯d haunted her was over. All that was left was the ramifications. I sense meeting Lily Morgana will be an issue.


    Dawn, Silver, and Wise entered. Rose joined them studying the decor. Honestly, I can¡¯t tell the difference between a serpent skull and dragon skull. Of those she could categorize, five were reptilian, two ape, one wolf, and three feline. The rest are hard to place.


    ¡°Wise, what¡¯s that?¡± Dawn pointed to the fifteen foot fang above the bar.


    ¡°That¡¯s a Leviathan tooth. It¡¯s from eons ago, back when it was still small.¡± Wise explained as the others pressed him for details. Only two missing. Free was examining the Tomb Ivy. As for Hope¡­ We should¡¯ve drawn lots. Glancing at the alcohol, she regretted it in more ways than one.


    We¡¯re getting pranked later, Rose sighed. Their sister would hide touch-activated stones in unexpected places: bags, beds, shoes¡­ Next thing you knew, you¡¯d be drenched in water or realize your shoe was glued on with a rock inside. Once, she¡¯d awoken to discover herself neon pink. Making it glow-in-the-dark too was vicious. It¡¯d been mortifying, especially when Astra had declared: ¡®Take this opportunity to master controlling your skin tone¡¯. She¡¯d never been so motivated to learn. I pray it won¡¯t be that bad.


    Free and Astra arrived. Their mother looked around, ¡°Where¡¯s Hope?¡±


    ¡°Napping.¡± Dawn answered. That doesn¡¯t seem right.


    ¡°Oh really?¡± Astra was about to summon fairies when Hope burst in.


    ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m late.¡± She panted.


    ¡°Did you have a good rest?¡± Astra asked coldly.


    ¡°What¡¯re you talking about?¡± Hope whimpered.


    ¡°You were lying face down motionless.¡± Dawn stated.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Glaring daggers, Hope stomped over to the sofa. Next time, let¡¯s leave Free and Dawn together.


    ¡°Simon¡¯s reporting to Nero and will return shortly.¡± Astra began ¡°Tomorrow, we¡¯ll warp to Isle of Dreams. I¡¯ll have the airship sent separately, so repack what you need.¡±


    ¡°Once we land, I¡¯ll leave for the Adventurer¡¯s Guild and be occupied the rest of the day.¡± Astra made an ugly face. She isn¡¯t a fan of ceremony.


    ¡°You¡¯re job is to stay hidden at the Rose Palace, your home for the foreseeable future. You¡¯ll be in Lily¡¯s care, and she¡¯s worse at parenting than I am. Make do.¡± Oh, wonderful. While Rose had dreamed of escaping from under Astra¡¯s thumb, this wasn¡¯t what she had in mind.


    ¡°Moving forward, Lily and I will assist you in acquiring the resources you¡¯ve been lacking. You¡¯ll participate at the Stone Coliseum, building fame and renown. Remember to keep your identities secret.¡±


    ¡°Lastly, try to enjoy your time while you have the benefit of anonymity. Enera is filled with good people. Meet some and make friends.¡±


    Wow¡­ ¡®Enjoy your time¡¯ and ¡®make friends¡¯ might be the most motherly things Astra has ever said. It was weirdly upsetting. It feels like a goodbye of sorts¡­


    ¡°Any questions?¡± Astra said, earning a few chuckles.


    ¡°What happens if our identities are leaked?¡± Silver asked.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    ¡°I don¡¯t fully know but can predict the basics.¡±


    ¡°First, I suspect most nations wouldn¡¯t allow you to be harmed for fear of angering me and the other heroes. That¡¯s why bounty hunters will target you outside civilization, which is more problematic than it sounds. Exploring dungeons and frontier territories is practically a requirement for reaching the wall.¡±


    ¡°Next, some older immortals will exert pressure to see you neutralized, and, since Lily¡¯s position is weak, she could be forced out. You¡¯d then need to seek sanctuary somewhere else, which is where things get ugly. The future military power you represent together is too great, and the world won¡¯t accept its concentration. Worse case could be war.¡±


    ¡°Complicating everything, those conspiring against Lily or hungering for Sola¡¯s legacy will target you as a means to an end.¡± Astra sneered. ¡°Because that¡¯s how politics work.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t we explain we¡¯re untainted?¡± Hope asked.


    ¡°It¡¯d be nice if simple assurances were enough, but there¡¯s the memory of the Black Banquet. Some will argue you might be undetectably tainted and want you isolated, which is a death sentence. No one has attained immortality from confinement.¡±


    My turn. ¡°Can you tell us more details about the bounty? Also, how are we getting rid of it?¡± Rose asked


    ¡°The World Council passed the Doppelganger Eradication Agreement, which set up the bounty. The DEA wasn¡¯t controversial and was ratified by all. A two thirds majority is needed to revoke it, which won¡¯t happen overnight. We¡¯ll have to convince members to stop honoring the agreement, slowly collecting allies¡­¡± Astra gave a tired sigh. ¡°If consensus building was my strong suit, I wouldn¡¯t have ended up in the arctic¡­¡± Mother¡¯s cynicism must be tied to her failure with Sola¡¯s legacy.


    ¡°I¡¯ve a question.¡± Dawn spoke up. ¡°It sounds like gathering support will be a long enterprise. Shouldn¡¯t we begin right away?¡±


    Wanting to brute force her way¡­ That¡¯s so her. It was a terrible idea. Please explain, mom.


    ¡°There are reasons not to.¡± Astra said. ¡°First, no one is looking for doppelgangers, so you can move about without danger. Since you¡¯ve lived in isolation, I wanted you to enjoy that freedom for a while.¡±


    ¡°Next is the conspiracy behind Arther¡¯s murder. I¡¯d like to investigate and determine who my ¡ª¡ªour¡ª¡ª enemies are before proceeding.¡±


    ¡°Lastly, I must build some clout. Due to my long absence, my influence is at its weakest. I haven¡¯t even met half of today¡¯s leaders. If I can get some to owe me, it¡¯ll be useful.¡±


    ¡°Does that answer your question?¡±


    ¡°Yes, thank you.¡± Dawn nodded. Getting her on board was important. She already has the habit of unguarded comments.


    ¡°Any way we can help?¡± Light asked.


    ¡°Get stronger.¡± Astra answered. ¡°Bounties attract hunters on a risk reward basis. With a high prize on an easy target, they¡¯ll flock like moths to a flame. The opposite also holds true, which is why a committee used to increase rewards for notorious doppelgangers. That body has long since been dissolved. Become saints, and no one will come after you for the paltry sum offered.¡±


    ¡°Problem is the bounty is likely to be an obstacle before then.¡± Rose added.


    ¡°True.¡± Astra admitted.


    Simon came in quietly and pulled up a chair, ¡°Having a productive discussion?¡±


    ¡°Yes, we¡¯ve covered many issues.¡± Astra hesitated. ¡°Which reminds me of one I forgot.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve seen Dawn take control of my summons. This is possible since the soul is the inherit identification method for magic. The only reason she couldn¡¯t command all my creatures is that I employed safeguards developed during the Dark Age. These are temporary in nature. In a few months, Dawn could return to Earth¡¯s End, and everything would obey her as though she were me.¡±


    Wait a minute¡­ Lily is my original and she has no idea I¡¯m coming. Doesn¡¯t that mean all her magic will be unguarded against me? And If she has her own army¡­ Maybe she won¡¯t mind if I borrow some.


    Astra faced Wise, ¡°Every door in the Black Citadel will open for you. This is what made Sola¡¯s doppelgangers so terrifying. They could walk through our defenses and turn our weapons against us. It was a nightmare.¡±


    ¡°Each of you is security risks. Hope, you could cross the Northern Emperor¡¯s palace unimpeded. That vulnerability can¡¯t even be patched since Jenna fashioned those enchantments. Aery will be concerned about Dawn and Soul. Light will scare the Barsal Empire. That¡¯s off the top of my head. There¡¯s no telling what forgotten sorcery you might come to control, further complicating everything.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s another topic you haven¡¯t addressed, Mother.¡± Free spoke up. ¡°And it¡¯s a big one¡­ right?¡±


    Astra, leaning against the fireplace, didn¡¯t answer, so Free resumed, ¡°The way I see it, aren¡¯t I the biggest concern?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s obvious really. You¡¯ve a message about a Dark Age, and Sola¡¯s doppelganger shows up a week later. It doesn¡¯t take a genius to picture the reaction.¡±


    ¡°Even putting that aside, I¡¯d still be a quandary. While the seven heroes are amazing, they¡¯re ultimately extremely powerful immortals. Sola single-handedly waged war on humanity. Not to sound arrogant, but, if we¡¯re speaking military potential, aren¡¯t I worth more than everyone combined?¡±


    ¡°Then there¡¯s the ability to access our original¡¯s magic. Isn¡¯t that terrifying in my case? It¡¯s the doors at Earth¡¯s End which would open for me. My mere presence might awaken something left behind¡­¡±


    It was deathly quiet. I¡¯d forgotten her unique circumstances. She glanced towards Soul. He probably hadn¡¯t. I¡¯ll work with him to cheer her up. There¡¯d be no alcohol involved. Two birds, one stone.


    ¡°Was I the reason we had to grow up in the arctic? If there¡¯d been seven instead of eight, would things have been different?¡± Free¡­


    ¡°No. On that point, you¡¯re categorically wrong.¡± Astra exclaimed. ¡°The rest¡­ You¡¯re right.¡± After another silence, she added, ¡°It¡¯d be helpful if you could limit yourself to plants.¡±


    Free grinned lopsidedly, ¡°I¡¯ll see what I can do but make no promises.¡± If she¡¯s cracking jokes, she¡¯s still alright. Rose was relieved. Though I too wish you¡¯d restrain yourself¡­


    ¡°Does Lily have a lot of summons?¡± Rose asked as casually as possible.


    Astra stared back hard. While I wanted to shift the mood, I should¡¯ve been patient and used Wise. Surprisingly, her mother smiled wryly, ¡°Yes, she does. Her favorites are phoenixes. They¡¯re less powerful than mine, but she has hundreds.¡±


    Hundreds! Rose salivated at the prospects. Why¡¯s she so forthcoming?


    ¡°A tip though. If Lily is around, she¡¯ll easily take back whatever you steal.¡±


    ¡°You said there are ways to guard against that.¡± Rose asked. ¡°Couldn¡¯t I use those?¡±


    ¡°You mean to use anti-doppelganger tactics against your original? You know that¡¯s evil?¡± Astra shook her head in amusement.


    ¡°Speaking of villainy.¡± Rose countered. ¡°Why are you advising me?¡±


    It¡¯s way too suspicious! Letting the smile slip, Astra spoke seriously, ¡°Lily acts like a child. While I plan on changing that, she¡¯ll no doubt bully you into going along with her self-absorbed lifestyle when I¡¯m not around. Giving you some leverage might level the playing field.¡±


    ¡°Despite some of your inclinations, I¡¯d say you¡¯re more mature than she is. If you could shame some of that into her, I¡¯d be grateful.¡± Astra looked around. ¡°This goes for everyone. Please help Lily shape up her life.¡± If I can obtain phoenixes, I¡¯ll give it my best shot.


    ¡°Have you spoken to her yet?¡± Simon asked.


    ¡°No, I was waiting for you.¡± Astra answered. ¡°Can you make the call?¡±


    (continued in part 2)

 [Chapter 13 part 2] Rose - The Room Of Skulls

    [Chapter 13 part 2] Rose - The Room Of Skulls


    --------------------------------


    ¡­


    ¡°Sure,¡± Simon went to the bookshelf, retrieving a large crystal embedded in a marble base and a hand-sized black plaque.


    ¡°Is that a projector?¡± Free asked.


    ¡°Yes¡±  Simon placed both on the table. ¡°The display range is fifteen feet with a hundred and fifty degree radius, giving a good view.¡±


    ¡°It transmits moving images in holographic format.¡± Wise added.


    ¡°So holovision? Can we see some?¡± Light asked.


    Simon glanced to Astra. ¡°A bit is fine.¡± She shrugged, moving to Simon¡¯s side.


    ¡°Watch out,¡± Simon said, and a flood of light exploded. Rose calmly fumbled her way towards the bar. More warning would¡¯ve been nice. When she could see, she discovered a shifting kaleidoscope behind her.


    Once everyone had escaped, a scene with two men fighting appeared. A coliseum duel. Three dimensional swords clashed against a cheering crowed. Incredible clarity¡­


    The Pillar of Enera makes this possible. The HEAVENLY DAO had always had the strength to rearrange Enera¡¯s gravitational fields. What it¡¯d lacked was the processing power to manipulate a million land masses at once. Which the Pillar provided. Two hundred miles above the surface, its light had spread out and encircled the planet, becoming a precision tool for remaking the world. Once everything stabilized, humanity had re-purposed the magical network for communication and travel.


    ¡°Superb.¡± Light whispered.


    ¡°WHY DIDN¡¯T WE HAVE ONE?¡± Silver shouted in anguish. Wow¡­ Silver felt pain and could be ¡®upset¡¯ in that sense. It¡¯s amazing there¡¯s no anger behind that.


    ¡°A projector only works with a connection to the Pillar.¡± Astra explained calmly. ¡°At my request, the Black Citadel destroyed the portion above Earth¡¯s End. Defending Sola¡¯s Legacy would¡¯ve been a nightmare if anyone could just warp down.¡±


    ¡°Also,¡± Astra gesture accusingly. ¡°They¡¯re a huge distraction.¡± Can¡¯t argue with that¡­ Rose was captivated.


    ¡°Can we see something else?¡± Hope asked.


    Astra sighed, ¡°A few more channels.¡±


    A kissing couple appeared. Romance¡­ Perhaps someday, but that bounty needs to go first.


    The scene flashed to a group atop a cliff. Behind them, enormous stone towers floated on their own small islands. At least thirty stories high, some disappeared into the mist below, enclosed walkways joining them in maze-like fashion. I think that¡¯s a dungeon called ¡®Celestial Spires¡¯. Adventuring in such places was a means of earning recognition.


    They were mesmerized as Simon flipped through ¡®channels¡¯. He settled on two people behind a desk reading ¡®ABC News¡¯. Aery Broadcast Company. Besides them was a magma-covered landscape gushing smoke. Eruptions on the new crust.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t there be sound?¡± Rose asked.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll unmute.¡± Simon said.


    One newscaster began speaking in a sober voice, ¡°Evacuations are underway as volcanic activity continues intensifying. Unfortunately, given the location and density under threat, these efforts are running into logistical hurdles. Panic is growing as boiling ash rises through the fractured crust¡ª¡ª¡±


    ¡°Turn it off. I¡¯ll catch up later.¡± Astra said. ¡°Call Lily.¡±


    ¡°Right away.¡± For a second the kaleidoscope was back, then blackness replaced it. Two red lines shot back from the crystal passing on either side of Simon. One hit Hope who scrambled away.


    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    ¡°Everything between those will be shown.¡± Simon said. ¡°Please stand back.¡±


    The blackness swirled like a liquid and retreated, revealing a roaring fire. It flickered twice before taking a female shape. A human-sized sprite. Fairies that large always possessed high intellect.


    ¡°Simon Black,¡± said the blazing figure. ¡°How have you been?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m doing well, Fayla.¡± Simon answered. ¡°Could you put me through to Lily?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡± Fayla dissipated into flames only to pop back after a few seconds. ¡°She¡¯s coming. Be warned, she¡¯s grumpy.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡± Simon said.


    ¡°Anytime,¡± Fayla smiled, peering off at something unseen. ¡°There we go.¡±


    Darkness washed over the fire and receded again to unveil a new view. A younger version of herself sat at the end of a pink marble table. An archway behind opened to a terrace where a column of light shone against the blue sky. That¡¯s the Pillar!


    ¡°You¡¯re back early. I thought I asked you to try and stall¡­¡± Lily complained. ¡°How¡¯d it go?¡± Hearing her was strange. Do I sound like that?


    ¡°There¡¯s good news and bad news.¡± Simon said. ¡°Which would you like first?¡±


    The young girl slumped, ¡°I could really do without more trouble. Start with the good.¡±


    ¡°Astra will be the new guildmaster.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re kidding!¡± Lily nearly fell out of her seat as she scrabbled upright. ¡°She accepted?¡±


    Simon nodded, ¡°What¡¯s more, she¡¯s with me now.¡±


    Astra walked forward, ¡°Hi, Lily. It¡¯s been long time, hasn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Nearly five centuries.¡± Lily answered. ¡°I can¡¯t believe Simon dragged you away. And that quickly too. This is¡­ wait¡­¡± Her excitement faded. ¡°What¡¯s the bad news?¡±


    Her mother turned to her, ¡°Rose, could you come here?¡± Oh god, yesterday a heater and today a prop. She crossed the red line with trepidation. Lily¡¯s eyes fixated on her. This is awkward. After a short delay, Lily released a string of swear words. Rose didn¡¯t recognize many, but she was sure they shouldn¡¯t be coming from a child¡¯s mouth.  While an understandable, I don¡¯t like it.


    ¡°You¡¯re certain she¡¯s untainted?¡± Lily asked.


    ¡°Nero verified them himself.¡± Astra answered patiently.


    ¡°He knew about this? Since when?¡± Lily continued frantically. ¡°No, forget that. ¡®Them¡¯? What do you meant ¡®them¡¯? How many are there?¡±


    ¡°Eight.¡± Astra said serenely.


    ¡°Eight? Eight¡­¡± Lily stared at Rose again. ¡°And you¡¯re bringing them here¡­?¡±


    ¡°Yes, and you¡¯ll protect them.¡± This time Astra¡¯s voice had an edge they knew well. Does it work on immortals?


    Lily struggled silently. Finally, she pointed, ¡°Keep their faces hidden, especially her.¡± Apparently it does.


    ¡°I appreciate this.¡± Astra¡¯s tone was back to normal.


    ¡°Don¡¯t thank me.¡± Lily grumped. ¡°This negates virtually all the benefits of you coming. Anything else I should know?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Simon called Free over to stand beside Rose. The others are so lucky¡­


    There was no cursing. Instead, Lily went pale, ¡°She¡¯ll frighten many. I don¡¯t know if I can manage this¡­¡±


    ¡°Which is why I¡¯ll take over the guild and support you.¡± Astra said.


    ¡°Don¡¯t focus so much on the negatives.¡± Simon offered. ¡°In the long term, you¡¯ll be happy to have Astra by your side.¡±


    ¡°But the short term is going to be hell!¡± Lily snapped, taking a breath. ¡°When will you arrive?¡±


    ¡°Tomorrow morning at nine.¡± Astra said.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s speak then.¡± Lily nodded tiredly. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you. I just wish you weren¡¯t bringing more headaches¡­¡±


    Lily reached to the table, and the room returned to normal. Everyone was quiet. She wasn¡¯t happy to see me, was she?


    ¡°Can I use the projector for a bit?¡± Silver asked. No apprehension whatsoever¡­


    ¡°Why not use your own?¡± Simon answered. ¡°Each cottages has one.¡±


    Silver¡¯s eyes went wide, ¡°Really?¡± Then he was gone, jumping off the balcony.


    ¡°I¡¯ll withdraw too.¡±  Simon rose. ¡°I¡¯ve a backlog of sleep to work through.¡±


    ¡°Sandwiches are laid out downstairs. I¡¯ve my own catching up to do, so you¡¯re on your own till tonight. Lastly¡­¡± Astra motioned the bar. ¡°Anyone who inebriates themselves is traveling in a block of ice.¡± She followed Simon out.


    ¡°Too bad¡­¡± Light eyed the alcohol regretfully. I disagree. In this instance, Rose wholeheartedly approved the tyranny.


    Hope clapped her hands, ¡°that¡¯s it!¡± She rushed to the bar. This isn¡¯t good.


    ¡°What¡¯re you doing?¡± Rose asked.


    ¡°There¡¯s all this world class liquor here.¡± Hope rummaged around. ¡°I was thinking not trying any was a waste. Then it hit me. Just because we can¡¯t drink it now, doesn¡¯t mean we can¡¯t later.¡± She had an evil grin.


    ¡°So you¡¯re pilfering some?¡± Soul asked.


    ¡°The citadel is filthy rich. It¡¯ll be fine.¡± Hope compared the labels on two fancy bottles. ¡°Maybe these?¡± She reached for more but paused.


    ¡°Wait, why am I wasting time¡­ Where¡¯s Wise?¡± She spotted her brother heading out and dragged him back. ¡°Be useful for once and chose some for us. The best-tasting, most expensive ones.¡±


    Surveying the countertop, Wise went white, ¡°Do you have any idea how much¡ª¡ª¡±


    ¡°Nope,¡± Hope broke in, ¡°I don¡¯t need to know. Just point out the eight best. Then you can walk away.¡±


    Hesitantly, Wise made his selection and raced out. How much are those worth?


    ¡°Perfect! One for each of us.¡± Hope grouped the bottles and wrapped her arms around them. ¡°Someone get the door.¡±


    Light moved to help. Of course he did. Rose watched them leave. ¡°Is that ok?¡± She asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Soul said carefully. ¡°But probably. Nero has the same gift as Wise. If it isn¡¯t fine, he¡¯ll take them back.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± This was his area of expertise. In terms of anticipating trouble, he¡¯s a step faster. ¡°Then let¡¯s grab a bite to eat.¡±

 [Chapter 14 part 1] Astra - Nero Ebonwood

    [Chapter 14 part 1] Astra - Nero Ebonwood


    --------------------------------


    Astra rubbed her head staring at the projector¡¯s blackness. Contrary to popular belief, immortals didn¡¯t remember everything automatically. About a year out was when memories became everlasting. Anything less could be forgotten. Just as well, mundane details aren¡¯t worth recalling. Regretfully, that left her memorizing like a mortal.


    She¡¯d spent the afternoon catching up on centuries of neglected history. Topics which once held no interest had become critical. She¡¯d studied the politics of the ¡®Demon World¡¯ below the Blue Abyss and the ¡®Cultivating Realm¡¯ to its East. Not sure how much will stick, but I tried. Researching the Laughing Man had also been a point of interest. He¡¯s a monster. Astra was enraged. How hard can it be to kill one man?


    Another big development was the rise of the Grey King. That madman indirectly caused this too. Below the Sarada¡¯s ocean of sand was Middle Earth. This frontier region, cut off from the outside, had been a splintered group of smallish kingdoms. Then the Laughing Man began his social-engineering experiment. After dozens of assassinations, the ensuing chaos had reduced the place to a no-man¡¯s land. Keep slaughtering the decent folk, and any country will fall to ruin. When the Laughing Man had been forced into hiding ¡ª¡ªhis so-called hundred year ¡®quiet period¡¯¡ª¡ª the Grey King had built an empire from the ashes.


    This enigmatic ruler refused envoys, so no one knew his face. What was no secret was his competence, ruthlessness, and ambition. A genius strategist and tactician who swallows territory after territory. Word from the conquered was life was fair, but bleak and brutal. Everyone was a cog for furthering the ¡®mother land¡¯. The Grey King was building a war machine, with no intent of stopping.


    Soon he¡¯ll have consolidated Middle Earth.  That accomplished, he¡¯d turn to the rest of Enera. It¡¯s a world war waiting to happen. At least the Adventurer¡¯s Guild remained neutral in such conflicts. Though aiding those fleeing will be our task¡­


    She had enough on her plate already. The backlog is worst than anticipated. In the weeks preceding his demise, Arther had put matters on hold to investigate. Had he not died, it would¡¯ve been fine. Stop, I¡¯ll not blame him. In any case, a deluge of work awaited her.


    The most pressing are those eruptions. Searing ash was nearing areas packed with refugees. I¡¯ll tackle this first thing tomorrow. Not only was it urgent, she was also perfectly suited to solve the catastrophe. Suspiciously so. While the volcanic activity had been on-going for months, it¡¯d drastically intensified in the last few days. That was you, right, HEAVENLY DAO? Manufacturing an emergency so I can show off¡­ Is that your way of celebrating my return?


    Astra sighed. I shouldn¡¯t complain about something which benefits me so much. She needed the political capital. Hopefully no one perishes before I arrive.


    In addition to serving adventurers, Guild Headquarters played several roles which would be her prerogative. Firstly, she¡¯d answer aid requests when regional leadership was overwhelmed. Like this exploding crust situation. Next, she¡¯d take the lead in menaces emanating from the huge swaths of Enera falling outside settled territories. From the news, I¡¯ll be focused on piracy. Finally, she¡¯d spearhead the response to cataclysmic events such as the White Dragon. In this world, massive threats materialize out of nowhere.


    Thankfully she wouldn¡¯t be tackling this alone. Since immortals were valuable military assets, competition to recruit them was fierce. Those who didn¡¯t care to be tied down made the Isle of Dreams their home. In exchange for independence, they¡¯d assist with the occasional global crisis. Arther mentioned managing them was challenging.


    There was much to be done. I¡¯ll have to rely on Lily more than I thought. Her long term goals, including the bounty, would be put on the back burner temporarily. If I¡¯m accepting the job, then I¡¯ll do it right.


    A tiny pale sprite floated into view, beckoning. Nero¡¯s here. Shutting off the projector, Astra followed.


    Trust the Black Citadel to reveal its colors at night. Ghostly flowers bloomed from translucent vines dancing in an invisible current. Tomb ivy filled the space and blanketed the dome. Amazing death can be so beautiful. Her spectral guide drifted merrily through the glowing leaves.


    Nero was sitting in the room of skulls, her children gathered around. ¡°Thank you.¡± She said quietly, and the fairy nodded with a lethargic smile, fading away.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure why, but I thought you¡¯d look older¡­¡± Free said. ¡°What¡¯s your physical age?¡±


    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Thirty three.¡±  Nero answered. ¡°Most immortals are are under forty, by the way. In this world, you can¡¯t judge by appearances.¡±


    ¡®In this world¡¯ was a frequently-used expression to explain away incongruities. It sounds better than ¡®because of the HEAVENLY DAO¡¯.


    ¡°I¡¯ll bear that in mind.¡± Free said.


    ¡°I see you¡¯ve met my children.¡± Astra installed herself.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, this is my ¡®official¡¯ introduction.¡± Nero looked around.  ¡°Last time, you were babies. You sure have grown.¡±


    ¡°So, how¡¯d it go? Caught up on recent events?¡± Nero asked.


    You know the answer to that¡­ You always do. Unlike Wise, Nero had mastered the art of casual conversation. Most would never realize he was making fruitless inquiries. Astra played along, ¡°I¡¯ve finished a good chunk. Optimistically, enough to get me through tomorrow. I already know what I¡¯ll be doing most of the day.¡±


    ¡°The eruptions?¡± Nero grinned, ¡°You¡¯re uniquely qualified for them, aren¡¯t you? Even more so than back then.¡±


    Astra smiled wryly, ¡°So you uncovered that too? How¡¯d you do it? It¡¯s not something I¡¯d reveal easily.¡±


    ¡°Two thousands years isolated in the arctic¡­ That¡¯s the type of experience that can confer real power. Surmising its shape wasn¡¯t too hard.¡±


    Makes sense. Her children appeared clueless about their exchange. ¡°Did you want to discuss somewhere private?¡± She asked.


    ¡°Later.¡± Nero waved off the suggestion. ¡°First, I¡¯ll speak to the young ones. Let¡¯s begin with the three who¡¯ve an aptitude for necromancy.¡± Three?


    ¡°Wise, you¡¯ve little choice. Your talent, like mine, is deep but concentrated. To realize your potential, you must enroll.¡±


    ¡°Rose, you¡¯re an intriguing case. It¡¯s not uncommon for those skilled in fire to have a knack for death and destruction. Lily dedicated herself to the creation side of her talent, joining the Vermilion War College, but you aren¡¯t bound to her path. You¡¯re welcome to travel here to explore the dark arts.¡±


    ¡°Lastly, there¡¯s Free. Your affinity is as profound as your original. Should you wish, you wouldn¡¯t be turned away. Personally, I¡¯d advise against it.¡±


    ¡°Afraid I might retread her footsteps?¡± Free asked.


    Nero shook his head, ¡°Sorry, please don¡¯t misunderstand. I¡¯m concerned you¡¯d be discarding your chance at an untroubled life.¡±


    ¡°Once you¡¯re a necromancer, everyone will regard you as capable of resurrecting the dead. As with Sola, you¡¯ll never know peace. Even good people, particularly immortals, become irrational at the thought of meeting loved ones again.¡±


    ¡°What would you do facing her dilemma?¡±  Nero looked her in the eye, ¡°If someone held the lives of your siblings hostage?¡±


    Free grimaced, ¡°That¡­ I can¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°A guiding principle of the Black Citadel is that ¡®Enrollment is sacred¡¯. We depend on the free flow of students. Corrupting or impeding that process¡­ will bring the full wrath of Xarst down on whomever attempts it. Do you understand?¡±


    Free nodded slowly, ¡°No one will dare blackmail me into enrolling because they¡¯d be crushed.¡±


    ¡°Correct.¡± Nero nodded.


    ¡°It¡¯s frustrating forsaking part of my future due to the greed of others.¡± Free complained weakly. ¡°But I suppose it¡¯s necessary. I¡¯d hate it if others were harmed because of me.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not only the ¡®greed of others¡¯ you¡¯ll be facing. One day, someone close to you will pass on. You¡¯ll then have the hardest choice: to let go or not.¡±


    Thanks, Nero. She¡¯d been struggling with how to approach this thorny subject with her headstrong daughter.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯d like to converse privately with Wise for a bit.¡± Nero said.


    ¡°Should we step out?¡± Astra asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s unnecessary.¡± Nero smirked. ¡°If we could have quiet, that¡¯ll be enough.¡±


    What riddle is that? Nero gazed towards Wise. Staring back, her son¡¯s expression went from surprised to serious. Slowly, the watchers understood what was unfolding. It¡¯s what happens when two people who never need questions meet.


    Nero took out a bronze circlet and swapped out Wise¡¯s headband. He told me of that. The old one had been cobbled together in haste. This will let Wise endure the trip.


    After another silence, Nero drew out a jet-black book and everyone recoiled. That¡¯s the most powerful necromantic artifact I¡¯ve seen, second only to the Mask of Xarst. As the air hummed with death, Astra was tempted to snatch it away. Nero will justify this later.


    Wise took the offering, and the wait resumed. Eventually, Nero spoke, ¡°That was everything. Take care.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Wise bowed solemnly.


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome. Now I¡¯ve words for the rest of you.¡± Nero confronted Hope, ¡°Do you have any notion of the monetary value of what¡¯s packed in your bag?¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t tell me.¡± She answered quickly. ¡°Also, who snitched? It was Wise, wasn¡¯t it? In your silent conversation, I¡¯m sure of it.¡± She glared at her brother.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mention it.¡± Wise objected, shaking his hands.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be smart with me.¡± Hope quipped. ¡°I know how it works. You needn¡¯t say anything. Just the willingness to give me up was enough.¡±


    ¡°For the record¡± Nero wore an amused smile, ¡°He wasn¡¯t the only one.¡±


    Hope¡¯s mouth opened and closed. She turned, searching faces, ¡°Traitors! Unbelievable¡­¡± Her shoulders slumped. ¡°Should I fetch them?¡±


    Nero rubbed his shin, ¡°It occurs to me, in all these years, I haven¡¯t given you a single birthday gift. So I¡¯ll overlook this if you remember to share.¡±


    ¡°Thank you!¡± Hope gave Nero a big hug. She faced Wise. ¡°Since Nero is so generous, I¡¯ll forgive you too.¡± She glanced around. ¡°You too, nameless betrayer.¡±


    I¡¯ll assert my authority. ¡°Unfortunately, this isn¡¯t entirely over.¡± Astra spoke up. ¡°Although I¡¯m unclear on the details¡­ Hope, am I to understand you circumvented my instructions?¡±


    ¡°No¡­ This is about something else. Right?¡± She pleaded to Nero.


    ¡°You do remember I cannot lie?¡± He said sadly.


    ¡°Dammit,¡± Hope exclaimed. ¡°So what happens?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll allow it.¡± Astra said. ¡°But this never happens again. Not everyone is this magnanimous with theft. Am I clear?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely,¡± Hope said with the cheerfulness of having gotten away with murder. I don¡¯t think she got the point. Well, it¡¯d be Lily¡¯s problem soon.


    (continued in part 2)

 [Chapter 14 part 2] Astra - Nero Ebonwood

    [Chapter 14 part 2] Astra - Nero Ebonwood


    --------------------------------


    ¡­


    Nero looked towards Soul, ¡°Believe in yourself. Also, make sure to properly thank Barsal.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure I understand¡­¡± Soul responded.


    ¡°You¡¯ll know later,¡± Nero said playfully.


    I should explain. ¡°If he¡¯s being ambiguous, it¡¯s for a reason.¡± Astra was familiar with this pattern, having been through it herself. ¡°Just listen and try to recall when the time is right.¡±


    Nero put a hand on Dawn¡¯s shoulder, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Said her bewildered daughter.


    ¡°Tomorrow, you¡¯ll have a bad day.¡±


    Dawn¡¯s eyes lit up, and her face went ashen, ¡°Is it¡­ Do you¡­¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± Nero said grimly. ¡°And yes. Good luck.¡±


    The cryptic exchange didn¡¯t perturb Astra. Usually it¡¯s something vital to the person, but meaningless to others.


    Nero shook his head at Silver. ¡°You¡¯re certainly fast.¡±


    ¡°And that means?¡± Silver asked.


    ¡°Nothing.¡± Nero said, ¡°I wish you both the best of fortunes.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t follow, but thanks.¡± Silver played along.


    Nero frowned at Light, ¡°I¡¯d warn you not to, but you¡¯d do it anyway. That said, absolutely remember what I say next.¡±


    ¡°Alright?¡± Light said, unsure.


    ¡°Only take four.¡±  Nero spoke gravely.


    ¡°Only take four?¡± Light repeated.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Nero stressed. ¡°Four is still ok, but five is the end. There¡¯ll be no recovery.¡±


    Nero probably saved his life. How he¡¯d done it would become clear in time. While depressing, she had too much on her plate to dwell on an averted death.


    ¡°That¡¯s everything.¡± Nero stood. ¡°I¡¯d love to join you on the balcony for a chat.¡±


    Astra smiled, ¡°Alright.¡± She clapped. ¡°You heard him. Back to your cottages. Don¡¯t stay up all night with the projectors.¡±


    Nero scoured the bar as they left, ¡°That girl did a thorough job cleaning out the best spirits. But let¡¯s see¡­¡± He reached into a cupboard. ¡°As I suspected, she missed one.¡± Without asking, he happily poured two drinks. That¡¯s a problem with Nero, he acts without permission. The undiscerning were often offended. Astra accepted the glass, and they seated themselves outside.


    ¡°Before we proceed¡­¡± Nero reach up, gently guiding the magics of death. Beginning with the balcony¡¯s ceiling, everything above vanished. The roof and the layer of tomb ivy covering it melted away. Before them the ice shelf reflected a familiar green.


    ¡°Better, don¡¯t you think?¡± Astra agreed. The space is refreshing.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about Arther.¡±  Nero said.


    ¡°It¡¯s painful, but losing Jenna and Ethan was worse. I also have a wall of worry to distracted me.¡± Astra looked to her companion. ¡°What about you? How¡¯re you taking it?¡±


    ¡°Me?¡± Nero chuckled. ¡°I rarely get asked that. People presume necromancers capable of coping with death. In my case, they¡¯d mostly be right. The tragedies I¡¯ve witnessed, real and foreseen, have dulled my sense of grief. In spite of this, his passing bites deep¡­ Although it still pales compared to back then.¡±


    Nothing holds a candle to the Dark Age. ¡°I spoke to Lily. She appeared stressed, even before the children.¡±


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    ¡°She¡¯s learning the pain of loss.¡± Nero said glumly. ¡°Her experience was different than ours. When her homeland was destroyed, she¡¯d spent most of her life studying abroad. Afterwards, the desensitization of war prevented her from building strong bonds. Even Jenna and Ethan were only the loss of close work colleagues. Meanwhile, Arther Bard was a friend she¡¯d spent millennia with. She¡¯s taking it hard.¡±


    Astra listened and knew the words were true. Even then, her mind didn¡¯t change, ¡°She must grow up.¡±


    Nero peered deeply into her eyes. Finally, he pleaded softly, ¡°Don¡¯t break her in the process.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll try.¡± She promised. ¡°What do you make of the message left behind?¡±


    ¡°You should take it seriously. A Dark Age is near.¡±


    ¡°How are you so certain?¡±


    Nero sighed, ¡°Because the situation is ¡®ripe¡¯ for it. Remember the Dark Age¡¯s first half? It was mostly the world tearing itself apart. Sola merely set the spark. The power vacuum after the Black Banquet enabled all manner of mayhem. Even catastrophes like the blue-backed spiders only inflicted such damage because of the chaos.¡±


    ¡°Today, Enera has reached a similar state, with disputes simmering under the surface. All that¡¯s missing is a catalyst.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re referring to the ¡®Grey King¡¯?¡± Astra asked.


    ¡°Partly, but he¡¯s not alone. Enera is wallowing in prosperity, with many itching to claim it for their own. A fragile international order is holding this back. In a way, the Northern Emperor is to blame. His out-sized influence blocks tensions from resolving naturally. If it disappeared¡­¡±


    ¡°You believe the ¡®spark¡¯ will involve Lithorn?¡±


    ¡°Likely. It¡¯s hard to imagine a dark age while his authority remains unchallenged, yet a large enough disruption might achieve it. Whatever the case, a possible trigger is near.¡±


    That¡¯s bad. ¡°There¡¯s a new ¡®Sola¡¯?¡±


    ¡°A potential ¡®Necromancer of the End¡¯ exists. This I feel, rather than know.¡±


    Damn. ¡°How soon?¡±


    ¡°The day of Arther¡¯s funeral in three weeks. I¡¯ve no idea where or why though.¡± Nero confessed.


    ¡°How do you know the date but not the cause?¡± Astra asked.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t arrive at this answer with my usual foresight.¡± Nero explained. ¡°When necromancers scour the future, we search a sea of possibilities centered on ourselves. Below this, cloaked in darkness, is the true future, what¡¯s destined to happen. It¡¯s only possible to catch the vaguest glimpses. Paradox obscures everything which could cause a divergence.¡±


    Paradox, the force born from the Ether¡¯s rejection of contradictions. I knew it protected the past but hadn¡¯t heard this. If necromancers made changes when they traveled back in time, Paradox would try to crush them out of existence. The pressure exerted was proportional to the alterations. Which is why major events are set in stone.


    ¡°Incidentally, Simon Black is an expert at toying with time.¡± Nero said. Don¡¯t go off-topic reading my mind.


    ¡°Anyway, I routinely survey the true future to anticipate trouble. For instance, on the day the White Dragon appeared, it went entirely dark. It¡¯s the same with Arther¡¯s funeral. From there on, I see nothing.¡±


    The White Dragon¡­ Three countries reduced to ash. A dozen more suffered partial destruction. An utter cataclysm, with millions dead. Yet preferable to a Dark Age.


    ¡°So on the anniversary of the Dark Age¡¯s end, in three weeks, Paradox is hiding a world-shaking incident¡­¡± Astra sighed heavily. ¡°And you¡¯ll not be participating this time?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that was the deal when I took this position. The citadel¡¯s leader must remain neutral. It¡¯s why I gifted the book to Wise. It¡¯ll act as my replacement.¡±


    Astra nodded. Enera already owed Nero a debt and had no right to ask for more. Wise better treasure the gift.


    They sat as southern lights and phantom ivy weaved through the stars. ¡°What¡¯s your opinion of the Laughing Man?¡± Astra asked.


    ¡°He¡¯s far more insane than Sola ever was. A madness backed up by unworldly strength and the most twisted intelligence. He¡¯s been committing atrocities, directly or by proxy, and no one¡¯s been able to stop him. Arther tried and is dead. Once a Dark Age commences, the damage he¡¯ll inflict will be catastrophic.¡±


    ¡°As expected.¡± Astra sighed. ¡°Let me just confirm: he can¡¯t be it, right?¡±


    ¡°Correct, the ¡®focus¡¯ must be a necromancer.¡± Nero said. ¡°Which is perplexing as the Laughing Man is too outsized a player not to be involved. Perhaps the next Dark Age will have two architects instead of one.¡±


    ¡°Be careful.¡± He added. ¡°The Mask of Xarst hunted him for a hundred years. Although this forced him underground, his survival is a testament to his might. Don¡¯t let him lure you into trap, as he did Arther. Face him on your own terms.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Astra said wearily. ¡°You should know I¡¯m not the same.¡±


    It¡¯d been Arther Bard¡¯s flaw and his greatest strength. When he saw injustice, he had to act. This compulsion had earned him the title ¡®First Hero¡¯ while also causing his downfall. His heart of gold was exploited against him. Those involved would pay for that.


    It¡¯s getting late. Astra downed her drink, ¡±I was hoping for one last favor.¡±


    ¡°Done,¡± Nero answered.


    Astra rolled her eyes. Would it kill him to say it out loud? ¡°To confirm, what will you be helping me with and how long will it take?¡±


    Nero smiled, ¡°Your ship will be piloted to the Isle within two days.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Astra got up. ¡°I also appreciate you safekeeping Earth¡¯s End.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t give it a thought. I¡¯m just glad you¡¯re finally out and about.¡± Nero rose himself.  ¡°I¡¯ll be departing first.¡±


    For the tiniest fraction of a second, blackness flashed. Then everything was back to normal. The balcony was enclosed, and the dome had a roof. As for Nero, he was nowhere to be seen.


    I¡¯m not the only one who¡¯s learned new tricks. In Xarst¡¯s shadow, where necromancy reigned supreme, it wasn¡¯t surprising the citadel¡¯s leader could teleport. Nevertheless, Astra was impressed how casually Nero wielded the supreme magic.


    Time for work. In the blink of an eye, Astra jumped to her cottage. I¡¯ve a busy day ahead.

 [Chapter 15 part 1] Wise - Warping to the Isle of Dreams

    [Chapter 15 part 1] Wise - Warping to the Isle of Dreams


    --------------------------------


    Gathered under the skulls, the excitement was palatable. For once, everyone was on the same page as Silver. Except for Dawn. Must be Nero¡¯s warning.


    Wise felt more in control than he had in years, his new headband offering a thick layer of protection. What''s more, the information let through was crisper. It¡¯s marvelous.


    Wise glanced fondly at the book in his lap. The Necronomicon. That was the name Light had suggested discovering the tome had no title. He¡¯d loved it.  It¡¯s an appropriate combination of ¡®necro-¡¯ and ¡®lexicon¡¯. Nero¡¯s artifact protected against the corruption of death¡¯s magic. The subtle graininess was gone when he peered into the future. So refreshing.


    Emboldened, he¡¯d finally used the projector last night, and there¡¯d been no headaches after a lengthy session. I no longer dread the Isle.


    He recalled the unusual dialogue yesterday with Nero Ebonwood. The others would be shocked how much was said.


    ¡­ ¡­ ¡­


    What¡¯s going on?  Wise thought confused.


    <Nero> we¡¯re having a wordless conversation. Just keep making inquiries and it¡¯ll happen naturally.


    Wise eyes widened. A silent exchange? Light would be jealous.


    <Nero> Yes. Remember to fully explore each topic. The amount I can provide per query is about a paragraph. Now, I¡¯ve something for you.


    Nero pulled out a thin bronze band. What¡¯s that?


    <Nero> I made this in preparation for your departure. Your old one was fine for the isolation of Earth¡¯s End but not the Isle of Dreams. Stay still.


    Nero touched his forehead, and the weight grew lighter. Surprised, Wise reached up. How¡¯d you do that?


    <Nero> At the peak of necromancy, you can play around with space and time. How does it feel? Things should¡¯ve improved.


    They had. Nero¡¯s reply was clearer. My original is amazing. He ran his fingers over the metal. So, what now?


    <Nero> Don¡¯t you wish to ask anything?


    Yes, of course. His mind raced frantically. How do you deal with your ability without a headband?


    <Nero> I spent a hundred and fifty years honing my foresight. You were simply born with it. That¡¯s the difference between learning to swim in shallow water and being thrown in the ocean with weights on your legs. You never had chance.


    Wise agreed it hadn¡¯t been entirely fair. So how do I become like you?


    <Nero> First there¡¯s something you must know. What happened when you were nine wasn¡¯t simply because of your advanced foresight. You possess a special ability. Sure, other necromancers can delve the future for answers, but it takes a conscious effort. The way knowledge effortlessly flows into your head, that¡¯s a phenomenon unique to you¡­ and me.


    Wise frowned. What do you mean?


    <Nero> You have a copy of my Sublime Vagary¡­ which I now realized you are unfamiliar with. That¡¯s troubling¡­ A quick review is required. First ask about ¡®immortalization and myth¡¯. Next ask about ¡®Sublime Vagaries¡¯. Finally try this query again.


    Sublime Vagaries¡­ They were something certain immortals possessed. Tell me about ¡®immortalization and myth¡¯?


    <Nero> Immortalization is the process of stepping into the Ether and becoming part-myth. Entering that raw conceptual space has side effects, including the potential to develop Sublime Vagaries.


    What are ¡®Sublime Vagaries¡¯?


    <Nero> They¡¯re conceptual weapons, cheats which break reality itself. They¡¯re the most powerful tools available to immortals and their most closely guarded secrets. For example, Lily Morgana gained fame with the title ¡®living artillery¡¯. From this, two abilities were born: ¡®Godly Reach¡¯ and ¡®Infinity Engine¡¯. Due to their nature, they often reinforce existing strengths.


    I totally understand why Light loves this stuff. I wonder why did Astra told us not to concern ourselves¡­


    <Nero> That¡¯s not surprising. Few mortals ever possess them, and even many immortals lack their own. Besides a close connection to the Ether, there must be some story or experience, a core which inspires awe, for a Sublime Vagary to form around. For instance, millennia of isolation in the arctic. With such high requirements, they aren¡¯t for children. You¡¯re a special case.


    Wise focused to avoid further unintended tangents. What¡¯s the true nature of my foresight?


    <Nero> It¡¯s a copy of my ¡®All-Knowing Grasp¡¯. At a certain point, my skills as a clairvoyant became something of a legend. From this fame, a Sublime Vagary was born. Normally you¡¯d be aware of this already. When one coalesces, its owner automatically obtains its name and an understanding of its nature. This didn¡¯t happen in your case due to the circumstances.


    What¡¯s ¡®All-Knowing Grasp¡¯?


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    <Nero> An ability which breaks the rules of foresight. Instead of tracking down the answers across the future, ¡®All-Knowing Grasp¡¯ automates the process while expanding its scope. Furthermore, as you discovered, it can do more than simply collect information. It¡¯s not something a child should¡¯ve possessed. Sorry about that.


    How¡¯d I end up with it?


    <Nero> Sola unintentionally duplicated it. Perhaps it¡¯s because my soul, foresight, and that particular power are so closely linked. Whatever the case, this explains why she never released copies of me. With her taint on top, they undoubtedly went mad too fast to be useful.


    Does Astra know?


    <Nero> She does not. We heroes shared our combat-related Sublime Vagaries but kept our others secret. In general, they¡¯re more effective when they remain unknown. After your ¡®incident¡¯, I properly explained everything, omitting only a small part. Astra believes what happened was the result of your overwhelming talent.


    Which explains the private conversation¡­ Wise wasn¡¯t sure how he felt about this. Do you expect me to stay quiet too?


    <Nero> That¡¯s what I would recommend. Astra and your siblings already understand how your ability functions. Learning it¡¯s a partially-activated Sublime Vagary won¡¯t change anything. However, I¡¯ll leave the final decision to you. That was my intention all along.


    Great, something else to worry about. More importantly, what do you mean by partially-activated?


    <Nero> The full power of a Sublime Vagary is unleashed by consciously invoking it while speaking its name. Unspoken, they function at a fraction of their potential. A warning though: you aren¡¯t ready yet. Try activating it and you¡¯ll shatter your headband, driving yourself mad.


    Releasing this ¡®full power¡¯ held no appeal to Wise. He filed the information in some dark, deep corner. Is there¡¯s a way for me to live without this headband?


    <Nero> There is. To do so, you must increase the weight of your life and place restrictions on your future.


    The ¡®weight of my life¡¯?


    <Nero> At the time of your ¡®incident¡¯, you were nine, with barely five years of ¡®adult¡¯ memories forming your identity. That was far too light, so you were overwhelmed.


    How do I increase my life-weight?


    <Nero> The passage of time. It¡¯s already doubled since then. Place enough restrictions on your future, and that might be enough.


    Why must I restrict my future?  He didn¡¯t like the sound of that.


    <Nero> When using foresight, you see infinite possibilities based on your actions. It¡¯s too much, clouding your vision. You must trim this down with self-imposed prohibitions.


    How do I do this?


    <Nero> You set up a forbidding ritual. Start with something easy to give up, like a hated food. Then create a mental ceremony to forbid yourself from eating the dish. Check your foresight and see if it worked. If not, refine your ritual and try again. Once successful, reinforce your covenant with more small restrictions. This way, when you move to the final step, it¡¯ll stick.


    What¡¯s the final step?


    <Nero> Life-altering prohibitions. They can be anything as long as they¡¯re impactful. Ethical constraints like ¡®I¡¯ll never steal¡¯. Pledges to adhere to specific philosophies. I suggest ¡®I¡¯ll never lie¡¯, since you¡¯ll be taking the oath anyway. Whatever you decide, make sure they¡¯re limitations you can live with.


    Wise disliked this intensely. Do all necromancers do this?


    <Nero> By the time a person reaches their forties or fifties, they know who they are and have unconsciously given up on a wide range of activities. This, along with the oath, is enough for most. If you¡¯re willing to wait that long, feel free to discard my advice.


    So he¡¯s offering a shortcut¡­ That made it more acceptable. What happens if I accidentally break my restrictions?


    <Nero> You¡¯ll experience a period of debilitation and recover. Remember these are YOUR rules. YOU decided how they¡¯re interpreted. All that matters is not intentionally breaking them.


    And if I intentionally break them?


    <Nero> All the benefits will disappear. You¡¯ll have destroyed your faith in yourself. Rebuilding it could take years and might never be the same.


    Wise sighed.  At least he understood everything. If I carefully add constraints, I¡¯ll eventually access my full potential. The longer he took, the less he¡¯d have to give up.


    Nero extended a black book, and Wise froze sensing his impending demise. Battling terror, he formed a coherent thought. What¡¯s that?


    <Nero> It¡¯s a gift, if you have the courage. Don¡¯t worry, you won¡¯t be harmed.


    I must take it. Wise reached forwards, subduing dread with rationality. Nero wouldn¡¯t hurt me.  He grabbed it, and the panic receded. What¡¯s this?


    <Nero> Something I¡¯ve labored on for millennia. A book is its shape because knowledge is a necromancer¡¯s truest weapon. Once you¡¯ve mastered it, you¡¯ll wield the might of Xarst itself.


    Wise stared with awe. What¡¯s it called?


    <Nero> It has no title as I couldn¡¯t settle on one. I¡¯ll leave you the privilege.


    What do I do with it?


    <Nero> For now, keep it with you. It¡¯s indestructible and simply holding it will protect you from death¡¯s corruption.


    Why did you create it?


    <Nero> Another Dark Age is coming. Whether in weeks or decades, I can¡¯t say. When it arrives, I¡¯ll not be participating. This book is my replacement.


    Why give me something this important?


    <Nero> Because you¡¯re Astra¡¯s child. Also, as my double, you¡¯re able to wield its full might.


    ¡­ ¡­ ¡­


    ¡°Since everyone¡¯s here,¡± Astra said, snapping Wise from his reverie. ¡°I¡¯ve a few points to cover.¡±


    Light interrupted, ¡°Does your airship have a name?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Astra answered. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Light titled Wise¡¯s book.¡± Soul explained. ¡°Now he wants to name more things.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Astra faced Wise.


    ¡°The Necronomicon.¡± Wise answered proudly.


    Astra hesitated, ¡°That¡¯s¡­ a fine name.¡± Why¡¯d mother waver? She¡¯d imagined herself riding a ship called ¡®Necronomicon¡¯ and found it unacceptable.


    ¡°Wise confirmed all airships have names.¡± Light added. Astra shot him a glare. Sorry. ¡°On the Isle, a nameless ship will be out of place. It needs proper designation.¡±


    Astra winced at the sound logic, knowing what would come next. It¡¯s her fault for not taking care of this earlier. At last, she relented, ¡°Alright, you can name it, but I retain veto rights. Understood?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll think up a unforgettable moniker immediately.¡± Light nodded happily. They¡¯re on different pages.


    Astra sighed, ¡°Moving on¡­ we must hide your faces.¡± She dropped a bag on the table. ¡°Later you can chose your own, but for now try these. Your lower face is enough.¡±


    The veils and scarves were mostly shades of grey. Wise wrapped one around his neck, as did the others.


    ¡°So how do we explain these?¡± Dawn asked. ¡°Are we also pretending to be ninjas?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not pretending!¡± Light cut in, which they ignored.


    Astra considered and grimaced, ¡°I honestly hadn¡¯t thought about it beyond hiding you faces. Everything¡¯s been so rushed¡­ Your suggestion is a good one, which is a depressing¡­¡±


    ¡°If we claim to be from some remote ¡®shinobi village¡¯ displaced by the eruptions, that¡¯d explain our origins and our unfamiliarity with the outside world.¡± Dawn continued.


    ¡°Sure,¡± Astra conceded tiredly. ¡°Until we come up of something better, let¡¯s go with that.¡±


    ¡°Then there are basics we must go over.¡± Light stated. ¡°Otherwise, no one will be fooled.¡±


    ¡°Do that later, when I¡¯m not around.¡± Astra snapped.


    So we¡¯ll be acting the fool to explain away strange behavior. Others were cringing under their scarves. As for himself, he wasn¡¯t too concerned. If being normal was important to me, I wouldn¡¯t have tried enduring insanity for power.


    (continued in part 2)

 [Chapter 15 part 2] Wise - Warping to the Isle of Dreams

    [Chapter 15 part 2] Wise - Warping to the Isle of Dreams


    --------------------------------


    ¡­


    ¡°Next is your hair.¡± Astra continued. ¡°Everyone except Light needs to pick a new color. There are mirrors in the bag. Stick to the ordinary.¡±


    ¡°Why am I an exception?¡± Light asked.


    ¡°Because Barsal shaves his head.¡± Astra answered.


    Taking a mirror, Wise drew in necromantic magic and slowly discarded the concept of death. He then willed the leftover power towards his scalp, and his black hair turned blond. This was ordinary magic, something anyone could learn. Once ¡®stripped¡¯ of affinity, it¡¯s far weaker, but can do anything.


    Rose chose ash blond. Hope picked black. Silver grey. Soul brown. Then there are the other three¡­ Dawn was a redhead. Light¡¯s dreadlocks were white. Neglecting these two, Astra addressed Free, who sported bright green, ¡°What did I say?¡±


    ¡°This is perfectly acceptable for a plant-using ninja.¡± Free responded.


    ¡°Right¡­¡± Astra decided not to press the issue. Instead, she raised her arm, and they watched it darkened to a light tan. ¡°Match this as best you can.¡±


    Everyone did as requested. Thanks to a certain prank, they¡¯d all mastered this skill. Rose acting serious while neon pink was hilarious.


    Astra nodded, ¡°Even before the Fracturing, it¡¯s been customary to match your tone to your geographic location. The only ones who ignore this are visitors, foreign dignitaries, immortals, and occasionally those with compelling personal motives. In a major tourist destination like the Isle of Dreams, it¡¯s especially important because out-of-towners are always the target of swindlers¡­¡±


    Astra stiffened, ¡°My God¡­ You¡¯ve no idea what scams are, do you¡­?¡± She muttered.


    Rose objected, ¡°Yes, we do! There were some examples in your library.¡±


    Astra appeared unconvinced. With trepidation, she brought out small pouches. ¡°This is ¡®Gold¡¯,¡± She said, jingling them. ¡°Enough to live comfortably for months.¡± She dropped them on the table. ¡°There¡¯s one for each of you. Try not to waste it.¡±


    Pocketing his share, Wise noticed his mother had returned to her usual pale white. Astra glanced at her arm and shrugged, ¡°I can¡¯t change it. Or at least, not for any length of time. The HEAVENLY DAO doesn¡¯t want its chosen altering who they are. That¡¯s why Lily is trapped in a twelve year old¡¯s body. The only exception are those few who reach the wall while concealing their features, like the shapeshifters of Noaran.¡±


    ¡°Anyway,¡± Astra faced Light. ¡°Most structures aren¡¯t as solid as my fortress. I don¡¯t want to hear you crashed into someone¡¯s bedroom.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think something so uncool could happen to a ninja.¡± Light protested.


    ¡°The HEAVENLY DAO also doesn¡¯t save fools from themselves.¡± Astra countered tersely. ¡°If the roof looks weak, you¡¯ll fall right through.¡±


    Their mother turned to Free, ¡°I¡¯m repeating for emphasis: only plants. If news gets out that Sola¡¯s double is creating deformed monstrosities¡­ Understand?¡±


    ¡°Completely,¡± Free nodded. ¡°except for the ¡®deformed monstrosities¡¯.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s everything.¡± Astra had finished her mental checklist. ¡°For today, there¡¯s only one item on the agenda. You¡¯ll compete at the Stone Coliseum this evening. Simon will handle the registrations.¡± Where is he anyway? ¡­ He¡¯s at the warping station.


    ¡°No need to stress. It¡¯ll take half a dozen matches before you¡¯re paired with someone your level.¡±


    ¡°Other than than, try to to settle in. You¡¯ll visit the Guild tomorrow, once the chaos of my arrival has subsided. For touring the Isle, I¡¯ll leave that to you and Lily. Keep a low profile and stay out of trouble. Any questions?¡± There were none.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± They took their bags and followed Astra out. It¡¯s a short walk.  Since the residence was designed for dignitaries, the layout was organized so visitors could discretely warp out. Which is perfect.


    Wise was filled with anticipation. He¡¯d have the chance to observe Enera from space, which, for him, would be the equivalent of a guided world tour. It might leave me drained, but it¡¯ll be worth it.


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    ¡°Everything¡¯s ready.¡± Simon stood near a dais in a large chamber. Next to him were steps to an elevated platform above which hovered a metal sphere covered in handles.


    ¡°Good.¡± Astra motioned. ¡°Everyone up there and grab hold. Make sure your bags are shut tight and nothing is loose in your pockets.¡±


    Simon joined them, and the room quivered under the buzz of mystical machinery. A round force field materialized around them, disappearing as it stabilized. The first step: isolation. They were being cut off from reality. As proof, gravity lost its hold, leaving them floating.


    The force field shimmered again. The second step: compressing. Their surroundings began to grow. We¡¯re shrinking. Soon they were two inches tall, hovering in a colossal enclosed space.


    ¡°The shield normally isn¡¯t this transparent.¡± Astra explained. ¡°I had Simon use special settings for a clearer view.¡± Thanks for the consideration. Although they didn¡¯t feel it, they accelerated abruptly towards a hole in the wall.


    ¡°Say¡­¡± Dawn asked nervously. ¡°What happens next? To my shame, I must admit I thought warping was basically teleportation. It¡¯s mostly glossed over in books¡­¡± Darkness engulfed them as they rushed down a metallic pipe.


    ¡°Normally it¡¯s quite similar,¡± Astra answered. ¡°But for this trip, I asked Simon to slow the speed.¡±


    ¡°So how will this work exactly?¡± Dawn pressed.


    Wise stepped in, ¡°From here, we¡¯ll travel up two hundred miles to the pillar¡¯s global network and then follow along it to the Isle.¡± They sensed powerful magical fluctuations. ¡°We¡¯re at the final step: sending. In seconds, we¡¯ll shoot upwards at twenty times the speed of sound.¡±


    Without warning, they soared into the arctic sky. Below, Xarst receded rapidly. Wise had hoped to spot the fortress but failed. Maybe if there¡¯d been more light¡­ The sun rose on the horizon, and the brightness washed everything away. Until the sunlit side, there won¡¯t be much to see.


    Shielding his eyes, Wise noted they¡¯d switched directions and were sailing horizontally. He squinted to make out the approaching expanse of aquamarine. The Blue Abyss¡­  Probably the most normal-looking. In contrast, the neighboring land resembled splintered glass. It¡¯s surprisingly whole¡­ He¡¯d expected an ¡®islands in the sky¡¯ sorta thing. That was shallow thinking. Enera¡¯s surface was more akin to a cracked egg.  Though not all of it.


    Many ¡®rough¡¯ sections had a fuzzy texture. The Twisted Lands. Here the already broken earth had been contorted into corkscrews and spaghetti by the HEAVENLY DAO. I wonder what they¡¯re like up close. Unfortunately, his ability didn¡¯t provide visual stimulus. Despite this shortcoming, Wise was appreciating his gift. What¡¯d Nero call it? ¡®All-Knowing Grasp¡¯. He scoured the scene before him, devouring the feedback.


    Among the warped geography, there were two solid bodies, one green and one yellow. The Green Hell and Sarada Desert. The gigantic trees and drifting sands completely hid the broken land. Both were uninhabitable, but the Green Hell was the larger and more lethal of the two.


    Wise shifted his gaze to the depression to their North. Ground Zero, the center of the apocalyptic spell. The mile-high crater walls encircled this death zone. Inside, mercurial gravitational fields spun a perpetual dust storm, rearranging the landscape on a daily basis. Within the tempest, remnants of Sola¡¯s undead army awaited a new master.


    Further off, something caught his interest. It looked like giant tweezers had dragged the crust upwards and then lost their hold, leaving a pyramid of floating landmasses. So there were ¡®islands in the sky¡¯ after all. Aery had controlled the highest peaks before the Fracturing, and The HEAVENLY DAO had honored this distinction. The atmosphere has been manipulated to make the top portions breathable.


    Far off, dark grey clouds obscured the surface. Ash from below¡­  Hopefully mother takes care of that. He turned South.


    There¡¯s the Barsal Empire, named after its founder. Barsal Farran had been a conquerer, expanding his territory until the early Dark Age. However, once Sola revealed herself, he¡¯d swore off future conquests. His efforts in uniting Enera and his contributions on the battlefield had eventually earned him the title of hero.


    Wise noted the large sunken portion without cracks. The ¡®Gala plateau¡¯. As the largest mystically-dead region, it¡¯d been spared the fury of Sola¡¯s spell. It¡¯s the only place where there¡¯s solid ground all the way down. Void of magical uncertainty, it gave the Barsal Empire its technological edge.


    Eyes meandering, the names of countries, immortals, and historic events crowded his consciousness. To think there are poor sods who study hard. Of course, this was only a partial picture. Many populated areas were deep underground, such as the Demon World and Middle Earth. There¡¯s also the planet¡¯s other side.


    One of the black whirlwinds rising from the surface passed close by. Light Funnels¡­ Their interior brought concentrated sunlight deep into Enera. Wouldn¡¯t we be fried if we passed through? To prevent that eventuality, the HEAVENLY DAO had severed the pillar¡¯s network where they crossed. Good to know¡­


    There it is. Among the dark lines, Wise had found a white one.  We¡¯re nearly there.


    ¡°That¡¯s the Pillar, right?¡± Dawn broke the silence, talking extremely fast. ¡°So the Isle is below? Yet we aren¡¯t heading down. Rather we¡¯re traveling towards the pillar¡¯s top. What happens when we reach it?¡±


    Astra smiled, ¡°We fall really fast. It¡¯s unforgettable, especially the first time.¡± She peered ahead serenely. ¡°Warping nowadays ruins the experience. It happens so quickly, there¡¯s no time for fear.¡±


    This is her dark side. Their mother relished every opportunity to toughen them up. Her children wouldn¡¯t be wimps. It makes her evil sometimes. They already felt like they were falling from the lack of gravity. With a downward plummet added to the mix¡­ It¡¯ll be unnerving.


    ¡°Mother, I hate you.¡± Dawn whispered. Astra had time to raise an eyebrow before they swapped directions.


    As they plunged, a piercing shriek rang out. Dawn was staring down, screaming at the top of her lungs. Wow¡­ The shocking sight had a calming effect, mesmerizing them.

 [Chapter 16 part 1] Silver - Landing in the Rose Palace

    [Chapter 16 part 1] Silver - Landing in the Rose Palace


    ------------------------------¡ª


    In the pink marble courtyard, all eyes were on Dawn. Breath calming, she released her grip on the handle, leaving deep indentations. She then stood tall and declared, ¡°I¡¯m afraid of heights.¡± Unbelievable, Dawn admitting a fault¡­  She¡¯s not good at it. Her tone had been challenge rather than shame.


    ¡°That¡¯ll be a problem, won¡¯t it?¡± She added, shoulders sagging.


    ¡°A bit, yes,¡± Simon answered, dematerializing the sphere.


    ¡°Since when?¡± Astra asked coolly.


    ¡°Since always,¡± Dawn explained. ¡°Even parts of the fortress made me antsy. What we just went through¡­ It¡¯s just plain wrong.¡±


    Since this wasn¡¯t the time or place, everyone was quiet. The mocking will happen later.


    ¡°Hum, excuse me.¡± They turned to find a girl in her late teens. ¡°My name is Kate. Lily sent me to greet you.¡±


    She was gorgeous, but what really caught Silver¡¯s attention were the cat ears atop her short amber hair. A tail also peeked out of her leather outfit.


    ¡°Who¡¯re you?¡± Astra stared piercingly.


    ¡°I¡¯m Kate, Lily¡¯s adopted daughter.¡± Kate answered flustered. This isn¡¯t going well.


    ¡°You might be scaring her.¡± Silver said.


    Registering his comment, Astra reexamined the fidgeting girl, face softening, ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to intimidate you.¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s fine.¡± Kate waved her arms, appearing even more frantic. Did that make her more nervous?


    ¡°One question,¡±  Astra said. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you address yourself as ¡®Kate Morgana¡¯?¡±


    Eyes widening, Kate stammered, ¡°That¡¯s¡­ I¡­ Sorry, I should¡¯ve.¡±


    Astra¡¯s lip tightened. Why¡¯s that¡¯s upsetting? Their mother wasn¡¯t usually a stickler for such fanfare. ¡°We should meet Lily.¡± Astra said, smiling again.


    Kate nodded quickly, ¡°Follow me.¡± She turned and marched off stiffly. She seems a bit clumsy, but it might be the anxiety. Either way, it¡¯s cute.


    The Rose Palace was filled with colonnades, archways, and open-air corridors. Hey, a section of the fortress looks like this. While there was nobody about, fiery birds covered the upper structures. I wonder which one will end up Rose¡¯s pet.


    They entered a fire-filled room. The left and right walls were thick flames from floor to ceiling, and an inferno raged in a large brazier between the two. As they crossed, it erupted, and Fayla coalesced. She¡¯s human-sized in person too. The fiery sprite waved, ¡°Greetings everyone. I¡¯m Fayla, overseer of the inner palace and secretary to Lily Morgana.¡±


    ¡°Nice to see you again.¡± Astra replied. ¡°We¡¯ll be relying on you later.¡±


    ¡°No problem,¡± Fayla said joyfully and vanished. What¡¯s the Inner Palace? He was curious. I bet Wise knows.


    They found Lily at the head of a familiar marble table. Behind was the terrace and the Pillar of Enera. Several phoenixes were perched on chairs. They were three feet tall, formed from fire and embers. Their flames only burn when they want them to.


    ¡°Astra, welcome back,¡± Lily greeted, not bothering to rise. ¡°You¡¯re a few minutes late. That¡¯s unusual.¡±


    ¡°We took a moment to meet your daughter.¡± Astra answered. ¡°I was surprised.¡±


    ¡°Ah, Kate,¡± Lily nodded. ¡°She¡¯s an orphan Arther picked up and foisted on me. It was something he started doing nine hundred years ago. Since she¡¯s already living here, I told her about your children. I hope you don¡¯t mind.¡±


    ¡°Not at all. Having someone their age who knows is a good thing.¡± Astra responded casually. ¡°I¡¯m more interested in what you just said. So Kate isn¡¯t your first?¡±


    ¡°No, there have been many before.¡° Lily sighed. ¡°Most died chasing immortality, and old age took the rest. Yet, every time, Arther brought another. He was strangely insistent so I couldn¡¯t turn him down. You¡¯re the thirty second, right Kate?¡±  Astra wasn¡¯t the only one who wanted Lily to mature.


    ¡°Correct.¡± Kate confirmed uneasily. Is it us or Lily who¡¯s agitating her? Silver had no idea. Deciphering the emotions of strangers is hard.


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    ¡°You never mentioned these children during your visits.¡± Astra noted. She¡¯s¡­ annoyed?  Silver¡¯s instincts warned him something was up.


    ¡°Why would I tell you about people you¡¯d never meet? Maybe if you traveled to the Isle occasionally, I might¡¯ve felt the need.¡± Lily explained. ¡°But enough of this. Everyone is expecting us. Simon, could you go ahead and let them know we¡¯ll arrive shortly?¡±


    ¡°Certainly,¡± He turned to Astra. ¡°See you at the Adventurer¡¯s Guild.¡±


    Once he¡¯d left, Lily resumed, ¡°Why doesn¡¯t everyone remove their veils and introduce themselves.¡±


    They did as instructed without theatrics. Mother hammered this point home. ¡°You changed their hair color.¡± Lily commented.


    ¡°What do you think? With their faces covered, it should be enough.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Lily said. ¡°More importantly, what are your plans for them while you¡¯re off on Guild business?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ll be living here,¡± Astra answered, ¡°in your care.¡±


    ¡°I thought so.¡± Lily said. ¡°And you didn¡¯t think to check first?¡±


    Astra hesitated, then nodded, ¡°Would you please watch over my children?¡±


    ¡°Thanks for finally asking.¡± Lily said satisfied. ¡°They can stay¡­ except for her.¡± Lily pointed at Rose in the back. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but you¡¯ll have to find another solution. She can stay on the Isle, but not here. I can¡¯t deal with that on a daily basis. My apologies.¡±


    Rose can¡¯t stay? What¡¯s going on?  He glanced at his siblings¡¯ worried faces. This is where my stomach should be tying itself in knots. He¡¯d read about the phenomenon. Cold! A chill had seized the room.


    Astra was staring at Lily expressionlessly, but Silver could tell by her tightened jaw muscles that she was furious. As if the temperature wasn¡¯t clue enough. Lily was visibly rattled.  This¡¯ll be interesting.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± She asked as her phoenixes scattered.


    ¡°This is no time for games, Lily.¡± Astra lectured sternly. ¡°Rose will remain with her siblings, here, at the palace.¡±


    ¡°And if I say no?¡± Lily persisted.


    ¡°For starters, I¡¯ll give you a spanking.¡± Astra stated with glacial promise.


    Lily opened her mouth, but nothing came out. She knows it¡¯s a serious threat. This was paralyzing her.


    ¡°If you insist on acting like a child, I¡¯ll treat you as one.¡± Astra continued. ¡°You¡¯re right, I should¡¯ve confirmed before hand. I was busy and forgot. However, asking would¡¯ve been a formality. These are my children. Nero, Barsal, and Arther would¡¯ve offered shelter without hesitation. The you from two thousand years ago would have too. Now, will you risk my daughter¡¯s safety because she makes you feel uncomfortable?¡± This¡¯ll go badly if Lily isn¡¯t careful.


    For a second, Lily matched Astra¡¯s glare as frost spread over the table. Then her pride gave way, and her gaze dropped, ¡°Alright, she can stay. Happy?¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± Astra drew closer while ice covered the walls. ¡°And if anything happens to them, I¡¯ll hold you responsible. Am I clear?¡±


    Lily wasn¡¯t ready for this and simply nodded. Satisfied, Astra returned to them. As the air warmed, Lily recovered her voice, ¡°You¡¯re a bully. I wasn¡¯t just being fussy. It really hurts to look at her. It¡¯s as if the world¡¯s mocking me. You¡¯ve no know idea what it¡¯s like being trapped in a child¡¯s body¡­¡±


    ¡°Would you rather have spent millennia in the arctic?¡± Astra demanded. Lily recoiled, beaten. ¡°Whining about your lot in life serves no one, least of all yourself.¡±


    While the others had been ill at ease, Silver had appreciated the confrontation without such distraction. Lily got crushed. Astra must¡¯ve been an authority figure to the small immortal. She fears challenging her. Also, Astra¡¯s ¡®arctic isolation¡¯ countered Lily¡¯s ¡®perpetual child¡¯ card. Lastly, Astra was obviously stronger. Otherwise coercion wouldn¡¯t have been effective. He felt pride. Sure, mother threatened a child, but she deserved it. The exile attempt had lost Lily a lot of good will.


    ¡°Now apologize.¡± Astra demanded. ¡°You made Rose feel unwelcome.¡±


    Crush them when they¡¯re down. Lily never stood a chance. You didn¡¯t cross Astra if you could avoid it. Unless you¡¯re Free or Soul. His sister feared boredom more than anything. As for Soul, Astra was weak against him. Must be related to her brother.


    Lily went through a range of emotions. She¡¯s far too expressive compared to Astra. First her eyebrows rose at the absurdity of the demand. Next she grimaced, disgusted by the injustice of it all. Finally, she slumped in resignation. That¡¯s when she saw what was perched on Rose¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°That¡¯s mine!¡± She exclaimed, forgetting everything.


    Rose admired the fiery bird. ¡°When Astra chilled the place, I invited it over.¡± She explained happily. ¡°Won¡¯t you let me keep it? As an apology gift?¡±


    The sheer shamelessness had Lily speechless again. She turned to Astra as if to protest but saw only cold unyielding expectation. Dejected, she gave up, ¡°Fine, keep it. But no more, understand?¡±


    ¡°Thank you!¡± Rose smiled brightly. This put Silver¡¯s lingering concerns to rest. By butting heads with Astra over the years, Rose had inherited some of her demeanor. She could handle her original just fine. Lily might be the one in trouble.


    ¡°We should go.¡± Lily said. ¡°Everyone¡¯s waiting.¡± Trying to cut her losses¡­


    Astra paused then nodded, ¡°Yes, I have a volcanic eruption to deal with.¡±


    ¡°Great.¡± Lily expressed with relief. ¡°In the meantime, Kate can show them the Inner Palace.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡± Kate said. ¡°But do they have the proper permissions?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll take care of that now.¡± Lily stood up. She¡¯s nearly a foot shorter¡­ Did Rose really grow that much in the last three years?  Lily must¡¯ve noticed as well because she scowled.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be by the brazier.¡± She disappeared leaving a blazing trail behind. Didn¡¯t want to walk side by side, huh¡­  Unbothered, Rose was playing with her stolen pet. Life will be exciting.


    Once they caught up, Fayla joined them. ¡°Hello again. I¡¯ll be needing a drop of blood from you, you, and you.¡± She pointed at Soul, Hope, and Free.


    ¡°Just us?¡± Soul asked.


    ¡°Lily, Astra, Barsal, Nero, and Arther already have access to the Inner Palace.¡± Fayla answered. ¡°Their doppelgangers obviously enjoy the same benefit. However, Ethan and Jenna perished before Lily became reagent, so I never knew them. The same is true of Sola.¡±


    ¡°Need a knife? I can grab one.¡± Kate offered.


    ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary.¡± Free said lazily. From her sleeve, three roots shot out. With pinpoint precision, they pierced three necks.


    ¡°Ouch.¡± Hope rubbed herself. ¡°Warn us next time.¡±


    ¡°Sorry.¡± Free faced Fayla, ¡°Do you need it in the brazier?¡±


    ¡°Yes, please.¡±


    The drops were quickly deposited while Kate watched fascinated. If she¡¯s surprised by that, wait until she sees what the rest of us can do.  Silver was anticipating it.


    ¡°All set.¡± Fayla said. ¡°You can lead them down, Kate.¡±


    ¡°This way.¡± Kate approached one of the flaming walls.


    (continued in part 2)

 [Chapter 16 part 2] Silver - Landing in the Rose Palace

    [Chapter 16 part 2] Silver - Landing in the Rose Palace


    ------------------------------¡ª


    ¡­


    ¡°Use your wrystal if something comes up.¡± Lily yelled as she and Astra departed.


    ¡°Got it.¡± Kate strode into the flames. Cool. Silver plunged after her. I don¡¯t have the patience for trepidation.


    Kate stood atop a circular stairwell carved out of rock. Yellowish flames from wall alcoves provided lighting. Emissionless fire, Silver decided. Rose had enchanted some at Earth¡¯s End. Since it¡¯s underground, we¡¯d die of carbon poisoning otherwise.


    The next through was Light. Jumping into fire appealed to his aesthetic.  After emerging, he leaned back to reassure the others. I should¡¯ve done that. Soon, they¡¯d all gathered.


    ¡°Thank god that¡¯s over,¡± Kate said, hugging herself. ¡°Don¡¯t you guys get nervous around heroes like Astra and Lily?¡±


    They looked at each other. ¡°It¡¯s different for us.¡± Rose offered. ¡°You must have people telling you how amazing Lily is on a daily basis. We¡¯ve never had that. In fact, the notion of fawning over Astra makes some of us nauseous.¡±


    ¡°I guess,¡± Kate said. ¡°Still, their showdown was terrifying. I mean, there was ice on the wall! I¡¯ve never been so cold.¡±


    ¡°Really? I wasn¡¯t nervous at all.¡° Silver wasn¡¯t sure why he went out of his way to state that. He was pleased when Kate looked at him with amazement.


    ¡°Ignore Silver,¡± Rose sighed. ¡°The rest of us are normal. Even we were on edge during that exchange.¡±


    As they headed down, the cat-eared girl studied him. Eventually she said, ¡°You really are fearless.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Silver answered proudly. He was pretty sure there was a misunderstanding that he needed to clear up. But he liked having a beautiful girl call him ¡®fearless¡¯, so he put it out of mind.


    ¡°By the way, this staircase is long.¡± Silver noted, peering down.


    ¡°I know, right?¡± Kate complained. ¡°Lily just flies up. She doesn¡¯t realize what a pain it is for others.¡± I might¡¯ve hit a sore spot.


    They exited on the top floor of a palatial complex. Beyond it, hundreds of buildings spread out between support pillars in a space larger than Astra¡¯s fortress. An entire city has been sculpted from the bedrock. The surfaces were smooth shiny black with hints of color.


    ¡°It¡¯s obsidian.¡± Kate explained. ¡°This place was hollowed out by Lily¡¯s fire. Neat, right?¡±


    ¡°I like it.¡± Hope said. ¡°It¡¯s warm.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you approve.¡± Fayla said, materializing from a nearby brazier. Silver observed hundreds more such bonfires scattered about the cavern. So she can appear out of any of them?


    ¡°Hi, Fayla. Do you know the room assignment yet?¡± Kate asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe Lily has gotten around to that.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Kate said. ¡°Then why doesn¡¯t everyone drop their bags here for now? It¡¯s safe. Few can enter the Inner Palace, and Fayla can keep watch.¡± The sprite nodded.


    With their belongings deposited, Kate continued, ¡°I¡¯ll give you the tour. Anything specific you want to see?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Free asked. Across from Fayla, on the wall between the two staircases up, was a list of names.


    ¡°Ah, those¡­¡± The energy drained from Kate.


    ¡°Is that your name?¡± Hope pointed.


    ¡°It is.¡± Kate said listlessly.


    Eying the list, Silver perceived a pattern. The names got shorter and simpler going down. At the top was Alexander, and the bottom was Kate. That¡¯s a little sad¡­


    ¡°So Kate isn¡¯t short for Katherine or something¡­¡± Rose said quietly.


    ¡°It¡¯s probably long for ¡®cat¡¯.¡± Kate laughed awkwardly. I never thought anyone would make Astra¡¯s naming sense look good.


    Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    ¡°Lily did that every time Arther brought a child.¡± Fayla explained. ¡°I suppose Kate will be the last.¡± What was she thinking putting this here?


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Free apologized. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have drawn attention to it¡­¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine.¡± Kate sighed. ¡°It¡¯s something you were bound to see anyway.¡±


    She examined the stone, ¡°I feel bad for Lily every time I see it. It¡¯s clear, at the beginning, she really did try. Yet everyone failed to reach the wall, one by one. It makes me worried about my own prospects¡­ It isn¡¯t easy to become immortal.¡±


    This is depressing. ¡°Why don¡¯t we go up to the terrace? I¡¯d love to see the view.¡±


    ¡°That should be safe enough.¡± Kate considered, ¡°But do you really want to hike back up?¡±


    ¡°Honestly, yes,¡± Hope volunteered. ¡°Lily railroaded us down here, but we¡¯re all eager for a closer look at the Isle.¡±


    Silver stuck close as they retraced their steps. Kate was still lost in dark thoughts. ¡°What did Lily mean when she said to ¡®use your wrystal¡¯?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Oh, this.¡± Kate held up her left arm, showcasing the small crystal embedded in her metallic wristband. ¡°It¡¯s a communication device and information terminal. You know projectors? It¡¯s the same thing, except smaller and less powerful. They work in most cities.¡±


    Kate twisted her wrist upwards to display a three dimensional map of the Isle. ¡°See. You can access whatever the network you¡¯re connected to has available. It¡¯s really useful.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s awesome.¡± Silver said. ¡°Can we get some too?¡±


    ¡°Sure, but they¡¯re expensive¡­¡±


    That might be a problem. ¡°Would this be enough?¡± Silver handed his money pouch to Kate. When she looked inside, her face went stiff, and her cat ears went strait up, ¡°This is a fortune!¡±


    What? ¡°Astra told us it was enough to live comfortably for a few months¡­¡± Silver said. ¡°Is it really that much?¡±


    ¡°A few months?¡± Kate repeated. ¡°God, it¡¯s always the same with immortals. Their sense of wealth is so twisted.¡±


    She pushed the pouch back into his chest, ¡°That¡¯s enough to live ¡®a few months¡¯ in the finest suite of the fanciest hotel. It¡¯s more than sufficient.¡±


    That¡¯s good, but why is Kate so upset? Did she think he was showing off? It¡¯s hard to read people¡­ At least she wasn¡¯t moping anymore.


    Reaching the surface, they passed a lounge where Wise broke off to lay on a couch, ¡°I¡¯ll rest for a bit. Fetch me once you¡¯re done.¡±


    Silver could practically see the question marks above Kate¡¯s head. To her credit, she said nothing until they were out of earshot, where she turned for an explanation, ¡°What was that about?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s Nero¡¯s clone. Simply looking at things floods his head with information. He probably wants to conserve energy.¡±


    ¡°Hah,¡± Kate said blankly. She¡¯ll get it eventually. ¡°Are any of your other siblings ¡®different¡¯ like that? Anything I should know?¡±


    Kate was under the misconception he was ordinary. He didn¡¯t have the heart to disabuse her of the notion, ¡°Oh, yes. Many of us are quite special. Dawn and Light come to mind immediately. As for Free¡­ How¡¯re you with bugs?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m ok with them.¡± Kate responded. I like how she dutifully answers random questions. ¡°Wait, are we talking about normal-sized or the giant variety?¡±


    ¡°The normal sized but horribly deformed.¡± Silver replied. ¡°But I shouldn¡¯t badmouth her too much. Maybe she won¡¯t let any escape this time¡ª¡ª Oh, here we are. Why don¡¯t we finish this later?¡± Kate remained curious but graciously let it slide.


    The Isle of Dreams was an upright cylinder with its center hollowed out and a slice removed from its West side. The Rose Palace stood on the West edge, north of the missing section. It¡¯s mostly flat, except here. From the North side, the outer portion of the Isle gradually ramped up as it circled counter-clockwise, ending in their current position. The Rose Place was effectively surrounded on three sides by cliffs: the outer edge to the West, the missing segment to the South, and the eastern hundred-foot drop to the city below.


    ¡°Spectacular, isn¡¯t it? Welcome to the Isle of Dreams!¡± Kate motioned theatrically.


    Silver peered South. Wow. On the opposing side, airships of every size were lined up along platforms fastened to the cliff. It went on for miles. Some were the size of Astra¡¯s while others were floating palaces. Cruise ships, I believe. Silver watched crafts maneuvering in and out, then turned his attention west.


    Not frozen this time.  The sparkling body of water was two miles down and half a mile out. It curved downward as it approached. What¡¯s more interesting is below. Five miles under them, the Isle¡¯s skyriver merged with another and flowed into the ocean. Where this occurred, the Blue Abyss¡¯s vertical surface rose in a giant whirling cone towards the incoming flow.


    ¡°What¡¯s that down there?¡± Silver asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s Spiral City.¡± Kate explained. ¡°It¡¯s far more populated. Not only is there easy access to the Isle, but there¡¯s a dungeon entrance nearby. The greater surface area makes it affordable.¡±


    ¡°A dungeon? Which one?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Lost World, themed after extinct species.¡± Rose spoke up. ¡°Didn¡¯t you study last night?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Silver objected. ¡°I just didn¡¯t research what was around the Isle.¡± I should¡¯ve.


    ¡°Maybe Kate could to give us a tour.¡± Soul suggested.


    Everyone looked eagerly towards Kate, who nodded timidly, ¡°I¡¯ll try.¡± She took a deep breath. ¡°The Isle is three miles wide and five miles deep. It has a population of half¡ª¡ª¡±


    ¡°Maybe a visual tour describing what we¡¯re looking at.¡± Soul interjected gently, gesturing behind.


    Turning around, Kate flushed. She¡¯s not used to being the center of attention. That wasn¡¯t a problem he suffered from. Hey, maybe I can help!


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you go around clockwise starting here,¡± Silver offered.


    ¡°Sounds good!¡± Kate latched onto the idea. ¡°So first would be the Adventurer¡¯s Guild.¡±


    Kate skipped over to the east edge. ¡°See those golden buildings?¡± She leaned on the railing to point. ¡°The ones on the rise are the Guild proper. Below, next to the city, is the public portion meant for tourists.¡±


    ¡°The ¡®public portion¡¯?¡± Hope asked.


    ¡°Millions flood the Isle every year. They all want to visit Guild Headquarters, but it¡¯d cripple operations if we let that many in. To appease them, the public portion was built.¡± Kate does a decent job once she gets going.


    (continued in part 3)

 [Chapter 16 part 3] Silver - Landing in the Rose Palace

    [Chapter 16 part 3] Silver - Landing in the Rose Palace


    ------------------------------¡ª


    ¡­


    ¡°Next is that open green area.¡± Kate said. ¡°The North half is the ¡®Tomb of Legends¡¯. Famous immortals are buried in that park, including memorials for those whose bodies were never recovered. It¡¯s where Arther will be buried. I really hope they find the rest of him by then¡­ The south half is Monument Park. It¡¯s filled with statues of prominent individuals like the seven heroes.¡±


    ¡°Moving on, see the huge sprawling building? That¡¯s the Endless Library.¡±


    How to describe what I¡¯m looking at? Imagine a toddler playing. To a big ten-story block, he haphazardly glues seven-story blocks and five-story blocks. He then repeats the process, sticking smaller blocks on each additions. It¡¯s artistic in a messy-finger-painting way¡­ At least the facades are elaborately crafted in a unified style.


    ¡°Chaotic, isn¡¯t it? In reality, the layout is irrelevant as the outer form doesn¡¯t impact the interior space. All exits lead to the same entrance hall.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s the Stone Coliseum, the second most popular destination. Anyone can sign up, but most choose to spectate. Fights go on around the clock. It may be open air, but the weather never reaches inside.¡± We¡¯ll experience it first hand tonight.


    ¡°Nearby is the Hall of Wonders. It¡¯s hidden behind the Pillar from here, which I don¡¯t mind. If you care to witness an obscene amount of treasure you can¡¯t touch, then feel free to visit. Personally I don¡¯t see the point.¡±


    The Hall of Wonders was another ¡®separate space¡¯. Or rather confusingly, a ¡®separate space¡¯ within a ¡®separate space¡¯. Millennia ago, The HEAVENLY DAO shaped a dimension from the Ether called the ¡®Celestial Workshop¡¯. It slowly staffed the place by recruiting top tier craftsmen. Aided by the finest tools, they labor to produce ¡®rewards¡¯ to furnish Enera¡¯s dungeons. These undistributed ¡®prizes¡¯ accumulated in an immense treasury along with rare bounties collected by the deity.


    The Hall of Wonders was the series of glass corridors suspended above the ¡®Celestial Workshop¡¯, allowing a glimpse of the riches below. If lucky, one might even see artisans at work. It sounds entertaining enough.


    ¡°Next, around the Hollow ¡ª¡ªthat¡¯s what we call the interior¡ª¡ª is Isle City. It¡¯s mostly a large commercial district filled with shops, restaurants, and the likes. Ordinary residents live in the Lower City.¡±


    ¡°The Lower City?¡± Hope asked.


    ¡°Ah, sorry.¡± Kate apologizes a lot. ¡°It¡¯s the living area built into the rock face of the Hollow. Even further down is the ¡®Undercity¡¯. As with a lot of places, nicer portions are higher.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of upscale, across from us to the right is the rich district.¡± Kate pointed to an area beyond the city obscured by trees. ¡°There are ridiculously gigantic mansions over there. Also, huge gardens, private ports, pools¡­ It¡¯s opulent.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s strange hearing you say that considering where you live.¡± Free noted.


    Kate looked back at the towering pink marble edifice sheepishly, ¡°I can¡¯t help it. It¡¯s been fifteen years, but I¡¯m still not used to the place.¡± So she¡¯s averse to wealth? Silver wondered about her background.


    ¡°Anyway, embassies are over there on the opposite end, which isn¡¯t by accident. Entertaining dignitaries is what Lily dislikes most.¡±


    ¡°On the South side, we have three famous outdoor attractions. There is Calin¡¯s Keep, which you can¡¯t miss. It¡¯s the sinister castle with a dark cloud covering it.¡±


    Before Sola, Calin had been considered the greatest villain of all. Another mad necromancer, he¡¯d caused untold deaths with the horrors he¡¯d unleashed. He¡¯d also earned the HEAVENLY DAO¡¯s respect in the process. So when humanity was on the verge of bringing him to justice, the whimsical deity saved his life by drafting him into service. As its agent, Calin was tasked with deploying traps and beasts in its dungeons. Adventurers curse his name to this day.


    ¡°See the two large streams of people along the Isle¡¯s edge? Those are the entrances to the Shrines of the Lost and the Wall of Legends respectively. Since both are their own dimensional spaces, there isn¡¯t much to see from here. That¡¯s about all¡­¡±


    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°What about those?¡± Light asked, pointing to the nearby row of rising rocks suspended in place. Some touched the cliff below the terrace.


    ¡°That¡¯s the Helix.¡± Kate noted. ¡°It starts at both ends and coils upwards around the Pillar. They go on for miles. Like the Skystream ¡ª¡ªthat¡¯s the Isle¡¯s skyriver¡ª¡ª, it¡¯s a visual flourish the HEAVENLY DAO added, just because. It¡¯s fun to climb every once and while. Great view.¡±


    ¡°You CLIMBED that?¡± Dawn was shocked.


    Kate nodded happily, ¡°Twice a year there¡¯s an event called ¡®Ascend the Helix¡®. Airships catch anyone that falls, and they give prizes to those who travel farthest. It¡¯s a blast.¡±


    As Kate was admiring the hovering rocks, she didn¡¯t see the horror on Dawn¡¯s face. I guess scaling suspended stones high into the sky doesn¡¯t appeal to her. Who could¡¯ve guessed?


    ¡°What¡¯s that person doing?¡± Light asked. There¡¯s someone sitting on the Helix. They were a quarter mile away facing the pillar.


    ¡°No one should be there¡± Kate said.


    ¡°It¡¯s against the law?¡± Soul asked.


    ¡°Well, not technically. They¡¯re loitering far enough away¡ª¡ªthe phoenixes would chase them off otherwise. Tourists sometimes climb the Helix. It¡¯s dangerous without lookouts, but maybe that person can fly. The panorama is pretty sweet up there.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go check.¡± Light announced. You¡¯re just glad you found an excuse. Silver confessed it was tempting.


    ¡°Count me in.¡± Free chimed.


    ¡°No, you can¡¯t.¡± Kate panicked.


    ¡°Why not?¡± Rose asked. ¡°You said yourself the view¡¯s nice.¡±


    ¡°Are you really going, Rose?¡± Soul asked. She¡¯s normally on the responsible side of things.


    ¡°If Light and Free are going, then yes.¡± Rose affirmed. ¡°The Adventurer¡¯s Guild should be visible from there. Also, I¡¯m fine with heights.¡± She couldn¡¯t resist a dig, huh.


    ¡°Listen to me, it¡¯s not safe.¡± Kate was frantic. ¡°The rocks move when you jump on them. Also, if you land on one that¡¯s lighter than you, it¡¯ll fall.¡±


    ¡°So stay away from small rocks?¡± Light interpreted.


    ¡°Stay away from all rocks!¡± Kate shouted.


    ¡°Kate, why are you freaking out?¡± Rose commented nonchalantly. ¡°Two minutes ago, you were fondly selling the experience.¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s exciting, but it¡¯s risky without spotters.¡± Kate went on, ¡°If something happens to you, Astra and Lily will kill me!¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯ve never climbed those solo?¡± Rose pressed.


    ¡°Once or twice when I wanted to be alone, but I knew what I was doing.¡± Kate answered miserably. ¡°Please don¡¯t go.¡± Honest to a fault, Silver noted. Seeing how upset she was, he¡¯d already decided to skip the excursion. Besides, if Kate wasn¡¯t going, he preferred to stay.


    Free placed a hand on Kate¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Calm down and look at me.¡± She did so. ¡°We grew up under a ice fortress which was twenty stories high. This is familiar territory. Light, hop on that wall.¡±


    In a flash, Light was standing horizontally twenty feet up. ¡°See? He¡¯s a ninja, skilled at leaping all over the place. Now, look.¡± She walked over, picked up a chair, and threw it over the edge.


    ¡°What are you¡ª¡ª¡± Kate began as roots shot out at lightning speed. A second later they came back carrying their prize.


    ¡°Understand?¡± Free said. ¡°Even if someone falls, I¡¯ll catch them. Can you cool down a little? We¡¯ll go up there, meet that person, admire the view, and come back.¡±


    ¡°Promise to return right away? And not go higher?¡± Kate asked.


    ¡°Yes, we do. Right, Light?¡± Free said. Her brother nodded. ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m still against it, for the record.¡± Kate grudgingly relented. ¡°However! If you take too long, I¡¯m calling Lily. Also, keep your faces hidden!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go too.¡± Soul volunteered. ¡°to make sure they come back safely.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re all crazy.¡± Dawn threw up her hands, walking away. ¡°I¡¯ll go keep Wise company.¡±


    Light, Free, Rose, and Soul dropped down to the closest rock as Kate, Hope, and Silver observed. The four then leaped their way up, keeping to larger platforms.


    ¡°This is making me jealous.¡± Hope said bitterly. ¡°Some of those jumps are too far for me, or I¡¯d be there too. I¡¯m going inside.¡± This left Silver and Kate alone.


    ¡°So, what type of magic do you use?¡± Silver asked. There¡¯s no way I¡¯m letting this opportunity slip by.


    ¡°Aura magic.¡± Kate said, raising her arm. Silver recognized the yellow glint of a force field.


    ¡°You¡¯re kidding. So do I.¡± Silver raised his own, displaying the same phenomenon.


    ¡°That¡¯s an amazing coincidence. Aura magic is pretty¡­ rare¡­¡± Kate slammed her forehead. ¡°Of course you do¡­ You¡¯re Arther¡¯s clone! I¡¯m slow sometimes.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡± Silver laughed. ¡°Between Astra and the eight of us, it¡¯s a lot to take in.¡±


    Kate examined him closely. ¡°Can I ask you something? How¡¯s it like being a doppelganger? Do you ever feel pressured trying to live up your original?¡±


    Silver smiled, ¡°Actually, we only discovered our origins yesterday. We haven¡¯t exactly had time to grapple with deep issues. Besides, the bounty on our heads has drawn most of our focus.¡±


    ¡°Oh, ah, sorry¡­¡± Kate looked lost. I honestly didn¡¯t mind.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± Silver chuckled. ¡°But, on the topic of awkward questions¡­¡± Silver shifted his gaze up. ¡°Why do you have four ears?¡±


    Kate stared for a second, then understanding flooded her face. Sighing, she reached up and touched the protrusions, ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ Ask the HEAVENLY DAO. In this world, some are given extra characteristics based on where they¡¯re born, and I was one them.¡± She fingered the feline extremity. ¡°I guess it¡¯s still better than the red skin and horns people receive in the Demon World. You¡¯ve never seen anything like these, right? Do they bother you¡­¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re charming and captivating.¡± Silver replied.


    On hearing this, Kate¡¯s human ears went red and the ones on her head went flat. Silver couldn¡¯t look away.


    ¡°Kate, call Lily right away. Right away.¡± Wise came barreling towards them.


    That¡¯s bad.  Whenever Wise panicked, something terrible was about to happen. If Silver could feel fear, a chill would¡¯ve ran down his spine.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Kate activated her wrystal.


    ¡°That¡¯s the Laughing Man over there!¡± Wise shouted, pointing to the Helix.

 [Chapter 17 part 1] Light - The Wall of Legends

    [Chapter 17 part 1] Light - The Wall of Legends


    --------------------------------


    Light arrived first, racing ahead. The stranger was facing the pillar, legs dangling. A cloth-wrapped staff leaned in his arms, and a cloak obscured his features. There¡¯d been no reaction to his presence.


    This rock was noticeably larger than the rest, twenty feet across. It barely moved. The Helix¡¯s boulders acted akin to springs, bobbing up and down when jumped on. I understand Kate¡¯s warning. The gravitational force ¡®fixing¡¯ them in place equaled their masses. If someone weighing more leapt on them, the net pull would be down, and both would fall. While they¡¯d avoided this pitfall, Free had landed off-center on a rock which had begun spinning. She¡¯d had to root herself until it stabilized.


    Once the others joined him, Rose took the initiative, ¡°Hello, sorry to bother you, but we were wondering what you¡¯re doing up here?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m puzzling a riddle.¡± A male voice responded smoothly. ¡°Astra Skyfell returns from seclusion with eight young adults. Who could those be?¡±


    This is bad. The man stood. ¡°Maybe by waiting here, I¡¯d uncover the truth. After all, how could new arrivals resist admiring the view? Perhaps a chance encounter might even be possible.¡±


    Turning, he lowered his hood revealing short blond hair. His extreme handsomeness bordered on the unnatural. With the sweetest of smiles and the kindest of tones, he spoke, ¡°Would you mind letting me see your faces?¡±


    It occurred in an instant. The man¡¯s staff blurred, and Light felt a searing pain as their scarves blew away in the wind. Back at the man¡¯s side was a golden spear. Seeing the cuts on his siblings¡¯ faces, Light understood. He ripped off our disguises, scrapping our cheek bones in the process.


    ¡°You nearly killed us.¡± Light raged.


    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t.¡± The man¡¯s grin widen, showing teeth. The gilded weapon flashed again, and other side of Light¡¯s face was torn apart. ¡°See? I never miss, not by a millimeter.¡±


    So he intentionally gouged us? This thought was interrupted by searing agony. Golden spikes had sprung up at their feet, digging into their ankles.


    ¡°If I made them bigger, your friends might see them.¡± The blond man apologized. ¡°By the way, please don¡¯t yell. I haven¡¯t decided to kill you yet.¡±


    They each stopped the bleeding in their own way, with Free mending her wounds completely. That left them pinned to the ground before a lunatic. ¡°Why¡¯re you doing this?¡± Soul demanded.


    ¡°I wanted to see your faces.¡± The man answered off hand, examining them. His eyes fell on Rose and lit up. The picturesque smile returned, ¡°Oh, I see.¡±


    He pointed his spear lazily, ¡°You, what¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°Rose.¡± His sister answered coldly.


    ¡°Tell me, Rose,¡± The man chuckled. ¡°What was Lily¡¯s expression when she saw you?¡±


    He¡¯s figured it out. The man watched them grimace, his chuckling intensifying, ¡°Trapped forever in a child¡¯s body¡­ Then meeting you for the first¡­ time¡­¡± The man spoke each sentence between bursts of laughter. ¡°How much suffering did you cause her?¡± The man covered his mouth, recovering enough to eke out one last question, ¡°How did she stop herself from killing you on the spot?¡±


    Then the laughter consumed him. They watched paralyzed as he leaned on his spear, madly convulsing. It lasted an eternity. Finally, he regained control, and his spear faced Rose again, ¡°I¡¯m definitely letting you live. Your existence causes unbearable torment to another.¡± He drew himself straight. ¡°I approve.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the Laughing Man.¡± Rose stated the obvious.


    The man made mocking bow. His spear then swung to Free, ¡°You¡­ are fairly handy with healing magic, aren¡¯t you?¡± Free paled. Damn¡­


    ¡°Sola¡¯s doppelganger, is it? I''ve got good news! You have even less to fear than dear Rose over there.¡± He began giggling again, but contained it through sheer force of will. ¡°Just by living, you¡¯ll cause so much misery, for the world, for yourself, for those around you¡­ Not to mention that disposing of you would be widely considered a good deed. Imagining the praise makes my skin crawl.¡±


    ¡°Are you planning to kill us?¡± Soul asked.


    The man lowered his weapon, glancing at Soul with pity. ¡°You really don¡¯t understand how this world works¡­ Or have much faith in your protectors.¡± He shook his head sadly. ¡°You were never in any real danger¡­ physically that is. Letting me learn your identity, not a great idea.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, you have a scary necromancer traveling with you who¡¯s talented at sensing death and has very warped ideas about time. Those lesions are the limit of what I could get away with. Anything more might¡¯ve also drawn a reaction from those hundreds of fiery birds over there. Besides, your greatest protection is something beyond all of that.¡±


    Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    ¡°Clones of the seven heroes and Sola¡­ You¡¯re all undoubtedly ¡®main characters¡¯ which the HEAVENLY DAO is following.¡± He made slow, sneering smile, ¡°Overcoming plot armor as thick as yours requires time and effort. Preparations must be made. A tragic narrative crafted. A fatal flaw exploited.¡±


    ¡°However¡ª¡± The man declared passionately. ¡°Some things must be attempted even when you know they¡¯ll fail. You shouldn¡¯t let the prospect of success alone guide your actions. Sometimes it¡¯s the principle itself that matters.¡±


    He turned to Soul, cruel determination in his eyes. ¡°That¡¯s why¡­ Doppelganger of Ethan Skyfell¡­ You don¡¯t mind, right? If I try killing you¡­¡±


    This can¡¯t be happening! They watched in horror as the man raised his spear theatrically. Then his eyes went wide, and he jumped back. A blackness washed over where he¡¯d been standing, severing the rock in two.


    ¡°I knew it.¡± He laughed as Simon dropped down beside them. ¡°That¡¯s a scary blade you¡¯ve got there. Where¡¯d you get it?¡±


    Simon didn¡¯t speak. He was holding a knife, one hand on the handle, the other on the sheath. Although Light never saw him move, the spikes holding them were broken apart.


    ¡°That¡¯s my cue.¡± The man let himself fall backwards. ¡°Thanks for satiating my curiosity!¡±


    They listened listlessly as the mocking laughter dissipated. There was no excitement at their ¡®rescue¡¯. We know how grim this is.


    ¡°We¡¯re returning.¡± Simon said. ¡°Be still.¡±


    He grabbed their collars, two in each hands. Light felt himself go weightless, and the scenery raced by. Then they were above the terrace. Simon released them, letting gravity take hold.


    ¡°Thank goodness you¡¯re ok.¡± Kate exclaimed.


    ¡°That¡¯s relative.¡± Rose said emotionlessly. ¡°We¡¯ve just exposed ourselves to the worse possible person.¡± She smiled wryly. ¡°We couldn¡¯t even manage an hour without being unmasked.¡± She touched her face. ¡°Literally.¡±


    ¡°Let me tend to everyone.¡± Free declared fiercely. She finished in seconds. ¡°That¡¯ll do for now. Later, I¡¯ll work on our bones. Every trace will be erased.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s talk inside.¡± Simon said. They entered and gathered around the table.


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better to head to the Inner Palace?¡± Kate asked.


    Simon shook his head, ¡°Between myself and the phoenixes, here is secure enough. Also, I can¡¯t cross the flaming wall, which is a good thing. The less people with permission, the safer it is. Where are your bags?¡±


    ¡°Below.¡± Soul offered.


    Simon turned to Kate,¡°Is there anything nearby to hide their faces?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll grab something.¡± Kate rushed off. For some reason, Silver trailed after her. God, I wish I was fearless right now.


    ¡°When will Lily return?¡± Free asked.


    ¡°As soon as she can ditch the press.¡± Simon answered. ¡°About twenty minutes after the announcement, Astra ducked out, leaving Lily to answer questions.¡±


    ¡°How¡¯d you get here so fast?¡± Kate asked as she distributed red shawls. ¡°You were there before I¡¯d shut off my wrystal.¡±


    ¡°After leaving the conference hall, I jumped back in time to arrive when you ended your call.¡± Simon explained. ¡°I couldn¡¯t appear earlier without getting crushed by paradox.¡± Time travel, cool¡­ Under normal circumstances, he would¡¯ve latched on to the topic.


    ¡°Now that everyone¡¯s collected themselves,¡±  Simon said. ¡°Please recount every detail. Leave nothing out.¡±


    Rose did most of the talking. She¡¯s good at this. Once finished, the room was silence. This was my idea. He¡¯d wanted to climb the Helix from the moment he laid eyes on it. When he¡¯d seen someone sitting there, he¡¯d been overjoyed. It¡¯s my fault. He¡¯d long accepted that his impulses might land him in trouble. You can¡¯t be awesome without risks. Sadly, it was only his own well-being he was willing to gamble with. Must I reign myself in? Can I even do that?


    ¡°Simon, please tell us about the Laughing Man.¡± Wise suggested. Light perked up. I must evaluate the harm I¡¯ve caused.


    ¡°Alright,¡±  Simon said, ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re familiar with the basics. He emerged five centuries ago out of nowhere and possesses the ability to warp long distances without the Pillar. However, what¡¯s truly frightening isn¡¯t his strength or mobility. It¡¯s the malevolent cunning behind it. He knows how to orchestrate the downfall of heroes. Arther Bard is proof of this.¡±


    Simon shook his head while staring far off, ¡°He loves to ¡®play the villain¡¯, appearing before his victims to taunt them. Never have I heard of this working against him. When the information he leaks is acted on, it¡¯s a distraction or ruse. Other times, his revealed schemes are ignored, and an opportunity to stop them is lost.¡±


    ¡°How¡¯s that possible?¡± Dawn asked.


    ¡°He reads people.¡± Simon explained. ¡°He determines how they¡¯ll react and says what¡¯ll lead to the greatest harm.¡±


    ¡°Should we discard his words as lies?¡± Free asked.


    ¡°Yes, that would be best.¡± Simon winced faintly. ¡°I must qualify the last part. The Laughing Man recognizes truth¡¯s value. He rarely speaks falsehoods unless it¡¯s to ensure a particularly dire outcome.¡±


    It doesn¡¯t make sense. ¡°Why bother?¡± Light asked. ¡°Revealing his plans, I mean. Even if it works out, it¡¯s an unnecessary risk.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s his nature. Rather than just breaking a damn to flood a village, he¡¯ll tell the residents in advance. Then, when disaster befalls them, their anguish is magnified by the knowledge they might¡¯ve prevented it. He¡¯ll go to excruciating lengths for that extra bit of torment.¡±


    Simon smiled melancholically, ¡°A hero brings about a happy ending from a hopeless situation. The Laughing Man does the opposite. He stages tragedies where none should be possible. His strength, courage, dedication, intellect, and demeanor are unimpeachable. It¡¯s the ideals he adheres to which make him a monster.¡±


    ¡°Why¡¯d he withdraw so quickly when you showed up?¡± Soul wondered.


    ¡°I presented a dangerous battle without prospect of victory. Reinforcement would¡¯ve shown up long before anything was decided. Not to mention I have a ¡®righteous grudge¡¯ against him, as old and powerful as they come. He knows better than anyone how dangerous those can be.¡±


    Hope raised her hand, ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    Simon considered, ¡°Someone at the guild should teach you some basics. I¡¯ll suggest this to Astra.¡±


    ¡°As to your query, The HEAVENLY DAO loves revenge stories as they make thrilling entertainment. To encourage them, those seeking retribution are granted strength when confronting their target. This advantage is called a ¡¯righteous grudge¡¯ and is proportional to the wrong being redressed.¡±


    With inquires running dry, Light asked what they¡¯d all avoided, ¡°Will he tell the world?¡± This is what matters.


    (continued in part 2)

 [Chapter 17 part 2] Light - The Wall of Legends

    [Chapter 17 part 2] Light - The Wall of Legends


    --------------------------------


    ¡­


    Simon nodded once, ¡°Indirectly, yes. He¡¯d never engage in something as crass as broadcasting your existence. His messages are ¡®written in blood¡¯ so to speak. Check the news tomorrow. If my hunch is right, you¡¯ll understand.¡±


    Light¡¯s stomach turned, ¡°So we¡¯re screwed? Is there any point in disguising ourselves?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s more critical than ever. Even if your existence is leaked, it¡¯ll be seen as an unreliable rumor. People will naturally be skeptical that Sola¡¯s doppelgangers have suddenly reemerged. As long as you aren¡¯t unmasked, doubt will remain. To be clear, even without today¡¯s mishap, it was always a matter of time before suspicions circulated. The real trouble only begins once your identities are officially confirmed.¡±


    So the situation might be salvageable.  Light sensed his siblings¡¯ determination too. We can¡¯t mess up again.


    Flames flared outside, and Lily strode in, ¡°So, what was the emergency?¡±


    Lily said nothing as Simon conveyed what had happened, but Light felt the temperature rise. Why do fire types always release heat when upset?


    ¡°Idiots!¡± She fumed. ¡°On the very first day¡­ To the Laughing Man of all people¡­ Are you suicidal? And Kate, what were you doing?¡± Kate shrank in her seat. ¡°I trusted you to watch over them. You were supposed to bring them to the Inner Palace. How could you let them climb the Helix?¡±


    What followed was five minutes of soul-crushing admonitions laced with profanities. Lily drove into their skulls how irresponsible and brainless they were. Although scarves hid their faces, he could see eyes watering. Hell, I¡¯m about to cry myself. Towards the end, she began repeating herself, but no one had the will to point it out.


    When the diatribe ended, Simon spoke up, ¡°Lily, I¡¯m sure Astra will want to know how the Laughing Man could sit so close to the Rose Palace undisturbed. Why isn¡¯t that area patrolled?¡±


    ¡°There are always visitors climbing the Helix.¡± Lily explained tiredly. ¡°My birds chase them off if they linger nearby, but otherwise leave them alone. If I made them more aggressive, innocents would fall to their deaths.¡±


    ¡°That sounds reasonable, yet, after the Laughing Man stood up and revealed his face, why didn¡¯t your birds react then?¡±  Simon said emotionless. He¡¯s got a great poker face.


    ¡°That¡­¡± Lily struggled for words. ¡°Why¡¯re you interrogating me? Whose side are you on? It was these fools who went out there.¡± She waved at them.


    ¡°You know my history.¡± Simon answered coldly. ¡°This isn¡¯t a topic I play around with. I¡¯m extremely disturbed to find your familiars aren¡¯t conditioned to attack on sight. This means that psychopath has had the run of the Isle. Before Arther¡¯s death, this oversight might¡¯ve been forgivable. Now it¡¯s not.¡±


    Lily recoiled, ¡°I was mourning and overwhelmed. Besides the Isle¡¯s policing is done by the defense force. My phoenixes only provide support against major threats. What¡¯s the point of an attack command anyway? They can¡¯t kill someone stronger than Arther. At most, they¡¯d force him to retreat. There was also no way I could¡¯ve predicted these kids¡¯ arrival or his visit.¡±


    ¡°Do you believe those explanations will satisfy Astra?¡±  Simon asked solemnly.


    Lily paled, ¡°You figure she¡¯ll be upset?¡±


    ¡°Astra expected the Rose Palace to be safe. To discover that Arther¡¯s killer was able to parade close by unchallenged¡­ I don¡¯t imagine she¡¯ll be pleased. I further suspect, if you attempt to place all the blame on her children, she¡¯ll be enraged.¡±


    ¡°Importantly, there¡¯s another issue.¡± He continued. ¡°I don¡¯t imagine the Laughing Man camps outside the Rose Palace on a daily basis. He was alerted to Astra¡¯s arrival. Any idea how this came to be? The leak didn¡¯t come from the Black Citadel.¡±


    That¡¯s true. With the oath, loyalty could be readily confirmed. There are no traitors at Xarst.


    ¡°Aside Kate, I kept everything secret.¡± Lily said. ¡°But yes, I did tell Sarah to empty the south wing. Depending on how far she spread this, it might be hard to narrow down the culprit¡­¡±


    ¡°So you asked the Steward of the Isle to keep the staff away and her children were put in danger as a result. Considering she¡¯s already unhappy that office still exists¡­¡± Simon trailed off.


    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    ¡°¡­She¡¯s going to kill me, isn¡¯t she?¡± Lily finished.


    ¡°Perhaps.¡± Simon concurred. It won¡¯t be pleasant for any of us.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go to the wall.¡± Lily stated, standing up.


    Simon frowned, ¡°Is this really the time for tourism?¡±


    ¡°It isn¡¯t sightseeing. Well, maybe it is, but that¡¯s incidental.¡± Lily responded. ¡°Basically, you¡¯ve made some good points. Astra might partly blame me, and that¡¯s a little scary. I must take steps to placate her. Hence we¡¯ll go on a little trip before she gets back.¡±


    ¡°Which might be sooner than you think.¡± Fayla said, manifesting from a wall-mounted brazier. ¡°At her current pace, she¡¯ll be done in less than two hours.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Lily said incredulously.


    ¡°Check the news yourself.¡± Fayla motioned the projector. In an instant, two newscasters appeared besides a gigantic cavern with airships hovering over frozen ground.


    ¡°¡­Everything¡¯s been sealed under a dozen feet of ice.¡± The man said. ¡°What¡¯d you make of it?¡±


    ¡°Either records are wrong or Astra has powered up substantially.¡± The woman shock her head. ¡°Chilling an active magma zone the size of a small country¡­ There shouldn¡¯t be anyone capable of¡ª¡ª¡± The image cut off.


    ¡°My god¡­ She¡¯s gotten stronger.¡± Lily mumbled.


    They shifted uncomfortably. This seems normal. ¡°Is it that amazing?¡± Silver asked.


    Lily scoffed, ¡°You¡¯ve lived with her at Earth¡¯s End. Of course she¡¯s obscenely strong there! But that¡­¡± Lily gestured to the vanished cavern. ¡°was the fiery depths of Enera! If she can do that there, then¡­¡± She paused. ¡°Fayla, we¡¯re going. Have the gondola prepared.¡±


    As they followed through the Rose Palace, Simon commented, ¡°Only the Laughing Man knows the children arrived with Astra. It would¡¯ve been best to keep it that way.¡±


    Lily winced but didn¡¯t respond. Eventually, they found Fayla at the end of a corridor. ¡°Sarah¡¯s waiting ahead.¡± She warned.


    ¡°What a pain.¡± Lily said. ¡°Simon was right.¡±


    ¡°Maybe you could pick us up on the terrace?¡± Kate offered.


    ¡°Don¡¯t bother.¡±  Simon said. ¡°I¡¯ll just cast a cloaking spell.¡± He touched each of their shoulders, and they transformed into blurred silhouettes. I must learn a technique like this.


    Lily nodded, ¡°That¡¯ll work.¡±


    Next to him, Silver whispered, ¡°Who¡¯s Sarah?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s the Steward of the Isle. She and Lily don¡¯t get along.¡± Kate answered.


    ¡°That¡¯s an understatement.¡± Lily grumbled. ¡°No more talking.¡±


    In the hangar stood a beautiful brunette in her late twenties. Behind her floated a rectangular booth of tinted glass. It¡¯s like a mobile observatory.


    ¡°The gondola is ready.¡± Sarah said. ¡°Care to fill me in?¡±


    ¡°Not really.¡± Lily responded. ¡°You can leave, thank you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s disruptive to clear an entire wing. You didn¡¯t rescind the order even after Astra left. It¡¯s obvious you¡¯ve more guests.¡± She glanced towards them. ¡°Why the secrecy?¡°


    ¡°I don¡¯t have to share anything.¡± Lily replied calmly. ¡°It¡¯s my palace.¡±


    ¡°Which I¡¯m in charge of running.¡± Sarah retorted. ¡°Doing so is hard enough without your selfish whims¡ª¡ª¡±


    ¡°Excuse me.¡± Simon interjected. ¡°I hate to break up this productive discussion, but I¡¯ve a small matter to discuss. I¡¯m Simon Black by the way. Remember me?¡±


    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re the one who was working with Arther. What¡¯d you want?¡± Sarah was thrown off balance at the intrusion.


    ¡°About the south wing being empty today¡­ Could you provide me with a list of those who knew?¡±


    Sarah appeared baffled, ¡°I posted a notice and made an announcement this morning. The entire staff knew. Why¡¯s it important?¡±


    ¡°That information found its way to the Laughing Man, and several guests were placed in danger.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps if Lily had explained the situation, I would¡¯ve known to be cautious.¡± Sarah said derisively. ¡°Who¡¯re they anyway?¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Simon replied, taking a darker tone. ¡°What does is that I¡¯ve had a run in with that madman, and my disposition has yet to recover. You¡¯ve just displayed a remarkable lack of concern after learning of his involvement. Please don¡¯t make me suspect you¡¯re in league with him. You won¡¯t like what I¡¯ll do¡­¡± A chill ran down Light¡¯s back. A threat from someone who can¡¯t lie¡­


    ¡°I¡­ You can¡¯t¡­ This¡­¡± Sarah fumbled before gathering herself. ¡°You know my mother and brother are both immortals?¡±


    ¡°And you should know how deeply and eternally I loath that man.¡±  Simon countered. ¡°Someone at the Rose Palace is cooperating with him. Whoever it is doesn¡¯t deserve to live. Your relatives aren¡¯t part of the equation. I expect that list before the day¡¯s end.¡±


    ¡°And if I fail to provide it?¡± Sarah countered tentatively.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll inform Astra Skyfell of your lack of cooperation. As you might¡¯ve seen on the news, she favors brute force solutions. This will end with you indefinitely frozen in a block of ice.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no way she¡¯d dare¡ª¡ª¡±


    ¡°Yes, she would. She¡¯s a relict from an age when problems were dispatched with ruthless efficiency. If she believes you¡¯re incompetent or worse, she¡¯ll remove you from the picture. Lily can attest to this.¡±


    Lily nodded, ¡°She doesn¡¯t play around. You and I will both be facing her later. You¡¯d best prepare for that. That¡¯s what I¡¯m doing.¡±


    Understanding dawned on Sarah¡¯s face, ¡°You¡¯re visiting the wall for a favor?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Lily answered.


    ¡°I guess if you¡¯re going that far, then I should make some efforts too.¡± Sarah sighed, retreating.


    Once her footsteps had faded, Lily sent a wave of green flames washing over them, burning their cloaking away. I wished people would warn me before bathing me in fire. She then addressed Simon, ¡°While I enjoyed watching Sarah squirm, did you have to be that confrontational?¡±


    ¡°Whether it was Sarah or not, I wanted to pressure whoever is aiding the enemy. It¡¯ll make their prying less aggressive. Make no mistake, people will die because of today.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Lily asked.


    ¡°You¡¯ll see tomorrow.¡± Simon said wearily, following Sarah out.  ¡°I¡¯ll return to the Guild. Astra must be informed upon her return.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Lily said half-heartedly. She isn¡¯t anxious for that reckoning either. She lead them into the gondola. The interior was basically a platform with a podium. It¡¯s designed for tours.


    Soul approached Dawn, ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re fine with this?¡±


    ¡°Yes, well no, but I¡¯m coming anyway.¡± Dawn said. ¡°I¡¯m not missing the Wall of Legends.¡±


    The hangar doors parted, revealing the docks opposite, and Lily accelerated through the opening. They soared Southward over miles of nothing.


    (continued in part 3)

 [Chapter 17 part 3] Light - The Wall of Legends

    [Chapter 17 part 3] Light - The Wall of Legends


    --------------------------------


    ¡­


    ¡°Airships aren¡¯t permitted to fly above the Isle¡¯s surface.¡± Lily boasted. ¡°This craft is an exception.¡±


    ¡°What a horrid method of transportation.¡± Dawn mumbled.


    Pitying his sister, Light then considered their makeshift plan to hide their identities. Before it¡¯d been an opportunity to indulge his favorite fiction, but now it was a chance at redemption. He¡¯d teach his siblings to impersonate ninjas flawlessly. It¡¯s the least I can do.


    Soul patted him on the back, ¡°We¡¯re about to visit Enera¡¯s most famous attraction. There¡¯ll be time for self-recrimination later.¡± He¡¯s right, and I¡¯m sure he¡¯s condemning himself too.


    ¡°What¡¯s this visit for anyway anyways?¡± Dawn asked.


    ¡°To meet Siegfried.¡± Lily answered.


    Siegfried? THE Siegfried?  After reaching the peak of all immortals, the man had been invited to become the HEAVENLY DAO¡¯s champion. Whenever the deity wanted its voice heard, it sent Siegfried. Meeting him is near the top of my ¡®coolest things ever¡¯.


    ¡°We¡¯re almost there. By the way, see those two ponds?¡± Lily said. ¡°Bear them in mind.¡±


    The entrance was a forty feet wide pathway covered by an equally tall rectangular arch. The crowd looked up in surprise as Lily piloted through.


    ¡°Welcome to the Wall of Legends!¡± Lily proclaimed, slowing their pace. Pathways and suspended stones stretched out across a blue sky. This really is a separate space. Turning back, the Isle of Dreams appeared a transparent mirage rising from a distant sea of clouds. ¡°You¡¯re no longer on Enera.¡±


    Wait, where¡¯s the light coming from? He looked up to see the sun. Is that real? What happens when it sets?


    ¡°It follows the same day and night cycles as outside, minus the weather.¡± Kate said. ¡°The Shrines of the Lost is the same.¡±


    The pathway ended in a wide square plaza. It¡¯s fortunate there¡¯s no wind since there¡¯s no railing of any kind. The crowd was staying far from the edge, with only a few intrepid visitors cautiously peering over. One suddently leapt off and plummeted into the endless fog below. What!?


    ¡°Someone fell!¡± Silver shouted. He¡¯d barely finished when a couple holding hands followed. A double suicide?


    ¡°Oh no.¡± Dawn gasped.


    ¡°Everyone calm down.¡± Lily smiled. ¡°No one can die here. It¡¯s normal to see jumpers.¡±


    ¡°What happens to them?¡± Hope asked.


    ¡°Remember the ponds? That¡¯s why there were people splashing in one of them.¡± Lily gestured behind. ¡°They get dropped there. It¡¯s cold, muddy, slimy, and disgusting, but otherwise harmless. For some people, this is an unmissable thrill.¡±


    ¡°Another one is about to jump.¡± Silver chimed in.


    ¡°They¡¯re utterly mad.¡± Dawn said. It¡¯s not for everyone. He¡¯d have to come back later.


    ¡°Have you done it, Lily?¡± Hope asked.


    ¡°Yes, long ago.¡± Noting Dawn¡¯s incredulous stare, she shrugged, ¡°I was the regent of the Isle and fifteen. It was practically a requirement.¡±


    Recalling something, she added hurriedly, ¡°On a side, but critical note, if you feel the urge, only do so once. The HEAVENLY DAO tolerates a single dive, but afterwards there are consequences.¡±


    ¡°Consequences?¡± Light asked. It felt tragic to limit himself.


    ¡°You get dropped in the other pond, the empty one. It has the foulest stench. An odor from hell which lasts for days. The Rose Palace has a standing order to bar anyone with that scent. Jump twice, and you¡¯re on your own.¡±


    ¡°What happens the third time?¡± Free asked.


    ¡°You end up outside the Isle, someplace perfectly safe yet exceedingly inconvenient. How far away depends on the HEAVENLY DAO¡¯s mood.¡±


    They halted over the plaza. An immense marble block hung over the far edge. Its surfaces were inscribed with hundreds of names arranged in an indecipherable order. Skimming, Light recognized many. I must learn the rest.


    ¡°What¡¯s the logic behind the arrangement?¡± Free asked.


    ¡°It alternates.¡± Kate answered. ¡°Some days it¡¯s alphabetical in neat columns. Other times they¡¯re scattered randomly. Even the shape and size of the block can vary.¡±


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Discovering ¡®Lily Morgana¡¯, Light was disappointed, ¡°Titles aren¡¯t included?¡±


    ¡°Since immortals acquire so many,¡± Kate answered, ¡°it¡¯d create too much clutter.¡±


    ¡°Thank heavens for that.¡± Lily added. ¡°¡¯Living artillery¡¯ is one thing, but I gave myself a few monikers that¡¯d be mortifying etched in stone. I can¡¯t believe how juvenile I was back then.¡±


    ¡°Why¡¯s Arther¡¯s name still there?¡± Rose asked.


    ¡°If it updated immediately, it¡¯d be ¡®abused¡¯.¡± Lily explained. ¡°For instance, knowing exactly when Arther died would be very helpful, which is why the HEAVENLY DAO withholds the information. They mostly disappear after funerals.¡±


    ¡°Are those the Walls of Saints on the left?¡± Rose asked.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Kate nodded. ¡°Notice how there are steps down? Height in this place corresponds to status. The path of the living gets lower much faster compared to the other side.¡±


    Kate gazed right at the black granite blocks, ¡°The Walls of the Fallen¡­ They greatly outnumber the living at every level. Be prepared for a trek to find a name which didn¡¯t belong to an immortal or a saint.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re attracting attention.¡± Hope commented, peering below.


    ¡°They¡¯re speculating on who¡¯s inside.¡± Lily said. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the glass is tinted. Anyway, we¡¯re done here.¡±


    They rose.  Why? There¡¯s nothing above¡­ Yet, Lily was studiously scanning the heavens. ¡°There he is.¡± She said. It took Light a moment to locate the tiny platform. On it sat a spear-wielding man with one leg dangling. Two in one day¡­


    The man rose to greet them. Lily opened the gondola and waved, ¡°Hi Siegfried. Could you make the platform larger?¡± She¡¯s awfully familiar with him¡­


    ¡°Hello, Lily.¡± Siegfried answered. The stone beneath him tripled in size.


    ¡°That was wonderful.¡± Dawn said ¡°Can you make it even bigger?¡±


    Siegfried chuckled and the terrace doubled again, ¡°You really hate heights, don¡¯t you?¡±


    Dawn pretended not to hear, ¡°Thank you. It¡¯s easier to forget we¡¯re hovering over a void.¡±


    Once they¡¯d disembarked, Lily addressed the immortal, ¡°Why don¡¯t you introduce yourself to these eight?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nine, Lily.¡± He corrected gently. ¡°I¡¯ve never met your daughter, Kate.¡± Not missing a beat, he bowed majestically, ¡°I¡¯m Siegfried Royal. It¡¯s a pleasure to finally meet you.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Rose asked.


    Siegfried smirked, ¡°Omniscience. It¡¯s a perk the HEAVENLY DAO grants its agents. I can share its ¡®sight¡¯, spectate Enera from the perspective of any human, including their thoughts. You wouldn¡¯t believe how entertaining this can be. As to why I¡¯m aware of you¡­ Let¡¯s just say the HEAVENLY DAO makes recommendations.¡±


    ¡°So it communicates directly with you?¡± Free asked.


    ¡°Yes, constantly up here.¡± Siegfried tapped his head.


    ¡°What does it sound like?¡± Free pressed. ¡°Is it a female or a male voice? Or does it vary? Is it loud? I¡¯m dying to know.¡±


    Siegfried laughed, ¡°I¡¯ve no idea. No one does, because it doesn¡¯t work that way. I don¡¯t hear what the HEAVENLY DAO says. I ¡®remember¡¯ it. It¡¯s like how you might recall what was said in a book, but you obviously don¡¯t know what characters sounded like.¡±


    ¡°Come on. Even then, there must be some features¡ª¡ª¡± Free trailed off, stunned. ¡°Did I just¡ª¡ª¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Siegfried confirmed. ¡°It spoke to you.¡±


    ¡°WHAT!?¡± Lily burst out, radiating indignation. ¡°I¡¯ve been the regent for eons, and the HEAVENLY DAO has never spoken to me! And it¡¯s technically my boss too! Siegfried, what¡¯s the meaning of this?¡±


    Siegfried held up a hand, ¡°You¡¯re overreacting. While the HEAVENLY DAO does speak to someone every few decades, it never says anything of import. It¡¯s always a meaningless whim not affecting anything. What¡¯d it tell you, Free?¡±


    ¡°Suddenly ¡®THE HEAVENLY DAO SOUNDS LIKE THIS¡¯ went through my head. It was unreal. Nobody was talking, but it was too clear to be a stray thought.¡±


    ¡°So what¡¯d it sound like?¡± Light asked.


    Free pondered seriously, ¡°Capitalized, I¡¯d say¡­ Don¡¯t ask for more than that.¡±


    ¡°Why¡¯d it chose to speak now?¡± Lily asked. Her anger was gone, replaced with a seriousness not meant for a child.


    ¡°Because it¡¯s particularly involved in this narrative.¡± Siegfried revealed. ¡°While it follows thousands at any given moment, occasionally some capture its full attention. What began when Simon Black crossed the arctic is one. The last time it was so excited¡­ Sorry, I¡¯m not at liberty to say.¡±


    ¡°Was it Sola¡¯s tale?¡± Lily asked.


    ¡°Truly, my apologies. I can¡¯t answer.¡± He seemed genuinely saddened. He¡¯s laboring under restrictions.


    ¡°Is that so¡­¡± Lily waved Rose over and maneuvered her right in front of him, uncovering her face. ¡°What¡¯d you think of this?¡±


    Siegfried winced, ¡°I¡¯m just an agent, a spokesman at most.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be coy with me. You¡¯re the official mascot. The one it parades around when it wants to impress people. Besides, that god doesn¡¯t have a physical body, and it¡¯s really unsatisfying to yell at thin air.¡± Lily ranted. ¡°It¡¯s been two thousand years. Isn¡¯t it about time to let me grow a little?¡±


    ¡°Must we go through this every visit?¡± Siegfried said lifelessly. ¡°Can¡¯t you plainly state what you want?¡±


    ¡°Both of you have long known my true desire. But if that¡¯s impossible, I¡¯d like you to guarantee the safety of these children.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s too much.¡± Siegfried replied regretfully.


    Lily didn¡¯t back down, ¡°Let me ask you, HEAVENLY DAO. Did one of my doppelgangers just happened to survive by chance? I think not. As if trapping me in this body wasn¡¯t enough. Now¡­¡± Lily pointed at Rose who wasn¡¯t enjoying herself, ¡°I¡¯ll have the added pleasure of constantly seeing what could¡¯ve been! Not to mention the murder of Arther¡­ You owe me!¡±


    Siegfried remained quiet. He¡¯s discussing with his deity. ¡°Alright, they¡¯ll be safe from the Laughing Man while on the Isle. Satisfied?¡±


    ¡°For now,¡± Lily said. ¡°It¡¯s what I came for. Also, forgive the aggression, Siegfried. I know you aren¡¯t the one at fault.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Siegfried smiled. ¡°As the avatar of god, I¡¯m used to enduring curses for all the world¡¯s wrongs. For what it¡¯s worth, I enjoy your theatrics more than most.¡±


    ¡°Glad to entertain.¡± Lily retreated to the gondola. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Everyone was silent on the return. Unsurprisingly, Silver spoke first, ¡°I didn¡¯t realize it was that easy to make a deal¡­¡±


    ¡°If it was ¡®that easy¡¯, do you think I¡¯d be stuck a child?¡± Lily shot a glance brimming with venom, before weariness took over. ¡°The conditions have to be right. Luckily, that was the case this time.¡±


    ¡°For the record, what are the ¡®conditions¡¯?¡± Rose asked.


    ¡°The first step is befriending one of its agents since the HEAVENLY DAO doesn¡¯t answer prayers. That gets you to the starting line. From there, your standing comes into play. No one does favors for those they dislike. As much as I¡¯m loathed to admit it, the HEAVENLY DAO loves me. Which reminds me, having been wronged in some way also helps. Finally, the real trick is asking for something it already wants to give.¡±


    ¡°You heard Siegfried: you¡¯re ¡®main characters¡¯. Allowing you to be killed off early goes against its interests. That¡¯s why I was confident in extracting this guarantee.¡±


    ¡°With this, Astra owes me.¡± Lily docked at the Rose Palace. ¡°Kate, take everyone below. No detours please. I must recondition some birds.¡±

 [Chapter 18] Free - The Stone Coliseum

    [Chapter 18] Free - The Stone Coliseum


    ------------------------------¡ª


    Free sat alone in Lily¡¯s skybox above the Stone Coliseum. Tinted glass provided privacy. She was eating a ¡®hot dog¡¯ while sipping a sweet fizzy drink through a ¡®straw¡¯. Luxury is quite enjoyable.


    The plan was for everyone to meet here after their matches. Happily, Free had been scheduled well ahead of the others. It¡¯d ended quickly. I almost felt bad about it. Her opponent ¡ª¡ªElizabeth something or other¡ª¡ª had obviously never been in an arena. She¡¯d freaked out when confronted by a Kunoichi ¡ª¡ªthat¡¯s a female ninja. She might¡¯ve forfeited if she hadn¡¯t been instantly bundled in roots. The victory had improved Free¡¯s mood.


    She¡¯d had a roller coaster of a day. It¡¯d started off great. Warping to the Rose Palace was amazing. Then they¡¯d encountered that laughing bastard. Killing me is a good deed? Piss off! The foul taste from that had been washed away by their visit to the Wall. She¡¯d met Siegfried, and the HEAVENLY DAO had even spoken to her. Couldn¡¯t it have said something more meaningful?


    Next was another low. As widely anticipated, Astra had been displeased. Deep in the Inner Palace, they¡¯d faced her dreaded interrogation. She meticulously exposes the full extent of your stupidity. Besides Light, she¡¯d been the guiltiest party, having convinced Kate to back down. And I should¡¯ve been the one most concerned¡­


    At least it ended on a high note.  Under a slew of queries, Dawn had been coerced into explaining why she¡¯d deemed it wise to hide her acrophobia. Which she plainly couldn¡¯t. After driving that home, Astra had unveiled her solution: she¡¯d teach Dawn to fly. The look on her face was priceless.


    Free knew it was wrong to take pleasure from this, no matter how gratifying. However, she¡¯d jumped through some mental hoops to justify doing so. If a little humiliation tames that ego, this might be considered a positive.  On that note, I must watch the lesson tomorrow.


    They¡¯d spent the afternoon memorizing ninja trivia: various throwing blades, names of famous shinobi, hand signals for ninjutsu techniques¡­ With Kate¡¯s assistance, Light had made adjustments to their clothing, making it more ¡®accurate¡¯. They¡¯d practiced ¡®behaving¡¯ too, including many dramatic poses. I did one after winning¡­  Thank god for the scarves.


    It¡¯d been a torturous few hours. Long after her interest had faded, guilt and necessity drove her on. Half-hearted impersonations would only fuel speculation.


    Silver escaped early, lucky bastard. Having read the entire series ¡®Tales of the Shinobi¡¯, he¡¯d gone off to train with Kate. The Inner Palace had its own coliseum. No doubt for Lily¡¯s children.  While Light had objected, Silver had pointed out that Kate had been trained by Arther Bard. Through her, he¡¯d indirectly learn from his original, a opportunity too appealing to pass up. I suspect it wasn¡¯t the only reason.


    Silver¡¯s attraction to Kate was obvious. He wasn¡¯t even hiding it. Not that there¡¯s anything wrong with that, but someone must take Kate aside to clarify some details. Rose had volunteered.


    Late in the day, Simon had arrived to inform them they¡¯d been registered for the Stone Coliseum. Lily granted him access so he could act as messenger. He¡¯d then handed them their adventurer¡¯s cards, thin metal plaques embedded with information. Astra must¡¯ve arranged it. Free had noted their last names were omitted and their hometown was ¡®Timbaku¡¯.  Must remember that.


    Afterwards, Kate had lead them to this skybox. Conveniently, the Obsidian Cavern connected directly to the Adventurer¡¯s Guild, the Endless Library, and the Stone Coliseum. By taking a private elevator, Lily and her guests could spectate incognito whenever they wanted. It¡¯s so extravagant.


    This was one of the Isle¡¯s main draws. While most tourists chose to watch, a few hundred signed up each day. To work through these, the arena was divided up in four sections late at night, and contests were held simultaneously. With the instantaneous healing rate, the pace proceeded briskly.


    With the exception of Hope, who was reveling at the prospect, there hadn¡¯t been much enthusiasm for tonight. With no history, they were starting at the bottom.


    Wise is next. His opponent was a foot taller.  A man, as they do match-ups by gender for the lowest tier. At higher levels, channeling, martial arts, and magecraft became the deciding factors. And it¡¯s over. Wise had thrown the man and slammed his staff down besides his head, breaking his will. Very efficient.


    To protect their identities, Astra had set some guidelines. Silver was forbidden from summoning. Apparently his affinities were such a rare combination they¡¯d immediately expose him. As for Dawn, she was prohibited from ice. I second that decision. The entire world would notice an exceptional ice practitioner appearing the same day as Astra. They¡¯d also been instructed to end things swiftly. There¡¯s little benefit in showing off against low level competition. As part of this, Hope was not to use stones until absolutely necessary. Enchanters of her caliber stood out too much.


    Wise soon joined her. Let¡¯s take advantage of this opportunity. ¡°Say, I was wondering if you could help me with something?¡±


    ¡°Sure, if I can.¡± He replied. He¡¯s in a good mood too.


    ¡°See, I¡¯m curious about my original, but I don¡¯t want to alarm anyone by poking around. Can I rely on your foresight?¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡± He nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll answer what I can.¡±


    ¡°How was Sola able to resurrect the dead? And why has no one reproduced her work?¡±


    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    ¡°Those are pretty complex.¡± Wise winced. I was afraid of that.  ¡°I¡¯ll be right back.¡± He left in a hurry. That was less expected.


    Free sighed. Since she was young, she¡¯d felt there was nothing she couldn¡¯t comprehend if she put her mind to it. While her original reinforced this notion, she¡¯d left a towering black mark on history. Imagine discovering you¡¯ve amazing potential which you¡¯re barred from reaching.


    When Soul and Rose had cheered her up yesterday, she¡¯d reassured them everything was fine. A half truth. She was struggling with the disturbing kinship she felt for her predecessor. By mastering healing and exploring the mysteries of ¡®life¡¯, she¡¯d embarked on the same journey. Its natural conclusion would be reversing death.


    Sola ultimately failed. An act which cost half of humanity couldn¡¯t be termed a ¡®success¡¯. Nevertheless, she proved it possible. If the achievement could be reproduced without the consequences¡­ Does this temptation make the Laughing Man right?


    ¡°Sorry to keep you waiting.¡± Wise came back holding paper. ¡°I¡¯m better since the new headband, but it¡¯s still tough. Give me a second to outline.¡±


    Free watched him jot down phrases. He¡¯s never done that before. At length, he spoke, ¡°Let¡¯s start here. Are you familiar with what happens to the soul after death?¡±


    ¡°Not really,¡± She¡¯d had no reason to bother pondering this. That¡¯s somewhat changed.


    ¡°When someone perishes, their soul plunges into the Abyss. It sinks through this bottomless sea of darkness while shedding its blackest parts: jealousy, hatred, envy, despair¡­ As these are lost, it grows ¡®heavier¡¯ and falls faster until disappearing.¡±


    ¡°Why does this occur?¡±


    ¡°The Abyss grabs souls to prevent their passing. However, it can only touch the sullied portions. Once those are gone, it losses its grip, and the soul shoots through.¡±


    Free considered, ¡°Wait, that sounds horrible. So we get lobotomized in the afterlife?¡±


    ¡°In a way, yes.¡± Wise responded. ¡°Your worse memories, your ugliest impulses, your vilest thoughts¡­ They¡¯re stripped away.¡±


    I suppose I might accept that. ¡°So the concepts of heaven and hell¡­ They¡¯re not real?¡±


    ¡°Oh, hell exists. It¡¯s the Abyss, an infinite well of misery where the fragments of sinners torture each other for eternity.¡± Wise smirked. ¡°Everyone goes there. The real question is how much of you will remain.¡±


    ¡°This explains why ¡®true¡¯ undead are so terrifying.¡± Free mused. There were many magics which caused corpses to move. One of Calin¡¯s hated creations was a plague which reanimated victims as flesh-hungry zombies. While ¡®fakes¡¯ could be frightening and dangerous, they were nothing compared to the monsters Astra had them fight. Those were malevolence incarnate.


    ¡°Agreed,¡± Wise said. ¡°Entities born of the Abyss are calculating hatred given form. When not controlled, they¡¯ll seek out life and end it in atrocious ways.¡±


    ¡°So where does the ¡®good¡¯ part end up?¡±


    ¡°Only Sola knows. No one else has seen the other side. Necromancers have searched for eons, exploring untold depths, but all they find is deeper darkness.¡±


    So she found Heaven? And yet she became the greatest villain¡­ ¡°So souls are split between the Abyss and some unknown place?¡±


    ¡°Mostly. Strange things happens around both extremes of the scales. Someone who led a life without sin will vanish without a trace. It¡¯s theorized they travel so fast they stay intact. Meanwhile, depraved souls also remain whole, except they¡¯re mired motionlessly. It¡¯s hotly debated whether this damnation is everlasting or whether some fragment will eventually cross.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough background info. Can we focus on resurrection?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡± Wise glanced at his notes. ¡°The stumbling block is the soul, as recreating the body is relatively easy. One of the oldest necromantic spells is ¡®impure reincarnation¡¯, which reanimates a corpse by reconstructing the soul from the pieces scattered in the Abyss. While bringing back only the foulest parts might seem insane, it¡¯s actually worse than it sounds. In the gaps, the Abyss oozes in to produce an abomination, a living being with the corrupted mind of an undead.¡±


    ¡°Why does such a thing even exist?¡± Free asked. It sounds like the dumbest spell ever.


    ¡°It was created in hopes someone would uncover how to draw back the good side too. The completed version is likely buried at Earth¡¯s End.¡±


    ¡°Why was Ellie the only ¡®flawless resurrection¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Sola perfectly reassembled Ellie¡¯s scattered soul, leaving no cracks. Her other resurrections were intentionally flawed, the good portions only temporarily recalled. At the Black Banquet, they all transformed into abominations.¡±


    So that¡¯s what Simon meant by ¡®dyed black¡¯¡­ ¡°What was Sola like before the Black Citadel?¡±


    Wise was momentarily befuddled by the tangent, ¡°She¡­ was a good person. A bit eccentric, but otherwise no discernible flaws. The Goddess of Healing.¡± I would¡¯ve preferred if she¡¯d always been evil.


    Rose and Soul walked in. That¡¯s right, their matches were close together. ¡°How¡¯d it go?¡± Free asked. ¡°I was absorbed in conversation and missed your fights.¡±


    ¡°They won.¡± Wise answered. ¡°It¡¯ll be the same for everyone.¡±


    Rose nodded, ¡°They¡¯re normal people. If a visitor is strong, then they¡¯re also well-known and get an earlier time slot. We¡¯re an exception in this regard.¡±


    ¡°From what I gathered, one more round and we won¡¯t have to fight so late.¡± Soul offered.


    Since the Stone Coliseum had a limit of once per day, they couldn¡¯t just power up the rankings. Which is why it was important to start immediately.


    While the others engaged in small talk, Free considered what she¡¯d learned. It¡¯ll do for now. She¡¯d revisit the topic once the bounty was resolved.


    ¡°So that¡¯s what it¡¯s like to win! I¡¯d nearly forgotten.¡± Hope arrived, beaming.


    ¡°Good job.¡± Soul said. ¡°You didn¡¯t even need enchantments.¡±


    ¡°I know right?¡± Hope sat down and let strands of metal dance in her hand. ¡°In a blink of an eye, I wrapped her in steel. She didn¡¯t stand a chance. Is this what Dawn feels every time? No wonder it gets to her head.¡± She¡¯s high on victory.


    Kate exited the elevator by herself. That¡¯s odd. ¡°I figured you¡¯d return with Silver, seeing as you two were getting along so well.¡± Free commented.


    ¡°Ah, well I, huh, decided to watch his match from up here¡­¡± Kate mumbled. Could you be more transparent?


    ¡°What happened?¡± Soul asked, concerned.


    Kate sighed, ¡°I supposed you¡¯d find out soon anyway. Silver asked me to date him. It took me off guard. I mean we just met. But he seemed nice, so I thought maybe I¡¯d give it a try. After all, what¡¯s the harm? So Silver might be my boyfriend now¡­¡±


    Everyone exchanged glances. We should¡¯ve seen this coming. From Silver¡¯s perspective, if he got along with someone, why not ask them out? A normal person would¡¯ve been terrified of rejection, but not him.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Kate asked apprehensively. ¡°Did I make a mistake?


    ¡°Calm down,¡± Rose said. ¡°He¡¯s a nice guy exactly as he appears. There are just a few things you should know.¡±


    Rose brought her to a corner and began explaining. Kate¡¯s expression shifted as she spoke: first perplexed, then concerned, next resigned, and finally determined. Free smiled as she imaged this thought process. Kate didn¡¯t appear the type who¡¯d be scared off by a damaged soul.


    Speaking of the future¡­ Tomorrow they¡¯d visit the Adventurer¡¯s Guild and finally meet experts in their respective fields. Wise and Hope are especially anxious for that. In the afternoon, Kate would bring them to buy their wrystals. Which I¡¯m greatly anticipating. Leaning back, Free smiled imagining their trip to the city. It¡¯ll be an exciting day.

 [Chapter 19 part 1] Dawn - Flying Lesson

    [Chapter 19 part 1] Dawn - Flying lesson


    ------------------------------¡ª


    Dawn left the Inner Palace with an intensifying sense of doom. It was early morning, not that you¡¯d know it by the thousands of roaring braziers. Lily¡¯s Obsidian Cavern¡­ ¡®Inner Palace¡¯ only applied to the complex where they lived. Kate calls the surroundings the ¡®Empty City¡¯. The endless stone apartment buildings were arranged in a grid. She was traveling the pathways connecting the upper stories.


    What a nasty surprise that was. She recalled Astra¡¯s shocking proposal yesterday.


    ¡­


    ¡°Dawn, get to bed right after your match. Tomorrow I¡¯m teaching you to fly.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Color drained from her face. Is this a joke?


    ¡°Your fear is a crippling weakness. I¡¯m sure you realize this.¡±


    Dawn grimaced, ¡°I know. But why flying?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the same principle as learning swimming to overcome a fear of drowning. Although it might be disagreeable, your shortcoming will be remedied.¡± Astra glared. ¡°This would¡¯ve been simpler at Earth¡¯s End.¡±


    ¡°Sorry¡­¡± There¡¯d been nothing she could say.


    ¡°Soul, you come too. I might as well teach you both.¡± Astra approached the window and pointed. ¡°We¡¯ll meet there.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡®Learn to fly¡¯, Dawn despaired. She¡¯d dreaded a reaction along these lines. Her mother¡¯s ¡®solutions¡¯ were brutal. I remember how she ¡®taught¡¯ Silver summoning. It hadn¡¯t worked out well.


    I tried so hard to prevent this. She¡¯d been managing too, even with all the curve balls. When Astra made the ground vanish, that was horrifying. She¡¯d spent the entire time ¡®holding¡¯ the transparent ice with telekinesis to reassure herself it was there. Then there was Simon¡¯s detour. The trip had been almost pleasant before they sailed off the continent. Since he saved the others, I¡¯ll forgive him. It was the warping which did her in. When they¡¯d plunged down, her mind had gone blank. I screamed, didn¡¯t I? God, how mortifying¡­


    Dawn glanced around to distracted herself. The apartments are designed to be lived in. They¡¯d checked inside yesterday to find them laid out sensibly. With plumbing and power, they¡¯d be perfectly comfortable.


    Kate had explained the reason behind this eerie metropolis. During the Dark Age, the area around the Isle had been a safe haven for refugees. Lily had hollowed out this space in anticipation of the next one. Should the worst come to pass, hundreds of thousands would make their homes here.


    Soul was waiting for her. Early as usual. The building was fourteen stories high, outside her comfort zone. Still, I appreciate Astra picking a shorter one. What she valued less was the extra company. Her other siblings had gathered atop an adjacent skyrise. Concentrating, she overheard they¡¯d brought snacks. Really!


    She sighed. I was doomed the instant I was exposed. She spotted Astra gliding towards them on icy wings. They¡¯re majestic. It was her first time seeing them. Which isn¡¯t surprising. Her mother maintained it was always preferable to travel by ground for the traction and faster acceleration. Why bother flying when a jump will do?


    Without wasting a beat, Astra began describing how to materialize the intricate appendages and integrate them into their armor. Ice constructs with moving parts were generally challenging, and these particularly so. Strong, thin, and flexible isn¡¯t a combination they possessed naturally. Astra supervised as they grew two giant ¡®arms¡¯ and a short ¡®tail¡¯. Filling them with glistening feathers, Dawn examined her work. They¡¯re splendid, but I shudder at what I¡¯m to do with them.


    Astra had them start again from scratch, and, remarkably, Soul kept pace. Must be related to his special status. Their mother then taught them to extend, retract, and otherwise manipulate their new extremities. This part is cool. The fun ended when Astra launched into the principles of flight.


    ¡°Alright, now jump off.¡± Astra finished. This isn¡¯t how you cure a fear of heights! Dawn wanted to scream, but knew it¡¯d be futile. Worse, it¡¯d backfire. Never underestimate her ruthlessness.  She stared down hopelessly.


    Soul volunteered to go first. She didn¡¯t object. Take all the time in the world.  Unfortunately, he soon leaped. The result was slower than falling and concluded in a loud impact with the stone floor.


    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    ¡°I¡¯m alright.¡± He shouted. A normal human would¡¯ve died from that. Fortunately, martial arts fortified their bodies.


    Astra moved behind her, and she knew she was next. I don¡¯t want to. She hadn¡¯t psychologically accepted the fact that hurling herself from a building was necessary. Her mind raced for an escape.


    ¡°Do you require assistance?¡± Her mother whispered softly.


    No, I don¡¯t, she thought. At least, not from you.  Dawn understood she¡¯d be tossed off if she didn¡¯t act before Soul¡¯s return. Ironically, this helped her muster her determination. Damn it!


    Extending her wings, she stepped forwards. Time stood still as she stared transfixed at the approaching ground. After an eternity, she mercifully hit the bedrock. Only then did her mind gradually function.  I was slowed enough to avoid injury¡­


    ¡°That was pathetic.¡± a voice boomed from above, ¡°You have a minute to get back here, or we switch to a higher building.¡± Merciless. She couldn¡¯t even drag her feet. There¡¯s only one silver lining. She wasn¡¯t sure why, but her siblings had departed earlier.


    Soul satisfied Astra on his third attempt. He then haplessly gave Dawn tips as she repeatedly threw herself from the roof. In a strange way, her mother¡¯s barbaric strategy worked. She eventually went into shock, accepting her inevitable demise. With her fright dulled, she¡¯d improved enough to earn a half-hearted approval.


    The torture concluded, Astra gave some final advice on handling high winds and other perilous conditions. Dawn wasn¡¯t in a state to absorb any of it.  Soul will remember on my behalf.  Her mother then said something which flooded her with relief, ¡°That¡¯s it, you¡¯re on your own from here.¡±


    Thank goodness. If these sessions were a daily occurrence, her heart would give out. Without outside interference, Dawn could now conquer her fears in a sane manner. No procrastinating allowed. She¡¯d give flying another go once rid of her phobia. The wings are beautiful and functional, my favorite combination.


    Dawn noticed her mother staring, and her elation evaporated. ¡°Don¡¯t think you can slack off because I¡¯m not around.¡± Astra informed them that they¡¯d be chucked off the Isle in a few weeks. If they could fly back, they¡¯d pass the test. Deranged logic! Regrettably, Astra left before she could voice her objection. Not that it would¡¯ve changed anything.


    ¡°Want to practice tomorrow?¡± Soul offered. ¡°We can find a shorter building.¡±


    I don¡¯t *WANT* to, Dawn complained. ¡°Sure, sounds fine. Now let¡¯s grab breakfast.¡± While an empty stomach had been an enlightened decision, hunger was making itself known now.


    They returned using what Kate dubbed the ¡®middle path¡¯. Every building in the Empty City was connected on the tenth floor, which made for efficient traveling. The ¡®sky path¡¯, however, can go to hell. Most rooftops were also linked, offering a scenic route with many ups and downs. There¡¯s also the stone streets, she looked down.  Since the exits were above, there was little reason to travel them. Unless you¡¯re being forced off buildings.


    ¡°Why did the others take off?¡± Dawn asked.


    ¡°Maybe to check the news.¡± Soul said sadly. Oh, right¡­ Dawn didn¡¯t fault the others for yesterday. It wasn¡¯t prudence that kept me off the Helix.


    Passing a brazier, inspiration struck her, ¡°Fayla, you there?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Fayla sprung up.


    ¡°You really were¡­¡± She¡¯d correctly guessed the flames served as her eyes and ears. Wait, does this mean we¡¯ve no privacy?


    ¡°Please tell me you didn¡¯t call out to test my hearing?¡± Fayla demanded, peeved.


    ¡°We were wondering if there were any new developments.¡± Dawn said quickly.


    Fayla nodded, expression softening, ¡°The Laughing Man was busy. Lily wants you in the conference room pronto. The others are already there.¡±


    ¡°What happened?¡± Soul asked.


    Fayla separated from the fire and floated besides them, ¡°A family was murdered in the Undercity. Three generations, a total of ten people. Four were under ten. Each was chopped vertically into two symmetrical pieces.¡±


    ¡°Terrible,¡± Soul responded. ¡°but what does it have to do with us?¡±


    ¡°Most doppelgangers became serial killers, often developing their own signature methods. One of Ethan¡¯s clones favored splitting his victims perfectly down the middle. Newscasters pounced on this. They¡¯re speculating on why someone has emulated a millennia old ¡®modus operandi¡¯.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Soul grimaced. A message ¡®written in blood¡¯¡­


    ¡°That¡¯s not all.¡± Fayla continued, ¡°The Laughing Man broke into Tartarus and freed many of its vilest inmates.¡±


    Enera¡¯s most notorious prison¡­ Commissioned by the Northern Emperor, the facility incarcerated Saints and Immortals. ¡°How many escaped?¡± She asked.


    ¡°The entire East Wing, eleven Saints and two Immortals.¡± Fayla said. ¡°Beyond that, details are sketchy. In a perverse way, this works out well. The break-in is dominating coverage, crowding out other stories, such as the Isle¡¯s deaths.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d rather not think that way.¡± Soul responded. ¡°This¡¯ll make life difficult for mother, won¡¯t it?¡±


    Fayla nodded, ¡°Definitively. She¡¯ll play a central role in hunting the escapees.¡±


    Ideally she¡¯ll be so busy she forgets about that ¡®evaluation¡¯. ¡°Could you let Lily know we¡¯ll be there after grabbing a bite to eat?¡± Dawn said.


    ¡°No problem,¡± The fire sprite dove into a brazier. I wonder what else she¡¯s capable of. It was hard to judge custom creations like Fayla or the Ice Phoenix.


    Much in the same way the Rose Palace overlooked the Isle, the Inner Palace loomed over the Empty City. The tenth story there was its ground floor, all entrances high above the streets. This cavern is meant to be flooded with refugees.


    Dawn and Soul crossed over to Lily¡¯s ¡®Banquet Hall¡¯, a palatial room packed with stone tables. Now, what to choose? Laid out before them was every food imaginable, cooked to perfection. Enough to feed an army.  As opposed to Astra¡¯s stockpile of frozen meals, Lily had taken a gourmet approach, assembling an everlasting feast. Complex runes lined the countertops, keeping everything fresh and warm. The strategy limits the need for servants.  At any time, night or day, they could walk in and find the dish they desired. I appreciate the utilitarian extravagance. She snatched a selection from the pastry section. They taste straight out of the oven.


    Everyone was grimly studying profiles on the wall.  The Tartarus prisoners. Seeing them arrive, Lily switched off the display, ¡°Take a seat. You¡¯ve heard the basics, I gather.¡±


    (continued in part 2)

 [Chapter 19 part 2] Dawn - Flying lesson

    [Chapter 19 part 2] Dawn - Flying lesson


    ------------------------------¡ª


    ¡­


    Soul nodded, ¡°Fayla briefed us. How bad is it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll get to that.¡± Lily said. ¡°First, some updates. Since Astra and I will be busy with the fallout, Kate will show you around today. Frankly, it¡¯d be safest for you to lay low, but Astra vetoed the idea.¡± Dawn was grateful. It¡¯d be frustrating to be confined underground again.


    ¡°Bring them to Miki after this.¡± Lily told Kate. ¡°She¡¯s organized instructors for Hope and Wise. Once finished at the Guild, take everyone to get their wrystals and come straight back. No incidents.¡±


    ¡°Will do.¡± Kate replied tensely.


    ¡°That reminds me,¡± Lily looked them over. ¡°I¡¯ll eventually introduce you to Sarah Godspeed, but for now stay away from the Rose Palace. Use other exits.¡±


    ¡°As for last night, don¡¯t worry about the break-in. It¡¯s Astra¡¯s problem, not yours. The takeaway is that she¡¯ll have less spare time. I¡¯m surprised she didn¡¯t cancel your lesson.¡± Mother is stubborn in inconvenient ways.


    ¡°Regarding the Undercity murders, those do concern us. Courtesy of the Laughing Man, the term ¡®doppelganger¡¯ is back in circulation. The good news is the story is being drowned out. The bad news is Cedric Grinfield.¡±


    ¡°Of those who loath doppelgangers, Cedric does so most violently. He discovered his entire family sliced in half. They were the last to die in this manner until last night. There¡¯s no way he¡¯ll overlook this. Cedric never stopped, even after avenging his loved ones. His hatred extends to all mass murderers, and he¡¯s spent centuries hunting them down. If he uncovers you, he¡¯ll slay you instantly. I¡¯ll need to intervene to prevent that¡­¡±


    Lily collapsed on the table, ¡°I really don¡¯t want to¡­ His animosity aside, he¡¯s a decent person. Heroic even. Come to think of it, the Laughing Man loves exploiting flaws and twisting good people. Cedric is highly skilled. Confronting him is a nightmarish prospect.¡±


    ¡°Surely you aren¡¯t scared?¡± Rose asked in disbelief.


    Lily continued sulking, ¡°One on one duels were never my specialty. I¡¯m not weak, but not especially strong either. Meanwhile Cedric excels at them. What¡¯s more, if battling with you present, it¡¯ll rob me of my mobility, and this body puts me at a disadvantage in close quarters. Besides, I¡¯m a fire user. My expertise is destruction, not protecting. I¡¯m not well-equipped for non-lethal match-ups, and we can¡¯t afford to kill him. He¡¯s one of the most popular, well-loved immortals out there. It¡¯d turn Enera against us.¡±


    ¡°Astra wouldn¡¯t have these problems.¡± Lily lamented. ¡°She¡¯s an experienced front-line combatant, and she can freeze him to end the confrontation. If she isn¡¯t around when he shows up, it¡¯ll get complicated¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re one of the seven!¡± Rose exclaimed, obviously upset. ¡°You¡¯re supposed to be at the peak of what¡¯s possible. How can one opponent on home ground reduce you to this?¡±


    Still slouching, Lily eyed Rose, ¡°You¡¯re half-right. The Isle is my seat of power. Regrettably, this advantage pales in comparison to Cedric¡¯s ¡®Righteous Fury¡¯. You see, after centuries of felling monsters, he developed a Sublime Vagary which strikes fear into evildoers everywhere. It¡¯s ridiculously powerful under the right circumstances.¡±


    I remember this. Relatively few Sublime Vagaries were well-known, but this was one. It lets him borrow the ¡®righteous grudges¡¯ of others, even the dead, to strengthen himself. The scope was too limited for her tastes. It wasn¡¯t helpful in preventing crimes, only avenging them. From a heroic perspective, it¡¯s flawed.


    ¡°In a normal fight, I¡¯d comfortably come out on top. A battle where I¡¯m protecting you is another story. Sola¡¯s doppelgangers committed countless hideous deeds. If ¡®Righteous Fury¡¯ determines I¡¯m defending those, it¡¯ll have an extremely deep well of resentment to drawn on. He¡¯d be unstoppable. I really don¡¯t want to face that¡­¡±


    Dawn was keenly aware of Sublime Vagaries, as they presented a future thorny issue. Once she became immortal, her talents might go unrecognized if she didn¡¯t possess her own. Those trump cards can overturn everything.


    A thought struck her. ¡°Has Cedric fought the Laughing Man?¡±


    Lily smiled and sat up, ¡°Yes, once. Fifty years ago they met near Middle Earth. According to Cedric, the power-up surpassed anything he¡¯d experienced. His first strike nearly cleaved his foe in half. Unfortunately, the Laughing Man is gifted in creation magic, same as Free. Recovering from his shock, he mended his body and somehow gained the distance to warp away. That confrontation remains the lunatic¡¯s closest brush with death. He severely underestimated ¡®Righteous Fury¡¯.¡± I expected as much.


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    ¡°How soon will he arrive?¡± Hope asked.


    ¡°A few days, maybe?¡± Lily shrugged. ¡°Cedric is a wanderer. Although his location is unknown, reporters are dying to interview him. As soon as he¡¯s spotted, they¡¯ll flock to him, and he¡¯ll travel to the Isle.¡±


    Lily got up, ¡°Enough dawdling. Time to meet Sarah. You should go too.¡± She disappeared leaving a fiery wake.  I wonder how her clothes withstand the heat.


    As they left the Inner Palace, Dawn groaned at their pace. In deference to their feebler siblings, they¡¯d developed the habit of walking when together. At Earth¡¯s End, there weren¡¯t many long treks. Glancing across the Empty City, Dawn reckoned it¡¯d take her two minutes to reach the exit. If the weaklings improve, we¡¯ll be able to speed up.


    This might happen soon. Wise and Hope were about the receive the help they needed. Good for them. As for Rose, she¡¯d proposed being trained by her original. Lily hadn¡¯t been thrilled at the idea, but Rose had cleverly leveraged her pride. Wouldn¡¯t it look bad if her doppelganger was weak? Lily¡¯s vain in her own way. The bait had worked.


    Silver would continue learning from Kate, which he was quite pleased about. That relationship developed fast. It made her ponder Nero¡¯s other prophesies. I¡¯ve had my ¡®bad day¡¯, so that leaves ¡®only take four¡¯ for Light and ¡®believe in yourself¡¯ for Soul.


    Barsal Farran was visiting tomorrow and would know how to proceed for Light. He¡¯s the last hero we¡¯ve yet to encounter. Everyone was excited.


    Free would only meet her mentor tomorrow, as he was busy off-Isle. That delay is perfectly fine. Dawn was nervous about how it¡¯d affects her sister¡¯s creativity. She tends to get carried away.


    Soul would be more challenging. Both Astra and Ethan had originally studied the same martial arts, ¡®Winter¡¯s Embrace¡¯. From there, they¡¯d developed their own variants. By the time Ethan became immortal, he¡¯d completed a style adapted to his dual affinity. Unfortunately, this creation died with him. It¡¯s disappointing. Considering his current strength, if her brother could tap his full potential, he might someday rival her. She¡¯d relished the challenge. Without adequate competition, my skills will atrophy. Hey, HEAVENLY DAO, can¡¯t you do something about it?


    Unlike her siblings, Dawn required little further guidance. Aside from some rare advanced magics ¡ª¡ªlike those wings¡ª¡ª Astra had already taught her everything. She need only polish her skills and gain the power to wield what she knew. Until then, she¡¯d continue playing around with other magics. I feel it enhances my understanding of my own.  No one can complain since Astra forbid me from ice.


    Dawn smirked. I¡¯ll also ¡®become a ninja¡¯. She¡¯d been delighted when her suggestion had been accepted. She now had a compelling justification to engage in eccentric behavior. What¡¯s more, guilt has made Light forthcoming. According to what he¡¯d worked out, ¡®dedication¡¯ was extremely important. Someone couldn¡¯t just don an outfit and expect benefits. Pretenders aren¡¯t acknowledged.


    Dawn had to properly pay homage through time and effort. I¡¯ll finish the book series to start. While reading, she¡¯d look for a character to emulate. A reference will make ¡®acting¡¯ easier. Meanwhile, she¡¯d master ¡®running on walls¡¯. Basic abilities before advanced ones.  Astra had already taught her to cling to surfaces with a layer of ice.


    It¡¯ll be a trial period. While not as engrossed as Light, if the results were satisfying, she might permanently adopt the theme. The prize she coveted most was her own substitution technique. It¡¯d taken Light months to earn his, but she¡¯d acquire one faster.


    Amidst this musing, Dawn paused for a sigh. Part of her didn¡¯t wish to rely on external factors, but she recognized appealing to the unseen crowd was unavoidable. A person¡¯s character and story weighed heavily in how far they¡¯d reach, as exemplified by Sublime Vagaries. The benefits Light received should be viewed as legitimate.  She too had to ¡®game¡¯ the system.


    Stretching, Dawn gazed wistfully towards the cavern¡¯s far side. She¡¯d always longed for a stage like the Stone Coliseum. For the first time, I¡¯ve a proper venue to affirm my superiority. Astra¡¯s restrictions only motivated her. What better way to amplify her accomplishments than winning with a hand tied behind her back? Lamentably, she couldn¡¯t yet fully immerse herself in the experience.


    I must cure my acrophobia before it leaks. Having her fears exposed had been the worst experience of her life. Today¡¯s lesson was a close second. The only saving grace had been the limited audience. If the entire world knew, I¡¯d have to go into hiding.


    They climbed a staircase engraved in a support pillar. The Obsidian Cavern stretched from under the Rose Palace to under the Stone Coliseum, and the Adventurer¡¯s Guild was above its center. Lily and Astra just fly, Dawn griped. All four exits were accessible by air. Actually, Kate mentioned a fifth. Near the Inner Palace, a dock was built into the cliff facing the Blue Abyss.


    Maybe I can use that. While the Empty City¡¯s upper portions were uncomfortable, she could handle them. Thank you, Lily, for the handrails. No, her core issue was the ¡®bottomless drops¡¯ she kept running across. Miles of nothing are paralyzing. The Inner Palace¡¯s docks might be a haven to confront her demons away from prying eyes. Theoretically, with daily walks around the edge, the exposure should become more tolerable. My plan is as bad as mother¡¯s¡­ Dawn sighed knowing she¡¯d pursue both approaches. I¡¯ll vanquish this flaw no matter what.

 [Chapter 20 part 1] Hope - The Adventurers Guild

    [Chapter 20 part 1] Hope - The Adventurer''s Guild


    ------------------------------¡ª


    Hope struggled to contain her excitement. It¡¯s tough.  Electric streaks were flashing overhead. They¡¯re fast. The fairies¡¯ forms couldn¡¯t be seen, only the static in their wake. It¡¯s my first experience with this type. The energetic sprites were congregating around the luminous stone in the room¡¯s center. The Lightning Core, a relic fashioned by the second guild leader, Eseil Thorn. Part crystal formation and part glowing boulder, small figures covered its surface, resting and playfully zapping around.


    In Eseil¡¯s time, the circular bunker had served as a ¡®war room¡¯. They were installed in the parlor section between a conference table and an over-sized desk. Bookshelves lined the walls except for the nearby bar alcove. That reminds me, I better not let Kate see the bottles. She¡¯d get upset. The place was Miki¡¯s domain, Headquarters¡¯ second-in-command. Also doubling as spokesperson, she was currently concluding a press briefing.


    With my luck, something will go wrong today too. Tempered expectations had made yesterday less soul crushing. It wasn¡¯t all bad. She¡¯d walked out of the arena a winner. I want that again.


    A spark dropped, and a miniature figure hovered before them, its voice crackling softly, ¡°Miki is on her way.¡±


    Then it was gone. ¡°They speed around every inch of the guild, day and night, only returning to replenish their energy.¡± Kate commented. ¡°They serve as our communication network. If you look up and wave, one will respond. They can answer questions and relay messages. It¡¯s useful even with wrystals.¡±


    ¡°If they recharge, doesn¡¯t that make them permanent summons?¡± Silver asked. ¡°Do they have their own personalities?¡±


    Kate shook her head. ¡°What makes the Lightning Core so valuable is that its fairies possess a shared consciousness. What one knows, they all know. This limits their individuality.¡±


    They remind me of Fayla. Within their territory, they could go anywhere and see everything.  Hope glanced at the flaming wall they¡¯d come from. The Obsidian Cavern¡¯s other exits are supposedly more discreet.


    The chamber¡¯s doors flew open, and a young woman strode in. She commanded immediate attention with her beauty and bright pink skin. Those are horns¡­  They were small, but unmistakable. More of the HEAVENLY DAO¡¯s meddling. People near the new crust were born with such features, gaining advantages such as heat resistance and reinforced lungs.


    ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Miki.¡± The woman said. ¡°Sorry to keep you waiting.¡± Noting their stares, she smiled. ¡°As you can tell, I¡¯m a third demon. You¡¯ll get used to it.¡±


    ¡°A ¡®third¡¯? How does that work?¡± Free asked.


    ¡°Three factors determine the inheritance of demonic traits. In addition to parentage, location matters. Someone like me, conceived in the human world with a single demon parent, only meets one requirement.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it customary to change skin tone?¡± Silver asked, staring intently. Hopefully Astra warned her about him. Kate noticed too and elbowed him in the stomach. Nice.


    Unperturbed, Miki tapped her head, ¡°The horns are more disturbing if they¡¯re flesh colored. That¡¯s why demons don¡¯t follow the convention.¡±


    ¡°So if there¡¯s nothing else¡ª¡ª¡± Miki began.


    ¡°Excuse me,¡± Soul interjected. ¡°But I didn¡¯t catch your last name.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have one.¡± Miki declared forcefully. An awkward silence followed while Kate fidgeted. She knows something.


    ¡°Must be inconvenient¡­¡± Rose said.


    ¡°Not more inconvenient than having one.¡± Miki retorted.


    ¡°Hellspawn¡­¡± Wise whispered.


    Miki glowered before sighing, ¡°So that¡¯s why Astra told me not to hide it¡­¡± Seriously? What kind of lineage is that? ¡°When demonic traits first emerged, many were upset. Others openly embraced their new identity and thrived with it. My last name is a remnant from those times.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not the whole story though.¡± Kate chimed in. ¡°The Hellspawn name is royalty in the Demon World. Miki is distantly in line for the throne.¡±


    ¡°Very distantly. There¡¯s no way they¡¯d accept a ¡®third¡¯ as leader. Besides, I don¡¯t want to live down there. I like the sun.¡±


    ¡°Anyway¡­¡± Miki clapped, sending a dozen fairies whizzing about. ¡°No need for introductions since I issued your guild cards. The Tartarus situation has made things hectic so let¡¯s get straight to business. Hope and Wise are meeting their instructors. I¡¯ll lead you to Radin Lockworth since it¡¯s nearby. Follow me.¡±


    While they marched through the underground, Miki continued, ¡°Radin¡¯s skills are top notch. Since he doesn¡¯t leave the Isle, he¡¯s always available. That said, some warnings.¡± She looked back. ¡°Respect him. He¡¯s by far management¡¯s longest serving member, administering our finances over the past three millennia. Next, he¡¯s intimidating, even for me. Actually, especially for me. He believes it¡¯s his duty to keep expenses in check. He loves saying, ¡®If someone doesn¡¯t have the resolve for a request, it¡¯s probably not worth it¡¯. Most are too terrified to approach his office, so it always falls to me. It¡¯s the worst part of my job.¡±


    Miki stopped apprehensively before a set of polished doors, ¡°Last thing. There was a half-hearted push to replace Radin recently, but it never got anywhere. He¡¯s been indispensable since Arther¡¯s death.¡±


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    ¡°Who wanted to get rid of him? And why?¡± Rose asked.


    ¡°Many, both inside and outside the Guild. It¡¯s not because of anything he¡¯s done, but rather what he might do. You see, he¡¯s on the other side.¡±


    ¡°The other side?¡± Silver asked.


    ¡°If a Dark Age begins, he¡¯ll join the next Sola.¡± Wise explained, surprised at his own words.


    ¡°Correct.¡± Miki nodded. ¡°While Radin declared his intention centuries ago, it wasn¡¯t until the Laughing Man¡¯s message that concerns circulated.¡±


    Miki reached for the handle, but Soul stopped her, ¡°You¡¯re saying everyone knows he¡¯ll be an enemy, and nothing is done about it?¡±


    The demoness shrugged, ¡°The Black Citadel wouldn¡¯t tolerate interference. While Xarst is neutral, its members aren¡¯t. Taking preemptive action against Radin would deprive him of the right to choose. Moreover, he¡¯s indirectly saved millions through his work. How do you punish someone like that for misdeeds which may never come to pass? It¡¯s not possible. All we can do is pray.¡±


    Inside were rows of desks separated by partitions. Doors to private offices circled the room. The financial department¡­ The grey floor and the somber decor created a gloomy ambiance despite the ceiling lighting. A man and a woman, wearing black uniforms with white shirts, walked by speaking quietly. I feel out of place.


    ¡°He¡¯s waiting.¡± The receptionist motioned left.


    Miki led them to an ominous wooden door and warned them, ¡°Be ready.¡± For what?


    Death assaulted them from all sides. Battling the panic, Hope identified its source: scattered objects drenched in necromancy. They couldn¡¯t compare to what the Necronomicon had radiated, but there were more of them. The place was hard and oppressive, with no carpets or wood furniture. Everything is valuable¡­ The liquor bottles were nothing compared to the room¡¯s contents. She knew this instinctively. Ticking sounds echoed around them. Searching, Hope found a towering steel grandfather clock. The only other sound was a pen¡¯s scratching.


    Radin sat behind his desk, not acknowledging them. He looks old¡­ His hair was whitish grey. His facial features sagged, and his hands were covered in wrinkles. So this is what time does to a body. He finished his markings and picked up the paper. In his hand, it folded on itself once, twice, then a dozen times. Once the size of a finger nail, he held it up and a flash of lightning snatched it away.


    ¡°Are you surprised by this aged appearance?¡± Radin spoke. His voice had a raspy raggedness to it, yet boomed with power. It¡¯s my first time hearing an elderly, Hope realized. Do they all sound like this?


    ¡°It¡¯s by choice, of course. In finance, physical age carries a certain weight to it. A gravitas if you will. It aids in my dealings with petitioners. Isn¡¯t that right, Miki?¡±


    ¡°You still haven¡¯t approved the budget for Arther¡¯s funeral.¡± She responded tersely.


    ¡°With cause.¡± Radin focused on Miki, and Hope swore she saw her flinch. ¡°There are unresolved issues we need to discuss.¡±


    Radin¡¯s eyes shifted over them until reaching her brother, ¡°You must be Wise Skyfall. I¡¯ve agreed to teach you necromancy. It¡¯s not a role I play often, but I was pleasantly surprised by your mother. I can tell she isn¡¯t the type for frivolous expenditures. Arther was too indulgent. We are NOT a charity. Morale boosting events are NOT necessary expenses.¡±


    Hope winced at those NOTs. The two utterances had assaulted her consciousness like concussions. Can mere words have such power? She was shaken.


    ¡°Anyway, Astra requested this favor and I acquiesced. We¡¯ll start tomorrow at nine AM. Until then, you¡¯re dismissed.¡± Radin turned back to his work. I¡¯m so glad he¡¯s not my instructor. She was dying to escape.


    ¡°I¡¯ve a question.¡± Wise said. Can¡¯t it wait? Or better yet, use your foresight. While irritated, Hope was also relieved. If her brother could muster the courage for a query, perhaps his training wouldn¡¯t be a disaster.


    Radin smiled. Why¡¯s that so sinister? ¡°Are you surprised your ability doesn¡¯t work on me? Don¡¯t be. I¡¯ve interacted with Nero extensively during the Dark Age when I was in charge of war funds. At the time, I grew frustrated that his foresight put me at a disadvantage in our dealings. To rectify the situation, I learned to mask my fate from his vision. Don¡¯t worry. As far as I¡¯m aware, I¡¯m the only one who¡¯s accomplished this feat.¡± Scary¡­


    Wise shook his head, ¡°That¡¯s not it¡­ Why are you on the other side?¡± That¡¯s a real question¡­ If Radin was to be believed, her brother couldn¡¯t extract information. It must be a first for him.


    Laying his pen aside, Radin crossed his fingers in front of him, peering piercingly, ¡°Because I¡¯ve come to believe Sola was ultimately correct. I can no longer pretend otherwise.¡±


    A chill ran down Hope¡¯s spine. He¡¯s like Sola¡¯s disciples. It hadn¡¯t been just chimeras, monsters, and undead. Humans had chosen to follow her, and most were practitioners from Xarst. Rumor was some had returned to the Black Mountain and lay among the sleepers, waiting for the next opportunity. While Radin had sided with mankind once, he wouldn¡¯t again.


    ¡°How was she right?¡± Wise pressed on.


    Radin held his stare a moment then tilted his head, expression easing imperceptibly, ¡°How old are you? fifteen? Far too young. It¡¯s not a perspective that can be reached from so little experience. Some truths must be learned first hand. Forget this matter. Focus on your immediate challenges, such as surviving the next few weeks.¡±


    Radin released his gaze, and the sound of scratching resumed. Miki grabbed Wise¡¯s arm, ¡°time to go.¡±


    They all relaxed once the door clamped shut. ¡°I¡¯m not sure it is a good idea for Wise to train with that man.¡± Free said.


    Miki sighed, ¡°The atmosphere inside Radin¡¯s office is similar to that of Xarst. It may not be pleasant, but it¡¯ll produce the best results.¡±


    Outside the financial department, Miki declared, ¡°This is where we part. Kate will guide you to Agata Nimrod. I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll be seeing a great deal of each other. If you ever need me, I spend most of my time in the Core Room. Find me there.¡±


    ¡°I thought you liked the sun.¡± Silver joked.


    ¡°I do.¡± Miki scowled. Did he hit a nerve? ¡°It¡¯s a depressing story, really. I used to be an active guild member: taking assignments, responding to crises, running dungeons¡­ Tragically, I¡¯ve an unusually high electric affinity. Once Arther found out, I was drafted, and my adventuring days were over. The Lightning Core¡¯s functions are too important to be left unattended. While I¡¯m stuck down here, I haven¡¯t given up on the wall. Sadly, the Core Room best suits my cultivation¡­¡±


    The long path¡­ Most pursued the faster approach to immortality by racking up accomplishments and letting the HEAVENLY DAO pull them up. The second method was to climb there yourself. If one channeled sufficiently, they¡¯d eventually strengthened their connection to the ether and become part myth. The difficulty lay in doing so within one¡¯s lifespan. Judging by her appearance, Miki has plenty of time.


    ¡°Sorry for rushing off. Tomorrow should be better. I¡¯ll introduce you to Sars. Until then, don¡¯t get into trouble.¡± With a wave, she was gone.


    Everyone turned to Kate. ¡°The elevator is this way.¡± She said nervously. Elevators¡­ Why doesn¡¯t the Inner Palace have any? Kate pushed a button, and a set of doors opened. The control mechanism must be complicated. She could see Lily not wanting to deal with it. Also, she can fly.


    ¡°Why¡¯s the financial department so deep underground?¡± Free asked.


    ¡°After the Fracturing, Radin chose to rebuild there due to his aesthetics.¡± Kate answered. ¡°It¡¯s ground level in a way. If you walk South, you¡¯ll reach the outer guild and the city. Remember Headquarters is built on a rise.¡±


    (continued in part 2)

 [Chapter 20 part 2] Hope - The Adventurers Guild

    [Chapter 20 part 2] Hope - The Adventurer''s Guild


    --------------------------------


    ¡­


    Kate lead them out to a sunlit hall, ¡°This is administration. The State Department, PR Department, and Human Resources are here. It¡¯s not very glamorous.¡±


    They exited south of a gigantic courtyard surrounded by golden structures. Grandiose¡­ ¡°They¡¯re Goldstone, magically reshaped granite.¡± Kate shrugged, ¡°Arther decided it¡¯d be appropriate during the reconstruction. I find it a bit much personally.¡± Really? I think with the shrubbery, it works.


    Paved pathways lined the square, separated by waist-high islands of yellow flowers. Stone pillars intersected this buffer at regular intervals all the way around. ¡°What are those?¡± Hope asked.


    ¡°Ah, those are¡ª¡ª¡± Kate paused and pointed to people leaping across the tops. I bet Light is itching to join them. ¡°They¡¯re runways.¡± She finished. ¡°Do you know about them?¡±


    ¡°I do now.¡± Wise responded. The rest of us don¡¯t.


    Kate rolled her eyes, ¡°Many here can move inhumanly fast. This is problematic as, every so often, they¡¯ll collide with someone who isn¡¯t a martial artist.¡±


    If Dawn ran into an ordinary person while sprinting¡­ Her sister would be fine. Even without ice armor, her body was tougher than steel. But the person she collided with¡­


    ¡°That¡¯s why, in areas where adventurers gather, they set up runways. Be sure to travel in the direction of the arrows if you use them. On a similar note, climbing the buildings is perfectly fine. Saint and Immortals jump between them to get around.¡±


    ¡°So we can¡¯t run on the ground?¡± Soul asked.


    ¡°You technically can, but it¡¯s frowned upon. You¡¯ll get in serious trouble if someone''s hurt, so please don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re heading towards the landing platform west of the plaza.¡± Kate pointed to an open space with a four by four grid of white squares. Three people suddenly appeared in one of them. Warping resembles teleportation from a distance.


    ¡°Maybe you could give a rundown on the way?" Silver suggested.


    ¡°Right¡­¡± Kate nodded. ¡°Just a disclaimer, Headquarters is the size of a city with a long history. So forgive my disjointedness.¡±


    Spreading her arms, she twirled around, ¡°This is the Grey Plaza. Outdoor assemblies, celebrations, and festivals happen here. It¡¯s also used for large-scale mobilizations and temporary refugee housing. Basically, it¡¯s multipurpose.¡±


    About nine hundred feet long, North to South, and three hundred wide. The surface was a single smooth slab of granite. Not even the tiniest fissure¡­


    ¡°Arther wanted it repaved with Goldstone too, claiming ¡®Gold Plaza¡¯ sounds better than ¡®Grey Plaza¡¯. Honestly, he wasn¡¯t wrong, but I¡¯m glad Radin vetoed it.¡±


    ¡°To the East, the long building is the Great Hall, which is used for indoors events and conferences. Arther¡¯s funeral will be held there¡­¡± Kate trailed off briefly. ¡°On the other side is Monument Park and the Tomb of Legends.¡± I wonder how close she was. Arther had brought her to the Isle and trained her. His death must hurt¡­


    ¡°That¡¯s the Guildmaster¡¯s residence, directly to the west. You probably figured that out already¡­¡± Kate laughed. Yes, we did. The large mansion was covered in a thick layer of ice. ¡°Apparently it was a bit too flamboyant for Astra¡¯s taste. The basement connects to the Obsidian Cavern.¡±


    That¡¯ll be useful. The plaza was growing crowded as they approached the landing platform. It was Hope¡¯s first time mingling among so many.


    It¡¯s very mixed. Most had the Isle¡¯s light tan, but shades of black, brown, white, red, pink, and purple were mingled in. Those must be visitors. Then there were outliers: two greys and one vivid green. No way those are natural. A large man caught her attention with his crimson skin and huge horns. Maybe a ¡®full demon¡¯?


    Hairdos were even more diverse. Only half fell into the realm of what Hope considered sensible. The others ranged from exotic to jaw dropping. ¡­I don¡¯t even know what to call them. One women¡¯s long silver hair crackled with electricity. I guess standing out helps reach immortality¡­


    For attire, it varied from multi-layered to practically nothing. There were majestic robes as well as armor cobbled together from leather, skulls, teeth, and bones. Are they wearing their trophies? Hope struggled not to gawk. I don¡¯t look that ridiculous, do I? Light had been so zealous yesterday no one had objected. Now I want a mirror.


    ¡°That¡¯s Reception in the Northwest corner.¡± Kate said. ¡°Members report there, and assignments are handed out. It¡¯s bound to be busy today. Our warping station is inside.¡±


    Hope watched the constant flow in and out. To raise our adventure ranks ¡ª¡ªand ¡®build our legend¡¯¡ª¡ª we¡¯ll have to visit too. Coliseum victories could only take them so far.


    ¡°On the plaza¡¯s North is the Command Center. It¡¯s where everything important happens. Arther ¡ª¡ªnow Astra¡ª¡ª has an office there. Past that, on the edge, you¡¯ll find the guild¡¯s port and stables. Warping is expensive, so much of the traffic happens there.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the ¡®stables¡¯?¡± Hope asked.


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    Kate turned to her, seeming lost. It was as if she¡¯d never heard a question so basic. Great, I feel stupid.


    ¡°Away from cities, aerial beasts are a constant threat.¡± Wise offered. ¡°Wyverns are trained to patrol the sky and keep them away. It¡¯s the same as using dire wolves to guard farms.¡±


    Thankful, Kate nodded, ¡°I¡¯ll add that renting a wyvern for travel is fast and cheap.¡±


    As they headed west another group warped in. ¡°What happens if two spheres drop on top of each other?¡± Free asked.


    ¡°There¡¯s a foresight component which prevents that.¡± Kate answered. ¡°Also, a safety mechanism will pop the compression early. The worst that can happen is falling on someone.¡±


    Weaving through the crowd, Hope noted how little some were wearing. I wouldn¡¯t have lasted a minute at Earth¡¯s End in those outfits. It wasn¡¯t just the women. Quite a few men didn¡¯t have much on their upper bodies. Maybe the scanty armor is a flourish, like what Dawn does.  Her sister loved handicapping on herself.


    They moved north past a windowless building made of darker goldstone. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Soul asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s a branch of the Black Bank.¡± Kate said. ¡°It handles monetary transactions. You should open an account at some point.¡± As old as Xarst itself. The Black Bank was one of the lone survivors of the Dark Age.


    ¡°Around this corner is the commercial sector.¡± Kate continued. ¡°We¡¯re meeting Agata at her shop, Sunrise.¡±


    What a chaotic sight¡­ Store-filled alleys spread out in three directions, with electric fairies zooming through projected banners and adverts like some obstacle course. Adventurers were leaping across roofs while more walked the street.


    ¡°The northeast portion is industrial, with storage, forges, and maintenance facilities.¡± Kate explained. ¡°Workshops and laboratories are west. Hope, you should check them out for materials.¡± My must-do list is, frankly, overwhelming. ¡°In the center, there¡¯s a square where they hold weekly bazaars. They¡¯re great ways to find things cheap. The best places to eat are around there. Bookstores are south¡ª¡ª¡±


    ¡°Anywhere we can pick up a map?¡± Rose interrupted.


    Kate tapped her wrist, ¡°That¡¯s why we are going to town later.¡±


    Sunrise was large, taking up half a block. Inside was a plethora of items. Clothing, armor, weapons, tools¡­ Hope examined a set of gloves. The enchantments were skillfully woven, but what impressed her was their density. I¡¯m not sure I could match it.


    ¡°Come.¡± Kate said. ¡°Agata is waiting.¡±


    In the back room, a young woman leaned over a counter concentrating on a sword. Hope felt the flow of power.


    ¡°That¡¯s Agata Nimrod.¡± Kate whispered.


    Turquoise hair. Even with all she¡¯d seen today, she hadn¡¯t encountered this hue. It glowed as Agata fingered the blade. Her arms, wrists, and fingers were covered in jewelry. All enchanted. She appeared in her thirties, which meant nothing really. How do you determine someone¡¯s real age without being impolite?


    ¡°Give me a minute,¡± Agata said without looking up.


    Hope glanced around. It¡¯s familiar, yet different. The entire left wall was filled with drawers of varying size. Custom designed furnishings. She was envious. The far wall had counters with tools hanging above. Judging from the surfaces, Agata was working on a dozen projects at once. On their right were shelves holding finished goods and works in progress. Hope guessed this from the armor displays.


    Overall, it was organized except for a pile in a corner. ¡°That¡¯s where I toss failed creations,¡± Agata explained. ¡°I find it therapeutic.¡±


    She set down the steel and faced them, ¡°Hi Kate. Long time no see,¡± She¡¯s familiar with Kate¡­ Wait, maybe that¡¯s normal? Long time residents had to know Lily¡¯s daughter.


    ¡°Hi, Agata. Here¡¯s Hope as requested.¡± Kate pushed her forward.


    ¡°So you¡¯re the young lady wishing for guidance.¡± Agata asked.


    ¡°Yes, I didn¡¯t have much luck on my own¡­¡± Hope admitted.


    ¡°It¡¯s pretty complicated.¡± Agata laughed. ¡°Stupidly so. Rather than explaining, better see for yourself.¡± She extended a hand.


    Hope grasped Agata¡¯s palm and closed her eyes. Amazing¡­  She¡¯d never seen such an intricate overlay of magic in an object, let alone a living body. The veins, bone, and muscle were all charmed differently. Even the blood is flowing with energy! She was shocked. Liquids are hard! Overlapping outer layers tied everything together.


    ¡°How¡¯d you learn this?¡± She muttered, looking up.


    ¡°I was taught.¡± Agata smirked. ¡°For other affinities, geniuses might forge their own ways, but not so for enchanting. The only path is to inherit from those who came before.¡±


    Where do I even start? As she searched for a thread of logic, her senses brushed upon the power brimming in Agata¡¯s rings.  More to study. So thrilling.


    Then Agata pulled her hand away. Hope wanted to protest but saw everyone standing around. How long has it been?


    ¡°I see you¡¯re eager.¡± Agata said as Hope reddened. ¡°Would you like to start tonight?¡±


    ¡°Yes, please.¡±


    ¡°Then stop by after six. I¡¯ll be here all evening.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Hope bowed. Perfect. That left plenty of time before her match.


    ¡°I¡¯m curious.¡± Silver said while studying an armor display. ¡°Some outfits here are a little skimpy¡­ I understand for clothing, but not so much for armor. Why¡¯s it popular?¡± Good question.


    ¡°Ah, you mean the ¡®bikini armor¡¯.¡± Agata said. ¡°It¡¯s mostly for fools wanting to look attractive. They often come back for something more substantive.¡±


    ¡°Is it alright to sell this?¡± Soul asked. It¡¯s the ethics which bothers him.


    ¡°Why not? It¡¯s not like there¡¯s any risks in a deathless arena. If they wear it somewhere dangerous, that¡¯s on them.¡± Sensing disapproval, Agata sighed and spoke seriously, ¡°Look, I¡¯ll admit some buyers don¡¯t know what they¡¯re doing. However, many do. They either possess incredibly sturdy bodies or unbelievable regeneration. These types don¡¯t rely on clothing for defense. Rather, their primary concern is durability.¡±


    ¡°We know someone like that.¡± Silver broke in. All eyes fell on Free.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. I already have my solution.¡± She shrugged.


    Glancing around uncertainly, Agata continued, ¡°These adventurers buy outfits made of extremely tough ¡ª¡ªand expensive¡ª¡ª materials. Unless they have an unlimited budget, the choice is between something which covers more and something which won¡¯t break. Most chose the option that won¡¯t leave them naked.¡± Makes sense.


    ¡°Maybe I should sell some of my tunics¡­¡± Free mused. Not a good idea. Her sister¡¯s bizarre creations should be kept far from the public.


    ¡°By the way.¡± Agata walked over to a display. ¡°This one¡¯s fake.¡± She tapped the midriff area, causing something to shimmer.


    Partially invisible armor! Of the chainmail tunic, only the ¡®bikini¡¯ portion was visible. How many today were wearing something like this?


    ¡°The best of both worlds! Protection while appearing attractive and daring.¡± Agata smiled wryly. ¡°It¡¯s also an example of the HEAVENLY DAO¡¯s interference. Adding this transparency is far easier than it should be.¡±


    After letting them marvel, Agata resumed, ¡°Unless there¡¯s anything else¡­¡±


    ¡°What about metal bending?¡± Hope suddenly remembered. ¡°Can you teach that too?¡±


    She formed a ball of metal in her palm. Agata watched and shook her head, ¡°I didn¡¯t hear about this¡­ Sorry, I can¡¯t help.¡±


    Nothing goes perfectly. Agata winced at her disappointment. Then her eyes lit up, ¡°You should see Legonas.¡± Hope waited for an explanation, but Agata went to open a window. With a wave, a fairy appeared. ¡°Where¡¯s Legonas right now?¡±


    ¡°He just reached the firing range.¡± The sprite answered.


    ¡°Perfect, he¡¯ll be there for a while. Tell him Agata is sending a student his way.¡± She addressed Kate, ¡°Can you guide Hope there?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡± Kate agreed.


    So I¡¯ll meet a metal bending expert after all. Hope¡¯s enthusiasm bubbled over. I won¡¯t be punished for a little optimism, right?

 [Chapter 21 part 1] Wise - Assassins

    [Chapter 21 part 1] Wise - Assassins


    ------------------------------¡ª


    Hope¡¯s in a good mood. Agata Nimrod seemed amiable, and she¡¯d had the skills to ascended to the Wall of Saints in less than a century. Wise¡¯s own enthusiasm was muted. It¡¯s funny. I¡¯m getting what I always wanted, yet I¡¯m not looking forward to it¡­


    Radin had been born in Hilsen, a country which no longer existed, during an economic collapse. Growing up in crushing poverty, he¡¯d gladly escaped to the Black Citadel. Two hundred years later, he¡¯d become High Auditor, the symbol of Xarst¡¯s power in fiscal matters. Unkillable and incorruptible, they had permission to end lives in pursuit of their duties. Radin had exercised the right aggressively, and, by the end of his tenure, he¡¯d been more feared than the Mask of Xarst.


    On his last assignment, he¡¯d been sent to sort out the Adventurer¡¯s Guild¡¯s books, which were a notorious mess. He¡¯d been so disgusted by what he¡¯d found that, after purging those responsible, he¡¯d joined the Guild to ensure it¡¯d never happen again. The world had breathed a sigh of relief.


    His grim past shows. While thriftiness was admirable, Radin¡¯s use of terror was more suspect. Many claimed the Guild¡¯s most sensitive interrogations were left to him. Wise frowned. Rumors. His ability was picking up whispers in dark corners, and he didn¡¯t know what to make of it.


    They passed the Black Bank heading south. The building on the right is¡­ the library. Past that is¡­ the Training Center, our destination.


    Kate was continuing her tour, but he wasn¡¯t listening. Sorry. Wise was gauging his bronze headband. What areas do I not know about? West was a recreation area with a concert hall, gaming center, and several popular bars. Underground was a waterpark for leisure and aquatic combat. Further south was the campus. To its east was the Medical Center and Church of Idia. North of this was security and Sars.


    What¡¯s ¡®Sars¡¯? He was the tyrant who kept the peace at headquarters. So he¡¯s not human¡­ Tyrants were the other sapient lifeform indigenous to Enera. They resided in Haven, deep in the Green Hell. Those who survived the journey outside all possessed the strength of immortals. So Miki will be introducing us to one tomorrow¡­ I can¡¯t wait.


    Wise read the names on a nearby sign: gym, isolation rooms, firing range, simulation arenas¡­ Isolation rooms are for cultivation, but what¡¯s a simulation arena? They were coliseums with built-in summoning systems. Adventurers used them to prepare for high end dungeons.


    So far so good. After yesterday, he¡¯d decided he¡¯d stay with the others regardless. Passing out is better than regretting.


    Wise focused on the man they¡¯d soon meet. Who is he? Legonas Ironheart was the head of the Search and Rescue. He notably reached the rank of Saint primarily through saving lives. That¡¯s weird. While renown could be earned through recovery missions, such opportunities were limited. To build your legend that way¡­ He must¡¯ve taken assignments no one would touch.


    What¡¯s his story? After joining the Guild three hundred years ago, Legonas quickly gained a reputation as a rescuer of last resort. Disappearances in dungeons and frontier areas were normally written off as lost causes, yet he¡¯d volunteered, over and over. Although this behavior was dismissed as suicidal, the man had always come back, often with those he went to fetch. Arther Bard had taken notice, inviting him to formally oversee operations. The fervor with which he¡¯d embraced his new duties gave rise to persistent criticism by those concerned for his safety.


    Why so selfless?  ¡­ Nothing. Unbelievable¡­ Apparently no one at Headquarters knew or was willing to answer. Frustrated, he tried again. What drives him? ¡®To balance the scales¡¯. ¡­ That¡¯s probably all I¡¯m getting.


    Kate led them to the firing range¡¯s subterranean reception, and all manner of firearms hung around them. ¡°We¡¯re here to see Legonas.¡± The man behind the counter nodded towards a hallway. How are guns and rescuing people connected anyway? It didn¡¯t add up.


    ¡°You might want these.¡± Kate pointed to sound dampening headsets on the wall. They all grabbed a pair, except for Kate herself.


    ¡°Not taking one?¡± Silver asked.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got these, so they¡¯re useless.¡± Kate twitched her extra ears. With a deep breath, she opened the thick door at the corridor¡¯s end. Immediately, a deafening burst assaulted them.


    ¡°God that¡¯s loud!¡± She grumbled.


    A giant stood shooting¡­  A machine gun. His skin was deep black, and his leather outfit was covered in metal. So many chains¡­ Oh right, he¡¯s a metal bender. Registering their presence, he turned with a friendly smile, voice booming, ¡°Didn¡¯t realize I had an audience. Is one of you my prospective student?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Hope here.¡± Kate ushered his sister forward, and she again formed a metal ball.


    Legonas observed carefully, ¡°Is that self-taught?¡±


    ¡°It is.¡± She confirmed.


    ¡°Then it¡¯s impressive. You have a natural talent. I understand why Agata sent you.¡± Reflecting, he continued. ¡°Due to the nature of my work, I have an erratic schedule. I might be gone for days without notice. But if you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯d be happy to instruct you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you so much.¡± Hope bowed deeply. It¡¯s strange seeing her so happy.


    ¡°You know,¡± Kate beamed slyly. ¡°Hope has been living somewhere remote. Why don¡¯t you show her what saint-level metal bending looks like.¡±


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    Legonas reciprocated the smirk. His chains began floating and orbiting his body. He extended his arms, and they shot out, filling the space. The clinking metal was in constant motion. I can¡¯t tell where it begins or ends.


    Unbreakable Resolve. That was Legonas¡¯s Sublime Vagary. The metal he shaped might bend and stretch, but it¡¯d never be severed. This made him a threat even to immortals. The ability was well-known as Legonas made frequent use of it. Those chains have saved countless lives.


    ¡°Wait, you can control them without touching?¡± Hope was shocked. Legonas laughed as the steel wove itself back around him. ¡°You must teach me!¡± She¡¯s discarding civility in her passion.


    ¡°Sure,¡± Legonas said. ¡°But I¡¯ve yet to hear your names.¡±


    A blushing Hope proceeded to introduce them. With proper guidance, she¡¯ll quickly catch up.  Inside his tunic, he clasped the book that never left his side. I will unlock your secrets. The Necronomicon had proved uncooperative thus far, refusing to open.


    ¡°Say, are you new in town?¡± Legonas asked. ¡°I would¡¯ve remembered such a large group of ninjas.¡±


    ¡°We were displaced by the eruptions.¡± Rose said smoothly, approaching the weapon he¡¯d placed aside. ¡°Is this a machine gun?¡± Nicely done.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a model RG-51¡­ or a reproduction at least.¡± Under his caress, it melted away and traveled up his arm to reinforce his chains. ¡°The bullets are real enough.¡± Sharp, cone shaped objects rested in his palm.


    ¡°You make guns? Is it hard?¡± Hope pressed. ¡°Can you show me?¡± She¡¯s turning into Free.


    Legonas chuckled and reformed the weapon, ¡°They¡¯re highly technological and require extreme precision when shaping parts.¡± He examined the finished product. ¡°The real thing has more components, but I skip steps to save time.¡±


    ¡°So you carry ammunition and form firearms when needed?¡± Hope asked.


    He shook his head, ¡°I don¡¯t use them. At least, not anymore.¡± He stared wistfully at the instrument he held. ¡°Have none of you seen them before?¡±


    As Hope floundered, Soul broke in, ¡°We haven¡¯t, believe it or not. They appear powerful.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d think so, right?¡± Legonas smirked. ¡°Sharp pieces of metal traveling faster than sound¡­ Yet they¡¯re less useful than you¡¯d expect.¡±


    ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡± Hope asked, bewildered.


    ¡°Many reasons. Much of their lethality comes from bleeding wounds. However, the first skill every martial artist masters is how to seal injuries to prevent blood loss. So unless a bullet hits something critical, it won¡¯t have much effect.¡± Legonas paused, ¡°No, even a vital organ might not be enough. When it comes to saints and immortals, their ability to hold themselves together is amazing. I know a guild member who kept fighting with a pierced heart. The only way to stop someone like that is a blow to the head¡­¡±


    ¡°Which leads to the next issue. Fatal shots, with their promise of death, are easy to foresee even for those with poor ability. Once you know it¡¯s coming, there are countless options. Earth-affinity telekinesis can block gunfire while wind can deflect them. Skillful fire users can pre-detonated bullets. Metal benders can turn them into blades and send them right back. No, they¡¯re too easily countered.¡±


    Rose objected, ¡°If they were really so ineffective, there wouldn¡¯t be a shooting range here.¡±


    ¡°Well noted.¡± Legonas smiled, ¡°True, under the right circumstances, they have a purpose. One area they shine is when clearing out insect nests. I¡¯m speaking of the giant kind the HEAVENLY DAO loves so much. Bugs can¡¯t stop the bleeding from shattered exoskeletons. They also rely on lightning reflexes rather than foresight, so they¡¯re unable to dodge. Except for the especially nasty ones in the Green Hell, guns make short work of them. That alone justifies this place.¡±


    ¡°What about enchanting?¡± Hope asked.


    ¡°True,¡± Legonas admitted. ¡°Exploding bullets, fire bullets, homing bullets¡­ They can be extremely effective. Their drawback is the cost. Only major nations can afford to keep elite squads outfitted.¡±


    ¡°Wait, if they¡¯re potentially viable, why haven¡¯t we seen a single person carrying a gun?¡± Free asked.


    ¡°Adventurers operate on a different paradigm.¡± Legonas sighed, rubbing his head. ¡°How to explain¡­ On the archway to the Wall of Legends, it¡¯s written that ¡®Immortality graces those who merit it¡¯. Many ignore this wisdom and try buying their way to everlasting life. It never works. Before an all-seeing god, trickery is useless.¡±


    ¡°Overpowered, low-skill weapons take too much credit from their wielders. You¡¯ll find little enchanted munition for sale at the guild.¡±


    True, relying on cheats is unimpressive.  Wait¡­  Wise frowned. Will the Necronomicon be a problem? A buzzing wracked his consciousness. What¡¯s the simple answer? No, it wouldn¡¯t. Alright¡­


    ¡°So no one has reached the wall with them?¡± Hope sounded genuinely depressed.


    ¡°Actually, there¡¯s one.¡± Legonas said. ¡°Clay Donnaster, the immortal gunman. He¡¯s an enchanter who fires bullets fashioned himself. Self-made weapons are an exception. No matter how powerful, they never detract from your accomplishments.¡±


    ¡°Really¡­¡± Hope muttered, brightening.


    Legonas saw where this was going, ¡°If you¡¯re interested, then I¡¯d advise following Clay¡¯s lead and choosing revolvers. High-skill weapons with history best capture the imagination. They¡¯re the most suited for¡ª¡ª.¡±


    A fairy crackled into existence before Legonas, ¡°Astra says you¡¯re five minutes late.¡± Mother is back. She was meeting management, and it was Legonas¡¯s turn.


    ¡°Damn, I lost track of time.¡± Legonas grumbled.


    ¡°It¡¯s my fault.¡± Hope apologized.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. I was the one who got distracted¡± Legonas said. ¡°Hopefully Astra isn¡¯t a stickler for punctuality.¡±


    ¡°No, you should run.¡± Hope stressed. ¡°She hates tardiness.¡±


    Everyone froze. His sister¡¯s eyes widened noticing her mistake. In an act of mercy, Legonas hurried out without commenting.


    ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m not used to treating Astra as a stranger¡­¡± Hope said meekly.


    Wise took a deep breath and concentrated, ¡°It¡¯s fine. He¡¯s trustworthy. Astra will say so later.¡±


    He did his best to stare at the ground as they traveled the underground passageways. I don¡¯t need to remember directions anyway. No, the pressing concern was the throbbing in his skull. I¡¯ve used ¡®All-Knowing Grasp¡¯ too much.


    Even with the protection Lily had bargained for, there were reasons to be on alert. If the press finds Cedric Grinfield, I¡¯ll know. It¡¯d be unlikely the clone-hater would show up without such warning. But we were also unlikely to meet the Laughing Man. Common sense had to be discarded.


    They¡¯re watching, The HEAVENLY DAO and his agents.  Siegfried had confirmed as much. And a good story needs conflict. Wise¡¯s efforts were wearing him down, but he couldn¡¯t stop. If trouble came, it¡¯d be when they reached the city.


    I appreciate Nero''s words now. At Earth¡¯s end, the isolation had let him peer far ahead. On the Isle, every person and location represented an expansive set of possibilities. He was struggling and wandered in a haze. Without his improved headgear, he¡¯d already be catatonic. Which is why I need restrictions to clear my vision.


    Daylight flooded them as they exited. Behind them was a cliff, and in front were golden buildings. The Outer Guild. Miki was meeting the press at a conference hall to their east. To their west, a giant white cathedral was built into the rock. The Church of Idia, the largest faith. Every religion worshiped the god of creation. Since Idia¡¯s existence is uncontested. There was far less consensus on the interpretation of his will. All wars are fought in his name.


    ¡°See the square building near the city?¡± Kate said. ¡°That¡¯s the Shaft, where we¡¯re headed.¡±


    (continued in part 2)

 [Chapter 21 part 2] Wise - Assassins

    [Chapter 21 part 2] Wise - Assassins


    ------------------------------¡ª


    ¡­


    ¡°Do they sell wrystals there?¡± Hope asked.


    ¡°No, we¡¯re going down to Level 2.¡± Realizing this meant nothing, Kate expanded. ¡°The Isle is five miles high, and the city goes all the way down. It¡¯s broken up by main floors, one mile apart ¡ª¡ªWe call these ¡®levels¡¯ for some reason¡ª¡ª. So one mile down is the first one, and everything above is Level 1. Level 2 is the heart of commerce.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like the sound of this.¡± Dawn said. ¡°Can¡¯t we make our purchases up here on the flat part?¡±


    Kate shook her head, ¡°It¡¯s way too touristy. Everything costs an arm and a leg.¡± Dawn might not mind.


    Beyond the Guild, crowds wandered between white buildings. So many people¡­ Wise had hoped to explore after getting acclimated. Once something was familiar, it wouldn¡¯t trigger his ability. This would never be true for this ever-changing mass. When will I be able to stroll around freely?


    Near the entrance, a fairy swooped down to inspect them before flashing away. ¡°It was making sure we were guild members.¡± Kate explained. ¡°A normal person could get hurt.¡±


    What happens if a tourist tries to enter?  After a warning, they¡¯d get zapped. The Lightning Core¡¯s sprites were more than messengers. A single fairy could incapacitate a grown man. A swarm of them could take down a saint.


    Inside was one big room with a bottomless chasm in the north half. They arrived in time to see a square platform, with several people on it, plummet into the void.


    ¡°What was that?¡± Dawn asked.


    ¡°A high-speed rail lift. It¡¯s gravity-controlled, like airships. It goes three miles down, to the base of the pillar, and comes back up.¡± Kate explained. ¡°There¡¯s four, and they¡¯re always running. We¡¯ll take the next one.¡± Wise examined the wall-mounted tracks. Lifts ¡®fall¡¯ up and down those.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t elevators supposed to be enclosed? There were only railings on two sides!¡± Dawn was outraged.


    ¡°About that¡­ It¡¯s so people can hop off.¡± Kate sensed this wasn¡¯t going to go over well.


    ¡°What?¡± Dawn snapped.


    ¡°They only stop on the main floors. If you want to get off somewhere else, you must¡­ jump.¡± Kate continued quickly as Dawn glowered, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we won¡¯t be doing that since Wise and Hope aren¡¯t strong enough.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s here.¡± Silver observed. A slab of rock zoomed up, braking at the last moment and clicking into place. We have fifteen seconds to get on.


    ¡°Why¡¯s it so thick?¡± Free wondered.


    ¡°It¡¯s to absorb the impact of people landing.¡± Wise offered.


    Besides him, Dawn gripped the handrail. I hope it¡¯s sturdy. ¡°Just a heads up, there¡¯s a brief period of weightlessness.¡± Kate said nervously.


    Dawn glared back with venom. Then they fell. This familiar sensation¡­ After a few seconds, they reached top speed and gravity returned. Floors flew by. Too bad no one joined us.  It¡¯d have been fun to see someone disembark.


    Cold! Ice was spreading from Dawn. As Wise inched away, their weight doubled, and they came to rest.


    ¡°It¡¯s over.¡± Dawn whispered.


    ¡°Actually, this is level 1. We¡¯re going to level 2, so¡­¡± Kate apologized. Dawn pursed her lips.


    ¡°Do people really jump off?¡± Hope asked incredulously.


    ¡°I¡¯ve done it myself,¡± Kate told them. ¡°by using my aura on the wall to slow down. Honestly speaking, leaping on a rising lift is far more dangerous. There aren¡¯t any tricks to soften the blow.¡±


    Wise studied the metal rails while they dropped. There must be tremendous wear and tear¡­ What are they made of? Hardened Cardium. Is that enough to last centuries? It was. The HEAVENLY DAO made everything last longer on the Isle.


    ¡°This world is designed to torment me.¡± Dawn muttered as they got off. I¡¯m not the only one feeling ill. It was nice to have company.


    ¡°That was awesome.¡± Light exclaimed.


    Another sprite zipped by. ¡°Do they patrol the entire Shaft?¡± Free asked.


    ¡°No, only the main floors.¡± Kate answered.


    ¡°What about those in between?¡± Free pressed.


    ¡°The other entrances are discreetly hidden twenty feet above the ground.¡±


    They reached a busy street. It¡¯s the Guild¡¯s commercial sector on a larger scale. The ceiling was a hundred feet up, and advertisements cluttered the space between the tall buildings. The wall they¡¯d exited was lined with elevators as far as could be seen. Opposite, a beam of light shot up through the Isle¡¯s hollow core.


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    ¡°Let¡¯s check out the view.¡± Kate said.


    A seven foot transparent barrier safeguarded the edge. They pressed against it. Spectacular. On layer after layer, the city encircled them. From its base far below, the Pillar of Enera stretched up and illuminated the metropolis. I want to come back at night.


    ¡°Those bridges connecting to the side port¡­ They¡¯re made of glass?¡± Dawn asked.


    ¡°Yes, the theme of Isle City is white stone and glass.¡± Kate explained. They¡¯re made of stalsheet, magically reforged quartz.


    ¡°And those things over there?¡± Dawn continued.


    ¡°High-speed glass elevators.¡± Kate answered dutifully.


    ¡°What about that?¡± Dawn continued.


    ¡°It¡¯s a glass ferry. They taxi people.¡±


    Dawn said nothing more, hissing softly. Heights are everywhere here. His sister was destined to overcome her fears. Just as I¡¯m fated to learn necromancy. It wouldn¡¯t be fun.


    ¡°We should get going.¡± Soul suggested. So he noticed. While this had been a nice distraction, his condition was worsening.


    ¡°Alright, the shop is four layers up.¡± Kate agreed.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with the ones here?¡± Dawn demanded.


    ¡°The prices are still too inflated.¡± Kate stated dismissively.


    An elevator ride, a few blocks, and a courtyard later, they reached a building-sized magitech shop. Wise waited at the entrance. Otherwise my head would explode. Everything inside would trigger his curiosity.


    A woman exited and disappeared around the corner, causing him a sinking feeling. What happened? Kate¡¯s wrystal was pick-pocketed by that person. What? Focusing, Wise scanned the future, and his fears were confirmed.


    The others walked out, and Silver raised a bag, ¡°We¡¯ve got your¡ª¡ª¡±


    ¡°Kate¡¯s wrystal was stolen.¡± Wise interrupted ¡°Assassins are about to attack. It happens in a minute.¡±


    Kate glanced at her wrist, ¡°When?¡±


    ¡°Just now.¡± He answered.


    ¡°What type of assassins?¡± Free asked.


    ¡°Not a type!¡± He frantically explained. ¡°You know how Light is a ninja? These people are assassins. It¡¯s their identity.¡±


    ¡°The Assassins¡¯ Guild?¡± Kate paled.


    ¡°Exactly.¡± He answered. We can¡¯t call for help. The wrystals they¡¯d bought weren¡¯t set up yet.


    ¡°How many and how strong?¡± Rose asked.


    Wise reflected, ¡°Twelve. Around your level, but a few are as strong as Soul.¡± What¡¯s most important to convey? ¡°They¡¯ve made a pact with Yondil. This makes them emotionless like Silver, except more so. The threat of death means nothing to them. They¡¯re dangerous.¡±


    Yondil was the God of terror and madness. To those who pledged themselves to him, he granted freedom by severing their attachment to all things. They essentially became machines devoted to a purpose.


    Seconds ticked by as they deliberated. ¡°Let¡¯s make our stand in the courtyard.¡± Soul said. ¡°We can¡¯t fight with bystanders around.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Wise agreed, ¡°Also, elevators are a bad idea. Assassins run on walls like ninjas.¡±


    Soul and Dawn iced off the entrances while the others cleared out passerbys. Good thing this didn¡¯t happen on the main floor. Emotionless assassins would have an advantage in a crowd.


    ¡°Are there stairs nearby?¡± Rose asked.


    ¡°Too late, they¡¯re here.¡± Wise answered.


    They came from the west and east, emerging on rooftops as if from nowhere. Their stealth is unworldly. Garbed in black and masked, seven men and five women dropped down and rushed forward.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take the ones to the west.¡± Dawn said. If she handles those six, we might get through this. No rational person would anticipate her absurd strength.


    The assassins opened by throwing dozens of knives. Light responded with shurikens, knocking some from the air. Soul and Free dealt with the rest while Rose counterattacked. Silver and Kate ripped up the pavement, hurling it at their assailants.


    On her side, Dawn summoned a wall of ice. As knives bounced off, she took a step, planted her feet, and punched. The barrier shattered, and a frozen shockwave sent her opponents flying.


    Wise and Hope hung back. It¡¯s frustrating, but we¡¯d be in the way. Metal coiled around his sister impatiently.


    If the assassins were surprised by the resistance, they didn¡¯t show it. They spread out and charged in. Everyone readied for close combat. Then the ground gave out under them.


    Why¡­? How¡¯d I not see this coming?  The courtyard was collapsing onto the service floor below. The drop was¡­ thirty feet. Rose grabbed his collar. With her other hand, she released a jet of flame to slow their fall. Where¡¯s Hope? His sister was above, suspended by strings of metal.


    They landed violently. It hurts, but nothing is broken. As the dust settled, everyone got up, and Free collected Hope with her roots.


    Unfortunately, the assassins had also avoided injury. They clearly weren¡¯t expecting that either. They appeared uncharistically shaken. Why the hesitation?  They suspected that was interference from the HEAVENLY DAO and that their mission might be doomed.


    Eventually, one pointed and yelled, ¡°That girl is a metal bender. She¡¯s Jenna¡¯s clone.¡± Instantly, they dashed forwards. Hope is their target! As they moved to intercept, Wise¡¯s foresight flared. An assassin had risen from the ruble behind them, darting at Hope.


    His sister sent out metal spears. No, they don¡¯t care about their own lives! The assassin parried three and let the others hit. Hope¡¯s mouth opened in surprise when he kept running while impaling himself.


    Just as he entered striking range, the man¡¯s legs sank into the wreckage. He barely had time to register surprise before an enormous stone block smashed down, squashing him flat. Where¡¯d that come from?


    Everyone froze at the impossible events. The assassins drew back and looked at each other. Then, in something resembling resignation, they raised their weapons once more.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you stop there?¡± A voice echoed. Siegfried was above, standing on his small platform.


    ¡°That was a warning.¡± His spear pointed towards the stone block. ¡°Back off or die pointlessly.¡±


    The assassins fidgeted. They were unwilling to accept this unjust development. Siefried sighed, ¡°Jenna¡¯s clone is not allowed to die that easily. Your chances today are zero. However, you may enjoy greater success at a later date. Now leave, before the HEAVENLY DAO loses patience and gives me permission to end you.¡±


    The assassins retreated, disappearing as swiftly as they¡¯d arrived. Everyone sighed with relief.


    Rose addressed their savior, ¡°Thank you¡ª¡ª¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not necessary. I am but an agent.¡± The immortal looked up. An airship was descending from where the courtyard used to be. Isle Security. The vehicle¡¯s design was simple: a rectangular platform with benches at the back and a podium at the front. Two men in white were surveying the scene apprehensively.


    ¡°What happened here?¡± One asked.


    Before they could response, Siegfried spoke, ¡°Good timing. Please escort these nine back to the Adventurer¡¯s Guild. Drop them off without questions. Then forget this incident.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ That¡¯s¡­ I¡¯m not sure we can do that¡­¡± The officers clearly knew who stood before them but were struggling. ¡°How would we justify honoring such a request?¡±


    ¡°The HEAVENLY DAO is the sovereign of the Isle of Dreams, and I¡¯m its voice.¡± Siegfried stated. These words proved satisfactory. They were quickly ushered on, and Wise collapsed at the back, eyes closed. It¡¯s over for now.


    As they departed, Siegfried¡¯s voice boomed from below, ¡°A caution, not from the HEAVENLY DAO, but from myself. Don¡¯t believe yourselves safe because of today. I know from past experience¡­ This story has too many characters. This means anyone can die.¡±

 [Chapter 22 part 1] Rose - Aftermath

    [Chapter 22 part 1] Rose - Aftermath


    ------------------------------¡ª


    Rose shut off her wrystal and leaned back. They¡¯d contacted Miki, and she¡¯d led them to Guildmaster¡¯s residence, leaving them in the downstairs lounge. As expected, it¡¯s grandiose. The lamps were mythical beasts, and the ceiling was a checkered board of carved wood intertwined with coats of arms. Breathtaking paintings captured the beauty and deadliness of Enera¡¯s dungeons. The abodes of Immortals are outside the ordinary.


    Hope was brooding in a corner, and Dawn was cultivating in another. Thankfully, she¡¯s regulating her output. The rest were playing with their new toys. As for Rose, she¡¯d just finished her research.


    The Assassins¡¯ Guild recruited orphans from conflict zones, those with no hope of survival. Hidden away, these children underwent a decade of intense training. They¡¯re similar to us. They then pledged themselves to Yondil, officially joining the organization.


    Fealty to the Lord of Terror¡­ The strength of sacrifices and oaths depended on their ¡®purity¡¯ and were tarnished by duress or deception. Voluntary rituals by cognizant participants were the ideal. Yondil¡¯s ¡®blessing¡¯ was this kind. Besides allegiance to their guild, all other attachments were quashed. In exchange, assassins gained a host of benefits, including their famous stealth.


    Details were lacking. The Assassins¡¯ Guild remained cloaked in mystery as there had never been any leaks. Torture and bribes were useless, and magical means had failed to extract anything. Most of what¡¯s known is what they disclosed themselves.


    Speaking of which, there¡¯s something backwards with how they operate. The Assassins¡¯ Guild guaranteed death, not results. Members would either fulfill their mission or expire in the attempt. The price of a hit depended not on the difficulty, but the quality of the agent sent. It was up to clients to request sufficient manpower.


    We¡¯re lucky we¡¯re young. Rose was certain individuals with Light¡¯s aesthetics ran the Assassins¡¯ Guild, which is why they refused contracts on those under ten. There¡¯s no glory in hunting children. For quarries under twenty, the top three tiers weren¡¯t available. Twelve is also the maximum per assignment. Without these restrictions, we¡¯d be dead. The Assassins¡¯ Guild boasted saints and immortals in its ranks.


    Whatever the case, their assailants were merely someone¡¯s tool. Rose wanted to know who and why. It¡¯s not the Laughing Man. Otherwise what was the point of those murders? It must be his co-conspirators. After the madman reported back to whoever tipped him off, this third party targeted Hope. But why?


    Rose clicked her tongue. Once again, she was clueless. No, it¡¯s not the same. There were avenues to pursue this time. I¡¯ll investigate Arther¡¯s death and the terrorism.


    Astra walked in with Simon, both with serious expressions, ¡°Miki informed me of the attack. Glad you¡¯re alright. Tell me the details.¡±


    Once they were done, Simon stated, ¡°The Laughing Man wasn¡¯t behind this.¡±


    ¡°How are you so certain?¡± Astra asked.


    ¡°An insurmountable difference in philosophy.¡± Simon offered impassively. ¡°Assassins pride themselves in being surgical. While they¡¯ll strike down those in their way, they¡¯ll never intentionally harm bystanders or take hostages. Meanwhile, the Laughing Man revels in collateral damage. He¡¯d risk failure over a clean kill. To date, he¡¯s never engaged their services.¡±


    ¡°So this was the copycat¡¯s faction?¡±


    ¡°I believe so.¡±  Simon affirmed. So I was right, Rose thought with pride.


    ¡°It¡¯s my fault.¡± Kate burst out. ¡°If I hadn¡¯t been so fixated on saving¡ª¡ª¡±


    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    ¡°Kate, you must lose this habit.¡± Astra interrupted. ¡°I allowed this outing. The assassins would¡¯ve attacked regardless. If not there, then somewhere less convenient. I don¡¯t want to hear another word. The day you¡¯re actually at fault, I¡¯ll let you know, believe me.¡± She¡¯s irritated, and Kate¡¯s self-reproach strikes her as a distraction.


    Astra faced Simon, ¡°Why are they after Jenna¡¯s clone?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s little to go on, but, to venture a guess, it¡¯s related to the Pillar of Enera.¡±


    I see¡­ If Hope accessed the pillar¡¯s insides, she¡¯d gain control of the global network which enabled warping and communication. Perhaps someone fears this.


    ¡°Damn.¡± Astra slumped back. ¡°I tried predicting every challenge¡­ How¡¯d I miss Hope¡¯s ability to open the Pillar? Too bad we can¡¯t confirm it¡­¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡± Silver asked.


    Astra waved off the question, ¡°Since it¡¯s crowded day and night, it¡¯d be impossible to approach without alerting the world. If news circulated that Jenna¡¯s doppelganger had entered¡­ Let¡¯s not broadcast your existence that way.¡±


    They shifted uncomfortably as Astra gazed off, deep in thought. Eventually, Light spoke, ¡°What are we going to do?¡±


    ¡°Nothing.¡± Astra answered.


    ¡°What?¡± Light cried in disbelief.


    Astra¡¯s eyes focused and fell on him, ¡°All assassins possess ¡®Presence Concealment¡¯. This ability approaches the territory of a lesser Sublime Vagary. Outside of combat, they disappear. Light, sound, odor¡­ all are erased. It¡¯s even partially effective against foresight. Without Wise, you would¡¯ve had only seconds, if that.¡±


    ¡°Now that they¡¯ve revealed themselves, they¡¯ll take turns staking out the Adventurer¡¯s Guild and the Rose Palace, only gathering when an opportunity presents itself.¡± Astra shook her head. ¡°They¡¯re a pain, even for immortals. Unless you take them all out at once, they¡¯ll go deeper into hiding. Hunting them down would take precious time, which I can¡¯t afford. Leaving aside my backlog, it¡¯d raise questions of whom I was protecting. The same issue pops up if I divert guild resources.¡±


    ¡°What happens to Hope?¡± Light asked.


    ¡°She must avoid exposing herself. It shouldn¡¯t be hard. The Inner Palace is safe. The Rose Palace has Lily¡¯s phoenixes. Between the Lightning Core and Sars, the guild is secure too. The Stone Coliseum belongs to the HEAVENLY DAO and doesn¡¯t allow death. The same is true for the Endless Library. She must keep to those places.¡±


    ¡°So we¡¯re just letting them roam free?¡± Light pressed. It¡¯s upsetting.


    Their mother sighed, ¡°Look, even if this batch is disposed of, it wouldn¡¯t change anything. Someone who hired a dozen assassins is capable of hiring a dozen more. To end the threat, we must confront them. As we haven¡¯t confirmed who they are, it might take a while.¡±


    ¡°Once I¡¯m caught up, I¡¯ll turn my attention to Isle. Until then, you all need to take care of yourselves. Understood, Hope?¡±


    ¡°Oh, completely.¡± Her sister answered grudgingly. Her mood has reversed¡­


    ¡°I have something for you.¡± Simon extended a hand, and a dark pendent with a silver chain floated gently to Hope.


    ¡°It¡¯s a charm of considerable power which I fashioned ages ago. Please wear it at all times.¡± Simon glanced at Astra, ¡°This magic works best if it remains unknown. I can assure you it won¡¯t cause harm.¡±


    Once she¡¯d put it on, Simon nodded satisfied, ¡°A last note. The HEAVENLY DAO often interferes to ¡®spice things up¡¯. In a conflict, if it aids one party, it¡¯ll favor the other for the sake of balance. Assuming your meeting with the Laughing Man was more than coincidence, then today was to even the score.¡±


    ¡°The point is don¡¯t depend on the god. Remember, this entity permitted the Dark Age. It¡¯s not your ally. Never believe yourself invulnerable because it¡¯s watching. At any time, it may determine your tragic death best fits the narrative.¡±


    Regarding the HEAVENLY DAO¡­ I¡¯m not going down that rabbit hole.  It didn¡¯t pay to fret. An old idiom said ¡®The HEAVENLY DAO saves those who save themselves¡¯. Wait to be rescued and you¡¯ll surely perish.


    Astra stood up, ¡°The airship will arrive late tonight. Tomorrow make sure you stop by and greet Sars. Free, you¡¯ll meet your instructor, John Lavinda, at the Church of Idia. Don¡¯t do anything strange.¡±


    ¡°In the afternoon, you¡¯ll all study with Emerit Blaze at the¡ª¡ª¡± Astra steadied herself, ¡°Glittering Auditorium. He¡¯s quite the character¡­¡° She finds him overwhelming¡­? ¡°There are things you must know, even if they¡¯re ridiculous. Emerit is an expert on the HEAVENLY DAO and ¡®being cool¡¯. You¡¯ll get along with him just fine, Light.¡± Interesting. ¡°After that, Barsal Farran will be visiting the Rose Palace. He¡¯s looking forwards to making your acquaintance.¡± The last hero we haven¡¯t met¡­


    ¡°That¡¯s everything. Stay safe.¡± Astra and Simon departed.


    Kate led them downstairs and showed them the passage to the Obsidian Cavern. Rose¡¯s mind drifted as they descended. She didn¡¯t like leaving everything to the ¡®grown-ups¡¯. Even if they have millennia more experience. She needed to control her own destiny, and right now their lives were being spun around by the whims of fate.


    Near the Inner Palace, Rose broke away and traveled to the top of a nearby building. Channeling and concentrating, she sent out a command. Moments later, a fiery figure sailed towards her. Good, it works this far. She let the phoenix land on her stretched arm. It had unexpected mass for living flame.


    (continued in part 2)

 [Chapter 22 part 2] Rose - Aftermath

    [Chapter 22 part 2] Rose - Aftermath


    ------------------------------¡ª


    ¡­


    I should give it a name, Rose mused sending it back to its perch above her room. There were no other firebirds in the Empty City. No need for them here. None were at the Guild either. She¡¯d seen a couple in the city, but only at a distance.


    I want more. If her pet had been with her, those assassins would¡¯ve been far less threatening. She¡¯d experimented last night. It was stronger than she was. With its help, I might take down Dawn. Of course, she couldn¡¯t parade around with Lily¡¯s phoenix on her shoulder. Perhaps I could train it to follow discreetly. She¡¯d have to do something about its intelligence first.


    While ferocious, her phoenix wasn¡¯t the brightest. It understood verbal commands well enough, but complex instructions confused it. Rose knew it was common to limit the brainpower of ¡®permanent¡¯ summons. Over the long term, too much smarts led to problematic character traits: curiosity, sense of humor, pride¡­ Lily doesn¡¯t want them pranking the tourists. Rose wasn¡¯t concerned as deviant personalities only arose when summons were left unattended. I¡¯ll consult Silver later.


    ¡°Found you.¡± Lily landed besides her, causing Rose to jump. Where¡¯d she come from? ¡°You¡¯ve another match tonight, right? I¡¯ve been thinking. If you¡¯re weak, doesn¡¯t that make me look bad? Seems Astra¡¯s clone is super strong. I don¡¯t like that, so I¡¯ll train you. Come with me.¡±


    Lily started off, and Rose followed obediently. Wasn¡¯t this my idea originally? She was surprised, but pleased. But if she wants me to defeat Dawn, a little mentoring isn¡¯t going to cut it¡­  She keep this thought to herself.


    I should use this opportunity. ¡°Do you have any idea who¡¯s behind the terrorism?¡± She asked.


    Lily looked over her shoulder. ¡°Why do you want to know?¡±


    ¡°Whoever is responsible put a hit on my sister.¡± Rose explained.


    Lily nodded slowly, ¡°There¡¯s not much to tell. If you¡¯ve talked to Simon, you should have a decent understanding.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you, as regent, are privy to details he isn¡¯t. Could you please share some? Anything is fine.¡±


    Lily shrugged, ¡°Why not? There are at least three actors involved. First is the mastermind. Removing me as regent is meaningless unless you have control over my successor. This means a major player in the World Council: the Demon World, the Cultivating Realm, the Northern Empire, the Grey King, the Barsal Empire, the Black Citadel, or Aery. Only they could build a coalition behind a chosen candidate.¡±


    This exceeds my hopes. If Lily was attempting to scare her off with a deluge of information, she was making a grave error. Why couldn¡¯t Astra be like this?


    ¡°Of those, we can eliminate the Barsal Empire, the Black Citadel, and Aery because of their affiliation with various heroes. The Cultivating Realm also never interferes in outside matters. Of the remaining three, the Northern Empire is most likely.¡±


    ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡±


    Lily hesitated, ¡°Samuel Lithorn and I had a falling out a while back. I have no evidence though. Repeat this and I¡¯ll burn you alive.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, next is the impersonator. This is undoubtedly an agent of the power conspiring against me. They¡¯d need to be at least a saint or immortal with an affinity for creation. No clue who it could be.¡±


    ¡°Finally, there¡¯s the collaborator. Both attacks took advantage of windows of vulnerability. Such precise timing required an insider, either in Isle Security or the Rose Palace. If I knew who, they¡¯d be dead.¡±


    ¡°There, satisfied?¡± Lily demanded wearily.


    ¡°The collaborator¡­ Is it Sarah Godspeed?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Lily froze, staring hard at her.


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    This shook Rose, ¡°From the way you and Simon acted yesterday, I sensed Sarah might¡¯ve been the one who leaked our arrival¡­ Was I wrong?¡±


    Lily relaxed, shoulders sagging, ¡°Look, Sarah Godspeed is royalty. Her mother and brother rule a wealthy territory called Tuwen. As far as immortals go, they¡¯re decent. Sarah didn¡¯t quite have their talent, so she volunteered to be Steward. She¡¯s inexplicably fairly well-liked by some people¡­ Anyway, don¡¯t go spreading rumors. It¡¯ll just make things complicated.¡±


    That¡¯s unexpected. Didn¡¯t they have a bad relationship? ¡°So you don¡¯t think Sarah is the informant?¡±


    ¡°Sure, it¡¯s possible, but I have no proof. Believe me, I¡¯ve looked. Eleven years ago, I invited Radin Lockworth to audit the Isle¡¯s finances. Although he eliminated many questionable expenses, he didn¡¯t find fraud. So while she¡¯s a traitor and an enemy, I can¡¯t say she¡¯s done anything wrong.¡± Lily wrung her hands at the admission.


    How does that make sense? ¡°Why is she an enemy?¡± Rose asked.


    ¡°I hate her and she hates me. She never respects my authority and undermines me at every chance. You saw her waiting for us at the gondola. She can¡¯t just mind her own god damn business. Everything about her irritates me, yet I¡¯ve had to work with her for decades¡­¡±


    Lily gazed off, grimacing as if reliving bitter memories. She shook her head, ¡°Basically, there are those who want me gone as regent, and Sarah is definitively among them. That makes her a traitor. Understand?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Rose said. Truthfully, not completely. It sounded like Sarah might¡¯ve been a good person. How¡¯d this mutual hatred develop? Is it really just two stubborn people butting heads?


    They entered a building adjacent to the Inner Palace. The inside was hollow, with balconies and stairs lining the interior. In its center was a coliseum much like the one at Earth¡¯s End. Nero might¡¯ve made this one too.  For some reason, Dawn was waiting near the arena.


    ¡°What¡¯re you doing here?¡± Lily asked, displeased.


    ¡°I heard you were looking for Rose. I guessed it was for training and so came to spectate.¡±


    ¡°Your affinity is ice. Why on Enera would you want to watch?¡±


    Rose didn¡¯t want to waste time, ¡°Just let her stay. It¡¯s not like it¡¯ll do any harm.¡±


    Grumbling, Lily put the matter aside, ¡°I¡¯m going to instruct you on magecraft. How much do you know?¡±


    ¡°Not much. Astra didn¡¯t teach us.¡± Rose said honestly. Magecraft was casting spells by using symbols. The hand signals Light taught himself were one type.  It leverages one¡¯s magic for greater effects, at the cost of some control.


    Lily frowned, ¡°You learned nothing? Nope, I don¡¯t buy that. Maybe for those without ice affinity, but Dawn here is another story¡­¡± Lily confronted her sister. ¡°Well?¡±


    Dawn glanced at Rose uncomfortably, ¡°Yes, she taught Soul and I.¡±


    What? ¡°Wait, you¡¯ve been using magecraft this whole time?¡± Rose was shocked.


    ¡°Of course not. That wouldn¡¯t be fair.¡± It was Dawn¡¯s turn to be upset. ¡°Astra forbid us from using spells.¡±


    Rose calmed herself. Yes, that¡¯s right. Astra would never allow Dawn that type of advantage. Besides, she¡¯d never seen her sister use magecraft in her fights. Still, this means she¡¯s been holding back even more than I realized. That was a bitter pill to swallow.


    ¡°Oh, wait.¡± Dawn exclaimed. ¡°There was that time when I fought all seven of you. I did use a few quick spells then. I think only Soul noticed.¡±


    ¡°Show me something Astra taught you.¡± Rose demanded. She wanted to see the evidence firsthand.


    Dawn extended a hand, and a circle of condensed ice magic appeared in the air. The hazy blue spread and coalesced into distinct, shimmering lines. These, in turn, formed symbols and formations. Soon an intricate disk was rotating clockwise. A ¡®magic circle¡¯. Her sister had written a spell on the air.


    When Dawn clenched her fist, it flashed and dispersed like ashes in the wind. In the blink of an eye, a dense wall of ice materialized. It was fifteen feet tall and thirty long.


    Rose studied the result. An impressive display for sure, but kind of useless. Any decent martial artist could leap over it. I guess it could strategically block passageways.  ¡°I¡¯m surprised you chose a defensive spell.¡± Rose said.


    At this, Lily burst out laughing, ¡°A ¡®defensive spell¡¯. That¡¯s the best. Well, it¡¯s true it can be deployed that way. That¡¯s not how Astra uses it though¡­¡±


    ¡°What¡¯d you mean?¡± Dawn reacted with a surprising intensity. ¡°Astra once told me she loved this spell. I¡¯ve always wondered about that. It doesn¡¯t fit her.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s definitely one of her favorites. I¡¯ve seen her use it a million times.¡± Suppressing giggling, Lily smiled smugly. ¡°Except the walls she creates are a lot bigger. Also, she makes them appear horizontally, a few inches above her enemy¡¯s heads. Gravity does the rest.¡±


    Horizontally¡­ Color draining from her face, Rose looked back at the three foot thick block of ice. She imagined it appearing above her. Could she escape fast enough? Would she be able to burn through that much in less than a second? Analyzing, she didn¡¯t like her conclusions. How long did it take to cast again?


    ¡°If you give your opponent time to complete such a spell, you deserve to lose.¡± Lily commented, sensing her thoughts.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t Astra teach the rest of us?¡± Rose complained. I¡¯m jealous.


    ¡°It was the right approach.¡± Lily explained calmly. ¡°While incomplete Martial arts can be somewhat effective, imperfect magecraft is worthless. Precision and purpose are what gives spells their strength. A single misaligned symbol, and you lose half the power or worse. Furthermore, while most martial arts can be self-taught to a degree, magecraft is impossible without instruction. The possible combinations are too infinite. Magecraft should be learned correctly or not at all.¡±


    ¡°Time for our lesson.¡± Lily proclaimed. ¡°Let¡¯s see, how to start¡­¡±


    (continued in part 3)

 [Chapter 22 part 3] Rose - Aftermath

    [Chapter 22 part 3] Rose - Aftermath


    ------------------------------¡ª


    ¡­


    ¡°When I grew up, the world was still multilingual. It was often necessary to learn more than one tongue in order to get by.¡±


    Dawn and Rose looked at each other. Where¡¯s this going?


    ¡°Anyway, the explanation I¡¯m about to give would¡¯ve made more sense back then. It¡¯s how I was taught by someone who died a long time ago.¡± Lily¡¯s words held a wisp of melancholy. She didn¡¯t give them time to ponder, raising an arm. An enormous magic circle appeared.


    ¡°Learning magecraft is like learning a new language. First you¡¯ll want to remember the basic phrases necessary to communicate.¡±


    The patterns of the circle changed one after another. Each of these must be a different spell.


    ¡°Later on, you¡¯ll learn how those phrases are assembled. You¡¯ll understand what each part means and how it fits together.¡±


    The magic circle spread out gently, separating into different sections. Those are the building blocks.


    ¡°Finally, you¡¯ll put sentences together in your own words.¡±


    The magic circle morphed, growing in complexity and density. When it had finished, several complex rings were rotating in alternating directions. Lily flicked her hand.


    Fire exploded from the ground. The stream of flames stretched above them then swerved down. Rose realized it was a dragon. The fiery beast raced around as it continued erupting, moving so fast that soon all they could see was its blazing form. This heat alone would roast an ordinary human.


    Then it was gone, and the temperature returned to normal. Rose processed what had just happened, ¡°So the first step is memorization. If that¡¯s the case, do you know spells practical in the Stone Coliseum?¡±


    ¡°Good question.¡± Lily smiled.


    A productive session followed. Lily was frustrated by Dawn¡¯s presence at first but soon lost herself to teaching. Rose learned three simple spells which could be cast quickly. Not that I¡¯ll need them tonight. They¡¯d still be grouped with tourists.


    Returning to her room, Rose saw Silver and Kate speaking on a terrace. I shouldn¡¯t interrupt, but¡­  Her thirst for answers got the better of her.


    ¡°Sorry to disturb, but could I ask Kate a question?¡± Rose asked.


    ¡°Sure, we weren¡¯t discussing anything important.¡± Kate responded promptly. I feel you¡¯d say that regardless.


    ¡°You knew I wouldn¡¯t be upset even if we were.¡± Silver added. True¡­


    Ignoring the jab, Rose continued, ¡°do you know why there¡¯s bad blood between Lily and Sarah?¡±


    Kate nodded, ¡°Yes, sort of. It¡¯s the result of what happened with the ¡®Blood Arena¡¯ two hundred years ago.¡± What¡¯s that?


    ¡°Originally Lily interfered little with the work of Stewards.¡± Kate explained. ¡°She kept to her duties and let them govern how they saw fit. The Isle you see today came about through their successive visions.¡±


    ¡°Everything went smoothly until Maximilian Torganas. A descendant of the Northern Emperor, he craved status, wanting to elevate the position of Steward to more than it was. He made all manner of changes, including opening the first casino. As part of this self-aggrandizement, he made efforts to socialize with all the HEAVENLY DAO¡¯s agents. Amazingly, he even succeeded in approaching the reclusive Calin.¡±


    ¡°When you say ¡®Calin¡¯, you mean the former ¡®greatest villain¡¯ who lives on the Isle?¡± Silver interjected.


    ¡°Yes, the very one. They apparently hit it off. Perhaps it was a shared appreciation for grandiose endeavors. Their interactions revealed Maximilian¡¯s twisted side. It¡¯s unclear whether it was there from the start or arose from his contact with Calin. Whatever the case, the two pitched an idea to the HEAVENLY DAO: an underground coliseum with real stakes. A forbidden place where combatants would fight to the death in a ¡®Blood Arena¡¯. The concept was approved.¡± Wreaking havoc for entertainment¡¯s sake¡­ Simon is right about the god.


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    ¡°Calin carved out the Underground Coliseum two and half miles below his keep, and the entrance was hidden behind Maximilian¡¯s casino. Luscious cash prizes attracted participants, with ridiculous bets placed on the outcomes. Unknown to everyone, men and women began dying in steady numbers.¡±


    ¡°Events proceeded undetected for nearly a decade. Maximilian had been selective with his spectators, restricting them to the seedier side of his casino clientele. He was also smart enough to bring in fighters from the outside. In the end, though, it couldn¡¯t last forever.¡±


    ¡°Surrounding countries became upset with the disappearances of their rising prospects. When the losses were investigated, the Blood Arena was uncovered. Lily was livid. The Isle¡¯s image as a place of wonder and safety had been tarnished.¡±


    ¡°The Northern Emperor attempted to intervene, but Lily would hear none of it. The Underground Coliseum was shut down, and its entrance sealed. Maximilian was exiled in disgrace, his legacy wiped away.¡±


    ¡°Lily vowed it¡¯d never happen again, planning on reviewing all future projects. At first this didn¡¯t matter. After the scandal, the world appointed an unambitious consensus candidate, Wesley Marone. His cautious nature suited Lily fine, and his long tenure ended without incident.¡±


    ¡°The problems began nineteen years ago when Sarah Godspeed successfully campaigned to be his replacement. She was different from Wesley, who¡¯d already given up on immortality. Unlike her brother, Sarah wasn¡¯t born with strong ability, so she followed the common strategy of relying on fame. With extra lifespan, a deficit in talent can be made up. Sarah¡¯s plan meant maximizing the prestige of her position, which ran afoul of Lily¡¯s new attitude.¡±


    ¡°While past Stewards had the freedom to plan events and make alterations, Lily had been serious in her pledge. She rejected all Sarah¡¯s proposals, sometimes without reading them.¡±


    I see. Rose knew the frustration of having someone above you that didn¡¯t listen.


    ¡°When Lily insisted that ¡®she quietly do her job¡¯, Sarah saw this as a death sentence. Without accomplishments, she¡¯d fade to obscurity. In rebellion, she went ahead with projects without approval, gambling Lily wouldn¡¯t be able or willing to get rid of her. While she won the bet, it completely soured the relationship between the two.¡±


    ¡°The situation is unlikely to improve at this point. The media is aware of the tension, and it has become a newsworthy subject in of itself, generating free publicity. Sarah has no incentive to reconcile.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. That was informative.¡± Rose said.


    Sympathy aside, this left them in a difficult spot. Even if Sarah wasn¡¯t a conspirator, there was no telling when she might become one. An antagonistic Steward can¡¯t be relied on.


    ¡°Why doesn¡¯t Lily just get rid of her?¡± Rose asked.


    ¡°Before, it would¡¯ve been possible, if difficult. Now, with Arther¡¯s death, Lily doesn¡¯t have that luxury anymore. If opinion turns further against her, she¡¯ll be deposed. Sarah is popular, with strong international backing¡ª¡ª¡±


    Soul walked up and interrupted, ¡°Have you seen Free around? Or Wise?¡±


    ¡°Free is wandering the Empty City looking for somewhere to house her plants.¡± Silver answered. ¡°Wise is passed out in his room.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Soul sighed. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll wake him to find Free.¡± What¡¯s so urgent?


    ¡°Did something happen?¡± Rose asked.


    ¡°Hope¡¯s drunk in her workshop. Light and Dawn are watching her. You should join them.¡± Soul started off. ¡°I¡¯ll fetch Free. Hope is due to meet Agata soon, not to mention her match tonight. She must be detoxified.¡±


    Could Free cure alcohol poisoning? Stop, that¡¯s a silly question. Even if she didn¡¯t know how, she¡¯d figure it out using Hope as a guinea pig.


    They headed down to the space Lily had allocated to Hope without being asked. Knowing Jenna, she was familiar with her needs. ¡°What do you think she will be like?¡± Silver asked.


    ¡°We¡¯ll see.¡± Rose answered. I¡¯ve no idea. None of them had touched alcohol before. With all that¡¯d happened, their prizes from Xarst had slipped their minds.


    ¡°She had a rough day.¡± Kate commented. Agreed.


    Strands of liquid metal were undulating throughout Hope¡¯s new workspace. She¡¯d somehow gotten her hands on a fair amount of steel. I¡¯ve never seen her control so much. Inebriation had done a number on her metal bending. More power, less control? Hope was at the center of the metallic web. Light was a dozen feet away, with Dawn arms crossed behind him.


    ¡°Silver! Kate! Rose! Grab a bottle. There¡¯s plenty left.¡± Hope pointed to the nearby liquor.


    So this is alcohol. Rose moved as close as she dared and asked the obvious question, ¡°Why are you surrounded by razor blades?¡±


    Hope¡¯s eyes went wide, ¡°Listen, they want to take my bottle.¡± She cradled a green flask protectively. ¡°But I won¡¯t let them. It¡¯s MINE.¡±


    Dawn walked up and whispered, ¡°I want to freeze everything and take it by force. Light¡¯s stopping me. He wants to ¡®reason¡¯ with her. Can you talk some sense into them?¡±


    Rose nodded, sighing, ¡°Hope, you can keep the bottle for now, but why don¡¯t you start by putting down the metal?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t. I¡¯m practicing.¡± Hope peered down at a book next to her, then to the object she was shaping. After a few adjustments, she held it up. ¡°I¡¯m going to be a magical gunslinger.¡± She¡¯s making a gun? Rose was surprised.


    The idea itself isn¡¯t bad. Jenna Crystal reached the wall by crafting and upgrading Astrolis, a giant mechanical suit of armor. It was another example of profiting from a self-made weapon. That said, alcohol and firearms don¡¯t mix well.


    ¡°Say Rose, could you bring me some bullets? None of these people want to help me find bullets.¡± Hope complained bitterly.


    Rose winced. This might be more troublesome than anticipated.

 [Chapter 23 part 1] Free – Idia and Torak

    [Chapter 23 part 1] Free ¨C Idia and Torak


    ------------------------------¡ª


    ¡°You¡¯re overreacting.¡± Lily said. Except for Wise and Hope who were with their instructors, Kate was leading them across the Inner Palace at a rapid, stiff pace. ¡°It¡¯s a only service lift.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you never told me.¡± Kate growled without looking back.


    Yup, she¡¯s upset. It was perfectly understandable. There¡¯s what, thirty flights of stairs, up to the Rose Palace? That¡¯s quite a haul. One which Kate had been making every day. A great injustice has been done.


    ¡°I assumed you were aware.¡± Lily rationalized. ¡°Didn¡¯t you explore the Inner Palace?¡±


    Kate pivoted, madness in her eyes, ¡°Of course I did! I knew about that locked door. I figured it was a storage room or the likes. How in the world was I supposed to guess what was in there?¡±


    Kate stomped off again. Behind her, Lily had the look of a child who knew she¡¯d screwed up, ¡°I¡¯ll admit I blundered¡­ but aren¡¯t you exaggerating a little?¡±


    A concerned Silver trailed them both. He has trouble reacting to fury. Lily wasn¡¯t helping by downplaying the situation. This lead to him asking, ¡°How many times have you made the trip up and down?¡± He wants to calculate the underlying harm.


    Sadly, Kate simply bristled and accelerated through the fiery wall to the docks. If this was Rose, we¡¯d be sweltering. Astra¡¯s airship had arrived overnight and hovered in the wide space. My roots have been safely transplanted. Kate was nearby, staring daggers at a metal door. There it is. When they were unpacking earlier, Wise innocently wondered why they didn¡¯t use the elevator. Kate overheard and went ballistic.


    ¡°It¡¯s sealed so Sarah can¡¯t access these docks.¡± Lily explained.


    Inside was a small room with a set of double doors. Kate walked in and slammed the button on the wall. As they waited uncomfortably, Lily sighed, ¡°I¡¯ll have Fayla update permissions so it¡¯ll open for all of you¡­ So, can you calm down already?¡±


    ¡°Eventually, I need time.¡± Kate answered tersely.


    ¡°That makes no sense.¡± Silver frowned coldly. If I didn¡¯t know better, I¡¯d say he¡¯s annoyed. ¡°By letting Kate use this lift, you¡¯ve merely corrected your error. Do you really expect someone to forget years of suffering because you stop hurting them? That¡¯s shameless. You¡¯ve done nothing to compensate her wasted time and effort.¡±


    ¡°And you Kate,¡± Silver hadn¡¯t finished. ¡°How can you even consider letting the matter slide with just that? I know better than anyone that, if you don¡¯t act angry when you should, people will walk all over you.¡±


    Everyone was thrown off-balance. It¡¯s rare, but sometimes he really nails it.


    ¡°Actually, that¡¯s true!¡± Kate exclaimed. ¡°If you want my forgiveness, you¡¯ll have to earn it.¡±


    ¡°Fine¡± Lily grudgingly threw her hands up. ¡°I¡¯ll think of something.¡±


    Once they exited at the top, Lily winced, ¡°I¡¯ll go greet Sarah and let her know ninjas will be crossing the Rose Palace. That¡¯ll be fun.¡±


    ¡°Remember Miki is waiting.¡± Lily added before speeding off.


    Kate turned to Silver, ¡°Were you really upset?¡±


    ¡°No, I wasn¡¯t.¡± He¡¯d returned to his usual demeanor. ¡°Did I over do it?¡±


    ¡°No, it was perfect.¡± Kate give him a kiss on the cheek. ¡°Thanks for acting angry on my behalf. It made me feel better.¡±


    They both look happier. Free shook her head. It¡¯s a weird relationship, but maybe there¡¯s hope for it.


    ¡°Shall we head off?¡± Free glanced around. We¡¯re in the North Wing. The Rose Palace was built on an incline, divided in three wings two stories apart. They¡¯d arrived in the South one, the Isle¡¯s highest point and Lily¡¯s hub of operations. The Central Wing, which housed the gardens and guest quarters, was where events were held. Finally, there was the center of activity, the North Wing. Sarah¡¯s office is to the east, overlooking the city.


    Once outside, Free stopped paying attention as she saw the gatehouse. Knowing my way to the lift is all that matters.


    She was in a joyous mood. It¡¯s my turn today. She was meeting her instructor, John Lavinda, at the Church of Idia. He¡¯d served as a combat cleric for two centuries before reaching the Wall of Saints and retiring. When he wasn¡¯t handling emergency care, he spent his time imparting his skills.


    I must focus on diseases and other contaminants. She was confident an experienced healer would have all kinds of lethal concoctions on hand. I can¡¯t wait.


    This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    She¡¯d long considered adding poisons to her repertoire. Unfortunately, Earth¡¯s End hadn¡¯t provided much to work with. Despite repeated attempts, she¡¯d failed to summon creatures with potent venom, and researching from scratch had proved too frustrating. Without a starting basis, you must rely on trial and error, and I make a poor candidate for experimentation.


    They¡¯d all developed a natural resistance to common toxins. Mother aimed to prepare us for every scenario. Astra was fond of repeating ¡®a chain is only as strong as its weakest link¡¯. Free fully accepted the mantra.


    Yesterday revealed my inadequacy. Hope¡¯s inebriation had been vexing. With more time, I might¡¯ve extracted the alcohol. Instead, she¡¯d resorted to the inelegant solution of supercharging Hope¡¯s liver. I must improve.


    Her motivation wasn¡¯t altruistic. I¡¯m not Soul. It was about control. Knowledge is power, regardless of its form. If you can cure any ailment, you determine who lives and dies.


    In my own way, I¡¯m as power hungry as Rose. Her sister cared about the human side of things. A reaction to being stifled by an outsized authority. She had no interest in the responsibility that came with that. I understand why Sola let her brother govern.


    ¡°¡­ totally psychotic. She kills people.¡±


    Say what now? Kate¡¯s words jolted Free back to reality. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± she asked. They were in the park between the Rose Palace and the Adventurers Guild. Why¡¯d we stop?


    Soul pointed towards the golden buildings, ¡°Do you see the woman on top of¡ª¡ª¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t point!¡± Kate panicked. ¡°She has keen eyesight.¡±


    Soul lowered his arm, ¡°Anyway, that¡¯s Kara. Kate was warning us about her.¡±


    Free found the woman lounging atop the guild¡¯s coliseum. Is she watching fights? Kara had a dark tan and short red hair. Crimson tattoos covered her body. They were easy to see with the revealing attire.


    ¡°She has cat ears too?¡± Free commented.


    ¡°That¡¯s what you notice?¡± Kate sighed. ¡°Yes, she has them, but she¡¯s nothing like me. I was born in a normal settlement to ordinary parents. Kara comes from an ancient tribe of giant cat people in the Green Hell. Who knows, her features might be hereditary.¡±


    ¡°So, she¡¯s a wild tiger and you¡¯re a house cat?¡± Free interpreted.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Kate was speechless. ¡°¡­irritatingly accurate, but besides the point. Stay away from her.¡±


    ¡°Maybe I¡¯m missing something, but aren¡¯t all immortals dangerous to antagonize? Isn¡¯t that common sense?¡± Light asked.


    Kate shook her head. ¡°She¡¯s different. Kara kills regularly, often with little provocation. She¡¯s famous for it. Let me show you.¡± She held up her wrist and displayed a map of the Isle. ¡°See that?¡±


    A warning scrolled above the projection, ¡®Caution! Kara, the Beast of Sanrune, is on-Isle. For your safety, please steer clear¡¯.


    ¡°They don¡¯t do that for other immortals.¡± Kate explained. ¡°She¡¯s beautiful so she¡¯s often approached by the ignorant. She uses the slightest excuse to maim them.¡±


    ¡°So she targets men?¡± Dawn asked.


    Kate eyes widened, ¡°Oh, no, no. It¡¯s not just them. What I mean is¡­¡± She took a deep breath, ¡°There are women, ¡®feminists¡¯, who try leveraging Kara¡¯s name, since she¡¯s one of the strongest on Enera. Kara tolerates this to an extent, but they often go too far, threatening people using her. Kara hates this. If she¡¯s in a forgiving mood, she gives them a warning and some broken bones. If not, they¡¯re dead.¡±


    ¡°In summary, no one is safe. She¡¯s simply likes ripping people apart.¡±


    ¡°Why isn¡¯t she locked in Tartarus?¡± Soul asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s complicated. Kara can be extremely useful. She¡¯s so battle hungry that she rushes into every crisis. When the White Dragon appeared, she was one of the first on the scene. Her actions saved hundreds of thousands. A legend so powerful, with no affiliations, willing to instantly take on any peril, she¡¯s pretty much the only one.¡±


    ¡°Another reason she¡¯s left alone is the cost. Kara once fought the Mask of Xarst to a draw, albeit on terms which heavily favored her. Realistically, it would take an alliance of peak level immortals to take her down. There isn¡¯t the will to organize this.¡±


    ¡°So Kara¡¯s semi-frequent murders are tolerated. In fairness, her ratio of lives saved to lives taken is favorable. Not that it¡¯s any comfort to the families of her victims.¡±


    ¡°Look at this.¡± Kate displayed a news article whose headline read: ¡®Aery declares provoking Kara to be an act of suicide.¡¯ Free skimmed the article. So that¡¯s the recorded cause of death? ¡°This is the current stance of most governments. Immortals get away with a lot, but she gets away with more than most. Power matters.¡±


    ¡°There, have I answered everything? I mean, this is a lot of talking even for me. It¡¯s simple: stay away from her.¡±


    Light, who¡¯d been staring off, declared, ¡°I¡¯m going to talk with her.¡± He promptly jumped on a runway and raced off.


    Kate¡¯s whole body slumped in existential despair, tail and ears included. She lifted her hands, palms up, to say ¡®What the hell?¡¯.


    On the roof, Light reached Kara. He bowed and spoke while she listened. He turned and gestured towards them. Kate, still lifeless, said, ¡°Now he¡¯s drawing attention to us.¡±


    Once he¡¯d finished, Kara answered, pointing South. Her brother paid respect again and ran back.


    Dropping to the ground, he reported, ¡°I introduced myself and asked if she¡¯d seen any assassins. Kate told us she has amazing senses. From her vantage point, I figured she might¡¯ve noticed something.¡±


    ¡°You mean¡­ ?¡± Rose asked.


    ¡°Yes, she showed me their hiding spot. It¡¯s in town near the Shaft. They¡¯re probably taking turns staking out the guild.¡±


    ¡°You could¡¯ve warned us first.¡± Silver reproached. ¡°You should¡¯ve seen Kate¡¯s face.¡±


    Light apologized, embarrassed, ¡°Ah, sorry. I¡¯m sometimes impulsive¡­¡±


    Kate returned a deadpan look, ¡°Since you were acting out of concern for Hope, I¡¯ll let it go. But please, try to act ¡ª¡ªor at least pretend¡ª¡ª like my words have some meaning¡­¡±


    ¡°Speaking of which,¡± Light added timidly. ¡°There¡¯s a message Kara wanted me to relay.¡±


    ¡°A message?¡± Kate asked surprised.


    ¡°Yes, she said ¡®I have really good hearing too¡¯.¡±


    Color drained from Kate. She looked towards Kara, who waved back. She then put both hands on her head, crouched behind a nearby column, and softly let out a long, ¡°Nooooooooooooooooo.¡± That was entertaining.


    They continued once Kate recovered, and Free drifted off again. The Green Hell fascinates me. Same as the arctic suited Astra, somewhere teeming with life was meant for her. Channeling creation would be easy, and it¡¯d provide an ideal environment for experimentation. Kara was proof it was possible to survive in the outermost portions. I want to visit. There¡¯d be so many exotic afflictions and wildlife to uncover.


    Miki was waiting next to the library, ¡°I trust your trip was without incident?¡±


    ¡°Actually, no. You won¡¯t believe what Light did¡­¡± Kate detailed what¡¯d occurred.


    (continued in part 2)

 [Chapter 23 part 2] Free – Idia and Torak

    [Chapter 23 part 2] Free ¨C Idia and Torak


    ------------------------------¡ª


    ¡­


    Miki listened calmly, ¡°Firstly, Kate, you needn¡¯t be so wary. Virtually all of those she¡¯s killed were over twenty. She¡¯s pretty lenient when it comes to ¡®children¡¯. That being the case, Light¡¯s idea wasn¡¯t bad.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know¡­¡± Kate mumbled.


    ¡°Of course not. We want young adventurers scared of her. Otherwise, some would act fearlessly, and Kara will turn on anyone if pushed far enough.¡±


    Miki faced Light, ¡°As for you¡­¡± A lightning sprite swooped down and zapped him. Tensing, her brother dropped to his knees.


    ¡°Kate knows the Isle better than all of you.¡± Miki stated calmly. ¡°Rely on her.¡±


    ¡°Are you ok?¡± Soul asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Light assured them. ¡°I was more surprised than hurt.¡±


    Not sure it¡¯ll do any good. Light was hotheaded concerning certain things. Teaching him right or wrong wouldn¡¯t help since his personality was the core issue. In any case, the shock was deserved, so there¡¯s no foul.


    ¡°On to business, I must prepare you.¡± Miki said. ¡°Your knowledge of tyrants is undoubtedly lacking. I bet you¡¯ve no idea why I came here. Let¡¯s begin with that.¡±


    ¡°The outlook of Tyrants is warped by their native environment, especially how they value life. The death rate for their young is high, with less than ten percent surviving. Due to this, they don¡¯t form deep bonds with ¡®youngsters¡¯, including their own off-spring.¡±


    ¡°This attitude is even worse towards us. Mature tyrants are naturally immortal. Nothing in the Green Hell dies of old age. Because of this, they view immortality as ¡®adulthood¡¯. From their perspective, our odds of growing up are astronomically low, and they give little weight to those who aren¡¯t at least saints. If you met Sars without me, he might not even register your presence.¡±


    ¡°Next, about how he talks¡­ There¡¯s a misconception that Tyrants are lazy and slow-witted. That¡¯s incorrect. The truth is they¡¯re sluggish around those they don¡¯t respect, not bothering with complete sentences. Sars does this with me, which is a pain. Still, he¡®s better than most. Some don¡¯t respond to saints.¡±


    ¡°Another warning.¡± Miki continued. ¡°Tyrants don¡¯t move their mouths when they speak. This weirds many out. They also don¡¯t have unique voices like we do. Instead, they possess incredibly advanced vocal cords that can mimic any sound they hear. This includes all human voices, male or female, young or old.¡±


    ¡°Speaking with an inexperienced tyrant is one of the most disturbing experiences you¡¯ll ever have. They¡¯ll switch voices mid conversation or even mid sentence. It doesn¡¯t help that they tend to copy those around them, sometimes blending them or sounding like several at once¡­¡± Miki shook her head in recollection. ¡°This won¡¯t come up with Sars. He¡¯s settled on one voice.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s about everything¡­ By the way, Sars is just as dangerous as Kara. The only reason he has a lower kill count is people instinctively recognize him as dangerous. Anyone who provokes a four hundred pound reptile is seeking death.¡±


    Everything from the Green Hell is lethal. Governments undoubtedly considered ¡®antagonizing a tyrant¡¯ to be suicide too.


    ¡°Now let¡¯s introduce you so I can get back to work.¡± Miki started off.


    ¡°I wish I could see Haven¡­¡± Free whispered. She¡¯d researched the tyrant homeland yesterday. It sounded like a magical place.


    ¡°Then you¡¯re in luck.¡± Miki glanced back. ¡°The next Hundred Year Moon is in four years.¡±


    ¡°¡®Hundred Year Moon¡¯?¡± Free scoured her memory.


    Miki smirked, ¡°Once every 100 years during the full moon, the Blood Locusts rise. They swarm the eastern third of the Green Hell, devouring everything except the trees. Other predators flee or end up being consumed. During those ten days, the only dangerous creatures are the locusts themselves, and tyrants discovered an incense which repels them. It¡¯s the one period where it¡¯s safe to travel to Haven.¡±


    ¡°Good to know.¡± Free responded, attention elsewhere. Before her, a giant lizard laid atop a boulder formation, sporting impressive claws and teeth. It may look like this now, but they can shape-shift every part of their body except their skulls. Their tail could become a quarter mile whip. The scales lining their backs could move to protect any location. Their claws could lengthen for better reach or shorten, hardening to tear through the toughest material. Their color could shift to camouflage them.


    I probably can¡¯t ask for a demonstration of some spells¡­  Tyrants sang their magic, a system of magecraft only they could use.


    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    Miki approached, ¡°Greetings, Sars. I¡¯ve come to beseech you to keep these youngsters safe on guild grounds.¡±


    The tyrant remained motionless. No reaction.


    ¡°These are the children of Astra, our guildmaster.¡± Miki added awkwardly.


    At this, Sars raised his head and peered at them, ¡°Astra¡­ New ice immortal? Arther told me of her.¡± He slowly nodded. ¡°Accepted. They¡¯ll be safe.¡± Having delivered his verdict, he lay back down.


    ¡°Actually, there are two more who aren¡¯t here right now¡ª¡ª.¡±


    Sars interrupted, ¡°Know them¡­ Walked by yesterday¡­ Go away.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Miki lead them behind an adjacent building and raised an arm. Two dozen streaks of lightning converged around them, circling too fast to follow. When the sprites retreated, they left a static field.


    ¡°That¡¯ll give us some privacy. You should assume everything you say unshielded will be heard. Sars¡¯s senses are as good or sharper than Kara¡¯s. Even without those two, saints and immortals can hear from blocks away if they concentrate. Astra wanted me to remind you of this.¡±


    Good tip. Light aside, there hadn¡¯t been much danger of eavesdropping in the arctic. Considering the secrets we carry, we must develop a habit of shielding our conversations.


    ¡°Do you use the fairies for everything?¡± Free asked, observing the shimmering field.


    ¡°One advantage of maintaining the Lightning Core is that I can rely on its power.¡± Miki said smugly. ¡°On the Isle of Dreams, I¡¯ve the strength of an immortal.¡±


    ¡°Any particular reason for this?¡± Dawn asked.


    ¡°Because we haven¡¯t had a ¡®private¡¯ conversation since the core room.¡± Miki said. ¡°And I¡¯m curious to hear your reaction to Sars.¡±


    ¡°I see why you came. For a moment there, I thought he wouldn¡¯t answer.¡± Kate said.


    ¡°I know right? It¡¯s so stressful dealing with him. Not as bad as Radin though.¡±


    ¡°Just curious, what would you have done if he hadn¡¯t responded?¡± Silver asked.


    ¡°Cried?¡± Miki half-joked. ¡°Even with the Lightning Core, I¡¯m no match for him. With Astra gone, the only ones Sars respects are Radin and Kara. Asking either for help is¡­ I¡¯m so glad it didn¡¯t come to that.¡±


    ¡°How¡¯d he end up as Head of Security?¡± Rose asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know the details, but it was his friendship with Arther Bard. It¡¯s difficult to earn a tyrant¡¯s trust, but, when you do, it lasts.¡± Miki smiled wryly. ¡°It¡¯s certainly not his salary that¡¯s keeping him here.¡±


    For tyrants, money was an optional luxury. They could survive anywhere without shelter and didn¡¯t require transportation. Aside the Blue Abyss, no terrain provided any obstacle. With their strength, they can easily acquire wealth anyway.


    For herself, Free was definitely interested in exploring the value of money. Specifically through a shopping expedition. The commercial sector had all kinds of outlandish goods. It might be fun to have a pet I didn¡¯t create myself.


    ¡°Time to head underground.¡± Miki sighed, departing.


    Free checked her wrystal, ¡°I¡¯ll head to the cathedral.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll accompany you.¡± Soul said. ¡°then go visit Hope at the firing range.¡±


    ¡°Sounds good.¡± Free agreed happily. Now she could follow on autopilot.


    John¡¯s retired so he¡¯ll be the first ¡®mortal¡¯ I meet.  Everyone else enjoyed timelessness or had realistic prospects of achieving it. According to Wise, for saints over forty, less than three percent succeed. Many gave up chasing a fleeting dream.


    Free frowned. Wait a second. John was fifty, and retired saints aged slowly. About a tenth of normal. That meant John might last another five hundred years, which was an eternity. Can I really count him as a mortal?


    ¡°There it is.¡± Kate said.


    The cathedral was similar to the one they¡¯d seen yesterday, except more reasonably sized. The other one serves the entire Isle. The white stone stood out among the gold. That attached building must be the medical center. All priests of Idia could heal, even if they¡¯d little talent for it. When Wise had mentioned this, she¡¯d forced him to explain the nonsensical notion.


    Free took out her adventurer''s card. A line read ¡®Specialization: ninja¡¯. Identity has power. Priests of Idia gained affinity with creation and had spells they alone could use.


    Much remained unclear. What rules determined which roles offer rewards? Is it widespread respect? Or possibly ¡®coolness¡¯? Evidently even ¡®uniforms¡¯, such as those of Isle Security Force, could enhance their wearers. I¡¯ll ask Emerit Blaze.  Wise had begged her to wait until their lesson, and she¡¯d reluctantly agreed.


    Free gazed at the flame symbol atop the steeple. The spark of life. Gods held her interest. They shape our lives in real, observable ways. Religion was harder to fathom.


    She¡¯d asked Astra about it when she was young. Her mother had responded that the Church had been instrumental during the Dark Age. ¡®Its biggest contributions weren¡¯t on the battlefield¡¯. The Dark Gods had fed on negative emotions to grow unstoppable. For the masses huddled on the back lines, Idia¡¯s teachings had offered solace, depriving Kondal of much strength. Without faith, despair would¡¯ve swallowed the world.


    It wasn¡¯t for her. I reject the ¡®blind¡¯ part.  Vague, ambiguous topics were tedious. It¡¯s boring if I can¡¯t deconstruct or experiment. Religion fell in the same category as politics, philosophy, and ethics. Why does it appeal to others? Astra said some feared their demise and what came after. This was ridiculous. Death didn¡¯t need to be mysterious. It could be studied, quantified, and understood. Sola proved it can even be conquered. So then, wasn¡¯t faith unnecess¡ª¡ª


    ¡°¡­Hello¡± Rose was waving in front of her. I hate it when she does that.


    ¡°Yes?¡± Free said, irritated.


    Rose motioned to a doorway. Ah, we¡¯re there. Everyone was waiting. I did it again. Free understood it was rude to space out, but knew she¡¯d never fix the habit. I enjoy it too much.


    ¡°Where¡¯re you meeting?¡± Soul asked.


    She shook her head, ¡°I¡¯m not sure¡­¡±


    They entered, their eyes adjusting as their footsteps echoed. Stained glass high above illuminated all manner of pictures and icons. Wonder inspires belief. She didn¡¯t have the vocabulary for half her surroundings. I think those wall paintings are frescoes¡­


    Free got hold of herself. It¡¯s nearly time. Distractions now might cost her learning opportunities. She approached a man reading on a pew, ¡°Excuse me, do you know where I can find John Lavinda?¡±


    He was wearing white robes embroidered with gold. The colors of the Church and the Isle¡­ He looked up with a smile, ¡°That¡¯d be me.¡±


    (continued in part 3)

 [Chapter 23 part 3] Free – Idia and Torak

    [Chapter 23 part 3] Free ¨C Idia and Torak


    ------------------------------¡ª


    ¡­


    The others departed wishing her luck, and she was guided to a simple office. It feels comparatively empty. Installing themselves in armchairs, John wasted no time, ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell me what you know?¡±


    Free launched into a comprehensive overview, including a demonstration her roots. She considering injuring herself, but decided against it. Some find that disturbing.


    ¡°So you don¡¯t use golden weapons?¡± John asked.


    ¡°Astra mentioned those, but she couldn¡¯t explain them sufficiently.¡±


    John nodded, ¡°It¡¯s a unique magic. Hard to figure out, but easy to master.¡± Light flashed from his palm, swirling and solidifying. A ghostly golden sword floated before her, unaffected by gravity. ¡°This is a construct of pure creation, different from other summons. Golden weapons are inherently transient, their duration determined at inception. Adding power only reinforces their solidity.¡± The blade drifted towards her. ¡°Try observing this.¡±


    Free took the sword and instantly understood. It¡¯s far simpler than I¡¯d imagined¡­ She concentrated and formed a transparent cube.


    ¡°Well done.¡± John dispelled the sword. I wonder¡­ Focusing on her cube, she poured in everything she could muster. John raised an eyebrow, but watched silently. Slowly, the golden dice turned opaque. Free spun it in her fingers, ¡°So this is what the Laughing Man uses¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± John grimaced. ¡°He indirectly makes a mockery of our order.¡±


    She sent the cube gliding away with a tap, ¡°Should I switch to these in the arena?¡±


    ¡°No, I think not.¡± John answered. ¡°Affinity is a layered thing. The more you wield a ¡®concept¡¯, the easier it becomes. You may not have noticed, but I¡¯m certain you¡¯ve developed a talent for roots. It¡¯d be a waste to throw it away.¡±


    ¡°That said,¡± He continued. ¡°You should also master golden weapons. They are, by far, the most effective means of dealing with the undead.¡±


    This is constructive. Compared to Radin, Legonas, and Agata, John had struck her as ordinary. Turns out he¡¯s competent.


    ¡°Do you believe in Idia?¡± John observed her carefully.


    How should I respond? She was tempted to lie, but her sixth sense warned her against it. Above all else, she hated the mundane and repetitive. If ¡®yes¡¯ means wasting time on ceremony¡­


    ¡°Not particularly, no.¡± She stated.


    ¡°Good,¡± John relaxed. ¡°That¡¯ll make life simpler.¡± Seeing her confusion, he added, ¡°It means I don¡¯t have to play the role of priest around you.¡±


    ¡°¡¯Play the role of priest¡¯?¡± Free repeated incredulously. What kind of attitude is that!


    John smiled snidely, "I know my god is real, I just don''t believe in him."


    He appeared more comfortable and open now.  Is this his true self? ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°Idia never intervenes. That¡¯s my experience after centuries of laboring in his name. Sure, occasionally you¡¯ll hear of a prayer answered or a miracle performed. However, I¡¯ve yet to witness it myself. What¡¯s the point in honoring in a god that¡¯s never there?¡±


    ¡°My mother says people need something to cling to¡­¡±


    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    ¡°True,¡± John sighed. ¡°The scriptures can provide assurances and purpose, which is why I act the part around strangers.¡± I doubt many priests would respond with such candor.


    ¡°By the way, how¡¯d you know Idia¡¯s real?¡± She asked.


    ¡°What are you asking?¡± John laughed.


    ¡°I¡¯m honestly curious.¡± She persisted. ¡°If you¡¯ve never seen evidence, then how?¡±


    John¡¯s demeanor became subdued, ¡°I know because his opposite exists, as much as we wish he didn¡¯t. Talras¡¯s interference in the mortal realm is indisputable.¡±


    ¡°Talras? Idia has an opposite?¡± She¡¯d never heard of this.  How¡¯s that possible?


    John froze, uncertainty creeping over him, ¡°I figured, as Astra¡¯s child, you¡¯d know of him¡­ I might be in trouble.¡±


    Her excitement peaked. She¡¯d learned something forbidden. I must make this talkative priest spill the beans!


    ¡°Since the cat¡¯s out of the bag, you might as well tell me the rest. Who¡¯s Talras? And more important, why is he secret?¡±


    Contemplating briefly, John shrugged, ¡°Sure, why not. Just as Idia is the god of life and creation, Talras is the god of death and destruction. He¡¯s the fourth and strongest Dark God.¡±


    ¡°As to why he¡¯s unknown¡­ Two thousand years ago, Sola cooperated with him to wipe out humanity. After the Fracturing, the World Council decided to erase awareness of him. They hoped to reassure a broken world by hiding the fact that another Dark Age was inevitable. Sola might be gone, but Talras isn¡¯t.¡±


    Free struggled at the revelation. I always thought the main gods were just Idia and the HEAVENLY DAO. Talras threw everything into question.


    ¡°Okay, I didn¡¯t care before, but I do now.¡± Free said. ¡°Idia, Talras, and the HEAVENLY DAO. Where¡¯d they come from and how do they relate?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re asking me for the Genesis of the world? I take it you want the real story too, not what¡¯s spread by the church.¡± John sighed deeply. ¡°I guess I asked for this. Alright, here¡¯s the Adventurer Guild¡¯s version.¡±


    Free leaned forward. I¡¯m SO going to tease Rose later.


    ¡°In the begin there was nothing, out of which came Idia and Talras. Zero became one and minus one, positive and negative.¡±


    ¡°With the naive optimism of a newborn, Idia immediately made shapes, light, and the universe itself. While Idia lost himself in the joy of creation, Talras waited on the sidelines. Unlike his brother, everything he touched returned to dust.¡±


    ¡°As the embodiment of death and the emptiness that comes after, he¡¯d gotten the short end of the stick. While Idia¡¯s essence is the reality we live in, Talras rules the Abyss.¡± And the HEAVENLY DAO governs the Ether.


    ¡°Wait, if the Abyss is his¡­¡± She muttered, memories of undeads springing to mind.


    ¡°I know what you are thinking, but no. He isn¡¯t pure evil. The abyss was a different place before it was polluted by the souls of the dead. Empty, desolate, and absolute. Talras has largely resisted what the Abyss has become. Or so necromancers say.¡±


    Wait, isn¡¯t that horrible? Talras had a bad lot to start with, but it¡¯d become infinitely worse. The Abyss turned into hell around him from the fragments of departed souls.


    ¡°Eventually, when Talras realized what awaited him was an eternity of misery, he turned on his brother. The universe began to crumble. By destroying everything, the god of death would merge with his brother and return all to nothing. Idia fought back by expanding the cosmos as fast as he could.¡±


    ¡°In the battle between the two, Talras had the edge. Entropy was on his side, and existence gradually shrunk. Desperate to save himself, Idia brought something into being that could resist Talras. He created life.¡±


    So, knowing he couldn¡¯t win, he recruited others to fight in his place? Free wasn¡¯t impressed.


    ¡°Our souls have a weight to them that Talras can¡¯t erase. Their presence stabilizes reality from his influence. We¡¯re the last obstacle he must remove to know peace.¡±


    ¡°During the Dark Age, when the stars disappeared from the heavens, that was Talras preparing for the end. If Sola had won, he would¡¯ve descended and enveloped Enera. That would¡¯ve been it.¡°


    The stakes were higher than I imagined. ¡°What about the HEAVENLY DAO? And the other gods?¡±


    ¡°They came later, when drifting thoughts filled the Ether. The HEAVENLY DAO gained sentience, and our emotions coalesced into the six lesser gods.¡±


    ¡°Obviously, the gods of Hate, Fear, and Despair sympathize with Talras¡¯s goal. The gods of Love, Courage, and Hope oppose this, but their intervention is less heavy-handed and harder to notice. Meanwhile, the HEAVENLY DAO remains the wild card who allowed the Dark Age.¡±


    Free sat and deliberated. As long as we exists, Talras must suffer. Pretty unfair¡­ She felt she understood Sola more, and the empathy wasn¡¯t reassuring. Luckily, I¡¯m skilled at ignoring bothersome things. Free put this aside and asked, ¡°Who knows about him?¡±


    ¡°Most immortals and saints. It¡¯s customary for someone at the guild to approach successful adventurers and explain certain details. Priests of Idia are aware. Necromancers too. Who do you think they make the oath to?¡±


    ¡°There are others: historians, scholars, military officials¡­ Most stay quiet willingly as there¡¯s no downside to doing so. Talras won¡¯t become active unless a Dark Age begins.¡±


    ¡°On that note, I expect you¡¯ll inform your siblings, but please don¡¯t spread this further.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Free agreed. I don¡¯t know anyone else anyway.

 [Chapter 24 part 1] Soul – Barsal’s visit

    [Chapter 24 part 1] Soul ¨C Barsal¡¯s visit


    -------------------------------


    Hope unloaded the automatic handgun and squinted, ¡°They all hit this time¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, better.¡± Legonas commented. ¡°But every shot should be smack in the bullseye.¡±


    Hope grimaced as the paper slid towards them. On it were concentric circles around a red dot. About thirty percent struck dead center.


    ¡°It¡¯s hard hitting something so small from fifty feet away, especially on your first day.¡± She complained, examining her handgun. ¡°At least there¡¯s no issue with my craftsmanship¡­¡± Legonas nodded.


    ¡°Can I try?¡± Dawn asked. Of course she¡¯d want to, Soul sighed. After fifteen minutes of quiet watching, his sister was itching for a go.


    ¡°Sure, why not?¡± Hope responded, frustrated. She reloaded and prepared a fresh target. ¡°Let¡¯s see how you do.¡±


    That¡¯s a mistake. Hope was counting on Dawn¡¯s performance to improve her mood. In my experience, it rarely works out that way.


    Dawn grabbed the gun and took Hope¡¯s stance. Without firing, she gradually made adjustments to her form and tightened her grip. Finally, she pulled the trigger, and a shot rang out.


    Dawn smiled but otherwise didn¡¯t move. After methodically emptying the clip, she lowered the weapon. There was a single hole in the red dot.


    Legonas whistled softly, ¡°If it¡¯s your first time, that¡¯s damn good.¡±


    ¡°I hate you.¡± Hope said expressionlessly. ¡°How¡¯d you do it?¡±


    ¡°By relying on foresight. I tensed my body and made adjustments until I felt the recoil being evenly distributed. Once I saw myself firing perfectly straight, I aimed for the target and repeated the process for every shot.¡±


    Dawn returned the gun, ¡°I¡¯m sure this will be easier once your martial arts improve. You¡¯ll be able to eliminate unwanted movements, and that minuscule trembling in your hands will disappear.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re annoying even when helpful.¡± Hope said.


    ¡°Sorry, Hope.¡± Legonas apologized. ¡°Foresight is actually a practical way to learn shooting. I¡¯d forgotten since, in real fights, there¡¯s rarely time to use it that way¡­¡±


    ¡°I told you it¡¯s been a while¡­¡± Legonas unhooked the paper target and fingered the hole. ¡°This is your goal: one hundred percent accuracy. Do you know why?¡±


    ¡°Because if I can¡¯t hit a stationary target, I¡¯m unlikely to hit a moving one?¡± Hope offered.


    ¡°Half-right.¡± Legonas said, looking them over. ¡°I take it none of you know of the ¡®Blessing¡¯?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re meeting Emerit Blaze later today¡­¡± Hope said defensively. ¡°For now, could you explain?¡±


    Legonas nodded. ¡°Emerit is better at this, but I¡¯ll try. Guns have an issue I failed to mention last time. They suffer badly under the effects of the HEAVENLY DAO¡¯s Blessing.¡±


    ¡°The phenomenon manifested itself millennia ago. On the battlefield, saints and immortals would never get hit by stray spells or projectiles. You see, the HEAVENLY DAO doesn¡¯t wish for ¡®main characters¡¯ to suffer undignified, idiotic deaths. To prevent this, it manipulated probability in impossible ways around those it favors.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve a question.¡± Hope interjected. ¡°During our encounter yesterday, a boulder fell on an assassin out of nowhere. Is that related?¡±


    ¡°Probably. In general, it¡¯s granted to two types of people: those high on the Wall and key players in a compelling narrative. You must fall into the latter category. Still, it¡¯s amazing Siegfried showed up. The HEAVENLY DAO rarely favors such open interventions.¡±


    ¡°Anyway,¡± Legonas continued. ¡°for projectiles, the Blessing acts like an undetectable force field which deflects them away. Bullets are particularly badly affected due to guns¡¯ reputation as ¡®skill-less¡¯ weapons.¡±


    Legonas pointed at Hope¡¯s hands. ¡°If you shoot that at Lily, everything would miss.¡± Seeing doubtful eyes, he smiled sadly. ¡°It may be hard to believe, but I¡¯ve experienced it first hand. There¡¯s nothing like firing hundreds of rounds and watching them all veer off course¡­¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t I screwed then?¡± Hope asked.


    ¡°Not quite. A person¡¯s Blessing isn¡¯t infinite. Each projectile diverted wears away at it, and sustained pressure will eventually strip it away altogether.¡±


    ¡°How long does that take?¡±


    ¡°It varies depending on the Blessing¡¯s strength and the ¡®weight¡¯ of the bullets.¡± Legonas winced. ¡°This is so unscientific and vague. I really should leave explaining to Emerit¡­¡±


    Soul checked his wrystal. We still have plenty of time.


    ¡°Tell me this at least: is this ¡®weight¡¯ related to needing one hundred percent accuracy?¡± Hope asked.


    ¡°Yes, it is. The more significance a bullet has behind it, the better it penetrates. Skill and effort matter. A bullet fired at random and a carefully aimed shot by an expert marksman are totally different. The same can be said of shots fired from a revolver compared to an automatic pistol.¡±


    Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    ¡°Understand?¡± Legonas asked, unsure.


    ¡°I think so¡­ To win, I must deplete my opponent¡¯s Blessing as rapidly as possible. I do that by firing ¡®weighted¡¯ shots. This means using revolvers and proving my skills on the firing range. I imagine the time spent enchanting bullets helps too.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s basically it.¡± Legonas agreed, breathing a sigh of relief. ¡°Please seek Emerit for more.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m curious.¡± Light stepped forwards. ¡°We¡¯ve been fighting duels for years. Why haven¡¯t we witnessed this? I¡¯m certain I would¡¯ve remembered.¡±


    Legonas shrugged, ¡°you weren¡¯t important enough yet and weren¡¯t using low-skill weapons. The Blessing is also greatly reduced in deathless arenas. Remember, its purpose is to prevent unwanted demises.¡±


    ¡°Wait!¡± Hope exclaimed. ¡°Then it¡¯ll only be a minor obstacle in the Stone Coliseum!¡±


    ¡°True.¡± Legonas said. ¡°But your life is targeted. You should be considering real combat scenarios too¡­ Also, if you face a popular fighter, they¡¯ll have some even in a match.¡±


    This subject is outside Legonas¡¯s comfort zone. Soul spoke up, ¡°Your extensive knowledge¡­ Is it because you¡¯re from the Barsal Empire?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. The Empire is number one for technology, thanks to the Gala Plateau. I was an officer when the military had just begun experimenting with firearms.¡±


    While Legonas appeared to relax, Hope wasn¡¯t thrilled, ¡°This is supposed to be my lesson!¡°


    Normally I¡¯d back down, but¡­ ¡°We¡¯re meeting Barsal Farran later today. It¡¯d be nice to hear more before we do.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s ¡ª¡ª¡± Hope struggled. ¡°¡ª¡ª A good point. Fine, I¡¯ll eat lunch.¡±


    Hope opened her large backpack and took out a sandwich. It¡¯s full of books and bullets. She munched loudly in protest.


    ¡°Something¡¯s strange¡­¡± Rose frowned. ¡°Isn¡¯t it rare for an officer to become an adventurer? I was under the impression that those who enlist have mostly given up on immortality¡­¡±


    ¡°True, there are few ex-military officials among the Guild¡¯s ranks. I just happened to have followed an unusual career path.¡± Legonas stopped there. Wise¡¯s suspicions about a troubled past might be right¡­ We shouldn¡¯t pry.


    Rose had the same thought, ¡°I heard Barsal Farran doesn¡¯t rule his Empire. Is that true?¡±


    ¡°Mostly, yes. At one time, Barsal was a conquerer determined to rule the world. He gave up that dream to unite humanity during the Dark Age. After the fracturing, he stayed true to his word and took a back seat to governing. We¡¯ve a hybrid democracy, with elected officials on one side and a council of immortals on the other. That said, Barsal remains extraordinarily popular, to the point of worship in some cases. If he were to return to the throne, no one would object.¡±


    ¡°Have you met him?¡± Silver asked.


    ¡°Yes, once, long ago. It¡¯s engraved in my memory.¡± Legonas winced.


    ¡°That bad?¡± Hope asked, unsettled.


    Legonas recovered and shook his head, ¡°No, he¡¯s a great man. It¡¯s just that my meeting wasn¡¯t under the best of circumstances.¡±


    ¡°Have you been to the Gala Plateau?¡± Soul inquired.


    ¡°Twice briefly. While a fascinating place, it¡¯s not somewhere you can spend a lot of time. Everyone ages normally there, even immortals.¡±


    ¡°You speak fondly of your homeland.¡± Light said. ¡°Is it that great?¡±


    Legonas beamed, ¡°Indeed. It¡¯s a stabilizing influence in a barbarous world. When the Adventurer¡¯s Guild requires aid, it¡¯s often the first to act. It¡¯s also a wonderful place to live with its frequent advancements. This scientific edge is a source of great pride, too much in some cases. Technology doesn¡¯t provide an absolute advantage in this world.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that expression.¡± Rose said. ¡°What does it mean?¡±


    Legonas turned, his smile laced with sadness, ¡°You haven¡¯t heard tell of the White Dragon?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s ¡ª¡ªchew¡ª¡ª that?¡± Hope said, swallowing hastily. Figures a story concerning technology¡¯s limits would capture her attention.


    Legonas nodded, ¡°This is a tale of hubris¡­ and its folly.¡±


    ¡°Scientists on the Gala Plateau have long resented their secondary importance. Deep down, they¡¯re convinced once technology reaches a certain milestone, it¡¯ll eclipse magic. A hundred and fifty years ago, they constructed an ultimate weapon to prove this.¡±


    ¡°As luck would have it, the Barsal Empire was attempting to mediate between two warring neighbors. At the scientists¡¯ suggestion, their weapon was deployed in a nearby unpopulated area, a show of force to bring both to the negotiating table.¡±


    ¡°This was against protocol. Normally new technology is shared with the Magitech Department, where they work out enhancements to make it functional. Not wanting to share credit, the superweapon was detonated without outside testing.¡±


    ¡°Events didn¡¯t play out as expected. Instead of an explosion of light which incinerated and vaporized everything, the White Dragon materialized. The beast¡¯s temperament reflected the weapon that spawned it, and it tore a path of devastation across Enera. Eventually immortals rallied to drive the monster into the Darklands, where it was sealed away, but not before a catastrophic loss of life.¡±


    Legonas let his words sink in. ¡°So the superweapon was useless?¡± Hope asked.


    Legonas nodded, ¡°Outside of the Gala Plateau, magic affects everything, often in unpredictable ways. In the case of the ultimate weapon, it attracts destructive entities from the Ether, who siphoned off the energy it releases to manifest themselves. There¡¯s no telling what would appear next time.¡±


    ¡°A weapon that¡¯s guaranteed to turn on you is worthless as anything but a deterrent. The episode was a crushing blow to Gala scientists and a black mark on our history.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s time to meet Emerit.¡± Soul said.


    Biding farewell, they headed to the campus. If a Dark Age begins, the White Dragon will break free. Everything that could go wrong would do so.


    I should focus closer to home. He caught up to Hope, ¡°How¡¯re your lessons going?¡±


    ¡°I have so much to work on that I don¡¯t know where to start. It¡¯s a marvelous problem.¡± Hope gushed. ¡°I¡¯m enchanting myself with Agata¡¯s help. Soon I¡¯ll have finished the basic layer. She says I¡¯ll need two more to catch up. Unfortunately each one is harder than the last¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, and apparently later there¡¯ll be the option to integrate spells directly into my body. I¡¯ll be able to cast them repeatedly during a match. I¡¯ve no idea what to choose¡­¡±


    Looks like I needn¡¯t worry.  The assassins were obviously completely forgotten.


    ¡°Besides martial arts, Agata is teaching me new ways to weave magic. She even showed me her enchanted bullets. Supposedly, adventurers sometimes take a few when exterminating bugs.¡±


    ¡°As for metal bending, look!¡± A ring floated above Hope¡¯s palm. ¡°Without touching! I still need a ton of prac¡ª¡ª¡± She paused. ¡°¡ª¡ªtice¡­ This is the Glittering Auditorium, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Sure is.¡± Soul replied. Every part of the room sparked brightly, including the chairs and desks. Examining a wall, Soul found grain-sized, rainbow glass fused to the surface. He tried scratching, but it was sanded smooth. It¡¯s impossible to see the original texture.


    Free and Wise were already seated. As they joined them, the lights went out. Before confusion set in, their surroundings burst into flames. That¡¯s no ordinary fire. There was no heat, and the blaze was multicolored. Wind suddenly swept the inferno into a giant tornado. Now what?  The bright swirling intensified until they were forced to look away.


    Then everything returned to normal. Before them stood a man with arms outstretched. His clothes were crimson, and he wore a fiery-patterned cloak. His orange hair was tipped with red.


    ¡°Emerit Blaze at your service.¡± The man bowed grandly. Soul heard Light clap behind him. Those two will get along just fine.


    (continued in part 2)

 [Chapter 24 part 2] Soul – Barsal’s visit

    [Chapter 24 part 2] Soul ¨C Barsal¡¯s visit


    -------------------------------


    ¡­


    ¡°Welcome to the glittering auditorium! Astra Skyfell has determined your common sense is woefully lacking. Luckily for you, I happened to be taking a break from adventuring and can instruct you on the glories of Enera. Rejoice!¡±  I see¡­


    Rose raised her hand. ¡°Question! The pursuit of immortality is a race against time. Procrastinating seems unwise, even for a Saint. Could you explain?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡± Emerit answered. ¡°Firstly, I¡¯m confident in my chances. Secondly, my partner didn¡¯t make it. A decade-long mourning period won¡¯t hurt me.¡±


    ¡°What does that mean?¡± Silver asked. Next to him, Kate hid her head in her hands.


