《A Veil Between Worlds [Military Academy|Progression]》


 Prologue – A Tear in the Veil

    Midhir Induen-Ardagh readied his blade against the man in front of him. His gaze met with that of his opponent, only seeing the cold, blue-silver glow of the otherworld shining through his eyes.


    Noises of clashing blades, the chime of the power of crystals being called upon, and the roars of the raging inferno behind him echoed in his ears. Ahead of him, the otherworldly shine of the defensive pylon threatened to blind him.


    His heart raced, adrenaline pumped through his veins, heightening his senses. The world was clear and vibrant, he could hear every footstep, every cling of metal hitting metal. The scent of blood, sweat, and smoke filled his nostrils.


    His opponent, a soldier of the Third Division of the Imperial Army, and one of the men he shared a breakfast with just this morning, dashed forward. His spear aimed for Midhir¡¯s heart, marking the beginning of their fight.


    Midhir grasped his sword with both hands, its slightly curved blade reflected the sunlight and the flames roaring behind him. His knees bent slightly as he lowered his centre of gravity, and with one quick strike upwards, he deflected the spear¡¯s strike. As the sound of metal hitting wood reached his ears, he dashed forward, keeping his body low and his eyes on his opponent. He struck downwards this time, a fluid continuation of his previous strike, and dug the sharp edge of his blade into the side of his opponent¡¯s neck, cutting through flesh and bone with little resistance.


    Blood gushed from his opponent¡¯s wound. He pulled his sword out of the wound, and as the otherworldly light faded from the soldier¡¯s eyes, he shouted. ¡°Arwen!¡±


    ¡°Right away!¡± A voice clear as a bell rung back. Golden light concentrated on his opponent¡¯s wound. Midhir leapt over his fallen body, ignoring the spectacle of lights Arwen¡¯s resonance casting created. His gaze focused ahead on the tower housing one of the pylons of the Northern Defensive Formation.


    His feet kicked the ground as he maneuvered around the fights taking place scattered along the Northern Wall. Groups of soldiers wearing the same armour, wielding the same weapons, and carrying the same insignia fought with each other. The metallic, heavy scent of blood festered in the air ¨C proof of the severity of their situation. With a mix of emotions raging within him, he ran past the falling soldiers.


    As the tower drew closer, he noticed two familiar faces fighting against a pair of soldiers. His steps slowed down as he tightened his grasp on his blade. Hesitation gripped his heart as his gaze shifted between the Pylon¡¯s tower, and his instructor and classmate. Their opponents had the same otherworldly glow in their eyes as the soldier he brought to death¡¯s door a few moments ago, and without Arwen by their side, it wasn¡¯t going to be easy for them to win that fight. At least not in a manner the Empire would find acceptable.


    Reluctantly, he ran towards them, knowing Arwen was just a few steps behind him.


    ¡°Instructor Soraya!¡± He shouted, only to be met with the furious gaze of the tall woman.


    ¡°What in the holy blood¡¯s name are you doing?¡± She shouted. ¡°Go to the Pylon ¨C we¡¯ve got this!¡± She pointed at the foot of the tower with her sword before taking a step to the side to evade her opponent¡¯s spear, then stepped forward and hit his helmet with the side of her blade with enough strength that the sound of metal hitting metal echoed across the battlefield.


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t need our help.¡± Arwen placed her hand on his shoulder. ¡°Neither does Willow ¨C the Pylon, on the other hand¡­¡± Her voice faded.


    Midhir nodded. The glow had grown even brighter ¨C it was enough to rival the sun high in the sky. ¡°They¡¯re almost finished.¡± He hissed as they continued running.


    Just before they reached the door at the foot of the tower, a young man wearing the same uniform as them caught his attention. Wielding his spear against nearly half a dozen opponents, their classmate was like a whirlwind. The ancient Orlein style of spear-fighting was on full display as he knocked out his opponents with fast, precise strikes while also defending himself from their attacks.


    Just as they spotted him, he saw them. ¡°Hurry, I¡¯ll be right behind you-¡° He paused to kick one of the soldiers in the groin, then smacked the back of his head as he bent down in pain, knocking him unconscious. ¡°We don¡¯t have any time left!¡±


    Midhir didn¡¯t even slow down to nod or answer. They all knew they were running out of time. His heart raced as they reached the door at the foot of the tower. Blood rushed through his veins as he ran up the stairs. ¡°Focus on the Pylon,¡± He told Arwen as they climbed the spiralling stairs two steps at a time. ¡°I¡¯ll handle whatever troops they have guarding it.¡±


    The girl nodded, tightening her grasp on the staff she had chosen as her weapon. ¡°I¡¯ll stop the ritual.¡± Her voice was but a whisper, muttered with confidence and certainty.


    They soon reached the top of the stairs. A wooden door reinforced with metal blocked their path forward. ¡°Step aside.¡± Arwen said as she pointed her staff at it. The air around her staff vibrated, reality seemed to bend for a split second, then the door flew off its hinges, slamming into someone with a resounding crash, while a scream of surprise and pain echoed through the air. Midhir ran out the now doorless doorway, then stopped in his tracks with a gasp.


    The tower¡¯s circular roof terrace was surrounded by tall parapets, and at the very centre was the Pylon ¨C a human sized crystal floating mid-air above its gold inlaid base. The crystal¡¯s silver-blue shine had begun to dim rapidly as streams of spiritual power left the Pylon, flowing into the air above a symbol painted onto the ground.


    ¡°You again!¡± A familiar voice reached his ears. The person hit by the door Arwen sent flying crawled out of under the wood and metal debris. He wore a masked helmet, hiding his head completely from view. It looked silly, since he didn¡¯t wear any other pieces of armour, but it served its purpose well enough ¨C they still didn¡¯t know his identity.


    Before Midhir could respond, the air above the symbol painted onto the ground seemed to twist. A vortex of silver-blue colours formed in the air, then began to grow. A frigid wind blew against them, forcing them to take a few steps back.


    Arwen gasped behind him. ¡°Have you lost your mind?!¡± She exclaimed with a high-strung voice. ¡°You called them here? Why?!¡±


    Reality itself twisted as that which should remain unseen was revealed before them. The Veil tore apart as the ritual reached its conclusion. Amidst foreign whispers that echoed despite the frigid wind, a large being veiled in silver-blue mist stepped out of the tear in the Veil.


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    Midhir¡¯s heart raced. He watched in a mix of awe and excitement as the mist slowly dissipated, revealing the being from the Otherworld. A tinge of fear allowed him to stay calm and collected while adrenaline rushed through his body, urging him to test his mettle against this being.


    It was tall, large, and imposing. The humanoid being was over twice as tall as Midhir. It had a human¡¯s face, and a pair of beautiful, yet morbid antlers decorated with skulls and gemstones growing out of its head. Its strong, thick arms ended with claws that could tear a person apart with ease.


    Midhir tightly gripped the hilt of his blade as his gaze lingered on the being¡¯s face. Perhaps it was the contrast with its deer legs and certainly not-human claws, or perhaps it was the fact that it was a morbid grey colour that reminded him of a dead body. But even looking at it made his skin crawl. It was wrong -  something that shouldn¡¯t exist here.


    The being sniffed the air as its silver-blue eyes looked around. It moved slowly, almost as if it was trying to get used to its body.


    A hand gripped Midhir¡¯s shoulder. Arwen leaned against his back. ¡°That thing ¨C we need to send it back,¡± she whispered into his ear.


    ¡°Kill them!¡± The masked man suddenly shouted, pointing at Midhir and Arwen. ¡°I summoned you here, so heed my word! Kill them before they harm me!¡± His voice was more of a shriek that carried absolutely no hint of authority whatsoever.


    The being from beyond the Veil first slowly turned to look at the masked man, then with a huff, turned its gaze towards Midhir and Arwen.


    It opened its mouth and spoke. Its words were wrong. The sounds were just wrong, and no matter how much he tried to remember, Midhir couldn¡¯t recall them seconds after hearing them. A sharp pain stung the back of his mind.


    ¡°Kill them!¡± The masked man shouted again, this time with some more confidence in his voice.


    The being from beyond the Veil seemed to hesitate, then it took one step towards them. Arwen gasped. ¡°You stand no chance against it!¡± Her whispering cry was loaded with fear and desperation. ¡°We need to run-¡°


    He shook his head, his gaze locked with that of his newfound opponent. ¡°If we leave the tear in the rift so, this whole region will suffer. Do your thing, Arwen. Hurry.¡±


    He would have spoken more, but the being suddenly moved forward, reaching towards them with its deadly claws. Midhir leapt back, dragging Arwen alongside him. ¡°Hurry!¡± He hissed, pushing her further back, towards the Pylon, then turned his full attention at the being from the other side.


    ¡°Lechen! I order you to kill them both!¡± The masked man shouted at the top of his lungs. ¡°Don¡¯t waste my time!¡±


    The being called a Lechen took another step forward, then again reached with its claws towards Midhir ¨C no, over him, towards Arwen.


    He swung his blade at the arm reaching over his head, slashing its surprisingly thick skin, and drawing some blood. The Lechen flinched, quickly pulling its arm back and looking oddly offended. Its thick, bushy eyebrows lowered as its expression slowly turned into a scowl. Its lips parted slightly before it let out a deafening roar.


    With the masked man¡¯s laughter filling the air, Midhir and the Lechen clashed. The sound of blade hitting chitin echoed in the air.


    The air smelled like fresh water and wet earth as Midhir and the Lechen clashed. Cold air swirled around them, dragging the silver-blue mist rolling out of the tear in the Veil to the edge of the tower¡¯s terrace roof.


    Midhir grunted the moment he deflected the Lechen¡¯s strike. His arms felt as if he had just blocked a yerk from a large stallion. His boots slid on the slightly wet ground, threatening his balance as he took a few steps back.


    How powerful was this thing? He knew nothing about his opponent, nothing in his training had prepared him to fight against a being from beyond the Veil. He should have been feeling desperation, but instead he smirked.


    He lifted his blade over his right shoulder, pointing ahead as he gripped its hilt with both hands. His body was low, his torso turned sideways and his knees slightly bent as he slowly circled away from Arwen.


    The Lechen growled ¨C how a human face could make such a bestial sound was beyond him.


    ¡°Well,¡± he called out, wondering if it could even understand him. It seemed to understand the masked man but was it the words it understood or him pointing at them, he had no way of knowing. ¡°We can just stare at each other,¡± he suggested, prompting a second, louder growl. ¡°Or we can fight!¡± His legs kicked the ground, he dashed towards his enemy, lowering his sword, and holding it beside his body, closer to his hip.


    The Lechen¡¯s silver-blue eyes glowed brightly. Its artificial looking expression turned to confusion as it looked like it couldn¡¯t believe Midhir would actually try and attack. It swung its claws almost as an afterthought, slashing at the air and ground, leaving deep marks on the floor as it neared Midhir.


    The young swordsman leapt over one claw and ducked under the other as it tried to catch him. He dashed closer swiftly. As he neared the Lechen¡¯s unprotected leg, he slashed upwards and left, then horizontally once more, leaving two deep wounds.


    Black, goo-like blood oozed out of the wounds as the Lechen snarled and stumbled back. Every step it took shook the tower ever so slightly.


    Midhir backed away as the goo spread on the ground. He ought to be careful ¨C this creature was not from their worlds. What its blood did if it touched them was a mystery. Holding his sword with both hands before him, he retreated a few more steps.


    Now he could see Arwen with the corner of his eye. His blonde classmate was kneeling on the ground behind the Pylon, desperately etching symbols into the ground with her dagger. Their gazes met for a split second. She raised her hand, with all five fingers stretched open, then closed, and opened her hand two more times.


    Fifteen seconds, Midhir nodded. He hoped it was seconds ¨C no matter how eager he was to challenge this being, he couldn¡¯t hold out for fifteen minutes.


    The Lechen growled again, raising its clawed hands, and smashing the ground between it and Midhir. The tower shook violently as pieces of rubble scattered across the roof terrace.


    ¡°What are you doing?!¡± The masked man shouted in terror as the tower continued to creak afterwards. ¡°Don¡¯t destroy the tower!¡±


    Neither Midhir nor the Lechen cared for the man¡¯s words. The Lechen, enraged by the wounds Midhir inflicted on it, rushed forward like an angry bull. Its antlers, decorated with jewellery and morbid items like small critters¡¯ skulls aimed for Midhir¡¯s torso.


    The young man threw himself aside, getting out of the Lechen¡¯s way moments before it crashed into the parapets. It dug its claws to the floor, upheaving the slabs as it slid to a halt, only to turn around to face Midhir again.


    His heart was racing as he stared at the Lechen¡¯s fury filled eyes. A second passed, then one more, but before the third could, the creature charged at him again. The jewellery on its antlers began to glow brightly, and a blue-silver mist spread from its body as it growled.


    Midhir¡¯s heart sank, and for the first time today, fear overcame excitement. He could sense the rush of spiritual power around him, different than the flow he sensed from the tear in the Veil. Cold sweat rolled down his chin as he bent his knees and lowered his body. Every motion he made seemed sluggish, as if the air around him had thickened.


    The blue-silver mist tugged at his clothes, it clutched his body and his blade, taking away his only advantage against the Lechen ¨C his agility.


    Watching the enormous being from the other side rush at him, his chest tightened. He loosened his grasp on the hilt of his blade with his left hand, and ran his palm along the blade, leaving a trail of bright red blood. The pain made him wince as he then once again tightened his grasp on the hilt, letting blood seep through the cotton wrapped around the hilt, and touch the tiny crystals embedded within the wood.


    His spiritual power drained instantly as blood touched the crystals. He turned his body partially sideways bent his knees slightly and lifted the blood-covered blade over his right shoulder while gripping the hilt with both hands, its tip pointing forward.


    One strike. He had one chance to stop this creature ¨C if he failed, Arwen would fall with him. That thought alone, the thought of that cheerful, bright soul falling at the hands of such hateful people was enough to ignite the hate within him.


    The Lechen charged, and Midhir stepped forward. His blade moved in the blink of an eye, bursting into white flames as he slashed diagonally. He felt the flames burn away flesh, but at the same time, pain blinded him as his body flew across the roof terrace.


    The last thing he saw before his consciousness faded was the ominous blue-silver colour of the Pylon turn golden, like soothing sunlight.

 Chapter 1 – As Leaves Begin to Fall

    ¡­Six months earlier¡­


    A wind rose from the far edges of the world. It blew over the raging oceans, carrying with it the scent of fresh water and salt as it reached the landmass that was the continent of Zamor. It passed through the forests, where the trees raced to reach the sky, over the capital city several days of travel worth of distance east from the coast, then eventually filled the wings of an airship, carrying it forward for a while before it went on its own way again.


    A young man stood on the deck of the airship, leaning against the railing. The scent of fresh water the wind carried with it reached his nostrils. He took a deep breath, enjoying the foreign, yet enjoyable scent. The wind tugged at his shoulder-length crimson hair before it passed, leaving him with an odd, yet familiar sensation.


    The ship¡¯s wooden body creaked as it began its descent towards the small village of Lunum. The cloth wings of the airship retracted halfway, and its nose slowly turned down.


    The young man braced himself as the airship sped up, diving below the clouds. He narrowed his eyes and watched the crew run around as they made sure everything was in order. While at first glance their fast, almost erratic actions could be interpreted as panic, he knew that this was nothing but a seasoned crew being efficient with their time.


    ¡°All passengers, please brace yourselves for our final descent!¡± A woman¡¯s voice echoed through the crystals attached to the mast. ¡°We are about to land at Lunum!¡±


    Excitement rushed through his veins. His vision became clearer, and his hearing sharpened. He could smell the resin used to protect the wooden body of the ship from the weather, and taste the salt in the air, still lingering around the airship. He felt alive and basked in that sensation, enjoying every second of it as the airship descended.


    The fast descent came to an almost abrupt halt as soon as the treetops reached the bottom of the airship. The young man kept his balance with ease but heard the surprised shout of a woman behind him. A young woman wearing the same military uniform as him had fallen down.


    He reluctantly let go of the railing and walked away from the edge. ¡°Are you alright?¡± he asked as he offered her his hand.


    She took his hand with a smile. ¡°I¡¯m fine, thank you.¡± Once she was up on her feet, she brushed her skirt with the back of her hands.


    ¡°You aren¡¯t hurt then?¡± He asked, just to make sure. This wasn¡¯t a passenger ship, so it wasn¡¯t safe and neat like one. It had rough corners and sharp edges, and the floor of the upper deck certainly didn¡¯t lack its fair share of dangerous spots, no thanks to upheaved planks.


    ¡°Only my pride.¡± She admitted with an embarrassed smile. With a flick of her finger, she pushed her short hair behind her ears, then offered her hand. ¡°Where are my manners? My name is Willow Aulorn, thank you for helping me.¡±


    He took her hand without hesitation. ¡°Midhir Induen, it¡¯s a pleasure to meet you miss Aulorn.¡± He glanced at her chest. On the left side of her chest, right on her heart was a symbol embroidered in golden threads ¨C A single, upside-down sword in a circle. ¡°I see we are in the same class. Year one in Practical Combat and Strategy, right?¡±


    She nodded with a prideful smile and raised her chin. ¡°Yes!¡± Her eyes suddenly widened as she grasped at Midhir¡¯s arm. Not a moment later, the airship settled on the ground, accompanied by a series of creaks, and a rather sudden descent of about half a meter.


    ¡°They could certainly pilot this thing a bit smoother,¡± Midhir grumbled. The crew was experienced, and the airship was reliable, but this certainly was what his sister would call a ¡®bumpy ride¡¯.


    ¡°Certainly,¡± She pulled her hand back. ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t want to fall down again.¡± Blood rushed to her cheeks as she showed a slightly embarrassed smile. ¡°You should call me by my name since we¡¯ll be classmates. Do you mind if I call you Midhir too?¡±


    ¡°Not at all. Willow, right? Lady Willow, if I¡¯m not mistaken. Forgive my lapse in memory earlier, but the Aulorn name is quite well known in some circles.¡± The Lustrous Blademaster was well known to most in the capital, and every swordsman had heard of his name. Lady Willow was clearly his kin ¨C either his daughter, or another close relative since she looked strikingly similar to him.


    ¡°I¡¯m not really a noble,¡± She waved her hand dismissively. ¡°And neither is my father, so just call me by my name.¡± She looked behind Midhir. ¡°I suppose it¡¯s time we disembark. Shall we?¡±


    ¡°After you,¡± Midhir stepped aside, then walked beside her. She was indeed not a noble ¨C not in the traditional sense. But such things hardly mattered in the Solus Military Academy. What mattered here was dedication, power, and resolve.


    They disembarked the rather old-looking airship, recovered their luggage from behind the vessel, then left the landing area. As with all towns in the Eldorian Empire, the small town of Lunum also had an airway station. It was a large, impressive building constructed at the outskirts of the town. All airships coming to the town landed there, so it served as the main transport hub of Lunum.


    Once they left the airway station, they were met with a small plaza, decorated with cherry blossom trees and a large, round fountain. It was quite a lively place ¨C birds drank from the fountain and chirped from the tree branches, while the town children ran around beneath the trees, shouting and giggling. The buildings around the plaza were mostly shops and cafes, and while none were crowded, there was the occasional patron sitting and enjoying the first days of autumn with a cup of their beverage of choice.


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    The streets stretched in three directions from the Plaza. Towards east were small town homes. They seemed cozy with their stone walls and sloped roofs made from wooden shingles. Some of the houses¡¯ chimneys were already releasing plumes of smoke, marking the start of autumn.


    The road going west was the mountain road that eventually connected to the highways leading from the capital city to Bareon, the City of Roses. It snaked through the forests and the mountainous terrain, and probably didn¡¯t survive the last few winters. Since the airway station was constructed, no one had a reason to use that road anymore, so it wasn¡¯t maintained.


    The road leading north went uphill for a short distance, passing by a couple of shops and a church, eventually ending up at the gates of the Solus Military Academy. Midhir and Willow followed this road, along with a few more people their age or a few years older, wearing similar uniforms. They were students of Solus and had all arrived via airship.


    Midhir glanced around as they walked. For a small town like this, the people seemed to be thriving. The houses and streets were well-maintained, and there didn¡¯t seem to be any homelessness or poverty. He turned his gaze to the church. Made of stone bricks, it was clean, well-maintained, and often used. The rose window above the metal reinforced wooden door depicted the Daughter as she offered a flower to the Sun.


    ¡°It¡¯s pretty,¡± Willow commented after following his gaze. ¡°The grand cathedral in An¡¯Larion is much more impressive though.¡± She turned her gaze down, to a young woman standing in the middle of the street, looking at the church with an intense gaze. ¡°What¡¯s with her, I wonder?¡± She mumbled with just low enough of a voice that Midhir barely heard her.


    ¡°Let¡¯s ask.¡± He approached the girl and shot a quick glance at the crest embroidered on the chest of her uniform. An upside-down sword in a circle, embroidered with golden threads, a symbol of their class and year. He then turned his gaze up, to her face.


    She had a mystical, stunning beauty that certainly didn¡¯t belong in the Empire. Her long, golden, braided hair glimmered under the bright sunlight. It easily reached below her knees, and had she not kept it braided, it would probably look like a curtain of gold that swept the floors behind her. The woman had a pale, freckled face, and wore round glasses that almost seemed too large for her small face. She had a petite build, so she was at least a head shorter than Midhir.


    Upon noticing him, she quickly turned, clearly somewhat startled. Her green eyes opened wide, and her gaze darted from Midhir to Willow, then back at him. ¡°Oh, hello.¡± She sheepishly spoke, quickly bowing her head. ¡°Am I in the way? Sorry.¡± She motioned to take a few quick steps back, but Willow immediately shook her head.


    ¡°No, not at all!¡± She piped up, stepping forward with a beaming smile. ¡°We¡¯re in the same class,¡± She declared, pointing at the embroidery on their uniforms. ¡°So, we thought why not introduce ourselves, get that out of the way, you know?¡± her cheerful demeanour seemed to have worked as the blonde girl smiled, and her tense shoulders visibly relaxed.


    ¡°I¡¯m Willow Aulorn, and this is Midhir.¡± She pointed at him, then turned her gaze to the other girl.


    ¡°Arwen Maloid,¡± She introduced herself. ¡°A pleasure to meet you.¡±


    Was she a noble from some foreign land? Her surname was quite unusual, it didn¡¯t sound like it belonged to Eldoria. Her features were also unusual, even exotic. No one in the Empire had such golden hair.


    ¡°The pleasure is ours,¡± He replied. He could ask about where she was from later, at a more appropriate time. ¡°We were on our way to the Academy. Would you care to join us?¡±


    Arwen shot a hesitant glance towards the church before nodding. ¡°I¡¯d like to,¡± she said with a polite smile, and joined them on the remaining part of their walk. ¡°I didn¡¯t see you on the airship,¡± She commented a brief moment later as they neared the tall wall surrounding Solus Academy. ¡°Did you arrive on an earlier one, or¡­?¡± She let her voice trail off as her gaze turned from Midhir to Willow, then back at him.


    ¡°We were on the open deck.¡± Willow chuckled. ¡°The view was quite amazing, but I must admit I wasn¡¯t prepared for the rather shaky landing.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s quite fortunate no one was injured during the landing.¡± Arwen agreed with a rather vigorous nod. ¡°We had quite a few people fall down at the lower decks as well. It has made me doubt myself, actually ¨C I don¡¯t think I wish to ride an airship again any time soon.¡±


    Midhir shot her a glance. Airships were rarely piloted smoothly, since the technology was less than a decade old. There weren¡¯t very many experienced pilots, and even they had to constantly readjust to new developments in technology and equipment. ¡°Have you not flown on an airship before?¡±


    Arwen shook her head. ¡°No, this was my first time.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, not all of the pilots are as rude and careless as this one!¡± Willow piped up as they arrived at the gates.


    Solus Military Academy was nested in a crater between the mountains overlooking the town of Lunum. The Academy itself was an old, repurposed castle ¨C a remnant from ages past. The keep was repurposed to hold the classrooms, dorms, library, mess hall and kitchen, as well as the instructors¡¯ quarters and the headmaster¡¯s office and quarters.


    The courtyards now served as training grounds, the watchtowers housed defensive crystal arrays and the dungeons were used as storage facilities. The tall, thick walls surrounding the castle were mostly destroyed by the weather and old wars across the centuries and were never rebuilt after the castle was turned into an academy. Instead, a two-meter high wall separated the academy grounds from Lunum.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t see this from the airship!¡± Willow exclaimed wide eyed as they reached the entrance. The castle was situated in a crater, but Lunum was lower than the crater¡¯s edge, so the castle hadn¡¯t been visible up until now.


    ¡°I think the pilot intentionally kept this from view.¡± He replied absentmindedly.


    The sights from the top of the crater were beautiful. He could see the lake bordering the western castle walls, and the forests surrounding it. The building itself was a testament to Eldoria¡¯s history ¨C battle scarred and repaired using whatever they found at the time, it now represented a variety of ages across the Empire¡¯s history. The view filled him with awe, despite his upbringing.


    ¡°It¡¯s quite breathtaking.¡± Arwen¡¯s voice was but a whisper. ¡°Full of¡­ history.¡± She seemed to hesitate mid-sentence, but then perked herself up. ¡°Let¡¯s go, I want to take a closer look!¡± The excitement in her voice was palpable.


    Midhir couldn¡¯t help but smile. Arwen¡¯s wonder-filled happiness was contagious. His pulse surged as they headed down the crater, along the stone paved road. He couldn¡¯t wait to start the academic year.


    Just imagining the thrill of new challengers was enough to make his heart race.

 Chapter 2 – Orientation (1)

    The auditorium, which once was the ballroom of the castle, wasn¡¯t even half full, despite the entirety of the student body and teaching staff being there.


    The floorboards creaked under the weight of about four hundred students, and two dozen or so academy staff. A section of the floor across the two-winged door was raised, creating a sort of stage for various purposes.


    A young woman wearing a dark grey uniform with a crimson cloak was up on the stage. Four upside down swords in a circle were embroidered on her chest with golden threads, indicating her year and class. She was a thin, slender woman with short brown hair, and sharp features.


    ¡°Allow me to welcome all of you to Solus Military Academy. Second, third, fourth year students, welcome back from your long-term assignments. First years, congratulations on passing the entrance exams and proving you are worthy of learning in the most prestigious academy in Eldoria!¡± She raised her chin with pride as the sound of clapping filled the auditorium. A few moments passed before the noise was at a level where she could speak again.


    ¡°I will cut this short since nobody likes long speeches. You are all here to specialize in your own fields, be that logistics, research, or combat and strategy. So, specialize ¨C don¡¯t distract yourselves with frivolous pursuits, focus on your studies, overcome the challenges you face, and spend your four years here well.¡± She lifted her chin with pride and raised her fist as she shouted. ¡°We are the blade and shield of the Emperor ¨C we will prevail!¡±


    ¡°We will prevail!¡± The students shouted, raising their fists. Their voices echoed in the auditorium ¨C a cry for victory when there was no conflict to begin with.


    Another woman stepped onto the stage as the student walked off to join her class. She was the headmistress of the Solus Military Academy, though that was certainly not her biggest or most well-known achievement. Her long, white hair fluttered behind her as her powerful figure caused the students to fall silent.


    ¡°I am Moira Aoidh. Some of you may know me as the headmistress of Solus Military Academy. Others may know me as the Blade of the Emperor.¡± Her green eyes radiated with power as her gaze swept over the students. ¡°I will leave you with the words of our founder, Emperor Morgan the Radiant; ¡®Duty is heavier than a mountain; death is lighter than a feather.¡¯¡±


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    She let the words sink in for a few moments before she continued. ¡°Your duty is to the people of Eldoria, to the future generations of this great empire, and to the emperor! You will take upon the mantle of our ancestors, you will carry on their will, you will become the foundation the future is built upon!¡±


    With that said, the headmistress turned around and left. Her words lingered in the minds of the students, and for a few long moments, silence reigned.


    Midhir¡¯s lips curled up into a smile. Her demeanour wasn¡¯t any softer than before. Fierce as always, and always ready for battle, Moira Aoidh was exactly as he expected to see her. She would never stop being the Blade of the Emperor ¨C it was a title and responsibility she shouldered with pride.


    Immediately after the headmistress left, another woman stepped onto the stage.


    ¡°Second, third, and fourth year students, you may leave and prepare for today¡¯s first class. First years, please head to your respective Instructors.¡±


    A blonde man wearing a military uniform shouted. ¡°Logistics and Finance students, follow me!¡±


    Another voice piped up at the same time. ¡°Crystal Research and Development students, please follow me.¡± It belonged to a petite woman wearing large glasses. She used a cane to stand straight, and slowly began walking to the exit, giving the students plenty of time to catch up with her.


    Moments later, the previously crowded auditorium was empty save for five people. Midhir, Arwen, Willow, a young man wearing the same uniform as them, and the woman standing on the stage.


    ¡°Right, and you four are in Practical Combat and Strategy.¡± Her voice rang like a bell as a mischievous smile spread across her lips. ¡°I¡¯m Soraya Valien, your instructor for the next four years.¡± She looked down from the stage as if she wanted to jump down, then decided to take the stairs instead and walked up to them.


    She wore her bright blue dyed hair in a high ponytail. Her similarly blue eyes glimmered with mischief. She wasn¡¯t particularly tall, nor did she seem strong and powerful at first glance. ¡°Well?¡± She raised an eyebrow as her smile widened. ¡°Did the cat get your tongues or what?¡±


    The young man wearing the same uniform as Midhir cleared his throat. ¡°Alistair Orlein, from Bareon.¡± He was a tall man with broad shoulders and sharp, well defined features. His brown eyes turned to the others, passing over Midhir and Arwen, and finally settled on Willow. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure.¡± He said, turning his gaze back at the instructor.


    ¡°Willow Aulorn,¡± The girl piped up, and Arwen followed. ¡°Arwen Maloid, a pleasure to meet you.¡±


    ¡°Midhir Induen.¡± Midhir introduced himself. His hands itched as he noticed Alistair¡¯s gaze settle on him. A noble from old blood ¨C one of the Orleins, and their eldest child at that. He was surely trained in the ancient Orlein battle style.


    ¡°Well then, let¡¯s see¡­¡± Instructor Soraya pursed her lips. ¡°I see two of noble blood, a foreigner and a commoner.¡± She smirked. ¡°Perfect. In that case, shall we head to our first class?¡±

 Chapter 3 – Orientation (2)

    ¡°Practical Combat and Strategy, as a class, will focus on exactly that ¨C combat. You won¡¯t learn about military logistics, finances, crystal refining, or any such subjects. You will hone your combat abilities, learn how to utilise refined crystals, and how to strategise before a battle to maximise your chances of winning.¡± Instructor Soraya explained as they walked alongside her.


    The halls of the castle-now-turned-military-academy weren¡¯t decorated much at all. They were bare, yet clean. There was no clutter anywhere, nothing to block even a small part of the hallway. The only things that seemed to have been added once the castle was reclaimed were the crystal lamps. They illuminated the hallways of the castle with a bright, steady light, requiring no fuel to do so.


    The Instructor led them down a set of long, winding stairs which ended at a small, metal reinforced wooden door. A loud creak echoed as she opened the door, revealing a large courtyard. The courtyard was the lowest point in the crater, situated below the castle¡¯s ground floor. It was bordering the lake Midhir had seen from the top of the crater, as well as the forest that covered the remainder of the mountainous area.


    The courtyard was old and ill-maintained. The ground was mostly covered in dirt, the stone slabs it was once paved with were far apart, and not a single one of them was intact. Broken, cracked or outright shattered, they were remnants of an old age long forsaken.


    The same could be said for the walkway that once surrounded the courtyard. The section of it bordering the lake had fallen down into the water, with the roof sticking out of the lake¡¯s surface. The remaining sides were also in quite terrible shape ¨C the roof had collapsed onto the walkway in some places, while in others the pillars supporting it were destroyed. It seemed as if even a weak quake would be enough to bring the whole thing down.


    Instructor Soraya walked to the centre of the courtyard, then turned to face them. ¡°Why are you here?¡± She bluntly asked. Her gaze lingered on each and every one of them.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Willow asked after a few moments of silence. She seemed more confused than the others.


    ¡°I mean exactly what I asked ¨C why are you here?¡±


    Midhir felt his hands itch. ¡°To learn.¡± He replied without thinking. ¡°To find new challenges and overcome them.¡± To continue the age old tradition of his family, but of course he couldn¡¯t say that.


    Instructor Soraya¡¯s lips curled up. ¡°Liar.¡± She said with a mischievous glimmer in her eyes. ¡°You want to fight. It¡¯s all over your face ¨C you want to cross swords with someone.¡±


    Midhir¡¯s heart skipped a beat. How did she know? He shrugged. ¡°That too,¡± he admitted. ¡°But I wasn¡¯t lying ¨C I do want to learn.¡±


    Instructor Soraya¡¯s smile widened. ¡°Very well, have it your way.¡± She then turned her gaze to Arwen. ¡°Well, what about you?¡±


    The somewhat shy girl hesitated for a few moments. ¡°I was told Solus Military Academy was the best in Eldoria.¡± Her voice rang like a bell. ¡°I seek knowledge and experience.¡± She raised her gaze from the ground. Her bright blonde hair glimmered under the bright sunlight, surrounding her in an almost otherworldly light.


    ¡°I see. Your wish will come true.¡± The Instructor folded her arms. ¡°You will need to seek out both of those and learn to apply them if you want to make it through this school year.¡± After letting her ominous words sink in, she turned to Willow. ¡°Well?¡±


    Willow shrugged. ¡°I want to learn to fight.¡± She bluntly replied. ¡°Like my father.¡±


    ¡°If you wish to fight like the Lustrous Blademaster, you¡¯d be better off learning directly from him.¡± Instructor Soraya raised an eyebrow. ¡°I¡¯m afraid there are very few people as powerful as him in Eldoria, and certainly none are here ¨C perhaps aside from the headmistress, but I assure you, she won¡¯t be teaching any classes.¡± Her gaze turned to the fourth student in the courtyard. ¡°What about you, young lord?¡±


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    The Orlein household¡¯s eldest son pondered for a few breaths¡¯ worth of time before he finally replied. ¡°I¡¯m here to learn. You can consider my goals to be the same as Midhir, I suppose.¡± He pursed his lips. ¡°I must learn and grow, as must we all.¡±


    Hearing the darker tone in his voice, Midhir¡¯s excitement mellowed. He was right ¨C they needed to learn and grow. Considering the tense political landscape, as the eldest son of the Orlein house, one of the most prestigious and powerful noble families in the Empire, Alistair was quite possibly under a lot of pressure.


    ¡°You must.¡± Instructor Soraya agreed. ¡°Now then, why don¡¯t we begin with our first class? Which one of you have weapons?¡±


    Alistair stretched his arm forward, his palm looking down. A jewel hidden under the sleeve of his uniform glinted under the sunlight for a split second, then the air under his palm seemed to shift, and change. Then, with a flash of light appeared a spear under his palm, which he promptly caught mid-air. He spun it around his wrist once, then hit the ground with its haft.


    Midhir unsheathed his own weapon from the sheath hanging from his hip. It was a simple, undecorated shortsword with dull cotton wrapped hilt. Its handguard was small, mostly there to prevent his hand from slipping over the blade.


    ¡°You don¡¯t use crystal tools?¡± Alistair asked with a hint of confusion in his voice.


    The young noble¡¯s surprise was amusing. Midhir¡¯s lips curled up with a faint smile for a split second before he replied with a shrug. ¡°I do, but not for my weapon.¡± It was too risky to not keep his weapon on his person. Crystal tools could malfunction or be sabotaged after all.


    ¡°Smart.¡± Instructor Soraya said with a smirk. ¡°Well then, what about you two?¡± She turned to look at the girls.


    Arwen shook her head without hesitation. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to fight, but I want to learn. Can you teach me how to use a crystal staff?¡±


    Several surprised gazes turned to her causing her to blush with embarrassment. ¡°Is there something I don¡¯t know about them?¡± She sheepishly asked. ¡°Are they as a weapon looked down upon?¡± Her voice grew slightly sharper as she clenched her braided hair.


    The urge to answer her overcame him. He didn¡¯t want her to feel like an outsider, as if she had just unknowingly said something offensive. ¡°No, they¡¯re incredibly powerful weapons.¡± He blurted out without thinking, repeating the words of his older sister. ¡°But there isn¡¯t anyone in Eldoria who has mastered them ¨C no one qualified to properly and safely teach how to use them.¡± He then fell silent, confused by the sudden urge to help her.


    Arwen¡¯s shoulders dropped. ¡°Oh¡­¡± Her voice dwindled, and so did her enthusiasm. She looked down in disappointment. ¡°I see¡­¡± she whispered, clearly trying to overcome whatever mix of feelings she was experiencing.


    ¡°Do you want to learn another weapon?¡± Willow piped up with a bright smile as always. ¡°Rapiers are amazing, they¡¯re versatile and great for someone of your build!¡±


    Arwen sheepishly shook her head. ¡°I¡¯d like some time to think, if that¡¯s alright.¡± She glanced at Instructor Soraya, who shrugged. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t it be? Your weapon is an extension of yourself ¨C you ought to follow your heart with these kinds of things. Sleep on it, try different things, decide whenever you¡¯d like.¡± She hardly seemed to care, though her advice was absolutely true.


    ¡°And I assume you use a rapier?¡± Instructor Soraya turned her gaze to Willow.


    The Lustrous Blademaster¡¯s daughter suddenly lost her bright, cheerful smile. ¡°I¡¯m learning to.¡± She glanced away. ¡°I¡¯m nowhere near as good as my father.¡±


    ¡°Your father uses a longsword.¡± Alistair said with a deadpan voice. ¡°They are hardly comparable weapons.¡±


    He wasn¡¯t wrong, though his words did seem to anger Willow. ¡°I was talking about our skill levels.¡± She declared with a huff.


    ¡°Well, naturally.¡± Alistair nodded intensely. ¡°The Lustrous Blademaster is one of the most powerful and experienced people in Eldoria, perhaps even in the world. If would be quite unusual if you were able to compare to him.¡±


    Instructor Soraya cleared her throat. ¡°While Alistair isn¡¯t wrong, now is really not the time for these discussions. Why don¡¯t we return to the matter at hand?¡± She waited for a moment to make sure they were all listening. ¡°Willow, I assume you don¡¯t have enough experience to spar?¡±


    ¡°I do!¡± She protested. ¡°But I¡¯m rather exhausted from travelling, and I did hurt my arm on the airship¡­¡± Her voice trailed off as she rubbed her right elbow.


    The instructor raised a single eyebrow, then shrugged, and turned her attention to Midhir and Alistair. ¡°Well then, that leaves the two of you ¨C take your positions.¡±

 Chapter 4 – Glint of Metal (1)

    Standing on opposite sides of the courtyard, Alistair and Midhir bowed before readying their weapons. The wind blew from the north, tugging at their hair and cloaks.


    Midhir¡¯s heart raced with anticipation as he tightened his grasp on the hilt of his shortsword. A duel with someone from the ancient Orlein bloodline ¨C what more could he ask for at the first day of school?


    ¡°Begin!¡± Instructor Soraya¡¯s voice broke the tense silence.


    Alistair dashed forward, taking three long steps within an instant to get in range of his spear, then swung his weapon with a wide, low arc. Sunlight glimmered on the sharp end of the spear as Midhir was forced to retreat a few steps.


    Annoyed, he stepped back. A spear¡¯s range was almost three times as much as a shortsword''s. He was at a severe disadvantage. It was a difficult match already, and Alistair seemed to have quite a bit of experience with his weapon.


    He remained passive, letting Alistair¡¯s wide swings push him back, only using his blade to block when he couldn¡¯t dodge with ease. He needed an opening, a small window of opportunity to get past that long spear and get into range of his blade.


    Alistair swung his spear horizontally, with a downward slope before abruptly stopping his swing to turn it into a rather awkward stab.


    Adrenaline rushed through his veins as Midhir stepped aside, then caught the wooden shaft of the spear with his left hand, and pulled with all his strength, causing his opponent to stumble forward, right onto his blade.


    He spun his blade around his wrist, holding it backwards and hit the young noble¡¯s stomach with its pommel.


    ¡°Enough!¡± Instructor Soraya¡¯s voice rang in the air. Both combatants froze, waiting for her verdict. ¡°Midhir wins,¡± She declared with a faint smile.


    ¡°It was a fine match.¡± Alistair bowed slightly.


    As his racing heart began to calm down, Midhir also bowed. ¡°Thank you for the match.¡± He sheathed his sword, and watched as Alistair allowed his spear to vanish.


    ¡°Now then.¡± Instructor Soraya grimaced. ¡°That was frustrating to watch.¡±


    Midhir felt his heart sink. Memories of when he first began training surfaced. He had heard those words so many times before.


    ¡°You,¡± She turned to him with a scowl. ¡°What were you thinking, letting him just push you back as he pleased. You tried nothing and you were all out of ideas!¡± Her frustration was palpable. ¡°If that were a real battle, you would have died because your opponent would have reinforcements arrive by the time you made up your mind! Patience is both a virtue and a curse ¨C you don¡¯t have the luxury of waiting for an opportunity in a real battle.¡± She shook her head almost aggressively. ¡°You need to create opportunities, try and force your opponent into making mistakes, not do¡­ well, absolutely nothing!¡±


    She took a deep breath upon noticing she was yelling by the end of her speech. ¡°And you!¡± She turned towards Alistair, with a fire in her eyes. ¡°You lost to someone wielding a shortsword, with a damn spear? He isn¡¯t any better a warrior than you are, so what happened? What was that thrust?! That¡¯s not what the Orlein battle art is!¡±


    Alistair¡¯s face turned pale. ¡°He was just avoiding everything so I thought I should try something different¡­¡± His voice faded as he averted his gaze in shame.


    ¡°Yes, he was avoiding everything because it was all he was capable of while he waited for you to make a mistake.¡± She still sounded awfully angry. ¡°And you did exactly that ¨C instead of continuing to do the thing that works, you decided to try something else. Something risky.¡± She folded her arms and exhaled. ¡°Listen to me, both of you. When you find yourselves in a real fight against an opponent who intends to kill you, you can¡¯t take unnecessary risks.¡±


    Her words were like a punch to his gut, it was difficult to swallow his pride and take them in stride. Midhir bit his lips and forced himself to not look away from her. She was an experienced warrior, it was clear from how she carried herself. Her experience was something for him to learn from, her words were each important lessons to take to heart.


    ¡°When you¡¯re in a real battle, every mistake can be lethal, no matter how small or insignificant.¡± She was calmer now, though the fire in her eyes remained. ¡°You can¡¯t afford to be too hasty, or too patient. You can¡¯t just try new things or do nothing and expect to win.¡± She first looked at Alistair, then at Midhir. ¡°Am I clear?¡±


    Both of them nodded.


    ¡°Very good.¡± She seemed somewhat satisfied. ¡°Practical Combat and Strategy isn¡¯t like the other classes. We won¡¯t be spending too much time in the classroom. So, after your history class tomorrow morning, come here. We will continue with our practice.¡± After saying that, she left.


    A few seconds of awkward silence passed as the four of them hesitantly glanced at each other, unsure of what to do now.


    ¡°Our belongings should have been taken to our dorm rooms, right?¡± Willow asked sheepishly a few moments later. ¡°We should probably check them to make sure everything is in order.¡± Since no one else produced any better ideas, the four of them left the courtyard, and headed to their dorms.


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    The night was cold, as it would be atop such high mountains. Wind blew against the castle walls, whistling as it found a way in through the windows, or through cracks in the stone walls.


    Midhir pulled his blanket up to his chin as the cold breeze within the castle caused plenty of discomfort. He had realised it during dinner as well ¨C nothing in Solas Military Academy was made with comfort in mind. They sat on hard, wooden benches in the mess hall. The food was nutritious, but certainly nothing to write home about.


    He now understood why his sister lasted only half a year here. She was naturally somewhat pampered her whole life. No power in Zamor could force her to stand for such discomfort.


    He pulled his knees closer to his chest as he tried to warm up. It was so cold. He hadn¡¯t felt so cold in a long time. Soon his gaze drifted off and his eyelids felt heavy. He let himself drift off into sleep.


    ¡°The Eldorian Empire¡¯s history is a bloody one.¡± Instructor Theodore was their history teacher. He was a tall man with brown, wavy hair he wore in a ponytail. He was the youngest instructor in Solas, and one of the very few who weren¡¯t alumni of the academy themselves.


    He adjusted his large, round glasses as he spoke. ¡°As you all know, Eldoria is neighbours with the Kingdom of Calador. While we do have a mostly peaceful and somewhat mutually beneficial relationship right now, we do have a bloody and war-torn history between us.¡±


    He then let out a sigh. ¡°However, one must note that none of the conflicts Eldoria had with the Kingdom of Calador happened in a void. Which brings us to the main subject of our class.


    Despite being neighbours with the strongest military force in Zamor, our empire¡¯s greatest challenges, and most brutal wars happened within. The War of Flames, the fall of the Rose Capital¡­ These are the most impactful events in our history. They have shaped our empire to become what it is today.¡±


    Instructor Theodore pulled on a white string hanging from the ceiling, pulling down a map neatly hidden in a roll fixed to the wall where it met the ceiling. The map depicted the continent of Zamor as best as the mapmakers knew it.


    Two large countries dominated most of the continent. The Empire of Eldoria was at the centre of the map, leaning west and covering most of the coastline. A series of tall mountains impassable by normal means of travel marked Eldoria¡¯s borders with several small sovereign states up north, and down south. Northeast of Eldoria was the second large country, and the largest known country on Zamor ¨C The Kingdom of Calador.


    Calador¡¯s borders stretched from the western coast above the small sovereign states, all the way down south of Eldoria. It had full control of the eastern coast of the continent, and had it not been for the small church-states on the southwestern shore below Eldoria, it would have control over all the shores but Eldoria¡¯s western shore. North of Calador was a desert, depicted in golden lines scribbled on the map. The Golden Desert, dubbed so for its scorching hot golden sands, was the limit that anyone had travelled north in the last several millennia.


    ¡°Eldoria¡¯s founders, the Ardagh bloodline, still rule our empire.¡± Instructor Theodore pointed at the large symbol at the centre of Eldoria''s territory. ¡°However, An¡¯Larion wasn¡¯t always the capital city. Eldoria¡¯s first capital city was Bareon.¡± His gaze turned to Alistair for a split second before he pointed at a point slightly east of An¡¯Larion. ¡°Bareon, also called the Rose Capital, was Eldoria¡¯s first and largest city until disaster struck.¡±


    Arwen leaned forward. Her eyes were narrowed behind her large, round glasses, and her lips were pressed together, forming a thin, pale line.


    ¡°Surely young lord Orlein here knows,¡± Instructor Theodore said with a rather mellow voice.


    Alister nodded once, sternly. ¡°The fall of the Rose Capital is taught to us at a young age.¡± His voice was tense, and so was his posture. His fists were clenched.


    ¡°Indeed, as it should be.¡± Instructor Theodore hesitated for a moment. ¡°The Bareon Disaster is the most important event that has shaped our empire. I will talk about it in detail at another time, but let¡¯s just say most of the truths about those events remain shrouded in mystery still.¡±


    Arwen leaned back in her chair. Her brows were furrowed, her lips pursed. She seemed to be disappointed, maybe even a little angry.


    Midhir turned his gaze at Alistair. Naturally, the young noble was on edge. The events of the Bareon Disaster were indeed still mostly a mystery, much like the events leading up to the bloodiest war in Eldorian history.


    ¡°What I want you all to do is read ¡®The Fall of the Rose Capital¡¯ by Lord Andor Orlein.¡± The Professor continued. ¡°Lord Andor was at Bareon when the city fell, and he was one of the very few survivors who accompanied the Emperor to An¡¯Larion, and he was also present for the reclamation of Bareon. The book details the events of the disaster. It¡¯s the most comprehensive resource you can find of the subject, and Lord Andor was certainly a better storyteller than I could ever be.¡± He awkwardly smiled.


    Alistair seemed relieved. A faint smile touched upon his lips for a split second.


    ¡°Since we have a foreigner in our class,¡± The Instructor continued, ¡°I should probably add that Bareon was reclaimed several decades later by the Imperial bloodline, with the indispensable aid of the Orlein family. After the reclamation of the city, Lord Andor Orlein was made the Lord of the City, and his descendants continue to rule city ever since.¡±


    He then pointed at An¡¯Larion. ¡°The Chalk Capital, as we like to call it, An¡¯Larion remained the capital. It¡¯s currently the empire¡¯s largest city, consisting of thirteen districts.¡± He grimaced. ¡°An¡¯Larion has a history of its own, and it¡¯s fairly recent as well ¨C the events that led to the destruction of the thirteenth district of the city are a complete mystery still. I¡¯ll eventually talk about that too, but for now, let¡¯s start with the Bareon Disaster. Remember to read ¡®The Fall of the Rose Capital¡¯ before our next class.¡±


    After leaving the classroom, the group slowly began making their way to the cafeteria. Alistair trailed behind them in silent contemplation. Shortly before they reached the cafeteria, Arwen cleared her throat. ¡°I think I¡¯ll go to the library, I don¡¯t feel particularly hungry right now. Excuse me.¡± She quickly turned away and with hasty steps walked off towards the stairwell leading to the upper floors, where the library was located.


    ¡°I suppose she¡¯s really eager to get started with that book.¡± Willow muttered watching her leave. A moment later, she shrugged. ¡°Well, I¡¯m starving. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    The cafeteria, unlike the mess hall next to the dormitories, was at least minimally decorated. Tables surrounded by cushioned seats dotted the large rectangular room. A counter was situated next to the entrance, with a few students waiting in line to get their food or beverages.


    Midhir, Alistair, and Willow also got in line, and soon were able to give their order. Once they received their orders, they moved away from the counter to a table by the windows on the left side of the room. As they pulled their seats and placed their trays on the table, Alistar suddenly scowled. He sat down, and turned his gaze towards the window, peering into the distance.


    ¡°Greetings,¡± A sharp voice sounded from behind them as Midhir and Willow also motioned to sit down. ¡°Lord Orlein, it¡¯s an honour.¡±

 Chapter 5 – Glint of Metal (2)

    ¡°Quite an honour indeed,¡± One of the three upperclassmen nodded. Her lips curled up as she turned her gaze to Willow. ¡°And you are Lady Aulorn if I¡¯m not mistaken. We would like to invite you both to our lounge.¡±


    Willow¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°I would love to come!¡± She exclaimed, jumping back on her feet. ¡°Alistair, M-¡°


    ¡°No,¡± Alistair curtly said. ¡°I¡¯m preoccupied, as you can see.¡± He tilted his head towards Midhir, then peered out the window again. ¡°Now, if you will excuse us.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± The upperclassman pursed her lips. ¡°Then, perhaps at a later time, Lord Orlein.¡± She shot Willow a glance. ¡°Lady Aulorn, are you still coming with us?¡±


    Willow hesitated. ¡°Oh, uh¡­¡± She muttered, her gaze turned from Midhir to Alistair, then to the upperclassmen. ¡°Of course.¡± She took her plate and hurried after them. As they left for the upper floor of the cafeteria, Alistair finally looked away from the window.


    ¡°You should stay away from the likes of them.¡± Alistair coldly stated before finally taking a bite from his food.


    His words came as a surprise. Midhir raised his eyebrows. The young noble seemed annoyed, angry even. ¡°Is that why you didn¡¯t go with them?¡±


    Alistair shrugged. ¡°Partly, yes.¡± He finished eating the small mince pie on his plate, then carefully wiped his hands to his handkerchief. ¡°Nobility is important, noble blood is vital ¨C it carries with it the power of our ancestors.¡± He explained as his gaze turned to the window again. ¡°But such power is only relevant if its owner is strong.¡±


    Seeing Midhir¡¯s raised eyebrows, he explained further. ¡°Remember who Willow¡¯s father is. The Luminous Blademaster is a newly appointed noble ¨C his blood doesn¡¯t give him power, he earned it by himself, through effort and vigorous training. Willow, on the other hand, inherited some of his power. But more importantly, her name carries weight. She has power, just because of who she is,¡± He paused. ¡°Whose daughter she is.¡± He corrected himself.


    ¡°I would never associate with leeches who would only approach me out of selfish interests ¨C all they wished was to get on my good side, so they would have the Orlein family¡¯s favour.¡±


    Midhir nodded. He wasn¡¯t wrong, those upperclassmen were all nobles, but they weren¡¯t from particularly powerful or wealthy families. Small baronies and dukedoms were all they had in their names. In contrast, Willow¡¯s father was one of the most powerful people in the empire when it came to combat prowess, and Alistair was the heir of the most influential noble family in the empire.


    ¡°You should stay away from them too.¡± Alistair repeated. ¡°I apologize for using you as an excuse, since this might draw their ire to you. I will make sure they don¡¯t try and cause you indirect harm.¡±


    Midhir couldn¡¯t help but smile at what his classmate was insinuating. ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about that.¡±


    Alistair raised an eyebrow, but then nodded. ¡°If you say so. Do tell me if they bother you though.¡± He took a deep breath, then stood up. ¡°Class will begin soon, and I¡¯d like to get as much practice in before it as I can. I will meet you at the courtyard.¡±


    Midhir turned his gaze out the window. The view was breathtaking ¨C he could see the eastern half of the crater, and the forests that surround it. The skies were a clear blue with not a single cloud in sight, and the snowy mountaintops glistened white.


    He stood up and headed out. The golden rays of sunlight beaming in through the wide, tall windows reminded him of Arwen. He couldn¡¯t help but wonder why she seemed so serious and concerned before she left for the library. Was Eldoria¡¯s history not taught where she was from? Or was it taught differently perhaps?


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    That line of thought summoned another ¨C he still hadn¡¯t gotten the chance to ask her where she was from. She lacked the features of the people of Calador, and she didn¡¯t have the darker skin the southern city-states had. That didn¡¯t leave too many possibilities ¨C she either was from the northern city-states, or she was from beyond the desert. He chuckled to himself as he walked down the hallway ¨C the desert had been impassable for so long, of course she wasn¡¯t from there.


    His steps carried him outside through a side entrance, and soon he found himself walking on a wide walkway passing over a raging river. He paused for a moment and leaned over the battlements. The smell of fresh water, wet earth and moss reached his nostrils. The underside of the walkway was probably completely covered in moss.


    The river¡¯s waters were a frothy torrent of white, teeming with cascading bubbles. It carved a path through the rocky terrain of the crater, flowing down from the snow covered mountaintops, all the way to the lake at the foot of the castle.


    Midhir watched the waters for a while ¨C there were no mountains in An¡¯Larion, and the lake around the imperial palace was always calm. It was impossible to find such an untamed force of nature near the Chalk Capital. He wondered whether Arwen¡¯s home had such beautiful places as well ¨C was this all mundane to her, or was she as amazed as he was?


    He stepped away from the battlements of the walkway and walked on, towards the large, old building on the other side of the raging river, constructed on a platform held up by tall pillars.


    What was clearly once a church of the Old Faith had been turned into the library of Solas Military Academy. The standalone building had been restored to its former glory. Statues of gargoyles watched over from its pointed roof, intricately carved corbels supported the two balconies, and reliefs decorated every flat surface around its walls.


    Midhir paused once again to admire the building. The remnants of the Old Faith were always stunning works of art, or beautiful shrines of nature. The Empire had been careful to preserve these places, though most had been repurposed, like Solas Military Academy¡¯s library.


    He stepped through the pair or large, open doors.


    The air was dusty and dry in the old church, filled with the calming scent of old pages and dried leather. Rows of bookshelves reaching the ceiling took up most of the space inside the building¡¯s first floor. The hanging floor above also had bookshelves, though they lined the walls, leaving space for comfortable seats dotted around.


    The library wasn¡¯t particularly crowded. It wasn¡¯t too surprising, since there weren¡¯t too many students in the academy to begin with. The library could probably easily fit twice the number of students, and still not seem too crowded.


    Once again amazed by how intricately decorated the interior was, Midhir made his way to the history section of the library. It didn¡¯t take long for him to find the book he was looking for; there were several copies of ¡®The Fall of The Rose Capital¡¯ sitting on the shelf. He took one of them and placed it in his holding gem. The book vanished from his hand as the light around it shifted and changed.


    Despite being familiar with holding gems, the odd visuals while objects disappeared into a spiritual pocket within the crystal kept surprising him. It almost look like reality was breaking apart in front of him, and he was controlling it. Just like how he stared when Alistair summoned his weapon, Midhir stared at the disappearing book until reality returned to normal.


    ¡°Now then¡­¡± he whispered as he turned his gaze upstairs. Instructor Soraya¡¯s class would begin in less than an hour. He didn¡¯t have too much time. He almost absentmindedly paced the library, looking between the rows of bookshelves as he made his way to the stairs leading to the second floor. His gaze scoured his surroundings, and he only realised he was looking for someone when he failed to find her.


    As he didn¡¯t spot Arwen, his shoulders dropped. A tinge of disappointment clouded his heart as he slowly went down the stairs, and out the building. It would be best if he made his way to the courtyard behind the castle ¨C maybe Arwen had gone there already.


    He walked to the edge of the platform the church was built on and leaned on the marble parapets. He could see the lake from here, as well as the corner of the courtyard Instructor Soraya¡¯s class would take place at. Something glimmered there, though it was far too small for him to see clearly.


    He stepped back from the parapets, and as he was about to head to the walkway, a golden glimmer caught his eye. His gaze snapped to his right, lifting the clouds over his heart.


    Arwen was sitting on a bench put up against the side wall of the library. There was thick, leatherbound tome on her lap, it seemed comically large and thick, and was probably way too heavy to be practical in any sense or form.


    ¡°Arw-¡° He called out, but a loud caw drowned his voice, startling both him, and Arwen who was lost in thought. He heard the sound of flapping wings behind him, then a storm of black feathers and sharp claws descended on him.

 Chapter 6 – A Storm of Feathers

    A pair of sharp claws grabbed onto his hair, and at the same time two large, black wings blocked his vision. The sheer size and weight of the bird was enough to knock him off his feet. He fell on his back, but somehow managed to catch the legs of the bird before it could claw his eyes out.


    The bird struggled. Its wings hit Midhir¡¯s head and body as it beat them in an attempt to free itself. It cawed, then pecked at his hair and chest. When he covered his eyes with his arm, the bird started attacking his arm instead, its sharp beak breaking the skin and drawing blood.


    Midhir grunted as he finally managed to grip the bird¡¯s legs properly. With a deep breath, he flung the bird to the side with all the strength in his left arm. An almost comical screech echoed as the bird hit the parapets at the edge of the platform. It seemed dazed for a split second before it shook its head, then flew off upwards to the mountaintops.


    With the corner of his eye, Midhir saw Arwen hurriedly put the thick tome away into her holding gem, then rush towards him with a concerned expression. He pulled himself up on his feet, then dusted off his clothes.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Arwen asked as soon as she saw the blood on his arm. Her concern turned into worry as she gently lifted his arm to take a closer look.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine,¡± Midhir awkwardly chuckled. He could feel blood rushing to his face. He must have looked comical ¨C being nearly bested by an ordinary raven of all things. He tried his best to shake off his embarrassment. ¡°It¡¯s just a few pecks, see?¡± He used his handkerchief to wipe the flood off, revealing the two tiny wounds on his arm.


    Arwen pursed her lips. ¡°Such a weird bird, I wonder what it confused you with¡­¡± She rummaged through her bag until she found what she was looking for. ¡°Come, let me dress those wounds.¡±


    She didn¡¯t listen to his protests as she pulled him towards the bench she was sitting on earlier, then carefully and gently dressed his wounds. When she was done, there was a beaming smile on her face. ¡°Animal bites and such shouldn¡¯t be taken lightly,¡± She explained as she put her equipment back into her bag. ¡°Their saliva and claws carry bacteria that¡¯s really harmful to humans. Even a simple wound like this could cause you to lose your arm if you¡¯re not careful.¡±


    The mere thought of losing his sword arm made Midhir shudder. ¡°Thank you.¡± He looked away, hoping his face wasn¡¯t as red as he thought it was. They sat in silence for a few moments before Arwen stood up. ¡°Oh, I forgot to ask, what were you doing here?¡±


    Midhir flinched. He had completely forgotten why he had come here in the first place. ¡°I was actually looking for you.¡± He awkwardly smiled. ¡°I noticed you seemed a bit perplexed in class earlier, and then you left in such a hurry. I was wondering if there was something wrong. Or if there¡¯s anything I can do to help you out.¡± Again, he felt blood rush to his cheeks.


    ¡°Oh!¡± Arwen¡¯s smile widened. ¡°Oh, no, there¡¯s nothing wrong with history class. I just realised that I knew so little about Eldoria¡¯s history, so I came to pick up the books Instructor Theodore recommended.¡± She walked up to the parapets and leaned on the beautifully crafted stone. The wind blew her golden hair aside, making it seem like a waterfall of gold.


    Midhir also stood up and approached the parapets. The view from here was beautiful. The lake down below glimmered under the sunlight, and the forests surrounding the academy seemed full of life. He could spy a deer or two through the leaves, carefully approaching the lake for a sip of water.


    ¡°Eldoria¡¯s history is complicated.¡± He admitted. ¡°It has a bloody, conflict filled past.¡± Not just that, but Eldoria¡¯s history was shrouded in mystery, even recent events like the disaster of An¡¯Larion were so.


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    ¡°Clearly,¡± Arwen nodded with a thoughtful expression. ¡°But which country doesn¡¯t have conflict? Calador¡¯s past is even darker, I would assume. Just look at the desert.¡± She shrugged. ¡°But that¡¯s a discussion for a different time.¡± A smile returned to her lips once again. ¡°I¡¯m a bit glad you came here, since I was meaning to ask you something since yesterday.¡±


    Midhir raised an eyebrow. Whatever thoughts that had surfaced about Calador vanished.


    ¡°I had a chat with Willow last night, before we went to sleep.¡± Arwen continued her words. Her gaze trailed off somewhere far beyond these mountains. ¡°I asked her how she chose her weapon. She said it spoke to her. That as soon as she took it in her hands, she knew she just had to wield a rapier in battle.¡±


    The distant caws of a raven broke the silence, prompting Arwen to speak again, with a hint of amusement in her voice. ¡°Alistair seems to wield his spear like it¡¯s an extension of him. Sure, he¡¯s not a master yet, but I can see how comfortable he is with it.¡± She hesitated. ¡°How did you choose your weapon?¡±


    Midhir shrugged. ¡°I had a few options when I started learning.¡± He looked at his palms. ¡°Great swords and bastard swords are too heavy and slow for someone of my build. I¡¯m not tall enough to wield polearms with the same mastery as Alistair. Rapiers and the like¡­ I just didn¡¯t see myself using them.¡± He hesitated. ¡°I feel like they limit their wielders options too much.¡±


    Arwen tilted her head. ¡° A process of elimination then.¡± She concluded.


    Midhir nodded. ¡°No weapon spoke to me, but I¡¯m as comfortable as I can be with this one.¡± He tapped the hilt of his shortsword. ¡°But if a weapon does speak to you¡­¡± He shrugged. ¡°You should give it a try.¡±


    She nodded absentmindedly, with a bitter smile on her lips. They remained silent for a short while, both lost in thought.


    Midhir¡¯s hand rested on the hilt of his blade. He didn¡¯t ¡®just know¡¯ he had to use this weapon in battle. It was the least clunky one, the one that he got used to the fastest. Arwen was right, it was nothing more than a process of elimination. He couldn¡¯t help but feel envious of Alistair and Willow.


    ¡°I think I¡¯ll head to the armoury.¡± Arwen finally broke the silence. She stepped away from the parapets with a genuine smile on her lips. ¡°I truly wish I could learn how to use a crystal staff though¡­¡±


    Midhir looked away. ¡°You could,¡± he softly spoke. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be as easy as it would be if someone was teaching you, but you could still learn it.¡± He had seen the power even a novice crystal staff wielder could control, and it was glorious and terrifying at the same time.


    Arwen seemed hesitant. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know where to begin.¡± She bit her lip.


    ¡°Beginning is easy,¡± a smile flashed across Midhir¡¯s lips. ¡°Mastering the weapon is what everyone failed.¡± Even he could utilize a crystal staff at a novice level. Sure, it was utterly exhausting to do so, but not difficult.


    Arwen¡¯s face lit up. ¡°Really?¡± The excitement in her voice was palpable. ¡°You think I could learn it enough to actually use it?¡±


    ¡°Even I can use it in a pinch-¡° Before he could continue, Arwen¡¯s eyes widened with what he could only call pure, innocent glee.


    ¡°Then you¡¯ll teach me!¡± She declared, ¡°Tell instructor Soraya I¡¯ll be a bit late, I¡¯ll get a staff from the armoury!¡± She ran off towards the castle, not even waiting for Midhir¡¯s answer.


    He watched her run off with a faint smile. ¡°Sure¡­¡± He muttered before heading off himself.


    It didn¡¯t take long to reach the courtyard.


    Alistair was practicing in the middle of the courtyard. His motions were fluid and seemed to follow a rhythm as he moved from one position to the next, holding each pose for only a few breaths worth of time. His spear was like an extension of himself ¨C he moved it effortlessly. But what caught Midhir¡¯s attention wasn¡¯t just that ¨C it was the water flowing in the air, following the tip of his spear.


    He watched silently as Alistair commanded the water as effortlessly as he moved his own body. He made it seem so trivial, as if it was as natural as breathing. Midhir leaned against the wall to watch, he didn¡¯t want to disturb the young noble.


    It only took a handful of breaths for Alistair to finish his practice. As soon as he let the haft of his spear touch the ground, the water floating mid-air seemed to remember gravity existed and splashed down.


    Midhir took a breath to speak, but soft footsteps startled both him and Alistair. Instructor Soraya stepped out of the shadows of the dilapidated walkway. ¡°Beautiful form,¡± She commented with a playful smile. ¡°Very pleasant to watch, and you¡¯ve clearly practiced it a lot.¡± She pursed her lips for a moment. ¡°You¡¯re well versed in your family¡¯s style, very well trained, and I can see you¡¯ve put in a lot of time and effort into it.¡±


    Alistair bowed his head. ¡°Thank you-¡°


    ¡°If only you hadn¡¯t wasted your talent and effort on something so¡­ useless.¡±

 Chapter 7 – Words that Sting (1)

    Her words hung in the silence. Her gaze turned from Alistair to Midhir, then back to the young noble.


    ¡°You both lack knowledge,¡±


    Her words startled Alistair for the second time. He shot a glance over his shoulder, coming eye to eye with Midhir.


    ¡°You both lack experience. You have trained forms ¨C rigid motions designed to look good and train your body. But nowhere in your duel did I see a drop of experience. How many times have you fought for your lives?¡± Her voice rang in the empty courtyard, it was filled with authority, and her eyes demanded an answer.


    ¡°I duelled,¡± Alistair began to speak.


    ¡°That is not what I asked.¡± She cut him off. ¡°A safe duel doesn¡¯t provide you with the same experience as a real fight. How many times was your life at risk, Lord Orlein?¡±


    Alistair tightened his grip of the shaft of his spear. ¡°None.¡± He replied curtly, pressing his lips together.


    Instructor Soraya¡¯s gaze turned to Midhir.


    ¡°None.¡± He replied with a scowl. ¡°But I disagree, instructor. A duel is educational in its own right.¡±


    Instructor Soraya¡¯s lips curled up. ¡°It is educational, but never a fully accurate test of your skill and resolve.¡± She rested her hands on her belt, hooking her thumbs through it. ¡°Real battle is the best teacher ¨C those who learn, survive, those who don¡¯t¡­ well, they don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°They die.¡± Alistair hit the ground with the haft of his spear. ¡°Is that what you want us to do, then? Fight to the death, so the better one survives?¡± His defiant gaze looked at instructor Soraya with anger.


    ¡°No.¡± Instructor Soraya chuckled mischievously. Her demeanour had changed suddenly. Just a few breaths ago she spoke with a grim voice and looked at them with battle-worn eyes. Now, her smile was beaming, and she seemed like a jokester rather than a powerful fighter. ¡°Patience, Lord Orlein. All will be revealed in due time!¡±


    Alistair let out an annoyed sigh, rolling his eyes. ¡°Right¡­¡± he muttered, clearly bothered by Instructor Soraya¡¯s words.


    ¡°All that aside, where is Arwen and Willow?¡± The instructor asked a few moments later with a scowl. ¡°Punctuality is important, especially in the field.¡±


    ¡°Arwen went to the armoury,¡± Midhir quickly explained. ¡°She said she wants to try learning to use the crystal staff.¡±


    Instructor Soraya raised a single eyebrow. ¡°Very well.¡± She raised her gaze to the upper floors of the castle. ¡°Something tells me she is going to excel at it¡­¡± her voice was but a whisper. She let the silence drag on just enough before rummaging through her pockets.


    ¡°Midhir.¡± She gestured him to approach, and so he did. She gave him a red crystal the size of his nail. ¡°Your sword has no crystal, so you¡¯ll use this. I think it will suit you nicely.¡± She then turned to Alistair. ¡°I was going to give you a wind crystal, but I see you have one already, and you are familiar enough with it to use it so well.¡±


    Alistair nodded. ¡°It was given to me when I first started training. I would rather not part with it.¡± His fingers caressed the middle point of his spear¡¯s shaft. Beneath the wraps of leather, blue colour glinted for a split second as the sun¡¯s light reached it.


    Midhir pulled the cotton wraps around his sword¡¯s hilt back with some effort and inserted the crystal into the small cove in the metal hilt. Once he heard a soft click, he knew he had succeeded and readjusted the wraps to cover the crystal.


    The door behind him swung open as he fixed the wraps. Arwen rushed out, and quickly bowed her head. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry for being late, Instructor!¡± She exclaimed. Her chest rose and lowered as she panted. She had probably run from the armoury all the way to here. ¡°The quartermaster didn¡¯t want to give me the staff at first.¡± She explained once she caught her breath.