    ¡°Astra warned me, but¡­ You lot really have been living under a rock, huh?¡± Emerit laughed. ¡°If a saint or immortal says their partner didn¡¯t make it, it means their significant other passed on from old age.¡±


    ¡°For me it was Alphonse. He was too sweet. I, on the other hand, am wild. He tried to keep up while I soared, but fell behind. He stayed with me until the end.¡± His eyes were a little hazy, ¡°This story is, tragically, all too common.¡±


    The silence was swiftly broken by Free, ¡°Just to confirm, you¡¯re attracted to men?¡± Please restrain yourself sometimes.


    ¡°I appreciate beauty in all its forms.¡± Emerit answered without missing a beat. At least he¡¯s not bothered. ¡°Incidentally, romance is one of my taboo subjects. As awesome as I am, I¡¯m not on the market.¡±


    Love¡­ Silver might¡¯ve already found it. Sadly, secrecy would make it challenging for the rest of them. Keeping ourselves alive should be our priority.


    Emerit clapped loudly, sending a wave of fire washing over the room, ¡°With that out of the way, let¡¯s begin with the five great underlying principles of this world. The first is what I call ¡®the rule of cool¡¯. The HEAVENLY DAO will make anything, even the impossible, happen as long as it¡¯s wicked sweet.¡±


    ¡°This truth permeates all aspects of Enera, especially combat. There¡¯s always time to call out your finishing move, regardless of circumstance. A fraction of a second will do. Time and space will bend to make it so.¡±


    ¡°And you should be calling out your attacks. Style is critical. There¡¯s a hidden multiplier for ¡®coolness¡¯, making flashy attacks absurdly strong.¡±


    ¡°This is the first lesson. Be magnificent and you¡¯ll be rewarded.¡±


    ¡°Are ninjas cool?¡± Light called out.


    Emerit gave a big thumbs up, ¡°Absolutely.¡± They¡¯re on the same wavelength.


    ¡°The next guiding principle is ¡®odds favor the extraordinary¡¯. Simply put, probability skews against the mundane.¡±


    ¡°Take flipping this coin.¡± Emerit held up a shiny piece of bullion. ¡°The chance of it landing on either side should be fifty-fifty. But what if we spice things up? If it¡¯s heads, I will reveal an embarrassing secret about Miki¡ª¡ª¡±


    ¡°Stop!¡± A fairy zipped into view.


    ¡°I¡¯m performing an important demonstration.¡± Emerit protested, peeved.


    ¡°It¡¯s forbidden!¡± The fairy repeated, flashing away. Emerit watched the fading static resentfully.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect them to react so fast¡­¡± He mumbled. ¡°The point is random events lean towards the thrilling. Considering what I planned on revealing, heads would¡¯ve been a sure bet¡­¡±


    ¡°Anyway, this is so established that architects and engineers take it into account in their designs. Understanding its workings is crucial for you as well.¡±


    ¡°In real fights, ¡®odds favor the extraordinary¡¯ can have a drastic impact. To recognize the ¡®context¡¯ which creates these instances, you must know which side the ¡®audience¡¯ is rooting for. Who¡¯s the underdog? Upset victories are satisfying. Who¡¯s more popular? Main characters always have the advantage. Who has the ¡®right¡¯ to win? Factors like Righteous Grudges have a powerful effect. Does your opponent have a ¡®narrative¡¯ backing them? You¡¯ve witnessed first hand what happens to those who oppose a central plotline¡­¡±


    It¡¯s probably safe to assume all our instructors know about the assassination attempt. It was proof they were trusted. As for their lesson, he found certain aspects confusing. How do you tell who¡¯s a main character? The world wasn¡¯t a book.


    ¡°You¡¯ll experience it one day, a battle where probability is turned against you. The ground beneath you will lose its traction. None of your attacks will cleanly connect. Meanwhile your opponents misfires will curve towards you. You¡¯ll lose visibility or suffer distractions at key moments. When confronted with such a situation, consider retreating until the context turns in your favor.¡±


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    ¡°Question!¡± Rose exclaimed. ¡°Doesn¡¯t this make it difficult for villains?¡±


    ¡°Well, your typical, one-dimensional villains do end up screwed most of the time.¡± Emerit said pensively. ¡°But consider instead someone like Sola. She was definitely a main character in her story, an underdog facing off against all of humanity, with a deep righteous grudge. Do you think probability was often against her?¡±


    Soul remembered their encounter with the Laughing Man. He must also have a narrative backing him or else he wouldn¡¯t have survived to this day.


    ¡°Moving on, the ¡®law of conservation¡¯ states nothing important can be wasted. The Blessings protects important characters. Last survivors of tragedies will mysteriously be rescued. Texts filled with forbidden secrets will weather the passage of time. Ancient machinery will remain operational after eons.¡±


    ¡°This goes beyond mere preservation. Lost legendary artifacts and weapons reappear in dungeons. Forgotten knowledge is enshrined in the Endless Library. Extinct species are recycled as challenges in Lost World¡­ Anything that once inspired awe will return someday in some form.¡±


    We¡¯re alive because of this. In that room of dead babies, they were too important to perish. The ¡®reincarnation¡¯ of the seven heroes and Sola now walk Enera on the eve of a Dark Age¡­ How much of this was arranged?


    ¡°The fourth principle is short and sweet: ¡®rewards must be merited¡¯. Immortality is earned by arduously building up your legend. A dungeon¡¯s prize is obtained by risking your life. Attacks are enhanced in recognition of style and flair. Every benefit has a price which must be paid. There are no free lunches.¡±


    ¡°Cheating is never tolerated. Remember this. Even if an opportunity to game the system arises, don¡¯t take it. Illegitimate gains will be lost, with catastrophic luck soon following. Scamming the HEAVENLY DAO doesn¡¯t works.¡±


    Soul approved. Foul play shouldn¡¯t be allowed.


    ¡°The final principle is the ¡®narrative integrity is sacred¡¯. No spoilers are allowed, ever. Beyond that, nothing that ruins a story is permitted.¡±


    ¡°Everyone has experienced it, reading a bad novel where the central conflict is resolved by a Deus ex Machina out of nowhere. Isn¡¯t this the worst? The HEAVENLY DAO appreciates the frustration.¡±


    What¡¯s a Deus Ex Machina? While Soul got the gist, he wished the man wouldn¡¯t resort to obscure expressions. I¡¯m not Wise, you know?


    ¡°While it may play favorites and stack the decks, the HEAVENLY DAO never determines outcomes. This is why the Blessing isn¡¯t endless. In a conflict, no side is guaranteed victory.¡±


    ¡°Objection!¡± Dawn yelled playfully. ¡°Our experience yesterday contradicts this. Weren¡¯t we handed victory?¡±


    ¡°Did you really win though?¡± Emerit asked coyly. ¡°The assassins are still out there. Their goal remains achievable. Nothing is settled. In fact, that¡¯s probably why Siegfried showed up. It was the only way to force a retreat without killing them all.¡±


    Oh, I see! It¡¯s true they¡¯d been prepared to continue even after witnessing their crushed comrade. Our conflict was delayed, not resolved.


    ¡°With that, I¡¯m done.¡± Emerit bowed grandly. ¡°I¡¯ll presently take questions.¡±


    ¡°Me first!¡± Rose spoke up. ¡°Why haven¡¯t I heard of these principles before?¡±


    ¡°Because I made them up!¡± Emerit declared proudly.


    ¡°WHAT?¡± Rose uttered in disbelief.


    Emerit laughed, ¡°Many such as myself have been seeking to clarify the workings of Enera for millennia. Regrettably, the HEAVENLY DAO values mystery too much. Data from studies is always wrong. Experiments never match reality. Active investigations simply don¡¯t work when you¡¯re researching an all-knowing being. The only way to forward is passive observation and anecdotal accounts.¡±


    ¡°If you were looking for a definitive explanation, you won¡¯t find it. I¡¯m the best you¡¯ll get.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m next,¡± Hope cut in. ¡°Legonas explained the Blessing, but told us to press you for the details. I¡¯m doing so now.¡± Hope said.


    ¡°Consulting me is always wise.¡± Emerit approved.


    Upon hearing what they knew, he continued, ¡°The Blessing has a role Legonas failed to highlight. It protects the natural order. A background character doesn¡¯t have the right to kill a protagonist. The Blessing is particularly powerful in enforcing this reality.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s a ¡®background character¡¯?¡± Soul asked.


    Emerit smiled, ¡°It¡¯s all the forgettable individuals which populate Enera. Every faceless person in uniform. Those who aren¡¯t even given names.¡± Doesn¡¯t everyone have a name?


    ¡°Fiction is harsh. The audience¡¯s attention span is limited. Not everyone can be a star.¡± Emerit lamented mockingly. I don¡¯t appreciate this logic, no matter how true.


    ¡°A major reason guns suffer so much is that they¡¯re designed to empower the weak. Around Enera, militaries arm their nameless grunts with enchanted artillery to increase their effectiveness against saints and immortals. The Blessing reacts violently to this affront. Firearms everywhere are effected.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Hope said attentively. ¡°Any advice on overcoming this?¡±


    ¡°Two bits. First, as Legonas suggested, use revolvers. Militaries exclusively rely on automatic weapons these days, so other types are less affected.¡±


    ¡°Second, don¡¯t be too depressed. As you gain prominence, life will get easier. A main character has the right to kill anyone. A single bullet from the immortal Clay Donnaster can rip most Blessings to shreds.¡±


    From there, Free took over. She was determined to understand ¡®specialization¡¯, asking surprisingly technical questions. For his part, Emerit was all too happy to delve into the convoluted inner work of ¡®classes¡¯. Soul gave up following. I¡¯ll learn what I need later. The back and forth eventually drifted onto the subject of ninjas for the remainder of the session. Light was elated.


    Returning to the Rose Palace, Soul reflected. Since we left the arctic three days ago, we¡¯ve been saved twice¡­ We must grow stronger. Their training was progressing smoothly. Hope, Wise, Free and Rose had instructors. Light was about to meet his original. Dawn never required assistance.


    He smiled. Aren¡¯t I the one in trouble? Astra had said she¡¯d inquired around Aery if anyone had reproduced Ethan¡¯s work, but he wasn¡¯t hopeful. Not all martial arts were equal. The quality of ours is why Dawn and I have such an advantage. ¡®Winter¡¯s Embrace¡¯ was a supreme discipline and closely guarded secret. Given its limited pool of practitioners, it was unlikely anyone had possessed Ethan¡¯s affinities and genius.


    I¡¯ll have to make a choice. There existed a near infinite number of martial arts. Switching to one which better suited him would be the fastest way to power up. Or I could stick with ¡®winter¡¯s embrace¡¯ and modify it myself. If his original had done so, he could too. It might take decades though¡­


    Putting the matter aside, he faced his siblings, ¡°What is everyone¡¯s impression of the Isle of Dreams?¡±


    (continued in part 3)

 [Chapter 24 part 3] Soul – Barsal’s Visit

    [Chapter 24 part 3] Soul ¨C Barsal¡¯s Visit


    -------------------------------


    ¡­


    ¡°It¡¯s nice enough.¡± Dawn volunteered. ¡°My problem is this entire fractured world.¡± Understandable.


    They¡¯d practiced gliding this morning from a lower building. When not paralyzed by fears, Dawn managed quite well. In fact, he¡¯d been surprised he could keep up. I guess this is another area I can match her.


    ¡°I feel the same.¡± Wise said. ¡°I like the place, but it¡¯s overwhelming.¡±


    ¡°The Isle is fantastic¡± Light stated. ¡°But two experiences have soured my enjoyment.¡±


    ¡°As for me, I¡¯m happy and angry.¡± Hope declared. ¡°I¡¯m overjoyed to have competent instructors. It¡¯s world changing. What I like considerably less is the two contracts out on my life. No, really! Isn¡¯t one enough?¡±


    That¡¯s true. With everything that¡¯d happened, he¡¯d almost forgotten the bounty.


    ¡°Overall,¡± Hope concluded, ¡°It¡¯s still better than floundering at Earth¡¯s End.¡±


    ¡°Agreed.¡± Free said. ¡±My meeting with John Lavinda was very instructive. He¡ª¡ª¡± Her eyes lit up. ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right!¡±


    She ran up to Rose and started walking backwards in front of her. Playfully, She sung, ¡°~~I know a secret you don¡¯t!~~¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Rose demanded, irritated.


    ¡°Remember when you wouldn¡¯t tell us what you¡¯d uncovered about our identities?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I do.¡± Rose answered hesitantly.


    ¡°Well, I know a secret just as important. And ~ you ~ don¡¯t!¡± Free turned away satisfied.


    ¡°You¡¯re bluffing¡­¡± Rose said unsteadily.


    ¡°You think so?¡± Free smirked. She¡¯s having too much fun. ¡°Hey, Wise¡­ Talras!¡±


    They all turned to Wise who repeated ¡®Talras¡¯ while concentrating. Surprise flashed on his face. ¡°Wow, I¡®m amazed. This was buried deep.¡±


    ¡°See?¡± Free declared happily. ¡°Also, you kept quiet for Rose, so do the same for me, ok?¡±


    Rose watched bitterly as her brother nodded, ¡°This is a petty act of revenge.¡±


    ¡°I know. You¡¯ll find out later, I promise. By the way, what do you think of the Isle, Rose?¡±


    Rose reluctantly answered, ¡°It¡¯s fascinating. Even the challenges add to the excitement.¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s a great place too.¡± Silver chimed in looking at Kate. The cat-earned girl rolled her eyes and poked him. She no longer turns red at every complement.


    ¡°What about you Soul?¡± Kate asked.


    Soul considered, ¡°So far so good.¡± Despite setbacks, we¡¯re all safe.


    ¡°Where do we go?¡± Dawn inquired as they passed the gatehouse.


    ¡°We¡¯ll ask Fayla once we reach the central wing.¡± Kate responded. This morning, they¡¯d noticed there were no braziers in the north wing. Apparently they were removed after Radin¡¯s audit.


    ¡°They¡¯re expecting us in the lounge where I rested.¡± Wise said.


    ¡°I always forget about you.¡± Kate peered wonderingly. ¡°Does it ever get tiring knowing everything?¡± That¡¯s an unfortunate question.


    Silver bonked his girlfriend on the head.


    ¡°What was that for?¡± Kate rubbed her sore scalp.


    ¡°From the last few days, I¡¯ve gathered it¡¯s appropriate to inflict light corporal punishment when your significant other says something stupid.¡± Silver answered earnestly.


    Soul struggled to contain himself. Kate has been jabbing Silver a lot. Behind him, Hope giggled.


    ¡°I¡­ What?¡± Kate said in confusion.


    ¡°Remember when Wise collapsed after our trip to the city? Knowing everything is exhausting!¡±


    True, but you can¡¯t say it like that! Silver¡¯s utter seriousness was comedic gold. They were in stitches.


    An entertaining spat ensued between the two. Everyone had to catch their breath before the lounge.


    Astra was waiting with Lily, ¡°It¡¯s a relief to see you when it¡¯s not an emergency. Barsal will arrive shortly. Make yourselves at home.¡±


    Their mother watched Silver and Kate install themselves, ¡°So, you two are dating?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Silver replied happily.


    ¡°That¡¯s how it turned out somehow.¡± Kate said simultaneously.


    ¡°¡¯Turned out somehow?¡¯¡± Astra titled her head.


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    ¡°I mean¡ª¡ªyes, we¡¯re dating. And you! Stop that.¡± Silver was giving a hurt look. It¡¯s sometimes difficult to judge how it¡¯s going.


    ¡°How¡¯s work?¡± Rose asked.


    ¡°Exhausting. We¡¯ve apprehended three, and I¡¯ve been coordinated the sweep for the rest. It¡¯s a huge distraction¡­¡±


    ¡°Enough about me.¡± Astra declared. ¡°Free, how was your meeting with John?¡±


    ¡°Great.¡± Free beamed. ¡°By the way, he let slip about Talras. Is that alright to share?¡±


    Lily and Astra looked at each other. ¡°I suppose it¡¯s fine.¡± Their mother decided.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell us?¡± Wise asked.


    Astra sighed, ¡°Once you realize Talras exists, you know another Dark Age is inevitable. Considering you¡¯re closely linked to the last one, I didn¡¯t want you fretting over that.¡±


    ¡°I hate this.¡± Rose pouted, glaring at Free and Wise.


    Astra turned to Hope, ¡°Do you still plan on becoming a gunslinger?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡± Hope answered fiercely. ¡°And the Blessing can go to hell.¡°


    ¡°Alright then.¡± Astra acknowledged. If she¡¯s obsessed with firearms, she won¡¯t have time for other thoughts.


    ¡°I¡¯ve a question.¡± Soul asked. ¡°What Emerit taught us ¡ª¡ªabout probability and who the ¡®audience¡¯ is favoring¡ª¡ª isn¡¯t it troublesome?¡±


    ¡°You learn to live with it. It barely affects most battles.¡± Astra answered. ¡°I¡¯ll add my own advice: focus on the traction under your feet. It¡¯s the most effective gauge of who fate is favoring. If you feel the ground turn to oil, consider retreating. It generally isn¡¯t worth the frustration.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re here.¡± Wise said.


    Six people entered, with the man in front appearing familiar. Barsal Farran. Compared to his giant frame, Light had some growing to do. Me too, come to think of it. Ethan had only been an inch shorter. The hero wore lavish leather dyed red and green. Besides the short sword at his waist, he carried an enormous wooden box on his back. It¡¯s the size of a coffin.


    ¡°Long time no see, Astra.¡± Barsal said. ¡°And Lily¡­ you¡¯re as small as ever.¡±


    Lily groaned, ¡°It¡¯s been thousands of years. Stop treating me like a kid.¡± She¡¯s not that upset, Soul understood. Might be the nostalgia of old patterns.


    ¡°It¡¯s good to see you too,¡± Astra said. ¡°Who are these immortals?¡±


    ¡°Since I¡¯m meeting your children, I thought I¡¯d bring some of mine.¡± Barsal made a sweeping gesture. ¡°These five are Anthem, Marissa, Tyler, Adele, and Jonas. You can trust them.¡±


    ¡°We can introduce ourselves, ¡®father¡¯.¡± Laughed a man in a white sleeveless tunic. He was the only one who matched Barsal in size and muscle. ¡°I¡¯m Anthem Farran, the ¡®Rock Pillar¡¯.¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯m Marissa Farran, the ¡®Mystic Wind¡¯.¡± Said the emerald-eyed lady next to him. Glowing green tattoos covered her body. She turned to the man besides her. ¡°Tyler?¡±


    ¡°Must we always open with our titles?¡±  The man protested softly. He was shorter and wore the simple black attire which Soul recognized. ¡°I¡¯m Tyler Farran, ¡®Death¡¯s Whisper¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Lighten up, brother! Xarst really drained the life from you.¡± The woman who spoke wore red and white garbs over a shapely body. Her shoulder length hair was a vivid yellow which couldn¡¯t be natural. She¡¯s immortal, so it must be fixed that way for eternity¡­ ¡°I¡¯m Adele, the ¡®Morning Sun¡¯. We¡¯re not really Barsal¡¯s children. We¡¯re his descendants who¡¯ve reached immortality. Calling him father is just something we do.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Jonas Farran, the ¡®Restless Gale¡¯.¡± This last man also had bright verdant tattoos, but less could be seen under his beige robes. ¡°Pleasure to meet you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not how you taught us.¡± Silver commented.


    ¡°Barsal¡¯s grandiosity infects those around him.¡± Astra shrugged. ¡°Don¡¯t use this as a reference.¡±


    When they introduced themselves, Light spoke last, and all eyes fell on him. Even with his lower face hidden, the resemblance was unmistakable.


    ¡°His skin is too light.¡± Jonas protested ¡°It¡¯s strange.¡±


    Barsal was about to speak, but Light cut in, ¡°Astra is my mother, so¡­¡±


    Barsal seemed surprised but then laughed heartily, ¡°Good, good, no need to live in my shadow.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like it.¡± Jonas continued. ¡°A pale version feels off.¡±


    ¡°Jonas, I¡¯ve approved it. It¡¯s settled.¡± Barsal¡¯s deep, friendly voice now had an edge.


    ¡°But¡­¡± Jonas protested weakly. I¡¯ve heard Barsal is idolized. Is that the reason for this reaction?


    Adele placed a hand on Jonas¡¯s shoulder, ¡°There¡¯s a contract on doppelgangers. The fact that Light here is not easily recognizable is a good thing. Darkening his skin could put his life at risk.¡±


    Jonas relented before this logic, ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t properly evaluate the circumstances.¡±


    ¡°Now,¡± Barsal looked in Soul¡¯s direction. ¡°I have something for you.¡± For me? A clang rang out as the wooden box hit the floor. ¡°Go ahead, open it.¡±


    What¡¯s going on? Soul reached forward to reveal an over-sized crystal sword laying on white velvet. This is¡­ How?  He could tell what it was at a glance. Unearthly ice harder than the toughest steel¡­ He gulped.


    ¡°Diamonds Edge.¡± Astra whispered. ¡°My brother¡¯s sword.¡±


    Barsal nodded, ¡°I recovered it when I ran the Spire centuries ago.¡± That must be a dungeon. ¡°I¡¯ve been conflicted ever since. I knew Ethan would¡¯ve wanted you to have it, but I feared returning it would only cause you grief. I especially didn¡¯t want to hand it over while you were in isolation. However, once I heard about Soul here, I knew I¡¯d found my answer.¡±


    Astra stared sadly, ¡°This confirms his death.¡±


    Soul touched the blade. A chilling power pulsated up his arm. Is this really for me?


    ¡°It¡¯s a fabled sword which protected humanity.¡± Adele spoke warmly. ¡°Treasure it as it¡¯s invaluable.¡±


    ¡°Agreed.¡± Marissa said, glancing to Jonas. ¡°Some were quietly complaining when they heard father¡¯s plan.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t besmirch me!¡± Jonas protested. ¡°It¡¯s just that father braved great dangers in the Spire, and it¡¯s such a powerful weapon. It pains me to see it fall¡­ outside¡­¡± Jonas had notice Barsal¡¯s piercing gaze.


    ¡°This is Ethan¡¯s weapon. So what if I took risks retrieving it? Ethan gave his life so we could live!¡± Barsal¡¯s voice boomed. ¡°Returning his weapon to his sister is the least I could do.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, father.¡± Jonas was shaken. ¡°I won¡¯t mention it again.¡±


    Barsal faced Astra, ¡°I apologize. He¡¯s sometimes overzealous in defending me and the empire.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Astra replied. ¡°Thank you for recovering it.¡±


    This settles the debate. If he was wielding Ethan¡¯s sword, then he¡¯d use his martial arts as well. No matter how long it takes.


    A lively discussion began on the matter of Light¡¯s training, with Barsal promising to send someone. The topic then drifted to the Spire, and Barsal was only too happy to relay his exploits. Anthem, Marissa, and Tyler had joined him on the expedition. They¡¯d faced all kinds of traps, hazards, and monsters. Soul couldn¡¯t quite picture the fantastical tale, but it was fascinating nonetheless. Concluding, Barsal stood.


    ¡°Time to depart.¡± He announced. ¡°Lingering longer would draw unwanted attention to Astra¡¯s children.¡± As he headed for the exit, Soul remembered the man was famous for never saying goodbye.


    ¡°Before you go, can we see your weapon?¡± Light cried out. He must¡¯ve been dying to ask.


    Barsal smiled. Not turning, he held out a arm, and the palace shook as a hammer slammed into view. Some artifacts could be unsummoned by their masters. They¡¯d hover at the Ether¡¯s edge, waiting to be called on. Astra¡¯s are the same. The head glowed whitish lavender. Soul couldn¡¯t tell what it was made of, only that it felt indestructible. The metal handle extended chest high, its leather-wrapper base held firmly in Barsal¡¯s hand.


    This was the weapon from their bedtime stories. StormHammer, which crushes heaven and earth. The short sword was just for parrying.


    ¡°No matter what happens, you can count on our support.¡± Barsal release his grip and StormHammer vanished. He strode out without looking back, his children following.


    ¡°Can we see yours too, mother?¡± Light asked expectantly.


    Astra rolled her eyes and walked away. You were pushing your luck.

 [Chapter 25] Light – Late Night Stalking

    [Chapter 25] Light ¨C Late Night Stalking


    -------------------------------


    Concealed on a rooftop, Light concentrated, and the city grew clearer. His eyes burned from the strain.  It¡¯d be dangerous to approach closer. He meticulously traced the far-off white structure. There. A dim outline flickered in and out of view. My target.


    With their eventful day, everyone had forgotten the intel he¡¯d gathered. It¡¯s better this way. Light planned on locating their enemies¡¯ base of operations. Even if he dealt with the assassin before him, there¡¯d still be ten more. But if I tail him, we can take them all out at once. Kara had told him she¡¯d been seeing them since last night. They were obviously maintaining a twenty-four hour vigil. At the next change of shift, I¡¯ll follow this one back.


    It was past midnight, and the others were asleep. Their matches had been in the morning. We won easily, but it was less one-sided. Their opponents had possessed basic martial arts this time, and there¡¯d even been a half-decent caster. Unluckily for her, she¡¯d faced Wise. If you aren¡¯t aware of his foresight, he might be as tough as Dawn.


    Light caught movement against the ivory background. There¡¯s two now. One leapt towards the pillar, and Light dashed after. I must close the distance. This risked detection, but these assassins were too hard to track. The silhouette hopped across rooftops until it disappeared.


    Damn! Racing forward, Light found a courtyard with an opening to the layer below in its center. An embellishment for tourists. He leapt without hesitation. I¡¯ll gamble he¡¯s heading down. The poorest regions near the Isle¡¯s bottom were the likeliest destination. Less security, more vacant lots.


    Landing on a building, he glanced around. The wall of lifts! While the shafts were sealed at ground level, he could jump right in from here. He did so immediately. This must be how they travel.


    On a hunch, he descended at a breath-taking pace. If I¡¯m right, it¡¯s my only chance. An elevator sped upwards, and he manipulated the atmosphere to evade left. This isn¡¯t stealthy. People nearby would feel a gust as he passed. I should learn to grab the bedrock instead. It¡¯d work with his earth affinity. But now isn¡¯t the time¡­ Where is he?


    Light caught a glimpse of his quarry plunging down a shaft to his east on level 1¡¯s main floor. I was right! He flung himself in pursuit, but it took another ten layers to catch up. Found you.


    The shadow was sprinting while effortlessly avoiding elevators. Witnessing this agility, the anger came gushing back. How dare they! Light¡¯s face twisted in rage. How dare something as cool as assassins target Hope! He¡¯d never forgive them. They¡¯re awesome, practically ninjas. Yet they aimed to murder his sister. I¡¯ll end this.


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    They passed level 2. It¡¯s darker. These layers were less trafficked. Even against white walls, his prey¡¯s figure grew harder to spot. Nearing the Pillar¡¯s base, the assassin suddenly slowed. Damn! Light scrabbled sideways so his gale wouldn¡¯t give him away. The blurred outline jumped into the city, traveling east. Then, as he gave chase, it was gone.


    Light searched frantically. Nothing. His mark had melded into the dim surroundings. Did he lose me or is their hideout around here? Light considered carefully. If there were ten nearby, it¡¯d be dangerous to continue. On the other hand, he was reluctant to return empty handed. It might not even¡ª¡ª


    Sensing death, he threw himself back. Three daggers shot through the air where he¡¯d been standing. The assassin was on the ceiling above. So I was noticed¡­ Light counterattacked with shurikens, which the assassin avoided by dropping down. He was clearly visible. Their stealth ends when they fight.


    Without words, the two played a game of cat mouse across the rooftops, exchanging a flurry of blades. This is going nowhere. Light was experienced enough to recognize a stalemate. Should I withdraw or do I take risks?


    As he debated, the assassin leapt over him. Spinning rapidly upside-down, he released a shower of knives which Light barely dodged. The man then landed gracefully on the opposite side. That was superb¡­ He fumed at the admission. Retreating is uncool anyway.


    Light performed hand signs, and they were engulfed in a vortex of sand. Let¡¯s finish this. Unsheathing his short sword, he flew at his opponent.


    Rattled by the change in tactics, the assassin skipped backwards throwing steel. Mid-air, Light endured being pierced and activated his substitution. Appearing behind his opponent, he reached out to the figure embedded with knives and pulled. The sandy mass hit his adversary, dragging him towards Light. Realizing collision was inevitable, the assassin drew a long curved blade. The two impaled each other as they slammed together. Light again employed his technique.


    Emerging far above, he hardened the remains of his clones into a thick shell around his opponent, drawing in the sandstorm to reinforce the prison. Before being completely buried, the assassin threw his curved blade. Letting the weapon connect, Light completed a series of hand signals, ¡°Sand Coffin.¡± The shell constricted and crushed its contents, growing red.


    Light landed, breathing heavily. I just killed for real. A mixture of emotions filled him. Pride at having won. Horror at ending a life. He put these aside and pulled the sword from his side. I¡¯ll need to wake Free. The hole would be lethal if he wasn¡¯t holding it shut.


    As he moved to leave, he staggered. What? Light was bewildered at his lethargy. Why am I exhausted? In dawning realization, he noticed his wound no longer hurt. He peered back at the curved blade in shock. It must¡¯ve been coated with a potent painkiller and sleeping agent.


    Of course an assassin would use poison! Light began to panic. If he lost consciousness now, he¡¯d bleed to death. What could he do to keep himself awake? He was numb to pain!


    I can¡¯t even get down to the streets in this state. His increasingly groggy mind labored for a solution. He sensed his eyes shutting and willed them open. No, not like this! Anything but this! Death by sleep wasn¡¯t acceptable. Not such a silly way!


    He toppled over but felt nothing as his head hit the roof. He lay motionless, his last strength spent keeping himself alive. Someone, help¡­

 [Chapter 26] Astra - Kara

    [Chapter 26] Astra - Kara


    -------------------------------


    At a desk on the second floor, Astra twirled the pen-sized keystone. The small room was lined with shelves and drawers filled with crystals. A vault of memories, he called it. These were the type which stored vast quantities of information, either by recording events or capturing scenes from the mind. Which is why this place makes no sense. Archives were meaningless for someone who could never forget. Why did you do it, Arther? Was it for me to inherit?


    Astra fingered the keystone Miki had given her. It was bonded exclusively to her. When did he set this up? While soul binding provided a virtually unbreakable security, enchantments risked becoming inaccessible when their last authorized user passed away. The solution was the instrument in her hand. With it, she could access Arther¡¯s crystals as if they were her own.


    Astra was sorting them one by one, skimming their contents, and replacing their bindings. It¡¯s unpleasant. Some were from before the Dark Age. She¡¯d been seeing visions of a world long lost and people long gone. It must be done. These were tools left for her. I just wish they were arranged discernibly.


    Astra sought information related to the Tartarus escapees. She knew it was here, but the organizational scheme had eluded her so far, leaving her searching blindly. She¡¯d considered summoning Silver to help, but decided against it. They have enough on their plates.


    BANG. Sparkling rocks clinked as the room trembled. Something struck the residence. Astra wasn¡¯t concerned as the building was made to take abuse. Still, the impact wasn¡¯t ordinary. Saints and immortals regularly leapt across the Guild without disturbing her. BANG. Another shockwave reverberated.


    ¡°Kara¡­¡± Astra muttered tiredly. She was the only one with the motive and audacity for such a ruckus. The wild immortal had been pestering her for a sparing match. As if I have time for such nonsense. To her dismay, she¡¯d learned the ¡®Beast of Sanrune¡¯ was relentless in her pursuits. Everyone of notable strength on the Isle had been strong-armed into a ¡®friendly fight¡¯. Only Radin escaped that fate.


    BANG. Astra made her way to the upstairs lounge. Kara stood on the balcony. She¡¯s huge. The curving tattoos across her body were heaviest on the outer-facing portions, each symbol distinct from the others. They gave her a spotted look, enhancing her feline appearance. It¡¯s not ink, Astra remembered. Kara¡¯s skin had been etched with the blood of her people.


    At least she¡¯s hitting the goldstone rather than the glass. This consideration was strange considering the obnoxious knocking. Wait, that¡¯s not it, Astra realized. Striking the solid part was the most efficient means of shaking the structure.


    Light¡¯s motionless body was lying outside. No, she didn¡¯t¡­ Astra threw open the doors, temper rising.


    ¡°What did you do to my son?¡± She demanded coldly.


    Not intimidated in the least, Kara said in sinister, provocative note, ¡°I saved him.¡± The meaning and manner spoken clashed so starkly it threw Astra off.


    Extending her senses, she quickly confirmed her son was asleep. ¡°What happened?¡± She asked, fury fading.


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    ¡°He tailed an assassin. I was bored so I followed. They had a fairly entertaining bout. Your son prevailed, but he was about to fall into an eternal slumber.¡± Everdusk.  The poison was often applied to blades.


    ¡°Since it would¡¯ve been a pathetic end, I stepped in and closed the wound.¡± Kara smiled aggressively. ¡°Also, I figured you¡¯d owe me.¡±


    ¡°How did you heal him? I though your talent lay in aura magic.¡±


    ¡°I also have my bloodcraft.¡± Kara beamed. ¡°It can do amazing things.¡±


    Using blood as a medium to draw spells¡­ Bloodcraft was a powerful if obscure branch of magecraft. It¡¯s rarely employed since it¡¯s difficult to cast mid fight.


    Astra sighed, ¡°Thank you for saving him.¡± I know what¡¯s coming.


    ¡°Then how about my sparring match?¡± Kara suggested eagerly. What a battle freak¡­ She reminds me of the Chaos Knight.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Astra relented. ¡°But after Arther¡¯s funeral.¡± There¡¯s too much to do before.


    ¡°Good.¡± Kara seemed satisfied. ¡°This was worth it after all.¡±


    The cat-eared immortal jumped, disappearing into the night. Alone, Astra studied her foolish son. I should¡¯ve predicted this. Considering Light¡¯s crush and disposition, there was no way he would¡¯ve stayed inactive. If I wasn¡¯t so busy, I would have.


    After bringing him inside and leaving him on a couch, she walked over to the room¡¯s projector. An image of a small girl at a cluttered desk materialized.


    ¡°Lily, still awake I take it?¡± Astra asked.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m catching up on work. What¡¯d you want?¡±


    ¡°I have a question. Doesn¡¯t Fayla know everything that happens in the Inner Palace?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right?¡± Lily answered perplexed.


    ¡°So if my foolish son went off and nearly got himself killed, you¡¯d know about it?¡±


    Lily¡¯s mouth dropped. She turned aside anxiously, ¡°Fayla?¡±


    ¡°Light left forty minutes ago. Was I supposed to stop him?¡± Although unseen, the fire sprite could be heard just fine.


    Lily¡¯s eyes went wide, ¡°This isn¡¯t¡ª¡ª.¡±


    ¡°Could you join me at my residence?¡± Astra cut in. ¡°Now.¡±


    There was silence, ¡°I¡¯ll be there right away.¡± The call ended.


    Astra knew Lily wasn¡¯t entirely to blame. That said, I can hold her partly responsible. As she waited, her mood slowly sank. He¡¯ll do it again, won¡¯t he? She vaguely understood the workings of her son¡¯s mind. Unless Lily imprisoned him, tonight might become a repeat occurrence. Or worse¡­


    Astra reached for the projector. A minute later she found what she was looking for. This should keep them occupied for a day at least.


    Just then, Lily barged in. Seeing Light, she immediately declared, ¡°It¡¯s not my fault!¡±


    Amused at the panic, Astra¡¯s anger was dulled. She recounted what¡¯d happened, finishing with, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I mostly don¡¯t blame you.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯d you mean ¡®mostly¡¯?¡± Lily asked apprehensively.


    ¡°You should¡¯ve been aware of Light¡¯s absence. If he¡¯d died, we wouldn¡¯t have found out until morning.¡± Astra stated.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ true.¡± Lily admitted miserably. ¡°So what¡¯d you want me to do?¡±


    ¡°From now on, have Fayla keep track of whenever my children head out late at night. If they¡¯re late in returning, either look for them or send me a message.¡±


    ¡°So I should let them go?¡± Lily asked surprised.


    ¡°It¡¯s their lives. They must take responsibility for them. They¡¯re nearly adults, and I don¡¯t have time to babysit.¡±


    ¡°On another note,¡± Astra continued. ¡°Except for Hope, I¡¯m sending them on a quest tomorrow. It¡¯s a ¡®B¡¯ rank mission to clear the Field of Graves. They¡¯ll leave early on my airship and should be back before nightfall. Please let them know.¡±


    ¡°Is that wise?¡±


    ¡°It should be fine.¡± Astra said. ¡°Hope is the one targeted. I¡¯ll find someone from the Guild to accompany them.¡±


    ¡°Even so, a ¡®B¡¯ rank mission to the Field of Graves¡­ That¡¯s virtually guaranteed to become an ¡®A¡¯ rank. There¡¯s too much freedom to manipulate open situations like that.¡±


    ¡°I took that into account. If the HEAVENLY DAO increases the difficulty, it¡¯s also more likely to insure their survival. You know, for fairness. Besides¡ª¡ª¡± Astra pointed to her son. ¡°It¡¯s dangerous here too.¡±


    Lily was quiet, ¡°It seems an unnecessary risk¡­¡±


    ¡°I want them to experience the Fractured Earth.¡± Astra explained. ¡°Right now, virtually no one knows of their existence. Cedric Grinfield is still missing. This might be the last opportunity for them to leave the Isle. Once their identities are revealed, it won¡¯t be safe.¡±


    Lily absorbed the words before gradually grinning, ¡°Dawn isn¡¯t going to like the twisted lands.¡±


    Astra smiled in agreement, ¡°No, she won¡¯t.¡±

 [Chapter 27] Dawn – The Blue Abyss

    [Chapter 27] Dawn ¨C The Blue Abyss


    -------------------------------


    At least there¡¯s a railing now. Dawn carefully appraised the remodeled airship. Nero knew mother would¡¯ve said yes.  Wise does that too.


    Lily had woken them early to go assemble at the docks. Dawn remembered her look of pity. I can¡¯t even be angry. It¡¯d be stranger to travel somewhere without bottomless drops. They¡¯re bloody everywhere.


    Without warning, a small vessel swooped in and twirled to park with a one-eighty. He¡¯s here. Emerit strode out in his flamboyant robes, holding a bag and a leash. Giving the latter a tug, a four-legged animal ambled reluctantly into view.


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Silver asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s¡ª¡ª¡± Emerit proclaimed grandly, ¡°¡ª¡ªa goat.¡±


    ¡°And why¡­?¡± Silver persisted.


    ¡°All in due time.¡± Emerit answered cryptically. ¡°Is everyone ready? Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Soon Exodia ¡ª¡ªthe name Light had selected pending Astra¡¯s approval¡ª¡ª was soaring above the Blue Abyss. Dawn gazed at the sparkling expanse. Funny, it doesn¡¯t scare me much.  She knew she could endure a fall into water from any height. Of course, I wouldn¡¯t survive what¡¯d happened afterwards¡­


    Kate and Silver were up front chatting. They have their surface-gripping ability. Even without that, Exodia had acquired a wind tunnel, a stabilizing field which burrowed through the air creating a calm zone. It¡¯s a luxury affording comfort and convenience, which is why we didn¡¯t originally have it.


    Not that¡¯d you catch me there. Dawn glanced towards the rear where the deck was covered in roots. Free had been concerned when Emerit had tethered the poor animal out back. She¡¯s anchored them both there.


    The rest were inside with her. Light was brooding and Wise napping. Soul and Rose were at the helm, having taken Emerit¡¯s offer to teach them piloting.


    Dawn frowned remembering her brother¡¯s newly acquired sword. If he masters that thing¡­ While apprehensive, she refused to contemplate losing. That doesn¡¯t mean training harder wouldn¡¯t hurt.  Yes, definitively.


    ¡°Here¡¯s a good spot.¡± Emerit slowed the ship. ¡°Can I leave the controls to you?¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Soul slipped into the driver¡¯s seat. ¡°But what are you up to?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s time for the goat.¡± Emerit expressed exuberantly.


    Grabbing his bag, he headed outside, ¡°Could you remove the roots?¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Free said.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Emerit brought out a harness and some rope.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Free demanded anxiously.


    ¡°It¡¯s best to witness the Blue Abyss¡¯s danger with your own eyes.¡± Emerit answered.


    ¡°You aren¡¯t planning on feeding this wonderful goat to the sharks?¡± Free guessed. Roots rose to form a defensive wall. ¡°I won¡¯t let you!¡±


    Emerit realized there might be a problem, ¡°This is a valuable learning experience. To reach the wall, you must be willing to¡ª¡ª¡±


    ¡°This is a wanton cruelty.¡± Free retorted. Emerit appeared lost.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take care of this.¡± Rose said, sending everyone inside.


    They waited while the two sisters talked quietly. Emerit was distraught. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have let her spend so much time with the animal if its purpose was bait.¡± Soul offered.


    ¡°True,¡± Emerit admitted. ¡°I really pray Rose comes through. I don¡¯t want to care for a goat all day¡­¡±


    ¡°On another note,¡± Kate chimed in. ¡°Didn¡¯t you have classes today? I though you were super popular.¡±


    ¡°I canceled them all!¡± He declared proudly.


    ¡°WHAT?¡± Kate exclaimed.


    ¡°It pays to get close to ¡®main characters¡¯.¡± Emerit explained patiently. ¡°You eight are definitely a focal point to some narrative. When Astra offered the chance, I jumped on it.¡± That thinking is a little extreme.


    Rose entered with Free in tow, ¡°We¡¯ve come to a resolution.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Free confirmed. ¡°We promised Hope to bring back fantastical tales. The goat shall be a sacrifice towards this noble purpose.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t disappoint.¡± She added, glaring.


    Soon the goat was swinging a hundred and twenty feet below. ¡°Alright,¡± Emerit called out. ¡°Lower us until we¡¯re two hundred feet up.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that too high?¡± Rose asked.


    ¡°Nope. Some can reach that far. It¡¯s quite a sight.¡±


    Curiosity won out, and Dawn joined them. It¡¯s surprisingly loud, she noted at the disturbing high-pitch bleating.


    ¡°It¡¯d better be worth it.¡± Free said blankly. I bet it will. Fins were already circling, and huge torsos were visible under the waves.


    ¡°Why¡¯d they appear so fast?¡± Rose wondered. ¡°Is it the noise?¡±


    Emerit shook his head, ¡°No one knows for certain. The prevailing theory is it¡¯s something akin to a Sublime Vagary shared by all creatures of the Blue Abyss. They¡¯re alerted when something approaches the surface.¡± So an ability like the assassin¡¯s stealth, but for fish?


    ¡°By the way,¡± He added. ¡°The rope¡¯s length is for safety. There are things in the Blue Abyss besides sharks. Two hundred feet is considered the minimum safe distance.¡±


    We¡¯ve reached that height. Below monsters wandered impatiently.


    ¡°What now?¡± Soul asked.


    ¡°We wait,¡± Emerit leaned on the railing. ¡°Watch the large ones. They¡¯ll disappear and come back up to jump. It¡¯ll take a few tries.¡±


    ¡°One dove under,¡± Light said excitedly. This recovered his spirit.


    ¡°And there goes another.¡± Silver pointed. Dawn saw the giant fin submerge too. It wasn¡¯t alone in vanishing. Wait a minute¡­


    ¡°They¡¯re all gone¡­¡± Dawn muttered.


    ¡°Soul, GO UP! Right now, full speed!¡± Wise yelled at the top of his lungs. I¡¯ve never seen him so panicked. Even the Laughing Man wasn¡¯t this bad.


    The ship rose rapidly, jerking them off-balance while Wise gazed down, blood drained from his face. Even Kate understood what this meant. Only Emerit was out of the loop, dismayed and confused. Then his eyes opened in shock. A moment later, Dawn felt it too. Death is coming from below.


    She glimpsed a dark outline before the ocean exploded. From the splash, a giant mouth shot towards them. That could swallow a coliseum. In the gapping maw were thousands of inner-facing, saw-like teeth. The dangling goat was engulfed as the beast shot upwards. Just before catching them, the jaws snapped shut just short. Soul brought them to a halt as the eyeless, worm-like mass slowly fell back into the churching water.


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    Stunned, everyone stared at the swaying, severed rope. The first to recover was Free, ¡°At least the goat¡¯s death wasn¡¯t in vain.¡±  Agreed, this definitely makes a thrilling account.


    ¡°That¡¯s not normal, even for the Blue Abyss.¡± Emerit appeared the most shocked. ¡°That¡­ worm reached up over three hundred feet¡­ My god, several airships have gone missing over the past months. It must be responsible.¡±


    ¡°I must alert the Guild.¡± Emerit retreated to the cabin and took over from Soul. Dawn followed him, returning to her seat and closing her eyes. That was close.  She sensed Soul and Rose approach.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to ask Wise about last night.¡± Soul told her. ¡°Care to join?¡±


    ¡°Why not speak to Light?¡± Dawn inquired.


    ¡°You saw him sulking.¡± Soul glanced to their excited brother. ¡°We don¡¯t want to sour his mood. It may be taxing, but I¡¯m sure Wise understands.¡± Outside, the person in question nodded.


    ¡°Logical enough. I¡¯m in.¡± Dawn was intrigued about the incident which had prompted this wonderful voyage.


    ¡°Let¡¯s head below.¡± Rose said.


    ¡°Below?¡± Dawn was puzzled.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you explore the interior?¡± Rose said tiredly. No, I found my belongings already unloaded and had no reason to venture inside. ¡°There¡¯s a lounge there. It¡¯s all different.¡±


    What previously had been one large cargo bay had been divided into two crew cabins, a seating area, a kitchen with dinning table, and a small storage space. Dawn was impressed, ¡°How¡¯d they manage this?¡±


    ¡°Time manipulation.¡± Wise answered. ¡°At Xarst, they¡¯ve isolated workshops where they labor for weeks, or even months, and then return to the present. It¡¯s energy intensive but safely avoids paradoxes.¡± I¡¯ll take your word for it.


    Dawn secretly thanked Astra while appreciating the changes. Although most airships had windows in their hulls, Exodia bucked the trend with its utilitarian focus. Nero¡¯s redesign had respected this.


    Once installed, Wise recounted the previous night¡¯s events. We should¡¯ve predicted this. Soul thought so too, by his wince.


    ¡°Will he try again?¡± Soul asked.


    Wise shook his head, ¡°Sorry, there¡¯s no answer.¡± So he¡¯s keeping quiet¡­


    ¡°Should we help?¡± Dawn asked.


    ¡°What?¡± Soul exclaimed.


    ¡°Only ten remain. You and I could take them on ourselves if we aren¡¯t protecting anyone. Free can deal with poisons, and Wise ambushes¡­ It¡¯d be more effective than whatever Light tries alone.¡±


    ¡°What about your fears?¡± Soul pressed. ¡°You heard the story. Tracking them will require rapid vertical movement.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡­true, Dawn admitted.


    ¡°I approve.¡± Rose announced. ¡°They¡¯re a threat which must be dealt with. It¡¯d lighten Astra¡¯s load. Not to mention, at this rate, either Light or Hope will wind up dead.¡±


    Soul peered at Rose, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect this from you. Eliminating the assassins doesn¡¯t guarantee anything. More could be sent. Why so enthusiastic?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right, I¡¯ve another motive.¡± Rose acknowledged. ¡°There have been two terrorist attacks on the Isle. Those had to have been planned somewhere. Then there¡¯s Arther¡¯s death. Where was he lured to? Call it a hunch, but if we find the assassins¡¯ hideaway, we might uncover the full mystery.¡± She¡¯s playing detective.


    ¡°You¡¯re saying,¡± Soul interpreted. ¡°The risks are worth the rewards.¡±


    ¡°Exactly.¡± Rose affirmed. ¡°Especially if I¡¯m doing the planning.¡± Good luck with that. Dawn would participate but organizing was a bother.


    ¡°We should go up.¡± Wise said. ¡°The Twisted Lands are coming into view.¡±


    Dawn looked at her brother, ¡°About that, give it to me straight. How bad will it be?¡±


    Wise hesitated, ¡°Some parts will be fine. Other parts you¡¯ll hate.¡± I thought so.


    Dawn sighed. Maybe the experience will help remedy my phobia. She had to believe there¡¯d be an upside to all this.


    ¡°Good timing.¡± Emerit said seeing them. ¡°We¡¯ll arrive shortly. Have a look.¡±


    Strips of land, miles long, were intertwined and suspended before them. It looked like someone had peeled the earth and discarded the cuttings in the sky. Mid fall, time stopped and froze everything in place. The work of a mad god. She cursed silently.


    This is called ¡®Wild pasta¡¯. Dawn had studied the ¡®geology¡¯ of Enera. Know thy enemy. Other common types were ¡®spiral valleys¡¯, and ¡®wrinkled blanket¡¯.


    It¡¯s lush. At this distance, the skyward portions appeared a fuzzy moss and the undersides a smooth yellowish green. Forests above and grasslands below. In Twisted Lands, gravity was warped for everything, including people. In Wild Pasta, you¡¯re pulled towards the center of the ¡®strips¡¯. Farther out, shadowy threads extended into the sky. Light funnels. Their blooms ensured it wasn¡¯t just the surface which was dense with life. Hopefully we aren¡¯t going that deep.


    Wise pointed, ¡°That¡¯s where a guide is meeting us. We¡¯re early.¡± Since the shark baiting ended quickly.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t Emerit showing us around?¡± Silver asked.


    ¡°No,¡± Wise explained. ¡°A saint¡¯s assistance would trivialize our quest, negating its purpose.¡± Which is to earn recognition.


    ¡°As for the one accompanying us¡­¡± Wise paused. ¡°His name is Patrick. He¡¯s a an oathtaker and resident of Forstrand, the village there.¡± So someone from the Black Citadel but not a graduate.


    The frontier outpost was built where several strips coiled together. Houses covered the inside and out. What the¡­ Dawn steadied herself, materializing thin lenses of ice on her eyes. She then formed two more in each hand, and held them up. With this I could identify our guide if I knew his appearance.


    At several points where cliffs separated the settlement, metal poles connected both sides. Dawn watched as a woman on the interior grabbed hold and dove off head first. She accelerated until the half-way mark, where she lost speed. Arriving at the exterior, she stepped onto a staircase and climbed the last few feet.


    I hate this world. She guessed she¡¯d be facing similar traversal mechanisms. Throwing myself off buildings might¡¯ve been good preparation. She released her magic in disgust.


    As they approached, Dawn noticed a far-off wreckage. Airships didn¡¯t ¡®sink¡¯ when they crashed. They¡¯d just drift until they got salvaged or tangled somewhere.


    That¡¯s why we can¡¯t fly to the Field of Graves. Twisted Lands were virtually impassable without a veteran navigator. Here, gravitational fields used to set altitude were distorted beyond recognition. You could plummet in any direction without warning, smashing into the winding land. This made the region a favorite retreat of pirates. By mapping out safe routes, they¡¯d establish bases beyond pursuit. Eliminating these was a Guild responsibility. But not ours today.


    ¡°How do you like it?¡± Emerit asked gleefully after they¡¯d parked. Not much.


    ¡°Spectacular.¡± Light responded. Of course you¡¯d love it. You run on walls even in normal gravity.


    ¡°Let¡¯s review your mission.¡± Emerit continued. ¡°You are to clear the Field of Graves of undead. Patrick Lonshire from Forstrand will guide you there. If you move quickly, you should be back before sunset. Any questions?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the compensation?¡± Kate asked.


    ¡°A minor monetary one. The real reward is the XP.¡±


    ¡°XP?¡± Silver asked.


    ¡°Kate?¡± Emerit wasn¡¯t going to dignify that with an answer.


    ¡°It¡¯s adventurer slang,¡± Kate explained patiently. ¡°Short for experience. Victories in the coliseum, completing quests, slaying monsters, conquering dungeons¡­ All the accomplishments which build your legend.¡± Basically, ¡®earn XP¡¯ and ¡®build your legend¡¯ are interchangeable.


    ¡°So how much XP are we getting?¡± Silver half-joked.


    ¡°Are you looking for a number? Reality can¡¯t be quantified that way.¡± Emerit laughed. ¡°Just use common sense. The ¡®XP¡¯ of anything can be estimated by asking yourself ¡®How impressive is it?¡¯. In this case, clearing the Field of Graves isn¡¯t something ordinary people could do.¡±


    ¡°How do we know when we¡¯re done?¡± Rose guided the conversation back to solid ground.


    ¡°With this.¡± Emerit held up a small, eight-sided object with the luster of a transparent pearl. ¡°Your quest stone.¡±


    ¡°You might¡¯ve heard the HEAVENLY DAO unofficially sponsors the Adventurer¡¯s Guild. This is proof.¡± Emerit playfully flipped the stone, ¡°What it provides is ¡®certainty¡¯. Whether a quest has been completed or not, it adds that information to these. This allows for missions whose success would be impractical to verify.¡±


    ¡°That seems like a ton of work. Why bother?¡± Rose asked.


    Emerit shrugged, ¡°From its perspective, it¡¯s essential. It wants its champions celebrated, hence the Wall of Legends. The quest system is an extension of that.¡±


    ¡°And this.¡± Emerit held up his adventurer¡¯s card. ¡°Is the end result.¡±


    A screen floated out and grew a hundred fold, listing a staggering amount of information. Milestones in Dungeons. Rankings in coliseums. Quests completed, sorted by rating from ¡®F¡¯ to ¡®SSS¡¯¡­ Dawn shook her head. We¡¯ve far to go.


    ¡°The authenticity is guarantied by the HEAVENLY DAO. These cards can¡¯t be faked, even with illusion magic. It doesn¡¯t end well for those who try.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s ¡®SSS¡¯?¡± Free asked. I was wondering that too. There were seven adventure ranks. From weakest to strongest, they were F, E, D, C, B, A, and S for Saint.  There¡¯s no ¡®SSS¡¯.


    ¡°While the toughest missions issued are ¡®S¡¯ rank, sometimes things don¡¯t turn out as planned. Sometimes people die¡­¡° Emerit stared off listlessly. It lasted but a moment. ¡°When an S rank quest goes wrong, it¡¯s difficulty gets upgraded ¡®SSS¡¯. By the way, there are three Ss because it¡¯s cool.¡± Right.


    Dawn saw three of those missions listed.  Is he close to immortality? If not, how many times must you risk your life?


    Emerit put the card away and held out his hand, ¡°Who wants it?¡± Everyone turned to Soul. He¡¯s the default choice for ¡®burdensome responsibility¡¯.


    ¡°Ordinarily these are picked up at reception.¡± Emerit said. ¡°In this case, I¡¯m acting on the Guild¡¯s behalf. It¡¯s fine since I technically work for them.¡± Despite his ¡®break¡¯, he sees himself as an adventurer.


    ¡°Now check your ¡®quest status¡¯ by channeling magic into it.¡±


    Soul did so and a blue screen rose up.


    QUEST: Clear the Field of Graves


    STATUS: Uncompleted


    GUILD ESTIMATED DIFFICULTY: B


    ACTUAL DIFFICULTY: ¡ª


    ¡°Why¡¯s the last one blank?¡± Rose asked.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you listen yesterday?¡± Emerit said indignantly. ¡°The HEAVENLY DAO doesn¡¯t engage in spoilers. If the actual difficulty is different, it¡¯ll update once that becomes apparent. Additional rewards will be provided in that case.¡±


    ¡°How reliable are the estimates?¡± Soul asked.


    ¡°Normally, they¡¯re pretty accurate.¡± Normally?  Dawn felt the word intentionally stressed.


    ¡°Question.¡± Free raised hand. ¡°I¡¯ve been considering what you¡¯ve taught us. Isn¡¯t unexpected adversity exciting? Doubly so in the case of ¡®main characters¡¯. If that¡¯s true, then won¡¯t this end up being harder?¡±


    Emerit clapped, ¡°Good, good. You¡¯ve got it. There¡¯s a ninety percent chance this turns out ¡®A¡¯ rank. Don¡¯t die.¡±

 [Chapter 28 part 1] Soul – The Field of Graves

    [Chapter 28 part 1] Soul ¨C The Field of Graves


    -----------------------------¡ª


    ¡°And there¡¯s your guide.¡± Emerit announced, retreating back inside. The man approaching was in his mid twenties, wearing Xarth¡¯s customary black, ¡°I¡¯m Patrick Lonshire. Are you the adventurers I¡¯m guiding?¡±


    When they jumped down and introduced themselves, Patrick looked them over with concern, ¡°Not to be rude, but aren¡¯t you extremely young? The undead don¡¯t play around.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve faced them before.¡± Soul assured him.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t though.¡± Kate muttered.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll keep you safe.¡± Silver preened. It¡¯s not often he¡¯s the more knowledgeable one.


    ¡°We¡¯re mostly familiar.¡± Soul repeated. ¡°But if you¡¯re nervous, you can wait outside of the Field of Graves.¡±


    ¡°Oh, no,¡± Patrick said quickly. ¡°This isn¡¯t about me. The undead will prioritize me last since I¡¯ve taken the oath. Only once you¡¯re all dead would I be in danger. No offense, but I¡¯ll have fled long before then.¡±


    That¡¯s a relief. They wouldn¡¯t have to protect a non-combatant.


    ¡°If everyone¡¯s prepared, we should head off.¡± Patrick suggested. ¡°I might not be as strong, but I¡¯ll get you there by midday.¡±


    ¡°Give us a minute¡­¡± Soul walked to Wise and whispered. ¡°Do you need a lift?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. Yesterday Radin corrected many basic mistakes, and my strength has nearly doubled.¡± If he says so. ¡°Also, you¡¯re focusing on the wrong person.¡± Wise glanced towards Dawn, who surveyed the scenery with revulsion. She probably considers today a self-improvement torture session.


    Soul returned to Patrick, ¡°Are there multiple routes we could take? My sister over there has developed a mild fear of heights after a nasty fall.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do what I can, but this is the Twisted Lands.¡± Patrick said. ¡°And there¡¯s no avoiding the last part. Perhaps she should stay behind?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯ll come.¡± Dawn cut in sharply.


    Soul sighed, ¡°Thanks for the advice, but we¡¯ll manage.¡± Besides, if this turns out ¡®A¡¯ difficulty, we¡¯ll need her.


    ¡°Suit yourselves.¡±  Patrick shrugged, leading them onto a beaten path at a pace no ordinary person could match. Soul was pleased to see Wise kept up without issue. What Radin did is impressive.


    They traveled from one snaking strand to another, at times running upside down, at others perpendicularly. Unsurprisingly, the vegetation is sparser below. Dawn keep her gaze focused towards her feet.


    They made good progress¡­ mostly. Dawn insisted on walking the rope bridges connecting broken strands. This hadn¡¯t been so bad at first, but then they¡¯d hit this spot. Four long gaps in succession. They were watching from the far side.


    ¡°We can¡¯t keep this up.¡± Free complained.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Patrick said. ¡°This strip feeds into the Field of Graves, eleven uninterrupted miles. Your sister will be fine until the Fold.¡±


    ¡°The fold?¡± Soul asked.


    ¡°Where the undead retreat during the day. They hate the sun.¡± We¡¯ll face that hurdle when we get there.


    ¡°Is that a griffin?¡± Light asked. Far off, a majestic creature soared towards them.


    ¡°Yes, they¡¯re common here.¡±  Patrick explained. ¡°They feed on flying kangaroos and rock bison. Look there.¡± Two-legged creatures were grazing on a grassy underside. Sensing the predator, they jumped high and glided towards a grove of trees. The winged beast dove in pursuit. They won¡¯t make it.


    Suddenly, something massive dropped down. The griffin veered away, screeching, as it swung through the kangaroos, snatching four in its multiple claws.


    ¡°A centisaur.¡± Patrick said emotionlessly. A reptilian centipede the size of a train. Soul counted at least forty legs attached to the armored body. Hanging from above, the monster eyed them as it devoured its prey. Looks troublesome.


    ¡°It isn¡¯t a threat,¡± Patrick continued. ¡°They don¡¯t attack groups this large unless they''re starving.¡±


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    ¡°How did that evolve?¡± Free was fascinated.


    ¡°Everything in the Twisted Lands needs ways to cross gaps.¡± Patrick offered.


    ¡°How do those get around?¡± Rose was peering upwards at a large herd meandering against the blue sky.


    ¡°Rock bison horns are fearsome earth magic catalysts. Hundreds gather and use telekinesis to pull strands together.¡± Patrick explained.


    ¡°Could we get closer?¡± Free asked hopefully. ¡°Also, what other¡ª¡ª¡±


    ¡°Focus, please.¡± Rose rebuked. Free relented, grinning sheepishly. Thank you. It wasn¡¯t an accident they hadn¡¯t encountered much fauna. Patrick was doing his job. Moving through that herd would be a nightmare.


    ¡°I wonder what this was like before the Fracturing.¡± Soul switched topics.


    ¡°Where we¡¯re standing would¡¯ve been above the Blue Abyss.¡± Patrick answered. I remember this. Besides lifting the crust, the HEAVENLY DAO had shrunk the oceans, deepening them. To make space.


    ¡°Is the Field of Graves visible yet?¡± Rose asked.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s at a higher elevation.¡± Patrick gestured to a far off rock face. ¡°A mile up from there. It¡¯s quite a sight.¡±


    When Dawn finally joined them, she turned back, fists clenched. ¡°Why didn¡¯t we warp?¡± She demanded. ¡°For the return trip, I admit this was unavoidable. But why couldn¡¯t we have met Patrick directly there?¡± Good question.


    ¡°That was the original plan.¡± Wise stated.


    ¡°WHAT?¡± Dawn exploded, a blast freezing the ground.


    Wise hesitated, ¡°It¡¯s Emerit¡­ He wanted to do that demonstration, so¡­¡±


    ¡°Because of the goat? That stupid goat?¡± Dawn¡¯s eyes had a crazed glint. ¡°When I get back¡­¡± Thank god he¡¯s a Saint. Good with fire too.


    ¡°Calm down.¡± Soul said. ¡°It¡¯s solid earth from here on.¡±


    With no obstacles, the scenery flew by so fast it was disorienting. The heavens were on their right, then left, then below¡­ They even disappeared entirely. This place destroys your sense of direction. Soul grew queasy and had to stare down too. Then they were running straight up, the blue ahead brightening. They broke out, climbing through an uncluttered sky.


    This particular loop rose higher than all the rest. We¡¯ll see our destination at the zenith. Slowly, a vast, rust-colored plateau came into view. It towered over the sea of green pasta. Along the edges, strands shot out and snaked down. They were on one.


    Soul saw them clearly now, millions of metal works glistening in the sun. Spears, swords, daggers, staffs, axes¡­ The Field of Graves was a relic from the Dark Age¡¯s bleakest period. In a desperate attempt to prevent the dead from rising, corpses were immediately incinerated. Nothing was left save their weapons. That proof was enshrined here.


    This site had hosted humanity¡¯s costliest confrontations. By the time the battle had moved on, the fields were littered with steel and the ground stained with blood. From that point on, until there was barely room to walk, the arms of the fallen were gathered and lain across the reddish hills.


    They slowed entering the esoteric graveyard. There was no life whatsoever, only a solemn, unnerving feeling. It drives home the numbers lost.


    ¡°Remember not to touch anything. They¡¯re cursed.¡±  Patrick warned. The blades were haunted by their wielders¡¯ regrets and remnants of the horrors they fought.


    ¡°I like it here,¡± Dawn said. She¡¯s valuing solid ground above all else.


    They made their way through the armaments. There¡¯s no rust or wear. That had to be the HEAVENLY DAO. Or perhaps it¡¯s the curses keeping them pristine. His senses felt distant screams emanating from the metal. Even after all this time¡­


    ¡°This is where we¡¯d normally meet.¡± Patrick offered, passing an open area. Now why¡¯d you do that? Dawn mouthed curses.


    ¡°You¡¯ve done this many times?¡± Soul asked.


    ¡°Four times so far.¡± Patrick replied. ¡°The place is close to Forstrand. If it isn¡¯t cleared every few years, people go missing.¡±


    This is why frontier regions remain well-populated despite the risk. Outside the safety of civilization, aging slowed. Somewhere like Forstrand would grant an extra decade. Deadlier places could provide centuries. Nothing dies of old age in the Green Hell.


    They reached a mile-wide depression where the bladed fields wrinkled and stretched leading up to a chasm in its center. Like a blanket that¡¯s been pulled into a hole.


    ¡°So this is a Twisted Land too?¡± Dawn groaned.


    Wise stopped them at the opening. Of course, he should be close enough. When he¡¯d asked for details earlier, Wise had explained that foresight was challenging in unfamiliar environments, and this place was particularly bad.


    ¡°Damn.¡± Wise said. ¡°Check our status.¡±


    QUEST: Clear the Field of Graves


    STATUS: Uncompleted


    GUILD ESTIMATED DIFFICULTY: B


    ACTUAL DIFFICULTY: A


    ¡°Thought so.¡± Wise said sadly. ¡°At least we¡¯re eight.¡± The rating was based on a four man party. Only Dawn¡¯s strength should be A rank.


    ¡°Why¡¯d it update?¡±  Patrick asked confused.


    ¡°Yes, don¡¯t keep us in the dark.¡± Rose pressed. ¡°What¡¯d you see?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a death user in there.¡± Wise spoke in a tired voice. ¡°He¡¯s summoned and strengthened many undead. His mind is pretty corrupted. We won¡¯t be able to reason with him.¡±


    Those who called undead into the world, without proper training or the oath¡¯s protection, were referred to as death users. They were invariably driven mad by their summons.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t even try reasoning.¡± Patrick reprimanded. ¡°They must be executed on sight.¡±


    ¡°This one has yet to kill.¡± Wise countered.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand how you¡¯d know that, but it doesn¡¯t matter. They always do in the end.¡± Patrick said forcefully. ¡°I hope to travel to Xarst to complete my studies. Death users give all necromancers a bad names.¡±


    ¡°Setting that aside, what will you do?¡± He asked. ¡°There¡¯s no shame in retreating.¡±


    Soul glanced around then answered, ¡°No, we¡¯ll continue. We were expecting something like this.¡±


    A gale assaulted them as they descended. Dawn was right with her guess. They were walking perpendicularly down a cave. Their eyes adjusted quickly.


    ¡°Hell no¡­¡± Dawn whispered.


    Below, or rather in front, was a vast space. The reddish, sword-covered earth had been shredded and scattered as if by a whirlwind. A thousand small islands were connected by even tinier strands, with only the center clear of debris. It looks like someone threw sand into a tube-shaped spider web. Also, it¡¯s swaying. Their surroundings undulated under the howling wind.


    ¡°You see the rock mass one mile down?¡± Patrick explained. ¡°It¡¯s a large section of the Field of Graves floating upside down. The undead congregate there.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no way¡­¡± Dawn lamented.


    (continued in part 2)

 [Chapter 28 part 2] Soul – The Field of Graves

    [Chapter 28 part 2] Soul ¨C The Field of Graves


    -----------------------------¡ª


    ¡­


    Probably not.  Soul sighed, ¡°Why don¡¯t you stay with Patrick?¡± His sister didn¡¯t have the heart to object.


    Crossing the cavern was far easier than the Helix. We don¡¯t need to jump.


    ¡°Was it alright not to bring her?¡± Kate asked once out of earshot.


    ¡°Soul¡¯s decision was correct.¡± Rose glanced back. ¡°It¡¯s almost noon. This cavern will be brightest then. If things go wrong, it¡¯ll be possible to retreat. ¡±


    ¡°Makes sense,¡± Kate said. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t help us complete our quest.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s too risky to wait.¡± Soul explained. ¡°If it gets dark enough for them to follow us¡­ We can¡¯t fight on this. They wouldn¡¯t hesitate to jump off dragging us with them.¡±


    ¡°This brings up the next and more important point¡± Kate continued. ¡°What do you know of the undead? How do you fight them? I¡¯m the only who has no idea what I¡¯m getting into.¡± Her voice vibrated with anxiety.


    ¡°Astra brought undead to Earth¡¯s End. She unfroze them one by one and had us fight until satisfied. It¡¯s likely why she selected this mission. As for dealing with them¡­¡± Soul turned to his sister. ¡°Care to step in?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡± Rose sighed. ¡°First, you¡¯ll need to prepare for their presence. They¡¯re unliving embodiments of enmity, radiating loathing. This can be overwhelming.¡±


    ¡°Next, they¡¯re cunning. The stronger an undead, the smarter it becomes. Don¡¯t be confused by their wild hostility. Their true nature is on the cold calculating side of hatred. They¡¯ll try to maneuver you into an unfavorable position, so never lose track of your surrounding. There¡¯s nothing like trying to dodge and realizing your back is to the wall.¡±


    I remember Rose¡¯s first fight with one. Intimidated, she¡¯d fought at a distance, underestimating her opponent. It¡¯d been a gruesome death.


    ¡°Finally, be wary of their adaptability and unpredictability. Undead are the opposite of newborns, who enter the world knowing nothing. They come into existence potentially knowing everything. They¡¯re formed from the abyss, which contains humanity¡¯s cumulative battle experience. Martial arts, weapon techniques, strategies, tactics¡­ Each undead comes with their own mix. Worse still, some part remains connected even after they arrive. In battle, they¡¯ll ¡®remember¡¯ what they need to win. Never get overconfident. Right, Free?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Free agreed ruefully. ¡°I¡¯ve learned the hard way that if you play around with them, they end up playing around with you.¡±


    ¡°With no pain or fear, nothing holds them back.¡± Soul added. ¡°They¡¯ll gladly sacrifice themselves if they judge it effective. Focus on ¡®disabling¡¯ blows before ¡®fatal¡¯ ones.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of killing, what¡¯s the best way?¡± Kate asked.


    ¡°I was getting to that.¡± Rose said. ¡°They can¡¯t be felled outright, but they can be exhausted if destroyed repeatedly. It¡¯s more effective if magic is used.¡±


    ¡°So similar to the strategy for necromancers?¡± Kate interpreted.


    ¡°I guess so?¡± Rose said tentatively.


    ¡°We¡¯re almost there.¡± Soul interrupted. They walked onto the upside down island cautiously. ¡°Where are they?¡±


    ¡°Half a mile away, gathered around a tent at the center.¡±


    Everyone relaxed a little. It¡¯s beautiful. The landscape was overrun by Tomb Ivy. Out of every weapon, weightless vines drifted upwards into the void. Under their multicolored glow, visibility wouldn¡¯t be an issue. The wind has dissipated too.


    ¡°We should plan.¡± Soul said. ¡°Rose?¡± It¡¯s her thing.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been working on it, but haven¡¯t had much luck.¡± Rose apologized. ¡°Any suggestions?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Wise said. ¡°I can now tell that the Necronomicon will be extremely effective, its presence blinding and disorienting them. Does that help?¡±


    Soul and Rose looked at each other. ¡°Enormously.¡± Rose laughed. ¡°Honestly, I was having trouble seeing a path to victory without Dawn. I forgot you were holding a legendary artifact.¡±


    Too bad I had to leave Diamonds Edge. An unfamiliar weapon would do more harm then good. I also don¡¯t want to wield Ethan¡¯s sword haphazardly.


    ¡°We should keep the death user alive.¡± Free offered. ¡°Normally, they¡¯d be swarming to ambush us already. However, that isn¡¯t the case. I hypothesize whatever control he has is limiting their actions, making them less dangerous.¡±


    ¡°My turn.¡± Silver said. ¡°What¡¯s his purpose here? Maybe we can leverage that.¡±


    They were somewhat taken aback. Because of his impulsiveness, we forget he¡¯s pretty sharp.


    ¡°Why I didn¡¯t consider this.¡± Rose mumbled. ¡°Wise?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s assembling a fighting force to liberate his settlement. It¡¯s located deep in the Twisted Lands and was overrun by outlaws. It¡¯s this obsession that¡¯s fueling him.¡±


    ¡°We can use this¡­¡± Rose said, mind racing.


    ¡°Well done.¡± Kate gave Silver a pat on the head. He seemed happy.


    ¡°Alright, here¡¯s what I suggest¡­¡± Rose laid out her scheme. Soul approved.


    This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    They stopped two hundred feet away. An ordinary tent was erected in a clearing next to a burnt out fire and a pile of bones. They must be hunting for him.


    ¡°He must sleep during the day.¡± Light observed softly.


    Soul nodded, concentrating on the two dozen skeletal beings. Grayish bones. Their bodies were not the remains of the deceased, but rather grudges from the Abyss given physical form. They never bothered with flesh. Bones and tendons are all they need. Most were crouched, ready to pounce. They know we¡¯re here. Dim blue light in empty eye sockets stared back.


    ¡°I see what you meant by ¡®radiating loathing¡¯.¡± Kate shivered. ¡°Is it worse up close?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Soul answered. No point sugarcoating it.


    ¡°Everyone notice those three with weapons?¡± Free observed. ¡°You know what that means.¡±


    We know. One held a pair of short swords. Another had a giant claymore on his back. The last one leaned on a silver spear. They guarded the tent.


    ¡°Stop forgetting me.¡± Kate conveyed her outrage quietly. ¡°Please explains.¡±


    ¡°Undead possess inhuman strength and prefer to tear their victims apart with their bare hands. The only reason they¡¯d ever use a weapon is because they¡¯ve inherited considerable skill with it. While we¡¯ve never faced one ourselves, Astra taught us to be wary. Those three are dangerous.¡±


    Enough hesitating. ¡°It¡¯s almost midday. Let¡¯s go.¡± Soul said.


    ¡°Good luck,¡± Wise called out. Rose¡¯s plan called for him to stay behind.


    The undead watched them motionlessly as they neared. When fifty feet away, the one with the spear slammed his weapon down three times. A middle-aged man emerged, clothes and hair ragged. He appeared drained, but a crazed determination shone in his eyes.


    ¡°Go away.¡± He yelled.


    ¡°Sorry, not possible.¡± Soul answered back. ¡°We¡¯re here to clear the Field of Graves. The safety of nearby settlements depends on it.¡±


    The man didn¡¯t listen, ¡°I don¡¯t have the patience for this. Leave. This is your final warning.¡±


    They faced off tensely. Then the death user spoke, ¡°Kill them.¡±


    With otherworldly screeches, the undead surged forwards, weaving through cursed blades. Only the three armed ones stayed behind.


    So far so good. Rose had anticipating this. If the death user was building a fighting force, he wouldn¡¯t want to risk his strongest pawns. ¡®He¡¯ll send the rabble first¡¯.


    As they fell back, Rose lobbed fireballs at the their feet, knocking them off-balance. Meanwhile, Light aimed for their legs with over-sized shurikens designed to slice off limbs. They had great effect under the cover of the pyrotechnics.


    With his armor and great sword, Soul took point. Two undead lunged at him. Sidestepping, he cleaved one in half. With his free hand, he blasted the other into a icy block. To his left, roots shot out and smash two more together, leaving them tangled. Nearby Kate and Silver were snapping bones and ripping tendons. As long as their stamina holds out, they¡¯ll be fine. The weaponless wouldn¡¯t penetrate their auras.


    Soon they¡¯d felled half their opponents. The problem is they don¡¯t stay down.  All around limbs were reattaching and bones were mending. With a loud crack, an undead burst forth from its ice prison.


    I pray whatever control they¡¯re under prevents them from organizing. They were badly outnumbered, and it¡¯d get hairy if they were flanked. Luckily, they made it to where Wise crouched without issue.


    ¡°It¡¯s time.¡± Rose shouted, and they braced themselves. We must let them overwhelm us. They abandoned crippling blows and knockbacks. Soon Soul was fending off four foes. He knew the others were struggling too.


    ¡°Wise, now!¡± Rose yelled.


    Soul didn¡¯t see their brother race forward, but he could tell by their opponents¡¯ reactions. They slinked back, shielding themselves. As predicted, the undead were dazed and confused by the Necronomicon. This is our chance. They aggressively counterattacked. Within seconds, a dozens skeletons were dismembered. The rest hovered just beyond the book¡¯s range.


    It¡¯s Free¡¯s turn.  Near Wise¡¯s hiding spot were a pile of golden stakes. Free had been making them since this morning. Impressive work for learning yesterday. They¡¯d only last another hour, another reason they couldn¡¯t delay.


    Free impaled the writhing bones with telekinesis, targeting skulls and chests. Resentful shrieks echoed. It¡¯s effective. Soul felt the resentment tethering them fade away. That¡¯s half taken care of.


    Bang. Bang. Bang. The spear-wielder again slammed the ground, louder this time. The disgruntled death user came out again. I can¡¯t believe he didn¡¯t bother watching.


    ¡°Noooooooo, my undead!¡± He cried discovering what¡¯d happened. ¡°Kill them, kill them, kill them. Don¡¯t let any get awaaaay.¡±


    The weapon-wielders shot forward, and a chill ran down his spine. They might be faster than I am. This was the reason behind the difficulty increase. Those three.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take the one with the claymore.¡± Soul moved to intercept, and his foe veered, accepting the challenge. Right before reaching him, it shortened its strides and began spinning. Within three steps, the rotation had blurred its features. On the fifth, it twisted its body and released an overhead swing.


    Damn. Soul held up his sword, one hand on the flat of the blade. The weapons clashed violently. Heavy. His feet sunk under the weight, and he barely managed to brace himself for the kick that followed. A whirlwind of strikes assaulted him as the claymore wielder danced left and right. There¡¯s no discernible pattern. Worse, the skeleton was altering its timings so he couldn¡¯t get a read.


    This is bad. If this one was so skilled, what about the others? He wanted to check, but he couldn¡¯t afford to. I have to make a move.


    Soul flash froze the ground. To its credit, even while slipping, the skeleton unleash a vicious upwards blow. However, it was slower than it should¡¯ve been and flew through empty air. Using this smallest of openings, Soul channeled a burst of magic, entrapped his opponent in ice. Without missing a beat, he swung his sword, sending its claymore and upper body flying back.


    Soul turned to assess the situation. The spear-wielder was assailing Wise. Soul was momentarily confused by the wide, off-target strikes. It¡¯s fighting blind, he realized. But that¡¯s not all. The long sweeps were forcing Wise away from the group. Since its focus isn¡¯t on killing, he should be fine.


    The one armed with short swords was fending off the rest of them. Free had taken the lead with her staff while Silver and Kate launched opportunistic attacks. Rose and Light hovered behind lobbing projectiles. They had the advantage, although the undead was doing a remarkable job weathering the onslaught. Concentrating our firepower must¡¯ve been Rose¡¯s idea.


    At a distance, the death user was pacing back and forth with the seven remaining skeletons at his side. Thank god for his lack of experience. With the Necronomicon kept at bay, the weaponless would¡¯ve been real threats. The spear-wielder¡¯s efforts are being wasted.


    Should I help them or¡­ Soul glanced back to see a thick mist congealing into a skeletal form. Reassembled already? While shapeshifting was a natural talent of the undead, not all were so adept. The speed is terrifying. Soul readied himself while it recovered its claymore. I¡¯ll focus here and trust the others. Once they¡¯d defeated the short sword undead, they¡¯d pull through somehow. I just have to hold out¡­


    ¡­Which is easier said than done. The skeleton had adjusted its stance to avoid slipping. While this had weakened its strikes, some were landing. As his armor was chipped away, Soul had an epiphany. They¡¯re employing the same strategy! The other two were distractions, giving this one the chance to take him out. It¡¯d come down to who fell first.


    Soul was estimating how long he¡¯d last when a beam of fire slammed into his opponent. One of Rose¡¯s new spells. Did they¡­? Soul¡¯s relief was short lived. Although Rose was besides him, the others were still battling. What¡¯s going on?


    ¡°Look.¡± Rose said impassively. One of the weaponless had picked up a battle axe. To the death user¡¯s delight, it was gracefully whirling it around, testing its new prowess. Crap. They¡¯d taken too long.


    (continued in part 3)

 [Chapter 28 part 3] Soul – The Field of Graves

    [Chapter 28 part 3] Soul ¨C The Field of Graves


    -----------------------------¡ª


    ¡­


    ¡°Let¡¯s retreat.¡± He said. Rose nodded. If a fifth one drew a weapon, it¡¯d be catastrophic. It¡¯s passed midday.


    Withdrawing was an arduous and demoralizing process. Fortunately, axe wielder¡¯s strength wasn¡¯t on par with the others, which allowed them to get by. The death user and his bodyguards trailed behind, cheering on.


    They¡¯d about reached the exit when the skeletons ceased their assault, throwing everybody off. It must be the death user, Soul understood. The middle-aged man was staring behind them, appearing baffled. What now?


    They turned to see Patrick walking onto the island. Dawn followed with an iron grip on his shoulders, wearing her scarf as a blindfold. This strange sight had caused the pause.


    ¡°We¡¯re there, you can uncover your eyes.¡± Patrick said.


    ¡°You sure? I swear if there¡¯s nothing under us¡ª¡ª¡±


    ¡°Please let me go. There are undead all around.¡±


    Hesitantly, Dawn took a peek, then smiled, ¡°It¡¯s beautiful.¡± Is she reacting to the tomb ivy or the solid ground?


    ¡°Better late than never,¡± Rose sighed.


    Passing Patrick, Dawn cracked her knuckles, ¡°I was worried you might finish without me. That would¡¯ve been heart-breaking. I have a LOT of built-up stress.¡±


    Dashing to their nearest foe, she ripped off its arm slammed her fist into its chest, crushing and scattering bones.


    The battle resumed, but the tide had turned. Leaving two to Dawn, Soul face off against the claymore user again, backed by Rose and Light. Their assistance let him cut the undead down, and Rose bathed it in flames while it reconstructed itself. Meanwhile, Wise got revenge on the spear wielder. Silver and Kate were dismembering their blinded foe so Free could impale it.


    The undead resisted valiantly but soon crumbled. Relieved and upbeat, everyone gathered to watch Dawn bully her opponents.


    She¡¯s using her bare hands, Soul noted. Dawn was just as capable of creating ice weapons but had deliberately chosen a less effective approach. I¡¯d pity them if they weren¡¯t malevolence incarnate.


    ¡°Should we help?¡± Free eventually asked.


    ¡°No, let her work off some steam.¡± Rose said.


    A few minutes later, Dawn was satisfied, and the two were staked. They faced the death user and remaining skeletons, but Dawn stopped them, ¡°Let me.¡±


    She formed a familiar magic circle. What is she doing? Dawn released the spell, and an enormous block of ice crushed the undead flat. That was a neat trick. He¡¯d remember.


    Alone, the death user glowered wordlessly. He understands running is useless. Soul froze his legs to be safe.


    ¡°Great job!¡±  Patrick reappeared out of hiding. He did well getting Dawn here. ¡°Completing an A rank quest at such a young age¡­ I¡¯m jealous. All that¡¯s left is finishing this man. I¡¯ll vouch for you so you can claim the reward.¡±


    ¡°Reward?¡± Soul repeated. Everyone tensed at the word.


    ¡°There¡¯s an open bounty on death users.¡± Kate explained quietly. ¡°Ten thousand gold.¡±


    Soul stomach turned. This isn¡¯t right. The man had yet to kill. While he¡¯d attempted to murder them, they¡¯d ignored his warning. His incompetence had also allowed them to survive. If he¡¯d released them all at once¡­


    ¡°I want to question him first.¡± Rose stalled. ¡°We should discover where he came from and what he was doing.¡±


    Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    ¡°Makes sense,¡± Patrick agreed.


    Rose approached the trapped man, ¡°Why were you gathering undead?¡±


    ¡°I needed them.¡± He snarled. ¡°And you destroyed them. Curse you. Curse you. Curse you. Die in agony.¡±


    ¡°Why¡¯d you need them?¡±


    ¡°I have nothing more to say. Kill me.¡± This wasn¡¯t going well. He¡¯s too far gone¡­


    ¡°Wait a minute.¡± Wise said. He walked forwards and thrust the Necronomicon into the man¡¯s chest, holding it there. The death user struggled in indignation. Then the resistance ebbed, and his eyes widened. Gradually, hostility faded from his features.


    ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve thought clearly in days¡­¡± He spoke softly. ¡°What is this book?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not important.¡± Wise said. ¡°Please tell us your story.¡±


    ¡°My name is Alan Stern. I come from Marillin.¡±


    He proceeded to spill his tale. His settlement, deep in the Twisted Lands, had been overrun by outlaws. He¡¯d come to the Field of Graves to raise a force to take it back.


    ¡°Couldn¡¯t you have reported to the Guild?¡± Kate asked. ¡°I¡¯m sure some adventurers would¡¯ve jumped at the chance for a heroic rescue mission.¡±


    ¡°Marillin is too small. It¡¯s not on any maps. I feared, without proof, the guild would hesitate to post a quest.¡±


    ¡°Besides the problem isn¡¯t simply driving off them, it¡¯s insuring everyone safety once they¡¯re gone. The area around Merillin is deadly, and all those who could fight were killed when the bandits came. If they¡¯re chased away, the village ¡ª¡ªmy family¡ª¡ª will be left at the mercy of the monsters with nowhere to escape. Do you know adventurers willing to live in the middle of nowhere? Merillin¡¯s natural resources have just been plundered. There¡¯s no compensation.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I needed the undead. They could keep Merillin safe. With five or six more weapon wielders, I might¡®ve even escorted everyone back to civilization¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s no excuse for conjuring undead.¡±  Patrick said. ¡°Even if the odds were small, you should¡¯ve kept¡ª¡ª¡±


    ¡°There was no time.¡± Alan exclaimed poignantly. ¡°Valuable herbs grow near Merillin. The outlaws found out and came to collect them. Once they¡¯re done, they¡¯ll leave. Everyone will die.¡±


    They were silent.  The situation is clear.  Faced with an impossible crisis, this man had turned to the unthinkable.


    ¡°Listen,¡± Patrick spoke solemnly. ¡°I realize you¡¯re young and don¡¯t want blood on your hands. If it¡¯d make it easier, I¡¯ll do the deed myself. You can still take the credit.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t we lock him up somewhere?¡± Free asked.


    ¡°A Death user will be executed wherever you bring him. And if we leave him here, he¡¯ll raise the dead again.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s right.¡± Alan acknowledged ¡°I may be rational now, but the corruption isn¡¯t gone, just held at bay.¡±


    What to do? Soul couldn¡¯t refute Patrick¡¯s argument, yet he rejected it with his very being. If we claim Alan¡¯s life, how will we protest when someone comes for ours? They couldn¡¯t execute him. Yet letting him go isn¡¯t viable either. Patrick would report Alan. Others would be sent, and they¡¯d wind up in trouble. We can¡¯t afford the attention! Then there was Merillin. What of the people there? Without Alan as a guide, they¡¯d never be found. Can we just leave them to die?


    ¡°Hold on.¡± Wise removed his headband. What¡¯re you doing? Soul moved to stop him, but Wise held up a hand. He stood frozen as his brother¡¯s expression contorted in pain. Before he resolved himself to act, Wise replaced the headband himself. ¡°Please lock him in an ice coffin.¡±


    Dawn did as requested. Watching, Patrick objected, ¡°We can¡¯t leave a death user alive so close to Forstrand. I won¡¯t be a party to this.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright. Astra Skyfall, the new guildmaster, will want to talk to this man. She¡¯ll come tonight. Afterwards, she¡¯ll visit Forstrand to let you know the situation has been dealt with.¡±


    ¡°How do you know this?¡± Patrick asked, uncertain.


    ¡°Allow me to step in.¡± Rose said. ¡°You may have noticed our backgrounds aren¡¯t ordinary. We¡¯re too strong for our age. There¡¯s an explanation for this. Now, what I am about to tell you is absolutely confidential. Can I have your word you¡¯ll keep it to yourself?¡±


    Patrick was taken in by the air of mystery, ¡°You can, as long as remaining silent doesn¡¯t break Guild law or endanger Forstrand.¡±


    Rose nodded. ¡°Wise here is Nero Ebonwood¡¯s chosen successor. That book, the Necronomicon, is a legendary artifact created by the Black Citadel¡¯s leader himself.¡±


    Patrick¡¯s mouth dropped. Rose would make a good necromancer. Nothing was technically a lie. Deceiving with the truth, Simon would approve.


    ¡°Like Nero, Wise possesses an incredible talent. You witnessed his foresight yourself earlier. I don¡¯t know why Astra will want to talk to this man, but if Wise says so, it must be true. So can you keep quiet about Alan and let the guildmaster handle the matter?¡±


    After contemplation, Patrick conceded. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll trust his prediction. However, if Astra Skyfall hasn¡¯t shown up by tomorrow, I¡¯ll report to the Guild.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough,¡± Rose agreed.


    At this conclusion, Wise collapsed. Dawn stared at her unconscious brother, then at the frozen death user. ¡°That decides it. Soul, cast ice coffin on me too.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± he said.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going through¡­ that again.¡± She gestured towards the island¡¯s edge. ¡°So freeze me and carry me back. I¡¯ll owe you a favor.¡±


    ¡°You sure?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely.¡±


    Seconds later, his confident sister was sealed in ice. ¡°I¡¯ll tie her to your back.¡± Free said, extending roots. Soon he wore a cold, heavy backpack. Free packaged Wise onto herself.


    Patrick waited without comment. After leading Dawn here, he¡¯s probably relieved.


    Soul brooded as they made their way back. It worked out because we were saved by Wise and Astra, but what about next time? How can I be a hero if I stand paralyzed before tough decisions? I must try harder.

 [Chapter 29 part 1] Silver – Swimming in the Sky

    [Chapter 29 part 1] Silver ¨C Swimming in the Sky


    -----------------------------


    Silver slouched in his armchair wiped out. Soul and Free did the same. At least my load wasn¡¯t encased in ice. Wise had woken midway, but his head still ached so they¡¯d let him rest. He was lying in one of the cabins. Light is in worse shape.


    ¡°I should¡¯ve taken over partway.¡± Kate commented, overflowing with energy.


    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Silver smiled. ¡°So why didn¡¯t you offer to?¡±


    ¡°Because we never stopped.¡± Kate laughed. ¡°Also, he looked heavy, and you were managing so valiantly.¡± You also knew I wouldn¡¯t get mad. It¡¯s fine though.  While Kate might take advantage of him, she¡¯d never take it too far.


    ¡°Oh, Come on. It can¡¯t have been that bad.¡± Dawn said from her seat at the table. They¡¯d unfrozen her upon returning to Exodia.


    Soul glanced over without moving, ¡°You must conquer your fears.¡±


    ¡°¡­I know.¡± His sister was fair-minded enough to realize she¡¯d been a burden. Literally in Soul¡¯s case.


    ¡°By the way, what happened to Light? Why is he in storage trapped in ice.¡±


    Right, that. Where¡¯s Rose when you need her? His sister was upstairs learning to pilot. Instead, Silver stared at his sweet heart.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Kate sighed. ¡°Light collapsed as we left the Field of Graves. We found him writhing, eyes half-closed. It was unnerving. Other than sweating profusely, he appeared uninjured. When we asked what was wrong, we got no answer. He was delirious, as if trapped in a nightmare. Panicking, we tried shaking him, which helped. He gained awareness and muttered¡ª¡ª¡±


    ¡°¡®Don¡¯t worry, I only took four¡¯¡± Free finished disdainfully. She¡¯s the one who had to lug him back.


    ¡°Four what?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s only one thing it could be.¡± Free responded.


    ¡°Weapons?¡± Dawn said in disbelief.


    ¡°Three short swords and a dagger.¡± Kate confirmed. ¡°And he wouldn¡¯t let go. When we asked why¡ª¡ª¡±


    ¡°¡¯Cursed weapons are cool¡¯¡± Free derided coldly. ¡°Once he¡¯s better, we¡¯ll have a chat. His obsessions are as problematic as a certain person¡¯s acrophobia.¡± Dawn flinched.


    ¡°At least he had the decency to wait before putting himself into a coma.¡± Soul offered. Right, if he¡¯d collapsed earlier, that would¡¯ve been bad.


    ¡°Anyway, we froze him and made our way back. The End.¡± Kate concluded. That part was an ordeal for some of us.


    ¡°So that¡¯s what I missed.¡± Dawn reflected.


    ¡°You needn¡¯t worry.¡± Free offered, head back, eyes closed. ¡°Nero said ¡®Four is still ok¡¯. Unless he¡¯s wrong ¡ª¡ªwhich I doubt¡ª¡ª, Light will recover.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s still another mess for mother to sort out¡­¡± Soul sighed, bringing out their quest stone.


    QUEST: Clear the Field of Graves


    STATUS: Completed


    GUILD ESTIMATED DIFFICULTY: B


    ACTUAL DIFFICULTY: A


    ¡°We got credit.¡± Soul said. ¡°I really should¡¯ve confirmed earlier. If we¡¯d missed some undead¡­¡±


    ¡°At least it was worth it.¡± Kate said. ¡°Having a rank A mission on your card is proof of real strength. We¡¯ll have an easier time forming parties for quests and dungeons. It also gives us bragging rights.¡±


    Silver observed his girlfriend. ¡°Say, Kate, do you have any friends?¡± He ignored the gasps and continued before Kate exploded. ¡°I¡¯m being serious.¡±


    ¡°Of course I do.¡± Kate said with mixed emotions.


    ¡°Why haven¡¯t we met them?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Kate took a deep breath. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a good idea to introduce you until you¡¯ve adjusted. Your ignorance about basic topics is a dead giveaway. This goes doubly for you, Silver. When they find out¡­ Never mind embarrassment, I¡¯m worried you¡¯d leak your identity. Believe me, they¡¯ll pry.¡±


    ¡°Sounds difficult¡­¡± At the same time, he was curious.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t they concerned you¡¯ve been missing?¡± Soul asked.


    ¡°Lily has ¡®commandeered¡¯ my services in the past. She hates bringing outsiders to the Inner Palace. That¡¯s the excuse I¡¯ve given. Have a look.¡±


    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    Kate held up her wrystal, displaying a message: Miss you. Let us know when the evil witch child has released you from your bondage. ¡ªYvonne


    ¡°Do those work here?¡± Free asked surprised.


    ¡°No, but you can check your messages.¡± Kate explained.


    Emerit popped in from above, ¡°Come up, there¡¯s something you should see.¡±


    ¡°Must we?¡± Silver didn¡¯t want to.


    Emerit grinned ferociously, ¡°I¡¯ve taken us on another detour.¡± Didn¡¯t the last one nearly kill us? He lethargically made his way up.


    ¡°Is this something I¡¯ll like?¡± Dawn asked coolly. The brewing confrontation with Emerit had been delayed for the moment. She worked off some frustration, and skipping the return trip helped.


    Emerit gestured, ¡°Behold, the Skystream, Enera¡¯s one true skyriver.¡±


    Outside was a clear flow of water running through scattered clouds. Sixty feet thick, its surface undulating gently. Must be the wind.


    ¡°This ends at the Isle.¡± Free stated. Only one skyriver traveled this high.


    ¡°I figured you deserved a reward.¡± Emerit exuded self-satisfaction.


    Silver pressed against the glass. They were near the Blue Abyss with crop fields spread out below. Calliso, the country bordering the Isle.


    ¡°This is nice and all, but we see it everyday.¡± Silver said.


    ¡°But have you swam in it?¡± Emerit responded smugly. What? Silver peered back at the drifting water.


    ¡°Is that safe?¡± Soul pressed. It sounds intimidating¡­ and exciting. Of course, Silver only felt the latter. They¡¯d learned to swim in the pond at Earth¡¯s End.


    ¡°Perfectly. Objects submerged in liquid adopt its gravity. Once you¡¯re in, you¡¯ll be pulled towards the center. It¡¯s practically impossible to fall out.¡±


    ¡°Then how do we get out?¡± Soul wasn¡¯t convinced.


    ¡°There¡¯s still rope.¡± Emerit said. ¡°Once you¡¯re on board and dried off, you¡¯ll return to normal.¡±


    Silver turned to Kate, ¡°Have you done this before?¡±


    ¡°I must admit I haven¡¯t.¡± she answered. ¡°I do know that it¡¯s done frequently and is considered safe.¡±


    ¡°Rose, park us above.¡± Emerit instructed. ¡°Then join the others and get changed. I¡¯ll meet you out back.¡± This is why Lily told us to bring swimwear.


    Soon they were ready. It¡¯s my first time seeing Kate in a bathing suit. It covered about as much as those ¡®bikini armors¡¯. She¡¯s beautiful.


    ¡°Dive in.¡± Emerit invited.


    Silver could see fields through the transparent liquid. Emerit must know what he¡¯s doing. Plus, if one of us falls, Astra will kill him. With that reasoning, he hopped in.


    It¡¯s pretty normal. He quickly surfaced and adjusted his aura to account for the chill. Around him the others were leaping in, which he ignored. Time to test something.


    He dove down at a lightning pace, manipulating friction and shaping flippers at his extremities. He then slowed and emerged on the underside. Above ¡ª¡ªtechnically below¡ª¡ª stretched Enera. The visibly was great.


    The surface broke besides him, and he was taken aback to find Dawn, ¡°I¡¯m surprised you¡¯re here.¡±


    ¡°Gravity¡¯s direction matters.¡± Dawn admired the landscape. ¡°Having open space ¡®above¡¯ isn¡¯t a problem. Besides, I confirmed with Emerit, even after exiting the water, we¡¯ll still be affected for at least a minute while we¡¯re wet.¡±


    She pointed ¡®upwards¡¯, ¡°You could jump out and you¡¯d fall right back in.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Silver contemplated. ¡°I¡¯m going to try.¡±


    He plunged down, building speed while traveling in loop. Then, with a mighty splash, he shot out. He felt himself dragged back as he soared through open air. I might make it thirty feet. He was pretty satisfied with his effort. However, at the high of his trajectory, something unexpected happened. The force pulling him faded at the same time as his momentum. He was left suspended and weightless. What¡¯s going on? While puzzling it out, the water on him froze, and he was yanked towards the skyriver, crashing next to Dawn.


    He found his sister shaking her head, ¡°This is my fault for putting ideas in your head. One day, you¡¯ll get yourself killed.¡±


    ¡°What happened?¡± Silver was perplexed. Did I misunderstand?


    ¡°Notice those crops.¡± Dawn gazed up. ¡°That means it rains here. This skyriver¡¯s gravity field is narrow. Outside of it, water falls normally.¡±


    Ah, I get it. ¡°So if I¡¯d jumped a little higher¡ª¡ª¡±


    ¡°¡ª¡ªYou would¡¯ve ¡®rained¡¯ to the ground.¡± Dawn finished. Sounds scary.


    ¡°That nearly gave me a heart attack.¡± Kate said, swimming up. His stunt had attracted everyone¡¯s attention.


    ¡°You nearly escaped the skyriver¡¯s pull,¡± Emerit laughed, joining in. ¡°Pretty impressive. I might¡¯ve had to save you.¡±


    ¡°Wait, if you¡¯re here, who¡¯s piloting Exodia?¡± Soul asked.


    ¡°I let her drift.¡± Emerit said confidently. ¡°I can fly when I need to. Not as fast as Lily, but I can catch you if you fall.¡±


    The others relaxed. He should¡¯ve mentioned this earlier. The thought was interrupted by a wave pouring over him. Kate had starting a splashing war, and the others joined in one by one as they were caught in the crossfire. Then Dawn got blasted by Free.


    With a sneer, his sister extended her hands and the surface warped around her. They all sunk while she rose to tower over them. That¡¯s right, ice is just frozen¡ª¡ª  A wall of water crashed down, ending the fight.


    ¡°You¡¯re terrible at holding back.¡± Free complained as she surfaced. ¡°Anyone know other games? Maybe ones less unfair¡­¡±


    ¡°I do.¡± Emerit, who¡¯d been on the sidelines, chimed in. ¡°Silver reminded me of one I played in the past. ¡®Who-can-fly-the-farthest¡¯ we called it. Pardon the lame name. Anyway, let me show you how it¡¯s done.¡±


    He disappeared, and, seconds later, exploded out at a forty degree angle. They watched him soar out of view as he was pulled into a low orbit around the skyriver. Awesome. He landed ten feet shy of a full revolution. ¡°So that¡¯s it.¡± He explained. ¡°For the record, I held back. When my friends and I did this at an underground river, it had a larger gravity field. I won with a record six hundred feet.¡±


    ¡°By the way,¡± Emerit glanced at Dawn and Soul, ¡°no using telekinesis to extend airtime. Keep this fair.¡±


    Although Silver was gung ho to start, the others hesitated. ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Emerit reassured. ¡°When you¡¯re jumping at an angle, you¡¯re unlikely to escape the skyriver¡¯s pull.¡±


    Soon they were sailing around, one after another. It¡¯s the most fun I¡¯ve had in a while. His attempts got better and better until he was completing half revolutions. As soon as he¡¯d landed, he¡¯d swim to begin his next attempt. The feeling of gliding through the sky was amazing.


    Much to Dawn¡¯s frustration, the ultimate winner was Soul. Her angles weren¡¯t aggressive enough. Timidity cost her victory. They would¡¯ve kept going if Emerit hadn¡¯t fetched Exodia.


    ¡°I have another rare treat for you.¡± Emerit leaned serenely on the railing while they dried on deck. ¡°Look there, on the horizon. That¡¯s the Leviathan.¡±


    (continued in part 2)

 [Chapter 29 part 2] Silver – Swimming in the Sky

    [Chapter 29 part 2] Silver ¨C Swimming in the Sky


    -----------------------------


    ¡­


    Partly obscured by the curve of the planet, a row of landmasses were bobbing in and out of the view. So the tooth came from that thing.


    ¡°It¡¯s a marvel, even among the HEAVENLY DAO¡¯s creations. A living creature fifty three miles long.¡± Emerit continued. ¡°It¡¯s composed of magic built up over millennia. All this power is devoted to sustaining its own weight. Extrapolating with simple physics, it¡¯s spinal column is the toughest material on Enera.¡±


    The monstrous beast slowly crossed the Blue Abyss. It must be unstoppable. The worm from this morning was an ant in comparison. No less than that.


    ¡°Has it ever attacked?¡± Soul inquired.


    ¡°Just once.¡± Emerit said. ¡°Long before the Dark Age, there existed a nation called Atlantis. Its rulers pursued a particularly vile magic: wide scale mind control. I¡¯m talking about the manipulation of their entire population. Controlling the beliefs, loyalties, and emotions of their subjects has been an ambition of tyrants since the time immemorial. Rebellion ¡ª¡ªor even dissent¡ª¡ª would become inconceivable. The Atlantean leadership fulfilled this dream by developing an enchantment which robbed their people of free will. In so doing, they exposed this world¡¯s one and only taboo.


    ¡°The HEAVENLY DAO will tolerate just about anything, the worst of crimes and the most terrible of wrongs, as long as it fits the narrative. It might even forgive mind control on an individual level. However, what Atlantis did crossed a line. If the use of its enchantment spread, it might be possible to manipulate mankind¡¯s collective unconscious, thereby affect the HEAVENLY DAO itself. This couldn¡¯t be permitted.¡±


    ¡°The HEAVENLY DAO sent the Leviathan against them. The beast took out their capital in a single bite and sunk half the country. No one has attempted to reproduce their work since.¡±


    ¡°That lumbering titan isn¡¯t a threat. Like Siegfried, it¡¯s an agent of the HEAVENLY DAO. It did nothing during the Dark Age and will do nothing during the next one. It simply exists because it¡¯s cool.¡±


    Light will be so disappointed when he finds out. The regret would be a better punishment than anything they could come up with. Hopefully, it¡¯d cause him to reflect. He doesn¡¯t have the excuse I do. Silver sighed remembering his jump. He felt horrible every time he nearly killed himself. If only I¡¯d been apprehensive¡­ Other people didn¡¯t know how lucky they were.


    Silver¡¯s exhaustion hit him full force once he entered the cabin, and he plopped himself down. It¡¯s amazing what adrenaline can do. Rose, still full of energy, addressed Emerit at the controls, ¡°You said the HEAVENLY DAO hates spoilers. So how did it increase our quest¡¯s difficulty? Alan¡¯s village was attacked two weeks ago. Wouldn¡¯t it have had to peek ahead?¡±


    Emerit lit up. He loves this. ¡°An intriguing query. As I see it, there are two ways it might¡¯ve played out. Bear in mind this is based on second hand accounts from those who¡¯ve spoken with agents.¡±


    ¡°The first possibility is the HEAVENLY DAO did indeed ¡®read ahead¡¯. While agents like Siegfried are limited to the present, not so the deity. It¡¯s capable of observing an entire adventure before it begins. There¡¯s nothing spoilery about reading a book two weeks before its published. If this was what happened, then you all were fated to return safely. When the HEAVENLY DAO spices up a concluded tale, it makes certain to keep its conclusion intact.¡±


    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡°The second possibility ¡ª¡ªand the more likely one¡ª¡ª is the past was altered. Apparently, for really entertaining content, the HEAVENLY DAO doesn¡¯t peer ahead. In your case, it must¡¯ve found out about your quest when Astra selected it. It then went back and arranged for Alan to be there.¡±


    ¡°So it can make broad changes that far back?¡± Rose confirmed. It is a god.


    ¡°It can, because the way it alters history circumvents paradox entirely.¡± Emerit grinned. ¡°This¡¯ll be technical, but you asked.¡±


    ¡°The HEAVENLY DAO exists outside Enera and doesn¡¯t physically travel back like necromancers do. Instead it simulates a new timeline in the Ether and makes the adjustments it desires. Once satisfied, it then copies the changes onto reality. In your case, Alan needed to be teleported to the Field of Graves and his memories altered. The bandits had to be moved and their recollection tweaked. And so on. Like Sola, it¡¯s capable of raising the dead if needs be.¡±


    Doesn¡¯t that mean it killed the outlaws¡¯ ¡®victims¡¯ and planted their corpses? Not a reassuring thought.


    ¡°For the HEAVENLY DAO, the limiting factor is the cost rewriting reality. It can fairly easily play around with isolated locations such as the deep Twisted Lands. Changing events like Arther¡¯s death is a different story.¡±


    Silver was confused but had no desire for clarification. The time travel habits of gods don¡¯t interest me.


    ¡°Leaving aside the ¡®how¡¯, this means people at Alan¡¯s settlement died because of the HEAVENLY DAO.¡± Soul said. This would bother him.  ¡°Isn¡¯t that evil?¡±


    ¡°Maybe not as much as you¡¯d think.¡± Emerit responded. ¡°You must compare both outcomes to pass judgment. People perished at Alan¡¯s settlement, true. But because he came into contact with you, the rest will likely be saved.¡±


    ¡°Now consider the old time line. Those outlaws are still murderous villains. They¡¯ll attack somewhere else, leaving no survivors. Overall, more end up dead.¡±


    ¡°To further complicate things, it¡¯s possible we¡¯re considering this from the wrong angle. Alan¡¯s escape was itself an improbable event. Perhaps the HEAVENLY DAO upgraded the difficulty by saving his life, allowing him to reach the Field of Graves. In that case, it killed no one.¡±


    Emerit shook his head, ¡°It¡¯s impossible the judge a god. It¡¯s not even worth trying. That said, everyone strap in.¡±


    Strap in? Silver looked down. He must mean these. Seat belt harnesses had been added during the remodeling. Why are we doing this? He wondered, buckling himself in. The skies are clear.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Soul asked.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you know? This airship, Exodia, is really something special. Top of the line. Although ancient, its specs are ridiculous.¡±


    They looked at each other. ¡°So what?¡±


    ¡°You see, I used to race.¡± Emerit¡¯s gleeful smile had developed a sinister vibe. ¡°It¡¯s been ages, but right under us is the ¡®Wine Trench¡¯ which has become famous recently¡­ Basically, we¡¯re going to find out what this ship can do.¡±


    I¡¯m fairly certain this should be terrifying. One look at his pale siblings confirmed the notion.


    ¡°Ready? Here we go!¡± Emerit cried as the ship pitched forward and dropped. Below was a black chasm. ¡°This gorge connects to a skyriver four miles down. The rock walls are close and irregular. It¡¯s a thrilling run.¡±


    They entered darkness at breakneck velocity. Once Emerit turned on the floodlights, they watched the narrow, uneven cliffs race by. Exodia expertly danced left and right dodging outcroppings.


    ¡°Astra will kill you if you damage this ship!¡± Rose yelled. This is the most panicked I¡¯ve ever seen her. Is she afraid of heights too?


    ¡°What happens will happen!¡± Emerit laughed, lost to reason. ¡°Oh, this next bit is fun.¡±


    The ship began spiraling in a tight circle. What¡¯s he doing? Looking ahead, Silver saw the stone walls came together everywhere except for one opening barely wider than the ship. We¡¯re going to die, he concluded calmly. They plunged into the passage.


    ¡°This is called the ¡®corkscrew¡¯.¡± Emerit explained. ¡°Three full revolutions in a downward spin.¡±


    Outside, rocks flew by in a blur. Silver might¡¯ve enjoyed himself if not for the dread on his siblings faces. That should make me angry.


    ¡°And we¡¯re out!¡± Emerit announced with panache.


    The airship slowed and turned upright. They were inside a cave lit by glowing purple mushrooms, another skyriver flowing tranquilly besides them.


    It¡¯s over, Silver breathed with disappointment and relief. A realization struck him. What about Dawn? His sister was literally frozen solid. The seat belt hadn¡¯t been enough, so she¡¯d anchored herself with a layer of ice.


    ¡°Emerit?¡± Dawn spoke softly. Oh boy is she upset¡­


    (continued in part 3)

 [Chapter 29 part 3] Silver – Swimming in the Sky

    [Chapter 29 part 3] Silver ¨C Swimming in the Sky


    -----------------------------


    ¡­


    ¡°Ah, yes.¡± Emerit answered, scratching his head. He knows it too.


    ¡°I now hate you. There¡¯ll be retribution for this. I¡¯ll find your deepest, darkest fear, and then, when you least expect it, I¡¯ll send you to the depths of hell.¡± She looked him in the eye, ¡°I¡¯ll have my revenge.¡±


    Emerit nodded, ¡°Fair enough.¡±


    As Dawn retreated downstairs, Rose approached the cockpit and spoke in a pretty voice laced with spite, ¡°Could I take over? I feel the need to practice. In fact, I¡¯d like to pilot us all the way back.¡±


    Emerit raised his hands and vacated the seat, ¡°Alright, alright¡­ Just follow the Delrune. It¡¯s the skyriver which runs under the Isle.¡±


    ¡°That was exhilarating.¡± Free chimed in. Everyone looked in bewilderment, to which she smiled. ¡°I mean, I sort of figured we¡¯d be safe. There¡¯s no way that Sola¡¯s clone could die in something as idiotic as an airship crash. The HEAVENLY DAO would make Emerit drop dead from a heart attack before it¡¯d let that happen. Am I right?¡± Ah, there¡¯s the venom.


    ¡°That might be true¡­¡± Emerit replied awkwardly. If Wise had been awake, he¡¯d never have gotten away with this.


    ¡°Emerit¡­¡± It was Soul¡¯s turn. ¡°What were the chances of us crashing?¡±


    ¡°I was ninety-nine percent confident we¡¯d make it through unharmed.¡± Emerit declared.


    ¡°So there WAS a one percent chance of death.¡± Kate exploded. ¡°I¡¯m so disappointed¡­¡± It¡¯s working.  He¡¯s sweating now.


    Although not bothered, Silver felt the need to pile on. He¡¯d show solidarity by saying something impactful. To get through to Emerit¡­ What would work on Light? Inspiration hit him. With all the gravitas he could muster, he said, ¡°Gambling with the lives of others is uncool.¡±


    This hit Emerit like a body blow. He collapsed, ¡°Enough¡­ I surrender.¡±


    ¡°Honestly, I knew it wasn¡¯t rational. I haven¡¯t raced in so long and this ship is so spectacular¡­ I simply couldn¡¯t resist. I didn¡¯t warn you because I knew you¡¯d talk me out of it. Forgive me.¡±


    It¡¯s his abnormality, Silver realized. Just like Light felt compelled to take those weapons, Emerit had to dive into that chasm.


    Outlandish characters captured the imagination and had an advantage in achieving immortality. For this reason, personality quirks weren¡¯t discouraged at the Adventurer¡¯s Guild, and most who reached the level of Saint were slightly unbalanced. Some more than others.


    They were well set in this regard, except for Kate. She¡¯s the ¡®normal¡¯ one. Sure, she was miserly and had feline features, but neither was truly unique. Reflecting, she has me as a boyfriend. I imagine that¡¯s enough to push her into abnormal territory. Silver nodded and smiled.


    ¡°The one you should be concerned with is Dawn.¡± Soul said. ¡°She holds grudges.¡±


    ¡°I believe you,¡± Emerit declared. ¡°Unfortunately for her, there¡¯s nothing I fear. Her efforts will come to naught.¡± He recovers quickly. The rest of them gave each other a knowing glance. He¡¯s underestimating her. They knew how foolish this was. Emerit will learn too, with time.


    ¡°Is that daylight?¡± Rose asked. Ahead was a bright opening. But we¡¯re four miles down¡­


    ¡°That¡¯s a light funnel bloom.¡± Emerit explained smugly. ¡°There was a purpose in bringing you underground. In front of us is Nirvan. Spiral city is part of this kingdom.¡±


    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t excuse your means of getting us here.¡± Soul retorted. Whatever, we¡¯ll finally witness Inner Enera!  He¡¯d seen images, but that was never the same.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine to go out?¡± Silver didn¡¯t wait for a response.


    Exodia sailed into a space stretching to the horizon. Silver glanced up and blinded himself. So sunny! He tried again, squinting. Vines of light covered the cavern ceiling. I shouldn¡¯t look directly.


    Farm compounds littered the grasslands below, intersected by groves of trees. Silver counted eleven distinct land masses, each fixed at different elevations. Some touched while others were separated by bottomless ravines. Far south, a city overflowed from the highest plateau. The population grew too much.


    Hundreds of bridges, elevators, and windy cliff roads connected the scattered land. The narrow gaps were paved over entirely while the wider ones were walled off with ramparts. Gargoyles lined these fortifications. Defense mechanisms.


    Over there too. Drakes and wyverns were perched on the crenelations of the city¡¯s highest tower, with more circling nearby. Although the ¡®sky¡¯ around them was clear, in the distance airships plodded along with the occasional winged escort.


    I want one. It¡¯d be fun to explore Enera on a drake, and Astra had given them a small fortune. Once we¡¯ve dealt with the bounty¡­


    ¡°Lovely.¡± Dawn said from the deck¡¯s center. ¡°A pity Rose isn¡¯t here.¡± Is she getting braver? Normally she¡¯d have stayed inside. Together with her decision to swim, her tolerance was gradually increasing.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Soul responded. ¡°The pilot seat has fantastic displays. Magnification too. I bet she¡¯s having a blast.¡±


    ¡°On a serious note¡­¡± Free glanced furtively at the cabin, before whispering. ¡°We must warn Astra of Emerit¡¯s ¡®impulses¡¯. I suspect he was restraining himself due to our presence. There¡¯s no telling what he might do next time. She can¡¯t lend him Exodia again!¡±


    They all agreed, while also deciding to downplay Emerit¡¯s transgression. The man had otherwise done a decent job. Remarkably, Dawn was on board too. She¡¯ll handle her retribution personally.


    Leaving the others to their discussions, Silver made his way up front. Can we see the Isle from here? Tracing the Delrune, he found a wall of marine blue. The Blue Abyss.


    ¡°What¡¯d you think?¡± Kate came up behind.


    ¡°I¡¯m wrapping my head around it, the fact that all those spiraling shadows lead to places like this¡­¡± Silver turned. ¡°It must be a familiar sight for you.¡±


    ¡°I was born underground.¡± Kate nodded melancholically. ¡°I first saw the sky when Arther brought me to the Isle.¡± Her village was wiped out shortly before that.


    ¡°Does all of Inner Enera look like this?¡± Silver asked.


    ¡°Oh, no.¡± Kate leaned on the rails. ¡°That¡¯s a silly question. The HEAVENLY DAO would never engage in uniformity.¡±


    She gestured broadly, ¡°The environments down here are carefully crafted phenomenons. The initial light funnel appeared six months after the Fracturing. They continued popping up all over every few weeks. Only a hundred years later did the process slow. Even now, every decade or so, a new biome is born deep within Enera.¡±


    ¡°Multiple factors determine what shape life takes: the type and power of the bloom, the size of the vent, the surrounding air and water flows¡­ Climate has nothing to do with geographic location. There¡¯s a tropical region not far from the Black Citadel.¡±


    Kate scanned the landscape, ¡°This one¡¯s pretty tame as far as they go, especially compared to the lower Twisted Lands.¡± Silver detected pride in her words. She knows this topic. Kate was comfortable under this rocky ¡®sky¡¯.


    One day I must learn more about her past. For now, he asked, ¡°Before, what¡¯d you mean by ¡®size of the vent¡¯?¡±


    Kate pointed up. ¡°The holes light funnels travel through are called vents. On the surface, heat can escape into the atmosphere, but that¡¯s not true here. Without vents, the blooms would bake us alive.¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡± His attention had been captured by a stream which ended in a waterfall. Why isn¡¯t it flowing up to the skyriver?


    Kate noted his curiosity, ¡°The gravity of water is nearly always down near surfaces, so rain can fall. It¡¯s also why skyrivers travel along chasms.¡±


    ¡°Of course, there are exemptions.¡± Kate smiled slyly. ¡°I haven¡¯t experienced it myself, but apparently everyday life becomes interesting when the gravity of liquids is different from your own.¡±


    The Demon World is like that, Silver remembered. In places under the Blue Abyss, lava flowed into the watery ¡®sky¡¯ and rocks rained down.


    Silver noticed a sunken area covered with a pyramid of dense cloud. Only along the edge were the tips of trees visible.


    ¡°What¡¯s with the haze?¡± He asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s a Misty Swamp. They¡¯re common wherever there are steam vents.¡± Kate explained. ¡°They¡¯re impossibly dank and no one lives there.¡±


    ¡°Steam vent?¡± He repeated stupidly.


    Kate shook her head, ¡°All Passageways which carry heat up through Enera are called vents. Steam vents release humid air from the boiling rivers and seas of the new crust.¡±


    I see. Silver looked at the billowing fog, then at the bloom above. ¡°How does the weather work here anyway?¡±


    Kate froze, adopting a deadpan expression, ¡°I don¡¯t even understand how weather works on the surface.¡± Right, enough. Kate was tiring.


    Also, we¡¯re nearly back. Ahead, the skyriver they¡¯d swam in and the one they were following flowed together and spiraled into the Blue Abyss.

 [Chapter 30] Lily – Burning the Worm

    [Chapter 30] Lily ¨C Burning the Worm


    -----------------------------


    ¡°I¡¯m bored.¡± Lily gazed at the Isle¡¯s shadow on the Blue Abyss. The sun had just risen, and she was sitting on the Inner Palace¡¯s docks, feet dangling over a bottomless drop. Technically, only eight miles. If one fell here, they¡¯d plummet straight to the new crust. Heights mean nothing once you can fly.


    ¡°Wake me up when she gets close.¡± Yawning, Lily fell back and closed her eyes.


    ¡°Is that why you brought me? To be your lookout?¡± Lily peeked to see an irate, grouchy Kate. She¡¯d woken her daughter without explanation and dragged her here. Hehe, I¡¯m a bad person.


    Kate was mostly right. Lily didn¡¯t know when Astra would arrive and had no desire to waste time scanning for her. It was common sense for immortals to offload menial tasks. Of course, helpers were normally rewarded. Lily often forgot with Kate. It¡¯s a bother.


    ¡°Remind me to compensate you for this.¡± Lily relaxed.


    Kate was partly to blame. She¡¯s fun to tease and way too forgiving. Lily almost unconsciously took advantage of her. That¡¯s why Silver¡¯s words had stung so hard. They made me flee. Lily didn¡¯t like thinking too deeply. Unpleasant thoughts would invariably creep up.


    I become immortal too young. It wasn¡¯t just her physical form. Every child had fantastical dreams of their adult selves. For Lily, these aspirations would never fade. Her naive, idealized version of herself was always there, right under the surface, to remind her of what she¡¯d never be.


    The Dark Age had let her rack up accomplishments quickly. Reaching the wall at the unthinkable age of twelve. Appearance played a powerful role in shaping a person¡¯s sense of self, the reflection in the mirror always on one¡¯s mind. Behaving maturely looking like this¡­  She silently cursed the HEAVENLY DAO for the billionth time.


    ¡°Can you at least explain what I¡¯m waiting for?¡±


    ¡°Keep your eyes on the horizon. You¡¯ll know when you see it.¡±


    Astra was the cause of this. She¡¯d warped to the Twisted Lands last night with Legonas to clean up the leftover mess. Lily had agreed to await her return at daybreak. I did these favors for Arther too.


    Lily winced. Again. Arther¡¯s death was an aching sorrow which pierced her at every reminder. The Isle felt empty. Even as her ¡®children¡¯ came and went, he¡¯d always been there, a pillar among changing tides. Now that millennia-spanning friendship was gone. Losing something so basic, something you took for granted¡­ the grief was paralyzing. HEAVILY DAO, give me a chance to burn that man, and I promise to curse you less.


    ¡°I see something.¡± Kate said.


    Rousing herself, Lily enhanced her vision. She¡¯s back. Astra was racing across the Blue Abyss leaving a trail of ice behind. It¡¯s crazy every time I see it. That body of water was dangerous even for immortals, yet her comrade chose to travel its surface. I guess for someone excelling in martial arts, running is faster than flight¡­ Although she¡¯s moving slowly on purpose this time.


    Lily got up and stretched. What shall I use? Lightning was a no-go due to the water¡­ Should I feed it salamanders and cook it from the inside? No, too elaborate. It¡¯d be a pain to summon that many. If she was facing a stationary target, it¡¯d be easy. She¡¯d just drop a meteor and be done. She pondered. You know what, for a worm, a ball of fire should be enough.


    This was what she¡¯d been roped into. The giant beast Emerit had reported needed to die. Astra had announced she¡¯d lead it to the Isle and Lily would fry it. It was a sound plan, so she hadn¡¯t objected.


    On the cliff around her, red magic circles began appearing. For large scale casting, it was important to anchor yourself. That done, time to construct the containment sphere.


    ¡°Godly Reach.¡± Lily activated her first Sublime Vagary. Thanks to the foolishness of youth, the entire world knew so she never bothered hiding her trump cards. Lily felt the world shrink as her senses sharpened. She channeled so hard the air trembled, and dozens more circles appeared three hundred feet out. They arranged themselves into an enormous glowing globe. Now to fill it. Flames streamed inward, converging into a fiery mass.


    Astra was closer. With her enhanced awareness, she felt the thing chasing her under the waves. It¡¯s massive. While trusting Emerit, she hadn¡¯t fully grasped its size. I aimed for overkill, but it¡¯ll barely be enough.


    Evaluating, Lily glanced back a Kate, who stood nervous and confused. Showing off in front of my daughter every once and a while isn¡¯t a bad idea.


    ¡°Infinity Engine.¡± Lily spoke her second ability. Her channeling grew from a stream to a river, and the flames pouring out became torrents. Her circles were pushed back as a miniature sun formed besides the Isle.


    Lily sensed Astra had nearly arrived. I must prepare the trigger. While she¡¯d love to throw her pyrotechnics right at the creature, the shockwave would cause damages. This must be a controlled detonation.  Lily concentrated and materialized enormous symbol-filled disks on her side of the wild ball of magic. Layered on one another, they rotated in sync. Perfect.


    Below, Astra leap, spreading icy wings. A second later her pursuer splashed out. That worm could swallow a palace wing. It honestly made no sense for something that size to bother hunting Astra or airships. The HEAVENLY DAO is to blame.  When the Blue Abyss was transformed into a death zone, all its denizens were gifted a compulsion to hunt intruders. Having drawn the beast out, Astra swerved towards the Isle. Nice job.


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    Lily released her magic as Astra dodged. A brilliant beam of yellow shot into the gaping mouth. The colossal body began to glow, flames bursting out in several places. Whatever brain it had possessed must have roasted because its maw never closed as Lily¡¯s sun emptied into it. She observed the blazing carcass crash back with satisfaction. Giant fins were already circling. They¡¯ll have consumed it within the hour.


    This was when Lily realized that, despite her anchoring, she was moving. What? Impossible! Pivoting, she discovered the hangar perfectly still except for her daughter wavering back and forth with a stunned look. Oh, it¡¯s the Isle that¡¯s swaying. The range of movement was about two feet.


    Apart from the new crust far below, earthquakes no longer plagued Enera. Instead a new phenomenon had risen: swaying. Battles between immortals or powerful sustained winds would cause smaller land masses to pendulum. However, normally a piece of land the size of the Isle should never move.


    I just doomed hundreds of thousands to nausea. Lily sighed. This was because she¡¯d given in to her impulses. Damn it, this never happened on the old Earth. She should¡¯ve flown down and anchored herself lower. It¡®s too late now. While there was no limit to how long she could use Infinity Engine, two separate activations would leave her catatonic. It wasn¡¯t worth it for a problem that¡¯d solve itself shortly.


    This leaves a serious issue. Lily wasn¡¯t particularly good with motion sickness. Several hours of this would definitely make her ill. I need an excuse to get off-Isle immediately. She faced Kate, ¡°Hope hasn¡¯t visited the Shrines of the Lost or Calin¡¯s Keep, correct?¡±


    ¡°No, none of them have.¡± Kate responded.


    ¡°Perfect. Find everyone and tell them to gather at the gondola. I¡¯ll meet you there after speaking with Astra.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Kate nodded. ¡°And thank you for letting me see that. It was very cool.¡±


    ¡°You''re welcome.¡± Lily said awkwardly, watching her go. I just wanted a lookout though¡­ Well, if the girl was happy, she¡¯d gladly take credit. Now to escape.


    ¡°Let¡¯s talk on the Helix.¡± Lily called out as Astra arrived. Without waiting, she shot into the sky. Sailing passed the Rose Palace, she found a good-sized rock to land on. Below, the ground undulated back and forth.


    ¡°Maybe don¡¯t shake the Isle if you can¡¯t deal with the fallout.¡± Astra stated, joining her.


    She winced, ¡°It was larger than expected. I went overboard and forgot to take the extra force into account¡­¡±


    They observed the rocking Isle. A crowd which had gathered to spectate the feasting sharks, otherwise there were few people on the surface. They¡¯re traveling lower to where the swaying is lessened. Others were fleeing on airships.


    ¡°At least there haven¡¯t been mishaps on the docks.¡± Astra commented. The top mile was looking increasing desolate.


    Sarah is going to give me an earful, isn¡¯t she?  Lily thought glumly, imagining the meeting. On the plus side, this is probably making her life hell. That warmed her heart.


    ¡°Anyway, besides this,¡± Astra motioned towards the scenery. ¡°Good job.¡±


    Lily groaned, ¡°Thanks, I guess. How were things on your end?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all wrapped up. I took care of the outlaws at Alan¡¯s settlement and left Legonas to escort the survivors. I also stopped by Forstrand and thanked Patrick. The only difficulty was luring that bloody worm. I had to run around for a solid hour.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Something else chased me first.¡± Astra explained listlessly. ¡°Something fast and deadly. I had to lead it away otherwise my prey wouldn¡¯t have shown itself.¡±


    Lily took her word for it. Spending that much time on the surface still seems like madness. ¡°So Legonas is on another thankless rescue mission?¡±


    ¡°Yes, as soon as he heard, he jumped at the opportunity, no hesitation. His selflessness really is¡­¡± Astra shook her head. ¡°I stumbled on his backstory among Arther¡¯s crystals¡­ I¡¯m not sure anything can be done about it.¡±


    ¡°Care to share?¡± Legonas¡¯s abnormal behavior was famous enough that even Lily had heard of it.


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think I can.¡± Astra apologized.


    Too bad.  ¡°About Alan Stern¡­ Did you let him live?¡±


    ¡°Yes. The man hadn¡¯t done anything unforgivable. As for the corruption, Radin pointed me to an amulet with an effect comparable to Nero¡¯s book. He¡¯s been reunited with his family.¡±


    Lily listened quietly, frowning. She¡¯d only heard about two death users being spared. Both lived out their lives under supervision in research facilities. Even if caught before they murdered, corrupt souls were difficult to cleanse. What¡¯s more, even then, the problem isn¡¯t solved. The power of commanding the undead was somehow irresistible to those who hadn¡¯t taken the oath. If not monitored, former death users always returned to their old ways.


    The price of letting one live is too high. Left alone long enough, a death user would eventually transform into an abomination. With their soul tainted by the abyss, they¡¯d grow rapidly in strength by ¡®remembering¡¯, similar to the undead. Every few centuries one of these emerged from the wilderness, and hundreds of thousands died. Preventing this is why the bounty exists.


    ¡°It¡¯s a mistake. While I sympathize with his circumstances, Alan must be killed. If you¡¯d like, I¡¯ll do it myself.¡±


    If Alan raised more undead and there were casualties, the scandal would damage Astra¡¯s credibility. If the incident is investigated and the children¡¯s role comes to light¡­ In the eyes of the world, they¡¯d have blood on their hands. There¡¯d be no saving them then. She has to know this.


    To her surprise, Astra smiled, ¡°Alan¡¯s days as a death user are over. I used a Sublime Vagary on him. It¡¯s why I had to travel myself.¡±


    What? Astra possesses something which can control others? How did that happen?  Those abilities needed a legend or experience to form around. Lily couldn¡¯t think of anything that¡¯d explain it.


    ¡°How can you be sure he won¡¯t raise the dead?¡±


    ¡°Because he¡¯ll perish if tries. I made that clear.¡±


    So it¡¯s a type of curse? That¡¯s still powerful¡­ ¡°Since when have you had this?¡±


    ¡°Since the Dark Age. We never shared our non-combat Sublime Vagaries.¡±


    That¡¯s true, but it¡¯s still frustrating. ¡°Tell me this at least, how many do you have now?¡±


    ¡°Four.¡± Astra answered smugly. She¡¯s enjoying this.  ¡°Three combat-related.¡±


    So she does have a new one. Lily pouted, ¡°That¡¯s not fair. I only have the two.¡±


    ¡°You can summon a dragon god.¡± Astra console her.


    ¡°That¡¯s for taking out armies! It takes days and is useless for one on one fights.¡± Lily snapped back. That¡¯s not entirely true, but I¡¯m keeping that ace up my sleeve. ¡°Anyway, considering your role as Guildmaster, can you really afford to be gallivanting the globe on personal missions?¡±


    ¡°Dealing with that creature was more than enough justification.¡±


    True, Lily admitted bitterly. Astra would come out of this looking good. The outlook was less rosy for her. Nausea was a miserable experience. Overall, the impact should still be positive.


    ¡°Unless there¡¯s anything else, I¡¯m going to go greet regional branch leaders.¡± Hearing nothing, Astra departed. Lily watched her fading figure. Time to play tour guide.

 [Chapter 31 part 1] Hope – Visiting The Shrines of the Lost

    [Chapter 31 part 1] Hope ¨C Visiting The Shrines of the Lost


    -----------------------------


    I¡¯m not jealous. High above the Blue Abyss, Kate was regaling everyone with the tale of Lily¡¯s pyrotechnics. Below the gondola, the last of the supposed monster was being devoured. At least I got to see the sharks.


    So apparently she¡¯d missed out on quite a lot recently. While her exclusion from their first quest hadn¡¯t bothered her much at first, Free had done an excellent job selling the experience when she¡¯d dropped by yesterday. Running through tangled strips of land, battles with undead on an upside down island covered with tomb ivy¡­ I¡¯ve never even seen a goat. Where¡¯d Emerit find one anyway? Swimming in the sky sounded like it¡¯d been a blast¡­ Dang it, I¡¯m not jealous, just irritated.


    Hope had fully recovered from her bout of optimism. Swearing and cynicism are back in style, dammit! She¡¯d realized that, whether here or at Earth¡¯s End, Enera was out to screw her. She¡¯d return the favor with all firepower she could muster. Pent-up anger really helps motivate your work.


    That¡¯s why missing the outing was really a positive. It would fuel her dark humor for days. Same for not witnessing Lily roast a giant worm with a miniature sun. I could¡¯ve been there for that one, dang it! She could enjoy this tour without risk of improving her mood. Are my thoughts entertaining enough, HEAVENLY DAO?


    At least I¡¯ll have company. Light had apparently withdrawn from the expedition¡¯s second half due to an unfortunate bout of stupidity. He was currently recuperating under John Lavinda¡¯s care, which meant he was absent today too. He¡¯ll be even more upset than me. This warmed her heart. Humans are twisted creatures. They could find solace in knowing someone was more wretched than them.


    ¡°Seen enough?¡± Lily asked. She¡¯d been showing a surprising patience, even suggesting this detour. Either she¡¯s developed a caring personality, or she¡¯s sensitive to motion sickness. I bet the latter.


    Lily began maneuvering them back through the crowd of airships. I¡¯m sure half of you came to escape the swaying. It¡¯d confused the hell out of her at first. She¡¯d suspected her gunfire had damaged her sense of balance, until she¡¯d noticed flames swinging in their braziers. That¡¯d made things clear. I got practice with unstable footing.


    Hope had commandeered a building in the Empty City and converted it into a firing range. She¡¯d then roped Soul into carrying down two barrels of bullets. He¡¯s a helpful goodie two-shoes¡­ and that feels wrong, even in my head. Her brother¡¯s earnestness made guiltless mocking difficult.


    Anyway, after half a barrel of fun, Hope¡¯s accuracy had improved to the point where she could nearly match what Dawn had done on her first try. God I hate her sometimes. On the plus side, she¡¯d learned that imagining the target as a despised person made everything more entertaining.


    ¡°It¡¯s diminished a little.¡± Silver noted as they passed the Rose Palace. Good.


    Hope was dreading visiting her workshop. Some of the bookshelves were top heavy¡­ She now realized the error of her ways. In her defense, there¡¯d been no reason to considered this scenario. Rooms shouldn¡¯t move, dang it!


    ¡°There¡¯s the entrance to the Shrines of the Lost.¡± Lily pointed to the stone archway on the south edge.


    ¡°So the Dark Gods are enshrined there?¡± Hope asked.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Lily explained. ¡°Long ago, they would take avatars every few decades, wrecking havoc. A saint named Archibal Fane ended this. Arguing it was disruptive and unbalanced, he convinced the HEAVENLY DAO to restrain them. The shrines are the physical manifestation of that process.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t the Good Gods use avatars?¡± Free asked. ¡°I¡¯ve never understood this.¡±


    Lily shrugged, ¡°Mainly because negative emotions are more lasting than their counterparts.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Free didn¡¯t like this answer.


    ¡°It¡¯s the truth. Positive emotions are transient by their nature. The more you have, the easier it is to lose. A love one can pass on at any moment. Hopes can be dashed in an instant. Faith can collapse at a single revelation.¡±


    Everything can go wrong in an heartbeat, like when the assassins attacked.  Hope accepted this.


    ¡°Consider now their dark counterparts. A person who has sworn eternal vengeance isn¡¯t likely to forsake their hatred. Someone lost in madness won¡¯t miraculously regain their sanity. A despairing invalid suffering an incurable disease won¡¯t suddenly find hope. Dark emotions are one way trips that you have to crawl back from. Anyone who falls to the bottom won¡¯t ever get out.¡±


    That doesn¡¯t sound pleasant.  Hope was satisfied with her current level of negativity.


    Passing the entrance, she got a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu. Below was a sea of clouds and above an endless blue sky. The pathway also ended in large square plaza. From there it¡¯s different.  There were no walls. Instead three path branched out, each leading to a courtyard with a shrine suspended off the far side.


    So many people¡­ She¡¯d expected the Shrines to be less popular, ¡°Why is it so crowded?¡±


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    ¡°Besides tourists, this place attract its own set of visitors.¡± Lily smiled sadly. ¡°Those who come to pray.¡±


    What? Why would anyone pray to hate, fear, and despair?


    ¡°No one¡¯s jumping.¡± Dawn commented happily. ¡°This bunch has more sense.¡±


    That¡¯s not it, Hope guessed. The ponds are closer to the Wall of Legends.


    Lily halted above the main square, ¡°Welcome to the Shrines of the Lost.¡±


    ¡°It serves as a glorious testament to the laws of unintended consequences. While ¡®imprisoning¡¯ the Dark Gods provided short-term peace, they were able to amass their strength. Those shrines have become storehouses of centuries of pent-up hate, fear, and despair.¡± In exchange for ridding Enera of avatars during the good times, we face monstrous ones during a Dark Age. Weren¡¯t we screwed by this deal?


    ¡°At least for now, the damage these three can do is limited.¡± Lily sighed. ¡°Shall we begin in the proper order?¡±


    Seeing blank faces, Lily paused, ¡°Really? Even you Kate?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know there was an order¡­¡± The flustered cat girl offered weakly. I suspect she secretly enjoys teasing her.


    Lily zeroed in on her daughter, ¡°Do you at least know why they¡¯re called shadows?¡±


    Before Kate descended into panic, Wise stepped in, ¡°Dark emotions stem from the good ones. Someone who¡¯s never loved cannot hate. If you don¡¯t value anything, you¡¯ll never experience fear. Without hopes and dreams, despair is impossible. The Dark Gods are shadows of their counterparts.¡±


    ¡°So¡­¡± Kate summarized. ¡°bad emotions come from good ones?¡±


    ¡°Exactly.¡± Lily confirmed, disappointed her daughter had been bailed out. ¡°Negative feelings replace positive ones once they¡¯re lost.¡±


    ¡°Which is why we should visit Saven first.¡± Wise proclaimed. Where¡¯d that leap of logic come from?


    ¡°Explain.¡± Hope demanded.


    Wise took a deep breath and spoke as if reading a textbook, ¡°Lateli, the god of Love, flows from the past. It¡¯s through accumulated experiences that attachments grow. The domain of Oranda, the god of courage, is the present. We can face adversity because of our confidence in our current ourselves and purpose. Finally, Wendel, the god of Hope, presides over the future. It¡¯s our aspirations which urge us forwards.¡±


    Wise added in his own words, ¡°Since Saven is Lateli¡¯s shadow¡­¡± We start with hate, got it.


    As the gondola moved left, Lily spoke, ¡°Avatars of Saven have lost everything they¡¯ve ever held dear. All that remains is malice born of bottomless grudges.¡±


    She¡¯s putting effort into this.  Hope doubted it was out of goodwill. She¡¯s wasting time so the Isle will calm, not that I mind.


    Twenty feet separated the shrine from those gathered around. It resembled a round marble cave cut in half with a pedestal at its center. Hundreds of chains, anchored to the walls, bound the figure standing on it. Saven, the god of hate. At first she¡¯d believed the deity was wearing armor, but, as they neared, she realized this was wrong. His body is made of blades. It was as if thousands of daggers had pierced his body from the inside until nothing could be seen but their tips.


    ¡°The Dark Gods chose their physical forms when they were imprisoned.¡± Wise shared.


    Hope glanced down. I can¡¯t believe it¡­ Along the edge, people were kneeling in worship. There was even an orderly queue.


    ¡°Is this alright?¡± Soul asked.


    ¡°It is. Saven is also the god of justice denied. For those who have lost something irreplaceable and found no relief in the laws of man, many come here. Hate is not without merit. There are people worth despising.¡± Lily said coldly. ¡°Like those involved in Arther Bard¡¯s death.¡±


    ¡°On that note¡­¡± Lily closed her eyes. You¡¯re kidding¡­  They watched in shock. It¡¯s true Arther is unavenged, but still¡­


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you fight against this god?¡± Hope asked once she¡¯d finished.


    The immortal nodded, ¡°I did, but Saven doesn¡¯t discriminate. All those with hatred in their hearts will be heard. Since I¡¯m here and meet the qualifications, I made my own petition.¡±


    ¡°What does doing so do?¡± Free asked.


    ¡°For those seeking revenge, it sometimes reveals the approximate location of their target. Or it might strengthen the supplicant¡¯s rightful grudge, aiding their retribution. In rare cases, a curse will be placed. Overall, the purer the hate, the more valid the grievance, the more aid is given.¡±


    Hope watched the hundreds lined up. Some came just for this shrine. Hope was beginning to appreciate the place¡¯s popularity.


    ¡°Time to move on.¡± Lily guided them away. Which is Fear.


    The next shrine appeared identical. The cage must be the same for all. Lily continued as they neared, ¡°Avatars of Yondil have lost their connection to reality, plunged into a madness shaped by paranoia.¡±


    Hope was disappointed when she gazed at the Lord of Terror. A cloak of shadows bound by chains. The darkness obscured any features.


    It¡¯s this bastard¡¯s disciples who are hunting me.  Though she tried, Hope couldn¡¯t muster up any decent outrage. The real blame lay with the assassins and, doubly so, with whoever took out the contract.


    Only a sparse crowd was offering prayers. Hate is more popular. ¡°What does Yondil grant?¡± Free asked.


    ¡°A few days of fearlessness.¡± Lily said.


    ¡°Wait!¡± Silver exclaimed. ¡°People travel here to become like me?¡±


    ¡°Indeed. There are times when you can¡¯t afford mistakes. For example¡­¡± Lily smirked at Dawn. ¡°Astra mentioned her plans. It might be good idea for you to return after Arther¡¯s Funeral.¡±


    ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary.¡± Dawn dismissed weakly. Am I bad for enjoying this?


    ¡°Onto the last.¡± Lily declared. ¡°Avatars of Kongal are damned in a way that allows no salvation. All they¡¯ve left is to rage against their fate.¡±


    Hope was puzzled by the Lord of Despair. He¡¯s pathetic. If hate was composed of blades, despair was tattered rags. As if a beggar has been strung up.


    ¡°He looks frail.¡± Silver observed.


    ¡°Before the Shrines of Lost, Kongal¡¯s chosen were by far the weakest.¡± Lily said. ¡°It¡¯s obvious really. Search for hopelessness and you¡¯ll find it in the broken, the destitute, and the dying. Kongal¡¯s appearance reflects his constituents.¡±


    ¡°What of his last avatar? He wasn¡¯t weak right?¡± Soul asked.


    ¡°No, he wasn¡¯t.¡± Lily said bitterly. ¡°During the Dark Age, the Dark Gods choose their avatars by timing their escape. In Kongal¡¯s case, this made a world of difference, leading to his first truly threatening incarnation.¡± So he found someone drowning in despair who wasn¡¯t feeble¡­


    Hmm?


    ¡°Are chains missing?¡± Rose chimed in. ¡°Compared to the others, there are less.¡± She¡¯s right. The ragged figure was only half bound.


    Lily winced, ¡°That¡¯s because Kongal was never fully resealed. No matter what we tried, we weren¡¯t able to kill his avatar. That stubborn bastard refused to die properly.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s sealed away in Tartarus, right?¡± Rose asked.


    ¡°At The Bottom of the deepest pit¡± Lily nodded. ¡°His body has withered to next to nothing, yet his soul resists all efforts to dislodge it. From that mummified husk, he spends every waking moment cursing humanity.¡±


    ¡°Does that mean Despair is incapable of taking another avatar?¡± Soul asked.


    ¡°Don¡¯t know.¡± Lily shrugged. ¡°What happened is unprecedented. Personally, I¡¯d love that to be the case. Out of the three, Kain was the biggest pain, outlasting the others and growing stronger until the very end¡­¡±


    (continued in part 2)

 [Chapter 31 part 2] Hope – Visiting The Shrines of the Lost

    [Chapter 31 part 2] Hope ¨C Visiting The Shrines of the Lost


    -----------------------------


    ¡­


    With all my troubles, avatars are the least of my concerns. Glancing down, Hope found people worshiping again. More than Kongal but less than Saven.


    Hope smirked. Petitioning despair¡­  She finally gave in to the impulse, ¡°So, what are those people ¡®hoping¡¯ for?¡±


    ¡°Kongal grants release from pain. Most below don¡¯t have long to live.¡± Wise said somberly. And now I feel terrible. Hope was reminded, once again, who was her nemesis.


    While they made for the exit, Free decided to be Free, ¡°Why only three? What about greed, jealousy, envy, and the likes?¡±


    ¡°Because hate, fear, and despair, together with their opposites, are all there is.¡± Lily responded. ¡°Other emotions are derived from those six. Greed is excess love for wealth or power. Jealousy and envy are just alternative forms of hate.¡±


    Realizing this wasn¡¯t satisfying anyone, Lily attempted a retreat, ¡°It¡¯s complicated, why don¡¯t you ask Wise later?¡± It¡¯s not that easy to placate Free.


    ¡°Fine,¡± Free said, ¡°but answer me this: what about sadness? Where does that fit in?¡±


    Lily sighed, ¡°It¡¯s unfocused hate. When something precious is lost, and there¡¯s nothing to blame. With a target, that grief can turn into burning hatred in an instant. Saven is the god of loss and everything which flows from it.¡±


    ¡°Perspective determines how we handle setbacks. When your first love marries another, you can be dejected or jealous. If someone wins a prize you coveted, you can mourn or you can envy. Emotions stemming from the same place are interchangeable.¡±


    This might be accurate. Hope was familiar with disappointments. Instead of becoming depressed over losing to Wise, I chose to curse him. She considered a while. It¡¯s too late to change at this point.


    Calin¡¯s Keep was build on a splintered piece of the Isle, with a deep fissure separating it from the surrounding crowd. Mist flowed from this chasm, cloaking the exterior in a sun-blocking haze.


    On the far side, motionless figures stood ten feet apart. Skeletons in full armor. A shiver ran down her spine. She¡¯d insisted on taking part in the training against the undead. I¡¯m stupid stubborn sometimes.


    ¡°A single one of those could¡¯ve killed us all.¡± Wise stated. Right, whatever they fought yesterday were nothing in comparison.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never met Calin.¡± Lily admitted. ¡°His villainous reign was before my time, and he was a recluse even then. He loathes humanity and made a decent attempt to wipe us out. Under other circumstances, he might¡¯ve been the Necromancer of the End.¡±


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t that what Sola was called?¡± Free asked.


    ¡°Yes, the title is a prerequisite for a Dark Age.¡± Lily explained. ¡°We roughly know the details of the deal she was struck. Once a world-shaking catastrophe is carried out by Talras¡¯s chosen champion, a Dark Age begins and persists until that necromancer¡¯s death. Last time, it was the Black Banquet, and Sola was the Necromancer of the End.¡±


    ¡°So if the conditions are met again¡­¡± Free said.


    ¡°Another will result. Hence why I mentioned Calin. If Sola¡¯s deal had been active eight hundred years earlier, he would¡¯ve brought about the first Dark Age when he unleashed his scourges.¡±


    ¡°What exactly did Calin do?¡° Hope asked. Might as well exploit this talkative Lily.


    ¡°Calin¡¯s two diabolical creations were the devourers and the Ilsidy virus. Devourers were chimeras which multiplied exponentially by overrunning and consuming all life. The Ilsidy virus transformed people into frenzied zombies. He spread this plague in major cities while releasing the devourers into the wild. The outbreak was to distract while his chimeras grew into an unstoppable force.¡±


    ¡°The scheme might¡¯ve succeeded save for the Tyrants. After building up their numbers in frontier regions, the devourer horde was stopped in its tracks upon reaching the Green Hell. A war for supremacy was waged deep in that jungle, with the devourers eventually routed. Hundreds of Tyrants then migrated out to hunt down survivors. This kept the threat in check until the Ilsidy contagion was contained. The losses from this conflict are why few tyrants participated against Sola.¡±


    After this chaos, Calin was whisked away by the HEAVENLY DAO without facing justice and has been indirectly killing adventurers ever since. It was a little maddening. ¡°So he¡¯s in there, designing traps and monstrosities as we speak?¡± Hope asked.


    ¡°Yes¡ª¡ª¡±


    ¡°Something¡¯s happening down there.¡± Kate interrupted frantically. ¡°Look!¡±


    The skeletons were kneeling with one gauntlet on their chests. They¡¯re showing¡­ respect? Hope was bewildered but then understood Kate¡¯s panic. They¡¯re facing this way.


    ¡°It¡¯s because of Free.¡± Wise exclaimed. ¡°They¡¯re welcoming Sola¡¯s doppelganger!¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here.¡± Lily said, glancing down. Commotion was spreading, with some peering upwards as they sped away.


    The gondola was quiet. That won¡¯t be on the news¡­ will it? It¡¯d lasted less than a minute. If they were lucky, it¡¯d remain on the level of a colorful anecdote.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t aware Sola and Calin knew each other.¡± Lily mused. ¡°Though I should¡¯ve guessed. Calin was Sola¡¯s predecessor. It makes senses she would¡¯ve wanted to consult with him, and that madman would¡¯ve been only too happy to share his expertise. Thank god he could do little more since agents are forbidden from interfering in worldly affairs.¡±


    ¡°Stay clear of Calin¡¯s Keep.¡± Lily ordered Free.


    Hope watched the receding fortress. This satisfied my daily quota of excitement. Now for serious matters.


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    As everyone scattered at the Inner Palace, Hope headed down to prepare.


    Competition at the Stone Colliseum got progressively fiercer throughout the day, finishing with saint-level confrontations in the evening. The ¡®tourist bracket¡¯ begins after. Since graduating from those late night sessions, Hope had bested two morning opponents, earning herself an early afternoon match. You¡¯d think I¡¯m moving up in the world, but¡­ She took out her adventurer¡¯s card and conjured the information screen.


    Stone Coliseum: Rank 31054


    I know it¡¯s because fighters from all over visit the Isle, but still¡­ She had far to go. That¡¯s not all. Her eyes wandered up.


    Adventure Rank: D


    Miki had assigned them the rank when their cards were issued. This let them access the facilities. A bit of necessary nepotism.


    The others had been promoted to C rank yesterday. Kate had even reached B rank, which she wasn¡¯t sure she was ready for. They got a nice monetary rewards with the increased difficulty. Everyone had also graduated to afternoon matches. What¡¯s more, they were at later time slots. It¡¯s a bit galling¡­ I¡¯m at the bottom again, dang it.


    It¡¯s the fault of those loathsome assassins.  That Laughing Man too. Hope fumed. I¡¯ll become so strong that no one will dream of killing me.  That meant winning this afternoon, which would be a challenge.


    Two mornings ago, Wise had begun predicting and describing their opponents. It¡¯s not cheating. It¡¯s efficient intelligence gathering.


    She faced Razor Hue, a summoner who could beastform. Instead of conjuring creatures, Razor fused himself directly with his summon, taking on its characteristics. Dragonforming in his case. He¡¯d be covered in scales tougher than steel and would freely use fire magic. Sounds formidable. Razor was B rank. If he gets close, it¡¯ll be over, Hope thought as she reached her firing range.


    She¡¯d long understood mobility was her greatest weakness. It was time to address the issue. At Earth¡¯s end, I was too weak, but things are different now! On impulse, she jumped and flew up seven feet. I¡¯m better than Wise used to be. Unfortunately, that bastard was also improving. I¡¯ll catch up someday, just you wait! Hope already had a plan, something she¡¯d stumbled on yesterday.


    Agata had explained the basics behind magic bullets. Enchant the bullet and the casing and set spells to activate once they separate. The most common enhancement was increasing the weight. She¡¯d quickly mastered making these.


    Not satisfied, she¡¯d played around and discovered enhancing the casing¡¯s weight produced small improvements in velocity. While exploring this possibility, she¡¯d sent herself tumbling backwards.


    It¡¯d taken her a while to piece together what¡¯d gone wrong: she¡¯d accidentally reversed the enchantments. It was the bullet¡¯s weight that had been enhanced when she pulled the trigger. This had strengthened the recoil a dozen times. Then a fraction of a second later, the casing¡¯s weight increased, multiplying its momentum another dozen fold. The kickback had knocked her across the room. Once recovered, she¡¯d immediately seen the potential and had fashioned more such bullets.


    First I must control the recoil. She carefully formed two metal arm braces which connected shoulder to shoulder. By hardening these before I shoot¡­ She aimed at the ground and fired. Her body flew backwards, spinning to the right, and she barely landed on her feet. The acceleration had been uncomfortable, yet manageable. A few days ago, it would¡¯ve dislocated my spine. She tried again, firing two in a row. She hit the wall ten feet up and thirty away. Success, she groaned dropping to the floor.


    I¡¯m sure there¡¯s a more elegant solution, but three days wasn¡¯t enough to work it out. Contemplating, she made an adjustment so she could activate the ¡®recoil¡¯ effect at will. She loaded two bullets, firing one normally and then sending herself backwards with the second. Perfect.


    With a sigh, she sat down and began adding the feature to all her munition. At least this time isn¡¯t wasted. While her siblings spent hours cultivating, she never did. This was all she needed.


    ¡­


    Enough. After two hours of work, she rose and made her way to the Empty City¡¯s tenth story pathways. For safety, she still traveled the Obsidian Cavern to the Stone Coliseum.


    I need more dimensional pouches. Hope touched the leather sack at her waist. Agata had given it to her, and it was the most wondrous thing in the world. The inside was four times larger than the outside. Even better, objects within only weighed a quarter of what they should. It was filled with her creations. Carrying capacity is vital for enchanters. While improving her martial arts would help, she had to obtain more of these.


    When Legonas returns, I¡¯ll master other weapons. Sniper rifles, machine guns, shotguns¡­ her metal could become anything she knew how to make. The only constraint was carrying the right caliber. Eventually I¡¯ll assemble them on the fly. Options were good. Currently, she didn¡¯t have the confidence and had pre-made two seven shot revolvers.


    Acquiring explosives is a must too.  With the proper primer and propellant, she would be able to assemble her own ammunitions. Legonas had been hesitant when asked. At her insistence, he¡¯d referred the matter to her mother, who¡¯d responded with a message: ¡®Permission granted. If you blast off your hands, I¡¯ll SEVERELY punish you.¡¯


    As expected. If she¡¯d let Silver get himself eaten, then it was only fair to let Hope blow herself up. Which I won¡¯t do because a ¡®capitalized¡¯ punishment from her sounds scary. Anyway, Legonas had promised to introduce her to someone.


    Passing the halfway mark, Hope remembered Lily¡¯s warning two days prior about the impact of their growing notoriety. Basically we¡¯ll soon have to start dealing with people. Hope grimaced.


    The press would hound them. Eight ninjas appearing out of nowhere and dominating their matches was a story the media wouldn¡¯t be able to resist. It¡¯ll be good and bad. On one hand, they wanted the power fame would bring. On the other, every contact brought risk.


    Besides reporters, agents from nations big and small would approach to recruit them into their immortal programs. It¡¯s not a simple matter of turning them down either. If they firmly refused, scouts might suspect they were already committed and dig into their background. Such a pain.


    She¡¯d been accosted by an agent of the Grey King yesterday. It only took three matches to catch his eye. Supposedly the Grey Kingdom was extremely active in pursuing talent. She¡¯d politely turned down the offer, claiming she wouldn¡¯t be making decisions before Arther¡¯s Funeral. This was the lie they¡¯d settled on before hand. It¡¯s weird pretending to be comrades rather than siblings.


    Finally, there are the ¡®fans¡¯.  This notion inspired no small amount of dread. Hope had trouble imagining herself with admirers, let alone interacting with them. This¡¯ll be a problem more for the others, especially Dawn. She knew this was was wishful thinking.


    They were already becoming famous. She¡¯d heard the mention of ¡®mysterious ninjas¡¯ in passing conversations. That was the plan after all. She¡¯d yet to notice an impact. Perhaps if I win an afternoon match that¡¯ll change. She remained uncertain how the strengthening from fame worked. Fortunately, we¡¯re meeting Emerit again tomorrow.


    Entering the private elevator, Hope took a deep breath. The Stone Coliseum was totally different during the day. People were everywhere, and the stadium was full. The arena was only divided in two, which meant more attention. I envy Silver¡¯s fearlessness.


    As she exited, a loud voiced boomed, ¡°IN THE NORTH RING WEST CORNER¡­¡±


    Right, there are announcers now. Both matches had a commentator which could only be heard on their side. Another factor upping the intimidation. Hope registered quickly and went to the South Ring¡¯s East waiting area. She sat on a bench, stomach queasy. As if I needed stage fright on top of everything.


    ¡°Are you Hope?¡± A familiar voice asked.


    ¡°Yes?¡± Hope¡¯s heart sank when she saw the well-dressed woman.  Why¡¯s she here?


    ¡°I¡¯m Sarah Godspeed, Steward of the Isle.¡±


    ¡°How can I help you?¡± Hope said, attempting to stay calm.


    ¡°Who are you and where are from?¡± Sarah continued. ¡°I know you¡¯re one of the ninjas living in the Inner Palace. Lily told me not to concern myself, but it¡¯s hard not to when you¡¯re regularly crossing the Rose Palace. I haven¡¯t been able to catch you there, so I figured I¡¯d try here.¡±


    (continued in part 3)

 [Chapter 31 part 3] Hope – Visiting The Shrines of the Lost

    [Chapter 31 part 3] Hope ¨C Visiting The Shrines of the Lost


    -----------------------------


    ¡­


    What do I do? She was considering fleeing when Soul, Free, and Rose walked in.


    ¡°Soul!¡± She rushed over and explained the situation.


    ¡°I see.¡± Soul turned to Sarah. ¡°It¡¯s nearly time for Hope¡¯s match. Maybe Rose here can satisfy your curiosity instead?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d love to.¡± Rose agreed. ¡°And I¡¯ve my own questions. Care to grab a drink?¡±


    With Sarah lead away, Hope asked, ¡°What¡¯re you doing here?¡±


    ¡°We came early to show support.¡± Free explained. That makes sense for Rose and Free, but Soul¡¯s fight is much later. Maybe he¡¯s anticipating a loss and intends to cheer me up. If so, I won¡¯t let that happen.


    ¡°By the way, what¡¯d you think of our new outfits?¡± Free asked. She was wearing a green ninja suit and Soul a white one. Rose was crimson, if I remember.


    ¡°They look fine.¡± Hope answered noncommittally. It was hard to focus on anything but her upcoming fight.


    ¡°You¡¯re up.¡± Soul pointed to the large ¡®mirrors¡¯ which reflected the arena outside. The previous round had just ended.


    ¡°Good luck!¡± Free encouraged.


    Finally. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll win.¡± Hope declared defiantly.


    Defeat was not acceptable. She liked winning. She had four victories now and didn¡¯t want to go back to losing. Not so soon anyway. Hope walked to the entrance and waited as the announcer¡¯s voice boomed.


    ¡°IN THE SOUTH RING WEST CORNER, RAZOR HUE OF KALONIA. HE¡¯S A ¡®B¡¯ RANK ADVENTURER WHOSE GAINED FAME AS DRAGONFORMING WARRIOR.¡±


    Amid the crowd¡¯s roaring, a man in his mid-twenties entered the ring. He was six feet with short black hair and a loose-fitting green tunic. At his waist hung a broadsword. Hope judged him fairly handsome as far as that went. I¡¯ve been too angry to care about such things.


    ¡°IN THE SOUTH RING EAST CORNER, HOPE FROM TIMBAKU. A MYSTERIOUS NINJA WITH NO LAST NAME OR HISTORY. SHE USES METAL BENDING AND A PAIR OF REVOLVERS.¡±


    That¡¯s my queue. She stepped out on the sandy dirt in front of thousands of watchful eyes. Thank god I upgraded my clothes. Yesterday she¡¯d discovered, through Agata, a guild store selling ¡®authentic¡¯ ninja gear. I can¡¯t believe it¡¯s that popular. Keenly aware of the audience from her morning fights, she¡¯d paid an immediately visit and chosen a grey outfit. The others had obviously done the same.


    ¡°BY THE WAY, THIS AFTERNOON WILL BE FILLED WITH NINJAS, FROM WEAKEST TO STRONGEST. PLEASE LOOK FORWARD TO IT.¡±


    I hate this announcer. Although vexingly true, there should be no way for outsiders to know.  At least I won¡¯t have to listen to him soon. Outside noise was filtered out once a match began.


    ¡°READY?¡±


    Hope sensed powerful channeling, and Razor¡¯s figure blurred. Dragonforming. Once her vision cleared, she saw a nine foot scaled warrior complete with claws, wings, and a tail. He grew in size. She was facing an opponent nearly twice her size. Kinda daunting.


    At least I have an information advantage. She¡¯d won her first three fights with just metal bending. Only yesterday had she been forced to draw her revolvers. Thanks to this, she¡¯d kept her enchantments hidden.


    That won¡¯t be possible here. Her steel wouldn¡¯t penetrate that hide, and she¡¯d yet to experiment with stronger metals. Her revolvers might work if her shots connected cleanly, but she doubted it¡¯d be that easy.


    ¡°BEGIN!¡±


    Hope fired a regular round, which missed. So that¡¯s the blessing. Razor was a popular, well-know fighter. I¡¯m such an underdog.


    Razor raced forwards. Not quite as fast as Soul. With martial arts, you couldn¡¯t judge strength by size. Her brother could go easily go toe to toe with this giant and come out on top. No way I can though. She steadied herself. I prepared for this.


    Before her opponent reached her, Hope fired three recoil bullets, circling the ring, and then a fourth to slow herself. It works! She breathed a sigh of relief. I really didn¡¯t experiment enough.


    Now for that damn blessing. She unloaded into Razor as he barreled towards her. All six shots missed. It¡¯s scary to think it¡¯s stronger outside arenas.


    Hope launched herself high with her last three bullets. Time to put theory into practice. Focusing, she flicked open the cylinders of her revolvers, letting the empty casings fall out. Leaving the guns attached, She quickly unhooked her arms from the braces. Both hands reached into her dimensional pouch and grabbed two speed-loaders, circular disks with seven bullets. Jamming these in, she put her arms back and flicked her guns shut. That went well. Hope fired to break her fall.


    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    No sooner had she hit the ground that her foresight flared. What now? She glanced up to find a ball of fire bearing down on her. Right, the dragonforming. Beastforming imparted the skills and affinity of the fused summon. Razor had become a pyrokinetic.


    I¡¯m ready for this. She¡¯d reached the point where she could store one spell in her left arm. For this match, she¡¯d chosen an ice shield, a blue force field which blocked heat and flames. According to Agata, it was the recommended defense against fire attacks. It won¡¯t do much against that sword though. She deployed her magic.


    The fiery ball crashed harmlessly into the translucent azure barrier, knocking her off her feet. Hope scrambled upright, red-faced. I see an ice shield blocks fire by absorbing the impact. Good to know. When Razor¡¯s attack had hit, a powerful backward force had been exerted on her arm. Thank goodness for the braces or I might¡¯ve punched myself out. That would¡¯ve been nightmarishly embarrassing.


    With a recoil shot, Hope dodged the next blast and aimed at the charging swordsman. She fired nine times, missing every one, but there was a difference. The last had been dodged. This confirms, even without the blessing, ordinary headshots won¡¯t work on Razor.


    Hope escaped with her remaining bullets. As she reloaded, she heard the crowd¡¯s muted roar. Behind her, on a column of fire, razor had taken to the air and spread his wings. That¡¯s not good.


    Landing gracefully, she raised her guns. Let¡¯s see how this goes. She fired four rounds. Two were blocked, one missed, and one struck his right leg. Flying opponents are annoying. The bigger problem, however, was Razor¡¯s closing wound. Summoners could heal or ¡®restore¡¯ their summons, including themselves when they beastformed. Nothing crazy like regrowing limbs, but the damage she¡¯d inflicted was relatively small. Sustained pressure might deplete his stamina, but she¡¯d run out of ammunition first. This is bad.


    In another surprise, Razor didn¡¯t charge. Instead, he circled lobbing flaming attacks. Withstanding these and returning fire, Hope understood what he was gunning for. He wants to target me when I¡¯m reloading.


    Well, that¡¯s fine. She¡¯d been planning on changing approaches. Hope flung a handful of pebbles into the air, and a thick cloud of mist fell over her. She reloaded quickly, except she used a special loader in her right gun. This was her trump card. I wish he wasn¡¯t flying though. She couldn¡¯t afford to miss.


    ¡°Dragon¡¯s Roar!¡±


    Razor¡¯s voiced thundered from above, and her foresight went wild. Crap, there¡¯s no avoiding this. She braced herself with her ice shield as a blazing torrent descended. It hit like a ton of bricks, squashing her under her barrier. As she felt herself losing consciousness, the pressure suddenly eased. The stream of fire had moved slightly off to the side. He doesn¡¯t know where I am. This might be her chance.


    Hope shot a recoil bullet and skidded out from the barrage. Stumbling to a halt, back to the ground, she saw Razor above, an inferno streaming from his mouth. He noticed her and turned her way. Not hesitating, she fired her right gun.


    This marker bullet had been set to soften on impact and cling to its target. Because it did no damage, it was hard to predict, making a headshot feasible. The projectile struck Razor¡¯s forehead. Yes!


    Hope had run into issues enchanting ¡®homing¡¯. The speed made identifying a target and changing course challenging. Unable to surmount these hurdles, she¡¯d switched to a technique she¡¯d dumbed ¡®resonant magnetics¡¯. The other six bullets would be attracted to the marker she¡¯d placed.


    This has to work. Razor wouldn''t be able to dodge, but he might still block. If I fire them one at a time. She emptied her gun.


    Razor parried two with his sword, but the rest went through. Fiery breath ceasing and scaled wings going limp, the dragonform warrior dropped with a thud.


    ¡°WE HAVE A WINNER. HOPE, THE NINJA, DEFEATS RAZOR HUE.¡±


    Cheering exploded. Flat on her back, Hope breathed heavily. I won¡­ She almost had trouble accepting it.


    ¡°WHO COULD HAVE PREDICTED THIS OUTCOME? I DON''T BELIEVE WHAT I JUST SAW. WHAT AN UPSET!¡±


    Oh, you shut up. Hope got up and made her way out. She kept her eyes down, away from the roaring crowd. I should be waving or something. Without the pressure of an impending battle, nervousness was paralyzing her. She paused long enough to confirm Razor struggling to his feet and rushed out.


    Everybody except Light was gathered in the post-fight waiting room. They clapped seeing her, and strangers joined in. Not here too. Hope was grateful her face was covered.


    ¡°Nice job!¡± Soul said.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Kate exclaimed. ¡°I¡¯ve never beaten Razor Hue myself. He¡¯s a tough opponent.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Hope couldn¡¯t believe she¡¯d surpassed Kate. Don¡¯t tease me like that!


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve difficulty with opponents who can fly.¡± Kate admitted. Ah, that explains it.


    ¡°It must be nice to be rich.¡± Razor walked in behind, voice full of bitterness. He was back to his regular size and appearance.


    ¡°What¡¯d you mean?¡± Hope said defensively.


    ¡°I mean relying on high-quality magic bullets instead of your own skills.¡±


    ¡°Everyone of my bullets was enchanted by me!¡± Hope exclaimed in outrage.


    ¡°You serious?¡± Razor stopped, his surprise plain. He glanced towards her siblings who nodded. ¡°You¡¯re an enchantress?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a ninja and an enchantress.¡± She acknowledged.


    ¡°In that case, I must apologize for my words.¡± He bowed deeply. ¡°I hope you¡¯ll forgive me.¡± It was Hope¡¯s turn to be stunned.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s ok.¡± She replied off-balance. What¡¯s this?


    ¡°Thank you. Congratulation on your victory.¡± With that, Razor departed.


    ¡°What just happened?¡± Hope asked.


    ¡°You mean the instant change in demeanor?¡± Rose had a knowing smile.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°You went from ¡®stuck-up rich kid¡¯ to ¡®valuable enchantress¡¯.¡± Rose explained.


    ¡°Agreed,¡± Kate said. ¡°There are often wealthy tourists who visit and win using expensive gimmicks. They¡¯re pretty universally despised. Razor must¡¯ve thought you one. His attitude flipped once he understood his mistake.¡±


    ¡°Talented enchanters are rare,¡± Free added. ¡°And someone as young and gifted as you is destined to go far. You just skyrocketed on the ¡®I-want-to-be-friends¡¯ list of everyone watching.¡±


    Oh, no. She wasn¡¯t sure she could handle popularity. Maybe losing was the better option? Hope quietly fretted while praise rained down on her.


    Later, once the attention had ebbed, Rose pulled her aside. What does she want?


    ¡°May I?¡± Rose reached into her dimensional pouch without waiting. Withdrawing a speed-loader, she examined it.


    ¡°You¡¯re still using regular ammunition¡­¡± Rose observed, ¡°You know enchantments are enhanced by rare materials?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but they¡¯re expensive. I¡¯ll go broke if I use them in coliseum fights.¡± She¡¯d been shocked by the prices at the firing range. Simon called griffin claws ¡®relatively cheap¡¯, but bullets made from them definitely aren¡¯t.


    ¡°Which is to say, you need a source of income. Have you considered selling your enchantments?¡± Rose continued.


    Hope was silent. Why didn¡¯t I consider this? No really, why? It must be all the time spent in the middle of nowhere. ¡°Rose, monetizing my talents, how should I go about it?¡±

 [Chapter 32 part 1] Light – Vanessa Goldstone

    [Chapter 32 part 1] Light ¨C Vanessa Goldstone


    -----------------------------


    The assassin was stalking the three chimeras idling in a clearing below. They were hideous, long torsos which ended in huge eyeless rat heads and had eight clawed monkey arms attached.


    These deformities didn¡¯t bother him. As with his brethren, revulsion and other emotions had been torn from him. However, the difficulty in identifying vital organs did trouble him. I suppose I¡¯ll go for the heads.


    He moved silently among the leafless trees and jumped, releasing nine blades with fury. These impaled the chimeras to the ground like stakes, two in each chest and one in each head.


    The assassin landed and readied his twisted dagger. Two chimeras let out screeching, squeaking howls and pried themselves from the earth. Figures, blades through the head and still not dead. He resigned himself to battle.


    Minutes later, he lay against a lifeless tree. His body had been torn to shreds, his left leg gone. Making it back is impossible. Once he lost consciousness, it¡¯d be over, which would be soon. Despite his best efforts, he was losing blood.


    So here¡¯s where I die. He felt a strange satisfaction. Neutralizing these scouts had been his mission, and he¡¯d completed it. His death would serve a purpose, and that was more than most got. It¡¯s enough, he though as the world faded.


    Light opened his eyes. That dream again. He turned and gazed at the twisted dagger besides him.


    ¡°Another one?¡± John Lavinda asked. The man was reading a book in the nearby armchair. I don¡¯t think he¡¯s slept in the last forty eight hours.


    ¡°Yes, the assassin.¡±


    Light¡¯s eyes wandered to the three short swords on the night table. They¡¯re called Ninjatos. He¡¯d taken them because he¡¯d recognized them as such. His other dreams confirmed they¡¯d been wielded by ninjas.


    That first evening, when he¡¯d woken here in the medical center, he¡¯d been delirious. He vaguely remembered tossing and turning the entire night while John watched over him. It wasn¡¯t until morning that sanity returned.


    That¡¯s when the dreams started. He¡¯d experienced them dozens of times over the last twenty four hours. Four deaths, one for each of weapon.


    ¡°You were lucky¡± John commented. ¡°From what you¡¯ve described, none of the former owners died a bitter death. That¡¯s the reason you got off this lightly.¡±


    Light reflected. It¡¯s strange that worshipers of Nuzou were fighting for humanity. ¡°Why¡¯d the Assassins¡¯ Guild oppose Sola? Wasn¡¯t their god fighting on her side?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t say for certain since I wasn¡¯t alive back then.¡± John said, not looking up. ¡°But I can venture a guess. If Sola won, the guild would¡¯ve ended. I presume they couldn¡¯t allow that.¡±


    Light fidgeted as he listened. He was restless, but not because of the dreams. I can handle those. It was thoughts of what he might be missing which were driving him mad.


    Last night, Soul, Rose, and Free had dropped by. They hadn¡¯t said anything about the weapons. Instead, they¡¯d described all that had transpired during the last day and a half. Swimming in the sky, witnessing the Leviathan, racing down the Wine Trench, seeing the inner earth, the burning of the worm, Lily¡¯s personal tour of the Isle, Hope¡¯s big upset win¡­ It¡¯d been agonizing.


    Light sat up and looked down. The bed and night table had a magic circle etched around them. The symbols glowed white and pulsed with power. He knew it had saved his life, but it felt like a prison.


    ¡°How much longer must I remain?¡± Light asked anxiously. Emerit is giving another lesson today¡­ Must I skip that too?


    ¡°You¡¯re free to go.¡± John answered.


    ¡°Really?¡± Light was in disbelief.


    John nodded, ¡°A while ago I confirmed that the Field of Graves¡¯s blight no longer affects you. All that¡¯s left is the mild taint from the weapons themselves, which has already been mitigated through the dreams.¡±


    Light¡¯s attitude did a one-eighty. Wasn¡¯t this whole episode a positive? Sure, it hadn¡¯t been pleasant, but he¡¯d gotten to see ninjas in action, which was priceless. Why don¡¯t more people pick up cursed weapons?


    ¡°I sense foolish thoughts.¡± John declared. He has keen insight. ¡°Did you think yourself the first to plunder the Field of Graves? If looting those weapons was that easy, would they still be standing two thousand years later?¡±


    Good point¡­ ¡°Why haven¡¯t more been taken?¡±


    ¡°Curses aren¡¯t simple things. They resonate with each other and grow. Powerful ones even have a will of their own.¡±


    ¡°The blades in the Field of Graves are not only cursed individually, but collectively as well. That global malediction protects the place, striking down any would be thieves. It¡¯s lethal even to immortals.¡±


    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    Which explains why I collapsed as we were leaving. ¡°How am I alive?¡±


    ¡°You can thank those past wielders. It¡¯s because they died without regrets. In a way, such lightly tainted weapons didn¡¯t belong among those grudge-filled hills. That¡¯s why you never suffered the full wrath of the Field Of Graves when you took them. It¡¯s also why I was able to sunder their connection to the place entirely.¡±


    ¡°So if I¡¯d taken a fifth¡­? From a resentful owner?¡±


    John shook his head, ¡°There¡¯s no way the Field Of Graves would ever let such a weapon go. You would¡¯ve perished without a doubt.¡± Thought so.


    The fifth would¡¯ve been that katana. He¡¯d picked up the dagger first. When nothing had happened, he¡¯d started collecting the ninjatos. After accumulating three, he¡¯d eyed larger prizes. That¡¯s when he¡¯d come across a breathtaking sight.  A flawless silver blade glistening in the sun.


    The only reason he hadn¡¯t grabbed it right away is that, unlike the others, it would¡¯ve been impossible to conceal from his siblings. As he deliberated what to do, he¡¯d remembered Nero¡¯s words. ¡®Only take four¡¯.


    ¡°So what do I do with these?¡± Light looked to the night table.


    ¡°Keep them.¡± John answered, flipping a page. ¡°Weapons with ancient history have power. They can even impart skills and knowhow from their previous masters. Enchanting them is the trickiest business, but can have excellent results.¡±


    ¡°Are they still cursed?¡± He had to ask. That¡¯d been the whole point, and they¡¯d lose value if they weren¡¯t.


    John looked up with the most deadpan expression, ¡°Yes, to an extent. By reliving their owners¡¯ final moments, they won¡¯t react to you anymore. However, if someone else wields them, they¡¯ll eventually fall ill.¡± Technically cursed, got it.


    ¡°Emerit¡¯s lesson begins in five minutes.¡± John turned back to his text.


    It¡¯s that late already? Light changed and rushed to the Glittering Auditorium. Everyone was already seated when he burst in.


    ¡°Look who¡¯s here!¡± Emerit laughed. ¡°Fully cleansed?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve recovered.¡± Light installed himself quietly.


    ¡°Glad you could make it.¡± Emerit announced dramatically. ¡°Today we¡¯re discussing implications of being well-known.¡±


    ¡°Fame¡¯s enhancements were originally a natural phenomenon predating the HEAVENLY DAO. As you know, thoughts flow into the Ether, either through nightly dreams or whenever magic is channeled. That malleable conceptual space would react to individuals prominent in the minds of many, focusing around them. They¡¯d grow stronger, age slower, and draw magic quicker.


    ¡°After the HEAVENLY DAO gained sapience, it chose to leave these effects intact when it created its path to immortality. That¡¯s why we have similar, parallel systems.¡±


    ¡°One is temporary and the other permanent. Fame is fleeting, its benefits lost when one sinks back to anonymity. Renown is lasting, with every accomplishment furthering your legend. The number of people aware of your deeds is irrelevant. The HEAVENLY DAO is the only witness that matters.¡±


    ¡°Another noteworthy difference: the benefits of fame are finite. At the maximum, it confers strength equivalent to an A rank adventurer. So while world-spanning celebrity might make an ordinary mortal dozens times stronger, a saint would experience only a marginal improvement. The weaker you are, the more it advantages you.¡±


    It stops mattering entirely once you reach immortality. The impact became too minuscule. Skill, equipment, and Sublime Vagaries become the determining factors.


    ¡°Any questions?¡± Emerit finished.


    ¡°If an unknown A rank adventurer achieves ¡®world-spanning celebrity¡¯, would it double their strength?¡± Dawn asked. Referring to herself of course.


    ¡°Correct.¡± Emerit answered.


    ¡°According to Miki, I now have fans.¡± Hope said. ¡°Why don¡¯t I feel stronger?¡±


    ¡°Studies have confirmed fame¡¯s benefits work roughly on a ten day rolling average. You¡¯ll detect the effects in the coming week, I guarantee it.¡±


    Kate raised her hand, ¡°There¡¯s something I¡¯ve been wondering for a while. Aren¡¯t Astra¡¯s children too strong? They¡¯ve barely done any adventuring yet were able to completed an A rank quest¡­ How¡¯s that possible?¡±


    ¡°Because doppelgangers have a head start. They automatically inherit a fraction of their original¡¯s legend. It¡¯s to exploit this phenomenon that Sola only created one at a time.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that unfair?¡± Kate objected.


    Emerit shrugged theatrically, ¡°It¡¯s basically the same as other special status like ¡®sole survivor¡¯. The children of immortals benefit from something similar to a lesser extent. Even you have undoubtedly received an XP boost as Lily¡¯s adopted daughter. You can just use common sense for this stuff. Is something impressive or awesome? If it is, then it counts.¡±


    So growing up in the arctic, our coliseum duels, the training against the undead¡­ All those mattered too.


    ¡°My turn.¡± Free stated. ¡°To tell the truth, having two separate systems is needlessly complicated. From everything I¡¯ve learned, the HEAVENLY DAO prefers simple, clear rules. Why¡¯d it keep the enhancement from fame? Why not replace it entirely?¡±


    ¡°Fair question.¡± Emerit nodded approvingly. ¡°I believe it was for artists and equality.¡±


    ¡°Without the benefits of fame, there¡¯d be far fewer artisans and entertainers. Although producing artistic masterworks does increase renown, feats of strength and bravery are far more effective. Many would forsake their craft to pursue adventuring since immortality is endlessly enticing.¡±


    ¡°Celebrity is a boon to creators. It can extend a mortal¡¯s lifespan by a factor of five, allowing them to slowly earn their way to the wall.¡±


    ¡°The HEAVENLY DAO appreciates art. It has no desire to see best-selling authors and musicians unnecessarily risking their lives. Thanks to this, there are eleven immortals who reached the wall without ever fighting a battle.¡±


    ¡°Those eleven have amazing Sublime Vagaries, right?¡± Light interrupted excitedly.  I know of this.


    Emerit smiled, ¡°Indeed. Perhaps because the HEAVENLY DAO can¡¯t stand the idea of a weak immortal, they all possess supreme Sublime Vagaries. The most famous is Alouette Fallister, who can summon characters from her novels to battle in her stead. These abilities make them far more dangerous than any state-sponsored immortal.¡±


    ¡°Back to Free¡¯s question, if the Wall of Legends was limited to those blessed with talent, it would remove a great deal of mystery from the world. Fame is an equalizer which prevents this. Anyone can achieve stardom, and immortality is then reachable through the extra time afforded.¡±


    Famous people are always interesting in some way, either through their deeds or because of who they were. Keeping such people alive suits the HEAVENLY DAO¡¯S purpose.


    ¡°Are there any who reach immortality without relying on fame?¡± Rose asked.


    ¡°There are. Assassins regularly do, for example. Many in the Cultivating Realm also forgo¡ª¡ª¡±


    Light¡¯s wrystal began vibrating and flashing. Purple, it¡¯s Lily. He had to answer.


    ¡°Excuse me.¡± Light connected the call, and a small figure appeared. ¡°We¡¯re with Emerit. Do you need something?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s an emergency. Join me at my conference room.¡± Lily didn¡¯t look pleased.


    ¡°All of us?¡± He asked as the others restlessly listened.


    ¡°No, just you.¡± Lily hung up, leaving everyone perplexed.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure what¡¯s up,¡± Emerit scratched his chin, ¡°but you should hurry.¡±


    Apologizing, Light raced off. What emergency requires just me? Would it have killed her to offer an explanation? He didn¡¯t like missing Emerit¡¯s lesson.


    (continued in part 2)

 [Chapter 32 part 2] Light – Vanessa Goldstone

    [Chapter 32 part 2] Light ¨C Vanessa Goldstone


    -----------------------------


    ¡­


    Reaching the Rose Palace, Light leapt to the rooftops. Less chance of meeting Sarah and the phoenixes don¡¯t seem to mind. He dropped onto the South Wing terrace and went inside. The room where they¡¯d first met was what Lily considered her conference room. He found the small immortal perusing an enlarged news article.


    ¡°That¡¯s Vanessa Goldstone.¡± Lily pointed to a picture in the text. A beautiful, black skinned girl of around twenty was making a victory sign. Below, the caption read ¡®Vanessa solos Angrim Dungeon¡¯.


    ¡°That¡¯s impressive, but what¡¯s the emergency?¡± Light asked.


    Frowning, Lily shut off the projector, ¡°Vanessa is the emergency. She¡¯ll be warping here in fifteen minutes.¡±


    Light stayed silent, waiting for something that made sense. Lily sighed, ¡°Remember how the Barsal Empire was sending someone to train you?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Light had a sinking feeling. Don¡¯t tell me¡­


    ¡°That¡¯s who they¡¯re sending.¡± Lily confirmed.


    ¡°She clearly seems competent.¡± Light said carefully. ¡°But isn¡¯t she a little young?¡±


    ¡°Not only young, she¡¯s a celebrity. A genius martial artists from one of Barsal¡¯s most prominent families. While she no doubt has the skill required¡­ This isn¡¯t an accident. You know how your original is worshiped over there¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not saying¡ª¡ª¡±


    ¡°That she heard there was a clone of Barsal Farran, close to her age, and insisted on coming? Yes, that¡¯s definitively what happened.¡± Lily assured him. Damn it!


    ¡°Anyway, she¡¯ll be your responsibility and what you do with her is your business. Just remember she¡¯s basically a princess. Keep her happy and don¡¯t offend her. Now let¡¯s greet her in the courtyard.¡±


    Light followed, his mind in turmoil. While flattered, he already had a crush. I also don¡¯t like that it¡¯s because I¡¯m someone¡¯s double. On the other hand, Vanessa wasn¡¯t his sister, so perhaps this offered an opportunity. But even then, dating a princess would be troublesome in its own right.


    ¡°Wait,¡± Light stopped. ¡°Isn¡¯t Vanessa¡¯s fame a problem? What if people recognize her?¡±


    Lily looked back, ¡°Yes, it¡¯d be hard to explain, so Vanessa was required to disguise herself. The Isle is getting another ninja.¡±


    Light couldn¡¯t get excited over this. I hope she doesn¡¯t ruin tonight. When the others had visited, they¡¯d made clear that tracking the assassins would be a joint venture. Rose had a plan in which he¡¯d play a central role, and they were determine to act as soon as he recovered. They¡¯re worried I might go off on my own again.


    It¡¯s a needless concern. Experiencing the final moments of that nameless assassin had calmed him. While those after Hope had to be stopped, he¡¯d deal with them rationally.


    As they passed flaming walls, a warping sphere dropped down, revealing a female ninja in a golden outfit toting a large pack. She had a light tan and blond hair. At least it won¡¯t be easy to recognized her.


    ¡°She¡¯s early.¡± Lily mumbled with irritation.


    The golden Kunoichi saw them and waved, ¡°Hi Lily, what¡¯d you think of my getup?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a great, Vanessa.¡± Lily answered in monotone. ¡°Could you come this way?¡± With a leap, the newcomer joined them. ¡°Please place a drop of blood in the brazier.¡± Vanessa summoned a knife and did as instructed.


    ¡°Perfect.¡± Lily nodded. ¡°Vanessa Goldstone, meet Light Skyfell. I¡¯ll leave you two to get acquainted. Fayla will show you to your room when you¡¯re ready.¡± She then departed.


    ¡°That was abrupt¡­¡± Light said.


    ¡°Don¡¯t mind her.¡± Vanessa laughed. ¡°I got a little intoxicated last time and caused a diplomatic incident. She¡¯s probably still bitter over it.¡±


    They looked each other over. ¡°So, what should I call you?¡± Light asked.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear?¡± Vanessa tilted her head. ¡°I¡¯m Vanessa Goldstone.¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not it. Won¡¯t people know if we use your real name?¡±


    Vanessa slapped her forehead, ¡°I got so caught up in my disguise I didn¡¯t even consider this. Give me a second¡­ How about Emelia?¡±


    ¡°Emelia sounds good.¡± Light nodded relieved. ¡°Shall I show you the Inner Palace?¡±


    ¡°No, later.¡± Emelia approached the flaming wall, testing it with a finger. ¡°If I leave my backpack inside, it¡¯ll be fine, right?¡±


    Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Probably.¡± Light answered watching Emelia step through and return.


    ¡°So where are we headed first?¡± She asked with a smile.


    Is she expecting a tour? ¡°I only arrived six days ago¡­¡± He said apologetically.


    Emelia wasn¡¯t bothered, ¡°What parts haven¡¯t you visited yet?¡±


    Light considered, ¡°The Tomb of Legends and Monument Park?¡± The others had thoroughly described the Shrines of the Lost and Calin¡¯s Keep.


    ¡°Perfect, Monument Park it is.¡± Emelia decided. ¡°Please lead the way.¡±


    What am I doing? Light wondered as they traveled runways. Is this some kind of date? What about my martial arts? He felt lost.


    In a few minutes they stood in a wide green space filled with the statues he didn¡¯t recognize. Wise would be useful. The zigzagging paths were packed with visitors.


    Emelia happily wandered this crowd, seeming to relish the walk rather than the artwork. This doesn¡¯t seem like a date¡­ She was practically ignoring him.


    ¡°What exactly are we doing?¡± He finally asked.


    ¡°Ah, right.¡± Emelia remembered his existence. ¡°Sorry for dragging you into this. I just wanted to go somewhere public and enjoy being incognito for a bit.¡±


    ¡°Incognito?¡±


    ¡°It means anonymous.¡± Emelia said, gesturing around. ¡°Look around, no one knows who I am! It¡¯s great!¡±


    I see. Light relaxed a bit, ¡°You¡¯re appreciating not being famous.¡±


    ¡°Exactly!¡± Emelia agreed. ¡°It¡¯s been years since I¡¯ve been anywhere without someone pointing. I¡¯m invisible.¡±


    ¡°Is this why you came to the Isle?¡±


    ¡°Not exactly.¡± Emelia paused, giving him a sidelong glance. ¡°I came because of you. Meeting Barsal¡¯s clone sounded exciting.¡± So Lily was right after all.


    ¡°My family was against it, concerned I¡¯d cause trouble.¡± Emelia continued. ¡°To dissuade me, they told me I¡¯d have to conceal my identity. As you can tell, it had the opposite effect. There was no stopping me at that point.¡±


    Emelia raised her hand to the sky, examining it. ¡°As part of the Goldstone family, I¡¯m basically an unofficial ambassador. As such, I never alter my skin tone when traveling. This is my first time. It¡¯s so refreshing to escape the Goldstone name, even for just a while.¡±


    As someone who had spent his life as a nobody, Light struggled to empathize. However, he clearly saw the experience meant something to Emelia. She eventually stopped before the statue of a large man.


    ¡°Handam Xolran, the ruler of Banzerkest.¡± Emelia stated.


    Light recognized the name. There was no way he wouldn¡¯t. The strongest immortal. No wonder he had a sculpture here.


    ¡°Narcissism incarnate.¡± Emelia continued, staring coldly.


    What? Light felt the comment unfair, ¡°Isn¡¯t it normal to be arrogant when you¡¯re unrivaled?¡±


    Emelia¡¯s glacial gaze swung towards him, sending a chill down his spine. Before he could panic, her expression eased, ¡°That¡¯s right. You¡¯ve lived in the arctic. I shouldn¡¯t judge you on what you don¡¯t know¡­¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Light felt this critically important.


    Emelia turned back to the stone figure, ¡°Both the Barsal Empire and Banzerkest are similar in that they¡¯re nations whose founders have outsized influence. Other than that, they couldn¡¯t be further apart. On the opposite side of Enera, Banzerkest is a truly backward place. It¡¯s the last major nation still engaged in slavery. Have you seen grey skinned people around?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Light had noticed but hadn¡¯t thought much of it. They were nothing special among other eccentricities.


    ¡°They¡¯re former slaves.¡± Emelia said. ¡°Banzerkans cast a vile magic on those they subjugate, marking their skin. The curse is hereditary, passing from one generation to the next. After millennia of bondage, most don¡¯t even know what their natural tone would be.¡±


    ¡°Is there no way help those who escaped?¡± Light asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s difficult, but possible. However, many choose not to. They stay grey in protest, to remind everyone about the wrongs committed far away.¡±


    ¡°Why hasn¡¯t anything been done about it?¡± It¡¯s strange such well-known injustice has persisted so long.


    ¡°Because Banzerkest is a military powerhouse. Apart from the Black Citadel, it was the place least affected by the Dark Age, barely participating in the war. While everyone else suffered heavy losses, all their Saints and Immortals survived.¡±


    ¡°Then there is Handam Xolran. He¡¯s a monster. When Sola invaded the Cultivating Realm, he kept the avatar of Hate in check by himself for a week. No one wants to face him, especially on home turf.¡±


    ¡°Due to this potential cost, the Northern Emperor refuses to consider action. As long as Handam abides his word not to enslave outsiders, he¡¯s happy to leave the situation alone. Forming a coalition to confront Banzerkest has proved fruitless.¡±


    Watching the animosity in her eyes, Light felt there was more there, ¡°While slavery is awful, why do I suspect your hatred is somehow personal?¡±


    ¡°Because it is.¡± Emelia admitted. ¡°I recently met a prince from Banzerkest. He was skilled and kinda hot, so I approached him. I mean, just because a nation does something horrific doesn¡¯t mean its citizens are automatically evil, right? Or at least that¡¯s what I though. I didn¡¯t understand at the time how twisted that place is.¡±


    She shook her head, ¡°Banzerkans believe their ruler is literal perfection, a worship reaching warped proportions. Since Handam is brown skinned, anyone lighter or darker is considered imperfect and inferior. Needless to say, my interactions with that racist prick didn¡¯t go well. I¡¯m still fuming.¡±


    Emelia turned with a smile, ¡°Thanks for listening patiently. Ranting is always therapeutic. Now, why don¡¯t we move along to somewhere more pleasant?¡±


    The rest of their stroll went smoothly. Rounding Monument Park, Emelia offered tidbits on the figures they saw, proving she knew a fair bit. Now this is more like a date. As they returned the guild, Light felt compelled to ask again, ¡°Did you really travel here because of me?¡±


    ¡°If I must have another reason, I do have one.¡± Emelia said pensively. ¡°The truth is I¡¯ve been taking a break from adventuring lately. This has left me bored stiff. So when an intriguing opportunity appeared, I jumped on it.¡±


    ¡°Why the break?¡± Light asked. I doubt it¡¯s the same reason as Emerit.


    Emelia gave him sad smile, as if explaining the obvious. ¡°Adventurers who reach A rank before 20 often take breaks. No one wants to immortalize too young. My goal is at least twenty five. Around twenty six or seven would be good.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t there methods to age yourself?¡± Light asked.


    ¡°I¡¯d rather do it naturally.¡± Emelia said. ¡°Although I must say boredom has made me reconsider lately.¡±


    Emelia sounds like she has absolute confidence in her future. It reminded him of someone, ¡°You¡¯ve no doubts about your prospects?¡±


    ¡°None. I¡¯m amazing.¡± Emelia cheerfully professed. She¡¯s a more honest and open version of Dawn.


    Light smirked at the audacity, ¡°Don¡¯t take this the wrong way, but you come off as a little arrogant.¡±


    Emelia laughed. ¡°None taken. I¡¯m the most arrogant person you¡¯ll meet.¡±


    At this, Light¡¯s grin widened, ¡°Actually, I already know someone with a bigger ego than yours.¡±


    ¡°Oh really,¡± Emelia eyed him doubtfully. ¡°I don¡¯t believe it.¡±


    Light knew he was setting up a monumental clash of titans. At least one pride would be shattered in the aftermath. He justified it with the thought, it was bound to happen anyway.


    ¡°Do you think you¡¯d ever lose to fifteen year old?¡±


    ¡°Never.¡± Emelia declared.


    This will be fun.

 [Chapter 33 part 1] Silver - Werewolves

    [Chapter 33 part 1] Silver - Werewolves


    -----------------------------


    So this is the Pillar of Enera.  Silver stood on a miniature island before a beam of solid light.  Behind him, the sun was setting on the Blue Abyss.  Above, three miles of city was brightening as the sky dimmed.  The crowd flowed around him from glass bridges.


    There was a massacre here not long ago.  The Laughing Man impersonator had attacked late at night, striking everyone down with golden spears.  No trace is left.  He peered upwards.  A week later that same villain crashed an airship into the pillar.


    Even after those tragedies, the place remained busy.  It¡¯s to be expect.  This was the legendary artifact which had saved and reshaped the world.  One that still plays a vital role.  Without it, there¡¯d be no warping, and Enera¡¯s global information network would be lost.


    The base was forty feet wide and perfectly circular.  No indication of any entrances.  He approached and placed his hand on the tangible light.  It¡¯s hard, but warm.  Using his aura, he tried getting a feel for the material but failed.  Indestructible from without.


    ¡°And Hope can open this¡­¡±  Silver murmured.


    ¡°Hope can what?¡±  A voice said behind him, startling him.  Who?


    A tall girl was staring curiously.  She wore a flower-patterned tunic, her long hazel hair in a pony tail.  Behind her, Kate was shaking her head.  After splitting earlier, he¡¯d gone to the pillar while she waited for her friend.  So this must be Yvonne.


    ¡°Let me explain.¡±  Kate interjected herself, discretely stomping on his foot.  Deserved.  ¡°Silver¡¯s sister is an amazing enchantress.  He¡¯s under the delusion she can do anything, but, obviously, that¡¯s not really the case.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±  Yvonne studied him intensely.


    Silver did his best to remember the intelligence Kate had shared.  Yvonne Singer was her oldest friend and the daughter of the Noaranian ambassador.  Her magical ability was average, but her combat sense was extraordinary.  She had wood affinity, using bows and quarterstaffs.  Extremely intelligent, she loved to pry and had a fondness for gossip.  Kate, why is she so problematic?  They¡¯d settled on keeping most details secret, especially the bit about doppelgangers.  This wasn¡¯t off to a great start.


    ¡°Hate to break it to you, but this¡ª¡ª¡±  Yvonne knocked on the pillar.  ¡°¡ª¡ªis god level construct.  No one, not even an immortal, can alter it.¡±  Hope doesn¡¯t need to, she already has permission to enter.


    After proper introductions, Yvonne leaned close to Kate, ¡°You didn¡¯t mention he¡¯s one of those ¡®mysterious ninjas¡¯.  Come to think of it, you haven¡¯t told me much of anything lately.  What¡¯re you hiding?¡±


    ¡°Yvonne,¡±  Kate reproached.  ¡°You promised to behave.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t really hold me to that!¡±  Yvonne complained, backing down.  ¡°You¡¯re my inside source for palace chatter, and you¡¯ve gone dry on me.¡±


    Kate sighed, ¡°Let¡¯s head to dinner.  I¡¯m sure I can scrounge up something to satisfy you.¡±  Interesting relationship¡­


    As they crossed to the Level 3¡¯s main floor, Yvonne clicked her tongue, ¡°I still don¡¯t care for these bridges.¡±


    ¡°Nervous?¡±  Silver asked.  He was surprised to find someone else with that phobia.  Shouldn¡¯t she have grown out of it?


    ¡°No, well, a little.¡±  Yvonne struggle for words.  ¡°I¡¯m normally fine with high places.  It¡¯s the glass I have issue with.  I strongly believe the ground should be visible.  It doesn¡¯t feel solid otherwise.¡±  That sounds like something Dawn would say.


    ¡°This¡ª¡ª¡±  She stamped her foot.  ¡°¡ª¡ªis damn near transparent.  It¡¯s as if your walking on nothing.¡±


    Silver looked down.  Below the Isle¡¯s last two miles, two skyrivers whirled together towards the Blue Abyss.  Further still, Spiral City was illuminated by a fading light bloom.  I enjoy the view personally.


    ¡°I hear this is why they colored the handrails.¡±  Kate chimed in.  ¡°Too many were complaining.¡±  The top two inches were tinted blue on both sides.


    ¡°What about you, Silver?¡±  Yvonne asked.  ¡°When did you overcome your fears?¡±


    Silver frown.  Was I ever afraid?  He must¡¯ve been, but the memory had vanished.  I can still answer.  ¡°I lost my fears when I was ten.¡±


    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    ¡°About normal,¡±  Yvonne nodded, disappointed.  Kate and Silver exchanged glances, but said nothing.


    On the far side, Yvonne¡¯s interest in ferreting out information redoubled, ¡°So, anything exciting happen lately?  I mean, besides becoming a couple.¡±


    This soured Silver¡¯s mood.  ¡°Something exciting is happening right now.¡±  He said wistfully.  ¡°And we¡¯re missing out.¡±


    Kate glowered, but he didn¡¯t care.  Part of him was still mopping.  I couldn¡¯t back out since I pestered Kate about meeting her friends.


    ¡°And what¡¯s this?¡±  Yvonne pursued diligently.


    ¡°A confrontation of egos.¡±  Silver said cryptically.  Vanessa was one of the topics they couldn¡¯t discuss.


    Yvonne pivoted to Kate.  ¡°Explain.  You know there¡¯s no keeping it.¡±


    With a last resentful glance, his girlfriend sighed, ¡°A new ninja arrived today.  She¡ª¡±


    ¡°The yellow one?¡±  Yvonne broke in.  Vanessa hasn¡¯t participated in any matches.  How does she know?


    ¡°Yes, the yellow one.¡±  Kate confirmed.  ¡°Anyway, this newcomer is prideful, believing herself the best.  Problem is¡ª¡ª¡±


    ¡°She got into a fight with the white one.  Am I right?¡±  Yvonne interrupted again.  ¡°Rumor is that Dawn¡¯s strength is backed by a great deal of confidence.¡±


    They both stared in wonder.  Yvonne buckled under the pressure, ¡°Oh, come on.  The mysterious ninjas are a hot topic.  Of course I¡¯d know this much.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve got the gist of it.¡±  Kate continue.  ¡°They¡¯re having a private match right now.  Silver is upset at being unable to spectate.¡±


    ¡°If Dawn loses, it¡¯d be so satisfying though.¡±  He protested.


    ¡°But consider what might happen if she wins¡­¡±  Kate countered.  True, that¡¯d be awful.


    ¡°Who¡¯d you think will come out on top?¡±  Yvonne asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure¡­  Dawn maybe?¡±  His sister won too often to bet against.


    Reaching the restaurant, they ceased the small talk.  Silver didn¡¯t bother with the menu.  The place is famous for its meat lasagna, and I¡¯m hungry.  A friendly waiter took their order and brought their food.  For Silver, who¡¯d been spoiled by instant gratification, the few minutes this took was agonizing.  Fortunately, his meal was delicious.  It¡¯s worthy of being added to Lily¡¯s ¡®buffet¡¯.


    ¡°So, heard any good rumors lately?¡±  Kate asked once they¡¯d finished.  She¡¯s going on the offensive.


    ¡°Yes, I have.¡±  Yvonne smiled.  ¡°One which relates to you.  Apparently, yesterday a white Kunoichi went around inquiring about Emerit Blaze¡¯s fears and dislikes.  Any idea what this was about?  Does it have to do with your recent quest?  I¡¯m still waiting for a report on that, by the way.¡±  And it backfires.


    They talked for nearly two hours, dodging awkward questions like broken glass.  Most was idle chit-chat, but the last part was interesting.  Kate had eventually succeeded in switching the topic to Yvonne¡¯s homeland.


    Noaran was famous for shapeshifting, with a near monopoly on that particular magic.  Those seeking to change who they were traveled there from around Enera.  Tricksters too.  While Yvonne wasn¡¯t a shape-shifter, she had all kinds of crazy stories from back home.  Her life had been pretty hectic and prank-filled until she¡¯d learned to recognize souls.


    We know this too.  Everyone capable of channeling had a ¡®spiritual sense¡¯ or ¡®field of reach¡¯ which allowed them to feel the world around them.  It was in this space that objects were materialized and manipulated.  With this sixth sense, it was possible to recognize souls, same as enchantments did.  Excluding rare exceptions, every one is unique.  Astra had them master the technique.


    ¡°Was that a good idea?¡±  Silver asked once Yvonne had left.


    ¡°Well, she was pushing hard.  It was either introducing you to the rest of my friends or letting her meet your siblings.  I chose the lesser evil.¡±  Kate reasoned.  They¡¯d invited Yvonne to the Rose Palace for a get-together in two days.  I see much potential for trouble.


    ¡°Incidentally, Dawn won.¡±  Kate added.


    ¡°How¡¯d you¡­?¡±


    ¡°I checked my messages under the table.¡±  Kate smirked.  ¡°If you make the screen small, no one notices.¡±


    So she won after all.  At some level, this was a comfort.  He wanted to be there the day his sister finally lost.  I just pray this doesn¡¯t make her worse.  If she started emulating Vanessa, life would be miserable.


    Silver had met Light¡¯s new coach ¡ª¡ªshe¡¯s going by Emelia now¡ª¡ª at the Stone Coliseum.  After their clean sweep yesterday, they¡¯d earned later time-slots.  Four of them had lost, including himself.  The only undefeated were Light, Free, Soul and Dawn.  The three strongest and Light who was fighting his first afternoon match.  Soul and Dawn would probably keep going until they reached the evening bracket.


    We¡¯ll catch up once fame kicks in.  Yvonne had made it clear they were becoming known.  The ¡®mysterious ninjas¡¯.  Dawn especially had captured attention with her bizarre one-sided wins.  Everyone had noticed that the excellence of her martial arts did not match her magic.  He¡¯d heard the whispering.  It¡¯s because she isn¡¯t using ice.


    ¡°We should go.¡±  Kate said.  ¡°They¡¯re waiting.¡±  Silver nodded, and they traveled East towards waterworks.


    Although assassins were essentially invisible, the Isle had many eyes.  Wandering the city yesterday, Rose had employed Wise as a barometer of ¡®shadow sightings¡¯, mapping where they were densest.  She¡¯d deduced they were traveling to level 3 and crossing over to the stairwells behind the Isle¡¯s hydrodam.  Unfortunately, the trail had ended there.


    Silver looked down at the poorly lit, chaotic Undercity.  While the top three miles had been meticulously planned by various stewards, everything below had been an afterthought.  The wall of elevators didn¡¯t extend past the Level 3.  Instead there was a mismatch of lifts on the service floor one layer down.  Which is why the assassins switch over to the waterworks.


    ¡°Found them.¡±  Kate said.  There were two ways to pass the falling skyriver: the curving glass bridge on the exterior and the dark passageways on the interior.  Everyone was at the intersection between the two, with only Dawn and Hope absent.


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±  Silver asked.


    ¡°We¡¯re ready to begin, except for that issue.¡±  Rose pointed to the golden ninja sitting dejected on a bench.  I¡¯d imagine she¡¯d be in a bad mood.  Dressed in black as always, Light was hovering nearby awkwardly.  Perhaps he¡¯s struck by guilt.  His brother had orchestrated the showdown.


    (continued in part 2)

 [Chapter 33 part 2] Silver - Werewolves

    [Chapter 33 part 2] Silver - Werewolves


    -----------------------------


    ¡­


    After some debate, they¡¯d resolved to enlist Emelia in their efforts. They needed Light, and it would¡¯ve been difficult to separate the two. Dangerous too.  Emelia had a history of trouble-making on the Isle.


    Silver approached the moping twenty year old. ¡°I heard you lost.¡±


    Emelia looked up with a death gaze, which failed utterly. ¡°I¡¯m fearless remember.¡± He offered. ¡°Intimidation means nothing.¡±


    At this, her expression softened to scorn, ¡°What¡¯d you want?¡±


    ¡°Losing to her isn¡¯t fun. I came to welcome you to the club.¡± Silver said leaning on the bench.


    ¡°Five times.¡± Emelia said after a pause. ¡°Five times in a row.¡±


    ¡°At least you didn¡¯t grow up with her. I¡¯ve suffered hundreds of defeats without even understanding why.¡±


    ¡°¡¯Understanding why¡¯?¡± This bit caught her attention.


    ¡°Astra Skyfell¡¯s doppelganger raised by her original in the arctic. Of course she¡¯d be monstrously overpowered. It¡¯d be arrogant for anyone her age to think of beating her.¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯m actually twenty three in real terms.¡± Despite the protest, Emelia was swayed.


    ¡°And you were up against the strongest reincarnation of a legendary hero.¡± Silver concluded, walking away. Any longer and Kate might get jealous.


    His efforts soon bore fruit, and Emelia joined them. ¡°By the way, where¡¯s Dawn?¡± Kate asked.


    ¡°At that cafe.¡± Free answered. ¡°She was oozing with insufferable smugness so we sent her away until needed. She was very understanding about it.¡±


    Per the plan, they would split into two groups. Silver was part of the ¡®pursuit team¡¯, along with Light, Emelia, and Kate. The four who easily traverse vertical surfaces. He and Kate had their clinging abilities, and Emelia had learned to travel walls as part of her dungeon runs. They left the others and entered the waterworks.


    Behind the skyriver was an enormous hydrodam spanning the height of the Isle. Enormous turbines generated a field which powered any devices within range. The long, windowless structure was anchored though miles of scaffolding filled with walkways, stairs, and pipes. In addition to energy, the facility also provided water and processed sewage. The intricate plumbing system gave the place the feeling of a maze.


    Light hid next to a beam, blending into the metal. His camouflage has improved. The others waited deeper in the shadows. Everyone kept their eyes peeled. The waterworks are difficult to navigate and don¡¯t connected to the surface. Otherwise the assassins would frequent them more.


    Light gave the signal and jumped. They dashed after him, hopping across beams. Silver and Kate struggled to keep up with the other two.


    ¡°Slow down.¡± Wise¡¯s voice came from their wrystals. All four had kept an open line. They briefly paused their descent, before speeding up again. Ten seconds later, Wise halted their pace again. This cycle continued on repeat.


    According to Rose, Light¡¯s prior attempt had failed because he tried to track the assassins visually, which required staying too close. Their new approach relied on Wise¡¯s foresight. Every time they came within seconds of catching up, he would hold them back.


    ¡°Go South on the next floor.¡± Following the instructions, they left the waterworks and sped across the Undercity¡¯s crowded structures. Halfway to the docks, Wise had them stop. Finally. Silver and Kate were breathing hard. A respite is appreciated. The reason their group consisted of four, rather than simply Light, was to increase the reliability of Wise¡¯s predictions. More eyes to catch shadows.


    ¡°Did we succeed?¡± Light demanded quietly.


    ¡°The assassin disappeared into the abandoned warehouse in front of you.¡± Wise stated. ¡°Wait there, we¡¯re coming.¡±


    Once we confirm what is in that building, we¡¯ll report our findings.


    ¡°I still say we take them out ourselves.¡± Emelia said. ¡°Dawn and I can do it alone.¡±


    ¡°No, some might escape, and we¡¯d be back to square one.¡± Light countered. I personally want to avoid killing if possible. Outside coliseums, death was permanent.


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    Their surroundings were an architectural disaster. Rather than proper apartment buildings, it appeared houses had been stacked one on another. Homes in adjacent layers were discernible through gaps. There isn¡¯t a clean separation. Stairs, walkways, and elevator shafts were everywhere. That¡¯s the warehouse. The shuttered building surrounded by a junkyard. Isolated and unlit, it stood apart from the cluttered residential district.


    When the others arrived, they dropped down to the alley and approached the junkyard. This should be close enough.


    ¡°So?¡± Light asked.


    ¡°Give me a second¡­ Shiiiit¡­¡± Wise hissed.


    Why? This meant trouble, but Silver didn¡¯t understand how. Hope wasn¡¯t with them so the assassins had no motive to attack, especially when outmatched. Unless it¡¯s a trap.


    ¡°Hello.¡± Said a voice above. They glanced up to see a familiar blond-haired figure jump down. The Laughing Man.


    Emelia is in danger, Silver realized. We must distract him. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± He asked.


    The man gazed at him pensively. His hand flashed and a golden spear stopped a quarter inch from his right eye. Silver didn¡¯t flinch. Siegfried will kill him if he harms me. He considered walking forwards. One eye would be worth it, but a self-inflicted injury might not count.


    ¡°Curious, even if you have the HEAVENLY DAO¡¯s protection.¡± The Laughing Man withdrew his weapon. ¡°You¡¯re broken, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t hurt us.¡± Rose stated. There was no reason to hide it if he knew.


    ¡°True, true.¡± He acknowledged. ¡°I can¡¯t¡­ BUT¡­¡± The warehouse behind him burst into flames. He leered back towards the blaze. ¡°They can.¡±


    Snickering maliciously, the Laughing Man leapt to the ceiling, then again out of view, both movements sending out tremors. They were left alone before an inferno.


    ¡°For now, let¡¯s put out the fire¡± Dawn said. As they rushed to the junkyard, his sister formed a spell. She¡¯s conserving strength for whatever is in that building. The magic circle burst, and a mass of freezing air slammed into the flames, snuffing them out. The chill spread wide, dropping the temperature far. I¡¯m back in the Arctic.


    ¡°Werewolves.¡± Wise said. ¡°They¡¯re staked to the walls but will soon break free.¡±


    What are¡ª¡ª ¡°Wait!¡± Emelia grabbed Wise and pointing. ¡°Are you saying there are victims of Kain¡¯s curse in there?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Wise nodded.


    Emelia let go and turned to the crowded slum next to them. Many lights were still on. ¡°Not good.¡± She whispered.


    ¡°I¡¯ll call Isle Security.¡± Kate jumped to a nearby roof. Watching her go, heat assaulted Silver. The warehouse was aflame again.


    ¡°Wise, Emelia, explain!¡± Rose demanded.


    Before they could answer, an explosion sent part of the structure flying, and flames poured out. Something is coming. A figure emerged, its red fur blending with the fire. Its face had the snarling fangs of a wolf, and its arms ended in sizzling claws.


    ¡°Don¡¯t let them burn you.¡± Wise warned. ¡°That¡¯s how the curse spreads.¡±


    ¡°So those are regular people?¡± Free asked.


    ¡°Yes, but there¡¯s no saving them.¡± Emelia said coldly, conjuring a pair of blades. ¡°Once transformed, only death can stop them.¡±


    ¡°There are five.¡± Wise said as more beasts exited. ¡°If we let a single one slip away, it¡¯ll be a disaster.¡±


    The first werewolf let out a ghastly howl, sounding far too human. The rest rallied to this cry, their fur flaring up and rocketing the temperature. All five galloped forwards, claws leaving molten puddles behind.


    Silver hung back. Opponents who weren¡¯t safe to touch were his worst match-up. I really must find an summoning instructor.  Fireproof dragon hide would come in handy right about now.


    The werewolves were fierce foes. Their fur was as tough as scale armor, and flames accelerated their movements. They released waves of fire which deflected projectiles and were tricky to dodge. Up close, their claws were able to burn deep into Soul¡¯s ice armor. They were cunning too, using flares to blind strategically. The way they¡¯re fighting¡­ It¡¯s hard to believe these were ordinary people minutes ago. They seemed battle veterans.


    Fortunately, we have Soul, Emelia, and Dawn. Those three were holding their own. However, the situation remained perilous.


    Rose was struggling. As fire was ineffective, she couldn¡¯t strike directly. Instead she was using telekinesis to levitate her opponent until the others could help. That shouldn¡¯t normally be possible. Living beings were resistant to this type of manipulation. They must be too closely connected to fire. The unhappy beast was flinging flames which Rose was somehow deflecting.


    Light and Free were faring worse. Light¡¯s shurikens were being knocked away, and he¡¯d already been cornered into using a substitution. As for Free, her roots weren¡¯t resisting well, much to her frustration, barely lasting long enough to hamper the creature. Silver could tell that it was tearing through her stamina. Together they were barely keeping the fifth under control.


    Thankfully, by the time Light used his second substitution, Dawn felled her foe. She took over as they collapsed. At least they contributed. Silver felt useless.


    Emelia is nearly done too. Her golden outfit had been singed away, revealing hardened leather below. She¡¯s the type who needs durable gear. Her body now had a shine to it, with crystalline calluses covering some areas. Rock skin? Between that and the whirling vortex around her, she seemed impervious. How¡¯d Dawn beat her?


    When Emelia finished off her adversary, the werewolf fighting Soul released a mournful howl, its body glowing brighter and brighter. Its flesh melted away, revealing blinding white bones. They all sensed what was coming.


    ¡°Brace yourselves!¡± Wise yelled as the shining figure exploded, blasting everything away and setting the block ablaze.


    Recovering, Silver found one of the two remaining werewolves next to him. Nearby, a man and a woman were crawling from the wreckage of a house. Not good. The werewolf charged the terrified couple.


    Silver threw himself between the fiend and its victims. He concentrated his aura to the maximum and grabbed its wrists, holding its scorching claws at bay. The beast tried to maul him, but he pushed it back with a leg. Not giving up, it struggled forwards, jaws snapping. The heat on his hands was unbearable. Just as his strength gave out, Diamonds Edge decapitated his foe, and its body turned to ash.


    ¡°That was the last one.¡± Soul panted heavily. ¡°You alright?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Silver fell back with relief. I¡¯ve endured worse.


    ¡°No, it seems you¡¯re not.¡± Soul shook his head. What? Silver saw flames erupting from his burnt palms. Whaaaat?  The last thing he heard was, ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m going to freeze you.¡±

 [Chapter 34 part 1] Dawn - Kains Curse

    [Chapter 34 part 1] Dawn - Kain''s Curse


    -----------------------------


    ¡°So you¡¯re fine?¡± Light asked.


    ¡°Yes, look.¡± Silver showed off his hands. ¡°It was nothing really.¡±


    Last night they¡¯d rushed Silver to John Lavinda, leaving the aftermath to Lily. On the way, Wise had calmed their fears by explaining the affliction. Burn injuries would begin burst aflame, spreading rapidly. Half the body was the point of no return where the transformation sped up and soul corruption began. Before then, recovery was possible.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you snuck off without me.¡± Hope brooded.


    ¡°We couldn¡¯t take you.¡± Soul reasoned. ¡°We don¡¯t know how the assassins are tracking you. What if it¡¯s proximity based?¡±


    ¡°Then you shouldn¡¯t have gone at all.¡± Hope snapped. This is why we kept quiet.


    ¡°Fayla, where¡¯s Lily?¡± Free asked.


    The fire sprite had gathered them east wing at day break. It was generous to let us sleep that long.


    ¡°With the press.¡± Fayla responded. ¡°She wanted you here when she got back.¡±


    ¡°While we wait, Wise, tell us more about Kain¡¯s curse.¡± Rose requested.


    She wants the extra details. When they¡¯d returned yesterday, Wise had immediately retired. This left them relying on their wrystals for the basics.


    Kain was Kongal¡¯s avatar during the dark age, the one trapped in Tartarus. What they¡¯d fought was his plague on humanity. It¡¯s a scary thing. While most ailments were reversible to some degree, Kain¡¯s Curse was one of the ¡®abominable scourges¡¯ for which there was no cure. Once a carrier, you¡¯re lost.


    Besides physical contact, Kain propagated his curse through his link to Kongal. Outside the wards protecting civilization, burn wounds on those despairing would catch fire, leading to outbreaks. This meant the blight could never be completely eradicated. On the plus side, fire-based torture techniques have fallen out of favor.


    Kain created partial doppelgangers of himself by grafting his appearance, pyrotechnic skill, and battle expertise onto his victims. Their souls became irreversibly tainted, compelling them to burn others.


    Their weakness is their homogeneousness. Since every werewolf received the same combat knowhow, detailed information had been compiled about their abilities and tactics. Even their propensity to self-destruct was well-known. That would¡¯ve been nice to know yesterday.


    Wise smiled, ¡°Fortunately I don¡¯t have to tell you Kain¡¯s story because Emelia here already knows.¡±


    Emelia was back in new yellow gear, lying face down on the table, half-asleep. She¡¯d been up late reporting to the Barsal Empire. I hope she isn¡¯t recalled. Sparring with her had been extremely satisfying.


    ¡°Did someone call?¡± Emelia yawned.


    ¡°Yes, could you please explain about the Sirk and Kain?¡± Wise asked politely.


    ¡°Why would I do that?¡±


    ¡°Because you recently took a quest to hunt down werewolves in Angrim Dungeon. At the time, you read all about their history.¡±


    This comment snapped Emelia awake, and she eyed Wise suspiciously. He takes getting used to.


    ¡°Using my ability for long tales is draining.¡± Wise pleaded. ¡°I¡¯m worn out too.¡±


    This won Emelia over, and she nodded, ¡°Fine, I suppose it¡¯s fresh enough in my mind.¡±


    ¡°Back when Sola was reviving the deceased, a certain king visited Earth¡¯s End. His kingdom, Jabor, was a feudal society which had just quelled a bloody uprising. Unnerved by the violence, he desired a solution to prevent a repeat. To everyone¡¯s surprise, Sola answered the request and crafted the Sirks.¡±


    ¡°They were a race of half-dog and half-human designed for servitude. Lacking the confidence to challenge authority, their natural complacency lead them to not question their lot in life. They suffered an instinctive need to follow orders and were docile to the point of harmlessness. If this wasn¡¯t enough, they were given a fear of blood so strong it sent them into paralytic shock.¡±


    ¡°The Sirks were a huge hit, and soon their use spread far beyond Jabor. Part of their appeal was that they could be efficiently segregated from society. Unlike half-breeds engineered by the HEAVENLY DAO, the Sirks did not have human faces and could only have offspring with their own kind.¡±


    ¡°How was this allowed to happen?¡± Soul interjected. ¡°It¡¯s so wrong¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Emelia agreed. ¡°The Sirks were a travesty which should¡¯ve been condemned. Unfortunately, Sola controlled resurrection. Although there was much outrage privately, few dared speak out. Rather, they took steps to silence opposition.¡±


    ¡°It was after the Black Banquet, that Sola released their true nature.¡±


    ¡°In the weeks following that massacre, the dogs morphed into wolves. They developed a fierce pride, and orders of any type would send them into rage. The smell of blood triggered a berserker state. Their physical appearance changed to reflect this new disposition. While they¡¯d been mostly human except the head, their canine features enveloped their bodies, skin morphing into thick hides and sharp claws replacing nails.


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    ¡°This did not end well.¡± Free predicted sadly. ¡°Sola was awful¡­¡±


    Soul should probably talk to her again. Dawn wasn¡¯t talented in this department. She remembered trying to cheer Hope up. Why is it wrong to tell someone to accept that they aren¡¯t good?


    ¡°So what happened next?¡± Rose pressed.


    ¡°After deadly uprisings, the surviving Sirks gathered in what used to be Jabor and founded their own nation in its ruins. They enthroned a king, Kain, who proclaimed their freedom.¡±


    ¡°For a brief moment, they enjoyed the illusion of free will. Then Sola reemerged and visited their new home. Unbeknownst to them, they¡¯d been programed with an undying loyalty and love towards their creator. She needed only show her face.¡±


    ¡°Instead of ushering in an era of prosperity, Kain was forced to lead his people to extinction in a fight that held no meaning for them. The Sirks became a foundation of Sola¡¯s genocidal army. As their numbers dwindled to nothing, Kain¡¯s mind broke, and he became the strongest avatar of despair the world has known.¡±


    The dashed hopes of an entire people and the king who utterly failed them¡­ There¡¯s no escaping something like that.


    ¡°This is why Kain stubbornly clings to existence. As the last of his kind, he refuses to fade away. His pride won¡¯t allow it. Instead, he lurks in Tartarus cursing humanity for eternity.¡±


    ¡°Nicely told.¡± Lily said. Dawn hadn¡¯t sensed her arrive. The legion of phoenixes mask her presence.


    The immortal took her seat, ¡°Astra is back. She¡¯s swinging by the Guild and will be here momentarily.¡±


    ¡°Have you found how the outbreak occurred?¡± Rose asked.


    That¡¯s right. This was the big mystery. How did the Laughing Man spread the curse?  Dawn doubted he¡¯d snuck a werewolf onto the Isle. That left contagion via despair. Had impaling his victims been enough?


    Lily frowned, ¡°We¡¯re still working that out. The Isle has wards against malevolent magic. If the civilized world wasn¡¯t protected this way, there¡¯d be outbreaks all the time. This should¡¯ve been impossible.¡± Now it makes even less sense.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t this look bad for you?¡± Kate asked nervously.


    ¡°It definitively doesn¡¯t help.¡± Lily admitted.


    ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡± Silver was confused. Thanks for always asking the obvious.


    Elbow on table and head in hand, Lily spoke in an off-hand, child-like way, ¡°Domestic outbreaks of Kain¡¯s curse are usually considered an embarrassment. They¡¯re a sign of failing infrastructure and a despairing population. Neither are true in this case, but that won¡¯t stop speculation. Since you all can¡¯t come forwards as witnesses, it¡¯s a rather difficult.¡±


    ¡°Fortunately, the casualties were low. It may sound callous, but five deaths in the Undercity won¡¯t send anyone into a panic. The terrorist incidents, which took the lives of tourists, were far more problematic.¡±


    ¡°I should be thanking you. If you hadn¡¯t contained them, hundreds would¡¯ve died. My position would be infinitively worst.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re not mad?¡± Hope exclaimed in relief and outrage.


    ¡°Not in the least.¡± Lily admitted. ¡°Their actions were extremely foolish, but that foolishness was useful. Why would I be upset?¡± I wonder if that¡¯s an appropriate attitude.


    Lily perked up and turned to the terrace. Astra walked in with a grim man dressed in black.


    ¡°Why is Gareth here?¡± Lily asked.


    ¡°I found him waiting at the Guild. He says he has important intelligence concerning last night, so I brought him along. He already knows about the children.¡± Astra seemed irritated about the last part. Was it our fault?


    Astra formally introduced the newcomer, ¡°This is Gareth Black. He¡¯s the former Mask of Xarst who hunted the Laughing Man for a hundred years. It¡¯s safe to consider him an ally. It¡¯d like to begin by hearing what he has to say.¡±


    Gareth spoke in deep, soft voice, ¡°For the past week, I¡¯ve been investigating into the Tartarus break in.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Astra asked.


    ¡°Are you familiar with Simon¡¯s history with the Laughing Man?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Astra answered.


    ¡°I share that history. I¡¯m one of the five survivors. That¡¯s all the motive I needed.¡±


    What¡¯s this about? Dawn looked to Wise, but he shook his head. Must be a sensitive topic.


    Gareth leaned back, ¡°The Laughing Man never takes action without purpose. I traveled to Tartarus to uncover this larger goal.¡±


    ¡°And?¡± Astra inquired.


    ¡°He retrieved Kain¡¯s right arm during the raid. The Empire is covering this up.¡±


    Bang. Lily slammed the table, panicked, ¡°You don¡¯t mean to tell me the arm¡ª¡ª¡±


    ¡°Is on the Isle?¡± Gareth finished. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s exactly what I suspect. Part of it must¡¯ve been used last night.¡±


    A tenseness enveloped the room. I don¡¯t fully grasp the implications, but I¡¯m guessing it¡¯s bad.


    Rose broke the silence, ¡°How exactly were those people transformed?


    ¡°Few know this,¡± Astra explained grimly. ¡°But there are three ways the curse can spread. The third method is proximity to Kain¡¯s mummified remains.¡±


    ¡°It was a nightmare at first.¡± Lily added. ¡°Dozens of guards and inmates were lost. We had to bury the bastard half a mile deep with multiple seals. How was the Laughing Man able to get to it?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s brings up the another matter.¡± Gareth said. ¡°The Laughing Man had inside help. Tartarus¡¯s security was compromised, and requests for backup went unanswered for fifteen minutes. The seals leading to Kain were also weakened ahead of time. Someone high in the Empire enabled this.¡±


    ¡°The Emperor?¡± Astra asked.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Gareth nodded. ¡°Kain¡¯s body is a biological weapon of terrifying proportions. Guarding it is one of the Empire¡¯s most critical priorities. There¡¯s no way a piece could be stolen. At least, not without the Emperor¡¯s blessing.¡±


    Wait, the Northern Emperor is targeting Hope? The assassins showed up the day of the Tartarus break-in, and both events happened after their Laughing Man encounter. So our enemy is the man who controls a fifth of Enera?


    Gareth¡¯s continued, ¡°What puzzles me is I can¡¯t comprehend Samuel Lithorn¡¯s motive. The Laughing Man has harmed the Empires interest on several occasions. With all the resources under his control, the emperor should¡¯ve had other means of undermining Lily.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not all that¡¯s strange. The Northern Emperor usually acts via means which can¡¯t be traced. The terrorism and Arther¡¯s death hold true to this. However, in this case, the arm¡¯s disappearance would eventually leak, and the astute would put two and two together. Lithorn is acting openly.¡±


    ¡°Why¡¯s he doing this?¡± Astra inquired.


    ¡°Desperation, I imagine. Something changed in the last week. The Northern Emperor¡¯s very rule is somehow in jeopardy. Only a threat of that magnitude would justify Kain¡¯s arm. What¡¯s more, Lithorn fears revealing this peril to those close to him. Otherwise he wouldn¡¯t be relying on a third parties.¡± What changed is us.


    ¡°Thank out for alerting us.¡± Astra spoke formally. ¡°Could you stop by my office later to review the details?¡±


    ¡°Certainly.¡± Gareth got up. ¡°Call me when ready.¡±


    Dawn watched him walk onto the terrace and disappear. What the hell? One moment he was there, the next he wasn¡¯t.


    ¡°Did he just vanish?¡± She asked.


    ¡°He moves extremely fast.¡± Lily said. ¡°I barely saw it myself.¡± His speed must be near Astra¡¯s if not higher. He¡¯s strong.


    ¡°How did Gareth discover the children?¡± Lily asked.


    ¡°Kara told him.¡± Astra stated. ¡°He was the one who convinced her to leave the Green Hell. According to Arther¡¯s crystals, Gareth feels some responsibly for her wanton murders. He keeps in regular contact in hopes of reining her in, as he¡¯s one of the few people she listens to. The Beast of Sanrune would be even wilder if he wasn¡¯t around.¡±


    ¡°Now,¡± Astra said. ¡°Tell me of last night.¡±


    Once they¡¯d finished, she spoke again somberly, ¡°If Gareth is right, an event capable of toppling the Northern Emperor is in the cards. Furthermore, we have a weapon of mass destruction on the Isle. If the worst occurs, a Dark Age could begin.¡±


    (continued in part 2)

 [Chapter 34 part 2] Dawn – Kain’s Curse

    [Chapter 34 part 2] Dawn ¨C Kain¡¯s Curse


    -----------------------------


    ¡­


    ¡°On that note¡­  I can¡¯t believe I must do this, but it¡¯s been twice now¡­¡±  Astra looked them over.  ¡°No more stalking assassins.  Am I clear?¡±


    They nodded.


    ¡°While you¡¯re safe from the Laughing Man and the assassins soon won¡¯t be a threat with your rising fame, this conflict has other actors.  Whoever committed the massacre at the pillar¡¯s base is more than capable of finishing you off.¡±


    ¡°With that you¡¯re free to go¡­¡±


    Departing, Dawn heard Rose ask what they were doing about the arm.  Nope, not staying for that.  Politics didn¡¯t capture her interest.  Besides, I¡¯ve got plans.


    She descended to the Obsidian Cavern in a stellar mood.  On a personal level, all aspects of her life were aligning properly.


    The world was recognizing her brilliance.  She¡¯d hear strangers discussing her domineering wins at the coliseum.  Wandering the Guild asking about Emerit also drew curiosity.  This attention was paying dividends.  Dawn tracked her strength closely, so she¡¯d noticed the improvement.  It was minor, but the fact it¡¯d keep increasing filled her with glee.  We¡¯ve only became well-known in the last two days.


    Dawn kept this from the others.  She¡¯d already paraded her superiority sufficiently recently, and there was no point in further damaging their self-esteem.  They really are unfortunate, destined to linger in my shadow.


    Dawn arrived on the Inner Palace¡¯s highest balcony and spread her wings.  I¡¯m an exceptional existence.  Soon she was soaring through empty streets, contemplating the gloriousness of life.  Mastering flying only took a week.


    Her jubilant disposition had much to do with yesterday.  Under the pressure of a worthy foe, she¡¯d experience a breakthrough in her martial arts.  I finally mastered ¡®Blood of Frost¡¯.  The skill was a core body hardening technique in Astra¡¯s ¡®winter embrace¡¯.  The spike in power permitted her to cruise to five crushing victories.  That was bliss.


    She did feel sympathy for her hapless opponent.  Emelia was quite skilled, and Dawn could tell the losses had battered her psyche.  It was unavoidable.  The girl had been under the delusion she was better.  That fantasy had to be squashed.


    This was perfect timing as I¡¯ll be moving up a bracket.  Evening matches began at six and were the Stone Coliseum¡¯s biggest draw, reliably selling out.  I love Lily¡¯s skybox.  From what she¡¯d seen yesterday, Dawn¡¯s blood was boiling.


    Dropping at the foot of the tallest building.  Dawn noted she¡¯d gained a few pounds.  Magic generated density.  At higher levels, hardening had this side affect.  My figure remains flawless.


    Dawn crouched, channeling torrents into her legs.  Under her feet, ice spread out.  This was her version of platforming, a class of martial arts techniques designed to boost mobility.  She¡¯d reached the point where even rock would buckle under her full force.  Same as an ordinary person jumping on sand.


    Dawn leapt, and the stone structure rushed by.  Thirteen stories.  Despite her extra weigh, she¡¯d traveled higher.  Martial arts were a balance between increasing raw power and hardening the body to withstand it.  ¡®Blood of Frost¡¯ allowed her to steel herself far more efficiently, freeing energy to supercharge her muscles.


    Standing horizontally on a patch of ice, she smiled.  It¡¯ wonderful to be this far up with no fear.  Jumping higher altered her concept of space, recalibrating her phobia.  However, that¡¯s not the only reason.  The completed version of ¡®Blood of Frost¡¯ imparted an insane resistance to damage.  Testing this durability, she¡¯d hopped off this building, enclosing herself in an egg of ice.  After smashing to the ground, she¡¯d walked out unscathed.


    Her other endeavors were progressing just as swimmingly.  She¡¯d adopted Lily¡¯s fast casting spells in her matches and would soon supplement them with the wind and earth spells Emelia was teaching Light.  Without her vastly superior ice, she had to milk every bit of potential she could.  I can¡¯t wait for the shock once my true affinity is revealed.


    Her transformation into a kunoichi was also proceeding apace.  She¡¯d finished Tales of the Shinobi and could fluidly travel surfaces.  Wall-running, check.  Double jumps were next.


    After dabbling with hand signals, Dawn saw much potential in the magecraft.  Perfect execution of its advanced spells rivaled medium-sized magic circles, but were faster to cast.  Although you must be a ¡®ninja¡¯ to use them¡­


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    Dawn didn¡¯t know how long she¡¯d remain a Kunoichi.  There are other attractive specializations.  For now, She was delaying a decision until she¡¯d obtained her substitution technique.  I¡¯ll have one, I swear.


    She dropped down while Manifesting wings.  Enough procrastinating, I must change.  Her appearance as a white ninja was too well-known, and she couldn¡¯t afford to be recognized for what she was about to do.  After donning nondescript clothing, she made her way up to city.


    This trip¡¯s focus was Emerit Blaze.  Enacting divine retribution, Dawn smirked.  It¡¯d taken hours, but she¡¯d tracked down a retired colleague who¡¯d provided information she could use.  After some brooding, she¡¯d visited the Guild and commissioned a quest.  The receptionist had been surprised but had processed the request.  The Guild takes confidentially seriously, so there shouldn¡¯t be any leaks.  It¡¯d cost her share of the reward from the Field of Graves, but it¡¯d be worth it.  All that remains is arranging the delivery.


    Dawn stopped and studied the glass bridge to the Isle¡¯s dockside.  Technically, she could avoid this hurdle, but she refused to consider the option.  If I can¡¯t cross this, I¡¯ll definitely fail the next part.  Today she would overcome her fears.  With that thought, she strode out.


    Endure, Dawn corrected.  Today was the day she¡¯d learn to endure her fears.  Glass bridges remain the stupidest invention ever conceived.  Those who cross them are idiots.  Myself included.


    After denigrating her intelligence for thirty seconds, she made it across.  That went¡­ relatively well.  Perhaps she might yet succeed.  It¡¯ll be unpleasant either way.


    Dawn made her way to the Wall of Legends, easily navigating the wide pathways.  Stone feel so safe compared to glass.  Distancing herself from the crowd, Dawn found an untrafficked spot and carefully scanned the sky.  He¡¯ll be there.  The HEAVENLY DAO would move him if it had to.  Because it wants to see me jump off.  Given how often she¡¯d been horrified lately, she was sure the perverse god got a kick from watching her suffer.


    There he is.  Dawn¡¯s heart sank as she spotted what she was looking for.  Now she would jump off, form wings away from prying eyes, and fly up to meet Siegfried.  Simple.


    Dawn had settled on this brain-dead plan for two reason.  First, tumbling into a bottomless void was an unavoidable certainty in her future.  It¡¯d happen now or later when Astra tosses me off the Isle.  She preferred the former option.  Terror is easier to manage when you know you can¡¯t die.  Her other rationale was revenge.  What she¡¯d experienced on the airship¡­  Emerit would experience it too.  The burning resentment in her soul demanded it.


    She stepped off and promptly regretted it.  This was a miserable idea.  Mesmerized in horror, she watched the clouds race towards her.  Wait!  Wings, Wings, WINGS!  Hours of training kicked in, and she sprouted feathered limbs.  Extend them!  She spread her wings and entered an unstable glide.  This accomplished, she froze completely.


    While drifting downward in paralyzing dread, Dawn had an epiphany.  All my terrifying experiences, this horrible place¡­  It¡¯s all the HEAVENLY DAO¡¯s fault.  She focused her entire being on cussing its wretched existence.  The profanities soothed her mind, and her flight stabilized.  She rose up through the air.


    Dawn landed on Siegfried¡¯s platform and collapsed on her back, breathing heavily.  ¡°You just spent the last two minutes violently cursing the god you intend to ask a favor of.¡±  Siegfried offered with a smile.


    Dawn said nothing.  He deserved every bit of it.


    Siegfried¡¯s grin widened.  ¡°You haven¡¯t overcome your fears at all, have you?¡±


    ¡°I can manage them, and that¡¯s what matters.¡±  She stated tersely.


    Dawn took another minute before standing and facing the agent of that rotten god, ¡°You know what I came for.  I¡¯ve a package arriving soon.  I need it moved.¡±


    ¡°While I commend your audacity.¡±  Siegfried spoke seriously.  ¡°Lily is an immortal, a legendary hero, and the regent of the Isle.  You are a fifteen year old girl.  Surely you realize the difference¡­¡±  Siegfried trailed off.


    Yes, I¡¯m far more amazing.  The immortal appeared struck speechless by her truth.


    Finally recovering, he peered deeply at her, ¡°You ARE aware that you have an ego problem?¡±


    That¡¯s right he can read minds through the HEAVENLY DAO,  Dawn realized.  There¡¯s no point in putting on an act.


    ¡°That¡¯s a matter of opinion.  What¡¯s wrong with believe you¡¯re the best when you are, in fact, the best?¡±  Offering her honest unfiltered opinion felt liberating.


    ¡°Oh, I definitely believe you¡¯re something special alright.¡±  Siegfried smirked.  Dawn overlooked the hint of mockery.  Even a supreme immortal like Siegfried has his flaws.  This thought caused Siegfried to break into a fit of laughter.


    ¡°Stop, wait.¡±  He said, getting himself under control.  ¡°Phew, reading you makes it difficult to act dignified.  This is rough¡­¡±


    Really?  I find it refreshing.  Since Siegfried was invading her thoughts, he¡¯d no right to be upset at what he found there.  It was wonderful not needing to sugarcoat reality.


    ¡°Anyway, as splendid as I am, could we get back to the point of my visit?¡±


    ¡°Done.¡±  Siegfried declared.


    ¡°What?¡±  Dawn was suspicious at this sudden turn.


    ¡°When it arrives, the content of your package will be delivered.¡±


    ¡°That easily?  Really?¡±  Dawn had anticipated more of a struggle.


    ¡°Granting this boon won¡¯t effect anything of import in the grand scheme of things.  Besides, the HEAVENLY DAO believes in rewarding good entertainment.¡±


    Were my recent victories engaging enough to warrant such recognition?  This puzzled Dawn.


    ¡°It¡¯s your entire existence that¡¯s amusing.¡±  Siegfried clarified.  If that means I¡¯m amazing, then I accept.  It should be expected that a deity would be qualified to recognize her value.


    ¡°Oh, one warning.¡±  Siegfried added.  ¡°The HEAVENLY DAO considers this a private matter.  If you mention it to anyone, something hilariously awful will happen to you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.  Thanks very much to the both of you.¡±  Dawn bowed deeply.


    She pivoted around, and her mood instantly darkened.  You don¡¯t supposed the HEAVENLY DAO could teleport me directly out of¡ª¡ª


    ¡°Nope.¡±  Siegfried said happily.


    Figures.  Dawn resigned herself for another ordeal.  The HEAVENLY DAO still sucks.

 [Chapter 35 part 1] Rose – Argent Tobaskus

    [Chapter 35 part 1] Rose ¨C Argent Tobaskus


    -----------------------------


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ more cluttered than usual.¡± Rose noted. And that¡¯s a generous assessment. Stones and debris covered the workshop¡¯s floor.


    ¡°You can thank Lily for that.¡± Hope said bitterly. ¡°But don¡¯t worry, it won¡¯t happen again. I¡¯ve bolted everything down.¡±


    Metal braces secured the furniture to the walls. It was the swaying, Rose understood. No wonder¡­


    ¡°Were you able to gather them?¡± Rose asked anxiously.


    ¡°Right here.¡± Hope tapped a large backpack.


    ¡°Great,¡± Rose sighed. ¡°I¡¯ll take that¡ª¡ª¡± Hope snatched it away.


    ¡°I¡¯ve gotten stronger.¡± She declared proudly.


    Nope, not having this. ¡°Hope, have you used the runways yet?¡± Rose pressed.


    ¡°No, I haven¡¯t.¡± Her sister admitted. ¡°I might be able to now though¡­¡±


    ¡°¡ª¡ªIf you aren¡¯t weighed down.¡± Rose finished. Hope appeared torn. One last push. ¡°I¡¯d really appreciate not wasting time.¡±


    ¡°Fine.¡± Hope relented, and they headed for the elevator.


    ¡°Are you sure these are what we should start with?¡± Hope asked dubiously.


    ¡°I¡¯m certain.¡± Rose responded.


    How to monetize Hope¡¯s pebbles had posed a challenge. People don¡¯t buy what they aren¡¯t used to. Throw-away enchantments were usually done with the remains of magical beasts. They were lighter, could hold more, and were cheap. There¡¯s normally no reason to ever use stones. People would naturally be suspicious. Which is why we need to market them as a novelty product at first.


    Hope wasn¡¯t convinced, ¡°I suspects you just want to get rid of these because I turned you pink once.¡±


    ¡°Glow-in-the-dark neon pink.¡± Rose corrected. ¡°And no. I suggested this approach because it¡¯s best.¡± Disposing of them is a side benefit.


    When they reached the runways, Rose was happy to find Hope keeping up. She¡¯s come a long way. They were traveling to see Agata Nimrod. It makes sense to leverage what you have. Hope¡¯s mentor owned a popular enchanting shop. If they could secure shelf space, that¡¯d be ideal.


    ¡°Do you think she¡¯d agree?¡± Hope asked nervously.


    ¡°There¡¯s a decent chance. Many shops have unusual or eccentric items by their counters.¡± Rose said. ¡°How¡¯s your relationship?¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± Hope answered. ¡°But she¡¯s shrewd when it comes to business. I¡¯m not sure she¡¯d help popularize a competitor.¡± True, but the opportunity is too attractive not to try.


    They entered Sunrise and made their way to the backroom. Agata was sitting crossed legged perusing messages. Shutting her wrystal, she welcomed them, ¡°To what do I owe the honor?¡±


    ¡°We were hoping for help in selling these.¡± Rose opened the backpack on a worktable and a dozen pebbles fell out. ¡°They¡¯re enchanted with touch-activated prank magic.¡±


    Agata listened keenly as Rose continued her sales pitch, ¡°No one would suspect a pebble. If Someone finds one in their bag, they¡¯ll reach to throw it out. As none of the effects are harmful, foresight offers little defense. I can personally attest to their effectiveness.¡±


    ¡°What kind of pranks are we talking about?¡± Agata asked.


    ¡°Here¡¯s a list of the possible effects.¡± Hope produced two pages of neatly written text.


    Agata skimmed them, lips curling upwards, ¡°Creative. Slightly evil too. Are they mixed together?¡±


    ¡°I believe it¡¯s more fun to keep things a mystery.¡± Rose said.


    ¡°We could sort them though.¡± Hope followed up quickly.


    Agata rubbed her chin, ¡°It¡¯s a clever idea. I suspect these could sell well¡­¡± She glanced at the backpack. ¡°And if they become a hit, customers might develop an interest in their creator. Very clever indeed.¡±


    She¡¯s seen through us. Rose prayed goodwill would overcome avarice.


    Agata picked up a stone and twirled it in her fingers, ¡°Where¡¯d you get these?¡±


    ¡°From the bedrock at Earth¡¯s End.¡± Hope answered.


    ¡°Interesting.¡± Agata grinned wolfishly. ¡°A stone from that unreachable, forbidden place might have value in of itself, like moonstones.¡±


    I overlooked this angle. The first to reach the moon was Connar Noir, the third leader of the Black Citadel, who opened a portal there from under Xarst. The next was Hope¡¯s original, Jenna Crystal. She built Astrolis for that purpose, a trip that earned her immortality. The last visitors were Barsal scientists, who proved it was possible without magic. The rocks brought back from those ventures were treated as valuable treasures.


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    Rose mulled over Agata¡¯s suggestion, ¡°It¡¯s a pity, but I don¡¯t know if we can¡­ It¡¯d be difficult to explain.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure there¡¯s a way¡­¡± Agata mused. ¡°Did Simon ever pilot Astra¡¯s airship?¡±


    ¡°Yes, he flew it from Earth¡¯s End to the Black Citadel.¡± Hope responded.


    ¡°Perfect!¡± Agata smiled beautifully. ¡°First, we get Simon to confirm the stones¡¯ providence, saying he transported them himself¡­ No one will doubt those ¡®truths¡¯. Then I tell everyone that he did so at my request. We market these as ¡®Prank Stones from Earth¡¯s End¡¯.¡±


    A splendid plan. It wouldn¡¯t be strange for Agata to leave this enchanting to her apprentice. The strategy increased the value of all Hope¡¯s rocks, enchanted or not. Rose sensed an issue though, ¡°You want a big cut?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take forty percent.¡± Agata declared.


    ¡°Don¡ª¡ªhmm¡± Rose covered Hope¡¯s mouth and countered, ¡°Thirty percent.¡±


    ¡°Thirty-five.¡± Agata bargained.


    ¡°Done.¡± Hope agreed, pushing Rose¡¯s hand away. I tried.


    ¡°By the way,¡± Agata got up. ¡°You have more of these?¡±


    ¡°A room full.¡± Hope affirmed.


    ¡°Figures.¡± Agata brought out a list. ¡°These are popular enchantments with the precise information on their effects. If you reconfigure your work to match these, I¡¯ll sell them in the shop.¡±


    Wonderful. To develop Hope¡¯s ¡®business¡¯, their products had to meet expected standards. Rose had just been saved hours of market research.


    Offering profusive thanks, they left. Hope studied Agata¡¯s gift as they walked. ¡°Although it won¡¯t be as bad as starting from scratch, this won¡¯t be easy¡­ On the upside side, fame finally kicked in today. It¡¯ll aid in powering up my stones to meet these specifications.¡±


    ¡®Pressure¡¯ built up as magic was poured into an object. Stronger enchanters could force more energy into the spells they weaved.


    ¡°How much of an improvement?¡± Rose asked.


    ¡°Maybe ten percent?¡± Hope estimated. ¡°It¡¯s been three day since my victory against Razor. News is spreading.¡±


    She¡¯s doing amazingly well at the coliseum. Apart from yesterday, Hope had won all her matches. With her extra win, she has a better record than me. Despite her loss two days ago, Rose was steadily climbing the ranking. Free will probably experience her first defeat today. She was facing a well-known ¡®demoness¡¯ who wielded fire rivaling that of werewolves.


    ¡°I appreciate the strengthening, but I wish people would stop coming up to me¡­¡± Hope complained. ¡°I¡¯m not sure how to deal with them, especially the ¡®suitors¡¯.¡±


    Oh right, those guys¡­ They now had fans with romantic aspirations. We¡¯re mysterious, talented, and good looking. She¡¯d turned down two dinner invitations yesterday. If we weren¡¯t wearing masks, it¡¯d be worse. Rose had taken to spending as little time in public as possible. If you don¡¯t stand in one place, it¡¯s hard for anyone to approach.


    ¡°I could help adjust the fire enchantments.¡± Rose offered.


    There was overlap between magical affinities. Someone skilled in fire could practice other magics as long as they¡¯d an association with the concept. This was why Lily could summon a dragon god despite not being a summoner.


    Hope winced, ¡°No thanks, you¡¯re terrible at it.¡±


    Ouch¡­  ¡°You didn¡¯t have to be blunt.¡± Rose objected.


    ¡°Sorry, but it¡¯s matter of ethics. I can¡¯t sell enchantments fashioned by you under my name. The disparity would be too great.¡± While it¡¯s not like I take pride in my enchanting, this stings a bit. Hope¡¯s scowl deepened. ¡°I guess I could accept Dawn¡¯s help¡­¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Rose cried. ¡°Explain!¡±


    ¡°You know how she loves mastering everything?¡± Hope said sourly. ¡°At one period she put quite a bit of effort into enchanting. To compete with me, of course.¡±


    ¡°How did that turn out?¡±


    ¡°Technically, it ended in a ¡®tie¡¯. I beat her in skill, but she outpowered me. Our ice enchantments were on par. Stopping there was her twisted way of showing mercy. If she¡¯d kept at it and closed the skill gap, she would¡¯ve surpassed me. This was obvious to both of us. She dallied just long enough to prove she could win if she wanted.¡± Sounds like her.


    ¡°Listen, if you really want to, I¡¯ll let you, but you have to practice first.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, but I¡¯ll pass.¡± Rose declined. ¡°How much further?¡±


    Hope was leading this shopping expedition. With a secured source of income, the girl was determined to acquire the materials to make her own bullets. If it¡¯s only that, it should be ok. Between her growing fame and martial arts, Hope was nearing the point where ordinary explosives would have difficulty injuring her.


    ¡°It¡¯s that one, ¡¯Dragon¡¯s Breath¡¯¡± Hope pointed down the street. ¡°Can¡¯t say I like the name.¡±


    Letters of molten metal floated above the store. As people aren¡¯t collapsing, I¡¯m guessing it¡¯s a projection. Appropriate I suppose.


    A wave of unease struck them the instant they entered. Scanning the room, Rose realized death radiated all around. Especially from that back wall. Across one shelf, glowing orange cubes were aligned in glass containers.


    ¡°First time in an Demolition shop, I venture.¡± A gruff voice rang out. A short, stout man was fiddling with a metal contraption behind the counter. Possibly a detonator?


    ¡°Proximity to high-powered explosives is alike a knife at your throat. The name¡¯s Orthos Braslin. Welcome to Dragon¡¯s Breath.¡±


    I see. ¡°What¡¯s on the far wall?¡± Rose asked.


    ¡°RSF,¡± Orthos grinned twistedly. ¡°Refined Salamander Flesh.¡±


    I¡¯ve heard of it. RSF was an unearthly explosive fifteen times stronger than TNT. Cheap and relatively safe to handle, it was widely employed by the military.


    ¡°I want some.¡± Hope said quietly.


    ¡°Why on Enera would you need it?¡± Rose whispered.


    ¡°Truth is,¡± Hope answered sheepishly, ¡°I¡¯ve been considering a grenade launcher.¡±


    Her recent success with firearms is going to her head¡­ Rose felt compelled to dish out a dose of reality, ¡°Lily recently taught me ¡®fuse¡¯. It¡¯s a fast-cast fire spell which detonated all combustibles in an area. If you show up against me carrying RSF, it¡¯ll be a short match.¡±


    ¡°Right, Legonas warned me about that one¡­¡± Hope grimaced, mumbling. ¡°I was lucky Razor didn¡¯t know it. I must protect my propellant before I face another fire user.¡±


    ¡°So, how can I assist you ladies?¡± Orthos put his work aside.


    ¡°I¡¯ve a list.¡± Hope slapped down a paper, then held up a bullet. ¡°I want to make these.¡±


    Orthos glanced over, nodding. Glad he gets it. Rose hadn¡¯t recognized a single one of the scientific-sounding names. Free is the only one with the interest to keep up in this department.


    ¡°You must be the revolver ninja I¡¯ve heard about.¡± Orthos said. ¡°Aiming to pierce blessings with self-made bullets?¡±


    ¡°Exactly.¡± Hope agreed happily. ¡°Oh, right. Can I add some RSF?¡± Without waiting, she went over to the foreboding wall.


    ¡°By the way, don¡¯t try enchanting RSF.¡± Orthos yelled after her. ¡°It¡¯s packed to the brim with power. Add more and boom.¡± Hope, you better not kill yourself.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ good to know.¡± Hope carefully picked up a container. She started back but stopped in her tracks. Simon Black had just walked in.


    (continued in part 2)

 [Chapter 35 part 2] Rose – Argent Tobaskus

    [Chapter 35 part 2] Rose ¨C Argent Tobaskus


    -----------------------------


    ¡­


    ¡°This is an explosives shop.¡± He remarked, inspecting his surroundings.


    ¡°Indeed.¡± Orthos agreed. ¡°Did you enter not knowing that?¡±


    Simon didn¡¯t answer. Instead, he rounded the room searching carefully.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Hope asked.


    ¡°I came after getting a message from Agata.¡±  Simon replied, still browsing. ¡°Could we speak a moment once you¡¯re done?¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Hope exclaimed. Satisfied, her attention returned to the RSF.


    Leaving Hope and Orthos to their discussions, Rose approached Simon, ¡°What¡¯s your real reason for showing up?¡± What he said might¡¯ve been the truth, but not the whole truth.


    Simon hesitated, speaking softly, ¡°Hope died in this shop.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t go into the specifics, but the pendant I gave her warns me of her impending demise. A moments ago, it ¡®flashed¡¯ briefly. That means the very moment I received the signal, the death was averted. There are two explanations for this. First, that man over there ¡ª¡ªhis name is?¡±


    ¡°Orthos Braslin.¡± Rose offered.


    ¡°Orthos might¡¯ve foreseen her death at the same time as the pendent and acted to prevent it. Did he issue any warnings while you were here?¡±


    ¡°He told Hope not to enchant RSF or boom.¡± Rose said.


    Simon sighed, ¡°That might¡¯ve been it then¡­¡±


    ¡°And the other possibility?¡± Rose asked.


    ¡°There is a small chance Orthos was planning on murder, but aborted the attempt sensing my arrival. If that¡¯s the case, his warning was a clever cover¡­¡±


    Glancing back, Rose asked. ¡°How small a chance?¡±


    Simon shook his head, ¡°The presence of explosives, especially RSF, complicates things. They wreck havoc with foresight. Considering the pendent¡¯s signal was so brief I couldn¡¯t get a cause of death, I can¡¯t provide a hard estimate. Please be careful sharing this. The likeliest explanation remains he saved you all from an explosive demise.¡±


    ¡°I will.¡± Rose said. ¡°Should Hope not visit again?¡± Orthos was the most experienced demolitionist on the Isle. She¡¯ll be crushed if this place is off-limit.


    ¡°Now that I¡¯ve visited, he wouldn¡¯t dare try anything. Still, warn Hope to be prudent.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not staying?¡± Rose exclaimed.


    ¡°I¡¯ve relayed everything I needed to. Don¡¯t worry, nothing will befall to your sister while she¡¯s wearing that pendent. Also, about Agata¡¯s plan, tell Hope I¡¯ll go along with it.¡± With that Simon left as quickly as he¡¯d come.


    Rose mulled silently while Hope stuffed her backpack with volatile chemicals. Once they¡¯d left, she brought her sister up to speed.


    ¡°So that¡¯s what the pendent does.¡± Hope appeared unphased. ¡°This is the second time I¡¯ve been saved. Last time was the HEAVENLY DAO. This time it was¡­ unclear. Which do you think? Was Orthos my savior or my killer?¡±


    This was the question Rose had been brooding. Would Hope really have blown us up?  She had trouble believing it.


    ¡°You¡¯re the one who knows best.¡± Rose answered. ¡°Were you considering enchanting the RSF?¡±


    Hope reflected, ¡°I was planning on ¡®inspecting it¡¯. I don¡¯t know if that would¡¯ve set it off¡­¡±


    Guess there¡¯s no way to tell. ¡°Just be cautious around him¡­ And explosives too.¡±


    They returned slowly to the Rose Palace. No way we¡¯re using the runways carrying that bag. Overall, it¡¯d been a productive outing, and Hope expressed as much, describing all the ways she¡¯d put her purchases to use. Listening, Rose was glad to have helped.


    ¡°So you¡¯re not coming to meet Yvonne?¡± Hope asked at the gatehouse.


    ¡°No, Lily has arranged for me to meet Argent Tobaskus.¡± Rose said. ¡°I can¡¯t exactly blow off the Head of Isle Security.¡±


    ¡°Good luck.¡± Hope wished. They split, and Rose took the North Wing¡¯s elevators down to the city, lost in thought.


    ¡°Samuel Lithorn.¡± She murmured. The name of our enemy. One-sixth of civilization fell within the Empire¡¯s borders. If satellite states were taken into account, he held sway over a fifth of Enera.


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    Why¡¯s Hope alive? She doubted those assassins were the best the Emperor could muster. What¡¯d Gareth say again?  ¡®the Emperor fears revealing this peril to those around him.¡¯ Assuming that¡¯s Hope, he wants to conceal Jenna¡¯s doppelganger from those who would wish to make use of her.


    Could it be Astrolis? That enchanted mechanical marvel had gathered dust for millennia. With a capable pilot, its power rivaled the strongest immortals, and it could travel places nothing else could. Obviously, many would want to unlock it. Is there something incriminating in its logs? The same held true for Jenna¡¯s workshop. Maybe some secret hidden there?


    On further reflection, she rejected these conjectures. It must be the Pillar of Enera, as Simon suggested. Astrolis and Jenna¡¯s workshop were both under the emperor¡¯s control. Their contents wouldn¡¯t send him into a panic. What¡¯s he afraid of? Gareth claimed his very rule was ¡®in danger¡¯. What could topple an empire?


    Since our enemy dreads it so much, perhaps it¡¯d be best to reveal our existence? Rose pondered and shook her head. There¡¯s no guarantee we¡¯d be safer, and it might make Lithorn more frantic. If he made a military play, they¡¯d be looking at a global conflict. We can¡¯t open the pillar either¡­ They couldn¡¯t expose themselves at the risk of finding nothing.


    Dropping these thoughts, Rose moved on. Why did our enemy release Kain¡¯s arm? Rose contemplated. It¡¯s to depose Lily. If the Isle fell into his hands, he¡¯d gain control of the pillar. His victory conditions are Hope¡¯s death or taking the Isle. He¡¯s pursuing both approaches.


    Rose stretched, satisfied. She¡¯d reached the gap, across from the busy docks. The Isle Security¡¯s Headquarters were towards the pillar, next to the glass bridge.


    I need more firebirds. Rose had requisitioned her second phoenix yesterday, and this time it wasn¡¯t a power trip. Not entirely anyway. She had plans for them.


    She remained fixated on finding the assassins¡¯ hideaway. If Kain¡¯s arm is on the Isle, it¡¯ll be there, along with Arther¡¯s corpse. Astra had forbidden tracking assassins directly, but she doubted that applied to her familiars.


    I must increase their brainpower first.  Making her phoenixes less dumb had proved a challenge. I¡¯m too weak compared to Lily. Ideally, fame¡¯s benefits would permit her to gift them the smarts necessary.


    And I must also prepare for more werewolves. Rose recalled the battle. I was lucky I could lift it. The beast¡¯s flames had been hotter than her own.


    After consulting Lily for advice, her original had explained that werewolves were essentially fire elementals. The only way to harm them with their own element was to overload them. An enormous burst of heat would destabilize their forms, and Lily had taught her a complex magic circle to achieve this. It still takes far too long to cast¡­


    Lily had made the politically expedient decision to keep silent about the stolen arm. Rose remembered her words, ¡°The Northern Emperor put everyone at risk by failing to warn the world. So when the next major outbreak happens, we leak news of its existence. Much of the Blame for the deaths and destruction will then fall on his shoulders.¡±


    For now, they¡¯d spread a rumor that the Laughing Man had devised a new method of transmitting Kain¡¯s Curse. It¡¯s enough to justify preparations. Astra had arranged to sponsor werewolf training at the simulation coliseums, and Rose planned to test her new spell there. I¡¯ll invite Soul to tank the beasts so I can cast without pressure.


    A white, towering building stood before Rose. On its facade were three letters: ISF. Isle Security Force¡­ I wish I wasn¡¯t dressed as a ninja. She took a moment to prepare herself.


    Yesterday, Rose and Astra had been outraged to discover Lily relied on Sarah Godspeed as the go-between with Isle Security. How can you let a possible culprit relay updates on an investigation? Rose had pointed out the absurdity while Astra looked on with the coldest stare she¡¯d seen. It even scared me.


    Lily had weakly protested she meet with Argent regularly, but soon crumbled before the withering gaze. Rose had used the opportunity to secure herself the position of liaison. From now on, she¡¯d be the one fetching daily updates. It¡¯d be better if Lily did so herself, but this arrangement benefits me.


    Rose still didn¡¯t know what to make of her encounter with the steward two days ago. While probing their background, Sarah had given no indication she knew their identities. There were suspicious moments though. She¡¯d guessed Hope was inexperienced with firearms and had asked about Dawn¡¯s magical affinities. Either her deductions were astute, or she convincingly played dumb¡­


    Rose sighed and entered, making her way to the front desk, ¡°I¡¯m here to see Argent Tobaskus. I should be expected.¡±


    ¡°Just a moment.¡± Said the lady behind the desk.


    I feel out of place. At the Guild, exotic attire was the norm. Even in the city, outfits were fairly varied. Here, however, she stood out like a sore thumb amid the uniforms and serious expressions.


    ¡°I¡¯ve confirmed your appointment. Please follow this sprite.¡±


    Above the receptionist¡¯s raised hand, a white figure appeared and flew off to the elevators. By the time she¡¯d caught up, her tiny escort was waiting inside a lift, expressionlessly pointing at a button. Even the fairies are no-nonsense.


    Exiting on the twenty-sixth floor, they crossed hallways and office spaces. No one questioned her presence, her teeny companion taken as validation. What do I do on the way back? Eventually, they stopped before a door with the right nameplate.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Rose said quietly. Her navigator nodded and departed.


    ¡°Come in.¡± Said a voice after she knocked.


    The room had a vibrant blue carpet, and pictures in simple frames lined the crisp white walls. She recognized Lily and Arther in some. A man with distinguished short black hair and greying sideburns sat behind an uncluttered desk. He invited her to take a seat.


    Argent studied Rose attentively, ¡°Lily let me know she was sending an envoy. She explained you¡¯ll be collecting reports from now on. She also mentioned you were a nosy brat. Care to clarify the last part?¡±


    Really? ¡°I highlighted that communicating with ISF through Sarah Godspeed was a poor choice. She didn¡¯t appreciate the honesty.¡± Rose said tersely.


    A small smile flashed on Argent¡¯s face but vanished just as quick, ¡°Enduring the feud between Lily Morgana and Sarah Godspeed has been a miserable experience. The ills afflicting the Isle, including Arther¡¯s death, are products of this divided leadership. Despite my best efforts, the situation has gradually spun out of control.¡±


    ¡°I was born and raised here.¡± Argent continued, ¡°I care nothing for the politics of immortals and their ilk. I desire to see this place, my home, safe and secure. So tell me, young Rose: where do you fit in?¡±


    (continued in part 3)

 [Chapter 35 part 3] Rose – Argent Tobaskus

    [Chapter 35 part 3] Rose ¨C Argent Tobaskus


    -----------------------------


    ¡­


    Okkkay, what do I do now? The weighty monologue screamed for a respond, yet she was at a loss.


    ¡°I received an unofficial report of Roy Siegfried interfering in a conflict between ninjas and assassins. Kate Morgana was accompanying said ninjas¡­¡±


    He¡¯s competent, Rose realized. This was good and bad. Now is the bad.


    ¡°Which means you know why assassins are running around amok. Furthermore, given the timing, I can only assume it¡¯s our little werewolf outbreak that prompted your visit¡­ So, once again, where do you fit in? This relationship won¡¯t work smoothly if you keep me in the dark.¡±


    ¡®Keep me in the dark¡¯¡­ Rose smirked at the words, having made up her mind. ¡°First, I must confirm. If I share confidential information, will you keep it private?¡±


    Argent inclined his head, ¡°As long as doing so doesn¡¯t endanger the Isle, I can.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Rose took a deep breath. ¡°Then can I provide some answers you¡¯re looking for, but this has to be a two way street. I¡¯m hoping for assistance in investigating the disturbances of Isle.¡±


    ¡°Assuming what you say is of value, I can arrange that.¡° Argent affirmed.


    Let¡¯s start with the big one. ¡°Kain¡¯s right arm is on the Isle, in possession of the Laughing Man.¡± Rose prayed the gamble didn¡¯t backfire.


    Argent leaned forward and crossed his fingers, ¡°And the source of this is?¡±


    ¡°Gareth Black. He believes it¡¯s a sign of desperation. That something on the Isle threatens the Northern Emperor¡¯s rule.¡±


    Argent slowly digested the revelation, ¡°How do the assassins fit in?¡±


    ¡°The Northern Emperor is behind them too.¡± Rose described their first encounter, omitting only their target. Next, she described how their attempt to track them had lead to the confrontation in the Undercity. I¡¯ll provide as much as I can afford to. It was too late to back out.


    ¡°Why is all this happening now?¡± Argent pressed.


    This might be awkward. ¡°We had a chance encounter with the Laughing Man the day before the Tartarus break in. It set everything in motion.¡± Rose admitted nervously.


    ¡°And the background of your group?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the one area where I can¡¯t go into detail. If you puzzle out the truth, please keep it to yourself.¡± Rose said. He likely already has more than enough to piece it together. Maybe she hadn¡¯t thought this through.


    Argent ruminated, ¡°If I understand all this right, it¡¯s your presence which has lead to a weapon of mass destruction threatening the Isle¡­ Perhaps your departure would reverse the situation?¡±


    Rose didn¡¯t like where this was going. ¡°No, the terrorist incidents happened before our arrival and the Laughing Man wouldn¡¯t just return the arm¡­¡±


    ¡°But perhaps the Northern Emperor could free him from his obligation to use it here.¡± Argent countered.


    Obligation¡­? ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°The Laughing Man is known to keep his bargains. The Northern Emperor would only turn over the arm if he¡¯d some guarantees as to its usage.¡±


    That¡­ makes sense. Perhaps their departure would prevent an outbreak. Then¡­ Oh, no.


    ¡°Calm yourself,¡± Argent smiled softly at her panic. ¡°I¡¯m not planning on betraying you.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Rose clung to these words.


    ¡°Arther Bard was a close friend. For those of us who knew him personally, he was an inseparable part of the Isle.¡± Argent glanced over at the pictures on the wall. ¡°The notion of aligning myself with his killers is inconceivable. They¡¯ll forever be my, and the Isle¡¯s, enemies.¡±


    Stolen novel; please report.


    Argent suddenly stood up, startling Rose, ¡°You said you¡¯re keen to investigate the disturbances?¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡± Rose answered off-balance.


    ¡°Then let''s continue this while taking a little trip.¡±


    Walking behind Argent, Rose realized how tensed she¡¯d been. I jeopardized our safety out of my desperation for information. She¡¯d already experienced years of forced passivity. Instead of waiting for their enemy to strike, she wanted to flip the tables on them. Argent had presented the means to do so. Thank god my bet panned out.


    Exiting an elevator into a hangar, Argent lead them to a ISF airship which resembled Lily¡¯s gondola without the tinted glass. ¡°My personal craft.¡± he explained.


    ¡°Where¡¯re we going?¡± Rose followed him on board.


    ¡°Many of my most pressing investigations are at an impasse.¡± Argent maneuvered out, and they plunged into the Hollow. ¡°My gut is telling me a fresh perspective could prove useful. Since we¡¯ll be discussing the Isle¡¯s incidents, doing so from a vantage point only makes sense. What do you wish to know first?¡± Argent brought them to a halt above the pillar¡¯s base.


    ¡°About Arther¡¯s death.¡± Rose chose.


    ¡°There¡¯s not much to say.¡± Argent said wistfully. ¡°He vanished into the Morning Mist.¡±


    ¡°The Morning Mist?¡±


    Argent gestured towards the watery horizon, ¡°Most nights, a thick layer of fog rolls off the Blue Abyss and covers the lower Isle. It quickly fades once the sun rises. Arther was last spotted in the Undercity¡¯s haze.¡±


    ¡°You must have some theory about what happened?¡± Rose pursued expectantly.


    ¡°There are three places Arther could have disappeared to: Spiral City, the Blue Abyss, and the gap between the two. My guess is he was lured into that third one so fast no one caught a glimpse.¡±


    Under them, Spiral City ended in a precipice next to the floating ocean. The area down there is called the Darklands. Its caves and passageways were endless, pitch black, and devoid of life. Undead wander there.


    ¡°You¡¯re positive Arther wasn¡¯t murdered on the Isle?¡±


    Argent shook his head, ¡°Battles between immortals are loud and flashy. Someone would¡¯ve seen something, even in the fog.¡±


    ¡°What about the Underground Coliseum?¡± Rose asked. She was quite proud in this theory she¡¯d dreamed up. If it was on the Isle, it happened there.


    ¡°That¡¯d explain the lack of witnesses,¡± Argent admitted. ¡°But the place is sealed off.¡±


    ¡°And if there was another entrance?¡± Rose explained excitedly. ¡°Perhaps a hidden means to sneak fighters in. Given his relationship with Maximilian, the Northern Emperor would know of it, right?¡±


    Argent scowled, ¡°It sounds far-fetched yet more plausible than what we have. Unfortunately, I¡¯m not sure this helps. The main entrance at Maximilian¡¯s casino was blocked off in a manner that was never meant to be undone. It¡¯d be easier to tunnel back in, which would be time consuming. The Isle¡¯s bedrock is reinforced by the HEAVENLY DAO, and the Blood Arena is in half a mile deep¡­¡±


    ¡°How long would it take?¡± Rose asked apprehensively.


    ¡°Two or three months. Lily could reach it in a week if she went at it nonstop, but I don¡¯t know if she can afford the distraction. Especially since this is conjecture.¡±


    Rose doubted they had that type of time.  We need to find that secret passage. ¡°Could you show me Arther¡¯s last known location?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    The Undercity was an indistinct jumble with no clear floors. A disjointed maze¡­ Occasionally, in the midst of the patchwork, Rose spotted orderly ¡®striped¡¯ portions similar to the upper Hollow. There was also a section where a long layer circled down like a screw. No wonder Wise¡¯s foresight ran into trouble.


    Argent stopped South of the waterworks three quarters of a mile below the pillar. ¡°He was heading West on that rooftop.¡±


    It¡¯s not far from where we fought the werewolves. ¡°The underground coliseum is on this side?¡±


    ¡°Yes, two and half miles down, in the middle of the Southern half.¡± Argent confirmed. ¡°That reminds me, there¡¯s passage connecting to Calin¡¯s Keep, but I doubt anyone would be permitted to use it.¡±


    Rose contemplated. If we discount the edges and the very bottom, that leaves nearly two square miles. It¡¯ll be tricky to find.


    ¡°Why have you been letting the assassins run free this long?¡± Rose asked out of frustration.


    ¡°They¡¯re difficult to spot and incredibly agile. Isle Security would need to hire a team of high level adventurers specialized for the task. Considering we don¡¯t have evidence against them because no one has submitted a report,¡± Argent fixed Rose with a stare. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to justify the expense.¡± Touch¨¦.


    ¡°Still, Isle Security has familiars for surveying the city.¡± Rose glanced at a nearby white hawk. ¡°Couldn¡¯t you at least try to ferret out their base?¡±


    Argent shook his head, ¡°Tracking them requires human eyes. Summons only notice them when they¡¯re a few feet away. Other magical means of detection are entirely useless.¡±


    Perhaps my firebirds aren¡¯t so stupid after all, Rose realized. I¡¯ve been sending them on an impossible errand. She¡¯d have to apologize.


    ¡°Then couldn¡¯t you canvass the Undercity with more officers?¡± Rose persisted.


    ¡°Not an option. Both Lily and Sarah would oppose a redeployment.¡± Noting Rose¡¯s disbelief, Argent elaborated. ¡°Both the Regent and the Steward are ultimately answerable to the World Council, whose members are solely concerned with the safety of their citizens. They care nothing about what transpires below the pillar.¡±


    ¡°You mean, in spite of everything, you haven¡¯t increased patrols in the Undercity?¡± Rose was stunned.


    ¡°It¡¯s the result of an unstable, fractured leadership.¡± Argent shrugged. ¡°While the ISF did get a budget increase, it was earmarked for the upper Isle. The Steward¡¯s office controls the budget, which means Sarah can cut off our funding if we engage in ¡®unapproved¡¯ activities.¡±


    I understand why World Leaders might not trust a fourteen year old with the Isle¡¯s finances, but, Lily, what were you thinking? Leaving that authority permanently vested with the Steward was madness.


    (continued in part 4)

 [Chapter 35 part 4] Rose – Argent Tobaskus

    [Chapter 35 part 4] Rose ¨C Argent Tobaskus


    -----------------------------


    ¡­


    Wait, maybe I can do something about this. Rose didn¡¯t know about Lily, but she was certain Astra owned a sizable fortune. Nero manages her investments.


    ¡°How much would it take to bring the Undercity¡¯s security in line with the rest.¡± She inquired tentatively.


    The figure she received caused her blood to drain. ¡°That¡­ much?¡±


    Argent chuckled, ¡°The Undercity makes up twenty eight percent of the Isle. Raising its ISF presence from undermanned to overstaffed would require considerable expenses. There¡¯s the salaries for new recruits, the hiring process, the training, the equipment, the construction of new facilities¡­¡± I¡¯m a little naive.


    ¡°Were you considering approaching Astra?¡± Argent peered keenly.


    ¡°I was.¡± Rose admitted.


    ¡°It¡¯s a sound idea. Lily can¡¯t provide us additional funds as it¡¯d be seen as usurping the steward¡¯s budgetary control. However, an infusion from Astra Skyfell is a different story.¡± Argent smirked wickedly. ¡°Sarah Godspeed is rumored to be intimidated by the new guildmaster, and I doubt she¡¯d dare raise a fuss.¡± Mother can indeed be terrifying.


    ¡°I¡¯ll send you an estimate for a fifty percent increase in the policing force.¡± Argent finished. ¡°You can try with that smaller number."


    Rose wondered why Arther Bard hadn¡¯t considered the approach before immediately recognizing her foolishness. He took time off to personally resolve the Isle¡¯s woes. That intervention was worth more than any monetary aid.


    ¡°Is there more you wish to see?¡± Argent asked.


    ¡°One last detour, please. The crime scene where people were cut in half.¡± With three reference points, it¡¯d be possible to roughly triangulate the Blood Arena¡¯s entrance.


    Dockside towards the bottom, an isolated house was walled off by a crystalline barrier. Surprisingly, there was already an ISF airship parked outide. Why are they investigating a week later? Two officers exited the dwelling, followed by a brown-haired man clad in amethyst armor.


    ¡°Cedric Grinfield has finally shown up.¡± Argent commented.


    ¡°Thanks, seeing the location is enough. We can go now.¡± Rose spoke as calmly as possible.


    ¡°I should talk to him while we¡¯re here,¡± Argent landed. Damn it!


    Leaving her, Argent went to greet the immortal avenger. Time slowed as Rose watched them confer shielded from her hearing. Cedric turned towards her and their eyes meet. Keeping his gaze locked, he spoke again. If Argent isn¡¯t on my side, I¡¯m screwed. A few seconds later, the conversation moved on, and Rose breathed again.


    I must alert the others. Rose discretely activated her wrystal and composed a message, her thoughts forming into words.


    ¡®Cedric Grinfield is on the Isle. If I¡¯m not back at the Rose Palace in ten minutes, assume I¡¯m dead.¡¯


    It¡¯s overdramatic, but it¡¯s how I feel. Sending the warning, she lamented her luck. What were the odds? The answer hit her a second later. Emerit would¡¯ve said this outcome likely. Had she not been paying attention? This spot was the first place the doppelganger hater would visit. I should¡¯ve avoided it like the plague.


    Rose agonized while Argent and Cedric bantered. Look on the bright side, she rationalized. We discovered his arrival. If she made it out of here, it¡¯d be a win.


    Two minutes later, the men parted. Cedric jumped away, rattling the surroundings, and traveled up counterclockwise, passing a dozen layers with each leap. It¡¯s over. Argent returned, apologizing for the wait.


    Once airborne, Rose spoke softly, ¡°Could you drop me off at the Rose Palace¡¯s south terrace?¡±


    Argent nodded. As they wordlessly ascended, Rose gathered the courage to inquire about the meeting.


    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡°We discussed the killings.¡± Argent said. ¡°Cedric agrees the Laughing Man is the culprit. He believes the motive is either a message or a lure.¡±


    ¡°A message or a lure?¡± Rose repeated confused.


    ¡°Either there are doppelgangers on the Isle or the Laughing Man wants Cedric here for some reason.¡± Argent clarified. Got it.


    ¡°On a side note.¡± Argent said as they touched down. ¡°Your voice sounds similar to Lily¡¯s.¡±


    Offering the sincerest thanks she could manage, Rose took her leave. He suspects and it¡¯s my fault. He¡¯d gotten as much out of her as she had out of him. Rose walked inside to find dire expressions.


    ¡°Tell us what happened.¡± Lily demanded.


    Rose offered a brief overview, upon which Lily spoke again, ¡°You should all head below. The Rose Palace isn¡¯t safe, and neither is the Guild¡ª¡ª¡±


    Boom. The palace trembled from a terrace landing. Cedric was standing outside. Why¡¯d I assume we¡¯d have time? I should¡¯ve gathered us below!


    ¡°Stay calm.¡± Lily whispered, eyes on the amethyst figure. ¡°And if things go south, head to the Inner Palace while sticking together. I can¡¯t protect you if you¡¯re apart.¡± She approached their guest, speaking cordially. ¡°What brings you here?¡±


    ¡°You should know already.¡± From the terrace archway, Cedric scanned the room with jaded eyes. ¡°You¡¯re protecting them. Why?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you¡¯re talking about.¡± Lily played dumb.


    ¡°I asked an old contact if their were any recent exceptional fighters at the Stone Coliseum. He told me about this group of mysterious ninjas who had showed up right around the murders in the Undercity¡­¡± His gaze locked with Rose¡¯s again. ¡°I knew there was something familiar about you. You¡¯re Lily¡¯s doppelganger.¡±


    ¡°Not all here are clones.¡± Emelia cut in sharply. ¡°You¡¯ll be making powerful enemies if you act recklessly.¡±


    Cedric studied Emelia and then the rest of them. ¡°True¡­ There are three I don¡¯t recognize: yellow, green, and the boy with headband. I¡¯ll attempt to spare you if you don¡¯t get in the way.¡± He really intents murder¡­


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to be a hero?¡± Soul implored.


    ¡°I¡¯m an avenger first.¡± Cedric stated. ¡°Not that it matters. Sola¡¯s taint is irreversible.¡±


    ¡°What if they were untainted from the beginning?¡± Lily countered. ¡°They come from Earth¡¯s End, not the plains of Jabor. Astra brought them. She considers them her children.¡±


    For a fraction of a second, Cedric hesitated. Then he shook his head, ¡°Even if true, I swore an oath to hunt down every last one. A promise I will never break.¡±


    He reached for the sword, but paused, ¡°Does this means Earth¡¯s End was breached? By whom?¡±


    Lily winced, ¡°We don¡¯t know. They were gone when Astra showed up. She¡¯s confident immortality remains safe, but the secret of doppelgangers might have leaked.¡±


    ¡°And she kept quiet to protect her children.¡± Cedric concluded, drawing a violet blade. ¡°I must report this.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll not harm them.¡± Lily snapped, a vermilion staff appearing in hand. ¡°Are you arrogant enough to face me in the Rose Palace?¡±


    Phoenixes filled the room around them, and hundreds more swarmed outside. Cedric observed coldly, ¡°Do you reckon the prospect of death has ever stopped my ¡®Righteous Fury¡¯?¡±


    At the words, his armor and sword began to glow, a pulsating red flowing over in waves. If they fight, it¡¯s not just us who will lose our lives.


    ¡°So these are Sola¡¯s doppelgangers?¡± A voice rung out from above. Kara slinked into the room through the archway, crawling over surfaces like a spider. In contrast to the tenseness below, the cat-eared immortal was smirking in amusement.


    ¡°Kara¡­¡± Cedric seethed. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    Kara lay down lazily on the ceiling, ¡°When I saw you leaping to Rose Palace so energetically, my instincts told me to follow.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t interfere.¡± Cedric glared upwards. ¡°I¡¯ll even consent to that duel if you leave quietly.¡±


    ¡°Why do later what you can do now?¡± Kara replied coyly.


    ¡°These children must be executed.¡± Cedric stated solemnly.


    At this, Kara burst out laughing, ¡°And they call me the crazy one! Are you even listening to yourself?¡±


    The amethyst immortal ignored the mockery, ¡°This doesn¡¯t concern you.¡±


    Her snickering subsiding, Kara dropped down next to them, grinning wildly, ¡°Oh but it does! You see this boy ¡ª¡ªWhat¡¯s your name again?¡±


    ¡°Silver¡± Her brother answered confused.


    ¡°Silver here is my pupil.¡± Kara finished smugly.


    ¡°Me too.¡± Kate jumped in. That¡¯s right, she¡¯s the strongest aura master on Enera. Kate doesn¡¯t want to miss the opportunity.


    Kara played along, ¡°These two are my disciples. It¡¯s my duty to protect them.¡±


    ¡°They must perish.¡± Cedric warned. ¡°Please move aside.¡±


    On a different wavelength entirely, Kara smiled eagerly, ¡°And, if you were to murder them, then I¡¯d be justified in killing you. No one could complain.¡±


    I get the feeling that she¡¯s never the reasonable one. If a fight was to be avoided, Cedric would have to back down. They watched the purple immortal struggle internally.


    ¡°Fine,¡± Cedric sheathed his blade, the light ebbing from his armor. ¡°Reporting the breach at Earth¡¯s End takes priority over an unwinnable fight.¡±


    Kara was disappointed, ¡°Where¡¯d all your vigor go?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Kara,¡± Cedric answered sadly. ¡°but I doubt my Righteous Wrath will ever work against you.¡±


    He turned to Lily. ¡°I may be retreating, but I¡¯ll return. Count on it.¡± With that he departed as quickly as he¡¯d come, and everyone sighed in relief.


    ¡°What a waste.¡± Kara lamented. She walked over to Silver and Kate, the Aura covering her hands transforming into giant claws which grabbed them both.


    ¡°Training starts now.¡± She said pleasantly, hurling them towards the Pillar. With a leap, she followed, leaving everyone in shock.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to stop her?¡± Rose demanded of Lily, who was frozen, mouth agape.


    ¡°She can¡¯t.¡± Wise explained. ¡°The beast of Sanrune is stronger. If she does, she¡¯d get intercepted. Both would fall to their deaths.¡±


    So we just let them get kidnapped right in front us? While Rose was grateful that Cedric had been chased off, that didn¡¯t mean they could just allow this to happen. Could they?


    ¡°Astra is going to kill me.¡± Lily mumbled.

 [Chapter 36] Free – Debra Sunder

    [Chapter 36] Free ¨C Debra Sunder


    -----------------------------


    ¡°So no advice?¡± Free had been dissatisfied with her performance the other day. Her roots had struggled against the werewolves. And I¡¯ll likely face them again.


    ¡°Sadly, nothing comes to mind.¡° John Lavinda apologized.


    Free clicked her tongue. A minor increase in my roots¡¯ fire resistance won¡¯t be enough. Despite her daily mentoring and rising fame, she had no confidence against a foe that¡¯d overwhelmed her.


    I bet necromancy would prove of greater use. Radin had undoubtedly already given Wise a countermeasure. And I should be able to do anything he can. How frustrating¡­


    Catalysts were a dead end as well.  Astra had forbidden these magical instruments to ensure a level playing field at Earth¡¯s end. Not that we had any, but Hope could¡®ve fashioned some. Free doubted the restriction applied here.


    As opposed to the Hope¡¯s one-time enchantments, catalysts required the injection of magic. They came in two flavors: casters and amplifiers. Casters deployed predetermined spells, such as fireballs. While their speed and simplicity was attractive, it¡¯d been the second type she¡¯d been searching yesterday at the commercial sector. Amplifiers offered a straight up power boost.


    Regrettably, I couldn¡¯t find one which meshed with my roots. Amplifiers had specific scopes, and their response time lagged unless in tune with their user. These downsides were mitigated in the highest grade catalysts, such as ¡®Crimson Shaft¡¯ Lily had wielded yesterday. I want my own legendary weapon.


    ¡°To lighten the mood, why don¡¯t we study diseases?¡± John offered.


    ¡°Finally?!¡± She¡¯d been dying to get her hands on some nasty germs, but everyone at the Guild was too healthy. Damn enhanced immune systems.


    ¡°I assume you¡¯ve mastered your quantum ring?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely.¡± Free fingered the silver band on her right hand.


    I pity the fools who research with microscopes. With training, a person¡¯s spiritual sense could examine the world around them. At Earth¡¯s end, Free had proved adept at this, studying cells and bacteria. However, John had gifted her a small catalyst which had raised her ability to the next level, and she could now observe at magnifications which bested Barsal¡¯s electron microscopes. Unearthly materials are particularly fascinating.


    John lead them below the medical center, stopping before an ashen door on which he placed a hand. After a moment, it sunk inside, ripples spreading out.


    ¡°Close your eyes or it¡¯ll sting.¡± John mentioned before plunging through the liquefied doorway.


    A disinfecting seal, Free understood. All microscopic organisms will be destroyed. A chill hit her when she stepped through. Slightly below zero. The square room was lines with shelves of glass jars. John invited her to sit at the table in the center.


    ¡°I teach at the campus.¡± He explained. ¡°These are samples for those classes. You¡¯ll find every major non-magical malady.¡±


    So they¡¯re teaching aids. The process of treating infections was relatively simple. After identifying the germ with a quantum ring, the correct spell circle eradicated it from the body.


    Free touched the crystal pendent around her neck. Another present, it contained the ¡®cure¡¯ to every diseases. The only ailments medicine struggled with were those of magical origin or relating to old age.


    Free¡¯s wrystal flashed, but she switched it off. I¡¯m not interrupting this. If it was really important, they¡¯d call John. Instead, she scanned the shelves. Some names she recognized, most she didn¡¯t. Her gaze came to rest on nine labels with black borders.


    ¡°What¡¯re those?¡±


    ¡°They are the deadliest viruses known to man.¡± John dismissed with a glance. ¡°For now, let¡¯s start with the seasonal flu.¡±


    Free kept her eyes on the marked jars. I need those. Since receiving her ring, she¡¯d been itching to design pathogens. If only something could distract John for a bit.


    As he put down his selection, John¡¯s wrystal flashed. Frowning, he excused himself, ¡°I have to take this.¡±


    The instant he stepped out, Free shot to the shelf. One by one she opened jars and dipped a root inside, scratching the frozen content and then stabbing herself. The others would think me mad, Free chuckled silently. She wanted samples, and self-infection was the only means of transporting them through that door. The risks were minimal since non-magical deceases didn¡¯t stand a chance against her immune system. It¡¯ll be hours before I show any symptoms.


    She¡¯d regained her seat by the time John walked back in. ¡°We¡¯ll have to put this on hold. Lily is summoning you.¡± John said. ¡°She also says to answer your calls.¡± So it was important.


    Free wasted no time. I got what I wanted.  All she had to do was draw some blood later.  She was giddy with anticipation.


    If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Speeding across a runway, she calmed herself and reflected. This isn¡¯t about Silver and Kate. Lily would¡¯ve mentioned good news in that department. The two had been missing since yesterday, kidnapped by the Beast of Sanrune. If only they¡¯d been able to fly, it would¡¯ve given Lily a chance to intervene. They were presumed deep in the Darklands, well out of range of any crystal network. Kara was spotted purchasing provisions in Spiral City, which means she probably doesn¡¯t intend to kill them. That didn¡¯t mean they were safe. Whatever ¡®training¡¯ the deranged immortal cooked up would surely be hellish.


    It must be related to Cedric Grinfield. While the clone hater had reported back, so far their identities hadn¡¯t been leaked. Instead, Astra and Lily were called before the World Council in two days time to explain the breach at Earth¡¯s End.


    Free scanned the news as she passed the gatehouse. Still nothing about us. She¡¯d been wrong in her suspicions. I guess Lily would¡¯ve called us below if it was dire. With Cedric exiled from the Isle and few others brazen enough to barge into the Rose Palace, Lily had deemed the place safe for now.


    Free entered the conference room to find she was last. Lily was glaring daggers. I can¡¯t blame her grouchiness, she¡¯s had a rough morning.


    Astra had been upset about Silver and Kate. She¡¯d visited in the early hours to hear the details. According to Lily, it¡¯d been ¡®stressful¡¯, but she¡¯d ¡®avoided the worst case scenario¡¯. I wonder what that was.


    ¡°With everyone here.¡± Lily¡¯s stress on the ¡®everyone¡¯ couldn¡¯t be missed. ¡°Let¡¯s get to the matter. Debra Sunder, the queen of Calonia, is waiting in the lounge. She¡¯s an immortal and one of the top summoners on Enera. We¡¯ll soon go greet her.¡±


    ¡°Why¡¯d you agree to this?¡± Rose asked suspiciously.


    ¡°Politics.¡± Lily admitted. ¡°Calonia is a member of the World Council, and Debra pledged her support if I introduced you. It¡¯s too attractive to turn down.¡±


    Politics¡­ Free wasn¡¯t a fan. In fact, she founds rules in general to be troublesome things. Her built-up anticipations receded, replaced with a sense of foreboding. This¡¯ll be tedious.


    ¡°Wise, what¡¯s she here for?¡± Rose asked. He¡¯s really a cheat.


    ¡°She¡¯s here to see Free.¡± What?


    ¡°For Free¡­?¡± Lily muttered before cursing. ¡°I know what she wants. I should¡¯ve predicted this¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s too late to back out.¡± Wise stated.


    ¡°Right¡­¡± Lily agreed. ¡°Let¡¯s get this over with¡­¡±


    Confused, Free followed the others. She considered dragging Wise aside, but the meeting Debra appeared unavoidable. And I¡¯ve an inkling of what it could be.


    Debra Sunder sat cross-legged on a sofa wearing a slim, elegant, emerald dress around her shapely figure. With her long black hair, she was striking. She rose to greet them in a melodic, naturally-seductive voice, ¡°Thank you for bringing them to me.¡±


    ¡°I trust you¡¯ll uphold your part?¡± Lily said tersely.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Debra strolled over, examining them carefully. She stopped at Free. ¡°Would you mind showing me your face?¡±


    No point in hiding it. She unmasked herself.


    ¡°Sola¡¯s doppelganger.¡± Debra whispered with a smile.


    ¡°The name is Free.¡± She specified. ¡°What do you want with me?¡±


    ¡°In Cedric¡¯s report, he mentioned three unidentifiable ¡®ninjas¡¯. This got my hopes up.¡± Debra explained, ignoring her. ¡°Knowing the HEAVENLY DAO, if six were clones of the seven heroes, then the odds were high I¡¯d find the one I was looking for¡­¡±


    ¡°Why were you looking?¡± Free persisted despite the obvious answer.


    ¡°There¡¯s someone I want you to bring back.¡± Debra admitted.


    I knew it¡­ Half of humanity perished, yet there were those who¡¯d learned nothing. ¡°The last resurrection nearly ended the world. Doesn¡¯t that register at all? Aren¡¯t you a queen? How can you risk your people for a selfish desire?¡± Free vented.


    Debra¡¯s smile deepened, ¡°You¡¯ve never lost someone, have you?¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡± She admitted. But would that really cause me to lose all reason? She doubted it.


    Debra looked down understandingly, ¡°My late husband, Calumn Sunder, was a true hero. He would unhesitatingly throw himself into danger wherever there were people in need. It¡¯s this courage and valor that I fell in love with. Over the centuries, he saved millions.¡±


    ¡°He died fighting the White Dragon. He and Kara were the first on the scene when the Barsal Empire unleashed that horror. They bought the time needed, but it cost him his life.¡±


    The immortal summoner trembled, clenching her fists, ¡°I¡¯ve always regretted letting him leave alone that day. As a responsible queen, I told myself I couldn¡¯t partake in such brash heroics. My duty came before saving distant lands¡­¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°I was a fool, not realizing what it¡¯d cost me. Had I been there, I could¡¯ve saved him or at the least died by his side.¡±


    Behind Debra, the air wriggled and twisted. Faint outlines could be seen moving about the room. Her summons are responding to her distress. Enormous monsters hovered at the edge of reality, waiting to be called forth.


    ¡°If there¡¯s a chance of returning him, no matter how small, I¡¯ll take it. Yes, it¡¯s a selfish wish, but bringing back someone so selfless could never be an evil act. You¡¯ll not convince me otherwise.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fifteen and untrained in necromancy.¡± Free protested weakly.


    ¡°Yet you¡¯re Sola¡¯s clone and your mother controls Earth¡¯s End.¡± Debra countered back. ¡°With the secrets buried there, there¡¯s no doubt what you could accomplish. After millennia, resurrection is once more a possibility.¡±


    ¡°The strength of an immortal is needed for that kind of magic.¡± Lily declared. ¡°There¡¯s no point in pressuring her now.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m aware, thank you.¡± Debra turned to Lily. ¡°While I¡¯ll lend my support as promised, a warning for you, Regent. The Northern Emperor has begun campaigning against you. The cajoling of his agents might be useless against me, but others may be prove more pliant. Don¡¯t be complacent.¡±


    As Lily groaned, Debra faced Free, ¡°Should events take a turn for the worse, remember you and your siblings will find safe harbor in Calonia. My homeland is on the other side of Enera from the Northern Empire, far from its influence. You¡¯ll find no safer refuge.¡± I see¡­


    ¡°We¡¯ll keep the offer in mind.¡± Lily said flatly. ¡°Now, if you¡¯ve said your piece, I believe it¡¯s time for your exit.¡±


    Debra nodded. Departing in an assured, regal pace, she offered a parting comment, ¡°It may not be in Enera¡¯s best interest, but I am one of those hoping young Free follows in predecessor¡¯s footsteps.¡±


    Lily spoke afterwards, ¡°Such requests will be the hardest to refuse. My advice is not to concern yourself. We¡¯ve far more pressing matters to fret about.¡±


    Free was grateful, but she couldn¡¯t dismiss this so easily. Just because I hate politics doesn¡¯t mean I can avoid them. Today drove home that point. How many more will approach me once our identities are known?