    Instructor Soraya shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s fine, Midhir explained why you were late anyways. And as for the quartermaster ¨C he¡¯s just a bitter old man, don¡¯t mind him.¡± She waved her hand dismissively.


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    Arwen seemed confused. She shot Midhir a glance and whispered. ¡°The quartermaster wasn¡¯t much older than us.¡±


    The door creaked open once more, and Willow stepped out. Faced with the rather sharp gaze of their instructor, she froze. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, instructor. I got lost.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Instructor Soraya raised an eyebrow. ¡°I suppose that¡¯s fine since it¡¯s only your second day here.¡± Her eyes glimmered all of a sudden as she smirked. ¡°Homework for you, Willow. I want you to draw a rough map of the Castle, you are to include all points of interest ¨C the grand hall, your classrooms, dorms, infirmary, the armoury, this courtyard, and other amenities. You have until the end of the week.¡±


    Willow¡¯s eyes widened in shock. Her lips parted as if she was about to protest, but Instructor Soraya¡¯s glare made her decide otherwise. Her shoulders visibly dropped as she muttered with a defeated voice ¡°Yes, instructor¡­¡±


    ¡°Now then!¡± Instructor Soraya clapped once, pulling everyone¡¯s attention on herself. ¡°Since everyone has their weapons, it¡¯s time to start the lesson.¡± She paused and glanced at Willow. ¡°Your rapier, it¡¯s augmented, am I right?¡±


    Willow seemed surprised. ¡°It is,¡± She nodded. ¡°I¡¯d rather not swap the crystal out.¡± She defiantly added as she summoned her rapier from her own holding gem. The elegant weapon materialised in the air, above her palms, and gently fell into her hands.


    It was a simple, yet elegant weapon, protected in a leather scabbard. A green gem was embedded into its hilt, in place of where its normal pommel should have been.


    Willow unsheathed the thin, silver coloured blade. Sunlight glinted off of the blade.


    Soraya moved closer to inspect the green crystal, then nodded with satisfaction. ¡°Very well, in that case only Midhir and Arwen are going to be using crystals they aren¡¯t used to. I assume you know how to utilise the augment?¡± She asked, looking at Willow.


    The young woman nodded, albeit not without a moment of hesitation. ¡°I¡¯m not particularly skilled at it.¡± She sheepishly added.


    ¡°This is a place of learning.¡± Instructor Soraya raised her chin. ¡°Now then, Midhir, give me your sword. I¡¯ll demonstrate for you all.¡± She extended her hand, her palm facing up.


    Midhir held the shortsword by its blade carefully and placed its hilt in her palm. She took the sword, stepped back a bit, then swung it a couple of times to test its weight and strength. ¡°A good blade,¡± She commented a moment later. ¡°Albeit simple and crude. It gets the job done though.¡± She made a stabbing motion, then flourished the blade, spinning it around her wrist.


    ¡°Now then,¡± She breathed out. ¡°Crystals hold the power of the Veil, and of what lies beyond it.¡± Her voice was calm, yet firm. Her cheerful expression had turned into something more serious as she spoke.


    ¡°We don¡¯t know nearly enough about the Veil, and even less of what lays beyond it. We do know that a tear in the Veil can have catastrophic results that can plague the lands for centuries, if not millennia. The Bareon Disaster, the War of the Flames, and even relatively recent An¡¯Larion incident are results of tears in the Veil.¡±


    Alistair pressed his lips together as he listened, while Willow visibly shuddered. While Arwen listened intently, she didn¡¯t seem as disturbed as the others.


    ¡°There exists a power beyond the Veil ¨C spiritual power, literally the power of spirits.¡± She looked at each and every one of them before continuing. ¡°We also have this power. Or at least a way to use it.¡± The blade of Midhir¡¯s shortsword she was holding burst into flames.


    ¡°You will harness the power of the veil, using your own mind. You will allow it to flow into the crystal ¨C the augment embedded within your blade. Once the power passes through the refined crystal, it will become able to affect the world, like this.¡± She swung the blade, leaving a trail of flames behind it. ¡°Any questions?¡±


    A few moments of silence was answer enough. Instructor Soraya allowed the flames on Midhir¡¯s sword to slowly fade, then handed the sword back to him. ¡°Now give it a try, all of you.¡±


    Alistair hit the ground with the haft of his spear. Water rose from the lake, consolidating around the tip of his spear. The young noble didn¡¯t seem to exert any effort at all as he controlled the flowing water.


    Willow ran her palm over the crystal that served as the pommel of her rapier. Strong winds blew her hair back as they swirled around her. Her lips curled up with a smile as she closed her eyes and took a deep breath.


    ¡°A fine augment.¡± Instructor Soraya nodded, then turned her attention to Midhir. She was waiting, demanding success. Demanding a demonstration of his abilities. Demanding power.


    He gulped as he tightened the grasp on the hilt of his blade. He reached inwards, where he knew the power she spoke of lay. He commanded it to flow up his chest, through his shoulders, down his arms. A chill ran across his body as the faint power reached his palms, and eventually flowed into the crystal embedded into the sword¡¯s hilt.


    He felt power drain from his body, into the sword as he exhaled. Warmth radiated from its metal blade moments before the first flames formed on its surface.


    Panting, he lifted his gaze to see a rather unimpressed Instructor Soraya.


    ¡°Amazing,¡± Arwen¡¯s whisper broke the awkward silence. ¡°May I try, Instructor?¡±


    Instructor Soraya pursed her lips. ¡°This isn¡¯t what you should strive for, but yes, give it a try.¡±


    Arwen shot her a puzzled look before she turned her attention to her staff. It was a beautifully crafted weapon. Its haft was made of naturally grown wood, inlaid with threads of gold that followed the natural shape of the wood. The top of the staff was shaped like a four-pronged spear, housing a fist sized pale yellow crystal in the middle.


    The young woman held the staff with both hands. She furrowed her brows and pressed her lips together as she focused. A second passed, then another, and as the third rolled around, her eyes shot wide open.


    Golden light that was bright enough to rival the sun poured out of the crystal.

 Chapter 8 - Words That Sting (2)

    The blinding light soon mellowed, though it did remain burned into their eyes for a while longer. Once everyone could see again, Willow uncovered her eyes sheepishly.


    ¡°What was that?¡± She asked, looking at the still-glowing crystal on Arwen¡¯s staff.


    The other girl shrugged. Her eyes were still wide open, and she seemed as confused as everyone else. She tilted her head to the side and tapped the slowly dimming crystal with her finger. ¡°Why is it getting dimmer?¡±


    Instructor Soraya narrowed her eyes. ¡°Did you stop feeding it with power?¡± She asked, pursing her lips. ¡°You need to keep directing the spiritual power around you into the crystal.¡±


    The afterimage of the first shine still lingered in Midhir¡¯s sight. He rubbed his eyes and blinked a few times in quick succession before his vision returned to normal. When he looked at Arwen again, he could still see a faint image lingering before his gaze, it almost looked like she herself had a faint glow around her.


    ¡°Oh. I don¡¯t think I stopped, but maybe I lost focus when it glowed so brightly.¡± Arwen chuckled at herself as she shook her head. ¡°I¡¯ll try again.¡±


    She focused again. The gold inlaid into the wooden staff glinted as light bounced off of it. The crystal began to shine again, albeit much dimmer than before. It glowed brighter with each passing second.


    Midhir watched wide eyed as another girl popped up in her mind. He remembered how she struggled to feed power into the staff. Arwen made it seem so effortless.


    ¡°Very good.¡± Instructor Soraya¡¯s lips curled up with a smile. ¡°You are a natural at crystal manipulation. The staff was a fine choice, Arwen.¡±


    Arwen¡¯s smile beamed. ¡°I think so too.¡± She admitted, not taking her eyes off of the crystal even once. The light remained bright and steady, a feat that was difficult for even experienced crystal manipulators. ¡°I think I found my weapon.¡± Her voice was full of glee and hope.


    Midhir sheathed his shortsword. The exhaustion that set in right after he used the crystal embedded within the hilt of his blade had slowly begun to pass.


    ¡°Very well then.¡± Instructor Soraya turned her gaze towards the rest of the class. ¡°Arwen, you need to work on actually using the staff ¨C it¡¯s a glorified torch at the moment.¡± Her words got a chuckle out of them. ¡°Alistair, find some sparring partners and spar ¨C a lot. Make sure your opponents are varied and use different weapons and styles. No fighting against Midhir, or Willow. Find others. Arwen is off limits as well.¡±


    The young lord nodded. ¡°Understood.¡±


    ¡°Willow, I need to see how well you fight.¡± Instructor Soraya hesitated for a split second. ¡°Midhir, Willow. Duel. Now.¡± Her lips curled up with a smirk. ¡°Crystal use is allowed, but no lethal strikes. That¡¯s a fast way to get expelled.¡±


    Willow froze, her eyes widened. ¡°A duel?¡± She sheepishly asked. ¡°Now?¡± Her gaze darted to Midhir. ¡°But he was exhausted from using the crystal! It wouldn¡¯t be a fair fight.¡± She protested, her voice growing sharper and louder with every word.


    ¡°It¡¯s not a fair fight either way.¡± Instructor Soraya shrugged. ¡°And don¡¯t expect any fight you find yourselves in to be fair fights. Your enemies won¡¯t just stand around waiting for you to rest and recover.¡± She clapped once, prompting them to hurry. ¡°To positions!¡±


    Midhir pried his eyes off of Arwen and her crystal staff and focused on the present. As he saw Willow unsheathe her rapier, his heartbeat quickened. Adrenaline rushed through his veins as his excitement rose. He took his place opposite of hers and unsheathed his own sword.


    Willow gulped once as their eyes met. Her gaze constantly darted between his face and his blade, as if she was unsure of where to focus her attention. She was uneasy on her feet, constantly shifting her weight as they waited for Instructor Soraya to call the start of their duel.


    A second later, the Instructor¡¯s voice rang like a bell. ¡°Begin!¡±


    Midhir bent forward, then dashed towards Willow. The young woman¡¯s eyes shot wide open as she immediately hopped back and turned the tip of her rapier towards him. Her weight shifted back as she hesitated, then she slid her right foot forward, lunging ahead. Her aim was Midhir¡¯s shoulder, which she had been glaring at since the first step he took.


    He hit the incoming blade with his own. The sound of metal hitting metal echoed in the courtyard, startling a murder of crows sitting atop the eaves of the partially collapsed walkway. Amidst their caws, Midhir continued his offense, forcing Willow to step back further.


    The young woman retreated readily, though her gaze turned to his right upper thigh this time. She deflected his blows, and as his flurry of attacks slowed for a split second, she rushed forward again, her blade lunging towards his thigh.


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    He leapt back with ease, then swung his blade from left to right in an upward motion, forcing her to pull her sword arm back. A moment passed as they watched each other, both waiting for the other to make the next move.


    Willow¡¯s gaze turned to his sword arm. Like clockwork, her next strike was aimed there. Once again the sound of metal hitting metal echoed across the courtyard as Midhir blocked her strike.


    Her eyes widened further as she bit her lip. Confusion, worry, and uncertainty clouded her expression as she retreated several steps. Midhir pursued, his blade struck from her left, then from above. He could see her hesitation ¨C she was no longer a threat to him. His relentless strikes wailed on her, forcing her to step back further and further until her back was against the castle wall.


    Midhir lunged forward, forcing her to block his blade with her own, taking the full force of the hit. Their blades crossed, Midhir pushed, forcing the blades closer to her.


    ¡°Get away from me!¡± She screamed.


    The crystal serving as the pommel of her blade began to glow as winds picked up around them. A strong gust pushed Midhir back, threatening to throw him off balance. He stumbled back a step, just as Willow¡¯s gaze turned to his sword arm.


    She lunged forward with her rapier, its tip pointing at his arm just as he expected it to. He deflected the strike with the guard of his shortsword, making her attack go wide. Without hesitation, he fought against the push of the wind as he took a step forward and pressed his blade against her throat.


    ¡°Enough!¡± Instructor Soraya¡¯s voice rang. ¡°Midhir wins.¡± She declared as he stepped back and bowed. A deflated Willow also bowed her head, but she refused to look at him as she let her blade vanish into the space of her holding crystal.


    The instructor approached them, and after shooting a mischievous glance at Midhir, she turned her attention to Willow. ¡°How many sparring partners have you had so far?¡±


    Willow hesitated. ¡°A few,¡± She vaguely said as she rubbed her throat.


    ¡°How many?¡± Instructor Soraya insisted, only for Willow to look away.


    ¡°I never felt the need to count, instructor. I¡¯ve sparred with a number of people.¡± Her voice was cold and firm.


    Instructor Soraya scowled, but after a moment¡¯s hesitation, she let the young woman be and turned her attention to Midhir. ¡°Good job,¡± She said with a smirk. ¡°On actually talking the initiative and doing something rather than just waiting.¡±


    Midhir couldn¡¯t help but laugh at her words. Alistair also chuckled. They both knew her rather pointed words carried only the truth.


    Instructor Soraya¡¯s smirk slowly faded as she glanced at the sky. ¡°Alright, listen up.¡± She folded her arms and raised her chin as her gaze shifted between the four of them. ¡°Solus Military Academy does a few things differently to other military schools in Eldoria. And the most important of these differences is the class you are a part of. The Practical Combat and Strategy class has been created only recently, and for one singular purpose.¡±


    She scowled as she spoke. ¡°Duels don¡¯t teach much about real battle. And strategizing isn¡¯t something you can solely learn from studying past wars and battles. War is different. It¡¯s chaotic, unpredictable, and more stressful than you can imagine.¡± Her words carried a weight to them. The weight of knowledge, Midhir could hear it in her tone, and see it in her weary eyes.


    ¡°You never know how you will react to real danger until you¡¯re put in it. And the future of Eldoria can¡¯t be gambled on the reactions of leaders who have never been in a real fight before.¡± The wind began to pick up as she spoke, tugging at their hair and clothes. The sun had begun to slowly move towards the horizon. These were the last few hours of sunlight left.


    ¡°As such, we will not take that gamble. Not with your class. Just like your upperclassmen, you will go on field assignments. At the start of next week, you shall depart via airship to a destination that will be disclosed on that day, and you will aid the locals in their recent troubles. You will remain there for a few days and return via airship again. Your grades will be based on how well you did, not just on your exams. And not going isn¡¯t an option.¡± She glanced at a pale Willow as she added that last part.


    Silence reigned for a few breaths¡¯ worth of time, then she spoke again, with a much more cheerful tone. ¡°Alright then! Willow, remember your assignment, and go find some people to duel with. No one from this class though.¡± She then turned her gaze towards Arwen. ¡°And you, come with me. We¡¯ll get you to someone slightly more experienced with crystal staves so you can get started with learning the weapon.¡±


    Arwen¡¯s face lit up. As she hurried after her, Instructor Soraya walked towards the door, only paused momentarily as she brushed past Midhir. ¡°You should better acquaint yourself with your weapon. You will need it.¡±


    His blood froze as her words reached his ears. His fingers tightened around the hilt of his shortsword, as he looked at the ground.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you come to the lounge?¡± Willow¡¯s voice reached his ears. She was speaking to Alistair, who immediately went stiff as soon as she asked him that.


    ¡°I have better uses of my time.¡± The young noble curtly said. ¡°Please excuse me.¡± With a long stride, he walked away, not even sparing Willow a glance. Confused, she rushed after him.


    Left alone in the courtyard, Midhir¡¯s shoulders dropped as soon as he heard the door slam behind him. He absentmindedly looked around, then picked a random direction to walk. Lost in thought, he climbed a set of narrow, ill-maintained stairs hidden behind overgrowth off to the side of the courtyard.


    He soon found himself walking on the walls of the castle, towards a tall tower. Perhaps it was used as a lookout tower in ages past, or perhaps it housed long range weapons, ballistae, or some such. He climbed the spiralling stairs up the tower, the instructor¡¯s words still ringing in his head.


    A wooden door was partly open atop the stairs. It occasionally creaked as the wind tried to push it open further. He pulled it open and stepped out onto the battlements. Strong winds pulled at his hair and tugged at his clothes as he approached the edge. He leaned against the low crenel wall and watched the beautiful view stretching before him.


    The sky was dyed purple, pink, and red as the sun began to set, and beneath these beautiful colours stretched the lands of Eldoria. He could see beyond the mountaintops the castle was nested in between. Overgrown forests stretched as far as the eye could see, with only a few ill-maintained roads cutting through them. Had he looked south, he would have been able to see some farmlands, but the west was overgrown. It had been so since the War of Flames.


    ¡°A beautiful view, isn¡¯t it?¡± A voice startled him. ¡°Much less so if you know what was lost in those forests.¡±

 Chapter 9 – Heading Off

    His hand reached for the hilt of his blade out of habit as he whirled around. His hand caught naught but the air first before he corrected himself and gripped the hilt of his shortsword. His gaze locked onto the owner of the voice.


    Instructor Theodore stood there, his hands in the pockets of his coat, and an amused smile on his lips. The wind tugged at his brown hair he had pulled back with a piece of red ribbon. ¡°Whatever has you so preoccupied that a weak old man like me startled you quite so much, I wonder?¡±


    Midhir quickly let go of his sword. ¡°I highly doubt you¡¯re even twice my age, sir.¡± He gestured at the young instructor¡¯s face. He could easily pass as a student, and he wouldn¡¯t even need to exert any effort to do so. ¡°My apologies for not noticing you arrive earlier, I was lost in thought.¡± He quickly added. He couldn¡¯t believe he nearly pulled a sword at his instructor.


    The young instructor chuckled with amusement. ¡°Oh, I would have been impressed had you been able to notice me arrive.¡± Seeing Midhir¡¯s puzzled expression, his smirk widened. ¡°Considering I was alone up here for quite a while before you arrived.¡±


    Midhir stared at him for a split second. ¡°Oh.¡± He scowled, ¡°Really?¡± he asked in disbelief. How on earth hadn¡¯t he not noticed the man already up here? ¡°I¡­ honestly had no idea.¡± He awkwardly chuckled, feeling a mix of embarrassment and confusion. Sure, he wasn¡¯t paying much attention, but he should have noticed the only other person atop the battlements.


    The instructor gestured at the blade hanging from his belt. ¡°A shortsword. Versatile weapon, and much easier to learn to use effectively, I¡¯ve heard.¡± He raised his eyebrows. ¡°Have you started using it only recently?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Midhir stopped himself from sighing. ¡°Is it quite so obvious?¡±


    The other man nodded absentmindedly as his gaze lingered on Midhir. An awkward silence reigned for a few moments before his sombre voice broke it. ¡°I¡¯m by no means a master of weapons, but I feel like this isn¡¯t the right choice of blade for you.¡±


    Midhir felt his heart sink. His sister had told him the same, and now Instructor Theodore too. But she had told him that for every weapon he tried, and he felt it too. They were fine, but none of them spoke to him. None of them felt like an extension of him. He lacked that ability, that talent. At times, he felt like an imposter rather than a capable fighter.


    The Instructor cleared his throat, once again breaking the charged silence. ¡°I presume Soraya has informed you of your field assignments?¡± He asked, quickly changing the subject.


    Midhir nodded, somewhat relieved.


    ¡°What do you think it will entail?¡± The instructor asked. His eyes glimmered with curiosity.


    The young man hesitated. ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± He admitted. ¡°We¡¯ll see how the people live there, and what issues they face.¡± He bit his lips. ¡°I don¡¯t even know where we are going, so I have a hard time guessing.¡± He said with a shrug.


    Instructor Theodore raised a single eyebrow. ¡°I see. I thought she¡¯d have told you by now.¡± He chuckled, but as his gaze wandered to the view stretching before them, his smile faded. ¡°When you look down there, you see a beautiful forest, don¡¯t you? Wildlife, as far as the eye can see.¡±


    Midhir followed his gaze and nodded. The forest was indeed beautiful, but the instructor¡¯s previous words lingered in his mind.


    ¡°I see more than that.¡± Instructor Theodore grimaced. ¡°And you could too. During your field assignment, try to look beyond what¡¯s in front of you. Try and see the what¡¯s hidden in plain sight, for reality is rarely as straightforward as it seems.¡± He paused, then with a lower voice continued. ¡°And don¡¯t give your trust blindly.¡±


    Midhir scowled. ¡°Who are you referring to?¡±


    Instructor Thedore shrugged. ¡°I spoke too much already, anymore and I¡¯ll find myself on the bad side of Soraya.¡± He widened his eyes almost comically. ¡°Considering her past, that¡¯s something I¡¯d rather avoid!¡± He laughed out loud, then turned around. ¡°Good luck and keep your wits about you.¡±


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    Midhir watched him leave with more questions than answers. Did his words really have to be so enigmatic? And what was that about Instructor Soraya¡¯s past?


    He didn¡¯t cross paths with Instructor Theodore again in the next week. Their history class was cancelled, and all Instructor Soraya told them was that Instructor Theodore was away on important business, much to Midhir¡¯s surprise, since no airship had arrived at, or left Lunum¡¯s airway station.


    The week passed mostly uneventful, and Instructor Soraya and the other instructors kept Midhir and the others busy. Arwen began to learn the basics of using crystal staves, Alistair kept mostly to himself, giving his all to his training, and Willow constantly found herself invited to duels by students from other classes, much to her dismay.


    At the beginning of the next week, they woke up at dawn, with their packs prepared and ready to set off. Instructor Soraya was already up and waiting for them at the entrance to their dorms. She chuckled at the sleepy and tired students, but showed no remorse as she hurried them along.


    ¡°You are headed to Lohssa, a small village on the outskirts of the Bareon province, ruled by the Orlein family.¡± Instructor Soraya debriefed them as they walked uphill towards Lunum. ¡°Your contact there is the Mayor, Domnall Banain. He will be there to welcome you, but even if he isn¡¯t for whatever reason, you are to find him first and foremost. Your lodgings have already been arranged, so you needn¡¯t worry about that.¡±


    ¡°Lohssa has been facing some issues these past few months, but from the reports we received, things have taken a turn for the worse this past week. Your mission is to aid Mayor Banain in solving these issues. Any questions?¡± She shot a glance towards them over her shoulder.


    ¡°What kind of issues are we talking about?¡± Alistair asked. ¡°I don¡¯t remember any reports from Lohssa reaching my father¡¯s desk.¡±


    ¡°They didn¡¯t.¡± Instructor Soraya raised her chin. ¡°Lohssa is a remote town, it doesn¡¯t even have an airway station yet. Airships land on an empty patch of grassland on the outskirts of the village. Very few pilots are able to land safely that way, so air travel is extremely limited there. An¡¯Larion is easier to reach for a horse and its rider, so all the reports went to the Imperial Palace.¡±


    Alistair¡¯s expression darkened as they finally reached Lunum. ¡°I see.¡± he replied with a scowl.


    ¡°Back to the task at hand, I don¡¯t expect you to be faced with combat, so I won¡¯t be coming along. If you do find yourselves faced against a foe you can¡¯t defeat, you are to retreat and call for aid ¨C the airship will remain there until your departure, so you can request aid at any time.¡± She smirked. ¡°Your success in these field assignments is more important than any exam you will sit in this academy, so make good use of your time and skills.¡±


    They soon reached the airway station at the far end of Lunum. The sun had yet to start its climb, and only a single person was awake behind the counter in the station.


    ¡°Your identification, please.¡± She mumbled, suppressing a yawn. Midhir and the others provided their identification cards, which she logged into a large ledger. ¡°Thank you, have a good trip!¡±


    They moved on from the entrance, entering the landing bay. A relatively small airship stood landed at the middle. Midhir slowed his steps as he looked at the airship ¨C it was of simple make, without any of the fancy embellishments he saw in the airway station of An¡¯Larion. There were three large crystals embedded on its body, two beneath its wings, and one on the back. Naturally, many more were used to allow something so heavy to fly with such speed, but they were smaller crystals, hidden beneath its wooden hull.


    ¡°Right then,¡± Willow stretched her arms. ¡°We¡¯ll make you proud, instructor!¡±


    Instructor Soraya shot her an amused glance. ¡°Board the damn ship already.¡±


    Midhir stepped onto the boarding ramp, which was nothing more than three wooden planks secured with some nails and rope. The ramp creaked under his weight, he felt the planks bow ever so slightly, making him question how well they were really secured. At least the ramp was only half a dozen steps long, since the airship was so small.


    Alistair climbed up next, hurrying to reach the open deck of the airship. Arwen hesitated at the foot of the ramp. Her face pale as a sheet of paper, she sheepishly stepped on it, visibly gulping. The ramp creaked, causing her to draw a sharp breath. She forced herself to take a tiny step forward, then another.


    ¡°Oh come on,¡± Willow said with a chuckle. ¡°It¡¯s not creaking that much.¡±


    Arwen didn¡¯t respond, or perhaps she didn¡¯t even hear her words. Her gaze remained at her own feet as she took one more step.


    Midhir leaned down from the railing, offering his hand. ¡°Come on, it won¡¯t break.¡±


    Her eyes widened for a split second before she took his hand, and in three long steps, made it to the open deck. ¡°Thanks,¡± She mumbled, once again grasping her staff with both hands. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll ever get used to these airships.¡±


    ¡°You will,¡± Alistair spoke up. ¡°I agree they are unnerving, but they are the best method of transportation we have. Just like me, or anyone else who doesn¡¯t like the sensation of flight, you¡¯ll learn to get used to it, with time.¡±


    Willow was the last to board the airship, and as soon as she stepped foot on the deck, one of the crewmen shouted. ¡°Ready to go captain!¡±


    Midhir grabbed onto the railing and caught Arwen¡¯s arm as the floor beneath their feet rumbled. The crystals embedded into the airship lit up, emitting a bright green light. The vessel shook and rattled as a faint ringing sounded.


    ¡°Good luck!¡± Instructor Soraya shouted with a wide grin on her face.

 Chapter 10 – Lohssa, Bastion of the Old Faith (1)

    The scent of wet earth reached their nostrils as the wind carried the airship to their destination. Midhir watched the dense forests below as they flew northeast. The terrain became more mountainous as they moved, and the old growth thickened.


    It took them half a day to reach Bareon territory, and three more hours to arrive at their destination. As the airship began its rather shaky descent, Arwen approached Midhir, tightly grasping her staff with both hands. She was pale, still not used to journeying via airship. Behind her was Alistair, who leaned on the railing and scoured the view below them.


    Midhir glanced over his shoulder to look at Willow. The cheerful noble was chatting with one of the crewmembers, seemingly without a care in the world.


    ¡°It¡¯s a very distant town,¡± Alistair pointed ahead. The town had entered their field of view. About a dozen small buildings had been constructed in a half circle, and a small monument stood at the centre of it. ¡°And I can see why messengers from here didn¡¯t even attempt to reach Bareon ¨C it¡¯d take weeks to pass through the overgrown mountainous region.¡±


    Arwen narrowed her eyes. ¡°It seems¡­ old.¡± She commented, then gasped with fear as the airship suddenly lost a lot of altitude. The airship stabilised almost immediately, but her eyes remained wide open, and her hands visibly trembled. ¡°I really hope we land soon.¡± Her voice was but a meek whisper.


    ¡°We will. Look,¡± Alistair pointed down, to a grassy plateau bordering the town. ¡°You should hold onto something.¡± He suggested as he grasped the railing with both hands.


    The airship landed with a loud thud that knocked all three of them off their feet. The wooden hull let out painful creaks and a rather worrying crack, and the wings of the airship nearly snapped from the sudden landing.


    ¡°Apologies for the rough landing!¡± A woman¡¯s voice echoed from a crystal attached to a post on the deck. ¡°You can blame the weather for this. The ramp is out, so feel free to leave when you want. We¡¯ll be here until you come back!¡±


    Arwen practically leapt off the airship, and only breathed a sigh of relief when her feet touched solid ground. ¡°Finally!¡± She wheezed as she took deep breaths in an attempt to calm down.


    Alistair and Midhir followed her, both relieved to be on the ground once again. This had been an even bumpier ride than their journey to Lunum, especially towards the end. Despite being somewhat used to airships, they too needed to take a few short moments to recollect themselves.


    Willow walked off the ramp shortly after them, seemingly unbothered by their journey.


    The plateau they landed on was covered in long grass that nearly reached their knees. The small town of Lohssa was just north of here. A man, followed by half a dozen people carrying small boxes was hurrying towards them.


    ¡°Ah, Mayor Banain!¡± A woman shouted from the airship¡¯s upper deck. It was a young woman with curly short hair dyed bright blue. She was leaning on the rails, waving enthusiastically towards the approaching group. ¡°It¡¯s been a while!¡±


    She was clearly not form Eldoria, not with that dark skin colour, and her exotic silken clothes. Her baggy pantaloons were a bright blue colour, and her top only covered her chest and her left shoulder. A half cloak fluttered behind her with the strong winds of the plateau.


    She must be from the north, Midhir decided. Probably from near the desert. Curiosity tugged at the back of his mind, but he turned around to look at the approaching group.


    ¡°Indeed!¡± The mayor shouted as he waved at her with a tired smile. He was a middle aged man, with some white in his brown hair. He was thin, almost dangerously so, and as he approached the dark circles under his eyes became more apparent. He was pale, and his left hand was bandaged, though he did try to hide it under his coat.


    ¡°Welcome,¡± He greeted them with a weak smile. ¡°You¡¯re Miss Valien¡¯s students, am I right?¡±


    ¡°We are.¡± Alistair replied. ¡°You are the Mayor, sir Domnall Banain, I assume?¡±


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    The mayor nodded. ¡°That I am indeed.¡±


    The men behind him started carrying the boxes towards the airship, not paying any mind to Midhir¡¯s group. They all seemed strong, at first glance. But when Midhir took a better look, he couldn¡¯t help but notice how pale they were as well. Their bodies were that of working men, but they seemed weakened. They grunted and moaned as they carried the boxes, as if they were too heavy for them to lift.


    He rose on his toe tips to try and steal a glance of what¡¯s in the boxes. ¡°Is that¡­ small plaques of wood?¡± He asked, confused.


    Mayor Banain nodded. ¡°Lohssa¡¯s export is refined wood of all kinds.¡± He made a vague gesture towards their surroundings. ¡°As you can see, it¡¯s all overgrown forests around us, except for this plateau. Had it not been for the vigorous work of our woodcutters, this place would be forested as well.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Midhir muttered. Wood wasn¡¯t quite so heavy ¨C not heavy enough to make experienced wood workers grunt while carrying half a dozen plaques at least. Was it an illness that weakened them? Or something else ¨C perhaps what they were sent here to solve?


    ¡°Shall we go?¡± Mayor Banain asked. ¡°I¡¯m very thankful to Solus Academy, and to miss Valien for granting us your aid,¡± he continued as he led them towards Lohssa. ¡°As you can probably guess, we don¡¯t get many visitors, since the airway station hasn¡¯t begun construction yet. And even if it had, the winds here don¡¯t make for the best flight experience.¡±


    Arwen nodded vigorously. ¡°It was certainly not the smoothest flight.¡±


    ¡°Indeed. So, as I said, we rarely get visitors. And help. Help is rare as well.¡± He paused for a breather for a few seconds.


    Alistair looked at his feet. His clenched fists remained hidden from the mayor, but Midhir could see them, since he walked behind the young noble. ¡°Do you have no aid from Lord Orlein at all?¡± Alistair asked, his voice dead calm.


    The mayor shot him an odd look. ¡°Bareon is very far from here,¡± He explained absentmindedly. ¡°Lord Orlein has given us funding for the airway station, but transporting goods and people up to these mountains isn¡¯t easy without air travel, and only smaller ships can land on the plateau.¡± He grimaced. ¡°Besides, I doubt he has much time for a small town like Lohssa, he needs to govern a whole province after all.¡±


    Alistair scowled. He inhaled, meaning to speak up, but he stopped as they arrived at the small town of Lohssa.


    Built right next to the overgrown forests, Lohssa was a beautiful town. Stone houses with tiled roofs formed a half circle around the town centre. Flowering vines decorated the houses outer walls, climbing all the way to the rooftops where they bloomed. Moss covered most of walkway that made up the town centre, seemingly spreading from the rather peculiar looking structure at the middle.


    ¡°Ah, a shrine of the Old Faith.¡± Arwen blurted out as soon as she saw it. ¡°But I¡¯ve never seen one so¡­ new.¡± She added with a scowl as her gaze lingered on the shine.


    It was a piece of white rock. It was too clean to be as ancient as it should be, and its shape was too unnatural. It was clearly carved with care, given this flowing, peculiar form. It reminded him of the wind.


    ¡°It¡¯s not new.¡± The Mayor said with a grimace. ¡°We clean it once in a while, but it¡¯s never really lost its lustre.¡± He shrugged. ¡°The Old Faith has died a long time ago, miss. We may preserve what is left of it, but like the rest of Zamor, we have our church.¡± He shot a meaningful glance to the largest building in the small town ¨C a church.


    Midhir¡¯s gaze lingered on the rose window above the church¡¯s entrance. It depicted the Daughter offering a flower to the Sun, same as in Lunum¡¯s church, though this one was clearly a much newer building. It¡¯s garden was flourishing with beautiful flowers, though as he looked, he couldn¡¯t help but feel like something was missing.


    ¡°Lohssa is beautiful,¡± Willow said in awe as she looked all around her, taking in her surroundings. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen so many types of flowers before!¡±


    ¡°Indeed.¡± Alistair muttered.


    The mayor led them to the second largest building. It was a two-story inn, with an attached barn and a small, fenced grazing area for the horses. Bales of hay were put up against the side of the barn, clearly waiting to be hauled inside. A black horse, with brown spots on its neck and legs and grey mane and tail was grazing in the fenced area.


    The mayor led them inside.


    The inn itself wasn¡¯t particularly noteworthy. A handful of tables decorated the ground floor. There were a few plant pots here and there, all in beautiful bloom, but aside from those and a rather detailed panting of the town hanging from the back wall, there wasn¡¯t much in the name of decoration.


    A young woman stood behind the counter, carefully wiping a bowl. She raised her head as they stepped inside. ¡°Mayor Banain, welcome.¡± She said with a dry voice. Her face only lit up when she noticed the group following him. ¡°Oh, newcomers! Welcome to the Blooming Rose inn!¡± She put down the bowl on the counter and hurried over to welcome them.


    ¡°Take a seat, what can we get you?¡± She nervously wiped her hands on her apron.


    ¡°We¡¯ll get some water,¡± Alistair spoke up. ¡°And whatever food you have available.¡±


    ¡°Of course!¡± The innkeeper nodded and headed back to pour them each a glass of water.


    They sat around the table, their gazes fixed on Mayor Banain. The innkeeper brought their water before she disappeared into the kitchen.


    ¡°Please explain the issue Lohssa is facing, Mayor.¡± Arwen spoke up. Her bright green eyes were narrowed ever so slightly. ¡°The town is in shambles. What happened?¡±

 Chapter 11 – Lohssa, Bastion of the Old Faith (2)

    Arwen¡¯s words cut the silence. Her sharp voice had no trace of her usual gentle self. Her eyes met the Mayor¡¯s gaze as he let out a sigh.


    ¡°To be fully honest, it¡¯s quite simple. Our food supplies - we¡¯re slowly losing them.¡± The mayor pointed out the window to his right. A large storehouse just at the outskirts of town could be seen from here. ¡°I¡¯m not sure how or why,¡± he explained. ¡°But food that should last us the whole winter is disappearing. We found barrels of grain that have gone bad, and it hasn¡¯t even been a week since harvest. Other barrels we found empty, like someone just took all the food inside and left.¡±


    Willow scowled. ¡°How long has this been going on for?¡±


    ¡°Little over three weeks.¡± The Mayor replied. ¡°We sent for An¡¯Larion as soon as we realised what was happening, but the road to the capital is long and treacherous. It took our messenger a week to arrive there, and two more weeks passed since then.¡± He paused as the door to the kitchen creaked open, and the innkeeper came over with their food.


    ¡°Thank you, Lianna.¡± The Mayor said as she placed bowls of soup on the table. She smiled at him before heading back into the kitchen.


    ¡°How much food have you lost in these three weeks?¡± Alistair spoke up as the mayor sipped from the soup.


    ¡°Almost all of it. We have about one month of food left ¨C if we are careful with how much we eat.¡± The Mayor looked away. ¡°Clearly the rations Miss Valien sent will help us, but I¡¯m afraid all that is for naught if we can¡¯t stop the existing food from disappearing.¡±


    Suddenly it made sense. ¡°You¡¯ve been rationing.¡± Midhir blurted out. ¡°That¡¯s why you and everyone else looks so exhausted. You¡¯re all eating less. Less than you need to keep your strength.¡±


    The Mayor shot him a glance. ¡°Yes.¡± He rubbed his eyes in exhaustion. ¡°You may investigate as much as you want ¨C if you find the cause of this, we¡¯ll be forever in your debt. If you¡¯ll excuse me, I must leave. There is much work to be done in preparation for the winter.¡± He took his empty soup bowl, placed it on the counter and left without another word.


    A few moments passed in silence as Midhir, and the others finished their meals as well.


    ¡°We should check the storehouse.¡± Alistair spoke up a short while later. ¡°I don¡¯t know why food might be going bad so unnaturally quickly, but disappearing food could mean theft ¨C perhaps wild animals are getting into the building.¡±


    ¡°I think we should also speak to people.¡± Willow added. ¡°Maybe they saw something. Maybe they noticed things the mayor didn¡¯t deem important enough to mention.¡±


    Arwen nodded. ¡°Then let¡¯s split into two groups. I¡¯ll come with you, Willow. And the guys can check the storehouse.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡± Alistair stood up. ¡°Let¡¯s go, we should investigate as much as we can before sundown.¡±


    The storehouse was behind the buildings that formed the half circle look of Lohssa. It was the closest building to the forest north of the town. A moss covered path led them there.


    ¡°No guards,¡± Midhir noted as they approached the building.


    ¡°Unwise.¡± Alistar scowled as he unlocked the deadbolt and opened the door.


    The metal reinforced wooden door creaked loudly as the young noble pulled it open. Midhir covered his ears as it was an ear-piercing sound. ¡°There¡¯s no way the townsfolk didn¡¯t hear that.¡± He grumbled.


    It was quite cold inside the storehouse. A blue crystal hanging from the ceiling illuminated the interior, revealing the many boxes, barrels, and sacks stacked up against the walls. It was a very well organised storage. Everything was clearly labelled ¨C the contents, amount, date of acquisition. It was quite impressive.


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    ¡°It¡¯s too well organised.¡± Alistair scowled as he let the doors close behind them. ¡°Had an animal broken in, we¡¯d see torn sacks and spilled food on the ground.¡± He walked to the nearest box and inspected it.


    ¡°There are no locks, but it¡¯s not quite that easy to open.¡± He noted as he struggled to open the lid of the box. The cube shaped box was tall enough to reach his shoulders. ¡°I don¡¯t understand how any animal could open this, actually.¡± He grumbled as he continued his struggle.


    They couldn¡¯t, it was as simple as that. ¡°Normal animals can¡¯t.¡± Midhir muttered as he narrowed his eyes. A wolf couldn¡¯t ¨C besides, wolves wouldn¡¯t come after grain. Bears perhaps could, but there would be markings left.


    Alistair gave up. ¡°I¡¯m by no means weak and I¡¯m having trouble with it.¡± He admitted. ¡°Any animal strong enough to open this would just break it instead. I¡¯m thinking along the lines of more intelligent beasts.¡± He looked at Midhir. ¡°What do you think?¡±


    Midhir pressed his lips together as he pondered. ¡°Perhaps,¡± he mumbled as he walked further into the building. He checked the sacks and barrels. ¡°We¡¯d need to know if there are any nearby.¡± Intelligent beasts were rare, and only existed near places of power. In all of his life, he had only seen a single one of them. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, we¡¯re out of luck.¡±


    Alistair nodded. ¡°We¡¯d need to call for reinforcements.¡± He shook his head. ¡°But instructor Soraya wouldn¡¯t have sent us here if that were the case. We¡¯re missing something.¡±


    Midhir forced one of the smaller barrels open as Alistair spoke. The putrid smell of rotten food invaded his nostrils before he could even see the contents of the barrel. He heaved with disgust as he quickly closed the lid shut.


    ¡°Veil¡¯s touch,¡± He cursed under his breath as he stumbled back, covering his mouth and nose from the foul smell. ¡°Alistair!¡± he called out at the young noble. ¡°Rotten.¡±


    The label on the barrel was of only one month ago, and it apparently contained grain.


    Alistair checked only peaked inside once, then shut the lid. ¡°That wasn¡¯t grain from just a month ago.¡± He shook his head. ¡°It looks like it¡¯s from last year.¡±


    ¡°It reeks like it¡¯s from last year.¡± Midhir spat.


    They moved the barrel outside, then went back in to check the remaining food stocks. Three more rotten sacks and another barrel later, they were sure the storehouse was free of any rotten or spoilt food. Alistair inspected the rotten containers while Midhir circled around the building, looking for a second entrance.


    ¡°I found nothing.¡± Alistair informed him as soon as he came back.


    ¡°Same,¡± Midhir sighed. ¡°I¡¯m pretty much out of ideas ¨C it¡¯s clearly not animals, and if there were intelligent beasts here we¡¯d have known.¡±


    ¡°There is only one feasible answer left before we need to consider more¡­ unusual things.¡± Alistair hesitated. ¡°You know what I mean, don¡¯t you?¡±


    Midhir nodded firmly. ¡°A human thief.¡± He whispered, choosing not to focus on the second option Alistair clearly had in mind. ¡°Maybe Willow and Arwen found something worthwhile. We should meet up with them.¡±


    Their shadows had grown longer as the sun started to disappear behind the horizon. Strong winds blew as the night sky began to glimmer with stars. By the time they arrived at the inn, the last light of the day had just vanished.


    ¡°Oh, your friends?¡± The innkeeper Lianne smiled. ¡°They came back a bit earlier, so I suggested they visit the hot springs over there,¡± She pointed south to the farthest building in Lohssa. ¡°Especially the blonde one looked like she could really use a refreshing bath. You two look like you could use one too.¡±


    Alistair shook his head. ¡°Not right now but thank you for the offer. I¡¯d rather rest for a while in our room.¡±


    ¡°Of course, come, I¡¯ll show you to your rooms.¡± She glanced at Midhir, but he quickly shook his head. She led Alistair to the second floor, then returned alone shortly after. ¡°Is there anything I can do for you, sir¡­?¡±


    ¡°Just call me Midhir,¡± He forced a smile. This was the first time he¡¯d gotten to take a good look at her, and it broke his heart. Had she even been eating at all? She was so slim and pale. ¡°And¡­ I suppose I should be the one asking you that question. You look like you could use some rest¡­ a good meal.¡±


    Lianne smiled weakly. ¡°Rest I could use, yes. A good meal will have to wait, I¡¯m afraid.¡± She glanced out the window, towards the fenced area by the barn.


    ¡°I¡¯d be glad to help.¡± Midhir offered again.


    ¡°The hay bales need to be moved into the barn,¡± She admitted sheepishly. ¡°I would do it¡­ but they¡¯re heavy and¡­ well¡­¡± her voice faded as she clenched her dress. ¡°Our food situation has affected all of us greatly.¡±


    Midhir nodded. ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ll take care of the hay.¡± He couldn¡¯t find anything else to say. He awkwardly smiled, then headed outside.


    The hay bales were put up against the barn wall and tied with sturdy rope. He first glanced around to look at the horse he¡¯d seen earlier. It didn¡¯t seem to be in the fenced area, nor was it inside the barn. He soon got to work, carrying the bales inside the barn, then upstairs to the hayloft. He stacked them carefully, then went back down narrow staircase.


    The barn doors creaked open as he stepped down, and a man stepped inside, pulling the horse he had previously seen in the fenced area along with him.


    ¡°Oh hello,¡± The man said as soon as their gazes met. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to see another traveller here.¡±


    </a>

 Chapter 12 – Lohssa, Bastion of the Old Faith (3)

    The tall, slender man led his horse inside before closing the door of the barn. ¡°It¡¯s quite a surprise to see another traveller here,¡± He said with a smile. ¡°A pleasant surprise, that is,¡± he added, noticing Midhir¡¯s withdrawn expression.


    He was quite a tall man, taller than most Midhir had met. His brown hair was messy and covered his left eye completely. His uncovered eye was a dark brown colour, giving no hints to the man¡¯s ancestry. His clothes gave no hints either ¨C he wore simple, brown, and beige clothes, and a darker brown cloak. The only thing of note he had on him was a jewelled ring.


    Midhir had no doubts about it. That was a holding gem.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to be so wary.¡± The man chuckled as he led his horse to one of the stalls. He seemed to struggle with the saddle a bit before he managed to remove it. After making sure the horse had enough hay and water, he closed the stall door, wiped his hands to a white handkerchief, then offered his hand to Midhir. ¡°I don¡¯t bite, young man.¡±


    Midhir shook his hand hesitantly. ¡°I¡¯m Midhir Induen,¡± He introduced himself with a nod. ¡°May I ask your name?¡±


    The man¡¯s eye widened for a split second before he smirked. ¡°Of course!¡± He exclaimed, theatrically bowing. ¡°I am Lonan Eirdre, seeker of secrets, hunter of the truth and,¡± He chuckled upon seeing Midhir¡¯s confused expression. ¡°A traveller!¡±


    Midhir hesitated. The family name ¡®Eirdre¡¯ rang no bells, it wasn¡¯t one of the prominent noble families in An¡¯Larion. He could be a member of one of the smaller families in the capital, or perhaps a noble from Bareon or Olisar. ¡°So, a historian?¡± He asked a few moments later, prompting Lonan to laugh.


    ¡°Indeed!¡± He exclaimed. ¡°And if I were to guess your profession¡­¡± he narrowed his eye and looked at Midhir as if he was weighing his worth. ¡°Solus Military Academy is the best in Eldoria, but I don¡¯t remember their students ever visiting a remote town like Lohssa before.¡±


    Midhir raised his eyebrows. ¡°You say that like you¡¯ve been in the academy before. Were you teaching there?¡±


    Lonan shook his head. ¡°Gods, no.¡± He laughed out loud. ¡°I couldn¡¯t bear to stay in that old, stuffy castle for more than a few hours at a time. I visited a few times to check the library, that¡¯s all. It does have the best collection of books in all of Eldoria after all.¡± He opened the barn doors, ¡°Shall we carry on this conversation in the inn? I¡¯m quite hungry.¡±


    Neither the girls nor Alistair had returned yet, so Midhir took Lonan¡¯s offer, despite his lingering wariness against the man. ¡°So, what are you doing here?¡± He asked, now seated by a table. ¡°Lohssa is quite a remote town. What¡¯s a historian doing here?¡±


    Lonan¡¯s eye glimmered with excitement. ¡°Lohssa is extremely rich in history!¡± He exclaimed. ¡°It¡¯s not called the ¡®Bastion of the Old Faith¡¯ for nothing. There are so many legends about this place, and very few are completely baseless.¡± He pointed out the window, towards the town centre, where that white stone structure stood. ¡°That monument, for example.¡± He said as he scraped the bottom of his bowl with a piece of bread. ¡°It¡¯s what people of the Old Faith called a ¡®Stone of Passing.¡¯ From what I understand, they believed it to lead the souls of the dead to the Otherworld.¡±


    ¡°Intriguing.¡± Midhir leaned back. ¡°But the Old Faith is gone, there are no believers of it anymore. And I hardly believe you came all the way to Lohssa just to look at that rock.¡± He must have travelled for a week by horse to get here from An¡¯Larion after all. It couldn¡¯t be just for this Stone of Passing.


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    Lonan chuckled. ¡°No, not at all. You see, Lohssa is surrounded by this old growth,¡± He made a vague gesture towards the thick, dark forests that stretched in all directions. ¡°Do you know when these forests began to thrive?¡±


    Midhir scowled. ¡°I¡¯d assume it¡¯s after the Bareon Disaster.¡±


    Lonan clapped. ¡°Yes!¡± He exclaimed, unable to contain his excitement. ¡°Lohssa is built on a plateau. And it¡¯s surrounded by more plateaus, it¡¯s not just impassable mountains and rock faces. Yet seemingly overnight, the fertile fields were taken over by this forest.¡± He leaned forward, lowering his voice. ¡°The whole of Eldoria suffered from the Bareon Disaster, but Lohssa shouldn¡¯t have been affected quite so badly, don¡¯t you think? It¡¯s at the edge of Bareon¡¯s territory.¡±


    Midhir scowled. ¡°The lands around Lunum are also affected similarly.¡± He reminded the historian. And Lunum is clearly in An¡¯Larion¡¯s jurisdiction.¡±


    Lonan smirked. ¡°Yes, but that old growth doesn¡¯t date back to Bareon¡¯s fall, does it? It¡¯s only a decade or so old, coinciding with the An¡¯Larion incident.¡±


    Midhir scowled. The An¡¯Larion incident remained shrouded in mystery, and very few were in the know about what really happened. Or, what the authorities think what really happened, since the truth of the matter was buried under tons of rubble, and an area where the Veil was weakened. ¡°Tell me more.¡±


    ¡°No can do.¡± The historian¡¯s shoulders dropped. ¡°The Imperial family and the government has kept much of the truth about that incident hidden.¡± He hesitated. ¡°Or, what¡¯s more likely is that they¡¯re just as clueless.¡± He let out a sigh. ¡°Oh to be a fly on the wall when the district collapsed into the abyss.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d be a dead fly.¡± Midhir pointed out. ¡°So, you¡¯re here to check the old growth then?¡±


    ¡°More specifically, another Stone of Passing deep within the forest.¡± Lonan clarified. ¡°You see-¡°


    The painting of Lohssa on the back wall of the inn suddenly crashed into the ground, startling them both. Not a moment later, Lianne the innkeeper rushed out the kitchen. ¡°Oh no, not again,¡± She cried as she struggled to lift it off the ground.


    Midhir rushed to help her, lifting it and leaning it against the wall as Lianne inspected the wood frame for any damage.


    Lonan watched them with a scowl on his face. ¡°Has this happened before, Miss Lianne?¡±


    ¡°Once,¡± she replied as she checked the painting itself for any damage. ¡°My great grandfather drew this as a gift to his daughter, when she had this inn built. I couldn¡¯t bear to see it damaged-¡° Her voice was drowned by a loud crash and a scream that came from the outside.


    Midhir darted out the door. The first thing he noticed was blood ¨C not a lot, but not little either. Then, the sounds of a crying child reached his ears.


    A child no older than ten was cowering on the ground in a foetal position. His arms were wrapped around his head as blood seeped from between them, slowly forming a small pool on the ground.


    Midhir felt his heart race as he looked around for the assailant. Then he saw it ¨C a handful of shattered rooftiles spread around the child.


    He rushed over and knelt on the ground by the child as the townsfolk began to gather around. ¡°Hey,¡± he gently said, ¡°Can you hear me? You¡¯re safe now.¡± He carefully touched the child¡¯s arm.


    The child flinched but turned his head just enough to look at Midhir. ¡°It hurts.¡±


    ¡°Let me see.¡± He said as he gently pulled the kid¡¯s arms away from the wound on his head.


    The smell of blood lingered in the air as he leaned in closer to inspect the wound. It wasn¡¯t bleeding so much anymore, probably because the kid had pressed his arms against it. Now that the pressure was gone, it began to bleed again.


    A piece of torn, brown cloth appeared at the corner of his eye. ¡°Here,¡± Lonan said. ¡°Use it to pressure the wound. Then get him inside, I¡¯ll look for the town¡¯s healer.¡±


    While the historian ran off, Midhir carried the child inside. ¡°Lianne!¡± he called out as soon as he stepped inside. ¡°Do you have a bed available?¡±


    The innkeeper¡¯s eyes opened wide. ¡°Yes, of course! Take the first room on the second floor, I¡¯ll bring something to clean the wound!¡±


    The door swung open before Midhir could move. Arwen stepped inside, helping Willow walk. The young noble girl¡¯s face was red with blood. Holding a towel to her forehead, she froze when she saw the child in Midhir¡¯s arms.


    ¡°What-¡°


    Rain came crashing down from the skies, followed with thunder and distant lightning.


    </a>

 Chapter 13 – As All Comes Crashing Down

    Willow and the child lay on the beds. The town¡¯s healer, an elderly woman and her son were caring for their wounds, and they chased Arwen and Midhir out of the room.


    ¡°We were getting dressed when the wall d¨¦cor started falling off.¡± She explained as she sipped the warm tea Lianne gave her. ¡°Most of it was small, harmless things, but apparently one of the decorative flowers was metal, so when it hit her forehead she just started bleeding everywhere.¡±


    Midhir bit his lips. ¡°The painting fell,¡± he pointed at the painting still standing leaned against the wall where he left it. ¡°And roof tiles. That kid could have died.¡± Had he not been smart enough to cover his head after the first hit, he would have been wounded much worse. Those bruises and cuts on his back and arms could have been his head and face.


    ¡°Alistair stayed behind to help the townsfolk clean up.¡± Arwen looked down. ¡°I want to go back and help but¡­¡± She glanced out the window.


    A storm had begun to rage. The strong winds blew against the walls, whistling as they found cracks to come through. The sound of rain was almost deafening. It had been years since Midhir saw so much rain, and such a strong storm.


    ¡°I hope the airship is well secured.¡± He muttered absentmindedly. The crystals couldn¡¯t be damaged by the water, but it¡¯s wings were made of cloth. The crew likely didn¡¯t have any forewarning that a storm was coming, so they probably didn¡¯t get the chance to fully secure the wings before the storm started.


    He shot a glance at Lonan, who was forced to change his clothes since he was also outside when the storm started. He was sitting by the fireplace, with a towel in hand as he tried to dry his hair. Lianne was sitting on a stool by the counter, and the wounded child¡¯s parents were waiting on the upper floor, by the door of their room.


    He let out a sigh and approached the window.


    It was difficult to believe that three similar incidents could happen in three different places at about the same time for seemingly no reason. With a scowl, he leaned against the wall and watched the storm raging outside.


    It wasn¡¯t an earthquake ¨C one so strong would have been felt throughout Lohssa. Nobody had noticed any tremors, and only three incidents had happened. Three incidents, two of which had injured people.


    He couldn¡¯t help but feel like this was intentional. He breathed out in annoyance. How could it be intentional? Either it was someone using a crystal to move objects from afar, or¡­ He shook his head, unable to come up with any other possibility.


    A silhouette running towards the inn under the rain caught his attention. ¡°Alistair¡¯s back!¡± he called out, prompting both Arwen and the innkeeper to start on their feet. Lianne snatched a clean towel she had prepared and tossed it to Arwen as the door creaked open, letting in the full sound of rain and thunder.


    ¡°Veil¡¯s curse,¡± Alistair grumbled as he stumbled inside. He was soaked, water dripping from his hair and clothes. He looked like he had fallen into a lake. ¡°Apologies for the mess, miss Lianne.¡± He grimaced, vaguely gesturing at the small puddle of water forming under him.


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    ¡°Take this,¡± Arwen gave him the towel, ¡°Take your shoes off, then go get changed.¡± She looked worried. ¡°It¡¯s cold, you¡¯ll get sick.¡±


    Alistair chuckled as he wiped the worst of the water off of himself, then did as she said.


    It wasn¡¯t much later when a slightly less wet Alistair came back downstairs, taking his seat next to Lonan by the hearth. ¡°How is Willow?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯ll be fine,¡± Arwen repeated the healer¡¯s words. ¡°But she should rest for tonight. Apparently the healer here knows how to use healing crystals, though only for surface wounds. Willow is very lucky.¡±


    Midhir pursed his lips. He wasn¡¯t so sure ¨C she was one of the two people wounded in a freak accident. Or an intentional sabotage. Which one was it? ¡°Let¡¯s share what we know, starting with the food issue.¡±


    Lonan¡¯s ears perked up. He shifted his weight a little, listening to Alistair as he explained their findings in the storehouse.


    ¡°I see,¡± Arwen mumbled once Alistair finished. ¡°We spoke to the townsfolk, and they mentioned something similar to what you said. Fresh grain and fruits suddenly rotting. Even dried meat going bad within days ¨C it honestly makes no sense at all.¡± She pouted.


    Lianne came out of the kitchen with a tray in hand, carrying bowls of stew for everyone. ¡°Are you talking about the food?¡± She asked as she placed the bowls in front of everyone.


    Midhir nodded. ¡°Is there anything you can tell us about this whole thing?¡± Perhaps she knew some detail they didn¡¯t.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s the food in the storehouse that goes bad.¡± She pursed her lips. ¡°But we can¡¯t really keep it anywhere else because we don¡¯t have another cold crystal.¡±


    ¡°Does the food in the houses not spoil?¡± Alistair started on his feet. ¡°Is it only the storehouse?¡±


    Lianne shrugged. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen the food in my pantry spoil yet. But I can¡¯t store all the food in the storehouse, the fruits, most of the meat, the vegetables, they¡¯d all spoil without the cold crystal. You know they need to be kept frozen.¡± She sat on a stool by the counter. ¡°We don¡¯t have anyone who can move the cold crystal either.¡±


    Arwen¡¯s head jolted to the side as her gaze fixed to the window. She stood up from her seat and walked to the window, peering outside into the stormy night. She seemed tense, her hands clutching the curtains as she narrowed her eyes to try and see better.


    Unable to curb his curiosity, Midhir approached her. ¡°Did you see something?¡±


    Arwen flinched. ¡°No,¡± She replied quickly, though her gaze remained fixed outside. ¡°I thought I saw something but¡­¡± Her voice faded as she leaned closer to the window. ¡°¡­I suppose I was mistaken.¡± She let out a sigh. ¡°We¡¯re all tired, a good night¡¯s sleep will be good for all of us.¡±


    ¡°Agreed.¡± Alistair stood up, then visibly shuddered. ¡°Let us excuse ourselves, and rest. We can reconvene tomorrow.¡±


    The room they had been given had a window looking north, towards the forest. Despite the curtain being drawn and the door closed, a cold wind carrying the scent of rain and wet earth penetrated the warmth of the room.


    The girls were in the room next to theirs. Midhir hoped their room was a bit warmer at least. Laying under the heavy blanket, his eyelids soon began to close. He hadn¡¯t noticed just how tired he was until he climbed into bed. His mind drifted away, and soon he fell into a deep sleep.


    It was cold, so very cold. He couldn¡¯t feel his body at all from the cold inflicted numbness. It drained his strength and willpower, leaving behind nothing but a maddening hunger. He felt like starving ¨C when was the last time he had eaten something?


    He couldn¡¯t remember. The hunger was too great to think of anything else. He needed sustenance. He needed to consume something. Anything.


    A frightened scream brought him back to the waking world.


    </a>

 Chapter 14 – Echoing Nightmares

    A woman¡¯s scream from right behind the wall brought him back to the waking world. Startled awake, it took him a split second to fully wake up and understand what was going on.


    Alistair had also just rolled out of bed as Midhir scrambled to get up. ¡°That was Arwen!¡± The young noble hissed as his spear appeared in his hand, summoned from his holding gem.


    Midhir nodded, only pausing for a split second to grab his shortsword from where he put it against the wall. They rushed out the room, then barged into the girls¡¯ room without hesitation.


    ¡°Arwen?!¡± He shouted, while Alistair¡¯s voice reached his ears. ¡°Willow!¡±


    The girls were sitting on their beds, Arwen pale as a sheet of paper. Willow looked more confused than frightened as she looked around the room.


    It was as if a whirlwind had passed through here. There wasn¡¯t one item that hadn¡¯t been displaced. The paintings on the walls were either crooked or had fallen off. The girls¡¯ clothes were all over the floor, as were the towels and extra blankets the innkeeper had given them. The wardrobe¡¯s doors were wide open, and Arwen¡¯s crystal staff had rolled all the way to the other side of the room.


    ¡°What in the world happened here?!¡± Alistair breathed out in shock.


    ¡°I wish I knew.¡± Willow pressed against her bandaged forehead. ¡°She woke up and everything started flying.¡± She laid back down with a whimper. ¡°¡­ and it only stopped when you two came in. Damn, this hurts¡­¡±


    Midhir sheathed his sword. ¡°Arwen?¡± He called out to the frightened girl. Her gaze turned to him, and only then did she seem to notice him and Alistair. Her eyes widened as she looked around.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Alistair¡¯s weapon vanished into his holding gem.


    ¡°And what the hell was that?¡± Willow cried out from under her blanket.


    Arwen pursed her lips as she looked around the room. ¡°I¡¯m not entirely sure.¡± She admitted. ¡°I thought I was just having a nightmare, but¡­¡± She made a vague gesture towards the room. ¡°Well, I suppose I thought wrong.¡± She let out a sigh. ¡°Can we talk about this in the morning? I doubt this will happen again, so let¡¯s just try and sleep.¡±


    ¡°We could ask Lianne to give you another room.¡± Midhir suggested, glancing at the mess.


    ¡°I¡¯m not getting out of bed.¡± Willow shot his suggestion down. ¡°Arwen, no more nightmares please.¡±


    The blonde girl chuckled. ¡°I¡¯ll try.¡± She glanced at Midhir and Alistair. ¡°It¡¯s probably fine for now.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s fine,¡± Alistair grumbled back in their room. ¡°No power could make me sleep in a room that happened.¡±


    Midhir couldn¡¯t help but agree with the young noble. Willow, he understood. She was wounded, and probably didn¡¯t feel well enough to carry all her belongings to another room. She also wasn¡¯t the one who had a nightmare. Arwen, on the other hand, seemed a bit too unfazed.


    ¡°Either way, we should try and rest.¡± He said as he climbed into his bed and pulled the blanket to his neck. ¡°I don¡¯t believe the food issue and these weird incidents are not connected.¡±


    Alistair nodded. ¡°That would be too much of a coincidence.¡± He agreed.


    After such an adrenaline rush, it was difficult to fall back asleep, and even when he did, Midhir was plagued with nightmares of cold and starvation. He welcomed the first light of day, getting out of bed despite still feeling exhausted.


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    Alistair was fast asleep still, so he got dressed quietly and left their room, heading downstairs to the inn¡¯s common room.


    Lianne was nowhere to be seen yet, but he wasn¡¯t alone in the common room. Lonan sat by the hearth, a cup of what looked like tea in hand as he tried to warm himself. ¡°Good morning,¡± He said with a rather sleepy tone. ¡°Glad to see you survived the night. And all of your companions did too, I assume?¡± He grimaced.


    He also seemed like he hadn¡¯t slept well at all. The dark circles under his eyes looked more pronounced because of the hearth¡¯s dancing lights.


    ¡°We did, as far as I know.¡± Midhir gestured towards him. ¡°You didn¡¯t sleep well either, from the looks of it.


    ¡°Well, I had a nightmare, from which your blonde friend¡¯s scream woke me up.¡± Lonan forced a smile. ¡°To be honest, being awake was much better than the nightmare so I¡¯m thankful. After that¡­¡± His smile vanished as he turned his gaze to the fire. ¡°I didn¡¯t sleep, I¡¯d rather study my findings than deal with nightmares.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Right.¡± Midhir muttered, raising his eyebrows. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I agree, but each to their own, I suppose.¡± He approached the window looking towards the storehouse.


    The raging storm from the night before was gone, though it had left its mark on the environment. The town was covered in mud, and there were broken branches everywhere. The wind must have thrown them all the way to the town from the forests. A few more fallen trees than the day before dotted the landscape.


    Aside from that though, the sun was rising to a clear, pristine sky. There wasn¡¯t even a breeze to rustle the leaves, though it was still a bit cold outside.


    ¡°Today looks like it will be a better day,¡± he muttered, watching the sunrise.


    ¡°I doubt it.¡± Lonan stood up. ¡°I¡¯ll be leaving,¡± he dusted off his cloak and threw it over his shoulders. ¡°I¡¯ve got a few more Stones of Passing I need to investigate, and since the weather does seem quite nice, I¡¯d better take advantage of it.¡±


    He watched the historian head towards the barn, then come out with his horse. After giving it an apple to eat and petting its mane, he climbed atop the saddle and rode off towards the northeast.


    It wasn¡¯t long before the others started waking up. Alistair was the first to come down, immediately followed by Lianne who rushed to the kitchen to prepare breakfast. Soon Willow and Arwen also woke up and arrived downstairs just in time for breakfast.


    Willow¡¯s wound was healed, though a small scar remained on her forehead. ¡°Apparently this will pass,¡± She explained, carefully touching the scar. ¡°The healer said it would take a few weeks though.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Alistair sighed. ¡°Now¡­ I¡¯d like to address the elephant in the room ¨C the incidents happening all over Lohssa, and what happened last night, in your room.¡±


    Arwen awkwardly smiled. ¡°Right.¡± She leaned back, placing her hands on her lap. ¡°I think I have an idea of what¡¯s happening here.¡±


    All eyes turned on her. She took a deep breath. ¡°I¡¯ve been studying Eldoria¡¯s history in my free time. Especially the Bareon incident.¡± She shot Alistair a quick glance, who had immediately tensed up. ¡°And while most books on the subject can¡¯t go into too much detail, the book Instructor Theodore had us read touched on the subject of the Veil.¡±


    Midhir felt a lump settle in his chest. ¡°The events here aren¡¯t natural.¡± He blurted out.


    Arwen nodded. ¡°Indeed. While the healer was looking after Willow and that child yesterday evening, she told me something quite interesting.¡± She turned her gaze to Willow. ¡°She said a man visited about a month ago, and he looked just like you, but older. Along with a girl, who had long, black hair.¡± She pointed out the window, at the forest. ¡°She saw them in the forest, while looking for healing herbs. Apparently they talked to her, and they were kind and gentle. They asked questions ¨C were there any cold areas in the forest, and if there was any kind of shrine to the Old Faith there.¡±


    Midhir¡¯s heart sank. ¡°There was a tear in the veil.¡± He spoke without hesitation. There was no other reason for her to come to such a distant place. ¡°They fixed it, didn¡¯t they? The cold area became normal again.¡±


    Arwen seemed surprised. ¡°Yes. How did you know?¡±


    Midhir shook his head. That wasn¡¯t important right now. ¡°The man you mentioned is the Lustrous Blademaster, isn¡¯t it?¡± he glanced at Willow. ¡°A woman with black hair, who travels with the Lustrous Blademaster ¨C the possibilities are quite clear.¡± He waved his hand dismissively. ¡°You¡¯re thinking that the veil wasn¡¯t repaired fully.¡±


    Arwen raised her eyebrows. ¡°Indeed.¡± She folded her arms. ¡°We need to call for reinforcements.¡± She hesitated for a split second before asking, ¡°Um¡­ who is that woman then?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s probably the Crown Princess.¡± Alistair tapped his fingers on the table. ¡°She¡¯s a renowned crystal staff wielder, and like her mother, a very powerful spiritual power user. She¡¯s been to Bareon many times to repair weak points in the veil. It¡¯s not a surprise she¡¯d visit this place.¡± He scowled. ¡°Are you sure that¡¯s the case, Midhir? That the tear isn¡¯t fully healed?¡±


    Midhir nodded. ¡°It explains things.¡± He waved his hand towards the upper floors. ¡°Things don¡¯t randomly start flying ¨C not naturally.¡± The not fully repaired tear in the Veil must have been causing odd weather effects. Whirlwinds in contained places, odd shifts in gravity and the storm from yesterday.


    ¡°No, they don¡¯t.¡± Arwen scowled. ¡°But I don¡¯t think the issue is just the tear.¡± She glanced out the window. ¡°I think we have unwanted guests on our side of the Veil.¡±

 Chapter 15 – A Cry for Help

    The silence that settled after Arwen¡¯s words was suffocating. Alistair sat there with his fists clenched, brows furrowed and a deadly look in his eyes. Willow seemed frightened, she shuddered at the thought, but didn¡¯t seem to fully grasp the gravity of the situation.


    ¡°We need to call for reinforcements,¡± Midhir finally summoned the courage to break the deafening silence. ¡°Beings from beyond the Veil aren¡¯t something we¡¯re equipped to deal with.¡±


    The view of the thirteenth district of An¡¯Larion came to mind. It lay in ruins even now, a decade after those disastrous events. A silver-blue mist always covered the district, even on the warmest, or windiest days. Once the Veil was broken, it was close to impossible to fully heal.


    ¡°Agreed,¡± Alistair stood up. ¡°I will head to the airship. The rest of you should try and get the people ready to leave ¨C it¡¯s likely the village won¡¯t be safe for a few weeks.¡±


    Willow¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°You want us to convince these people to leave their homes behind on the whim of four students?! We don¡¯t even have proof!¡± she protested in disbelief. ¡°They¡¯ll never believe us.¡±


    Alistair drew a sharp breath, but before he could speak, Midhir spoke up. ¡°At the very least, we should have them get ready to leave with some food, worst case scenario they can camp by the airship until the danger has passed,¡± he looked at Alistair, whose anger seemed to subside somewhat.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s a good idea,¡± the young noble nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll inform the captain.¡± With that said, he left in a hurry towards the airship outside of Lohssa.


    ¡°Let¡¯s split up,¡± Arwen suggested. ¡°I¡¯ll head to the healer, Midhir goes to the mayor, and you can start gathering the people by the town centre, Willow.¡±


    ¡°On it,¡± the other girl said with a deflated voice. She also headed outside, though it was clear she didn¡¯t fully agree with their plan.


    Arwen and Midhir also headed to their own destinations. Mayor Banain¡¯s house was the third house to the left from the inn. It was one of the smaller houses in Lohssa, with a small vegetable garden next to the entrance.


    He could hear raised voices from the other side of the door, but they were too muffled to discern the words. He hesitated a moment. It seemed like his timing was far from good, but if Arwen was right, they truly had no time to lose. He knocked on the door and was surprised when the door creaked open with the force of his knock.


    ¡°Please!¡± a woman was standing in front of a rather pale Mayor Banain. ¡°Please, Domnall, help us,¡± she let out a heartbreaking cry. ¡°I can¡¯t lose her, I can¡¯t.¡±


    He recognised the woman. It was the mother of that child who was wounded yesterday. He had seen her cry by his bedside before she and her husband took him back home. His heart sank ¨C had something happened to the kid? No, it had to be something else, she was talking about a woman, or a girl.


    ¡°Ah, Midhir!¡± A spark returned to the Mayor¡¯s eyes as soon as he noticed him. ¡°Loretta, maybe he can help-¡°


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    The woman spun around, turning to face Midhir. ¡°You!¡± she exclaimed, her eyes red from crying. ¡°You helped my son yesterday! And now ¨C now they took my daughter. Lillia, she¡¯s gone!¡± Tears ran down her face as she took Midhir¡¯s hand in her own. ¡°Please, find her. Please!¡± She was shaking with fear and panic. Her hands trembled as she squeezed his. ¡°I almost lost my boy yesterday, I don¡¯t want to lose my daughter too!¡± She staggered, exhausted.


    His heart sank as he listened. He couldn¡¯t move for a split second as realisation hit him. They were too late to save everyone. The veil wasn¡¯t just not healed properly ¨C it was torn yet again.


    ¡°Mayor, please go to the healer¡¯s home. Arwen is there, and you should listen to what she says.¡±


    ¡°My Lillia-¡° The woman cried.


    ¡°Please take me to your house.¡± Midhir forced himself to move. A weak smile that he hoped was reassuring formed on his lips as he gently led her outside. ¡°When did she disappear? Tell me what you know.¡±


    The woman wiped her tears with her hands. ¡°The Old Gods have cursed us,¡± her voice was weak, and filled with fear. ¡°Her room looked like a whirlwind passed through it. The window was broken when I went to wake her up.¡± Her grasp on his hand tightened. ¡°We must have offended the Gods,¡± she whispered.


    Her home wasn¡¯t too far, and they soon arrived. Lillia¡¯s room was on the second floor, and it looked like a whirlwind had passed through it, just like Arwen and Willow¡¯s room at the inn. Perhaps they were lucky to have survived the night ¨C luckier than they first thought.


    Aside from the rather dilapidated state of the room, the window caught his attention. Pieces of glass covered the floor and the few remaining furniture. The broken glass crunched underneath his boots as he walked closer to the window. He ran his fingers over the windowsill ¨C it was clean.


    The view from here was the forest north of Lohssa. Looking down, he could see some trampled grass just beneath the window. Had she jumped down? ¡°How old is she?¡±


    ¡°Fourteen.¡± The woman hadn¡¯t stepped into the room. ¡°She turned fourteen three weeks ago.¡± Her voice sounded somewhat more composed, but it was clearly forced. Probably for the benefit of her husband, and wounded son. She was putting up a brave front, but it wasn¡¯t sustainable. Not for long, anyways.


    Midhir turned his attention to the room again. Fourteen was the prime age for running away and being rebellious. Had it not been for the state of her room, he would have assumed she was just being a teenage girl. But the state of her room, coupled with everything else going on¡­ She was in danger ¨C if she still lived.


    ¡°Take your son and husband and go to the town square,¡± he told the woman. ¡°Take some food, and some fresh clothes, blankets, and such.¡±


    ¡°But Lillia!¡± the woman protested. ¡°What if she comes back-¡°


    ¡°I¡¯ll find her,¡± Midhir promised. His mind caught up to his mouth a split second too late. ¡°I¡¯ll bring her to you, so you worry about the rest of your family, and let me do my job.¡±


    Idiot! That was what he was, a fool. A na?ve, soft-hearted fool who talked before he thought. Kneeling beside the trampled grass underneath Lillia¡¯s window, he ran his fingers along the ground.


    There wasn¡¯t a single piece of glass, not even a tiny shard. All of it was inside her room.


    ¡°So something broke in,¡± he whispered to himself. It wasn¡¯t the whirlwind that broke the window ¨C glass would be all over the place then. No, something had forced the window to break explosively, inwards.


    He felt something at his fingertips. It was cold, yet slightly sticky. He raised his hand towards the rising sun to try and look at it under better light.


    Dark red. It was blood. Only a couple of drops of it, but blood, nonetheless. Lillia was wounded ¨C either from the shards of glass that flew inside, or from whatever it was that forced her out.


    He stood back up, turning his gaze towards the forest instinctively. Was that silver mist he was seeing? Or was it just a figment of his imagination?


    </a>

 Chapter 16 - A Forest of Silver Mist (1)

    Standing at the edge of the forest, Midhir found himself faced with a cold wind, and an unmoving mist glimmering silver and blue under the canopy of the trees.


    He had followed Lilla¡¯s tracks all the way here, to the edge of the forest. It had been surprisingly easy, mainly because she was clearly dragged across the ground. Or perhaps she had dragged herself across the ground. Either way, the tracks were easy to follow.


    The cold wind made him shudder as he looked at the unfortunately extremely familiar mist. It was identical to, if not slightly less thick, than the mist covering the thirteenth district of An¡¯Larion.


    ¡°The Veil is torn.¡± He said to nobody. His voice echoed in the forest, reaching his ears as a distant whisper.


    ¡­torn torn torn torn¡­


    Unnerved, he took a few steps back.


    This was beyond him. A challenge he knew he couldn¡¯t overcome. He needed his sister. Or somebody else who could repair the Veil. A blade couldn¡¯t harm spirits after all, and it certainly couldn¡¯t heal reality itself.


    He turned around with a heavy heart and hurried to the airship on the other side of Lohssa.


    The airship was at the same spot it landed the day before, though it looked a lot worse for wear. The back side of the ship, and the large crystal sticking out of it were covered in mud and dirt. The right wing of the ship was closed, and under a protective wrap, but the left wing was half open, with visible damage to the cloth.


    ¡°You don¡¯t understand!¡± Alistair¡¯s enraged voice reached his ears. ¡°We must call for reinforcements!¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯m telling you that we can¡¯t take off!¡± The captain of the ship retorted. She was leaning down from the deck, while Alistair stood next to the ramp, on the ground. ¡°The storm-¡° She paused as she noticed Midhir approaching. ¡°Your friend will understand I¡¯m sure-¡°


    Midhir cut her off. ¡°If this ship can fly, it must. Now.¡± His gaze locked with hers. ¡°The Veil is torn in the forest.¡±


    The captain¡¯s eyes opened wide, while Alistair visibly flinched. ¡°What?¡± he hissed. ¡°Torn,¡± he repeated carefully. ¡°Not damaged, but torn?¡±


    Midhir nodded. ¡°The silver mist from An¡¯Larion¡¯s thirteenth district covers the forest. It¡¯s not quite as thick yet, so it must have happened sometime yesterday.¡±


    ¡°The storm.¡± The Captain punched the railing as she turned around and paced the deck. ¡°Damn all under the cursed sun!¡± She shouted with a thicker accent. ¡°We can¡¯t fly, not before we repair the left wing. I¡¯ll use a sending stone, let Solus Academy know what¡¯s going on.¡±


    Midhir gritted his teeth. ¡°How long would it take for another ship to arrive?¡±


    The Captain paused for a split second. ¡°Considering all preparations needed to fly above these mountains? I¡¯d say at least midnight ¨C if they risk flying in the dark. I wouldn¡¯t,¡± She shrugged. ¡°So tomorrow noon is the most likely answer.¡±


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    Alistair clenched his fists. ¡°We¡¯ll all be dead by then.¡± He whispered.


    Ignoring the cold shudder his words invoked, Midhir shook his head. ¡°No, we won¡¯t.¡± He looked at the captain. ¡°How long until you can repair the wing?¡±


    She pursed her lips in contemplation. ¡°Sunset, if nothing goes wrong.¡±


    ¡°Then we pray that nothing goes wrong.¡± Midhir turned to his classmate, who had begun pacing nervously.


    ¡°Alistair,¡± he called out to him. The young noble didn¡¯t seem to hear his words. He was lost in his own mind. ¡°Hey!¡± Midhir grabbed his shoulder, prompting him to finally snap out of it.


    ¡°What?!¡± Alistair shouted. His face was twisted with a mix of anger and fear. Panic was setting in, because he had seen the remnants of what a tear in the veil could do. The dangers of such an event must have been told to him from a young age, considering the history of Bareon and the Orlein bloodline.


    ¡°We need to buy time until help arrives-¡°


    ¡°How?!¡± Alistair shouted, shaking off Midhir¡¯s hand. ¡°We¡¯re students! There is no buying time with the Veil! You know that ¨C you know what the thirteenth district looks like!¡± He pointed at the forest up north. ¡°The only way to stop what¡¯s coming is to repair the damage. Can you, Midhir?¡± His voice rose with each word he spoke. ¡°Do you even know what¡¯s needed to heal a rift in reality itself?!¡±


    Midhir met his panicked gaze. ¡°Yes, I know.¡± His words seemed to act like a bucket of cold water spilled over Alistair¡¯s head. ¡°Now, I¡¯m not saying I can repair the tear, but I do know what¡¯s needed,¡± he quickly added.


    Alistair stared at him blankly before he let out a sigh. ¡°Of course you can¡¯t,¡± he muttered in a defeated tone. ¡°You¡¯re not strong enough ¨C none of us are.¡±


    He wasn¡¯t wrong. Midhir, or any of them for that matter, were too weak to repair a tear in the veil.


    ¡°Yeah, but we¡¯re still alive, and these people need our help.¡± He pointed at Lohssa. ¡°I can see a crowd by the old monument in the centre of town. Go and help them, worst case scenario we¡¯ll have to leave the town by foot and wait until someone capable of repairing the tear comes.¡±


    Alistair seemed hesitant still. ¡°I don¡¯t know if it¡¯ll be enough.¡±


    ¡°Your ancestors walked away from Bareon when the city was overrun,¡± Midhir reminded him. ¡°They didn¡¯t wait for death to come and take them. I think they show us a good example.¡±


    Alistair looked at his hands for a few seconds before lifting his head to meet his gaze again. ¡°I suppose so,¡± he said with a grimace. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t want to disappoint them.¡±


    ¡°Nor should you.¡± Midhir turned towards Lohssa. ¡°Let¡¯s go check on Willow and Arwen, then see how far we can get before the mist rolls out of the woods.¡±


    The villagers had gathered around the Stone of Passing at the centre of Lohssa. The Mayor was standing in front of the white stone, trying his best to calm the population. Arwen and Willow stood out from the townsfolk both with their demeanour and their clothing. The Academy¡¯s uniform was easy to see in the crowd.


    The girls were standing on the other side of the Stone of Passing, talking in a low voice when Midhir and Alistair arrived. Arwen immediately scowled as soon as she saw them.


    ¡°Why did you send the Mayor to me?! Convincing the healer was difficult enough already,¡± she angrily whispered. ¡°And where were you? It¡¯s been over an hour!¡±


    So he hadn¡¯t told her. ¡°There¡¯s a girl missing,¡± his words caused Arwen to reel back. ¡°Lillia, the sister of the boy who got wounded yesterday.¡± He glanced around to make sure nobody was close enough to eavesdrop ¨C there was no need to cause even more panic now. ¡°Her room was completely thrashed ¨C like yours was last night, and I followed her tracks to the woods. She¡¯s somewhere in there. In the mist.¡±


    ¡°By the Daughter and the sun¡­¡± Willow shot a glance at the church. ¡°Is she¡­¡± her voice faded.


    ¡°Dead?¡± Midhir asked bluntly. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I didn¡¯t enter the woods ¨C not yet.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean not-¡° Alistair¡¯s words were cut short by the sound of a galloping horse. Everyone¡¯s gazes turned east to a man on a horse.


    ¡°Stay away from the Stone!¡± Lonan¡¯s panicked shout reached their ears. ¡°Stay away!¡±


    </a>

 Chapter 17 – A Forest of Silver Mist (2)

    ¡°Stay away from it! Move!¡± Lonan¡¯s desperate cry echoed in the silence. For a split second, nobody moved.


    Arwen met Midhir¡¯s gaze. He could see the question in her eyes. He nodded, then drew a deep breath to shout.


    ¡°Everyone!¡± Arwen¡¯s voice rang like a bell, enhanced by her crystal staff emitting a soft, golden glow. ¡°Please start moving towards the airship. Be calm, there is no need to rush, but please start moving.¡±


    ¡°Help me out.¡± Alistair told Willow before running towards the airship. ¡°This way people!¡± He shouted, ¡°Follow her please!¡±


    Put on the spot, Willow froze only for a split second before a smile settled on her lips. She walked towards the airship with a brisk pace, waving towards it occasionally. ¡°Follow me please!¡±


    As the crowd slowly began to move away from the Stone of Passing, Lonan finally arrived at the town. He was panting, beads of sweat rolling down his forehead as he arrived by Arwen and Midhir. ¡°What are you waiting for?!¡± He asked in a panicked voice. His eye was wide open as he constantly glanced at the Stone.


    Midhir pointed at the crowd first, then folded his arms. ¡°What happened?¡± The man had left the town at dawn with the intent to investigate some distant altar or monument to the Old Faith.


    ¡°The mist happened!¡± The man hissed, ¡°What else? The Veil is torn, clearly.¡± He pointed at the forest. ¡°And you had the whole village gathered around this!¡± He pointed at the Stone. ¡°It was created to lead the souls of the dead to the afterlife ¨C it¡¯s a passage for souls. Spirits. It works both ways.¡± He paused. ¡°Uh, probably.¡± He added with a hint of uncertainty.


    ¡°Probably?!¡± Arwen cried out. ¡°You had us make all these people move to the airship on a ¡®probably¡¯?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m almost certain I¡¯m right!¡± Lonan protested. ¡°I couldn¡¯t live with knowing I could have saved them but didn¡¯t because I might be wrong. It¡¯s not worth the risk!¡±


    While the two of them continued to bicker, Midhir turned his gaze northward.


    The thought tugging at the back of his mind, one that he had been suppressing so far, resurfaced. It usually took more than just one single night for the Veil to be torn badly enough to let spirits from the other side to pass to their world.


    Had she and the Lustrous Blademaster not healed the Veil properly at all? Was it still slightly torn when they were done? He shook his head in disbelief. It couldn¡¯t be, she wouldn¡¯t do such a huge mistake. Unlike many, the Crown Princess was renowned for her ability to see the veil itself whenever she wished. She could see it, like Midhir could see his hand ¨C if it was damaged, she would know.


    So what had happened?


    ¡°We should get going too.¡± Lonan¡¯s voice pulled his mind back to the present. ¡°I wish there was something that could be done, but¡­¡± He shook his head. ¡°My heart bleeds for these people ¨C Lohssa was a beautiful town.¡±


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    Midhir clenched his fists. ¡°Lillia is still there.¡± He hissed, his gaze lingering on the forest. ¡°Lonan, you¡¯re a historian. What caused the Bareon disaster? Was it the mist itself?¡±


    The historian hesitated. ¡°No, the mist is nothing more than a symptom. It was the spirits within it. And the army of the dead that marched with it. Why?¡±


    He shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m trying to think.¡± He sighed.


    The townsfolk was far enough away from the Stone of Passing that he felt comfortable leaving as well. ¡°Let¡¯s go meet up with the others first.¡±


    The people gathered on the other side of the airship. Midhir avoided approaching them too much ¨C he didn¡¯t want to explain why he hadn¡¯t gone after Lillia yet. Instead, he and his classmates gathered on the deck, watching the mist slowly rolling out of the woods.


    The captain walked out from the lower deck, with a backpack in hand and a cloak wrapped around her shoulders. ¡°We can¡¯t fix the wing before the mist reaches us.¡± She stated, pointing northwards. ¡°Lohssa will become another Bareon, and there is nothing to be done. No airship can land in that mist.¡±


    Alistair¡¯s head jerked towards her. ¡°What do you mean? You called for aid, and said they¡¯d be here by tonight, tomorrow the latest!¡±


    The captain shrugged. ¡°I mean, I said that, but the mist wasn¡¯t creeping closer.¡± She shook her head. ¡°This plateau is the only place an airship can land. Either they¡¯ll have come with horses or walk. You can¡¯t expect anyone to do that while spirits run amok, and the dead walk the land.¡± She shot a meaningful glance towards Lonan.


    Her words were met with silence. Alistair¡¯s shoulders dropped as he leaned against the rails, his head hung low, and his gaze lingered on the ground. Willow stood silently ¨C she was a resident of An¡¯Larion, having lived a life far from the horrors of the Veil, and only having a surface knowledge of the Bareon disaster.


    Arwen tightened her grasp on her staff. ¡°I know none of us can fix this,¡± She whispered. ¡°But can¡¯t we slow it down?¡± She looked at Midhir, then Alistair. The latter didn¡¯t move at all, seemingly unaware of her words.


    Midhir closed his eyes. He could try, he knew the weaves of spiritual power required to heal the Veil. ¡°Alistair.¡± He grabbed the young noble¡¯s shoulder and forced him to turn towards them. Seeing those empty eyes, he felt rage boiling within. How dare he give up now, when Arwen of all people was still trying to find some way to help ¨C to fix things.


    ¡°Get a hold of yourself!¡± He hissed, ¡°It¡¯s easy to talk about what a noble should do, now back up your words! I need your help ¨C all of your help, and you will help me!¡± He hissed, shaking him back and forth.


    Alistair blinked a couple of times. ¡°There¡¯s nothing we can do.¡± He whispered. ¡°Sorry, Midhir, I suppose I¡¯m no different than my father.¡±


    ¡°Stop making a victim out of yourself.¡± Arwen¡¯s sharp voice rang. ¡°It¡¯s not your home that¡¯s being destroyed. You¡¯re an onlooker at worst, and someone who is trying to help them at best. Which one is it?¡±


    Alistair bit his lips, drawing blood. ¡°What do you want from me?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll hold the mist back.¡± Midhir said, drawing his sword. ¡°I told you ¨C I know the weaves needed to stop this. I can¡¯t do it alone though, you know how weak I am when it comes to crystal manipulation.¡± He turned at Arwen. ¡°I need your staff.¡±


    Once again he found himself staring at the silver-blue mist. Quite a way behind him, to his left and right stood his classmates. If he shouted, they might hear him. He would have preferred not to stand here alone, but there was nothing to be done.


    He took a deep breath as the mist rolled closer.


    ¡°I really hope you are right about me, sis.¡± He whispered, raising Arwen¡¯s staff before striking the ground with its haft.


    He closed his eyes and summoned the thread of spiritual power within him.


    </a>

 Chapter 18 – A Forest of Silver Mist (3)

    A freezing wind pierced the silver mist slowly rolling downhill, towards Midhir, and towards Lohssa behind him. He shivered as the cold penetrated his clothes, chilling his bones. He tightened his fingers around Arwen¡¯s crystal staff and caught the thread of spiritual power within him.


    As soon as he tugged at it with his mind, it welled up like a spring of water. He felt it flow throughout his body, up his chest to his shoulders, then down his arms, finally arriving at his fingertips. A soft, golden light shone through his closed eyelids, prompting him to open his eyes.


    The gold coloured crystal held by the four prongs of the wooden staff had begun to glow softly, and weakly. With the backdrop of the ever-approaching mist, it looked like a candle trying to hold back the vast darkness of the night.


    He swallowed his despair, and the fear the mist invoked, and turned his gaze onwards. He let his own power resonate with that of the golden crystal, and slowly began casting the weaves needed.


    The mist rolled in, now only a few steps away from him. Looking at it made him feel like he was looking at something endless. Different hues of silver swirled within the mist, tendrils slowly crawling closer, seeking more of this world to cover. Whispers reached his ears, words and sounds he couldn¡¯t even begin to understand.


    The crystal¡¯s glow began to grow stronger as he completed the weave. The mist rolled in and hit a wall of golden light.


    As soon as the mist touched the wall, Midhir felt his strength drain. He collapsed on his knees as sudden weakness caught him unprepared. His fingers clutched the staff ¨C he couldn¡¯t let go. He had to keep the resonance casting active no matter what.


    To his left, quite a ways behind him, Alistair stood with his spear struck to the ground. The noble stood tall as the golden wall extended from the staff towards him. To his right, some distance behind him stood Willow, and a bit further from her Arwen. Willow¡¯s rapier was struck to the ground as well, the green crystal on its pommel emitting a vibrant shine. Arwen held Midhir¡¯s sword the same way, it¡¯s sharp edge struck to the ground, emitting a crimson light so bright it could rival the sun.


    The mist rolled into the barrier formed by the four crystals embedded into each of their weapons. It crashed into it like a wave against a cliff, over and over again before it began slowly rolling to both sides instead.


    Cautious relief washed over him. Still holding onto the staff with his left hand, he pushed himself back up on his feet.


    What he had created was essentially a distraction ¨C a giant, V shaped barrier that instead of stopping the mist, diverted it to either side, forcing it to go around Lohssa and the plateau where the airship landed.


    Arwen was the first to let go of one of the weapons. She hesitantly pulled her hand away, and watched the shining crystal embedded in the hilt. Once she was sure the barrier didn¡¯t need her presence there anymore, she hurried over to Midhir. Alistair and Willow did the same a few moments later.


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    ¡°Are you ok?¡± Willow asked as she was the first to reach Midhir. ¡°When you collapsed I thought you couldn¡¯t do it!¡±


    Midhir shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m fine, just exhausted,¡± he admitted with a grimace.


    Alistair and Arwen soon arrived. The mist had already passed Lohssa and was halfway across the distance of the plateau.


    ¡°Thank the Daughter and the Sun that it works,¡± Willow whispered, joining her hands in a small prayer.


    The mist passed the plateau from either side but didn¡¯t creep close to the airship or the townsfolk gathered there. It would soon conjoin as the mountains forced the mist to roll down a steep valley.


    It was so silent. Except for his breathing, and the others¡¯ clothes rustling, silence filled his ears. The whispers were gone, but the swirls in the mist only became more apparent. It continued to grow thicker. He probably wouldn¡¯t even be able to see his own nose if he stepped in there.


    Biting his lips, he hung his head. An innocent, young girl was in those woods, in this thick, terrifying mist. And maybe, just maybe, she was alive.


    ¡°And now we wait,¡± Alistair stated, glancing at the three weapons struck at the ground. ¡°I would have never thought of using our weapon¡¯s augments to act as small pylons,¡± he added, shooting Midhir a curious glance. ¡°Nor did I believe it would actually work.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s draining him,¡± Arwen piped up, worried. ¡°Help will arrive tomorrow, the earliest. Can you hold this barrier for so long?¡± Her eyes were wide with worry. Her fingers clenched around the cloth of her cloak as she shivered with cold and, quite possibly, fear.


    ¡°It¡¯ll be exhausting, but-¡°


    ¡°I think I can help,¡± Arwen cut him off. She reached for the staff, her fingers wrapped around its wooden shaft as she took a deep breath. The shine of the crystal grew ever so slightly brighter. ¡°You can let go,¡± She smiled, ¡°Taking over an already functioning Resonance is simple ¨C Instructor Soraya showed me how to do it the day I started learning.¡±


    Midhir hesitated. If she was wrong, they would be engulfed in mist. Lohssa would too, and so would the airship, and the people taking shelter there.


    ¡°Trust me,¡± she asked, with a confidant, almost relaxed smile.


    Midhir let go of the staff, half expecting to lose himself in the mist.


    The wall of golden light stood strong as Arwen proudly smiled. Her gaze then turned to the wall of light. ¡°Such a detailed weave,¡± She muttered as the spark of curiosity glimmered in her eyes. ¡°If you were stronger, you could even use this to repair some damage to the Veil, I think¡­¡± She tilted her head sideways as she pondered.


    ¡°Maybe.¡± Midhir admitted. ¡°I¡¯d need to be a lot stronger. You, on the other hand¡­¡± he couldn¡¯t believe she didn¡¯t seem even a tiny bit tired. Resonance casting, and using spiritual power seemed as easy as breathing with her.


    ¡°Your power is on another level,¡± Alistair nodded, looking at Arwen. ¡°The staff was a fine choice.¡±


    The girl blushed. ¡°I agree. It spoke to me ¨C I had to try it.¡± Her smile froze all of a sudden.


    A voice reached his ears. Distant, barely audible, but a voice. A girl¡¯s voice. His eyes opened wide as he took a step forward, standing right in front of the wall of golden light. ¡°Lillia?¡± he whispered.


    Lillia¡­ Lillia¡­ Lillia¡­


    His words echoed, an ominous, repeating whisper that sent a shiver down his spine.


    ¡°Was that her?¡± Arwen asked wide eyed, her gaze darting from Midhir to Alistair and Willow.


    The other two seemed confused. Alistair scowled, while Willow shrugged. ¡°I didn¡¯t hear anything.¡±


    The whispers once again rose from the mist. Constant, unending whispers that he couldn¡¯t understand filled his mind. He shook his head, trying to focus on that distant, weak voice he had heard before.


    ¡°Even if she¡¯s alive, we can¡¯t reach her with the mist like this.¡± Alistair made a vague gesture, pointing at the mist all around them. ¡°It¡¯s-¡°


    A low, distant growl reached his ears.


    ¡°Hush!¡± Midhir hissed. Were those¡­ footsteps?


    The mist swirled, then he saw it ¨C a pair of bright blue, otherworldly eyes on a wolf-like silhouette.


    Their gazes met, and it pounced.


    </a>

 Chapter 19 – Horrors of the Mist (1)

    It leapt into the air, soaring over the golden barrier Arwen maintained. Deadly claws and sharp fangs aimed for her, the wolf-like creature let out a bloodthirsty growl mid-air.


    Time seemed to slow for Midhir as his heart skipped a beat. His weapon wasn¡¯t with him ¨C none of them had their weapons, they were far away serving as makeshift pylons. Arwen¡¯s staff was the focal point of the resonance holding the mist back, she couldn¡¯t cast another resonance with it. They were unarmed against this creature.


    He rushed forward, to get between Arwen and the creature. They needed to protect her while she maintained the resonance against the otherworldly mist!


    Her staff shone brightly, the golden wall resonated along with it. It throbbed, releasing a golden wave, sending the creature high up to the sky and behind them. ¡°Midhir!¡± Arwen shouted, reaching back, her fingers pointing at his sword stuck in the ground far away.


    His eyes widened in disbelief as a golden thread flew across the distance, wrapping itself around the sword¡¯s hilt and pulling it back. It whistled through the air, landing in Arwen¡¯s open palm. She gave it to him, eyes wide and panting with exhaustion. ¡°Kill it!¡±


    ¡°The town!¡± Willow cried out as part of the golden barrier collapsed, and the mist began rolling into the edge of town.


    Midhir ignored her cries, his gaze snapped to the wolf-like creature that had just hit the ground a few dozen steps behind them. Despite the distance Arwen sent it flying, it didn¡¯t seem harmed by the fall.


    Tightly grasping the cotton wrapped hilt of his blade, he walked towards the creature. Fear and excitement mixed in his heart as his footsteps hastened. The wolf turned to face him, its gaze finally turning away from Arwen and her glowing staff.


    The wolfs ears lay back as its lips curled upward revealing deadly teeth. A blood freezing growl sounded, accompanied by a low, guttural sound emanating from its throat. A bushy tail swung from one side to the other once as the wolf dug its claws into the ground, then pounced.


    Faced with two claws and a row of sharp teeth aiming for his throat, Midhir leapt to the side. The moment his feet touched the grass covered ground, he steadied his stance and swung at the wolf as it flew by.


    His blade cut the air and dug into the wolf¡¯s thick fur. He felt it touch flesh, but the wolf didn¡¯t give him the chance to push it any deeper.


    With a pained yelp, it snapped at his knees, its deadly teeth only catching air as Midhir once again jumped back. Had this been a human opponent, he wouldn¡¯t hesitate to cross weapons, but how was he supposed to fight with such a big wolf? It was physically stronger than him, not to mention his sword lacked the range advantage he needed.


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


    Blood seeped to the ground from the wound on the wolf¡¯s side. Not once did the wolf even consider retreating though, as it again attacked, this time going for Midhir¡¯s arm.


    He barely had the time to pull his sword in front of his arm, letting the wolf¡¯s teeth clench around its sharp, metal surface instead. Blood dyed the blade red as the wolf tried to shake its head to try and snatch the sword from Midhir¡¯s hands.


    He couldn¡¯t believe how strong the wolf was. The sheer strength of its neck muscles nearly knocked him off his feet. He tightened his grip on the sword¡¯s hilt, dug his heels into the ground, and resisted the beast¡¯s pull with all his strength. The fight had quickly become a battle of endurance, and Midhir had no way of winning it. He could feel his strength sapping away as the beast pulled and tried to shake its head.


    How was it not reeling from the pain? It¡¯s mouth was bleeding heavily, and the sound of its teeth pressing against the metal blade sounded like nails on a chalkboard. How did it still have the strength to keep this up, despite the pain it must be feeling?


    Had he had another weapon ¨C a dagger or the like, the fight would have been over already. But unarmed otherwise, Midhir had no choice but to take a risk. He focused his attention within, catching that single thread of spiritual power. He summoned it, allowed it to crawl down his arms, around his fingers, and flow into the crystal embedded into the sword¡¯s hilt.


    The hairs on his arms rose as an uncontrollable shiver threatened his balance.


    Then his sword burst into flames.


    And as an extension, so did the wolf. Pained howls echoed in his ears as it ran around, trying to escape the roaring flames consuming its fur and then flesh. The smell of burnt hair and charred flesh reached his nostrils, making him reel back in disgust.


    The blood-freezing howls soon turned into weak yelps. Having lost its strength, the animal slowed down, then collapsed. The bright blue shine in its eyes vanished, leaving the brown, suffering filled eyes of a dying wolf.


    Midhir rushed over to it, and with a swift strike, pierced its heart. The yelps came to an end, and so did the beast¡¯s suffering.


    He stumbled back, physically exhausted, and weak from casting two resonances within such a short time span. Disgusted from the smell, as well as with himself for resorting to give a living being such a cruel death, he stared at the wolf¡¯s body.


    Nothing deserved such a painful death. He had no other choice, he knew that ¨C but still, it was a wolf, probably driven mad by the mist, and the tear in the Veil. It didn¡¯t deserve one of the worst imaginable.


    He lingered there for only a few short moments. It took some effort to suppress his emotions, to push the disgust and tinge of regret aside. Only when he succeeded did he return to the others.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Arwen asked, worried. ¡°Thank the-¡° She paused. ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re unharmed.¡±


    He nodded, his gaze lost in the swirling mist. He could see things moving within it. Silhouettes, or perhaps just shadows playing tricks on his mind. He wasn¡¯t sure anymore. If he couldn¡¯t even trust his own eyes, what was he supposed to trust?


    </a>

 Chapter 20 – Horrors of the Mist (2)

    The air grew colder with each passing moment. A frigid wind blew from the forest ahead, tugging at their clothes and penetrating what little warmth they tried to preserve.


    Midhir¡¯s hand rested on the hilt of his blade as he watched the silhouettes within the mist. ¡°More of them,¡± He whispered, unable to hide the desperation in his voice. He had to resort to resonance casting to kill even a single one ¨C and now he counted four.


    ¡°We need our weapons.¡± Willow shot a longing glance to her rapier. ¡°We should fight-¡°


    ¡°And let the mist take Lohssa?¡± Alistair shook his head. ¡°We will fight with our bare hands if we have to, but the weapons stay where they are.¡± He looked at Arwen. ¡°Removing just the crystal to leave it there isn¡¯t an option, is it?¡±


    The girl shook her head. ¡°They are meant to channel power through the metal. Alone, they¡¯re useless.¡±


    Midhir¡¯s jaw clenched. Doubts clouded his mind as the battle played out in his mind repeatedly. No matter what, he was faced with four dead bodies, and a mist covered Lohssa. He couldn¡¯t win ¨C not if he stood his ground here.


    His lips formed a thin line. With furrowed brows, he watched the silhouettes restlessly, shifting his weight from one foot to the other.


    The silhouettes approached the wall of light shining brightly against the dull, silver mist. They were large wolves, albeit not particularly well fed, even the weakest, thinnest one was many times stronger than Midhir.


    One of the wolves sniffed the wall of light. Deadly teeth revealed under curled lips, it slowly crawled closer to the barrier, keeping its body low. A pair of otherworldly blue eyes focused on Arwen ¨C they glowed like torches in the dark.


    A blood-freezing growl echoed in the mist. The wolf touched the wall of light with its nose. A bushy, long tail swiped the ground behind it as the wall failed to stop it.


    Midhir held his breath as the wolf reeled back, letting out a loud howl. Other howls rose from both afar and near in response. The silhouettes all began to approach, slowly circling towards them, prowling in the mist.


    ¡°Alistair,¡± He hissed, drawing his blade, and clenching its hilt with both hands. ¡°Take them to the airship, have her recast the resonance there.¡± His eyes snapped to the closest wolf. ¡°Now!¡± he shouted, kicking the ground, and rushing at it.


    His blade dug into the wolf¡¯s neck as it was still howling. He pushed the blade through the thick layer of fur, into its flesh. It was more difficult than he thought it would be. The otherworldly glow in the wolf¡¯s eyes faded as its limp body collapsed on the ground as soon as he pulled his sword.


    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    ¡°Have you lost your mind?!¡±


    Arwen¡¯s scream echoed in his ears as he leapt over the pool of blood forming around the wolf¡¯s corpse and rushed at the next one. He passed through the golden barrier as he rushed at his next target.


    As soon as he stepped into the mist, he felt the frigid cold of the otherworld. It penetrated his clothes and flesh, freezing his very bones. The silver mist enveloped him like death¡¯s embrace. Swirling around him, it was so thick he could barely see his own feet, let alone what was a few steps ahead of him.


    He could barely hear the muffled screaming coming from beyond the wall of golden light. Arwen¡¯s panicked screams were silenced by Alistair¡¯s shouting. Each step he took felt like several dozen as the voices grew distant and faint so quickly.


    His gaze never left his next target, which was a wolf only a half a dozen steps away from him. He dashed the short distance between them and swung his blade downwards as soon as he reached it. The wolf was focused on Arwen and the others, it was already too late when it heard Midhir¡¯s footsteps. His blade connected with the back of its neck, digging through the fur and flesh, and only stopping when it reached bone.


    Midhir didn¡¯t hesitate as his prey yelped in pain and tried to free itself from the blade wedged in its neck. He twisted the blade, putting as much strength into it as he could until the wolf¡¯s desperate cries came to a stop, and its lifeless body collapsed on the grass covered ground.


    Was it enough? With a tight jaw and furrowed brows, he swung around, his gaze searching for the next silhouette.


    His heart sank as he found his next target ¨C or rather, his targets found him. Four silhouettes circled him, low to the ground, blue eyes focused on him. The otherworldly glow in the wolves eyes pierced the silver mist, it was the only colour he could make out.


    Did they see him clearly, without the obstruction of the mist, or were they half blind like he was? If it was the latter, he had a chance ¨C if the former¡­ His hand touched his earring ¨C a blue jewel with a feather hanging from it. No, he couldn¡¯t despair yet.


    ¡°It¡¯s a hunt, then,¡± he spoke, hoping their attention would be on him for a little while longer. He wasn¡¯t sure which way was south. It was impossible to discern directions in the mist. He could only guess. Hoping to be right, he turned around and dashed.


    The ground was wet and slippery, yet somehow he kept his balance. Howls echoed behind him. He could hear their steps as they rushed behind him, trying to catch up. His gaze remained in front as he tried to see something, anything.


    A part of him wanted to see the wall of golden light. It was a small, selfish part of him that wanted to not be alone here. If he was running in the right direction, he would eventually end up near the airship, by the wall of golden light ¨C if Arwen and the others made it there safely. And if Arwen was able to recast the resonance.


    Both of those outcomes were unlikely, but so was his survival. He had to hope.


    He heard the muffled crunch of leaves beneath his boots, and immediately after the mist grew darker, eerier. He saw the shadows of tall, thick pillars in front of him, and a canopy connecting them.


    His heart sank as he realised he was looking at the forest. Fear gripped his heart as his lips drew back slightly. Eyes wide, he glanced over his shoulder. He couldn¡¯t see the wolves, but their howls grew ever closer. They were behind him, probably following his scent.


    The hunt wasn¡¯t over yet, he couldn¡¯t go back.


    He had little courage left to summon, but the reality of bloodthirsty wolves won compared to the danger of the otherworld. He stood no chance against the wolves, but the tear in the veil¡­ He touched his earring.


    He had a chance. No matter how small, he was going to take it.

 Chapter 21 – Horrors of the Mist (3)

    The canopy of the forest prevented the sunlight from even reaching the mist. The frigid wind that pushed it southwards had vanished, either it too wasn¡¯t able to penetrate the leafy canopy, or that too was a result of the tear in the Veil.


    With light steps, Midhir slowly moved forward. He could hear the blood flowing in his veins, and every breath he took made him wince as it sounded so loud in this deafening silence. There were no leaves rustling, no wildlife simply existing around him. Aside from the occasional blood-freezing howls of the wolves looking for him, it was dead silent.


    Every muscle in his body ached from the mad dash he broke into when escaping. He wanted nothing more than a chance to sit and rest, but there was no time. The wolves were moving closer, probably following his scent. He had to keep moving.


    It took effort to avoid stepping on piles of leaves, or dry branches on the ground. He followed what seemed like a narrow path through the woods. Perhaps this was one of the paths the residents of Lohssa took when traversing the woods for whatever reason. He hoped it wouldn¡¯t end at the edge of a cliff, or an impassable obstacle.


    Unsure of how long he had been walking, he suddenly realised that he hadn¡¯t heard the howls of wolves for quite some time. Minutes, perhaps, if not more. His steps came to a halt as he raised his gaze and looked around. Behind him, the mist was dark and thick, terrifying. It looked like an abyss that would swallow all who would be foolish enough to step inside. It was difficult to believe that he had passed through it and survived ¨C or that he was still standing in it.


    In front of him, the mist seemed ever so slightly brighter. Was there a gap in the leafy canopy? A fire of hope lit up in his heart as he walked forward with hasty steps. Light was good ¨C light meant life. Sunlight meant freedom.


    He made his way through the woods, trying his best to be quiet. The mist swirled around him, but now he could see bright blue highlights where there were previously none. A barely audible buzz rang in his ears. He turned his head around, trying to figure out where the sound was coming from to no avail.


    With a scowl, he shook his head. Feeling like there was a fly inside his ears was rather nerve wrecking. He rubbed his ears, hoping the buzzing would just go away, but of course it didn¡¯t. With a sigh, he rested his hand on the hilt of his sword.


    His steps continued carrying him forward, to where the mist was brighter. The buzzing sound grew more prominent as time passed. It was loud enough to drown his own footsteps now, but the mist was also much lighter. He could see farther than just the ground beneath his boots. Visibility was growing with each step. Despite his reservations, he soldiered on.


    A frigid wind blew in his face, carrying with it the scent of blood, wet earth, and exotic flowers. It pushed the last bits of the mist aside, revealing a sight he wished he didn¡¯t have to see.


    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    He was stood in an opening in the woods. It was quite large, albeit still under the leafy canopy of the forest. No sunlight pierced the leaves and branches of the old growth. Instead, the light originated from the flowers covering the whole area, bright blue like the wolves¡¯ eyes, shining like unrefined crystals. Specks of light like floating glitter rose from the large petals, slowly mixing in with the mist still hovering near the forest¡¯s canopy.


    But what gave him pause weren¡¯t the flowers that didn¡¯t belong here, nor was it the unnatural source of this light.


    No, it was the broken reality ¨C a tear in the veil, like a rift, floating mid-air at the centre of this place. And the young girl standing in front of it, her arms stretched out and her hair red with blood.


    ¡°Lillia?¡± he blurted out in disbelief.


    Her arms fell to her sides, then she moved. She slowly turned, first her head, and when she couldn¡¯t look directly behind, her upper body. Their eyes met, and Midhir found himself staring at bright blue eyes glowing so brightly that their shine rivalled that of the flowers.


    A frigid wind blew from the veil, carrying with it whispers he couldn¡¯t understand. Words and sounds that he forgot as soon as he heard. The buzzing in his ears grew louder and louder, and a pain struck him behind his eyes.


    With a pained groan, he pressed his palms against his eyes and stumbled back. The whispers grew louder, the buzzing was almost deafening, and it felt like something was piercing his eyes. His head felt like it was about to burst, and he felt something warm flowing down his cheeks. Tears? When did he cry?


    A girl¡¯s voice said something. It wasn¡¯t in a language he knew. Or perhaps it was, he would have known if it was if he didn¡¯t forget what he heard almost immediately. The presumably foreign words left him with fear in his heart. He forced himself to open his eyes, only to see her rushing towards him, drops of blood falling from her hair.


    She jumped, hitting his chest with her knees, with the full weight of her body behind her, and knocked him off his feet. The otherworldly flowers cushioned his fall somewhat, but they couldn¡¯t do anything against Lillia.


    Her hands clenched around his throat as she sat on his chest. Her fingers were cold, but wet. Her nails dug into his skin as she squeezed as hard as she could, with a force that her small, malnourished body shouldn¡¯t be able to exert.


    The buzzing sound was so loud he couldn¡¯t hear anything else. The pain in his eyes grew worse, forcing him to squeeze one eye shut since it hurt less that way. His fingers wrapped around her wrists. With what strength he had left in his body, he pried her hands away, allowing air to pass through. He gasped, breathing deeply to try, and rid himself of the haze cloaking his mind.


    He didn¡¯t even notice he had inhaled the specks of light that looked like floating glitter until he tasted a fresh, rejuvenating, but also foreign taste.


    ¡°You¡¯re not Lillia anymore!¡± he hissed at the girl, who fought against his grasp, trying to still reach for his throat.


    He clenched his teeth, summoned his strength, then kicked the ground with his foot and rolled to the side. The girl who was once Lillia fell on her back as Midhir rose to his knees. Without hesitation, he pressed his knee against her chest, and his fingers wrapped against her throat.


    She screamed something. It hurt his ears, echoed in his mind, but he immediately forgot what was said. Whispers filled his mind as the buzzing sound began to slowly subside, and he could hear the world again. With a tight jaw, and eyes wide with fear and adrenaline, he clenched his fingers.


    Not noticing the drops of blood falling onto her, he squeezed her small neck.


    </a>

 Chapter 22 – Fading Light (1)

    Her eyes were wide, their blue shine almost captivating. She gasped for air as his fingers continued to squeeze. She clawed at his hands and arms, her nails digging into his skin. She kicked the air in futile struggle. Her face twisted with pain, a whisper he couldn¡¯t remember escaped her lips.


    Her left arm fell to the ground as her strength began to fade. She turned her head slightly, looking behind Midhir, towards the tear in the veil. Her right arm stretched towards it as tears rolled down her cheeks.


    With the corner of his eye, he saw concentrated blue light gathering between her fingers. His heart raced, his instincts screamed at him to kill her. She was dangerous, despite looking like a young, innocent girl, she was the most dangerous thing he had fought against so far ¨C that¡¯s what his instincts screamed at him.


    So he squeezed her small neck as drops of blood fell on her face.


    Her hand reached for his face, he lifted his neck to keep away, but her left hand caught his hair. A wicked smile appeared on her lips. She pulled with immense strength, and as soon as she could reach his face, she pressed her right hand against his eye.


    The blue light splashed against his face like a bucket of cold water. Pain struck, a scream escaped his lips as his eye felt like it was burning up. It lasted only a moment, but it felt like a lifetime. When he opened his eyes again, the blue glow in her eyes had begun to fade. Like the lights rising from the flowers all around them, the light vanished, leaving the girl with dark brown eyes, and a pained expression.


    Something made him reel back. He sat back, pulling away from the girl. As soon as his fingers left her throat, she gasped for air. The sound of her weak breaths filled the air. Silence had covered the world once again, the buzzing sound was gone, and the whispers had stopped.


    His gaze turned to his own hands. There was some blood on the back of his hands, but he looked at his palms. They were shaking, no, he was shaking. The realisation of what happened set in, bringing waves of emotions along with it. His jaw clenched as he felt something warm flow down his face.


    He licked his lips. ¡°Lillia?¡± he asked with a mix of hope and despair. It took effort to keep his voice steady. Was it really her? Or was that blue light going to return to her eyes? Was she going to reel back in fear, or attack him with revenge?


    Her brown eyes shot wide open as soon as she heard her name. Her hands went to her own neck as she caressed her bruised, purple skin. Colour returned to her pale face slowly. Her eyes darted to Midhir as soon as he moved.


    She tried to speak, but no sound escaped her lips. Her jaw tightened, she visibly shivered. ¡°Who are you?¡± she managed a weak, barely audible whisper.


    A wave of relief washed over him. It was her, thank the gods it was her and not some bloodthirsty creature from the other side of the Veil. She was alive ¨C her blood wasn¡¯t on his hands. ¡°Your mother wanted me to look for you,¡± he forced a smile. ¡°Rest for a few minutes, then I¡¯ll take you somewhere safer, alright?¡±


    Stolen novel; please report.


    Lillia seemed hesitant, but she nodded. Her eyes closed again as she took deep, steady breaths. Aside from the occasional sound of her trying to clear her throat, breathing seemed to become more comfortable for her.


    Midhir pushed himself up on his feet, while wiping his tears from his face. The blood that came with them gave him pause, but he hardly had the time to worry about that. His gaze turned to the visible section of the veil.


    It looked like someone, or something, had vertically cut through reality itself. It was about two people tall, with the bottom of it being as high off the ground as his waist.


    When he narrowed his eyes, he could vaguely see the veil around it, but looking at it just made his eyes hurt again, so he quickly averted his gaze. This wasn¡¯t something mortals were supposed to see. The veil should have never been damaged enough to become visible in the first place.


    ¡°How did you fail to fix this?¡± his voice was but a whisper as he watched the blue-silver coloured rift. It wasn¡¯t open yet, it wasn¡¯t fully torn, but the damage was done already. If Arwen and the others had retreated to the airship, Lohssa was now covered in mist fully. Even after the Veil was repaired, there were going to be permanent effects.


    Just like An¡¯Larion, or Bareon, even Olisar.


    The buzz he heard previously started up again. The hairs on his arms rose as he heard whispers coming from the tear again. A blue wisp of bright light passed through, then flew off into the forest.


    His eyes widened. It wasn¡¯t fully torn, but enough to let unwelcome visitors though.


    ¡°Lillia,¡± he spoke as he rested his hand on his sword. ¡°Can you walk?¡±


    The girl hesitated. ¡°I think so,¡± she whispered, then coughed a few times. She winced with pain with each cough. Her small, malnourished body shook violently. She slowly sat upright, then rose to her knees, then finally on her feet. Her legs were visibly shaking from the effort she exerted.


    Midhir¡¯s gaze scoured his surroundings. He caught a few more wisps pass through and dart off deeper into the old growth. Howls from afar reached his ears again, sending a cold shiver down his spine. ¡°Hold my hand,¡± he offered. They needed to get away from the tear, once it was fully open being here meant a painful death ¨C if they were lucky.


    He led Lillia east, since all the wisps had gone north and west. They needed to be as far away from them as they could.


    Lillia stumbled often, and only a handful of minutes later, she collapsed. ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± she whimpered. ¡°My legs, they hurt.¡± She touched her throat, ¡°My throat hurts, my head hurts,¡± tears ran down her cheek. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she was visibly shaking as she apologised. Her hands clenched around Midhir¡¯s as he knelt beside her. ¡°Please don¡¯t leave me behind!¡± She begged with wide eyes. ¡°I¡¯m scared!¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± he promised. The howls were ever approaching. He looked around to try and find somewhere to turn his back to. He didn¡¯t need to look for long, he spotted several trees fused together, forming something like a half circle. He lifted her up with relative ease. She was so light, so thin. He couldn¡¯t help but wonder when the last time she had a proper meal was.


    He brought her to the fused trees, and put her down there, letting her rest her back against the tree trunks. ¡°Are you cold?¡±


    She nodded.


    He took off his cloak and gave it to her. It was large enough for her to fully cover herself, and it would keep her warm. ¡°Help will come,¡± he promised, ¡°we just need to be patient.¡± His words were for himself as much as they were for her.


    Howls drew closer, and a frigid wind blew through the trees, bringing with it the mist that had begun to grow thicker once again. Aside from where the tear was, visibility once again began to drop. He drew his sword and readied himself as silhouettes appeared in the mist.


    ¡°Close your eyes.¡±


    </a>

 Chapter 23 – Fading Light (2)

    Holding his sword with both hands, he lowered his body and bent his knees slightly. His gaze followed the wolf in front of him. It was the first of many ¨C the one that reached him first.


    His left eye ached slightly as he glanced at the damaged section of the Veil. More and more wisps entered their world and hurried off somewhere deeper into the woods. This wolf, and the others he had faced were all a result of that. The wisps ¨C spirits from the Other side ¨C took over the wolves¡¯ minds. That was what had supposedly happened during the Bareon disaster, so he assumed the same was happening here.


    With a tight jaw and tense muscles, he lunged forward. His blade descended from above, digging into the wolf¡¯s fur. He twisted his blade until the wolf¡¯s body collapsed, then pulled the blade away and retreated towards Lillia and the fused tree trunks she was leaning against.


    Her eyes were shut, and she covered them with the hood of his cloak. Visibly shaking, she pressed her left palm against her mouth in an attempt to be silent.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± he lied. It wasn¡¯t alright, but at least they were still alive. The girl nodded in response, calmer than just a few moments ago.


    Midhir turned his attention to the mist, and the damaged section of the Veil again. He could see the far away silhouettes of approaching wolves, but they were slow, sluggish ¨C just like the one he just killed was. They were nothing like the agile and deadly wolves that forced him and his classmates to separate.


    He pondered why. What was different? Perhaps the strength of the spirit invading their bodies was different. Or maybe it was just the time spent here, on this side. If those beasts were the equivalent of weapons to the spirits, then the latter made more sense.


    Unsure of his conclusion, he wiped his left eye. It still ached despite there being no reason to.


    His gaze turned south. Or at least where he assumed was south. It was impossible to tell with this thick mist, and the forest canopy blocking all sunlight.


    He could try to carry Lillia out of the forest, towards Lohssa. Assuming Arwen had succeeded at recasting the resonance, the airship would be safe. There were enough able bodied people to help fend off the wolves and any other creature the wisps possessed.


    But would he even make it so far? There were wolves prowling in the woods, visibility was incredibly low anywhere but right around the tear, and he needed to carry her there, so he wouldn¡¯t be able to defend himself against anything if he was caught off guard.


    No, it made no sense to get moving unless Lillia found the strength to walk. He shot her a glance. Seeing how small and weak she was, he didn¡¯t think she¡¯d be able to find such strength any time soon. Not only was she malnourished, she also was possessed by a spirit from the Otherworld. He couldn¡¯t even imagine how she felt right now.


    A low growl brought his wits about him. His gaze snapped to the source of the noise ¨C a wolf that had approached them from the side. As soon as their gazes met, he felt his blood freeze, and a cold shiver ran down his spine.


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    The wolf¡¯s lips curled up, revealing sharp, bloody teeth. This was a large wolf, much larger than the others. It moved with grace, every step, every motion intentional and deliberate. It¡¯s fur was black, and each of its paws as large as Midhir¡¯s head.


    Whispers echoed in his ear as they watched each other. His left eye ached, and he felt something warm run down his cheek.


    The wolf sniffed the air. It¡¯s bushy tail swung from one side to the other. It almost seemed like it was mocking him.


    ¡°You¡¯re not like the others,¡± his voice was but a whisper as he clenched his fingers around the hilt of his sword. His sweat seeped into the cotton wraps around it as his mind raced to try and find a way out of this. ¡°You¡¯ve been here a long time,¡±


    The wolf didn¡¯t respond. It was a wolf ¨C how could it? But the otherworldly glow in its eyes did seem to glimmer with intellect. ¡°You didn¡¯t cross through last night,¡± Midhir continued. He needed to somehow protect Lillia. Keep its attention on him, so it didn¡¯t notice the frightened, defenceless girl. ¡°In fact, I think you came to our side before the tear was first repaired, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    The wolf watched him silently. Midhir took a shallow breath. ¡°You¡¯ve been here for a very long time,¡± he continued, ¡°Not just a day, but a week even. Maybe more?¡± he gulped, trying to calm his racing heart. ¡°When the Veil here was first torn, you passed through ¨C you were one of the first.¡±


    He glanced at the Veil, where the tear was ever so slowly growing. Soon it wasn¡¯t going to be just a few spirits passing through. It was going to be a flood of them, like it was in Bareon all those years ago. He needed to get himself and Lillia out of here before that happened, but looking at this gigantic, powerful wolf made him despair.


    ¡°Why are you after our lives?¡± he asked, only for the whispers to grow louder. He winced and pressed his palm against his eye. Now really wasn¡¯t the time for random pains. ¡°Why attack Lohssa?¡±


    A low, guttural sound emanated from the wolf¡¯s throat as it took a step forward. It¡¯s bushy tail restlessly moved as it¡¯s lips curled up, and it snarled. It¡¯s ears lay back as it growled.


    Then, it pounced.


    Teeth snapped at the air, but Midhir leapt back. Without hesitation, he tugged at the thread of spiritual power within. He steadied himself, preparing for the sudden exhaustion that followed Resonance Casting.


    His blade burst into flames as the wolf leapt towards him. The flames burned bright as he swung his blade, cutting through flesh and tendons as the wolf¡¯s teeth dug into his legs. A pained groan escaped his lips, while the wolf immediately let go as its beautiful black fur caught on fire. Midhir stumbled forward, summoning even more power.


    The flames burned bright as power passed through him like a raging river. It flowed through his arms to the blade, filling the crystal embedded into the sword¡¯s hilt with immense power. With one hand, he grabbed the wolf¡¯s fur below its chin, and with the other, he dug the blade into its chest.


    Its howls soon turned into whimpers as the blue light in its eyes vanished, floating away in a wispy form to find another host.


    With a swift strike, he ended the wolf¡¯s pain. The adrenaline rushing through his veins subsided suddenly, as soon as the flames on his word vanished, and all the pain returned.


    He collapsed as blood gushed from his wounds. The wolf had gotten him good, pierced his clothes, skin and flesh and probably bit all the way to the bone on his left thigh. ¡°Lillia,¡± He called to her. ¡°I need your help.¡±


    The sound of leaves crushing under something¡¯s weight startled him. His heart sank as he raised his gaze. Three pairs of blue, glowing eyes watched him with hungry gazes.


    He had no strength left to fight.


    <hr>


    </a>

 Chapter 24 – Fading Light (3)

    Blood gushed out of the wounds on his leg. It seeped into the earth, mixing with the scent of exotic flowers and rot. He clenched his jaw to try and keep himself from making a sound. His gaze remained focused on the wolves as he touched his earring.


    A wooden stake appeared in his hands as reality bent around the holding gem. It was about as long as his forearm, and as thick as his sword¡¯s hilt. He could feel the delicate carvings inlaid with gold on its surface. The very top of it housed a small, golden crystal that shone brightly.


    He grasped it tightly and struck the ground with it. It¡¯s sharp end dug into the ground until only the crystal remained above the earth.


    ¡°No food for you tonight.¡± He hissed at the wolves as he tugged at his spiritual power. Like a raging river, it flowed from his hand to the stake. A beam of light shot up from the stake¡¯s crystal, piercing the mist and the forest canopy effortlessly.


    A dome formed around him and Lillia, just large enough for him to stand straight at the centre of it. It shone a bright golden colour for a few moments before its colour faded, allowing him to see through it again.


    The wolves howled and pounced, only to be sent away flying by a burst of light. Confused and hurt, they were hesitant to try again.


    Midhir felt his power drain with each wolf sent flying. His vision darkened for a split second. He again reached for his earring, this time summoning some bandages. He wrapped them around the wound, then made a tourniquet since just wrapping it didn¡¯t seem to be enough to stop the bleeding.


    ¡°Damn¡­¡± he whispered as he finally stemmed the flow of blood. He was slightly dizzy ¨C it took too long to stop the bleeding. Cold shivers shook his body as he clenched his jaw and tried to stay awake. His gaze searched for the wolves.


    A small hand touched his arm. ¡°You¡¯re freezing,¡± Lillia gasped. He heard the rustle of clothes behind him, then she wrapped his cloak around his shoulders. ¡°Your wound is bad. Mom said you need to keep warm if you lose a lot of blood. She also said you need to not fall asleep if help isn¡¯t here.¡± Her voice was weak, but he could tell she was trying to be courageous.


    ¡°Your mother is a wise woman,¡± he spoke through his gritted teeth. He took his sword from the ground, then with Lillia¡¯s help dragged himself closer to the tree trunks they had their backs against. He leaned against the trees, placed his sword on his lap, and wiped his face.


    He was once again surprised to see bright red blood on the back of his hand. He ran his hand through his hair, looking for a wound.


    Lillia sat next to him, her wide eyes watching the barrier and the stake. The golden beam of light continued to shine brightly. It was beacon ¨C and those who knew what it was would come no matter what. He wanted to avoid using it, but there was little he could do now that he was so badly wounded.


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    Something hit the barrier, startling Lillia. She gasped and clenched his shoulder as a tree branch fell to the ground, charred.


    ¡°It won¡¯t let them through,¡± he forced a smile as Lillia¡¯s shoulders visibly relaxed.


    ¡°What is this for?¡± She pointed at the beam of light.


    Midhir leaned his head against the tree. ¡°Help will come to this,¡± he explained with a grimace. ¡°They¡¯ll know where we are.¡±


    He would have preferred not to be forced to use the stake. It was draining his power rapidly, and though he didn¡¯t feel its effects now, he would start feeling them soon enough. He looked at the crystal glowing brightly. This wasn¡¯t a common crystal tool like the holding gems or weapon augments. It was a clear indication of certain things he¡¯d rather keep hidden.


    The tear in the veil pulsated, spreading a wave of blue light that slowly spread in a ring. More and more wisps began to leave, some rushing away into the forest, presumably to find hosts, while many more of them simply floated in the opening, above the beautiful, foreign flowers. A few even tried to go back, but the wind flowing through the tear was enough to prevent them from doing so.


    He grunted as his left eye throbbed. Whatever the spirit possessing Lillia had done seemed to be still affecting him. He covered his eye, only to feel something warm and wet on his palm. When he pulled his hand away, his palm was red with blood.


    Confused, he turned to young girl sitting next to him. ¡°Lillia, is my head bleeding?¡± He pointed at the top of his head.


    The young girl stood up and looked, then sat back down and shook her head. ¡°No, it¡¯s your eye again.¡± She put her finger between her left eye and her nose. ¡°It¡¯s a bit scary actually, like the folktales mom and dad tell.¡±


    ¡°Again?¡± He scowled. The track record of stories correlating to veil-related issues wasn¡¯t very bright here in Lohssa. ¡°What folktales?¡±


    Lillia pursed her lips. ¡°Well, mom said that the mist takes those who wander away from the protection of the Old Gods. The Old Gods protect Lohssa, even now their monuments are always clean and safe. They make sure beasts don¡¯t attack the people, and the forest doesn¡¯t grow inside the village.¡± She pointed at the trees. ¡°She says that those the Old Gods have forsaken weep blood, that they become hunted by the mist. That once they¡¯re marked like that, eventually the mist takes them.¡±


    She pulled her knees closer to her chest. ¡°They¡¯re just stories though,¡± she muttered quietly.


    Just stories. He pressed his palm against his eye as the pain slowly grew worse. He watched the tear in the veil as it continued pulsating. The circles of blue light spreading from it grew brighter with each pulse. While they slowly vanished, each pulse reached farther and farther away before dissipating.


    He held his breath as the rings slowly approached. With a tight jaw and gritted teeth, he watched the blue circle of light wash over the earth, dragging along with it the lights rising from the foreign flowers. It approached like a wave and crashed against the golden barrier.


    He felt his strength drain instantly as the stake took his spiritual power to refresh its own. Power rushed through him like a raging river, draining in an instant, leaving him feeling like an empty husk. The crystal embedded on the stake glowed brightly as the second wave approached.


    ¡°Get behind me,¡± He hissed, forcing himself to get up on his knees. He struck the ground with his sword as Lillia quickly crawled behind him. Her small hands gripped his shoulders, he could feel her body leaning against his, shivering with fear once again.


    The second wave crashed against the golden barrier, shattering it instantly. The gem embedded upon the stake broke in half with a resounding crack. The wave of blue light continued on, it approached Midhir like an unstoppable tide.


    He braced himself as the blue wave of light crashed against him.

 Chapter 25 – Unyielding Blade

    The blue wave of light crashed against him, both in body and spirit. His vision blurred as he gasped for air. The particles of light he inhaled refreshed his strength even if only a little. Tightly grasping the hilt of his blade with both hands, he lifted his head.


    Silhouettes of inhuman beings flooded the forest. Some were small, some were as tall as a house. Some looked like snakes with wings while others were humanoid, but with the antlers of a moose.


    They soon vanished from his sight, leaving behind the light-filled forest. The tear in the Veil continued to grow ever so slightly. He could see the slow spread of damage across the fabric of reality. A bright blue light had begun to pass through the tear, and with it the wisps of light entered their world.


    With gritted teeth he braced himself for the second wave of blue light. ¡°Lillia?¡± He shot a glance over his shoulder.


    ¡°I¡¯m ok,¡± her voice was but a frightened whisper. He could feel her fingers digging into his shoulders. She was trembling but didn¡¯t seem affected by the blue wave of otherworldly power.


    He turned his gaze towards the tear once again. Fear mixed with despair threatened to drown the sensible part of his mind. He fought against the rising panic. Panic meant death. He bit his lip, then took a deep breath as the tear in the veil began to pulsate again.


    A wave of blue light spread from it, slowly washing over the earth. He summoned what strength he had left, steadied himself as best he could, and waited.


    Something flew from behind, grazing his shoulder, and struck the ground before him. It was a silver coloured blade, a two handed claymore. Seven gems were embedded at the middle of the blade, all as large as his closed fists. It¡¯s hilt and guard were made of a black metal. The blade itself was almost as tall as Lillia, and too heavy for any normal person to lift.


    His eyes widened as realisation hit him. He turned around and embraced Lillia. ¡°Close your eyes!¡±


    The golden light was so bright it nearly blinded him despite turning his back to the sword. The air grew unbearably hot for a split second. His lungs burned, he felt like he was on fire, then the heat was replaced with frigid cold. It spread like a wave, chilling the whole area.


    As Midhir opened his eyes, he saw a thin layer of frost cover the forest. He let go of Lillia, whose limp body collapsed on the frosty ground. She had lost consciousness but seemed to be alright otherwise.


    ¡°Took you long enough,¡± His voice cut through the silence. He lifted his gaze to look at the woman walking towards him.


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    She was tall, with long, white hair cascading over her back and shoulders. Her green eyes glimmered as her lips curled up with a smile. Her gaze first turned towards Lillia, then to him. Her smile vanished almost instantly as she noticed his wound, and the blood seeping through the makeshift bandages he had tied.


    ¡°Indeed,¡± she spoke with a frown. She pursed her lips as she stood before him. ¡°Allow me to aid you.¡±


    Midhir sat back, and watched as she placed her hand on the wound. She wore a ring embedded with a tiny golden crystal. As soon as her hand touched his leg, the ring emitted a soft, warm glow.


    The pain nearly knocked him out. He keeled over, clenching his fists and taking deep breaths to try and stay conscious. It felt as if it lasted for hours, but the wound closed within seconds, stemming the blood flow.


    ¡°I won¡¯t heal anymore,¡± she decided, and pulled her hand away. ¡°Someone more skilled than I should heal the muscles ¨C lest the damage become permanent. Besides,¡± she looked at him straight in the eye. ¡°You don¡¯t look like you can take anymore punishment.¡±


    Midhir let out a sigh. ¡°You think?¡± he grimaced.


    The sword she had somehow thrown from such a distance emitted a golden glow as soon as she touched its hilt. ¡°What happened?¡± she asked, glancing at the unconscious Lillia, and then at the tear in the veil.


    ¡°They¡¯ve been passing through, probably since last night.¡± He pressed his palm against his aching eye. ¡°We tried to stop the mist from covering Lohssa, but I don¡¯t think Arwen and the others were able to stop it.¡± He lifted his gaze and glared at her. ¡°Are they alive, Moira?¡±


    Headmistress Moira nodded. ¡°Of course they are. Don¡¯t underestimate the heir of the Orleins. Or that girl,¡± she added with a scowl as the tear in the veil released yet another circle of blue light. She tilted her head and watched as the wave of blue light crashed against the golden light spreading from her sword.


    She didn¡¯t seem even slightly bothered by the clash. ¡°Soraya made a mistake. She shouldn¡¯t have sent you four here,¡± she shot a sharp glance at Midhir. ¡°And your sister made a mistake too,¡± she added.


    ¡°She won¡¯t hear the end of it, believe me,¡± he smiled wryly. ¡°Can you heal the tear?¡±


    The woman¡¯s eyes lit up with a fire. Her lips curled up with an almost mocking smirk as she pulled her sword out of the ground. ¡°I have not lost my edge yet, boy.¡±


    Resting her blade¡¯s flat surface against her shoulder, she walked towards the tear without hesitation. Her stride filled with confidence, she passed by the wisps of blue light, finally stopping right in front of the veil.


    She held her blade with both hands, in front of her chest, the blade looking up.


    ¡°In the name of the Emperor, I offer my blood to protect these lands,¡± Her voice was but a whisper, carried to him with the frigid wind. The seven crystals embedded into her sword lit up as she ran her palm along the sharp edge the blade.


    Red blood tainted the beautiful silver blade. She took a single step back, pointing her sword towards the tear in the veil. The blood on her blade suddenly started to gather towards the tip of her blade as she prepared the resonance needed to repair the veil.


    A single drop of her blood flew towards the tear in the veil. As soon as it touched the whirling, blue tear in reality, it suddenly shifted and changed. For a split second, it seemed like the tear fought against her power, but then in an instant it collapsed.


    Headmistress Moira stumbled back a single step. ¡°Your sister didn¡¯t make a mistake,¡± she said with a cold voice as her gaze lingered in the air where the tear was just a moment ago. ¡°Something tore the veil apart here, after she healed it.¡±


    Her words sent a shiver down his spine.

 Chapter 26 – Return to Solus

    Days had passed since they returned from Lohssa, and Midhir¡¯s wounds had only finished healing now. It took several sessions of healing resonance being cast on him for all the damage to the muscles, tendons, and bone to be healed fully. It had been a painful experience he didn¡¯t want to repeat anytime soon.


    On the way back to Solus, Arwen had explained what happened after they were separated with Midhir. According to her, they ran for their lives, somehow outrunning the mist and the few wolves that didn¡¯t go after him. After reaching the airship, she was able to recast the resonance from the ¡®echoes¡¯ that remained on her staff, and she kept it up until help arrived.


    Headmistress Moira had arrived via her personal airship a while later, and while a group of soldiers protected the citizens and the airship, she had apparently dashed towards a beam of golden light.


    Her words still bothered him. He had never heard of an ¡®echo¡¯ being left behind after a resonance had been cast. His sister hadn¡¯t ever mentioned such a thing either.


    Having just been released from the hospital, he finished getting dressed, checked his belongings in his holding gem disguised as an earring, and prepared to leave.


    After thanking the nurses and the healers, he stepped out of the two winged doors.


    ¡°Finally!¡± A cheerful voice startled him.


    Arwen, Willow, and Alistair were standing off to the side. Arwen¡¯s green eyes lit up with childlike glee, while Willow showed a tired smile.


    Alistair¡¯s expression remained unchanged ¨C he seemed distant and uncaring, but his shoulders did relax just a little.


    ¡°Have you healed properly?¡± Arwen rushed towards him. ¡°Is your leg alright?¡±


    He couldn¡¯t help but smile, she reminded him so much of his sister right now. ¡°I¡¯m fine ¨C the healers here are some of the best in Eldoria.¡±


    Arwen smiled with relief. ¡°That¡¯s very good to hear.¡±


    They headed back to the dorms while chatting idly, though Midhir soon found himself disconnected from Arwen and Willow¡¯s conversation. His gaze lingered beyond the windows as they walked the halls.


    Snow had begun to fall atop the mountaintops, and it was ever so slowly creeping closer to the castle, and the town beyond the crater. He could feel the chilly wind penetrating his clothes as it blew across the castle halls.


    It wasn¡¯t even winter yet, not even the end of autumn. It was too early for snowfall. An¡¯Larion wouldn¡¯t see it for months to come yet. Was it normal for Lunum and Solus Academy to have long, cold winters because of the altitude?


    ¡°Let¡¯s meet for dinner later,¡± Arwen offered as they arrived at the dorms.


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    ¡°Sure,¡± Midhir glanced at Alistair, who curtly nodded.


    Willow suddenly looked away. ¡°I, uh,¡± her voice was hesitant, ¡°I¡¯ll join you guys later.¡±


    Alistair shot her a sharp glance, while Arwen seemed more confused. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± the blonde girl asked.


    Blood rushed to Willow¡¯s cheeks as she quickly shook her head. ¡°Nothing!¡± she exclaimed, awkwardly chuckling. ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong, stop worrying so much! Anyways, see you later.¡± She nearly ran towards her room.


    Arwen watched her with a concerned expression before turning towards Midhir and Alistair again. ¡°I¡¯ll check on her,¡± she promised.


    Once she left as well, Midhir and Alistair climbed the stairs to the upper floors, leading to their rooms. Alistair¡¯s room was at the start of the circular hallway of the tower, while Midhir¡¯s was towards the end.


    ¡°Do you mind if I accompany you?¡± the noble asked, following Midhir.


    ¡°No, not at all,¡± he said, wondering what was going on. They soon arrived at his room.


    It was exactly as he had left it. The single window was shut closed, but the wind still found cracks along the frame to blow through. His only belongings were a couple of books stacked on top of each other on the small desk, and a cloak hanging from the hanger next to the door.