    ¡°Free, this may sound unbelievable,¡± Wise seemed to doubt his own words. ¡°but you¡¯re about to fall violently ill.¡±


    Oh right, I¡¯d forgotten about that. ¡°How soon are we talking?¡± She asked.


    ¡°Less than an hour.¡± Wise responded.


    Was my time frame off? Perhaps it was the large initial doses. Whatever, there¡¯s no time to lose.


    ¡°Thanks for the tip. I¡¯ll head to bed to recuperate.¡± With that she rushed off, leaving everyone bewildered.

 [Chapter 37] Wise – Starfire

    [Chapter 37] Wise ¨C Starfire


    -----------------------------


    I¡¯ll win this, Wise decided. At the beginning, he hadn¡¯t been confident. His opponent was Riley Wardoff, a nineteen year old who wielded a pair of gauntlets, amplifiers for ¡®granite¡¯. When their match had begun, she¡¯d leaped into the air and hadn¡¯t touched the ground since. From her aerial perch, she¡¯d pummeled him with projectiles, none of which had hit. Sadly, Riley had avoided him just as effectively.


    The issue wasn¡¯t her elevation. Radin had taught him to manipulate his weight. I might soon out jump Dawn. Regrettably, he couldn¡¯t change trajectory mid flight. Meanwhile, Riley¡¯s gloves had a range of thirty feet, letting her glide freely above her summoned rocks.


    While he floundered, Riley had gone through a whole spectrum of attacks. First she¡¯d summoned medium-sized blocks, flinging them downward. Next she¡¯d materialized large slabs at a distance, right over his head. Finally, she¡¯d resorted to her current troublesome strategy.


    Dozens of pebbles were circling her then shooting forwards at frightening speeds. Leveraging telekinesis¡¯s strength at close range, the orbiting method produced the fastest velocities. Riley had boosted this further by shrinking her stones. She correctly judged only attacks too fast to dodge would work. He¡¯d been forced to deploy his staff.


    Radin believed in mastering the fundamentals. He¡¯d begun by polishing everything Wise knew. With a drastic rise in potency, his weapon was now coated in a three inch negation aura and could penetrate most protections, including the hardening from martial arts. Unless faced with a ridiculous defense, a single strike was all he needed.


    Alas, that was proving elusive. His opponent knew how to pace herself, and he¡¯d begun fearing they were destined for a draw. Then, seconds ago, he¡¯d seen the path.


    Wise made his way under Riley while striking the granite she was using to levitate. The earth mage responded by raining down an avalanche. He weaved and parried through these projectiles. It¡¯s working. Riley was rising.


    Once she was fifty feet up, Wise sprang. Riley reacted instantly, forming a large boulder to escape sideways. No sooner had it appeared that it collided with Wise¡¯s thrown staff. With her means of motion vanished, she watched in shock as her ankle was grabbed.


    With a burst of necromancy, he quadrupled her weight. It¡¯ll last five seconds, which is enough. He pulled her close and leap upwards.


    It¡¯s over. Plummeting, Riley flipped and readied both gauntlets. Once near the ground, she struggled to halt her momentum and managed a rough landing. Unfortunately, Wise was already standing next to her, staff in hand. He¡¯d jumped off the force field dome, caught his weapon, and touched down at the same time. Still weighed down, there was nothing Riley could do. Wise prepared his winning strike.


    ¡°I concede.¡± Riley resigned.


    Cheering exploded, and a booming voice rang out.


    ¡°WE HAVE A WINNER. THE WISE NINJA PREVAILS AGAIN. RILEY WASN¡¯T ABLE TO WARD HIM OFF!¡±


    For some lamentable reason, this announcer had a fondness for bad puns. Wardoff is a tragic last name for someone who fights at a distance.


    ¡°I had a draw in the bag.¡± Riley lamented as they exited. ¡°Then you positioned yourself underneath me and presented such a juicy target. I got greedy. What a mistake¡­¡±


    Not holding a grudge, Riley was friendly and open. The two chatted a bit before Wise descended to the Obsidian Cavern. It¡¯s the faster route with my leaping ability.  More inconspicuous too. Rumors were swirling over Cedric¡¯s banishment, and he preferred avoiding attention.


    Wise dropped to the Empty City. He¡¯d traveled alone as he¡¯d had the earliest match. Riley was the underdog and I the favorite. The rest had stayed behind to plot tomorrow¡¯s outing to the city.


    Simon Black had been assigned to them while Lily and Astra appeared before the World Council. With such a reliable bodyguard, Emelia had suggested surprising Hope with a trip to the Hollow. It¡¯d be a waste not to. The others were currently brainstorming the details. Well, not everyone.


    Free was resting, sick as a dog. After some initial confusion, they¡¯d pieced together what¡¯d happened. John Lavinda had briefly left their sister unattended in a room full of deadly diseases. No one blamed him. He¡¯s only known her a week.


    Their concern had melted away. John could easily cure Free if they brought her to him, but Astra had vetoed the idea, declaring ¡®stupidity must be punished¡¯. He agreed. Besides, she¡¯d be upset if we healed her. He¡¯d check on her later since his schedule was open. My lessons are always early.


    Each morning, Wise journeyed to the foreboding underground office. If they required more space, Radin would transport them to the Inner Palace¡¯s coliseum through a whirlwind of darkness. These trips were more than ordinary necromantic teleportation. ¡®All-Knowing Grasp¡¯ revealed their true nature was an ability dating back to when powerful figures jumped at every shadow fearing Xarst¡¯s high auditor. This paranoia had coalesced into a Sublime Vagary, ¡®Out of Nowhere¡¯. His other one is even scarier.


    His relationship with his mentor was complicated. He suspected a good heart lay somewhere within the withered exterior, but he¡¯d yet to witness concrete proof. His lessons were strict, efficient, and oppressive. Harsh criticism followed every error, and correct answers earned muted acknowledgment. Despite their time together, Wise couldn¡¯t say he knew the man.


    Radin had a way of being dismissive even when offering aid. After their werewolf confrontation, Wise had strategized for his next encounter, convinced canceling held much potential. Once their transformation complete, the beasts were basically part fire elemental. If this half was snuffed out, they¡¯d perish. When he turned to his instructor for advice, the man had claimed it too much of a bother. Instead, the next day he¡¯d handed Wise a spell ring.


    ¡®Just aim that towards them. Watch out though, they¡¯ll throw objects once they realize they can¡¯t get near.¡¯


    Entering the Inner Palace, Wise raised his left hand and channeled death, manifesting an intricate magic circle. He directed his fist towards a brazier and watched the roaring flame shrivel. I could easily extinguish it.


    Unlike Dawn¡¯s ice wall spell, this spellcraft remained active as long as fuel was supplied. Wise contracted and expanded the circle, focusing the effect. Then he let the fire spring back to life.


    ¡°Never do that.¡± Fayla startled him from the flame. He apologized profusely.


    Escaping, he took out the Necronomicon and flipped through the tome. Nothing new again. Following their Return from the Field of Graves, the book would open for him, yet its content was mostly bare. Only a dozen pages contained text, all material he knew already. It¡¯s supposed to contains all of Xarst¡¯s knowledge¡­


    He¡¯d finally shown it to Radin yesterday. It¡¯s such a pain to ask questions¡­ How do people go through life that way? After listening, his mentor speculated the book was sentient.


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    ¡®Most legendary artifacts have a will of their own. The first step of ownership is earning their recognition, which you did with your recent quest. As for its emptiness¡­ You don¡¯t meet the prerequisites. It won¡¯t show you what you don¡¯t have the strength to use, the determination to wield, or the knowledge to understand. Your current self is insufficient.¡¯


    When he inquired on overcoming this gatekeeping, Radin gave an unhelpful ¡®learn more¡¯. Since the Necronomicon showed what he knew, more would fill in. That might have been his version of a joke. Not funny. When pressed, Radin had expanded.


    ¡°Master the fundamentals. You may remember what I¡¯ve taught, but you¡¯ve yet to internalize it. Put the knowledge to use. Let it sink in.¡±


    ¡°Next Build your capacity. It doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s through cultivation, renown, or fame. As your ability expands, more will appear. Similarly, refine your foresight until you can discard that headband.¡±


    ¡°Finally strengthen your determination. Advanced necromancy places great strain on the soul. Teleportation, for one, requires moving through the Abyss. It¡¯s more a test of mettle than ability. Taking the oath will aid greatly in this regard. Until then, steel yourself.¡±


    I then made the mistake of asking about the last part.  The response had been painful.


    ¡°Your resolve is lacking. You¡¯ve no goal, no great ambition. As proof, you¡¯ve completed your forbidding ritual and have yet to meaningfully restrict yourself.¡°


    He¡¯s a bit of a bastard. It¡¯d stung because it was true. By binding himself strictly, he¡¯d cast away his headband and access the full power of ¡®All-Knowing Grasp¡¯. I¡¯d become incomparably stronger.


    He¡¯d rationalized not doing so as simple caution. Truth is, I¡¯m happy with the slow approach. Why lock himself into a rigid path so soon after Earth¡¯s End? His martial arts and magic were progressing. Fame was contributing too. There was no need for desperate measures.


    Compared to Hope, my drive is lacking. His sister was busy hording every bit of power she could lay her hands on. I spent so long not caring¡­ It¡¯s hard to muster the motivation.


    He sighed as entered his room and climbed on his bed. Radin had suggested he experiment with temporary restrictions. It might unlock more pages.


    After trial and error, Wise had found his forbidding ritual. It was relatively simple. He¡¯d clearly state the constraint in mind, followed by the phrase ¡®THIS I SWEAR¡¯. Then he¡¯d bite the insides of his cheeks hard.


    FOR THE NEXT THREE HOURS, I WON¡¯T LIE. THIS I SWEAR. Tasting blood, Wise peered into the future and felt it less cluttered. This¡¯ll work.


    FOR THE NEXT THREE HOURS, I WON¡¯T EAT, SLEEP, OR DRINK. I WILL NOT USE MY WRYSTAL. I WILL NOT RESPOND TO THE WORDS OF STRANGERS¡­ Wise continued to list off activities. Since he was going this far, he wanted his foresight as clear as possible. ¡­THIS I SWEAR. He sensed an even larger improvement, but it wasn¡¯t enough.


    FOR THE NEXT THREE HOURS, I WILL NOT SPEAK. THIS I SWEAR. Wise removed his headband. Amazing¡­  He could sense the shape of the Obsidian Cavern as his future selves wandered the space. He could focus on any point in the near future and witness what unfolded there. Dawn wins again.


    Riffling through the Necronomicon, he was overjoyed to see an illustration pop up. Then it vanished. As he continued, the phenomenon repeated again and again. Text would appear and fade. It¡¯s a message. The book saw through him. False strength only merits a fleeting glance.


    Wise tucked the Necronomicon back in his tunic. It¡¯s a partial failure. While not unlocking anything, he¡¯d had a preview of what might be.


    Now I need to wait out the next three hours. With all the restrictions he¡¯d burdened himself with, interacting with others was a no-go. Communicating would be a pain.


    I¡¯ll explore. Since he was using his foresight directly, rather than ¡®All-Knowing Grasp¡¯, he could use all his senses to experience the Isle. Layer by layer, Wise strolled through the city across countless futures. It was as if he was present in person. I¡¯m almost tempted to do this again. As he made his way to level 3, he suddenly saw the city in flames across from him. The vision lasted but an instant.


    There¡¯s about to be an outbreak. If magic existed which could read the future, then of course magic existed which could obscure it. Outside combat, the blessing also interfered with foresight. It should¡¯ve been impossible for a non-immortal to catch a glimpse of a future engineered by someone like the Laughing Man. However, Wise was not in an ordinary state.


    Where and when? He focused on level 3, limited to the next hour. Repeatedly scenes of the inferno flashed before him, the city in various stages of destruction. He witnessed werewolves running up walls and diving into crowds. Where does it start? As he grew frantic, the visions became more frequent. Time is running out. At last, he spotted a single structure afire. Got it.


    Grabbing pen and paper, he rushed out. I¡¯ll use Fayla. Reaching the nearest brazier, he realized he didn¡¯t know how to get her attention. He considered the ring, but decided on a kick first. I don¡¯t want to upset her when I can¡¯t speak.


    The impact didn¡¯t make the noise he¡¯d hoped, but an irritated sprite appeared, ¡°There¡¯d better be a good explanation for this.¡±


    Wise hastily scribbled, omitting the unnecessary.


    ¡®Can¡¯t talk. Laughing Man attacking city. Outbreak in ten minutes. Tell Lily!¡¯


    Fayla peered closely, ¡°Is this a joke?¡± Thank god she can read.


    ¡®No. Hurry.¡¯ Wise jotted down.


    ¡°Wait here.¡± Fayla disappeared, and Wise stood nervously. Soon she returned. ¡°Lily is on her way.¡±


    Seconds later, a figure blazed out of the passage from the Rose Palace. Fayla released a flare, and the fire veered towards them. Lily stopped and hovered on crimson wings.


    ¡°Where does it happened?¡± She demanded.


    ¡°He can¡¯t speak for some reason.¡± Fayla explained.


    Not wasting a beat, Lily changed track, ¡°Can you point?¡± When Wise nodded, a small hand hoisted him up by the collar. He found himself rocketing towards the surface.


    Wise distracted himself by studied his abductor¡¯s wings. There¡¯s an underlying bony structure. Unlike those Astra glided on, these weren¡¯t mean to be aerodynamic. They propelled Lily on jets of fire. She could¡¯ve achieved the same effect by releasing torrents from her palms, but this gave her greater maneuverability and freed her hands.


    They soared above the Isle and dove into the Hollow, a swarm of phoenixes following behind. Lily drew him near and yelled, ¡°Where?¡±


    Once they¡¯d reached the decrepit building, Lily grimaced, ¡°Maximilian¡¯s casino¡­ Thanks for leading me here.¡±


    Wise was unceremoniously tossed onto a roof. An incredible heat assaulted him as he landed. Lily was slicing the structure horizontally with a fiery beam. Finishing, her wings released a downward blaze as she pried the burning top back, as if opening a box.


    Inside, unconscious men and women were pinned to the walls and floor by golden spears. At the center, the Laughing Man was dragging his latest prey. The blond immortal rubbed his neck like a child found stealing sweets.


    ¡°This is awkward. I don¡¯t usually let myself get caught unaware.¡± He said. ¡°With Astra and Kara away, I figured I could get away with a little mayhem. Seems I underestimated Nero¡¯s clone.¡±


    Wise didn¡¯t shrink back before the murderous gaze. I¡¯ve the HEAVENLY DAO¡¯s protection.  He feared more for Lily than himself.  The regent had chosen to confront Arther¡¯s killer on her own.


    ¡°What now?¡± The man asked with mocking menace. Lily didn¡¯t answer, tossing something into the air. Before Wise could determine what, the object shattered in a flash. From its remains, a soft white fire descended, engulfing Lily and transforming her wings. The colorless inferno continued raining down, spreading to her phoenixes. Soon all were composed of the same calming white. The Laughing Man frowned. As for Wise, the hair on the back of his neck rose up.


    ¡°Starfire¡­¡± He whispered. The flame exclusive to the dragon god Argadon, the one who wiped out half Sola¡¯s army. The Laughing Man¡¯s relaxed expression disappeared. Scanning his surroundings, he leapt, escaping where the encirclement was thinest.


    As one, the phoenixes dove in chase, Lily drifting behind. The Laughing Man summoned thousands of golden spears, weaving them into barriers. These barely slowed his pursuers, who flew through as though they weren¡¯t there. The blond immortal was forced to dodge repeatedly off golden platforms. Parts of him vanished whenever he failed to evade completely.


    A few spears flew towards Lily, but disintegrated in the white fire. Whether physical or magical, any object which came into contact with starfire ceased to exist. Only Lily, as Argadon¡¯s summoner, was safe. There¡¯s nothing that can hurt her while she¡¯s bathed in those flames.


    Wise wondered why the villain wasn¡¯t choosing a more populated route, using innocents as hostages. Then he grasped the answer. Lily is prepared to sacrifice part of the Isle to bring him to justice. The Laughing Man had seen through this intention. Taking cover in the city would only hinder his motion while providing no obstacle to her birds. Instead, he was making for the pillar, the one structure which might withstand those flames.


    I should help the victims. Tearing his gaze from the battle, he dropped down and raced inside, ripping his clothes. He¡¯d no gift for healing, but could manage tourniquets. Determining who needed it most, he staunched the bleeding as best he could. I wish I could call for help. He was halfway done when Lily nabbed him.


    ¡°Isle Security is on its way. We¡¯re going home.¡± She said brusquely. Her flames had returned to normal. ¡°The Laughing Man circled the pillar until he got up beyond the Isle¡¯s wards and teleported away.¡±

 [Chapter 38 part 1] Soul – The Outbreak

    [Chapter 38 part 1] Soul ¨C The Outbreak


    -----------------------------


    It¡¯s over. Carrion was finally dead. The Necromancer had tenaciously clung to life, rising again and again. Why such loyalty to Sola?


    Another wave of undead gathered among the barren trees and lifeless grass. Only weapon wielders¡­ They¡¯re growing stronger. Soul swung Diamonds Edge to dispatch them. I must retreat. It wouldn¡¯t be easy.


    Around him, the Vilestorm howled angrily. Blocking out the sun, the malevolent duststorm was an anomalous undead which blocked out the sun. Its gales confused and cursed those trapped within, guiding them into harm¡¯s way. With my sense of direction warped, I can only rely on gravity. He had to break out from above.


    Soul jumped, deploying icy wings. Immediately a downdraft assaulted him, and spectral horrors closed in. Fending off the wraiths, he suddenly plummeted, his weight increased a dozen fold. Damn¡­ Landing roughly, he dispelled the malediction and scanned for the one who¡¯d cast it.


    Outlined on a distant hilltop, an armored knight rode a withered steed. It brandished a lance with a fluttering black cloth. A standard bearer. These were Sola¡¯s generals, guiding and driving the unliving. Already more were flocking, swelling under its influence. I must eradicate it before it calls forth something worse.


    Dismissing weariness, he cried ¡®Heaven Splitter¡¯, twirled, and swung his sword in an uppercut. A freezing shockwave divided the battlefield, annihilating everything in its path and blowing away the rest. Of course, it won¡¯t fall that easily. The mounted figure stood alone and unharmed. That dark emblem is high sorcery in its own right. Soul rushed forwards.


    Some grueling minutes later, the duel ended. It¡¯s a agonizing how the others won¡¯t rest until the standard bearer falls. Soul leaned on his weapon, and his heart sank when he felt trembling. I took too long.


    The ground quaked at the rhythmic pace of approaching footsteps. A mile away, out of the swirling haze, a foot emerged, crushing a grove of wilted trees. Upon the next stride, a gargantuan silhouette emerged. The grayish, skeletal giant moved unnaturally, as though the laws of physics didn¡¯t entirely apply. It peered down, the white glowing eye sockets fixated on him.


    These were unique to the Dark Age. Legions of undeads merged to form titans the size of mountains. The monstrosities were difficult to repel under the best circumstances. Soul sighed, readying Diamonds Edge.


    As the colossus strode forwards, three balls of fire cut through the vilestorm, crashing to earth. Soul smiled. Seems I¡¯m not finished yet. That was the opening salvo to one of Lily Morgana¡¯s bombardment, a warning of what was to come. Now I can fight without holding back. He never got the chance.


    As molten rocks rained down, an armored figure appeared in the sky. Astrolis. The humanoid mechanize weapon flew past the colossus, leaving a trail of explosions in its wake. The titanic undead released a deafening screech, swatting at the mobile suit of armor. The force from each swing rearranged the landscape. While Soul braced himself, the red and orange metallic knight dove into its opponent¡¯s gaping mouth. Only Astrolis could withstand the corruption in there. Glowing yellow sores spread down the giant¡¯s throat and chest as it was wracked from within. When Astrolis burst forth from its stomach, it roared in renewed fury. She¡¯s got its full attention.


    Two mammoth hands slammed together, producing a concussive blast extinguishing all fires and knocking Astrolis back. An underhand swing then scraped the earth and unleashed a landslide. Astrolis nimbly dodged the debris.


    The land was torn apart as the two clashed, neither gaining an advantage. Then daylight broke through. Lily¡¯s artillery had burned through the vilestorm, driving it back. The colossus bellowed its frustration.


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    As meteors showered the departing titan, Astrolis landed besides him. The Armor opened and a gorgeous woman stepped out, ¡°You gave me a heart attack when I found out you¡¯d gone after Carrion alone.¡± Jenna jumped down. ¡°Why must you take such risks?¡±


    ¡°Nero asked me. Also, I figured you might show up.¡± Soul smiled.


    ¡°What if I¡¯m not there next time?¡± Jenna wrapped her arms around his neck. ¡°Winning the war is meaningless if you don¡¯t survive.¡±


    She then kissed him¡ª¡ª


    Soul awoke with a jolt. I definitively can¡¯t tell Hope or Light. Although it was well before sunrise, he rose to ponder what he¡¯d witnessed. I¡¯d never heard Ethan and Jenna were lovers. This was the second dream. The first had been vague to the point of doubtful authenticity, so he¡¯d decided to try laying Diamonds Edge besides him last night. Which was effective.


    Soul activated his wrystal, and a rock formation in the sky appeared. The Octahedron.  The canyon where Ethan and Byron fought had been folded in the shape of an eight sided die. Where he perished. Zooming closer revealed a dense network of gleaming auburn symbols.  Containment Runes.


    I should speak to Astra. His mother would be up. She only slept a couple of hours. Part of ¡®Winter embrace¡¯, the ¡®Glacial Vigilance¡¯ technique reduced the need for rest.


    His mother was in the first floor office of her residence, sorting reports. ¡°What is it?¡± She asked.


    ¡°I had a dream about Ethan Skyfell, a memory from the Dark Age. I believe the cause is Diamonds Edge.¡± Soul drew the sword on his back.


    ¡°I see.¡± Astra set her work aside. ¡°Reliving moments of previous owners is a common phenomenon for legendary weapons. It¡¯s how they ¡®teach¡¯ their wielder¡ª¡ª¡±


    An obnoxious knocking interrupted them. Astra¡¯s brows furrowed, and she tapped her desk. She¡¯s cross. ¡°At least the building isn¡¯t shaking this time¡­ Let¡¯s go see who it is.¡±


    Outside, Emerit Blaze stood holding a box. He doesn¡¯t look happy either.


    ¡°Why are you banging without sending a message first?¡± Astra asked coldly.


    ¡°Because I¡¯m upset, irritated, and angry.¡± The man snapped back. ¡°May I come in?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Astra spoke reluctantly. She lead them inside and Emerit slammed his package on her desk.


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Astra asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s the head of a giant centipede.¡± He declared. ¡°I demand Dawn be disciplined.¡±


    ¡°There were leaps in logic I didn¡¯t follow.¡± Astra seated herself. ¡°Please expand.¡±


    ¡°When I woke, giant centipedes were lounging on my floor. As this was unexpected, I overreacted. My room is now carpeted with blasted-up insect parts.¡± Emerit explained. ¡°She must be chastised.¡±


    ¡°How would my daughter even sneak in the bugs?¡± Astra inquired.


    ¡°I have absolutely no idea.¡± Emerit seethed. ¡°What matters is she did it.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s back up a minute. How do you know my daughter is responsible?¡±


    ¡°Because she swore to use my worse fears to get back at me.¡± Emerit explained. ¡°This could only be her work.¡±


    ¡°I thought there was nothing you feared.¡± Soul interjected.


    ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of centipedes. I HATE centipedes. They¡¯re disgusting and foul. Nothing should have that many legs.¡± Emerit pronounced.


    ¡°I see.¡± Astra said. ¡°And what was my daughter getting back at you for?¡±


    Here, Emerit stumbled and went quiet. He might¡¯ve been too livid to think clearly. They¡¯d kept quiet about their jaunt through the wine trench. If Emerit was determined to seek justice, he¡¯d first need to reveal what he¡¯d done with Exodia, which might result in sanctions on him rather than Dawn.


    After a long minute, Emerit spoke through gritted teeth, ¡°After deep consideration, I¡¯ve decided to drop the matter.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± Astra nodded happily. ¡°Please take your box on the way out.¡±


    Emerit left, slamming the door. I must warn Dawn to avoid him.


    ¡°Right, so tell me your dreams.¡± Astra pressed.


    Soul summarized his experience, omitting only the very end, ¡°¡­the second time was extremely clear.¡±


    ¡°Will you be able to recreate Ethan¡¯s martial arts?¡± Astra asked.


    Of course he¡¯d considered this. His concern was voyeurism. Apparently it¡¯s acceptable.


    ¡°Yes, but it might take a while.¡± Soul ventured. ¡°How long will they continue?¡±


    ¡°Until you¡¯ve fully mastered Diamonds Edge, I imagine.¡± Astra answered. ¡°Given that¡¯d require the strength of an immortal, you¡¯ll have plenty of time.¡±


    ¡°Anything else?¡± Astra began riffling papers again.


    ¡°You never told us Ethan and Jenna were a couple.¡± Soul said quietly.


    His mother paused, ¡°Most didn¡¯t know.¡± She closed her eyes, gently shacking her head. ¡°They kept it private. The wedding would¡¯ve been after the Dark Age¡­¡±


    Astra looked him in the eye, ¡°Use the past to grow stronger, but please don¡¯t share it with anyone¡­ myself included.¡±


    Soul nodded and left. Ethan remains a sensitive topic. Now that he¡¯d received her blessing, he¡¯d proceed without misgivings. I¡¯ll trust Ethan¡¯s Sword not to show anything inappropriate.


    (continued in part 2)

 [Chapter 38 part 2] Soul – The Outbreak

    [Chapter 38 part 2] Soul ¨C The Outbreak


    -----------------------------


    ¡­


    Soul spent the day cultivating, recalling and parsing his nightly experiences.  Ethan had employed his prowess unconsciously so it was onerous.  He was still deeply engrossed when Rose messaged him.  It¡¯s lucky our matches were at the same time.


    The Stone Coliseum turned out to be a one-sided affair not worth mentioning.   While not unskilled, his opponent had ice affinity, and Soul sparred with Dawn regularly.  With fame kicking in, I¡¯m solidly in A rank.


    He went north to watch Rose face a comrade of Razor Hue, another dragonformer.  What a poor match-up.   Soon a grouchy Rose walked out after a draw, ¡°I dislike fire-proof opponents.¡±


    Soul consoled her on their way to the skybox.  The others must be in the city by now.  Since Free, Light, Wise, and Hope had earlier time slots, they¡¯d gone ahead, with Emelia and Simon, to an afternoon movie.  Rose and Soul would join them once Dawn was done.


    ¡°It¡¯s nice Free was able to participate.¡±  Rose commented.  Their sister had emerged this morning looking gaunt.  Declaring that ¡®injuries are one thing, but sickness is unpleasant¡¯, she¡¯d proceeded to gorge herself.  A sign of full recovery.


    Soul sat to observed the battling below.  In a few minutes, they¡¯ll switch to evening fights.  Partitions would be removed, and the entire arena would be used.  Dawn would take part in the opening act.


    ¡°The odds are high another outbreak occurs tonight¡­¡±  Rose said quietly.


    ¡°What?¡±  Soul snapped.


    ¡°I spoke with Argent.¡±  Rose explained.  ¡°The ISF keeps track of which immortals are on the Isle.  The only ones left right now are Sars, Radin, and Simon.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s abnormal.  Fifty immortals are residents, and a dozen are here regularly.  While a few leaving may be coincidence, like Kara, the rest are not.  They¡¯ve been lured off-Isle by invitations and other happenstance.  The last left four hours ago.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±  Soul said.  The Northern Emperor pulled a lot of strings.  He suspected Radin and Sars wouldn¡¯t be quick to act, and Simon had to protect Hope.  ¡°So Argent believes there¡¯ll be an incident exploiting Lily and Astra¡¯s absence?¡±


    ¡°And it¡¯ll be a major one.¡±  Roses nodded.  ¡°That¡¯s what the ¡®deference for saints¡¯ indicates.¡±


    Soul frowned, unfamiliar with the expression.  Rose noticed, ¡°Unless a threat is beyond a certain severity, immortals don¡¯t get involved.  Solving small crises is considered pointless XP stealing, and those engaging in it are ostracized, often by their own governments.  ¡®Deference for saints¡¯ is official policy most places.  Nations with overly active immortals deprive their saints of much needed opportunities, hurting their strength in the long run.¡±


    Soul listened coolly.  Not very virtuous.  ¡°Doesn¡¯t this practice cause unnecessary tragedies?¡±


    Rose laughed wryly, ¡°I asked the same.  Argent gave a competent reply: ¡®The hunger for immortality saves more than it kills¡¯.  Basically, there¡¯d be far less ¡®heroes¡¯ rushing to disasters without the Wall¡¯s promise.  This more than cancels out the lengthy response time of immortals.¡±


    ¡°Back to the warning.¡±  Rose continued.  ¡°The only reason to tempt immortals away is if you¡¯re planning something that¡¯d merit their attention.¡±


    ¡°How large an outbreak are we talking about?¡±  Soul asked.


    ¡°Several hundreds,¡±  Rose replied grimly.


    ¡°Would the Laughing Man really strike so soon?¡±  Wasn¡¯t he injured yesterday?


    Rose shrugged, ¡°It might not be his doing.  Or Argent could be wrong.¡±


    ¡°How¡¯s the ISF preparing?¡±  Soul asked.


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    ¡°They¡¯re working on evacuation plans and strategies for sectioning off the Isle.  Thanks to a recent cash infusion, they¡¯ve retained the services of A rank adventurers experienced with werewolves.  Saints have also been notified to anticipating trouble.¡±


    ¡°Finally, Argent drafted us.¡±  Rose added sheepishly.  ¡°That¡¯s the reason he gave me the heads up.¡±


    Not that surprising, we¡¯ve dealt with them before.  ¡°Did you say yes?¡±


    ¡°I did.  If something happens, we¡¯ll receive deployment orders.¡±


    So she volunteered us into the ISF.  It¡¯s the right call, but we should¡¯ve been consulted.  Not that it¡¯d change anything.  Kain¡¯s arm was on the Isle because of them.  They couldn¡¯t ignore this.


    ¡°Argent might be right, but let¡¯s try to forget this and enjoy the evening,¡±  Soul said.  ¡°It¡¯s Hope first trip out in nearly ten days.¡±


    Gathering the victorious Dawn, they descended the Shaft to level 3 and jumped off.  He and Dawn used wings while Rose broke her fall with jets of fire.  Once they¡¯d reached the exit, fifteen feet up, they observed the festival of lights and motion.


    The Northern half of this layer was an amusement center called Arcadia, packed with all manner of entertainment.  These attractions, such the karaoke center across, were surrounded by refreshments stands, eating areas, souvenir shops, and others conveniences.  Kate originally suggested visiting.  Too bad she isn¡¯t here.


    Directly below were a dozen ¡®summoning arenas¡¯.  In these miniature rings, ¡®players¡¯ chose avatars from a predetermined selection and then battled each other and arena controlled enemies.  Third person fighting games.  Further away, Miniship Races were taking place.  A dozen players were sitting at booths while tiny airships zoomed around before a cheering crowd.  Most games here offer an even playing field.  Even an immortal might compete with an ordinary person.  So everyone can have fun.


    In the distance, Soul saw two big names, ¡®Dreamland¡¯ and ¡®Sukemon¡¯.  Even he recognized these entertainment giants.  Both found success by striking deals with the HEAVENLY DAO.


    With the deity¡¯s aid, Dreamland had carved out an entire virtual reality in the Ether.  Sharing its name, this realm could be reached by visiting a store location and taking a nap in a sleeping pod.  There¡¯s a home version too.  Customers would then wake as ¡®travelers¡¯ in a fantastical land.  Since the place operated under completely different rules, anyone could be a hero there.  It offered a wonderful escape to the masses who¡¯d forsaken immortality.


    Sukemon, meanwhile, had engineered a summoning system for their own unique creatures.  These company-designed mascots were cute and had ¡®-mon¡¯ at the end of their names.  They were tied to store-bought cards and could be ¡®trained¡¯ to evolve into more advanced forms.  Customers could visit sponsored training centers to battle their Sukemon in summoning arenas.  Those wealthy enough could even purchase artifacts to materialize them anywhere.  Some adventurers use them in dungeons.  Legendary Sukemon possess the strength of immortals.


    ¡°Shall we get going?¡±  Rose asked.  They dropped down and navigated the crowd East.  Soul noted a shooting game where guns were used against a swarm of zombies.  Hope would adore that.


    ¡°What¡¯re those?¡±  Dawn was pointing to a far wall.


    ¡°They¡¯re pinball machines.  You¡¯d know if you¡¯d studied a bit.¡±  Rose reproached.  ¡°Check your wrystals.  There¡¯s a map explaining everything.¡±


    They did as instructed, and a layout appeared, surrounded by a mountain of text.  Soul saw the floor was divided into themed subareas, such as ¡®adventure land¡¯ with its escape rooms and dungeon run simulators.  Wise would ace the ¡®Trials of Fate¡¯.  A mention of oracles caught Soul¡¯s attention.  Fortune telling was a remote school of magecraft that provided powerful, if cryptic, prophecies.  What would a divination for us look like?


    In the ¡®Rides¡¯, Soul read the first entry: ¡®Take a ¡®Holographic Safari¡¯ through Enera¡¯s wondrous forbidden regions.  Experience the Blue Abyss¡¯s Rainbow Reef, the Green Hell¡¯s Haven, and the Demon World¡¯s flaming swamps.¡¯  There¡¯s no way we¡¯re getting to everything¡­


    ¡°Acrophobia?¡±  Dawn raged.  ¡°That¡¯s a ride?¡±


    Soul quickly checked further down.  There it is.  ¡®Become an airship racer and live all the most hair raising tracks.  Guaranteed to rattle even the fearless¡¯.  Sounds horrifying.  Between projectors, gravity manipulation, other magics, it was possible to perfectly replicate the sensation of plunging to your doom.  The only aspect missing would be foresight¡¯s sense of impending demise.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe people pay for this.¡±  Dawn shook her head as if witnessing madness.  I¡¯m somewhat enticed, but I¡¯ll kept quiet.


    ¡°There¡¯s the cinema complex.¡±  Rose pointed to a box office surrounded by brightly lit posters.  It¡¯s a rather niche form of entertainment.  Even with the best projections, movies can¡¯t compete with reality.


    ¡°Good timing.¡±  Rose said watching people flood out.  ¡°The show is over.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯d they see?¡±  Dawn asked.


    ¡°¡®Bullet Time¡¯¡±  Rose answered.  ¡°It¡¯s set in a cinematic universe where magic doesn¡¯t exist.  Martial arts don¡¯t make you stronger and no one lives forever.  It¡¯s very creative, with the world-building drawing heavily from the Gala Plateau.  Lots of guns and explosions.  Here they are.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯d you think?¡±  Rose approached Hope eagerly.


    ¡°Stop treating me like an unfortunate soul in dire need of uplifting.¡±  Hope protested.  ¡°But, yes, it was fun. There are so many firearms I have yet to master¡­¡±  If she¡¯s happy, that¡¯s fine.


    ¡°We could¡¯ve used movies at Earth¡¯s End.¡±  Light was admiring a placard featuring ninjas dueling under the moonlight.  They¡¯re quite popular, aren¡¯t they?  There¡¯d been several on the Isle even before their arrival.


    (continued in part 3)

 [Chapter 38 part 3] Soul – The Outbreak

    [Chapter 38 part 3] Soul ¨C The Outbreak


    -----------------------------


    ¡­


    ¡°Anyway, shall we head to the Liquid Air Historium?¡± Light continued. He¡¯s eager. So am I. Through an enchantment field, the resistance and weight of air was altered to feel like water. You could swim around while breathing normally. Combined with high-quality projectors, this allowed guests to relive enactments of famous events from an aerial perspective. We splurged for a private auditorium.


    ¡°Wait, since we have a couple minutes, there¡¯s somewhere I want to take you to.¡± Emelia pointed to a blue windowless building with a revolving door. A large sign read:


    ¡®PROTOTYPE VIDEO GAMES¡¯


    ¡®No channeling please.¡¯


    Technology from the Barsal Empire. Emelia started towards the entrance, ¡°The walls are coated with field blocking ambient magic. High-end electronics are sensitive to magic. Bytes in the chips get flipped when they shouldn¡¯t be, causing them to go haywire.¡±


    ¡°There were a lot of words I¡¯m unfamiliar with¡­¡± Free objected while following behind.


    ¡°Electronics are machines that run on electricity.¡± Wise volunteered. ¡°As for Bytes and computer chips¡­¡± He winced. ¡°They make my head hurt.¡±


    ¡°Just look up circuit boards on your wrystal.¡± Emelia suggested.


    Before them appeared green boards with all manner of components in their surfaces. The networks of metal lines could easily have passed for a school of magecraft. I wonder what they can do.


    Inside, cabinets with glass screens filled the brightly lit space. They resembled the pinball machines they had seen earlier. So these are video games. One had a little circle which ate dots while ghosts chased it through a maze. Another had a space ship shooting alien bugs. On the far side, a crowd had gathered around two machines with falling blocks piling up at the bottom.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you try playing?¡± Emelia suggested.


    We don¡¯t have much time. After being consumed by ghosts a few times, he joined the others watching Hope have a good run at the spaceship game.


    ¡°It¡¯s fun for the novelty, but otherwise not that exciting¡­¡± Hope reported, sadly watching a flashing ¡®game over¡¯.


    ¡°These are just early prototypes sent out as showcases.¡± Emelia explained. ¡°The latest ones are much more advanced. The Goldstone family is backing companies making big investments in the field. This technology holds great potential.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Rose hesitated. ¡°They might suffer the same problem as movies. There¡¯s stiff competition out there¡­¡±


    ¡°Maybe, but games can be far more more engaging than films. Imagine experiencing the Dark Age battling from the perspective of Ethan Skyfell. Wouldn¡¯t that be appealing?¡± I already do that in my sleep, Soul smirked while nodding.


    ¡°I admit the stumbling block is interfacing with enchantments.¡± Emelia continued pensively. ¡°If we could hook them up to projectors, it¡¯d be amazing. Maybe someday¡­¡±


    Wise was the only one who understood that.  ¡°Isn¡¯t it time for the Historium?¡± Soul asked.


    As they left, the ground trembled. Rose and Soul both pivoted to Wise.


    ¡°There¡¯s been three large explosions in the Undercity.¡± Wise reported. ¡°The survivors are rapidly transforming¡­¡± He frowned. ¡°¡­and not just them. Anyone near the blasts is being affected. There are four hundred and counting.¡±


    So Argent was right. ¡°Can we leave Hope to you?¡± Soul asked Simon.


    The man nodded, ¡°I¡¯ll get her to safety.¡±


    Abandoning them, they wove through the crowd toward the pillar.  Most haven¡¯t reacted yet. At the barrier, they saw rising smoke far below. They¡¯ll know something is wrong once that spreads up here.


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    ¡°I received our deployment instructions.¡± Rose shut off her wrystal. ¡°We¡¯re to head to the highest explosion and prevent anything from reaching the waterworks.¡±


    ¡°North of the skyriver, three quarters of a mile down.¡± Wise concluded.


    They jumped. This is fastest. Soul grabbed Light, Dawn took Wise, and Rose clung to Free. Plunging through the smoky haze, they saw the Undercity ablaze. The furthest blast site was West near the bottom. The second was smack in the middle. The final was East, eight layers down from Level 3¡¯s main floor. Connecting the three would form an arc through the Northern Undercity.


    ¡°There!¡± Emelia shouted. The golden ninja pounced off a stone platform towards some werewolves making for the waterworks. She curled into a ball, and rock formed around her. A second later, a fifteen foot boulder smashed down, caving in the floor and annihilating two beasts. They arrived in close pursuit, gliding on ice wings and a leafy parachute.


    Wise, Free, Rose, and Light guarded the interior. Their preparations paid off. Wise was suppressing the beasts with a sinister black disk while Free¡¯s roots entangled and crushed them. To the rear, Rose carefully cast one spell circle after another. Each time a werewolf would shine blindingly and burst into ash. Above, Light knocked down those attempting to claw across the walls while raining shurikens on the others.


    For their part, Soul, Dawn, and Emelia blocked the pillar-side main avenue. It was far easier this time. As long as we¡¯re not overwhelmed¡­ There was activity all around, with adventurers drooping to lower areas and ISF ships rushing by. Crashing and breaking resonated far as battle raged.


    A mournful howl rang out from a foe caught in Free¡¯s vines. Instantly, Light completed the signals for his latest acquisition, ¡®Sand Tomb¡¯. A shell of hardened earth buried the self-destructing creature, suppressing its ignition. On our side, Dawn and I will cover it in ice.


    Just as Soul felt the situation under control, a trio of screams rang out. Two hundred feet feet away, three women broke out of a building and ran towards them. The noise attracted six nearby werewolves. There¡¯s no way to make it there in time¡­ Focusing his senses, he heard multiple cries for help, near and faraway. So many¡­


    Soul watched powerlessly as a beast pounced¡­ But was repelled by a shimmering wall of blue. A wave of electricity had descended on the Undercity, leaving trails of static. Across the infernos, shields popped up as lightning sprites zoomed around. One shot close and said, ¡°Reinforcements are on the way.¡±


    With relief, Soul finished off his opponent. As he intercepted another, he glanced back. The women were huddled while rabid beasts pounded on the barrier. Past them, an elderly women clutched a young a child, and, further still, a young couple hugged each other tightly. The shields defending them were under similar assault. How long will those hold? The static overhead was thinning out. Isn¡¯t Miki over-stretching herself? Then the werewolves surrounding the ladies were violently thrown back. In their place, metal chains snaked protectively. They then penetrated the lighting fairies¡¯ magic and yanked the women away.


    Standing atop an airship, Legonas deposited them besides him and send out more chains. The couple, old woman, and child were all spirited away. The airship descended past them, its deck filling with grateful residents.


    Werewolves released howls of frustration as their preys were snatched. All those in sight faced towards them. This might be tough¡­


    Before they could pounce, the charging pack flashed and disintegrated. Stunned, Soul looked at Rose who shook her head, gesturing behind him. Emerit had flown into view, riding on jets of flames from his palms and feet. The man stared hard at Dawn. In response, his sister bowed politely and said ¡®Thank you¡¯ with a beaming smile.


    Emerit¡¯s eyes narrowed, and he pointed at her several times. Then he went off to aid others. Thank god he¡¯s calmed a little.


    When Emelia smashed their last enemy, Soul scanned the area. Apart a few werewolves stalking close-by buildings, he sensed nothing in their vicinity. What about the rest of the Undercity? Soul was glad to note the bottom blaze had shrunk by half. The center inferno, on the other hand, had grown. Should we redeploy?


    As he deliberated, a fairy popped up and spoke in Miki¡¯s voice, ¡°I¡¯ve finally convinced Radin to act. He¡¯s picking up Sars and will be there soon. Hang tight.¡±


    They spent the next thirty seconds in a tense stare-off with the rooftop stragglers. Then Wise came over, ¡°Radin will appear there.¡±


    In the midst of the brightest conflagration, darkness shimmered, and Radin Lockworth strode into view, expression cross as always. The man¡¯s hoarse voice reverberated in their ears as if he were standing just behind them, ¡°To the rabble which disturbs the Isle¡¯s peace¡­ ¡¯High Speed Executions¡¯¡±


    Hundreds of shadows spread out, traveling across all surfaces. Once one reached a werewolf, a horrific figure emerged, wielding a scythe, and cleaved its victim in two.


    This was Radin¡¯s second Sublime Vagary, the dreaded result of his merciless reign as high auditor. ¡®High Speed Execution¡¯ cut down all those he deemed guilty. As the werewolves were wiped out, a low melodic cry washed over them, squelching all the fires and plunging the temperature into glacial territory.


    What? ¡°It¡¯s Sars.¡± Wise was looking up. ¡°He¡¯s singing a song of ice.¡±


    On the pillar¡¯s underside, a giant lizard clung to the rock. From its gaping jaws, a musical roar poured forth, extinguished the Undercity wherever it hit. Soon the last flame had flickered out. It¡¯s over.

 [Chapter 39] Hope – A Desperate Chase

    [Chapter 39] Hope ¨C A Desperate Chase


    -----------------------------


    Hope dashed toward the shaft, livid. She hated having a private escort while the others rushed into danger. I want this over with. However, Simon stopped her at the entrance, ¡°It¡¯s rigged with explosives.¡±


    ¡°We must warn the Guild!¡± Hope raised her wrystal, but Simon put a hand on her shoulder.


    ¡°They¡¯re set for remote detonation and won¡¯t go off unless you enter.¡± He explained. ¡°It¡¯s the assassins. They¡¯re keeping their distance, but they¡¯re here.¡±


    Then we can¡¯t use it. The high speed lifts were crucial to Guild¡¯s deployment. Not everyone can fly.


    ¡°Should we head to another lift?¡± Hope asked.


    Simon didn¡¯t react, his eyes tracking the unseen, ¡°They¡¯re all rigged. At least the ones north of the pillar¡­¡±


    This can¡¯t be happening! She had to get to safety so Simon could defend the Isle. ¡°Then just carry me up, same as on the Helix.¡±


    ¡°The assassins will be expecting such a move.¡±  Simon responded. ¡°They¡¯ve obviously smuggled in a huge quantity of RSF. They¡¯ll use it to knock us from the air¡­¡±


    He shook his head, ¡°No, they¡¯re going all out. They know you¡¯re growing stronger, your siblings too. Between Astra, Lily, Legonas, Agata and myself, you¡¯re constantly surrounded by frightening people¡­¡±


    ¡°Tonight is their last, best chance. You¡¯re more vulnerable than you¡¯ve ever been, and everyone is distracted¡­ If I carry you to the Rose Palace, an aerial battle will break out. Innocents will lose their lives, and rescue efforts will be delayed. Are you fine with that?¡±


    No, I¡¯m not. ¡°So what then?¡±


    ¡°We head to the waterworks and make our way up by foot.¡± Simon pivoted East. ¡°While it¡¯ll be trapped, the area should be relatively deserted. Consequences won¡¯t be too severe.¡±


    We¡¯re taking a detour through those winding stairwells? ¡°How long will it take? And why are we moving so slowly?¡± Hope lamented.


    ¡°Assassins stalk us, and bombs are everywhere.¡±  Simon said wearily.


    Hope grew increasingly frantic as they navigated the crowd. Others are out there fighting and dying while I¡¯m monopolizing one of the Isle¡¯s strongest champions. ¡°You should go to the Undercity. I¡¯ve gotten stronger. I¡¯ll manage somehow.¡± That might be a lie.


    ¡°That would leave you facing ten assassins alone. Don¡¯t be ridiculous.¡±  Simon dismissed.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need to fight them, I can just run. I¡¯ll be fine for a little while.¡± Probably.


    ¡°Are you serious?¡± Simon glanced back. ¡°you¡¯re no match at all.¡±


    She knew she was being foolish, but sacrificing others for her benefit was something she rejected to her very core. Risking death was preferable. It¡¯s not certain I¡¯ll die.


    ¡°Please,¡± Hope persisted. ¡°This slow, pointless pace is driving me mad.¡±


    Simon sighed, and the world went dark. All sound and activity disappeared. She took a step back, banging her head into a solid object. What¡¯s going on?


    ¡°Calm down.¡± Simon said, a green flame sprang from his palm. The floor remained the colorful pattern of Arcadia, but around them was a solid black dome.


    ¡°I¡¯ve created a temporal bubble. No matter how long we spend here, not a second passes outside.¡± Simon explained.  ¡°I sensed you would benefit from a moment¡¯s pause.¡±


    Necromancy is amazing. Hope knocked on the blackness. So nothing is happening out there. Her stress melted away Knowing the world was frozen.


    ¡°I can imagine what you¡¯re thinking, but, no, this ability isn¡¯t all powerful.¡± Simon spoke. ¡°We¡¯ll run out of air in a few hours. We can¡¯t observe the outside, and channeling is impossible. Not to mention a couple of other minor restriction and drawbacks.¡±


    ¡°That said,¡± he continued. ¡°It¡¯s useful if you need time to think.¡±


    Hope took a deep breath, ¡°Wouldn¡¯t many be saved if you went to help?¡±


    Simon nodded, ¡°Hundreds, but you are my priority. I assured Astra I¡¯d protect you.¡±


    ¡°Is there no other way? I can¡¯t stomach that many dying so I can live.¡±


    Simon pursed his lips, ¡°When I release the dome, I¡¯ll sneak away leaving an afterimage. This illusion will travel towards the waterworks and my real self will drop below.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s perfect!¡± Hope exclaimed.


    Simon shook his head, ¡°Once I leave, the threat I represent will fade. At first they¡¯ll move cautiously, suspicious. But eventually¡­¡± They¡¯ll realize you¡¯re gone.


    ¡°So it¡¯s not flawless¡­ Why are you proposing a plan that¡¯ll get me killed?¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t be in real danger.¡± Simon pointed at her chest. ¡°As I told Rose, the amulet I gave you is special. It warns me of your impending demise.¡±


    ¡°What I expect will happen is that I leave and a couple of minutes later your pursers will strike you down. Except that death won¡¯t become reality, as I¡¯ll return at that exact instant, ideally finishing off those who took the bait.¡±


    Wait, I¡¯m bait? Isn¡¯t this about rescuing people?


    ¡°During those few minutes I¡¯m away, I¡¯ll endeavor to provide as much aid as I can.¡±  Simon concluded. ¡°You said you¡¯d be fine if I left you. This is your chance to prove it.¡±


    I get it¡­ The longer I survive, the more people he¡¯ll save. Simon was challenging her.


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    ¡°So if I avoid death entirely, you¡¯ll spend the entire time protecting the Isle?¡±


    ¡°Correct.¡± Simon confirmed. ¡°But if you perish in seconds, I won¡¯t even make it there.¡±


    I can work with this. ¡°How long will your illusion fool them?¡±


    ¡°A minute. Maybe two if you¡¯re lucky.¡±


    ¡°Alright¡­¡± Hope concentrated. I must leverage this time. She strategized every means of escape, considering every tool at her disposal. Too bad I only took three grenades. Brooding twenty minutes, inspiration finally hit. Wait, what if I¡­  She smiled. It¡¯s so simple really.


    Just to test. Hope attempted to channel but only the faintest trickle came through. Right, then there¡¯s no point in delaying.


    ¡°Where will you go in the Undercity?¡± This was the last piece she needed. Please don¡¯t guess the meaning.


    ¡°To the bottom.¡± Simon responded.


    ¡°The bottom?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m aware it¡¯ll waste precious time.¡± Simon smiled. ¡°But the lowest portions are the poorest. They¡¯ll be the ones in most desperate need. I¡¯ll make my way up from there.¡±


    Don¡¯t make it sound like you care after prioritizing me over hundreds, Hope griped knowing full well it unwarranted. Simon had given his word, backed by the oath. It wasn¡¯t something he could weasel out of. Anyway, this works out for me.


    ¡°All right, I¡¯m ready.¡± She said.


    Simon nodded. The flame vanished, and light returned. They were once again in busling Arcadia. The necromancer turned and headed East. He¡¯s gone already, isn¡¯t he?


    Following, Hope immediately reworked the enchantments in her arms, beginning with the left. This is my only chance. Forty seconds later, she finished as she spotted a flicker on a building. They¡¯re creeping closer. Ignoring her surroundings, she prayed walking calmly, furiously focusing on her right arm. Don¡¯t attack, don¡¯t attack, don¡¯t at¡ª¡ªDone. Exhaling, Hope discovered shadows all around. They must know¡­


    A knife pierced Simon¡¯s clone, and it faded away. Now! Without wasting a beat, Hope drew her guns and fired four recoil bullets, sending herself towards the pillar.


    This was her clever solution. If Simon couldn¡¯t battle the werewolves because he had to protect her, then she just had to travel down to the werewolves. If she ¡®died¡¯ next to them, he¡¯d be forced to fight them too. This pendant is really making me suicidal.


    Falling through a layer of smoke, Hope emerged to a ablazing undercity. I¡¯ll head to the middle, where it¡¯s brightest. Five knives shot past. Really? She turned to see three more zoom by. I love the blessing! Above, ten black figures plunged after her.


    Hope fired off a series of recoil bullets, each one altering her trajectory, as she moved towards the largest inferno. She spotted a wide layer crawling with werewolves. That¡¯ll do.


    Landing in an alley, she promptly reloaded and activated her arms¡¯ enchantments. Two ice shields combined to form a solid layer around her just as fire descended from above. The pressure sent her hurtling. As long as they don¡¯t burn me, I¡¯m fine.


    Her barriers didn¡¯t guarantee survival. She knew from experience that, if caught between blasts, she¡¯d be crushed. They also offer no protection against physical projectiles. Hope fired to dodge knives.


    What followed was a hectic chase across a combusting landscape. She never looked back, relying on foresight to evade the blades. Whenever she ran into a werewolf, she took advantage of its fiery attack to propel herself onward. I feel like the ball in those pinball machine.


    At least, I¡¯m not the only one struggling. Having forsaken their stealth, the assassins were forced to battle the beasts blocking their way. I¡¯m certain I heard two get mauled.


    When about thirty howling beasts were pouncing after her, the barrage of blades lessened. They¡¯re hanging back, which makes sense. As long as she died, their contract was fulfilled. It¡¯ll end soon either way. She was running through bullets at a breakneck pace.


    As an explosion sent her tumbling through a building, Radin¡¯s voice echoed around her. ¡®High Speed Executions¡¯? What¡¯s that? Recovering, she found only werewolves to greet her. All the assassins are hiding? That¡¯s ¡ª¡ªWHAT ARE THOSE? Shadows were speeding all around her. One swept near, and she froze as a grim reaper sprung out. Then it was over. She was alone among piles of ash.


    While she struggled to grasp what had just occurred, eight outlines appeared on the rooftops. At that instant, a cold wave quenched all fires. The assassins didn¡¯t look happy. Alright, I¡¯m ready to be saved now. Knives gleamed into view. Anytime is fine.


    Before she could pull the trigger to flee, blinding lightening arched above, and seven charred bodies dropped down. What now?


    ¡°One got away.¡± A woman strolled into view. She wore tight-fitting leather and had long, silvery black hair. ¡°He must be extremely skilled or lucky.¡±


    ¡°Who are you?¡± Hope asked, drained. No more surprises please.


    ¡°Ashaya Horn, emissary of the Grey King.¡± The woman smiled rapaciously.


    ¡°Thank you for saving me.¡± Hope said. Please go away.


    ¡°If you are grateful, there¡¯s something you could do for me¡­¡± Ashaya smirked. ¡°Open the Pillar of Enera.¡±


    Damn. This woman was either a saint or an immortal. She had no way to resist. Simon, now would be an excellent time.


    The woman stopped feet away, ¡°Do you know who bought those assassins?¡±


    ¡°The Northern Emperor.¡± No reason to hide it.


    ¡°Correct,¡± Ashaya clapped mockingly. ¡°You aren¡¯t clueless. Yes, Samuel Lithorn is your enemy. He¡¯s openly declared your existence dangerous. He fears the Laughing Man will make use of you to destroy the pillar from within, triggering a Dark Age.¡±


    ¡°At least that¡¯s what he claims through his envoys.¡± She continued. ¡°The Grey King doesn¡¯t buy it. Everything which occurred in the Dark Age¡¯s final days is recorded within the Pillar. The Northern Emperor is attempting to hide some secret at all cost. It¡¯d be in your best interest to expose it.¡±


    ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡± Hope played along, wasting time.


    ¡°Lithorn relies on a web of relationships built up over millennia. It¡¯s the foundation of his power. Should something undermine that trust, his empire would fracture and crumble from within. So too would the World Council, which he underpins. The bounties on your heads would vanish with it.¡±


    ¡°And the Grey Kingdom would be free to expand without obstacle.¡± Hope added.


    Ashaya ignored the quip, ¡°Should you open it, the Grey King would be willing to offer you and your siblings sanctuary. I can transport you there immediately if you wish.¡±


    ¡°What if a Dark Age begins?¡±


    Ashaya laughed, ¡°The Grey King would welcome that development. While the Northern Emperor clings to ¡°peace¡± and ¡°stability¡±, parts of Enera rot. Did you know, in lands far West, they¡¯ve practiced slavery for eons? The corrupt international order which allows this¡­ In many ways, another age of turmoil is exactly what¡¯s needed. Stagnancy will be wiped out as the gears of war turn and the map is redrawn.¡±


    ¡°Pretty words, but all the Grey King desires is the ability to wage war without hindrances.¡± Simon appeared nearby.


    ¡°Simon Black, a living legend not bound to any power.¡± Ashaya said without batting an eye. ¡°The Grey King values your abilities. Should you choose to pledge yourself, no reward would be off the table.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± Simon joined Hope. ¡°Also, thank you for your aid, regardless of your motives.¡±


    ¡°Think nothing of it. Frustrating the Northern Emperor was reason enough to interfere,¡± Ashaya glanced at Hope. ¡°I hope you survive and ultimately make the right choice.¡± She then vanished in a crackle of electricity.


    Observing the fading static, Simon spoke, ¡°I¡¯d advise again taking up her offer. Depending on the situation, she could turn on you.¡± He faced Hope. ¡°If you ever resolve to enter the Pillar, I¡¯ll guide you and show you the way in.¡±


    ¡°Ah, ok.¡± Hope said. ¡°Do you think I should?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s for you to decide.¡± Simon answered ¡°My only advise is that half-hearted determination will lead to nothing but regret.¡±


    Well, that¡¯s a matter to mull over another time. ¡°You¡¯re late.¡± She reproached.


    ¡°And you¡¯re nowhere near where you¡¯re supposed to be.¡± Simon countered. True. ¡°Good job staying alive. Unfortunately, it did make it harder to track you down.¡±


    ¡°Can we head back?¡± Exhaustion was hitting hard.


    Simon soon deposited her on the Rose Palace¡¯s terrace. ¡°Thank you. I¡¯m¡ª¡ª¡± Hope began when phoenixes suddenly flared up and dove past. Hovering ready to strike, their flames hissed at the figure on the Helix.


    The last assassin. Whether from lighting or fire, he was badly scorched. Sensing no threat, she approached, ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    ¡°Tonight was a single finger.¡± Those words spoken, he plunged a dagger into his heart, collapsing.


    Hope stared, shacking her head, ¡°Why¡­?¡±


    ¡°Some contracts have deadlines.¡± Simon came over. ¡°His time must¡¯ve been up. He came to deliver a warning before passing on.¡±


    Don¡¯t do a good deed at the end. ¡°I¡¯m going to bed.¡± She¡¯d puzzle out the complicated stuff tomorrow.

 [Chapter 40 part 1] Light – Shine Balladeer

    [Chapter 40 part 1] Light ¨C Shine Balladeer


    -----------------------------


    ¡°The audacity.¡± Lily raged. Everyone was gathered in the Inner Palace to discuss Northern Emperor¡¯s latest gambit. Last night during the outbreak, an elite squad, backed by an immortal, had seize the Pillar of Enera and set up a perimeter around its base. The Isle was in an uproar.


    ¡°It¡¯s an inexcusable infringement of our sovereignty.¡± Lily seethed.


    ¡°Agreed, but we can¡¯t chase them away.¡± Astra said. ¡°Samuel has many convinced that securing the pillar was a safety precaution to prevent a Dark Age. If we interfere, it¡¯d give him an excuse to escalate things. There are undoubtedly reinforcement ready to warp in. He¡¯s that desperate.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think I know that?¡± Lily snapped back. Anger is making her fearless. ¡°The one who led Arther to his death is right there, and we can¡¯t afford to touch him. It¡¯s maddening!¡±


    ¡°At least we know the identity of the Laughing Man impersonator.¡± Simon said.


    ¡°The immortal Sion Gale,¡± Lily spat. ¡°I should have guessed he¡¯d send the Child Killer.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Astra asked.


    ¡°Right, you wouldn¡¯t have heard.¡± Lily said. ¡°He¡¯s a newer state-sponsored immortal. Seventy years ago, he was assigned the eradication of a pirate¡¯s nest deep in the Twisted Lands. Only when he arrived there, he found a village of non-combatants, primarily children. Someone had gotten their intel wrong. Since communications were cut off, Sion executed his orders and murdered them all, earning himself the title ¡®Child Killer¡¯. It was a major scandal at the time.¡±


    ¡°Wait,¡± Soul jumped in. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t he be in Tartarus?¡±


    Lily shook her head, ¡°From the Empire¡¯s perspective, Sion wasn¡¯t at fault. State-sponsored immortals are considered living weapons who ideally follow orders to the letter. Slaughtering those children only served to prove his loyalty. The ones reprimanded were those who¡¯d organized the mission.¡±


    Soul was speechless. Sounds evil even to me.


    ¡°I see.¡± Astra said icily. ¡°Such an immortal is indeed perfect for acts of terrorism.¡± She turned to them. ¡°Don¡¯t approach him. He may only be a state-sponsored immortal, but you don¡¯t stand a chance.¡±


    Adventurers had to juggle their finances between their activities. Not all jobs offered by the Guild were glorious. Sometimes they were retained as backup by cities or large organizations. These gigs lasted months and paid well, but did little to further their renown ¡ª¡ªexcept in cases like last night. In contrast, state-sponsored adventurers had teams dedicating to outfitting them and guiding their XP gathering. They could devoted themselves entirely to running dungeons and ranking up in coliseums. Those who survived reliably reached the wall through the quantity of their exploits.


    They¡¯re the weakest. Since their history was scripted, they rarely possessed Sublime Vagaries. Their progress also halted after immortality as they ceased unapproved risk-taking. States don¡¯t want to lose their investments. While stronger than saints, they were lacking compared to peers.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t Sion wield a spear?¡± Rose asked. ¡°With his reputation, surely some must suspect¡­¡±


    ¡°They do,¡± Simon said. ¡°However, the real Laughing Man has been active, causing uncertainty. It¡¯s also hard for many to doubt the Northern Emperor, at least openly. Lithorn is a master at cultivating trust, and his influence holds sway over too many to be ignored.¡±


    ¡°Why hasn¡¯t he outed us?¡± Light asked. With the Pillar secured, there¡¯s no reason not to. Anonymous sources had already leaked their identity, but these reports were being met with a great deal of skepticism. You can hear it in the voice of news commentators.


    ¡°He wants to maximize the political damage from the outbreak.¡± Lily answered. ¡°In the same way the Tartarus news overshadowed the Undercity murders, your existence might eclipse everything else. He¡¯s saving that for later.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s hear from the ISF.¡± Astra said. ¡°Rose?¡±


    Their sister had visited Argent for a briefing. Since she took her role so seriously, everyone went along with it. Rose glanced at her report, ¡°These are preliminary estimates. Thirteen hundred people fell under Kain¡¯s curse. Another two dozen died in the initial explosions¡­¡±


    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Light was torn. On some level, he¡¯d reveled in yesterday. Skydiving through the Isle¡¯s smoky core and grappling with werewolves in a burning city was intoxicating. He understood why the HEAVENLY DAO had allowed it to happen. At the same time, he¡¯d witnessed the tragedy first hand. He knew the numbers Rose read had stories behind them. I don¡¯t want to take pleasure in other¡¯s misfortune, but it¡¯s hard¡­


    ¡°¡­This time differs from the last, when a minuscule quantity was used against victims primed for despair by impaling. Last night used RSF to spread an entire finger in population centers.¡±


    ¡°Displaced residents are¡­¡± At least the assassins are gone, although more might be contracted.  As long as Lithorn wants her dead, Hope won¡¯t be safe. ¡°¡­Assuming no further trouble, the Undercity should return to normal in three or four months.¡±


    ¡°Finally, the cleanup of the blast sites will take several days. The ISF will turn over the fragments once complete.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it.¡± Rose turned to Lily, ¡°What will you do with Kain¡¯s remains?¡±


    ¡°Lock them away until they disappear.¡± Lily Shrugged.


    ¡°What?¡± Rose asked perplexed.


    ¡°Kain¡¯s corpse will gradually reassemble no matter how far apart its pieces are.¡±  Simon explained. ¡°The process takes several decades.¡±


    ¡°If his body could be permanently destroyed, we would¡¯ve done so long ago¡­¡± Lily muttered. ¡°Even starfire was useless. That bastard is too stubborn.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯re we going to do?¡± Hope asked anxiously. We¡¯ve seen what one finger can do.


    ¡°Nothing.¡± Lily sat back. ¡°There¡¯s no immediate threat.¡±


    ¡°How so?¡± Hope pursued.


    ¡°This conflict has turned political.¡± Lily sighed. ¡°The Northern Emperor is gathering votes. Once he has them, he¡¯ll convene the World Council to oust me. To thwart him, I¡¯ll be warping around Enera shoring up support. By forcing me to travel, the Northern Emperor is weakening the Isle¡¯s defense. The blame for another incident would fall equally on him, serving no purpose. There won¡¯t be another attack unless his push fails.¡±


    ¡°When will we know the outcome?¡± Soul asked.


    ¡°Soon, within a day or two. Lithorn is coercing everyone to pick sides. Don¡¯t concern yourselves, it¡¯s my fight.¡± With that, Lily left. She¡¯s under a mountain of pressure.


    ¡°I¡¯ll withdraw too.¡±  Simon said. ¡°Message me if needed.¡±


    Astra nodded then faced them, ¡°Anything you wish to discuss?¡±


    ¡°What happened at the World Council?¡± Rose asked.


    ¡°It was a tedious affair.¡± Astra began. ¡°A great many were in attendance, including Barsal Farran and Samuel Lithorn. I reported on the breach at Earth¡¯s End and your existence, which Lithorn tried leveraging against me. Farran countered boisterously that the council¡¯s inaction on Sola¡¯s Legacy was to blame. He further declared the Barsal Empire wouldn¡¯t allow my millennia vigil to be besmirched. Lithorn retreated, and the topic pivoted to doppelgangers.¡±


    Astra smirked viciously, ¡°Nero Ebonwood made a surprise appearance. While the Northern Emperor was displeased, Nero pointed out he¡¯d a duty to testify as a fellow co-conspirator. This shifted dynamics. The Black Citadel is the only power Lithorn dares not disrespect.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t bore you with details, but everything was progressing somewhat smoothly until news of the outbreak reached us. It was over by then, of course. The World Council is Lithorn¡¯s tool, and he¡¯d sacrifice thousands rather than give us an excuse to depart¡­¡± Astra sneered. ¡°The focus turned to Lily¡¯s tenure as regent. Lithorn and his proxies were far more effective at pressing this line.¡±


    ¡°Thank god we knew about Kain¡¯s arm. If not for that, Lily might have been deposed then and there. Instead, we¡¯re at an unstable impasse.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the plan if they rule against Lily?¡± Dawn asked.


    ¡°There are several bad options, ranging from starting a military conflict to sheltering you in a friendly territory¡ª¡ªWhich might also lead to war. We¡¯ll discuss further if it comes to it.¡±


    Astra returned to the Guild, leaving only ¡®mortals¡¯ around the table. ¡°Why don¡¯t we review today¡¯s match-ups?¡± Emelia suggested.


    Wise nodded, ¡°Actually, there¡¯s big news there. Light, not only are you scheduled in the evening, it¡¯s the opening match. Your opponent is Kaito Maedasa, a ¡®real¡¯ ninja.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Light burst out. Is he implying I¡¯m counterfeit?


    ¡°Kaito is from one of the ¡®Hidden Villages¡¯. Someone who¡¯s trained his entire life as a shinobi.¡± Wise said. ¡°Before you get too excited, let me give it to you straight: you¡¯ll lose. The man¡¯s nearly a saint.¡±


    Light¡¯s fury evaporated. The Hidden Villages! After the Fracturing, surviving ninja clans had migrated to a Twisted Land named Harakoune, forming mini-nation states. They¡¯d thrived there, producing many saints and immortals. Due to this might, once they established a committee to present a unified front, the World Council offered them a seat. The only Twisted Lands officially recognized.


    Tuning out his surroundings, he messaged Agata Nimrod, ¡®Are they ready?¡¯ and waited nervously. Wise¡¯s warning hadn¡¯t discouraged him in the least. Rather his blood was boiling. I¡¯ll experience the prowess of the shinobi world first hand. I absolutely must put in a good performance! His wrystal flashed, ¡®One is¡¯.


    ¡°I must go.¡± Light sprinted off. They know what I¡¯m like.


    ¡°Where?¡± Emelia cried out.


    ¡°To fetch a weapon.¡± He yelled.


    The elevator was agonizingly slow, but soon he sped across rooftops and runways. Last week he¡¯d listened to John¡¯s advice and brought his cursed spoils to Agata. After an examination, the enchantress had asked how much money he had. After wincing at the answer, She¡¯d demanding he ¡®give it all¡¯ and kicked him out saying, ¡®stay away, must work¡¯. He¡¯d gone along as he¡¯d understood he was receiving an exceptional deal. I¡¯m dying to witness the results. He burst into Sunset¡¯s workshop.


    ¡°That was fast.¡± Agata said. ¡°What¡¯s the rush?¡±


    ¡°I have a evening match against a Harakoune ninja.¡± Light explained.


    ¡°I see¡­¡± The turquoise-haired woman didn¡¯t appear to grasp the significance. ¡°Anyway, over here.¡±


    (continued in part 2)

 [Chapter 40 part 2] Light – Shine Balladeer

    [Chapter 40 part 2] Light ¨C Shine Balladeer


    -----------------------------


    ¡­


    Four weapons lay atop purple velvet. They felt different. ¡°What¡¯d you do?¡±


    ¡°Sorry for not explaining the other day. I got carried away.¡± Agata smiled. ¡°It¡¯s not often that I get the chance to work high sorcery.¡±


    High sorcery¡­ That¡¯s supreme magic. ¡°I didn¡¯t know they were that extraordinary¡­¡± Sure, his cursed blades were cool, but the stuff of legends?


    ¡°While they and their wielders were nothing special, the Field of Graves is different. That curse is capable of felling immortals, and these weapons basked in it for millennia. When you removed them, power came with them, raw and unfocused. It took time to discover how to focus it.¡±


    Took time¡­ ¡°Did you experience the dreams too?¡±


    ¡°I did. It was necessary. No, human can directly control high sorcery. It¡¯s beyond us. What skilled enchanters can do is guide it. To accomplish this, I had to understand the shape of the vessel, in this case the lives of the previous owners.¡±


    Agata handed him a ninjato, ¡°Here¡¯s ¡®Mockery¡¯.¡±


    ¡°You named it?¡± Light took the blade, disappointed.


    ¡°Enchanter¡¯s privilege.¡± She responded smugly. ¡°Here¡¯s the scabbard.¡±


    The new sheath had a spotted pattern of amber and black. Light slipped the tip in, letting the blade slide to the bottom. The handle had been restored, providing a satisfying grip.


    ¡°That¡¯s genuine rayskin with a manticore mane covering.¡± Agata offered.


    Light drew a few inches and admired the orange glint reflecting playfully from the polished steel. I suppose Mockery is fitting. Its prior owner had possessed an affinity for clay, molding her summoned earth with talent rivaling the finest artists. On the day she died, she¡¯d sculpted a wounded sirk and lured twenty of its comrades over a precipice before dispelling the false floor. The furious survivors hunted her down. Despite their numbers, she eluded them for a while, hiding behind fake walls and throwing them off with clones. What did her in was their keen sense of smell.


    ¡°So Mockery contains high sorcery?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Objects become mythical through enduring fame or prolonged exposure to other high sorcery. If there¡¯s a suitable ¡®core of awe¡¯, an Illusory Grace will coalesce, same as Sublime Vagaries. The difference is enchanters can call these forth, which is what I did.¡±


    ¡°As a byproduct, it¡¯s also become a catalyst.¡± She continued. ¡°I substituted sand for clay. I hope you appreciate.¡±


    Light summoned a mountain of sand and forced it to flow upwards in a helix. The control is wonderful. Mockery was smoother than any catalyst he¡¯d tested. He vanished the sand. ¡°What¡¯s its ability?¡±


    ¡°¡®Sands of Deception¡¯,¡± When Agata explained, Light realized it suited him perfectly. Not surprising considering its former wielder.


    ¡°This was a real treat.¡± She concluded. ¡°It¡¯s so rare to come across unshaped high sorcery¡­¡±


    ¡°Why is that?¡±


    Agata sighed, ¡°Because of the prerequisites: a sufficiently mythical object with a suitable history. Before the dark age, hundreds were enchanted each year. Family heirlooms passed down over generations. Sadly, virtually everything with potential was sacrificed to the Pillar of Enera.¡±


    ¡°Nowadays, anything which meets the criteria is in the hands of immortals. Which one would bring their cherished prize to a Saint?¡± She shook her head.


    Light held up the amber ninjato. The windfalls were greater than I¡¯d dreamed. There was only one last concern.


    ¡°Is it still cursed?¡± Light waited apprehensively.


    ¡°Nope, no need for concern.¡± Agata declared proudly. With great resolve, Light hid the pain. Considering what I¡¯ve obtained, I can¡¯t complain.


    Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°As to what I owe you¡­¡± Light glanced towards the velvet. What he¡¯d given wouldn¡¯t even cover Mockery.


    ¡°Consider it an investment on my part.¡± Agata reassured him. ¡°The fame of an enchanter¡¯s creations feeds their renown. Make these weapons legendary and we¡¯ll call it even.¡± That¡¯s easier said than done¡­


    Agata laughed at his uncertainty, ¡°If it bothers you, consider it a loan and pay me back once you¡¯ve achieved greatness. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not suffering. Your sister¡¯s stones are proving quite profitable.¡±


    ¡°Thank you very much.¡± Light bowed and left.


    The day flew by as he trained with Emelia and Mockery. Before he knew it, he was in the Stone Coliseum, waiting to be called. In evening matches, the arena morphed into different environments. This time it was filled with broken walls and columns. The setting is ¡®ruins¡¯.


    ¡°IN THE WEST CORNER, KAITO MAEDASA OF HARAKOUNE. THIS WATER NINJA IS A MEMBER OF MINSTREL, THE A-RANKED TEAM LEAD BY SHINE BALLADEER. THEY ARE ON THE ISLE FOR THIS SINGLE NIGHT, SO ENJOY THE TREAT.¡±


    A man in a dark blue outfit stepped out, and cheers reverberated. He had short black hair and a determined look behind his mask. Reaching the center, he stopped and crossed his arm, exuding confidence. Nice poise.


    ¡°FACING HIM IN THE EAST CORNER, LIGHT FROM TIMBAKU. A MYSTERIOUS SAND NINJA RUMORED TO BE THE CLONE OF BARSAL FARRAN. IS THIS TRUE? WHO KNOWS! WHO CARES! IN THE RING, ALL ARE EQUAL.¡±


    Emelia wished him luck as he exited. Around him the crowd roared, and he felt stage fright grip him for the first time. The ambiance, together with this opponent, was intimidating. Focus, calm yourself.


    ¡°WE HAVE A TRUE SHINOBI SHOWDOWN IN THE CARDS! ARE BOTH PARTICIPANTS READY?¡±


    Light crossed his arms in response. I aim to win.


    ¡°BEGIN!¡±


    Light opened with three shurikens. Dodging, Kaito performed the hand signals and shouted, ¡°Storm Eels.¡± Three snaking outlines materialized, floating and crackling with electricity. Can¡¯t let those near.


    Light finished his own spell as the transparent emerald creatures slithered towards him, ¡°Sand cyclone!¡± He let loose a vortex which shredded the eels.


    As the whirling winds barreled down on Kaito, his foe cried out, ¡°Sea snail.¡± What? Sure enough, a fifteen-foot shell appeared. His cyclone obliterated itself against it.


    Water began gushing out of the mollusk, covering the arena. Kaito marched onto the growing puddle, and trickles rose up around him. They formed into sharp spikes and darted forward. I see freezing is unnecessary for him. As Hope could liquefy metal, Kaito could harden water.


    Light jumped sideways while unsummoning a pocket of air created earlier. The projectiles were blown off course by the collapsing vacuum.


    His manipulation of air had improved vastly thanks to Emelia. I¡¯d never fully grasped its potential. By controlling the pressure around him through summoning and telekinesis in tandem, he could generate gusts which could flatten buildings. Light dropped one on Kaito, forcing all liquids away.


    The ninja responded by reaching one arm to the snail and the other towards him. The water pouring out accelerated and tightened into a beam. Light dashed aside, throwing shurikens, but the water laser swerved to deflected them. It chased him through the ruins, slicing columns and walls. Time for Mockery.


    Light unsheathed his ninjato and sent a mass of sand at his rival. With the catalyst¡¯s boost, his tumbling attack plowed forwards, forcing Kaito to move. Gust-accelerated sand blocks came crashing down on him, but were deflected by waves of water. The next minute of back and forth gradually transformed the arena into a stormy beach.


    Suddenly switching strategies, a wall of water splashed up around Kaito, and three blue shinobis raced forwards, each covered with half an inch of liquid. All look equally fake¡­


    Two can play at that game. Under the cover of a blast of sand, Light fashioned two more of himself. They were so perfect even he was impressed. This was Mockery¡¯s Illusionary Grace: Sands of Deception. When employing sand for subterfuge, the effects would be vastly enhanced. Light¡¯s duplicates were now just as indistinguishable as Kaito¡¯s.


    Six figures collided, four dissipating into nothing. What followed was a close quarter clone battle. Every time Kaito moved, he¡¯d divide in two. Light did the same. They exchanged a whirlwind of blows, half landing on fakes.


    I¡¯m losing this clash. Kaito¡¯s strength was slightly above his own. More importantly, the ninja¡¯s hand to hand skills were superb. His extra decades of training really show. On top of this, that thin coating of water had strong protective properties. If he hadn¡¯t learned ¡®rock flesh¡¯ from Emelia two days prior, he would¡¯ve gone down already. Unfortunately, the technique is still incomplete.


    When Light winced from a vicious kick, Kaito split again, one copy dashing away. Striking down the nearby clone, Light threw a shuriken at the fleeing figure, only to see it collapse into a puddle as well. Drat, he got me. The real Kaito was crouched besides him and had just complete a hand signal.


    ¡°Aquatic Prison.¡± Kaito barked. Water leaped up around him, tumbling him about. He found himself upside down in a murky sphere. This resembles my sand tomb. I have to break out!


    Throwing caution aside, Light completed hand signals and shouted with his last breath, ¡°Air explosion.¡±


    This spell summoned two roomfuls of air in the space of a few inches. This will hurt. A powerful shockwave smashed into him, breaking him free and sending him skidding across the flooded floor.


    Dragging himself up, Light found Kaito standing behind a large circle of glowing blue symbols. Wait, ninjas use regular magecraft too? The shinobi completed eight hand signals in the blink of an eye and roared, ¡°water dragon.¡± A combination spell?


    As the circle flared, a tidal wave exploded upwards, taking the shape of a dragon and diving at him. I¡¯m not escaping this¡­ Several tons of water crashed into him at lightning speed.


    (continued in part 3)

 [Chapter 40 part 3] Light – Shine Balladeer

    [Chapter 40 part 3] Light ¨C Shine Balladeer


    -----------------------------


    ¡­


    When Light came to, his first thought was ¡®what a magnificent defeat¡¯.  He¡¯d battled to his fullest and had no regrets.  I was right: ninjas are cool.  He gripped Mockery fondly and rose to his feet.  The short sword was amazing.  If only I¡¯d had time to properly master it¡­  The din around him was deafening, the crowd wilder than he¡¯d ever seen.  Evening fights are special.


    ¡°WATER TRIUMPHS OVER SAND!  WHAT A MATCH!  SO MANY CLONES!  LIGHT DISPLAYED SKILLS WE NEVER KNEW HE HAD.  THE VICTOR WAS UNCLEAR UNTIL THE VERY END!¡±


    Waving to the stand, Kaito and Light exited stage, sounds of adulation echoing behind.  In the post-fight waiting room, Kaito spoke first, ¡°Those were some astounding clones.  So realistic.  Honestly, I¡¯m jealous.¡±


    ¡°You too.¡±  Light answered.  ¡°That last attack was so vicious and overwhelming I lost consciousness before I could use a substitution.¡±


    ¡°So you really can use it¡­¡±  Kaito laughed.  ¡°Halfway through, I began treating you as someone from Harakoune.  I subconsciously assumed you possessed the skill, so I let loose a technique designed to counter it.¡±


    This bit caught Light¡¯s attention, ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Kaito looked at him curiously, ¡°A key part of a substitution is the flourish.  That¡¯s to say, the collapsing after-shadow left behind.  If this is obscured, then teleporting away is impossible.  Avalanche-type skills, which engulf the body, are a solid counter.¡±


    I wasn¡¯t aware of that¡­  He was fascinating.  It¡¯s the knowledge I¡¯ve always craved.


    ¡°Is your ninjutsu self-taught?¡±  Kaito asked.  When Light nodded, he offered praise.  ¡°Then you¡¯ve done an outstanding job.  Your abilities rival a native¡­¡±


    Suppressing exhilaration, Light voiced a pressing concern, ¡°That was spell circle at the end.  I didn¡¯t know ninjas used such techniques¡­¡±


    Kaito smiled under his mask, ¡°A real ninja will use every tool at his disposal.  You should know this.¡±


    Light was aghast as his flawed understanding was exposed.  If spell circles had existed in that fictional world, then of course ninjas would¡¯ve used them.  I must broaden my thinking.


    ¡°I hope you¡¯ll put more effort into remembering the magecraft I taught you.¡±  Emelia teased coyly from behind.  Oh, I will.  He¡¯d also look into Hope¡¯s firearms and explosives.  Never again will I ignore something because it doesn¡¯t exist in the novels.


    ¡°Say, can you join me in the skybox for a bit?¡±  Emelia asked.  Not now¡­  His mind raced for a way to refuse.  However, before he could speak, Emelia dropped a bombshell.  ¡°Kaito has already agreed to meet you tomorrow morning.  You can discuss leisurely then, so follow please.¡±


    Kaito nodded, ¡°I was curious about you too.  Now I must rejoin my teammates.  You should go with Vanes¡ª¡ª.¡±  The ninja tensed briefly. ¡°¡ª¡ªwith Emelia.¡±  He knows who she is!


    Trailing Emelia, Light pondered.  She must have spoken with him before, but when did she manage that?  She¡¯d been with him all day.  Was it while I met Agata?  Besides, how does she know him?  He noticed something else off, ¡°This is the wrong way¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because¡ª¡ª¡±  Emelia pressed an elevator button.  ¡°¡ª¡ªwe¡¯re going to a different skybox.¡±


    ¡°Are you planning on explaining anytime soon?¡±  Light asked as they rose.


    ¡°Eventually.¡±  Emelia smiled.  ¡°Let¡¯s get comfortable.¡±


    The space was similar to Lily¡¯s except there were pictures of Barsal immortals on the walls.  Emelia plopped herself on a front row seat and invited him to join.


    ¡°Does your family own this?¡±  He asked.


    ¡°I wish!  Even we aren¡¯t that rich¡±  Emelia laughed.  ¡°No, it belongs to the Embassy.  I just reserved it for the day.¡±  That¡¯s still fairly aristocratic.


    ¡°Did you enjoy your match?¡±  Emelia wondered mischievously.


    Ahhh, I get it.  Her tone made everything clear,  ¡°You set up the match against Kaito Maedasa.  I never considered coliseum matches could be rigged¡­¡±  A thought crossed his mind.  ¡°Did you also arrange for Kaito to be here?  He obviously knew you.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m the one who made it happen.¡±  Emelia preened.  ¡°As for the match-ups¡­  You should know the HEAVENLY DAO goes along with suggestions when presented right.  The Barsal ambassador is on close terms with Liane Alorn, the agent who oversees Enera¡¯s coliseums.  With his guidance, I submitted a petition which, to my delight, was accepted.¡±


    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    Light shook his head, ¡°You did all this to introduce me to a Harakoune ninja?¡±


    Here, Emelia suddenly grew skittish, ¡°It wasn¡¯t entirely for you¡­  That was sort of a bonus¡­¡±


    Bonus?  Light gave up guessing and waited for the girl to come clean.  His silence seemed to wear on her.  Soon, Emelia confessed, ¡°I did it to bring Shine Balladeer to the Isle¡­¡±


    Balladeer¡­  Wasn¡¯t that Kaito¡¯s teammate?  ¡°Why?¡±  Light asked.


    ¡°Wow, you really tuned out everything this morning, huh?¡±  Emelia chuckled.  ¡°Shine Balladeer is Dawn¡¯s opponent in the next match.  It¡¯s my small dose of payback.¡±


    Now it falls into place.  ¡°You believe my sister will lose?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll feel really dumb if she doesn¡¯t,¡±  Emelia faced the arena.  ¡°Let¡¯s watch and see.¡±


    ¡°IN THE WEST CORNER, SHINE BALLADEER OF TALVI.  THIS FAMOUS IDOL LEADS THE MINSTREL, AN A RANK ADVENTURING TEAM.  BY THE SOUND OF IT, MANY OF HER FANS HAVE JOINED US TONIGHT.  I¡¯M SURE EVERYONE IS EAGERLY AWAITING HER ¡®RADIANT MASQUERADE¡¯.¡±


    A tall, athletic young woman jaunted into view.  She wore a stylized costume of silver and white, appearing more stage performer than gladiator.


    During Dawn¡¯s introduction, Light leaned towards Emelia, ¡°I admit not listening.  What did Wise say about her?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s a strong martial artist with an affinity for light.¡±  Emelia teased.  ¡°As for the rest, you¡¯ll have to see.¡±  Damn.


    ¡°READY?¡±


    Conjuring an ivory Carnival mask, Shine theatrically placed it over her face.  A sparkling aura flowed down her blond hair and spread to her body.  It gives her the ethereal appearance of fairy.  The audience loved this.  He could hear thousands of feet stomping to some primal beat.  Dawn loses in showmanship and popularity, if nothing else.


    ¡°BEGIN!¡±


    Mirroring Kaito¡¯s strategy, Shine sped forwards while splitting in three.  That¡¯s some confidence.  Restricted from ice, Dawn relied heavily on martial arts to carry her to victory, so opponents normally kept their distance.


    Dawn stood her ground.  When the two clashed, Light realize something was off.  All her copies can attack?  When he and Kaito had created clones, they were merely skillful illusions.  Here, the three Shines were assaulting Dawn in quick succession.  How in the world?


    Baffled at the sight, Light noticed another inconsistency.  Every time Dawn landed a strike, the dancing figure would disappear in a scattering of color, only to be replaced seconds later.  Despite dozens of hits, the real Shine had yet to receive a blow.  Impossible.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡±  Light demanded.  He was essentially witnessing Dawn barely withstand a three on one fight.  ¡°Please explain.¡±


    Emelia showed mercy, ¡°Shine Balladeer started out as a singer and pop idol.  Her major selling point was her solo choreographed dance routines in which she duplicated herself with light magic.  At first, her clones were just transparent outlines, but they grew more tangible with time.  When she coated her true body in a brilliant glow, the audience could no longer tell the difference.  It became a game of sorts to track the real Shine among the false.¡±


    ¡°Shine made a splash when she began participating in matches.  Talvi borders Harakoune, and her proficiency with clones put ninjas to shame.  As her strength and fame grew, she added more and more copies of herself.  Finally, three years ago, she debuted a song featuring a nine person routine.  You should appreciate how amazing this was.¡±


    Indeed.  Even with mockery, it was challenging to control two.  Manipulating nine¡­  How is that even possible?


    ¡°That concert became something of a legend.  What happened next should be obvious.¡±


    ¡°She gained a Sublime Vagary¡­¡±  Light stated.  No wonder¡­


    ¡°Even if you know its coming, it¡¯s still a pain.¡±  Emelia admitted.  ¡°Shine can chose which version of herself is real at will.¡±  So that¡¯s why only one clone attacks at a time.


    Just then, Dawn released a blinding flash, knocking her opponent off-balance.  She then defeated two in quick succession.  Pursuing the third, she landed several solid strikes before Shine divided again.


    ¡°She did damage there.¡±  Light noted.  Perhaps her situation isn¡¯t hopeless.


    Emelia shook her head, ¡°Those two clones are only a passive manifestation of her Sublime Vagary.  She hasn¡¯t spoken its name.¡±


    Shine scattered her copies.  Once she¡¯d gained space, she dispelled the magic, revealing her true self.  She raised her fist, gripping a sparkling ball of power, and screamed, ¡°Are you ready?¡±


    As the crowd shrieked in anticipation, the blazing light coalesced into a white feathered musketeer hat.  Donning the item, she shouted, ¡°¡¯Radiant¡ª¡ª¡±  She then spun sideways while replicating herself.  With each rotation, she adopted a new pose and left another after-image.  Once nine identical divas stood side by side, they cried in unison, ¡°¡ª¡ªMasquerade¡¯!¡±


    Before the spectacle, Light murmured, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡­¡±


    ¡°That every one of them is the real Shine Balladeer?  That¡¯s exactly the case.¡±  Emelia confirmed.  ¡°It¡¯s ridiculously overpowered.  No one but a saint or an immortal can defeat her.¡±  Sounds as if she¡¯s speaking from experience.


    The matched ended fairly quickly.  Even Dawn couldn¡¯t win a nine to one battle against someone of Shine¡¯s caliber.  She did well in taking out two.


    Light watched Dawn exit, her face a picture of discontent, ¡°Satisfied now?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I believe I am.¡±  Emelia slunk in her seat, stretching.  ¡°I owe her five, but I¡¯ll settle with one.  I¡¯m out of time anyway¡­¡±


    Out of time¡­  ¡°Is the Barsal Empire calling you back?¡±  Light had anticipated this.


    ¡°Rather, it¡¯s my family.  Between Kain¡¯s arm and Lily¡¯s grudge match with the Northern Emperor, the situation has turned too dire for them to stomach.  Mother in particular has been begging me to return.  The last twenty four hours pushed these concerns to a feverish pitch.  Seeing the writing on the wall, I leveraged their desperation to setup this evening.  In exchange, I promised to warp back.¡±


    I see.  His young instructor had helped him greatly over the last few days.  His foundations had been solidified, and he knew what to work on.  He¡¯d also gotten used to Emelia ¡ª¡ªNo, Vanessa¡¯s¡ª¡ª boisterous presence.  The Isle would feel empty without her.


    ¡°Cheer up, it¡¯s not like we¡¯ll never meet again.¡±  Vanessa rose to her feet.  ¡°Besides, if the council votes against Lily, it might be quite soon.¡±


    ¡°I pray it doesn¡¯t come to that.¡±  Light replied flatly.  Your occasional lack of tact won¡¯t be missed.


    On the elevator down, Vanessa peered at him intently, ¡°Tell me the truth, there¡¯s someone you like isn¡¯t there?¡±


    ¡°How¡¯d you know?¡±  Light had made great efforts to keep away from Hope.  I can¡¯t believe I was seen through that easily.


    ¡°Well, we¡¯ve spent nearly a week together, and you aren¡¯t madly in love with me.¡°  Venessa explained.  ¡°That was the only explanation I could think of.¡±  What self-assured arrogance¡­  He could only marvel at it.


    ¡°I guess this is goodbye.¡±  Vanessa said once they exited.


    Light bowed, ¡°Thank you for everything.¡±


    With a nod and a wave, the golden ninja walked away, and Vanessa Goldstone left the Isle.

 [Chapter 41 part 1] Dawn – Martial Artist From The Cultivating Realm

    [Chapter 41 part 1] Dawn ¨C Martial Artist From The Cultivating Realm


    -----------------------------


    ¡°Miki, tell us where we stand.¡± Lily had returned last night, stating ¡®I¡¯ve done what I can¡¯. Fayla had rounded them up this morning, Miki joining shortly after.


    ¡°Right,¡± Miki rose to speak. Must be a habit from meeting the press. ¡°As you know, Samuel Lithorn has drafted a proposal stripping Lily of her Regency. If the World Council convenes and the votes ¡®for¡¯ outnumber the ¡®against¡¯, it¡¯ll be over.¡±


    ¡°Currently, the scales are even. Lined up against us are the Northern Empire, its satellites, and most smaller nations. On our side, we have the Barsal Empire, the Aery Alliance, the Grey Kingdom, Kalonia, and Banzerkest¡­¡±


    ¡°Say¡­¡± Miki turned to Lily. ¡°Why is Banzerkest backing you? They normally stay out of international affairs, abstaining from everything, same as the Cultivating Realm¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because of Handam Xolran.¡± Lily grimaced. ¡°After witnessing Agadon¡¯s breath, he declared himself incapable of surviving the attack. According to him, as the dragon god¡¯s summoner, that makes me the only person alive capable of killing him. With this acknowledgment, Banzerkest treats me with the utmost respect. The support doesn¡¯t make me happy, but I¡¯ll take it.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡± Miki said. ¡°Anyway, currently the Demon World is pivotal. As a distant member of the royal family, I¡¯ve been peddling what influence I can, but it looks bleak¡­¡±


    ¡°Thanks again for your help.¡± Lily


    ¡°Knowing Lithorn was involved in Arther¡¯s murder, it¡¯s the least I could do.¡± Miki answered


    ¡°What do we do now?¡± Hope asked.


    ¡°Cross our fingers and pray.¡± Miki replied. ¡°We¡¯ll learn the Demon World¡¯s decision by day¡¯s end. If it goes well, this turns into a battle for smaller players. If it doesn¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­We call Astra and begin planning.¡± Lily finished. ¡°Everyone¡¯s free to go, but stay close.¡±


    Dawn descended to the Empty City brooding. Miki sounded pessimistic. That¡¯s depressing. Dawn didn¡¯t want to leave the Isle yet. I like the place.


    Besides the dire prospect, her mind was weighed down by yesterday¡¯s match. Losing to someone in her twenties is galling. It was also unfair. Without that Sublime Vagary, Shine wouldn¡¯t have stood a chance.


    Dawn experienced pangs of envy. She accepted Shine had gained her trump card through a suitable display of proficiency. What frustrated her was the lack of clarity over acquiring her own. For most skills, mimicking others is enough with my talent. Sublime Vagaries had no such reliable path. Retreading past approaches required more effort only to produce an inferior variant. Everything is less impressive the second time around. She felt subjected to the whims of fate, floundering in the dark.


    Must I act theatrically too? Shine¡¯s showmanship undoubtedly contributed to her early acquisition. Problem is, if you act that way and nothing happens, you look like a bloody fool. Still, dissatisfaction egged her on.


    How¡¯d it go again? She danced around, doing her best to recalled the movements of Shine¡¯s routine. After a minute of practice, she reached up her hand high. Placing an imaginary hat on her head, Dawn shouted softly ¡°Radiant¡ª¡ª¡±. Then she spun sideways, recreating stances from memory. After her eighth revolution, she finished, ¡°¡ª¡ªMasquerade.¡± Frozen in this final pose, she noticed Simon Black in front of her.


    ¡°¡­ How long have you been there?¡± She whispered.


    ¡°A while.¡± Simon answered.  ¡°I didn¡¯t realize you were a fan of Balladeer.¡±


    Arrrggggg. Dawn contemplated silencing the man, but quickly despaired realizing it wasn¡¯t feasible. Instead, she stiffly righted her posture.


    ¡°What did you want?¡± Behind Dawn¡¯s straight face, she screeched inside. How did this happen? What on Enera was I thinking? I want to die. Kill me, kill me, kill me.


    ¡°You should¡¯ve checked your wrystal. Astra asked me to find you. There¡¯s been a development.¡±


    This snapped Dawn from her agony. Gathering so soon must mean bad news, especially if mother has come. She grimly followed Simon, endeavoring to forget what¡¯d just transpired. It¡¯d be lovely if this day didn¡¯t get worst. They were the last to arrive.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you explain, Miki.¡± Lily said listlessly.


    ¡°I¡¯ve received word the Demon World will side with Lithorn. I¡¯m horribly disappointed¡ª¡ª¡± Miki¡¯s wrist flashed. She hesitated, ¡°One sec.¡±


    She looked down, and confusion spread on her face, ¡°Lily, could you turn on the news?¡±


    Frowning, the regent did so. Two commentators were interviewing a guest, ¡°¡ª¡ªof the Demon World¡¯s strong statement in support of Lily Morgana?¡±


    The guest responded, ¡°It¡¯s out of the blue. Everything I was hearing suggested they¡¯d side with the Northern Emperor. I¡ª¡ª¡±


    ¡°Sorry to interrupt,¡± The other commentator cut in. ¡°but we¡¯ve received reports that five, no six, more undecideds have come out in favor of the regent.¡± She turned to the world map where territories had been highlighted blue. ¡°What do you make of this?¡±


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    The guest glanced over, and understanding shone in his eyes, ¡°These border the Cultivating Realm. It seems the slumbering behemoth has thrown its weight into the ring¡ª¡ª¡±


    Lily shut it off, ¡°Sarah contacted me. Doehser Fang, the Venerable Western Wind and Patriarch of the Rippling Tempest Sect, is waiting at the Rose Palace. He wishes to meet the children.¡±


    Astra smiled, ¡°Considering what we¡¯ve witnessed¡­ It¡¯d be wise to go express our appreciation.¡±


    The crisis abated, Simon excused himself. When they followed him out, Miki, slouched over the table, called out after them, ¡°When you meet this envoy, could you tell him they might¡¯ve acted sooner. I spent the last twenty hours cajoling all my old contacts. It¡¯s a little vexing to have my work outdone in five minutes¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s an intriguing idea.¡± Astra said. ¡°But let¡¯s not. Hope, do you still have your pilfered liquor?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go grab it.¡± Soul dashed off.


    In the Rose Palace, Sarah ambushed them at the elevator, ¡°I lead him to the lounge. What¡¯s this visit?¡±


    ¡°No, idea.¡± Lily declared happily. ¡°But I¡¯m fairly certain it¡¯s nothing for ME to be concerned about.¡± They really hate each other.


    Abandoning the distraught Sarah, they made their way to the South Wing. There stood a man admiring a painting of the Isle. He wore a simple but lustrous azure robe, his white hair pulled back in a topknot. He¡¯s old, in his seventies. Apart from oddities like Radin, it was rare to see an immortal at such an advanced age. It does lend gravitas.


    Doehser Fang bowed his head, ¡°It¡¯s an honor to greet you again, Lily Morgana.¡±


    ¡°It has been a long time, Venerable Western Wind.¡± Lily grinned wryly. ¡°To what do I owe the honor?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here on behalf of the Great Assembly to confirm Astra¡¯s children are untainted.¡± Doehser explained. ¡°It¡¯s a formality really. Our great clans and sects have already unanimously offered their support.¡°


    ¡°Before we proceed¡­¡± Soul deposit his bottles on a countertop. ¡°Would you care for some liquor?¡±


    Doehser gazed awkwardly, ¡°I must confess to not drinking regularly. When I do, it¡¯s usually Baijiu¡­¡±


    ¡°Try this one,¡± Wise uncorked a black flask and adeptly filled a crystal glass.


    Doehser politely accepted and took a sip. Eyes focusing, he peered at the liquid, ¡°What¡¯s this marvel?¡°


    ¡°Lossenger Tenebry,¡° Wise explained. ¡°The only alcohol brewed within Xarst. Its production is Enera¡¯s longest standing trade secret.¡±


    ¡°Figures it¡¯d be them.¡± Doehser chuckled. ¡°May I request the rest? It¡¯d make a splendid gift to bring back.¡±


    Wise handed over the tall flask, and it vanished up the man¡¯s sleeve. Some high-end dimensional storage?


    ¡°Now, if you please¡­¡± Doehser placed a hand on each of their shoulders, one by one. Soon he nodded satisfied. ¡°With this, I can report that concerns are unfounded.¡±


    ¡°I hope you¡¯re not withdrawing so soon, after traveling all this way.¡± Astra protested. ¡°We¡¯ve much to discuss.¡±


    ¡°I suppose there¡¯s no rush,¡± Doehser admitted, installing himself on a plush velvet armchair. ¡°And I must savor this delicacy.¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind my asking, why this sudden involvement?¡± Astra inquired. ¡°No offense, but don¡¯t cultivators usually not care about the well-being of unrelated people?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Soul reacted instinctively. ¡°That can¡¯t possibly be true¡­¡±


    ¡°It is, to a degree,¡± Doehser acknowledged. ¡°As we see it, life and death are part of nature. Since each person will inevitably die, why should we care about them if they don¡¯t have any connection to us? This attitude dates back to the golden age of cultivation, when individual power was the only law that mattered.¡±


    A harsh outlook. Soul would never accept.


    ¡°The ¡®Golden Age¡¯¡­ you¡¯re talking about before the HEAVENLY DAO?¡± Free asked.


    ¡°Yes, we¡¯ve been seeking immortality since long before the Wall of Legends. Back then, heroic acts did nothing but fuel vanity. Cultivation was the lone method of lengthening lifespan. Pursuing its promise of eternal life, our great clans and sects formed devoted to the art. With their rise, they quickly eclipsed governments, and, without a reliable central authority, Sanwue ¡ª¡ªthe true name of the Cultivating Realm¡ª¡ª became a lawless place.¡±


    ¡°So Sanwue had immortals back then?¡± Light wondered.


    Doehser shook his head sadly, ¡°We had nine saints. I was one. We were convinced it was only a matter of time.¡±


    Achieving Sainthood without the HEAVENLY DAO is impressive. It also explains his appearance.


    ¡°Sanwue must¡¯ve been a powerhouse¡­¡± Rose suggested.


    Doehser smirked wickedly, ¡°We did indeed enjoy a rather outsized influence, though not total domination. Other regions had belatedly adopted cultivation. More importantly, there was the fledgling Black Citadel, which stood as a rivaling power center. To our great chagrin, the claim to ¡®earliest immortal¡¯ fell to the first leader of that place.¡±


    Sighing, Doehser leaned back staring upwards, ¡°Everything changed after the HEAVENLY DAO. We nine instantly became immortal while another two dozens around the world joined us. The relative power of the Black Citadel and Sanwue took a steep dive that day.¡±


    Dawn could imagine the shock. In one stroke, the Golden Age¡¯s logic had been upturned. Today, with sufficient renown, someone could easily overcome an opponent at a higher realm of cultivation. Adventurer and coliseum rankings are now the best power indicator.


    ¡°What¡¯s your opinion of the HEAVENLY DAO?¡± Dawn asked.


    ¡°The most unexpected of betrayals.¡± Doehser slowly sipped. ¡°The term ¡¯Heavenly Dao¡¯ originated in Sanwue. For us, it represented the laws of nature which all beings in the universe must comply with. As cultivators, we pursued the lofty goal of understanding its mysteries. Through this process, we hoped to reach divinity, our worth recognized¡­¡±


    The natural laws¡­ When channeling the Ether, the clearer your understanding, the more effectively you could leverage its power. Take ice.  How much do most really know about it? What does it look like up close? How do its crystals form and what rules do they obey? With profound grasp of frozen water in the natural world, Dawn could give her ice qualities beyond it. Make it harder than steels. This comprehension greatly effected martial arts. Her mastery of ¡®Blood of Frost¡¯ was due to an insight into the Laws of Ice. To cultivators, the Heavenly Dao was the embodiment of those natural laws.


    And then this philosophical concept gained sentience and the world went mad. Dawn sympathized. I had the same experience with Shine Balladeer. An incomprehensible force had overturned all established rules.


    ¡°To your question,¡± Doehser continued. ¡°We were quite displeased with our new god and the changes it brought. With its alternative path, the HEAVENLY DAO undercut our Clans and Sects. Beyond this, we couldn¡¯t stomach the crassness. Instead of seeking enlightenment, our young cultivators were engaging in meaningless heroics and other antics. Immortality had been irreversibly sullied.¡±


    ¡°We rebelled, striking a pact with the deity we resented. In the territory of Sanwue, accumulation of renown was curtailed, and cultivation was enhanced. With these adjustments, we were endured the upheaval.¡±


    ¡°So you disadvantaged those responding to cries for help in favor of elevating cultivators who chose to ignore them?¡± Soul stated dispassionately.


    ¡°That¡¯s one perspective.¡± Doehser answered calmly. ¡°For me, it was a matter of principle. A selfless act is no longer selfless if it¡¯s rewarded. Aiding the weak should be done based on one¡¯s own code, not dependent on outside promises.¡± A valid point, but it¡¯s also true that more perish without the incentive.


    ¡°We¡¯ve drifted far off topic.¡± Astra broke in. ¡°So I¡¯ll ask again: why did you interfere? Is it related to what happened with Xia Ning?¡±


    ¡°It is.¡± Doehser confirmed. Noting puzzled expressions around him, he frowned, ¡°You¡¯ve never told your children of the Eighth Hero?¡±


    (continued in part 2)

 [Chapter 41 part 2] Dawn – Martial Artist From The Cultivating Realm

    [Chapter 41 part 2] Dawn ¨C Martial Artist From The Cultivating Realm


    -----------------------------


    ¡­


    ¡°That¡­¡± She sighed. ¡°It¡¯s not a story with a happy ending.¡±


    ¡°True,¡± Doehser acknowledged. ¡°I suppose it¡¯s not¡­ However, history should be passed on, lest its lessons be forgotten. May I impart it now?¡±


    Astra and Lily looked at each other, then, with a deep breath, Lily said, ¡°Sure.¡±


    ¡°The Cultivating Realm spent most of the Dark Age untouched by conflict. We kept to ourselves, as always, while the world around us burned. Sola was wise enough to leave us for last. However, there were many who traveled outside and joined the fight. One was Xia Ning, the scion of the Red Sky Sect.¡±


    ¡°While no one approved of this foolishness, we largely tolerated it. We shook our heads when Xia was hailed as a hero in foreign lands. It wasn¡¯t until after Nuzou¡¯s death that a problem emerged.¡±


    ¡°Sola¡¯s undead horde had risen from the Blue Abyss, replacing the sirk who¡¯d all but died out. The war immediately turned in her favor. Marching tirelessly, they leveraged their mobility to launch concentrated assaults wherever defenses were weakest, claiming more and more territory.¡±


    ¡°Xia saw a counter to this dire situation in a young immortal named Lily Morgana, whose wide-scale bombardments were extremely effective against grouped targets. He deduced that if these pyrotechnics were powered up further, they might blunt the onslaught. He also knew the means to accomplish this.¡±


    ¡°In the vaults of the Red Sky Sect, there resided a divine treasure called ¡®the Crimson Shaft¡¯. Not only was it an incomparably powerful catalyst, the staff held an Illusory Grace which triplicated any fire spells cast through it, regardless of scale. It was a perfect fit.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, ¡®divine treasures¡¯ belong to the entirety of the Cultivating Realm. While our clans and sects have always been individualistic, we recognized the value of alliances against external threats, hence the Great Assembly. Xia appealed to borrow the staff, but we refused. There was no benefit to weakening our defenses.¡±


    ¡°Infuriated, Xia stole the Crimson Shaft and offered it to Lily. The effect was a game changer. Wielding its power, Lily soon earned the title ¡®Living Artillery¡¯ and acquired her two Sublime Vagaries. At that point, her firepower and range went beyond anything seen before. The tactical threat she represented altered the war dynamic, forcing Sola into hit and run strikes and multi-front skirmishes.¡±


    ¡°Although the tides may have been turned, the Cultivating Realm was seething with rage. From our perspective, Xia had committed an egregious betrayal. Worse, his disrespect towards the Great Assembly was unforgivable. Under pressure from the other sects, members of the Red Sky lured Xia to an isolated location. There, the nine leaders, myself included, ambushed him and ended his life. In doing so, we set an example for those who¡¯d challenged our laws.¡±


    That¡¯s pretty bad. Dawn glanced at Soul. She could see he was livid. So could Doehser.


    ¡°I can tell this tale upsets some of you.¡± The man laughed softly. ¡°Worry not, Karma came for us, with great speed and terrible vengeance. The price for our hubris was beyond anything we could¡¯ve imagined.¡±


    ¡°When the word spread of Xia¡¯s execution, all Enera was aghast. Not only were cultivating sects sitting out the struggle, they¡¯d even murdered one of humanity¡¯s champions. We became universally loathed. The avatar of hate reacted to this passion.¡±


    If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    ¡°Wielding the wrath of Enera against us, Saven¡¯s host, Nataray, lead Sola¡¯s army into the Cultivating Realm. We experienced the rudest awakening as a third of our territory fell in the first week. Too late we understood what Xia had been fighting. There¡¯s nothing as soul crushing as two dozen undead colossuses bearing down on your position¡­¡±


    ¡°At the conclusion of those seven days, the Great Assembly convened. The mood was grim. Two of our leading sects had been wiped out. Two more were on the verge of extinction. The rest were only a matter of time. Having turning the world against us, how could we expect aid? We faced oblivion.¡±


    ¡°It was then that an extraordinary event unfolded.¡± Doehser smiled at Lily. ¡°Would you care to recount this next part?¡±


    ¡°Oh, god no.¡± Lily said, burying her face in her hands.


    Amused, Doehser continued, ¡°In the midst of our despondency, a fourteen year old immortal barged in. I¡¯ll never forget what she said.¡±


    ¡°¡®I hate all your bloody, stinking guts. You rotten bastards deserve everything that¡¯s happening to you. However, Xia loved these lands. So, as much as it pains me, I¡¯m going to save you for his sake.¡¯¡±


    As Lily groaned, Doehser laughed, ¡°In any other scenario, such impertinence would¡¯ve been swiftly punished. That we held our anger shows how desperate we¡¯d grown.¡±


    ¡°Faced with demands on how she planned to accomplish this feat, Lily declared that she¡¯d summon a dragon god and wipe out Nataray and her army. Naturally, we were skeptical, so she lead us outside and made a demonstration. Leveraging the Crimson Staff and her Sublime Vagaries, she channeled insane energy into the most complex of magics.¡±


    ¡°Above us, for the briefest moment, the pupil of an eye appeared. It was the size of a mountain range.¡± Doehser closed his eyes. ¡°The power of that thing was magnitudes greater than anything we were familiar with. It was an existence beyond comprehension. The entire assembly was convinced that a full summoning could deliver what Lily promised.¡±


    ¡°What happened next is history. By luring Handam Xolran to our aid with promises of witnessing a dragon god, we succeeded in stalling Nataray. During this interlude, Lily performed a week long spell at the Red Sky¡¯s Vermillion Temple, and the power store in that sacred shrine fueled the greatest summoning ever seen.¡±


    Dawn remembered. We¡¯ve all watched the recordings. Argadon had been visible thousands of miles away, so his form had been captured from innumerable angles. Only the head and neck had appeared in the sky, but they¡¯d been the size of a continent. Yellow eyes and a body of blue crystalline scales. It¡¯d lasted fifteen seconds, the time to let loose a single breath. Starfire blanketed one fourth of Sanwue, and Natarey and her legions vanished into nothing, along with the top mile of the planet¡¯s crust. So much weight disappeared that volcanoes erupted. These losses forced Sola to resort to her Armageddon spell.


    ¡°While altruism may not be one of our virtue, we in Sanwue understands honor.¡± Doehser faced Lily. ¡°You offered us salvation at a time the world was aligned against us. Lest we ever forget this debt, a statue of you stands outside the Great Assembly, right next to Xia Ning. Plans to depose you will come to naught.¡±


    ¡°The support is appreciated.¡± Lily bowed her head with respect. ¡°But I don¡¯t understand. Why hasn¡¯t anyone from the Cultivating Realm visited until today?¡±


    Doehser closed his eyes, ¡°Our shame from back then is almost unbearable. Not only did we fail to recognize the threat Sola presented, we took the life of our hero in the process. This mortification has kept us quiet for millennia. Now, however, with another dark age threatening, it¡¯s time for silence no longer. We¡¯ll never repeat past mistakes. When the stars fade again, the Cultivating Realm will not stand idle.¡±


    Finishing, Doehser appraised the regent carefully, ¡°While I¡¯m here, I must ask¡­ Was ¡®Argadon¡¯ something you made up?¡±


    Lily shifted uncomfortably, ¡°After receiving ¡®Godly Reach¡¯, I extended my senses and searched the Ether for powerful summons. My Sublime Vagary let me peer deeper than ever before, to places no one had ever tread. I found him there. He¡¯d been sleeping so long that he¡¯d forgotten his name. So I gave him one. I was fourteen.¡± Lily stressed the last part defiantly.


    ¡°I see.¡± Doehser smiled. ¡°Thank you. You¡¯ve settled a longstanding debate on which heavy bets were wagered.¡±


    Doehser Fang set down his empty glass and stood, ¡°It¡¯s time to depart.¡±


    He walked briskly away before pausing and turning back. ¡°The upcoming Lantern Festival¡­ The annual celebration of the Dark Age¡¯s end which takes place around Enera. It was you, Lily, who started it, was it not?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Lily answer. ¡°Xia once told me of a festival where they released hopes for the future into the heavens. It was something he wished me to see once the stars returned.¡±


    Doehser nodded, ¡°Thank you, I figured as much.¡± The man retreated with a sad, satisfied expression.

 [Chapter 42] Simon – The Darklands

    [Chapter 42] Simon ¨C The Darklands


    -----------------------------


    I finally found them, Simon sighed. Astra had asked him to bring back Kara, ideally with the children in tow. The guildmaster wanted the Beast of Sanrune on the Isle for the Lantern Festival. For her, preventing a Dark Age is more important than a grudge over a kidnapping.


    It hadn¡¯t been easy. The Darklands were an endless labyrinth of pitch black. Fortunately, the desolate, unchanging landscape presented the perfect environment for time manipulation. No risk of paradoxes here. Simon had settled into a routine of exploring twelve hours then jumping back a similar amount. The necromancy which cloaked him isolated his presence from his past selves. Even if he traveled the same space, he wouldn¡¯t know it.


    It¡¯d taken forty three days to find his target. By the end, he¡¯d begun to doubt his chances. Each temporal leap depleted him. At most, he could¡¯ve continued two weeks.


    Kara sat atop a cliff overlooking an enormous cavern. Uncharistically, there was light here. Half a mile away, tomb ivy blanketed the wall, an airship¡¯s wreckage drifting in their embrace. Simon peered lower at the crumbling structures. An abandoned smugglers outpost. He shook his head. The undead found them, and the aftermath illuminates this space.


    Sounds of snapping bones echoed faintly. Far off below, Silver and Kate were battling weaponless skeletons. Despite tattered clothes and fatigue, they were holding their own. At least they¡¯re alive.


    Simon approached their tormentor, ¡°It¡¯s been a week. How long do you intend to keep them?¡±


    ¡°As long as it takes.¡± Kara replied serenely. ¡°It might have been a whim, but I recognized them as my disciples. They¡¯re not allowed to be weak.¡±


    Simon observed the undead. Their tenacity is enhanced so far from the sun. ¡°Will they survive this training of yours? They look ragged.¡±


    Kara ignored the question, eyes appraising him, ¡°You appeared worn out yourself. Pity, you¡¯re worth nothing in that state.¡±


    ¡°Locating you took a while.¡± Simon said. But if it saved me a sparring match, I shouldn¡¯t complain.


    ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, you can leave.¡± Kara had lost interest.


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    Interacting with her is never simple. Fortunately, he had a hook to lure her, ¡°While you were safely hiding here, the Isle suffered a catastrophe.¡± The feline ears twitched. ¡°Hundreds of werewolves scorched the Undercity.¡±


    ¡°They always wait for my absence before causing trouble¡­¡± Kara growled. ¡°If I¡¯d been there, it probably wouldn¡¯t have happened.¡±


    ¡°Possibly.¡± Simon replied. ¡°But Kain¡¯s arm is on the Isle. You should know this from Gareth. We anticipate a larger calamity, most likely the night of Arther¡¯s funeral. The guildmaster requests your presence.¡±


    Kara ruminated, ¡°Fine. We¡¯ll return in a few days.¡±


    Simon hesitated. Almost too easy. Can I trust such an offhand response?


    ¡°Don¡¯t fret.¡± Kara snickered derisively. ¡°I stumbled on what Astra¡¯s preparing. It¡¯d be a pity to miss that, so I¡¯ll be back.¡±


    ¡°What she¡¯s preparing?¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t know, I won¡¯t spoil the surprise.¡± Kara mocked. ¡°Now go away.¡±


    Simon withdrew. That went as well as could be hoped.  He glanced back. Sorry, I can¡¯t take you with me, he apologized. Even if well-rested, retrieving them by force wouldn¡¯t have been option. They needed Kara on their side.


    On the return journey, Simon mulled recent developments. With the Cultivating Realm¡¯s support, Lily¡¯s position had been stabilized. On the other hand, Sarah Godspeed¡¯s days were numbered. Exactly six, to be precise. Since the Isle had begun preparations for the festival, it¡¯d be chaotic and costly to remove her immediately. Once it¡¯s over, she¡¯s finished.


    Evicting Sion Gale from the pillar would be a trickier issue. It could trigger war. Lily would first deal with Sarah before contemplating this.


    As for Samuel Lithorn, his campaign wasn¡¯t unsalvageable. If he could flip the Demon World, he might yet scrape a majority at the World Council. He¡¯ll be playing that card soon. The existence of doppelgangers would cause an up-roar.


    Simon doubted it¡¯d be enough on its own. Which means he¡¯s planning something else as well. While anything before the festival was improbable, nothing was certain with the Laughing Man involved.


    To make matters worse, a Maelstorm had formed over the Blue Abyss and was forecast to arrive on the eve of the festival. It''ll hit after midnight. The HEAVENLY DAO wouldn¡¯t allow anything to mar Arther¡¯s funeral.


    The funeral¡­  That¡¯ll be a painful, if magnificent affair. The greatest gathering of immortals in centuries. He dreaded the sorrow and guilt it¡¯d inflict.


    I should focus on what will happen after.  Once the mega storm hit, warping and communication would be disrupted. For twenty hours or so, the Isle would be cut off. The perfect time for mayhem¡­ Which means thousands more will fall to Kain¡¯s curse.


    Hope will need to open the Pillar of Enera. That¡¯s the only way this ends. Even if Sarah, Sion, and the Laughing Man were chased away, the Northern Emperor would relentlessly plot and scheme until what he feared was exposed. I can¡¯t protect her forever. When she eventually realizes this, I¡¯ll be there to guide her.


    Simon skipped though the rocky underground, resolute in seeing the coming turbulence through to its conclusion.

 [Chapter 43] Soul – Byron’s Story

    [Chapter 43] Soul ¨C Byron¡¯s Story


    -----------------------------


    That was rough. Soul lay atop a building in the Obsidian Cavern, recuperating. Over the last day and half, Dawn had requested dozens of sparring matches, and he¡¯d just finished an another grueling morning session. It¡¯s backward. Normally it¡¯s the loser who continually challenges the winner. Dawn¡¯s pride had suffered a big blow. Their duel marathons were redoubled training and a therapeutic self-confidence boost.


    Soul was accustomed to the narcissism. Normally, he¡¯d be fine, but today was different because of Diamonds Edge. In his dreams, he¡¯d seen the feats of its prior owner. Losing while wielding it tarnishes its names.  That¡¯s why he¡¯d fought with utmost seriousness, only to fail repeatedly. I¡¯m a pale copy.


    Ethan had possessed a Sublime Vagary, ¡®Heaven Splitter¡¯, which divided the world with an glacial shockwave. Soul could sense this ability had been inherited by Diamonds Edge in an Illusory Grace. His nightly experiences appeared focused on imparting the skill. Yet no matter how he tried, he couldn¡¯t unleash it. The sword resisted him.


    It¡¯s disheartening. He¡¯d made great strides replicating Ethan¡¯s martial arts. With a legendary weapon, he really had no excuse for the beating he¡¯d endured.


    Mother will be at the command center. Soul got up and made his way to the Guild. Reaching the office, the secretary waved him in.


    ¡°Yes?¡± Astra asked without looking up. Her tone seemed relaxed. Only three escapees remain¡­ She¡¯s getting caught up. But what¡¯s that? On her desk was a messy pile of folded papers. A sprite swooped down, adding another. ¡°What¡¯re those?¡±


    ¡°Miki and Radin are having a spat.¡± Astra answered dismissively. ¡°It¡¯s a pain to go through them individually, so I let them accumulate. Did you need something?¡±


    Soul placed Diamonds Edge besides the ignored correspondence, ¡°Am I the best person for this sword?¡±


    With a sigh, Astra made a gesture, and the fairies buzzing around disappeared. ¡°What do you mean by that? You need Diamonds Edge for your martial arts. ¡±


    ¡°I know, it¡¯s just¡­¡± Soul rambled awkwardly. ¡°¡­such a powerful weapon. Perhaps it could do more more good in someone else¡¯s hands¡­¡±


    Astra eyed him closely while he shifted uncomfortably. At last, understanding lit her face, ¡°Didn¡¯t Dawn lose recently?¡±


    ¡°Yes, she did¡­¡± Soul tensed. I didn¡¯t expect her to catch that.


    Astra shook her head, ¡°So you¡¯re having confidence issues?¡±


    I¡¯m causing unnecessary trouble¡­  ¡°I¡¯m concerned I won¡¯t do justice to Ethan¡¯s weapon. I mean, did even a single doppelganger surpass its original?¡± Soul said, looking down. He knew the answer.


    ¡°Yes, there was one.¡± Astra smiled sadly. ¡°Byron was Ethan¡¯s clone.¡±


    What? He¡¯d never heard anything hinting at this. In recordings, Byron¡¯s features were always obscured by his armor.


    ¡°Few saw his face.¡± Astra continued. ¡°Unlike the others, Sola¡¯s champion had no interest in leveraging his appearance. Beyond some whispering suspicions, no one found out.¡±


    ¡°Why hide the truth?¡± Soul asked.


    ¡°To prevent panic. Sola was deploying hundreds of doppelgangers against us. Their only saving grace was their weakness. If our forces had learned that one had acquired power rivaling the strongest immortals, it would¡¯ve devastated morale. The secret kept itself so well we saw no need to revisit it later.¡±


    ¡°Why was he special?¡± I have to know.


    Astra studied him, ¡°Alright, I suppose there¡¯s merit, but please don¡¯t spreading it.¡± She leaned back, eyes drifting upwards. ¡°It started when Byron, fleeing after a massacre at a refugee camp, stumbled on an Elysium Field and took refuge there.¡±


    I must visit those someday. The Elysium Fields were realms within the Ether formed by mankind¡¯s imagination, idyllic places where people dreamed fairies lived. Transient in nature, these small paradises were constantly coming into being and fading away, with their fay residents migrating between. Every so often, when the planets were aligned, pathways opened. Their only danger was they could easily lull travelers into staying too long.


    Astra paused, ¡°Bear in mind that this is pieced together from second hand accounts.¡±


    ¡°Apparently, Sola¡¯s taint didn¡¯t react to the denizens there, presumably because they weren¡¯t part of the world she aimed to end. Anyway, they befriended Byron and gave him his name. More incredibly, a named fae called Polliam entirely removed the corruption from his soul. He lived peacefully in that utopia for several months.¡±


    Soul groaned softly. I can guess where this is headed.


    ¡°Eventually more visitors came. One recognized the doppelganger, and they fled. Byron followed, afraid his presence might imperil his new home.¡± Astra shook her head. ¡°I personally don¡¯t understand how he survived. It should¡¯ve been impossible for a mortal who spent that much time in an ephemeral domain to return. The strain of maintaining his existence must¡¯ve been torture¡­¡±


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    ¡°Anyway, not only did he endure, but in time he made his way back, only to find a collapsing ashen world. The soldiers sent to eliminate him had been upset at his absence. They hadn¡¯t believed Polliam¡¯s claims of removing Sola¡¯s taint. After all, that was established to be impossible. To ensure the Elysium Field would not harbor enemies again, they burned it to the ground, killing those inside.¡±


    ¡°Byron was filled with rage. Blaming humanity, he rejoined the war and hunted down our heroes as vengeance. He became extraordinarily powerful in the process, to the point where Ethan struggled to match him.¡±


    ¡°Do you believe Polliam¡¯s claim?¡± Soul asked.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Astra said. ¡°In others doppelgangers, I always felt something contrived with their hatred. Byron¡¯s passion was different. It was simple, childish, and pure. A misguided quest for retribution for the murder of his savior. Ironically, Polliam, who released him of his false grudges, became the basis of a real one.¡±


    ¡°And there was no reasoning with him?¡± I despise these scenarios which lead everyone to tragedy.


    Astra shook her head, ¡°No, that Elysium Field had been his entire existence as a freed soul. When we burned it, we destroyed his everything. A hole that deep is too big to fill. Byron would¡¯ve made a suitable host for all three Dark Gods if they hadn¡¯t already chosen avatars. His fractured psyche clung to sanity through revenge. We¡¯d taken his world, so he¡¯d take ours.¡±


    Remembering the image, Soul activated his wrystal and a mountainous Octahedron appeared. His rocky prison¡­ ¡°So he¡¯s trapped in there¡­ Is he still¡­?¡±


    ¡°Yes, as long as the runes glow, there¡¯s a soul inside.¡± Astra confirmed.


    Hasn¡¯t he suffered enough? ¡°Did no one consider releasing the seals and dealing with him once and for all?¡± Soul lowered his arm.


    ¡°Many times.¡± Astra¡¯s voice had an edge. ¡°Specifically one century after the Fracturing, there was a big push for it, which I supported. I was hoping to recover Ethan¡¯s remains and sword. Unfortunately, the Northern Emperor adamantly resisted, declaring it an unnecessary risk. Another reason to loath the man¡­¡±


    ¡°Any further questions?¡± He shook his head. ¡°I hope this helped. Now you know the only other untainted doppelganger succeeded in surpassing his original. What¡¯s more, he was Ethan¡¯s clone. So no more self-doubt.¡± His mother pointed to Diamonds Edge.


    ¡°Understood.¡± Soul took the sword. Byron¡¯s story, while sad, comforted him.


    ¡°By the way, sparring with Dawn is forbidden until Arther¡¯s funeral.¡± His mother added. ¡°Am I clear?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Soul nodded.


    ¡°Good. Now, stand back.¡± Astra warned. Lightning sprites zoomed in and dive bombed the desk. In an instant, the heap of paper had doubled.


    ¡°I guess I¡¯ll leave you to that.¡± Soul departed a grimacing Astra.


    Striding back, Soul saw a wyvern take off, and the sight struck him. I want to fly. He made his way to the roof and summoned his wings. With a leap, he sped into the open sky.


    I needed this, Soul thought soaring along the Isle. He¡¯d spent all morning underground, and the open space soothed him. He peered towards where the Octahedron floated, hundreds of miles away. There was one more doppelganger on Enera besides them. If a Dark Age begins, the seals holding him will weaken¡­ He really should¡¯ve been dealt with.


    Soul rose higher and turned South. All over, preparations for the festival were underway. People were busy setting up stalls, displays, and attractions. In some places, lanterns were already hung. It¡¯s only five days away.


    Gliding towards the Rose Palace, something caught his eye. In a clearing off the path, a white figure on the grass seemed familiar. That¡¯s Shine Balladeer. She appeared upset. Soul smiled. I¡¯ve been worrying about myself too much. That¡¯s unlike me.


    Soul landed next to her, and the girl did a double take, ¡°An angel?¡±


    Recovering immediately, she hid her face, ¡°Please, no. Three guys already hit on me today. I can¡¯t deal with this right now. Just leave me alone.¡±


    ¡°I already have a girlfriend.¡± Soul said.


    ¡°What?¡± The girl said surprised.


    ¡°I already have someone.¡± Soul repeated the lie, sitting across from her. ¡°So why don¡¯t you tell me what this is about.¡±


    Hesitating briefly, Shine relayed her troubles. While touring the Isle, her party, Minstrel, had decided to venture into a nearby dungeon called Lost World. The excursion had proceeded smoothly until they¡¯d reached the lower portions. There, they¡¯d discovered an entrance to a new area. They¡¯d been ecstatic. Charting this region would be a huge accomplishment. Unfortunately, it hadn¡¯t gone well.


    ¡°Blue-backed spiders, so many spiders¡­ They blended in perfectly, and we didn¡¯t notice until we were too deep. There weren¡¯t supposed to be any in Lost World. We weren¡¯t prepared. Kaito, my boyfriend, told me to run. Normally I hate when he acts chauvinistic like that, but I can¡¯t deal with spiders. Regular ones are bad enough. Those three times my size¡­¡± She shivered, reliving the terror.


    ¡°So I ran, leaving the others behind.¡± Shine bit her lower lip, eyes watering. ¡°It took me two hours to get out. I came straight to the Isle and reported what¡¯d happened. Officials were sympathetic, if unhelpful. They said they¡¯d organize a recovery mission in the next few days.¡±


    ¡°A recovery mission?¡± Soul asked.


    ¡°For the bodies,¡± Shine said bitterly. ¡°It¡¯s standard to assume defeated adventurers are dead. The things in dungeons don¡¯t take prisoners. Launching rushed missions would only add to the body toll. I understand the logic, but it¡¯s heartbreaking. There¡¯s a chance it¡¯s different here. Lost World is filled with extinct species which more or less follow their normal behavior patterns. Spiders don¡¯t eat their prey right away. They might still be alive¡­¡±


    ¡°Have you approached Legonas? I¡¯m sure he¡¯d help.¡± Soul suggested.


    Shine shook her head, ¡°He¡¯s not on the Isle. Besides, it wouldn¡¯t matter if he was: Lost World doesn¡¯t let saints or immortals enter.¡±


    Damn. Soul now grasped the gravity of the situation. She and her comrades were at the very peak of A rank. Who could rescue such a team? Anyone stronger would be on the wall of saints. You¡¯d need a large group of A rank adventurers.


    ¡°Have you contacted Vanessa?¡± Soul was sure the former golden ninja wouldn¡¯t snub her.


    ¡°How¡¯d you know about that?¡± Shine asked in shock.


    Raising an eyebrow, he pointed to himself, ¡°I¡¯m one of the Isle¡¯s ¡®mysterious ninjas¡¯. That¡¯s my sister you trounced the other day.¡± Shouldn¡¯t she have figured that much?


    ¡°Ahh, I see.¡± Shine answered awkwardly. ¡°Sorry, where I¡¯m from, ninjas are common. It¡¯d be strange to assume two knew each.¡± She composed herself. ¡°I can¡¯t reach Vanessa. Or most of the people I¡¯ve tried. Those I¡¯ve contacted are busy or unenthusiastic.¡± Shine activated her wrystal, displaying a list. ¡°The restriction on Saints is harsh.¡±


    She¡¯s been sitting here trying to organize a rescue herself. That was the only hope at this point. She chose this spot to avoid distractions.


    ¡°Could you find your way back?¡± Soul asked.


    ¡°Yes, without a doubt.¡± Shine confirmed. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because one of us ¡®mysterious ninjas¡¯ happens to be an expert in guns. I¡¯ve heard those are effective against giant bugs. I assume it¡¯s the same for spiders. May I offer our aid?¡±


    Shine hesitated, ¡°It¡¯s been four hours. Also, there are hundreds¡­¡±


    ¡°Then we¡¯ll bring plenty of bullets.¡±

 [Chapter 44] Rose – Lost World

    [Chapter 44] Rose ¨C Lost World


    -----------------------------


    ¡°What¡¯d you make of this?¡± Rose asked Hope. They¡¯d both received a bizarre communication from Soul who was organizing an dungeon expedition.


    ¡°It¡¯s going to take a lot of ammunition¡­¡± Hope said seriously. ¡°Let me think.¡±


    Rose doubted Astra would permit it. Not to mention¡­ They were standing in the commercial sector with stalkers nearby. Reporters, the sensationalist kind, desperate to interview Hope. Fortunately, the pests were kept at bay by the blue shield swirling around them, a courtesy extended by Miki. It¡¯d be difficult for Hope to leave unnoticed.  Soul¡¯s proposition is outlandish.


    ¡°So?¡± She asked again.


    ¡°Ok, I got it.¡± Hope declared. Rather than an opinion, she gave Rose a set of instruction. ¡°You do that. I¡¯m heading to my workshop. We¡¯ll meet at the docks.¡±


    I guess we skipped over whether this was good idea. Rose watched Hope run off, fairies and journalists in tow. She sighed and headed to Sunset.


    At least I¡¯ll fulfill my original purpose.  The ¡®stones from Earth¡¯s End¡¯ had been a smash success. Hope was so flush with cash that Rose had to reassure her. She nearly panicked when she found out Agata had raised the prices. Her sister felt guilty getting rich on stray pebbles. Which is why I must reduce the funds in her bank account.


    For her part, Rose felt nothing but satisfaction at her growing balance at the Black Bank. That was my goal from the start.  Arriving on the Isle, she¡¯d resolved to acquire a source of income. Money is power. Pondering the matter, she¡¯d concluded that leveraging Hope was most efficient and was now racking in five percent of every sale. I earned that in the bargaining alone.  The only unanticipated hurdle was Hope¡¯s aversion to wealth.


    Rose found Agata discussing with a client. Let¡¯s be rude. ¡°Excuse me,¡± She broke in. ¡°I need all the dimensional pouches you have handy. It¡¯s an emergency.¡±


    Apologizing, Agata sent her patron away and glared, ¡°Explain.¡±


    Rose set up a barrier for privacy, ¡°We¡¯re traveling to Lost World to save some adventurers from giant spiders. Hope wants storage to transport the fire power required.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡± Agata slowly digested the words. ¡°While I¡¯m sympathetic, you¡¯re asking for some of my most prized items. Is Astra bankrolling the purchase?¡±


    ¡°Probably not.¡± Rose admitted. ¡°Instead, I¡¯m offering the six thousand stones in hope¡¯s workshop as collateral, as well as the funds in our accounts.¡± It hurts spending my own money, but extra bullets won¡¯t hurt if this is really happening. Plus keeping Hope happy has its advantages.


    Agata reached under the counter and retrieved four pouches and a backpack. Rose cringed, ¡°Only that much?¡± We aren¡¯t that rich after all¡­


    Agata gave her a look of scorn, ¡°While these four are the identical to the one Hope has, this backpack a ¡®lugger pack¡¯. It only has twice the space inside, but the weight of its content is reduced by eight. They¡¯re ideal for transporting heavy materials such as metal. Their selling feature is that they can withstand a single recursion. In layman¡¯s term, it means they can hold other dimensional pouches.¡±


    ¡°Now, take these and run along.¡± Agata shoved the bags her way. ¡°I¡¯ve another client.¡±


    Rose turned to find Light behind her. Must be here for his weapons. She didn¡¯t wait for him, making her way straight to the docks. Wise, Dawn, and Free were discussing next to Exodia. Wise is here! Time for some info.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Rose asked.


    ¡°Soul is arriving with Shine in forty seconds.¡± Wise pointed the sky. God I envy him.


    There they are. Soul glided down with Shine hanging from his arms. She let go and dropped to the ground. She looks as confused as I am. Landing, Soul held up a hand.


    ¡°Our quest stone.¡± He said.


    QUEST: Recover team Minstrel¡¯s missing members


    STATUS: Uncompleted


    GUILD ESTIMATED DIFFICULTY: A+/S-


    ACTUAL DIFFICULTY: ¡ª


    ¡®A+/S-¡¯, right between the two. ¡°How on Enera did you convince Astra?¡± Rose demanded.


    ¡°I highlighted a series of coincides.¡± Soul said slyly. ¡°This morning I was struck with the urge to pay her a visit. After leaving, I was hit by a yearning to fly. While airborne, I happened to spot Shine Balladeer, discovering a problem only we could solve.¡±


    I see¡­ This was an orchestrated affair. While the HEAVENLY DAO never overrode a person¡¯s preferences or decisions, there was much it could still do. Having an idea pop into your head, drawing your attention in certain ways¡­ Soul¡¯s experience had the hallmarks of that meddling.


    ¡°And just like that, she sanctioned a rescue mission?¡± Rose was incredulous.


    ¡°Maybe she thought I could use the boost.¡± Soul smirked. I don¡¯t get it.


    ¡°Excuse me,¡± Shine said sheepishly. ¡°The way Soul marched into the guildmaster¡¯s office, I have to ask¡­ Are you really from Earth¡¯s End?¡±


    They looked at each other. What to say¡­ ¡°Yes, we are.¡± Wise affirmed, before clarifying. ¡°It would¡¯ve become obvious anyway.¡±


    ¡°Oh, really?¡± Shine shook her head. ¡°Those types of crazy rumors usually turn out false¡­¡±


    Hope entered with metal bars strapped to her back and a rattling barrel in her arms. She nearly as strong as I used to be.


    ¡°Why did you bring so much steel?¡± Free asked.


    ¡°I though we might need it. I mean¡­¡± Hope faced Shine. ¡°Can your Sublime Vagary duplicate weapons?¡±


    ¡°No, it can¡¯t.¡± She answered. ¡°That¡¯s why I usually don¡¯t use them.¡±


    ¡°Then we¡¯ll need it.¡± Hope explained. ¡°There are eight of us. If we arm ¡®Radiant Masquerade¡¯, it becomes sixteen, doubling our fire power.¡±


    ¡°That could work¡­¡± Shine mumbled.


    ¡°What about your fears?¡± Soul asked.


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    ¡°Firing from a distance is no problem. It¡¯s getting close and touching that¡¯s repulsive.¡± Shine confirmed.


    This is a solid plan, Rose realized. Sixteen A rank adventurers armed with machine guns would make quick work of the arachnids. We just need to get through the dungeon.


    ¡°Did you get what I asked?¡± Hope pressed eagerly.


    Rose turned over her acquisitions. Hope promptly filled the lugger pack and lifted it. ¡°So much lighter! Perfect¡­¡±


    ¡°Want us to put the bullets in the pouches?¡± Light asked, peering in the barrel after quietly sneaking up. We¡¯re all assembled now.


    ¡°No, I¡¯ll create magazines in the airship and fill them with those. Rather¡­¡± Hope appeared uncertain. ¡°I¡¯m concerned. I¡¯ve been frequenting Agata¡¯s shop every afternoon. What happens if I don¡¯t go? There are so many hounding me¡­ Wise, can you check?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll try.¡± Wise close his eyes. Not ten second later, he¡¯d finished. ¡°It¡¯s a problem. There¡¯ll be news reports about you leaving the Isle.¡±


    That¡¯s bad. There¡¯s no way the Northern Emperor would miss such an opportunity.


    Hope looked at the backpack, ¡°I can shape the guns now, but there¡¯s no way they¡¯ll all fit in here.¡± Not to mention we¡¯d have to avoid damaging them. That isn¡¯t viable.


    ¡°Allow me.¡± Dawn said. She froze the nearby wall, creating a mirror, then walked in front while forming a magic circle. ¡°¡¯Mirage of ice¡¯.¡±


    A flurry of frost fell on Dawn, and another Hope stood before them. Astra taught them the best spells. I¡¯m so jealous. The fake examined herself. ¡°I¡¯m a little taller, but otherwise not bad. This works even better since I¡¯m a ¡®ninja¡¯.¡± She whirled towards them. ¡°Can you check again?¡±


    Wise shortly rendered his verdict, ¡°This works. If Dawn takes Hope¡¯s place, no one notices.¡±


    Soul clapped loudly, ¡°Alright, everyone on Exodia. This is a time sensitive quest.¡±


    While the others boarded, Rose dragged false Hope aside, ¡°What are you playing at?¡±


    ¡°The mission depends on Hope¡¯s presence.¡± The fake replied. ¡°This time, she¡¯s more critical then me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s obvious, but why are you giving up this chance so easily?¡± Rose insisted.


    Disguised Dawn sighed, ¡°I know what the entrance to Lost World looks like. I¡¯d rather not put myself through that if I don¡¯t have to.¡±


    Rose frowned. What does¡ª¡ª ¡°Rose, We¡¯re leaving.¡± Light yelled down.


    Muttering, Rose jumped on deck. Everything has been so rushed. She didn¡¯t enjoy the hectic pace. I like to think, damn it! The HEAVENLY DAO was to blame.


    As Exodia flew from the hangar, Rose entered the cabin and sat besides Shine. Across from them, Hope was molding magazines while Free interrogated her about submachine guns.


    At last a quiet moment. Rose observed the idol. The girl was looking around in a mild state of shock. She¡¯s also struggling to keep up.


    ¡°Do you resent us?¡± Rose asked. ¡°Now that you¡¯ve learned our identity, you must understand your team¡¯s misfortune wasn¡¯t bad luck.¡±


    Shine shook her head, ¡°Not at all.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Why is everyone so selfless today?


    Shine smiled, ¡°Even if it was a trap, it doesn¡¯t change we took the bait. Rather, after finding out who you are, I¡¯m hopeful. Kaito and the others might be alive.¡±


    Rose slowly processed the take. I see¡­ If the HEAVENLY DAO orchestrated this, then there¡¯s no way we¡¯ll find her teammates dead. Such a lousy ending wouldn¡¯t be allowed. She¡¯s pretty smart.


    ¡°So you¡¯re optimistic?¡± Rose wondered.


    Shine hesitated, ¡°If we reach them within a reasonable period, then yes. It¡¯s a matter of getting there.¡±


    ¡°South from Spiral city, right?¡± Soul asked as they dropped below the Isle.


    Shine nodded, ¡°Yes, just follow the Blue Abyss.¡±


    Passing the giant water cone stretching from the ocean, Rose could clearly see the foam and ripples from the merging skyrivers. The HEAVENLY DAO rally went the extra mile.


    ¡°How far?¡± Soul asked.


    ¡°We¡¯re almost there.¡± Shine said. ¡°See that chasm where the far side was a quarter mile higher. ¡°It¡¯s right before that. The docks are facing the water.¡±


    Several airships were parked below a decent sized outpost. Apart from that, there wasn¡¯t much of anything. ¡°Where¡¯s the entrance?¡± Rose asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s on that next fragment, down near the Darklands, with a long narrow path leading to it.¡± Shine explained, ¡°I hope no one is bad with heights, because it¡¯s about as bad as it gets.¡± That solves one mystery.


    Soon they approach the chasm. Fifty feet away a platform had been carved out in the cliff.


    ¡°That¡¯s the starting point, a first test to prove you¡¯re worthy.¡± Shine looked towards Hope. ¡°Will you be alright?¡± Her sister had insisted on carrying the lugger pack.


    ¡°No problem.¡± Hope fired three bullets, flying across. Those really boost her mobility¡­


    The path varied between two and three feet in width, sloping down parallel to the Blue Abyss. On their left was a sheer rock face. On their right was a vertical drop into pitch black. Silver and Kate are down there. They moved in single file, Shine leading the way. Then came Rose, Free, Light, Hope, and Wise. Soul took up the rear. Just in case.


    ¡°Enera sure has a lot of cliffs.¡± Free remarked.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be used to them?¡± Shine glanced back.


    ¡°We grew up in the arctic.¡± Free answered.


    ¡°Oh, right.¡± Shine exclaimed. ¡°That continent survived intact, didn¡¯t it¡­ How are you adapting?¡±


    ¡°For the most part, alright.¡± Rose said tersely as a gust hit them. I didn¡¯t need that. She couldn¡¯t fly, create parachutes, or stick to walls. If I fall, I¡¯ll have to slow myself until Soul saves me.


    ¡°So, what¡¯re your real names?¡± Shine asked, changing subjects.


    ¡°You already know them.¡± Rose replied, a bit peeved.


    ¡°Really? You didn¡¯t chose them yourselves¡­?¡± Shine rambled. ¡°Ah! But they¡¯re great for adventuring. Easy to remember.¡±


    She¡¯s doing rather well emotionally, Rose noted cynically. As if reading her mind, Shine explained, ¡°By the way, if I seem all perky and stuff, that¡¯s just my way of coping with stress. Some find it annoying¡­ Sorry about that. Still, overly talkative is better than a sobbing mess, right?¡± Debatable. Rose wasn¡¯t a fan of perky.


    I might as well steer this somewhere useful. ¡°Besides Kaito, tell us of your teammates. Are they also ninjas?¡± Rose asked.


    ¡°Sure.¡± Shine replied. ¡°Minstrel¡¯s third member is Rock Wron, and his affinity is Earth. He¡¯s quite the character. The least ninja-like ninja I know. Stubborn and inflexible as a boulder. He¡¯s our tank and power hitter. I¡¯m the one who suggested the name.¡±


    ¡°Why is he a¡ª¡ª¡± Free began.


    ¡°He¡¯s from the same village as Kaito. They¡¯re childhood friend.¡± Shine finished for her. ¡°Our forth member is a necromancer, Jeane Nordlin, with pretty good foresight. She just came up to me one day after I started dating Kaito and declared: ¡®You¡¯re forming an adventure team. It¡¯s name is Minstrel. I¡¯m your fourth.¡¯ Thanks to her, I sometimes doubt whether I put together or named my own team¡­ Anyway, I don¡¯t know how we¡¯ll replace her when she heads back to the Black Citadel.¡±


    ¡°And she didn¡¯t see the blue-backed spiders coming?¡± Rose asked.


    ¡°No, she warned us late.¡± Shine replied sadly. ¡°Foresight gets muffled in the deeper parts of dungeons, but it¡¯s still strange.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the purpose of an adventurer team?¡± Free asked.


    ¡°Convenience.¡± Shine answered. ¡°All kinds of scenarios come up in dungeons, and you need a balance group to tackle them safely and efficiently. Organizing such a party on the fly at every new location is a hassle. It¡¯s a simpler to form one and travel together.¡±


    They¡¯d descended nearly a mile, and the light was growing dim. ¡°It¡¯s harder to see.¡± Free griped.


    Suddenly, they were surrounded by five¡­ no six fairies. The sprites shone so brightly she could barely make out their form. Like staring at a lamp.


    ¡°Let there be light!¡± Shine declared.


    ¡°Thanks, but please warn us.¡± Free replied. ¡°That was blinding.¡±


    ¡°Ah, sorry¡­¡± Shine apologized. With better visibility, they picked up the pace.


    ¡°This makes it so much easier.¡± Rose commented. ¡°why didn¡¯t you summon them earlier?¡±


    ¡°Oh, because of that,¡± Shine pointed towards the watery mass reflecting the fairies¡¯ glow. It was only three hundred feet away. When did it get that close? ¡°There¡¯s a reason airships don¡¯t fly directly to the entrance. The distance shrinks even further ahead.¡±


    ¡°Is there a chance the light will attract something?¡± Free asked.


    ¡°Well, there was an incident with a hydra a few centuries ago.¡± Shine said. ¡°Since then, people are more cautious.¡±


    ¡°Then maybe we should be too?¡± Rose eyed the menacing dark wall.


    Shine shook her head, ¡°I realized earlier that, considering our circumstances, it was unlikely anything will happen. Also, we¡¯re almost there. See?¡±


    Two sprites flew up, illuminating the skeletal impression of an enormous aquatic creature. ¡°Is that genuine?¡± Free asked.


    ¡°Yes, this and all the others.¡± Shine answered. ¡°Thought they were probably gathered from around Enera.¡±


    Forms of beasts great and small were etched into the stone. Mollusks, birds, fish, mammals, lizards¡­  Rose saw a snail shell three times the size of Kaito¡¯s summon.


    ¡°We¡¯ve arrived.¡± Shine said seriously.


    They rounded a bend and found a gigantic lizard skull facing them. The fossil was only half buried, as if emerging to devour them. The path lead to where its jaw was missing two teeth. Lost World¡¯s entrance is through the maw of a prehistoric beast. Rose followed Shine into the darkness.

 [Chapter 45 part 1] Soul – Heaven Splitter

    [Chapter 45 part 1] Soul ¨C Heaven Splitter


    -----------------------------


    Inside was an ordinary cavern ending in a stone doorway flanked by torches. We got here safely. While the others studied petrified remains, Soul had been watching the Blue Abyss creep nearer. A hundred and fifty feet is too close.


    ¡°Alright, everyone stop.¡± Shine declared. ¡°Have any of you been in a dungeon?¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡± Soul answered. ¡°We¡¯ll be counting on you.¡±


    Shine took a breath, ¡°That¡¯s what I suspected¡­ There¡¯s a mountain of things you should be familiar with, but it¡¯s ok. We¡¯ll manage.¡± Is she trying to convince us or herself?


    ¡°To begin, our pacing needs to change.¡± Shine focused. ¡°Rushing is how you die.¡±


    ¡°Lost World is divided into five floors ¡ª¡ªthat¡¯s slang for areas of difficulty. The layout of each is roughly the same: two caves systems leading to a gigantic game reserve. Somewhere in the reserve is a sunken arena with a ¡®boss¡¯ and the passage to the next floor. Lost World doesn¡¯t have Warp points, so we¡¯re traversing everything on foot.¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s our goal?¡± Soul asked.


    ¡°The fourth game reserve.¡± Shine answered quietly. Soul did the math. Eight cave systems, four game reserves, and three bosses.


    Shine motioned the doorway, ¡°This floor¡¯s cave systems are a quarter mile long and poorly lit. Part one is filled with armored bats, the second with Hyaenadons. Questions?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s our strategy?¡± Rose asked.


    ¡°We proceed carefully clearing each section.¡± Shine stated. ¡°Assuming everyone is A rank, nothing here should prove a threat.¡±


    ¡°Tell us about the bats.¡± Light asked.


    ¡°Their front and underbelly are well defended.¡± Shine explained. ¡°Their backs are their weak spot.¡±


    ¡°Alright, leave them to me.¡± Light drew a white-handled silver ninjato and raced into the darkness.


    ¡°Wait! I haven¡¯t finished¡ª¡ª¡± Shine objected, horrified.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Wise placed a hand on her shoulder. ¡°He knows what he¡¯s doing. This is a chance to test his weapons.¡±


    ¡°Are we really letting him go this alone?¡± Shine asked at the sound of screeching. ¡°Without lighting?¡±


    ¡°This brings up an important point from our side.¡± Rose said seriously. ¡°Always listen to Wise. Directions from him take precedent over everything else. He¡¯s Nero Ebonwood¡¯s clone.¡±


    Calming, Shine examined Wise, ¡°So his foresight must be better than Jeane¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°Much stronger,¡± Free agree. ¡°He inherited his original¡¯s gift to an abnormal extent.¡±


    Their surroundings fell silent, and Light reappeared, ¡°The room is clear. I¡¯m moving on.¡±


    ¡°When you reach another door with torches, don¡¯t go further!¡± Shine yelled quickly. Light nodded and vanished.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad I¡¯m being listened to so attentively.¡± Shine grumbled sarcastically. ¡°Let¡¯s follow.¡±


    Fairy light revealed a carnage. Winged corpses lay everywhere, each stabbed from behind. Far off, they heard the massacre continuing. He must be having fun. Free knelt by one and observed fascinated as it disintegrated, ¡°Do they all disappear?¡±


    ¡°Mostly yes.¡± Shine answered. ¡°Creatures in dungeons are basically summons. However, if you¡¯re lucky, sometimes ¡®spoils¡¯ remain. It can be a weapon or piece of armor. Other times it¡¯s gold or jewelry. In Lost World, they¡¯re leftover body parts: horns, claws, teeth¡­ It varies. For armored bats, there¡¯s a chance for scaled leather.¡±


    ¡°Lost World¡¯s rewards are useful for enchanting, refining, and magecraft.¡± Shine continued. ¡°Since they¡¯re from extinct species, they¡¯re unobtainable anywhere else. Back where we docked, the guild outpost tabulates requests from around Enera. Normally adventurers stop there to check what¡¯s in demand.¡± We aren¡¯t here for profit.


    ¡°Did your team come for spoils?¡± Rose asked.


    ¡°No, we wanted the XP.¡± Shine lamented. ¡°Our aim was to defeat the fourth floor¡¯s boss, the Red Mantis. Unfortunately, we got horribly sidetracked.¡±


    Soul nodded. Two metrics which reliably built renown were the highest rank achieved in coliseums and the depths traveled in dungeons. Emerit¡¯s card had dozens of these. While ranking up necessitated weeks, a dungeon run took days. Time efficient, but riskier. It made sense for Minstrel to brave Lost World while visiting.


    ¡°So you were planning on retreating afterwards?¡± Free asked.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Shine acknowledged. ¡°The fifth floor is saint level. It¡¯s suicide for a four person team. You need five times that number to even consider venturing. This only occurs when there¡¯s strong enough demand for the materials there.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re halfway.¡± Shine stated, stepping over another shuriken impaled cadaver. ¡°To save time, I¡¯ll list some basics as they pop into my head. This place follows a vertical difficulty curve: Up is easier and down is harder. If you¡¯re separated, head to higher ground.¡±


    ¡°Next is composition. Lost World is limited to real world species. There are no artificial creations like chimeras. This also eliminated the mythical and the undead. One takeaway is there¡¯s nothing with human level intelligence. Believe me, that¡¯s nice.¡±


    ¡°Another pleasant feature is that there are no traps outside of temples. The dreaded Calin had little involvement in this place.¡±


    If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    ¡°Temples?¡± Hope asked.


    ¡°They¡¯re optional mini-dungeons scattered throughout the game reserves. Successfully navigating one gets noted on your card. They offer improved rewards, but you must deal with ever-changing layouts of pitfalls and puzzles.¡± Shine explained. ¡°We¡¯ll be skipping them.¡± So they¡¯re side objectives.


    Shine¡¯s stride faltered, ¡°I just realize you don¡¯t know about aggro, which is so important¡­¡± She sighed. ¡°It¡¯s short for aggression and refers to the behavior of dungeon residents: When they¡¯ll attack, how far they¡¯ll track you, etc¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t animals here follow their instincts?¡± Soul asked.


    ¡°They do, which makes Lost World beginner friendly.¡± Shine confirmed. ¡°However, there¡¯s a big exception.¡± She pointed to where Light was waiting besides a pair of torches. ¡°Those stone doorways are hard barriers. Nothing will chase you through.¡±


    ¡°Nice job.¡± Soul said to Light. ¡°Hyaenodons are next?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Shine confirmed. ¡°But, before that, you guys should examine your ¡®status¡¯. This is a fun trick which only works in dungeons. Try saying ¡®Appraise Self¡¯ out loud. Warning, don¡¯t take anything too serious.¡±


    Confused, they did as instructed. A screen similar to the quest stone¡¯s appeared.


    STATUS


    Name: Soul Skyfell


    Species: Human


    Age: 15


    Specialization: Ninja (temp), knight in shining armor


    Level: 31~62 (numbers fluctuating)


    Mana: 7290~8349 (numbers fluctuating)


    Str: 239~358 (numbers fluctuating)


    Luck: 57


    Affinity: Ice, Wind


    Titles: Ethan¡¯s Doppelganger, Genesis of a Hero, Goody Two-Shoes, Dawn¡¯s Punching Bag


    Notable Skills: Ice Armor, Ice Wings


    Status ailments: none


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Rose demanded angrily. ¡°Why does it say ¡®Phoenix Poacher¡¯? And how do I make it go away?¡±


    ¡°Calm down.¡± Shine said smoothly. ¡°Just say ¡®dismiss¡¯. It¡¯ll also fade on its own.¡±


    ¡°Does this serve any purpose? Besides disrespecting you?¡± Rose asked.


    ¡°Yes, it has one key use.¡± Shine explained. ¡°The last line is always ¡®Status Ailments¡¯. If you¡¯ve been poisoned, cursed, or infected, it¡¯ll mention it there. Knowing what you¡¯re suffering from can be life saving.¡±


    ¡°Feel free to ignore everything else.¡± Shine continued. ¡°Checking your status is sort of a ritual. It¡¯s fun because it¡¯s different every time.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, Hyaenodons are just large dogs with over-sized jaws. It¡¯s best to power through.¡±


    Light walked over and put a hand on Shine¡¯s shoulder solemnly. ¡°Thank you for sharing this awesome phenomenon. I only hope that you don¡¯t come to regret it.¡± He then dashed ahead, leaving a confused idol behind.


    ¡°What¡¯s that about?¡± She asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but let¡¯s follow.¡± Soul replied. In truth, he did have an inkling. Free still has her status open, and she has that look.


    A minute later, in the midst of battle, Free approached Shine, ¡°So, how did this Status thing come about?¡±


    ¡°I believe it¡¯s originally from a popular tabletop game.¡± Shine said.


    ¡°I see¡­ And why does it constantly change?¡±


    ¡°Because there¡¯s no way something as complex as a person could be reduced to a few paragraphs.¡± Shine then made a mistake. ¡°Is that all you want to know?¡±


    Free shook her head, ¡°No, not even close. Why does my ¡®mana¡¯ keep fluctuating? What¡¯s ¡®mana¡¯? Also I¡¯ve a bunch of titles which I want to talk about. How are these chosen? Are there standard categories or rules? Two of mine seem problematic. I mean, ¡®Living Bioweapon¡¯ and ¡®Creator of Small Horrors¡¯? Are these supposed to be funny? Also, on my skill section, something just popped up that doesn¡¯t appear to be skill. What¡¯s ¡®Excessive Curiosity¡¯? I can understand joke titles, but ¡®joke skills¡¯? ¡­ My skill just got upgrade to ¡®Rabid Curiosity¡¯. Intriguing. Anyway, back to my original¡­¡±


    Soul clarified the situation for the bewildered Shine, ¡°The only way out is to keep answering until she loses interest. There are no shortcuts.¡±


    Unfortunately, Shine didn¡¯t take the advice, darting ahead with Free in close pursuit. Emerit would say it¡¯d be more interesting if Free catches up, so that¡¯s likely to happen.


    At the exit, they found an unhappy Shine wrapped up in roots. This has to end. ¡°Our purpose is saving lives. Can you control yourself from here on out? Otherwise Shine will hesitate to share details.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Free reluctantly released her captive. ¡°I got enough for now.¡±


    They entered a bright, sprawling space similar to the Obsidian Caverns, only here the support pillars disappeared into a cloudy haze. Tree-dotted green plains stretched before them. Further out, Soul saw a swamp, two forests, a mountainous region, and a sandy dessert.


    ¡°Welcome to the first game reserve.¡± Shine announced grandly. ¡°The centers are always filled with apex predators. Normally it¡¯s safer to maneuver the outskirts, but, after seeing you fight, I realized there¡¯s no point.¡±


    She raised her hand and sent out a red beam to a misty crater miles away, ¡°We¡¯ll head straight for the boss.¡±


    ¡°Can you first give a rundown of what to expect?¡± Rose asked.


    ¡°Sure.¡± She moved her beam. ¡°Those are Diomedes, flesh eating horses. The giant flightless birds are Kelenkens. And in those trees are Smilodons, really big cats. None will be a problem.¡±


    Shine was right. The animals here didn¡¯t wield magic, only possessing enhanced bodies. It was easy enough to knock them away and outrun them. If they were more ferocious, maybe they wouldn¡¯t be extinct. Soon they gathered at the crater.


    ¡°Below is a celestial tiger.¡± Shine stated.


    ¡°That sounds tough¡­¡± Hope said hesitantly.


    Shine waved away the concern, ¡°It¡¯s only called ¡®celestial¡¯ because it¡¯s blue and channels electricity. It won¡¯t be a challenge.¡±


    ¡°How do we get down?¡± Light asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s three hundred feet. I¡¯m sure everyone can manage.¡± The white-clothed idol leaped into the fog. They each followed in their own ways. Gliding on frozen wings, Soul watched Light travel the wall and Rose slow herself with fire. Good.


    The mist above became the new ¡®sunlit cloudy sky¡¯, illuminating a grassy field. In the center, a nine foot tiger stood serenely. Must weight five thousand pounds. Its pelt was navy blue with glowing neon stripes. It roared thunderously.


    The beast¡¯s prowess was far less impressive. Not thirty second had passed before a final revolver shot brought it down. If only the rest is this easy.


    The ground rumbled as a wheel-shaped boulder rolled aside, revealing a doorway with torches.


    ¡°Cool.¡± Light said. ¡°How long does it stay open?¡±


    ¡°Floor bosses respawn every few hours, but don¡¯t worry. There¡¯s an alternate way back which bypasses the caves. Only the game reserves are unskippable.¡± If not, Shine wouldn¡¯t have escaped.


    Past the entrance, thousands of glowing shards glistened in the walls. ¡°So what¡¯re we up against?¡± Hope asked.


    ¡°Crystal Golems and Horned Gorillas.¡± Shine replied. ¡°The former is ridiculously easy, and the latter frustratingly hard.¡±


    ¡°Golems?¡± Free objected ¡°Aren¡¯t those artificial?¡±


    ¡°Crystal Golems evolved naturally.¡± Shine explained. ¡°On Enera, human-shaped constructs receive a power boost. It¡¯s the reason giant machines are shaped like knights. By mimicking a humanoid form, these crystal-based lifeforms took advantage of the phenomenon.¡±


    Shine looked ahead, ¡°They¡¯re strong and resilient, but also slow. It¡¯s simple to outrun them. I¡¯m sure they were included for their uniqueness. ¡±


    ¡°So we¡¯re running through?¡± Soul asked.


    ¡°Exactly.¡± Shine nodded. ¡°Which is why I must inform you of what follows. Horned Gorillas are strong, resilient, and fast. A much less amusing combination. Prepare for a slog.¡±


    Shine lead them at a breakneck pace. Her knowledge of the route trivializes this. The scattered Crystal Golems shimmered amber and purple and ranged from seven to ten feet tall. I¡¯m guessing Lost World only features mature specimens. Soul wished they could to slow for a better look, but soon they were through.


    Horned Gorillas were a foot shorter and infinitely less spectator friendly. The crystal protruding from their limbs, back, and head acted as defensive armor and offensive weapons. The curving spikes glowed brightly against their dark fur, producing an otherworldly appearance. They¡¯re aggressive, intelligent, and skillful.


    They¡¯d encountered a dozen upon entering, and the battle was proving arduous. The horns made decisive blows challenging, while also deflecting bullets and shurikens. Even Diamonds Edge struggled to slice through the thicker ones. That¡¯s probably me. The only one landing lethal strikes was Wise. His brother danced around, ending lives with his staff.


    (continued in part 2)

 [Chapter 45 part 2] Soul – Heaven Splitter

    [Chapter 45 part 2] Soul ¨C Heaven Splitter


    -----------------------------


    ¡­


    Lacking his foresight, the rest were slowly pulverizing them into submission. Eventually, they ceased moving. ¡°That was tiring¡­¡± Light complained. ¡°How much more?¡±


    ¡°A lot.¡± Shine caught her breath. ¡°But at least the golems were easy, right?¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t we use the same strategy here?¡± Hope asked.


    ¡°No, if you rush through they barricade choke points with their bodies. It ends badly.¡±


    They continued towards the next group, only this time their efforts were cut short. Soul noticed the change when he glanced around to discover half their opponents lying in pools of blood. What¡¯s happening? He got his answer when Shine knocked one down and Free gracefully touched its back. The ape roared in indignation and charged after her only to stumble, liquid pouring from its eyes and mouth. How did she manage that?


    When pressed for answers, Free refused to admit anything, only joking about having developed a ¡®touch of death¡¯. They could only continue without learning the truth. The rest of the cave system flew by. Every encounter, they¡¯d focus on incapacitating the gorillas so Free could dispatch them.


    As the others finished up the last group, Soul stepped away. On a hunch, he said, ¡°Appraise self.¡± His eyes went straight to the bottom.


    Status ailments: infected with ¡®Killthemnow Version 3.1¡¯, ¡®Supreme Pestilence Version 1.7¡¯, and ¡®Prototype Omega Red Version 2¡¯


    Soul sighed and walked over to where the others were congratulating Free, ¡°What¡¯s ¡®Killthemnow version 3.1¡¯?¡±


    Free mouth dropped in shock, ¡°How? I never told anyone!¡±


    When Soul revealed he¡¯d checked his status, his sister confessed, ¡°I spread a heavy dose of a few custom plagues, infecting everything around. After that, I just need a brief touch to accelerate the contagion. The end result is as you see.¡± She gestured to the melting carcasses. ¡°Even I was surprised at the effectiveness. They must¡¯ve been weak to disease to begin with.¡±


    ¡°So you engineered deadly viruses and brought a few with you.¡± Rose summarized tiredly.


    ¡°Not just ¡®a few¡¯.¡± Free objected. ¡°I brought them all. My left arm is my biolab. I isolated a few lymph nodes for experimental purposes.¡±


    ¡®Living bioweapon¡¯ indeed¡­ ¡°Free, what would happen if your arm was injured or cut off?¡± Soul asked gently.


    ¡°That¡¯d be terrible. I¡¯d lose so much work¡­¡± Free examined her right arm thoughtfully. ¡°I should make a backup to avoid that.¡± Not the realization I was going for.


    Soul picked his battles, ¡°Could you perhaps cure us?¡±


    Free nodded, ¡°As soon as we get out. There¡¯s no point here.¡±


    So the whole cave is contaminated. ¡°What if others¡ª¡ª¡±


    ¡°I chose pathogens which die quickly from air exposure.¡± Free reassured them. ¡°The cave will sterilize itself once the bodies vanish.¡±


    Not dwelling on implications, they left and had their ailments removed. Around them, the landscape was yellow swaths broken up by green near watering holes. A savanna.


    ¡°For this, I¡¯d like to take some shortcuts. Soul, do you see those islands with giant crocodiles?¡± Shine sent two red beams. ¡°Could you freeze the surface between them?¡±


    ¡°I can.¡± Soul constructed a large magic circle. They then they raced into the marshlands, and he unleashed his spell, forming an icy path. The oversized reptiles never had a chance.


    As they left the water, a lumbering figure appeared on their left, towering five-stories high. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Light asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s a Gigasloth.¡± Shine replied. ¡°They¡¯re passive tree eaters. Don¡¯t concern yourself.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s a herbivore doing near the center?¡± Hope asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s foreshadowing.¡± Shine said. ¡°Rose, could you summon some firebirds? Quickly.¡± A swarm of foot long insects was approaching.


    Once five flaming hawks circled overhead, Shine nodded happily, ¡°Great. This takes advantage of the flesh hornet¡¯s instinctual fears. They¡¯re a pain otherwise.¡±


    A minute later, they arrived, and their guide gave them a preview of what lay below the mist.


    ¡°Remember that gigasloth? Down there is the reason for its extinction. It¡¯s a parasitic organism, not a predator. As a result of malevolent evolution, a species of serrating vine took root and grew inside a gigasloth, ravaging it from within. Even after its hosts death, the vine clung to and manipulated its corpse, resulting in a creature called a Vine Giant. It¡¯s a tough opponent¡­¡±


    When they dropped down, they were surprised to find the vine-covered skeletal giant already battling adventurers.


    ¡°Do we help?¡± Soul asked.


    Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!


    ¡°Normally, we wouldn¡¯t.¡± Shine said. ¡°It¡¯d be kill stealing. However, since it¡¯s an emergency, I¡¯ll see if they¡®ll allow us to assist.¡±


    Kill stealing¡­ He¡¯d never heard the expression, but could guess its meaning. Risking your life to vanquish a powerful foe only to have unrequested aid diminish the accomplishment¡­ He could see how that¡¯d be frowned upon.


    Shine returned swiftly, ¡°Great news! They¡¯re fans. This will make everything so much easier¡­¡±


    The vine giant put up a valiant struggle but was no match for eleven determined opponents. It grew lethargic as the vines covering its bones were chipped and burned away. When it fell, Shine was in a radiant mood, ¡°Not only are we making good time, but I¡¯ll be able to show off in the next part.¡±


    Passing the third floor¡¯s caves proved a breeze. The first half was chameleon stalkers, six foot lizard which blended in with the walls. Shine chased them away by turning their surroundings into a blinding rainbow lightshow. Their camouflage couldn¡¯t keep up.


    The second half was a quarter mile wide circular cavern filled with water and ringed with boulders. Grinning sea serpents were the obstacle, each the size of a train with oversized teeth. Shine donned her mask and jumped lower to distract them. Again and again, the massive creatures lunged, but every time they caught a fake. Meanwhile everyone safely contoured the room.


    Once outside, Shine¡¯s admirers bid goodbye and headed off to a temple. Only one set of cave systems left.


    ¡°I imagine that¡¯s the boss pit.¡± Light pointed to the familiar depression. ¡°It¡¯s only a mile away. Too easy. What¡¯s the catch?¡±


    Shine gestured, ¡°See the colorful green and red vegetation lining the crater? It¡¯s a carnivorous forest. We must travel around.¡± That¡¯s a huge detour.


    ¡°But it¡¯s so close¡­¡± Hope lamented. ¡°Couldn¡¯t Soul fly us over?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Wise declared. ¡°The larger plants have tongues which can reach sixty feet. Gaining that altitude seven times would take too long. Besides, what Free is about to do will be faster.¡±


    Free had snuck away and approached a bush with a red floury jaws. A tongue was stretched out and wrapped around her staff, fruitlessly tugging. Their sister appeared to be feeding the flower something.


    ¡°Is that the same type of plant?¡± Rose asked.


    ¡°Yes, they¡¯re scattered around the exit as a warning¡­¡± Shine turned to Wise. ¡°What¡¯s she doing?¡±


    ¡°Just watch and wait.¡± Wise said.


    ¡°We¡¯ve a winner!¡± Free exclaimed after a minute, decapitated the plant. Pivoting, she discovered everyone gathered around. ¡°Oh, I may have found a solution.¡±


    She held out her hand. On it materialized a coin-sized round bug with two sets of razor mandibles. ¡°Here it is! ¡®Muncher version 23¡¯. Give me a second to add some duration.¡± She began channeling power into her disturbing creation. ¡°When a summon divides or multiplies, its lifespan shortens. I must add enough to compensate¡­ Done.¡±


    Free wrapped ¡®Muncher, version 23¡¯ in a ball of roots and threw it full strength. The black speck disappear into the far-off flora.


    ¡°I call this the invasive species strategy.¡± Free explained. ¡°Homogeneous ecosystems are vulnerable. Exploit one flaw and they fall apart.¡±


    ¡°How long will it take?¡± Soul asked. Nothing appeared to be changing.


    ¡°About three minutes.¡± Free replied. ¡°My muncher is immune to their acid. It¡¯ll multiply and consume them rapidly.¡±


    At the one minute mark, a tall plant fell over. After another sixty seconds, all life within a wide circle had vanished. In its place, the purple ground appeared to be moving. The devastation soon reached both edges, opening a pathway.


    ¡°Those plants are very nutritious.¡± Free declared smugly.


    ¡°That¡¯s great, but the swarm is still growing¡­¡± Hope commented. Indeed, purple waves were surging in both directions, widening the path.


    Free frowned. ¡°Do summons last longer in dungeons?¡±


    ¡°Yes, since this place is within the Ether, they do¡­¡± Shine confirmed.


    ¡°Good to note for future reference.¡± Free nodded. ¡°Since they¡¯ve moved out of the way, shall we proceed?¡±


    Reaching the crater, Shine jumped right in. No strategizing? Perplexed, they followed, landing in a forest clearing. Far off, a four story emerald scarab was chomping foliage. It looks robust.


    Shine was observing the insect from a rock outcropping. They approached to find her devastated, ¡°I was really hoping it hadn¡¯t respawned¡­¡±


    ¡°That dangerous?¡± Hope asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s hardly the issue.¡± Shine explained flatly. ¡°The thing is extremely durable, and the way forward won¡¯t open until its death.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you start with how you defeated it last time.¡± Rose suggested.


    Shine sat dejectedly, ¡°Emerald scarabs were arthropods with no natural lifespan. They just kept molting and growing larger, their shells hardening to support their weight. Prior to extinction, the largest known specimen was fifteen feet tall and a thousand year old. What you see before you is the HEAVENLY DAO¡¯s extrapolation of a ten thousand year old emerald scarab.¡±


    ¡°Breaching that defense is test of labor. Risk is low if you¡¯re careful, as it¡¯s movements are languid. You just get on its back and pound away. It took us eleven hours last time. Granted, we retreated for the night, so you must subtract six. Still¡­ You can see why I¡¯m disheartened.¡± Her teammates won¡¯t be alive in five hours.


    ¡°Free, it¡¯s an excellent time for one of your plagues.¡± Soul suggested.


    His sister shook her head, ¡°I developed pathogens for humans. They worked on the apes, but an insect¡¯s physiology is entirely different. Besides the size of the thing¡­¡±


    I see. Soul unsheathed his sword, ¡°I¡¯ll go test how Diamonds Edge fares. The rest of you come up with a plan.¡±


    He hopped away towards the colossus. In truth, he doubted his sword would fare better than it did against the apes. It refuses to acknowledge me.


    That¡¯s why he intended to gamble. He knew defeating the scarab would take too long. Their mission would end in tragedy. They needed an approach that bucked and overturned reason. Like an Illusory Grace. Soul had seen Heaven Splitter¡¯s power in his dreams. It sliced reality itself.


    Soul refused to let others die when he held that power locked in his hand. So I¡¯ll force Diamonds Edge to unleash it.  He sent ice shards into the beast¡¯s left eye, enraging it. I didn¡¯t know bugs can screech. Trees fell as the scarab turned on him.


    ¡®Believe in yourself¡¯ Nero said. Those words would never lead to his death. Soul steeled himself as giant mandibles bared down.  If Diamonds Edge is truly a heroic blade, it¡¯ll lend me its strength.


    Soul cried out, ¡°Heaven Splitter.¡± He then twirled and swung in an uppercut motion. He felt the world cleave in two. An azure shockwave shot through the scarab, separating it down the middle.


    Noting his success, Soul poured every fiber of his being into keeping himself alive. My right arm, shoulder, and rib cage are completely shattered. His left lung was punctured in three place, and his right in two. Blood vessels everywhere were broken, and various organs were damaged to an extent he couldn¡¯t determine.


    He lay on his back, desperately drawing breath. Hurry Free! After an eternity, he heard the others. His sister immediately went to work, painstakingly rearranging his splintered bones. At the same time, a shining magic circle appeared above him, healing his broken body. So Shine is the healer of her group. That¡¯s fortunate. After minute, his condition stabilized, although the searing agony remained.


    ¡°He¡¯ll be fine.¡± Free declared. Then she leaned close and whispered. ¡°Good job staying alive.¡±


    Soul gave an imperceptible nod and closed his eyes. Out of the danger zone, he reflected. So that¡¯s why Diamonds Edge resisted me.  He simply hadn¡¯t the strength to wield its full might. Whether from pain or realization, his eyes grew misty. I was worthy after all.

 [Chapter 46] Light – Killing Spiders

    [Chapter 46] Light ¨C Killing Spiders


    -----------------------------


    Light shook his head.  The difficulty really ramps up.  ¡°How exactly were you planning on defeating the Red Mantis?¡±  He asked.


    Maintaining her magic, Shine rolled her eyes, ¡°While you might¡¯ve forgotten, I possesses a Sublime Vagary.  It would¡¯ve been a tough fight, but you don¡¯t become immortal by playing it safe.¡±  Right, ¡®Radiant Masquerade¡¯.


    ¡°I¡¯m done making magazines.¡±  Hope announced.


    ¡°Then that¡¯s enough.¡±  Soul winced, getting up.  ¡°Thanks.¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t healed your right shoulder and arm.¡±  Free protested.


    ¡°You can finish later when Hope forms the guns.¡±  Soul said.  ¡°So what¡¯s ahead?¡±


    ¡°Limping Carcases.¡±  Shine said.  ¡°They¡¯re ten feet long badgers whose backs are covered with mauve mushrooms.  The spores are lethal, but their toxicity fades quickly.  As long as you stay at a good distance, you¡¯re safe.  Foresight is a must¡­¡±


    Everyone turned to Wise, who nodded, ¡°We can go.¡±


    Their brother expertly guided them down winding passageways.  Occasionally, he¡¯d have them pause or double back.  Only Shine was apprehensive.  She hasn¡¯t learned to trust him.


    ¡°Last cave system!¡±  Hope cheered quietly once passed the doorway.  ¡°What¡¯s next?¡±


    ¡°A thousand vorten ravagers.¡±  Shine replied softly.  ¡°They¡¯re rat-shaped things the size of a horse, with enormous mouths.  They once lead a nomadic lifestyle, roaming in herds consuming everything.  This attracted Calin¡¯s attention, and he used them as the basis for his devourers.  Vorten Ravagers were among the first casualties when he eventually let those loose.  Calin¡¯s chimeras are responsible for a fifth of the species in Lost World.¡±


    ¡°How¡¯d you get past?¡±  Soul asked.


    ¡°As we did for the sea serpents, only Kaito acted as bait.¡±  Shine explained.  ¡°The ravagers sleep on a mound in a long, quarter-mile-wide cavern.  As soon as prey appears, they rush after without regards for anything.¡±


    ¡°Then it¡¯s my turn.¡±  Light announced eagerly.


    ¡°Wait!¡±  Shine stopped him.  ¡°Kaito ran into trouble.  We didn¡¯t know how high they could jump, and he nearly didn¡¯t make it.  Don¡¯t be reckless.¡±


    They sneaked through dim passageways under the light of glowing moss until they reaching a large space. The exit was visible past a legion of dark motionless forms.  Shine motioned them back, ¡°While ravagers are lightning fast on flat surfaces, they¡¯re slower on walls.  Kaito lead them away by running on the ceiling.  It worked, but it got dicey when they started leaping¡­  Are you sure you want to try?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±  Light confirmed confidently.  ¡°Give me a second.¡±


    He moved aside to some moss and created a sand shell around himself.  Next he covered himself with a layer of mineral particles, adjusting the color until it blended in with the rock.  Caution doesn¡¯t hurt.


    Light drew ¡®Dusk¡¯, the twisted dagger he¡¯d recovered from Agata.  Its Illusory Grace was ¡®Ghostly Wisp¡¯, gifting him stealth matching an assassin¡¯s.


    He rolled out and scurried up a wall.  Glancing back, the others were examining the sand left behind.  If there was more light, they might¡¯ve caught a glimpse of me.  He made his way above the thousand resting ravagers, Ghostly Wisp suppressing what little sound he made.


    Let¡¯s get their attention, Light smiled.  Drawing Mockery, he summoned a giant sandstone boulder and sheathed Dusk as his concealment ended.  It operates under the same restriction as the assassins.  Seven ravagers were crushed.  The rest scattered, noticed him, and shrieked.  Loud.


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    Light ran at top speed, the horde scrabbling behind.  Some jumped to the ceiling, gripping with claws, and chased after.  Others leapt straight at him.


    Dodging over-sized jaws, Light drew ¡®Clarity¡¯, his silver Ninjato with a transparent handle.  This ¡®air¡¯ catalyst rivaled Mockery in quality.  However, its true value lied in its Illusory Grace, ¡®Transcendence¡¯.  Not only did it expand his spiritual sense, it provided complete spacial awareness.  I feel the shape everything.  Sight was no longer necessary.


    He¡¯d wielded Clarity to flip the armored bats with wind gusts.  He did the same now.  Whenever a ravager pounced, he immediately blew it off-course.  A small early intervention caused them to sail by harmlessly.  It was child¡¯s play.  The problem are the ones on the walls.  He had to bypass them on the return.


    Once far enough, Light let a leaper bite him.  As the teeth sunk into his arm, he dropped a miniature grenade which Hope had graciously provided.  It sucks being broke.  Although egg-sized, they were filled with RSF.


    Light escaped the explosion with a substitution, erasing his injury, and hid in a ceiling alcove.  While the cave shook, he drew Mockery and covered himself in sand.


    Angry squeals echoed.  Good, they lost me.  Listening carefully, he heard sniffing among the cacophony.  Nearby ravagers were moving closer.  Smell did in Mockery¡¯s original owner.


    Before he was discovered, Dusk cloaked him again.  The condition for Ghostly Wisp, ¡®escape sight for eleven seconds¡¯, had been met.  He let himself fall.  Above, ten ravagers peered around in confusion.  Better luck next time, he sneered.


    Reaching out with telekinesis, he gripped the stone ceiling and swung in a wide arc, landing a hundred feet away.  Ghostly Wisp masked everything, including scent.  It might have an effect on foresight too.  It was perfect.  Light raced to the exit.  With the ruckus they¡¯re making, there¡¯s no risk.


    Overall, he was pleased.  Although he still envied Diamonds Edge ¡ª¡ªvivisecting that scarab was increadible¡ª¡ª, Agata¡¯s work suited him better.  Subterfuge and versatility are a ninja¡¯s tools.


    He frowned.  In fact, they¡¯re almost too ideal.  He briefly wondered how the HEAVENLY DAO had influenced his selection.  Let¡¯s just call it fate.


    The others were on a boulder, conversing leisurely.  Wise must have reassured them.  Light took in the lay of the land.  It¡¯s bigger.  He¡¯d suspected the game reserves were growing, but this proved it.  In some directions, the cavern walls were too distant to make out.  The climate also varied greatly.  To the Left, the rocky grasslands gave way to a snowy expanse engulfed in a blizzard.  To the right, it descended into a smoggy, lava-filled landscape.  However, most noticeable is¡­  A sprawling tropical jungle spread out in front, mist overflowing from the trees.


    ¡°That looks foreboding.¡±  Light joined the others.


    ¡°It¡¯s the deadliest region by far.¡±  Shine stated.  ¡°Thankfully, we¡¯re headed that way.¡±  She pointed between the jungle and volcanic area.  ¡°See the orange cliff?  There.¡±


    ¡°What hazards should we expect?¡±  Soul asked.


    ¡°Not many.¡±  Shine said.  ¡°The grasslands are a relative safe zone.  We just need to avoid any dragonic bears and keep an eye out for elephant hawks.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that last one?¡±  Free asked.


    ¡°Very large birds.¡±  Shine explained.  ¡°Named after their favorite prey.¡±


    The journey proceeded smoothly.  When they drew close, Hope yelled, ¡°Spiders!¡±


    Ahead, three arachnids were dragging something wrapped in web, pulling it into an opening.  That wasn¡¯t human.


    ¡°I don¡¯t remember seeing predators hunting each other¡­¡±  Free commented.


    ¡°It happens, but it¡¯s rare.¡±  Shine replied.  ¡°The HEAVENLY DOA usually keeps them satiated until there¡¯s an adventurer.  Maybe they¡¯re acting out of instinct rather than hunger.¡±


    ¡°Or maybe they¡¯re new additions which aren¡¯t properly integrated.¡±  Rose deduced.  Sounds right.


    ¡°I¡¯m shaping the submachine guns.¡±  Hope declared.  While she worked, Free mended Soul¡¯s remaining wounds.


    ¡°How long does your Sublime Vagary last?¡± Rose asked.


    Shine Hesitated, ¡°Five minutes and twenty seconds, the length of the song that inspired it.  I can use it once every ¡®concert¡¯, which is to say every three hours.¡±


    Light was impressed.  Revealing those details is a sign of trust.


    ¡°Here,¡±  Hope threw a weapon to Shine.  ¡°Familiarize yourself.  You¡¯ll be using nine of them.¡±


    The idol expertly loaded a magazine and took aim.  ¡°You¡¯ve handled them before?¡±  Light asked, picking up his own.


    ¡°I participated in the extermination of a swarm of locust.¡±  She said.  ¡°We used full machine guns then.  Will these be enough?¡±


    ¡°Yep.¡±  Hope replied.  ¡°Adventurer¡¯s don¡¯t use magic bullets, right?  Ours are weight-enhanced.  That should make up the difference.¡±


    Shine paled, ¡°You mean these are all enchanted?  That¡¯s¡­  How much time¡ª¡ª¡±


    ¡°Because I¡¯d rather not be eaten, I brought my best.¡±  Hope cut her off.  ¡°That said, they should be super effective, so try to conserve ammunition.¡±


    Once prepared, they made their way to the entrance.  ¡°Any final advice?¡±  Soul asked Wise.


    ¡°We go in guns blazing.  I¡¯ll give directions to ensure we aren¡¯t surrounded.  Also¡­¡±  His eyes glazed over.  ¡°There¡¯s a big one at the bottom.  We definitively want to reach that before Shine¡¯s time runs out.¡±


    ¡°Ready?¡±  Shine donned her mask and hat.  When they nodded, she shouted, ¡°Radiant¡ª¡ª¡±

 [Chapter 47] Hope - Reunion

    [Chapter 47] Hope - Reunion


    -----------------------------


    ¡°Thanks again for everything.¡±  Shine and her teammates bowed deeply.  After spending the night recuperating at the Rose Palace, Minstrel was departing. They were gathered at the guild for the goodbyes.


    It¡¯s great the rescue went smoothly.  As their reputation suggested, firearms had been super effective.  Even the gigantic queen had been powerless before their concentrated fire.  She likely was dead before Light threw that grenade.


    Shine had done a stellar job leading the assault.  We only had to step in when the bodies piled up.  The idol refused to touch the things, even with telekinesis.   Wise also deserves credit for guiding us through the winding maze of passages.


    They¡¯d found Kaito, Rock, and Jeane in cocoons.  Although poisoned and traumatized, they¡¯d been alright.  Free had cured them while the Shines had finished the extermination.


    It¡¯s good the bodies disappeared.  Made the return so much more pleasant.  While Hope didn¡¯t mind bugs ¡ª¡ªNot counting the ones Free makes¡ª¡ª, they were kind of gross with their insides exploded.


    Hope parted ways with the others and headed to the commercial district.  She was in a mood no cynicism could penetrate.  Not only did I take part, but I played a key role.


    The assassins were gone.  Lily¡¯s future had been assured.  Sure, the most powerful ruler on Enera still wants me dead, but it¡¯s better, relatively speaking.  Hope choose to ignore Kain¡¯s missing arm.  Instead, against her nature, she basked in optimism.  I¡¯ll pay for it later.  Probably tomorrow even.


    She¡¯d challenged her nemesis to a duel.  I couldn¡¯t help myself, but, upon reflection, it might have been premature.  Wise had also gotten stronger.  I absolutely can¡¯t lose again!


    Hence this expedition.  Despite her huge expenditures yesterday, she was flush with cash.  They¡¯d discovered a treasure pile next to the queen.  We went in with bullets and came out with gold.  Out of gratitude, Shine had given up her share, and the others had allocated Hope an out-sized portion.  I made out like a bandit.


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    She had to leverage this intimidating wealth.  Equipped with the lugger pack, Hope marched into Dragon¡¯s Breath, ¡°I need RSF, lots of it.  And bullets.¡±


    Orthos appraised her carefully, ¡°What¡¯s this vibe of a soldier heading to war?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m battling my nemesis.¡±  Hope acknowledged.  ¡°If you¡¯ve any recommendations, I¡¯m all ears.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm¡­  I might¡¯ve something.¡±  The gruff man rummaged around and brought out a small box containing silvery ammunition.  ¡°Ten mithril bullets.  Strong and highly enchantable.¡±


    Taking one, Hope channeled and was amazed how effortlessly the power was absorbed.  While she had seen metal in Agata¡¯s shop, she¡¯d never handled it raw.  There¡¯s so much room¡­  I can make homing bullets.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take them.¡±  She decided.  ¡°Do you have more?¡±


    ¡°No, but I could order some.¡±  Orthos rubbed his chin.  ¡°They ain¡¯t cheap.¡±


    ¡°Do it.¡±  Hope happily continued her lavish purchases.  Just as she finished, Lily messaged her that Silver and Kate had returned.  More good news!


    Hope rushed back to the inner palace and found Silver and Kate surrounded by the others, scowling.  This threw her for a loop.  Something is terribly wrong¡­  It took a moment to understand what.  Silver looks genuinely upset.  This had uncomfortable implications.  It was great he was feeling again, but she dreaded hearing what might have elicited such a reaction.  If I act cheerful, he might turn on me.


    ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡±  She asked.


    ¡°Kate and Silver didn¡¯t have a pleasant experience and have some built-up resentment.¡±   Rose explained.


    ¡°That¡¯s an understatement.¡±  Silver said coldly, clawing at the conference table.  Clawing?  That¡¯s new.


    ¡°So Silver¡¯s feelings work now?¡±  Hope asked tentatively.


    ¡°Not entirely.¡±  Kate sighed.  ¡°It¡¯s complicated¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll explain.¡±  Silver took over.  ¡°As I am Arther¡¯s doppelganger, I could more or less handle Kara¡¯s brutal ¡®teaching¡¯.  I¡¯d often complete my tasks and be forced to watch Kate finish hers.  Many times she came close to dying, so eventually I feared for her life.  As this continued, this evolved to anger.  So yes, I¡¯ve recovered.  However, I refuse to celebrate it.¡±


    After a silence, Kate spoke, ¡°To be clear, Silver seems to only feel on my behalf, not his own.  I suppose it¡¯s an improvement, but I¡¯m conflicted.  He should be angry for his own sake.¡±


    ¡°We went through the same ordeal.  Does it matter on whose account we¡¯re upset?¡±  Silver said.  ¡°In the end, Kara is¡ª¡ª¡±


    Hope discreetly excused herself.  While she was thrilled at their safe return, she had no time for ranting.  I¡¯ve a match to prepare for.

 [Chapter 48] Wise – The Calm before the Storm

    [Chapter 48] Wise ¨C The Calm before the Storm


    -----------------------------


    It¡¯ll be tough. This was their first duel since Earth¡¯s End. The outcome is uncertain. Before every match, Wise identified futures where he won and guided events towards those. However, when he failed, he kept searching. Sometimes he¡¯d eventually find the path. Other times, he never did. I¡¯m the underdog.


    Hope stood opposite him, revolvers in hand and pouches at her waist. Two are filled with bombs. A grenade launcher was in the lugger pack. Neither are the real threat.


    Wise gripped a black shuriken. Since I¡¯m a ninja¡­ Noting his weakness, he¡¯d approached Radin about a ranged option. The necromancer had taught him grimsteel, metal drawn from the abyss. Normally this would be forbidden without the oath, but Radin made an exception because of the Necronomicon.


    ¡°Begin.¡± Soul yelled.


    Wise threw his projectile, and Hope shot it out of the air. Her foresight has gotten better. He rushed forwards deflecting bullets.


    When he was upon her, Hope leaped swiftly away. So that¡¯s ¡®air burst¡¯, the spell in her legs. Even with this mobility, she couldn¡¯t match his jumping, which is why she tossed a grenade. He threw a shuriken to ignite it prematurely, knocking himself back hard. RSF is potent¡­


    Hope, meanwhile, sailed away enveloped in a jagged orange shell. A double layered blast shield, the magic in her arms. She wouldn¡¯t be injured by her explosives, just propelled.


    Which is a problem. RSF was a permanent and uncancellable. While he could trigger it at a distance, his sister would ride the shockwaves to safety. And I don¡¯t see victory from a ranged fight.


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    Hope threw pebbles from which fireballs roared down, then unloaded both revolvers. Wise sprinted while parrying. Evading the last, he found Hope with the grenade launcher. Damn.


    His sister squeezed the trigger, and he threw grimsteel. The grenade exploded closer this time. It¡¯s over. While tumbling upside down, he saw Hope lift her trump card, a strange weapon with barrels pointed in every direction. A volley handgun with ten tracking bullets. She fired.


    Waking on the floor, he sighed. I doubt there¡¯s much I could¡¯ve done. Even if he¡¯d guarded his head, the mithril would¡¯ve targeted his heart. I see why they¡¯re considered cheating, though I can¡¯t complain. Hope had struggled an eternity with sub-par materials.


    Feeling empty, he got up. The others had descended to congratulate Hope, who was understandably ecstatic. He slipped away while she pestered Soul for the alcohol¡¯s location. She¡¯s capable of celebrating without me.


    He made his way to the Rose Palace¡¯s western ramparts. Its tall walls were a good place to be alone. So this is what last place feels like¡­


    I¡¯ve only myself to blame. If he¡¯d made the commitments, given up lying and other pointless activities, he could¡¯ve removed his headband. With the full might of ¡®All-Knowing Grasp¡¯ and Necronomicon, he could¡¯ve countered to those bullets. Hope was hungrier.


    He watched the sun set on the watery horizon. A Maelstorm is brewing out there. It¡¯d hit in three days, after Arther¡¯s funeral. The calm before the storm.


    Wise considered the future beyond the tempest. I¡¯ll travel to the Black Citadel for the oath, but what about the rest? Where would home be? What should he strive for? I wondered if the others are asking themselves the same questions.


    He was interrupted by a sense of dread. Something will happen. He closed his eyes and concentrated. There it is. The Northern Emperor had finally made his move.


    How did he do it? The Empire¡¯s eldest necromancer, Coralin Dorate, had visited the Stone Coliseum and discreetly examined them. Not only that, having known Sola, she could even confirm Free¡¯s identity. The media will latch on to that¡­ His sister was in for a rough time.

 [Chapter 49] Silver – Consulting Sars

    [Chapter 49] Silver ¨C Consulting Sars


    -----------------------------


    After years unable to experience anger, I can¡¯t stop feeling it. It¡¯s good Kate¡¯s around, or I might have worried I was malfunctioning. His girlfriend was also seething.


    Kate had already won her evening match. Silver was next. He heard the buzzing around him, whisperers about clones. I couldn¡¯t care less. His attitude was keeping the curious away. They can tell it isn¡¯t the time to approach.


    I used to pride myself in my aura magic. It was what made him special. Now I don¡¯t know anymore.


    Kara had made them stronger, far stronger, and she¡¯d put them through hell to do it. Their scars were the proof. It¡¯d been harder on Kate. At least I had some preparation because of Astra. He chuckled softly. His mother was a saint in comparison.


    ¡°You¡¯re up.¡± Kate said. Silver nodded and walked out.


    ¡°IN THE WEST CORNER, SILVER FROM EARTH¡¯S END, ARTHER BARD¡¯S DOPPELGANGER. THIS MYSTERIOUS NINJA HAS BEEN ABSENT FOR TEN DAYS. RUMOR HAS IT HE AND KATE MORGANA WERE TRAINED BY KARA. GIVEN KATE¡¯S PERFORMANCE, I HAVE HIGH EXPECTATIONS.¡±


    We¡¯ve reached the zenith of fame. Since Coralin had testified, the coverage had been non-stop. Our power will continue rising.


    ¡°FACING HIM IN THE EAST CORNER IS CHRIS BLURIFT, AN EARTH DRUID FROM THE VIGIL¡¯S WILD MOON CULT. WILL THIS A-RANK SOLO ADVENTURER MEASURE UP? LET¡¯S WAIT AND SEE!¡±


    Chris had messy red hair and wore a brown robe with totems about his neck. Druids, another special class¡­ It boosts summons and ¡®natural¡¯ abilities.


    ¡°BEGIN!¡±


    I¡¯ll cede the first move. He didn¡¯t want this to end as fast as Kate¡¯s. It¡¯d be too sad.


    The druid yelled, ¡°Amherst Porcupines.¡± Four waist-high spiky beasts appeared and sent quills at him.


    You¡¯re kidding. Silver let them bounce off without moving. His aura was incomparably tougher than before. I understand it¡¯s the opening shot, but use something that can hurt me.


    Chris appeared shocked. To be fair, I suppose it¡¯s understandable. After the initial volley, there¡¯d been larger quills mixed in which should¡¯ve been effective. If I wasn¡¯t defending against them. Anticipating injuries, Silver was instantly focusing his aura, reinforcing attacked parts.


    I should end this. In the Darklands, Kara had dredged up types of undead he didn¡¯t know existed. Compared to those monsters, this was nothing. If I start playing around, then I¡¯ll be like her.


    ¡®Silver dashed forward in a blur, leaving ripped ground in his wake. Not only had he fully mastered matching his movements to his aura, he now gripped the earth with ¡®spikes¡¯ from his feet. No longer reliant on gravity for traction, he could run on any surface.


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    Panicking, Chris cried, ¡°Earth Wall!¡± A thick block of granite sprung up ahead, twenty feet long and fifteen high. To summon that much without a spell, it must be because he¡¯s a druid.


    Silver accelerated. It¡¯d be child¡¯s play to go over, but I don¡¯t want to. Instead, he coated himself in a carapace of orange. Full Aura Armor. He could only maintain it for seconds, but during that time he was nigh invulnerable. He smashed through the stone like a wrecking ball. Kara had taught them to give their aura weight. When he¡¯d hit, he¡¯d measured four tons.


    There he is. Chris had summon a giant eagle to carry him off. Far too late for that. Silver sprang, and sixteen inch blades grew from his fingers. His opponent was cleaved in half.


    ¡°WE¡¯VE A WINNER. SILVER CLAWS HIS WAY TO THE TOP IN A LIGHTNING BOUT. THE TALK OF THEM BEING KARA¡¯S DISCIPLES MUST BE TRUE.¡±


    Silver winced. While neither of them had acknowledged Kara¡¯s tutelage, the astute had pieced it together. It¡¯d be useless to deny it, no one would believe us.


    Silver felt no joy. Glancing upwards, he noted the familiar lounging figure. That self-confident sadist is watching us win.


    ¡°Good job.¡± Kate offered half-heartedly at his returned. ¡°Shall we head back?¡±


    Silver¡¯s mind was full of Kara. Why¡¯d she torment us? Was it a twisted form of attachment? Or the opposite? Maybe she didn¡¯t care at all, and it was all entertainment.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to speak to Sars.¡± Silver announced. ¡°He¡¯s from the green hell. He might tell us something.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯ll answer, but let¡¯s try.¡± Kate said. She¡¯s curious too.


    The tyrant was lying on his rock, as always. Silver approached without hesitation. I¡¯m still fearless about myself. ¡°Greetings, we have questions we hoped you might answer.¡±


    They waited while he stared down. Right¡­ This might not work. Just because he was desperate for a response didn¡¯t mean he¡¯d receive one.


    He was considering retreating when a voice rang out, ¡°Ordinarily, I wouldn¡¯t recognize your existence, but the pain radiating from you¡­ Outside of war, I rarely see it. I¡¯m intrigued enough to hear you out.¡±


    They recounted their time in the Darklands, and Silver asked, ¡°You¡¯re from the same place and even have her habit of lazing in high places. If anyone could clarify her motives, I thought it¡¯d be you.¡±


    Sars answered promptly, ¡°It¡¯s simple. There¡¯s only one reason someone from Green Hell would train another. Kara took a liking to you. She judged you had the potential and needed strength. That¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°She took a liking?¡± Kate grimaced.


    Sars emitted a strange, muffled chuckling, ¡°Even us from Green Hell are capable of empathy. Example, I¡¯m talking to you now. Kara showed interest in you. Because, you¡¯d never strengthen someone you dislike.¡±


    ¡°So it was out of fondness?¡± Silver spat bitterly.


    Sars raised his head, peering at them. He seemed¡­ curious? ¡°Those from Green Hell understand strength in ways others don¡¯t. Outside, you can be weak. You find other means to solve problems. This always fascinating.¡±


    ¡°Point is¡ª¡ª even outside, sometimes strength needed. Sometimes, only solution. Kara¡¯s intuition excellent. Above mine. If strength needed, cost of obtaining it irrelevant.¡± Sars used an odd emphasis.


    ¡°Prediction¡ª¡ª scars on your bodies, you¡¯ll be thankful. Because, nothing more precious than strength when needed. Strength to survive. Strength to protect. When time comes, you¡¯ll value it above all else. Then ¡ª¡ªall the suffering¡ª¡ª you¡¯ll see its purpose.¡±


    The deep certainty in Sars¡¯s voice shook them. But how could we ever be grateful for torture?


    Kate spoke first, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but you¡¯re wrong. That¡¯ll never happen.¡±


    ¡°Agreed.¡± Silver said. ¡°There are less traumatic ways of training.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll understand when time.¡± Sars lowered his head. The conversation was over. I guess that was marginally useful. They¡¯d received answers, even if unsatisfying.


    As they were leaving, Sars spoke again, ¡°Final note¡ª¡ª To know more, find man named Legonas. He too questioned me. His history with Kara is deep, going back to Sanrune.¡±


    ¡°That story¡­ tragic, even for Green Hell. The cost of not knowing how to use strength is nearly as bad as not having it.¡±

 [Chapter 50 part 1] Free – Hector and the Branch of Creation

    [Chapter 50 part 1] Free ¨C Hector and the Branch of Creation


    -----------------------------


    I give up.  Free was done wandering. The Endless Library doesn¡¯t respect the laws of space and time.  You could walk an hour in one direction, then five minutes in another only to find yourself back where you started. I should¡¯ve hired a guide.


    Free was searching for books on Sola¡¯s early years. Ideally unbias ones. A tough proposition from the start considering those works have fallen out of style. Frowning, she scanned the shelves around her. Not to mention locating anything worthline is a challenge in of itself. This place didn¡¯t discriminate. If a manuscript was published, no matter how bad, it was in these halls. There¡¯s a sea of them.


    Leaving dejectedly, Free immediately felt the stares. Her picture had been plastered all over the news for the last twenty four hours. In retrospect, my green gear and hair were ill conceived.  She¡¯d considered abandoning the ninja guise, but rejected the notion.  If the media gets an image without my mask¡­ Sighing, she pressed onward.


    A man in a trench coat approached, ¡°Good day, I¡¯ve some items you might¡ª¡ª.¡±


    ¡°Not interested.¡± Free interrupted. Not in the mood.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be like that.¡± The man persisted. ¡°Have a look.¡± He opened his coat revealing hundreds of pockets filled with what appeared the spines of books. As if he raided a library and sliced the ends off the literature. The sight was peculiar enough to cause her pause.


    ¡°Unsummoned books.¡± The man took one. ¡°Pour in a little power and voila!¡± Suddenly he held a complete novel.


    ¡°So you want to sell me some?¡± She asked.


    The man happily began his pitch, ¡°While the Endless Library is filled with wonders, it¡¯s unfortunately impossible to take them with you. That¡¯s where I come in. I carry some of the harder to find volumes. Out of print editions the powers that be would rather see fade away. For example, these on Sola Delore.¡± He held out three spines.


    What a clever little entrepreneur. ¡°How much?¡± She asked.


    Free paid the inflated price. The man was giving her exactly what she desired, so there was no reason to make a fuss. His audacity should be rewarded.


    Free returned, her mood improved. Locking herself in her room, she poured over her acquisitions, and her attitude soured slowly. Finished, she leaned back in reflection.


    So much is the same. She taught herself healing. She fought with plants, and she was renowned to ¡®kill with a touch¡¯. She even had an episode where she made ¡®strange bugs¡¯. Free had followed in her footsteps without realizing it.


    She¡¯d been secretly relieved when Hope had been targeted. It¡¯d let her cling to the illusion her existence wouldn¡¯t be an issue. Now reality is settling in. Her presence was causing unrest in a way the others were not. She¡¯d noticed the mumbled worry around her. More disturbing, she¡¯d sometimes heard hope. How long before another Debra Sunder?


    Good and bad, everyone was forming expectations, and she secretly dreaded these might be correct. She¡¯d no doubt the title ¡®Goddess of Healing¡¯ was hers for the taking if she wished it. My other talents must match as well¡­


    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Free got up. I must verify it. She found Wise on his bed engrossed in the Necronomicon.


    ¡°You know why I¡¯m here.¡± Free stated, sitting by him. It¡¯s nice never having to explain.


    Wise nodded, ¡°You¡¯re hoping to learn some simple necromancy.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± She smiled.


    She¡¯d never attempted such magic. Death was less intuitive then creation. More dangerous too, and, unlike Wise, I couldn¡¯t ¡®borrow¡¯ future knowledge.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go with ghastfire.¡± A green flame appeared in his hand. ¡°It¡¯s equivalent to a basic light spell.¡±


    Free listen carefully to his instructions. ¡°If you succeed, don¡¯t panic. It can¡¯t hurt you.¡± he warned.


    Free reached for a place she¡¯d never touched and focused on her palm. Emerald flames gushed forth, shooting to the ceiling. Alarmed, she attempted to smother the pyrotechnics, instead spreading them everywhere.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Just calm down and squeeze the flow.¡± Wise advised.


    Steadying herself, she did as directed. Soon it¡¯d shrunk to fist-sized. She studied the pale fire. Necromantic potential confirmed.


    Wise observed her brooding, ¡°Remember how I said not to panic?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± She said.


    ¡°That¡¯s because I freaked out when I tried. I¡¯m the clone of the Citadel¡¯s current leader. It really went wild¡­¡± Wise smiled at the memory. ¡°Anyway, it was the first time I found myself ¡®overflowing with potential¡¯. That isn¡¯t a bad thing.¡±


    True, discovering talent should be happy experience. ¡°Thanks, I¡¯m fine. So what¡¯s that page you were studying?¡±


    Wise lit up, ¡°It¡¯s time manipulation. It only covers the most basic stuff, but it¡¯s fascinating. Here watch this.¡± He began waving his hand. ¡°Give me a minute¡­¡±


    Free waited. Eventually, her brother said, ¡°Slow.¡±


    Free was struck with the weirdest sensation as the speed of Wise¡¯s arm doubled. It only lasted a second, but she understood, ¡°You slowed me! That¡¯s so powerful¡­¡±


    In a fight, reducing your opponent¡¯s speed, even for an instant, was an enormous advantage. Hope might have been in trouble yesterday if he¡¯d used this. Drats, this makes me want to learn even more¡­


    ¡°It¡¯s nice,¡± Wise agreed. ¡°But takes energy and focus. Not to mention there are ways to defend if you know it¡¯s coming, and it¡¯s less effective on saints and immortals. Those drawbacks aside, it¡¯s awesome. I¡¯m determined to master it.¡±


    I¡¯ll ask John for those counters. Granted, she was unlikely to run up against such advanced magic soon, but it paid to be cautious. I could get matched with Wise.


    ¡°Has it taught you anything else?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Wise continue excitedly. ¡°Look at his.¡± He grabbed his chest and seemed to pull something out. He then winced, letting go. ¡°That was my soul or part of it. It¡¯s a cool trick but doesn¡¯t work if the target resists.¡±


    ¡°Neat.¡± Time to leave. Her inquiries should have eased his worries. ¡°Thanks for everything, but I¡¯ll head out.¡±


    ¡°One second.¡± Wise stopped her. ¡°I just wanted to say¡­ Sola didn¡¯t have seven siblings supporting her, and she didn¡¯t have a mother like Astra. Even if you make chimera and raise the dead¡­ You¡¯ll always be the sister I love. You may share her potential, but you¡¯ll never become her.¡±


    Finishing, Wise grew red and curled into a ball, ¡°I sensed you could use some encouragement, but the more I think about it¡­ Arrrrrgh!¡±


    Free grinned and gave him a hug, ¡°Thank you. I was honestly having all sorts of bad thoughts. What you said right now¡­¡± She drew back to look him in the eyes, ¡°Was exactly what I needed. It really was.¡±


    How unbelievable. Seeing through her cheerful front, being able to deliver, with a straight face, words so embarrassing¡­


    ¡°Your name truly suits you.¡± She got up. ¡°Now that I¡¯m feeling better, I know what I must do.¡±


    She paused at the door, ¡°If I get depressed again, I¡¯ll be counting on you for more cringey lines.¡± She heard a groan as she left.


    Enough moping. It¡¯s time to be proactive. Rose theorized the opposition was using the Underground Coliseum. If that¡¯s true, maybe I can put my identity to good use.


    From the Rose Palace, she glided into the city and made her way to the mist-surrounded keep. Calin¡¯s Keep.


    The sun never struck the structure as no wind could blow away the the thick fog. Approaching the crowd of tourists, she heard gasps. As expected, the skeletons are bowing again¡­  This¡¯ll create a bit of a stir, but whatever. She leaped across the gap, and the gaunt knights moved aside. Good. Those things are as scary as hell up close. Ignoring the fading commotion, she climbed the steps and pushed open the front door.


    As she walked cautiously into a grant hall leading to an empty thrown, an angry voice rang out, ¡°While I¡¯m ordinarily powerless to harm mortals, it¡¯s a different matter for those who seek death. You¡¯ll regret trespassing.¡±


    (continued in part 2)

 [Chapter 50 part 2] Free – Hector and the Branch of Creation

    [Chapter 50 part 2] Free ¨C Hector and the Branch of Creation


    -----------------------------


    ¡­


    Free took a deep breath, then fired back, ¡°It¡¯s a good thing I¡¯m a guest then. Your guards invited me in.¡±


    ¡°Impossible¡­¡± The throne was engulfed in shadows, and a man in his thirties appeared, wearing Xarst¡¯s black with messy beige hair. He scornfully appraised her. The HEAVENLY DAO would never let him kill me. Free clung to this belief.


    After a moment, Calin sighed, his hostility evaporating, ¡°I see. It¡¯s true I extended Sola an open invitation long ago. You are her doppelganger¡­¡±


    It¡¯s strange he didn¡¯t instantly recognize me. All of Enera knew who she was by now. Doesn¡¯t he have omniscience?


    Calin sneered, ¡°Unlike the voyeuristic Siegfried, I spend my time crafting and toiling. I don¡¯t keep up to date on mundane affairs.¡±


    ¡°Is the prospect of another Dark Age a ¡®mundane affair¡¯?¡± Free scoffed.


    Calin froze, ¡°Is that true?¡±


    ¡°Well¡ª¡ª¡± Free began, but the necromancer held up a hand demanding silence.


    ¡°You should have told me. You knew I¡¯d be interested.¡± Calin reproached the air around him.


    He¡¯s communicating with the HEAVENLY DAO, Free understood. Unlike Siegfried, Calin did so out loud. Must be all the time in solitude.


    Fury flashed on Calin¡¯s face, ¡°Whether I¡¯m rude to my guest or not is my prerogative. Don¡¯t dodge the issue!¡±


    Free waited akwardly. Eventually, he declared, ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll discuss once she¡¯s gone.¡± He faced her. ¡°So, what did you want?¡±


    ¡°Are you aware that Arther passed away?¡± She inquired.


    ¡°Is that so¡­¡± Calin appeared disappointment. ¡°Too bad.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t pretend to care.¡± She retorted. ¡°How many millions have you killed?¡±


    Calin shrugged, ¡°That fool was better than most. I find the genuinely passionate to be more tolerable. Whoever replaces him will be worse.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯d be my mother, Astra Skyfell.¡± Free said sharply.


    ¡°My point is proved.¡±  Calin nodded.


    Free resisted the urge to snap at the irritating twit. What do I care of his opinion? Instead, she broached the heart of the matter, ¡°It¡¯s believed he was murdered in the Underground Coliseum you constructed.¡±


    ¡°You want me to guide you there.¡± Calin interpreted.


    She nodded.


    ¡°Fine.¡±


    Way too easy. There was no universe where a monster like Calin was this helpful. ¡°What¡¯re up to?¡± She demanded.


    Calin smiled, ¡°In truth, from the moment I realized you were HER doppelganger, I was your ally. She was the only person whose talent I¡¯ve ever respected. The things she dreamt up¡­ It made me regret being bound to the HEAVENLY DAO.¡±


    ¡°How did you know her?¡± Free asked.


    Calin gazed off, ¡°She came seeking my knowledge of chimeras. I offered what advice I could. We met on and off for the thirty years leading up to the Black Banquet.¡± His eyes focused on her. ¡°The mere possibility you¡¯d grow into someone of her caliber is enough to prevent me from ever doing you harm. Unfortunately, aiding you today is the limit of what the HEAVENLY DAO will allow. Follow me.¡±


    The necromancer lead them down winding passageways lit by braziers with green flames. Ghastfire. On impulse, she summoned one of her own on her finger tip. Noticing Calin approving nod, she quickly snuffed it out. In several side rooms, Free glimpsed misshapen creatures floating in tanks. Future challenges for adventurers?


    This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    ¡°Correct.¡± Calin said wickedly. Damn mind reading¡­


    Eventually they reached a hole in the rock floor with a stairwell carved into it. She couldn¡¯t see the bottom. This must be the entrance.


    ¡°Mind if I jump?¡± I don¡¯t want to waste time.


    ¡°Go ahead.¡± Calin said.


    Free dropped two and half miles and parachuted to safety. She faced a long hallway with a bright opening at the end. Is that it? She frowned, glancing about. Calin materialized, and she pressed him, ¡°Why is there no security? Couldn¡¯t someone walk right in from the coliseum?¡±


    ¡°I see your concern, but no.¡± Calvin replied smugly. ¡°Hector makes that impossible.¡±


    ¡°Hector?¡± Free repeated, confused.


    ¡°Yes, Hector.¡± Calin happily pointed to the wall.


    Free looked. It¡¯s ordinary¡ª¡ª. A skeletal figure melted out of the rock, its black armor wriggling as if alive. The radiating promise of doom nearly knocked her unconscious. Their surroundings dimmed in its presence.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± Calin said. The monster sunk back, and the hallway returned to normal.


    ¡°What the heck was that?¡± She breathed heavily.


    ¡°That¡¯s Hector.¡± Reacting to the daggers in Free¡¯s glare, Calin expounded a little.  ¡°Hector was an experiment to fashion the strongest undead. Sadly, the HEAVENLY DAO judged he was a bit too much to deploy in the dungeons, so I left him to guard this entrance. He does a great job of blending in, doesn¡¯t he?¡±


    Free stared apprehensively at the ordinary-looking rock, ¡°The most powerful undead in existence¡­?¡±


    ¡°Currently, yes.¡±  Calin said. ¡°But, in fairness, the title rightfully belongs to the champions which emerged during the formation of undead colossuses.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s move on.¡± I want to get far away from that.


    They soon passed by a signpost. Free glanced back to read, ¡®Warning: Hector Ahead¡¯.


    ¡°Is this a joke?¡±


    ¡°In a way.¡± Calin grinned wolfishly. ¡°I don¡¯t simply desire death. I want my victims to perish cursing their own stupidity. Their demise is the joke.¡±  He stood tall. ¡°It¡¯s my craft and art.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m beginning to appreciate why you¡¯re so reviled by adventurers.¡± Free said.


    His smile widened, ¡°Their hate is the highest praise.¡±  He¡¯s an incorrigible villain.  It¡¯s probably what endeared him to the HEAVENLY DAO.


    Exiting, Calin proclaimed grandly, ¡°Welcome to the Underground coliseum.¡±


    Not exactly what I envisioned¡­ She was in a quarter mile cavern with a smaller replica of the Stone Coliseum. Braziers roaring yellow provided illumination.


    ¡°Why so big?¡± She asked.


    ¡°Partly to please Maximilian¡¯s ego.¡±  Calin replied. ¡°And partly for my own aesthetics. A ¡®Blood Arena¡¯ needs good ambient lighting.¡±


    I see. Free didn¡¯t sense any signs of life, ¡°No one is here¡­¡±


    ¡°Correct.¡±  Calin said. I pray Rose isn¡¯t wrong.


    They entered the stadium, and Free¡¯s heart skipped a beat as she Peered down. They¡¯re here! In the Blood Arena¡¯s center, Kain¡¯s arm rested in glass container covered with runes. It¡¯s missing a finger. Nearby, something body-shaped was wrapped in a white sheet. Arther¡¯s corpse. She sent her roots to collect them, but they bumped off an invisible obstacle. An active force field?


    ¡°They left it on to contain and hide the arm¡¯s aura.¡±  Calin stated.


    ¡°How do we turn it off?¡± Free ran a hand over the barrier. This was strong enough to trap Arther.


    ¡°The controls are this way.¡±  Calin lead them around. As they moved, she wondered, why didn¡¯t they dispose of his remains?


    ¡°Arther¡¯s killers were already treading on thin ice. The HEAVENLY DAO hates those who disrespect its heroes, and defiling his body would¡¯ve risked its wrath. Here¡¯s the podium.¡±


    Calin touched the control panel, ¡°There, you can recuperate the body. As for Kain¡¯s arm, don¡¯t bother trying.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯d you mean?¡± Free extended roots to grab it. Her jaw dropped as they passed right through.


    ¡°Since it doesn¡¯t alter events, I was allowed to guide you here. It¡¯s the HEAVENLY DAO¡¯s way of honoring the late guildmaster. Kain¡¯s arm is a separate matter. Recovering it would disrupt your enemies¡¯ plans, which is why you can¡¯t touch it.¡±


    Too Bad. She¡¯d suspected this outcome. Having it so tantalizingly close is frustrating.


    ¡°I don¡¯t suppose you can tell me about the hidden passage leading here?¡± Calin shook his head. Figures. ¡°Mind if I look quickly?¡±


    ¡°Go ahead.¡±  Calin answered.


    Free circled around, searching for anything out of place. She found the main entrance sealed with reddish stone, but nothing else. I don¡¯t even know what to look for. If the passageway had been obvious, it would¡¯ve been blocked off too.


    Giving up, She returned and attached the veiled body to her back. ¡°I¡¯m ready.¡± She told Calin.


    The necromancer didn¡¯t answer, a distant expression on his face. When she called again, he reacted, ¡°I must go. I¡¯ll meet at the Great Hall.¡±


    He poofed into nothing, leaving her alone. Well, I know the way back. She started down the long hallway, but stopped dead in her tracks when she reached the warning sign. She stared ahead. I hate that man sooo much right now. In the end, she sprinted by ¡®Hector¡¯ and maintained a healthy pace all the way up the stairwell.


    Calin was waiting at entrance, ¡°Before you leave, I¡¯ve a gift.¡±


    ¡°Do I want it?¡± She asked suspiciously.


    ¡°You do.¡± The necromancer offered a short white stick. ¡°The ¡®Branch of Creation¡¯. It was Sola¡¯s staff when she was known as Goddess of Healing. She left it behind as a memento. It¡¯s a legendary catalyst perfectly suited to you.¡±


    Yup, I¡¯m interested. Free took the artifact and examined it. Intuitively, she channeled, and it grew to a full fledge weapon. Let¡¯s test it. Roots exploded around them, covering the space. I might stand a chance against Dawn with this¡­


    ¡°Unfortunately, you must go now. Experiment at your leisure later.¡± Calin interrupted hurriedly.


    ¡°Why the rush?¡± Free badly wanted to play with her new toy.


    ¡°Lily has come to pick you up.¡± Calin explained. ¡°She¡¯s preparing to roast my guards and replacing them would be a pain.¡±

 [Chapter 51] Rose – Investigating Hidden Entrance

    [Chapter 51] Rose ¨C Investigating Hidden Entrance


    -----------------------------


    Rose paced an Inner Palace corridor. I can¡¯t believe Free.  There¡¯d been minor panic when they¡¯d learned of the visit to Calin¡¯s Keep.  Rose had calmed everyone by theorizing what Free was attempting.  Thank god I was right.  However, watching the news coverage grow increasingly frantic, Lily had lost patience and headed over.  The two had returned five minutes prior, and Free was reassembling Arther¡¯s body while they waited restlessly.


    Rose glanced at the golden bracers Silver and Kate sported.  Lily had retrieved aura-strengthening ¡®resonant catalysts¡¯ from the former guildmaster, and they¡¯d each been given one.  They¡¯ve undoubtedly surpassed me now.  She¡¯d seen their matches.


    I¡¯ve fallen behind!  Free had just retrieved the Branch of Creation, and Wise held the Necronomicon.  Light had improved drastically thanks to Vanessa.  Not to mention those new weapons.  Hope had her firearms and  Soul Diamonds Edge.  Dawn was stupidly overpowered, as always.  How¡¯d this happen?


    She hadn¡¯t been slacking off.  If someone hands me a legendary weapon, I¡¯d catch right up.  Not fair!  Motivated by feelings of inadequacy, Rose had gone on a poaching spree and could now mobilize five phoenixes.  While I can¡¯t use them in the arena, at least outside I¡¯m strongest.


    ¡°I¡¯m done.¡±  Free opened the doors.


    In a somber room, Arther Bard lay on an altar atop a linen sheet.  He was wearing the colorful red and gold suit she¡¯d seen in pictures.  The first hero.  It was strange seeing a dead, older version of Silver.


    ¡°Thank goodness.  Now we can give him a proper farewell.¡±  Lily approached, eyes clouding over.


    ¡°It really was my fault¡­¡±  Lily lamented softly.  ¡°When Rose mentioned the Blood Arena, I didn¡¯t want to believe it.  I was already feeling such guilt and couldn¡¯t bear it¡­¡±


    Tears streamed down, ¡°Because of my neglect, the Underground Coliseum exists.  Because I never abolished the steward, my feud with Sarah brought chaos.  Because I let you investigate alone¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll not let it happen again.¡±  Lily wiped her face, departing solemnly.


    ¡°Where¡¯re you going?¡± Rose asked, trailing behind.


    ¡°To Maximilian¡¯s casino.¡±  Lily materialized her fiery wings.  ¡°The sooner I burn my way in, the sooner this ends.¡±


    She took off and disappeared.  I should consult Argent.  The ISF¡¯s leader had to be brought up to speed.  With its existence confirmed, locating that secret passage is more critical than ever.


    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Preparations in the city were nearing completion.  All eyes gravitated her way as she passed the lanterns and festive displays.  The minute I remove my mask, the media will be full of side by side shots of Lily and me.


    Rose checked wristal.  Free is back in focus.  Earlier this afternoon, the news cycle had moved onto Wise.  Because Nero Ebonwood weighed in.


    She recalled the necromancer¡¯s words:  ¡®As I announced long ago, I¡¯ll be on the sidelines for all worldly matters, including another possible dark age.  Wise Skyfell is my replacement.  I¡¯ve bestowed upon him an artifact of supreme power.  As long as he has the will, the Necronomicon will lend him strength.¡¯


    Newscasters had had a field day speculating about this gift¡¯s origin and name.  If only they knew¡­


    ¡°Good to see you.¡±  Argent said when she reached his office.  ¡°It¡¯s been an eventful day.  While I¡¯ve pieced much together, I¡¯d be agreeable to confirmation.¡±


    Rose relayed what she knew, ¡°How are pundits spinning this?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fifty-fifty.¡±  Argent answered.  ¡°Lithorn¡¯s sympathizers are painting Free as Sola¡¯s second coming.¡±


    ¡°And the rest?¡±  Rose asked.


    ¡°They¡¯re pointing out the implications.  Some are outright accusing the Northern Emperor of plotting against the Isle.  Emotions are heated.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s frustrating.¡±  Rose griped.  ¡°I was hoping this might swing things in our favor.¡±


    ¡°If Calin had weighed in, it could have.¡±  Argent said.  ¡°As it stands, Lily is ¡®bias¡¯, and Free is a doppelganger.  This blunts our case.  The tide will turn once we breach the Underground Coliseum and the ISF confirms Free¡¯s account.¡±


    ¡°If half the Isle isn¡¯t dead by then.¡±  Rose said bitterly.  ¡°How¡¯s Lily¡¯s excavation progressing?¡±


    ¡°Have a look.¡±  An aerial perspective appeared, showing molten rock accumulating in the casino¡¯s former lobby from a nearby small tunnel.  ¡°She¡¯s burning through faster than anticipated with her child-sized hole.  At this rate, she¡¯ll be done in two days.¡±


    Rose sighed, ¡°So, even in the best scenario, after the funeral¡­¡±


    ¡°Correct.¡±  Argent nodded.  They both contemplated the scene silently.


    ¡°Those high-end buildings in disrepair¡­¡±  Rose said. ¡°Is that from¡­?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡±  Argent shut off the projection.  ¡°Local real estate was devastated by the casino¡¯s closing.  Two hundred years later, traces remain.¡±


    ¡°I thought so¡­¡±  This bolstered her confidence.  ¡°I recently had a bit of inspiration.  There must¡¯ve been a similar, if smaller, downturn around the secret entrance.  After all, the Blood Arena¡¯s fighters must¡¯ve stayed in hotels, frequented bars, and the likes¡­  The beasts smuggled in would¡¯ve also generated income for the docks.  What¡¯d you think?¡±


    ¡°So you want to search for the economic impact¡­  Pretty clever.¡±  Argent commented.


    ¡°Right?  However, I¡¯ve no idea how to go about it.  I was hoping for your help.¡±


    Argent pondered, ¡°I believe it¡¯d be best to analyze arrests in the Undercity.  We look for areas which saw a spike in crime around that time.¡±


    ¡°How long would that take?¡±  She asked.


    ¡°It¡¯ll be done by day¡¯s end.¡±  Argent said.  ¡°I¡¯ll send you the findings.  Still, even if we narrow it down, the search might prove fruitless.  You understand why?¡±


    Rose nodded, ¡°It may be undetectable when closed.¡±  Otherwise, it would¡¯ve been discovered.  She wasn¡¯t optimistic, but they had to try.


    ¡°What will happen tomorrow night?¡±  Rose asked anxiously.


    ¡°Something big.¡±  Argent said.  ¡°The maelstorm will isolate the Isle, providing a golden opportunity.¡±


    ¡°I see two possibilities.  First, Kain¡¯s arm will be employed to create a humanitarian crisis on the Isle.  Lithorn would use the pretext to take over after the storm.  This would risk angering the HEAVENLY DAO.¡±


    ¡°My other fear is a military coup employing werewolf outbreaks as a distraction.  Considering powerful immortals will be stationed here, it¡¯d be difficult, but not impossible.  I¡¯ve been monitoring arrivals, but nothing so far.  Of course, forces may be gathering in Callisto or Spiral city¡­¡±


    Argent sighed, ¡°All we can do is wait¡­¡±

 [Chapter 52] Silver – Legonas’s Regret

    [Chapter 52] Silver ¨C Legonas¡¯s Regret


    -----------------------------


    ¡°Where¡¯s Legonas?¡±  Silver asked.  Hope¡¯s instructor had returned for Arther¡¯s funeral.  He and Kate were at the guild to track him down.


    ¡°At the shooting range.¡±  The lighting sprite replied, zooming off.  He certainly spends time there for someone who doesn¡¯t use guns.


    The place was empty other than mountainous black man.  Just like the day we met him.  Insect threats must be seasonal.  Silver approached once the gunfire died down, ¡°Sorry to disturb you, but Sars sent us your way.  We were hoping to learn about Kara.¡±


    Legonas stiffened, ¡°I admit I¡¯m familiar with her history, but it¡¯s something personal in nature.  Rather, I¡¯m disappointed Sars let it slip.¡±


    ¡°Please, there¡¯s a good reason.¡±  Kate entreated.  The man frowned as she recounted their tale.


    He sighed, ¡°I see¡­  I was unaware that happened.  Alright, I recognize you¡¯ve the right to know.  Be warned, it¡¯s a lengthy tale.¡±


    ¡°I was born into a military family with a proud history of service.  I enlisted when I was of age¡ª¡ª¡±


    ¡°Wait, does that mean you¡¯d given up on immortality?¡±  Silver interrupted.


    Legonas chuckled, ¡°Not everyone chases that fleeting dream.  Many chose fulfillment in service of a cause or ideal.  I was one.¡±


    ¡°Besides, many bases are situated in frontier regions, where much of the training takes place.  With a little fame, living twice the norm is easily achievable.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, I graduated from Tervalen Military Academy and enrolled as an officer.  I enjoyed some success and reached the rank of lieutenant colonel.  That¡¯s when the Sanrune bridge was proposed.¡±


    ¡°As you might know, the Barsal Empire is a hybrid democracy.  Our latest president, Varan Torus, in his hunger to distinguish himself, had set his sights on the Sanrune, the large swath of the Green Hell to our North.  He proposed burning it down to build a viaduct, extending our rail network to the Novaren continent.  The notion of taming the lethal jungle enthralled him.¡±


    ¡°An issue quickly arose from the fact that there were people living there.  It¡¯s not widely known, but the outermost portions of the Green Hell, where the foliage is less than a mile thick, are barely habitable.  They offer a lifespan approaching a thousand years to those who survive the diseases and dangers.  Varan was able to convince most residents to relocate.  However, the giant cat people of the deep Sanrune, the Tayi, refused.¡±


    ¡°Despite the impasse, construction began, and the military was called in to supervise.  My battalion was among those deployed.  We were equipment with newly developed firearms from the Gala plateau and were anticipating testing their effectiveness.¡±


    ¡°At the beginning, everything went well.  The jungle was scorched while we guarded against the horrors which emerged.  The only hardship were the bouts of violent illness which kept a quarter of my men incapacitated.¡±


    ¡°Then news reached us that the negotiators sent to the latest talks had been murdered.  We were instructed to level the jungle until the Tayi surrendered, which we did.¡±


    ¡°Responding to our redoubled destruction, the Tayi attacked.  Nearly all were aura users.  Affinity in that area comes with feline features, much like demons are gifted with fire.  As defenders of their homeland, they were also granted a powerful blessing, exposing the shortcoming of machine guns.  Those few seconds of protection allowed many to get close, and our casualties mounted.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s when the order came from above.  We were to fly directly to their villages and forcibly relocate the Tayi to refugee camps.  I commanded several of these raids, and it was surprisingly easy, contrary to my initial expectations.  I¡¯d forgotten that this was the Green Hell, and those villages were safe spaces carved out in a sea of death.  For those too young or old to fight, there was nowhere to flee.  We got everyone.¡±


    ¡°Moral was high in the wake of our success.  Only three thousands Tayi were left, all fighters who¡¯d escaped to the jungle.  We figured victory was only a matter of time.¡±


    ¡°While it was peaceful for a month, they then assaulted us in suicidal fashion.  Both side suffered heavy casualties.  Reeling from the onslaught, it wasn¡¯t until the following day that we understood how screwed we were.  The Tayi came again, less than half, except this time they were tougher in every way.  Despite their reduced number, our losses were barely lower.¡±


    ¡°One of my men theorized that the strange tattoos now adorning the Tayi could be a blood ritual, one where the living inherited the strength of the fallen.  To our horror, this was confirmed true.¡±


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    ¡°That week was a nightmare.  Even with fresh recruits bolstering our ranks, we barely fended them off.  Construction halted and we dung in.  It was useless.  I watched hundreds of my men die.¡±


    ¡°When the Tayi were down to the single digits, the army finally forgot its pride and called in an immortal.  The top brass was terrified of how powerful the sole remainder would become.  They were determined to kill all eight at once, enlisting Anthem Farran for this purpose.¡±


    ¡°The Tayi were no match, falling one by one.  Soon, only Kara was left.  That¡¯s when the plan fell apart as her power surged wildly.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯d expected this to an extent, as last survivors receive a boost.  However, Kara¡¯s evolution was beyond what we were prepared for.  She succeeded in fending off Anthem and retreating unscathed.¡±


    ¡°How strong was she the next day?¡±  Kate asked.


    ¡°I can¡¯t say, we didn¡¯t stick around to find out.¡±  Legonas answered.  ¡°As soon as she¡¯d escaped, Anthem ordered the pull out.  He judged finishing her off would cost far too high a price.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s her story¡­¡±  Silver mumbled.  She, by herself, forced Barsal¡¯s army to retreat.


    ¡°No,¡±  Legonas shook his head.  ¡°It doesn¡¯t end there.  Kara began attacking airships.¡±


    ¡°Confidence in Varan Torus collapsed.  Despite our losses, not only had he failed to extend our rail network, he¡¯d made Sanrune impassible by air.  People were livid.  Barsal Farran had to step in.¡±


    ¡°He started by searching for the forcibly relocated Tayi, as representatives of her own people were the best bet to approach the rampaging beast.  Unfortunately, the refugee camps were empty.  Pressed for answers, Varan¡¯s administration tried stonewalling, but the hero would have none of that.  He stormed the capital and tore through the place to uncover the truth.¡±


    Legonas winced, ¡°The Tayi had been dropped off, a mile high, above the deepest Green Hell.¡±  That¡¯s¡­


    ¡°More details emerged.  Varan had grown frustrated when it¡¯d become clear that relocating and compensating the Tayi would require astronomical sums.  It also would¡¯ve taken years, and the project had already gone over-budget with the first resettlements.  The perceived success of his signature venture would be tarnished.¡±


    ¡°Varan, along with the military¡¯s civilian leadership, made a decision.  The Tayi were a distinct, isolated, and foreign people, not even speaking the common tongue.  He gambled no one would go looking if they went missing.¡±


    ¡°Our envoys went to the last round of negotiations unknowingly carrying explosives.  The blast killed hundreds in the Tayi village, so of course they¡¯d attack.  My men and I were fighting for a lie the entire time¡­¡±  Legonas trailed off.


    ¡°What did Farran do after this discovery?¡±  Kate asked.


    ¡°Oh, he was apoplectic.  The incident nearly cost us our democracy.  Farran personally massacred president Varan and those involved in his ploy.  He came for the military brass next.  Everyone ranked lieutenant colonel or higher, who¡¯d participated in Sanrune, was gathered.  I remember when he walked in, an incarnation of fury.  Some begged.  Some argued.  Some tried to run.  They all perished.  I stood by silently, waiting my turn.  Eventually I was the only one left.  I closed my eyes, accepting the inevitable.  Then I heard him walk away.¡±


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t understand it.  I called out, asking why.  I¡¯ll never forget his words, ¡¯You alone made no attempt to escape punishment.  How could I kill the only man here who understood the weight of what he¡¯d done?¡¯¡±


    ¡°After that, I was dishonorably discharged.  I left and joined the Adventurers Guild, endeavoring to save others.  I poured my heart and soul into reaching the Wall, because one lifetime would never be enough.¡±  The metal wrapping him tightened, bitting into his skin.


    ¡°That was a terrible tale, but it doesn¡¯t seem to be your fault¡­¡±  Kate said tentatively.  ¡°I mean, you¡¯d no idea what was happening, right?¡±


    ¡°I knew nothing,¡±  Legonas grimaced.  ¡°But I should have.  The signs were there.  The guards¡¯ dispassionate expressions at the camps.  The secrecy surrounding operations.  My superiors once cringed when I mentioned efforts to reassure the children.  Why didn¡¯t I see the meaning behind this?  I court marshaled soldiers for refusing to serve.  Why didn¡¯t I listen?  After the raids, why didn¡¯t I show curiosity over the fate of the captives?¡±


    The chains dung deeper, drawing blood, ¡°I was a fool, an utter irredeemable fool.  I had a childlike faith in our righteousness.¡±  His fists shook.  ¡°I never, not once, questioned what we were fighting for¡­¡±


    ¡°¡¯Thet dora¡¯¡± Legonas whispered, tears rolling down.  ¡°It means ¡®everything will be alright¡¯.  It¡¯s what I said when I helped round up the children¡­¡±  He trembled.  ¡°So many lives lost¡­  Friends and comrades¡­  All for a bridge.¡±


    He¡¯ll never forgive himself.  Long after the world had moved on, Legonas would continue struggling to make amends.  Nothing anyone could say would relieve the guilt.


    ¡°What happened to Kara?¡± Silver asked.


    Legonas took a deep breath, ¡°After learning the truth, Farran declared not another drop of blood would be spilt in Sanrune.  Yet neither could he leave her alone.  Kara was rebuffing diplomacy, lashing out at those drawing near.  Shipping lanes needed to be reopened.  Farran turned to Nero, who sent the Mask of Xarst.  The rest is history.¡±


    Kara and Gareth Black had dueled three days.  At the conclusion, the necromancer had convinced her to depart.


    ¡°Thanks for sharing.¡±  Kate said.  ¡°I better understand how Kara ended up who she is.  Still, I don¡¯t know if that changes how I feel.¡±  Nicely put.


    ¡°Fair enough.¡±  Legonas answered, ¡°but here¡¯s my perspective.  Kara herself endured what she put you through.  From that torturous war, she was forced to become powerful, and it cost her everything.  Later, like you, she was bitter and resentful, but she succeeded in moving past that.  Today she travels Enera and has become, in spite of herself, a force for good.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t ask you to forgive what you can¡¯t.  Nevertheless, I pray you too can move on and use your strength for some greater purpose.  You¡¯ve inherited combat skills from the last Tayi.  Please don¡¯t let them go to waste.¡±


    Silver and Kate returned in silence.  Like me, Kara is broken in some basic way, twisted by her horrendous past.  This dulled his anger.  I may never forget what she did, but at least it¡¯ll no longer consume me.  He¡¯d take Legonas¡¯s advice to heart and focus towards the future.

 [Chapter 53] Light – Lantern Festival

    [Chapter 53] Light ¨C Lantern Festival


    -----------------------------


    People should spend more time on roofs.  Light sat atop the Rose Palace.  Far off at the Guild, distinguished guests from around Enera gathered for Arther¡¯s funeral.  He¡¯d head there later.   The view here is great.


    The sun had set, yet the Isle remained radiantly lit.  Crowds filled the lanterns adorned streets, their cheers echoing through the evening air.  A concert was in full swing near the Wall of Legends.  You¡¯d never know a storm was coming.


    The mealstorm towered the western horizon, lightning crackling over its spinning surface.  While hundred feet waves clashed in the Blue Abyss, the nearby docks were abuzz with activity as airships were moved into hangars.  Those remaining must be planning to outrun the weather.  It¡¯d be empty come midnight.


    Light fingered the sheath at his side.  He¡¯d recovered the last ninjato, ¡®Fang¡¯.  It was the sharpest.  As for its illusory grace¡­  He drew the weapon and observed the blackish edge.  ¡®Fever¡¯.  With a single scratch, the victim would fall ill.  Their temperature would rise, their strength would wither, and their balance would be thrown off.  While far from crippling, it bypasses disease resistance and lasts a decent chunk of time.  Even Free would be effected.


    Agata had apologized, claiming it¡¯d take an enchanter better versed with curses to bring out its true potential.  Light hadn¡¯t complained.  All my spoils have proved useful, and this one will be no different.


    Sheathing the weapon, Light considered deeply.  Once the dust settles, I¡¯ll travel to Harakoune.  I¡¯ll visit the hidden villages and be immortalized as the greatest ninja ever.


    He felt relief at the decision.  We¡¯ve just entered Enera and have so much to experience.  It¡¯d be a mistake to confess.  Romance isn¡¯t even on Hope¡¯s radar.  If his feelings was more than a childish crush, they¡¯d endure.


    It¡¯s starting.  Distant lights were drifting up the Isle¡¯s interior along the Pillar of Enera.  Out of concern for the storm, the timetable had been moved up, and lanterns were to be released as soon as darkness fell.  Light smiled.  Not just lanterns.  It was customary for those with the ability to release a summon into the sky.  All manner of fantastical creatures accompanied the lanterns: Birds with the wildest of feathers, glowing transparent fish, golden griffins, colorful dragons¡­  Fairies outnumbered others by far.  They¡¯re all some can manage.


    I should release my own.  Light concentrated, and a sparkling, translucent stag appeared.  The area below its hooves shone brightly, as if invisible ground was revealing itself.  An air dancer.  This had been Vanessa¡¯s recommendation.


    As it galloping to join the others, the Helix was lit ablaze by the phoenixes perched on its rocks.  The fireworks went on for miles.  Under their glow, a river of lanterns drifted into the night, escorted by the most wondrous parade.  Magical.


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    Light got up.  There are more spectacles to see.  Reaching the Guild, he found thousands congregating stalls on the Grey Plaza.  Some were still busy releasing lanterns and summons.  Arther would be happy.  Light was certain the hero would¡¯ve wanted his funeral to be a grand affair.


    Weaving through, Light approached the Great Hall.  The sprawling building was reserved for Arther Bard¡¯s close acquaintances and their immediate family.  As such, it was filled with saints, immortals, and other prominent figures.  As Astra¡¯s children, they could mingle in this illustrious crowd.  There¡¯s nothing to fear.  Siegfried himself had declared no hostilities would be tolerated.  With this guarantee, even the bitterest enemies could pay their respect.  The last time so many legends were in one place was the Black Banquet¡­


    Within the hall was a wild variety of the finest attires.  I must upgrade my shinobi gear.  Wandering over-sized rooms, he stumbled on his siblings milling with the Barsal Empire delegation.  They¡¯re the only ones we¡¯re familiar with.


    Free was questioning Farran, ¡°I read you knew Sola before she traveled to the Black Citadel.  Would you mind telling me what she like?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m amazed you uncovered that obscure detail.¡±  The hero answered.  ¡°I did indeed meet Sola when visiting Nolstice.  At the time I was a conquerer, and she attracted my attention for the war potential of her creations.  I got close to her with idea of recruitment but was disappointed.  She¡¯d no interest.  It seems the horrors she produced were simply her unrestrained curiosity.¡±


    ¡°So how did this pacifist turn into the Necromancer of the End?¡±


    Farran shrugged sadly, ¡°I don¡¯t have an answer.  Many good people fought for the other side.  I¡¯ll never understand why¡­¡±


    Light discretely slipped away.  There are people I must meet.


    ¡°Quietly escaping?¡±  A soft voice said.


    Startled, Light pivoted to find a yellow-haired woman.  ¡°The Morning Sun.¡±  He stammered.


    ¡°That¡¯s my title, but the name¡¯s Adele.¡±  The smirking immortal corrected.  ¡°Anyway, I heard you were visited by the young Vanessa Goldstone.  How did that go?¡±


    Is she fishing for gossip?  ¡°She dragged me around for a bit and taught me martial arts.  We also hunted assassins and werewolves.  Nothing besides that.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±  Adele chuckled.  ¡°Sounds eventful.  Vanessa must¡¯ve enjoyed her stay.¡±


    ¡°I believe she did¡­¡±  ¡ª¡ªExcept for that one part.  ¡°Why did you chase after me?¡±  Light anxiously changed the subject.


    ¡°I was wondering about your future plans.¡±  Adele said.


    What¡¯s this?  Light relayed his intentions, and Adele nodded, ¡°That¡¯s good.  I was worried you might be tempted to visit the Barsal Empire.  If so, I was going to advise against it.¡±


    ¡°Why?  Would I be unwelcomed?¡±  Light was troubled.


    Adele broke into laughter, ¡°No, rather the problem would be the opposite.  In a way, Farran¡¯s greatness is his flaw.  You¡¯d become an object of fascination.  There¡¯d be others like Vanessa, and they¡¯d be far more aggressive.  It¡¯s difficult to live with that attention.  I¡¯d know.  All of us descendants have dealt with the phenomenon.  It was particularly bad for Anthem and me, as we were the first inscribed on the Wall¡­¡±


    ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to make our homeland seem inhospitable.  It¡¯s just that you grew up in the Arctic.  In the Barsal Empire, you¡¯d face the isolation of living in Farran¡¯s shadow.  That¡¯d be equally unhealthy.  I¡¯d urge you, at least until immortality, to forge your own path.  There¡¯ll be plenty of time for a homecoming later.¡±  She¡¯s looking out for my interests, Light realized.  Adele might be a good person.


    Offering thanks, he successfully distanced himself and scanned the room.  He was convinced ninjas were present, and he meant to find them.  There.  Two were conversing in an corner.  Making his way over, he stopped dead as he saw another guest.  That¡¯s¡­  I have to fetch Hope.  There¡¯d be time for his idols later.

 [Chapter 54] Hope – Clay Donnaster

    [Chapter 54] Hope ¨C Clay Donnaster


    -----------------------------


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Hope demanded.


    ¡°There¡¯s someone you must meet.¡± Light answered as he pulled her away. She followed both irritated and curiosious. They arrived by a man leaning against a wall holding a glass of champagne. He wore a cowboy hat, and she glimpsed a holster under his poncho. It couldn¡¯t be¡­?


    ¡°Meet Clay Donnaster. Now I¡¯ll leave you two alone.¡± Light darted into the crowd. Thanks and damn you. What am I to ask without warning?


    ¡°So you¡¯re Hope Skyfell, Jenna¡¯s double.¡± Clay took a sip. ¡°Stories have reached me of a gunslinging ninja. That¡¯d be you?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± She confirmed, mind racing.


    ¡°May I see your bullets?¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± She offered a recoil bullet. Glad I took everything except the grenade launcher.


    Analyzing it, Clay grinned, ¡°You¡¯re using these as projectile and propulsion.¡±


    ¡°Is that wrong?¡± She answered nervously.


    ¡°Not at all, but eventually you¡¯ll want teleportation bullets. Nothing beats their mobility.¡±


    ¡°How do I do that?¡± She demanded. They sound awesome.


    Clay shook his head, ¡°It¡¯s too early. Even with perfect materials, you must be a peak-level saint to weave that spell. Just keep the notion in mind.¡±


    ¡°Any other advice for a budding gunslinger?¡± Hope relaxed.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Clay considered. ¡°Have you enchanted unearthly metals?¡±


    ¡°Yes, mithril bullets.¡± Hope nodded happily. ¡°They¡¯re wonderful.¡±


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    ¡°I see.¡± Clay said. ¡°And did you forge this mithril yourself?¡±


    Hope¡¯s eyes went wide, ¡°No, I didn¡¯t¡­ Is that a problem?¡±


    ¡°It is.¡± The man nodded. ¡°You¡¯re wielding over-powered munitions not fully fashioned by yourself. Your achievements will be discounted. I wasted months before discovering this¡­¡±


    ¡°Should I stop?¡± She winced at the prospect.


    ¡°It depends. To accumulate renown, then yes, refrain as much as possible. However, never hold back when it¡¯s a matter of survival. Long term, you should learn to meld unearthly materials yourself. That¡¯s what I did.¡±


    This is so useful. Hope asked about something that¡¯d been bugging her a while, ¡°You might have heard my brother received the Necronomicon from Nero Ebonwood. Wouldn¡¯t such a legendary artifact be considered a ¡®cheat¡¯?¡±


    Clay chucked, ¡°Ah, the impossibly nuanced inner workings of the renown system. You¡¯ll struggle with it your entire life, but let me offer what wisdom I can. No, the Necronomicon will not diminish your brother¡¯s deeds. I count three reasons off the top of my head. First, that book is undoubtedly a ¡®high-skill¡¯ instrument. Second, rightfully inherited items fall in the same category as self-made ones. Lastly, non-consumable weapons are partly considered an extension of their owner. They¡¯re fundamentally different from bullets, grenades, and single-use charms.¡±


    ¡°By that logic,¡± Hope said slowly. ¡°If you bequeathed your guns to me, I¡¯d get full credit for anything I did with them?¡±


    ¡°Correct.¡± Clay smiled. ¡°As a reward for your cheekiness, I¡¯ll reveal another layer of complexity. The HEAVENLY DAO grades events on a narrative, case-by-case basis. Depending on the circumstance, you might even get recognition for a magic bullet you didn¡¯t create. One such exception is the ¡®trump card¡¯.¡±


    The man drew out a necklace on which a series of bullets hung spaced-out. He pulled one off.


    ¡°I call this ¡®certain death¡¯. Composed of indestructible black Mithril, it¡¯s enchanted with the simplest of magics¡­¡±


    ¡°First, it¡¯ll fly straight. Wind, water, gravity, obstacles¡­ No force will alter its course. It¡¯ll tear through blessings as though they didn¡¯t exist. Second, once fired, its weight increases to one ton. This isn¡¯t something which can be deflected or blocked. If you hit the right spot, it¡¯ll take down anything.¡±


    ¡°Now some warnings. Your target will feel this coming a mile away. If not immobilized, they¡¯ll dodge. Remember it travels straight, so adjust your aim. Finally, this will keep going long after hitting its mark. Don¡¯t shoot towards cities.¡±


    ¡°Those caveats aside, it¡¯s the real deal.¡± Clay held out his hand.


    Hope examined the gift. Oh, god. The magic packed within was so dense her senses couldn¡¯t penetrate. With Agata, I could at least see the enchantments. So this is what an immortal is capable of¡­


    ¡°Why are you giving me this?¡± Hope was bewildered.


    ¡°Call it an investment in a promising enchantress. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll return the favor one day.¡± With that, Clay tipped his hat and walked away, leaving her staring at the black metal in her palm.

 [Chapter 55] Kate – Confronting Kara

    [Chapter 55] Kate ¨C Confronting Kara


    -----------------------------


    Withdrawing stealthily, Kate left the Great Hall to climb to the roof.  She spotted Kara admiring the rising lanterns.  She¡¯s not the type to mingle.  Kate took a deep breath.


    ¡°What does my lovely pupil wish?¡±  Kara asked as she neared.


    ¡°I¡¯d like some help.¡±  Kate declared flatly.  Kara¡¯s tail twitched with interest.  ¡°When Silver and I returned from the Darklands, we hated your guts to our core¡­¡±  Kara didn¡¯t bat an eyelid, but her grin widened.  Keep cool, keep cool.  ¡°Since then, we spoke to Sars and Legonas.  To be honest, some of it shocked me¡­¡±


    ¡°We discussed together afterwards.  While Silver might have found some peace, I haven¡¯t.  I need more.  Sars claims you took a liking to us.  Is that the truth?¡±


    ¡°Silver is the clone of a legendary hero, raised by another hero.  That¡¯s the best start you could dream of.¡±  Kara looked at her sideways.  ¡°In comparison, what¡¯re you?  An orphan from nowhere.  Sure, you¡¯ve above-average abilities backed by hard work, but can¡¯t you see the difference?  You¡¯re already two years older.  Do you think that gap will shrink?¡±


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    ¡°On a whim, I decide to give you the strength to survive¡­ and maybe stay together.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I pushed you harder, but the training was the same.  Silver¡¯s talent simply made it easier for him.  Have you not noticed how he holds himself back around you?¡±


    He does?  She¡¯d sometimes suspected, but¡­  That must end.


    ¡°Also, aren¡¯t you forgetting Arther Bard was a summoner?  Silver hasn¡¯t even begun exploring this side of his potential.¡±


    ¡°If you can¡¯t overcome your resentment and accept the renown of being ¡®Kara¡¯s disciple¡¯, you¡¯ve no chance of keeping up.  You¡¯ll either drag him down or watch him ascend while withering away.¡±


    Kara got up, ¡°In the end, I gave you an opportunity.  Make of it what you will.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡±  Kate said to empty air.  The immortal had leapt away.  She¡¯s so aggravating.


    Kate sat contemplating.  ¡®Dragging Silver down¡¯ isn¡¯t an option.  There was still much to process, but perhaps she too could come to terms.


    Above, phoenixes left their perches on the Helix and circled down.  The burial is beginning soon.  They¡¯d light the path to the Tomb of Legends.  It was time to grieve the man who¡¯d rescued her long ago.

 [Chapter 56] Lily – The Storm Fleet

    [Chapter 56] Lily ¨C The Storm Fleet


    -----------------------------


    Lily and Astra watched the horizon-spanning storm from the western ramparts. We can¡¯t blame the HEAVENLY DAO for this one. Similarly to fame, hurricanes and typhoons had attracted the Ether¡¯s attention by capturing mankind¡¯s awe. Scaling up in size and speed, their calm centers were replaced with tornado-forming vortexes. Maelstorms reached so high no sunlight could penetrate, yet lightning struck so frequently at all elevations that their interior was always lit.


    Their edges became sharp. While forty mile winds were sweeping the Isle, the approaching wall was gusting at three hundred. The wards will drop that in half, but there¡¯ll be damage.


    Lily sighed. I didn¡¯t reach the Underground Coliseum, as expected¡­ I should¡¯ve burned my way in when Rose first suggested the possibility. She cursed herself for the hundredth time.


    She was done with childishness. Sarah is gone tomorrow. While she¡¯d remain eternally bitter, she¡¯d never again shirk her responsibilities. The costs are too high. Lily gazed up melancholically. For two thousand years, Arther prodded me ¡®grow up¡¯, but only his death was able to reach me. Why am I so stubborn?


    She shook her head. I should focus on the present. She¡¯d finished her mourning at the burial. Be more like Astra. Lily turned to her companion staring out at sea. She didn¡¯t cry this time either¡­ It was the same for Jenna and Ethan. What self-control is that? Just how deeply is she jaded?


    ¡°Do you believe another Dark Age is coming?¡± she asked hoping to distract herself. ¡°I really don¡¯t want to go through that again¡­¡±


    ¡°Nero claims something on the level of the White Dragon will happen tonight.¡± Astra answered. ¡°We can only pray it doesn¡¯t result in the worst.¡±


    After a silence, Lily continued, ¡°According to Argadon, it¡¯ll be the third time.¡±


    ¡°Third what?¡± That got her attention.


    ¡°The third time Torak wages war on existence. Apparently, this world is Idia¡¯s second attempt at life. There was another place before that. A heaven where angelic beings lived. Torak smashed it into a billion pieces. Those¡ª¡ª¡± She pointed to the barely visible stars. ¡°Are the scattered remnants of that paradise.¡±


    Lily smirked, ¡°Can you imagine how pissed he must¡¯ve been? To have won twice, only to have life survive¡­¡±


    Astra considered carefully and rendered her verdict, ¡°You should spend less time speaking with ancient dragon gods. It¡¯s not good for your mental health.¡±


    What? ¡°It¡¯s true. Argadon¡ª¡ª¡± Lily began then the maelstorm hit.


    Even with the Isle and Rose Palace¡¯s wards, Lily was knocked back. Astra quickly put up a third layer of protection. She¡¯s better with air. Visibility dropped to a mile as mist barreled by and lightning assaulted the city¡¯s invisible defenses.


    ¡°Should we remain?¡± Lily enhanced her voice to speak through the howling wind. ¡°We could survey far better from the ISF¡¯s building.¡± While their location had made sense to watch the approaching maelstorm, Lily was growing anxious over Kain¡¯s arm.


    ¡°This evening I received a tip from Gareth Black. The Knights of Oranda might¡¯ve deployed the Storm Fleet.¡± Astra answered.


    ¡°Even they can¡¯t sail that.¡± Lily gestured to the rampaging elements.


    ¡°Wrong,¡± Astra corrected. ¡°While they may never have done so before, they have Karissa and the ¡®Eye of the Storm¡¯. You should know.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Lily said in sinking realization. Sure, with the Knight of the Tempest, it¡¯s possible. Damn.


    The Knights of Oranda were formed during the Dark Age in response to a collapsing world. In the name of courage, they rallied the brave to wage war on Sola¡¯s forces, acting as a quick-response strike force specialized in hunting undead. The ships they rode were called the Storm Fleet from their frequent and lengthy trips into vilestorms. On these excursions, one of the knight commanders, Karissa Surhelm, had made herself known with her mastery over air. Wherever she traveled, malevolent winds were completely suppressed. So noticeable was this that soldiers began referring to her as the ¡®Eye of the Storm¡¯. This legend crystallized becoming a Sublime Vagary. I suppose there¡¯s no reason it wouldn¡¯t work on maelstorms too¡­


    ¡°Could you check using ¡®Godly Reach¡¯?¡± Astra asked.


    Please, let her be wrong this once. Activating her ability, Lily¡¯s heart sank when she felt a bubble of stillness ten miles out. ¡°Found them. There¡¯s about a hundred in a mile wide area. They¡¯ll be here in two minutes.¡±


    ¡°So it¡¯s confirmed.¡± Astra channeled a surge of power, and a two foot figure emerged, armored in ice. Sharp white blades sprung from its back, and frost fire from its head. A greater winter sprite.


    ¡°Warn Miki.¡± Astra said. The fae warrior flicked its wings and sped away leaving a frost trail. It was briefly blown off course leaving the palace, but then powered through the gale. Miki will relay the alert. While too much for ordinary fairies, lightning sprites easily cut through these winds. Storm is their element. Inexplicably, Astra conjured another messenger, sending it downward.


    ¡°What was that?¡± Lily asked.


    ¡°A call for backup.¡± Astra offered cryptically. I hate her habit of keeping others in the dark. To their right, streaks of electricity were fanning out from the Guild. Many immortals and saints were present this time around. She and Astra had seen to that. The Isle¡¯s independence is at stake.


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    Lily reach out again. Five miles.  Eighteen battleships belonged to the Knights of Oranda, and the rest were Empire. An invasion force.


    ¡°Eye of the Storm.¡± Boomed a voice from the Blue Abyss, and a wave of clarity hit the Isle. Before them, an armada glided forward above turbulent water. The maelstorm had been pushed back seven miles in all directions, forming a sphere of tranquility. Far off, lighting flashed unceasingly along its border. This was so useful during the Dark Age¡­ It sucks having it turned against us.


    Recognizable silhouettes stood on the decks. This is the worst.  If the Knights were here, so too was their leadership. Besides Karissa, they were facing Grengil Sage, the Chaos Knight, and Alexard Deon, the Knight of Gilded Blades. All three have become monstrously strong.


    The Knights of Oranda hadn¡¯t disbanded, knowing the threat wasn¡¯t over. Instead, they¡¯d expanded, preparing for the day they¡¯d be called on again. Damn you, Lithorn. If the stars vanish, we¡¯ll need them. How had he won them over?


    Lily turned to the Empire¡¯s flagship, recognizing the figures at its front. Cedric Grinfield, Coralin Dorate, and Zavier Lithorn, the Northern Emperor¡¯s great-great-grandson. They were issues too, especially the last. Since before the dark age, Zavier had lead the Bloodstone Order, the military faction forming the backbone of the empire¡¯s might. He didn¡¯t shy from conflicts, preferring a forceful hands-on approach. This hadn¡¯t endeared him to many, but millennia of taking to the field personally had transformed him into a titan.


    Worried, Lily scanned rooftops. Kara, Sars, Radin, Legonas, Agata, Simon and a dozen others were on golden structures. The rest were spread out elsewhere, with Gareth Black on the ISF headquarters. Oh, that¡¯s nice. Scary people are best on your side.


    Partly reassured, she faced forward. They¡¯ll try diplomacy before force. Unexpectedly, the first to speak was Grengil Sage, his voice roaring out as the armada slowed.


    ¡°Kara, are you glad? Our long awaited opportunity to throw down has arrived!¡± He wore a wild smile and clutched a golden quarterstaff. Blades offer no advantages against the undead.


    ¡°What about you, Chaos Knight?¡± Kara answered back, baring fangs in a grin. ¡°Are you happy to have stumbled on a chance to duel which satisfies your stifling honor?¡±


    Both parties were clearly thrilled. At least someone¡¯s having a blast. Grengil rivaled the Beast of Sanrune in battle lust. He¡¯s a wonderful ally in a fight, but a pain the rest of the time.


    ¡°Not yet.¡± Alexard snapped sternly, flanking Grengil with Karissa.


    ¡°Kara, same deal.¡± Astra added icily. I¡¯m so glad it¡¯s not my job to rein those two in.


    ¡°To the matter at hand,¡± Zavier Lithorn began. ¡°Our¡ª¡ª¡±


    KA-BOOOOOM. The largest lightning strike Lily had ever seen split the space between them. The subsequent thunder caused her ears to ring.


    ¡°That was to remind you of this place¡¯s true overlord.¡± Siegfried voice echoed from the sky. ¡°Keep damages to a minimum.¡±


    That¡¯s rich. After everything, the HEAVENLY DAO wants to pretend it cares?  Despite her irritation, she understood. This was the military of a foreign power hovering off-shore. The pressure strengthens our hand, so I should be thankful.


    ¡°We¡¯ll do our best.¡± Zavier bowed before empty air. Even that brute knows to show respect. ¡°Once again, our demands are simple. Surrender the Isle of the Dreams.¡±


    Astra turned to the Knight of Gilded Blades, ¡°I¡¯m disappointed to find you here, Deon. Why are you threatening the Isle?¡±


    ¡°To prevent another age of tragedy.¡± Alexard answered solemny. ¡°Nero should have warned you about tonight. While the Knights accept your children are untainted, there¡¯s merit to the Northern Emperor¡¯s claims as well. Your daughter¡¯s ability to open the Pillar is risk we can¡¯t ignore, as is the lengths Samuel Lithorn is willing to go to prevent it.¡± Alexard gave Zavier a sidelong glance.


    I see. The empire would¡¯ve acted with or without the Knights. They feared what that confrontation might¡¯ve triggered and chose to influence its outcome.


    ¡°We¡¯re prepared to offer safe passage to any who wish to depart.¡± Alexard continued. ¡°This can end without bloodshed.¡±


    Zavier objected, ¡°That¡¯s not what we¡ª¡ª¡±


    ¡°The emperor only cares that the pillar remains unopened.¡± Alexard snapped. ¡°Removing Hope Skyfell achieves this aim.¡±


    Lily sighed. So this is their gambit. Give Lithorn a win to avoid the worse. They¡¯re no doubt hoping a show of force will make us back down.


    Astra focused on Alexard, ¡°You¡¯re siding with a villain. Didn¡¯t the Knights have principles?¡±


    ¡°Half of humanity perished last time.¡± Karissa countered. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t preventing a repeat be the highest principle of all? No one wants hostilities here.¡± Grendil and Kara would disagree. ¡°Won¡¯t you be reasonable?¡±


    Astra shook her head, ¡°Because you¡¯re vastly underestimating the premium the Cultivating Realm puts on honor. They¡¯ll take this as a declaration of war, sparking a global conflict. The Grey Kingdom and others will take advantage of this chaos. Millions will die.¡±


    ¡°You could be right.¡± Alexard said sadly. ¡°Unfortunately, we¡¯ve already committed ourselves. ¡®Forge of Creation¡¯.¡± The air flashed brilliantly as thousands of golden blades pierced their way into existence. Some were the size of trees, and all were aimed at the Isle. ¡°You should realize the difference in military¡­ potential¡­¡± He trailed off. What?


    Lily spun to see a giant bird soaring into view, wings pulsating with the blue of frost fire. Astra¡¯s phoenix¡­ Her eyes widened at what followed in its wake. Circling up the pillar, a host of ice dragons scattered to perch on the Helix. I once asked why she chose them as her first line of defense. ¡®Because they can fly¡¯ she answered.


    ¡°Anticipating the worst,¡± Astra explained calmly. ¡°I had my phoenix lead them here through the Darklands. The Mask of Xarst can keep Earth¡¯s End safe alone.¡±


    Expressions had turned ugly across the armada. Crafted over millennia by the strongest ice mage, those dragons weren¡¯t normal. My phoenixes would also be more impressive if I lived in volcano. She was tempted to unleash Fayla, but reconsidered. That¡¯s the immaturity I¡¯m casting away.


    ¡°So what now?¡± Astra asked. Will they back off?


    Before Alexard could answer, an airship raced up and made a frantic announcement, ¡°Nirvan is under attack by the Laughing Man and requests immediate assistance! Two towns, fifteen thousand souls, have fallen to Kain¡¯s curse. If they aren¡¯t stopped, the country will be overrun.¡±


    As everyone absorbed the news, Cedric jumped onto the Nirvan craft.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Zavier demanded.


    ¡°I can prioritize.¡± Cedric barked back. ¡°Countless lives are at risk, and I¡¯m one of the few who can drive that madman off. The Isle can wait.¡±


    A nervous tension settled as the interloper sped away. The one to break it was Grengil, ¡°Say, Kara, my role is to keep you occupied. So if you were to¡­¡±


    She got the gist, ¡°Then let¡¯s go.¡±


    As the battle junkies disappeared, so too did the menacing weaponry hovering above. ¡°I¡¯m declaring a cease fire.¡± Alexard turned to Karissa, ¡°Can you control the situation here?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± The Knight of the Tempest answered.


    By her side, Astra issued her own proclamation, ¡°The Knights of Oranda are guaranteeing a truce. All those who with the courage, accompany me.¡± She plunged downward, and dozens from both sides followed her.


    You¡¯re kidding¡­ It¡¯d happened so fast Lily couldn¡¯t object. She looked nervously to Zavier, who shouted angrily, ¡°Karissa, you don¡¯t really expect me to stand idle?¡±


    ¡°You will.¡± Karrisa answered calmly. ¡°Or I¡¯ll collapse ¡®Eye of the Storm¡¯¡±


    Zavier hesitated, ¡°You wouldn¡¯t dare¡­¡±


    Karissa laughed, ¡°How do you think I earned my title? I¡¯m more than capable of fending off this weather. Are you as confident?¡±


    Seething, Zavier said nothing. Coralin addressed him from behind, ¡°This mission depends on the cover of the Maelstorm. You should take some men and deal with the distraction promptly. I¡¯ll remain.¡±


    I¡¯ve heard enough. Certain the Isle safe, Lily spread her wings.

 [Chapter 57] The Laughing Man – Like Old Times

    [Chapter 57] The Laughing Man ¨C Like Old Times


    -----------------------------


    I love maelstorms.  It was especially wondrous when they made landfall somewhere unprepared, scraping everything away.  That crushing despair when survivors can¡¯t even recognize the barren landscape¡­  Sometimes it¡¯s nice to savor tragedies not caused by oneself.  Variety was the spice of life.


    Most of Nirvan had shut down except for four towns.  Far inland from the Blue Abyss and deep under the earth, they¡¯d resolved to strengthen their wards to celebrate into the night.  Partygoers from all over had flocked to these islands of festivities.  Former island in this case.


    Relaxing on the tallest building, he soaked in the wails and muffled sobbing.  Like old times.  Staking hundreds to the walls had brought back a wave of nostalgia.  I don¡¯t do this much anymore.  When toiling on grand endeavors, there simply wasn¡¯t time for the little pleasures.  Even now, he didn¡¯t have the luxury to properly appreciate the chaos.


    While the first village had gone down smoothly, he¡¯d been interrupted the second time around.  Two saints and an immortal had attempted to thwart him.  Sadly, the latter had escaped, which meant others would be alerted.  Hence an element of time pressure.


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    He sighed.  I shouldn¡¯t complain, tonight was a treat.  On top of the maelstorm, foresight was on the fritz all over Enera.  Torak¡¯s work, I imagine.  As a result, he¡¯d enjoyed a rare freedom of operations.


    The Laughing Man contemplated the saints struggling opposite him.  I¡¯ve changed.  The old him would¡¯ve been madly convulsing.  I was once so naive and easily satisfied¡­   Today such mundane suffering only elicited a serene smile.


    He frowned.  What happens when saints fall to Kain¡¯s curse?  Ah right, they get stronger.  It¡¯s immortals who grow weaker.  They lost their sublime vagaries, artifacts, and centuries of skill.  The end product was always inferior.


    Faintly, ¡®Eye of The Storm¡¯ drifted to his ear.  No more playing.  He leapt, tossing a cannister behind.  As he breached the wards and was embraced by howling winds, he heard the explosion.  Another digit deployed.  In truth, he thought poorly of the Isle¡¯s recent outbreak.  So wasteful.


    He glanced back at the distant blaze on the horizon.  That¡¯s how you do it.  Since despair was a vector for infection, preemptively staking victims obviously produced superior results.  Bonus points if there were plenty huddling in fear nearby.


    Enough self-praise.  Soon frightening monsters would show up.  Although those saints will help, fifteen thousand won¡¯t be enough.  I must use the third.  He dropped towards another blissfully partying town.

 [Chapter 58] Hope – Mithril Bullets

    [Chapter 58] Hope ¨C Mithril Bullets


    -----------------------------


    Hope and her siblings had watched everything from the South Wing¡¯s top floor. The Rose Palace had been evacuated and placed on lockdown.  It should almost be as secure as the Inner Palace. They¡¯d remain there until Wise deemed it too dangerous.


    This fragile peace is more frustrating than the standoff. Of course, Hope understood they were powerless to act, but that didn¡¯t change her feelings. The worst is nothing has been resolved. Whatever disaster had befallen Nirvan, it¡¯d merely delayed the conflict. The mealstorm continued swirling beyond the menacing off-shore fleet.


    As Hope paced the upstairs lounge, her wrystal flashed. ¡®A package was dropped off for Hope Skyfell. It¡¯s on a shelf at the gatehouse. Pick it up at your convenience. ¡ª¡ªPalace Administration¡¯


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    What¡¯s this? Hope eyed the message suspiciously until the realization hit her. The mithril bullets I ordered! Orthos Braslin had offered to drop them off when they arrived.


    Wait, they¡¯re just sitting on a shelf? Hope remembered the fortune she¡¯d spent on them, and the blood drained from her face.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be right back.¡± She rushed off. The palace might be deserted, but there¡¯s no way I am leaving them out in the open.


    She burst into the gatehouse and was relieved to see a brown box. That must be it. She then froze noticing a almond-haired man sitting besides the shelf. Why does he seem familiar?


    ¡°Good evening, Hope.¡± The stranger rose. ¡°I¡¯m Sion Gale. It¡¯s a pleasure to finally meet the reason I¡¯ve been stuck on the Isle of Dreams.¡±


    Oh, no. Why is the ¡®Child Killer¡¯ here? I¡¯m screwed¡­


    ¡°Funny story,¡± Said a voice behind her. ¡°But the gatehouse is a weird blind spot in the palace¡¯s defenses. Lily¡¯s phoenixes don¡¯t notice what happens here.¡±


    Sarah stood at the entrance, ¡°The Laughing Man wished me to relay some wisdom: ¡¯An insistence on doing everything oneself and a refusal to rely on others¡­ Both are exploitable flaws which lead protagonists to their downfall.¡¯¡±

 [Chapter 59] Wise – A Desperate Chase

    [Chapter 59] Wise ¨C A Desperate Chase


    -----------------------------


    ¡°Something¡¯s wrong.¡±  A terrible premonition had struck Wise.  ¡°Where¡¯s Hope?¡±  He lead the others through the palace only to find her dimensional pouches on the gatehouse¡¯s floor.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, she isn¡¯t dead.¡±  Rose exclaimed quickly.  ¡°We would¡¯ve found her body.  They must be afraid of Simon¡¯s pendant.¡±


    ¡°The Underground Coliseum!¡±  Free exclaimed.  ¡°If they kill her there, Simon won¡¯t be able to intervene.¡±


    Rose grew frantic, ¡°We must find the passage.  She¡¯s just been taken, it might still be open.¡±


    ¡°Everyone to the Undercity,¡±  Dawn declared.  ¡°I¡¯ll go ahead with Rose and Wise.¡±


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    Grabbing them both, his sister leapt onto the palace and again towards the Pillar, summoning wings.  She asked Rose, ¡°Where¡¯s the general location?  I know you spent the day looking.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a red light district.¡±  Rose said.  ¡°I¡¯ll point it out.¡±


    They skydived, plummeting the interior with five phoenixes in their wake.  Passing the pillar¡¯s base, a scorched city came into view.


    ¡°There!¡±  Rose signaled some rundown buildings.  ¡°We must check everywhere, especially inside buildings.¡±


    Dawn and Rose channeled their full power, releasing waves of blue and red sprites.  As they spread out, Wise concentrated.  ¡°Got it!¡±  He shouted with mixture of relief and fear.  ¡°It¡¯s behind machinery in a warehouse one layer down.  It¡¯ll close in forty seconds.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll see about that.¡±  Dawn said tersely.  Following his directions, she dropped towards a large roof, wrapped her wings around them, and crashed through.  Once the dust settled, they found a red fairy near an enormous rusted engine.  Dawn flung it aside to reveal a bright passageway.


    ¡°Keep it open as long as you can.¡±  Rose jumped outside.  ¡°I¡¯ll have my firebirds release flares.¡±


    While Dawn froze the doorway, Wise desperately searched.  I know we¡¯ll all make it inside, but will we reach Hope in time?

 [Chapter 60] Hope – The Underground Coliseum

    [Chapter 60] Hope ¨C The Underground Coliseum


    -----------------------------


    ¡°Why is it still open?¡±


    Hope regained consciousness, wincing at the throbbing in her skull. Her arms and legs were restrained with rope. They knew to not use metal.


    ¡°Maybe debris is blocking the passage. Give it a second.¡±


    The first voice was Sarah Godspeed. Orthos Braslin was the second. Hope chuckled soundlessly. They set me up good.


    Playing dead, she sneaked a peak. For a second, she recognized the Stone Coliseum, but then saw a bright cavern ceiling. The Underground Coliseum. Twenty feet away, Orthos was kneeling and fiddling with something. Sion Gale sat nearby on a golden chair while Sarah was above, grimacing impatiently at a podium.


    Hope discretely tested her bonds. Must be an unearthly material. All her equipment was gone. I only have the metal around my arms.


    ¡°Finally!¡± Sarah yelled triumphantly. ¡°It¡¯s sealed.¡±


    ¡°So time to kill her?¡± Sion got up. Am I about to¡ª¡ª.


    ¡°No!¡± Sarah cried sharply. ¡°Not yet.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Sion lowered his spear.


    ¡°Have you forgotten how the amulet works? ¡°The way in might be closed now, but it wasn¡¯t a minute ago. Simon Black is a master at time manipulation. Try anything and he could show himself.¡± Sarah pointed to an opening in the arena¡¯s wall. That must be the secret passage.


    ¡°So what do we do?¡± Sion frowned.


    ¡°We wait.¡± Sarah answered. ¡°The Laughing Man¡¯s instructions were clear: five minutes after shutting the exit. Only then will it be safe.¡±


    ¡°Do as she says.¡± Orthos chimed in. ¡°Simon scared the daylights out of me when he appeared at my shop. If not for the explosives, I would¡¯ve been caught.¡±


    ¡°Fine¡± Sion collapsed with a sigh, ¡°I¡¯ve waited weeks, what¡¯s five more minutes?¡±


    I must get free¡­ Hope gathering steel near her hands and created serrated blades, slowly sawing through. She repeated the process for her ankles. ¡­ Now what? She was confined with an immortal, with only enough metal for a single blade.


    I really screwed up. In the end, all her efforts had lead nowhere. No, it¡¯s worse than that. Her drive to improve had been exploited to bait her. Orthos dangled some mithril and that¡¯s all it took. She knew she was weak and had tried to change, but it was useless. Her eyes watered. And now I¡¯m crying. She hated that.


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    Suddenly a violent wind swept the arena. She felt herself dragged away and discovered herself on the far side with Light knelling nearby, dimensional pouches in hand.


    ¡°Why is it all or nothing with you?¡± Her brother said. ¡°Becoming strong is great, but you don¡¯t need to do it alone.¡± Behind him, the others arrived, phoenixes in tow.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Hope wiped her face and took her equipment.  They are amazing, making it here. If we survive, I¡¯ll try to be less stubborn.


    ¡°What a touching reunion.¡± Sion mocked, ripping the sandstorm apart with one swing of his spear. The immortal stood poised adorned by golden armor. In stark contrast, Orthos stared wide-eyed, and Sarah¡¯s mouth hung open.


    ¡°How¡¯s this possible¡­¡± Sarah mumbled. ¡°Sion! Didn¡¯t you notice them coming?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯ve known for a while.¡± The immortal answered smugly. ¡°But so what? The entrance is closed. I admit Simon Black is intimidating, but nine brats who aren¡¯t even saints? Why are you panicking?¡±


    ¡°I was just thrown off.¡± Sarah composed herself. ¡°I don¡¯t like surprises. You should¡¯ve warned me.¡±


    ¡°I suppose I could¡¯ve¡­¡± Sion admitted, turning. ¡°Did you finish rigging the arm?¡±


    ¡°Yes, timer is set.¡± Orthos affirmed nervously.


    ¡°Great,¡± Sion seized the container and tossed it in a high arc. Everyone froze as the explosive-ladened biological weapon spun through the air. A horrified Sarah caught it with both arms, then laughed softly in relief.


    ¡°ARE YOU MAD?¡± She screamed.


    Sion spoke coldly, ¡°Activate the Blood Arena¡¯s barrier. If one of them makes it out, I won¡¯t be able to guarantee your safety.¡±


    Sarah reacted instantly, slapping a palm on the podium. The arena¡¯s opening slammed shut, and they felt a forcefield locking them in.


    ¡°What about me?¡± Orthos panicked. ¡°I¡¯m stuck here too!¡±


    Sion shrugged, ¡°you¡¯ve already fulfilled your role. Protecting you is no longer critical. My apologies. Do your best to survive.¡± His partner cursed foully.


    ¡°What are your plans for Kain¡¯s arm?¡± Rose demanded.


    Sion cocked his head playfully, ¡°I suppose there¡¯s no reason not to tell you¡­¡±


    ¡°Sion!¡± Sarah exclaimed.


    ¡°We¡¯ve got fifty minutes to waste. What¡¯s the harm of enlightening them? Unless you believe I might lose¡­¡± Before this open menace, Sarah shrunk back.


    ¡°So the arm¡­¡± Sion continued. ¡°I¡¯ll be chucking it into the Hollow under the Pillar. Thanks to Karissa¡¯s ¡®Eye of the Storm¡¯, the pulverized fragments will scatter across the lower Isle and Spiral City, the two safe havens thousands are being evacuated to.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Rose stuttered.


    ¡°Both will be overrun.¡± Soul concluded.


    Sion smirked, ¡°Nirvan will indeed go up in flames, but the Isle conveniently has an army moored off-shore. Faced with the disaster, Karissa will be forced to stand aside. I¡¯ll be joining Xavier and Coralin in suppressing the werewolves. Once the dust settles, the Isle will belong to Lithorn. Hope Skyfell¡¯s death will be the icing on his cake.¡±


    How vile. ¡°Orthos!¡± Hope hollered. ¡°Why¡¯d you do it?¡± His betrayal hurts most.


    The middle-aged man flinched, ¡°Adventuring as a demolitionist is expensive. I must spend months manning the shop for each expedition, so I¡¯m always looking for extra cash. With the sums offered, I couldn¡¯t say no.¡±


    Hope shook her head. At least I will never be like him. No matter how power hungry, she would never sacrifice others.


    ¡°This concludes our Q and A.¡± Sion said. ¡°Sarah, initiate a deathmatch.¡±


    ¡°You sure?¡± Sarah asked, blood draining from her face.


    Sion sneered, ¡°You¡¯re about to be complicit in the murder of millions. Don¡¯t get cold feet just because you must dirty your own hands.¡±


    Sarah grimaced, and searing red runes appeared on the walls.


    ¡°We¡¯re now trapped. The Blood arena won¡¯t open until one side is dead.¡± Sion smiled nonchalantly. ¡°This was how Arther met his end. He chased me, the impersonator, only to find the real thing. Ironic, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Stop playing around,¡± Sarah shouted. ¡°and get this over with.¡±


    ¡°You heard the lady.¡± Sion swaggered forwards. ¡°You¡¯re facing a living legend. You should understand, right? How powerful I am.¡±


    They did. We¡¯re probably going to die, but we¡¯ll go down fighting. She gripped her revolvers. I¡¯ve a bullet with his name on it, dammit.

 [Chapter 61] Rose – Blood Arena

    [Chapter 61] Rose ¨C Blood Arena


    -----------------------------


    Sion Gale, the Child Killer¡­ His affinity is creation, with a minor in air. Possessing the vast experience of anyone on the wall. No obvious weaknesses. Rose grimaced. I should have predicted he¡¯d be here, but what choice was there?


    ¡°Hope first.¡± Sion dashed forward so fast their eyes had trouble following. Nooooo! Sion jumped back as the ground exploded. Thank goodness they made it in time.


    ¡°Lily¡¯s phoenixes¡­¡± Sion muttered looking up. ¡°A bit of a pain.¡±


    As I suspected, my familiars are the only ones who can keep up. ¡°Don¡¯t let him get close,¡± Rose shouted. ¡°And stay grouped so I can protect us!¡±


    Sion laughed, ¡°You think you can keep me away?¡±


    This time the others reacted. Roots, ice, fire, sand, and steel flew to greet the immortal, yet he circled around dodging and deflecting all. His relaxed demeanor spoke volumes on how the battle was proceeding.


    My Firebirds will tire at this rate.  I must pace them¡­ Unfortunately, as soon as she did, Sion found an opening.


    Soul moved to intercept while sand engulfed him, creating two duplicates. Oh, no.


    Sion smirked, ¡°Die.¡± He let loose simultaneous strikes on all three copies. Two collapsed while the third barely deflected the blow to his shoulder. The spear tore through the ice armor and nicked off an inch flesh. If it can injure Soul so easily¡­


    Before Sion could strike again, a grenade came flying, and a frozen wall sprung up to shield them from the blast. BOOM. As the shattered ice collapsed, they saw the immortal relaxing, spear on shoulders.


    ¡°RSF too.¡± He mused. ¡°Another hassle.¡±


    Rose took advantage of the pause to study his weapon. The shaft appeared mithril, but the blade was something else. Ivory of some kind, sharpened and enchanted. Her thoughts were interrupted when Sion began crafting a white spell circle.


    ¡°Let¡¯s spread you out.¡± He snickered. We can¡¯t let him! Despite their best attempts, Sion calmly evaded while completing his magecraft. ¡°Atmospheric Explosion.¡±


    A gust of assaulted her from the side. She turned to find Wise stabbing the air with staff. It was mostly canceled.


    ¡°I won¡¯t let you cast your magic.¡± He declared.


    ¡°Fine, we¡¯ll do this the hard way.¡± Sion sighed, stalking them again.


    He¡¯s definitely playing around. Sion had murdered dozens of tourists throwing spears, yet he¡¯d refrained from projectiles so far. Since he has ¡®time to waste¡¯, he intends to kill us at close range. This arrogance is keeping us alive, giving Free the chance to sow her seeds. Green sprouts were popping up around the arena. Their foe soon spotted them too.


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    ¡°What¡¯s this? Looks troublesome¡­¡± Sion faced Free. ¡°Your work¡­?¡±


    He charged forward, and her sister reacted by unleashing a flood of vegetation with the Branch of Creation. To their surprise, Sion powered straight through, his spear carving a path as if digging a tunnel. How sharp is that thing?  To their horror, they discovered the uncut roots surging past were protecting Sion from outside attack. Free¡¯s too preoccupied to notice!


    As he entered killing range, Wise yelled, ¡°Slow.¡± Sion¡¯s eyes widened as he was overwhelmed, and he quickly cut a route to safety. He wasn¡¯t expecting¡ª¡ª.


    What are they doing? Rose panicked as Kate and Silver sprinted around towards Orthos. If he realizes¡­ I can¡¯t cover them that far away!  Fortunately, Sion was fixated on Wise.


    ¡°You used time manipulation? On ME?¡± Sion seethed. ¡°You¡¯re¡ª¡ª¡± He was interrupted mid-sentence by cries for help.


    We must distract him! Reading her mind, a loud BANG rang out, capturing the immortal¡¯s full attention. He scowled and hopped back, spear whirling too fast to see. Hope¡¯s mithril tracking bullets. For a few seconds, Sion danced around fending off a persistent invisible threat. Once he¡¯d swatted the last one, he found a screaming Orthos Braslin flying towards him. The immortal initially prepared to knock the man away, then reconsidered. Even he isn¡¯t comfortable striking an ally.


    Rose¡¯s eyes widened when she saw Silver and Kate running behind Orthos. As Sion caught the demolitionist, Kate grabbed his lowered spear. The cat eared girl donned full aura armor and held with such force the immortal couldn¡¯t break free. Next Silver jumped and collided with Orthos wearing the same aura armor. Rose winced as the owner of Dragon¡¯s Breath met his end between an immortal and a human battering ram. Under the impact, Sion was forced back, spear pried from his grasp.


    This is our chance. Rose sent a phoenix on a kamikaze attack backed by the others. Worth the sacrifice.


    ¡°Soul, slice it!¡± Rose yelled. Upon returning from Lost World, her brother had trained day and night, mastering of a technique called ¡®condensed blizzard marrow¡¯. His hardened body could now unleash Heaven Splitter while only suffering mild fractures. A second use breaks bones half the time. Kate threw the spear in front of Soul, and he obliterated it with Diamonds Edge¡¯s illusory grace. Yes!


    Sion finished off the berserking phoenix. He observed Orthos¡¯s corpse and his weapon¡¯s remains, his jaw clenched in fury.


    ¡°Now you¡¯ve done it.¡± He said coldly, shooting towards Silver and Kate. Not good, they¡¯re still too far. Rose desperately sent her firebirds in pursuit. However, the immortal suddenly switched directions and accelerated straight at her.


    Oh¡­ Rose barely had time for surprise before a golden spear struck her midsection. So that¡¯s his real speed¡­ He really was holding back¡­


    Rose experienced the familiar pain of being torn apart. When she came to, she saw her legs a couple of feet away. That¡¯s too much, even for Free¡­ Above her, Sion looked down with a scornful smile. *Kill him*. All remaining phoenixes began a frenzied assault. Hopefully that¡¯ll help. She didn¡¯t want the others dying because of the shock.


    As Rose attempted to slow the blood loss, she felt Wise at her side. In tears, he dragged her lower body closer. That¡¯s not going to work, you know?


    With her vision fading, Rose contemplated. I¡¯ve experienced so many deaths in coliseums. It¡¯s strange knowing this time will be the last. The searing pain was growing hazy. After finally learning who I am and escaping the arctic, this is how it ends? Not fair¡­ There¡¯s still so much to do¡­


    ¡­

 [Chapter 62] Wise – Blood Arena II

    [Chapter 62] Wise ¨C Blood Arena II


    -----------------------------


    Wise cradled Rose, weeping.  Everything, all of it, is my fault.  He should¡¯ve anticipated Hope¡¯s kidnapping.  He could¡¯ve warned Rose.  Yet he¡¯d failed because he¡¯d been content to wallow in inadequacy.  And his sister had paid the price.


    I WILL NEVER LIE AGAIN.  THIS I SWEAR.  Biting down furiously, Wise did what he should¡¯ve done weeks ago.  As he tasted blood, the dynamics of the chaotic fight became clear.  Sion was fending off berserking phoenixes while his siblings pursued in a blind rage.  This wouldn¡¯t last.  Once Rose¡¯s familiars fell, they¡¯d be slain one by one.  The future held a massacre.  Unless I change it.


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    I WILL PROTECT MY SIBLINGS NO MATTER WHAT.  NEVER AGAIN WILL I PROCRASTINATE OR DELAY.  THIS I SWEAR.  Even if late, the declaration felt good.  But it¡¯s not nearly enough.  To overturn this hopeless situation, to redeem himself, he needed more.


    Sion smashed a firebird out of existence.  Two left¡­  Time was running out, yet his mind blanked on what to pledge.  There were so many possibilities, but none promising enough.  As another phoenix was impaled, he saw Soul charge fearlessly, and the answer hit him.


    I WILL BE A HERO.  I WILL SLAY ALL EVILS BEFORE ME.  I WILL DEFEND THE DEFENSELESS.  I WILL BE THE TORCH THAT ILLUMINATED THE DARKNESS.  I WILL BE THE WALL THAT PROTECTS ALL, EVEN AT THE COST OF MY LIFE.  THIS I SWEAR.  He chomped down hard.


    Clarity washed over him surpassing anything before.  Blood running from his mouth, Wise tore off his headband and yelled, ¡°All-Knowing Grasp!¡±

 [Chapter 63] Sion – Blood Arena III

    [Chapter 63] Sion ¨C Blood Arena III


    -----------------------------


    Got you!  Sion shattered the last phoenix.  Now finishing this will be simple.


    Bang, bang, bang.  Bullets whizzed by harmlessly.  It¡¯ll be over long before those start hitting.  Since the Blood Arena¡¯s stakes were real, the blessing was in full effect.


    Eight left.  Who¡¯s next?  Sion was angry, but not because of his lost shark-tooth spear.  I was planning on discarding it anyway.  The Northern Emperor had promised him a worthy weapon.  No, he was irritated this farce was lasting so long.


    Amazingly, they even have a prospect of victory, no matter how fleeting.  His foresight warned him of three threats.  The first was Ethan¡¯s clone.  How on Enera did he obtain Diamonds Edge?  Fortunately, ¡®Heaven Splitter¡¯ was easy enough to evade.  Next was Jenna¡¯s clone, the one pointlessly shooting.  She had an unblockable bullet reeking of death.  Which asshole gave her that?  Last, there was Sola¡¯s clone.  He couldn¡¯t let her touch him for some reason.  As long as I¡¯m not immobilized, I¡¯ll be fine.


    Sion chose Astra¡¯s clone.  The ice walls she keeps dropping are annoying.  Zigzagging across to her, he unleashed a flurry of jabs.  The girl guarded with two short swords, barely deflecting the barrage into glancing blows.  Impressive, but this ends soon.  Her ice armor was being stripped away.  Next will be her flesh.


    ¡°Fire Wall!¡±


    A green blaze erupted around his victim, driving him back.  Shocked, Astra¡¯s clone watched the inferno flow harmlessly around her.  She peered behind him, and Sion followed her gaze to Nero¡¯s double, cradling the severed corpse.  The boy looked at him with teary, determined eyes and yelled, ¡°Fire Wall.¡±


    Sion jumped aside.  It couldn¡¯t be¡­?  The tip of his spear was aflame.  He whirled it around, but the weapon burned stubbornly.  Soulfire¡­


    Resembling a brighter ghastfire, soulfire consumed all sorcery its caster deemed hostile.  This included golden constructs as well as magic circulating internally as fuel for martial arts.  With continued exposure, even consciousness would be incinerated away.  As if circumstances weren¡¯t aggravating enough, leave it to Nero¡¯s clone to find the necromancy I despise the most.


    Sion had known fate would be against him.  It was the same back at that village.  He doubted his young opponents realized how much aid they were receiving.  The ground was so slippery it might as well have been covered in oil.  He was compensating with golden puddles, but his speed still suffered.  Otherwise this would¡¯ve concluded ages ago.


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    As the ¡®child killer¡¯, he¡¯d learned much about fighting in such hostile conditions.  Most critically, nothing could be left to chance.  Which makes chaotic elements like soulfire problematic.  Its random spread would be accelerated a dozen fold.  Sion observed the emerald flames surging up his spear, melting and disintegrating.  He grimaced.  Facing soulfire with the odds stacked so heavily against me¡­  If he caught fire, it might take several attempts to extinguish himself.  That¡¯s if I can put it out at all¡­


    Sion threw away his lance, creating another.  How vexing.  This wouldn¡¯t change the outcome, but it¡¯d make the process longer.


    ¡°Fire Wall.¡±  Again?  He hopped back.  What does he hope to accomplish with such predicable¡ª¡ª  ¡°Fire wall. Fire wall.  Fire wall.¡±  Sion scrambled as the Blood Arena became stripped with criss-crossing emerald flames.


    Six times?  Sion experienced a cold sweat.  Necromancy this advanced?  He glanced back and noticed the book gleaming wickedly in the boy¡¯s lap.  A spell circle floated above.  Apprehensively, Sion recalled Nero¡¯s recent statement, ¡®As long as he has the will, the Necronomicon will lend him strength.¡¯


    That book isn¡¯t simply a collection of knowledge.  It¡¯s a catalyst, one which allows casting through its pages!  A chill ran down his spine.  Nero clearly intended his clone to be his replacement.  Did the infallible hero err?  That seemed almost as inconceivable as him losing.


    The boy dies now.  Sion threw his spear.  An ice barrier arose, but the immortal forced it through with telekinesis.  This is no longer a game.  Unfortunately, the aura brats pounced, dragging the slowed weapon into a flaming wall.  Sion sneered at the setback, materializing a dozen javelins in the air.  Let¡¯s see them block this¡­


    A black ninja appeared from nowhere, slicing his golden armor with a powerful downward swing.  He felt a sting as his skin was pierced.  Damnable insect!  Instantly summoning a spear, the immortal aimed for the head.  Destroying the brain prevented substitutions.  You drew blood, but it¡¯ll cost you your miserable life!


    ¡°Freeze.¡±  Sion grunted at the magic.  Although he¡¯d been prepared for more time manipulation, what assaulted him was incomparably stronger.  With his spear boring into the shinobi¡¯s face, he felt the world speed up, and then sand collapsed before him.  These wretched pests¡­


    A feverish grogginess hit him.  A curse from that shinobi blade?  Dodging a grenade, Sion took stock.  It¡¯s not too bad, but I can¡¯t risk a second dose.  If the affliction was the stacking variety, it¡¯d be crippling.  I should give up the offensive.  No catalyst, no matter how powerful, can extend its owner¡¯s strength indefinitely.  Nero¡¯s clone will collapse shortly.


    Sion had reached the Wall through innumerable struggles.  He knew the key to surviving was keeping a cool head before the unexpected.  My opponents may not be saints, but they¡¯re doppelgangers of the strongest immortals, many wielding legendary weapons.  It¡¯s time to stop thinking of them as children.  He¡¯d bide his time for the opportunity to strike.

 [Chapter 64] Dawn – Blood Arena IV

    [Chapter 64] Dawn ¨C Blood Arena IV


    -----------------------------


    Free was spearheading their offensive. Installing herself near Wise, she¡¯d conjured a twisted tree which spread out over the force field enclosing them in. From its branches, roots rained down. If only we could incapacitate him for a second¡­ Meanwhile on the ground, seeds were baring fruit, littering the arena with a variety of deadly proximity mines. Sion was destroying them, but more just kept sprouted.