    Alistair closed the door. ¡°I must thank you,¡± he spoke with a solemn voice. ¡°And apologize for my despicable behaviour.¡±


    Midhir stopped mid-step and turned towards the young Orlein. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± he asked with raised eyebrows and a confused expression.


    ¡°I despaired. I gave up. I was ready to wait for the mist to take us,¡± Alistair looked out the window. ¡°At the first hint of trouble, I forsake Lohssa, and everyone there ¨C the crew of the airship, Willow, Arwen, you. It was unbecoming of a noble ¨C I can¡¯t face my lineage with such a weak will.¡±


    So that was what this was all about. Midhir took a deep breath. ¡°We survived,¡± he stated the obvious. ¡°You got Arwen and Willow out of there, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    Alistair closed his eyes. ¡°Before that, I-¡°


    Midhir cut him off, ¡°I heard you. I heard Arwen shouting at me, and I heard your voice. I heard you bring them back to their senses. You made sure the people of Lohssa weren¡¯t lost in the mist.¡± He folded his arms and scowled. ¡°We all despair. You¡¯re human ¨C ancient lineage or not, you are allowed to feel.¡±


    He pointed out the window. ¡°Bareon didn¡¯t survive only because your ancestor took action.¡±


    Alistair¡¯s eyes shot wide open.


    ¡°He wasn¡¯t alone. The Emperor didn¡¯t reclaim the city all by himself either ¨C they had army behind them, and had each other, and their close allies to lean on,¡± he continued without hesitation. ¡°If something like what happened to Bareon happens to An¡¯Larion, what do you think will happen?¡±


    He could see blood drain from Alistair¡¯s face. Pale as a sheet of paper, the young noble looked at him in shock. ¡°Do not speak of such a thing, have you lost your mind?!¡± He exclaimed, almost as if he was frightened even speaking of it would bring it into existence. ¡°Eldoria would come to the brink of collapse!¡±


    Midhir pursed his lips. ¡°I know. But it can happen. The thirteenth district of the city is covered in mist, only contained by the combined efforts of the Empress, and many powerful people, including Willow¡¯s father.¡± He let out a sigh and brushed his hair back. ¡°My point is,¡± he explained, ¡°You¡¯re human. So are we all. You don¡¯t apologize for feeling.¡±


    He glared at the young noble. ¡°You don¡¯t,¡± he repeated again. ¡°You apologize for not acting ¨C but you did act. You helped us cast the first resonance, you got Arwen and Willow out of there safely, and you fought against the beasts coming from the mist when she recast the resonance. What more should you have done?¡±


    A moment of silence was broken by Alistair¡¯s next words.


    ¡°Everything you have done.¡± His gaze met with Midhir¡¯s. ¡°Willow and Arwen ¨C they don¡¯t know what that beam of light was.¡±


    Midhir felt his blood freeze.


    ¡°I will keep it that way, since you¡¯ve said nothing.¡± Alistair bowed his head slightly before leaving the room.

 Chapter 27 – The Dreaded Approach (1)

    ¡°You have exams tomorrow.¡±


    Instructor Soraya¡¯s lips curled up as those were the first words that escaped her lips as she arrived at the dilapidated courtyard. She watched them with a mischievous smile.


    ¡°What?!¡± Willow gave her the reaction she wanted as she exclaimed in shock. ¡°But we just returned a few days ago,¡± she protested, ¡°and he was released from the hospital yesterday,¡± She pointed at Midhir in desperation.


    Arwen didn¡¯t seem particularly surprised or bothered by the instructor¡¯s words, though she did shoot a concerned glance at Alistair and Midhir.


    ¡°The exam dates were posted from the very beginning of the semester, so you have no ground to complain,¡± the Instructor smirked. ¡°But I¡¯ll go easy on you ¨C my exam is just a duel, so you especially don¡¯t need to worry. I heard you¡¯ve been duelling quite often,¡± she smirked, feigning ignorance about how she made all those duels happen in the first place.


    Willow¡¯s shoulders dropped, she seemed visibly relieved.


    ¡°Um,¡± Arwen sheepishly spoke up. ¡°Am I supposed to duel as well?¡±


    Instructor Soraya shook her head. ¡°Gods no, I¡¯m not having you fight yet. You¡¯re very obviously not in full control of your weapon, you¡¯d just end up injuring yourself or you opponent,¡± she hesitated before adding, ¡°or both.¡±


    Arwen pursed her lips. ¡°Then what am I supposed to do?¡±


    Instructor Soraya smirked. ¡°Your job is to watch them fight, and list me all the mistakes they made.¡± She gestured towards Midhir, Willow, and Alistair.


    Arwen¡¯s eyes shot wide open. ¡°But I don¡¯t know anything about sword fighting!¡± she protested, ¡°or spears,¡± she glanced at Alistair. ¡°How am I supposed to notice their mistakes?¡±


    Midhir scowled. She was right ¨C she had no experience concerning weapons at all. She probably hadn¡¯t even touched a spear or rapier before, and she seemed awkward even when she held Midhir¡¯s sword while holding back the mist. She had no way of understanding what mistakes they did.


    ¡°You will watch.¡± Instructor Soraya raised her chin. ¡°And you will try to learn from that. Like I said before, the field assignments you will partake in matter a lot more for your grades ¨C you won¡¯t fail just because of a single exam.¡± She waved her hand dismissively, ¡°anyways, class dismissed, go to your next classes and have an early night.¡±


    ¡°Your exam is in two days.¡± Instructor Theodore said with a grim expression.


    ¡°What?!¡± Willow shouted, slamming her hands on her desk, and starting on her feet. Her fiery eyes glared at the instructor. ¡°What do you mean in two days?!¡±


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    ¡°It was Soraya¡¯s request not to notify you. In fact, I think I shouldn¡¯t have told you even now¡­¡± The young instructor leaned his chin against his palm as he pondered. ¡°Hmmm¡­. Yes I believe I wasn¡¯t supposed to tell you until I served you the exam papers¡­¡± He seemed ever so slightly paler compared to moments ago.


    A fire lit in his eyes. He glared at each and every one of them for several moments. ¡°You won¡¯t tell her.¡±


    Midhir quickly looked away, trying to hide his smirk. He covered his mouth with his hand in an attempt to suppress his laughter.


    A chuckle escaped Arwen¡¯s lips, while Alistair nodded solemnly. ¡°Your secret is safe with us, Instructor.¡±


    Willow looked at them wide eyed. ¡°Seriously?!¡± She exclaimed. ¡°We have two days to study and you¡¯re laughing at this?¡± The desperation in her voice was palpable.


    ¡°That¡¯s a fault of your own, Lady Aulorn,¡± Instructor Theodore corrected his glasses, ¡°the exam dates were posted on the board for each class from the very first day of the semester.¡±


    Willow sank back into her chair and putting her forehead against her arms. A weak mumble was all they could hear from her.


    ¡°But putting that aside, you should absolutely read The Fall of the Rose Capital. It¡¯s a detailed memoir of arguably the biggest event in Eldorian history.¡± He winked, then stretched his arms. ¡°I¡¯ll end class early today, you¡¯re dismissed.¡±


    ¡°I should go to the library,¡± Willow muttered in a defeated tone as they slowly walked along the wide hallways. ¡°I returned the book before we left for Lohssa, I should borrow it again. Study it¡­¡± Her voice grew weaker with every word she spoke.


    ¡°Are you worried?¡± Arwen asked, glancing at Alistair.


    The young noble¡¯s lips curled up into a smile for a split second. ¡°No, not for Instructor Theodore¡¯s exam. The duel, however,¡± he looked at Midhir. ¡°If I¡¯m put against you, it will be a tough fight.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Midhir smirked. ¡°Tough, but fun.¡±


    He couldn¡¯t wait for the duel. Last time he crossed weapons with Alistair had been a great teacher for both of them, and since then they had both come face to face with death and survived. Their experience in Lohssa had honed both of their abilities, he was sure. He couldn¡¯t wait to see just how much they had both improved.


    ¡°What about you?¡± Arwen asked with a smile, ¡°Worried about Instructor Theodore¡¯s exam?¡±


    He shook his head, ¡°No, I¡¯ll probably do fine there.¡±


    ¡°Naturally,¡± Alistair pursed his lips, ¡°apologies for changing the subject, but I dropped by the board after Instructor Soraya dismissed us and noticed a third class added to our curriculum after the exams. Do any of you know anything about it?¡±


    Midhir scowled. His sister had only mentioned two classes during her time here. Practical Combat and Strategy was only supposed to focus on combat and history for the first year, with leadership and politics related classes being added in the second and third years.


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t,¡± Arwen shook her head. ¡°We should ask Instructor Soraya about it tomorrow.¡±


    Willow soon left them to head to the library. The three of them only mingled for a short while longer before each went to their own rooms.


    Closing the door to his room behind him, the conversation he had with Alistair surfaced in his mind. Did he know? Or was he just guessing? He was acting different ¨C it was a very small difference, but it was there.


    A mix of worry and guilt clouded his heart as he sat on his bed and leaned his back against the wall.


    He didn¡¯t want things to change. He was content, happy even.


    His sister¡¯s words before he boarded that airship in An¡¯Larion were still fresh in his mind.


    You don¡¯t carry the burden as I do. Don¡¯t take up that mantle unless you must ¨C you will never be able to return to how things were.

 Chapter 28 – The Dreaded Approach (2)

    Laying on his bed wide awake, his sister¡¯s words lingered in his mind. Now he somewhat understood why she said that. Even a single misstep, and he would lose what he had here.


    He¡¯d rather go back home than stay here in that case. Just like she did.


    A faint smile touched upon his lips. At least his excuse wouldn¡¯t be uncomfortable furniture and lack of good food. He still remembered how she arrived home one day, declaring she had learned everything there was to learn, and the beds were too uncomfortable.


    She wasn¡¯t wrong. It was still a funny memory he cherished though.


    Thinking of Ilya brought their field assignment to the forefront of his thoughts. Uncomfortable, he sat up on the bed and leaned towards the window above the mattress.


    The sky was hidden above a layer of thick, dark clouds. No moonlight could pierce those clouds, and if they lingered till dawn, even sunlight would have a hard time getting through.


    Just like that mist.


    He rubbed his legs, where the wolf had bitten him. Had headmistress Moira not arrived in time, those wounds would have marked his death. And when word got back to Ilya¡­ A cold shiver ran down his spine. She¡¯d probably figure out how to resurrect him just so she could shout at him about how careless he was.


    The thought made him chuckle half-heartedly.


    His hand touched the holding gem in his earring. A stake appeared in his palm, wooden, with gold inlaid carvings decorating its ever surface. A gold coloured gem was attached to the very top of it, slotted in like the pommel of Willow¡¯s sword.


    It emitted a soft, warm glow. These crystals were rare ¨C not because of their colour, but because they could store spiritual power. He was given two of them, both fashioned into these stakes ¨C and now one was broken. He had the shattered pieces with him still. Perhaps Ilya would have a use for them.


    He caressed the surface of the crystal, sensing the power stored within. He regretted having broken one, but it had saved his and Lillia¡¯s lives. It had achieved its purpose.


    He put it back into the holding gem, not wanting it to be noticed by anyone. Alistair already guessed what the beam of light was ¨C if he saw this, he¡¯d know for certain. He didn¡¯t want their friendship to change like that.


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    He watched the skies for a while longer.


    Dawn arrived with a fresh layer of snow on the mountaintops. There was a frigid cold that signalled the early arrival of winter. The dilapidated courtyard was covered in a thin layer of ice, as and he could see the snow gathered on the walls and roofs of the castle.


    Standing outside, wrapped in his warm cloak, he rubbed his hands together. His breath turned into a vapour.


    ¡°You¡¯re early.¡± Instructor Soraya didn¡¯t seem affected by the cold, or the strong winds blowing around them. A blade and a dagger hung from her belt, with her hand resting on the hilt of her sword. A crimson glow illuminated her fingers. She already had a resonance cast.


    ¡°I¡¯d rather not take any chances on an exam day,¡± he said with a chuckle.


    Instructor Soraya smirked. ¡°Fair point, though you¡¯re way too early. The sun is rising only now.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not alone here, instructor,¡± Midhir gestured towards her. ¡°If it¡¯s so early, why are you here?¡±


    Instructor Soraya let out a laugh. ¡°Fair!¡± She exclaimed. Her voice echoed in the silence of dawn.


    The world was still asleep under this blanket of snow and cold. The few animals who were awake hadn¡¯t started their days yet.


    Instructor Soraya watched the lake for a few moments before turning her attention back to Midhir. ¡°I heard what you did during your field assignment,¡± her voice was sharp and tense. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve heard this several times before, from many different people.¡± She paused, glancing at the door behind him.


    ¡°Heard what?¡± he asked.


    ¡°From adults, who¡¯ve lived through the incident at An¡¯Larion a decade ago.¡± She folded her arms and raised her chin. ¡°I believe you¡¯re the last to carry the family name of Induen.¡±


    Midhir barely kept himself from rolling his eyes. He wasn¡¯t surprised she knew its history, but he did find it odd that she cared at all. A dead family name had no worth anymore.


    ¡°You should be more careful. I¡¯d hate to see a bloodline end just like that,¡± sha narrowed her eyes.


    ¡°I understand,¡± he breathed out to rid himself of his annoyance, ¡°but I hardly had a choice, and the headmistress arrived in time to heal the damage to the veil and close the tear. You needn¡¯t worry so much about it, instructor.¡±


    Instructor Soraya pursed her lips. ¡°It¡¯s my job to worry about my students, especially when they come face to face with the dangers of the Otherworld when the biggest threat should have been some thieves or wild animals getting into food stockpiles.¡± She almost seemed angry at herself. ¡°Lohssa was deemed safe by the authorities, never did it cross my mind that a tear would appear so soon after another one had been fixed ¨C by the crown princess no less.¡±


    She let out a sigh, but then her posture changed. She rested her hand on the hilt of her blade and smiled just before the door behind him creaked open, and the remaining three members of their class arrived.


    ¡°Good morning everyone!¡± She remarked with a fire in her eyes. She looked completely different to how she was a moment ago. ¡°Are you ready?¡±


    Willow gulped, while Alistair summoned his spear from his holding gem hidden under his sleeve.


    Midhir gripped the hilt of his shortsword. The exam was about to begin ¨C he couldn¡¯t focus on their previous conversation anymore.


    ¡°Very well,¡± Instructor Soraya raised her chin. ¡°Then let us begin. Midhir, since you came so early today, I¡¯ll start with you.¡±


    She drew her sword and pointed it towards him. The blade burst into flames as her next words echoed in his ears. ¡°Today, I¡¯ll be your opponent.¡±

 Chapter 29 – A Test of Resolve (1)

    A fire burned in her eyes. She was dressed in a black uniform, and a dark grey cloak fluttering with the wind.


    ¡°Don¡¯t hold back, Induen. Fight like your life depends on it,¡± she spoke with palpable excitement in her voice.


    Midhir nodded, grasping the hilt of his blade. He planted his feet firmly on the ground, steadying himself and ensuring his balance. He knew little about Instructor Soraya, but her stance and the blazing fire in her dark blue eyes told him that she meant every word she spoke.


    The wind blew to his face, tugging at his hair and clothes.


    Instructor Soraya raised her sword to her chin, blade facing up as she saluted him. As soon as he did the same, her lips parted with a smile. She bent her knees, lowering her sword to her right side. Her torso turned slightly to the side as she grasped the hilt of her blade with both hands.


    ¡°Alistair, please initiate the match,¡± her voice was cold and calm like a frozen lake, but the fire in her eyes betrayed that image.


    The young noble stepped forward. He took a deep breath, then shouted ¡°Begin!¡±


    In the blink of an eye, Instructor Soraya dashed towards him. He could barely follow her with his eyes as she crossed the courtyard. She seemingly appeared before him within a heartbeat of Alistair speaking.


    He just had the time to raise his blade. The cling of metal hitting metal sounded as he felt the strength of her blow. His muscles ached as he withstood the hit, somehow keeping his balance. Sparks flew in the air, and immediately his instincts screamed at him to move away.


    He pushed back with all the strength he could muster, forcing her to take a single step back, then leapt back just in time as the crystal embedded into her sword¡¯s guard brightly shone.


    Flames danced on her blade as she followed him without hesitation. Every swing of hers forced him to either block or retreat several steps. The flames roared on her blade, and each time their swords crossed, he felt the flames reaching for his face.


    Beads of sweat rolled down his forehead as he desperately tried to fend her off. His arms had begun to ache from simply blocking her strikes. She was so strong, almost inhumanly so. Every strike he blocked took a toll, and every moment passing made his chances of winning even lower.


    It felt like his only chance was to wait for a mistake, but¡­ that wasn¡¯t right. This wasn¡¯t Willow or Alistair, this was an experienced swordswoman, someone so far above him in terms of experience, power, and mastery of her weapon. She wasn¡¯t going to make any mistakes he could exploit. Not after having scolded him about it before.


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    His jaw tightened as he deflected an overhead blow, letting the blade harmlessly slide over his. No, he couldn¡¯t wait for a mistake. He needed to try something, use what little experience he had.


    He put some distance between them with a few quick backsteps. He tightened the grasp of his right hand on the hilt of his blade but let go of it with his left hand.


    He couldn¡¯t match her mastery with the sword, or her speed and strength. But there was one thing she hadn¡¯t made much use of ¨C the gem embedded in the guard of her sword. She wasn¡¯t using that augment properly, the only resonance she cast was to light her sword on fire. It looked dangerous, and definitely made him mind his hair and clothes, but aside from it, it was hardly a threat.


    As she dashed at him, he tugged at the thread of power within.


    His vision blurred for a split second as he felt power well up within him. It rushed towards his blade, into the crimson gem embedded into the hilt. The short blade of the sword burst into flames, which almost immediately began to gather at its tip.


    Instructor Soraya¡¯s smile froze. She stopped her dash halfway through. Her lips parted in surprise, and her eyes widened slightly as she quickly regained her balance.


    This was the one and only chance he was going to get. Summoning his remaining strength, he broke into a dash. Holding his blade with one hand, he controlled the flames with the other. They parted from the blade, flying towards her like a thrown javelin.


    Instructor Soraya¡¯s eyes widened further. She ducked under the flames, then rose back up to meet his blade, only to notice the returning flames at the very last second.


    She kicked the ground, leaping up, above the flames, above Midhir¡¯s head, she rose several meters high in the air before landing a few dozen steps away from him, sword in one hand, dagger in the other.


    ¡°That surprised me,¡± she breathed out with a wide smile. ¡°Not many people can do that,¡± she was panting, the fire on her sword had gone out, and the pommel of her dagger ¨C a gem, embedded in it ¨C was glowing green.


    Midhir smirked. At least he made her exert some effort. ¡°Thanks?¡± He wiped the sweat off his brows.


    Instructor Soraya planted her feet firmly on the ground. ¡°Oh no,¡± she said with a cold voice. ¡°Don¡¯t thank me yet, I need to see just how well you can control that,¡° she glanced at the flames floating around him.


    The wind picked up, blowing strongly around them. It took him a few seconds to understand that it was her doing. The gem on the pommel of her dagger glowed brightly as the wind howled in his ears.


    Eyes wide and jaw clenched, he took a few steps back in disbelief. How was she affecting such a large area with such a powerful resonance, only using a simple weapon augment?


    She walked forward, her steps light as the winds swirled around her. ¡°Alistair, this match will end in one minute,¡± As soon as those words left her mouth, she dashed forward, carried forth by the storm of her own making.


    Their blades crossed once more, and Midhir felt a sharp pain on his cheek. The whirlwind caught a drop of red, but all he could focus on was the bloodthirsty eyes of Instructor Soraya.

 Chapter 30 – A Test of Resolve (2)

    She was fast, faster than Midhir could follow, faster than he could hope to react. She wasn¡¯t holding back anymore. Within a split second, she appeared before him, crossing the courtyard near instantly.


    Their blades met, letting out a clear clang. Midhir felt the force of her strike shake his entire body. She was even stronger than before. This wasn¡¯t someone he could win against. Especially not while trading blows with her.


    He leapt back, though the winds pushed him around, threatening to throw him off balance as he landed a few steps away. His right hand still clenched the hilt of his sword, but his left hand was raised, a bright flame burning in his palm.


    Instructor Soraya leapt up, she rose in the air carried by the whirlwind of her own making before she dove towards Midhir.


    Without hesitation, he slammed the fire in his hand into the ground, recalling the resonance embedded into the stake he had broken back at Lohssa. Crimson flames hit the ground, then burst up like a beam of light before splitting up and forming a barrier around him. The semi-sphere covered him on all sides within a heartbeat.


    Instructor Soraya¡¯s blade struck the barrier not a moment later. Sparks flew in the air, and her rather surprised grunt sounded as the barrier glowed brightly, sending her flying across the courtyard. She spun in the air, realigning herself with the ground, and landed on her feet.


    Her eyes glimmered. She straightened her back, a smile spread across her lips. She pointed her sword at him. The crimson gem embedded into its guard began to glow. At the same time, she raised her dagger as well, holding it next to her sword, in parallel.


    The green gem on its pommel began to glow as well.


    Midhir¡¯s lips parted as his heart sank. She was capable of dual casting resonances. His meagre barrier wasn¡¯t going to hold against a resonance as powerful as she was preparing.


    Winds gathered around her, tugging at her hair and clothes. Then, her sword burst into flames. A fiery ball surrounded by strong winds began to form at the tip of her blade.


    Midhir let his barrier dissipate. His heart raced as he kicked the ground and ran as fast as he can.


    How much time had passed? How long had it been since she gave the one minute mark to Alistair? Half a minute? Three quarters? Desperate, Midhir dashed.


    He felt power drain from the world around him. It was suffocating, like all air had vanished. Then, it returned with a blast. Or, at the same time as a blast. Something hit the ground where he was a few seconds ago. He heard the sound of breaking stone, shattering slabs, and a howling of the wind that reminded him of the bloodthirsty wolves.


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    Pieces of rock, slab, and earth hit him, followed by something else.


    While he was running just a moment ago, he was now in the air. It took him a split second to realise what was happening before he plummeted into the lake.


    It was cold, so very cold. He didn¡¯t remember the last time he felt so cold. It was dark, too. He wasn¡¯t sure if his eyes were open or closed, he was too numb to feel, and it was too dark to see.


    Distant sounds reached his ears. Dozens of footsteps, rushing somewhere. The sound of metal brushing against metal. Something let out a deafening creak, followed by a loud crash that shook the ground below him.


    His body was numb, but his mind had begun to wake up. His fingers twitched, and his sense of touch began to return. He parted his eyelids, then immediately closed them again as a bright blue light nearly blinded him.


    Something smashed against the ground somewhere nearby. He heard the muffled sound through the walls and felt the vibrations it caused in the ground.


    He again tried to open his eyes, this time covering his face with his hand and peeking through his fingers.


    Pain struck his eyes, his head felt like it was about to burst. A whimper escaped his lips, that almost immediately turned into a child¡¯s cries. Tears ran down his cheeks as his mind was thrown into disarray.


    He shut his eyes, covering them with his hands, pulled his knees to his chest and cried.


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± A woman¡¯s voice reached his ears, muffled, like it was coming from beyond a curtain, or a door. ¡°Break that door down,¡± she ordered. Her voice was filled with authority.


    Following her words, something smashed against wood. Again and again, until he heard the door break.


    Someone gasped.


    He opened his eyes, peeking through his fingers again.


    His surroundings were still incomprehensibly chaotic, and just looking at them made his heard hurt. Why were there two things at once overlapping, everywhere? He didn¡¯t know, he couldn¡¯t understand. But he could clearly see the woman.


    She was tall, taller than half the men behind her. She wore her long, raven black hair in a braid. Her clothes were black as well ¨C baggy leggings, a long sleeved shirt, and a coat hastily thrown over her shoulders.


    Her lips parted in surprise as soon as her gaze landed on him. She covered her mouth with her hand.


    ¡°A child?¡± one of the men behind her asked. ¡°What¡¯s a child doing here?¡±


    The woman didn¡¯t reply. Instead, she approached him with cautious steps, her gaze focused something behind him. He could see the blue light shining on her. ¡°Don¡¯t look back,¡± she urged him as she crouched before him.


    He recoiled as her hand reached for him. Amongst the overlapping reality around him, she was the only thing that looked real.


    She took his hand, not letting him retreat further. ¡°I¡¯ll get you out of here,¡± she promised. Her gaze turned down, to his legs. With her other hand, she touched a metal loop around his ankle. The ring on her finger let out a shine. A golden gem embedded in it glowed brightly for a split second before the metal loop broke into two pieces.


    Without hesitation, she picked him up. ¡°Send in the enforcers,¡± she said as she turned to the others. ¡°Find every last member of this House and bring them to me.¡± While still holding him with one hand, she stretched the other towards the blue light.


    A rift in reality began to close as it was unable to resist against her power. As it closed, he felt his consciousness slip away. His head leaned against her shoulder as the last thing he saw was shapes and silhouettes rushing towards the fading blue light.

 Chapter 31 – A Test of Resolve (3)

    Memories of a past he¡¯d rather not remember slowly faded as he sank deeper into the lake. He shook his head, fully pushing those memories away, and swam back to the surface.


    As soon as he broke through the water¡¯s surface, the panicked shouting of Willow reached his ears.


    ¡°You could have killed him!¡± she cried out.


    ¡°He¡¯s fine,¡± Instructor Soraya¡¯s said dismissively, waving her hand as if she was trying to chase Willow away. ¡°See, just a few scratches and bruises, right?¡± she smirked as her gaze met Midhir¡¯s.


    He swam back to the shore and climbed out of the water. ¡°Right,¡± he grumbled as the wind blew. He shivered, ¡°I should get changed.¡±


    Instructor Soraya pursed her lips. ¡°That is a correct assessment, go on.¡±


    Midhir sheathed his sword he had somehow been able to hold onto. ¡°How long did I last?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Instructor Soraya seemed surprised.


    ¡°Fifty eight seconds,¡± Alistair replied as Instructor Soraya smirked.


    ¡°Oh, right. That,¡± she chuckled, ¡°It wasn¡¯t a bad try, but you¡¯ve got a lot to learn-¡±


    ¡°You used dual resonance casting against a first year student,¡± Alistair cut her off with a flat voice. ¡°Against someone who was released from the hospital not too long ago, and against someone you know gets easily exhausted when resonance casting. Not only that, but you also used your augments like staves ¨C a rare ability.¡± He folded his arms and glared at her. ¡°I would urge you to reconsider how well you think he did.¡±


    Instructor Soraya smirked. ¡°Well, he clearly has the ability to separate the resonance from his weapon as well. You can call it evening the playing field.¡±


    Alistair continued to silently glare.


    ¡°Fine, fine,¡± Instructor Soraya rolled her eyes. ¡°Point taken. For an ordinary person, he did better than expected,¡± her gaze turned to Midhir. ¡°But ordinary people don¡¯t come to Solus Academy ¨C and they don¡¯t get put into this class. You nearly died because you¡¯re unable to resonance cast without fully draining yourself. As soon as you summoned those flames, your motions became sluggish. Had you not immediately become exhausted, my dual resonance would have never been able to harm you.¡±


    It was unpleasant to hear all of this after giving it his all. He had just cast back to back resonances, something he couldn¡¯t do before. Yet, his best wasn¡¯t enough. ¡°I¡¯ll practice more,¡± he replied curtly, trying to keep his disappointment from showing.


    Instructor Soraya smirked. ¡°That¡¯s what I want to hear. Anyways, you pass with flying colours, now go get changed into some dry clothes and come back ¨C and don¡¯t drop by the healers for those scratches and bruises.¡±


    Her last request seemed somewhat odd, but he nodded, nonetheless. Eager to escape from the frigid wind, he hurried inside. Ignoring the couple of odd looks he got along the way, he rushed up the stairs to the dorms. After changing his clothes and throwing the wet ones into the laundry basket, he threw a towel over his head and attempted to dry his hair as best as he could.


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    When he returned to the courtyard, he had the hood of his cloak pulled up in an attempt to protect his damp hair from the wind. Despite not having hurried too much, he saw Instructor Soraya standing on one side of the courtyard, and Willow on the other. Alistair and Arwen were stood next to the door, leaning against the wall, watching.


    ¡°Did you fight her already?¡± he asked as he stood next to them.


    Alistair nodded. ¡°I lost within half a minute ¨C and she didn¡¯t even cast any resonances.¡± Despite that, he didn¡¯t seem particularly upset.


    ¡°It was a little surprising,¡± Arwen shot a wary glance at Alistair before continuing. ¡°I think she was a little upset with you.¡± Her gaze returned to the two duellists as they prepared to begin.


    Willow gripped the hilt of her rapier and bent her knees slightly. Her gaze was focused on Instructor Soraya, who seemed to be quite relaxed. She was holding her sword with a loose grip, her dagger was in its sheath, and she hadn¡¯t cast any resonances yet.


    A moment passed in silence before Willow kicked the ground, dashing towards Instructor Soraya. The sound of metal hitting metal echoed across the courtyard as their blades met. The Instructor easily deflected Willow¡¯s blade, then went on the offensive.


    As she took a step towards Willow, the young woman¡¯s augment began to glow. A strong wind pushed the instructor back as she quickly retreated. Beads of sweat rolled down her chin, which she quickly wiped with her sleeve.


    She lunged at the instructor again, her movements faster than before as the winds whirled around her. Once again, their blades met, but this time Instructor Soraya wasn¡¯t as relaxed as before. She held her blade tightly with both hands, her feet planted firmly on the ground.


    As soon as their blades met, a crimson glow shone from the guard of Instructor Soraya¡¯s sword. The metal blade burst into flames that roared as they lunged at Willow. The young woman¡¯s eyes opened wide, her lips parted as she pulled her head back. Strong winds pushed the flames back, keeping her hair just outside their grasp.


    Instructor Soraya smirked. Their weapons still locked, she pushed with formidable strength, causing Willow to lose her balance. As the young swordswoman stumbled backwards on uneven terrain, and fell. The Instructor stepped forward, putting the tip of her blade against Willow¡¯s neck. ¡°And you lose!¡± she cheerfully declared.


    She sheathed her weapon, then turned her gaze to Arwen. ¡°What do you think she did wrong?¡±


    The young woman hesitated. Her lips parted, but then she paused. ¡°I think¡­ she shouldn¡¯t have gotten into a battle of strength with you?¡± she sheepishly asked.


    ¡°Exactly!¡± Instructor Soraya clapped. ¡°Now then, Willow, you pass too, though certainly not with flying colours. Arwen is right, you¡¯re not strong enough to lock blades with me. You need to find another way to gain the upper hand.¡± She helped Willow up, then folded her arms. ¡°Arwen, now is the time for your test.¡±


    The young woman¡¯s eyes opened wide. ¡°But I thought I wasn¡¯t going to fight!¡± she protested, gripping the shaft of her crystal staff.


    ¡°You won¡¯t,¡± Instructor Soraya shook her head. ¡°See the cut on Midhir¡¯s face? If you can heal it, you pass.¡±


    Arwen turned to look at him, while he remembered the small cut on his cheek. It had stopped bleeding a while ago, so he had completely forgotten about it.


    ¡°Then, excuse me.¡± Arwen took a deep breath, her hand caressing the shaft of her staff. The golden coloured gem held in the air by the four prongs of the staff slowly began to light up. It wasn¡¯t as bright as before, she must have worked hard to learn to control the flow of power into it.


    Soothing warmth touched his cheek. He felt a sting as the wound began to heal. He braced himself for the worst of pain, but it didn¡¯t come since the wound was so negligible. A few minutes later, Arwen breathed out in exhaustion, the glow of her staff faded as she stumbled back and leaned against wall.


    Midhir touched his cheek. He couldn¡¯t feel the wound anymore, nor did he feel any scar tissue.


    ¡°Not bad,¡± Instructor Soraya narrowed her eyes. ¡°But it took you four minutes and some, for such a small wound too. In your free time, go to the hospital and ask them for help. They¡¯ll help you find subjects with suitably simple wounds to work on.¡± She smiled, ¡°You all pass. Good job. Now, go back and get some rest, since tomorrow will probably just as tough as today. Midhir, you stay.¡±


    Once the others left, Instructor Soraya folded her arms. ¡°I was told to deliver you to the headmistress. She apparently wants to personally make sure you don¡¯t have any lingering effects from the incident at Lohssa.¡±

 Chapter 32 – Words of Caution (1)

    Standing before the two winged mahogany doors, Midhir was once again amazed by the age of the castle. The further into the castle one went, the more old architecture was visible, some sections of it dating back to before the founding of Eldoria.


    Principal Aoidh¡¯s office was in one of the oldest sections of the castle. There were cracks in the walls, gently repaired and fortified over the ages. The stone bricks were uneven, some protruding out of the wall, while others left small gaps in it. The floor in the hallway he stood in was somewhat newer, though it was still weathered, carrying the signs of battle.


    There wasn¡¯t much to look at here since what little intricacies existed in the architecture itself had been lost to time ages ago. The mahogany door was the only exception to that ¨C probably because it was new, modelled after the old ones, of course.


    Intricate carvings lined with brass covered the surface of the two winged door. They depicted a scene; a woman, wearing a winged helmet, her long hair fluttering behind her, donned in armour and wielding a spear, and a snake, winged, large and dangerous. The woman¡¯s spear was striking at the snake¡¯s eye.


    But that wasn¡¯t what caught Midhir¡¯s interest. The eyes of the snake was what he focused on. Two gems had been embedded into them, dull and simple, clearly ordinary. But their colour was a bright blue.


    While he pondered what event in history or legend these carvings depicted, the door swung open, and Instructor Soraya stepped out. ¡°Go on,¡± she curtly said with a sour tone before she walked off with hasty, and stiff steps. Her footsteps echoed in the hallway as Midhir watched her for a few moments longer.


    As she turned a corner and left his field of vision, he breathed a sigh, then stepped through the pair of mahogany doors.


    The Principal¡¯s office was beautifully decorated, and brightly illuminated by the two large windows across the door. The wall to his left was lined with bookshelves. They were lined on two sides of a hearth, though it wasn¡¯t lit at the moment. On the wall to his left, there were shelves again, albeit this time lined with small boxes, each more ornate and beautifully crafted than the other.


    Below the two large windows was the principal¡¯s desk, and her seat, facing the door. Two smaller seats were placed in front of the desk ¨C seats for visitors and guests.


    Midhir stepped inside and let the doors close behind him. His gaze met with principal Aoidh¡¯s as she sat at her seat, arms crossed and a faint smile on her lips. Her white hair cascaded behind her like a waterfall, glimmering like silver under the bright sunlight shining through the windows.


    ¡°Apologies for calling for you so suddenly,¡± she gestured at the chairs, ¡°you look tired, have a seat.¡±


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    Tired was an understatement. The toll of casting back to back resonances and separating them from his blade was exhaustion. Had he been given the chance, he would have preferred to sleep until the next morning. ¡°Duelling with instructor Soraya took its toll,¡± he replied with a soft chuckle as he sat down.


    ¡°Naturally,¡± She leaned forward. ¡°I won¡¯t waste either of our time. I was told to make sure you have no lingering effects from being in the mist, and in the vicinity of the tear in the Veil for too long.¡±


    Midhir¡¯s smile vanished. ¡°I¡¯m alright,¡± he looked at his hands. ¡°There is no lingering pain, no stiffness, the healers did an incredible job with the wound in my leg,¡± he hesitated, trying to remember. There were several things people were checked for if they had been exposed to creatures from the other side.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have shining blue eyes,¡± he chuckled, raising his head meet her gaze. ¡°As you can see,¡±


    Principal Aoidh nodded. ¡°Voices in your mind? Unnatural marks on your body? Abnormal strength, or loss of strength?¡±


    He shook his head to all of her questions. ¡°I¡¯m fine. The stake protected me from the worst of it, and I only got hit once by the waves of power.¡±


    ¡°Once is usually enough,¡± Her sharp voice startled him. ¡°Considering your situation, it¡¯s only natural they¡¯re worried. Had it been up to them, you would have never been sent on missions outside of Lunum.¡± She pursed her lips. ¡°They¡¯d rather have you back at home, safe.¡±


    Midhir let out a sigh. It was understandable. ¡°I know,¡± he muttered. ¡°I understand. But I can¡¯t stay at home forever. I want to see the world, I want to achieve something.¡± He hung his head, his gaze focused on his palms resting on his lap.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t let them interfere, boy.¡± Principal Aoidh waved her hand dismissively. ¡°And I won¡¯t let them interfere now either, no matter how much they wish they could. But you need to be careful. More than before. You should have used the stake as soon as the mist approached, and let your classmates help you keep its protective barrier up.¡±


    Midhir clenched his fists. ¡°It¡¯s too identifiable.¡±


    ¡°It is, indeed,¡± Principal Aoidh nodded. ¡°But when it¡¯s a question of whether you survive or not, that¡¯s not something you have the luxury to consider.¡±


    ¡°I survived.¡±


    ¡°Only because I arrived in time,¡± she scowled. ¡°You would have either died of blood loss or met a fate worse than death.¡±


    Midhir bit his lips. She was right. Every word she spoke was the truth, as always.


    ¡°I won¡¯t be here in your next field exercise,¡± she continued. ¡°Duty calls once more ¨C to Olisar, since this time it¡¯s beyond even Lord Ennea¡¯s capabilities.¡±


    Midhir¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°What?¡± asked as his gaze shot up to meet hers. ¡°Beyond the Lustrous Blademaster¡¯s capabilities? How?¡± He was one of the strongest people in Eldoria, with only a few people more powerful than him that he could think of off the top of his head.


    ¡°That¡¯s what I want to find out as well.¡± Principal Aoidh shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m not much stronger than he is. Not without someone of the Ardagh bloodline by my side. I can¡¯t be worrying about you during that time.¡± She glared at him, clearly waiting him to say something.


    Midhir rested his head on the back of his chair. ¡°I¡¯ll use the stake if we¡¯re faced with something we can¡¯t handle.¡±


    She raised a single eyebrow.


    ¡°I promise,¡± he added.


    Her lips curled up with a gentle smile. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Where are we going next anyways?¡± Having at least some information before the day of them leaving would be great. While Instructor Soraya clearly didn¡¯t want to disclose that information, he hoped Moira would.


    Principal Aoidh¡¯s smile slowly vanished. ¡°You¡¯ll be visiting Bareon, the City of Roses. Lord Orlein will be your point of contact, and you will be his guests.¡±

 Chapter 33 – Words of Caution (2)

    The frigid mountain breeze blew through the gaps in the wall and the windows, whistling as it sneaked in. The last rays of sunlight had vanished not too long ago, and the world slowly prepared to slumber.


    Midhir absentmindedly stared at his notes. He didn¡¯t really need to look at them ¨C not for tomorrow¡¯s exam, at least.


    Bareon, the City of Roses. The first capital of the Eldorian Empire, once fallen to the horrors of the Veil. Not many stories were told about those times. In fact, there were very few retellings of the events that happened before, during, and shortly after the Bareon Disaster.


    He pursed his lips. It was so for many of the big events in Eldorian history. The fall of Olisar and the following war was also rarely mentioned in more than surface detail. Perhaps it was because people feared speaking of such events would bring the attention and wrath of the Old Gods.


    His gaze lingered on a line he had noted down.


    Their eyes were shining blue, I could see them beg for mercy, to be freed of their bodies that had now become a prison for their mind. A fate worse than death ¨C to be trapped, watching their bodies become mindless vessels for death and destruction. I wouldn¡¯t wish it on my worst enemy.


    The Fall of the Rose Capital served as a memoir, as well as a history book. Lord Andor Orlein hadn¡¯t just written the events that happened during and after the disaster, but also vivid descriptions of his own memories and thoughts.


    His gaze focused on the first sentence. Blue eyes, shining. The same as the wolves, and Lillia. But Lillia didn¡¯t remember anything. It was as if she¡¯d woken up from a deep slumber. It didn¡¯t add up, and that worried him.


    He turned his gaze to the other piece of paper he had written. A letter, ready to be put in an envelope.


    ¡°Sorry, Alistair,¡± he muttered quietly. If danger reared its ugly head, he wouldn¡¯t hesitate this time. But he still wanted to protect this life he was living until that time came. He touched his earring, willing a ring into existence.


    The golden ring was old, and a bit too large for his finger, though that could be easily fixed if needed. A sigil decorated the ring ¨C a flaming bird, its wings outstretched.


    Putting his letter in the envelope, he took the red candle on his desk, and tipped it over slightly, letting the melted wax drip onto the letter. Pressing the sigil against it, he waited a moment before lifting his hand, and making sure the envelope was properly sealed.


    Throwing his cloak over his shoulders, he left his room, and headed to the aviary with hasty steps.


    Sunlight shone through the windows of the classroom, though it barely penetrated the gloomy air within. Leaning on his back, Midhir sighed inwardly.


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    The gloom and doom was solely gathered around Willow, who was looking at her paper with a mix of disgust and desperation. He didn¡¯t blame her, they all expected a series of questions that tested their knowledge.


    Explain in detail what would happen if the Bareon Disaster happened in An¡¯Larion today.


    Even he had trouble explaining that. An¡¯Larion was much larger than Bareon was at the time, consisting of thirteen districts, one of which had already fallen once before. Because of the maze-like catacombs stretching underneath the city, not all tears in the Veil in the thirteenth district had been mended yet ¨C it was an ongoing effort by the Empress and her Enforcers.


    If something similar to the Bareon Disaster happened now¡­ well, according to the not-so-public estimations of the Imperial Court, over three quarters of the city¡¯s population would fall to the Mist.


    It wasn¡¯t a pleasant scenario to think about, but he understood why Instructor Theodore forced them to. The Bareon Disaster wasn¡¯t a one-off incident. What happened in Olisar, and the events that caused the thirteenth district to be lost were similar. Since it had happened three times already, there was no reason for it not to happen again.


    Some time passed before Willow finally handed her paper in. Her pale expression said everything that needed to be said.


    ¡°Thank you, you¡¯re all excused. Go get some rest,¡± the Instructor¡¯s cheerful tone only caused to Willow to look even more upset.


    Arwen quickly dragged the other girl out of the classroom, offering to go to the cafeteria for some sweets.  As they left, Alistair also packed his things, glanced at Midhir, then slowly walked out.


    ¡°Is something the matter?¡± Instructor Theodore absentmindedly asked while stashing the exam papers into his holding gem. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to have trouble with this, since you hail from the capital.¡±


    Midhir shook his head. ¡°No, it wasn¡¯t troublesome. I wanted to ask something else,¡± he stood up, pulling The Fall of the Rose Capital out of his backpack. He turned the pages until he found the one he marked with a piece of paper. ¡°Lord Andor Orlein mentions shining blue eyes in those he called The Fallen. Claiming they were trapped in their own bodies, aware of the monstrous acts they performed, but unable to prevent them.¡±


    Instructor Theodore folded his arms. ¡°Indeed, such records exist for the events at Olisar as well.¡±


    Midhir scowled. ¡°Something similar, but not entirely the same happened in Lohssa. A young girl was¡­¡± he hesitated. ¡°Possessed, I suppose. But when she came to, she had no memories of what had happened, at all.¡±


    Instructor Theodore pursed his lips. ¡°I see. That is interesting.¡±


    Midhir hesitated. ¡°We¡¯ll be going to Bareon for out next field exercises.¡±


    The instructor¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Oh? Interesting choice by Soraya,¡± he fiddled with the sleeve of his uniform. ¡°A bold one too, considering Lohssa proved to be quite dangerous.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Midhir breathed a sigh. ¡°I know that Bareon is suffering from incidents related to the Veil still. I don¡¯t want a repeat of Lohssa. I know Lord Andor¡¯s retelling of the Bareon Disaster isn¡¯t fully accurate. It details what he saw, and what he thinks happened, but there isn¡¯t much mention of how or why.¡±


    Instructor Theodore nodded. ¡°I¡¯m afraid you won¡¯t find that anywhere-¡° he paused, ¡°well, unless¡­¡± he paced the classroom, clearly conflicted. ¡°There used to be a tome ¨C or a series of tomes that told events that happened. A few of my colleagues and I came across part of one of those tomes. It was just a bundle of torn and damaged pages, and it took us months to decipher what it said.¡±


    Midhir scowled. ¡°What did it say?¡±


    ¡°We weren¡¯t able to find the rest of the tome, nor did we come across something similar ever again. But it told something that was missing from Lord Andor¡¯s memoir ¨C that spirits roamed the lands and would slowly cause Eldoria to change.¡± He gestured out the window. ¡°You¡¯ve seen the overgrowth.¡±


    ¡°It also claimed that the Bareon disaster was the first of many.¡± His gaze met with Midhir¡¯s. ¡°But that tome was a millennium old at least.¡±

 Chapter 34 – Of Crystals Crude and Bright (1)

    ¡°I know this is a surprise to all four of you, but it was the Principal¡¯s decision to add my class to your curriculum,¡± the speaker was a petite woman. She used a cane to walk, avoiding putting her weight on her left leg.


    She corrected her large, round glasses, and pushed her auburn curls behind her ear. ¡°My name is Sivhe Caarda, you may call me Instructor Caarda. I will be teaching you about how best to utilise your augments, and other crystal tools.¡±


    Their classroom, if it could be called that, was her study. The large, round room¡¯s walls were lined with bookshelves. Boxes of all sizes and books stacked on top of each other formed several small towers on the ground. She had a desk, but it was overrun with papers, old parchments, and several crystals of varying sizes.


    After looking at his surroundings for a moment, Midhir concluded that she wasn¡¯t a particularly tidy or organised person.


    ¡°Why did the principal add this to our curriculum?¡± Willow piped up. ¡°Weren¡¯t we supposed to take this class in our fourth year?¡±


    Instructor Caarda nodded. ¡°Indeed, I usually only teach fourth year students from Practical Combat and Strategy, but Principal Aoidh mentioned that one of you is a crystal staff user, and another one of you is having great trouble with ordinary augments.¡± She pursed her lips, tilting her head to the side. Her auburn curls cascaded, covering half of her face. ¡°Who are those two students?¡±


    Midhir sighed inwardly as he raised his hand. ¡°I¡¯m the latter,¡± he curtly replied. Having spent the last days constantly reminded of his shortcomings, he had become somewhat more irritable. It was wearing on him, yet the only solution was to overcome it.


    Arwen excitedly started on her feet. ¡°I¡¯m using a crystal staff!¡± She exclaimed, her eyes glimmering with glee.


    Instructor Caarda raised her eyebrow. ¡°I see. Then I will have special classes for the both of you. Midhir, was it?¡± her gaze turned to him. ¡°Come here every dusk. And you,¡± her sharp gaze turned to Arwen. ¡°Every day, at dawn, I will see you here. Understood?¡±


    Puzzled, they both nodded.


    ¡°What about us?¡± Alistair¡¯s question was met with a chuckle.


    ¡°She is trying the impossible and will need all the help she can get, no matter how small or insignificant, while he has a weakness to cover. Unless you fit in either of those categories, you¡¯re better off spending your time honing your weapon mastery, and knowledge of history.¡± She sharply replied as she stood up and slowly made her way over to her desk.


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    After rummaging through the mess of papers, parchments, and crystals, she stashed a few items into her pockets, the returned to the seating area arranged in the middle of the room. After carefully lowering herself onto her seat, she rummaged through her pockets, pulling one of the items she just stashed in there out.


    ¡°This is a crystal,¡± she stated the obvious. It was a fist sized crystal, green in colour. It wasn¡¯t particularly vibrant, cut into a roughly spherical shape. ¡°We use these in, well, every aspect of our lives,¡± She narrowed her eyes, her gaze shifting to Alistair¡¯s right sleeve, then to Willow¡¯s hand. She turned her head to look at Arwen, and her small pendant, then finally looked at Midhir. Their gazes met as her lips curled upwards slightly.


    ¡°The most common use most of the population has with crystals is water,¡± she explained, ¡°Cities small and large use crystals to supply homes with fresh, clean water. An¡¯Larion and Bareon included, despite being founded near clean water sources.¡±


    An¡¯Larion was built around a lake, which received its water from the nearby mountains via underground water streams. While Midhir didn¡¯t know too much about Bareon, he didn¡¯t doubt her words. Both of these were incredibly old cities, constructed before humanity had learned to harness the power of crystals.


    ¡°Another use is something many use daily ¨C storage. It¡¯s much easier to store weapons, tools, and other belongings in holding gems. In fact, I would argue that it is rare to see anyone carrying their weapons the old-fashioned way.¡± She shot a telling glance at the shortsword hanging from Midhir¡¯s belt. ¡°Does your trouble with augments extend to holding gems as well?¡±


    Midhir shook his head. ¡°No but using any crystal-powered tool requires some degree of focus ¨C something that becomes a luxury in a moment of crisis.¡±


    Instructor Caarda pursed her lips. ¡°I see,¡± she then rummaged through her pocket again, pulling out another crystal.


    This one was crude, with rough edges, muddy surfaces and chunks of rocks still stuck to it. It was a dark blue colour.


    ¡°This is also a crystal ¨C a crude, unrefined crystal,¡± holding each crystal in one hand, she looked at them. ¡°Do you know how they are formed?¡±


    A moment of confused silence was broken by Alistair. ¡°Are they not mined? From what I remember, there are crystal mines below Bareon and An¡¯Larion, as well as the outskirts of Olisar.¡±


    Instructor Caarda¡¯s lips curled up. ¡°Indeed, that isn¡¯t wrong. Did you know that there was also a cavern full of such crystals discovered in the forest north of Lohssa just the other day?¡±


    Something in her voice rang alarm bells in Midhir¡¯s mind. He scowled, his gaze focused on the crude, unrefined crystal resting in her hand. He rubbed his left eye absentmindedly as it felt uncomfortable.


    ¡°Really?¡± Willow piped up, while Alistair seemed more surprised. ¡°That¡¯s quite good for such a small town ¨C it means it will have imperial support to build the required infrastructure. Perhaps that airway station will finally be constructed.¡± He seemed pleased, almost vindicated.


    Instructor Caarda nodded as she listened to him, nodded as her smile widened ever so slightly. ¡°Right,¡± she said when he fell silent again. ¡°Next time you leave for a field assignment, if it¡¯s to one of these places, I will have Soraya add a visit to these mines to your itinerary.¡± She glanced out the singular window before continuing with her words. ¡°I want you three,¡± she pointed at Alistair, Willow, and Arwen, ¡°to read A Simple Guide to Crystal Tools. Dismissed.¡±


    While the other three left, Midhir hesitantly glanced at the door.


    ¡°Now then, let¡¯s see if I can help you.¡±

 Chapter 35 – Of Crystals Crude and Bright (2)

    Instructor Caarda slowly made her way over to her desk, then circled around it, pausing a moment to rest as she arrived at the window. ¡°Come,¡± she said, pulling the curtains somewhat obscuring it.


    It wasn¡¯t a window, but a glass door, with a wooden frame. Instructor Caarda opened the door, then stepped outside, onto a relatively large, half-circle balcony.


    ¡°Dusk and Dawn are the prime times for using spiritual power,¡± her voice was much lower than before as she sat on a simple chair put next to the door. ¡°Apologies for not standing, Midhir, but my leg no longer allows me to do so for long.¡± She rubbed her left leg, wincing with pain.


    The view from here was quite beautiful. While they weren¡¯t high enough to see beyond the snowy mountain peaks, they had a clear view of the raging stream flowing down the crater, feeding the lake at the foot of the castle. Beyond the stream stood the library. It¡¯s beautifully crafted exterior was just as breath-taking from up here as it was from up close.


    ¡°What do you know about spiritual power?¡± Instructor Caarda¡¯s words brought him back to the present.


    ¡°The basics,¡± he scowled as he noticed a raven fly towards the castle with the corner of his eye. ¡°I do know that it¡¯s all around us, the life force of the world. Without it, life couldn¡¯t exist¡­ probably.¡± He repeated his mother¡¯s words, fondly remembering the times she taught him that.


    ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s a widespread theory that life without it wouldn¡¯t be able to sustain itself,¡± Instructor Caarda nodded. ¡°Use the augment on your weapon ¨C it¡¯s a fire attuned crystal is it not?¡±


    Surprised, Midhir nodded. The crystal was hidden under the cotton wraps around his blade¡¯s hilt. How did she know its colour or element? Pondering, he drew his sword, holding it with both hands. He reached inwards and tugged at his power.


    The crystal embedded into the hilt of his sword glowed crimson. Power ran throughout his body, flowing to his fingertips, then into the crystal. The blade burst into flames not a moment later, leaving Midhir exhausted. He wiped the sweat rolling down his chin and took deep breaths to try and recoup.


    Instructor Caarda raised her eyebrows. ¡°I see,¡± she muttered, leaning forward, and correcting her glasses. ¡°If even this has you quite so exhausted, it is a good thing Principal Aoidh asked me to teach your class. This is quite¡­ inadequate,¡± she hesitantly spoke as she vaguely pointed towards his blade and himself.


    Suppressing the irritation rising, Midhir breathed out. ¡°I know,¡± he curtly replied. He had been made well aware of his inadequacies.


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    Instructor Caarda glared at him for a few moments longer before finally being satisfied. ¡°You can stop now,¡± she said, leaning back and folding her arms.


    He let the flames die and breathed out a sigh of relief as the immense drain on his strength finally stopped. He stumbled back but held onto the railing before losing his balance.


    ¡°Do you know why you¡¯re having so much trouble?¡± she asked with a half-smile.


    ¡°No,¡± Midhir shook his head. ¡°I can only guess that I¡¯m simply not capable of manipulating more spiritual power.¡±


    Instructor Caarda chuckled, ¡°Your guess would be correct, but also incredibly misinformed. You see, we humans don¡¯t have much spiritual power to begin with,¡± she pressed her hand on her chest. ¡°And what we do have, we usually spend to simply stay alive. It¡¯s what keeps our soul from drying out.¡±


    Midhir scowled. While his mother had taught him what he knew of crystal manipulation and resonance casting, what she taught him was the practical side of things.


    ¡°So, we only use a fraction of that power to guide the spiritual power around us. So we don¡¯t really waste any of ours, hence why we only get slightly winded after casting several resonances back to back. We definitely don¡¯t get all exhausted, panting and stumbling like you.¡± She pointed at him. ¡°You, on the other hand, are a very weird case ¨C you¡¯re only using your own spiritual power.¡±


    Midhir stared at her blankly. ¡°But¡­ isn¡¯t the spiritual power around me supposed to follow my own?¡±


    Instructor Caarda nodded. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ not?¡± he hesitantly asked. Now that he thought about it, he didn¡¯t really remember noticing any power other than his own when he cast resonances.


    ¡°No.¡± Instructor Caarda raised an eyebrow. ¡°Did you not notice this before?¡± She seemed even more surprised when he shook his head. ¡°How odd. What an odd person. But then again, if you never achieved that before you had no way of knowing since people usually aren¡¯t capable of seeing how others¡¯ resonance casting works.¡±


    Her words surfaced a question he had been meaning to ask. ¡°But you are capable,¡± he stated, ¡°or you wouldn¡¯t have noticed this, nor would you have identified all of our holding gems ¨C I saw you looking at them.¡±


    Instructor Caarda chuckled. ¡°You¡¯re not wrong, but it¡¯s not as useful of a skill for me as you imagine.¡± She tapped on her large, round glasses. ¡°The House of Caarda is said to come from an ancient lineage of witches and warlocks. While that¡¯s mostly just legends and bedtime stories, my family is capable of seeing some spiritual power when our sight is augmented enough.¡±


    ¡°Your glasses-¡°


    ¡°Yes. My ability is much stronger than that of my ancestors ¨C a blessing and a curse. That¡¯s why I was able to know your earring isn¡¯t an ordinary one, and the element of your weapon¡¯s augment.¡± She happily explained, clearly not bothered about him noticing her ability ¨C not that she was trying to hide it at all.


    ¡°That¡¯s how you know I¡¯m only using my own power,¡± he muttered. He didn¡¯t agree with her statement that it wasn¡¯t a useful skill ¨C being bale to see her enemies resonance casting on the battlefield would have been an immense advantage.


    Instructor Caarda nodded. ¡°Indeed, but let¡¯s put this aside for a moment. I think I can guide you to start using the spiritual power around you, but¡­¡± she seemed hesitant.


    ¡°But what?¡± he asked impatiently as a lump settled in his throat. Was she not sure whether he could learn?


    A glimmer of excitement appeared in her eyes as her lips curled up. She leaned forward, meeting his gaze. Her next words sent a chill down his spine.


    ¡°Would you like to help me with an experiment?¡±

 Chapter 36 – Of Crystals Crude and Bright (3)

    A flame no larger than that of a candle burned at the tip of his sword. It was a soft, crimson flame that emitted little light, and even less heat.


    ¡°Not bad,¡± Instructor Caarda said with a faint smile. She had been overseeing his training for a week now, and seemed content with his progress, if one could even call it that. ¡°It¡¯s been nearly an hour, good job.¡±


    Midhir glanced at her but didn¡¯t respond. It took effort to keep the flame lit, but also as small and weak as it was now. Restraining his own power proved to be even more exhausting than casting resonances back to back. He needed to keep his focus on the flame, and on his flow of power at all times. Even a small distraction proved to be enough to lose control.


    ¡°You can stop now,¡± she added a moment later.


    Her words came as a relief. He let his power fade away, allowing the tiny flame to die out.


    ¡°Was it easier this time?¡± She spun a pen between her fingers absentmindedly.


    ¡°No,¡± he breathed out, exhausted. Sheathing his sword, he leaned against the wall, watching the last rays of sunlight slowly vanish behind the horizon. Stars began to glimmer in the clear sky as it turned purple first before the last colours slowly faded. ¡°It¡¯s exhausting.¡±


    ¡°Naturally,¡± Instructor Caarda nodded. ¡°For what it¡¯s worth, Arwen seems to be having similar trouble to yours. She has immense power as well, if she wished so she could easily use her own spiritual power to cast resonances, but unlike you, she¡¯s capable of manipulating the power lingering all around us as well.¡±


    Midhir grimaced. Just like him, she was spending most of her days here as well. While he came to the Instructor¡¯s study a few hours before dusk, and remained here until midnight, Arwen came at dawn, and practiced until Instructor Soraya¡¯s class, which had been moved to noon. ¡°I¡¯m not surprised, she¡¯s very skilled.¡±


    ¡°She is,¡± Instructor Caarda chuckled, ¡°but I find your case to be much more interesting.¡±


    Midhir let out a sigh. He wasn¡¯t sure whether being ¡®interesting¡¯ was a good thing or not. ¡°I think I would have preferred to be able to just cast resonances the normal way,¡± he muttered absentmindedly.


    ¡°I disagree,¡± Instructor Caarda¡¯s sharp tone startled him. ¡°I think you¡¯re too focused on being ¡®normal¡¯ and ¡®successful¡¯. I can see it when you talk about your friends ¨C you envy Alistair and Willow because they can cast resonances with such ease, use their weapons so comfortably¡­¡± She tilted her head, glaring at him with a sharp gaze. ¡°Soraya told me about how your duel went. She also told me how they fared against her. Why would you envy them when they can¡¯t even make her break a sweat?¡±


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    Midhir looked away. ¡°I was lucky,¡±


    ¡°No, you put in the effort, and went further than those naturally talented because of that.¡± She snatched her cane from the back of her seat and stood up. Every step she took seemed to hurt, causing her to wince, but she walked up to him, nonetheless. ¡°I have seen many students, from many different backgrounds. I even taught the crown princess during her short stay here ¨C and one thing I noticed is that none of those I deemed ordinary and normal, adequately successful and striving towards a modest goal went on to become anything more.¡±


    She held onto the marble railing, ¡°It was those who aimed for the impossible that went on to succeed ¨C the crown princess is one of the most powerful resonance casters in Eldoria, perhaps even in the known world. Those who wish for more, who put in the effort, and adapt to their own shortcomings ¨C they become the beacons of light that everyone else will strive to reach.¡± She took a deep breath, ¡°Arwen will become that. Perhaps Alistair too, if his ideals can be realised. But with your mindset, you won¡¯t.¡±


    Her words hurt like a knife to the chest. His heart sank, a lump settled in his throat. Her gaze promised she was telling the truth.


    ¡°But if you put in the effort,¡± she continued, with a glimmer of hope in her eyes. ¡°You¡¯d become a formidable force in the battlefield. What you have ¨C your inability to use the power all around us. It may just be a blessing in disguise.¡±


    ¡°How?¡± He asked, trying to hide the hurt he was feeling still.


    Before she spoke, she slowly limped back to her seat, carefully lowering herself onto the cushions. She winced and grunted, then rubbed her left leg with a sour expression. It took a few moments for her to be able to speak with a clear, concise voice again.


    ¡°Only a few people can cast resonances at once, in the same place. If it¡¯s a place with rich spiritual power, maybe a dozen people, if it¡¯s any normal place, five, maybe six people,¡± she explained. ¡°Because they would all be trying to guide the same power into their own resonances. If enough people try that, no resonance can be cast at all.¡±


    They would interfere with one another¡¯s resonances. He had seen it happen first hand. It was one of the first things taught to the new recruits of the Imperial Guard, so they wouldn¡¯t overly rely on resonance casting to cover their shortcomings.


    ¡°But you don¡¯t use that same spiritual power. It means your powers would never be affected by how many resonances are being cast nearby ¨C there is no chance of another caster draining all the spiritual power you needed to use,¡± Instructor Caarda rummaged through her pockets, pulling out a simple, crude crystal.


    Midhir rubbed his left eye absentmindedly.


    ¡°We¡¯ve talked enough, go, and have some rest. And think about what I told you.¡± She muttered while inspecting the crystal. ¡°I will see you tomorrow ¨C and I will know what conclusion you reached.¡±

 Chapter 37 – Renewed Resolve (1)

    Days passed quietly, with few disruptions to the routine they had settled in. It was a peaceful, relatively simple life that Midhir had begun to enjoy. Practicing his swordsmanship at daylight, studying history in the afternoon, and working on his resonance casting from dusk to midnight, he found little time to think, to really ponder.


    Instructor Caarda seemed satisfied when he saw her the day after she lectured him. Instructor Soraya took longer and longer to utterly defeat him in duels, and Instructor Theodore¡¯s classes refreshed his knowledge on Eldorian history, even if they weren¡¯t able to add anything to it yet.


    Despite these peaceful days, Principal Aoidh¡¯s words lingered in his mind. There was trouble in Olisar ¨C something serious enough that required her to visit and deal with personally. Something that she needed to focus entirely on.


    There was only a single possibility that came to mind. A tear in the Veil. A tear so dangerous that even Lord Aulorn couldn¡¯t deal with that the Blade of the Emperor was called to action.


    While this wasn¡¯t unprecedented, it signalled the gravity of the situation. Yet something bothered him about it ¨C what was the delay for? She had known she needed to go to Olisar for a month now, yet she remained here at Solus. Why did they let the tear fester for a month?


    It was too dangerous ¨C what if it caused an incident similar to what happened in the area centuries ago? What if something like the Bareon Disaster happened?


    It was a rainy morning, with a frigid wind blowing against him as he stood across the courtyard from Instructor Soraya.


    ¡°Ready?¡± she asked, pulling him out of his thoughts.


    He nodded, drawing his blade, and holding it with his right hand. His left hand lingered in the air, above the sword¡¯s hilt.


    ¡°Begin!¡± Willow¡¯s voice echoed across the courtyard ¨C she was initiating the match today.


    Instantly, flames spread across his blade. He struck the ground with it, forming a circle of fire around him, controlling the flames with his left hand as he readied his sword.


    Instructor Soraya¡¯s eyebrows raised, her lips parted in surprise for a split second before they curled up with an excited smile. ¡°Good!¡± She shouted, kicking the ground, and dashing towards him.


    Their blades met.


    Fighting against her was an uphill battle as always. They danced, not stepping out of the circle of flames he created. Beads of sweat rolled down his chin as he fought against his own instincts screaming at him to run.


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    He met her head on, forcing himself to keep up with her. His muscles ached, his body hurt from the effort he exerted, but somehow every swing of her sword met with his own ¨C until he couldn¡¯t keep up with her anymore.


    Finding himself on the ground, with a blade pressed against his throat, he realised he had lost.


    ¡°Not bad,¡± she sheathed her blade, offering him her hand. He took her offer, letting her help him get up. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯d last a lot longer if you fought by conserving your strength some more, but it¡¯s good that you¡¯re using our duels to practice your swordsmanship more.¡± She waved him away, turning to face Willow. ¡°Come on, your turn.¡±


    ¡°How are you not tired at all?¡± The young noble protested as her sword appeared above her palm. ¡°Midhir isn¡¯t that weak!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just so much stronger than him,¡± Instructor Soraya smirked. ¡°Midhir, initiate please.¡±


    ¡°Begin!¡± He shouted.


    Wind blew against him. Willow leapt up, the pommel of her blade shining a bright, vibrant green. The winds carried her forth. The sound of metal clashing against metal echoed in the courtyard, breaking the silence of coming winter.


    He returned to where Alistair was sitting. The Orlein heir had already done his duel, and though he had lasted quite a while against Instructor Soraya¡¯s relentless strikes, he didn¡¯t seem particularly content.


    ¡°You did quite well,¡± Alistair said with a low voice, absentmindedly fiddling with his sleeves.


    ¡°So did you,¡± Midhir replied with a scowl. ¡°It makes me question why you¡¯re unhappy.¡±


    The young noble hesitated. ¡°It¡¯s irrelevant to class,¡± he finally said, leaning back on the bench. His gaze followed Willow and Instructor Soraya¡¯s duel, which had devolved into a chase as Willow tried to put some distance between them, and the instructor didn¡¯t allow it.


    ¡°Is something wrong?¡± Midhir pressed further ¨C he couldn¡¯t help but worry. Alistair didn¡¯t get bothered easily by trifling matters, so whatever the issue was, it ought to be important.


    Alistair shook his head. ¡°You need not worry, it¡¯s not a matter affecting me currently.¡± He raised his eyebrows as a loud clang echoed, and Willow¡¯s sword fell to the ground.


    ¡°Not bad!¡± Instructor Soraya exclaimed, sheathing her sword. ¡°You¡¯ll be leaving for your next field assignment in two days.¡±


    Arwen, who had been only watching the duels until now, took a sharp breath. ¡°So soon?!¡± She exclaimed, wide eyed.


    ¡°Your destination is Bareon, the City of Roses,¡± Instructor Soraya continued, ignoring the young woman¡¯s words. ¡°Your person of contact will be Lord Orlein, the ruler of the Bareon region, and of the city. Alistair, I expect things will go smoothly.¡±


    Alistair nodded, though he was clearly also taken aback.


    ¡°I will tell you the gist of the situation now, since Lord Orlein will probably have little time.¡± She took a deep breath. ¡°There have been some incidents happening in the city ¨C unidentified groups of people have been seen around the crystal mines and near the overgrown forest north of Bareon. They have also been spotted around the old palace grounds, as well as the Orlein mansion.¡±


    Alistair pursed his lips, he listened to her with a scowl, and a worried expression.


    ¡°Your mission will consist of helping Lord Orlein keep the peace in the city. Your itinerary also includes visiting the crystal mines, and the old palace grounds, so make sure to come prepared for that. I don¡¯t expect you to find yourselves in combat, but considering how things turned out in Lohssa, make sure to be ready for anything.¡±


    She hesitated a moment. ¡°This time, Principal Aoidh will be away from Solus Academy, so it¡¯s unlikely that you¡¯ll be able to get assistance from outside Bareon. Make sure to prepare contingency plans when you arrive and remember to follow Lord Orlein¡¯s orders.¡±

 Chapter 38 – Renewed Resolve (2)

    The morning of their departure was as exhausting as the last time. They woke up before dawn, took their belongings they had packed the day before, and headed to the airway station. Instructor Soraya was silent this time as she accompanied them. Her usual, energetic self was nowhere to be seen as she walked with a brisk pace, and a worried expression.


    ¡°May I ask why Bareon was chosen?¡± Alistair asked as they left the academy grounds and walked along the street.


    ¡°Trouble brews in the city,¡± she coldly replied, ¡°and with everything else going on right now, especially in Olisar, there aren¡¯t many people who can be spared to aid Lord Orlein.¡± She paused as they arrived at the airway station, turning to face them. ¡°I will be away as well, as I have been asked to aid another situation elsewhere.¡±


    Midhir scowled. Perhaps the issue at Olisar wasn¡¯t just a tear in the Veil. Something else must be going on, something they had been kept in the dark about.


    ¡°I won¡¯t be able to come to your aid if you need it either, so I¡¯ll tell you again. Be careful. Work with the city guard, keep in contact with Lord Orlein at all times. Don¡¯t try to be heroes ¨C you¡¯re there to help. That¡¯s all. I don¡¯t want a repeat of Lohssa, understood? If it seems quite so bad, evacuate. And you,¡± her fiery gaze turned to Midhir. ¡°No human should stand so close to a tear in the Veil. It will change you, in ways you can¡¯t imagine. Don¡¯t try something like that ever again, understood?¡±


    ¡°We understand, Instructor,¡± Alistair glanced at the other. ¡°We will work with my father to make sure everything goes as smoothly as possible.¡±


    His words didn¡¯t seem to give the instructor much relief, though she had no choice but to accept them. ¡°Very well,¡± she sighed, stepping aside and letting them enter the airway station.


    They showed their identification, then walked to the hangar.


    Arwen drew a sharp breath as they stepped through the doors and saw the airship prepared for them.


    It was an elegant ship, so large that it nearly didn¡¯t fit the hangar at all. It¡¯s wooden body was reinforced with metal dyed golden. Two pairs of wings were folded neatly on its sides, and below them crystals were embedded into the hull.


    This was one of the newest airship models the workshop had come up with.