    Under cover of these distractions, the others were mounting their own attacks. Even Silver and Kate had joined in, darting in and out of flames as they attempted to claw Sion apart. With his lost weapon and Light¡¯s affliction, close combat is no longer suicide. If anyone ran into trouble, Wise manipulated time to help them escape.


    But it¡¯s going nowhere. Apart the small cut Light had inflicted, they¡¯d failed to land a blow. Sion was circling the perimeter while evading everything. He¡¯s obviously waiting for Wise to tire. They were racing against the clock with little to show so far.


    Dawn was distraught, and it wasn¡¯t simply the prospect of death. Everyone else but me has made a critical contribution. Kate and Silver had stolen the ivory-tipped weapon, and Soul had destroyed it. Hope¡¯s mithril bullets had provided the diversion for the theft. Light had cursed their enemy. Free and Wise had taken control of the battlefield. What have I done? Nothing noteworthy. Wise even had to bail me out. The frustration seeped all the way to her bones. Losing is bad enough, but WHY do I have to be outshone by my weaker siblings while it happens?


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    Her mind went quiet as she sent razor icicles flying. I could try that¡­ It was a ludicrous concept she¡¯d dreamed up the other day, one which might serve as a last ditch strategy. But if nothing happens, it¡¯d be humiliating beyond imagination. It¡¯d also cost them their slim shot at victory.


    Too bad I can¡¯t ask Wise. While her brother would know the odds of success, he wouldn¡¯t be able to answer. What she was contemplating would only work as a true gamble. Wagers with known outcomes impress no one. Dawn glanced at her brother crouched with Rose and winced. Determination was holding together a consciousness that should¡¯ve long since departed. We don¡¯t have long¡­


    Then disaster struck when Silver and Kate pursued a particularly bold assault. While Wise¡¯s ¡®freeze¡¯ avoided their immediate demise¡­ They ventured too far. Their aura armor faded before they could reach safety. Gold spear shimmering, Sion lunged and pierced their torsos.


    Noooooo¡­ Everyone lashed out simultaneously, forcing the immortal back. Roots grabbed the two, carrying them to the tree where Free emerged and began treatment. It didn¡¯t look like their lives were at risk, but her sister would be occupied for a few minutes. Sion took three out of play with a single strike.


    Dawn clenched her jaw, grinding her teeth. I won¡¯t accept this. Again, she¡¯d watched loved ones get hurt. Despite being the most amazing person in existence, if she couldn¡¯t protect those she cared for at a time like this, she truly was worthless. Time to live up to my own expectations and take down an immortal.


    ¡°Keep him busy for a minute.¡± She ordered the others. ¡°Do whatever you have to.¡±


    While they heeded her instructions, Dawn took to a knee, hand on her chest, and closed her eyes. With a deep breath, she recited a prayer of her own creation.

 [Chapter 65] Sion – Blood Arena V

    [Chapter 65] Sion ¨C Blood Arena V


    -----------------------------


    ¡°I am the peak of perfection.


    Yet in this flawed world,


    Merit means nothing.¡±


    What nonsense is she babbling about? Whatever, Sion couldn¡¯t afford to worry. The remaining brats were liberally throwing RSF, and bothersome shrubbery remained about. Both won¡¯t last.


    Sion chuckled at the absurdity. For a moment he¡¯d been legitimately concerned about his chances. Me, focusing on survival? Against kids? He shook his head, glancing towards the aura users.


    I was playing defensive, but present me with such an attractive opportunity¡­  He¡¯d intended to kill, but instead carved out a three inch hole. Aura defense is tough. It¡¯d worked out however. Sion smirked watching Sola¡¯s clone uselessly tending wounds. You¡¯ll all be dead soon.


    ¡°Before aberrant adversity, I know misfortune


    Which my pride will never accept.¡±


    Sion¡¯s breath turned misty as a chill hit him. Why¡¯s it getting colder? Momentarily confused, it all clicked together. It¡¯s Astra¡¯s clone! That chant must be the activating condition for a Sublime Vagary.


    He regarded the kneeling girl in panic. I must stop her.  He¡¯d totally discounted those logic-overturning abilities since it was astronomically rare for someone so young to possess one. If I¡¯d known, I would¡¯ve gone all out from the start.


    When he sprinted towards her, the others moved to obstruct him. Ethan¡¯s clone disintegrated his armor and gathered the fragments around Diamonds Edge, letting them loose as a blizzard with an overhead swing. Crap. Recovering from the knock back, five black ninjas then rushed Sion. I don¡¯t have time for this! The girl had concluded another verse.


    ¡°So I¡¯ll invoke it, a place which reverses fate


    Where my superiority is complete.¡±


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    Dispatching his assailants, the immortal was almost relieved to see a grenade in the collapsing sand. I can use this! He leapt and grunted as the explosion smashed into him, cracking his armor. He was instantly catapulted over his target, throwing his spear and piercing her heart. Yes! His elation quickly faded as his victim dissolved into an ice flurry. I should¡¯ve gone for the head!


    ¡°Myriad Calamity Crystallization.¡±


    Sion heard the words as he landed. The Blood Arena grew dim as the cavern melted into darkness. I was too late. The immortal recalled his weapon, readying himself. He observes glittering falling specks as the temperature dropped. Snow?


    He looked up to see stars emerge, green wispy trails of pale light dividing them. A separate space re-creating the arctic sky¡­ Sion faced the one responsible.


    Astra¡¯s clone reached out, ¡°These flakes are my splintered pride. Each represents a setback unjustly imposed on me.¡±


    What¡¯s she¡ª¡ª His eyes widened as the ice specks increased in size, morphing into long sharp spikes. There are a hundreds, and their numbers are rising!


    ¡°This place turns my ¡®shortcomings¡¯ into strength. As such, I have no flaws standing here.¡±


    ¡°What kind of circular logic is that?¡± Sion raged. Did this idiot weaponize her inflated ego? To turn something like that into a Sublime Vagary¡­ Just how stuck up is this brat?


    ¡°Can you withstand the hardships I¡¯ve suffered?¡± She asked, raising a hand.


    The shards floated forwards, and, hitting an invisible divide, shot like bullets. Damn it all. Sion spun his spears at breakneck speed. It¡¯s alright, not all are on target. This optimism withered away as he repelled the barrage. They¡¯re growing more accurate¡­ It was that revolver pest. She¡¯d worn away his blessing.


    Sharper than expected, more and more were getting through, peeling away his armor. If this continues, one will reach somewhere vital¡­ I¡¯ll give up my lower half. Narrowing his focus, Sion warded off the onslaught while enduring agony.


    Finally, after an eternity, the bombardment ended, and light returned. Sion panted, not daring to look at his legs. When his foresight flared, he raised his spear to block Diamonds Edge. As Ethan¡¯s clone pressed down from behind, Barsal¡¯s clone stabbed two swords towards him from the front. With his free hand, he grabbed one and let the other impale his arm.


    How do I salvage this? Glancing around, he noticed his spacious surroundings. The soulfire is gone! Across the arena, both Nero and Astra¡¯s clones had collapsed. The troubling ones are down. He might yet turn this around!


    It was then that Hope appeared before him. Landing on the black ninja¡¯s shoulders, she crouched eye level and placed a revolver against his temple. He felt certain death within its barrel.


    ¡°For Rose.¡± She said, pulling the trigger.


    Daammmi¡ª¡ª

 [Chapter 66 part 1] Free - Answers

    [Chapter 66 part 1] Free - Answers


    -----------------------------


    Cracks had appeared on the arena wall.  It pierced the force field? No¡­ probably not. When Sion died, the barrier must¡¯ve started to fade.


    Free shook her head. I shouldn¡¯t dwell on the meaningless¡­ They¡¯d won against impossible odds, yet she felt no joy.  Silver and Kate are out of danger, but Rose¡­


    ¡°No, no, no¡­ It can''t end like this¡­¡± Sarah stared at the fallen immortal in dismay. She turned towards them and raged, ¡°Sion Gale was a Legend! How¡ª¡ª How in the HELL did he lose to a bunch of kids? It¡¯s a sick joke!¡±


    If she locks us in again, that¡¯d be bad. Free sent out her roots and dragged the stunned Steward into the ring. Breaking free, the Isle¡¯s steward scrambled to her feet, fear now on her face.


    ¡°Stay back! I still have this.¡± She yelled, holding a vial containing a mummified digit. ¡°Come near, and I¡¯ll crush it.¡±


    After that battle, this threat holds no weight. Besides she doesn¡¯t have the will to kill herself. They all felt this as they merged on the panicking woman. Backed against the wall, Sarah railed, ¡°You bastards. I could¡¯ve been regent! The Isle would¡¯ve¡ª¡ª¡±


    A spell circle finishing forming, and Dawn clenched her fist, ¡°Ice Coffin.¡± Sarah became a block of ice. Weren¡¯t you collapsed a minute ago? Dawn, you¡¯re too absurd.


    ¡°Free, can you help?¡± Wise¡¯s pained voice rung out. Is he hurt? She rushed over.


    Wise waved her hand away and gestured to Rose, ¡°Can¡­ can you put her back together? I grabbed her soul so¡­¡± He glanced to the arm clutching their sister. ¡°If you can restore her body¡­¡±


    Free¡¯s heart pounded. With a crazed smile, she burst into maniacal laughter. I¡¯ll do it. ¡°Time to raise the dead.¡±


    Elation transformed to focus. The entire midsection is gone. Creating that much from scratch is too much.  ¡°Dawn, Soul, Hope, Light¡­ I need blood.¡±


    With the four providing the necessary building material, she began working as her mind drifted. So what if I follow in my original¡¯s footsteps? Screw Sola, I¡¯ll never become her. With siblings like these and a mother like Astra, why did I ever worry? Rose slowly became whole, but there was more to do. ¡°Wise, now.¡±


    Free refreshed the flesh. She forced lungs to breathe and the heart to beat. Brain cells began firing. It¡¯s done. What¡¯s more, it didn¡¯t take eleven years.  Take that Sola. The comparison wasn¡¯t fair, but she didn¡¯t care.


    Groaning, Rose lethargically looked up. Then her eyes snapped open, and she placed a hand on her stomach, ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure I remember dying.¡±


    Tears flowing, Hope pushed through and grabbed Rose in a tight hug, ¡°You¡¯re back!¡±


    ¡°Ow, ow, owwwwww.¡± Rose flailed in the loving embrace. ¡°It hurts everywhere.¡± Free chased Hope away.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have you patched up enough to move in a minute.¡± She said smiling. She¡¯s alive. Bashed, bruised, drained, but alive.


    ¡°So what happened?¡± Rose asked, ¡°Did we win? Also, how did I live?¡±


    ¡°Wise grabbed your soul, we defeated Sion, and Free put you back together.¡± Hope summarized happily.


    ¡°I see¡­¡± Rose said slowly. ¡°Wait a minute what about the bomb? Isn¡¯t it set to blow soon?¡±


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    They froze. That¡¯s true¡­ It¡¯s been half an hour. They had almost forgotten. Free clicked her tongue. Worst case, we evacuate and leave it here.


    ¡°How long do we have?¡± Soul asked Wise, who was lying on his back. ¡°And why don¡¯t you seem concerned?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve fifteen minutes, but it¡¯s alright¡­¡± Wise answered without moving. ¡°Simon is here.¡± What?


    Shoosh. The arena¡¯s wall slid back and Simon Black emerged. Their anxiety dissipated. Everything will be fine now.


    While his arrival made no sense, Free didn¡¯t care. Instead she jokingly yelled out, ¡°Couldn¡¯t you have gotten here a bit faster? We really could¡¯ve used a hand.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, that wasn¡¯t possible.¡± Simon joined them. ¡°Not that you needed my help. In ten minutes, the nine of you would¡¯ve safely escaped to the Undercity. That¡¯s how I found you.¡±


    ¡°Orthos rigged Kain¡¯s arm with explosives.¡± Soul said. ¡°It¡¯s next to the podium.¡±


    Simon vanished. Free next saw him holding the glass container lined with runes and glowing orange.


    ¡°There¡¯s no anti-tampering protection¡­¡± Simon stated, glancing over it. ¡°This will be simple.¡± He placed Kain¡¯s arm upright and drew his dagger. In a flash, all the RSF was sliced off, falling to the floor. ¡°Done.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s mine now!¡± Hope rushed forwards greedily, picking up each explosive and encasing them in metal, all of it vanishing into her pouches.


    Satisfied, Hope fingered her amulet, ¡°You came because of this?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I sensed several averted deaths, and rushed back. While I realized where you were, it wasn¡¯t somewhere easy to reach. Fortunately, I narrowed the entrance¡¯s location thanks to eyewitness accounts. For some reason, the ISF was flooded with complains of fairies barging into residences. That was when I found you in the future.¡±


    ¡°How¡¯s the werewolf situation?¡± Soul asked.


    ¡°Mostly under control.¡± Simon answered. ¡°The ones threatening settlements have been eliminated. All that¡¯s left are the couple thousand that scattered. Astra and the others are tracking them down, but I suspect many will lose themselves in the Darklands. They¡¯ll remain a threat for the next few months.¡±


    ¡°Enough of that,¡±  Simon glanced at Sion¡¯s body. With a soft smile, he bowed grandly. ¡±Congratulations, you¡¯ve defeated an immortal. What¡¯s more, you did so without casualties. This is an astounding feat. I¡¯m in awe.¡± They shifted about in giddy embarrassment.


    ¡°To tell the truth,¡± Silver said slyly. ¡°There was an interim fatality¡­¡±


    ¡°Luckily, we¡¯ve someone who can raise the dead. Right?¡± Kate added.


    ¡°Ah, yes¡­¡± Free fumbled under the attention. Despite her earlier resolve, it felt weird when they complemented her resurrection skills. What¡¯s the proper response?


    ¡°Why are you acting all meek now?¡± Wise chimed in. ¡°You were cackling madly about raising the dead a couple minutes ago.¡±


    ¡°Oh no¡­ I did, didn¡¯t I?¡± Remembering, Free put her hands over her face and curled up into a ball, ¡°Can we forget about that? Please.¡±


    ¡°No, I want to hear more. I wasn¡¯t technically there after all.¡± Rose said seriously. ¡°And what else did I miss? How in the world did you guys manage to win anyway?¡±


    Silver and Kate, already giggling, burst out laughing.


    ¡°Stop¡­ Please Stop.¡± Silver exclaimed, clutching his stomach. ¡°It hurts.¡±


    ¡°Some of us¡­¡± Kate continued. ¡°¡­are injured.¡±


    Simon smirked watching the two. His eyes then traveled to Sarah, locked in ice, and the grin faded, ¡°So she was the traitor.¡± He walked over and leaned close.


    ¡°What¡¯re you doing?¡± Light asked.


    ¡°Recovering this.¡±  Simon spun around, holding a vial. ¡°The Laughing Man fled the battlefield, and he knows this place. I won¡¯t leave any part of Kain for him to find.¡±


    As the others chatted with Simon, Free noticed a headband besides her. She offered it to Wise, ¡°You lost this.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t really need it anymore.¡± Wise hesitated, then took the headgear. ¡°But I¡¯ll wear it one more time. I really overdid it.¡±


    ¡°You weren¡¯t the only one.¡± Free turned to Rose. ¡°You should have seen Dawn¡¯s Sublime Vagary. It was amazing in so many ways.¡± I can¡¯t believe her over-sized ego served a useful purpose. And that chant¡­ She deserves respect for daring to utter something like that.


    ¡°What?¡± Rose was flabbergasted. ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yes, and it was cool.¡° Light confirmed. ¡°Specially how she launched into that invocation without knowing it would work¡­ I¡¯m not sure even I could manage that.¡± Another backhanded compliment which Dawn will ignore.


    ¡°Actually,¡± Dawn remarked pensively. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s its final form. It feels incomplete.¡±


    They all chuckled. Her potential is infinite in her eyes. It¡¯s that absolute confidence, defying comprehension, which formed the basis of her ability.


    ¡°I want to visit the Pillar.¡± Hope stated, staring at Simon. They all went quiet. ¡°You said you would bring me there if I wished. Now is the time.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s your decision?¡±  Simon asked.


    ¡°It is.¡± Hope affirmed. ¡°I want to know why I killed a man tonight.¡±


    Simon nodded, ¡°It¡¯s a good opportunity, with Sion gone. Morning mist drifts the Undercity. We should approach undisturbed.¡±


    (continued in part 2)

 [Chapter 66 part 2] Free - Answers

    [Chapter 66 part 2] Free - Answers


    -----------------------------


    ¡­


    They departed with Kain¡¯s arm. The ISF can fetch Sarah later. The secret passage descended a mile and half, with stairs or elevator. They chose the easier option. Sprinting was faster on the way up. Despite the risks, Free approved of Hope¡¯s decision. After everything we¡¯ve been through, we¡¯ve a right to learn why.


    Reaching the exit, they found a large circular hole leading to the abandoned warehouse. ¡°How did you break in?¡± Free asked. That moving wall was made from the Isle¡¯s bedrock.


    ¡°This,¡± Simon fondly displayed his dagger. ¡°There¡¯s nothing it can¡¯t cut. It¡¯s saved many lives.¡±


    The empty, foggy city felt eery as they made their way through. It¡¯s my first time with such poor visibility. Simon stopped them at the glass bridge to the pillar, ¡°I¡¯ll deal with the soldiers¡ª¡ª¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re dead.¡± Wise interrupted. ¡°The Laughing Man is waiting for us.¡± Everyone tensed.


    ¡°Should we give up?¡± Hope asked.


    ¡°No¡­¡±  Simon answered, eyes ahead. ¡°If his intent was to obstruct us, he wouldn¡¯t have killed Lithorn¡¯s men. This is likely a bit of theater. Once we humor him, he¡¯ll leave on his own.¡±


    As they crossed the bridge, Free recalled their past encounters.  He¡¯s always playing to the unseen audience. It¡¯s why he gets away with so much.


    The smiling blond man was waiting on the far side, ¡°I killed them, the men stationed here. No thanks needed. It was merely to pass the time.¡±


    ¡°How did you know we¡¯d come?¡± Rose asked.


    ¡°An educated guess.¡± The Laughing Man responded smugly. ¡°Although I had complete faith in my plan for young Hope, I suspected Sion would ultimately fail. That immortal vastly underestimated the HEAVENLY DAO¡¯s wrath, daring to carry out three major terrorist attacks against the Isle. He was doomed from this karma, and, with the story wrapping up, it was time for his departure. The fool likely never understood just how much fate conspired against him¡­ Anyway, assuming your survival, I was certain I¡¯d find you here. The need to know has a way of gnawing at a person.¡±


    They regarded him warily. His perceptiveness is close to foresight¡­ Will he really retreat quietly?


    ¡°Don¡¯t be so nervous.¡± The villain reassured them. ¡°You¡¯re the victorious heroes of this tale. The HEAVENLY DAO wouldn¡¯t take kindly to its happy ending being tarnished at the last minute. We aren¡¯t in a Dark Age ¡ª¡ªyet.¡± His gaze shifted to Simon. ¡°Besides, there¡¯s a man with a scary knife at your side.¡±


    ¡°What do you want?¡± Soul asked harshly.


    ¡°Right, to the matter¡¯s heart.¡± The Laughing Man declared jovially. ¡°Today has been a splendid day, and I¡¯m in a fine mood. I¡¯ve decided to reward you. Since post-climax is time for resolution, I¡¯ll allow you each one question which I¡¯ll answer as truthfully as any necromancer. So consider carefully, because unresolved plot points are deeply unsatisfying.¡± I see. Once we play along with this farce, he¡¯ll leave.


    ¡°Why so upbeat?¡± Soul jumped in. ¡°We thwarted your schemes, saving millions. Your attitude makes no sense.¡±


    ¡°Oh, but it does.¡± The Laughing Man countered. ¡°This evening, I had the chance to engage in something I haven¡¯t done in the longest time. It brought back all manner of memories. That alone made it worth it.¡±


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    ¡°As to the ¡®failures¡¯ you mentioned, I was never vested in the outcome. This time around I was just a spectator, so to speak.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Light lashed out. ¡°You were the root cause of everything!¡±


    ¡°From your perspective it may be upsetting, but it¡¯s the truth.¡± The Laughing Man apologized. ¡°The Isle of Dreams belongs to the HEAVENLY DAO, and I always tread lightly here. If not for the lure of a Dark Age, I would¡¯ve never considered getting involved.¡±


    Noting no one was convinced, he sighed, ¡°I see you¡¯re skeptical. As proof, recently my attention has been focused on a far-off region deep underground called Lomistan. I¡¯ll spare you the tedious details, but the place is wonderfully divided hotspot of two hostile ethnic groups: the Kulmen and the Aburd. Kulmen royalty currently rules, and tensions have been flaring up in recent weeks. This culminated last night, when King Orswalt returned to find his only son dead. A mute Aburd had somehow snuck into the palace and murdered the crowned prince. Orswalt was delirious with rage. After a lengthy torture session for the unfortunate assassin, he turned his attention to the Aburd population.¡± The Laughing Man gazed off serenely. ¡°Once I¡¯m done here, I¡®ll spend the next few hours basking in the fires of genocide.¡±


    ¡°Let me guess, you¡¯re the one who killed the prince.¡± Light ventured.


    ¡°No, no, no. I would never¡­¡± The Laughing Man objected in mock indignation. ¡°You tarnish my name with your crass accusation. On my honor, I did nothing to end the prince¡¯s life. That said¡­¡± He admitted sheepishly. ¡°I might¡¯ve cut out his tongue.¡± The timidity melted into a savage grin. He¡¯s a genuine monster.


    ¡°If you didn¡¯t care about their success, why cooperate with them?¡± Rose asked.


    The Laughing Man shrugged, ¡°I was merely keeping up my end of the bargain. Several weeks back, I struck a deal with Sarah and the Northern Emperor. In exchange for my heart¡¯s desire, they gained my aid.¡±


    ¡°Since the next one is obvious, I¡¯ll ask.¡± Wise said. ¡°What did they provide you?¡±


    ¡°Arther Bard¡¯s head.¡± The villain sneered. ¡°It¡¯s not easy to slay a legendary hero. He and I were about evenly matched. I needed to trap him someplace where there¡¯d be no outside interference. The Blood Arena was the perfect choice, and Sion the ideal bait. Sarah orchestrated the timing. Without this assistance, it might¡¯ve taken decades for a similar opportunity.¡±


    ¡°Why the urgency?¡± Dawn inquired emotionlessly.


    Slowly, deliberately, the man smiled, ¡°He exists. The ¡®Necromancer of the End¡¯. I have met him in person. While cloaked in death, I recognized what he was. Before disappearing, he spoke a single line, ¡®If Arther Bard dies, a new Dark Age will begin.¡¯¡±


    He let the revelation sink in, ¡°I¡¯ve been loitering the Isle about in anticipation ever since. Helping Sarah and Sion was a convenient means to keep occupied.¡±


    ¡°Why do you want a Dark Age?¡± Silver asked.


    ¡°Because I desire freedom.¡± The Laughing Man exclaimed. ¡°I grow tired of laboring under the stifling conventions of these peaceful times. Take your confrontation with Sion Gale. When weaklings battle their superiors, they¡¯re supposed to perish in agonizing regret, like those two saints who challenged me today. In your case, nine children prevailed against an immortal. I despise such contrivances.¡±


    The Laughing Man expression darkened as he appraised Simon Black, ¡°You¡¯ve no idea how aggravating it is to leave someone for dead only to discover them alive. Not only that, but many grew up to become insufferable pests. Hell, one had the audacity to become the Mask of Xarst. That was an infuriating century¡­¡± He shook his head. ¡°Anyway, I look forward to a time where I can once again leave children crucified to walls secure in the knowledge that they will die the excruciating deaths they¡¯re destined for.¡±


    He composed himself with a deep breath, ¡°Look at me rambling. Three more.¡±


    Kate went next, ¡°Does anything you do have a purpose beyond pointless tragedy?¡±


    The Laughing Man chuckled softly, raising his arms to heavens, ¡°Yes, I have an ambition, a glorious vision of the future. My deeds are more than wanton mayhem and cruelty¡­ They¡¯re done in pursuit of a dream.¡± He Looked over from the corner of his eye. ¡°Terrifying, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Are you targeting the Pillar?¡± Hope demanded.


    The Laughing Man leaned on his spear, exhaling gently, ¡°Even if I were to kidnap your lovely self and access to the interior, what could I accomplish? The inside might be vulnerable, but it¡¯d still require an instrument of unimaginable power to shatter that structure. Three weeks is not enough to prepare such a tool. Besides, would the HEAVENLY DAO allow its monument to fall to a whimsical ploy?¡±


    He shook his head, glancing behind. ¡°No, destroying the Pillar of Enera would require a plan years in the making. A story worthy of the ages, full of betrayal and spice. While I¡¯d joyfully laugh as it crumbles, as of now I¡¯m not targeting it.¡±


    I¡¯m last. Since all critical points had been covered, she asked what she wanted most, ¡°How does someone become like you? Or more precisely, how do you even exist?¡±


    At this, he burst into laughter. Subdued at first, it gradually became deafening. As he struggled for breath, he let himself plunge over the glass railing. The cackling echoed as his figure vanished into the mist.


    ¡°He never answers that one.¡±  Simon said quietly. ¡°Let¡¯s enter the pillar.¡±

 [Chapter 67] Rose – The Pillar Of Enera

    [Chapter 67] Rose ¨C The Pillar Of Enera


    -----------------------------


    ¡°Will it to soften.¡±  Simon directed. Moments later the pillar turned grey and watery, ripples spreading from Hope¡¯s sunken hand. A liquid doorway. Glancing back at the impaled outlines in the fog, Rose stepped through.


    Inside was a white room stretching to the heavens. At its center was a podium and a chair. Jenna¡¯s mummified remains sat there, her head forward and a blade in back. As I suspected¡­


    ¡°Can we find out what happened?¡± Rose asked.


    ¡°I believe so.¡± Simon carefully approached and leaned past Jenna, accessing the pillar¡¯s systems. ¡°There, I¡¯ll display her final moments.¡±


    Two figures appeared. One was Jenna, pouring over the controls. Next to her was middle-aged man in elaborate magenta, hands behind back.


    ¡°It¡¯s over¡­¡± Jenna eventually mumbled.


    ¡°Did it work?¡± Samuel Lithorn asked anxiously.


    ¡°The HEAVENLY DAO protected populated lands.¡± Jenna said. ¡°While large portions of the planet are still uninhabitable, we can call this a success.¡±


    ¡°I must check in on Ethan¡­¡± Jenna took a deep breath, then shock spread on her face. ¡°He won! I can¡¯t believe it! He came through when it mattered most.¡± Jenna laughed, beaming.


    ¡°¡¯They never see it coming¡¯.¡± Samuel said, plunging a stiletto into her heart.


    ¡°Wha¡ª¡ª How¡­?¡± Jenna gargled, life draining from her.


    ¡°I see you¡¯re confused.¡± Samuel said smugly. ¡°That was my Sublime Vagary. As long they trust me, a backstab from me will never fail.¡±


    My god¡­  This is what he wanted desperately to suppressed. This Sublime Vagary which could threaten everything he¡¯s build. What did he do to earn such a thing?


    Rose mind raced. This will bring down the World Council and perhaps his entire empire. Relationships build over centuries will crumbled to dust. All will think twice before allying with him.


    ¡°Getting close to you was challenging.¡± Samuel continued. ¡°You were familiar with some of my dark history and had your guard up until the end. I know because my passive reveals how much faith others have in me.¡±


    How powerful! Rose gasped. This goes a long way towards explaining his outsized influence.


    ¡°Why¡­?¡± Jenna muttered, mind muddled.


    ¡°You have a claim to the throne. While you have no ambitions currently, circumstances change. A single policy difference can feed a person¡¯s thirst for power. For example, you¡¯ve always opposed Banzerkest¡¯s slavery. As a hero, if you moved against me¡­¡± Samuel shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ve ruled this long by eliminating threats quickly.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t¡­¡± Jenna objected.


    ¡°I can. Easily in fact.¡± Samuel confided. ¡°Thanks to some whispers, your comrades already suspect you were hiding the full nature of your bargain with the HEAVENLY DAO. After all, how could the Pillar of Enera not have a price? It won¡¯t take much to convince them of your sacrifice. Since only you can open this place, no one will find your corpse.¡±


    Indeed, few would suspect a saint of murdering an immortal. He erred on one point though. Lithorn had been unaware of the plague of doppelgangers Sola had just unleashed on the world. He must¡¯ve been horrified to learn those roamed Enera. At the time, Lily¡¯s reign was unassailable. He would¡¯ve been left organizing efforts to hunt them while praying for the best. Memories of those sleepless nights would explain his interest in controlling the Isle. Discovering the schism between Lily and Sarah, he seized the opportunity and sent Sion.


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    ¡°Ethan¡­ won¡­¡± Jenna murmured, eyes glazing over.


    ¡°It¡¯s a pity, but I can¡¯t save him. He knows the Pillar required no sacrifice.¡± Lithorn apologized mockingly. ¡°He¡¯ll be sealed together with Byron for eternity.¡±


    ¡°Again, thank you for saving my world. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll take good care it.¡± Patting Jenna¡¯s lifeless shoulder, Lithorn departed.


    ¡°That bastard¡­¡± Light seethed.


    ¡°What about Ethan?¡± Soul asked.


    ¡°I¡¯ll play that now¡­¡± Simon said somberly.


    The scene changed to two armored knights in a dark cavern full of ruble and ice. The white one sat resting, and the black one lay on the ground, limbs scattered.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been betrayed.¡± Byron said. ¡°Jenna is dead. No one is coming for you.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t really expect me to believe that?¡± Ethan responded. ¡°How do you even know?¡±


    ¡°Torak gifted me a vision of her death. That god doesn¡¯t lie.¡± Both went quiet.


    The scene skipped ahead. Ethan was pacing, ¡°Why are you still alive?¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you like to know¡­¡± Byron smirked tiredly.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t explain, I¡¯ll have to experiment. Why don¡¯t you save us both time?¡± Ethan pressed.


    Considering, Byron relented, ¡°Embedded in my left hand is a black orb. It keeps my spirit tethered to the mortal realm.¡±


    Ethan ripped the artifact from the severed appendage and turned to his fallen foe.


    ¡°Proximity is enough. In this confined space, you won¡¯t break the connection. You might have won, but I¡¯m the one who¡¯ll survive.¡±


    ¡°So you truly can¡¯t perish?¡± Ethan fumed.


    Byron didn¡¯t respond right away. When he did, his words were unexpected, ¡°There¡¯s a way. That¡¯s for a new owner to take possession.¡±


    Ethan stared at the defeated knight. ¡°Why would you mention this? What¡¯s the catch?¡±


    ¡°Sola called it a Necromantic Soul Orb. Although it prevents death, the longer it¡¯s used, the more the abyss taints you. After a few centuries, your mind will be consumed with hatred for the world which abandoned you. Whether it¡¯s you or me, the one emerging from this prison will wield my great sword, Desecrator.¡±


    ¡°I find both outcomes acceptable. Either you perish in despair, alone and betrayed¡­ or you endure an eternity of suffering.¡± Byron¡¯s eyes fixed Ethan, ¡°Since you ¡®defeated¡¯ me, I give you this choice. What will it be?¡±


    Ethan deliberated then spoke, ¡°I promised Jenna I¡¯d never give up. If there¡¯s a chance, I¡¯ll take it. How do I take ownership?¡±


    After following Byron¡¯s directions, the effects were immediate. ¡°It¡¯s finally time.¡± Byron spoke with labored breath. ¡°Too bad I won¡¯t be going where she is.¡±


    ¡°Maybe part of you will reach her someday.¡± Ethan offered.


    ¡°That¡¯d be nice¡­¡± Byron murmured, his movement ceasing.


    The scene shifted again. Ethan sat cross-legged and unmoving. ¡°He¡¯s meditating to minimize the orb¡¯s impact¡­¡± Simon deduced. ¡°I¡¯ll fast forward. Every second will jump a decade ahead.¡±


    At first, nothing changed. Briefly, Rose was optimistic. Then Ethan¡¯s armor began to darken, starting at the edges. Soon the blackness spread all over. Rose noticed Diamonds Edge was gone. It no longer recognized what he¡¯d become.


    Simon shut off the projection. Astra will be devastated¡­


    ¡°We must let the world know.¡± Hope said.


    ¡°They already do.¡±  Simon replied, concentrating. ¡°When I took control, I began broadcasting to every projector on Enera. Everything we¡¯ve witnessed and what¡¯s happening right now¡­ All of it is being seen.¡±


    An apprehension gripped Rose. She suddently felt the situation somehow spiraling out of control, yet refused to confront the source of the unease. ¡°Won¡¯t that cause a panic?¡± She asked.


    Ignoring her, Simon handed Hope a glowing metal bar, ¡°This is a condensation of the information contained within the pillar.¡±


    Hope awkwardly accepted the gift, ¡°Thanks, but why would I need this?¡±


    Rose had an inkling. You make a back up in case the original is lost. She glanced at the others. Free and Soul had turned pale. They get it too¡­


    Simon took out his dagger and moved to the interior wall. A weapon which can pierce anything¡­ She remembered the circular hole at the secret passage¡¯s exit. Didn¡¯t Astra discover something similar fifteen years ago? How long has he been planning this?


    ¡°Unfortunately, this is where we part.¡± Simon unsheathed the dagger, and blackness assailed them. The blade cast shadows same a torch cast light. It was blinding.


    ¡°Please, don¡¯t do this¡­ You¡¯re a good person¡­¡± Hope begged. They all understood what was coming now yet were powerless to stop it.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±  Simon struck the wall. Dark Cracks spread like lightning, multiplying as they rose up and circled the white room. Then the Pillar of Enera shattered like glass, its remnants dissipating into sparkling dust.


    ¡°We won¡¯t let you destroy the world.¡± Soul declared.


    With a sad smile, Simon retreated into the morning mist. High above, a star disappeared while somewhere a madman laughed.

 [Book II Prologue] Damien:

    [Book II Prologue] Damien:


    -------------------------------


    The pillar is no more. High in the night sky, Damien Arrant hovered in shocked contemplation. Moments ago, communications had cut out and a live feed was broadcast straight to his cockpit. Given the magnitude of what was revealed, I understand Samuel Lithorn¡¯s recent actions. Most of the blame will fall on his shoulders. His desperation was exploited.


    Damien had been following events on the Isle of Dreams since news of the doppelgangers broke. He hadn¡¯t really expected the Laughing Man¡¯s warning to play out. Did he ally with Simon Black? As for Astra¡¯s children, Barsal Farran had vouched for them and that was enough for him. I wonder if the rest of the world will be as forgiving. Even if they are, all the tragedy that follows will weigh on their souls.


    A beeping sound brought him back to reality. Although anchored in the center of a metal sphere, an advanced projector system displayed his surroundings, along with relevant overlaid indicators and information. Right now it warned him of an approaching giant bat. How annoying.


    Focusing, a stiffness engulfed him as his senses synchronized with the giant mechanical armor which enclosed him. Energy gathered in his left hand and, with a swipe of his arm, he released an emerald wind blade slicing the beast down the middle. He watched the falling halves disappear into the broken jungle landscape below.


    Patrolling the border of this twisted land was a nightly activity for Damien. It¡¯s an important function, even if Argon disapproves of such mundane tasks. His eyes wandered the mess of green strands intertwined with larger rocky masses. It resembled a bowl of ramen noodles.


    Damien glanced upwards at the heavens. All the stars still appeared there, but he was certain, somewhere, a darkness was growing. Torak is returning. Undead colossus, the champions, the dark gods¡­ All those legendary monsters would once again roam Enera. Damien had seen the recordings. He knew what awaited. If everything follows the same pattern, it¡¯ll be a few years before the worst hits us.


    A flair of yellow interrupted his musing. On the horizon, a comet was crossing the sky. An immortal traveling at top speed. Must be Adele Farran, the Morning Sun, by the color. Likely on her way to the capital. Long ago, this method of travel used to be a common sight. It was faster than airships, but tiring and vulnerable to long range magic defenses. With the loss of warping and the global information network, there must be panic.


    I should head back too.  He shot through the air at a speed not inferior to the distant comet. Weaving through a high rising loops of earth, Damien smiled. This wasn¡¯t some run-of-the-mill mobile armor. It was a named craft. Envygreen, an immortal-class combat machine. The building-sized emerald knight he rode in could level cities with its twisters and vicious winds.


    Time to return to your creator. Damien¡¯s expression grew serious. He¡¯s probably one of the few thrilled by these developments¡­ At times like this, my assignment is more critical than ever.


    Damien had been an adventurer before joining the military. He¡¯d formed a party called Lucky Clover with three others, taken quests, and explored Enera¡¯s darkest reaches, slowly climbing the ranks until he became a saint. I regret nothing of that life¡­ except how it ended.


    In a dungeon, they¡¯d run into a minotaur, the famous Red Smith of Morove¡¯s Furnace. Joana fell shortly after the fight began. Terry was next, sacrificing himself to cripple it arm. Noelle¡­ survived.  Damien winced. Which was almost worse. Seeing her maimed body, knowing that she wouldn¡¯t last long enough to reach a healer¡­ He kept her company those final two hours. She¡¯d stayed strangely upbeat, smiling till the end. Then, with a ¡®sorry¡¯, the strength holding her body together had vanished. I should¡¯ve been more open. Instead I put my feelings on the back-burner, not wanting to upset team dynamics.


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    After dragging himself from that cursed place with a pair of horns as a hollow prize, he¡¯d never really recovered. The allure of immortality fades when those you want to share it with are gone. Forming a new team, new bonds, and risking them again¡­ He lacked the drive.


    That was when Anthem Barsal had shown up to recruit him for a special mission. Gave my broken spirit a worthy cause: keeping tabs on the empire¡¯s most troublesome immortal, Argon Blaster. Damien glanced ahead to where¡­ there was nothing.


    He stopped and stared at the empty air, double checking the landmarks below. It should be here, but it¡¯s not¡­ After everything he was absorbing this evening, it took a moment for his mind to snap together.


    Damn it! Of course he¡¯d take advantage of the chaos. He can¡¯t have gotten far. Damien carefully scanned around him at maximum magnifications. Soon, he found his query in the distance and breathed a sigh of relief, giving chase.


    What is he up to this time? Officially, responsibility for the white dragon¡¯s carnage was laid entirely on Barsal¡¯s science devision and their ultimate weapon. However, Damien knew it was Argon Blaster who helped them bypass the magitech department¡¯s objections. I suspect he knew what would happen. He sacrificed millions for an opportunity to field test his creations. If only he wasn¡¯t the empire¡¯s greatest genius.


    A metal bender and an enchanter with a strong earth affinity to boot, the man was unmatched at crafting instruments of violence. He was also a ¡®war immortal¡¯ who earned renown on the endless battlefields of the Flux Planescapes. As such, he held values different from most of his brethren.


    ¡°Cloud Fortress Omega Nine, please respond.¡± Damien hailed. This close, I should be in range. He¡¯s ignoring me.


    Coming into view was a massive floating fortress so totally armored in metal that it was impossible to see the rock it rested on. Argon Blaster¡¯s personal playground, armed to the teeth by the war fanatic. Envygreen was only one of the ¡®masterpieces¡¯ housed here.


    Even now, the fortress was moving, slowly nearing the Green Hell. Eying the hangar bay, Damien hesitated. He was under orders to immediately report strange behavior, but communications were cut off. Should he fly back? No, they probably have enough to worry about right now. Argon isn¡¯t headed for a populated area. It can wait.


    Parking Envygreen in its bay, he exited to find a fellow pilot, Dorothy Lace, leaning against the wall next to her orange mobile suit of armor, Gunhell. ¡°You¡¯re back.¡± She observed.


    ¡°Where are we headed?¡± Damien asked curtly. He wasn¡¯t in the mood for her laid back attitude.


    ¡°You expect me to guess the intention of our illustrious leader?¡± She answered.


    Yes, I do. Damien kept the words to himself. Everyone on Cloud Fortress Omega Nine was handpicked by Argon himself. They were on the same wave length. I¡¯m the odd man out. Rather than waste time, Damien marched off towards the command center, the clanging of his feet echoing across the metal halls.


    Soon he reached an immense oval room topped by a dome. Argon Blaster was at the center, his medium frame lounging comfortably on a steel throne, white dreadlocks held in place by small beady goggles. His eyes are always hidden. Below these was the confident smile which never left his lips.


    Behind Argon was a mountainous immobile figure. War Machine, his mechanized knight. ¡°You¡¯re back. How was recon?¡± Argon asked casually.


    ¡°Why are you approaching the Green Hell?¡± Damien shot back.


    ¡°To gain a little distance while we waited for the return of Envygreen.¡± Argon explained. ¡°But now there¡¯s no reason to delay.¡±


    Brandidshing a remote control, he pressed a button. Immediately the room shook and Damien stumbled several steps under the force of a tremendous acceleration.


    ¡°What did you just do?¡± Damien demanded.


    The immortal tapped the remote again. Besides them, an outside view of Cloud Fortress Omega Nine appeared, showing hundreds of jets of flames propelling the fortress up and over the Green Hell.


    ¡°We have half a continent to travel and a limited window of opportunity to exploit.¡± Argon stated. ¡°So we¡¯re executing a low orbit jump.¡±


    A premonition of death assaulted Damien. He froze in terror, realizing there was no place to dodge, as metal blades sprung from the ground and pierced him from every angle.


    ¡°In this fortress of mine, a saint stands no chance against me.¡± Argon apologized. Behind the immortal, War Machine had begun to move, a metal palm slowly reaching out.


    ¡°Why?¡± Damien mumbled, struggling to contain the bleeding amongst the agony. I never imagined outright betrayal.


    ¡°An envoy of the Grey King made a proposal too attractive to pass up.¡± Argon stood, raising his hands to the heavens. ¡°Unlimited resources to feed my creative pursuits, and a field of battle to put them to the test.¡±


    ¡°A dark age has begun! No way will I languish here under Barsal Farran¡¯s benevolent peace.¡± Argon glanced at him. ¡°Sorry, but you¡¯re a minor sacrifice to my ambitions.¡±


    War Machine¡¯s hand came crashing down as the fortress soared northward into the lower reaches of space.

 [Book II Chapter 1] Filia: Returning Home

    [Book II Chapter 1] Filia:  Returning Home


    ------------------------------------------------


    The sun was creeping up on the horizon, yet Filia sped forward ignoring the blinding brilliance.  The enormous featherless wings on her back cut through the air at a high subsonic speed.  Almost there.


    The dire news had reached her late last night, after the pillar¡¯s destruction.  Apologizing to the party mates, she¡¯d immediately hitched a ride most of the way on an airship bound for Bastion.


    <<The skies are clear.  Is that a good sign?>>  Spoke a voice only she could hear.  The owner was her oldest sukemon, Cici the galebat, which she was currently fused with.  It was the reason her skin was currently a grayish white.


    <<Airships can¡¯t navigate here.  They take another route. For us though, this is fastest.>>  She answered back, diving towards a narrow chasm in the earth.


    Plunging into the darkness, she let out a high pitch screech.  The shape of rock formations ahead appeared in her mind, and she weaved her way through the gaps.  Her ears found the exit before her eyes.  She shot out into a space too vast for echo location, where the winding roots of three light funnels illuminated the land below.  Lomistan, my home.


    Smoke was rising from all the settlements below.  Even the far off capital was burning.  Which makes no sense.  There were scars across the landscape, signs of battle where trees and buildings had been leveled.


    <<How terrible¡­>>  Cici mumbled.


    <<I knew it would be bad as soon as I heard of prince Leon¡¯s murder.>>  Filia sighed.  <<Let¡¯s go see.>>


    Filia dropped down towards a familiar, yet now unrecognizable hamlet, landing right outside.  Her stomach couldn¡¯t face going straight to her destination.


    Burnt bramble covered the smoldering buildings, in places intertwining into thick, thorny crucifixes.  Each held a charred figure in its embrace.  King Orswalt came himself, he had an affinity for the plants.  Filia averted her eyes, tightening her fists as she walked down the street.


    When she was young, her parents had happily sent her away to study at the Veritas War Academy, hoping to keep her from Lomistan¡¯s ugliness.  Still, she¡¯d seen enough over the years to understand the basics.  The Kulmen people, who ruled the north and the capital, were devout followers of the Church of Idia.  The Aburd, meanwhile, rejected the White Mountain¡¯s authority and worshiped Gridon, a powerful salamander primal residing in the Ether.  Since Idia rarely answers prayers, they sought out a more responsive patron deity.  Ever since this isolate underground region had been settled, there had been friction.  Yet, after two thousand years of coexistence, Filia had believed the peace might last.


    <<Over there is where we first met¡­>>  Cici whispered.


    Filia glanced through an alley way to the field beyond.  She remembered rolling through the grass , filled with joy at having summoned her first friend.  Now she only saw blackened bramble along with several outlines, some child sized.  It was no accident they used fire, the bastards.


    Filia swiftly rounded the corner, only slowing her march once she approached the house she grew up in.  The remains of the front door had fallen forward, and coals glowed red in the space underneath.


    <<I can¡¯t take more of this.  Please replace me with Blizzy.>>


    Filia understood and did as requested.  Blue and white crystalline feathers replaced the grayish white skin, and her bat wings turned avian.  She felt her new partner take in the scene through her eyes.  As her wisest, most mature sukemon, she wasn¡¯t worried over his reaction.


    <<Let¡¯s put out the remaining fires.>>  Blizzy  offered.


    Filia nodded and yelled out, ¡°Winter Vortex!¡±  The hamlet was engulfed in a snowy tempest, quickly erasing any remaining heat.  All sukemon had four named abilities which were abnormally powerful.  She¡¯d just used one of Blizzy¡¯s.  As the winds died down, she entered.


    All that stood intact were the the stone walls and the chimney.  The roof was gone save from the blackened support beams bravely holding together.  The cheerful wallpaper was singed away.  Couches, armchairs, and beds were down to crumbling burnt out skeletons.  Only the outline of two large bookshelves was left, the burnt remains of their content buried in the thick layer of ash which covered the floor.  Filia carefully dung out a partially melted trophy.


    Turning the metal over in her hands, she placed it above the fireplace then brought out two colorful slips of paper.  ¡°These are tickets for the Tulven Sukemon Championship in two months.  I was really hoping you could attend this time.¡±  Filia explained before placing her gift besides the trophy.  ¡°I¡¯ll leave them here just in case.¡±


    <<I am sorry for your loss.  I didn¡¯t know them as well as the others.  Are you alright?>>  Concern permeated Blizzy¡¯s words.


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    ¡°I knew I would outlive them.  I just never thought it would be so soon, without a chance to say goodbye.¡±  Filia leaned against the wall, letting her white feathers absorb the soot, and closed her eyes.  Blizzy remained silent.


    ¡°I should have return sooner.  Perhaps I could have prevented this.¡±  Lomistan had no immortals.  As a saint, she might have stayed Orswalt¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Your presence would have made no difference.¡±  A familiar voice interrupted her thoughts.  Filia looked over to see a large black man at the doorway, all manner of metal wrapped around his massive frame.  Legonas Ironheart.  ¡°This was the Laughing Man¡¯s work.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±  She demanded.  I didn¡¯t hear anything of his involvement.


    ¡°Late last night, Gregory Stein, an immortal paladin from the White Mountain, came to stop the slaughter.  While mostly too late, he incapacitated Orswalt and his top retainers, taking them into custody.  That¡¯s when the Laughing Man revealed himself.  The two fought, and Gregory fell.  Then the madman began his own massacre, this time targeting Kulmen.  You must have seen the capital aflame.  Someone took advantage of the chaos to set it on fire.¡±


    So if I had been here, I would¡¯ve shared Gregory¡¯s fate.  ¡°Do you believe he orchestrated everything?  The prince¡¯s murder?¡±


    ¡°My guess is yes, but there hasn¡¯t been time to investigate.  I only arrived shortly before Dawn.  It¡¯s been a long night.¡±  Legonas glanced at the devastation surrounding them, ¡°I saw you fly down.  Did someone you know live here?¡±


    ¡°My parents.¡±  Felia responded curtly.  ¡°Why did you come?  Did you need something?¡±  While she appreciate the information, she didn¡¯t want the company.


    Legonas nodded, ¡°There are survivors, here and in other places.  Can you heal?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡±  Felia answered, heart sinking.  Lifelessly, she followed him out and boarded a small airship.


    They stood on the deck in silence as they traveled North.  <


    >  Blizzy offered optimistically.


    Filia nodded absently, watching the approaching capital.  There were signs of battle everywhere, with collapsed buildings and upturned earth.  Gregory Stein put up a fierce resistance.


    ¡°Siegfried made an appearance last night during the Laughing Man¡¯s rampage.¡±  Legonas pointed to the cliff face past the capital, where an enormous concave indentation had been blasted out.  Below, rocks littered the landscape.  ¡°He struck the fiend with his full might, and that crater was the result.  Afterwards, he relayed a warning, ¡®You are skating on thin ice.  There will be no further boring massacres, or I will kill you in a way you can¡¯t come back from.¡¯¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s interesting how Siegfried hinted the Laughing Man may be unkillable by ordinary methods.  This would explain how he bested Arther Bard.¡±


    ¡°Why did he interfere?  And couldn¡¯t he have acted sooner?¡±  Filia didn¡¯t bother hiding the bitterness.


    ¡°He was the last actor to suffer the HEAVENLY DOA¡¯s wrath for conspired against the Isle of Dream.  This is a real silver lining.  With warping gone, it would be a nightmare if the Laughing Man started targeting isolated settlements as he has in the past.¡±


    ¡®Silver lining¡¯¡­  Filia ground her teeth, resisting the urge to retort.


    <<Calm down.  He means well.>>  Blizzy soothed.


    <<I know.  And I¡¯m sure he really appreciates this restriction on indiscriminate killing since he deals with the aftermaths.  I just can¡¯t help resenting the HEAVENLY DOA for not sending Siegfried sooner.>>


    Nearing the makeshift relief camp surrounded by airships, Filia hopped off and glided towards where the wounded were laid out in neat rows.


    <<I¡¯m switching you out.>>  She told blizzy as she landed.  Feathers were traded for a pink pelt, and nine purple-tipped tails stretched out behind her.


    <<You always call me to such pleasant places.>>  Velvet, her ephemerox, commented snidely while observing the hundreds of burnt and maimed bodies.  Despite her healing ability and wonderfully soft fur, the fairy nine-tailed fox had the worst temperament.


    It wasn¡¯t Filia¡¯s first time responding to a disaster, and she quickly headed over to the medics struggling with the worst cases.  Spreading her tails behind her, she shouted, ¡°Lunar Cure.¡±


    A powerful wave of healing washed forwards, restoring melted skin and mending torn flesh.  As soon as one batch was out of the danger zone, she moved on to the next.


    Legonas joined her while she worked. ¡°Thank you.  All I can do is gather survivors and rely on others to keep them alive.¡±  The frustration was clear in his voice.  ¡°Most of my usual healers were exhausted by the werewolf outbreak under the Isle.¡±


    Filia glanced at all those still in need of assistance and groaned.  Many had lesions and other signs of torture on top of fire damage.  There was a limit to what she could do.


    <<You won¡¯t be able to save them all.>>  Velvet commented calmly.


    Resolving to go as far as she could before making hard choices, Filia focused in front of her only to gasp at how rapidly wounds were closing.  Grasping for an explanation, she noticed even those not under effect of ¡®lunar cure¡¯ were improving quickly.  How?


    ¡°Michael White has arrived.¡±  Legonas chuckled.  ¡°What a relief.¡±


    A small white warship was descending, elaborately adorned with golden patterns.  A powerful restorative force radiated from within its hull.


    <<What a show off.>>  Velvet complained.  <<Too bad.  It¡¯s fun watching you agonize over who lives and dies.>>


    <<Keep this up, and I am not going to let you meet new people.>>  Filia snapped back.  I am so glad no one can hear her.  Where did she pick up this vicious, sadistic streak? Is it because she is a fox?


    From the warship, a small throne floated over.  In its golden embrace sat Michael White, an immortal arch-bishop from the White Mountain.  The ¡®master of healing¡¯, the second person since Sola to reach immortality through his skill in the craft.  He appeared young, in his early twenties, with brown hair and below average looks.


    ¡°Your visit is greatly appreciated,¡°  Legonas greeted. ¡°Although I¡¯m surprised they let you travel.¡±


    ¡°True, Samuel Lithorn doesn¡¯t like me leaving the empire.¡±  Micheal smirked.  ¡°However, relations between the emperor and the White Mountain have become complicated.  This bit of defiance is part of that.¡±


    His smile faded.  ¡°Also, I was the one who granted Gregory Stein¡¯s request to interfere.  It¡¯s only right that I recover his remains.  Besides¡­¡±  Michael turned to the recovering survivors and then the far off smoldering capital.  ¡°I wanted to see the Laughing Man¡¯s work with my own eyes.¡±


    ¡°You have a history with him, if I remember?¡±


    Michael nodded, ¡°I am one of the five survivors of his first appearance, together with Simon Black.  It saddens me the path he has chosen to take.¡±


    <<How long are we going to listen to this babble?>>  Velvet had no interest in small talk or human politics.


    Filia realize that, with Michael¡¯s arrival, she was no longer needed.  She quietly took her leave to go put her affairs in order and bury the dead.

 [Book II Chapter 2] Dylan: Vengeance

    [Book II Chapter 2] Dylan: Vengeance


    ------------------------------------------------


    High within the branches of a forested peak, Dylan stared across the valley at a large gate, ignoring the palatial complexes scattered up the mountain behind. For the last six months, he¡¯d been staking out this branch of the Divine Serpent Sect. Tonight, his labor would bear fruit.


    <<The lunar iris is ripe, and the moon will be full. He¡¯ll come.>> A ghostly figure dressed in white appeared besides him, hovering in the air. An apparition only he could see.


    Dylan nodded and smiled, fondly fingered the ring on his left index finger. Shaped as a dragon eating its own tail, this supreme treasure of the Sacred Cloud Sect held the soul of a saint from five thousand years ago. Dowart Fain had revealed himself shortly after he¡¯d taken possession thirteen years ago, taking up the role of mentor. Under his guidance, Dylan¡¯s cultivation had grown by leaps and bounds, reaching the rank of saint.


    Three figures emerged from the gate. Two wore wore simple uniforms, but the third had the elaborate robes of an inner disciple. Liu Mufei¡­ and he brought subordinates. Dylan¡¯s worry dissipated when Liu departed in the expected direction.


    ¡°I¡¯ll get ahead of him.¡± Dylan grinned viciously. ¡°It will be easy with those two slowing him down.¡±


    Dylan dropped into the next valley, racing to the line of stone pillars rising above the trees. Leaping across three at time, he glanced to the right at the distant city above.


    Sanwue¡¯s interior had become a giant twisted land following the Fracturing. Most places, the earth was stretched and pleated like a blanket, with the long roots of light snaking between during the day. Gravity was always down compared to surfaces, making a great part friendly to settlement.


    Exiting the forest, Dylan jumped onto a fertile plain and ran past a jade monolith buried in the ground. The pulsing power within separated Sanwue from the Ether¡¯s influence, warding away curses and hostile entities. From here I¡¯m entering the wilds where beasts rule.


    Ahead the land frayed, dividing into wide stands which danced and intertwined together. Dylan followed the route he¡¯d burned into his memory. It grew darker, but he didn¡¯t summon light for fear of revealing his presence. Instead he moderated his pace, relying on the wandering swarms of rainbow fireflies to guide the way.


    When he reached a lake running and floating across the broken land, he stopped. Past the water, a hundred strands twisted together into a giant messy knot. Dylan knew several passages within contained rifts to the Ether, connecting to a vast separate space presided over by a divine red cobra. While the serpent rarely crossed over, any encounter would be fatal. Even the lesser threats residing there were ferocious, which is why few approached. Dylan carefully made his way to the knot¡¯s upper portions and entered.


    Summoning fire to his left hand, Dylan navigated the pitch black maze. Soon he reached an open space where he could see a violet glow seeping through where strands were interwoven in the shape of those finger traps children play with. He jumped over and squeezed through a crack.


    Hundreds of blue flowers filled the interior, their purple leaves and stems radiate a soft light. Cave lilies. They could be refined into medicinal pills, and this many would be worth a fortune. However, the real treasure was something else.


    At the end of the upwards-curving cave was a spherical room the size of amphitheater. In its center was a single beautiful flower, its silver pedals glistering under the moonlight. Dylan watched a shining speck drift upwards and out a hole in the ceiling.


    Dowart appeared by his side, stating pensively, <<The lunar iris reproduces during the full moon, sending its seeds into the sky. The celestial body then deposit them into the deepest darkest crevasses it can find so the cycle can begin anew. It¡¯s ripest after the last one is released.>>


    Dylan had discovered this place when trailing Liu two months ago, and it had broken his heart to leave such valuable ingredients out in the open. However, he needed the bait.


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    I wasn¡¯t prepared last time, but tonight is different. He returned to the finger trap cave and slipped into a fissure in the ceiling. Liu will leave his helpers to collect the cave lilies while he attends to the lunar iris.


    As minutes passed, Dylan recalled the day eleven years ago which had upended his life. He¡¯d returned to Sacred Cloud Sect with his master, Han Xiao, only to find it in ruin, his fellow disciples murdered. At the sight of the girl he¡¯d been fond of, he¡¯d collapsed to his knees. His master grabbed him and sprinted through the destruction to the highest room in the complex. There eight saints were gathered around a newborn child. Nearby lay his master¡¯s wife, dead.


    His master gave him the ouroborous ring and directed him to flee with his daughter. Han then launched himself at the eight in a wild furor. Duty overcame shock, and Dylan safely reached the escape tunnel with his precious charge as his master sacrificed himself.


    Days later, the Divine Serpent Sect announced all Sacred Cloud followers had been wiped out for practicing the demonic arts. Dylan knew this to be false. Tears of frustration flowed at how easily everything he¡¯d cared for had been wiped away. The Sacred Cloud Sect had been his family as long as he could remember. He vowed to neither forget or forgive.


    While the eight saints had been garbed in plain robes, their faces were seared in his memory. Over the years, time revealed three belonged to the Divine Serpent Sect. Soon it will be two.


    Footsteps echoed across the cavern, and Liu ran by. Dylan dropped down and silently traveled back to his two companions, a man and a woman, who were busy harvesting. Drawing his sword, he slit their throats in one swift move and coldly watched the light fade from their eyes. ¡°You chose the wrong sect.¡±


    Liu was observing the lunar iris, back to him. Taking a determined breath, Dylan dashed forward at his fastest speed. Unlike the others, Liu was able to react to the approaching danger, but he was still slow to draw his weapon. Dylan¡¯s thrust struck his chest, yet it was repelled by sparks of green energy. A protective sphere formed around his opponent, partly cracked.


    Dylan sneered and redoubled his efforts, determined to break through the protective charm. Liu stumbled backwards parrying as best he could as the sphere suffered more damaged.


    Within the jade ring, Dowart silently watched the one-sided onslaught. He¡¯d witnessed Dylan grow up and understood the young man well. Dylan cared deeply for those close to him. For them, he would fear nothing. Right now, a man responsible for the deaths of his loved ones faced him. Remaining calm was impossible.


    Liu had retreated to the finger trap cave when the barrier finally broke. Dylan grinned with glee, certain of victory, but Liu raised his left hand with smug confidence, revealing a small lantern dangling from a chain. He shouted, ¡°Chromatic Domination.¡±


    Under the light bursting forth, all color drained away, and the world became black and white. As an oppressive layer fell on him, Dylan grimaced. What a powerful divine treasure.


    The tables turned instantly. Liu unleashed a flurry of blows as Dylan struggled under the harsh suppression. Not good. Liu¡¯s affinity was for darkness, and the shadows cast by the lantern were rising up against him, blocking his counterattacks. He dodged what he could, but they eventually entangled his feet.


    Dylan became calm and serious. Water step. As Liu lunge forwards for the kill, Dylan escaped the binding shadows and danced through attack. He then reached back with his left hand, ¡°Vacuum Prison.¡±


    The atmosphere within a large radius disappeared, and Liu was lifted off his feet as air rushed to fill the void. Earth stance. Dylan planted his feet to anchor himself, and the strength of mountains flowed up his body.


    Fire strike. Flames exploded from Dylan¡¯s sword, their fiery red piercing the monochrome. His slice landed true, cutting and searing at once. The force flung his opponent against the cave wall, sending the lantern flying from his grasp. Color returned to the world.


    Liu struggle to sit upright against the stone, his middle section a mess. ¡°What was that?¡± He spat in anger.


    ¡°Four element transcendence, a supreme martial art.¡± Dylan held a deep reverence for the skills Dowart had imparted to him.


    Liu regarded him in fear and loathing, ¡°The Divine Serpent Sect won¡¯t forgive this slight.¡±


    Dylan cared nothing for the meaningless threats. Liu Mufei obviously hadn¡¯t informed the Divine Serpent Sect about the lunar iris, hoping to monopolize the benefits. Instead he asked, ¡°Eleven years ago, you attacked the Sacred Cloud Sect. Why?¡±


    Liu widened, ¡°You are the boy who escaped! If only the others hadn¡¯t hesitated to slay the babe, you would¡¯ve never had the opportunity.¡±


    ¡°Why the attack?¡± Dylan repeated, grinding his teeth.


    Liu smiled, ¡°To end the lives of practitioners of the demonic arts, of course.¡±


    ¡°A vile lie!¡± Dylan plunged his sword into Liu¡¯s chest and twisted.


    Wincing, Liu chuckled as blood flowed from his lips, ¡°You¡¯ll get no answers from me.¡±


    Dylan decapitated him. He didn¡¯t have the patience to extract answers. The Divine Serpent Sect would send out search parties in the morning, and he couldn¡¯t afford to be found.


    He looted a dimensional pouch from the fallen saint and glanced over at the fields of cave lilies, feeling a pang of regret. Maybe I should¡¯ve let them harvest more, despite the risks. Sighing, he summoned fire to burn the corpses. He needed to hurry back to the Morning Dew Compound and the little mistress, Lin Xiao.

 [Book II Chapter 3] HOPE: Reaching Ravelin

    [Book II Chapter 3] HOPE: Reaching Ravelin


    ------------------------------------------------


    Hope closed her book and peered out the port hole. Rolling dunes of golden sands stretched out on all sides, interrupted only by the occasional black tornado of a light funnel. The airship had been sailing over the Sarada desert for ages, and they were a familiar sight. What was new was the vague outlines on the horizon to the north east. Even the curvature of the planet couldn¡¯t hide the upper reaches of Aery.


    Hope sighed, glancing down at the tome in her lap. Everyone will be reading more now.  Global communications were down, and wristals were limited to whatever was on their local network. To have all that knowledge suddenly ripped away¡­ Hope missed it, and she¡¯d only had access for a couple of weeks. She couldn¡¯t imagine how others were coping.


    Residents of the Isle of Dreams had been extremely angry about the loss of warping, the crippling of wristals, and the prospects of a dark age. However, it was the destruction their monument which had engendered the greatest rage. I understand, the Pillar of Enera was iconic, and the Isle feels empty without it.


    Thank goodness our deathmatch in the blood arena was recorded. Argent Tobaskus, the head of the Isle Security, had discovered this when investigating. After consulting Astra and Lily, he¡¯d edited out certain footage, such as Dawn¡¯s sublime vagary, and released the rest, including Sion Gale¡¯s confession.


    Everyone realizes that, by killing Sion and recovering Kain¡¯s arm, we saved millions.  As such, fury had swerved towards the other parties involved: the Northern Emperor, the Laughing Man, and Simon Black.


    In the end, we didn¡¯t get in trouble. Hope wasn¡¯t sure how she felt about that. Astra had dismissed their responsibility for what happened. According to her, considering Torak¡¯s involvement, it would¡¯ve happened regardless. With a willing champion, the god of death would not be denied. Simon likely stole the secrets for making doppelgangers when he broke into Earth¡¯s End. Maybe he had another clone of Jenna Crystal lined up if I fell through.


    Hope understood all this, but that didn¡¯t change the reality she¡¯d opened the pillar. Her actions directly lead to the second dark age. It was strange not to be blamed.


    Her feelings towards Simon were even more confused. He¡¯s the reason Astra found us. He saved us multiple times and was a steadfast ally right up until¡­ That betrayal stung most. She couldn¡¯t believe the man wished for the Enera¡¯s destruction, yet she¡¯d watched him shatter the pillar with her own eyes. She still wore the pendent he¡¯d given her. If I die, I want him to know. Maybe he¡¯ll experience regret.


    Hope brought out her adventurer card and studied it. After their victory in the underground coliseum, they had all reached the rank of saint. We are still far from immortality though. Her card was empty compared to the one Emerit Blaze had shown them.


    Yesterday morning, a little over twenty four hours after the pillar shattered, they¡¯d gathered at the Rose Palace to discuss their future. It was decided that our top priority is to ¡®age up¡¯ as quickly as possible. Lily had been adamant over this point. There were places where time moved faster than normal, and Astra had helped them pick destinations to take advantage of this. I chose the Bottomless Mine.


    Miki had organized their travel plans immediately, and Hope found herself on an airship this morning.


    With such a short time-frame, I gave up on packing entirely. She¡¯d left the content of her workshop behind, which had only been slightly upsetting. The spells in my pebbles don¡¯t match my new strength. I¡¯ll have to weave new enchantments with saint level magics.


    Instead, her preparation had consisted of amassing a few months worth of reading material. Free had lead them to a store that sold unsummoned books, and she¡¯d gone overboard with her purchases, grabbing everything that caught her interest. Her dimensional pouches were stuffed.


    The airship descended, and Hope noticed the landscape had become a rocky and arid plain. They were headed towards a wide gap in the fractured earth. So we¡¯re nearly there.


    This would be the first time she was separated from the others. We¡¯re scattering across Enera. Wise and Rose had already teleported to the black citadel, courtesy of Nero. Light would train in a hidden ninja village in Harakoune. Soul had departed for the cultivating world and Dawn to Aery. Silver was enlisting to battle on Flux Planescapes, and Kate had left with Kara. Free was probably already in Vigil, where she would work to become a druid. And I¡¯m traveling to Ravelin.


    They emerged in a broken landscape of forested plateaus and landed in the one area clear of foliage, a field of bedrock bisected by deep ravines. No one was around. Hope waved away the captain¡¯s offer to wait and hopped off.


    The adventurer¡¯s guild had its own communication network, enabled directly by the HEAVENLY DAO. Astra had assign a quest remotely, and someone would meet her here. Hope watched the airship sail away. Let¡¯s find a spot to read.


    ¡°Are you Hope Skyfell?¡± Said a voice by her feet.


    ¡°Yes¡­?¡± Hope searched for the source.


    ¡°I¡¯m your guide, Eren Rokamer.¡± A young women with braided, brownish-orange hair appear from nowhere. She appeared in her mid-twenties, and wore sturdy leather outfit which might have been prospecting equipment or adventuring gear, with large work gloves covering her hands. ¡°Sorry for the surprise. I like appraising those I greet. Simple caution.¡±


    ¡°That was mass manipulation¡­¡± Hope muttered. ¡°How small were you? I missed you completely.¡±


    ¡°The limits of my abilities are a secret~¡± Eren stately coyly as she circled Hope, growing and shrinking to obverse her from different angles.


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    ¡°What is it?¡± Hope asked nervously.


    ¡°I just watched your fight in the blood arena this morning.¡± Eren answered happily. ¡°You killed an immortal¡­¡± The wonder in her voice was clear.


    ¡°I had a lot of help.¡± Hope was struggling under the attention. ¡°You¡­ aren¡¯t angry about what happened after?¡±


    Eren stopped moving, ¡°You mean the pillar¡¯s destruction and the Dark Age? Not really. I saw the recording, ¡®I want to know why I killed a man tonight¡¯. I would¡¯ve done the same. The fault lies with the one who conspired to kill millions with Kain¡¯s arm and Simon Black. While I suppose some might blame you for simply existing, I¡¯m not one of those.¡±


    Hope was relieved and conflicted at being absolved so easily. To the extent I share a portion of blame, I will fight coming tragedies with all my might.


    ¡°Shall we head off?¡± Eren led them to a crevice where a discreet downward path had been carved into the cliff. Reminds me of the one to Lost World.


    ¡°So what happened in the middle of the fight? It looked like you were losing then suddenly Sion Gale was injured all over, his legs a complete mess.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t say, sorry.¡± Recognizing that Eren had settled into a moderate pace conductive to chatting, Hope groaned inwardly.


    ¡°Everyone¡¯s been wondering. Consensus is it was sublime vagary. There¡¯d be no reason to hide it otherwise. Did it belong to your sister Dawn? It¡¯s suspicious how she suddenly collapsed.¡±


    ¡°You know I can¡¯t answer.¡± Hope protested. She¡¯s figured out most of it.


    Eren continued prodding for details of her life as they wandered deeper into the earth. Eventually, they entered a cave. As daylight retreated, Hope discovered the stones around them covered in glyphs, their soft glow lighting the way. At their sight, Eren¡¯s attitude changed slightly, ¡°So, how much do you know about Dwarven culture?¡±


    Not much before yesterday. ¡°You¡¯re miners, naturally gifted in size changing and earth magic. Ravelin is your capital, built over the Bottomless Mine. You¡¯re also experts at forging uneartly metals, such as Mithril.¡± That last one was of special interest to Hope.


    ¡°What about our history?¡± Eren glanced back.


    ¡°Ah, that¡­¡± Hope had tried to educate herself over the last day, but it¡¯d been a challenge with a non-functional wristal. I should just accept ignorance as a character trait¡­ ¡°Sorry.¡±


    They rounded a bend and came upon a statue of a Sphinx. It was two dozen feet tall and occupied the entirety of what appeared to be a dead end. Obsidian eyes turned towards them, and it spoke, ¡°What is Ravelin¡¯s most valued treasure?¡±


    Eren grew in size, towering over Hope. Facing the woman-faced lion, she declared, ¡°Beer.¡±


    ¡°Correct.¡± The stone figure proclaimed. Hope was at a loss for words.


    ¡°The answer doesn¡¯t matter as long as its spoken standing at eye level.¡± Eren smiled as she shrunk. ¡°A riddle only a dwarf can solve.¡±


    The statue lifted a paw to reveal a square opening, five feet by five feet. Eren approached the entrance, herself now four feet tall, and tapped her back, ¡°Hop on.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± Hope answered.


    ¡°That passage is over a mile long. It¡¯s a miserable experience for you ¡®tall folk¡¯, so I¡¯ll give you a lift.¡± Eren once again urged her to climb on.


    Unsure, Hope complied. Eren immediately shot forward at superhuman speed, and rock flew by a couple inches away on each side. Whenever the passage curved, Eren ran on the walls to maintain her momentum. Hope ducked, gripped tight, and prayed.


    ¡°That was a guard post.¡± Eren declared offhand. Hope only grunted, having seen nothing as her eyes were closed.


    Eren eventually came to a stop, saying, ¡°You can get off.¡±


    They were a subterranean valley illuminated by large purple mushrooms. Above, a skyriver flowed past and through an enormous metal grate which bisected the cavern. Here too, dull brown glyphs were etched into the stone.


    ¡°The bedrock around Ravelin is reinforced. Tunneling in would be a laborious undertaking which would not go unnoticed.¡± Eren explained.


    Observing the metal grate, Hope realized there was another behind it. I think I see a third behind that. The bars were six inches thick and had the amber glint of cardium.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it impractical to block off the skyriver that way?¡± Hope wondered.


    In response, Eren shrunk to a size which could easily traverse the obstacle. Right, stupid question.


    They followed the valley in the opposite direction, and Hope took the time to study the vegetation. Along with the mushrooms, there were bushes, weeds, and even trees. Every leaf and stem was violet instead of green.


    ¡°First time witnessing inverted plant life?¡± Eren asked curiously.


    ¡°No, I¡¯ve seen them before.¡± Hope said defensively. One time.


    Not convinced, Eren continued. ¡°They are a reflection, or echo, of the sun-loving surface greenery. Instead of producing energy by absorbing light, they do so by releasing it. A entirely magic phenomenon. Though rare before the fracturing, they now flourish many places, especially with our help.¡±


    Eren turned giant and reached up a hand. With a wave, she drenched the ground. ¡°They still require water and soil, so the ones here are cared for by us.¡±


    As the cavern slanted upwards, Hope was surprised to see the circular flow of water slowly approached the ground. It began connecting in several places, then, after a twist in the valley, it touched down entirely. She watched wide-eyed as the river bubbled and slashed down the slope.


    ¡°Never seen rapids before?¡± Eren teased. ¡°Water still travels by land, even on our fractured earth.¡±


    Before Hope could muster a retort, Eren continued. ¡°Look, we¡¯re arriving. There¡¯s lake Hush.¡±


    Hope was stunned silent. Beautiful. The valley had opened to a wide space, and a large body of water stretched out before them. Beyond was a city, layers upon layers of fortification reflected in the perfectly smooth surface. On both sides of the lake, a thick forest flowed up and down over the landscape. Crystals in the far off cavern walls glittered under the glow from the sea of violet leaves.


    Watching Hope gawk, Eren grinned, ¡°Welcome too Ravelin! The Bottomless Mine is on the other side. It¡¯s our most prized possession.¡±


    ¡°Long ago, we were simply the miner¡¯s guild. We recruited those with size-changing and earth magic, and some began recognizing us a dwarves. Despite this, our existence was temporary, drifting. We founded settlements to extract ores and gems, and, when the veins ran dry, we moved again.¡±


    ¡°Then the fracturing happened. It was the best of times and the worst of times. Our old headquarters in Aery was now floating miles in the sky, and we were more lost than ever. On the other hand, the broken earth offered boundless opportunities.¡±


    ¡°When a prospecting team found the place, it all clicked together. We knew we had found a home, somewhere to settle and never leave. The Dwarven kingdom was born that day.¡±


    ¡°All dungeons are valuable, especially ones with accelerated time flow. However, for us, it¡¯s more than that. Thanks to the Bottomless Mine, we went from a profession to a people.¡±


    Once they reaching the edge of Lake Hush, Eren stopped and turned. ¡°You plan on traveling to Corthia?¡±


    Hope nodded. While many dungeons had small outposts within, Corthia, deep in the Bottomless Mines, was a veritable city.


    ¡°Who¡¯s accompanying you?¡±


    ¡°No one.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯re going to spend months there?¡±


    ¡°Probably over a year. I have a lot to read.¡± Hope admitted. Also, I am trying to age up.


    Eren peered closely, ¡°Ever spent that long on your own?¡±


    ¡°No, but it¡¯ll work out.¡± Hope wouldn¡¯t allow herself to worry. If the others can manage, so can I.


    Eren smiled, ¡°It¡¯s amazing that you¡¯re a saint and only fifteen. Anyway, I¡¯ll come with you.¡±


    Before Hope could object, Eren cut her off, ¡°My recent prospecting expedition was canceled. Concerns over the dark age and whatnot. I was considering a dungeon run anyway and it¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve delved the mines. This isn¡¯t up for debate.¡±


    ¡°Now let¡¯s head to the Rokamer stronghold. No way I¡¯m letting you stay at an inn.¡±

 [Book II Chapter 4] SARAH: Reckoning

    [Book II Chapter 4] SARAH: Reckoning


    ------------------------------------------------


    It¡¯s been four days. Sarah gathered up the tarot cards and began shuffling. She was seated in the Adventurer¡¯s Guild¡¯s luxurious guest quarters. The door isn¡¯t locked, yet this is an inescapable prison. Sarah glanced out the window at the streaks of static zooming over the golden building. If she stepped outside, the electric fairies would zap her unconscious. Shaking her head sadly, she focused back to the riffling cards in her fingers.


    Sarah was gifted with a connection to Destiny, one of the rarest affinities on Enera. Great for fortune tellers, but not anyone else. There existed no established martial arts. Most people give up.


    The magic did have some practical uses. She could ascribe a ¡®weight¡¯ to an outcome and draw energy from the Ether to make it so. Simple ones worked best, such as deciding a vase would not break. Using the principle, she¡¯d wrapped herself in multiple protective layers to resist physical damage. But not freezing, because against Astra there¡¯d be no point, so I was pathetically trapped by her exhausted children. Sarah groaned remembering. I should¡¯ve focused on escaping.


    She sighed. While her channeling ability was quite high, what she could do with that power was underwhelming. Too weak for adventuring, she¡¯s taken the position of steward to buy time to develop a functional martial art.


    That¡¯s over now. Sarah¡¯s wrystal still had access to Isle¡¯s local network. Yesterday, Lily had assumed full control over the Isle, abolishing her position. I¡¯m amazed she hasn¡¯t stopped by to gloat.


    Sarah dealt the cards again. These were what she knew best, the one area she could draw on her full potential. Fortune telling is a well explored art. The magic was different from necromancy¡¯s foresight. Instead of proceeding from the present and exploring a myriad of possibilities, she interacted directly with Destiny, one to the supreme ¡®forces¡¯ of the Ether. Just as Paradox protected the past, Destiny guided the future, ensuring curses and blessing of good fortune came to pass. Her tarot deck served as an intermediary to reveal the future¡­ and sometimes intervene.


    By channeling and wishing hard enough, she could sometimes forcibly draw the cards she wanted, changing the course of events. She¡¯d done this with the capture of Hope Skyfell, insuring everything went smoothly. How could I have predicted what would transpire after we safely retreated to the underground coliseum?


    Sarah shook her head and swallowed the bitterness. They lied to me, even now they continue to lie. How could that humiliating defeat be part of my path to immortality?


    The sensible part of her, the part not wallowing in self-pity, knew the answer. Unwilling to grow old quietly, she¡¯d made an impossible request, and the cards had done their best to answer. They were neither good nor evil. If terrorism and plotting the death of millions offered the best chances of success, that¡¯s what they would reveal. Every step of the way, I had the choice to turn back but used them as an excuse to keep on.


    If Sarah had a regret, it was not fully understanding the aid Lithorn was offering. I helped Sion find an opportunity, not understanding he intended to slaughter tourists. Had she know, perhaps she could¡¯ve mustered the resolve to doubt the cards. Unfortunately, once blood was spilled, that it was too late.


    Sarah reflected on her time as steward of the Isle. Had it been worth it? She¡¯d accomplished so little towards her goal. I¡¯m already thirty three. In another ten years, I¡¯ll have to give up. Although I suppose that¡¯s less of a concern now with the dark age¡­


    Sarah laughed gently. Forget surviving the next decade, will I survive the next few days? She turned over another card. Death, again. Seven cards with grim reapers lay on the table. She¡¯d never drawn this many before.


    Sarah was dreading her meeting Astra Skyfell. If not for the pillar¡¯s destruction, it would¡¯ve happened already. But how long can that distract her? She¡¯d seen two thousand years old recordings where Astra executed deserters without a hint of mercy. How will I fair?


    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    The fallout had been brutal for all the members of their little conspiracy. Sion Gale and Orthos Braslin were dead. Siegfied had pounded the Laughing Man into a cliff, and Samuel Lithorn¡¯s rule was in peril. She was the last one who had yet to face the music.


    A blue fairy sparked into view above the cards and declared, ¡°Miki is on her way to pick you up. Be ready.¡±


    So it¡¯s time. Sarah retreated to her room and changed into her most alluring dress. If this was to be her end, she wanted to look her best.


    She met Miki at the door, and the two departed in silence. Sarah¡¯s apprehention grew as the guildmaster¡¯s residence came into view. To distract herself, she asked the question that had gnawing at her for days, ¡°Why has my alliance with Lithorn been covered up?¡°


    Sarah had quickly noticed that, in the recording from the blood arena, all footage of herself had been removed. News reports were centered on other actors. Even her house arrest was seen as the result of a lost power struggle with Lily Morgana. As far as she could tell, her reputation was intact.


    ¡°Who knows?¡± Miki responded without looking back. ¡°It was Astra¡¯s orders. Maybe she plans on dealing with you in a way that spares your family the shame.¡±


    Sarah grimaced. Mother and brother¡­ How can I ever face them again after this? She hadn¡¯t even tried communicating since her capture. She didn¡¯t know what she would say. Marcus might forgive me, but mother never will.


    Miki guided to Astra¡¯s office and left. As the door slammed shut, Sarah took a deep breath and stepped forward. Across from her, Astra looked up emotionless from behind her desk, and the room began to cool rapidly.


    Is she pressuring me? I won¡¯t give her the satisfaction. Sarah stood tall as her breath turned white. However, the temperature continued to drop, down and down, to colder than anything she¡¯d ever known.


    The sexy dress was a mistake! I should¡¯ve gone with winter clothes. What was I thinking? Finally, as her fingers turned blue, Sarah gave in, ¡°Could you please make it warmer?¡±


    Astra simply studied her with disinterested pity. ¡°You can¡¯t even handle this much?¡±


    Sinking realization hit Sarah. She¡¯ll happily watch me freeze! Wasting no time, she channeled with her full being, fating herself to endure the chill. Slowly, feeling returned to extremities.


    ¡°Have a seat.¡± Astra ordered. Sarah did as instructed, shivering and beaten.


    The immortal slowly eyed her over. ¡°You conspired with Samuel Lithorn to overthrow Lily Morgana. With your aid, Sion Gale committed three massacres on the Isle, resulting in over a thousand dead. You kidnapped my daughter, Hope Skyfell, and attempted to murder millions with Kain¡¯s arm.¡±


    Sarah cringed as each failing was laid out. ¡°Why hasn¡¯t this been revealed to the public?¡±


    ¡°Your mother and brother govern a prosperous territory. By sparing them this scandal, they will owe me a favor I intend to collect. Not to mention the Isle image as a place of safety has been tarnished enough without revealing the Steward to be a traitor. Finally, it pleases me that all enmity be directed towards the Norther Emperor.¡±


    Right¡­ Compared to what Lithorn did to Jenna and her brother, my crimes must seem trivial.


    ¡°Furthermore, judging your character, I can tell the chaos on the Isle wasn¡¯t something you initiated, but were drawn into. That doesn¡¯t excuse your actions, but it allows for other possibilities. Apart from your petty and pointless feud with Lily, you proved yourself a competent administrator, a valuable trait.¡± Astra leaned back, ¡°It just so happens that Radin Lockworth recently vacated his position, leaving a gapping void.¡±


    ¡°You want me to take his place?¡± Sarah exclaimed in disbelief. From steward to managing the Adventurer¡¯s Guild¡¯s finances¡­ This is nearly a promotion. ¡°What¡¯s the catch?¡±


    ¡°You will swear an oath to me, under pain of death.¡± Astra locked eyes with her. ¡°Should you refuse, I will send your lifeless, frozen body home while revealing the extent of your machinations to the world.¡±


    So I have absolutely no choice. ¡°Very well. What do you want?¡±


    ¡°Until the dark age¡¯s end, you will obey each and every of my directives to the letter. You will never lie nor deceive me about any matter. Finally, you will not scheme against me, my children, or any other innocent party. Swear this now.¡±


    Sarah repeated the oath, word for word. Astra nodded satisfied, ¡°You are free to go. Report to financial department and they will bring you up to speed about your new responsibilities. Lastly, you are forbidden from leaving the island or revealing any details of what we discussed today.¡±


    Astra returned to her work, and Sarah slowly realized the meeting was over. As she moved to leave, Astra added, ¡°Know this: if you should ever go back on your word, ¡®you won¡¯t live to regret it¡¯¡±


    Sarah walked out in a daze. Around her, the guild was buzzing with activity, ignoring her. I¡¯m free?


    Focusing, Sarah took a passage underground. However, instead of heading to the financial department, she turned towards the city, carefully watching the fairies zooming overhead. There was no reaction, even when she left guild grounds.


    Sarah stood stunned in the bustling street. I can run away¡­ With purpose, she started through the city. No longer surrounded by the outlandish attire of adventurers, she was attracting attention¡ª¡ªdamn the sexy dress¡ª¡ª, but no one tried to stop her.


    Ever since she¡¯d begun cooperating with Lithorn, she¡¯d had an airship stowed away in the undercity for times like these. She didn¡¯t understand what was going on, but she¡¯d worry about it when she was far from the Isle. There¡¯s no way I am honoring that ridiculous oath.

 [Book II Chapter 5] ASTRA: Wrapping up loose ends

    [Book II Chapter 5] ASTRA: Wrapping up loose ends


    ------------------------------------------------


    Astra watched the door close behind Sarah Godspeed. That¡¯s one problem taken care of. Astra switch on her projector crystal to place a call.


    When the pillar was destroyed, long forgotten contingency plans had gone into play. It had taken several days, but rudimentary communication between most major cities had been restored. Unfortunately the network is fragile, so we had to greatly restrict its use.


    A throne room appeared,


    A majestic hall appeared, lined with ornate columns, breath-taking statues and vivid tapestries. Every aspect was exquisite, save one. A deep, dark red patch marred the marble floor. From it rose a grand armchair, shaped as if a liquid had turned solid. The crimson pulsed faintly to the beat of a human heart. The Bloodstone Throne, a relic from a barbarous time. On it sat a man in his early fifties, dressed in regal magenta robes.


    Soon the projector-generated blackness withdrew to reveal a throne room. Ornate columns and breath-taking statues lined the tapestries of the majestic hall. Every aspect was exquisite, save one. A deep, dark red patch marred the marble floors. From it rose a grand chair, shaped as if a liquid had turned solid. The crimson pulsed faintly to the beat of a human heart, proof of the lives used in its creation. The Bloodstone Throne, a relic from a barbarous time. On it sat a man in his early fifties, dressed in regal magenta robes.


    ¡°Astra Skyfell.¡± Samuel Lithorn stated calmly. Behind the northern emperor on the right stood Coralin Dorate, her long golden hair flowing down her black cloak. On the left, a tyrant lay lazily on the floor. Larger than most of its species, thick obsidian scales dotted the spine of its green hide. Anatar, Lithorn¡¯s shadow. Two trusted lieutenants as a show of force.


    ¡°Your plot against the Isle failed.¡± Astra responded.


    A trace of frustration flashed on Lithorn¡¯s face. ¡°And your little brat caused a dark age, just as I feared.¡±


    They faced off tensely. Finally, Astra spoke, ¡°Indeed, an age of calamity has begun. Leaving aside responsibility, the priority should be preparing for the coming conflict. As such, no further mischief will be tolerated. Should your agents harm my children or target other innocents outside your empire, I will personally lead an army to free Ethan Skyfell, and we both know the first thing he will do upon release.¡±


    Lithorn grimaced. He fears Ethan. Despite his precarious position at home, Astra had received word the defense around octahedron had been bolstered.


    Calming, Lithorn observed her carefully. ¡°That almost sounds as if you are prepared to do nothing. Are you proposing a truce? Even knowing your brother is imprisoned?¡±


    ¡°I am.¡± Astra affirmed. ¡°My goal is to save him, a task likely to impossible during a dark age. It pains me, but Ethan will have to endure until a better opportunity. Lily, Barsal, and Nero are in agreement with the decision.¡±


    I think, even without our aid, he will likely break free.  If not Simon, the HEAVENLY DAO would see to it. Such exciting story would not be left untold. I don¡¯t have the right to stand in the way of his revenge. But after¡­


    ¡°So you are willing to overlook Jenna¡¯s death?¡± Lithorn asked.


    The question riped Astra from her musing and made her grit her teeth at its absurdity. ¡°If not for the dark age, I would be leading the charge to put your head on a spike. In the interest of stability, I will forget this transgression until Enera¡¯s future is secured. At that time, should you have survived, you better hope your contributions are great enough to stay my wrath.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s all for today. Do your best to hold your empire together.¡± Astra shut off the projector. She had communicated their intentions regarding Ethan and had no further desire to deal with the man.


    His hatred of Sola makes so much sense now. The Northern Emperor had opposed Sola from the very beginning. He feared her work at Earth¡¯s End more than anyone. Had one of his victims had been brought back¡­ Lithorn¡¯s prohibition against resurrections was why his empire was largely spared the ravages of the Black Banquet.


    I wonder how long he will last. Besides the murder of Jenna Crystal, the circumstances of many other deaths will have been called into question with the reveal of his sublime vagary. Not to mention his machinations against the Isle souring the public.


    At least he need not fear death. With Ethan¡¯s threat looming, who would dare deprive her brother of his vengeance? If deposed, he¡¯ll be offered up as a sacrificial lamb.


    ¡°Gareth Black is here.¡± A fairy zipped by to announce.


    Astra waited for the necromancer to install himself across from her. He appeared young, in his mid twenties, with short brown hair. Five hundred years old and already a match for the strongest immortals. This former mask of Xarst was impressive.


    ¡°Before we start, could you give me some verbal assurances we are on the same side?¡± Astra began. ¡°Make it convincing, as I¡¯ve been badly burned by another necromancer recently.¡±


    ¡°Our interest are aligned. For all its flaws, I intend to see Enera survive this dark age, even if I must strike down Torak¡¯s champion myself.¡±


    ¡°State it clearly.¡± Astra wouldn¡¯t make the same mistake twice. ¡°Is Simon Black your enemy?¡±


    ¡°Do you consider your brother, Ethan Skyfell, an enemy?¡±


    Astra held Gareth¡¯s stare before speaking. ¡°Even if I had to put him down, I would not.¡±


    ¡°I feel something similar. Simon and I hunted the Laughing Man together for hundreds of years. No one was hurt more by his betrayal.¡±


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    ¡°So you knew him better than anyone?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Gareth answered. ¡°Or at least I thought I did.¡±


    ¡°Good, then maybe you can answer some questions. Why did Simon let us recuperate Kain¡¯s arm?¡± Abandoning a weapon capable of leveling a major city didn¡¯t make sense for someone aiming to wipe out humanity.


    ¡°He probably did it for the sake of your children.¡±  Gareth answered. ¡°Their victory over Sion Gale is deflecting a lot of anger elsewhere. Taking the arm would¡¯ve undermined that, and, once it was used, would have instead become a source of resentment. As with all necromancers, Simon can¡¯t lie. He really did consider himself their ally.¡±


    ¡°Beyond that, due to his experiences with the Laughing Man, Simon abhors the slaughter of innocents. Kain¡¯s arm is something he would never use. He¡¯d sooner die than step in and cause tragedy personally.¡± Garreth laughed sadly, shaking his head.  ¡°Just look at the lengths he went to trigger a Dark Age without a major loss of life.¡±


    Astra nodded. The thought of someone like that being Torak¡¯s champion was somehow more unsettling. The god of death was not to be underestimated. ¡°So why did he keep the finger?¡±


    While the arm was safely stored in the inner palace, the digit Sarah had been carrying was missing.


    ¡°He means to use it, perhaps indirectly. It¡¯s unclear if Kongal can take a new avatar as long as Kain exists. Perhaps it will be used to sever that lingering connection.¡±


    ¡°So, what will he do next, this Necromancer of the End who hates killing?¡±


    ¡°Like Sola, I imagine he¡¯ll stand back and let the disasters a dark age brings do the initial work of culling the humanity. Instead, his focus will be on the creation of the dark gods¡­¡±


    Garreth stopped, his eyes going distant as he recalled the past.  ¡°We had a discussion a century ago, about what Simon called Sola¡¯s greatest mistake. As you know, the lesser dark gods select a host lost in hate, madness, or despair. To speed up their manifestation, Sola manipulated three individual to the appropriate mental state. Apparently, this is where she erred.¡±


    ¡°Simon theorized the source of a host¡¯s emotions needs to be pure, untainted by contrivances, or the disconnect weakens the avatar. Take Kain, Kongal¡¯s chosen. At some level, he must¡¯ve resented fighting for the one who drove him to his people to extinction. To the dark god synchronizing with his consciousness, suppressing these errant thoughts must¡¯ve sapped strength.¡±


    ¡°So he believes the dark gods we faced last time were somehow incomplete?¡± Astra was skeptical. She vividly recalled her confrontations with Nuzou, Nataray, and Kain. All three were monsters I struggled against alone. They didn¡¯t seem lacking.


    Seeing her uncertainty, Gareth whispered softly, ¡°Imagine if someone like Byron had become an avatar¡­¡±


    A chill ran down Astra¡¯s spine. An immortal with the strength of my brother given the power of a dark god¡­ She grimaced. ¡°So the Dark Gods this time around are likely to be fearsome¡­ Any idea how he plans to bring this about?¡±


    ¡°He mentioned fallen heroes would make the best candidates. Beyond that I don¡¯t know. It was a strange conversation. In retrospect, I wished I had pressed him harder about this and other topics¡­¡±


    ¡°Anything else I should know about Simon?¡± Astra asked.


    ¡°Tiphony has probably joined him.¡± Garreth said. ¡°She is one of the five survivors of the Laughing Man¡¯s original massacres. She, Simon, and I all traveled to Xarst together.¡±


    ¡°Furthermore, I lost contact with her fifteen years ago, at the time Earth¡¯s End was breached. It is highly likely we¡¯ll be dealing with another plague of doppelgangers at some point. Word should be put out so countermeasures can be put in place.¡±


    Astra had anticipated something along these lines. This was another reason she¡¯d wasted no time in sending her children off. They need to become immortals so their strength can serve as proof of their identity.


    Another lighting sprite popped in, ¡°Sarah Godspeed is outside waiting to speak with you.¡±


    Astra pursed her lips, ¡°I apologize, Gareth, it seems I have an unexpected guest. We will have to conclude this another time.¡±


    Nodding, Gareth retreated and was soon replaced by a visibly agitated young woman. Astra didn¡¯t bother with the cold this time.


    ¡°What did you do?¡± The former steward demanded angrily.


    ¡°Whatever do you mean?¡± Astra replied coyly, with a hint of amusement.


    ¡°I¡­¡± Sarah began, then hesitated. ¡°I tried to leave the Isle.¡±


    Astra rose an eyebrow at this candor. ¡°Go on.¡±


    ¡°First, when I reached my airship, a cave in crushed it flat!¡± Sarah began, in full rant mode. ¡°Extraordinarily unlucky, but not entirely unexplainable. I figured it vengeance from the HEAVENLY DAO. So I tried hitching a ride instead, but every airship I walked on had its engine fail! Even when I returned to the Adventurer¡¯s Guild to rent a drake, they all went berserk at the sight of me!¡±


    ¡°You knew this would happen!¡± Sarah declared miserably. ¡°How did you do it?¡±


    Astra leaned back in her chair, sighing. ¡°You are wrong about one thing. While I anticipated you might flee, this did not go how I envisioned.¡±


    ¡°How so?¡± Sarah asked.


    ¡°You were supposed to be in the airship when it was crushed flat.¡± Astra explained coldly.


    Sarah settled down, blood draining from her face. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Like I said when you left earlier, if you go back on your word, ¡®you won¡¯t live to regret it¡¯¡± Astra stated simply, letting the words sink in.


    Sarah¡¯s eyes slowly opened in shock. ¡°No, you didn¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s almost a miracle you haven¡¯t killed yourself by lying to me.¡± Astra continued. ¡°It¡¯s also a little frustrating. It would¡¯ve been so much simpler if you¡¯d dropped dead from natural causes or an accident. Justice is served and your family is spared the shame.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, it seems the HEAVENLY DOA has gone to great lengths to guide you back to me alive. Likely it fancies this entertaining. Or perhaps this is your comeuppance for conspiring against the Isle of dream.¡±


    ¡°This can¡¯t be happening.¡± Sarah complained, unwilling to accept reality.


    Astra smiled, ¡°Try lying to me if you want.¡±


    As she watched Sarah absorb the full horror of her situation, Astra recalled a time long ago. The middle of dark age had been chaos, with nearly half of humanity displaced. Thievery was common, and executions were swift. Vital supplies had to be safeguarded. While deserters and traitors were one thing, killing desperate refugees had always rubbed Astra the wrong way. Once it was understood that every death fed Sola¡¯s undead army, this feeling strengthened.


    Finally, as an experiment, she changed her approach. Confident in her ability to inspire terror, she extracted a pledge of good behavior from those she judged salvable. Each time, she warned them they wouldn¡¯t live to regret it if they broke their word, a threat she fully intended to carry through.


    Later, when she returned to check, she was happy to find most struggling on the straight and narrow path. However, three returned to their previous ways. Or tried to. Whether happenstance or intervention by some greater power, all three had died before completing their first robbery.


    Intrigued, Astra continued sparing those she could. By now, rumors were already circulating among the refugees that she had the power to curse to death. It had probably begun forming by that point. At the end of the dark age, these experiences combined to produce Astra¡¯s third sublime vagary.


    ¡°So I must follow everything I swore to you.¡± Sarah reluctantly said. ¡°Or I die?¡±


    Astra decided to state it plainly, ¡°Promises I extract under pain of death will be honored under pain of death.¡±


    Sarah simply sat in shock. While this was amusing, Astra had wasted enough time. ¡°You are, of course, forbidden from revealing any of this to anyone. Although I don¡¯t believe it possible, you are also not allowed to try to lift the curse. Lastly, your next task for today is to call your mother and brother. You will fully explain your recent reprehensible actions, leaving nothing out. Once you are done, you will drag yourself to the financial department and begin the job I assign you to do.¡±


    Sarah didn¡¯t react, so Astra added, ¡°Leave now.¡±


    For a moment more, Sarah remained motionless. Then she collapse from her chair, gasping for air and clutching her heart.


    Astra offered some friendly advice, ¡°I would leave if I was you, unless you plan on disobeying me.¡±


    For the second time today, Astra watched the door close behind Sarah Godspeed. It should all work itself out.

 [Book II Chapter 6] DYLAN: The Little Mistress

    [Book II Chapter 6] DYLAN: The Little Mistress


    ------------------------------------------------


    As Dylan climbed, the air grew hazy. This was no ordinary fog. Its wisps wrapped the mountain, befuddling minds and sending trespassers back out in a daze. Even immortals would get lost. It¡¯s impenetrable to those not recognized. Soon Dylan could no longer see the hand in front of his face and continued from memory alone.


    He found the little mistress on the peak, sitting in a sea of clouds. Above the air was as free and clear as after a rainy day. There was never any wind when Lin Xiao cultivated.


    Black hair flowing over her white robes, she looked angelic. Her eyes opened at his approach.


    ¡°Liu Mufei is no more.¡± Dylan reported.


    Lin smiled, ¡°That¡¯s great. I¡¯m glad you¡¯re back safely!¡±


    While sympathetic to his quest for revenge, Lin had been too young to remember that day. As a result, she was more relieved than joyous at his success. Dylan understood, yet it pained him, only strengthening his drive.


    ¡°As an apology for worrying you, I brought this.¡± Dylan said with smile. Lin¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°You found a lunar iris!¡± She exclaimed, ecstatically admiring the bloom in his hand. The exquisite flower could fortify the cultivation of all esoteric affinities, including her own. Lin was gifted with life, air, and soul. That last one was rare and deep. The mists she conjured were more than mere vapor.


    By a twist of fate, his master Han Xiao had succeeded in passing along his affinities to his daughter. Considering the rare combination, this was a miracle, one nearly marred by tragedy.


    No written record of Heavenly Mist, the Sacred Cloud¡¯s martial art, had been kept. It should have been lost to the annals of history with the death of its last practitioner. However, unbeknown to his late master, all his secrets had been witnessed by Dowart Fain. Since the sect had acquired the Ouroboros ring seventeen centuries ago, he¡¯d watched them pass down and refine their teachings.


    Those first few months after his escape, Dylan¡¯s first task had been to transcribe this knowledge into a weighty tome. Not only the basic instructions, it contained anecdotes of various hurdles practitioners had faced and how they¡¯d overcome them. In the worst case, she¡¯ll have what she needs to continue.


    Lin looked up, ¡°Next time, may I come with you? I¡¯m tired of this mountain top.¡±


    Exhaling deeply, Dylan nodded, ¡°The Godly Herb Garden opens in two weeks. You can accompany me then.¡± He watched her clap with glee at the news.


    Lin Xiao was making excellent progress in her cultivation, more so than her predecessors. This was cause for celebration, but also apprehension. Her affinities and skills were too unique. If someone recognized them, they might examine Lin and see her father in her. Enemies of the Sacred Cloud Sect would learn of her existence.


    Dylan had avoided this by keeping her hidden away, but this couldn¡¯t last. Not only was this unfair to Lin, but it was an obstacle to his long term goal of restoring the Sacred Cloud Sect. I must become an immortal as soon as possible.


    ¡°I¡¯m heading back to refine this.¡± Dylan put the lunar iris away. ¡°I¡¯ll be back to pick you up tonight.¡±


    While strong for her age, Lin was still eleven. Dylan insisted she be accompanied back and forth to the peak.


    ¡°Before you leave, I have a question.¡± Lin proceeded to detailed her latest novel idea and peered up expectantly.


    ¡°let me think.¡± Dylan answered, words spoken so many times he¡¯d lost count.


    <<Interesting idea.>> Dowart began. <<Condensing spirit mist into a sword should work in principle¡­>> Dylan listen and carefully repeated the insight. He felt like a fraud every time, but Dowart opposed revealing the truth.


    Dylan departed after satisfying Lin¡¯s curiosity. As he slipped through the mist, he heard Dowart muse pensively, <


    >


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    Dylan smirked. He¡¯s really taken to his role as mentor. It¡¯d been a shock when the old saint had first materialized all those years ago, but he soon found comfort in the presence of someone familiar with all he¡¯d lost. He¡¯d let Dowart Fain guided him to the Morning Dew Sect and had never regretted his decision.


    The Ouroboros ring originally belonged to Dowart Fain, one the many treasured he¡¯d accumulate through his career as an alchemist. His mastery had been famous across Sanwue, his profits fueling his cultivation. A necessity due to the difficult circumstances he¡¯d faced.


    Dowart was born with a connection with earth, air, fire, and water. In cases of split affinities, most chose their top two or three for which there existed a suitable martial art. Feeling this mean abandoning his potential, Dowart rejected this path. He was captivated by the notion of wielding the four primal elements, convinced any martial art which succeeded in fusing them would stand above all others.


    In general, the more affinities mixed, the harder to achieve balance. That Dowart mostly succeeded is proof of his genius. Even in its current state, Four Element Transcendence permits me to keep up with the inner disciples of the major sects. Once complete, it will be legendary.


    Dowart¡¯s downfall came in the depths of the limestone grottos. While searching for ingredients, he found a passage to a hallowed pool, a miraculous natural phenomenon which would enhance anything bathed in it. Sadly, he wasn¡¯t alone. Another saint had already begun cultivating.


    Without words, a clash to the death began. Both knew the value of this discovery. Whoever won would achieve immortality here. Although Dowart landed the deciding blow, it was a fight without victors.


    Lying half submerged and dying, Dowart was unwilling to pass on. The goal he¡¯d pursued his entire life remained incomplete, a reality he reject to his core. In desperation, he drew on his mastery of alchemy to fuse his consciousness to the divine treasure on his finger.


    It shouldn¡¯t have worked. At the time, the ouroborous ring wasn¡¯t something with the capacity to house a soul, and Dowart should¡¯ve been dragged into the abyss. However, the hallowed pool weakened death¡¯s pull such that his stubborn grip was impossible to dislodge. Over the next thousand years, the Ouroboros ring absorbed the essence of that otherworldly water, slowly becoming a supreme divine treasure while enveloping the saint¡¯s spirit.


    When the first master of the Sacred Cloud Sect had sensed the hallowed pool¡¯s dried remains, he¡¯d discovered Dowart Fain¡¯s notes inside the Ouroboros ring. Ever since then, they¡¯d begun teaching Four Element Transcendence to those with the affinities to learn.


    Eventually awaking, Dowart kept himself hidden, fearing what the Sacred Cloud Sect might do upon discovering his presence. Instead, he¡¯d waited for one with the talent and affinities to realize his desire.


    Dylan sighed. He intended to honor Dowart¡¯s wishes and complete Four Element Transcendence, even if that mean losing a dear friend. I can¡¯t keep him here out of selfishness.


    Dylan approached the lake in a nearby lush valley. A large island stood in its center, with roofs visible through the vegetation. Water elementals rose to greet him, pillars of water in the dragon form. After an inspection, they went dormant again, leaving the surface rippleless.


    Leaping across, Dylan made his way to his quarters but was intercepted by the man in his early thirties wearing an elaborate version of the sect¡¯s flowing blue uniform. Kailen Shenmu, acting head of the Morning Dew Sect.


    ¡°The matriarch wishes to speak with you.¡± Kailen said.


    ¡°I¡¯ll see her right away.¡± Dylan answered, nodding with respect.


    As he walked away, Kailen called after him, ¡°There¡¯s blood on your robes.¡±


    He grimaced without looking back. Officially, the purpose of his frequent trips was to collect ingredients, although some guessed there was more to it. This would not help.


    He crossed a bamboo forest and reached a pond. Seated cross-legged on the water was a white-haired woman. While she must have a been a beauty once, her features sagged with age.


    ¡°How was your hunt?¡± She asked, glancing up.


    ¡°Seven left.¡± Dylan answered, bowing.


    This saint was the reason Dowart had chosen this location. Mei Shenmu had been a close friend to a past leader of the Sacred Cloud Sect. She¡¯d taken them in without hesitation and was the only one who knew the true purpose behind his expeditions.


    Mei nodded then turned serious. ¡°A Dark Age has begun.¡±


    Dylan had heard this on the way back but didn¡¯t know what to make of it. On one hand, he feared the dangers it might bring those close to him. On the other, the chaos would undoubtedly provide opportunities to strike his closely guarded targets. As for what it meant for the wider world¡­ As long as the Morning Dew Sect and the little mistress survive, I don¡¯t care.


    ¡°The last one obliterated a fourth of Sanwue. It was simply good fortune that spared us.¡± Mei continued. ¡°As such, I would be grateful if you spend more time at the sect.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do my best.¡± While Dylan understood Mei¡¯s concern, he didn¡¯t like putting his revenge on hold.


    Mei observed him carefully, ¡°Kailen is just barely a saint, and, as you know, I am approaching destined death. You are our most dependable fighter.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡± Dylan said.


    For each individual, there existed an expiration date, a fated moment where the body would naturally fail. While skilled healers could eliminate illness and rejuvenate the body, they could not change this reality. Nothing short of high sorcery could. Ultimately, the only hope was to reach immortally in time. Mei had failed to do so, and had weeks left. She was extending this through constant cultivation, but she wouldn¡¯t last long once drawn into battle.


    After assurances he would keep the sect¡¯s safety in mind, Dylan retreat to his quarters to spend the rest of the day refining his recent harvest.

 [Book II Chapter 7] ROSE: Xarst’s Accelerated Training Ground

    [Book II Chapter 7] ROSE: Xarst¡¯s Accelerated Training Ground


    ------------------------------------------------


    ¡°We don¡¯t have to do this if you don¡¯t want to.¡± Wise offered.


    Rose glared at him. You already know I do!


    She stomped off towards the coliseum. To avoid going rusty, she insisted on some real combat every day. Since Wise was the only partner available, that mean dueling him. No matter how frustrating. If Hope endured this, so can I can.


    Rose wasn¡¯t entirely confident on that last point. Nero had brought them to Xarst¡¯s Accelerated Training Ground, a subterranean complex similar to their home at Earth¡¯s End. The place was meant to train ¡®special talents¡¯ prior to the oath, and there were all manner of amenities, including a projector room linked to the Black Cidatel¡¯s extensive information banks. It has everything I could wish for except for current events. There was also an impressive ¡®fifteen times¡¯ temporal modifier. Despite only a week passing outside, it¡¯d been a whole three months for the three of them.


    Nero Ebonwood taking the time to personally instruct us in this ideal environment. Sounds amazing, right? Wrong! Especially if your fellow student is Wise. That silent conversation in the room of skulls had been interesting once but was a hell of a lot less amusing on daily basis. If I wasn¡¯t here, I swear they wouldn¡¯t utter a word.


    Confronted with this constant silent treatment, Rose had resolved to join them. She was already experienced seeing a couple seconds ahead. How hard could it be to get answers with foresight?


    Consulting Nero, she¡¯d set up her own forbidding ritual and given up activities like lying. This allowed her to peer a few minutes further, but she soon realized this was only the starting point.


    Clarity was the issue. The foresight she¡¯d developed through years of combat was inherently momentary, like looking ahead at a series of snapshots. I¡¯d mastered fast forward and pause. What I needed was fast forward and play. When trying to make her vision linear, she¡¯d run into fragmentation, with different futures blending together in an incoherent mess.


    Not dissuaded, she¡¯d resorted to extreme measures. Settling on a simple question, she¡¯d sat in her room slowly forbidding herself every possible action except going to straight to Nero. Further narrowing down the time and place, she was finally, after multiple attempts, able to understand his answer. ¡­ That¡¯s totally useless!


    Following several weeks of fruitless effort, Nero and Wise had taken pity and confessed the truth. All-Knowing Grasp! Wise has a sublime vagary!


    Although this revelation ended her single-minded pursuit, it engendered some negative feelings. I¡¯m so, so jealous. This was aggravated by her other source of frustration.


    The current Wise was no longer the Wise she knew. Ever since the Blood Arena, he¡¯d changed, becoming disgustingly strong. Was my death the catalyst for this? The familiar bronze circlet cast away, he¡¯d somehow reclaimed the incredible power he¡¯d displayed as a child, except without loosing his mind. That time he borrowed combat experience from his future selves, it¡¯s this version he was drawing from.


    The situation only grew more unacceptable from there. In Xarst¡¯s shadow, under Nero watchful presence, Wise was swelling in power at an astounding rate. He was stronger than me when we arrived, now he rivals Dawn.


    It wasn¡¯t as though Rose wasn¡¯t making progress. Nero had proved an excellent teacher, so much so that it¡¯d struck her as strange for someone not versed in fire. When she¡¯d inquired about it, he¡¯d answered sadly, ¡°I had a colleague, a genius pyrotechnician. She was at the forefront of the fight against Sola, just another who¡¯s future was cut short. I¡¯m imparting wisdom gleamed from her.¡±


    With his help, she¡¯d tweaked her martial arts to her death affinity with great effect. He¡¯d also explained how necromancy could enhance her fires, which were fiercer and faster now.


    Sadly these substantive improvements were completely eclipsed by Wise¡¯s meteoric rise, souring the accomplishment. I almost wish I¡¯d chosen to go somewhere with more mediocre people.


    From her time with Lily, Rose had come to understand there were no shortcuts to matching her original. Lily¡¯s power came from her deep understanding of magecraft, knowledge acquired over years of study. So I joined Wise on a different path. I can always return to her later.


    Plus, that wasn¡¯t the only reason.  The secrets of Xarst called to her. She wanted to understand the truths behind this conflict. Why did Sola, Simon, and Radin side with Torak? What kind of being is the god of death? There was no better place to learn the answers then here.


    Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    As Wise reluctantly followed her into the arena, Rose saw Nero walk in accompanied by a woman with chestnut hair. Great, an audience. Nero had been luring guests to meet them, experts in various fields of necromancy. Most of the benefits go Wise. Their presence was enough for him to pump them for information.


    Rose attempted to use these opportunities to educate herself, but conversations would inevitably veer off-topic to their experiences on the Isle. Since she was doing the talking, it inevitably fell to her to answer. While Wise just sits there absorbing knowledge. Sure, she was collecting a few nuggets, but nothing in comparison. It¡¯s relative darn it!


    Rose stared hard at Wise. As he was now, this was unnecessary for him. He could simulate entire matches with his foresight. He was here entirely for her sake, yet she wasn¡¯t grateful at all. No wonder he looks like he doesn¡¯t want to be here.


    Gritting her teeth, Rose summoned a fairy to go start the duel. If I don¡¯t do this, I¡¯ll fall farther behind.


    Since strategizing was useless, Rose went right into an all-out assault, releasing explosive meteors. Her fire power was on an entirely different scale than it was on the Isle of Dreams. If I don¡¯t get some good practice out of this, I won¡¯t forgive myself for putting us both through it.


    Wise flashed around at superhuman speed, dodging with a resigned expression. He knows he¡¯ll win. She did too. Against someone with godly foresight, superior abilities were the minimum to have a chance. I¡¯ll have to apologize to Hope. I never really understood what she went through.


    Rose channeled her full power, forming a blazing sun in her arms, and released an fiery avalanche. Her brother slammed his staff into the ground, and everything in front of him disappeared, cutting a path through the fire. That nullification shockwave is so annoying.


    Rose leapt into the air to continue her assault. By reducing her weight, she could effortlessly propel herself on jets of flames. Running is faster, but I need flying experience. Soaring after her brother, she lobbed destructive blasts, turning the ring into a inferno. Wise avoided harm without even looking back.


    Fine, how about something that makes you exert yourself? Rose constructed a large summing circle and poured every bit of power into it. Dozens of phoenixes shot out the other side, screeching and diving. While not as tough as Lily¡¯s, they were plenty vicious all the same.


    Panting, Rose landed and watched Wise winnow the horde chasing him. It¡¯s nearly time. The two of them had developed a pattern. Wise stayed on the defensive until she gave the go ahead. It was a depressing necessity.


    ¡°Okay, you can fight.¡± Rose readied herself, fire in hands.


    Instantly, Wise formed his own magic circle and black birds surged out. Blade ravens, his current favorite. Their beaks, claws, and feathers were as sharp as razors.


    Rose spread her arms, shooting blasts in quick succession. As she was struggling to down the avian threat, Wise suddenly appeared in front of her, hand extended. He flicked his finger against her forehead, and the world when dark.


    Rose woke up a second later on the arena floor. I *HATE* that move. The ¡®flick¡¯ as she called it was something brand new. Wise had inserted a temporal abnormality directly into her skull, breaking her consciousness. Her brother had taken to the ability as a ¡®kind¡¯ and ¡®painless¡¯ way to win, although he¡¯d used it less after realizing how much she loathed it. It¡¯s degrading!


    Rose lay contemplating. He used the birds as a distraction and slowed my time to get close. While she¡¯d learned to defend against time manipulation, the smallest of opening was all he needed. He¡¯s trouncing me worse than he ever trounced Hope.


    ¡°Ahem.¡± Nero said from a few feet away.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± Rose had long ago decided it was absolutely pointless to hide anything from the man. As such, she saw no reason to cover up her dejection. He probably wants me to entertain his guest.


    ¡°This is Roxanne Sibil, your new instructor.¡± Nero said awkwardly.


    Rose bolted upright, examining the new arrival. In her thirties, Roxanne wore Xarst¡¯s robes and an amused smile on her face.


    ¡°She¡¯s the genius pyrotechnician I told you about.¡±  Nero continued.


    Rose frowned, ¡°The way you spoke of her¡­ it sounded like she¡¯d died during the dark age.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not far from the truth.¡± Roxanne admitted. ¡°I had a bad experience back then, and I¡¯ve been resting ever since. That is, until Nero convinced me there was a student who desperately needed my aid.¡±


    She¡¯s one of the sleepers, Rose understood. She sensed a deep fatigue in the woman¡¯s amber eyes.


    ¡°I will still be around if you need me.¡± Nero reassured. ¡°I just thought you might enjoy¡ª¡ª¡±


    ¡°¡ª¡ªSomeone who communicates normally?¡± Rose finished.


    They all chuckled. After a few minutes of small talk, Nero and Wise excused themselves, leaving the two alone.


    Still wearing her amused smirk, Roxanne spoke first, ¡°So, I watched your fight. How goes the training here?¡±


    ¡°Way too quiet.¡± Rose answered honestly. ¡°And I¡¯m tired of losing.¡±


    Roxanne nodded then raised her hand. From it, the reddest fire Rose had ever seen sprouted, flickering wickedly.


    ¡°The Crimson Flame.¡± Roxanne revealed. ¡°By infusing grudges from the Abyss, it possesses an unmatched intensity and duration. Not to mention a malefic intelligence, spreading strategically and hunting down its prey. Interested?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely!¡± Rose answered, fascinated.


    ¡°I can also teach you the tricks for fighting opponents with advanced foresight.¡± Roxanne continued.  ¡°There¡¯s no reason to let yourself be dominated like that just now.¡±


    ¡°Do you really think I can win against him?¡± Rose asked, skeptical.


    Roxanne hesitated, ¡°That might be tough¡­ But I can at least make your losses less embarrassing.¡±


    Guess that¡¯ll have to do. Rose showed her new mentor around the compound in the best mood she¡¯d been in for weeks.

 [Book II Chapter 8] ZENTRIAS: The Celetect Pyramid

    [Book II Chapter 8] ZENTRIAS: The Celetect Pyramid


    ------------------------------------------------


    In the center of a grand stone hall, Zentrias¡¯s companion mumbled to himself, ¡°And if I do it this way¡­¡±


    The tall man had crimson skin, and two twisting horns pierced his black hair. There was a certain mad glee beneath his calm demeanor as he studied a series of floating orbs.


    Juda Hellspawn, thirty second prince of the demon world. While he is a legitimate contender for the throne, it¡¯s unclear if he cares. Despite possessing the attitude of someone born to rule, the man disdained tedious responsibilities.


    ¡°How goes it?¡± Zentrias ventured.


    His answer was a scornful glare. Juda was at his ¡®happiest¡¯ when exerting himself in intellectual pursuits. Yet even then, there was always a hint of dissatisfaction. He loves the challenge but, at some level, is irritated anything dares to challenge him.


    Zentrias sighed. At the level of saints, it¡¯s rare to find anyone well adjusted.


    Before Juda joined the party, it fell to him to solve dungeon puzzles, a role he was all too happy to give up. It sometimes took him an embarrassingly long time, and there were those occasions when his inability halted their progress. He hated that awkward feeling. Juda never fails. In that aspect, his arrogance is warranted.


    Zentrias turned to the statues lined up opposite them, ten in total. Half were human and half mythical beasts. Notable figures from a time outside of time.


    Scattered all over Enera were ruins of civilizations that never existed. Neverwhere Ruins. Not satisfied with observing the present day, the HEAVENLY DAO explored alternative timelines, ¡°what if¡± scenarios where events followed a different course. For the most captivating of these, it brought back monuments honoring their existence. This dungeon, the Celetect Pyramid, is one.


    An entire branch of archeology was devoted to uncovering the secrets of these lost people. Their cultures, advanced magics, and other accomplishments were documented in literature, together with their tragic ends.


    Zentrias¡¯s eyes wandered to the murals depicting an epic struggle against a skeletal horde. Neverwhere ruins were remnants from that final day, inhabited by ghosts of the fallen. How many dark ages has the HEAVENLY DAO witnessed?


    ¡°They¡¯ll come to life.¡± Carol strolled up behind him, motioning the statues. ¡°Saints from the Celetect Empire, lesser champions in the final battle.¡±


    ¡°I really don¡¯t want to fight them¡­¡± She added meekly.


    ¡°Keep your whimpering in check.¡± Juda derided sharply.


    Carol shrunk back, looking down and hiding her face under her silky purple hair. While necromancers were fond of gloomy attire, she took her goth looks to the extreme. All in black, Xarst¡¯s symbols lined her cloak, belt, and necklace. Even the rings on her fingers were adored by skulls.


    Zentrias shook his head. Carol had been his teammate the longest, the only one who¡¯d kept up with his rise through the ranks. He was so accustomed to her perpetually terrified behavior it didn¡¯t register anymore. Her fear is her strength.


    He turned to the young woman sitting against a pillar, knees to her chest. Her green eyes peered into the distance with an inscrutable expression.


    ¡°You okay?¡± He asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Filia answered. ¡°No need to check on me constantly.¡±


    If you stopped staring into space, it¡¯d be easier. As soon as they¡¯d understood why Filia had abandoned them, they¡¯d chased after her with a borrowed airship and arrived in time to help her finish burying the dead.


    Surprisingly, she¡¯d been ready to depart the next day. Zentrias recalled her words, ¡°Once I¡¯m immortal, my memories will last forever. The faster it happens, the less I¡¯ll lose. I¡¯ll have an eternity to grieve then.¡±


    So they¡¯d swung by this dungeon on the way home, and Filia appeared to be holding up. Zentrias smirked. Even Juda has been making an effort not to snap at her.


    ¡°Got it!¡± The man in question declared triumphantly.


    Filia jumped up, ¡°Then it¡¯s my turn.¡±


    Her skin turned green. Pink flowers bloomed on her head as her hazel hair turned into long vines stretching down her back.


    Some moked the use of sukemon, but Zentrias appreciated the talent. While fusions allowed access to virtually any magic, properly adapting to different types of summons took time. Most chose only a couple to focus on. Through her unique pursuit, Filia had obtained an amazing versatility.


    ¡°Remember anything around them will be forced back.¡± Carol offered softly.


    Filia nodded, ¡°Overgrow.¡± She started glowing as if basking in the sun. Vineweep¡¯s self-buff. Below the statues, shoots sprouted from cracks, tangling together in a dense thicket.


    ¡°Ready.¡± Filia said.


    Juda send the last orb gliding into its socket, solving the chamber¡¯s puzzle. Immediately the statues were engulfed in pillars of white light. Once they faded, ten beings of flesh and blood faced them.


    ¡°Entangle.¡± Filia shouted. Vines shot up, tying down the Celetect champions. Sukemon named abilities are really effective.


    Zentrias rushed forward. This is ten against four.  Unless we capitalize on our ambush, it¡¯ll be rough.


    ¡°Start with the general.¡± Carol called out.


    I am an avatar of destruction. This mantra was the only element he¡¯d kept from his old self. The corrosive energy surged through his body, and the black wisps leaking out obscured his form. He leapt at the man in elaborate armor who struggled to raise a giant sword.


    Zentrias sneered. Weapons are useless against me! He saw within the blade all the subtle defects. The instant before his fist connected, destructive magic jumped to metal, coursing like electricity and ravaging every vulnerability. The sword shattered like glass. Springing off the general¡¯s chest and pulverizing his armor, he flew to his next target and crumbled her spear with a kick.


    Zentrias felt a wave of heat behind him. The general was engulfed in a tornado of napalm. Further back Juda wore a vicious grin, his telekinesis masterfully controlling the flammable.


    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    As Zentrias leapt over a drake, the beast reared up and released its breath. The flames didn¡¯t reach him, sputtering out a few feet away.


    Carol was an expert at canceling. Crouching besides Filia, she was doing her job of shutting down attacks, all the while mumbling, ¡°Scary, scary¡­¡±


    As Zentrias disarmed another, a roar rung out. He glanced over to see a distressed flaming mass. Really? You tried burning the drake? More fire resistance than the vines which held it, the creature ripped free and made a bee line towards Juda.


    The demon prince cursed and marched forwards. With each step, he grew taller, his frame expanding and his horns doubling in size. His face deformed into a monstrosity full of fangs, and his regal clothes stretched ridiculously over his hulking figure. Demonforming, a specialty of the hellspawn family.


    Juda stopped the charging drake with a downward punch. He then grabbed its head with both hands and opened his mouth wide. Zentrias flinched, averting his eyes at the sound of crunching bones. Whether it¡¯s his hatred of that barbaric form or the demon¡¯s influence, he becomes downright sadistic when transformed.


    A figure raced by. Oh crap¡­ A champion with a pair of short swords had cut himself free and was racing towards Filia and Carol. Juda hadn¡¯t noticed. Knowing it was too late, Zentrias watched the inevitable.


    ¡°Noooooo!¡± Carol screamed.


    A giant hand slammed the champion to the ground. A lanky arm was stretching down from a rift in the air. A round head with an impossibly wide grin peeked through. Its over-sized eyes glanced at Carol and twinkled. Then it retreated, pulling its terrified prey with it. Carol is the true ¡®summoner¡¯ of our group, and the things she calls forth¡­ It¡¯s best not to dwell on them.


    Once he and Juda had reduced the numbers of captives, Filia yelled, ¡°Fertilize.¡± Her vines swarmed, crushing and ripping apart the remaining champions. The chamber fell silent as everyone caught their breath.


    Carol pointed to the exit, ¡°The boss is next. Sorry, I don¡¯t have more than that.¡± Some elements of foresight were blocked in dungeons.


    They entered a dark room and the door slammed shut behind them. Slowly torches flickered to life, illuminating the another hall. At the far end was a gigantic throne on which sat an onyx statue. The stone slowly came to life and rose. Wielding a scepter the size of a tree, it stood six stories high. The figure of the last Celetect king.


    ¡°Finally, a lucky break!¡± Filia laughed as everyone relaxed. ¡°Leader, you¡¯re up!¡±


    Zentrias smiled, advancing at a leisurely pace. This was the best outcome. If the opponent isn¡¯t living, I needn¡¯t fear.


    Channeling destruction, Zentrias closed his eyes. With his spiritual sense, he saw the chaos and order around him. The giant bearing down on him boasted impressive defenses, much tougher than the general¡¯s sword. However, they were there, the imperfections he could exploit.


    With a great stride forwards, the king brought down his scepter. Zentrias met it with an uppercut, and the destructive power in his fist pierced three critical points, blasting the weapon in two.


    Giving the giant no chance to react, Zentrias leapt at its head and smashed its forehead. As he fell, he struck again six times, punching cataclysmic energy deep into the statue. When he landed, he knew it was over.


    The king reached for him as he walked away. However, explosions began wracking his body, intensifying as destructive magics resonated and spread. Finally, the onyx titan broke down completely. Zentrias watched the king¡¯s shocked face roll past.


    ¡°Yahoo, we¡¯re done!¡± Filia yelled, hopping in celebration. ¡°Let¡¯s check the loot.¡±


    In the next room, they gasped delighted at the four dried shells hanging from a golden tree branch. Wish seeds, high sorcery in a small package. They altered destiny anyway one desired: a few extra years of life, a burst of power at a critical time, luck with monetary wealth¡­ The fresher versions of these, miracle seeds, could even ward off sublime vagaries. What a rare find.


    Taking one, Zentrias crushed it without hesitation. I wish for immortality. He felt the strange sensation of the world bending around him.


    ¡°Appraise self.¡± Zentrias said, watching the familiar screen appeared.


    STATUS


    Name: Zentria Pharos


    Species: Human


    Age: 29


    Specialization: Brawler


    Level: 71~97 (numbers fluctuating)


    Mana: 25870~31340 (numbers fluctuating)


    Str: 514~763 (numbers fluctuating)


    Luck: -41


    Affinity: Destruction


    Titles: Reformed Killer, Twice Orphaned, Lovestruck, fashion sense horror, one-punch dismantler


    Notable Skills: Eye of Annihilation, Decimating Touch, Master Chef


    Status ailments: none


    Sublime Vagary: ***Incomplete***


    Boons: Calid¡¯s blessing, lesser iron skin, enhanced night vision¡­


    Ninety seven, I¡¯m getting close.  Level 100 was understood to roughly represent immortality. Zentrias glanced at the bottom at the new entry in the boon section: minor petrification protection. Another reward for completion.


    They took the long staircase out in a buoyant mood. This tomb-themed dungeon had been seventy two chambers divided over six floors, each with their own boss at the end. They were only too glad to be done with it.


    They exited on the Celetect pyramid on the side facing the Raging Sands, the deadly twisted land under the Sarada desert. In the distance, two dark twisters were visible in the twirling clouds. Stretching to the rocky ceiling above, at their centers were light funnels to Middle Earth below.


    The only light inside the Raging Sands came from the giant ghastfire braziers which adorned the many neverwhere ruins. Fortunately, they were at the edge of the region, just free of the perpetual storm. Rounding the pyramid, they discovered a crowd of adventurers above the cliff where their airship was docked.


    Strange¡­ ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Zentrias called out.


    ¡°The Grey Kingdom has begun its offensive.¡± A man responded. ¡°You¡¯re just in time to watch the fireworks.¡±


    They quickly gathered at the edge and looked down. The gap between the fractured earth was wide here, so they had an excellent view of the landscape below.


    Hundreds of airships were advancing on a city. Regia, where we stopped to prep. It was part of Olando Kingdom bordering Middle Earth.


    There were indeed fireworks. From all over, blazing comets of blue energy streamed towards the invaders and smashed against an invisible barrier. Magitech cannons are meant to shoot down immortals and individual battleships. There aren¡¯t enough to overcome the shielders defending this armada.


    Shielders were airships capable of projecting force fields around them. Beyond protecting other ships, they were also crucial to dealing with enemy immortals. The treat of encirclement prevents them from running amok.


    Suddenly, a streak of orange shot through the fleet and flew over the city in a wide ark while flashing brightly. The ground everywhere began exploding, and soon the bombardment ceased. Focusing, Zentrias saw it was mobile armor.


    ¡°That must be Gunhell, one of Argon¡¯s works. Impressive fire power.¡± Juda noted.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we escape while they¡¯re distracted?¡± Carol asked nervously.


    Zentrias shook his head, ¡°We¡¯ll be granted safe passage once the fighting dies down.¡±


    In the case of unannounced assault, visiting adventurers were regarded as foreign dignitaries. No one wants to antagonize the Adventurer¡¯s Guild.


    ¡°Why doesn¡¯t Regia have any airships?¡± Filia wondered


    ¡°They probably withdrew to a more defensible position.¡± Juda answered. ¡°Olando has a self-defense pact with the Northern Empire. Their original plan was to hold out until immortals could warp in. What you see down there are all the defenses that couldn¡¯t be moved.¡±


    Gunhell retreated as black swarms rose from several places around the city. Summons, lots of them. Likely from underground generators.


    Several airships descended to greet them. The troops on their decks began battling the flying horde, while others rappelled to the ground and fought their way forwards.


    Zentrias frowned. The creatures conjured from the Ether ¡ª¡ªmostly gargoyles, griffins, and various drakes¡ª¡ª were tearing the soldiers apart.


    ¡°Why isn¡¯t the Gray Kingdom also using summons? They have carriers.¡± Zentrias observed. ¡°And why are these soldiers so weak?¡±


    ¡°This is a technique pioneered by Salazar Rook.¡± Juda said coldly. ¡°Those too weak to enlist normally are gathered up and thrown into the front lines. The battle experience and the status of being a massacre survivor turns them into something useful. One means of ¡®refining the population¡¯.¡±


    They watched in silence as the men suffered heavy loses while reaching the generators. This is over.


    ¡°Hey, you don¡¯t suppose they brought him back, do you?¡± Filia asked. ¡°I mean, Salazar.¡±


    ¡°They didn¡¯t.¡± Juda cut in. ¡°If they were going to, they would¡¯ve done so already. The Grey King is too pragmatic to risk that monster during a dark age.¡±


    They gave Juda questioning looks for this heated interjection, and he felt compelled to continue, ¡°The Demon world hosted one of Salazar¡¯s ¡®patrons¡¯ a while back. After that civil war, we keep track of his whereabouts.¡±


    Zantrias stared down at the distant field of corpses. Most believe Ellie was the first successful resurrection. That¡¯s not really the case. Although Enera dismisses Salazar Rook and his ilk, that honor rightly belongs to him, the original revenant.

 [Book II Chapter 9] HOPE: The Bottomless Mines

    [Book II Chapter 9] HOPE: The Bottomless Mines


    ------------------------------------------------


    ¡°Sorry about the delay.¡± Eren said.


    They were gathered in a plaza with other foreign adventurers waiting for the once a week admittance to the Bottomless mines. Not many had recognized her so far. She¡¯d swapped out her ninja gear for a nondescript leather outfit and changed her hair back to its natural auburn shine. Jenna¡¯s appearance is less well know than the living heroes.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. It gave me the chance to visit Ravelin.¡± Hope answered.


    Eren had given her a tour on the first day, starting with the purple fields of cave wheat on the far side of the forest, and they¡¯d eaten some wonderful plumb-shaped fruit at the nearby orchard. Observing the motionless leaves and stems, Hope found it eerie to never hear any rustling. The breeze is so slight it¡¯s barely noticeable.


    Armored stone giants lined the city¡¯s external walls, and more were scattered throughout the inverted forest, usually in neat rows along the paths. Every one was a powerful golem.


    The city proper also featured its own statues, but, compared to those outside, they were otherworldly in their perfection. Apparently, Magerdon Bristel, Ravelin¡¯s king and first immortal, had been close friends with Anthony Skyfell, Aery¡¯s immortal sculptor. The stone figures looked so alive and expressive, it was almost strange they didn¡¯t come to life.


    Hope had been afraid there would be many places she couldn¡¯t explore, but that fear turned out overblown. Not every dwarf had Eren¡¯s dexterity with size magic, so most buildings had ceilings she could just barely move around in comfortably. There were, however, many gnome-sized shortcuts throughout the city, some of which led to bars and pubs.


    Hope noticed scurrying on a nearby roof and made a point to look away. Evil little imps.


    The second day was when her stay had taken a turn for the worst. Wandering the city alone, she¡¯d been inspecting a surprisingly small statue of lion when it suddenly quadrupled in side. That¡¯s when she¡¯d made her first mistake, letting out a high pitch yelp. This had delighted the children hiding nearby.


    These brats called themselves the ¡®rat pack¡¯ and were a notorious bunch of tricksters. They¡¯d immediately taken to following her trying to elicit the reaction again.


    Their antics gradually wore away Hope¡¯s patience, but what really set her off is when she¡¯d looked up to see a falling boulder, only for it to shrink and bounce off her forehead. I¡¯m the one who pranks others with pebbles! This led to her second mistake: retaliating.


    Moving through a side alley, She¡¯d dropped a gold coin. A minute later, she heard a satisfying splash as a deluge washed through the streets. Unfortunately, the rat pack had taken this as a declaration of all-out-war, something Hope wasn¡¯t prepared for.


    While she¡¯d certain restrains when dealing with children, they felt no similar convictions. Itching powder was dumped on her from cracks in the ceiling. The ground under her became coated in oil. They even managed to slip some slugs in one of her pouches. The pests could turn into the size of mice and scale buildings. Nowhere was safe.


    By the end of the third day, Hope had descended into paranoia. Any falling drop could become a bucket¡¯s worth of water. Any grain of sand could grow into a dog turd. Every dark corner was an enemy ambush waiting to happen. At the end of her rope, she¡¯d thrown away her pride and begged Eren for help.


    Surprisingly this worked. While she could still feel them following, they no longer tormented her. When she asked Eren how she¡¯d accomplished this miracle, the girl had proudly declared it was easy, as the rat pack had originally been formed by her years ago. Through a heroic act of self-control, Hope had succeeded in hiding her sense of betrayal.


    A black-haired woman in tight-fitting leather walked out and whistled to get everyone¡¯s attention, ¡°The Bottomless Mines are open for business. Follow me.¡±


    Passing through a gate, they descended towards a scaffolding filled chasm. On the other side, several pulleys were bringing up minecarts full of ore. These were collected and placed on tracks by giant-sized dwarves. Hope glanced further up at the hill of smoke spewing buildings. The forges.


    As they passed a pair of guards, Hope realizes something was off. ¡°Say, why isn¡¯t it a dwarf leading us?¡±


    ¡°Because that¡¯s Anna Sorelli.¡± Eren whispered back, staring hard at the woman¡¯s back. Hope waited, confident Eren would remember her general ignorance. It only took a moment. ¡°Anna is an agent of the HEAVENLY DAO, an immortal in charge of the adventurer side of running dungeons. It¡¯s almost unheard of for her to make this type of personal appearance.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡± Hope said. She observed the immortal closely. It¡¯s because of me, isn¡¯t it? Anna peered back briefly. I knew it. She hears my thoughts just fine. Hope knew all about agents, their omniscience, and the curiosity it engendered. Why didn¡¯t you show up when we visited Lost World?


    Anna glanced back again, looking like she wanted to speak. Finally, she pointed to a lift ahead of them, ¡°That¡¯s your transportation to mines. It can only take ten at time, so some of you will have to wait.¡±


    ¡°As for why I¡¯m here,¡± she continued. ¡°I sometimes oversee the admittance of foreigners when the mood strikes me. Unfortunately, dungeons without any gatekeeping don¡¯t allow for this type of excuse.¡±


    Thanks for answering. But why all this roundaboutness? Couldn¡¯t you just come up to talk to me? Hope noticed Anna¡¯s gait faltered slightly. Not used to people who realize you can read minds?


    Anna covered her mouth, and Hope was sure she caught a suppress a chuckle. The immortal stopped and turned, wearing a pleasant expression, ¡°I¡¯m sure you can find your way from here. I¡¯ll¡ª¡±


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    Don¡¯t teleport her away. Anna¡¯s eyes went wide.


    ¡°¡ª¡ªbe taking my leave.¡±


    For a long moment, the immortal just stood there, nothing happening. Her smile seem to grow tense as whispering began. Hope finally took pity. Okay, that¡¯s probably enough. Relief flashed on Anna¡¯s face before she poofed out of existence. That was fun. I was right to think the HEAVENLY DAO would go along with my prank.


    Waiting their turn at the lift, Hope turned to Eren, ¡°So what exactly does Anna do?¡±


    ¡°Her recruitment goes back to the first days of dungeons. Rulers quickly recognized their value and took steps to monopolize the benefits of those within their borders. Some charged entry fees or taxed the rewards. Worse, others forbid outsiders entirely. The HEAVENLY DAO couldn¡¯t allow that.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°It would¡¯ve made dungeon placement politically charged, turning the HEAVENLY DAO into a kingmaker. Areas without them would be at an extreme disadvantage, leading to a great imbalance in power over the long run.¡±


    ¡°To prevent this, the HEAVENLY DAO recruited Anna Sorelli, one of the original dungeon junkies. As an agent, she deals with local authorities and ensures their exploitation doesn¡¯t go too far.¡±


    ¡°What happens in cases where they don¡¯t listen to her?¡±


    ¡°Whenever access is forbidden, perils become deadlier and rewards sparser. Fees and taxes risk catastrophic ¡®overflow events¡¯ where monster pour out. Finally, dungeons can be moved if all else fails.¡±


    ¡°By the way,¡± Eren added. ¡°Anna is pretty popular because of her other role. When she isn¡¯t negotiating, she test runs dungeons and makes sure nothing is too unfair. Rumor is she and Calin often clash in this department.¡±


    That makes me feel a little worse for teasing her.  Hope paused, suddenly hit with a sinking feeling. ¡°Does this mean that Anna has influence over what happens inside dungeons?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Eren answered. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°No reason.¡± Hope said sheepishly. She isn¡¯t a petty person, is she?


    Hope peered over the railing as they descended. ¡°Couldn¡¯t we just jump?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t.¡± Eren said. ¡°The scaffolding here grows and morphs, never staying the same. If you land on any, it¡¯ll collapse the section. Sending a ton of debris down the main shaft is the quickest way to get banned. Trust me, there are those eagerly waiting for a valid excuse.¡±


    Fine. Hope patiently watched the various offshoots of the cavern pass them by. Some were filled with worn tools, and she wondered if they were part of the dungeon or genuine discarded equipment. The theme here is abandoned mines.


    Eventually the bottom came into view. The Minecart Hub, which will take you almost anywhere. Her eyes circled to where half the tracks plunged into a perfectly clear lake. The flooded mines, a huge section with nice rewards for those who don¡¯t mind getting wet.


    There were dwarves scurrying all around, pushing carts and hauling gear. Once they touched down, Eren excused herself to chat with one of the foreman, so Hope went over to inspect the water. The emerald blue was beautiful against the beige rocks.


    The surface rippled as the cavern trembled. Then it happened again, but stronger. Far off foot-steps echoed through the rock as something big approached, tearing its way towards them. Oh no.


    For a second, the noise stopped. Then a figure shoot out of a submerged passage and burst from the lake, releasing an inhuman cry. A wave of heat assault Hope as every bit of scaffolding burst into flames.


    Stepping through the steam and boiling water, a huge figure with the head of bull emerged. It carried a deformed hammer, and absolute fury shone in its eyes. With another screech, it vaporized the water coating its red fur.


    All around was panic. Dwarves were shrinking and ducking into holes while adventurers were sprinting away. Near an exit, Eren was waving for Hope to follow, but she ignored this and faced the beast. Anna, this isn¡¯t funny.


    Hope could tell this wasn¡¯t an opponent she stood a chance against. She was also pretty sure she knew why it was here. If anyone is going to die because of something I did, it¡¯s going to be me. That said, I doubt it¡¯ll come to that.


    The minataur focused on her as the nearest target and stomped over, saliva dripping from its clenched teeth. This is just a feeling, but I think it¡¯s madder than usual. Must not like getting wet. It raised its hammer, and Hope sweated a little. Okay, I¡¯m sorry. Can we end this, please?


    And then it was gone. The fires flickered out, and the burn marks began to fade. Everywhere people were peaking around corners, wondering what was going on. Hope realized she¡¯d gone a little stiff from the tension. Well, that sure taught me not to trifle with agents. We¡¯re even now, right?


    Normalcy returned surprisingly fast. Dwarves resumed work, and adventurers cautiously crept back. Hope saw several expressions of admiration and wonder at her refusal to flee.


    Eren was less amused, ¡°I can sort of understand, given the strange circumstances, but that¡¯s how you get killed. When a monster like the Red Smith shows up, you run no matter how special you think you are.¡±


    Hope couldn¡¯t explain herself so she just followed hanging her head. Eren walked over and picked up a minecart. This place constantly spawns new ones, Hope remembered as an empty one shot out of a passage.


    Hope glanced over at where fellow adventurers were boarding their own transportation, ¡°Everyone is using the track over there¡­¡±


    ¡°This way is faster.¡± Eren explained, dropping the cart and climbing in.


    Hope joined her as the others disappeared down a mine shaft, ¡°Where are they going?¡±


    ¡°Probably Corthia, same as us.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­¡±


    ¡°That track over there was made by us dwarves. It¡¯s tame and boring.¡± Eren explained. ¡°This one was originally part of the dungeon. It¡¯s way more fun.¡±


    Didn¡¯t we just have enough excitement? Hope sighed and braced herself as an enlarged Eren, using the cart as a skateboard, kicked the ground to get them going.


    Soon they were zooming through an inverted forest. A river flowed through the trees, probably from the flooded mines. But that wasn¡¯t what grabbed Hope¡¯s attention.


    ¡°It isn¡¯t supposed to be this way.¡± She stated as the wind made her eyes tear. She was absolutely certain no sane individual would lay minecart tracks in the air, on rickety scaffolding, when there was a perfectly serviceable floor below. She was equality certain that the rails shouldn¡¯t be going vertical on sharp turns. What madman builds on the assumption of breakneck speed? And what¡¯s this pathing? They were swooping to one side of the river bank, into dark winding caverns, only to shoot out and return to the flowing water.


    ¡°We¡¯re approaching the mushroom caves.¡± Eren warned. ¡°Watch out, we¡¯ll accelerate with the drop.¡±


    Accelerate? A cliff came into view with building-sized purple mushrooms far below. I hate gravity.


    The noise from the cart became deafening. Hope took solace in that this only appeared dangerous. Surely, anyone who designed such an absurd course would make sure it worked. But wait, couldn¡¯t we hit some type of dungeon hazard? As if to answer her question, they veered past a gigantic neon-green caterpillar. ¡­ At least we¡¯re moving so fast we won¡¯t have to fight anything unless we derail.


    ¡°The dark falls are next.¡± Eren yelled, bracing herself. ¡°Make sure to hold tight cause it¡¯s hard to see the turns.¡±


    I am never doing this again. Hope counted four waterfalls. She only saw the first, but guessed the others from the sounds and the sudden steep declines. Finally, light appeared in front of them.


    They shot out into a void near yet another waterfall. The minecart executed the sharpest swerve yet, returning to hug the cliff wall. Eyes adjusting, Hope saw a brightly lit landscape and a city below. Corthia was built next to the dungeon¡¯s midway station, on a relatively safe plateau. Further down, overgrown strip mines spread out into the distance.


    ¡°We¡¯re here!¡± Eren declared. ¡°Also, get ready to jump because this isn¡¯t stopping.¡±

 [Book II Chapter 10] ROSE: Taking the Oath

    [Book II Chapter 10] ROSE: Taking the Oath


    ------------------------------------------------


    It¡¯s finally happening. With no warning, Nero had announced it was time, and they were on the way to take the oath. The abruptness had thrown Rose off balance.


    ¡°I honestly thought there¡¯d be some preparation.¡± She said. ¡°I mean, if it¡¯s that easy, why didn¡¯t we do it six months ago?¡±


    ¡°Even at sixteen, you¡¯ll be among youngest oath takers.¡±  Nero answered.  ¡°I am making the exception based on your experience in deathless coliseums.¡±


    So our age was a concern? ¡°By the way, how does it work? It¡¯s a strange to know nothing¡­¡±


    ¡°Trust me, you¡¯re lucky.¡± Wise cut in solemnly.


    Rose watched her brother closely. I had the feeling something was bothering him lately¡­ Was it this? Rose approached her mentor, ¡±Anything I should know?¡±


    ¡°Relax, everything will be fine.¡±  Roxanne reassured her. ¡°It¡¯s unavoidable anyway.¡±


    That second comment only heightened her apprehension. Taking a deep breath, she calmed herself with logic. Thousands take the oath each year. How bad could it be?


    They entered a half dome. The place was barren save for a paved path leading to a stone archway connected directly to the black mountain. As always, Xarst reflects no light.


    Before the archway, Nero turned to them. ¡°I have only one instruction for you. Remember the words, ¡®I will not lie.¡¯ Repeat them in your head and burn them into your memory, so you will never forget them.¡±


    He moved aside and gestured, ¡°Please step through.¡±


    I will not lie. I will not lie. Rose reached out and sunk her hand into Xarst¡¯s rock, a sensation similar to entering the pillar. Alright, let¡¯s do this. Rose took a deep breath and walked into the darkness.


    For a second she was alone. Then they came for her, the fractured souls of the damned. Crippling despair, maniacal panic, and soul-crushing regret flooded into her at their touch. She tried to shake free, but they wouldn¡¯t let go, demanding she share their never-ending suffering. She was lost, drowning in an ocean of torment.


    The agony was unbearable, worst then anything she¡¯d known, worse than any torture she¡¯d thought possible. Hope of survival long gone, Rose wished only for release, her sense of self collapsing.


    Then she was moving, pushed up by some unseen force. She breached the surface of the muck, and the legions assaulting her screeched in outrage. As the last of grudges fell back into the abyss and her pain receded, some part of Rose realized she rested in an enormous hand. The towering figure raising her stood in the ocean of filth, unmarred by its taint.


    For a long while, Rose just lay in catatonic stupor. Finally, the words returned to her, and she whispered, ¡°I will never lie.¡±


    Then it was over. She was on the floor outside the gate, her shattered mind whole again. She knew of the trauma she¡¯d endured, but it was as if it had happened to another, holding no emotional weight.


    ¡°That was horrible beyond imagination,¡± Wise sat up besides her. ¡°Yet I feel surprisingly okay.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s everyone experience.¡± Roxanne said.


    Rose shivered, ¡°What happens to those who don¡¯t speak the oath?¡±


    ¡°It never happens.¡± Nero answered. ¡°If a candidate would fail, Torak doesn¡¯t permit them entry.¡±


    Wise stood up and stretched, somehow more full of life. ¡°Knowing what was awaiting me was not fun. I am so glad it¡¯s over.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, there was no way to keep it from you.¡± Nero apologized. Then he smiled and motioned the archway. ¡°Shall head inside? Nothing to worry about this time.¡±


    Rose was awestruck. Inside was a mountain-shaped space the size of the Isle of dreams, with the outer stone covered with the thickest tomb ivy she¡¯d ever seen. The phantom plants were clearly visible despite the ample lighting. No, that¡¯s backwards. It¡¯s the tomb ivy which is lighting this place as bright as day.


    ¡°They don¡¯t wilt to the touch here.¡± Wise said. ¡°And their shine is stronger than anywhere else.¡±


    In the center, pancake-shaped floating islands were stacked on one another, narrower towards the top and wider towards the bottom. Through them snaked thick support pillars overflowing with rainbow colored vines and flowers. The stone path they were following continued here, now a long bridge connecting to a luscious green park. On both side, ghostly knights stood at attention, their blue forms radiating a somber splendor.


    ¡°Pardon the fanfare.¡±  Nero said. ¡°This entrance is used for new arrivals, and Xedion likes to make a big first impression.¡±


    Rose turned to Wise, ¡°Xedion is the ¡®Seeker of Knowledge¡¯, a master of warping the laws of physics and the one who presides over the academy ahead of us. He¡¯s also one of the triumvirate, the three ancient necromancers who run Xarst¡¯s interior.¡±


    Rose smirked. Sick of asking questions, she¡¯d finally found a solution. Whenever she wished to know something, she¡¯d give Wise a look and he¡¯d provide the answer. I¡¯m still jealous of All-Knowing Grasp.


    ¡°A couple of basics as we proceed.¡± Nero began. ¡°Fighting of any type is prohibited outside designated arenas. Even if it wasn¡¯t, the entire interior is deathless zone of sorts, so it¡¯s pointless. Only those who reach the end of their natural lifespan can pass on.¡±


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    ¡°The corrupting influence of necromantic magic is virtually eliminated within this space. Same with the undead.¡± Nero nodded towards the ghostly warriors. ¡°This is the only place where they are this docile.¡±


    True¡­  Since they weren¡¯t radiating loathing, Rose hadn¡¯t even realized these were undead.


    ¡°The effects of Xarst¡¯s shadow are twice as potent here.¡± Nero glanced back. ¡°Same as other anti-aging factors, it only affects those who are fully grown so you needn¡¯t worry.¡±


    ¡°Finally, this is the academy.¡± Nero stepped off the bridge. ¡°For those without personal mentors with matching affinities, it¡¯s a vital place to learn.¡±


    In the distance, black robed students were scurrying between elegant white buildings. Wearing necromantic attire strengthens death magic and resistance to its corruption. It¡¯s practically a requirement.


    ¡°Nero normally teaches here.¡± Wise explained. ¡°He took a leave of absence for our sake.¡±


    ¡°I was fortunate enough to find a capable substitute.¡± Nero agreed.


    ¡°That substitute was Radin Lockworth.¡± Wise added impassively.


    Rose took a second to process this. So the Adventurer¡¯s guild¡¯s missing treasurer is teaching Nero¡¯s classes? ¡°How did this happen?¡±


    ¡°He showed up on the eve of the pillar¡¯s destruction and proposed it himself. Thanks to him, I was able to free up my schedule. As to why, you¡¯ll have to ask yourselves. My foresight doesn¡¯t work on him.¡±


    The gardens commanded Rose¡¯s attention as they advanced. There was a tapestry of every flower imaginable, all blended together seamlessly. The trees added to the splendor. Some were huge, towering over buildings with their canopies. Others were flowering in vivid shades of pink and drooping clusters of yellow. Tying it all together were flawlessly manicured hedges and grass. It¡¯s too perfect¡­ Despite every plant being in full bloom, not a pedal marred the lawns. Even a careful search didn¡¯t reveal a single withered leaf or stem.


    Rose noticed Roxanne watching her. ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Nothing, you just remind me of myself the first time I visited.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡± Rose glanced around. ¡°Actually, I¡¯m surprised there are so many plants. Isn¡¯t that much ¡®life¡¯ disruptive?¡±


    Roxanne caressed a flower ¡°This garden isn¡¯t truly alive. Living things grow, mature. Nothing ever changes here. Every blade of grass stays the same length. Every flower blooms unceasingly. They¡¯re locked in stasis for all eternity.¡±


    Frowning, Rose picked a leaf and watched another appear in its place. ¡°That¡¯s basically immortality. Couldn¡¯t you do the same for humans?¡±


    ¡°What would be the purpose of turning people into living statues?¡±  Roxanne laughed.


    ¡°Oh right.¡± Rose mumbled, embarrassed.


    ¡°There was someone who tried once.¡± Roxanne gazed off wistfully. ¡°After all, a single instant might be worthless, but a short time loop is another story.¡±


    ¡°Joel Tulian created the everlasting day, an enchantment that resets a person¡¯s time every night. He used it to keep his dying wife, Alice, alive for nearly two centuries.¡±


    She shook his head.  ¡°At least Alice knew what was happening before she was trapped in the endless cycle, so she was able to make the best of it. It was far harder on Joel. On top of the strain of maintaining the enchantment, he had to explaining the same news hundreds of times, watching the same reactions. It wore away at him to the point Alice noticed and convinced him to end the magic. By that time, his will to live had eroded, and they both departed together.¡±


    ¡°Did you know them?¡±


    ¡°I met him towards the end.¡±  Roxanne nodded, then smiled again. ¡°By the way, did you know that every plant here is tended to by one man?¡±


    ¡°I did not.¡± Rose answered.


    ¡°Officially, his title is caretaker, but everyone calls him the gardener. He¡¯s the oldest member of the triumvirate, and his area of mastery is stasis and calling forth the undead. In addition to the gardens, he oversees Xarst¡¯s deepest reaches, where the sleepers lie.¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s the last member of the triumverate?¡± Rose asked.


    ¡°She¡¯s right over there.¡± Roxanne pointed.


    A silver-haired woman was waiting in front of the central support pillar. Nero waved to her. ¡°This is Jesabelle Lancer, the keeper of Records. She manages Xarst¡¯s upper portions, where time flows differently. We¡¯ll be borrowing a floor from her.¡±


    ¡°No need for introduction.¡±  Jesabelle said.  ¡°It might be their first time meeting me, but it¡¯s not my first time meeting them.¡±


    ¡°What does that mean?¡± Rose asked.


    Jesabelle smirked, ¡°The last time I saw you, your bottom half was separated from your top. I¡¯m glad you got better.¡±


    Rose¡¯s eyes went wide. That¡¯s not possible.


    ¡°She was there.¡± Wise stammered.  ¡°She¡¯s a time traveler!¡±


    ¡°No one knows more about moving through history than Jesabelle.¡±  Nero confirmed. ¡°Her keepers are tasked with recording significant events, and they do so by spectating directly. Their ability to mask their presence far surpasses the assassins you encountered on the Isle. It¡¯s safe to assume they are always watching.¡±


    ¡°Although for this dark age,¡± Jesabelle sighed. ¡°Simon Black will be a problem¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re his teacher.¡± Wise stated.


    Jesabelle nodded, ¡°Simon was an amazing student and would¡¯ve made an excellent keeper. In terms of skill, he is second only to me. More annoying, his sensitivity to temporal fluctuations is uncanny. I can only obverse from a considerable distance to avoid detection.¡±


    She turned to Nero, ¡°Heading down?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡±  He glanced back. ¡°Those two are interested in seeing the sleepers.¡±


    I am.  Rose had become quite accustomed to Nero fulfilling their desires without asking.


    Bidding goodbye, they approached a bone archway in the support pillar. ¡°These are how we get around. They will take you where you are meant be.¡± Nero explained, walking in.


    They exited to an inverted forest, just as impressively arranged as the gardens above. The ivy is dimmer here. Nero led them to a stairwell then stopped to cast powerful magic. Rose felt a familiar sensation engulf her.


    ¡°It¡¯s a temporal bubble.¡±  Wise explained.  ¡°Time moves slower in the depths.¡±


    They descended several minutes before reaching a terrace overlooking a vast, deep cavern. ¡°This is far as we go.¡±  Necro declared. ¡°A single hour down there is a year outside. Only the gardener is capable of resisting that halting pull, and he doesn¡¯t give tours.¡±


    Rose looked down. The bottom was dark, but she could barely see outlines resting in beds of ivy.


    ¡°It¡¯s a protective measure.¡± Wise added. ¡°No one can make it down before the gardener notices.¡±


    Rose glimpsed a lighter area where silhouettes appeared seated. ¡°What¡¯s going on over there?¡±


    ¡°Not everyone decides to sleep. Xarst¡¯s founder was fond of of poker. He set up table and welcomes all newcomers. It¡¯s become a tradition for his successors to join him.¡±


    ¡°So you mean Xarst¡¯s former leaders are locked in a never ending game of cards?¡± Rose didn¡¯t hide her disbelief.


    ¡°Until the day they can put their talents to use in Xarst¡¯s defense.¡± Nero agreed.


    ¡°It¡¯s nearly time for me to go greet them.¡± Nero sighed. ¡°Withing a month of a dark age, time is sped up and an announcement is made, giving everyone the chance to participate.¡±


    He regarded them, ¡°The rumors are true. Several of Sola¡¯s allies rest down there. Some are quite formidable and will undoubted join Simon. Few will side with Enera as most so inclined are already active in the world.¡±


    ¡°Nero woke me early,¡±  Roxanne added. ¡°The tiniest breach of etiquette.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you¡­¡±  Rose began, but was cut off.


    ¡°There are certain oaths I took when assuming this position. One of them was impartiality. Even if I could break them, the triumvirate would never allow it. The sleepers will soon wake.¡±

 [Book II Chapter 11] SARAH: Conference of Immortals

    [Book II Chapter 11] SARAH: Conference of Immortals


    ------------------------------------------------


    Ticking echoed around the desk as Sarah poured over the numbers hovering before her, resisting the urge to peek over her shoulder. It had taken her a few days to get a grasp of the Guild¡¯s finances, which dwarfed those of any nation. The primary source of income was the commissions from issuing quests. While some of this was requests from governments to patrol borders or eliminate threats, the majority came from private parties. Great value was placed in the guaranteed accuracy, so companies big and small liberally assigned escort duties and retained talent to safeguard property. Besides commissions, other inflows included the profits from auctioning dungeon loot, sponsorship deals, and ad revenue.


    The outflows were just as enormous, and they were rising. Beyond salaries and maintenance costs, the Adventurer¡¯s Guild undertook its own missions to safeguard Enera. It was these expenses that were exploding. What we¡¯re spending on the requisition of airships is ridiculous. It¡¯s lucky we¡¯re loaded.


    Sarah had been astounded by the guild¡¯s balance sheet. No debts plus properties around the globe. The bulk of this wealth was locked deep in vaults at Bastion, presumably for times like these.


    Sarah¡¯s new job was to oversee the budget, approving and denying funding to keep expenses in check. She was also expected to provide the guildmaster regular updates on her progress.


    She sighed. At least there¡¯s no government filings or taxes since we operate outside any jurisdiction. It¡¯s this lack of oversight which made the books a mess before Radin took over. After a few adjustments and a final review, she closed the spreadsheet.


    ¡°Decent enough I suppose¡­¡± Radin said half-heartedly. Sarah glanced back at the transparent figure floating behind her. Shortly after taking over, she¡¯d been dismayed to discover her predecessor haunted this office.


    Ghost were common enough on Enera. True, the soul departed for the Abyss, but every person left an imprint on the Ether. Their feelings, their hopes, their dreams¡­ Under the right conditions, these transformed into apparitions in the physical world. After images of the departed.


    Despite being very much alive, Radin had forcibly manifested one of these here, a guide for his successors. What¡¯s more, it wasn¡¯t the usual transient entity. This copy could think, learn, and voice his opinions loudly. A true doppelganger in spirit form.


    Sarah didn¡¯t dare go against him. She suspected the entity was capable of more than mere advice.  Why go to the trouble to leave it behind if it can be ignored?  Besides, the real thing is out there somewhere, and I don¡¯t want to upset him. Radin¡¯s audit had been the most traumatic event of her tenure as steward, something she would never forgive Lily for.


    Sarah smirked, remembering the one silver lining to her current situation. A moment that nearly made it all worth while.


    She wasn¡¯t sure if it was vengeance against her or the position she¡¯d assumed, but Miki had quickly taken to bullying her. She¡¯d come in with outlandish funding requests, overriding her objections with a near jubilant glee. She¡¯d even offloaded work that had nothing to do with her responsibilities. Overwhelmed, Sarah had timidly asked Radin if he might make himself visible and help her. To her surprise, he¡¯d been agreeable to the suggestion.


    Sarah switched on a recording, fast forwarding to the moment the ghost had revealed himself. She hit pause and admired the look of abject horror on Miki¡¯s face.


    ¡°Everyone has arrived.¡± An electric sprite announced.


    Sarah left the office, her mind wandering to what work had distracted her from. That call home was catastrophic. At Astra¡¯s orders, she¡¯d recounted all her underhanded deeds to her mother and brother. Their silence as I explained was unbearable.


    ¡°Tell Astra to do whatever she wants with you.¡± Her mother had said, shutting off the connection.


    Sarah stared at the ground. I¡¯m dead to her now. Of that she was certain. It was both soul crushing and relieving. Having so completely failed her expectations, I no longer have to live up to them¡­ As for Andrew¡­  she was glad he never got the chance to speak. She didn¡¯t think she could¡¯ve handled it.


    I¡¯m just a slave now. Sarah no longer bothered consulting the cards. She knew what they¡¯d show. Death, death, death¡­ Death everywhere except one path. When channeling, she could feel it, destined doom hanging over her.


    At least Astra was giving her a chance, not making impossible requests. If she¡¯d forbidden scheming, I¡¯d be dead. Sarah spend her free time considering ways to escape. Unfortunately, her imagination was failing her. Once the Dark Age is over, I¡¯ll be free if the world survives¡­


    With a deep breath, Sarah entered the Core Room. Around the round conference table were gathered the Isle¡¯s most renowned immortals, lighting sprites zooming excitedly overhead. So many veterans and paragons¡­


    Not all immortals were equal. The lowest tier were novice immortals, those who recently reached the wall and those who abandoned self-improvement. It isn¡¯t just the state-sponsored. Many retire to enjoy the fruits of their labors.


    The next tier were veteran immortals, those who continued to risk their lives. Some were simply too restless for a peaceful life. Others were too accustomed to the thrill of battle. Still more were roped up into wars or disasters against their wishes. Regardless of the cause, this group continued racking up achievements and honing their skills, reaching a higher level. They nearly always possessed a sublime vagary.


    Last were the paragons, those with complete mastery of their martial arts and magics, monstrous amounts of experience, legendary weapons and equipment, and several sublime vagaries. The avatars of the dark gods and undead champions are in this category.


    Sarah appraised those around the table one by one.


    Nagara Ubilon, the Grim Defender. The dark-skinned necromancer was famous for her ruthlessly efficient as Mask of Xarst. Apparently, no one has seen her laugh.


    Angela Greaves, the Orihalcum Knight. An earth-affinity metal bender who¡¯d completely mastered the unearthly steel. Rumor is she loves it¡¯s blue tinged shine.


    Askavar Raymon, the Dungeon Delver. The man wore explorer leather filled with pockets and pouches. No one has spend more time in dungeons. It¡¯s a miracle he¡¯s alive. Or here for that matter.


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    Jake Thorn, the Despicable Bastard. The darkness affinity rogue was famous for his womanizing, abrasiveness, and underhanded methods. His skills are respected as much as the rest of him is loathed. Hopefully he doesn¡¯t hit on me again.


    Escard Roen, the People¡¯s Knight. A popular excommunicated paladin. No one knows the details of his fallout with the White Mountain.


    Selina Gladesong, the Unerring Arrow. The second best archer on Enera. She relocated to the Isle to escape her sister¡¯s shadow.


    August Terrance, the Severing Air. He¡¯s an expert at force fields and sealing enchantments. Don¡¯t know much else.


    The last two were Astra Skyfell and Gareth Black. Miki stood off to the side, waiting for the small talk to die down. I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m here.


    Nagara watched Sarah install herself quietly at the side of the room. ¡°Given the crucial importance, is it alright for her to oversee the guild¡¯s finances? Recruiting another necromancer strikes me as a safer option.¡±


    Sarah shrunk in her chair as they all turned to her. How many know or suspect?


    ¡°As a measure of loyalty, the oath isn¡¯t perfect either.¡± Astra answered bitterly. ¡°As for the current treasurer, I will personally vouch for her. She would never dare betray me.¡± Sarah hated the smug smile on her tormentor¡¯s face.


    ¡°Anyway,¡± Astra continued. ¡°I called you here today for an update on the current situation. Miki, if you would.¡±


    ¡°The global political order has collapsed.¡± The pink demoness explained. ¡°Samuel Lithorn as the Northern Emperor entered into defense packs with small and mid-sized territories around the world. These Vassals states were the cause of his out-sized influence.¡±


    ¡°This has ended, and the World Council, the symbol of his dominance, is effectively defunct. Conflicts are springing up all over due to this power vacuum. The biggest so far are the Grey Kingdom¡¯s offensive and the bloody war between Tanga and Benadin.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe that, even after the White Dragon, those two are at it again. What¡¯s Barsal Farran been up too?¡±


    ¡°On that subject, I have spoken to the man.¡± Astra responded. ¡°He¡¯s uncovered disturbing facts. Both countries had begun military preparation months ago, and the pillar¡¯s destruction was merely the catalyst. Something or someone caused tensions to flare at the worst possible time.¡±


    ¡°The Laughing Man¡¯s work?¡± August asked.


    ¡°Maybe. However, the telltale sign of his involvement is usually a string of high profile deaths. That wasn¡¯t the case this time, which is why the Barsal Empire was caught unaware.¡±


    ¡°So Simon Black then.¡± August said.


    ¡°Or someone aligned with him.¡± Astra agreed. ¡°Whatever the case, these wars are not our concerns, although we¡¯ll be dealing with the aftermath.¡±


    ¡°You say that, but what about the trouble right on our border?¡± Escard said. ¡°Isn¡¯t Kyrgyzstan about to invade Nirvan?¡±


    All the nations around the Isle had been under the umbrella of Lithorn¡¯s protection. With that shield gone, one country had begun appraising aggressive options. Spiral City was an appealing prize, and Kyrgyzstan was preparing to seize control under the guise of offering assistance. Decimated by several werewolf outbreaks, Nirvan wasn¡¯t in a position to put up any resistance.


    ¡°While that isn¡¯t officially the guild business, don¡¯t worry about Nirvan.¡± Astra said darkly. ¡°Kyrgyzstan will soon learn the folly of amassing an army on the edge of the Blue Abyss.¡±


    Eyes lit up with understanding. Remembering the giant worm, Sarah understood too. Idia have mercy on their souls.


    ¡°Do we have any idea where the first true catastrophe will come from?¡± Selina asked.


    ¡°Not yet.¡± Miki answered. ¡°But we might have an inkling. Several tethered realms have disappeared.¡±


    This is new. Tethered realms were places in the Ether permanently anchored to somewhere on Enera. They don¡¯t normally vanish.


    ¡°The rifts left behind have mostly latched onto ephemeral domains, beginning the process of forming new tethered realms. However, this afternoon one connected to the plane of ice¡­¡±


    How disastrous. The elemental planes were gargantuan realms capable of spawning immortal level inhabitants. At least it wasn¡¯t the Moonlit Lands, the Corrupted Swamps, or the Bloodstained Plains.


    ¡°Lily is currently dealing with the threat, which is why she¡¯s absent.¡± Miki continued. ¡°We don¡¯t yet know what is causing this or where the missing realms are located. But since this is a dark age, the trend likely portends a dire outcome.¡±


    ¡°Any giant insect threats?¡± Angela asked.


    ¡°None.¡± Astra answered. ¡°We are keeping on top of that. There will be no repeat of the blue-backed spiders.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± Angela declared. ¡°I still remember that extermination. It played a big part in getting Lily to immortally.¡±


    ¡°On a different topic,¡± Askavar said. ¡°How¡¯s progress in Bastion?¡±


    Enera¡¯s continents were connected in the shape of a deformed butterfly, and Bastion lay in their center, west of the Sarada desert and south of the Isle. Apart from the strategic location, it was home to the Great Metropolis, the largest neverwhere ruin on Enera. Its former inhabitant had mastered all manners of advanced magics, the greatest of which were the giant half-ring arches scattered throughout their former capital. By exploring the immortal-level dungeon below, it was possible to obtain blacked orb artifacts, which, when taken somewhere and activated, could form a stable gateway to one of the half-rings.


    Three had been opened before the last Dark Age, connecting to the Northern Empire, Aery, and the Barsal Empire. While originally a novelty, these soon became a lifeline. Bastion went from a small city in an unimportant arid land to humanity¡¯s last stronghold. Layers of great walls and fortification were erected to protect the refugees flooding in from around the globe. Food for this swelling population was brought in from the Green Hell to the south east. Tyrants didn¡¯t participate in much fighting because they were so busy hunting.


    This time around, the plan was to begin the migration to Bastion as soon as possible. Isolated, undefended areas will be overrun when the undead rise.


    ¡°Gareth has just returned from there.¡± Astra looked over expectedly. ¡°Let¡¯s hear his report.¡±


    ¡°Bastion is slowly coming up to speed. It has basically functioned like a tourist destination these last two millennia, so some infrastructure was badly in need of repair. Like last time, we¡¯ll eventually be moving the guild¡¯s headquarters there once construction is done.¡±


    ¡°Regarding evacuations, there are ample food reserves, and much of the housing is in relatively decent shape. Bastion will be ready to receive people within the week. It¡¯s getting them there that will be the difficult.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll explain from here.¡± Miki said. ¡°There are several challenges for the evacuations this time around. First, Enera is far more populated and far more spread out, especially the Demon World under the Blue Abyss. I honestly don¡¯t how we¡¯re going to manage that¡­¡±


    ¡°Askavar,¡± Astra broke in. ¡°We may need another blacked orb.¡±


    Askavar grimaced, ¡°I was afraid of that. When I helped the elders of Cultivating Realm retrieve one after the Dark Age, I confirmed a suspicion: the difficulty and time required is increasing each time. I¡¯m not looking forward to the next run¡­¡±


    ¡°Please prepare just in case.¡± Astra said. ¡°For now, there are more pressing issues. Miki?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re facing a problematic lack of urgency.¡± Miki explained. ¡°People haven¡¯t yet grasped that a Dark Age has begun and are unwilling to abandoned their comfort and worldly possessions for the life of a refugee in Bastion¡¯s crowded makeshift cities. This attitude is amplified in underground areas barely impacted by the pillar¡¯s destruction. They can¡¯t even see the stars disappearing.¡±


    ¡°When are you planing on revealing the big secret?¡± Jake Thorn chimed in. ¡°I mean Torak¡¯s existence.¡±


    ¡°As soon as we can find a way to do so without causing unnecessary hysteria.¡± Astra answered.


    ¡°This is why I was against hiding it.¡± Nagara shook her head.  ¡°Better that everyone knows what¡¯s at stake from the start.¡±


    ¡°Are you considering forced relocations?¡± Jake pressed.


    ¡°Not currently.¡± Astra glanced to Miki. ¡°This brings up the next issue.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s an airship shortage.¡± Miki stated. ¡°They¡¯ve gone from a luxury to a necessity. High valued goods previous moved through warping now require transportation. Adventurers that can afford the ballooning prices are acquiring them too. Everywhere, they are being horded for a possible emergency escape¡­¡±


    ¡°The truth is,¡± Astra added, ¡°It¡¯s a good thing so many are disinterested in Bastion otherwise there¡¯d be panic.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the plan?¡± Selina asked.


    ¡°We focus on the willing and get our hands on as many airships as possible.¡± Astra answered. ¡°It¡¯s sad to say, but it¡¯s not worth wasting energy on the stubborn. Once the first two or three disasters strike, minds will change all on their own.¡±


    ¡°Millions will have to die for that.¡± Escard said softly.


    Astra shrugged, ¡°We don¡¯t have the resources to move everyone. It¡¯s inevitable.¡±


    There was silence around the table. This isn¡¯t empathy, Sarah understood. Torak¡¯s legions gain their strength from the overwhelming number of deaths a dark age brings. The more we save, the weaker they¡¯ll be. Conversely, the opposite too.

 [Book II Chapter 12] HOPE: Forging Mithril

    [Book II Chapter 12] HOPE: Forging Mithril


    ------------------------------------------------


    Carrying a metal basket, Hope closed the vault-like door behind her and stepped inside. Bright interconnected glyphs covered the round room, forming a giant spell circle. As she strode over the pulsing lines, a crackle of energy snapped at her leg, but was deflected.


    It¡¯s uncomfortable. Over her normal attire, Hope wore a smelting suit consisting of a thick inner layer of paramid, an ¡®alchemic polymer¡¯, with a thin covering of orichalcum. The legs and torso were barely long enough while the gloves and boots were too lose. Only the smelting helmet fit perfectly, encasing her head in a hood with a transparent resin plate. Damn dwarven proportions. Enchantments in the built-in backpack kept the air breathable within the airtight seal.


    Hope breathed deeply. ¡°Fourth time is the charm.¡± She muttered softly, not sure if she was being optimistic or pessimistic.


    In the center stood a pot-shaped cauldron. The interior was smooth with heat retaining runes etched along the top. Hope opened the hatch to the furnace below and threw in six mithril bullets. White flames roared, radiating heat. Her prized ammunition was the only material she owned which could withstand the heat. This costs too much already. No way I am wasting money on fuel.


    Hope felt the temperature rise, even in her protective suit. She reached in her basket and dropped a finger sized iron bar inside the cauldron, watching it slowly turn red. Once it was melted, she added a fragment of slyzard bone. The two would combine to produce carbon steel.


    It¡¯s now or never. Hope threw her last four bullets into the furnace and channeled her full power into the molten metal. Every material had a maximum amount of magic it could contain. Hope was exceeding that limit, forcing power in faster than it could leak out. She needed to focus as much as possible in a tiny area, and it had to be aligned right. This was the delicate final stage which could go explosively wrong.


    Hope¡¯s heart sped up, and sweat ran down her face. Objects didn¡¯t like to be overcharged and would sometimes ¡®spark¡¯, releasing all their energy at once. The blast from her second attempt had knocked her unconscious. It didn¡¯t help that she wasn¡¯t accustomed to enchanting without physical contact. Touching makes everything so much easier there¡¯s never a reason not to.


    Hope grew nervous as ambient magic filled the room. Suddenly, her concentration was broken by a blinding flash. For a moment, she panicked at the prospect of another violent failure, but then her visor automatically darkened in response to the light. Within the glowing outline of the liquid steel was a single speck shining like the sun. It worked¡­


    The magical array pulsed to life, its energies sustaining the transmutation. Hope quickly reached into the basket and grabbed a handful of amber colored crystal, feeding them into the cauldron one by one. When most of the steel was gone, she stopped and backed away. Mithril¡¯s melting point was twice that of steel, and the cauldron¡¯s enchantments weren¡¯t enough to contain the spiking temperature. Without the suit, Hope would¡¯ve already been baked alive. I see why he calls this place an oven.


    Hope waited until the activity in the array had died down and released a frozen mist from her palm. Half the glyphs had gone dark, their energies spent. She approach and doused the cauldron, only stopping once she saw frost form. Peering inside, she reached out with her spiritual senses and willed the newly formed metal to move.


    She hadn¡¯t dared mess with her perfectly shaped bullets, so this was her first time manipulating mithril. Levitating was easy enough, but changing the shape was tough. Much more resistant than steel.


    There was a clank as the door opened, and a rough voice called out, ¡°You alive?¡±


    ¡°Alive and triumphant.¡± Hope answered. Gathering her belongings, she marched out and tossed her newly produced mithril to the grey-haired dwarf outside. She then rushed over to shed her sweat-drenched protective gear.


    This smelting chamber belonged to Torrance Rockswell, one of Corthia¡¯s saints. After retiring from adventuring, he¡¯d become the resident smith and enchanter. His earth affinity was well suited for transmuting unearthly metals and hardening enchantments. Everyone she¡¯d met swore by his ¡®unbreakable¡¯ pickaxes.


    Hope had initially been put off by the grumpy old dwarf, as he reminded her of Orthos Braslin. However, after several days her attitude had shifted. Turns out you can¡¯t simply rely on basic mannerism to judge character. Maybe it was the dungeon¡¯s constant looming threat, the harsh life of a miner, or simply dwarven culture, but ¡®gruff¡¯ was a common trait in here.


    ¡°Not bad for your first success.¡± Torrance admitted grudgingly, handing back the mithril.


    Hope collapsed on an old sofa. They were in the basement workshop, Torrance¡¯s personal workspace. He practically lived here, shunning the outdoors. All manner mining implements and weapons hung on the walls, and rows of barrels littered the place. The clanging of metal echoed in the distance.


    ¡°Tiring isn¡¯t?¡± Torrance smirked.


    Hope nodded. Overcharging was indeed draining, and the exhaustion was affecting her body too. Strange how that works. A ¡®logical consequence¡¯ enforced by the Ether, fatigue from channeling was felt physically. Same way losing one¡¯s soul causes the death.


    Hope examine the mithril closely. Unlike her silver mithril, it had a beige tinge. Enough for three more bullets.


    Hope fashioned a beige bracelet for her left wrist. ¡°So much work for so little¡­¡±


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    ¡°I usually take a barrel of earth crystals and make twenty times as much.¡± Torrance shrugged. ¡°Although I wouldn¡¯t recommend it until you¡¯ve master overcharging, unless you plan on killing yourself.¡±


    For now I¡¯ll stick to this much.  She would try again tomorrow. ¡°So you really don¡¯t know how to transmute anything else?¡± She asked again.


    ¡°I only dabble in alchemy.¡± Torrance apologized. ¡°Mithril is more than enough for Carthia¡¯s needs. Anyone who wishes for rarer alloys visits Ravelin¡¯s forge.¡±


    Right, Edgar Firson. The dwarven immortal and master alchemist, resided in the forges above the Endless Mines. This was why Torrance had been surprised when Hope had entered his shop.


    The science of alchemy was deep. Unearthly metals were influenced by the material, magics, and methods used in their creation. There were as much variety of mithril as there was of steel. And metallurgy is only a fraction of it. For every substance on Enera, a superior version existed. Nearly anything was possible. Even raw emotions could be given physical form, as demonstrated by Remnant¡¯s Fortress of Regret.


    ¡°If you are interest in knowing more, why not ask Clay Donnaster?¡± Torrance offered. Astra had organized for the immortal to train her once she was done here.


    ¡°Is he talented?¡± Hope asked awkwardly.


    ¡°He¡¯s the youngest master alchemist, probably in the top twenty on Enera.¡± Torrance answered flatly.


    Hope slouched deeper.  I really do try, I promise. She¡¯d assumed Clay¡¯s skills were average as he¡¯d only taken up alchemy as a saint. However, it¡¯d been a long time since then. Guess he forged that black mithril himself¡­


    ¡°I didn¡¯t feel any shockwaves.¡± Came a voice from the stairwell. Eren walked down. ¡°Is that a good sign?¡±


    ¡°I made mithril.¡± Hope raised her left hand.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll treat you to lunch to celebrate!¡± Eren announced, raising a bag undoubtedly containing her favorite sandwiches. ¡°Come on.¡± She quickly dragged Hope to her feet and out of the room.


    ¡°Once you¡¯ve finished,¡± Torrance called after them. ¡°clean up after yourself and get back to work. You owe me another fifty sealers.¡±


    The background banging soon became ear piercing. Torrance had been growing this smithy for hundreds of years, and today his small labor force meet all the needs of Corthia¡¯s mining operations. Currently four were working on the ground floor, including Anny, Torrance¡¯s great granddaughter. From the gossip she¡¯d heard, she and Jake, a fellow apprentice, had been battling over who would succeed the aging forgemaster before settling the issue by getting married. Now the concern was what would happen when the two left to start a family.


    Watching Anny swing the massive hammer, Hope felt awkward. As someone who could effortlessly twist a metal into any shape, she¡¯d long regarded the entire smithing profession as pointless. Only now was she understanding it still served a purpose. By weaving enchantments while molding the metal, an extra layer of hardening could be applied which barely took any room. It¡¯s basically its own school of magecraft. More complex techniques, such as pattern welding, produced even more pronounced benefits. It¡¯s vexing that anything I shape will not be as strong as one from the forge. Should I take up the craft too? Hope continued mulling while following outside.


    The forge was the largest building on the far side of Corthia, above the strip mines. It was a mismatch of a structure, with many additions to accommodate the growing business. The disjointed roof was Eren¡¯s new favorite eating place, and Hope had to admit the view was great.


    The town spread out from the lake to the cavern wall. She saw a few fisherman testing their luck and adventurer¡¯s wandering about. However, the hub of activity was the minecart station. Whether day or night, Corthia was always active. The mines never sleep. Hope had almost become accustomed to the omnipresent sound of clanging metal and screeching minecarts.


    Hope cast a sidelong glance at her companion obliviously munching loudly. She and Eren were staying at largest inn, next to adventurer¡¯s guild outpost. After a horrible first night, Eren had offered her a pair of noise canceling earplugs with a wide smile. Part of Hope wanted to get even, but ultimately she didn¡¯t dare.


    Taking a bite, Hope focused on the city. Corthia was very different from the Isle or even Ravelin. There was a seriousness to the place. Everyone had a purpose, or they weren¡¯t here. There are no children. After multiple deaths, they were forbidden. Although the plateau was relatively safe, there were serpents in the underwater cave system connected to the lake that excelled at stalking vulnerable prey. And it¡¯s impossible to exterminate them, as they¡¯ll always respawn.


    ¡°So how does it feel?¡± Eren eyed her bracelet.


    ¡°Relief at avoiding another embarrassment.¡± Hope joked. ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m happy, but it¡¯s only beige mithril. I can¡¯t let it go to my head.¡± The Endless Mines were earth aligned, and channeling the element was easier here. Other types wouldn¡¯t be as easy.


    Hope tried pouring a little magic into bracelet. It was as expected. Beige mithril could absorb more earth enchantments but less of everything else. Still better than steel.


    ¡°Will you be transmuting more today?¡±


    ¡°No, I think not.¡± Hope sighed. ¡°I have no desire to test my skills when not fully rested. Overcharging is rough.¡±


    Since arriving, Hope had into a routine of channeling and reading. Torrance had agreed to help in exchange for a steady supply of enchanted items for the shop. The most popular of which were sealers, one time spells which could block off a cave passage. So she¡¯d spent her time making these and building her arsenal of saint level magics. Once drained, she¡¯d explore and find somewhere relatively quiet to read.


    That¡¯s how she¡¯d discovered the town¡¯s surprising large subterranean quarters. Most miners resided there, within the safety of the stone. For those without fighting ability, a dungeon is a dangerous place. The area also functioned as a bunker in the event of an attack.


    ¡°What about you?¡± Hope asked ¡°What are your plans?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll patrol the vicinity of mine 79, then do some prospecting.¡± Eren answered. Same as always then.


    Eren had explained how things worked in the Bottomless Mines. First prospectors explored and identified valuable deposits. Adventurer parties would then clear the area and seal it off from the rest of the dungeon. A minecart track would be set up, and mining would start. During this activity, more adventurers would be hired to scout the surroundings to deal with any threats which might burrow in. Eren was heading out on one of these missions.


    ¡°Patrolling is fine,¡± Hope said. ¡°But isn¡¯t prospecting alone dangerous?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the point though.¡± Eren answered mid bite. ¡°Immortality is earned through such risks.¡± Eren swallowed and looked her in the eye. ¡°Which is why you should join me.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t.¡± Hope swiftly responded. ¡°I still have much preparing to do.¡±


    Hope had yet to leave the safety of Corthia. I don¡¯t have nearly enough spells or bullets. Plus I want to plan out magics to counter likely threats.


    A major tremor hit them. Hope watched it sweep across the town, causing buildings to tremble. ¡°Feel that?¡± Eren asked. Hope nodded.


    Except for the areas with minecart tracks, the Endless Mines were constantly evolving. Large portions would collapse and be replaced with unexplored caverns. Tremors were the warnings of where this would occur.


    ¡°In couple of weeks, a large section down there will refresh itself.¡± Eren pointed towards the strip mines. ¡°Once that happens, I will be dragging you with me on a little adventure, like it or not.¡±


    ¡­ I¡¯ll have to speed up my preparations.

 [Book II Chapter 13] SARAH: An unexpected visitor

    [Book II Chapter 13] SARAH: An unexpected visitor


    ------------------------------------------------


    Why am here? Sarah was piloting Astra¡¯s airship, Exodia, above the Blue Abyss. Lily was leaning on the rails up front, peering down at a trail of ice.


    True to her word, Astra was intent on taking care of Kyrgyzstan¡¯s invasion force. Exodia would pick her up once she was done.


    I¡¯m so tempted to flip us upside down to sent Lily overboard. Unfortunately she can fly. The little imp had requested Sarah as a chauffeur, and Astra had agreed.


    A petty, pointless act on both their part. I have work to do.  Plus I¡¯m expecting someone today. Swallowing the complaints, Sarah accelerated. Land had come into view. Might as well enjoy the spectacle.


    She parked above the edge of the Blue Abyss and joined Lily. Two miles below, across from the floating wall of water, a small airship armada was traveling above a line of vehicles.


    I feel bad for the horses. A cavalry was galloping alongside the convoy, blue pelts and violet manes swaying in the wind. Cloud striders were a popular equestrian breed, capable of briefly running on air to navigate gaps in the fractured earth. I suppose I should pity their riders too. They were just following orders.


    ¡°I have never seen Astra do this before.¡± Lily commented. ¡°I¡¯m pretty excited.¡±


    Sarah didn¡¯t respond, looking back at the approaching trail of ice. There was no indication of whatever horror was swimming in its wake.


    Astra followed the ocean¡¯s surface as it curved down, jumping once it went vertical. On wings of ice, she¡¯d soared through the armada before anyone could react.


    Then the Blue Abyss exploded, a gigantic coiling mass springing into view. Holy hell, a hydra! The size of a small city, the multi-headed serpent pulled itself out of the water, crashing through Kyrgyzstan¡¯s military.


    Astra flew upwards, disappearing into a narrow fissure. Several heads smashed after her, vainly trying to follow. Once it realize it¡¯d lost its prey, the beast raged, turning on the scattering army. Enormous jaws scrapped the earth, soldiers and mounts disappearing between jagged teeth. Smaller airships were swallowed whole. A one-sided carnage caused by a ruler¡¯s mad ambition and Astra¡¯s ruthlessness.


    ¡°Before sealing Earth¡¯s End, Astra took out an army of chimeras the same away.¡± Lily offered. ¡°She¡¯s the only one crazy enough to run on the Blue Abyss.¡±


    Astra returned while the hydra vented its fury, and they departed before it noticed. Sarah piloted while the two immortals conversed outside. Frankly, she was all too happy to be ignored.


    She snuck off as soon as they docked at the Isle, making her way through the Obsidian Cavern. Around the formerly Empty City, workers were scurrying about refurbishing buildings. In another year, they¡¯ll be ready to accept inhabitants. She¡¯d been so curious about this place while steward. Never would she have guessed she¡¯d be granted access. Or that I¡¯d become Astra¡¯s slave.


    Retrieving her tarot deck, Sarah drew three card. The Chariot, the Knight, and the Hermit. In this setting, the Chariot announced an arrival. The Knight would appear today. That could be any number of people, but, in her experience, it meant her elder brother.


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    Why would he visit? She dreaded the prospect, while also longing for it. Andrew was everything she aspired to be, and everything she wasn¡¯t. A hero of Tulven, loved by the people and admired by all. Sharing their mother¡¯s air affinity, he¡¯d inherit her martial arts to become one of Enera¡¯s youngest immortals.


    She couldn¡¯t even bring herself to be jealous. Andrew was her one true ally. After their father passed away and everyone had given up on her, he¡¯d offered steadfast support, lending an ear to her troubles and doing what he could to resolve them. Without him lobbying mother, I would¡¯ve never been made Steward of the Isle.


    While she was certain he¡¯d aid her again, as he always had, she wasn¡¯t sure she had the right to his forgiveness. I failed so badly this time, in so many ways¡­


    When she reached the finance department, the receptionist waved to her, ¡°You have a visitor.¡±


    There he was, Andrew Godspeed, leaning against the wall. Wavy brown hair surrounded his handsome face, with a confident smile on his lips. The metal plates woven into on his leather armor shone silver, and argent clouds covered his black cloak. Tulven¡¯s champion.


    Wordlessly, she led him to a unused conference room. She had no desire for Radin¡¯s ghost to spectate this meeting. They silently sat across from each other as emotions wracked her.


    Before she could find the words, Andrew took out an unremarkable, gnarled walking stick from a velvet bag and handed it to her. Confused, she accepted.


    As her fingers touched the gift, white runes flashed over its surface. She felt it, to the very core of her soul. The magic within was unfathomably deep. Not merely high sorcery, she held a supreme instrument of uncontestable might. Understanding came too. Her destiny would shift with this. It could grant her power the likes she¡¯d only dreamed of.


    A lifetime of worry melted way. She¡¯d found her way forward. Sarah gripped the wood so hard she trembled. Despite her profound gratitude, she couldn¡¯t help herself, ¡°If only¡­ If only I¡¯d had this sooner¡­¡±


    Those years of useless struggling, enduring her mother¡¯s disappointed gaze. The envy of watching others enjoy the life she longed for. The lengths she had descended in her desperation to follow. There would¡¯ve been no need for the feud with Lily, allying with monsters, conspiring to kill children¡­ No need for any of it. Out of relief and grief, Sarah sobbed her heart out.


    Her brother watched in quiet understanding. ¡°Sorry¡­¡± He whispered.


    He¡¯s always felt guilt over his good fortune. This is him once more trying to make amends¡­ And he¡¯s outdone himself.


    ¡°What is this,¡± Sarah asked, finally composing herself. ¡°And how did you get it?¡±


    ¡°It was thanks to Rana.¡± Andrew explained. Rana was the fortune teller who¡¯d taught Sarah her craft. ¡°When she learned what happened to you, she spent days locked up, scrying the future. She emerged elated, sending me to Nevoir¡¯s treasury.¡±


    Nevoir was a high level dungeon often frequented by new immortals. Successfully navigating its perils entitled a challenger to pick one item from its vast treasure room. Occasionally rare finds were brought back, but she¡¯d never heard of anything like this.


    ¡°Clearing the dungeon was hard, but nothing I couldn¡¯t handle. However, I was completely lost afterwards. Rana didn¡¯t give me a description of what I was meant to retrieve. I was left wandering for hours, narrowing down the selection by process of elimination, searching for a sign.¡±


    ¡°So how did you choose?¡± Sarah asked.


    ¡°Would you believe I saw a ghost?¡± Andrew smiled. ¡°For the briefest moment, an elderly figure in white appeared, pointing to an ordinary stick behind a pile of gold.¡±


    ¡°Rana identified the previous owner upon my return. It belonged to Orion, the wandering recluse, a blind immortal who perished during the last Dark Age. He might be the only one sharing your affinity to have reached the Wall of Legends. His staff was called the Miracle Worker, and I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll help you.¡±


    Sarah cradled her legendary artifact, letting the words sink in. Finally, she awkwardly asked, ¡°How are things in Tulven?¡±


    Andrew grimaced, ¡°Not great. The Twisted Lands have grown unsafe, with rifts suddenly linking to dangerous realms and new ones forming from nowhere. Tulven is too isolated on the coast and will have to be abandoned¡­¡± He leaned back, sighing. ¡°Then there¡¯s Mother. She¡¯s never cared for nation building, and, since father passed away, she¡¯s spent much of her time in Aery. It¡¯s taking everything I have to convince her to stay and help organize the evacuations.¡±


    Andrew looked her in the eyes, ¡°I would love to stay and catch up, but I really must go¡­ Also, you don¡¯t really want talk right now, do you?¡±


    Sarah said nothing, simply looking down. He nodded, ¡°I¡¯ll visit again once things have settled down. Till then, hang in there.¡±


    With that, he walked out the door.

 [Book II Chapter 14] Dylan: Soul Skyfell

    [Book II Chapter 14] Dylan: Soul Skyfell


    ------------------------------------------------


    ¡°Who do you think will win?¡± Lin asked. They were in the stands of a boisterous coliseum with two saints facing off below. Dylan studied the fighters.


    The first was young, barely sixteen. Taller than most in Sanwue, he wore a suit of ice armor and wielded a gigantic two-handed sword. Opposite him was an swordmaster of the Radiant Sight Sect in enchanted white robes.


    <<Try the trick I taught you.>> Dowart advised, floating above him.


    Dylan closed his eyes and let his spiritual sense sweep the arena. He faintly sensed light affinity energy leaking from the Radiant Sight disciple. From the silver-haired youth, he felt nothing.


    ¡°The foreigner practices a supreme martial arts perfectly suited to him.¡± Dylan said. ¡°That sword is also not ordinary.¡±


    The force field crackled over the ring, and the two combatants ran forwards. The sword of the Radiant Sight disciple had a fiery aura and singed through ice armor in a glancing blow. However, there were no further strikes as the silver-haired youth effortless swung his weapon in quick succession, forcing the cultivator back with his reach. He¡¯s using his ice armor as a counterweight.


    As white robes were shredded in several places, it became obvious who was winning. The Radiant Sight disciple knew it too and jumped back to disengage, shouting, ¡°Shimmering Phantoms.¡± Ten copies of his weapons appeared and began circling in a defensive formation.


    Dylan¡¯s eyes widened. Was that an illusionary grace?  Does he cherish victory that badly? Sure, this was a prestigious occasion with many major sects watching. However, publicly revealing your trump card was the height of foolishness. He shook his head.


    The flow of the battle changed. The cultivator easily blocked blows with the levitating swords while sending them shooting out with waves of his hands. If he could control all ten perfectly, he¡¯d have already won. Overwhelmed, the silver-haired youth suddenly shattered his armor, creating a thick ice cloud.


    ¡°He¡¯s using mist.¡± Lin declared excitedly, having chosen her favorite.


    Out of the haze, armored figures dashed forwards one after the other, each collapsing when struck. Really skillful use of clones. The blades around the Radiant Sight disciple were slowly depleted, and, when the real threat finally emerged, he was sent flying after an awkwardly parry. Immediately, the silver-haired youth spun and released a rising slash, yelling, ¡°Heaven Splitter.¡±


    An icy shockwave sliced the arena in two, smashing into the force field. Dylan felt a breeze. A fraction of the force had penetrated the barrier.


    The crowd exploded. It was a rare treat for them to witness supreme techniques like these, as imaginary graces were normally reserved for real battles. Well, for that weapon ¡ª¡ªDiamonds Edge was it?¡ª¡ª, it¡¯s so well known there¡¯s probably no point.


    Dylan had overheard bystanders speak of this foreigner. The young man was the son of Astra Skyfell, a hero from two thousand years ago, and he wielded the sword of her brother, another legend. The common folk were revering him as royalty.


    ¡°That was amazing¡­¡± Lin exclaimed. ¡°Can I have a sword like that?¡±


    ¡°Would you even be able swing it?¡± Dylan laughed. She was half the size of the silver-haired youth. I¡¯m glad she had fun.


    ¡°Eventually, I am sure I could.¡± Lin protested. The two got up and exited the coliseum, stopping at a nearby fountain.


    New Vale was the nearest major city to the Morning Dew Sect. While Dylan had made frequent visits, it was Lin¡¯s first time to the surface. She¡¯d taken some time to adjust to the open sky. Today, it was the atmosphere around them that captured her attention, with good reason.


    Dylan had never seen the place more lively. It¡¯s to be expected. The Godly Herb Garden opened once every twenty years, drawing eager participants from the entire region. It was a bonanza for commerce and cause for celebration. Festival stands littered the streets, and catchy beats echoed from far off taverns.


    Dylan watched the common folk mill about, laughing and dancing. Occasionally the sea of people would part, wisely giving wide berth to elaborately dressed cultivators. They belonged to a different world, their brief lives so fleeting.


    ¡°Do you see that man over there? In the blue robes?¡± Lin pointed.


    Dylan turned and tensed. ¡°That¡¯s Teng Ling, disciple of the Water Dragon Sect. He¡¯s one of those who murdered your parents.¡± he spoke coldly, shielding their conversation.


    He¡¯d been expecting this. Saints from all over were gathering. There would be an opportunity, he was sure of it.


    ¡°So he¡¯s one of the people you¡¯re going kill¡­¡± Lin mumbled.


    Dylan looked to his small charge. She was too young to remember¡­ ¡°What made you pick him out?¡± He asked.


    ¡°He just felt off. Not sure why.¡±


    This is dangerous.  Dylan knelt, ¡°From now on, if someone feels strange to you, pretend not to notice. Tell only me. Promise.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Lin agreed, intimidated at his intensity.


    Dylan watched Teng walked away. What did Lin sense? And how? Does it have something to do with Heavenly Mist she practices? If so, it might be his first clue why the Sacred Cloud sect was wiped out. He took a deep breath. More of the eight would be arriving. If Lin could pick them out, it¡¯d confirm this wasn¡¯t just a coincidence.


    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    ¡°Sorry, we¡¯re late. Some shopping sprung up.¡± Kailen said.


    ¡°I had to convince him to buy me a pair of earrings.¡± Added a voice behind him. Yanfei, a bright young woman, joined them. ¡°A man should treat his wife every once and a while.¡±


    Kailen had also come for the Godly Herb Garden, and they would be teaming up to face the challenges. Not only were there demonic beasts, but killing others for the rewards was a common occurrence. It¡¯s more for his sake than mine. While both saints, they were miles apart in strength. Kailen was painfully average. It¡¯s the quality of our martial arts and our inherit talent. Dylan suspected the man would be more burden than boon.


    It can¡¯t be helped. While Dylan instinctively wanted to drop dead weight, he owed the Morning Mist Sect, so he¡¯d do what he could to keep the man alive. Plus the little mistress would be sad if he died.


    ¡°So, are you ready to taste some sweets?¡± Yanfei asked.


    Lin¡¯s eyes widened, she turned to Dylan, ¡°Really?¡±


    He smiled and nodded, handing over a bag of coins. He normally discourage such shallow activities, but this was a special occasion. And it would allow him to tend to some business. He watched the three disappeared into the crowd, Lin leading the way happily.


    Yanfei would care for the little mistress while they were gone. Dylan was nervous about the prospect, but it wouldn¡¯t be for long. A month inside the Godly Herb Garden was day outside. They¡¯d return in less than a week.


    He strode off with purpose. After weeks of refining the cave lilies, it was time to sell his labor and obtain rarer ingredients. New Vale was home to a decent sized auction house, and there was bound to be treasures on offer.


    ¡°Did Lin¡¯s father also notice strangeness in some cultivators?¡± Dylan whispered.


    ¡°I remember him staring hard on some occasions.¡± Dowart responded pensively.


    ¡°But he never made a comment?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t recall any,¡± Dowart answered, ¡°but Han Xiao made several trips to the Ghost Corrosion Sect before the¡­ incident. He may have reported to the elder there.¡±


    ¡°May have?¡±


    ¡°When around immortals, especially ones with extremely keen spiritual sense, I cut myself off from the outside and go dormant in the ring.¡±


    Dylan absorbed these words. The Ghost Corrosion Sect was one of the great sects and its elder one of Sanwue¡¯s first immortals. It won¡¯t be easy to speak with the man, yet it might be necessary.


    ¡°That damned obelisk again.¡± Dowart cursed, looking ahead.


    A long reddish rock stood upright in the plaza ahead, its surface covered in worn inscriptions of forgotten history. A pledge stone. Two thousand years ago, the Great Assembly had decreed Sanwue would adopt the common tongue, distributing these monuments throughout the land. With a simple ritual and a drop of blood, the enchantments within would confer knowledge of basic sentence structure and a vocabulary of a few thousand words. Unable to benefit from this magic, Dowart had been forced to learn the hard way, and he held a grudge for that frustration.


    The Auction House was on the far side of the plaza. Dylan was navigating the stalls when he witness a tragedy. Two young boys were chasing each other when one ran straight into a woman, causing her to trip and collide with a man with a drink. The cup¡¯s entire content went flying and landed on the head of petite, black-haired beauty, drenching her extravagant red robes. The plaza went silent.


    There will be blood, Dylan thought sadly. He recognized her as Sulai Chen, a saint and prodigy from the Red Sky Sect. There was no way she¡¯d let this go unpunished.


    Sulai froze, her face going ugly. She stared between the four culprits of her humiliation, as if deciding where to direct her fury. The man took the opportunity to step forward, ¡°This¡­ this is my fault¡ª¡ª¡±


    ¡°Then it will be you!¡± Sulai declared as blinding fire roared from her hand. Dylan watched impassively. Mortal lives are like nothing before cultivators. He should¡¯ve been more cautious.


    The man screamed as the flames engulfed him, yet once they faded the crowd gasped. A barrier of ice had blocked the attack.


    ¡°Who dares?¡± Sulai demanded angrily.


    ¡°That would be me.¡° The silvered haired youth from the arena pushed through the crowd, stopping in front of the man. ¡°No one here committed a crime worthy of death.¡±


    ¡°Those who slight me will burn by my flame.¡± Sulai snarled. ¡°Move aside or share his fate.¡±


    She stepped forwards, an inferno raging in her hands. With solemn resolve, the foreign boy readied his sword. The crowd scurried away, the less curious running.


    ¡°Wait, wait,¡± A brown-haired woman in green rushed out, interjecting herself between the two. ¡°Please wait!¡±


    ¡°And you are?¡± Sulai could barely contain her fury over another interruption.


    ¡°I¡¯m Yingtai Qiao from the Rippling Tempest Sect.¡± Yingtai spoke quickly. ¡°I¡¯ve been assigned to guide this young man, Soul Skyfell, during his journey through Sanwue.¡± She glanced back, a trace of despair in her eyes. ¡°What happened this time?¡±


    ¡°I prevented her from burning a man for spilling a drink.¡± Soul answered calmly.


    Dylan wanted to sneak away, but noticed cultivators emerging from the auction house. Among them was Mingzhu Su, one of his targets. It¡¯s not worth the attention of pushing through.


    Sulai also noted her peers gathering, and this only strengthened her resolve. ¡°These robes are worth more than you could comprehend, and they have been sullied with cheap liquor.¡± She announced loudly. Dylan agreed they were splendid. ¡°Remove your charge or I will reduce you both to ash.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that easy¡­¡± Yingtai protested, gloomily preparing for a fight she didn¡¯t want.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we save the excitement for the Godly Herb Garden?¡± A confident man in white walked down from the auction house, holding a talisman between his fingers. ¡°Scatter.¡± As the paper disintegrated, a gale swept the plaza, centered on Sulai. The liquor stain disappeared.


    ¡°Gen Jiang.¡± Sulai stated coldly. ¡°Why are you interfering?¡±


    ¡°As you know, the Fate Pavillion maintains Sanwue¡¯s hidden realms. Resolving petty disputes on the eve of one opening could be considered part of that duty. Besides, I sense this young man has powerful backers. It won¡¯t end well if you harm him so publicly.¡±


    Her robes restored, reason returned to Sulai, at least enough to subdued her anger. Without a further word, she walked over to a group of her colleagues. It¡¯s over then.


    Dylan looked over at the cause of this confrontation. The foreign boy, Soul, was humoring Yingtai as she lectured him. Likely a plead to rein in his heroic impulses, one which will be ignored¡­ What a fool. He¡¯d earned the ire of a prominent disciple of a leading sect, and for what? To save a nobody who would be dead within four decades. He wouldn¡¯t last long in Sanwue.


    <<You should team up with him.>> Dowart offered. When Dylan turned in dismay, the ghost continued. <<You need companions. It¡¯ll be hard to keep Kailen alive with just you two. Larger groups will prey on you.>>


    <<That young man.>>  Dowart didn¡¯t bother keeping the disdain from his voice. <<would obviously never betray his comrades. He¡¯s also strong. That combination makes for a good disposable ally.>>


    Dylan mulled the unappealing prospect. Those are reasonable points, but¡­ He glanced at Sulai angrily whispering to a fellow disciple. She¡¯s holding a grudge and will definitely go after the boy.  It isn¡¯t worth the¡­ Behind Sulai stood Mingzhu Su. Wait, are they teammates? It wasn¡¯t uncommon for disciples of the same sects to challenge hidden realms together.  This changes everything.


    Taking a deep breath, Dylan prepared to approach the altruistic chump.

 [Book II Chapter 15] ROSE: Torak’s Acolytes

    [Book II Chapter 15] ROSE: Torak¡¯s Acolytes


    ------------------------------------------------


    Rose studied the ghostly knight. Its armor was perfectly interconnected plates of translucent mithril. While there was pale flesh below, it stood motionless, taking no breath. Below its visor, ice blue eyes stared off ahead. She estimated its strength on the par with Sion Gale. Impressive.


    The phalanx guarding the bridge to the oath wall were creations of Gareth Black during his time as mask of Xarst. No one else could quite match his skill in crafting undead without a hint of malice.


    They were back where they¡¯d first arrived. Due to the momentous occasion, Nero had put their training on hold. Our first day off in six months, Rose realized.


    She smiled tenderly. The oath had opened up a world of possibilities. Before they¡¯d been limited to skirting the surface of the abyss, but with its protection they¡¯d unlock the full breath of death¡¯s power.


    Nero and Roxanne began teaching everything they¡¯d held back: advanced time manipulation, warping gravity, bending space to open portals¡­ Gradually mastering all these magics and incorporating them into her martial arts had been such a satisfying process. Rose almost resented the break.


    Of course, Wise had once again reached another level in power, but this barely upset her. She¡¯d been so enthralled with delving the depths of necromancy she¡¯d forgotten their daily matches. In fact, she¡¯d spend far less time with her brother altogether, each of them pairing up with their respective mentors. Which is why she completely missed a major development.


    Rose glanced over to the stunning beauty standing next to Wise. Long golden hair flowed around a flawless face which caused heads to turn wherever it went. Lucy Vance, Wise¡¯s girlfriend. ¡­


    It happened even faster than Silver. Rose wasn¡¯t sure she believed in love at first sight, but it was a different story when it came to those two. A single glance was all it took for them to know they were perfect for one another.


    Lucy had a affinity with foresight far outstripping her other talents. In other words, same as Wise at Earth¡¯s End. Which is why her brother understood the girl¡¯s frustration over her insufficient strength. The two had instantly bonded. So not fair.


    By the time Rose noticed their training ground had a new addition, they¡¯d even mastered speechless conversation. Which is so, so aggravating. Even now, the two were smirking, enjoying some private joke.


    ¡°They¡¯re here.¡± Nero declared.


    Seven figures were making their way across the bridge towards them. Immortals from the Ghost Corrosion Sect, the first cultivators to ever take the oath. As Enera¡¯s oldest power centers, there¡¯d always been an unspoken rivalry between the Black Citadel and Sanwue. This is a historic event.


    ¡°Nero Ebonwood.¡± The elderly man leading the procession. ¡°It¡¯s an honor to finally make your acquaintance.¡±


    ¡°The feeling is mutual, Yaozu Gao.¡±  Nero replied.  ¡°After our long relationship, it¡¯s an honor to finally receive you.¡±


    In the Cultivating Realm, those born with a connection to death were gathered at the Ghost Corrosion Sect. From there, candidates with strong secondary affinities were recruited. The rest were sent to the Black Citadel.


    ¡°I trust you had no issue with the oath?¡± Nero added.


    ¡°It was an interesting experience. I did not expect to meet our adversary directly. It was a stark reminder of the stakes.¡±


    They moved to a nearby veranda, and everyone introduced themselves. When it was Wise and Rose¡¯s turn, Yaozu¡¯s eyes lit up. He chuckled quietly, ¡°Your brother is our guest in Sanwue. Stories keep reaching me of him acting rather¡­ heroic. He¡¯s causing quite the stir.¡±


    Rose grimaced, apologizing for the disruptions she was sure Soul was causing. At least he hasn¡¯t gotten himself killed yet.


    ¡°Your sect¡¯s disciples are here.¡±  Roxanne announced.


    Everyone turned to watch a stream of robe figures emerged from the oath wall. Across the bridge, men and woman in black were directing them to an outdoor auditorium. There, Xedion would greet them and guide groups would be formed. The Seeker of Knowledge had canceled all classes so all of Xarst could focus on welcoming the unusual arrivals.


    Sadness shown on Yaozu¡¯s wrinkly face as he watched. His companions shared his expression. ¡°It¡¯s an agonizing sacrifice we made.¡±


    ¡°Sanwue is fractured, individualistic places, with deception and betrayals common as sects vie for advantage. To orchestrate a unified response beyond our borders, the Great Assembly deemed a powerful adhesive necessary. Hence why we traveled here to become witnesses who cannot lie.¡±


    They really are taking this seriously, aren¡¯t they? Rose remembered Doehser Fang¡¯s words in the Rose palace, ¡°when the stars fade again, the Cultivating Realm will not stand idle.¡± Only now was she grasping the resolve behind that promise.


    It was Nero that broke the silence. ¡°I understand your stay will be brief. Is there anywhere you wish to visit before you go? I will escort you anywhere I¡¯m able.¡±


    Yaozu brightened up instantly. ¡°Lossenger Tenebry.¡± He declared. ¡°I would see where it¡¯s produced. I¡¯ve been tasked with securing a great quantity of the liquor.¡±


    Nero smiled, ¡°Then let¡¯s visit the gardener. He¡¯ll be pleased his masterworks are so appreciated.¡±


    Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    As they crossed the campus, Rose noticed Wise peering off in the distance. At an isolated terrace table, Radin Lockworth was enjoying a drink. They still hadn¡¯t confronted the man.


    ¡°We¡¯ll approach him later if he¡¯s still there.¡±  She whispered.


    ¡°He will be.¡±  Wise agreed.


    They entered the stone pillar which stretched Xarst interior and exited in a dark place. Eyes adjusting, Rose realized they were in a vineyard. In all directions were fields filled with neat rows of glowing violet leaves and little red fruits.


    ¡°So this is the secret behind that miraculous taste.¡± Yaozu mumbled. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize inverted grapes existed.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not quite that simple.¡± An old man with crooked back and a gentle smile approached. ¡°These vines and this place also resonate with the serenity and timeless flowing the depths of Xarst. Lossenger Tenebry is that ideal moment of perfect tranquility distilled.¡±


    The gardened gave them a tour, concluding with a taste testing session. Rose eagerly participated and was stunned as the liquid hit her lips. She¡¯d thought herself accustomed to gourmet cuisine from her time with Lily.  I was wrong.


    Rose remained in a blissful daze as Yaozu began negotiating his purchase. The figures thrown back and forth quickly knocked her out of her stupor. It¡¯s not fair. Something that divine shouldn¡¯t be so ludicrously expensive. How am I supposed to enjoy more of it? Finishing their drinks, Wise, Rose, and Lucy took the opportunity to politely excuse themselves.


    Returning to the campus, Rose kept her eyes fixed on Radin once he came into view. She never had the chance to speak¡ª¡ª


    ¡°Watch out.¡± Wise and Lucy warned simultaneously.


    From around the corner, someone barreled into Rose, slamming her with such force it left her on the ground.


    ¡°My apologies,¡± Her assailant said, picking himself up. ¡°I¡¯m late for a gathering and wasn¡¯t watching where I was going.¡±


    Rose sat up and rubbed her head, speaking words she didn¡¯t entirely mean. ¡°It¡¯s alright, I also wasn¡¯t paying¡­ attention¡­¡±  The brown-haired man was young, in his early twenties, and stunningly handsome. ¡°¡­ Who are you?¡±


    ¡°Raphael Lange, a student in my final year.¡± So a saint who has returned to graduate, Rose translated. She was about to press for more from this gorgeous specimen but caught two smirking faces behind him. Right¡­ Not now¡­ Not with this audience. ¡°I need to go, but I hope to see you around.¡° Why did I say that?


    ¡°Anything is possible.¡± Raphael gave a charming smile. ¡°I¡¯ll keep an eye out for you.¡±


    Following behind Wise and Lucy, Rose began resenting having given up the chance encounter. Since both Wise and Silver ran into theirs, maybe that was my turn? It only took a minute to bury such thought, and she then berated herself for getting distracted. She needed her full attention for Radin.


    The old necromancer watched them approach the terrace calmly. Rose noted the bottle on the table.  Lossenger Tenebry¡­ She wondered what occasion had caused him to splurge so extravagantly. It certainly wasn¡¯t the arrival of Sanwue cultivators.


    ¡°Radin Lockworth. It¡¯s been a while.¡± Wise said emotionlessly.


    Radin gazed over Rose and Lisa before turning to Wise. ¡°I watched the recording of the Blood Arena¡­ What did you give up to receive such power?¡±


    ¡°That¡­¡± Wise stammered, struggling for words. Only Radin can throw him so off-balance. Her brother closed his eyes. When they opened, the uncertainty was gone. ¡°That¡¯s not important. What are you doing here? Why aren¡¯t you with Simon Black?¡±


    Radin finished off his glass and placed it down firmly. ¡°¡®The ends justify the means¡¯ is used to rationalize the most heinous wrongs. Unfortunately, most espousing the mantra don¡¯t properly weight the likelihood of success. Inevitably, they fall short and all that¡¯s left is the evil committed. Attempting to eradicate humanity and failing is just meaningless slaughter.¡±


    ¡°Even though a dark age has begun, it isn¡¯t enough, not by a long shot. I have no desire to partake in the initial blood letting. Only when the dead have risen and the prospect of victory is in sight will I join the fray.¡±


    He leaned back and nodded towards the balcony. ¡°Down there are those who espouse a different outlook. Zealots determined to wage war regardless of consequences. For them, the effort expanded gives them purpose.¡±


    Wise and Rose looked down. Below was a garden courtyard filled with people milling about, drinks in hand. A cocktail party?


    ¡°Torak¡¯s Acolytes.¡±  Wise stated.  ¡°Many are sleepers who have recently awoken. All are committed to ending this world.¡±


    ¡°Those you should note are the former masks of Xarst. I¡¯ll let Wise identify them.¡±  Radin poured himself another glass.


    Wise nodded, possibly without realizing it. A pattern from when he was a pupil. ¡°Six fought with Sola.¡±  He pointed to a couple chatting under tomb ivy.  ¡°The woman is Eliza Farsong, the Blood Fanatic. She¡¯s zealous and merciless. Her husband is Torel Farsong, the Regenerator. No one has died more than him.¡±


    ¡°Next are the two lurking in the corner. The cloaked woman is Sarel Black, the Wraith. She¡¯s a superb infiltrator and assassin. The man shaking and mumbling to himself is Adam Bishop, the original fearmancer. He¡¯s the oldest and perhaps the most hated.¡±


    Wise paused before continuing.  ¡°See the two at the table looking directly at us? The woman is Hestia Gristle, the Dark Oracle. Her foresight is close to Nero¡¯s. The man is Aldric Moonkin, the Melder of Horrors. He¡¯s a legendary enchanter who helped Sola create weapons for the dark gods.¡±


    ¡°The last three are new recruits.¡±  Lucy broke in. ¡°I have met two during my time in Xarst. They were hard to miss.¡±


    She gestured to a voluptuous lady talking to several men. ¡°That¡¯s Eva Fox, the Living Chaos. You can¡¯t see it from here but her eyes aren¡¯t normal. It¡¯s like someone spilled paint and all the colors are fighting each other. Anyway, chaos and death are a nasty combination. She¡¯s strong.¡±


    ¡°So is the man in the middle of the courtyard.¡±  She continued. ¡°Gideon Graive, Pestilence Incarnate. His blood is a lethal acid and poison. Notice the rotting portion of his head? His Body exists in a strange state of decomposition and rejuvenation. It¡¯s disturbing to be around.¡±


    ¡°Finally, there¡¯s the youngest, Bloise Amon, the Soul Singer.¡±  Lucy finished.  ¡°He¡¯s the tall man by the tree. Not much is known about him.¡±


    Rose heart sunk when she saw who Bloise was talking. So this is where Raphael was heading¡­ Just my luck.


    ¡°Nicely done.¡±  Radin said. ¡°A word of advice: watch out for Torel Farsong. He has another title that most have forgotten. Should he rediscover his motivation, you¡¯ll face someone who can stand toe to toe with the dark gods.¡±


    Rose cycled through the figures, burning their features to memory.  ¡°Nine total. That¡¯s a lot¡­¡±


    ¡°The Mask changes hands every hundred years.¡± Radin explained. ¡°Many former wearers are on your side too. More still have retreated to Xarst to wait on the sidelines. All the eldest lie with sleepers.¡±


    ¡°By the way, you¡¯re wrong Rose,¡± Lucy offered. ¡°It¡¯s ten, not nine.¡±


    Radin laughed softly, ¡°My tenure was uneventful compared to my time as high auditor, so few remember.¡±


    Rose appraised the elderly, frail-looking man. ¡°Exactly how strong are you?¡±


    ¡°The right to wear the mask is not awarded on the basis of strength.¡± Radin explained, slowly sipping his Lossenger Tenebry. ¡°Candidates are selected for their unique skills and insights. These are absorbed and retained by the artifact, to the benefit of future wielders. It¡¯s even able to mimic sublime vagaries to a degree.¡±


    ¡°The experience is a two way street. A hundred years to delve the deepest secrets of Xarst. That¡¯s the reason no one refuses. All come away with something. Some more than others.¡±


    ¡°When I finally move, it will take someone akin to your mother to stop me. No one else stands a chance.¡±

 [Book II Chapter 16] DYLAN: Entering the Godly Herb Garden

    [Book II Chapter 16] DYLAN: Entering the Godly Herb Garden


    ------------------------------------------------


    ¡°Everyone prepared?¡± Gen Jiang asked jovially.


    ¡°As ready as we¡¯ll ever be.¡± Soul answered. Yesterday they¡¯d agreed to meet outside the Shrine of Sending. Gen was the last to arrive.


    ¡°Is it alright for you to join us?¡± Dylan pressed. ¡°Isn¡¯t the Fate Pavilion in charge of managing hidden realms?¡±


    Gen laughed, ¡°Every non-immortal has one opportunity to challenge the Godly Herb Garden. Why would we exclude ourselves?¡±


    While recruiting Soul Skyfell, they¡¯d somehow ended up with a fifth member. Gen had accosted them declaring their destiny intertwined. Dylan wasn¡¯t sure what to make of the man. He¡¯d be an invaluable ally in the Herb Garden itself, but his ability to scry the future gave him pause. He had secrets to keep.


    ¡°Let¡¯s head in.¡± Gen invited. Members of the Fate Pavilion greeted them as they entered, directing them to a gravel courtyard where two enormous arches stood side by side. The monuments were covered in talismans. Here, Gen excused himself again, disappearing back into the building.


    Dylan glanced around. Two dozen groups were present. Some saints were accompanied by lesser disciples to expedite the collecting.  Seniors pressuring their juniors into wasting their one chance.


    Mingzhu Su was in a group of four, together with Sulai Chen and two other sect members. This brought a smile to his lips. Now I just have to believe in Sulai¡¯s arrogance and vindictiveness.


    Teng Ling was here as well. His Water Dragon Sect had joined with the Radiant Sight Sect to form a seven man group. He saw another target among the Radiant Sight disciples, a woman named Bao Pan. Too many to deal with there. Best to avoid them.


    ¡°If I might have everyone¡¯s attention.¡± Gen stood at the entrance, speaking thunderously. ¡°The Fate Pavilion has supervised the Godly Herb Garden for millennia. It is one of the oldest hidden realms and will open shortly. Before then, there¡¯s someone I¡¯d like to invite to speak briefly.¡±


    Murmuring echoed as a young woman approached. Bright red roots covered her neck and left arm, diving in and out of her skin. It was a horrific sight. Withering Roots.


    One of the deadliest realms in the Ether was the Corrupted Swamps. However, it wasn¡¯t the toxic inhabitants which inspired the greatest dread. It was the red trees which grew there. A single prick was all it took. One of Enera¡¯s Abominable Scourges, withering roots had no cure. Attempting to remove them through magic or otherwise simply accelerated their growth, hastening death.


    The woman took Gen¡¯s place and spoke in a raspy voice. ¡°Seven moons ago, our sect held a celebration. Fragments of withering roots were mixed into the dumpling served, an act of vengeance from a demonic sect. By the time our elder noticed, the majority of us had fallen victim, even the children¡­¡±


    ¡°The Fate Pavillion has been caring for our members ever since, but their talisman can only delay the inevitable by guiding the roots away from vital organs. Our only hope lies in this Godly Herb Garden. I beseech those listening to retrieve Panacea, the colorless flower. The contents of our sect¡¯s meager coffers are yours if you do.¡±


    Admitting the rewards are paltry¡­ Dylan watched the woman amble away. How honest and foolish.


    <<I saw this exact same scene during my time.>> Dowart observed. <<I imagine it¡¯s a common occurrence. The desperate pleads are always ignored. Venturing into the heart of the Godly Herb Garden is suicide.>>


    ¡°Why do they even bother?¡± Dylan asked. The notion of risking death for strangers struck him as absurd.


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    <<I fault them not for that.>> Dowart chuckled. <<Clinging to the faintest chance is human nature.>>


    <<To be clear, Panacea is real.>>  Dowart continued.  <<I¡¯ve seen it myself. Twenty years after I entered, disciples from a prominent sect were stricken by withering roots. Peak level Saints were gathered, including experts from outside Sanwue. This elite team recovered the colorless flower, and it lived up to its legend. Even the smallest quantity can wipe out any affliction.>>


    ¡°If it can be obtained, why not put some aside? It would avoid this desperate pleading.¡±


    Dowart shook his head. <


    >


    Gen once again address the assembly, ¡°Now it¡¯s time.¡± He let two talismans fly, and they landed on each arch. All the other talismans began glowing, and the wind picked up. Electricity crackled between the glowing symbols, growing in intensity until abruptly ceasing. From the top of each arch, a shimmering veil fell. The left side was colorful, with images of a green landscape occasionally reflecting. The right was a uniform dull gray.


    ¡°The Godly Herb Garden is open.¡± Gen declared. ¡°Remember, you only get one chance. May fortune smile upon you.¡±


    While groups began disappearing into left arch, Gen returned to them, ¡°My apologies for the guest speaker, but her sect have long been allies of the Fate Pavilion¡­ Anyway, shall we head out?¡± Without waiting, he strode towards the left portal. They followed.


    The veil was impenetrable to Dylan¡¯s spiritual sense. The instant he stepped through, the presence of the courtyard vanished. He stood on wide grassy plain, with lush mountains in the distance. Excepting his four companions, they were alone.


    ¡°Where are the others?¡± Soul asked.


    ¡°They exited a different portal.¡± Gen pointed left. A mile off was an archway identical to the one they¡¯d come through. Further on were still more. It was like that on other side too. ¡°There are thousands, and they encircles the entire Godly Herb Garden. Each leads back to the Shrine of Sending.¡±


    Dylan glanced behind the archway. The plains appeared to stretch to the horizon, but he knew this to be false. At one point, it drops off into the void.


    ¡°Now to start off.¡± Gen took out a talisman and channeled until the inscription shone brightly. When he tossed it in the air, it shattered and reformed into a foot-tall golden fairy. ¡°Our goddess of fortune. She¡¯ll lead us to a safe resting spot, one close to great treasures.¡±


    The sprite shot off, and they raced after her. As they entered a forest, Dylan glanced back to see Kailen sweating but keeping up. The fairy must be adjusting its speed to him. For everyone else, this was a relaxed pace. Soul and Gen were up front conversing. Dylan looked to Yingtai trailing behind them. This is a good opportunity.


    Dylan caught up, ¡°Do you have a moment to indulge my curiosity?¡±


    Yingtai eyed him carefully, ¡°I¡¯ll answered your questions if you answer mine first. Why did you approach us yesterday? You don¡¯t seem the type to be won over by Soul¡¯s act of valor.¡±


    A natural suspicion. ¡°We come from a small sect. While I might be fine, I deemed it necessary to pair up for his sake.¡± Dylan motioned behind at Kailen struggling. ¡°I witnessed Soul¡¯s strength at the arena and judged him a useful ally. He doesn¡¯t strike me as someone who would betray his companions.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡± she said, understanding in her voice. ¡°Well, you have my gratitude. When Soul offended Sulai, I¡¯d feared we might have to go it alone.¡±


    ¡°Now it¡¯s your turn.¡± Dylan pressed. ¡°How did you end up escorting this foreigner?¡±


    ¡°Soul is the son of the immortal paragon Astra Skyfell who was instrumental in saving the world two thousands years ago. Our patriarch invited him to Sanwue and was looking for someone to escort him, keep him out of trouble¡­¡± Yingtai took a deep breath. ¡°I volunteered. I¡¯d heard he was martial arts prodigy, good natured, and handsome to boot. I saw it as an opportunity to curry favor with him, his mother, and within the sect. Moreover, I believed I might learn something. Besides air, I have a small affinity towards ice.¡± Yingtai paused. ¡°I also thought it¡¯d be interesting to travel¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been a difficult journey?¡± Dylan offered.


    ¡°He¡¯s offended so many powerful people! I want to cry.¡± Yingtai lamented. ¡°So far I¡¯ve been able to diffuse the situations, but I dread the day I can¡¯t. If it hadn¡¯t been for Gen yesterday¡­¡± She shock her head mournfully.


    As he listened to her describe her ordeals, Dylan honestly felt pity. Kailen may be weak, but at least he has common sense. I wouldn¡¯t trade charges for the world.


    Finishing her gripping, Yingtai hesitated, ¡°I suspect Sulai Chen might seek us out for revenge. What will you do if that happens?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll lend you our aid if it comes to a fight.¡± Dylan reassured her. However, this appeared to have the opposite effect.


    ¡°Why?¡± Yingtai asked, fixing him harshly with her eyes.


    Dylan decided to divulge a bit of truth, ¡°I have a grudge against one of her companions, so our interest align when it comes to confronting them.¡±


    Yingtai¡¯s face slowly softened, ¡°While they are only four, they are prominent disciples of the Red Sky Sect. It¡¯d be good to come up with a plan should it come to the worst.¡±


    Perfect. ¡°I couldn¡¯t agree more.¡± Dylan said. The two began conspiring together.

 [Book II Chapter 17] FILIA: The Twin Cities

    [Book II Chapter 17] FILIA: The Twin Cities


    ------------------------------------------------


    <<So many blood bags¡­ How unpleasant.>> Happy said.


    Filia rolled her eyes. Her spectral sukemon shared the famously foul outlook of other duskulls. She¡¯d chosen his name in hopes it might improve his disposition. It hadn¡¯t worked. Although she¡¯d finally earned his grudging respect, he still regarded the rest of humanity with contempt.


    He¡¯s right though. I have never seen so many in the city. Filia observed the crowded streets as she and Zentrias jumped across rooftops.  Must be the migration to safety. She glanced up at the gigantic peach-colored wall looming on the horizon. Far past those ramparts lay the crater where the world-fracturing spell had been unleashed. Everything on the other side once belonged to the undead.


    North-east of Aery, Nordric was the capital of Arland. Most of the country had been overrun by Sola¡¯s hordes. The distant fortifications were the work of its ruler, Samuel Horn. As one of the great earth-affinity ¡®builder¡¯ immortals, he¡¯d crafted much of humanity¡¯s defenses at the time.


    They entered Nordric¡¯s adventurer guild, skipping across peach-tinged buildings. More of Samuel¡¯s work. As the region¡¯s largest surviving branch, this place had become the staging ground for exploring the vast Twisted Lands around Ground Zero. It was always abuzz with activity, but more so today.


    <<Here too, so many. Why?>> Happy demanded.


    Filia observed the adventurers below, seeing quite a few with gray hair. ¡°Many are coming out of retirement.¡± Filia answered without thinking.


    ¡°That¡¯s the Dark Age¡¯s upside.¡± Zentrias agreed. ¡°Earning exp is easier. It¡¯s especially attractive for those ¡®riskless¡¯ saints.¡±


    It was possible to reach the rank of saint while avoiding real danger. Many nobles pursed this path, slowly racking up accomplishments in coliseums and tamer dungeons. However sainthood is where this ends. Barring a few exceptions, immortality required multiple-near death experiences. The HEAVENLY DAO didn¡¯t recognize cowards. Only one out of eight makes it to the Wall of Legends, so most chose to retire¡­ Until now.


    The calculus had changed. In addition to the increased exp, there was also the desperate need for strength to defend against the coming perils. Hence the elderly adventurers.


    When arriving in Nordric, Zentrias had received a message that Sir Julius wanted to see him immediately. We¡¯re either in trouble or there¡¯s a job for us. Filia was tagging along out of curiosity and to pick up some sukemon treats.


    They made their way to the top of the main building, and a secretary waived them in to a wide office. A grizzled scarred man sat behind a large oak desk. He looked up and grumbled, ¡°Finally¡­¡± They were invited to install themselves at the nearby table.


    Julius Edgar was an immortal, a veteran from before the last Dark Age. Technically the vice-guildmaster, his superior was so frequently absent he pretty much ran the place. He appeared more overworked than usual.


    ¡°You took your sweet time getting back.¡± Julius complained, walking over.


    Zentrias remained composed. ¡°You could have contacted us if it was urgent.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t realize how in demand airships would become. Besides, I knew you¡¯d be in a dungeon so I didn¡¯t bother. Anyway, it doesn¡¯t matter now.¡±


    He slammed down two quest stones and slid them over. Zentrias carefully picked one up:


    QUEST: Deal with the disappearances in the Evermist


    STATUS: Uncompleted


    GUILD ESTIMATED DIFFICULTY: A-S


    ACTUAL DIFFICULTY: ¡ª


    ¡°The slums outside Neon and two Evermist settlements have reported unexplained disappearances. As always, many are children.¡± Julius explained. ¡°Find and end whatever is causing this.¡±


    I expected as much. Their party had Carol, a fearmancer intimately familiar with the Moonlit Lands. When that place¡¯s denizens crossed over, they were the first choice to hunt them down.


    Zentrias nodded, ¡°We¡¯ll accept.¡± He reached for the second stone.


    QUEST: Investigate the Undermist


    STATUS: Uncompleted


    GUILD ESTIMATED DIFFICULTY: S


    ACTUAL DIFFICULTY: ¡ª


    <<The Undermist! What wonderful news.>> Happy crowed. Filia and Zentrias were less amused.


    ¡°Confirm there are no abnormalities.¡± Julius instructed. ¡°This is an age where everything is slated to go wrong. That place is too deeply connected to the Moonlit Lands. If a breach has opened, I need to know.¡±


    A silence fell over the room, compelling him to continued, ¡°Your party, Aspire, is uniquely qualified for the job. I know Carol doesn¡¯t like traveling down there¡ª¡ª¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± Zentrias interrupted. ¡°We¡¯ll accept this too.¡±


    Filia raised an eyebrow, but kept quiet.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Julius sat and leaned back, ¡°That¡¯s one weight off my shoulders.¡±


    ¡°What challenges are you currently facing?¡± Filia asked. This was a much needed chance to catch up on current events.


    ¡°Those bloody rifts are number one.¡± Julius began. ¡°Tethered realms are vanishing, and a lot of them are in the nearby Twisted Lands. We¡¯ve got an entire room dedicated to mapping out the situation. This weirdness with passageways to the Ether is what has me worried about the Undermist.¡±


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    ¡°Then there is the Grey Kingdom¡¯s subterranean offensive. Soon they¡¯ll reach the old powers, the territories Sola never conquered, and we¡¯ll see real war the likes hasn¡¯t been seen in centuries. Adventurer¡¯s will get drawn in, and we¡¯ll have have an ungodly mess on our hands on our hands.¡±


    Julius sighed and shook his head. He then motioned the window behind them. ¡°Lastly there¡¯s Aery.¡±


    Thirty miles out, an enourmous block of land floated above them. This was Novgard, the lowest of Aery¡¯s floating island. It was home to a city of the same name which housed the gateway to Bastion.


    ¡°Lord Oliver Brack refuses to relax Aery¡¯s immigration policies, insisting airships be docked one at a time so refugees can be escorted to the gateway. We¡¯re barely getting ten thousand through a day¡­¡±


    ¡°Surely someone can get them to see reason.¡± Zentrias leaned forwards, somewhat agitated. ¡°There are millions that need to be moved. It¡¯ll be a disaster otherwise.¡±


    Julius gave a sad shrug, ¡°Novgard has long overseen new arrivals, and queen Kalista is content to leave this matter in Oliver¡¯s hands. I was never an expert on the inner workings of Aery¡¯s politics, but I hear she and Astra have a strained relationship. Since evacuation are primarily an Adventurer Guild endeavor, I don¡¯t see the matter improving anytime soon.¡±


    ¡°In fact,¡± Julius added. ¡°Their response so far has been to provide funds for the construction of housing outside Neon. The slums down there are about to grow bigger.¡±


    They left with Zentrias in a dour mood. He wasn¡¯t the only one. <<If I understood that right, soon the streets around here will be overflowing with even more blood bags. Worse, knowing you, you¡¯ll probably be walking through them, even talking to some. I hate the very thought of it. May the great Skaratina consume this wretched world!>>


    Filia smirked. Happy¡¯s childish ranting didn¡¯t bother her. Rather, it was why she¡¯d chose him. She¡¯d realized both her teammates and her sukemon had been babying her these past few weeks. They were undoubtedly afraid she might break down because of what happened, and she was tired of it. Happy¡¯s pessimism and open hostility was a refreshing change of pace.


    A habit formed from adventuring, Filia was always fused with one of her sukemon. She¡¯d learned to minimized her transformation during downtime. Right now, apart from a few bony protrusion and a grayish skin tone, she was mostly human.


    ¡°Carol is not going to be pleased she wasn¡¯t consulted.¡± Filia ventured.


    ¡°Agreed.¡± Zentrias sighed. ¡°I need to visit Edelweiss and speak with her. Can you drop me off?¡±


    While he could cling to surfaces and slow falls, Zentrias was one of the few saints who couldn¡¯t fly or glide. Destruction wasn¡¯t versatile that way, and the beasts he could summon weren¡¯t amicable to giving lifts.


    ¡°Sure, just let me grab my stuff.¡± Filia skipped away to pick up the exotic delicacies her sukemon loved to munch on.


    Happy took the opportunity to voice his objections. <<Am I going to help carry him? I don¡¯t want to. I dislike him. Why do you need comrades anyway? Just ditch everything and head out on your own. Stay far from cities.>>


    Filia ignored the duskull. If he had his way, I¡¯d have no human interactions. She was quite happy with her current party.


    Frowning, she remembering how her last one had ended. A man name Joel had professed his love to her, a particularly ill-fated confession. She¡¯d been carrying their party recently and had already resolved to search for new partners on her skill level. Meanwhile, Joel had been close to retiring, recognizing his limits. While she¡¯d been fond of the man, it wasn¡¯t to the extent of sacrificing her chance at immortality. Joel understood all this, yet he¡¯d felt compelled speak up anyway. It¡¯d led to an awkward separation.


    There¡¯s no risk of that happening with Zentrias. It¡¯d taken Filia an embarrassingly long time to figure out Aspire¡¯s leader. He¡¯d shown so little interest in the opposite sex she¡¯d begun to doubt his orientation. Finally, she¡¯d caught him gazing at Nordric¡¯s guildmaster and realized the truth: he only had eyes for one woman. The most hopeless of unrequited loves.


    Zentrias¡¯s one minded drive had suddenly made sense. He was pursuing a legend millennia his elder, a beauty admired and sought after by all. He needed immortality to have the confidence to approach her. He wouldn¡¯t dare until then.


    I¡¯m not sure it¡¯s healthy. For decades, his life had revolved around this one-sided affection. So deep was his love that no other woman was worthy of consideration. What happens once he reached the Wall of Legends? What if she shuns him?


    Zentrias was waiting outside in a courtyard with a round chasm at its center. Spotting her, he jumped over the railing, and she followed. They fell through the downward tunnel, glowing blue stones illuminated the interior every hundred feet. These passed by faster and faster as they picked up speed, and the bright light below grew in size. Filia fully merged with Happy, her skin turning darker and bony wings sprouting from back. She caught up and grabbed Zentrias¡¯s hands as they exited the earth.


    They soared above a landscape covered in highrises. Neon, the metal city. When Samuel Horn had claimed this land, he¡¯d resolved to construct a metropolis. The earliest buildings were modest in size, only a few thousand feet. However, as Neon became a economic juggernaut, more and more cooperate headquarters were erected, and heights became excessive. Now five towers stretched three miles from the ground to the cavern ceiling, continuing through the bedrock and finishing in Nordric. The adventurer guild was atop one, and the hole they¡¯d descended was constructed at the time.


    Vast metallic scaffolding stood along the side where the earth dropped off. As commerce boomed, the cliffs facing Aery had been deemed insufficient, and Neon¡¯s docks were extended upwards. For airships, the twin cities were one destination where visitors either took elevators up or down.


    Since joining Aspire, Neon had been Filia¡¯s home base. She had a penthouse suite with great aerial access, although she used it infrequently. On the whole, she had mixed feelings about the city.


    Neon was different from anywhere else. Money was king. You could find anything you wished for assuming you could pay the price. Sofix, the company behind sukemon, had its headquarters in one of the five towers, and all kinds of events were organized, which she appreciated. At the same time, there was a certain stifling rigidity. The scale of activity was so prodigious that the impact of any individual was imperceptible. This was a place of rules enforced by faceless organizations. Even immortals didn¡¯t dare act out of hand in front of the well-equipped security forces.


    Filia flew north-west of the city where the ground dipped lower. The buildings here were shorter, and they became more rundown the further one went. Eventually they morphed into barely assembled structures packed on top of each other. This continued for miles until the edges disappeared into a dense fog.


    Deep in this ocean of poverty was an island of green. On an elevated bit of land, acres of gardens spread out. This was Edelweiss, the orphanage founded by Yuria, the absentee guildmaster Julius reported to. It¡¯s where she gathered the children she found on her travels. Both Zentrias and Carol were alumni, so Filia visited frequented.


    They spotted their teammate outside an old manor surrounded by a group of children. ¡°Could you entertain them while I speak with Carol?¡± Zentrias asked.


    ¡°Sure.¡± Filia answered. Landing, she immediately summoned her Snorlots, Sammy, and her Slushpup, Rex. Sammy, a cross between a fluffy cat and lazy bear, was like a living plush toy. The young ones loved to climb all over her. As for Rex, the aquatic canine was more than happy to perform trick for treats. The crowd around Carol rushed over.


    While babysitting, Filia focused her senses on her comrades. As anticipated, Carol was not amused.


    ¡°How could you accept the second one?¡±  She demanded.


    Zentrias pointed to where the subterranean cavern ended in a wall of white. ¡°If a threat rises from the Undermist, the orphanage will be at risks. It¡¯s a dark age. We have to check.¡±


    Carol grimaced.  ¡°That place is too closely connected to Moonlit Lands. Monsters far worse than anything I¡¯ve contracted are just dying to crossover, and I¡¯m like a beacon when I travel there. We might create the threat we are tasked with finding.¡±


    ¡°True, but that sensitivity works both ways.¡± Zentrias countered. ¡°There is no one better than you to detect if a rift has opened.¡±


    Filia lost interest as it became evident Zentrias has succeeded in his persuasion. Instead, she glanced towards the distance fog. I wonder what nightmares we¡¯ll be facing this time.

 [Book II Chapter 18 part 1] HOPE: Prospecting

    [Book II Chapter 18 part 1] HOPE: Prospecting


    ------------------------------------------------


    After a speedy descend on a cart, Eren was leading them across the strip mine. Around them was a strange mix of grass, trees, and rocks.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we pick up the pace?¡± Hope asked. She¡¯d almost prefer running to their brisk marching. Eren is cheating.  No way her companion was naturally eight feet tall.


    ¡°Better to not rush in a dungeon. At least, not without a pressing reason.¡± Eren answered, snapping a crystal off a boulder and handing it to her. ¡°Here is a nice one.¡±


    In places where the veil to the Ether was thin, crystals would form and grow. The type depended on which realm was pressing upon reality. Here it¡¯s the plane of earth. This only happened outside civilization¡¯s protective wards. The energy contained within could fuel all manner of magics and machinery, and there was an entire industry centered on their global trade.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Hope accepted the gift. She¡¯d been going through a prodigious amount of the damn things lately.


    Watching Eren stroll nonchalantly searching for crystals, Hope grew apprehensive. ¡°I feel we should be stealthier. Aren¡¯t there threats around?¡± Last time around, she and her siblings had an expert guiding them. She didn¡¯t have quite the same confidence in her whimsical companion.


    ¡°This is a Silencer Bangle.¡± Eren tapped her arm. ¡°I picked it up because dungeon runs are often too silent for my tastes. Anything twenty feet away won¡¯t hear a peep. As for threats, most creatures around here know not to mess with saints. We don¡¯t have much to worry about until we get farther.¡±


    So we can¡¯t communicate if we¡¯re apart? Hope kept the concern to herself. She¡¯d spent the last few weeks preparing for this, yet she still felt ill equipped. Things take a turn for the worse too often for me to relax. She refrained from blaming a certain entity for this, but it remained the truth.


    From the very start, she¡¯d been conflicted about this whole expedition. She was making steady progress with her alchemy, and leaving the safety of Corthia struck her as asking for trouble. When she¡¯d voiced these reservations, Eren had responded with, ¡°Common sense is making you cowardly. You¡¯ll never reach immortality with that attitude.¡± This had stunned her into quiet compliance.


    ¡°So, what are your goals in life?¡± Eren asked.


    ¡°My what?¡± Hope said, mind reeling. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ I guess to become immortal. Also to prevent the world from being destroyed.¡±


    Eren rolled her eyes, ¡°Boring. Why do you want immortality? What do you want to do with it? What are your hopes and dreams?


    I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m barely sixteen. Still, pride compelled her to answer. ¡°There¡¯s plenty of stuff. I am interested in mastering alchemy and firearms. I want to become a great enchanter who crafts legendary weapons. Also, my original built Astrolis. It¡¯d eventually like to try my hand at something similar.¡±


    Seeing none of these answers impressing Eren, Hope became peeved. ¡°What about you? What are your goals?¡±


    ¡°I want to found a second city.¡± Eren declared grandly. She smiled at Hope¡¯s clueless face. ¡°Right now, our entire culture is centered around Ravelin and the Bottomless Mines. It¡¯s either live here or live as a foreigner in a foreign land. There¡¯s no options. I aim to change that.¡±


    A second Ravelin¡­  ¡°Won¡¯t that be hard?¡± Hope asked.


    ¡°Oh, yes.¡± Eren agreed happily. ¡°The HEAVENLY DAO basically created a dungeon just for us. Since that¡¯s unlikely to happen again, I¡¯ll probably need to find a stable entrance to the elemental plain of earth and strike a deal with the local sovereign. If I can ensure some measure of safety, there¡¯s an infinite quantity to mine there.¡±


    So this is what real ambition sounds like¡­ Hope¡¯s vague notions were nothing in comparison.


    ¡°Anyway, that¡¯s my current plan.¡± Eren finished. ¡°There¡¯s a lot left to figure out, but I have plenty of time. I¡¯m barely into my five extra years.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Hope asked. She¡¯d never heard the expression.


    Eren raised an eyebrow. ¡°You don¡¯t know about the five extra years female adventurer get between twenty-five and thirty-five?¡±


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    Hope shook her head. Eren smirked, ¡°The HEAVENLY DAO did it to correct an imbalance. More men than women were making it to the wall. There were many reasons but mainly women were giving up and settling down earlier, giving them less time and chance to reach immortality. You see, on average men like younger women and women like older men. Since the HEAVENLY DAO never messes with preferences, it resorted to a more drastic approach.¡±


    Hope was flabbergasted. ¡°Did it work?¡±


    ¡°Mostly, for those born with strong ability. However, for the talentless who just barely scrape by, more are men. Same for war immortals. Still, it¡¯s closer now.¡±


    Telling someone¡¯s true age just got more complicated. Hope carefully processed this information. ¡°Isn¡¯t it unfair?¡±


    ¡°The HEAVENLY DAO alters appearance not lifespan. Our expiration date remains the same.¡± Eren laughed. ¡°Plus you need C rank or higher for it to take effect. Another incentive to even the ratio.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s really not a big deal.¡± She continued. ¡°There are ways to opt out for those who object. Plus aging yourself up is easy. You¡¯re doing it right now.¡±


    Eren pointed ahead, ¡°That¡¯s where we head down. No more idle chatter I¡¯m afraid.¡±


    They approached a wide ravine. It was a five hundred feet drop, and there was something at the bottom. Concentrating, Hope made out lizards lounging besides a pool of water.


    ¡°Slyzards¡­¡± Eren sneered. Hope was taken aback by venom in her voice. ¡°Nothing has killed more dwarves than these bastards.¡±


    ¡°That dangerous?¡± Hope asked.


    ¡°They have the same affinities as dwarves, which makes them perfect for stalking us. Every few months, one finds a crack and slips into one of our mines¡­¡± Eren stared down ferociously. ¡°Do you have anything that can immobilize them?¡±


    ¡°I have some ice enchanted bullets.¡± Hope offered.


    ¡°No, they can just shrink out of that.¡± Eren said. ¡°We need some glue or fine netting.¡±


    Hope grabbed three of her more exotic enchantments and lobbed them down. Striking the ground, they exploded into the stickiest of tars. Gigantic reptilian figures were soon trying to break free.


    ¡°Perfect.¡± Eren jumped down. Hope gasped as she watched her grow to the size of building. The entire dungeon trembled as she landed. When she started stomping, Hope backed away, afraid of falling from all the shaking.


    Once the ruckus died down, Hope joined Eren below. A bunch of flattened bodies were next to her. These rapidly disintegrated leaving some bones which Hope slipped into a pouch.


    ¡°That was satisfying.¡± Eren announced. ¡°Let¡¯s continue on.¡±


    The descent was a lengthy affair. Hope had decided relying on bullets for spelunking was a bad idea. Too many walls to shoot myself into. Instead, she¡¯d fashioned two new tools: A winch and grappling gun. The former was installed on her left forearm, attached to the metal frame around her upper body. Combined with an ample amount of steel wire, it let her rappel down at great speeds, her metal bending controlling her trajectory. For shorter climbs, she¡¯d formed mithril tipped metal claws on her hands and feet, which let her to cling to wall. The grappling gun is mostly for the way back.


    Although satisfied with her mobility, Hope still struggled to keep up. Eren could cling to any rocky surface with her earth affinity. Her size changing let her turn into a giant to step over obstacles and shrink to navigate narrow spaces. Fortunately, she would frequently wait for Hope with a smug expression.


    For the first hour, the caves were barely lit by green moss and yellow crystals. Then it got pitch dark. Hope didn¡¯t like this so everywhere they went, she religiously fired off special ¡®glow bullets¡¯, which stuck to walls and were packed with twenty-four hours of bright illumination. Eren found this wasteful, but Hope didn¡¯t care. It¡¯s important I can find my way back if something happened to her.


    Hope was surprised how little resistance the dungeon was putting up. Anything they meet was dead by the time she caught up, the corpses vanished. I wish I knew what Eren was killing. Eren explained this region was called the Expanse, known for being sparse and spread out.


    In a couple of places, Hope saw stretches of red far below. These were the lava lakes, an area teeming with hostile life. The next area down is the abysmal ravines which are stalked by horrors. If you ended up there, you¡¯re apparently dead.


    After a couple hours, just as Hope was growing impatient, Eren stopped. ¡°See that opening? It leads to the new undead mines I found.¡± She announced proudly.


    Great, we¡¯re here, Hope thought. She remembered her training with Astra and the stories of her siblings. ¡°So what now?¡± Hope asked.


    ¡°From what I remember, most are weaponless.¡± Eren reported. ¡°As long as we watch out for the pickaxe wielders, we should be fine. I suggest a frontal assault.¡±


    ¡°Surely there¡¯s a better approach.¡± Hope objected.


    ¡°Undead are a special case in dungeons.¡± Eren explained. ¡°In the outside world, they¡¯re cunning and strategic, frequently retreating to stalk easier prey or wait for better opportunities. In dungeons, this is co-opted. Until triggered by an intruder, they remain in a docile state. Once snapped out of it, they are compelled to attack aggressively, regardless of their chances.¡±


    ¡°All this goes against their instincts, and they resist it fiercely. If we try to be clever and lead them into a ambush, we risk breaking this programmed behavior. Trust me, we don¡¯t want that. As soon as they determine they can¡¯t win, they¡¯d scatter. Any we miss would follow us back to Corthia.¡±


    I see¡­  Sighing, Hope reached back and opened her lugger¡¯s pack. Recognizing regular bullet would be ineffective, she¡¯d assembled eight pump action shotguns, their handles easily accessible on her back. She didn¡¯t want to worry about reloading.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, this will be a cinch.¡± Eren reassured, running ahead.


    Eren led them carefully through a cavern system, the glow stone she used as a lantern so dimmed Hope could barely see. They emerged on a ledge overlooking a long tunnel with two minecart tracks side by side. Both directions led to wide spaces with figures wandering to the light of tomb ivy.


    Eren whispered, ¡°You take the ones that come from the right, and I¡¯ll take the ones from the left. Ready?¡±


    (continued in part 2)

 [Book II Chapter 18 part 2] HOPE: Prospecting

    [Book II Chapter 18 part 2] HOPE: Prospecting


    ------------------------------------------------


    ...


    When they dropped down, the first thing Hope did was fire glow bullets in every direction. We¡¯re not being subtle. She shuddered involuntarily as otherworldly shrieks rang out.


    They came from all direction, converging into the narrow space. Hope grabbed her first shotgun and fired, boring a wide circular hole through the center of the horde. In each of her shells were four-hundred pellets enchanted to grow in size and weight. The result was a dense ¡®dish¡¯ of steel balls that deleted anything in its path.


    The skeletons immediately spread out, some crawling along the walls. Hope targeted them one by one as they got closer, adrenaline fueling her shooting spree. Fortunately, knocking a portion of their body far away slowed their regeneration, and she was able to keep up.


    Hope risked a glance behind. Eren was dancing between large summoned rocks, confidently smashing her foes while shifting size to dodge talons and pickaxes. Occasionally she¡¯d turn giant to hurl a boulder which would ricochet off the walls, crushing bones. Why is she smiling?


    Focusing in front, Hope threw a handful of enchantments from which phoenixes flew out. They dove into the reassembling undead, setting the ground on fire. Simply breaking them apart would¡¯ve been a slow process, and this would speed things up. She¡¯d considered a flame thrower, but ultimately judged it infeasible this time. It¡¯s effective, but the sight of skeletons charging through the flames isn¡¯t helping my nerves.


    By the time Hope had unloaded her fifth shotgun, she¡¯d realized the cavern had gone quiet. Letting her fires extinguish themselves, she turned to find Eren watching her. Only the mangled minecart rails on her side remained as testament to the heated battle.


    ¡°Was that all of them?¡± Hope asked.


    ¡°All the lesser ones.¡± Eren agreed. ¡°This area might have a boss, so we should do a sweep.¡±


    The mines were big and empty. Soon they¡¯d searched everywhere except for one ominous passageway. Venturing in, they instantly felt an oppressive aura far worst than what they¡¯d just faced. It was so bad Hope was tempted to chicken out. However, when imagining the endless ridicule she¡¯d have to endure, she found the courage to continue. Creeping forward, they arrived at a large chamber. In its center, an indistinct humanoid shadow was seated.


    ¡°A formless wisp,¡± Eren whispered. ¡°A sapient mass of energy from the Abyss which can become a wide variety of undead. It takes the form most suited to its opponents.¡±


    A chill ran through Hope as she stared. Suddenly, she was looking into a pair of human eyes. Familiar eyes. In front of her, Sion Gale stood up, clad in his golden armor. Impossible.


    Eren yanked her back, shouting to run. Stunned, Hope watched golden spears smash where they¡¯d been crouched. As they backtracked through the mines, Eren threw sealers behind them at each bottleneck. It wasn¡¯t enough. Hope could hear their pursuer break through as fast as the barriers were formed.


    Finally, they jumped to the ledge they¡¯d come in from. Here again, Eren threw a sealer but this time the magic was on another level. A veritable vault door now blocked the way back. Anxiously, Hope watched dents appear as tremendous blows were applied from the other side.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. That one is special.¡± Eren panted. ¡°It only lasts an hour, but it¡¯ll stop most immortals.¡±


    ¡°What was that?¡± Hope demanded.


    ¡°A vengeful spirit.¡± Eren said. ¡°Formless wisps take the shape of someone you killed. They can be extremely dangerous.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this way overpowered?¡± Hope asked in disbelief. She never suspected she¡¯d face this same peril a second time.


    The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    ¡°Most people haven¡¯t slain an immortal.¡± Eren responded. ¡°This is why undead are such a pain. At least it¡¯s weaker than the original.¡±


    ¡°He wasn¡¯t weaker at all! Rather he seemed more dangerous.¡±


    ¡°Calm down.¡± Eren spoke soothingly. ¡°Sion Gale probably wasn¡¯t at his best when he fought you. The vengeful spirit is certainly weaker than he was. Unfortunately, it¡¯s the mind of an undead in control. They don¡¯t play around, which is why it¡¯s so intimidating.¡±


    Eren looked Hope in the eyes. ¡°We need to take him down. Undead are notoriously bad at respecting the rules of dungeons. Once they have been aggroed, they will leave their assigned areas and relentlessly track their target. If we leave him alone, Corthia will be in danger.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t we just collapse this cave?¡± Hope suggested desperately. ¡°I brought plenty of explosives.¡±


    ¡°That wouldn¡¯t work¡­ As long as its prey is living, it won¡¯t rest. We must come up with a plan¡­¡±


    A plan to defeat Sion Gale by ourselves? Last time we were nine! With everything that¡¯d happened, Hope had done her best to not dwell on the man she¡¯d killed. This specter was dragging up all kinds of feelings.


    ¡°Alright, I have an idea. How much mithril do you have? Get everything out. We need to prepare.¡±


    Hope emptied her bags, praying her companion knew what she was doing.


    ¡­


    Eren ran into the cavern, spears impaling the ground behind her. As the vengeful spirit slowly caught up, it was suddenly knocked down by an invisible force. Rolling away, the Sion Gale sent out a dozen golden fairies with a swipe of its hand. Their light revealed hundreds of glistening metal threads anchored to the walls, each a reshaped mithril bullet with a hasty strengthening enchantment. Eren had slipped between two of them.


    ¡°How do you like it?¡± Eren taunted. ¡°This place is my arena.¡±


    She went on the offensive, circling around while returning to normal size to throw quick jabs. When she did, her arm would grow to giant proportion, giving her attacks incredible reach and power. Sion reeled under the assault, the threads hindering his movements. He quickly gave up throwing spears, as they¡¯d only embed themselves and become further obstacles. Instead he resorted to lunging stabs without much success.


    As for herself, Hope was crouching behind a mithril shield at the far end of the cavern. While there were no strings around her, a thick spider web of mithril, followed by a small chasm, walled off her section from the rest. She was peppering Sion with burst of gunfire whenever he found his footing.


    Although neither side was landing a decisive hit, the fight was not a headed for a stalemate. Each time Eren used the mithril strings to swing around, she was enlarging them, turning them into ever thicker bars. The area was becoming a prison.


    To escape, the undead Sion Gale had two options: retreat the way he came or venture into the corner Hope was hiding. They¡¯d sealed off all other exits. He choose the later, slipping through the mithril spider web.


    I can¡¯t believe it worked.  Hope raised and fired her shotgun. Unlike the skeletons earlier, the golden armor resisted the blast. However, the rain of pellets did halt his charge. Perfect. Her goal was to delay him for a few seconds. She continued unloading as Sion shielded his head and struggled closer.


    When he was halfway to her, the ground underneath him began rising. About time.  This entire area had been a horizontal crevice a few inches wide. When Eren had shrunk the lower half, Hope had thought the cavern would collapse from all the cracking as the contracting rock separated from its surrounding. Eren had now released her magic.


    The vengeful spirit grimaced in rage as it understood its predicament. Turning back, it saw Eren had been busy turning the mithril spiderweb into thick bars. There was nowhere to run. Several golden spears penetrated Hope¡¯s shield as Sion desperately struggled to prevent the cavern from closing on him, but they didn¡¯t penetrate far enough to harm her. The last she saw was his hate-filled face disappearing between the rock.


    Ugh¡­  Hope was uncomfortably squeezed into a small air pocket Eren had found, stone pressing against her from all sides. It took a few minutes for Eren to shrink the crevice enough for her to crawl out. No trace of their assailant remained.


    ¡°One nice fact about vengeful spirits is you only need to kill them once.¡± Eren explained. ¡°The price they pay for borrowing a mortal form.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m amazed it fell for such an obvious trap.¡± Hope sat against a wall, letting relief wash over her.


    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s another feature unique to them. They¡¯re obsessed with the one who killed them. You were the perfect bait.¡± Eren collapsed besides her. ¡°I¡¯m so glad my gambles paid off.¡±


    Hope shot her companion a questioning glance.


    ¡°Vengeful Spirits possess all the abilities and experience of their original.¡± Eren revealed. ¡°Since he¡¯s from the Norther Empire, I was betting Sion Gale had never fought a dwarf. It always takes someone a while to grow accustomed to our size changing. This, together with your mithril strings, gave me the edge I needed to match him.¡±


    ¡°Same deal with the shrinking trap. They¡¯re hard to recognize unless you¡¯re familiar with them.¡± Eren added.


    Half-listening, Hope was lost in thought. Despite all her careful preparations, she¡¯d been close to panic when faced with the reincarnated Sion Gale. If Eren hadn¡¯t taken the lead¡­ Is this the difference in experience?


    ¡°Alright, enough resting.¡± Eren jumped to her feet. ¡°Now comes the fun part. Let¡¯s collect your mithril and go back for the loot.¡±

 [Book II Chapter 19] DYLAN: Plotting within the Celestial Perl

    [Book II Chapter 19] DYLAN: Plotting within the Celestial Perl


    ------------------------------------------------


    Dylan sped along the shaded creek, red and yellow flowers blooming among the roots on both banks. Each was treasure worth five times its weight in gold, yet he ignored them. Eventually, he spotted another violet flame and carefully recovered its priceless pedals, adding them to the others in the ouroboros ring.


    The Godly Herb Garden was overflowing with more riches than could ever be gathered. After the first day, he¡¯d given up on lesser ingredients, as the time spent collecting them was too costly.


    Dylan noticed another two purple blossoms and skipped over to harvest them. Dowart Fain watched him with a grin, <<This brings me back.>>


    ¡°Has it changed since your time?¡± Dylan asked.


    <<Not in the least.>> Dowart floated around taking in the surroundings.  <<While the outside world is different beyond recognition, everything here is familiar to me. The nostalgia is hitting hard.>>


    ¡°You adamantly insistent I visit this hidden realm. Now I understand why.¡± Dylan said. ¡°Was your trip as successful?¡±


    <<My journey through these replenishing hills might be the most treasured moment in my life.>>  Doward stared distantly, as if peering into the past. <<In those six months, I fought fierce battles, reaped great profits, and forged deep connections. I indulged the recklessness of youth without regrets.>>  The smile faded somewhat as sadness shone in his eyes. <<While I lost something important at the end, I wouldn¡¯t trade my memories for the world. They made me into who I am today.>>


    Dylan struggled to understand, ¡°Was your trip really that meaningful?¡±


    Dowart glanced back towards him, <<For you it was that awful day eleven years ago which shaped your life. For me, it was my experience in this place. Different circumstances.>>


    I must press him for the details one day. For Dylan, the Godly Herb Garden was simply a wealth gathering exercise and a chance at revenge. Which reminds me¡­


    He leapt above the canopy and surveyed the sky, quickly finding the golden form of the Nemean Griffon soaring far off. That was the demonic beast which ruled this land, and so far they had avoided a confrontation. Its intimidating presence explained the relative lack predators. However, it wasn¡¯t what he was searching for. He continued scanning the horizon until his heart skipped a beat. There! Dylan immediately raced to the nearest hilltop, positioning himself atop the tallest tree, and watched the phoenix approach. Come have a good look.


    The Godly Herb Garden was half the size of Sanwue. The chances of stumbling upon others was tiny. To reliably locate a specific group, the only way was long range aerial scouts. No ordinary phoenix would be invading the Griffon¡¯s territory so brazenly.


    While waiting, Dylan observed the silver veil covering much of the landscape. Fluttering like a gigantic sheet of cloth stretching into the heavens, the barrier formed an enormous dome centered on the legendary colorless flower. Any who trespassed within its border were robbed of their consciousness, falling into an endless sleep. The silver veil was retreating at a snails pace.


    Panacea¡¯s restorative aura was what caused rare herbs to bloom endlessly and drew all manner of demonic beasts to realm. It went without saying the risks and rewards increased the closer one approached, with monsters which could threaten immortals slumbering in the final valley. We¡¯ll be retreating well before they wake.


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    As the phoenix circled overhead, Dowart spoke up. <<We have company.>>


    Dylan grimaced as he saw the toothy head bobbing above the forest. How did a mutated terror make its way here? Hailing from the Corrupted Swamps, this variant resembled a giant canine prowling on over-sized hind legs. Judging from its slobbering jaws, it had picked up his scent.


    <<It¡¯s what you get for making yourself so visible>> Chuckled Dowart.


    Dylan turned and fled. While not particularly deadly, the mutated terror offered little of value for the effort of dispatching it. The beast pursued mindlessly, knocking down trees in its eagerness to catch up. This continued for a while until Dylan reached a hill. After climbing halfway, he turned back towards the beast. It was walking in circle appearing confused, its loud whining echoing up the slope. Your prey just vanished. Frustrating isn¡¯t it?


    This hill was Gen¡¯s Sanctum. The Fate Pavilion saint had plastered the area with talismans to form an array which repelled hostile entities. He boasted absolute confidence in his work and Dylan believed him. As he entered the grove on top, his surrounding grew quiet. Even the wildlife is driven away. He walked up to the white orb floating between the trees and placed his hand on it.


    Reality shifted. Dylan stood under a pergola in the middle of a pond. From the banks around him rose porous limestone, their twisting forms natural works arts. He took the wooden path across the water, the pink of blooming plum trees stretching out on either side, and approached a magnificent mansion, its multi-layered curved roofs towering over a thick bamboo forest.


    The Celestial Perl contained a miniature hidden realm which those with permission could visit. The peerless treasure had been fashioned over hundreds of years by the Fate Pavilion''s matriarch. That she gifted it to Gen shows she considers him a potential successor.


    Before entering, Dylan made a quick detour. Gen had converted a stone garden into a group of warehouses, and one was allocated to him. He stepped in and emptied his latest bounty. While his most precious finds remained within the ouroboros ring, this extensive storage space was too attractive to pass up.


    They¡¯d been here for three months already, and Dylan truly felt grateful. The celestial pearl made this expedition far more productive, and the comfort of a private room was unexpected luxury. While he still didn¡¯t understand why such a prominent individual had teamed up with them, he¡¯d come to trust and respected Gen Jiang as a friend. This may be what Dowart meant by forming deep bonds.


    The others were gathered in the palatial living room, and Soul was questioning Gen about Sanwue¡¯s hidden realms. Dylan slipped in and listened to the discussion.


    ¡°Powers of Fate have always excelled at reading and shaping the Ether. It was our matriarch who first discovered the method to weave together a reality concrete enough to visit. To craft a hidden realm, you need an ideal, the more strongly held the better. For Celestial Pearls, it¡¯s an ¡®idyllic retreat¡¯. Everyone has a vision of their perfect home, a place of wonder and safety. This place was constructed from those collective visions.¡±


    ¡°What about the Godly Herb Garden?¡± Soul asked.


    ¡°While the scale is greater, the process was mostly the same. This time, it was the ¡®desire for salvation¡¯. You see, those suffering terminal ailments commonly cling to the belief that somewhere out there is a cure so potent it could save them. We tapped into that passion.¡±


    ¡°So the Fate Pavelion created Panacea?¡± Soul exclaimed.


    ¡°No, it was already there. Born of the desperate longing of millions, panacea definitely existed. We merely constructed the means to reach it. The proof is the size of the realm created.¡±


    ¡°What about the silver veil? Where does that fit it in?¡± Dylan asked. While never deeply pondering the topic, this was something he¡¯d wondered.


    Gen chuckled, ¡°While the Fate Pavillion would love to fashion hidden realms with easily obtainable bounties, it¡¯s not possible. We must adhere to the basic principles guiding the Ether. When designing around a treasure, appropriate challenges must be incorporated otherwise it won¡¯t form. To retrieve Panacea, you must remain the full nine months, surviving as progressively stronger beasts wake, and exit through the final gate.¡±


    Having had enough, Dylan discretely signaled to Yingtai. They both excused themselves and met outside under falling petals.


    ¡°I noticed a phoenix.¡± Dylan reported.


    Yingtai grimaced, ¡°I did too¡­ I don¡¯t think they¡¯ll discover the Sanctum though.¡±


    Dylan shook his head, ¡°Once they arrive, they¡¯ll blanket the area with summons. The Santum¡¯s location will be obvious from our coming and goings. Unless you plan on hiding out here and forgoing the garden¡¯s bounty.¡± They both knew this option wasn¡¯t worth consideration.


    ¡°What do you suggest?¡± Yingtai asked.


    ¡°Not conceding the initiative. We chose a favorable location and devise a means to split them up.¡± Dylan let the words sink in. ¡°Also, it¡¯s about time we broached the subject with the others. They will need time to prepare. Soul is the bait which will draw them into our ambush.¡±

 [Book II Chapter 20] ROSE: Salazar Rook

    [Book II Chapter 20] ROSE: Salazar Rook


    ------------------------------------------------


    Rose took a deep breath, the red of the Crimson Flame dancing in her hand. Gently, she reached towards the skeleton before her, letting the fire graze its form. Channeling full force, she restored singed bones while focusing on integrating the two disparate magics. Sweat rolled down her brow. As she neared exhaustion, there was a flare up and fire engulfed the undead. Rose panicked before realizing this is what she wanted. She¡¯d succeeded.


    ¡°Congratulation on crafting your first burning dead.¡± Roxanne said. ¡°Eventually you¡¯ll be able to summon them directly instead of setting them aflame.¡±


    Elation washed over Rose. It was strange. She sensed the hostility, the hatred, simmering in her creation, yet her dominion over it was exhilarating. It¡¯s the rush some feel when holding a lethal weapon, except amplified.


    Since Nero had taught them to summon the dead, Rose had been obsessed. Manipulating the monsters that had assaulted them in the Field of Graves was simply intoxicating. Part of her worried she found it such fun, however her rational side had come up with all manner of contrivances to justify the indulgence. It¡¯s a powerful tool which would be foolish not to master. Plus these will be our opponents in the future. There¡¯s no better way to learn about them.


    Wise had gone through the same experience, to an extent. With his foresight satisfying his curiosity and dampening his enthusiasm, he had just about returned to normal. Basically he mastered it quicker and then lost interest. As for Rose, she was still immersed in the exploration.


    Following their initial lesson, Roxanne had taken over, patiently sating her thirst. She¡¯d learned to summon various forms and give them skills. It hadn¡¯t been enough, so she¡¯d pestered her mentor to teach superior manifestations. Today, Roxanne had relented.


    ¡°The addiction has really taken you more than most.¡±  Roxanne observed.


    The truth of these words struck Rose like a cold shower. She could only mutter a ¡°Sorry¡± in response.


    Roxanne sighed. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Everyone goes through it.¡±  She walked over to examine the fiercely burning undead.  ¡°I suppose now is as good a time as any to give you the warning. Be extremely careful if you decide to make one permanent.¡±


    ¡°Why is that?¡±  Rose asked. Ghostly apparitions were used as guards and servants throughout Xarst, so much so that Rose had considered making her own.


    Roxanne guessed her thinking, ¡°You do remember that they¡¯re tame inside the Black Mountain? It¡¯s different outside. Undead are fundamentally different from others summons.¡±


    ¡°Could you explain this?¡± Rose pressed. Her intuition told her it was important.


    ¡°There¡¯s a bond between the soul of a summoner and their summon which aligns the beliefs and values of the former with the latter. Essentially, summons will like the same things and think the same way. This is why they are considered an extension of their masters.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that a form of brainwashing?¡± Rose hadn¡¯t pondered this angle before.


    Roxanne shook her head. ¡°Aside basic traits of their type, summons come as blank slates. They were never their own entity, so it¡¯s not the same as tapering with a free mind. At least that¡¯s how I see it. Some share your reaction and sever the bond, but that¡¯s another story. We¡¯re getting off topic.¡±


    ¡°The point is,¡±  Roxanne stressed. ¡°Undead are different. They have two bonds, one of them with the Abyss. This second one can never be cut and influences them all the same. This isn¡¯t an issue in fresh creations, but the longer a minion remains on Enera, the more the Abyss seeps in. Unless you¡¯re diligent about reasserting your control, they will turn on you¡ª¡ªor, even worse, on others.¡±


    Rosanne glanced to the side, ¡°We have a visitor.¡± This room was one of many training arenas on this floor. White runes covered the walls everywhere except for the entrance where Lucy was waiting quietly. Since Xarst¡¯s interior is a deathless zone, only healing enchantments are needed.


    Rose pursed her lips. It¡¯s rare for her to intrude on us. ¡°Let¡¯s see what she wants.¡±  She reluctantly banished the burning dead.


    ¡°Wise will be returning in a minute. You probably want to hear what he has to say.¡± Lucy reported. She then walked out expecting them to follow.


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    Roxanne smirked as Rose frown. For her part, her mentor found it all amusing.


    It¡¯s a little aggravating when someone acts like they know what I will do. Despite this, she let Lucy lead them through the luxurious living space they¡¯d enjoying for the last couple of months. Meant for candidates seeking the Mask, it had everything they could wish for. It¡¯s not quite nepotism. Rose could see herself donning Xarst¡¯s supreme artifact. The knowledge it contained appealed to her. However, it would have wait until after the dark age.


    They stopped in front of the pillar which ran up through Xarst. Soon Wise walked out, lost in thought.


    ¡°So, what did you learn?¡± Rose asked. Since meeting Radin, Wise had been making short trips to the city. Time down there moved at regular speed, so these absences were noticeable. When Rose had confronted him, he¡¯d revealed he was spying on Torak¡¯s acolytes, relying on All-Knowing Grasp to uncover hints of their plans.


    ¡°They¡¯ll be departing soon.¡±  Wise answered. ¡°Also, someone heard them mention Salazar Rook. Is Nero around?¡± He paused, then answered his own question.  ¡°No, he¡¯s not. I must speak with him.¡±  With that, he turned and disappeared into the black stone.


    That was underwhelming¡ª¡ª. ¡°Salazar¡­¡± Roxanne sneered. ¡°As bad as it was last time, at least he wasn¡¯t involved.¡±


    Oh¡­  The name Salazar Rook had come up several times when Rose studied history. Each time it was a different conflict, spaced centuries apart and never in the same location. She remembered thinking it strange, but could it be that these were all the same person?


    ¡°Who is Salazar Rook?¡±  She asked


    Roxanne and Lucy looked at each other. ¡°I¡¯ll leave this to you.¡± Lucy said. ¡°I¡¯m going to join Wise.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Roxanne sighed. ¡°Come with me, this will take a while.¡±


    Once seated at a table in the garden, Roxanne continued. ¡°Salazar¡¯s story goes all the way back to the founding of Xarst. Have you heard of ¡®impure reincarnation¡¯?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the spell which reanimates a corpse by reconstructing the soul from the pieces scattered in the Abyss.¡±  Rose answered. ¡°It¡¯s useless because it produces abominations.¡±


    ¡°Correct, except for one aspect. Impure reincarnation doesn¡¯t always produce abominations. Remember, there are souls so depraved they remain whole after death. When those are brought back, the result is a flawless resurrection akin to those Sola performed.¡±


    Rose eyes widened, ¡°Salazar is¡­?¡±


    ¡°One of those, yes,¡±  Roxanne nodded. ¡°He was part of the first batch recalled as part of an experiment at the Black Citadel. Those running the study were fascinated, not only because he was an oath taker, but also because he displayed no deviant behavior. All the other subjects were abhorrent individuals with no redeeming qualities. Unlike them, he appeared sane.¡±


    ¡°When investigating his history, they found that he had indeed committed reprehensible acts in life, but there were extenuating circumstances. Salazar had been drawn into the losing side of a existential war and had gone to despicable lengths to delay the inevitable, ultimately failing and dying a saint.¡±


    ¡°This left researchers in a bind when it came time to wrap up the study. Unlike the others whose vileness was unmistakable, Salazar seemed to present no risk to society. Outside wartime and under orders, Salazar had never harmed a soul. More convincingly, he also confirmed, with words which could not lie, that he had no motives to do so. Disposing of him was ruled out as an option.¡±


    ¡°In the end, they kept him under watch for some years before finally releasing him. He departed and everyone soon forgot about him. It wasn¡¯t until decades later that people began noticing a pattern. On the world stage, small players unexpectedly launched successful invasions of their stronger and wealthier neighbors. In simmering conflicts, the weaker side suddenly rose up to achieve swift, decisive victory. Investigations revealed two common factors preceding these upsets: the arrival of a new adviser and a drastic decline in the regional population. Someone was approaching rulers and offering to turn ¡®lives¡¯ into power.¡±


    ¡°It was at this time that Salazar published his first book, ¡®The Path To Power¡¯, detailing all his techniques and showcasing their effectiveness with everything he¡¯d done. Villages transformed into suicide cults to ascend a chosen fighter, clan members empowering themselves by eating each other, children pitted against one another in battle royals, torture-enhanced human sacrifices¡­ It wasn¡¯t just death, Salazar had leveraged the depths of depravity to produce his results, and his creativity knew no bounds.¡±


    ¡°He was swiftly hunted down and killed, but it was too late. In his writing, Salazar had left instructions for a ritual, based on impure reincarnation, which would allow anyone to bring him back. Since then, he¡¯s returned again and again to serve new patrons, expanding his expertise and publishing new books every few incarnation.¡±


    ¡°Why would anyone rely on a madman?¡±  Rose was fascinated.


    ¡°Many reasons.¡±  Roxanne explained sadly. ¡°Salazar has a sublime vagary called ¡®Every Life Is Precious¡¯, which amplifies the effects of his methods. For a ruler intent on replicating them, his presence means fewer sacrificed.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s also an immortal now, one of the strongest, and is utterly loyal to whoever calls him. For the desperate, he is a last hope, one who often delivers.¡±


    Rose sat back to absorb what she¡¯d heard. So that¡¯s why Wise was so shaken¡­ A realization hit her. ¡°He¡¯ll want to leave Xarst and track Torak¡¯s Acolytes¡­¡±


    She grimaced. While her brother was approaching the limits of what he could learn here, she hadn¡¯t. He also had the Necronomicon to further his knowledge, something she didn¡¯t. But I don¡¯t want to be left behind¡­


    ¡°If you go, I¡¯ll follow.¡±  Roxanne offered.


    ¡°Really?¡± That would be ideal.


    Roxanne laughed, ¡°Teaching you is the only thing keeping me from rejoining the sleepers. Besides, there are people I¡¯d like to catch up with. It¡¯s been two thousand years¡­¡±

 [Book II Chapter 21] DYLAN: Battle to the Death

    [Book II Chapter 21] DYLAN: Battle to the Death


    ------------------------------------------------


    A rainbow of pyrotechnics blanketed a distant hill. Soul had used the talisman Gen had given him.


    ¡°They¡¯re really here.¡± Kailen lamented, visible circles under his eyes. The man hadn¡¯t slept well lately, and Dylan felt a tinge of guilt at his involvement.


    ¡°It¡¯ll be fine.¡± Yingtai reassured him. ¡°I¡¯ll be there to help. Just stick to the plan.¡±


    Agreed.  Dylan was confident the two would do alright. He was more concerned about Gen, who¡¯d refused to share his preparations.


    Soon Soul appeared over a hill, Sulai¡¯s group in close pursuit. Gen had predicted they¡¯d arrive today, and everyone had gathered to wait. They were on a peak surrounded by valleys separated by sharp ridges. Duels in one location were unlikely to impede another.


    Soon Soul joined them, and they moved forwards to confront the Red Sky disciples.


    ¡°See, I told you,¡± Said a brown-haired woman. ¡°There was no way to take them by surprise given Gen Jiang.¡±


    Sulai ignored her and shouted out, ¡°We are here for Soul Skyfell. The rest of you are of no interest. Don¡¯t interfere or you will be shown no mercy.¡±


    ¡°That sounded like a threat.¡± Gen stepped forwards. ¡°Surely not?¡±


    Sulai glared daggers, ¡°If you get in my way again, I¡¯ll incinerate you myself.¡±


    Gen¡¯s eyes opened in mock shock. ¡°Oh my, what a precarious situation!¡± He reached up for the sky. ¡°Lady luck, answer my call. Save your poor humble servent.¡±


    As Dylan was cringing at the showmanship, an enormous shadow flew over head. What the¡ª¡ª? He scrambled back as a Nemean Griffon landed next to him. Gen smirked viciously, ¡°Seems I haven¡¯t been forsaken.¡±


    The beast appeared confused, unsure why it was here. Gen walked over slowly, ¡°We¡¯re friends, right?¡± When the talisman in his hand disintegrated, understand lit in the griffon¡¯s eyes. It relaxed letting Gen stroke its golden pelt. Everyone stood in awe.


    <<He¡¯s a prodigy.>> Dowart declared. <<The Fate Pavilion is often underestimated since so many of its members are underwhelming, but every once and a while a genius like Gen comes along. Those who truly understand how to wield destiny are monsters.>>


    Dylan was inclined to agree. That thing is stronger than any of us.


    Gen happily climbed on its back. ¡°Now, who wants to play with goldie here?¡±


    ¡°Damn it, Sulai. I knew this would happen.¡± The brown-haired woman cursed. ¡°I¡¯ll distract Gen and his pet. Finish your business quickly, I don¡¯t know how long I¡¯ll last.¡±


    As the Nemean Griffon took off after the fleeing woman, Mingzhu Su walked forward and pointed at Dylan. ¡°If we¡¯re pairing up, then I chose him.¡±


    ¡°I accept.¡± Dylan responded instantly.


    Leading Mingzhu away from the others, Dylan¡¯s mind raced. He was thrilled his hated foe was handing himself to him on a silver platter, but it was too suspicious. Does he know me?


    Once they¡¯d reached a mountain clearing, Mingzhu declared. ¡°This is far enough.¡±


    Dylan faced his enemy. The Red Sky disciple had a relaxed posture, hands behind his back. This composure gave Dylan pause. As he wondered what Mingzhu was up to, he had a vision of the man standing in the Sacred Cloud sect, burning buildings in the background. He remembered the weight of everything he¡¯d lost. The pain and anger give him focus, calming his nerves. You will be the second. Dylan unsheathed his sword.


    ¡°Enough, there¡¯s no need for that.¡± Mingzhu said.


    ¡°What?¡± Dylan stammered at the absurdity of the words.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we stop here?¡± Mingzhu continued. ¡°I came here humoring Sulay¡¯s need for revenge. By removing one obstacle between her and Soul, I have already done my part. There¡¯s no need to fight.¡±


    Mingzhu studied him, ¡°You don¡¯t strike me as the type to risk your life for others, especially those you barely know. Was I wrong in my assessment?¡±


    I understand. Dylan wanted to laugh. ¡°Aren¡¯t you worried Sulai might lose her life?¡±


    Mingzhu shrugged, ¡°I care for her as little as I imagine you care for that Soul fellow.¡±


    He¡¯s right, but also so wrong. Dylan appraised his opponent. Like the others, he wore the lush attire of the Red Sky Sect. There were no visible weapons. If he wants to die without putting up resistance, who am I to deny him?


    Dylan dashed forwards, swinging down his sword.  His blow was blocked by a blade of pure fire. ¡°I appear to have misjudged you.¡± Mingzhu said calmly. ¡°I¡¯m disappointed.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s simply that I have a reason fight.¡± Dylan responded.


    A second fiery sword appeared in the other hand, and Dylan jumped back to avoid the slash. Mingzhu didn¡¯t pursue. Instead, he brought out a dried flower which glowed ominously. A crimson rose, Dylan recognized.


    ¡°While I preferred to avoid battle, I came prepared for it.¡± Mingzhu crushed the petals in his palm, sending out a scarlet shockwave. While Dylan warded off the magic, every tree, shrub, and blade of grass within sight was set ablaze. The valley had become an inferno.


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    <<This is troublesome.>>  Dowart chimed in. <<He¡¯s wearing rings of solid flame. They¡¯re powerful catalysts which can turn fire into weapons.>>


    As if to confirm the words, red spears shot up at Dylan from the burning field. Dylan backpedaled out of range.


    <<Use the profound mysteries.>> Dowart said coldly. <<Show him their power.>>


    Dylan nodded. The profound mysteries were fighting stances and the core of his martial arts, Four Element Transcendence. There were six lesser mysteries, and four greater mysteries. Proof of Dowart Fain¡¯s genius.


    While it was most efficient to channel all one¡¯s affinities at once, there was a little flexibility. Dylan could draw more heavily on some elements, as he did now with fire and air, embracing the lesser mystery of ash.


    A vortex formed around him as wind swept towards him from all directions. Once enough heat and pressure had gathered, he unleashed a backdraft so powerful the clearing was snuffed out.


    Mingzhu watched him with disinterest, ¡°You¡¯re only delaying the inevitable.¡±


    A rain of flaming arrows descended on Dylan from the forest. However, he didn¡¯t move. It¡¯s child¡¯s play redirecting this barrage.


    Mingzhu frowned watching his attacks miss, ¡°Telekinesis¡­ So your affinities are air and fire. I suppose I must exert myself.¡± Shaping a dozen swords around him and two more in his hands, the Red Sky disciple rushed forward.


    Dylan was waiting for this. The ground around him grew malleable as he adopted the lesser mystery of mud. When Mingzhu sent his the flaming swords at him, a wave of earth rose up to block them. Mingzhu jumped to avoid this avalanche, but was shocked to find his legs sinking once he landed. It was as if he was trapped in quicksand.


    ¡°No!¡± Mingzhu released a torrent flame, breaking free and shooting high into the air.


    Oh no, you don¡¯t. Dylan switched back to the lesser mystery of ash, directing the thick smoke from the burning landscape towards his flying opponent. The Red Sky disciple¡¯s rich red robes were rapidly covered in ever heavier layers of soot.


    Cursing, Mingzhu dove towards the forest, landing on a burning branch. Shaking off the filth, he regained some composure. He turned and looked down condescendingly, ¡°I should have done this from the start, but I forgot I had no need to defeat you. I suppose your hot-bloodedness rubbed off on me.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome to try and reach me,¡± he sneered, ¡°but this conflagration is my element. Your strange tricks won¡¯t aid you here.¡±


    Finally.  Dylan smiled. It¡¯d taken far longer than hoped, but it was time to end this. He closed his eyes. As he did, wisps of smoke left his body as his metabolism went into hyperdrive.


    Mingzhu sensed something was wrong, ¡°What are you playing at?¡±


    Dylan strode forward, pulsating light gathering in his hand. ¡°You have the honor of dying to one of the Greater Mysteries.¡± He sent the orb of power forward.


    ¡°What?¡± Mingzhu uttered. These were his last words as the area around him was vaporized.


    Drawing on fire, earth, and air, the Greater Mystery of combustion gave Dylan mastery over explosions, allowing him to accelerate any chemical reaction. Rather than burning slowly over hours, his magic forced the trees to release their energy all at once. The blast produced a crater larger than the clearing.


    Mingzhu wasn¡¯t the only one who¡¯d prepared. Dylan had placed his enchantments deep in the wood throughout the valley. He would¡¯ve set fire to the forest himself if his opponent hadn¡¯t done so.


    Dylan collapsed on the smoldering ground, catching his breath. The Greater Mysteries placed a great burden on him and weren¡¯t something he could use for long. Maybe once I¡¯m stronger. In any case the exertion had been worth it. The eight were now six.


    That¡¯s enough.  Dylan dragged himself up and ran through the charred vegetation. While Gen and Soul were of no concern, he had to aid Kailen and Yingtai if needed. Dropping over a ridge, he was pleased to find the battle proceeding smoothly. I was concerned for nothing.


    As planned, they¡¯d successfully lured Sulai¡¯s fourth companion to the bottom of a water-logged valley, and it was not going well for him. Kailen was running on the surface, manipulating the liquid to drag the man under. Meanwhile, Yingtai was hovering above on transparent wings, preventing any attempts to flee.


    They¡¯d chosen this location due to the wetlands, and an aquatic array was carved into the marsh¡¯s bottom. Fighting Kailen on water with that magic active, not even I could do it. The Red Sky disciple was struggling desperately, blasting himself into the air only to be knocked back down. The water level was dropping due to the huge clouds of vapor, but it wouldn¡¯t run dry.


    It¡¯s already over.  If the Red Sky disciple had the means to escape, he would¡¯ve done so already.


    Once done, they crossed to the next valley where the fight was just about concluded. Sulai was on her last legs with Soul standing uninjured. She grimaced when she saw the lifeless body they dropped at her feet.


    ¡°Looks like you were defeated by a brat half your age.¡± Mocked Dylan. Despite his scorn for the boy, this was his favored outcome. He¡¯s a teammate for now.


    ¡°Ice coffin.¡± Soul said, enclosing Sulai¡¯s companion.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Dylan demanded.


    ¡°If he¡¯s recently drowned, there may be a chance to resuscitated him.¡± Soul explained.


    Dylan was shocked speechless. Before he could react, Sulai broke in, ¡°Wait a second, the reason you never used Heaven Splitter¡­ Was it because you planned to spare me?¡±


    Soul didn¡¯t answer, which enraged Sulai further. ¡°How many times will you humiliate me? I won¡¯t suffer your mercy! Finish me, you coward.¡±


    Soul smiled, ¡°If there¡¯s one thing I¡¯ve learned in my travels in Sanwue, it¡¯s that the victor decided who lives and dies. I¡¯m sorry, but that¡¯s not you.¡±


    Soul¡¯s armor shattered, and the glacial power gathered in his hand. He reached out, ¡°Ice coffin.¡± Sulai tried to resist, but was frozen solid, her defiant glare locked in ice.


    Dylan confronted, ¡°You can¡¯t be serious. She¡¯ll come after you again. Letting her live is the height of foolishness.¡±


    He was genuinely angry. While it would be written off as obvious self-defense, he¡¯d preferred no one find out he killed Mingzhu. It¡¯d be best for Sulai¡¯s party to disappear without a trace.


    Soul didn¡¯t back down, ¡°To my knowledge, Sulai has not committed a wrong meriting taking her life. And her companion even less so. I won¡¯t kill out of concern for a future risk to my safety.¡±


    Dylan genuinely stumped before this sheer stupidity. He turned to Yingtai in desperation. ¡°Surely you must agree with me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve had this argument more time than I can count.¡± Yingtai sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t have the energy to go through it again, but you¡¯re welcome to try.¡±


    Dylan took a deep breath and tried again with a different approach. ¡°What about the man whose life you saved? Doesn¡¯t Sulai¡¯s attempted murder deserves punishing?¡± He felt uncomfortable with this line of logic, but he judged it might have the desired effect.


    Soul pursed his lips, ¡°¡¯ordinary people are trash¡¯. Sulai was acting on the belief shared by most cultivators that a person¡¯s lifespan determines their worth. If I were judge her for it, then what of everyone who stood by in the crowd in quiet acceptance?¡±


    At that moment, Gen dropped out of the sky on his Nemean Griffon. ¡°My sparring partner took refuge in a cavern. Goldie was very upset. He collapsed half the mountain trying to dig her out.¡±


    Dylan frowned. So she lived¡­  He privately wondered if Gen had foreseen Soul¡¯s wishes and held the beast back.


    ¡°Gen,¡± Soul asked. ¡°An individual may only enter the Godly Herb Garden once in their lifetime, correct?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right¡± Gen affirmed.


    Soul gestured to the blocks of ice. ¡°So if we throw these two through the portal, they will not bother us again?¡±


    ¡°Not until we leave.¡± Gen nodded.


    Dylan didn¡¯t raise any further objections as Gen took off carrying the two frozen cultivators. If one escaped, then there¡¯s little point. He glanced at the others congratulating themselves on their victories. Taking a deep breath, he buried his resentment and joined them. They¡¯d all come out alive, and he¡¯d taken down one more of his targets. All in all, it¡¯d been a good day.

 [Book II Chapter 22] NEPHRITE: Hearth’s New Elite Squad

    [Book II Chapter 22] NEPHRITE: Hearth¡¯s New Elite Squad


    ------------------------------------------------


    A giant wasp fluttering between the overgrown purple vegetation, searching for prey. Nephrite Somber ran on the rock ceiling above. When the insect stopped to hover, she dropped down and cleaved it in two with her scimitar. That¡¯s the last around here.


    Having completed her mission, Nephrite headed back, navigating the maze-like subterranean passages until she reached a tornado of shadows snaking through the caverns. She followed the light funnel upwards, running on the walls. She smiled softly at the sight that greeted her once she hit daylight.


    East of ground zero, at the very tip of the butterfly continent, Harakoune was unique among Twisted Lands. The earth had been shaped into gigantic hollow ¡®bulbs¡¯ which had then been piled on top of each other several layers thick. Inside each was lush greenery fed by light funnels, and inverse vegetation thrived in space between them. However, most breathtaking was that every surface was covered by gigantic flowers.


    Reaching the top of a bulb, Nephrite hopped on a Dahlia and took a second to appreciate the view. There¡¯s every variety imaginable, of every color.


    In the sky above, airships coexisted peacefully with oversized bees. Spotting one close by, Nephrite caught up and jumped aboard. She watched quietly as the crew came on deck to figure out what had impacted the ship. You won¡¯t be finding this stowaway.


    Nephrite¡¯s Glistening Cloak was a relic passed down through the Somber family for generation, and the stealth enchantments within had been reinforced to the point of invisibility. When active, only a slight glittering could be seen for a dozen seconds after she launched an attack.


    Her ride soon joined up with other airships, following them down into Harakoune¡¯s depths. They emerged inside a large bulb where vibrant city took up most of the space.


    Hearth was originally a trading settlement of no importance. That all changed once the treasure below was discovered. The Winding was a temporally accelerated dungeon with a sliding scale of difficulty going all the way up to immortal level. As a training ground, there was nothing better.


    Harakoune¡¯s Great Shinobi War waged on and off for almost twenty years as the four hidden villages wrestled for control. This was brought to an end through the founding of Hearth by its current lord. Since then, the city had served as a neutral ground and gateway to contact with the outside world. The four hidden village had maintained outposts here, eventually agreeing to form the Shinobi Council. That united front collapsed with the dark age.


    Since the geology didn¡¯t allow for the customary cliffside mooring, the docks were on a flat strip by the entrance. Nephrite leaped off before the airship could touch down and crossed the city. The streets were abuzz with activity. Evacuations will begin soon.


    It had been clear from the beginning that Harakoune was far too isolated to weather a Dark Age, so long ago contingency plans had been ironed out. It¡¯d been a simple affair. Shinobi villages had high power levels for their populations, and there¡¯d been no shortage of patrons willing to offer shelter to secure their services. Hearth had chosen Aery as their benefactor.


    Approaching the Lord¡¯s manor, Nephrite deactivated her cloak. The palatial structure served as a command center and had powerful wards capable of breaking her stealth and alerting the guards. They don¡¯t kid around when intercepting a partially visible intruder.


    When she handed in her quest stone at the reception, the dispatcher pointed upwards, ¡°The Hearth Lord is waiting for you. Please proceed immediately to his office.¡±


    What¡¯s this? Nephrite was certain she wasn¡¯t in trouble. Since returning from adventuring, she¡¯d performed all her missions flawlessly. This was her first summons. Maybe a special assignment?


    She made her way to the top floor and entered a large room. At the center was a table with a projection of Enera¡¯s surface. The Hearth Lord pouring over the map while discussing with an outsider in black. Their conversation was shielded, but Nephrite recognized the man as Garreth Black from the Adventurer¡¯s Guild.


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    Two more were seated by the windows. Hearth¡¯s blood and bones. They were elite ninjas like herself, prodigies she was often compared to. Haron Dhelgin was a warrior proficient in blood magic, and Arika Shiki was a necromancer specializing in bones. The pair had a famous rivalry, and it wasn¡¯t unusual to see them together.


    ¡°Any idea what this is about?¡± She asked, installing herself besides them.


    ¡°A new team is being assembled. We¡¯re all to be part of it.¡± Haron answered.


    ¡°We don¡¯t know more than that.¡±  Finished Arika.


    Nephrite frowned. While she¡¯d joined a party for adventuring, she¡¯d always operated on her own when working as a ninja. The advantages of her ability to move undetected would be lost in a group.


    ¡°Say, Nephy.¡±  Arika began.  ¡°When did you get back to Hearth? You were already here when I arrived.¡±


    ¡°Nearly a month ago.¡± She answered.


    Haron whistled, ¡°So before the recall order when out. How diligent.¡±


    Nephrite sighed at the subtle mockery. They¡¯re young and have long enjoyed special treatment for their gifts. Their words didn¡¯t bother her. She was a Hearth ninja through and through. Diligence was her nature, and the source of her success. Rather, she felt pride at her reputation.