    ¡°Father has spared no expense,¡± Alistair looked up the ramp, to spot an older man wearing a suit.  ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have come all this way here, Aodan, there was truly no need.¡±


    The old man bowed with a smile, ¡°Welcome, young lord, Lady Aulorn, young miss, and sir,¡± he stepped aside as they climbed the raft. His gaze lingered on Instructor Soraya who stood at the foot of the ramp. An almost sorrowful smile appeared on his lips for a split second before he bowed to her as well.


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    She closed her eyes and bowed her head. Her hand clenched her cloak.


    Two crewmen hurried past them to pull the ramp up. As soon as it was secured, the buzzing of the crystals and engines hidden in the hull of the airship filled the air.


    ¡°Why did you come all the way here?¡± Alistair was asking the older man, ¡°You¡¯re too old to be travelling so much, and surely father needed your aid much more.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s quite alright, young lord,¡± Aodan reassured him. ¡°Let me show all of you to your quarters, before we take off.¡±


    ¡°Please,¡± Willow smiled, ¡°that would be greatly appreciated.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll stay here if that¡¯s alright,¡± Midhir leaned against the railing.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Aodan nodded with a gentle smile, then lead the girls inside. Alistair, who also chose to stay on the upper deck, held onto the railing as the airship shook gently before lifting off the ground.


    Crystals embedded into the hull glowed brightly as their power began to lift the airship up. As soon as it was clear from the hangar, the two pair of cloth wings stretched open, and the airship lunged forward and up.


    Fast! The airship was faster than any of the others he had boarded before. Midhir held onto the railing as the wind blew against his face, pulling his hair back and tugging at his clothes. His senses heightened as he watched the ground pass below them.


    As they climbed higher in the sky, the mountains started to seem smaller, and trees looked more like bushes. The overgrowth covering the landscape between An¡¯Larion and Bareon looked like a green carpet from so high up.


    ¡°We need to talk,¡± Alistair¡¯s serious tone startled him.


    ¡°Two days ago, you asked me what was on my mind. At the time, I told you it didn¡¯t matter,¡± Alistair glanced around to make sure nobody could hear them. ¡°I still don¡¯t know how much it matters, but all things considered, I think you should be aware,¡±


    Midhir scowled. ¡°I¡¯m listening,¡±


    ¡°I received a letter from my father. Apparently, a fortnight ago the Crown Princess visited Bareon, along with Lord Aulorn.¡±


    Midhir drew a sharp breath. His hand clenched around the railing. ¡°There was a tear in the Veil?¡±


    Alistair shook his head. ¡°No, apparently they came to check if there was. Instead, they found some strange markings dyed with blood inside the old Palace ruins. My father summoned an expert on the history of Bareon. I¡¯m assuming that we will be escorting that person to the palace ruins, since it¡¯s on our itinerary.¡±


    Midhir pursed his lips. ¡°That¡¯s fine, but why would Lord Aulorn and the Crown Princess even visit Bareon if there wasn¡¯t a tear? I don¡¯t believe it was just luck that led them to the strange symbols.¡±


    Alistair shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t believe it either. I suspect the veil has been weakened, and that¡¯s why they came. If that¡¯s the case¡­¡± he hesitated. ¡°Instructor Soraya explicitly warned you not to go near a tear. She isn¡¯t wrong, the power of the other side does change people. If something like what happened in Lohssa happens, I must ask you to retreat.¡±


    So that was it. He was worried a repeat of the events of Lohssa, and because he already had his suspicions, he was trying to ensure Midhir wouldn¡¯t be lost to the other side.


    ¡°If something like that happens, we must all retreat,¡± he curtly replied. ¡°Bareon is full of capable people, our task will be to inform them.¡±


    Alistair¡¯s harsh expression softened with relief. ¡°Agreed,¡± he said with a faint smile. ¡°Let us hope these next few days will be as eventless as it can be.¡±


    Watching the lands below, Midhir nodded absentmindedly. He couldn¡¯t shake this looming dread gripping his heart and clouding his mind though, no matter how much he tried. Pressing his hand against his left eye, he took a deep breath. It was going to be fine, he told himself over and over again.

 Chapter 39 – Bareon, The City of Roses (1)

    When the airship began its descent, Midhir felt his chest tighten. Previous worries resurfaced, clouding his mind. With a scowl, he watched the city appear beneath them.


    Bareon was nestled between three distinct hills, surrounded by overgrown forest on all sides. Towards west, a path was cut through the overgrowth ¨C the road leading to An¡¯Larion, connecting the city with the rest of the Empire.


    Midhir pursed his lips as he scoured the overgrowth below. Vast forests stretching to all sides. Just like in Lohssa, the forest was ancient, and fully overgrown, not allowing for much land to be reclaimed easily.


    ¡°According to my ancestor, Bareon was built on three hills, surrounded by vast fields.¡± Alistair solemnly spoke. ¡°I can¡¯t quite imagine what it looked like back then.¡±


    Midhir nodded absentmindedly. He couldn¡¯t either. The forest looked so old, older than Eldoria itself. It was hard to believe it wasn¡¯t nearly as old or that there was a time it didn¡¯t exist here.


    The city itself still carried the scars of the disaster. The old palace ruins were left without repair, their dilapidated state clearly visible even from so high up. Other sections of the city had been repaired and rebuilt, but the difference in colour between the old and the new was clear.


    The airship finally began to land, and soon gently settled into the water. Just like in An¡¯Larion, the hangars in Bareon were filled with water to ease the landing and increase the longevity of ship hulls.


    As the ship¡¯s crew quickly prepared the ramp, Willow and Arwen returned to the open deck. ¡°It was better than last time,¡± Arwen muttered quietly as they joined him and Alistair by the ramp. ¡°But I still don¡¯t like airships¡­¡± she added, still pale and unnerved.


    ¡°You¡¯ll get used to it,¡± Alistair replied with a smile before turning his attention to Aodan. ¡°Please lead the way.¡±


    ¡°Of course, young Lord.¡± The butler bowed, then walked off the ramp with a speed and balance impressive for his age.


    They followed him out of the hanger, where a group of guards were waiting.


    A woman stepped forward and bowed. ¡°Lord Orlein!¡± she loudly spoke. ¡°We will accompany you to the manor!¡±


    Alistair nodded. ¡°Thank you, Captain Rianne.¡±


    As she led them out of the airway station, Midhir tilted his head. Rianne¡­ it was a familiar ancestral name. Lord Andor detailed only a few people in his book, and one of them was Aislinn Rianne. She was depicted as a tall woman, with wavy brown hair and grey eyes. While he couldn¡¯t see her eyes right now, her hair was brown, and she was quite tall.


    He couldn¡¯t help but wonder if she was Knight Aislinn¡¯s descendant. The Rianne name was well known in some circles, but he had never gotten the chance to meet one during his training. His hands itched, but he suppressed the urge to challenge her. Now wasn¡¯t the time.


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    Instead, he directed his attention to their surroundings. Bareon was a beautiful city. Wide streets with flowerbeds full of red roses stretching on either side were surrounded by large, beautiful homes. As they walked through the streets the beautiful houses changed, they weren¡¯t so large anymore, but smaller and older, made of larger stone bricks weathered over time. Still, roses decorated the city everywhere.


    Midhir couldn¡¯t help but feel like it was almost uncanny.


    ¡°It¡¯s not called the City of Roses for nothing,¡± Willow quietly muttered as she paused to smell one of them. Her expression softened. ¡°Beautiful,¡± she whispered.


    While the city itself was quite big, the airway station wasn¡¯t far from the Lord¡¯s manor. Led there by Captain Rianne and Aodan, they soon arrived at the gates.


    The manor was built on one of the three hills Bareon was perched on. A high fence surrounded the manor, with the only passage through being a large gate. While the fence seemed unsafe at first, as they approached the glimmer of gemstones embedded into the metal became apparent.


    The gate was closely guarded, but they easily passed through in lieu of Alistair, and their escort.


    The manor was large, but surprisingly modest considering it belonged to the Orlein family. The large gardens surrounding it were impressive and intriguing, since they were covered with beautiful white flowers instead of roses.


    ¡°Lord Orlein is waiting for you, young Lord,¡± Aodan spoke as they entered the manor.


    The interior was somewhat lavishly decorated, with gold embossed vases filled with roses, and marble statues of ancestral figures lining the hallways. It was impeccably clean, and bright, with many large windows letting the sunlight in.


    They eventually arrived by a pair of white doors, which Aodan gently knocked before opening. He stepped inside, then bowed. ¡°My Lord, they have arrived.¡±


    Alistair let out a sigh as he walked past Aodan, into Lord Orlein¡¯s study. ¡°Greetings, father.¡± He shot a glance over his shoulder, gesturing at them to follow him.


    Midhir took a deep breath, his worries surfacing once again. With a tight chest and clenched jaw, he followed Alistair through the doors, then bowed deeply. Beside him, he noticed Willow and Arwen curtsy.


    Lord Orlein was sat behind his desk. He was nearing his sixties, and his once blonde hair was now light grey. ¡°Welcome home, son,¡± his voice was surprisingly gentle as he smiled, deepening the caresses on his face. ¡°Lady Aulorn, it¡¯s an honour to host you. Your father has aided Bareon and its provinces more times than I can count.¡±


    ¡°The honour is mine,¡± Willow smiled, but her motions were still, and her jaw tight.


    ¡°And you two as well,¡± Lord Orlein¡¯s gaze turned to Arwen, then Midhir. His smile froze for a split second as his eyes narrowed ever so slightly. He bowed his head, ¡°Welcome, both of you. I am grateful to Solus Academy for allowing me to borrow such skilled individuals.¡±


    Relief washed over him. Not only had he received his letter, but he was also respecting his wishes. He was thankful to Lord Orlein, more than the old man could know.


    ¡°Surely you have been briefed about the issues we are facing,¡± Lord Orlein continued, occasionally glancing at Willow and Midhir. ¡°There are unidentified individuals inside the city. We have been aware of them since about a fortnight ago, but until yesterday the only damage we suspect they had done was putting up some strange markings in the old palace ruins.¡±


    ¡°Until yesterday?¡± Midhir asked with a scowl. ¡°Did something happen since then?¡±


    While Willow shot him an odd glance, Lord Orlein nodded. ¡°Indeed. Sometime before dawn, today, they burned down three buildings in the trade district, killing four civilians and injuring over three dozen of them.¡± He placed his palms on his desk and leaned forward. ¡°That,¡± he took a deep breath, ¡°is an act of terror.¡±

 Chapter 40 – Bareon, The City of Roses (2)

    Silence reigned in Lord Orlein¡¯s study for several moments as they digested the weight of his words.


    ¡°What do we know about them?¡± Midhir asked as he realised if he didn¡¯t speak, no one would.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± Lord Orlein spoke with a grave tone. ¡°The city watch first took notice of them a fortnight ago. They counted at least a dozen different people, but since they all dressed similarly and wore cloaks and hoods, there could be more of them.¡± He leaned back on his seat, closing his eyes momentarily. ¡°Until now, all we could do within the confines of the law was to watch them. The only reason we are absolutely certain these are the same people who left the markings in the old palace ruins is because one of them was caught in the fire and died this morning.¡± He made a small gesture with his hands.


    Aodan quickly walked past them, approaching the shelves lining the walls, and took a small lockbox. He brought it to Lord Orlein, then left the room, closing the doors behind him.


    Lord Orlein carefully opened the lockbox, then turned it towards them.


    A small, elegant ring made of silver was placed on the red velvet. It carried a sigil. Midhir stepped forward absentmindedly to take a better look at it. ¡°May I?¡± he asked, gesturing towards it.


    Lord Orlein¡¯s lips curled up ever so slightly. ¡°Of course,¡± he said with a faint smile.


    The sigil depicted a twelve part snake devouring its own tail. There were two white gems embedded where its eyes would have been.


    He absentmindedly rubbed his left eye as he scowled. He had seen this symbol before. ¡°Alchemists?¡± he asked without thinking. This symbol existed long before Eldoria or Calador did. ¡°This can¡¯t be¡­¡±


    Lord Orlein nodded. ¡°Indeed, from what we could gather, this is a symbol long outdating Eldoria, or any known civilisation. Symbols like these don¡¯t just appear for no reason ¨C this is plenty enough to cause alarm.¡±


    ¡°What can we do?¡± Alistair stepped forward, looking over Midhir¡¯s shoulder to see the sigil. ¡°What is our task?¡±


    ¡°Today, you rest.¡± Lord Orlein raised his hand before Alistair could protest. ¡°Tomorrow, I want you to act as guards for a historian who specializes in these more obscure parts of history. You will take him to the old palace ruins. We found several odd markings in different places, so I want you to check the entire area for more clues.¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better if we just chased after the perpetrators?¡± Willow asked with a scowl. ¡°The more time we waste, the further away they can get, or deeper they can burrow.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Arwen piped up, though clearly it took her some courage to speak up. ¡°We don¡¯t know their goal, and a symbol like that,¡± she pointed at the ring in Midhir¡¯s hand. ¡°Lord Orlein is right, ancient symbols like this carry meaning and power. They rally people behind them, all with a goal in mind. We don¡¯t know what their goal is ¨C what if there are more of them, not currently in Bareon?¡±


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    Alistair nodded. ¡°Besides, we would only get in the way of the city watch, and there are only four of us. We are better suited to work with father to uncover their goals.¡±


    ¡°Indeed.¡± Lord Orlein forced a smile. ¡°My apologies for ending this early, but there is a lot of work to be done. I won¡¯t be able to join you for dinner, but please do enjoy yourselves and rest well for tomorrow.¡±


    It was their cue to leave, so Midhir placed ring back into the lockbox, bowed, and followed Willow and Arwen outside. Alistair stayed behind, waiting silently until the doors closed behind them.


    ¡°Have you lost your mind?¡± Willow hissed, grabbing his arm and glaring daggers at him. ¡°Lord Orlein is one of the most important nobles in the empire, and you just acted so casually!¡± Her voice was a sharp whisper.


    Midhir chuckled awkwardly. ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± he muttered, averting his gaze. ¡°We needed to properly see the sigil and none of you were saying anything.¡±


    ¡°The twelve-part snake eating its own tail¡­¡± Arwen pursed her lips, twirling her hair around her finger. ¡°I¡¯ve seen it in some history books, and I know it¡¯s relation with alchemy, but I don¡¯t understand why it appeared now of all times, and why it¡¯s here.¡±


    Willow let go of Midhir¡¯s arm. ¡°It¡¯s worrying. Last time something like this happened, An¡¯Larion¡¯s thirteenth district was destroyed.¡±


    Midhir¡¯s gaze snapped to her. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Some family of an ancient lineage dabbled in long lost forbidden arts.¡± Willow shrugged, ¡°And then the Veil tore apart, and the mist invaded half the city. Later it was pushed back to the thirteenth district, but the veil probably hasn¡¯t been fully repaired yet.¡± She waved her hand dismissively. ¡°That¡¯s what dad told me, at least.¡±


    ¡°Do you think it¡¯s related to what¡¯s happening here?¡± Arwen asked, tilting her head as she pondered. Willow simply shrugged in response ¨C they had no way of knowing after all.


    ¡°If I may interject,¡± the elderly butler¡¯s voice startled him. ¡°Would you like me to show you the way to the chambers assigned to you for the duration of your stay?¡±


    ¡°Please,¡± Midhir forced a smile, unable to push Willow¡¯s words to the back of his mind. Could they be related?


    Aodan led them through the winding hallways to their chambers, which were lavishly decorated, albeit not overly large. ¡°I will come back when dinner is ready, so please rest in preparation of tomorrow. Tough times are ahead.¡± He bowed, then left.


    The girl¡¯s chambers were on the other side of the hallway, while Midhir¡¯s was at the very end of it. Aside for a bed and a couch and low table, the room was mostly empty. Sure, there were soft carpets lining the floor, and tapestry and paintings hanging from the walls, but the room wasn¡¯t made crowded by the sheer amount of furniture.


    A large, tall window showed him a beautiful view of white flowers, with Bareon itself in the backdrop. Beyond the city, he could see the overgrown forests. Alistair was right, it was difficult to imagine Bareon surrounded by fertile fields, instead of these ancient forests filled with towering trees.


    He placed his belongings somewhere, then changed into a more comfortable set of clothes. There was no point in wearing his Solus uniform here ¨C all it did was draw attention.


    Soon after he finished getting changed, he heard a knock on the door. Curious, he opened the door to see the captain of the city watch standing there.


    She looked at him from head to toe, as if she was weighing his worth before she spoke. Her grey eyes met his. ¡°Young Lord Alistair has asked me to inform you that the manor has its own training grounds. If you wish to go there, I will accompany you.¡±

 Chapter 41 – Bareon, The City of Roses (3)

    The training grounds were situated behind the manor, on the hill overlooking the overgrown forest below, stretching all the way to the distant mountains. While the ground was covered in straw and hay, Midhir noticed a stone circle surrounding it.


    ¡°Augmented?¡± He asked absentmindedly as he knelt by the edge of the circle, touching one of the fist-sized gemstones embedded into the stone. ¡°To prevent any damage to the surroundings?¡±


    ¡°And to one another,¡± Captain Rianne stated curtly. ¡°Lord Orlein is of the belief that holding back during a duel will only harm a person¡¯s skills and confidence.¡±


    He stood back up, lifting his gaze to meet Captain Rianne¡¯s. ¡°Our instructor told us more or less the same thing,¡± he said with a wry smile.


    ¡°Then she is a good instructor to have.¡±


    Midhir nodded, stepping into the circle. Hay grass and straw covering the training grounds broke under his boots as he walked to the other edge and looked down towards the overgrowth.


    While it seemed beautiful at first, that quickly turned into an uncanny feeling as he noticed the thick roots protruding from the ground like the appendages of a kraken, reaching for its prey. They were growing towards the city, albeit with visible damage to them all over.


    ¡°Has the forest not been pushed back recently?¡± He asked with a scowl. If it had been, it was still too close to Bareon. The roots were at the edge of the simple wall surrounding the city, and in some places, he even spotted them trying to climb the wall.


    ¡°Just last week.¡±


    Her words startled him. ¡°Last week?!¡± He exclaimed wide eyed. ¡°How fast is it growing back?¡±


    Captain Rianne walked past him, to the edge of the training grounds. ¡°Too fast,¡± she turned around to face him. ¡°Lord Aulorn and the Crown Princess¡¯ visit was for this purpose exactly, yet they were quickly recalled elsewhere.¡±


    Olisar, Midhir thought to himself. Of course it was Olisar, since Principal Aoidh was headed there, and even Instructor Soraya had been called ¡®somewhere¡¯ as well.


    ¡°In any case,¡± she breathed in, ¡°the training grounds are yours to use as you wish. I will leave you to it.¡± She bowed her head slightly and turned to leave.


    ¡°You are a descendant of Knight Lianne, aren¡¯t you?¡± Midhir asked before she had a chance to walk away.


    Captain Rianne froze mid step. She turned around to face him, chin raised, and eyes narrowed. ¡°Yes,¡± she curtly replied. ¡°And you are an Induen.¡± Her voice was cold. ¡°Heir to-¡°


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    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean that as a slight,¡± Midhir cut her off, raising his hands with a wry smile. ¡°Though I¡¯m not sure why you would take it as one, she was a hero of her time, and her mastery of the blade was second to none.¡± Despite his words, his mood has soured ¨C blood carried power, and the Rianne house was formidable. She shouldn¡¯t stoop low to insult his lineage, it was unbecoming of someone of her status. ¡°I will not be using the training grounds today,¡± he continued with a sharper tone. ¡°You need not accompany me, I remember the way to my chambers.¡±


    With a brisk pace, he walked away.


    Dawn arrived with the sound of shouting, panicked footsteps and a crowd of guards rushing through the streets of Bareon. Woken up by Aoden the butler, the group was quick to get dressed and prepared for the day.


    ¡°Another attack,¡± Captain Rianne filled them in as she led them through the streets of Bareon. ¡°They attacked a guarded carriage shortly before it reached the city gates.¡±


    Midhir felt his chest tighten. ¡°What happened to the passengers?¡± he asked, drawing a glare from the woman.


    ¡°They killed the guards ¨C all of them. The passenger was a man, and he was dragged north, into the overgrowth.¡± She clenched her fists as they arrived at the gate. ¡°Another traveller witnessed it, and called for our men, but by the time our forces arrived, it was already too late.¡±


    Two dozen horses had been prepared right outside the gates, waiting for them along with some of the city guard. ¡°Do all of you know how to ride?¡± Alistair asked, his gaze snapping to Arwen.


    Arwen nodded, hurrying towards a white mare. As soon as all four of them were mounted, Captain Rianne shouted, ¡°Move out!¡±


    There was no time to waste by talking or planning beyond doing what they were told. Whoever it was these people dragged to the woods was going to face a terrible end if they didn¡¯t catch up to them and stop them.


    ¡°Despicable,¡± Alistair hissed as they rode. His voice was barely audible over the gallop of the horses. ¡°I fear this was the expert father mentioned. We must find them.¡±


    Midhir nodded, though they all knew hope was slim. They would need to enter the overgrown forest.


    ¡°I would ask you to stay back,¡± Alistair shot him a glance, ¡°but I doubt we can afford such luxury.¡±


    Midhir¡¯s jaw tightened. ¡°No, we can¡¯t,¡± he curtly replied. ¡°And there is no sign of damage to the Veil.¡± Even if there was, he wouldn¡¯t stand back and watch while everyone else fought to save a life.


    ¡°But if a tear does form-¡°


    ¡°We will fight and retreat together.¡± He shot the young Orlein a sharp glance. Alistair¡¯s eyes widened for a split second before he nodded reluctantly.


    The road to An¡¯Larion snaked through the woods, though nearly half of the stone tiled road was taken over by a thick layer of roots. Soon the broken and abandoned carriage entered their field of view, along with a handful of soldiers carefully lining the bodies for collection.


    ¡°Captain!¡± One of the soldiers saluted, then bowed as soon as he noticed Alistair. ¡°Young Lord! We believe they went through there,¡± he pointed towards a gap in the border of the forest. ¡°We found some blood, and footsteps beyond the roots.¡±


    ¡°You went no further.¡± Captain Rianne¡¯s words weren¡¯t a question, but a statement she expected affirmation on.


    ¡°No, ma¡¯am.¡± The soldier shook his head. ¡°We¡¯re not equipped to deal with the overgrowth.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Captain Rianne dismounted, and so did everyone else. ¡°We¡¯ll follow any leads we can ¨C try to be quiet, and don¡¯t take unnecessary risks.¡±


    Weapons in hand, they moved into the overgrown forest.

 Chapter 42 – A Reminder of Mortality (1)

    The ground beneath the overgrown forest was almost wholly covered by a layer of roots, with mounds of mulched leaves and the occasional patch of dirt beneath it all. There wasn¡¯t a single even surface to step on, forcing them to move forward slowly and deliberately.


    Captain Rianne was leading them, following the trail her men had found earlier ¨C bloody handprints on the sides of the tree trunks. Despite this rather obvious trail left behind by the group of terrorists, it quickly proved difficult to follow them as the somewhat clear path they took came to an abrupt end.


    ¡°We¡¯ve come to the end of the newer growth,¡± Captain Rianne spoke in a low voice. ¡°It¡¯s centuries old from this point on,¡± she gestured toward the end of the path.


    Midhir felt his chest tighten as he looked ahead. The forest was a lot thicker, and even less welcoming from this point on. The network of roots they had been walking on had been contained to just perturbing from the earth so far, but beyond this point, that wasn¡¯t the case anymore. The roots reached waist-height with ease, and thick, black vines covered most of the tree trunks, hanging from the branches.


    ¡°We shouldn¡¯t go further,¡± one of the soldiers muttered, tightly clenching his hands around the hilt of his sword. ¡°The Old Gods have forsaken this place, none should venture there.¡± His voice was shaky, his fear palpable.


    Captain Rianne shot a sharp glance at the frightened soldier. ¡°Would you have us leave that man to die?¡± she hissed, ¡°I want no cowards who would place their lives before those of our people under my command. Leave ¨C we will venture deeper.¡±


    While the soldier visibly flinched and shook his head, Midhir turned his attention away, to his surroundings. The handprints were nowhere to be seen. The clearly visible trail they followed so far had come to an end, and he couldn¡¯t imagine finding anything in this forest without some sort of clue.


    ¡°Are there any places of interest further away?¡± he kept his voice low as he glanced at Alistair.


    The young noble pursed his lips and pondered a while. ¡°I¡¯m not certain,¡± he replied as Captain Rianne and her troops searched for a trail to follow. ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, there should be some old altars and monuments to the Old Gods further up north,¡± Alistair continued with a scowl. ¡°Do you think they took their captive there?¡±


    Midhir nodded. ¡°Didn¡¯t the alchemists also worship the Old Gods?¡±


    Alistair tightened his grasp on the shaft of his spear. ¡°I believe so, but do you think these people follow those beliefs?¡± He made a vague gesture southeast. ¡°Alchemists wouldn¡¯t go around burning the market square.¡±


    ¡°With no trail to follow, it might be our best bet,¡± Midhir replied with a shrug, shooting a glance at Captain Rianne and her troops. They had spread out a little bit, still searching for handprints.


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    ¡°Midhir might be right,¡± Arwen quietly spoke. ¡°Also, don¡¯t you think these handprints were a little too convenient?¡± She raised her own hand and looked at her palm. ¡°I can¡¯t imagine what kind of a wound someone needs to sustain to somehow manage to dip his hand into blood completely, and still be able to walk.¡±


    Her words caused a moment of pause between the four of them. Then, Willow suddenly went pale. ¡°We¡¯ve spread out looking for clues.¡±


    ¡°All troops to me!¡± Alistair shouted at the top of his lungs as soon as the young woman¡¯s words hit him.


    Something whistled through the air. Someone let out a scream that was cut short, and the sound of something heavy falling to the ground echoed. Then, the air filled with whistles.


    Midhir¡¯s hand went to his earring, but he only grasped the air as he went to summon the stake. His eyes widened. ¡°Crystal tools aren¡¯t working!¡± He shouted as arrows flew from all over, hitting the soldiers who were too slow to hide behind cover.


    An arrow grazed past Willow¡¯s cheek. Her eyes widened before she grabbed Arwen and dove into cover behind one of the wider trees.


    Midhir leapt behind a tree as well, soon followed by Alistair. Pressing their backs against the tree, they took a moment to breathe and reorient their surroundings in their mind¡¯s eye.


    ¡°They¡¯ve surrounded us,¡± Alistair whispered through his gritted teeth. ¡°Do you see Liara?¡±


    ¡°I saw her dive to cover,¡± Midhir said, peeking behind the tree they leaned against. An arrow grazed his shoulder, forcing him to pull back quickly. ¡°Crystal tools aren¡¯t working, they have a crystal staff user ¨C a powerful one.¡±


    Blood drained from Alistair¡¯s face. ¡°What?¡± he breathed in.


    ¡°Willow!¡± Midhir, called out. ¡°Tell me you¡¯re both alive,¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re ok!¡± her voice reached his ears. ¡°For now,¡± she added.


    He breathed a sigh of relief, but that relief only lasted a moment as another scream reached their ears. ¡°They¡¯re charging us!¡± Someone shouted, but his words ended with an abrupt gasp.


    The sound of metal hitting metal echoed in the forest. ¡°Now!¡± Alistair hissed and leapt out of cover.


    Midhir followed him without hesitation. They rushed over the uneven terrain, towards the cloaked and robed figures fighting off Captain Rianne¡¯s troops.


    ¡°Look out!¡± Willow shouted behind him as he noticed a shadow descending on him. He threw himself aside, hitting his back against a tree as one of the ambushers landed where he was just standing. He noticed the glimmer of a dagger and raised his own blade to defend against it.


    As his opponent rushed towards him, the sharp end of a rapier suddenly burst out of his chest, covered in blood. The man¡¯s eyes widened for a split second as he looked down in surprise, then Willow pulled her blade out of his body, letting the man¡¯s body collapse.


    Another whistle sounded in the air, and a new volley of arrows began to rain down. He pulled Willow behind a tree, and watched Arwen hide behind another one. The sound of arrows hitting the trees echoed, prompting them to dash out of cover again.


    By then, Alistair and Captain Rianne had dispatched of most of their assailants they could reach, but their forces had dwindled terribly as well. Out of the two dozen soldiers accompanying them, only half a dozen weren¡¯t gravely wounded, and about a dozen were rendered incapacitated.


    Midhir clenched his fists. ¡°We need to hurry,¡± he hissed, then turned to his classmate behind him. ¡°Arwen, can you heal them?¡±


    ¡°Right away,¡± she took a step towards the wounded and dying, only for her whole body to shake. Her eyes widened as she looked down, at the arrow that just dug into her own chest. Her staff slipped from her weakened hands as she collapsed.

 Chapter 43 – A Reminder of Mortality (2)

    A moment of shocked silence was broken by the sound of Arwen¡¯s shaky, gurgling breath.


    ¡°Arwen!¡± Willow caught the young woman as she collapsed, ¡°No, no no!¡± she cried in desperation as her holding gem glimmered, and a clean piece of cloth appeared in her hand. She pressed it against the young woman¡¯s chest.


    ¡°Take cover!¡± Captain Rianne shouted.


    Her voice pulled Midhir out of his shocked daze. ¡°Crystal tools¡­¡± he whispered. ¡°They¡¯re working again!¡±


    ¡°To me!¡± Alistair shouted, the blue gem embedded in his spear glowing brightly. ¡°Midhir, heal her! We¡¯ll handle this!¡± Particles of water appeared around his spear, they conjoined, turning into weaves of water floating around him. He pointed towards the source of the arrows with his spear, and the water rushed there, like a raging river.


    It¡¯s volume grew as it rushed, it hit the tree trunks, splashed against the terrain, and washed away the dead leaves and mounds of dirt before reaching their assailants, hitting them with force.


    Screams echoed, followed by the sound of arrows flying in the air.


    Willow touched the hilt of her rapier, winds circled around her, Arwen and Midhir, protecting them from the rain of arrows.


    Midhir reached for his earring. He caught its glimmer with the corner of his eye as a golden gem appeared between his fingers. It was as small as his nail.


    ¡°Hold her still.¡± He hissed as he prepared to pull out the arrow from Arwen¡¯s chest. It wasn¡¯t a barbed arrowhead, so removing it was relatively easy, albeit not painless. ¡°Sorry, Arwen.¡± He whispered before pulling the arrow out and throwing it aside.


    Arwen¡¯s body shook violently, her nails dug into the earth and scratched against the roots of these old trees. A scream escaped her tight jaw.


    As blood gushed from her wound violently, he pressed the golden gem against it. ¡°Help me, I need your power.¡±


    Willow nodded, her hand rested on his as spiritual power flowed into the gem. He directed his own power but felt no tired than before. Willow directed the spiritual power all around them into the golden gem, sparing him from the usual exhaustion that set in after casting a resonance.


    The wound began to close, and a pained wail escaped Arwen¡¯s lips. Half conscious, she clenched her jaw, her hands caught the roots protruding from the ground as the wound continued to heal.


    He wished she was unconscious. At least she wouldn¡¯t have felt all this pain.


    Distant screams and sounds of combat reached his ears, but he ignored them.


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    ¡°You¡¯re ok,¡± he heard Willow whisper with a catch in her voice. She raised her gaze to meet his. ¡°We can¡¯t have her fight after this. We need to retreat.¡±


    Midhir blinked once. Despite the losses they suffered, they still had a mission to complete. An innocent man was kidnapped by these people and dragged deeper into these accursed woods.


    ¡°We¡¯re not done here,¡± his voice grew cold. ¡°But we need to arrange something, there are too many wounded, and even more dead.¡± He raised his gaze from Arwen and looked around. The dead and dying were all over the place.


    He lowered his gaze again, watching the wound almost completely close. He stopped feeding the resonance and gave the gem to Willow. ¡°She¡¯ll live, but if we don¡¯t help them, they won¡¯t.¡± He pointed towards the wounded soldiers, scattered around them. ¡°You¡¯re strong enough, you can heal them. Alistair and Captain Rianne need help ¨C if they fall, it won¡¯t matter who we heal.¡±


    ¡°But Arwen-¡° Willow protested.


    ¡°She¡¯s not in mortal danger anymore. Leave her and help the others!¡± He snatched his sword from the ground where he had dropped it, and dashed away, to the battle taking place not too far away. As much as he wanted to stay by Arwen¡¯s side, there was no point ¨C they were outnumbered, and he couldn¡¯t let the heir of the Orlein house die.


    As he crossed the threshold between the new growth and the old growth, the air around him grew thicker and heavier. An almost sweet scent reached his nostrils as he leapt over the bulging roots, and ducked under the thick, almost black vines hanging from the branches.


    He spotted Alistair and Captain Rianne almost immediately. They, and four of the remaining soldiers were surrounded by almost twice the number of cloaked assailants.


    He kicked the ground, rushing towards the cloaked figure closest to him. The figure didn¡¯t notice him approach and let out an abruptly ending scream as he dug his blade into his back. Midhir pulled his sword out, letting the lifeless body collapse, and tugged at the thread of spiritual power within.


    His blade burst into flames as he felt a slow drain to his power. He contained the flames, allowing only a fraction of his power to flow into the augment embedded into the hilt of his sword. The flames burned brightly, lighting up his surroundings, turning him into a beacon ¨C a target to shoot at, an enemy to chase.


    Alistair¡¯s grim expression lit up. ¡°Charge! To the light!¡± He shouted at the top of his lungs. Water flowed in the air, hitting his opponents like a dragon¡¯s tail, sending them flying deeper into the woods. Captain Rianne¡¯s blade struck her opponent¡¯s throats and hearts, she cut through the now surprised crowd with ease.


    Midhir readied his blade as some of the cloaked figures turned to face him. He tightened his grasp on the hilt of his blade, planted his feet firmly on the ground, and lowered his body slightly.


    The assailants soon reached him. He blocked the overhead strike swung towards him, then stepped back, keeping his opponents between him and the direction the previous arrows were shot at. They wouldn¡¯t risk hitting their own allies. Probably. He hoped so, at least.


    His blade crossed with his opponent¡¯s, they remained still for a moment, trying to throw each other off balance. The flames burning on his blade illuminated what lay beneath his opponent¡¯s hood, revealing a simple, white mask, and a pair of brown eyes behind it.


    Rage boiled within. These people had kidnapped an innocent person, killed so many guards, burned down part of Bareon, and nearly killed Arwen. They deserved no mercy.


    He let his power flow into the augment of his blade. The flames burst out, leaping towards the masked man, clinging on his face, his torso, his arms, and legs. Screams of agony filled his ears, they echoed across the old growth.


    He turned his attention to the other masked and cloaked men. His flames returned to him as the burned man finally stopped struggling, they roared behind him like a rising serpent.


    Then, he dashed forward.

 Chapter 44 – A Reminder of Mortality (3)

    The scent of burnt hair and charred flesh filled the air. It was a sickening smell that made his stomach turn. A small part of his mind that hadn¡¯t lost itself in the thrill of battle, and the wrath he still felt was shocked and appalled at his choices.


    But he had no time to be appalled, or shocked. He couldn¡¯t pause to throw up, or to feel horror at how he killed that man, or the ones behind him.


    His blade drew blood, and soon all their opponents either fell or routed. Only when he wasn¡¯t attacked anymore did he relax his grip on the hilt of his sword and let the flames lighting up the blade fade away.


    Somehow, they had survived. Barely.


    ¡°Good job,¡± Captain Rianne¡¯s voice reached his ears. ¡°Retreat and rest for now.¡± She was talking to her men, all of which had suffered various wounds, some severe, others simple cuts and bruises.


    Midhir wiped the blood from his cheek, then cleaned his sword before sheathing it.


    ¡°Midhir!¡± Alistair brushed past the captain and her men and grabbed his shoulders. ¡°Arwen? How is she?!¡± His eyes were wide as he expected the worst.


    ¡°She¡¯ll live,¡± He replied, ¡°But she won¡¯t be able to keep fighting today. There¡¯s a decision to be made,¡± he glanced at their surroundings, then walked past Alistair to help one of the wounded soldiers walk back towards the newer growth.


    They retreated to where Willow was busy tending to the soldiers. Arwen was unconscious still, though it was for the best as the pain she felt must have been simply too much.


    As they returned, a faint smile appeared on Willow¡¯s lips. She breathed a sigh of relief but continued with her healing work, holding the gem over the wound of her current patient, and directing the spiritual power around them into it.


    Alistair¡¯s eyes widened for a split second before he averted his gaze. ¡°We have more losses than I hoped.¡± His voice was low and bleak.


    Captain Riann approached them, she sheathed her sword and glanced at the wounded before she nodded. ¡°Yes. It¡¯s a blessing you are unharmed, but we lost too many. I doubt we would be able to move forward with the number we have left.¡± She pursed her lips in consideration.


    ¡°If the man they abducted is the same man father mentioned ¨C the expert he wanted us to accompany ¨C then we must not let these people harm him.¡± Alistair pointed vaguely towards the old growth. ¡°Who knows what they will do to him ¨C and what will they use his knowledge and expertise for.¡±


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    Midhir folded his arms. Moving forward now was too great a risk, but retreating would mean losing the only lead they had.


    ¡°If we retreat now, it will only embolden them.¡± He looked at both of them. ¡°If we move forward and fail, we will be giving them the greatest advantage they can gain against Lord Orlein,¡± he shot Alistair a meaningful glance.


    ¡°If we don¡¯t go after them,¡± a weak voice rose. Arwen grunted as she pushed herself up and leaned her back against a tree. She could barely sit up, but a fire burned in her eyes. ¡°If you don¡¯t stop them, they will use that man. The Veil is weak here, don¡¯t you feel it?¡± She paused to take a few deep breaths and recover the strength to speak. ¡°They will tear it apart, why else would they go to monuments built to honour the Old Gods?¡±


    Her weakened body shook as she coughed.


    ¡°Don¡¯t overexert yourself!¡± Willow knelt beside her and used a handkerchief to wipe the sweat off of the young woman¡¯s face.


    Arwen shook her head fiercely. ¡°You don¡¯t understand!¡± she insisted, ¡°Midhir, remember Lillia!¡± Her eyes were wide as she pleaded. ¡°If these people are anything like the alchemists of old ¨C if they truly follow the twelve-part serpent, they will not hesitate to sacrifice that man!¡± she pleaded.


    The memory of his hands squeezing a small, fragile neck surfaced. He quickly closed his eyes and shook his head, suppressing it.


    Alistair bit his lips. Conflicted, he glanced at the wounded men and women, then deeper into the old growth. ¡°We can¡¯t retreat now.¡± He finally decided after a few moments of consideration. ¡°But we have wounded and dead ¨C we can¡¯t leave them here. Willow,¡± he turned towards the young woman. ¡°Keep healing everyone. I will leave Marta and Tormod with you, they¡¯ll help you carry those who can¡¯t walk back to the road. Please make sure they survive.¡±


    Willow breathed in to protest, but glancing at Arwen, who had fallen silent out of exhaustion, she nodded. ¡°You need to be careful out there too.¡± She looked at the gem in her hand, then glanced at Midhir. ¡°I¡¯ll keep this a while longer then.¡±


    He nodded before turning his attention deeper into the old growth. ¡°We should hurry.¡±


    ¡°You should stay behind,¡± Captain Rianne sharply spoke, looking at Alistair. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, my Lord, but you shouldn¡¯t come with us. We are expendable, but you are not and if you are captured-¡°


    ¡°I have visited the monuments to the Old Gods before, Captain Rianne,¡± he cut her off. ¡°You haven¡¯t, nor has Midhir. If that¡¯s where you think they¡¯re headed,¡± he glanced at Arwen, who could only summon the strength to nod, ¡°I¡¯m the only one of us who has even a vague idea of where to go. So, no. I will not be staying behind.¡±


    He turned away, not giving Captain Rianne a chance to protest. His word was final.


    She pursed her lips, but held her tongue, shooting an annoyed glance at Midhir. Perhaps she was hoping he would try and talk Alistair out of going, but the young noble¡¯s argument was sensible. Getting lost in the old growth was almost inevitable without tracks to follow. Alistair¡¯s knowledge could be the difference between survival and death.


    The three of them soon set off, accompanied by four of the six remaining, mostly unharmed soldiers. Their blades were drawn, and eyes peeled as they crossed the threshold between the new growth and the old growth.


    The air grew heavy, the already dim sunlight faded further. They marched on, Arwen¡¯s words ringing in their minds.


    They had to stop these terrorists, no matter the cost.

 Chapter 45 – From Beyond The Veil (1)

    When he looked at the forest from up the hill, all he saw was the canopy ¨C a vibrant, beautiful green that covered the land. When he looked at the foot of the hill from the mansion¡¯s training ground, he thought he saw what lay beneath that canopy ¨C thick, gnarly roots that slowly crawled towards the city.


    He had believed that was all there was beneath that thick canopy. Just darkness, a root-covered surface, and the occasional animal.


    He couldn¡¯t have been more wrong. The further Alistair led them into the old growth, the brighter and more vibrant their surroundings became. It started with a butterfly he spotted. It had bright blue, luminescent wings.


    Then, wildlife started to appear. Large, leafy plants grew between the layers of roots forming the forest¡¯s surface. Vines decorated with beautiful, glowing flowers climbed the trees, and large fruits hung from the ancient trees.


    It was nothing like the forest in Lohssa.


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch anything that glows,¡± Alistair warned them. ¡°It¡¯s not dangerous, but the glow is a bit¡­ sticky.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen these plants before,¡± Midhir whispered as he walked next to the young Orlein.


    Alistair nodded. ¡°You couldn¡¯t. Father thinks they¡¯re not from here.¡± He scowled, as if he was pondering how to explain it. ¡°He thinks they¡¯re remnants from the other side, that somehow spread here during the Bareon Disaster.¡±


    A cold shiver ran down his spine. ¡°They came through the tear?¡± he hadn¡¯t heard of anything material passing through the veil before. Even Lord Andor¡¯s memoir didn¡¯t mention it ¨C all the threats they faced during and after the disaster had been possessed men and women, and natural disasters brought forth by spiritual power.


    ¡°Father believes so. He¡¯s working with our arborists to try and contain the spread, but they haven¡¯t been very successful. These only existed around the monuments just four years ago.¡± Alistair vaguely pointed north. ¡°It¡¯s spread a lot. It worries me.¡±


    Looking at the foreign plants and butterflies, Midhir shuddered. The blue flowers blooming around the tear in Lohssa came to mind. They too glowed like this, but much more brightly. He could feel the power there.


    ¡°Let¡¯s take a moment to rest,¡± Alistair said, his gaze lingering on the trees around them. ¡°I want to try and get a good view of our surroundings.¡±


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    Midhir scowled. ¡°From the treetops?¡±


    The young noble nodded. ¡°Help me out, I doubt the higher branches would carry my weight.¡±


    ¡°I could say the same,¡± Midhir muttered as he sheathed his sword. He was slightly shorter than Alistair, but not by that much.


    Alistair chuckled, then crossed his fingers, his palms facing up. ¡°Come on,¡± he urged Midhir to hurry.


    With a sigh, Midhir placed his foot on Alistair¡¯s hands. ¡°Fine,¡± he grumbled, and pushed himself up at the same time as Alistair¡¯s lift. His hands barely reached the lowest branch of the tree, which he firmly grasped.


    He struggled to pull himself up for a moment, but eventually managed to do so. The branch creaked, though he was sure it wouldn¡¯t just break off. It was thick and sturdy, wide enough that he could comfortably sit on it.


    ¡°So far so good,¡± he whispered mostly to himself as he got up on his knees and glanced around.


    He expected little visibility, but instead he was met with vibrant, luminescent life up here. The top of the branch he was on was covered in moss, vines wrapped around it, and a host of small animals and insects seemed to have made it their home. Looking up, he saw more of that ¨C butterflies nested on the upper branches, the moss grew brighter in colour, and leafy plants grew on small mounds of dirt and dead leaf piles on the branches.


    Hesitant, he reached for the next branch. It was difficult to find a grip on it since the moss was so soft, and slippery. His hands gripped something smaller a moment later, perhaps the branch was splitting, allowing him to easily catch it.


    He stood up, then pulled himself up on the next branch, startling the animals. Squirrel-like creatures ran off, while a few small birds flew away, leaving a few of their feathers behind.


    He caught one of the dropping feathers. The black feather was surprisingly large, longer than his forearm and wider than his outstretched fingers. He raised it towards a patch of glowing flowers blooming on the vines hanging from above to try and getter a better look at it.


    The feather reflected the blue light, its tip slowly turning an odd, bone-white colour. With a scowl, he pulled it away, watching it return to its insignificant black colour.


    ¡°Are you alright up there?¡± Captain Rianne¡¯s voice reached him.


    Letting the feather vanish into the holding gem that was his earring, he leaned over the edge of the branch. ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s difficult to find a good grip though. This place is covered in moss.¡±


    Alistair was standing beside the captain. ¡°Be careful. A fall from there could be lethal.¡±


    Midhir nodded before pulling himself away from the edge and turned his attention upwards again. The sky was still hidden behind the layers of branches and leaves. He couldn¡¯t help but wonder how high these trees really reached.


    Looking from afar, or even looking at the new growth near Bareon and the road leading to An¡¯Larion didn¡¯t do them justice.


    With a sigh, he continued his climb. The branches began to grow thinner, and he felt them move and bend under his weight. Dangerous creaks reached his ears, startling the wildlife around him, and striking a primal fear into his heart ¨C the fear of falling.


    The sky appeared suddenly, as he got up on his knees again, and his head suddenly broke through the canopy of leaves, revealing the depths of the Old Growth to him.


    A pain struck his left eye as he spotted what they sought not far from here ¨C a bone-white monument, illuminated with fire.

 Chapter 46 – From Beyond The Veil (2)

    He grunted, pressing his hand against his eye. The branches below him creaked dangerously with his sudden motion.


    The monument rose above the forest canopy with ease. It¡¯s bone-white surface was smooth, though it didn¡¯t reflect the sunlight at all. It reminded him of the chalk-like building blocks used in An¡¯Larion. It was likely constructed from that same stone.


    How it was constructed was a different question entirely. It was so tall that even from all the way up here, Midhir was below its highest point. There were no construction marks on it at all ¨C no seams, no spots where a chisel may have dented the rock. It almost seemed natural.


    The monument was shaped like a tree, its log made of intertwining columns, and its leafy canopy replaced with a circular shape that reminded him of an infinite vortex. The more he looked at it, the weirder and more unreal it seemed.


    Lights shone on the lower part of the intertwining columns. Torchlight, he assumed, as it was a soft yellow coloured that constantly shifted in intensity. There were people there, but the forest canopy prevented him from seeing them.


    After a few moments, he looked around. There were several more monuments similar to this one further away, closer to the distant mountains. To their right, there was probably a hill since the forest canopy rose. Bareon was visible behind him ¨C it seemed farther away than he thought it should be.


    He looked at the monument again. It was probably half an hour of walking away. The sun had still not fully reached its zenith ¨C if everything went smoothly, they had enough time to save the abducted man and get out of the forest before the sun set, and darkness settled.


    It was a small relief, but good enough for now.


    He climbed down the branches slowly and carefully, and eventually hopped down the lowest branch, landing on the root-covered ground with a grunt.


    Alistair and Captain Rianne were sitting with their backs against the tree, while two of the four soldiers who accompanied them stood guard, weapons in hand and eyes peeled.


    ¡°That way,¡± Midhir immediately pointed northeast. ¡°We¡¯ll need to walk for about half an hour, I think. It¡¯s a huge monument, chalk-coloured. I saw torchlight, there are people there for sure.¡±


    Alistair pursed his lips, while Captain Rianne scowled. ¡°They¡¯re so bold to bring flames into the forest?¡± she shook her head in a mix of disappointment and anger. ¡°Despicable,¡± she spat.


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    ¡°Don¡¯t expect respect from them,¡± Alistair sighed as he pushed himself up on his feet. ¡°We should get going, unless you need some rest as well,¡± he phrased his last words like a question, and looked at Midhir with raised eyebrows.


    ¡°I can go on,¡± he didn¡¯t feel tired at all, on the contrary, he felt a mix of excitement and impatience. ¡°The more we wait, the more time they have to prepare.¡±


    ¡°Time isn¡¯t a luxury we can afford,¡± Captain Rianne nodded as she also stood up, making a swirling motion with her hand. The accompanying soldiers rushed to them, ready to set off. ¡°Lead the way, Lord Alistair.¡±


    The young noble nodded, he picked his spear up from where it was leaning against the tree, and with a sigh, set off.


    They heard voices before the monument entered their field of view. The Old Growth obstructed all but a few meters ahead of them, but sound carried through.


    As soon as they heard it, Alistair raised his fist, and everyone froze in their tracks.


    ¡°¡­ from ages past, we return to¡­¡± It was a woman¡¯s voice, chanting what seemed to be an old poem. Her voice echoed in the forest, making it difficult to hear distinct words.


    ¡°Quietly,¡± Captain Rianne¡¯s voice was but a whisper as she drew her blade from its scabbard, and slowly moved forward. Her steps were silent as she avoided stepping on the piles of leaves and brushing against the leafy plants growing through the gaps in the roots.


    They followed her, taking shallow breaths and keeping their eyes peeled. Soon, they saw the light of torches illuminate the woods, and moments later, they arrived at the edge of the forest.


    The monument Midhir had seen earlier was at the centre of a fairly large, and seemingly perfectly circular opening in the forest. The intertwining columns of the monument looked more like roots of chalk, intertwining as they climbed towards the sky, eventually forming the odd, vortex-like shape several meters above the ground.


    No flowers, or leafy plants and bushes crossed the threshold between the opening and the forest, but the roots of the ancient trees didn¡¯t seem to care ¨C they had covered the ground of the opening nearly completely, intertwining with the monument. And the chalk stone-roots of the monument were intertwined with them, constructed in a way that made it look like the monument was spreading towards the forest.


    Once again impressed by the craftmanship that must have gone into creating this monument, Midhir pressed his palm against his left eye. Doubts lingered at the back of his mind. Was this the work of an incredible craftsman, or was it something else? It seemed too natural, but as far as he knew, there was no way to grow stone as if it were a plant.


    Brass braziers had been placed around the monument, in more or less equal intervals. Flames burned brightly in each of them, illuminating both the monument and the first few rows of trees in the Old Growth. Perhaps a dozen men had gathered in front of the monument, off to Midhir¡¯s left. Their focus was a woman, wearing heavy robes and a cloak.


    ¡°Our ancestors have blessed us, we were given life for this moment alone,¡± charged with emotion, the woman¡¯s voice rose. She raised her arms towards the sky, her head jolted back as she looked up. ¡°My life, for the Old Gods!¡± She shouted at the top of her lungs.


    ¡°For the Old Gods!¡± The crowd chanted.


    A shiver ran down his spine. Old, forgotten memories stirred as he tightened his jaw.


    ¡°My soul to feed you,¡± her voice trembled with excitement, ¡°My blood-¡°


    His lips moved along with hers.


    ¡°To awaken you.¡±

 Chapter 47 – From Beyond The Veil (3)

    His eyes opened wide as suppressed memories surfaced. He pushed them all away, to the forgotten corners of his mind as he leapt out into the open. ¡°Don¡¯t let her kill herself!¡± He shouted, tugging at the power within.


    His hand gripped the hilt of his blade, the augment embedded into the hilt glowing bright red. He dashed towards the woman, and the startled crowd, flames roaring on his sword.


    Not a drop of her blood could touch the ground. Not a single drop!


    Her eyes widened as she turned to look at him, then her lips parted in shock as she saw the others rushing behind him. ¡°They are here to stop us!¡± She shouted, her hand reached into the wide sleeve of her robes, and she pulled out something that glinted.


    ¡°Alistair!¡± Midhir shouted, his gaze fixed on the woman. He heard the sound of flowing water and felt the spiritual power all around them stir into action. He only spared a glance at the crowd rushing to get between him and the woman.


    They were all cloaked and armed ¨C the same people that attacked them and nearly killed Arwen. They unsheathed their weapons ¨C daggers, swords and even spears appeared in their hands, summoned from holding gems hidden beneath their clothes. Yet there was hesitation in their eyes, they raised their guards oddly, and constantly glanced at the woman over their shoulders.


    The woman raised the object in her hand, a small, yet sharp knife. ¡°For the Old Gods!¡± She shouted, her hand moved towards her chest just as a stream of water circled around the monument, and hit her with all its strength, flinging her up and away from the monument, over the crowd.


    She let out a terrified scream as she hit the ground with a loud thud. ¡°No!¡± She screamed, scrambling to get back up. Her gaze snapped to the knife that had fallen to the ground near the monument. She stumbled towards it, trying to make her way to it.


    As the crowd rushed forward to protect her, Captain Rianne dashed forward, tackling her to the ground. ¡°You, are coming with us!¡± She hissed as the robed woman screamed and struggled against her.


    ¡°With me!¡± Alistair shouted at his men as he dashed to position himself between Captain Rianne and the crowd of armed assailants. The four soldiers accompanying them took their positions on either side of him, weapons drawn and blades ready.


    ¡°Take your hands off of her!¡± A voice rang from behind them. Another robed woman, much younger than the one still struggling to shake off Captain Rianne¡¯s grip stepped out from behind the monument, dragging along a bound man with her.


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    She held a knife against his throat as she walked out into the open. ¡°Let her go, or I will kill him!¡± She shouted, bringing everyone to a stop.


    Her eyes were wide open, and her lips trembled. Her hand holding the knife was shaking visibly.


    Midhir¡¯s gaze snapped to the man she had dragged along with her, however. It was a fairly tall and slender man, with messy brown hair that covered the left side of his face completely. He was covered in mud and leaves, but still he easily recognised him.


    Lonan¡¯s uncovered eye shot wide open as their gazes met. His lips parted, but he quickly closed his mouth.


    ¡°Let her go!¡± The woman holding Lonan shouted again. ¡°Don¡¯t you hear me? I said I¡¯ll kill him!¡±


    ¡°No, you won¡¯t,¡± Midhir snapped back. ¡°You won¡¯t let his blood flow here.¡± He pointed at the monument, then at the ground beneath their feet, where the roots of the Old Growth forest and the chalk-coloured stone tendrils intertwined. ¡°You¡¯d rather die than let a heretic bleed here.¡±


    Memories stirred, knowledge he never thought would be useful surfaced in his mind. Words he had heard before, phrases that made no sense at the time that he now understood ¨C he took a step towards her, knowing perfectly well she wouldn¡¯t cut Lonan.


    ¡°Stay away!¡± She pulled the knife away from Lonan¡¯s throat, pointing it at him.


    The historian smirked for a split second as he leaned forward, then threw his head back as hard as he could, hitting her chin with quite a bit of force. The woman let out a scream as she stumbled and fell, while Lonan immediately dashed forward, away from her. Despite having his hands bound, he somehow kept his balance as he stumbled over the roots, into the relative safety of the forest.


    ¡°Don¡¯t let a drop of blood fall, Midhir!¡± he shouted as they passed each other.


    Midhir dashed towards the woman as soon as Lonan hit her. As she stumbled back and fell, he caught up to her, catching her wrist as she let out an ear-piercing scream. He forced the knife off her hand, stashing it in his holding gem.


    ¡°Let go of me!¡± She screamed as he pulled her up on her feet. ¡°Attack them!¡± She continued to shout as she struggled, trying to punch and kick him. ¡°Drive them out of here!¡±


    ¡°For the Old Gods!¡± one of the people in the crowd shouted. ¡°For the Old Gods!¡± the others¡¯ voices echoed as some of them rushed towards Alistair and his men, and a few broke off from the crowd, rushing at Midhir.


    Alarm bells rang in his mind as he pushed the woman to the ground and reached for his sword.


    ¡°You can¡¯t cut them!¡± Lonan¡¯s desperate voice reached his ears. ¡°A single drop of blood is all it would take!¡±


    Lonan was right. He let go of the hilt of his blade, turned around, and dashed into the forest. ¡°With me!¡± He shouted as he passed by Alistair and the others, ¡°We can¡¯t fight here!¡±


    They ran into the Old Growth, with their assailants at tow, trying to rescue their leader who was still being dragged away by Captain Rianne. After passing the first few rows of trees, Alistair stopped them, ¡°Now we fight,¡± he declared, pointing his weapon at the crowd approaching.

 Chapter 48 – From Beyond the Veil (4)

    The assailants reached them within only a few heartbeats. The sound of metal hitting metal echoed in the forest, startling the animals living in the upper branches of the ancient trees.


    The battle was chaotic and without flow, and Midhir soon found himself separated from the others. From the sounds he heard, he could guess he wasn¡¯t the only one. They were vastly outnumbered and somewhat battered already. This was going to be an uphill battle.


    Looking at about half a dozen people coming for him, he quickly decided that standing his ground wasn¡¯t an option ¨C he could perhaps defend himself against two somewhat experienced fighters. Any more was simply impossible.


    He retreated behind the nearest tree as they chased him, and immediately circled around it, ending up behind the group. His blade glinted with the blue light of the wildlife as he struck the unsuspecting man at the rear of the group.


    He reached behind him, covering his mouth as he quickly slit his throat. The muffled gurgle of his victim wasn¡¯t loud enough to overcome the sounds of battle echoing in the forest. He put the body on the ground, then ran towards the next tree.


    ¡°There!¡± He heard them shout, unaware that one of them had fallen already. He hid behind another tree, his ears perked as he listened to the approaching footsteps. Just as the first of his pursuers circled around the tree chasing him, he dug his blade into the man¡¯s chest, piercing his lung and heart. As his victim let out a surprised grunt, he kicked the man¡¯s chest, pulling out his sword and causing his dead body to fall on the remaining pursuers.


    While the remaining four pursuers scrambled to get out of the way of their fallen ally, he tugged at the thread of spiritual power within, directing a steady amount of it into the augment embedded in the hilt of his blade.


    Crimson flames lit up the forest as fire danced on his blade. He raised his hand, directing the resonance into his palm. Then, as if he was throwing a handful of mud, he hurled the burning sphere towards his pursuers.


    The ball of flames hit one of them, then exploded, catching the robes of the remaining three. Pained screams echoed in his ears as they threw themselves to the ground, trying to douse the flames in vain.


    He was quick to end their suffering. No one deserved such a cruel and painful death after all. Once the last of them was finally silence, he stopped feeding more of his power to the flames, and rushed back towards where Alistair, Captain Rianne and the others were fighting.


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    They were once again surrounded, but by no means helpless as Alistair¡¯s resonance wrecked havoc among the assailants. It looked like a whole river had been ripped away from its bed and was obeying him. Water splashed against the assailants, sending them flying towards the trees, it surged from beneath the network of roots covering the ground, knocking them off their feet.


    Out of the four guards, Midhir only spotted two still standing next to Alistair and Captain Rianne. The other two must have been separated from them just like he was. He could only hope they survived as he rushed towards Alistair and the others.


    He was still too far away when he noticed Captain Rianne struggle with her unruly captive. The woman she was holding in a deadlock had begun to struggle again in an attempt to break free. With one hand she tried to pry Captain Rianne¡¯s arm off her neck, while trying to awkwardly punch the woman with the other.


    He soon reached the rather chaotic battlefield, circling behind the assailants to catch them off guard. While they were busy trying to avoid Alistair¡¯s resonance ¨C the raging river he had somehow summoned ¨C Midhir easily snuck up to the nearest one. A single cut was all it took to take his life, and Midhir didn¡¯t hesitate.


    A few of the assailants noticed him. They directed their attention to him, only to be caught in Alistair¡¯s resonance. The battle continued, despite the young noble¡¯s powerful resonance casting. There were too many enemies for Alistair to finish off alone, so Midhir and the remaining two guards fended them off, keeping them away from Alistair and Captain Rianne.


    As he pulled his sword out of an opponent¡¯s chest ad let his lifeless body fall to the ground, Midhir stepped back for a moment of respite. He looked up, longing for sunlight as he wiped the sweat off his forehead.


    The branches covering the sky seemed to rattle momentarily. He narrowed his eyes, confused for a split second as he tried to see beyond the leaves. Was there a larger animal above them?


    It took a blue glint on a metal surface for him to realise it wasn¡¯t an animal.


    ¡°Above us!¡± He shouted at the top of his lungs, but he was half a second too late. Three people dropped from above, one of them landed behind the two guards. Blood splattered on the ground, but Midhir didn¡¯t have the chance to watch, as the second assailant tried to tackle Alistair from above.


    The young noble spun his spear, turning its sharp side up, impaling the dropping man.


    The third leapt on Captain Rianne, knocking her off her feet.


    His eyes widened as he watched the captain¡¯s captive easily weasel out of her grasp and grab the dagger on her belt. She held the dagger unceremoniously, pouring spiritual power into its bejewelled hit. The green gem embedded into its hilt blowed a bright green.


    Strong winds whirled around her. Something invisible whipped against the trees, smashing their trunks and ripping off the lowest branches. Before anyone ¨C even the woman¡¯s allies ¨C could react, her power exploded outwards, sending them all flying in different directions.


    He found himself flying, then hit the ground beneath a blue sky, partially covered in chalk coloured stone.

 Chapter 49 – Blood of the Unworthy (1)

    The world spun around him as he closed his eyes. A pained moan escaped his lips as pain jolted throughout his whole body. It took a few moments before he could move again, without feeling like his bones were being torn apart.


    Footsteps sounded from his right, prompting him to open his eyes and turn his head.


    The woman wearing robes and hiding her face with the hood of her cloak stumbled over the roots covering the ground, her focus solely on the monument. Her fingers were clenched around the dagger she stole from Captain Rianne.


    The resonance she cast had incapacitated nearly everyone ¨C both her allies and enemies. There was no one chasing her, no one to stop her from spilling her own blood on the white roots of the chalk coloured monument.


    His heart sank. She had to be stopped. No matter the cost!


    He pushed himself up, ignoring the pain that jolted through his body. Standing up, he stumbled towards her. Every step was a challenge on the uneven ground, but soon the world stopped spinning around him.


    He rushed at her as fast as he could.


    She stopped at the foot of the monument, ceremoniously raising the dagger above her chest. ¡°Awaken!¡± She shouted.


    Midhir leapt forward, tackling her moments before she could take her own life. They fell to the ground, rolling away from the monument.


    ¡°Let go of me!¡± She screamed as Midhir¡¯s hands clenched around hers. They struggled for the dagger, each trying to snatch it away from the other.


    Midhir only grunted in response to her. It took all his remaining strength to keep the dagger¡¯s sharp end away from her. It was a lot more difficult than he expected. After all, she didn¡¯t need to win, all she needed was to wound herself. And she was well aware of that.


    She didn¡¯t even bother trying to get a hold of the dagger as she moved forward, trying to press her own body against its sharp end.


    Pulling against her iron-like grip, it took all of his strength to try and stop her. He tried to pull the dagger away, to point its sharp end elsewhere. Forcing it upwards, he lifted it above their heads, making it impossible for her to impale herself.


    She grunted, then with a fiery look in her eyes, met his gaze. ¡°You won¡¯t stop us!¡± She hissed, letting go of the dagger.


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    Her sudden release caught him off guard. He stumbled back, tripping over the roots as he tried to recover his balance yet failed. As he fell, she rushed towards him, hands outstretched to snatch away the dagger from his loosened grip.


    As if she had a sudden change of mind, her hands moved towards his throat, clenching around it. ¡°Unworthy!¡± she screamed.


    Changing his grip on the dagger¡¯s hilt, he turned it around and smashed the side of her head with its pommel as hard as he could, sending her rolling to the side. Gasping for air, he scrambled to get up. He saw her rush at him with the corner of his eye, then something hit him in the back of the head.


    He stumbled forward, then fell on his hands and knees. The world spun around him as he noticed someone trying to pry his fingers away from the hilt of the dagger. Something kicked his side, knocking him down. ¡°Unworthy!¡± The woman¡¯s shouting voice echoed in his ears.


    Worthy.


    A memory surfaced.


    No, now wasn¡¯t the time. He reached for the dagger with his other hand as the world once again stopped spinning and his vision returned.


    His hand caught the dagger just as the woman pried his other hand off of it. ¡°You¡¯re unworthy! Let go!¡± she shouted almost hysterically. ¡°I am worthy! My blood will feed him, and my soul will lead him to the waking world!¡±


    With every word she shouted, she punched his arm to try and force him to let go of the dagger. ¡°I am worthy! Me!¡±


    He could feel his hand begin to go numb. He couldn¡¯t collect his thoughts anymore, the back of his head was hurting too much. His whole head felt like his skull was about to burst. He had probably hit his head when she sent him and everyone else with that first resonance she cast.


    His movements had started to become sluggish, and he could feel his grip on the dagger weaken. He couldn¡¯t keep this up for much longer.


    As she continued punching his arm, he felt his grip begin to slip.


    His heart sank as she snatched the dagger away, raising it as high as she could.


    She was going to thrust it into her chest.


    If she was worthy, he couldn¡¯t let her blood fall. She wouldn¡¯t dare risk wounding him though ¨C it would destroy their plan, perhaps decades of preparation would be ruined. She simply wouldn¡¯t risk it.


    He reached for her hands, to try and stop her. Sunlight shone on them, dispersing the shadows under her hood, revealing her face, and her closed eyes.


    The dagger dug into his palm, piercing the flesh, and coming out on the other side.


    Searing pain blinded him as he heard a scream in agony. ¡°No!¡± She screamed, doing the one thing he hoped she wouldn¡¯t do.


    She pulled the dagger out.


    Bright red blood gushed out of the wound before he could press his palm against his chest to try and stem the flow. He watched in horror as the stone-roots beneath him were dyed in red. Pain struck his left eye as he stumbled backwards, falling onto the ground.


    The woman dropped the dagger, falling onto her knees. ¡°No¡­¡± her voice was but a whisper, filled with desperation.


    It was so cold. He pressed his palm against his chest while also covering the back of his wounded hand with his left palm. His vision began to fade as he noticed how crimson everything had become. Despite his best efforts to stay conscious, something dragged his consciousness away.

 Chapter 50 – Blood of the Unworthy (2)

    The sound of something dropping into water reached his ears. His eyes shot wide open just as his senses returned.


    A plain of endless shallow water stretched before him, seemingly stretching into infinity. The sky above was dark and starless. There shouldn¡¯t have been any light around him, since there was nothing but water as far as the eye could see, yet there was light. Light without a source. Light that didn¡¯t cast shadows.


    Something dropped into the water again, forming faint ripples beneath him. He looked down to see blood gathering in his palm. Another drop escaped, falling into the pitch black water, tainting it with crimson.


    Blood spread around him, turning black into crimson. It spread until it covered all the water he could see.


    Then, he felt the ground move beneath him. The ankle-deep water remained impossibly still as the dark surface beneath it moved. He fell as if a carpet was pulled out from under him, onto the slimy surface at the bottom of the shallow water.


    The ice-cold water sent shivers across his body. He quickly motioned to get up but froze as he noticed the oddly white ground beneath him, covered in some sort of thick slime. The white moved, he could feel it brush against the thick layer of slime.


    A myriad of colours passed under him in an instant, before it all turned black again. It wasn¡¯t like before though, now it was pure black, seemingly infinite. He felt like he was staring into oblivion.


    It was utterly, completely terrifying. His body refused to move as he attempted to comprehend the endless abyss beneath him.


    A small part of his mind screamed at him to get up. To move. To try and understand what was going on. Where was he? How had he come here? It demanded he seek these answers.


    He shut his eyes close, and for a split second, felt as if his mind was freed from whatever had him frozen with fear.


    He pushed against the slimy surface beneath him and stood back up. His heart raced as he opened his eyes again, and that terror returned almost instantly.


    The endless black pit beneath him was surrounded by an iris of beautiful colours. Some were impossibly vibrant, while others were much calmer, or darker. Beyond that was white beneath the shallow water as far as the eye could see.


    He looked down again as understanding began to dawn.


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    Where had the blood gone? His hand was bleeding still, but the blood immediately sank into the bottom, and disappeared beneath the slimy surface.


    Blood.


    His lips parted in shock as he comprehended.


    A sharp pain struck his left eye.


    ¡°No,¡± he shook his head as he stumbled backwards, pressing his hand against his eye. ¡°My blood wasn¡¯t worthy!¡± he shouted into the void, looking at the endless black abyss beneath him.


    At the pupil of the eye he was standing on.


    His blood wasn¡¯t worthy. His soul was impure, it was the opposite of what the ritual would have needed! This must have been a dream. A nightmare, caused by blood loss and exhaustion.


    Gravity suddenly changed, and he fell upwards. A scream escaped his lips as he flailed about. His chest tightened in terror as he fell into endless nothingness.


    Desperately looking for something, anything to hold onto, he drifted away. Yet the eye was still utterly gigantic, filling his view completely. Its colourful iris was both beautiful and terrifying all at once. Just the mere thought of seeing the rest of this being¡¯s body was enough to freeze the blood in his veins.


    The eye moved ever so slightly, following him with its gaze as he drifted away. Things moved in the darkness. He couldn¡¯t quite see good enough, only the vague silhouette of something moving.


    His head hurt looking at it.


    He noticed something move behind him with the corner of his eye. Something reached for him.


    His heart skipped a beat as something cold touched his back. A silent scream escaped his lips. Tendrils wrapped around his limbs. He struggled, trying to break free, but it soon proved futile.


    ¡°Return to your slumber!¡± he shouted at the unblinking eye. ¡°I¡¯m not your guide to the waking world!¡±


    The vast nothingness beyond the eye appeared to move again. It was moving. Awakening from its deep slumber.


    He struggled to break free from the hold of the tendrils, but they continued to wrap around his body, rendering him immobile. They forced his right hand open, covering the wound on his palm and the back of his hand.


    A shiver ran down his spine as he tried to pull his hand away. It felt as if the tendrils were trying to slither into the wound. ¡°Go bac to sleep!¡± He shouted in desperation. His chest tightened with rising terror. ¡°I¡¯m not-¡°


    His voice cut off with a gasp as one of the tendrils struck his left eye. Searing pain jolted throughout his body. Half his vision vanished in an instant.


    A beastly cry of agony and shock escaped his lips as he pressed his hand against his left eye. His back arched as he squirmed from the sudden and immense pain.


    ¡°Alistair, help me out!¡± He heard a woman¡¯s voice as a pair of hands pressed against his shoulders, pinning him to the ground. ¡°Something¡¯s wrong!¡±


    Footsteps approached, someone held his legs. ¡°Hurry!¡±


    A soothing, warm sensation covered his body as the pain in his eye slowly subsided.


    Someone forced his hand away from his eye. ¡°Hey!¡± A woman¡¯s gentle, yet worried voice reached his ears, piercing the veil of pain that had clouded his mind.


    His eyes shot wide open, revealing the blue sky he was laying under.


    A face entered his field of vision.


    ¡°¡­Alistair?¡± his voice was but a whisper that barely passed through his aching throat.


    He had never felt so relieved to see someone before. Or to see the sky.


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s me.¡± The young noble also seemed somewhat relieved. He glanced around before looking at Midhir again. ¡°Can you walk? We need to get moving. It¡¯s¡­¡± he hesitantly bit his lips. ¡°It¡¯s not looking good right now.¡±

 Chapter 51 – Blood of the Unworthy (3)

    ¡°I think I can walk,¡± Midhir muttered, pressing his hands against the ground, and pushing himself up on his knees. Wincing at the sharp pain that struck his right hand, he raised his gaze as he motioned to get up and drew a sharp breath as he noticed his surroundings.


    The world seemed to have been dyed in red. The chalk-coloured monument, and its tendrils intertwining with the Old Growth¡¯s roots had turned a dark crimson. Bright red flowers were blooming on the roots ¨C flowers he had only seen once before.


    As his heart sank, he felt blood drain from his face. ¡°What happened here?¡± His voice was but a whisper as he pushed himself up on his feet. ¡°The Veil¡­ is it torn?¡± he pointed at the blooming flowers as he looked all around him, trying to spot a tear in the Veil.


    His gaze sought the fracture in reality ¨C the blue, vortex like rift like he saw in Lohssa, but all he saw were the unconscious bodies of the assailants scattered around the monument and in the Old Growth. ¡°Where are the soldiers?¡± He asked as he noticed their absence.


    Captain Rianne¡¯s voice reached his ears, startling him. ¡°We sent them off with the person we rescued. The young Lord and I stayed behind to try and wake you up,¡± she curtly replied. ¡°We must go. We wasted enough time.¡±


    While her tone didn¡¯t give it away, she seemed rather nervous. Constantly glancing towards the northern side of the forest, she rested her hand on her sword¡¯s hilt. She looked like she wanted to be as far away from here as possible, and Midhir couldn¡¯t blame her.


    ¡°I can walk,¡± he stated, breathing out. ¡°Let¡¯s not waste any more time.¡±


    He couldn¡¯t help but glance over his shoulder at the monument as they walked away.


    ¡°A few of them escaped after she cut your hand,¡± Alistair¡¯s voice reached his ears, pulling his mind back to the present. ¡°They ran north, we assume towards the rest of their forces.¡±


    With a scowl, Midhir nodded. These people were an organised group, with a clear goal in mind. They wanted to awaken one of the Old Gods, or maybe all of them. A group of a few dozen people wasn¡¯t enough to accomplish such a goal.


    ¡°We¡¯re faced with a terrorist organisation,¡± he whispered absentmindedly as he rubbed his left eye with his hand. Out of habit, he placed his right hand on the hilt of his sword, only to feel a sharp pain, causing him to flinch.


    ¡°I tried to heal your wound,¡± Captain Rianne pointed at his hand wrapped in a thick layer of bandages, ¡°but it didn¡¯t work. All that healing just vanished. All I did was numb the area, so you don¡¯t feel as much pain.¡±


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    Midhir pursed his lips. He did remember feeling something warm in his palm moments before he woke up. Or, as he was waking up. He wasn¡¯t sure, nor did it matter. ¡°I don¡¯t think the healing just vanished,¡± he hesitantly spoke as they made their way through the Old Growth. He was almost certain that her healing had stopped the immense pain of his eye being destroyed in what he hoped was a nightmare.


    He traced the shape of his eye with his fingers, carefully feeling his eyelid and eyelashes. He pressed lightly, feeling his eye underneath his closed eyelid. It was fine, right? It was, it was perfectly fine.


    ¡°What happened to it, then?¡± she asked with a scowl.


    Midhir was about to answer when Alistair suddenly hushed them, grabbing their shoulders, and pulling them behind a tree covered in dark blue and black vines. The young noble quickly reached up with his spear, hooking it to the vines hanging from the tree branch above them, and pulling them down like a curtain to hide behind.


    As the dark coloured vines surrounded them, Midhir shuddered. It took quite a bit of his willpower not to move. They reminded him of the tendrils that caught him and struck his eye. That pain was still fresh in his mind, and so was the sheer terror he felt upon comprehending what he was looking at.


    They crouched, hiding behind the tree, hidden from all sides by the thick roots rising from the earth, and the vines concealing them. Not even a handful of breaths later, footsteps reached their ears.


    ¡°Are you sure she survived?¡± a woman¡¯s voice rang.


    ¡°Yes, my lady,¡± a man replied with a shaky, frightened voice. ¡°I saw them carrying both her and Lady Elaine off.¡±


    ¡°You also saw some of them remain behind to care for the Unworthy.¡± She retorted curtly. ¡°Yet he wasn¡¯t there.¡±


    Alistair shot Midhir a rather worried glance. Captain Rianne tightened her hold on the hilt of her blade just as a tall woman entered their field of view.


    Wearing a simple leather padded armour and leggings, and knee-high working boots, she certainly didn¡¯t look like a lady. Her unnaturally white and ghostly hair immediately caught his attention, as well as the whip she was holding in her hands, fiddling with it as she walked.


    About a dozen people followed her. One of them wore simple robes ¨C it was the frightened man she was talking with. One of the people who escaped. The others all wore leather armour, capes, armoured boots and gloves, and helmets. They carried swords sheathed in scabbards hanging from their belts, and bows over their shoulders. Unlike the somewhat disorganised group Midhir and the others fought before, these people were clearly well trained.


    Alistair very slightly shook his head. They couldn¡¯t fight them.


    ¡°He was there when I left, my lady!¡± The robed man pleaded. ¡°I swear it!¡±


    The woman stopped, stretching her back with an audible sigh. ¡°Well, it¡¯s clear that even the blood of someone unworthy is enough to stir the Great One from his slumber,¡± She turned to face her men. ¡°This has proven an unlucky day, the ritual was interrupted by Lord Orlein¡¯s forces. Visha was unable to complete her purpose, but all is not yet lost!¡± She raised her voice, clenching her fist around her whip and holding it up.


    ¡°The Blood of the Unworthy has started the ritual! You know how it must end! Now go!¡±


    The group of armoured and armed men and woman shouted in unison before rushing past where Midhir, Alistair, and Rianne was hiding. Moments later, only the woman and the robed man remained.


    ¡°What should I do, my Lady?¡± he sheepishly asked.


    The woman¡¯s lips curled up with a smile. ¡°Come with me, you have an important job to do as well, my dear,¡± she brushed the back of her hand against his cheek before walking away, back to where they came from.

 Chapter 52 – A Race Against Time (1)

    They waited silently, crouched behind the tree, hidden by the dangling vines and mounds of roots until the woman and her follower couldn¡¯t be heard anymore.


    Captain Rianne finally let go of the hilt of her blade and breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°It¡¯s a good thing you noticed them, Lord Alistair,¡± she whispered.


    Alistair pursed his lips. ¡°It was just luck,¡± he breathed out. ¡°But we¡¯re not quite safe yet.¡± He turned his gaze to Midhir. ¡°You can¡¯t fight.¡±


    His words stung, but a glance at his right hand wrapped in bandages was enough to reach that conclusion. ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± he affirmed through gritted teeth. He couldn¡¯t even properly move his thumb without pain.


    ¡°Even if he could, we¡¯re in no state to fight a dozen well-armed people,¡± Captain Rianne admitted. ¡°They rushed southward, towards the main road. I fear they will come across the rest of our forces ¨C the wounded and battered.¡±


    Alistair shook his head. ¡°I told them to return to Bareon. Unless Sir Lonan and the guards met a terrible fate on the way, they should be halfway to Bareon already. Willow and the others must have returned before we even reached the monument.¡±


    ¡°Unless something went wrong,¡± Midhir muttered.


    ¡°Unless something went wrong,¡± Alistair nodded. ¡°We don¡¯t know that, and we don¡¯t have the luxury to try and save everyone right now.¡± He shot Midhir¡¯s hand a meaningful glance. ¡°We need to be out of the forest before nightfall, let¡¯s get moving.¡±


    He stood up, grabbing the spear he had placed on the ground, then helped Captain Rianne stand up as well before offering his hand to the hesitant Midhir. He gladly accepted the young noble¡¯s help and got up on his feet.


    The world spun around him for a couple of heartbeats. He grabbed onto the tree for support until it passed. He had lost too much blood. What he needed was to rest, to sleep, and to eat something fulfilling and nutritious.


    He was going to do just that when they arrived at Bareon, he promised himself.


    They began their gruelling trek back to the main road. Gazes constantly cast outward, they stayed close to the tree trunks, moving from one shadow to the next.


    The Old Growth was covered in an eerie silence. There were no chirping birds, no small animals running over the branches, no luminescent butterflies flying about. It wasn¡¯t the silence of a dead place either ¨C Midhir could see the faint blue glow above the tree branches. The forest was very much alive. It was just waiting for something. Like the silence before a storm.


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    He couldn¡¯t help but feel on edge. What if they were silent because many people had just passed through? What if the terrorist forces were just preparing to ambush them, and had scared off the wildlife?


    He found himself constantly glancing over his shoulder. Was that a shadow that moved? Was it an enemy? Or just his imagination? His mind refused to settle as his heart raced to try and keep up with their pace.


    ¡°Do you need to rest?¡± Alistair asked with a worried tone after some time had passed.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m fine,¡± he lied, trying to ignore the utter exhaustion he was feeling. ¡°I¡¯ll rest when we get to Bareon.¡±


    The young noble seemed unconvinced as he stared at him intently. Their gazes met, and after a moment, Alistair let out a sigh. ¡°Have it your way.¡±


    Telling the passage of time was quite difficult, since the sky was hidden behind the thick canopy of leaves. They didn¡¯t have the sun to look at for reference after all. It only intensified the urgency they felt to get out of the forest.


    Some time passed before they neared the edge of the Old Growth. They could see a few faint rays of sunlight pierce the forest canopy a little further ahead. The roots covering the ground were much thinner, and a lot easier to traverse. There were no vines hanging from the trees, nor was there the faint blue light shining from above the tree branches.


    ¡°Finally,¡± Alistair muttered quietly as they stepped through the threshold between the Old and New Growth.


    The air seemed to grow lighter. It became easier to breathe, as if a weight had just lifted from his shoulders. He hadn¡¯t even noticed how tight his chest was until he felt it relax somewhat. He closed his eyes for a moment, rubbing his left eye as the constant pressure he had been feeling behind it began to fade away.


    ¡°We¡¯re near the road,¡± he whispered.


    ¡°Wait here, I¡¯ll scout ahead,¡± Captain Rianne said before disappearing behind the trees, blade in hand.


    Midhir gulped as they waited for her return. He lowered his gaze to his right hand, wrapped in bandages. He could see a dark spot in the middle of his palm, as well as the back of his hand. The blood flow hadn¡¯t stopped fully, and it was slowly getting through the bandages.


    ¡°It¡¯s a blessing that she had a healing crystal,¡± Alistair commented quietly. ¡°You seemed to be in quite a lot of pain.¡± His gaze turned to Midhir¡¯s hand. ¡°We didn¡¯t get the chance to talk, but it seemed like you experienced¡­ something.¡± His sharp gaze met Midhir¡¯s. ¡°Am I wrong?¡±


    Midhir clenched his fist instinctively. A sharp pain jolted up his arm, causing him to flinch. ¡°No,¡± he spoke with a tight jaw. ¡°I¡¯d like to think I had a nightmare, and that¡¯s all there-¡°


    His words were cut short by hasty footsteps approaching. Alistair immediately picked his spear up just as Captain Rianne stepped out from behind one of the trees. ¡°They¡¯re still looking for us,¡± she hissed through clenched teeth. ¡°We need circle around them.¡±


    Midhir¡¯s heart sank he looked southeast. They needed to head through the forest. Even if they didn¡¯t cross back into the Old Growth, they were going to go a lot slower than the main road.


    ¡°How high was the sun?¡± He asked, dreading the answer already.


    Captain Rianne bit her lips. ¡°Low. We have less than two hours of daylight left.¡±

 Chapter 53 – A Race Against Time (2)

    An eerie silence hung over the forest as they rushed southward between the large trees, taking care to be as silent as possible. They hadn¡¯t ventured back into the Old Growth ¨C it was simply too dangerous to do so when the sun was low.


    ¡°In An¡¯Larion,¡± Midhir quietly spoke as they hurried, ¡°It¡¯s said that the Old Growth awakens after nightfall. It spreads, consuming some of the New Growth. And the new growth ¨C the edge of these forests, creep ever closer to the settlements.¡± Nobody had seen the forest move, or awaken, of course, but then again, nobody went into the forest after nightfall.


    ¡°The same is said in Bareon,¡± Alistair nodded. ¡°And we can confirm that the forest grows every day. It¡¯s the roots of the trees that spread towards the city ¨C and it¡¯s damn difficult to fight against it because they¡¯re not just on the surface, but also deep underground.¡±


    Captain Rianne let out a sigh. ¡°You saw them from the training grounds in Lord Orlein¡¯s mansion, remember?¡± She made a vague gesture towards the layer of roots covering the earth beneath them. ¡°It¡¯s a losing battle ¨C the edge of the forest used to be an hour of walking away from the city just a decade ago. Now, the roots touch the walls if we don¡¯t cut them off weekly.¡±


    Midhir bit his lips. An¡¯Larion was a lot luckier in that regard. The city had a lot more manpower, and the vigilant Empress working to keep the mist and the unnatural away. She and her Enforcers did their work all over Eldoria, but naturally An¡¯Larion was their primary target to protect.


    Still, he found it odd that they¡¯d let Bareon lose so much land to the Old Growth. Lord Orlein had quite a good relationship with the imperial family, so it made little sense for Empress Celyn to withhold aid.


    ¡°In any case, we can¡¯t afford to remain in the woods after nightfall. We¡¯ll risk the main road ¨C and being spotted by the terrorists ¨C if we have to,¡± Captain Rianne grumbled as she glanced upwards.


    Midhir followed her gaze. The forest canopy was thick, and blocked the rays of sunlight even when the sun was at its zenith. It was only some faint light that usually reached below the leaves. Now, however, it was much darker, and it continued to grow even more so with every passing minute. It was getting more difficult to see ahead, and soon they were going to start to have trouble seeing the root-covered ground properly.


    They hurried, rushing as fast as they safely could parallel to the road, climbing over mounds of roots, and avoiding stepping too close to the road.


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    The rare sounds that reached their ears only confirmed their fears ¨C there was a group near them. Their loud conversations indicating they didn¡¯t fear being noticed. They had grown very bold, very suddenly. Going from suspicious people walking in the city, to arson, to trying to awaken the Old Gods¡­ it was difficult to believe all that had happened within just two days.


    As minutes passed, visibility grew poorer. They tried continuing in the forest, but eventually, after tripping over a dozen times  in just a handful of minutes, Alistair spoke up. ¡°We need to take the road ¨C and just rush to Bareon. This is too dangerous, and I¡¯d rather face human foes than an awakened forest when night falls.¡±


    Midhir couldn¡¯t help but agree. He touched his bandaged hand, absentmindedly running his fingers over the wound. ¡°I won¡¯t be able to help you fight,¡± he reminded them.


    ¡°I¡¯m well aware,¡± Alistair nodded. ¡°I don¡¯t intend to fight either. Come on,¡± With that said, the young noble approached the road with silent, steady steps. Voices reached their ears as they hid behind the trees bordering the road.


    ¡°¡­what do you think she¡¯ll do to him?¡± The owner of the voice soon entered their view ¨C a group of about a dozen armoured men and women were slowly walking down the road. One of them cackled at the question asked.


    ¡°Nothing good, that¡¯s for sure,¡± someone in the back of the group piped up.


    The group nodded and muttered in response.


    Alistair grasped his spear tightly. ¡°Follow me, alright? Don¡¯t hesitate.¡± The blue gem embedded into the shaft of his spear began to glow. Alistair took a deep breath, a bead of sweat rolled down his chin as he closed his eyes.


    Midhir scowled. What was he doing? He had never seen Alistair have any trouble when casting a resonance, ever! Not even when he fought against Instructor Soraya, or during the battle earlier.


    The sound of rushing water reached his ears, accompanied by the sounds of branches being torn off, and smaller trees and plants being ripped from the earth. The armoured group paused in confusion as they tried to understand what the voice belonged to.


    Like a tsunami, a wave of water burst out of the forest, dragging with it branches and smaller trees that it had torn on its way. Their screams of shock were immediately drowned by the water as the wave crashed into them with force, knocking them off their feet and washing them away into the forest on the other side of the road.


    ¡°Run!¡± Alistair hissed, leaping up on his feet, and rushing down the road, towards Bareon. Neither Midhir nor captain Rianne hesitated.


    They dashed down the road as the sun reached the horizon, dyeing the sky in red, purple, and pink. While the sky looked beautiful, the forest seemed a lot less welcoming. As the daylight around them faded, some noises reached Midhir¡¯s ears.


    It sounded line something was slithering on the ground, like a snake. He could hear the earth move ever so slightly near the forest, like it was being pushed aside, but whenever he glanced towards the sounds, there was no movement, nothing at all.


    Not even in the group of armoured terrorists who should have regrouped and started to chase them by now.


    He didn¡¯t dare look behind while a cold shiver ran down his spine.


    The Forest awakens under the cover of the night, the spirits chase the na?ve and the careless.

 Chapter 54 – Looming Danger (1)

    As golden light concentrated around his hand, Midhir winced with pain. His other hand gripped the armrest of the chair he was sitting on tightly as waves of pain jolted throughout his body.


    The butler Aodan was pale as he maintained the healing resonance slowly repairing the damage to his hand. ¡°My apologies,¡± he repeated again, his voice filled with regret and worry. ¡°I can¡¯t prevent the pain.¡±


    Midhir closed his eyes. Healing resonances weren¡¯t some magical, all-fixing cure to everything. They almost always sped up the healing process, condensing months¡¯ worth of healing into mere minutes ¨C all the pain and uncomfortable sensations included in that natural healing process were also condensed, resulting in the immense pain he was feeling right now.


    ¡°There are many of them,¡± Alistair¡¯s words reached his ears. He focused on the young noble¡¯s voice in an attempt to keep his mind off of the waves of pain. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what happened to the dozen or so people chasing us, but I¡¯m certain that this isn¡¯t as small of an organization as we first thought. We must take action, Father. Send word to the capital, ask for the Emperor¡¯s aid ¨C anything but sitting idly by as they try and awaken the Old Gods themselves!¡±


    Captain Rianne had gone to check up on the wounded whom she sent back to Bareon earlier. While Midhir wanted to go check up on Arwen as well, Aodan had already informed him that the young woman¡¯s wound had healed near perfectly, and she was already on the path to a full recovery. Being here in Lord Orlein¡¯s study, listening to the Lord of Bareon and Alistair discuss what to do was more important.


    ¡°It¡¯s done,¡± Aodan spoke in a low voice as to not disturb the Orleins.


    Midhir opened his eyes. The wound was gone, healed almost fully. While there was some discolouration on the back of his hand where the wound was, his palm showed no signs of having been pierced at all. ¡°Thank you,¡± he closed his fist, then stretched his fingers. There was no pain, but his hand did feel somewhat numb.


    ¡°I healed it to the best of my abilities,¡± Aodan explained. ¡°The muscles, tendons and bones are healed, but it will probably take a few days before you regain your full strength.¡± He glanced at Lord Orlein and Alistair before lowering his voice further. ¡°Though I fear we won¡¯t have several days of calm,¡± he added quietly.


    Midhir couldn¡¯t help but agree.


    Lord Orlein and Alistair¡¯s discussion soon came to a conclusion. ¡°Aodan will aid you,¡± Lord Orlein told as he turned his gaze to the stack of papers on his desk. ¡°We¡¯ll meet again in the morning.¡±


    Alistair nodded. ¡°Of course, father,¡± he said with a subtle bow.


    Aodan also bowed before quickly turning to Midhir. ¡°Allow me to help you-¡°


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    ¡°Let the man rest a while,¡± Lord Orlein cut him off. ¡°You just finished healing him, don¡¯t make him walk. He can leave when he feels well enough.¡±


    Aodan flinched. ¡°Of course, my Lord.¡± He bowed again before rushing outside, after Alistair.


    The door closed behind Alistair and Aodan, and not a moment later, Lord Orlein¡¯s sigil ring let out a faint, grey shine.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while,¡± The Lord stood up from behind his desk, and stood in front of him. ¡°Your-¡°


    ¡°Don¡¯t, please,¡± Midhir let out a sigh. He had little strength left, and dealing with noble etiquette wasn¡¯t something he could stomach right now. ¡°I¡¯d rather have you use my name.¡±


    Lord Orlein¡¯s lips curled up with a genuine smile. ¡°Have it your way,¡± he said with a chuckle. A moment later, his shoulders dropped, and he leaned against his desk with a thoughtful expression. ¡°My apologies for what you went through ¨C it was never my intention to put any of you in such danger¡­ especially you.¡±


    Midhir shook his head. ¡°We did what had to be done, Lord Orlein. I must apologise for not being able to stop them from¡­ whatever it was they tried.¡±


    ¡°Awakening the Old Gods¡­¡± Lord Orlein let out a sigh. ¡°It was your blood that was spilt. I fear the damage has been done already ¨C if not to our world, then to you.¡±


    Midhir clenched, then relaxed his newly healed hand. ¡°They called my blood Unworthy,¡± he brushed his hair back with his other hand. ¡°Perhaps the Old God didn¡¯t awaken fully. Perhaps it had no effect whatsoever. Perhaps it¡¯s awake and watching.¡± He pressed his palm against his left eye. ¡°I know you sent Alistair and Aodan away to ask for something. What is it, Lord Orlein?¡± His gaze met the Lord¡¯s.


    Lord Orlein hesitated for a split second before he inhaled a deep breath. ¡°Bareon is choking,¡± he stated a moment later with a grim voice. ¡°The Old Growth is slowly spreading, and the New Growth has already claimed all of our farmland. Now it¡¯s trying to scale our walls and enter the city itself.¡±


    ¡°Alistair and Captain Rianne told me as much.¡± What was he getting at?


    ¡°Because they¡¯re well aware that we lack the power to hold it back for much longer,¡± Lord Orlein made a vague gesture towards the window. It was dark outside, impossible to see further than just a few steps. ¡°I have two questions for you. Please answer them truthfully.¡±


    Midhir scowled. ¡°Ask.¡±


    ¡°Is An¡¯Larion also faced with this kind of danger?¡±


    He couldn¡¯t help but feel somewhat amused. ¡°Yes,¡± he replied, hiding his amusement. ¡°The Old Growth around An¡¯Larion is spreading at an alarming rate as well, or at least it was at the time of my leaving. The enforcers are making sure it doesn¡¯t near the city too much.¡±


    The Empress and her enforcers were the vigilant defenders against the otherworldly threats An¡¯Larion seemed to face every couple of decades. They were a lot more well trained and had better tools than whatever defence Bareon could put up against the Old Growth.


    ¡°I see,¡± Lord Orlein pursed his lips as he pondered a moment. ¡°Would she aid us?¡±


    Midhir narrowed his eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t see why she wouldn¡¯t,¡± he chose his words carefully as he probed his memories. ¡°Have you not asked for aid yet?¡±


    Lord Orlein looked away. ¡°With the events at Olisar, I didn¡¯t dare to. I believed the academy¡¯s help would be enough.¡±


    ¡°Olisar?¡± Midhir asked with a scowl. Principal Aoidh and several other high ranking, powerful people were sent there recently, at the same time as their field exercises started. ¡°Inform me, what happened there?¡±


    Lord Orlein couldn¡¯t hide his momentary surprise. ¡°You aren¡¯t aware? An old burial ground was found at the southern edge of the province. The Veil was torn in several places, all near these burial grounds. Disaster looms over Orlein ¨C it¡¯s more than likely that what happened here centuries ago will happen there.¡±

 Chapter 55 – Looming Danger (2)

    Laying on the comfortable, soft bed, his gaze lingered outside, looking through the window, towards the starry sky. It was almost a full moon ¨C perhaps a single day shy from it. Its silver light made the night just a little brighter.


    He wanted to help Alistair and Captain Rianne come up with some countermeasures against the terrorists. Instead, upon Alistair¡¯s request, Willow had dragged him to his room, and with a good measure of worry, told him to sleep at least until dawn.


    It was unlikely that there would be any trouble before the first light of dawn. No matter their fanatical beliefs, even they wouldn¡¯t dare cross the Old Growth before sunbreak, would they? No, they would remain where they were, and head out at dawn, when the forest ceased to be so dangerous¡­


    Even in his tired state, the flaw in his logic was immediately clear.


    He sat up on the bed suddenly, turning his gaze from the starry sky to the forest stretching beyond Bareon¡¯s walls, all the way to the mountainous horizon.


    ¡°Where are they?¡± He whispered to himself. Did they find a place safe from the Old Growth? Were they camping near one of those chalk-white monuments? Or were they safe at night in the ancient forest? That woman and the robed man had simply walked away, towards the monument that his blood dyed red, and that wasn¡¯t too long before the sun would begin to set.


    Both possibilities had frightening implications.


    A third possibility crossed his mind, though he could hardly find a reason to believe it was true. With a scowl, he stood up and walked closer to the window, turning his gaze to the city below. He pondered a while, unable to decide whether this was his own paranoia, or a legitimate concern.


    Could they already be in Bareon?


    ¡°Why not?¡± He muttered to himself as he lowered himself onto the bed once more. These people were human ¨C citizens of Eldoria, quite likely. It wasn¡¯t like they themselves, as people, had some kind of mark on them that could be used to identify them. They didn¡¯t have any foreign or exotic characteristics, nor did they have an accent.


    The only reason the city watch had suspicions in the first place was because they wore cultists robes and walked around with rings carrying the mark of the twelve-part serpent. If they wanted to remain unnoticed, they would have just walked in with ordinary clothes, and kept their rings hidden.


    There was no reason for them to not be able to enter the city.


    But there was a reason to think not all of them were in Bareon. The city gates only opened after dawn ¨C once the sunlight began to illuminate the world, and there was enough light to travel without a torch. Lonan¡¯s carriage was attacked before dawn, meaning the perpetrators were outside during the night as well.


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    Another thought interrupted this line of reasoning as he couldn¡¯t help but wonder what in the world Lonan¡¯s carriage was doing outside before dawn.


    There were small resting stations constructed along the roads between the large cities and smaller towns of Eldoria for exactly this reason. Lonan¡¯s carriage had no business being outside, going through the forest road hours before dawn. He should have been waiting about half a day¡¯s journey away, for the sun to dawn at the time he was attacked.


    With a scowl and pursed lips, he pondered, seeking a reason as to why Lonan would have set off so long before dawn, and how he would have travelled for several hours in the dark safely.


    He glanced out the window, at the starry sky. It was quite a while past midnight, and the hospital where Lonan was wouldn¡¯t allow visitors at this time. ¡°Tomorrow then,¡± he whispered to himself as he laid down, pulling the blanket to his chin. Tomorrow he would talk with Lonan and try to get to the bottom of this.


    His eyelids grew heavy, and his consciousness began to drift away into darkness as he let his thoughts linger.


    He found himself standing in ankle-deep water, looking into an endless abyss beneath it. Light without a source illuminated him, and his surroundings as he stood on the Eye.


    Before fear and terror could even strike, his surroundings changed. Now, he was standing in front of the monument in the Old Growth. The once chalk-coloured stone was now dyed blood red. The stone tendrils that looked like they were roots were slowly spreading towards the forest, crushing the forest¡¯s roots on its path.


    His surroundings changed once more ¨C this time he was standing outside Bareon, looking at the city from the Old Growth. He watched as roots scaled the walls, breaking the large blocks of stone they were made of, and spreading across the city.


    He watched in horror as the citizens tried to escape, only to be devoured by the forest, sacrifices to feed a never-ceasing hunger. He wanted to run, to help them as roots and vines seemingly came to life, catching them, but something stopped him.


    He looked down to see his body covered in black tendrils, they had wrapped around his torso, his arms, and legs, even his throat.


    What he saw changed once more, and once again he found himself looking at the gigantic eye, floating far away from it, held in place by these tendrils. He could see something moving in the endless darkness beyond it. It¡¯s sheer size made it impossible to comprehend.


    He struggled to break free, to return to the waking world, but to no avail. The tendrils writhed, they climbed up his neck to his face.


    ¡°Let go of me!¡± He shouted, ¡°go back to your slumber!¡±


    He wasn¡¯t even sure if his voice reached the eye, or if it was able to hear at all.


    His heart raced as he felt the tendrils climb up his face. One of them reared back in front of his left eye.


    His eyes shot wide open as he sat up on his bed, drenched in sweat, and a dull pain in his eye. His heart was pounding in his chest, and his lungs felt as if they were on fire. He gasped for air, then coughed as his throat felt incredibly dry and coarse.


    Lights danced, illuminating his room. With a scowl, he lifted his gaze.


    His heart sank immediately as he saw the flames dancing on about a dozen houses not far from the Orlein mansion. The smell of smoke filled his nostrils.


    The city was on fire.

 Chapter 56 – Inferno (1)

    He snatched his sword from his bedside, grabbed a coat and put on his boots before rushing out of his room, and making his way to the entrance of the Orlein mansion. As he ran across the gardens towards the gate separating the mansion and the rest of the city, he could see the flames rising to the skies.


    The streets were busy with rushing people. While some ran away from the flames to safer spots in the city, others ran towards the burning buildings. Some carried buckets with them, while others were empty handed.


    He spotted a few wounded being carried away on makeshift stretchers. Once again, innocent people were wounded, and quite possibly had even died because of reckless, vile acts of terror.


    He finally reached the burning buildings, only to stop in his tracks as he saw the church consumed in flames. The rose window above the door had almost melted, the once-beautifully crafted depiction of the Daughter and the Sun was barely recognisable.


    They had started a fire in the church.


    He felt slightly dizzy as smoke thickened. There was no wind to clear it and improve visibility. He covered his nose with the sleeve of his coat, trying to filter our at least some of the smoke he was inhaling. His gaze darted from one side to the other as he assessed the situation.


    The building hadn¡¯t collapsed yet, but the entrance had. He could see silhouettes moving through the tinted windows on either side of the entrance, desperately seeking a way out.


    A chain of buckets had been created already, leading from the nearest well to the side of the building, but a few buckets of water wasn¡¯t enough to put out this inferno. Still, the people passed the buckets along, at least trying to contain the flames, preventing them from leaping to the other buildings.


    About a dozen people were tending to the wounded, some distance away from the burning church. While some of the wounded were carried away on makeshift stretchers, most were still here.


    While he looked, one of the healers pulled a white blanket over the face of one of the wounded, covering his entire body. He was one of the many who had been covered like that.


    Midhir averted his gaze from the several dozen dead bodies. There was nothing he could do for them, but he had to try and save the few survivors still inside the church.


    He looked around for familiar faces. Neither Alistair nor Captain Rianne was anywhere to be seen, but he did spot a few guards trying to lift the rubble and clear the entrance. After taking a shallow breath through the sleeve of his coat, he rushed towards them.


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    ¡°Guards!¡± He shouted as he approached. His voice was barely audible over the roaring flames, and the creaking building. ¡°Find someone who has a water elemental crystal!¡± These flames had grown too large, and too hot to be put out with just buckets of water after all. They needed to cast water resonances.


    ¡°We can¡¯t!¡± One of the guards shouted back. ¡°Crystal tools aren¡¯t working!¡±


    Midhir¡¯s eyes widened. He touched his earring attempting to pull out something, anything, from it. His hand caught the air, and the piece of cloth he tried to summon from his holding gem didn¡¯t appear.


    A breeze blew the smoke towards them, causing him to retreat. He coughed as smoke filled his lungs, burning his throat. It carried with it the shouts of the people still inside the church.


    His gaze darted from one window to the other. The metal bars holding up the glass tiles were still intact ¨C not even a child could squeeze through there. Even if it could, the bars were probably too hot to touch. They needed to be able to use crystal tools to extinguish these flames and rescue the people trapped inside.


    He turned his gaze to the nearby buildings. A skilled crystal staff user was nearby ¨C that was the only way the terrorists would be able to prevent the use of crystal tools. But where were they? ¡°You!¡± He called to the small group of guards who were also forced to retreat as the veil of smoke in front of the entrance thickened.


    ¡°Spread out and try to cast resonances!¡± he ordered without a second thought. ¡°Mark when you are able to cast. Hurry!¡±


    While the guards ran off in different directions, he rushed over to where the survivors were being tended. The healers were unable to use healing resonances, so they had resorted to using bandages to stem the bleeding before carrying off the wounded to the hospital. Too many lives were being lost because of that.


    Out of a box full of cloth cut in various sizes, he snatched a small piece to wrap around his mouth and nose, and another, longer piece to wrap around his palms. ¡°I need to take this,¡± he pointed at one of the rods they were using to make the makeshift stretchers and took it without waiting for a response.


    Every moment they wasted meant more death and grief. He had no time to ask for permission ¨C he could ask for forgiveness later if he had to.


    Rushing back to the church, he approached the window left of the entrance. The glass had all broken and fallen already, all that remained were the metal bars that once held it in place.


    He passed the rod through the two central bars, then pulled it to the side so it pressed against both of them. They were so hot, he could feel the heat transfer to the rod he was holding. Glad that he wrapped his hands first, he pushed the rod further to the side, pressing against both of the bars. He could see those who were trapped inside, huddled together, as low to the ground as they could be to try and save themselves from the smoke slowly filling the air.


    He felt it move ever so slightly as he pushed with all of his strength. The bars bent, but it was nowhere near enough to let an adult pass. Even a small child would barely squeeze through and be defenceless against the hot metal.


    While loud, ear piercing creaks joined the cacophony of the roaring flames and cries for help, a crash echoed in the city. What followed was a blood-freezing shriek, and a deafening explosion.

 Chapter 57 – Inferno (2)

    Vibrations shook the earth beneath his feet. Rumbles echoed throughout the city. The sky lit up with flames above the central district of Bareon.


    A part of him wanted to drop everything and rush there. It was clear now that the burning church was nothing more than a distraction to force Lord Orlein to divide his forces, and it had worked. There were over three dozen people just trying to put out the church while even more people tirelessly worked to save the lives of the wounded and dying. Soldiers were busy trying to find the perpetrator, and even Midhir himself was preoccupied with saving lives.


    Their plan had worked ¨C the Bareon forces were divided. But that alone was hardly enough to win against Lord Orlein¡¯s full strength.


    Another series of explosions followed the first one, shaking the very earth. The ground shook violently, and the alarming sound of something cracking under pressure reached his ears. His gaze darted up, towards the toppling tower above him.


    ¡°Run!¡± He shouted at the top of his lungs as he let go of the metal rod, running away from the church. He heard the tower crash into the ground behind him with a deafening boom. Shrapnel flew past him ¨C small stones and shards of glass. He threw himself to the ground, covering his head with his arms.


    Pieces of debris fell to the ground, some hitting his back and legs, while others hit the other people in the vicinity. Shouts echoed in his ears. Screams of fear, pain, and terror sounded across the city. Before the debris even finished raining down, a blood freezing creak echoed.


    The ground beneath him suddenly felt a lot less secure. His eyes widened in shock as the ground shattered, and he fell.


    The sensation of falling only lasted for a split second before he felt his consciousness yanked away by force. The falling rocks and pavement were no more as he stared into the endless abyss that was the Old God¡¯s pupil.


    A black tendril blocked half of his vision. He helplessly watched it reel back, only to strike his eye.


    Pain blinded him, it jolted throughout his body, threatening to take away his consciousness. It took all of his willpower to even stay awake, though his restrained limbs went limp as he felt blood flow down his eye.


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    Power


    It was a concept that suddenly appeared in his mind. Clearly originating from the Old God before him, the thought grew stronger.


    Power!


    It was clearer this time. It lingered in his mind, like a thought refusing to be ignored.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± his voice was but a whisper. Did the Old God offer him power? Or ask for it? Was it condemning him for not having enough power, for being too weak? He didn¡¯t understand ¨C nor did he want to. He needed to wake up, to return to the waking world. Bareon was under attack, and he was falling through the pavement to who knows where.


    ¡°What do you want from me?!¡± He shouted in desperation, pushing the foreign thought away. ¡°People are dying, I need to be helping them!¡± His pleading would be meaningless to a being so different. Did lives even matter to it? Looking at the endless abyss beyond its eye, he didn¡¯t think so. Why would it? Humanity was but a fleeting moment in its endless life, wasn¡¯t it?


    Death


    A shiver ran down his spine.


    Bareon¡­ ancient¡­


    It understood him. And, in its own way, replied.


    It felt like his head was about to burst from the pain and pressure. He could feel his mind bend under the thoughts reflected into it.


    Temple


    An image flashed before his eyes ¨C a chalk-coloured altar in what seemed to be a large, empty space. There were a few things decorating the altar, but the image flashed away too quickly.


    Power


    He saw a beautiful flower, glowing brightly with spiritual power. It was a clear, vibrant blue in the centre, with crimson veins slowly invading the edges of its petals.


    Then, the image faded, allowing him a glimpse of the Old One before he hit the ground. A pained groan escaped his lips before he touched his left eyelid in a panic. He could still see ¨C the world¡¯s light was still there, he hadn¡¯t lost his eye, or his sight.


    A nightmare, he wanted to convince himself so desperately. Yet he couldn¡¯t ¨C he had witnessed something no man should, and he could feel the toll it took on his mind.


    Now wasn¡¯t the time to think about that though. He pushed himself up on his feet, thankful for the thick layer of soft, cushy moss that cushioned his fall and likely saved his life. Looking up, he could see the smoke-covered night sky, and the dancing lights above ground.


    The church was still aflame, and so far high up.


    It was dark down here, so he touched the hilt of his sword, directing a small part of his power to the augment embedded in the hilt. The blade burst into flames, which he gathered in his palm, making them into a denser, brighter light to illuminate his surroundings.


    The dancing flames lit up the stone walls of the large cavern he had found himself in. The ground was covered in moss, though he could see some chalk-white veins beneath it in some places.


    His gaze followed those veins as they concentrated around a single point ¨C a large, chalk coloured altar at the other end of the cavern.


    He knew a blue-crimson flower was resting atop it before even laying his eyes on it.


    He simply knew.

 Chapter 58 – Blooming Power (1)

    Bareon was aflame with conflict, and inferno was raging up above. Yet down here, it was so very solemn and quiet. The screams of the wounded didn¡¯t reach so far down, nor did the roaring flames, or the booming explosions.


    Rubbing his aching hands, he looked up towards the small gap in the cavern¡¯s ceiling that he fell from. He could barely see so far up from all the dust and ash that was falling down. Only the light of the flames reached so far down, even that was growing dimmer with every passing moment.


    He lifted the ball of fire in his hand as high up as he could as he looked around for a way back up to Bareon. Going back through the way he came was impossible without a properly powerful wind augment, and even if he did have one with him, he wasn¡¯t strong enough to fly for long enough to reach the surface.


    His gaze lingered on the distant cavern walls. It was a massive cavern, stretching below quite a large section of Bareon, he guessed. Did Lord Orlein know of the existence of such a place?


    ¡°Probably not¡­¡± he muttered to himself. His whisper echoed along the cavern walls. He shuddered, but at least the eerie silence was now broken. He held his breath, listening for any other sound. Had his voice disturbed anything just now? Probably not, since the eerie silence returned.


    It would have been rather odd if there was yet another ancient, powerful and dangerous being slumbering in this darkness that he was unlucky enough to awaken from a deep, endless slumber. That wouldn¡¯t happen twice in less than two days, surely.


    He nervously chuckled to himself as he started walking around. The cavern walls were uneven and consisted of rough stone, covered with a dark, crimson coloured moss. Rare chalk-white veins of¡­ something were visible underneath, each about as thick as his arm.


    The same veins were also under his feet, hidden under the carpet of moss. He crouched, pushing a patch of moss aside to reveal them.


    There was no doubt about it. These were almost identical to the chalk-roots of the monument in the forest north of Bareon.


    A cold shiver ran down his spine. The influence of those monuments was already far beyond the confines of the Old Growth. For how long had these existed below central Bareon? Decades, or perhaps centuries? Were they here when the Bareon Disaster happened, and the Rose Capital fell? Were they here before then, when the Ardagh family first led the refugees to this place to found Eldoria?


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    With a sigh, he stood back up. He was no historian or archaeologist, staring at these chalk-roots wasn¡¯t going to provide him with any answers. Instead, his gaze turned to the altar ¨C a large, chalk rectangle with a blooming flower on top.


    The flower was emitting a bright, vibrant glow. It was difficult to look away from it. It was calling to him, urging him to approach it. He felt like a moth drawn to a flame ¨C unable to resist what was clearly a trap. Alarm bells rung at the back of his mind as he stepped closer to the altar.


    Vibrations shook the cavern, causing streams of dust to fall from the ceiling. Unnerving creaks and pieces of rock loosening reached his ears. He pried his eyes off of the altar and the flower resting atop it.


    Small rocks rolled down the walls and fell from the high up ceiling as somewhat more powerful tremors shook the ground beneath his feet.


    His gaze darted from one end of the cavern to the other, looking for a way out. He needed to get out of here, before the ceiling collapsed and buried him underground. He touched his earring as he hurried along the walls. Even the stake he had in the holding gem couldn¡¯t protect him from however many tons of stone that would fall.


    The ground shook again, much more violently this time. He stumbled backwards, barely keeping himself from falling down. His gaze darted up as streams of dust fell from newly forming cracks in the rock ceiling. He could hear the rock face slowly beginning to crumble under the weight it was holding.


    He looked around frantically ¨C there was no tunnel leading out of the cavern, no large enough passageways for him to fit through. But it made no sense ¨C how had this altar been built here without an exit? It was impossible, there had to be a way out.


    He looked up again, at the hole he fell through. Debris and ash continued falling from the city above, piling up on the cavern floor.


    His chest tightened. He clenched his fist, and poured more power to the flame in his palm. It grew brighter, doing away with the shadows dancing near the cavern walls. With narrowed eyes, he frantically looked around for an exit.


    There was no tunnel, nowhere to pass through. He was trapped here, with the only object of note being the altar, and the vibrant flower atop it.


    His gaze turned there; he could feel it calling. It was a pull at his very being, and the more he looked at it, the stronger the pull became. It was impossible to ignore.


    He closed his eyes. The Old God had shown it to him, accompanied with the words ¡®power¡¯ and ¡®ancient.¡¯  Was he furthering the terrorists¡¯ goals by following the Old God¡¯s directions? Would this even save him from this place?


    Another tremor shook the earth. He heard something crash behind him.


    He had to survive, no matter what. With the fire of determination in his eyes, he dashed across the cavern as chunks of the ceiling fell, crashing into the ground. Debris scattered all over the cavern, and cracks formed along the walls and the ceiling, even the ground.


    He ran without a second thought, with a mind clear of all doubt.


    He needed to survive first.


    His hand touched the crimson and blue petals.


    The chalk veins concentrating below the altar seemingly came to life, they crumbled beneath his feet, collapsing deep underground. A scream escaped his lips as he fell into the darkness once more, holding onto the flower as if it was life itself.

 Chapter 59 – Blooming Power (2)

    He fell only a short distance before hitting the soft, earthen ground below. Despite the layer of dirt and plants cushioning his fall, he felt a sharp pain jolt through his spine. A pained moan escaped his lips. He lay there a moment as he waited for his aching body to recover from the fall.


    The chalk-roots that dropped him through the floor quickly returned to the ceiling, covering the gap he fell through near instantly. The only light illuminating the narrow cavern he had fallen in was the flower he was still tightly holding onto.


    With a grunt, he pushed himself up on his knees. His whole body ached from the sudden fall, though he would have been in a much worse state if the ground wasn¡¯t made of soft earth with moss and fungi growing on it.


    He was in a narrow passage that had a relatively low ceiling. The ground was covered in moss and fungi, and the walls of the passage were made of rough rock, with the occasional chalk-root penetrating it. There was no light to speak of, aside from the flower in his hand. The flame he had been carrying with him had vanished as he fell.


    He rested his hand on the hilt of his sword as he stood back up. While the though of casting a resonance to better illuminate his surroundings crossed his mind, he quickly decided otherwise. The tunnel was narrow and seemed to bend and turn quite a bit. A brighter light would do more harm than good if there were any hostiles here.


    He turned his gaze to the flower. It was shining just as brightly as before, though the light had begun to turn more crimson than the vibrant blue it was before.


    A dull pain struck his left eye.


    ¡°What are you?¡± He absentmindedly whispered as he turned and tilted the flower. Why had the Old God shown him this? He was promised power in a temple in Bareon. Was this it?


    Naturally, the flower didn¡¯t respond.


    He poked one of its petals in annoyance. ¡°It¡¯s always puzzles and riddles ¨C never a straight answer!¡± What he needed was a way out, back to the surface, and back to Bareon. Not some ancient power in some long-lost temple buried under the old city.


    Holding the flower up like a torch, he picked one of the two directions he could, and walked down the narrow tunnel.


    The moss and fungi muffled his footsteps as he made his way through the tunnel. The flower barely illuminated his surroundings enough, and while he would rather cast his own light source, he didn¡¯t want to occupy both of his hands. He needed to be able to easily reach his sword.


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    While the passage of time was impossible to tell, he did count his steps. It took about five dozen steps for him to hear something other than the moss crunching under his boots. The faint sound of flowing water reached his ears, reigniting the hope he had begun to lose.


    ¡°Please be an exit,¡± he whispered as he rushed ahead, tightly grasping the hilt of his sword. As he approached the sound of flowing water, the walls of the tunnels became moist, and the layer of moss covering the ground began to gain more vibrant colours. He could feel the wet earth under it as he had to slow down. It was wet and slippery, a clear sign of nearby water.


    As he turned around the last bend in the tunnel, he slowed down, only peeking around the rock wall to see where it led.


    The tunnel opened up to a larger cavern. One even larger than the one he was in before. Almost a dozen of small waterfalls cascaded from the ceiling, pouring into a large pool covering nearly the entire bottom of the cavern. A once-white structure was the only thing above water. It was at the end of a wide, long walkway that connected with a set of white stairs leading up to the cavern wall.


    The top of the stairs was covered in debris and collapsed rocks. While it clearly led somewhere once, there was no passage there now. He couldn¡¯t tell if the cause was the explosions that dropped him down here that caused the cave-in, or whether that pass had been inaccessible for long before today.


    His gaze followed the stairs, and the wide path they connected to, and eventually settled on the temple, half buried into the rock wall.


    It was breathtakingly beautiful, not because of detailed craftsmanship, or a pristine condition, but because of its sheer size, and the history it contained. Its mere existence was a breakthrough into ages past.


    But beyond the monument, it was the clear water than dropped his jaw. Covered in exotic flowers that let out a vibrant glow, the cavern didn¡¯t seem to belong in this world. Particles of pure, vibrant light floated in the air, illuminating the cavern like it was under bright sunlight.


    He stepped out from behind the bend in the tunnel, and slowly walked along the edge of the narrow path he was on, until he reached the cave-in atop the stairs.


    What he thought was a white pathway was actually a bridge, with its supports extending deep underwater. It led straight from the stairs to the temple, surrounded by water on both sides. As he walked over the bridge, he felt dwarfed by the temple.


    His steps slowed down as he arrived at the first row of columns making up the front of the temple. Holding the hilt of his sword, he stepped though the columns. It was silent here, too silent. His footsteps echoed as he walked, his breaths and even heartbeat sounded deafening.


    As he walked past the third and final row of columns, he stepped into a large, round chamber. Statues decorated the sides, while a single, large mural decorated the wall opposite to where he came in.


    A small, round pool was the only other thing of note in the chamber.


    As he approached the mural, he heard the sound of splashing water. The clear, still surface of the pool inside the camber stirred as he walked by it. A shadow moved beneath the surface, growing larger each passing second.


    It was approaching. Fast.


    He drew his blade, ignoring the pain in his palm, and the dull hurt in his left eye.


    Something leapt out of the water.

 Chapter 60 – What Stirs Beneath the City (1)

    Water surged as the long, thin body of a serpentine creature leapt out of the water, into the round chamber of the ancient temple. The light of the blooming flower in his hand reflected off of the creature¡¯s blue-silver scaled body as it reared its head back before turning its gaze ¨C and thus, sharp fangs ¨C towards him.


    Blood froze in his veins as their gazes met.


    Then, the creature lunged forward. Sharp fangs clapped at the air as he leapt back, stashing the flower in the pocket of his coat, hoping it would survive the fight. He held his sword with both hands while inwardly cursing at his weakened right hand. His grip wasn¡¯t nearly as strong as it was before he was wounded.


    The serpentine creature let out a blood freezing hiss before leaping back into the pool. Moments passed in nerve-wrecking silence.


    He held his breath, trying to hear it. Was it waiting just beneath the surface? Or had it gone back to the depths? He took a few small, cautious steps towards the pool, and looked down towards the water. It was as calm and peaceful as just before the serpent appeared.


    He was about to sheathe his sword when he heard the sound of water splashing against something from outside the temple. He turned around, and his eyes widened as he watched the serpentine creature leap out of the water, and spread open a pair of majestic, feathery wings.


    The creature¡¯s bright blue gaze met his as it curled in the air, beating its large wings to fly up even higher, towards the ceiling of the large cavern. It soared high up for a few moments before folding its wings, and diving back down, towards the large entrance to the temple.


    Midhir¡¯s eyes opened wide. He stood no chance against a creature of that size, when it was charging at him with such speed. He kicked the ground as it approached, dashing towards the large statues decorating the walls.


    The serpentine creature hit the ground with its underside, shaking the temple as it did so. It slid between the rows of columns in front of the entrance, its tail hitting them as it tried to reach Midhir.


    He threw himself behind the nearest statue as the serpentine creature snapped at the air where he was standing just a few moments ago. Water, carried by the creature splashed against the walls before slowly receding into the pool. The serpent hissed as it slid along the ground, fully entering the chamber.


    As it turned in an attempt to face him, Midhir ran out from behind the statue, trying to stay out of its sight as he circled around it. He summoned the power within him, allowing it to flow into the augment embedded into the hilt of his sword.


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    The crimson crystal emitted a soft glow as the blade burst into flames. He let go of the sword with his left hand, directing the flames to flow into his palm. As a flaming orb formed between his fingers, he hurled it towards the serpentine creature.


    The ball of fire hit the side of the serpent¡¯s head. The creature let out a screech as its body flung to the other side with the force of the fireball. It beat its wings against the ground in an attempt to reorient itself, and its tail flailed around wildly, hitting the statues decorating the walls.


    The force of its tail was more than enough to smash the statues to pieces. As large chunks of stone started raining down all around him, Midhir cursed under his breath, and dashed forward, towards the creature¡¯s body. All he needed was to get in one good, accurate hit near its heart.


    The creature lifted its head, saliva dropping from its forked tongue as its gaze focused on Midhir. The side of its head where the ball of fire had hit seemed relatively unharmed. While the blue-silver scales there had lost their lustre, they were still intact, and seemingly unharmed.


    Something glimmered beneath its chin as it raised its head high, rearing its upper body back. Its tongue quivered as it hissed, drops of saliva he could only hope wasn¡¯t filled with venom fell to the ground. Then, it lunged forward.


    He threw himself to the side, quickly rolling and getting back up on his feet. The serpent smashed its head against the ground, cracking the large stone slabs with the force of its strike.


    Without a moment of hesitation, he lunged forward, gripping his sword with both hands, and struck the creature¡¯s eye. Dark blood gushed from the wound as the creature reared back, letting out a deafening screech.


    He barely found the strength to keep holding onto the hilt of his blade as the serpent lifted its head high up towards the ceiling of the chamber. Within seconds, he was dangling quite a distance upwards of the floor. His right hand ached, and he could feel the sword slowly slipping out of the wound, cutting through the creature¡¯s flesh and scales.


    Once again, a glimmer caught his attention below the creature¡¯s skin ¨C a silver-coloured rod was sticking out from between its hardened scales. It appeared to be embedded in its flesh, at the middle of an old scar.


    The creature shook its body from one side to the other, hitting the temple¡¯s walls and what remained of the statues. Debris rained on them, sharp pieces of broken stones cut Midhir¡¯s arms, and his back, while the serpent seemed unbothered by the small pieces.


    His grip on the hilt of his sword began to slip. His right hand was aching quite a bit, and his grip was already weakened because of the newly-healed wound. The snake was too large to wrap his legs around to stabilise himself. With his grip slowly slipping, he closed his eyes, and focused.


    Catching the thread of power within him, he pulled at it, summoning forth a steady stream of power to feed into the augment. The blade burst into flames, causing the snake to screech in pain once more. As the flames consumed its now blinded eye, it beats its wings, rose high up in the chamber, then leapt into the pool, dragging Midhir along with it.

 Chapter 61 – What Stirs Beneath the City (2)

    The hilt of his sword, still embedded in the serpentine creature¡¯s eye, slipped his grasp as it dragged him underwater. The ice-cold water numbed his fingers as he found himself in the deep darkness of an underground lake.


    His eyes open wide, he looked around frantically to see the creature ¨C where had it gone? It was so fast in the water, much more so than it was on land, or in the air.


    Streaks of darkness swirled in the distance. Shadows he only spotted with the corner of his eye sneaked around. His lungs began to burn as they begged for air.


    Lifting his gaze up above, he could see the pool he fell through while hanging onto the creature. It seemed so small, and so very far away. Summoning what little strength he had left, he swam up. Light shone through the pool ¨C it was his guiding light.


    It drew closer and closer as he swam up. What was probably less than half a dozen meters felt like a vast distance that took hours to traverse. His mind grew hazy, and his vision slightly blurry as the burning sensation in his chest grew even stronger. He needed air so desperately.


    His fingers broke the surface of the water, warm air felt like a hot flame that melted his frozen body. His hand clenched around the edge of the pool as he pulled himself up. As soon as his head broke the surface of the water, he gasped, coughing up the water he had swallowed.


    His blurry vision began to grow clearer as he drew deep breaths. His heart raced, the serpentine creature could come back at any moment, and he was defenceless as he was now. With a grunt, he kicked the water, and pulled himself back up into the temple.


    Water dripped from his clothes and hair. He pushed himself up on one knee and wiped the water from his face. Ripples formed on the surface of the pool. A faint sound reached his ears ¨C the sound of a wrathful shriek.


    His chest tightened as his hands instinctively went to the sheathe of his sword. His fingers clenched around nothing. His sword was ¨C hopefully ¨C still embedded in the serpentine creature¡¯s eye. With a tight jaw, he turned his gaze to the pool. Despair gripped his heart. How was he supposed to even put up a fight against such a creature while unarmed?


    He reached for his earring, summoning a gold embossed wooden stake from the storage space within. His fingers clenched around it. This was the only leverage he had ¨C and the very last one he owned. He would have preferred not to use it, but the circumstances left him little choice.


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    A shadow swam deep beneath the surface of the pool. It slithered through the water, rushing upwards, leaving a dark trail of something behind.


    With gritted teeth and shaking legs, Midhir forced himself to stand up. His left hand held on tightly to the stake, while he clenched his other fist.


    He had a single chance ¨C a single opportunity to land a killing blow before he was forced to use the stake.


    ¡°Come on then,¡± he whispered nervously. His heart raced, the world around him became more vibrant. The dull pain in his left eye grew sharper, but he ignored it.


    The serpentine creature broke the surface of the pool, accompanied by a loud, ear-piercing shriek.


    He rushed towards it; his gaze focused on the object lodged between the scales on its neck. He kicked the ground, leaping up as it flew upwards. His fingers barely caught the metal object before the serpent soared up.


    He didn¡¯t have the strength to hold onto it for much longer. But he didn¡¯t need a lot of time ¨C just a few short moments.


    He tugged at the thread of spiritual power within him, letting it flow through his arms, to his hands, and eventually into the metal he was holding onto. There had to be an augment in that weapon ¨C all he needed was to reach it.


    His power flowed into the metal. He felt the augment ¨C a large crystal, a powerful one. One capable of more than just simple flames or blowing winds. He couldn¡¯t sense its element, nor could he figure out its purpose. It was unlike anything else he had seen before, but it didn¡¯t matter. All that mattered was that it existed.


    He let the entirety of his power flow. Like a raging river, he drained his power and what little strength he had left. Then, he directed it all into the foreign gem.


    The air grew cold for a moment as he felt a tinge of resistance, almost as if the gem was refusing to work with him ¨C refusing to accept his power, and his will. A sharp pain struck his left eye, something warm flowed down his cheek.


    A silver-white light shone, through the serpentine creature¡¯s scales and flesh. All sound disappeared for a split second, and amidst that silence, he heard something tear apart. Reality bended, then an explosion sent him across the room.


    He hit his back against the broken statues and fell down onto the white stone slabs. His ears were ringing, and everything was white for a few moments before his vision and hearing began to return to normal.


    His body ached, and he felt fully drained. He hadn¡¯t the strength to even stand up anymore. He lifted his gaze, to see the creature.


    White flames burned what remained of the serpentine body. It looked like it had been torn apart from the inside. A pool of burning blood had covered some of the chamber¡¯s floor. A metal spear and his sword lay on the other side of the pool, where the creature¡¯s head was slowly burning.


    While the oddly calming sound of flames filled the room, he let his head fall to the ground in exhaustion. He needed to get his sword, and probably that spear too. He had also dropped the stake, and he needed to check the flower¡­


    His eyelids grew heavy. Just a few seconds longer, he told himself. Then he was going to get up and get to work. Just a few more seconds.

 Chapter 62 – What Stirs Beneath the City (3)

    The sound of flames softly crackling as they burned away awakened him from his uncomfortable slumber. His heavy eyelids stirred open while his mind felt like it was still asleep. He stared at the imagery before him for a few seconds before his thoughts caught up with the present.


    The once beautiful and solemn temple was in ruins now, desecrated by the serpentine creature¡¯s corpse still burning. Its blood was all over the walls, the broken statues, and the debris covering most of the chamber¡¯s surface.


    The corpse of the creature was still aflame, covered in silver-white flames that seemed quite otherworldly. They didn¡¯t seem to spread, nor did they show any signs of fading soon.


    He watched the otherworldly flames for a short moment before turning his attention to his own, aching body.


    ¡°Damn it all,¡± he grunted as he sat up, and wiped the small pieces of debris and dust off his arms and legs. A sharp pain struck his right shoulder as he moved ¨C he must have twisted it while hanging from the creature.


    He massaged the spot that hurt while glancing over his back. By some odd miracle, he wasn¡¯t badly hurt. His arm was now mostly useless in battle, but he could deal with it. It¡¯d take no more than a couple of days to recover from an injury like that.


    He had more urgent things to worry about than a hurting arm. With a grunt, he got back up on his feet, then carefully took a few steps to make sure he hadn¡¯t hurt his legs. ¡°I may have used up all my luck¡­¡± he whispered quietly in disbelief. There was no pain aside from the rather expected scratches and surface wounds from being hurled at the debris.


    His gaze turned to the burning corpse of the serpentine creature. He didn¡¯t feel any satisfaction from having won this fight. It wasn¡¯t an earned victory, but a battle he won through pure luck. Had there not been that metal stuck in the serpentine creature¡¯s neck, he would have no chance of surviving, let alone winning.


    ¡°I must thank lady luck,¡± he whispered absentmindedly as he looked around. Fighting the exhaustion he still felt, he looked around while trying to come up with some semblance of a plan.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see,¡± his voice was coarse as he muttered. First, he needed to find his sword, and the metal thing that was stuck in the creature¡¯s neck. Whatever gem had created these silver-white flames was one worth investigating further later on.


    He spotted what seemed to be the creature¡¯s head through the flames, near the pool on the other side of the chamber. Climbing over the rubble of the statues and staying far away from the silver-white flames, he made his way over to the severed head of the creature.


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    He braced himself for the heat as he approached the head, but instead the air around it grew colder, like the flames were drawing all the heat away. He shivered, but with a tight jaw continued to approach it. His body grew numb, and his still soaking wet clothes certainly didn¡¯t help keep him warm.


    He spotted his sword a little ways away from the creature¡¯s head, stuck underneath some rubble, and wet with dark blood. He rushed over and pushed the pieces of rubble covering it.


    As his gaze settled on the sword, his heart sank, and a lump settled in his throat. The weapon was damaged, the cotton wrapped around its hilt had burned away, along with the wood it was wrapped around. The metal guard had cracks all over it, as well as just straight up broken pieces.


    Even the blade was damaged, albeit not as badly as the remaining parts. It seemed dull, and clearly needed some care before it could be used effectively again, but at least it wasn¡¯t entirely destroyed like the guard and the hilt.


    He blew the ash covering what remained of the hilt, to reveal the socket for the fire augment he was using. A bright red crystal no larger than a piece of pea was safely resting in the socket. With shaking hands, he removed it, and raised it to the light of the flames.


    It seemed as clear and clean as ever, with no scratches on its surface.


    With a breath of relief, he placed it into the space in his holding gem. Small victories, he told himself as he stared at the sword. It was useless, and he couldn¡¯t afford to carry it along like this ¨C the fragile hilt and guard was just single hit away from shattering, and he had no way of safely holding it without cutting himself.


    ¡°You served me well,¡± he whispered softly, with a grimace, ¡°better than I deserved. Thank you.¡± He bowed his head and let himself mourn for a moment.


    This sword had no history of note, nor was it some special blade made by a legendary weapon smith. It was a random sword he picked up while training with his mentors, and it was the least uncomfortable of them all. He had claimed it as his own, simply because it was convenient at the time. Despite that, it had served him quite well.


    Once the moment he allowed himself to mourn had passed, he raised his gaze towards the burning head of the serpentine creature.


    ¡°Now then,¡± he muttered, taking a deep breath. His gaze fixed on the metal rod sticking out of the creature¡¯s neck. It was no longer than his forearm, with a rather jagged end. It clearly wasn¡¯t a sword, or a dagger.


    Whatever it was, he needed to get it out of those cold flames. That crystal embedded into the weapon was well worth having.


    Summoning his courage, he stepped close to the frigid flames, gripped the metal rod, and focused.


    He could sense the crystal embedded into the weapon, still stuck in the severed neck of the serpentine creature. It felt so very cold and distant. Still, he reached out to it with his mind, and his power. Threads of his power flowed through his arms, into the metal rod, and through it, into the gem.


    It resisted him, and as it did, his left eye began to hurt. A sharp pain struck. He felt lightheaded for a moment, before the crystal finally obeyed.


    The flames went out in an instant as he pulled the weapon from the corpse of the creature.

 Chapter 63 – A Way Out (1)

    He pulled the weapon out of the serpentine creature¡¯s severed neck, stumbling back as it slid out of the old wound with ease. The flames illuminating the chamber with ethereal, silver light dimmed suddenly as he willed the crystal embedded into the weapon to do away with the flames.


    The dimming flames turned into ethereal wisps, losing their brightness, and rushed towards him ¨C towards the weapon he was holding. They flowed into the gem embedded in it.


    Midhir drew a sharp breath as it felt like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. His depleted spiritual power replenished somewhat as power flowed from the weapon towards him, rising up his arms, and flowing back to him.


    He turned his gaze to the weapon in disbelief ¨C the silver-white flames were unnerving enough already, but this was more than that. This crystal was clearly capable of more than just some odd-coloured flames and explosions.


    The crystal itself wasn¡¯t the only thing that was odd, the weapon in his hands was also foreign to him. It looked like a sword had been fixed to the end of a spear. The sword was ever so slightly curved, and only the curved part seemed to be sharp.


    Odd runes decorated the shaft of the weapon, written in a language he couldn¡¯t understand. In fact, he had never seen these symbols before. This wasn¡¯t just one of the ancient languages that were used by tribes before the Empire was founded, it was either much older, or from some distant land.


    He ran his fingers along the shaft of the sword-spear. The end of the weapon¡¯s shaft was jagged, and it was too short to be used properly. It must have been much longer at one point, broke probably during its battle with the serpentine creature.


    A shiver ran down his spine. The owner must have perished when the weapon got stuck between the creature¡¯s scales and snapped in half. It was a terrible way to die ¨C betrayed in a way by their trusted weapon.


    He couldn¡¯t help but glance at the remains of his sword before quickly averting his gaze.


    ¡°Right,¡± he whispered in an attempt to divert his thoughts. ¡°I need to get out of here.¡± He had been down here for quite a while, probably. He wasn¡¯t sure anymore ¨C losing his consciousness had completely derailed his sense of time. He could only hope he hadn¡¯t slept for more than an hour.


    His gaze scoured his surroundings as he circled the chamber. The collapsed tunnel the stairs outside the temple led to couldn¡¯t be the only way out of here. Clearly there was a water source above the cavern, and the water below the temple wasn¡¯t reeking, nor was it stale. He had even felt something like a current when the creature dragged him down there.


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    ¡°Underwater?¡± he muttered as his chest tightened. He really didn¡¯t want to dive into the underground lake. Not after almost drowning, and especially not when he wasn¡¯t sure of what all the other moving things he saw down there were.


    A shiver ran down his spine as he walked to the edge of the pool and looked down.


    He couldn¡¯t see the bottom of the lake. The columns holding the temple afloat simply disappeared in the dark depths. He couldn¡¯t swim that far down ¨C his breath wouldn¡¯t last, and what good would it do anyways if he couldn¡¯t even see?


    He walked back to the entrance to the temple, though the rows of damaged columns, and looked at the stairs leading up on the other side of the bridge. Large rocks covered the top of the stairs, completely blocking off the tunnel they led to.


    ¡°Not through there, that¡¯s for sure,¡± he muttered before walking back inside. With a sigh, he pressed his hand against his left eye. The sharp pain he had felt during the battle had dulled again, it was more annoying now than painful.


    His heart skipped a beat as it reminded him of the blooming flower. He quickly reached for his pocket, only to feel the somewhat wet petals of the flower. With a tight jaw, he took the flower and raised it in front of his face.


    The petals had crumpled a little, but they still shone vibrantly.


    He had no idea how it survived his battle, or even somehow remained stuck in his pocket. He had completely forgotten about it as soon as the serpentine creature appeared. He was lucky that it survived¡­ probably.


    That reminded him of another object he had lost during the battle. He climbed over the rubble of one of the statues, and looked around for a while until he spotted a wooden stake half-buried under the feathery wings of the serpentine creature.


    With a sigh of relief, he climbed down the rubble, and hurried over to the stake. Upon inspection, it didn¡¯t seem too damaged ¨C the golden crystal embedded atop the stake was pristine still, and the stake itself only had a few scorch marks and dents. It probably hadn¡¯t lost much power if any.


    He placed it back into the storage crystal that was his earring and turned his gaze back to the flower. It¡¯s blue-crimson light was shining quite brightly, almost like a torch of some kind.


    The surface of the pool was calm, and so was the water outside the temple.


    He pondered a while. Waiting for rescue wasn¡¯t realistic ¨C even if someone had seen him fall when the pavement by the church caved in, they wouldn¡¯t be able to find him. The chalk roots that collapsed beneath him when he approached the altar in the first cavern had returned to their original position. No one would guess he fell through the ground a second time.


    Approaching the pool, he summoned his courage. The only two choices he had were trying his luck here or dying from starvation. He¡¯d much rather do something rather than waiting to die.


    With a deep breath, he leapt into the cold, dark water.

 Chapter 64 – A Way Out (2)

    The ice cold water numbed his senses. He opened his eyes, looking around, floating just beneath the temple. There was an ethereal light near the surface of the water, but looking at the depths, all he could see was darkness.


    With the corner of his eye he noticed movement. Black threads of what looked like ink swirled in the water, just at the edge of his view.


    He desperately looked around for something, anything that looked like a way out. Moments passed, and his burning lungs forced him to swim back up to the surface. Holding onto the edge of the pool, he allowed himself a few moments to breathe.


    He couldn¡¯t just stay right below the pool ¨C nothing was visible, and the walls of the cavern were simply too far away to see at all. He needed to swim closer to the walls. He glanced at the flower in his hand with some worry. While he had put the sword-spear into the holding gem, he couldn¡¯t do the same with the flower. It would likely wilt and die immediately, without ever disclosing what secrets it held.


    There was little to be done. Since he needed his hands free to swim, he bit the stem of the flower after taking a deep breath and dove down again.


    He waded through the water, towards the back of the temple. His heart raced as his lungs began to alarm him that they needed air. He ignored their cries and swam. He could feel water tugging at his hair and clothes ¨C there was a mild underwater current.


    A fire of hope lit in his heart. He swam towards the flow of the water. Soon the cavern wall entered his vision, illuminated by the blooming flowers blue and crimson glow. Sea moss and algae covered the cavern wall.


    He had to pause a moment to try and find where the water was coming from ¨C it was a tunnel a little farther down, covered by algae. He glanced up, only to see the floor of the temple above him. There was no place to breathe.


    He could only hope the tunnel was short.


    Summoning the remainder of his strength, he swam down, past the curtain of algae and moss, into the tunnel. His lungs screamed for air, they burned as if they had been set on fire. His chest hurt, and his vision began to blur. He could feel his strength slowly fading from his body.