    ¡°Keep me abreast of any developments on your end,¡± A deep voiced boomed suddenly. ¡°And I¡¯ll let you know what my ninjas discover.¡±


    Seishin Ozaki was originally from the hidden village of Ash. To end the great shinobi war, he¡¯d traveled to Xarst and taken the oath. Only then did he obtain the trust to found Hearth as its first lord. It was understood that any successor would follow his example.


    ¡°Until we meet again.¡± Garreth Black made a bow and left.


    The Hearth Lord turned to them, ¡°Good, you¡¯re all here. We can finally begin.¡±


    Nephrite didn¡¯t like the implications she¡¯d been late. ¡°May I ask when this meeting was scheduled? I didn¡¯t hear anything before heading out.¡±


    Seishin smiled, ¡°It¡¯s something I decided on the fly after consulting with Garreth Black. I keep track of the comings and goings from the manor, and was confident in your punctuality.¡±


    The Hearth Lord sent out a fairy, ¡°I¡¯m forming a four man team to support Jayden Zuto. I trust you know the man.¡±


    They did. There were five ninja ranks: lord, supreme, elite, legion, and rookie. Supremes were immortals, and elites were saints. Legion corresponded to adventurer rank A-C, and rookie was everyone else. Lord was the village¡¯s leader.


    Jayden was a supreme ninja, a dungeon junkie who had never stopped adventuring. Rumor was he¡¯d returned to Hearth, but she had yet to glimpse the man. It¡¯d be an honor to serve under such a renowned figure.


    ¡°Who¡¯s our fourth member?¡± Haron asked.


    ¡°He¡¯s here.¡± Seishin answered.


    The door opened and a tall man in weathered ninja gear strolled in. He appraised them with sharp, observant eyes. Following behind Jayden was a boy of around sixteen. He wore a forehead protector, a headband with a metal plate, on which was etched the heart-shaped flame of a Hearth ninja.


    Nephrite pursed her lips. She recognized Light Skyfell from the Blood Arena recording. While she¡¯d nothing against him, she didn¡¯t approve of his selection. He became a saint too fast. While his fighting ability might be impressive, shinobi missions entailed a wide range of skills, and raw talent couldn¡¯t substitute years of experience. Noting Haron and Arika tense up, she could tell they felt the same.


    ¡°Jayden has been training Light deep in the Winding. Six months have passed for him since his time on the Isle. He should keep up with the three of you.¡±


    This somewhat mollified her, but also elicited a pang of jealousy. He¡¯d better be good after six months of Jayden¡¯s instruction.


    Seishin addressed the youth, ¡°Sorry to cut your dungeon stay short. I wish I could¡¯ve given you more time, but trouble came sooner than expected, and Jayden is too valuable not to use.¡±


    Light bowed, ¡°I¡¯m eternally grateful for all the assistance and am eager to return the favor.¡±


    Jayden chuckled, ¡°That composure is a facade. Light¡¯s been itching to put what he¡¯s learned into practice.¡± Becoming serious again, he faced the rest of them, ¡°I¡¯ll be counting you three to make up for his lack of field experience.¡±


    They nodded. It won¡¯t be the first time I¡¯ve teamed up with a fledgling shinobi. Nothing to do but make the best of it.


    ¡°Since your affinities are sand, blood, bone, and steel, your team name will be Gladiator.¡± Seishin declared. ¡°Now it¡¯s time to discuss your first mission.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve heard of tethered realms vanishing and the chaos it¡¯s creating. Well, Garreth Black just came by to keep me abreast of a recent development. East of Nordric, new rifts have been opening, and several settlements have been wiped out by demonic beasts.¡±


    ¡°Now that¡¯s not too strange for a dark age, but here¡¯s where it gets interesting. In one case, the demonic beasts responsible were griffons native to a tethered realm in the Northern Empire which went missing two weeks ago. In another, demonic panthers normally found in Sanwue made an appearance.¡±


    ¡°Garreth Black postulates that disappeared realms are being retethered in the area South of Ground Zero. If he¡¯s right, this is organized effort the likes of which has not been seen in thousands of years. We are looking at a major demonic beast invasion.¡±


    Seishin sighed, leaning over the projected map. ¡°Sixteen hundred miles of Twisted Lands separates Harakoune from Aery, and I need to map out a safe travel route for our people. It is imperative that I understand what the hell is going on with these demonic beasts. Who¡¯s behind them? What are their goals?¡±


    Seishin¡¯s gaze met with Jayden, ¡°I¡¯m depending on you and Gladiator to investigate this on my behalf. Your first task is to visit a frontier village south of Talvi which has fallen out of contact. Report back what you find there.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡± Jayden responded coolly.

 [Book II Chapter 23] Filia: Maven in the Evermist

    [Book II Chapter 23] Filia: Maven in the Evermist


    ------------------------------------------------


    Fire fairies flying besides her, Filia sprinted through the mist. This fog never faded, fed by perpetual steam vents far below. It wasn¡¯t so bad during the day, but visibility dropped to a dozen feet at night. Glancing back, she couldn¡¯t see her companions, only the red specks accompanying them.


    The Evermist was an isolated location. The nation of Remnant above had sealed all faults in the earth, and one had to travel all the way to Neon to reach the surface. Together with the impenetrable fog, it conveyed the feeling of being cut off from the world, which is why it¡¯d been a land of fairies once, where they crossed over and danced in the mist. In those times, only in the Undermist did the Moonlit Lands hold sway. Then nine hundred years ago, the scales had been tipped irreversibly towards terror. There were no longer any playful sprites.


    <<I don¡¯t like this place.>> Cici complained.


    <<Be brave.>> Filia answered. She needed the galebat¡¯s abilities.


    She let out a high pitch screech, scoping her surroundings. They were out of the forest, traveling along a road flanked by fields. Although she couldn¡¯t see them, beyond the wooden fences on both sides were flowers.


    Shylilies were the region¡¯s staple crop. Hating direct sunlight and requiring an otherworldly atmosphere, they were hard to grow anywhere else. The Evermist excelled at cultivating such rare mystical plants. It¡¯s why it¡¯s populated despite the risks.


    Entire realities lay in the Ether, shaped by mankind¡¯s hopes and dreams. The clearer their concepts and themes, the larger the land. One of the largest was the realm of nightmares, the Moonlit Lands, where every horror imaginable wandered.


    The monster stalking Neon¡¯s outskirts had come from there. Its denizens love this mist. Carol had identified it as a Bauk, a malicious bear-like creature. After tracking it down and dealing with it, they¡¯d decided to proceed to their next location.


    With another screech, Filia felt thick walls ahead, surrounded by trenches and wooden barricades. The village of Merrybell. Gargoyles lined the ramparts, and a ring of fires outside provided lookouts a better view.


    Compared to other frontier towns, Merrybell¡¯s defence and wards were on a higher level. Not surprising given the nature of the threats.  Elsewhere death was the worst one could expect. Here, everyone knew there were fates worst than that.


    Upon announcing themselves they were waved inside. A gruff village leader and his guards greeted them on a torch lit street. ¡°You¡¯re late.¡± He said angrily.


    Filia and her teammates looked at each other. Sometimes the hardest part of fulfilling a quest was dealing with the quest giver. There¡¯s nothing like risking life and limb for someone without an ounce of gratitude.


    Zentrias attempted diplomacy, ¡°We were busy resolving another case, and came directly after. I take it you want us to begin right away¡­?¡±


    ¡°Immediately.¡± The man replied impatiently.


    We should¡¯ve rested first. They¡¯d pressed onward so they could hear the details and formulate a plan before bed. Tracking down a nightmare in the dark wasn¡¯t part of their expectations. It¡¯s been a long day and a long journey.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you start by telling us about the disappearances.¡± Carol suggested. ¡°I know more than I care to about the Moonlit Lands and might have an idea what we are facing.¡±


    The man nodded. Apparently, three days ago five children had gone missing while playing in a nearby field. No one had seen or heard anything.  Not much to go off of¡­


    ¡°That¡¯s not all.¡± The man continued. ¡°Today, another boy vanished.¡±


    Carol mouth opened in shock, ¡°You let them outside again?¡±


    ¡°Of course not!¡± The man spoke with fury and pain. ¡°We kept them all within the walls, but somehow we still lost another.¡±


    This explains the mood. Even after doing everything in their power, it¡¯d had proved useless. No wonder their faces were filled with frustration.


    ¡°Any idea what we are dealing with?¡± Zentrias asked.


    ¡°If it¡¯s after children and capable of penetrating Merrybell¡¯s wards without being detected¡­¡± Carol shivered. ¡°It might be a Maven.¡±


    The reaction was instantaneous. Several guards swore foully. Another cursed Jonathan Bark to a thousands deaths. Filia understood. Yet another monster popularized by the horror author. The immortal writer had almost single handedly cost Evermist residents their peaceful existence. Generations later, the grudge still held strong.


    Carol sighed, ¡°There¡¯s a chance the boy is still alive, but he won¡¯t be by morning. Is there a bog nearby?¡±


    Before long, they had reached the wetlands. The others waited why Fillia spread her wings.


    ¡°It¡¯ll be an isolated hut in the middle of nowhere.¡± Carol explained. ¡°Return as soon as you find it.¡±


    Filia took off, scouring the landscape for an artificial structure. The Maven was a witch in a novel by Jonanthan Bark. So many generations of children had been traumatized that she¡¯d arisen as a primal of fear in the Moonlit Lands.


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    Primals were conceptual entities created by belief, either lesser gods or famous fictional figures. Their personalities were shaped by the legends and prayers which gave rise to them, but they were capable of evolving, forming their own wants and desires. There were two types: immaterial spirits who only occasionally manifested themselves and those with a multitude of incarnations with shared experiences. They were dealing with the latter tonight.


    All witches in the Moonlit Lands were the Maven. Her lack of a defined physical form makes her ultimately unkillable. All we can do is send this latest version to the grave.


    <<Once you find her, can you switch me with Happy?>> Cici asked.


    Filia nodded. The galebat had always hated scary stories. She eventually spotted a structure on a solitary island and guided the others there.


    Reaching the foggy shore, Juda had them stop. ¡°No way I¡¯m fighting in this.¡± He declared.


    The demon prince crafted a large magic circled, and greater fire sprites began pouring out. They disappeared into the mist and slowly the air grew warmer. Visibility improved, and soon they could see the entire Isle with the fairies circling overhead.


    Carol had been busy with her own preparations. She¡¯d summoned two dozen stringless marionettes. The creepy life-sized figures moved around in jerky, unnatural motions.


    As a fearmancer, she formed packs with denizens of the Moonlit Lands, letting them feast on her fear. The rings she wore on her hands increased her phobias, making herself a better meal. In exchange, she could summon monstrosities to her aid.


    <<I like these puppets.>> Happy declared.  <<They make a mockery of what they imitate.>>


    They made their way to a decrepit building she¡¯d scouted. An elderly, ordinary looking woman came out. Ordinary enough to waltz through Merrybell¡¯s gates.


    "Ah... visitors." The woman said in a light tone. ¡°To what do I owe the pleasure?¡±


    Filia grimaced. It was rare for the Ether¡¯s creatures to take human form. Only those at immortal level had the ability to do so naturally, and few exercised the option. However, denizens of the Moonlight Lands obeyed their own rules. Whatever inspires the greatest terror. Ever since the Maven was published, old crones had begun appearing in Evermist. They fed on the fear of victims¡­ and on their bodies once they were done.


    ¡°We¡¯re looking for children.¡± Carol announced. ¡°Mind if we check inside?¡± Filia was impressed by Carol¡¯s uncharacteristic composure.  Must be her anger over the abductions.


    ¡°Go ahead,¡± The woman smirked, ¡°but you might not find what you expect.¡±


    Carol send a marionette to the door, and Filia averted her gaze. She had no desire to see what was inside. There was a creak of worn hinges, then an otherworldly shriek.


    ¡°Don¡¯t look, it¡¯s a¡­ cockatrice¡­¡± Carol managed before turning to grey stone.


    Closing her eyes, Filia instantly switched back to Cici and screeched. Inside the hut atop a pile of bones, a lizardly form was uncurling itself. The size of a large dog, it had a roosters head and talons, but a scaly body and wings. A cockatrice¡¯s glare could petrify, and both Carol and Juda had been hit by the curse.


    Grabing the two stone figures, Zentrias retreated and shouted, ¡°Take care of the cockatrice!¡±


    Just great. Filia felt the crone transform, growing in size and girth as her skin deformed hideously. She was glad she couldn¡¯t see it.


    The cockatrice scurried out and perched on the witch¡¯s shoulders. ¡°How do you like my lovely? Their stares sometimes struggle to have any effect against powerful individuals such as yourself¡ª¡ªthe blessing and whatnot¡ª¡ª, but mine is special.¡±


    Each Maven was unique in its own way, but they all excelled at hexes. This one had enchanted her pet¡¯s magic to a scary level. Filia dreaded what else she might have up her sleeve.


    ¡°Won¡¯t you open your eyes?¡± She continued. ¡°Normally I preferred the young, but examining you¡­ I hunger for some mature screams.¡±


    ¡°Wing slice.¡± Filia used Cici¡¯s ability to release a concussive blast, intending the blow away the witch and her pet.


    The maven waved her hand, and her attack deviated off course, annihilating some of the marionettes standing around uselessly.


    ¡°How?¡± Filia asked.


    ¡°Fate is a fickle thing.¡± The crone preened. ¡°It¡¯s not on your side tonight.¡±


    An invisible forced struck Filia from the sides, knocking the air out of her lungs as she collided with a tree. Not good. She stumbled backwards and heard cracking of bark as the cockatrice struck where she¡¯d been.


    She managed another screech before another unseen blow sent her tumbling. She¡¯s trying to blind me by robbing my breath. Filia dove into a group of puppets, weaving desperately from memory while trying to figure out what to do. The crone¡¯s cackling was masking the cockatrice¡¯s already stealthy movement.


    Just then a ball of energy shot by and slammed into the Maven, exploding. Another flew over, and she realized it was a fairy pulsating with chaos magic. Laughing madly, it dove after the first, blasting the Maven again. Several more arrived and circled around waiting for their turn to detonate themselves.


    Furious, the Maven backpedaled throwing curses. Meanwhile, the cockatrice hovered midair, unsure what to do about these small agile foes which were immune to its power. This is my chance.


    ¡°Wing slice.¡± Filia gathered all her might and unleashed an attack to big to dodge. The cockatrice rocketed into the hut¡¯s wall and slumped to the ground.


    ¡°My lovely!¡± The Maven hollered. ¡°You will regret that my dear. Oh, yes you will.¡±


    An immense force descended on Filia, pressing her to ground. It was as though gravity¡¯s pull had increased a hundred times. Unable to even crawl, Filia watched the Maven walk over, an enormous cleaver now in her hand. Behind her, a horde of bats was surging from the ground and fending off the fairies. Some reinforcements would be really nice.


    As if answering her prayers, the marionettes sprung to life, shambling forwards to grab the Maven as she attempted to hack them apart.


    Thank god. Destruction magic could disrupt enchantments. With the death of the cockatrice, Zentrias had been able to dispel its petrification.


    Realizing she could move, Filia got to her knees and opened her eyes. The witch was pinned down under a deformed pile of human mannequins. If Carol picked them, they no doubt have some resistance to her hexes. Her companions arrived in short order, two of them in a foul mood. They surrounded the witch.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t over.¡± The Maven warned. ¡°It¡¯s never over. This me may be young and inexperience, but my other selves not so much so. You best watch yourselves next we met.¡±


    ¡°We won¡¯t be visiting the place they dwell, so that¡¯s an encounter that will never happen.¡± Carol motioned and the puppets squeezed the witch harder, fracturing bones.


    ¡°It won¡¯t be there.¡± The hag coughed with a smile. ¡°We have foreseen it. Soon, soon the way will open. From our moonlit hills, the most glorious parade will march, and the screams of all in this mist will belong to us.¡±


    ¡°Maybe so,¡± Juda said quietly. ¡°But this You will not live to see it.¡± The demon prince sent a spark flying, turning the marionette pile into a bonfire. The Maven was consumed in the flames, flailing madly.


    They found the boy inside, alive but motionless. Filia healed his wounds with Velvet¡¯s power.  At least the physical ones.


    ¡°Will he ever recover from this?¡± She asked.


    Carol nodded, ¡°He will, because he won¡¯t remember any of it.¡±


    The fearmancer formed a magic circle and called forth an eerie creature made of a mismatch of animal parts. It had an elephant¡¯s trunk, an ox¡¯s tail, and tiger¡¯s paws. Cunning and hunger shone in its eyes.


    ¡°Consume this boy¡¯s memories of the last day.¡± Carol directed. ¡°You should find it a tasty treat.¡±

 [Book II Chapter 24] Rose: The First Necromancer

    [Book II Chapter 24] Rose: The First Necromancer


    ------------------------------------------------


    They exited Xarst central core into a space Rose had never seen before. They were on the a balcony overlooking what resembled a library, but instead of bookshelves there were giant slabs of black honeycombs, with each slot containing a crystal. Above them, ghostly fairies sailed around with unexpected energy. The room went on asa far as the eye could see.


    ¡°Welcome to the Hall of Records¡± Jesabelle Lancer said. ¡°What you see is the history we keepers have collected.¡±


    She turned to Nero. ¡°You¡¯re taking them to see him?¡±


    ¡°It was his request.¡± Nero nodded.


    ¡°Very well, but first.¡± Jesabelle gazed at Rose, Wise, and Lucy in turn. ¡°You must swear to never reveal anything about the one you meet today.¡±


    One by one they did as instructed. Who could warrant such secrecy? Minutes earlier, Nero had interrupted their training, informing them only that a special person wished to meet them. Frankly, Rose hadn¡¯t been too pleased.


    Torak¡¯s disciples would leave tomorrow, and every moment spent outside their accelerated floor was wasted time. While Roxanne was coming along, there were subjects that were far easier to learn within the Black Mountain, and she was trying to absorb all she could before leaving.


    Rose wasn¡¯t sure what Wise would do if he caught up with Torak¡¯s acolytes. They were far too strong to confront. Apparently, her brother was confident he could avoid an encounter. His intention was to discover their plans and enlisted the aid of nearby immortals.


    For that matter, she wasn¡¯t entirely sure why she was accompanying him. If Wise¡¯s strength was insufficient, her own would be more so. I guess I don¡¯t want to be left behind.


    Nero led them away from the hall through a series of winding corridors, arriving at the most imposing of doors. Three dozen feet tall, the top half depicted winged men in what appeared to be a paradise. On the bottom, three figure led an army of deformed creatures upwards. The carvings radiated impenetrability.


    ¡°It never opens.¡± Nero explained. ¡°Those with permission walk through.¡±


    On the other side, Rose found herself facing an idyllic hill with a blue sky above. White marble pathways wandered flowery meadows, connecting far flung buildings. Each structure was an architectural marvel. Every blade of grass reflected splendor. The rest of Xarst was nothing before this perfection.


    ¡°Oh my god,¡±  Wise whispered, doubling over. Rose rushed over to discover a stunned expression on his face.


    What the? She glanced back at Lucy, who was staring off into space, mouth agape. This damned pair¡­


    ¡°Can we get moving so I can be surprised too?¡±  Rose said, more than a little peeved.


    ¡°This way.¡±  Nero lead them down a path towards a palatial complex. Passing a gate, they entered a garden courtyard of incomprehensible splendor. In the center, an angel sat reading a book.


    Or at least that¡¯s what it appeared to be. The man had pale blue skin and white wings at his back. In exquisite ashen robes, he was gorgeous. However, what truly convinced Rose of his nature was a his presence. He radiate a majestic aura, full of power and mystery. It was alien to anything she¡¯d experience.


    ¡°My name is Lothian.¡± Said the being. ¡°Welcome to my sanctuary.¡±


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    Rose noticed Wise staring stupefied. The sight jogged her into action. I must ask some questions or I¡¯ll get nothing out this.


    ¡°Are you really an angel?¡± She began.


    Lothian cocked his head, ¡°Yes?¡±


    Smart questions. Rose tried again. ¡°What I mean, are you an entity from before Enera¡¯s existence?¡±


    ¡°I am.¡± Lothian answered.


    ¡°He¡¯s one of Idia¡¯s first creations, a central figure of the war against paradise, and the first individual to take the oath.¡± Nero added.


    Rose was gradually reaching Wise¡¯s level of shock. ¡°Why do you look so human?¡±  Except for the blue skin, wings, and otherworldly beauty, he appeared an ordinary member of mankind.


    Lothian laughed, ¡°I¡¯m always asked that.¡±


    ¡°At the very beginning, we had no fixed form. Instead, we fashioned ourselves from our imagination. Some took the shape of geometric objects, others took more complex appearances. It was chaos.¡±


    ¡°To bring order to paradise, Idia led project genesis. We simulated a series of realities with defined physical rules, those we judged conductive to our purpose. Eventually one bore fruit, a world where two intelligent life forms evolved.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t mean¡­¡± Rose couldn¡¯t believe it.


    ¡°That was your world thirty thousand years back. When heaven was shattered, Idia gathered a piece and made the simulation reality.¡±


    ¡°Ironic isn¡¯t it?¡±  Lothian smiled. ¡°Your world shaped every aspect of my old one. It wasn¡¯t just your looks. We also took your metals and minerals, crafting an endless variety of superior versions. What you know as unearthly materials, those were the building blocks of our paradise.¡±


    ¡°Why did you turn against Idia?¡± Rose asked.


    Lothian sighed. ¡°He walked among us back then. After our creation, he was supremely confident. I was one of the commanders who defended our realm from Torak, blindly loyal to him.¡±


    ¡°For eons, I was satisfied in my role. Then I noticed some of my comrades were missing. At first I assumed they were resting somewhere, but eventually I discovered the truth: they were cast out.¡±


    ¡°Our paradise ¡ª¡ªEden as we called it¡ª¡ª was Idia¡¯s crowning jewel, and no imperfections could be tolerated. Those injured beyond repair, those who¡¯d grow weary of the endless conflict, all were cast out into the void.¡±


    ¡°There was no death back then. Torak had barred the way, knowing it¡¯d corrupt the Abyss. So the numbers of broken souls languishing in the dark grew and grew.¡±


    ¡°I tried confronting Idia, but he¡¯d hear none of it. I quickly understood that if I pressed the issue, I too would be banished.¡± Lothian shook his head. ¡°If he could empathize with other¡¯s misery, he wouldn¡¯t have resisted Torak so desperately. He wouldn¡¯t have created life.¡±


    ¡°In the end, I couldn¡¯t stand watching the endless suffering of former friends. Two others defected with me, Gabrielle and Tyriel. We approached Torak and struck a bargain.¡±


    ¡°The three of us would lead an army of outcasts against Eden. In exchange, Torak would accept the souls of those no longer able to fight. To seal the deal, I took the oath.¡±


    ¡°What happened next?¡± Rose asked.


    ¡°The battle was a drawn out affair, with Idia summoning new combatant almost as fast as we felled them. At the same time, our incursions deep into Eden stoked dissatisfaction and fear, resulting in a flood of recruits to our side as well. I¡¯d like to believe we were slowly winning, but, for Gabrielle, it wasn¡¯t fast enough.¡±


    Lothian closed his eyes for long while. ¡°If I have one regret, it¡¯s how everything ended¡­¡± He looked at Rose. ¡°You¡¯ve heard the tale Barsal¡¯s ultimate weapon? The one which released the White Dragon? Gabrielle fashioned such a weapon, except infinitely more powerful, using herself as its very core.¡±


    ¡°Once it was ready, we mounted a major offensive and fought our way to Eden¡¯s center. There, with Torak¡¯s aid, she reached so deep into the Ether and touched a plane of pure primal chaos. The resulting cataclysm ripped reality asunder, rending most of our paradise and scattering the rest.¡±


    ¡°The souls consumed by that vile weapon will never know rest. It shames me that its remnant still threaten your world today.¡±


    Nero steped forward, ¡°You mean to say that the Flux Planescapes were created using that remnant?¡±


    ¡°Your HEAVENLY DAO did something unforgivable.¡±  Lothian answered. ¡°It¡¯s why all those born within that place can never leave. No soul can ever escape its grasp.¡±


    Let¡¯s focus on what I can understand. ¡°And how did you wind up here?¡± Rose asked.


    ¡°I discovered your world as I watched Torak swallow all creation. He was most upset. As for me, I harbored no ill will towards your fledgling world and resolved to remain on the sideline. I was observing quietly from this desolate land when the first leader of Black Citadel found me. I helped him found Xarst in exchange for keeping my presence secret.¡±


    ¡°Are you the last of your kind?¡± Rose asked.


    ¡°Tyriel also remains, in technical sense. He gave almost all of himself to Torak, becoming an avatar of death. While he can¡¯t approach Enera right now, when the time is right, he¡¯ll descend and bring an end to everything.¡±

 [Book II Chapter 25] Nephrite: Mount Gull

    [Book II Chapter 25] Nephrite: Mount Gull


    ------------------------------------------------


    ¡°We¡¯ll take a pause over there.¡± Jayden pointed.


    This twisted land had spaghetti-like strands intertwined with large chunks of bedrock. Huge warped trees grew between, their roots connecting the scattered landscape. In one a damaged airship had become entangled.


    Nephrite dropped on the deck and slouched against the railing, ignoring the signs of violence. They¡¯d been traveling non-stop since Talvi, desperately trying to match Jayden¡¯s pace. The immortal would rush ahead each time they caught up, never giving them a moments rest.


    Once she¡¯d finally caught her breath, she examined the two nearby blood-stained carcasses. Their rib cages were split open, and their insides gone. The missing hearts means the work of Demonic Beasts.


    ¡°There are eleven more inside.¡± Jayden reported, coming out of the cabin. ¡°We are near Basdrum. They must have been escaping there.¡±


    He examined his collapsed subordinates. ¡°Sorry for rushing you. Turns out it was meaningless: everyone at the village is likely dead.¡±


    ¡°Since we¡¯ll have to face the ones responsible,¡± He continued. ¡°we¡¯ll recuperate here before proceeding further. The threshold is undoubtedly near.¡±


    Tethered Realms were attached to Enera through rifts, and were governed by sovereigns, immortal level creatures capable of maintaining stable realities. With many being demonic beasts, most were hostile or neutral towards humans.  The friendly ones migrate to Shangri-la. Around each rift was an area where creatures from the connected realms could exist without a summoner. This was called the threshold. The airship must have drifted here after being attacked.


    ¡°Gathering intel is a crucial skill.¡± Jayden motioned the deck. ¡°Examine the bodies and tell me what we¡¯re facing.¡±


    The beasts populating realms reflected their sovereign, and there would be one dominant type. Jayden was testing them to figure this out.


    Haron and Arika moved forwards while Light and Nephrite hung back. This is their field of expertise. As Haran held out a hand, the congealed blood turned fresh and flowed off the deck, providing a clear view of the carnage.


    Nephrite watched the man bend over and examined the lifeless limbs. While his lower half was typical dark beige ninja attire, he was bare chested except for a sleeveless jacket. On his arms, rows of neat scars were surrounded by dark crimson tattoos, and around his waist hung two daggers with over-sized hilts.


    ¡°These two legs were crushed.¡± Haron said. ¡°The beast likely landed on the man. What¡¯s strange though is that the skin is intact, and the pants aren¡¯t even torn. We¡¯re dealing with something that doesn¡¯t have claws, which eliminates a lot of possibilities. What did you find Arika?¡±


    The ninja necromancer was peering closely at the other corpse¡¯s upper torso. She had wide black rags rapped tightly around every part of her shapely body. Only her upper face and hands shown any skin.


    ¡°Have a look at this.¡± Arika said. ¡°The beast cracked the rib cage and consumed the chest in one bite. Interestingly, the bones show no injury beyond blunt trauma. This beast has a huge mouth with no teeth.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re frogs.¡± Said Light, pointing to cabin¡¯s shattered window. There was a faint red footprint with round dots at the end of each digit.


    Jayden nodded, ¡°Judging from the traces inside, we¡¯re dealing with yellow frogs, though other amphibians are likely to show up. Let¡¯s head to Basdrum.¡±


    They reached the village and observed from a strip of land above. It was built at the center of on a mile-wide block of bedrock shaped like a drum. Hundreds of horse-size frogs clung to the mostly undamaged buildings. A dozen toads were also milling about in the streets, barely fitting between the walls. What really drew her attention was the rippling tornado of light in a field at the edge of town.


    ¡°Did a rift open within Basdrum¡¯s wards?¡± Nephrite asked.


    ¡°That should be impossible, yet we have the evidence before our eyes.¡± Jayden shook his head. ¡°Assuming they weren¡¯t damaged or disabled beforehand, we may be looking at a new phenomenon.¡±


    ¡°Could something like this happen to Hearth?¡± Arika asked. A rift opening and hundreds of demonic beasts pouring out was nightmare scenario for any city.


    ¡°That¡¯s what we¡¯re here to find out.¡± Jayden answered.


    ¡°Poor sods never stood a chance.¡± Haron stared down sadly.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get some revenge for them.¡± Jayden said. ¡°You four clear the village. I¡¯ll stand watch by the rift and make sure nothing more comes through. Show me what you can do.¡±


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    Haron drew his daggers and crossed his arms, piercing his biceps. When he retrieved the blades, he held two blood swords. ¡°Lets make this a competition to see who can kill the most.¡± He declared.


    ¡°You¡¯ll lose.¡± Arika laughed, bones growing out of her rags and forming a skeletal armor.


    ¡°Yellow frogs are poisonous, don¡¯t touch their skin or you¡¯ll be paralyzed.¡± Warned Jayden.


    Nephrite drew her cloak tight, letting her existence fade. By her side, Light summoned a cloud of sand around himself. When it faded, he was gone. Not bad.


    They dropped down, Haron and Arika releasing a barrage of blood and bone shurikens as they did so. The lethargic reptiles were slow to react, and most projectiles hit their targets. Nephrite pursed her lips at the result. Their hides are thick. A stronger force would be needed for a lethal blow.


    Nephrite raced ahead. She didn¡¯t care about the competition, yet she intended to win. Slay all enemies as swiftly as possible. This was her mantra, and the most efficient way to do so was from within the heart of the enemy forces.


    Halfway into the village, Nephrite brought out her scimitar, the blade growing longer and thinner. In four swift motions she decapitated the frogs on one roof, jumping to the next.


    Her shimmering figure could be seen now, and angry croaking rang out around her. She had time to end one more life before the counter-attack begun. Tongues shot out like bullets in her direction. However, each struck a spike-covered metal ball. The frogs cried out in pain and retracted their tongues, the metal balls still attached. Once they¡¯d done so, their eyes went wide and distant as the spikes tripled in size.


    Nice, Nephrite smirked. She¡¯d developed the technique to deal with some annoying chameleons in a dungeon and was glad it worked here too.


    Trying a different approach, three frogs leaped at her. Nephrite summoned steel javelins and, after a split second calculation, planted them in the ground before moving on. Unable to change course, her assailants impaled themselves, flailing widely as they swung back and forth.


    Having negated their primary means of attack, the reptiles followed helplessly as she carved a path of destruction across the roofs.


    ¡°Blood Cleaver.¡± Nephrite heard. She turned to see a wave of blood split a giant toad in half. He¡¯s doing fine.


    She risked a glance to see how the others were managing. Arika was in a square dancing around while controlling three spinal columns flying through the air. Under her guidance, these bone spears drilled holes in one foe after another.


    On the other side, a sandstorm was sweeping the village leaving dead amphibians in its wake.


    There was a crash as a toad landed next to her. Its tongue shot out like a canon ball. Nephrite jumped and watched the roof¡¯s tiles disintegrate under the creature¡¯s saliva. Yeah, the usual methods won¡¯t work for this guy.


    Channeling hard, an enormous buzzsaw blade grew in her hand. She released it as she landed, and the disk of death spun faster and faster. She¡¯d infused the metal with a blade spirit, a short-lived summon which could manipulate weapons. The toad was sawed down the middle an instant.


    The action slowly died down as their opponents thinned out. Then an unearthly sound hit Nephrine¡¯s ears. A toad the size of a building had come through the rift and croaked a battle cry, rallying the accompanying horde of frogs. It never got the chance to do more than that.


    A thin transparent stake fell from above, piercing the monster from top to bottom. Jayden Zuto, The gemstone ninja. While having earth and air affinities, their leader¡¯s special talent was precious gems.


    From atop the diamond stake, Jayden called down, ¡°The little ones are yours to deal with.¡±


    Five minutes later, the battle was over, and they regrouped. Jayden seemed satisfied, ¡°Though I¡¯ll have some pointers for you later, overall well done. By the way, Nephrite won.¡±


    Arika grimaced, ¡°I saw what you were doing with those spiked balls, Nephi. Very efficient. I tried imitating you, but you had too big a head start.¡±


    Despite herself, Nephrite felt a measure of pride. Jayden approached her, ¡°I¡¯m appointing you as Gladiator¡¯s captain. You¡¯ll issue orders and make decisions in my absence. Any objections?¡±


    There were none.


    Kailen turned to the rift. ¡°Now the dangerous part of our mission begins. We head through and get some answers.¡±


    On the other side, they discovered a lush tropical forest at the bottom of a wide valley, with a dense haze overhead. It was unusually quiet, with no life around.


    ¡°This is a tethered realm normally found close to the barsal empire.¡± Jayden declared, looking around. ¡°And its sovereign has apparently fled. I suppose swiftly dispatching his lieutenant may have spook him. Let¡¯s do some reconnaissance before he returns with reinforcements.¡±


    A sudden tremor shook the ground around them. ¡°What was that?¡± Haron asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± Jayden frowned, examining the cliff wall surrounding the jungle, ¡°It¡¯s lowest over there. Catch up as soon as you can.¡±


    With that, the gemstone ninja disappeared, moving too fast for their eyes to follow. Fortunately, little impeded their progress as they chased after him. We slew the majority of this realm¡¯s creatures. With the sovereign gone, the rest have scattered.


    Jayden was waiting atop a rocky peak, staring off arms crossed. The sight that awaited them when they joined him was astounding. Never have I seen anything like it.


    Below them, off into the distance, spread out a mountain. Intertwined with the downward slope were valleys filled with different environments. Nephrite saw sandy desserts, pine forests, snowy plains, and tropical jungles like the one behind them.


    ¡°Those are the missing tethered realms.¡± Light stated the obvious. ¡°What is this place?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Mount Gull.¡± Jayden answered. ¡°Originally, five sovereigns combined powers to created one giant realm. The ruler is a celestial tiger called Kaigren.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t those extinct?¡± Light objected.


    ¡°They are on Enera, but nothing is ever gone in the Ether.¡± Jayden explained. ¡°Every creature imaginable, past or present, is summonable. Kaigren is a demonic version of the celestial tiger and is far stronger than they ever were. He also hates humanity to his very core.¡±


    A tremor struck again. They turned and Nephire was shocked to find the haze covering the jungle had actually been a cloud which had drifted aside. Now stretched out above them, the mountainside continued upwards farther than could be seen.


    Jayden nodded, ¡°So we have our answer. To wage war, Kaigren has been collecting tethered realms from all over Enera and has created a mountain the size of a continent. Luckily, this place is still unstable. These earthquakes, which are the result of that the sovereign fleeing, are the proof. It should be a couple of months before they are ready to launch an all-out invasion.¡±

 [Book II Chapter 26] Dylan: Parting Ways

    [Book II Chapter 26] Dylan: Parting Ways


    ------------------------------------------------


    Dylan surveyed the warehouse with satisfaction. Packed into every corner were several times more treasures than he¡¯d collected in his entire lifetime.


    Over the last six months, the void around the edge of the Godly Herb Garden had been creeping inward. At sunset tomorrow, the ring of archways encircling the land would be swallowed whole. At that point, the only way out would be to wait for the silver veil to retreat and take the exit at the heart of the realm.


    Entering the mansion, Dylan found Yingtai slouched on a table, cup in hand. The smell of alcohol was unmistakable.


    He shook his head, ¡°So you failed to convince him?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how I¡¯ll explain this to Venerable Western Wind.¡± Yingtai dragged herself up and downed the drink. ¡°I was warned not to return without him.¡±


    Soul had declared he wouldn¡¯t be accompanying them in the morning. Instead, he intended to stay and retrieve Panacea. Part of me suspected this outcome, but I couldn¡¯t make myself believe he¡¯d be that foolish.


    <<You should try reasoning with him.>> Dowart said quietly.


    Dylan shot the specter an incredulous glance.


    <<Despite my protestations, one of my companions made a similar decision back then.>>  Dowart explained. <<It pains me to witness another follow that route. I¡¯d consider this a favor.>>


    Dylan sighed. When he puts it that way¡­


    Soul was sitting on a frozen section of the pond, cultivating eyes closed. Dylan walked out onto the ice. ¡°Yingtai is drinking herself silly inside. Won¡¯t you reconsider?¡±


    Soul answered without moving, ¡°My mind is settled.¡±


    I knew it wouldn¡¯t be that easy. ¡°Do you remember the harpy queen that awoke the other day?¡± Dylan continued. ¡°It took all five of us to take her down. Beasts far stronger still lie beyond the silver veil. You¡¯re headed for a certain death.¡±


    ¡°And if I succeed, countless lives will be saved. That makes it worth the attempt.¡± Soul responded calmly.


    Watching this quiet composure, anger boiled up deep within Dylan. He thinks of himself as some kind of saint or matyr. ¡°How is it noble to sacrifice your life on a hopeless endeavor?¡± He ranted. ¡°Do you crave the recognition of strangers that much? And what of your impact on those around you? Making enemies right and left¡­ Not killing them them when you have the chance¡­ How long before it costs you what you hold dear?¡±


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    ¡°Don¡¯t you just lack confidence?¡± Soul answered coldly, opening his eyes.


    ¡°What?¡± Dylan was speechless.


    Soul took a deep breath and continued. ¡°I was born in the most fortunate of circumstances, with enviable talents and an ideal upbringing. Here I am at sixteen, already a saint.¡±


    ¡°I want it to mean something. Sure, I could play it safe and cruise to immortality, but what¡¯s the worth of that? I reject such a self-centered existence and the thinking behind it.¡±


    ¡°Empathy isn¡¯t a binary choice. It¡¯s possible to pursue your own goals while caring for other¡¯s well being. I was blessed with the strength to do so.¡±


    Soul stared directly at him, ¡°I will retrieve Panacea. If Sulai comes after me again, then I¡¯ll defeat her once more. I will spare and save who I desire. Despite the hardships this brings, I will live and protect this world. That¡¯s my resolve.¡±


    ¡°So you want everything?¡± Dylan was astounded.


    Soul smirked. ¡°In my own way, I am the most arrogant of my siblings.¡±


    <<There¡¯s nothing left to say.>> Dowart said sadly.


    Dylan agreed, turning away. It¡¯s more madness than resolve.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have anything you value more than your life?¡± Soul called out after him.


    I do, Dylan realized.  Revenge and the little mistress. He pondered this and came to a conclusion. It¡¯s the boy¡¯s irrational selflessness that I can¡¯t accept. Sanwue isn¡¯t the place for such things.


    Later, Gen Jiang gathered them all around in the dining table. ¡°Are you still determined to collect the colorless flower?¡± He asked.


    ¡°I am.¡± Soul answered.


    Gen nodded. ¡°Then I have a suggestion. Although I will be taking the Celestial Pearl, the sanctuary will remain. It¡¯s far enough inland that the void will not claim it, and I¡¯ve strengthen the enchantments so they will last for another three months.¡±


    ¡°Over the next few days, collect a large supply of food and camp here for three months. By foregoing this realm¡¯s treasures, you will be kept safe until Panacea blooms.¡±


    ¡°And for that final day¡­¡± Gen continued, withdrawing three golden talismans. ¡°I offer you three miracles.¡±


    ¡°First, a miracle of stealth, which should get you most of the way undetected.¡±


    ¡°Second, a miracle of discord, which will cause conflict among all beasts around you.¡±


    ¡°Third, a miracle of life. For a few of minutes, you¡¯ll wield the strength of an immortal.¡±


    Gen slid the talismans to Soul. ¡°Use them wisely and perhaps you will accomplish a miracle of your own.¡±


    <<Even Gen is indulging this insanity.>> Dowart lamented.


    Dylan said nothing. The Fate Pavillion disciple clearly led a lavish lifestyle, spoiling those around him. As a recipient of his generosity, who was he too object?


    ¡­


    When they departed the following morning, Yingtai chose to stay behind. Apparently, yesterday¡¯s plan had somehow won her over.  Or her fear of facing the Patriarch of the Rippling Tempest Sect was too great. As if foreseeing the development, Gen handed her two talismans, miracles of stealth and life.


    Dowart Fain had been the most shocked, not speaking a word since.


    After mulling silently a while, Dylan caught up to Gen and confronted the man, ¡°Was it really alright to gift them such treasures? Five of those have got to be costly, even for you.¡±


    ¡°Each took a month to make.¡± Gen agreed. ¡°As for why I aided them¡­ I determined their chances of success weren¡¯t zero. Considering how it would benefit our allies, that alone made it worth the investment.¡±


    Dylan shook his head, ¡°It strikes me as a waste to gamble on such low odds.¡±


    Gen laughed. ¡°What gamble? If they retrieve Panacea, it will have been worth it. If they fail¡­ Then the cost of those talismans will be deducted from the spoils those two collected in my warehouses.¡±


    Dylan chuckled at these words. This is one man I can get along with.

 [Book II Chapter 27] ROSE: The Veritas War Academy

    [Book II Chapter 27] ROSE: The Veritas War Academy


    ------------------------------------------------


    ¡°Thank you for everything.¡±  Wise bowed deeply. Rose and Lucy joined him.


    Nero smiled, ¡°It was my pleasure. I look forward to your return once you¡¯re ready to graduate.¡±


    He faced Roxanne. ¡°I hope too see you then too.¡±


    ¡°You of all people know I won¡¯t be coming back.¡±  Roxanne answered wistfully. Rose swore she saw Nero wince.


    Deep in Xarst¡¯s campus, they were standing in a corridor which dead ended in a pitch black wall. Finished with their farewells, they walked into the darkness.


    After the familiar unpleasantness of the Abyss, they exited in a great hall adorned with Xarst¡¯s skull symbol. A ghostly fairy flew up through the floor and greeted them, ¡°Welcome to the Veritas War Academy. The Onyx Wing is available to you for as long as you¡¯d like.¡±


    She then approached Roxanne, ¡°Raven Dolcia is awaiting your visit.¡±


    ¡°Tell her I¡¯ll arrive soon enough,¡± Roxanne chuckled.


    Wise and Lucy immediately left to find a quiet spot. Torak¡¯s acolytes had passed through this portal earlier today, and they intended to track their movement. As for Rose, she headed outside and found herself on a balcony overlooking the world.


    The Veritas War Academy was a palatial complex half the size of Astra¡¯s Ice Fortress, with dozens of towers and connected passageways. She stood on one of the tallest structures, a sparkling lake stretched out before her with large city on the other side. Lake Resplendent and The city of Addendum.  The landscape was surprisingly whole except for one enormous crevice which traveled from the horizon through Addendum, under the water, and next to the academy.


    ¡°The planet¡¯s crust really was shattered.¡± Roxanne noted, joining her. ¡°At least the HEAVENLY DOA was considerate enough to keep the lake intact.¡±


    Just then, Rose felt a strange kinship with her mentor. Having slept since the Dark Age, she was clueless about the outside world. Enera had changed too much. And with a little studying, I can be the knowledgeable one.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t just the lake.¡± Rose glanced back at the mountain looming behind the academy. Lava flowed down its side. ¡°It also preserved that.¡±


    ¡°Wow, that must¡¯ve been a huge undertaking.¡± Roxanne murmured.


    ¡°It¡¯s the only remaining active volcano on the surface.¡± Rose said proudly.


    Founded by the necromancer Raven Dolcia, the Veritas War Academy was build where all four elements intersected, providing excellent cultivation opportunities. That obscenely tall tower is for air affinities.  It was meant to provide a place of study not beholden to any outside power. Talented individuals from all over vied for admissions.


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    ¡°It¡¯s nice that it mostly hasn¡¯t changed.¡± Roxanne leaned on the ramparts. ¡°When I studied at Xarst, I¡¯d come here whenever I needed a break. I had unforgettable experiences and made many friends. All are gone now¡­¡±


    Rose listened quietly. ¡°What did you mean when you told Nero you ¡®won¡¯t be coming back¡¯?¡±


    ¡°If I returned to Xarst, I¡¯d join the sleepers.¡± Roxanne observed the scenery fondly. ¡°Even now, I¡¯m battling the fatigue. The moment I stop moving forward, it¡¯ll overtake me.¡±


    She faced Rose, ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯ve accompanied you. Joining your adventures and meeting old acquaintances will keep me active.¡±


    ¡°About that¡­¡± Rose said. ¡°What do you think of our current plans? Wise might match a regular immortal, but he stands no chance against those nine. Running after them¡­ Are we making a mistake?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not worried.¡± Roxanne answered. ¡°Foreseeing danger to one¡¯s self is easiest to predict, and I trust Wise¡¯s foresight. You¡¯ll be safe as long as you¡¯re together.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just not sure what we¡¯re trying to accomplish.¡±  Rose complained.


    ¡°During the dark age, the wisdom Nero gleamed from the future altered the course of history many times.¡± Roxanne explained. ¡°Wise hopes to do the same.¡±


    ¡°Do you think he¡¯ll succeed?¡± Rose asked. And is there any point to accompanying him? She¡¯s been debating this unvoiced question fiercely recently.


    Roxanne rubbed her chin.  ¡°Frankly, I have my doubts. They have the dark oracle and are all familiar with evading prying eyes. That doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s not worth trying.¡±


    Wise and Lucy came out.  ¡°There is a airship leaving Addendum which is willing to give us a ride.¡±  Her brother reported.  ¡°We should get going right away. I¡¯ll answer your questions on board.¡±


    Before Rose could react, Lucy continued. ¡°Roxanne is going to catch up with Raven Dolcia, and I¡¯ll stay with her. If we travel anywhere else, we¡¯ll leave word at the Adventurer¡¯s Guild.¡±


    Wise hopped off the balcony. Smirking, Roxanne waved Rose on. Damn it.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to run across the water.¡±  Wise said as she landed. ¡°Stick close to me.¡±


    They were halfway across before Rose remembered enough to manipulate surface tension on her own. I was just a little rusty. She looked down at the dark depths under them.  After experiencing the blue abyss, this is strange.


    Rose took in what she could as they raced across the city. The ravine separating the two halves was forty feet wide. Bridges connected severed streets, and terraces lined the buildings on both sides. The docks were built on the outskirts where the gap in the earth had been artificially widened.


    Wise jumped on a rising ship and went inside. Rose waited on the deck.


    ¡°Sorry for rushing.¡± He said after returning.  ¡°We can relax now.¡±


    ¡°What did you find out?¡±  Rose demanded.


    ¡°A large group of acolytes embarked headed north towards Remnant.¡±  Wise answered. ¡°We¡¯re following.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯re certain about this?¡±  Rose pressed.


    ¡°Yes,¡±  Wise hesitated.  ¡°Do you remember the young man that bumped into you at Xarst? Raphael Black?¡±


    Rose glared. I¡¯ve been trying to forget.


    ¡°He¡¯s traveling with them.¡± Wise continued quickly. ¡°While they are using enchantments to make themselves unnoticeable, Raphael is rather eye-catching. It¡¯s easy to find the others through him.¡±


    I see. Rose sighed. ¡°So what now?¡±


    ¡°They are planning something big.¡±  Wise said solemnly.  ¡°Something with a huge impact. I can sense it. We need to keep as close as possible so I can discover what to do to prevent it.¡±


    ¡°And what about Lucy? Are you fine with leaving her behind?¡± Rose asked.


    ¡°We discussed it before hand.¡± Wise nodded. ¡°She doesn¡¯t have the ability to fight or move rapidly. Also, when we¡¯re together, we see the same things, and that¡¯s wasted potential. She¡¯ll track the activity of the other acolytes while keeping Roxanne company.¡±


    Her mentor was staying behind for their benefit. If she traveled with them, the safety she provided would rob them of any experience, and they both needed to grow stronger.


    ¡°Besides,¡± Wise smirked.  ¡°She¡¯ll likely be waiting for us the next time we reach a major city. I¡¯d bet on it.¡±

 [Book II Chapter 28] Filia: Vampires in the Whispering Woods

    [Book II Chapter 28] Filia: Vampires in the Whispering Woods


    ------------------------------------------------


    The city slopes towards the center like a punch bowl. Filia guessed the layout from the sharp spires jutting out of the thin midday fog. They¡¯d reached their final quest location and were leaping across rooftops. Once a good way in, Carol dropped down to the streets.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while.¡± She apologized. ¡°Let me ask for direction.¡±


    Filia glanced around. The buildings had a Gothic style, tall and dark with many pointed arches. A fair number of people, wearing grim expressions, walked the sidewalks while horseless carriages raced by. In the distance, a constant creaking of chains could be heard.


    It was Filia¡¯s first time in Glimvale. All her prior expeditions had involved smaller settlements like Merrybell. She wasn¡¯t sure what to expect from the capital.


    Eventually, Carol lead them to an open space where a stone quai surrounded a quarter mile hole in the earth. The Well Of Sorrows¡­ The clanking was louder here. Filia screeched and found the source. On the other side was a row of elevators, and a few were being lowered and raised on metal chains. Those link to Nolfis below. Glimvale¡¯s main sources of income were dark stones and other precious materials from the Undermist. Heavily armed teams descended daily to collect them.


    They followed the quai to an imposing building and reported inside. The guards appeared relieved, telling them to wait. A couple of minutes later, a grey-haired woman in uniform greeted them.


    ¡°We¡¯re here about the disappearances.¡± Zentrias explained.


    The woman nodded, ¡°I¡¯m Oliva Eclair, Glimvale Defence Commander. Come with me.¡±


    With nothing more, they were marched through a corridor and down a flight of stairs. Once they reached a cellar, Carol spoke up, ¡°Is this related to our case?


    Oliva nodded, ¡°We know the cause of the disappearances.¡± She pulled open a metal door to a room full of human-sized blocks of ice. ¡°Have a look at these.¡±


    The frozen men and woman had their eyes closed as if sleeping. At first glance, they appeared uninjured, but then Filia noted traces of blood on a shirt. Following these to their source, she saw two puncture wounds on the neck. That explains the pale complexions.


    ¡°Vampires¡­¡±  Carol hissed.  ¡°Can you tell me how you found them?¡±


    Oliva nodded, ¡°The first to vanish were a family of farmers close to Glimvale. Many more went missing later. People stopped traveling outside the walls after dark. That¡¯s when they breached the city¡¯s wards two days ago. By the time they were repelled, these were the victims.¡±


    ¡°Without easy prey, they risked revealing themselves.¡± Carol understood. ¡°I assumed you¡¯ve strengthened Glimvale¡¯s defenses?¡±


    ¡°Yes, not that it matters now that you¡¯re here.¡± Oliva gestured to the ice. ¡°Do you think they can be saved?¡±


    ¡°It depends how long since their hearts stopped beating.¡±  Carol offered. ¡°Vampirism is one of the abominable scourges. The closer to their ¡®reawakening¡¯, the less hope there is.¡±


    ¡°If I may,¡± Zentrias broke in, ¡°confronting vampires is far safer during the day. Can we focus on information helpful in tracking them down?¡±


    Oliva shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s not me you need to speak with. I¡¯ve summoned our resident monster hunter. He¡¯ll tell you the details.¡±


    They waited on the quai outside, and soon a bizarre vehicle drove up. Six gigantic tires held up the body of a enlarged pickup truck.  It looks like something custom made in Neon. Just like martial arts converted power to physical strength, magical engines converted crystals into mechanical force. This contraption no doubt ran on dark stones, the crystals from the Undermist.


    A grizzled, elderly man climbed out. ¡°I¡¯m Argus Lemont. Are you my backup?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re here for the vampire problem.¡± Zentrias agreed.


    ¡°About time!¡± The man sighed. ¡°Hop into my battlevan. I¡¯ll explain on the way.¡±


    When they¡¯d piled into the backseats, Argus slammed the accelerator. As they careened around the streets, he glanced back, ¡°You comfortable? Pardon, but I¡¯m no longer sprite enough to run around like you youngins. This baby gets me where I need be.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re fine.¡± Carol answered, turning to the rest of them. ¡°By the way, I¡¯ve worked with Argus before. He¡¯s a retired saint as knowledgeable about the moonlit lands as myself, although his memory isn¡¯t what it used to be.¡±


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    Argus looked hurt. ¡°Aye, I recognize you snarky little lass. It¡¯s been over a decade, cut this old man some slack.¡±


    Carol faced the man. ¡°You do such a good job of keeping Glimvale safe, I haven¡¯t been called here in ages. What happened this time?¡±


    ¡°One of these buggers was bitten by the Source.¡± Argus mumbled softly.


    ¡°Oh god¡­¡±  Carol grimaced.


    Argus explained for the benefit of the rest of them. ¡°The younger the vampire, the weaker and more feral they are. That makes them easier to deal with. However, when a particularly strong vampire creates a new one, you get a newborn that retains much of its rationality and inherits frightening power.¡±


    ¡°And the Source is the strongest.¡±  Carol added.


    ¡°This will be fun.¡± Juda said sarcastically. They understood the gravity now.


    ¡°Where are we headed?¡± Fila asked as they passed the city gates.


    ¡°The Whispering Woods.¡± Argus answered. ¡°I tracked them there after knowing what I was dealing with. Any of you familiar with the place?¡±


    None of them were.


    ¡°It was an amusement park from back in Glimvale¡¯s heyday. Somewhere you could see fairies and other rare creatures play in the mist. It was fairly successful until Evermist tilted towards the Moonlit Lands. No one goes there anymore besides bandits and fugitives. I imagine it¡¯s one of those who got turned.¡±


    They turned down a dirt and passed under a faded unreadable sign. ¡°We¡¯re here.¡± Argus declared. ¡°The vamps are in the Marvelous Grotto, an underground attraction where they grew rare plants from the Undermist. Thank god you came when you did, cause we don¡¯t have the manpower to deal with them.¡±


    As was common in frontier regions, there were no immortals in Glimvale. The lack of amenities and entertainment drove those with endless time back to civilization. They were either recruited by some great power or made their residence on the Isle of Dreams.


    Argus drove through the main street, large wheels rolling over debris. On both sides were shops and booths, some retaining fragments of their colorful paint.


    <<It must have been a fun place once¡­>> Cici observed.


    <<Maybe>> Filia answered curtly. The vine covered buildings were dredging up unpleasant memories. It made her smirk. Compared to the monsters humans can be, facing nightmares is refreshingly simple.


    ¡°You know you need to evacuate, right?¡±  Carol asked. ¡°Even if we deal with these vampires, it¡¯s only a matter of time until worse comes up from below.¡±


    ¡°Many have sent their families away, but the profits from dark stones are hard to give up.¡± Argus answered grimly. ¡°Olivia isn¡¯t prepared to force mandatory relocation. It¡¯ll take a major threat to change her mind.¡±


    ¡°By then it¡¯ll be too late.¡± Carol said sadly.


    Argus furrowed his wrinkly brow, ¡°As for me, I¡¯ll stay as long as there¡¯s someone to protect. It¡¯s what I¡¯ve always done.¡±


    ¡°Tell Olivia a Maven foresaw another rupture, like what happened centuries ago. Maybe that will convince her.¡±


    ¡°I will.¡± Argus answered, parking suddenly. ¡°We¡¯re here.¡±


    Argus led them up a hill to the opening of a cave. Two metal plates were bolted to rock, blocking the bottom three feet. ¡°I was sealing up the entrances when Olivia called. A stop-gate measure, but better than nothing.¡± Argus explained. ¡°This was the last one I hadn¡¯t finished, so they won¡¯t escape elsewhere.¡±


    Advising them vampires were weak to flames, Carol summoned an Abu Rigl Maslukha. The flaming charred monster immediately fake-lunged at her, eliciting a high-pitched shriek. It then sat back with a very satisfied grin on its blacked face. I see why she never bothers naming them.


    As for Filia, she chose her volcanor, Tetris. The fire turtle was one of the strangest sukemon in that it had a lava-spewing cannon built into its shell. As a design choice it¡¯s a bit much, but at least it¡¯s powerful.


    <<Let¡¯s reduce the world to ash!>> Tetris roared happily. He was a simple minded fellow who wanted nothing more than to turn his surroundings into a holocaust. She resorted to him when requiring pure destruction.


    Juda and Carol¡¯s monster took the lead, with Filia close behind. The grotto¡¯s foggy interior quickly dissipated as she shot lava from her shoulder mounted barrels into every space they entered. Eventually they came across a bunch of bloodied bodies lying in an alcove. Juda directed the molten stone to smother the sleeping blood suckers, adding his own heat. When one tried fleeing, the Abu Rigl Maslukha latched on to it and turned them both into a raging bonfire.


    ¡°Don¡¯t grow complacent due to these weaklings.¡± Argus warned from behind. ¡°The leader and those bitten directly by him are of entirely different class. Mind their blood magics and regeneration.¡±


    At the first intersection, Argus and Zentrias stayed behind while the rest of them cleared out the other routes back to the surface. They then met up to explore the deeper passageways.


    The leader was waiting in the lowest cavern, together with six lieutenants. Filia recognized him instantly by the light of dispassionate reason in his eyes. Under his direction, the lesser vampires assaulted them in an organized fashion.


    Argus deployed a sealer at the entrance, preventing retreat, and a frantic battle to death began. The lesser vampires attacked with claws of blood, shrugging off minor wounds. Only when burnt to cinder did they stop moving. Meanwhile, the leader dashed around at frightening speed, attempting to impale them with bloody lances. Filia watched Zentrias suffer multiple injuries engaging the monster. Seeing them overwhelmed, Argus joined the fray wielding two fiery axes.


    When they¡¯d felled half his lesser helpers, the leader cast a spell which caused the walls to weep blood, energizing his minions. Filia¡¯s foresight went crazy as she sensed blades forming everywhere in the air around them.


    They might¡¯ve lost if Argus hadn¡¯t revealed his trump card: an orb of daylight. During the artifact¡¯s few seconds of activation, the tide turned. Filia unleashed Tetris¡¯s ¡®Lava Jets¡¯ ability at full blast, and Juda capture the blinded leader in a molten shell. The remaining underlings were easily dispatched.


    Everyone collapsed under the eerie red glow of smoldering magma and blood-soaked surfaces.  We all need a shower.


    ¡°We¡¯re luck that bastard was ten days old.¡± Argus panted. ¡°If he¡¯d had the chance to grow into his power, we wouldn¡¯t have stood a chance.¡±


    ¡°About the one that turned him¡­¡±  Carol began. ¡°Is it really¡ª¡ª¡±


    ¡°Yup, it¡¯s him.¡± Argus snapped. ¡°Even centuries latter, Jonathan Bark and his creations still plague us.¡±


    Zentrias sighed, ¡°Seems we must confront the immortal author once we descend to the Undermist.¡±

 [Book II Chapter 29] Nephrite: Curses and Demonic Beasts

    [Book II Chapter 29] Nephrite:  Curses and Demonic Beasts


    ------------------------------------------------


    The air shook with the tension of two paragons channeling at max power.  Nephrite could feel the subtle tremors echoing through the ground.  What a disaster¡­


    Gladiator and Jayden had been discussing their next steps in the Hearth Lord¡¯s office when Selina Gladesong had entered.  The Unerring Arrow was securing air routes for the Adventurer¡¯s Guild and was interested in the details of their expedition.  Not ten minutes later, her sister, Stella Gladesong also joined them, arriving as Aery¡¯s representative to coordinate evacuation efforts.  The two did not get along.  What a hilariously bad bit of luck¡­  Nephrite sighed.


    Gladiator had been immediately kicked out and were now scattered on nearby rooftops, awaiting the outcome.  Nephrite looked over at Light Skyfell who was reading.  As leader, I should know my subordinates.


    She approached the young man, ¡°What¡¯s that about?¡±


    Light clutched his book close, ¡°Curses.¡±


    Eyes narrowing, Nephrite glimpsed ¡®By Salazar Rook¡¯ on the cover.  ¡°Who gave you that?¡±


    ¡°Jayden.¡±  Light declared defensively.


    Really¡­  Nephrite shook her head.  A guiding philosophy of shinobis was to employ every tool at one¡¯s disposal.  All manner of subterfuge and underhanded tricks were fair game.  Salazar Rook embodied this approach and took it to the extreme.  In many corners of Harakoune there was a sense of admiration for the man.  It was no surprise his works could be found in forbidden corners of libraries.


    ¡°Is it interesting?¡±  Nephrite asked.  She¡¯d never read Salazar¡¯s study of curse, so she was genuinely curious.


    Realizing she¡¯d no intention of confiscating the text, Light opened up, ¡°It thoroughly covers every malediction imaginable, from simple jinxes to eternal damnations.  The methodologies to inflict them, the advantage and disadvantage of each one, how to defend against them¡­  It¡¯s all spelled out in easy fashion.  I¡¯ve just reached the chapter about the merits of empowering curses, which offer strength for a price.  It¡¯s fascinating.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t find anything objectionable?¡±  Nephrite couldn¡¯t believe Salazar¡¯s writing could be so single handily helpful.


    Here Light paused, his jubilation subdued, ¡°Some of the example were horrific.  What¡¯s worse is knowing they aren¡¯t hypothetical, but most likely actual accounts.  Despite his awe-inspiring intellect, Salazar deserves to rot in hell.¡±


    Sounds about right.  ¡°Why did Jayden give you this book?¡±  Nephrite pressed.  It wasn¡¯t something a sixteen year old should hold.


    ¡°Because I ceaselessly begged him.¡±  Light admitted.  ¡°I love the mystery and danger surrounding curses.  Even after nearly being killed by one, I can¡¯t help it.  I wanted to educate myself to avoid the danger next time.¡±


    All saints have their quirks, Nephrite reminded herself, ¡°Just make sure you don¡¯t incapacitate yourself during a mission.¡±


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    ¡°Of course.¡±  Light affirmed, before adding.  ¡°By the way, the blades I wield were taken from the Field of Graves.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±  Nephrite sat besides him.  ¡°Mind telling me about them?¡±


    Light enthusiastically describe his four weapons and their abilities.  He then launched into the lives of their former wielders, describing their heroic deaths.


    Listening to him, Nephrite smiled.  When was the last time I felt such excitement?  It¡¯d been decades at least.  Perhaps the first time her father had let her borrow his Glistening Cloak.


    Eventually, the boy ran out of things to say and sheathed his cherished prizes.  His attention returned to the book.  ¡°Is it true Salazar wrote this when he was in Harakoune?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s one of the two he published.¡±  Nephrite confirmed.  ¡°Sixteen hundred years ago, the Fang Lord called him.  It was one of his relatively less destructive incarnations.  Didn¡¯t Jayden tell about it?  He met the man.¡±


    ¡°Could you tell me everything?¡±  Light gushed.  ¡°I could tell there was something but never felt comfortable asking him.¡±


    Nephrite considered.  It was a tale most in Hearth already knew, and it¡¯d be wise to bring Light up to speed.  ¡°Sure.¡±


    ¡°The Hidden village of Fang has always specialized in summoning and controlling demonic beasts.  The Fang Lord wanted to take this the next level, infusing summons into the bodies of children.  Those who survived the process would instantly inherit new magical affinities, becoming valuable assets.  He recruited Salazar¡¯s aid to increase his odds of success.¡±


    ¡°Together they developed a curse that did exactly what the Fang Lord desired.  The success rate was low, with the majority taken over by the demonic beast and growing feral.  This didn¡¯t dissuade the Fang Lord, as even these failures could be trained into military assets.¡±


    ¡°With time and refinement, many successful fusions were produced.  Jayden was one of them, and his experiences during the program led him to defect to Hearth.¡±


    ¡°How did it end?¡±  Light asked.


    ¡°The world eventually discovered Salazar¡¯s presence and demanded his head.¡±  Nephrite answered.  ¡°The Fang Lord resisted at first, but relented before threats of destruction.  The hidden village has been isolated and bitter ever since.¡±


    ¡°While on the subject¡­¡±  Light took out an amber orb, one they¡¯d recovered from the demonic frogs.  ¡°Why do demonic beasts exists?  And why are these left when they¡¯re defeated?¡±


    ¡°Creatures born of the Ether don¡¯t inherently have souls.  They¡¯re ephemeral, like fleeting dreams.  When they perish, their essence is reabsorbed into the space that spawned them.¡±


    ¡°Those with intelligence feel this intangibility the longer they live.  They come to crave distinction, to become entities not formed of recycled common knowledge, sovereigns able to mold the reality around them.¡±


    ¡°To achieve this, they must replace everything they borrowed, and the simplest way to do so is gathering fragments.  You see, the memories of fallen summons don¡¯t completely vanish.  The strongest, most potent ones drift in the Ether.  Sadly, they¡¯re overwhelming negative.  Summons are commonly treated as disposable pawns and instruments of war.  The only fragments such short lived existences produce is the regret and bitterness at the moment of their death.  Entities which collect these inherit a burning hatred for humanity.  We call them demonic beasts.¡±


    Nephrite pointed, ¡°The orb in your hand is a valuable material called a core.  Any demonic beast who gains strength from consuming a human heart has one.  It¡¯s karma, a way of restoring balance.  We can profit from killing them, just as they profit from killing us.¡±


    ¡°But what exactly is it?¡±  Light held up the transparent globe.


    ¡°A nascent, unformed soul given form.¡±  Nephrite said.  ¡°As proof, when a demonic beast becomes a sovereign, it no longer drop one.¡±


    There was a boom, and a shockwave hit them.  All the windows in the lord¡¯s manor had just shattered.  The paragon-level channeling was back with vengeance.


    ¡°Should we be doing something?¡±  Light asked, concerned.


    ¡°Nope, we stay out of that one.¡±  Jayden declared, appearing besides them.  Nephrite shot him a questioning glance to which Jayden smiled coyly.  ¡°I ran away.¡±


    Once Haron and Arika joined them, he continued, ¡°I was somehow able to deliver my report on Basdrum.  We even had a short productive discussion before Stella interrupted Selina and¡­¡±  He looked back.  ¡°That¡¯s a problem for our lord to resolve.¡±


    ¡°So what now?¡±  Arika asked.  ¡°We wait for him to calm those two?¡±


    Jayden shook his head.  ¡°Lord Ozaki assigned our next mission before I bailed.  We are to head to hidden village of Fang and uncover what they know about Kaygren and Mount Gull.  We leave in an hour.¡±

 [Book II Chapter 30] ROSE: An Unwelcome Distraction

    [Book II Chapter 30] ROSE: An Unwelcome Distraction


    ------------------------------------------------


    Rose waited while Wise haggled with the captain. He wasn¡¯t alone in his efforts. Quite a few people were on the docks trying to hitch rides. Many had large bags which likely held all their earthly possessions.


    Soon Wise returned and led her on board a mid-sized cargo ship.


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised you succeeded.¡± Rose said.  ¡°Didn¡¯t they just turn away a couple?¡±


    ¡°The advantage of the oath.¡±  Wise responded. ¡°I told them straight up that having two saints on board would make their journey safer. We didn¡¯t even have to pay. Sadly, I couldn¡¯t convince them to take more passengers¡­¡±


    As they departed the small hamlet, Rose walked to the front of the deck and watched the scenery pass by. It was her first time journeying on her own. All her other expeditions had been over in less than a day. This was different. Not knowing where she¡¯d spend the night was an intimidating, yet exhilarating, feeling.


    She¡¯d been prepared to camp out if necessary, but Wise had found them an inn both nights so far. In fact, with his foresight guiding them, the trip had been a breeze. She¡¯d almost forgot their purpose, losing herself in all the new sights.


    Wise joined her. ¡°They¡¯ve started traveling by foot and avoiding cities, which means they suspect they¡¯re being followed.¡±


    ¡°Any danger of being ambushed?¡±  Rose asked.


    ¡°None.¡± Wise answered. ¡°But there is the risk of losing their trail. I¡¯m tracking them based on glimpses from airship passagers, which isn¡¯t ideal. That¡¯s why we¡¯re headed to a major trading hub a little off from their last locations. I should have more luck there.¡±


    Wise had only grown more certain they were planning something. Judging by their efforts to move stealthily, Rose was inclined to agree. I just hope I am able to contribute in some way. Until then, she could only enjoy the trip.


    Ah, that¡¯s right!  ¡°Spill the beans about Lothian.¡±  Rose demanded. ¡°I¡¯m certain you got mountains of information out of him. This is the perfect opportunity to share.¡±


    Every time Rose had reflected on their meeting with the angel, she¡¯d reminded herself to press Wise for answers. The encounter had ended too fast for her liking.


    Wised sighed, ¡°What do you wish to know?¡±


    ¡°Why did he summon us?¡± Rose asked. ¡°We¡¯re two lowly saints.¡±


    ¡°Lothian spends his time observing the world through the records the keepers collect.¡± Wise explained. ¡°In that sense, he¡¯s the same as the HEAVENLY DAO, following interesting developments to quell his boredom. From our experiences on the Isle of Dream, he judged us central characters, worthy of his attention.¡±


    ¡°It really wasn¡¯t that rare an occurrence.¡±  Wise added.  ¡°With the oath compelling secrecy, there¡¯s little danger of his presence being leaked no matter how many necromancers visit him.¡±


    Rose frowned.  ¡°That¡¯s the only reason? He was curious?¡±


    If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    Wise hesitated. ¡°Not entirely. Lothian believes at least some of those fighting for Enera should hear the story of Eden¡¯s fall and fully understand what is at stake.¡±


    So it¡¯s his small way of aiding the world he¡¯s secretly watched for millennia, Rose determined. ¡°Any other tidbits? There must have been something juicy.¡±


    Wise pondered. ¡°The origin of Barsal¡¯s Gala Plateau. When Torak first discovered Enera, he was furious. He sent his avatar, Tyriel, to the surface in an effort to cut the planet off from the Ether, attempting to sever the connection between the bodies and souls of living things. This failed, but, at the place Tyriel touched down, the land was forever scarred. That¡¯s why magic doesn¡¯t work there anymore.¡±


    Fascinating¡­ Rose was about to ask for more, but Wise raised a hand. ¡°Wait a moment.¡± He said.


    His eyes lost focus, peering far off. Rose recognized the look and wondered what had caught his attention. Her brother¡¯s brows furrowed, and a seriousness returned to his gaze.


    ¡°We must go.¡±  He said, jumping overboard.


    Rose watched him fall, frozen in shock. Damn it, what is going on?  They were over a twisted land in the middle of nowhere. Reluctantly, she hopped off the airship.


    Plummeting after him, she saw Wise had summoned black wings and was descending rapidly at an angle. A fear suddenly gripped her. He¡¯s going to wait for me, right? Rose propelled herself on jets of fire, a sinking feeling in her stomach. If her brother was determined to travel at top speed, she wouldn¡¯t be able to keep up.


    Wise touched down and raced through spiraling valleys, descending deeper into the earth. Rose followed, falling more and more behind. Before long, she¡¯d lost track of him all together. This is bad. She couldn¡¯t use her foresight when moving this fast, and if she stopped he might move out of range before she could locate him.


    Rose gambled he was headed straight for his destination and continued in the direction she¡¯d last glimpsed him. Time passed slowly as she rushed forwards blindly, fighting the rising panic. Worse comes to worse, he should be able to find me. Probably¡­


    Relief washed over her when she finally spotted smoke. Burning buildings soon came into view. Focusing, she saw the cause of the blaze as she neared a small settlement.  Werewoves¡­ what are they doing here?


    Wise was on the far side of the the village, fending off the beasts and protecting the survivors. Rose immediately went on the offensive, releasing a barrage of meteoric fireballs, and was pleased to watch her crimson flames gradually consume the beasts she hit. I now have fire that can burn you bastards.


    Upon her arrival, the werewolf scattered, fleeing in all direction. She was surprised. Don¡¯t they mostly fight to the death or blow themselves up?


    Not caring to lose herself chasing them, Rose joined Wise to find him administrating first aid to the injured. So he¡¯s even mastered some rudimentary healing¡­  Letting him continue, she smothered the remaining fires with her pyrokinesis.


    Surprisingly, the damage wasn¡¯t extensive. The village¡¯s guardian beast had sacrificed itself fighting off the werewolves, buying enough time for Wise to arrive. As a result, there¡¯d been only six fatalities, mostly guards.


    Wise finished speaking to the villagers and walked over to Rose. ¡°Sorry for taking off like that. It was an emergency, and I knew you would find your way.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±  Rose wasn¡¯t holding a grudge. ¡°So what now?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ve sent word to a nearby city, and reinforcements should arrive in a couple of hours.¡± Wise answered.  ¡°We need to stay until then. The village¡¯s defenses are down, and there are werewolves close by.¡±


    ¡°About that,¡± Rose said. ¡°Weren¡¯t they behaving weirdly? I don¡¯t remember them being so cowardly.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡±  Wise nodded.  ¡°Also, I suspect these werewolves are leftovers from the outbreak under the Isle. If that¡¯s true, they traveled all the way here from Nirvan. That¡¯s half a continent.¡±


    ¡°You think they¡¯re being controlled by Kongal?¡± Rose asked.


    ¡°The god of despair is still partly fused with Kaine. It makes sense he can influence those afflicted by the curse. He probably never had a reason to do so before, but now it¡¯s a dark age.¡±


    Wise stared out at the surrounding Twisted Lands.  ¡°It¡¯s as if they were focused on building up their numbers, retreating as soon as this was no longer feasible. We must alert the Adventurer¡¯s Guild.¡±


    They stood in silence for a while.  ¡°Will we still be able to prevent whatever the Acolytes are planning?¡±  Rose asked.


    ¡°I honestly don¡¯t know.¡± Wise responded.

 [Book II Chapter 31] FILIA: Crossing Nolfis

    [Book II Chapter 31] FILIA: Crossing Nolfis


    ------------------------------------------------


    The gate of the elevator clanged shut. On the other side, Oliva Eclair and Argus Lemont were standing on the quay to see them off. Cardium chains began lowered the four members of Aspire.


    ¡°Thanks again for your aide.¡± Oliva shouted. ¡°Please remember to confront Jonathan Bark about this little episode, although it¡¯s probably useless.¡±


    Filia watched the two disappear into the white, and turned her gaze below. They¡¯d spent the night in Glimvale, and today it was time to focus on their second quest. Investigate the Undermist.


    The descent was brisk and uneventful, offering nothing of interest aside sporadic rock formations. Daylight receded, and soon only the elevator¡¯s dull green lights lit the haze around them.


    As Filia stared downward, the view suddenly cleared up. Glowing violet trees illuminated a fog-covered city. Nolfis, Glimvale¡¯s deceased twin. The hundreds of sharp spires on rooftops were testament to their shared architecture.


    <<Beautiful.>> Happy declared. Filia had to agree there was a tragic splendor about it.


    A billowing cloud enveloped them, and once again they were surrounded by an indistinct void. The only indication they neared their destination were the approaching lights.


    They exited into a spacious plaza. Although Filia couldn¡¯t see it, she knew this was the Nolfis Base Fortress, the sole inhabited portion of the Undermist. The stronghold secured the flow of dark stones and other bounties up to Glimvale.


    A man in uniform walked up to greet them. ¡°I¡¯m Philip Sabet, the commander here. Olivia sent word you¡¯d be arriving. I trust your trip through the Well Of Sorrow went smoothly.¡±


    ¡°It did.¡± Zentrias answered. ¡°Do you know why we¡¯re here?¡±


    ¡°To survey the Undermist and ensure there are no threats lurking.¡± Philip stated. He then paused, frowning. ¡°Is she alright?¡± Filia hadn¡¯t noticed, but Carol was clutching herself and shivering.


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m not alright.¡± Carol spat quietly. ¡°You still have that terrible thing lurking here, don¡¯t you? I can feel its gaze on me¡±


    ¡°Sorry,¡± Philip sighed. ¡°There¡¯s nothing I can do about it.¡±


    Juda and Filia looked at each other in confusion, prompting Zentrias to explain. ¡°Carol and I came here once years ago to hunt a troll. Although he has a different last name, Philip is a descendant of Jonathan Bark. The author sent an invisible nightmare to watch over him. That¡¯s what Carol is sensing.¡±


    They heard the sound of an opening gate, and a convoy of trucks rolled in. Figures in the mist began offloading materials, carrying them to the lifts.


    ¡°Unless I¡¯m getting turned around.¡± Filia said. ¡°That gate leads away from the city.¡±


    ¡°Correct.¡± Philip answered. ¡°We don¡¯t gatherer dark stones in Nolfis. Too dangerous and disturbing.¡±


    ¡°Have any of your expeditions run into trouble?¡± Zentrias asked.


    Philip shook his head. ¡°More shamblers than normal, but otherwise nothing so far.¡±


    Praying off the fear of undead, Shamblers took the form of humanoid zombies. The weakest and most numerous denizen of the Moonlit lands, they crossed over frequently, traveling the tiniest cracks in reality.


    ¡°It¡¯s suicide staying here.¡± Carol spoke up, watching the workers. ¡°Is dark stone really worth your lives?¡±


    Stolen novel; please report.


    ¡°Sure, the profit drives some.¡± Philip responded. ¡°But that¡¯s not why I remain.¡±


    ¡°This base fortress is an advanced warning system in case of another rupture. Without us here, nightmares could rise up the Well of Sorrows without warning, overrunning the city. It¡¯d be another Nolfis. I¡¯ll not desert my post as long as Glimvale hasn¡¯t evacuated.¡±


    ¡°Would a few extra minutes really make a difference?¡± Carol asked.


    ¡°On the tracks leading Neon, there¡¯s always a train waiting. Several hundred people could escape. That¡¯s better than nothing.¡±


    ¡°Anyway,¡± Philip continued smoothly. ¡°I take it you¡¯ll be visiting Thornbridge Manor. Will you head through Nolfis or take the way around?¡±


    ¡°Through Nofis.¡± Filia declared. ¡°I want to see the remnant of what happened. Besides, we¡¯d eventually have to check the city anyway.


    Philip led them to another exit and wished them luck. Massive doors slammed closed behind them, driving home their isolation. Filia could tell they were on an avenue due to the row violet trees lighting the way.


    Since it was too dangerous to travel the delapidated roofs, they walked the streets. The buildings around them were overgrown with purple vines.


    ¡°How is it?¡± Zentrias asked now that they were away from the base fortress.


    ¡°It¡¯s definitely worst than last time.¡± Carol answered, rubbing her sides nervously. ¡°There are so many eyes watching me¡­ I knew this was a bad idea.¡±


    Filia froze as a pale woman passed in front her. As she stared at the apparition, she felt a slight tap on her leg. She turned to discover a translucent boy scampering away.


    ¡°He seemed fascinated by your appearance.¡± Juda said. ¡°That kind of superficial interaction is all they¡¯re capable of.¡±


    Before long they encountered two guards standing at attention and a crying woman surrounded by a crowd of curious children. Far off voices yelled encouragements to unseen troops, and in dark corners sobbing echoed. Everywhere, ethereal figures phased in and out of view, inaudible whispers floating on the mist. Nolfis truly is the city of ghosts.


    With Carol looking unwell, Filia approach Juda, ¡°What exactly happened here?¡±


    ¡°Between Nolfis and Thornbridge Manor, there was a rupture.¡± Juda explained. ¡°Denizens of the Moonlit Lands poured out in droves. There were no witnesses to what happened next. From what was pieced together, after overrunning Nolfis, they moved on to smaller settlements. Those growing cave lilies and the likes. These easier targets are what spared Glimvale the worst of it.¡±


    ¡°By the time immortals gathered to investigate, the passage had closed. Everyone was dead, and nightmares wandered the Undermist. The affinity of the entire region was tilted towards terror.¡±


    Judas stopped, ¡°It¡¯s about time to take care of our other guests.¡± He slowly formed a gigantic magic circle on the ground. Dozens of phoenixes shoot out, diving off into the fog in every direction. Before long the cries of flesh and blood bodies rang out.


    ¡°Shamblers were gathering around us.¡± Juda explained. ¡°Now the survivors should leave us alone for a while.¡±


    They left the city and ghosts behind, entering an inverted forest. As they wandered the trees searching for a path, Carol took the lead, moving at brisk pace. Then she was running, and Juda summon fire fairies so they wouldn¡¯t lose each other. The necromancer accelerated again, as if chased, and disappeared ahead.


    They caught up in a dirt field lit by a few purple weeds. Before they could ask what was wrong, she shouted back, ¡°Something is coming. Run.¡±


    Everyone broke into a sprint. Filia could now sense it too, the tension of reality gradually bending to the breaking point. Damn it¡­  The only Moonlit Land sovereigns were capable of this.


    They made it half a mile before they felt a surge of power behind them. The mist lifted as a sinister wind picked up, and they witnessed what had crossed over. The ghostly figure of a woman floated in the air, her long white hair fluttering madly.


    ¡°A banshee queen.¡± Carol yelled. ¡°Oh god, I need to take off my rings¡ª¡ª¡±


    The nightmare screeched, and the world warped around Filia. She was back in Lomistan, at her family¡¯s hamlet. Everyone she knew was strapped to the wall by thorny bramble vines. She was too. A fire was spreading across the houses, coming nearer. She struggled desperately to free herself, but the bramble wouldn¡¯t budge. Her heart stopped as she heard a pair of familiar cries, and she turned too see her parents consumed by the flames¡­


    Then she was back in a dark field in the middle of a tempest. Filia rolled on her back, deep in stupor. Juda was besides her in a similar state, and Carol was further back, utterly motionless. As if in a dream, she watched Zentrias fending off the living storm shaped like a woman.


    <<You¡¯re a totally useless master.>> Came a voice from somewhere. <<I¡¯m taking over.>>


    Her body growing larger and covered with bones, Filia felt herself stand up without her control. She slung Juda and Carol over her shoulders and took off at a sprint. Somehow she knew Zentrias and the monstrous lady were following.


    Filia watched in a daze as they reached a road and then a gate. On the other side was man dressed in the finest of black clothes. He walked forwards, tipping his hat as she raced passed.


    A couple of paces later, she turned back and watched Zentrias run past the man. The woman chasing them held back, confronting the opponent blocking her way.


    ¡°You are not welcome here.¡± Said a deep voice. ¡°Be gone.¡±


    There was flash of red, the ghostly white figure dropped to the ground, split in two.

 [Book II Chapter 32] ZENTRIAS: Thornbridge Manor

    [Book II Chapter 32] ZENTRIAS: Thornbridge Manor


    ------------------------------------------------


    Zentrias carried the unconscious Carol between his arms while Juda stumbled behind hands on his head. Their final teammate strutted confidently several paces ahead.


    Filia¡¯s current transformation was the most extreme he¡¯d ever seen, with barely any human features remaining. A skull mask covered her upper face, and her clothes stretched awkwardly over the bony protrusions. Her gray mouth wore a haughty, smug grin. It was clear the body¡¯s owner wasn¡¯t in control.


    The fog was thin here, as if held at bay by some force. With the danger passed, Zentrias took in his surrounding. They were crossing a beautiful inverted garden. Meticulously pruned purple hedges lined the path, with vibrant blue roses just beyond. Farther out, Large weeping trees divided fields of unfamiliar exotic flowers.


    Movement caught Zentrias¡¯s eye. A mannequin with dozens of arms scurried out from behind a bush and tended to the plants with the several watering cans in its hands. What a unique gardener.


    Zentrias shook his head. A certain ominous safety radiated around them. This aura came off especially strong from the well-dressed stranger leading them. In other circumstances, the most terrifying of monsters. Although they¡¯d never met, the gentleman¡¯s true identity was obvious.


    Arriving at a towering Gothic manor, they entered an hall with a grand staircase in the center. Up above on the second floor, a maid was dusting the intricate wood work with swift unnatural movements. When she turned, Zentrias saw her vacant expression and realized she was an immaculately-made doll.


    ¡°Wonderful.¡± Filia declared in a deep voice, nodding contently at the somber decor.


    ¡°Welcome to Thornbridge Manor.¡± The well-dressed man smirked. ¡°Might I invite you recuperate a few minutes before meeting your host?¡±


    After leading them to a lavish living room, their guide withdrew with a bow, leaving them alone. Zentrias sighed and deposited Carol on a sofa. He then joined Juda, who had immediately approached the bar.


    ¡°How are you doing?¡± He asked.


    Juda downed a stiff drink. ¡°That banshee made me watch my family murder each. It started as a banquet but devolved into the bloodiest of death matches. I¡­ killed my young niece in the fervor. No battle for succession was ever so abhorrent.¡±


    There was a law in the demon world that no immortal could hold the throne. As such, there was a brisk turnover of kings and queens as the crown was passed down to the strongest of the Hellspawn bloodline. Foul play wasn¡¯t uncommon. I suspect Juda aims for the wall to avoid this political intrigue.


    Juda examined him closely. ¡°I saw you fighting when we were down. How in hell did you face that thing?¡±


    ¡°It was a fortunate matchup.¡± Zentrias answered. ¡°Since I wield destruction and chaos, wild attacks are easy to manipulate. That¡¯s how I deflected the majority of the banshee¡¯s fury. I¡¯m just glad we escaped before I ran out of stamina.¡±


    On the sofa, Carol was coming to. Zentrias walked over, ¡°You alright?¡±


    ¡°Not really,¡±  Carol muttered. ¡°But I¡¯m glad to be alive. That screech resonated with my rings and knocked me out cold. How did we escape?¡±


    ¡°We have a sukemon to thank for that.¡± Zentrias relayed what had occurred.


    Carol looked to where a monstrous Filia was admiring the room¡¯s paintings showing disturbing night landscapes. ¡°Her psyche might have been damaged. Go check on her.¡± She said, lying back down.


    Zentrias approached cautiously, having never interacted with this sukemon before. ¡°Excuse me, you are¡­¡±


    ¡°Happy.¡± The bony Filia answered. It took him a second to understand this was its name.


    ¡°Tell me Happy, is Filia in there somewhere? Could I talk with her?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s rest¡ª¡ª¡± Filia winced, her features returning slowly to normal. ¡°I¡¯m back. Just give me a minute.¡±


    ¡°Take your time.¡± Zentrias retreated, giving her space.


    Half an hour later, the well-dressed stranger returned and surveyed the room. ¡°Glad everyone is recovering. Allow me to properly introduce myself. I am Alucard Dalvris, faithful servant of Jonathan Bark. My master awaits your company.¡±


    Alucard brought them to a dining hall where a veritable feast was spread out upon a long table. At the head sat an ordinary looking middle-aged man in formal attire. He smiled upon seeing them, ¡°I am Jonathan Bark. Welcome to my manor. Please, have a seat.¡±


    Before the delectable aromas, Zentrias realized how hungry he was. The others did too. They installed themselves and dung into the delicacies.


    ¡°We so rarely have visitors that Dorothee outdid herself with this meal.¡± Jonathan said watching them. ¡°We could really use a drink to match¡­ Dorothee!¡±


    This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    With a faint crackle of static, a woman appeared out of thin air besides Jonathan. Under her cute maid¡¯s attire, faint scars divided her body like a patchwork quilt. Her hair was a mixture of gold, brown, and black depending on where it grew from her scalp. One eye was yellow, and the other green.


    Dorothee Frankenstein. A reconstructed human from one of Jonathan¡¯s tales. Her speed matches her lighting affinity.


    ¡°Please grab a bottle of Lossenger Tenebry and serve us.¡±


    Without a word, the maid vanished. Not five seconds later, she was behind Jonathan, leaning forwards to fill his glass. Zentrias watched her round the table, trying to glimpse her movements. Even a paragon would struggle to rival her. High sorcery must be involved.


    ¡°Dorothee has prepared rooms for the four of you.¡± Jonathan sipped his drink happily. ¡°She is the one who oversees the running of Thornbridge Manor. If you have questions during your stay, just call out for her. She has wonderful hearing and will be there in an instant.¡±


    That doesn¡¯t seem right.  ¡°If she¡¯s in charge¡­¡± Zentrias glanced to Alucard. ¡°Then¡­?¡±


    ¡°I am but a lowly servant.¡± The man said. ¡°My role is to greet visitors and remove unwanted pests¡±


    ¡°I consider Alucard more of a friend, despite how much he insists otherwise.¡± Jonathan added. ¡°Without his company, there¡¯d be no one to converse with.¡±


    Dorothee popped up next to Jonathan looking peeved and held out a pad of paper. On it was written, ¡®I AM HERE TOO¡¯. That¡¯s right, the Frankenstein in the novel never uttered a word.


    ¡°Making you mute was the greatest blunder of my life.¡± Jonathan shook his head. ¡°While I value you too, it¡¯s nice hearing something besides the sound of my own voice.¡±


    ¡°Have you heard about the vampires in Glimvale?¡± Filia asked abruptly. She was holding her wine glass, examining it with a conflicted expression.


    ¡°I had not.¡± Jonathan answered. ¡°I usually don¡¯t keep up to date with such matters.¡±


    ¡°The hunter there claimed their leader was bitten by the source. Having helped dispatched him, we are inclined to agree.¡± Filia put down her drink and stared at the empty plate in front of Alucard.


    While blood suckers had existed for ages in folktales, Jonathan Bark had written about an originator from which all others came from. Alucard was the primal of that supreme vampire, a monster among monsters.


    Jonathan sighed, ¡°Did you really¡­?¡±


    Alucard put up his hands. ¡°Guilty as charged. While I mostly control myself, on rare occasions the thirst becomes too much. When that happens, I travel Glimvale and find some wretched soul no one would miss. Normally I dispose of the bodies to prevent trouble, but¡­¡±


    ¡°Two weeks a ago a surprisingly strong urge overcame me. I found my prey in the Whispering woods, a band of the worst kind of miscreants. I had just about finished gorging myself when a second, larger group showed up. They must¡¯ve been having a meet-up. Anyway, things got a little messy, and I may have missed a corpse. My apologies.¡±


    ¡°Try not to do it again.¡± Jonathan said seriously.


    I suspected as much. Zentrias closed his eyes. There was nothing to be done. The careless mistake of an immortal had led to several dozens victims. This was a common story. Justice would never be served, especially not in a frontier region. What¡¯s more, we owe Alucard our lives. We can¡¯t really even object.


    Filia started giggling. ¡°Close to a hundred dead¡­ A city locked down in fear¡­ All those grieving families¡­ And what do we get when confronting the ones responsible? A ¡®my apologies¡¯ and ¡®try not to do it again.¡¯¡±


    Filia laughed uncontrollably. She¡¯s losing it. Zentrias glanced nervously at Alucard and Jonathan who were watching impassively.


    ¡°How warped have your senses become?¡± Filia pressed Jonathan. ¡°Are you completely oblivious to the harm your presence causes? All the tragedies? Did you feel this little when Nolfis was wiped ou¡ª¡ª¡±


    ¡°Filia!¡± Zentrias cut in. ¡°Enough.¡±


    His voice had the desired effect, and Filia grew quiet. She excused herself and quickly ran off.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go after her.¡± Zentrias declared, giving Carol a look. You take care of things here.


    Zentrias found Filia in the living room, staring at the garden through the window. ¡°Have you calmed down?¡± He asked.


    She nodded. ¡°The banshee made me relive what happened to my parents, reminded me of the senseless cruelty humans are capable. The deaths in Glimvale and Nolfis resonate with that. I¡­ embarrassed myself. Sorry.¡±


    Filia faced Zentrias. ¡°How did you do it? How did you withstand the banshee¡¯s screech and get back up?¡±


    Zentrias smiled. ¡°Lateli aided me.¡±


    Filia frowned. ¡°The god of love?¡±


    ¡°There was a time in my life where I was completely lost.¡± Zentrias continued. ¡°I crawled out of that dark place by finding something to cling to. Since then, I sometimes feel a presence with me when I struggle.¡±


    ¡°When the banshee realized I¡¯d overcome too much to be fazed by petty tricks, she tried attacking the image I hold most dear. I rejected this, and Lateli gave me the strength to do so.¡±


    ¡°Now, shall we head back?¡± Zentrias asked.


    Jonathan waved away Filia¡¯s attempt at an apology. ¡°Carol has told me of your experiences with the banshee queen. Your outburst is more than understandable. Rather, there are matters that I wish to clear up.¡±


    ¡°I may have seemed callous in my response to the recent deaths in Glimvale, but I had my reasons. You must understand Alucard has resided here for centuries without issue. Given the timing of his lapse, I can¡¯t fault him too hard.¡±


    Filia¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°You suspect the HEAVENLY DAO was involved?¡±


    Jonathan shrugged. ¡°Isn¡¯t this what happens during dark ages? Coincidences favoring the disastrous?¡±


    I see¡­ Alucard¡¯s sudden hunger and the complications during his feeding were likely contrivances by that god. This didn¡¯t completely absolve the vampire lord, but Zentrias could sympathize with Jonathan¡¯s perspective.


    ¡°About Nolfis¡­¡± Jonathan continued. ¡°Many have forgotten, but it was the city itself who invited me here. You see, since I reached the wall, the area where I live has always been drawn towards the Moonlit Lands. Without fail, something nasty crosses over.¡±


    ¡°After a Babadook spirited away dozens of children in Aery, I was looking to relocate. That¡¯s when those from Nolfis approached me. Since the Undermist was already linked to the Moonlit Lands, they were accustomed its threats and desired the prestige of a famous resident immortal.


    Jonathan let out a long sigh. ¡°In the end, my presence impacted the region more than anyone imagined. Once the rupture occurred, there was nothing to be done. I doubt my departure would restore things to the way they were, not after all those deaths. It¡¯s safest for everyone that I remain in this isolated land.¡±


    ¡°Dorothee, please fetch the silver moon pendant.¡± Within moments, the maid presented Jonathan with a small metallic orb attached to a thin chain. He took it in his hands.


    ¡°Over the years, I made attempts to distance myself from the realm of nightmares. Now it no longer matters.¡± Jonathan handed the necklace to Carol sitting besides him. ¡°This is one of the many artifacts I gathered, one of the more potent. It will cloak you from that realm¡¯s sovereigns while you complete your business in the Undermist.¡±

 [Book II Chapter 33] CEDRIC: Ambush

    [Book II Chapter 33] CEDRIC:  Ambush


    ------------------------------------------------


    Cedric Grinfield was not amused.  A small village southeast of Remnant had been massacred.  This in of itself would¡¯ve been enough to illicit his anger.


    ¡°See, it¡¯s just as I reported.¡±  The young adventurer pointed.  ¡°They were all killed this way.¡±


    Without a word, Cedric walked the streets.  Bodies lay everywhere, cut perfectly in half down the middle.  He stopped besides a couple next to a fountain and observed the smiles on their faces.  They never had the chance to run or even realize what was happening.  This swiftness was the work of an immortal.


    A dark rage boiled within him.  Flashbacks of his wife and children floated to mind.  This method of drawing my attentions¡­  They will pay with blood.


    ¡°What do you think the purpose was?¡±  Asked the young adventurer whose eyes attempted to avoid the carnage.


    ¡°It was to draw me here, obviously.¡±  Cedric snapped.  He hated being manipulated this way.


    When Julius Edgar had contacted him, he¡¯d rushed to Nordric to hear the details.  He¡¯d then carried the young lad across the Twisted Lands to show him the way.  It¡¯d be a couple of hours before the Adventurer¡¯s Guild sent someone to clean up the mess.


    ¡°Now let¡¯s find out why.¡±  He said coldly.


    Jumping atop the tallest building, he surveyed the surroundings.  Luring him here was either to weaken Remnant¡¯s defenses or to confront him directly.  He doubted it was the former.


    There she is.  On a strand of earth miles away stood a woman.  Even at this distance, he could see the mad colors in her eyes.  Eva Fox, the Living Chaos.  She was smiling.


    The village wasn¡¯t her work.  Too much precision in the brutality.  However, she was no doubt in league with the culprit.


    ¡°Righteous fury.¡±  Cedric whispered, feeling the power swell up within him.  While knowing this was likely a trap, he didn¡¯t care.  He intended to make an example of her such that anyone would think twice before drawing his ire.  She has no idea who she¡¯s messing with.


    The building crumbled under the force of his leap.  He shot through the warped landscape at a speed that would scare most immortals.  The grin faded from Eva¡¯s lips, and the necromancer ripped the space near her, creating a portal.


    ¡°Tracker¡¯s Instinct.¡±  Cedric spoke softly.  This was his second sublime vagary, the one he kept secret.  It was the reason no killer escaped his grasp.


    The instant Eva disappeared, he veered right and accelerated.  These type of portals were short ranged and imprecise.  Even the one opening them didn¡¯t know exactly where they¡¯d exit.  However, Cedric¡¯s intuition could now track the untrackable.


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    Up ahead, Eva reappeared, and her eyes went wide when she saw him barreling towards her.  She desperately opened another portal and escaped just in time.  Again, Cedric switched direction, smirking sinisterly.  I¡¯ll have her this time.


    When Eva once again emerged, he was there.  His amethyst sword came down before the shocked necromancer could move, and was barely deflected by a metal staff of a third party.


    Cedric appraised the new arrival and gridded his teeth in furor, his amethyst armor flaring up in brightness.  The sins of this interloper were deep.


    ¡°Hestia Gristle.  You die today.¡±  He yelled, readying an incomparably stronger killing blow.


    However, Eva had opened another rift, and the two terrified women dashed in.  No matter.


    His opponents had undoubtedly sent Eva as bait due to her relative youth.  There was less for Righteous fury to draw on.  His swiftness in catching up had forced the dark oracle to intervene, and now he¡¯d tapped into the mountain of grudges of her past victims.  Volcanic power coursed through his limbs.


    He reached their point of return before they did and summoned hundreds of lavender spears.  The two necromancers found a barrage descending to skewer them.  However, right before impact, the weapons froze in space.


    For a moment, no one spoke,  Then Hestia sighed in relief, ¡°Thank you.  For a moment I feared we¡¯d met our end.¡±


    ¡°Good job.¡±  Said a man in black.  ¡°Now retreat.  Your presence will just make this harder.¡±


    ¡°Simon Black.¡±  Cedric said slowly.  For the first time, he felt apprehension.  ¡°I would¡¯ve never expected you to be involved in a slaughter.¡±


    Simon winced at these words.  ¡°I only requested that they bring you to me and had nothing to do with the method they chose.  Although I should have guessed¡­¡±  As his allies fled from view, the frozen spears suddenly moved, impaling the ground.  That was time stop magic¡­


    Composing himself, Cedric appraised his foe.  ¡°This is quite a risk you¡¯re taking.  If I kill you, the dark age will end.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re welcomed to try.¡±  Simon smiled.  ¡°Although if your righteous fury doesn¡¯t work on Kara, then it won¡¯t work on me either.¡±


    That¡¯s true.  His ability only responded to those he saw as villains, and the surging power was already fading. Both he and Kara have saved more innocents than they have killed.  I shouldn¡¯t have let Hestia go.


    Simon unsheathed his dagger and the world went dark as the black blade cast shadows in all directions.  ¡°I dislike harming those who don¡¯t deserve it, but you must be removed from the playing field.¡±


    Cedric grimaced.  Under normal circumstances, he¡¯d be confident in his chances, even without his sublime vagary.  However, the narrative was against him.  The HEAVENLY DAO would never allow the dark age to end this quickly.  My focus should be on staying alive.


    Simon swung his weapon and the reality was divided in half.  While Cedric dodged, the necromancer¡¯s arm didn¡¯t stop moving, flashing back and forth.  Cedric was forced to backpedal desperately, relying on foresight to evade the lethal barrage.


    Then the attacks stopped.  Before Cedric could react, glyphs lit up all around him, and he felt his weight increase a hundred fold.  Damn it, he guided me into this!


    ¡°I¡¯ll have you stay here for a while¡±  Simon said calmly.


    The ground gave way under him, and Cedric landed deep in the earth.  With gravity still pressing down, he looked up and yelled, ¡°You think this can hold me?¡±


    ¡°Oh, it will.¡±  Simon walked away.  ¡°After all, ¡®time is on my side¡¯¡±


    Hundreds of glowing runes came to life on the cavern walls.  As Cendric prepared to endure their magic, the sun shot out of view, and day turned into night.  The moon crossed the sky even faster.  Day returned, then night, then day, then night.  The two alternated so quickly they became a blur of light and dark.


    Cedric realized he¡¯d already been trapped in the cave for months, if not years.  Damn you Simon Black!

 [Book II Chapter 34] ROSE: SEPARATION

    [Book II Chapter 34] ROSE: SEPARATION


    ------------------------------------------------


    On a rocky plateau deep in a Twisted Land, Rose and Wise stood around an opening. At the bottom, Cedric Grinfield was frozen with a look of dawning comprehension on his face.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you free him somehow?¡±  Rose asked. It was strange seeing the man who had once threatened them in this state.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that simple.¡± Gareth Black responded.  ¡°The space down there is in a near total stasis. An amazingly potent magical array has been inscribed on the walls to keep him trapped for centuries. At best, we can shorten that period to a decade.¡±


    When Rose and Wise had arrived, they¡¯d found Gareth Black conversing with Nagara Ubilon and Angela Greaves, two immortals from the Isle of dreams. Julius Edgar had joined them from the nearby village used to lure Cedric.


    ¡°Is there really nothing that can be done?¡± Rose pressed. To her knowledge, any enchantment could be forcibly dispelled with several times the energy used to create it. The contravening magic could come from channeling or from crystals. Considering all the immortals and resources available to the Aventurer¡¯s Guild, let alone Nordric and Remnant, how can Gareth be so pessimistic?


    ¡°He¡¯s correct.¡±  Nagara explained. ¡°I experimented earlier. The enchantments below are protected by high sorcery, and it¡¯ll take incalculable amount of power to break them. The only realistic way to achieve this is to set up a high-efficiency magic circle on the surface to aply the dispelling force. No matter how large, there is a limit to how much energy these can take in. Hence the long time frame.¡±


    Rose glanced back down. Simon really set up something incredible¡­


    ¡°Going to this much effort doesn¡¯t make sense.¡± Angela stated. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it have been easier to dispatch him?¡±


    ¡°Simon will avoid harming innocents by his own hand for as long as he can.¡± Gareth sighed.  ¡°That¡¯s the type of person he is. It¡¯s the reason no one suspected him.¡±


    Angela shook her head. ¡°We face a strange foe this time round.¡±


    ¡°By the way,¡± Julius Edgar faced Wise, ¡°thanks for your warning. Too bad it was too late.¡±


    ¡°Sorry¡­¡±  Her brother wore a pained expression.


    Arriving at a city south of here, Wise had identified the massacred village as the work of Torak¡¯s acolytes. They¡¯d sent word to Nordric¡¯s Adventurer¡¯s Guild and rushed over. Wise moved at a pace I could match, so I knew the outcome was already settled.


    ¡°No need for apologies.¡± Julius said. ¡°If anyone is to blame, it¡¯s me. I alerted Cedric and allowed him to head out on his own.¡±


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    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault either.¡± Angela responded. ¡°I would¡¯ve done the same. Cedric¡¯s opponents have always been villains to which his ¡®Righteous Fury¡¯ reacts. Hell, he¡¯s even chased off the Laughing Man. To think there was someone strong enough to defeat him who had no blood on his hands¡­ I still can¡¯t believe it.¡±


    ¡°I suspect Salazar Rook has been brought back or will be soon.¡±  Wise said. ¡°That¡¯s the reason Simon targeted Cedric. He¡¯s the natural enemy of revenants.¡±


    As they absorbed these words in silence, Angela chuckled. ¡°I sort of wish I could see it, the meeting of Cedric and Salazar. What would ¡®Righteous Fury¡¯ turn him into?¡±


    ¡°An unstoppable god capable of slaying all of Enera¡¯s immortals.¡±  Nagara answered earnestly. ¡°Salazar has been active for millennia. All those slain by the Laughing Man are a drop in the bucket in comparison.¡±


    ¡°This will have a major impact.¡± Julius declared. ¡°Cedric was a paragon, and Revenant will feel his loss. With Simon and his followers still about, Aery and others won¡¯t be so keen to lend out their immortals.¡±


    ¡°And we¡¯ll need them more than ever.¡± Gareth added.  ¡°With those former masks of Xarst running about, evacuating airships will require immortal escorts. This will slow our efforts.¡±


    ¡°At least there¡¯s little chance of this happening again.¡± Nagara gestured to Cedric. ¡°That trapped took several years to set up. I doubt Simon has many more prepared.¡±


    The discussion continued a few minutes until Julius eventually declared, ¡°No point in remaining here any further. We¡¯ve all got work to do.¡±


    As everyone walked away, Rose rushed after Julius. ¡°You¡¯re just going to leave him like this?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure Remnant will send someone to seal this hole up.¡± Julius answered.


    ¡°What about dispelling the trap?¡± Rose asked, but the immortal had already jumped away.


    ¡°This place is too isolated.¡±  Wise explained. ¡°It¡¯ll fall to the undead before the enchantment is lifted. There¡¯s no point in wasting resourses until the dark age is over.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡± Rose faced her brother.  ¡°Sorry you weren¡¯t able to stop the acolytes.¡±


    Wise winced again. ¡°I should¡¯ve anticipated this. When using my foresight on a wide scale, of course I¡¯d pick up smaller disasters. There was never a chance to reliably track them.¡±


    ¡°That said, you were right about their plans. Ignoring that village might have been worth it.¡± Rose suggested. ¡°I know this sounds callous, but we¡¯re dealing with the fate of the world.¡±


    Wise shook his head, ¡°While saving Cedric could¡¯ve changed the course of the dark age, I can¡¯t ignore those in clear and present danger. It¡¯s something I swore to myself.¡±


    ¡°So what now?¡± Rose asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m switching my approach. I¡¯ll travel these Twisted Lands, casting a wide net with my foresight and protecting everyone I can. In cases like the werewolves, I¡¯ll interfere myself. If it¡¯s the acolytes, I¡¯ll send warning to the Adventurer¡¯s Guild. This is what I can do to save the most people.¡±


    ¡°Which is why it¡¯s time for us to go our separate ways.¡± Wise finished.


    Rose smiled sadly, having expected this.  ¡°I¡¯d only slow you down, right?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be heavily relying on my foresight and mobility.¡±  Wise agreed.


    ¡°I suppose I¡¯ll find my way back to the Veritas War Academy.¡±  Rose said.


    ¡°No, you¡¯ll head North to Remnant.¡± Wise corrected. ¡°Roxanne is waiting at the Fortress of Regret. Lucy will guide you to her when you arrive.¡±


    ¡°Wait, when did they pass us by?¡±  Rose though they¡¯d been making fairly good time on their journey.


    ¡°Jay Belleron sent an advanced airship to collect them shortly after we left.¡± Wise pointed to the horizon. ¡°There is a town that way. Spend the night. Tomorrow, travel over the crystal wall and find the Fortress. You can¡¯t miss it.¡±


    With that, he turned and left. Rose realized she was alone in a Twisted Land with Torak¡¯s acolytes somewhere close by. The sun was also setting. I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be fine¡­


    ¡°You¡¯ll arrive safely!¡± Wise yelled back before disappearing.


    Rose rolled her eyes.  Really, way to spoil the adventure.

 [Book II Chapter 35] DYLAN: Panacea

    [Book II Chapter 35] DYLAN: Panacea


    ------------------------------------------------


    <<The auction house is always busy at the close of the Godly Herb Garden, but this is the liveliest than I¡¯ve ever witnessed.>> Dowart Fain observed.


    Dylan sat in a small private booth on the second story of a crowded hall as numbers were frantically called out below. ¡°It¡¯s because the Fate Pavilion announced Panacea will be retrieved. That¡¯s what has attracted cultivators from far and wide¡± Dylan whispered back.


    A strange dynamic had developed since the Fate Pavillion¡¯s announcement. Famous disciples from rival sects were competing against one another to auction off their treasures, with highest sale prices gaining the most prestige. When reviewing the catalog of these items, a certain image had caught both Dylan and Dowart¡¯s attention. Han Xiao¡¯s sword. He¡¯d last seen the weapon when he¡¯d fled the Sacred Cloud Sect.


    Dylan glared off at Teng Ling and Bao Pan, who were in attendance. ¡°Which one is responsible for this?¡±


    <<It matters not.>> Dowart answered.  <<We must recover my blade.>> The ghostly saint had been the original owner, the sword retrieved from his final resting place.


    Dylan peered anxiously into the Ouroboros ring with his spiritual sense and counted the two hundred and seventeen translucent marbles he¡¯d acquired. Refined from dozens of demonic beast cores, spirit stones were a versatile and portable form of energy. Too valuable to consume in most cases, they were used as currency when gold would be cumbersome. I hope I have enough.


    Dylan had stayed alone in town to oversee the liquidation of his spoils, leaving Lin to return to the Morning Dew sect with Kailen and Yanfei. There was too much to transport so it was a necessity. I only wish I¡¯d had more time to refine the lesser herbs to increase my profits.


    <<It¡¯s up next.>> Dowart warned.


    ¡°Now for something special.¡± The auctioneer declared. ¡°Our head appraiser will explain.¡±


    An plump old man waddled in holding a sword. Pushing up his glasses, he carefully drew the weapon from its worn scabbard, and murmurs went out upon seeing a blade as white as snow. Murmurs went out upon seeing a blade as white as snow. Dylan smiled fondly at the sight. I remember thinking it was made of chalk.


    ¡°Before you is Resplendent Delusion, an early work by the immortal smith Zhong Cai. Made of white orichalcum and virtually indestructible, this catalyst is able to match the elemental affinity of its channeler. It¡¯s an honor to witness such a unique masterpiece which was believed lost to history millennia ago.


    Dylan turned ¡°You never mentioned it was forged by Zhong Cai!¡±


    <<He was mortal then, a saint like me.>> Dowart answered. <<Even so, it cost me a pretty penny. I regret I didn¡¯t have more time to wield it.>>


    Dylan grimaced. Zhong Cai was Sanwue¡¯s most famous smith. Even his lesser creations would have value to collectors. I won¡¯t be winning this cheaply.


    The auctioneer smiled, pleased with the excitement from the various VIPs. "The starting bid of this wondrous weapon is 10 spirit stones!"


    "11!"


    "12!"


    "15!"


    Dylan sat in quiet resignation, waiting for bidders to drop out.


    ¡°35!¡±


    "40!"


    "45!"


    "100!" Called out a mortal in exquisite robes. At this jump, the others fell silent. Time to join in, Dylan sighed.


    "110!" He announced.


    "120!" The noble snapped, irritated.


    "130!"


    "140!"


    Before Dylan could respond, ¡°200!¡± echoed the hall. In a private room across from him, a cloaked stranger had thrown out an absurd number.


    Praying, Dylan yelled out his final bid, ¡°210!¡± Everyone glanced curiously between the noble and cloaked newcomer, but neither made a sound.


    "210 going once, 210 going twice¡ª¡ªsold!" The auctioneer slammed her gavel down. "Congratulations to the bidder in Room 11, Resplendent Delusion is yours!"


    Dylan slouched back, glad the booth¡¯s obfuscating enchantment kept him hidden from prying eyes. The reality of what he¡¯d done slowly sank in. Seven spirit stones left¡­


    <<It might¡¯ve been cheaper to commission a new one.>>  Dowart lamented.


    Dylan search the hall and found Bao Pan with a radiant smile surrounded by sycophants congratulating her. Meanwhile Teng Ling appeared to have swallowed something bitter. She¡¯s next.


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    The auction proceeded and soon there was a knock on the door. Outside, two staff members handed over Resplendent Delusion after draining his wealth. One then gestured to the hooded figure leaning against the wall nearby, ¡°This gentlemen wishes to meet with you.¡±


    Dylan frowned at the breach of etiquette, but the attendants fled without a word. So this is someone too important to offend?


    <<I must hide.>> Dowart disappeared.


    The stranger walked into the booth and revealed his face. ¡°Do you recognize me?¡±


    ¡°Zhong Cai.¡± Dylan said. So I was bidding against Sanwue¡¯s immortal smith?


    ¡°May I see my creation?¡± He asked.


    Dylan reluctantly turned over Resplendent Delusion, praying he wasn¡¯t being robbed. Zhong drew the white blade, observing closely. ¡°I made this for someone I regarded as friend. He was a stubborn fool, pursuing a ludicrous dream. Yet his passion won me over¡­¡±


    He looked up at Dylan, ¡°The reason I let you have the blade is that, for a moment, I sensed him in you.¡±


    ¡°He hasn¡¯t failed yet.¡± Dylan spoke despite himself. ¡°I will complete Four Element Transcendence in his stead.¡±


    For a long moment, Zhong studied him carefully then chuckled. ¡°Very well, if you¡¯re determined, I¡¯ll once more lend my aid.¡±


    The immortal began channeling, terrifying Dylan at the raw power he drew. The smith held his hand over the blade and dropped a spirit stone, which instantly melted into the white metal. He then dropped another and another. Enough wealth to buy several cities disappeared.


    Finally it was over, and Dylan could breath again. Zhong sheathed the sword with a satisfied look. ¡°Now, it¡¯s more worthy of my name.¡° He declared, turning over his work. ¡°Should you succeed in your ambition, seek me out and I¡¯ll reforge Resplendent Delusion into a weapon of legends.¡±


    After Zhong¡¯s departure, Dylan waited until the commotion died down and snuck out before the auction ended. On the streets, he heard a few speculating about the immortal-level channeling and swore to keep his new weapon safely withing the Ouroboros Ring. The other six already know I killed Mingzhu Su. If they learn I was purchaser, they may grow suspicious.


    <<What happened with Zhong Cai?>> Dowart asked.


    Dylan relayed the details. Dowart listened, a smile spreading on his lip, <<Zhong was always a romantic at heart. The promise of Four Element Transcendence allowed me to retain his services at steep discount. It appears you also profited from his benevolence.>>


    Indeed, I¡¯ll have to study Resplendent Delusion carefully later. Dylan made his way into the Shrine of Sending. Gen Jiang was already waiting in the interior courtyard, along with many others. Seeing him, he made his way over, ¡±You¡¯re here early.¡±


    ¡°I concluded my business at the auction house.¡± Dylan responded. ¡°Are they really returning?¡±


    ¡°At least one of them is.¡± Gen affirmed. Of the two arches in the courtyard, the left one had gone inactive, but the right one shimmered with a veil of uniform gray.


    Dylan noticed Dowart floating beside him. ¡°Is it alright to show yourself?¡± He whispered. ¡°Immortals are in attendance.¡±


    <<There are enough people to mask my presence.>> Dowart responded. <<Also, this is something I must witness for myself.>>


    The right archway suddenly came alive with color. ¡°They will arrive soon.¡± Gen declared confidently.


    Since time moved faster in the Godly Herb Garden, the hour before noon on the ninth day was the last chance for anyone to return. More onlookers gradually trickled in, filling the shrine and courtyard. Everyone waited with baited breath as the minutes ticked by.


    Just before the sun reached its zenith, Soul Skyfell and Yingtai Qiao came crashing through the archway. Panting, they collapsed on the gravel. Soul rolled on his back and noticed the huge audience around him. He raised and opened his hand. On his palm, resembling a cross between a tulip and a rose, rested a transparent flower.


    Someone began clapping, and others joined in. Soon the entire shrine was loudly celebrating. Dylan was surprised by the display of good will.


    Noting his reaction, Gen laughed, ¡°Never let it be said that Sanwue is incapable of welcoming a hero. Sure, we cultivators are so jaded that we question any altruistic behavior. However, some acts are so selfless that no cynical interpretation is possible. Retrieving Panacea is one such example.¡±


    The crowd parted to allow two people through. One was an elderly woman in the most exquisite robes Dylan had ever seen. The other was the young woman afflicted with withering roots who¡¯d pleaded with them.


    ¡°Our matriarch came to personally collect Panacea.¡± Gen explained.


    The old woman approached Soul, ¡°May I?¡±


    Taking the flower, she turned to the young woman and brought it close. There were gasps as the bright red roots woven into the skin turned to dust and the wounds left behind vanished. Freed from her torment, the young lady dropped to her knees, weeping with relief. Cheers rang out again, even louder this time.


    ¡°What happens now?¡± Dylan asked.


    ¡°There¡¯s little point in hoarding Panacea.¡± Gen answered. ¡°A single petal can cure a hundred thousand, and its power has never been fully depleted before it spoils. The colorless flower will be divided up and distributed across Enera to all who need it.¡±


    <<They actually succeeded.>>  Dowart Fain appeared shocked.  <<They did the impossible¡­>>


    Hearing murmuring nearby, Dylan saw Sulai Chen making her way forward. ¡°Now this will be interesting.¡± Gen remarked.


    What is she doing? Dylan had expected Sulai to pursue her revenge, but not here. It makes no sense. Does she believe all those who cheered will stand aside?


    Soul and Yingtai got to their feet and regarded Sulai warily. With an unreadable expression, the Red Sky disciple got on her knees and lowered her head, ¡°Thank you for sparing my life. I have behaved in a way that brought shame to my Sect. To make amends, please allow me to accompany you in your journey through Sanwue.¡±


    Dylan¡¯s mouth dropped. Behind the stunned Soul, Yingtai¡¯s blank look suggested her mind had stopped functioning.


    The courtyard exploded into chatter as Sulai waited on the ground. Finally, Soul answered, ¡°You¡¯re welcome to join us if you wish.¡±


    Shacking his head in disbelief, Dylan noticed Gen doubled over, struggling to contain his laughter. Not caring about form, he grabbed the man and demanded an explanation.


    ¡°Sulai contacted the patriarch of the Red Sky Sect when she returned. Accustomed to being doted on, she no doubt expected his support. This was a mistake.¡±


    ¡°You see, two thousand years ago, it wasn¡¯t just Lily Morgana who came to Sanwue¡¯s aid. Ethan Skyfell came too, playing a large role in buying time for Argadon¡¯s summon. The Red Sky Patriarch fought side by side with the hero and was furious to learn Sulai had attempted to murder his sister¡¯s son. Worse still, she¡¯d gotten a fellow disciple killed in the process. Not only was she ordered to apologize, she was told to not to bother returning until Soul has reached the capital, alive and well.¡±


    Gen watched Sulai hang back as Soul and Yingtai were swarmed by the curious. ¡°Since her future now depends on Soul¡¯s safety, Sulai made the decision to join him. A wise choice considering the boy¡¯s propensity to land himself in trouble.¡±


    Dylan smirked. Forced to babysit that fool¡­ What a horrible fate.


    He spotted Bao Pan among the crowd and his mood soured. Felling the Radiant Sight disciple would be the perfect occasion to put Resplendent Delusion to the test. You will not return home alive.

 [Book II Chapter 36] NEPHRITE: The Silent Village

    [Book II Chapter 36] NEPHRITE: The Silent Village


    ------------------------------------------------


    ¡°Over there is an outpost.¡± Jayden whispered. ¡°Remain hidden while I check it out.¡±


    Jayden leapt across the purple landscape and disappeared into a giant glowing mushroom. The rest of them crouched in the inverted underbrush, keeping an eye on the swarm of wasps patrolling the area.


    The hidden Village of Fang lay in the deepest portions of Harakoune. As shinobi specializing in dealing with magical beasts, they didn¡¯t cull the surrounding wilderness as the other villages did. Rather, the aggressive fauna was their first layer of defense.


    Unlike their experience heading to Basdrum, Jayden had been moving at a pace they could keep up with. This caution had them all on edge.


    A nearly invisible fairy suddenly fluttered over to them. ¡°Jayden summons you.¡± The sprite spoke softly.


    The outpost entrance was in the gills on the mushroom¡¯s underside. A surprising amount of space had been hollowed out, with several tiny sleeping quarters, and many of the walls were enchanted to be like one way glass, transparent when looking out. They found Jayden in what was probably the briefing room. He invited them to sit at a table.


    ¡°It was deserted.¡± Jayden reported. ¡°No traps either. This actually makes matters more complicated. I was hoping to gather intelligence from those stationed here.¡±


    When Hearth lost contact with Fang, no one though twice about it. The four original hidden villages were secretive, and it was assumed they were concentrating on their own evacuation plans. However, the silence grew suspicious as time wore on. Exchanging information with representatives of Ash, Tempest, and Gloom revealed that no airships were sighted heading in Fang¡¯s direction. Not one of their shinobi had been seen in weeks. This empty outpost only thickens the mystery.


    ¡°What now?¡± Nephrite asked.


    Jayden crossed his arms and closed his eyes. ¡°I knew I could handle the ninjas stationed here. It won¡¯t be the same at the village. We¡¯ll be facing several supreme shinobis and the Fang lord. Not to mention many there have a grudge against me, especially the three of my generation. It¡¯s too dangerous to approach without knowing if they¡¯re hostile.¡±


    ¡°Nephrite,¡± Jayden continued. ¡°You and Light have stealth abilities not even I can match. You¡¯ll go on ahead to ascertain the situation. We¡¯ll await your report here.¡±


    Jayden brought out two pendents hanging from silver chains and handed them over, ¡°I prepared this pair of Lovers lockets for a situation like this. They¡¯ll allow you to communicate telepathically over short distances.¡±


    Jayden fixed his eyes on Light, ¡°Let me restate our mission. We¡¯re tasked with discovering Fang¡¯s plans for the Dark Age and gathering intel on Kaygren. Obey Nephrite¡¯s instructions under all circumstance.¡±


    He then turned to Nephrite. ¡°Do not enter the village under any circumstances. The wards are capable of dispelling concealments. Your goal is to gather information from a distance. Pay special attention to any airships as they may reveal who Fang has allied with.¡±


    ¡°Finally, if you run into anyone on your way, capture them if feasible and bring them back. I¡¯ll take responsibility for any fallout from the kidnapping.¡±


    Nephrite and Light dropped out of the mushroom and activated their stealth abilities. <<Can you hear me?>> Nephrite asked.


    <<I can.>>  Light responded. While she couldn¡¯t make him out, she could vaguely sense his general location through the lockets. I guess it¡¯s better than nothing.


    <<Listen, these lockets have a range of about a thousand feet.>>  Nephrite explained.  <<To avoid losing each other, I¡¯ll point out landmarks as we move. If separated, return to the last one and wait.>>


    Nephrite led them carefully through the warped earth. Eventually they reached the large opening Jayden had described. <<Fang is through there, inside that bulb.>>  She said.


    They weren¡¯t ready for the sight that greeted them. Half the interior ¡ª¡ªwhere the village was supposed to be¡ª¡ª was nothing but a stretch of dirt, as if someone carved out the top layer and everything on it.


    <<Fang is gone.>> Light observed.


    <<I can see.>> Nephrite answered, deactivating her cloak and summoning a greater earth fairy to fetch the others. While they waited, she noted the several enormous rifts rippling above the empty space. They transported their entire village into the Ether?


    Jayden walked out onto the barren field, shaking his head. ¡°What madness¡­ It pains me to see the place I grew up so desolate.¡±


    ¡°Can you make sense of this?¡± Nephrite asked.


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± Jayden answered. ¡°Fang has retreated from the fight. Torak aims to eliminate all life on Enera and those who abscond to the Ether are of no concern to him. His legions won¡¯t intrude there.¡±


    ¡°If you can avoid the dark age that way, why don¡¯t more do so?¡± Light asked.


    ¡°Spending time in an ephemeral space slowly wears away one¡¯s existence. ¡° Jayden explained. ¡°The weaker someone is, the faster the process. Even a couple of hours in a tethered realm can give an ordinary person transience sickness.¡±


    Nephrite nodded. Transience sickness was common ailment, most often cause by the consumption of summoned food and drink sold by an unscrupulous vendor. The soul would desperately try to counteract the lack of permanence, and the condition could be fatal for those with low channeling ability.


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    ¡°Only the stablest realms are suitable for long term inhabitation. That realistically limits possibilities to the HEAVENLY DAO¡¯s dungeons and Shangri-la, whose the entrance is in Catalonia on the far side of the Green Hell.¡°


    The continent of Shangri-la was a reality maintained by sovereigns friendly towards humans. Many summons made permanent called it home.


    ¡°So Shangri-la is a safe alternative for those nearby?¡± Light pressed.


    ¡°To a degree.¡± Jayden answered. ¡°The experiences of humanity, conveyed through our dreams, are the building blocks of the Ether. If Enera perishes, all realms will ultimately share its fate. Since every soul which disappears into the Ether means one less obstacle for Torak, migration to bastion is preferred. It increases everyone¡¯s odds of survival.¡±


    The Black Citadel is the same situation.  All those within Xarst¡¯s shadow no longer contributed to the planet¡¯s lifeforce. Fortunately, the inability to have children keeps many away.


    ¡°Back to topic,¡± Arika broke in. ¡°Where did Fang go?¡±


    Jayden grimaced. ¡°It can¡¯t be to Shangri-la, as we would¡¯ve heard about it by now, and the greater planes are too dangerous for a civilian population. That leaves only one option: Mount Gull, the continent-sized mountain Kaygren is building. The fang lord has allied himself with demonic beasts¡­¡±


    ¡°Enough speculation.¡± Jayden turned to them. ¡°I¡¯ll explore the rifts. The rest of you separate into two groups and explore the surrounding forest. Maybe someone got left behind. Regroup here when done.¡±


    Haron and Arika took off without without a word, leaving Nephrite alone with Light. The two work together so often they didn¡¯t consider a different pairing.


    Nephrite glanced at her young partner, ¡°We¡¯ll move in stealth, as we did earlier. Do you want to take the lead?¡± This is a opportunity to judge his decision making.


    Light nodded excitedly, and they entered the trees covering the other half of the bulb¡¯s interior. They soon found several large structures, all abandoned. Inside were hundreds of holding pens. Likely for demonic beasts. These woods must have served as a training grounds for Fang ninjas and their pets. There were no traces of either being present.


    Proceeding deeper, they discovered the first sign of life. In a clearing, a huge form was sleeping, waves of blackness flowing over its dark fur.


    Nephrite recognized the creature. <<A demonic shadow wolf. Those aren¡¯t native to Harakoune. I wonder if it was left behind?>>


    <<A demonic shadow wolf¡­>>  Light repeated. Nephrite didn¡¯t like the sound behind the thought.


    <<That¡¯s a saint-level beast. Don¡¯t go starting trouble.>> She cautioned.


    <<If it¡¯s saint-leveled, it should have the ability to project its thoughts. It might be able to tell useful information.>>  Light jumped down and revealed himself.


    He is so going to pay for this, Nephrite seethed while remaining hidden on a branch. The boy was taking unnecessary risks.


    The wolf¡¯s eyes opened as Light approached. <<What do you want, human? Don¡¯t disturb my rest.>>


    ¡°I was hoping you could tell us me about the missing village of Fang.¡± Light pointed upwards.


    Glancing at barren earth, the wolf snarled. <<I know nothing of your village. Go away or feel my fangs.>>


    ¡°I have a better idea.¡± Light responded. ¡°Let¡¯s battle. If I win, you¡¯ll join me and become my companion.¡±


    Nephrite was flabbergasted. He¡¯s totally forgotten our mission.


    The wolf regarded the boy as if he were mad. Then, gradually it let out a strange growl, as if chuckling. <<I suppose that¡¯s fine too. Alright, I accept your challenge. If I win, I¡¯ll claim your life.>> The beast slowly rose to its feet, the shadows dancing on its body flaring up.


    ¡°Excellent.¡± Light beamed. <<Don¡¯t interfere.>> He warned the stunned Nephrite.


    Three black blades shot out along the ground toward the confident ninja. Light let them slice him, and his body collapsed into sand. An instant later he reappeared above the wolf, slashing downward.


    The beast dodged at a lightning pace, reaching the shade of the forest¡¯s canopy. It raced around the clearing, traveling the shadows with unnatural dexterity, while releasing more black blades.


    Nephrite didn¡¯t know what to make of the spectacle. More surprising than Light¡¯s ridiculous gambit was the fact that the demonic beast had accepted. Wolves were prideful and loyal. There was a high chance it would honor the deal if it lost.


    Several trees were crushed by sand and chopped apart by shadows as the battle raged. I can¡¯t believe Light might win this. The wolf was beginning to slow. However, before the contest was settled, a loud voice rang out.


    ¡°Aquatic Prison.¡±


    Water rose up around the wolf. Caught unaware, the beast was suspended in the air inside a liquid sphere. Haron and Arika dropped into view.


    ¡°Stay out of this!¡± Light shouted, furious. ¡°This is a one on one duel!¡±


    ¡°What honor is there in slaying a mortally wounded opponent?¡± Haron gestured to the wolf. Trapped in the water, the true state of its body had been revealed. Half its chest was gone, with rib cage shattered and organs badly shredded. How is it moving? Or even holding itself together?


    Haron released his spell, and the beast collapsed, shadows once more obscuring the damage. With its secret revealed, it seemed to have lost the will to fight.


    ¡°Can you heal him?¡± Light asked. Between the two of them, Haron and Arika could mend most wounds.


    ¡°Too much is missing.¡± Arika shook her head sadly.


    Nephrine joined them. ¡°Who did this to you?¡±


    <<Kaygren.>> The wolf snarled weakly.


    Jayden landed next to them with crash. ¡°I finished my recon. The rifts led to unfinished realm with nothing of note.¡± He walked over and knelt before the wolf. ¡°Could you tell us your story?¡±


    The wolf relayed its tale. Kaygren and several others had invade the realm of his sovereign, demanding she join them on Mount Gull. She refused. Shadow wolfs ate humans foolish enough to invade their territory, but had no desire to wage war.


    <<Kaygren struck down our sovereign with his lighting and destroyed the keystone of our tethered realm. The pack rallied to stop him, but stood no chance. I was torn apart by a single swipe of his claws. Kaygren then ripped a whole in reality and retreated without bothering to finish me off.>>


    <<I tried to give chase, running into the space between realms, but lost my way and ended up here.>>


    The wolf laid its head down and panted softly. Its end was near.


    ¡°Is there no way to save him?¡± Light pleaded. ¡°What about the infusions Fang practices? I can host him.¡±


    Jayden shook his head. ¡°Infusions are a delicate ritual with a low success rate. Besides, taking in a beast consumed by pain and revenge would destroy your soul.¡±


    ¡°So there¡¯s nothing to be done?¡± Light asked


    Jayden observed the wolf. ¡°There is one way: an invocation tattoo, a technique created during Salazar¡¯s stay in Fang. The demonic beast is turned into a personal summon bound directly to your skin. However, it requires a willing participant.¡±


    <<Will you be fighting Kaygren and his minions?>> The wolf asked.


    ¡°Most definitely.¡± Jayden answered.


    <<Then do it.>> The wolf said.


    ¡°I¡¯ll need some blood.¡± Jayden ¡°Light, uncover your left arm. Haron, Arika, keep the wolf alive until I¡¯m done.¡±


    With unexpected artistry, Jayden inked the figure of the beast. He then used the remaining blood to inscribe a magic circle under Light. Finally, he turned to the beast. ¡°I must extract your core.¡±


    The wolf closed its eyes, and Jayden ended its life with a swift blow. The ninja returned with a transparent orb, pressing it against the tattooed skin and channeling power into the circle. Soon the core had dissolved.


    On the way back, Nephrite caught up and confronted Jayden, ¡°Why did you that?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve learned not to fight the tides of destiny, nor the god that guides them.¡± Jayden responded. ¡°The wolf will surely prove a valuable ally.¡±


    ¡°But humoring the boy is dangerous.¡± Nephrite pressed. ¡°His reckless impulses will get him killed.¡±


    ¡°I have known many like him over the centuries.¡± Jayden sighed. ¡°It¡¯s pointless wasting energy trying to reform them. Only a traumatic event can knock sense into those types. Either that or death. Nothing else.¡±

 [Book II Chapter 37] ROSE: The Fortress Of Regret

    [Book II Chapter 37] ROSE: The Fortress Of Regret


    ------------------------------------------------


    Negating her weight, Rose propelled herself high into the sky. It was her first attempt at a long distance flight, but she was confident. The pair of bangles on her wrists were catalysts she acquired before departing Xarst. With their aid, her palms were releasing continuous jets of flame.


    There¡¯s the Crystal Wall. On the horizon, the dark unearthly quartz glittered with all the colors of the rainbow. The fortifications defending Remnant were the work of Jay Belleron. After decades of mourning, the immortal had developed the ability to solidify the pain of loss. Erecting the Fortress of Regret, he¡¯d extended the outer walls around the entire nation.


    Glancing southwest, Rose could just make out the peach colored ramparts protecting Arland. Both are massive, but Remnant¡¯s are taller. She estimated the Crystal Walls to be half a mile high. Amazingly, they were also a thousand feet thick. The top was lined with buildings and other structures she recognized as long distance weaponry. More are probably built into the wall itself. There was plenty of activity, with soldiers patrolling and workers hauling supplies on transport vehicles.


    Captivated by the sight, Rose was shocked when a gigantic shadow appeared overhead. A building-size mechanical suit loomed above her, made of the same gleaming material as the wall. Hovering, not sure what to do, she finally called out, ¡°I¡¯m Rose Skyfell. I am heading to the Fortress of Regret to meet Roxanne Sibil.¡±


    She waited nervously. There was no way she could fight or escape this war machine. I should surrender if necessary.


    A voice echoed from the machine. ¡°Your entry has been approved. Allow me to give you a lift.¡± The knight extended a half-opened hand.


    Rose deemed it wise to accept the offer and landed on the palm, gripping the enormous fingers. They took off at a tremendous speed. At least I¡¯m saving time.


    Remnant was the flattest portion of Enera she¡¯d seen. Apart from a few chunks of earth that stuck up, the effects of the Fracturing had been completely erased. As they traveled, Rose noticed several gigantic domes dotting the landscape. ¡°What are those?¡± She yelled over the ferocious wind.


    ¡°Jay Belleron has enclosed Remnant¡¯s towns and cities in protective shells which can be sealed off in an emergency.¡± Came the answer from who she assumed was the pilot.


    Rose had no words to describe the structure which grew and grew as they approached the Remnant¡¯s north. The Fortress of Regret was a titanic edifice towering into the sky. It¡¯s wider than the Isle of Dreams and almost as tall.


    Just as Wise predicted, Lucy was waiting on the terrace where she was deposited. Ignoring her, Rose rushed to the railing to better examine the fortifications.


    ¡°Impressive isn¡¯t?¡± Lucy chuckled. ¡°Even I didn¡¯t fully grasp its scope until I arrived.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the point of building so large?¡±  Rose asked. ¡°And how long did this take?¡±


    ¡°Nearly two thousand years.¡± Lucy answered. ¡°As for the why, follow me inside.¡±


    Lucy guided them into a rounded corridor and through multiple sprawling intersections. Rather than the interior of a man-made structure, it felt as if they were crossing underground tunnels whose layout made no sense. Like a giant ant nest.


    Off the brightly lit main hallways, smaller off-shoots led into darkness. ¡°What¡¯s down these?¡± Rose asked.


    Lucy smirked, ¡°Go and see.¡±


    Accepting the suggestion, Rose chose one and walked a fair distance through the pitch black. Soon she saw light, and the sound of music drifted to her ears.


    She exited on a rooftop with a city stretching around her. Below, a marching band was leading a parade down the street. The cheers of thousands rose from the crowds.


    ¡°We¡¯re in the Ether.¡±  Lucy said, joining her.  ¡°You¡¯re watching a celebration which took place in a nation which no longer exists, a giant simulation that repeats itself over and over again.¡±


    ¡°How many of these are there?¡±  Rose asked.


    ¡°Tens of thousands.¡± Lucy responded. ¡°Everything Northeast of Nordric was wiped out. The surviving immortals from those regions banded together together to found Remnant, and Jay Belleron raised the Fortress of Regret from their memories, a monument to all that was lost.¡±


    ¡°Since then, Jay has sought out others, saints and immortals, to volunteer their recollections, expanding the fortress into the behemoth it is today. That¡¯s why he invited Roxanne.¡±


    ¡°So she too has¡­?¡± Rose stammered.


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    ¡°Thanks to her, the fortress has a new wing.¡± Lucy affirmed.


    They continued their journey. At one point, the organic corridors gave way to conventional architecture. The style was similar to Lily¡¯s Rose Palace. It¡¯s no surprise. She came from a country near ground zero.


    They turned down a rectangular hallway, and Rose was shocked when she gazed into the multi-colored gleam of the surfaces around her. It¡¯s transparent! A maze of twisting passageways hung in the darkness on the other side, stretching into the distance. She gasped at the scale.


    Behind her, Luly chuckled.


    ¡°You made a detour to bring me here.¡±  Rose accused.


    Denying nothing, Lucy resumed her leisurely gait. Soon they came to a rectangular space miles deep. Tube-like structures covered the length of this giant atrium, constructed of more of the see-through variant. Rose pondered their purpose until an elevator shot up one. She watched the occupant disappear.


    ¡°That¡¯s the first person we¡¯ve seen.¡±  Rose commented. ¡°It¡¯s pretty deserted.¡±


    ¡°Only a month ago, visitors from around the world flocked to witness the memories enshrined here.¡± Lucy explained.  ¡°The situation has since changed. Now people are less interested in the past and more concerned with the present.¡±


    ¡°Was it really that popular?¡± Rose asked.


    ¡°Yes, especially the halls of Valor, which record the Dark Age¡¯s greatest battles and those who perished in them.¡±


    They entered another section of winding passageways. Again, Rose was impressed at the ease with which Lucy navigated the labyrinth.


    ¡°How do normal people find their way?¡± She asked.


    ¡°They channel a little power.¡±  Lucy reached out a hand and touched the wall. A small fairy popped out, its form seemingly made from a starry sky.


    ¡°What do you wish to see?¡± It asked in a distant voice.


    ¡°We¡¯re searching for Roxanne Sibil.¡± Lucy answered. With a nod, the sprite took over guiding them.


    Lucy pointed to the stone around them. ¡°Jay Belleron¡¯s creation, lament, isn¡¯t an ordinary unearthly material. It¡¯s a enchantment giving physical form to grief. The more there is, the stronger it becomes.¡±


    ¡°Sounds powerful.¡± Rose said.


    ¡°It is, but only within Remnant.¡± Lucy agreed. ¡°That mobile armor which carried you here would turn brittle if it flies too far away.¡±


    Rose recalled her swift interception and the impressive defenses at the border. ¡°Remnant¡¯s security forces are impressive.¡±


    ¡°After the fracturing, Jay Belleron established a military order called Legacy. Their motto is ¡®nothing more will be lost¡¯. Wielding weapons and armor fashioned from lament, no one is taking this dark age more seriously. They¡¯ve been preparing for this day for millennia.¡±


    ¡°We have arrived.¡±  The fairy gestured to the dim passageway ahead.


    This time Rose found herself on a crowded street, among groups of people talking and laughing merrily. Above, hundreds of red foxes lined the buildings, their fur glowing brightly. Whenever they waved their tails, a ball of fire flickered out and floated up towards the full moon. Several children ran by, one brushing up against her.


    ¡°They have solid bodies and can even interact with you to an extent.¡± Lucy explained.  ¡°For them, this is a holiday honoring their guardian beast, and they can¡¯t comprehend anything beyond this.¡±


    Stalls and vendors were everywhere, most selling snacks and sweets. Rose¡¯s mouth started watering.


    ¡°Don¡¯t eat anything. Nothing here is permanent.¡± Lucy warned. That¡¯s so unfair. Everything smells so good.


    Roxanne was at the center of the town on a balcony overlooking the festivities. At the table with her was a black-haired gentleman in a fine suit.


    Jumping up, Rose greeted her mentor. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°Reminiscing.¡± Roxanne smiled. ¡°This place was my hometown.¡±


    Rose glanced at the partying below them.  How many of her former acquaintances are dancing among these phantoms?


    ¡°This fortress is amazing.¡±  Roxanne continued once Lucy had joined them. ¡°To recreate this scene from my youth¡­ The nostalgia hits hard.¡±


    ¡°It was your memories which made this possible.¡± Said the man seated with them. ¡°Thank you for accepting Jay¡¯s invitation. Preserving the past means a lot to him.¡±


    ¡°Hum,¡± Rose ventured.  ¡°Can you introduce your companion?¡±


    ¡°Of course!¡± Roxanne gestured grandly. ¡°This is Elliot Watson, an old friend. His affinity is destruction and he¡¯s super strong. We adventured together once long ago. Back then, he was known as the Lord of Ruin, but he goes by different title nowadays. Care to explain why you¡¯re called the immortal butler?¡±


    With a sigh, the man nodded. ¡°I loved a woman once, and she was my everything. A saint at the time, I left her to adventure, promising to return once immortal. Shortly before I succeeded, the Sirk uprising began, and our country was overrun by the beasts. While Roxanne and I bought time for our people to escape, they scattered to the four winds. I had no idea where to find her after that.¡±


    ¡°I tried searching, but one disaster followed after another. Once Sola reappeared, I gave up and devoted myself to preserving this world.¡±


    ¡°After the Fracturing, I finally tracked her down. In the seven years since we¡¯d parted, she¡¯d married, had a child, and passed on¡­ One of the countless victims of that era.¡±


    ¡°I brought her orphaned daughter to Remnant and gave her everything I failed to provide her mother. Since then I have been serving the eldest in her family line as a butler, hence the name.¡±


    Roxanne shook her head gently. ¡°You¡¯ve changed so much Elliot¡­ You¡¯re almost unrecognizable. How in the world did you transition from mismatched leather gear to those fancy clothes? You¡¯re wearing white gloves, for crying out loud!¡±


    The man smirked. ¡°I used to be quite the battle maniac, didn¡¯t I? It was the Dark Age which finally quenched my thirst. After that endless war, the life of a simple servant was just what I needed.¡±


    ¡°On the other hand¡­¡± Elliot stared at Roxanne. ¡°You¡¯re exactly how I remember, even if less lively. I am so grateful to see you again. I was crestfallen by your capture, and, by the time I learned of your escape, you were already sleeping at Xarst.¡±


    A silence lingered above the night¡¯s boisterous revelry. ¡°Sorry about what happened to Cedric Grinfield.¡± Rose offered.


    ¡°We¡¯re all saddened by his absence, but it ultimately matters not.¡± Elliot stared far off. ¡°I¡¯m confident we¡¯ll see him again one day.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of the future,¡± Roxanne said. ¡°Elliot has offered to let us stay at his estate while I spend some time wandering this fortress. I¡¯m sure you¡¯re welcome to join us too.¡±


    ¡°That sound enticing, but is it alright to impose?¡±  Rose asked.


    ¡°I welcome the company.¡± Elliot affirmed. ¡°It¡¯s been too quiet since the latest mistress I serve took up residence in Vandril. She has made clear she doesn¡¯t want me around, and so I am mostly keeping away until this rebellious phase passes.¡±

 [Book II Chapter 38] DYLAN: Showdown In The Silent Valley

    [Book II Chapter 38] DYLAN: Showdown In The Silent Valley


    ------------------------------------------------


    Dylan stood in a snow covered field surrounded by rocky white peaks, his breath dissipating in the chill air. Tonight would determine if his gamble paid off.


    He¡¯d tracked Bao Pan across three major cities on her return to the Radiant Sight Sect. In each, she¡¯d spent the day mingling in high society, bathing in the flattering of sycophants. Once satisfied, she¡¯d secured a private airship to her next destination. This pattern had made Dylan¡¯s life difficult.


    With her beauty and stature as an exceptional prodigy of a major sect, Bao was a rising deva of the cultivating world. On top of the constant attention this entailed, five fellow disciples were tagging along on her coattails, content on enjoying the luxurious travel arrangements. By the third day, Dylan had understood there would be no opportunity unless he created one.


    After consulting Dowart Fain, Dylan had sent Bao a note:


    ¡°I know your secret. Unless you wish your sect to find out, come to the Silent Valley to buy my silence. I await you at midnight.¡±


    Besides luring Bao out, Dylan and Dowart hoped to confirm a theory they¡¯d spent much time discussing inside the Godly Herb Garden. His deceased master, Han Xiao, might¡¯ve inadvertently discovered a conspiracy among the saints of the great sects. In this case, whatever Lin had detected back in New Vale is likely something Bao doesn''t want known by her peers. If we¡¯re right and they wiped the Sacred Cloud Sect to keep it hidden, there¡¯s a good chance she¡¯ll take the bait.


    Not knowing the local geography, selecting a location had presented a challenge. He required an open space to see how many were approaching. The area also had to be far from airship routes and isolated enough that battle wouldn¡¯t draw attention. He¡¯d resorted to an information broker for suitable picks and settled on this one.


    The Silent Valley was the bowl of glacier nestled in an infamously dangerous mountain range. No sane person would brave the region at night, and the frigid temperature keep the surrounding beasts at bay.


    A figure in flowing white robes appeared, dainty footsteps gracing the snow pack without leaving a mark. She was alone.


    Dylan had been prepared to flee had Bao appeared with company, a scenario he¡¯d discounted. From his research, the Radiant Sect disciple was arrogant and aloof, drifting through life as a celebrity while never forming lasting relationships. She had many admirers, but few friends. No one she could trust for a night like this, and, even if she did, she¡¯s too prideful to call on them.


    ¡°You came.¡± Dylan declared. So there is a secret worthy of risking her life. Today there was no urgency, and he intended to uncover he could.


    ¡°I did.¡± Bao confirmed. ¡°The Radiant Sight¡¯s number one beauty has traveled all the way out here just for you.¡± She pushed back her long brown hair in a manner that emphasized her shapely body. Dylan had to admit her appearance ranked among the best. If she hadn¡¯t been in that room eleven years ago, I too might have been taken in by that smile.


    Bao glanced around, ¡°It¡¯s too dark here¡­ Let¡¯s remedy that.¡±


    Raising her arm, she release a dozen balls of light, which scattered overhead and brightened to become miniature suns. Dylan nervously appraised the apparitions.


    <<These are greater will-o''-the-wisps. Watch out, they¡¯re deadly.>> Dowart warned.


    ¡°So, what is this all about?¡± Bao asked, not a trace of worry in her voice.


    ¡°I know you are the same as Mingzhu Su, and your sect would be upset to learn this.¡± Dylan bluffed.


    Bao searched his face carefully, ¡°You¡¯re the one who killed Mingzhu! Curse that idiotic Sulai¡­ She deserves the suffering coming her way.¡±


    ¡°So what did he let slip?¡± Bao continued. ¡°Do you know who ¡®we¡¯ are?¡±


    ¡°What are offering for my silence?¡± Dylan sidestepped the questions he couldn¡¯t answer.


    Appraising him, Bao let out a laughed. ¡°You don¡¯t actually know, do you? Mingzhu was laid-back fool, but even he wouldn¡¯t give away anything crucial. That¡¯s a relief. Even if you told others we were comrades, I wouldn¡¯t lose any sleep.¡±


    She gazed upon Dylan with pity. ¡°Did you really expect to blackmail me with such half-backed information?¡±


    The charade is up. ¡°No, I was aiming for your life, not your coin.¡±


    Bao¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°So Mingzhu¡¯s death wasn¡¯t a coincidence¡­ How strange, you are targeting us yet are unaware of our true identity.¡±


    A sneer graced her heavenly lips. ¡°In any event, you chose the wrong place to confront me.¡±


    Sensing danger, Dylan jump back as will-o''-the-wisps opened fired. Blinding beams struck where he¡¯d been standing, melting shallow holes in the snow.


    <<Remember light-based attacks must be dodged or countered before they are unleashed. Everything depends on your foresight.>> Dowart advised.


    I know. Dylan embraced the lesser mystery of mist, releasing a vast cloud of vapor. Immediately the attacks targeting him decreased as the will-o''-the-wisps lost sight of him.


    This battle will be unlike the last two. He had neither the element of surprise nor the benefit of advanced preparation. The difficulty of setting up the confrontation had deprived him of such advantages. Despite the risks, Dylan had faith in his martial arts and refused to believe he¡¯d lose one on one.


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    ¡°How boring.¡± Bao was hanging back, content to let her summons shot randomly. ¡°At least come out and face your end like a man.¡±


    Dylan grimaced. He¡¯d hoped to force his opponent into close quarter combat by reducing visibility. However, judging by how fast the beams were burning through the mist, this approach was no good.


    Dylan switched to the lesser mystery of icy flame, and frost fire engulfed the trusty old sword he¡¯d been using for years. Busy stalking Bao Pan, he hadn¡¯t found time to familiarize himself with his recent acquisition. It¡¯s unwise to rely on an unfamiliar weapon. Besides, it¡¯d reveal my connection to the Sacred Cloud Sect.


    Reaching out with his spiritual sense, he seized a large chunk of snow and flung it in Bao¡¯s direction. The mass disintegrated into a white powder as it flew, and he raced out under this cover.


    Bao watched him approach with an amused expression. Before he¡¯d closed the distance, alarm bells rang in his head, and he backpedaled from a slew of attacks from overhead. Those projectiles were solid¡­


    ¡°What was that?¡± He demanded as he constructed a shell of compacted snow to shield himself from the will-o''-the-wisps.


    Beo burst out laughing. ¡°Holding that above you¡­ You¡¯re like ¡ª¡ªahahaha¡ª¡ª a silly little snow turtle. I can¡¯t¡­ Bha-ahahaha¡­¡± Dylan simply glared as she caught her breath.


    ¡°Phew¡­ In exchanged for that bit of entertainment, I¡¯ll enlighten you.¡± Bao spread the arms and streams of frozen particles rose from the ground to twirl around them. ¡°We Radiant Sight disciples can manipulate reflective surfaces, which is why many of us carry glass shards as weapons. Ice fragments work too, but we can¡¯t create those ourselves. Also¡­¡±


    The flurry around her coalesced into sharp glowing spikes. ¡°By imbuing transparent objects with light, we can even enhance them and give them new shapes. Do you see now why this was the wrong place to face me?¡±


    Dylan¡¯s telekinesis swatted down the spikes Bao lobbed at him. So what if you can manipulate ice? I can too.  In truth, this did complicate matters. The will-o''-the-wisps remained far above, ready to snipe at any moment. Even with a high tier catalyst, it was impressive Bao could maintain so many, especially considering their prior bombardment had to have cost a fair amount of energy.


    Gritting his teeth, Dylan sent up an even thicker flurry and dashed forward, zigzagging to dodge shining white spears springing from the ground. As he neared, Bao reached out her hands, attracting a host of bright specks which merged into two swords.


    They clashed in close combat, and Dylan was dismayed by the power behind her swings. Size wouldn¡¯t provide an advantage here. As they came to an impasse, blades pressing against each other, Bao moved close and whispered seductively, ¡°Isn¡¯t this body wonderful?¡±


    In a burst of anger, Dylan knocked his opponent away. Bao just laughed, the gleaming ice shards in her hands reforming into razor-sharp whips. Dylan desperately parried the lashes as he retreated out of range.


    ¡°It¡¯s hilarious that a upstart runt like you believed he could best me.¡± Bao shook her head.


    ¡°You¡¯re not much older.¡± Dylan fumed.


    <<This opponent is near immortality, and her martial arts are superb.>>  Dowart observed coldly. <<You won¡¯t defeat her like this.>>


    Dylan nodded, channeling hard. The temperature dropped, and a chilling wind engulfed the glacier valley. Faint hues of green and pink colored the landscape around them. Bao frowned at the changes.


    In his journey to perfect Four Element Transcendence, Dowart Fain had visited the Black Citadel. By witnessing the geomagnetic storms raging across the frozen wasteland, he¡¯d gained insight and refined the lesser mystery of icy flame into a superior form, integrating the concept of air.


    The will-o''-the-wisps renewed their assaulted, but their beams warped and curved without hitting anything. Now that Dylan had mastery over the cold illusions of the Arctic, they no longer posed a threat. Smirking, he circled Bao, his form flashing in and out of view as copies sprung up in his wake, mirages conjured by the northern lights.


    Bao lashed out with her whips, striking several fakes. Seizing the opportunity, Dylan leapt forward to deliver a crippling blow, but stopped when a spectral sword appeared in his adversary¡¯s raised hand. The blade¡¯s lucid magenta began radiating so brightly he had to withdraw and avert his eyes.


    ¡°Congratulation on making me draw Starlight.¡± Bao snapped angrily. ¡°Now it¡¯s your turn to explain. What is this nonsense?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re about to be defeated by the Greater Mystery of Auroras.¡± Dylan mocked solemnly.


    ¡°The Greater Mystery of Auroras¡­¡± Bao¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°That¡¯s part of four element something or other. You are the boy who got away!¡±


    Dylan¡¯s heart sank. Mingzhu Su hadn¡¯t shown any reaction, so why did Bao? No, maybe I killed him too fast.


    ¡°You have no idea how much we searched for you!¡± Boa ranted. ¡°We scoured all new entrants to the major sects and even some of the lesser ones. In which obscure corner have you been hiding?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll die without ever knowing.¡± Dylan replied flatly.


    Bao ignored him. ¡°This means if I look into your background, I¡¯ll find the child and finally eliminate that potential threat.¡±


    Dylan temper flared. ¡°You¡¯re afraid because she can detect your presence. That¡¯s why you slaughtered the Sacred Cloud Sect!¡±


    Bao froze. ¡°The girl can sense us? Already? She must only be eleven. How did she even learn the Sacred Cloud¡¯s martial arts?¡±


    A chilling determination swept Bao¡¯s face. ¡°I can¡¯t let you escape.¡± She whispered. A purple aura spread from the sword and covered her features.


    The Will-o''-the-wisps resumed firing again, but this time their beams were aimed at Bao. She redirected each towards him as she charged forwards. Unable to fully deflects the short ranged attacks, Dylan evaded awkwardly. To make matters worse, the strange glow from that sword was hampering his ability to project images and mask his location.


    ¡°Don¡¯t think me as weak as Mingzhu Su.¡± Bao cried out. ¡°Who do you struck your master down?¡±


    Before Dylan could be consumed by fury, Dowart¡¯s voice reached him. <<Calm down and use Resplendent Delusion.>>


    Right, no reason to hide it now. Dylan brought out the white blade and was astounded when it instantly attuned to his current state, enhancing the greater mystery of auroras. This is a divine tier catalyst.


    Bao¡¯s cadence faltered upon recognizing the weapon. ¡°So you wield one of Zhong Cai¡¯s masterpieces too¡­¡±


    The two legendary blades clashed in a contest which was settled by power, not skill. Through the leverage provided by Resplendent Delusion, Dylan gradually asserted his dominance over the glacier valley. As the temperature dropped ever lower, one by one the will-o''-the-wisps flickered out. Once the last was extinguished, northern lights spread across the starry sky.


    On the dark snow-swept field, Bao was surrounded by a legion of flickering apparitions. Even with Starlight¡¯s aura offering some protection, it was too much. Dylan disarmed the Radiant Sight disciple by severing her hand. Crawling away clutching her injury, she glared up at him.


    Dylan held his blade at her neck. ¡°Time for some answers.¡±


    Bao wasn¡¯t listening. ¡°I¡¯ll never forgive you. My existence was perfect. The most captivating of beauty, status respected by all, a godly level of natural talent¡­ How dare you take it from me?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll pay. No matter how long it takes, no matter how many lifetimes, I¡¯ll hunt you down. Your descendants too. You hear me? All trace of you will be wiped from the world!¡±


    Bao screamed, her form shining brightly. Then the light shot up into sky, sailing across the heavens and vanishing to the south. At the same time, her body collapsed limply.


    <<Her soul left voluntarily¡­>> Dowart stated slowly. <<Our enemies are more than what they seem.>>


    Dylan stared down at the lifeless husk. Up until now, he hadn¡¯t cared why the Sacred Cloud Sect was attacked. Nothing those eight could say would ever earn his forgiveness. Their motive was mystery he¡¯d explore after their deaths. I can¡¯t afford that any longer.

 [Book II Chapter 39] OLIVER BRACK: The Insufferable Brat

    [Book II Chapter 39] OLIVER BRACK: The Insufferable Brat


    ------------------------------------------------


    High up in Novgard¡¯s castle, Stella Gladesong finished her report. ¡°So in addition to Kaygren and his demonic beasts, we face former Masks of Xarst.¡±


    This was just a formality. While immigration technically fell within Oliver Brack¡¯s purview, House Gladesong was overseeing the evacuation of Hearth. Stella is keeping me abreast as a show of respect.


    All Aery immortals came from the six great houses or married into them. Their names were Skyfell, Wellor, Karel, Gladesong, Raven, and Brack. Although House Skyfell ruled Sovengard and Aery as a whole, the other five controlled large swaths of territories, holding great sway. Novgard belonged to house Brack, and Oliver had been appointed its governor with Queen Kalista¡¯s blessing.


    ¡°How will that affect your plans?¡± Lord Oliver asked, leaning back on his throne.


    ¡°I¡¯m requesting a dozen shielders from Stormwind. Other than that, everything remains the same. Airships will be grouped into convoys which I will personally oversee. We¡¯ll be escorted by three immortals and a contingent of Valkyries. With the ninjas Hearth provides, that should prove sufficient.¡±


    Oliver nodded. Stella alone could shut down the demonic beast threat. The only danger is long range attacks from the Torak¡¯s acolytes, which the shielders are meant to counter. A needless precaution since I very much doubt they¡¯d be foolish enough to try.


    Stella Gladesong was a monster, unrivaled in long ranged battles. Anyone earning her ire would discover the terror of being in the cross-hairs of Enera¡¯s number one sniper. Capable striking targets hundreds of miles away, her arrows outstripped even Lily Morgana¡¯s ¡®godly reach¡¯.


    ¡°Frankly, I didn¡¯t expect to find you so agreeable.¡± Stella added. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasant surprise.¡±


    Oliver frowned. True, he¡¯d instituted policies to strictly control the inflow of outsiders, but he wasn¡¯t simply acting of his own accord. His approach was widely supported until recently.


    A pragmatist faction had arisen across the great houses which believed Enera¡¯s survival should be prioritized above all else. According to them, housing refugees was a necessary evil. As with all old powers, Aery had amassed ample food stockpiles for such an eventuality. Stella was among the pragmatists.


    Oliver strongly rejected this thinking. Two thousand years ago, they¡¯d been inundated with refugees. Back then, Eary wasn¡¯t floating in the sky, and all entering required was crossing the border. Nowhere can absorb that many that fast. It¡¯d taken centuries to integrate the vast slums remaining afterwards. A saint at the time, Oliver vividly recalled the chaos. There won¡¯t be a repeat of that.


    ¡°The relocation was agreed to by all the houses, including my own.¡± Oliver answered. ¡°I had no reason to make your life difficult.¡±


    The population of Hearth was in no way comparable to the ramble in Neon¡¯s slums. They came with a military force equal to half a great house. Harboring them guarantees the loyalty of their shinobi. Having fought the undead hordes, Oliver welcomed this strength.


    Besides, the people of Hearth intend to return to Harakoune once the dust settles, making them the perfect guest. Why would I oppose this?


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    Once Stella had left, Oliver turned to an aid, ¡°What¡¯s next on the agenda?¡±


    The old man smirked, ¡°About that, Dawn Skyfell was spotted approaching. You should prepare to greet her.¡±


    Oliver sighed, noting the four valkyries stationed in the room going stiff.  The insufferable brat is back.


    Beyond immortals, the foundation of a nation¡¯s power lay its military orders. By commanding the reverence of common folk, armed organizations enhanced the physical abilities of their members. The largest and greatest of these even afforded additional advantages in the form of special skills, unique spells, or enhanced affinities related to their history. These legendary institutions were called military orders.


    For the longest time, the Frozen Legion had been Aery¡¯s only military order. Then the HEAVENLY DAO instituted the five extra years, and women of all backgrounds grew interested in adventuring. The immortal Anastasia Vellor set up an organization to support them and recruit promising candidates. This Valkyrie Core eventually grew into a military order, producing a benefit envied by all. Right up to the day of her death, a Valkyrie would never look a day over forty. This allure of eternal youth transformed the Valkyrie Core into a juggernaut rivaling the Frozen Legion. The two military orders now shared responsibilities, with the Frozen Legion protecting cities and the Valkyrie Core guarding strongholds.


    Dawn Skyfell landed on the castle balcony, majestic ice wings disintegrating. According to his valkyrie guards, only a couple of weeks ago she still suffered from a crippling fear of heights. Now, having overcome her ¡®one weakness¡¯, the girl insisted on flying everywhere, rejecting Aery¡¯s advanced airships. An independence which makes her even more difficult to manage.


    When Astra Skyfell had send her daughter to her cousin, queen Kalista, the move had been seen as a veiled threat. Succession was a rare affair in Aery, with the throne passing down to the descendant of Frederick Skyfell who won over the great houses. If support was divided, the matter was settled in a contest of strength between candidates. Astra has enough to support to force a duel. Even if Kalista recruits Bracus Karel as her champion, the odds would be stacked against her.


    Since the queen didn¡¯t wish to give Astra an excuse to return, Dawn was sent to House Vellor where she was personally trained by Anastasia in the Howling Maw. After six month in that accelerated dungeon, the girl had overcome all the immortal¡¯s trials and was declared an errant valkyrie. Queen Kalista had then dispatched Dawn to him to assist her adventuring experience. No doubt because Novgard is furthest removed from Sovengard.


    ¡°I¡¯m back.¡± Dawn walked in, radiating a cheerful demeanor. She paused to address one of guards. ¡°Soloing the Deadly Peaks wasn¡¯t nearly as hard as you made it out to be.¡±


    The guard said nothing, grinding her teeth. Since her arrival, Dawn had challenged and defeated every valkyrie stationed at the castle. These losses were made worse by the girl¡¯s young age and barely disguised arrogance. They want her to fail more than I do.


    With many who would welcome Dawn¡¯s downfall, Oliver was eager to curry favor by arranging it. Sadly, foul play wasn¡¯t an option. Any death would be investigated, and queen Kalista would deliver his head to Astra to avoid a confrontation. However, it was a different story if the girl got herself killed all on her own.


    With this in mind, he¡¯d proposed soloing one of Aery¡¯s saint-level dungeons. Dawn had been receptive to the challenge, and Oliver had believed he¡¯d found his solution. This confidence had wained each time the girl returned alive.


    ¡°So you¡¯re back again¡­¡± Oliver said.


    ¡°I am.¡± Dawn declared. ¡°While it was fun, I think it may be time to venture out into the world and join a party.¡±


    Oliver frowned. Has the girl rained in her easily manipulable pride?  ¡°So you¡¯re finally seeking the support of others?¡±


    ¡°Never.¡± Dawn said sharply. ¡°I don¡¯t need help. That said, I¡¯ve come to a realization. Not having anyone to talk to is boring. Also, what¡¯s the point of displaying my brilliance if there is no one around to witness it?¡±


    Oliver nodded. Adventuring by herself isn¡¯t feeding her ego enough. This means it¡¯s nearly time to give up. ¡°Can I interest you in one last challenge before you go?¡±


    Dawn cocked her head. ¡°Didn¡¯t I already finished Aery¡¯s hardest saint-level dungeons?¡±


    ¡°You have.¡± Oliver answered. ¡°I¡¯m suggesting a dungeon outside our borders, one that has never been completed alone.¡±


    ¡°Go on¡­¡± Dawn said.


    Got her. ¡°It¡¯s called the Nolfis Underground. You can find in the Undermist, a short trip from Neon¡­¡± Oliver explained the details.

 [Book II Chapter 40] NEPHRITE: Confronting Light

    [Book II Chapter 40] NEPHRITE: Confronting Light


    ------------------------------------------------


    As expected, Light was seated in the skybox, enraptured by the combatants below. Following their return, Jayen had suggested daily coliseum matches and had lent them access to this space.


    Hearth¡¯s arena went by a flexible format where fighters of any caliber could sign up at any time. Against saints such as herself, multiple opponents were assembled, and she¡¯d just finished a fight against a team of four. The timeslots for Haron and Arika were scheduled later.


    The stand are still packed, even with the first group of airships departing tomorrow. In different corners of Harakoune, the other hidden villages were beginning their migration too. Tempest was heading to Remnant, and Ash had chosen to defend Bastion. Finally, Gloom was joining the Grey Kingdom, a decision which was the source of some consternation. If the war expands to Aery, we might face them in battle. Although right now Fang is a bigger problem¡­


    Nephrite studied Light from behind. His new shadow wolf pet, named ¡®Kuro¡¯, had proved a boon, providing useful intel on the Kaygren¡¯s sovereign lieutenants. Its general knowledge of Mount Gull would also come in handy soon. As for the boy, he was absolutely thrilled, spending much of his time training with the canine companion.


    I haven¡¯t properly chided him yet. Light¡¯s actions had truly shocked her. Up until that point, the boy had mostly fallen in line with her expectations. She¡¯d even begun to think of him as an inexperienced prodigy, same as her younger self. Then he abandoned the mission to duel a shadow wolf.


    Perhaps his upbringing was the cause. ¡°I heard you grew up isolated in the arctic, with only Astra and your siblings for company. Was that hard?¡± She asked.


    ¡°Not as much as you¡¯d think,¡± Light answered. ¡°We had plenty enough to entertain ourselves when Astra wasn¡¯t keeping us busy. Also, when you don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re missing, it doesn¡¯t bother you as much.¡±


    ¡°Do your siblings share your sensibilities?¡± Nephrite continued.


    ¡°Not really.¡± Light smirked. ¡°Our time apart from society affected us in different ways. They each have their own eccentricities.¡±


    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    Nephrite latched on to this wording. ¡°So you¡¯re aware of your abnormality?¡±


    Light nodded. ¡°Remember the weapons I show you? I nearly died from the curse when I retrieved them from the Field of Graves. The others gave me hell for it.¡±


    So this is a reoccurring pattern? Nephrite groaned inwardly. Remember he¡¯s just sixteen and off on his own for the first time. ¡°Do you miss your siblings?¡±


    ¡°I do, some more than others.¡± Light answered. ¡°But Hearth makes it easy to bare the separation. It¡¯s like a dream come true: living in a hidden village of shinobi, joining a team with other ninjas, taking part in missions with real stakes¡­ I have become what I aspired to be all these years.¡±


    I was a child the last time I thought that way. ¡°You¡¯re a hardcore fan of the The Tales Of The Shinobi, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Light affirmed. ¡°Aren¡¯t you too?¡±


    ¡°Not really.¡± Nephrite gazed at the figures dueling in the arena. ¡°To me, ninjas are profession, no different from druids or fencers. Even if their roots are in fiction, it¡¯s long since transcended that.¡±


    Light frowned. ¡°I met a Harakoune ninja on the Isle. He was a fellow enthusiast. Was that unusual?¡±


    ¡°Of course there are many like that. The series is required reading here.¡± Nephrite explained. ¡°However, most become ninjas because they value the benefits, same as any other specialization. Loving the aesthetic is just a bonus.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡± Judging by his voice, Light was dissatisfied.


    Nephrite shook her head. ¡°When we have the chance, I¡¯ll introduce you to my younger brother. While a good ninja,¡± She stressed this part. ¡°He also shares your passion.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d really like that.¡± Light said, his mood instantly improving.


    Jayden warned me not to, but I¡¯ll try anyway. Nephrite hated when people made no effort because something was deemed ¡®useless¡¯. ¡°What you did with Kuro, revealing yourself in enemy territory and getting sidetracked¡­ You aren¡¯t the main character in one of those novels. This behavior will get yourself or others killed.¡±


    ¡°You gave me the lead, so I just couldn¡¯t help myself.¡± Light joked awkwardly.


    Nephrite said nothing and waited.


    Realizing humor wouldn¡¯t cut it, Light sighed, ¡°I know what I must do¡­¡± He brought out the book from last time. ¡°When Jayden gave me this, I honestly couldn¡¯t believe it. Why was someone as responsible as him indulging my deviancy? After finishing, I understand.¡±


    ¡°Salazar¡¯s dry analysis killed my obsession with curses. I now know their every detail as well as their stark downsides. The romanticism, the mystery, is gone.¡±


    ¡°What I should to do is collect in-depth guides on the advantages and disadvantages of being a shinobi. Let their utilitarian perspective disillusion me, as did Salazar¡¯s work.¡±


    ¡°But I don¡¯t want to. I love ninjas and can¡¯t accept them becoming mundane. My fascination got me through a difficult period, and I¡¯m not ready to let go just yet. Forgive me.¡±


    Light turned away, retreating to watch the fighting.


    Nephrite pursed her lips. Although she appreciated the honesty, her concerns remained. They¡¯d been given their most dangerous assignment yet. In a few days, Jayden and Gladiator would infiltrate Mount Gull. They¡¯d be facing facing hordes of demonic beasts, their sovereigns, and members of the hidden village of Fang. She could only pray nothing would go awry.

 [Book II Chapter 41] FILIA: Future Plans

    [Book II Chapter 41] FILIA: Future Plans


    ------------------------------------------------


    Filia wandered the halls of Jonathan¡¯s Thornbridge Manor, slowly taking in the decor. It was a reward for Happy who had done a solid job over the last ten days.


    The undermist was surprisingly vast, with multiple land masses at different elevations. With the map given to them by Jonathan Bark, they¡¯d scoured one region after another for any rifts. This mainly mean accompanying Carol and guarding her as she probed their surroundings with her spiritual sense.


    It¡¯d a sobering experience. She¡¯d been taken aback by the number of abandoned settlements, some the size of small villages. Combined they must¡¯ve housed thousands. Some had been haunted in disturbing fashion, with faint cries of terror and agony piercing the quiet.


    There weren¡¯t any rifts, but Carol had located plenty of moonlit denizens, abnormally nasty ones. Since these would endanger innocents, Zentria deemed it necessary to dispose of them. First was the ogre at that farm, then there was the nightmarish carnival which sprung up in that field. The worst was an infestation of alien creatures which had built a city-sized termite nest. It¡¯d had taken days to cull their numbers and kill the queen.


    <<So magnificent.>>  Happy preened. <<True art.>>


    <<This tour ends once Carol has finished resting.>> Filia responded.


    Entering a hallway, she found the manor¡¯s new guest, Raphael Lange, admiring the paintings. The unusually handsome young man had shown up shortly after their arrival, purportedly to visit his favorite author. He¡¯d kept Jonathan company during their expeditions to the Undermist.


    Spotting her, he smiled, ¡°Are you also perusing these masterpieces?¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes,¡± Filia answered awkwardly. ¡°They are certainly breathtaking.¡±


    In frames around them hung visions of dark forbidding landscapes and nightmarish creatures, always against the backdrop of an ominous full moon. This same motif was present throughout the manor.


    ¡°I have been a lifelong fan of Bark¡¯s work.¡± Raphael explained enthusiastically. ¡°It¡¯s amazing seeing his depictions brought to life so vividly.¡±


    Personally I prefer cute sukemon, but to each their own. A door opened and Jonathan Bark walked out followed by Juda Hellspawn. ¡°What are you two doing loitering here?¡± He asked.


    ¡°We were appreciating your masterpieces.¡± Raphael answered. ¡°Could you tells us who painted them?


    ¡°T¡¯was I¡± Jonathan declared to everyone¡¯s shock.


    ¡°I knew you dabbled in philosophy.¡± Juda said. ¡°But I didn¡¯t know you were also an artist.¡±


    ¡°Nearly all immortals are, to a degree. It only takes a decade or two of playing around with a brush. Still, while I consider myself proficient, I pale in comparison to Razir Pearson, Gallea Yanser, and Robin Hades.¡±


    This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    No one can match the immortal painters. ¡°Why are they all scenes from the Moonlit Lands?¡± Filia asked.


    Jonathan gazed at the canvases. ¡°These are sights I have witnessed with my own eyes.¡±


    Really? Filia glanced at the form of a Maven, far more hideous and threatening than the version they¡¯d vanquished.


    ¡°Nothing from there can harm me.¡± Jonathan chuckled. ¡°I am the only one who can interact with them normally.¡±


    ¡°How¡­?¡± Filia stammered her confusion.


    ¡°Long ago, I was gifted with the ability to effortlessly travel back and forth.¡± Jonathan revealed. ¡°I find that land, constructed from the bleakest fantasies, fascinating. It¡¯s an unforgettable experience to meet beings born from your own imagination.¡±


    ¡°As you might¡¯ve guessed, I recruited my staff through my trips. Unfortunately, I can¡¯t bring back most of those I encounter without causing tragedies. So instead I capture them and their world with my art.¡±


    Juda shook his head, ¡°you really are more familiar with those monsters than anyone else alive.¡±


    ¡°Well, I did create a lot of them.¡± Jonathan laughed.


    ¡°What is this one?¡± Raphael asked.


    In the middle of the hallway was a portrait larger than the others. In a barren field, two red pupils stared out from a deformed suit of armor covered by a cloak of black feathers.


    ¡°That¡¯s the Nightmare King, the oldest primal of the Moonlit Lands.¡± Jonathan answered. ¡°He¡¯s an illusive figure ¡ª¡ªas he should be¡ª¡ª which I rarely catch a glimpse of.¡±


    ¡°What did you mean by that?¡± Filia asked.


    ¡°As any good horror writer knows, fear is born of the unknown. Reveal too much and it fades away.¡± Jonathan peered up as he spoke. ¡°The Nightmare King¡¯s fleeting appearances preserve the ultimate terror he represents.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t Yondil the ultimate terror?¡± Juda objected.


    ¡°Yondil is the madness and paranoia which results from fear. The Nightmare King is a being which causes it.¡± Janathan explained. ¡°That said, the two share a connection. Both are able to summon and command the Moonlit Lands¡¯s legions.¡±


    A fairy sparkling with destructive power zoomed into view. ¡°Carol is up. Everyone is to meet in the living room.¡± After delivering its message, it disappeared with a bang.


    As Filia and Juda left, she could hear Raphael excitingly asking more questions. What a weird hobby he has. She would never understand those who terrorized themselves for fun.


    Once they were all gathered around the table, Zentrias began. ¡°Barring surprises, we¡¯re nearly done, which is why I wish to discuss our next steps. I propose exploring the Solfis Underground before leaving.¡±


    Restricted to saints and below, the Solfis Underground remained unconquered. Adventurers surmised the dungeon was the endless sort, descending into ever more challenging floors. Filled entirely of Moonlit denizens, the place was a test of nerves as much as strength, famous for assaulting the psyche. As compensation for the added difficulty, the initial run provided a phenomenal exp boost. Many still chose to skip it.


    Filia raised her hand. ¡°Sorry, I can¡¯t. The Sukemon International Championships starts in a little over two weeks. It might be the last major event for years, and I want to travel to Tulven ahead of time. I¡¯ll finish our current quest, but then I must go.¡±


    Zentrias nodded. ¡°I expected as much. What about the rest of you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m game, but I must return to the Demon World afterwards.¡± Juda said. ¡°It something I can¡¯t delay it any longer.¡±


    They turned to Carol, who wore the sourest of expressions. ¡°Do we have to?¡± She pleaded, shivering lightly.


    ¡°I have been avoiding this for years because of how you felt about the Undermist. Now that we are here and you have the Silver Moon pendant, there¡¯s no longer any reason not to. Since the Solfis Underground doesn¡¯t require a full party, I won¡¯t push you, but we could really use your expertise.¡±


    Carol mulled silently, rocking back and forth in her chair, before whispering, ¡°I¡¯ll go if you use your eyes.¡±


    Zentrias was taken aback. ¡°Why¡­?¡±


    ¡°If you do, we¡¯ll reach much deeper and maximize the benefits.¡± Carol explained. ¡°That would make it worth me coming.¡±


    It was their leaders turn to look conflicted. Finally, he sighed, ¡°Fine, but not against anything humanoid.¡±


    ¡°Deal.¡± Carol smiled charmingly. ¡°This way it¡¯ll be unpleasant for both of us.¡±


    Zentrias will use eyes on living beings? This almost made Filia reconsider her decision, but her anticipation for the sukemon championships was too strong.

 [Book II Chapter 42] Nephrite: Reconnaissance

    [Book II Chapter 42] Nephrite: Reconnaissance


    ------------------------------------------------


    No real defenses¡­ From high above, Nephrite observed the lush farmlands coming into view, protected by fortification ten stories high. Midway between Nordric and Harakoune, Mesanic was one of the largest countries reclaimed after the Fracturing, but it couldn¡¯t compare to the old powers like Aery, or even Remnant.


    ¡°That must be Turtle Rock.¡± Jayden gestured to a shell-like formation jutting from the twisted lands below. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    They jumped off the airship.


    ¡°Race you there.¡± Haron shouted, liquid red wings growing from his arms.


    ¡°You¡¯re on, fool.¡±  Arika answered back, summoning a skeletal bird covered in black feathers.


    Skydiving behind them, Nephrite rolled her eyes. The two were constantly competing in everything, and it¡¯d gotten to the point where even Light didn¡¯t react anymore. Nephrite deployed a metallic paper plane, following the twister propelling her teenage comrade. She was the last to arrive, but felt no disappointment. Aerial maneuverability isn¡¯t my forte.


    With the team, she turned to watch the fleet of airships making their way into Messanic. It wasn¡¯t just those they¡¯d rode in on. More were coming from all directions, some in groups and some not.


    Nephrite¡¯s eyes traveled north to the ominous rock face on the horizon. Beyond those crater walls was ground zero, where the undead roamed. Messanic¡¯s relative safety will not last.


    Stella Gladesong dropped down besides them, wearing a maroon outfit and a silver great bow on her back. The immortal had been firing the weapon constantly at distant threats on the journey from Hearth.


    ¡°Thank you for assisting us.¡± Jayden said. ¡°Did you locate many rifts?¡±


    ¡°Yes, some recently opened in the last few days.¡± Stella scowled. ¡°The convoy departs tomorrow, so the time I can aid you is limited. I¡¯ll guide you to them immediately.¡± Extending a hand, a crimson Butterfly fluttered from her fingers and darted off into the wilderness.


    They raced through the warped landscape following the red speck. Soon Jayden stopped, and Gladiator gathered around him. The area ahead was covered in snow with barely visible white-furred beasts lurking in wait. Demonic ferrets, wolves, and bears. In their center shimmered a rift.


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    ¡°There must be at least a thousand roosting here.¡± Arika observed.


    ¡°Stella was right.¡± Jayden declared. ¡°They are definitely eying Messanic.¡±


    Normally demonic beasts could only exist in the vicinity of rifts. There were two ways for them to escape this restriction and invade human lands. One was to have a sovereign lead them. The other was to roost. By crossing over and then channeling, demonic beasts could slowly build up the ¡®duration¡¯ needed to move around freely. This horde would threaten Messanic if left unattended.


    ¡°Do we slaughter them?¡± Haron asked, forming bloody cleavers.


    Jayden shook his head, pointing to the butterfly hovering by the rift. ¡°Just watch.¡±


    The bombardment came from above. All Nephrite saw were faintly gleaming lines, like raindrops catching light. The beasts, which had barely begun reacting, imploded out existence, leaving only divots in the frozen ground.


    Nephrite shivered at the swift executions. So those were the famous void arrows. After millennia spent carving holes in her opponents, Stella¡¯s arrows evolve into this lethal form, incorporating nullification magic. Together with the vision provided by her crimson butterfly familiars, they could delete enemies at frightening ranges. If not for their weakness against the undead, Stella might¡¯ve eclipsed Lily Morgana during the Dark Age. For living foes, she¡¯s more feared.


    ¡°We need fear no danger on this side.¡± Jayden smirked.


    Crossing the rift, they found themselves in a glacial valley surrounded by hate-filled eyes. On their right, an enormous ferret towering over his demonic brethren, and on their left a giant owl perched on a boulder above his underlings. Two sovereigns!


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget the plan!¡± Jayden snapped. ¡°Leave this to me.¡± Completing hand gestures in a flash, he placed both palms on the ground. Gemstone monoliths sprung all around them, impaling many unlucky beasts.


    Nephrite led Gladiator away from the chaos, killing those blocking their way and ignoring the rest. Before long, she located what she¡¯d been searching for.


    ¡°There.¡± She shouted. As expected given the number which were opening, each of Mount Gull¡¯s regions now had multiple rifts.


    On the other side was another snowy section of twisted land. Letting her teammates handle the roosting beasts, Nephrite traveled up to the surface. She saw the Blue Abyss directly to her east and Aery¡¯s blurry outline to her west. About fifty miles north of Tulven. Jotting down the estimated location, she rejoined the others.


    Returning to the Ether, they found the battle over, with only traces of the brief skirmish remaining. Thank goodness Jayden was right. With Mount Gull in a yet unstable state, sovereigns couldn¡¯t afford to risk death and would retreat in front of a genuine threat.


    Nephrite spotted a sapphire tower on the ridge surrounding the valley. Their leader was busy charting out the layout on this side. Only once they understood what led where could they begin a deeper infiltration of Kaygren¡¯s gargantuan mountain.


    By the time they¡¯d scouted another rift, Jayden was waiting for them. ¡°Reinforcements are on their way, we must withdraw.¡± He warned.


    Outside at their starting location, they finally relaxed, catching their breath.


    ¡°Were you successful?¡± Nephrite asked.


    ¡°Partly.¡± Jayden unfolded a large parchment displaying a surprising amount of geographical detail. ¡°I sketched all I could see. Once we¡¯ve repeated this a dozen times, I¡¯ll assemble our first rudimentary map.¡± He glanced up at the crimson butterfly circling overhead. ¡°Time to move on to the next one.¡±

 [Book II Chapter 43] Zentrias: Braving the Nolfis Underground

    [Book II Chapter 43] Zentrias: Braving the Nolfis Underground


    ------------------------------------------------


    ¡°Best of luck.¡± Zentrias offered. They were gathered at the Nolfis Base Fortress to see Filia off.


    ¡°I¡¯m traveling to compete in a sukemon tournament.¡± Filia laughed. ¡°You¡¯re the ones who¡¯ll need the good fortune.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t die.¡± She added as the lift¡¯s metal grate closed. They watched her disappear up into the mist.


    ¡°The supplies you requested are there.¡± Philip Sabet gestured at two large crates. ¡°That¡¯s quite a lot. How deep are you planning on going?¡±


    ¡°As far as we can.¡± Carol answered, breaking into the containers. They divvied up enough rations for several weeks, stashing everything in dimensional pouches then in their lugger packs.


    ¡°The easiest-to-find entrance is at the end of central avenue, at the heart of Nolfis.¡± Philip advised before they departed.


    After a couple of minutes spent crossing haunted streets, they came upon an enormous vault door left ajar. Vast interconnected shelters had been built under the city. After the rupture, these were quickly breached, turning into a giant death trap for all within. Juda summoned fire fairies to light the way down.


    The spirits within were unlike those above ground. Some ran by screeching in horror. Others knelt begging for their life from an unseen assailant. In dark corners, the frantic prayers were repeated endlessly.


    ¡°I hate this¡±  Carol mumbled.


    ¡°Really?¡± Juda responded. ¡°I find them reassuring. Ghosts mean we aren¡¯t in the dungeon yet.¡±


    Descending three levels, they found a doorway with cryptic runes glowing green around its frame. The entrance to the Nolfis Underground was discovered fifty years after the city¡¯s fall. Looters wandered in accidentally, and one survived to tell the tale. The dungeon was floor after floor populated with monsters born from the worst of nightmares. Every phobia was represented, which made assembling a full party tough. To compensate, the place was filled with narrow hallways, dead ends, and other bottlenecks to allow undersized groups to deal with threats.


    The next floor down was a maze of stony catacombs. Glowing nonsensical symbols scribbled haphazardly on the walls provided faint illumination. There were no apparitions, just the distant sound of hissing. Creeping forward cautiously, Zentrias held up a hand as something slithered by in front of them.


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    In a moment the thing returned. It had the head and body of a snake, together with a humanoid Torso and arms ending in sharp talons. Glancing back, Zentrias saw Juda and Carol waiting patiently, staring at him.


    Right, I promised to use my eyes¡­ Before he¡¯d been content to gradually work his way up to the wall. The dark age had taken this luxury. Only a couple of months of adventuring remained, a year or two at most, and then they¡¯d be drawn up into some conflict or other. The time pressure of this coming chaos weighed on him, so much so that he¡¯d agreed to bent his most sacred rule. Too late for regrets.


    Zentrias focused on the skulking monstrosity, expanding his senses. The patterns flowing within its body became clear. He dashed forward and punched, sending the creatures flying into a wall. It wheezed angrily, rising up only to collapse immediately. Convulsing on the ground, various portions of its body swelled up before exploding into a bloody mess.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take care of the rest.¡± Zentrias declared. More snake men were gathering, alerted by their dying companion. They lunged with fangs and claws. With one strike, he shattered their jaws and limbs. With the next, he ended their lives.


    An old familiar rush came over him. Part of him, long buried, felt great pride, even satisfaction. Sensing lifeforce and snuffing out was his unique ability. Despite himself, he reveled in the power.


    Soon he stood panting lightly, everything dead. Only then was the elation replaced with shame.


    ¡°Astounding,¡± Juda walked over to studying the disintegrate corpses. ¡°You really can destroy living beings as easily as inanimate objects¡­ I¡¯m almost angry you never used this before.¡±


    ¡°He has his reasons.¡±  Carol said. ¡°The destructive magics he embraces have an adverse effect on his mind when employed this way, among other things.¡±


    Juda frowned. ¡°This place is already known for messing with your head. Is it alright for him to use it?¡±


    Before Zentrias could answer, Carol spoke up, ¡°I judged it ok. We just need to keep an eye on him.¡±


    That¡¯s not the whole story. While what Carol said was true, the problem was more than that. His ability was almost a cheat, to the point of allowing a child to easily strike down combat-trained adults. In his youth he¡¯d lost himself in this strength, and he could feel it seeping back, the pride he¡¯d felt back then. His dormant former self was rejoicing. I¡¯m a like a reformed gambling addict who has decided to visit a casino.


    ¡°By the way, I have some good news.¡± Carol continued. ¡°Even with Jonathan¡¯s pendant, I could always feel eyes on me in the Undermist. That¡¯s gone here. I didn¡¯t realize the impenetrability of dungeons worked to this extent.¡±


    While it was possible to travel between realms in the Ether, Dungeons and other spaces maintained by the HEAVENLY DAO were an exception. Apparently they were so cut off from the rest that Carol¡¯s unseen stalkers could no longer track her, despite this place¡¯s connection with the moonlit lands.


    ¡°You¡¯ll still be facing plenty of monsters.¡± Juda remarked.


    ¡°True and unnerving.¡± Carol agreed.  ¡°But compared to the scenario I was expecting, it¡¯s far more manageable.¡±


    They continued downward into the depths, Zentrias praying he wouldn¡¯t lose himself.

 [Book II Chapter 44] DYLAN: Rupture

    [Book II Chapter 44] DYLAN: Rupture


    ------------------------------------------------


    Dylan skipped along a mountain ridge, his mind in turmoil. While he¡¯d eliminated another of the eight, he felt no joy this time. Bao Pan had been confident about returning to life, a feat which would negate his entire revenge plan. If ¡®Bao Pan¡¯ was its real name at all. He suspected some form of possession, but he had no idea by what or how.


    <<At least they can¡¯t come back right away, else the first two would have warned Bao.>> Doehser Fang reasoned.


    ¡°True, but the others didn¡¯t release their souls in such a showy fashion.¡± Dylan answered. ¡°It¡¯s possible it¡¯ll be faster with her.¡±


    Dylan grimaced. This meant Lin Xiao would eventually be in danger at the Morning Dew Sect. He¡¯d never forgive himself if she was harmed through his ignorant actions.


    He¡¯d stopped by New Vale on his way home in hopes of meeting Gen Jiang, but found him departed. He desperately needed guidance to determine what he was facing. Dowart, despite his ageless wisdom, was of no help in this instance. His most likely bet was the patriarch of the Ghost Corrosion Sect, Yaozu Gao, who his master had approached. With his standing as prominent prodigy, Gen might¡¯ve been able to arrange a meeting.


    <<Look there.>>  Dowart interrupted his brooding.


    A shining blue figure was flying towards them. Dylan recognized it as a swan made of glowing water. The Morning Dew Sect¡¯s distress signal¡­ God no! In an emergency, dozens of the waterfowl would rise from the sect¡¯s lake and scatter in all directions.


    Dylan scrambled down the slope and raced up the valley. Now that he concentrated, he could see smoke far off in the distance. Please, not again.


    As he rounded a mountain bend, he stumbled upon a giant red lizard ambling towards him. What is a salamander doing here? The forest behind the beast was ablaze, as well as the grass everywhere it walked. Dylan made his way around the reptile, relieve it didn¡¯t appear interested in fighting.


    <<Those reside exclusively on the plane of fire.>> Dowart said. <<Unless someone summoned one and left it free to roam¡­>>


    Dylan sprinted through the flaming trees. Please¡­ After an eternity, he reached an unfamiliar hellscape. Everything around the Morning Dew Sect was burning, including the island itself with several phoenixes circling above. The normally splendid surrounding lake had dropped a dozen feet. At its narrowest side, more salamanders were jumping across, hindered weakly by a few water dragon rising from the surface.


    ¡°Get away from there!¡± Dylan charged the invaders.


    The pack of lizards turned and hissed, sending waves of fire and hurling globs of molten spit. In response, he embraced the Greater Mystery of Magma and accelerated. The attacks assaulted, singing his robes, but failed to do any damage. A layer of dark stone now covered his skin, flickering with the glow of lit charcoals, and his muscles pulsed with the power of the fiery earth. Brandishing Resplendent Delusion, he unleashed his fury, hacking off limps and knocking disabled foes into the lake.


    Once several of the beasts were floundering in the water, screeching in pain, the herd withdrew and glared from a distance. Panting, Dylan¡¯s heart sank when he saw other groups arriving from the burning mountain. I don¡¯t have time for this.


    Jumping to the Morning Dew compound, Dylan was relieved to spot an area of green deep in the smoke. Forcing his way through an unburnt bamboo grove, he emerged in a courtyard and was stunned by who he saw.


    ¡°Sulai Chen!¡± Dylan shouted, readying his sword.


    The Red Sky Disciple gave him a tired glance before returning her attention to three approaching salamanders. One by one, she hurled them off the island. He noticed her splendid robes where as tattered as his own.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± He demanded.


    ¡°Protecting the survivors of this sect.¡± Sulai gestured to a mostly intact building.


    ¡°Dylan!¡± Lin came running out. ¡°You¡¯re back!¡±


    ¡°What happened?¡± He asked.


    ¡°A nearby rift connected to the plane of fire and ruptured. We barely had any warning before we were attacked.¡±


    Dylan grimaced. Whenever the Ether¡¯s greater realms came in contact with Enera, there was the risk of a rupture forming. These unstable mega-rifts had spheres of influence extending hundreds of miles. Until they collapsed, any of the realm¡¯s creatures could cross over and wander at will.


    Dylan crouched down besides Lin, ¡°Can you create your mist here?¡± That supernatural fog would be the best defense against the never-ending tide of beasts.


    ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± Lin shook her head, tears forming. ¡°The infernal ape won¡¯t let me. Every time I try, it gets angry and sends a horrible wave of heat.¡±


    ¡°Over there.¡± Sulai pointed to the compound¡¯s main building. On the roof, an enormous red monkey was lounging in the flames. ¡°It must be the sovereign presiding over the region where the rupture occurred. Fortunately, it¡¯s content to watch while it¡¯s underlings do the destroying, but, as long as it¡¯s here, they¡¯ll keep coming.¡±


    With a shrill cry, a phoenix released a burst of fire from the sky at some distant target. ¡°So it¡¯s the reason they¡¯re assaulting so relentlessly?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Yanfei came out to join them. ¡°My husband and Mei Shenmu, as well as Sulai¡¯s companions, are fighting. Can you help them?¡± There was a desperate pleading in her eyes.


    Dylan nodded, facing Lin again. ¡°I am going to get rid of that ape somehow. Be ready to create your mist.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Lin smiled, reassured by his confident tone.


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    ¡°Please make sure Soul Skyfell survives.¡± Sulai added half-heartedly as he left.


    I will if I can, Dylan thought. While he still didn¡¯t care for the boy, anyone who had come to defend the Morning Dew Sect had earned that much.


    Ignoring the infernal ape, four saints were scattered across the compound, focusing on extinguishing the flames and expelling the trespassers. The damage was less extensive than expect thanks to their combined efforts. Still, with the salamanders and phoenixes continuously igniting everything, it was only a matter of time before buildings collapsed.


    ¡°You¡¯re back!¡± The Morning Dew matriarch was the first to notice him.


    Dylan rushed over, ¡°Is it alright for you to be out here? Maybe you should retreat and defend the others with Sulai?¡± She looked strong, but he knew how little time left she had.


    Mei chuckled bitterly, ¡°At this point I won¡¯t last the day regardless, so there¡¯s no point. Besides¡­¡± She glared at the figure on the main building. ¡°You¡¯ll need my help.¡±


    Dylan swallowed the bitterness gripping his heart. ¡°What¡¯s the situation?¡± He asked.


    ¡°That sovereign invaded two hours ago and has been drawing in demonic beasts ever since. When those three saints arrived, we tried engaging it.¡± Mei motioned towards Soul. ¡°The young boy over there apparently has an attack capable of killing the immortal beast, but it was too agile. Its searing heat makes approaching difficult, and we couldn¡¯t even dislodge it from its perch. Since then we¡¯ve been fighting a losing battle against its underlings.¡±


    Mei clenched her fists, ¡°If only we could lure it to the north shore, where the magical arrays in the lake are strongest, I might be able to trap it briefly.¡±


    Dylan glanced towards interloper on the roof. Laying lazily on its size, the infernal ape was eating strange red fruits from a huge bag. Occasionally, it would hoot and holler while watching the chaos.


    Mei grabbed his shoulder, ¡°Dylan, look!¡±


    On a distant mountain, the burning forest was being flattened by red tide. Peering closer, he realized it was hundreds of gigantic creatures moving as one.


    <<A herd of galvanic rhinos.>> Dowart stated. <<The larger ones are sovereigns. Nothing will be left in their wake.>>


    We need Lin¡¯s mist! Dylan turned to Mei, ¡°Go ahead to the north shore and prepare yourself. I¡¯ll bring the ape to you.¡±


    He then shouted at the top of his lungs, ¡°Kailen, I need you to prevent more salamanders from crossing over. Do whatever it takes.¡±


    ¡°Yingtai, the phoenixes are your duty. Keep them at bay, even if only for a while.¡±


    ¡°Soul, you and I will clear the island of these irritating lizards.¡±


    Relieved at his presence, the others heeded his commands, and Dylan joined Soul on a slaughtering spree. If forcing the infernal ape to move doesn¡¯t work, then we just need to lure him to us. Judging by its reaction to Lin, the beast would be enraged if they removed its entertainment. For good measure, he channeled the Greater mystery of aurora, dropping the temperature.


    Soon they¡¯d felled the last one, and most of the island was covered in frost. Only the main building was still aflame, the heat easily repelling the cold. On it, the sovereign continued munching happily.  Damn, I figured that would¡¯ve been enough.


    ¡°It¡¯s watching Kailen and Yingtai struggle.¡± Soul observed. ¡°It knows they can¡¯t hold off the demonic beasts for long.¡±


    That stubborn monkey¡­ ¡°Distract it for a minute.¡± Dylan said as the northern lights obscured his image. ¡°I¡¯ll do something it can¡¯t ignore.¡±


    Nodding, Soul formed an large spell circle, and a gigantic block of ice appeared above the main building. The infernal ape watched this happen, grinning broadly. It raised a finger, releasing a spinning torrent of flame. With the upward force counteracting gravity, the falling block hovered in air, balancing on the column of fire. The monkey had fun directing it left and right as it melted away.


    With its free hand, the infernal ape swatted down a wave of hail and snow from Soul. It then reached to the side and frowned. A white blade was sticking out from its fruit bag. The metal glowed brightly then exploded, shooting ice shards in every direction. The monkey¡¯s precious snacks were sent flying, broken and frozen.


    ¡°RAAAAAAAWWWWWWWR!¡±


    Dylan jumped out of the building to escape the crushing heat. A second later, the entire structure gave way, consumed by a towering blaze. The monkey walked out of the inferno, fangs barred in a horrible expression.


    ¡°We¡¯ve got its attention now.¡± Soul said joining him.


    The sovereign attacked in a flash, claws of flames springing from his extremities. They blocked the furious blows with their weapons, backpedaling under their weight. Everything around them burned fiercely, and tiny embers drifted the turbulent air, searing their skin upon contact.


    They fled desperately, Soul interposing himself to take the brunt of the assault, his ice armor shattering bit by bit. Dylan was ashamed to admit, but he couldn¡¯t withstand the scorching strikes in the same way, even with the Greater Mystery of Aurora.


    They dove into the lake to escape a burst of scarlet fire. When they emerged, the infernal ape was glaring at them, power crackling in its hands.


    Then the lake receded around their legs, its surface undulating bizarrely. As they paused to take in the phenomenon, an enormous figure sprung from the water, shooting along the shore and cutting them off from the island. Mei Shenmu rode on the back of the serpent-shaped dragon, appearing tiny astride its mass.


    ¡°Time to meet your end, you degenerate monkey!¡± She shouted.


    As the dragon coiled around them, uncertainty spread on the infernal ape¡¯s face. It turned, crouched, and leapt.


    ¡°Oh no, you don¡¯t!¡± Mei growled. The dragon soared in pursuit, the whole lake emptying to sustain its form. High in the sky, its jaws clamped down on the terrified ape.


    ¡°Heaven Splitter!¡± Soul released an uppercut aimed at the silhouette tumbling in the far off liquid. Diamonds Edge¡¯s power stuck the dragon¡¯s head, freezing and dividing it in two. The infernal ape torso was in one half, its legs in the other.


    As the rest of the water construct came crashing down, Dylan struggled over to where Mei had fallen. The matriarch of the Morning Dew Sect had gone deathly pale.


    ¡°Always knew this day¡­ would come,¡± Mei whispered, ¡°but I never suspected¡­ so soon¡­¡± The light faded from her eyes.


    ¡°Sorry¡­¡± Kneeling besides her, Dylan wrung his hands.


    ¡°Mei!¡± Kailen came barreling over, knocking him back. ¡°No, no, no¡­¡± He clenched her lifeless body. Tears streaming down his face, he glared up accusingly. ¡°Why weren¡¯t you here?¡± Dylan winced, not having the words to respond.


    <<Leave him.>> Dowart said softly. <<The danger isn¡¯t over.>>


    Right, the galvanic rhinos. Sprinting across the island, Dylan was relieve to see fog spreading. Lin was sitting in the middle of the courtyard, Sulai and the other survivors nearby.


    ¡°She started cultivating as soon as the infernal ape yelled.¡± Sulai explained. ¡°So this mist can protect us?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Dylan answered. Spotting a ragged Yingtai Qiao descending from above, he approached the Rippling Tempest disciple. ¡°Thank you for defending the Morning Dew Sect.¡±


    ¡°Soul is the one you should direct your gratitude towards.¡± Yingtai sighed. ¡°Neither Sulai or myself would be here otherwise. He rushed over the moment he saw the swan signal, and he¡¯s the one who fought hardest before you arrived.¡±


    And he killed the infernal ape, Dylan admitted. Floating above, Doward commented. <<If not for his intervention, you would¡¯ve have lost everything a second time. You owe him a serious debt.>>


    Taking a deep breath, Dylan walked over to Soul resting against a wall. ¡°Ask for anything.¡± He declared. ¡°If it is within my power, I shall grant it.¡±


    ¡°No need.¡± Soul looked up, clearly exhausted. ¡°I didn¡¯t come expecting a reward.¡±


    Dylan smirked. ¡°I know that. This is for my sake. I must repay your aid, or I¡¯ll never be at a peace. So please make a demand.¡±


    He waited as the boy studied him. ¡°Alright¡­¡± Soul said slowly. ¡°Risk your life to save another.¡±


    ¡°What¡­?¡± Dylan¡¯s brows furrowed.


    ¡°Repay my efforts today by passing along the favor.¡± Soul repeated. ¡°Find someone facing certain death and save them. Do that, and we¡¯re even.¡±


    <<You¡¯re the one who pressed him.>>  Dowart Fain laughed. <<Looks like you¡¯ll be a hero, if only for a day.>>


    Part of Dylan wanted to rage at the absurd request. Instead, he closed his eyes and calmed himself. If that is what he truly wants¡­


    He smiled awkwardly. ¡°I promise you the deed will be done.¡±

 [Book II Chapter 45] LIGHT: Confronting a Fang Shinobi

    [Book II Chapter 45] LIGHT: Confronting a Fang Shinobi


    ------------------------------------------------


    <<I can definitely sense it this time.>>  Kuro reported. <<The faint aroma of humans.>>


    They were gathered at the edge of a pine forest above Mount Gull¡¯s midway point. For their infiltration they¡¯d been relying on Light¡¯s familiar to sniff out the village of Fang. This was their first solid confirmation.


    ¡°So it¡¯s towards the top¡­¡± Jayden muttered.


    Light rubbed Kuro just below his ears in the way the shadow wolf loved. He couldn¡¯t wait to show off his familiar to his siblings. This adventure on Mount Gull was everything he¡¯d ever dreamed of: a real shinobi mission of the utmost importance. The seriousness with which his teammates treated everything made it doubly perfect. Hiding his excitement was tough.


    ¡°What¡¯s our next step?¡± Arika asked. ¡°Should we target the weaker sovereign at the bottom and try to destabilize the mountain?¡± Their task was to delay the coming invasion and gather intel.


    ¡°Maybe later.¡± Jayden answered. ¡°Our priority is still to scout the higher portions. Fang ninjas are more dangerous than the hordes of demonic beasts. We need more details on what they¡¯re planning.¡±


    With Stella Gladesong¡¯s assistance, they¡¯d successfully mapped out the bottom half of Mount Gull.  Surveying the top had proved more elusive. The sovereigns up there were stronger and didn¡¯t retreat when confronted, preventing Jaiden from studying the land. In several cases, the danger had been so great that Arika had even warned against entering the rifts. A necromancer ninja is such an awesome combination.


    ¡°It¡¯ll be risky.¡± Nephrite commented. ¡°We won¡¯t have exit routes memorized, and those damned eagles are everywhere.¡±


    Light regarded Gladiator¡¯s leader with mixed feelings. Nephrite was his polar opposite: rational to a fault. While he respected her earnest drive and overwhelming competence, these evoked feelings of inadequacy he didn¡¯t enjoy. I suppose she¡¯s right to worry.


    They¡¯d begun their incursion two days ago, and it had mostly gone smoothly. Kaygren clearly didn¡¯t care if the lower reaches were compromised. Aside from those guarding the rifts, the majority of beasts regarded them as allies and left them alone. It must be hard for them to distinguish between different ninjas.


    Climbing higher, they¡¯d encountered more and more storm eagles circling overhead. Their eyesight was uncanny, and they seemed to recognize them as outsiders, raising the alarm. If not for the vast pine forest flowing over Mount Gull, their exploration might¡¯ve been shut down entirely.


    ¡°Agreed, but we must proceed while they¡¯re still relatively disorganized. In a few weeks, it¡¯ll be more than the eagles that can distinguish us.¡± Jayden said.


    That would be troublesome.  Currently they were moving around freely under the tree cover. At night, Jayden excavated and sealed a cavern for them to sleep in. Only when they had to cross rocky stretches in open areas were they in danger.


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    Light frowned. While the continent-sized mountain was cool, it seemed unwieldy and hard to defend. ¡°Why did Kaygren expand Mount Gull?¡± He asked. ¡°What advantage does it provide?¡±


    ¡°To build an endless army.¡± Jayden answered. ¡°Demonic beasts spawn naturally in underpopulated areas, and a realm of this size can generate tens of thousands per day. Once the space is stable enough for sovereigns to leave, they¡¯ll attempt to overwhelm us with numbers.¡±


    ¡°My burning question,¡± Haron added, ¡°is why did Kaygren wait until the dark age to finally act?¡±


    Light admired the blood ninja¡¯s unique style of combat ¡ª¡ªblood blades are badass¡ª¡ª and envied his ongoing competition with Akira. I want my own rival¡­


    ¡°Perhaps because his plans depend on the village of Fang in some way.¡± Jayden answered. ¡°This would explain why he took them in despite his hatred for humanity.¡±


    <<I smell smoke.>>  Kuro interrupted, sniffing the air.  <<A lot of it.>>


    Peeking above the canopy, they saw a forest fire raging in the distance. A nearby a humanoid figure with wings was swooping down and releasing jets of flames, expanding the blaze.


    ¡°Kenji.¡± Jayden observed. ¡°A Fang ninja from my generation who was fused with a fire drake. I¡¯ll go confront him and see what we can learn. Follow but stay out of sight.¡±


    An orange gemstone pillar shot into the sky. On it, Jayden cried out, ¡°Kenji! What are you doing here?¡±


    The draconic man flew close, ¡°I received reports of suspicious shinobi and tracked them to this vicinity. Never expected to find you. It¡¯s been centuries since I¡¯ve seen your face.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean.¡± Jayden responded angrily. ¡°Why are you turning against Harakoune to work with Kaygren? Do you realize how many will die?¡±


    ¡°You speak of betrayal?¡± Kenji spat. ¡°You who abandoned the village?¡±


    ¡°The Fang Lord¡¯s actions were unconscionable.¡± Jayden replied ¡°I watched too many friends die or go mad. There¡¯s no way I could stay.¡±


    ¡°Spare me the sanctimonious drivel. You know what our lord was striving to achieve.¡± Kenji snapped. ¡°Every one of the hidden villages loses hundreds of aspiring shinobi each year. To the twisted lands, to the Winding and other dungeons. Our lord grew tired of watching this and summoned Salazar Rook.¡±


    ¡°Yes, many died, but the goal was noble. Gift our youth the strength to prosper. Sacrifice a few so more would live and thrive.¡±


    ¡°A few?¡± Jayden laughed. ¡°There was only one survivor out of the first hundred and four out of the second!¡±


    ¡°But twelve made it the time after that!¡± Kenji countered. ¡°We were on the cusp of a breakthrough, which is why the other villages turned against us.¡±


    ¡°What are you implying?¡± Jayden frowned.


    ¡°Are you naive enough to believe they acted out of moral outrage? Salazar worked with us for decades. They never raised a peep during our initial failures. Only upon learning the results of the third generation did they voice their objections. They feared our success would upend Harakoune¡¯s balance of power.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps their motives were less than pure.¡± Jayden crossed his arms. ¡°But their decision wasn¡¯t wrong.¡±


    Kenji stared coldly. ¡°By forcing us to abandon our fusion research, all the lives forfeited in its pursuit became meaningless. The Fang Lord will never forgive those who conspired against us. The sentiment is shared by all who volunteered their children. The world made us its enemy.¡±


    ¡°So Fang truly intends to fight alongside demonic beasts?¡± Jayden asked softly.


    ¡°Yes, and it¡¯ll happen sooner than you think.¡± Kenji smirked.


    Jayden shook his head. ¡°The village will have no future after this.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s assuming the world doesn¡¯t end.¡± Kenji launched a fireball which shattered the gemstone pillar. ¡°I¡¯ll let you off today. Next time there will be no such mercy, even if it means angering Azumi.¡±


    As Kenji soared away, Light swallowed his disappointment. A battle between two immortal ninjas would¡¯ve been epic to witness. At least I got some hints about Jayden¡¯s background. Who is this Azumi?


    ¡°What do we do?¡± Nephrite asked after they¡¯d regrouped.


    ¡°We retreat for now.¡± Jayden sighed. ¡°Then we infiltrate deeper. It¡¯s more critical than ever that we determine their plans.¡±

 [Book II Chapter 46] ROSE: The Land of Lightning

    [Book II Chapter 46] ROSE: The Land of Lightning


    ------------------------------------------------


    From within the airship, Rose watched electricity wrack the sky around them. They¡¯d just entered Garnen, the Land of Lightning. A hilly landscape spread out under thick gray clouds. Everywhere the ground was struck, the grass glowed yellow in a giant circle, sparkling with static.


    ¡°Enjoying Garnen¡¯s light show?¡± Roxanne asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s like a maelstorm, but without the wind.¡± Rose answered. ¡°Has it really been raging for thousands of years?¡±


    ¡°While I can¡¯t attest to it personally,¡± Roxanne laughed, ¡°I¡¯ve never seen clear skies here.¡±


    ¡°The plants are the proof.¡± Lucy added. ¡°Since sunlight is sparse, they¡¯ve evolved new ways to draw energy.¡±


    A deafening thunder echoed throughout the cabin. Nervously, Rose glanced at the diamond shaped object floating a short distance away outside. The metal rods protruding from its top and bottom were crackling with energy. Their safety depended on this row of areal lighting rods which guided the airship traffic.


    ¡°Look over there.¡± Roxanne pointed.


    Rose initially thought it was one wyverns but then remembered where she was. At a closer examination, the beast¡¯s size was shocking, larger than the creations her mother brought to the Isle of Dreams. Four powerful limbs extended below the wide wings, tipped with fearsome talons, and an armored knight sat atop its black and gold scales.


    ¡°Is that a dragon?¡± She asked.


    Roxanne smiled. ¡°Garnen didn¡¯t built giant walls during the dark age. Instead they withdrew from the borders and cast spells that intensified the weather to a frightening level. When the undead invaded, the dragon riders flew out to direct the heaven¡¯s wrath. Few ever reached the cities.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re approaching Vandril.¡± Elliot announced from the pilot seat. ¡°Again, I must thank you for agreeing to this.¡±


    Cindy Rollen, who Elliot Watson currently served, had contacted the butler immortal with a request for a fourth party member, and he¡¯d approached Rose. Upon learning the dungeon they¡¯d be visiting was the Starless Peninsula, a Norani Neverwhere ruins, Roxanne had immediately agreed on her behalf. Hence the new adventure.


    ¡°After your hospitality, it¡¯s the least I can do.¡± Rose responded graciously.


    During their stay at the immortal¡¯s estate in Remnant, Elliot had personally tended to their every need with a supernatural dexterity. No matter how fast he is, cooking up a feast in the blink of an eye shouldn¡¯t be possible.


    ¡°And there it is.¡± Roxanne said.


    Long flat stretches of earth hovered above the yellow-green hills, far thinner than the fragments Rose had grown accustomed to seeing. Enormous chains held them together, and even more fastened everything to the land below. On this aerial foundation spread out a magnificent city, lightning constantly assaulting its tall spires. Rose watched the redirected electricity crackle all the way to the ground through the metal anchorings.


    ¡°If I recall right, it¡¯s always been this way, even before the fracturing¡­¡± Rose said.


    Roxanne nodded, ¡°Vandril was the hubris of Gregor Almight, Garnen¡¯s founder. He was quite a character. A bit much to handle.¡±


    Rose turned to her mentor. ¡°You knew him?¡±


    ¡°Everyone did back then.¡± Roxanne laughed. ¡°He made sure of that. Never met anyone more full of himself. As the Lightning Emperor, he wasn¡¯t content building an ordinary capital, forcing the bedrock skyward through his mastery of electromagnetic. Garnen¡¯s eternal storm was a byproduct of the process.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s pretty extreme.¡± Rose commented.


    ¡°Although I despised the man when we first met,¡± Roxanne confessed, ¡°I was saddened to learn of his passing. During the Dark Age, Vandril¡¯s defenses were formidable enough that he could afford to lend his aid to others. With near instantaneous travel and power to rival Ethan Skyfell¡¯s, Gregor would appear on the battlefield and instantly turn the tide. I¡¯ll never forget the relief I felt the first time he arrived, the most arrogant of heroes.¡±


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    ¡°How did he die?¡± Rose asked.


    ¡°He was felled by the curse of the first undead champion.¡± Roxanne scowled. ¡°His death taught us their terror.¡±


    They landed in the courtyard of a sprawling property. Among the grandiose architecture, three intimidating individuals were waiting to greet them, along with an entire garrison of knights standing at attention.


    Lucy whispered as they disembarked, ¡°The blond-haired beauty is Cindy. The other two are Kassandra and Nicolas Almight, the two leading scions of their clan. Don¡¯t ask about their scars.¡±


    These words drew Rose¡¯s attention to the burn marks on the Garnen immortals. Originating from their right hands, those on Nicholas reached up his neck and part of face.


    ¡°This is quite a welcoming.¡± Roxanne said wryly.


    ¡°Only fitting for two legends,¡± Kassandra declared, turning to Rose. ¡°You are Astra¡¯s daughter? The one coming to assist Cindy?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Rose answered stiffly.


    Kassandra nodded. ¡°Cindy is our guest here and so shall you be as well. Garden will not forget your contributions.¡±


    While Rose was trying to make sense of this, Cindy Rollen stepped forwards, ¡°Could we dispense with the formalities? I believe I can handle it from here.¡±


    ¡°Very well.¡± Kassandra signaled the knights with a sharp gesture.


    As they withdrew, Nicholas Almight called back, ¡°I will be expecting you for sparring this evening.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Cindy responded. ¡°I greatly appreciate the guidance.¡±


    Once alone, Cindy addressed Elliot. ¡°Thank you for bringing Rose Skyfell. You can go now.¡±


    With a hint of amused resignation, Elliot gave an immaculate bow. ¡°Your wish is my command. Remember you can call on me at any time.¡±


    Cindy visibly relaxed once the airship had left. ¡°Sorry to drag you into this. Let me show you to your quarters.¡±


    ¡°What was that about not ¡®forgetting your contributions¡¯?¡± Rose asked.


    Cindy paused mid stride, ¡°Elliot didn¡¯t explain?¡±


    ¡°He only mentioned that the Starless Peninsula is a troublesome place that ¡®overflows¡¯ if left unattended too long.¡± Rose said.


    ¡°I see.¡± Cindy resumed their trek across the compound. ¡°It¡¯s true the nearby town put out a quest to clear the dungeon, but that¡¯s not the real reason I¡¯m organizing this expedition. Those Norani Neverwhere are a source of spell shards, an important material which powers some of Garnen¡¯s defense. Zaer¡¯s Chosen recently did an inventory and judged our supplies insufficient. With the Starless Peninsula about to fall within the Grey Kingdom¡¯s borders, securing more is paramount.¡±


    ¡°Zaer¡¯s Chosen is Garnen¡¯s military order.¡± Lucy added.


    Cindy glanced back at Rose. ¡°Why did you accept knowing so little?¡± She asked.


    ¡°That was my doing.¡± Roxanne interjected. ¡°I want Rose to learn her Norani spell core.¡±


    Rose remembered her mentor¡¯s explanation. Norani were masters of arcane, fashioning spells more powerful than anything on Enera. The secret behind this came from the cores of their magic circles, which were tailored specifically to the caster¡¯s soul. For Rose to learn her own, she¡¯d have to recover a Norani spell from the Starless Peninsula.


    Cindy nodded. ¡°So you have magecraft you wish to pass on¡­ Thanks for satisfying my curiosity."


    Rose noted Cindy wore armor similar to knights from before, yet unlike them it didn¡¯t feature the outline of a golden dragon. ¡°You¡¯re not wearing the symbol?¡±


    Cindy shook her head. ¡°I am not part of the order. I came to Vandril to train under Nicolas Almight since I had the affinity for it. This is borrowed equipment.¡±


    ¡°This entire area belongs to Zaer¡¯s Chosen and the Almight clan.¡± Cindy continued. ¡°You¡¯re free to come and go as you please, but don¡¯t poke around. They¡¯re an overly serious bunch.¡±


    They entered a small mansion. ¡°This is the residence I¡¯ve been allocated.¡± She gestured to a living room. ¡°And here¡¯s the third member of party.¡±


    A grizzled dwarf was installed on an armchair. ¡°The name¡¯s Doug. Pleasure to met ya.¡± He saluted without getting up. Then he turned to Cindy. ¡°What about our fourth?¡±


    ¡°Zaer¡¯s Chosen¡¯s are lending us one of their crystal knights.¡± Cindy reported. ¡°He¡¯ll join us when we leave.¡±


    Doug grimaced. ¡°I knew you were desperate, but really¡­ An artificial saint? Was that all you could manage?¡±


    ¡°There wasn¡¯t enough time to find better.¡± Cindy declared defensively. ¡°George is competent. He won¡¯t hinder us.¡±


    Artificial saints¡­ Rose had heard the term, but recalled precious little. Fortunately, Lucy explained, ¡°There are several techniques used to create high-level soldiers. In this case, refined crystals are surgically implanted to raise channeling ability. This is only done when facing to a dire threats, since it shortens life expectancy and eliminated any chance at immortality.¡±


    ¡°Anyway¡­¡± Cindy spoke forcefully. ¡°We¡¯ll depart on the morrow. Any questions?¡±


    Rose glanced at Lucy, who rolled her eyes and nodded. ¡°The scars on Kassandra and Nicolas¡¯s arms. Could you tell us about them?¡±


    ¡°They both tried and failed to wield Zeus, the formless spear.¡± Cindy revealed. ¡°The supreme weapon was gifted to Gregor Almight by the dragon Zaer, the lord of lightning, and no one has been able to master it since. This is a sensitive topic, so best not to mention it.¡±


    ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else¡ª¡ª¡± Cindy began.


    ¡°Why are you here,¡± Roxanne cut in, ¡°when you have Elliot Watson in Remnant? Hasn¡¯t he been serving your family for generations? Seems a bit ungrateful¡­¡°


    ¡°It¡¯s because I¡¯m pursuing immortality, and the safety and convenience he represents undermines my efforts.¡± Cindy answered. ¡°When he¡¯s around I find myself tempted to rely on him, which I can¡¯t allow.¡±


    ¡°So you do intend on returning after reaching the wall?¡± Roxanne interpreted.


    ¡°That,¡± Cindy agreed, ¡°or the day I¡¯m forced to give up.¡±

 [Book II Chapter 47] HOPE: Anna Sorelli visits

    [Book II Chapter 47] HOPE: Anna Sorelli visits


    ------------------------------------------------


    Hope munched quietly on the forge¡¯s roof watching a line of soldiers march across the city. Dwarves young and old were enlisting and pouring into Corthia to train in the accelerated space. The sense of urgency was palpable.


    Two cities surrounded Ravelin, Glacis to the East and Beacon to the West. Since the capital was inaccessible to airships, these outposts were where trading took. Estimates placed the Grey Kingdom about two weeks away from reaching Beacon. It would be the first encroachment on the dwarven domain.


    This news had Hope brooding. When the time comes, who should I fight for? She¡¯d long accepted she¡¯d be fighting, both to prevent Enera¡¯s destruction and to assuage her guilt over the Dark Age. However, she¡¯d never given much though to where and for who she¡¯d risk her life. The closest she had to a home outside the arctic was the Isle of Dreams, a place which wouldn¡¯t be endangered.


    ¡°It¡¯s gotten pretty busy here.¡± Said a voice behind her. She turned, mouth full, and watched Anna Sorelli take a seat besides her.


    ¡°You are the one who suggested I ¡®just come up to talk to you¡¯.¡± She smirked.


    Hope swallowed. Anna¡¯s arrival reminded her that all her inner insecurities were laid bare before the HEAVENLY DAO¡¯S agents. How much did she¡­ did you listen to?


    ¡°Pretty much all of it. If you wanted to keep your thoughts private, you shouldn¡¯t have gone out of your way to draw my attention.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you feel any shame?¡± Hope asked.


    ¡°None.¡± Anna declared. ¡°At least not any more. Most agents do feel awkward at first, but this never lasts. Beyond the tasks assigned to us, we have little freedom to act. The entertainment of omniscience becomes indispensable.¡±


    ¡°The HEAVENLY DAO encourages this voyeurism.¡± Anna added. ¡°It wants us thinking of ourselves as observers rather than participants.¡±


    ¡°So you really are completely forbidden from interfering?¡± Hope couldn¡¯t imagine the frustration that would entail.


    ¡°Mostly, yes.¡± Anna nodded. ¡°We¡¯re incapable of hindering or helping someone like you, with one minor exception. The HEAVENLY DAO lets us call in a favor by cashing in the goodwill we¡¯ve earned in its service. Calin did this when he handed over the Staff of Creation to Free.¡±


    Hope found this revelation surprising. ¡°Does that mean you could¡¯ve helped me against that vengeful spirit of Sion Gale?¡± Hope asked.


    Anna shifted uncomfortably. ¡°Maybe, but that would¡¯ve been a big ask. Even if the HEAVENLY DAO had agreed, it would¡¯ve cost too much for me to make. What Calin did was highly unusual. Most agents horde their goodwill for the day they¡¯ll truly need it.¡±


    A tremor rocked the forge. While this normally wouldn¡¯t be a cause for alarm, a shiver ran up Hope¡¯s spine as her intuition kicked in. ¡°You¡¯re not here just for small talk are you?¡±


    Anna sighed, ¡°Performing my duties, I work with many I don¡¯t get along with. Calin has always hated Corthia. The idea of a city inside a dungeon insults his sensibilities, and he has lobbied hard to rectify the ¡®travesty¡¯. Up until now, these pleads fell on deaf ears, but the dark age gave him new leverage. Over my objections, the HEAVENLY DAO has made a decision I don¡¯t approve of.¡±


    Hope tensed up. ¡°What will happen?¡±


    ¡°In eighty three seconds, a rupture to the plane of Earth will open. Many will die.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s barely any warning at all!¡± Hope cried, her mind racing. Anna shrugged apologetically.


    Stolen story; please report.


    Her stomach in knots, Hope contacted Eren with her wristal and relayed the situation. Before racing to arm herself, she faced Anna a last time, ¡°Please find me when this is over, there¡¯s something I must ask.¡±


    Sirens rang out as Hope sprinted from her room and leapt to Corthia¡¯s outer walls. She spotted Eren among the city¡¯s defenders and rushed over ¡°Was word sent to Ravelin?¡± She asked.


    Eren shook her head. ¡°Requesting aid requires visual confirmation of the treat. The moment¡ª¡ª¡±


    A low rolling thunder reverberated across the cavern, drowning out all else. At the base of a far off rock wall, the space distorted into a shimmering whirlpool. The spinning increased in speed until a dozen rifts splintered out in all direction. The giant warped star reflected a blurred brown landscape on its surface.


    ¡°Dammit.¡± Eren whispered. ¡°I was really hoping you were wrong.¡±


    A boulder appeared, rolling and bouncing along the strip mine as though it had a mind of its own. More followed and soon hundreds of round rocks were knocking against one another excitedly.


    Eren grimaced. ¡°Rockballs¡­ There¡¯s a nasty insect in each of those. The other creatures mixed in are bear moles and gemstone porcupines.¡±


    ¡°Could they maybe be friendly?¡± Hope asked optimistically.


    ¡°Even if they are,¡± Eren sighed. ¡°The dungeon¡¯s influence will turn them hostile. And that¡¯s an earth elemental¡­¡±


    A building-sized titan stepped through. It glared at Corthia and roared. The disorganized mass around it surged forward like an avalanche.


    ¡°Fire!¡± Yelled the captain of the guards.


    A wave of crossbow bolts shot out, growing mid flight. The impact of the tree-sized spears shook the ground, yet barely slowed the earth army charging towards them.


    While the canons on the wall opened fire, Hope aimed her rifle towards a mole bear, bringing it down with a single shot. She reloaded and repeated the process as quickly as she could.


    Next to her, Eren raised her crossbow. ¡°Great, now we got land dragons.¡±


    Two lumbering behemoths had crossed over, along with two more earth elementals. Hope froze at the sight. That¡¯s five sovereigns¡­


    Eren gripped her shoulder. ¡°Reinforcement are on their way. We just need to hold out a few minutes.¡±


    Screams rang out as projectiles showered the city¡¯s defenses. Gemstone porcupines were returning fire, launching quills the size of arrows at a frantic pace. Meanwhile, some of the rockballs had unfurled themselves and were climbing up. Wicked mandibles were visible under their shells.


    Dammit. Hope grabbed her grenade launcher and blasted the bugs back. However, more arrived just as quickly. She winced seeing bear molls bury into the cliff below with astonishing swiftness. In the distance, an unstoppable tide of beasts surged towards them.


    As Hope desperately unload grenades at a nearing earth elemental, the ground began shaking violently. An earthquake was wracking the Bottomless Mines, knocking both men and beast off their feet. Even the lumbering land dragons lost their balance.


    On her knees clutching the ramparts, Hope saw a colossal black worm emerge from the rupture, its gigantic body slowly covering the strip mine. Once it¡¯d finally squeezing through, it began convulsing wildly, as though the dungeon didn¡¯t agree with it. The other beasts fled in a blind panic, many crushed before finding the safety of a crevice.


    Hope watched in horror as the monstrosity approached. Right when its body flailed towards Corthia, a giant metal fist knocked it back. A dwarf in full plate armor stood in the lake, his giant form looming over the city.


    ¡°Edgar Firson¡± Eren said, relief in her voice.


    As the coiling mass thrashed towards them again, Edgar swung a mace and smashed its head. Releasing a low rumbling hiss, the worm retreated and shook the cavern as it buried into the strip mine. Even after it had vanished, the rumbling of its movement rattled the ground under them.


    With the invading army scattered and dwarven troops pouring in, the battle was essentially over. Edgar worked with Ravelin¡¯s other immortals to seal the rupture behind a rock dome. The beasts which had breached the city were quickly hunted down.


    Leaving Eren to help with the cleanup, Hope withdrew to a quiet corner outside the forge and collapsed. I really thought I was dead there for a second¡­


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t your fault.¡± Anna declared, popping into view.


    Hope looked up, bewildered.


    ¡°That¡¯s the answer you wanted. Today wasn¡¯t due to your presence in Corthia. It would¡¯ve happened regardless. You simply got caught up in a minor disaster of this Dark Age.¡±


    ¡°How many died?¡± Hope asked.


    ¡°Around forty. Thirty on the walls and a dozen in the city. Two mole bears tunneled up into the outskirts.¡±


    Less than the werewolf outbreak on the Isle.  She wondered if some were people she knew. Chances were high given the time she¡¯d spend here.


    Anna shook her head at Hope¡¯s dour continence. ¡°We¡¯re nearing an inflection point, with conflicts picking up on many fronts. You can¡¯t care too much or it¡¯ll weight you down.¡±


    ¡°Also, try not to fret over the big questions. You¡¯re too inexperienced to reach a meaningful answer. Just follow your own path and protect those around you.¡±


    Hope smirked, ¡°Any other advice?¡±


    Anna ignored the sarcasm, staring far off in the distance. ¡°Don¡¯t head south of the Green Hell. What¡¯s happening there¡­ I¡¯ve stopped watching.¡±


    She then vanished without another word.

 [Book II Chapter 48] NEPHRITE: The Summoning Pit

    [Book II Chapter 48] NEPHRITE: The Summoning Pit


    ------------------------------------------------


    ¡°They¡¯re all converging somewhere higher.¡± Jayden observed.


    Lines of demonic beasts, numbering in the hundreds of thousands, were marching up Mount Gull. It was their first time witnessing such a large scale mobilization.


    They were well pass the mountain¡¯s midway point. To avoid the prying eyes in the sky, they were summoning gray mammoths and hiding on their underside to cross the open spaces. In doing so, they¡¯d run across another obstacle.


    White wolves patrolled the highest reaches, including the woods. Although they were erasing their scent, this was also a dead give away. Their incursions higher had all ended in a howl after being spotted.


    ¡°Do you want Light and I to engage in some covert recon?¡± Nephrite asked.


    Jayden winced. ¡°Yes, I suppose I have to. Kenji hinted the invasion might begin soon, and my gut tells me it has to do with this.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll determine what they¡¯re up to.¡± Light declared confidently. ¡°You can count on us.¡±


    Jayden regarded the eagerness with a hesitant resignation. ¡°Don¡¯t take unnecessary risks. You¡¯re guaranteed to be facing sovereigns. Do you remember the closest exits?¡±


    They both nodded. In an emergency, two nearby rifts leading to Mesanic would be their evacuation options. If we¡¯re uncovered, I doubt we¡¯ll have time to reach them.


    They made good time running invisibly along side the migrating herds. Like rivers flowing to the sea, the torrents of demonic beasts began merging together and growing in size. Each time they did so, the unoccupied space for them to travel became scarcer. Eventually there was no room at all. They paused on the last ridge before an ocean of creatures.


    <<It¡¯s too dangerous to go farther.>>  Nephrite reported through her lovers locket. Their stealth masked all traces of them save for touch. They couldn¡¯t afford to bump up against anything for fear of giving themselves away. Jayden would be disappointed but would understand.


    <<Look up there.>> Light answered. Nephrite glanced where she imagined her unseen companion was pointing. Higher on the mountain, she saw beasts traveling downward from different directions. Judging where they were all heading, she estimate their destination a couple of miles away.


    <<It¡¯s frustrating to be so close and have to turn back.>> Nephrite said.


    <<What if we use those tortoises?>>  Light asked. <<They shouldn¡¯t sense us if we move across their backs.>>


    Large green shells were ambling forwards among the throng of demonic beasts. Ranging from elephant size to building size, they resembled stepping stones in a stream. Nephrite pursed her lips at the suggestion.


    <<Jayden believed this was important.>>  Light added.


    <<Very well. Let¡¯s go.>> Nephrite sighed. I pray that is something worth gambling our lives over.


    Carefully, they hopped across the slow moving shells until they arrived a wide deep valley. All the beast were gathered around the giant pit at the center. Making their way close, Nephrite grew apprehensive.


    Ominous blackish-red runes covered the interior of the pit. Even at a distance, she could feel their power. At the bottom was a tar like liquid which somehow felt alive. A cloaked figure in gray stood at the edge. Nephrite felt an instinctual revulsion at the sight of him.


    <<Those are fang ninjas.>> Light observed.


    A group of humans stood off to the side, most were in shinobi gear.


    Every one exuded the presence of an immortal. Nephrite glanced along the front row of demonic beasts and counted several sovereigns. There would probably be more if they weren¡¯t busy maintaining Mount Gull.


    <<What do you think is going on?>> Light asked.


    Before Nephrite could answer, Lighting lit the sky, and a bolt struck the ground besides the hooded figure, materializing a gigantic tiger. The glowing neon stripes of its navy blue pelt crackled with electricity. Kaygren.


    <<You¡¯re finished?>> A thunderous voice echoed across the minds of all present.


    ¡°Indeed.¡± The cloaked man answered. ¡°The enchantments are linked to the eight candidates I found. We can bring them back whenever you¡¯re ready.¡±


    Kaygren approached the pit and glared down with disgust. <<How many will it take?>>


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    ¡°I understand your concern, but true power requires sacrifice.¡± The cloaked man responded solemnly.  ¡°You¡¯ll be happy to know I outdid myself this time. I managed to get the number down to only thirty thousand. After all, ¡®every life is precious¡¯.¡±


    Those words! Her eyes flickered to the Fang ninjas. Did they forsake their oath and bring him back? This alone made the expedition worth it. The world had to be warned that Salazar Rook was active again.


    <<So be it¡­>> Kaygren said then issued a thunderous roar.


    The hordes of demonic beasts surged forwards. Withdrawing to avoid being swept away, Nephrite watched thousands throw themselves into the pit. As soon as they neared the surface, tendrils of the tar-like substance dragged them under.


    <<Why are they killing themselves?>> Light asked.


    <<Sovereigns can dominate creatures without fully formed souls.>> Nephrite explained. <<Kaygren is forcing them to sacrifice themselves to complete a ritual.>>


    The mass suicide ended once the runes began pulsing brightly. Next the brown-black liquid began swirling towards the center, rising up and crashing down along the pit¡¯s edge. When it retreated, a giant humanoid figure was left behind. It was covered in shaggy gray fur and had a lizard tail. A demonic beast revenant, and a sovereign no less¡­  Nephrite stomach tightened at the implications.


    Holding its head, the creature struggled to its feet. <<I live¡­? I live!>> It released a deafening screech. Spotting the fang ninjas, it sneered and charged forwards. However, a bolt of lighting blasted the beast back.


    <<You aren¡¯t allowed to kill them.>> Kaygren said coldly.


    The gray giant spun towards Kaygren with fury. <<All humans must die!>>


    <<True, but these ones are allies who have already proven their worth.>>


    <<Who are you?>>  The gray giant demanded wearily.


    <<I am Kaygren, the ruler of this realm and the one who returned you to life.>>  Kaygren declared. <<And you are Turok, the mad wendigo who terrorized the Omia tundra millennia ago. A soul so tarnished by hatred and rage it has languished in the Abyss for an eternity. You will lead my armies into battle.>>


    So this is what Kenji meant, Nephrite thought. With eight revenant sovereigns, Kaygren could begin his offensive immediately without affecting Mount Gull¡¯s stability.


    <<Why should I listen to you?>> Turok snarled.


    <<Because you¡¯ll be able to kill many, many humans.>> Kaygren explained. <<Also, so long as you obey, this pit will bring you back as many times as you die.>>


    Turok growled contemplating the offer. He then turned to the cloaked man. <<Is he an ally too?>>


    <<No, but you can¡¯t touch him either.>>  Kaygren responded.


    <<Why not?>>


    <<Because millions of humans will perish if he lives.>>


    Grimacing, Turok turned and looked in their direction. <<What about those spying on us over there. Can I eat them?>>


    Crap. <<We leave now,>> Nephrite instructed.


    Kaygren frowned, <<What?>>


    This was all the confirmation the gray wendigo needed. He leapt across the pit to chase them, trampling through his lesser brethren. <<¡¯No human can hide from me¡¯!>>


    With Kaygren and the other sovereigns following behind, Turok clumsily hunt his invisible prey. The wendigo was lunging wildly at them, but miraculously Nephrite and Light had escape its claws so far. The revenant was obviously suffering some form of summoning sickness, or else they¡¯d already be shredded.


    Nephrite sensed Light¡¯s growing panic through the lovers link. The revenant had recognized her younger comrade as the weaker link and was focusing on him. He won¡¯t last, and I¡¯ll be next.


    Making a decision, Nephrite raced over. Waiting for Turok¡¯s next attack, she landed on his back and jumped off.


    The taunt was immediately effective. <<You insolent wretch!>>  The revenant gave her his full attention.


    <<We separate and head for the rifts.>> Nephrite commanded. <<You take the closer one. I¡¯ll draw Turok away and take the other.>>


    <<But¡ª¡ª>>


    <<This is an order.>>  Nephrite cut in. She was relieved to feel him move away.


    It was her turn to struggle under the revenants assault. With dread, she realized it wasn¡¯t her imagination: he was getting faster and more accurate. She weaved back and forth, but soon she felt one of his claws rip her cloak. Fortunately, its enchantment held.


    Emboldened by his near success, Turok snickered. <<You may think you saved the other by leading me away, but, once captured by my sight, my target¡¯s location is known to me regardless of distance. Neither of you is escaping.>>


    Nephrite¡¯s heart sank realizing this wasn¡¯t a bluff. Simply fleeing was no longer an option. I must kill him before he fully regains his strength. That¡¯s the only way to guarantee Light¡¯s escape.


    Nephrite dove into a pine drove, stopping at the darkest spot, and gathered all her metal around her scimitar. She turned and faced Turok¡¯s charging form, impaling his palm as his claws pierced her abdomen, pinning her to the ground


    <<Got you.>> Turok grinned, oblivious to the pain in his triumph.


    ¡°And¡­¡± Nephrite began, before coughing up blood. The confident sovereign waited for her to finish. She took advantage of this generosity to seal her wounds. ¡°And¡­ I got you too.¡±


    Steel spikes exploded from Turok¡¯s chest. The gray giant collapsed, shock on its face. She¡¯d sent the metal coating her scimitar into the sovereign¡¯s veins, straight to its heart. If he¡¯d been in better state, he¡¯d have sensed the irregularity. Her gamble had payed off.


    Nephrite droped her weapon and dragged herself to her feet. Her shredded cloak was also on its last legs, yet somehow it reactivated its stealth as she limped away. The mountain exploded around her, lighting sticking down everywhere. Kaygren is angry, she smirked. Somehow, all the destruction missed her.


    Her pace slowed as her strength failed her, yet she refused to rest. If she fell here, her body would be devoured without a trace. She willed her feet to take another step, her mind entering a daze.


    At least Light got away.  While she doubted the boy understood what he¡¯d witnessed, others would. She¡¯d accomplished her mission.


    After an eternity, she reached the rift and crossed over to a floating chunk of earth. She walked through the roosting demonic beasts until she reached the edge. Oh¡­ this is the end¡­  Without the strength to jump, there was nowhere left to go.


    She looked up at the moon overhead and reflected over her life, everything she¡¯d accomplished and the things she never would. Pride and regret swirled together. With a sigh, she gave in to the fatigue and released her grasp on consciousness, falling into the darkness.

 [Book II Chapter 49] KAYGREN: Another Intruder

    [Book II Chapter 49] KAYGREN: Another Intruder


    ------------------------------------------------


    Turok¡¯s charred corpse lay among the smoldering ruins of the pine grove. Kaygren sneered as he glared down.  Pathetic¡­


    The bulk of the sovereign he¡¯d recruited were similar disappointments, weaklings not worthy of serving under him. However, since he gave up his throne and founded Mount Gull, Kaygren had vowed to make use of every tool at his disposal, even other humans.


    Gregor Almight, I¡¯ll eradicate your detestable species. My only regret is you won¡¯t be around to witness it. For the first time in eons, this goal was within reach. He simply needed to ensure enough were slaughtered, and the Dark Age would take care of the rest.


    The neon strips on his pelt grew blindingly bright, static dancing around him. Then he was gone, transformed into energy thundering across the heavens. This was Divide Displacement, the technique he¡¯d personally taught Garnen¡¯s Lightning Emperor. Nothing could match his speed.


    Kaygren struck down close to the pit and turned on the man who hid his features under a cloak. <<Turok is dead again, felled by someone not even an immortal.>>


    ¡°Unsurprising.¡±  Salazar responded. ¡°I didn¡¯t have a chance to warn you, but revenants take half a day to recover their full strength.¡±


    So perhaps he won¡¯t be completely useless. <<Anything else I should know?>> He demanded.


    ¡°Watch out for their temperaments. As you saw with Turok, they¡¯re driven to satiate their sadistic urges, which makes them challenging to handle.¡± Salazar reported.  ¡°Fortunately, all revenants possess some level of self-preservation. It¡¯s how they survived long enough to taint their souls black. I advise a strong hand.¡±


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    <<That won¡¯t be a problem.>>  Kaygren declared. As a former ruling sovereign of the Eternal Tempest, the elemental plane of air, he knew how to compel obedience.


    Salazar nodded. ¡°Finally, take steps to ensure they¡¯re not captured and sealed away.¡±


    <<There¡¯s already a plan for that¡ª¡ª>> Kaygren began when an enormous winged figure landed besides them. He frowned. Few were allowed to interrupt him this way, but the Storm Eagle had been his loyal subject since the Eternal Tempest. <<What is it?>>


    <<There is an intruder near the summit requesting an audience.>> His lieutenant reported.


    Kaygren struggled to contain his anger. <<And why didn¡¯t you simply dispatch him?>>


    <<Like this one,>>  The eagle motioned towards Salazar, <<He¡¯s someone you may not wish to kill. Also, I¡¯m incapable of dealing with him alone.>>


    Must be a powerful paragon. <<<Where is he?>>  Kaygren asked.


    Kaygren materialized on a desolate plateau where a man with blond hair sat on a mountain of corpses. Thousands more beasts lay scattered across the rock. His identity was obvious.


    Too many intruders in one day.  Kaygren despised the frequency of such contrivances.  <<How did you reach so far without being being detected?>>


    ¡°You¡¯re not the only one with a convenient way to get around.¡± The laughing man responded, glancing up. ¡°Although I was aiming for the peak. That¡¯s quite the storm raging up there.¡± The mountain above them was engulfed in a veritable maelstorm, electricity sparking constantly.


    <<Outsiders aren¡¯t permitted there.>> Kaygren sneered. <<Or here.>>


    Lightning bolts descended and scorched the earth. The Laughing Man dodged the first dozens, but eventually one connected, searing his left half.


    Kaygren grinned, ending the attack. No one challenged his domain without consequences. <<Now I will listen to what you have to say.>>


    The Laughing Man lifted his blackened left arm. ¡°So that¡¯s what it¡¯s like for the unworthy to wield Zeus.¡± He joked as his flesh mended itself before their eyes.


    <<Don¡¯t mention that cursed weapon before me!>> Kaygren snapped, barely containing himself. <<Speak or be gone.>>


    With all together too much composure, the Laughing Man leaned forwards on his golden spear. ¡°I have a proposition for you.¡±

 [Book II Chapter 50] FILIA: Tulven’s Sukemon Tournament

    [Book II Chapter 50] FILIA: Tulven¡¯s Sukemon Tournament


    ------------------------------------------------


    On both side of the arena, children were directing their sukemon in fierce battles. The Junior League was well attended given Sukemon¡¯s popularity. It¡¯s impressive how many parents have been dragged halfway around the world for this¡­


    Occasionally, someone would point up towards her, and she¡¯d wave back from her perch on the roof. Here she was a celebrity, one of the favorites to win. Sadly, that meant many had heard the tragedy which befell her family. To avoid the condolences, she was keeping her distance.


    Filia glanced east at the Blue Abyss¡¯s calm surface. The last week had helped heal an emptiness she hadn¡¯t been aware of. It¡¯d been a wonderful indulgence: fighting sukemon battles against eager challengers and discussing strategy with those who shared her passion. As the Dark Age¡¯s last tournament, she had to savor it.


    <<A ninja just arrived.>> Cici warned.


    Filia spotted the figure in the shadows of a roof outcropping. ¡°What are you doing?¡± She called out.


    The man turned and made a prompt bow. ¡°Excuse me, I did not notice you.¡± He then leapt away.


    Wondering what that was about, Filia spotted several more shinobi skulking on buildings across the city. Must be additional security for the tournament, given the latest developments.


    The region to the northwest was overrun by demonic beast. The situation was so dire that settlements who couldn¡¯t afford airships were crossing the Twisted Lands on foot to reach this place. Rosaria, Tulven¡¯s northernmost city, was seen as a relative beacon of safety.


    When her wristal flashed, Filia flew down and entered the backstage area. She immediately ran across a blond beauty wearing a murderous expression and hugged the wall to let her pass.  What a sore loser. Johanna Loubor had just been eliminated by her next opponent, and the newbie immortal wasn¡¯t taking it too well.


    Filia walked out to the podium once the announcer called her name. Across from her was a middle aged man in ostentatious suit. Geordan Price, the perpetual champion. An oddity among immortals, he¡¯d taken up sukemon as a past time after reaching the wall, and his deck contained many ultra rare and legendary cards. His presence here was actually a rarity, since he skipped most tournaments to give others a chance.


    <<I can¡¯t see how we can win¡­>> Cici whimpered.


    <<You need to be more optimistic.>> Filia chided. <<I¡¯m switching you out for Blizzy.>> Her blizzowl enjoyed debating battle tactics.


    Blizzy took in the scene and turned serious. <<So the final boss has appeared.>>


    Although this was the semi-finals, the stands were overflowing. Everyone knew she was the last contestant who stood a chance of toppling the immortal champion. The winner would take home the trophy.


    Filia placed her selected cards on the podium and signaled she was ready. These matches were a contest between rosters of six sukemon. Only one was active at a time, and each turn the trainer would select one of its four abilities or swap out the sukemon for another. The structure was simple, but the strategy was deep.


    ¡°BEGIN.¡±


    Tetris, her Leadoff sukemon, appeared in the arena. Opposite the fire turtle appeared a giant armadillos whose body shone with a metallic glint. I¡¯m sorry Tetris. The monster facing them was a dullrock, a ultra rare sukemon with only a couple of copies confirmed to exist. Thanks to its ability ¡®earthly sycronization¡¯, it¡¯d take on the properties of any mineral or metal placed on top of its shell. Geordan had chosen the purest white mithril, making the damn thing immune to all physical damage. With secondary abilities negating status effects and poisons, only extreme heat and cold had any effect on the creature.


    They both entered their moves, and the arena¡¯s system immediately blared out.


    ¡°DULLROCK USES STONE HAIL¡±


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    Stones appeared in the air, smashing down with great force. Filia winced as Tetris endured the onslaught, its skin turning dark all over. Sukemons didn¡¯t bleed. Whatever liquid ran through their veins instantly coagulated into blackish patches. Finally, it ended and it was their turn.


    ¡°VOLCANOR USES LAVA BLAST.¡±


    Tetris¡¯s cannons shot out molten rock, blanketing its opponent and the arena. The dullrock shook, slightly in pain, but weathered the attack. With that, the first round had ended.


    <<It¡¯s unfair that a defensive sukemon has such a speedy and powerful attack.>> Blizzy complained.


    <<Agree.>>  Filia responded. The Dullrock was the first roadblock to defeating Geordan Price. Most contestants lost their entire teams to the sukemon. The next round will determine everything.


    ¡°DULLROCK USES STONE HAIL¡±


    Again, a barrage pounded Tetris, and Filia prayed silently. Once the dust cleared, she was overjoyed to see Tetris somehow standing.


    ¡°VOLCANOR USES FINAL GAMBIT.¡±


    This was one of the two abilities she¡¯d had Tetris learn in preparation for this showdown. The first consumed all a sukemon¡¯s remaining stamina to repeat the last attack with twice the power. The second ability was last stand, which increased attack strength at low stamina.


    Tetris released a jet of blinding white-hot magma. The dullrock rolled around frantically before fainting and disappearing.  Yes, we did it! Tetris collapsed, vanishing as well. Thank you. The crowd cheered, thrilled to see her putting up a fight.


    Before she could chose her next sukemon, deafening thunder roared through the stadium. Glancing up, she saw lightning strikes flying up and smashing against the city¡¯s protective barrier. Geordan Price reacted first, jumping on top of stadium. Filia followed and was aghast.


    A dozen rifts had opened and demonic beasts were pouring into the streets. Among them were towering monsters whose intimidating aura dwarfed the rest, their claws and talons already drenched in blood.


    ¡°Protect the stadium.¡± Geordan instructed. ¡°I¡¯ll deal with the sovereigns.¡±


    Filia nodded. Dropping to the ground, she fused Daisy, her frenzyraptor, and shouted, ¡°Wind Scythes!¡±


    Invisible blades slew out in front of her, slicing demonic beasts while missing the fleeing citizens. Despite her overwhelming battle lust, Daisy was also her most precise sukemon, perfect for this chaos. She repeated her attack, clearing the block of invaders.


    <<This is the best day ever!>> Daisy laughed.


    Hearing screams for help, Filia winced but didn¡¯t move. Behind her, the tournament¡¯s contestants and spectators were escaping towards an area not yet overrun. If she left this spot, an entire generation of promising sukemon trainers would be wiped.


    Why did it happen? In the distance, an immortal in silver and black was struggling against a shaggy gray wendigo and vicious winged snake. Meanwhile, hordes continued to pour out of the rifts.  Where are the ninjas? Where is Joana Louborn?


    The pavement next to her exploded, releasing a cloud of debris. Geordan Price lay in the crater, a golden spear impaling his side. Seeing her, he rushed over and pressed a pouch into her hands. ¡°Here, take these!¡± He then yelled out, ¡°Oberon!¡±


    With unbelievable swiftness, a winged human-shaped figure appeared before them, and Filia¡¯s mind went blank recognizing the armored blue scales. Oberon, the herald of the right¡­ It was her first time witnessing the legendary dragon knight, an immortal level sukemon.


    ¡°Take her to safety!¡± Geordan commanded.


    <<You stand no chance without me.>> Oberon replied calmly.


    ¡°Please.¡± Geordan entreated.


    ¡°Do you really expect me to let her get away?¡± Asked a jovial voice. Not twenty yards away, an unnaturally handsome man was walking towards them. A deep dread gripped Filia. Not him again.


    ¡°I might not have given her everything.¡± Geordan answered coldly. ¡°And if you chase after her, I¡¯ll escape.¡±


    ¡°True.¡± Laughing Man agreed. ¡°I should kill you first.¡±


    ¡°GO!¡± Geordan shouted, readying his sword.


    Before Filia understood what was happening, she was in Oberon¡¯s arms being carried away from the carnage.


    ¡°Wait, we¡¯re going the wrong way.¡± Filia realized. They were headed northwest into the twisted lands.


    <<This is the only path to safety.>> Oberon answered.  <<Now keep still.>> There was angry edge to his voice.


    Filia lay back, gripped with feelings of guilt and relief as the scenery raced by. I hope tournament goers got out safely.


    <


    > Oberon announced, somehow accelerating. <<He¡¯s coming after us.>>


    Filia leaned over to watch their rear. For a while there was nothing. Then a she saw a golden speck approach.


    ¡°He¡¯s here!¡± She warned.


    Oberon spun and reached out a hand. <<Dark Blades.>>


    A hundred black great swords materialized around them and weaved themselves together into a shield, intercepting a flurry of golden spears. The impact produced a shockwave which knocked them to a strand of earth.


    When they got up, the Laughing Man was besides them, waiting. ¡°Just where did you think you were going?¡± He chuckled.


    With something resembling a smile, Oberon answered. <<There is no way Kara, the Beast of Sanrune, didn¡¯t hear that.>>


    Eyes going wide, the Laughing Man evaded just as the ground beneath him was ripped apart. He landed on a far off rock and stared at the figure which stood between them.


    A grin slowly spread on the face of the giant red-haired cat woman. ¡°You haven¡¯t run away¡­¡± She glanced back at the two she was protecting. ¡°They must have something you want badly.¡±


    ¡°Kara¡­¡± The laughing man grimaced. ¡°Of all the nuisances who could interfere, it had to be you.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s fight.¡± Kara leaped forwards with glee.


    In a state of shock, Filia watched the two supreme immortals battle across the warped landscape.

 [Book II Chapter 51] ROSE: Undead Occupiers

    [Book II Chapter 51] ROSE: Undead Occupiers


    ------------------------------------------------


    A lightning bolt pierced the greater spellmaster¡¯s core, bringing the struggle to a close in an explosion of energy.


    ¡°So this eliminates the risk of an overflow?¡± Rose asked. Norani spellmasters were the most bizarre entities she¡¯d encountered so far. They were formed of a multitude of spell circles layered together in the shape of a man. Floating above the ground, these living spells functioned as perpetual energy sources, conjuring servants and waging war on their masters behalf.


    ¡°Yes, we¡¯ve culled enough to prevent the conflict from spilling over for the next few years.¡± Cindy responded.


    ¡°And we collected an ample amount of spell shards.¡± George added.


    Smiling, Rose stretched. It¡¯s nice when everything goes according to plan. As they made for the exit, she glanced back at a far off field where lesser spellmasters were battling each other beneath the eternal black sky.


    Doug had explained the history of this Neverwhere Ruin. Norani sorcerer kings had succeeded in uniting their world. From their country-sized capital, they researched amazing advanced magics and ruled their conquered lands. Their end came in the form of a global civil war which tore the planet apart. Torak was left with little to do in that alternative timeline.


    Once the undead finally did rise up, spellmasters weren¡¯t regarded as alive and were left untouched. They continued their mission long after the last human was slaughtered. The Starless Peninsula recaptured the pointless fighting of those final hours, right before the world was engulfed in darkness.


    They emerged to a sunny sky and a small crowd camped around their airship.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Cindy demanded.


    A middle-aged man stepped forward, ¡°We took a dingy here from Rabaster.¡± He pointed to a flimsy mini-airship often used to get around cities. ¡°We were hoping to secure a ride with adventurers leaving the Starless Peninsula.¡±


    Cindy frowned. ¡°Rabaster has fallen?¡± That¡¯s the city below us which put out the quest we completed.


    ¡°The Gray Kingdom invasion was imminent when we fled.¡± The man responded.


    Cindy led them away to discuss. ¡°The spell shards must be returned. George, you¡¯ll take these people and fly to Vandril.¡±


    ¡°What about you?¡± George asked.


    ¡°I want to confirm the situation in Rabaster.¡± Cindy answered. ¡°I know this region intimately. There¡¯s an excellent vantage point to observe the city. I¡¯ll sneak off afterwards and hitch a ride at the next town.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll come with you.¡± Rose announced. The tactics and strategies of war had always fascinated her.


    Cindy said nothing, simply giving her a bitter, appraising look.


    ¡°My foresight is better than yours.¡± Rose added. ¡°And you know I¡¯m a competent fighter.¡± She hoped this made a convincing argument.


    ¡°Fine.¡± Cindy relented.


    ¡°As for me,¡± Doug chimed in. ¡°I¡¯ll head back to Ravelin. I can find my way on my own.¡±


    The matter settled. Rose followed Cindy down a narrow crevice to the subterranean land below. Taking a round-a-bout route, Cindy brought them to a cliff overlooking a medium-sized city. Across the tops of the tallest buildings flew green flags featuring a lion with bat wings and a scorpion tail. The Grey Kingdom¡¯s manticore emblem.


    ¡°That¡¯s a relatively small contingent of airships. The main forces must have moved on elsewhere.¡± Cindy observed.


    Scanning the streets, the Rose immediately noticed an unsettling presence. ¡°Why are there undead all over the place?¡± She asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s a common practice for occupying forces.¡± Cindy explained. ¡°When rules are enforced by the undead, no one doubts what will happen when you break them. Out of any summons, they are the best at intimidating a population into compliance. Intelligent enough to grasp the most complex of instructions, their only flaws are their refusal to speak and their tendency to go rogue if unattended.¡±


    ¡°So all of those were made permanent?¡± Rose surveyed the skeleton figures, counting over fifty scattered around.


    ¡°Yes, the necromancers overseeing them have specialized in this task.¡± Cindy motioned the central square. ¡°There¡¯s some form of assembly over there.¡±


    A uniformed man was giving a speech to large crowd. Two platoons stood at attention behind him.


    ¡°They¡¯re laying down the law after the invasion.¡± Cindy interpreted. ¡°Considering the show of force, we can safely assume no immortals are present, else they¡¯d be here for this.¡±


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    Undead guards dragged out a man and a woman and forced the couple to their knees. Two then lifted and swung large axes. ¡­!!


    ¡°They killed them!¡± Rose exclaimed.


    ¡°They¡¯re wiping out the bloodline for a fresh start.¡± Cindy said emotionlessly. ¡°Rabaster¡¯s nobility didn¡¯t surrender and has deep ties to Vandril. They must¡¯ve judged it not worth keeping them.¡±


    More men and women were forced forward. Rose¡¯s heart sunk when she saw undead holding a boy and girl further on the side. ¡°Not the children as well?¡±


    ¡°Everyone with a claim to rule will be publicly executed.¡± Cindy confirmed.


    Can I really allow this? Rose mind raced as her eyes flashed back and forth between the enemy forces. She was confident in handling them individually, but the problem was their numbers.


    ¡°Don¡¯t do anything stupid.¡± Cindy warned, sensing something was wrong, but it was too late.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± Rose said, jumping down. ¡°Go on ahead without me.¡±


    She had plan, or at least the vague notion of one. Approaching the gates, she engulfed the pair of undead guards in crimson fire. Using a nifty technique Roxanne had taught, she asserted her will and transformed them into burning dead under her control. Racing inside, she converted every skeleton she saw. Only when she reached the tenth did an opposing consciousness block her attempt to seize control. Oh well, controlling nine is complicated already.


    Rose battled her way forward with her new minions, making swift progress. The burning dead were more destructive than their brethren, easily disrupting their forms. As she neared the square, she spotted a woman in Xarst¡¯s black. She prepared to take her out, but reconsidered. If she dies, the undead she controls will massacre the townfolk. Instead she forced the necromancer back with a burst of flame.


    Rounding a corner, she found a platoon of soldiers aiming a mix of staves and crossbows at her. Freezing, she watched magic and bolts fly at her¡­ and veer off course. Thank god for the blessing. She quickly blew the soldiers away with a fireball.


    Arriving at the central square, she found herself facing a hundred soldiers and undead, with a horde of reconstructed skeletons at her back. The commander is also a saint. This would be tough. However, before she could react, a dozen lighting bolts rained down and knocked everyone off their feet.


    ¡°I have them.¡± Cindy yelled with both children under one arm. ¡°We leave now.¡±


    Ordering the burning dead to self-destruct, Rose rushed after her companion. Once the city had faded from view she work up the courage to approach Cindy.


    ¡°Again, sorry.¡±


    Cindy turned, her fury plain. ¡°The only reason they left such a meager force is because they have an immortal on stand by.¡±


    ¡°An airship is following us.¡± Rose reported meekly. Strangely, it was keeping at a distance.


    Cindy glanced back and cursed, ¡°Which means they¡¯ve called in that immortal. The scout is there to keep track of us.¡±


    ¡°Should we try going down to the dark lands?¡± Rose asked.


    ¡°All entrances are sealed around here.¡± Cindy responded. ¡°Our only prayer is to reach a friendly city.¡±


    The anxious chase continued for several minutes without any new developments. Rose was beginning to hope for the best when she saw a whirlwind approaching. The twister passed overhead and touched down in front of them.


    A hunchback dropped to the ground. Thick scars covered his muscular arms and deformed face. He radiated brutality.


    ¡°Quazon, Aery¡¯s exile.¡± Cindy stated blankly.


    ¡°So you are the two saints who stole Rabaster¡¯s heirs.¡± Quazon observed them, his eyes coming to rest on Cindy. He smirked. ¡°The immortal butler¡¯s current master. Will you be the latest to fall victim to the Rollen curse?¡±


    Rose saw Cindy grimace.  ¡°What do you mean?¡±  She asked, stalling for time.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t heard the story?¡± Quazon relayed happily. ¡°For hundreds of years, members of Rollen family have tried for immortally, and every one has failed, always for the same reason: ¡®Save me¡¯, a sublime vagary which summons Elliot Watson across time and space, even to places immortals are normally barred entry. While incredibly powerful, the cost of using this ability even once is losing any chance of reaching the wall.¡±


    ¡°If you make me summon Elliot, I¡¯ll order him to kill you.¡± Cindy declared coldly.


    ¡°Do you think I fear him?¡± Quazon sneered. ¡°It¡¯s not my good looks that got me where I am today. That said, fighting the Lord of Ruin for a pair of children doesn¡¯t seem smart either. But I can¡¯t just return empty handed either¡­¡±


    Quazon looked towards Rose and smiled sinisterly. ¡°What about her? Will you use your sublime vagary to save her?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Cindy answered.


    Quazon laughed. ¡°How many of your comrades have you let die so far? Two? This will be your third. Your determination is admirable.¡±


    The hunchback floated gingerly off the ground, lifted by an updraft. ¡°There you have it. While I bear no grudge against Astra, neither do I respect her enough to spare her daughter. You shouldn¡¯t have interfered with the Grey Kingdom¡¯s business.¡±


    Quazon waved a finger and a blade of air shot forward. Rose evaded as the earth behind her was ripped apart. Quazon continued to pendulum his digit back and forth, as if directing an unseen orchestra, and the same deadly attack raced towards her without relief. Unable to dodge, Rose raised a fire wall in desperation, but the wind cut deeper and deeper into the flames. She channeled all her strength into her defense to no avail.


    A moment before the end came, the space in front of her exploded in a fiery blaze, knocking her back. Exhausted, she pulled herself up to see Quazon facing a new arrival. Roxanne!


    Her mentor stood before her, holding a black staff taller than herself. At its end, a crystal burned viciously with a crimson flame.


    ¡°This is becoming tiresome.¡± Quazon said angrily. ¡°I am killing this girl and departing. Share her fate if you wish.¡±


    With a swipe of his arm, he launched a cannon ball of air at them. Red flame stretched out and deflected the blast. Roxanne then planted her staff. ¡°I wield the ¡®wickedest flame¡¯.¡± She declared.


    A blood red column rose into the sky. Rose swore she saw screaming souls within the flames. Roxanne brought down the inferno on her opponent.


    ¡°And I control the ¡®Winds of Hell¡¯.¡±


    A dozen tornadoes pulsating green pierced through the burning mass, tearing it apart, and converged on the both of them. Roxanne retreated next to her, summoning more crimson fire, but they were blown away.


    Rose recovered to see Roxanne already on her feet, panting. Quazon had stopped his assault and was staring at her.


    ¡°I remember you¡­ We fought together during the dark age.¡± He said. ¡°What is your name?¡±


    ¡°Roxanne Sibil.¡±


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you captured by Nuzou? How are you still alive?¡± He asked.


    Rose glance up at her mentor in shock. Wasn¡¯t Nuzou the avatar who loved to ¡®deconstruct¡¯ people?


    ¡°After Sola killed him, I escaped somehow.¡± Roxanne answered


    ¡°But you were taken months before¡­¡± Quazon began. ¡°How unpleasant¡­ Are you really willing to lay down your life for this girl?¡±


    ¡°I am.¡±


    Quazon said nothing, simply studying her. ¡°You¡¯re on your last legs aren¡¯t you? Like a candle flickering in the wind¡­¡±


    ¡°I have enough left to die a death with meaning.¡± Roxanne replied softly.


    ¡°Fine, you win." Quazon sighed. "I¡¯ve lost my drive. Get out here.¡± With that, he retreated in the same twister that brought him, leaving them alone.

 [Book II Chapter 52] SARAH: Yggdrasil

    [Book II Chapter 52] SARAH: Yggdrasil


    ------------------------------------------------


    The chaotic space stung every inch of his being, wearing away his very soul. He crossed an emptiness devoid of meaning, relying on an indistinct mist beneath his feet to anchor his march.


    This journey into the depth of the Ether was a personal quest. He knew his destination, but not whether he would have the strength to reach it.


    Retreat wasn¡¯t an option. Already his frail old body had withered away to nothing, so transparent an observer might miss it. As his consciousness blurred and coherent thought became difficult, he clung desperately to a single notion, a desire so deep it propelled his remains onward.


    Oblivion did not claim him. The raging storm assaulting him ceased as he entered an endless white world. Mindlessly, he continued for an eternity. Only once he sensed a presence ahead did his faculties return.


    I made it. Before him a single tree spread out its limbs. Although his eyes had long lost their sight, he witnessed its golden form clearly. Tears swelled at the unfathomable beauty.


    As he approached, his footsteps elicited crunching sounds. He was walking across a field of seeds several feet thick. Wish seeds, miracle seeds, and divine seeds. It was a vast treasure pile of incalculable value, yet he cared not.


    He stopped before the trunk and made his plead.


    ¡°For years, I have lived a quiet life of no renown. I was happy weaving the threads of fate, averting tragedies and ensuring prosperity for those around me. But these discrete interventions are no longer enough.¡±


    ¡°I sense a darkness approaching. A calamity of such scale it might swallow the world and snuff out all life. No matter how much I search, I see no light.¡±


    ¡°To face this ruinous tide, I need the power of miracles, the ability to mold destiny itself. I beseech you, please give me the power to protect the world I love.¡±


    A breeze swept the unmoving space, rustling the otherworldly leaves. With a snap, a branch fell and hovered before him. Once in his hands, it lost its golden shine, appearing ordinary wood.


    Thank god. The man collapsed and wept. With this I can make a difference. I can overturn the hopeless.


    ¡­


    Sarah awoke feeling ill. This had been the most vivid dream yet.


    Orion had been a genuine saint, the type she didn¡¯t believe could exist. He¡¯d led a long life surreptitiously assisting friends and strangers, never seeking an ounce of recognition. When the Dark Age engulfed Enera, he joined the fray, altering the course of entire battles, before perishing without anyone learning the scale of his contribution.


    Despite having experienced it herself each night, this selflessness remained unfathomable, something she couldn¡¯t help but reject. Her own motives were so incredibly ugly and base in comparison, it was unbearable.


    Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    Sarah got up and held Miracle Worker close. The staff was infinitely more precious knowing its source. A branch of Yggdrasil. For millennia, adventurers had theorized over the source of the wish seeds scattered in dungeons. Orion had discovered the mythical tree, probably the first and last who ever would.


    Despite the discomfort, the dreams had been helpful. She was slowly understanding the old man¡¯s martial arts. Instead of focusing on tangible results such as resisting physical damage, Orion had painstakingly melded his heroic aspirations into his flesh. Destiny had responded by imparting power worthy of them.


    Following his lead, Sarah had layered upon herself all her ambitions. The fate of champions now flowed in her vein, albeit in a rudimentary form. I finally have the strength to explore the world and make a name for myself, yet I¡¯m confined to my role as treasurer.


    Sighing, Sarah got dressed and made her way to Radin¡¯s old office. She¡¯d barely seated herself when there was knock on the door. The Finance Department¡¯s secretary came in.


    ¡°Have you heard the news about Tulven?¡± She asked nervously.


    Sarah frown. ¡°No, what is it?¡±


    ¡°Rosario was overrun by a horde of demonic beasts. Two immortals lost their lives defending the citizens: Geordan Price and Andrew Godspeed.¡±


    Sarah¡¯s mind went blank at these words. They felt impossible, yet her stomach tied itself in knots as blood drained from her face.


    The secretary scurried out, leaving her alone. Numbly, Sarah brought up the guild¡¯s reports of the incident, praying for some error. She read how eight rifts had formed within the city¡¯s protective wards, resulting in entire neighborhoods massacred before anyone could react. Andrew was the first to respond, rallying the guard to evacuate those they could. Together with Rosaria¡¯s guardian beast, he fought off multiple sovereigns long enough for reinforcements to arrive and escort survivors away.


    He died as he lived, Tulven¡¯s hero. Everything seemed unreal. She¡¯d met Andrew just weeks ago. Why didn¡¯t I spend more time with him? She choked back sobs as regret overwhelmed her. Her world was crashing down around her.


    My most dependable ally is gone. Perhaps it was Orion¡¯s influence, but Sarah felt a wave of shame at the thought. Instead of lamenting the loss of his support, I should strive to repay the debts I owe.


    Wiping her face, she made a decision and got up, traveling above ground to the guildmaster¡¯s office. Astra invited her in immediately.


    ¡°I suppose I was expecting this.¡± She said.


    ¡°I must return to Tulven.¡± Sarah declared.


    ¡°¡®must¡¯?¡± Astra repeated tersely as the temperature plummeted.


    Sarah shrugged off the chill and continued. ¡°With my father and brother gone, mother will abandon Tulven and return to Aery, if she hasn¡¯t already. She never really considered it home. It¡¯ll be anarchy. Someone needs to restore order and see the people out safely before the country shares Rosaria¡¯s fate.¡±


    ¡°This determination¡­¡± Astra responded. ¡°Is it because of Andrew Godspeed?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my way of honoring his sacrifice.¡±


    Astra appraised her studiously. ¡°Despite the arctic cold, you¡¯re not even shivering¡­ You aren¡¯t a total weakling anymore. I¡¯m astounded by the change. Not long ago you¡¯d be frozen solid.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s that staff, isn¡¯t? A gift from your brother?¡± Astra pressed.


    Sarah panicked, desperately hiding Miracle Worker behind her back. If Astra asked her to hand it over¡­  Anything but that.


    ¡°Relax, I¡¯m not going to take it.¡± Astra reassured. ¡°I remember that ancient piece of wood. It belonged to a blind immortal whose name eludes me¡­¡±


    ¡°Orion¡± Sarah offered.


    ¡°Yes, Orion. The only times Nero¡¯s foresight failed involved that man. Battles deemed lost cause were inexplicably salvaged, expected casualties averted. The occurrences were so regular we all took notice and intended to confront the recluse. Unfortunately, he went missing before we got the chance.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t the record state he died?¡± Sarah interrupted.


    ¡°Anyone who disappears in the middle of an undead army is marked as deceased.¡± Astra explained. ¡°Anyway, in deference to its previous wielder, I¡¯ll allow you to leave the Isle.¡±


    ¡°However, you don¡¯t get to escape with a noble end in battle. I¡¯ll allow self-defense, but you are forbidden from directly engaging the enemy.¡±


    Relief washed over Sarah. ¡°What about my job as treasurer?¡±


    ¡°I already have your replacement lined up.¡± Noting her dismay, Astra expanded. ¡°It was a necessary precaution. After all, you could drop dead at any moment.¡±

 [Book II Chapter 53] CAROL: The monster in the depths

    [Book II Chapter 53] CAROL: The monster in the depths


    ------------------------------------------------


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t Zentrias going to avoid using his eyes on humanoids?¡± Juda asked.


    ¡°Yes, that is what he said.¡± Carol replied.


    They were a giant playroom filled with a veritable landfill of discarded toys. The threat they faced were life-sized dolls which appeared disturbingly real. Strong, silent, and swift, they came alive as they neared, wielding vicious blades. And he¡¯s effortlessly ripping them apart.


    <<For the first time I¡¯m actually warming up to this fellow.>>  Smiley chimed in.


    Zentrias had grown increasingly confident as they descended the Nolfis Underground. He¡¯d begun monopolizing all the fighting, only reluctantly accepting assistance. They were left watching the endless slaughter on the sidelines.


    <<This is what you wanted.>>  Smiley taunted.


    Carol had been fascinated when Zentrias had arrived at the Edelweiss orphanage. There had been a harshness to him, a self-assured strength that scared even the adults. He¡¯d cared for nothing and no one, a nihilism never seen in children. This dark side had gradually faded, but she¡¯d never forgotten.


    <<You can¡¯t help but be drawn to the dangerous.>> Smiley cackled in her mind.


    When Zentrias pressured her into entering the dungeon, she¡¯d seen this as an opportunity. Once again she would witness the part of him buried by his devotion to Yuria. I got what I wished for, but¡­ I made a mistake.


    At the time she¡¯d first met Zentrias, he¡¯d already forsworn using his eyes on living targets. The attitude which had captivated her had been a leftover remnant of who he¡¯d been before. She was now seeing hints of that monster, and it was unsettling.


    <<your current anxiety is the most savory of dishes.>>  Smiley laughed in delight.


    Carol winced. She couldn¡¯t hide anything from her summons. That was the price she paid for their aid. Most were satisfied basking in her base terror amplified by her ring, but some took it upon themselves to fuel her insecurities to sweeten their meal. Smiley was particularly prolific tormentor in this regard, and he was too valued to discard.


    With a soundless scream, the last doll disintegrated. Zentrias grinned in callous self-satisfaction. ¡°Let¡¯s continue.¡±


    They entered what resembled the abandoned interior of a fort. Cobwebs and broken furniture littered the rooms and corridors.


    ¡°Floor 317¡­¡± Juda scribbled in his notepad.


    ¡°What¡¯s the record?¡± Zentrias asked.


    ¡°The boss of floor 380¡± Juda answered. Zentrias smiled and strode ahead purposefully.


    ¡°Wait¡­¡±  Carol called out. Although dissatisfied, Zentrias halted as requested. She focused on the source of her unease and struggled to contain her horror. Those are freakish¡­


    <<It might be time for me to earn my keep.>>  Smiley commented lazily. Carol agreed.


    ¡°We¡¯re facing jack-o-lanterns, except fiercer than anything I am familiar with.¡± She reported. ¡°They¡¯re scary¡­¡±


    Zentrias sighed, ¡°Then we do this one together.¡± Carol was glad he was still able to keep his bloodlust in check.


    The jack-o-lanterns¡¯ scarecrow-like bodies were so tall they could barely stand upright. With ghastly grins carved into their flaming pumpkin heads, they attacked wielding one-handed scythes.


    Dealing with them took a surprising long time. Their reach and evasiveness frustrated Zentrias, and Juda had to immobilize them in flame traps for him to land hits. Meanwhile Carol summoned a wall of marionettes to keep the others at bay. They might have been overwhelmed if not for the ghastly arm which reached out and snatched away those about to break through. Thanks, Smiley.


    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    ¡°What the hell was that?¡± Zentrias ranted afterwards. ¡°The difficulty spike was insane.¡±


    As they took a short break, the temperature dropped to the point it became uncomfortable. It got even colder when they searched for the exit. Finally, they found a passageway sealed in ice.


    ¡°Looks thick.¡± Juda determined. ¡°It¡¯ll take a while to melt through.¡±


    ¡°Screw that.¡± Zentrias channeled energy into his fist and shattered the obstacle with a single punch. On the other side, in front of the doorway leading down, was a young girl sitting cross-legged. Shocked by their violent entrance, she quickly composed herself.


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t happen to have anything to eat?¡± She asked.


    Carol shook her head as Dawn Skyfell devoured two days of their rations.  What was Astra¡¯s doppelganger doing?


    ¡°She¡¯s strong.¡± Zentrias observed. ¡°Her martial arts barely have any flaws.¡±


    ¡°What¡­ *Munch*¡­ ¡®flaws¡¯?¡± Dawn retorted.


    ¡°Oh, they¡¯re there.¡± Zentrias countered. ¡°Small imperfection below that ice armor. I see them clearly.¡±


    Before the irritated young girl could argue further, Carol dragged Zentrias away and whispered, ¡°Why are you looking at a fellow adventurer that way?¡±


    Zentrias eyes went wide, and he grimaced. ¡°You¡¯re right¡­¡±


    ¡°So how did you end up here?¡± Juda asked, changing the topic.


    ¡°I was¡­ soloing this dungeon¡­ *swallow*¡­ when I ran out of food.¡± Dawn answered. ¡°I decided to camp out on this floor and suspend my metabolism through cultivation until someone came along.¡±


    ¡°You were soloing the Nolfis Underground?¡±  Carol repeated dumbfounded.


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± Dawn confirmed. ¡°Out of curiousity, how close was I to the clearing it?¡±


    ¡°This is an endless dungeon that goes on forever¡­¡± Juda revealed awkwardly.


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Dawn paused mid bite. ¡°I see¡­¡± She resumed her meal with subdued vigor.


    ¡°In a couple more days,¡± Juda offered. ¡°Those jack-o-lanterns would have broken through your barrier. You¡¯re lucky we came along.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Dawn asked warily.


    ¡°It¡¯s one of the challenges.¡± Juda explained. ¡°Creatures keep getting stronger the longer you remain on a floor. Did you not do study and prepare?¡±


    ¡°I relied on a source that was more untrustworthy than I realized.¡± Dawn replied, anger in her voice.


    Finishing her meal, she got up and bowed. ¡°Thank you. This has been a humbling experience. I¡¯d be grateful if you¡¯d allow me to join your group.¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t exactly leave you on your own.¡± Carol said, glancing towards the others who nodded.


    ¡°This brings up an issue.¡± Juda spoke up. ¡°With four, we are running dangerously low on supplies. We should head back to be safe.¡±


    ¡°Sorry¡­¡± Dawn said softly, wincing.


    Zentrias closed his eyes then nodded. ¡°Today will be our last day. Let¡¯s see how far we can get in the next ten hours and backtrack afterwards.¡±


    Great. The dungeon respawn time was twelve hours, and they didn¡¯t want to face those jack-o-lanterns again.


    <<You¡¯re just relieved this means less time for your leader to regress.>> Smiley derided slyly.  <<A pity really.>>


    There¡¯s that too, Carol admitted. Their encounter with Dawn had restored some sense to Zentrias, but she doubted this would last.


    With their new member they made great progress, breezing pass the 320th floor boss. At first, Dawn attempted to compete with Zentrias but ultimately failed to match the ridiculous speed with which he dispatched foes. Discouraged, she joined them in spectating the carnage.


    ¡°That¡¯s a nifty ability, annihilating everything with a single touch.¡± She complained bitterly. ¡°I¡¯m envious.¡±


    ¡°It has a drawback.¡± Juda said coldly. ¡°The synchronizing with that destructive magic appears to warp him into a dispassionate killer.¡±


    Dawn frowned. ¡°That sounds really bad.¡±


    ¡°Carol assures us there¡¯s nothing to worry about, so I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be fine.¡± Juda said sarcastically.


    ¡°It probably will be¡­¡± Carol mumbled half-heartedly.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter to me.¡± Juda glanced at Carol. ¡°I¡¯m leaving for the Demon World. You¡¯re the one who¡¯ll live with the fallout.¡±


    With the end in sight, Zentrias threw himself entirely into battle, and he cleared wave after wave of nightmarish creatures, his evolving deadliness overwhelming the dungeon¡¯s increasing difficulty. He¡¯s barely aware of our presence anymore. Although she watched with rising dismay, Carol couldn¡¯t muster the will to rein him in.


    <<Truth is you¡¯re secretly happy to see this side of him. The part that doesn¡¯t belong to Yuria.>>  Smiley snickered.


    Carol remained silence.


    When they arrived at floor 340, Zentrias launched himself into its foreboding forest, leveling everything. Cyclops, ogres, and worse met their end so fast Carol had trouble identifying them. Finally, they reached the hut in the middle where the boss resided.


    The Maven was already outside waiting, bigger and more hideous than her previous incarnation. ¡°Congratulation on dispatching my familiar!¡± She crowed cheerfully.


    ¡°What tricks are you up to?¡± Zentrias responded apprehensively.


    ¡°I see no point in fighting the inevitable.¡± The crone chuckled. ¡°I¡¯ve sensed death approaching for awhile, although I didn¡¯t expected it to be you. I¡¯m surprised at how attractive you¡¯ve become.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Zentrias exclained in shock.


    The Maven gave a great grin, displaying her deformed teeth. ¡°You¡¯re one of us now, a hunter of the weak. Everything around you is prey, existing to satisfy your desires.¡±


    ¡°Tell me, the fear in your victims, before their bodies disintegrate, isn¡¯t it sweet?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps it is.¡± Zentrias sneered, walking forward. ¡°Allow me experience it once more.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s an honor to fall to one as enlightened as you.¡± The Maven said, before ruinous energies tore her form apart. Zentrias remained motionless as the scattered pieces disappeared.


    ¡°We turn back after a short break.¡± He declared, before making his way over to Carol and continuing in a low voice. ¡°Once we return to Nolfis, can you erase my memories?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re talking about three weeks of powerful emotions¡­¡±  Coral objected.


    ¡°Please.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll try.¡± Carol conceded half-heartedly. Smiley roared with laughter inside her head.

 [Book II Chapter 54] DYLAN: A Living Cauldron

    [Book II Chapter 54] DYLAN:  A Living Cauldron


    ------------------------------------------------


    <<You¡¯ve done all you could.>>  Dowart Fain assured.


    Dylan grunted as he crossed the warped landscape.  The Morning Dew Sect had been relocated to allied sect, an arrangement he was secretly relieved at as it would make it harder for anyone to track him.  Still, he felt uncertain at leaving Lin Xiao on her own.


    The Great Assembly had summoned all saints to Wushan, Sanwue¡¯s mountain capital.  Ordinarily, Dylan would pay this no mind, but he was desperate for information.  Yaozu Gao, the patriarch of Ghost Corrosion Sect, would undoubtedly be in attendance.  With any luck, Gen Jiang would be there too and could use his connections to introduce him.  The opportunity was too enticing to pass up


    So Dylan had departed, entrusting Lin¡¯s safety to Kailen who was staying due to his responsibilities as sect leader following Mei Shenmu¡¯s death.  Out of caution, he was taking a route deep through the wilderness.


    <<Look below.>>  Dowart advised.


    Three cultivators were jumping across strands of earth.  Their robes identified them as Divine Serpent disciples, and their speed betrayed them as saints.


    ¡°What are they doing so deep in the Twisted Lands?¡±  Dylan wondered, tailing them.  One of his remaining targets hailed from that sect, and perhaps this would lead to an opportunity.  He was also curious as to their destination.


    Before long they reached a floating mountain, and the three disappeared into a bamboo grove.  Hesitating, Dylan embraced the lesser mystery of mud and dove into the ground, swimming under the thick mesh of roots.  Sensing more presences, he emerged cautiously in the underbrush.  The Divine Serpent disciples were meeting several figures in black outfits he didn¡¯t recognize.


    <<Those are practitioners from a demonic sect.>>  Dowart grimaced.  <<Something foul is transpiring here.>>


    ¡°Is everything ready?¡±  Asked the Divine Serpent disciple with a thick beard.


    ¡°Not yet.¡±  Said the leader of the demonic practitioners.  ¡°Your request was sudden, and this is a delicate ritual.  Also an expensive one.  I trust you have the spirit stones?¡±


    ¡°Here¡¯s half.¡±  The bearded man threw over a pouch.  ¡°You¡¯ll receive the rest once you¡¯ve delivered.¡±


    Dylan resubmerged and moved further into the forrest.  In a clearing, he found two stone coffins covered in green and orange symbols.  Demonic practitioners were busy etching intertwining magic circles around them.  As he circled for a better view, he spotted a young girl off within the bamboo.  She was sitting in an isolate alcove staring ahead lifelessly, her wrist linked by steel shackles.


    <<I believe I understand what is going on here.>>  Doward declared pensively.  <<She¡¯s a living cauldron.>>


    <<What¡¯s that?>>  Dylan asked.


    <<Three millennia ago, a demonic sect recruited a madman called Salazar Rook.   It¡¯s a method developed by that devil.>>


    <<It¡¯s not uncommon for individuals to be born with esoteric affinities, the most common being fate.  These can be powerful when paired with other magics, as with your little mistress and Gen Jiang from the fate pavilion.  However, by themselves, they are next to useless, providing virtually no battle power.  Those with pure esoteric affinities have long been shunned by the major sects, even when blessed with powerful channeling ability.>>


    <<Salazar Rook saw this wasted opportunity and had the demonic practitioners gather these rejects.  With great effort, he then developed cultivating methods suitable to them.  This didn¡¯t solve their weakness, but it allowed them to strengthen their soul.  Once Salazar judged them fully ¡®mature¡¯, he sacrificed them in a ritual of his own creation, greatly enhancing the strength of a chosen demonic practitioner.>>


    <<So this girl is destined for that ritual?>>  Dylan asked.


    <<Salazar called them living cauldrons.>>  Dowart nodded.  <<Although it¡¯s strange that she¡¯s so young.  My understanding is they are usually over twenty so they have more time to cultivate first.>>


    The girl was around fourteen, just a few years older than Lin.  What a doomed fate.  The demonic practitioners were selling her life, and the bearded Divine Serpent disciple was most likely the intended recipient.


    <<There¡¯s no benefit to remaining here.>>  Dowart said.  <<We should leave before we¡¯re detected.  The stealth of the lesser mystery of mud isn¡¯t perfect.>>


    Dylan was about to withdraw when certain words ran through his head.  Find someone facing certain death and save them¡­  He glanced back towards the girl, conflicted.


    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    Dowart guessed his thoughts.  <<I supposed this would certainly qualify.  Have you decided to be heroic?>>


    Sliding behind her, he reached up and covered the girl¡¯s mouth.  ¡°Close your eyes and hold your breath.¡±  He whispered.  With that he dragged her under the dirt.  Once out of the forest, he snapped her shackles and had her cling to his back.  He was half a mile away by the time a sharp whistle pierced the air.


    ¡°They can track me through the marks on my back.¡±  The girl revealed apologetically.  ¡°That¡¯s why they weren¡¯t bothering to watch me.  Leave me here and you should get away.¡±


    Dylan grimaced.  If he gave up here and waited for a better opportunity, then there was no point.  This was for his peace of mind, to clear away his debt.  Soul had risked his life, so he had to do the same.


    ¡°Hold on tight.¡±  Dylan instructed, adopting the Greater Mystery of Magma to increase his speed.  For a moment, he regretted traveling so far from civilization.  He required the safety of a major city but knew of none nearby.  My best bet is to reach a major road and hope to chance upon a group of saints.  Either that, or put sufficient distance between us so they give up.


    Loud cawing rang out in his rear.  Huge swarms of crows were giving chase, each the size of a vulture.


    ¡°Carrion Crows.¡±  The girl explained.  ¡°I¡¯m sure they have orders to stop you without hurting me.¡±


    The black birds flew by and dived bombed at him from the front.  At first, he blasted them away with jets of fire but then realized it was more efficient to simply charge through.  The dark stone covering his skin easily negated the damage.  Unfortunately, enduring the barrage did slow him down.  Initially, he¡¯d believed he could outrun his pursuers.  This appeared unlikely.


    After several minutes, the girl cried out, ¡°I see them!¡±


    The three Divine Serpent disciples were a quarter mile away.  Four demonic practitioners followed in their wake, releasing more crows.  Too many to fight.  Dylan made his way towards upwards.  They were nearing the edge of the twisted lands, and there was a better chance of encountering allies on the surface.  Relief washed over him once he saw a long continuous stretch of earth.


    Once on solid ground, the crows stopped attacking, simply following overhead.  The demonic practitioners had fallen back, afraid to venture away from the wilderness.  Only the Divine Serpent disciples remained.


    Dylan saw a road and followed it, racing past several travelers.  Weakling were useless against those tracking him.  The Divine Serpent disciples were close enough to attack now.  Only the fear of injuring their prize was staying their hand.


    <<You have a decision to make.>>  Dowart said solemnly.


    To fight or to continue until my stamina gives out entirely.  He¡¯d never relied on the Greater Mystery of Magma for so long.  The instant he stopped he¡¯d be overtaken due to the burden he carried.  There was also the option to abandon the girl, but he was extremely reluctant after coming this far.


    As he struggled internally, Dylan spotted a airship with a pavilion built atop its deck.  So elaborate was its design that it could only belong to an immortal.  Instantly, he charged up and threw a fist sized fireball at the fast moving target.  His projectile smashed against the hull.


    The airship slowed and turned, landing in his path.  Dylan and his pursuers came to a halt, warily watching the man who emerged from the pavilion.  He wore a long snake skin coat over elaborate robes.  Dylan¡¯s heart sank when he saw reptile eyes below the brown hair.  Chon Woosang, the head of the Divine Serpent Sect.


    ¡°What is going on here?¡±  The immortal asked coldly.


    ¡°I am rescuing this girl from being sacrificed as a living cauldron.¡±  Dylan answered honestly, harboring the faint hope the man would intervene on their behalf.


    Chon glanced at the girl, then towards his sect¡¯s disciples.  ¡°What is the meaning of this?¡±


    Surprisingly, the three shifted uncomfortably, staring at the ground.  Finally, the bearded disciple spoke up, ¡°With the Great Assembly¡¯s summon, this might be my last chance.  The strength I¡¯d gain would be a boon for the turmoil ahead.¡±


    Chon¡¯s expression darkened, ¡°I expressly forbid dealings with demonic sects when the Dark Age began.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡±  The bearded man stammered, ¡°but it was my turn¡­¡±  Dylan winced.  This was obviously the wrong answer.


    ¡°Raise your eyes.¡±  Chon said softly.


    The bearded man panicked, ¡°No, please!  Anything but that!¡±


    ¡°Look me in the eyes now.¡±  Chon repeated in a tone that suffered no disobedience.


    As soon as their gazes met, the bearded man went rigid and turned a dark gray.  Petrification¡­  The Divine Serpent head was famous for fusing the eyes of a basilisk king with his own, granting him the power to turn to stone all who peered into them.


    ¡°Return this statue to the sect and then head directly to Wushan.¡±  Chon order the other two.  With a bow, they quickly retreated.


    Chon then gesture to Dylan, ¡°Both of you, join me on my ship.¡±


    Once they were install in his sumptuous quarters, Chon turned to the nervous girl.  ¡°What is your name young lady?¡±


    ¡°Moli.¡±  She replied sheepishly.


    ¡°There is no need for further concern, Moli.¡±  Chon reassured.  ¡°We are on our way to Wushan, where you¡¯ll be entrusted to the Fate Pavilion.  They¡¯ll take good care of you.¡±


    Moli bowed deeply.  ¡°Thank you, both of you.  I never expected to live past today.¡±


    Chon nodded contently, before fixing his gaze on his other guest.  ¡°Quite a selfless act you performed in rescuing Moli.¡±  He said searchingly.  ¡°Could I ask what inspired you?¡±


    With no reason to conceal it, Dylan relayed the tale of Soul assisting the Morning Dew Sect and the reward he¡¯d requested.  As he listened, a grin spread on Chon¡¯s face.


    ¡°The exploits of the young Skyfell have reached my ears.¡±  Chon chuckled.  ¡°So this is indirectly related to him¡­  My master, Luohan Shen, will be pleased with this result.¡±


    Twelve hundred years ago, Luohan Shen, the patriarch of the Divine Serpent Sect had stepped aside to let Chon Woosang take over the reigns, one of the few amicable transfers of power in Sanwue¡¯s history.  Despite his position, Chon still refers to him as ¡®master¡¯.


    ¡°Although I wasn¡¯t alive at the time,¡±  Chon continued, ¡°the shame dating back two thousands years has been drilled into me.  The Great Assembly believes we must learn to act against our nature as cultivators lest we experience the same remorse again, and I agree.  We will need more like you, who are willing to risk their lives for others.  It¡¯s the reason we unleashed Soul on Sanwue, despite all the havoc he¡¯s caused.¡±


    So the boy¡¯s visit was a deliberate act¡­  As Chon sunk into a pensive state, Dylan realized this might be an opportunity to met the leader of Ghost Corrosion Sect.  Lowering his head, he made his plea.  ¡°While deeply grateful for your assistance, there is more I must ask.  I desire to speak Yaozu Gao about a matter of utmost importance.¡±


    Rubbing his chin while appraising him, Chon smirked.  ¡°That can be arranged, but I¡¯ll require something of you first.¡±

 [Book II Chapter 55] ROSE: Accepting Death

    [Book II Chapter 55] ROSE:  Accepting Death


    ------------------------------------------------


    A mass of coiling light funnels bloomed far above, forming in a small sun.  This was the largest subterranean space Rose had seen.  Shaped like a coin forty miles wide, she was on the outer edge, a green ring sandwiched between the bedrock of the Land of lightning and the dark surface of the new crust.  One of the seven halos, the unique Twisted Lands under Garnen.


    Rose glanced down at the sprawling ramparts of the Fortress Of Aegis, the subterranean headquarters of Zaer¡¯s Chosen.  After returning, she¡¯d been given a high up room with a balcony.  The view provided a good distraction from tumulus thoughts.


    There was a knock, and Cindy Rollen came in.  She joined Rose outside, and an awkward silence quickly settled over them.


    ¡°Forgive me for not checking in sooner.¡±  Cindy began.  ¡°There was a lot to confer over.¡±


    ¡°How are the children?¡±  Rose asked.


    ¡°Physically, they¡¯re fine.  Mentally, they¡¯re scarred.¡±  Cindy reported.  ¡°We haven¡¯t quite settled what to do with them.¡±


    Rose winced.  ¡°I¡¯m sorry.  I made a royal mess yesterday.¡±


    Cindy let out a hollow laugh.  ¡°And here I came to apologize.¡±


    ¡°What for?¡±  Rose exclaimed in disbelief.


    ¡°You¡¯re sixteen, and I dragged you into a warzone.  Then, when we got in trouble, I abandoned you to face an immortal alone.¡±  Cindy shook her head.  ¡°I am grateful for your mentor Roxanne.  Without her, I would¡¯ve watched another die.¡±


    ¡°So what Quazon said really got to you.¡±  Rose interpreted.


    ¡°His words stung because they were true.¡±  Cindy agreed.  ¡°When they come of age, every Rollen inherits the sublime vagary ¡®Save me¡¯ which can summon the paragon anywhere.  It¡¯s the ultimately safety net, one with a cost so hefty it¡¯s ended the aspirations of every generation of my family.¡±


    Cindy paused.  ¡°I swore I would be one to end this curse.¡±


    ¡°What makes you certain you¡¯ll succeed?¡±  Rose asked.


    ¡°We have a good understanding of the ability now.¡±  Cindy explained.  ¡°Activating it even once creates a staggering debt of exp which must be repaid back before more can be earned.  It¡¯s insurmountable hurdle.  All those so far have given up, leaving their dreams to their children.  Knowing this, you¡¯d think the answer would be simple: never use it.¡±


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    Cindy shock her head.  ¡°Most called out for Elliot not for themselves but to save their comrades.  This is the insidious part.  While the odds of single person surviving are small, the odds of an entire party reaching the wall are infinitely smaller.¡±


    ¡°To escape this fate, I resolved to not use my sublime vagary for anyone but myself, even if it meant others dying.  Quazon was wrong about number.  Three have perished because I refused to save them.¡±


    Cindy gave her a pained smirk.  ¡°Selfish isn¡¯t?  Sacrificing others for immortality¡­¡±


    ¡°Is that why you change party members so often?¡±


    Cindy nodded.  ¡°If spend to much time with them, I might form some attachment.  I can¡¯t allow that, not if I am to free Elliot.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±  Rose jumped in.  This goal didn¡¯t mesh with Cindy¡¯s standoffish attitude towards the immortal butler.