    The tunnel bent upwards as he made his way through it. Each second that passed felt like hours. His movements became sluggish as he swam up. His vision began to distort. The area ahead of him seemed rather odd ¨C something big, round, and white was clearly visible.


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    A second passed before his mind caught up with his eyes. The moon! He was seeing the moon!


    He kicked the water with the last bit of his strength, swimming up and breaking the surface of the water.


    He grabbed the first thing that he could as he pulled himself up and gasped for air. His vision darkened, and the world spun around him as he rolled on his back. He hadn¡¯t the strength to pull his legs out of the water.


    The moon glowed brightly in the night sky, surrounded by a canopy of leaves.


    He closed his eyes, ignoring the dull pain in his left eye, and simply breathed. The burning feeling in his lungs slowly subsided as he took deep, slow breaths. Only when his mind began to clear up and a part of his strength returned did he open his eyes once more.


    He sat up, pulling himself out of the water, and leaned his back against a tree with a thick trunk, and roots protruding from the earth. The flower he had carried with was laying on the ground next to the water. It was glowing just as brightly as before, illuminating his surroundings.


    He raised his gaze from the flower, and for the first time since he emerged from the water, looked around. The hope that had lit in his heart dimmed, and dread replaced it as soon as he realised where he was.


    The ground was covered in moss-laden roots, with the earth only being visible in some places. Vibrant blue life was visible above the first few branches even from below.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got to be joking¡­¡± he whispered in disbelief as he realised he was in the Old Growth. Behind him was the dense forest that was simply too dark to navigate at nighttime, and before him was the small pond he emerged from ¨C and beyond that, a chalk-coloured monument to the Old Gods.


    While the monument they chased the terrorists to was large, majestic, and surreal, this one was the exact opposite. It was simply a large, roughly cut chalk-coloured rock, with some symbols etched on its surfaces. Chalk roots covered the ground near it, but not to the degree they did near the other one.


    The more he looked at the monument, the stronger the pain in his eye grew. He pressed his palm against his eyelid.  He needed to get closer to it. Those symbols etched into the stone were disturbingly familiar.


    Summoning his strength, he pushed himself up, took the flower off the ground and approached the monument. A chilly breeze blew against him as he walked over the chalk-roots covering most of the open area around the monument.


    He shivered as the breeze froze him to his core. He needed warm and dry himself as soon as possible.


    The monument was about a head taller than him ¨C much smaller than the one he had seen in Lohssa, though it was quite similar to it in its shape and cut.


    ¡°That one didn¡¯t have these though¡­¡± he whispered to himself as he leaned in closer to look at the symbols etched upon it. They were foreign symbols probably belonging to language long lost ¨C or one that was never used in the tribes that inhabited these lands before Eldoria was founded.


    He reached for his earring and caught the sword-spear in the air as reality twisted. He held the weapon next to the monument.


    Some of the symbols were the same. It was the same language.

 Chapter 65 – Writhing Darkness

    The chilly wind blew against his back. He ignored the cold and the shivers. His gaze leapt from the weapon to the monument, then back to the weapon over and over again as he slowly circled the monument.


    The symbols were etched all over the chalk monument. Some of them were identical to the ones etched on the weapon, while others were different, but had comparable elements. He didn¡¯t need to be a historian, or a linguist to understand these all belonged in the same language.


    He ran his fingers along the dull edge of the sword-spear, wondering what they meant. Once he was back in Bareon, he had to show this to Arwen and the others, as well as Lonan. He was a historian after all ¨C perhaps he knew.


    He needed to show them this discovery¡­ if they survived the night. The grim thought lingered at the forefront of his mind for a while as he stepped back from the monument. All of them had to survive ¨C he included.


    Gripping the broken shaft of the weapon with both hands, he turned his gaze towards the edge of the forest which about half a dozen steps away from the monument. Just like the monument they chased the terrorists to, this one was also in the middle of a circular opening in the forest, under the starry sky.


    It was the night of a full moon, and its light illuminated his surroundings. He carefully put the glowing flower¡¯s stem in his pocket while avoiding crushing the petals. The blue and crimson light it emitted was bright enough to let him see where he was stepping.


    He turned his gaze up, above the forest canopy. One part of the sky was cloudy, and tinted red. It was the smoke rising from Bareon, and the flames illuminating it.


    ¡°Right¡­¡± he whispered to himself, lowing his gaze to the dark forest.


    With a tight jaw, he approached the treeline. His heart raced as he stood at the edge of where the chalk roots were overtaken by the bulging roots of the forest.


    It was so very dark under the forest canopy. The trees seemed huge, and just a few steps ahead he couldn¡¯t even see their silhouettes. It almost felt like looking at the infinite emptiness. Moonlight couldn¡¯t penetrate the canopy of leaves after all, and even the blue and crimson glow of the flower seemed to be absorbed by the almost tangible darkness.


    A part of him wanted to wait here until dawn, until the sun came out, and dispersed this tangible darkness. But another part of him knew how dangerous waiting was. There was no guarantee that the area around the monument was safe, in fact, it could even be more dangerous.


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    He pressed his palm against his aching left eye. If these monuments served as connections to the Old Gods, he wanted to be as far away from them as he could, lest the stirring Great one decide to pull his consciousness away again.


    Staring into the darkness beneath the forest canopy, he drew a deep breath, summoned what remained of his courage, and stepped into the forest.


    The air grew heavy and moist as he took slow, deliberate steps. The darkness was tangible and thick, reminding him of the mist that appeared in Lohssa. It swirled around him, like ink thrown into water.


    A primal fear gripped his heart. Beads of sweat rolled down his chin. It took every bit of willpower to make his way through the forest.


    He saw things moving with the corner of his eye, but when he turned to look there, everything seemed normal ¨C there was nothing there. Nothing but trees and roots, and the swirling, tangible darkness. With a tight jaw, and hands clenched around the broken shaft of the sword spear, he hurried, making his way through the Old Growth.


    It was difficult to guess the time beneath the forest canopy, and even more so when he didn¡¯t know what time he stepped into the forest to begin with. Was dawn close, or hours away? Was it even the same night as the one the city started burning? He wasn¡¯t sure ¨C his sense of time had been lost after falling asleep in the temple, after killing the serpentine creature.


    All he had was hope ¨C hope that Bareon hadn¡¯t been reduced to ashes, that Arwen, Alistair, Willow, and everyone else had survived the night. That small flame of hope he carried in his heart dimmed with every passing second.


    The forest suddenly came to an abrupt end as he stepped around a tree and came face to face with a wall half-destroyed by the roots of the trees. A large manor was placed a little back, above the wall.


    Distant shouting reached his ears, accompanied by the sound of footsteps. He quickly hid behind the tree trunks as three cloaked and hooded figures slid down the wall. Arrows and a few fire resonances flew in the air after them.


    ¡°Stop them!¡± someone shouted at the top of their lungs. The cloaked figures rushed into the forest as several guards appeared at the top of the wall, trying to climb down.


    Midhir drew a sharp breath, tightened his grasp on the broken shaft of the sword-spear, lifted it over his shoulder, and whacked the first cloaked figure as he ran past the tree he was hiding behind with the dull edge of the blade.


    The cloaked person fell down without so much of a sound, allowing him to quickly leap over him, and face the other two.


    Wrath lit up his eyes. He tugged at the thread of power within, allowing a small stream of it to flow into the gem embedded into the sword-spear. White flames lit up the slightly curved blade.


    One of his opponents gasped, while the other drew a sharp breath. That split second of shock and hesitation cost them their freedom, as Midhir didn¡¯t hesitate. He struck one of them in the shoulder, cutting through cloth and flesh, then spun the weapon around and struck the other¡¯s neck with the dull edge of the blade.


    Screams echoed in his mind as he allowed the flames to subside.


    He turned his gaze to the guards as they finally climbed down the wall, rushing over to the three fallen terrorists. They were just as surprised to see him as the terrorists were.


    ¡°Take me to Lord Orlein,¡± Midhir sighed. ¡°There is a lot he needs to know.¡±

 Chapter 66 – As Flames Turn to Ashes (1)

    Streaks of blood covered the floors and walls of the once pristine and beautifully decorated Orlein mansion. The flower filled vases and decorative sculptures had either been shattered completely or thrown aside ¨C probably towards someone. Shards lay amidst drying pools of blood.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect them to attack here¡­¡± he muttered as he followed the guards.


    ¡°Neither did Lord Orlein,¡± one of the guards replied. ¡°Most of our number had left to try and help Lord Alistair fend off the attackers at the market district and the city gates. They must have taken advantage of our absence.¡± The guard clenched his fist for a moment as he stopped by the two winged door of Lord Orlein¡¯s study. He knocked, then opened the door.


    ¡°Lord Orlein, we found one of Lord Alistair¡¯s classmates,¡± he then stepped aside, giving way to Midhir.


    Midhir stepped inside, and the doors closed behind him. His gaze turned to Lord Orlein, he took a step closer, only to feel wet carpet beneath his boots. He looked down, to see a large bloodstain on the fluffy carpet.


    ¡°They tried to steal the ring,¡± Lord Orlein spoke, seeing his momentary panic. ¡°They weren¡¯t particularly strong, it wasn¡¯t difficult to protect it.¡±


    He was sitting behind his ebony wood desk. A sword was put up against the wall behind his seat. His desk was empty save for a few papers, and a small box that could easily fit in Midhir¡¯s palm. Lord Orlein himself didn¡¯t seem wounded, or even slightly tired. His clothes were as clean and proper as always.


    His eyes, however, burned with anger.


    ¡°Alistair protected the market square,¡± a hint of pride was audible in his voice. ¡°And Captain Rianne held the city gates. Despite all of their efforts, Bareon has suffered grave losses.¡± He furrowed his brows, his gaze meeting Midhir¡¯s. ¡°L- Midhir,¡± he breathed in, ¡°Where were you?¡±


    Midhir walked closer to the ebony wood desk, pulled the flower from his pocket, and placed it next to the small box. ¡°Bareon is built on a hollow hill,¡± he coldly replied. ¡°I was by the church when explosions shook the city. The pavement gave way, and I fell. More people must have fallen too, but I couldn¡¯t find them.¡±


    He pointed at the blooming flower, still glowing brightly as it did since he found it upon that chalk altar. ¡°I found this, on an altar beneath the city. I found an ancient temple, and a monster guarding it, I found an underwater lake, and a tunnel that led to the Old Growth,¡± he paused for a moment. ¡°Lord Orlein, Bareon is in greater danger than you think. And¡­¡±


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    Something stopped him. ¡°You need to send word to the Emperor,¡± he said, instead. ¡°Chalk, that resembles roots grows beneath the city. I fear Bareon is in much greater danger than any of us realise.¡±


    Lord Orlein¡¯s complexion grew paler with each word Midhir spoke. He pressed his lips together, listening with a tight jaw, and clenched fists. Once Midhir was finished talking, he breathed out, and pondered in silence for a short while. ¡°I see,¡± he finally said.


    Midhir waited for a few more seconds before speaking up again. ¡°Is Arwen, Willow, and Lonan alright?¡±


    Lord Orlein flinched. ¡°Hm? Oh yes, both women were in the hospital, and it¡¯s been far from any conflict. Lonan, the historian, has also been recovering there, and has guards posted by his room to protect him ¨C just in case. You needn¡¯t worry about them.¡±


    A weight he hadn¡¯t realised he was carrying lifted off his shoulders. With a breath of relief, he smiled weakly. ¡°Good,¡± he muttered. ¡°And Alistair?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s fine, he¡¯s helping the city guard right now,¡± Lord Orlein¡¯s voice faded as his eyes widened. ¡°Your eye!¡± He gasped, starting on his feet.


    Midhir flinched, instinctively reaching for his left eye. He felt something wet and warm on his fingertips. He pulled his hand away, only to see his fingers wet with blood.


    ¡°Oh,¡± he wiped his eye with his sleeve. It was odd, since there was no pain. The other times he noticed his eye bleed was always accompanied by some pain. ¡°I¡¯m alright, I think,¡± he muttered as he wiped his eye again. He waited for a few short moments, but the bleeding had stopped already.


    ¡°You¡¯re certainly not,¡± Lord Orlein walked around the desk with a handkerchief hand. ¡°Eyes don¡¯t randomly bleed, and you¡¯re wounded all over.¡± He gestured at his arms.


    His body was aching, and he was covered in both mud and blood. He glanced at his arms and hands, then chuckled. ¡°I suppose so,¡± he sighed before reaching for the blooming flower. As he touched its stem, he noticed Lord Orlein¡¯s odd gaze. ¡°Is something the matter?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps you should leave that here,¡± the Lord suggested.


    Midhir quickly shook his head. ¡°I¡¯d rather not,¡± he replied with a tight jaw. ¡°There is more we should speak of, Lord Orlein, but Bareon¡¯s safety is a more pressing matter, and I don¡¯t think I have enough strength left in me to stay awake for much longer.¡± He felt like he hadn¡¯t slept in days.


    ¡°Then we will speak more when you have rested and recovered,¡±


    Tightly holding onto the vibrant flower, Midhir left Lord Orlein¡¯s study. His steps were uneven as he made his way through the mansion, to the room assigned to him. He stumbled into the room, swung the door shut, and collapsed on the bed.


    In the deep, infinite darkness, something stirred. An unblinking eye gazed upon a being so small, it was almost insignificant. Almost, but not quite. Holding onto one of the seeds of the Vermillion Bird¡¯s garden, the being remained unmoving, unconscious.


    These mortal beings called it ¡®sleeping¡¯.


    Something red flowed from the being¡¯s closed eye. It was something like its life force. If it lost too much of it, it would ¡®die¡¯. Cease to exist. Never wake up again.


    So, the unblinking eye turned away. Its gaze was enough to cause such damage to this almost insignificant being. As much as it was interesting to watch, it couldn¡¯t risk doing too much harm. It needed the being to survive, after all.


    It needed to ¡®live¡¯.

 Chapter 67 – As Flames Turn to Ashes (2)

    Dawn arrived in a grieving city. The first rays of sunlight pierced the cloud of smoke hanging over Bareon, illuminating the charred ruins of the church, the destroyed market square, and the bloodied city gates. It brought little hope or relief with it, but it did mark the end of the fighting, and terror.


    Midhir woke up with Aodan¡¯s arrival. The butler softly knocked on the door before stepping inside. He had the same gentle, caring smile as he always had, and carried a basket full of bottles and bandages with him. ¡°Your wounds need tending, sir Induen.¡±


    Hearing his ancestral name cleared his clouded mind as he sat up. He winced ¨C even the smallest movement caused some ache or hurt. ¡°Thank you,¡± he muttered.


    By some grace, he didn¡¯t have any deep wounds ¨C just a lot of small cuts, and a few bruises that had turned purple by now. Aoden cleaned the cuts, wrapped the worst ones in bandages, and checked his right hand¡¯s healing before putting everything back in the basket.


    ¡°How is the situation?¡± Midhir asked as the butler gathered everything in the small basket.


    Aodan paused at the question for a split second before resuming. ¡°Lord Alistair is alive and well, as are the rest of your classmates. Lady Aulorn has spent the night in the hospital, aiding the wounded, and Lady Maloid is still recovering from her wound,¡± he glanced out the window. ¡°The city itself, however, wasn¡¯t as lucky as them.¡±


    Midhir followed the butler¡¯s gaze. The city was visible from the window, and so was some of the damage.


    ¡°There were people in the church,¡± he remembered them, hunched over their small children, crying for help as smoke filled the air. He couldn¡¯t save them before the pavement collapsed, and he fell down into the caverns.


    ¡°Several people were saved from the church,¡± Aodan said with a faint smile. ¡°From the reports we received, crystal tools were unusable near the church, so some of the guards ventured out to find what was preventing their usage. Their findings were brought here for Lord Orlein to inspect.¡±


    Midhir breathed a sigh of relief. Somehow, things weren¡¯t as bad as he feared. At least those people ¨C families and children trapped in that inferno of a church ¨C had survived. ¡°That¡¯s good to hear¡­¡± He felt a weight he didn¡¯t even realise he was carrying had lift from his shoulders.


    ¡°Indeed,¡± Aodan nodded. ¡°Unfortunately, the market square was severely damaged by explosions ¨C which also caused the cave-in that you suffered. Most of the buildings were destroyed, and I¡¯m afraid there were losses.¡±


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    The relief he felt vanished. ¡°I see¡­¡±


    ¡°The city gates also came under attack, but Captain Rhianne was able to defend them,¡± Aodan glanced at the door. ¡°The mansion also came under attack as you may have noticed. We¡¯re not sure what their goal was, as they split into several groups, and only one went after Lord Orlein ¨C he easily dispatched of them. The others thrashed different areas of the mansion but did no noteworthy damage.¡± He hesitated for a split second before lowering his voice. ¡°Their assault here is what worries me the most.¡±


    Midhir nodded. It was worrying, precisely because their intentions were unclear. ¡°Some were caught alive,¡± he stated. He had knocked three of them out as he arrived at Bareon.


    The butler¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°Indeed. They are being questioned as we speak.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Midhir pushed himself up on his feet. ¡°I¡¯d like to meet with Lord Orlein today, if that¡¯s at all possible.¡±


    ¡°I will arrange it. I know you want to help, but I will tell you the same thing I told Lord Alistair ¨C you must rest and recover. You have mud and filth all over you, please make sure to clean yourself, and have a proper meal before returning to your duties.¡±


    ¡°But-¡° he motioned to protest, only for the butler to cut him off.


    ¡°You are no healer, nor can you help with rebuilding. You are a fighter ¨C someone who will become a leader alongside Lord Alistair. A leader needs to know that he can¡¯t carry all burdens. Some rest upon the commonfolk.¡± He bowed. ¡°Now, if you¡¯ll excuse me. I will return with your meal soon.¡±


    The butler left, gently closing the door behind him, leaving the dumbfounded Midhir alone.


    He wanted to ignore the butler¡¯s words. He wanted to throw on a coat, and rush outside to help. That¡¯s what his sister would have done ¨C she wouldn¡¯t sit and wait. She wouldn¡¯t rest and recover while her people suffered.


    But that¡¯s exactly why their father would scold her. Because she would wear herself too thin, and eventually collapse from exhaustion, unable to perform her duties.


    So, he suppressed the want to rush outside to help, and made his way to the bath. He let the hot water wash away the grime, mud, and dirt away. The sore muscles and aching bruises relaxed, the pain washed away, even if only for a few moments.


    He stayed under the flowing water for quite a while before finally stepping out, drying himself, and putting on some clean clothes. By the time he was done, a hot meal was already waiting for him next to the bed.


    Feeling some remorse about being here, and not out there helping people, he sat down and ate, cleaning his plate like he hadn¡¯t eaten in weeks. With a full belly, he let himself rest just a little while longer before getting back up on his feet and making himself presentable.


    He tied his hair back with a black ribbon, wondering when it had gotten quite so long. It was quite a bit past his shoulders now ¨C it could get in the way when fighting. He considered cutting it off with a knife but decided otherwise. A ribbon was good enough right now.


    He put on his boots, took the vibrant flower laying on the bed and carefully placed it in his pocket, then stepped out of his room, and hurried along the hallway, towards Lord Orlein¡¯s study.


    He needed to contact his mother ¨C he needed access to the sending mirror. She needed to know about the caverns and the temple beneath the city. It was a disaster waiting to happen ¨C with a greater death toll than the fall of the Rose Capital all those years ago.


    He couldn¡¯t let that happen.

 Chapter 68 - Reunion

    ¡°I need to speak with my mother,¡± Midhir stated as soon as the door to Lord Orlein¡¯s study closed behind him. He didn¡¯t bother hide the urgency in his voice ¨C both of them knew the severity of the situation.


    Lord Orlein pressed his lips together for a split second before nodding. ¡°Very well, I will have the sending mirror delivered to your chambers.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Midhir forced a smile. ¡°I¡¯ll visit my classmates first, then return. Where is Alistair?¡±


    Lord Orlein scowled. ¡°He should be in the hospital as well, helping however he can,¡± he shook his head in what seemed like hopelessness. ¡°Please have him return with you. There is much to be done, and we have little time to lose.¡±


    The beautiful city of roses was covered in a thick layer of ash, with a cloud of smoke still lingering in the skies above. People dragged their feet as they walked. Everywhere he looked, he saw despair and grief, pain, and agony.


    His steps carried him towards the burned church. Its bell tower had toppled, and most of its roof collapsed. There were still some wounded people being tended to before they were carried off to the hospital.


    Only a handful of steps away from the church¡¯s entrance, the pavement had caved in. He stood a safe distance away from it, his gaze fixed on the seemingly endless darkness. He fiddled with the glowing flower¡¯s stem absentmindedly. He wanted to go back down to the ancient temple built above that underground lake. He couldn¡¯t help but feel like he had missed something there ¨C something of vital importance.


    He pried his eyes away from the cave-in and forced himself to walk away. Either way the cavern needed to be investigated, but not right at this moment, and especially not when he was alone.


    He made his way to the hospital ¨C a large structure built atop a hill. It was surrounded by beautiful gardens and was only a short walk away from the market district. Despite being so close, it was devoid of the destruction and chaos still lingering on Bareon.


    Lit up by crystal lamps, the hospital was bright and colourful. Nurses and healers rushed about, paying him little mind. Despite the calm, almost serene air about the place, the grim reality of many dying and suffering people was barely hidden under the surface.


    He could hear crying as people wept for their loved ones. As he passed by some rooms, he caught glimpses of nurses covering the deceased with sheets. A fragile, solemn silence reigned ¨C one stemming from loss and grief, or relief and exhaustion.


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    The directions he received from the front desk proved quite helpful as he soon spotted two familiar faces chatting by the door to a room.


    With a faint smile, he approached Willow and Alistair. ¡°Glad to see you alive,¡± he softly spoke up.


    Willow visibly flinched as her back was turned to him. She turned around wide eyed, and her face lit up. ¡°Midhir!¡± She whispered, then shot a calmer Alistair a mischievous glance. ¡°See, told you he¡¯d be fine!¡± She giggled.


    The young noble chuckled softly. ¡°I never doubted it,¡± he replied keeping his voice low as to not disturb the fragile silence. ¡°Come, let¡¯s not stand in the hallway. Lonan is awake.¡±


    Midhir¡¯s felt his chest tighten. As much as he hated to admit it, Lonan being here, and being somewhat unwell after what he went through had completely slipped his mind this morning. ¡°What about Arwen?¡± he asked while Willow pushed him into the room, and Alistair followed them.


    The room was somewhat spacious, with a couch, a chair and a bed taking up some of the space. On the bed lay Lonan, wearing a simple white gown. His eyes were closed, but they shot opened as the three of them stepped inside.


    The only other person in the room was Arwen. Laying on the couch, she was asleep.


    ¡°Midhir!¡± Lonan exclaimed loudly, waking Arwen up in the process. He placed his hand on his heart dramatically, ¡°You came!¡±


    While Willow rolled her eyes at his theatrics, Midhir couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°How have you both been?¡± he asked, glancing at Lonan, then Arwen, who sat up.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine!¡± Lonan smirked. ¡°The nurses wanted me to stay here ¨C and your classmate over there,¡± he glanced at Arwen, ¡°because apparently the city was under attack. That¡¯s what they said. I was supposed to stay at the Lord¡¯s residence otherwise¡­¡±


    ¡°The city was indeed under attack.¡± Alistair sighed. ¡°My apologies for not being able to properly welcome you to my father¡¯s residence, but-¡°


    ¡°I¡¯m joking!¡± Lonan cut the young noble off with a wave of his hand. ¡°I don¡¯t like posh places like that anyways ¨C Midhir knows!¡± He smirked.


    ¡°I really don¡¯t¡­¡± Midhir muttered with a chuckle. ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear you¡¯re in good health though. And you seem much better too, Arwen. I¡¯m relieved.¡±


    Arwen¡¯s face lit up with a smile. ¡°Willow told me what happened. That you two healed me. Thank you,¡± She placed her hand on her chest. ¡°The nurses said I won¡¯t have any lasting effects from the wound ¨C not even a scar. They were quite surprised at how powerful the healing resonance was. I didn¡¯t know you could cast such powerful resonances.¡±


    Midhir quickly shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s not the resonance that was powerful at all,¡± he explained, ¡°With Willow¡¯s help, I was able to use more spiritual power than I normally can. That¡¯s why the resonance worked at all. I wouldn¡¯t have been able to do it without her.¡±


    Willow had clearly never shown much interest in crystals ¨C she just knew how to use them ¨C and Arwen hadn¡¯t seen the crystal he used. It was fine for them to believe it was just Willow¡¯s help that healed her almost fully. Arwen didn¡¯t need to know of that crystal ¨C it would simply bring forth too many questions.


    ¡°Right ¨C now that you¡¯re here too, can we leave?¡± Lonan piped up. ¡°I know this may sound tone deaf, but I was told my expertise was needed in the old palace ruins, and I¡¯d like to fulfil that obligation.¡± He took a deep breath. ¡°I know the city itself came under attack, but these were the same group that were seen in those ruins. Perhaps my knowledge could still be of some use.¡±


    A moment passed in silence before Alistair nodded. ¡°I certainly hope so. I will speak with the nurses, I¡¯m sure you¡¯re well enough to leave.¡±

 Chapter 69 – The Woman Beyond the Mirror

    The shouting was audible even through the thick, two-winged doors. The guards on either side seemed just as uncomfortable as Midhir and his classmates.


    ¡°I feel like Lonan¡¯s idea wasn¡¯t welcome at all,¡± Arwen sheepishly whispered, wincing at the raised voices.


    Willow nodded in agreement. Her face was somewhat pale, and she was fiddling with a few strands of hair to keep herself busy. Avoiding even looking at Lord Orlein¡¯s study, she peered out the window, watching the ash-covered Bareon.


    Moments passed in awkward, nerve-wrecking silence until it was broken by fast-paced footsteps approaching from the other side of the hallway.


    Aodan approached them with a stack of papers in hand. ¡°Lord Alistair,¡± he bowed his head as he passed by the young Orlein heir, then once again as he glanced at Willow. ¡°Lady Aulorn, glad to see you well. Allow me to thank you in Lord Orlein¡¯s stead for your invaluable aid in the hospital last night.¡±


    Willow forced a weak smile, while Alistair simply nodded in response. His focus remained on his father¡¯s study.


    Aodan then turned to Arwen. ¡°Have you recovered well enough to resume your activities, my lady?¡±


    The young woman nodded with a beaming smile. ¡°Willow and Midhir¡¯s healing was more than enough to heal my wound, and the healers in the hospital did a wonderful job removing the scar. I simply needed a short time to rest. I¡¯m quite well now, thank you for asking.¡±


    Aodan seemed satisfied. ¡°That¡¯s a relief,¡± he then turned towards Midhir. ¡°While I know you wish to remain here to await Lord Orlein¡¯s decision, I must ask you to accompany me for a moment. I would like to check how the wound in your hand has healed.¡± His gaze was telling enough ¨C there was more he wanted than just checking his wound.


    ¡°Sure,¡± Midhir sighed, shooting an apologetic glance at Alistair.


    The young noble simply nodded with a stern expression.


    Aodan knocked on Lord Orlein¡¯s study¡¯s door, then stepped inside. A few moments later, he left the room, no longer carrying the stack of papers. ¡°Please follow me,¡± he gestured down the hallway before leading Midhir away from the group.


    They soon arrived at his room.


    ¡°The sending mirror has been set up,¡± Aodan¡¯s voice was cold and respectful. ¡°You should be able to contact anyone you wish ¨C given they are near another mirror, of course.¡± He bowed and motioned to leave.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Midhir¡¯s gaze turned to the sending mirror.


    ¡°It must be I who thanks you ¨C our city is singed and in need of aid.¡± With that said, Aodan left the room, closing the door behind him.


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    Midhir took a deep breath, then approached the sending mirror.


    It was a shallow, yet wide bronze basin filled with a silver-coloured fluid. The edges of the basin were decorated with small, silver gemstones and imperial script etched into the bronze. The basin was placed on a wheeled stand that kept it at about chest-height.


    He lifted his hand, hovering his palm just above the silver liquid¡¯s surface. ¡°I call thee, not by blood nor ancestry, but by love and memories, Mother.¡± The chant rolled off his tongue, he felt his power drain as the silver coloured gemstones embedded into the basin started to glow. The imperial script lit up, and the liquid inside the basin stirred.


    A moment passed, then another, then a third. Then, rippled formed on the surface of the liquid. He quickly pulled his hand away as his heart raced.


    Colours whirled in the basin for a short few moments before they formed the image of a beautiful woman with raven black hair. Her fair skin and bright green eyes made her seem almost otherworldly. Her red lips curled up for a split second as she looked directly at Midhir.


    ¡°This is a surprise,¡± her voice echoed from the basin. ¡°Though I fear it may be an unpleasant one ¨C you seem rather troubled, son.¡± Her gaze seemed to peer right into his soul, despite the distance between them.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid you¡¯re right,¡± Midhir sighed. ¡°Mother, Bareon is in danger. You must send enforcers here.¡±


    His mother raised an eyebrow. Her lips formed a thin line for a moment as she considered his words. ¡°Explain,¡± her voice was cold as ice, and devoid of any emotion. ¡°There are crisis all over Eldoria, and not enough Enforcers.¡±


    Midhir gulped. His heart was racing, and his limbs felt cold. His power continued to flow into the gemstones surrounding the basin to keep the connection active. It was difficult to maintain that flow and make a sensible and convincing argument at the same time.


    ¡°Midhir, love,¡± her voice startled him. ¡°Just tell me what happened ¨C you look pale as a sheet of paper, and that¡¯s rare for you. What threatens Bareon?¡±


    ¡°I think,¡± he summoned his courage, ¡°One of the Old Gods is waking up.¡±


    The woman¡¯s eyes shot wide open. Her calm demeanour changed in an instant as blood drained from her face. ¡°What makes you say that?¡± Her voice remained cold and calculating ¨C she was still in control, despite being shaken up.


    Midhir hesitated for a split second. He lifted his right hand, showing his palm to her. ¡°There was a ritual,¡± he started to explain the events that transpired since they arrived at Bareon. He hadn¡¯t much time before Alistair and the others would start growing worried, or Aodan was noticed standing outside his room. People could grow suspicious, so he hurriedly explained.


    Only when he was finished talking did his mother speak again. ¡°I understand. Enforcers will be sent to Bareon, but it will take them a few days to arrive ¨C almost all of them are currently in the Olisar province.¡± She pondered for a while, biting her lips as her gaze drifted away. Moments passed in charged silence before she spoke again. ¡°How fast is the New Growth spreading?¡±


    ¡°Fast. It¡¯s already scaled some of the walls ¨C the attacks prevented Lord Orlein¡¯s forces from burning the roots off,¡± he had noticed how much the New Growth had spread when he reached Bareon the night before. It was spreading at an alarming speed, and Bareon¡¯s old ways of holding it back wouldn¡¯t be viable for much longer.


    ¡°I see.¡± His Mother raised her chin. Her gaze grew cold as she met his. ¡°These are your team¡¯s orders ¨C explore the cavern beneath Bareon, find the chalk altar, and destroy it. Investigate the temple, secure what remains of the serpent¡¯s corpse, and make sure its brought back to the surface for further research.¡± She only paused for a split second. ¡°The Orlein Heir must survive, Midhir. And you too ¨C no unnecessary risks.¡±

 Chapter 70 – Into the Depths (1)

    Aodan was still waiting outside his room when he stepped out the door. He glanced at Midhir with a glimmer of hope in his eyes before rushing inside to take the sending mirror away.


    ¡°Thank you for waiting,¡± Midhir said, watching him cover the basin with a large piece of cloth, and roll the contraption through the doorway. ¡°Enforcers have been dispatched here, and they should arrive in a few days. Until then, we will try and persevere.¡±


    The butler nodded with a somewhat relieved smile. A few days wasn¡¯t a short time when the forest was creeping ever closer, and an unknown number of terrorists were roaming outside the city, but at least it was a timeline.


    While Aodan rolled the sending mirror away, Midhir hurried back to Lord Orlein¡¯s study. By the time he arrived there, the doors to the Lord¡¯s study were wide open, and his classmates were inside, along with Lonan the historian.


    ¡°Apologies for being late,¡± he bowed before joining the others.


    ¡°It¡¯s quite alright,¡± Lord Orlein said with a tight jaw before taking a deep breath. ¡°Now that all of you are here, listen carefully. The Imperial Family has mobilised aid, but it¡¯s expected to arrive in several days. We must defend Bareon from all threats until the ¨C both within, and without.¡±


    So she had already contacted him. She was fast, as always. He just hoped the enforcers would arrive in time, and without endangering the situation in the Olisar province even further.


    ¡°We have some new information on the cultists goals, so we will act accordingly.¡± Lord Orlein clenched his fist. ¡°First ¨C their primary goal is to allow the New Growth, and eventually the Old Growth to overtake Bareon. As such, we can expect them to attack after nightfall again. Second; they are seeking something. We don¡¯t know what or who.¡±


    ¡°Then we must be pushing the New Growth closest to the city walls out,¡± Alistair muttered absentmindedly. ¡°It¡¯s the only thing I expect will buy us enough time for help to arrive.¡±


    Lord Orlein nodded. ¡°The city guard is currently doing just that. It¡¯s not the only way though. Midhir,¡± he turned his gaze towards him. ¡°You mentioned an altar below the city. Do you remember where it is?¡±


    ¡°I do, the cavern isn¡¯t a complex structure.¡± The mere thought of descending back into the caverns sent chills down his spine. He would rather stay as far away from there as possible.


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    ¡°Good. Then you will lead this group down there. Your mission is to destroy the altar, and escort Professor Lonan here to the temple you mentioned earlier. It¡¯s clearly relevant to the events happening in and around our city. Move out, I want that altar destroyed today, before nightfall.¡±


    Their preparations didn¡¯t take too long, as Aodan had already put aside most of what they would need ¨C a set of clean clothes, enough food to last them a week, ropes, torches, bedrolls, and other miscellaneous items were set aside for them.


    ¡°I understand your weapon was destroyed,¡± he said as he approached Midhir with a shortsword in hand. ¡°Lord Alistair said you used shortswords, so I prepared one for you.¡± He shot a hesitant glance at Midhir¡¯s wrapped hand. ¡°I would suggest you avoid fighting however, since your hand seems to be healing quite slowly. If you still feel any pain, please avoid fighting.¡±


    Midhir nodded as he took the sword from him. It was a little heavy, and its hilt didn¡¯t fit in his palm quite comfortably. ¡°Thank you.¡± He said as he clipped the sheath onto his belt. His hand still ached and felt somewhat sore ¨C he couldn¡¯t properly use it even if he wanted to. But it was good to have a weapon with him, nonetheless.


    Once their preparations were complete, the group set off towards the caved-in pavement by the church. The sun was still climbing to its zenith when they arrived.


    ¡°By the daughter and the son¡­¡± Willow whispered as she peered down into the hole. ¡°You fell down here? How did you survive that?¡± She shot him a quick glance. ¡°Not that I¡¯m complaining, but you know¡­ it is a long way down from the looks of it.¡±


    Midhir couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. ¡°Pure luck,¡± he shrugged, pushing away an annoying thought that surfaced in the back of his mind. Was it just luck?


    ¡°A hollow hill¡­¡± Lonan muttered as he crouched by the edge, and ran his finger across the broken pavement, and the rock shell beneath. ¡°It¡¯s hard to believe. This could date back to the fall of the Rose Capital, or even be the cause of it!¡± His excitement was palpable as he spoke with a glimmer in his eyes. ¡°Or, it could be even older ¨C you said there was a temple inside, right? Not a church, but a temple.¡±


    Midhir nodded. ¡°A very old temple, with an unpleasant inhabitant. But that¡¯s a layer beneath this cavern.¡± He hovered his hand near his ear, summoning several long, sturdy ropes.


    The area around the cave-in and the burnt church was completely cut off from the rest of the city with makeshift walls. Several guards were posted in and around the area, and they were quick to help him find strong enough spots to tie the ropes. Once the ropes were secured, he returned to the others. ¡°Let¡¯s go, we have half a day before nightfall.¡±


    ¡°Stay near me,¡± Willow spoke up as she extended her hand. Her rapier appeared above her palm, as the air around it twisted, and reality bent for a split second. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.


    Midhir¡¯s eyes widened as he felt his body grow ever so slightly lighter as winds whirled around them.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Willow took one of the ropes and jumped down. The winds grew stronger as the gemstone embedded into the pommel of her rapier glowed brightly. Instead of falling, she floated down.


    ¡°Amazing!¡± Lonan exclaimed before following her lead and prompting everyone else to do so as well. taking a rope in hand each, they descended down the hole in the pavement.

 Chapter 71 – Into the Depths (2)

    The sounds of the city cut off almost immediately as they slowly floated down the cavern. Dust and ash hung in the dry, cool air. Bright green light emanating from Willow¡¯s sword illuminated their surroundings, clashing with the glow of the blooming flower in Midhir¡¯s pocket.


    He felt lightheaded as they descended. It was difficult to believe that he had fallen all this way down and survived with no more than scratches and bruises. He still remembered the moment of the fall vividly ¨C and the moment his consciousness was pulled into a realm beyond his own.


    What felt like hours passed, and eventually their light reached the debris covered ground. Not long after, their feet touched the ground, and Willow¡¯s winds vanished, along with the green glow of her sword¡¯s pommel.


    Only the blue-crimson light of the blooming flower was left to illuminate their surroundings.


    ¡°Hm?¡± Lonan turned towards him, his gaze fixed on the flower. ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± his voice faded as he scowled. ¡°Do you mind if I take a look? I hadn¡¯t noticed it until now.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡± He gently pulled the flower out of his pocket. ¡°I found it down here, on the altar,¡± he glanced around to try and spot the altar, but all he saw was darkness. He couldn¡¯t quite remember which way the altar was.


    Lonan approached the flower, looking at it closely. ¡°Amazing¡­¡± his voice grew sharper with excitement. ¡°I¡¯ve seen something similar to this in old texts! Very few of the alchemists texts and tomes survived the Bareon Disaster, but the few artifacts that were saved do mention a flower like this.¡± His eyes glimmered as he snapped his fingers in quick succession. ¡°Ah, what did they call it¡­?¡±


    A hand touched his shoulder, and Arwen clenched her fingers. Her face was as pale as a sheet of paper, and her lips were a thin line. Her intense gaze was fixed on the flower. ¡°Pleroma.¡±


    ¡°Ah!¡± Lonan exclaimed. ¡°Yes, they called it Pleroma blooms!¡± He paused for a split second, then glanced at her. ¡°I¡¯m surprised you know of it. Those artifacts haven¡¯t been put in An¡¯Larion¡¯s museum yet.¡±


    A moment reigned by tense silence passed before Alistair cleared his throat. ¡°Arwen is taught by Solus Academy¡¯s most prestigious professors, and she¡¯s privy to more information due to her choice of weapon ¨C crystal staff users immediately begin to learn about the veil.¡±


    Arwen shot a cold glance at Alistair before curtly nodding. ¡°Yes. I¡¯m also interested in Eldoria¡¯s history as a whole. Our academy¡¯s library has many copies of old texts.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Lonan bowed his head slightly. ¡°Please accept my apologies ¨C these last few days have eroded my trust in everyone quite a bit.¡±


    Arwen nodded once again. ¡°Understandable.¡± She turned her gaze to the flower once more. ¡°I can carry that for you.¡±


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    Something in her voice made him hesitate. His instincts screamed not to let her touch it. As her hand reached for it, a sharp pain struck his left eye, causing him to reel back with a groan. He pressed his palm against his eye and stepped away from her.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Willow rushed towards him. Her hand closed around something that appeared mid-air; something she summoned from her holding gem. Something golden glinted through her fingers. ¡°Are you still wounded?¡± She asked, her voice rising with each word.


    He shook his head as the pain began to subside. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± He grunted, then took a few deep breaths as the worried group crowded around him. Only Arwen stood in her place, her hand still hanging in the air, and her face twisted with concern, though the shadows hid most of her expression.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± he repeated as the pain finally subsided completely. ¡°I found the flower here, Arwen. It¡¯s probably not safe ¨C and I probably shouldn¡¯t let go of it now.¡±


    Arwen closed her eyes, her hands clenched around her staff. She was silent for a few short moments. ¡°You should keep it close by,¡± she finally said with a cold voice. ¡°I never saw it being mentioned as anything harmful. Perhaps it isn¡¯t what¡¯s not safe ¨C perhaps it¡¯s protecting you from whatever is causing you pain.¡±


    Lonan shot her an odd look. ¡°They called it their guiding light. Perhaps Lady Arwen is right.¡± His tone didn¡¯t match his words. He seemed impressed, but far from convinced. ¡°You said there was an altar here ¨C perhaps that will provide us some answers.¡±


    Alistair summoned his spear from his holding gem. ¡°You should let one of the enforcers examine you ¨C and it ¨C when they arrive. Until then, however, there is little to be done, and more pressing matters.¡± He raised his chin. ¡°I hope you understand, but we have half a day until nightfall.¡±


    He understood. Alistair was acting as the future lord of Bareon ¨C not as his gloomy, yet capable classmate. Destroying the altar as his father had commanded was their first priority. ¡°Can you create us some light, Arwen?¡±


    Before he even finished his words, her staff glowed golden. The light grew brighter as she focused. It formed into a small orb, and slowly started rising up. Like a small sun, it illuminated the whole cavern, completely doing away with the darkness.


    Her resonance casting speed was impressive, but even more than that, her ability to continue holding a resonance so far away from her and her weapon was jaw-dropping. He couldn¡¯t help but shoot her a surprised glance before focusing on the task at hand.


    His gaze scoured their surroundings. The cavern seemed even larger now that it was fully revealed. The ceiling was so high up, and it looked like over half of Bareon could easily fit in here. Chalk coloured root-like formations were clearly visible on the slate surfaces of the cavern. There were more of them near the ground than near the ceiling, and following one of them with his gaze quickly led him to the altar at the centre of the gigantic cavern.


    His chest tightened as he started walking towards it. ¡°There,¡± he said softly, as his heart began to race. Footsteps echoed in the vast cavern as they neared the altar.


    ¡°Be careful near it,¡± he warned them, pointing at the chalk-roots covering the ground. ¡°Don¡¯t step on the roots.¡±


    Lonan walked past him, right up to the altar, before he could even react. He ran his fingers on it, then inspected his hand. He shook his fingers, letting the dust particles fall of. ¡°This is different from the monuments in the Old Growth.¡± He turned around to face them. ¡°This isn¡¯t an altar ¨C it¡¯s a focal point. An incomplete one.¡±


    Arwen¡¯s fingers tightened around the shaft of her staff. ¡°Destroying it is not a good idea,¡± her voice was but a whisper. ¡°Lest the cavern collapse and turn Bareon into a graveyard once more.¡±

 Chapter 72 – Into the Depths (3)

    Arwen¡¯s words hung the in the air for a while.


    ¡°Can you explain what a focal point is?¡± Midhir finally spoke, shattering the heavy silence. His gaze remained fixed on the chalk structure as his fingers absentmindedly caressed the glowing flower.


    Lonan took a deep breath. ¡°Monuments are like the churches ¨C it¡¯s where you went if you wanted to pray to the Old Faith. They were places of worship and sacrifice.¡± He pointed towards the chalk structure. ¡°These are called focal points, and there are quite a few of them in Eldoria, and those which are complete act as conduits to spiritual power, from what I understand.¡±


    Arwen¡¯s gaze snapped to Lonan. She looked at him intently, with pursed lips and furrowed brows.


    ¡°I believe when the Old Faith was prevalent in these lands, these were created to keep the area around them safe,¡± the historian continued, slowly circling the altar-like structure. ¡°Humanity has only recently gained the ability to properly cut veil-infused crystals and utilise them. Less than a century ago, in fact. Before, we hadn¡¯t the ability to manipulate the elements like we have now. So people turned to the Old Faith for protection against horrors from the beyond.¡± He ran his fingers on the edge of the altar-like structure. ¡°Rituals like the one you saved me from were quite commonplace in those times.¡± He added with a grim voice, and visible discomfort.


    ¡°I see.¡± Alistair folded his arms and stepped closer to the structure. ¡°You said this was created to protect from things beyond the veil, right? If we can¡¯t destroy it, can we use it?¡±


    Willow breathed in a sharp breath. ¡°Use it?¡± She exclaimed wide eyed. ¡°Have you lost your mind? What if Lonan¡¯s wrong? What if it summons  them instead?¡± She pointed at the structure while staring intently at Lonan. ¡°How sure even are you about what it does?¡±


    A faint smile flashed across the historian¡¯s face. ¡°I¡¯m certain that I¡¯m right. All texts, all artifacts that I have studied point to these being defensive structures.¡± He then turned his gaze towards Alistair. ¡°But I must agree with Willow ¨C it¡¯s unwise to use anything left from the Dark Ages. The Old Faith has been all but forsaken and the gods went into slumber for a good reason.¡± His expression turned darker, and his voice grew colder as he continued. ¡°Everything has a price, be it a life, blood, or half the world¡¯s light. And the Old Gods never forget to collect their due.¡±


    ¡°There must be something we can do,¡± Alistair protested. ¡°Bareon can¡¯t endure attacks from terrorists and the rapid growth of the forest. Our orders are to destroy this ¨C if that¡¯s too risky, we must find a way to neutralise it. There must be a way.¡±


    ¡°I understand, but¡­¡±


    The discussion seemed pointless as his gaze lingered on the chalk structure. His fingers continued to caress the flower as he pondered a while. Absentmindedly, he stepped forward, closer to the structure, and gently touched its smooth surface.


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    Runes of the old tongue had been carved into the sides of the altar-like structure, but they cut off at about the halfway point. Lonan was right, now that he looked at it with proper light, he could clearly see it was incomplete.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯s quite right.¡± Arwen softly spoke, startling Midhir. He hadn¡¯t even noticed her standing right next to him. ¡°It¡¯s certainly incomplete, but I don¡¯t think all it was supposed to do was keep the city safe.¡± She glanced at him. ¡°What do you think?¡±


    He breathed out a silent sigh. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to think,¡± he admitted. ¡°When I fell down here last time, these just¡­ opened up and dropped me further down,¡± he tapped on the chalk root covered ground with the heel of his boot.


    Arwen leaned closer to it. ¡°Is that so?¡± she muttered quietly. She placed her palm on the smooth surface of the altar-like structure. ¡°Say, Midhir, did you perhaps use any of your spiritual power when you touched it?¡±


    Before he could reply, the ground beneath his feet shook. Before he could even react, the chalk roots beneath him collapsed, dropping him into the darkness below.


    ¡°Midhir!¡± He heard Willow¡¯s scream. Winds caught him mid-air, just before he hit the ground. His eyes shot wide open, only to see the worried group several meters above him, looking down the newly created gap.


    The winds placed him onto the ground gently. The glow on Willow¡¯s sword faded as she breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°That was close. You¡¯re not hurt, right?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± he scrambled to get up and dusted off his clothes.


    The sound of stone brushing against stone echoed in the silence. The chalk roots came to life once more, weaving themselves into a stair-like shape, closing the gap between Midhir and the others.


    A cold shiver ran down his spine as he stepped back to give the stairs space to form. The scene was disturbing at best, horrifying at worst. Stone ¨C chalk ¨C wasn¡¯t supposed to be able to do this. It wasn¡¯t supposed to be alive. Why was it able to grow like tree roots? His gaze turned to Arwen, who seemed unbothered by all this. She was still calmly standing next to the altar-like structure with her eyes closed.


    A disturbing thought gnawed at the back of his mind. Why did she know how to do this? Why was she able to manipulate chalk?


    The stairs soon finished forming. Arwen opened her eyes. ¡°Oh, so that did do something.¡± She sounded more surprised than anything.


    ¡°What were you thinking?!¡± Lonan exclaimed wide eyed. ¡°You could have killed him! Or us! Or brought the city down on us-¡°


    Alistair loudly cleared his throat. ¡°Arwen, please warn us before experimenting like this.¡± He shot a meaningful glance at Midhir. ¡°It¡¯s best if we¡¯re all prepared to avoid injury.¡± He then stepped down the first step. ¡°Either way, we have a new avenue for exploration. Let us go ¨C we have wasted quite a bit of time.¡±


    They descended to join Midhir with the apologetic Arwen, and the somewhat frightened Lonan.


    ¡°This way,¡± Midhir led the way towards the large cavern housing the marble bridge and the temple. He tried to push that disturbing thought away, but it remained at the forefront of his mind. A sliver of doubt ¨C seeds of distrust were sown.


    A woman lifted her head from the old tome in her lap. She pushed aside a lock of beautiful crimson hair and raised her gaze towards the clear skies. Her lips curled down, and her finger rather impatiently tapped against the side of the tome.


    ¡°I worry.¡± Her voice was but a whisper. ¡°Find their pawn, and make sure it remains safe from them.¡±


    ¡°It? That¡¯s a human you¡¯re talking about.¡±


    She scoffed at the voice echoing in her mind. ¡°Semantics. Go.¡± She dismissively waved her hand as her gaze turned to the raven sitting on a large, soft pillow near the hearth.


    ¡°Fine, fine.¡±

 Chapter 73 – Into the Depths (4)

    The awe inspiring sight of the large, spacious cavern soon entered their view. While everyone paused in shock and awe, Midhir¡¯s gaze was fixed on the temple itself. It bore the scars of his battle with the serpentine creature.


    ¡°This way,¡± he said again as he led them towards the bridge on the water, leading from the stairs all the way to the temple.


    They descended the stairs but paused in the middle of the bridge as Alistair crouched and pressed his palm against the bridge¡¯s surface. ¡°To think such a place existed below the city¡­¡± he spoke through gritted teeth. His gaze raised upwards, towards the ceiling of the cavern. ¡°Are we still under Bareon?¡±


    Willow nodded without hesitation. ¡°We didn¡¯t walk further than a couple hundred steps, Bareon is much larger than that.¡± Her eyes narrowed as she glanced at the steams of water falling from the holes in the ceiling. ¡°I don¡¯t know where the water¡¯s coming from though¡­ Or how it hasn¡¯t completely filled this place.¡±


    Midhir approached the edge of the water. ¡°There are exits below, in the water. The cavern connects with the Old Growth, some distance north of the city.¡± He scowled as he watched the shadows moving below the surface. What were those?


    ¡°Lonan,¡± Alistair¡¯s sharp voice startled him. ¡°What can you tell us?¡±


    The historian flinched upon hearing his name. He blinked twice, then turned his gaze towards the temple. ¡°Nothing much yet ¨C I¡¯m not a geologist, and we¡¯re looking at cave and underwater lakes right now.¡± He dusted off his coat, then took off towards the temple.


    ¡°I want to check the water.¡± Arwen softly spoke while walking to the edge of the bridge and kneeling by the water.


    ¡°I¡¯ll accompany Lonan,¡± Midhir quickly followed the historian without giving them a chance to protest.


    Lonan¡¯s steps slowed down as he stepped through the entrance to the temple. He stood by the columns, inspecting and studying them. His amazed expression faded, turning into a confused and disturbed scowl. He only spared a glance at Midhir when he heard him approach.


    ¡°Were these broken when you arrived?¡± he asked, pointing at the broken and shattered columns.


    ¡°No, the whole structure was in pristine condition.¡±


    His words were met with an annoyed, almost angry look. ¡°What could you have possibly done to cause such rampant destruction?¡± Lonan raised his voice slightly, pointing towards the broken pillars, and the debris covering the ground.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything but try to survive,¡± Midhir protested before walking towards the inner chamber of the temple, with Lonan in tow.


    As they stepped through the once majestic entrance, the historian gasped. ¡°What in the Gods¡¯ names?!¡± he exclaimed before rushing over towards the charred corpse of the serpentine creature. While he was busy with that, Midhir made his way to the pool at the centre of the chamber.


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    Looking down at the calm, still surface of the water, he could see shadows moving below; like splashes of ink spilled into the water. He crouched next to the pool and hovered his palm above the surface of the water.


    Footsteps soon echoed as the rest of the group also joined them. He stood back up and stepped away from the edge of the water.


    ¡°You made it sound a lot less dangerous¡­ or large,¡± Willow pointed at the serpentine creature¡¯s charred body with a look of horror and disgust. ¡°Are you sure there aren¡¯t any more of them?¡±


    ¡°There can¡¯t be,¡± Lonan interjected before Midhir could answer. ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, this creature belonged to the serpent god of old.¡± His gaze turned to Midhir. ¡°The Old Gods were said to have given their people guardians ¨C creatures made in their image to protect them. While I don¡¯t believe they did such a thing, I¡¯m certain this was an almost extinct creature even when the Old Faith was prevalent in what later became Eldoria.¡±


    ¡°So,¡± Arwen muttered with a scowl. ¡°Midhir killed the last of its kind?¡± The glance she shot him was almost filled with disappointment.


    ¡°I was trying to survive!¡± he cried out.


    The young woman chuckled. ¡°I know, I know,¡± a bright smile formed on her lips. ¡°I doubt it was of its right mind anymore anyways, it must have been so very old.¡± She approached the severed head, standing just a few steps away from it. ¡°No living mind can live for so long without slowly crumbling. You likely put it out of its misery.¡± There was pity and sadness in her voice.


    ¡°Even if he didn¡¯t, a threat like this beneath Bareon would have been unacceptable.¡± Alistair glanced at him. ¡°Our city has its thanks,¡± he bowed his head ever so slightly before turning his attention to Lonan. ¡°What can you tell us about this place? Can we somehow stop New Growth from spreading via these ruins?¡±


    Lonan hesitated. He fiddled with the collar of his coat and tapped his foot on the ground. ¡°I don¡¯t know for sure, I can¡¯t guarantee anything,¡± he eventually said after a stretch of silence. ¡°I¡¯m no enforcer. I wouldn¡¯t dare use anything left from the dark ages.¡±


    Midhir narrowed his eyes as he watched the historian avert his gaze and look to the marble floor. There was absolutely nothing of interest on the floor, where he was looking. His lips formed a thin line as yet another disturbing thought gnawed at the edge of his mind. Was Lonan lying? Why wasn¡¯t he answering Alistair¡¯s question properly instead of just dancing around the subject?


    ¡°What was this place for?¡± Arwen¡¯s voice echoed in the charged silence.


    Lonan folded his arms. ¡°I can¡¯t say for sure,¡± he repeated, ¡°but these aren¡¯t statues of gods or beings of worship ¨C the Old Faith believed in beings from beyond the Veil. They never worshipped humans.¡± He pursed his lips in consideration before continuing. ¡°Perhaps these were priests and priestesses. And perhaps this place wasn¡¯t just a place for worship.¡± He pointed at the pool at the centre of the chamber. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen any reference to water-related worship.¡±


    ¡°What if this place wasn¡¯t always flooded?¡± Willow chimed in. ¡°Could there be something below us?¡±


    Alistair approached the pool with a scowl. He stretched his hand, summoning his spear from the holding hem hidden under his sleeve. ¡°Perhaps.¡± He glanced at Midhir. ¡°You said you found a passage to the forest north of Bareon. There could be more passages, and the overgrowth could spread through them.¡± He pointed to the pool. ¡°Perhaps the answer to why the growth is so persistent is down there as well.¡±


    Midhir felt his chest tighten as he looked at the water.


    There was a reason for the Old Growth trying to overtake Bareon, just like how it tried to crawl up to An¡¯Larion. It wasn¡¯t the altar-like structure in the cavern above, so it had to be something down below.


    Summoning his courage, he stepped forward. ¡°I certainly hope so.¡±


    He could only hope that the shadows moving deep in the water weren¡¯t any threat to them.

 Chapter 74 – Into the Depths (5)

    Alistair and Willow stood at the edge of the pool, surrounded by Midhir, Arwen and Lonan. They both held their weapons tightly as they prepared to cast their resonances. As the gems embedded into their weapons began to glow, a soft wind blew against his face, and the water began to swirl.


    Alistair raised his spear over his head, then struck the ground with its haft. A clear sound rang as the crystal¡¯s glow strengthened, and the water in the pool flowed aside, creating a wide tunnel that stretched into the darkness.


    ¡°Jump,¡± Willow stepped forward, into the pool. Strong winds swirled around her, catching her mid-air, and allowing her to slowly float down.


    Arwen was the next to jump into the now empty pool, followed by Lonan. Midhir and Alistair waited for last. The winds Willow created caught them before they fell. Their slow descent into what seemed like the abyss began.


    Seeing the wall of water swirling quite a distance away from them was both awe inspiring, and nerve wrecking at the same time. He couldn¡¯t even imagine how much water there was, though somehow Alistair didn¡¯t seem even a little tired.


    Soon, the light coming from the temple began to fade. They were simply too far down, and the wall of water all around them seemed to absorb it before it reached them. The glowing flower Midhir carried lit up their surroundings still, but a mix of blue and crimson light only served to make their surroundings seem more terrifying.


    It was a few dozen heartbeats before they saw the ground, and about that much more time passed before their feet finally touched the sand-covered surface.


    Lonan breathed an audible sigh of relief as soon as the winds around him vanished. With visibly shaking hands, he wiped his forehead and took a few deep breaths. ¡°I¡¯m too old for this¡­¡± his voice was shaky and weak.


    ¡°I doubt you¡¯re quite that old,¡± Willow chuckled as she let him hold onto her for a moment until he could trust his knees not to give out.


    Midhir knelt and ran his fingers through the sand. It was a fine, white sand. He dug a little deeper, expecting to find the cavern floor, only to see more of that same, white sand. It almost reminded him of ash, with how fine and pale it was.


    He saw movement with the corner of his eye. His head jerked to the side as he looked at the wall of water about a dozen steps away from them. Was it just the movement of water he saw, or was it something else?


    With a tight jaw, he stood back up. ¡°What now?¡± he glanced at Alistair.


    They couldn¡¯t see anything beyond the swirling and howling wall of water. There could have been an altar just a few steps beyond its edge, and they wouldn¡¯t know.


    ¡°What do you think, historian?¡± The young Orlein heir asked, glancing at Lonan. ¡°Where do you think the previous inhabitants of these lands built more?¡±


    Lonan visibly flinched upon hearing his name. He nervously shifted his weight from one foot to the others. ¡°I¡¯m not certain-¡°


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    ¡°Guess, then.¡± Alistair curtly said. ¡°Time is of the essence, and we haven¡¯t made any tangible progress.¡±


    ¡°Right¡­¡± Lonan muttered. His gaze scoured their surroundings. He squinted, trying to see beyond the wall of raging water. After a moment, he crouched and took a handful of sand in. ¡°Clearly this place has been submerged for quite a while,¡± he let the sand fall back down. ¡°On a side note, I¡¯m amazed by your ability to control water so well.¡± He pointed at the sand with a half-smile. ¡°You even dried the sand.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Midhir¡¯s chest tightened. The sand was dry. And Alistair was surprised about it. He turned his gaze to the wall of water swirling around them. The sand just next to the water was a darker colour. Hesitant, he walked to the edge of the small, round area Alistair kept free of water, and touched the ground.


    Small drops of water fell on the back of his hand. His fingers touched the cold, wet sand below. He squinted, trying to see beyond the wall of water. Everything beyond the raging wall of water was distorted. He could see the sand beyond it, but it looked like it was in two different colours ¨C darker nearby, and lighter farther away.


    ¡°Light!¡± Arwen¡¯s voice rang, startling him. The young woman¡¯s staff glowed brightly as she cast her resonance. An orb of light formed between the three prongs of her staff. As soon as it grew to the size of a child¡¯s head, she opened her eyes. ¡°Something is wrong in this place,¡± she glanced at Alistair before lightly waving her staff.


    The orb of light floated off, towards the wall of water. ¡°The Old Faith has its hold here ¨C even one of its beings of worship was here until it perished in Midhir¡¯s hands.¡± She walked behind the floating orb, and only paused when it reached the edge of the water. ¡°Please stop your resonance, Alistair. We aren¡¯t in need of it.¡±


    Willow¡¯s eyes shot wide open. ¡°What?¡± She exclaimed loudly. ¡°We¡¯ll drown!¡±


    Arwen shook her head. ¡°No, I don¡¯t think we will.¡± She pointed upwards. ¡°I don¡¯t think the water will reach us at all. Alistair, please trust me.¡± She looked at the young Orlein heir with a confident look in her eyes. ¡°You¡¯re only blocking out path now.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll recast it if you¡¯re wrong,¡± Alistair took a deep breath. ¡°Either way, we won¡¯t drown,¡± he reassured Willow. Then, the glow on the crystal embedded into the haft of his spear faded.


    Water crashed down from above, and it rushed up from below. For a split second, his mind refused to believe his eyes as the water flowed upwards, finally returning to its calm quite far above them.


    It felt like they were looking at the surface of a lake, but the lake was upside down. Even looking at it made him dizzy as it defied all logic, and all laws of nature. Even a tear in the veil wouldn¡¯t change how gravity itself worked.


    ¡°Divine beings protect us¡­¡± Lonan¡¯s whisper broke the charged silence. He clenched something under his coat ¨C a pendant, or something similar hanging from a golden chain around his neck. ¡°How did you know?¡± His dumbfounded gaze turned to Arwen.


    ¡°The sand was never wet.¡± She replied coldly, her gaze fixed far away. ¡°We are not alone.¡±


    Beyond the seemingly endless white sands illuminated only by her light and the blooming flower, two glowing blue dots rose from the sand.


    Her eyes shot wide open. In a hurry, she pushed herself off her rocking chair, startling the snake sleeping curled up by the window, and the cat napping by the sun shining through it. She stumbled over the stacks of books in the back of the room, ran out into the hallway, and hurried through another door to reach a basin filled with what looked like water.


    ¡°By blood and ancestry, memories shared, and bonds forged, show me my daughter. I command thee as the Crimson Witch of the Sands, do my bidding!¡± her voice rang clear, her command echoed through reality, through a veil unseen and reached through space and time.


    She saw a pair of blue eyes, fixed on a blue-crimson glow that wasn¡¯t of this world.


    ¡°Why are you awake?¡± She whispered, brushing her crimson locks of hair aside. ¡°That won¡¯t do, it¡¯s not time yet. I yet live.¡±

 Chapter 75 – A Glimpse of the Past (1)

    A pressure he felt once before settled on his shoulders. He couldn¡¯t move a single muscle as his mind froze, incapable of comprehension.


    A sharp pain struck his left eye. A gasp escaped his lips as the pain brought him back to his senses. It only lasted a split second, but it was enough to break the spell those two blue eyes had cast on them.


    He glanced at the others as his hand reached for his earring. The air around the holding gem bent and twisted as the sword-spear appeared, falling into his hand.


    Arwen¡¯s eyes were wide open, and her face pale as a sheet of paper. The resonance of light she cast slowly faded away, drowning them in darkness aside from the blue and crimson glow of the blooming flower.


    ¡°By the daughter and the sun¡­¡± Willow¡¯s whisper broke the charged silence, startling them. Her hands clutched the hilt of her rapier. The tip of its blade visibly shook ¨C she was trembling.


    ¡°Gods, protect us.¡± Lonan¡¯s voice was sharp. His fingers tightened around the chain hanging from his neck. ¡°We must escape-¡°


    A screech reached their ears, accompanied by a shockwave that blew sand away from the pair of blue eyes. The eyes rose up, and unnatural light shone, illuminating their surroundings ¨C and the creature that belonged to someplace else.


    It was a serpent, ancient and majestic. It¡¯s scales had grown dark and had lost their lustre. Two pairs of gigantic branching horns decorated its head, jewels hanging from them. It was a serpent, much like the one Midhir barely killed in the temple above them.


    It reared back, lifting its neck as high up as it could, then opened its mouth.


    He glimpsed something blue ¨C a glow ¨C in its throat. ¡°To me!¡± He shouted, reaching for his earring. The gold embossed wooden stake appeared in his palm, and he struck the ground with it.


    Golden light shone from the stake as he felt his power drain. It shot up, then split into many lines, forming a barrier around the five of them.


    Then, blue flames enveloped them.  They melted the sand, turning it into a white, glossy glass. They assaulted the barrier over and over again, draining his spiritual power.


    ¡°What-¡° Alistair¡¯s shocked words were cut off by Willow¡¯s sharp words. ¡°Arwen, help him!¡± She shook Arwen¡¯s shoulders, pulling her out of her daze. ¡°Help him!¡± She repeated, pulling her towards the stake.


    The young woman only hesitated for a split second before dropping her staff, and quickly placing her hand on the stake. ¡°You can let go,¡± she whispered, shooting a glance at the slowly fading flames. ¡°We are no match for that creature, we must escape!¡±


    The serpent let out another ear piercing screech, startling them. It slithered towards them slowly. Watching it was like watching certain death coming to claim them.


    Midhir tightened his grasp on the broken shaft of the sword spear. This creature was much larger than the one he barely killed. It truly felt like that stood no chance against it, but escaping simply didn¡¯t seem like an option ¨C it would surely catch them while they slowly floated up, back to the temple.


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    ¡°How?¡± he asked simply, not averting his eyes from the creature. Waves of blue and crimson light spread around them.


    Arwen opened her mouth, but then closed it. She didn¡¯t know ¨C of course she didn¡¯t.


    Alistair took a deep breath, pointing the tip of his spear towards the creature. ¡°Lonan, do you know anything at all about this?¡±


    The historian¡¯s eyes were closed as he still clenched the chain hanging from his neck. He shook his head, not saying a single word.


    ¡°Helpful,¡± Alistair snapped. He then glanced at the others. ¡°This thing can¡¯t be allowed to remain beneath Bareon ¨C and beyond that, we won¡¯t be able to escape while it lives.¡± He seemed hesitant as he paused. ¡°This time, help won¡¯t arrive.¡± He shot a meaningful glance at the stake.


    Midhir¡¯s chest tightened as he nodded. This time, there was simply no way to call for aid. They were too deep underground. He turned his gaze towards the serpent. They needed to kill it somehow, or at least wound it enough to escape. That was their only choice.


    ¡°Fighting is our only option.¡±


    A smile flashed across the Orlein heir¡¯s lips before he nodded once. ¡°Indeed. I will the battle, Arwen, support us and keep this barrier functional. Willow, help me get closer to the creature, and you should stay back and use your fire-¡°


    Midhir shook his head. ¡°If anyone is staying behind, it should be you.¡± He walked past Alistair. ¡°Willow ¨C if you have to choose between pulling either of us to safety, pull Alistair. Bareon can¡¯t afford to lose its future Lord.¡± With that said, he stepped out of the barrier without giving either of them a chance to protest.


    Passing through it felt like passing under a bright beam of sunlight, only to be met with the cold air of whatever this place was.


    With a deep breath, he summoned his courage, and took a step forward. Every fibre of his body wanted to turn around and run away ¨C as fast and as far away from this creature as he could. Instead, he kicked the ground, and started running.


    His mothers words were fresh in his mind ¨C the Bareon Heir must survive, whatever the cost.


    Winds caught up to him, lifting him up. A single glance over his shoulder showed him Willow tightly holding her rapier. The augment embedded in its pommel glowed brightly. Her resonance carried him forward, faster than he could have run himself. Behind, he saw Alistair trying to catch up.


    The serpent reared its head once more, opening its jaw. Blue light glimmered in its throat as it prepared to breathe fire once more.


    ¡°Left!¡± Alistair¡¯s shout reached his ears. The winds swerved, pulling him aside a split second before a stream of water broke off from the lake above, passing by him and hitting the serpent¡¯s mouth.


    A bright, golden beam of light followed the stream of water, hitting the creature¡¯s eye.


    It screeched once more, lowering its head to slither forward.


    Alistair grunted as the gem embedded in the shaft of his spear glowed brightly. He pointed its tip at the creature with a fire in his eyes.


    A chunk of water fell from above, crashing onto the creature¡¯s head, forcing it further down. ¡°Willow, its head!¡± Arwen shouted. Not a moment later, the winds changed directing, pushing him towards the creature.


    He tightened his grasp on the broken shaft of the sword-spear. His spiritual power flowed into the metal, lighting up the white jewel embedded into where the blade and the shaft connected.


    White light shone as the winds dropped him onto the serpent¡¯s snout. His feet touched the scaly surface, and immediately he felt the winds leave him.


    The creature¡¯s gaze focused on him. They both stayed frozen for a split second ¨C him in awe at the ancient being¡¯s size, and it in shock at how he dared such a thing, probably. Then, he threw himself forward, towards its eye.


    He fell on his knees as it tried to shake him off, but it wasn¡¯t fast enough. He raised the sword spear over his head, then struck its eye with all his might.


    A pained screech echoed as the creature¡¯s body violently shook.


    Without hesitation, he released his power into the white gem.

 Chapter 76 – A Glimpse of the Past (2)

    He poured his power into the augment, and braced himself for what was to come. The weapon he grasped with both hands let out a white shine as it dug deeper into the creature¡¯s eye.


    Then, blood and white flames spurted out of the wound.


    The creature screeched and shook its head violently. It rammed the ground with its tail, shaking the very earth beneath them. Clouds of dust rose, and sand flew about as its body shook.


    He twisted the sword-spear, fed it all the power he could, but all that did was widen the wound, and burn the area around it. The creature¡¯s already darkened scales seemed mostly unaffected by the white flames, and as it violently shook its neck and head, Midhir couldn¡¯t hold on any longer.


    As soon as sword-spear¡¯s grip on the creature¡¯s flesh slipped, he found himself mid-air, falling to the sand covered ground below.


    ¡°Midhir!¡± a panicked scream reached his ears through the screeching of the serpent. Not a moment later, winds caught him, softening his fall. Still, he fell on his back, and while the pain was minimal, it was also the least of his concerns.


    The creature¡¯s right eye focused on him. The blue light in its eye seemed to grow even brighter. He could feel the pure hatred and wrath just from meeting the creature¡¯s gaze. Its scaly lips curled upwards as it hissed. Something dripped from its sharp fangs.


    Then, it struck.