    ¡°Many have tried to end Elliot¡¯s servitude, yet he rebuffed them all.¡±  Cindy revealed.  ¡°We believe his self-imposed servitude will continue until one of us finally reaches the wall.  So I will become the first and release him.¡±


    Rose processed this information, gradually coming upon a suspicion.  ¡°Do you have feelings for him?¡±


    Cindy froze, stammering.  ¡°I¡­  Of course not¡­¡±


    She took a deep breath, giving in.  ¡°It¡¯s inevitable, isn¡¯t it?  Handsome, powerful, and perfect, he¡¯s there fulfilling your every wish.  A lot of Rollens have had crushes on him.¡±


    Rose grinned at the defensiveness, causing Cindy to grow more red.  ¡°Look over there.¡±  She pointed to where Roxanne had appeared on her own balcony.  ¡°You should go see her.¡±  With that, she beat a hasty retreat.


    Rose gazed over to where her mentor, who waved back.  Time for the truth.  She jumped over.


    ¡°Thank you for saving me.¡±  She began.


    ¡°Your welcome, though Lucy deserves credit too.¡±  Roxanne laughed.  ¡°If not for her panicked warning, I would never have made it in time.¡±


    Nodding, Rose faced her squarely.  ¡°Were really prepared to lay down you life for me?  Why?¡±


    Roxanne paused, sighing softly.  ¡°You heard Quazon.  I was captured by Nuzou, the dreaded avatar of fear.  He regarded us necromancers as his backup entertainment, only turning to us once he¡¯d exhausted his supply of mortals.  Because of this, he was more deliberate in his sessions, trying to make us last¡­¡±


    ¡°Those diabolical claws¡­¡±  Roxanne shivered, ¡°plucked apart our flesh piece by piece.  I held out longer than the others.  I¡¯ve always been stubborn.  By the end, I was barely clinging to consciousness.


    ¡°One day, I awoke from my stupor to realize I hadn¡¯t seen Nuzou in a while.  WHen I noticed the magic holding me captive had weakened, I broke free and fled, escaping far enough for Nero to find me.¡±


    ¡°I have long since gone past the point of no return.  A great tide weights down on me constantly, threatening to drag into the abyss.  Only one burning passion keeps it back: I won¡¯t accept a quiet end.  All the suffering I endured can¡¯t be for nothing.  My death must have meaning.¡±


    ¡°When Nero brought me to you, I knew I¡¯d found it, my way forward.  Wise and you reminded me of Nero and my younger self.  That connection was strong enough to ward off the weariness, at least temporarily.¡±


    ¡°I have one serious fight left in me, and, since you gave me the willpower to venture out forth, I have decided to use it for your sake.  You will choose where I die.¡±


    ¡°What if I want you to live?¡±  Rose objected strongly.


    ¡°I¡¯ll respect that wish as much as I¡¯m able, but¡­¡±  Roxanne shook her head.  ¡°It¡¯s a dark age.  You¡¯ll eventually face a crisis you can¡¯t overcome.  That will be my time to step in.¡±

 [Book II Chapter 56] FILIA: An Unwilling Wilderness Adventure

    [Book II Chapter 56] FILIA:  An Unwilling Wilderness Adventure


    ------------------------------------------------


    ¡°Slaughter them.¡±  Kara instructed.


    What am I even doing?  Filia half-heartedly flew towards the rift.  The warped earth around it was covered with giant scarabs and scorpions.


    A young cat-eared girl landed ahead of her, charging into thickest mass of demonic beasts.  Mandibles and stingers shot at her, but passed harmlessly through an orange afterimage left behind.  She weaved her way through the insects at an incredible speed, ripped them apart with her claws.  Occasionally, she¡¯d spin and everything around her would be sliced in two.


    She¡¯s much stronger, Filia thought.  She remembered the Kate Morgana¡¯s performance in the blood area.  Simply becoming a saint wouldn¡¯t account for such a difference.


    Scarabs took off from adjacent rocks, flocking towards Kate.  The girl jumped up and engaged them without missing a beat.  Bugs fell one after another as she hopped between foes, dancing through the air.


    <<If we keep watching, there won¡¯t be any left.>>  Cici offered.


    True.  Filia swooped down and began cleaning up the remaining scorpions.  In a few minutes, it was over.


    ¡°Halfway decent.¡±  Kara declared, landing beside Kate.  The red-haired giantess was nearly two feet taller than both of them.  ¡°You¡¯re getting the hang of areal combat.¡±


    ¡°As for you, Bait,¡±  Kara glanced back towards Filia, ¡°that was pathetic.  Try harder.¡±


    The battle with the Laughing Man had lasted fifteen minutes, demolishing the landscape.  Eventually, he¡¯d grown frustrated at how much fun his opponent was having and retreated.  Kara was keeping Filia around in hopes he¡¯d come back.  I don¡¯t think he will.  She enjoyed it too much.


    Kara dropped a stack of wood on the ground.  ¡°Make yourself useful, Bait.¡±  She said.


    ¡°That¡¯s not my name.¡±  Filia objected pointlessly, fusing with Volcanor to light the fire.


    Returning to Aspire would just put the others in danger.  It was too easy to track the movement of a famous party, and the Laughing Man would find them.  Even a major city couldn¡¯t guarantee safety.  Geordan Price had been cut down in the middle of Rosario.  An ordinary immortal can¡¯t oppose that madman.  She was stuck on this wilderness adventure.


    Kara began roasting large chunks of unknown meat on skewers.  Once done, she handed them out.  This again.  The catwomen were devouring their portions with aura sharpened teeth.  Sighing, Filia swapped to Daisy, relying on the frenzyraptor¡¯s fangs to eat her own.


    Midway through their meal, Kara dashed away to chase some prey.  Filia took the opportunity to question her younger companion.  ¡°Why are you trying so hard?¡±  She asked.  This was the eleventh rift they¡¯d cleared today.


    ¡°It¡¯s necessary.  I don¡¯t want to fall further behind.¡±  Kate said wistfully.  ¡°Silver Skyfell is my boyfriend.  Astra sent all her children to age up in different places.  Since he¡¯s a summoner, she sent him to the Flux Planescapes.¡±


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    ¡°He¡¯ll be returning in a few days.¡±  Kate added. ¡°For him, it will have been three years.  If anything, I¡¯m doing nowhere near enough.¡±


    That explains it.  The Flux Planescapes had a twenty times temporal modifier, the highest anywhere.  Anyone who spend time in that bleak hellscape came back a battle hardened veteran.


    ¡°It escaped again.¡±  Kara griped, reappearing and picking up a skewer.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you follow them to Mount Gull?¡±  Filia asked.


    ¡°Because once she enters a rift, she can no longer keep track of us.  We would be easy pickings for other sovereigns or the Laughing Man.¡±  Kate answered.  ¡°She¡¯s somewhat responsible in her own way.¡±


    ¡°Actually, I did cross over once.¡±  Kara smirked.


    ¡°What!?  When?¡±  Kate exclaimed.


    ¡°Remember the village we stopped at overnight?¡±  Kara said.


    Kate flicked her tail.  ¡°And here I thought you were being generous by letting me enjoy a normal bed¡­¡±


    ¡°What did you do on Mount Gull?¡±  Filia asked.


    ¡°What else?¡±  Kara smiled.  ¡°I went to the top and challenged Kaygren.  It was blast.  I honestly don¡¯t know if I could defeat him there.  Unfortunately, he didn¡¯t feel the same way.  Shortly into our fight, he disappeared in a bolt of lighting and returned with a storm eagle and a carrion crow.  This left me in a bad spot.¡±


    ¡°You retreated?¡±  Kate pressed, excited at a possible admission of weakness.


    Kara shrugged.  ¡°The foolish don¡¯t survive long in the Green Hell.  Against three sovereigns of that caliber, on their home turf, I was at a great disadvantage.  I couldn¡¯t afford to wait for Kaygren to bring more reinforcements.¡±


    That afternoon, Kara brought them to a midsized town to the South.  Leaving them on the rooftops, she descended to the central square and began crafting an enormous magical formation around a blue-gray monolith.


    ¡°I swear she has an endless supply of blood.¡±  Kate commented, watching her lay out the complex runes.


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised there are still so many living here.¡±  Filia mused at the crowd near the square.  This was remarkably close to the region overrun by demonic beasts.


    ¡°Nearly every large stretch of unwarped land has a settlement of some sort.¡±  Kate responded.  ¡°They¡¯re trying to leave ¡ª¡ªand some have already¡ª¡ª, but it¡¯s not that easy.¡±


    ¡°The airship shortage?¡±  Filia offered


    Kate nodded, flattening her cat ears.  ¡°And it¡¯s getting worst.  All those without immortal escorts are being attacked by Torak¡¯s disciples, a group of necromancers.  Hundreds have been loss.  It¡¯s a complete mess.¡±


    They fell silent as Kara continued her work.  Filia took the the opportunity to withdraw the pouch she¡¯d received from Geordan Price.  Inside was a black ornate deck holder.  She flipped through the hundreds of cards, stopping when she reached Oberon¡¯s.  Since their first meeting, the dragon knight refused to respond to her.


    ¡°Why do you think the Laughing Man was after them?¡±  Kate asked.


    ¡°My guess is he wants to give Kaygren access to sukemon realm, bolstering his forces with hundreds of thousands of new demonic recruits.¡±  Filia answered.  ¡°No idea how he intends to accomplish this though, or if it¡¯s even possible.¡±


    Like the HEVENLY DAO¡¯s dungeons, the Sukemon Realm was cut off from the rest of the Ether.  The only way in or out was through the cards of the Sofix corporation.  Yet the Laughing Man believes he¡¯s figured out a way.  Filia glanced over Geordan¡¯s deck.  The secret would undoubtedly be in the hard-to-obtain ultra rares and legendaries.


    There was a commotion below as the town¡¯s guardian beast, a white five-tailed fox, materialized and installed itself in an empty circle within the bloodcraft runes.


    Non-hostile Ether creatures often chose to answer summons and enter into contracts with humanity.  These protectors matured and grew in strength alongside the settlements they protected.  Worried about the threat of Mount Gull, the residents had requested that Kara expedite this process.


    The blood-formed symbols began radiating a vivid red as Kara channeled power into them.  The ground rumbled, and a crimson steam obscured their view.  When it cleared, the fox had doubled in size and sported seven fluffy tails.  Cheering exploded from the onlookers.


    ¡°That was a big success.¡±  Kate commented.  ¡°This might allow this place to hold out until evacuation becomes possible.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t just the townsfolk who were thrilled.  Kara approached the fox with a fierce grin.  ¡°Alright, as promised, let¡¯s go fight.¡±


    Filia and Kate both shook their heads.

 [Book II Chapter 57] DYLAN: The Great Assembly

    [Book II Chapter 57] DYLAN:  The Great Assembly


    ------------------------------------------------


    The mountain capital of Wushan was built around the palatial complexes which served the Great Assembly.  Hundreds of cultivators milled about the central plaza, all of them saints.  Their boisterous chatter fell silent as an old man sauntered forward to address them.


    ¡°I am Luohan Shen, the former head of Divine Serpent Sect.¡±


    ¡°Two thousand years ago, the great assembly erred gravely.  We remained impassive as the world burned around us.  We ridiculed those venturing out to fight the flames and, out of petty spite, slew the greatest among them.¡±  Luohan turned around, behind him two towering statues stood, a man and young girl.  ¡°Xia Ning, the eighth hero.¡±


    Luohan shook his head.  ¡°Nataray, the avatar of hate, taught us our folly when her undead armies massacred our people.  Two of our great sects were wiped out, their elders slain.  It was period of suffering, despair¡­  and ultimately shame.¡±


    ¡°Our salvation came in the form of twelve year old, who vanquish the avatar of hate.¡±  Luohan gestured to Lily Morgana¡¯s stone figure.  ¡°And one fourth of our land was vaporised by the Dragon God Aragon as the price for our hubris.¡±


    ¡°For us who survived, this past is our greatest regret.  What we swore never to let this happen again.  This is why you are gathered here today.¡±


    ¡°Now to speak of the future, I will cede the ground to my successor.¡±


    Luohan ambled away, replaced by a younger man with reptilian eyes.  ¡°I am Chon Woosang, leader of Divine Serpent Sect.¡±


    ¡°Today is the day the great assembly has prepared for tirelessly for two millennia.  Once more, the stars are vanishing.  A Dark Age has come, threatening our world.¡±


    ¡°This age of tragedy offers an opportunity to correct mistakes of old.  This time, it is we who will take the lead, and you¡¯ll be our representatives.  You will travel to far off lands and save strangers unrelated to you.¡±


    Chon continued as mumbling rang out around him.  ¡°I am aware it goes against your nature as cultivators, but that is what you must strive for.  This is a time where heroes are needed, such as the young man who I now call forth.¡±


    Soul strode into view in his full ice armor.  He appeared to have grown older and taller in the last few weeks.  The whispering increased as he took his place besides Chon.


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    ¡°This is Soul Skyfell, the one who has been causing waves across Sanwue.  He has repeatedly risked his life for the sake of our citizens, earning nothing but ire in exchange.  His greatest feat was retrieving panacea from the Godly Herb Garden, saving thousands.  It is this commitment and selflessness which you all should strive.¡±


    ¡°Lest you believe this unachievable, Soul has already inspired our first hero, who I invite to join us.¡±  Chon glanced to the entrance where Dylan was waiting.


    For the sake of vanquishing my enemies¡­  With a deep breath, Dylan stepped out before the crowd.  This was the price Chon had demanded.  He was to take the stage as an aspirational example.  Stiffly, he stopped besides Soul.


    ¡°Expecting no reward, Dylan faced great danger to rescue a young maiden who was to be sacrificed as a living cauldron by demonic practitioners.  I witnessed this act of valor myself on the way to Wushan and was heartened knowing there was already one on the path of Xia Ning.¡±


    Dylan clenched his jaw as he endured the attention.  His eyes had the misfortune of stumbling upon Gen Jiang in the crowd.  His companion from the godly herb Garden had a look of utter shock on his face.  Dylan suppressed a wince.  Besides him, Soul had an insufferable smirk.  However, the worst was Dowart Fain floating above, roaring with laughter only he could hear.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to be so diligent.¡±  Soul spoke softly.


    ¡°My debt to you is settled in full.¡±  Dylan responded tersely.


    Chon turned serious, his voice booming out to silence all present.  ¡°The first cataclysmic event of the Dark Age is upon us.  A demonic beast named Kaygren has rallied his brethren to wage a war of extermination in the shadows of Ground Zero.  Several major cities have fallen, millions perished.  Every one of these death brings the world closer to ruin.¡±


    ¡°Tomorrow, you will venture forth through the portal to Bastion.¡±  Chon pointed to the giant half-ring arch on the Plaza¡¯s far side.  An arid city landscape spread out inside.  ¡°From there, you will travel east and stem the slaughter.¡±


    ¡°Fear not.¡±  Chon declared confidently.   ¡°While we have great expectations of you, the Great Assembly understands it is difficult to change one¡¯s ways overnight.  As such, we have prepare system of incentives and safeguards to support you.  Yaozu Gao, the venerable leader of Ghost Corrosion Sect will explain.¡±


    An elderly man materialized next to them.  It¡¯s him!  The one I must speak to.


    ¡°Myself and two hundred members of my sect have traveled to Black Citadel and taken the oath.  We did so to bring unity to Sanwue through words that cannot lie.¡±


    ¡°Ghost Corrosion disciples will accompany you on your journey, serving as uncontestable witnesses.  In addition, we have made arrangements with the Adventurer¡¯s Guild to employ a large quantity of these.¡±  Yaozu held up a tiny transparent object.  ¡°Quest stones are widely used in the outside world to verify accomplishments.  Their accuracy is indisputable.¡±


    ¡°Cultivators whose deeds have been verified by these two methods will receive prizes.  Weapons, armor, catalysts, the rarest of medicinal pills¡­  The Great Assembly¡¯s vast treasury is available to all who sufficiently prove their worth.¡±


    There was a rumbling of approval at these words.  While risky charity work held little appeal, mercenary motives were something Sanwue¡¯s saints could accept.


    And I will be expected to take part in this grand expedition, serving as shining model for others.  Dylan once again lamented the role thrust upon him.  He prayed Yaozu Gao had answers which would make this humiliation bearable.

 [Book II Chapter 58] Silver: The Flux Planescapes

    [Book II Chapter 58] Silver:  The Flux Planescapes


    ------------------------------------------------


    Silver walked forwards and looked up at blurred wall of color which marked the edge of this plane.  He stretched out a hand and concentrated, forming a wide multicolored magic circle over the distorted border.


    The HEAVENLY DAO had constructed the Flux Planescapes immediately after the dark age.  To the southwest of Enera, under the lands ravaged by the spiders of Arguen, the inners of the continent were drawn into the Ether.  Every chunk of fractured earth was transformed into a realm, some the size of worlds.  Periodically they¡¯d collide with their neighbors and allow passage.  Their stability, fixed relative location, and their extreme twenty time temporal modifier made them unique.  They were collectively dubbed the planescapes.


    Humanity quickly expanded into this vast expanse, settling the outer ring.  Every planescape had its own climate, creatures, and potential resources.  This age of exploration lasted five hundred flux years.


    The first abnormality became apparent during this period.  Those born inside the planescapes would perish minutes after returning to Enera.  By the time this was properly understood, an entire generation was already suffering under the mysterious curse.  Necromancers called in to determine the cause made a startling discovery: the souls of the afflicted were not traveling to the Abyss.  No explanation was uncovered.  Ultimately, inhabitants resigned themselves to never leaving their new home.


    The space in front of Silver warped inward, forming a passageway.  As a summoner, he could open gateways through the Ether¡¯s chaotic space, an ability highly valued in this place.


    The next abnormality was more dire.  From somewhere deep in the planescapes, vaguely human-shaped entities emerged.  They traveled outward from world to world, attacking every living thing in their path.  The destruction would only end once they exited to Enera and dropped dead shortly after.  No communication was possible.  Devoid of reason, a primal instinct drove these entities to flee from something they¡¯d no hope of escaping.  They were a sign of what was to come.


    There it is.  With a reddish landscape coming into view, Silver released the energy held in his magic circle, and the tunnel widened instantly.  The two planes were connected by a half circle portal a quarter mile wide.  On the other side, in the distance, was a mismatched metal fortress.


    ¡°Glory to the holy trinity.¡±  Rang out as thousands of soldiers in full body armor raced passed Silver.  On each of their chest, a glowing blue rune was carved.  Horns rang out from the fortifications, and cannons opened fire.  Silver solemnly watching the bombardment decimate the charging army.


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    ¡°Still bothered, I see.¡±  A grizzled man joined him in spectating the massacre.  Dwaine had been Silver¡¯s personal mentor for the last three years, a perk offered to summoners visiting from Enera.  It was unusual for him to attend one of these excursion.  ¡°Most would have gone numb to it by now.¡±


    Silver smirked wryly, ¡°I am slow to anger, and that anger is slow to fade.  This seems senseless.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s necessary.¡±  Dwaine responded.  ¡°Five thousand ordained must be sacrificed every day to sustain the holy trinity.  At least this way they die fighting for imperium.  Keeps the orks happy too.¡±


    It turned out the entities weren¡¯t emerging from any specific realm but from the space between.  The Planescapes were engulfed in an area isolated from the rest of the Ether, and it was malicious and hungry.  Any soul born within was claimed and absorbed after death.  This all-consuming chaos was dubbed the Flux.


    Fed a steady diet from its new settlers, the Flux began awakening.  Outbreaks of madness became frequent, with entire populations turning depraved and murderous.  Great alien armies materialized from nowhere and migrated outward from the heart of Planescapes:  the hordes of berserker Orks, the machine legions of the Meklar, the devouring swarms of the Arcanids¡­   Imperium of man was forced into an eternal battle for survival, trapped inside a living hellscape determine reap their lives and their very essence.


    ¡°Why did the HEAVENLY DAO do this?¡±  Silver asked.


    ¡°Entertainment.¡±  Dwaine answered.  ¡°The Flux was something it found and couldn¡¯t resist making use of.¡±


    Dwaine smiled at Silver¡¯s grimace.  ¡°There is a another school of thought.  If Enera was to be destroyed by Torak, the HEAVENLY DAO would need new realities to observe.  Many believe creating the Flux Planescapes was preparation for that eventuality.¡±


    ¡°So it was practice?¡±  Silver exclaimed in disbelief.


    ¡°Perhaps.¡±  Dwaine said.  ¡°In any case, because the Flux owns everything here, our suffering has no effect on the deity.  This allowed it to go wild in ways it couldn¡¯t anywhere else.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be glad to leave.¡±  Silver shook his head.  When separating from Kate, he¡¯d agreed on this extended stay in order to be the elder one.  He¡¯d been unprepared for bleakness that greeted him, witnessing the deaths of tens of thousands across hundreds of battlefields.  I miss her badly.


    ¡°Is there still nothing for me to report back?¡±  Silver hadn¡¯t forgotten the important mission his mother had given him:  monitoring for potential threats.


    While those within cared little what happened outside, the feeling was not reciprocated.  The population of the Flux Planescapes dwarfed that of Enera, with hundreds of billions spread across countless world.  The same went for the malefic forces aligned against them.  If any of these found a way to escape, the result would be apocalyptic.


    ¡°Nope.¡±  Dwaine responded.   ¡°Everything is about as horrible as always.  There¡¯s no sign of the Dark Age having any effect at all.¡±


    Silver frowned.  With the way time worked here, decades would pass after he left.  If some danger was to appear later, he¡¯d almost prefer it¡¯d do so now so he could bring warning back.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry to much.¡±  Dwaine reassured.  ¡°Even after forty millennia, the Flux has never released its grasp on a single soul.  It¡¯s simply not possible to escape its grasp.¡±


    Sighing, Silver turned his thoughts in a more joyful direction.  Only a couple weeks before I can see Kate.

 [Book II Chapter 59] DYLAN: The Coming Threat

    [Book II Chapter 59] DYLAN: The Coming Threat


    ------------------------------------------------


    The sun had set by the time Chon Woosang led Dylan into Ghost Corrosion Sect¡¯s Wushan compound. They stopped before a great oak door inside the largest building.


    ¡°Remember to be respectful.¡± Chon stated . ¡°You¡¯re meeting the freshly appointed leader of the Great Assembly.¡±


    An otherworldly atmosphere engulfed Dylan as he entered. Hundreds of blue candles lit the room¡¯s sombre decor, with mysterious artifacts scattered across various shelves radiated a subtle power. Yaozu was seated at the center surrounding by floating parchments. Noting Dylan, he smiled and waved his work away.  ¡°Sanwue¡¯s newest hero. To what do I owe the honor?¡±


    Taking a deep breath, Dylan installed himself across from the man. This was too rare an opportunity to keep secrets or gamble on half-truths. He began with what had happened to the Sacred Cloud Sect and his master.


    ¡°Han Xiao¡­ I remember him.¡± Yaozu said slowly. ¡°He approached me about an oddity in the souls of several prominent disciples. I was intrigued but never heard from him again, so nothing ever came of it¡­¡±


    Dylan nodded understandingly. This outcome was likely their aim. He continued with his quest for revenge. Yaozu frowned but said nothing as he described his killing of Liu Mufei and Mingzhu Su. It was only when he relayed Bao Pan¡¯s final moments that the old man reacted.


    With a flick of his wrist, Yaozu summon a map of Sanwue. ¡°Please show me where this occurred and the direction her soul was departing.¡±


    Dylan did as requested, and Yaozu grimaced.


    ¡°Do you know what this means?¡± Dylan pressed, hopeful.


    ¡°I do.¡±  Yaozu sighed.  ¡°Her soul was likely headed for the Hoshindai.¡±


    ¡°Living cauldrons weren¡¯t Salazar Rook¡¯s only innovation during his time in Sanwue. To offer a second chance to those who failed to cultivate to immortality, he researched transferring their souls into the bodies of children. In this most vile act, the will of the youth was consumed by the invading spirit.¡±


    ¡°These experiments initially had a high fatality rate for both participants. To remedy the situation, Salazar cursed his demonic practitioner volunteers, linking their essence with a giant rock he called the Hoshindai. This way, should their intended host perish, their souls would come to rest inside the stone until another could be prepared. Having negated the consequences of failure, Salazar perfected his technique through thousands of attempts.¡±


    ¡°This body snatching continued for decades until the demonic practitioners grew greedy, which drew the attention of the great sects. We were furious to discover our talented youths were being kidnapped for such a sinister purpose. All those involved were hunted down and slaughtered, including Salazar Rook.¡±


    ¡°What did you do about the Hoshindai?¡±


    ¡°Nothing.¡± Yaozu shrugged.  ¡°We slew all the reincarnated demonic practitioners and left their souls to rot within their stone prison. Everyone who knew how to call them forth was dead.¡±


    ¡°Then how are they out in the world again?¡± Dylan asked, failing to keep the anger from his voice.


    ¡°There is only one answer. Salazar Rook must have returned.¡±  Yaozu responded. ¡°Which is perplexing on many levels¡­ The Great Assembly warned surviving demonic practitioners they faced extermination should they summon that wretch again. If they¡¯d done so despite this, our spies should¡¯ve given us word. What is more, Salazar¡¯s actions have always been confined one place. I have never heard of him revisiting past locations.¡±


    Dylan barely listened to these speculations. ¡°Where is the Hoshindai?¡± If the boulder could be sealed away, he wouldn¡¯t have to fret Bao¡¯s return.


    ¡°Here.¡±  Yaozu pointed at a spot on the map. ¡°It was underground to begin with. After the Fracturing, it was lost in the Twisted Darkness. Locating it again would be a cumbersome undertaking¡­¡±


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    Dylan grimaced. A warped land without light funnels, the region was famous as a lawless zone abandoned to demonic practitioners.


    ¡°So what do we do?¡± Dylan asked.


    Yaozu sat back in reflection. ¡°I will invite Lin Xiao and the Morning Dew Sect to stay as guests of the Ghost Corrosion Sect. With her help, I will uncover how far this infestation has spread. The eight you know of are undoubtedly not alone. Afterwards, I will consult the Great Assembly about how to proceed.¡±  He paused, smiling.  ¡°The credibility the oath affords does simplify matters greatly at times like these.¡±


    ¡°So you intend to allow the surviving five to roam free?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s unavoidable at this time.¡±  Yaozu explained. ¡°Lin isn¡¯t here, and saints are scheduled to depart tomorrow. Without her, it¡¯s your word against five respected cultivators.¡±


    Grinding his teeth, Dylan quieted his rage. Perhaps it¡¯s better this way. Even if it might be simpler, he was reluctant to leave his vengeance to others. Having his remaining targets wandering the outside world would provide plenty of assassination opportunities. But first he had to search the Twisted Darkness for the Hoshindai. If he acted fast enough and reported back, Bao and the others might never get the chance to return.


    Yaozu observed him carefully. ¡°I hope you aren¡¯t entertaining thoughts of fleeing before tomorrow¡¯s departure. The Great Assembly held you up as an ideal to emulate. We¡¯ll lose face if you vanish.¡±


    Dylan dropped to his knees and put his head to the ground.


    ¡°My apologies, I cooperated with Chon¡¯s request in order to secure a meeting with you, but I never had the making of a hero. My master¡¯s wrongful death haunts my dreams even now. While I¡¯m sympathetic to your intentions, my focus must be on vanquishing my enemies. Until then, I cannot rest.¡±


    ¡°Your enemies¡­¡± Yaozu repeated softly.  ¡°Let me show them to you.¡±


    A pulsing lavender crystal drifted over to them and flashed brightly. Suddenly they were atop a great rampart with a foul wind assaulting them. Above, a raging brown sky blocked out the sun.


    Yaozu stood and approached the crenelations. ¡°Come glimpse at our future.¡±


    This is a projection of the past, Dylan understood as a shouting soldier passed through him. They were on a wall which stretched out of view on both side. Horns rang out, and everyone stared at the landscape beyond the battlements.


    A gray tide was flowing over distance hills. Dylan¡¯s eyes opened in shock. He¡¯d never seen so many undead. Behind them, giant figures emerged from the haze, their footsteps shaking the earth.


    <<What manner of monstrosities are those?>>  Dowart exclaimed. Dylan mirrored the sentiment. Even in this recording, the primal dread of those undead colossuses still assaulted him.


    Colorful meteors shot by overhead. The magical arrays behind the wall had opened fire. They were grouped apart by element, causing a rainbow of destruction to descend upon the skeletal army, halting its charge momentarily.


    The nearest colossuses reach down and scraped the earth, flinging an avalanche towards them. Dylan instinctively braced himself as debris assaulted the wall¡¯s protective wards. Most was repelled, but in several places boulders pierced through. The undeads attached to them pulled themselves together and attacked, striking down defenders left and right before being subdued.


    The shadows of airships descended from the sky, and cheers burst out across the fortifications. As summons pored forth from the decks, human figures jumped down and raced forward. Saints and Immortals. Their charge was joined by a host of flying creatures, many with riders.


    ¡°The colossuses couldn¡¯t be allowed to approach the wall.¡±  Yaozu revealed. ¡°The purpose of these advanced contingents was to drive them back.¡±


    As the forces of the living and the dead collided, there was a far off thunderous flash. For miles, giant ice shards rained down across the battlefield. Dylan glanced to valley where they¡¯d originated and saw two towering vortexes clashing violently, one white and one red.


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Dylan asked.


    ¡°Ethan Skyfell is battling the undead champion Sanguis Rex.¡±  Yaozu answered.


    Dylan was attempting to make out the two fighters when the closest colossus¡¯s eyes turned crimson. Without understanding why, a chill ran down his spine and he suppressed the urge to run. A second later, red-tinged lighting exploded from the towering behemoth, blanketing the landscape. Hundreds of charred carcasses fell amid the burning remains of the ground forces.


    ¡°Every colossus is the amalgamation of hundreds of thousands of undead.¡±  Yaozu stated coldly. ¡°The magics they are imbued with is unpredictable. This particular one was a monster.¡±


    As surviving saints and immortals fled to the airships and retreated, those on the wall panicked. Some fled. Others resigned themselves and bravely faced their fate.


    Dylan grimaced as he watched the one-sided slaughter. The colossus smashed a giant opening in the fortifications and continued onward, still crackling with a ruby energy. Yaozu let the silence sink in briefly before waving his hand to return them to the present.


    ¡°Why did you show me this?¡± Dylan asked.


    ¡°To warn you of the coming threat.¡± Yaozu explained.  ¡°This time the undead hordes will travel the Darkland, rising from below to massacre the living. While we¡¯ve done what we can to seal the entrances, much of the lower portion of Sanwue remain indefensible. It will be chaos.¡±


    ¡°The safest harbors to weather this storm are the shelters set up by the great sects, and space is limited.¡±  Yaozu faced him squarely. ¡°What is more important to you, your revenge or Lin Xiao?¡±


    Dylan knew what his master would¡¯ve wanted him to say. ¡°Lin Xiao.¡± He responded.


    ¡°Then you will travel with Sanwue¡¯s saints and aid the world. In exchange, Lin Xiao and the Morning Dew sect will be welcomed guests at the Ghost Corrosion¡¯s Sanctuary.¡±

 [Book II Chapter 60] SARAH: Homecoming

    [Book II Chapter 60] SARAH:  Homecoming


    ------------------------------------------------


    From the front deck of the flagship, Sarah watched the approaching swarm of griffins.  The demonic beasts dived towards her screeching a war cry.  The first dozen crossed an unseen barrier and were torn apart by thousands hypersonic blades.  The rest swerved away, hovering confused as the pulverized remains of their brethren fell to the earth.  Eventually, a more adventurous one tried hurling a boulder, which was also quickly reduced to pebbles then sands by the violent winds.


    They¡¯re dead.  The defenses protecting the airship convoy weren¡¯t a passive thing.  When attacked, they would retaliate, and Sarah felt it, the ¡®destined death¡¯ headed towards their aggressors.  Thousands of invisible teeth clamped down on the demonic beasts, chewing every last one to a mulch.


    ¡°Appreciating my work?¡±  Came a voice behind her.  ¡°I must say, I have seen few study my ¡®hungry air¡¯ so intently.¡±


    ¡°August Terrance.¡±  Sarah lowered her head to the immortal who joined her.  ¡°You live up to your title.¡±  The ¡®Severing Air¡¯, one of the Isle¡¯s famous paragons, was escorting her back home.


    ¡°What can I do for you?¡±  She asked.


    ¡°Nothing,¡±  August smirked.  ¡°Since we are about to arrive, I just thought I would keep you company as you handle your first crisis as Tulven¡¯s new ruler.¡±


    ¡°What do you¡ª¡ª¡±  Sarah stopped herself, instead focused inward.  Yet, try as she might to follow the threads of fate, she saw no threats, only desperate people clamoring for aid.  So many of them¡­


    August smiled at her uncertainty.  ¡°These will be the first passenger ships arriving in Tulven in a week.  There¡¯s room for twelve hundred.  Only that many.¡±


    Sarah grimaced.  Mount Gull had launched a major offensive, and the whole region was in chaos.  The adventurer¡¯s guild was focusing its resources on the towns and villages inside the Twisted Lands.  Larger nations on its outskirts were expected to manage on their own.  Astra arranged this convoy specially for me.


    Leaving the tumbling shards of earth, they passed over fortification, and a pair of wyverns flew over to escort them.  Open fields stretched out around them.  I¡¯m home.


    Tulven was a long swath of unbroken land hugging the eastern coast.  Comparatively wealthy thanks to the export of water crystals, it¡¯d served as safe harbor from the surrounding wilds prior to the Dark Age.  The loss of warping isolated us.


    Sarah frowned seeing the makeshift city around Torris, the southern capital.  It seemed to come to life at the sight of them, with a flood of people pouring out and running towards the docks.


    The harbor was mostly empty, with heavy guard blocking entry.  Sarah noted a group of Barsal warships amidst the mismatch of smaller ships.   A contingent of knights were waiting when they moored.


    ¡°Welcome back, your grace.¡±  Commander Varon bowed as Sarah and August walked off.  The man had long served the Godspeed family and took ceremony seriously.  Sarah returned the courtesy.


    Varon¡¯s eyes flickered to August. ¡°How long are you staying?¡±


    ¡°We leave in a few hours.¡±  August replied.  ¡°The time to load up passengers.  Have you determined who we will take?¡±  A clamoring was growing from those gathering outside.


    Varon winced.  ¡°Your arrival was sudden, and we¡¯ve occupied fending off the beasts¡¯ advance¡­  Could you give us more time?¡±


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    ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡±  Sarah interrupted.  ¡°I¡¯ll handle it.  Let¡¯s go greet the people.¡±


    ¡°Of course, your grace.¡±  Varon replied, his loyal eyes full of doubt.


    Several thousands filled the streets at the entrance, pushing one another to move forward.  Cries rang out from those spotting them, and the cacophony was so great it was hard to think.


    Sarah held up Miracle Worker and channeled a fate of calm and quiet.  Gradually, the noise and panic dissipated as the magic of destiny subtlety affected the minds of those present.  She then climbed atop the stone platform Varon summoned.


    ¡°There is room for twelve hundred.  The ones boarding will be refugees from Rosaria who my brother died protecting.¡±  This was the solution she¡¯d settled on.  There was mumbling but no objections from the crowd.  Everyone recognized who she was.


    ¡°I¡¯m from Rosaria!¡±  Yelled a man.


    ¡°Me too.¡±  Shouted a women.


    ¡°Fate will determine the truth.¡±  Sarah declared.  Again, she poured power into her staff, materialized golden bubbles.  Find the Rosaria¡¯s survivors, she willed.  One by one, the bubbles burst revealing golden fairies.  The sprites flew out and dove into certain individuals, causing them to glow a yellow light.  With a sense of wonder, the masses parted to let the chosen forward.


    ¡°Can you really keep this up?¡±  August asked behind her.


    ¡°I can.¡±  Sarah responded.  With this staff.  Miracle Worker was a catalyst of unparalleled power.


    Some tried to grab the fairies, but their hands passed right through.  The street gradually emptied as the ineligible turned back.  While this eased Sarah¡¯s burden, she was barely standing when the selection was done.


    ¡°Superb job.¡±  August declared, eying her carefully.  ¡°As you are aware, I¡¯m close to Lily Morgana and, as such, hold you in low regard.  I was against your return here, believing you belong somewhere else.  We¡¯ll see if I was wrong.¡±


    Sarah watched the immortal depart.  He doesn¡¯t trust me, and I can¡¯t really blame him.


    ¡°What happened on the Isle of Dreams?¡±  Varon asked cautiously.  ¡°Both your brother and mother avoided the subject.¡±


    ¡°Another time.¡±  Sarah replied.  ¡°I need to rest.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid that¡¯s not possible.¡±  Varon said apologetically.  ¡°Adele Barsal, the Morning Sun, asked me to bring you to her as soon as you landed.  It sounded important.¡±


    ¡°Fine, lead the way.¡±  Sarah sighed.


    Varon¡¯s countenance grew conflicted as they walked.  ¡°I must admit I offered little resistance when Adele arrived and took command of Tulven¡¯s defenses.  We were¡ª¡ª¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡±  Sarah cut in.  ¡°It was the right choice after mother left.¡±


    On intuition, Sarah glanced back towards the docks.  A ghostly figure stood at the entrance, staring straight at her.  Why must I be haunted by old men?  She lamented.  Several times a day, she felt Xavier¡¯s presence.  She had no idea what the apparition wanted, but his judging gaze unnerved her in a way Radin never had.  She imagined this would continue as long as she possessed Miracle Worker.


    The castle was a majestic edifice reminiscent of those in Aery.  Adele was waiting by the table in the conference hall.  With a salute, Varon left them alone.


    Sarah chased off her fatigue and put on a smile.  ¡°I hear you have been instrumental in holding Tulven together.  On behalf of everyone, I thank you deeply.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not necessary.¡±  Adele responded, her blond hair glistened against her dark skin.  She wore a form-fitting suit of mythril body armor styled in red and white.  ¡°Andrew was a friend.¡±


    ¡°Still, coming yourself and even bringing troops so far from the empire¡­¡±  Sarah pressed.  ¡°I¡¯m surprised they let you go.¡±


    Adele¡¯s expression hardened.  ¡°They knew they had no choice.  Staying in Barsal was driving me mad, and I needed a distraction.  Aiding Andrew¡¯s people was a convenient cause to devote myself to.¡±


    This threw Sarah off.  ¡°Sorry, I¡¯ve been distracted.  Has the situation deteriorated in the empire?¡±


    Adele crossed her arms and glowered.  ¡°Last Dark Age, Barsal Farran forswore conquering to unite humanity.  The right choice at the time, this oath has come back to bite us.  The war between Tanga and Benadin rages uncontrollably on border, yet he refuses to lead an invasion to quell it.¡±


    Sarah frowned.  ¡°Won¡¯t the conflict eventually resolve itself on its own even if you don¡¯t interfere?¡±


    ¡°There isn¡¯t time for that!¡±  Adele exclaimed, punching the table.  ¡°Salazar Rook is back, and, while his fingerprints are appearing around Enera, they are heaviest South of the Green Hell.  His patron must be there, in the lands to our west.  Unfortunately, we have two countries tearing each other apart on our doorstep, preventing a proper search.¡±


    Calming herself, Adele peered into Sarah¡¯s eyes.  ¡°Yesterday, Anthem called me back.  He¡¯s forming a coalition to launch a military intervention without our founder¡¯s aid.  My support is essential.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re leaving?¡±  Sarah asked.  Will there be any immortals left in Tulven?


    ¡°Tonight.¡±  Adele nodded.  ¡°Don¡¯t despair though, I hear saints from the cultivators on their way to help.¡±


    ¡°Now,¡±  The Barsal immortal conjured a map above the table, ¡°let me bring you up to speed on the situation.¡±

 [Book II Chapter 61] DYLAN: Bastion

    [Book II Chapter 61] DYLAN: Bastion


    ------------------------------------------------


    ¡°¡ª¡ªI bid you the best of fortunes.¡± Chon finished, retreating from view.


    Sanwue¡¯s saints had gathered before the half-ring arch for this final round of instruction. They were to pair up in groups of three and find their fourth from the adventurers in Bastion. These parties of four would then be sent off to assist regions in need.


    Dylan frowned watching his peers mill around. The thought of interacting with the cliques of the major sects was unappealing. He spotted Gen Jiang speaking with several disciples. The man returned his gaze and shook his head.  Not this time I guess.


    ¡°Excuse me.¡± Said a voice behind him. He discovered a lovely little brunette in white staring up at him. ¡°I¡¯m Nang Wang from the Radiant Sight Sect. Would you like to team up?¡±


    ¡°Why me?¡± Dylan asked, thrown off by her friendly, cheerful tone.


    ¡°I admire what you did, saving that living cauldron girl.¡± Nang explained. ¡°I have no experience being a ¡®hero¡¯, so I figured it¡¯d be a good idea to learn from you.¡±


    Dylan growned internally. He then glanced over to see eager cultivators surrounding Soul Skyfell. Once the boy has found his partners, the rest might turn to me.


    ¡°I accept.¡± Dylan declared. ¡°Let¡¯s cross over to Bastion to find the remainder of our team.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re going to recruit two adventurers?¡± Nang asked, trailing behind.


    ¡°Yes, and the sooner we begin looking, the more choices we¡¯ll have.¡± Dylan said.


    A hot, dry heat assaulted them on the other side of the portal. Dylan immediately jumped atop the nearest building to take the lay of the land. A Sandstone buildings spread out as far as he could see, with great avenues dividing the vast city. Several other half-ring arches were visible, three with steady streams of people flowing through. In the distance was the massive fortress, and, beyond it, an equally impressive great wall ran off into the horizon on both sides.


    ¡°Incredible.¡± Nang whispered. Dylan said nothing but agreed.


    <<This will be interesting.>>  Dowart chimed in. <<It¡¯s been millenia since I have witnessed the outside world. I wonder how it¡¯s changed¡­>>


    A Ghost Corrosion Disciple joined them to provide directions to the Adventurer¡¯s guild. Dylan and Nang jumped across the city.  There it is. Below the giant fortress was an area filled with electric sprites buzzing around at lightning speed. The two landed on the square building as instructed.


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    Since there was no one around, Dylan turned his attention to the fortifications looming over them. Over a mile wide at the base, the multilayer structure became narrower towards the top. The outer walls were covered in scaffolding on which hundreds of airships were moored.


    ¡°That¡¯s the Tower of Babel, where champions from around Enera came together to save this world. It also serves as Bastion¡¯s docks.¡±


    The speaker was a woman with pink skin and small horns on her head. She approached with a friendly expression. ¡°Welcome to the Adventurer¡¯s Guild. My name is Miki, the one tasked with helping you.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re looking for two new members, preferably the strongest saints available.¡± Dylan tried to mask his surprise at meeting someone from the demon world.


    ¡°Two of our strongest¡­¡± Miki tapped her lips then smiled. ¡°I have just the two for you. You¡¯ll find them on the building over there, the one which now has a jungle growing over it.¡±


    Dylan easily spotted the roof covered in dense tropical foliage. Roots overflowed, winding down the walls.


    ¡°Are they normal?¡± Nang asked hesitantly.


    ¡°It might be different in Sanwue, but out here all saints are somewhat unique.¡± Miki explained, still wearing her smirk. ¡°And you asked for the strongest, so of course they¡¯ll be extra special.¡±


    Nang glanced at Dylan, face full of worry. He pursed his lips. ¡°Let¡¯s go met them first.¡±


    They entered the miniature Forest and discovered a meadow at its center. Around the edges bloomed every flower imaginable, yet Dylan didn¡¯t recognize a single one. A young girl crouched on the side, examining something within the tree roots. She couldn¡¯t have been more than seventeen.


    ¡°Hello.¡± She said, noticing them. ¡°What can I do for you?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re cultivators from Sanwue hoping to recruit adventurers to form a party.¡± Dylan revealed halfheartedly.


    ¡°Oh, did Miki finally send us some teammates? That¡¯s great.¡± The girl exclaimed clapping her hands.


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Nang quickly asked.


    The girl cocked her head, confused. ¡°Well, it¡¯s been hard finding anyone willing to work with me because¡­¡± The girl trailed off, realization dawning on her face. ¡°You¡­ Have no idea who I am do you?¡±


    Dylan and Nand looked at each other. ¡°Should we?¡± He asked.


    ¡°No, course not.¡± The girl beamed, clearly elated. ¡°I¡¯m no one important.¡±


    Dylan knew this was a lie, but didn¡¯t care enough to press the point. The true identity of some foreigner meant nothing to him.


    ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m Free.¡± The girl continued. ¡°Tall, brooding, and silent over there is Darius.¡±


    Dylan and Nang faced the direction Free pointed and were shock to find a large man leaning against a tree truck not ten feet away. Dark fabric covered every inch of him save his deep brown eyes.


    ¡°He¡¯s hard to notice, isn¡¯t he?¡± Free laughed. ¡°Darius is a rogue shinobi from somewhere he won¡¯t reveal, very mysterious. He¡¯s also suspiciously competent. Dueling him in the guild¡¯s arena was like fighting my sister. I never once won.¡±


    ¡°What about you? Are you truly strong?¡± Dylan didn¡¯t doubt the larger man¡¯s power. Rather, it was the seventeen year old which concerned him.


    ¡°Me?¡± Free grinned. ¡°I¡¯m strong.¡± In an instant, all the trees lunged forward, their razor-sharp branches pausing just inches from Dylan.


    Dowart whistled softly. <<That¡¯s an amazing control for one so young.>>


    ¡°Enough.¡± Dylan exclaimed. ¡°You¡¯ve proven your point. We¡¯ll be happy to partner with you.¡±


    ¡°Is that fine?¡± He asked Nang.


    The radian Sight disciple nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll trust your judgment.¡±


    ¡°Fantastic!¡± Free gave Nang a big hug, with the cultivator trying haplessly to get away.


    Watching, Dylan sighed in relief. That¡¯s the troublesome part done. He intended to kill the remaining five murderers on this journey if the chance presented itself. Even if his enemies could reincarnate, Bao had been extremely upset to lose her mortal form. There was merit in causing such anguish. With Lin¡¯s safety in Yaozu Gao¡¯s hands, reprisals are no longer a concern.

 [Book II Chapter 62] HOPE: Defending Beacon

    [Book II Chapter 62] HOPE: Defending Beacon


    ------------------------------------------------


    Hope installed herself on the fortifications, double checking her equipment. The Grey Kingdom¡¯s armada had arrived at Beacon, the Dwarven Kingdom¡¯s western trading city, and she¡¯d joined Eren on the outer walls to greet them. In the distance, countless airships hovered ominously.


    This is it, I¡¯m actually going to fight in a war.  She wasn¡¯t sure how her mother would react to her decision, but, after a year in Corthia, this was her way of repaying their hospitality.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, they¡¯re only testing our defenses today.¡± Eren reassured her. ¡°While we originally suspected the Grey Kingdom had advanced knowledge of the Dark Age given their rapid expansion, it¡¯s become apparent their preparations only began around the time of Arthur Bard¡¯s murder on the Isle. Three weeks can only take them so far, and they¡¯ll need to consolidate their supply lines before a real attempt.¡±


    ¡°If you say so¡­¡± Hope replied uncertainly. As a dwarven saint, Eren was privy to Ravelin¡¯s war planning, something she was not.


    ¡°It¡¯s beginning.¡± Eren observed.


    Swarms of flying creatures poured out of the carriers. At the same time, battleships opened fire. Meteors of pure energy slammed Beacon¡¯s protective wards. From the Dwarven side, magical cannons returned fire, and flocks of gargoyles took flight, engaging the Grey Kingdom¡¯s harpies.


    Hope pursed her lips and raised her gatling gun. She¡¯d been unsatisfied with her firepower during the rupture in Corthia, and had crafted this monster of a weapon as a result. Hundreds of rounds sprayed out of the rotating barrel. The bullets were steel with just enough mythril to add a homing effect. Dozens of harpies dropped to the ground riddled with holes.


    Satisfied that the gargoyles had a decisive edge, Hope ceased firing and turned to find Eren watching impassively. ¡°Normally this is when their immortals would take to the field to overwhelm us.¡±


    ¡°So it¡¯s just going to be an exchange of long range fire and summons?¡± Hope asked.


    Eren smirked, ¡°That¡¯s what the Grey Kingdom intends. However, our intel suggests most of their immortals are scattered on other fronts. We¡¯re going to make them pay for even thinking of attacking us.¡±


    Across the battlefield, a shout echoed out, ¡°Impossible Expansion.¡±


    Enormous slabs of rock exploded out of the cavern ceiling above the fleet, growing endlessly in size. The descending stone smashed into several battleships as the rest scrambled lower. By the time the geology had settled, the tips of the obelisks were scratching the surface below.


    Then the words ¡®Weightless Earth¡¯ rang out, and the underground trembled again. Chunks of bedrock ripped their way out of the ground, filling the air.


    The Grey Kingdom¡¯s forces found themselves divided by the deformed stalactites from above and surrounded by ocean of floating boulders. Before they could organize, four titans appeared in their midst. Hope recognized Edgar Firson swigging his mace.


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    ¡°Our five immortals.¡± Eren declared proudly. ¡°You can¡¯t see her, but Lara Torrent, the stone sage, is there too. Her strength is Geo-Telekinesis.¡±


    Almost simultaneously, two voices yelled out.


    ¡°Winds of Hell.¡±


    ¡°Indomitable Lightning.¡±


    Green tornadoes and arching electricity assaulted the giants, knocking them back. Eren¡¯s smiled faded. ¡°It¡¯s time for us saints to go join the assault. Stay here.¡± With that she left to hop across the levitating boulders.


    Glancing at the raging tempest sending broken debris in all direction, Hope decided to listen to her friend. As she settled back to spectate the hectic battle, she noticed a building-sized black mechanized armor approaching their position. Flying with amazing agility, it deflected cannon fire with its shield and took aim at the dwarven saints with its lance. Oh no, you don¡¯t.


    Hope unleashed her gatling gun. The mech instantly twisted to block the bullets. She waved her weapon from side to side, but the obsidian shield successfully intercepted her homing projectiles. Then let¡¯s go with pure power. Hope doubled the speed of her rotating gun barrels, then tripled it. The kickback became so intense she struggled to aim steady. The relentless barrage finally overwhelmed the mech¡¯s pilot, shattering the mobile armor. Elated by the falling wreckage, Hope suddenly realized what she¡¯d done.  I killed someone else¡­


    The battle soon ended, with the Grey Kingdom extracting themselves from the rocky ambush. Hope waited impatiently for the return of Ravelin¡¯s fighters.


    ¡°Tonight will be a great celebration!¡± Eren announced. ¡°Also, I saw what you did, thanks for the help.¡±


    ¡°I want to go see the mech I shot down.¡± Hope said.


    Eren paused to frown. ¡°Everyone has retreated to Beacon. Going beyond the walls is risky.¡±


    ¡°My original created Astrolis, so I really want to study a mobile armor up close.¡± Hope pleaded. The truth was, she also wanted to witness the consequence of her actions.


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll accompany you.¡± Eren relented.


    They found the remains at the edge of a ravine, riddled with holes. With a certain dread, Hope slowly detached the cockpit door. However, what was inside made them both gasp. An undead sat welded to the seat by metal glowing with dark runes. It stared back with hate-filled eyes.


    ¡°This must be a prototype someone released in panic.¡± Eren guessed.


    ¡°Correct.¡± Came a deep voice. They only had time to spot the tyrant before they were ensnared, its tail squeezing the life out of them. ¡°This belongs to us.¡±


    The lizard observed its captives struggling for breath. ¡°What to do with little spies? Capture or eat?¡±


    Hope managed to reach a pouch and grab a spell. The tyrant snarled at the blinding flash she released. When it faded, Eren was gone from within its coiled tail. At least she got away.


    The tyrant roared, crawling along the ground at tremendous speed. Stopping at a fissure, the ground shock as it tried to pry open the earth. It then took a great breath and screeched. The rock shattered into pieces. As it buried into the ruble, Hope at last lost consciousness.


    ¡­


    She awoke to a large slam and found herself still held aloof. They were on a grassy plain with the Grey Kingdom¡¯s fleet moored around them. The black mech¡¯s torso rested besides the tyrant¡¯s feet. He must have carried it back.


    The lizard scurried over to a battleship and made his way to a dimly lit room. In it stood a woman with silvery black hair. Hope recognized her as Ashaya Horn, the immortal who¡¯d approached her on the Isle. She was conversing with the projection of a large black man with white dreadlocks and weird goggles.


    ¡°Rivon¡¯s back.¡± The man announced.


    ¡°Did you recover the armor?¡± Ashaya asked.


    ¡°Yes, and I seized a spy.¡± The lizard dropped Hope on the ground.


    Ashaya appraised her emotionlessly. ¡°Hope Skyfell. I didn¡¯t expect we¡¯d meet again so soon. You picked a bad time, as I am in no mood for nonsense.¡±


    ¡°Hello,¡± Hope answered awkwardly.


    ¡°She was tinkering around with our equipment.¡± Rivon hissed.


    Ashaya crossed her arms, ¡°That makes her a legitimate war prisoner. Sadly, while I¡¯d love to release some frustration by locking her away, it¡¯s probably not a smart move¡­¡±


    ¡°Bring her to me.¡± The man cut in. ¡°I could use her for the project I mentioned. This is too appealing a coincidence to pass up.¡±


    ¡°Is it really worth angering her mother over this?¡± Ashaya asked.


    ¡°It is to me.¡± The man affirmed.


    Ashaya sighed and shrugged. ¡°Then I guess it¡¯s settled.¡± She turned to Hope. ¡°You¡¯re heading to Cloud Fortress Omega Nine.¡±

 [Book II Chapter 63] ROSE: Edelweiss

    [Book II Chapter 63] ROSE: Edelweiss


    ------------------------------------------------


    ¡°The world certainly has changed, hasn¡¯t it?¡± Roxanne whispered.


    Without answering, Rose took in the skyline. Above a sea of tall buildings, five towers shot all the way up the bedrock above. The sheer amount of engineering and labor needed to construct such a city was awe inspiring.


    ¡°You two coming?¡± Lucy called out. She stood next to two small children as the airship took off behind her. When Vandril had decided to send Rabaster¡¯s survivors to Edelweiss, Lucy had immediately insisted on accompanying them, dragging Rose and Roxanne with her. She still refused to explain why.


    Rose switched her focus to their immediate surroundings. They were in a field on a hill in the orphanage¡¯s private park. Beyond the walls she could see narrow streets full of cramped living spaces.


    Roxanne walked over and bent down before the nervous children, smiling. ¡°Let¡¯s go see your new home. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll make lots of friends.¡±


    They hadn¡¯t taken a dozen steps towards the main building when Lucy burst out laughing. She tried to control herself, but instead doubled over cackling. They all watched dumbfounded. Eventually, she pulled herself together, but then her eyes met Rose and it started again.


    ¡°Come on!¡± Rose exclaimed. ¡°At least explain what is so funny.¡± Lucy simply gesture for them to continued, mumbling they would understand.


    The Directress of Edelweiss welcomed them in warmly. Dozens of children of all ages filtered into the entrance hall to see the new arrivals. Under this attention, the former Rabaster nobles, a girl and her younger brother, shyly named themselves. In a broken cacophony, the gathered children returned the greeting.


    ¡°Let¡¯s not forget the kind folk who brought us these two.¡± The Directress said. ¡°Why don¡¯t you introduce yourself too?¡±


    Lucy jumped in. ¡°I¡¯m Lucy Vance. The pretty lady over there is Roxanne Sibil. And this¡­¡± She gestured grandly. ¡°is Rose, the daughter of Astra Skyfell.¡±


    The reaction was immediate. Small eyes fixated themselves on Rose as excited whispering echoed the room. The clamoring grew until one young boy pointed at her, ¡°Weakling!¡±


    Rose jaw dropped. What is the meaning of this? From the corner of her eye, she saw Lucy giggling to herself.


    ¡°That wasn¡¯t very nice.¡± The Directress frowned. ¡°Now say sorry or no dessert this evening.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s true!¡± The boy protested. ¡°Dawn said so!¡±


    Rose eyes narrowed. ¡°No need for apologies. Instead, could you show me to this Dawn? I¡¯d really like to meet her.¡±


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    The boy nodded and scurried out of the room. Rose followed, turning towards Lucy. ¡°You knew about this?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Lucy admitted. ¡°I¡¯d heard a great deal about your sister from Wise. When I sensed she was here, I had to meet her. She didn¡¯t disappoint.¡±


    Dawn was outside under a tree, in the middle of telling some tale to the orphans around her. Once she saw them, she got up and waved. ¡°Rose, fancy meeting you here! I was just telling them about you.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s the weakling, the one who died once.¡± Exclaimed a small girl.


    Rose¡¯s eyes flicked from the girl to her sister. ¡°What nonsense have you been telling them?¡± She demanded.


    Dawn¡¯s face lit up. ¡°Listen, it¡¯s wonderful. No matter what I say, they accept it without objections. I don¡¯t have to filter myself at all!¡±


    She¡¯s brainwashing them with her deluded ego, Rose realized with horror. As she tried to grasp the scale of the damage, another little girl came up to her and said. ¡°Don¡¯t give up. You can do it.¡± She then ran back and hid behind the others.


    Rose grabbed Dawn¡¯s arm and dragged her to the side. ¡°What are you even doing here?¡±


    ¡°I just got back from a fairly draining dungeon run.¡± Dawn explained. ¡°The adventurer party I joined came here to recuperate.¡±


    Rose noticed Roxanne talking to the children and winced at the big grin on her face. Slander has been spread all over this place. ¡°How did you manage to find teammates? And why would you even want to? I figured you¡¯d be off adventuring on your own.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a long story¡ª¡ª¡± Dawn began.


    ¡°Excuse me¡± Lucy cut in wearing a serious look. ¡°Yuria just arrived looking for Zentrias. It appears something big has happened. We should head to her private study.


    ¡°I¡¯m Lucy, Wise¡¯s girlfriend, by the way.¡± She added.


    Dawn shot Rose a glance. ¡°It¡¯s also a long story.¡± She answered.


    On their way up the main building, Lucy revealed Yuria was the head of Nordric¡¯s Adventurer¡¯s Guild and the immortal who sponsored this orphanage. They entered a large room on the top floor with a balcony overlooking the park. Three people sat around a table.


    On the right was a woman in black covered in Xarst¡¯s symbol. On the left was a man wrapped in dark leather. In the center¡­ Rose¡¯s mouth dropped again. The woman looked identical to Lucy, only older and somehow more beautiful. She wore a stunning yet functional outfit of blue and white.


    ¡°Elliot mentioned that Lucy resembled Yuria, but I didn¡¯t think it was to this extend.¡± Roxanne commented.


    Once everyone had recuperated from the shock, they greeted each other and took a seat.


    ¡°It¡¯s good that you are here, Dawn. I was about to call for you.¡± Zentria glanced toward Rose. ¡°Is your sister joining our party too? With Juda¡¯s departure, we are short a member.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure¡ª¡ª¡± Rose said.


    ¡°She is.¡± Lucy interjected. Noting Rose¡¯s indignation, she rolled her eyes. ¡°It¡¯s what you would have decided. I¡¯m just saving time.¡±


    ¡°With that settled,¡± Yuria said. ¡°We can move on to why I¡¯m here today. A new dungeon has appeared on the edge of Ground Zero. I¡¯m sure you can appreciate the significance.¡±


    Everyone fell quiet. The theme and rewards are often determined by location. If it appeared there then¡­


    ¡°It hasn¡¯t opened yet, but Anna Sorelli has revealed it¡¯s a saint-level undead dungeon.¡±


    Both Carol and Zentria swore at the same time. Rose was surprised at their vitriol.


    ¡°Undead dungeons are rare and exceptionally deadly.¡± Roxanne offered. ¡°Anyone who has lived the experience knows to hate them.¡±


    Yuria nodded. ¡°Unfortunately, we can¡¯t ignore this one. The problem is the rewards. The Adventurer¡¯s Guild believes artifacts left behind by Sola are inside. Prizes so dangerous the HEAVENLY DAO waited for a dark age to release them.¡±


    ¡°You want us to recover them?¡± Zentrias guessed.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Yuria agreed. ¡°Torak¡¯s disciple are active in the surrounding Twisted Lands. No doubt they are recruiting proxies to act on their behalf. We can¡¯t let these items fall into their hands.¡±

 [Book II Chapter 64] SARAH: Desperate Prayer

    [Book II Chapter 64] SARAH:  Desperate Prayer


    ------------------------------------------------


    With a great sweep of it hands, the colossal undead unleashed a towering twister.  Orion foresaw their defenses being ripped apart.  Frowning, he pointed Miracle Worker and swung.  The roaring winds reversed direction, knocking down their creator and scattering the skeletal hordes.


    The battle was going poorly.  None of mankind¡¯s greatest champions were here, and no reinforcements were coming.  Yet he felt it in his being:  this skirmish was a crucial inflection point.  The fate of the world was in the balance.


    Orion planted his staff and closed his sightless eyes.  Please show me the light of hope.  Since the beginning of the dark age, he¡¯d been desperately searching for the path to survival.  However, all he saw was dark futures, and all his actions amounted to was staving off the bleakest of them.


    Ignoring the screech the colossal undead raising itself, Orion tuned out the outside world and plunged deep into the tides of destiny, beyond the probable into the depths of impossibility.  The Ether rejected the intrusion, violently attacking his consciousness, but he couldn¡¯t retreat.  If I don¡¯t find it now, I never will.  After what seemed an eternity, he spotted a faint glimmer.  There!


    He latched on to the thread of fate.  Ever so fragile and transient, it led to a dragon scorching the earth and a pillar of light which promised salvation.


    Opening his eyes, Orion extended his senses to the young immortal struggling against the undead colossus.  Doom already hovered over the Sanwue cultivator.  For the first and last time, he extended Miracle Worker and evoked its true power.  I offer everything.


    The branch of Yggdrasil slipped from his fingers as they turned transparent, and he felt himself fading from existence.  Across the battlefield, the young immortal had entered a righteous rage, his fiery blows single handedly forcing his giant opponent back.  His courageous assault infected those around him, rallying the troops for a counter attack.


    Orion smiled.  By surviving today, Xia Ning¡¯s life and death would reshape history, leading to a dragon god scorching the earth.  He could rest without regrets.


    Sarah lay on her back staring at the ceiling.  Last night¡¯s dream had finally revealed the fate of Miracle Worker¡¯s previous master.  Unknown to anyone, he sacrificed himself to save the world.


    She¡¯d also learned her staff¡¯s illusory grace, ¡®Desperate Prayer¡¯.  In exchange for a suitable sacrifice, the tide of a war could be rewritten, victor and vanquished reversed.  It was terrifying ability, which Sarah couldn¡¯t fathom ever using.  No, that¡¯s backwards.  I can imagine being forced to use it, which is what makes it terrifying.


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    She got up and went straight to the war room.  ¡°What¡¯s the situation?¡±  She asked.


    ¡°No change since yesterday.¡±  Varon reported.  ¡°The demonic beasts continue to pressure us, but have made no major move.  They likely haven¡¯t realized that the Morning Sun has left us.¡±


    Frowning, Sarah glanced at the map floating above the table.  The top third of the country glowed red.  Also worrying was the crimson spreading in the bordering Twisted Lands.  It was only a matter of time until they were surrounded.


    Adele Barsal had initially intended to retake Rosaria, but that was before she¡¯d found out about the Kaygren¡¯s revenant sovereigns, immortal level opponents which returned no matter how many times killed.  Two had set their sights on Tulven: Turok, the Mad Wendigo, and Sekken, the Red Hound.  The latter is the one who killed Andrew and the strongest of the eight.


    ¡°How are other places faring?¡±  She asked.


    ¡°Big news on that front.¡±  Varon revealed slowly.  ¡°Astra Skyfell and Stella Gladesong managed to freeze one of the revenants.  So there¡¯s only seven left.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fantastic!¡±  Sarah exclaimed.  Capture was the sole proven method to eradicate the scourges.  In Aery, under Stormwind, dozens of the most wretches souls to ever walk the earth languished for eternity.  Unfortunately, the revenant sovereigns were all wearing severing collars.  If seriously injured or immobilized, one of the dozen storm eagles accompanying them would activate the artifact¡¯s magic, decapitating them.


    Sarah noted her commander¡¯s dour expression.  ¡°Why do I sense you are less than please?¡±


    Varon sighed.  ¡°The revenants will shy away from Stella because of this, which makes them more likely to target Tulvin.¡±


    Sarah grimaced.  ¡°I¡¯m going to visit Rana.  Please, do what you can to recruit more saints.¡±


    With Barsal¡¯s assistance withdrawn, Tulvin was relying heavily on foreign adventurers.  These mercenaries were paid in water crystals gathered around the shores and refined at the city of Pearl.  At least ten saints were needed to repel a sovereign, with more being better.


    Her old mentor lived in a worn down cottage near the castle gates.  From there she plied her trade to the people of Torris.  Sarah entered the fortune telling shop and spotted the familiar figure at her table in a dark corner.


    Rana looked up and grinned.  ¡°Welcome back.¡±


    Sarah returned the smiled.  ¡°It¡¯s lovely to see you again too.¡±  Walking over and taking a deep breath, she continued with the purpose for her visit.  ¡°I¡¯ve arrange for you to leave on a transport ship tomorrow,¡±


    Once a week, a military-escorted convoy arrived from Neon to collect water crystals.  Aside private airships, it was the only way out of Tulven.


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t.¡±  Rana shook her head.  ¡°Don¡¯t those hold just a few passengers?  Leave my spot to someone younger.¡±


    Sarah knelt by the table and clutched Rana¡¯s hands.  ¡°Please, join your grandchildren in Nordric.  Do it for me.  I can¡¯t lose anyone else.¡±


    The old woman recoiled at these last few words.  ¡°I¡¯m so sorry about your brother¡­  The cards have become less clear since the stars started disappearing.  By the time they revealed the truth, it was too late.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t make me go alone.¡±  Rana pleaded.  ¡°I want to stay and help.  I¡¯m sure with my predictions I can be useful in some way.¡±


    ¡°I already have this.¡±  Sarah placed Miracle Worker in front of them.  ¡°Which you and Andrew retrieved for me.  It has let me see the very threads of fate.  What I need from you is the peace of mind of knowing you¡¯re safe.¡±


    Rana studied Sarah carefully then pushed two cards towards her.  ¡°Death and Hope.¡±  She stated.  ¡°Do you know why I drew these when scrying your future?¡±


    Desperate Prayer¡­  ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡±  Sarah lied.


    ¡°Promise you won¡¯t do something foolish,¡±  Rana said.  ¡°Do that and I¡¯ll depart tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°I swear I¡¯ll do everything in my power to avoid it.¡±  Sarah declared wholeheartedly.

 [Book II Chapter 65] FILIA: Silver’s return

    [Book II Chapter 65] FILIA: Silver¡¯s return


    ------------------------------------------------


    Standing on Neon¡¯s docks, Filia and Kate watched the airship descend. Silver was returning. He¡¯d taken portal from Bastion to Novgard this morning and they were here to greet him.


    Filia recognized him instantly among the disembarking passengers. He¡¯s grown so much. Kate ran and jumped into his arms.


    ¡°I missed you.¡± She said, giving him a smack on the lips.


    ¡°Me too.¡± Silver smiled. He then looked around anxiously. ¡°Where¡¯s Kara?¡±


    ¡°Off in the city.¡± Kate answered. ¡°Although I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll see her soon enough.¡±


    Silver looked her in the eye, ¡°She hasn¡¯t traumatized you, has she?¡±


    ¡°No, I was prepared this time.¡± Kate said. ¡°But what about you? You were in that place for three years¡­¡±


    Silver¡¯s eyes went distant. ¡°I witnessed hundreds of thousands die in those endless skirmishes. It¡¯s maddening how everyone accepts it. There were times I wanted to see you so badly¡­¡±


    I¡¯m glad he¡¯s back safely. From what Filia knew, simply surviving the Flux Planescapes was an impressive victory. She¡¯d secretly dreaded Kate would receive devastating news.


    ¡°But enough of that.¡± Silver declared, shaking off the gloom. ¡°I¡¯ve got something to show you!¡±


    Filia felt him channel, and the white stripped tail of a snow tiger extended behind him. There were two new extremities on his head.


    ¡°Look, I have cat ears too!¡± Silver boasted happily.


    Kate took a step back, a complicated expression on her face. ¡°Please don¡¯t. It¡¯s strange.¡±


    ¡°I thought you¡¯d like it¡­¡± Silver was crestfallen. ¡°I really practiced this fusion.¡±


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    ¡°I appreciate the effort, but no.¡± Kate said firmly.


    Chuckling, Filia announced her departure. The two nodded, barely registering her words. Spreading white feathery wings, she took off over the familiar cityscape.


    <<Are we finally going to get up to date?>> Blizzy asked.


    <<We are.>>  Filia answered, perching on a tall building and activating her wristal.


    It was her first time back in civilization since Rosaria, and she devoured headlines with a starved fervor. Beacon repels the Grey Kindom¡­ Saints arrive from the cultivator world¡­ A dungeon appears near Messanic¡­ Many articles were devoted to the Revenant sovereigns terrorizing the Twisted Lands. Skimming a few, she switched to a network devoted to sukemon coverage. With relief, she discovered most at the tournament had escaped safely.


    <<Look there.>> Blizzy chimed in. Blizzowls were one of the few sukemon that had the sage characteristic and could read.


    Laughing Man tracks down third collector.


    Filia opened the piece and frowned. Three adventurers famous in the scene had been ambushed leaving dungeons, their parties killed and their rare cards stolen. So he hasn¡¯t found what he is looking for¡­


    <<What will you do now?>> Blizzy asked.


    <<I might have to travel with Kara again.>>  Filia sighed.


    Of course, she could always remain in Neon, but she firmly rejected this option. It was her pursuit of immortality which justified not grieving her parents. Without it, she¡¯d have no excuse not to, and she feared falling into a depression she couldn¡¯t escape. That madman won¡¯t crush my dreams.


    <<Whatever happens, you¡¯ll always have us.>>  Blizzy.


    Filia smirked at the encouragement. Her resilience in the face of the Lomistan tragedy was due to her sukemon. They were her second family.


    Her wristal flashed, and she received a message from Kate and Silver. They had something important to discuss. She flew down and joined them in an outdoor cafe.


    ¡°Silver met with Astra Skyfell in Bastion.¡± Kate began. ¡°And she assigned him a mission, so we won¡¯t be traveling with Kara anymore.¡±


    ¡°My sister Hope has been captured.¡± Silver explained. ¡°Since the Grey Kingdom is refusing to answer inquiries, mother wants me to conduct an infiltration to find out more.¡±


    Filia absorbed the bombshell. ¡°Isn¡¯t that a super dangerous assignment?¡± It sounded like the way to lose a second child.


    ¡°During the Grey Kingdom¡¯s offensive, some areas surrendered without a fight and were granted autonomy.¡± Silver revealed. ¡°It should be relative safe to move around there.¡±


    ¡°Like you, Silver is a summoner and can open passageways to the Ether as long as he¡¯s away from protective wards.¡± Kate added. ¡°This means it should prove simple to retreat if things go wrong.¡±


    Silver displayed a map. ¡°Our goal is to reach the Adventurer¡¯s Guild branch in Ransas. It¡¯s our best bet to secure intel.¡±


    They both looked at Filia. ¡°Are you coming with us?¡± Kate asked.


    There¡¯s not really a choice.  ¡°I guess I am.¡± She answered.

 [Book II Chapter 66] SARAH: The Front Lines

    [Book II Chapter 66] SARAH: The Front Lines


    ------------------------------------------------


    The airship landed in an empty central square. Sarah stepped off as men and women rushed out to unload the supplies. This small village was on the front line of the battle against Kaygren¡¯s demonic beasts. Most civilians were gone, with only soldiers and mercenaries remaining.


    ¡°Welcome to Valance.¡± A uniformed woman walked up to greet her. ¡°I¡¯m Corporal Ashley. Lord Yohan assigned me to you during your stay.¡±


    ¡°Was it really necessary for you to come all the way out here?¡± She added, not hiding her disdain.


    ¡°It was.¡± Sarah answered curtly. Her reputation for being powerless would not change overnight. ¡°Please guide me to the command center.¡±


    As they approached the town hall, she felt eyes on her. On the roof, a large ninja in black was staring down coldly. He seemed somehow familiar, but she couldn¡¯t place him.


    Inside, Sarah instantly recognized Lord Yohan, Rosaria¡¯s former Lieutenant Governor, leaning over a map in discussion with a shinobi. Varon had entrusted the command of Tulven¡¯s northern defenses to the saint.


    ¡°Glad you arrived safely.¡± Yohan said seeing her. ¡°This is Jayden Zuto, a ninja from Hearth. He and his squad have been a godsend for us.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the situation?¡± Sarah asked, not wasting time.


    ¡°Our forces are concentrating on preventing any beasts from breaking through.¡± Yohan reported. ¡°However, new rifts kept opening, forcing us to retreat. There¡¯s also the more pressing problem of Turok. Your brother killed him once in Rosaria. The revenant likely bears a grudge and has been relentlessly in assaulting us. Thank goodness Jayden arrived when Adele left. I don¡¯t want to think where we¡¯d be without him.¡±


    ¡°My squad and I have a grudge against the wendigo.¡± Jayden said simply.


    ¡°How are our casualties?¡± Sarah inquired.


    Yohan winced. ¡°Unfortunately, against Turok, foresight only offers a couple minutes warning. By the time Jayden and his squad intercept him, many lives have been claimed.¡±


    ¡°I might be able to predict where he will appear.¡± Sarah offered. ¡°Would that help?¡±


    ¡°Enormously.¡± Jayden nodded. ¡°Whenever the revenant is killed, he disappears for about a day. If we could ambush him each time he crosses over, that would nearly shut him down entirely.¡±


    Sarah held up her staff and concentrated. Slowly she reached out and felt the threats of causality which shaped the world. This was the technique Orion had developed to compensate for his lost sight. Her mastery was rudimentary in comparison. Peering into the future, she eventually identified the arrival of a hostile immortal-level entity. Grasping the thread, she followed it backwards. There.


    ¡°Found him.¡± She declared. ¡°He¡¯ll come through a rift in the forest to our northeast in a few minutes.¡±


    ¡°Could you point out where?¡± Jayden gestured to the map.


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    Sarah shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s faster to lead you there directly.¡±


    Bounding across the landscape was exhilarating. It was Sarah¡¯s first time moving at top speed with her new power. Behind her, Jayden and his subordinate followed. She was relieved and disappointed to see Ashley also keeping up.


    It¡¯s the clearing over there. She dropped down where the rift would appear and found herself face to face with a shinobi. Before she could wonder at this development, Jayden joined her.


    ¡°A fang ninja.¡± He observed. ¡°I have long suspected this lot of doing more than scouting¡­ Care to show us what you¡¯re holding?¡±


    The man took a step back, hiding a hand.


    ¡°Give it up.¡± Jayden continued . ¡°You know who I am. There¡¯s no escape.¡±


    These words pushed the man to action. He held up a large, sharp claw and shouted, ¡°¡¯Rending Reality Itself¡¯¡±


    Transforming into bright light, the claw released a lighting strike into the sky. When it faded, a rift had formed and a huge white figure jumped out. So this is the wendido sovereign that¡¯s been plaguing us.


    Turok roared to announce his presence but was interrupted by a giant gemstone axe bearing down on him. The revenant reacted with a barrier of ice, and the impact send shards everywhere.


    As one whizzed past her head, pain gripped Sarah¡¯s heart, knocking her to her knees. Stupid Astra!  She¡¯d disobeyed the immortal¡¯s instructions by heading into a battlefield, and the curse was preparing to claim her life. She was paralyzed as more beast poured through.


    Turok turned, sensing her vulnerability. He grinned and leaped, his right hand covered in razor sharp ice. Before he could reach her, a black hammer smashed into him, sending him flying.


    The large ninja from the roof landed besides her, his weapon disintegrating into iron sand which hovered around him. Up close, Sarah was shocked to see this was Light Skyfell, one of Astra¡¯s brats. He¡¯s grown so much¡­ he must be close to eighteen! It wasn¡¯t just his appearance. She sensed a malicious power pulsing from his right arm, twisting the strands of fate. He¡¯s cursed too.


    ¡°Thank you for leading us to him.¡± Light said, genuine appreciation in his voice. ¡°Leave this to us.¡±


    Ashley dragged her away, and soon the pain faded. While she could again move on her own, her mood did not improve. I finally have the power to fight, yet I¡¯m forced to flee. Could she really save her nation by remaining on the sidelines?


    Her brooding was interrupted by a distant horn. ¡°That was from Valance!¡± Ashley cried out. ¡°Demonic Beast are attacking!¡±


    An assault timed with Turok¡¯s incursion. They rushed back, joining soldiers on the fortifications outside town. This time, there was no crushing sensation in her chest as the enemy hordes closed in. I guess when they come to me it counts as self-defense.


    Sarah assisted the defenders by throwing out minor maledictions and knocking beast back with her staff. She was sure Orion¡¯s ghost was out there watching, cringing at her crude tactics. The blind immortal had been able to visualize the threads of his opponent¡¯s attack and redirect them at will, but this was beyond her. She just couldn¡¯t make them out fast enough.


    Just as the skirmish was wrapping up, someone yelled. ¡°Airborne incoming.¡±


    A huge swarm of griffins, crows, and bats was approaching. Magical missiles of all types shot up to greet them, but it quickly became apparent there wasn¡¯t enough firepower to down them all. Sarah helplessly watched half pass overhead.


    Then there was light. From the roof of Valance¡¯s townhall, a string of laser beams was released, striking beast after beast. Flaming corpses rained to the ground as the skies were systematically cleared.


    ¡°Fantastic!¡± Sarah laughed. ¡°Who was that? They saved the day!¡±


    Ashely smirked, ¡°You should see for yourself.¡±


    Back in town, Sarah found a crowd gathered around a boy of ten. The youngster looked tired but was smiling sheepishly at the praise being heaped upon him.


    ¡°Jordan Seers.¡± Ashley chuckled. ¡°He¡¯s the savior you were looking for.¡±


    Sarah was stunned. ¡°Is the situation so bad we must resort to children?¡±


    Ashley snorted. ¡°Jordan returned from the Veritas War Academy when he heard of Rosaria¡¯s fall. A prodigy with a light affinity, he¡¯s determined to protect his people. Who are we to object?¡±


    And he¡¯s far too useful to turn away, Sarah acknowledged. It was strange feeling to realize she was being outdone by child. She clenched her fists around Miracle Worker, letting the shame strengthen her resolve.

 [Book II Chapter 67] DYLAN: A Turbulent journey

    [Book II Chapter 67] DYLAN: A Turbulent journey


    ------------------------------------------------


    Dylan gazed out over the railing. The land below was splintered in a million pieces, some the size of a city block, others the size of mountains. From a distance, it resembles a pile of wood chips halted mid fall.


    <<The world has changed so much it¡¯s unrecognizable.>>  Doward lamented next to him.


    Dylan¡¯s team was among twenty assigned to Tulven, a nation beset by demonic beasts, and they were on-board one of six airships heading for the eastern seaborne. The brief reprieve was a opportunity to take stock of the tumultuous changes to his life.


    ¡°Hello!¡± Said a cheerful voice behind him. Free came up and joined him in admiring the view. ¡°Why did you decide to be a hero?¡± She asked suddenly.


    ¡°What?¡± Dylan croaked out, ignoring Dowart¡¯s laughter.


    ¡°I was speaking with Nang.¡± Free explained. ¡°She told me everything. Why did you risk your life to save that girl?¡±


    ¡°It sort of happened.¡± Dylan answered miserably.


    Free raised an eyebrow, clearly expecting more. Deciding truth required less effort, Dylan relayed the story of his encounter with Soul Skyfell and his peculiar demand.


    ¡°So that guy is even turning others into heroes¡­¡± Free chuckled.


    ¡°You know him?¡± Dylan was surprised.


    Free hesitated. ¡°I do. Is that a problem?¡±


    I suppose not, Dylan reflected. ¡°No, you aren¡¯t responsible for his actions. Besides, even with the mess he thrust me in, I¡¯m still grateful for his assistance that time.¡±


    ¡°Has he always been so selfless?¡± Dylan inquired.


    Free nodded. ¡°You could say it¡¯s in his blood.¡± She smiled wistfully. ¡°Same as my own shapes me.¡± Dylan sensed a sadness but didn¡¯t pry.  We¡¯re only temporary allies.


    ¡°So if it isn¡¯t heroic aspiration, what drives you?¡± Free asked.


    Dylan deliberated. ¡°I seek to redress a past wrong.¡± He finally admitted. There are people I must kill, and one travels with us.


    Free¡¯s upbeat demeanor faded at this admission. ¡°I knew someone who spoke of righting wrongs. Hopefully, your motives are more commendable than his.¡±


    Not liking the mood, Dylan changed the subject. ¡°I hear you¡¯re a druid. Could you tell me about your training in Vigil?¡±


    Free¡¯s face lit up. ¡°Oh, it was so amazing I almost didn¡¯t want to leave. How much do know already?¡±


    ¡°Nothing.¡± Dylan confessed.


    Free beamed. ¡°Vigil is the only outside territory ruled by tyrants. It¡¯s basically their embassy to the human world¡ª¡ªThey¡¯re fascinating creatures. The forests sit in the mountains northeast of the Green Hell, a few days from Bastion. Not only is there the widest array of wildlife, in one valley called the Fogwoods time works in all types of weird ways, some places fast, other places slow. It¡¯s marvelous for experimentation. You can complete a project, and come back shortly after to see how it¡¯s performing months later.¡±


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    ¡°If you were having such fun, why didn¡¯t you stay?¡± Dylan asked.


    ¡°A sense of responsibility.¡± Free sighed. ¡°My siblings are out there doing their best, I couldn¡¯t be the only one hiding away, especially with the power I wield.¡±


    Free held out a hand. Small roots converged on her palm, weaving themselves together in the form of a bird. Small leaves resembling feathers covered the body. Flapping its wings twice, it took off and flew away. Dylan had never seen magic like this.


    <<This girl¡¯s talent at manipulating life is so great it¡¯s frightening.>> Dowart chimed in. <<Never underestimate her.>>


    Free watched her creation soar. ¡°I¡¯ll leave my mark on the world by thwarting what she was aiming to achieve.¡± She whispered softly. Dylan didn¡¯t understand but felt her determination.


    ¡°Trouble¡¯s coming.¡± Darius announced. Dylan nearly jumped finding the large man behind.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Free asked, recovering quicker from her companion¡¯s stealthy appearance.


    Darius said nothing but stared ahead. They joined him, attempting to find where he was focused. Approaching them was a splinter of earth rising above the rest. On top was a woman dressed in black.


    ¡°August Terrance is protecting this fleet.¡± Free said. ¡°Surely she¡¯s not crazy enough to attack?¡±


    ¡°The madness in her eyes says otherwise.¡± Darius countered coldly. ¡°Also, look closely at the ground below her.¡±


    A dark crimson covered the splinter¡¯s surface. Dylan noticed it was moving. ¡°Is that¡­ blood?¡±


    As if in response, the liquid surged upwards, rising as pillars before diving towards them. While the wind barrier repelled the assault, a layer of red spread out overhead with drops raining through.


    ¡°I¡¯ll engage the enemy.¡± August¡¯s voice rang out. ¡°Stay on course.¡±


    The immortal flew out and forced back the high pressure streams with blasts of air. The woman turned her attention to this new foe, approaching on a pool of red the size of a small lake. Blades of blood and wind collided to obscure their vision.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Nang called out as she rushed over.


    ¡°Torak¡¯s disciples have been targeting airships.¡± Free answered. ¡°That must be one of them.¡±


    Dylan frowned glimpsing the woman¡¯s crazed face.  Those aiming to destroy the world are enemies.  He surveyed the fleet and noted the decks filled with saints spectating the battle. She¡¯s truly insane to attack this gathering. Then, from the corner of his eye, he spotted a falling shadow. Twisting through the wind barrier, it dropped onto the lead ship.


    ¡°There¡¯s another one.¡± Dylan shouted.


    Weaving through surprised onlookers, the shadow darted inside. A second later there was a ear-shattering crash, and the airship decelerated. The shadow emerged from another exit and jumped to the next ship.


    ¡°She¡¯s after the engines!¡± Someone shouted. ¡°Don¡¯t let her inside!¡±


    Everyone scrambled after the intruder but she slipped through the crowd with astounding ease and speed. Soon there was another explosion.


    ¡°We¡¯re next.¡± Nang said, casting a white silvery net around the ship. Her eyes went wide as the shadowy figure leapt straight through it. ¡°Impossible.¡±


    With the power of the Greater Mystery of Magma, Dylan struck out with Resplendent Delusion. The shadow dodged around him, and he struggled to follow. The pitch black cloth covering his opponent made tracking her difficult. Just as she¡¯d finally escaped him, she paused. All the entrances were sealed shut with a layer roots. More reached up and lunged at her.


    The intruder backpedaled, avoiding another of Dylan¡¯s blows. She drew a dark sharp blade and drove into the deck. Her body then deformed into a thick smoke that seeped through the gap.


    ¡°No!¡± Free cried out.


    They all raced below deck to find the intruder by the engine, her blade raised high. However, before she could swing down, a second shadow appeared behind her, wielding an enormous scythe.


    There were three flashes as Darius split the air with his vicious weapon. Barely evading, the intruder turned and barreled past them. Just as fast, the ninja dashed in pursuit. By the time they¡¯d returned above deck, both were gone, and all was quiet.


    <<Your comrades are intimidating.>>  Dowart observed.


    Indeed, Darius had scared off an intruder who had outmaneuvered dozens of saints. What¡¯s the secret behind this power? And why is such an individual traveling with us?

 [Book II Chapter 68] ROSE: Dark Heritage

    [Book II Chapter 68] ROSE: Dark Heritage


    ------------------------------------------------


    Seven days ago the broken ruins of a castle had embedded themselves in the crater wall of Ground Zero, half a mile up. In the deepest courtyard, among toppled towers and collapsed fortifications, a giant skull was carved into the rock face. The dungeon¡¯s entrance would appear in its maw.


    Rose glanced about at the dozens of teams assembled around her before turning to her Mentor, ¡°Will you be okay while I am gone?¡±


    ¡°Certainly,¡± Roxanne answered in usual layed back manner, ¡°I¡¯ll be helping defend Messanic to keep myself busy.¡±


    This heightened Rose¡¯s anxiety. ¡°I thought you only had a couple of fights left in you.¡±


    She¡¯d no intention of intention of letting her mentor pass on and had spent much of the last week in research. This weariness of the soul had no easy cure. Many texts advised impractical decade-long treatments of some type or another. Miracle seeds were the only proven instant-remedy, and even then it took several of them.


    Roxanne chuckled. ¡°That¡¯s against opponents of Quazon¡¯s level. Small fries don¡¯t count.¡±


    ¡°What if the Revenants show up?¡± Rose pressed.


    ¡°If they do, I¡¯ll let other immortals take the lead.¡± Roxanne reassured her.


    ¡°The Red Hound is apparently quite strong.¡± Dawn chimed in, oblivious to the undertones of the conversation.


    Her sister was in an excellent mood. Not only was this expedition a perfect chance to display her prowess, but Rose was here to witness it on behalf of her other siblings. When we get together after this, I just know she¡¯ll make *me* tell them all about it.


    ¡°Fancy meeting you here.¡± Elliot Watson called out before they could respond to Dawn. In his usual impeccable attire, the immortal butler walked over.


    If he¡¯s here, that must mean¡­  Rose searched around.


    ¡°Cindy is out of view in the far corner.¡± Elliot revealed.  I wonder who she found to accompany her.


    Zentria and Carol stopped chatting and joined them. ¡°It¡¯s an honor to finally meet the Lord of Ruin.¡± Zentrias bowed.


    Elliot smiled. ¡°That¡¯s not the title I¡¯m know for these days.¡±


    ¡°My affinity is also destruction, so it¡¯s the one I value most.¡± Zentrias explained.


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    Rose appraised their leader in his outfit of layered black leather. Dawn vouched for the man, which spoke volumes for his ability. Whatever he¡¯d done in the Nolfis Underground had earned her respect, a feat she found incomprehensible.


    ¡°So you¡¯re the team Yuria put together¡­¡± Elliot smirked. ¡°Did she brief you on what you¡¯ll be up against or did she simply throw you to the wolves?¡±


    ¡°The grandmaster is very busy. Besides, I don¡¯t believe anyone knows what dangers we¡¯ll face.¡± Zentrias spoke defensively.


    Elliot shook is head. ¡°I¡¯m referring to the human opponents you¡¯ll be squaring off against.¡±


    He gestured around. ¡°Most major powers have sent representatives after the spoils here: Aery, the Grey Kingdom, Garnen and Remnant¡­ Even the knights of Oranda are represented.¡±


    ¡°As is the White Mountain.¡± Elliot pointed to a group in white armor. ¡°Those paladins are the only ones from the Northern Empire. The internal strife continues there, and Samuel Lithorn has convened the Bloodstone Order to address the questions about his leadership. The outcome of that gathering will shape history.¡±


    ¡°Is his rule over?¡± Rose asked. She held a strong grudge over her averted death in the Blood Arena.


    ¡°While there is enormous pressure for a graceful exit, I am loathed to make a prediction. That man isn¡¯t someone who¡¯ll accept fading away quietly.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, you should focus on your immediate foes.¡± Elliot pointed to the leaders of three teams who were deep in discussion. Two wore Xarst¡¯s black.


    ¡°The necromancers are Raphael Lange and Alana Mason. They¡¯re suspected of being¡ª¡ª¡±


    ¡°¡ª¡ªIn league with Torak¡¯s disciples.¡± Rose finished coldly. She hadn¡¯t expected to see that handsome face again so soon.


    Elliot nodded. ¡°However, the one to watch out for is the man they are talking too. Stannis Gilron is a famous mercenary who is practically an immortal in terms of strength. He¡¯ll present a most formidable obstacle.¡±


    ¡°What makes him so dangerous?¡±  Rose asked.


    ¡°Stannis has been selling his services for decades, reinvesting all his profits in himself, acquiring a supreme martial art and legendary gear. He would¡¯ve reached the wall long ago if not for his greedy nature. He only takes risks when well-paid.¡±


    ¡°His long career has earned him an infamous Sublime Vagary called ¡®Ruthless Efficiency¡¯. The passive gives a well-rounded increase to his abilities, and the activation amplifies his effectiveness against weaker opponents. To leverage its potential, he¡¯s known to make use of wish seeds in fights.¡±


    ¡°He wastes those for temporary boosts in power?¡± Zentrias appeared shocked.


    Elliot shrugged. ¡°He¡¯s more a mercenary than an adventurer. Achieving his objectives is paramount.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, if you run up against him, you¡¯ll need this.¡± Elliot held out a dried shell, and Rose felt an otherworldly magic from within. ¡°It¡¯ll allow one of you to stand up to him despite his ability.¡±


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you give this to Cindy?¡± Rose objected.


    ¡°I already did, but she would only accepted one.¡± Elliot grinned. ¡°Hence I have an extra.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take it then.¡± Dawn snatched the gift. ¡°I promise to put it to good use.¡± She¡¯s already determined to battle Stannis.


    A thunderous rumbling echoed throughout the courtyard. The rock under the skull crumbled away to reveal a dim passageway from which strode out a shapely black-haired woman.


    ¡°I, Anna Sorelli, welcome you to Dark Heritage, Enera¡¯s latest saint-level dungeon.¡± She announced. ¡°Inside lie prizes the HEVENLY DAO has left untouched for two millennia: artifacts collected from fallen heroes, Sola¡¯s combat armor and blackwood staff, instruments of war she crafted, and much more. While invaluable, be warned they are well-guarded.¡±


    She motioned to the skull above. ¡°As you can tell, undead wander within. If you don¡¯t understand the peril they represent, you shouldn¡¯t be here.¡±


    ¡°Best fortune, you¡¯ll need it.¡± She finished and vanished.

 [Book II Chapter 69] KATE: Infiltrating the Grey Kingdom

    [Book II Chapter 69] KATE: Infiltrating the Grey Kingdom


    ------------------------------------------------


    ¡°You sure this is safe?¡± Kate asked.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve done this a thousand of times before.¡± Silver said, leading them down a corridor shaped of fog. A storm of chaotic colors beyond the insubstantial walls lit the way.


    Kate peered ahead. ¡°How are you sure this won¡¯t connect somewhere dangerous?¡± They¡¯d traversed several realms so far, but hadn¡¯t encountered anything too fierce. Still, Kate was aware of the horrors which lurked in the Ether.


    ¡°When forming passageways, a summoner can sense the type of place they are linking to.¡± Filia offered.


    Kate glanced at her companion who seemed far more at ease. ¡°Do you know how to etherwalk too?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m familiar with the basics.¡± Filia answered. ¡°However your boyfriend is far more skilled than me.¡±


    Kate scowled lightly, swallowing her doubts. At the Isle of Dreams, Silver had barely used this side of his talent. They¡¯d been partners in mastering their auras. It was unsettling seeing him wield a foreign magic so proficiently.


    When they exited to a forest clearing, a swarm of fairies flew over and accost them. ¡°This is Elysium field.¡± Kate said in wonder, watching the small figures fluttering about. The atmosphere had an otherworldly calm about it.


    ¡°I thought you¡¯d enjoy it.¡± Silver smirked before addressing the fae greeting them. ¡°We¡¯re searching for the Celetect Vortex. Could you show us the best place to reach it?¡±


    ¡°This way.¡± One sprite declared proudly, dashing off through the woods. They crossed giant roots over a verdant wetland and arrived at another portion of the veil. Silver approached and raised his hand. The amber crystal hanging on his wrist glowed a bright orange.


    ¡°There it is.¡± He mumbled happily.


    Thanking their fairy friends, they entered another misty hallway. Shorter this time, it ended at a black pit, and sandy gusts assaulted them as they neared.


    ¡°I hate this place.¡± Filia grimaced, staring into the void. ¡°Even with cici, I¡¯m still as blind as a bat. It¡¯s too windy and dark.¡±


    Silver burst into flames, sending Kate into a panic. Then she saw his confident expression and felt embarrassed. I am going to make him show me all his fusions after this!


    Unaware of her irritation, Silver dropped several balls of fire to light a stone platform below. They jumped down. Giant electricity rings swirled together in an unending chaotic fashion above them.


    While summoners could open portals anywhere on Enera outside of protective wards, returning was more complicated. Relying on tethered realms was regarded as too unpredictable. Instead, etherwalkers used beacons, magical power spots so great they left a disturbance in the Ether. The Celetect Vortex was one such beacon. Given the neverwhere ruin¡¯s location deep in the Raging Sands, few had studied it and no one knew its purpose.


    Silver and Kate blocked the sand with their auras, and Filia fused a rockmight, growing a foot and turning to stone. With a compass as their only guide, they crossed the pitch-black dunes avoiding the howling twisters wandering around them. Their journey took them out of the subterranean desert, through miles of chalk caverns, and then down to the mountainous landscape below.


    Silver finally brought them to a stop in a quiet sunlit valley. ¡°We should wait for nightfall to approach Ransas. Also, this place is far enough from the cities wards to open a portal. We¡¯ll make it our extraction point if something goes wrong.¡±


    Catching her breath, Kate raised an eyebrow, ¡°Extraction point?¡±


    Silver winced, ¡°Sorry, it¡¯s military lingo I picked up. I was often part of reconnaissance teams in the Flux Planescape.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine.¡± Kate said. ¡°I¡¯m just amazed how you got us here without getting lost.¡± While proud, part of her missed the awkward energetic boy from the Isle. The new maturity and competence would take some getting used to.


    ¡°I¡¯m the one who proposed this mission when mother told me about Hope.¡± Silver continued ¡°She wasn¡¯t thrilled at the idea, but she recognized the opportunity. The Grey Kingdom expanded too fast, and, in many low priority regions, they¡¯ve only set up a rudimentary scrying network which can¡¯t detect the presence of saints. That¡¯s how we¡¯re sneaking it.


    ¡°I suppose your mother is also expecting you to bring back other intel?¡± Filia guessed.


    ¡°Yes, since communication with this branch of the Adventurer¡¯s Guild has been cut off.¡± Silver agreed. ¡°The promise to do so was instrumental in getting her to agree.¡±


    With the discussion over, Filia went off to cultivate, and Silver turned his attention to her. ¡°So, what did you learn from Kara?¡± He asked.


    Kate spent the rest of the afternoon showcasing the results of her training. While it was pleasant throwback to their time on the Isle, she was secretly relieved when Silver struggled to replicate the more advanced techniques. At least she could retain an edge in this area, at least for now.


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    Their infiltration was effortless. Ransas was still an open city, whose wards weren¡¯t enchanted to require a token for entry. For saints like them, they could simply hop over the walls. The only danger was someone recognizing them, which is why they¡¯d waited for dark.


    They skipped across the roofs and used a key to enter the top floor office of Nicholas Farsight, the head of this branch of the Adventurer¡¯s Guild. Inside, a tired middle-aged man sat behind a desk. Recognizing them, he directed them to close the curtains and have a seat at a nearby table. As he joined them, Kate noticed the bushy tail peaking out from below his jacket and the two doggy ears atop his heap.


    ¡°Oh, I forgot to mention, but Astra told me canine feature are common in this region.¡± Silver looked over apologetically.


    Kate rolled her eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll just stand out a bit more than usual.¡± So he hasn¡¯t totally gotten over his habit of blurting out whatever¡¯s on his mind. She was secretly happy about this.


    ¡°Coming here was riskier than you realize.¡± Nicholas begun. ¡°We¡¯re lucky king Saren wasn¡¯t in town.¡±


    Kyle Saren is the saint who rules over Ransas, Kate remembered from the briefing Silver had given. He¡¯d inherited the throne after the recent death of his father. Not much else was know about him except he was renowned fighter.


    Silver frowned. ¡°What dangers didn¡¯t we know about?¡±


    ¡°Kyle co-operated with the Grey Kingdom, welcoming them in.¡± Nicholas explained. ¡°As a reward, he was assigned two gloom shinobi, both saints. One always stays close, but the other patrols the city. If you¡¯re spotted and don¡¯t flee before they lock down the wards, it¡¯ll end badly.¡±


    ¡°Fortunately, we¡¯ll have left by morning so it shouldn¡¯t be an issue.¡± Silver said. ¡°Now to the reason of our visit: have you heard anything about my sister?¡±


    ¡°I have.¡± Nicholas sighed. ¡°She¡¯s been transfered to Cloud Fortress Omega Nine. Rumor is Argon Blast has taken an interest in her.¡±


    For the first time, Silver seemed uncertain, ¡°Who¡¯s Argon Blast?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s a barsal immortal who defected.¡± Kate jumped in. ¡°You¡¯d already left the Isle when we received the news.¡±


    ¡°Exactly.¡± Nicholas agreed. ¡°Argon¡¯s mobile fortress is military powerhouse filled with war machines of all types. It¡¯s manned by a crew that¡¯s handpicked and fanatically loyal.¡±


    Silver scowled. ¡°Where is it right now?¡±


    ¡°Somewhere on the front lines, likely surrounded by a fleet of ships.¡± Nicholas shook his head. ¡°My advice is to give up. Rescue is impossible. Diplomacy too if she¡¯s really attracted Argon¡¯s attention.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡± Silver said slowly. ¡°Thank you. Simply knowing her location is a relief.¡±


    The quiet which fell over the room was broken by Filia, who addressed Nicholas. ¡°You appeared stressed when we arrived. What¡¯s the cause?


    ¡°The King has a new adviser named Finley. Since he arrived a couple of months ago, people have begun disappearing. Some bodies have resurfaced showing signs of torture. This trend has gotten worst with our isolation from the outside thanks to Grey Kingdom¡¯s offensive.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this the type of situation adventurers rush to investigate?¡± Kate asked. Exposing crimes and bringing villains to justice provided plenty of fame and renown.


    ¡°Adventurers are among the missing.¡± Nicholas responded. ¡°Besides, Finley is a saint and has King Saren¡¯s confidence. It¡¯d take an immortal to confront him.¡±


    Nicholas leaned back. ¡°Every day I deal with relatives of those taken, and I¡¯m powerless to do anything. It¡¯s draining. That¡¯s not too mention the other problems¡ª¡ª¡±


    There was a tapping on the window, and everyone tensed up. Nicholas motioned for them to be still and got up. Peering through the curtains, he frowned and opened the door.


    A petite black-haired women in her early twenties slipped in. She sported wolf ears and a tail, and her worn leather gear marked her as an adventurer. Anxiety shone in her blue eyes.


    ¡°This is Sana, one of those who went missing.¡± Nicholas explained. ¡°Could you tell us what happened to you?¡±


    Sana fidgeted awkwardly before finally mustering her determination. ¡°A week ago, some men came to our inn and told us to surrender. Margaret said they were too strong to fight, so we were taken away.¡±


    ¡°I was separated from her and locked up. After several days alone, I escaped and ran here.¡± The girl looked up, desperation on her face. ¡°You have to help, Margaret is still there!¡±


    Silver waved Nicholas close. ¡°Is she alright? She speaks like a child¡­¡±


    Nicholas wavered. ¡°I¡¯m not sure, Margaret always did the talking whenever they visited. What I do know is she¡¯s an A-rank adventurer, so she can¡¯t be mentally disabled. Perhaps it¡¯s the stress from this ordeal? In any case, there¡¯s something I must verify.¡± He faced Sana again. ¡°Can you tell us about the place you escaped from?¡±


    Sana nodded vigorously. ¡°It¡¯s deep underground, much deeper than this. It¡¯s one of those places with purple plants. I can show you the way if you want!¡±


    ¡°What did it look like?¡± Nicholas continued. ¡°This is important.¡±


    ¡°Four big square buildings.¡± Sana answered. ¡°All white with no windows.¡±


    Nicholas grimaced. Without a word, he returned to his chair and collapsed. ¡°I understand what¡¯s happened, but I wish I hadn¡¯t.¡± He spoke softly.


    ¡°What¡¯s that place?¡± Silver asked.


    ¡°Frieden, an underground facility near here.¡± Nicholas revealed. ¡°It serves a controversial purpose. As I¡¯m sure you¡¯re aware, for nobility, marrying high ranked adventurers is key to maintaining their rule. When forming these alliance, certain sexual preferences are undesirable. That¡¯s where Frieden comes in. It changes people.¡±


    ¡°Soul manipulation?¡± Filia spoke up, aghast.


    Nicholas nodded.


    ¡°And this was allowed to go on for how long?¡± Kate asked. Beyond the ethical, procedures which alternated the soul had a history of going horribly wrong.


    ¡°Several centuries I believe. All the patients went there voluntarily and there were no mishaps, so it¡¯s been quietly tolerated. I was sure they¡¯d have shut down with dark age, but¡­¡± Nicholas trailed off, then took a deep breath.


    ¡°Ten days ago, Finley raided a certain district. Ransas is famous for being accepting, and those of a certain inclination flocked to the city. All those taken are likely in Frieden.¡±


    ¡°This is disastrous.¡± Nicholas continued. ¡°Soul manipulation is a delicate procedure under normal circumstances. With unwilling participants, during a dark age¡­ It¡¯s madness, yet what can I do?¡±


    ¡°If we were to rescue them, could you ensure they reach safety?¡± Filia asked. Wait a minute¡­ This was the first time her companion had taken the initiative and proposed a course of action. Kate didn¡¯t know what to make of it.


    Initially thrown off too, Nicholas¡¯s eyes focused. ¡°Yes, if you could lead them somewhere south of the city, I could arrange for them to be picked up by a transport.¡±


    Filia looked to Silver who pivoted to Kate.  He wants me to decide since its Filia¡¯s idea. ¡°Why are you so gun ho about this?¡± Kate asked.


    ¡°I can¡¯t risk dungeons right now.¡± Filia said calmly. ¡°This is a means to do good and gain experience. Do you really want to turn back having accomplished nothing?¡±


    ¡°Are you going to help?¡± Sana asked excitedly. The girl had been so quiet Kate had forgotten she was there.


    With everyone staring at her, Kate sighed, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s do this. What could go wrong?¡±


    ¡°Thank you so much.¡± Sana grabbed Kate in a big hung. I hope I didn¡¯t just agree to get ourselves killed.

 [Book II Chapter 70] DAWN: The undead hordes

    [Book II Chapter 70] DAWN: The undead hordes


    ------------------------------------------------


    Within the cathedral like interior, Saints descended two spiral staircases in orderly fashion. Dawn observed this fascinated. ¡°Why isn¡¯t anyone rushing ahead?¡± She asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s a long established custom.¡± Zentrias answered. ¡°When new dungeons spawn, adventurers wait until everyone reaches the starting line. Anyone violating this unspoken rule will be targeted by those who follow.¡±


    That would explain it.  Dawn was extremely satisfied with her new party, especially its leader. While Carol had explained why Zentrias couldn¡¯t use his eyes all the time, that didn¡¯t matter to her. The fact remained the man possessed a terrifying ability against which she wasn¡¯t sure she would prevail. That and his vast experience made him worthy of her respect.


    This was shaping up to be a positively splendid outing. Not only were they facing the most dreaded type of dungeon, they were in a race against human opponents with really important stakes involved. She welcomed both aspects of the challenge. No doubt I¡¯ll have the opportunity to demonstrate the full extent of my skills, and, to make it even better, I have Rose here to witness it all.


    Rose sensed Dawn studying her and winced. ¡°We¡¯re going up against the undead. Try not to do anything to crazy.¡±


    Is she nervous? ¡°Don¡¯t worry I¡¯ll protect you.¡± Dawn assured in her kindest voice. Rose went rigid then stomped off, which made her smile. I¡¯ve missed her irrational fits of anger.


    Reaching the last step, they exited to a wide stone courtyard, and a warm, reassuring feeling swept over Dawn, as though she was bathed in sunlight. This was sanctified ground, a field of holy magic which repelled the abyss and those spawned from it. Such spaces would be their only respite in the undead dungeon.


    Beyond a sheer cliff where the courtyard ended, visibility was terrible. Chunks of bedrock were suspended in the air, engulfed by a raging dust storm. On many were parts of roads and buildings.


    Dawn held out a hand beyond the courtyard¡¯s protective barrier and felt the malevolent winds of the vilestorm. She then looked down at the dust-swept plains half a mile below and saw skeletal figures, thousands of them. ¡°They aren¡¯t noticing us.¡± She observed.


    ¡°The HEAVENLY DAO¡¯s sanctified grounds are special.¡± Carol explained, gesturing to the faint glow around them. ¡°The undead can¡¯t see through. To them, it¡¯s a wall of light.¡±


    ¡°Interesting.¡± Dawn mumbled. In several places in the distant haze, gigantic rocky spires jutted from the ground and traveled all the way up to the field of floating ruins. So they have the means to reach us¡­


    Stannis Gilron led his team onto the first hovering rock, and the parties of his two necromancer allies soon followed. The reaction was immediate, with unearthly howls echoing up. The skeletal masses surged towards the spires, climbing up with surprising speed.


    Dawn frowned. ¡°Three teams cooperating¡­ Doesn¡¯t that trivialize things?¡±


    ¡°The early portions, yes.¡± Zentrias nodded. ¡°Which is why most will start off traveling alone. Later on, the situation changes. We¡¯ll most likely need to group up to clear the final floors.¡±


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡°Is it alright to give them this head start?¡± Rose asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Zentrias continued. ¡°This dungeon will take days to clear. We¡¯ll catch up later. For now, let¡¯s let him draw the horde away from us.¡±


    Dawn watched Stannis effortlessly bulldoze his way through his skeletal opponents, and an expectant grin creeped on her face. Will you be the one who helps me realize my ambition?


    Soon other teams took off, and Zentrias decided it was time, offering some final advice. ¡°Focus on knocking them off. It¡¯s not worth the time and energy to deal with them for good. Also, the winds will shift to throw you off balance. Be ready for it.¡±


    The undead reacted immediately, making their way straight for them across the aerial rumble. Most had weapons, and a few had pieces of armor clinging to their bones.


    Dawn smiled and raced ahead. This was what she¡¯d been waiting for. Channeling power into her arms, she released cold shockwaves that send skeletons tumbling below. For the stubborn ones who refused to fall quietly, she flash froze them with blasts of ice. Not one got close. It¡¯s regrettable that I can¡¯t display my hand to hand skills, but they¡¯re too spread out.


    She¡¯d improved immensely since the Isle of Dreams. The boost from becoming a saint had allowed her to access the rest of ¡®Winter¡¯s Embrace¡¯, Astra¡¯s martial art. She¡¯d then perfected her mastery during her time in Aery and had moved on to developing her own awesome techniques. Unfortunately, the rabble before her wasn¡¯t worthy of experiencing them.


    Dawn easily deflected an arrow aimed at her neck and glared back at the archer readying another. It¡¯s not fair how they aren¡¯t affected, she griped, shooting a frozen shard with enough speed and force to smash the undead¡¯s chest despite the violent winds.


    The gigantic anomalous undead storm around them was doing its best to be a royal pain. Sudden gusts attempted to blow them off the rocks, and powerful downdrafts sought to drag them down when they jumped. Multiple times, Dawn resorted to anchoring herself with ice and executing mid air hops to adjust her trajectory. Flying in this would be a nightmare.


    It was a couple of minutes later before the area¡¯s last enemy made it¡¯s appearance. When Dawn landed in the middle of a broken courtyard, two horrifying figures swooped down from the sky, their black shrouds obscuring everything except for their skulls and clawed hands.


    She instantly send shards at them but was surprised when her projectile passed right through. She formed ice blades to engage, but, before she could, a mass of tentacles entangled the wraiths and dragged them into a rift in the air. ¡°Only their arms and head are tangible.¡± Carol shouted. ¡°Aim there.¡±


    Now it¡¯s getting a little exciting. Dawn succeeded in freezing three aerial opponents before turning to face a group of skeletons. However, a vicious beam of crimson fire shot by her face, sending them plummeting. That¡¯s new. ¡°Quit hogging the fighting. Since I¡¯m here, I¡¯d like to earn some EXP too.¡± Rose said resentfully.


    ¡°I concur.¡± Zentrias added, ejecting another group with an explosion. ¡°We can¡¯t have you wasting too much energy on the starting area. Your strength will be needed later.¡±


    ¡°You and Carol deal with the wraiths.¡± He directed. ¡°Rose and I will fend off the skeletons.¡±


    ¡°You take the rear.¡± Carol added.


    Dawn sighed. If I have to¡­ She slowed down, focusing on taking down the enemies behind them. It was so tediously easy that her mind soon drifted to the supreme ability she¡¯d unleashed on the Isle.


    To her eternal frustration, the sublime vagary remained incomplete, and the knowledge that should have come to her hadn¡¯t. This probably has to do with the unique situation I used it in. She remembered what her ability did and how to wield it. What was eluding her was the activating conditions. On its own, simply reciting the chant did nothing. Myriad Calamity Crystallization had a hidden prerequisite whose nature eluded her.


    Discovering how to unlock the sublime vagary had become somewhat of an obsession. It was another reason she¡¯d pushed herself to solo so many dungeon, theorizing that a hopeless situation was probably the trigger. Unfortunately, these efforts had failed. Nothing had been on the level of a deathmatch with an immortal.


    But maybe this time¡­ She thought back to Stannis effortlessly plowing through his foes. She sensed in him a threat rivaling Sion Gale. Perhaps he¡¯ll be the insurmountable obstacle I need.

 [Book II Chapter 71] HOPE: Cursed Fate

    [Book II Chapter 71] HOPE: Cursed Fate


    ------------------------------------------------


    ¡°I¡¯m going to open fire on you now.¡± Dorothy Lace announced. Above Hope, the orange mobile armor pointed multiple gun barrels at her.


    Awww dang it, Hope thought, accelerating at full speed. She was piloting a borrowed mech, one of Argon¡¯s custom crafts called Envy Green, and she¡¯d barely gotten the hang of the controls. As projectiles sailed by her on all sides, she did her best to dodge them haphazardly. She couldn¡¯t even try to defend herself as the weapon systems had been disabled.


    She lasted barely a minute before a series of impacts send her tumbling towards the ground. Panicked, She worked to stabilize her fall and managed a rough landing. Dorothy¡¯s GunHell came down and hovered near her.


    ¡°Pathetic display.¡± She said coldly. ¡°You aren¡¯t worthy of flying one of Argon¡¯s masterpieces.¡±


    I didn¡¯t ask for this!  Hope swallowed the retort.


    ¡°We¡¯re heading back.¡± Dorothy declared, soaring off.


    Grumbling, Hope got airborne, discovering that whatever ordnances Dorothy had used hadn¡¯t done any lasting damage. She then obediently followed Gunhell back towards Cloud Fortress Omega Nine.


    ¡°What does Argon want with me¡­¡± Hope muttered. The immortal had lend her Envy Green and instructed his elite squad of pilots to train her to fly the thing. She couldn¡¯t fathom his motives. I ain¡¯t fighting for him no matter how much he threaten me.


    With a surge of relief, Hope parked her building size giant in the hanger. The cockpit door swung open automatically, but she didn¡¯t move, sinking further into her seat. Another of her ¡®instructors¡¯, Leon Cortes, was waiting below. She despised him. The man was the most arrogant and cold of the lot.


    ¡°How was target practice?¡± Leon asked Dorothy as she dismounted.


    ¡°I wish I could say it was fun, but it didn¡¯t last long.¡± She answered, dropping to the ground. ¡°And I wasn¡¯t even using a third of my arsenal.¡±


    Hope silently endured the chit chat discussing her inadequacy, praying the two would just leave. When they finally did, Leon stopped and called back to her. ¡°I forgot. Once you¡¯ve recuperated, Argon wants to see you.¡±


    Hope remained slouched. I have an immortal level war machine under my control, yet I¡¯m still trapped. With a hand, she tugged at the metal around her neck.


    The severing collar would decapitate her the instant she strayed to far from Cloud Fortress Omega Nine. Or if its creator gave the signal. Her efforts to tamper with the enchantments had come to nothing. The magic of a paragon like Argon Blast was indecipherable to her. And this isn¡¯t the worst of it.


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    Closing her eyes, Hope concentrated. Gradually, words formed into sentences in her mind.


    Sublime Vagary:  Cursed Fate


    Passive: Attracts misfortune and life-threatening danger.


    Activation:  Summon good luck as compensation for all misfortune experienced.


    What is this sick joke?  She¡¯d never heard of such a negative passive effect. The activation would at best cancel out the problems attracted her way. Recalling all her near brushes with death, she could see where such an ability might have come from. That didn¡¯t stop her from utterly rejecting it.


    Hope sighed and got up. Look at the bright side. I wanted to know more about mobile armors, and now I got my wish.


    Returning to the immense central room which served as Argon¡¯s workshop, she was surprised to find the immortal with a lanky man in black. Both were looking up at the repaired mech she¡¯d shot down and the undead in the cockpit.


    ¡°¡­ So what do you think?¡± The lanky man said.


    ¡°An unstoppable war machine controlled by a pilot devoid of fear and mercy¡­¡± Argon stared up at the undead. ¡°I admire of what you trying to do from an aesthetic standpoint. You¡¯ll get the parts you need.¡±


    ¡°However,¡± Argon added. ¡°I must stess that no matter how great their skill in piloting, their refusal to communicate is a critical flaw. Flesh and blood pilots won¡¯t be replaced any time soon.¡±


    ¡°Oh, we¡¯re close to solving that problem.¡± The lanky man responded. ¡°We¡¯ve a very special specimen for our ultimate craft.¡±


    Argon¡¯s face went taut. It was Hope¡¯s first time seeing such a serious expression on the man. ¡°You¡¯re venturing into territory even I wouldn¡¯t dare tread. Some things aren¡¯t meant to be.¡±


    ¡°I am aware of the risks. Worst case, we might be shaping the instrument of our own demise.¡± The lanky smirked. ¡°But if you cared that much for the survival of the world, you wouldn¡¯t have defected.¡±


    ¡°True.¡± Argon chuckled, back to his relaxed, confident self. ¡°I am in no position to object.¡±


    After a few last pleasantries, the lanky man gave a signal, and the undead picked him up with its mech before flying out the room.


    ¡°Who was that?¡± Hope asked.


    ¡°Daniel Ryson, a necromancer fascinated by the application of violence.¡± Argon answered. ¡°It¡¯s no surprise such a kindred spirit joined the Grey Empire.¡±


    Hope studied the large black man bitterly. ¡°Why do you enjoy war so much?¡±


    ¡°Because peace is boring. It dulls the mind and the spirit.¡± Argon shook his head. ¡°My creativity will not be restrained, and only in conflicts can it shine. The pain of loss and thrill of victory is my world.¡±


    He¡¯s just crazy. Even after several day, Hope couldn¡¯t understand the man. ¡°Why did you want to see me?¡±


    Argon grinned widely. ¡°It¡¯s time to reveal your purpose.¡± He touched a display, and the large armored figure appeared. Hope recognized it as Astrolis, the machine her original had made. ¡°You¡¯re going to help us steal it.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Hope¡¯s mind swirled. ¡°How would¡ª¡ª Isn¡¯t it in the Northern Empire?¡±


    ¡°It has been standing immobile in the port city of Palos since the fracturing.¡± Argon revealed. ¡°Just a few hundred miles across the Blue Abyss.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯d never let us just take it.¡± Hope objected dumbly.


    Argon smiled turned cruel. ¡°Of course not. However, the empire¡¯s in turmoil, and Lithorn is convening the Bloodstone Order. Immortals from all over are heading to the capital, leaving places like Palos unguarded. A swift, surgical strike of sufficient power can liberate Astrolis¡­ and you¡¯ll pilot it back for us.¡±


    ¡°¡­ And if I refuse?¡± Hope said slowly.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll destroy it as originally planned.¡± Argon said without missing a beat. ¡°A war machine which never sees action is pointless, and it¡¯s so tiresome having my work compared to that ancient fossil.¡±


    ¡°And if I agree?¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll remove the collar around your neck.¡± Argon said snuggly. ¡°So what will it be? Action and adventure, or rotting in cell for the rest of the dark age?¡±

 [Book II Chapter 72] SILVER: Frieden

    [Book II Chapter 72] SILVER: Frieden


    ------------------------------------------------


    ¡°There.¡± Sana said softly. ¡°Frieden.¡±


    In the middle of the inverted forest, four white buildings reflected the purple glow around them. There were no windows or visible exits, only enclosed corridors connecting the giant cubes. From their vantage point atop an adjacent hill, Silver counted two dozen bear-sized gemstone porcupines crawling over the exterior like ants. There were even special tracks for them to travel up and down.


    ¡°I came out near the big mushroom. There¡¯s a hangar there, and the door was left opened. It¡¯s closed now though¡­ And there¡¯s a lot more of those spiky creatures.¡± Sana added apologetically.


    They¡¯ve tightened security. ¡°What do you know about the interior?¡± Silver asked. He¡¯d grown accustomed to their guide¡¯s simplistic speech pattern. The girl wasn¡¯t stupid. While strange, he surmised she lacked experience talking to others.


    ¡°Not much.¡± Sana admitted. ¡°I escaped after checking Margaret wasn¡¯t around. I never went to the other buildings.¡±


    Silver winced. ¡°So the captives aren¡¯t kept in one place. That makes this more complicated.¡±


    Not knowing the layout or the opposition made him anxious. If this were Flux Planescape, he¡¯d have aborted the mission faced with such uncertainty.


    ¡°I can claw through the walls, but it might take time depending on how tough they are.¡± Kate offered.


    He nodded. ¡°We might have no choice but to go for a frontal assault. The rest of us can deal with the porcupines while you work, and the jammer will prevent them from calling reinforcements.¡± Silver held up the metallic bar Nicholas had given them. The enchantments within brimmed with energy. Once active, it¡¯d scramble all nearby communications for five hours.


    ¡°Of course,¡± He continued. ¡°The problem is King Kyle, his ninja bodyguards, and Finley. Breaching the facility will already be challenging enough. If they are here, our efforts are doomed.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t sense the presence of saints.¡± Filia chimed in. ¡°But it¡¯s hard to tell with all these summons.¡±


    They contemplated alternatives quietly. ¡°We could wait and peek into the hangar when the next airship arrives.¡± Kate said. ¡°That¡¯d be the safest approach¡­¡±


    Sana grew restless. ¡°Please, no. That might take days, and many people could be hurt in the meantime!¡±


    Another long silence fell over them. Eventually, Filia relaxed and sat back. ¡°I say we should just go for it. Odds are high the king isn¡¯t around¡­¡± Frowning, she paused and reached behind her. Then her eyes went wide. ¡°It¡¯s gone!¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Silver asked, sensing something was wrong.


    ¡°The cards I got from Geordan Price. I kept the deck in my back pocket¡­ which is now empty¡­¡° Filia appeared in shock.


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    Although this made no sense to Silver, Kate reacted instantly. ¡°When did you have them last?¡±


    Filia thought back. ¡°When we left the Raging Sands, I checked to make sure they were still there. After that, I don¡¯t know¡­¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Sana fidgeted anxiously.


    ¡°I¡¯ll explain¡­¡± Kate relayed the story of what had transpired in Rosaria while Filia held her head in her hands, staring off vacantly.


    ¡°I see¡­¡± Silver turned to Filia. ¡°Sorry, but we can¡¯t afford to look for them. We¡¯ll check with Nicholas afterwards. Maybe someone brought them in.¡±


    ¡°You were the one who suggested this rescue mission.¡± He added.


    ¡°I was.¡± Filia agreed, shaking herself out of her daze. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s for the best. The Laughing Man can¡¯t steal them anymore.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Sana offered meekly.


    ¡°At least it¡¯s no longer my responsibility.¡± Filia said halfheartedly.


    Silver was about to offer some encouragement when Kate interrupted him, ¡°Look, someone came out of the buildings!¡±


    A door slid shut as man in a white researcher outfit walked away. He passed the patrolling porcupines and headed in their direction.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on, but this is almost too good to be true.¡± Silver said. ¡°We¡¯ll ambush him when he enters the forest.¡±


    As soon as the man was out of view, they dropped down around him. He froze at first, but relaxed when his eyes fell on Sana.


    ¡°You brought back help.¡± He whispered. ¡°Good girl.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the sad-looking man I noticed wandering around¡­.¡± Sana frowned apprehensively. ¡°You were often giving orders to others. You¡¯re someone high up.¡±


    ¡°Professor Allan Gorge, at your service.¡± The man mocked bowed. ¡°I was the former head of Frieden until King Kyle commandeered the facility. Now my staff is also held here against their will.¡±


    ¡°Who is in control of the facility?¡± Silver asked.


    ¡°The Righteous Sun, a group of fanatics which Finley brought in.¡± Allan grimaced. ¡°They¡¯re committed to erasing sin and see what they¡¯re doing as Idia¡¯s work. Some are strong, but none are saints. The summon generator is a bigger threat. It¡¯s quite advanced, and this facility has large stockpiles of crystals. Once the alert goes out, they¡¯ll crank it up to max power, and your number of foes will skyrocket.¡±


    ¡°Wait a second,¡± Filia broke in. ¡°If what you say is true, it doesn¡¯t make sense for you to be out here taking a stroll. Why is the Righteous Sun allowing you such freedom?¡±


    ¡°Because I¡¯ve been cooperating with them,¡± Allan admitted, ¡°earning me privileges such as my daily outings to the inverted forest.¡±


    Sana growled, startling everyone. Eyes fixed on Allan, she asked, ¡°Are you the one who is ¡®treating¡¯ the people in there?¡±


    Allan hesitated, then closed his eyes, ¡°I am.¡±


    Their expressions turned serious, and Silver felt his temper rise for the first time since returning the Flux Planescape. However, it was Kate who spoke up first, ¡°I heard that Frieden only took in voluntarily patients. How quick you were to throw that all away. How could you? Even if they had hostages, even if they threatened you¡­ Do you understand¡ª¡ª¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± Allan interrupted, holding up a hand. ¡°If I¡¯d refused, Finley would have been the one to do it. I was only just barely able to convince King Kyle as it was.¡±


    ¡°How is it any better doing it yourself?!¡± Kate cried out, tail twitching.


    ¡°Because I could cause surface level conversions.¡± Allan countered calmly. Kate¡¯s fiery prosecution stumbled before the unfamiliar words, giving the man the opportunity to expand. ¡°Altering someone¡¯s desires is a delicate process. Sometimes an operation appears a success, but then the patient reverts six months to a year later. We call these failures surface level conversions.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve been intentionally performing flawed procedures¡­¡± Silver translated.


    Allan nodded, ¡°In a way that won¡¯t become apparent for some time. However, it¡¯s a temporary fix. As long as the harnesser is online, this disaster will continue. I must ask that you destroy it.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re here to rescue those who were kidnapped.¡± Silver objected.


    ¡°I can help with that, but we can¡¯t escape before sabotaging the lab. Otherwise, King Kyle will bring in more subjects and Finley, that butcher, will lobotomize them, if he doesn¡¯t transform them into an abomination outright.¡±


    ¡°Also,¡± Allan glanced at his wristal, ¡°my outings are always less than half an hour. Any longer than that and Jared, the Righteous Sun¡¯s leader, becomes upset, which we don¡¯t want. I propose we focus on taking Frieden and leave other discussion for later.¡±

 [Book II Chapter 73] Zentrias: The Dead City

    [Book II Chapter 73] Zentrias: The Dead City


    ------------------------------------------------


    Zentrias dropped down to the cliff¡¯s edge and felt a healing warmth envelop him. The skeletons chasing them stopped and glared in their direction.


    ¡°That¡¯s the first section taken care of.¡± He proclaimed. ¡°Let¡¯s look at what¡¯s next.¡±


    The sanctified ground was a thin strip which ran the length of the valley filled with the skeleton army. On the other side was a smoothed cobblestone plaza divided in the middle by three upward steps. On the higher side armored figures were scattered about, standing at attention and completely immobile. One who didn¡¯t know better might mistake them for statues.


    ¡°Black knights.¡± He reported solemnly. Beyond the plaza was a thick wall stretching into the vilestorm. The only passage through were portcullises distributed at fixed intervals every hundred feet.


    ¡°What we need to do is clear.¡± Carol pointed to the ground where words were etched in stone.


    CHALLENGE ONE AND EARN THE RIGHT TO PASSAGE


    ¡°So this serves as the first floor¡¯s boss fight.¡± Zentrias determined. ¡°Should be pretty straight forward.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like it.¡± Dawn crossed her arms. ¡°They seem off somehow, far too calm and passive. What¡¯s up with them?¡±


    ¡°These undead are different because they¡¯re specialized.¡± Carol said absently.


    ¡°Which means?¡± Dawn pressed.


    ¡°Guess I¡¯ll explained.¡± Rose sighed. ¡°You know how adventurers take classes to enhance their effectiveness?¡±


    ¡°Like being a shinobi?¡± Dawn interpreted.


    Rose nodded.  ¡°Undead can do this as well. And just like humans must act and dress convincingly to reap the benefits, so too must they.¡±


    ¡°Their sin is honor.¡± Carol gestured to their motionless foes.  ¡°They will never strike by surprise or gang up on a weaker foes. In exchange for adhering to these restriction, they gain a frightening power.¡±


    They decided on a quick breather. Zentrias paced back forth attempting to relax when he noticed Rose focused on the walls behind the knights.


    ¡°You aren¡¯t supposed to be able to skip dungeon bosses, but in this case¡­¡±  Rose said slowly. ¡°Couldn¡¯t we just scale those to reach the next area?¡±


    ¡°Probably,¡± Zentrias agreed, ¡°but there would likely be dire consequences. Cheating the HEAVENLY DAO never works.¡±


    ¡°But you know.¡± He added, smiling. ¡°Since you¡¯re a necromancer, why don¡¯t you tell me what your foresight says about your suggestion.¡±


    Rose pursed her lips at the subtle jab, but closed her eyes and concentrated. She then flinched, stepping back.


    ¡°Death¡­¡± She mumbled, suddently sweating.  ¡°I got by the knights and they didn¡¯t chase me. On the other side was a city spreading out for miles. Above it¡­ The only time I felt anything like that was when I took the oath.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like we¡¯re doing this the proper way.¡° Dawn smiled and gazed out. ¡°Which do you think is strongest?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps the halberd wielding one.¡± Zentrias answered. ¡°Though there isn¡¯t much difference.¡±


    Dawn walked out and shouted, ¡°I choose you!¡± Her target responded, descending to the plaza¡¯s lower portion. The two faced off quietly.


    ¡°Are we letting her fight alone?¡± Rose asked.


    Zentrias shrugged. ¡°She appears determined, and it¡¯s an opponent she should be capable of defeating. Besides, this is a good opportunity to remind her of how dangerous undead can be.¡±


    Dawn commenced by hurling a flurry of frozen spears. The dark knight deflected the largest and let its armor repel the rest. It then pressed forwards, instantly breaking out when trapped in ice.


    Realizing range attacks were ineffective, Dawn summoned short shorts and switched to close combat. The two danced about testing each other¡¯s defense. The knight was displaying prodigious mastery of his weapon, but somehow Dawn wasn¡¯t falling behind. Eventually, she parried a swing, stepped in, and smashed her short swords into the dark breastplate so hard they shattered. As the black knight went flying backwards, a metallic gauntlet reached down, scraping the stone. Halting its momentum, the black knight immediately lunged. Dawn retreated before the unanticipated counterattack but was a moment too slow. The halberd¡¯s tip struck her side, penetrating the ice armor.


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    ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡±  Carol reassured the anxious Rose. ¡°Zentrias won¡¯t let anything happen to her. He¡¯s really strong against the undead.¡±


    True, they are one of my best matchup. Against the non-living, he could employ his eyes without reservations, and a dark knight¡¯s tough armor was especially vulnerable to his ability. Although that won¡¯t be necessary this time.


    Dawn expression turned serious, and she resumed her aggressive offensive. Except instead of going for a single big flashy blow, she was landing a steady stream of weaker ones which didn¡¯t leave her vulnerable. She¡¯s learned to not underestimate their quick recovery.


    The dark knight endured another fifteen minutes before collapsing into gritty smoke. Dawn watched confused. ¡°We don¡¯t need to destroy them multiple times?¡±


    ¡°No, this is usual.¡± Carol explained. ¡°A dark knight¡¯s armor is abnormally strong so it rarely breaks, but enough damage will eventually whittle away the grudges sustaining it.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± Dawn exhaled in relief. ¡°That was quite draining.¡±


    With the clank of chains, the nearest portcullis opened to let them through. They proceeded inside under the watchful, hate-filled eyes of the remaining knights, and found themselves in a corridor running the length of wall. Along one side were wide rectangle windows with steel bars, and outside was the city Rose had mentioned. Black specters hovered menacingly high above the eerily quiet buildings. Even with the sanctified grounds sheltering them, Zentrias felt fear.


    ¡°Those are grim reapers,¡± Carol stated coldly, ¡°undead who take the guise of death itself. Extremely rare, even immortals struggle against them. Saints stand no chance at all.¡±


    Zentrias glanced at the fog blanketing the streets. ¡°So we must sneak though without alerting them¡­¡±


    Carol nodded. ¡°A grim reaper¡¯s sin is dignity. They¡¯ll give chase to prey they¡¯ve spotted, but they won¡¯t waste time searching blindly.¡±


    ¡°Another specialization¡­¡± Dawn mumbled. ¡°It¡¯s interesting seeing undead act against their nature. Makes me wonder: are there any that can talk? Defeating opponents you can converse with is far more satisfying.¡±


    Carol shook her head. ¡°If you encounter one who can speak, just run as fast as you can¡ª¡ª.¡±


    With a ghastly screech, a grim reaper dove into the city. The distant sound of battle and collapsing building echoed the misty streets.


    ¡°What if we mess up and attract a reaper,¡± Dawn asked. ¡°Do we stay to together or split up?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll depend on the situation,¡± Zentrias answered soberly. It was a choice he hoped not to make.


    They took the stairs down, but, before leaving safety, Carol crafted a magic circle on the ground. While she worked, Zentrias sharpened his senses. Ragged breath and wheezing reached his ears from several directions. He grimaced. Undead didn¡¯t bother forming lungs, which meant they were dealing with those variants which reanimated corpses.


    A giant cloaked figure materialized above Carol¡¯s spellcraft, only to disintegrate into a swarm of rats. They scurried every which way.


    ¡°I wish Filia was here.¡±  Carol lamented.  ¡°Her echolocation would be perfect for this.¡±


    ¡°How is it?¡± Zentrias asked.


    ¡°The vermintide has encountered several ghouls and is leading them away.¡± Carol answered. ¡°The path is clear.¡±


    They proceeded through the white haze at a brisk pace without encountering opposition. Carol¡¯s vermintide was patrolling a wide area around them, distracting enemies. It was almost too easy.


    Zentrias remained on edge. Ghouls were the least dangerous of the undead, the result of grudges too weak to form their own bodies which resorted to inhabiting a cadavers. They weren¡¯t challenging enough for a dungeon of this level, even with the reapers overhead.


    Carol suddenly sped up. ¡°The vermentide encountered a wight. It¡¯s ignoring the rats and searching for us. I should be able to get us by, but be ready in case.¡±


    While the others tensed up, Zentrias found comfort in knowing the area¡¯s true threat. Formed when ghosts corrupted by the Abyss took possession of their original bodies, wights could have strength equaling that of a black knights depending on who they¡¯d been in life.


    A minute later, Carol stopped, ¡°There is another wight ahead, but if we take a detour, the one behind us might catch up.¡±


    Zentrias had a bad feeling. While ghouls were stupid, wights had the cunning typical of undead.


    ¡°We take out the one in front.¡± Zentrias declared. ¡°I¡¯ll suppress the noise we make.¡± Sounds were vibrations disturbing the air. With his affinity towards destruction, he could drawn them in and absorb them.


    The wight was an adventurer from millennia ago, an axe wielder with an earth affinity. She might have been beautiful once, with red hair flowing over mummified flesh and blue, hate-filled eyes. Rose and Dawn took her on, while Zentrias focused on maintaining the quiet. Fortunately, this one wasn¡¯t overly fierce.


    When they were about done, he saw Carol waving furiously. He dropped his magic to let her speak. ¡°A herd of ghouls is approaching. The vermintide can¡¯t stop them.¡±


    ¡°Your suggestion?¡± Zentrias shot out.


    ¡°There¡¯s a sewer system directly below us.¡± Carol pointed.


    Zentrias silently blasted a hole in street, and they dropped down.   Carol provided an update as they raced through the underground. ¡°Three wights are guiding the ghouls. Two are directing them into the sewers, and the third is moving to cut us off. I¡¯m not sure we can escape¡­¡±


    ¡°Do your best.¡± Zentrias said, cursing under his breath. Damn undead dungeons¡­ These wights must¡¯ve encountered another party. After being broken free of their default passive states, they¡¯d marshaled underlings to hunt down other trespassers.


    While escaping the encirclement, they ran into yet another wight at the end of a passageway. It smiled viciously, glowing a bright orange as red runes covered its weathered body. Oh no, not a fire affinity¡­  A pillar of flame engulfed the undead, breaking through the ceiling and shooting up through the fog. They heard the screech of a reaper.

 [Book II Chapter 74] Silver: Crystalids and Righteous Sun Zealots

    [Book II Chapter 74] Silver: Crystalids and Righteous Sun Zealots


    ------------------------------------------------


    Allan Gorge wandered back the white buildings and touched the exterior. After the wall slid back, he stood aside and glanced back. This was the signal.


    They rushed forwards, each masking their presence in their own way. Kate bent light around herself with her aura, achieving a chameleon-like affect. Silver fused with a sylph, relying on the greater air spirit¡¯s invisibility to cloak him. Filia used her Slushpup¡¯s ability, ¡®transparency¡¯, to virtually disappear. Sana followed, a flickering shadow. Her stealth wasn¡¯t on the level of the assassins they¡¯d encountered on the Isle, but it was damn close. By the time the gemstone porcupines noticed something amiss, they¡¯d slipped inside.


    ¡°Those are the crystalids.¡± Allan calmly pointed out two creatures milling about in the corridor ahead. He¡¯d warned them earlier that a different type of summon guarded the interior. About the size of a man, crystalids were living quartz in the shape of a praying-mantis. They were agile and fast with razer sharp upper appendages.


    ¡°Water whip.¡± Filia called out. A stream of water smashed one into the wall, splitting its head. Kate lunged at the other, snapping it in two with a bear hug.


    ¡°Nicely done.¡± Silver activated the jammer. ¡°Let¡¯s move.¡±


    They were in building 2, the medical center, and their first priority was to rescue Allan¡¯s coworkers confined in offices on the second floor.


    Rounding a corner, they spotted a pair of Righteous Sun zealots accompanied by more crystalids. The two immediately tapped their sun emblem on their black combat suits, and full-body golden armor materialized around them. They raised their fists and jets of fire poured out.


    ¡°I¡¯ll deal with the guards.¡± Silver rushed forward. This was a chance to evaluate what they were up against, reducing the number of unknowns. His body grew with each stride, turning reptilian. He easily powered through the flames and knocked both out with quick jabs to the head.


    As the others finished off the crystalids, he touched the sizzling scales on his chest. The heat had not penetrated deep enough to burn, but it would have with a couple more seconds. Considering his dragonforming and aura¡¯s defense, this was impressive. Allan was right about the power of their flamethrower gauntlets. He glanced down at his fallen foes. They¡¯d reacted instantly, without panicking. These were soldiers familiar with battle. Although weak even with their golden armor, they might be dangerous in a large enough group, especially if supported by crystalids.


    His time in the Flux Planescapes had ingrained in him a sense of caution. He¡¯d led many smaller scouting excursions himself, and the early ones had not gone well. Unable to rely on his budding sense of fear, he¡¯d developed the situational awareness and judgment to determine when to retreat and when to press on. Thanks to this, he now felt anxiety when he lacked information, something he hated.


    Five zealots were gathered in the office common area, together with a dozen crystalids. They appeared to be debating their inoperative wristals. Good, the jammer is working. The device at his waist not only shut down long range communications, it also had a powerful dampening effect in its immediate vicinity.


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    ¡°I¡¯ll leave this to you.¡± Allen said, running off.


    As they battled, Silver paid special attention to Sana. The wolf girl dodged nimbly between the crystalids, smashing them to pieces bit by bit with a black morning star. When necessary, the shadowy weapon would transform into a shield to parry blows. She¡¯s holding her own. Initially, he¡¯d planned for Sana to wait on the sidelines, but her swiftness leading them here had impressed him. Giving her a chance to participate had been the right call.


    Filia ended the confrontation by slamming the last zealot to the ground so hard they heard bones break. Silver was taken aback at the disdain on her face as she glared down.


    ¡°That was overkill.¡± Kate reproached.


    Falia¡¯s features softened. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m familiar with the Righteous Sun. It¡¯s hard to hold back.¡±


    ¡°Just try not to kill them.¡± Silver said.


    After releasing the staff, they left them behind and split up to do a sweep of the building. As predicted, Silver only encountered small patches of resistance. He was rapping up on the fifth floor when a crash from above shook the entire structure.


    They all rushed to the top floor to find a chaotic scene. In a large central room, crystalid shards littered the floor, and broken equipment lined the walls. Sana stood by a smashed up operating table with several motionless bodies at her feet.


    ¡°This is a bad place.¡± She said coldly before bringing her morning star down again.


    Silver experienced a pang of worry. ¡°They¡¯re alive, right?¡± He gestured to the zealots.


    Sana nodded, pausing her rampage. ¡°They¡¯re only sleeping. I don¡¯t kill because that would be murder. I only use blunt weapons¡­¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± Silver ignored the unsettling wording. Instead, he appraised their surroundings suspiciously. ¡°You took out a lot of enemies in a short span of time¡­ Are you really an A rank adventurer?¡±


    Sana shrank at the question. ¡°Margaret is A rank, and my card says I¡¯m the same rank as her.¡± The half-hearted response fooled no one.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard of this happening.¡± Filia said. ¡°It¡¯s a unique property of those gifted with darkness. Their channeling is less noticeable compared to other affinities, which can give the impression they¡¯re weaker than they actually are. Sana is likely a saint, despite what her card says. Not sure why she¡¯s hiding it though.¡±


    ¡°Sorry.¡± Sana whispered. Her tail then bristled, and she glared at Allen as he entered the room.


    Surveying the damage, he shook his head. ¡°Everything here is easily replacable. To shut down Frieden for good, we must target the harnesser.¡±


    ¡°Did you close the blast doors?¡± Silver asked.


    ¡°Both passageways to building 3 are sealed.¡± Allen reported. ¡°I hope you realize the order we chose will make things difficult later.¡±


    When planning their assault, Allen had explained the facility¡¯s layout. Building 1 was the guest quarters, rec room, and cafeteria. That was where those kidnapped were being held. Building 2 was the medical center, where they currently were. Building 3 housed the summon generator, power plant, and harnesser. The control room was also there. Building 4 was the docks and storage.


    Allan¡¯s proposal was to head straight for the generator. Sana had objected, arguing safeguarding the captives in building 1 should be their first priority. The rest of them had agreed.


    Accepting their decision, Allen had revealed the trump card he¡¯d been saving. Thanks to his last bit of authority as the previous administrator, he could manual close the blast doors between the buildings in a way the Righteous Sun wouldn¡¯t be able to open. Freshly summoned crystalids now had to travel the long way around to reach them.


    A siren went off, and the ceiling lights began pulsing red. Allan looked over nervously. ¡°They¡¯re going to focus entirely on producing crystalids, shorten their durations, and crank output to the max. We¡¯ll have fight our way through hordes to reach the generator.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll manage somehow.¡± Silver responded. ¡°For now, we must secure the prisoners before reinforcements make their way to building 1.¡±

 [Book II Chapter 75] ROSE: The Forgotten Prison

    [Book II Chapter 75] ROSE: The Forgotten Prison


    ------------------------------------------------


    ¡°Run.¡± Zentrias yelled. As they sprinted away, their leader hung back and struck a wall. Large cracks formed from the point of impact, and everything behind them collapsed. Rose had just the time to see the outline of a white skull drop down into the sewers.


    Zentrias didn¡¯t stop his destruction, bouncing back forth between the walls causing cave-ins. Meanwhile Dawn took the lead, freezing the lesser undead in their path. Loud crashing shook the ground as the pursuing reaper ripped through the obstacles barring its way.


    ¡°What if all this noise attracts another one?¡±  Rose asked, fighting off the panic while charging a ball of red power in her hands.


    ¡°Won¡¯t happen.¡±  Carol answered. ¡°They never team up unless facing a strong immortal.¡±


    As they desperately fled, Rose realized the reaper was catching up. We¡¯re too close to the surface, and there isn¡¯t enough material above us. Although Zentrias was compensating for this by shattering walls and ceiling into large chunks, in many places this wasn¡¯t enough to completely block the passage.


    Her fears proved true when a black robed figure smashed its way into view. Twice the size of a grown man, the grim reaper held a giant scythe in its skeletal hands. Its presence radiated death.


    Rose pushed passed Zentrias and unleashed the magic she¡¯d gathered. A flood of fire poured forth, gradually sweeping the reaper back. When the torrent of flames weakened, Zentrias grabbed her and pulled her away as the stone around them came tumbling down.


    ¡°We must head somewhere deeper.¡± Zentrias cried out.


    ¡°This way.¡±  Carol directed them through a side passageway and down a flight of stairs into a catacomb.


    This changed in venues altered the chase without improving their situation. While it was simple for Zentrias to obstruct the narrow passageways, they were were far more interconnected than the long sewer corridors. The reaper took advantage of this, taking detours to reach them. They were forced to constantly change directions depending on which way it was circling around. The game of cat and mouse continued until they broke into a wide space with a chasm at the center.


    ¡°Jump down.¡± Zentrias ordered, kneeling at the edge. A magic circle made up of purple runes appeared around him. ¡°I¡¯ll seal the entrance behind us.¡±


    They dropped down, and Rose summoned fire fairies to light their way. A deafening explosion followed a moment later. She glanced up to see Zentrias falling with a wave of debris at his back. What if this doesn¡¯t lead anywhere? Rose objected silently.


    Fortunately, there was an opening at the bottom, and they all rushed out before being buried alive. Around them was a cave through which ran a stone causeway.


    ¡°Let¡¯s catch our breath.¡± Zentrias said, sitting down. They barely had time to rest before the ground rumbled. It happened again a second later. Something was digging down towards them.


    ¡°That persistent bastard¡­¡± Dawn swore softly.


    ¡°It¡¯s not giving up.¡± Carol agreed grimly.


    Zentrias glanced around worriedly. ¡°This place is too big to block off. We must move.¡±


    No one said a word as they traveled the strange underground road. Everyone knew they were dead if the grim reaper caught up here. Because of this, the periodic trembling causing small rocks to jump around was reassuring.


    ¡°There¡¯s a building ahead.¡± Dawn announced excitedly. The structure appeared to be chiseled from the rock, and the architecture seemed familiar.


    ¡°That looks like a sanctified ground.¡±  Carol added. They sped up and were relieved when a sense of safety washed over them after passing the entrance.


    This time they all fell to the floor, panting. Thank god.  As she lay on her back, Rose turned to see a ghastly figure floating just beyond the doorway. It was strange gazing at the undead without the dread. Its terrifying aura couldn¡¯t reach them here.


    ¡°How long will it wait there?¡± Dawn wondered.


    ¡°Could be a while, they hate abandoning their prey.¡±  Carol responded. ¡°Not that it really matters.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±  Rose asked.


    ¡°There¡¯s only one reason for a sanctified ground to be here.¡± Zentrias answered. ¡°This is the entrance to a secret side area. It¡¯s what I was counting on. I¡¯m so glad my instincts were right.¡±


    Rose reflected on their escape. Fleeing continuing through the catacombs might¡¯ve been safer than plunging into the chasm, at least initially. However, once Zentrias¡¯s stamina ran out, they would¡¯ve had no choice but to split up, sacrificing one for the survival of the others. I probably would¡¯ve made the same gamble he did.


    On the opposite side of the building was a massive cavern. Rose send her fairies into the darkness and was surprised to recognize what she saw.


    ¡°What do you think?¡± Dawn asked.


    ¡°It looks like Earth¡¯s End.¡± Rose said. Below them, domes and rectangular building were linked together by a twisted network of enclosed passageways. Even their black metallic exterior was as she remembered.


    Zentrias sighed. ¡°Agreed, this is a structure made by Sola or the reproduction of one¡­ I didn¡¯t believe we¡¯d run into one so soon.¡±


    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    ¡°We were expecting them towards the dungeon¡¯s end, guarded by liches.¡±  Carol explained. ¡°It¡¯s the one aspect we both agreed on when discussing the layout.¡±


    Rose noted that, while the cavern didn¡¯t have any visible way out, many of the corridors and domes disappeared into the rock walls. Logically, if they traveled within the structure, they¡¯d reach somewhere new. There¡¯s no choice really, with the reaper behind us.


    It didn¡¯t take long to locate the entrance. ¡°Any idea what¡¯s inside?¡± Zentrias asked.


    Rose close her eyes. Soon she¡¯d reached a room lined with cells, and behind the bars were bodies reeking of danger. Anxiously, she crept forward. Halfway through, the corpses rose, moaning horribly, and tore their way out from their confinement. She ended it there.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen that type of undead.¡±  Rose apologized.


    ¡°I have.¡±  Carol said.  ¡°Those are wretches, formed when grudges reanimate torture victims. This place must have been a prison.¡±


    ¡°How do you know so much about obscure undead?¡±  Rose asked. This was starting to undermine her self-confidence as a necromancer.


    Carol shrugged. ¡°My summons feed on my fears, and there is nothing more terrifying to react to. I thoroughly explored the archives when I was at Xarst.¡±


    ¡°What should we know about them?¡± Zentrias seemed keen to get back on track.


    ¡°Their sin is lethargy. They spend their time in a trance, reliving the trauma of their mortal form. Once disturbed, they¡¯ll fight until their target is crippled and dying then sink back into their stupor. Other undead will often drag wretches towards the living, so their presence is a constant threat.¡±


    ¡°How dangerous are they?¡± Zentrias asked.


    ¡°They¡¯re about as strong as wights and their abilities depend how their host died. Since their minds are in perpetual agony, their intellect is on the level of ghouls.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound too bad.¡± Dawn observed.


    Carol shook her head. ¡°They are the most resilient of any undead, capable of regenerating from an amazing amount of abuse. Putting them down for good is so troublesome most don¡¯t bother.¡±


    Zentrias Frowned surveying the intertwined metal. ¡°Too bad the outside is indestructible. We¡¯ll have to do this the hard way.¡±


    They made their way inside, and Rose was able to get a closer look at the wretches. They resembled the wights, except they wore rags and much of their bodies were missing. Eyes, lower jaw, the flesh of their arms and legs, the skin from their faces¡­ So much was gone they almost resembled skeletons. Once they¡¯d finished standing in their cells, she gasped as their hands transformed into metal and their fingers became sharp blades.


    As Carol warned them, no matter how many times they were struck down, they pulled themselves together and got back up. Rose gave up burning them and focused on blowing them apart. Those finger blades were capable of making deep scratches into Dawn¡¯s ice armor and were way too dangerous to allow up close.


    Each time they moved to a new structure, Dawn would summon an ice wall to hold back the wretches behind them. They¡¯d then fight their way through the next area and repeat the process. Luckily, before they could be overwhelmed by the growing number of undead, they discovered a door they could close, and Zentrias warped it so it¡¯d never open again.


    The slow, arduous journey dragged on. It took longer to find a second door, and they came close to being overwhelmed. When they attempted to take a short rest on the other side, the frantic scratching of claws on the doorway wore away on their nerves and compelled them to continue.


    They reached a large dome with a pit in the center. Under the light of Rose¡¯s fairies, they saw hundreds of bodies at the bottom. Some began to stir.


    ¡°We run.¡± Zentrias yelled. ¡°And we don¡¯t stop until the next door.¡±


    They dashed for the hallway on the opposite side while knocking down the undead climbing out. By the time they made it into the passageway, the entire pit was active. A horde overflowed after them, and the ground beneath them vibrated from the stampede. Arriving at the next set of cells, Rose was horrified to see wretches already rising, awoken by the commotion.


    Carol summoned an ogre to bulldoze a path for them. Dawn and Zentrias dealt with those on the sides, and Rose launched fireballs at their pursuers. There were so many now they couldn¡¯t all fit in the narrow corridors, and they were squeezed together in one giant mass. Exploding those in front had little impact as their bodies were pushed forwards by the unstoppable tide.


    They made a mad scrabble for what seemed an eternity. Their entire being was focused on survival, without sparing a thought to which direction they headed. Luck was with them as, before exhaustion claimed them, they spotted another door. They slammed it shut and sealed it. The metal buckled in several place, but it held firm. Surprisingly, the pressure on the other side soon ceased, and a solemn quiet returned. Certain the door wouldn¡¯t give way, they observed their surroundings.


    They were in smaller dome. The space was empty aside from a body hanging high on the far side. Chains stretched from every corner, hooking into its tattered flesh. A sinking feeling engulfed Rose. This is a boss, isn¡¯t it?


    As if to answer her question, the figure raised its head. Chains shot at them from every directions, wrapping them up from head to toe and lifting them into air. Rose struggled, but made little progress. It took most of her energy to simply avoid being crushed by the tightening embrace. She looked over and felt a twisted satisfaction at seeing Dawn equally trapped. This was immediately followed by dread. If she can¡¯t get out, what hope do I have?


    One by one, the bindings holding Zentrias snapped, and he dropped to the floor. The hanging wretch, which had gone dormant again, glanced up, and black steel once more captured the man.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry¡­¡± Zentrias wheezed. ¡°I¡¯m getting the hang of destroying these.¡± Breaking free, he approached and released Rose too. ¡°Start burning him. I believe this will take a while.¡±


    ¡°Done.¡±  Rose released a crimson fireball, and the frightening wretch was engulfed in the flames. A second later, she was entangled and dragged off her feet.


    The battle became a long war of attrition as the chains tried to squeeze the life out of them while the wretch slowly immolated. Although Zentrias spent the entire time shattering bindings, at least one of them was always stuck at in bondage at any given time. Eventually, Dawn grew tired of this and told them to leave her alone as she was strong enough to withstand the pressure. Meanwhile, Carol encased herself in bones to protect herself. This allowed Zentrias to focus on keeping Rose unbound so she could better cook their foe.


    Two hours later, the wretch gave in and collapsed into ash. All the chains disintegrated, revealing the hidden exit. Except for them, the dome became empty. I never want to fight one of those again, ever.


    They made their way into a small, bright room. At the center, on a podium, was a pair of shiny gray gauntlets.


    ¡°Go ahead and take them.¡± Dawn magnanimously motioned Zentrias. ¡°We would¡¯ve never beaten that thing without you.¡± No one objected.


    Zentrias picked up the metallic gloves and examined them. He then handed them to Carol. ¡°Could you check if they¡¯re cursed? I¡¯m not confident we can trust the loot here.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing obviously wrong with it,¡± Carol ultimately declared. ¡°But I sense powerful enchantments buried deep within, so its impossible to be sure.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡± Zentrias stared intently at his prize. ¡°After everything we went through, it¡¯d be a pity not to try them on.¡±


    He carefully reached his hand inside one. Then his eyes opened in shock. ¡°Amazing¡­ I don¡¯t feel like I am wearing anything at all.¡± He wiggled his metal-covered fingers, causing destructive sparks to fly out. ¡°This is perfect for me.¡±


    I¡¯m just glad some good came from all this. Rose was beginning to understand why all adventurers hated undead dungeons. Fortunately, the bright room led out into a cave where they found a building with a sanctified ground. There was a one-way elevator up, but everyone agreed to some well-earned rest first.

 [Book II Chapter 76] Filia: Assaulting the control room

    [Book II Chapter 76] Filia: Assaulting the control room


    ------------------------------------------------


    The corridors of building 1 were deserted save for a few crystalids. This made everyone anxious.


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t there Righteous Sun guards?¡± Silver pressed Allan.


    ¡°They most likely retreated to set up defenses elsewhere.¡± The man answered ¡°The more they delay us the more reinforcements they can produce.¡±


    Silver frowned. ¡°So they¡¯re abandoning their prisoners?¡±


    ¡°The Righteous Sun¡¯s whole purpose here was to ¡®save¡¯ people. Their captives are patients who are being ¡®cured¡¯ and are due for eventual released. They were never in immediate danger.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I wanted to rush the summon generator.¡± Allen added reproachfully.


    ¡°Perhaps you were right,¡± Silver sighed, ¡°but it¡¯s too late now.¡±


    Filia grimaced at the exchange. The Righteous Sun had been in Lomistan fanning hatred in the months leading up to the massacre. So they¡¯re fine participating in genocide and warping the souls of unwilling subjects, but they¡¯re above taking hostages?  The logic of religious fanatics disgusted her. Roughing them up while putting them down would be therapeutic.


    <<Remember to keep a cool head.>>  Blizzy advised. Filia nodded, although it was hard.


    ¡°Where are they being held?¡± Silver asked.


    ¡°Most are in the rec room,¡± Allen explained. ¡°But new arrivals are locked up individually on the floors below.¡±


    As they made way up, Sana rushed ahead and opening every door. Each time her disappointment was plain. They led those they¡¯d free to the top of the building, which was one big promenade interspersed with plant-filled islands. Hundreds of makeshift beds were crammed together along the edges, and most of the room¡¯s occupants were gathered around the tables at the center. They regarded them with suspicion.


    Silver raised his hands to show they meant no harm. ¡°We¡¯re here to¡ª¡ª¡±


    ¡°Margaret! Are you here?¡± Sana cried out, rushing forwards.


    ¡°I am.¡± A brunette with freckles stood up. Sana lunged at the woman, grabbing her in a hug.


    ¡°Found you.¡± Sana declared, clinging tightly.


    While appearing initially off-put, Margaret quickly patted Sana¡¯s heads. ¡°That you did.¡± This interaction did more to reassure everyone than anything Silver could¡¯ve said.


    ¡°I hate to break up the touching reunion,¡± Allen cut in. ¡°But we aren¡¯t out of the woods.¡± He quickly summarized the situation.


    ¡°We¡¯ll remain here until it¡¯s safe.¡± Margaret declared. ¡°Besides me, there are a couple who can fight. You don¡¯t need to worry about us.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯m staying too.¡± Sana announced.


    Before they could object, Margaret pushed Sana away. ¡°Go with them. They could use your help.¡± Sana hesitated, reluctant to heed the instruction.


    ¡°Please,¡± She added softly, gesturing to the frightened faces around them. ¡°As long as the generator is operational, everyone here is in danger.¡±


    This proved convincing, and Sana nodded in determination. ¡°I¡¯ll be back as soon as it¡¯s dealt with.¡±


    They took the second floor passageway to the giant multi-level room which served as the facility¡¯s docks and ran straight into an ambush. Not only were crystalids everywhere, The hangar doors were opened and two dozen gemstone porcupines had gathered on the ground, immediately opening fire upon spotting them. At the same time, groups of Righteous Sun zealots stationed strategically on different floors sent waves of fire their way.


    Silver grabbed Allan, and they slid behind the crates which littered the space. Crystalids lunged after them, swinging their raptorial claws. They struggled to repel them without getting singed by the flames.


    This certainly is different from the usual adventuring, Filia thought to herself. Dungeons were designed to be challenging, but not impossible. Real world situations had no similar compulsion about fairness.


    While individually nothing special, the sheer number of enemies was overwhelming. They were pinned down from multiple directions. Meanwhile a crowd of crystal mantises surrounded them, several leaping forwards at a time. Filia noticed more pouring out of the passage to building 3 as two Righteous Sun members carted crystals in the other directions.


    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°We may need to fallback and regroup.¡± Silver said, glancing at Allan huddling terrified between the crates.


    Retreat? Wouldn¡¯t that just give them time to summon more? The notion sounded like a losing strategy, and Filia hated it.


    <<This would be good opportunity to switch to Blitzer.>> Blizzy suggested calmly.


    Filia froze in shock. <<Why didn¡¯t I think of that?>>


    <<Because you¡¯re irritated and distracted.>> Blizzy answered.


    <<Oh, shut up.>>  Filia derided lightly. She focused and fused with her elerret, Blitzer. The sukemon marveled at chaotic battle.


    <<So much going on!>> Blitzer cried happily.  <<Who are the bad guys?>>


    <<Everyone, but us five.>>  Filia told the hyperactive electric weasel.


    She took a peek at the righteous sun members crouching behind cover on the other side. Deciding a good location, she yelled. ¡°Electo Displacement.¡± The yellow fur covering her body crackled as a charge built up. Then zap, she dropped down behind the zealots and took them out before they could react. She then slid into their hiding spot to dodge fireballs and gemstone spikes.


    Blitzer¡¯s teleport ability wasn¡¯t always practical due to the two second delay, but sometimes was a godsent. Filia zapped around the hangar and soon all the Righteous Sun members were dealt with.


    ¡°Great job!¡± Silver called out. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of the rest.¡± There was a flash from a magic circle activating, and an almost three story tall earth titan appeared on the ground floor, causing the building to tremble. The rocky figure crouched down, spread its arms, and powered forwards, bulldozing all the gemstone porcupines outside. Kate ran and hit the controls to slam the hanger door behind them.


    <<Why don¡¯t you ever summon us like that?>>  Blitzer demanded.  <<It would be incredible to go wild on my own.>>


    <<I have my reasons.>> Filia retorted tersely. <<Thanks for your help. I¡¯m switching back to Blizzy.>>


    <<Bye, bye.>>  The elerret chimed innocently.


    After clearing up the rest of the hanger, they began battling towards building 3 through a horde of crystalids.


    ¡°The control room is directly ahead, and the summons generator is below on the first floor.¡± Allen reported from behind them. ¡°The crystal converter and harnesser are above.¡±


    When they neared the end, a large man in golden armor appeared at a doorway, looking towards them with cold eyes. Filia¡¯s instinct told her he was dangerous.


    ¡°That¡¯s Jared, their leader.¡± Allen cried out.


    ¡°Allen, you betrayed us.¡± The man stated. ¡°Die for your sin.¡± He raised his hand and released a blast of pure energy at blinding speed. Silver intercepted the projectile, but the impact sent him tumbling back a dozen feet. He lay on the floor grunting in pain.


    Crap¡­  While Silver didn¡¯t appear badly injured, Allen wouldn¡¯t survive that attack, and they were still in the connecting passageway, with nowhere to hide. Without waiting, the golden knight sent another blast which Kate blocked. She was similarly thrown back and knocked senseless.


    <<Filia.>>  Blizzy said. <<This would be a good time for¡ª¡ª>>


    <<I know.>> ¡°Frozen mist¡± She shouted. The temperature plunged as pure white filled the space around them, dropping visibility to zero. She didn¡¯t resort to this ability often as it robbed her allies of sight too, reserving it only for emergencies.


    Filia ducked hearing an energy bolt and felt the broken shards of a crystalid pepper her. She swiftly fused with cici and used the galebat¡¯s echolocation. The Rigteous Sun¡¯s leader was readying another shot. She leaped and glided over forty confused crystalid flailing blindly.


    ¡°Wing slice.¡± From the leader¡¯s left, she let loose a concussive blast which smashed him against the wall, shattering his armor. Several crystalids jumped at her from the sound, but she slipped through the doorway. I might as well deal with his underlings too.


    Once the fog lifted and the remaining summons were dispatched, the others entered the control room. Allen stepped over the zealots on floor and sat before a display showing data about the facility.


    ¡°The Righteous Sun restricted my authority over the summons generator, but I can shut it down by cutting the power¡­ There we go.¡± Allan reported. ¡°Please turn off the jammer so I can access the cameras.¡±


    A bunch of screens popped into into view, and Allan cycled through them. ¡°There¡¯s a Righteous Sun squad above us feeding crystals to the converter. If you could take care of them and destroy the harnesser while you¡¯re at it, that¡¯d about wrap things up.¡±


    Hunting down the stragglers was a comparative cakewalk. They left the honor of demolishing the harnesser to Sana, who went to town with her morning star. Once the equipment was thoroughly crushed, she then raced back down to the control room.


    ¡°That¡¯s everything, right?¡± Sana burst out, tail wagging. ¡°I can go see Margaret?¡±


    ¡°About that¡­¡± Allen turned with a sorrowful expression. ¡°It¡¯d be better if you didn¡¯t.¡±


    Sana¡¯s wolf ears flattened apprehensively. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Margaret underwent the procedure. Since you two were close, the sight of you will bring up thoughts which trigger revulsion. If she experiences enough of this, she¡¯ll come to hate you despite herself, and these negative feelings will remain even after the conversion wears off. So for the next few months, you shouldn¡¯t be around her.¡±


    Sana hesitated, backing away. ¡°I don¡¯t believe you¡­¡±


    ¡°I thought this might happen.¡± Allan taped the controls and Margaret appeared on a screen.


    Sana perked up and moved forward, pointing at Allan. ¡°He says I can¡¯t see you.¡±


    ¡°He isn¡¯t lying.¡± Margaret said. ¡°When you held me earlier, I almost threw up. It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s not something I can help. Even right now¡­ Sorry.¡± The call abruptly ended.


    Sana stood rigid, absorbing the news. ¡°What am I going to do?¡± She asked nobody in particular, staring distantly.


    ¡°It¡¯s too soon to be worrying about that.¡± Allan said. ¡°I uncovered a report showing King Kyle on his way with an eta of two hours. The Righteous Sun were hoping to hold out until his arrival.¡±


    Aw no¡­  ¡°Are we going to have to fight?¡± Filia asked.


    ¡°I¡¯d say yes.¡± Allan responded. ¡°There isn¡¯t enough time to get people to safety through the inverted forest. He has those two ninjas who are expert trackers. If Finley is with him too, that makes four saints. It¡¯d be a nightmare fending them off while protecting everyone.¡±


    ¡°In my opinion, it¡¯s best to wait and face him at Frieden¡¯s docks. As a bonus, we can use his airship for the evacuation If we win.¡±

 [Book II Chapter 77] HOPE: Mobile Armor Battles

    [Book II Chapter 77] HOPE: Mobile Armor Battles


    ------------------------------------------------


    ¡°We¡¯ll give you a ten second head start.¡± Dorothy said. ¡°Then the hunt starts.¡±


    Hope couldn¡¯t even bring herself to gripe. For all she knew, her sublime vagary, Cursed Fate, was responsible for this too.


    She was in the Knots, an arid twisted land east of the Sarada desert. Seventeen light funnels illuminate this stretch of stringy barren earth. Why did the HEAVENLY DAO even bother? There¡¯s nothing here except giant beetles.


    Before her floated four mechanical giants. One was orange, with all manner of gun barrels. One was blood red, with metallic dragon heads growing from its back. One was black, with a cloak of living shadows. One was brown, with four canon barrels on its arms and shoulders. Each was an Argon masterpiece.


    ¡°Go!¡± Dorothy commanded. Hope grinded her teeth as Envy Green shot in the opposite direction, aiming for the gaps in the rocks.


    Ever since she¡¯d accepted to pilot Astrolis, her life had been one grueling training session. Argon¡¯s ace pilots were adamant she measure up to some basic standards if she was to participate in a mission with them. These ¡®hunts¡¯ were part of that, though Hope suspected it was just an opportunity to flex their talent.


    The first to catch up was Dorothy, which wasn¡¯t too bad. She swerved to break line of sight. Gunhell excelled in wide open skies, taking advantage of its range, and these snaking strands of bedrock were its nemesis. Hope dunked between cover repeatedly, preventing the mobile armor from properly aiming. After a frantic chase, she pulled away.


    Ecstatic at this escape, Hope flew into a valley and ran into Argon¡¯s brown masterpiece. God no. This narrow space was the worst place to face Mortal Fusion. She desperately retreated as its four cannon took pivoted towards her. The land around her erupted into a hellscape.


    Mortal Fusion embodied a simple paradigm: explosive firepower taken to the extreme. In terms of causing sheer destruction, none of Argon¡¯s other masterpieces could match it. Fortunately, its heavy armor made it the slowest, and she somehow evaded the waves of debris long enough to gain some distance, which is when Nihilister appeared besides her.


    ¡°You¡¯re mine.¡± Leon roared, releasing an inferno with his mobile armor¡¯s twin dragon heads. Green Envy dived into a fissure just in time to avoid the flames.


    Not good, not good, not good¡­ Leon¡¯s Nihilister was the fastest of them all and excelled in close combat and confined spaces. Why do arrogant bastards always have the skill to back it up?


    Hope zigged and zagged through the earth, evading giant fireballs, but, try as she might, the terrifying red mobile armor gradually caught up. She was almost relieved when a black figure flashed into view.


    Argon¡¯s last masterpiece, Blade Ruin, had a ninja inspired design with a sleek, almost superhero aesthetic. With a shadowy cloak flowing behind it, a gigantic dark sword materialized in its hands. Light would absolutely love it. Even I think it¡¯s pretty cool. The blade struck Envy Green¡¯s torso.


    ¡°Damn it!¡± Leon raged. ¡°You stole my kill.¡±


    ¡°Calm down. This is just a training exercise.¡± A composed voice declared. ¡°Besides, you need to be faster if you want to best Blade Ruin.¡± Horace Bail was the leader of Argon¡¯s elite pilots, a fact Leon resented.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go again, and I¡¯ll show you who¡¯s faster¡± Leon seethed.


    ¡°I think not. Hope has been at this for hours, and it¡¯s time for my patrol.¡± Horace said. ¡°You¡¯ll have to wait until tomorrow.¡±


    Without another word, Nihilister sped away, its dragon heads snarling. It¡¯s over. Hope let out a breath of relief.


    ¡°Leon¡¯s an excellent pilot.¡± Dorothy said as GunHell and Mortal Fusion arrived. ¡°If only his personality was less abrasive¡­¡±


    ¡°As long as he follows orders, it¡¯s fine.¡± Horace responded before flying over to Hope. ¡°You lasted longer that time, but nowhere near five minutes. While there won¡¯t be any immortals in Palos, it¡¯s still a major city in the Northern Empire. We can expect substantial defenses and a decent-sized military presence. If you don¡¯t want to be shot down, keep practicing.¡±


    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    Thankfully Leon had already left by the time they returned. Only two figures were waiting in the hangar, the taller of whom rushed forward as Hope exited the cockpit. ¡°How was it? Everything still in one piece?¡±


    Envy Green¡¯s previous pilot had passed away during Argon¡¯s defection. Dominique Marks was his chosen replacement, selected out of saints put forward by the Grey Kingdom. As the most junior of Horace¡¯s elite squad, Hope was borrowing his ride, much to his chagrin.


    ¡°Relax, we were regulating our weapons.¡± Said the dark-skinned man climbing out of Mortal Fusion. ¡°None of us want to face Argon after damaging one of his masterpieces.¡±


    Hope knew this to be true. In a serious battle, Mortal Fusion would have simply blown up the entire valley in one colossal explosion.  Thank god someone like Leon wasn¡¯t in control of that firepower.


    As a pilot, Ulrich Lunat was calm, collected, and methodical. Outside the cockpit, he was laid back and easy going. He was the perfect choice for the most destructive of Argon¡¯s most destructive creation.


    ¡°I honestly hate it every time I¡¯m stuck here.¡± Dominique lamented.


    ¡°Must sucks to be the newbie.¡± Dorothy laughed, joining them. ¡°And have an even bigger newbie steal your ride.¡±


    ¡°Sorry¡­¡± Hope offered weakly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t apologize.¡± Said the young woman next to Dominique. ¡°I enjoy his company on your outings. It¡¯s nice not being the only one left behind.¡±


    In contrast to her countrymen, Zen Requis had skin and hair as white chalk. Argon had recruited the albino necromancer for his current project. Once completed, she¡¯d be the pilot of Doom Haunt.


    ¡°I¡¯m off for now.¡± Hope headed for the door.


    ¡°When you get a chance,¡± Dominique called out after her. ¡°Let¡¯s go over some advance movement techniques.¡±


    ¡°Later, I need a break.¡± Hope responded. It was nice having someone so devoted to aiding her, even if it was out of fear she¡¯d wreck his precious mech.


    Despite herself, she was warming up to Argon¡¯s elite squad¡ª¡ªor at least to most of them. It was awkward. These were enemies she might face on the battlefield, if she ever escaped.


    The clanging grew louder as she descended a long stairwell. After the door at the bottom, it became deafening. This was the factory floor.


    With a two thirds of a mile diameter, Cloud Fortress Omega Nine was one massive edifice devoted to war. Argon Blast found fulfillment in the development of weaponry, and the lower portions of his aerial island were dedicated to their efficient mass production.


    Hope walked the catwalks observing the outgoing shipments of mobile armors and incoming shipment of materials. Below groups of men worked tirelessly to assemble tools to end lives.


    Once fitted with the severing collar, she¡¯d been given permission to wander anywhere. After much exploring, she¡¯d request a small space here from the foreman. Argon¡¯s elites never frequented the factory, and the workers paid her no attention. As for Hope, after months in Corthia, she was accustomed to the racket. With my ear plugs, I don¡¯t notice it at all.


    Argon had returned her equipment, a small act she was grateful for, and she was determined to enchant every day less her skill atrophy. It also offered her the opportunity to think.


    Rescue is unlikely and I can¡¯t get this collar off. She simply didn¡¯t have the strength to touch the enchantments of an immortal like Argon. At this rate she might never be free.


    There was no guarantee she¡¯d be released, even if they retrieved Astrolis. As long as death hung around her neck, she¡¯d be in the same situation when they returned. I have to leverage my participation in the mission to Palos and secure better terms.


    Taking a moment to formulate her approach, she made her way up to huge central room which served as Argon¡¯s workshop. The immortal was kneeling besides Doom Haunt with Zen sitting nearby. The mobile armor¡¯s outershell was hanging on chains above, leaving only an intimidating mechanical skeleton. The death magic permeating the frame added to the unnerving vibes. Hope watched the man tinker for a minute. Truthfully, she was dreading this confrontation a little.


    ¡°Once we reach Palos, I want you to remove this collar.¡± Hope announced.


    Argon stopped his work and turned towards her. ¡°Is that so?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Hope continued, displaying all the confidence she could muster. ¡°I¡¯ll fly Astrolis near dwarven territory and park above a ravine. You¡¯ll hang back while I drop down. That way I¡¯ll be free and you¡¯ll have your prize.¡±


    Argon stood up and stepped towards her. Hope didn¡¯t like how he loomed over her. ¡°You didn¡¯t approve of the original plan?¡±


    ¡°You mean where I fly Astrolis back here still wearing the collar?¡± Hope said. ¡°No, not a fan.¡± Zen was staring wide-eyed at her audacity.


    ¡°I need you to transfers control over to me.¡± Argon revealed. ¡°Otherwise Astrolis is just a hunk of junk.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re exaggerating. You¡¯d get value simply studying it.¡± Hope bluffed. ¡°Besides, I¡¯m sure an enchanter of your caliber will figure some way to make use of it.¡±


    Argon tapped his chin as time passed incredibly slowly. Finally, he smiled, ¡°Fine, we¡¯ll do it that way then. Don¡¯t go regretting¡ª¡ª¡±


    ¡°Argon, you reading this?¡± Horace¡¯s voice interrupted them. The man sounded distracted. ¡°I could use some assistance.¡±


    Argon instantly hoped over to his throne, projecting the pilot in the space before him. ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m currently engaged with Kara, the Beast of Sanrune.¡± Horace reported, his figure shaking due to high speed maneuvers. ¡°She came out of nowhere and is attacking relentlessly. I hate to admit this, but I¡¯m not confident in handling her alone, especially if she stops playing around.¡±


    Argon cursed. Behind him, a giant hulk of metal came to life. ¡°Do what you have to hold out. I¡¯m on my way.¡± He leap into War Machine¡¯s cockpit and shot into the sky. Hope watched the room¡¯s dome close behind him.


    ¡°What are you waiting for?¡±  Zen shouted, sprinting by. ¡°Come on!¡±


    Unsure, Hope followed. ¡°Where are we going?¡±  Argon didn¡¯t seem like he needed help¡­


    ¡°War Machine is about to face off with one of the strongest immortals on the planet.¡± Zen huffed.  ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious? I¡¯m going to find the others and beg them to give me a ride.¡±


    Hope considered this and sped up.

 [Book II Chapter 78 part 1] FILIA: The Searing Blade

    [Book II Chapter 78 part 2] FILIA: The Searing Blade


    ------------------------------------------------


    After a last check on the freed captives, they¡¯d gathered at the docks to await the king¡¯s arrival. Everyone was nervous. Even Sana had recovered from her shock in anticipation.


    Silver would face Kyle Saren if it came to a fight. Other than that, they¡¯d wing it. No choice really, we know nothing about our opponents or their abilities. Besides, there isn¡¯t really time to come up with anything even if we did.


    Allan walked in from building 3. ¡°Kyle¡¯s ship, the Dauntless, just hailed us. By the signal strength, they should be here in minutes.¡±


    Silver watched him descend to the ground floor. ¡°I appreciate your willingness to keep us company, but you should join the others in building 1. A confrontation with four saints is not something you¡¯d be any use in.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t understand my situation.¡± Allen shook his head. ¡°King Kyle will not forgive my betrayal. If you lose, he¡¯ll turn me over to Finley. I¡¯d rather die fighting than end up in his hands.¡±


    ¡°Beside I have this.¡± He held up his right hand which wore a black chain-mail glove. ¡°The flamethrower gauntlet are specially designed for Righteous Sun members, and others can¡¯t use them effectively. The leader¡¯s prize weapon is different. You felt its power yourself.¡±


    ¡°Do what you want.¡± Silver relented. ¡°But think twice before using that. We won¡¯t be in a position to protect you.¡±


    Filia¡¯s mind drifted as they sank back into silence. Taking down the Righteous Sun zealots had caused her to ponder their role in her hometown¡¯s demise. Her parents had told her of their activity in prior months, but that was all. Did they just fan the hatred or did they participate on the day itself? And did these ones play any part?


    <<What would you do if they had?>> Blizzy asked.


    <<Smack them around some more for a start.>>  Filia responded. Honestly, she wasn¡¯t sure what to do in the face of evil on that scale. It¡¯s partly why she¡¯d never sought revenge. How would she determine who was culpable? She grimaced as the answer sprung to mind. The Laughing Man¡­ I can hold him responsible. Unfortunately, he was an immortal beyond her reach.


    Sighing, she let her eyes wander over the destruction from their earlier battle. Their foes had fought so hard for something so wrong. ¡°What madness¡­¡± She mumbled.


    ¡°The late king Saren is to blame for all of this.¡± Allan offered absently.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Filia asked sharply.


    Allan heaved a deep breath. ¡°The late king was rumored to have a fondness for young boys. While I haven¡¯t any evidence, a hatred as deep as Kyle¡¯s had to come from somewhere.¡±


    Filia considered this. So the recent death of his father might¡¯ve been patricide. Ultimately, it didn¡¯t matter. King Kyle had to be stopped regardless.


    Through the open hangar door, the low hum of a magical engine reached them. They lined up at the entrance to greet the newcomers.


    ¡°Best not to mention the destroyed harnesser.¡± Allen warned, ducking behind some crates. ¡°There¡¯s no telling how he¡¯d react.¡±


    A large craft sailed into view, dropping to ground level and stopping outside. Judging by its size, Filia imagined they¡¯d be able to fit everyone inside, albeit uncomfortably.


    Four figures walked onto the deck. The first was a man in his thirties wearing a grim expression. Atop of his brown hair was a thin golden crown from which two wolf ears stuck out. Behind him trailed two shinobi, a man and a woman, sporting armbands adorned with black snow flakes, the symbol of the hidden village of gloom. The last was tall man with short caramel hair. The smirk on his face showed a hint of teeth.


    ¡°Look who is hiding over there.¡± Finley chuckled as they reached the front of the ship. ¡°I told you this would happen. The heart of dear Professor Allen Gorge¡¯s was never truly in this endeavor. We should¡ª¡ª¡±


    The king raised a hand for him to stop. ¡°What happened here?¡± He demanded coldly.


    ¡°We came to rescue those held against their will.¡± Silver declared. ¡°Frieden is under our control, and the Righteous Sun are locked up. Could I ask you to withdraw so we can avoid bloodshed?¡±


    ¡°I recognize three of them. They are saints.¡± The male shinobi said. ¡°Famous ones at that. I advise against such a closely matched contest.¡±


    ¡°The boy is the son of Astra Skyfell.¡± Added the female shinobi.


    ¡°Do you think I care?¡± Kyle snapped.


    ¡°That¡¯s the spirit!¡± Finley proclaimed energetically, earning glares from the ninjas. ¡°Don¡¯t let yourself be intimidated. We can take¡ª¡ª¡±


    Again the king held up a hand. ¡°I have come too far to quit halfway. We¡¯re retaking this facility.¡± He announced. Everyone grew tense.


    <<Too bad. For a moment, I thought they were going to convince him to back down.>> Blizzy observed. Filia nodded imperceptibly.


    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    King Kyle glanced down at Silver. ¡°About those you came to liberate¡­ A couple more are within.¡± He gesture to his rear. ¡°I assume you don¡¯t want to see them hurt, so I propose we park the ship and settle this outside.¡±


    Silver nodded. A minute later, the eight of them faced off outside under the glow of the inverted forest.


    <<I don¡¯t like the way that man is looking at us.>>  Blizzy said. Filia grimaced noticing Finley studying her hungrily.  Oh, great¡­


    ¡°I chose the girl with the white wings.¡± Finley announced loudly. His companions made a face but didn¡¯t object.


    ¡°Good luck.¡± Silver whispered before stepping forwards and yelling. ¡°Then I¡¯ll face King Kyle Saren.¡±


    Filia followed her opponent to the far side of Frieden. Strangely, he seemed to relax once away from the others. ¡°I heard you¡¯re called Filia. Thanks for going along my suggestion. Allow me to the introduce myself. I¡¯m Finley, the Searing Blade. Never really had a last name.¡±


    In his hand appeared a scalpel glowing bright orange. He caressed it fondly, showing no signs of being burnt. ¡°Ever since I witnessed the Incorruptible Flame execute some criminals as child, I¡¯ve been captivated by molten metal. Such a wonder converge of fire and earth. I thank my stars for the affinities I was blessed with.¡±


    <<Does he ever shut up?>> Blizzy griped.


    <<No, this is good.>> Filia¡¯s instincts told her that this man was by far the most dangerous. If she could keep him occupied by herself, that was to their advantage. She was confident Silver would defeat the king, and, with any luck, this would cause the ninjas to retreat.


    ¡°I can bend metal too.¡± Finley continued happily. The scapel in his deformed, curving to take many twisted shapes. ¡°Sadly my benefactors never appreciate this talent. Rather, I believe they hate it.¡±


    ¡°Benefactors?¡± Filia asked. Just keep rambling.


    ¡°Oh, right.¡± Finly responded. ¡°You see, I enjoy hurting people. I always have for as long as I can remember. Of course, this requires a partner. To those wonderful individuals who fall into my hands and dedicate their final days to my enjoyment¡­ I call them my benefactors. Some object to the designation, but ultimately it¡¯s my opinion which matters. After all, they¡¯re no longer around.¡±


    Alright, I¡¯ve had enough. ¡°Winter Vortex.¡± Filia cried out, unleashing a snowy tempest.


    Finley waved his hand and a shiny barrier materialized around him, shielding him from the elements. She determined it was actually some type of stringy object moving extremely rapidly. Once calm returned and it slowed down, she saw what it was: red-hot barbed wire.


    ¡°Right, we¡¯re fighting.¡± Finley nodded, sending strands of bladed metal lunging towards her. ¡°And I really should get this over with. We¡¯ve got an airship full of passengers to process.¡±


    Filia dodged, but the leather of her pants was striped away in several places drawing blood. While rattled, anger at his words won out in her heart.


    ¡°Why do you hate those people so much?¡± She demanded.


    Finley¡¯s eyes went wide, and the twirling metal paused. ¡°Oh, nononono. I assure you, the Righteous Sun¡¯s creed is not my own. I view people of all persuasions and inclinations with the same respect, regardless of their beliefs. Working with those like King Kyle simply provides me with an opportunity to do what I love.¡±


    Filia found herself believing the protestations. So he targets the vulnerable wherever he can. ¡°If you have no preferences, then why were you fixated on me as your opponent?¡± She asked.


    The man smiled. ¡°You are in possession of a very special deck of cards. Although I¡¯m not really into sukemon myself, I very much hope to recuperate it.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll be disappointed.¡± Filia rebuffed. I don¡¯t have them anymore. Besides, how did he even know about them?


    Taking advantage of her distraction, Finley charged forward. Filia backpedaled, releasing another Winter Vortex. Before he was forced back, Finley threw a shinning orb through the winds. Nearing her, it exploded into a barbed wire net which covered her and pinned her to the ground. The agony was excruciating, her flesh lacerated and burned. She immediately swapped to Tetris, adopting the volcanor¡¯s strong defenses. With the pain receding, she noticed Finley looming over her with a giant moltant hatchet.


    ¡°Got you.¡± He said smugly. Filia braced herself, but the blow never came. Instead her opponent went catapulting off to the side, his weapon shattered.


    ¡°That hurt.¡± Finley cried, glaring at the spot by the building where Allen was charging up another blast. ¡°That does it. I¡¯m dealing with you once and for all.¡±


    NO! Filia found the metal holding her had grown loose and tore herself free. Unfortunately, by that time Allen was already impaled on the wall by five knives. Finley stepped back with satisfied grin as smoke rose from the wounds.


    ¡°At least you didn¡¯t take me alive¡­¡± Allen whispered, the light fading from his eyes.


    Finley froze, his brows furrowing. ¡°You make a good point¡­ A really good point. I should¡¯ve have crippled you. What was I thinking?¡± He clicked his tongue, berating himself harshly.


    Wincing at Allen¡¯s passing, Filia checked on how the others were faring, and her heart stopped. On the opposite side of the building, Sana was desperately fending off the king who was hurling boulders at her. His shinobi bodyguards must have forced a change in partners¡­ Damn them!


    ¡°Lava Blast.¡± She shouted, aiming at where Finley was studying Allen¡¯s body sourly.


    The man jumped back from the magma. ¡°And here I was generously giving you a chance to catch your breath¡­ Why are you such a hurry to die?¡± He called out in mock indignation. ¡°It¡¯s hard to¡ª¡ª¡±


    ¡°Do you ever shut up?¡± Filia raged, switching to Daisy. ¡°Wind Scythes!¡± The frenzyraptor was her most offensive sukemon, perfect ending this quickly.


    Finley continued speaking nonchalantly as layers of barbed wire deflected her invisible blades. ¡°Funny, all my benefactors reaches this same point. At first they beg me to stop hurting them. Once they understand I won¡¯t, they beg me to stop talking. Of course, I don¡¯t do that either. Really it¡¯s pretty insulting¡ª¡ª¡±


    ¡°How does King Kyle put up with you?¡± Filia asked before shouting. ¡°Guillotine.¡± Her vacuum blade sliced through the metal barriers, but Finley simply ducked under.


    ¡°I¡¯m able to moderate myself when necessary.¡± He shrugged.


    Filia risked a glance to the side and saw Sana still struggling. She won¡¯t last forever. I must hurry and help her.


    Finley turned to see where she was looking. ¡°Ah¡­ I understand what you¡¯re thinking. Let me put your mind at rest. They won¡¯t be finishing up first over there unless I stop talking, which won¡¯t happen.¡±


    Filia¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°You know how the HEAVENLY DAO manipulates time so people can call out their finishing moves? This can happen with conversations too. In my case, particularly so, to the point that¡ª¡ªYou¡¯ve heard of greater boons, right? These rare abilities are half a sublime vagary, just the passive part without the verbal activation. I have one called ¡®battle chatter¡¯. I can have a half an hour discussion in a one minute fight. It¡¯s fairly useless, but I love it nonetheless.¡±


    ¡°What I am trying to say is¡­ It¡¯s alright to give me your full attention. Rather please do, I find it annoying when my opponent is distracted. Feels like I¡¯m talking to myself.¡±


    Filia took a second to digest this. So it¡¯s in my interest to keep the conversation going. In that case¡­


    ¡°What is your relationship with the Laughing Man?¡± She asked. ¡°I count on my fingers those who know about the deck I received from Geordan Price, and none of them would spread it around.¡±


    (continued in part 2)

 [Book II Chapter 78 part 2] FILIA: The Searing Blade

    [Book II Chapter 78 part 2] FILIA: The Searing Blade


    ------------------------------------------------


    ¡­


    ¡°That¡­¡± Finley struggled briefly for words before giving up. ¡°You could say I¡¯m one of his apostles, a protege under his care if you will.¡±


    Filia was skeptical. ¡°I¡¯ve never hear of him recruiting underlings.¡±


    ¡°No one knows yet.¡± Finley laughed. ¡°We¡¯re a recent development. He realized there was a limit to what he could accomplish alone and began seeking out us wayward souls to guide us on the right path. In my case, his investment bore fruit three months ago.¡±


    The notion there were people who willingly cooperated with that madman disgusted Filia. It was incomprehensible. Everyone who interacts with him comes out for the worse.  ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid he¡¯ll set his sadistic sights on you?¡± Filia pressed.


    ¡°I once asked him about this. After all, I don¡¯t particularly enjoy pain myself.¡± Finley rubbed his chin, displaying uncertainty for the first time. ¡°He told there¡¯s nothing he could do to me that could surpass what I was already doing to myself. That¡¯s why he¡¯d never deprive himself from witnessing the natural trajectory of my life. I still don¡¯t fully understand what he meant, but I believe in the truthfulness of his words. He won¡¯t turn on me.¡±


    Absorbing the revelation, an epiphany struck Filia. ¡°Three months ago¡­ Were you with the Righteous Sun in Lomistan?¡±


    ¡°Stupendous guess!¡± Finley clapped. ¡°While the Laughing Man provided the spark, we were the ones who set the stage. It is we who uncovered the bodies of children, cut and burnt, and made sure the blame was placed on the appropriate parties. It was tireless effort, but I don¡¯t regret a single second of it.¡±


    Filia felt the shock draining the emotions from her. ¡°Did you participate on the day itself?¡±


    ¡°We did, although we retreated once we heard news of Gregory Stein¡¯s arrival. On a deeper level, the Righteous Sun realize they operate outside the White Mountain¡¯s precepts and hate being reminded of this. They fled to avoid facing the immortal paladin, and it would¡¯ve been awkward not to follow.¡±


    ¡°And then you came to Ransas¡­¡± Filia extrapolated.


    ¡°That was entirely my project.¡± Finley beamed. ¡°I¡¯d spoken to Kyle Saren during his time adventuring years prior where I learned of his simmering hatred. He¡¯d told me about Frieden and his desire to quash his kingdom¡¯s deviant behavior. Once I¡¯d heard he¡¯d overthrown his father, I judged it wouldn¡¯t take much to push him to act. It was a grand success.¡±


    ¡°My only regret is being robbed of chance to oversee the procedure itself. I¡¯d have ripped their souls apart in such a way that they¡¯d never even think of sex again. Plus, I don¡¯t believe King Kyle would¡¯ve cared if I ¡®accidental¡¯ shredded a few souls during the process. It would¡¯ve been glorious.¡±


    Finley sighed. ¡°I genuinely erred in killing Allen so fast¡­¡±


    ¡°Why is he after the sukemon cards?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because of another apostle whose is into sukemon. She came up with a plan that¡­¡± Finley trailed off, blinking in confusion. ¡°What am I doing revealing this to you?¡±


    His eyes suddenly lit up. ¡°Oh my god, he warned me about this. Said prattling on to nobodies was fine, but one day I¡¯d run into a ¡®main character¡¯ and start leaking all my secrets. Now it¡¯s actually happened!¡±


    He began pacing back forth. ¡°How vexing¡­ I¡¯ve been manipulated, my own nature turned against me. At least he told me I can prevent it through conscious effort, but I have already leaked so much¡­¡±


    Stopping, he glared at Filia. ¡°Sorry, I can no longer take you alive. We finish this now.¡± Blades of every type emerged in the air around him.


    ¡°Swift Feet.¡± Filia called out in panic as red hot steel shot at her. Even with her agility enhanced, she couldn¡¯t completely avoid the barrage, suffering several gashes.


    ¡°Your desperate flailing is just dragging this out.¡± Finley taunted. ¡°I¡¯m practically an immortal.¡±


    Filia believed the boast, having suspected it already. She released Daisy and brought back Blizzy.


    ¡°Frozen Mist.¡± She yelled, hoping to buy herself time to recover.


    For a moment, their surroundings were obscured. Then a gale picked up. Barbed wire was twirling around Finley, producing a twister which scattered the fog. That was too fast!


    ¡°How was it, returning to find your family slaughtered? I can¡¯t imagine it. I¡¯ve never had a family.¡± It seemed Finley had decided chatting was fine as long as the topic was her.


    ¡°Fry!¡± Relying on Blitzer, Fillia attempted an unblockable attack too fast to dodge. Unfortunately, Finley redirected the lightning using his metal strands.  His foresight is top notch too.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been wondering about something.¡± Finley continued. ¡°Why are you doing so well? It¡¯s barely been three months, and here you are being all heroic. Plus you were at that sukemon tournament. This mental stability is mystifying.¡±


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    ¡°Transparency.¡± Filia tried gaining an advantage through her slushpup¡¯s stealth. Unfortunately, the searing weapons appeared to track her without issues.  His other senses are too sharp.


    ¡°Everyone you grew up with was killed horribly by the neighbors they once trusted. Shouldn¡¯t that shake your beliefs? I¡¯d expect you¡¯d be holed up at in the remains of one of your churches, praying to your salamander god or something.¡±


    Filia returned to Blizzy, taking to the air to gain some distance. In responce, Finley formed a bright ball of power in his hands, and barbed wire shot out in every direction, flying up like fireworks. She evaded desperately but one strand entangled her foot and slammed her back down to the ground.


    This isn¡¯t working.  Cutting herself free, Filia limped away with Finley¡¯s voice echoing in her ears. ¡°I think I get it¡­ It¡¯s your sukemon, isn¡¯t it? They¡¯re why you aren¡¯t completely broken. In a way, your ¡®childhood friends¡¯ are still with you, supporting you through the hard times.¡±


    He Laughed. ¡°Using made-up monsters as an emotional crutch¡­ It¡¯s hilarious.¡±


    Something broke, and anger flared inside Filia. After the massacre in Lomistan, deep within she¡¯d accepted that the world was unfair, that people like the Laughing Man existed. However, Finley had gone too far for even this cynicism.


    <<I¡¯m going to invite Cici to join us.>>  She warned Blizzy, buying herself a few second by casting ¡®Frozen mist¡¯.


    <<Do what you must.>>  The blizzowl responded with veiled concern.


    Fusing with one summon was difficult to learn. Fusing with two was infinitely harder. The most likely outcome of trying was a backfire damaging the psyche of all those involved. To her knowledge, no one had attempted it with sukemon.


    Somewhere inside, she knew this was madness in her current state. However, she didn¡¯t care. Finley had mocked her bond with sukemon, her most treasured possession.


    She felt Cici arrive, full of confusion. <<We¡¯re doing a triple fusion. Please try your best to match up with us.>> She said.


    The galebat instantly complied, and parts of her skin turned grayish white as she integrated him. Then a wave vertigo struck, and she stumbled. The stress of sharing her mind with two others was overwhelming. All manner of stray thoughts rose to surface: memories of her parents, concerns about her companions, fears of death¡­ She was losing herself.


    No, I must win!  She fought back the turmoil by focusing on the man in front of her. Finley was an aberration who violated all norms and values. She rejected his very existence. For those he had hurt, for those he would hurt, he had to be stopped. She would protect others from him.


    Amidst her struggle, she heard a voice urging her to hold strong. Soon the chaos receded, and her conscious stabilized. Both Blizzy and Cici were by her side, ready to assist.


    Finley stepped out as the fog parted, hundreds of red daggers floating around him. ¡°Time to wrap this up.¡± He declared confidently before frowning. ¡°Wait¡­ Why do you have two pairs of wings?¡±


    ¡°Glacial Frost.¡± Filia shouted. The floating blades went dim as all inorganic material was covered in ice. With his boots frozen to the ground, Finley grunted from the additional burden on his telekinesis.


    ¡°This won¡¯t¡ª¡ª¡± He growled, his weaponry flaring up within their encasement.


    ¡°Cyclone.¡± Filia followed up. A twister materialized over her opponent, ripping away all his summons. With a great flap of her wings she took to the air.


    ¡°Freezing Dive.¡± She went barreling down towards Finley, a frozen shockwave enveloping her, and smashed through the giant sword he¡¯d conjured for defense. The man went tumbling backward.


    Not enough.  While she¡¯d landed a hit, the damage was light. She didn¡¯t know how long she could maintain her current state and couldn¡¯t afford to drag this out.


    Finley jumped to his feet and glared. ¡°That hurt you brat.¡± He said, charging up another bright ball of power. ¡°I suppose this is the danger of playing around too much.¡±


    ¡°Frozen Mist.¡± Filia countered. This time when the barbed wire projectiles shot up, she easily evaded everything with her four wings. She could see clearly with her echolocation while the same could not be said for Finley. The man was busy coiling his metal around him, readying to dispel the fog.


    I won¡¯t let him. ¡°Sonic Eruption¡± A burst of sound struck the earth and exploded, knocking Finley into the air. This is my chance¡­


    ¡°Glacial Cyclone.¡± She yelled out, combining her sukemon¡¯s abilities. This was a total gamble, but her instincts told her it would work. A fierce white tornado sprung up around Finley, and, when it faded, the man was trapped in towering column of ice.


    Filia fell to the ground, completely drained. Cici was gone already, with only Blizzy remaining. She lay panting, barely able to move, mind blank.


    <<We need to assist the others.>> Blizzy reminded her.


    That¡¯s right.  She forced her aching body to rise and flew around the building. She was relieved to find Sana still battling the king, on her last legs. He wasn¡¯t lying. Little time has passed.


    ¡°Glacial Frost.¡± She called out.


    Thrown off balance by the unexpected weight on his summoned rocks, Kyle Saren struggled not to fall as his feet were frozen in place. Taking advantage the opening, Sana dashed close, the shadow weapon in her hands growing to gigantic proportions. The king looked up in horror as it slammed down on him.


    Sana collapsed on the ground, and Filia dropped down besides her. ¡°Margaret will be mad. I killed someone.¡± Sana whispered.


    ¡°Oh, I think she¡¯ll make an exception for this one.¡± Filia answered.


    Silver and Kate rushed over. ¡°Are you alright?¡± They demanded simultaneous.


    ¡°More or less.¡± Filia answered. ¡°What happened to the ninjas?¡±


    ¡°They fled as soon as the king died.¡± Kate explained. ¡°Sorry leaving you two on your own. They were surprisingly frustrating to deal with.¡±


    Guess we all had a rough time. Just as Filia was starting to relax, the hairs on the back of her head stood on end. On reflex, she turned to see Finley peeking around the building.


    ¡°Watch out!¡± She yelled. ¡°Finley is almost as strong as an immortal. He¡¯s also one of the Laughing Man¡¯s apostles and totally insane.¡±


    As they tensed for battle, Finley walked out casually shaking his head. ¡°And there goes any last chance of snuffing you out before you shared the news¡­ Today has really been a disaster.¡± Filia was disappointed by how unharmed he appeared.


    ¡°Do you plan to fight?¡± Silver demanded.


    ¡°I want too¡­¡± Finley eyed them carefully. ¡°Two of you are near spent. I think I could win. Unfortunately¡­¡±


    He shrugged, sighing. ¡°The Laughing Man specifically warned me not to tangle with heroes so early in the dark age. Said it wouldn¡¯t turn out well for me. After my humiliation at the hands of Filia over there, I¡¯m more inclined to respect his advice. My ability to judge combat potential is compromised at the moment.¡±


    ¡°You seem remarkably fine about this setback.¡± Filia observed. ¡°Why?¡±


    Finley smiled. ¡°The truth is, the Laughing Man has already instructed me where to head next. He¡¯s discovered someone, a master who¡¯s brilliance matches his own. I¡¯m to work with him, and I can¡¯t tell you how excited I am about the prospects. It¡¯s almost enough to wash away the taste of this defeat.¡±


    ¡°Is it Salazar Rook?¡± Filia asked. She was pleased to see Finley¡¯s eye go wide in realization.


    ¡°God damn it!¡± Cursing foully, the Searing Blade retreated leaving them alone.

 [Book II Chapter 79] DAWN: The Burning City

    [Book II Chapter 79] DAWN: The Burning City


    ------------------------------------------------


    Upon taking the lift to the surface, they found themselves in a smoked filled cathedral, an inferno raging around them. Dawn raised her hand to ready an arctic blast, but Zentrias stopped her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t.¡± He said. ¡°It could draw unwanted attention.¡±


    True, we¡¯re no longer in a sanctified ground. She¡¯d almost committed a rookie mistake and snuffed out the fire without thinking. She shook her head in self-reproach.


    Exiting the cathedral, they witnessed a city engulfed in flames. Despite the blaze, no buildings were collapsing. They likely never would no matter how long they waited. Everything was trapped in a perpetual state of destruction.


    ¡°Our detour must have taken us to the next area.¡± Zentrias declared. ¡°No reapers here, but we should still stick to the ground.¡±


    ¡°I guess we¡¯ll be facing flaming corpses and burning dead.¡± Rose said. ¡°But that can¡¯t be all or it¡¯d be too simple.¡±


    Dawn nodded. She¡¯d run into both types of undead in an Aery dungeon. Flaming corpses were basically stronger ghouls. They could immolate if touched, but otherwise couldn¡¯t manipulate fire. Burning Dead were far more dangerous, able to wield pyromancy. Neither was a saint level threat.


    ¡°Some will probably be horned.¡± Carol chimed in.


    Horned¡­  This word elicited anxiety. ¡°Aren¡¯t those bad news?¡± Dawn asked.


    ¡°They are.¡± Rose agreed. ¡°Certain undead can evolve into stronger versions of themselves by growing horns, essentially tapping into our fear of demons. Burning dead are one of the types that do this.¡±


    ¡°Their sin is pride.¡± Carol added. ¡°They broadcast their presence with intimidating auras stronger than other undead. It should be possible to detect them from far away.¡±


    Dawn took the lead, moving cautiously through the windy streets. Whenever she encountered enemies, she instantly froze them and dragged them back to their position. Unlike the prior areas, this time they properly dispatched each one, relying the roaring fires to mask their actions. This strategy suited her.


    Although she was putting on a brave front, memories of battling the prison¡¯s boss were fresh in her mind. She¡¯d been completely powerless before the wretch¡¯s chains. It¡¯d been the first time in her life feeling that helpless, and it was eating away at her. Without Zentrias, they¡¯d certainly have perished.


    While she¡¯d had plenty of other brushes with death, none had been the same. The duel against Sion Gale and her predicament in the Nolfis Underground had been dire situations, but never had her ability to fight stripped away.


    They came upon a square with a dozen skeletons and smoldering zombies. Perfect, another opportunity to let loose. Throwing the flaming corpses behind her, she piled up several burning dead and began repeatedly crushing them under a giant block of ice. It was therapeutic.


    The lingering unease from yesterday was bothering her. Sure, it was nothing crippling, but she hated it. She was accustomed to operating in a state of supreme confidence, so the nagging worry was a distraction. She couldn¡¯t help thinking about it.


    Out of nowhere, Dawn broke out in a cold sweat, fear swelling within her. Pressing forward became daunting. What¡¯s going on? Am I¡­ becoming a coward? Her horror at the notion amplified her panic. To hide her shameful feelings, she intensified her pounding.


    Something smashed into her from behind. That was one of Rose¡¯s fireballs! It didn¡¯t do any damage, but still! Ready to vent at her, she was surprised to find the teammates had retreated to the street they¡¯d come from. They were frantically gesturing for her to follow.


    Oh¡­ That was when it hit her that her terror had an external source¡­ and it was almost here. She turned to see a horned burning dead walk around a corner.


    Two heads larger than its brethren, it glared towards them with a malefic self-assurance. Then it roared, and Dawn was gripped by a paralyzing fright. Only once it ended could she move again. Undead from all over could be heard heading for the square.


    ¡°We¡¯re falling back!¡± Zentrias shouted.


    Sprinting back to him, Dawn saw he was carrying Carol. ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°That screech knocked her out.¡± Rose answered tersely. Dawn grimaced. This is my fault, if only I¡¯d reacted faster¡­


    They reached a bend in the road and came to an abrupt halt. The horned undead was blocking the way. Behind them, hordes of undead were pouring down the street.


    ¡°No choice but to fight.¡± Zentrias declared, placing Carol in a corner.


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    ¡°I¡¯ll face the horned one.¡± Dawn yelled, sending out ice blast. She had to redeem herself.


    Her opponent swatted down her attack and raised its hands to release a barrage of fireballs, each one curving towards the unconscious Carol. No, you don¡¯t. She intercepted the projectiles with icicles. She then rushed close, summoning short blades. She wasn¡¯t going to give it an opening to try that again.


    The horned undead shaped its fire into a shield and axe. The two met and exchanged a swirl of blows. It¡¯s tougher than the dark knight. As they fought, she grew concerned about the others. Her worry was heightened when the horned undead appeared to smile.


    She glanced back to see several undead broking through and heading towards Carol. Before she could act, the horned undead lifted its axe. She blocked the overhead swing, but it pressed its entire weight down on her, pinning her in place.


    I¡­ I can¡¯t allow this. I won¡¯t be responsible for her death. Instinctively, Dawn reached out and grabbed a foreign power. Before she knew what she was doing, she¡¯d sent out two dozen ice lances. Carol¡¯s attackers were all impaled against the wall. Even the horned undead was knocked back, its chest pierced in two places. It glared at her, its flames flaring to melt the ice.


    That was Myriad Calamity Crystallization, she understood. She¡¯d partly activated her sublime vagary and released an instantaneous attack against multiple targets without channeling magic. After months of failure, finally a success!


    ¡°Great job.¡± Rose called out from behind her. Dawn turned to discover her sister appeared to have taken control of the immobilized burning dead. ¡°These reinforcements should help us hold out. Hurry and finish that one off.¡±


    ¡°Will do!¡± Dawn replied confidently, bracing behind an ice shield as her foe breathed fire. The adrenaline from her exhilaration had done wonders for her mental state. With Rose¡¯s words dispelling concerns about Carol¡¯s safety, her usual confidence had just about returned.


    Time for a field test, she smirked. After having mastered everything Astra had taught, she¡¯d moved on to improving her martial arts through her own insights, leveraging her experiences messing around with others magics. One of her more successful creations was a technique she called Sapphire Blood.


    Dawn summoned Frost Fire and directed it into her veins. Beginning with a small amount, she gradually added more. The concentrated energy circulated through her system, seeping into the ice-based enchantments enhancing her body and supercharging them. Her skin slowly emitted a faint blue as she boosted her strength.


    Of course there were drawbacks. Sapphire Blood burned through her stamina at a crazy pace. The concentration of Frost Fire also had to be increasing at all times to maintain the right balance. Finally, once she reached the upper limit of tolerance, she had to restart the process at zero. These demerits aside, Dawn was proud of her ingenuity.


    The horned undead was forced onto the back as her power swelled. Once she¡¯d reached the technique¡¯s halfway point, she was comfortably dominating the battle, landing heavy blows. It won¡¯t be long now. What Dawn loved most about Sapphire Blood was the finale when she unleashed all her pen-up energy in one massive column of frost fire.


    Then, out of nowhere, something long and sticky snatched her foe away. She pivoted to find a giant, hideous black toad. The beast¡¯s belly grew brighter as its prey struggled to escape.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare spit it out.¡± Carol snapped sharply. ¡°I know you have the resistance to endure.¡±


    Oh¡­ I guess that takes care of that¡­ Somewhat disappointed, Dawn went to help the others but found an army of nightmare creatures tearing their way through the remaining undead. Carol marched after them, barking angry orders.


    Dawn joined Zentrias and Rose, and together they observed the spectacle. ¡°I didn¡¯t know she could summon that many.¡± She stated.


    ¡°Powerful entities with a close connection to their summoners can to cross over on their own for short periods by expending their lifeforce.¡± Zentrias answered. ¡°Carol is demanding tribute for all the fear she¡¯s fed them.¡±


    So if Carol calls in her favors, she¡¯s potentially the strongest of us?  Several dozen A-rank monsters were an overwhelming force. When the last enemy was felled, Carol dismissed her underlings and stomped over.


    ¡°Feeling better?¡± Rose ventured cautiously.


    ¡°Barely.¡± Carol retorted. ¡°When that horned¡¯s cry sent me into a terror-induced stupor, those bastards were happy to leave me in a vulnerable state just to gorge themselves. It was smiley of all people, and his mocking voice, that snapped me out it. He¡¯s going to lord this over me, I just know it¡­¡±


    Carol¡¯s eyes fell on Dawn and lit up. ¡°And you¡­ What¡¯s wrong with you? We all felt that horned one coming from miles away. Why didn¡¯t you react?¡±


    Dawn winced and bowed. ¡°I was out of sorts. I apologize.¡±


    ¡°You think a simple sorry is going to settle this?¡± Carol flared. ¡°Our lives are at stake!¡± It took several minutes to calm her down. Only upon hearing Dawn¡¯s valiant efforts in keeping her safe did she relent.


    Carol led the way through the rest of the burning city. Her sensitivity to fear permitted them to avoid further encounters with horned undead. Dawn was glad, as using Sapphire Blood had left her drained. She thought back, recalling the ice spears from earlier.


    I wonder how I did that. She carefully reviewed the series of events which allowed her to briefly access her sublime vagary. I believe I¡¯m on the right track in thinking desperation is the key. I¡¯ll need an even more dire situation to unlock the full version again.


    After a long trek, they arrived at another sanctified ground. They weren¡¯t the first ones. Another adventurer party was waiting. Dawn recognized them as the group from Garnen.


    Their leader approached them. ¡°The boss of this floor is an undead drake. We were hoping to cooperate to take it down.¡±


    ¡°Hi Cindy.¡± Rose said. ¡°Sure you¡¯re okay with teaming up with me again?¡± Dawn sensed a hint of sarcasm.


    ¡°Hi Rose.¡± Cindy answered tensely. ¡°It won¡¯t be an issue.¡±


    Zentrias and Carol looked at each other. ¡°Could you give us a moment to consider?¡± He asked.


    They gathered to discuss. Carol spoke first. ¡°I¡¯m fine either way. While it¡¯d be nice to have assistance, I believe we can defeat this boss on our own. It¡¯s still early to start teaming up, and there¡¯ll be a stiff experience penalty, which I know Zentrias will be keen to avoid.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Zentrias countered. ¡°If there¡¯s no objections, I believe we should accept their offer. We¡¯ve had too many close calls for comfort, and things will only get tougher from here. Better to secure allies now than risk not finding any later.¡±


    Carol studied their leader, ¡°I¡¯m honestly amazed to hear this considering how hard you¡¯ve been pushing yourself lately.¡±


    Zentrias sighed. ¡°True, I¡¯m anxious to reach the wall, doubly so with the Dark Age. However, this was a mission assigned to us by Yuria herself. Failure is not an option.¡±


    I guess it¡¯ll be much deeper in dungeon before I get another chance to release Myriad Calamity Crystallization, Dawn thought to herself.

 [Book II Chapter 80 part 1] DYLAN: Blue-eyed Reindeers

    [Book II Chapter 80 part 1] DYLAN: Blue-eyed Reindeers


    ------------------------------------------------


    Dylan rolled the eight-sided quest stone in the palm of his hands.


    QUEST: Evacuate Cavelan


    STATUS: Uncompleted


    GUILD ESTIMATED DIFFICULTY: S


    ACTUAL DIFFICULTY: ¡ª


    When Free had thrust the role of leader on him, he hadn¡¯t been entirely thrilled, suspecting it would involve making decisions he didn¡¯t care for. His fears were proven correct when they¡¯d asked him to name their party. He¡¯d chosen Necessity, and surprisingly there¡¯d been no objections.


    ¡°This is exciting.¡± Nang stood besides him at the front of the ship. ¡°Our first quest.¡±


    He nodded with mixed feelings. Never would he have imagined he¡¯d be on the other side of Enera escorting a backwater town to safety. The only upside was that Dowart had finally stopped laughing.


    After battling demonic beasts on Tulven¡¯s front lines for the past few days, today the adventurer¡¯s guild had announced the surrounding Twisted Lands were too dangerous and all settlements were to be relocated. They¡¯d been selected to facilitate Cavelan¡¯s evacuation and had been provided this small airship. Most will have to walk, which will be slow and perilous.


    Free walked out on deck. ¡°The captain says to have a look below.¡±


    They peered over the guardrail. A herd of four-legged creatures was galloping across the broken landscape, conjuring ice bridges across the gaps. ¡°Blue-eyed Reindeer.¡± Darius stated, appearing from nowhere. ¡°They¡¯re not native to this region. From Mount Gull most likely, heading to our destination.¡±


    ¡°Not good.¡± Free dashed back inside. Dylan felt them accelerate, but still not fast enough.


    ¡°Should we jump off?¡± Nang asked nervously.


    Dylan frowned.  There are hundreds, if not thousands, down there. Can we afford to exhaust ourselves to arrive a few minutes early?


    Free came back out. ¡°See the floating mountain up ahead?¡± She pointed. ¡°The entrance is there.¡±


    That¡¯s fairly close.  ¡°We¡¯ll disembark there.¡± Dylan decided. ¡°Tell the captain to keep the ship way until we¡¯ve secured the area.¡±


    While they waited, Free and Nang fashioned their wings, one set green and one set white. For his part, Dylan prepared the Greater mystery of Magma. Only Darius stood back impassively, showing no signs of impatience.


    Soon Dylan saw the opening the reindeer were pouring into. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Leaping off, he extended his senses and pulled himself inside with telekinesis, running along the wall. The sunlight fading, a legion of glowing blue eyes stared up at him from below, and chilly blasts of magic curved up, freezing patches of bedrock.


    He burst into a large hollow space at the mountain¡¯s center and saw the demonic beasts surging up a hill towards a settlement, circling around the remaining wall-mounted cannons to invade by the rear.  At least there are survivors.


    ¡°Darius go on ahead and secure the town.¡± Free shouted. ¡°We¡¯ll stop the herd.¡±


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    Wasn¡¯t I the leader? ¡°Nang go help him.¡± Dylan called out. ¡°Set up silkmoth barriers to prevent more from entering.¡±


    Free drew her wings in forming a protective shell and crashed into the stampede. A gnarled tree sprung up from the impact, its branches sweeping the demonic beasts back.


    I should go wild too.  Dylan dropped down and smashed his fist into the earth, the shockwave reducing the cavern floor to uneven rumble. All around reindeer went stumbling. This confusion didn¡¯t last long, with dozens of antlers shining blue to conjure a smooth layer of ice.


    It won¡¯t be that easy. Channeling through Resplendent Delusion, he summoned jets of magma, swinging them around like whips to destroy the reindeer and their footing. His foresight flared as one got close and lowered its antlers, the tips extending towards him at a lightning pace. He backpedaled deflecting the bony spears.


    ¡°Watch out, they can stab from a distance!¡± He yelled.


    ¡°I know, but my roots are longer.¡± Free answered. ¡°It¡¯s their ice which I find a pain.¡± Dylan saw his companion¡¯s vegetation struggling against gradual encasement and directed his lava tendrils to break their prison.


    Damn their numbers. More reindeer were arriving every moment. While they¡¯d felled plenty, the corpses were disintegrating, making it tough to determined how many. Despite this, the amount of foes kept increasing.


    Dylan was considering retreating to the town when a dark figure slipped into the enemy ranks. With each stride, he swing his scythe and claimed multiple lives. Antlers turned on him, but he appeared not to care, slipping between the spears.


    ¡°Cavelan has been cleared. I left Nang to handle the rest.¡± Darius reported. ¡°I¡¯ll go thin them out.¡± He disappeared into the passage to the outside and the number of reindeers emerging dwindled by half. That solves the problem, I suppose. Darius¡¯s strength had been apparent when he¡¯d chased off the infiltrator on the airships. This just cemented Dylan¡¯s opinion. He¡¯s stronger than me and Free put together. Maybe Nang too.


    While the battle was now considerably easier, Dylan realized it wasn¡¯t entirely due to Darius. The raindeer were growing lethargic, their reaction times falling and their attacks losing steam. Soon they could barely stay on their feet. He stopped fighting, watching the beasts keel over with blood flowing from their mouths.


    <<They¡¯re suffering from an unnatural affliction.>> Dowart commented. <<I suspect its the young lady¡¯s work.>>


    Free¡¯s plants had also gone dormant, and she observed the last of the dying demonic beast with a keen interest.  What did she do?


    Darius returned. ¡°No more are coming.¡±


    ¡°Great. Give me a second.¡± Free constructed an enormous white magic circle above her head. Dylan felt magic wash over the caverns as it burst. ¡°That should do it. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    While those in the shelters were unharmed, most of Cavelan¡¯s defenders had fallen in battle. On the walls, in the streets, figures of men and women were frozen solid. More were laid out near the central square, bleeding from puncture wounds. Nang was tending to them, and she rushed over upon their arrival.


    ¡°I did what I could.¡± She explained. ¡°Free, can you help?¡±


    ¡°I can.¡± Free started singing. Her voice sounded like a mash-up of wind and string instruments melded with an underlying animalistic quality. The unearthly melody was beautiful, dipping in and out of the range of hearing.


    A warmth enveloped all present, slowly mending injuries. The ice melted, and there were gasps as those trapped within began to stir.


    <<This is tyrant magecraft.>> Dowart said in awe. <<It should be impossible for a human to wield it. We don¡¯t have the vocal chords.>>


    When Free finished, most of the town had gathered around her. Dylan heard whispers of about a ¡®goddess of healing reborn¡¯.  Not surprising considering what we witnessed.


    One woman pushed forward. ¡°Excuse me, my husband hasn¡¯t gotten up. Could you sing some more?¡±


    Free shook her head. ¡°If the brain froze completely, there¡¯s nothing I can do.¡±


    The woman was crestfallen, but said nothing more. All told, three dozen remained dead. Nothing to be happy about, but it could¡¯ve been far worse.


    Several hours later, the inhabitants of Cavelan marched across the Twisted Lands.  Nang was at the front of the long procession, weaving mothsilk threads to form tight stable bridge across the scattered landscapes.  Their airship hovered above, with children and elderly on board.  Dylan and Darius stood on the deck.


    Everything is fine here.  ¡°I¡¯m going to check on Free.¡±  Dylan said.


    (continued in part 2)

 [Book II Chapter 80 part 2] DYLAN: Blue-eyed Reindeers

    [Book II Chapter 80 part 2] DYLAN: Blue-eyed Reindeers


    ------------------------------------------------


    ¡­


    She looked back at him. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I have it covered. Come have a seat.¡±


    Hesitating, he took her up on her offer. ¡°If you don¡¯t explain, I can¡¯t help being concerned. How do you ¡®have it covered¡¯?¡±


    Free fidgeted sheepishly. ¡°Do I have to?¡±


    ¡°Please, for my peace of mind.¡± Dylan pressed. ¡°We have the safety of thousands on our hands.¡±


    Free sighed, raising her hand. ¡°Here you go.¡± On her palm, was an insect with the legs of a grasshopper, the body of a beetle, and the eyes of a fly. ¡°I spread hundreds of these around. If they spot a group of large animals moving together, they¡¯ll chirp to warn us.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen a bug like that before. What¡¯s it called?¡±


    ¡°Watchbug version 5. It¡¯s a personal creation.¡± Free reported.


    So she designed it herself?  Dylan thought back to the strange plants in Free¡¯s garden in Bastion, wondering if they were natural or her handywork. ¡°It¡¯s my first time meeting someone who customizes their summons. What¡¯s the advantage compared to scouts like fairies?¡±


    ¡°Summons with the intelligence to identify enemies take a fair amount of energy. Since these little guys are hyper specialized for the task, they¡¯re relative cheap to mass produce.¡± Free explained. She then stared hard at Dylan. ¡°You¡¯re not grossed out by them?¡±


    ¡°No, should I be?¡± Dylan hadn¡¯t even considered the aesthetics. He wasn¡¯t someone who obsessed over appearance when on a mission. As far as he was concerned, if something was effective, it had value.


    <<It is hideous.>> Dowart remarked. Dylan ignored the input.


    Free laughed. ¡°You don¡¯t know how nice it is to hear that. All my life, I¡¯ve had to hide my little experiments. Having someone I can discuss them with is refreshing.¡±


    ¡°When you mention experiments, does that have something to do with the reindeer falling ill?¡± Dylan guessed. This was a good opportunity to uncover exactly what his companion was capable of.


    Free nodded, showing the band of metal on her finger. ¡°Using this quantum ring, I¡¯ve crafted all manner of nasty pathogens for use on different species. They¡¯re a little hard to manipulate during battle, but, once Darius arrived, I was able to concentrate long enough to select an appropriate one.¡±


    ¡°That sounds amazingly powerful.¡± Dylan was impressed. He hadn¡¯t realized biological weapons could produce such immediate results. ¡°If you had this option, why didn¡¯t you deploy it when we were in Tulven?¡±


    Free¡¯s expression turned sour. ¡°Because there are issues. Evolution is sped up on Enera, which particularly impacts microscopic organism. When I release a virus, even for couple of minutes, there¡¯s the risks it mutates into something beyond my control.¡±


    ¡°I learned this the hard way in Vigil when I declared war on the local mosquito population. My plague successfully wiped them out, but then I discovered several new variants had spread to other insects. It was a disaster.¡±


    ¡°Fortunately, I had conducted my test run deep in the forest, and the tyrants reacted swiftly. Deadly outbreaks are common in the Green Hell so they knew what to do. Twenty square miles were incinerated. They weren¡¯t happy with me after that. It was an awkward period.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, you trained to become a druid in Vigil.¡± Dylan recalled. Vigil was a mountainous, forested region southeast of Bastion. It was the one place outside the Green Hell which was ruled over by tyrants, serving as their embassy to the outside world. ¡°How did you learn their magecraft?¡±


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    Dylan had a passing knowledge of tyrants. On rare occasions, he¡¯d spotted the giant lizards wandering the wilds. Although he¡¯d never had the chance to interact with one up close, a couple had made Sanwue their permanent residence. The auction house where he¡¯d bought Resplendent Delusion was run by a commercial conglomerate headed by one of them.


    ¡°To make amends for my little mistake, I tried learning their tongue. I went to great lengths too, tweaking my vocal chords and ear drums. Unfortunately, it was failure.¡±


    ¡°Their language is insane. Not only is their grammar nightmarish and pronunciation ridiculously nuanced, they typically speak two or three sentences at the same time. It would¡¯ve taken years to decipher, and I didn¡¯t have the time.¡±


    ¡°The one upside is they were impressed by my efforts and taught me a couple of songs suiting my affinity.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d love to hear one.¡± Dylan said.


    ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll sing again if the opportunity arises.¡± Free replied coyly.


    They drifted into silence, and Dylan relaxed. As his eyes wandered to the far off procession, a question popped into his mind. ¡°Do you think what were doing has a purpose?¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Free turned to him.


    He gestured. ¡°We¡¯re escorting these people back to a nation with no future. It won¡¯t be long before all the surrounding Twisted Lands are controlled by demonic beasts. Tulven can¡¯t even evacuate its own citizens. What chance is there for these new arrivals?¡±


    Of course, this didn¡¯t really matter. He¡¯d be rewarded for completing this quest regardless of what befell these people. This query was philosophic in nature.


    Free pursued her lips. ¡°I asked Darius something similar yesterday. His answer was interesting.¡±


    ¡°Kaygren has aligned himself with those seeking Enera¡¯s destruction. His goal is slaughtering the largest number possible, and Tulven is just one front in this larger war. By tying down his forces here, we are preventing their deployment elsewhere. Even if the nation eventually falls and every soul within it is lost, our actions in its defense will have had meaning in the grand scheme of things.¡±


    Dylan nodded grimly.  True, once Tulven falls, Turok will wreck his havok elsewhere. Delaying this has merit.


    ¡°Do you agree with him?¡± He asked.


    ¡°The rational side of me can¡¯t help but acknowledge the logic. My emotional side totally rejected its underlying premise.¡± She looked him in the eye. ¡°Who said we can¡¯t save everybody? Telling me it¡¯s an impossible task is useless. My whole life has been about finding solutions no one thinks of. So what if there¡¯s an airship shortage? That just makes it more challenging. I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll find a way.¡±


    Dylan returned the stare. ¡°Why are you so determined? What benefit is there in going that far?¡±


    Free tilted her head, perplexed. ¡°I value the lives others. So when they are threatened, is it not natural to want to preserve them?¡±


    ¡°Listen.¡± She continued. ¡°I know selfishness has its place too. I¡¯ve engaged in it plenty myself. However, if you appreciate the world around you and those in it, that naturally leads to one place. Have you never wholeheartedly thought about helping others? Without calculating what advantage it might bring you?¡±


    I haven¡¯t. Dylan didn¡¯t need to reflect. Since that day, all his efforts were driven towards a single purpose. Apart from Lin Xiao and his close allies, everyone else held no importance. Why would he devote mental energy to their wellbeing?


    Then a doubt crossed his mind. Maybe I did once, eleven years ago.  Before the Sacred Cloud Sect burned, before he¡¯d loss everything¡­ His outlook must have been different back then, but he couldn¡¯t recall for sure.


    For a moment, he imagined his vengeance concluded and the guilty parties punished. With difficulty, he separated himself from his all-consuming hatred and observed the line of people plodding across the landscape. He fantasized about demonic beasts ripping them to shreds. Was that a future he desired to prevent?


    It is.  Not at the cost of his own life, but, if he could avert it with a reasonable amount of effort, he would. This held true even without the Great Assembly¡¯s promised rewards.


    Lin Xiao would be pleased. After their encounter with Soul Skyfell, the little mistress had become somewhat enamored with the concept of heroes. She¡¯d approve of the person he had the potential to be.


    Abruptly, a flash of insight struck him. Old theories clicked into place. He remembered Free¡¯s singing and accepted the essence her song, using it as a foundation. The concepts of water, earth, and air melded together, and, for the first time, Dylan understood the Greater Mystery of Life. The grass around him grew and turned a lush green.


    <<You finally grasped it.>>  Dowart whispered above. Dylan could sense his relief.


    <<It was matter of altering my perspective.>> He answered. The narrow focus of his worldview had made him incapable of comprehending this greater mystery until now. While Dowart had strived to provide him the right outlook, it was his young companion who had inadvertently succeeded.


    ¡°What happened?¡± Free asked, sensing his change.


    In response, Dylan raised his hand and concentrated. A golden sphere took shape. The process had somehow come naturally.


    Free shot up to her knees. ¡°A golden construct? How?¡±


    ¡°I just evolved my martial arts and acquired a powerful technique.¡± Dylan explained. ¡°When I enter this state, I can channel the magics of creation. Although I suspect It¡¯ll take a while to get the hang of¡­¡±


    Free absorbed the news and smiled. ¡°Then it¡¯s lucky you happen to have master here to teach you. Care for your first lesson?¡±

 [Book II Chapter 81] KATE: A Day Off In Ransas

    [Book II Chapter 81] KATE: A Day Off In Ransas


    ------------------------------------------------


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll buy you another.¡± Silver said.


    That doesn¡¯t make this better. Walking through the Adventurer¡¯s Guild, Kate felt her throat again and grimaced. The pendent of Ransas¡¯s guardian beast, a white wolf, ¡ª¡ªwhich Silver had picked out for her¡ª¡ª was gone.


    ¡°Still,¡± Silver added with a smirk. ¡°I¡¯m amazed you misplaced it that fast.¡±


    Kate¡¯s heart sank. There¡¯s the real problem. He¡¯s going to tease me relentlessly about this, and he has every right to. How did I lose it in the time it took to walk here?


    ¡°Maybe it was a pickpocket.¡± Filia offered.


    That makes it worst! Kate fumed. She was a saint. It was humiliating to think a petty thief had stolen it from around her neck.


    Yesterday, they¡¯d loaded everyone on the airship and had flown to Ransas. With the king Kyle Saren dead and Finley on the run, most of their passengers had wished to return home, so they¡¯d contacted Nicholas and waited nervously for him to access the situation. Ultimately, he¡¯d given the go-ahead, and they¡¯d docked. It¡¯d all worked out. The adventurer¡¯s guild had handled recovering the Righteous Sun cultists and Allan Gorge¡¯s body. He was the only other casualty of this rescue operation¡­ I hope they honor him somehow.


    Since there was no successor, the Grey Kingdom was sending an administrator in a couple of days. This lack of urgency was possibly due to their presence here. According to Nicholas, The gloom ninjas had reported their identity, and higher ups wanted to avoid further antagonizing Astra. Kate wasn¡¯t convinced though.  They were willing to imprison Hope, so why should we feel safe? Whatever the case, tomorrow they¡¯d depart for Bastion in the king¡¯s airship with those who wished to leave, so she decided to relax.


    Today, with nothing planned, Kate and Silver had decided to go shopping and had spend all morning perusing stalls and small shops. Their two companions had also tagged along, with Sana silently watching and Filia mostly staring off into the distance. The sukemon summoner had experienced a brutal fight, and, while her wounds were healed, her mind remained in turmoil.


    They entered Nicholas¡¯s office. The man was on a call and waved them to the table. They installed themselves, except for Sana who went off to sit on the balcony. What will the girl do when we leave? Kate¡¯s eyes swiveled to where Filia was sitting brooding.


    Compared to what those two have been through, why am I mopping about a necklace? ¡°Are you alright?¡± She asked.


    Filia glanced up. ¡°I¡¯m okay. It¡¯s just¡­ I have a lot to think about.¡±


    ¡°When the Laughing Man killed Geordan Price, I told myself I was facing a threat beyond me. This was the immortal who reduced my birthplace to ash. How could I stop anything that madman was planning? But now¡­¡±


    ¡°Finley claimed that the strife in Lomistan was mostly his work. Albeit abnormally strong, he¡¯s a saint like me, someone I can at least face in battle. Maybe I could have done something¡­¡±


    ¡°Then there is the sukemon matter. According to Finley, it¡¯s not even the Laughing Man¡¯s plan, but one of his apostles. Again, this underling is someone I might stand a chance against. I¡¯ve already lost my hometown. I don¡¯t want to lose my sukemon too.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re thinking about trying to stop them?¡± Kate asked.


    Filia nodded. ¡°I¡¯ve finally mustered the resolve to do something, but¡­


    ¡°You lost Price¡¯s cards.¡± Silver finished quietly. Filia winced.


    ¡°Enough about me.¡± She declared. ¡°What are the two of you planning?¡±


    ¡°The first order of business is to contact Astra.¡± Silver explained. ¡°We may not have learned anything about Hope, but we won¡¯t be returning empty handed.¡±


    Filia had relayed everything Finley had let slip. News of these Laughing Man apostles and Salazar Rook¡¯s probable return had to be reported back.


    ¡°Afterwards?¡± Silver shrugged, glancing at Kate. ¡°We¡¯ll figure it out.¡±


    Filia nodded, pursing her lips. ¡°Kate told me what happened to you at Earth¡¯s End when you were young. Have you ever considered tracking down the creature which stole your emotions?¡± Kate¡¯s ears perked up.


    Silver frowned. ¡°I suppose now that I¡¯m a saint, it¡¯d be possible, but I wouldn¡¯t know where to start¡­¡±


    ¡°Jonathan Back.¡± Filia said. ¡°The immortal horror author who lives in the Undermist. I suggest visiting him. He¡¯d be able to help you.¡±


    ¡°Brilliant idea!¡± Kate jumped in. ¡°We should do that.¡±


    Silver was startled by her energy. ¡°Should we really be going off on a personal quest when so much is going wrong in the world?¡± He objected.


    Kate shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s fine spending a few days on ourselves. What we learn could be important.¡± Since discovering his condition, Kate had always dreaded Silver¡¯s fearlessness would get him killed. Although he was slowly improving, if there was a way to hasten the return of his fear and anger, she deemed it worth exploring.


    Nicholas approached them. ¡°Good of you to come. Margaret wanted to speak with you.¡±


    ¡°With us?¡± Silver asked. ¡°Not Sana?¡±


    ¡°With you specifically.¡± Nicholas confirmed. ¡°And she was strangely insistent.¡± He placed a projector on the table and activated it. Almost instantly, a familiar figure appeared.


    ¡°I finally reached you.¡± Margaret exclaimed. ¡°I don¡¯t see Sana. Is she around?¡±


    ¡°Outside on the balcony.¡± Kate pointed. ¡°We can fetch¡ª¡ª¡±


    ¡°Not yet.¡± Margaret cut in. ¡°There¡¯s something we must discuss first. Have any of you misplaced an important item recently?¡±


    They looked at each other. ¡°Yes, why?¡± Kate answered.


    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    Margarette sighed. ¡°I need you to bring Sana in. Hidden on her back under her shirt is a dimensional pouch. Take it and empty it out. She might resist, but don¡¯t let her get away.¡±


    They were stunned silent by these instructions. ¡°I¡¯ll handle this.¡± Filia recovered first. Stepping outside, she spoke to Sana and gestured towards the door. Once the girl had joined them, she turned green, and her hair grew long and thick. ¡°Entangle.¡± She spoke sternly. The wolfgirl was wrapped head to toe in vines.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Sana demanded, pulling at her bonds.


    ¡°Margarette asked us to check something.¡± Filia explained. This caused Sana to struggle twice as hard. Despite this, Filia procured a small fanny pack before she wriggled free.


    Sana¡¯s eyes hovered longingly on her pouch before darting around to the rest of them and fleeing without a word.


    Watching a deluge of objects fall out, they poured the contents on the table. Some were what you¡¯d expect: jewelry, wristals, wallets¡­ Others made less sense: office equipment, children¡¯s toys, scarves and neckties¡­


    ¡°There!¡± Filia snatched up a small black casing, carefully checking the cards inside. She held them to her chest, exhaling with relief.


    ¡°This is my pen.¡± Nicholas commented, grabbing a decorated fountain pen. ¡°And this is a paper weight my mother gave me. Oh my god, my calender! I¡¯ve been lost without it.¡±


    Kate reach over and spread the pile out. Eventually she found not one, but three pendants with a white wolf. She took the newest looking one and hung it around her neck.


    They turned to Margaret who was watching. ¡°What is the meaning of this?¡± Nicholas asked.


    ¡°I¡¯ll explain.¡± Marget said. ¡°Nicholas, do you remember an organization called the Steel Ring?¡±


    ¡°Yes, they were a criminal enterprise operating out of a town in the nearby Twisted Land.¡± He answered. ¡°The Adventurer¡¯s Guild shut them down quite a few years ago.¡±


    Margaret nodded. ¡°I was in one of the squads on the day we took them down. Sana was there, she fought us briefly before escaping. Since she wasn¡¯t on the leadership list we were rounding up, we let her go.¡±


    ¡°I met her again in Ransas a couple of weeks later. She was stealing food to survive and looking fairly miserable, so I approached her and took her under my wing. After a while she opened up and told me her story.¡±


    ¡°For years, she¡¯d been personally trained as a thief by the Steel Ring¡¯s leader. Because she was stronger than he was, he used every trick in the book to manipulate her and make her dependent on him. Although he didn¡¯t touch her physically, it was an abusive relationship in every other way. On a few occasions, he even used her to assassinate ¡®bad people¡¯, usually gang members from competing criminal syndicates.¡±


    ¡°The trauma she suffered at that time is the reason she is the way she is. Specifically, at some point she began pilfering small items precious to their owners. This wasn¡¯t out of greed, as she never sold anything. Rather, I believe it was an attempt to steal happiness for herself. When she saw someone treasure something, she was hit by the urge to take it. This evolved into a compulsion, and the results are on that table.¡±


    Nicholas surveyed the assorted mishmash. ¡°While not everything is valuable, this remains thievery on an impressive scale. I¡¯m not sure I can overlook it.¡±


    ¡°Please,¡± Magaret entreated. ¡°These just need to be returned to their rightful owners. Sana remembers who she took what from. All you need to do is question her.¡±


    ¡­ I estimate there¡¯s maybe two hundreds people we¡¯ll need to track down. ¡°Seems like a lot work¡­¡± Kate stated dejectedly.


    ¡°Sorry, normally I periodically search Sana and return her stolen goods.¡± Margaret explained. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve been able to do so.¡±


    They fell silent at the scope of the task awaiting them. We must do it. Sana proved a dependable ally during the fight at Frieden. It¡¯s only fair.


    ¡°There¡¯s something I don¡¯t understand.¡± Silver said. ¡°How did she take Kate¡¯s pendent? I don¡¯t recall her getting near us.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Filia agreed. ¡°Same deal with me. How did she grab my deck of cards?¡±


    Margaret fidgeted uncomfortably. ¡°This is the vital point I needed to mention. About two years ago, the situation with Sana changed drastically. Till then, she was just an incredible pickpocket with shadow magic that let her pull off some amazing feats. Remembering back, it was so comparatively simple to deal with¡­¡± Kate felt real regret in those last few words.


    ¡°Then Sana developed a sublime vagary: ¡®I want it now¡¯.¡± Margaret put her hands on her face. ¡°The passive is a nightmare. Anything she sets her eyes on is instantly transfered to her hands. Changes in weight from the missing item aren¡¯t detected. The only way to notice is to be looking when it happens.¡± Margaret let them absorb this information.


    ¡°What does the activation do?¡± Silver asked.


    ¡±There is no activation!¡± Magaret burst out loudly, before calming down. ¡°At least that¡¯s what I went to great lengths to convince Sana of. I told her she might lose the ability if she ever speaks its name. Please, whatever you do, don¡¯t clear up this falsehood. At least the passive has limitations that can be exploited.¡±


    ¡°Which are?¡± Silver pressed.


    Margaret took a deep breath. ¡°Here¡¯s what I know. Deeply personal items can¡¯t be taken. This means most weapons and armors are a no go. Also, the blessing offers some protection, but this mostly applies to immortals and with enough attempts she will break through. The item must be distinct and can¡¯t be part of anything else. Size is another factor. Things small enough to fit in her pouch are all she can manage. She must have spotted the object at least once to target it. Since she needs to be in the same space, it doesn¡¯t work through walls. Finally, the range is around twenty feet, though she can sometimes exceed this if she tries repeatedly.¡±


    Imagined the painful process which led to piecing together all these details, Kate felt great pity for the woman.


    ¡°And everything I just told you probably goes out the windows if she ever speaks its name.¡± Margeret added.


    Kate suddenly got a bad premonition. Why is she spelling everything out when we are leaving tomorrow? Unless¡­  ¡°Is there a reason you¡¯re sharing all this?¡± She asked.


    ¡°Please take Sana with you!¡± Margaret bowed deeply. ¡°If she¡¯s on her own, she¡¯ll steal something she shouldn¡¯t and get herself killed. She never explains herself when confronted, always running away. We¡¯ve already had some close calls with a few immortals. If I hadn¡¯t been there to smooth things over¡­¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± Filia objected immediately, clutching Price¡¯s deck holder. ¡°If I bring her anywhere with sukemon cards, it¡¯ll be difficult to sort them out. Also, I¡¯ve my own matters to attend to.¡±


    Silver and Kate exchanged glances. I¡¯m sympathetic, but honestly she strikes me as a bit much to manage.


    ¡°If you can¡¯t take her¡­¡± Margaret faced Nicholas. ¡°It might be best to lock her up for a few months, at least until I¡¯m better. You have all the evidence you need on the table.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re requesting I imprison her?¡± Nicholas asked incredulously.


    Margaret winced. ¡°Sana is drawn to the wealthy and powerful. Their lives appeals to her. So if a saint or immortal is anywhere in her vicinity, she¡¯ll seek them out. And if she spots something she wants¡­¡± She trailed off. ¡°Trust me. Now that she has that sublime vagary, she can¡¯t be left to her own devices, or it will end in disaster.¡±


    ¡°Then I guess we¡¯ll take her.¡± Silver faced Kate. ¡°Right?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s a choice.¡± Kate acknowledged. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be right to let her rot in jail.¡±


    ¡°Thank you so much.¡± Margaret bowed again.


    ¡°Glad that¡¯s settled.¡± Nicolas smiled. He looks awfully relieved this problem is leaving with us tomorrow. ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, we should start sorting this property¡ª¡ª¡±


    ¡°Wait!¡± Marget interjected. ¡°Since Sana¡¯s going with you, there¡¯s one last thing you should be aware of.¡± She paused, engaging in an internal struggle. ¡°¡­ Depending on where you go, Sana might be recognized as a criminal.¡±


    ¡°Because of her past history, right?¡± Silver understood. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll be traveling far from here, so it shouldn¡¯t be an issue.¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not it. Virtually no one knows of her connection to the Steel Ring.¡± Magaret cringed. ¡°It¡¯s because of her time adventuring with me.¡±


    ¡°You see, one of the restrictions of ¡®I want it now¡¯ is having two free hands. So when I got really overwhelmed, I started leading Sana around in shackles each time we entered a city. When asked about this, I¡¯d answer I was escorting an outlaw who was helping us with an investigation. It¡¯s likely people will remember.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Exactly where did you do this?¡± Kate asked.


    ¡°Maybe half the cities north of the Green Hell?¡± Margaret offered timidly. ¡°Like any adventuring party, we were moving around a lot, doing dungeons¡­ Anyway, that¡¯s everything I¡¯ve got to say. Thanks and bye!¡± Her image disappeared as the projection shut off.


    Nicholas broke the silence. ¡°You should track down Sana and bring her here. I need a list of the owners of these items before you leave.¡±


    At least I got my pendent back, Kate consoled herself.

 [Book II Chapter 82] HOPE: Recuperating Astrolis

    [Book II Chapter 82] HOPE: Recuperating Astrolis


    ------------------------------------------------


    Seven mobile armors hovered over the Blue Abyss. Hope observed the gathering from Gunhell¡¯s cockpit, scrunched up at the feet of Dorothy Lace.


    ¡°Zen, this is where we leave you. Sorry I couldn¡¯t finish Doom Haunt¡¯s weapon systems in time.¡± Argon Blaster declared.


    ¡°Understood, I¡¯ll remain here with the fuel packs for the return trip.¡± Zen Requis responded. Attached to a chain, a crate floated weightlessly at her mech¡¯s side.


    Taking the lead, Argon¡¯s War Machine turned to face them. ¡°They¡¯ve likely sensed us coming by now. Once we leave Doom Haunt¡¯s foresight scrambling, they¡¯ll know for sure. Don¡¯t think this will be a walk in the park just because there won¡¯t be any immortals. We¡¯re assaulting a major city of an old power. It will be nothing like the petty skirmishes so far.¡±


    ¡°I usually never say this, but, for this operation, target equipment over personnel and try to minimize the loss of life. Especially avoid civilian casualties.¡±


    Hope remembered this from the briefing. The Grey King had judged there wouldn¡¯t be any reprisals for Astrolis¡¯s theft. To the Empire, the mobile armor had no military value and had been abandoned as tourist attraction on one of Palos¡¯s seaside square. The emperor might even be glad to be rid of the reminder of Jenna¡¯s murder. However, any destruction they caused in securing their prize was another story.


    ¡°I am speaking to you Leon. Keep Nihilister¡¯s fire under control this time, or I swear, when the Samuel Lithorn comes asking for tribute, I¡¯ll give him your head.¡±


    ¡°Roger that,¡± Leon acknowledged.


    ¡°That¡¯s all. We move out.¡±


    They skimmed the water¡¯s surface in a tight formation. At the speed they were moving, there was little risk of anything catching up, but Hope still watched the waves nervously. After a few minutes, land came into view.


    ¡°Jettison your fuel packs.¡± Argon instructed. ¡°And remember your roles.¡±


    Hope wriggled around for a better view, adrenaline pumping through her veins. This was an attack by six immortal entities, one of them paragon level. She wanted to witness every second.


    Dorothy zoomed in, and she saw a fleet of warships stationed above the city. Underneath was a mass of indistinguishable black dots which were undoubtedly flying summons. In the middle of the swarm was a creature so large its serpentine body could be made out. Fins in the shape of wings held it aloft. Palos¡¯s guardian beast, sea dragon Tiamat. From land and sky, blazing meteors shot towards them.


    ¡°Deploying Aegis¡± Argon stated. A transparent disk with pedal patterns emerged from War Machine¡¯s back and expanded in from of them. The first volley smashed harmlessly into this shield, as did the second. However, the third came at them slower in a wide arc.


    ¡°You¡¯re on your own.¡± Argon warned. After they¡¯d scattered to avoid the projectiles, Gunhell readied its two main riffles and snipped the army summons. Mortal Fusion opened fire too, and a huge blast of energy zipped by them. It struck the force field protecting the Palos fleet in a blinding explosion, yet there was no damage.


    More and more of Gunhell¡¯s barrels came into action as they approached. While Dorothy targeted and dispatched dozens of foes at a time, a spiral of fire accelerated pass them towards the giant sea dragon over the city.


    ¡°You¡¯re my partner today Tiamat.¡± Leon cried, releasing bright fireballs. The sea dragon roared, retaliating with pressurized water lasers.


    Hope had better view now that they were closer. Palos¡¯s defensive wards had been charged to the point where the defensive dome could be seen. From within, smaller military crafts and ground installations sent out an unending barrage of offensive magic. Hope watched Blade Ruin dive towards the dome, turn shadowy, and slip right through.  Hurry up and take out those cannons!


    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    Hope¡¯s stomach was growing queasy as Gunhell twisted and rolled to evade. Above, the fleet was intensely bombarding them from inside the safety of the forcefield generated by their shielders. On top of that, there were the summons. Resorting to suicidal tactics, they obstructed their path while desperately attempting to ram into them. Many were strapped with explosives so they could self-detonate.


    War Machine let loose a flurry of miniature missiles, and hundreds of fiery blasts cleared the skies, giving them room to maneuver. ¡°Dominique it¡¯s your turn to shine.¡± Argon called out.


    Hope searched and located Green Envy descending from up high, a cyclone forming around him. This twister collided the fleet, the intense wind penetrating the protective barrier and pushing the airships apart.


    ¡°Opening a path.¡± Ulrich announced, aiming Mortal Fusion¡¯s full power at a stress point between to shielders. For a second, a hole opened up and War Machine slid through.


    Argon Blast dismantled the opposing forces. The immortal had incorporated his metal bending into his design, and War Machine¡¯s exterior shape-shifted rapidly as it rotated through its arsenal. Dozens of weapons were utilized in succession: bullets, lasers, plasma swords, energy whip¡­ What Hope found most impressive were the caster guns which fired off enchanted bolts that disabled unshielded airships instantly. Soon most of the fleet drifted lifelessly.


    ¡°How¡¯s the progress on the dome?¡± Argos asked.


    ¡°Halfway done.¡± Ulrich answered, unloading his cannons.


    ¡°Then let me help.¡± Argon dropped cluster bombs, blanketing the city¡¯s barrier in bursts of crackling static. Those must be specialized in weakening wards. It took barely a minute to break through.


    ¡°Three mechanized paladins incoming from the Northwest.¡± Dominique reported. ¡°By their speed, they¡¯re newer models. ETA two minutes.¡±


    ¡°Damn.¡± Argon sighed. ¡°I would¡¯ve love to test out the White Mountain¡¯s fabled mobile armors in different circumstances. Dorothy, drop off your passenger and go intercept them with Horace. I¡¯ll handle things here.¡±


    ¡°Dumping passenger.¡± Dorothy confirmed. Oh, great¡­  The cockpit door opened, and Hope was jettison from Gunhell. Plummeting, she spotted a red and orange knight in the square directly below. Wow¡­ This is really happening.


    Envy Green followed her down, and, once she¡¯d landed, it spread its arms conjuring up a tornado around them. The fierce winds isolated them from the battles raging around Palos.


    Hope turned to Astrolis. It knelt on a thick slab, its hands gripping handles in the metal. This is my original¡¯s, Jenna Crystal¡¯s, masterpiece.


    War Machine appeared and Argos jumped out. ¡°Let¡¯s be quick about this.¡± The severing collar fell from her neck, clinking on the ground.


    ¡°You have ten minutes to get Astrolis into operation.¡± Argos informed her, dropping a bag at her feet. ¡°After that, we return to the original plan, and Mortal Fusion fires a full power blast where you stand.¡± With that, he left.


    Hope grabbed the bag. It resembled a lugger pack except it had six times the space and felt weightless. I¡¯m definitely keeping this. Inside was a huge amount of bright crystals. She dumped them on the slab and watched them dissolve. She could sense their power traveling into Astrolis through its arms. Good, its charging.


    She climbed up and approached the mobile armor. How will this work?  She reached out tentatively, only to yelp when the chest opened to reveal a cockpit.


    ¡°I hadn¡¯t even touch it yet¡­¡± She murmured.


    Not wasting time, she hopped inside. While her training had taught her to fly, she had to adapt this knowledge to whatever control scheme Jenna had implemented. There were two orbs with hand shaped indentations at the end of her armrests. She seized them.


    <<HELLO HOPE SKYFELL.>> Came a voice in your head. <<I HAVE BEEN ANTICIPATING OUR MEETING, BUT I DIDN¡¯T BELIEVE IT WOULD OCCUR SO SOON.>>


    ¡°What¡­ What are you?¡± She stammered.


    <<I AM ASTOLIS¡¯S NAVIGATION AND CO-PILOTING SYSTEM. MY NAME IS SECRET.>>


    ¡°You¡¯re name is Secret?¡± Hope repeated stupidly.


    <<JENNA DEVISED ME WHEN SHE FLEW TO THE MOON. SHE DIDN¡¯T WANT OTHERS TO KNOW SHE FEARED THE LONELINESS AND CREATED A COMPANION FOR THE LONG TRIP.>>


    ¡°Wait, forget about that¡­¡± Hope organized her thoughts. ¡°How do you know about me?¡±


    <<WHEN JENNA CREATED THE PILLAR OF ENERA, SHE INCLUDED A DIRECTION CONNECTION TO THIS UNIT. THROUGH ITS GLOBAL INFORMATION NETWORK, I HAVE BEEN WATCHING THE WORLD, RIGHT UP UNTIL ITS DESTRUCTION.>>


    ¡°Does that mean you saw what happened the night the pillar was destroyed?¡±


    <<I DID.>> Secret replied. <<IT WAS THE ONLY TIME IN THE LAST TWO MILLENNIA WHERE I WAS TEMPTED TO MOVE ON MY OWN. SADLY, I REQUIRE A PILOT.>>


    Hope sat wondering. ¡°Where did you get the power to stay active all these years?¡±


    <<IT HAS BECOME A TRADITION FOR TOURIST TO FEED ME CRYSTALS WHEN THEY VISIT. MY ENERGY RESERVES WERE AT 30% BEFORE YOU ARRIVED.>>


    <<THEY ARE NOW AT 100%. SHALL WE TAKE OFF?>>

 [Book II Chapter 83 part 1] ROSE: Changeling in the Dead Forest

    [Book II Chapter 83 part 1] ROSE: Changeling in the Dead Forest


    ------------------------------------------------


    Rose gave Dawn a light kick in the rear, ¡°Time to wake up.¡±


    Her sister sat up with a groggy grumpy expression. ¡°Was that necessary?¡±


    ¡°It was.¡±  Rose hadn¡¯t forgotten their nasty encounter with the horned undead from yesterday. She¡¯d defended Dawn at the time, but, seeing her contently sleeping this morning, she couldn¡¯t resist. ¡°I called your name, but you didn¡¯t respond.¡± This wasn¡¯t a lie, but it would have been more accurate to say ¡®whispered¡¯. The mild embellishment was worth the slight headache.


    They assembled in the courtyard of the small fort where they¡¯d spent the ¡®night¡¯. Rose glanced up at the glowing full moon overhead. It hadn¡¯t moved since they¡¯d defeated the undead drake and left the burning city.


    ¡°Everyone prepared?¡± Zentrias


    ¡°We are.¡± Cindy answered, her teammates besides her. Dressed in simple robes over bulging muscles was Lonar, a monk, and by his side was Natali, a kunoichi from the hidden village of Tempest. Finally, leaning against a wall was Noor, a Samurai. Rose hadn¡¯t spoken to them much, but they could handle themselves in a fight.


    All around the fort were dead trees spreading out as far as could be seen. Before they¡¯d even entered this lifeless forest, a decomposing bear charged at them and was promptly dispatched. Carrion undeads, which possessed animal corpses, were nuisances, about as threatening as ghouls. The real dangers were the far off eyes studying them.


    Rose disliked the inugami and varcolacs that infested these wood. It was unpleasant killing undead in the shape of dogs and wolves. Worse was the way they hunted in packs. The canines had learned they were no match individually and were following them from a distance, their numbers growing, waiting for the right opportunity to strike. The sensation of being stalked was unnerving.


    As a chill ran down her back, Rose paused midstep. A split second later, grimsteel tore through the space her head would¡¯ve been, the shockwave tugging at her hair. She turned and grimaced at the arrow embedded in a small crater.


    ¡°That way.¡± Natali pointed from atop a branch. ¡°There¡¯s two this time. We should pick up the pace.¡± She added as an arrow pierced her body, which poofed into a swirl of leaves. She reappeared on the ground ahead of them. From what Rose could tell, the tempest shinobi had unusually large number of substitutions available and took advantage of them to get around.


    As they raced forward, Rose kept her eyes on the distant ramparts. The undead archers sniped at every opportunity and were a test of foresight more than anything. If their line of sight was broken, they¡¯d rain down arrows over a broad area. A single mistake could be fatal.


    When they had first encountered a fort, they¡¯d rushed over to engage archers only to discover two black knights standing guard by the gates. From then on, they¡¯d given wide birth to any fortifications, enduring the potshots. This was easier said than done in a forest with no canopy. The danger didn¡¯t end once they were out of visual range either, since the archers send out carrion crows as spotters. Rose summoned two phoenixes to burn those circling above them.


    ¡°Keep your eyes open.¡± Zentrias directed.


    In addition to dark knights and archers, each fort had between one and five abysmal shinobis. These were undead which had taken up the guise of ninjas, adopting all their tricks. They¡¯d leave and hunt down enemies they caught sight of.


    ¡°At our four o¡¯clock,¡± Lonar shouted, swatting down a wave of shurikens with his bare hands. ¡°Three of them.¡± In exchange for never wielding a weapon, monks benefited from strengthened martial arts. Lonar could harden his extremities to the point they could deflect most blades. In hand to hand combat, without external magic, Lonar even had an edge over Dawn. Because of course she had to challenge him to a sparing match last night.


    ¡°My turn to shine.¡± Noor smiled, grabbing his sheathed sword. ¡°Knock them off balance and I¡¯ll finish them off.¡±


    You say that like its easy, Rose griped. The black-clothed figures were leaping between the trees, pelting them with grimsteel projectiles. The glowing blue in their hollow eye sockets was the only sign of their true nature.


    One of them made hand signs, and ten unarmed skeletons appeared from a black magic circle on the ground. Another grew giant bat wings, taking to the air in a gale. The last divided himself into seven dark shadows which charged at them. These guys and their flashy techniques¡­ Naturally, every one of them could use substitutions too, which made attacking them risky since they could teleport anywhere.


    Fortunately, they had a weakness. While they¡¯d heal rapidly from most wounds like normal undead, severing their heads would kill them instantly. According to Carol, this was the cost of the sin of narcissism.


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    While Carol¡¯s marionettes dealt with the skeletons, Rose and Cindy targeted its summoner. The shinobi evaded as explosive fireballs smashed into trees until a bolt of lightning struck him midair. Before it could recover from the brief paralyzation, an invisible blade lopped off its head.


    There was a deafening boom. Zentrias had planted both hands in the ground and caused a huge area to erupt violently, sending the shadow clones flying. All seven had their necks slashed in two.


    ¡°Here is the last one.¡± A shinobi with broken wings fell from the sky to be decapitated. Dawn descended gracefully in its wake, her beautiful wings on full display.


    Ignoring her sister, Rose watched Noor return his blade to its scabbard. The opposite of Lonar, this samurai fought exclusively with his sword, leveraging his air affinity to slice anything in sight. In essence, his sword skills are a type of magecraft reinforced by his specialization.


    Several hours later, they paused for a short break. As Rose rested against tree, a faint, hair-raising noise emerged from deeper in the dead forest. It sounded like the cry of a bird, howl of a wolf, and the roar of a lion mixed together. They all looked in the direction it had come from.


    ¡°What was that?¡± Rose asked Carol.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure¡­¡± Carol frowned. ¡°I have a suspicion, but it can¡¯t be right.¡±


    ¡°In any case, we are avoiding whatever made that.¡± Zentrias declared.


    As they readied to leave, Natali called out from atop tree. ¡°Something¡¯s coming this way.¡±


    Rose tensed up, fearing the worse, but it turned out to be three armored figures moving at high speed. Paladins from the White Mountain. The trio turned their way. One carried a body-shaped bag slumped over his shoulder.


    ¡°Greetings.¡± Zentrias called out. ¡°You appear to be going the wrong way. Are you retreating?¡±


    ¡°We are.¡± Said their leader, glancing back regretfully. ¡°We lost our youngest member, which means we must give up.¡± Because of the difficulty, the task of escaping an undead dungeon was streamlined. Each sanctified ground has a teleportation array to return to the entrance.


    ¡°Could you tell us how this happened?¡± Zentrias asked anxiously. Paladins were experts in battling the undead. They needed information on whatever had slain one of them.


    ¡°We ran into a changeling.¡± The leader answered, shacking his head. ¡°Although it was an opponent we could¡¯ve handled, she panicked¡­¡±


    ¡°What happened to the changeling?¡± Carol asked. ¡°Did you finish it off?¡±


    The leader sighed, ¡°The White Mountain didn¡¯t want to risk losing two of us, so we were under strict orders. As soon as Eldra died, we cast a sealing spell and fled.¡±


    ¡°We left the changeling eight miles that way.¡± He pointed. ¡°Use that as you will.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Zentrias bowed. ¡°Now, please excuse us. We must move in case it¡¯s headed this way.¡±


    ¡°One last thing.¡± The leader called out after them. ¡°If you meet up with the Knights of Oranda, tell Valrie I¡¯m sorry we couldn¡¯t make it.¡±


    ¡°Will do!¡± Zentrias affirmed.


    Carol spoke up as they sped away, ¡°I¡¯ll describe changelings for those unfamiliar with them. They¡¯re exceedingly rare breed that appear in places with a lot of carrion undead. I initially though one might be the boss of this floor, but I was wrong.¡±


    ¡°When at rest, a changeling resembles a man completely hidden under a cowled robe. They attack by turning into beasts. For example, transforming a hand into the head of a lion to bite. Zombiefied creatures, in part or in whole, can emerge from any surface of their bodies. The animals released this way may resemble carrion undead, but they aren¡¯t genuine reanimated corpses. Rather, they¡¯re grudges given physical form like other undead, which means they¡¯re much stronger.¡±


    ¡°Changeling are an immortal level threat, albeit a weaker one. Because they can strike out simultaneously from every direction, they¡¯re impossible to completely defend against up close. It¡¯s best to engage them at a distance, which is tough as their shapeshifting allows them to move swiftly and unpredictably.¡±


    ¡°Their sin is beastiality. While not stupid, they can¡¯t understand speech and come into existence with no knowledge of human civilization. Even opening a door can present a challenge to them, although they learn fast.¡±


    ¡°Finally, Because of their primal nature, they¡¯re particularly vulnerable to fire. We¡¯ll be counting on you, Rose, if we run into one.¡± I¡¯ll do my best. While she didn¡¯t seek the spotlight like her sister, she wouldn¡¯t shy away either.


    Rose noticed Dawn approaching Carol and decided to listen in.


    ¡°I understand specialized undead adopt atypical behavior, but why do you call them ¡®sins¡¯?¡± Dawn asked.


    ¡°Despite being intelligent, undead have no distinct identities and are incapable of empathy.¡± Carol explained. ¡°This is because they are constantly connected to the Abyss, and that ocean of hatred prevents the development of a sense of self. It¡¯s also why normal undead all share an all-consuming focus on eradicating life. However, certain undead are allowed to deviate from this mindset to specialize and gain strength, better serving their purpose. Since the traits adopted to do so compromise their effectiveness as a killers, they¡¯re regarded as sins by the Abyss.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡± Dawn muttered, then frowned. ¡°Hold on. How do we know the Abyss¡¯s opinion about anything?¡±


    ¡°We learned it from one of the undead that can speak.¡± Carol answered quietly.


    Before Dawn could press for more, an unsettling sight came into view beyond the trees. It appeared to be mound of flesh. and Rose noted countless animal parts. How many hundreds would be needed for a pile that big?


    ¡°That must be its birthplace.¡± Carol declared. ¡°This phenomenon happens once the number of carrion undead grows high enough. They all gather together and tear each other apart. When the massacre ends, a changeling comes out.¡±


    As they neared the mound of flesh, a group of people came into view on the other side. Among them was Stannis Gilron. Those in league with Torak¡¯s disciples¡­ Looks like we caught up.


    ¡°I count eleven.¡± Zentrias observed. ¡°They¡¯ve lost a member.¡±


    ¡°Must have been a reaper.¡± Cindy added.  ¡°That¡¯s the only undead Stannis wouldn¡¯t have been able to deal with.¡±


    They stopped, and both parties stared at each other. Then the women in Xarst¡¯s robes ¡ª¡ªAlana Mason, if I recall¡ª¡ª smiled and raised her arm high. Intense channeling was felt as her hand shone with a dark light.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Stannis demanded.


    ¡°Eliminating the competition.¡± Alana answered. ¡°Any objections?¡±


    Stannis grimaced, ¡°Fine, but you¡¯ll offer up your life if this backfires later.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Alana released her magic. An ethereal siren assaulted their senses, almost drowning out intelligent thought in all present. After a few seconds, it mercifully ended. As everyone recovered, the unnatural cry/howl/roar they¡¯d heard early rang out again, this time much closer.


    (continued in part 2)

 [Book II Chapter 83 part 2] ROSE: Changeling in the Dead Forest

    [Book II Chapter 83 part 2] ROSE: Changeling in the Dead Forest


    ------------------------------------------------


    ¡­


    ¡°What madness did you just do?¡± Zentrias cried out. ¡°It¡¯ll attack you too!¡±


    ¡°No, it won¡¯t.¡± Alana sneered. ¡°Raphael?¡±


    ¡°Gather close.¡± Raphael told his comrades. He brought out a human skull, and, almost apologetically, said, ¡°Dead wish.¡± Stannis¡¯s entire party went transparent, and their presence could no longer be felt. That artifact must have an illusory Grace which hides them from the undead!


    ¡°You bastards!¡± Cindy yelled as they fled.


    Before they could do the same, a strange centaur galloped into view. Above the rotting bottom half of a horse was a black cowled figure.


    ¡°Void Extermination!¡± Noor proclaimed forcedly. A wind blade shot from his blade, slicing the equine legs at the knee.


    The changeling stride didn¡¯t falter as eight spider legs sprung from its horse body. At the same time, buffaloes jumped out of its torso one by one. They lowered their horns and charged.


    My turn. Rose released a barrage of fireballs. The changeling blocked by transforming one arm into a tortoise shell. He raised the other and a flock of crows flew out. After gaining altitude, these dive bombed Rose at an astounding velocity. She scrambled to form a fiery wall to defend against the avian projectiles.


    Seeing the changeling and buffaloes almost on them, Rose lobbed an orb of pyromantic energy in front of them to blow them back. However, the changeling jumped and morphed into a scaled ball, sailing through the blast.


    Unfurling its pangolin body, it landed with the lower half of a kangaroo and the upper body of a gorilla. Leaping forwards with a frightening speed, raising its fist which now sported the tusks of elephant. Lonar deflected the ivory blow.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get near him!¡± Carol shouted. The huge figure of an ogre barreled into the changeling, dragging it away. However, after a couple of steps, all manner of fangs and claws shot forth, tearing and rending flesh. The ogre collapsed, its front half eviscerated.


    A fireball slammed into the changeling. Got him. The undead writhed briefly but quickly shed its burning parts, forming new ones. Rose grimaced. That was underwhelming¡­ I though it was vulnerable to fire.


    Just as the changeling freed itself from the last flame, it was engulfed in a block of ice. For a fraction of second, it was trapped. Then a horn pierced the prison, and the head of a rhino smashed up. As it extricated itself, it sent panthers pouncing towards them. The buffaloes which had been knocked back arrived too.


    ¡°The things that separate from it, they¡¯re safe to fight up close?¡± Lonar asked, tackling a bovine and crushing its skull with a stomp.


    ¡°They are.¡±  Carol affirmed. ¡°It¡¯s the main body you need to be wary of.¡±


    ¡°These creatures¡­ how long do they last?¡± Zentrias caused a panther¡¯s torso to burst violently from within.


    ¡°Don¡¯t know.¡± Carol responded. ¡°Probably until they¡¯re destroyed.¡±


    ¡°Is there a limit to how many it can make?¡± Cindy asked, Lions and tigers were appearing from the changeling.


    ¡°No idea,¡± Carol apologized, ¡°but it can only release so many or it would¡¯ve overwhelmed us already.¡±


    A lightning bolt struck the changeling. Shrugging off the damage, it leapt at Cindy, transforming its arm into a giant mantis claw whose sharp edge resembled a scythe. Fortunately, Natali hurled a wind vortex which pushed the undead back.


    Snarling, the changeling swung an arm which had become a boa constrictor. A dozen more serpents emerged from the snake¡¯s head as it neared Natali, venomous fangs landing deep bites. Of course, the kunoichi vanished in swirl of leaves.


    Let¡¯s try a different approach. Rose channeled into ruby ring on her right hand, and the center of a spell circle materialized before her. This was her Norani spell core she¡¯d retrieved from the Starless Peninsula. Roxanne fashion a catalyst to create it for her. Swiftly, she filled in the rest of the magic symbols.


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    ¡°Crimson Fireball.¡± Rose announced. The projectile hit the changeling as it dodging another wind vortex. Again, it attempted to discard the flames, but this time they wouldn¡¯t let go. No matter how much of itself it threw away, the crimson fire jumped back to its main body, burning savagely. It rolled around madly on ground in frustration. That¡¯s so effective¡­


    Rising to its feet still burning, the changeling screamed. Up close, the deafening noise was terrifying. However, what inspired even more dread were the howls that answered it. The inugami and varcolacs who¡¯d been following them chose this moment to attack, and their numbers had reached the hundreds.


    Watching the enormous pack encircle them, the changeling¡¯s ape face grinned viciously. From its side, dogs and wolves jumped out and mixed in with the lesser undead. Oh, no¡­ That¡¯s going to be a nightmare to deal with.


    What should I do now? Roxanne had taught her a dozen Norani spells, and she racked her brain on which to choose. Many were too complex to use during a fight. Unless¡­ Reaching in her backpack, she drew out a notebook and another ruby ring. She flipped to a page entirely filled with detailed mystic symbols and grimaced. This will take a while.


    ¡°Zentrias,¡± She called out.  ¡°Please keep everyone alive until I finish this.¡±  If he exerted himself, their leader¡¯s explosives should be able to ward off the changeling for a time.


    ¡°It¡¯ll be tough, but I¡¯ll try.¡± He answered.


    Rose projected her spell core on a strip of scorched earth and donned the second ring. This was catalyst specifically for writing out spell circles. Although slower than working directly, the lines it drew were thick with power despite requiring little effort. Determinedly, she copied the rest of the spell while ignoring the chaos.


    She was mostly done when her foresight interrupted her. She quickly roasted the hound barreling towards her. Around her, battle raged. She spotted a nightmarish charred creature assaulting the changeling with jets of fire. The undead slammed down a whale tail on the annoyance then rushed its summoner. Dawn push Carol out of the way, but her wrist got caught by a giant crab claw. As the changeling pulled her close, an over-sized crocodile emerged from its belly. Rose froze watching her sister get mauled by the huge jaws. Damn it, I wasn¡¯t fast enough¡­ If only¡ª¡ª Then Dawn¡¯s body disappeared in flurry of snowflakes.  ¡­ I forgot she could do that.


    Berating herself and her sister, Rose completed her work and yelled, ¡°Crimson Inferno!¡±


    As the red magic circle flashed brightly and disappeared, the ground rumbled ominously. In every direction, large patches crimson fire burst from ground, roaring fiercely. The area affected covered hundreds of feet across.


    Her crimson inferno was an environmental type spell, which focused on transforming the battlefield rather than attacking directly. These sacrificed all precision to boost power to the maximum.


    She¡¯d gotten the idea from what Wise had done in the blood arena. Unlike the soulfire her brother had used, her crimson fires was hot and therefore not harmless to her allies. Despite this, they could jump through them without the malefic flames clinging to them, so it offered essentially the same advantage: a means to escape an opponent too dangerous to fight up close.


    The inugami and varcolacs fled yelping, a primitive fear overriding their fighting spirit. The changeling was not similarly cowed as evidenced by the wave of zombie antelopes and deer which came leaping nimbly over the fire. Still, its movements had been restricted and it wouldn¡¯t be able to run wild like before.


    It¡¯s not over though.  The tide had shifted in their favor only temporarily. If she didn¡¯t follow up with something decisive, this reprieve would be wasted.


    Again she debated her next step. Ideally, she¡¯d join the others in press the offensive, but she lacked the confidence to do so. While practicing plenty in Xarst, she¡¯d been neglected the crimson flame of her mentor, going back to the regular fire she was more comfortable with. Against an opponent with the adaptability of the changeling, her control was lacking.


    It¡¯s too late to regret. Rose knew what she must do. One last time, she opened her notebook and etched a magic circle in the ground. This was the most elaborate of the spells Roxanne had given her. If she had the strength to complete it, she was sure it¡¯d bring victory.


    She panted from the exertion as she labored to assemble the runes. Halfway through she slowed, but did not give up, adding one section after another.


    ¡°Rose, your fires are starting to extinguish.¡± Zentrias called out. ¡°Hurry up on whatever you¡¯re working on.¡±


    I know. As the field fell dark, she wrote out the last symbol and cried out, ¡°Greater Horned Burning Dead!¡±


    Casting this magic sucked out the last of her strength, and she collapsed on the ground. When she looked up, she saw a fanged, demonic skull with curving horns staring back at her. This entity was taller and far more intimidating than the one from the burning city.


    She pointed, ¡°Incinerate that changeling!¡±


    The horned undead rocketed towards its target on wings of flames. The changeling knocked it back with the swing of a turtle shell, but the burning dead sent out fiery tendril which latched onto it. The changeling cut itself free with a pair of giant mantis claws, retreating as crimson flames wracked its body.


    Although I might not be proficient enough, my summon is, Rose though smugly. While the changeling was the stronger of the two undead, its opponent was its worst match-up. Good thing too, since I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to move for half a day.


    ¡°What¡¯s the duration?¡± Zentrias asked.


    ¡°Five minutes.¡± Rose answered.


    ¡°Understood.¡± Zentrias turned to the others. ¡°Cindy you go back up Rose¡¯s summon with your lighting. Everyone else, let¡¯s clean up that damned pack of canines.¡±


    Sitting back, Rose relaxed. Even if the changeling managed to survive, it¡¯d be badly weakened. She glanced at the others slaughtering the lesser undead and noticed Dawn wasn¡¯t participating. Her sister was busy constructing an impressive blue magic circle of her own. Rose rolled her eyes at the pettiness.


    Fingering the rings on her hand, her thoughts drifted to their creator. She owed her success today to Roxanne, which strengthened her resolve to prevent her mentor¡¯s death by any means necessary.

 [Book II Chapter 84] SARAH: Livra

    [Book II Chapter 84] SARAH: Livra


    ------------------------------------------------


    Under a midday sun, Sarah stood in the clearing facing the shimmering veil. Orange leaves fell all about her, carried by a chilly breeze.  Winter is coming early.


    Despite doing their best to track down and apprehend Fang ninjas, new passageways to Mount Gull kept opening. Valance had fallen, and they¡¯d been forced to retreat repeatedly. That wasn¡¯t an option this time. The nearby city of Livra was in the midst of receiving refugees from the Twisted Lands, so this threat had to be neutralized.


    The simplest way to deal with rifts was to seal them so nothing could get through. This was the method Astra had elected around Messanic, where so much of the region was locked in an ice shelf it was causing the temperature to drop.


    Here in Tulven, Jayden had entombed several rifts in gemstone prisons, but he could only maintain so many of these. He¡¯d been close to his limit when this one had appeared, so Sarah had proposed another solution based on recent discoveries.


    The claws carried by Fang ninjas were part of a sublime vagary belonging to Kaygren. The celestial tiger had a long history carving holes in reality to assault human settlements. The portals they created were different than others found in tethered realms.


    Ordinarily, when a sovereign ripped their way to someplace on Enera, a representation of the landmark at that location appeared in their realm, serving as the keystone for the rift. If it could be destroyed, it¡¯d sever the connection.


    When a Fang ninja activated a claw, it¡¯d cross over the Mount Gull and fly off, growing three feet in size and burying itself in the ground half a mile away. Locating and shattering this keystone would collapse the associated rift.


    Through reading the strands of fate, Sarah had determined an attempt to do so here would be a success. Since she couldn¡¯t participate herself due to Astra¡¯s curse, she was left waiting for the others to return.


    Without warning, the rift faded away, and four figures stood in front of her. ¡°The reports were accurate.¡± Jayden said. ¡°Once the claw is broken, everyone around it is transported back.¡±


    ¡°Everything went smoothly? Sarah asked.


    Jayden nodded. ¡°As predicted, they weren¡¯t expecting us.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Sarah smiled. ¡°You¡¯ve insured Livra¡¯s safety for a while longer.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just following through with what I signed up for.¡± Jayden answered. The ninja had apparently swapped roles with the immortal the Adventurer¡¯s guild had sent to back up Adele Barsal. That person was assisting the Hearth Lord in his stead.


    They returned to Libra, passing the tent city set up beyond the walls. Sarah went straight to the tallest building, a cathedral of Idia, and surveyed the scene. Under the watchful eyes of giant blue crabs, trails of people were still flooding in from the Twisted Lands. Several groups of cultivators had raided Rosaria to recuperate its summon generators, and some of these had been deployed here.


    ¡°You came up here again.¡± Ashley joining her on the roof. The saint had continued acting as her attendant since Valance.


    ¡°It¡¯s easier to scry the future from a high central location.¡± Sarah stated. ¡°How are the evacuations proceeding?¡±


    ¡°Demonic beasts overwhelmed another settlement before they could be moved.¡± Ashley responded. ¡°About a thousand were lost.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s unfortunate¡­¡± Sarah wasn¡¯t sure how to feel at this news. While she didn¡¯t wish an ill fate on the inhabitant of the Twisted Lands, she was struggling to save her own people. All the newcomers were increasing the burden.


    ¡°The last evacuees will arrive tomorrow.¡± Ashley added. ¡°None too soon really. We¡¯ve lost a lot of ground in the last few days, and the return of the cultivators will bolster our defenses.¡±


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    ¡°About them¡­ Still no issues on that front?¡± Sarah asked tentatively. The large contingent of saints from the cultivating realm was the main reason Tulven hadn¡¯t been overrun. She couldn¡¯t help but be apprehensive at such good fortune.


    ¡°Not really, they continue to provide invaluable support.¡± Ashley answered. ¡°I¡¯ll let you know if anything comes up once I check in with Pang¡¯an again.¡± Pang¡¯an was the oath taker coordinating cultivator activity in Tulven, working with adventurer¡¯s guild to hand out their quests.


    ¡°Anything else I should be aware of?¡± Sarah asked.


    Ashley hesitated, ¡°I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s worth mentioning with everything going on, but refugees claim three children have gone missing.¡±


    Sarah frowned. ¡°Did this happen after they reached Libra?¡±


    ¡°Apparently, yes.¡± Ashley confirmed.


    Damn¡­ It wouldn¡¯t be surprising if some degenerate took advantage of the situation. On the other hand, it was hard to justify an investigation for three disappearance among tens of thousands. They could simply be lost.


    ¡°Let me know if more are reported.¡± Sarah decided.


    A familiar figure crossed the town heading their way, and Light landed beside them. Dressed in his usual black shinobi gear, he towered over them.  Has he grown taller again?


    The young man addressed them. ¡°I heard the story of what happened at the docks when you reached Torris. You used your magic to determine who came from Rosaria. Is this true?¡±


    ¡°It is.¡± Sarah admitted. ¡°Why do you ask?¡±


    ¡°Because I need your help. Please come with me.¡± Light jumped away. Confused, they followed.


    They stopped outside the gates where a large shadow wolf was growling at a group of frightened refugees. ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± Sarah demanded.


    Nonplussed,  Light gestured to his familiar. ¡°Since we¡¯ve been cracking down on infiltration attempts, I figured fang ninjas might try changing their approach. That¡¯s why I¡¯ve been having Kuro sniff new arrivals. This lot has the faint stink of Mount Gull on them. Could you check if there¡¯s anyone who doesn¡¯t belong?¡±


    I understand now.  Sighing, Sarah clasped miracle Worker and concentrated. She felt the strands of fate of those before her, how they all flowed back to a small village far away. Carefully she searched for one not like the others.  Found it.


    Opening her eyes, she looked towards a frail old man in the middle. ¡°It¡¯s him.¡± She pointed with her staff.


    The old man¡¯s eyes suddenly went sharp, and a dark cloud enveloped him. A Fang shinobi leapt out, escaping towards the Twisted Lands.


    ¡°Iron sand trap.¡± Light called out coldly. Dark tendrils shot up from the earth, grabbing the enemy ninja and dragging him underground. The surface swirled and then went still.


    ¡°Perhaps we should have apprehended him¡­¡± Sarah offered weakly.


    Light shook his head. ¡°He wouldn¡¯t have talked, and, even if he did, such a low level shinobi wouldn¡¯t provide any valuable intel.¡±


    ¡°Beside,¡± His voice dropped. ¡°These are traitors who have forsaken humanity. They have the blood of thousands on their hands.¡±


    Truthfully, Sarah knew all this. The source of her unease was the sinister energy coursing through Light¡¯s right shoulder. She¡¯d felt it before, but it¡¯d had flared viciously up when he¡¯d executed the Fang ninja.


    ¡°Thank you for your aid.¡± Light said politely before taking off.


    Sarah watched him go, ¡°I should speak to Jayden.¡±


    She found the immortal shinobi resting above Livra¡¯s command center. ¡°Sorry to disturb you, but I¡¯d like to discuss Light¡¯s shoulder.¡±


    Jayden nodded. ¡°I¡¯m not surprised you sensed it.¡±


    ¡°What is it and how did it happen?¡± She asked.


    ¡°One of light¡¯s teammates sacrificed herself to save him on a reconnaissance outing he¡¯d suggested. The death affected him greatly.¡± Jayden explained. ¡°Following the instructions in Salazar¡¯s book of curses, he performed a ritual at the Transcendent Altar in Messanic and marked his body with the cursed seal of power. It was both a form of punishment and an attempt to erase his perceived powerlessness.¡±


    ¡°How does it work?¡± Sarah pressed. ¡°And should I be worried?¡± Curses always had a price and often corroded the mind.


    ¡°The cursed seal of power is the type that affects the body, strengthening the recipient by robbing them of their future. You should¡¯ve noticed how much Light has aged. He¡¯s almost nineteen after only a month.¡±


    ¡°So it¡¯s a danger to no one but himself¡­¡± Sarah interpreted. That was one less worry to fret about.


    ¡°Does Astra know?¡± Sarah asked. This would be something she¡¯d need to report, lest she risk the guildmaster¡¯s wrath.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Jayden confirmed. ¡°She was none too pleased with me when she found out. I¡¯m working hard to get back in her good graces.¡±


    ¡°Wait, so she¡¯s not doing anything about it?¡± Sarah was surprised.


    ¡°The process of removing the curse would take Light out of action for months at this critical time. Besides, it makes him stronger, and he needs to grow older before becoming immortal. The accelerating aging will stop then anyway.¡±


    ¡°Almost sounds like a win-win scenario,¡± Sarah said. ¡°What¡¯s the catch?¡±


    ¡°The curse is also reducing Light¡¯s life expectancy, hastening his destined death. Immortality does nothing to prevent this. What¡¯s more, if he reaches the wall with the curse, it can never be undone.¡±


    Sarah scowled. ¡°Isn¡¯t that a death sentence then?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Jayden sighed. ¡°Many immortals have suffered from such afflictions. There are methods of mitigating the ill affects, such as visiting cleansing pools in dungeons.¡±


    ¡°Light will have to deal with consequence of his actions later. For now, let¡¯s appreciate his increased effectiveness.¡±

 [Book II Chapter 85] HOPE: A Death Sentence

    [Book II Chapter 85] HOPE: A Death Sentence


    ------------------------------------------------


    ¡°So that¡¯s what we agreed upon.¡± Hope explained her deal with Argon Blast. ¡°They¡¯ll recuperate you once I¡¯ve escaped down the ravine.¡±


    <<CAN¡¯T SAY I¡¯M THRILLED ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF BEING DISMANTLED OR REMODELED.>> Secret responded.


    ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t know about you at the time.¡± Hope felt genuinely terrible, but she didn¡¯t see a way out. ¡°Will you go along with it?¡±


    <<I OBEY MY PILOT.>> Secret stated. <<EVEN IF THAT WASN¡¯T THE CASE, JENNA WOULDN¡¯T WANT ME TO PRIORITIZE MYSELF OVER THE SAFETY OF OTHERS.>>


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Hope whispered with relief.


    She rubbed her neck where the severing collar used to be. It¡¯d all be over soon. Starting from the northeastern edge of the Sarada Desert, they¡¯d flown across the Antoros Sea to reach Palos. Now on the return trip, they were twenty minutes from reaching land.


    Listening in on the other mechs, the mood appeared jubilant. Dorothy and Horace were busy describing their engagement with the mechanical paladins. I wonder if my sublime vagary was responsible for that. She obviously hadn¡¯t told them about her ¡®cursed fate¡¯, but she¡¯d been privately fretting about how it¡¯d affect the operation. She still had no idea exactly how it worked. My passive is supposed to ¡®attracted misfortune and life-threatening danger¡¯. I can¡¯t believe so little went wrong in that chaotic battle.


    ¡°All right, everyone stop.¡± Argon ordered. ¡°We¡¯ve come far enough so it¡¯s time to announce there¡¯s been a change of plan.¡±


    Confused, Hope waited with the rest to hear the details.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to conduct a field test. My five of masterpieces, Gunhell, Nihilister, Blade Ruin, Mortal Fusion, and Envy Green¡­ Can they shoot down Jenna Crystal¡¯s marvel, Astrolis? We¡¯ll determine the answer to this question.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re joking¡­¡± Hope stammered.


    ¡°Why do you think I had my crew train you so hard? I¡¯ve been toying with this idea for a while. When you asked me to remove your collar, that made up my mind. I warned you that Astrolis is useless to me without direct control. Jenna¡¯s enchantments would take decades to unravel, I don¡¯t have the time or inclination.¡±


    Hope struggled to absorb this revelation. Confronting five immortal-level killing machines over the Blue Abyss was a death sense. She saw no escape.


    As her stomach churned, she released the emotions bubbling up inside her. ¡°It just doesn¡¯t make sense¡­ Why are you so fixated on destroying Astrolis? To the point of antagonizing the Northern Emperor¡­ Why are you aiming to kill me for such a stupid reason?¡±


    Argon listened quietly to her tirade. ¡°Having no other use for it, Samuel Lithorn made Astrolis a monument celebrating the Dark Age¡¯s end. However, for those visiting, the kneeling titan resembled a weary knight resting after a hard earned victory. The Northern Emperor capitalized on this sentiment by constructing the World Council¡¯s headquarters next to it.¡±


    ¡°Do you have any idea how many conflicts have been averted in Palos under Astrolis¡¯s watchful gaze?¡± The venom in his voice was plain. ¡°Its presence serves as constant reminder of everything sacrificed for our survival, a symbol of peace.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I want it gone. To make clear the World Council¡¯s era of stifling mediation is over for good. Your life is collateral damage towards this great purpose.¡± Argon finished coldly. ¡°I¡¯ll give you two minutes to compose yourself.¡±


    ¡°Can we outrun them?¡±


    <<LOGIC DICTATES IT¡¯LL BE DIFFICULT.>> Secret responded. <<ENVY GREEN AND NIHILISTER HAVE SPEEDS EXCEEDING OUR OWN. DODGING THEIR ATTACKS WILL ALLOW THE OTHERS TO CATCH UP.>>


    ¡°Do we have any weapons to fight back?¡±


    <<MY EXTERNAL ARMAMENTS ARE NOT EQUIPPED. EVEN IF THEY WERE, YOU DO NOT POSSESS THE STRENGTH TO WIELD THEM.>>  Secret reported.


    ¡°Then are we doomed?¡± Hope did not see a way out.


    <


    >


    ¡°Sure.¡± Hope affirmed. ¡°What should I do?¡±


    <<I HAVE EXTENDED AN ENCHANTMENT IN OUR INNER CORE. DO YOU SENSE IT?>>


    Hope reached out through the controls and felt a complex but faint magic circle somewhere deep within Astrolis. ¡°I do.¡± She said.


    <<THAT IS A BOOSTING ARRAY. IT¡¯LL ALLOW US TO ACCELERATE TO AN INCREDIBLE VELOCITY FOR A FEW MINUTES. CHARGING IT IS YOUR TASK. CAN YOU HANDLE IT?>>


    She tried channeling power into the array, and it dissipated like drops into a bucket. ¡°I can, but it will take a while.¡± She announced anxiously.


    <<THAT¡¯S ACCEPTABLE.>>  Secret declared.


    ¡°Time¡¯s up.¡± Argon boomed. ¡°Are you prepared?¡±


    Ignoring the immortal, Hope vented. ¡°What about the rest of you? Are you fine with this?¡±


    ¡°Sorry, this is the way it is.¡± Dorothy answered. ¡°We followed Argon when he defected. This betrayal is nothing in comparison.¡±


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    ¡°Although,¡± Dorothy added, irritation making itself plain. ¡°We¡¯d appreciate a heads up next time we are to hunt down someone we trained for weeks.¡±


    ¡°Facing former comrades is part of war.¡± Argon countered. ¡°That said, I admit it¡¯s a rather abrupt about face I¡¯m forcing on you. As an exception, you can opt out if it¡¯s too much.¡±


    ¡°Not necessary.¡± Dorothy sighed. ¡°But you¡¯ll forgive us if we don¡¯t pour our heart and soul into this chase.¡±


    ¡°Speak for yourself,¡± Leon laughed. ¡°I¡¯m all-in on the hunt.¡±


    ¡°Enough banter.¡± Argon called out. ¡°Hope, I¡¯m giving you a twenty second head start. Go!¡±


    Astrolis shot forward so fast it startled Hope. She instinctively tightened the straps fastening her to the seat. ¡°What¡¯s our plan?¡± She asked as she focused on channeling power.


    <<I WAS CONNECTED TO THE PILLAR¡¯S GLOBAL NETWORK FOR MILLENNIA. TOPOGRAPHICAL DATA FOR THE ENTIRE PLANET IS INSCRIBED IN MY MEMORY.>> Secret explained. <<NEAR HERE IS A SPOT WHERE THE BLUE ABYSS IS ONLY A HALF A MILE THICK. WE ARE NEARLY THERE.>>


    Her heart sank. ¡°Please don¡¯t tell me we are¡ª¡ª¡±


    <


    >


    Hope froze as they plummeted into the dark water. The light rapidly receded. Through Astrolis sensors, she monitored the giant shadows swimming around them as they dove deeper.


    <<HALFWAY THERE.>> Secret reassured her.


    For a second, Hope entertained the notion that this short dip would end without issue. Then something gigantic slithered towards them from a distance, its form growing larger and larger. Right, ¡®cursed fate¡¯, what was I thinking?


    The monster was almost upon them when they breached the surface below. Not content to lose its prey so easily, an enormous maw shot after them. Astrolis twisted to avoid the hundreds of sharp teeth, and they descended past mountain peaks.


    With a screech of frustration, the gargantuan eel fell back into the churning water. She estimated it to be nearly three miles long. The creature tracked them from above as they traveled down a valley.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe that worked¡­¡± She said in shock.


    <<WE ARE NOT OUT OF DANGER. LOOK BEHIND US.>> Secret advised.


    The Blue Abyss had twisted into a huge whirlpool. As its movement quickened, its center sunk inwards, and seven figures emerged from the tunnel it formed.


    ¡°That was quite the daring feat.¡± Argon roared. ¡°This is turning out more entertaining than I dared dream.¡±


    <<IT APPEARS GREEN ENVY USED ITS WINDS TO OPEN A PASSAGE THROUGH THE OCEAN. THE UPSIDE IS THIS UNDOUBTEDLY DRAINED MOST OF ITS ENERGY RESERVES. THAT LEAVE FOUR ENEMIES TO CONTEND WITH.>>


    ¡°So what now?¡± Hope asked, dismayed.


    <<THERE IS A LARGE OPEN STRETCH WE MUST CROSS, SO WE MAKE USE OF THAT SEA CREATURE.>> Secret revealed.


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Hope grimaced as they soared upwards and leveled out a hundred feet from the surface. The creature was baited into lunging at them repeatedly, which Secret evaded by hair-raising margins. Between the waves and its colossal thrashing body, Hope couldn¡¯t make out their pursuer. Ideally, it was the same for them.


    The deadly game of cat and mouse went on for a minute before the shockwave from an explosion sent them tumbling. The eel shrieked and turned on its attacker. Hope made out Mortal Fusion glowing in a way she¡¯d never seen before.


    The monster lurched towards the mech, and there was a blinding flash of light followed by a deafening boom. Opened her eyes, Hope found a headless corpse crashing back into the water.


    <<UNFORTUNATE.>> Secret observed. <<I INTENDED TO MAKE USE OF IT FOR A WHILE LONGER. THE NEXT BIT WILL BE CHALLENGING. AT LEAST, MORTAL FUSION IS SPENT WITH THIS.>>


    Nihilister, Gunhell, and Blade Ruin barreled through the splashes of the felled beast, War Machine and the remaining mobile armors trailing behind. ¡°You¡¯ve made this way tougher than it needed to be.¡± Leon yelled out. ¡°But that ends now.¡± Blazing fireballs shot towards them.


    <


    > Secret informed her calmly.


    Dropping towards molten streams of lava on the new crust, Astrolis¡¯s graceful, erratic trajectory weaved between the flurry of attacks aimed their way. Hope was forced realized the inadequacy of her own skills before the display.


    ¡°I know I instructed you to teach her to fly.¡± Argon said. ¡°But I didn¡¯t expect these kinds of results. I don¡¯t know whether to be impressed or annoyed.¡±


    ¡°Unless she¡¯s improved drastically in the span of a day, this was not our doing.¡± Horace reported back. ¡°I suspect Astrolis is flying itself. If this is true, we may need your help to bring it down.¡±


    There was a brief silence than Argon chuckled. ¡°No, that¡¯s not happening. Participating myself would make this contest a farce. I have faith in my work and my pilots. If they fail me, so be it.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, Hope.¡± Dorothy said. ¡°Looks like I¡¯m going to have to get serious after-all. It¡¯s a matter of pride.¡± Her mech¡¯s exterior shifted to deploy all its gun barrels.


    That¡¯s bad.  Gunhell excelled in taking down targets in wide open spaces. She somehow doubted even Secret could contend with what was coming.


    Her suspicions were proven correct by the barrage of ballistics rained down on them. Several found their mark and Astrolis was forced to erect a energy shields to deflect them.


    ¡°How long can you hold her off?¡± Hope asked.


    <<AS LONG AS I HAVE ENERGY.>> Secret answered. <<THE PROBLEM IS WE NEED THAT FUEL AND CAN¡¯T AFFORD TO WASTE TOO MUCH HERE. FORTUNATELY, WE¡¯RE ALMOST AT OUR DESTINATION.>>


    ¡°And where are we headed?¡±


    <<TWO MILES AWAY IS START OF HELL¡¯S CANYON, A COURSE WHERE AIRSHIP RACES ARE FREQUENTLY HELD. IT RUNS SOUTH AND EXITS IN THE ARID WASTELAND EAST OF THE SARADA DESERT.>> Secret explained.


    Memories of navigating the ¡®Corkscrew¡¯ flashed through Hope¡¯s mind. With a sinking feeling, she was certain what was coming next. She groaned audibly but forced herself to swallow her objections.


    The onslaught of attacks ended once they squeezed into the narrow ravine. In its place, Hope was gripped with a different kind of terror. Emerit Blaze jaunt down the Wine Trench had been brief. This was not. Rock walls zoomed by them on all sides as they zig zagged through the infernal trench.


    When a showy blade sailed by them, Hope glanced back. Blade Ruin and Nihilister were somehow chasing after them. She was astounded that human pilots could keep up with Secret¡¯s insanity.


    Except they couldn¡¯t. Whenever Astrolis reached a challenging section, it pulled further ahead. Soon, Nihilister was gone, and only Blade Ruin was struggling to keep up. It was obvious this was a losing battle.


    ¡°For the record, you¡¯re lucky Blade Ruin¡¯s right arm was damaged fighting those mechanized paladins.¡± Horace said flatly.


    <<THAT WAS INDEED AN AUSPICIOUS HAPPENSTANCE.>> Secret agreed. <<ARE YOU DONE CHARGING THE BOOSTING ARRAY?>>


    ¡°Almost.¡± Hope said.


    <<GOOD, BECAUSE WE¡¯LL NEED IT IN APPROXIMATELY NINETY SECOND.>>


    Panicked, Hope poured everything she had into the enchantment. Before long, they shot up into open sky. War Machine and the others were a couple of miles away.


    <<ENGAGING BOOSTING ARRAY.>>  Secret announced. Hope prayed she¡¯d done enough. The acceleration forced her deep in her seat as they soared into the heavens.


    <<THIS WILL ALLOW US TO REACH THE SAFETY OF AERY AIRSPACE.>> Secret explained.


    Before Hope could relax, Leon¡¯s voice rang out. ¡°I predicted this. You won¡¯t escape.¡±


    She turned to see Nihilister descending towards them from behind like a blazing meteorite.  That¡¯s why he disappeared. He must have waited high in the sky in case we tried something like this¡­


    <<THAT¡¯S QUITE UNFORTUNATE.>>  Secret stated.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Hope asked.


    <<MANEUVERABILITY IS REDUCED WHEN BOOSTING. I WON¡¯T BE ABLE TO DODGE HIS FIRE. MY APOLOGIES, I DIDN¡¯T ANTICIPATE THIS SCENARIO. NIHILISTER¡¯S SPEED EXCEEDED MY EXPECTATION.>>


    ¡°So we are going to die?¡±


    <<I SUGGEST EJECTING YOURSELF. PERHAPS THEY WILL SPARE YOU.>> Secret offered.


    Hope clenched her fists in frustration. We were so close¡­ ¡­ No, I won¡¯t let it end like this.


    Taking a deep breath, she shouted out, ¡°Cursed Fate!¡±

 [Book II Chapter 86] HELIX: Artemis

    [Book II Chapter 86] HELIX: Artemis


    ------------------------------------------------


    Deep within the bowls of Roskild, Aery¡¯s second highest floating island, Helix Karel fingered the controls absentmindedly while staring at the projection before him.


    ¡°Anything to see yet?¡± Gali called out.


    Argon Blast had stolen Astrolis an hour ago, using Hope Skyfell to fly it right out of Palos. The brazen act had captivate their interest enough to separate them from their work.


    He was directing Atemsis, the all-seeing monitoring system they¡¯d developed, to track all mobile armors within a thousand miles. He zoomed in on a group of mechs east of the Sarada.


    ¡°I¡¯ve found War Machine, but Astrolis doesn¡¯t appear to be with them.¡± He answered.


    ¡°Let me see.¡± Gali stopped her enchanting and hopped over.


    ¡°They¡¯re on the edge of our detection radius.¡± Helix gesture to the projection. ¡°For some reason, Nihilister is traveling separately high in the sky.¡±


    A indicator lit up, and he brought up an image of the mobile armor which had just shot out of the earth. ¡°There¡¯s Astrolis! It¡¯s moving at tremendous speed towards our airspace.¡±


    ¡°And Nihilister is dropping to intercept it.¡± Gali mumbled. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°Maybe Hope tried to escape, and they¡¯re hunting her down?¡± Helix guessed.


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    The two watched the blurred figures with dispassionate curiosity. There was little they could do to influence the distant events. Then suddenly everything came into focus, and the details of both mobile armors were crystal clear.


    Helix jumped up in his seat. ¡°What on Enera¡­?¡±


    ¡°Wow, there¡¯s been a fluctuation within Atemsis. Its primary identification field has been extended nearly three hundred miles west¡­¡± Gali reported, poring over the data on her own console.


    Helix frowned appraising the blazing flames surrounding black mobile armor. ¡°Nihilister plainly intends to destroy Astrolis.¡± He observed.


    Enchanted machinery roared to life around them, and the room vibrated as unimaginable power flowed through magical conduits. ¡°Sister, what are you doing?¡± He asked apprehensively.


    ¡°I don¡¯t intend to let that happen before my very eyes.¡± Gali declared. ¡°Do you?¡±


    ¡°I suppose I agree.¡± He smiled. ¡°Time for Artemis¡¯s first live test?¡±


    Gali grinned back. ¡°Isn¡¯t this a wonderful excuse for it?¡±


    While they were best known as the two twin immortal engineers who oversaw Aery¡¯s airship production from within Roskild¡¯s interior, their true passion was weapon development. After reaching the wall, they¡¯d retreated from the world to toil away in their private sanctuary. The Artemis system was their magnum opus, the result of centuries of hard labor.


    Helix deployed stabilizing magic, and the trembling ceased. He engaged the targeting arrays and selected Nihilister. ¡°Trajectories entered and locked in.¡± He reported.


    ¡°All accumulators running smoothly.¡± Gali responded. ¡°Charging at 63%¡­ 79%¡­ 95%¡­¡±


    ¡°Do you want to do the honors.¡± He asked.


    ¡°Love to.¡± Gali smirked. ¡°Charging complete. Firing in 3, 2, 1¡­ Engage!¡±


    From all every corner of Roskild, thick beams of pure energy shot into the sky at several times the speed of sound. They curved downward towards the Sarada desert.


    Helix and Gali chuckled watching Nihilister break off its attack and retreat. Artemis isn¡¯t something you can dodge. The beams converged on the hapless mobile armor in an overlapping sphere a quarter mile wide. Everything within was incinerated.


    ¡°Test successful.¡± Gali announced with glee, observing the falling debris.


    ¡°And there are no pursuers.¡± Helix added. ¡°Astrolis will safely reach our airspace.¡±

 [Book II Chapter 87] ARGON: An Abject Failure

    [Book II Chapter 87] ARGON: An Abject Failure


    ------------------------------------------------


    I can¡¯t really blame Leon. This was outside my expectations.


    ¡°What do we do now?¡± Dorothy asked awkwardly.


    Argon zoomed in on the receding orange figure. With the rail gun, it might still be possible¡­  He shook his head. If he was going to interfere, he¡¯d have done so already. Well-played Jenna, your creation lives up to its name. While he hated what it¡¯d come to represent, he had to respected its masterful design.


    Instead, he focused on the falling debris and let out a breath of relief.  There it is. While it¡¯s almost indestructible, I was still worried for a second.


    ¡°Horace¡­¡± He said.


    ¡°I¡¯m on it.¡± Replied his number one pilot. The man had been with him the longest and knew his thoughts. Blade Ruin shot off to complete its salvage mission.


    An indicator flashed in War Machine¡¯s cockpit, and Argon winced. Might as well face the music. As soon as he opened communications, Ashaya¡¯s voice came blaring in. ¡°Isn¡¯t this exactly what you promised me wouldn¡¯t happen?¡±


    ¡°Our intelligence on Artemis¡¯s range was faulty.¡± He stated emotionlessly.


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    ¡°Astrolis shouldn¡¯t have been anywhere near Aery¡¯s airspace!¡± Ashaya shouted. ¡°Now you¡¯ve delivered one the most powerful mobile armors straight to our enemies. It¡¯s guarantied those twin brats will retrofit it and deploy it against us.¡±


    Argon sighed. ¡°At least it¡¯ll return to its true purpose as an instrument of war.¡±


    ¡°That¡­ Argh!¡± Ashaya was clearly struggling to contain her rage. ¡°Because of your many talents and the immense combat potential you represent, I have been overly accommodating to your whims. I even let you offend both Astra Skyfell and Samuel Lithorn with your pet project. But this¡­¡±


    ¡°Not only did you let Astrolis escape, but you also lost one of your prized masterpieces!¡±


    ¡°Temporarily.¡± Argon interjected. ¡°The black dragon core survived. Nihilister will fly again.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a silver lining, I suppose¡± Ashaya grumbled. ¡°Get it reconstructed ASAP.¡±


    ¡°On that note, I¡¯ll be needing another pilot.¡± Despite his abrasive personality, Leon¡¯s skills had been exemplary. He¡¯d be hard to replace.


    There was a pause on the other side, then Ashaya continued. ¡°So, what do you think of Artemis?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s as oppressive as we imagined.¡± Argon replied. ¡°Hundreds of beams which can be fired with pinpoint precision anywhere within its territory.¡±


    ¡°In your opinion, can it be dealt with?¡± She asked.


    ¡°Blocking a single volley is possible. All our shielders together might just be able to manage it. The problem is the subsequent barrages. My guess is that Artemis is capable of firing every couple of minutes. Our current forces can¡¯t endure that.¡±


    When it came to offensive weaponry, the skills of Roskild¡¯s twin prodigies might even have exceeded his own. There was no easy counter for their ultimate creation. It¡¯s only weakness is its targeting system limits its range. At least, that¡¯s what we believed¡­


    ¡°Seems we must give up on surface invasions near Aery for now.¡± Ashaya stated coldly. ¡°Let me know if you dream up a solution.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of which, have you had time to consider my approach to the dwarves?¡± Argon pressed anxiously. The opportunity was too good to pass up.


    ¡°The Grey King has given the go ahead regarding that matter.¡± Ashaya responded. ¡°Succeed there, and you might redeem this abject failure.¡±

 [Book II Chapter 88] ZENTRIAS: Another Field of Graves

    [Book II Chapter 88] ZENTRIAS: Another Field of Graves


    ------------------------------------------------


    They watched the gashadokuro crumbled. The ten story giant skeleton had been child¡¯s play compared to the changeling. Since I could use my eyes this time. Opponents without a fixed form were his bane, as it was impossible to pinpoint their weaknesses.


    ¡°That boss fight went well.¡± Cindy exhaled.


    ¡°All thanks to Zentrias.¡± Dawn added. ¡°He kept shattering its spine and arms, so it never got the chance to do much.¡±


    Ignoring the grateful looks around him, Zentrias examined his recently acquired gauntlets. His fingers were covered by form-fitting metal layer which felt like part of his skin. Despite this, they offered great protection, increasing the strength of his blows.


    He attempted to remove one and was relieved when it slid right off.   He¡¯d come to suspect the artifacts were indeed cursed. Normally, he could use his sight all day against the undead without negative repercussions, but this time he was feeling it to a small extent. It¡¯ alright. We¡¯re more than halfway, and it isn¡¯t that bad.  They were far too powerful a tool not to use this deep in a challenging dungeon.


    Carol approached him. ¡°Is everything alright?¡±


    ¡°More or less.¡± Zentrias responded quietly. He didn¡¯t want to lie to her. ¡°These have some sort of barely detectable taint. Once we¡¯re out of here, I¡¯ll get them checked out.¡±


    ¡°Say Zen.¡± Dawn called out. ¡°Could you tell us about your eyes? How exactly do they work?¡± Everyone turned curiously towards him at the question.


    Zentrias sighed. ¡°It¡¯s something I developed as a child. I can ¡®see¡¯ the makeup of physical objects and tell where to apply chaos magic to destabilize their form. Apparently, it¡¯s due to my deep affinity towards destruction.¡±


    ¡°Does it work on everything?¡± Dawn inquired.


    ¡°Virtually anything with a fixed form.¡± Zentrias confirmed. ¡°The only exemptions are flawless items of legendary quality.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s such an amazing ability.¡± Dawn said reverently. ¡°I¡¯m frankly a little jealous.¡±


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    ¡°When it first manifested, I brought down my family home. I was the only survivor.¡± Zentrias stated coldly.


    Dawn froze. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I got caught up in its power without considering its demerits¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± He waved away her apology. ¡°We should move on. Remember this is a race.¡±


    Everyone grew serious at this reminder. Alana Mason¡¯s dirty trick with the changeling was fresh on their minds. ¡°Do you think we can catch up to Stannis?¡± Cindy asked.


    ¡°We did so once before, and we can do so again.¡± Zentrias answered. ¡°The knights of Oranda are ahead of us. With their help, I¡¯m certain we can win.¡±


    The HEAVENLY DAO knew there¡¯d be a scrabble for this dungeon¡¯s prizes, he reflected. Every floor was sprawling open space leading to multiple boss arenas. This design allowed competing groups to proceed on parallel tracks.


    They left the walled garden which had served as a boss arena and entered one of the long passageways which divided the floors. From this sanctified ground, they peered out at their next challenge.


    The first thing they noticed was the setting sun. Half covered by the horizon, it shone out over a landscape of reddish ridges. Glistening weapons of all types stood embedded in the ground, casting long shadows.


    ¡°Another Field of Graves¡­¡± Rose mumbled.


    When they ventured out, glowing undead eyes tracked their movement from the shadows of the rust-colored hills. ¡°How safe are we in the sunlight?¡± Cindy asked.


    ¡°Depends on what we are facing.¡± Carol answered. ¡°Archers and such can harass us. Fully armored undead can withstand the light of dusk and dawn. So can most immortal-level ones. We may also be forced to cross the shade¡ª¡ª¡±


    Screeching rang out as a wave of skeletons charged out from the nearby darkness. Behind them strode out an undead wearing clothes, its bony hands clasped in prayer. Long strips of black clothe hung over its gray robes.


    ¡°Glok,¡± Carol said sharply, ¡°eat him.¡±


    A deformed toad appeared and shot out its tongue, gobbling up the priestly undead. The instant it disappeared in the over-sized maw, its brethren recoiled from the sun, retreating.


    Impressive as usual. Glok was one of Carol¡¯s most threatening summons. He could make short work of any singular target. His only downside is the time he required to digest his meals.


    ¡°That was an unholy priest.¡± Carol explained. ¡°Their sin is piety, which forbids them from attacking directly. Don¡¯t be fooled though, they¡¯re a royal pain. Their prayers greatly enhance their companions, and they¡¯re experts at canceling magic. Never let them touch you or they¡¯ll drain your life away.¡±


    Besides them, Glok started wriggling and stamping its foot. Carol got close and patted his side, ¡°There, there¡­ Sorry, I didn¡¯t know their ¡®blessing¡¯ could penetrate even your stomach. Just hold on, I know you can do it.¡± With her encouragement, the creature¡¯s unease eventually faded.


    The difficulty of this area became apparent once they crossed the next hill, and undead artillery began raining explosive crimson fire down upon them. This never-ending barrage prevented them from resting, forcing them to rush from place to place while fending off unholy priests and armored undead. The worst were the cavalry, knights on skeletal steeds who attempted to trample over them.


    As they moved, Zentrias kept his eyes open for other groups. While immortality was so close he could taste it, the stakes were too high to focus on anything but their mission.

 [Book II Chapter 89] DYLAN: Irredeemable

    [Book II Chapter 89] DYLAN: Irredeemable


    ------------------------------------------------


    From high in a tree, Dylan observed Yuena Fengchun teaching the children gathered around her the game of cuju. The Divine Serpent cultivator had given them several balls and had used her earth magic to shape courts for them to play on. She was in the midst of explaining the rules.


    Quite a few cultivator teams were in Livra. While inflows from the Twisted Land had ended for today, there were still thousands of refugees waiting to make the trip to Tulvin¡¯s capital. The town¡¯s safety remained of paramount importance.


    <<Debating what to do?>> Dowart asked. His spirit mentor sat on a branch besides him.


    <<Not what to do. That¡¯s set in stone.>>  Dylan answered. <<What I am considering is when to do it.>>


    As far as he could tell, Yuena was diligently playing her part. She¡¯d fought off demonic beasts and had escorted the populations of settlements to Livra. She¡¯d even gone beyond what was demanded of her, entertaining youth displaced by the conflict in her spare time.


    I hated this. How dare one of those eight assume the role of a benevolent hero¡­ He knew her true nature.


    At the same time, he recognized the dire straights facing the people gathered in Tulvin. In the war against Kaygren¡¯s hordes, every saint was precious. Indulging his revenge would cost the lives Yuena could¡¯ve saved. Wouldn¡¯t I be betraying what we¡¯re all working towards?


    Dylan sighed. This mulling was entirely rhetorical. Livra was far too crowded. Finding an opportunity to strike was an impossible task.


    Activity below caught his attention. A child was reporting that Jordan Seers had arriving in town, and the others were excited. They¡¯d all heard stories of the young boy who was fighting to defend Tulvin, and it¡¯d captured their imaginations. Seeing that the commotion wasn¡¯t dying down, Yuelan dismissed everyone so they could go take a peek. Her smile as they ran away gave Dylan a bad feeling.


    Before he could wonder why, Yuelan startled him by leaping in his direction. Fortunately, she entered the forest a few yards away and kept moving without a glance in his direction.


    What is she up to? Dylan trailed her through the trees, realizing that he might have the chance to confront her alone. Not having come to a decision, part of him resented this twist of fate.


    He was almost relieved when he lost track of Yuelan. Then his injured pride kicked in, and he circled around frantically trying to pick up her trail. Where did she go? The figure he finally spotted wasn¡¯t Yuelan, but a young boy.


    <<That¡¯s Jordan Seers, the fighter child everyone fawns over.>> Dowart observed. <<This is too much of a coincidence.>>


    <<Agreed.>> Dylan responded. He followed, staying closer this time. Jordan soon vanished into a clump of trees, and, when Dylan attempted to enter, he found himself back outside.


    ¡°This is like Xia¡¯s fog.¡± Dylan stated. ¡°A barrier that turns people away. For some reason, it let Jordan through.¡±


    <<I¡¯ve encountered this type of ward before.>> Doward said. <<It¡¯s easiest to go under or over them.>>


    ¡°Understood.¡± Dylan embraced the mystery of mud and dove deep underground. He emerged at the edge of a clearing. This jogged his memory.  There was rift here a couple of days ago. Refugees are probably avoiding these woods out of caution. Jordan was approaching Yuelan at the center.


    Peering around, he turned to her confused. ¡°Excuse me, but have you seen¡­ hum¡­ anything¡­¡± His voice trailed off.


    Yuena smiled kindly. ¡°¡¯Livra¡¯s forest is haunted by the ghost of a young girl. Blond hair, one eye blue and one eye brown, she wanders the deepest grove, waiting to spirit away foolish trespassers.¡¯ Were you looking for her?¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t tell anyone¡­¡± Jordan had turned beat red. ¡°I know coming here was stupid . It¡¯s just that¡ª¡ª¡±


    ¡°The ghost matches the description of your younger sister?¡± Yuelan offered.


    Jordan¡¯s mouth dropped open. ¡°How did you know¡­?


    ¡°Because I¡¯m the one who¡¯s been spreading the story everywhere. I was certain it would reach you eventually.¡± Yuelan glanced to the side with a smirk. ¡°When the rift opened in this clearing, I was worried my efforts were for nothing. Thankfully, it worked out better than I could¡¯ve hoped.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand¡­¡± Jordan muttered.


    ¡°I can explain, but I need you to look deep into my eyes.¡± Yuelan said sweetly. Dylan saw her pupils turn reptilian and quickly averted his gaze.


    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    <<The eyes of a lesser basilisk¡­ While little threat to a saint who¡¯s prepared, they¡¯re more than enough for an unsuspecting child.>>  Dowart stated icily. Despite his general indifference to the fate of others, the old spirit had a soft spot for children and had difficulty masking his anger when they were drawn up into the senseless violence of the adult world.  These feelings were why he risked revealing himself to me.


    Jordan¡¯s figure froze and slowly lost its color. Soon the gray statue of a boy stood on the grass, surprise on its face. Yuena grinned widely.


    ¡°What a catch!¡± She laughed. ¡°Now to shrink him and add him to my collection.¡± A gnarled wooden wand appeared in her hand.


    Dylan had witnessed enough. ¡°So you were the one responsible for the disappearances.¡± He accused, walking out into open.


    ¡°This¡­ I can explain¡­¡± Yuena stammered, speechless. She winced recognizing him. ¡°You¡¯re Dylan, the so-called hero¡­¡±


    Taking a deed breath, she continued awkwardly. ¡°I admit I have been kidnapping children with remarkable talents. It¡¯s such a waste for them to perish in this doomed country. By bringing them back to the Divine Serpent Sect, I can ensure they have a bright future. Please don¡¯t interfere.¡±


    ¡°You want me to look the other way?¡± Dylan asked incredulously.


    ¡°My methods are extreme, but I¡¯m not killing anyone. This for their sake and the benefit of my sect. Please consider¡ª¡ª¡±


    Listening to the deceitful rambling, Dylan loathed himself for believing the thing in front of him might¡¯ve had some redeeming qualities. ¡°Is there anything left of the original owner of that body?¡± He cut in.


    Yuena paused, eyes narrowing. ¡°You know about us¡­? How?¡±


    ¡°I am someone the lot of you has wronged. Liu Mufei, Mingzhu Su, Teng Ling, and Bao Pan have already fallen at my hand.¡° Dylan said flatly. ¡°It¡¯s your turn.¡±


    ¡°You are the one who¡¯s been hunting us down!¡± Yuena exclaimed, showing fear for the first time.


    ¡°You couldn¡¯t help yourself, could you?¡± Dylan shook his head. ¡°Here I was considering sparing you temporarily for the greater good¡­ But then you pushed your luck and went after Jordan Seers.¡±


    Yuena grimaced. ¡°I had to. Bao just died, and he¡¯s perfect for her.¡±


    Dylan recalled the pride Bao had displayed for her beauty. ¡°I don¡¯t think she¡¯d appreciate finding herself in a male host.¡±


    ¡°Yes, true, she might be upset by that.¡± Yuena admitted. ¡°However, she¡¯ll be forced to forgive me once she discovers the amazing potential of this boy.¡±


    Again, Dylan felt the dishonesty in her words. ¡°That¡¯s not it, is it?¡± Appraising the woman¡¯s homely appearance, he spoke the answer which came to him. ¡°You were jealous of her. In looks and talent, the current you couldn¡¯t compare. Sticking her in Jordan Seers is your way of venting your frustration.¡±


    Dylan chuckled. ¡°This also explains your obsession with collecting future ¡®vessels¡¯. Your pitiful dissatisfaction with your current self. You are irredeemable trash.¡±


    Dylan drew out his weapon. ¡°Bao gave me some difficulty. You won¡¯t.¡±


    He channeled the Greater Mystery of life, and the weeds under Yuena sprung up to wrap themselves around her. She struggled to rip herself free, but more blades of grass surged towards her. This was a simple technique taught to him by his teammate, Free. However, reinforced by Resplendent Delusion, it was enough.  Which is sad.


    Panicked, Yuena hurled summoned boulders to keep him away. Dylan dodged these desperate attacks, got close, and drove his sword into her heart. He then twisted the blade for good measure.


    ¡°No¡­¡± Yuena protested as her vigor faded. ¡°Not again¡­¡± Soon the vegetation released its grip, letting her lifeless corpse collapse.


    He searched his fallen foe and found what he was looking for. Withdrawing a sheet from his ouroboros ring, he spread it on the ground and emptied the content of an elaborate lavender pouch. Forty small figurines and a gnarled wand fell out.


    <<What a despicable collection.>> Dowart proclaimed. <<Most of these must be from Sanwue. Who knows how many decades she¡¯s been at it.>>


    Dylan nodded, picking up the wand. ¡°This must be a crazy artifact to permanently shrink so many.¡±


    <<That¡¯s wrong.>> Dowart corrected. <<Although the wand is powerful, it doesn¡¯t have the ability for such a feat. Rather, the secret is the pouch. It¡¯s no doubt the type that freeze the time of all enchantments placed within. As long as these statues are kept out of it, they should return their normal size in a few hours.>>


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Said a voice behind them. Jordan was sitting on the grass in a daze.


    <<That boy is practically a saint, it isn¡¯t too surprising he fought off the petrification.>> Dowart commented.


    Dylan put the figurines away and threw the sheet over Yuena¡¯s body. Jordan watched him do it. ¡°Is she dead?¡± He asked.


    Dylan didn¡¯t try to deny it. ¡°Yes, she was trying to hurt you. She¡¯d also hurt many other children. There was no choice.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡± Jordan said, accepting his words. ¡°So it was all a lie to trick me.¡± Tears welled in his eyes. ¡°Of course my sister couldn¡¯t be alive. I knew it, yet I hoped¡­¡±


    Dylan shifted uncomfortably as Jordan sobbed uncontrollably. Eventually, it became too much. ¡°I know you¡¯re young, but you must learn to contain yourself. Everyone loses loved ones. You can¡¯t let the grief rule your life. I was around this time, but next time you might not be so fortunate.¡±


    The boy looked up with venom in his red eyes. ¡°Do you know what it¡¯s like to lose everything? To return home to find your family, your friends, and everyone you care about gone.¡±


    ¡­ He¡¯s the same, Dylan understood. For me it was the Sacred Cloud Sect, for him it was Rosaria. This hit harder than expected. He recalled his state of mind eleven years ago, the overwhelming sense of loss. I had Xia Ning and Dowart Fain. Who does he have?


    He went over and knelt by the boy. ¡°I apologize for my careless words. I can¡¯t imagine the soul-crushing sorrow you must be feeling, but you can¡¯t give up. For your parents and your sister, for all those that died, You must stay strong. You are their legacy, the proof they existed. Carry their memories onward to honor their passing.¡±


    Dylan reached into the ouroboros ring and withdrew a wondrous sword. The lucid magenta blade glistened in the sunlight. ¡°This is Starlight, a catalyst perfectly suited to you. With its help, you can live up to their hopes and dreams. You can make them proud.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re giving this to me?¡± Jordan asked incredulously.


    ¡°Under one condition.¡± Dylan confirmed. He returned Starlight to its scabbard and brought out another sheet to wrap around it. ¡°You must disguise it as a staff, keeping it covered at all times. If anyone sees it, it could create problems for both of us. Can you do this?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Jordan said. ¡°I promise.¡±


    Dylan handed over the sword. A smile crept on his lips as he watched the boy hug it reverently. He should be fine.


    <<You played a fine hero today.>>  Dowart teased softly.


    He answered with a mental shrug.  <<That¡¯s just the way it worked out.>>

 [Book II Chapter 90] HOPE: Sovengard Politics

    [Book II Chapter 90] HOPE: Sovengard Politics


    ------------------------------------------------


    Hope sighed watching Helix and Gali Karel pour over Astrolis. This morning they¡¯d ask her to move the mech to one of their workshops, and she¡¯d complied out of gratitude for her rescue. That was hours ago, and they didn¡¯t appear any closer to finishing their inspection. Having already explored everywhere, she was left sitting idly, bored stiff.


    Adding to her frustration, her wristal didn¡¯t work down here, and she¡¯d been unable to communicate with anyone. When she¡¯d complained, the twins had told her not to worry since everyone knew she was safe. Apparently, news of her escape with Astrolis had spread across the world. That¡¯s nice, but I¡¯d still like to speak with mother so I can ask what to do next. I was also supposed to start training with Clay Donnaster weeks ago.


    She¡¯d been astonished by Nihilister¡¯s obliteration after she yelled ¡®Cursed Fate¡¯. At first, she¡¯d believed she¡¯d directly caused the destruction, but then Secret had informed it was the work of a weapon system called Artemis. This had brought her back down to earth. From what I was able to gather, Cursed Fate extended the range of their weapon and possibly their inclination to intervene.


    The twin¡¯s had hailed them when they¡¯d entered Aery airspace, instructing them to proceed to Roskild. After passing through large underground airships factories, they¡¯d entered their underground sanctuary deep within the floating island, and Hope had collapsed as soon as she¡¯d been shown to her room. I guess I should be grateful they restrained their curiosity to allow me one night¡¯s sleep.


    ¡°¡­ What do you think of shoulder-mounted disintegrator cannons?¡± Gali asked.  Wait, what?


    ¡°Escuse me.¡± Hope broke in. ¡°Sounds like you¡¯re discussing remodeling. Isn¡¯t that a bit premature?¡±


    The pair immortals turned to her and then glanced at each other. ¡°Astrolis was custom-designed for Jenna Crystal, and you don¡¯t have the power she did.¡± Helix said. ¡°Whether the pilot is you or someone else, alteration will be required.¡±


    ¡°Understandable,¡± Hope replied, ¡°but that¡¯s a problem for later. I¡¯m sure mother will figure something out once I get back.¡±


    ¡°About that¡­¡± Gali gave her a pitying look. ¡°Astrolis represents a paragon-level military asset. Do you believe Queen Kalista will let you just fly it out of Aery?¡±


    ¡°She won¡¯t?¡± Hope said dumbly. The gears in her mind grinded into action, and she began to realize her situation was nowhere close to resolved. Maybe not letting me communicate was no accident.


    ¡°The queen has dispatched Bracus Karel to escort you to Sovengard.¡± Helix explained. ¡°Speaking of which¡­ Sister, I think if we keep him waiting longer, he¡¯ll be upset.¡±


    Gali peeked at the controls next to her, ¡°Judging by the three messages he¡¯s left us, it¡¯s probably too late for that. We¡¯re going to be scolded again, aren¡¯t we?¡±


    Without further elaboration, Hope was ushered into Astrolis and told Bracus would meet her at outside. Once away from the twins, she stopped in the cavernous space between the giant metal airship factories to consult with Secret.


    ¡°Seems like things have gotten complicated again.¡± She said sadly.


    <<I WAS LISTENING TO THEIR CONVERSATION WHEN YOU WERE OFF WANDERING.>>  Secret replied. <<SO I¡¯M MORE INFORMED THAN YOU REGARDING THE MATTER.>>


    ¡°What did they say?¡± Hope asked.


    <<SINCE THEY WERE KNEW THE QUEEN WOULDN¡¯T RELEASE ME, THEY WERE CERTAIN THE TASK OF REFITTING ME WOULD FALL TO THEM.>> Secret reported. <<THEY WERE MORE DIVIDED ON YOUR FATE. WORST CASE, YOU WILL BE CONFINED UNTIL YOU AGREE TO COOPERATE.>>


    ¡°Just great.¡± Hope winced. At least they probably won¡¯t make me wear a severing collar. ¡°Any chance we can escape?¡±


    <<I RECOMMEND AGAINST TRYING.>>  Secret advised. <


    >


    Figures, Hope lamented. ¡°Then there¡¯s no sense in delaying.¡±


    Flying out of Roskild, she turned and was amazed. Lying on the island¡¯s edge was the largest winged creature she¡¯d ever laid eyes on. Mother mentioned him in her stories, but I never really comprehended his size.


    Winterfall was Sovengard¡¯s former guardian beast and Aery¡¯s oldest subject, having served the first king. Only the strongest of immortals were permitted to ride his back. She watched in awe as the dragon rose and spread its wings.


    ¡°About damn time.¡± An angry voice boomed.


    Frazzled by the callout, Hope spotted an armored man standing on the dragon¡¯s enormous head grasping its horns. She quickly broadcasted a reply. ¡°Sorry, I left as soon as I could.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± Bracus replied, softening his tone. ¡°It¡¯s not you I blame. It¡¯s those bloody twins. I bet they were so caught up studying Astrolis they forgot to mention my arrival. Another hour and I would¡¯ve forced my way in to get you.¡±


    ¡°Come, we¡¯ve kept the queen waiting long enough.¡± Bracus finished, urging Winterfell into the sky.


    As they followed, Hope deliberated the mess she found herself in. ¡°How do you feel about being remodeled?¡± She asked Secret.


    <<IT¡¯S A NECESSITY IF I AM TO PARTICIPATE THIS DARK AGE.>>  Secret answered. <<EVEN IF YOU WERE IMMORTAL, YOU COULD NOT OPERATE ME AS JENNA DID. SHE HAD A SUBLIME VAGARY THAT AMPLIFIED THE POWER SHE POURED INTO ME.>>


    <<I AM MORE CONCERN OVER WHO WILL PILOT ME. IF IT¡¯S SOMEONE LOYAL TO THE QUEEN, THIS MEANS I COULD ONE DAY COME INTO CONFLICT WITH YOUR MOTHER, ASTRA SKYFELL. THIS WOULD SADDEN JENNA GREATLY.>>


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    ¡°We can¡¯t let that happen.¡± Hope agreed.


    Aery¡¯s highest island came into view. On three sides stood snow-covered mountains, with Sovengard built in the wide valley between. Unlike its surroundings, patches of inviting green filled the city.


    From afar, the white-stoned buildings resembled those of the Isle of Dreams, but once they drew closer Hope noticed the difference. On the structures were columns, arches and other flourishes. Statues and carvings, large and small, were everywhere. The whole city is a work of art.


    Passing the docks on the outer cliffs, they headed to a wall-off section and dropped towards the central courtyard of a giant palatial complex. Hope grew nervous noting the welcoming party in fancy dress. Five powerful immortals.


    ¡°The silver-haired woman at the front must be queen Kalista.¡± Hope said. ¡°I have no idea who the other four are.¡±


    <<CONSIDERING YOU¡¯RE THE DAUGHTER OF ASTRA SKYFELL, THEY WOULD BE DISAPPOINTED TO LEARN THIS.>> Secret warned. <<IN ATTENDANCE TODAY ARE THE HEADS OF THE SIX GREAT HOUSES. BEHIND THE QUEEN, FROM THE LEFT TO RIGHT, STAND ANASTASIA VELLOR, BRANDON GLADESONG, ELLARIA RAVEN, AND ROBIN BRACK. THE LAST, BRACUS KAREL, YOU ARE ALREADY FAMILIAR WITH.>>


    Committing the names to memory, Hope hopped out. Winterfall landed nearby, and everyone stood silently as Bracus made his way over.


    ¡°You sure kept us waiting.¡± Queen Kalista reproach lightly. ¡°The twins?¡±


    ¡°Please forgive them.¡± Bracus said tiredly. ¡°They¡¯re eager to begin retooling Jenna¡¯s wonder.¡±


    ¡°I believe the question of ownership has yet to be settled.¡± Robin protested.


    Bracus shrugged. ¡°True, but the only the twins have skills worthy of Astrolis.¡±


    ¡°Which is why the pilot will must come from another house¡± Brandon said smoothly. ¡°House Karel is domineering enough already.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t discussing other pilots a little hasty?¡± Hope couldn¡¯t help interjecting. She regretted it immediately as all eyes focused on her.


    ¡°Astrolis might¡¯ve recognized you at its master, but it doesn¡¯t belong to you.¡± Ellaria Raven smiled slyly. ¡°It¡¯s rightfully the property of the Northern Empire, which presents a problem since returning it is unthinkable with Jenna¡¯s murderer on the throne. Considering the twins¡¯ intervention averted its destruction, I believe Aery is within its rights to retain possession.¡±


    ¡°We also saved you from incineration.¡± Robin added. ¡°You are in no position to object.¡±


    ¡°That is¡­¡± Hope struggled, wishing her sister Rose was here. ¡°I don¡¯t¡ª¡ª¡±


    ¡°All semantics aside.¡± Anastasia Vellor cut in. ¡°The reality is Astrolis is too valuable to pass up.¡±


    ¡°True.¡± Kalista agreed. ¡°But there¡¯s no need to settle the issue now. Young Hope is clearly overwhelmed by her arrival in Sovengard. Weren¡¯t you also recently the captive of Argon Blast? Why don¡¯t you take the day to relax and appreciate the splendor of the city. We¡¯ll reconvene tomorrow to continue this discussion.¡±


    The queen snapped her fingers and a knight in white armor appeared next to them. ¡°This escort will answer your questions and show you to your quarters once you¡¯re done taking in the sights.¡±


    With this, the queen retreated, and the others followed. Hope was left alone with her silent attendant. ¡°Hum¡­ where should I go?¡± She asked.


    ¡°I would recommend the statue garden.¡± The knight pointed. ¡°It is the place most palace guest start with.¡±


    Hope entered the garden as suggested, and was relieved when the knight remained at the entrance. At least this is better than a severing collar.  Relaxing slightly, she observed her surrounding and found her mother staring back at her. After a brief shock, she understood the figure of Astra Skyfell was made of stone. It¡¯s a statue¡­


    Hope pivoted in place. All around her stood the flawless representations of Enera¡¯s greatest immortals. So famous were they that she knew most of them. She even spotted a woman who resembled a grown up version of Free. Awe washed away her worries as she wandered. They are detailed down to individual strands of hair. How do you do that with rock?


    She stopped in front of robed figure of elderly man and frowned. There had been other statues she didn¡¯t remember names of, but this was the first one whose face she couldn¡¯t place. Why have I never seen it before?


    In the midst of her pondering, she realized elderly man¡¯s chest was imperceptibly moving. She did a double take, doubting her own eyes. It¡¯s breathing? But it¡¯s rock¡­


    ¡°Almost ¡®as if they¡¯re alive¡¯.¡± Said a jovial voice behind her. Hope turned to find short, well-dressed bearded man, approaching her.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± She asked.


    ¡°Anthony Skyfell,¡± He responded. ¡°Pleased to make your acquaintance.¡±


    That name rang a bell. ¡°You¡¯re Aery¡¯s immortal sculptor!¡±


    ¡°In the flesh.¡± He chuckled.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to meet you here¡­¡± She continued stupidly.


    Anthony looked at her sideways, ¡°I¡¯m married to the queen. Why wouldn¡¯t I be at the palace?¡±


    So I¡¯m talking to Aery¡¯s king? Hope barely kept herself from gawking. I swear I am giving up studying firearms and focusing on immortals until I know them all by heart. I can¡¯t keep going through experiences like this.


    Oblivious to her internal agonizing, Anthony stared up the figure of the elderly man. ¡°Visitors often stop here in confusion, and I can¡¯t really fault them. As far as I know, this is the only statue of Salazar Rook in existence.¡±


    Hope examined the feared villain carefully. He was in sixties with a receding hairline. His face had an amiable expression, but there was a sharp, confident look in his eyes.


    ¡°The reason for these statues of legendary figures¡­¡± Hope asked. ¡°Does it have to do with your sublime vagary?¡±


    ¡°Good guess! I can¡¯t explain the details, but¡­¡± He winked. ¡°In this garden, I may just be the strongest immortal.¡± If he can bring them all to life, that could be true.


    ¡°How was your meeting with my wife?¡± Anthony asked.


    ¡°Short and terrifying.¡± Hope admitted. ¡°I have no idea what¡¯s going to happen to me¡­¡±


    ¡°If you turn over control of Astrolis, nothing at all. You¡¯ll be free to leave straight away.¡± He offered.


    ¡°Unfortunately, that isn¡¯t something I¡¯m prepared to do.¡± Hope said sadly.


    ¡°You¡¯re showing some powerful determination.¡± Anthony raised an eyebrow. ¡°May I ask the reason for it?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t really say¡­¡± Hope apologized. While she got along with this laid back king, she wasn¡¯t ready to reveal Secret¡¯s existence.


    ¡°Don¡¯t fret too much.¡± He assure kindly. ¡°Your position isn¡¯t as bad as you think.¡±


    ¡°Queen Kalista is terrified Astra will return and challenge her to the throne. If this were to occur, she¡¯d need to rely on Bracus Karel as her champion, but she isn¡¯t certain he¡¯d agree. The man isn¡¯t enthusiastic about the prospect of facing your mother, and I don¡¯t blame him. Basically, if the queen provokes Astra unnecessarily, she risks losing his support.¡±


    ¡°Wait¡­¡± Hope said. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t forcing me to turn over Astrolis anger mother and do just that?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but she believes it¡¯s worth the risk.¡± Anthony explained. ¡°With an immortal pilot and a complete refit by the twin, Astrolis could serve as a viable champion. Not only would she no longer be dependent on Bracus, Astra might be deterred from issuing a challenge due to her reluctance to damage Jenna¡¯s mobile armor.¡±


    Hope was shocked. ¡°She wants Astrolis as a hostage to ward off Astra?¡±


    ¡°Essentially, yes.¡± He nodded. ¡°You haven¡¯t been allowed to communicate to prevent you from learning all of this.¡±


    I can¡¯t allow that. Even if I must be a prisoner again, I won¡¯t turn over control. Hope stared hard at the bearded king. ¡°Why are you betraying your wife by explaining this?¡±


    ¡°¡¯Betray¡¯ is a strong word.¡± Anthony sighed. ¡°It¡¯s complicated.¡±


    ¡°When the last king died during the last dark age, both Ethan and Astra were at Bastion leading the campaign against Sola. As the third strongest Skyfell, Kalista was given the throne temporarily. Due to the unstable nature of her rule, Kalista was heavily reliant on those around her. These were mostly immortals who¡¯d stayed behind and focused on Aery¡¯s defense. By contrast, those who fought outside our borders universally favor Astra taking over. This shapes the division of our politics to this day.¡±


    ¡°If the queen gets Astrolis and feels her position secured, Aery will turn more isolationist than it is. The assistance extended to the Adventurer¡¯s Guild will be cut back. The results would be tragic.¡±


    Hope grimaced. I can¡¯t believe there is so much as stake. Why am I in the middle of this?


    Anthony watched her agonize. ¡°One solution would be for you to choose a compromise candidate, someone you trust who the queen will accept.¡±


    If it¡¯s someone that would never turn on mother, that could work, but¡­ ¡°Unfortunately, I don¡¯t know anyone in Aery¡­¡± Hope regretted.

 [Book II Chapter 91] ROSE: The Knights of Oranda

    [Book II Chapter 91] ROSE:  The Knights of Oranda


    ------------------------------------------------


    We must be reaching the end soon, Rose told herself as crimson fireballs sailed towards them from all directions.  The artillery fire had only intensified as they¡¯d made their way deeper into the field of graves, forcing them to pick up their pace.


    Zentrias and Natali at the front blasting a path through the undead while Dawn and Lonar raised ice and rock walls to block off large packs of skeletons.  Although this formation had brought them this far, the situation had turned dire.


    The number of mounted undead galloping in pursuit continued to grow.  No matter how fast they moved, this spectral cavalry could not be shook off, especially since they were criss-crossing the blade-covered hills to avoid the shadows.  At first, Cindy and Noor had held them at bay by knocking down those that got near.  Now, even with Carol helping them, they were constantly on the verge of being overwhelmed.


    ¡°There¡¯s another one.¡±  Natali called out.


    Into the darkness ahead, Rose spotted a skull the size of elephant carried by a hundred spidery, bony legs.  It turned towards them and the fire inside of its mouth glowed brighter and brighter.


    No, you don¡¯t.  Rose finished her spell circle, and a crimson fireball struck the abomination.  She watched it flail wildly as the flames wracked its body.  A direct hit from one of those undead artillery would be lethal.  As it was hard to dodge them up close, it was her job to shut them down.


    ¡°Rose, we¡¯re going to need your help.¡±  Carol said somberly.


    Rose glanced back to see a dozen riders bearing down on them, with several dozen more catching up.


    ¡°One more to that side.¡±  Natali shouted.


    Muttering curses, Rose quickly finished a spell circle then turned back to their pursuers.  However, before she could do anything, a flurry of golden spears flew over her head to impale skeletal steeds.


    ¡°It¡¯s a knight of Oranda.¡±  Zentrias cried out, smiling.  On the ridge of a distant hill stood a woman in golden armor.


    No idea what she¡¯s doing out here, but she sure is a welcome sight.  Reinvigorated, they powered onward, and, several minutes later, their new ally had led them to a strip of land devoid of weapons.  Sensing the comfort of a sanctified ground where everyone collapsed.


    ¡°The name¡¯s Valrie Belmon, knight of Oranda.¡±  The woman announced.  ¡°Congratulations on making it this far.¡±


    After a brief introduction, Zentrias asked if she was by herself.


    Valrie shook her head.  ¡°This floor has four boss arenas, and we split up to cover each of them.  When I saw the artillery fire, I came out to lend a hand.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re waiting for the group from the White Mountain,¡±  Zentris said,  ¡°They had message for you: ¡®sorry we couldn¡¯t make it¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Is that so¡­¡±  Valrie scowled.  ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°They ran into a changeling and lost their youngest member.¡±  Zentrias revealed.  ¡°Which is why I propose you team up with us instead.¡±


    Valrie reflected before nodding.  ¡°That appears our best course of action.¡±  She summoned three armored golden fairies to fetch her squad members.  ¡°We¡¯ll tackle the nearest boss as soon as they¡¯ve joined us.¡±


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we rest up first?¡±  Rose objected.


    ¡°I received a report that Stannis Gilron passed by an hour ago.¡±    Valrie stated.  ¡°There¡¯s no time to waste.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised you split up ahead of that group¡¯s arrival.¡±  Zentrias commented.  ¡°Strikes me as foolish.¡±


    Valrie shrugged.  ¡°With the artillery fire warning us of anyone¡¯s approach, it¡¯s simple enough to avoid danger.¡±


    ¡°What are we facing?¡±  Cindy asked.


    ¡°An unholy paladin.¡±  Valrie answered.


    There was an audible silence.  ¡°Doesn¡¯t that make it more important than ever to be in top shape?¡±


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    Valrie shook her head.  ¡°My squad is rested, and we¡¯ll be doing the heavy lifting.  The only one we require help from is Cindy Roland.  The rest of you can take care of the steed.¡±


    Dawn raised her hand.  ¡°Could you tell us more about this unholy paladin?  Some of us aren¡¯t experts in this field.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re immortal-level undead with tough armor who wield offensive magics and curses.  The most troublesome is the wide negation aura which surrounds them.  Not only does it cancel summoned constructs in a fraction of a second, continuous exposure will induce transience sickness.  Fighting them is a race against the clock.¡°


    Rose pursed her lips.  Negation was the more potent version of necromancy¡¯s canceling magic.  It erode the existence of anything it touched, eventually erasing it entirely.  Just like making something permanent takes a colossal amount of energy, so to does deleting something.  That¡¯s why it¡¯s rarely used in battle except to dispel enemy magic.


    ¡°So you need my lightning.¡±  Cindy chimed in.


    ¡°Exactly.¡±  Valrie agreed. ¡°Only instantaneous attacks are fast enough to overcome the negation.¡±


    A second knight of Oranda arrived.  He and Valrie took Cindy aside to discuss strategy.  Dawn took the opportunity to approach Carol.


    ¡°Anything more to share?¡±  She asked.


    ¡°Not much.¡±  Carol answered.  ¡°Their sin is fervor, and they¡¯ll only retreat from battle if ordered by a standard bearer, which isn¡¯t useful at all in this case.¡±


    The field of graves continued on the other side of the sanctified grounds, and all the blades were angled towards a large chasm.  Valrie led them to the edge.


    The rock beneath their feet went down two dozen feet and then gave way to open space.  Half a mile further down, a weapon-covered hill next to a cliff was lit by a setting sun.  At the top stood a figure sitting on an armored steed.


    ¡°Everyone prepared?¡±  Valrie asked.


    ¡°Wait!¡±  Rose interjected.  ¡°If we¡¯re to work together, could you share your battle plan?¡±  She hated not knowing what was happening.


    ¡°Fine.¡±  Valrie sighed.  ¡°When the unholy paladin charges us, Cindy will halt it¡¯s movement with a burst of lighting, and Ezekiel here will knock it down.¡±  She gesture towards the tallest knight with wild brown hair and jade eyes.


    ¡°Once the horseman is dismounted, it¡¯s steed will transform into a dozen armored undead.  The rest of you will be responsible for this lot while we handle its rider.¡±


    ¡°This is an immortal-level opponent.¡±  Carol said.  ¡°Are you certain dealing with it alone is the best approach?¡±


    ¡°Yes, we¡¯re best suited to this task as golden weapons are resistant to negation.¡±  Valrie declared.  ¡°Besides, we are the knights of Oranda.  This is what we specialize in.  Some lighting bolts from Cindy is all the support we require.¡±


    ¡°Worry not,¡±  Ezekiel added.  ¡°As the Chaos knight¡¯s fifth apprentice, I swear we¡¯ll fell this foul champion.¡±


    They jumped and landed at the foot of the hill.  From above, the paladin stared down at them, its glowing blue eyes filled with hatred and disdain.  Gray robes lined with black covered its dark armor.


    Even from this distance, Rose felt its corrosive presence wearing away at her.  She summoned fire and grimaced watching the flames vanish as soon as they left her hand.  It¡¯ll be tough fighting like this.


    ¡°There¡¯s a weak spot on its chest.¡±  Zentrias observed.  ¡°I can shatter its armor if I strike there.¡±


    At this comment, the knights looked at each other.  ¡°That could be useful.¡±  Valrie said.  ¡°You¡¯re with our group.¡±


    Issuing a ghastly whinny, the skeletal horse rushed forward, and the unholy paladin raised its sword and shield.  The pair was yards away when Cindy unleashed a blazing lightning strike, causing both to flinch.  Taking advantage of the opening, Ezekiel leapt at blinding speed and smashed his war hammer into the rider, sending the undead flying far back.


    From that point on, Rose was no longer able to observe.  This was because the skeletal steed had deformed into a twirling black mass from which eleven armored warriors emerged, each brandishing grimsteel weapons.


    Facing these enemies was far more challenging than it should¡®ve been.  Not only was their stamina depleted, the oppressive negation weighed down on them.  Without fire or summons, Carol and Rose had lost most of their offensive power and were forced into hand to hand combat with grimsteel daggers.  Dawn also struggled, engaging her foes without her ice armor while briefly conjuring ice swords to parry.


    Thankfully, Cindy¡¯s comrades were faring better.  Noor was displaying his prowness as a samurai, landing blow after blow.  With her agility and enchanted short sword, Natali was doing almost as well.  As for Lonar, the monk was the star of the show, completely unaffected by the negation.  With him tackling four opponents by himself, the rest of them managed to persevere.


    Just as they were running low on the energy, golden blades impaled their opponents to the ground.  ¡°Good job.¡±  Valrie said.  ¡°We¡¯ll take it from here.¡±


    With a surge of relief, Rose joined Cindy and Zentrias.  ¡°How did it go on your side?¡±  She asked.


    ¡°Surprisingly smoothly.¡±  Cindy answered.  ¡°The knights succeeded in immobilizing the paladin, allowing Zentrias to pulverize its armor.  From there, they never gave it a chance to recover.  It was pretty one-sided.¡±


    When the knight had finished and walked over, Zentrias spoke out.  ¡°I believe it¡¯s finally time for a well-earned rest.¡±  Rose agreed whole-heartedly.  She was feeling the effects of her exposure to the negation and judged it¡¯d require half a day to wear off.


    ¡°No,¡±  Valrie countered.  ¡°We press on.¡±  Before anyone could object, she brought out a wish seed.  ¡°Let everyone be refreshed.¡±


    Rose¡¯s fatigue, both physical and mental, melted away.  She was elated by the experience.  If a wish seed can do this much, then a miracle can definitely help Roxanne.


    ¡°Was it worth wasting such a treasure?¡±  Zentrias protested, pained.


    ¡°Remember we¡¯re in a high-stakes race.¡±  Valrie said.  ¡°I suspect the next floor is the last, and this will give us a head-start over Stannis¡¯s group.¡±


    They entered the doorway which had opened in the cliff and gazed out on the next area.  A thick dust storm raged over a fractured landscape of floating rocks.  Within this pitch blackness, they could barely make out a spider-web of enclosed passageways connecting geometric buildings.  Loud clanging assaulted them as the winds hurled boulders into the metallic structures.


    ¡°We¡¯ve reached Ground zero.¡±  Zentrias said softly.  ¡°The end is near.¡±

 [Book II Chapter 92] HOPE: Astrolis’s Next Pilot

    [Book II Chapter 92] HOPE: Astrolis¡¯s Next Pilot


    ------------------------------------------------


    A knock on the door drove Hope from her slumber. She groaned, struggling for consciousness.


    ¡°What is it?¡± She demanded grumpily. She¡¯d been up late fretting about a situation beyond her control.


    ¡°You have a visitor.¡± The maid reported. ¡°He¡¯s waiting in the lounge.¡± The door closed before she could ask for details.


    More surprises. Dressing and heading downstairs, she found a man in a poncho slouched on a sofa, a cowboy hat covering his face.


    ¡°Clay Donnaster!¡± She exclaimed. This was the first familiar face she¡¯d seen in a while, and she couldn¡¯t keep the excitement from her voice.


    ¡°Your mother sent me to pick you up.¡± The man smiled, pushing up his hat. ¡°You¡¯re awfully late for your training.¡±


    ¡°Does that mean they¡¯re letting me go?¡± She asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s another matter unfortunately.¡± Clay sighed. ¡°Why don¡¯t you grab a breakfast? We can discuss as you eat.¡±


    A veritable banquet was laid out in the dining hall. Hope wanted to decry the waste, but her growling stomach prompted her to reconsider. Thanks to Clay¡¯s reassuring presence, her hunger was making itself known, and she scarfed down the delicacies.


    Clay sat across from her. ¡°What do you know on Aery politics?¡± He asked.


    ¡°That there are two main factions: the isolationists who support the queen and the interventionalists who favor Astra.¡± Hope managed between muches.


    ¡°Color me impressed. That¡¯s a decent simplification.¡± Clay chuckled. ¡°And here Astra warned me you knew nothing.¡±


    ¡°Anyway¡­¡± Clay leaned forward with a serious expression. ¡°This is a delicate situation, but I¡¯m going to try to help. Do you have any objections if I act as your representative?¡±


    ¡°None.¡± Hope said firmly. ¡°Please do.¡±


    Clay nodded. ¡°I should warn you getting Astrolis out of Aery is a lost cause. Instead we need to focus¡ª¡ª¡±


    A white knight entered the room. ¡°The queen summons Hope Skyfell. Please come with me.¡±


    As they were led across the palace, Clay whispered to her. ¡°Except of Bracus Karel who returned to Roskild, the heads of the great house are in Sovenguard. In addition, Cacelia Skyfell, queen Kalista¡¯s long time adviser and confidant, will be present. She and Robin Brack lead the isolationist faction. Brandon Gladesong and Anastasia Vellor are interventionists and our allies. Ellaria Raven is unaligned.¡±


    ¡°What about Bracus?¡± Hope asked.


    ¡°He¡¯s unaligned but on friendly terms with the queen.¡± Clay answered.


    They entered a grand hall and Hope was stunned by the decor. The room¡¯s gray and white stone was fitted together flawlessly, and every inch was carved to perfection. Statues and relief art were everywhere, with gorgeous columns lining the walls.


    Queen Kalista Skyfell sat on a white throne, Antoine by her side on another. Behind her was a woman Hope didn¡¯t recognize. That must be Cacelia. Below the queen, Robin Brack and Ellaria Raven stood on one side while Brandon Gladesong and Anastasia Vellor stood across from them.


    The queen looked them over and frowned. ¡°Clay Donnaster¡­ While it¡¯s a pleasure to see you again, I don¡¯t remember requesting your presence.¡±


    ¡°Hope was schedule to enter my tutelage before her capture.¡± Clay answered smoothly, while bowing. ¡°I merely came to fetch her.¡±


    Kalista crossed her arms. ¡°That doesn¡¯t explain why you¡¯re accompanying Hope now.¡±


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    ¡°Who let him meet her to begin with?¡± Cacelia added sharply.


    ¡°It was me.¡± Antoine spoke up.


    The queen and Cacelia turned sharply. ¡°Wha¡ª¡ª¡± Cacelia began before Kalista raised her hand for silence.


    ¡°Dear, you usually scorn political affairs and abscond when I hold court. Why involve yourself today?¡± There was curiosity and a hint of suspicion in the queen¡¯s words.


    ¡°You might have forgotten, but immortals can be intimidating, especially to a seventeen year old.¡± Antoine replied. ¡°I¡¯m here because I¡¯ve never tolerated the mistreatment of children.¡±


    Kalista listened and smiled. ¡°True, you¡¯ve always cared strongly about that. Very well, Clay Donnaster can join us for this audience.¡±


    ¡°First order of business, I¡¯d like to extend an invitation to Hope Skyfell to remain in Aery as Astrolis¡¯s pilot.¡± She continued. ¡°Do you accept?¡±


    Clay glance towards her, and she shook her head. ¡°She declines the offer.¡± No one appeared surprised.


    ¡°In that case, we move one on to the matter of finding a new caretaker for Jenna¡¯s Marvel.¡± The queen declared. ¡°Hope will remain as our guest until the matter is settled.¡±


    ¡°If I may be so bold,¡± Clay spoke up. ¡°I¡¯m sure there¡¯ll be plenty of negotiating before the great houses settle on someone. Why not allow Hope to leave in the meanwhile?¡±


    ¡°Sadly, that won¡¯t be possible.¡± Robin Brack smirked. ¡°As there is nothing left to discuss.¡±


    ¡°We came to an arrangement this morning.¡± Anastasia concurred.


    ¡°That was¡­ an unusually swift consensus.¡± Clay stammered, which made Hope¡¯s anxiety resurface. ¡°Who did you settle on?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the process we finalized.¡± The queen explained. ¡°Each house with put forward candidates ¡ª¡ªas many as they¡¯re able¡ª¡ª and Hope will select among them.¡±


    They made this a game, Hope realized. I¡¯ll face an endless stream of petitioners competing to sway me, and I¡¯ll have to play along I wish to escape this palace. This is hell. She loathed being the center of attention this way.


    ¡°And you all agreed to this?¡± Clay asked incredulously, looking to Anastasia Vellor and Brandon Gladesong.


    ¡°We did.¡± Anastasia answered. Brandon nodded. Unless I¡¯m missing something, I should make my pick from their faction. Wouldn¡¯t that prevent the queen from leveraging Astrolis against mother?


    ¡°Ahum.¡± Antoine cleared his troat loudly. ¡°To be clear, as long as someone put forward by a great house is accepted by Hope, then no one present will object?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± Ellaria Raven confirmed.


    ¡°Perfect.¡± Antoine continued. ¡°Then I¡¯ll put forward the first candidate. Emerit Blaze, please come out.¡±


    Hope¡¯s eyes opened wide as Emerit strode in from a side door wearing his usual crimson clothes and fiery-patterned cloak. Queen Kalista winced seeing his red-tipped orange hair. ¡°So tacky and crass¡­¡±


    ¡°Now, now¡­¡± Antoine said gently. ¡°You promised you¡¯d make an effort for the Dark Age.¡±


    ¡°That I did.¡± Kalista groaned. ¡°I suppose I can tolerate Emirit for the greater good.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the immortal Emrit Blaze.¡± The man corrected, before winking at Hope. ¡°I¡¯ve been busy.¡±


    ¡°I choose Emirit as Astrolis¡¯s next pilot.¡± Hope declared loudly, before anyone could speak. He¡¯s perfect, and I¡¯m not losing this chance.


    An uncomfortable silence fell over the room. ¡°Is he even a member of house Skyfell?¡± Robin eventually protested.


    ¡°I am a Sovengard native.¡± Emerit confirmed. ¡°Despite what my affinity suggests.¡±


    ¡°Yet, you rejected my matchmaking attempts in the past.¡± Cacelia cut in. ¡°Have you had a change of heart?¡±


    ¡°I have, as long as I can keep my name.¡± Emerit grinned. ¡°I¡¯ve grown attached to it.¡±


    ¡°Will your children be Skyfells?¡± Cacelia pressed.


    ¡°They will.¡± Emerit nodded.


    Cacelia exchanged glances with the queen. ¡°He is a legitimate candidate¡­¡± She admitted.


    With a look of resignation, Kalista leaned back in her throne. ¡°Then this matter is concluded.¡± She announced. ¡°Once Astolis¡¯s ownership is transfered, Hope is free to go.¡±


    Hope quickly met up Emerit after leaving court. ¡°How did you end up here?¡± She asked.


    ¡°Antoine contacted me yesterday, interrupting my week long celebration after reaching the Wall of Legends.¡± Emirit revealed. ¡°I agreed to return immediately once he explained you were in trouble.¡±


    ¡°To be honest, the thought of piloting Astrolis would¡¯ve been enough to convince me.¡± He added sheepishly.


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised Cacelia and the queen went along with this.¡± Clay chimed in.


    ¡°The queen cares for Antoine dearly. The fact I was his nominee was enough for her to give up her scheming rather than confront him.¡± Emirit revealed. ¡°As for Cacelia, she saw the writing on the wall and so switched her focus. Recruiting Astrolis and an immortal to house Skyfell was decent consolidation prize.¡±


    ¡°About that,¡± Clay said. ¡°If not for the king¡¯s interferance, wouldn¡¯t Astrolis have ended up with house Gladesong or Vellor? Why did the queen go along with such an approach?¡±


    ¡°Because she obtained assurances from all the other houses that their candidates would act as her champion if necessary.¡± Emerit smirked. ¡°Unfortunately for her, house skyfell wasn¡¯t part of this arrangement.¡±


    ¡°What about the matchmaking?¡± Hope asked. ¡°Are you really going to marry?¡±


    Emerit gave her a long look. ¡°When needs be, I can be more serious than anyone. I love myself and this world I live in. By becoming Astrolis¡¯s pilot, I can protect it.¡±


    ¡°I fled Sovenguard when Cacelia first approached me about finding a partner. Since I¡¯m a little Flamboyant for queen Kalista¡¯s tastes, she convinced Cacelia to drop the matter. However, I¡¯ve become an immortal and a dark age has begun. I can no longer shirk my responsibilities. Besides, my reason for doing so has already passed away.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re fine with this?¡± Hope asked.


    Emerit nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best to love my wife, but it might be for the best if I don¡¯t. It¡¯ll be less painful when I outlive her¡­¡±


    He then made Hope jump with a loud clap. ¡°Enough of this. Where¡¯s Astrolis? I can¡¯t wait to go for a spin.¡±

 [Book II Chapter 93] DAWN: Liches

    [Book II Chapter 92] DAWN: Liches


    ------------------------------------------------


    Impaled to the ground by countless golden blades, the mummified corpse hissed venomously one last time then went still. Dawn half suspected they¡¯d rise again. So that was a lich¡­ I can¡¯t help feel disappointed. The knights of Oranda had taken the lead in the fight, relegating the rest of them to a supporting role. There¡¯d been no sense of danger, even with this supposedly formidable opponent. They¡¯re making this too easy.


    ¡°We take short break.¡± Valrie declared, resting against the black metallic wall. They were traveling inside the recreation of Sola¡¯s twisted structures, where saint and immortal-level undead wandered. Each corridor and chamber brought its own unpleasant surprise. This time it¡¯d been the reanimated remains of a necromancer.


    Dawn sighed, shaking her head. Since the burning city, she¡¯d made no headway towards unlocking her sublime vagary, which was particularly vexing after that success. In her heart, she sensed that fully activating it once more would reveal all its secrets. Unfortunately, the desperate straits she craved were proving elusive.


    I thought that changeling might¡¯ve been my chance, but Rose had to rise to the occasion. She spotted her sister resting in corner and was gripped by a surge of resentment which she quickly dismissed.  I can¡¯t blame her for doing her best.


    She walked over and and plopped herself next to her sibling. ¡°I know roughly what liches are, but how exactly do they come into being?¡±


    ¡°While true necromancers, those who have graduated from Xarst, are as unkillable as the undead, each time they revive it wears away at their souls and causes a growing fatigue.¡± Rose answered without looking up. ¡°When this become too much, they finally relinquish their hold on life.¡±


    She paused. ¡°Do you remember how Wise held on to my soul, preventing me from passing on?¡±


    ¡°I do.¡± That¡¯s how Free brought you back.


    ¡°Necromancers can do that to themselves by forming a barrier which prevents them from dying even if they wish to. As a side affect, the usual fatigue is reduced. Instead, pressure builds on their soul, and, at a certain point, it fractures. The good part departs and the abyss pours in to replace it. What¡¯s left is a lich.¡±


    ¡°Why would anyone do that to themselves?¡± Dawn asked.


    ¡°Because of the extra endurance.¡± Rose shrugged. ¡°For someone like Nero, anchoring the soul is a viable measure to win a battle. That¡¯s why it¡¯s only forbidden within Xarst. Outside, it¡¯s left a practitioner¡¯s own discretion.¡±


    I suppose it makes sense for someone who can perfectly predict the future, Dawn reflected. ¡°How often are liches produced?¡±


    ¡°Rarely under normal circumstances.¡± Rose revealed. ¡°Sealing off death off is an advanced technique only experienced necromancers can manage. However, during the last dark age, Sola offered rings of undying to her followers. Even a weak necromancer wearing one became a frightening opponent who needed to be defeated twice, once as a human and again as a lich.¡±


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    ¡°Those rings could be among this dungeon¡¯s loot.¡± Dawn realized.


    ¡°Most likely.¡±  Rose agreed.


    A notion struck her. ¡°What about the item Sola gave Byron, the one Ethan now holds. It was a called a necromancer¡¯s soul, I think. Is it the same as these rings?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m guessing it¡¯s a more potent version which keeps the soul intact at the cost of an ever-deepening corruption.¡± Rose responded.  ¡°There might be one of those here too, together with who knows what else.¡±


    As they resumed their journey through the maze of passageways, once more making solid progress, Dawn¡¯s frustration only grew. This is a saint-level undead dungeon, can¡¯t it be more challenging?


    Eventually they reached a spacious dome. The withered plants and barren soil suggested it might have been a park. Two figures clad in black rested under a dead tree. As one they rose, their lifeless eyes pulsing blue. Dawn¡¯s mood instantly improved.


    ¡°Two at once¡­¡± Valrie said. ¡°We should retreat.¡±


    As if sensing their thoughts, one of the liches reached out and a wall of bones blocked the entrance they¡¯d used. Meanwhile the other lifted a hand, and dozens of grimsteel weapons materialized in the air. With a wave, it sent them flying.


    ¡°No choice but to fight.¡± Ezekiel declared, batting away several swords. Being chased through this place by those two would probably be a bad idea anyway, Dawn thought to herself. She had no desire to repeat their dash through the prison.


    ¡°Watch out.¡± Natali cried out. Skeletons were growing out of the grimsteel blades scattered around them. They picked up the weapons and attacked. So they weren¡¯t just projectiles. Smashing the nearest foe, Dawn glanced at the two immortal-level undead.


    One was now clad in a defensive layer of grimsteel while its companion wore armor made of bones. The grimsteel lich roared, charging forward while summoning more weapons. Dawn smiled as the hairs on the back of her neck stood up. This time¡­


    ¡°Damn it, we¡¯ll handle the grimsteel one.¡± Valrie called out. ¡°The eight of you take the other.¡±


    Leaving the knights of Oranda to their enemy, Dawn raced ahead, dispatching skeletons on the way. Then the room suddenly shifted, and she felt herself falling upwards. It can manipulate gravity! If it could wield such advanced necromancy, then it was stronger than the one they¡¯d faced earlier. Landing on the ceiling, she saw the bone lich finishing a gray magic circle.


    The structure trembled as thick pillars of bones emerged from every surface, towering over them like enormous white tentacles. One swung down at the group behind her, and Zentrias intercepted it. The pillar exploded where he struck, and the blast sent bone fragments everywhere.


    We can¡¯t let it cast any more spells. Forming ice wings, she flew towards the lich. However, it summoned two giant bone cleavers and leaped pass her. Time slowed as she watched it dropped on the still-stunned Zentrias, chopping off both his arms. It then swung again, separating his body in three.


    ¡°Nooooooo!¡±  Carol screeched, scrambling towards her fallen comrade, ignoring the lich and its raised cleavers.


    Don¡¯t you dare! Dawn swooped down, smashing the undead back with her short swords. Despite being struck with her full power, it landed on its feet a short distance away. She swore she saw a smug grin within its bone helm.


    This is what I was hoping for, she realized. I wished for an opponent that could overwhelm us and now Zentrias is dead. Worse, she sensed the foreign power she¡¯d been searching for. Despising herself, she seized it and sent out a flurry of ice lances. Surprised, the liched parried and backed away.


    I¡¯ll make you pay, she vowed to herself. However, before she could follow up, an enormous black arm knocked the lich away. A tall lanky giant with a round smiling face appeared out of the air. ¡°Kill him Smiley!¡± Carol shouted.

 [Book II Chapter 94] ROSE: A Grim Discovery

    [Book II Chapter 94] ROSE: A Grim Discovery


    ------------------------------------------------


    He¡¯s dead. Rose stared at Zentrias in shock. I knew it could happen, but¡­


    ¡°Rose and Noor, you deal with the pillars.¡± Cindy shouted. ¡°Everyone else back up Dawn and Carol.¡±


    Grimacing, Rose focused and roasted the nearest piles of bones, which thrashed around madly. Dodging the wild attacks, she keep an eye on the battle. After blocking Dawn¡¯s ice lances with barriers of bones, the lich was retreating up a wall, and Smiley was crawling after it with Carol his back. So it can manipulate its own gravity towards the surface it¡¯s standing on.


    The lich raised its left hand, the only portion of its body not clad in bone armor. The cyan crystal on its black glove lit up ominously, and gravity was restored to normal. She found herself pulled towards the floor but was ready this time.


    Landing gracefully, she noticed Zentrias remains fall besides her, and a though crossed her mind. Maybe I could do for him what Wise did for me. The knights were gifted with creation magic. Maybe they could put him back together?


    Having made her decision, she hopped over and frowned at what she saw. The pieces of Zentrias were intertwined with bandages, which were tightly binding his injuries and preventing blood loss. Shaking off her confusion, she reached out and was surprised to discover the soul firmly there. Something is anchoring it?


    Observing the bandages, she realized they were moving, slowly reuniting the severed body parts. Where are they coming from? She located the source of the undulating strands of fabric. From within Zentrias¡¯s new gauntlets, they were traveling up the arms and spreading over to the rest of him. As she watched, a new batch shot out, adding another layer to the reconnected areas. Resurrecting their wielder¡­ These gauntlets are truly Sola¡¯s work.


    Zentrias sat up, eyes in a daze. He held his head then winced in pain. Drawing his hand away, he stared bewildered at what it had become. Oh my god¡­  The metal fingers emerging from the gauntlets had narrowed and transformed into claw-like blades. Can he take them off with them like that?


    ¡°Rose, what are you doing?¡± Cindy cried out. ¡°We need your help over here.¡±


    Right, the lich! She turned to leave, but Zentrias shot past her. Leaping high, he fell on the lich. Dismayed by this attack from a defeated foe, the undead prepared its cleavers. This time, however, spidery fingers grabbed the weapons, and they were promptly shattered by destructive magic.


    The lich drew back, but not fast enough. Finger blades pierced its pauldrons, digging into its shoulders. When they withdrew, the undead¡¯s arms were explosively ejected from its body. Zentrias continued with a flurry of strikes, penetrating deep into his off-balance opponent. A second later, the puncture wounds glowed a malevolent violet and blasted the undead apart.


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    Everyone stood still, stunned silent. Cindy reacted first. ¡°Not sure how you¡¯re alive, Zentrias, but I¡¯m leaving the rest here to you. My lightning should be effective against that grimsteel lich.¡± With that she went to assists the knights.


    ¡°Me too.¡± Dawn declared. ¡°Don¡¯t let this one reassemble.¡±


    Rose noticed the scattered pieces of rotted flesh pilling together. I think not. She unleashed torrents of flames to roast them and blow them apart. Undead who possessed corpses in general took longer to revive. It was fairly simple to prevent them from doing so once they were pulverized to this extend. Amid the fire, she spotted the lich¡¯s black glove and snatched it up. Maybe it won¡¯t vanish with him.


    ¡°I thought you died¡­ How?¡± Carol approached Zentrias with trepidation, as if afraid to believe he was unharmed. It must be a shock, even if a good one.


    ¡°It¡¯s these things.¡± Zentrias raised his hands. ¡°They brought me back.¡±


    Carol touched the gauntlets and winced.  ¡°So they were cursed. Sorry, I didn¡¯t detect it earlier. Then again, without them you¡¯d be dead¡­¡±


    Shortly after the bone lich disintegrated, Valrie and her knights returned, accompanied by Dawn and Cindy. ¡°Congratulations!¡± She said. ¡°I¡¯m impressed you defeated yours before us.¡±


    ¡°About that¡­¡±  Rose explained what had happened, including where they¡¯d discovered the gauntlets. The knights were quiet as she finished.


    ¡°What do you think?¡± Valrie asked Ezekiel.


    ¡°The same thing as you.¡± Ezekiel answered. ¡°It¡¯s unmistakable.¡±


    Valrie sighed. ¡°The good news is those gauntlets were one of the highest priority items to recover from this dungeon. Now they won¡¯t fall into Stannis¡¯s hands.¡±


    ¡°And the bad news?¡± Zentrias asked.


    ¡°What you¡¯re wearing is definitely an artifact belonging to the last avatar of fear. They were called Nuzou¡¯s talons.¡±


    Rose eyes went wide. He¡¯s the one who tortured Roxanne! She remembered the prison and the wretches with bladed hands. They must¡¯ve been Nuzou¡¯s victims. As for the boss at the end, maybe that was the man himself?


    ¡°We didn¡¯t recognize them before, but those bandages are infamous.¡± Valrie continued. ¡°Not only did they make him nearly unkillable, Nuzou could consciously control them. They were how he wrapped up and kidnapped so many off the battlefield.¡±


    She inspected Zentrias. ¡°Are you feeling anything unusual?¡±


    ¡°I am.¡± He answered. ¡°They¡¯re making me more irritated and aggressive. I attacked the lich as soon as I laid eyes on it, without a second though.¡±


    ¡°Is that corruption from being revived?¡± Dawn asked. ¡°Like how a necromancer soul works?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s more dire than that.¡± Valrie revealed. ¡°Those gauntlets aren¡¯t just some weapon Sola gave Nuzou, they¡¯re the instrument she used to drive him mad. Before she gifted them to him, he was only a paranoid recluse, not a monster.¡±


    She pointed to Zentrias¡¯s hands. ¡°Now that they¡¯ve awakened, they¡¯ll eat away at your sanity.¡±


    ¡°Can you take them off?¡± Carol asked.


    Zentrias shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s like my fingers are welded inside.¡±


    ¡°Hate to suggest this¡­¡± Noor said quietly. ¡°But should we cut them off?¡±


    Carol quickly interposed herself. ¡°You can¡¯t. They might be the only thing holding him together.¡±


    ¡°I concur.¡± Cindy added. ¡°The lich removed his arms and that didn¡¯t work. I fear we¡¯d only create injuries which would accelerate his mental decline.¡±


    ¡°Agreed.¡± Valrie said. ¡°The best approach is to have him exit the dungeon. The adventurer¡¯s guild will figure out a solution.¡±


    ¡°In that case, I propose we shelve this discussion for now.¡± Ezekiel declared. ¡°We can¡¯t send him back to the last sacred ground by himself, so there¡¯s no choice but to bring him with us to the next one. We can take stalk of the situation once there.¡±


    There were no objections. As they left, Rose glanced at the black glove in her hand. I should check with the others to make sure they aren¡¯t cursed.

 [Book II Chapter 95] FILIA: Sofix Headquarters

    [Book II Chapter 95] FILIA: Sofix Headquarters


    ------------------------------------------------


    Kate walked onto the airship, holding a leather leach which connected to the shackles locked on Sana¡¯s wrists. Silver and Filia followed a short distance behind, joining her once she stopped at the front of the deck. Sana sat against the railing looking forlorn while they admired the view. The cityscape of Neon was visible far below. I¡¯ll soon be home, Filia thought.


    ¡°Excuse me,¡± A young woman in uniform asked nervously, ¡°could I ask what is going on?¡± She gestured at their captive.


    ¡°She¡¯s a criminal we¡¯re escorting to Nordric¡¯s Adventurer¡¯s Guild.¡± Kate snapped. Her tone sent the deckhand scurrying away.


    Upon reaching Bastion, they¡¯d reported what had transpired in Ransas and everything they¡¯d uncovered. Since Lily Morgana, Kate¡¯s mother, had been in the city, they¡¯d spent the next day catching up. This morning, after bidding goodbye, they¡¯d crossed the half-arched portal and wandered Novgard before taking this airship. Once they disembarked, Filia would go her separate way.


    ¡°Can I have my pouches back?¡± Sana whined pleadingly.


    Both Kate and Silver returned a glare. One of those they¡¯d rescued belonged to a wealthy Ransas family. Unbeknown to them, he¡¯d gifted Sana a second dimensional pouch in appreciation. They¡¯d only discovered this an hour ago when Kate had grown suspicious with how ¡®well-behaved¡¯ the wolf-girl was being and did thorough search.


    Silver held up a small brown pouch and shook it lightly. At the muffled sound of a heap of items clinking together, Sana recoiled and buried her head between legs, her dog ears flat on her hair. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you gathered this much in less than two days¡­¡± He said disappointed.


    Apparently, Sana¡¯s separation from Margaret had sent her impulses into overdrive. During their brief stay in Bastion, she¡¯d amassed a cache of stolen goods larger than the one they¡¯d left with Nicholas. I am so relieved it¡¯s none of my concern. Filia imagined the two would bring up the issue when they met with Astra later today.


    <<We¡¯re close enough now.>> Cici said.


    <<Good idea.>> ¡°I¡¯ll take off here.¡± Filia declared, fleeing the awkward mood. After a quick farewell, she spread her wings and dropped towards Neon. Reaching one of the five great towers which intersected the city, she landed on a balcony two hundred stories up. Inside, a woman behind a desk looked up and smiled, ¡°What may Sofix do for you today?¡±


    This was a reception desk for individuals of interest. As a longtime sukemon collector and saint, she¡¯d been granted access a while back, but it was her first time visiting.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to speak with whoever is investigating the Laughing Man attacks.¡± She answered.


    The woman paused, recognizing her. ¡°You¡¯re Filia, the one Geordan Price gave his deck to¡­ I have instructions to send you to Hans Leveson as soon as you show up.¡±


    ¡°Please take this elevator.¡± She gesture to one side. ¡°I¡¯ll let him know you¡¯re coming.¡±


    <<Hans Leveson¡­ Why is that name familiar?>> Cici asked as they stepped into the lift.


    <<Because he¡¯s the head of Sofix, the final authority on all things sukemon. He¡¯s also one of those who run this city.>> Filia explained.


    <<Sounds like a pretty big deal¡­>>


    <<It is.>> Filia confirmed, letting the galebat¡¯s naive curiosity relax her nerves.


    The doors opened, and she exited to a great hall where guards stood at attention on either side. She subtly glanced at their remodeled bodies and saw barely any flesh. Near total replacements¡­


    Eternal youth could only be achieve through the Wall of Legend. However, if all you desired was the power of immortal, then it was possible to come close to it by giving up your humanity. The men here had skin made of unearthly materials and artificial limbs powered by the strongest of enchantments. Filia doubted she could match one of them.


    ¡°He¡¯s waiting within.¡± Said a guard by an impressive door. She nodded and entered.


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    In a wide barren room, Hans gazed at her across a polished desk. Behind him, transparent glass offered a magnificent view of the Neon. ¡°You¡¯ve arrived.¡± He said in a soft, mechanical voice. ¡°Please, have a seat.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to involve yourself personally¡­¡± Filia apologized.


    <<He looks frail.>> Cici commented.


    <<That¡¯s because he¡¯s the second oldest saint in world.>> Filia explained as she installed herself.


    <<Then is he really that important?>> Cici pressed, confused.


    <<Quiet please.>> Filia chided. Still, she couldn¡¯t help studying the man facing her. His golden metallic hands were clasped together patiently while pupilless blue eyes observed her. Tubes protruding from his back traveled down and connected to the hovering armchair beneath him. Similarly to the men posted outside, the majority of his original body was long gone. He¡¯d sacrificed his flesh and leveraged his extensive wealth towards the singular purpose of keeping himself alive. There was an open debate on whether he¡¯d expire before the HEAVENLY DAO recognized his value.


    If something is going to trigger his passing, it¡¯ll be this dark age.  ¡°How¡¯s your health?¡± She immediately regretted asking as she endured Hans¡¯s stare.


    ¡°No need to concern yourself.¡± Reaching into a drawer, he brought out a handful of miracle seeds and let them roll across the desk. ¡°I can assure you I¡¯ll outlive you.¡±


    ¡°Sorry.¡± Filia managed awkwardly.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been a hard woman to track down.¡± Hans continued. ¡°May I see Geordan Price¡¯s cards?¡±


    Filia handed over the deck holder, and he gradually spread them out. This took a minute as the small dimensional pouch held over a thousand cards, all of them uncommon or rarer. ¡°Thank you. We knew most of these already, but confirmation is always appreciated.¡± He looked her in the eye. ¡°I would like to hold onto these for safekeeping.¡±


    Filia¡¯s heart sank. The suggestion made sense. The vaults of Neon¡¯s great towers stored treasures from around Enera and were about as secure as you could get. But I can¡¯t, not now¡­ I might never get them back.


    ¡°The reason I came here today is because I have resolved to prevent whatever the Laughing Man is planning. These cards were entrusted to me. They are my only real lead, and I¡¯d like to hold onto them, even if doing so places them at greater risk.¡± She waited for the man¡¯s response.


    ¡°I suppose I understand.¡± Hans sighed. ¡°However I doubt holding onto them will do much good.¡±


    Filia frowned. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°The Laughing Man has other avenues to achieve his end.¡± Hans explained. ¡°What he¡¯s after is not the uniques which were in Price¡¯s possession, but rather the ultra rares with several copies in circulation. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t be targeting adventurer.¡±


    That makes sense. ¡°What do you think he¡¯s after?¡± She asked.


    ¡°Access to the sukemon realm, obviously.¡± Hans stated. ¡°As to what he¡¯s planning, that answer eludes us. Rather, the fact he bothered to learn anything about sukemon is incomprehensible enough.¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t his idea originally.¡± Filia quickly relayed what Finley had let slip.


    ¡°So the Laughing Man has apostles¡­¡± Hans smirked. ¡°I bet Amanda doesn¡¯t know this or she would¡¯ve mentioned it already. I wonder what face she¡¯ll make when I reveal this little nugget.¡±


    ¡°By Amanda, do you mean¡ª¡ª¡± Filia began.


    ¡°The head of Guardstone? Yes¡± Hans cut in. ¡°I had no choice but to involve her after the Rosaria fiasco. It¡¯s her area of expertise.¡±


    Guardstone was a global firm specializing in private security and information brokering. Most of the vast knowledge which could previously be accessed via the Pillar of Enera was housed in the data banks of its tower here in Neon. It acted as intermediary for all manner of mercenaries and had intimate dealings with the Adventurer¡¯s Guild due to its role in issuing quests on behalf of private parties. Rumors swirled it even had dealings with the Assassin¡¯s Guild.


    ¡°Have the two of you made any progress on this case?¡± Filia asked Hopefully.


    Hans reach forward and separated two hundred cards from rest, ¡°These are the ultra rares. And these¡­¡± He went through and removed certain cards one by one. ¡°Are the ones the Laughing Man has already obtained. What he¡¯s after is among what¡¯s left.¡±


    This should be useful.  Filia examined the remaining hundred and twenty cards. ¡°What else have you uncovered?¡± She continued excitedly.


    ¡°Nothing.¡± Hans declared.


    ¡°Really¡­?¡± Filia deflated. Is this the best he could do even with Guardstone¡¯s help?


    ¡°You may be forgetting I have responsibilities far beyond the sukemon world.¡± Hans offered amicably.


    Oh, right¡­ Sofix was an entertainment giant with vast reach. The majority of the world¡¯s art trade happened within its galleries and auction houses, and it held a near monopoly over book and magazine publishing. As a result, many ¡®artistic immortals¡¯, such as Jonathan Bark, were indebted to the company. Sukemon is merely the biggest brand of its children¡¯s division.


    ¡°The reason I involved myself in this case was Geordan Price, who was a long time ally of Sofix and a friend.¡± Hans revealed. ¡°However, there are other pressing matters vying for my attention, such as Neon¡¯s refugee crisis and strengthening the city¡¯s defenses.¡±


    He wields more power than most immortals.  ¡°I¡¯m sorry for intruding so long.¡± Filia gathered up her cards. ¡°I¡¯ll contact you if I discover anything.¡±


    She was about to leave when Hans stopped her. ¡°Actually, there is something you could do for us. A unique card has appeared in a dungeon. Normally we would make an announcement, but we¡¯d prefer to handle this more discreetly given the circumstances."


    ¡°You want me to fetch it for you?¡± Filia guessed.


    Hans shook his head. ¡°You can keep it. All we care about is that it¡¯s retrieved before news of its existence leaks. With the Laughing Man attacking collectors, we can¡¯t have adventurers flocking to an isolated location. It¡¯d end in a massacre.¡±


    Filia glanced towards the exit. ¡°Why don¡¯t you have one of your bodyguards retrieve it?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± Hans grumbled. ¡°Because of our deal with the HEAVENLY DAO, it has to be someone unaffiliated with Sofix. We¡¯ve attempted to recruit a saint or an immortal, but thanks to Kaygren¡¯s invasion, not many are free.¡±


    And most likely don¡¯t appreciate the importance. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll do it.¡± She declared.

 [Book II Chapter 96] Astra: The Incorruptible Flame

    [Book II Chapter 96] Astra: The Incorruptible Flame


    ------------------------------------------------


    ¡°What was so important?¡± Astra demanded as she strode in. She¡¯d cut short her meeting with Silver and Kate to come here and was in sour mood.


    Three people sat around the table. On the right was Julius Edgar, the owner of this office. It took her a second to place the woman on his left.


    ¡°Yuria Raven¡­ I¡¯m amazed you¡¯re here.¡± Astra stated dryly as she joined them. Nordric¡¯s guildmaster was famous for rarely frequenting the guild, leaving everything to her second in command. It¡¯s my first time meeting her in person.


    ¡°Now that it¡¯s a Dark Age, I keep in contact regularly.¡± Yuria answered. ¡°This was something I wouldn¡¯t miss.¡± She glanced towards their fourth member.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to introduce Ross Exor, The Incorruptible Flame.¡± Julius announced. ¡°He has news of what transpired in the Northern Empire.¡±


    Astra appraised the man. He wore a gray set of armor with a dark crimson cloak. A grim expression marred his handsome face. ¡°What happened?¡± She asked.


    ¡°As you are aware, Samuel Lithorn summoned all the immortal members of the bloodstone order to the capital. Rumor was he would announce a succession plan, and over a hundred answered the call. I was among them.¡± Ross took a deep breath. ¡°The first words out of his mouth were ¡®they never saw it coming¡¯.¡±


    He shook his head. ¡°Since we were all distrustful of him, we believed ourselves safe from his sublime vagary. We underestimated him. Apparently, simply accepting his invitation was an act of trust he could leverage. Employing the ancient magic within the blood throne, Coralin Dorate cast a curse compelling loyalty on pain of death. Reinforced by Lithorn¡¯s ability, it was enough to ensnare those present.¡±


    The fool. While such a measure might prolong his rule for a while, immortals have too much pride to accept being controlled this way.  His end won¡¯t be pleasant.


    ¡°And you were able to resist because of your own ability?¡± Yuria guessed.


    Ross nodded. ¡°Incorruptible¡¯s passive protects against such things, so I was unaffected.¡°


    ¡°How did you get away?¡± Astra asked.


    ¡°I can¡¯t provide details,¡± Ross smirked, ¡°but suffice to say I¡¯m also ¡®unkillable¡¯.¡±


    Astra remembered the story.  After consolidating his rule, Samuel lithorn had commissioned several inquisitors to root out the corruption within his empire. Ross Exor had been the most zealous among them, dealing out swift justice with red-hot steel. This dedication had earned him countless assassination attempts. Knowing what I do now, I suspect the emperor was behind many of them. Such a righteous man would keep him up at night.


    ¡°Who else escaped his influence?¡± Astra had


    ¡°Those too distrustful to attend, a little over a third of the Bloodstone Order. Immortals from the White Mountain were also absent.¡±


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    Astra grimaced, that¡¯s nearly half. ¡°How is the White Mountain reacting?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ve condemned Lithorn¡¯s betrayal, using it as justification to declare autonomy.¡± Ross explained. ¡°They weren¡¯t alone either, several provinces have joined in rejecting the empire¡¯s rule.¡±


    ¡°Will the Northern Empire collapse into civil war?¡± Astra asked quietly.


    ¡°Maybe, but not immediately.¡± Ross responded. ¡°Lithorn won¡¯t be moving to suppress dissent, as his attention is squarely fixed on the Octahedron. He¡¯s terrified of your brother, Ethan Skyfell, and doesn¡¯t want to risk weakening his forces. As for the rebels¡­¡±


    Ross hesitated. ¡°I have to ask¡­ What will Ethan do once free?¡±


    ¡°Even if his mind is tainted, he will head straight to Lithorn, carving a path through whatever stands in his way.¡± Astra stated.


    ¡°The rebels believe this as well.¡± Ross said. ¡°They¡¯re waiting for his return to make their move.¡±


    Astra leaned back in her seat.  I¡¯m certain Lithorn is fortifying the Octahedron in every manner possible, but this is a Dark Age. Ethan will emerge, and, when he does, the Northern Empire will be torn apart. Once his revenge is done, he¡¯ll no doubt ally with Torak, and I¡¯ll be forced to face him.


    ¡°At least it won¡¯t happen any time soon.¡± Julius offered optimistically. ¡°I hear the seal has been strengthened and Zavier Lithorn is leading the army guarding the Octahedron.¡±


    ¡°I pray for all our sakes that you are right.¡± Astra offered half-heartedly.


    ¡°What are your future plans?¡± Yuria asked Ross.


    ¡°I plan to offer my assistance to the Adventurer¡¯s Guild.¡± Ross replied. ¡°Apart from the political strife, the Northern Empire has been strangely peaceful so far. At least my exile frees me to do some good where it really matters.¡±


    Julius hesitated. ¡°If I remember correctly, didn¡¯t you have extensive dealings with Simon Black?¡±


    ¡°I was in charge of tracking the Laughing Man¡¯s activity, so our paths crossed frequently.¡± Ross confirmed. ¡°I did not foresee him becoming the Necromancer of the End.¡±


    ¡°No one did.¡±  Astra said. ¡°We¡¯d be pleased to accept your aid.¡± Ross hunted down Torak¡¯s disciples during the last Dark Age. It¡¯s good to have another experienced investigator I can trust.


    Once the meeting ended, Astra made her way to her temporary workspace. When old worries fade, new ones arrive to replace them. Clay Donnaster had informed her that Hope had safely left Sovenguard, much to her relief. The Adventurer¡¯s Guild was planning an assault on Mount Gull to destroy Salazar¡¯s summoning pit, which would require a large number of immortals. Aery¡¯s participation was essential. Now that the Astrolis matter was resolved, she could focus on acquiring queen Kalista for her cooperation.


    Earlier today, she¡¯d debriefed Silver and Kate on their trip to Ransas. Although Hope¡¯s escape had made their original mission pointless, they¡¯d still secured valuable information during a rescue operation. The results could be said to be quite good. She was altogether less pleased with the problem they¡¯d brought back and dumped in her lap.


    She opened the door to the cluttered office of Nordric¡¯s absentee guildmaster. Judging by the cobwebs high on the wall, she doubted Yuria even realized she¡¯d commandeered it. In the corner sat a black-haired wolf girl, exactly where she¡¯d left her. After a furtive glance, Sana keep her eyes down dejectedly. Smart enough not to try running.


    Astra walked by and leaned on the desk, observing the large pile of stolen goods Kate had dumped there. Their owners are all the way back in Bastion¡­ She clicked her tongue in frustration, causing Sana flinch. The Adventurer¡¯s Guild had better things to do than allocate resources to this mess.


    Should I contact Wise? Her son occasionally stopped by guild branches to relay warnings of disasters beyond his ability to mitigate. It¡¯d be simple to leave him a message. He¡¯d easily write down instructions to return all of these. Unfortunately, calling him back might lead many to die¡­


    She paused.  Wait, there¡¯s a better option.  His girlfriend Lucy was stationed in Messanic with Rose¡¯s mentor, Roxanne. She¡¯d be perfect, but not just for the items.


    Astra turned to Sana and smiled wickedly. I¡¯d like to see you steal anything while watched over by someone with foresight as good as hers.

 [Book II Chapter 97] DYLAN: Saeen, the Devourer

    [Book II Chapter 97] DYLAN: Saeen, the Devourer


    ------------------------------------------------


    Nang, Darius, and Dylan stood on a grassy slope besides the team of ninjas lead by immortal Jayden Zuto. Below them, Free was having a heated discussion with their fourth member, a shinobi in black whose name was Light.


    ¡°I understand why she¡¯s upset, but it¡¯s useless.¡±  Arika, their necromancer, shook her head. ¡°There¡¯s nothing she can say that we haven¡¯t told him already.¡±


    While returning from patrol, they¡¯d run into Jayden¡¯s squad just before reaching Libra, and Free had stopped to confront their youngest member.


    ¡°What¡¯s their relationship?¡± Dylan asked. Somehow, watching Free argue heatedly with Light irritated him.


    ¡°They¡¯re siblings.¡± Haron answered. ¡°I¡¯m surprised you didn¡¯t know.¡±


    Before Dylan could wonder at this comment, Light took off, leaving a frustrated Free behind. Parting ways with the shinobi, they joined up her to make their way to Livra.


    ¡°We should check in on her.¡± Nang whispered as they moved.


    Dylan nodded. He¡¯d been planning to anyway. This was the first time he¡¯d seen Free in such a foul mood, and he was curious.


    Once in the city, Nang and Dylan cornered Free on a rooftop, and it didn¡¯t take much for her to open up. Slowly, she relayed the story of her brother. ¡°¡­ so because of this girl, Nephrite, he¡¯s killing himself.¡± She finished. ¡°I can¡¯t understand it.¡±


    Free sighed. ¡°Maybe I lack perspective because I¡¯ve never hated someone. What about you two? Have you ever wished for revenge?¡±


    ¡°I have.¡± Nang confessed. ¡°I lost a family member I admired and respected recently. If I knew who was responsible, I¡¯d want them dead.¡± It was clear she didn¡¯t intent to reveal more.


    ¡°Oh, I am so sorry¡­¡± Free said. ¡°What about you Dylan?¡±


    ¡°Me too.¡± He admitted. ¡°Those close to me were murdered before my eyes. I¡¯m still working to bring the criminals to justice.¡±


    ¡°Both of you, huh?¡± Free hesitated. ¡°Maybe I¡¯m the strange one to be so upset.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Nang countered. ¡°Cursing yourself is extreme behavior.¡±


    ¡°Agreed.¡± Dylan stated firmly. In the Cultivator Realm, there were similar forbidden techniques which could grant power. He¡¯d never considered any of them. I have to care for Lin and pass on Four Element Transcendence. ¡°While desiring vengeance is normal, sacrificing yourself to achieve it isn¡¯t. Only those who have nothing left to live for would consider that route. Considering he has a sister like you, the odd one is him.¡±


    Free listened quietly. ¡°I think he did it because he feels responsible for Nephrite¡¯s death. It¡¯s his ¡®punishment¡¯.¡±


    Dylan frowned. He imagined a scenario where Sacred Cloud Sect¡¯s massacre was partly his doing. If I¡¯d unknowingly leaked the Sect¡¯s location¡­ I might have considered self-harm too.


    Several horns rang out from the wall facing the Twisted Lands. Dylan was hit with a sinking premonition. I knew I¡¯d been too quiet over the last few days. They arrived on the western fortification and witnessed the coming threat with the other saints.


    A mass of demonic beasts surged across the broken landscape as one enormous wave. So many traveled the skies that they darkened the setting sun. Below them, bridges of earth and ice carried an endless horde forwards. Still more jumped their way over.


    <<Livra falls tonight.>> Dowart declared somberly. He wasn¡¯t the only one who¡¯d come to this conclusion. The faces around him were filled with resignation and disappointment. The budding hope they might hold the city was gone.


    Sarah¡¯s voice rang out, echoing in the streets behind them, ¡°This is an emergency evacuation order. Grab what you can carry and take the road to the capital in an orderly fashion¡ª¡ª¡±


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    ¡°Our job is to buy them some time.¡± Free stated.


    ¡°We¡¯ll do as much as we can.¡± Dylan replied. While the bulk of the refugees had already been moved, a sizable number remained. There were also the city¡¯s more stubborn residents to consider.


    Once the beasts neared, they were greeted by a volley of destructive magic. Dylan focused the lesser mystery of embers through Resplendent Delusion to send out explosive fireballs. Next to him, Free tossed glowing green spores to similar affect. Thousands of beasts were blasted into the Twisted Lands¡¯s dark depths. Yet, still more pressed forwards.


    Those who reached the Tulven mainland were ripped apart by giant blue crabs. They¡¯re pulling their weight. It¡¯s a pity we won¡¯t be able to rely on them for long. Livra¡¯s summon generators were too precious to lose on a doomed defense and were being loaded onto airships.


    The first batch of flying foes arrived, and Darius leapt to greet them. Nimbly hoping between them, a stream of corpses rained down wherever he went. Nang threw up wide mothsilk nets to ensnared those he missed, dragging them to the earth for the crabs to finish.


    ¡°Some are slipping through.¡± Nang warned, casting another net.


    Dylan glanced back. Despite a barrage of offensive magic from the city, a growing number was hovering above and hammering away at the wards. Another group was chasing after those fleeing on the road.


    Dylan grimaced. He couldn¡¯t afford to embrace the greater mysteries so soon in this battle of endurance. ¡°Sarah and a couple of saints are escorting the people. We must trust this to them.¡± He said. ¡°Our hands are full here.¡±


    A cheer rang out from the defenders. ¡°Reinforcements are here!¡±


    From one of three airships, balls of lights dropped down, their lasers beams striking birds and griffins from the air. Jordan Seers stood on deck, directing the will-o''-the-wisps¡¯ destruction with a short staff in his hand. The boy had honored Dylan¡¯s request to keep Starlight disguised by growing a layer of wood around the sword.


    <<He¡¯s attained an impressive mastery since we last saw him.>> Dowart mused. Dylan agreed. All the demonic beast which had broken through fell to ground, charred holes in their sides.


    Noticing Nang staring shocked at the spectacle, he yelled out, ¡°Don¡¯t slack off!¡± Jolted back to her senses, she turned to the enemy with a sullen determination. The airships had brought Lord Yohan and several groups of saints. Bolstered by these forces, they were able stem the onslaught. However, even as their spirits rose, Dylan remained cautious.


    <<It¡¯s strange there are no sovereigns.>> Dowart voiced his thoughts. Exactly, how could an assault of this magnitude not have some? He keep his eyes open and soon spotted a figure amoung the beasts.


    ¡°Rending Reality Itself.¡± The fang ninja cried out. Lighting shot upward into the sky, a rift forming it its wake. Turok, the mad wendigo, dashed out, howling madly.


    This isn¡¯t a problem, at least not yet. Jayden was here and had felled that revenant sovereign multiple times already. Undoubtedly, Kaygren knew this too. Dylan waited anxiously. Within a minute, there was second shout and another lightning strike. A gigantic boa constrictor emerged from the rift, followed by flood of reptiles. It began gobbling up the blue crabs.


    ¡°That¡¯s Saeen, the devourer.¡± A cry rang out. ¡°Retreat!¡± Several men broke ranks, fleeing after the evacuating citizens.


    ¡°No, stand strong!¡± Lord Yohan boomed out. ¡°We must hold them!¡± This quelled the panic momentarily. Sadly, their only immortal was busy with Turok, and Saeen would soon finish feasting on the crabs.


    With morale collapsing, Yohan called out, ¡°Any brave souls willing to confront the serpent?¡± Dylan winced. Such a desperate play will only worsen the situation.


    ¡°We¡¯ll fight.¡± A cry rang out from besides him. He regarded Free with disbelief. ¡°Trust me.¡± She whispered. ¡°We have Darius.¡±


    Dylan glanced at the man who had so little presence he often forgot his existence. True, he¡¯s stronger than any saint I¡¯ve known¡­


    <<With him, victory is not impossible.>> Dowart admitted.


    ¡°Unless we defeat both sovereigns, the fleeing citizens will be slaughtered.¡± Free added. Dylan understood what she meant. The army of demonic beasts attacking them had roosted in the Twisted Lands for only a few days. Without a sovereign, their duration would run low, preventing them from pushing into Tulven¡¯s interior.


    ¡°Fine.¡± He relented.


    They lured Saeen into Livra for their battle. Darius took the lead, inflicting deep gashes to maintain the sovereign¡¯s ire. Free and Nang assisted by conjuring roots and mothsilk, leveraging the buildings to ensnare the boa. Dylan chose the greater mystery of combustion for his part, setting wooden structures ablaze and releasing their stored energy at opportune times to blast their foe off-balance.


    <<Darius¡¯s agility is impressive.>> Dowart observed.


    Despite their efforts, Saeen was tearing through the streets, lunging after their ninja companion. Failing to catch him, it wielded its earth telekinesis to hurl boulders and rock spikes, to no affect. The city will be leveled before this ends.


    Dylan was chasing after the serpent when he noticed a figure on Livra¡¯s cathedral. Light was holding two ninjatos with his arms spread, a giant white magic circle on his left and a giant brown magic circle on his right.


    ¡°Iron Sand Blade Storm¡± He shouted.


    Black clouds rose up around Saeen, twirling on themselves violently. The sovereign released a deafening hiss as its scales were shredded by tiny sharp edges. Eyes filled with fury, it swerved and rose up towards Light. This was the opening Darius had been waiting for. With a one swing of his scythe, he claimed the head of the distracted reptile.

 [Book II Chapter 98] ROSE: The Final Boss

    [Book II Chapter 98] ROSE: The Final Boss


    ------------------------------------------------


    The cobblestone pattern at the end of the metallic hallway was a most welcome sight. They rushed to the sanctified ground without a second thought.


    It¡¯s different this time. Although the floor was intact, the walls and ceiling had mostly crumbled away. Hovering in space without any visible support, the ruined hallway curved inward to form an enormous ring ten miles across. On the outer side, an impenetrable dust storm spun over the warped maze they¡¯d come from. In contrast, the inside was calm to an eerie extent, without a hint of movement. A field of floating rocks and debris spread out before them, growing thicker as they proceeded lower.


    We¡¯ve made it all the way through a saint-level undead dungeon, Rose realized. Only one last hurdle left, and she could join up with Roxanne. Hopefully she isn¡¯t overdoing herself defending Messanic.


    ¡°I wonder what we will face down there.¡± Noor mused, fingering the handle of his katana anxiously.


    ¡°Before that.¡± Valrie turned to Zentrias. ¡°What is your mental condition?¡±


    ¡°Unchanged.¡± He answered. ¡°I¡¯m still feeling unnaturally irritated, but it hasn¡¯t worsened. I¡¯m capable of continuing.¡± Rose was glad to see his eyes sharp and focused.


    ¡°That may be,¡± Valrie said. ¡°but it¡¯s best if you return now. Don¡¯t underestimate those gauntlets.¡± No one objected.


    Zentrias reluctantly accepted the consensus. As he walked away, A sense of dread hit Rose. ¡°Wait!¡± She cried out.


    All eyes fell on her as she struggled to put her mind in order. ¡°I had a premonition.¡± She finally managed. ¡°Something terrible happens if he leaves now.¡±


    ¡°What exactly?¡± Cindy


    Rose grimaced. ¡°I don¡¯t know. It was only a flash, but it was powerful.¡±


    Valrie pursed her lips. ¡°Was it related to us, Zentrias, or the gauntlets?¡±


    Rose hesitated. ¡°All three, I think.¡±


    ¡°We should keep him with us after all.¡± Ezekiel offered. ¡°His help may prove valuable. Besides, sending him back is risky in its own way. I¡¯d rather not let Nuzou¡¯s Talons out of my sight.¡±


    Valrie closed her eyes, sighing. ¡°Fine. Let¡¯s waste no more time on this. Stannis could catch up.¡±


    They made their way down field of levitating boulders, stopping periodically for Rose to scout ahead. As she possessed the best foresight, they were relying on her to uncover dangers. On her third attempt, she smiled, ¡°I see yellow mist!¡±


    The group¡¯s tension dissolved, and they descended carefree. At the bottom was a rocky landscape, and a little way¡¯s off from them was a thin transparent dome of yellow mist.


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    ¡°Remember not to touch it.¡± Cindy warned as they approached.


    ¡°We know.¡± Rose replied. In certain dungeon, yellow mist was used to keep bosses unaware of their surroundings. The misty barrier would dissipate the moment anyone broke its surface.


    In the dome, the ground slopped down in a manner resembling a crater. At the center, visible through the yellow haze, was a reptilian figure laying curled up motionless.


    ¡°An undead tyrant.¡± Valrie said bitterly. ¡°Better than a reaper, but not by much.¡± First sighted during the previous Dark Age, this breed of undead was extremely rare and always immortal-level. They were also unique in having scaled skin over their bones. Except for the empty eye sockets and skeletal complexion, it might be mistaken for the living thing.


    ¡°What about those over there?¡± Dawn pointed. ¡°Are we fighting them too?¡± On one edge of the crater, standing guard at a temple-like entrance, were six horned dark knights. Together, they¡¯d be tougher than the tyrant.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll let us pass once we¡¯ve defeated the boss.¡± Cindy answered.


    ¡°Ezekiel, want the honor of the first strike?¡± Valrie asked.


    He nodded. ¡°It¡¯s a bit far, but I¡¯ll try to pin it to the ground.¡± Forming a long golden lance, he jumped high and launched it through the mist. Sadly, a moment before it hit, the undead tyrant twisted out of its path.


    Now furious, their foe rose to its feet and roared. Dissonant sound waves hit them, filled with the chaotic magic. It was as if hundreds tiny claws were scratching away at them. As her clothes ripped, Rose closed her eyes and raised her right hand. The world suddenly flipped.


    To her joy, the others had let her keep the glove artifact from the lich as her share of the loot. After experimenting, she¡¯d mastered a single command: reversing gravity in a wide area around her.


    Everyone went tumbling into the air, along with several layers of gravel. Sadly, she could barely maintain the alteration for two seconds, so they all quickly came crashing back down.


    ¡°Good job!¡± Valrie called out. ¡°Keep disrupting its balance when it tries to roar.¡±


    The undead tyrant charged at them, beginning a frantic brawl. Both sides took damage as the creature weaved between them, its claws and fangs lashing out. None of them were a match, and Natali was forced to use several substitutions to protect them. Their defenses quickly neared the breaking point.


    In the chaos, Rose saw a severed forearm go tumbling past her. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Noor shouted bravely, ¡°It was my offhand.¡± He released a flurry of strikes to emphasize the point.


    Grimacing, Rose tried forming a magic circle, but the tyrant released a quick shriek towards her, wrecking her efforts. Giving up on spellcraft, she focused on blasting the creature with fire and eventually scored a direct hit.


    Knocked away, the tyrant sprang upright and took a breath. Rose immediately used her glove, sending them all for a jaunt in the air. Unfortunately, the tyrant recovered first. Its tail extended and punctured the golden armor of one of Valrie¡¯s companions. Spikes shot out from its tip, causing blood to pour from the man¡¯s mouth.


    ¡°That bastard!¡± Ezekiel swore cutting off the tail. ¡°Here.¡± He tossed a trinket to his injured companion.


    The man caught it, and there was flash of light. Valrie picked up the the amber-colored jewel which dropped where he¡¯d been. ¡°We only had one of those, so watch yourselves.¡± That was emergency containment magic.


    Rose panicked realizing the tyrant was gone. I only took my eyes off it a moment! ¡°Where is it?¡± She cried out.


    ¡°It jumped up.¡±  Carol said.


    A ghastly cry rang out above, too fast and far away for Rose to do anything about it. The tyrant¡¯s roar collided with the boulder over their heads, and its shattered piece rained down on them. Rose was pressed to the ground under the pelleting of rock and the destructive noise.


    When it was over, she glanced up to discover the tyrant had landed nearby. It released another roar before she could react. This is going to hurt¡­


    Zentrias intercepted the attack with his body, absorbing the destructive sound vibrations aimed at them. His flesh crackled and popped as he was shredded from within.


    ¡°Don¡¯t let this opportunity go to waste!¡± Valrie called out, a dozen of her golden blades piercing the tyrants body.


    Damn it. Rose joined the other in rushing forwards, leaving Zentrias to collapse engulfed in a mass of bandages.

 [Book II Chapter 99] ZENTRIAS: The Voice In His Head

    [Book II Chapter 99] ZENTRIAS: The Voice In His Head


    ------------------------------------------------


    <<You¡¯ve become so weak, it¡¯s pathetic>>, said the voice. <<To think we used to take down any opponent with ease¡­>>


    That was just because we were lucky enough not to run into any immortals for as long as we did, Zentrias answered back.


    <<You¡¯re ignoring the real point>>, the voice chided. <<We killed saints back then. Compared to that difference in strength, how can you be struggling with this foe?>>


    Zentrias said nothing as he forced his battered body to pull itself up. Ever since being brought back to life, uncharismatic thoughts had been surfacing. It was one of these which had incited him into a rage against the bone lich. He¡¯d kept the development to himself, writing it off as a byproduct of the pain and stress.


    After blocking that last attack, the words had become crystal clear. In some dark corner of his head, the figure of his younger self was speaking to him.


    It¡¯s nothing I can¡¯t endure. Everyone is desperately fighting. As he rose to his feet a hideous cry assaulted him. Anchoring itself to a patch of bedrock, the tyrant had roared again. Without a second thought, Zentrias jumped and interposed himself in front of his comrades, drawing in the undead¡¯s destructive magecraft.


    Amidst the agony, he heard his younger self. <<Look at what you¡¯re doing to yourself. It breaks my heart seeing you like this.>>


    I am saving my comrades, he grunted.


    <<Are they really comrades if they don¡¯t know the real you?>> His younger self mocked.


    You aren¡¯t the real me, Zentrias countered, collapsing brutalized and exhausted. Not anymore. He vaguely felt more bandages wrapping around him.


    <<But I am.>> His younger self pressed. <<The proof is I¡¯m here.>>


    <<Rather, you are the fake who denies the gift he was born with. ¡®Never using your eyes on the living¡¯? What kind of joke is that?>>


    It¡¯s a promise I made to myself, Zentrias answered weakly. So that I wouldn¡¯t fall back into old patterns. So I wouldn¡¯t become the bastard I used to be.


    <<That¡¯s only half of it.>> His younger self laughed. <<The truth is you¡¯re scared. You remember how people used to look at you. Your killing prowess makes you an aberration, and you fear how others will react if they learn the extent of it.>>


    Zentrias lay motionless without responsing. There was a way the world worked. Channeling ability and skill in martial arts roughly correlated with strength, and large disparities were insurmountable. Yet, with his eyes, he¡¯d violated that order, striking down those who should have been far above him.


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    A child who can snuff out your life is terrifying. He understood this, yet his experiences had left a deep scar. One that affected him to this day.


    <<If you¡¯re treated like a monster, you might as well become one.>> His younger self said coldly. <<Embrace the power they hate, take pride in it and strike down any who deny you. Carve out your place, crushing all opposition.>>


    Zentrias recalled that dark period. It was no way to live, not relying on anyone.


    His younger self sneered. <<Your so-called-friends want to take these gauntlets away, even though they¡¯re perfect for us. We can strike deeper with more precision. Better yet, they make us unkillable. We finally have a defense to match our offense. How could we possibly give this up?>>


    And go through life with these freakish fingers? No thank you.


    His younger self shrugged. <<They¡¯ll return to normal once you stop thinking of taking them off.>>


    ¡­ What are you? How do you know that? Zentrias asked.


    <<Sola created this pair of artifacts to breathe life to the deepest recesses of the repressed self. In Nuzou¡¯s case, this produced a wide cast of characters. For you, it¡¯s just me.>> His younger self revealed. <<Make no mistake, I am what you think: the person you used to be. I just inherited knowledge about the gauntlets and their potential.>>


    If you are what you claim, then you wouldn¡¯t be trying to sway me, Zentrias replied skeptically. I always had ¡ª¡ªand still do¡ª¡ª too much ambition to surrender to madness.


    <<Then accept me.>> His younger self entreated.  <<As long as someone is fully at peace with themselves, the gauntlets have no drawbacks.>>


    Zentrias sighed. I can¡¯t afford to. The price is too high.


    His younger self grimaced and shook his head. <<The more you reject what I represent, the stronger I¡¯ll grow. Eventually, you¡¯ll be unable to deny me.>>


    <<But enough of this.>> He continued.  <<Isn¡¯t it time we seek retribution against the enemy who¡¯s injured us twice?>>


    At least we are in agreement on that, Zentrias willed himself to stand and gazed towards the battle.


    <<Supercharge your martial arts.>> His younger self advised. <<The bandages will hold your body together.>>


    Frowning, Zentrias channeled a flood of chaotic magic through his veins. His muscles buckled under the strain, but somehow held.  This works.


    His younger self grinned. <<Time for some payback.>>


    Zentrias dashed faster than he ever had, flying by his surprised allies. The tyrant swerved to greet him, extending a hand with claws as long as daggers. He let them pierce him, driving home his own talons into the the lizard¡¯s scaly torso.  Tyrant, this exchange will cost you more than me.


    <<This is it, our power.>> His younger self declared proudly.  <<How could you throw it away?>>


    He was blown back as the undead¡¯s right side exploded. Good, but not enough. He charged again, but his off-balance opponent swatted him back with its tail while backpedaling. It doesn¡¯t intend to let me close again.


    The flow of battle changed in their favor, but the advantage faded as the tyrant gradually regenerated. Eventually, it succeeded in reaching a piece of bedrock and roared again. Zentrias once more moved in front of the others.


    <<I never would¡¯ve sacrificed myself like this.>> His younger self lamented.


    This time the hellish wail wouldn¡¯t end. It was as if the tyrant was determined to down him for good. His consciousness frayed as the accumulating damage overwhelmed his bandages.


    Then Stannis Gilron dropped from above, chopping off the tyrant¡¯s head.

 [Book II Chapter 100] DAWN: Facing off against Stannis Gilron

    [Book II Chapter 100] DAWN: Facing off against Stannis Gilron


    ------------------------------------------------


    Dawn appraised Stannis Gilron with careful deliberation. He was wearing a serious, irritated expression, and his dark suit of armor was covered with scratches. Only the gleaming long sword in his hand was free of blemishes. It must possess an amazing sharp edge to slice through the tyrant¡¯s bones and hide.  Her own ice blades had only inflicted surface cuts.


    As his companions landed besides him, Stannis swung his weapon again through the undead¡¯s midsection. He then kicked the lower half towards them. ¡°You take care of this.¡± He ordered.


    Silently, each side worked to dispatch the dungeon¡¯s final boss. Split into pieces with twice the number of opponents, the formerly threatening foe failed to pull itself together. Dawn observed Stannis¡¯s companions as they fought. All ten appear competent.


    Once it was over, both groups gathered in the center of the crater where the tyrant had slept. ¡°Congratulation on getting past me.¡± Stannis said snidely. ¡°Unfortunately, this leaves us in a precarious position.¡±


    The nearby temple entrance had opened, and ten tiles were glowing orange below where the horned dark knights stood guard. ¡°So only ten can claim the rewards.¡± Valrie deduced. ¡°And everyone else must retreat.¡±


    Normally in a case such as this, we¡¯d each send forwards five representatives. That isn¡¯t an option though. Their mission was to prevent Stannis from collecting any of the loot. The understanding of this was clear on everyone¡¯s face as weapons were readied.


    ¡°You should¡¯ve let them fight longer.¡± Alana, the necromancer behind Stannis, reproached her leader. ¡°Our numbers are too evenly matched.¡±


    Stannis brushed off the comment. ¡°Too risky. We couldn¡¯t let them get credit for the the kill, not without understanding this dungeon¡¯s mechanisms.¡±


    ¡°I suppose.¡± Alana grumbled. ¡°But this will be very bothersome.¡±


    ¡°Actually¡­¡± Raphael, the other group¡¯s handsome necromancer, cut in. ¡°I have a suggestion. Rather than a large messy brawl, why don¡¯t we decide this with a duel: our champion against theirs. The victor takes all.¡± Dawn¡¯s heart jumped at these words.


    ¡°While I find the idea acceptable,¡± Alana responded. ¡°How would we trust them to honor the result?¡±


    ¡°Both sides have two necromancers.¡± Raphael explained. ¡°As long as they swear to retreat, that should be enough.¡±


    Stannis shrugged. ¡°If you can get them to agree to it, that¡¯s fine by me.¡± The three then looked towards them expectantly.


    Valrie frowned. ¡°Give us a minute.¡±


    They formed a circle, shielding their conversation. ¡°I can¡¯t fight human opponents right now.¡± Zentrias revealed. ¡°It won¡¯t end well.¡± The man had been putting on a brave front, but he looked ragged, covered head to toe in bandages.


    ¡°And Noor is missing a hand.¡± Cindy added.


    ¡°Which is in my backpack.¡± Dawn added. She¡¯d thoughtfully scooped up and frozen the limb.


    ¡°We¡¯re all wiped out,¡± Valrie admitted, ¡°And our chances of prevailing in an all-out confrontation are low. That said, I¡¯m not sure we have anyone who can match Stannis one-on-one.¡±


    This is simply perfect. ¡°I¡¯ll face him.¡± Dawn announced.


    Everyone stared at her with an off-putting amount of skepticism. ¡°No offense, but I¡¯d rather send out Ezekiel.¡± Valrie stated.


    Dawn nearly winced. The knight was too close to her level for her to object.


    ¡°No, Dawn is the better gamble.¡± Rose pitched in. ¡°Remember, she has the ability which crippled Sion Gale.¡±


    Dawn was surprised and thrilled by her sister¡¯s support. I could hug her. She could see Rose¡¯s words winning over her companions.


    ¡°How confident are you?¡± Valrie asked.


    ¡°Losing is unthinkable.¡± Dawn declared. This drew looks of wonder around her, except for Rose who groaned.


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    Valrie studied her with a mystified expression. ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll put our faith in you.¡± She eventually said.


    They ended their conference and revealed their decision. After all four necromancers were done making their oaths, everyone cleared out from the crater, leaving Dawn and Stannis at the center.


    Ever since the two liches, she¡¯d stopped praying for greater adversity. Unlocking her sublime vagary at the cost of her companions deaths would leave a bitter taste. Instead she¡¯d pinned her hopes on this confrontation, and it was delivering beyond her wildest expectations. No one is in danger but me.


    ¡°Since this advantages me,¡± Stannis said. ¡°I won¡¯t berate your foolishness in facing me.¡±


    He held up a wish seed. ¡°Grant me power.¡±


    Dawn did the same. ¡°Grant me power.¡± She felt her strength swell but didn¡¯t let it go to her head. Her opponent was experiencing the same.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see how well you handle my ¡®Ruthless Efficiency¡¯¡± Stannis smirked, flicking his hand. A wave of gravel rose up and swept over her like an avalanche. She gritted her teeth enduring the pummeling. Right¡­ he¡¯s got earth affinity.


    ¡°You pick the worst setting to challenge me.¡± Stannis mocked.


    I knew this wouldn¡¯t be easy. That¡¯s why I¡¯ve been looking forward this.  She pushed through the rocky storm and threw ice kunai. Her opponent didn¡¯t bother moving, letting her blades bounce of his armor.


    Dawn grimaced. Figures his defenses would be as formidable as his sword. Unsure what approach to take, she activated her Sapphire Blood technique, hoping its gradual strengthening would offer her the opportunity to land a meaningful blow.


    Dodging more rocks, her foresight suddenly went crazy. She instantly sprang back, guarding with two short sword. These shattered colliding with Stannis¡¯s sword, whose tip continued to tear through her torso¡¯s ice armor. It¡¯s sharper than Sion¡¯s spear.


    Dawn grimaced. Stannis¡¯s Ruthless Efficiency amplified differences in strenght and it was clearly affecting her.  He¡¯s faster than I am, and I can¡¯t block his attacks. She tried conjuring a frosty mist to buy some time, but a hail of pebbles swept it away. Her foe lunged again, thrusting his blade through her heart.


    Damn. Ignoring the pain, Dawn teleported as far away as she could, leaving behind a snow flurry. There goes my one substitution.


    While she¡¯d maintained the guise of a ninja since the Isle, her dedication to the aesthetic had been faltering, so her abilities hadn¡¯t evolved since then. Perhaps if I¡¯d made more of an effort to cover my face¡­ In any case, her one emergency escape was spent, and she was in the dire straight she¡¯d longed for.


    Yet an uncertainty gripped her. Kneeling and chanting wasn¡¯t an option this time. She could attempt reciting while fighting, but this seemed too crude to work. Besides she¡¯d tapped into the power twice already without the theatrics. I have no choice but to survive until Myriad Calamity Crystallization activates.


    Fortunately, Stanis had returned to battering her with waves of rocks. As she struggled to deflect them, her eyes fell on the sword in his hand. If only she could block it¡­


    The memory of this exquisite blade piercing her chest swept through her mind, and she had a flash of insight.  Maybe if¡­  Without hesitation, she conjured another short sword, pouring more and more power into it. She guided this overflowing energy in a manner she¡¯d just dreamed up until it solidified into a stable state.


    She was so consumed by her efforts that she didn¡¯t notice Stannis¡¯s approach. When he swung his sword, she frantically blocked with her own creation and was violently thrown back by the impact. Recovering back to her feet, she saw her blade chipped, but not broken.  That¡¯s a start, but I can do more.


    Leveraging the principles she¡¯d just mastered, Dawn channeled another layer of magic into the enchantments hardening her bones. With this reinforcement, her muscle could safely exert themselves more, providing faster movement. This is good.


    With her new weapon and speed, Dawn somehow held her own against her foe¡¯s assault. Again and again, she was knocked around and bludgeoned by stones. Despite this, her cracking armor held together. Then strangely the battle became less oppressive.


    At first, she thought it was her imagination. However, she soon spotted a nervous frustration on her opponent¡¯s face. Ironically, this caused his attacks to take on an urgency which made them easier to parry. A horrifying realization slowly gripped Dawn.


    I¡¯m going to win this without relying on my ability? Are you kidding me? She¡¯d been anticipating this for days. It was supposed to be her chance to finally unlock her sublime vagary. Is it because of my breakthough just now? I got stronger so his Ruthless Efficiency became less effective?


    Gripped by anger, Dawn went on the offensive. Pieces of her short sword flew off each time she struck out, but she didn¡¯t care. Before the mad onslaught, her opponent was forced on the defensive. Then, with the affects of her Sapphire Blood near its zenith, she finally knocked him to the ground.


    Rising to his knees, Stannis glared up. ¡°Don¡¯t think you¡¯ve¡­¡± The man went quiet as he noticed the fury on Dawn¡¯s face.


    ¡°How¡­¡± Standing above him with her damaged sword and broken down armor, Dawn vented all her resentment. ¡°HOW COULD YOU BE SO DISAPPOINTING!!¡±


    As she cried out, a massive column of frost fire exploded behind her, dropping the temperature to arctic levels. When it faded, a towering block of ice was left as a monument to the power her fury unleashed.


    That display was selfishness on my part, Dawn admitted. Despite all her attacks, Stannis remained uninjured, protecting by his impressive armor. If she¡¯d directed Sapphire Blood¡¯s pen-up energy at the man instead, she could¡¯ve caused some heavy injuries, but she¡¯d forsaken this for her own priorities. Now that Sapphire Blood¡¯s strengthening affects are back to zero, Ruthless Efficiency should work on me again. There might still be an opportunity¡ª¡ª.


    ¡°I concede.¡± Stannis raised a hand in defeat. What?


    Mouth open in shock, Dawn was confronted by the grim reality that she had won.

 [Book II Chapter 101] SILVER: Revelations in the Undermist

    [Book II Chapter 101] SILVER:  Revelations in the Undermist


    ------------------------------------------------


    ¡°Jonathan¡¯s mansion should be just to the south.¡±  Kate announced as they left Nolfis.


    Silver glanced around at the mist-filled inverted forest his girlfriend had dragged him to.  ¡°Is this really necessary?¡±  He complained.


    Kate stopped and looked at him, cat tail flicking nervously.  ¡°You¡¯re not excited to learn what damaged your soul when you were young?¡±


    ¡°Not really.¡±  He admitted.  ¡°I don¡¯t remember that thing, and I¡¯ve begun recovering.  I¡¯m not sure what tracking it down would accomplish.¡±


    ¡°Besides,¡±  He continued.  ¡°Your interest in this is unfair.  I told you about my past, but you¡¯ve never told me how you ended up on the Isle of Dreams.¡±


    Kate hesitated, pursing her lips, then nodded.  ¡°A demoness burned my village.  She had red skin and long curved horns.  I only caught a glimpse of her before our house was set ablaze.  We lived in a bakery, and my mother hid me in the oven.¡±  She shivered.  ¡°I can still remember her screams as I pounded on the door¡­¡±


    ¡°I was almost dead when Arther rescued me.  He¡¯d been tracking the Laughing Man when he somehow found me in the smoldering ruins.  End of story.¡±


    ¡°Was the arsonist caught?¡±  Silver asked.


    Kate shook her head.  ¡°She escaped back to the demon world before she could be identified.¡±


    Silver contemplated silently.  ¡°Do you think she was one of the Laughing Man¡¯s apostles?¡±


    Kate frowned.  ¡°I don¡¯t know.  It¡¯s true that he was in the region, but Arther figured it was because he loves spectating tragedies.  Of course, we didn¡¯t know about the apostles at the time¡­¡±


    As he listened, Silver smiled.  ¡°Let¡¯s hunt her down.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need.¡±  Kate quickly objected.  ¡°It was so long ago¡ª¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go along with tracking down the creature that attacked me.¡±  Silver interjected.  ¡°And in exchange you¡¯ll help me find the one who destroyed your village.  Deal?¡±


    Kate opened and closed her mouth before finally saying, ¡°Sure.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s get going.¡±  Silver sprinted off.  He¡¯d believed this outing to be pointless, but his attitude had done a one eighty.  Understanding Kate¡¯s past alone makes it worthwhile.


    They left the purple-leaved trees and crossed a weed-filled field.  Silver spotted a road in the fog, which meant Thornbridge Manor was near.  Going through an old metal gate, he halted abruptly.  What on Enera¡­


    On the side of the path, a small rift shimmered ten feet in the air surrounded by three overlapping magic circle which glowed a sinister violet.  This was not what he had expected to find.


    Kate eyed the magic skittishly, ¡°Do you think it connects to the Moonlit Lands?¡±


    ¡°That would make the most sense¡­¡±  Silver replied.


    ¡°Why would this be here?¡±  Kate whispered in a urgent voice.  ¡°Isn¡¯t it incredibly dangerous?¡±


    ¡°Calm down,¡±  Silver said, frowning.  ¡°If this is Jonathan Bark¡¯s property, there may be an explanation.  We should find him.¡±  At the very least, no monsters were coming out.


    Kate shook her head.  ¡°Opening a portal to that place during a Dark Age is madness.  I see no justification.¡±


    A man in black emerged from the rift, staring at the ground and mumbling to himself.  When his eyes met theirs, panic swept his face, then receded just as fast.  He cringed, averting his gaze.


    Before Silver could ask a question, he felt them arrive.  It was the strangest sensation, an army of summons crossing over all at once.  They appeared on all sides, giant monstrosities of every imaginable type.  Somehow he knew each one was stronger then they were.


    ¡°Enough of that.¡±  Came a sharp voice.  ¡°As long as you are a guest here, no violence is permitted on the premise.¡±


    The nightmares around them froze as their summoner jerked in fright.  After a short moment, the man waved, and they vanished.


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    ¡°My apologies¡­¡±  He turned away from them.  ¡°I forgot where I was and acted on instinct.¡±


    Another man, dressed in the finest clothes, walked out of the mist.  ¡°No harm done.¡±  He said with a smile.  ¡°Dorothee has prepared a lavish feast.  Why don¡¯t you and our new arrivals join us for dinner?¡±


    A couple of minutes later they were led to a somber dinning room, where a middle-aged man looked up from the head of the table and smiled.  ¡°Alucard warned me we¡¯d be receiving more guests.  It¡¯s always a pleasure to see new faces.¡±


    His pleasant demeanor faded as he sensed the tension it the air.  ¡°Did something happen?¡±  He asked.


    ¡°Adam Bishop ran into our young friends here returning from the Moonlit Lands.¡±  Alucard explained.  ¡°Without my intervention, there would¡¯ve been an altercation.¡±  More of a massacre, Silver thought bitterly.


    ¡°I see¡­¡±  Jonathan glanced at Adam.  ¡°Good job.  Please keep maintaining the peace.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡±  Alucard bowed.


    ¡°I tolerate no violence at Thornbridge Manor.¡±  Jonathan declared.  ¡°Now, with that settled, I invite everyone to join me.¡±


    Silver and Kate sat across from Alucar and Adam.  Neither of them had an appetite.  Instead they stared as the man who had attempted to murder them gobble his food carefree.


    ¡°Why did you attack us?¡±  Silver had no desire to skirt around the issue.


    Adam swallowed and shrugged, ¡°I recognized you as enemies and moved to dispatch you.  Pardon the mistake.¡±


    ¡°Will you hunt us down once we leave?¡±  Silver asked.


    Adam shook his head.  ¡°You needn¡¯t worry.  Since Jonathan has offered you hospitality, killing you would turn him against us, which we can¡¯t afford.¡±


    ¡®We¡¯?  As I though, he¡¯s one of Torak¡¯s disciples.  ¡°What are y¡ª¡ª¡±  Silver began but Kate tugged on his arm.


    ¡°Before that,¡±  She said.  ¡°Let¡¯s ask our host the question we came to find the answer to.¡±


    Silver sat back and let Kate explain the circumstances behind their visit.  ¡°Do you have any idea what could have been responsible?¡±  She finished.


    ¡°I immediately suspect a cipactli.¡±  Jonathan answered.  ¡°Those crocodilian monsters are always hungry, with mouths on every joint of their body.  They¡¯re also one of the few Moonlit denizens who feed on both fear and anger.  Perhaps a sufficiently brutal attack by such a creature might produce the injuries Silver suffered.¡±


    ¡°However, you¡¯re asking the wrong person.¡±  Jonathan gesture to Adam.  ¡°We have here a man who knows even more than I do about the Moonlit Lands.¡±


    ¡°Would you help them?¡±  He entreated.  Silver and Kate looked over skeptically.


    Sighing, Adam put down his knife and fork.  ¡°You¡¯re searching for a Cipactli named Tizoc.  He was one of my earliest familiars.  Greedy, even for his kind, he developed a troublesome ability to not only devour a person¡¯s present emotions, but their future ones too.  Once I discovered this, I quickly rid myself of him.¡±


    ¡°Do you know where we might find him?¡±  Kate jumped in.


    ¡°He¡¯s a lesser sovereign without a fixed territory.¡±  Adam revealed.  ¡°Locating him over there would prove difficult.  I suggest you wait.  He¡¯ll be coming to Enera soon.¡±


    Silver narrowed his eyes.  ¡°What are you planning?¡±  He demanded.


    ¡°I intend to invoke the mother of all ruptures, releasing the Nightmare King and his legions into our world.¡±  Adam stated plainly.


    Silver and Kate gasped.  Johnathan raised an eyebrow, ¡°No subtlety whatsoever.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no point in concealing it.¡±  Adam resumed eating.  ¡°Once Astra learns of my activity here, she¡¯ll deduce as much.¡±


    ¡°Why are you attempting to destroy creation?¡±  Kate asked.


    ¡°Do you have any idea what it¡¯s like to live in a perpetual state of terror? To feel fright imagining the worse outcomes in every circumstances?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this something you did to yourself?¡±  Silver objected.


    ¡°I adopted it as a way of life, and it became the source of my power.  This doesn¡¯t change the taxing effect it¡¯s had on me over the centuries.  I¡¯m tired, oh so tired¡­¡±  Adam trailed off.  ¡°Yet, what I¡¯ve experienced is but the tiniest fraction of what Torak has endured for eternity.  He deserves rest.  I understand this better than anyone.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯re willing to sacrifice everyone on the planet to achieve it.¡±  Silver said.


    ¡°Who has offered the peaceful embrace of death to all those who have ever lived?  If not for him, the souls of the deceased would linger in limbo, suffering endlessly.¡±  Adam stated coldly.  ¡°When I kill in Torak¡¯s name, I am merely collecting the tribute owed to him.¡±


    The rest of meal proceeded in silence.  Later in the evening, Silver and Kate tracked Jonathan down and found him standing before a large painting.  It depicted a figure in warped armor with sharp red pupils.


    ¡°The Nightmare King?¡±  Silver guessed.


    ¡°Indeed,¡±  Jonathan responded.  ¡°The one who will soon grace the world with his presence.¡±


    ¡°What made you turn to the dark side?¡±  Silver pressed.


    At this, Jonathan laughed.  ¡°I¡¯ve always been on the dark side!  Tragedy and horror are my life¡¯s work.¡±


    ¡°You know what I mean.¡±  Silver said coldly.


    Jonathan grew serious.  ¡°I wish to see the moonlit denizens marching Enera in all their twisted splendor.  That¡¯s all.¡±


    Silver couldn¡¯t hide his disbelief.  ¡°You¡¯re betraying humanity on a whim?¡±


    Jonathan ran his fingers over the canvas.  ¡°I¡¯ve live isolated from the world, alone in this unchanging place.  When Torak¡¯s disciples approached me, I couldn¡¯t think of a reason to refuse them.  At least, not one that held any weight.¡±


    Silver couldn¡¯t wrap his mind around the author¡¯s logic.  ¡°This could lead to Torak¡¯s victory.  Even if it doesn¡¯t, you¡¯ll end up in Tartarus.  Either way, you¡¯ll be finished.¡±


    ¡°I am well-aware of the ramifications, thank you.¡±  Jonathan smirked, seemingly unconcerned.


    ¡°Don¡¯t some of your descended still live in Glimvale?¡±  Kate chimed in.


    Sadness flashed on Jonathan¡¯s face.  ¡°They do.  Fortunately, with the warnings you¡¯ll bring back, they¡¯ll have the opportunity to flee.  Adam and his companions are nowhere near completing their preparations.  They¡¯re missing a crucial piece for their ritual.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t get it.¡±  Kate exclaimed.  ¡°If you¡¯re working with them, then why are you helping us in this way?¡±


    ¡°Torak¡¯s disciples are interested in the slaughter.  I¡¯m after the spectacle.¡±  Jonathan responded.


    ¡°Besides¡­¡±  He added softly.  ¡°If I were truly their ally, I would unleash Alucard upon the world.  Even the Nightmare King pales before the deaths a vampire plague would bring.¡±

 [Book II Chapter 102] ROSE: An Obvious Outcome

    [Book II Chapter 102] ROSE: An Obvious Outcome


    ------------------------------------------------


    Stannis departed quickly without a word. The two necromancers, Alana and Raphael, followed him with looks of displeasure, taking their companions with them. They¡¯d lost this round. Even if they returned and defeated the tyrant again, the loot for the first clear of Dark Heritage would be claimed.


    Rose hopped down the crater to congratulate the duel¡¯s victor. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you got Stannis to admit defeat¡­¡± Despite struggling for a while, her sister had achieved an unlikely upset.


    ¡°Me neither.¡± Dawn replied, staring bitterly at the towering pillar of ice she¡¯d created. Even as the others heaped praise upon her, she maintained her sullen demeanor. I¡¯ll never understand her. Normally she¡¯d be reveling in this kind of attention. I might as well appreciate the reprieve. She¡¯ll be unbearable later.


    Eventually, attention turned to the temple entrance. ¡°We¡¯re still one too many¡­¡± Cindy said. ¡°How do we choose who proceeds?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll withdraw.¡± Noor offered graciously. ¡°I¡¯d like to get my hand reattached as soon as possible.¡± Retrieving his frozen limb from Dawn, he retreated.


    Walking down the corridor, they reached a spacious atrium. On all sides, a mountain of treasure overflowed: artifacts, precious metals, jewels¡­


    ¡°There¡¯s no way all this is the reward.¡± Rose exclaimed.


    ¡°This is likely a ¡®pick one¡¯ scenario.¡± Cindy explained. ¡°If anyone attempts to take more¡­¡± She pointed to horned dark knights stationed on every floor.


    ¡°Before we split up to make our choice, let¡¯s collect our true prizes.¡± Valrie approached the alter at the atrium¡¯s center on which rested three items.


    ¡°Are these what I think?¡± Lonar asked.


    Valrie nodded, pointing to black tentacles intertwined in the form a staff. ¡°Chthonian Rite, which Sola wielded to conjure eldrish abominations on the battlefield.¡±


    Her hand moved to a bunch of small metallic skulls connected in the form of a necklace. ¡°The Necrotic Judicar, which transformed Nataray into the avatar of hate.¡±


    Until receiving this artifact, Nataray had been much like Cedric Grinfield, an avenger hunting down evildoers. Although it was ordinarily difficult to gleam information from lingering soul fragments in the Abyss, Necrotic Judicar¡¯s illusory grace, whispers of the dead, allowed her to extract those answers. Over time, delving that cesspool of resentment had corrupted her mind to the point where she loathed all life.


    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°And finally,¡± Valrie glanced at a stake fused to the chain linking a pair of manacles. ¡°The Shackles of the Damned, worn by Kongal¡¯s avatar until the dark age¡¯s final day.¡±


    In the case of Kaine, king of sirks, the loyalty instilled in him by his creator was enough to ensure he¡¯d led his people to extinction and fall into despair. To guarantee this outcome, Sola fashioned an artifact to prevent his death or capture. As long as the shackles were worn, the wearer would resurrect endlessly where the stake was driven into the ground.


    ¡°With the gauntlet Zentrias is wearing, we¡¯ve recovered everything.¡± Ezekiel stated.


    After sealing and storing away the dangerous artifacts, they separated to make their selection. After a couple of minutes, Rose was elated to discover what she was searching for. I can¡¯t believe I found one.  She swiftly snatched up the miracle seed. Among all the marvels ¡ª¡ªand horrors¡ª¡ª gathered here, it was the rarest she¡¯d seen.


    This adventure was a grand success, Rose thought as they teleported back to the entrance. Outside, she was happy to see a bored Roxanne lounging in the courtyard. ¡°You were waiting for us?¡± She cried out.


    ¡°Considering what you¡¯re meant to bring back, somebody had to be here to greet you. I took up the role as it¡¯s been quiet since Astra froze the surrounding Twisted Lands.¡± Her mentor replied. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t do to have you ambush by a disreputable party.¡± She smirked in the direction where Stannis and his group lurked quietly.


    Roxanne then laid her eyes on Zentrias, and her face went white. ¡°Those fingers¡­¡± She whispered.


    A tall black staff appeared in her hands, crackling with crimson flame. ¡°Take them off immediately.¡± She demanded coldly.


    ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± Zentrias replied. ¡°They¡¯re fused with my hands.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll rip them off for you.¡± Roxanne declared.


    Rose quickly interposed herself. ¡°Cutting them off doesn¡¯t work. The bandages just reassemble him.¡±


    ¡°If that what it takes, I¡¯ll burn him so badly there is nothing to left reassemble. Now move aside.¡± Roxanne¡¯s tone tolerated no disobedience.


    Failing to note the madness in the woman¡¯s eyes, Dawn walked forward to mediate. ¡°Calm down. We all want the gauntlets¡ª¡ª¡±


    With a ruthless swipe of her staff, Roxanne send her sister flying into a wall, where she slumpt unmoving. ¡°Last warning. Move aside.¡± There was a desperate resignation in her voice. ¡°Don¡¯t make me hurt you.¡±


    Rose flinched, her panic rising. Considering what Nuzou did to her, I should¡¯ve seen this coming!


    ¡°Elliot!¡± Cindy yelled out. ¡°Get here now!¡± Rose saw a wish seed vanishing from her comrade¡¯s hand.


    ¡°You called?¡± Elliot Watson appeared besides them in his usual refined attire. His brows furrowed witnessing the confrontation. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s trying to remove his gauntlets by force.¡± Cindy explained, pointing.


    Elliot glanced at Zentrias¡¯s sharp metallic fingers, and his eyes lit up in understanding. He jumped in front of Rose. ¡°I understand your reaction¡ª¡ª


    ¡°You¡¯re getting in the way too?¡± Roxanne raged. Her staff flared viciously. ¡°I swear those things will never hurt another soul.¡±


    Elliot shoved Rose away as Roxanne unleashed her crimson fire. She turned to find him struggle to block the flames with a purple barrier.


    ¡°You can¡¯t stop me.¡± Roxanne declared. ¡°I won¡¯t let you.¡±


    We can¡¯t reason with her. ¡°Zentrias, go back inside the dungeon.¡± Rose called out. ¡°She can¡¯t enter there.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not escaping.¡± Roxanne summon a flock of phoenixes, which dove after the fleeing man. Fortunately, Elliot shoot down enough of the birds for Zentrias to dodge the rest. He disappeared inside Dark Legacy¡¯s skull entrance.


    ¡°Noooo!¡± Roxanne howled.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll recover them.¡± Stannis Gilron announced, dashing into the darkness as his companioned moved to prevent others from following.

 [Book II Chapter 103] ZENTRIAS: Amare Vitiose

    [Book II Chapter 103] ZENTRIAS: Amare Vitiose


    ------------------------------------------------


    Got to stay ahead. Zentrias was infusing his muscles with abusive amounts of energy. The bandages could barely keep up. On the up side, they were hopping across the dungeon¡¯s first floor so fast most of the lesser undead couldn¡¯t react.


    ¡°Run as much as you like, I¡¯ll chase you to depths of hell.¡± Stannis cried angrily.


    Zentrias believed him. Although the Adventurer¡¯s Guild wouldn¡¯t let the mercenary leave with Nuzou¡¯s Talons, since they weren¡¯t legitimately obtained loot, he¡¯d still be compensated for turning them over, and the payment would be substantial.


    <<We could take him.>> His younger self muttered sullenly.


    Do you really believe that? Stannis¡¯s armor was almost of legendary quality. While it had a few exploitable imperfections, it¡¯d take him a couple of seconds to break through, by which time he¡¯d be cut to pieces. I can¡¯t do anything about that sword. It¡¯s flawless.


    <<That lady was one of the people Nuzou tortured.>> His younger self changed the subject. <<The Gauntlets remember her.>>


    Zentrias winced. He should never have worn any equipment from this place, but it was too late for regrets. What happens if he cuts off my hands and leaves?


    <<You¡¯ll be unable to die while the gauntlets are tied to your soul.>>  His younger self answered dutifully. <<That said, if they¡¯re taken far from us, the mending effect will slow to a crawl. Normally, in this situation, Nuzou would summon them back to himself, but you don¡¯t have the mastery for this. I, on the other hand, do. So you¡¯ll suffer at the edge of death until you¡¯re weak enough for me to take control. That¡¯s the best case scenario.>>


    <<Alternatively, it¡¯s also possible the ordeal shatters your soul, in which case we die for good.>>


    Neither is acceptable. As they approached the cobblestone plaza where the dark knights stood guard, Zentrias was relieved to see the sentries stand aside. Seems the right to passage carries over to subsequent visits. He dashed through the open gateway and descended into the fog covered city on the other side.


    He considered attracting a reaper, but rejected the notion. In all likelihood, the immortal undead would target him, and Stannis, aware of the danger, would simply hang back to let him be torn apart.


    There¡¯s only one hope. He retraced the steps his team had taken, finding the sewers and turning into the catacombs. This time, once he reached the chasm, he continued to the other side.


    Although he¡¯d never told the others, his decision to jump down had been more than a calculation over the best way to escape. He¡¯d briefly felt a presence deeper in the catacombs, something far more dangerous than the reaper pursuing them. It¡¯d instilled such terror that he¡¯d sent them all plunging into the unknown without a second thought.


    As long as it kills both of us¡­ Nearing his goal, he accelerated, following his sense of unease. Soon he reached a dead end. Here. With a wave of destructive magic, he collapsed the floor and fell into a large room with no exit.


    ¡°You certainly dragged this out.¡± Stannis dropped down behind him, an annoyed look on his face. ¡°But you¡¯re finally trapped.¡±


    Zentrias ignored the man, glancing about furtively. Littered under the fallen rumble were human bones. Why doesn¡¯t he feel it?


    ¡°Who disturbs my slumber?¡± Came a soft raspy voice. On a pile skulls, a mummy in worn robes stirred to life. In its shrunken eye sockets glowed a horrid blue light.


    ¡°And what are you?¡± Stannis demanded, appraising the new threat.


    Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t that be obvious?¡±  The mummy chuckled, stretching its arms as a layer of dust fell off. Zentrias wasn¡¯t sure why, but listening to the casual exchange filled him with immeasurable dread.


    <<Whatever you do, don¡¯t fight that thing.>> His younger self advised. The youth¡¯s usual fearlessness was gone.


    Stannis frowned. ¡°Undead don¡¯t speak.¡±


    ¡°We are all capable of it,¡± The mummy responded lazily, ¡°though only us champions ever exercise the right.¡±


    Zentrias eyes went wide. A champion¡­ We¡¯re doomed. Even Stannis looked ready to flee. ¡°That¡¯s impossible.¡± He objected. ¡°No one has seen one of you since the Dark Age.¡±


    The mummy absently ran its fingers over its face. ¡°This skin is withered. I must acquire a new one¡­¡± He glanced towards them. ¡°Don¡¯t be so wary. Most of my strength was spend fueling Sola¡¯s final spell. The husk before you is weaker than even a saint. It will take years for me to regain my full power.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re lying.¡± Stannis protested, although there was hope in his voice.


    ¡°Same as necromancers, I am subject to Torak¡¯s will.¡±  Amare responded. ¡°Can you not hear the truth in my words?¡±


    Stannis¡¯s confidence gradually returned. Abruptly, sharp stalactites appeared in the air around him and went flying like spears. The mummy did nothing as they impaled his limbs and torso.


    ¡°Ahaha¡­¡± Stanis was exhilarated. ¡°You really aren¡¯t so tough¡­¡±


    He studied the immobilized undead. ¡°Part of me wants the honor of finishing you off, but it¡¯s not worth the time it¡¯d take. No one would believe me anyway.¡± He turned to Zentrias. ¡°Stay stuck until I¡¯ve claimed my prize.¡±


    Stannis brandished his sword and strode forwards, but was interrupted by a low guttural laughter. ¡°Oh, how I¡¯ve missed it. Your arrogance, your naivete, your scheming, your ambitions, your greed¡­¡±


    ¡°I am Amare Vitiose, and that is my sin. I love humanity, in all its decadence and glory. It¡¯s my deepest desire to witness your struggles right up to the bitter end, to be there when the last of you takes their final breath.¡±


    ¡°What are you rambling about?¡± Stannis demanded, sensing something off.


    ¡°Foolish mortal¡­¡± The glowing blue embers in Amare¡¯s eye sockets regarded the man with compassionate pity.  ¡°Did you never stop to consider why the Abyss, in its fanatical devotion to the eradication of life, would allow an undead such as I to exist?¡±


    Stannis was struck dumb by the unexpected question. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°It was to make us the most effective killers. To allow us to wield humanity¡¯s strongest weapon against them.¡± Amare smirked smugly and whispered. ¡°¡¯Iron Maiden¡¯.¡±


    Blood exploded from Stannis. Wide holes had opened up all over over his body, penetrating straight through his impressive armor. They were located at the exact same spots the stalactites had pierced Amare.


    Zentrias watched in stunned horror as his assailant crumpled to the ground. ¡°A sublime vagary that reflects back any damage suffered¡­¡± Such an ability, in the hands of an undead who can revive endlessly from fatal wounds¡­ Isn¡¯t it invincible?


    Amare read his mind. ¡°You underestimate human ingenuity. To my delight, they found the means to face me.¡±


    Zentrias¡¯s mind was reeling. There were four champions last dark age, he remembered. ¡°How many of you survived?¡±


    ¡°Two.¡± Amare regarded him coyly. ¡°Invidere Profundo was felled in battle, and Flagranti Virtute chose to give his all to Sola¡¯s spell. Only Sanguis Rex and I remain.¡±


    At this revelation, Zentrias guessed his fate. He didn¡¯t bother running. ¡°What now?¡±


    Amare broke free of the stone stakes and towered over him, pointing down. ¡°You will live.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Zentrias uttered in shock. Undead are enmity incarnate, and champions are their supreme paragons. This was beyond belief. ¡°How¡­?¡±


    ¡°Beings without a sense of self are incapable of developing the history and experience necessary for a sublime vagary, which is why the Abyss granted us champions the rarest of privilege. We possess an individually and personality such that we may even resist the compulsion to murder all we meet.¡±


    ¡°Yet you¡¯re still committed to destroying humanity?¡± Zentrias asked.


    Amare nodded, ¡°That cannot be compromised on. Our loyalty to the cause is the price of our independence. Should it ever waver, the Abyss would swallow us whole.¡±


    ¡°Then why are you sparing me?¡± Zentrias pressed.


    ¡°I recognized those gauntlets.¡± Amare¡¯s eyes traveled to his bladed fingers.  ¡°They mark you as a potential ally, which is enough. I have always resorted to the flimsiest of justifications to converse with those I find interesting.¡±


    Amare knelt besides him. ¡°So I ask again the query I first posed thee: why did you disturb my slumber? It was not time for me to wake.¡±


    ¡°You might not be aware of where you are¡­¡± Zentrias explained their current location and circumstances.


    ¡°So the HEAVENLY DOA transported me into one of its dungeons?¡±  Amare rubbed his chin in an all too human gesture. ¡°Was it to aid or hinder me, I wonder¡­ No matter.¡±


    His blue pupils focused on Zentrias. ¡°It¡¯s unsurprising your comrade¡¯s mentor went wild upon seeing those claws. I suspect most immortals who knew their former wielder would react similarly. Your plan to waltz out of here and seek aid was wonderfully naive.¡±


    ¡°I will aid you in escaping this place.¡± Terrible power gathered in the mummy¡¯s hands.  ¡°You can repay my kindness by clinging to your life and sanity as long as you can. Show me the tenacity I admire so much.¡± Amare smiled.


    The ground beneath Zentrias turned black and swallowed him whole.

 [Book II Chapter 104] ASTRA: Dispatching Help Where It’s Needed

    [Book II Chapter 104] ASTRA:  Dispatching Help Where It¡¯s Needed


    ------------------------------------------------


    Astra took a deep breath and activated the projector.  A second later, a striking young woman with long black hair appeared.  ¡°Debra Sunder, I heard you wish to speak with me.¡±


    The woman nodded.  ¡°I¡¯ve received news the outskirts of Shangri-la have been raided by sovereigns from Mount Gull.  I figured you¡¯d want to know.¡±


    Astra winced.  This would explain the increased number of demonic beasts in the last few days.  Shangri-la was Enera¡¯s largest tethered realm.  Just like Mount Gull, it¡¯s a vast wilderness that populates itself with creatures from the Ether.  Normally, these inhabitants wouldn¡¯t be hostile, but demonic sovereigns could dominate lesser summons, instilling fear and hate into them.


    ¡°What is Shangri-la doing about the situation?¡±  Astra asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s the strange part.¡±  Debra frowned.  ¡°I¡¯m not sure they¡¯re doing anything.  It¡¯s possible they don¡¯t intent to involve themselves in this Dark Age.  That¡¯s the sense I get.¡±


    ¡°That would be a disaster.¡±  Astra stated flatly.  Shangri-la was where friendly sovereigns had gathered to created a realm of their own.  The last time, recognizing the danger to their existence, they¡¯d made major contributions in the battle against Sola.  Representing a military force on par with Aery, their loss would be felt.  ¡°What caused this change of heart?  Surely they realize that Enera¡¯s destruction would eventually spells Shangri-la¡¯s doom.¡±  It was the mankind¡¯s thoughts and dreams which formed the building blocks of realms in the Ether.  Without them, they¡¯d all eventually crumble to ruin.


    ¡°The reluctance comes from the recluse faction.¡±  Debra said.  ¡°I¡¯m still attempting to get a grasp on their motivation.¡±


    Astra listened coldly.  ¡°I must say I¡¯m disappointed to only learn of this now.  What have you been doing as Kalonia¡¯s queen?¡±  All the entrances to Shangri-la were in Kalonia.  It was the nation¡¯s claim to fame, and the reason it was known as the land of summoners.


    ¡°It¡¯s not just me this caught by surprise.¡±  Debra countered.  ¡°Most of the sovereigns I¡¯m in contact with are just as upset.  They still intent to join the fight, even if Shangri-la itself never gets officially involved.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of failure and inaction.¡±  She continued.  ¡°What is the Adventurer¡¯s Guild doing about Salazar Rook?  Everyone knows he¡¯s back, somewhere south of the Green Hell.¡±


    ¡°Kaygren¡¯s invasion is commanding most of our attention.  However, after the assault on Mount Gull, I assure you the matter will be our highest priority.¡±


    ¡°Who knows what that monster might have done by then?¡±  Debra pressed.


    ¡°The Adventurer¡¯s Guild has sent immortals to investigate Salazar¡¯s appearance, but it¡¯s a dark age and we¡¯re busy monitoring multiple threats, such as the the fact that the Author Jonathan Bark is cooperating with Torak¡¯s disciple to open a rupture to the Moonlit Lands.¡±


    Finishing these words, a name popped into Astra¡¯s mind.  ¡°Any news about Reagan Bard?¡±


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    ¡°No, he is still locked away within his sanctuary, where no one can reach him.  He likely knows nothing of what¡¯s transpiring in the outside world.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s grieved Arther¡¯s death long enough.¡±  Astra said.  ¡°I¡¯m going to send my son Silver to Kalonia.  You¡¯re already familiar with his soul so you can guide him to you.¡±


    ¡°That might work¡­¡±  Debra agreed.  ¡°But is it really worth going to such lengths to rouse Reagan early?¡±


    ¡°He helped Arther deal with the first Moonlit Land rupture in Nolfis centuries ago.  His assistance would be a huge boon.¡±  Astra said.  ¡°I¡¯ll let you know when Silver enters the Ether.  Now, if there is nothing else¡ª¡ª¡±


    ¡°What about Earth¡¯s End?¡±  Debra cut in swiftly.


    I knew it.  ¡°It¡¯s safely being guarded by the Mask of Xarst.¡±  Astra replied calmly.


    ¡°But that¡¯s only for three years, right?¡±  Debra pressed.  ¡°The last Dark Age lasted seven.  This is an issue which will have to be dealt with at some point.¡±


    ¡°When the Adventurer¡¯s Guild decides on a course of action, I¡¯ll keep you informed.¡±  Astra shut off the connection.  She¡¯s still obsessed with Calumn Sunder¡­


    Gareth Black was waiting outside the office she was borrowing in Messanic.  ¡°I came to fetch you.¡±  He said.  ¡°Stannis Gilron has returned.  Yuria is bringing him now.¡±


    She followed him outside to a courtyard where immortals and saints were mulling around.  Spotting Elliot Watson, she asked, ¡°How is Roxanne?¡±


    ¡°Resting in her room.¡±  Elliot grimaced.  ¡°Despite calming down, she isn¡¯t in a good state.¡±


    The whole affair has been a disaster.  It¡¯d been a glaring oversight to entrust guard duty to Rose¡¯s mentor, given her history.  As a result, one of the most dangerous artifacts on Enera was lost in an undead dungeon.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have stopped her.¡±  Said the man behind Elliot.   Gordon Tyler was among the immortals who had rushed over hearing of the news.  This group was determined to prevent the emergence of a second Nuzou.  If they had stumbled on Zentrias first, he¡¯d be finished.


    An airship landed and Yuria walked off, followed by Stannis.  ¡°Did you secure them?¡±  Gordon demanded immediately.


    ¡°Sadly, no.¡±  Stannis replied.  ¡°I lost him on the second floor, in the city beneath the reapers.¡±


    There was grumbling among those gathered.  Astra turned to Yuria, who nodded.  ¡°I thoroughly searched him.  He came back empty-handed.¡±  There was relief in her voice.


    ¡°Can I leave now?¡±  Stannis asked.  ¡°Unless there¡¯s anything else, I have places to be.¡±


    ¡°Planning to report back your failures?¡±  Astra demanded coldly.  She held no regard for traitors who consorted with the enemy.


    ¡°Whatever agreements I made regarding Dark Heritage, that¡¯s in the past.¡±  Stannis responded calmly.  ¡°I have my own business to attend to.¡±  Despite the smirk on his face, there was a strange tinge of truthfulness to the man¡¯s word which Astra found hard to doubt.


    ¡°Fine, you may go.¡±  The man hadn¡¯t committed any crimes, so there was no reason to hold him here.  ¡°Yuria, you¡¯ll supervise the transfer of the other artifacts to Neon.¡±


    ¡°I was hoping that task could be left to someone else.¡±  Yuria objected.  Astra shot her subordinate a glance which caused her to back down.  ¡°As you wish.¡±


    Satisfied, Astra gesture to Garreth.  ¡°Come with me.¡±


    ¡°What about Zentrias?¡±  Gordon called after them.


    ¡°The Adventurer¡¯s Guild won¡¯t be sending saints to blindly search through an undead dungeon.¡±  Astra answered.  ¡°There¡¯s no choice but to wait for him to emerge.¡±


    ¡°What if he transforms into Nuzou¡¯s next host?¡±  Gordon insisted.


    ¡°Then it¡¯ll be an opportunity to dispatch one of the dark gods¡¯ avatars early in the dark age, but I doubt we¡¯ll be so fortunate.¡±  She replied.


    Once away, she addressed Garreth.  ¡°I¡¯m sending you to Tulven.¡±


    Garreth frowned.  ¡°Wasn¡¯t I overseeing Talvi¡¯s evaculation?¡±


    Astra shook her head.  ¡°The last town there was overrun by Sekken, the Red Hound.  That¡¯s why I need you in Tulven.  It¡¯s likely to be his next target, and Jayden can¡¯t handle him alone.¡±


    ¡°What about the assault on Mount Gull?¡±  Garreth asked.


    ¡°I¡¯ll call you back once I need you.¡±  She answered.  ¡°We¡¯re nowhere near ready.¡±


    ¡°Aery is being difficult?¡±  He offered.


    ¡°I¡¯ve contacted Barsal Farran asking him to send some immortals.  Hopefully that¡¯ll shame queen Kalista into action.  If not, I¡¯ll travel to Sovengard and confront her myself.¡±

 [Book II Chapter 105] SILVER: A Subdued Interlude

    [Book II Chapter 105] SILVER: A Subdued Interlude


    ------------------------------------------------


    ¡°I wish our reunion could¡¯ve been under happier circumstances¡­¡± Silver offered sadly.


    Rose and Dawn were sitting across from him and Kate at an outdoor cafe close to Messianic¡¯s Adventurer¡¯s Guild. Both seemed in poor spirits, but Rose particularly so. However, the real problem was their companion, who was huntched over on a nearby bench bitting her fingernails and tapping her foot nervously. Judging by the crazed bloodshot eyes, Carol was a hair-breath away from a full on panic attack.


    ¡°Should we be leaving her alone like that?¡± Kate asked. Rose flinched at the question.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Dawn said. ¡°She doesn¡¯t want to be calmed.¡±


    This confused Kate. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s a fearmancer.¡± Dawn explained. ¡°And right now she feeding her summons since she asked a lot of them recently. See how she¡¯s wearing rings on all her fingers? That¡¯s proof she¡¯s doing that to herself purposefully.¡±


    He and Kate had just checked in with Astra when she abandoned them to deal with an emergency. As they waited around in the guild hall, they¡¯d overheard news of the confrontation outside the Dark Heritage dungeon and had rushed over to greet their siblings upon their return.


    ¡°This is my fault.¡± Rose said quietly. ¡°I let my guard down thinking the danger would be over once we left the dungeon. I should have predicted Roxanne¡¯s reaction¡­¡±


    ¡°So, Dawn, what have you been up?¡± Silver asked, selecting the surest way to change the topic.


    Without missing a beat, his sister began recounting the challenges she¡¯d conquered in her journey to become an errant valkyrie. However, her tale lacked its usual zeal, as though she was bragging out of habit, rather than any real conviction. Her energy petered off before she¡¯d even finished.


    ¡°I have a long way to go¡­¡± She sighed, shaking her head.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Silver wasn¡¯t sure he¡¯d ever understand.


    Dawn gestured to the horizon. Beyond Messanic¡¯s browning trees and great fortifications, was an expanse of grayish white. An ice sheet was covering what should have been a twisted land, and a long procession of airships pulled giant sleds, each loaded with hundreds of people, across its desolate surface.


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    ¡°I can¡¯t fathom how mother is able to maintain so much ice.¡± Dawn muttered quietly. ¡°I couldn¡¯t manage a fraction of it, and I¡¯m a saint.¡±


    ¡°It must be taxing, even for her.¡± Silver said. Astra didn¡¯t hold back when lives were at stake. She knows how to pace herself to avoid a breakdown, but that isn¡¯t a healthy way to live. ¡°Why hasn¡¯t she destroyed the Mount Gull¡¯s revenant pit? Surely the Adventurer¡¯s Guild has enough immortals to manage the operation.¡±


    ¡°Mount Gull has over a hundred sovereigns.¡± Said a voice behind him. ¡°While most are weak, the stronger ones are all gathered towards the top, not to mention the immortals from the hidden village of Fang. Since the rifts around the pit have been closed, it¡¯d take most of the guild¡¯s immortals to lead a foray deep enough to reach it. I can¡¯t afford this mobilization with crises popping up around Enera¡ª¡ªor the losses it might entail. It¡¯s safer to endure the attacks of seven revenants, and wait until others provide reinforcements for an assault.¡±


    Astra stood next to them in the full splendor of her ice armor. ¡°I see¡­¡± Silver said. ¡°And what have you decided about Jonathan Bark?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sending August Terrance to seal the entrance to the Undermist.¡± Astra answered. ¡°Hopefully that will buy us some time if the worst comes to pass.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t we do more?¡± Kate objected. ¡°It seemed whatever they¡¯re planning will be worst than the demonic beast invasion¡­¡±


    Astra shrugged. ¡°Apprehending Jonathan Bark is impossible. He can instantly transport himself to the Moonlit Lands, where legions of monsters stand ready to defend him. While we can evict him from Thornbridge Manor, he might send Alucard against us in retaliation, which isn¡¯t worth the risk.¡±


    ¡°Couldn¡¯t we at least chase off Torak¡¯s disciples?¡± Kate asked.


    ¡°After the assault on Mount Gull, I¡¯ll see what I can I do. According to your report, we still have some time.¡± Astra responded ¡°In the meanwhile, I want you and Silver to bring back, Reagan Bard.¡±


    The name jogged Silver¡¯s memory. ¡°That¡¯s one of Arther Bard¡¯s summons.¡±


    ¡°His oldest one, who he gifted permanence to.¡± Astra nodded. ¡°Reagan is now sovereign of a domain in Shangri-la, where he¡¯s isolated himself. I need you to drag him back to the real world.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll travel to Kalonia through the Ether, with Debra Sunder providing you guidance.¡± Astra turned to walk away. ¡°I¡¯ll send you off once I am back from extending the duration of my ice sheet.¡±


    ¡°What about Zentrias?¡± Carol called out.  ¡°Did¡­ Stannis catch him?¡±


    Astra stopped. ¡°No, he didn¡¯t. Your companion is still lost within the dungeon.¡±


    A wave of relief flowed over Carol. ¡°I¡¯d like permission to enter and search for him.¡±  She continued anxiously.


    After the incident at its entrance, Astra had forbidden all entry into Dark Heritage to avoid further loss of life. Since the dungeon had been fully cleared, she¡¯d judged the HEAVENLY DAO would tolerate the emergency measure.


    ¡°Exploring blindly on your own will just get you killed.¡± Astra replied in the quiet patient voice of someone used to such desperate demands. ¡°Best to wait for the man to emerge himself.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go as well.¡± Rose interjected quickly.


    ¡°Me too, I suppose.¡± Dawn added.


    Astra glanced between them with exasperation. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll arrange it when I return.¡±


    She then jumped away in flash.

 [Book II Chapter 106] FILIA: The Sukemon Realm

    [Book II Chapter 106] FILIA:  The Sukemon Realm


    ------------------------------------------------


    ¡°So this is it?¡±  Filia asked.  Below her was city of temple-like buildings, the carvings on their weathered exteriors covered in lush foliage.


    ¡°It should be that large pyramid,¡±  Vanessa Goldstone pointed to the left.  ¡°But are you sure about this?  Even I wouldn¡¯t venture in there alone.¡±


    ¡°Absolutely certain.¡±  Filia replied quickly.  When she¡¯d arrived in Waceria to explore the town¡¯s nearby dungeon, she¡¯d been concerned.  Fewer saints were out adventuring thanks to the demonic beast invasion.  Fortunately, she¡¯d run into Vanessa and her team visiting from the Barsal Empire, and they¡¯d graciously agreed to let her tag along.


    The Amalgamation was an unrestricted dungeon, allowing entry to immortals, and the difficulty reflected this fact.  Traversing the maze of interconnected realms on her own would¡¯ve been far beyond her.


    ¡°Thank you so much for your assistance.¡±  Filia bowed to her temporary companions.


    ¡°I guess we can leave you here, seeing as it¡¯s a safe zone.¡±  Vanessa agreed.  ¡°When you¡¯re ready to leave, just take the rift back to the entrance.¡±  She gestured to the shimmering veil in the city¡¯s center.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t get yourself killed or I¡¯ll feel terrible later.¡±  Vanessa added as they departed.


    Navigating to the pyramid, she located what she was looking for at its center.  The Amalgamation¡¯s passageways were more stable than those Silver had created, their walls of mist completely obscuring the Ether¡¯s chaotic colors.  Bracing herself, she crossed to the bright space she saw on the other side.


    <<Astounding¡­>>  Blizzy muttered.


    She was overlooking a verdant savanna where the most amazing of creatures surrounded her.  Antelopes with metallic antlers grazed in one field.  Not far from them, a pride of white lions with shining manes lounged on some rocks, huge hawks with fiery feathers circling high above.  Every animal was alien to Enera, yet intimately familiar to her.


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    <<I almost wish I could fly around on my own¡­>>  Blizzy said.  <<Maybe I could even cross the barrier.>>


    In the Amalgamation, transparent rune-covered walls stretched to the sky and delimited the areas which could be visited.  While the dungeon¡¯s indigenous creatures could come and go as they pleased, they were impenetrable for adventurers.  Filia observed the mile-wide corridor they formed here.  I¡¯m on a guided safari through a reproduction of the Sukemon Realm.


    ¡°Sorry, Blizzy, you know we can¡¯t do that.¡±  She responded gently, sympathizing with the blizzowl¡¯s desires.  Sukemons sold by the Sofix company lingered dormant in the Ether when not called upon.  None of them had seen this place with their own eyes.


    Filia drew out the rectangular piece of cardboard featuring a snow owl and reflected briefly.  Sukemons of the same type were initially all the same.  Only by gaining experience and interacting with their trainer could they become unique entities.  After that, they would continue residing within their cards until they died outside an arena or until released.  This second case was standard practice when a collector passed on without designating an heir, since no one wanted their lifelong friends falling into the hands of a stranger.  The released sukemon would then live out their days within the sukemon realm.  It¡¯s reassuring to see where they¡¯ll end up once I¡¯m gone.


    <<Now what?>>  Blizzy asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s a good question¡­¡±  Filia responded.


    Hans Leveson had simply given her the name of the dungeon.  It was only after checking in at Waceria¡¯s Adventurer¡¯s Guild that she learned this side area had been rated immortal level.  Consider what she was witnessing, she had to agree with the assessment.


    This was the reason Vanessa was hesitant to leave me.  Despite the danger, she had no regrets.  The sight alone had been worth the trip.  Besides, she was also gambling her unique knowledge would help her.


    Filia earnestly surveyed the challenges before her.  The antelapier herd is a no-go, since they¡¯re incredibly aggressive.  The sunlions will attack if I approach their territory.  If I fly over, those pirakkuns will snatch me out of the air, and, if I go higher to avoid them, the firehawks will target me¡­  One by one she judged each threat blocking her way, failing to uncover a safe path.


    Stumped, she sat and pondered.  Wait¡­  If this place is a perfect recreation, these wild sukemon should have their normal idiosyncrasies which I can exploit.  She glanced at the pirakkuns clumped together on one side.  The long tongued carnivorous plants senses were focused upwards and they had difficulty noticing prey close to their roots.  With Slushpup¡¯s stealth ability, I can sneak by if I stay low.  Afterwards¡­  There!  If I cover myself in mud, the Mukyuks will ignore me¡­  Slowly she plotted her way through.


    She smiled after finalizing her plan.  I won¡¯t have to fight anything.  This is perfect!

 [Book II Chapter 107] SILVER: The Quiet Lands

    [Book II Chapter 107] SILVER:  The Quiet Lands


    ------------------------------------------------


    Raising a white crystallized object, Silver extended his senses to follow the trail it emanated through the Ether.  He could make out his destination, but it was too far so he chose somewhere closer.  Once he formed the passageway, a glacial breeze assaulted them.


    ¡°What¡¯s this frigid place?¡±  Kate asked as they exited to a wind-swept frozen wasteland.


    ¡°It¡¯s a fragment of elemental realm of ice which broke off.¡±  Silver answered.  ¡°We¡¯re almost there.¡±


    Once again, he constructed a passageway.  When it connected, the howling gales went still.  The very air had been subdued by the uncompromising tranquility washing their way.


    ¡°We¡¯ve arrived.¡±  He declared happily, hiding his relief.  The Ether had a vastness compared to Flux Planescapes which was intimidating.  It didn¡¯t help that they¡¯d traveled to its deepest reaches.


    On the other side was a meadow filled with endless rows of rose-tinted crystal monoliths.  Above was the typically bright haze.  Silver noticed something protruding from the grass, but, before he could investigate, Kate whispered, ¡°So these are the Quiet Lands¡­¡±


    ¡°Dwaine called it Pharos.¡±  He replied.  ¡°Most realms are a reflections of mankind¡¯s experience, constructed from our concepts of the physical world, but not this place. It¡¯s been floating here, desolate and unchanging, since the dawn of history.¡±


    Kate looked around in awe.  ¡°Arther described it to me when I was little, but I never though I¡¯d visit.¡±  She pointed to the monoliths.  ¡°Those are truly special, aren¡¯t they?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±  Silver agreed.  ¡°They¡¯re divine sorcery.¡±  If high sorcery was beyond human understanding, divine sorcery was another tier above, able to override sublime vagaries and illusory graces.  It was the domain of the HEAVENLY DAO.  Apart from the divine seeds uncovered in the depths of immortal-level dungeons, the magic was essentially unwieldable.  ¡°The power within a single one of those could power all of Enera for a century.¡±


    ¡°And summoners regularly use this place when etherwalking?¡±  Kate asked.


    Silver nodded.  ¡°There are three ways to exit the Ether.  Find a tethered realm.  Rely a beacon to guide you somewhere you can break through.  Finally, have a summoner on Enera open a passageway straight to you.  Unfortunately, finding a single soul within the Ether¡¯s vastness is basically impossible.  That¡¯s where Pharos comes in.  Come have a look.¡±


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    He walked over to several skeletons buried in the grass.  The ligaments holding them together had long since erode, but their general shape was unmistakable.    ¡°There are thousands of such remains scatter around us.  Maybe tens of thousands.  They¡¯ve basked in the monolith aura so long their enchantments have crystallized into them.¡±  He held up a small sparkling white object.  ¡°Even a bone is removed, its magic still connects back to Pharos.  That¡¯s how Debra Sunders will find us and open a passageway.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡±  Kate knelt down, parting the grass.  ¡°This one¡­ had wings.¡±  She said slowly.


    ¡°Many have extraneous features and vary widely in size.  Overall they¡¯re roughly humanoid.¡±  Silver said.  ¡°They¡¯re believed to be those who creating the monoliths, but no one is certain who they were or what happened to them.  They¡¯re commonly referred to as precursors.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like you¡¯re reciting fragments of a textbook.¡±  Kate teased.


    ¡°It was one of Dwaine¡¯s more engaging lessons.¡±  Silver laughed.


    ¡°I¡¯m impressed how much he was able to teach you.¡°  Kate said pensively.  ¡°You wouldn¡¯t think someone from the Flux Planescapes would be that familiar with the outside world.¡±


    ¡°He was originally from Enera.¡±  Silver revealed.  ¡°One saint among the many who answered their pleads for summoners.  Unlike others, he fell in love, and, since neither his wife nor his children could leave, he stayed.  That was fifteen thousand years ago.  Today he has descendants spread across countless world and has become a pillar supporting the Empire of Man.¡±


    ¡°Do you miss him?¡±  Kate asked.


    The question caught him by surprise.  He¡¯d been so glad to leave and see her again that he¡¯d never considered it.  ¡°I suppose I do.¡±  He answered.  ¡°After Dark Age ends, maybe we can go back, and I¡¯ll introduce you.¡±  With the way time passes there, he might¡¯ve fallen in battle by then.


    Shrugging off the pang of sadness, he threw back a question of this own.  ¡°What about you?  Do you miss Arther Bard?¡±  Seeing Kate¡¯s expression fall, he immediately regretted his words.


    ¡°I try not to think about him.¡±  Kate sighed.  ¡°It was easy when I was training with Kara, but now¡­  Please don¡¯t ever grow a beard.¡±


    Right¡­  He was a father figure to her¡­  Silver imagined himself dating a woman who resembled like Astra and shuttered.  ¡°I¡¯ll shave everyday.¡±  He promised.


    ¡°Good to hear.¡±  Kate turned and took a few steps.  ¡°So why isn¡¯t there any wildlife here?  The environment is pleasant enough.¡±


    ¡°The monoliths reject beings with unformed souls.¡±  He explained.  ¡°I can¡¯t summon anything here.¡±


    ¡°Oh really?¡±  Kate smiled.  ¡°Then maybe I could take you in fight.¡±


    ¡°Careful!¡±  He interjected quickly.  ¡°All forms of violence are forbidden.  Even considering causing harm could see you ejected into chaotic space.¡±


    Kate cringed.  ¡°Because of the monolith?¡±


    ¡°Their enchantments are absolute.¡±  He replied.  ¡°Most magics are also suppressed.  Pharos is rarely frequented due to the restrictions.¡±


    The air next to them distorted into a shimmering whirlpool.  Eyes lighting in understanding, Silver extended his senses.  On the other side of the disturbance, the narrowest of passageway extended towards them.  He gripped the end and formed an entrance.  He then worked to the expand and stabilize the interior.  He felt a distant force helping him.  Soon, the foggy corridor was complete.


    ¡°Time to travel to Kalonia and greet Debra Sunder.¡±  Kate observed.  They stepped inside.

 [Book II Chapter 108] SARAH: Pearl’s Fall

    [Book II Chapter 108] SARAH:  Pearl¡¯s Fall


    ------------------------------------------------


    One hand on the airship¡¯s railing, Sarah griped Miracle Worker and concentrated.  Her ability to discerned the threads of fate was improving, but it was still nothing compared to Orion¡¯s skill in her dreams.  Again, she located the disaster due to strike this evening and was filled with an incomprehensible dread in her.  Although it should be easy to prevent¡­


    Two days ago, Fang ninjas had ceased all activity.  Originally, she¡¯d believed this to be her doing.  Since the loss of Livra, she¡¯d successfully identified multiple Infiltrators before they could activate their claws.  Now this conclusion was in doubt.  Maybe they didn¡¯t give up, but adapted¡­


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±  Ashley asked.  Unlike the others, her aide understood the implications of a rift opening inside Pearl.


    ¡°For now, just a bad premonition.  No point in raising needless alarm.¡±  Sarah glanced at the front of the deck, where Jayden and his squad were enjoying the scenery.


    The Shores were a special twisted lands, with great coral formations intertwined among the warped bedrock.  Building-sized star fish crawled over huge barnacles with hermit crabs wandering nearby.  Flocks of sea birds hovered over the scattered pools, diving to feast.


    Taking advantage of the low tide, workers from Pearl were busily mining along several rock faces, with floating barges collecting the fruits of their labor.  The Shores were the most abundant source of water crystals on Enera.  We should have better leveraged this wealth¡­


    ¡°We¡¯re arriving.¡±  Ashley said.


    In front of them, the fractured earth flowed together in a two-mile-wide ball.  They flew down to an opening near the bottom and saw a city around them in the spherical interior.  Many of the building were hollowed-out coral, and the construction of others were inspired by their natural design.  Dyed a multitude of neon colors, they made for a vibrant sight.


    They landed in the courtyard of a castle adorned by giant shells.  An emerald-haired woman backed by attendants greeted them.  Her beauty was otherworldly.


    ¡°Welcome to Pearl, a bubble of safety within the Shores.¡±  Her smile faded as she turned to Sarah.  ¡°I assume the purpose of your visit isn¡¯t leisure.¡±


    ¡°Nice to see you too, Leucothea.¡±  Sarah replied.  ¡°We¡¯re here to prevent a rift from opening.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me¡­¡±   Haron broke in, staring intensely at their host.  ¡°Is she a nymph?¡±  You could hear the excitement and wonder in the shinobi¡¯s voice.


    Sarah sighed as Leucothea smirked.  ¡°She is Pearl¡¯s guardian beast and governor, as well as a nymph.  She was recruited from Arcadia because of her mastery over water.¡±


    ¡°Stop gawking.¡±  Jayden reprimanded his suborninates.


    Human-shaped summons had always been a tricky issue.  Some found the temptation to simply ¡®create¡¯ their perfect lover irresistible.  Others still used the ability to indulge in actions which would be considered criminal.  In response to widespread abuse, a nymph named Calypso had struck a deal with the HEAVENLY DAO.  Now only in her city, Arcadia, could humanoids be summoned.  It was rare to see a nymph elsewhere.


    ¡°Getting back to business.¡±  Leucothea said.  ¡°When and where will it happen?¡±


    ¡°Let me check.¡±  Sarah closed her eyes and searched.  Immediately, she noticed something amiss.  Rifts were exploding all over Pearl.  She counted thirteen, but it could¡¯ve been more.  Damn it¡­


    ¡°There¡¯s at least a dozen fang ninjas in the city.¡±  She announced flatly.  ¡°They¡¯ll strike this evening once the tide has come in.  I¡­  don¡¯t know if we can stop them all¡­¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say it was only one?¡±  Arika objected.


    ¡°She was countered.¡±  Jayden explained.  ¡°Adaptive planning is a common tactic against those with exceptional foresight.  If we had done nothing, only one ninja would have sprung into action.  Our arrival here will cause all the others to join in.¡±


    ¡°My apologies.¡±  Sarah hung her head.  If it¡¯d been Orion, he¡¯d have seen through this.


    ¡°Is it too late to evacuate?¡±  Ashley asked anxiously.


    ¡°Most airships are out supporting the miners.  Once they return, I¡¯ll send them back out with a load of people.¡±  Leucothea replied.


    ¡°How many can you fit?¡±  Ashley pressed.


    ¡°Maybe a fifth of the city if we really try.  More importantly¡­¡±  Leucothea fixed them with a hard look.  ¡°Are you staying?¡±


    ¡°Of course we are.¡±  Light replied incredulously.  ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t we?¡±  Sarah winced.  He doesn¡¯t understand.


    It was Ashley who revealed the truth.  ¡°Once the sun sets, the Blue Abyss will swallow the Shores whole.  Pearl will be surrounded by half a mile of water on all sides.  There will be no escape for anyone within.¡±  In other words, it might be a death sentence.


    ¡°We¡¯ll remain.¡±  Jayden declared.  ¡°I¡¯ll construct an jade bunker where we can hold up if worst comes to worst.  Because of the lack of time, room will be limited.¡±


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    Silence fell over them at the horrifying prospect of seeking shelter as demonic beasts consumed the city around them.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go gather the children.¡±  Leucothea bowed and retreated.  Without  saying anything more, Jayden began constructing a jade wall in a corner of the castle.


    ¡°Can you track down the Fang ninjas ahead of time?¡±  Light asked.  ¡°Like you did in Livra?¡±


    Sarah shook her head.  ¡°Pearl has a population of eighty thousands, and they¡¯re using magic to obscure themselves.  I¡¯d exhaust myself finding even one or two.  There¡¯s nothing to do but wait.¡±


    From high on the ramparts, Sarah watched as women and children were gathered below.  Once the barges returned and were emptied, these passengers boarded in organized queues.  Even from a distance, she heard the crying and the goodbyes.


    Once the last airship had departed, the crowd seeing them off dispersed, and Leucothea joined her.  ¡°Everyone is heading for the shelters, but those won¡¯t hold if the city is overrun.¡±


    ¡°How many managed to get out?¡±  Sarah asked.


    ¡°Only nine thousand.  We ran out of time.¡±  Leucothea sighed.  ¡°I¡¯ll evacuate the rest tomorrow, if we survive.    The danger has become too great¡±


    ¡°Understandable.¡±  Sarah winced.  The flow of crystals was crucial to sustaining Tulven¡¯s defenses.  It¡¯s loss would sting.


    ¡°Look.¡±  Leucothea pointed to Pearl¡¯s entrance, where a shadow was creeping over the landscape beyond.  ¡°The tide is coming in.¡±  Soon a dark mass obscured everything.  They were trapped.


    ¡°I¡¯ll assist you in intercepting the fang Ninjas.¡±  Leucothea added.


    Once Jayden and his squad arrived, Sarah prepared herself.  ¡°I¡¯ll send out golden fairies as I identify the Fang Ninjas.¡±  She told them.


    Anxious under the pressure, she followed the threads and conjured a gilded sprite.  ¡°There!¡±


    As Jayden rushed off, she focused and gasped in horror.  The future had changed, with all the remaining rifts opening sooner.  They¡¯re moving up their timetable again!  She immediately sent out a second fairy and then a third.  Leucothea and Haron rushed after them.  As she summoned a fourth for Akira, she realized five rifts were about to open simultaneously.  It¡¯s too late.


    She glanced across the city to see the fang ninjas on rooftops brandished claws in their outstretched hand.  The air was ripped asunder, and demonic beasts sprung out lead by a giant white wendigo.


    <<We feast tonight!>>  Turok hollered.


    With an arm covered in topaz, Jayden slammed the revenant through a wall, ¡°You will do nothing except return to afterlife.¡±  He said coldly.


    Rising from the rubble, Turok let out a ghastly laughter.  <<This battlefield belongs to us today.>>  Demonic beasts charged Jayden from all over, forcing him back.  Suddenly A hail of blood and bone blunted the assault.  With Haron and Arika¡¯s support, Jayden reengaged the revenant.


    ¡°Where¡¯s the next one?¡±  Light asked urgently.


    Right¡­  Ignoring a rift that was too late to stop, Sarah send a fairy towards the next one.  Once Light rushed after it, she lowered Miracle Worker.  Even if she summoned another sprite, there was no one left to follow it.


    Far off, Leucothea was earning her keep as Pearl¡¯s guardian.  Standing besides the Blue Abyss, she raised tendrils of water from its surface.  Each of these engulfed several beasts before dragging them to their doom.  However, despite the hundreds she fed to the monsters of the deep, their numbers kept increasing.


    On his side, Jayden was once again on the defensive as more rifts kept appearing.  Around the city, defenders were similarly being overwhelmed.  For their part, the demonic beasts appeared giddy at the prospect of victory.


    Without even trying, Sarah sensed another rift about to open next to the castle.  She glanced down from the ramparts and saw the ninja who would open it.  Can I even do anything?  The Fang shinobi wasn¡¯t directly threatening her, so Astra¡¯s curse would kill her before she could stop him.


    What if I do something other than attack?  An idea crossed her mind, and a plan formed around it.  She seized her staff and focused to her utmost.  At the exact moment the ninja brandished Kaygren¡¯s claw and shouted, she reached out to the strand of fate and swung Miracle Worker.  The claw crackled with electricity and vanished, but no lightning was released.  No rift formed.


    I did it!  Sarah chuckled as the fang ninja looked around confused.  Not once had she ever succeeded in redirecting an attack the way Orion did nightly in her dreams.  She simply couldn¡¯t distinguish the threads fast enough in the head of battle.  Until today.


    Yelps and panicked cries sounded around the city.  From every rift, a deluge of water was pouring out, carrying a host of terrified demonic beasts.  It worked¡­  I can¡¯t believe it worked!


    Of course, she hadn¡¯t prevented the rift from materializing.  She didn¡¯t have that type of power.  She¡¯d merely shifted its location a couple hundred yards, to outside Pearl in the middle of the Blue Abyss.  The pressure that deep must be tremendous.  Sarah smirked imagining the chaos on Mount Gull as the mother of all geysers appeared from nowhere.


    I doubt they¡¯ll be able to close it.  Between the flooding and the aquatic monsters crossing over, it¡¯d be impossible to locate the claw which served as the rift¡¯s keystone.


    The shouting of human voices knocked her from her musing.  The water in the streets was rising.  Not good.  Sarah jumped over the nearest rift and erected a one-way barrier around it which nothing was fated to cross.  Several beasts lunged at her while she worked, but she knocked them into the water piling up on other side.


    ¡°Leucothea!¡±  She heard Jayden call out behind her.  A pillar of jade had sprung up, propelling Turok high in the air.  The dryad directed several tendrils to catch him.


    <<Curse you!>>  The sovereign screeched as he was pulled into ocean¡¯s cruel darkness.  Sarach watched a few patches of ice pop up beneath the surface.  The water Leucothea solidifies is far tougher than steel.  He¡¯s not getting back in.


    With the revenant dealt with, Leucothea went to deal with the flooding, leaving Jayden and his team to mop up the remaining beasts.  Soon all the rifts were enclosed in bubbles of water, drowned beasts floating in their interior.


    ¡°I don¡¯t really understand what happened.¡±  Jayden admitted when they gathered afterwards.


    ¡°That would be my doing.¡±  Sarah revealed smugly, explaining her deed.


    ¡°Vicious!¡±  Jayden exclaimed.  ¡°Demonic beasts pool their forces for major offensives.  There must have been hundreds of thousands within the valley on Mount Gull where all these rifts opened.  It must¡¯ve been total pandemonium.¡±


    ¡°Very well done.¡±  Leucothea added.  ¡°Thanks to you, casualties were kept to a minimum.  Unfortunately, it doesn¡¯t change that this city is finished.¡±


    Together they surveyed the destruction.  An entire section of Pearl was leveled where Turok and Jayden had battled.  Elsewhere, coral walls were broken, and cracked buildings were crumbling.  There must be plenty of damage inside from the flooding.


    ¡°What about Mount Gull?¡±  Light asked.  ¡°It must still be gushing over there.  Do you think the valley will overflow?¡±


    ¡°That won¡¯t happen.¡±  Leucothea replied.  ¡°Once the tide goes out, the water will flow the other away, albeit at a slower rate due to the weaker pressure.  Ultimately, Mount Gull will have a salt water lake whose level rises and falls.¡±


    Sarah frowned.  We must get everyone out of here before they figure out how to drain it.

 [Book II Chapter 109] SILVER: Shangri-La

    [Book II Chapter 109] SILVER:  Shangri-La


    ------------------------------------------------


    Debra Sunder greeted them on a stone terrace, an assured smile on her face.  ¡°Welcome to Kalonia.¡±  She announced dramatically.  ¡°You stand on the Palace Plateau.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.  We¡¯re glad to be back on Enera.¡±  Silver glanced at the foggy corridor stretching behind them.  While they¡¯d traveled through seven realms journeying to Pharos, there¡¯d been no side stops returning.


    ¡°It¡¯s an honor to meet you again.¡±  Kate added.


    Their host wore a relaxed pose and high heels, and her long black hair flowed freely over her close-fitting indigo dress.  She was as beautiful as he remembered from the Isle of Dreams, but he had a better appreciation of her power now.  Not only had she been able to reach deep into the Ether and find them, she¡¯d opened a passageway all the way to them¡ª¡ªalbeit one the size of a coin.  She also did ten times the work during the stabilization.  Effortlessly too.  There wasn¡¯t a drop of sweat on her shapely figure.


    Around them were pathways through a lush garden, with grandiose buildings further out.  However, what immediately captured his attention was the sight over the terrace¡¯s railing.  The landmass they were on was a good half mile higher than anything else, offering a magnificent view.


    ¡°Mind if we have look?¡±  Silver asked.  He and Kate approached the edge.


    ¡°Take your time.¡±  Debra invited graciously.


    Across from them was a familiar shattered landscape with chunks of earth floating at various elevations.  Of special note was the spread out city a few miles away which appeared to have been badly broken up.  He counted at least twenty pieces, all at different heights.  Tiny airships darted to and fro between quays built into the rock face.


    ¡°That¡¯s Niangu?¡±  Silver confirmed.


    Debra nodded.  ¡°The Fracturing really did a number on our capital.  So many people were left stranded¡­  It was a nightmare.¡±


    Silver couldn¡¯t imagine the chaos it must¡¯ve been.  ¡°How did you sort it out?¡±


    ¡°The old palace, which was split into five piece, was converted into  shelters until transportation could be ironed out.¡±  Debra explained.  ¡°I took the opportunity to relocated here afterwards.¡±


    Small towns surrounded the capital, with agricultural lands between.  In many of the fields, throngs of people walked between row of tents.  Refugee camps, like those on Neon¡¯s outskirts.  He noticed the inbound roads were well-trafficked.


    ¡°Has Kalonia already experienced disaster?¡±  Kate asked.


    ¡°Fortunately, no.¡±  Debra walked over to the railing.  ¡°This is the preemptive evacuation I ordered immediately once the dark age began.  A necessity really.¡±


    ¡°Kalonia is an island nation at the bottom of the Monarch¡¯s right wing, encircled by Blue Abyss.  It¡¯s indefensible.¡±


    The Monarch is another name for the butterfly continent, Silver recalled.  He had traveled to the Flux Planescape was at the bottom of the left wind, but this was farther south still.


    ¡°When the undead rose from ocean last time, half our population perished.  We would have lost everyone if my husband, Calumn, hadn¡¯t rallied Shangri-la¡¯s sovereigns to our aid.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s funny.¡±  Debra smiled sadly.  ¡°I am the summoner, yet he always had a closer relationship with them.¡±


    That¡¯s the one she wants to resurrect.  Astra had warned him Debra would butter them up.  She¡¯s after the secrets buried at Earth¡¯s End.


    ¡°All those rifts lead to Shangri-la?¡±  Silver asked.  At a dozen spots in the city and villages were the shimmering of entrances to the Ether.


    ¡°The entire realm of Shangri-la is anchored to this region through twenty three portals.¡±  Debra replied.  ¡°We¡¯re gradually moving people into Premier and the valley as they arrive.¡±


    Unlike other places, Kalonia¡¯s inhabitants were not seeking the Safety of Bastion.  It makes sense given the proximity to Shangri-la, but removing that many souls from Enera ever so slightly tilts the scales against us.


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    ¡°It has been a while since I saw you both.¡±  Debra began abruptly.  ¡°You in particular, Silver, have changed a great deal.  How was your time in the Flux Planescapes?¡±


    ¡°It was mostly studying, fighting, and opening passageways, repeated ad nauseam.¡±  Silver answered.  ¡°It¡¯s not something worth recounting.¡±  His experiences there were not something he cared to delve into.


    Debra smirked at his evasiveness.  ¡°Is Dwaine doing well?¡±


    ¡°You knew him?¡±  Silver exclaimed, genuinely surprised.


    ¡°While saints head for the Flux Planescapes, Kalonia is the destination of choice for weaker summoners.¡±  Debra revealed.  ¡°Dwaine trained in Niangu, and I had the chance to met him on several occasions.¡±


    Silver briefly wondered why his mentor hadn¡¯t mentioned these encounters then understood the answer.  They were lost among the countless experiences in his long life.


    ¡°I wonder which one of us is stronger today.¡±  Debra continued.  ¡°I didn¡¯t judge his talents as particularly impressive before he left, but he¡¯s had fourteen thousand years since then, so who knows?  I¡¯m amazed he¡¯s survived that long.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s cautious and highly valued by the Empire of Man.¡±  Silver replied.  ¡°I believe he¡¯ll be around for many millennia yet.¡±


    ¡°Enough small talk.¡±  Silver declared.  ¡°We should be on our way.¡±


    ¡°You sure?¡±  Debra responded.  ¡°You could always take the day off and depart tomorrow.  You¡¯d be our honored guests.¡±


    ¡°Thanks for the offer, but Astra assigned us an important task.¡±  Kate spoke firmly.  ¡°Reagan Bard¡¯s aide is urgently needed due to the threat from Moonlit Lands.¡±


    ¡°Then come this way.¡±  Debra sighed.  ¡°There¡¯s a rift in this garden.¡±


    Passing a grassy field and a grove of trees, they arrived at small courtyard in the corner of a palace wing.  A small shimmering veil stood at the center.  Without a word, Debra stepped through.


    Silver followed and frowned.  The other side appeared the identical to where they¡¯d left: a courtyard surrounded by buildings and trees.


    ¡°Did it malfunctioned?¡±  Kate asked, just as confused.


    ¡°Not at all.¡±  Debra smiled, releasing a fairy.  ¡°You¡¯ll understand soon.¡±  She led them back the way they¡¯d came.  The garden remained the same, but the view beyond was changed.  ¡°Demetri created this place for me, a perfect replica of real world.  You are indeed in Shangri-la, and before you is Premier, its capital.¡±


    A multileveled city was spread out before them on giant platforms held aloof by a network of white metal strands stretching to the ground.  The wide streets and building were interspersed by vibrant green parks, and a railway system connected everywhere together.  One large saucer stood apart from the rest, high in the sky with palatial structures.  That must be where sovereigns meet.


    The terrain below appeared similar to the landscape outside, villages separated by fields of crops.  The notable difference was that the surface was perfectly flat.  It resembles the Kalonia of old, before the Fracturing.


    ¡°You can barely see them in the distance, but Premier is surrounded by by high cliffs which form the ¡®Valley¡¯.  It¡¯s here that virtually all humans live and where the people of Kalonia will eventually seek shelter.¡±


    ¡°And where is Reagan Bard?¡±  Silver asked.


    ¡°He¡¯s in the wilds beyond.  I called two of his neighbors to guide you to him.¡±  Debra answered, then hesitated.  ¡°Just so you know, while they¡¯re wonderful and kind, Agatha and Mane are an immortal and a sovereign who married.  They are regarded as a taboo couple by many¡­¡±


    ¡°Why is that?¡±  Silver asked.  Sovereigns can assume human form.  It isn¡¯t strange that some would enter into relationships with immortals.


    ¡°Because Mane was originally Agatha¡¯s summon who she made permanent.¡±  Debra said softly.


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±  Silver gasped stupidly.  Your summons are a reflection of yourself.  To regard them that way¡­  He felt ill.


    ¡°Here they are.¡±  Debar announced.  ¡°Try not to bring up the topic.¡±


    A airship landed in the terrace, and a petite brunette walked off followed by towering man with blond hair.  Silver¡¯s eyes flicked between the two.  She created her lover¡­  He felt a poke in his side.  Kate was giving the look.  I was staring too hard.  He took a deep breath and relaxed.


    ¡°Thank you for coming so fast.¡±  Debra greeted them.


    ¡°It was no issue.¡±  Agatha looked them over and smiled.  ¡°So these are the two you want us to host, Arther¡¯s clone and Lily¡¯s adopted daughter.  It¡¯ll be our pleasure.  We don¡¯t often have visitors.¡±


    Silver shot Debra a questioning glance.  ¡°It might take a few days to get through to Reagan.¡±  She explained.  ¡°You¡¯ll stay at their estate until then.¡±


    ¡°You aren¡¯t coming?¡±  Kate asked.


    Debra shook her head.  ¡°I have my responsibilities as queen.¡±


    Once on-board, Mane entered the cabin, leaving them with his wife on deck.  They took off and flew over the areal districts of Premier.  Animal of all types could be seen walking the streets alongside humans.


    ¡°So the city is full of summons?¡±  He asked.


    ¡°Premier is home to those who value human company.¡±  Agatha answered.  ¡°Those who prefer solitude and nature chose the Wilds.  Finally, those who hunger for conflict and battle head for the Borderlands.¡±  According to mother, the raids from Mount Gull happened in the Borderlands.


    They left Premier, rising high and exiting the Valley.  Although below them were grassy plains, tropical forests and snow covered hills were visible in the distance.  Shangri-la is the size of a continent, Silver remembered.


    ¡°Is it far?¡±  He asked.


    ¡°Not at all.¡±  Agatha pointed.  ¡°See the yellow ahead?  That¡¯s Mane¡¯s savanna.  We¡¯re almost there.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t realize airships worked here.¡±  Kate observed.  ¡°Sure is practical.¡±


    ¡°All it takes is a few adjustments for them to function.¡±  Agatha agreed happily.


    They passed over yellow plains towards a large oasis.  In the middle, on a hill rising from the water, was a sprawling mansion.  They landed on the lawn outside.


    ¡°See that golden dome?¡±  Agatha motioned one side of the savanna.  ¡°That¡¯s where Reagan has sealed himself in.  He and Mane were both emperor lions, which is why Johan gave them territories close together.¡±

 [Book II Chapter 110] FILIA: Johanna Loubor

    [Book II Chapter 110] FILIA:  Johanna Loubor


    ------------------------------------------------


    Filia creeped cautiously behind Terragon as the huge land dragon continued its plodding patrol.  The entire valley was this apex sukemon¡¯s territory.


    <<This makes me nervous.>>  Cici whispered in her head.


    <<Terragons only target large prey.>>  Filia answered.  <<As long as we show deference by keeping low to the ground, it¡¯ll ignore us.>>


    Coming around a bend, she spotted a grotto and smirked.  Made it!  By following the Terragon, she¡¯d avoided all the other dangers.


    The rock under her trembled as she reached the entrance.  She glanced back, listening to the distant echo of an explosion.  The sounds of battle were unmistakable.


    <<Someone else is coming this way.>>  Cici observed.


    <<And they¡¯re not taking the peaceful approach.>>  Filia added.  <<We better hurry.>>


    Inside the grotto was too quiet for her tastes.  Even with Cici¡¯s echolocation, she sensed no life.  Could we be facing ghost types?  Or¡­  Her thoughts trailed off.  Above a stone altar, a card floated inside a ray of light.


    <<We found it.>>  Cici exclaimed.


    <<Indeed.>>  Filia sighed, her excitement tampered by the realization that her journey through the sukemon realm was coming to an end.


    She picked up the thin sheet of cardboard and read the words on it.  Titania, the herald of the left.  On the front was a dragon knight reminiscent of Oberon, but clad all in white.  This was the first legendary card she¡¯d acquired on her own.  She carefully placed it in her deck holder.


    She exited the grotto to see the terragon collapse, beheaded.  His killer approached, riding an areal mount.  Behind her, dead sukemon lined the valley.


    ¡°Johanna Loubor, what are you doing here?¡±  She asked apprehensively.


    By the blue skin and small horn, she judged the immortal was currently fused with demonice.  The stormelk she rode on marched through the air as if on a solid surface, its large purple antlers glowing ominously.  Around them fluttered a blazeagle, its fiery figure resembling a phoenix.  Lastly, on the ground below, was the largest Frenzyraptor she¡¯d ever seen.  Twice the size of daizy, its hide was dark brown instead of green.


    Only a blazeagle¡¯s wings are supposed to be on fire, and the antlers of stormelks aren¡¯t that color.  These are illegal evolutions¡­  While it was normal for sukemon to transformed into stronger versions as they developed, some trainers resorted to forbidden magics to force desired traits upon them.  The resulting unnatural monstrosities were forbidden from all official competitions.


    <<She summons her sukemon to fight along side her.>>  Cici observed.


    <<I¡¯m not like her.>>  Filia responded curtly.


    ¡°I¡¯m here for the card, same as you.¡±  Johanna said.  ¡°You have it don¡¯t you?  Hand it over.¡±


    Hans Leveson must¡¯ve found an immortal to retrieve the card.  Filia wasn¡¯t amused.  ¡°You want me to give up the prize I risked my life for?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you something for it.¡±  Johanna relented, slouching over her steed.  ¡°Don¡¯t make a fuss, I¡¯m in no mood to return empty-handed.  Getting here was more of a chore than I¡¯d imagine.¡±


    Whatever compensation you offer will be a fraction of its true worth.  It was her first time being shaken down like this.  She could refuse, but Johanna was rumored to be ruthless.  If it came to violence, she didn¡¯t stand a chance.  I hate that the HEAVENLY DAO allows this.


    ¡°On the day of tournament in Rosaria, where were you?¡±  Filia demanded bitterly.  She would report this to the Adventurer¡¯s Guild, but she doubted Johanna would care about the hit to reputation.


    Johanna studied her lazily, before abruptly sitting up.  ¡°You¡¯re the one who fought Geordan Price in the finals.  He gave his cards to you¡­¡±


    She let out a wild laughed.  ¡°You still have them with them don¡¯t you?  This makes things so much simpler.¡±


    The Frenzyraptor released a shockwave from its bladed limb, which Filia barely dodged.  ¡°What are you doing?¡±  She yelled out frantically.


    ¡°Killing you to recuperate the card and Price¡¯s deck of course.¡±  Johanna explained.


    It took Filia a second to process this information.  ¡°You¡¯re working with Laughing Man!¡±


    Johanna smirked viciously.  ¡°Ripper, tear her to pieces.¡±


    Filia took off, as the Frenzyraptor pounced towards her.  Unfortunately, the dungeon¡¯s barrier prevented her from flying higher than the valley.  She was forced to desperately dodge countless wind scythes from her pursuer below.


    Johanna followed with her two remaining sukemon, watching the chase.  ¡°Holo, knock her to the ground.¡±  She commanded coldly.


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    The blazeagle surged forwards.  Filia saw it coming, but was too busy evading to do anything.  It soared above her and exploded.  The blast slammed into her, sending her plummeting.  Bracing for the pain, she crashlanded hundred yards shy of the valley¡¯s exit.


    Struggling for consciousness, she found the frenzyraptor barring down on her, intend on finishing her with its claws.  However, before it could strike, another figure smashed into it.  Filia¡¯s eyes went wide.  It was Daisy!  Her sukemon flung the larger frenzyraptor back.


    ¡°Stop this pointless resistance!¡±  Johanna raged, swooping down on her stormelk.  ¡°Ice stakes!¡±


    The frozen javelins descended on Filia, but were deflected by a lava blast.  Tetris, her volcanor, had appeared besides her, along with her slushpup, Rex, who used its a water whip to intercept a firebolt from the stormeagle.


    <<I can finally go wild.>>  Blitzer, her elerret, zapped by her, returning fire with lightning bolts.


    A cry of agony rung out.  Johanna¡¯s Frenzyraptor had sent Daisy tumbling, a deep gash in her side.  It leap to deliver the final blow, but was crushed by a falling snorlots.  Outraded, the frenzyraptor tried to throw Sammy off its back, but Vineweep¡¯s vines tied it to the ground.  Meanwhile, Velvet appeared beside Daisy, spreading her fox tails and casting Lunar Cure.


    <<What a wonderful day!>>  Happy materialized overhead, flapping its duskull wings and rising towards the stormelk.  <<For the glory of the great Skaratina!>>


    They¡¯ve forcibly manifesting themselves¡­  Snapping out of her daze, Filia panicked.  If they fall in battle, they¡¯ll be gone forever!


    ¡°Wait¡­  Don¡¯t¡­¡±  She wheezed, attempting to stand.  Suddenly, large talons closed around her, and she felt herself lifted into the air.  She glanced up to see a blizzowl carrying her off.


    ¡°No, go back!¡±  Filia frantically tried to free herself.  Unfortunately, the talons proved immovable, and she felt Cici working against her efforts.


    <<Sorry, I can¡¯t do that.>>  Blizzy said softly.


    ¡°Johanna¡¯s an immortal!  They¡¯re all going to die!  Go back!¡±  She cried, tears streaming down her face.  All these years, this was the reason she¡¯d never summoned her sukemon in dungeons.  The fear of losing them terrified her.  By only relying on fusions, she could ensure she¡¯d never outlive them.  How could they betray me like this.  She wept silently.


    <


    >  Blizzy warned, turning to unleash a Winter Vortex.   Johanna¡¯s blazeagle pushed through the tempest and exploded again.  She was flung loose and fell on a grassy field.  As she stood, she felt her strength leave her as her skin returned to its ordinary hue.  Cici had separated from her body.


    ¡°Not you too¡­¡±  She pleaded, watching the galebat flap away.


    <<This is where we part.  That blazeagle is abnormally tough.  We can¡¯t escape together.>>   The galebat turned back and smiled awkwardly.  <<It was really fun knowing you.>>  With that, Cici joined Blizzy in battle.


    A dark shadow approached from behind and picked her up in its arms.  ¡°Oberon!¡±  She cried in shock.  ¡°Why only now?¡±  Apart from that first day, the legendary sukemon had rebuffed all her attempts at communication.


    <<I¡¯m once more carrying out Geordan¡¯s last request and keeping his deck safe.>>  Oberon answered solemnly.  <<I¡¯m also honoring their sacrifice.>>


    The landscape zoomed by.  They were quickly retracing their steps through the sukemon realm until they were back in the overgrown temple city.  As they neared the rift, the blazeagle appeared behind them.  Filia chocked down a sob, understanding what that meant.


    <<That bird is fast.>>  Oberon observed.


    By the time they were out of the Amalgamation, it had caught up.  Oberon used dark blades to ward it off, but there were noticeably less of swords than last time.  Filia was wondering about this when the dragon knight dropped down and deposited her on a strip of earth.


    <<My apologies¡­>>  He said, vanishing in a swirl of black mist..  <<I exerted myself too much at Rosaria and have run out of time.>>


    With resignation, Filia looked up and watched the blazeagle circle overhead.  ¡­  Why isn¡¯t it attacking?  Her eyes widened in realization.  Johanna ordered it to stop me without killing me.  She must be afraid it might damage the cards and plans to deal with me herself!


    Of course, this didn¡¯t help.  She was still stranded deep in the twisted lands in the middle of nowhere.  This remoteness is why Hans Leveson didn¡¯t want the card¡¯s existences to leak.  None of her remaining sukemon would let her take down the blazeagle, and, if she ran, it¡¯d just blast her until she stopped moving.


    I can¡¯t give up, not after everything.  The Amalgamation was a dungeon, and there might be adventurers around.  She had to chance it.


    She fused with her loudjaw and took a deep breath.  ¡°ANYONE THERE?  I NEED HELP!¡±  She kept yelling until her voice went horse.


    ¡°Look at you crying out so pathetically.¡±  Came a mocking voice.  ¡°Have you lost your dignity to fear?¡±


    The stormelk trotted forward through the air, Johanna on its back.  Both mount and rider looked ragged, and the frenzyraptor was nowhere in sight.  Serves her right.


    The immortal glared down at her with loathing.  ¡°I have half-a mind to torture you for the trouble you put me through.  Sadly, I don¡¯t have the energy for it, so you¡¯ll luck out with a quick death.¡±


    ¡°Ice stakes!¡±  She shouted.


    Filia closed her eyes, but the expected pain did not come.  Instead, there was the sound of a shattering impact.  A knight in icy armor stood before her and had parried the attack with an enormous white greatsword.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡±  He said.  ¡°I¡¯m here."


    ¡°We¡¯re here.¡±  Corrected a woman in a green cultivator robe.  She appeared out of breath.  ¡°It¡¯s so hard keeping up with you when you rush off like this.¡±


    Another woman joined them, this time in a red dress.  ¡°Oh god, he¡¯s picked a fight with an immortal this time¡­¡±


    Johanna watched the new arrivals with anger and apprehension.  ¡°This doesn¡¯t concern you.  Scram now, or, I swear, everyone one of you will perish.¡±


    ¡°Unlikely.¡±  Said a man in the most elegant and vibrant robes Filia had ever seen.  He released a talisman which flew off and attached itself to the knight¡¯s back before shattering.  ¡°The Soul before you now is not someone you can face.¡±


    Soul¡­?  That¡¯s Astra Skyfell¡¯s son!  In his glistening armor, the boy was almost unrecognizable from the recording she¡¯d seen.  That¡¯s why Johanna is acting so cautiously, she knows he has a weapon that can hurt her.


    ¡°Fine.¡±  Johanna said venomously.  ¡°Holo, except the girl, burn them all to a crisp.¡±


    The blazeagle¡¯s feathers flared up and it screeched, preparing to dive.


    ¡°Careful.¡±  Filia warned.  ¡°That bird is dangerous.¡±


    Soul nodded and swung his sword in an uppercut.  ¡°Heaven Splitter!¡±


    With a powerful beat of its wings, the blazeagle lurched to the side, narrowly avoiding the frozen shockwave.  ¡°Nice!¡±  Johanna shouted with savage glee.  ¡°Now incinerate them.¡±


    However, Soul swung his sword again¡­ and again, and again.  Without ceasing, he sent out invisible blades that sliced the world in two.  The blazeagle scrambled to evade the terrifying assault, but the fifth one landed dead on.


    ¡°Noooooo!¡±  Johanna shrieked.  ¡°How dare you¡ª¡ª¡±


    Without missing a beat, Soul released another heaven splitter aimed straight at her.  The immortal went pale as her stormelk dodged and ducked behind a chunk of bedrock.


    They waiting anxiously to see where she¡¯d re-emerge.  Eventually, the well-dress cultivator smiled.  ¡°She¡¯s not coming back.¡±

 [Book II Chapter 111] ZENTRIAS: A Broken Boy

    [Book II Chapter 111] ZENTRIAS:  A Broken Boy


    ------------------------------------------------


    He barreled through the narrow alley as fast as his small legs would take him, dodging passerbys.  Loud footsteps followed him, and he heard someone being knocked over.  Please, please trip.  He reached an intersection and, seeing one of his pursuers on the left, darted down the right.


    There were few of them left.  One by one, the other children had disappeared, taken off somewhere.  The streets had become lonely.  This time they¡¯ve come for me.


    Without stopping, he stuffed the bread in his mouth and took another bite.  A baker had setup an outside stall, an occurrence usually reserved for festivals.  The smell had drawn him there.  He knew it wasn¡¯t safe, that it could be a trap, but the hunger had hurt too much.


    Out of fear, he¡¯d been shying away from the city¡¯s busy avenues and squares, keeping to neighborhoods where the faces were familiar to him.  His begging had suffered for it, and the odd coin earned running errands hadn¡¯t been enough.


    A shadow leapt out from around a corner and grabbed him.  ¡°Got ya.¡±  Said a deep voice.  An overweight man with a receding hairline lifted him in a bear hug, grinning victoriously with mismatched teeth.  His breath stunk, and not just from the booze.


    No!  Zentrias pushed both hands on the man¡¯s sweaty shirt and channeled as hard he could.  The destructive energy which terrified him came flowing, and the area between them grew warm, then hot.  He felt the man¡¯s grip weaken a second before they were blasted apart.


    Struggling for breath, his panic quickly return.  He glanced up to see the man slumped on the ground, a dark red spot on the wall behind him.  Lucky!  His captor hadn¡¯t shouted for the others, so he could still escape.  Pulling himself up, he limped pass the body, chewing more bread.  A couple minutes later, he collapsed into the pile of junk he called home and crawled into the remains of a metal chestplate belonging to a military mech.  Pain suppressed by adrenaline slowly made itself known, and he whined miserably as tears winded down his cheeks.


    ¡­


    Zentrias opened his eyes, tiredly up into the darkness.  Ever since escaping Dark Heritage, his every attempt at sleep was thwarted by the nightmares.


    <<You tried to forget, but it¡¯s all still there deep down.>>  His younger self observed calmly.


    .


    ¡°You¡¯re the one making it happen.¡±  Zentrias accused bitterly.


    <<As the gauntlets strengthen me, the memories you buried me with are returning.>>  The figment of his psyche replied.  <<And since your conscious mind rejects them, they invade your dreams.>>


    Zentrias sighed.  While he¡¯s proof I¡¯m sinking into insanity, this would be so much more unbearable without someone to talk to.  Now if only he¡¯d let me rest¡­   The fatigue was assaulting him again, and the weight on his eyelids was crushing.


    ¡°Please¡­  Just keep quiet for a bit¡­  Let me sleep.¡±  He mumbled.


    <<Sure, but it won¡¯t help.>>  His younger self mocked.


    ¡­


    Zentrias returned home, exhausted but elated.  His father had brought him outside town to let him fling his magic about to his heart¡¯s content.  A dozen trees had been felled before his stamina ran out.


    Over dinner, he beamed as his father recounted the destruction to his mother.  He¡¯d never forget how proud they¡¯d been when they¡¯d discovered his talent.  Possessing a strong channeling ability made him special  Maybe he could even becomes immortal.  The only downside was his affinity was rare and dangerous.  Without a teacher, he had to practice far from others.


    Later, after his mother kissed him goodnight, he lay in bed unable to sleep.  He keep thinking back on his day and smiling stupidly.  Eventually, he saw the lines on the wall again, which was strange since it was pitch dark.  He¡¯d glimpsed them before, but never as clearly as now.  They came into focus the more he stared, a network of passageways connecting glowing dots.


    Somehow he knew his power could fill them.  With a small hand, he reached out and poured some in.  It traveled pathways, lighting up the points like stars.  Mesmerized, he watched the wall become a bright tapestry of interconnect constellations.


    He only understood something was wrong when he withdrew his hand and everything went red.  This was what happened right before his magic went boom.  Quickly he slammed both palms back, channeling hard.  This was the only way he knew to delay the explosions: adding more energy.


    In silent panic, he watched the lines blanket the room, slowly turning orange as the magical formation grew too massive to sustain.  With red all around, his strength started giving out.


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    ¡­


    No!  Zentrias bolted upright, sweat rolling down his face.  He grimaced realizing what he¡¯d been forced to relive.  I killed them with my own small hands.


    <<I wasn¡¯t our fault.>>  Said an impassive voice.  <<Our talent was too wild for our own good.>>


    A boy of no more than twelve sat besides him on the cavern¡¯s rocks.  Things had deteriorated to the point where his younger self could project himself into his vision in the real world.  Zentrias observed the apparition with resigned apathy as his thoughts drifted to the past.


    He¡¯d been six year old when they pulled him out of the rumble.  He¡¯d woken to discover his lifeless parents laid out next to him.  The funerals had gone by in a shocked blur.  Despite his renowned ¡®talent¡¯, no one stepped forward to claim him afterwards.  Who would dare after what happened?


    The guilt and the looks of reproach drove him from his small town.  He fled to the capital, where he joined other homeless children.  There plenty of them.  Conflict raged between Middle Earth¡¯s kingdoms back then.


    His harsh existence there lasted more than year before some royalty or other died.  The city¡¯s mood changed after that.  People were more nervous and less giving.  He overheard whispers of taxes, debauchery, and nobility, words which meant nothing to him.  It wasn¡¯t long before they started hunting street urchins.


    Who would¡¯ve guessed those kidnappers would change my fate?  He¡¯d abandoned his magic completely up until that point, despising it for the pain of loss it¡®d cost him.  If it hadn¡¯t been for that desperation chase, he might¡¯ve died of hunger or disease before ever channeling again.


    Two week later, they succeeded in capturing him, but he¡¯d never found out what happened to the other children.  He was kept in his own cell and given food and water.  After a few days, a man showed up to collected him.  Raoul Stein, my second father.


    <<Our talent saved us that time .>>  His younger self broke in.


    Dragged back to the present, Zentrias glanced over at the boy who could read his every though.  True, Raoul¡¯s money was worth more than whatever else they had planned.


    <<Eat something.>>  The boy said.  <<The more you rely on the gauntlets to keep you alive, the more they¡¯ll wear away at you.>>


    ¡°I know.¡±  Zentrias grabbed a piece of charred meat and took a bite.  ¡°Why are you helping me?  Isn¡¯t it in your interest that I go mad?¡±


    <<You are me, and I am you.>>  The boy replied.  <<Seeing you so pathetic breaks my heart.>>


    They were camped out in the same cave he¡¯d stumbled into after Amare Vitiose dumped him in wilderness.  He hadn¡¯t dared returned to civilization.  Whatever method the undead champion had used, the trip through that blackness had done a number on his fraying mind.  He wasn¡¯t sure what would happened if he sustained more injuries.


    Also¡­  Zentrias glanced down at his metal fingers.  Part of me doesn¡¯t want to give them up.  This reluctance was undoubtedly his younger self¡¯s influence.  Even if he didn¡¯t fear his reception, he no longer had the will to turn himself in.


    No one would come for him either, since everyone believed he was lost within the Dark Heritage dungeon.  It was a grim situation.  Zentrias stood up.


    <<Another patrol?  You¡¯re falling into your old habits.>>  His younger self said approvingly.


    ¡°I can¡¯t handle more sleep right now.¡±  He answered, heading out into the morning light.  His body jumped across the twisted strands while his mind drifted to the past.


    Raoul Stein had taken him to his dojo in the mountains three kingdoms away.  For the first time in ages, Zentrias had a roof over his head and three meals a day.  Sleeping in a bed again took a while to grow accustomed to, but his savior had insisted.


    The dojo was small and humble but well-respected.  There were always students of varying age staying with them.  Those born with a partial talent in destruction came from far and wide for Raoul¡¯s specialized knowledge.  He was the the only master in Middle Earth, so even saints visited.


    Even so, compared to all the others, Zentrias was special, the ideal pupil his foster father had long sought.  Raoul treated him as a son and trained him as a successor.  It was a happy time.


    Eventually Zentrias opened up and told his master about what had happened to his parents.  While offering support, Raoul had also been fascinated by his ability.  With his help, Zentrias learned to pulverize all manner of materials and, through the process, was able to stop loathing himself.


    <<It was too good to last.>>  His younger self observed.  Zentrias frowned at the words, knowing them to be true.


    Expanding lawlessness and strife caused powerful warlords to rise up all over Middle Earth.  Former bandit kings with higher aspirations, they wrestled wide swaths of territory away from weakened kingdoms.  One claimed the mountains around their dojo, and an outlaw army descended on them.


    As a powerful martial artist, Raoul was the strongest authority figure who hadn¡¯t fled.  The warlord gave him one chance to swear loyalty and, when rebuffed, made an example of him.


    Something broke in Zentrias watching Raoul¡¯s lifeless body collapse.  He rushed outside and began a slaughter.  Although barely ten, his strength was already on par with his master.  What¡¯s more, he had a forbidden weapon.


    While he¡¯d told Raoul that he could only see the lines in inanimate objects, his ability had recently developed to the point where it worked on the living too.  Terrified of the implications, he¡¯d keep this to himself.  These compulsions were lost in his rage at the murderers of his adoptive father.


    It rained blood as bodies burst one after another.  When the warlord fell, the rest scattered.  Sadly for them, Zentrias had no intention of letting them go.  He chased them back to their base and killed all he could find.  Eventually, there was no one left, and he return to help bury Raoul.  However, once the other students departed, he returned to the enemy fortress and claimed it as his own.


    <<And that¡¯s how you became the ¡®mountain wraith¡¯, the most dreaded warlord in the east.>>  His younger self proclaimed.


    ¡°I was a broken boy.¡±  Zentrias sighed, stopping by a large rock formation.


    The first time I hated myself.  The second time I hated the world.  He¡¯d embraced violence and had reveled at his destructive talents, demanding tribute from travelers and slaying those who challenged him.  Ultimately, I would¡¯ve met my own end, if not for¡­


    Zentrias plunged his alloy fingers into the stone, channeling a flood of corrosive energy.  An enormous magical formation took shape, flowing through the weak points.  Once satisfied by the size, he jumped back and watched the fireworks.  The land was scarred, a strange charred pattern carved into its surface.


    <<That was how we marked our territory.>>  His younger self grinned.  <<And warned everyone not to mess with us.>>


    He nodded and, with a last glance, left to find somewhere to repeat the ritual.

 [Book II Chapter 112] SARAH: Crisis Management

    [Book II Chapter 112] SARAH:  Crisis Management


    ------------------------------------------------


    ¡°The last shipment of crystal water crystals went out today.¡±  Commander Varon announced somberly.  ¡°Those convoys from Neon were our only means of moving large numbers of people to safety.  With supply from Pearl cut off, they won¡¯t be anymore coming.¡±


    Sarah listened wearily.  It¡¯s one thing after an other.  No sooner had they finished evacuating Pearl that Varon had come to deliver this news.  He doesn¡¯t have far to travel these days.  Two thirds of Tulven had fallen to the demonic beast invasion.  The front lines were dangerously close to the capital.


    ¡°How many are left at Torris?¡±  Lord Yohan asked, concern visible on his elderly face.  Sarah glanced at the maps and reports piled up on the table before him, proof of his diligence in coordinating their defenses.    They were in the dining room of an abandoned mansion, their current makeshift command center.  Jayden and Leucothea sat on her right.


    ¡°I estimate three million.¡±  Varon replied  ¡°New arrivals have more than offset those who left.¡±


    Sarah winced, turning to Jayden.  ¡°What¡¯s the Adventurer¡¯s Guild doing?  Surely they¡¯re aware of our plight?¡±  She was certain the ninja was in close communication with the guildmaster.  Her son is his underling.


    ¡°Astra is focused on the assault on Mount Gull.¡±  Jayden answered.  ¡°By destroying the revenant summoning pit, she hopes to blunt Kaygren¡¯s offensive for several months.¡±


    ¡°In other words, there¡¯s no plans for assistance until then.¡±  Sarah interpreted.  ¡°Yohan, how long do you believe we can hold out?¡±


    ¡°Less than month at the rate we¡¯re retreating.  Although¡­¡±  Yohan looked across the table.  ¡°If Leucothea joins our efforts, perhaps longer.¡±


    They all turned to the skimpily-clad nymph with a watery shawl floating around her.  Another immortal-level fighter would make a world of difference.  ¡°What are your plans now?¡±  Sarah asked.


    She didn¡¯t know the details as to why Leucothea had chosen to bind herself to Pearl, which made her hard to predict.  Summons normally entered such contacts to develop their souls and become sovereigns, goals the nymph had likely accomplished before her arrival.  Would she travel to Shangri-la or Arcadia, like most guardian beasts freed from their oath?


    ¡°While the bond is broken, I still feel a duty to the people I safeguarded.¡±  Leucothea answered.  ¡°I will remain and offer my aid.¡±


    ¡°Knowing your mother, she won¡¯t be pleased.¡±  Jayden commented.


    ¡°If she wants me back that badly, she¡¯s welcome to send reinforcements.¡±  A frown marred the nymph¡¯s beautiful features.  ¡°I will not be leaving until all those gathered at Torris are safe.¡±


    ¡°About that¡­¡±  Varon began. ¡°Once the refugees around Torris learn no further evacuations are planned, I fear things could turn ugly.  People are frightened and desperate.  They need tangible hope to cling to.¡±


    A quiet settled over the room.  ¡°Don¡¯t we have the barges from Pearl?¡±  Leucothea asked.


    ¡°They¡¯d never make it through the Twisted Lands without an armed escort.¡±  Varon countered.  ¡°Not to mention, they¡¯re slow it and would take months to move everyone.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡±  Jayden broke in.  ¡°Why don¡¯t we just hire airships and the mercenaries to guard them?  Surely there are crystal reserves we can tap into?¡±


    ¡°Our agreement with Viacore was to ship out everything as soon as it was mined, with our accounts there credited.  That income has mostly been spent, and our remaining balances are barely enough to cover our expenses for the next few weeks.¡±


    Viacore was one of Neon¡¯s big five and dominated the global energy and commodities trade.  Anyone who wished to move large quantities of crystals had to do business with them.


    Jayden frowned.  ¡°Where¡¯s the wealth that Tulven has always been reputed to have?¡±


    Sarah flinched at the jab.  ¡°It went into the beautifications of our cities and the lavishness of our festivals.¡±  She admitted.  ¡°My mother grew up in Sovengard and has a taste for the finer things¡­¡±  With her experience as steward of the Isle, the wasteful spending she¡¯d witnessed in her youth pained her even more.


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    ¡°That¡¯s wrong.¡±  Leucothea interjected.  ¡°Even with your mother¡¯s extravagance, Pearl has mined far more than Tulven has spent.¡±


    What?  Doubt creeping through her mind, Sarah shot Varon a questioning look.


    ¡°When I took over after your mother left, Viacore set up a new account for me.¡±  The man admitted.  ¡°The old account undoubtedly has a considerable amount in it.¡±


    ¡°And you didn¡¯t try to gain access to it?¡±  Sarah demanded, her temper rising.


    ¡°I can¡¯t contact your mother, and you dismissed my suggestions to reach out to her.¡±  Varon countered.  ¡°What was I to do?¡±


    Sarah grimaced understanding the reality.  I didn¡¯t want to call her because I knew she wouldn¡¯t lift a finger to help.  I didn¡¯t realize she¡¯d absconded with Tulven¡¯s wealth.


    ¡°It appears the solution has presented itself.¡±  Jayden observed.


    ¡°There¡¯s a long range projector on my airship.¡±  Varon added.


    Sarah sighed.  I should¡¯ve known.  A ruling immortal is the foundation of the nation.  There¡¯s no distinction between their possessions and those of the state.  It¡¯s why their loss is so devastating.


    Later, in Varon¡¯s office, she steeled herself and touched the crystal before her.  Her senses reached out through the magical network, and she recalled her mother, her essence, her soul.  Nothing came up.


    I expected as much.  She tried again, imagining a different person.  An aged man she was unfamiliar with appeared across from her.  He examined her carefully.


    ¡°You wish to speak with Ellaria Raven?¡±  He confirmed.  She nodded.


    ¡°Wait a moment.¡±  He said.


    The projection went black, and soon the immortal in question showed up.  ¡°Sarah Godspeed, what can I do for you today?¡±  Said the head of house Raven, curiosity shining in her sharp brown eyes.


    ¡°I need to reach my mother, Claire Godspeed.¡±  Sarah answered.  ¡°I was hoping you knew her whereabout.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s here, at Timberhold.¡±  Ellaria smirked.  ¡°Though she¡¯s calling herself Claire Raven these days.  I¡¯ll fetch her for you.¡±


    There was another interlude, and the figure of a brunette her age stared back at her with a mixture of dismay and anger.  ¡°You had the gall to contact me.¡±  Claire Raven said coldly.


    Sarah got straight to the point.  ¡°I was hoping you could give me access your accounts at Viacore.¡±


    ¡°I told you last time you were dead to me.  What makes you think I¡¯d ever give you access to my funds?¡±  Her mother scoffed.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t a personal request¡ª¡ª¡±  Sarah began but was cut off.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care.¡±  Clair interrupted.  ¡°The balances at Viacore are all I have to show for the centuries I wasted on Tulven.  They¡¯re mine, and I am under no obligation to turn them over, especially not to a disappointment like you.¡±


    With that, the connection cut off, and Sarah was left alone.  The disappointment drowned out the pain at her mother¡¯s degrading words.  That went as badly as possible.  Why did I believe I could reason with her?


    As she sat there wondering how to break the news to the others, the projector flashed with an incoming call.  She was surprised to see Ellaria Raven pop up.


    ¡°How did it go?¡±  She asked with a sympathetic smile.


    ¡°Not well.¡±  Sarah replied flatly.


    Ellaria nodded, leaning forward.  ¡°Tell me about the situation in Tulven.¡±


    The immortal listened quietly as she explained everything.  By the end she wore a deep frown.


    ¡°Claire isn¡¯t thinking rationally.¡±  Ellaria observed afterwards.  ¡°If Tulven¡¯s people are massacred because she appropriated the nation¡¯s wealth at a moment of need, it¡¯ll ruin her reputation.  The smirch will be so noxious it¡¯ll stain house Raven by extension.¡±


    She shook her head.  ¡°I spoiled her too much growing up.  Even now, I¡¯ve been letting her use her son¡¯s death as an excuse¡­¡±


    Ellaria fixed her gaze on Sarah.  ¡°Your brother also had an account at Viacore.  While only a fraction of his mother¡¯s, it should be more than enough for your purposes.  You¡¯ll have control of it within the hour.¡±


    ¡°Thank you so much¡­¡±  Sarah stammered, stunned by the good fortune.


    ¡°Just remember, should the worse come to past, to not speak ill of our house.¡±  Ellaria¡¯s figure vanished.


    Sarah sat in shock.  I should start looking how to spend it.  She hadn¡¯t been researching five minutes before she received a message from Viacore granting her ownership of her brother¡¯s account.  The amount inside was massive.


    Two hours passed, and there was a knock on the door.  Jayden quietly slipped in.  ¡°Any success?¡±  He asked.


    ¡°In one week, a fleet large enough to carry a million will dock at the capital.¡±  Sarah announced.  ¡°For security, Guardstone is providing a team of saints lead by two of their immortals.¡±


    Jayden¡¯s eyes went wide.  ¡°I¡¯m amazed¡­  How much did it cost?¡±


    ¡°A fortune, half of the money I just inherited from my brother.¡±  Sarah admitted.  ¡°In normal times, it would¡¯ve be enough to evacuate Torris three times over, but with the airship shortage and the Guardstone¡¯s inflated fees¡­  There won¡¯t be enough to move everyone.¡±


    ¡°Then we¡¯ll have to rely on the Adventurer¡¯s Guild for those left over.¡±  Jayden shrugged.  ¡°Still, what you¡¯ve set up improves our position enormous.  You should tell the others.  They will be thrilled.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do so now.¡±  Sarah was about to get up but stopped herself.  ¡°Did you need me for anything?¡±


    Jayden nodded.  ¡°It¡¯s about time for our friend Turok to return.  I was wondering if you¡¯d sensed anything.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll check now.¡±  Sarah grabbed her staff and navigated the threads of fate.  It took no time to find what she was searching for.  ¡°Three hours out, several rifts will open north of here.  There will be¡­  Seven of them¡­¡±


    She frowned.  That was more than usual.  Something was off.  As she delved deeper, her blood suddenly ran cold.  ¡°It¡¯s not just Turok.¡±  She looked up in shock.  ¡°There¡¯s two more revenants, including Sekken, the Red Hound.¡±


    ¡°By Idia, what are we going to do?¡±  She stammered, all her optimism swept away.

 [Book II Chapter 113] LIGHT: Sekken

    [Book II Chapter 113] LIGHT:  Sekken


    ------------------------------------------------


    In the basement of an old farmhouse, Light carefully etched out a ring of six interconnected orange circles.  The wall wasn¡¯t height, so he¡¯d had to shrink everything to make it fit.


    <<Almost done.>>  He thought.  <<Kuro, check if anyone is around.>>


    He felt the shadow wolf detach himself from his arm and disappear into the darkness.  It wouldn¡¯t be a disaster if he was discovered, but he preferred avoiding explainations.  He gotten enough grief about his curse.


    <<It¡¯s all clear.>>  Kuro appeared next him, glancing apprehensively at this work.  <<Be careful.  Remember our fates linked.>>


    <<I know.>>  Light bit his thumb and finished the last few symbols in blood.  His magic activated, and the stone in front of him bent backwards, collapsing into a misty passage.  <<Guard this side for me.>>


    The mystical formation he¡¯d used was from Salazar¡¯s Book of Curses.  It allowed those with the affinity to open a portal to a specific place in the Elemental Plane of Earth.  Or rather, to a specific individual.


    Light exited to a grand hall.  Orange runes blanked the walls like beautiful tapestries, the glow of their power lighting the space.  Opposite him, a black-haired man in impeccable velvet attire sat atop stone throne.  His reptilian eyes studied him with hungry interest.  Dorakun, one of the oldest reigning sovereign and a supreme master of maledictions.


    Light knelt.  ¡°My lord.¡±


    The first time he¡¯d come here was after performing his ritual at the Transcendent Altar in Messanic.  Fortunately, the act of cursing himself had caught the immortal¡¯s attention, and Light was able to pledge fealty.


    Dorakun smirked.  ¡°You¡¯ve come bearing tribute.¡±


    Light nodded, withdrawing a pouch which flew from his hand and stopped above Dorakun¡¯s extended palm.  Hundreds of small orbs spilled out and orbited each other in one big mass.


    ¡°Good, my vassals will enjoy feasting on these.¡±  Dorakun grinned, directing the demonic beast cores into chest.  With a flick, the pouch was returned to its owner.


    ¡°It¡¯s an honor to serve.¡±  Light replied.


    ¡°Keep this up, and one day I might grant you your fondest desire.¡±  Dorakun


    ¡°I¡¯ll strive to do my best.¡±  Light responded, getting up.


    As he left, Dorakun called after him.  ¡°I told Salazar about you.  That a young boy had read his book and come to me.  He was pleased.  He always appreciates his knowledge being put into practice.¡±


    Light was unsure how to react.  ¡°I didn¡¯t realize that you two were still in contact.¡±


    ¡°We share a passion for the same hobby.¡±  Dorakun let out a low chuckled.  ¡°He frequently visits whenever he returns.  Anyway, he wishes you the best.  Me too.  We look forward to watching your struggles.¡±


    Light gave a curt bow and withdrew.


    <<What¡¯s wrong?>>  Kuro asked upon noting his expression.


    <<Hopefully nothing.>>  He responded glumly.


    Light hadn¡¯t just been fetching snacks for Dorakun¡¯s underlings.  He¡¯d also agreed to share his eyes, and everything he witnessed the sovereign did too.  He holds no interest in Enera¡¯s power struggles, so I judged it a costless means to win favor.  Now that I know who he¡¯s in regular contact with¡­  At least I doubt Salazar cares what happens in this far off place.


    <<Arika stopped by while you were gone.>>  Kuro reported.


    Light¡¯s heart sank.  ¡°Did she see the portal?¡±


    <<No, I stopped her outside.>>  Kuro explained.  <<Apparently there¡¯s some manner of emergency, and you are to join them immediately.>>


    <<Then let¡¯s go.>>  He replied.


    A large crowd was gathered outside the manor which served as their headquarters.  Light spotted his teammates on the side.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±  He asked.


    ¡°We don¡¯t know yet.¡±  Haron replied.  ¡°They ordered all saints to assemble saying a major assault was immanent.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t look good.¡±  Arika added, watching lord Yohan exit the building, followed by Jayden, Leucothea, and Sarah.  The stiffness in their expressions betrayed the gravity of the situation.


    ¡°The next rifts will open north of here in two hours.¡±  Yohan announced.  ¡°Three sovereigns will come through:  Turok, Saeen, and Sekken, the Red Hound.¡±


    Light frowned as whispers exploded around him.  Yohan held up a hand to call for silence.  ¡°As you know, Sekken is the one who killed the immortal Andrew Godspeed when Rosaria fell.  He¡¯s unlike the threats we¡¯ve faced so far.  Thankfully, we have Leucothea with us.  She and Jayden Zuto will tackle the sovereign together.¡±


    ¡°Saeen will be handled by team Necessity who took the snake down in Livra.¡±  He continued.  Light glanced over at Free and her group.  They won¡¯t have my help or a city to hide in this time.  ¡°Turok will be handled by Gladiator, the ninja group from Hearth.  Jordan Seers will assist both parties from a distance.¡±


    ¡°The rest of you will tackle the demonic beasts, which won¡¯t as simple this time.¡±  Yohan continued.  ¡°In addition to the quantity expected from the rifts, you will also have to contend with one of Sekken sublime vagaries, ¡®hounds of war¡¯, whose passive constantly spawns demonic dogs in the land around him.  Tonight will be our toughest challenge.¡±


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    Once the others dispersed, they approached their leader for further instructions.  ¡°You are all intimately familiar with Turok, so I have no additional advice for you.¡±  Jayden shook his head.  ¡°Sorry to thrust this battle upon you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll be fine.¡±  Haron joked brazenly.  ¡°We just need to hold out until you and Leucothea deal with Sekken.¡±


    ¡°Sadly, that prospect is doubtful.¡±  Jayden sighed.


    Haron frowned, turning serious.  ¡°I heard he was tough, but is he really that formidable?¡±


    ¡°Sekken has not died once since returning to life,¡±  Leucothea said, walking over, ¡°and he doesn¡¯t wear a severing collar.  Including Rosaria, all the major massacres carried out by Mount Gull were spearheaded by him.


    ¡°He is a different breed from his revenants comrades.  Unlike them, he took on human form upon becoming a sovereign.  The story is he fell in love with weapons.  Compared to claws and teeth, they offered so many new possibilities.  In his new guise, he traveled Enera, participating in conflicts in every corner of the globe.  The senseless violence of our wars was an opium to him, satisfying his primal need for dominance and brutality.  He particularly reveled in the spoils afterwards, and the atrocities he committed against his vanquished foes were monstrous.¡±


    ¡°His history is long and bloody.¡±  Jayden agreed.  ¡°The only bright spot is that he¡¯s more cautious than the others. Several weapons auctioned off at Neon¡¯s Platinum Hall have ended up in his possession, and he dreads losing them.  If we pressure him enough, he might retreat.¡±


    ¡°And if he doesn¡¯t, what exactly is our plan for victory?¡±  Akira asked.


    Jayden shrugged.  ¡°We hold out until some form of reinforcements shows up.  Varus has messaged the Adventurer¡¯s Guild about our plight.¡±


    According to Sarah, the rifts would open in territory already under demonic beast control.  Attempting to prevent them was useless, as the fang ninjas would simply swap to another spot.


    Outside their fortifications, Light spend his remaining time crafting another magic circle.  From it materialized the towering figure of a scarred and grizzled mole bear, one of Dorakun¡¯s subordinates eager for experience.  Summoning him was also a means to curry favor.  As long as he doesn¡¯t get killed.


    Looking around, he noticed he wasn¡¯t the only one who¡¯d been busy.  Between the gnarled root-trees Free had conjured were army of giant crabs from the generators.  Behind him, the defensive walls were lined with magical weaponry relocated from elsewhere.  Everyone had prepared in their own way.


    In the distance, Lightning shot out of a forest.  Soon, twirling mists of shadows sprung up in the fields around them.  Out of them came over-sized canines with glowing red eyes.  Their numbers quickly grew as they paced back and forth impatiently.


    A man in red emerged from the woods, swords and axes hanging from his belt and back.  He walked confidently wearing a wild grin.  This smirk only widened when enormous bubbles of water dropped from the sky, exploding like bombs when they hit.  Sekken somehow raced forwards while avoiding these blasts, but was stopped by a string of gemstone stakes which impaled the ground in front of him.


    Light had only moments to spectate the clash between the immortals before more demonic beasts poured out into view.  Among them was a gray wendigo and a colossal snake.


    Turok hollered with joy upon seeing the trio of ninjas.  <<Let¡¯s see how you fare without your protector.>>


    Watching him charge, Light was relieved.  If the sovereign had decided to ignore them and break through their defenses, he wasn¡¯t sure they could stop him.


    There was a thuderous impact as the wendigo clashed with Dorakun¡¯s mole bear.  Unfortunately, Turok¡¯s strength was greater, and it took everything Light had to keep his summon alive.  Even with the web of iron sand cables tying down the sovereign, it wasn¡¯t long before the mole bear was knocked senseless.  When Turok gathered ice energy in his hand to finish off his downed foe, Light jumped in to take the attack.  Despite shielding himself from the blast, he felts his midsection stiffen and freeze solid, forcing him to use a substitution.


    Watching his form collapse into sand, Turok raged.  <<I despise these cowardly tricks!  How many times must I kill you?>>


    ¡°That¡¯s rich coming from a revenant like you!¡±  Light couldn¡¯t help shouting back.


    Turok turned to follow his voice, but, before he could attack, a flurry of red lances forced him back.  About time, Light thought.  Haron¡¯s entire body was covered in crimson armor made of blood.  Behind him the withered remains of his enemies were being combined and reanimated as hulking carrion undead by Arika.  The two were a gruesome pair when they worked together.


    The frantic battle resumed, with its outcome increasingly obvious.  The three of them were overexerting themselves to match the sovereign.  Turok knew this and was happy to play along, confident in his victory.


    Light was rushing the wendigo to stab him with his Fang ninjato when his foresight went crazy.  Not hesitating, he formed a sand bunker around himself.  Haron, Arika, and even Turok took similar defensive measures.  A second later, a enormous shockwave tore through the battlefield, sending everything in its path flying and tearing a huge hole through their fortifications.


    A huge hound with a man on its back raced through the breach.   ¡°Don¡¯t be late to the feast!¡±  He called back mockingly before disappearing.


    As one, all the demonic beasts around them howled and chased after him. Watching this, Turok smiled and laughed.  <<Why am I wasting time with you small fries?>>  He joined the tide surging through their broken wall.


    Shacking himself from his stupor, Light grinded his teeth.  ¡°We must go after them!¡±


    On the other side of the wall, he spotted Free with her group running ahead and approached them.  ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°No idea.¡±  Free replied.  ¡°We were fighting Saeen then all hell broke loose.¡±


    ¡°Jayden was injured.¡±  Sarah Godspeed explained, catching up with them.  ¡°Leucothea took him to safety.  Instead of going after them, Sekken did that.¡±  She pointed to the gap in the wall where beams of lights were struggling to thin the herd squeezing through.


    ¡°What now?¡±  Light asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡±  Sarah responded despondently.


    He grimaced.  Did we lose?  While they were killing some beasts as they moved, hounds with glowing eyes continued to appear from nowhere replacing them.  Besides the real threat were the revenants.  Sekken could lay waste to Torris all on his own.  The refugee camps are outside the capital in the open.  It¡¯ll be a massacre.


    Light¡¯s internal alarm bells went off, and he braced himself again.  A second shockwave exploded at the front of the enemy column.  Less focused than the previous one, it spread out in all directions, uprooting trees with its power.


    ¡°That was Garreth Black!¡±  Sarah exclaimed, her voice cracking in relief.  ¡°Thank god.¡±


    She turned to them.  ¡°Can you stop Turok and Saeen?  I¡¯ll send Leucothea over as soon as I can.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±  Light said.  Without the presence of the sovereigns, the stampede will be force to halt.  We can salvage this.


    They found Turok spectating the duel between Garreth Black and Sekken, nervously searching for a chance to step in.  He seemed almost relieved to notice them.  <<I¡¯ll deal with you first.>>  He shouted.


    Surrounded by hordes of enemies, the battle was even more one sided than the first.  Light, Haron, and Akira had to resort to multiple substitutions in quick succession.  Thankfully, before they ran out, help arrived.  However, it wasn¡¯t in the form they expected.


    A host of figures shimmering swept through the army of demonic beasts, slaughtering everything in their path.   Even at a distance, they gave off an otherworldly aura.


    Light had no idea who they were, but he welcomed the reinforcement.  Distracted by the strange arrivals, Turok¡¯s offensive was dulled, and they were able to catch their breath.


    <<Impossible¡­>>  The wendigo suddenly muttered, freezing in place.  <<I killed you!>>


    Light turned to see what the revenant was looking at and gasped.   In the moonlight, the figure of Nephrite danced through demonic beasts, slicing them apart with her scimitar.


    Turok launched himself this new foe, roaring.  Fear shot through Light.  Not again!  With a panicked strength, he sent out whips of iron sand to tie down the sovereign.  Webs of blood and barriers of bones similarly ensnared and slowed the wendigo.


    Noting the approaching enemy, the figure of Nephrite lifted her blade and leaped at a harrowing speed.  Turok was too surprised and encumbered to react, and his head was lopped off in one swift motion.


    Stunned, Light stared at his former comrade.  That was when he realized he could see right through her.

 [Book II Chapter 114] HOPE: Training with a Master

    [Book II Chapter 114] HOPE:  Training with a Master


    ------------------------------------------------


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t a sniper rifle be better for this?¡±  Hope complained.


    Clay Donnastar simply chuckled.  ¡°This type of bullet is meant for emergencies, and, when response speed is of the essence, a revolver is king.¡±


    But I don¡¯t want to miss.  It¡¯d be humiliating.  Hope gazed at the green peak on the floating rock two miles away.  She was confident in her aim, but this was far.  Also, she was certain the airship they were on was subtly moving.  Not to mention the breeze.


    ¡°It¡¯s fairly big target.¡±  Clay smirked.  ¡°Just rely on your foresight.¡±


    Easier said than done.  Hope took a deep breath, lifted her weapon, and concentrated.  It¡¯d take her bullet several seconds to hit its target, and peering that deep into the future was challenging.  A bead of sweat rolled down her brow.  Finally, she sensed the angle was right and pulled the trigger.


    Only then did she realized what she¡¯d done.  Oh my god, I hope this¡ª¡ª  Reality bent around her, and she fell on a tuff of grass.  It took her a moment to take her bearings and face the correct direction.  From the front of his distant airship, Clay waved back.  It worked¡­  I teleported!


    Since hearing of it, she¡¯d been determined to learn this magic.  It required a multilayered, compressed enchantment, which only exceptional materials such as mythril could contain.  Given the difficulty, Clay had fashioned a special catalyst ring to assist her with the toughest parts.  Despite this aid, she¡¯d only successfully enchanted her first bullet today, and it¡¯d taken her three hours.  Clay promises me I¡¯ll get faster with experience, but by how much?


    The ground trembled.  Frowning, Hope looked over the edge, and her eyes opened wide.  A gargantuan creature had just reached out and latched on to the cliff below with a multitude of front legs.  Gripping the rock with sharp claws, it dragged over the rest of its long, armored body and climbed upwards.  The rumbling as it made its way towards her was somewhat unsettling, as was the gaping fanged maw ready to swallow her whole.  Huh, how do I deal with something like this¡­


    Three bangs rang out simultaneously.  The monster flinched and exploded into four pieces.  Clay parked his airship and invited her on board.  ¡°That was a centisaur.¡±  He explained.  ¡°I¡¯m surprised, they don¡¯t usually get that big.¡±


    Hope hopped on deck in a soured mood.  ¡°Would you say it¡¯s unlucky for one to target me like that?¡±


    ¡°It is bizarre.¡±  Clay rubbed his chin.  ¡°Those who live to be that size learn to be cautious about attacking humans.  Despite this it showed not hesitation going after you.¡±


    ¡°Maybe I look tasty.¡±  Hope jested bitterly.


    She entered the cabin and headed downstairs to cheer herself up.  Clay¡¯s airship served as his mobile workshop, complete with all the tools and materials an enchanter could ever want.  There was even a smelting chamber far more elaborate than the one she¡¯d used in Corthia.  However, her favorite place was the armory, where, under an exotic collection of firearms, there were drawers full of every enchanted bullet imaginable.  It was a library where she could study endlessly.


    ¡°For having successfully tested your first teleportation bullet, you don¡¯t appear very happy.¡±  Clay observed as she installed herself at the table he¡¯d set up for her.


    ¡°Sorry¡­¡±  Hope winced.  ¡°It¡¯s complicated.¡±  I was just reminded I¡¯m a magnet for disasters.  ¡°By the way, you said we¡¯ll be spending the night at a nearby town?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s called Tristian.¡±  Clay answered.  ¡°It¡¯s very welcoming.  You¡¯ll love it.¡±


    ¡°Can we not?¡±  Hope pleaded.  ¡°I¡¯ve had my fill of sightseeing.  I¡¯d rather focus on training quietly.¡±


    Clay shook his head.  ¡°Although I keep in contact with Adventurer¡¯s Guild, that¡¯s mainly for big picture developments.  I need to frequent taverns to have a better sense what¡¯s really going on locally.  You know why.¡±


    Hope nodded, sighing.  Besides teaching her, Clay was investigating the werewolf threat in the Twisted Lands.  With all the more serious problems, it was easy to forget the plagued the Laughing Man had unleashed below the Isle of Dreams.  Those that remained had gathered northeast of Aery, and dozens of small settlements had been overrun.


    Ross Exor, The Incorruptible Flame believed that Torak¡¯s disciples were helping coordinate the attacks.  According to him, Kongal¡¯s influence wasn¡¯t precise enough to explain their behavior.  He believed they had human handlers.


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    Tristian could end up in flames because of me, and the worst part is no one would know it¡¯s my fault.  Although she hadn¡¯t told anyone about her ability, her troubled conscious wouldn¡¯t allow that much longer.   This time it was a threat Clay could easily dispatch, but next time it might not be.  It¡¯s dangerous keeping him in the dark.


    ¡°The truth is, I have a sublime vagary.¡±  Hope admitted.  ¡°And it¡¯s a pretty lousy one.¡±


    Clay held up a hand.  ¡°Are you sure¡ª¡ª¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡±  She answered firmly.  ¡°I need to complain to someone.¡±  Hope proceeded to explain her ¡®Cursed Fate¡¯ while he listen silently.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it the stupidest thing ever?¡±  She finished.  ¡°Now you see why I wanted to skip Tristian.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not as bad as you think.¡±  Clay declared pensively.  ¡°Sublime Vagaries that manipulate destiny are usually powerful.¡±


    This wasn¡¯t the reaction she¡¯d anticipated.  ¡°Don¡¯t coddle me!¡±  She exclaimed bitterly.  ¡°My passive is literally ¡®attracts misfortune and life-threatening danger¡¯.  Who would ever want such a thing?¡±


    Clay smiled gently.  ¡°Would you believe it if I said I might?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely not.¡±  Hope replied instantly.


    Clay walked over to a cabinet and poured himself a drink.  ¡°Two weeks ago, I traveled to a small village tucked away in a valley, a beautiful little place with friendly people.  I¡¯d stopped by there many times over the centuries to enjoy this sweet wine¡­¡±


    Clay paused, taking a sip.  ¡°This time it was burnt to the ground, and the smoking ruins of were still warm.  Hours earlier, werewolves had massacred everyone.¡±


    ¡°You know what I thought as I walked those ash-covered streets?  ¡®If only I¡¯d been there¡¯.  It¡¯s a regret I¡¯m deeply familiar with.  Nothing is more frustrating, especially for an immortal, than the tragedies which occur when you aren¡¯t around.¡±


    Clay sat next to her and put down his glass.  ¡°have you been experiencing bad luck in your everyday life?¡±


    Taken aback at the question, Hope reflected.  ¡°I don¡¯t think I have¡­¡±


    Clay nodded.  ¡°Your ability takes existing disasters and ¡®attracts¡¯ them to you.  In some cases, it might delay them until you¡¯re around.  In others it might accelerate them before you leave.  It might even redirect them from somewhere else.  Consider the implications carefully.¡±


    He stared at her hard.  ¡°What do you think the odds are that a catastrophe strikes Tristian before this evening.¡±


    ¡°Close to zero.¡±  Hope answered.  So I¡¯m a lightning rod of misfortune that makes my surroundings safer¡­


    ¡°Arriving to a recently destroyed village is something that will never happen to you.¡±  Clay send solemnly.


    Hope slowly absorbed this perspective.  By drawing that centisaur to me, I prevented someone else from being its victim.  If I think of it this way, it¡¯s slightly more palatable.  However¡­


    ¡°Understand what your point is, but that doesn¡¯t change the fact that it will eventually thrust me into a situation I can¡¯t handle and get me killed.¡±  She stated.


    ¡°For that, you have Cursed Fate¡¯s activation.¡±  Clay responded.


    ¡°That¡¯s the problem.¡±  Hope countered.  ¡°Although it worked out when I was fleeing with Astrolis, will there always be something as convenient as Artemis available to save me?  It seems too unreliable¡­¡±


    ¡°Do you perhaps believe the good fortune your ability produces is equal to the hardships it causes?¡±  Clay chuckled, shaking his head.  ¡°It doesn¡¯t work that way.  Sublime vagaries are designed to favor their wielder, and, when there is a negative, the positive aspects are amplified.  I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if Cursed Fate returns ten times the energy it spends bringing you ill fortune.  With that kind of power, it should be effective anywhere.¡±


    Clay grinned.  ¡°You might believe your ability¡¯s name refers to you, but I¡¯m not so sure.  Take Leon, the pilot of Nihilister.  He was manipulated into threatening your life and then vaporized unceremoniously.  The centisaur earlier met the same pitiful end.  Your enemies are lured to you and executed.  Isn¡¯t that a truly Cursed Fate?¡±


    Hope found herself slowly won over by her instructor¡¯s assessment but still resisted doggedly.  Rosy outlooks had betrayed her too often.  ¡°No matter how strong Cursed Fate really is, it relies on my surroundings.  One day there will be no friendly immortal nearby, no external convenience to draw upon.  Isn¡¯t that the day I die?¡±


    ¡°With preparation, you can ensure Cursed Fate is effective anywhere.¡±  Clay drew out the necklace on which hung his most prized bullets and pulled one off.  He slid it over to her.  ¡°You used the last one I gave you.  Here is a replacement.¡±


    Her addrenaline rising, Hope clutched the treasure.  The enchantments packed within appeared more ferocious than her last ¡®magic bullet¡¯.  ¡°What does it do?¡±  She mumbled.


    ¡°When selecting guardian beasts, towns employ something called a wild summon.¡±  Clay explained.  ¡°It¡¯s a magical formation which extends an invitation across the Ether to all friendly entities.  This takes advantage of the trade off applicable to most magic: giving up control to increase power.¡±


    ¡°Is that what this bullet is?¡±  She asked.


    ¡°Not quite.¡±  Clay contradicted.  ¡°It¡¯s an unrestricted wild summon.  There are no safeguards to ensure the parties which respond are friendly.   Because of this, its summoning power is boosted to the maximum.  The result is usually a monster aggressive towards everyone.¡±


    ¡°Do you understand why I¡¯m giving this to you?¡±  He added.


    ¡°If I fire it after activating Cursed Fate, I can create a powerful ally anywhere.¡±  She answered, looking up at Clay.  ¡°Why do you have this dangerous type of ammunition?¡±


    Clay shrugged.  ¡°There are times, depending on how events unfold, where anyone can be favored by fate.  You have experienced it fighting in the Blood Arena.  It pays to have a roll-the-dice gamble for scenarios where the odds are on your side.¡±


    Hope studied the black mythril in awe.  If I can create my own fate, then maybe it is my enemies who are cursed.  Allowing herself a grateful smile, she carefully tucked the bullet into one of her pouches.


    ¡°There are many other tips I can offer on how to best exploit your sublime vagary, but before that¡­¡±  Clay leaned forward.  ¡°How do you feel about being bait?¡±


    A sinking feeling washed away her budding optimism.  I should¡¯ve known, Hope though.

 [Book II Chapter 115] LIGHT: Six Days

    [Book II Chapter 115] LIGHT: Six Days


    ------------------------------------------------


    Light summoned two wind sprites and watched the them fly off through the small hamlet. His eyes then shifted to the stone ramparts looming to his north. They stood twice as tall as the roof he was standing on.


    Most demonic beasts couldn¡¯t fly so fortifications remained a crucial part of Tulven¡¯s defense. In the aftermath of yesterday¡¯s chaotic retreat, he¡¯d been drafted to help erect new ones. It¡¯d been an educational experience.


    They¡¯d been handed him a rampart totem, a catalyst specialized to the task. The rune-covered poll had two solid ¡®flags¡¯ at the top which could be rotated to set the directions of the structure. After planting it firmly and channeling, he¡¯d felt the ground beneath him rise. The totems were highly efficient, and it took less time than he imagined to conjure impressive walls which would last twenty-four hours. Their duration can be extended later. In the end, he¡¯d spent half the night doing his part. The labor had offered him the chance to organize his thoughts.


    Nephrite was dead, of that he was certain. As for what he¡¯d seen on the battlefield, it was easy enough to piece together. Those phantoms had appeared after Garreth Black, a necromancer, had arrived. They were obviously his creations. As for why one of them resembled Nephrite, this remained a mystery.


    For a brief moment, he¡¯d been tempted to barge into their headquarters to confront the man, but had swiftly dismissed the notion. Succumbing to such a brash emotional impulse would be an unforgivable lapse. Instead, he¡¯d wait until the answers came to him. This restraint was proof of who he had become.  What I saw was just a ghost. I can¡¯t give it any weight.


    His two squadmates jumped over and joined him. ¡°What¡¯s up, O¡¯glorious Leader?¡± Akira jested.


    Since neither of the two rivals could stand the idea of taking orders from the other, he¡¯d inherited Nephrite¡¯s position. Everyone knew he was the least equipped for the job, and occasionally Haron or Akira would bark orders in the heat of battle. Despite this, it¡¯d worked out somehow.


    ¡°Free is healing Jayden now, which means he¡¯ll wake soon.¡± He reported.


    This morning, upon discovered that Leucothea was tending Jayden¡¯s wounds, he¡¯d immediately dragged his sister over and insisted she take over from the immortal. She was experienced healer, but Free is Free.


    After a twenty minute wait, Light grew uncertain. I know she was exhausted from last night, but¡­ What¡¯s going on? Eventually, Free exited the house across from them, ambling in a daze. She waved up absentmindedly. ¡°It¡¯s done.¡±


    ¡°Was it that bad?¡± Light dropped down and asked. His sister had reassembled Rose faster than this.


    ¡°What?¡± Free¡¯s eye focused on him, shining with bewilderment. ¡°Not really. It¡¯s more that I learned something today. When healing immortals, everything requires significantly more power. It¡¯s terribly taxing. I¡¯m going to lie down for a bit.¡±


    Leucothea came to the door as Free wandered off. ¡°He¡¯s awake.¡± She said, inviting them in.


    Jayden was lying on a bed inside. He appearing drained but otherwise healthy. ¡°Sorry you had to see me like this.¡± He said. ¡°What happened yesterday after I fell?¡±


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    ¡°For a bit, everything went to hell.¡± Light reported. ¡°Then Garreth Black showed up, and we salvaged the situation.¡±


    Jayden closed his eyes and lay back. ¡°That¡¯s a relief¡­¡± He then turned to Leucothea. ¡°Thank you for dragging me to safety and mending my wounds.¡±


    ¡°Save some of that gratitude for Light¡¯s sister.¡± Leucothea said bitterly. ¡°You woke up half a day earlier than expected because of her. I still don¡¯t understand how she did it.¡± The nymph gave Light a reproachful glance.


    ¡°Free has Sola¡¯s staff from when she was the Goddess of Healing.¡± Light offered, hoping to mend the immortal¡¯s bruised pride.


    ¡°How were you injured?¡± Akira asked.


    ¡°I underestimated the shockwaves his weapons release and got caught by one while dodging.¡± Jayden revealed. ¡°It robbed me of consciousness long enough for him to split my stomach open.¡±


    I didn¡¯t realize how close it was. A ninja¡¯s substitutions were a powerful tool that could even reverse injuries, but the window to use them was small. Being knocked out for even a second was often fatal.


    ¡°Sekken has been assaulting the territories bordering Harakoune.¡± Leucothea offered. ¡°It¡¯s no surprise he¡¯s experienced at dealing with ninjas.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard the stories from my comrades there.¡± Jayden grimaced. ¡°Sekken is relentless once he sets his eyes on a prize. He¡¯ll keep attacking until Torris is evacuated. Thank god, Garreth Black is here or we¡¯d be doomed.¡±


    ¡°We saw Nephrite last night.¡± Haron announced, causing Jayden to stiffen. ¡°When Garreth arrived, strange phantoms spread accross the battlefield. She was one of them.¡±


    Jayden lay still for a moment before reacting. ¡°Oh¡­ I understand¡­¡± He sighed. ¡°He made her into one of his heroic spirits.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Light jumped in.


    ¡°It¡¯s his claim to fame.¡± Jayden explained. ¡°Garreth is able to create a special type of undead which holds no malice. He calls them heroic spirits. Each is a unique, crafted from the ghosts of a fallen warriors. He must of found Nephrite¡¯s lingering spirit near Messanic.¡±


    So Nephrite died with regrets¡­  The guilt and pain which had been haunting him came pouring back. He struggled to stay composed.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure how I feel about Garreth turning the echo of Nephrite¡¯s soul into a weapon.¡± Akira said tensely.


    ¡°Was it strong?¡± Jayden asked.


    ¡°She easily cut off Turok¡¯s head after we immobilized him.¡± Haron answered.


    ¡°Then it¡¯s not worth making a fuss over.¡± Jayden declared. ¡°We need all the help we can get.¡±


    ¡°I agree.¡± Light said. ¡°Especially since he is using her to fight the demonic beasts who killed her. I¡¯m sure Nephrite would approve.¡± What I feel when I see her is my own problem.


    There was a knock on the door, and Sarah Godspeed came in. Giving Jayden a glance over, she visibly relaxed. ¡°I¡¯m so relieved you are alright. We really can¡¯t afford to lose you right now. How long will it take you to recover?¡±


    ¡°I imagine I¡¯ll be mobile tomorrow, but it¡¯ll take me couple of days to be a back at full strength.¡± Jayden replied.


    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Sarah nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll hold you to that.¡±


    ¡°We already have Garreth Black.¡± Leucothea frowned. ¡°Is there any need to pressure him this way?¡±


    ¡°In six days, a fleet of airships will dock at the capital.¡± Sarah stated. ¡°When it does, we are going to move everyone, all three million. I need every immortal I can get my hands on to protect them on the journey.¡±


    Jayden sat up. ¡°How were you able to secure enough ships for that?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t.¡± Sarah replied. ¡°I came up with a different solution. Off Torris¡¯s coast, there¡¯s a twisted land called the Shattering Rocks. It¡¯s littered with airships pillaged and abandoned by pirates. I¡¯m going to use the barges from Pearl to salvage those wrecks.¡±


    Leucothea frowned. ¡°You¡¯re planning to have the other ships tow them. That will slow their speed to a crawl while they cross hundreds of miles of demonic-beast-controlled territory¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a terrible idea and the best option we have.¡± Sarah admitted as she faced their doubting stares.


    ¡°This is different from what you were planning yesterday.¡± Jayden said. ¡°What¡¯s behind this urgency?¡±


    ¡°When Astra is ready to assault Mount Gull, Garreth will return to Messanic to participate, along with most of the Guild¡¯s strongest immortals.¡± Sarah revealed. ¡°If Sekken were to attack at that time, what was averted last night would become reality.¡±


    The room fell quiet. ¡°How long do we have?¡° Leucothea asked.


    ¡°I hope more than six days.¡± Sarah answered.

 [Book II Chapter 116] KATE: Rousing Reagan Bard

    [Book II Chapter 116] KATE:  Rousing Reagan Bard


    ------------------------------------------------


    ¡°This swelon tea is divine.¡±  Agatha said.  She passed Kate a teacup and joined her at the table on the terrace.


    Though not in the mood, Kate forced herself to take a sip.  The soothing taste was lost on her.  ¡°How much longer will it take?¡±  She asked.


    Their mission was at a standstill.  In the distance, a golden dome covered the abode of Reagan Bard who they¡¯d come to collect.  Formed from his aura, the magic was deployed when he wished privacy and was nigh indestructible.


    ¡°In the past, banging on the outside would eventually get his attention.¡±  Agatha observed.  ¡°Doesn¡¯t seem to be working this time though¡­¡±


    ¡°The forced downtime is making me restless.¡±  Kate said. When not testing the barrier, she was teaching Silver the techniques she¡¯d mastered from Kara, and he was absorbing everything at a tremendous pace.  Realizing that, in a couple of days, she¡¯d have nothing left to impart, she¡¯d demanded to see all of Silver¡¯s summons.  While this attempt to draw things out had succeeded, taking considerably more time than she expected, the degree his skills had improved in this area further rattled her confidence.


    Agatha frowned.  ¡°Sorry to hear that, but I¡¯m happy to have you as guests.  Mane is too.¡±


    Silver was sparing with Mane in the savanna below, practicing what he¡¯d learned.  He can¡¯t sit still.  Although he was always reigning himself in, the Flux Planescapes had reinforced this aspect of his personality.  There the endless war machine demanded constant devotion, and slacking off was a sin which cost lives.  This mindset had carried over upon his return, with preventing the world¡¯s destruction serving as his new greater cause.  She wished she could slow him down, but knew it was useless.  No matter how much anxiety it causes me.


    Some of her old fears had receded.  This was a dark age.  If she survived, immortality was inevitable.  She¡¯d never grow old watching him stay young.


    What now ate away at her now was a question of worthiness.  As his fame grew and attracted more eyes, their relation would come under greater scrutiny.  She¡¯d could almost hear the whispers.  Her origins were common, and his were legendary.  Was being the first teenage girl he met since leaving the arctic enough to claim such a prize?  Didn¡¯t he settle too soon?  The gap between their abilities would fuel the speculation.


    Kate leaned back, reflecting on her life if she hadn¡¯t met Silver and his siblings.  I wouldn¡¯t be a saint or have gone on all these amazing adventures.  I would¡¯ve been just another name on Lily¡¯s wall back on the Isle, accomplishing nothing of note.  She didn¡¯t want to lose this chance.


    <<Worrying you don¡¯t belong together?>>  Agatha asked.


    Kate was so shocked at the question it took her a second to realize the immortal hadn¡¯t spoken.  She¡¯s a mind reader¡­?  Suppressing panic, she recalled Kara¡¯s lesson on warding off mental interference and she shifted her aura to isolate her soul.


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    Agatha raised an eyebrow.  ¡°Those are some impressive defense you¡¯ve raised.  Relax, I have no talent beyond basic telepathy.¡±


    As adventurers grew stronger, a small percentage developed a certain enhanced sensitively, occasionally catching straight thoughts from those around them.  Most either hid or ignored these occurrences, not wanting stigma they might bring.  Some nurtured this new ability to leverage the advantages of wordless communication.  Others indulged far deeper.  Psychics could warp a persons senses and directly assault their mind.  Worst were beguilers, who could tamper with their very thoughts.  No beguiler would ever reveal themselves.  This logic calmed her.


    ¡°I don¡¯t usually intrude on the ruminating of my guests.¡±  Agatha said softly.  ¡°However, this topic is one I¡¯m intimately familiar with me.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe Debra didn¡¯t warn us.¡±  Kate said bitterly.


    ¡°Since all of immortals adopt safeguards against telepathy, they often forget its an issue.¡±  Agatha explained.


    ¡°How much did you hear?¡±  Kate asked.


    ¡°Most of it, I imagine.¡±  Agatha chuckled.  ¡°Frankly, you¡¯re being silly.  You should have more confidence as Lily¡¯s daughter, the pupil of Kara, and a saint in your own right.¡±


    Of course, with backlash you faced marrying your summon, my concerns must seem insignificant.  ¡°I can¡¯t help it.¡±  Kate winced.  ¡°The same thing happened on the Isle when Lily adopted me.  I was an ordinary girl thrust into extraordinary position.  It was a struggle to adapt, and people around me noticed.  The gossip reached my ears.¡±


    ¡°So, at some level, you feel you don¡¯t belong in his world?¡±  Agatha interpreted.


    ¡°Yes, but I want to be there.¡±  Kate replied.  That¡¯s why I forced myself to train with Kara, although she¡¯s terrifying.


    ¡°If it¡¯s your desire, I wish you all the best luck.¡±  Agatha smiled.


    Kate was taken aback.  ¡°That¡¯s all?  You have no advice to give?¡±


    The immortal shook her head sadly.  ¡°Reading minds doesn¡¯t help fix them.  That reality has been drilled into me again and again.  You¡¯re self-conscious because your self-perception doesn¡¯t match your circumstances.  This is problem only you can solve.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±  Silver walked onto the terrace, Mane behind him.  Kate jerked up in her seat at his sudden appearance.


    ¡°Kate was just sharing some of her concerns with me.¡±  Agatha answered with a mischievous grin.


    Oh, no¡­  Kate watched dejection blanket her boyfriend¡¯s face.  Of course he¡¯d be hurt to find her opening up to someone else.  He was simple that way.  ¡°These bracers, the one¡¯s we inherited from Arther¡­¡±  Kate deflected desperately.   ¡°What are we going to do about them?¡±


    Silvered frown, confused, which was good.  ¡°What I mean is we split them because neither of us was strong enough to make use of both.¡±  She continued.  ¡°However, we¡¯re saints rapidly approaching the point where one will be insufficient¡­¡±


    ¡°That has an easy solution.¡±  Agatha laughed.  ¡°Reagan was the one who made them.  Just ask him for another pair.¡±


    ¡°Really?  That¡¯s perfect!¡±  Silver exclaimed, his mood recovered.  ¡°I¡¯d been worrying about that too.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go bash Reagan barrier again.¡±  He added.  ¡°I want to meet him even more badly now.¡±


    Sighing with relief, Kate got up to follow.


    ¡°Mane, why don¡¯t you go with them too.¡±  Agatha called out as they left.


    ¡°You sure?¡±  He asked.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s time.¡±  Agatha nodded.


    Is he going to help us?  Kate wondered as they approached the golden dome.  This question was soon answered as Mane began glowing, bright runes flowing over him.  This is aura magecraft!  When the immortal prepared to strike, their instincts sent off warning signals, and they braced themselves.  There was a flash, and a shockwave knocked them back.


    Mane beckonged them as they came to their senses.  ¡°Hurry!  I can only get his attention.   It¡¯s your presence which will draw him out.¡±


    Kate¡¯s heart was pounding as she placed her hand besides Silver¡¯s on the golden surface.  She¡¯d met Reagan many times on the Isle when he came to visit Arther, but she¡¯d never gotten to know him.  At the very least, he should recognize me if he senses me.


    Abruptly, the barrier drew away from them, shrinking to reveal a gorgeous villa.  A tall, blond-bearded man with flowing hair appeared at its center.  He jumped over, and his eyes fixed themselves on Silver.  For a moment, there was silence.


    ¡°What are you?¡±  Reagan finally asked.

 [Book II Chapter 117] ROSE: Asserting Herself

    [Book II Chapter 117] ROSE:  Asserting Herself


    ------------------------------------------------


    Rose skipped across Messanic¡¯s rooftops, her exhausted muscles screaming.  Reaching an intersection, she stopped to observe the chaos below.  Refugees from the east clogged the streets.  Her eyes traveled the throngs of people, taking in their worried expressions.  Some children were trying not to cry while their parents put on a brave faces.  Driven from their homes, unsure where they¡¯ll end up¡­  I understand their feelings of powerlessness.  Finally finding a free spot, she jumped down and entered the inn where she was staying.


    Every day they¡¯d plunged back into the Dark Heritage Dungeon, fruitlessly exploring its undead passageways.  Carol lead the way, fearlessly venturing into the darkest corners in a way which even gave Dawn pause.  Near disasters were becoming frequent.  On this course, It will not end well.


    Rose grimaced.  Roxanne, Zentrias, and now Carol¡­  Those close to her were slipping from her grasp.


    Making her way to the upper floors, she stopped before a door and knocked.  There was no answer.


    After the incident, Roxanne had locked had herself away from the world, rebuffing all attempts at communication.  She hasn¡¯t eaten in days.  At this rate, the lack of food will worsen her condition.


    Rose leaned against the hallway wall and brought out a walnut which reflected a strange glint.  Cradling it carefully, she made a solemn plead. ¡°Revitalize Roxanne¡¯s withered spirit.¡±


    Her hard-earned prize crumbled into nothingness in her palm, and a strange sensation warped the air before fading.  She took a deep breath and waited calmly, hopeful.


    Suddenly, the door opened, and Roxanne burst into the hallway, glaring at her.  ¡°What did you do?¡±  She demanded.


    ¡°I used a miracle seed.¡±  Rose answered.  ¡°Because you wouldn¡¯t come out.¡±


    Absorbing these words, Rosanne¡¯s anger slowly deflated.  ¡°It had an effect.¡±  She sighed. ¡°Please, come in.¡±


    It was higher end room, with an abundance of space and amenities befitting of an immortal.  The inside was surprising orderly, absent messiness of a typical shut-in.  Even the bed was unruffled, as if it¡¯d been barely used.  Rose winced, imagining her mentor lying motionless on it.


    If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    Roxanne invited her to sit opposite her.  ¡°Seeing those claws brought back unpleasant memories.  Reliving them worsened my condition.¡±  She explained.  ¡°Your miracle seed undid that damage.¡±


    ¡°Is that all?¡±  Rose asked.  She knew a single one wouldn¡¯t be a cure-all, but it was still demoralizing.


    ¡°Considering what I experienced, we should be grateful I¡¯m active at all.¡±  Roxanne said softly.  Rose remembered the wretches they¡¯d encountered in the jail of Dark Heritage, how many body parts they¡¯d been missing.  There was no need to press for more details.


    Roxanne smiled.  ¡°While the fatigue is unchanged, I do feel less fragile then before.  No matter what happens, I¡¯m confident I won¡¯t break down again, at least until¡­¡±


    ¡°I will make sure you survive this Dark Age.¡±  Rose cut in.


    The immortal said nothing, but the wisdom in her eyes reflected a knowing certainty.  She rejected it entirely.  I¡¯m starting to hate this dark age.


    ¡°What happened to your friend Zentrias?¡±  Roxanne asked.


    ¡°A lot¡­¡±  Rose brought the immortal up to date on the latest developments.


    Once she¡¯d finished, Roxanne shook her head gently.  ¡°So he¡¯s trapped and alone, with the gauntlets eating away at his mind¡­  All because of me¡­¡±  The weariness which swept her face caused Rose¡¯s heart to sink.


    ¡°It¡¯s my fault.¡±  She exclaimed urgently.  ¡°I should¡¯ve anticipated your reaction¡­  Don¡¯t you dare feel responsible!¡±


    Roxanne chuckled weakly.  ¡°Don¡¯t worry.  A little guilt won¡¯t affect me.  However, I must warn you¡­¡±  She turned grim.  ¡°If you die blindly exploring Dark Heritage, I¡¯ll likely return to Xarst and join the sleepers for good.¡±


    ¡°That won¡¯t happen¡ª¡ª¡±  Rose began, but was interrupted when a fairy flew in, a trail of frost following her.


    ¡°Carol wants to discuss tomorrow.¡±  It reported.


    Apologizing, Rose excused herself and made her way across the inn.  One problem down, now for the other¡­  Carol¡¯s room was smaller and in complete disarray, equipment and clothing flung everywhere.  Its owner sat at a small table, a pile of makeshift maps laid out before her.  Dawn was nearby, sporting a resigned expression.  Her pride won¡¯t let her suggest caution.


    Carol noted her presence.  ¡°Good, we were about to decide where to focus on next.¡±


    ¡°Stop, we¡¯re changing our approach.¡±  Rose declared, causing Dawn to perk up.


    For her part, Carol visibly bristled.  ¡°You can do whatever you want.¡±  She said with venom.  ¡°But I¡ª¡ª¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re fetching my brother Wise.¡±  Rose interjected.  This announcement caught Carol off-guard, giving her an opening to continue.  ¡°He can search an entire floor by merely stepping into it.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s an amazing idea!¡±  Dawn shouted. ¡°With his help, our next expedition will be our last!  This will be so much faster¡­¡±


    Carol frowned.  ¡°Where exactly is your brother?¡±  I got her.


    ¡°He¡¯s wandering the Twisted Lands west of us,¡±  Rose revealed, ¡°but he checks in with adventurer¡¯s guild regularly.  Once he discovers we¡¯re looking for him, he¡¯ll leave us a message letting us know how to reach him.¡±


    Rose spent the rest of the evening winning Carol over to her plan, then finally enjoyed the first good night¡¯s sleep in long while.

 [Book II Chapter 118] DYLAN: Technicolered Mothsilk

    [Book II Chapter 118] DYLAN:  Technicolered Mothsilk


    ------------------------------------------------


    The approaching clouds were ripped from the sky, sucked down through wind funnels and absorbed into the Twisted Land¡¯s warped network of air currents.  The resulting fog ranged from non-existent to impenetrable depending on where you travelled.


    The region¡¯s ample moisture was a boon to the savage mangrove trees, and their snaking roots tied the winding strands of earth together.  These naturally-formed nets excelled at ensnaring drifting airships, a frequent occurrence here.  Isolated in the middle of the Blue Abyss between Tulven and the Veillerdin Peninsulla, the Shattering Rocks were home to dozens of pirate clans.  The vessels of their victims littered the region.  These husks are what we aim to claim.


    Dylan watched Free manipulate the mangrove roots to drag a battered yacht towards the makeshift docks their expedition had set up.  There, Sarah Godspeed stood anxiously waiting.


    Through a feat of willpower and labor, the saint had brought the engines of few broken vessels back to life.  Apparently, if they weren¡¯t too far gone, she could ¡®fate¡¯ them to work again.  He¡¯d witnessed the process, and it appeared exhausting.  Despite this, she started anew on each ship they brought in.


    ¡°It¡¯s somewhat unnerving.¡±  He muttered.


    <<Indeed.>>  Dowart agreed.  <<As with our friend Gen Jiang, the young lady has a gift for unraveling destiny.  What has she seen to push herself to such exertion?>>


    Dylan frowned.  He¡¯d resolved to play the hero until the last possible moment, but if the worse came to pass he¡¯d save himself.


    However it wasn¡¯t the dire outlook which caused him concern.  It was the impact it¡¯d have on his youngest teammate.  How would Free¡¯s confident optimism handle the shock?  Would she retreat with him? ¡­Or would she commit to a doomed cause?


    A dark figure shot out of the mist.  Carried by the raging gale, the man-sized lizard glided like flying-squirrel, its legs spread.  Nearing the docks, it dove at one of the workers.  A second shadow moved, and the threat was cleaved in two.  A cheer rang out as Darius landed on a mangrove branch.  Without the shinobi¡¯s lightning reflexes, there would¡¯ve been several casualties already.  Most hostile creatures shy away from human gatherings of this size, but not kiters.


    ¡°Dylan,¡±  Free shouted.  ¡°Can you check on Nang?  One of my bugs reported her using some serious magic.  I need to finish moving this, and Darius is on lizard duty.¡±


    ¡°They can fly in this wind?¡±  Dylan asked, impressed.


    ¡°Barely,¡±  Free answered, pointing.  ¡°Anyway, she¡¯s that way.¡±


    No long explanation about the insects?  She must be worried.  ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll have a look.¡±  He said.


    Dylan traveled in the general direction, keeping his senses sharp.  If Nang was channeling hard, he should be able to sense it.  Eventually, he spotted a mothsilk thread fluttering in the mist.  That makes this easier.


    Following the trail through the dense fog, he reached an enclave with good visibility.  Against a cliff, anchored by chains and roots, was a massive vessel.  A civilian cruise ship, Pirates brought it back to properly loot it.  It¡¯s in pristine condition.  Sarah, will be thrilled.


    He noticed the mothsilk disappearing into a nearby cave.  Did she run into trouble exploring an old pirate hideout?  Was it not abandoned?


    Hurrying inside, he hadn¡¯t taken ten steps before the ground under him exploded, lifting him into the air.  He found himself wrap up in a web of the finest of threads.


    Damn, one of Nang¡¯s snares.  Dylan immediately brought out Resplendent Delusion to cut himself free, but was stunned when his weapon bounced off his bindings.  Frowning, he embraced the the Greater mystery of Magma, leveraging an explosive strength to try again, yet he couldn¡¯t saw through a single strand.  In frustration, he summoned fire, turning the cavern into an inferno.  This effort proved fruitless too.  Around him, the webbing glistened vividly in the flames, unyielding.


    ¡°It¡¯s technicolored mothsilk, resistant to all the elements and the sharpest of blades.¡±  A voice echoed cheerfully.  ¡°It¡¯s too complex for battle, so I must prepare it beforehand.  Most immortals would struggle to break free.  For you, it¡¯s impossible.¡±


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    Dylan located Nang in the darkness.  ¡°I understand you¡¯re proud.¡±  He said angrily.  ¡°Now get me out of this.¡±


    ¡°Why did you set up this trap anyway?¡±  He added.


    ¡°I set it up to catch you.¡±  Nang said simply.


    Annoyance turned to apprehension.  He carefully appraised the young woman walking towards him.  She¡¯d used an ultimate technique to immobilize him and was clearly showing hostile intention.  Yet, try as he might, he failed to think of her as an enemy.  Nang was naive and good-natured.  Her idealism and concern for Tulven¡¯s people was genuine.  This made no sense.


    <<The only way to escape these threads is to strike down their conjurer.>>  Dowart determined coldly.


    Dylan grimaced.  ¡°I don¡¯t want to hurt you.¡±  This was the truth, although he wasn¡¯t certain what he could do in this situation.


    ¡°That¡¯s a wonderful sword you have there.¡±  Nang observed.  ¡°It¡¯s the work of Zhong Cai, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°So what if it is?¡±  Dylan demanded testily, in no mood for games.


    ¡°My cousin had one too, a masterpiece of Sanwue¡¯s immortal smith¡­¡±  Nang continued.  ¡°It was called Starlight.¡±


    <<She¡¯s Bao Pan¡¯s relative.>>  Dowart winced.  <<How unfortunate.  I liked the girl.>>


    Dylan said nothing, waiting for Nang to reveal what she knew.


    ¡°You must have seen her at the godly herb garden.  She was a real beauty, hard to miss.  Sadly, she disappeared on the way back to the sect.  Simply vanished off the face of Enera.  We feared the worse.¡±


    ¡°Imagine my surprise,¡±  Nang stared off into the distance. ¡°when her will-o''-the-wisps appeared in the skies above Livra.  Of course, I quickly realized they belonged to Jordan Seers, but they were so similar.  I had to investigate.¡±


    Eyes devoid of compassion turned to him.  ¡°My shock only grew once I learned who had given him the blade: my own teammate and Sanwue¡¯s hero.¡±


    Dowart shook his head.  <<No good deed goes unpunished.>>


    Dylan¡¯s heart sank.  It¡¯d be difficult to talk his way out of this, but he had to try.  ¡°About Startlight¡ª¡ª¡±


    ¡°There is no way Bao Pan would have let that sword go, not while she was alive.¡±  Nang cut in.  ¡°You murdered her didn¡¯t you?¡±


    Dylan was at a loss on how to respond.  This reluctance caused Nang to sneer.  ¡°Fine, keep silent if you want.  I¡¯m not looking for your confession.  What I desire to know is your motive.  It wasn¡¯t greed, else you would¡¯ve never given away her sword.  From our time together, you don¡¯t seem someone who commits  odious acts.  This is the one mystery I can¡¯t puzzle out.  Why did you do it?¡±


    How could I possibly explain?  And even if I did, how could she believe me?  Dylan¡¯s mind raced in desperation.


    Nang grabbed her webbing.  ¡°Technicolored mothsilk¡¯s other name is the assassin¡¯s thread.  As more power is channeled into it, it shrinks it size and length, while its tensile strength soars.  There is no neck it can¡¯t sever.¡±


    The strands holding him tightened and sharped, biting into his flesh and drawing blood.  Dylan clawed at his throat, struggling for breath.


    ¡°If you won¡¯t answer, there¡¯s nothing left but to carry out your sentence.¡±  Nang said.


    The cavern rumbled as the mangrove root in its wall came to life, springing out from all direction.  Both Dylan and Nang were snatched up in their grip.  Thankfully, this caused the mothsilk to loosen.


    ¡°I knew you were wielding powerful magic.¡±  Free said from the entrance.  ¡°But never imagined it was against each other.¡±


    ¡°What is going on?¡±  She demanded.


    ¡°Dylan killed my cousin.¡±  Nang said.  ¡°I¡¯m taking revenge.¡±


    Free frowned.  ¡°Where did this come from?¡±


    ¡°This morning I tracked down Jordan Seers and confronted him about his ¡®staff¡¯.¡±  Nang explained.  ¡°It¡¯s actually a catalyst which belonged to my cousin, who has been missing for weeks.   Dylan was the one who gave it to him.  His guilt is plain.¡±


    Free pivoted to him.  ¡°Explain.¡±  She said curtly.


    Since Nang has already seen the sword, there¡¯s no point in denying it.  ¡°It¡¯s complicated¡­¡±  Dylan Sighed.  Unable to come up with a lie convincing enough to gamble his life on, he revealed the whole, convoluted truth.  He prayed that Free would understand.


    ¡°So while I fought and defeated a woman named Bao Pan, Nang¡¯s cousin was already long gone by that point.¡±  He finished.


    ¡°Bodysnatchers?¡±  Nang said with venom.  ¡°You expect us to believe such absurdity?¡±


    ¡°It is a bit far-fetched, especially this Hoshindai soul-sealing rock.¡±  Free agreed.  ¡°Do you have any evidence to back up your claims?¡±


    ¡°Yaozu Gao, the leader of the Ghost Corrosion Sect, has taken the oath.¡±   Dylan answered, relieved at the question.  ¡°If we contact him, he will confirm my story.¡±


    Nang was shocked.  ¡°You¡¯re not entertaining the possibility he is telling the truth?¡±


    ¡°He is our teammate, who has fought by our side.¡±  Free said firmly.   ¡°We¡¯re going to give him a chance to prove himself.¡±


    Nang shook her head slowly.  ¡°No¡­  He¡¯s already admitted to the deed.  I¡¯m not giving him the chance to weasel out.  He¡¯s too strong.  I¡¯ll never have another opportunity if I let him go.¡±  She reached out and grabbed a strand of her web.  ¡°I¡¯ll avenge Gao now.¡±


    The mothsilk squeezed Dylan, biting deep into his flesh.  The noose around his neck cut off the flow of blood to his brain.  He heard Free screaming as his consciousness faded.


    He woke up later, all his wounds healed and his bindings gone.  Free was leaning against the rock wall nearby, tired.


    ¡°You better not have lied or I¡¯ll slay you myself.¡±  She said bitterly.


    Dylan spotted Nang lying motionless.  ¡°Is she¡­?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s sleeping.¡±  Free said.  ¡°I used a rare, precious poison on her.  It will rob her of her memories of the last few days.  As long as we keep her away from Jordan Seer, it should fine.¡±


    That seemed like ticking time-bomb, but he was in no position to object.  ¡°What now?¡±  He asked.


    ¡°We confirm your story as soon as possible.¡±  Free replied.  ¡°And figure out the rest afterwards.¡±

 [Book II Chapter 119] SILVER: Dalyse

    [Book II Chapter 119] SILVER:  Dalyse


    ------------------------------------------------


    ¡°So Simon Black shattered the Pillar of Enera?¡±  Reagan asked.  His aura flared up, causing his hair to sway.


    ¡°Yes¡­¡±  Kate replied awkwardly.  ¡°Is that upsetting?  I know you worked together¡­¡±


    ¡°I assumed his opposition to the Laughing Man meant he could be trusted.¡±  Reagan shook his head.  ¡°I should¡¯ve remembered how many good men have fallen under Torak¡¯s sway.¡±


    On hearing about the Dark Age, Reagan had insisted to be brought up to speed and had selected Kate for the task.  So they¡¯d returned to Agatha¡¯s terrace for a lengthy discussion of their adventures on the Isle of dreams.  Unexpectedly, Kate had omitted any mention of their relationship.  Although this stung a little, he had an inkling why she¡¯d made that choice.


    ¡°What has occurred since then?¡±  Reagan asked.


    Kate took a deep breath, and dutifully launched into another round of exposition.  Silver listened quietly, sipping his tea.  Although anxious to depart, he understood this process was necessary.  Besides, reaching this point was a major milestone.  There was no need to rush.


    He was more concerned by a new development.  Since confirming his identity, Reagan had refused to make eye contact or acknowledge his presence.  This treatment could prove troublesome.


    ¡°Training under Kara is both brave and foolish.¡±  Reagan observed.  ¡°I pray the hardship proved worthwhile at least?¡±


    Kate nodded.  ¡°It was efficient, if brutal.¡±


    The man lowered his gaze.  ¡°I see you are wearing one of my bracers.¡±


    Kate grabbed her wrist, covering the metal.  ¡°Sorry, I¡ª¡ª¡±


    Reagan raised a hand.  ¡°Arther wouldn¡¯t have objected.  Neither will I.¡±


    ¡°On this subject¡­¡±  Kate explained the issue worrying them.


    ¡°The bracers were specially attune to Arther.  It¡¯s best that¡ª¡ª¡±  The immortal glanced briefly in Silver¡¯s direction.  ¡°¡ª¡ªhis doppelganger inherits them.  I¡¯ll fashion you your own pair.¡±


    ¡°That would be amazing!¡±  Kate exclaimed, bowing her head.  ¡°Thank you so much¡­¡±


    ¡°Think nothing of it.¡±  Reagan smiled sadly.  ¡°This is something Arther asked me to do if you ever became a saint.¡±


    It was late afternoon before Kate wrapped up.  Reagan leaned back and closed his eyes, taking it all in.  The then turned to their host.  ¡°What do you two make of these raids on Shangri-la?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s something Mane¡¯s been looking into¡­¡±  Agatha turned to her husband.


    ¡°I have.¡±  Mane nodded.  ¡°However, there¡¯s someone more qualified then I to speak on this subject.¡±  He pointed to the horizon, but Silver couldn¡¯t make out anything.  ¡°Dalyse will arrive in a few minutes.¡±


    ¡°Oh, right¡­¡±  Agatha looked guilty.  ¡°She insisted on being notified as soon as you emerged.  I hope you don¡¯t mind.¡±


    Reagan didn¡¯t seemed bothered, but he glowered nevertheless.  ¡°The situation is serious if she¡¯s involving herself.  These are more than simple raids.¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s Dalyse?¡±  Silver asked.


    Reagan paused, unsure how to respond to this interjected.  Finally, he answered.  ¡°In terms of ruling sovereigns, Shangri-la has five architects and three generals.  Dalyse is one of the five, the Harmonist who governs the heavens.  She shapes the weather and crafts the climates for plants to thrive.  Someone that important wouldn¡¯t normally investigate simple raids.¡±


    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    ¡°Threats to Shangri-la are usually the domain of the generals.¡±  Agatha added.


    ¡°Speaking of which, what¡¯s this I hear about Shangri-la sitting out this dark age?¡±  There was anger in Reagan¡¯s voice.


    ¡°For now, we will only involve ourselves in the defense of Kalonia.¡±  Mane revealed.  ¡°And the decision about aiding on other fronts is deferred until later.¡±


    ¡°We could¡¯ve really used you at the last assembly.¡±  Agatha reproached.


    Reagan grimaced.  ¡°That¡¯s the problem with this paradise.  Those who dwell here grow reluctant to face the sometimes grim reality outside.¡±


    ¡°Dalyse is here.¡±  Mane announced.


    From the sky, a huge white heron descended.  Gracefully touching down, it drew its wings around itself and shone blindingly.  When the glow faded, a gorgeous woman stood in its place, grayish-blue hair flowing over white robes.


    ¡°Reagan, you certainly kept me waiting a long time.¡±  She said with a wry smile.


    ¡°My apologies, I have no excuse.¡±  Reagan bowed deeply, as did Agatha and Mane.  Kate and Silver quickly joined in.


    Rising back up, determination reflected in Reagan¡¯s eyes.  ¡°Could you tell me about the raids on Shangri-la?¡±  He asked.


    Dalyse nodded.  ¡°On more than a dozen occasions, sovereigns from Mount Gull broke have broken into the borderlands, dominating all the fauna and transforming them into demonic beasts.  These invasions happened in the more remote regions, so it took a while for the news to reach Premier.¡±


    ¡°What about the borderland sovereigns?¡±  Reagan asked.  ¡°Why didn¡¯t they report them?¡±


    ¡°One of them eventually did.¡±  Dalyse replied.  ¡°And when we questioned the others, they reluctantly revealed the scale of incursions.¡±


    ¡°That bunch of recluse hate socializing.¡±  Mane observed.  ¡°That¡¯s why they reside all the way out there.¡±


    ¡°Indeed.¡±  Dalyse sighed.  ¡°It¡¯s painful to motivate them if it doesn¡¯t involve their territory.¡±


    ¡°What is being done about the situation?¡±  Reagan asked.


    ¡°At the moment, only increased patrols.¡±  Dalyse shrugged.  ¡°There is no doubt Kaygren¡¯s claws are being used to open the rifts, but, since there have been no witnesses so far, we don¡¯t know how.  Without the precise details, it¡¯s difficult to form a contingency plan.  The Borderlands are too vast, and this issue doesn¡¯t warrant a large mobilization.¡±


    Reagan reflected silently.  ¡°All this is what I¡¯d expect and doesn¡¯t explain your interest in the subject.  Normally, you¡¯d leave this to generals¡­  So why are you here?¡±


    Dalyse pursed her lips.  ¡°Mount Gull has expanded too fast.  In the span of a couple months, its size almost rivals Shangri-la.¡±


    ¡°You find this threatening?¡±  Reagan guessed.


    ¡°Not exactly¡­¡±  Dalyse took a couple of steps to side, staring into the distance.  ¡°While Kaygren¡¯s strength isn¡¯t lacking, merging so many tethered realm so rapidly is beyond him.  He simply lacks the ability to balance all aspects of such a colossal space¡­  Unless an experienced hand was guiding him and offering advice.¡±


    Agatha gasped, and Reagan frowned.  ¡°You suspect there is a traitor assisting him.¡±  He interpreted.  ¡°Also, this would be an architect or someone directly under them.¡±


    Dalyse tilted her head in agreement.  ¡°And whoever it may be is undoubtedly involved in this matter, which is why I want to borrow your nose.  Although Mount Gull has closed the obvious rifts, I surmise there are more.  Determining their location would provide valuable intelligence on Kaygren¡¯s co-operators.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡±  Reagan said.  ¡°We should depart this instant.¡±


    Watching Mane go fetch the airship, Silver approached Reagan.  ¡°What about returning to Messanic?  Astra is waiting for you.  The Moonlit Lands menace Enera.¡±  He whispered urgently.


    ¡°This will take less than a day.¡±  The immortal answered without looking at him.  ¡°Furthermore, we can use one of the rifts to reach your mother.  It¡¯ll be faster than any other method.¡±


    Kate punched the immortal in the gut, eliciting his first shocked reaction.  ¡°Why are you ignoring Silver?¡±  She demanded.  ¡°It¡¯s awkward and makes me feel terrible.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡ª¡ª¡±  Reagan glanced at Dalyse who watched with amusement.  ¡°This morning I was still grieving.  Please be patient with me.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the one with centuries of wisdom.¡±  Dalyse interjected softly.   ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be accommodating their immaturity rather than the other way around?¡±


    Reagan winced, shutting his eyes.  ¡°Aye, I should¡­¡±


    ¡°Part of me perished with Arther.¡±  He continued.  ¡°Even now, not a moment passes where I don¡¯t wonder what his opinion would be or question what option he¡¯d choose.  Half my existences was tied to the man.  The thought that I¡¯ll never argue with him again¡­  Never berate him on his ever-softhearted approach¡­  It¡¯s crushing.¡±


    Reagan opened his eyes and stared hard at Silver.  Initially, he flinched but maintained his gaze.  Eventually, whatever internal pain plagued him faded away and he appeared to Relax.  ¡°You are not Arther.  Pardon my rudeness.¡±  He said calmly.


    ¡°There we go.¡±  Kate clapped happily.  ¡°That wasn¡¯t so hard, was it?¡±


    ¡°Now tell me¡­¡±  Reagan turned to Kate.  ¡°What exactly is the relationship between you two?¡±


    Oh, boy¡­

 [Book II Chapter 120] SANA: Hunting her own kind

    [Book II Chapter 120] SANA:  Hunting her own kind


    ------------------------------------------------


    The figure of a woman navigated the dark street, occasionally glancing back, as if fearful of being followed.  She reached a well-lit entrance and exchanged a few words with the men outside before being ushered in.


    Sana watched from a nearby rooftop.  The building is a warehouse of some kind, she determined.  Appraising the two guards chatting outside, she surveyed her surrounding.


    It was past midnight and the lights were off in most windows.  The cluster of tents in the park behind her were also quiet.  The only activity was in the next street over where a group of youngsters stumbled around, their drunken laugher drowning out the music from a far off nightclub.


    A black cat materialize besides Sana.  ¡°Go Timi.¡±  She whispered.  The feline hopped down and approached the guards.  She smiled as one moved to pet it.  Swiftly traversing the shadows, she dropped down behind the other.


    Ten, nine, eight, seven, six¡­  She saw the man tense, his foresight warning him something was off, and grabbed him from behind, hand over mouth.  He struggled briefly before inhaling her powered everdusk and going limp.


    She turned to his companion who was still caressing her shape-shifted twilight panther.  <<Good job Timi.>>  She thought.  The cat meowed and vanished, much to the guard¡¯s surprise.  She took the opportunity to knock him out too.


    Some people poked fun at for using a feline summon despite wolfish features.  Sana didn¡¯t see the issue.  Timi was cute.


    Climbing up the building, she found an entry point and frowned at the barrier blocking her way.  It was too complex to simply slip through.  Sighing she constructed a magic circle, its black lines barely visible.


    This is my first infiltration in ages¡­  Adventuring involved a different kind of skill.  At the memory of Margaret, a pang of sadness hit her, but she forced it back, releasing her spell.  The barrier thinned enough to let her through.


    Everyday items lined the shelves below.  This place was a wholesaler of some kind, perhaps even a legitimate business during the day.  She crawled along the rafters toward a well-lit corner.  The lady she¡¯d followed was haggling with a man at a desk.  Around them, three bored men looked on quietly.


    Sana took out several black coin-shaped objects and tossed them towards the room¡¯s exits, which dimmed imperceptibly.  These were her custom sealers, and their shadow barriers should prevent anyone getting out.  Here¡¯s where the tricky part begins.


    Lucy had warned about the toughness of the guards here.  In particular, the one with the bushy brown mustache was almost as strong her.  She had to take him out first.  Sadly, Timi wouldn¡¯t work as a distraction.  This called for a more direct approach.  While foresight hinders sneak attacks, an all-out assault can often catch the unwary flat-footed.


    With a deep breath, she channeled her full power, boosting her martial arts to the maximum.  Her targets stirred, sensing something off, but this was expected.   She leaped and brought her morning star down on the mustached man.  He dodged, but she swung again and continued to do so as he backpedaled.


    The man was in a confused panic, which wasn¡¯t surprising.  Her stealth was still active, so from his perspective she was an indistinct shadowy mass.  Soon he backed into a wall, which was what she was waiting for.  Pouncing, she smashed her weapon into the man¡¯s chest. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    He¡¯ll be fine, she thought as her victim crumpled to the floor.  Lucy would¡¯ve predicted it if he died.  That was another of her advantages: she didn¡¯t need to hold back.


    A fireball struck from the side, the impact dispelling her concealing veil.  The two remaining guards faced her with grim, angry expressions.  She braced herself for a tough fight.  Fortunately, enclosed poorly-lit spaces filled with shadows were her ideal battle ground.  In a few minutes, it was over.


    Contemplating her defeated foes, she was just feeling good about herself when she noticed a section of the wall had been blown away during the battle.  Oh, no¡­  The whole point of this operation was to nab the pickpocket and her fence.  She rushed outside, clinging to the hope that she could pick up their trail, and stopped dead at the sight of a necromancer carrying a man and a woman on her shoulders.


    ¡°You caught them¡­¡±  Sana muttered.  What was more shocking was seeing the petite girl lift two grown bodies.


    Lucy rolled her eyes at her expression.  ¡°I¡¯m not completely useless.   My physical strength is on the level of a rank-C adventurer.  Dealing with two ordinary people is child¡¯s play.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±  Sana glanced timidly at the hole in the warehouse.  ¡°Sorry for letting them escape.¡±


    ¡°Relax,¡±  Lucy smirked.  ¡°You did a good job taking out the guards.¡±


    ¡°let¡¯s head inside and recuperate the necklace.¡±  She added.


    Initially, Lucy Vance had refused to act as Sana¡¯s chaperon, but, when Astra prepared to lock the wolf girl in a block of ice as punishment for her thievery in bastion, she¡¯d taken pity and reversed her decision.  Her one condition was that her orders be followed to the letter.  While Sana had happily agreed, her feelings of gratitude had faded somewhat since then.


    The young necromancer was the girlfriend of Silver¡¯s brother and had exceptional foresight far outstripping her other abilities.  She¡¯d quickly decided to leverage Sana¡¯s strength as a saint for some do-gooding.  The outskirts around neon were overflowing with refugees awaiting their turn to evacuate, and there wasn¡¯t nearly enough security personnel.  They were going after the criminals taking advantage of this vulnerable population.  These tended to be mostly thieves, which made Sana uncomfortable.


    She knew, deep down, that she was the last person on Enera who should reproach others for stealing.  However, when Lucy sent her after someone, she had no choice but to obey.  Silently, she offered an apology to the woman they¡¯d apprehended.


    Dumping her prisoners on the floor, Lucy walked over to the brightly lit desk where a wide assortment of items were laid out.  ¡°Here it is.¡±  She picked up a pendant hanging from a golden chain.  Earlier today, a desperate woman had begged for their help retrieving this piece of jewelry.


    ¡°There is a lot.¡±  Lucy sighed as she appraised the stolen goods laid out before her.  ¡°Returning everything to their owners will take all day.¡±


    Abruptly, she darted to the far side of the table, snatched up a small box, and stared hard at its content.  Sana scooted over to have a look.  Inside were bunch of simple metal rings.


    ¡°What is this?¡±  Lucy demanded.  The fence recoiled in front of her fury but didn¡¯t answer.


    The room fell into silence as Lucy continue to glare at the man.  Sana recognized the pattern immediately.  This was another of the wordless interrogations she¡¯d become accustomed to witnessing.  As someone who¡¯d been on the receiving end of the technique, she found it unnerving.  Lucy had extracted secrets from her that she would have never divulged without a considerable amount of pain.


    Suspecting this would take a while, Sana let her eyes drifts over the table, and soon they settled on brooch.  While not particularly valuable compared to the rest, she could tell by the signs of wear that it¡¯d been greatly treasured.  She wanted¡ª¡ª.


    ¡°Don¡¯t even think of it.¡±  Sana jumped at the harsh voice.  Miserably, she gave up and looked over at the necromancer who hadn¡¯t moved.  I hate this¡­


    Her two dimensional pouches hung from her waist, and their emptiness disturbed her soul.  She¡¯d originally been confused when Lucy returned them to her.  However, she now understood it as a sign of confidence.  Her thieving impulses were culled before they ever came to fruition.  Sana waited listlessly until Lucy finished her questioning and handed over the criminals to the authorities.


    ¡°So what were they?¡±  She asked on the way back.  Despite feeling down, she couldn¡¯t help be curious about the rings that had elicited such a reaction.


    ¡°They were tokens for Neon¡¯s barrier.¡±  Lucy explained.  ¡°Wearing one of them, anyone could sneak into the city.  I can¡¯t believe some corrupt official allowed them to be created.¡±


    That¡¯s pretty bad, right?  Neon had hardened the protective field created by its wards.  For those without permission, the only way through was one of the many crowded checkpoints.  This was why most refugees were stuck on the outside.  Looks like someone has been selling a way to bypass all that.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to report this to the Adventurer¡¯s Guild.¡±  Lucy continued.  ¡°We can only pray none of them ended up in the wrong hands.¡±

 [Book II Chapter 121] ZENTRIAS: The Mountain Wraith

    [Book II Chapter 121] ZENTRIAS: The Mountain Wraith


    ------------------------------------------------


    Holding his knees, Zentrias rooked back and forth against the cavern wall. His moments of lucidity were becoming scarcer. He now spend the majority of the day in a stupor, reliving the early years.


    <<The best time of our life.>>  His younger self crowed contently. <<When we were on top of the world.>>


    Zentrias said nothing in response. The confidence and pride from back then was beginning to affect him, to the extend that he longed for it.


    <<Remember who you were.>> His younger self whispered. <<The legend you became after Raoul¡¯s death.>>


    ¡­


    Back then, he¡¯d killed constantly. At first, it was bandits encroaching on his territory. On other occasions, it was the bodyguards of merchants who though they could pass without offering up tribute. Both groups learned it was foolish to challenge him.


    These victories fueled his ego, and he¡¯d hungered for more. So when villagers approached him with pleas to deal with other warlords and the scum who served under them, he happily accepted.


    Thinking back, this might¡¯ve been an attempt to send him on a suicide mission, ridding themselves of a nuisance. If so, it¡¯d failed totally. No matter how many he faced, he never perished.


    This fueled his fame. Whispers began spreading of a ¡®mountain wraith¡¯ who descended to commit slaughter. The warlord without an army.


    Despite the rumors, he¡¯d had a following. Since menial tasks were a distraction he couldn¡¯t be bothered with, he allowed men and women to join him so they could clean, cook, and maintain the fortress he¡¯d taken over. This led to guards for periods when he was away, scouts to locate caravans, and a second-in-command to manage them all. Eventually, once merchants ceased disrespecting him, he even let others claim tribute on his behalf. However, anything that involved battle was his domain alone. Opportunities for violence were too precious to share with anyone. There were those who tried to seduce me, but I payed them no mind. My lust was for blood.


    His skills at ending lives grew by leaps and bounds. With each foe felled, his understanding of human anatomy improved, and the weak points became clearer to his eyes. His speed and efficient reached the level where he made a game of killing with lightest possible touch. He loved witnessing the fear of his enemies when their companions exploded after a few light taps.


    Eventually, the wars engulfing Middle Earth came to a lull, and weary nations set about reclaiming the authority they¡¯d ceded. First in their cross-hairs were the warlords. One by one the bandit armies were wiped out. To deal with the fabled mountain wraith, three saints were sent.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    <<Despite all the rumors, they still underestimate us.>> His younger self giggled. <<That was their downfall!>>


    It was my crowning achievement, Zentrias agreed fondly. He¡¯d lured them into a forest, playing hide-and-seek for over an hour until one finally strayed from the others. He struck hard and true, aiming for instant and dramatic results. When the others caught up, he stood covered in blood, experiencing an unforgettable adrenaline high. The second soon fell, and the third fled. He was left standing triumphant.


    <<We were a monster back then.>>  His younger self smirked. <<Imagine what we could do today, with these gauntlets.>>


    Zentrias glanced down at his blade-like fingers with a mixture of sadness and expectation. He wasn¡¯t sure how long he could fight off their influence, or whether he even truly wanted to.


    ¡°So this is where you were hiding¡­¡± The soft voice sent a chill down his spine. Under the shock, the fog clouding his mind evaporated. He looked up to see a goddess at the mouth of the cave.


    <<No!>>  His younger self panicked. <<Not her!>> But he wasn¡¯t listening anymore. That¡¯s right, how could I forget¡­


    After the saints, the next to come was Yuria Raven. He¡¯d answered her challenge by luring her to the woods, full of confidence. Setting off a series of explosions, he jumped out of the smoke, ready to deliver a decisive strike, and stopped dead in his tracks. They weren¡¯t there, the lines and points which were supposed to guide his destructive power. The being before him was flawless. Yuria¡¯s martial arts were always top notch.


    This stunned him to his core. At that point, he¡¯d started seeing others as bags of meat, only differentiating between them by the inner defects his eyes revealed. However, here there was nothing to see. For the first time in months, he was forced to observed the other party¡¯s outer appearance, and what he saw was an unworldly beauty. His will to fight vanished completely. Yuria vanquished the mountain wraith without lifting a finger.


    <<It¡¯s all her fault you went weak!>>  His younger self raged. However, the voice was barely audible.


    ¡°You found me¡­¡± He whispered.


    ¡°The way you tore up the land around here¡­¡± Yuria smiled. ¡°That was a message to me, wasn¡¯t it? I¡¯m the only one who¡¯d recognize your work.¡±


    With a wave of her hand, transparent fairies danced into existence, their glow lighting the cavern. ¡°Sorry, it took so long.¡± She said sadly, noting his disheveled, bandaged form. ¡°I believed you were still trapped in Dark Heritage¡­¡±


    Zentrias shrunk away, trying to hide his deformed fingers, but the immortal walked over and grabbed them. ¡°These gauntlets¡­¡± She smiled. ¡°It¡¯s fine if I take them, right?¡±


    All objections melted away before the gentle voice. ¡°Yes¡­¡± He mumbled.


    Suddenly his hands felt a cold. Looking down, he found them ending in flesh and blood digits. The horrifying artifact had slid right off. The ghost of his younger self was gone, and he was alone in his own head. It was as though an incredible weight had been lifted from his shoulders.


    With a sigh of relief, Yuria wrapped up and put away the gauntlets. She then looked him over. ¡°How did you end up here? And how did you escape Dark Heritage without anyone noticing?¡±


    Zentrias¡¯s eyes opened wide. ¡°Amare Vitiose!¡± He quickly relayed his experiences with the undead champion.


    Yuria frowned while listening. ¡°So that pestilence is back¡­ Thank you for letting me know.¡±


    She glanced towards the exit. ¡°I¡¯d love to escort you back to civilization, but I must return to Nordric immediately. Will you be alright on your own?¡±


    Zentrias nodded serenely. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll be fine now.¡±

 [Book II Chapter 121] ROSE: Fetching Wise

    [Book II Chapter 121] ROSE:  Fetching Wise


    ------------------------------------------------


    ¡°You¡¯re certain Wise will be there?¡±  Carol asked.  ¡°It¡¯s in the middle of nowhere¡­¡±  They were making their way deep into the Twisted Lands west of Messanic, and she remained anxious about wasting time.


    ¡°He left a message with directions to this village, so yes.¡±  Rose answered.


    ¡°He¡¯s dependable that way.¡±  Dawn added.


    ¡°There¡¯s a battle ahead.¡±  Roxanne abruptly warned.  ¡°I¡¯ll go check it out.¡±  Before anyone could object, she disappeared.


    ¡°Shoot¡­¡±  Rose muttered.  She was glad her mentor was active again, but the immortal¡¯s fatalistic determination to die fighting was a source of constant concern.  ¡°Let¡¯s hurry and catch up.¡±


    Passing through a knot of bedrock, they reached an open space where, below the snaking roots of a light bloom, the strands of broken earth were woven together into a bumpy landscape.  A forest covered most of it, except for a small village on the far side.  There were signs of destruction all over, with hundreds of fallen trees.


    Rose spotted smoke rising from a clearing.  ¡°There.¡±  She cried.


    They found Roxanne standing next to an exhausted Wise.  Besides them was an enormous smoldering corpse the size of building.  By its shape, it was likely some form of dire bear.


    ¡°Good to see you again.¡±  Rose said  ¡°What happened here?¡±


    ¡°A group of werewolves attacked and enraged a titan, leading it to this village.  It¡¯s a tactic they¡¯ve adopted lately to keep me occupied.¡±  Wise panted.  ¡°I distracted the beast until Roxanne came and finished it off.¡±


    When living long enough, sometimes Enera¡¯s magical fauna obtained strength rivaling immortals.  Unlike entities born from the Ether, this achievement didn¡¯t confer advanced intellect or the ability to take human form.  To distinguish them from sovereigns, they were referred to as titans.


    Wise got up and dusted himself off.  ¡°We should head to the village and let them know the threat is over.¡±


    Once they¡¯d reached the settlement, Wise sent out a wave of pale fairies.  Carol took this opportunity to approach him.  ¡°We¡¯d like your help finding a companion lost in the Dark Heritage dungeon.¡±


    ¡°Zentrias, right?  I know.¡±  Wise replied.  ¡°I¡¯ll come with you, just give me a few minutes to rest.  I haven¡¯t fully recovered.¡±Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    As Carol stepped away satisfied, Rose took her place.  ¡°So what have you been up to since we separated?¡±


    ¡°Mainly thwarting werewolf attacks, preventing small disasters, and generally hindering our enemies.¡±  Wise revealed.  ¡°With all the attention on the demonic beast invasion, resources allocated to areas west of Messanic are lacking.  I¡¯ve been attempting to make up the difference.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like you¡¯ve been living dangerously.¡±  Dawn observed.


    Wise shrugged.  ¡°I¡¯ve become proficient at determining what I can handle and what I can¡¯t.  In cases where I glimpse something beyond me, such as Torak¡¯s disciples assaulting airships, I send a warning the Adventurer¡¯s Guild.¡±


    ¡°What have those guys been up to lately?¡±  Rose asked.  However, Wise didn¡¯t appeared to have heard her.  He¡¯d gone stiff and was staring off into the distance.  Finally, he grimaced.


    ¡°Listen carefully and don¡¯t make any sudden moves.¡±  He said calmly.  ¡°In about three minutes, the Laughing Man will arrive.  His target is me.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±  Roxanne said quietly.


    Don¡¯t you dare think about it!  Rose shot her mentor an angry glance before turning on Wise.  ¡°You only see this coming now?¡±


    Her brother sent out another wave of fairies to alert the village.  ¡°A powerful foe acts like a barrier to my foresight.  Only after defeating it can I see the events my victory would cause.  The laughing man understands this principle and chose this moment to strike.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my fault.¡±  He added, wincing.  ¡°I knew you were coming so I took on that titan.  This gave him the opening he needed.  I should¡¯ve guessed he hadn¡¯t given up.¡±


    ¡°Hadn¡¯t given up?¡±  Dawn asked.


    ¡°Two weeks ago he tried hunting me down, but I evaded him.¡±  Wise replied flatly.  ¡°Here he is.¡±


    A handsome, blond-haired man dropped down two dozen feet from them.  ¡°Long time no see.¡±  He said a pleasant voice.  ¡°You¡¯re a hard person to get a hold of, Wise Skyfell.¡±


    Her brother glared back silently.  Right, I have to do it.  ¡°What do you want?¡±  Rose demanded.


    The Laughing Man¡¯s eyes flickered lazily to her.  ¡°The book he is carrying.  My instincts tell me its something I should get rid of sooner rather than later.¡±  He smirked.  ¡°Besides, none of you eight has died yet.  Isn¡¯t it high time for a little tragedy?¡±


    A golden orb appeared above the immortal¡¯s outstretched hand, its surface undulating strangely.  Rose frown, peering closer to make out what this was.  Needles?  Wise yanked her, Dawn and Carol to the side as Roxanne raised a barrier of crimson flame.  There was an violent explosion.


    By Idia¡­  Excepting a narrow area directly behind her mentor, glistening golden needles were buried deep in every surface around them.  Several screams of terror and pain rang out from the village.  The laughing man smiled while listening.  ¡°This isn¡¯t a pointless massacre.¡±  He declared to no one in particular.  ¡°It¡¯s collateral damage from pursuing a legitimate target.¡±


    ¡°Rose!¡±  The Crimson flames flared from Roxanne¡¯s staff.  ¡°Take your brother and flee.¡±


    Dammit, I never imagine it¡¯d be so soon.  Rose turned to run but discovered Wise standing in a stupor.  ¡°Snap out of it, We need to go!¡±  She yelled, grabbing his shoulder.


    Wise didn¡¯t react, letting himself be dragged.  ¡°What in the¡­¡±  He mumbled.  Then his eyes opened wide.  ¡°Oh god¡­  This village is finished.¡±


    ¡°Do you honestly believe you can protect them from me?¡±  The Laughing Man mocked, chuckling.  With a wave of his arm, he sent out nine golden orbs.  Rose watched with a sense of despair as they spread out overhead.  It¡¯s too late.

 [Book II Chapter 123] SIMON: Ambushing Yuria Raven

    [Book II Chapter 123] SIMON:  Ambushing Yuria Raven


    ------------------------------------------------


    From a floating bolder high in the sky, Simon watched the figure of a woman race across the broken landscape.  Her speed was proof of her tremendous strength as an immortal.


    Once she reached a wide plateau, he sprung into action.  The world warped around him as he dropped down, and he emerged a minute in the past.  He made landed close to Yuria who had stopped, having sensed his presence.


    ¡°Simon Black¡­¡±  She said slowly.  ¡°To what do I owe the pleasure?¡±


    ¡°You are carrying a pair of gauntlets,¡±  He explained.  ¡°I¡¯m afraid I must relieve you of them.¡±


    ¡°How did you¡­?¡±  Yuria exclaimed, before grimacing.  ¡°Amare!  He must¡¯ve told you!¡±


    Not quite, he didn¡¯t need to.  Thanks to Torak, I have already seen how the major events of this Dark Age will unfold, right up until its bitter end.  There were still many gaps of unknown, but, for the most part, he needed only play out his role to bring this vision to fruition.


    ¡°If you knew where they were, why didn¡¯t you act sooner?¡±  Yuria demanded.  ¡°Were you waiting for me to remove them?¡±


    ¡°Something like that.¡±  Simon admitted.


    Yuria shook her head.  ¡°I may not be strong enough to beat you.¡±  She announced calmly, ¡°but I might just be strong enough to get away.¡±


    This wasn¡¯t bluff.  She was a veteran immortal, close to a paragon.  It¡¯d be difficult for him to stop her on his own.


    He raised his arm, giving a signal.  Seven cloaked figures appeared around them, staying at a distance.  Yuria¡¯s eyes opened wide upon seeing the one directly behind her.  ¡°Radin Lockworth¡­  You¡¯ve finally joined the fray.¡±You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    ¡°For today only.¡±  Radin answered softly.  The assistance is appreciated.


    ¡°It¡¯s not looking good for me.¡±  Yuria said, taking a fighting stance.  ¡°But I won¡¯t go down easy.¡±


    ¡°Violence isn¡¯t necessary.¡±  Simon interjected quickly.  ¡°Cooperate and you¡¯ll be free to leave unharmed.¡±


    Yuria appraised him incredulously.  ¡°You don¡¯t seriously expect me to turn over Nuzou¡¯s talons?¡±


    ¡°I will be obtaining them either way.¡±  Simon countered.  ¡°Think carefully.  I don¡¯t wish you harmed.¡±


    Simon awaited anxiously.  He¡¯d already impressed upon those he¡¯d gathered that Yuria absolutely couldn¡¯t be killed.  Not here, not yet.  This would greatly complicate the battle, which is why he¡¯d gone to great lengths to recruit Radin.  Ideally his intimidating presence will be enough.


    After an eternity, Yuria relaxed and stood straight.  ¡°I suppose there¡¯s no point in throwing my life away.  Also, there is news I must bring back.¡±  She brought out a bundle of cloth, studying it wistfully.  ¡°If only I could destroy them¡­¡±


    ¡°Have your allies draw back.¡±  She ordered.


    ¡°Of course.¡±  Simon directed the others to retreat.  This is the best outcome.


    Yuria reluctantly placed the bundle on the ground, and he walked forward to collect it.  ¡°Thank you.  I will ensure these reach their rightful owner.¡±


    Wincing at these words, Yuria sped away.  He watched her disappear, tucking his prize in his robes.


    ¡°If that¡¯s all, I will be returning to Xarst.¡±  Radin declared.


    ¡°Yes, thank you for your help.¡±  Simon said.  ¡°All of you.¡±  The cowled figures nearby nodded and withdrew.  Soon he was alone.


    As he was about to depart himself, he felt a powerful magic far away,  one that was intimately familiar to him.  All his contentment evaporated.  He¡¯s active again¡­


    Slipping back through time, Simon traveled deeper into the twisted lands, eventually happening upon a small village.  On its periphery stood the the Laughing Man, nine golden orbs above him.  So that¡¯s what I sensed.  Simon switched his gaze to the prey being hunted, and he flinched ever so slightly.  Rose, Dawn, and two necromancers.


    The world darkened around him as he slowed time to contemplate.  I provide them what aid I could on the Isle.  They are no longer my responsibility¡­  However, this was a tough reality to accept.  If it was anyone else, I might be able to walk away, but him?  After much brooding, he reached a resolution.


    While it won¡¯t change anything¡­  It occurs to me that I haven¡¯t seriously tried killing that man since obtaining my dagger.  I should change that.  Smiling sinisterly, Simon drew out a small weapon with a wicked-looking sheathe.

 [Book II Chapter 124] ROSE: An Apocalypse

    [Book II Chapter 124] ROSE:  An Apocalypse


    ------------------------------------------------


    The golden orbs scattering above them elicited a sense of dread.  Roxanne couldn¡¯t block projectiles coming from every direction, and Rose doubted she could stop one of those golden needles, let alone hundreds.  We¡¯re screwed.  She braced herself as the orbs exploded¡­


    ¡­but the pain never came.  Her mouth dropped as saw thousands of needles immobilized mid-flight.  ¡°What in the¡­¡±  She whispered.


    ¡°Everyone run!¡±  Wise shouted.  ¡°You too Roxanne.¡±


    ¡°What¡­?¡±  Her mentor glanced around, bewildered by the bizarre sight overhead.  Rose reached out with her telekenesis and pulled on the immortal¡¯s flaming staff to prompt her into action.


    ¡°If Wise says run, you run!¡±  She yelled, despite having no idea what was going.


    The Laughing Man grimaced, seemingly unwilling to let them flee, yet he didn¡¯t pursue, instead looking up apprehensively.  Somewhat relieved, Rose tried seeking an explanation.  ¡°What¡¯s going¡ª¡ª¡±


    ¡°To the right, now!¡±  Wise ordered.


    This time they all complied, and several thin black shockwaves shot by them, erasing everything they touched.  Buildings began to collapse as they were cut to pieces.  Rose winced at cries of terror and despair emanating from the village.


    ¡°We can¡¯t save them.¡±  Wise said miserably.  ¡°Simon is fighting the Laughting Man, and he¡¯s not holding back.  This place will be utterly annihilated¡­¡±


    ¡°Roxanne, please create a shield for us.¡±  He directed.  The nine orbs from earlier finished their explosion, sending waves of the needles through walls and tree.   The village fell completely silent.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    ¡°I will lead us out of here.¡±  Wise spoke softly.  ¡°Stay close and move where I move.¡±


    Rose followed her brother¡¯s winding path through a barrage of golden projectiles and black shockwaves.  When they paused, she took in the monumental clash raging around them.  It was a mad sight.


    The Laughing Man had summoned giant whirlwinds of spears, some of which were raging fiercely, while others were frozen in place, serving as a makeshift areal battlefield.  Blades and orbs materialized wherever the Laughing man retreated, striking out at the space around with enough power to shake the Twisted Lands.  Despite this, a shadow doggedly stalked him, dipping in and out of view.  Whenever there were opening in the golden chaos, Simon would appear and release deadly black shockwaves, sometimes attacking from two or three directions at once.


    Rose stumbled as the ground buckled beneath her.  The tapestry of bedrock they stood upon had been sliced to shreds and was warping ominously from the force of the conflict.


    ¡°Oh god, no¡­¡±  Wise muttered, color draining from his face.  ¡°We¡¯re going down, now!¡±


    He plunged into a gap in the earth, forming shadowy wings.  Rose conjured fire fairies as they plummeted after him.  ¡°Why the panic?¡±  She demanded.


    ¡°Simon¡¯s dagger, it¡¯s beginning to affect the gravitational fields.¡±  Wise shouted back.  ¡°This entire region is going to collapse.¡±


    Oh¡­  They dropped into a wide dark space, and Rose turned to look up.  Large chunks were already falling everywhere, as far as she could see.  Between them smaller rocks shot downward, propelled by the violence above.


    ¡°Fly in a line directly me.¡±  Wise called out.


    The sounds of the impacts quickly became deafening.  The new crust was contorting under the assault, vivid red cracks spreading menacingly.  Volcanic eruptions exploded, flinging molten projectiles into wailing maelstrom of tumbling earth.


    They swooped up and down randomly, untold tons of rock and fire barreling by on all sides, as they charted a route through the apocalypse.  Despite her faith in her brother, Rose feared this might be the end.  However, two harrowing minutes later, they escaped.  After retreating to a safe distance, they paused to witness the destruction.


    ¡°What insane power¡­¡±  Dawn sighed.  ¡°We have a long way to go if we want to defeat those two.¡±


    ¡°And Simon Black saved us again.¡±  Rose added bitterly.  At the very least, he prevented Roxanne from sacrificing herself, for which I can¡¯t help but be grateful.  Her mentor was spectating with them, apparently just as engrossed.  So this level of devastation is impressive even to someone who lived through the last dark age¡­


    As they contemplated the chaos, Carol broke in.  ¡°I know it¡¯s impressive, but maybe we should get moving?¡±


    ¡°Relax.¡±  Wise replied.  ¡°Zentrias is waiting for us back at Messanic.  There¡¯s no rush.¡±

 [Book II Chapter 125] KATE: Returning To Messanic

    [Book II Chapter 125] KATE:  Returning To Messanic


    ------------------------------------------------


    The giant white Heron flew alongside them, effortlessly matching their velocity.  ¡°Does she get never tired?¡±  Kate wondered out loud.


    ¡°It¡¯s a good thing she doesn¡¯t.¡±  Silver grumped.  ¡°Or this would be taking even longer than it is.¡±


    Kate glanced at her boyfriend.  He was sitting besides her on the front deck of Mane¡¯s airship, a dour look on his face.  Other than anger on her behalf, it was rare to see him display such open signs of irritation.


    Three days ago, Dalyse had brought them to a dense jungle.  There they found not one, but three rifts to Mount Gull, each hidden underground or surrounded by impenetrable foliage.  The subtle yet powerful enchantments which masked their presence proved no match for Reagan¡¯s nose.


    Pleased by these discoveries, Dalyse had immediate requested aid in searching other regions.  From then on, they¡¯d followed the heron through countless lands, hunting more rifts.  They¡¯d only paused at dusk, returning to Agatha¡¯s manor where they would start again at dawn.  While they¡¯d locate over a hundred portals, Shangri-la¡¯s borderland was vast.  At this rate, it¡¯d take another two weeks to finish scouring everywhere.


    I thought Reagan¡¯s lessons on aura mastery in the evenings would ease his impatience, but obviously not.  Her own anxiety had eased since giving up her role as teacher.  ¡°Are you doing alright?¡±  She asked.


    Silver sighed.  ¡°Astra wants Reagan to investigate the threat from the Moonlit Lands.  By the time we¡¯re done here, it could be too late.¡±  He turned to her.  ¡°You¡¯ve known him a long time.  Isn¡¯t there anything you can do about this?¡±


    ¡°Even if you say that¡­¡±  Kate hesitated.  ¡°Dalyse is an architect of Shangri-la, and Reagan already accepted her request.  Telling him to break it off is¡­¡±


    ¡°So are we stuck?¡±  She could hear the disappointment in his voice, and it hurt.


    ¡°Well, maybe¡­¡±  An idea formed in her head.  ¡°Let¡¯s go talk to him.¡±


    Kate had questions of her own that needed answering, and this was the perfect opportunity.  Reagan was rational.  If they pressed him on the usefulness of their endeavor, this might prompt him to reconsider.  If nothing else, a clearer explanation could relieve our anxiety.


    Reagan was below deck, pouring over a zoomed-out projection of a map.  They were traveling the Borderlands, the wide elevated region which ran around the edges of Shangri-la.  Mane¡¯s and Reagan¡¯s savanna was towards the center, not far from an indentation the size of large coin.  The Valley and Premier are tiny compared to the rest.


    He looked at them.  ¡°Those are some serious expressions.¡±  He noted.


    ¡°Why are there so many portals?¡±  Kate demanded, gesturing to all the blue points he had plotted.  ¡°We haven¡¯t discussed it, but doesn¡¯t it seem strange?¡±


    ¡°I was contemplating that myself.¡±  Reagan admitted.  ¡°Also, why is Kaygren opening new ones when so many exist already?  I believe Debra is keeping something from us.¡±


    ¡°Then what are we doing?¡±  She asked.


    Reagan let out a long sigh.  ¡°Debra¡¯s husband, Calumn Sunder had close relationship with many of Shangri-la¡¯s ruling sovereigns.  After he died fighting the White Dragon, Arther send me here.  I was to monitor the situation and try to reestablish the influence lost we lost.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the reason, when Dalyse approached me with this request, I couldn¡¯t refuse.  An opportunity currying favor with an architect was too precious to pass up.  However, I might have overindulged her¡­¡±


    He walked over to the stairs to the cabin and shouted up.  ¡°Mane, please invite Dalyse to join us below deck and then set a course to the swamp we visited yesterday.¡±


    The transformed heron descended in her royal white robes.  A smirk crossed her face as she appraised their demeanor.  ¡°I suppose you are reconsidering your offer of assistance?¡±


    Reagan nodded.  ¡°I¡¯m afraid I didn¡¯t understand what I was agreeing to.¡±


    ¡°Too bad.¡±  The heron said.  ¡°I was hoping to locate a few more, but this will have to do.¡±


    ¡°Considering you showed no surprise at the number we uncovered, I imagine everything was within your expectations.¡±  Reagan said.  ¡°You undoubtedly had discovered some already, which is why I¡¯d like an explanation.  Why so many rifts?  And why don¡¯t I smell any demonic beasts on the other side?¡±


    ¡°Sorry, this is a sensitive topic.¡±  Dalyse paced back and forth restlessly before continuing.  ¡°I told you I suspect one of our members of cooperating with Kaygren.  It¡¯s not simply because Mount Gull¡¯s precipitous enlargement.¡±


    ¡°Shangri-la has long allowed unaligned sovereigns to tether their realms to our borderlands.  This provides them nearly the same benefits as rifts to Enera, with the advantage of not having to interact with humanity.  Many repay this favor later by joining us.¡±


    ¡°This is the reason we usually don¡¯t pay much attention to rifts unless demonic beast are coming through, in which case we quickly shut them down.  That¡¯s why it took so long to notice the portals to Mount Gull.  If not for the raids, it¡¯s possible we would¡¯ve never understood their scale.¡±The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    ¡°The traitor assisting Kaygren¡­¡±  Reagan said slowly.  ¡°They didn¡¯t just provide advice, they set up a network of portals to act as a stabilizing force to enable Mount Gull¡¯s rapid expansion.¡±


    ¡°The betrayal is shocking.¡±  Dalyse agreed.  ¡°We explored a few of them.  They led to deserted caves deep inside the mountain, with wards on the exits to prevent demonic beasts from wandering in.  It¡¯s intriguing how both sides were camouflaged to avoid detection.¡±


    ¡°If they were removed, would Mount Gull collapse?¡±  Kate asked.  That would almost be too good to be true.


    Dalyse shook her head.  ¡°I¡¯d wager Kaygren no longer needs them, else he would not have risked alerting us to their presence.¡±


    ¡°In any case, thank you.¡°  Dalyse bowed to Reagan.  ¡°My purpose in approaching you was to gain a clearer assessment of the situation, which I have now obtained.¡±


    ¡°Will you be taking your leave?¡±  She added.


    ¡°Yesterday, I detected a fain scent of Messanic from a pair of portals.   We¡¯ll be using those.¡±  Reagan affirmed.


    ¡°Best of luck on your journey.¡±  Dalyse returned to the stairs.  ¡°I must now return to Premier and consult those I trust about how to proceed.¡±


    They followed her above deck then watched the white bird fly away.  ¡°We¡¯ll reach the swamp in a few minutes.¡±  Mane reported.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure how you did it so easily, but nice job convincing Reagan.¡±  Silver whispered.


    ¡°Hmm, thanks¡­¡±  Kate replied sheepishly.  It¡¯d been mostly luck, but she kept that to herself.


    Soon a vast wetland appeared.  At their destination, they bid Mane farewell and dropped down, entering a thick grove of trees where a rift was hidden.  Kate was apprehensive of this journey, but Reagan¡¯s confidence somehow reassured her.


    The other side was pitch black and silent.  Silver summoned shining fairies, revealing the grotto they were in.  ¡°This way.¡±  Reagan announced, heading off at a brisk pace.


    As they headed upwards through the winding darkness, Silver spoke up.  ¡°I don¡¯t understand why Kaygren opened new rifts instead of using these existing ones.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s is no way to know for sure.¡±  Reagan answered.  ¡°Perhaps his Shangri-la conspirator was irked at the idea of his portals being used to invade the Borderlands.  There are also the enchantments guarding both ends, which would be difficult for newly-dominated demonic beasts to cross.  Likely, opening new portals was easier.¡±


    They reached an apparent dead-end, causing Reagan to scoff.  ¡°They even sealed this passageway.¡±  Power gathered in his arm.


    ¡°Why bother taking such precautions?¡±  Kate asked.


    ¡°To prevent discovery by humans, including the Fang Ninjas residing on Mount Gull.¡±  Reagan replied.  His fist smashed the boulders blocking the way.


    ¡°That wasn¡¯t subtle¡­¡±  Kate reproached timidly.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡±  Reagan shrugged.  ¡°We won¡¯t be here long.¡±


    Walking into the light, Kate gasped.  The mountain slopes around them went on endlessly.  This verticality gave off a majestic, if oppressive, feeling compared to Shangri-la.


    She wanted a better look, but Reagan rushed off.  They raced after him, catching up at the edge of a crater.  The bowl was a rocky dessert where a dozens of rifts shimmered lazily.


    ¡°There.¡±  Reagan pointed to one not surrounded by demonic beasts.  They made their way over with surprisingly little issues.  Those enemies who encountered them quickly scurried away before Reagan¡¯s intimidating presence.  As for this region¡¯s sovereign, he was nowhere to be seen.


    ¡°That was refreshingly simple.¡±  Kate said as they plunged through the gleaming veil.


    They emerged to a disorienting cold darkness surrounded by barren trees and withered plants.  ¡°I know where we are.¡±  Silver offered, looking up.


    A shadowy mass engulfed the broken landscape above them.  At one point, a dim light was visible on the other side.  That¡¯s the sun¡­  We¡¯re under the ice sheet.


    ¡°Let¡¯s move.¡±  Reagan guided them purposefully through the desolate Twisted Lands.  It wasn¡¯t long before Messanic¡¯s sunlit fortification appeared in the distance.  Kate was delighted to leave the frigid depths.  I wonder how long it will take the ecosystem to recover from what Astra¡¯s ice.


    Reagan paused at the city¡¯s outer wall.  ¡°We¡¯re back.¡±  Silver exclaimed, his relief obvious.


    ¡°Barsal Farran is here.¡±  Reagan declared, darting off towards the Adventurer¡¯s Guild.  He entered the central building and flung open an impressive set of doors, striding into the command center.  Silver and Kate paled seeing the dour expressions of Astra Skyfell, Barsal Farsal, Yuria Raven, and several other immortals who were gathered around a large table.


    ¡°I have returned.¡±  Reagan smirked sardonically.  ¡°What have I missed?¡±


    ¡°Have a look for yourself.¡±  Astra moved aside and gestured to a projection showing a close up of the planet¡¯s surface.  Kate recognized the area as the Twisted Lands northwest of Remnant, yet something was off.  A black spot marred the chaotic green.  Driven by curiosity, she creep closer.


    A large section was simply gone, replaced by a dark hole.  Large columns of smoke were rising, obscuring the few remaining pieces of land which hung scattered and isolated by themselves.


    ¡°What happened?¡±  Reagan asked.


    ¡°The Laughing Man and Simon Black battled,¡±  Astra explained, ¡°and ninety-five percent of the region fell into the new crust.  From reports, this was the work of Simon¡¯s dagger.¡±


    ¡°Aery is in a panic.¡±  Yuria added.  ¡°If the Necromancer of the End has the ability to negate the gravity fields holding our land masses aloof¡­¡±


    ¡°That worry is overblown.¡±  Barsal cut in.  ¡°Whatever magic he employed must have limitations, else he could simply destroy the world by himself.¡±


    ¡°While I mostly agree,¡±  Astra said, ¡°caution is warranted.  Simon Black must never be taken on near populated lands.¡±


    ¡°Who won?¡±  Silver asked suddenly, causing Kate to jump.


    Astra crossed her arms.  ¡°While there were no witness to the battle¡¯s conclusion, my gut tells me the Laughing Man escaped.  If Simon had truly managed to slay his foe, I half-believe the dark age might¡¯ve ended.¡±


    ¡°So you too suspect the madman is Simon¡¯s driving motivation?¡±  Barsal asked.


    Astra nodded.  ¡°It was his obsession during the brief period I knew him.¡°


    ¡°Is there more?¡±  Reagan pressed.  ¡°A destroyed bit of Twisted Land doesn¡¯t explain the serious faces.¡±


    Astra sighed.  ¡°Nuzou¡¯s claws fell into Simon Black¡¯s hands.¡±  Yuria shrunk at these words.  ¡°And Amare Vitiose is back.¡±


    ¡°Damn¡­¡±  Reagan said softly.  ¡°That is dire news.¡±


    ¡°Indeed,¡±  Astra agreed.  With a wave, the projection above the table vanished and a giant mountain appeared in its place.  ¡°But enough of that.  It¡¯s time to focus on Mount Gull.¡±


    ¡°I am ready to participate in any operation you have planned.¡±  Reagan affirmed energetically.  This caused Astra to pivot.


    ¡°No.¡±  She said.  ¡°I need you to investigate the threat posed by the Moonlit Lands.¡±


    Reagan hesitated.  ¡°Surely that can wait a couple of days¡­¡±


    ¡°Torak¡¯s disciples are running around unchecked in the Undermist.¡±  Astra said.  ¡°Of special concern is Adam Bishop, the oldest fearmancer.  Whatever they have planned could potentially be a worse threat than Kaygren and his demonic beasts.  Now that you¡¯re finally here, uncovering this plot is your task.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡±  Reagan gave a curt salute.  ¡°It¡¯ll be done.¡±


    ¡°Take Silver and Kate with you.¡±  Astra continued.  ¡°They¡¯re already involved, and I¡¯m sure they could learn a thing or two.¡±

 [Book II Chapter 126] ROSE: A Brief Interlude

    [Book II Chapter 126] ROSE:  A Brief Interlude


    ------------------------------------------------


    Rose, Roxanne, and Dawn sat sipping their drinks above Messanic¡¯s boisterous streets.  This establishment, the Explorer¡¯s Cafe, specialized in serving adventurers and the outdoor terrace was only accessible by leaping across the rooftops.  It was a great spot to avoid the crowds.


    ¡°The mood has changed.¡±  Dawn observed.


    There was an air of jubilation in the city.  The Hero Barsal Farran had arrived, and anxiety about Messanic¡¯s safety had been quelled.  After weeks of enduring Mount Gulls assaults, it was finally time to strike back.


    No one knows about the epic clash between Simon Black and the Laughing Man.  Their group had been the only witnesses, and Astra had requested they keep quiet.  Rumors will eventually spread regardless.  Those on Aery¡¯s floating islands can see the destruction plainly.


    ¡°The others are late.¡±  Roxanne said.  ¡°I hope nothing is wrong.¡±


    ¡°Relax, he seemed fine.¡±  Rose assured.  This morning, Carol had taken Zentrias to check for any leftover ill effects from Nuzou¡¯s Talons.  They were waiting to hear the results.  Come to think of it, I should¡¯ve asked Wise.  Unfortunately, her brother was on a date with his girlfriend.


    It hadn¡¯t been just a worn out Zentrias awaiting them, but Lucy as well.  Apparently, she¡¯d come to personally report a concern with Neon¡¯s security.  Her presence probably explain why Wise had chosen to accompany them.


    ¡°Here they are.¡±  Dawn announced as Carol and Zentris dropped down on the terrace.  ¡°Well, what was the verdict?¡±


    ¡°I got a clean bill of health to resume adventuring.¡±  Zentrias revealed.


    ¡°So no issues?¡±  Roxanne asked.


    ¡°Mostly,¡±  Carol answered.  ¡°There were residual traces left on his soul which will last until a new owner claims the artifact.  Supposedly they¡¯re too faint to have an impact, but I don¡¯t like it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not all bad.¡±  Zentrias chimed in.  ¡°By monitoring this connection, we¡¯ll be able to tell when Simon passes Nuzou¡¯s talons off to another.¡±


    ¡°How can something so small be any consolation!¡±  Carol exclaimed, the irritation clear in her voice.  She¡¯d been relieved to discover Zentrias alive but had yet to recover from the traumatic experience.


    ¡°It matters to me.¡±  Zentrias said softly.  ¡°I indirectly played a role in those cursed gauntlets falling into the wrong hands.  Providing a warning to the world when they resurface would ease my conscious.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to be so hard on yourself.¡±  Rose offered.  ¡°It wasn¡¯t your mistake alone.¡±


    Zentrias shook his head.  ¡°I ended up placing Yuria in danger.  If anything had happened to her because of my incompetence¡­¡±  He trembled slightly.  Behind him, Carol looked away with a pained expression.


    ¡°Here they are.¡±  Dawn observed.  Rose was impressed to watch Lucy make the jump over to them without Wise¡¯s help.  She¡¯s less weak than I imagined.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    ¡°By the way, Silver and Kate said hi.¡±  Wise said.


    ¡°They¡¯re here?¡±  Rose couldn¡¯t help glancing around, scanning their surroundings.


    ¡°They¡¯ve left already, sorry.¡±  Lucy added.


    ¡°Did you have a nice date?¡±  Dawn broke in.


    The couple fidgeted bashfully.  ¡°We had a wonderful time.¡±  Wise admitted.  ¡°And there¡¯s still the afternoon.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve got to make the most of it before tonight.¡±  Lucy agreed smiling.


    This caused Rose to frown.  ¡°What¡¯s happening tonight?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m departing with you for Garnen.¡±  Wise sighed.  ¡°Lucy is convinced it¡¯s become too dangerous for me to gallivant around the wilderness with the Laughing Man hunting me.¡±


    ¡°And I must return to Neon.¡±  Lucy said  ¡°I¡¯ve probably left Sana alone too long already.¡±


    ¡°Hold up.¡±  Dawn broke in.  ¡°What¡¯s this about Garnen?¡±


    Wise paused for a second.  ¡°Oh, Zentrias hasn¡¯t told you yet¡­¡±


    They all turned to the man in question.  ¡°Cindy Omen contacted me.¡±  He revealed.  ¡°The Grey Kingdom is planning a major attack coinciding with the assault on Mount Gull, and she¡¯s requesting assistance.  Since she used a wish seed to save my life, I felt indebted and accepted.  Of course, you¡¯re all free to make your own decisions¡ª¡ª¡±


    ¡°No need.¡±  Rose interrupted.  ¡°We¡¯re all going, right Wise?¡±  Her brother nodded.  By his side, Lucy stared at her with reproachful eyes.


    The piercing gaze wore into Rose until she was compelled to ask,  ¡°Did I do something?¡±


    ¡°You have an annoying habit of tracking down Wise at inconvenient times whenever there is something you¡¯re burning to know.¡±  Lucy accused quietly.


    ¡°When have¡ª¡ª¡±  Rose objected.


    ¡°In more futures than I could count.¡±  Lucy snapped back.


    Rose¡¯s mouth dropped.  I¡¯m being blame for actions never taken?  She ignored Dawn chuckling, voicing her indignation.  ¡°This is an injustice!¡±


    ¡°Yet it¡¯s the truth, same as every word I speak.¡±  Lucy declared.  ¡°On that note, I¡¯ll make clear Wise belongs to me for the rest of the day.  If you have anything to ask, now is your window of opportunity.¡±  Even if you put me on the spot¡­


    ¡°Astra is too busy to meet with us.¡±  Wise added.  ¡°So you can question her through me.¡±


    ¡°Then when does the Mount Gull operation begin?¡±  Rose asked, getting into the spirit.


    ¡°In two days.¡±  Wise replied.  ¡°Three at most.  The time for Astra to gather the Guild¡¯s scattered forces and for Aery to send a contingent of immortals.¡±


    ¡°Aery is finally involving itself?¡±  The surprise in Dawn¡¯s voice was palpable.  ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because of Barsal Farran.¡±  Wise explained.  ¡°It would be humiliating to allow him to solve a problem on their doorstep without making a contribution.  Then there is also his sublime vagary, ¡®Indomitable Legions¡¯.  Its passive strengthens everyone who fights by his side, regardless of allegiance.  It¡¯s too good an opportunity to pass up.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the battle plan?¡±  Dawn asked.


    ¡°That hasn¡¯t been finalized.¡±  Wise answered.


    ¡°Why did Barsal Farran travel so far from his empire?¡±  Rose asked.  ¡°Wasn¡¯t there a civil war on his doorstep?¡±


    ¡°His descendant Anthem, who we met on the Isle, is on the verge of leading a military force to quash that conflict.¡±  Wise replied.  ¡°Due to his oath forswearing conquering, Barsal Farran is washing his hands of the endeavor by coming to aid us here.¡±


    That¡¯s a stroke of luck for us.  There was no telling how long it would¡¯ve taken to organize the assault without this catalyst.


    ¡°Has Salazar Rook¡¯s patron been located yet?¡±  Lucy asked.  Everyone glanced over confused.  ¡°It¡¯s Rose¡¯s question a minute into the future.  I¡¯m just speeding things up.¡±


    ¡°He hasn¡¯t, but there are several territories suspected of having fallen under his influence.¡±  Wise answered.  ¡°With the rumored atrocities occurring, this is shaping up to be one of his worst incarnations.¡±


    ¡°What are Silver and Kate up to?¡±  Lucy immediately followed up with, and, again, her boyfriend dutifully provided the reply.


    So that¡¯s how it¡¯s going to be.  Rose buried her outrage and focused on listening, afraid to miss something vital.  Meanwhile, Lucy and Wise continued their bizarre back and forth, one asking questions which were not her own while the other provided answers which were not his own.


    Eventually, the information session came to an end.  ¡°I believe that¡¯s everything.¡±  Lucy smiled happily, facing to Wise.  ¡°Shall we go?¡±


    ¡°See you tonight.¡±  Wise waved, and they jumped away.

 [Book II Chapter 127] SANA: Chancel

    [Book II Chapter 127] SANA:  Chancel


    ------------------------------------------------


    Sana stepped out of the lift.  The small lobby was deserted other than the pair of guards in power armor flanking the exit.  One stopped her when she tried to pass through.  ¡°Your card, please.¡±


    ¡°Again?¡±  She asked timidly, presenting her adventurer card.  They¡¯d already checked her credentials before sending her down.


    After a quick inspection, the man waved her through.  ¡°Welcome to Chancel.  Stay out of trouble.¡±


    The cool, subterranean air outside felt refreshing.  Around her spread out skyrises, metallic and pristine, lit by a myriad of colorful projections displaying advertisements and company logos.  Sana glanced up at the rocky ceiling far above.  I¡¯m actually here, at the base of the five towers¡­


    From the moment she heard about Chancel, the dark heart of Neon, she¡¯d wanted to visit.  Unfortunately, Margaret had never found the time to take her.  I bet she was afraid I¡¯d pilfer something and land us in trouble.  She worries too much.  I¡¯d never get caught.


    Sana hoped atop the nearest building and glanced back at the tower she¡¯d exited.  The letters GUARDSTONE glowed vividly on its surface.  As part of the mega company¡¯s long relationship with the Adventurer¡¯s Guild, saints were allowed take an elevator down to this level.  Normally, access to Chancel was tightly restricted, with only those selected by the ruling corporations given permission to enter.  Also immortals, of course.


    Four nearby rectangular buildings caught her eye.  They looked similar to Frieden, only four times the size with more connecting passageways.  Strips of lights covered the dark, windowless exterior.  Sana stared confused before her eyes lit up.  That must be the Great Crystal Databank, Guardstone¡®s treasured repository of knowledge.  There¡¯s nothing I¡¯m interested there.


    Lucy had made her promise not to steal, and she¡¯d intended to abide by her word, mainly because of her chaperon¡¯s warnings hinting at dire consequences for any failure to do so.  However, a gnawing compulsion had grown by the hour, reaching a maddening fever pitch within her.  Recognizing that resistance was hopeless, she¡¯d resolved to purloin one single item.  This show of restraint would surely earn her a mild punishment.  If I¡¯m limiting myself to one, then I must make it count.


    Sana surveyed the rest of the cavern¡¯s giant interior.  To one side, Sofix¡¯s tower was part of an enormous sprawling building.  Playland, an entertainment complex with all kinds of activities.  She¡¯d seen the ads multiple times.  Anyone could buy an admittance ticket, but access to the rest of Chancel was strictly restricted.


    Further out, a series of white, modern building stood out close to the Raylock¡¯s tower.  These were the Ketamine Clinics, where dehumanizing augmentations occurred daily, replacing body parts with enhanced artificial versions.  As Enera¡¯s largest private weapon manufacturer, Raylock possessed a vast pool of enchanting and Magitech talent, a large portion of which resided in Chancel.


    Several casinos bordered Gaveld¡¯s tower, their boisterous presence standing in contrast to their austere surroundings.  The mega corporation specialized in ¡®high-value services¡¯, such as selling insurance and running stock exchanges, all of which was alien to Sana.


    Finally, She found her target, Viacore.  The mega corporation trafficked physical goods from around Enera, the most valuable of which ending up here in Chancel.  Far off in the bedrock wall, daunting metal walls housed its impregnable vaults, but today she wasn¡¯t after the priceless artifacts safekept within.  No, her focus was on the majestic structure at the base of the tower.  Viacore¡¯s Platinum Hall.


    Sana quickly made her way across the city and entered.  As she¡¯d expected an auction was taking place, and she slipped in, relieved when none of the scary looking guards attempted to stop her.  This was her treat to herself, a means to find a treasure precious enough to satiate her cravings.If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    She watched patiently as enchanted weapons and extraordinary materials were sold one by one.  The prices thrown around sent shivers down her neck, but she did her best to ignore them.  It wasn¡¯t monetary value she was after.  Something had to strike her fancy.


    An attendant wheeled out a cart with a sheet draped over it, and the entire hall went quiet.  The whispers around her peeked Sana¡¯s interest.  Then the sheet was drawn back, revealing a crystal ball sitting on a velvet cushion.  This is it¡­  She stared in a trance as a frantic bidding war began.  The otherworldly aura enveloping her was like nothing she¡¯d experienced before.


    It was only when the ball was covered again that she returned to her senses.  She immediately left and went to find the desk where winning bidders collected their new properties.  Trying to remain calm, she took a spot in line.  Behind the desk, staff were busy assisting patrons while well-dressed guards watched from either side of the room.  Even several feet away, she could tell that an impenetrable force field protected the pick-up area.


    As she wondered how to proceed, the black-sheet covered cart appeared.  An attended removed the crystal ball and placed it in a small brief case.


    Can I?  Not sure it¡¯d work, Sana decided to try anyway.  She concentrated and willed as hard as she could.  Despite this, nothing happened, causing her to grow restless.  I really, really want it though¡­  Her heart jumped when she felt something in her hand.


    Acting as natural as possible, she left the premises and sprinted across the city.  Stopping on a dark isolated rooftop, she drew out her prize.  Inside the crystal, a transparent petal hovered, suspended.  She gazed mesmerized.


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t belong to you.¡±  Said a soft voice.  Sana jumped and turned to see an elder man addressing her.  Behind him was a younger man in magenta cultivating garb.  Not good, I must¡ª¡ª.


    ¡°Stop.¡±  The old man said firmly.  ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡±


    Sana froze, not daring to move.  The old man approached and reached out.  ¡°Hand it over.¡±


    Without hesitation, she did as instructed.  The old man cradled the crystal ball carefully, sighing with relief.  He then studied her.  ¡°You¡¯re the type who is accustomed to following the directions.  It¡¯s been a while since my silver tongue worked so effectively.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re fortunate I noticed Panacea¡¯s aura passing me.¡±  The cultivator said.  ¡°Let¡¯s get rid of her quickly.  This place isn¡¯t safe for us.¡±


    ¡°Patience.¡±  The old man said.  ¡°I have been frequenting Chancel for decades, and no one has been the wiser.  Your worry is overblown.¡±


    He then pointed to the ring on Sana¡¯s finger.  ¡°May I borrow that?¡±


    Sana panicked, struggling against the compulsion gripping her.  This was the precious catalyst she used to create her shadow weapons.  ¡°It¡¯s mine.¡±  She managed to eek out weakly.


    ¡°I promise to return it.¡±  The old man offered gently.  The last of resistance broke down, and she complied.


    The old man closed his eyes holding the ring.  ¡°I possess one of the rarest gifts: psychometry.¡±  He explained.  ¡°It lets me read the history of objects, learning the tales etched into their essence.   Through this I can know others even better than they know themselves.¡±


    He smiled, looking up at her.  ¡°You¡¯re wonderfully broken, with so much untapped potential.  Ah, how I wish I could mold you myself.¡±  He held out the ring, which Sana grab quickly.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you done yet?¡±  The cultivator pressed anxiously.  ¡°It won¡¯t be long before Platinum Hall puts out an alert and half of Chancel is searching for this girl.¡±


    The old man turned, his congeniality disappearing, replaced by a bottomless darkness.  ¡°Since when were you allowed to question my decisions?¡±  He said coldly.  Although the comment wasn¡¯t directed at her, Sana almost fainted from fear.


    The cultivator went pale, backing away.  ¡°My apologies.  It won¡¯t happen again.¡±


    The old man resumed his relax demeanor, focusing on her again.  ¡°This young lady has a very troublesome guardian.  It¡¯s in our interest that she doesn¡¯t have a reason to investigate what occurred today.¡±


    ¡°Does that mean you¡¯re letting me go?¡±  Sana asked, clutching on the fain hope.  Her instinct told her there was no escaping these two.


    ¡°Can you promise to keep our meeting secret?¡±  The old man asked.


    Sana nodded vigorously.  ¡°I do.¡±


    ¡°Good girl.  Also, remember not to steal anything else.  We don¡¯t want to give Lucy a reason to pry.¡°


    Hearing the name uttered so familiarly sent a chill down her back.  Curiosity got the better of her.  ¡°Who are you?¡±  She asked.


    ¡°My identity?¡±  The old man regarded her intently, a smirk forming on his lips.  ¡°Why, I¡¯m Salazar Rook, High Priest of the cult of the White Dragon.¡±  His grinned widened.  ¡°But that means nothing to you, right?¡±

 [Book II Chapter 128] LIGHT: A Phantom Of The Past

    [Book II Chapter 128] LIGHT:  A Phantom Of The Past


    ------------------------------------------------


    Ghostly apparitions haunted the cottage at the glen¡¯s edge, their transparent robes flapping under the moon¡¯s soft light.  Their visages wore an air of wistful determination.


    Light observed the surreal scene, his mind in turmoil.  This evening they¡¯d repelled another assault led by the Red Hound, and the camp around him was deathly quiet as a result.  Everyone was taking advantage of the brief respite to get a good night¡¯s sleep.


    The last week had been rough.  Following that first night, Sekken had activated his Sublime Vagary, ¡®hounds of war¡¯, at every clash.  Torrents of demonic canines had poured forth from the ground, lashing out at everything in their path.  If not for Garreth Black and his host of heroic spirits, they¡¯d have been overrun.


    None of this mattered to Light right now, his mind obsessed with a single question.  What is she?  There would be no rest until he obtained the answer.


    The door opened, and a man in black stepped out, staring straight at him.  <<Enough of this.>>  A voice said in his head.  <<Come join me.>>


    Frowning, Light jumped over and followed.  More specters filled the cottage, their supernatural glow providing the light.  Some lounged on the furniture, and others leaned against the walls.  None was the one he was searching for.  ¡°Where¡¯s Nephrite?¡±  He asked.


    ¡°She¡¯s recovering in the Ether.¡±  Garreth answered, installing himself next to the unlit fireplace.  Relief washed over Light at this revelation, helping him focus.


    ¡°You read my thoughts, and from so far away¡­  That¡¯s beyond the abilities of an ordinary telepath.¡±  Light commented.


    Garreth shrugged.  ¡°I¡¯m not a beguiler.  The oath prevents that type of manipulation.¡±


    Light nodded, having deduced as much.  The necromancer¡¯s skill in this area were abnormal, but he had a more pressing matter to inquire about.  ¡°She spoke to me.  Nephrite, I mean.¡±


    ¡°It was after the battle tonight.  I was surprised.  We had a short chat, and she asked how my teammates were doing.  Our interactions flowed naturally.  It was just as if she was still alive¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not all.  She also reacted to me, in a way that was so vivid I can¡¯t believe it wasn¡¯t real¡­¡±If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    He thought about the end of the conversation.  The specter of Nephrite had gone silent, studying him closely.  Finally, she¡¯d asked, ¡°What is that taint I sense on you?¡±  He¡¯d frozen stiff, unwilling to admit what he¡¯d done to himself.  Seeing this reticence, his former comrade had shaken her head and left.


    ¡°So she approached you¡­¡±  Garreth sighed.


    Light fixed the necromancer with his eyes.  ¡°What is she?  What are your heroic spirits?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re embellishments.¡±  Garreth revealed.  ¡°I craft the echoes of departed souls into their idealized forms.  I make them stronger than they were in life, selecting those whose lingering desires align with my objectives so that they lend me their strength.  Most commonly this involve heroic aspirations, a desire to smite evil and to protect the world.  Nephrite was one of this type.  However, I deployed her too early¡­¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±  Light asked.


    ¡°Normally, I remove the memories of individuals from their past life and alter their appearance so they are not recognized by those who once knew them.  This sidesteps troublesome interactions.  Unfortunately, I hadn¡¯t done this yet for Nephrite.  How was I to know her comrades were here, so far from Messanic?  Not to mention the sovereign that killed her.¡±


    ¡°Wait¡­¡±  Light felt revulsion.  ¡°You mess with their minds?¡±


    Garreth smirked.  ¡°The oath does not apply to non-entities such as ghosts, so yes.  I freely shape them into my fearsome warriors.  Pardon if this upsets you.¡±


    A beguiler of the dead¡­  Light didn¡¯t know what to think.  ¡°That seems wrong.  Rather, isn¡¯t there way to bring them back?  To put them in new bodies somehow?¡±


    Garreth grimaced.  ¡°That¡¯s impossible.  My heroic spirits are more fragile than you realize.  While they can acquire basic knowledge, they cannot grow as people.  The core values which sustain them must remain unchanged.  Otherwise, the abyss seeps in and shatters their forms.  This is true even if they are attached to a corporal form.¡±


    Of course it wouldn¡¯t be that simple.  Light bitterly accepted this reality.  Still he couldn¡¯t entire let go.  ¡°Can I ask you not to erase her memories?  At least not just yet.¡±


    ¡°Regrettably, I can¡¯t, even if I wanted to.¡±  Garreth replied.  ¡°Her situation has become complicated.  From her exposure to familiar elements, she¡¯d developed a will to act on her own.  When spirits are in this state, any meddling risks their destruction.¡±


    Light felt a ball in his stomach.  ¡°What happens if she stays this way?¡±


    ¡°If her level of engagement grows into a desire to live, she¡¯ll break apart and vanish.¡±  Garreth replied.


    Is this because she met with me?  Am I going to be responsible for killing her again?  Light was reeling.


    ¡°She¡¯s not a real person, just a phantom of the past.¡±  Garreth said gently.  ¡°There¡¯s no need for guilt.¡±


    Light wasn¡¯t listening.  ¡°Please try to keep her together as long as possible.  I¡¯ll find some way to stabilize her.¡±


    ¡°As you wish.¡±  Garreth acquiesced.  ¡°But be aware that if you succeed, I¡¯ll finish refining her and she¡¯ll forget you entirely.  Either way, you¡¯ll be losing her again.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ fine.¡±  Light stammered.  I won¡¯t be responsible for erasing Nephrite¡¯s last remnant.  Better that a tiny fraction of her endure as a heroic spirit than disappear into nothing.

 [Book II Chapter 129] HOPE: Being Bait

    [Book II Chapter 129] HOPE:  Being Bait


    ------------------------------------------------


    ¡°What are you doing out there all day?¡±  Sonny asked.  Hope winced internally.  The loquacious guard was always on duty when she left in the morning, and she¡¯d come to dread these pleasantries.


    ¡°I just like working somewhere isolated.¡±  She lied.


    ¡°I see¡­¡±  Sonny said, clearly not understanding.  ¡°Well, don¡¯t hesitate to call for help if something comes up.  I know you¡¯re strong, but you can¡¯t be too careful with this dark age.  Everyone would devastated if something happened to you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡±  She offered, passing the gate and fleeing quickly.


    Since Clay Donnaster had abandoned her in Tristian almost a week ago, she¡¯d begun handing out powerful enchantments to the town guard.  In retrospect she should¡¯ve guessed word of her generosity would get around.  Now everywhere she went warm friendly smiles full of gratitude greeted her.  Then free food and lodging had been foisted upon her too firmly to refuse.  The situation was unbearable.  If they only knew the horrible danger I¡¯m placing them in¡­


    Tristian was built at the top of a dome-shaped landmass.  Descending along the west side, Hope jumped atop a floating boulder and entered her makeshift bunker.  From this fortified position, she could engage with any approaching threats before they endangered the town.


    She smirked.  I¡¯ll give Clay that, it is one nice aspect of my ¡®cursed fate¡¯.  Thanks to her ability, an attack was pretty much guarantied to come from the direction she chose to stake out.


    Opening a pouch, Hope began channeling when a howl echoed through the Twisted Land.  Werewolves?  She rushed to look down and saw flaming figures making their way up from the darkness far below.


    Sending off a warning fairy, she took up her sniper riffle and fired.  These were weighted bullets designed for their stopping power.  Too fast to dodge, they struck their targets one by one.  Unfortunately, the canines could feel them coming and erected fire barriers guard against them, preventing fatal hits.  Despite this, the ponderous impacts sent them tumbling back down.


    As the angry horde grew in numbers and got closer.  She switched to her revolvers, allowing her to unload at twice the speed.  She¡¯d selected ice prison bullets this time, encasing her enemies in balls of ice which rolled off the winding strands of earth.  Despite her efforts, the horde of beast drew closer.


    Hope tensed.  There are hundreds.  I hate my cursed fate.  She watched reluctantly as the first wave galloped up the hill towards Tristian¡­  only to have the ground explode under them when she activated her buried land mines.


    Still too many¡­  There¡¯s no choice.  Decision made, she grabbed a handful of mithril bullets.  Seconds later, Fourteen werewolves screeched and collapsed, disintegrating.  While reloading furiously, suddenly she felt death approaching.  Without thinking, she raised all her bunker¡¯s defenses.


    An attack descended from above with such force that Hope collided with the ceiling.  She then smashed into the floor as her floating boulder was driven into the slope below from the unrelenting assault.  With the walls around her buckling, she fired off a single bullet.


    Instantly, she was hundreds of yards away.  Looking back, she saw a red beam grinding her bunker into the earth.  Her eyes widened when she realized it was a torrent of blood, and she was soaked in it.If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡°Unpleasant, isn¡¯t?¡±  Said a voice besides her.


    Hope tried to pivot towards this new opponent, only to find her feet were locked in a puddle of metal.  She recognized it as grimsteel and knew she wouldn¡¯t be able to pull free.  ¡°When?  How?¡±  She muttered in frustration, glancing up towards the woman in black lording over her.


    ¡°I¡¯m Hestia Gristle, the dark oracle.¡±  The necromancer declared haughtily, as if that was the only explanation required.  ¡°Now please drop your weapons.  I¡¯d have to kill you if you try using another teleportation bullet, and I don¡¯t want that yet.¡±


    Hope reluntantly complied as a man and another woman dropped down to join them.


    ¡°Everything wrapped up here?¡±  The woman asked.  This must be Eliza Farsong, the Blood Fanatic.  Out of the dangers she might have attracted, three of Torak¡¯s disciples might have been the worst.


    ¡°More or less,¡±  Hestia replied.  ¡°But could you ask your husband to deal with those land mines?  They¡¯re slowing things down.¡±


    ¡°Torel?¡±  The lady prompted.


    ¡°On it.¡±  The man answered tiredly, jumping over to the rows of explosives Hope had prepared.  She watched in amazement as he ran right through all of them, setting them off.


    ¡°Torel can make himself heavier than anyone else on Enera.¡±  Hestia explained.  ¡°Your small firecrackers aren¡¯t enough to send him flying.  As for the damage, he isn¡¯t known as the regenerate for nothing.¡±


    ¡°By the way, why is she still alive.¡±  The woman full of bloodlust pointed towards Hope.


    ¡°Patience, I¡¯m still questioning her.¡±  Hestia answered.  ¡°She¡¯s Astra¡¯s child and has valuable intelligence on many subjects, including Earth¡¯s End.  I just wish she wasn¡¯t so overly melodramatic.¡±


    This is my opportunity too.  ¡°Why are you helping the werewolves?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because of your brother, Wise.¡±    ¡°He¡¯s been a bit of pain by preventing their numbers from rising the way they should have.  This forced us to get personally involve.¡±


    Hope frowned.  ¡°They¡¯re so weak compared to you.  Isn¡¯t this just wasting your time?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not wrong,¡±  Eliza nodded.  ¡°But they have a quality which makes our efforts worthwhile.¡±


    ¡°What is that?¡±  Hope asked.


    Eliza grinned.  ¡°They¡¯re disposable.¡±


    Torel returned.  ¡°The land mines are gone, but the guards are putting up quite the fight.  Should I go help?¡±


    Hope glanced over to see many of her spells being unleashed by Tristian¡¯s defenders.  These were holding back the invaders, but their reserves of enchantments wouldn¡¯t last.  I can¡¯t delay any longer.


    ¡°Allow me to share my ¡®cursed fate¡¯ with you.¡±  She declared.


    Hestia¡¯s eyes, which had been staring far off, went wide.  ¡°Damn it, the future changed!  The girl has a sublime vagary!  Prepare yourselves.¡±


    All three necromancers went flying as they were struck by an unseen attack.  The same instant, the grimsteel holding her shattered.  The figure of Clay Donnaster raced by, pursuing the necromancers.  Meanwhile, the werewolves, noticing their masters¡¯ retreat, also turned and fled.


    Guess it all works out.  Heaving a sigh of relief, she took a seat and listened to the distant sounds of battle.  A few minutes later, her mentor returned and stood before her.


    ¡°Did you get them?¡±  She asked.


    Clay winced.  ¡°Sorry, after you risked your life to draw them out, I let them get away.  Torel¡¯s defensive abilities are insane, and it was hard to land hits with his interference.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just shocked you chased off three former Masks of Xarst by yourself.¡±  She said.  ¡°And here I was worried about how things would go once you showed up.¡±


    ¡°A well-prepared enchanter is a fearsome foe.¡±  Clay smirked.  ¡°By liberally depleting our stock of enchantments, we can overwhelm normally stronger opponents.¡±


    ¡°Yet they escaped.¡±  Hope reminded him.


    Clay¡¯s expression soured again.  ¡°I inflicted a great deal of damage, which will take them several days to recover from.  This should hinder their activities, so it wasn¡¯t a complete waste.¡±


    ¡°How did you know it was time to rescue me?¡±  Hope asked  ¡°You never explained that part, and I¡¯ve been losing sleep over it.¡±


    A twenty-sided die appeared in Clay¡¯s hand.  ¡°I paid a group of refugees to roll this over and over, day and night, until the number 1 came up five times in a row, after which they were to alert me.¡±


    Hope took in this revelation.  ¡°I might¡¯ve been even more anxious if I¡¯d known this¡­¡±


    Clay said nothing, staring intently at her.  ¡°What?¡±  She stammered.  ¡°I was joking¡ª¡ª¡±


    ¡°Sorry, I really did put you in danger¡±  Clay interrupted.  ¡°I should¡¯ve anticipated Hestia would involve herself.  The only reason you¡¯re alive is that she didn¡¯t know about your sublime vagary.  This is too risky to repeat.¡±


    So I don¡¯t have to be bait anymore?  Great!  ¡°Are we resuming my training?¡±  She asked excitedly.


    ¡°Soon, but not yet.¡±  Clay replied.  ¡°First I must head for Messanic to join the operation against Mount Gull.  You¡¯ll have to make do on your own for a few more days.¡±

 [Book II Chapter 130] FILIA: A Walk in Waceria

    [Book II Chapter 130] FILIA:  A Walk in Waceria


    ------------------------------------------------


    Filia sat listlessly on the balcony overlooking the central square at the Waceria Adventurer¡¯s Guild.  This was one of the rooms reserved for VIPs, usually visiting immortals.  An exemption had been made for her due to the situation.


    Upon returning to Waceria, she¡¯d immediately contacted Hans Leveson to report the events at the the Amalgamation dungeon.  The Sofix CEO had been disheartened to learn of Johanna Loubor¡¯s betrayal, expressing his sincerest apologies for placing her in a such perilous situation.  He offered to send an escort to accompany her back to Neon.  Shortly after the call ended, a staff member came to show her to her current accommodations.  Later, she¡¯d discovered an ungodly amount had been deposited in her account at the Black Bank.  Yet she felt nothing.


    I probably should take Hans up on his offer.  Waceria was large city-state nested deep in the Twisted Lands, an important stopping point for thousands of refugees migrating West same as Messanic to the North.  With two immortals and a powerful guardian beast, not to mention a contingent of saints from the cultivating world and a large gathering of adventurers, it was relatively unassailable.  However, Rosaria had also boasted impressive defenses.  It¡¯d be a disaster if her presence led to another demonic beast invasion.  Yet she couldn¡¯t muster the resolve to care.


    Bringing out her deck, she flipped through and stopped on the image of galebat.  She concentrated and channeled.  A gray wingged creature sprung into existences and dropped down besides her.


    <<Hello, nice to meet you!>>  Said the sukemon.  <<Are you my trainer?>>


    Pang of wrenching sadness washed over her as she recalled her first meeting with Cici long ago.  ¡°Yes, I¡¯m your new trainer, Filia.¡±


    <<What is my name?>>  The sukemon asked.


    This innocent question put her at a loss, and she beat a hasty retreat.  ¡°I¡¯ll let you know next time I summon you.  Right now, I need to go.¡±


    <<Okay.>>  The sukemon exclaimed happily, fading away.


    Filia gazed dejectedly at her cards.  They were all the same, producing the default version of each sukemon.  Her special friends were gone.


    There was a knock on the inside door, which made her wince.  Soul Skyfell had been stopping by, sometimes twice a day, to check in on her.  She¡¯d politely declined his repeated invitations to join his team.  Even if I had the will, I¡¯ve lost the majority of my fighting power¡­


    ¡°Come in.¡±  She yelled.  She¡¯d stopped locking the door as getting up was a pain.


    ¡°How you doing this fine day!¡±  A boisterous voice called out.


    Filia looked over to see Gen Jiang strutting towards her.  ¡°You aren¡¯t who I was expecting¡­¡±  She replied.  The man¡¯s confidence and optimism, in their own way, were just as grating Soul¡¯s compassionate concern.  ¡°Are you here to pester me too?¡±  It¡¯d be utterly miserable if they started tag teaming her.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t blame the boy for his meddling,¡±  Gen chuckled.  ¡°If anything, I was the one who alerted him to your dire state of mind.¡±A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    Anger flashed within her but dissipated just as quickly.  She simply didn¡¯t have the energy.  ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡±  She sighed.  ¡°What did you want?¡±


    ¡°I would like you to take a walk.¡±  Gen declared grandly.


    Filia groaned at the ridiculous suggestion.  She¡¯d believed this cultivator, despite his ostentatious manner, to be the serious sort.  ¡°What is this?¡±  She asked.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been cooped up here too long.¡±  Gen expanded.  ¡°Go walk the city and get some fresh air.¡±


    ¡°No.¡±  Filia replied curtly, putting an end to the nonsense.


    Regrettably, her guest was undaunted.  ¡°If you humor my request, I¡¯ll see to it that young Soul doesn¡¯t disturb you again.¡±


    Filia¡¯s head perked up.  ¡°Really?¡±  This might be worth it.


    ¡°On the honor of the Fate Pavillion,¡±  Gen announced.  ¡°Do this and you¡¯ll enjoy peace and quiet.¡±


    Part of her suspected some kind of trick to this, but trying to uncover the truth was too bothersome.  ¡°I¡¯ll go out for half an hour.¡±  She said.  ¡°So please keep up your end of the bargain.¡±


    To her relief, the noisy cultivator bowed and retreated without another word.  She then slowly gathered her courage and stood up.  Focus on the reward¡­


    She wandered aimlessly, soon finding herself on the main avenue.  People are everywhere.  There was a constant flow in and out of Waceria, and it was particularly bad near the docks.  To avoid these crowds, she made the way to the quieter side alleys.


    ¡°Filia?¡±  Said a familiar voice.


    She turned to face the speaker, and it took a moment to place the bearded man.  ¡°Joel¡­?¡±  It¡¯d been years since she¡¯d seen her former teammate.  Unlike her, age had taken its toll.


    ¡°I never thought I¡¯d meet you here!¡±  Joel appeared ecstatic at this reunion.  ¡°How have you been?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m doing good.¡±  Filia lied, wishing to sidestep painful explanations.


    ¡°That¡¯s great.¡±  Joel nodded happily.  ¡°Listen, do you have a minute?  There¡¯s someone I want you to meet.  It¡¯s close by.¡±


    ¡°Alright¡­¡±  She said.  I have time to waste.


    Joel led her to a small house nestled deep in the backstreets.  Holding for the door handle, he stopped abruptly.  ¡°Please, don¡¯t mention anything about¡­  you know¡­¡±


    Your confession of love for me?  ¡°Of course not.¡±  She smirked.


    Inside, a woman and a little girl came to greet them.  ¡°This is my wife, Denise, and my daughter, Sofia.¡±  Joel declared proudly.  He then knelt by the girl.  ¡°Remember the former teammate I told you so much about?¡±


    Sofia¡¯s eyes lit up.  ¡°The sukemon expert?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s her.¡±  Joel agreed.


    Filia found herself swiftly dragged off by the eager child, who, before she knew it, was showing off her card collection.  In no time the enthusiasm rubbed off on her and she joined in a lively discussion.  Sofia then demanded to see her deck, to which she obliged.  The sun was setting when they finally finished.


    ¡°Thank you,¡±  Joel said after escorting her outside.  ¡°You made her year.¡±


    ¡°No problem.¡±  Filia smiled.  ¡°It was fun.¡±


    ¡°I would¡¯ve been nice to catch up¡­¡±  Joel said wistfully.  ¡°Where are you off to now?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve working with one of the cultivating squad to keep Waceria safe.¡±  Filia replied.  ¡°I¡¯ll drop by again if I have the opportunity.¡±  With that, she leapt to roofs.


    She glanced back and watched the man head back inside.  One day, I¡¯ll have that.  She¡¯d forgotten the innocent joy of engaging in a shared hobby.  Sofia had reminded her.  For her sake and that of my future family, I must protect this world.  It¡¯s what my friends would have wanted.


    Making her way back to the Adventurer¡¯s Guild, she began planning.  Which sukemon should she use?  She¡¯d lost her ten strongest, but there were others.  They would take some work, but¡­


    <<I see you have finally decided to stop mopping.>>  Said a deep voice.


    Filia stumbled out of surprise.  <<Oberon?>>  She ventured hesitantly.  In was unheard of for a sukemon to speak to its trainer from within its card.


    <<Indeed.>>  The legendary sukemon answered.  <<When the others sacrificed themselves for your escape, I was moved.  I resolved, at that time, to aid you in their place.  You can¡¯t imagine my dismay when I witnessed you lose your drive and wallow in self-pity.  I kept silent, since you were no longer worthy.>>


    <<Does that mean¡­?>>  Filia asked.


    <<I am now yours to command.>>  Oberon confirmed.  <<In their stead, I will lend you my strength.>>


    <<¡­Thank you.>>  Filia said solemnly.  With this, I¡¯ve recovered my fighting power, maybe even gained some.  The realization was bittersweet.


    Letting go of the regret and grief, Filia set out to locate Soul¡¯s party and accept their invitation.

 [Book II Chapter 131] DYLAN: A Last Reprieve

    [Book II Chapter 131] DYLAN:  A Last Reprieve


    ------------------------------------------------


    High up on the deserted castle, Dylan surveyed his surroundings.  While the streets of Torris were empty, elsewhere was awash with frantic activity.  Airships filled the skies, awaiting their turn to dock.  That boarding process had been fairly efficient and was nearly over.  What was occurring beyond the city¡¯s walls was another story.


    The wrecks recovered from the Shattering Rocks were tied to the ground across the landscape.   There were at least a hundred of varying size and shape.  One by one, they were loaded up and connected to a functioning airship.  He spotted Nang assisting this effort with her mothsilk threads and felt relief seeing her so occupied.


    It¡¯d be at least another two hours before they were done.  The crowds around the tents outside the capital were thick with those waiting their turns.  Even at this distance, he could tell there was jubilation in the air.  If only they knew¡­


    Garreth Black had left last night to take part in the operation against Mount Gull.  He¡¯d return when the summoning pit was destroyed, but by then it¡¯d be too late.  That left them with Jayden, Leucothea, and the two immortals who accompanied the fleet.  While normally this would be an impressive escort, there was none capable of holding Sekken back.


    At least the bastard hasn¡¯t attacked in over a day.  An assault right now would¡¯ve been a nightmare.   This was ultimately a small comfort though, as the reason for the reprieve was clear:  Sekken was waiting for a moment of even greater vulnerability.  When this slow, lumbering fleet makes its way through the twisted lands.


    The nation of Tulvin was at its end.  In preparation for this evacuation, defensive lines had pulled back to the edge of the capital.  Once they departed, the entire country would be claimed by the demonic beasts.


    Dylan jumped on an airship rising from the docks.  He then leap on another further out.  There were so many it was child¡¯s play to chart a course through the air.  Eventually he reached the ones in formation to depart, running across the chains linking them together, and dropped down on the fortification denoting Tulven¡¯s western border.  In front of him was a dense, impenetrable fog.


    He dove in.  Free had volunteered to be on to be on lookout duty in the Twisted Lands.  Apparently, she¡¯d designed some a new type of insect for the purpose and was eager to test it out.  No threats would approach undetected in the mist.


    <<It won¡¯t work.>>  Dowart reproached gently.


    ¡°I won¡¯t feel at peace unless I try.¡±  Dylan replied.


    He found her where she¡¯d said she would be, in a field by a lake on a large floating plateau.  She sat cross-legged facing away from him, channeling so hard he¡¯d sensed her from a mile away, and the grass around her was filled with thousands of round red flower buds.  He stopped and watched for a minute.


    <<I wonder what madness she¡¯s conjuring this time.>>  Dowart mumbled.  Dylan smirked.  His mentor had developed a poor opinion of Free¡¯s deformed creations.  Despite his efforts to advocate on their behalf, the old ghost maintained they were simply too grotesque to justify their existence, no matter their utility.


    ¡°The evacuation is proceeding smoothly¡±  He called out.  ¡°How fares the Twisted Lands?¡±


    ¡°Nothing to report.¡±  Free opened her eyes and turned to him.  ¡°If Sekken is preparing an ambush, it¡¯s further out.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±  She added, her face filled with curiosity.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Nothing much, just checking in.¡±  He then fell silent before continuing.  ¡°You let me approach from behind without raising your guard.  Why extend such trust, given the circumstances?¡±


    ¡°I consulted Sarah.¡±  Free shrugged.  ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s up with her, but her fate reading ability has soared to a truly dependable level.  She foretold that you were telling the truth, and that¡¯s enough until we reach Waceria.¡±


    While he¡¯d sent out a message to Yaozu Gao, it had been impossible to set up a call with the Ghost Corrosion Sect.  Torris had a single long-ranged projector installed on Varon¡¯s ship, and, during the last two days, coordinating the incoming fleet had taken precedence over all else.


    ¡°Is that so¡­¡±  Dylan said.  ¡°How is Nang?¡±  While he considered her a danger, he bore her no ill will.  Her hostility towards him had been understandable given how incriminating the situation appeared.


    ¡°She¡¯s doing great.¡±  Free grinned.  ¡°I got her to confess her suspicions about Jordan Seers¡¯s staff.  I then convinced her to focus on the evacuations, saying we¡¯d look into the matter together afterwards.  So no need to worry for now.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ impressed.¡±  Dylan replied.  He knew Free had been spending an enormous amount of time with their Radiant Sect companion, but he hadn¡¯t realized how close they¡¯d become.


    ¡°Also,¡±  Free continued.  ¡°I asked her if she¡¯d ever noticed a change in Bao¡¯s personnality.¡±


    This caused Dylan to hesitate.  ¡°Isn¡¯t that a dangerous subject to breach?¡±


    ¡°Not at all.¡±  ¡°You should know that my mind works in windy ways and I go off on strange tangeants all the time.  Conviently, this means none of my question ever seem unusual.¡±


    ¡°True¡­¡±  Dylan admitted.


    ¡°Anyway.¡±  Free resumed.  ¡°Bao¡¯s personality did change, but it was several decades ago, when they were children.  If your claims are true, the body-snatching happened when she was away for several weeks on a trip to a hidden realm.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure Yaozu Gao will be eager to hear the details once we reach Waceria.¡±  Dylan replied.


    The conversation slipped into lull as both parties fell into quiet contemplation.  <<Stop procrastinating.>>  Dowart said.  <<It¡¯s unbecoming.>>


    <<I know.>>  Dylan answered.


    However, it was Free that spoke first.  ¡°How¡¯s morale back there?¡±


    ¡°Joyous.¡±  Dylan revealed.  ¡°Everyone is eager to finally leave this doomed country.  You can tell the usual anxiety has almost completely vanished.¡±


    Free rolled her eyes and shook her head.  ¡°What about among those who know of Garreth¡¯s departure?¡±


    ¡°Bleak.¡±  Dylan admitted.  ¡°To tell you the truth, the main reason we haven¡¯t had many desertions is the belief that there will still be an opportunity for it later.¡±


    Free grimaced.  ¡°You mean when millions are dangling as tantalizing morcels before Sekken¡¯s hordes?  True, with such a prize, the demonic beasts won¡¯t care much about fleeing saints.¡±


    Dylan¡¯s stomach tied itself in knots.  I expected this attitude.  ¡°What will you do if it¡¯s a lost cause?¡±  He asked.


    ¡°Excuse me?¡±  Free frowned.


    ¡°If the fleet is overrun, will you fight until the bitter end?¡±


    Free¡¯s eyes lit up with a sad understanding.  ¡°You¡¯ll be one of those fleeing.¡±


    Dylan nodded.  ¡°I¡¯ll remain as long as possible, but I can¡¯t afford to fall here.  I have someone to protect and a vengeance to see through.  What about you?  Will you throw your life away?¡±  Or will you come with us.


    ¡°Of course, I don¡¯t want to die.¡±  Free sighed and smiled.  ¡°If it¡¯s apparent the battle is lost, I¡¯ll consider a tactical retreat.¡±


    She¡¯s lying.  He¡¯d been around her long enough to recognize the pattern.  Although honest on most matters, she¡¯d humors others with platitudes to spare their feelings.  ¡°Please tell the truth.¡±  He prodded.


    Free jerked at these words, then slowly relaxed.  ¡°Thing is, I¡¯m an optimist.  Right up to the bitter end, I¡¯ll believe the most hopeless situation can be salvaged.  By the time I accept a different reality, it is often too late.  So no promises.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t accomplish anything once you¡¯re dead.¡±  He said in flat, bitter voice.


    Free stood up and dusted herself off.  ¡°I was planning this later, right before departure, but now is fine I suppose.¡±  With a deep breath, she started to sing.


    For a moment, Dylan was bewitched by the beauty of the otherworldly tune.  Then he felt the air shifting under a subtle magical influence.  High Sorcery¡­?  The round red buds around them began glowing fiery orange, growing in intensity.  One burst in a bright light, and the fog around them melted away.  They stood in a field of yellow flowers, a clear blue sky above.


    ¡°The little darlings are sunberries,¡±  Free beamed.  ¡°When it¡¯s their time to bloom, with enough of them, they¡¯ll summon the sun.  Using that song on them is a trick I picked up in Vigil.¡±


    ¡°Maybe, instead of you pressing me to flee, I could invite you to stick around?¡±  She gestured to the colorful landscape.  ¡°You never know what could happen.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll consider it.¡±  He answered.  They both smiled.  This time it was my turn to lie.

 [Book II Chapter 132] SARAH: A Sacrifice

    [Book II Chapter 132] SARAH: A Sacrifice


    ------------------------------------------------


    ¡°Sekken is waiting ahead.¡± Sarah stated.


    ¡°Should we chart a different course?¡± Commander Varon asked anxiously. They were inside the cabin of his airship, at the front of the huge fleet. Around them spread out the Twisted Lands.


    She shook her head. ¡°The wrecks we¡¯re dragging limit the hight we can fly and the widths we can travel. There¡¯s no good detour possible.¡±


    Varon nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll alert the others.¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯m heading outside.¡± Sarah replied, walking out on deck. She wanted to see the threat with her own eyes.


    They traveled around a bend between two massive cliffs. On the other side was open space with an unbroken stretch of plains extending several miles in all directions. Sekken stood in its center, crossed-armed. He knows we¡¯ve no choice but to break through. Behind him was the largest gathering of demonic beasts she¡¯d ever seen. Turok and Saeen were there too, as well as a fourth sovereign, a creepy-looking giant gremlin.


    ¡°All four of our immortals will confront Sekken while the saints handle the other revenants.¡± Varon¡¯s voice boomed through the fleet. ¡°As soon as they create an opening, we¡¯ll move the ships through.¡±


    ¡°There will be no opening.¡± Sarah whispered with a dry throat. Once, several days ago, she had scried the future to calm her nerves. Could they make it through the twisted lands? She struggled for hours for a positive response to this question. Finally, on the verge of exhaustion, she¡¯d glimpsed a single thread promising success. Since that time, try as she might, she failed to grasp it again. She half-suspected it was never there to begin with.


    A furious clash unfolded before her. Their military crafts were lined up at the front of the fleet, blasting threats out of the air with barrages of magical cannon fire. Meanwhile, below, wave after wave of beasts threw themselves against their hastily assembled ground defenses. Further out, their champions confronted Sekken and the other revenants. Even with the additional saints she¡¯d managed to recruited, even after drafting every person with fighting experience, they were barely holding their own.


    Sarah gripped Miracle Worker frustrated at being unable to participate. Astra¡¯s curse forbade her entering battle, and the mere desire to do so had already been enough to cause a dull pain in her chest. Or maybe that was from the unease of watching the tide turn against them.


    The moment they break through, it¡¯s over. Sarah knew it wasn¡¯t just many of the saints accompanying them who were prepared to flee. Most airships had crew members ready to sever the chains anchoring them to the wrecks. If things went south, all those trapped on the floating husks would be left adrift, a feast for the legions of monsters. We packed nearly two millions souls on them.


    And it¡¯d be the end for her. She knew she couldn¡¯t run. Living through her humiliation on the Isle of Dreams had been agonizing enough. Surviving the slaughter of her people was an embarrassment she would spare herself. I¡¯d rather let the curse claim me.  Even if Astra took her back, there¡¯d be no hiding from the failure this time.


    This left her with one choice. Sighing, she studied Miracle Worker. The staff¡¯s illusory grace, ¡®Desperate Prayer¡¯, could rewrite fate in exchange for a suitable sacrifice. Orion, its former wielder, had used it to shift the course of a dark age. If she was to die either way, why not turn the tide of this battle on the way out?If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Doubts still plagued her. Orion had been an immortal who, for centuries, had quietly aided those around him, seeking nothing in return. Compared to that incomprehensible selflessness, how much was her life worth? Would it be enough to make a difference?


    Before she could muster her resolve, the ghost of an old man appeared directly in front of her. He drifted in the air, giving her a sad, pitying look. Anger flared at this silent reproach. What else can I do? Finding the right solution might have been easy for you, but I can¡¯t see the world the way you did! She lamented the unfairness with all her heart.


    In the midst of this despair, an idea coalesced in her mind. Maybe It¡¯s possible I can¡­  The notion was absurd, but what did she have to lose?


    She gripped Miracle Worker and evoked its true power. I offer up my eyes. The last thing she saw before the world went black was the smile on Orion¡¯s lips.


    Her ability to distinguish the threads of fate grew by leads and bounds. Thousands around her were discernible and, through them, she understood her surroundings. It was less disorienting than expected, after having lived the experience countless times in her dreams.


    She noticed a group of giant grasshoppers about to break through their defenses. No, you won¡¯t. She focused on the threads of their fleet¡¯s cannon fire and identified a dozen which would miss without hitting anything. Grabbing hold of these, she swung her staff. Aims were changed, converging towards the demonic beasts and annihilating them.


    Good, but it doesn¡¯t solve the real problem. With her new ability, she might prevent them from being overrun, but the threat of Sekken remained. Their four immortals couldn¡¯t stop him. Contemplating briefly, she understood what she had to do.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be right back.¡± She yelled to Varon before hopping off the ship.


    She landed and, as walked past the defenders fighting frantically, the pain in her chest grew to unbearable levels. Right before it claimed her, she swung Miracle Worker at a frenzied hound charging her. The beast collapsed, blood flowing from his mouth.


    With the crushing weight on her heart lifted, Sarah took a deep breath of relief. Then she felt them coming, threads which promised certain doom. For each one, she swung her staff and another enemy fell. I must hurry.


    She located Turok nearby battling the team of Hearth ninjas and raced over, redirecting her curse once more. The ground below the wendigo turned to quicksand and liquid tendril shot up to drag him under. The sovereign roared and struggled, freezing everything around him.


    ¡°Light Skyfell, I need to you to bring me to Sekken immediately.¡± She pleaded.


    Although she couldn¡¯t see the boy¡¯s face, a new thread appeared next to them. Examining it, she realized it was an enormous black wolf. ¡°Get on!¡± he said.


    A primal terror seized her as they galloped the battlefield. With her expanded senses, she could feel it now, the howl of outrage echoing across the Ether. The inviolable had been violated, and blood was due. It was no longer simple deaths that destiny sent her way. They were veritable calamities.


    Yet they were deflected. With each swing of her staff, hundreds of demonic beasts met their end. Giant mouths materialized from nowhere to swallow them whole. Meteors descended from the heavens, and explosions wracked the earth. Confused, the hordes surged towards the presence wrecking havoc within their ranks. This only hastened their demise.


    ¡°A maelstorm is forming overhead.¡± Light warned in disbelief.


    ¡°I know.¡± Sarah snapped back. She could feel the fury from Astra¡¯s curse building. Thankfully, she also found the threads of their four immortals facing off with an even larger one. Sekken.


    The maelstorm roared, and threads of destruction descended on her. She reached for all of them, praying she didn¡¯t miss any, and flung them at her enemy. To his credit, Sekken dozed most of the lightning, but not all.


    ¡°Who dares¡ª¡ª¡± The revenant cried out before the next volley struck down at him. The maelstorm was only growing in intensity, and it was all Sarah could do to redirect its wrath. Soon the burden became too much, and she gave up precision, simply aiming in the general direction of her foe.


    ¡°You can stop now.¡± Light shouted. ¡°Sekken has retreated.¡±


    If only I could¡­  ¡°Get me back to Varon¡¯s ship, as fast as you can.¡± She commanded desperately.


    From there, her memory bled into a haze. Considering the increasing savageness of the maelstorm, she should never have made it back. Yet somehow she found the strength to collapse on the deck before surrendering to unconsciousness.

 [Book II Chapter 133] DAWN: Castle Safire

    [Book II Chapter 133] DAWN:  Castle Safire


    ------------------------------------------------


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this impressive?¡±  Rose gestured to the ring of lush green around them as the airship traveled high above the new crust.  ¡°Garnen¡¯s halos are really unique as far as Twisted Lands go.¡±


    Dawn surveyed the landscape lit by a fading light bloom.  ¡°It¡¯s alright, I guess.¡±  She replied, not in the mood to be impressed.


    Rose sighed and shook her head, turning away to gaze over the railing.  <<¡­She really can¡¯t get excited about anything but herself¡­>>


    Dawn studied the back of her sister¡¯s head from behind, resentful at the unwanted intrusion.  Every one and a while, since returning from Dark Heritage, words would occasionally pop into her head.  The phenomenon was deeply troubling.


    She¡¯d never cared about the opinions of others, save that they properly appreciate her brilliance.  As such, telepathy wasn¡¯t even on her list of desired skills, yet it appeared to be developing on its own, much to her dismay.  At the first opportunity, I must rid myself of these voices.


    This whole trip was already a disappointment.  Given the choice, she would¡¯ve preferred to have joined the saints crossing over to support assault on Mount Gull.  It would¡¯ve been a chance to see the strongest immortals in action, including her mother.  Of course, she¡¯d kept this to herself, understanding they were repaying a debt.


    Cindy Omen was waiting when they landed at Castle Safire, in the middle of a large city.  ¡°Why don¡¯t I show you to your rooms?¡±  She declared.  ¡°We can speak after that.¡±


    They were led through busy halls and up a grand staircases to a more isolated and luxurious portion of the castle.  Dawn was appreciating the decor when they passed a lounge where a familiar figure was installed on an armchair.  He waved.


    ¡°Emerit Blaze?¡±  She approached him.  ¡°What are you doing here?¡°


    ¡°Why, these are the quarters for visiting saints and immortals.¡±  Emerit smirked.  ¡°Where else would I be?¡±


    ¡°In Aery piloting Astrolis.¡±  Dawn replied.


    ¡°I was,¡±  Emerit admitted, ¡°but now I am here.¡±


    ¡°When Garnen requested assistance, they sent Emerit and Astrolis.¡±  Cindy explain.  ¡°Quite generous considering the forces they¡¯ve deployed to Messanic.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s thanks to the twins.¡±  Emerit added.  ¡°The Safire Ring is the closest to Aery, and they saw this as a chance for a field test.  They lobbied the queen quite persistently for it.¡±


    ¡°Wait a second,¡±  Rose jumped in.  ¡°It¡¯s only been ten days.  Are you telling me the retrofit is already finished?¡±


    ¡°Partly.¡±  Emerit answered, his vigor visibly faltering.  ¡°They¡¯d already designed all manner of prototypes, and it was just a matter of figuring out how to integrating them.  To that end, they¡¯ve been working night and day without rest, forcing me to do a constant string of tests.  Frankly, I¡¯m thankful for this break.¡±


    ¡°Emerit is staying in the room Kara vacated.¡±  Cindy revealed.  ¡°It¡¯s a little fancier than the rest.¡±


    ¡°One of the perks of immortality.¡±  Emerit smiled smugly.


    After congratulating the man and being shown their quarters, they gathered again in the lounge.  Cindy addressed them with a serious expression.  ¡°Thank you for coming.  The assault on Mount Gull has created a window of vulnerability for Garnen.  Those immortals our neighbors are willing to spare have all been enlisted in that effort.  The same is true of the Adventurer¡¯s Guild.  Even errant immortals, such as Kara, have joined in.¡±Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    ¡°What was Kara doing in Safire?¡±  Rose asked.


    ¡°Nothing.¡±  Cindy replied.   ¡°She merely retreated here to rest between her expeditions harassing Argon Blast¡¯s Cloud Fortress Omega Nine.  Her attempts to hunt down one of his masterpieces slowed their mobilization, for which we are grateful.  It¡¯s no surprise they saw her absence as a golden opportunity to launch an offensive.  They¡¯ve already started crushing dark crystals¡ª¡ª¡±


    ¡°Wise told us about that.¡±  Dawn chimed in.  When crushed in a specific manner, dark crystals had an obscuring effect on foresight over a wide range.  Right now Wise could only see two or three hours ahead, much to Rose¡¯s frustration.  It¡¯ll likely grow worse by tomorrow.


    Cindy nodded.  ¡°That¡¯s the real comfirmation that, at some point in the next twenty four hours, the Grey Kingdom will attack.  Safire is one of the four rings at risk of being targeted.  Hence my request for your assistance.¡±


    ¡°What would you have us do?¡±  Zentrias asked.


    ¡°I¡¯d like you to join other defenders in the city protecting critical military infrastructure: Spell cannons, summon generators, wards, crystal depos, the guardian stone, etc¡­  Ideally you¡¯ll have little to do since Garnen¡¯s defenses and fleet are formidable, not to mention our immortals.¡±


    ¡°And if the situation isn¡¯t ideal?¡±  Zentrias persisted.  ¡°You didn¡¯t call us in thinking we wouldn¡¯t be needed.¡±


    Cindy sighed.  ¡°The main concern is a new unit fielded by Necron, one of the Grey Kindom¡¯s military order.  Headed by a man named Daniel Ryson, they¡¯ve recently deployed a special infantry unit which wears full body armor capable of protecting them from the ill effects of brief trips through the Abyss.¡±


    ¡°They can open necromantic portals to teleport short distance.¡±  Wise explained.  ¡°This means they can circumvent most barriers.¡±


    ¡°Exactly.¡±  Cindy affirmed.  ¡°These Abyss troopers are an elite force, with members ranging from A-rank to saint level.  In the last couple of weeks, they¡¯ve infiltrated and cripple several cities, facilitating their takeover.  Your task is to confront them if they make an appearance.¡±


    The discussion proceeded to more technical details of their deployment.  After hearing where they¡¯d be stationed, Dawn stopped listening.  She¡¯d rely on Zentrias, Rose, and Wise when the time came.


    In general, war was disinteresting.  The large scale engagements made her feel inconsequential.  I don¡¯t yet have the strength to take center stage, and it¡¯s hard to get excited when you know you¡¯re playing a peripheral role.


    When Cindy concluded her briefing, she left them to their own devices.  Rose immediately turned to Wise, hoping to pry out some information despite his diminished foresight.  Roxanne took this opportunity to retire early, and more words floated the Dawn¡¯s mind.  <<I wonder if it¡¯ll be tomorrow.>>


    Shaking off this annoyance, Dawn noticed Emerit excusing himself.  She followed him, catching up as he entered his room.  ¡°Mind if we have a chat?¡±  She asked.


    ¡°Sure.¡±  The man seemed amused.  ¡°Come on in.¡±


    They entered a luxurious penthouse suit, and emerit invited to table beside a wall of glass windows.  The view was spectacular.


    ¡°How is Aery these days?¡±  Dawn asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s right¡­¡±  Emerit rubbed his chin pensively.  ¡°You spent some time there didn¡¯t you?  Sorry to disappoint you, but nothing drastic has changed recently, at least as far as I can tell.  Remember I¡¯ve been cooped up in the twin¡¯s underground workshop for a great deal of the time.¡±


    ¡°What about the situation in Novgard?¡±  Dawn continued.  ¡°Is Oliver Brack still being a pain about the evacuations.¡±


    ¡°Actually, yes!¡±  Emerit lit up.  ¡°Two weeks ago, the queen herself suggested that restrictions on the numbers coming in be eased, to which Oliver offered a very eloquent refusal.  There¡¯s now a growing recognition that Novgard policy will not change under his leadership, no matter how much pressure is applied, and Anastasia Vellor is leading an effort to have him replace.¡±


    ¡°Wonderful!¡±  Dawn clasped her hands happily.


    Emerit raised an eyebrow.  ¡°Not a fan of Oliver?¡±


    ¡°I have a grudge against the man.¡±  She admitted, not bothering to hide the venom in her voice.  While he¡¯s a well-guarded immortal who is currently beyond my reach, I won¡¯t forget what he did.


    ¡°It¡¯s funny you should mention that topic.¡±  Emerit gave her an appraising look.  ¡°It occurs to me that I still owe you a debt from the Isle of Dreams.¡±


    ¡°As far as I¡¯m concerned, all matters between us have been settled.¡±  Dawn stated firmly.  ¡°Unless you want to start something new?¡±  She stared firmly at the immortal.


    ¡°Alright, alright¡­¡±  Emerit backed down, chuckling.  ¡°I was only joking.  Besides, I like this suite.  I¡¯d hate to find something nasty in it.¡±


    ¡°How did you sneak in those centipedes last time?¡±  He added, leaning forwards.


    ¡°That¡¯s a trade secret.¡±  Dawn answered quickly, fleeing before he could press for more.

 [Book II Chapter 134] SILVER: Meeting Jeel

    [Book II Chapter 134] SILVER:  Meeting Jeel


    ------------------------------------------------


    ¡°There¡¯s not much to look at.¡±  Kate lamented.


    Outside the windows on both side was a dense, monotone white.  The only indication they were moving at high speed were the fleeting glimpses of objects flashing by.


    Railways were the preferred method of fast travel in the Evermist.  After arriving in Neon, Reagan had booked them a private cabin on a train to Glimvale.  While they were comfortable, there wasn¡¯t much to do.  As he¡¯d done on the airship, Reagan was monopolizing the projector, catching up on recent events.


    With a sigh, the immortal close the report he was reading.  Silver pounced at the chance.  ¡°Could we talk about the Undermist?¡±  Besides him, Kate perked up with interest.


    ¡°Sure.¡±  Reagan opened and glanced through another document.


    ¡°What are our plans when we get there?¡±  Silver asked.


    ¡°We¡¯ll travel to a certain spot and open a portal to the Moonlit Lands.¡±     Reagan explained.  ¡°There¡¯s a sovereign there who is an ally.  Speaking with him will give us a sense on the situation.¡±


    ¡°That realm is filled with nightmarish creatures that feed on fear.¡±  Kate objected.  ¡°How could anything be friendly?¡±


    ¡°Although it¡¯s True Jeel is that type of monster.¡±  Reagan admitted absently.  ¡°He¡¯s also a gourmand who¡¯s developed a unique palate, exclusively feeding on the terror of his peers.  As you might imagine, he¡¯s widely despised, and this mutual antagonism makes him a valuable source of information.¡±


    ¡°The enemy-of-my-enemy?¡±  Silver interpreted.


    ¡°Precisely.¡±  Reagan agreed.


    ¡°How did you meet him?¡±  Kate asked.


    Reagan paused, leaning back.  ¡°It was after Nolfis fell.  He cooperated with us back then.¡±


    ¡°Could you tell us the story?¡±  Kate followed up.  ¡°We know next to nothing about the rupture in the Undermist.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±  Reagan finally shut off the projector.


    ¡°On the day of the rupture, all communications from Nolfis suddenly ceased.  Those sent to investigate didn¡¯t return.  It took half a day for them to finally call on the Adventurer¡¯s Guild for help.¡±


    ¡°Angela Greaves, Jake Thorn, and I were the first to arrive.  The Undermist was mess, with horrors roaming everywhere.  Although there were no survivors in the city, we discovered a sovereign feasting on a few victims in a far-out outpost.  Before dispatching it, Jake interrogated the deformed creature, and we learned what had happened.¡±


    ¡°Figures that Jake Thorn, the Despicable Bastard, would be well-versed in torture.¡±  Kate chimed in impassively.


    ¡°His talents have their uses.¡±  Reagan shrugged.  ¡°In any case, a weakness had formed in the veil near Thornbridge Manor.  Learning of this, four sovereigns conspired with a Maven, performing a ritual to summon an incarnation of the nightmare king.  The rupture was created when this being tore its way to Enera.¡±This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Silver frowned.  ¡°Jonathan Bark never mentioned any of this when we spoke to him.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s possible he doesn¡¯t know.  None of us saw him.¡±  Reagan answered.  ¡°Supreme primals are so powerful they can¡¯t maintain stable physical forms for any length of time.  In this case, he lasted less than an hour, enough time to decimate Nolfis.¡±


    Adam Bishop warned us he would ¡®release the Nightmare King into our world¡¯,  Silver recalled.  He must¡¯ve uncovered a way to make him last longer.


    ¡°How does all this relate to Jeel?¡±  Kate asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m getting there.¡±  Reagan sighed.  ¡°Once Arther joined us, Jake convinced him to hunt down the three remaining sovereigns.  He argued they might threaten the Evermist if left alone.  Arther agreed.¡±


    ¡°So you traveled to the moonlit lands?¡±  Silver asked, remembering the abominations Adam had summoned.


    Reagan nodded.  ¡°Arther was a master summoner who could easily open passageways to and from that place.  With the four of us, nothing could overwhelm us before we could retreat.¡±


    ¡°Rather, the real problem was tracking down our quarries in a realm the size of continent.  After a week of fruitless wandering, we were close to giving up when Jeel approached us.  He offered to lead us to our prey, with the catch that he wanted to be the one to finish them off.  We were to stand back and prevent others from interfering.  Of course, we accepted this deal, and within two days we¡¯d finished our task.¡±


    ¡°What about the Maven?¡±  Kate asked.


    ¡°Nothing could be done about her.¡±  Reagan replied.  ¡°She has too many bodies, and killing a few would accomplish nothing.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s all for now.¡±  Reagan stood up, tapping his nose.  ¡°We are nearing Grimvale.¡±  A minute later they heard the screeching of brakes.


    Reagan wasting no time once out of the train, moving at a speed they struggled to keep up with.  Fortunately, the immortal used his aura to make himself shine like the sun so they didn¡¯t lose track of him.


    ¡°This is good practice for fighting in the dark.¡±  Kate observed.  Silver concurred.  When moving this fast through the fog, they were forced to rely on their foresight to tell what lay ahead.  Despite some close calls, they were able to avoid embarrassing stumbles.


    Reagan didn¡¯t bother with the lifts, jumping straight down the pit to the Undermist.  They pursued his glow into the darkness, Silver growing wings and Kate gliding on aura.  A short while after landing, they finally caught up.  The immortal stood in front of strange rounded rock.


    ¡°Jeel gave us part of his home before we parted ways.¡±  Reagan revealed.  ¡°Silver, try using this to open a passageway.¡±


    Silver placed his hand on the smoothed stone and felt it immediately, a trail emanating into the Ether.  With this guide, he formed a misty corridor.


    ¡°Since I fear you lack the ability to do this in the other direction, make it stable enough to last an hour.¡±  Reagan advised.


    Silver complied, and they passed through.  On the other side was¡­ a cave of sorts?  There was more empty space than rock, with endless intersecting passageways going in every direction


    ¡°This is the Hollow Mountain, Jeel¡¯s domain.¡±  Reagan explained.  ¡°Save for him, it¡¯s deserted, which makes it the safest place in the Moonlit Lands.¡±


    After a couple of sniffs, Reagan dash upwards.  A short while later they reached an area where the mountain¡¯s walls were denser and stopped in a large room.


    ¡°Reagan Bard¡­  was it?¡±  Came a growly voice.  ¡°I suspected one of you might come, though not yet.¡±  A shadow skulled out of shadows, its form changing yet somehow panther-like.


    ¡°There are those plotting another rupture.¡±  Reagan called out.  ¡°I take it you know something of this?¡±


    A growling laugh echoed around them.  ¡°How could I not?¡±


    ¡°Come.¡±  Jeel slinked away.  ¡°Rather than explaining, this way is faster.¡±


    The sovereign guided them outside to a narrow plateau near the peak.  ¡°There, look!¡±  He hissed.  ¡°Do you see?¡±


    Under the moonlight, three long processions marched in parallel across the landscape.  Silver couldn¡¯t make out what the distant figures were, but he knew there were millions of them.


    ¡°They gather from all over!¡±  Jeel continued.  ¡°It¡¯s not just a few this time, it¡¯s the entire realm.¡±  A toothy grin widened on the sovereign¡¯s black form.  ¡°I¡¯ll feast on the stragglers.¡±


    ¡°Where are they headed?¡±  Reagan asked.


    ¡°The Ancient Gardens.¡±  Jeel replied.


    For a moment there was silence.  ¡°This is worse than expected.¡±  Reagan eventually muttered.

 [Book II Chapter 135] FILIA: Lavender Tears

    [Book II Chapter 135] FILIA:  Lavender Tears


    ------------------------------------------------


    <<This boy is fast.>>  Oberon commented as the figure below flashed across the landscape.


    Half an hour ago, Waceria had received a distress call from a nearby village under attack from demonic beasts.  Four squads of cultivators had been dispatched, Filia among them.  As they¡¯d neared their destination, Soul had suddenly accelerated to a godly level, leaving the others behind.


    <<He has a very particular sublime vagary.>>  She responded.  Her companion had shared some of the details of his ability since it was the type that was difficult to hide.  <<Its passive lets him hear calls for help from far away and enhances his movements when responding to them.  I¡¯m amazed we¡¯re keeping up.>>


    <<Who do you think you¡¯re fused with?>>  Oberon scoffed.  The arrogance was warranted.  The legendary sukemon¡¯s wings carried her faster than she¡¯d ever traveled before.  Soon, a horde of demonic beasts came into view through twisted strands of rock.


    <<Time for a field test.>>  She announced.  Since joining Soul¡¯s group, she¡¯d participated in several patrols but had yet to see real combat.


    <<You remember my abilities?>>  Oberon asked.


    <<I don¡¯t see a sovereign, so the first two should be more than enough for this bunch.>>  She answered, before shouting, ¡°Dark Blades.¡±  A barrage of black sword shot through the air, impaling winged beasts.


    <<There¡¯s the village.>>  Oberon chimed in.  Filia swerved towards the walled-settlement on a large chunk of earth.  The spells being launched from its ramparts were a good sign:  it had yet to be overrun.


    As she downed another batch of flyers, there was a surge of magic.  Soul was unleashing a series of frozen shockwaves, culling a large number of enemies with each swing.


    Not wanting to get in his way, she turned her attention to the network of crystal bridges the demonic beast were using to cross the twisted lands.


    ¡°Dark Predation.¡±  She cried, throwing a black sphere at the nearest one.  Striking dead center, It expanded into dark cloud.  The dozens of demonic beasts engulfed soon fell from its bottom, flailing wildly.


    It¡¯s my first time having access to negation magic, Filia thought happily as her victims plummeted into the depths.  Dark Predation¡¯s miasma erased any magical construct it touched while draining the energy of living beings.  She tossed more spheres to further disrupt their enemies progress.


    A couple of large, squirrel-like crystal creatures launched themselves angrily at her.  Dodging easily, she shattered their spines with swift blows to the back.  Oberon¡¯s fusion granted her a thick dragonic hide and explosive physical abilities.  She¡¯d never felt so strong.  What I lost in versatility is made up for in raw power.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    Once the flow of demonic beasts had stemmed, she returned to where Soul and the others were finishing off stragglers.  She was relieved to see the settlement¡¯s walls still intact.


    ¡°What a swift victory!¡±  She declared, watching some of the other cultivator teams depart.


    Soul nodded.  ¡°We should check the village before we go.  I¡¯m pretty sure I spotted a familiar face.¡±


    Intrigued by what this meant, Filia followed inside the walls to where a crowd had gathered.  At its center, among cheering and laughter, a glum-looking girl was being congratulated.  Noticing them, she made her way over.


    ¡°How do you always land yourself in trouble?¡±  Soul chuckled.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­  It isn¡¯t¡­¡±  Hope bristled before deflating.  ¡°It just happens.  I can¡¯t explain.¡±


    This is Soul¡¯s sister from the recording.  ¡°Whatever the case, it was stroke of luck you were visiting, judging by the way the villagers are acting.¡±  Filia observed.


    Oddly, Hope shrunk at this praise.  ¡°Yes¡­  So lucky¡­¡±  She agreed miserably.


    ¡°So what were you doing here?¡±  Soul asked.


    ¡°Clay Donnaster, who I was mentoring with, went to take part in operation against Mount Gull.¡±  Hope revealed.  ¡°I decided to wait for him in a place with nice thick walls.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, wouldn¡¯t it have been better to stay in Waceria?¡±  Filia wondered.


    Hope shook her head vigorously, ¡°No, way too many people there.  I couldn¡¯t risk it.¡±


    That makes no sense.  Filia was about to ask for an explanation when a man ran over shouting.  ¡°Waceria is under attack by Sekken, the red hound.  They¡¯re requesting any reinforcements available.¡±


    ¡°But I wasn¡¯t there¡­¡±  Hope mumbled.  Ignoring her, Filia turned to Soul, ¡°Do you think this was a diversion to drawn our saints away?¡±


    ¡°Maybe,¡±  Soul answered.  ¡°Gen, did you not foresee this?¡±


    They all turned to Fate Pavilion cultivator.  For the first time ever, she saw uncertainty on the man¡¯s face.  ¡°My apologies, I didn¡¯t¡­  We should hurry back.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m coming too.¡±  Hope declared, dashing after them.


    ¡°The convoy from Tulven will be arriving tomorrow.¡±  Yingtai said.  ¡°I heard they repelled an ambush from Sekken yesterday.  This might be an attempt to set up another one.¡±


    ¡°Or it¡¯s an act of revenge.¡±  Sulai agreed.


    The image of Joel and his daughter flashed in Filia¡¯s mind.  ¡°I¡¯m going ahead.¡±  She announced, speeding up without waiting for an answer.  Please let them be alright.


    As she raced through the Twisted Lands, a scattering of purple pedals began drifting on the wind.  This floral storm intensified once she neared her destination, but she was in no state to wonder about the phenomenon.


    Finally, she arrived to see the city and the area surrounding it covered in a layer of lavender.  Although skirmishes still raged, it was clear the battle was already won.  So this is why Gen failed: there was no disaster to foresee.


    Taking a moment to dispatch the invaders in her path, she flew over to a commander on the ramparts.  ¡°Where¡¯s emergency?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s over.¡±  The man answered.  ¡°For a moment, we were barely holding our own, but then an immortal from the Veillerdin Peninsula showed up.  He slayed Saeen, the Devourer, and tore through demonic beasts.  The foes his sword cut down were transformed into the pedals you see around us.  He¡¯s amazingly strong for someone who just reach the Wall.¡±


    ¡°And this was enough to drive Sekken away?¡±  Filia asked, confused.


    ¡°I believe Sekken was already injured when the fight started.¡±  The commander explained.  ¡°So the arrival of an intimidating ally was enough to spook him.¡±


    He¡¯s probably being extra cautious because of summoning pit¡¯s imminent destruction.  ¡°Where is he now?¡±


    ¡°Gone.¡±  The commander answered.  ¡°Chasing after Sekken and another revenant with our two immortals.¡±


    Curiosity satisfied, Filia joined the others in mopping up the last of the demonic beasts.  I suppose with the threats a dark age brings, there will always be heros who rise greet them.

 [Book II Chapter 136] DYLAN: A New Mission

    [Book II Chapter 136] DYLAN: A New Mission


    ------------------------------------------------


    Commander Varon was waiting for them when they landed on the deck of his airship. ¡°Good, you¡¯re here.¡± He surveyed the four members of team Necessity. ¡°We¡¯ve received a call from the cultivating realm. Yaozu Gao is ready to speak with you. You can use my office.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t want to impose.¡± Nang objected gently, wary of monopolizing the only one long range projector in the entire fleet. ¡°Our matters could wait until we arrive in Waceria.¡±


    Varon shook his head. ¡°We have more leeway now that there will be no further demonic beast attacks, so it¡¯s fine.¡±


    ¡°Yes, everything worked out.¡± Free agreed joyfully. The girl was wasting no opportunity to remind him that, against all odds, they¡¯d broken through Sekken¡¯s ambush. While Dylan was relieved at the outcome, his concern over his companion¡¯s optimism remained as firm as ever.


    ¡°Besides, Sarah is the one who insisted I summon you, and I don¡¯t question her, not after¡­¡± His voice trailed off.


    ¡°She¡¯s inside.¡± He added.


    Rumors were swirling about the former steward of the Isle, a saint who had chased off a paragon-level immortal. It was beyond absurd, yet Dylan had witnessed the maelstorm. Somehow, she had traded her sight for an incredible power.


    The woman in question was sitting on a bench, staring off into the distance with white pupil-less eyes. He felt unnerved at her presence in a way he hadn¡¯t before.


    ¡°Your hair is a mess.¡± Free observed.


    ¡°What?¡± Sarah frowned, reaching up with an uncertain hand. ¡°How do I¡­?¡± She mumbled, struggling with what to do next.


    ¡°So you really went blind¡­¡± Free walked up and arranged the out-of-place strands. ¡°Do you want me to fix your eyes too?¡±


    Sarah brushed her away. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t be able to, no more than you could help Lily grow taller. Even if you could, I would refuse. What I gained is too valuable to pass up.¡±


    She sighed. ¡°Even if it¡¯ll take some getting used to.¡±


    Free studied her with curiosity. ¡°Mother is leading an assault against mount gull as we speak. Can you tell us if it¡¯ll be successful?¡±


    ¡°It will.¡± Sarah answered immediately. ¡°I discovered this as soon as I woke.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great.¡± Free gave a small victory clap. ¡°Perhaps life will calm down a bit.¡±


    Sarah shook her head. ¡°It won¡¯t¡­ I¡¯ve spent all morning exploring the ¡®tapestry of fate¡¯ I¡¯m now able to see. It isn¡¯t today that¡¯s important. It¡¯s tomorrow. The real trouble is still ahead, although I can¡¯t make out its shape.¡±


    ¡°What I can tell for certain is it¡¯s critically important that you speak with the leader of the Ghost Corrosion Sect and depart for Neon immediately.¡±


    ¡°Neon?¡± Free asked,


    ¡°The next focal point.¡± Sarah revealed, rubbing her head. ¡°It¡¯s somehow crucial you be there.¡±


    ¡°But why¡­?¡± Free pressed.


    ¡°Go speak with Yaozu Gao.¡± Sarah gestured to shoo them away. ¡°He¡¯ll will answer that.¡±


    Her confident attitude caused Dylan discomfort. ¡°How much do you know?¡± he asked.


    Sarah grimaced. ¡°Too much and too little. From the vibrant tapestry, I can sense which threads are important, but puzzling out why is its own challenge. It¡¯s overwhelming.¡±


    Left with that enigmatic reply, they descended to Varon¡¯s office. <<More and more people are learning your secrets.>> Dowart observed.


    Dylan nodded, glancing at his companions. He would¡¯ve preferred keeping his history to himself. Regrettably, Free already knew, and sharing with Nang was unavoidable. There¡¯s also no point in excluding Darius, especially if we are about to be embark on a mission related to it.


    Almost instantly they were put through to the leader of the Ghost Corrosion Sect. The old man gave a tired smiled. ¡°It¡¯s good to finally speak. We¡¯ve much to catch up on.¡± Dylan and Nang bowed, with Free and Darius joining in.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.


    ¡°How is Xia Ning?¡± Dylan asked. Ghost Corrosion Sect members were acting as the Great Assembly¡¯s representative in the outside world. The one assigned to Tulven had been passing on reports on the little mistress, but it¡¯d been days since the last update.


    ¡°Asleep. It¡¯s late on this side of the world.¡±  Yaozu answered. ¡°What was the matter you urgently needed assistance with?¡±


    Dylan took a deep breath and gestured. ¡°This is Nang Wang, the cousin of Bao Pan who passed recently. I was hoping you could convey the truth to her.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Nang demanded, demeanor clouding. ¡°Bao is officially missing. Why do you sound certain she¡¯s dead?¡±


    Free put a hand on her shoulder. ¡°Let¡¯s listen calmly to what they have to say.¡±


    Yaozu recounted his first meeting with Dylan and what they had discussed. The story of the duel in the Silent Valley had Nang on the edge of violence, but she gradually settled down as she heard more. By the end, she wore an uncertain look.


    ¡°If I understanding correctly¡­¡± She said slowly. ¡°Dylan went after Bao for her role in slaughtering the Sacred Cloud Sect. In the process he discovered that the spirits of ancient demonic practitioners have been possessing disciples from Sanwue¡¯s leading sects and that my cousin was among their victims.¡±


    ¡°I realize it sounds unbelievable.¡± Yaozu admitted.


    ¡°And you¡¯ve confirmed this yourself?¡± Nang asked.


    ¡°I have.¡± Yaozu replied.  ¡°Which brings me to recent developments in the Cultivating Realm.¡±


    ¡°After Morning Dew Sect arrived safely, I recruited Lin Xiao to assist me in my investigation. Her martial arts, the Heavenly Mist, are truly remarkable at sensing the esoteric. She pointed out many individuals who felt wrong to her, and I was able to detect the abnormalities in their souls myself upon closer inspection, becoming familiar enough to recognize them.¡±


    ¡°Does that mean you didn¡¯t need her anymore?¡± Dylan asked. It¡¯d be for the best if Lin involvement could be kept to a minimum.


    Yaozu shook his head.  ¡°What requires me a thorough examination, she can do effortlessly from a distance. To screen large numbers, she remains essential, which is what I brought her to Wushan to do. In the capital, we could inspect visiting disciples without arousing suspicions.¡±


    ¡°Our findings were surprising and troubling. The infection was widespread, especially in the Radiant Sight, the Divine Serpent Sect, the Red Sky Sect, and the Water Dragon Sect. Only my own Ghost Corrosion Sect had no victims. I surmise this was due to my presence.¡±


    ¡°To root out the scourge, I had to alert my peers and elicit their cooperation. To that end, I had a few of the younger ones confined, planning to present them as evidence before the Great Assembly. That¡¯s when Xiu Ryuuken, the youngest immortal of the Water Dragon Sect, announced he¡¯d caught a night phoenix.¡±


    A shocked silence fell over the room, and Dowart took the opportunity to chime in. <<The ashes of a night phoenix are a legendary alchemical ingredient, producing the most potent of pills. Every time one was caught, several new immortals appeared soon after.>>


    ¡°Haven¡¯t those been extinct for millennia?¡± Nang objected.


    ¡°Indeed,¡± Yaozu replied.  ¡°And the reaction was much like when panacea was recovered from the Spiritual Herb Garden. News spreads swiftly to the four corners of Sanwue. That was Xiu intention.¡±


    ¡°Out of the list I¡¯d compiled, all went missing, and the disciples I¡¯d confined took their own lives. Two immortals were among those who absconded. The infiltration had been deeper than I¡¯d imagined.¡°


    Yaozu turned to Dylan.  ¡°My apologies. It appears Xiu somehow got wind of my efforts.¡±


    Dylan shook his head. ¡°Much of the blame falls on me. I put them on edge by killing their saints. How did Great Assembly react?¡±


    ¡°It was chaos.¡±  Yaozu sighed.  ¡°The excitement from the night phoenix turned to confusion at the sudden disappearances. The Great Assembly was in an uproar, and explaining what had happened was arduous task. If I hadn¡¯t taken the oath, no one would¡¯ve been convinced.¡±


    ¡°They were furious. All the sects are on lockdown until Lin and I can visit. In their anger, the patriarchs of the Water Dragon Sect and Divine Serpent Sect, who had each lost an immortal, scoured Twisted Darkness for the Hoshindai. They were the ones who confirmed the curse rock is no longer there.¡±


    ¡°How is that possible?¡± Dylan inquired. ¡°From what you told me, it was the size of a small mountain.¡±


    Yaozu shrugged. ¡°Salazar Rook is a necromancer. With enough time, he could¡¯ve constructed a portal to transfer it anywhere he wanted. For now, we¡¯ve given up locating it.¡±


    ¡°The Great Assembly¡¯s focus is on capturing one of these ¡®rekindled¡¯ alive¡ª¡ªThat¡¯s the name they call themselves. Although I will be searching the major sects with Lin, it¡¯s unlikely any are left there. This leaves the five saints who traveled to the outside world.¡±


    ¡°Dylan killed one of them, Yuena Fengchun, in Tulven. Three more vanished at the same time as the rest. However, there might be an opportunity with the fifth one, Teng Ling, formerly of the Water Dragon Sect.¡±


    ¡°Teng Ling deserted his team shortly after leaving Bastion and has been spotted in Neon. Isolated from the Cultivating Realm, there is a decent chance that the news of the night phoenix never reached him.¡±


    ¡°And you want us to hunt him down?¡± Dylan guessed.


    ¡°Precisely.¡± Yaozu agreed.  ¡°You are nearby and have proven yourself capable of dealing with them. May I entrust this mission to you?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Nang cut in. ¡°If everything you said is true, I¡¯d love nothing more than to beat down one of these bastards.¡±


    ¡°Remember, he must be taken alive.¡±  Yaozu fixed his gaze on Dylan.


    ¡°I understand.¡± He replied. We need to learn more of their plans¡­ And that of their backer, Salazar Rook.


    The call ended, and Sarah greeted them on their way up from Varon¡¯s office. ¡°Your ride is waiting outside.¡± She pointed to an airship hovering nearby. ¡°I arranged for it before calling you over.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Free replied. ¡°Since you¡¯ve become so talented at reading the future, any chance you could tell us where our quarry is hiding?¡±


    ¡°Ask around for a necromancer named Lucy Vance when you arrive, she¡¯ll lead you to him.¡±

 [Book II Chapter 137] WISE: WAR

    [Book II Chapter 137] WISE:  WAR


    ------------------------------------------------


    There was a deafening roar as Safire¡¯s artillery opened fire.  All around them, blazing red comets shot out of the upward-pointed barrels jutting from the city¡¯s densely-packed buildings.  These giant cannons, a type of mobile artillery, had been moved into the city¡¯s streets in preparation for today.  Their projectiles traveled towards the distant object coming into view behind the light bloom far above.  Cloud Fortress Omega Nine.


    ¡°The¡¯re fire-based.¡±  Rose commented at the color of the comets.  ¡°I would¡¯ve expected lighting, since this Garnen.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s due to the location.¡±  Wise pointed to the far off lava-covered ground.  ¡°The new crust is especially active inside the halos.  Outside the Demon World, there is no better place to collect fire-crystals.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s the resource the Grey Kingdom is after.¡±  Rose understood.  Wise nodded in response.


    Their group was stationed on a rooftop observing the pyrotechnics.  ¡°Why aren¡¯t they returning fire?¡±  Dawn asked.


    ¡°Because there¡¯s no point.¡±  Wise answered.  ¡°Safire¡¯s shields are fed by a large underground crystal reserve.  They might as well be endless.  Any damage that fails to knock them out will be recovered in minutes.¡±


    ¡°The same can¡¯t be said for Cloud Fortress Omega Nine.¡±  He continued.  ¡°With enough sustained firepower, it will be forced to retreat.  That¡¯s why keeping our artillery online will be our key to victory.¡±


    ¡°Thanks for the explanation, but you don¡¯t need to overdo it.  Save your strength for the battle.¡±  Rose advised.  She was aware that residue from countless dark crystals was clouding the future.  While ordinary foresight is compromised, my sublime vagary is a different story.  Besides its answers being less in-depth and comprehensive, all-knowing grasp is operating normally.  Too bad I can¡¯t share this with others present.


    ¡°This is information I¡¯m looking up for my own sake, not yours.¡±  Wise shrugged.  ¡°There¡¯s no harm in sharing.¡±


    This was his first time participating in war and he viewed it as a valuable learning experience.  When the time came, he¡¯d employ his foresight to the best of his abilities, even if it was taxing.  This would not be the last time he fought with an obscured future.


    From behind the approaching Cloud Fortress Omega Nine, a fleet spread out.  As if this was some kind of signal, Garnen¡¯s own armada took off to engage it.


    I have no idea how this will end, Wise thought sadly.  He¡¯d attempted to determine the outcome earlier, but once the abyss troopers entered the city, civilians were placed in danger, frustrating his efforts.  With the burden of the crushed dark crystals weighing on him, he¡¯d been forced to give up.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    His long range foresight was weaker than it should be, and the oath he¡¯d sworn in the blood arena was to blame.  He recalled his words back then.


    I WILL SLAY ALL EVILS BEFORE ME.  I WILL DEFEND THE DEFENSELESS.


    Whenever he traveled the future and witnessed a tragedy unfolding, he was compelled to intervene.  , this made it challenging to peer deeply with all the Dark Age¡¯s chaos.  I first ran into this issue when I was tracking the Torak¡¯s disciples who¡¯d left Xarst.  I must save the few no matter the overall costs later.  To play a role similar to Nero two thousand years ago, he had to shift his perspective towards a greater focus on the big picture.


    Despite the hardships, he had no regrets.  He¡¯d obtained the strength he needed to ensure everyone¡¯s survival.  Spending every waking moment over the last few weeks saving lives was an acceptable price for this boon.


    There was a crackling of electricity near the castle and a swarm of lightning dragons sprang up, sparks flying from their wings.  These were no ordinary summons.  Zaer, the powerful ruling sovereign of the element plane of air, had answered the call of his chosen.  Each was an immortal-level threat, albeit on the weaker side.  They joined the fleet preparing to face the enemy.


    The Grey Kingdom was also beginning its deployment.  From Cloud Fortress Nine and the surrounding battleships, a host of armored mechs poured out.  Peering closely among them, Wise found what he was looking for.  Envy Green, Doom Haunt, Mortal Fusion, Gunhell, Blade Ruin, and War Machine¡­  Only Doom Haunt is unfamiliar to me.


    He kept up on the adventures of siblings through his sublime vagary.  Since Hope had been training close to Messanic, he¡¯d learned the details of her time in captivity, as well as her account of the engagement at Palos when recuperating Astrolis.  Argon¡¯s masterpieces were formidable, especially the one he piloted himself.


    Garnen¡¯s own mobile armors took to the field.  Leading them was a brightly gleaming figure.  The Whitespark Knight, the craft of Nicolas Almight.  Its speed and power were rumored to be unmatched.


    ¡°Who has the advantage?¡±  Zentrias asked, reminding him he wasn¡¯t alone.


    ¡°it¡¯s pretty even.¡±  He replied.  ¡°Garnen has more immortals, but they have stronger mechs.  Both side are accustomed to aerial combat.¡±


    A monstrous roar signaled the start of hostilities as Safire¡¯s guardian beast, an enormous fire dragon, raced forward to engage.  A white flash sped by the creature, slamming into War Machine¡¯s shields.  They watched the two legendary mechs battle through the mayhem exploding around them.  However, soon their view was blocked by a dark mass heading their way.


    ¡°Summons.¡±  Rose sighed.  ¡°I suppose its Roxanne¡¯s turn to shine.¡±


    His sister was surprisingly protective of her mentor, insisting the immortal not be deployed to the front lines.  As a result, She¡¯d been stationed atop the castle, in charge of shooting down approaching enemies.  Already multiple magic circles were forming above her.  Torrents of crimson flames streamed out, transforming into a myriad of smaller tendril to better consume the summons.


    A metallic, Skeletal bird flew through the host of immolating creatures, nearing at a high speed.


    ¡°Be ready.¡±  Wise warned.  ¡°That¡¯s Daniel Ryson, the head of Necron.  He¡¯ll plant a marker that his Abyss troupers will portal to.  From there, they¡¯ll spread out through the city.¡±


    ¡°Maybe Roxanne will stop him?¡±  Rose ventured hopefully.


    Wise didn¡¯t bother replying.  Above them, Daniel¡¯s half-machine, half-undead ride weaved his way through the flames hunting him down.  Once he was a few hundred yards away, he threw a black spear which penetrated straight through Safire¡¯s barrier.  Wise felt the workings of powerful necromantic magic.


    ¡°Be ready.¡±  He shouted.  ¡°It¡¯s our turn.¡±

 [Book II Chapter 139] LILY: An Unparalleled Spell

    [Book II Chapter 139] LILY:  An Unparalleled Spell


    ------------------------------------------------


    Lily glided forwards on wings of fire while the summoning circle above her head spewed forth myriads of phoenixes.  These summons dove down to incinerate everything in their path, illuminating the night landscape.


    When Jayden returned with the news of the summoning pit, Kaygren had shut down every rift within its vicinity, forcing them to begin their incursions two hundred miles away.


    Venturing that deep into enemy territory had prooved a challenge.  Mount Gull was overflowing with sovereigns, not to mention the immortals of the hidden village of Fang.  Sending in a small high-powered strike force ran the risk of finding themselves surrounded without no means of retreat.  Instead, they¡¯d opted for a large military force which could seize territory until they were close enough to snipe their target.  Which is right ahead.


    For the final stretch, Lily had taken the lead herself.  There were no sovereigns currently challenging them, so it was child¡¯s play to tear through the opposition.  She found release and satisfaction in this chance to cut loose.


    Astra had assigned her the task of overseeing the evacuation of the area North of Remnant, which had turned into a tedious affair.  Once a day, she¡¯d activate Infinity Engine and rocket around searching with Godly Reach.  Every demonic beast and Fang ninja she spotted was promptly immolated.  For good measure, she¡¯d also lob potent pyrotechnics into all the rifts, explosions meant to level large cities.


    Only one piece of excitement had broken this monotone.  Sekken, believing himself clever, had invaded right after she¡¯d used her sublime vagaries.  Like the Laughing Man, he learned I have other tricks up my sleeve.  The sovereign had fled in terror, calling out his ¡®hounds of war¡¯ and casting tens of thousands of demonic beasts in her starfire to enable his escape.


    A regrettable outcome.  In preparation of this Dark Age, Rose had slowly accumulated a handful fragments of Argadon¡¯s left canine from deep in the Ether.  Materializing each had taken several decades, and it was the second time she¡¯d used one without slaying her prey.  At least she took solace that Sekken had never dared to appear again.


    Astra flew up besides her.  ¡°Remember not to exhaust yourself.  You¡¯re the key to this entire operation.¡±


    ¡°I have already activated Infinity Engine.¡±  Lily replied.  ¡°You know how this works.  I have to keep channeling full throttle, or I lose its benefits.¡±


    ¡°Which is why you should have rested until we arrived.¡±  Astra countered tersely.The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to run out of steam.¡±  Lily sighed.  ¡°Not with the stamina buff from ¡®Rallying Cry¡¯.¡±  Barsal Farran had remained behind at the midway point, where his sublime vagary would reach everyone.  It was a nostalgic treat to fight under its effects.


    Once more, she couldn¡¯t help wondering about its full activation.  Even during the last Dark Age, Barsal rarely called out his ability.  Perhaps there was some rare or unique conditions as a prerequisite.  In the end, it doesn¡¯t matter.  The passive by itself is insanely overpowered.


    ¡°You should just concern yourself with being ready to protect me.¡±  Lily glanced back at the fleet of battleships following Astra.


    Their journey so far hadn¡¯t been peaceful, With Kaygren personally leading increasingly frantic assaults.  The celestial tiger¡¯s mastery over lightning, together with the ferocity of his lieutenants and underlings, made for harrowing onslaughts.  Repelling them grew more difficult the deeper they penetrated into enemy territory.  Thankfully, they¡¯d retreat at any major setback, sending endless waves of demonic beasts to harass them.  There was little doubt Kaygren was having his sovereigns raid Shangri-la to sustain their minions numbers rather than risking direct confrontations.  He¡¯s afraid of losing sovereigns before Mount Gull is stabilized.


    This was good for their incursion force.  While slowing them down, the lesser beasts presented no real danger on their own.  Another bright spot was the absence of Fang ninjas, who had not, so far, involved themselves.


    Lily dropped down on a ridge and approached its edge.  Astra soon joined her, ¡°Well?  Is it close enough?¡±


    Concentrating, Lily flung a fireball towards a distant valley in a ridge of the over-sized mountain.  ¡°That¡¯s the one?¡±  She asked.


    Astra nodded, ¡°It¡¯s quite a distance away.¡±


    ¡°No worried.¡±  Lily smirked confidently.  ¡°As long as I can see it, I won¡¯t miss.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll set up a barrier.¡±  August Terrance declared.  the Severing Air was here to ensure she could work in peace.


    Lily was about to begin when she detected several immortal-level entities nearing their position.  ¡°Kaygren¡¯s back.¡±  She grimaced.


    ¡°We¡¯ll deal with it.¡±  Astra spread her ice wings.  ¡°You focus on your task.¡±


    Without Pause, Lily extended her spiritual senses upwards.  Once at their limits, she formed a magic circle to extend them further, repeating the process again and again to reach for the fake stars above.


    She had already settled on her magic, a signature spell only she could use.  It was one she¡¯d designed during the last Dark Age and had been forbidden to use after wiping out an allied fleet.  I also annihilated an undead army.  Some people are too prickly.


    Arriving at her desired high, she carefully constructed thirteen-layered magical circle, carefully adjusting its aim.  Next she charged this spell array.


    A lightning bolt struck again the invisible barrier shielding her, startling her.  Far off in the sky, Kaygren¡¯s form crackled with electricity.  ¡°Hurry up.¡±  August urged.  ¡°I can¡¯t maintained this forever.¡±


    ¡°Almost done.¡±  Lily replied.  Pouring in a last bit of power, she released her magic and smiled as a bright light sprung into existence.  Meteors are common.  Any master fire mage can create them.  Now a comet on the other hand¡­


    The celestial object descended at a tremendous pace, then there was a blinding flash when it impacted her target dead center.  Lily was happy to confirm a large chunk of Mount Gull had vanished, a fiery hellscape left in its wake.  If we¡¯re lucky, that took out a couple of revenants for good.

 [Book II Chapter 140] DAWN: Visiting The Children

    [Book II Chapter 140] DAWN:  Visiting The Children


    ------------------------------------------------


    ¡°Zentrias has woken up.¡±  Wise declared.  ¡°He¡¯ll be up shortly.¡±


    Carol let out a relieved sigh.  ¡°About time.  We¡¯re almost at Neon.¡±


    It hadn¡¯t been the only foreign fighters rallying to Garnen¡¯s defense.  This small cruise ship had been retained to ferry back all the volunteers from the twin cities.  They were on the upper most floor, reserved for saints and immortal, relaxing in a private seating area.


    Zentrias ambled in and plopped down on an armchair.  ¡°How long was I out?¡±


    ¡°Almost a day.¡±  Carol answered.  ¡°Even after your injuries were healed, you wouldn¡¯t wake.  I had to have them transported you onto the ship.  I knew you¡¯d want to get back as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±  Zentrias said.  ¡°I¡¯m not sure why it took me so long.¡±


    ¡°Honestly, it¡¯s not too surprising.¡±  Carol continued.  ¡°You were going pretty fast when you hit that wall.  It¡¯s amazing you¡¯re alive, although I suppose Wise wouldn¡¯t have suggested a fatal course of action.¡±  There was venom in that last sentence, which caused her brother to shrink in his seat.


    Carol had not been pleased to discover Zentrias on the verge of death, especially after their experiences in Messanic.  Since Emerit had promtly fled back to Aery with Astrolis, her ire had been directed at Wise.


    ¡°Again, sorry.¡±  He whispered.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±  Zentrias rubbed his head.  ¡°I¡¯m the one who went along with your crazy plan.¡±


    Sighing, Carol walked over and extend a hand.  ¡°Here you go.¡±  She drop something into Zentrias¡¯s palm.


    ¡°A wish seed?¡±  The man exclaimed, surprised.


    ¡°The strike you landed on Blade Ruin badly shattered its right side, causing the mech to flee.  The Grey Kingdom withdrew soon after.¡±  Carol explained.  ¡°This was a reward from Garnen for your valor.¡±


    Normally Dawn might of been jealous of this recognition.  However, she¡¯d also witnessed the state Zentrias had ended up in, which had done much to quell these feelings.  ¡°Roxanne got one too.¡±  She chimed in.


    The immortal gave a small nod.  Next to her, Rose grumbled.  ¡°Thinking back on it, what Cindy was really after was Roxanne¡¯s assistance.  We were just a bonus.¡±


    ¡°So we won?¡±  Zentrias asked.


    ¡°More or less.¡±  Carol replied.  ¡°On most fronts, including Safire, we were victorious.  Unfortunately, the seventh halo, which sits isolated to the west, fell to the Grey Kingdom.¡±


    ¡°It was the least important and least defended.¡±  Rose added.  ¡°Cindy didn¡¯t look too upset, and we inflicted significant losses everywhere else, so I doubt they will try anything soon.¡±


    ¡°And what of the operation against Mount Gull?¡±  Zentrias demanded.


    ¡°A complete success without any major setbacks.¡±  Carol announced happily.


    ¡°Perhaps this means things will finally settle down in the Twisted Lands¡­¡±  Dawn mused.  From her understanding, Kaygren¡¯s sovereigns wouldn¡¯t pose much of a threat until Mount Gull is fully stabilized.  ¡°What do you think, Wise?¡±The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    Her brother shook his head.  ¡°Although it¡¯s less bad, the crushed dark crystals still clouds the future.  Ask that type of question tomorrow.¡±


    Rose shook her head.  ¡°The Grey Kingdom wasted so many resources on this offensive¡­  I don¡¯t see how they can justify it, even with their meager gain.¡±


    ¡°No, it makes sense from a morale-boosting perspective.¡±  Wise sighed.  ¡°To expand its military power, the Grey Kingdom attracted immortals fed up with peace.  For the likes of Argon Blast, yesterday¡¯s large scale conflict was what they really craved, the payoff for their enlistment.¡±


    ¡°What about the Grey King?¡±  Rose asked.  ¡°Is he also a war-fanatic?¡±


    ¡°Probably not.¡±  Wise replied.  ¡°He never takes to the battlefield himself, so another motive likely drives him.¡±


    ¡°I can see Edelweiss.¡±  Zentrias commented, gazing out the window.  The ship had exited the underground and was now traveling the empty space below Aery.  Neon was visible not far ahead.


    ¡°They will drop us off there before heading to he main docks.¡±  Carol explained.


    ¡°Hear that Dawn?¡±  Rose smirked.  ¡°You¡¯ll be able to meet your admirers again.¡±  <<What nonsense will she fill their heads with this time?>>


    Dawn resisted replying to the unspoken comment.  ¡°Yes, that¡¯ll be nice.  Although I wonder if they¡¯ll flock to me when Zentrias is around.  I suspect they respect him even more than me.¡±


    ¡°Carol is the one they really love.¡±  Zentrias laughed.  ¡°She summons jesters to do tricks and play with them.¡±


    ¡°The Moonlit Lands is filled with creatures capable of taking on friendly appearances to better prey on innocent souls.¡±  Carol revealed.


    ¡°And they don¡¯t scare the children¡­?¡±  Rose asked skeptically.


    ¡°I¡¯m the one who serves as their meal.¡±  Carol admitted.  ¡°I know what they really look like and their true nature.  Although I monitor them closely, the thought of what might happen should my attention waver fills me abject terror.¡±


    They disembarked at the quay by the cliff¡¯s edge and crossed the lawn towards the orphanage.  As expected, a throng of children scurried out to greet them.


    Dawn smiled.  To be honest, she¡¯d been quite looking forward to this.  It¡¯d be a pleasant change to hear stray thoughts filled with adoration.


    Letting them gather around her, she sat on the grass and patiently answered their questions.  They were fascinated by her encounters with the undead in Dark Heritage and her heroics in defense of Safire.  As time went on, her good mood faded, replaced with a growing irritation.  Eventually it became too much.


    ¡°I must go.¡±  She declared, standing.


    ¡°Why?¡±  A young boy objected.  ¡°You just got here!¡±


    Dawn knelt besides him.  ¡°Sorry, but I need to meet Roy Siegfried to discuss an important matter.¡±


    The boy¡¯s eyes went wide.  ¡°Isn¡¯t that the strongest immortal?¡±


    ¡°Yes, and I can¡¯t keep him waiting, can I?¡±  Dawn replied.  This appointment was a lie, but the intent behind it was dead serious.


    Bidding a last farewell, she flew down into the precipice below the orphanage and found an outcropping to land on.  ¡°WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?¡±  She yelled into the void.  So this is the frustration that Lily endured for centuries.


    ¡°Siegfried, get out here now!¡±  She called out again.  ¡°I know it¡¯s not the Wall of Legends, but I don¡¯t care.  I¡¯m owed some answers.¡±


    ¡°This is awkward.¡±  Said a voice behind her.  Siegfried was leaning against the rock with a conflicted expression.  ¡°Meeting a ¡®main character¡¯ when the story is in full swing feels wrong, especially outside the Isle.  It never does this.  I can¡¯t believe you tried this gambit or that it worked.¡±


    ¡°I knew it would.¡±  Dawn sneered.  ¡°After all, the HEAVENLY DAO loves me.  Not only that, it¡¯s wronged me in a particularly egregious way.¡±


    Siegfried sighed, ignoring her anger.  ¡°What did you need from me?¡±


    ¡°This telepathy that I¡¯ve developed, the HEAVENLY DOA is responsible for it, isn¡¯t it?¡±  Dawn accused.  ¡°Astra never had to deal with anything so troublesome.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d say yes,¡±  Siegfried replied.  ¡°Although it will never admit it.¡±


    ¡°I figured as much.¡±  Dawn continued.  ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯s having a blast watching me endure an endless stream of comments slighting and belittling me.  And I was able to accept that as the price for being as wonderful as I am.  However, why can¡¯t I hear the children?¡±


    She glared furiously.  ¡°This unatural, one-side ability which lets me hear the bad but never the good¡­  How dare it do this!  Either take it away entirely or remove the filter.¡±


    BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR¡­


    ¡°Done.¡±  Siegfried said.


    ¡°Really?¡±  Dawn was almost upset she wouldn¡¯t get to vent more.  ¡°Also, did the HEAVENLY DOA just speak to me?¡±


    ¡°It did.  I heard it too.¡±  There was pity in Siegfried¡¯s voice.  ¡°Goodbye.¡±


    With that, she was left alone.  After a solid minute, she shook off her worries and took off.  Let¡¯s not overthink what we can¡¯t control and enjoy a good bout of others fawning over me.

 [Book II Chapter 141] DYLAN: Apprehending Teng Ling

    [Book II Chapter 141] DYLAN:  Apprehending Teng Ling


    ------------------------------------------------


    ¡°There he is.¡±  Teng Ling sat cross-legged cultivating on the terrace of his penthouse suit.  It was the first time Dylan was seeing him since the Godly Herb Garden.


    His team observed him from a rooftop several buildings away, along with the pair of young women who had accompanied them here.  ¡°Thank you.¡±  Free bowed to one of them.  ¡°This would have taken forever without your assistance.¡±


    ¡°It was no issue.¡±  Lucy Vance replied.  In a stroke of convenience, the guide Sarah had referred them to happened to be the girlfriend of Free¡¯s brother and had immediately agreed to help them.  Her amazing ability to discern the future had lead them straight to this place in Chancel, the subterranean city below Neon.


    ¡°So what next?¡±  Nang asked.  ¡°A penthouse that luxurious is guaranteed to be heavily shielded.  Breaking in won¡¯t be easy.¡±


    ¡°I could slip in.¡±  Said the girl behind Lucy.  Dylan still wasn¡¯t sure of the nature of their relationship or what to make of her.  The canine traits were putting him off.  They were unusual in Sanwue.


    ¡°I¡¯d advice against a direct assault.¡±  Darious spoke up, a rare occurrence.  Their companion mostly kept silent when they were planning.  ¡°We are unlikely to secure Teng Ling before Viacore intervenes.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t see any guards.¡±  Nang observed.  ¡°Aren¡¯t you just over-complicating this?¡±


    Darius simply shook his head.  ¡°I fear you don¡¯t grasp the gravity of situation.  Neon¡¯s big five are terrifyingly powerful, stronger than any immortal.  It¡¯s madness to antagonize them, especially in Chancel.  That hotel is reserved for Viacore¡¯s VIPs, a place of absolute safety.  They will grant him safe passage out of the city rather than tarnish this image.  That¡¯s if they don¡¯t make an example of us.¡±


    ¡°What if we went through the proper channels?¡±  Free offered.  ¡°Wouldn¡¯t working with the authorities solve the problem?¡±


    ¡°What crimes has Teng Ling committed?¡±  Darius sighed.  ¡°Without proof of wrong doing, only a request of cooperation from the Great Assembly might sway Viacore against its guest.  Even then, there is a chance they may tip him off.¡±


    Dylan grimaced.  Communication between large bureaucracies was not known to be speedy, and he¡¯d prefer not to rely on it.


    ¡°Personally, I advise simply waiting until he leaves the premises.¡±  Darius added.


    This was an even less appealing prospect.  ¡°Who knows how long Teng could stay cooped up there!¡±  Dylan objected.  ¡°Are you suggesting we do nothing with our quarry before our eyes?¡±


    Darius was nonplussed.  ¡°All we need to do is ensure he learns of the night phoenix¡¯s capture.¡±


    Everyone went quiet.  That could work¡­  Dylan appraised their mysterious shinobi companion, wondering once again who he was.


    ¡°If you¡¯d like,¡±  Lucy spoke up.  ¡°I can arrange for a servant to bring him the news with his next meal.¡±


    Dylan was apprehensive about imposing further.  ¡°That would be appreciated, but there¡¯s really no need.  We could handle this ourselves.¡±Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    However, Lucy shook her head.  ¡°It¡¯ll go smoother if I¡¯m involved.¡±


    Two hours later, Teng Ling arrived at a deserted platform at the bottom of Neon docks.  Before he could reach one of the hangars, Dylan walked out to greet him.


    ¡°Where are you off to?¡±  He asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s none of your concern.¡±  Teng regarded him apprehensively, circling around.


    ¡°Do you remember the Sacred Cloud Sect?¡±  Dylan asked.


    After a moment of confusion, Teng¡¯s eyes lit up.  Cursing, he backpedaled to gain distance.  In doing so, he stepped into Nang¡¯s trap and was ensnared in a web of technicolored mothsilk.


    Just as Lucy predicted.  After returning from the Viacore hotel, the young necromancer had lead them here and advised them on the best approach to ambush their target.


    <<Foresight that powerful is cruel.  Someone not on guard against it stands no chance.>>  Dowart commented.  Dylan agreed.


    ¡°What is your business with me?¡±  Teng demanded angrily.


    ¡°We have some questions.¡±  Nang approached him.  ¡°What happened to the soul of the original owner of that body?¡±


    This question cause Teng to stop struggling.  ¡°So that¡¯s it¡­¡±  Somehow he twisted and a small dagger appeared in his hand, only to have it be swatted away by a root.


    ¡°Don¡¯t bother trying to off yourself while I¡¯m around.¡±  Free warned.  ¡°At best you¡¯ll cause yourself needless pain and annoy me.¡±


    ¡°Their souls, what happens to them?¡±  Nang repeated.


    ¡°They are absorbed,¡±  Teng answered calmly.  ¡°And since only the Abyss can separate them, they are forever destined to linger within us.¡±


    Nang¡¯s face became ugly, and Dylan recalled his experience when he had been captured by her technicolored mothsilk.  ¡°I want him dead too, perhaps more than you, but we need him alive for questioning.¡±


    ¡°You think I¡¯ll reveal anything?¡±  Teng laughed.  ¡°I¡¯m not someone frightened by pain or death.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll see.¡±  Dylan turned and faced Lucy as she joined them.  ¡°We owe you a debt of gratitude¡ª¡ª¡±


    ¡°It was you!¡±  Teng cried out, his voice full of hatred and his eyes fixed on the figure hiding in Lucy¡¯s shadow.  ¡°I knew Salazar should¡¯ve kill you.¡±


    Everyone stood stunned for a second.  Then Lucy spoke up, ¡°Yes, we know you¡¯ve been working directly with Salazar Rook.  Sana here told us, although not as promptly as I would¡¯ve liked.¡±  She shot the young wolf girl angry glare.


    ¡°We will be having a serious discussion about this later.¡±  She whispered.  Sana paled.


    Turning back to Teng, she continued.  ¡°Why are you doing the bidding of that monster?¡±


    The shock of Sana¡¯s presence loosened Teng¡¯s tongue as his energy drained away.  ¡°There¡¯s little choice.  Without him, we¡¯d be locked away for all eternity.¡±


    This struck Dylan as funny.  ¡°You¡¯re his slaves then?¡±


    Teng bristled.  ¡°Not exactly.  He promised to share the process for reincarnating souls from the Hoshindai if we aid him in accomplishing his patron¡¯s desire.  Since the oath binds his words, we trust his promise.¡±


    ¡°Yet if he fails, you¡¯re left with nothing to show for your servitude.¡±  Dylan smirked.


    A pained expression crossed Teng¡¯s face.  ¡°If we don¡¯t prove ourself useful tools, next time he could leave us to rot forever.¡±


    ¡°Where is the Hoshindai?¡±  Dylan asked.


    ¡°No idea.¡±  Teng¡¯s dejected answer seemed genuine.  ¡°Salazar has been pushing to relocate it since the Dark Age began.  We resisted at first, not wanting to fall even further under his sway, but that changed after Bao¡¯s death.¡±


    Dylan winced.  ¡°So that was what put you on high alert?¡±


    Teng nodded.  ¡°She wouldn¡¯t have chosen to send herself off with shining soul if her killer hadn¡¯t figured out her true nature.¡±


    ¡°What have you been doing in Chancel?¡±  Free asked.


    Teng frowned, a look of contempt replaced the self-pity.  ¡°Don¡¯t take me for a fool.  Revealing a few generalities doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯ll answer your questions.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s been fulfilling requests for rare items.¡±  Lucy answered.  ¡°Sana witnessed him help Salazar obtain a petal of panacea.¡±


    Since Teng was reluctant to speak further, they left Nang to repackage him into a portable buddle.  Dylan once more thanked Lucy for her contributions.


    ¡°What will you do with him?¡±  Lucy asked.


    ¡°Bring him back to Sanwue for questioning and study.¡±  Dylan answered.


    Lucy¡¯s faced creased.  ¡°That might be a mistake.  The man has been in regular contact with Salazar Rook.  It may be possible to track his master through him.¡±


    This logic caused Dylan paused.  ¡°Do you really believe that¡¯d work?¡±


    Before Lucy could respond, her wristal flashed.  She excused herself to converse with her boyfriend.  The exchange didn¡¯t last long.


    ¡°Damn it!¡±  She turned to them.  ¡°Rifts are about to open in Nordric¡­¡±

 [Book II Chapter 142] SANA: I want it now

    [Book II Chapter 142] SANA:  I want it now


    ------------------------------------------------


    Leaving Teng Ling to Nang, they rushed and commandeered a high speed lift.  Since they¡¯d were starting towards the bottom of Neon¡¯s docks, it¡¯d take several minutes to reach the surface.  Once inside, everyone turned to Lucy.


    ¡°There are at least thirty fang ninjas in Nordric, perhaps more.  In ten minutes, they will begin opening rifts.¡±  She explained.


    ¡°How many claws does Kaygren have?¡±  Free complained.  ¡°He must regrow them quickly!¡±


    ¡°Wise is raising the alarm and gathering everyone he can.¡± Lucy continued.  ¡°It won¡¯t be simply the revenants this time.  Kaygren will show up, together with a number of his fellow sovereigns.¡±


    ¡°This is major invasion.¡±  Dylan stated.  ¡°Bigger than anything before.  Could It be a reprisal for the assault on Mount Gull?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s also madness.¡±  Darius added.  ¡°It won¡¯t take long for Neon¡¯s big five marshals their forces.  Not to mention that many immortals are already on their way back from Messanic.¡±


    ¡°True, Kaygren can¡¯t afford bring over enough sovereigns to win this.¡±  Lucy agreed.  ¡°The problem is how much of city will be leveled before they are repelled.  Nordric is overflowing with refugees.¡±


    The conversation paused as they considered to the possible casualties.  ¡°Can you predict where the fang ninja are?¡±  Dylan offered.  ¡°We could take some out.¡±


    Lucy shook her head.  ¡°They are employing a linked enchantment.  If one is incapacitated, the others will act immediately.¡±


    ¡°If they are going to open rifts anyway,¡±  Free countered, ¡°shouldn¡¯t we do something besides wait?¡±


    Lucy grimaced, at a loss on how to respond.  Then her eyes fell on Sana huddled in the corner of the lift, listening quietly.  ¡°Maybe there is way¡­¡±  She mumbled.  Sana had a bad premonition.


    Lucy knelt besides her.  ¡°You grabbed Panacea¡¯s pedal through an impervious shield, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±  She admitted, having learned to answer the necromancer truthfully.  ¡°Why is that important?¡±


    ¡°Fang ninjas keep their fangs in a special dimensional pouch only they can open.  That¡¯s why no one has ever been able to recover one, even in cases where their holders are apprehended.  However, you might just be able to do it.¡±


    ¡°You want me to steal the claws?¡±  Sana understood.


    ¡°Yes, I can direct you where to go.¡±  Lucy agreed.


    Sana shook her head.  ¡°I¡¯d have to get really close to have any shot of it working.  They¡¯ll notice me.¡±


    Lucy went silent.  ¡°You can speak your sublime vagary¡¯s name this time.¡±


    I thought so¡­  Margaret had told her something terrible would happen if she ever did this.  Although she¡¯d known it was probably a lie, she¡¯d gone along with the fiction, realizing, at some level, it be a disaster without the restriction.  She knew if she used it once, she wouldn¡¯t be able to control herself.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡±  Sana asked.  Margaret would be upset, but she understood this was too important to dell over.


    ¡°If you do this, I will forgive you for keeping secrets from me.¡±  Lucy said.


    Sana latched on to these words.  She¡¯d been dreading her inevitable punishment.  ¡°Alright.¡±  She agreed.


    ¡°Good.¡±  Lucy said.  ¡°I¡¯ll mark their locations in your wrystal, so get as many as you can.¡±


    Sana took off once the lift stopped and found her first target in the dark corner of a side alley.  She stalked him from two rooftops away.  I wonder if this is close enough?


    ¡°I want it now.¡±  She whispered.  Immediately, a sharp-tipped object appeared in her hand.  The claw was transparent and glowed softly.  It felt like a fragile copy of the original.  She popped it into her dimensional pouch and headed to the next mark on the map.


    Her collection efforts proceeded smoothly and soon she¡¯d committed seven more thefts.  It was taking no time at all.  Without pausing, she snatched her eight prize from a cloaked figure by a fountain.  However, her confidence faltered upon reaching the ninth victim.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    A large masked man stood atop the chapel of a church of Idia, not bothering to hide.  Her instinct told her he was different and threatening.  She froze when he gazed at her.


    Her terror gradually receded as nothing happened.  Right, he won¡¯t start anything in the middle of a major city.  Plus, I haven¡¯t done anything to upset him.  She retreated a city block away until she no longer sensed his gaze.  Turning, she contemplated briefly.  I might as well¡­


    ¡°I want it now.¡±  She muttered as softly as she could.  When she sensed the claw in her palm, she dashed off only to have a horrible premonition grip her.


    Before she tracked down the next shinobi.  Lightning strikes shot up all over the city.  No sooner had the thunder faded, a deafening roar rang out.    Kaygren stood near a rift, sending out destructive arcs of electricity.  I must rejoin the others.  She¡¯d done her job as best she could, but such a foe was beyond her.


    She was backtracking when her foresight flared in warning, and she barely dodged the shadow which descended on her.  What¡­?  It was the large ninja from earlier.  He pounced again at an incredible speed, snatching her wrist.  He¡¯s an immortal!


    Fortunately, Sana had lifetime experience of escaping dangerous situation.  Darkness flowed over her arm, and slipped out of the iron grip.  Her pursuer leaped after her and reached out again.  Yet every time, she twisted away from his clutches.


    With a grunt of frustration, the shinobi threw out a dozen shirukens.  Sana desperately deflected and evaded.  He¡¯s only aiming for my head and feet¡­  He must be afraid of damaging the claws!  This caution might help her survive briefly, but she doubted she could get away.


    Where could she find help?  Sana backpedaled desperately under the brutal assault.  Then her heart sank when the fang ninja made a series of hand signals.  There would be no way she could deal with this¡­  She closed her eyes as a thick wall of blades flew towards her.


    After a second or two wondering why she wasn¡¯t dead, she risked a glance.  Three figures in black were facing off against the fang immortal.  In the background, a massive battle raged across a city.


    ¡°These are ours.¡±  One of the newcomers, a male voice, stated.  ¡°You stand no chance of recovering them.¡±  Faced with the truth in these words, the shinobi clenched his fists in frustration and retreated.


    ¡°Thank you for saving me¡­¡±  Sana said apprehensively as the necromancers turned to face her.  ¡°I¡¯d like to go now.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±  Said a woman with a tone of false sweetness.  ¡°Just hand over that dimensional pouch first.¡±  The swirling colors in her eyes alerted Sana she was in serious trouble.


    ¡°Don¡¯t come close, or I¡¯ll crush them.¡±  Sana held the pouch


    This angered the woman.  ¡°Don¡¯t you want to walk away from here alive?¡±


    ¡°Enough Eva.¡±  Said the last cloaked figure, a woman who gave the impression she could see right through her.  ¡°Aldric¡¯s approach will yield a better outcome.¡±


    The man sighed and pointed.  ¡°Do you see that a large gray building?¡±  Sana glanced over to see the structure in question shatter in a blinding explosion.


    She glared at the man.  ¡°You did that?¡±


    ¡°All morning I have been wandering Nordric, subtly carving my runes into the wall without drawing attention.  I managed to cover ten city blocks, an amount I¡¯m quite pleased with.¡±


    ¡°That little display drew attention.¡±  The normal-eyed woman sneered.  ¡°We don¡¯t have much time.¡±


    This made Sana realized that, with all the chaos elsewhere, their immediate surroundings were strangely peaceful.  No demonic beast appeared interested in approaching.  They must be doing this.


    ¡°Give us one of them.¡±  The man said grimly.  ¡°Or watch a hundred thousand die before your eyes.¡±  Sana tensed, her mind racing.  ¡°Hurry up and decide.¡±


    This was too much responsibility.  She hate it.  Sana grimaced.  ¡°If¡­  If I do¡­  You¡¯ll¡ª¡ª¡±


    ¡°Dispel all my magic and leave without harming anyone.¡±  The man finished.  ¡°So what will it be?¡±


    With a trebling hand, Sana brought out a claw and tossed it.  The necromancer caught it with a smiling face.


    ¡°Sana, what did you do¡­¡±  Lucy said sadly, landing on the rooftop.  Dylan, Darius, and Free were behind her.


    A second later, another group arrived.  Sana recognized one of them as Lucy¡¯s boyfriend, Wise.  ¡°We were too late.¡±  He said softly.


    ¡°Indeed.¡±  The necromancer cradling the claw said triumphantly.  ¡°You have know idea how long we¡¯ve been trying to get our hands on one of these.¡±


    ¡°What about your promise?¡±  Sana shouted, her stomach in knots.


    ¡°Oh, that?¡±  The necromancer put the claw away and snapped his fingers.  A hundred buildings flashed blue, releasing a wave of glowing embers into air.  Despite the brightness, there was no sign of destruction.


    ¡°Eva, let¡¯s go.¡±  He added.  His companion tore reality apart, creating a doorway which shone with a mixture of colors.  They stepped through.


    One of Wise¡¯s companions, a man covered in patchwork leather, sprinted to the closing portal and grabbed its edges.  ¡°This is chaos magic.  I can force it open again.¡±  He yelled.  In a few seconds, the doorway was back to its original size.  ¡°Do we follow?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no ambush on the other side.¡±  Wise stated.  ¡°Eva Fox¡¯s magic is imprecise, and that only leads near their destination.  However¡­¡±


    ¡°We only have one immortal with us: Roxanne.¡±  Said the girl in black next to Wise.  ¡°And those were three former Mask of Xarst.¡±  She¡¯s Rose, and the one next to her is Dawn.  They were also in the picture Lucy showed me.


    ¡°We head through.¡±  Free declared, glancing at Dylan.  ¡°Trust me.¡±  Before anyone could object, she jumped into the whirling colors.  Darius immediately followed her.


    ¡°Damn it!¡±  Dylan swore joining them.  The others did too.  Soon it was only Lucy and Sana on the roof.


    ¡°Did I mess up?¡±  Sana asked timidly.


    Lucy shook her head.  ¡°You did what you could given the circumstances.  Now please escort me somewhere safe, demonic beasts are coming.¡±

 [Book II Chapter 143] SARAH: A Brewing Tempest

    [Book II Chapter 143] SARAH:  A Brewing Tempest


    ------------------------------------------------


    Sarah sank in her bath, enjoying a sense of peace she hadn¡¯t experienced in a long time.  The luxury of a high-end hotel was an amenity she¡¯d sorely missed.


    The convoy had reached Waceria safely, and Garreth Black had returned after the summoning pit¡¯s destruction.  Her role as interim leader of Tulven was almost over, as well as the responsibilities it entailed.  There was little chance of Sekken harassing them again, and, even if he did, she now had the power to thwart him.


    She sighed, holding her hand before her face, and reflected.  While her eyes saw nothing, she sensed its outline.  Shapes were easy.  They had weight, a physical presence in the world which affected fate.  More intangible qualities, like color, were difficult, requiring a herculean effort.  Mirrors are useless now¡­


    Her tranquility was disturbed by a presence in the bathroom.  It was so faint, flickering in and out of her perception, that she doubted herself at first.  Orion¡¯s ghost?


    The spirit hadn¡¯t made an appearance since her sight was lost.  She¡¯d believed his visits were over, convinced he was too ephemeral to catch her attention.  Didn¡¯t he already accomplish his purpose?  What more does he want?


    ¡°Get out!¡±  She commanded curly.


    Once alone again, she got out of the water and covered herself.  Channeling sharply, she guided the power to her scalp and destined her hair to be dry.  Waiting for the moisture to dissipate, her irritation gradually turned to apprehension.  Was that kindly old man really one to peep?  And, even if he wanted to, why make himself known?  With the way her vision worked, it must has taken a tremendous feat of will to do so.  If it wasn¡¯t for the serenity of her surroundings, she would¡¯ve never noticed.


    Sarah got dressed and picked up Miracle Worker.  It had been a few hours since she¡¯d checked the situation around Neon, and her view was much improved.  Her blind eyes widened.  A veritable battle was raging in Nordric, precipitated by an invasion from Mount Gull.  The strands of fate had weaved themselves into a storm.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    Recovering from her shook, she considered.  While the fighting would be over shortly, the important part was what came after.  She had a role to play guiding destiny on the correct path.


    She left her room and crossed the hall to Varon¡¯s temporary quarters.  The man was at a desk poring over reports covering the logistics for the next stretch of their journey.  She cracked a smile.  Since it¡¯s become a chore to read, I have the perfect excuse to delegate tedious work.


    ¡°I need you to gather some people for me.¡±  She announced.


    ¡°Who?¡±  The man dutifully asked, despite his fatigue.  She listed the individuals in question.


    ¡°Once I¡¯ve spoken with everyone, we¡¯ll depart on your airship.  Please have it waiting outside and clear out whatever you need.¡±


    Varon grimaced at the request.  ¡°This is important?¡±


    ¡°The lives of millions are at stake.¡±  Sarah answered.  ¡°I¡¯ll be leaving the convoy in your care.¡±


    She sensed his expression changed from incredulous to grim.  He nodded.


    Sarah retreat to her room, and, not long after, Garreth Black arrived.  ¡°You sent for me?¡±  He asked.


    ¡°We¡¯re traveling to the twin cities.¡±  She responded.  ¡°Your strength will be needed there.¡±


    The necromancer frowned.  ¡°I just stopped by the Adventurer¡¯s Guild.  They assured me the situation in Nordric was under control.¡±


    ¡°Not for long.¡±  Sarah turned to watch Soul Skyfell¡¯s five-man party walked in, followed by Jayden and his team of ninjas.  Clay Donnaster and Hope Skyfell entered last.  Everyone is here.


    ¡°Thank you for coming on such short notice.¡±  Sarah announced.  ¡°I have commandeered Varon¡¯s airship for a trip to Neon.  I urgently entreat that you all join me.¡±


    ¡°Won¡¯t this leave the convoy ill defended?¡±  Jayden objected.


    Sarah shook her head.  ¡°The Area west of Waceria is mostly free of Mount Gull¡¯s influence.  After his setbacks, Sekken doesn¡¯t have the stomach to be aggressive in unfavorable terrain.  The same goes for the lesser revenants.  One of their number perished permanently in Nordric.  Leucothea and the others will be enough.¡±


    ¡°What threats will we be facing?¡±  Soul asked.


    ¡°There are two: one that is unavoidable and one that may yet be prevented.¡±  Sarah answered.  ¡°Our role is to deal with the second one.¡±


    ¡°And what is that second threat?¡±  Soul pressed.


    Here Sarah¡¯s confidence faltered.  ¡°That remains unclear.  I am not the one fated to uncover its nature.  That honor belongs to the young woman named Filia.¡±


    ¡°Me?¡±  Filia exclaimed as everyone turned to her.  ¡°What¡­?¡±


    ¡°The laughing man was involved in the attack on Nordric.¡±  Sarah continued.  ¡°He stole something.  Does this mean anything to you?¡±


    Filia¡¯s shock was plain.  ¡°He got the sukemon card he was after?¡±


    ¡°And if so, what will he do with it?¡±  Sarah asked, her curiosity genuine.  She was frustrating to no end with her ignorance of the looming danger.


    ¡°Without knowing which one it is, it¡¯s hard to determine¡­¡±  Filia apologized.


    Sarah sighed.  ¡°Then let¡¯s depart immediately.¡±

 [Book II Chapter 144] ROSE: A Dark Ritual

    [Book II Chapter 144] ROSE:  A Dark Ritual


    ------------------------------------------------


    ¡°Where is this place?¡±  Dylan asked.


    The portal closed, stranding them in a dark place surrounded by a thick mist.  The glow of purple leaves provided the only light.


    ¡°Somewhere in the Undermist.¡±  Dawn answered.  ¡°No idea where.¡±


    This was madness.  What can we accomplish even if we catch up?  Rose had acted on the spur of moment, and now regret was setting in.  They stood no chance against three former masks of Xarst.  Why didn¡¯t Wise stop us?


    She turned to her brother.  ¡°What do we do next?¡±  She pressed.  Sadly, there was no response.


    She frowned.  ¡°Wise?¡±  Noticing the look of agony on his face, she grabbed him.  ¡°What is wrong?¡±


    ¡°The people are about to be massacred.¡±  Wise said miserably.  ¡°Those stationed in the Nolfis Base Fortress and those collecting dark crystals.¡±


    ¡°You want us to go save them?¡±  Rose guessed.


    However, Wise shook his head.  ¡°If we all go, it won¡¯t work.  Someone needs to find Adam Bishop at Thornbridge Manor and make him speak.  Delay what is about to happen.  There won¡¯t be enough time otherwise.¡±


    ¡°Is that a suicide mission?¡±  Rose asked grimly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±  Wise gesture around them.  ¡°Finding anything in this fog is hard even for me.  It suppresses my effectiveness.¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter.¡±  Roxanne chimed in.  ¡°I am confident in buying you the opportunity to escape if necessary.¡±


    ¡°Great.¡±  Free stated.  ¡°Then I¡¯ll go.  Which way?¡±  She headed out with Roxanne in the direction Wise indicated.


    Does she have a deathwish too?  Rose wanted to give them both a piece of her mind, but Free¡¯s teammate, a man in his early twenties, spoke up first.


    ¡°Do even know what danger you¡¯re walking into?¡±  He called out.  ¡°Why are you so determined to throw your lives away?¡±


    Before he could say more, a giant in dressed in black passed him by silently, following Free silently.  ¡°Darius¡­?¡±  He whispered.  Then, swearing under his breath, he joined them.  Rose watched shocked.


    ¡°Dawn come with me.  I need your help to warn the workers.¡±  Wise said.  ¡°The rest of you, when you catch up with others, remember that ¡®they¡¯ will lose interest if you flee far enough.¡±


    Rose found herself alone with Carol and Zentrias in the inverted woods.  The man sighed heavily.  ¡°When confronting the unknown, the bold are rewarded.  Let¡¯s uncover what the villains are plotting.¡±


    If it was just me, I could share this conviction, Rose thought bitterly.  However, my mentor is a heroic sacrifice waiting to happen.


    ¡°Strange,¡±  Zentrias said as they moved.  ¡°Visibility is improving.¡±


    It is, Rose concurred.  The white was thinning.  By the time they¡¯d caught up, it was gone entirely.


    Free waved them over. ¡°Look.¡±  She whispered.


    They were at the edge of the forest, atop a small hill.  Across the fields below, thousands of werewolves sat at attention, unmoving.  Rose could feel the heat from their burning pelts even at this distance.  That¡¯s the reason the fog lifted¡­  The beasts were spread in a giant circle, facing the stone walls of a large garden.  A majestic building stood at the center.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    ¡°Despite my extended visit, I never realized Thornbridge Manor¡¯s exterior was so exquisite.¡±  Carol shook her head.  ¡°What a waste.¡±


    Rose was more focus on the shining lines of the massive magic circle which surrounded the building.  Even more concerning was the complex patterns of the second circle assembled outside its front entrance.  There, three black-robed figures hovered besides one of their companions who sat cross-legged channeling enough energy to warp the air around them.


    ¡°That¡¯s Aldric Moonkin.¡±  Roxanne commented.  ¡°The Melder of Horrors is a supreme enchanter, capable of manipulating even high sorcery.  It won¡¯t be long before he finishes corrupting Kaygren¡¯s claw to his purpose.¡±


    There¡¯s no way to stop this.  ¡°Maybe we should retreat before drawing their attention?¡±  Rose asked anxiously.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t Wise send us to speak with them?¡±  Free replied.  ¡°Although I am a little nervous about stepping out¡­¡±


    ¡°Then allow me.¡±  Roxanne smirked, striding out fearlessly.  With a deep breath, She yelled in a booming voice.   ¡°Adam Bishop!  What are you scheming?¡±


    Oh, damn¡­  The werewolves sprang to their feet, snarling.  Strangely though, they didn¡¯t attack.  Meanwhile, the three standing robed figures conferred briefly before jumping to the garden¡¯s outer wall.  Rose recognized the two women they¡¯d chased through the portal but not the man with them.  Must be Adam Bishop.


    ¡°Roxanne Sibil¡­¡±  Adam shouted back.  ¡°We fought millennia ago.  I¡¯d believed you¡¯d perished.¡±  He gestured.  ¡°And I see you brought friends.  Tell them to come out, there¡¯s no point in hiding.¡±


    Everyone left the trees, and the two groups faced off across the growling werewolves.


    ¡°We weren¡¯t expecting company.¡±  Adam continued.  ¡°I ask that you wait patiently until we¡¯re ready for the show.¡±


    ¡°They must have followed through my portal.¡±  Eva Fox hissed.  ¡°Why didn¡¯t you warn us, Hestia?¡±


    ¡°Because I was hoping they wouldn¡¯t interfere.¡±  Hestia sighed.  ¡°I knew Adam wouldn¡¯t let us deal with them.¡±


    ¡°Can you blame me?¡±  Adam laughed.  ¡°This will be my crowning achievement, so it is pleasing to have an audience.¡±


    Aldric suddenly appeared besides them, handing Adam a claw which glowed a blackish purple.  ¡°It is done.  All you need to do is stab this in the circle¡¯s center.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±  Adam held his prize with a triumphant grin.


    ¡°What will do with that?¡±  Roxanne asked.


    ¡°Summon the Moonlit Lands¡¯ most ancient primal.¡±  Adam grinned.


    ¡°How?¡±  Carol spoke out.  ¡°The Knightmare King is something more akin to an ideal than a conscious entity.  He embodies that figure which inspires absolute terror above all others.  Taking a physical form robs him of his mystery, undermining the principles that power him.  His ability to incarnate is severely limited.¡±


    Adam studied her for a moment.  ¡°You are fearmancer¡­  I have a soft spot for those with the resolve to tread the same path as me.  This sentimentalism may yet prove your salvation.¡±


    ¡°As for your question, you are correct.  No mere summoning could unleash the Nightmare King¡¯s full splendor.¡±  He continued.  ¡°That¡¯s why I will fuse with him.  My body and soul will serve as an anchor granting him a lasting presence.¡±


    ¡°No mortal can handle a supreme primal.¡±  Carol objected.  ¡°You¡¯ll be consumed!¡±


    ¡°And until the last me vanishes, the nightmare king will have free reign.¡±  Adam agreed.  ¡°I can think no end more satisfying than dying for this higher purpose.¡±


    He¡¯s willing to sacrifice everything in Torak¡¯s name.  That makes him more a zealot than a disciple.  Rose grimaced.


    ¡°Are you about done?¡±  Aldric demanded.  ¡°Every second you delay, you put everything in jeopardy.¡±


    ¡°Control your impatience.¡±  Adam snapped back.  ¡°Hestia will warn of us of additional interlopers.¡±


    Recalling Wise and Dawn ongoing rescue efforts, Rose spoke up.  ¡°What about the werewolves?  What purpose do they serve?¡±  We must buy time.


    ¡°Ah right, those¡­  I suppose it¡¯s time.¡±  Adam raised two fingers and made flicking gesture.


    The werewolves sprung forwards and dashed over the garden wall.  Converging on the elaborate magic circle, they crossed its threshold and self-immolated one after another in a blinding blaze.  Once they were done, the mystical formation pulsed a vibrant purple, black lightning crackling over its lines.


    ¡°So that¡¯s why you were helping spread Kaine¡¯s curse!¡±  Rose understood.  ¡°From the beginning, you intended to use them as sacrifices.¡±


    ¡°And thanks to your brother, this proved a challenging endeavor which necessitated my personal attention.¡±  Hestia raged.  ¡°Where is he by the way?  For him, I¡¯d make an exception and hunt him down, no matter what Adam says.¡±  The Dark Oracle then hesitated, turning to Adam.  ¡°If he also followed through the portal¡­  After the trick his sister Hope pulled on us, I¡¯m not certain my foresight can anticipate him.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±  Adam sighed.  ¡°Eva portal everyone far from here.¡±


    ¡°Surely we can watch from a distance?¡±  Eva objected.  ¡°Although you will have no direct control, your beliefs should still influence the Nightmare King.¡±


    ¡°This is precisely why.¡±  Adam shook his head.  ¡°Part of me has always resented the lack of caution you¡¯ve displayed towards him.  He¡¯ll react to this and teach respect to all foolish enough not to fear him.¡±

 [Book II Chapter 145] DYLAN: The Manifestation Of Horror

    [Book II Chapter 145] DYLAN:  The Manifestation Of Horror


    ------------------------------------------------


    Torak¡¯s other disciples disappeared into one of Eva Fox¡¯s portal, leaving only Adam Bishop.  We should withdraw too.


    Dylan had only followed Free because of Roxanne.  With the necromancer intending to buy time, he was fairly confident they could escape.  Still, there was no point in pushing their luck.


    ¡°Don¡¯t run.¡±  Adam warned.  Hundreds of deformed monstrosities materialized where the werewolves had waited.  He could feel multiple immortal level-threats within their numbers.  Crimson fire flared from Roxanne¡¯s staff, and Dylan braced himself for battle.


    ¡°Honor my last request and bear witness to my transformation.¡±  Adam continued.  ¡°Do so and my lingering gratitude will protect you.¡±


    He¡¯s not leaving us much of a choice, Dylan grimaced.  He had no doubt that the horde of nightmares would pursue them if they attempted to retreat.


    ¡°What about Jonathan Bark?¡±  Rose called out.  ¡°Can he not fulfill that role?¡±


    ¡°Jonathan?¡±  Adam glanced back towards Thornbridge Manor.  ¡°Sadly, he won¡¯t be around by that point.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±  Zentrias shouted with a hint of alarm.


    Adam grinned, ¡°Just watch.¡±  He jumped back and landed in the center of the powered-up magic circle.  Kaygren¡¯s corrupted claw was raised high above his head.


    ¡°Carefully remember everything that happens.¡±  Roxanne said softly.  ¡°It may be key to reversing this calamity.¡±


    ¡°And be ready to run.¡±  She added.  ¡°Even if the Nightmare King isn¡¯t hostile, those who follow him surely will be.¡±


    Kaygren¡¯s claw slammed down, and reality shuttered.  The ground under Thornbridge Manor collapsed.  It was as if a sink hole had just opened, with the garden¡¯s edges warped downward.


    Adam¡¯s figure disappeared, and for a moment there was stillness.  Then a wisp of smoke shot up from the bottomless darkness, thickening into a rounded shape.  The outer edge separated into two enormous wings, revealing an indistinct knight in jet black armor.  Red eyes opened on every feather, their glare inspiring primal terror which froze Dylan stiff.  The world came to a halt as the incomprehensible being observed them.Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    Inhuman shrieks rang out from the newly formed pit, and a wave of burning air assaulted them.  Roxanne, staff smoldering, gestured, ¡°We retreat.¡±


    Diving into the wall of fog, Dylan glanced back to see the nightmarish entity glide off in another direction.  His relief from this was marred by the horrific creatures pouring out from below.


    They accelerated, focusing on Roxanne¡¯s flaming staff to stay together.  The ground rumbled under them, the intensity constantly increasing.  Soon thundering footsteps drowned out the other noise.  They weren¡¯t getting away.


    Roxanne pivoted and planted her staff, sending off a wave of fire.  The mist was instantly forced back, creating an island of clarity.  ¡°This is where I make my stand.¡±  She declared.  ¡°Keep going.¡±


    Their pursuer came into view.  The humanoid figure was massive, easily the size of large building.  Over its disheveled pelt it wore chainmail armor made of large and small bones.  It smiled, revealing rows of misaligned sharp teeth.  A horde of deformed creatures, smaller versions of the giant, joined on either side.


    ¡°That¡¯s Gorday, the Bone Hoarder, one of the six troll king.¡±  Carol cried in alarm.  Roxanne didn¡¯t respond.


    <<She won¡¯t be able to stall that for long.>>  Dowart shook his head.


    At least she will be able to.  If it had been that other thing¡­  The terror which had gripped him earlier had yet to fade.


    ¡°Come on.¡±  Rose yelled, bitting her lip.   As she dashed away, a figure rushed in the other direction.  Free?!  Shock and disappointment halted Dylan¡¯s stride.


    The insane girl stopped in front of Roxanne.  ¡°What are you doing?¡±  The necromancer shrieked.


    ¡°Preventing a needless death.¡±  Free answered, calmly facing the mass of deformed flesh charging at them.


    Off-balance, Roxanne grimaced and jumped back, preparing her staff.  Dylan watch in slow motion as the troll king¡¯s giant fist barreled down on the lone girl standing before it.  His eyes opened wide when the punch hit the ground¡­  Just to the right of Free.  A now severed arm stood upright, like a hideous pillar.


    Goriday howled in pain, gripping the gaping cut on his shoulder.  His underlings slowed, their mad glee turning to uncertainty.


    ¡°Invisible Scythes.¡±  Said a deep voice from nowhere.  The troll army exploded into a wild splattering of blood and body parts.  It was as hundreds of unseen blades were appearing, one after another, and slicing them to bits.  Everyone paused their escape in bewilderment.


    ¡°Thank god I was right.¡±  Free sighed.  She grabbed the stunned Roxanne and dragged her towards them.  ¡°Keep going.  Don¡¯t waste this opportunity Darius is giving us.¡±


    Dylan gasped.  ¡°Him?¡±  He¡¯d harbored suspicions that his companion was an immortal, but¡­


    ¡°That¡¯s a paragon¡­¡±  Roxanne mumbled.


    <<Not just any paragon.>>  Dowart added.  <<An expert in stealth who masks his presence to the extent he can be mistaken for a saint.  Even in all of Sanwue, there are few, if any, capable of such a feat.>>


    ¡°Follow me.¡±  Zentrias pushed ahead of them.  ¡°There is a good place to hole up on this side of the Undermist.¡±

 [Book II Chapter 146] FREE: Darius’s Identity

    [Book II Chapter 146] FREE:  Darius¡¯s Identity


    ------------------------------------------------


    ¡°We found this fortress a few weeks ago.¡±  Carol explained.  ¡°It should make a good place to hole up.¡±


    They walked through the broken remnants of a small town and gazed at the fortifications ahead.  They were carved directly into the bedrock and towered high above along the cliff.  The architecture was a jumble of pointed arches, isolated turrets, and steeply pitched roofs.  Deformed gargoyles guarded the ramparts.


    ¡°Not too welcoming.¡±  Free observed.


    ¡°It was built with a spooky aesthetic to match the Undermist.¡±  Zentrias replied.  ¡°There¡¯s nothing dangerous inside.¡±


    Roxanne ignited the bulky iron braziers scattered across the interior, and they gathered in a grand dinning hall.  This led to a terrace balcony that would provide a vantage point to spot incoming threats.  At least as much as that was possible with the fog.


    ¡°We witnessed the birth of a cataclysm¡­¡±  Rose said absently, turning to Roxanne.  ¡°How bad will it be?¡±


    The necromancer pursed her lips, reflecting.  ¡°That Nightmare King has power comparable to an avatar of a dark god.  Most paragons would struggle against him alone.  If a majority of the moonlit sovereigns rally to him, this represents a threat approaching the undead armies we¡¯ll encounter later.¡±


    ¡°There are two bright spots.  First, excepting those from the Barsal Empire, most of the immortals that participated in the Mount Gull operation are still in the region.  This should prevent Neon from being immediately overrun.¡±


    ¡°Second, the Nightmare King¡¯s time is limited.  Whether it be a couple of days or a couple of weeks, his tether to Enera will eventually fade.¡±


    ¡°Is that really a positive?¡±  Free countered.  ¡°Tens of millions will die before then.  And it won¡¯t only be the ones those the monsters kill.  Kaygren, the Grey Kingdom, Torak¡¯s disciples¡­  They¡¯ll all run rampant with the Adventurer¡¯s Guild distracted.¡±


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t the goal be to slay the Nightmare King immediately?¡±  She pressed.


    ¡°That might not be possible.¡±  A new voice interrupted.  Darius walked in silently from the terrace.  ¡°Not mentioning his raw strength, it also depends on the magics sustaining him.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±  Free demanded.


    ¡°You saw that passageway leading to the Moonlit Lands.¡±  Darius answered.  ¡°Normal ruptures don¡¯t look like that.  I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if it¡¯s somehow empowering him.  Adam wouldn¡¯t have mentioned that detail.  If true, he might be unkillable.¡±


    ¡°Before anything else.¡±  Dylan cut in.  ¡°I believe we¡¯re owed some answers.  Free, who is Darius really?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡±  Free shook her head.  ¡°All I know is that he was sent to protect me.¡±


    ¡°Why would a paragon guard a saint?¡±  Dylan pursued.


    Free sighed.  She¡¯d found her companion¡¯s blissful unawareness of her background to be a breath of fresh air, but, of course, it couldn¡¯t last.  I learned his past, he should learn mine.  ¡°I am the doppelganger of Sola Alore, the villain who raised the dead and caused the last Dark Age.  There are those who hope to exploit my nature as her perfect copy.¡±


    She faced Darius.  ¡°Did Debra Sunder hire you?¡±


    Slowly, the masked man inclined his head.  ¡°And what¡¯s your real identity.¡±This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Here, Darius balked, remaining impassive.


    ¡°My guess is he¡¯s an assassin.¡±  Roxanne chimed.  ¡°Those from that guild are experts at suppressing their presence.  Darius is likely one of their eldest.¡±


    Free frowned.  ¡°But he is acting as a bodyguard.  That doesn¡¯t make sense.¡±


    ¡°Normally, the guild pledges the lives of its members as collateral to accepting its contracts.¡±  Darius explained.  ¡°However, there are few, if any, clients with sufficient wealth to engage one of our immortals.  As such, we often accept missions which do not necessitate killing.¡±


    ¡°Wait, so Roxanne¡¯s right?¡±  Rose jumped in.  ¡°Darius is a paragon from the Assassin¡¯s Guild?¡±


    ¡°It appears so.¡±  Free confirmed.


    ¡°Why would Debra Sunder go to such lengths?¡±  Rose continued.  ¡°You aren¡¯t even a necromancer!¡±


    ¡°Because I am a key that can unlock all of Sola¡¯s secrets.¡±  Free answered.  ¡°Earth¡¯s End will need to be opened before the Dark Age ends.  She¡¯s counting on my cooperation at that time.¡±


    Rose grimaced.  ¡°I can¡¯t believe that woman is pursuing her selfish wish even when the fate of the world is at risk.¡±


    ¡°Actually¡­¡±  Free countered.  ¡°It makes perfect sense.  The lost knowledge of resurrection cannot lead to a Dark Age if one has already begun.  Right now, the taboo holds no weight.¡±


    Perhaps some good can come of Debra¡¯s obsession with her dead husband.  She faced to Darius.  ¡°Thank you for saving us.  I request that you travel to Neon and defend the city with your fearsome strength.¡±


    The paragon crossed his arms.  ¡°Why would I leave when you¡¯re clearly in danger?¡±


    Free smiled.  ¡°If all that concerned you was keeping me alive, why did you pretend to be my companion?  You could have kidnapped me and whisked me away somewhere safe at any time.¡±


    ¡°No, your true mission is to win my favor and to put me in Debra¡¯s debt.¡±  She concluded.  ¡°Protecting me is just a means to this end.¡±


    ¡°Even if your theory holds true, it doesn¡¯t justify abandoning you here.¡±


    ¡°What if, in exchange, I agree to help Debra uncover the secrets at Earth¡¯s End?¡±  Free asked.


    Darius¡¯s eyes narrowed.  ¡°Your promise doesn¡¯t have any value if you get yourself killed.¡±


    Free gesture around them.  ¡°In this place, with Roxanne protecting me, I am relatively safe.  Can you really afford to pass up this opportunity?¡±


    The assassin fell silent.  Eventually, his demeanor relaxed.  ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll take your gamble.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re going to Neon,¡±  Zentrias jumped in, ¡°may I accompany you?¡±


    Darius studied the younger man.  ¡°There is a passage up to the Evermist in this fortress.  I¡¯ll guide you to the top, then you¡¯re on your own.¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t.¡±  Carol grabbed Zentrias shoulder.  ¡°Crossing an army of monsters is too dangerous.¡±


    ¡°I have too.¡±  The man gently shook off the hand.  ¡°I¡¯m worried about the children at Edelweiss¡­  and about Yuria.  She¡¯d fight to the death before she¡¯d let them be harmed.  Are you not coming?¡±  There was surprise in his voice.


    ¡°The medallion I got from Jonathan Bark prevents monsters in the Moonlit Lands from sensing me across the veil.  It has no affect on those already on Enera.¡±  Carol admitted.  ¡°If I go, stealth will be impossible.¡±


    Zentrias nodded, turning to where Darius stood patiently.  The two departed in silence.  With another paragon, hopefully Neon will weather the onslaught.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you decided to remain, Carol.¡±  Roxanne said.  ¡°I have a favor to ask.  Could you have your familiars search the Moonlit Lands for Thornbridge Manor?¡±


    ¡°I can¡­¡±  Carol replied slowly.  ¡°but what are you planning?¡±


    ¡°I will have you open a portal so I can burn it to the ground.¡±  Roxanne revealed calmly.  ¡°Thereby destroying the keystone sustaining the rupture and ending the threat of the Nightmare King.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s stupid!¡±  Rose cried out.  ¡°Jonathan Bark won¡¯t simply let his home be demolished.  It will be well defended!¡±


    ¡°I concur.¡±  Carol said.  ¡°One of Janathan¡¯s servants is Alucard, the Lord of Vampires.  You aren¡¯t his match.¡±


    ¡°Normally, I wouldn¡¯t be,¡±  Roxanne agreed.  ¡°But this time, who knows?  I sense I¡¯ve finally found it.  What I¡¯ve been searching for since leaving the Black Citadel¡­¡±  Her eyes gazed to some far off place.


    ¡°In any case,¡±  She continued, focusing.  ¡°Let¡¯s leave the final decision until after the manor is located.¡±


    Carol began cultivating in a corner of the hall, channeling to converse with her underlings on the other side of the veil.  Her efforts would no doubt take quite a while, and Free felt relief at this realization.  Even if he might¡¯ve been useful later, I couldn¡¯t have Darius sit around idly with the lives of millions hanging in the balance.  I was right to send him away.


    ¡°If you go, I will go too.¡±  Rose said abruptly, staring at Roxanne.  ¡°Take that into consideration.¡±


    ¡°Me too.¡±  Free added.  ¡°Count me in for the expedition.¡±    Listening to the earlier conversation, a mad little idea had popped into her head.  Although it was the longest of shots, perhaps victory was possible via an alternative means.  She was dying to put her theory to the test.


    ¡°Free, we need to talk¡­¡±  Her excitement disappeared once she saw  Dylan¡¯s expression.  There¡¯s no way I can ask him to accompany me this time.


    ¡°Alright¡­¡±  She replied, bracing herself for a long conversation.

 [Book II Chapter 147] REAGAN: Nightmares

    [Book II Chapter 147] REAGAN:  Nightmares


    ------------------------------------------------


    The shadows slithered together and shot into the sky.  They coalesced into a grim figure who lifted his hand and fired a cannon ball of darkness towards Yuria Raven.  Reagan intervened, jumping in its path and solidifying his aura into an impenetrable armor.


    The impact send him crashing through a building, knocking him momentarily senseless.  When he pulled himself out of the rubble, a spiral of orange and black was weaving erratically across the battlefield.  Suddenly, Kara went flying out of it, smashing into the ground.  The Nightmare King brandied its great sword triumphantly, spreading its wings.  He¡¯s too much even for her to handle alone.


    The supreme primal was every bit the monster he was reported to be,  capable of shifting between three forms:  armored black knight, a feral brawler covered in darkness, and cloaked mage wielding fearsome magics.  Worse, he¡¯d periodically separate into two of these forms and fight simultaneously.


    Reagan leap onto the nearest building, and a gust of snow assaulted him.  They were fighting in the slums outside Neon, on the Evermist¡¯s edge.  Astra Skyfell had frozen a wide area into an ice sheet.  Now the fog pushing towards them was transformed into tiny flakes of ice, coating everything in a layer of white.


    Reagan grimaced.  Despite the chill, he could smell it in the air, the stench of blood.  Although a warning had been issued, not everyone had made it out in time.  This is a miserable place to make a stand.  Even though Neon boasted first rate wards, they couldn¡¯t make use them.  A constant flow of refugees had created a vast populated region outside the city proper, and it was over the makeshifts structures along its border that a row of shielders hovered.


    Arland¡¯s fleet was doing its best to shoot down bat-winged creatures in the sky, while security forces and adventurers held back at the ground-bound moonlit denizens.  Despite these efforts, some were getting through whenever the Nightmare Kings tore a hole in their overstretched defenses.  Spider-like monsters were also burying underground to reach their prey.


    Reagan shook his head at the legions of deformed figures emerging from the mist.  Sorry, but we have our hands full with their leader.  He leaped and delivered a tremendous blow to the Nightmare King, pushing him back.


    Shouts rang out below, and he risked a glance to see the macabre army assaulting them being decimated.  On one side, the heroic spirits of Garreth Black were sweeping the battlefield, laying waste to everything in their path.  On the other, some unseen whirlwind of death was sending body parts flying in all directions.


    The Nightmare King hung back, taking stalk of these developments.  He then shot back as a series of blinding white explosion chased after him.  Stopping to glare with hate towards the gunman responsible for the attack, he dove back into the fog from which he¡¯d emerged.


    Immediately the area around them brightened.  The moonlit denizens, basking in the unsuppressed light from the bloom above, shrieked in pain and confusion before fleeing wildly.  It¡¯s over for now.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Reagan joined the other immortals on the highest building in the slums.  Astra stood at the center to address them.  ¡°I¡¯d like to express my gratitude to all those who rushed to Neon¡¯s defense, especially the last three arrivals.¡±


    She nodded her head.  ¡°Garreth Black, Clay Donnaster¡­  Good to see you both.¡±  She then turned to a tall masked man in their midst.  ¡°I don¡¯t believe I¡¯ve made your acquaintance, which is somewhat odd¡­¡±


    ¡°The name is Darius.¡±  The man replied.  ¡°I was with your daughter Free when Adam Bishop sacrificed himself to summon the Nightmare King.¡±


    Astra¡¯s eyes narrowed.  ¡°Please recount what you witnessed.¡±


    They listened to a brief summary of the events in the Undermist.  ¡°This is far from over.¡±  Darius finished.  ¡°What we faced this time were only the monsters which could easily climb or fly up the well from Nolfis.  The Nightmare King will return after gathering the slower ones and rallying the sovereigns busy hunting the Evermist.  We have an hour or two before the next onslaught.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±  Astra sighed and faced Reagan.  ¡°I arrived mid battle.  Tell me what transpired in the Evermist.¡±


    ¡°A completely preventable tragedy.¡±  Reagan growled, his anger raw.  ¡°Even after my lobbying about the danger¡ª¡ª¡±


    ¡°Give me the specifics.¡±  Astra cut in.


    He calmed himself.  ¡°In response to my warnings, Viacore choose to construct a barrier over the well to Nolfis while continuing the collection of dark crystals.  This magic defense was meant to last at least an hour, giving Grimvale the time to evacuate, but it only took three minutes for the Nightmare King to break through.  A single train load of people escaped, and this, in great part, was due to the swift actions of your son and daughter, Wise and Dawn Skyfell.  The fate of other settlements is unknown.¡±


    The roof shook as a large armored man landed.  ¡°Apologies for my tardiness.¡±  Said Samuel Horn, Arland¡¯s earth-affinity paragon.  ¡°I was overseeing the refugee problem.¡±


    ¡°And what is being done about it?¡±  Astra asked.


    ¡°We¡¯ve tripled the personnel at checkpoints.¡±  Samuel answered.  ¡°However, our stricter screening process is slowing admittances to a crawl.¡±


    ¡°Then drop your screening process.¡±  Reagan gestures to crowds filling the streets near Neon¡¯s shields.  ¡°There are millions in need of shelter.  If those Nightmares break through, it¡¯ll be a slaughter.¡±


    ¡°Impossible.¡±  Samuel said firmly.  ¡°We are already fending off an all-out invasion from the Moonlit Lands.  If Kaygren were to launch one of his own at the same time, it¡¯s be catastrophic.  We can¡¯t afford more fang ninja infiltrators, not to mention the likes of Amare Vitiose.  Our vetting stays.¡±


    His voice softened.  ¡°There is a better solution.  We¡¯ve cordoned off a large sections of the docks and set pathways for people to enter without restrictions.  This way they can pile in as fast as we can load them onto airships.  It would allow hundreds of thousands to reach safety.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, Oliver Brack still isn¡¯t cooperating, even at this juncture.  We have dozens of ships ready to go, but he refuses to increase the numbers allowed to dock there.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡±  Yuria exclaimed, livid.  She pointed at Samuel.  ¡°Sends the ships you have ready to go.  I¡¯m heading to Novgard to beat some sense into that bastard.¡±


    They watched her angrily jump away.  ¡°That¡¯s one issue dealt with.¡±  Samuel declared.  ¡°Astra, marshaling further reinforcements is in your hands.  I¡¯m going to build us some proper fortifications for the next wave of monsters.¡±  He too departed.


    ¡°On this topic¡­¡±  Garreth Black stepped forwards.  ¡°I am not able to participate further in Neon¡¯s defense.¡±


    Astra frowned.  ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°It was Sarah Godspeed who brought me to the Twin Cities.¡±  Garreth explained.  ¡°According to her, there is a second threat brewing, no less dire than the one from the Moonlit Lands.  Once they are done investigating the details, my help will be needed to thwart it.¡±


    ¡°As bad as the Nightmare King?¡±  Astra asked incredulously.


    ¡°The Laughing Man is involved.¡±  Garreth replied simply.


    Astra grimaced.  ¡°Lily better get here soon.¡±

 [Book II Chapter 148] FILIA: The Answer

    [Book II Chapter 148] FILIA:  The Answer


    ------------------------------------------------


    ¡°This is the place.¡±  Sarah declared, pointing down.  ¡°We¡¯ll wait for you here.¡±


    Apart from the two immortals who¡¯d rushed off, everyone who¡¯d traveled with her was standing on a rooftop overlooking a mansion.  Feeling somewhat pressured, Filia dropped down into the walled garden and approached the Sofix guards by the entrance.


    ¡°I¡¯m here to investigate the card the Laughing Man stole.¡±  She announced.  ¡°I¡¯m working with Hans Leveson.¡±  This was close enough to the truth.


    They conferred with each and soon a man in an elegant suit appeared.  ¡°You must be Filia.  Hans mentioned you.  Please join me.¡±


    ¡°Who are you?¡±  She asked following him.  The mansion¡¯s luxurious interior was immaculately orderly.


    ¡°Call me Anderson, Mister Anderson.¡±  The man replied.  ¡°I look into pressing matters on behalf of the big five.¡±


    They arrived at a large study with a smashed window.  The room had been ransacked, with cards and glass littering the floor.  Several of Anderson¡¯s assistants were combing through the mess.


    ¡°Are we certain he obtained what he was after?¡±  She asked hopefully.


    Anderson pointed to a pried-open safe and the series of untouched cupboards to its right.  ¡°Whatever was inside caused him to cease his pilfering.¡±


    ¡°We must figure out which one it was.¡±  Filia said resolutely.


    ¡°I concur.¡±  Anderson drew out a paper from his vest.  ¡°The owner, a Mister Solomon, has provided a list detailing his collection, which should aid us in identifying what is missing.  Unfortunately, the place is quite a mess¡­¡±


    Filia glanced at the hundreds of cards scattered all about and grimaced.  Sorting through those will take too long¡­  Plus the Laughing Man may have taken more than he needed to throw us off.  She cleared off a table and spread out Geordan Price¡¯s deck.  ¡°Hans narrowed it down to this set of cards.  Maybe we can narrow it further.¡±


    ¡°We can eliminate any cards not on this list.¡±  Anderson agreed.


    In a few minutes, they were down to fourteen possibilities.  Still too many¡­  ¡°Was Solomon¡¯s collection public?¡±  She asked.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t believe it was.¡±  Anderson studied her curiously.  ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Kaygren launched an invasion of Nordric to enable this theft.  He never would have committed to such a large scale endeavor unless he was certain it would bear results.¡±


    Anderson¡¯s eyes lit up.  ¡°Excellent observation.  Allow me to place a call to Platinum Hall.¡±  Public auctions in Chancel were one of few ways to track the movement of ultra rare cards.


    ¡°These three were recently purchased by Mister Solomon.¡±  Anderson indicated.


    ¡°Great!¡±  Filia smiled.  ¡°We might be able to deduce his purpose.¡±


    Her eyes traced over the three possibilities, stopping on the word Dullrock.  Geordan Price used this one against us in the tournament¡­  A pang of pain gripped her at the ¡®us¡¯, but she shook it away.  Then a realization dawned on her.


    There was a commotion in the hallway and Sarah burst in, followed by the others.  The Sofix guards stumbled after them.  ¡°Sorry, Mister Anderson, they forced their way through.  They have an immortal with them¡­¡±


    ¡°Sarah reported Filia had figured out the Laughing Man¡¯s plot, so we came to hear it.¡±  Jayden explained.


    Mister Anderson raised an eyebrow.  ¡°Miss Filia?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I think I have.¡±  She picked up the card with a depiction of a giant armadillo.


    ¡°This sukemon, Dullrock, has a unique ability called ¡®earthly sycronization¡¯ which allows it to take on the properties of any material placed on top of its shell.  Normally, the hardest metals are chosen.  For example, Geordan Price used white mithril on his copy.  I suspect that the Laughing Man plans to use this ability with one of Kaygren¡¯s claws to gain access to the Sukemon World.¡±


    ¡°So he¡¯ll have it fuse with a claw and send it back¡­¡±  Sarah interpreted.


    ¡°After one portal is open, Kaygren will be able to open dozens more with ease.¡±  Filia continued.  ¡°The Sukemon World is reputed to be larger than Mount Gull and Shangri-la combined.  He¡¯ll have no trouble marshaling millions of new demonic beasts¡­¡±


    This could destroy the franchise.  After traumatizing a generation with memories of legions of murderous sukemon, how could everything go back to being a fun children¡¯s game?


    ¡°Assuming the HEAVENLY DAO doesn¡¯t intervene¡­¡±  Jayden said slowly.  ¡°Is there any way to stop them?¡±


    Filia grimaced, not knowing what to say.


    ¡°There may be.¡±  Anderson grinned.  ¡°¡¯earthly sycronization¡¯ is a special type of ability that can only be used at a Transcendent Altar.  Furthermore, the ritual involved takes several hour to perform.  This was setup to discourage the swapping of fused materials, especially mid tournament.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know that¡­¡±  Filia muttered, her spirits rising.  ¡°So we may have a chance!¡±


    ¡°Most of Transcendent Altars are in or near major cities, such as the one in Messanic.¡±  Light chimed in.  ¡°Those won¡¯t be an option for the Laughing Man.¡±


    ¡°Four.¡±  Jayden added.  ¡°There are four Transcendent Altars located apart from civilization.  The first is in the western reaches of the Northern Empire.  The second is located deep within Sanwue.  The third is in the Demonic World¡¯s flaming swamps.  And the final one is the Celetect Vortex in the Raging Sands, by far the closest.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the one.¡±  Sarah sighed with relief.  ¡°That¡¯s where we must go.  We¡¯ll obtain a beacon from the Adventurer¡¯s Guild and Filia will guide us through the Ether.¡±


    Filia hesitated.  ¡°I¡¯ve little experience opening passageways¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡±  Sarah smiled.  ¡°You¡¯re fated to succeed.¡±

 [Book II Chapter 149] DYLAN: Parting Ways

    [Book II Chapter 149] DYLAN:  Parting Ways


    ------------------------------------------------


    Resurrecting the dead¡­  If it had been eleven years ago, the possibility might¡¯ve become an obsession.  Today it brought no urgency.  Lin Xiao had already grown up without her parents, and he¡¯d already collected a blood repayment from several of their murderers.  Those who perished at the Sacred Cloud Sect will be avenged, not brought back.


    Dylan leaned on a wall of the great hall.  Near him Carol sat crossed-legged on the floor, communing with her familiars on the other side of the veil.  Rose and Roxanne were off in a corner discussing quietly.  Lastly, Free was out on the balcony, looking out for approaching threats.


    I must speak with her, but first¡­  <<What about you Dowart?>>  He glanced at the specter floating besides him.  <<Do you desire to live again?>>


    Dowart shook his head.  <<The notion of a second life first confronted me when we visited Yaozu Gao at the Ghost Corrosion Sect.  I realized the potential of the techniques Salazar Rook used to implant the souls of demonic practitioners in children.  I rejected it swiftly.  There is nothing more vile than depriving the young of their future.>>


    <<What if it were possible without harming anyone?>>  Dylan pressed.


    Dowart smirked.  <<Even if we obtained the forbidden knowledge locked away at Earth¡¯s End¡­  What body would you have me inhabit?  My physical shell has long been lost to the sands of time.  Any vessel created for me would be a counterfeit.>>


    <<No, I have already entrusted Four Element Transcendence to you.  If you bear a sense of gratitude, please complete and pass on my martial arts.>>


    <<I will.>>  Dylan joined Free outside.  The girl gave him a lopsided smile, ¡°How do you feel about my true identity?¡±Stolen story; please report.


    ¡°It explains certains things, such as the looks you¡¯d often get when around others.¡±  He¡¯d always assumed these had to do with her strange creations.   ¡°However, there¡¯s still too much I don¡¯t understand.  Please tell me more about your past.¡±


    Free nodded, revealing her life at Earth¡¯s End and her voyage to the Isle of Dreams.  Listening, Dylan struggle to imagine being weighed down by events from millennia in the past.


    ¡°To distinguish yourself from your original you¡¯ve adopted a selflessness that borders on the suicidal.¡±  He determined.


    Free winced.  ¡°I¡¯m not that bad, probably¡­¡±  She leaned on the ramparts.  ¡°The more I learned about Sola, the more I saw myself in her.  I¡¯m even wield her former staff.  Saving others alleviates my insecurities.¡±


    ¡°Yet you¡¯ve agreed to aid Debra Sunder.¡±  He observed.


    ¡°Which pressures me even more.¡±  She sighed.  ¡°I feel compelled to stop the Nightmare King if possible.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s finished.¡±  Rose called out.  They gathered around the fearmancer back inside.


    ¡°So?¡±  Free asked.


    ¡°My familiar Smiley located and scouted Thornbridge Manor.¡±  Carol explained.  ¡°It¡¯s in the Ancient Gardens, on a hill about four miles from the hole to the Undermist.¡±


    ¡°Is it well-defended?¡±  Roxanne asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s not.¡±  Carol grimaced.  ¡°Moonlight denizens and sovereigns are passing by while maintaining a wide berth.  Smiley even found a deserted location nearby that could serve for a passageway.¡±


    ¡°That sounds ideal.¡±  Roxanne commented.  ¡°Why the face?¡±


    ¡°Alucard alone could dispatch all of us.¡±  Carol stared blankly.  ¡°What could we accomplish if we cross over?¡±


    ¡°We could sway Jonathan to our side.¡±  Rose said.  ¡°Convince him to abandon his manor so we can close the rift.  At least that¡¯s what Roxanne is now suggesting.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s worth a try.¡±  Free declared.  ¡°Carol could you open the way?¡±


    The fearmancer grumbled.  ¡°The only reason I¡¯m going along with this is I know the monsters serving Jonathan won¡¯t chase us if we retreat.¡±


    She sat down again and began channeling.  ¡°This will take a while.  Since I can only do it in one direction, I¡¯ll make sure the passageway lasts several hours.¡±


    ¡°Take all the time you need.¡±  Free said, walking to the terrace and motioning Dylan to follow her.


    ¡°I won¡¯t be accompanying you this time.¡±  He said simply.  ¡°If the matter comes down to persuasion, I am not needed, and if it comes down to battle, my strength would be useless against immortals and paragons.¡±


    ¡°I anticipated as much.¡±  Free said sadly.  ¡°We both have our own burdens and priorities.¡±


    ¡°I will guard the portal from this side, insuring nothing passes through.¡±  Part of him desperately wanted to rush off into the Land of Nightmares by her side, but rationality prevailed.  He had Lin Xiao and his revenge to attend to.  Engaging in this folly would betray everything he¡¯d devoted his life to.


    ¡°Then pray for our success.¡±  Free smiled, which pained him.


    ¡°You know I will.¡±  He offered sincerely.

 [Book II Chapter 150] SARAH: The Contemptible Bastard

    [Book II Chapter 150] SARAH:  The Contemptible Bastard


    ------------------------------------------------


    Near the shimmering wall at the edge of a desert, Filia struggled to open a passageway through the Ether.  Watching her, Sarah reached out and adjusted the strands of fate.  Once certain the summoner would succeed, she stepped back and turned her attention to the man who had been leering at her the whole journey.


    Out the expedition she¡¯d led from Waceria, they¡¯d lost one member and gained two.  Clay Donnaster had elected to remain Neon to battle the nightmares.  In his stead, a wolf girl named Sana had joined them, together with Jake Thorn, the Contemptible Bastard.  She was conflicted about the second replacement.


    ¡°Do you have to stare so openly?¡±  She asked.


    ¡°I¡¯ve long since stopped restraining myself.¡±  Jake laughed.  ¡°When a woman catches my fancy, I appreciate her beauty openly.  And in your case¡­¡±


    ¡°I was surprised.  Despite losing the sight in your eyes, your everyday functioning hasn¡¯t been hindered.  Rather, you now have a deeper confidence, one you never displayed on the Isle of Dreams.  There¡¯s something else too, an otherworldly sense I¡¯ve never encountered before.  It¡¯s quite fascinating.¡±


    Sarah sighed.  He¡¯s a paragon.  When the battle begins, I¡¯ll be glad he¡¯s by my side.  Until then, I must put up with him.


    ¡°Why did Astra send you?¡±  She asked.


    Jake lifted a hand coated in shadows.  ¡°My affinity is darkness, which is a poor matchup against the Knightmare King.  She judged I¡¯d be more effective aiding you.¡±


    She nodded.  ¡°And the wolf girl?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s a troublemaker Astra foisted on us.¡±  Jake held up the lead in his hand.  It was attached to Sana¡¯s wrists which were tied together in front of her.  ¡°After the Demonic beast were driven out Nordric, she went rogue and stole from several immortals, including a ring from Selina Gladesong and a pendant from Escard Roen.  I was the one who apprehended her.  Quite the chanllenge it was.  She¡¯s slippery for a saint.¡±


    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    ¡°So that¡¯s why she¡¯s tied up¡­¡±  Sarah said.  Other immortals might have felt self-conscious leading a young woman around in bondage, but not Jake Thorn¡­


    ¡°Yup, apparently it keeps her from using her sublime vagary, which is the source of all the problems.¡±  Jake agreed happily.  ¡°I¡¯ll release her when we arrive.  Hopefully she can recuperate that sukemon card for us.¡±


    ¡°My turn to ask questions.¡±  Jake had a serious glint in his eye.  ¡°What kind of opposition will we be facing?¡±


    Sarah shifted uncomfortably.  ¡°The Laughing Man and his apostle, Johanna Loubor.  Apart from them, Sekken along with several sovereigns and revenants from Mount Gull.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fairly imprecise.¡±  Jake commented.  ¡°Weren¡¯t you supposed to be skilled at reading fate?¡±


    ¡°The Celetect Vortex is hindering my vision.  Also, I believe they will call in reinforcements at some point, which complicates matters further.¡±  She kept to herself that she¡¯d glimpsed futures where Kaygren himself made an appearance.  Once again, she was in the position of sensing victory was possible while her common sense screamed warnings of doom.


    ¡°Sorry.¡±  She added.


    ¡°No need for that.¡±  Jake smirked wearily.  ¡°This is the usual thing.  I excel at extricating myself from difficult situations, which makes me the number one choice for potential suicide missions.  If the worst comes to pass, I¡¯ll get as many of us out as I can.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of uncertainty¡­¡±  Jake appraised her suddenly, in a different manner than before.  ¡°I heard you drove off Sekken.  Is this true?  And can you do it again?¡±


    ¡°Maybe.¡±  Sarah answered akwardly.  ¡°You can consider me immortal level, but my stamina won¡¯t allow me to fight long.  Last time I took Sekken by surprise.  I might not be as effective this time.¡±


    ¡°Then leave him to me.¡±  Jake said.  ¡°Use your bad luck powers on the sovereigns who are unfamiliar to you.¡±


    The foggy tunnel had stabilized, and they walked into a tropical swamp.  Jayden conjured gemstone pathways over the water for them to cross.  Two more realms after this, and then we will be there.  She felt a nervousness that she hadn¡¯t before.  Having fulfilled her responsibilities to her people was making death¡¯s prospect more daunting.  Guilt no longer discounted her self-worth.


    She quizzed Jake in a bid to distract herself.  ¡°In your estimation, how will the situation at Neon unfold?¡±


    ¡°The outer defense will fail.¡±  Jake replied sadly.  ¡°The outskirts will be overrun, and any who haven¡¯t escaped by then will fall prey to the monsters.  Once the battle nears the city proper, that¡¯s where the Nightmare King will finally be stopped.¡±


    Sarah¡¯s throat went dry.  She¡¯d visited the Twin Cities many times and could picture this outcome in her mind.  ¡°How many will die?¡±


    ¡°Depends on how long the outer defense holds.¡±  Jake shrugged.  ¡°But hundreds of thousands at a minimum.¡±

 [Book II Chapter 151] ZENTRIAS: The Third Sister

    [Book II Chapter 151] ZENTRIAS: The Third Sister


    ------------------------------------------------


    Zentrias moved cautiously through the darkening Evermist underbrush. With the setting sun on the surface, the light blooms were also fading.


    He¡¯d almost regretted his decision when Darius had abandoned him in the dense fog teaming with an endless hordes of monsters. Instead, he¡¯d kept his senses alert and focused on avoiding the terrifying moonlit sovereigns roaming the mist. Thankfully, the lesser monstrosities he¡¯d encountered had largely chosen to ignore him. For them, this is a festival, and there are easier prey.


    A faint echo of a scream reached his ear, causing him to pause. Unlike the screeching and howling he¡¯d occasionally hear, this one had been distinctly human. How can there still be people alive? It¡¯s been half a day¡­


    After an agonizing moment wrestling with himself, he changed course. Soon, he was crossing fields of shylilies, indicating the presence of a nearby settlement. He slowed detecting a sinister presence ahead. No doubt it was responsible for the agonizing cry. Against his better judgment, he felt the need to creep closer.


    The fog thinned, and he noticed bright red lights zig zagging wildly overhead. One swooped down, revealing itself as a giant firewasp. The insect radiated incredible heat, but didn¡¯t attack. Summons to push back the fog¡­ Passing through them, he spotted a small walled-city and recognized it immediately. Merrybell, the village where we saved the kid¡­ He had to take a closer look.


    He leapt on top of the outer wall, and circled around towards the village gate. A row of wagons came into view, their wheels entangled by thorny roots. Inside he spotted frighten faces. The statues of four adventurers stood in front of the convoy in a stance prepared for battle. His eyes revealed they were alive, yet some force held them perfectly immobile.


    Nearby a pack of creatures was crowding together to gorge themselves on some unseen meat. They resembled werewolves with bat wings and the faces of hyenas. Once he moved closer, their master came into view, and his heart sank. The hideous crone measured ten feet, dwarfing her pets. The two Mavens he¡¯d fought previously were incomparable to this incarnation. There¡¯s nothing I can do against that¡­


    One of the hyena monsters stopped and sniffed the air. He he ducked down, frantically double checking he¡¯d properly erased his scent. Is there a flaw in my technique or do they possess special senses?  He risked a peak and found the hags abominable visage staring right at him.


    ¡°Beasties, at attention!¡± She cackled and pointed. ¡°Bring that man to me.¡± Barking and yapping, her familiars scattered.


    Zentrias fled, but found himself surrounded in the shylily fields. One lunged at him. Parrying the blow, he grunting as he was knocked back. His assailant¡¯s paw then exploded violently, causing him to smirk. That will teach you¡­ to¡­ The hyena raised its shattered limb and laughed hysterically watching it regenerated.


    He grimaced. With such regenerative power, only a strike to the body would finish them off, yet they were too swift. He retreated, enduring a flurry of attacks. Soon his back was against the town wall. They¡¯re herding me¡­


    Understanding escape was impossible, Zentrias switched tactics. It was a long shot, but, if he could strike down their master, there might still be a chance. Escorted by the deformed hyenas, he returned to the wagons.


    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    The Maven was waiting, grinning repulsively. Dropping down to face her, he noticed the cooking instruments gathered on the side of the street and he almost lost his stomach. Every version of her is revolting.


    Channeling destruction, he dashed forward. The Maven reached into one of the large pouches that lined her waist, brought out an orange potion, and crushed it in her hand. Zentrias halted his charge, stunned. They¡¯re gone¡­ The lines and points are gone!


    How could this foul monstrosity be the same Yuria? It was blasphemy. Perceiving the Maven¡¯s misbegotten exterior, he saw patches of orange covering her wrinkly skin.


    ¡°Twice you felled me.¡± She cackled. ¡°Do you think us incapable of adapting? Your magic is powerless before my chaos-devouring oil.¡±


    Zentrias backed off apprehensively. ¡°Are you the prime Maven?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m third eldest.¡± She chimed happily, withdrawing an empty potion bottle. ¡°More than enough for thee¡­¡±


    At blinding speed, she flung the bottle at his feet. When he reacted, he discovered he couldn¡¯t move.


    ¡°Five statues I have now!¡± The maven crowed victoriously. ¡°Don¡¯t fret, I¡¯m saving the lot of you for last. Your type tends to fear more for others than yourselves.¡±


    Satisfied, she ambled off towards the wagons, rubbing her chin. ¡°Now who to cook next? A child before their parents, or a parent before their children?¡± Her eyes lit up, glancing back at him. ¡°I know! Where is the brat you stole from me last time?¡±


    Zentrias struggled with all his might while the witch dragged a crying boy off towards her ¡®kitchen¡¯, but he failed to more an inch. Attempts at channeling produced no better results. The barrier binding him almost seemed alive, reacting to and canceling any magic he let lose.


    <<There is nothing living I cannot kill.>>  His younger self¡¯s voice drifted from the back of his consciousness.


    It¡¯s the only way. Instead of aiming to escape the confining enchantment, he focused on destroying it. Repeatedly he assaulted it with his magic, watching closely. Finally, he saw it in his mind. A weakness.


    He poured in all the destructive power he could muster. At first, there was no reaction, but he persevered, trusting his insight. Gradually, the invisible prison began disintegrated, corroded from within. Its collapse accelerated and within seconds he was free.


    Despite the small victory, Zentrias stayed still. The Maven¡¯s skin was still glowing, so there was no chance of landing a lethal blow. His situation remained dire.


    He desperately studyed the witch as she prepared to roast her victim until an idea came to him. Slowly he reached the pocket of his backpack and grabbed the wish seed he¡¯d receive for defending Safire. With this, just maybe¡­


    <<Enhance the power of my next attack.>>  He commanded, rushing forwards. The Maven was shocked to spot him moving, but her confidence quickly returned. She let him drive his fist into her stomach.


    ¡°Your tricks are meaningless against me.¡± She gloated.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t aiming for you.¡± Zentrias answered coldly, releasing the magic pulsing in his fist. Corrosive energy traveled around the Maven¡¯s belt, seeping into the dimensional pouches attached to it.


    ¡°No, impossible!¡± The crone backpedaled in fear, and Zentrias took the opportunity to deliver a flying kick, knocking her into the alley between two houses. Grabbing the traumatized boy from the seasoning table, he dashed towards the wagons. Behind him he heard the shattering of glass as hundreds of vials and potions overflowed from their containers. He glanced back with dread.


    A cloud of different colored smoke had engulfed the alley, growing rapidly. Sparks and fire shot out. Deformed creatures burst forth, some burning to ash and others covered in green slime that melted their flesh. Reality itself wailed, warping under the flood of sinister magic.


    Zentrias reached out and pushed back the expanding storm of chaos. Thankfully, the smoke slowed and was held at bay, spreading in other directions. When the air finally cleared, half the town of Merrybell was gone, a misshapen crater in its place.


    The two surviving hyena beasts leered down from far-off rooftops, not daring to attack. Once he¡¯d freed the four adventurers from their stasis confinement, they retreated yelping angrily.


    The world blurred, and Zentrias collapsed. He was vaguely aware of being moved into a wagon and felt the vibrations of traveling a road. Eyes closed, he smiled. Somehow, he knew his name had appeared on the Wall of Legends.

 [Book II Chapter 152] ROSE: The Moonlit Lands

    [Book II Chapter 152] ROSE:  The Moonlit Lands


    ------------------------------------------------


    ¡°It¡¯s done¡­¡±  Carol declared hesitantly.  An ominous breeze flowed through the foggy tunnel she¡¯d opened.


    ¡°I will be requiring protection.¡±  She continued.  ¡°Although I¡¯ve removed half my rings, moonlit denizens will still sense me and seek me out.  Even with my summoning abilities enhanced by the location, I won¡¯t be able to handle them all.¡±


    ¡°Should you maybe stay behind?¡±  Rose asked.  It sounded like the fearmancer would be more of a hindrance than a boon.


    ¡°Can¡¯t.¡±  Carol shook her head.  ¡°The prospect of me wandering the moonlit lands terrified is what motivated Smiley¡¯s involvement.  He won¡¯t act as our guide if I don¡¯t go.¡±


    As they emerged, a full moon hung high in the night sky, illuminating a landscape of withered vegetation.  Brown leaves adorned gnarly trees looming over them, and winding vines creeped stone walls and black metal fences.  Lonely statues stood at attention, despair draping their overgrown visages, a silent warning to trespasser.  Not a spec of green could be seen under the pale white light.


    A lanky figure with a round smiling face was waiting in the middle of a dirt path.  He beckoned them to follow.


    ¡°This region is called the ancient garden.¡±  Carol said.  ¡°Smiley reports the local sovereigns have crossed over to Enera and new ones are unlikely to encroach owing to Alucard¡¯s presence and a terrifying creature named Jeel who has been patrolling nearby.¡±


    ¡°Jeel?¡±  Rose muttered anxiously.


    ¡°Smiley says not to worry about him, so let¡¯s not.¡±  Carol responded, obviously distracted.


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    It didn¡¯t take long for the monsters to find them.  They came in all shapes in size, on bat wings and sinister steeds, rushing with a mad fervor.


    ¡°So many¡­¡±  Free muttered, controlling some branches to batter and swat their assailants away.


    ¡°Moonlit denizens are constantly starved, their only sustenance being the fragments of nightmares floating the Ether.¡±  Carol explained.  ¡°That¡¯s why they are relentlessly marching towards the portal to the Undermist, and many can¡¯t restrain themselves once they sniff out a tantalizing meal close by.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to waste time, so I¡¯ll deal with them.¡±  Roxanne announced, her staff roaring to life.  A blaze of crimson incinerated the ground and the air, wiping out one wave of attackers.  This caused the rest to draw back, but soon their numbers and boldness grew again, so Roxanne repeated her mass immolation.


    ¡°How long can you keep this up?¡±  Carol asked.


    ¡°Indefinitely,¡±  Roxanne replied.  ¡°This is nothing.¡±


    I definitely can¡¯t match that, Rose thought.  She glanced back at the destruction and noticed patches of grass sprouting among the ashes.  The red flower buds scattered among the lush green stood out particularly.  ¡°What are those?¡±  She asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s so we can find our way back.¡±  Free answered, humming to herself.


    Rose studied her sister.  ¡°How can you be so carefree?¡±  She asked.  ¡°If something happens to Roxanne, I don¡¯t know if we can make it back.  This is so insane¡­¡±


    ¡°Yet you came with us.¡±  Free pointed out.


    ¡°That¡¯s because you and Roxanne were going for certain!¡±  Rose snapped back.  ¡°Roxanne is suicidal, so I at least understand her.  What about you?  Don¡¯t you fear death?¡±


    Free sighed.  ¡°I am Sola¡¯s clone, one of the most ¡®special¡¯ people in existence.  No matter how impartial the HEAVENLY DAO claims to be, I¡¯d wager it won¡¯t let me die easily.  You could say I have a layer of literal plot armor.  I can¡¯t afford to play it safe and not take advantage of this.¡±


    That same logic must apply to me on some level.  ¡°So maybe this excursion is not certain death when factoring this in.¡±  Rose acknowledged.  ¡°It is still not a situation most would jump into willingly.  Your friend Dylan¡¯s decision was the rational one.¡±


    Free winced at the mention of his name.  ¡°Sometimes I can¡¯t help feeling the tiniest bit responsible for Sola¡¯s sins.¡±  She admitted.  ¡°I am the product of her labor made in her own image.  Saving millions by stopping the Nightmare King would lift a weight on my soul.¡±


    I see¡­  ¡°Then let¡¯s hope for the best.¡±  Rose offered, swallowing her doubts as they traveled under the eternal moon.

 [Book II Chapter 153] SILVER: Nightfall

    [Book II Chapter 153] SILVER:  Nightfall


    ------------------------------------------------


    Sitting on the edge of the rooftop, Silver munched quietly, Kate by his side.  They¡¯d secured some beef wraps from a vendor in Neon.  Night had fallen, and the skyscrapers behind them shone brightly, proof it was business as usual within the metropolis.  In contrast, the decrepit, damaged buildings around them were mostly dark.


    In front, the view to the outside world was blocked by a stone wall which towered above the slums.  Samuel Horn, Arland¡¯s ruling immortal, had raised the fortification before the second wave hit and was busy strengthening them for the third.


    ¡°The quiet is nice.¡±  Kate observed.


    Silver nodded.  The Nightmare King¡¯s second assault had been an entirely different beast then his first, although he¡¯d not witnessed it personally.  The military and immortals in charge of the outer defenses manned the walls, and saints from the Adventurer¡¯s Guild had been tasked with intercepting the monsters who slipped through.


    Thanks to this, he¡¯d only caught a brief glimpse of the moonlit sovereigns when they briefly crashed through their defenses.  Not that he¡¯d a real chance to take a look anyway, with how busy he was with the infiltrators.  There were a lot more of them than the first time¡­


    There was an impact on the roof behind them.  ¡°How are you holding up?¡±  Reagan asked.


    ¡°That should be our question,¡±  Kate countered.  ¡°You¡¯re the one who¡¯s been fighting on the front line.¡±


    Reagan chuckled.  ¡°I faced Torak¡¯s undead army lead by the avatars of the Dark God.  This doesn¡¯t come close.¡±  His grin faded.  ¡°At least so far¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s night now.¡±  Silver understood.


    Reagan nodded.  ¡°For entities from the sunless land, this is their element.  The only uncertainty is how much stronger he¡¯ll become.  Same applies to sovereigns who follow him.¡±


    ¡°What is the plan if they overwhelm our defenses?¡±  Silver intended to be ready for the worse.


    ¡°Protect the refugees trapped outside Neon as long as you can and retreat to the city.¡±  Reagan answered.  ¡°Debra Sunder and a paragon summoner from the demon world is on their way.  Once the sun rises again, I will lead a mission into the Moonlit Lands to end this.  I already know the location of the rift¡¯s keystone.¡±


    Reagan suddenly turned away, sniffing.  ¡°Here they are¡­  I must alert Astra and Samuel.¡±


    Soon the sounds of violent clashes rang out, and the vibrations shook the earth.  As before, Silver and Kate left the flying threats to others, focusing on the monsters burrowing underground.  Half were the insectile variety, while the rest sported vicious teeth and claws.  Tremendous numbers popped out, making it a struggle to keep up.


    Tearing one apart, he spotted Wise further back crushing a few they¡¯d missed.  His brother and Dawn were operating further back to better protect the refugees.


    In the distance, he heard portion of the stone wall breaking but was too busy to note what got through.  All he could tell was that Samual Thorn was attempting to fill the holes, which was a hopeful sign.


    A weird feeling gripped him as he battled.  It was unlike anything he¡¯d ever experienced, yet also not foreign to me.  The sensation grew to strong too ignore, and he instinctively moved to discover its source.


    He arrived at a empty warehouse a block away.  A section of the floor inspired a strange dread so he tore it up.  Underneath was a hidden stairway.  At the bottom, he froze at the sight he saw.


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    Two dozen people huddled in a corner of the giant space while a terrifying crocodile with a vaguely human form loomed over.  As it circulated, its scaly skin parted to reveal rows of teeth at different locations all over its body.  One of these spit out a woman, which the monster picked up.  With a satisfied grin, he placed her on a pile of unmoving bodies on the far side of the room.  This is what happened to me¡­  He¡¯s draining them dry.


    The beast paused and gazed towards him.  ¡°That is some wonderful fear I¡¯m sensing, but why does it feel so familiar?  I don¡¯t recognize you¡­¡±  It studied him for a moment, perplexed, then chuckled.  ¡°You¡¯re the boy who summoned me so long ago!  I never did finish feasting on you¡­  What a joyous night.¡±


    The beast drop another man into its main mouth while Silver watched, paralyzed.  ¡°Wait there.  You¡¯ll be desert.¡±


    I must flee.  The powerful sovereign was having a crippling affect on him.  His body trembled uncontrollably, refusing to listen to instructions.  Even rational thought had grown difficult.


    ¡°Is that a cipactli¡­?¡±  Said a voice behind him.


    This was the stimulus he needed.  Silver grabbed Kate and ran up the stairs.  Outside, realizing the sovereign wasn¡¯t chasing, he collapsed with relief.  ¡°How did that thing get here?¡±  He fumed.


    ¡°He tunneled in.¡±  Kate answered.  ¡°There was a hole in one of the corner¡­  Didn¡¯t you notice?¡±


    He hadn¡¯t.  Only now was he coming to grip with how shaken he¡¯d been.  I experienced a panic attack¡­


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±  Kate asked.  ¡°Why did we flee leaving those people behind?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the one Adam called Tizoc.¡°  Silver forced himself to speak in a steady voice.  ¡°He¡¯s the one I stole my emotions.  We don¡¯t stand a chance against him.  Let¡¯s report him to the immortals.¡±


    A loud crash thundered the slums as another portion of the fortification collapsed.  Kate looked back apprehensively.  ¡°Even if we do, will they really deploy an immortal to the backlines?  They might decide the people down there are an acceptable sacrifice to keep Tizoc out of action¡­¡±


    ¡°What else can we do?¡±  Silver countered.  ¡°Go around gathering a group of saints to face him?¡±


    Kate shook her head.  ¡°That would take too long.  We should go distract him long enough for everyone to escape.  Once he chases us to surface, other saints will join on their own.¡±


    Silver heart sank seeing .  ¡°I¡¯m not in the state for that¡­¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s your fearlessness?¡±  Kate smirked before diving down the stairwell.


    Silver stood still as the prospect of losing Kate assaulted with the terror gripping him.  Out of the debilitating storm, a new emotion emerged.  How dare he¡­  After all it¡¯d already taken from him, the greedy cipactli below was now threatened Kate.  The inner turmoil wracking him transformed into a burning anger.  He must pay!


    Racing to secret cellar, he called forth and fused with a blade king, a servant of Saven from the Bloodstained Plains.  Sharp metalic scales resembling the tips of daggers covered his body.  Seeing an irritating Tizoc batting Kate away, he donned his strongest aura armor and charged.  The surprised sovereign was driven into the back wall.


    ¡°Where did your fear go?¡±  Tizoc raged, knocking him away.  ¡°I¡¯m in no mood for this anger.¡±  Glancing uneasily to his yet-to-be victims crowded in a corner, he roared.  ¡°Leave or I¡¯ll rip you to shreds!¡±  Mouths all over his body opened.


    ¡°Go to hell!¡±  Silver charged again, only to be flattened by a giant palm.  He knew he couldn¡¯t win, and he didn¡¯t care.  His all was poured into the fury fueling him, everything else cast aside.


    ¡°Run now!¡±  Kate yelled, landing a flying kick.


    ¡°No one goes anywhere!¡±  Tizoc recovered and grabbed Kate with his other hand, slamming her into the concrete floor.  ¡°I will crush you both and resume my feast.¡±


    They both suffered under the sovereign¡¯s oppressive weight until a surge of necromantic energy knocked their aggressor back.  Two new figures stood by their side.


    ¡°Wise, Dawn¡­¡±  Silver muttered, catching his breath.  Maybe with their help, they stood a chance.


    ¡°You ignorant fools.¡±  Tizoc hissed.  ¡°Can you not comprehend my strength?¡±  The room around them started crumbling as mouths on his body howled.


    ¡°Dawn, release Sapphire Blood.¡±  Wise commanded.  His sister waved, and a tremendous cold swept over them.  Tizoc was engulfed in frozen pillar, and,  for a moment, their surroundings became still.


    That won¡¯t hold him, Silver knew.  Soon, the ice trembled and shattered.  Hate-filled eyes flickered over the room and fell on the last of the prisoners escaping up the stairs.  ¡°Fine, if I can¡¯t feed in peace, then I¡¯ll wage war instead.¡±  He declared coldly.


    He leaped straight up, smashing through the ceiling.  By the time they followed to the surface, they spotted Tizoc at the base of Samuel¡¯s great wall.  His mouths opened and released a deafening screech, an uglier version of a tyrant¡¯s song, and destructive magic began eroding the structure of everything around him.


    ¡°This is bad¡­¡±  Silver grimaced.


    ¡°It was either this, or we all died in that cellar.¡±  Wise said miserably.  Silver and Kate winced as they watched a tide of monsters surge through the collapsing fortification.

 [Book II Chapter 154] ZENTRIAS: A Bitter Homecoming

    [Book II Chapter 154] ZENTRIAS:  A Bitter Homecoming


    ------------------------------------------------


    The familiar vibration stopped, jarring Zentrias from his slumber.  We¡¯ve stopped moving¡­?  In a daze, he struggled to process where he was.  Then his eyes snapped open.


    Shrugging off grogginess, he exited the wagon where he¡¯d been laid to recuperate.  He was outside the Evermist, on the edge of the crater under Aery.  The glow of Neon was visible in the distance.


    The convoy was parked on a road side.  Its passengers were stretching their legs nervously in the darkness while a few fairies danced overhead.  He spotted the four adventurers he¡¯d rescued conferring with Merrybel¡¯s leader and approached them.


    ¡°What¡¯s the situation?¡±  He asked.


    ¡°You¡¯re awake!¡±  The leader exclaimed before bowing deeply.  ¡°Allow me to express our immeasurable gratitude on behalf of the village.  We¡¯d lost all hope after the Maven caught us.  The way you defeated her was incredible.  You are our hero and savior.¡±  The adventurers nodded respectfully in agreement.


    Zentrias gave a gracious smile, hiding his impatience.  ¡°Are you not heading to Neon?¡±


    ¡°We were.¡±  The man replied.  ¡°Our plan was to exit the Evermist here and travel along the crater.  However¡­¡±  He pointed east to some retreating lights.  Zentrias guessed they were vehicles.  ¡°We received some dire news.¡±


    ¡°Apparently nightmares have overrun the area around the city.¡±  He continued.  ¡°As such, we were discussing changing our destination to Garnen.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡±  Zentrias said.  ¡°Then we part ways here.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure I couldn¡¯t persuade you to accompany us?¡±  The man asked anxiously.


    ¡°You are out of the fog and have a reliable escort.¡±  Zentrias declared.  ¡°Others now require my aid.¡±


    Without wasting an instant more, he took off and was mmediately surprises by his speed.  The noticeable boost to his abilities reminded him of what he had achieved.  Finally, after all this time¡­  and I did it without violating the oath I made to myself.  He thought of Yuria and fantasied about their reunion.


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    However, his smile soon faded.  It wasn¡¯t the time for love tonight, not when legions of monsters were menacing the orphanage.  He sped up.


    As he raced closer, a black outline began blocking out Neon¡¯s lights.  He realized it was a enormous defensive wall.  Inhuman wandering figures began crossing his path, but he was moving to fast for them to react.


    He could hear the sounds of battle now.  Passing a grove of trees, his view opened up on a frightening scene.  Across a landscape engulfed in fire and ice, a brutal war was being fought.  The ground reverberated constantly from the clash of immortal level foes.  At a quick glance, he counted at least a dozen moonlit sovereigns, in addition to the horrifying presence at the center of the battle.  However, what caused Zentrias to grimace were the multiple gaping holes in the fortifications, where an endless stream of mishapen creatures poured through.  At least the Nightmare King is being kept at bay for now¡­


    Fortunately, there were no sovereigns near the crater¡¯s edge, and he easily slipped past the lesser nightmares.  Reaching the top of the wall in one giant leap, he ignored the startled defenders and peered over the other side.


    A second, less intense conflict raged below, as adventurers fought desperately to prevent hordes of monsters from reaching the crowds near the dock  These were so thick they could easily be seen at this distance.  From the sky, Astrolis was raining down destruction to thin their numbers.  Wishing them all good luck, he dropped down and headed toward the elevated plateau where Edelweiss stood.


    In the slums below the orphanage¡¯s garden, he ran across Dawn struggling against more nightmares.  She spotted him and shouted, ¡°Be careful, Yuria is fighting a sovereign up there!¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±  He replied, jumping up.  Although any foe capable of giving Yuria trouble wasn¡¯t something he could handle himself, at least he wouldn¡¯t be useless with his current strength.


    Nordric¡¯s guildmaster was engaged in a duel with a murderous jester, whose twisted agility managed to oppose her graceful martial arts.  Sensing his arrival, the grinning mask turned towards him and threw three playing cards which transformed into black, rabid wendigos.  Zentrias dispatched these in quick succession and lunged towards their master, who nimbly back-flipped out of the way.


    ¡°He¡¯s after the children who are by the orphange¡¯s docks.¡±  Yuria explained.  ¡°The airship is late.  We can¡¯t let him slip by.¡±


    The jester confidently shuffle his deck of cards, and Zentrias readied himself, both nervous and elated.  This would be his first time fighting by Yuria¡¯s side.


    Before the three immortals could exchanged blows, they were hit by a terrifying premonition.  Zentrias looked over his shoulder to see a blinding light descend on them from above.

 [Book II Chapter 155] OLIVER BRACK: Retribution

    [Book II Chapter 155] OLIVER BRACK:  Retribution


    ------------------------------------------------


    Oliver Brack rubbed his aching shoulder as he stood deep in the command center of Novgard¡¯s castle.  Before him was a projection of the battlefield far below.  He took some satisfaction watching purple dots swarm towards the mass of orange dots concentrated by the docks.  However, this wasn¡¯t enough enough to wipe the dour expression off his face.


    Neon couldn¡¯t be allowed to fall.  The city served as a logistical and commercial hub for the wider region.  Its loss would indirectly impact Aery greatly, badly weakening Novgard, its longtime ally.


    ¡°You¡¯re relaying all this to Sovengard.¡±  He snapped briskly.


    ¡°Yes,¡±  A valykie answered, avoiding eye contact.  ¡°We are still waiting for a reply.¡±


    Oliver¡¯s scowl deepened.  He could feel the gaze of his subordinates when his back was turned.  They were wisely keeping quiet, but all of them knew of the humiliation he¡¯d suffered.


    He¡¯d never suspected Yuria would dare employ violence against him in his own throne room.  By nearly twisting his arm off, she pressured him to lift the limits on the number of refugee allowed to arrive.  Even now, hordes of them were disembarking.  His men were doing all they could to ensure they were escorted to bastion, but there were too many¡­


    Oliver ground his teeth.  He hated that simple physical pain had been enough for him to fold.  What he loathed even more was that part of him feared what Yuria might do if he rescinded his concession.


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    He couldn¡¯t retaliate against her officially.  His pride wouldn¡¯t permit him to reveal the slight to the rest of the Brack family.  His vengeance would have to be surreptitious and personal.


    ¡°We¡¯ve received authorization to fire Artemis.¡±  A valkyrie reported.  Oliver, for the first time, smiled.


    He¡¯d been waiting for this ever since Neon put in the request.  The beams of Aery¡¯s ultimate weapon were capable of curving and hitting targets in layers below the surface.  However, another level of precision was needed for such shots, which is why control mechanisms had been installed in the lowest of the floating islands, one of which was integrated in this room¡¯s projector system.


    ¡°Excellent!  I¡¯ll handle the targeting myself.¡±  He declared, taking over the operator¡¯s seat and locking in a set of coordinates.  ¡°The first shot will be here.¡±


    ¡°There appears to be civilians in that area¡­¡±  His lieutenant, an often impudent valkyrie, ventured.  ¡°Should we not issue a warning?¡±


    ¡°The area is essentially overrun.  They¡¯ll be dead by the time it reaches them.¡±  He answered curtly, glaring daggers.  The woman backed down, turning white.  Oliver nodded to himself at the reaction.  His subordinates knew the mood he was in.  There would be no further interruptions.


    Truthfully, he was relieved none of those present recognized Eidleweiss, else the situation might have become awkward.  The group of orange dots at the crater¡¯s edge were undoubtedly the orphans, which meant for certain Yuria was there too.


    A giddy sense of anticipation seized him as the Artemis charged up.  While estranged, Yuria was a member of House Raven.  There would be hell to pay later, but he didn¡¯t care at the moment.  His authority had already been violated, so what did it matter if this cost him the rest of it?  He might as well as milk the opportunity.


    He hungrily eyed the orange dots clustered by Neon¡¯s docks.  Saints from Aery were among the defenders, so he¡¯d have to send out an alert this time.  For appearance¡¯s sake, I must remember to also aim at the monsters.

 [Book II Chapter 156] WISE: Absolute Destruction

    [Book II Chapter 156] WISE:  Absolute Destruction


    ------------------------------------------------


    Wise approached the deformed centaur from behind.  The creature was focused on battering a door and didn¡¯t sense his presence.  He swung his staff, crushing its head.


    Rather than risk being trampled by joining the crowds near the docks, many refugees had barricaded themselves in buildings in the slums.  With the streets swarming with monsters, there was no way to move them now, so he was left racing from one location to another to prevent break-ins.


    Where must I head next?  Hundreds of small skirmishes were raging throughout Neon¡¯s outskirts.  Thanks to the countless innocent lives in dangers, he could barely see a few minutes ahead.  How did Nero handle it?  He wondered despite knowing the answer.  It was his insistence on saving everyone which was crippling his foresight.


    Then absolute destruction descended on him from above.  At first, he didn¡¯t understand what it was.  His future selves were simply disappeared in a sea of fire.  Then he concentrated and a few of his selves were able to escape the devastation and see what it was.  This caused him to panic all the more.


    Dawn!  Abandoning his rescue attempts, he sprinted across the rooftop.  His sister was where he¡¯d left her, fending of nightmares below Eidelweiss.


    ¡°Follow me now!¡±  He yelled, offering no explanation.  If she understood the situation, she might hesitate, and they were already cutting it close.


    Wise smashed through the wall of a run-down gym and pointed to the swimming pool inside.  ¡°Once we are at the bottom, freeze the water above us.¡±


    He dove down without waiting.  A second later, Dawn was by his side channeling powerful ice magic.  He could tell by her face that she had questions.  The answer is coming in 3¡­  2¡­  1¡­


    A blinding yellow light exploded above, and a shock wave hit them, followed by burning heat.  The next instant, the pool¡¯s water, what was left of it, was boiling, and the air above was filled with searing steam.  Struggling out of the ruble, they took stock of the devastation around them.


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    Every thing was flattened, and not a living soul could be seen.  Small fires littered the unrecognizable wreckage.


    Those I spent so much time helping are all dead, he realized.  By focusing on saving everyone, he¡¯d failed to save anyone.  He felt a crushing regret.  If I¡¯d been willing to accept losses, I could have foreseen this earlier¡­


    Dawn grabbed his shoulder and shook him.  ¡°What happened?¡±  There was madness in her eyes.


    ¡°Oliver Brack aimed Artemis, Aery¡¯s ultimate weapon, at Eidelweiss.  We were the only survivors in the blast zone.¡±  Wise explained emotionlessly.  ¡°If he¡¯s not stopped, he¡¯ll do it again.¡±


    His own words cause Wise to pause.  This isn¡¯t over¡­  Hundreds of thousands are at risk.  His mind and foresight started racing.  Neither Astra nor Arland¡¯s leadership were aware of how many died in the blast.  They had no reason to distrust Oliver.  Thanks to the oath and my foresight, I might be convince them otherwise, but that leaves many problems¡­


    He turned and roused his shocked sister.  ¡°Dawn, I need you to grab Emerit¡¯s attention and bring Astrolis to me.¡±


    Dawn looked back, still dazed and confused, so he continued.  ¡°If we don¡¯t get to Novgard, more will die.¡±


    Watching his sister fly off on icy wings, he sighed.  I can see so clearly now¡­  With all else seeming insignificant compared to the looming threat, he was free to explore the future without the compulsion to rescue civilians.  It was as though a dense fog had been lifted.


    Dawn returned with the giant orange mechanized knight.  The cockpit opened and Emerit popped out.  ¡°What¡¯s emergency?¡±  He asked with a half-serious smile.


    ¡°Oliver Brack murdered Yuria Raven by firing Artemis at Eidelweiss.¡±  Wise replied.  He went on to explain the details while Emerit listened with a grim expression.


    ¡°That¡¯s why Dawn and I need you to carry us to Novgard.¡±  He concluded.


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be best to alert your mother?¡±  Emerit asked.


    Wise shock his head.  ¡°Even if we did, that would put her in an awkward spot.  She can¡¯t send an adventurer¡¯s guild immortal without it being viewed as an act of war.  She would either need to take the time and effort to convince an Aery immortal to intervene or go herself.  Both solution would weaken the front lines and risk the Nightmare King breaking through.¡±


    ¡°And so you plan confronting Oliver yourselves?¡±  Emerit frowned.


    ¡°Dawn and I are Skyfells.¡±  Wise pointed out.  ¡°What¡¯s more we are saints acting on our own behalf.  There will be no political fallout.¡±


    ¡°But will you be able to stop Oliver?¡±  Emerit pressed.  ¡°I can only bring out there.  My position won¡¯t allow me to interfere.¡±


    ¡°We will.¡±  Wise answered.


    ¡°Trust him.¡±  Dawn added confidently.


    This won over Emerit Blaze, who nodded.  ¡°Then come up here and jump in.  I will be flying fast.¡±

 [Book II Chapter 157] FILIA: Battle for the Dullrock

    [Book II Chapter 157] FILIA:  Battle for the Dullrock


    ------------------------------------------------


    Filia jumped down onto the stone platform and cautiously surveyed her surroundings.  On one side, giant ghastfire braziers lit an expansive neverwhere ruin as far as she could see.  On the other, winds swept sand over the dunes into a dark giant twister in the distance.  Above, giant electricity rings whirled in their eternal random pattern.  There was no sign of life.


    ¡°The transcendent altar is on the opposite side of these ruins.¡±  Jake Thorn declared as the others joined her.


    ¡°And I can confirm with certainty that our enemies are here.¡±  Sarah added.  ¡°For now, there are three:  the Laughing Man, Johanna Loubor, and Sekken.¡±


    ¡°The area around them will be crawling with Sekken¡¯s hounds.¡±  Garreth observed.  ¡°Sneaking up to them will be impossible.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the plan?¡±  Filia asked.  All her attention had been focused on opening passageways through the Ether.


    ¡°We grab the card and run.¡±  Jake said, undoing Sana¡¯s bindings.  ¡°With this girl¡¯s help.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re going to use her sublime vagary?¡±  As a previous victim of Sana¡¯s thefts, Filia didn¡¯t fancy the idea.  She also remembered Magaret¡¯s dire warnings on the subject.


    ¡°We¡¯ll search her thoroughly once this is over.¡±  Sarah said.  ¡°For now, her assistance is vital.  All of Mount Gull is aligned against us.  We must secure our objective and run.¡±


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    They crossed the ruins, dispatching several of Sekken¡¯s red-eyed hounds on the way, until they reached a small pyramid.  A giant armadillo sat on the altar at the top surrounded by three immortals.


    ¡°I told you they¡¯d come.¡±  The Laughing Man sighed, looking down.  ¡°Although Garreth Black is an especially nasty surprise.¡±


    ¡°What does it matter?¡±  Johanna said smugly.  ¡°They¡¯re too late anyway.  We¡¯re just about done.¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t be finishing while we are here.¡±  Jayden announced flatly.


    ¡°Oh, really?¡±  Johanna scoffed.  ¡°Do you have any notion what kind of reinforcements¡ª¡ª¡±


    ¡°That wasn¡¯t blustering.¡±  Jayden cut in.  ¡°I meant it literally.¡±  The ninja fired off a gemstone stake at blinding speed, which the Laughing Man intercepted right before it pierced the dullrock.


    ¡°Unsummon your pet immediately.¡±  He snapped.


    ¡°But¡­¡±  Johanna stammered.


    ¡°If they kill it, we¡¯ll have to start all over.¡±  The laughing man continued.  ¡°Moreover¡­  I hate protecting living things.  Problems are better solved by senseless violence.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s time.¡±  Jake whispered.


    ¡°I want it now!¡±  Sana cried out, a card appearing in her outstretched hand.  She showed it to them.  ¡°Is this it?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a tidalscourge.¡±  Filia answered, recognizing the ultra rare sukemon.  ¡°The one we want has picture of that armadillo on it.¡±


    Sana frowned.  ¡°It¡¯s hard fishing for something I haven¡¯t seen with my own eyes¡­¡±


    ¡°Wait a second¡­¡±  Johanna drew out a deck, flipping through the cards.  Her face twisted with anger.  ¡°That¡¯s mine!¡±  She launched herself forward, her stormelk materializing under her.  ¡°You will return it to me.¡±


    Flying up to intercept her, Filia shouted, ¡°Dark Blades!¡±  A storm of swords interrupted the immortal¡¯s charge.


    Noticing her black wings and scale, Johanna¡¯s rage transformed into shock.  ¡°You fused with Oberon?¡±


    Taking this clash as a signal, Sekken raised his fist and called out, ¡°¡¯Rending Reality Itself¡¯¡±  Lightning shot into the darkness above, and a rift opened where he stood.


    ¡°Keep trying to steal the card.¡±  Jake ordered, drawing two wicked-looking short swords.  ¡°Everyone else, protect her until she has succeeded!¡±

 [Book II Chapter 158] HOPE: Gridon’s Fury

    [Book II Chapter 158] HOPE:  Gridon¡¯s Fury


    ------------------------------------------------


    Hope crouched high up on the largest pyramid of the Celetect ruins.  Around her neck hung a cloak enchanted to blend in with her surroundings.  She steadied her rifle and squinted, small magic circles glowing on her pupils.  Squeezing the trigger, she fired into the howling winds and smiled at the result.


    Her sight was linked to ten small fairies she¡¯d sent into the sandstorm.  Looking ahead through their eyes, she was aiming by relying entirely on foresight.  This was the technique Stella Gladesong, Aery¡¯s renowned archer, used with her crimson butterflies.


    Hope winced as she finished emptying her weapon.  Two sovereigns had jumped out of the rift sekken opened, and more demonic beasts were constantly pouring through.  With Jake Thorn and Garreth black occupied with the Laughing Man and Sekken, it fell to her to help deal with these threats.


    Fortunately, Light¡¯s group of ninja appeared to be holding its own against the aggressive gray wendigo, so her bullets flew towards the red scorpion hunting Soul¡¯s cultivating team and Johanna Loubor who was relentlessly pursuing Sana and Filia


    The pressure was mounting.  While garreth¡¯s heroic spirits were holding back the lesser demonic beasts, there numbers were rising.  Time was not on their side.


    As she lined up another shot against Johanna, the Laughing Man and Garreth Black suddenly appeared in her field of vision.  She immediately switched her target to the scorpion on the far side of the battlefield.  The madman was exceptionally sharp, and she didn¡¯t wish to risk revealing her location.


    Watching the scorpion dodge one of Soul¡¯s Heaven Splitters, she decided to switch her ammunition.  All she had to do was immobilize their foe, and her brother would take care of the rest.  She unloaded her bullets in quick succession, and, when they struck the ground, thick vines sprung forth.  They entangled the insect just enough to slow its movement.  Soul didn¡¯t miss the chance.


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    Hope was elated at the victory.  However, her heart sunk the next moment when three more revenants came through the rift.  Including Sekken, the five surviving ones had arrived.  Scrambbling to reload, she felt death descend and dodged to the side.  Golden spears rained down, one of which pierced her sniper¡¯s nest.


    ¡°There you are!¡±  The Laughing Man smirked from the ground below.  ¡°A pleasure to see you again, Hope Skyfell.¡±


    Through her fairies, she saw Garreth was battling the newly arrived revenants.  ¡°How did you know where I was?¡±  She demanded.  It should have been impossible with the precautions she¡¯d taken.


    ¡°Those were some powerful bullets, enchanted with your sister¡¯s root magic.¡±  The Laughing Man chuckled.  ¡°I had a hunch I¡¯d find you here, at the largest pyramid.¡±


    ¡°A hunch, huh?¡±  Hope smiled, grabbing the revolver she¡¯d already loaded with a very special bullet.  ¡°That¡¯s pretty unlucky for me.¡±


    Clay is brilliant.  She¡¯d originally believed her sublime vagary was useless in conflicts she initiated.  Her mentor had revealed that was not necessarily the case.  By engaging stealthily from a distance, she could bait her ability to bring her the misfortune of being discovered.  I should have quite a bit of bad luck saved up for this bastard.


    The Laughin Man¡¯s faced darkened at her confidence.  ¡°What are you plotting?¡±  He flung his spear, but it was too late.


    ¡°¡¯Cursed Fate¡¯¡±  Hope shouted, unleashing the trump card Clay had imparted to her.  The space between them warped violently, deflecting the golden weapon.  From of the distortion, an enormous flaming lizard fell onto the pyramid.  The creatures glanced around and fixed its gaze on the blond-haired man standing below.


    ¡°A salamander primal?¡±  The Laughing Man grimaced slowly.  ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you are Gridon?¡±  The lizard hissed loudly, creeping towards him.


    The Laughing Man took a step back.  ¡°You wouldn¡¯t happen to be holding a grudge over that silly matter in Lomistan?¡±


    <<Like my worshipers¡­  You will burn!>>  Gridon screeched.  Torrents of fire exploded all around the Celetect ruins.  From them, a horde of flaming creatures emerged, answering their master¡¯s call.  They charge the blond-haired immortal, who wasted no time fleeing.


    ¡°I have no idea what is happening, but it looks like it worked.¡±  Hope mumbled to herself.  As Clay had predicted, the unrestricted wild summon magic in his bullet had interacted perfectly with Curse Fate, drawing out a being capable of facing the Laughing Man.  Not only can it conjure its own army, it looks like it has a righteous grudge against him to boot.


    Basking in the glow of her accomplishment, Hope grabbed her rifle and jumped off the pyramid.  The battle wasn¡¯t over, and she needed a new sniping spot.

 [Book II Chapter 159] ROSE: Confronting Jonathan Bark

    [Book II Chapter 159] ROSE:  Confronting Jonathan Bark


    ------------------------------------------------


    It¡¯s changed quite a lot¡­  From the crest of a hill, they observed their destination, which had grown several folds from what she remembered.  The Thornbridge Manor was now a palatial complex, and its garden was so vast that its far side disappeared in the distance.


    ¡°Will its size be an issue?¡±  Rose asked.


    Roxanne shook her head.  ¡°I can easily burn it to the ground, as long as no one gets in the way.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m more worried about those.¡±  Roxanne pointed below, where the bodies of dozens of moonlit denizens grimly hung impaled on roots flowing over the outer wall.


    ¡°I guessed they weren¡¯t welcome.¡±  Free joked darkly.


    ¡°My fire should work wonders on whatever is guarding the property.¡±  Roxanne declared.  ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    As they neared, the roots came alive, writhing slowly together in the form of a giant.  It spread its arms, causing a mass of twisting wood to rise on its either side.  That must be some variant of an ent, a tree monster.


    ¡°Do you think this vegetation can block my way?¡±  Roxanne demanded, her staff flaring with crimson fire.  Before she could release her magic, a deep voice rang out.


    ¡°Hold, hold.¡±  An impeccably dress man landed between Roxanne and the ent, raising a hand to both.  ¡°No need for violence.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s Alucard.¡±  Carol whispered anxiously.


    Roxanne frowned, lowering her staff.  ¡°This tree is obstructing me.¡±  She informed the vampire lord.


    ¡°Is that so?¡±  Alucard replied.  ¡°One moment please, Raeld doesn¡¯t speak with outsiders.¡±


    Looking towards the ent, he engaged in a silent conversation.


    ¡°I understand.¡±  Alucard pointed to Carol.  ¡°Rald believes your fears attract too much attention, and he refuses to let you past.  Appologies, but I¡¯m loathed to override his decision.¡±¡±


    ¡°The rest of you are free to enter.¡±  He added, before glancing at the moonlit denizens gathering in the distance.  ¡°I¡¯ll leave you to confer while I dispatch some pests.¡±


    They huddled together.  ¡°It would be ideal to reach Jonathan without fighting.¡±  Rose began.


    ¡°Agreed, I¡¯d also rather avoid facing Alucard and this Rald at the same time.¡±  Roxanne said.


    ¡°Then the issue is whether we can leave Carol out here alone.  I don¡¯t believe she¡¯d last long¡­¡±  Rose continued.  The fearmancer nodded.


    ¡°I¡¯ll stay with her.¡±  Free volunteered.  ¡°You two carry on.¡±


    This didn¡¯t sit well with Rose.  ¡°Are you certain you can keep her safe?  You¡¯ve seen their numbers.¡±  She judged without Roxanne, it would take all three of them to fend off the monsters.


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    ¡°You forget that we¡¯re next to Thornbridge Manor.¡±  Free countered.  ¡°If we stay near the wall, that makes one less direction they can be attracted from.  Besides, it¡¯ll be a defensive battle in a garden setting, something I excel at.  We¡¯ll be fine.  Right, Carol?¡±


    The fearmancer grimaced.  ¡°After coming this far, Free¡¯s suggestion makes sense.  But please hurry back.  We won¡¯t last forever.¡±


    ¡°You ladies done?¡±  Alucard asked.  Spotting him back at the wall, Rose searched and realized the land was cleansed of living beings no matter how far she looked.  That was fast.


    ¡°Roxanne and I wish to speak to Jonathan.¡±  Rose announced.


    ¡°But of course,¡±  Alucard invited them in with a gesture.  ¡°He¡¯s on the far terrace.  Follow me.¡±


    They slipped by the giant ent, crossing the manor¡¯s ground and rounding the sprawling building.  Soon they saw two men sitting at an outdoor table.  Rose frowned recognizing the younger, handsome one.  Raphael Lange!?  Why is he here?  This thought was more a lament than a question.  Having last seen the man mingling in a courtyard filled with Torak¡¯s disciples, she could guess the answer.


    ¡°Good evening, Rose.¡±  Raphael stood and bowed elegantly.  ¡°It¡¯s been a while since we last met.¡±


    Jonathan raised an eyebrow.  ¡°You know each other?¡±


    ¡°I bumped into her once at Xarst.¡±  Raphael revealed.


    ¡°A brief, chance encounter.¡±  Rose admitted.  ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°I was the one who convinced Jonathan Bark to assist us in unleashing the Nightmare King.¡±  Raphael answered smoothly.  ¡°I¡¯d long been an admirer of his works, so I approached him with the concept.  I was overjoyed when he proved receptive and put him in contact with my comrades.¡±


    ¡°From that point, Adam Bishop and Aldric Moonkin took over leadership of the project.  If I have one regret, it¡¯s losing Adam for its completion¡­  Powerless to assist in other ways, I chose to monitor and safeguard the keystone his sacrifice created.¡±


    Rose grimaced.  He¡¯s not here to protect it himself ¡ª¡ªAlucard is enough for that task¡ª¡ª, he¡¯s here to make sure no one changes Jonathan¡¯s mind.  Persuasion would be difficult


    ¡°What did you come here for?¡±  Jonathan asked.


    Rose was certain the man knew the reason but replied anyway.  ¡°Hundreds of thousands are dead, and your Nightmare King threatens to kill millions more.  Would you permit us to burn down Thornbridge Manor?¡±


    ¡°Apologies, I refuse.¡±  Jonathan replied.  ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have involved myself if my resolve was that weak¡±  He waved a hand, and a maid appeared in flash of static, one eye glowing yellow and the other green.  ¡°Could I interest you in some tea?¡±


    Roxanne stepped forward, ignoring the offer. ¡°You¡¯re even older than I am, yet I¡¯ve never heard of you directly harming innocents.  Betraying your fans and allying with the world¡¯s enemies seems horribly out of character for you.  Why do it?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±  Jonathan struggled for words.  ¡°I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t answer.¡±


    ¡°Is that so,¡±  Roxanne sighed.  ¡°Then I¡¯ll destroy this place by force.¡±  Her staff flared with crimson fire.


    ¡°Such violence will not be tolerated.¡±  Alucard said.  In an instant, he moved next to Roxanne and, with a shove of the arm, knocked her off the terrace into the garden.


    ¡°You¡¯re pretty swift¡­¡±  Roxanne said, landing on her feet.  She then eyed the maid standing at attention.


    Alucard noticed.  ¡°Worry not.  I am the agent of Jonathan¡¯s will.  Dorothee is his bodyguard.  She will not interfere.¡±


    ¡°Besides,¡±  Jonathan added,  ¡°My confidence in Alucard is absolute.  Should you defeat him by some miracle, I won¡¯t stand in your way.


    ¡°Roxanne¡­¡±  Rose objected miserably.


    Her mentor smiled back.  ¡°Forgive my selfishness.  Talking wouldn¡¯t get us anywhere.¡±


    I can¡¯t stop her¡­  Rose¡¯s eyes flick to the handsome man seated at the table.  And it¡¯s all his fault.


    ¡°Raphael Lange, I challenge you to a duel.¡±  She announced.  If she could defeat the necromancer, she might yet sway the horror author¡¯s opinion.  This was the only chance to end the conflict between her mentor and the vampire lord.


    Raphael turned to Jonathan.  ¡°Is that permissible?¡±


    The man nodded.  ¡°As long as its outside the manor and both parties consent, I have no objection.¡±


    ¡°Then I accept.¡±  Raphael got up.  ¡°Let¡¯s move somewhere isolated.¡±

 [Book II Chapter 160] Sarah: Fiery Chaos

    [Book II Chapter 160] Sarah:  Fiery Chaos


    ------------------------------------------------


    Kaygren¡¯s demonic beasts were attacking anything unfamiliar, including the army of flaming creatures intent on hunting the Laughing Man down.  The result was a fiery chaos when these retaliated aggressively.


    Thanks to the appearance of salamander primal, for a few minutes they¡¯d held a narrow advantage.  Then two new rifts opened, with two new sovereigns charging through.  The one in charge on Mount Gull had decided that the revenants were do longer enough.  More reinforcements would keep showing up the longer they dragged this out.


    Sarah was watching events unfold from the base of a Celetech monument along the edge of the battlefield.  She wore the same camouflage cloak as Hope and was manipulating fate to further mask her presence.  As long as she remained undetected, the curse would remain dormant.


    She¡¯d considered asking Astra for permission to fight, but the raw offensive power from redirecting calamities was too good to pass up.  Instead, she resigned herself to dealing with that approach¡¯s drawbacks.  Once she entering combat, her stamina would only last around five minutes, after which she¡¯d be out of commission.  She had to make that time count.


    Johanna Loubor and her stormelk were still pursuing Sana and Filia.  The wolf girl kept stealing cards, but never the right one.  Worse, it was possible she never would.


    The dullrock card they sought was now held firmly in Johanna¡¯s left hand, along with a few others.  This was undoubtedly an instinctual response on the immortal¡¯s part.  When you absolutely don¡¯t want to lose something, you kept it in hand.  The unforeseen situation was exposing a restriction of ¡®I want it now¡¯ that Sana herself was likely ignorant of.  I suppose if she could snatch weapons from her opponents, that would be too overpowered.  The one upside side was that, having her precious prize out in the open, Johanna was forced to move more cautiously.  This allowed Filia to barely stave her off.


    I¡¯m unsure what to do¡­  The Celetect Vortex was hampering her ability to determine the course of an already hectic battle.  Not only that, she felt the pull of high sorcery on the strands of fate, further clouding her vision.  She had to rely on her own judgment and decision making.


    A screech caught her attention.  A giant storm eagle emerged from a rift, and, with a flap of its wings, it released a twister tearing across the Celetect ruins towards Garreth Black.


    Sarah grimaced.  She felt that the appearance of this sovereign mean Kaygren¡¯s arrival was immanent.  There was no time to hesitate.


    Leaving her hiding spot, she left drew out a dragon tooth and threw in at the ground.  Hurricane force winds bursted out in all direction, knocking her back.  Once the spontaneous tempest subsided, a translucent stag stood before her awaiting her command.


    To maximize her effectiveness, she needed high mobility, which required a trusted steed.  Not an ordinary one either, else she risked destiny twisting its mind against her.  Light¡¯s special connection to his shadow wolf had prevented this last time, but she¡¯d wanted the ability to act independently.  That¡¯s why She¡¯d approach Clay Donnaster on route to the twin cities and requested an immortal-level air dancer.  These stags from the elemental plane of air were famous for their pacifism in that hostile place.


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    She mounted the beautiful creature and felt a pang in her chest.  Nearby demonic beasts had noticed the summoning and were rushing towards her.  She swung her staff and one of them collapsed coughing blood.


    <<Toward the stormelk.>>  She commanded.


    Their goal was obtaining or destroying Geordan Price¡¯s dullrock card.  The swiftest means to this goal was dispatching Johanna Loubor.  While Jake and Garreth were the best candidates for this task, they were embroiled in a life or death struggle with Sekken, the storm eagle, and the other sovereigns.   She would attempt it in their stead.


    As she crossed the battlefield, the fiery explosions through which the salamander conjured its minions gradually intensified.  Flaming balls of destruction rained down at her before being redirected at her enemies.  Her foresight blared warnings of death through her psyche, and she knew a single mistake would be her end.


    Johanna¡¯s stormelk scrambled to dodge the flurry of pyrotechnical projectiles aimed its way.  I can do this!  Sarah had failed to kill Sekken, but Johanna would be a different matter.  The reaction from the curse was intensifying.  Once it reached a fever pitch, the immortal would be finished.


    Then Sarah felt a pang of terror when Johanna steered her stormelk in the direction of a rift.  She immediately broke off her pursuit, redirecting the Ether¡¯s wrath towards the demonic beasts below.  Glancing back, she was relieved to see Johanna had gone back to chasing the wolf girl.


    Thank goodness¡­  It would¡¯ve been a disaster had the immortal took refuge on Mount Gull.  Since they dared not cross over for fear of what might lurk on the other side, the immortal could wait out the battle there in complete safety.  Their chances of victory would drop to zero.


    Even though she failed at her intended purpose so far, Sana is proving pivotal.  If not for Johanna¡¯s fury over her stolen cards, she might¡¯ve been reasonable and retreated.  With their centuries of experience, Jake and Garreth must¡¯ve understood this dynamic, which was why they¡¯d made no attempt to dispatch the immortal themselves.  So we have not choice except rely on ¡®I want it now¡¯¡­?  Sarah grimaced.


    Near a smaller Celetect pyramid, reality fractured in a deluge of blinding light.  Waves of flames washed over the ground, and giant serpents of fire twisted up into the air, plunging towards her.  She desperately diverted their course towards a much smaller boa constrictor on the ground.  The revenant Saeen, the devourer, was consumed in the blazing impact.


    Those were fire spirits¡­  The curse must have created a rupture linking directly to elemental plane of fire¡¯s Burning Sea!  This would probably be a boon to the salamander and its minion, but Sarah had no time consider this.  The rupture was growing in size and intensity, as were the attacks barreling towards her.  While Miracle Worker flawlessly guided this destruction towards her enemies, she was rapidly approaching the limit in her ability to wield it, not the mention her stamina.


    Reacting before being overwhelmed, she grabbed the second dragon¡¯s claw Clay had gifted her.  There was a bright flash, and the fire spirits converging towards her veered off of course.  She watched with relief as they struck randomly, having lost their target.


    That was easier than last time.  The presence erasing enchantment really helps.  By disappearing from the sight of her enemies, she had withdrawn from combat, thereby untriggering the curse.  Although the invisibility wasn¡¯t perfect and would be detected by enemies who were perceptive if too close, this wasn¡¯t an issue under these circumstances.


    High above the battlefield, Sarah leaned on the air dancer¡¯s back in exhaustion.  Was this all I could do?  She had killed a sovereign and thinned the ranks of the demonic beasts, but these were temporary gains which would be overturned in no time.


    She grabbed Miracle Worker tight, searching the strands of fate.  Surprisingly she discovered there was still something she could do.  Initially resisting the option revealed to her, her resolved coalesced slowly.


    Decision made, she directed the air dancer over the correct spot and tossed Miracle Worker.  The staff dropped into the confused hands of Gen Jiang.


    Sarah nodded, satisfied.  Now it¡¯s time to find somewhere to hide and pray for the best.

 [Book II Chapter 161] ROSE: The Sibriex

    [Book II Chapter 161] ROSE:  The Sibriex


    ------------------------------------------------


    ¡°I am saddened it came to this.¡±  Standing on the far side of the patio, Raphael waited patiently.  Around them hedges obscured the rest of Jonathan¡¯s garden.  ¡°Whenever you¡¯re ready.¡±


    This isn¡¯t self-defense¡­  I am about to murder someone who had no intent to harm me.  Of course, Rose knew hundreds of thousands were indirectly dying because of his actions, but that was far away and theoretical.  In front of her was a handsome, well-mannered young man displaying no hostility.


    ¡°Can you tell me why you turned on Enera?¡±  She asked, keen to deal with her hesitation before their duel to the death.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡±  Raphael responded.  ¡°You were the one pressed for time.¡±


    That¡¯s right, Roxanne is fighting Alucard and I have no idea how long she¡¯ll last.  Rose grimaced.  ¡°I¡¯ll listen if you¡¯re willing to share, but please be quick about it.¡±


    Raphael smirked at her attitude, shacking his head.  With a sigh, he fixed his gaze on her, the lightheartedness draining from his face.  ¡°I was born in Banzerkesh, and my skin was gray.¡±


    ¡°I grew up in Xanadu, not knowing my father.  They don¡¯t allow family units in the capital.  The beatings were frequent despite my attempts to avoid them.  I won¡¯t bore you with distasteful story of what happened to my mother and sister.  Suffice to say life was misery.¡±


    ¡°Then, one day, two men in black visited the estate, and all the younger slaves were gathered up before them.  One by one, they handed each boy and girl a crystal ball.  Although nothing happened for most, a whisp of smoke appeared for a few.  When it was my turn, the ball turned jet black.  I was free.¡±


    ¡°In the past, Banzerkesh learned the hard way that keeping slaves with a high affinity for death was not worth the cost.  Despair and anger made them prone to becoming particularly vicious death users.  That¡¯s why, once a year, envoys from the Black Citadel visit and collect all those so gifted.¡±


    Raphael lifted his arm, examining the pale colored skin on the back of his hand.  ¡°¡­  My good fortune has always eaten away at me.  How was it fair that I alone, out of tens of thousands, was given this chance?¡±


    ¡°However, as I spent more time in the Black Citadel and learned how the world worked, my guilt gradually turned to rage.  What I considered my salvation was, for others, normal.  I realized it was this world that was warped and wrong.¡±


    ¡°In the end, I buried my frustrations and focused on my studies.  I knew anything I did would be useless.  Nothing would change.  That was until the Dark Age began, and I understood my opportunity had come.¡±


    Rose contemplated somberly.  ¡°I still don¡¯t understand¡­  Why ally yourself with Torak?  Couldn¡¯t you aim to fix the world instead?¡±


    ¡°Millenia have passed with nothing happening.¡±  Raphael answered coldly.  ¡°Handam Xolran is undefeatable, and nothing will change as long as he still lives.  The only hope is that, in this existential war, the god of death will eventually claim him.¡±


    ¡°By that time, Enera would likely be doomed.¡±  Rose countered.  ¡°Is your idea of saving your people killing them all?¡±


    Rapheal was nonplussed.  ¡°Barzerkest has practiced slavery for seven thousand years.  Without this Dark Age brought on by Torak¡¯s grace, it would¡¯ve continue to do so for seven thousand more.  That might as well be an eternity.  Does a world, where a small portion of the population is sentenced to never-ending suffering, deserve to exist?  I say no.¡±


    The earth rumbled beneath them.  Rapheal glanced in the direction where a distant battle raged, ¡°They aren¡¯t bothering with discussions over there.¡±


    ¡°On the count of three, I¡¯m coming for you.¡±  Rose said tersely.  Roxanne was her priority.  Free and Carol are in danger too.


    Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    ¡°Three, two, one¡­¡±  She launched herself forward.  She¡¯d no grand plan beyond engaging aggressively.   While, as a saint, Raphael was a veteran adventurer, he wasn¡¯t that much older than she was.  Chances were her coliseum experience exceeded his.  I¡¯ll finish this quickly to make up to the time spent talking.


    Raphael backpedaled, extending his hands, and she felt the workings of a fearsome magic.  A summoning?  Between them, a large mass of skulls, all fused together, rose from the ground.  The light in their empty eye sockets glared at her, inspiring a terror she hadn¡¯t felt since the undead tyrant.  I don¡¯t know this type¡­


    The skulls screeched and a blackness washed over her.  Once she could see again, everything around her was gone.  She stood alone in a landscape of broken bones.  Only the moon shining over head remained the same.


    Where is it?  Did it trap me in a separate space?  What she was experiencing was similar to how the siblings had described Dawn¡¯s sublime vagary, yet she could not see her foe or its summoner.


    The bones around her rattled, and skeletons assembled themselves slowly.  In their hands were swords, axes, and spears also made of bone.  Damn it.  Rose threw out some crimson fire, intending to convert a few into burning dead.  Her eyes widened as the skeletons were consumed with flames.  She felt nothing there to control!


    The others charged.  She noticed they weren¡¯t making any noise when moving and weren¡¯t emanating their usual dread.  Rather, there was an aura of menace radiating from everything around her.


    She retreated confused, only for her back to collide with an unseen object.  Her hand felt a wall of leaves behind her.  The hedge?  Does that mean we are still in the patio?


    She dodged in an other direction, throwing fireballs at her pursuers while keeping her foresight on hyperalert.  If she was trapped in a fake world, that meant Raphael and that thing were hidden somewhere nearby.


    Resolving to conserve her strength until she could determine what was going on, she threw a regular fireball at the next foe which approached.  The skeleton ran straight through her magic as if it weren¡¯t there and thrust its spear.  Caught of guard, she made her best effort to sidestep, but a sharp pain shot through her shoulder.


    Enough!  She smashed her palms into the ground, and an inferno of crimson fire flared up around her.  Quickly inspecting her injury, she was taken aback to find no blood.  She also realized she was kneeling in a patch of purple grass.


    I think I understand¡­  The skeletons were still closing in from all sides.  Yet, each time they attacked the bonfire around her, crimson flames would travel up their weapons and immolate them.  My crimson fire is burning the magic making them visible.  That¡¯s why regular fire did nothing¡­


    Despite her new understanding, she remained in a bad spot.  Enough physical pain would wear away at a person¡¯s consciousness and ability to channel.


    After a brief reflection, she settled on a brute force approach.  Keeping the crimson fire blazing around her, she constructed a large magic circle  I¡¯m not going to have much energy left after this¡­


    Pushing aside her doubts, she unleashed her spell.  A wave of crimson flames flew out in all directions, incinerating everything.  She was relieved to see Jonathan¡¯s garden reappear and a mass of burning skulls collapse to the ground.  She spotted Raphael in the corner of the patio, not far from where he¡¯d been before.  He sure made a fool of me.


    Rose forced herself to her feet, panting heavily.  For his part, Raphael appeared in fine form, with not a drop of sweat gracing his figure.  She grimaced.


    ¡°It¡¯s your victory.¡±  Raphael said.


    ¡°Is this some trickery?¡±  Rose demanded wearily.


    Raphael smirked.  ¡°I¡¯ve taken the oath, remember?¡±


    Oh, right¡­  She relaxed slightly.  ¡°Why are you giving up?¡±


    Raphael raised his arms, letting his sleeves fall down and revealing dark lines on his skin.  They flowed together into a web of sinister symbols.  ¡°Adam helped me with these.  That Sibriex is a rare immortal level undead, not something a saint can instantly summon without a heavy cost.  I won¡¯t be able to channel an ounce of power for a while.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of that type of undead.¡±  Rose responded.


    ¡°Not surprising, it is one of the most unique.¡±  Raphael nodded.  ¡°Those spawned from the Abyss normally never wield illusions.  It¡¯s a well-known influence of Torak¡¯s hatred of lies.  The Sibriex skirts this restriction by casting thin fields of magic which absorb and reflect light as it see fits, relying on its special ability to turn fake strikes into real pain.  It¡¯s usually a terrifying opponent.¡±


    He sighed, smiling.  ¡°I was unlucky.  Not only was your crimson fire a counter to its deception, but you also managed to summon enough of it to kill it.¡±


    Enough procrastinating.  Despite her fatigue, she began constructing another magic circle.  Raphael watched with detached amusement.


    ¡°You are making this overly complicated.¡±  He observed.


    ¡°It¡¯ll be instantaneous.¡±  Rose replied, finishing her spell.


    She gazed down afterwards on the smoldering spot where the man had stood.  I wished he¡¯d had the good grace to let me kill him in the heat of battle.  She¡¯d had no choice.  He¡¯d too much blood on his hands to let go.  Not to mention all the innocents he might yet have harmed.  I wonder if Banzerkest is one of the ¡®wrongs¡¯ Simon is seeking to right.


    A tremor jolted her from her musings, reminding her of her true priorities.  She turned and made her way back to Thornbridge manor.

 [Book II Chapter 162] WISE: Myriad Calamity Crystallization

    [Book II Chapter 162] WISE:  Myriad Calamity Crystallization


    ------------------------------------------------


    From Astrolis¡¯s cockpit, Wise finished communicating the situation to Aery¡¯s twin weaponsmiths.  He then waited for the inevitable.


    ¡°Did you see Yuria die with your own eyes?¡±  Helix Karel asked.


    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t.¡±  Wise admitted.


    ¡°Then there¡¯s not much we can do.¡±  Gali shrugged.


    Emerit was not amused by this response.  ¡°Can¡¯t you delay Artimis¡¯s next strike?¡±  He asked.


    ¡°Theoretically yes, but¡­¡±  Helix hesitated.


    ¡°One the preconditions to letting us construct an ultimate weapon, was that we abide by strict protocols.¡±  Gali continued.  ¡°Queen Kalista has authorized its use, and firing authority is vested with Oliver Brack.  Interfering is not an option we are willing to consider.¡±


    They are worried the fallout would impact their independence and research budget, Wise understood.  They¡¯ll respect the chain of command even if the lives of millions were in jeopardy.


    ¡°Bloody politics¡­¡±  Dawn muttered under her breath.


    Wise glanced discreetly at his sister.  Her jaw muscle was so tense he could almost feel her grinding her teeth.  This was the angriest he¡¯d ever seen her.


    ¡°Excuse me, I have another incoming call.¡±  Emerit announced.  The twins nodded and their image disappeared only to be replaced with the armored figure of a man.  Samuel Horn, Arland¡¯s ruler.


    ¡°Emerit Blaze, what the hell is going on with Oliver Brack?¡±  Samuel began briskly before noticing Astrolis¡¯s extra passengers.  ¡°¡­ and why are Dawn and Wise Skyfell with you?¡±


    ¡°I am ferrying them to Novguard so they can reason with its governing immortal.¡°  Emerit replied smoothly.


    Samuel frowned at this news.  ¡°Oliver has advised us to withdraw our saints and abandoned the outskirts.  Not only would this leave millions defenseless¡­  Does he genuinely intend to target the refugee population?¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, he¡¯s serious¡­¡±  Wise relayed what had happened with Artemis¡¯s first strike.


    ¡°Curse the Heavenly Dao¡­¡±  Samuel raged.  ¡°Just what we needed, an Aery immortal going off the deep end¡­¡±


    ¡°My sister and I will stop him.¡±  Wise promised.  ¡°He won¡¯t fire again.¡±


    Samuel spent a moment appraising him.  ¡°I will tell Oliver that the saints need to stay in place for another fifteen minutes so we may evacuate critical personnel and resources.  This should buy you the time you need.¡±


    ¡°As for you, Emerit, stay in Novguard and monitor the situation.  I need to know immediately if they fail.¡±


    ¡°Will do.¡±  Emerit agreed, ending the conversation.


    When they were dropped off at Novgard¡¯s castle, a contingent of valkyries greeted them in the courtyard.


    ¡°We¡¯re here to see Oliver.¡±  Dawn declared.


    ¡°And we have clear orders to let no one in.¡±  The valkyries¡¯ leader responded.


    The air chilled.  ¡°You are not stopping me.¡±  Dawn stated matter-of-factly.  With grim faces, the valkyries readied their weapon.


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    Wise put his hand on his sister shoulder.  ¡°Let me handle this.¡±


    The valkyries studied him apprehensively as he stepped forwards.  ¡°Oliver Brack murdered Yuria Raven with Astrolis.  With his next shot, he will target the refugee population outside Neon.¡±


    The valkyries looked at each other with uncertainty and fear.  Wise continued.  ¡°You have been warned by Nero¡¯s clone of the consequences.  If you stand in our way, you will now be complicit in the murder of millions.¡±


    The leader growned, capitulating and waving them past.  ¡°I wish you the best of luck.¡±


    They found Oliver hovering over a projected map in the castle¡¯s command center.  He gazed up at them with a look of disdain.


    ¡°Useless guards¡­¡±  He whispered under his breath.


    ¡°Please step away from Artemis¡¯s firing control.¡±  Wise requested calmly.


    ¡°Here I was worried Astra might show up.¡±  Oliver chuckled.  ¡°But it¡¯s only two of her brats.  What was she thinking?¡±


    ¡°Power down the weapon.¡±  Dawn commanded.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have the authority to order me around,¡±  Oliver snapped, ¡°You arrogant little twit!¡±


    ¡°I am prepared to use force if I must.¡±  Dawn warned coldly as the room¡¯s temperature plummeted.


    Oliver¡¯s anger transformed into a bewildered amusement.  ¡°Are you actually threatening me?¡±  A smile spreed over his lips.  ¡°Fine.  Neon is drawing things out anyway.  Let¡¯s settle this with violence.¡±


    ¡°¡­But not in my Castle.  Follow me.¡±  He led up to the castle¡¯s wall and jumped off with such force it shook the foundations.  He¡¯s stronger than Sion Gale, Wise observed as he watched the immortal land in a distant field.


    They quickly caught up and faced off across the swaying blades of wheat.  As Oliver stared back, the largest of grins crept on his face.  ¡°I never got the chance to ask you, Dawn¡­  How did you enjoy your expedition to the Nolfis Underground?¡±


    ¡°This part, I will handle.¡±  Sharp frozen short swords appeared in Dawn¡¯s hands.  ¡°Don¡¯t get in my way.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡±  Wise sighed, knowing the outcome.


    Sadly, their exchange soured Oliver¡¯s mood.  ¡°You intend to fight me alone?¡±  He eyed Dawn with a bottomless hatred.  ¡°Even now, your ego knows no bounds¡­  You are just a saint!¡±


    The immortal drew his broadsword and charged.  Wise backed off, watching Dawn deflect the weapon.  This battle would be different from the one which had transpired in the Blood Arena.  Right away, Oliver was striking with the intent to kill, holding nothing back.  Dawn was barely fending off the assault, and her ice armor was gradually cracking.  Without his foresight, Wise would have already felt compelled to join in.  This is completely one-sided.  The difference in raw strength is too great.


    ¡°I am the peak of perfection.


    Yet in this wretched world,


    Merit means nothing.¡±


    Dawn¡¯s chant echoed out among the clash of blades.  Oliver didn¡¯t bother pausing to listen.  ¡°Everything that comes out of your mouth is utter dribble.  I despise you from the bottom of my heart.¡±


    ¡°Before aberrant adversity, I know misfortune


    Which my pride will never accept.¡±


    ¡°So I¡¯ll invoke it, a place which reverses fate


    Where my superiority is complete.¡±


    A chill engulfed the field as a frozen mist spread over the ground.  Confronted by the supernatural phenomenon, Oliver finally ceased his offensive, backing away warily.


    ¡°Myriad Calamity Crystallization.¡±  Dawn finished.


    The mist rose up and engulfed them all.  Once it thinned, they stood on a icy landscapes.  Above auroras intersected the bright night stars, illuminating glittering snow flakes descending on them gently.


    It¡¯s much stronger than last time¡­  The wheat had been erased replaced by endless white.


    ¡°It is unforgivable that a brag like you can create a separate space.¡±  Oliver¡¯s voice oozed with venom.  ¡°Is this what defeated Sion?¡±


    Dawn nodded.  ¡°For months, I¡¯ve been trying to recreate it, but the method to do so has always eluded me.  It was only now, thanks to you, that I finally understood.¡±


    ¡°Self-loathing.¡±  Dawn sighed.  ¡°That¡¯s the key to Myriad Calamity Crystallization.  Disgust at my own shortcoming.  Hatred of my inadequacies¡­¡±


    She stared up at the sky.  ¡°I truly despise myself right now.¡±


    The falling flakes grew, turning into spikes, and then kept growing, transforming into giant glistening spears of ice.  Over a hundred hovered in the air over their heads.


    ¡°Each one of these is a child you murdered, a child I failed to save.¡±


    With a determined look, Dawn extended her arm, and the frozen lances shot forward.  Oliver dodged a few before being overwhelmed, his body torn to shred.


    ¡°Enough, don¡¯t kill him.¡±  Wise called out.


    Dawn stopped, half her spears remaining, and looked at him as if he¡¯d gone mad.


    ¡°It¡¯ll create problems if you do.¡±  Wise explained.  ¡°You are not the only one with a grudge against him.  House Raven will be upset if they are deprived of their justice.¡±


    Dawn sneered.  ¡°Politics¡­¡±  She reluctantly dissipated the cold surrounding them, allowing reality to return.


    Oliver was a bloody mess but still conscious when they approached.  Weakly, he pointed towards the heavens, ¡°Midnight nears¡­  When the moon is at its zenith¡­  the Nightmare King will break through¡­  He¡¯ll kill them all in my place¡­¡±