    As soon as it moved, so did his body instinctively. He rolled to the side, then the ground shook as the creature¡¯s head rammed against the ground where he was a split second ago. He scrambled to get up, turned around, and dashed away from the creature as it lifted its head again.


    It seemed to pause for a split second, turning its head around oddly. Blood dripped from its blinded eye as it rotated its neck, trying to find Midhir.


    ¡°Keep running!¡± Alistair shouted. The sound of flowing water accompanied the young noble¡¯s words.


    The creature¡¯s tail moved in the darkness, lifting up high towards the upside down surface of the lake, but it never came down. Water flowed around it, restricting its movement.


    He couldn¡¯t keep running, he needed to help the others. Midhir slowed his steps and turned around to face the creature. It¡¯s hate-filled gaze remained focused on him, despite Alistair¡¯s resonance restricting its tail.


    ¡°Holding a grudge?¡± He whispered, wiping the sweat off his forehead, and tightly grasping the broken shaft of the sword-spear. He had blinded it in one eye ¨C maybe he could do the same to the other one.


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    A golden light flashed from the distance.


    Arwen had raised her staff up high. A golden orb of light shone between the staff¡¯s prongs. It pulsed, shooting a spear of bright light towards the creature. The spear of light hit the lower half of its body. Without pause, she shot another spear, then another.


    Water crashed on the serpent from above. Alistair¡¯s spear glowed brightly as he controlled the flow of water. The sheer weight of it forced the serpent¡¯s neck down.


    Yet somehow, despite the barrage of attacks from both of them, the creature seemed barely harmed. It shook its tail free from Alistair¡¯s resonance, lifted its head up despite the water flowing from above, and slithered towards him, leaving a trail of blood behind it.


    Midhir tightened his jaw as he watched the gigantic creature approach. Fear gripped his mind, freezing his body. Out of everyone here, it had focused on him. Unless they did something, he was going to die here.


    Arwen¡¯s barrage continued, spears of light hitting the creature. Its body shook with  each strike, but not once did it even glance towards her. Its ire was focused solely on Midhir.


    Something caused the creature¡¯s head to jerk to the side. Its scales near its healthy eye bent with the hit, and blood oozed out from between them. ¡°Hit the head!¡± Willow¡¯s shout reached his ears. ¡°The scales are weak there ¨C Arwen, focus its head.¡±


    Midhir glanced towards the two women. Willow was kneeling on the ground, holding her rapier in one hand, and the stake in the other. The stake¡¯s shield was still maintained, and somehow she had even cast another powerful resonance on top of it.


    She was visibly shaking with the exhaustion of dual casting ¨C for someone who hadn¡¯t done so before, even being conscious was a surprising feat, especially considering one of the resonances she was maintaining was that of the stake.


    Arwen¡¯s spears of light flew towards the creature¡¯s head. The first one hit its jaw, causing the creature to stagger. It raised its tail, stopping the other spears with ease.  As Arwen cast another volley, water crashed onto its tail, trying to bring it down so her resonance could hit its head.


    As they struggled, Midhir closed his eyes. He didn¡¯t have much spiritual power left in him. He couldn¡¯t just keep assaulting the serpent from afar like Arwen and the others. He needed to get close to it. The sword-spear wasn¡¯t long enough, he couldn¡¯t cut deep enough to pierce its heart, but he could blind it fully.


    It wasn¡¯t the best of plans, but it was all he could think of. He just needed to stay on its left side. With a deep breath, he summoned his courage, opened his eyes, and kicked the ground, rushing towards the serpent.


    It shook and turned its neck oddly, trying to find him as he rushed to close the distance. White flames enveloped the sword-spear¡¯s blade.


    ¡°What are you doing?!¡± Arwen¡¯s scream echoed, and at the same time, the serpent¡¯s head jerked away from Midhir. ¡°Come back here!¡± Willow shouted at the same time, stopping Midhir in his tracks. With dread, he turned his gaze towards the two of them.


    Lonan had stepped out of the protective barrier of the stake. He seemed to be in a daze as he walked towards the serpent, still clutching that chain around his neck. His jaw was tight, and his visible eye fixed on the serpent. His messy hair covered the other half of his face.


    The serpent seemed just as focused on Lonan as he was on the serpent. It¡¯s wrath-filled gaze turned towards the historian. It seemed stunned for a split second before rearing its head back. Blue light gathered in its throat as it prepared to spew fire.


    Willow let go of the stake, her winds enveloped her as she dashed towards Lonan. Arwen screamed something, her staff¡¯s light grew brighter, but all of it seemed simply too slow.


    Neither Willow, nor Arwen¡¯s resonance could reach Lonan in time.


    The historian pursed his lips. He seemed frightened, but also calm. He stopped, let go of the pendant, and pointed at the creature just as the blue flames burst out of its throat.

 Chapter 77 – A Glimpse of the Past (3)

    Blue flames burst out of the serpent¡¯s throat. They raged towards Lonan, who watched them approach nonchalantly. Their sheer heat turned the fine white sand into glass.


    ¡°Willow, no!¡± Arwen screamed. The protective resonance she cast to try and reach Lonan shifted, and enveloped Willow instead while the other girl slid and fell into the path of coming flames.


    Water crashed from above, but it was too slow.


    Watching it all unfold before him, Midhir felt as if time had slowed down to a crawl. All he could do was to watch helplessly. He was too far away to reach them, and too drained to cast yet another resonance. So he watched as the blue flames reached Lonan, and the water vaporised before it could touch them.


    The historian shouted something, but his voice was lost in the roar of the flames. Something silver glimmered around him a split second before the flames could touch him. Like they had hit a wall, they rose upwards, circling up and around the historian.


    A silver barrier, barely visible amidst the raging inferno protected Lonan. The flames roared past him, desperately trying to break through the barrier only to die out as the serpent finally reared its head and closed its mouth.


    Lonan remained unharmed, standing on the only patch of sand amidst a plateau of glass.


    A moment passed, frozen in time. The serpent¡¯s hate filled gaze remained fixed on the historian, while Lonan brushed his hair back, glaring at the ancient creature they disturbed.


    ¡°Back to your-¡° his words were cut off by a familiar screech.


    The sound of flapping wings echoed around them as a raven flew past Arwen, brushed against the barrier she cast on Willow, and finally flew over Lonan towards the serpent.


    A gasp escaped Arwen¡¯s lips as her eyes opened wide. Her knuckles turned white from how much she squeezed her fingers around the shaft of her staff. ¡°No, no¡­¡± her stunned voice was but a whisper as she shook her head in denial.


    ¡°A bird?¡± Willow asked as she pushed herself back on her feet.


    Lonan seemed just as confused as her. He clenched the pendant hanging from the chain around his neck and staggered backwards. A wind blew his hair in front of his face, covering his eye.


    The raven beat its wings, rising higher towards the serpent¡¯s head. It let out another ear-piercing screech before diving down towards its eye.


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    It was fighting the serpent. It wasn¡¯t their enemy ¨C not yet anyways. A fire of hope lit up in Midhir¡¯s heart as the serpent¡¯s attention shifted towards the raven.


    It bit the air, and slammed its tail trying to catch the bird but to no avail. The bird continued to peck at its remaining eye.


    He took a deep breath, summoning what strength he had left. ¡°Alistair, help me out!¡± he shouted, then kicked the ground. He dashed towards the serpent, keeping an eye on its tail as it slammed the ground again and again, attempting to swat the raven out of the sky.


    The ground shook with each slam, threatening to undo his balance as he slid on the glass surface. He saw Alistair out of the corner of his eye as he lifted his spear, the augment embedded into its shaft glowing brightly.


    He reached within with his mind and pulled at the thread of power. He released it ¨C all of it ¨C into the sword-spear, knowing full well this was the only chance he was going to get. The blade of his weapon burst into white flames just as he reached the serpent.


    Raising the weapon over his shoulder, he slashed downward with all the strength he could muster. The sound of metal hitting the creature¡¯s hardened scales sounded, bringing his weapon to a stop. He staggered back, nearly losing his balance from the force of his attack rebounding. His eyes widened, and despair rose like a black tide as he saw the scales he hit hadn¡¯t even sustained a scratch.


    His mind thrust into disarray, he saw Alistair strike the creature¡¯s body with his spear, followed by a large mass of water that mimicked the motions of his spear. His strike shook the creature, immediately drawing its attention.


    It hissed, showcasing the row of sharp fangs in is mouth, and its slit tongue that a dark coloured liquid dripped off of. Its tail rose, preparing to strike Alistair as he struck the creature again.


    Midhir clenched his fists. It wasn¡¯t enough ¨C they lacked the sheer power to penetrate its scales. He was well aware of what options that left them with.


    ¡°Try and it hits mouth!¡± He shouted at the young Orlein heir. The mouth and the eyes were the only two places not defended by those hardened scales. ¡°Willow, help me-¡° his voice trailed off as the raven landed on his shoulders, digging its claws into his flesh.


    Before he could protest, or even try to shake the bird off of himself, he felt immense power welling up within him, like something was feeding him power. His eyes shot wide open as the world around him grew more vibrant. His racing heart calmed as his thoughts slowed down.


    It felt as if time had slowed down to a crawl. Everything around him was happening so slowly. Even his own body felt sluggish compared to the immense power he was feeling.


    It was so sweet, so¡­ nourishing. It was all he could ever want. He needed nothing more than this. He wanted nothing more. He was whole. Nothing was a threat to him anymore. He felt at peace, there was nothing to fear, and nothing to strive for left.


    A sharp voice pierced the sweet sensation of sheer power and reached his slowly vanishing mind.


    ¡°By the bond of blood and soul, I call upon powers beyond, Awaken!¡±


    Crimson flames burst out of the blade as a sharp pain struck his left eye. A scream escaped his lips as his body moved on its own. He watched as if he was watching through someone else¡¯s eyes as his body raised his arms and struck the serpent.


    He watched in awe and shock as the blade cut through the hardened scales like a hot knife through butter. Blood caught fire as the serpent¡¯s head, cut off from the neck, fell to the ground with a loud thud.

 Chapter 78 – A Glimpse of the Past (4)

    The serpent¡¯s head rolled on the fine sand, still aflame. Blood spilled on the ground, wetting the sands. Crimson flames danced on the blood and flesh of the creature, slowly consuming what was left of it.


    Like a puppet whose strings had been cut, Midhir collapsed on his knees as the immense power that filled his veins left him. The raven let go of his shoulders, and flew away with a few strong beats of its wings. It landed some distance away from them, and started grooming itself, seemingly without a care in the world.


    ¡°Midhir!¡± Willow¡¯s voice echoed in the charged silence. She ran across the melted sand, stumbling on the slippery glass surface, and finally reached him. ¡°Are you ok?¡± She could barely suppress her panic. ¡°Are you wounded?¡±


    Midhir took a deep, shaky breath as he shook his head. ¡°No wounds,¡± he muttered, glancing at he others gathering around him. ¡°Just some scratches and bruises. I¡¯ll be fine. Lonan-¡°


    ¡°I¡¯m fine!¡± The historian cut him off with a smirk. ¡°That was quite the spectacle there ¨C you¡¯re stronger than I expected¡­¡± He paused, shooting meaningful glances at the others. ¡°Than any of us expected, I daresay. But that aside, while you rest, I¡¯d like to try and preserve as much of this creature as we can. Young Lord Orlein, Miss Willow, please help me.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Alistair nodded. Willow let out a sigh. ¡°Fine,¡± she dusted off her uniform, and sheathed her rapier before heading off to help Lonan.


    Finally given some breathing room, Midhir picked up the sword-spear off the ground, and carefully wiped it with a handkerchief.


    ¡°Come with me,¡±


    Arwen¡¯s voice startled him. When had she even snuck up without him noticing?


    She glared at him with a hint of impatience in her eyes. Her right hand was clenched around the shaft of her three-pronged staff, while her left was clutching something in the inner pocket of her cloak. ¡°Please, come with me.¡± She repeated with a somewhat kinder tone.


    Midhir nodded, and forced himself to get up. With shaky steps, he followed her away from the burning body of the serpent. They only walked a short distance before she pointed at the ground. ¡°Sit ¨C the fumes of the burning serpent wouldn¡¯t do you any good, and you need rest before we proceed.¡±


    Midhir raised an eyebrow. Despite the crimson flames slowly consuming the serpent, there were no fumes ¨C no smoke rising from the flames, and no smell of burning flesh. The ¡®fumes¡¯ as she called it weren¡¯t why she asked him to step away from the others.


    He sat down, placing the sword-spear to the ground next to him.


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    Arwen also sat down. ¡°May I see you hands?¡± She asked, her gaze focused on something far away behind him for a split second before she lowered it to his hands.


    Midhir bit his tongue, and showed her his palms. She was acting odd. Her worry was genuine ¨C that much he could tell ¨C but there was something beneath the surface of it all that she was clearly hiding.


    She ran her fingers along his left palm, then over the bandages on his right hand. ¡°Has the wound healed yet?¡± She absentmindedly asked.


    ¡°The wound is gone, but it will take a while before I can use my hand as I did before. Why?¡± he could only hope he managed to hide his impatience.


    Arwen bit her lower lip for a moment before raising her gaze. ¡°I worry.¡± She simply replied.


    ¡°I¡¯ve noticed.¡± Midhir sighed. ¡°Arwen, what exactly are you worried about?¡±


    She pursed her lips, and fiddled with her hair. She looked like she was trying to decide. A few moments passed in silence before she finally spoke.


    ¡°We¡¯ve gone on two field missions so far. In Lohssa, you nearly died ¨C you got lost in the mist, you fought that possessed girl, defended her against wolves later on, and during all that, you were but a few steps away from a tear in the Veil.¡± She raised her chin. ¡°Here, your blood was used as a sacrifice in a ritual that was supposed to awaken the Old Gods. You fell down here and fought that serpentine creature, you found that altar-like structure and the flower,¡± she gestured at the flower still hanging from his pocket. ¡°I worry.¡± She repeated, looking at him with an intense gaze.


    Midhir shrugged. What was there to say? She was right ¨C in hindsight, he had been extremely unlucky. ¡°Better me than one of you three.¡± He replied only to earn an angry huff.


    ¡°It¡¯s not a joke, Midhir!¡± She folded her arms.


    ¡°I¡¯m aware!¡± he snapped, shooting her a sharp glance before averting his gaze. ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to raise my voice.¡± He quickly apologised. ¡°I know it¡¯s not a joke. It¡¯s just my way of dealing with it all¡­¡± He rubbed his left eye. ¡°I don¡¯t really know what else I can do, to be honest.¡±


    A faint, understanding smile appeared on her lips. ¡°You¡¯re afraid.¡±


    ¡°How can I not be?¡± He shrugged before scowling. ¡°But you didn¡¯t ask me to step away for this. What¡¯s wrong, Arwen?¡±


    The others were almost done with putting out the flames on the serpent¡¯s body. They didn¡¯t have much time left for private conversations.


    ¡°How¡­ did it feel?¡± She hesitantly asked. ¡°You used more power than you normally could. The Raven ¨C it fed you power, I saw it. How did it feel?¡±


    ¡°Sweet,¡± he replied. While his memory of the final moments of the serpent was somewhat hazy, the sensation of sheer power was crystal clear in his mind. ¡°It felt like I was¡­ complete.¡± He pursed his lips. ¡°It was terrifying.¡±


    Arwen nodded. ¡°I see. And¡­ were you in control?¡±


    Her question gave him pause. ¡°No.¡± He curtly replied. ¡°No, I don¡¯t think I was.¡±


    He recalled the voice he heard. It was a woman¡¯s voice, sharp and carrying authority. It reminded him of his mother ¨C the voice of someone to be respected, or perhaps even feared. He couldn¡¯t help but wonder, was it real, or was it just a hallucination caused by that immense power he held for a short moment?


    She leaned back, away from the basin. Her crimson hair cascaded on her back like a waterfall of blood.


    A voice echoed in her mind.


    ¡°She¡¯s fine, thanks to you.¡±


    She chuckled. ¡°Thanks to us both.¡± She knew her voice would reach him ¨C it always did.


    ¡°¡­Right. I¡¯m more worried about the boy.¡±


    She raised her eyebrows. ¡°Why? He shouldn¡¯t remember any of it. It¡¯ll be fine, she¡¯ll find some way to explain it.¡±


    ¡°He remembers, Witch.¡± The voice replied from afar. ¡°He is not fine.¡±

 Chapter 79 – A Glimpse of the Past (5)

    Midhir and Arwen rejoined the others as they finished putting out the flames slowly consuming the serpent¡¯s body.


    ¡°Thank you both,¡± Lonan bowed his head before rummaging through his pockets. ¡°This specimen must be studied ¨C though the scholars at the capital will be quite mad at me for letting you kill it.¡± He nervously chuckled before pulling out a rather large, yellow gemstone out of his pocket.


    ¡°We didn¡¯t have much of a choice,¡± Willow shrugged. ¡°But I do wish it wasn¡¯t immediately hostile¡­¡± she shot a glance at Arwen. ¡°On that thought, how is he?¡± She tilted her head towards Midhir.


    ¡°He¡¯s physically fine, albeit exhausted,¡± Arwen replied with a faint smile. ¡°But we¡¯re dealing with more than physical dangers right now, so I recommend caution still.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a given,¡± Willow said. Before she could continue, reality around the serpent¡¯s lifeless body twisted and changed, and it vanished into the large, yellow holding gem in Lonan¡¯s hand. Startled, she nervously chuckled before continuing. ¡°We¡¯re all tired, and still no closer to our actual goal.¡±


    She was right. Midhir let out a sigh as he nodded. He was beginning to suspect they were mistaken. What if the overgrowth wasn¡¯t creeping towards Bareon because of a specific thing? What if there was no way to prevent it? What if it was just creeping closer because it was the only direction it could continue to grow?


    He walked towards the stake he had previously struck the ground with and pulled it out of the sand. It hadn¡¯t been destroyed like the other one. With a breath of relief, he put it into his holding gem, and returned to the others as they discussed what to do next.


    A caw startled them.


    With a flinch, he turned towards the raven standing a few dozen steps away from them.


    It had stretched its wings and seemed to be trying to catch their attention. It ruffled its feathers, hopped back and forth on the fine sand, and cawed again.


    ¡°What is it doing?¡± Willow muttered under her breath as she narrowed her eyes.


    ¡°Maybe we should follow it.¡± Arwen tightened her grasp on the shaft of her staff. ¡°It helped us fight the serpent, maybe it¡¯s an ally.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but¡­¡± Willow tilted her head. ¡°It¡¯s a raven. I don¡¯t understand how it can be an ally. Raven¡¯s aren¡¯t quite that smart.¡±


    Lonan cleared his throat. ¡°You¡¯d be surprised. They are brilliant creatures, and loyal too.¡±


    Alistair let his spear vanish into his holding gem. ¡°But who is it loyal to?¡± He asked with a grim tone before starting to walk towards it. The others followed him, and as they approached, the raven took off again with a powerful beat of its wings.


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    It flew slowly, circling in the air, under the inverted lake often as it waited for them to catch up.


    Midhir felt a hand on his shoulder. ¡°We don¡¯t have much time left.¡± Alistair softly spoke, keeping his voice low. ¡°I¡¯ve lost track of time, but if I had to guess, I¡¯d say we¡¯re just a few hours from sundown. We must hurry.¡±


    The young Orlein spoke with a tight jaw. He was worried, afraid even. It was clear from his eyes. He feared for his people.


    ¡°I know,¡± Midhir¡¯s voice was but a whisper as he shot a glance upwards, at the inverted lake above them. Despite being here for a while, it was still disorienting. ¡°Surely we¡¯ll find something.¡±


    Alistair¡¯s lips formed a thin line. ¡°Surely,¡± he repeated quietly, with little confidence in his voice.


    They didn¡¯t walk much longer before the raven cawed again. It beat its wings and flew forward. Soon, Arwen¡¯s light illuminated what it flied towards ¨C large structures in the distance, perturbing from the sand-covered ground.


    Alistair drew a sharp breath. ¡°There!¡± He pointed towards the structures before hastening his steps. They followed him, and soon arrived at the edge of the structures.


    They were each made of white chalk-coloured stone, and were shaped like naturally occurring rocks, forming a rather large circle. The rocks were decorated with intricate carvings ¨C a language he had seen before but could not read.


    He felt his chest tighten as his gaze turn to the centre of the circle. There was an altar, just large enough for an adult to lay on, made of the same chalk-coloured stone. It was carved intricately, decorated with root-like tendrils, flowers and leaves all made out of the same chalk-like stone.


    He took a step forward, closer to the circle. It was beautiful and ancient. How these were preserved so wonderfully throughout what could be centuries, or even millennia was beyond him. He wanted to step closer, to take a better look.


    He needed to approach the altar.


    A hand caught his arm, stopping him in his tracks. ¡°I¡¯ve seen this structure in old scrips that predate the Empire.¡± Lonan¡¯s sharp voice echoed in the darkness. The historian didn¡¯t let go of him, instead, his gaze turned to the raven sitting atop one of the large rocks making up the circular formation. ¡°A raven is a loyal creature, but Lord Alistair is right ¨C we don¡¯t know who it is loyal to.¡±


    ¡°It did lead us here,¡± Alistair folded his arms. ¡°And that does look like an altar. What do you know about it, Lonan?¡±


    The historian scowled. ¡°The old scripts called these structures ¡®Hallowed Grounds¡¯. At least that¡¯s the best translation the scholars came up with.¡± He seemed hesitant. ¡°They were apparently awakened when a grave danger presented itself, and required a sacrifice of ¡®Blood Petals¡¯,¡± he shrugged, ¡°I don¡¯t know what that means.¡±


    Midhir knew. His hand caressed the glowing flower, its petals gradually turning more and more crimson. The blue centre was almost completely gone.


    ¡°Can we use it to protect Bareon?¡± Alistair asked.


    ¡°No,¡± Lonan replied with certainty.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Arwen spoke with a fire in her eyes.


    Their voices faded away as he tilted his head. He took another step forward, and rested his hand against the large, chalk-stone rock. It was cool to the touch, and smooth despite the symbols carved into its surface.


    He ran his fingers along the symbols, recognising them from the sword-spear, and the small monument he found outside Bareon.


    ¡°Are you willing to give away a life for a chance to stop the overgrowth?¡± Lonan¡¯s raised voice startled him.


    ¡°It won¡¯t take a human life ¨C you said blood petals. We are not plants.¡± Arwen calmly retorted before glancing at Alistair. ¡°It¡¯s your call, Orlein.¡± Her voice was cold as ice, and so was her decisive gaze. ¡°If you want to save the city, this is your only chance.¡±


    ¡°If you do this, you will awaken something.¡± Lonan pleaded, pointing at Midhir. ¡°They almost used him to awaken an Old God. Don¡¯t complete their mission for them, I beg of you.¡±


    ¡°It is already awake,¡± Midhir absentmindedly spoke as he stepped into the circle. ¡°They succeeded.¡±

 Chapter 80 – A Glimpse of the Past (6)

    His words hung in the heavy silence as he stepped into the circle.


    He could feel a hard surface beneath the thin layer of the fine white sand. His steps carried him closer towards the altar until he was standing in front of it. He reached out and touched its smooth surface. It was cool to the touch and covered with a layer of fine dust.


    They were the first visitors of this place in perhaps centuries.


    With a deep breath he turned around to look at the others. ¡°Alistair?¡±


    The young Orlein noble shot him a concerned glance. Unable to decide, his gaze turned from Midhir to Arwen, then to Lonan.


    ¡°It can¡¯t be,¡± Lonan whispered, still stunned by Midhir¡¯s words. ¡°They succeeded? It can¡¯t be¡­¡± He shook his head. ¡°You¡¯re mistaken, had an Old God awakened, we wouldn¡¯t be standing here right now. The world as we know it ¨C it would have come to an end. Eldoria, and even Calador would be thrust back into the dark ages!¡± He was pleading, almost as if he was trying to convince them. ¡°You must be mistaken!¡± he repeated with a desperate voice.


    ¡°Alistair,¡± Arwen¡¯s voice rose like a gentle chime. ¡°The Old Faith is still practiced in places like Lohssa, and that village was a lovely place. Using one of the Old Faith¡¯s instruments won¡¯t bring about Bareon¡¯s fall.¡±


    ¡°How can you be so sure?¡± Alistair clenched his fists. ¡°We came here to destroy whatever was causing the overgrowth to try and take over the city ¨C not to sacrifice something to the Old Gods. This is different, entirely different, and not what my father ordered us to do!¡±


    ¡°This is old!¡± Arwen pointed at the altar, and the rocks forming a broken circle around it. ¡°Older than Bareon itself perhaps. Trust the ways of your people, Alistair. If you don¡¯t, trust me. This will protect the city ¨C if the ritual is conducted properly.¡± She spoke with more confidence than ever before. Her voice echoed in the darkness.


    Alistair took a deep breath before glancing at Lonan.


    ¡°You¡¯ll do it,¡± the historian muttered, defeated. ¡°I know you will ¨C you¡¯re desperate to save the city.¡± He rubbed his eye covered by his hair. ¡°If I was in your position, I would probably do the same.¡± He pressed his palms against his eyes. ¡°Please prove me wrong.¡± He walked away a few steps, then sat on the ground, still covering his eyes.


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    ¡°Thank you for understanding.¡± Alistair took a deep breath. ¡°I should be the one who risks their life-¡°


    ¡°No.¡± Willow and Midhir spoke at the same time, stopping him before he could step into the circle.


    Willow clenched her cloak. ¡°I hate to say it, but you¡¯re the Orlein heir.¡± She hissed through her gritted teeth. ¡°You can¡¯t risk your life here.¡±


    ¡°No life will be lost.¡± Arwen spoke with a hint of annoyance. ¡°But either way, you should do it, Midhir. You already know how, don¡¯t you?¡±


    As three pairs of eyes turned on him, Midhir nodded. He knew what he needed to do. He knew it would cost a life ¨C not a human life, but a life, nonetheless. He caressed the glowing flower hanging from his pocket.


    ¡°I ¨C no, Bareon will be in your debt.¡± Alistair spoke with a heavy voice.


    A smile flashed across his lips. ¡°It¡¯s my duty.¡±


    He turned around and wiped the altar¡¯s smooth surface with his palm. The fine layer of sand and dust cleared easily.


    He took a deep breath, summoning his courage.


    A caw echoed as he placed the flower on the altar. Symbols etched onto the rocks forming the broken circle around the altar lit up, they glowed a bright blue, piercing the darkness. Arwen¡¯s golden orb of light vanished as the blue light grew stronger and stronger.


    Then, the lights vanished.


    Two men and a woman appeared in front of him. One of them was a young man, perhaps a few years older than him. He had blonde, wavy hair, and green eyes. A circlet decorated with three rubies rested on his head.


    Emperor Morgan Ardagh, later called Morgan the Radiant, dusted off the altar, then shot a glance at the woman beside him. ¡°Well, Circe? Is this it?¡±


    The woman was beautiful, and just as mysterious. Her fiery crimson hair cascaded behind her, nearly reaching the ground. She wore a similarly coloured dress that looked like it was made for a royal ball rather than the exploration of underground caverns.


    ¡°Yes, this is bastion of the Great Ones.¡± Her voice rang like a bell, she raised her hand into the air, and crimson light gathered between her fingers. ¡°This place will make for a fine home, Morgan.¡±


    ¡°My Lord, are you sure about this?¡± The third person spoke up. He was an older man, carrying a spear on his back.


    ¡°I trust her. You should too, old friend. She did save your House after all.¡± The Emperor chuckled softly as he watched the woman. ¡°What is that?¡±


    The light gathering in her palm formed into a small, round, brown object. ¡°A seed,¡± she said with a smile on her lips. ¡°So your children can do what we did, even when all knowledge is lost, and the Veil breaks once more.¡±


    ¡°Let us hope that time never comes.¡± The Emperor looked down.


    ¡°Oh, it will,¡± The woman replied with certainty. ¡°But this is not the only seed I have planted ¨C I will give your Empire a chance through this all, my good friend. Don¡¯t waste your hope with the impossible. Make it so they will know to use what I leave them. Nurture your children so they grow always, and never stagnate.¡± She placed the small round object onto the altar. ¡°Make them bloom.¡±

 Chapter 81 – A Glimpse of the Past (7)

    The image before him shifted and changed. The chalk altar was now covered in a thick layer of dust. Two men and a woman were standing around the altar once more.


    One of them was an older man, wearing a dark blue velvet tunic, and a similarly dark hose, with an overcoat boasting the coat of arms of his noble lineage ¨C a spear, fashioned into a torch.


    Midhir drew a sharp breath as his gaze shifted to the man¡¯s face. He had brown eyes and greying blonde hair. His sharp features were recognisable immediately, just like his coat of arms.


    Lord Andor Orlein stood by the altar, his hands resting on the haft of his spear as he watched his two companions approach. ¡°Are you sure about this, your Highness?¡± His voice echoed in the darkness. ¡°It was the Old Faith that took the city from our grasp, should we really trust it to give it back to us?¡±


    Emperor Tristan the Second, a young man with blonde hair and green eyes, stepped forward and pressed his hand against the smooth surface of the altar. ¡°We have tried the conventional methods, Lord Orlein. We lost ¨C no army can stand against endless hordes of undead. We can¡¯t match their endurance, and morale is at an all-time low.¡± He raised his gaze to meet Lord Andor¡¯s gaze. ¡°What would you have me do, instead of this?¡±


    Lord Andor scowled. The wrinkles on his forehead deepened as he sought an answer.


    ¡°Anything but risking making the threat even stronger,¡± he finally replied with a grim tone. ¡°I will follow you till the end, Your Highness, but this¡­¡± he gestured towards the altar, and the seemingly endless fine sand beyond it. ¡°This is wrong. The lake is upside down, and an ancient creature slumbers here. We don¡¯t belong here, and if we use it to take Bareon back, I fear we won¡¯t belong there either.¡±


    Their third companion, who had been silent so far, stepped forward.


    ¡°I understand your concerns, Lord Orlein. But it is not the Old Faith that is wrong. It is the tear in the Veil, and what came to our world from beyond it. Do not blame a way of life and belief for no one¡¯s mistake.¡± Her sharp words cut through the silence like a hot knife through butter. The crimson hair that cascaded behind her glimmered under the golden light floating above them.


    An almost comically large, pointed hat covered her head, its shadow obscuring her face.


    ¡°I mean no offense, witch from the north, but I do not put my trust in you either,¡± Lord Orlein curtly replied. ¡°Do what you will, your highness ¨C I only needed to speak my mind.¡±


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    Emperor Tristan nodded softly. ¡°Always speak your mind.¡± He replied with a sigh. ¡°Some things I cannot share with you, old friend. If only I could, you would know to trust her.¡± A faint, almost sad smile flashed across his lips before he raised his chin. ¡°Do any of you have anything else to say?¡±


    His gaze lingered on the woman first, who shook her head with a soft chuckle. He then looked at Lord Andor, who simply shrugged.


    Midhir flinched as the Emperor¡¯s gaze seemingly turned to him. For a split second, he didn¡¯t feel like a spectator of the past anymore ¨C he felt like he was there, with the power to change history itself.


    That moment passed near instantly as the Emperor¡¯s gaze turned back to the altar. ¡°Very well then. Since all of us are in agreement ¨C as much as we can be ¨C I will begin.¡±


    He reached for his pocket, and took out a glowing flower, its petals dyed red and blue. Placing it on the altar, he closed his eyes.


    A hand touched Midhir¡¯s shoulder just as the scene faded.


    ¡°It¡¯s rude to intrude on memories, you know.¡± A voice whispered into his ear.


    Startled, he tried to turn back, but his body refused to obey him. His heart raced, alarm bells rang in his ears, yet he couldn¡¯t do anything.


    ¡°But I suppose it wasn¡¯t by choice.¡± The owner of the voice chuckled softly. It was a woman¡¯s voice, vaguely familiar, yet as it was just a whisper, he couldn¡¯t figure out why he recognised it. ¡°It¡¯s quite funny how history repeats itself, isn¡¯t it?¡± She asked, her hand brushing against his cheek as he felt his left eye ache.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± Words finally escaped his lips. If only he could regain control of his limbs too.


    ¡°I was going to ask you the same.¡± The woman circled around him. Her face was covered by a veil, though her crimson eyes were visible above it. Similarly coloured hair cascaded behind her as she tilted her head ever so slightly. ¡°I see no Ardagh bloodline here. Not really. But I suppose you¡¯ll do just as fine.¡±


    ¡°Who are you?!¡± He hissed, breaking free of whatever had him paralysed. His hand went to his earring, but only caught the air as the holding gem refused to do his bidding.


    The woman rolled her eyes. ¡°And what exactly will you do with that information?¡± She mockingly asked. ¡°How will that help you now? Will it stop the overgrowth from destroying the city? No, my name holds no such power. Will it help you return to your friends? No,¡± she chuckled. ¡°Giving my name doesn¡¯t give you any power over me. Why don¡¯t you focus on what can help you instead of meaningless questions?¡±


    Midhir clenched his fists. ¡°It does matter,¡± he hissed. ¡°You look identical to the woman who was with Emperor Morgan, and with Emperor Tristan. You veil, or your big hat isn¡¯t making you unrecognisable.¡± He tried to remember. What had Morgan the Radiant call her? ¡°Circe?¡± He asked, his gaze watching her every more. ¡°That¡¯s your name, isn¡¯t it? But how-¡°


    ¡°Does it matter?¡± She asked once more, ripping off her veil, then folding her arms. ¡°How does that help you now?¡±


    Midhir gritted his teeth. ¡°You helped them.¡±


    ¡°So you think I will help you?¡± She laughed. ¡°You¡¯re cute, but such naivet¨¦ isn¡¯t good for survival.¡± She twirled a lock of hair around her finger. ¡°What makes you think I will let you live, now that you know who I am?¡± She leaned closer, forcing him to take a step back. ¡°Why shouldn¡¯t I snuff you out, just to keep my little secret?¡±

 Chapter 82 – Borrowed Power (1)

    Amidst the seemingly endless darkness only lit up by the blue light emitted by the rocks forming the broken circle around the altar, their gazes met. She peered into his soul, a crimson gaze that reminded him awfully much of that gigantic eyeball he peered into.


    A cold shiver ran down his spine as he shut his eyes and pushed that thought to the back of his mind. She wasn¡¯t of the Old Ones. She just was some other, seemingly immortal and forever-young being that could quite possibly kill him with a snap of her fingers.


    He summoned his courage to speak and opened his eyes again to meet her gaze once more.


    ¡°You want to save Bareon. You wanted future generations to bloom ¨C here we are, trying to do what we can with what crumbs of information we have.¡± He gulped, carefully watching her expression. ¡°You guided the past emperors here, didn¡¯t you? You wouldn¡¯t kill me.¡±


    Her lips curled up. ¡°And why is that? You don¡¯t carry Ardagh blood, nor does any of your friends. One of them is an Orlein, so you have two pieces of the puzzle nice and ready, but what about the rest?¡±


    Midhir clenched his fists. ¡°Does it matter whose blood I carry?¡± He hissed. ¡°Does it matter whether the Emperor is here or not? Bareon will fall! I will not stand idly by and let it be destroyed when I can do something to protect my people!¡± He didn¡¯t realise he was shouting until he felt the hurt in his throat.


    The woman raised an eyebrow. ¡°Your people?¡± She waved her hand dismissively. ¡°Who are you to claim them as your-¡°


    A flash of anger rose within. Power swelled as he reached for his earring and forced it to obey his will. The woman visibly flinched as a ring appeared mid-air, which he caught and tossed at her.


    ¡°That is who I am!¡± He hissed. His body felt light, and full of power. ¡°Either help me or leave and let me try and save my people!¡± His voice echoed in the darkness.


    The woman caught the ring and turned it around to look at the sigil embedded on it. Her lips parted as she drew a sharp breath, and her gaze snapped back at him. ¡°You carry no Ardagh blood.¡± She repeated. ¡°Yet you have this. I don¡¯t¡­ quite understand your circumstances.¡± She seemed befuddled as she tried to wrap her head around it.


    ¡°They don¡¯t matter.¡± Midhir spoke through gritted teeth. ¡°Will you help me, Witch?¡±


    His words startled her. She closed her fingers around the ring. ¡°Give me your name, boy.¡± She raised her chin with a look of anger in her eyes. ¡°Your full name.¡±


    It wouldn¡¯t do any harm, would it? If his name was the price of her help, he would gladly pay it. ¡°Midhir Induen,¡± he replied. That was all the information he was willing to give.


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    Her eyebrows raised, and she looked at him oddly. ¡°Induen.¡± She stated as if she was trying to make sure she heard him correctly. A moment of charged silence reigned before her lips curled up. ¡°I thought that bloodline had come to an end.¡±


    ¡°I survived.¡± He curtly spoke. ¡°I gave you my name, now help me, or at least let me try on my own. I won¡¯t let Bareon fall.¡±


    Circe chuckled. ¡°You have my help, Midhir. A powerful name you have been given ¨C befitting of someone of your blood.¡± She gently reached for his hand and pressed the ring into his palm. ¡°Press your palm against the altar, and¡­ well, you already know what to do. I will guide you through it.¡±


    He let the ring disappear into his holding gem before doing as she said.


    The surface of the altar was cool and smooth. There wasn¡¯t a speck of dust, a particle of sand on it. As he pressed his palms down on both sides of the flower, his left eye ached.


    ¡°Now, you only need to command it to follow your will. You know how, you¡¯ve seen them do it.¡±  Her voice was distant, and difficult to follow.


    He felt a gaze fall upon him as something warm flowed down the left side of his face. He heard the sound of something dripping down onto a hard surface.


    He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and opened them. Something flowed through the chalk altar, originating in the broken circle of glowing stones. He could see the stream of light blue power within the chalk roots beneath the sand-covered ground. The streams joined at the middle of the altar, under the flower he had placed there.


    He lifted his gaze to see similar streams flow into the broken circle of rocks from all around them. His heart raced as he admired their beauty. A moment later, he turned his attention back to the altar. He took the flower and lifted it from the altar. The streams of power followed, flowing through the air to reach the blooming flower.


    He only needed to imagine the resonance he wanted to cast for the streams of power to bend to his will. It was simple ¨C too simple. The resonance formed as soon as he pictured its form and function in his mind. He felt some power drain away from him, but it mattered little. Within just a few heartbeats, he had already prepared the resonance.


    He hesitated only for a moment before finalising it.


    He raised the flower up high and cast the resonance. A bright crimson flash of power nearly blinded him. The crimson light spread, some seeping into the ground, while most of it rose into the inverted lake, disappearing from sight.


    ¡°May we meet again, Midhir Induen. May the bell never toll for you.¡± The woman¡¯s words were but a whisper before she vanished as suddenly as she appeared. The darkness around him lifted suddenly, it felt as if he had been returned to his world.


    ¡°Is that it?¡± He heard someone speak. ¡°He¡¯s done it, then?¡± It was Lonan, sitting cross legged on the sandy surface, with a grim expression on his face.


    A wave of relief washed over him as he saw the others gathered at the edge of the broken circle. ¡°It¡¯s done.¡± He stated with a faint smile. ¡°Alistair, should we return immediately? I¡­ think I can take us back.¡±


    The young noble¡¯s eyes opened wide. ¡°Are you certain you¡¯ve done it? Bareon is safe?¡±


    Midhir nodded. ¡°The Old Growth won¡¯t be able to creep any closer to the city. I¡¯m taking us back ¨C before this power fades completely.¡±


    He weaved the resonance he saw from Circe, it was simple, but without this borrowed power, he would never be able to cast it. Power weaved around them before he once again raised his arm and finalised the cast.


    One moment, then were stood beneath the inverted lake, the next, they were on the hill next to the Orlein Mansion, overlooking the city.

 Chapter 83 – Borrowed Power (2)

    The City of Roses was silent. Standing upon the hill, Midhir and the others looked at the skies hidden behind a crimson veil, pulsating with power.


    Alistair drew a sharp breath, clenching his fists as he peered towards the spherical barrier surrounding the city. ¡°So this is it?¡± he asked, his voice but a whisper. His uncertainty and fear was clear in his narrowed eyes, and tight jaw. ¡°This will protect Bareon?¡±


    ¡°Yes. It will hold until the enforcers arrive.¡± Midhir wiped his left eye, then flinched as he saw his hand covered in blood. He could feel more blood flowing down. The sharp pain he had felt before had reappeared, and this time, it showed no signs of disappearing. ¡°The overgrowth won¡¯t get into the city.¡± He once again wiped his face, only for more blood to flow.


    A hand grabbed his shoulder, and Lonan forced him to turn around. ¡°You did pay a price,¡± the historian quietly hissed, his uncovered eye wide open, and his voice trembling with fear.


    ¡°I think,¡± Midhir breathed in, ¡°I think I paid this price before we ever descended to that place.¡± He pushed the man¡¯s hand away, wiped his face again, then glanced towards the mansion. ¡°You four can report to Lord Orlein. I¡­ need some rest. I need to sleep, properly.¡±


    The bleeding had always stopped. He was simply too tired, too exhausted to properly recover. For just a few moments, he had held more power than he could imagine in his palm and controlled it ¨C bent it to his will.


    ¡°I need you to come with us.¡± Alistair¡¯s sharp voice startled him. ¡°You controlled the power of that altar ¨C only you know exactly what you did.¡± He turned to face Midhir, his eyes widening slightly as he noticed the bleeding. ¡°And then you need medical attention. Come,¡± He grabbed his arm, and before he could protest, dragged him towards the mansion.


    While Willow and Lonan followed them quickly, Arwen let out a sigh, raising her gaze towards the veiled skies before following them with reluctant steps.


    The mansion was eerily quiet. The guards were all looking out the windows, and so did the staff. Their fear was palpable. With Bareon¡¯s history, such events only invoked fear and terror.


    They soon arrived at Lord Orlein¡¯s study. Alistair knocked, then opened the doors without awaiting a response, stepping inside with the rest of the group in tow.


    Lord Orlein, startled by their sudden entrance, was rather busy signing a large pile of documents. He nearly dropped his fountain pen as they came in and shut the door behind them.


    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    ¡°Alistair, and-¡° He gasped. ¡°Aodan!¡± He called for his butler at the top of his lungs. The door swung open only moments later, as if the butler had been there all along. ¡°Get our healers, hurry.¡± The Lord ordered, waving his hand to dismiss the butler, and turned his gaze to Alistair and Midhir. ¡°What happened to you?¡± He asked, wide eyed and pale faced.


    ¡°We-¡° Alistair paused for a split second before correcting himself. ¡°He created a barrier around the city using an old altar we found deep beneath Bareon. Then he¡­¡± He paused, as if searching for words. ¡°He brought us back to the surface. His eye has been bleeding since.¡± He helped Midhir sit on a chair off to the side of the room before turning his gaze to his father.


    ¡°Father, he¡¯s right. Bareon is built on hollow ground, upon layers of caverns ¨C layers of history. The Old Faith isn¡¯t creeping into the city ¨C it¡¯s always been below us. Temples, altars, and even a space below a lake, where a terrible and ancient creature slumbered.¡±


    ¡°Until we woke it up,¡± Lonan chimed in with a grim tone.


    Lord Orlein took a moment to process everything before hesitantly speaking. ¡°I see. Let¡¯s take this one problem at a time. Midhir, are you certain the city is safe until the enforcers arrive?¡±


    Midhir nodded. ¡°The barrier will hold ¨C no matter what.¡±


    ¡°And your eye ¨C what happened to it?¡±


    Midhir shrugged.


    ¡°He used the Old Faith, and their rituals to save the city, Lord Orlein.¡± Lonan spoke up. ¡°The Old Faith cares little for lives ¨C the Old Ones are creatures beyond comprehension, beyond the concepts of life and death, beyond time itself. There is always a price when borrowing their power. I fear Midhir paid that price.¡±


    ¡°Irrelevant.¡± Arwen sharply interjected. ¡°The Old Faith doesn¡¯t borrow power from the Old Gods. If it did, the cost would be greater than a bleeding eye. He used power harvested by the altar for millennia, power that was hidden away for exactly this purpose.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know that!¡± Lonan hissed. ¡°I have studied the Old Faith my whole life ¨C I dedicated decades to uncover all of its secrets. There is always a price ¨C and he¡¯s paying it. Pray to the sun and the daughter that it will only be a bleeding eye.¡±


    ¡°Had he borrowed power from the old gods, then he wouldn¡¯t be here with us right now ¨C and neither would we have survived.¡± Arwen folded her arms. ¡°You¡¯d never seen a place like that before, your knowledge doesn¡¯t apply there.¡±


    While their discussion continued, Midhir closed his eyes. The pain had begun to fade once more, though the bleeding continued. Their bickering hurt his head, he wanted to shut them both up ¨C tell them they were both wrong.


    The Old God was awake, he could feel it. He could see a moving silhouette in the darkness when he closed his eyes. And rarely, when his eye hurt, like now, he could see that eye he stood on ¨C that eye that opened to see him.


    The Old God was awake, and when it watched, it hurt.


    That had nothing to do with the altar below Bareon. The Witch Circe¡¯s only price had been his name.


    A knock on the door caused a momentary silence. ¡°Come,¡± Lord Orlein spoke.


    The door swung open immediately, and the sound of heels clicking on the ground reached his ears. As he opened his eyes, he saw a tall woman step inside. ¡°Reporting for duty, my Lord. Where is the injured?¡±

 Chapter 84 – Borrowed Power (3)

    He was almost grateful for being given a reason to leave Lord Orlein¡¯s study. Arwen and Lonan¡¯s discussion had started to grow louder, and he hardly had the patience to listen to them.


    The woman¡¯s heels clicked on the marble floors as she followed Aodan, who led them back to the room assigned to Midhir. As they arrived, the Orlein butler stepped out of the way. ¡°Are there any supplies you need, Healer Marr?¡±


    The woman pursed her lips. ¡°I¡¯ll let you know if there are. I need to examine him first.¡± Her sharp gaze never left Midhir as she gestured towards the door, prompting him to step inside.


    ¡°Please have a seat and remove your shirt.¡± She gestured towards the chair by the large window overlooking the city.


    With a sigh, Midhir did as he was told. ¡°I¡¯m not wounded,¡± he explained as he unbuttoned his shirt, and put it aside. ¡°At least not seriously ¨C there are a few cuts and bruises, but that¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°Be that as it may, I still want to make sure. It¡¯s quite common for a soldier not to notice a wound long after the battle is over ¨C and that is almost always deadly.¡± She reached into the inner pocket of her long tailed coat and pulled out the oddest crystal staff Midhir had ever seen.


    It consisted of a gold-embossed wooden stick that was no longer than his forearm, and a pea-sized gem carefully attached to its tip. It looked like a child¡¯s wand more than a functional crystal tool.


    ¡°Is that a crystal staff?¡± Curiosity got the better of him as he couldn¡¯t resist asking. He¡¯d never seen such a small staff that could still function.


    ¡°Yes, it was made specifically to suit my needs. Look up please,¡± She leaned in closer, pushing his hair away from his bleeding eye. ¡°I see no wound here,¡± she muttered with a scowl. The gem embedded into her staff let out a vibrant shine, dyeing the room golden.


    Midhir felt the warmth of her resonance on his face. He could feel her spiritual power prod and poke at his face, searching for something to heal. ¡°There isn¡¯t a wound,¡± he confirmed.


    She then turned her attention to his upper body. The golden light brushed against the scratches and bruises, healing them.


    He gritted his teeth as the accelerated healing sent waves of pain throughout his body. It only lasted a few seconds, but it was enough to remind him why he hated accepting healing resonances.


    ¡°Healer Marr, was it?¡± He asked once she was finished healing. ¡°Thank you for your aid, but-¡°


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    ¡°Sorcha Marr,¡± she cut him off. ¡°I understand that you don¡¯t have any physical wounds. I read the reports Lord Orlein shared with me,¡± she sat on the bed, looking at him intently. ¡°I understand that when your hand was pierced, you were unwillingly made part of an ancient ritual to awaken one of the Great Ones.¡±


    Midhir tightened his jaw. How much did she know? Was it safe for that report to be share with many people? Doubts formed in his mind.


    ¡°I specialise in Veil-related injuries and ailments,¡± healer Sorcha said, raising her jaw with pride. ¡°While a ritual to awaken one of the Old Gods is a bit more¡­ complex than that, I believe I can at least try to understand what happened to you.¡± She stared at him intently. ¡°Please explain everything that happened.¡±


    He didn¡¯t think she could help him. It felt like no one could. It felt almost felt like was living on borrowed time. But he knew it was exhaustion that gave him such a grim outlook ¨C and that it was far from the truth. Perhaps this woman couldn¡¯t help him, but there was no harm in trying. So, he leaned back, used a handkerchief to wipe the flowing blood, and started explaining.


    It was quite a while after sunset when someone knocked on Lord Orlein¡¯s door. A raven, perched atop a branch overlooking the large, open window of Lord Orlein¡¯s office ruffled its feathers and perked up to look inside.


    ¡°Sorcha,¡± Lord Orlein¡¯s voice sounded exhausted. The stack of papers before him seemed to grow taller, and the man looked like he hadn¡¯t slept in days. No doubt Arwen and that older man¡¯s discussion that bordered on bickering didn¡¯t help with that.


    ¡°You¡¯ve brought me quite the case, my lord.¡± The woman said with a faint smile. Her long, black hair flowed behind her back as she shook her head. ¡°I wasn¡¯t able to pinpoint the issue.¡±


    Lord Orlein seemed surprised at her words. ¡°Is that so?¡± He muttered, dropping the sheet of paper in his hand and leaning back in his chair. ¡°Do you at least have a broader idea?¡±


    The woman seemed hesitant. ¡°Yes,¡± she finally said after a few moments of silence. ¡°Whatever ritual he was unwillingly made part of has done something. When I inspected his eye, it seemed like it was a¡­¡± her voice faded before she shook her head. ¡°I want to call it like a tear in the veil, but that¡¯s not right either.¡± She folded her arms. ¡°It¡¯s like his eye doesn¡¯t belong here.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± Lord Orlein stated a few moments later. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    The woman shrugged. ¡°I need to do some research. There is nothing more I can tell you. Now, if you¡¯ll excuse me¡­¡±


    ¡°He is not fine,¡± the sharp tone in his voice startled her. For a split second, she didn¡¯t quite understand what it meant.


    ¡°Nothing I did should have harmed him,¡± she replied as she collected the bouquet of flowers she dropped. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with him?¡±


    The voice was silent for a few moments before the words echoed in her mind. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Apparently his eye doesn¡¯t belong here.¡±


    Her lips parted. ¡°What the hell is that supposed to mean?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± the voice repeated. ¡°Maybe you should pay him a visit. He was apparently forced to take part in some ritual.¡±


    Circe scowled. Where in Eldoria were they still conducting rituals? None of this made any sense. With a sigh, she put the bouquet in a vase and dusted off her dress. ¡°¡­ I¡¯ll think about it.¡±


    Her gaze turned north. She couldn¡¯t leave for long. Not when the bell was about to toll for Calador.

 Chapter 85 – At the Gates (1)

    He couldn¡¯t remember when the last time he woke up to the warm rays of sunlight was ¨C instead of the sounds of battle or the smell of smoke.


    His eyelids stirred open, and he stretched on the soft bed, arching his back slightly before slowly sitting up. Bright blue light of the barrier filtered through the window, casting a gentle, yet mystical glow in the room. It was much brighter than it was last night, as it allowed sunlight to pass through, albeit dyed in blue.


    Crawling out of bed was painful to say the least. Every muscle in his body ached as he dragged himself into the bath.


    He savoured the warm water washing away the dirt and blood off of him. His muscles relaxed somewhat, doing away with the pain. He lingered there, allowing the sound of flowing water to dull his racing thoughts, and drown his worries, even if only temporarily.


    After spending a little too much time under warm water, he finally stepped out of the bath, dried himself, and went out into his room to find a set of clean clothing.


    After some rummaging through the clothes Aodan had placed into the cabinet, he decided on black trousers, and a white shirt with minimal lace around its sleeves. He fastened his belt, attaching the unused sword Aodan had given him, and threw a cloak over his shoulders. He was putting on his leather boots when a knock on his door sounded, startling him from his thoughts.


    ¡°Come in,¡± he said with a slightly elevated voice, and stood up as the door opened.


    ¡°Good to see you awake, sir,¡± Aodan bowed. ¡°Lord Alistair asked you to join him for breakfast.¡±


    Midhir nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll be right there.¡± He quickly tied his hair back with a black ribbon and stepped out after Aodan.


    ¡°I should thank you.¡± Alistair bowed deeply ¨C too deeply for someone of his status.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t do that,¡± Midhir barely kept himself from sighing. He wasn¡¯t sure of how much Alistair knew. He didn¡¯t want him to know ¨C despite everything, he wanted to keep the life he had at Solus. It was selfish, he knew that, but just this once, for just a little while longer, he wanted to be selfish.


    ¡°You took on a great risk,¡± Alistair gestured toward him as he straightened his back. ¡°And perhaps even paid a great price to keep Bareon safe. We are in your debt.¡±


    No, they weren¡¯t. ¡°I did my task, as ordered by your father.¡± And by his mother. ¡°I paid no price ¨C at least none that Lonan thinks I have. Is that what worries you? Do you think he¡¯s right?¡±


    Alistair scowled. ¡°I don¡¯t know who to believe. Arwen is¡­ acting oddly. Where is the timid and shy girl we met at Solus? Who is this person that claims to know everything about the Old Faith better than a historian who dedicated his life to uncovering Eldoria¡¯s past?¡± He folded his arms, pacing his room. ¡°On the other hand, Lonan.¡± He stated. ¡°He isn¡¯t as simple as he seems, is he?¡±


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    Midhir shook his head. ¡°He faced that serpent and survived its attack. He¡¯s powerful, perhaps more so than any of us.¡± The man hadn¡¯t even moved a single muscle to activate a resonance, yet something had protected him. ¡°Perhaps even more powerful than Instructor Soraya.¡±


    Alistair shrugged. ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m talking about. I don¡¯t know who to believe. Words are¡­ difficult to believe when we¡¯re facing threats from millennia past.¡± He raised his jaw. ¡°Actions speak louder than words, Midhir. So¡­ despite how odd and unbelievable all this is, I know I can trust you.¡±


    A faint smile flashed across his lips. ¡°Thanks, I suppose.¡± He pressed his lips together, but before he could speak, someone knocked on the door.


    ¡°Come in,¡± Alistair said. The door opened immediately, and Aodan stepped inside, pushing a small food cart. ¡°Please have a seat, my Lord, Sir Midhir,¡± he was quick to set the table and serve them before leaving just as fast.


    They ate their breakfast in silence, watching the blue barrier over the city. Once their meal was finished, Aodan came in collected the plates and left.


    ¡°I don¡¯t quite understand how he knows when he¡¯s needed,¡± Alistair chuckled. ¡°He¡¯s always been like this, even with dad. He just appears out of nowhere exactly when he is needed, has exactly the items or information we need, and leaves as soon as his work is done.¡±


    Midhir couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°I heard that¡¯s what the best butlers and servants do.¡± It was the same with his sister¡¯s helper ¨C that woman was scary accurate, and her intuition was almost otherworldly.


    ¡°Indeed.¡± Alistair¡¯s smile slowly faded. His gaze met Midhir¡¯s as his expression turned darker. ¡°I trust you,¡± he repeated, ¡°Both as a friend, and as a fellow warrior.¡± He paused for a moment. ¡°But,¡± he took a deep breath before continuing. ¡°I saw what you used to protect us.¡±


    Midhir¡¯s fists clenched under the table. His lips formed a thin line as his brows furrowed.


    ¡°That stake ¨C I¡¯ve seen it once before.¡± Alistair¡¯s intense gaze was searching for answers. ¡°I saw an enforcer use it before.¡± His hand resting on the table clenched into a fist. ¡°You¡¯re not an enforcer. So¡­ I can¡¯t help but wonder why you possess such a powerful and rare item.¡±


    A moment of fragile silence covered the room.


    ¡°Does that break your trust?¡± Midhir finally asked. His wish wasn¡¯t going to be possible, after all. It was just like his sister predicted.


    ¡°No.¡± Alistair shook his head. ¡°But I¡¯m curious. I asked Captain Rianne about the Induen House, and her response was¡­ unpleasant.¡±


    He wasn¡¯t surprised at all. ¡°The Induen House fell during the An¡¯Larion disaster ten years ago.¡± He stood up, walked to the window and stood in front of it. ¡°I don¡¯t remember it much, to be honest. I was a small child, and very, very sick. I was the only one who survived the collapsing buildings, and the only one who was pulled out of those ruins before the mist covered the thirteenth district.¡± His hand reached for his earring, and the stake appeared between his fingers. He turned to face Alistair, who had also stood up.


    ¡°I remember enforcers,¡± He said with a grim smile. ¡°I remember a woman, she pulled me out of there, took me back to the surface. Then I was sick for a very long time. Years. They gave me three of these.¡±


    Alistair¡¯s eyes opened wide. ¡°Three?!¡± He exclaimed.


    ¡°Three,¡± he repeated. ¡° And-¡°


    An urgent knock on the door startled them both. The door swung open almost immediately, and Aodan stepped inside. ¡°Apologies, my Lord, but Lord Orlein isn¡¯t available at the moment, and there are issues at the city gates. Your presence is needed ¨C urgently.¡±

 Chapter 86 – At the Gates (2)

    Dusk was fast approaching as they made their way to the city gates. He hadn¡¯t noticed how long their conversation took until now ¨C from a late breakfast to early dusk.


    Aodan hadn¡¯t given them many details ¨C he didn¡¯t know them either. Captain Rianne had simply sent a messenger saying to alert Lord Orlein of a ¡®situation¡¯ at the city gates. Worried that they were under attack, Alistair and Midhir rushed across the city, finally arriving at the gates.


    The entirety of the city guard seemed to have gathered at the plaza in front of the gates, fully armoured and ready for battle. The gates were closed, but a small gap at head-height allowed them to see and talk to whoever was beyond the gates.


    Captain Rianne was standing in front of that small gap, looking outside with a stern expression. ¡°The city gates are closed, turn back ¨C I won¡¯t say it again.¡± Her voice was cold as ice as she spoke. ¡°Leave.¡±


    Somewhat muffled voices reached his ears as they walked towards her. ¡°We won¡¯t make it back in time!¡± A woman cried. ¡°The sun is setting, please!¡± A man begged.


    Midhir¡¯s steps slowed down. He furrowed his brows and pressed his lips together, watching Captain Rianne intently.


    ¡°Then you better hurry,¡± she curtly said back. ¡°The gates will remain closed!¡±


    ¡°Captain!¡± Alistair called out to her.


    Startled, her head jerked back as she quickly turned and bowed. ¡°My Lord!¡± She seemed surprised to see him here. Her gaze landed on Midhir after she straightened her back. Her jaw tightened as their gazes met. ¡°You needn¡¯t come here, you should rest and-¡°


    ¡°What is the ¡®situation¡¯ you wanted to inform my father of, Captain?¡± Alistair cut her off. His fiery gaze turned to the doors. ¡°I hear cries and begging. Explain.¡±


    Captain Rianne raised her chin and rested her hand on the hilt of her sword as she curtly nodded. ¡°There are people at the gates, my lord. They arrived shortly before I sent word, ad have been requesting to be let in the city. I deemed it too dangerous to let unknown people inside ¨C we suffered from attacks only recently, in back-to-back incidents. The gates should remain closed until aid from An¡¯Larion arrives.¡±


    She almost sounded proud. Like she had done something commendable. The cries and begging of the people outside rang in his ears. He glanced at Alistair, who seemed to have paused after hearing Captain Rianne¡¯s words.


    ¡°As such, sir, we have been telling them to return. I simply wanted to inform Lord Orlein via sending mirror. I didn¡¯t expect you would come.¡±


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    ¡°Return where?¡± Midhir asked with a scowl. It was almost dusk. The sun was setting, and if it weren¡¯t for the barrier covering Bareon, they would see the sky dyed crimson.


    ¡°Wherever they came from,¡± Captain Rianne shrugged as if she was stating something obvious.


    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t need to remind you that it¡¯s almost dusk. You can¡¯t expect people to travel after nightfall.¡± He watched her eyes narrow for a split second.


    ¡°We can¡¯t risk the safety of Bareon,¡± she retorted. ¡°My Lord, we have this under control. You should rest after everything you¡¯ve been through.¡±


    Alistair folded his arms, clearly pondering. His gaze darted between Captain Rianne, and the gates.


    He couldn¡¯t actually be considering it. Midhir gritted his teeth ¨C he refused to accept it. Grabbing Alistair¡¯s arm, he pulled the noble aside. ¡°Stop listening to her words and listen to what she¡¯s really saying!¡± He hissed. ¡°Your options are clear ¨C no need to honey the. You either let them come inside, or you leave them out there.¡± He gestured at the gates with a fire in his eyes. ¡°To be fed to the Old Growth.¡±


    Alistair bit his lips. ¡°I¡¯m well aware of my options, Midhir.¡± He retorted. ¡°But I must consider the safety of my people first.¡±


    ¡°They are your people too!¡± Midhir hissed. ¡°People of Eldoria. Travellers and merchants.¡±


    ¡°Or terrorists and cultists, how are we to know?¡± Alistair averted his gaze. ¡°Bareon lost so much in just these past couple of days. It can¡¯t take too many more losses before people start losing faith in my father.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s your choice then?¡± Midhir asked through a tight jaw. ¡°You would choose fear over hope? Guilty until proven innocent is how Bareon will judge the people then, is that it?¡± He raised his chin. ¡°I won¡¯t allow you to leave my people out these to die, Alistair.¡± Even if it meant showing the ring, even if it meant losing what freedom of anonymity he had. He couldn¡¯t let those travellers die.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that simple-¡°


    ¡°Yes, it is.¡± Midhir cut him off. ¡°Will you kill innocents to avoid the chance of enemies entering the city?¡± He pointed at the gates. ¡°Because that¡¯s what she¡¯s doing. She¡¯s killing them. Feeding them to the Old Growth herself, out of fear and terror.¡± He took a step away from Alistair. ¡°The way I see it, it¡¯s no different than what those cultists do. Are you really any better than them if this is what you decide?¡±


    He felt something warm flow down his eye. He knew it was blood before he even touched it. Seeing Alistair¡¯s face turn pale as a sheet of paper, he chuckled. ¡°Maybe you should send me out there too ¨C I am one of those things you fear after all. Should I go there, Alistair?¡± He couldn¡¯t help his mocking tone. ¡°Will you have my blood on your hands too?¡±


    The young noble closed his eyes. ¡°No.¡± He turned away from Midhir, his hesitant steps carried him towards the gates. ¡°Open the gates and let them in!¡± He shouted.


    Midhir crossed his arms, leaned his back against the wall and watched as Captain Rianne protested, only to be shut down by Alistair.


    ¡°Their belongings will be checked thoroughly, and their identification will be verified before they can leave the plaza. Now hurry and open the gates!¡±


    He couldn¡¯t help but feel disappointed. He shouldn¡¯t have needed to intervene for this outcome. It should have been clear from the start. Alistair shouldn¡¯t have needed a personal connection to be used so aggressively.


    He had a lot to learn. And Midhir wasn¡¯t sure if four years in Solus was going to be enough. Or whether they would even have those four years before Eldoria was thrust into yet another disaster.

 Chapter 87 – At The Gates (3)

    As the crowd gathered at the gates slowly began making its way into the city, Midhir stepped outside. He could now see the crimson dyed sky, and the sun setting over the treeline.


    Rare stars glimmered in the sky as he watched the sunset. A frigid wind blew against him, tugging at his clothes and hair. Shadows grew longer, and the overgrowth seemed much more frightening than it did at daylight.


    The thick layer of roots covering the ground had already creeped much closer to the road. The trees seemed to be stretching their branches over the stone paved road, making it seem much darker, and much narrower.


    Had those travellers remained outside for the night, they probably would have stood no chance. The disappointment he felt in Alistair stung. The young Orlein heir was still easily swayed by Captain Rianne¡¯s words ¨C he lacked experience and wisdom, qualities Solus was hopefully going to instil in him.


    As the last of the travellers passed through the gates, Midhir let out an audible sigh and returned to the safety of the city walls.


    The crowd was gathered at the plaza by the gates. Soldiers were checking their belongings for weapons and crystal tools, and any objects that carried the symbol of a twelve-part snake devouring its own tail. Some people protested, but they were quickly silenced by the piercing gaze of Captain Rianne. The woman seemed quite displeased about Alistair¡¯s decision, and the daggers she often glared at Midhir showed who she blamed quite clearly.


    ¡°I¡¯ll head back to the mansion,¡± Midhir said as he passed by Alistair. ¡°Unless you need my help. I¡¯m still exhausted.¡±


    The young noble shook his head. ¡°No, you¡¯ve helped plenty ¨C in more ways than one. Please make sure to get some rest.¡± He didn¡¯t meet Midhir¡¯s gaze.


    The eerie glow of the light blue barrier continued to illuminate the city somewhat even after dusk. The unnatural glow was unnerving as it didn¡¯t cast normal shadows. It almost seemed like the light was everywhere.


    He made his way back to the Orlein mansion with a fast pace. The guards at the gates left him through, and without pause he returned to his quarters. After shutting the heavy curtains, he undressed, put on a nightgown, then threw himself onto the soft bed.


    ¡°Hurry, mother¡­¡± his voice was but a whisper. Fear was rampant in the city ¨C it had struck Captain Rianne, and even Alistair. It affected their decisions, made them think differently. They sought enemies everywhere, and lost empathy.


    Fear was killing their minds. An¡¯Larion had let Bareon deal with the dangers of the overgrowth on its own for far too long. They felt alone and isolated, and they had been until now. The Imperial family should have sent help far sooner.


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    With a sigh, he rubbed his eyes, hugged his pillow, and turned to the side. The barrier would protect Bareon until the Enforcers arrived. It was fine to rest now.


    His mind drifted off to sleep almost instantly.


    A raven watched the young boy from the window.


    It¡¯s draining him. It warned the witch. You could help them, you know. You should ¨C you caused this.


    A scoff echoed in its mind. ¡°I did no such thing!¡± She protested. ¡°And no, I can¡¯t help them. I did all I could ¨C I stand watch now, over the sands of gold. The fires grow, old friend.¡±


    The raven shuffled its feathers and picked one of them off its left wing. It¡¯s eyes remained fixed on the window as the boy closed the heavy curtains. A sliver of doubt appeared in its mind. Had he noticed it? It shook his head violently. No, he couldn¡¯t have. And even if he did, it was just a raven.


    You¡¯ve been saying the same thing for the past¡­ three centuries? Maybe even more.


    It was easy to lose track of time after the first couple of centuries. It hardly mattered anyways, so there was no need to remember it.


    ¡°No, I haven¡¯t!¡± She gasped, as if it had suggested something offensive. Her tone quickly grew darker. ¡°I feel something change ¨C something stirs in the beyond. It¡¯s too soon for that, so I must stand watch.¡±


    The raven didn¡¯t respond. It had made a suggestion, and she had shot it down once. There was no point in pressing it.


    A knock on his door startled him awake. ¡°Come,¡± He said after scrambling to get out of bed.


    The door opened, and Aodan stepped inside. ¡°Good morning, sir.¡± He glanced at the drawn curtains before continuing to speak. ¡°We just received word that the Enforcers are on their way and will arrive within the hour. Lord Orlein has asked everyone to get ready to properly welcome them.¡±


    ¡°That was fast,¡± he muttered. He couldn¡¯t help but wonder, were the issues in the Olisar province solved, or had they been sent here without having resolved them?


    ¡°Indeed. The Imperial Family has been very kind to send them here with such urgency.¡± Aodan bowed, then stepped out of the room and closed the door behind him.


    Midhir brushed his hair back. ¡°¡­right.¡± He mumbled before shaking his head. It didn¡¯t matter ¨C previous mistakes were a matter for later. Now, he needed to prepare.


    After putting on a proper outfit and tying his hair with a black ribbon, he stepped out of his room to join the others who had gathered down the hallway.


    ¡°I can¡¯t wait to see them!¡± Willow whispered as he joined them. ¡°I¡¯ve never met any of them before, I wonder how they look.¡±


    Arwen raised an eyebrow. ¡°Don¡¯t you live in the capital? I would have thought you¡¯d be well acquainted with them.¡±


    ¡°Enforcers prefer not to announce their identities.¡± Midhir explained as they began walking towards the entrance of the mansion. ¡°Especially in An¡¯Larion, everything is kept under strict control. A normal person would probably live their whole life without ever formally meeting an Enforcer.¡± Even he didn¡¯t know most of them. He had met one of them, and only a couple of times in his life.


    Soon after they arrived at the entrance, Lord Orlein and Aodan joined them. Before they could exchange pleasantries, the sound of galloping horses echoed in the still air. Their gazes turned towards the street leading downhill to the city just as four riders appeared.


    Midhir¡¯s lips curled up into a soft smile as his gaze met with one of them.


    Not a moment later, Willow audibly gasped.

 Chapter 88 – Unsettling Revelations (1)

    ¡°Welcome, Enforcers.¡± Lord Orlein stepped forth and bowed his head with respect as the four horsemen dismounted. ¡°Your presence brings relief.¡±


    Two of the enforcers seemed rather unassuming. They had the same brown hair and eyes, were dressed the same and had the same, bored look on their faces. Nobody who walked past the Castor twins would think them to be anyone of importance.


    The only woman in the group of four seemed only a handful of years older than him and his classmates. Her fiery red hair was only long enough to reach her chin. She had freckles on her cheeks, and a thin scar above her left eyebrow. Her eyes were a fiery red like her hair and were gleaming with excitement. Unlike the others, she wore her uniform ¨C black as the night.


    The fourth enforcer was the tallest of all of them. He had short black hair, a hawk-like gaze, and a scowl on his face which Midhir assumed to be permanent. He was an imposing man, with his wide shoulders, stern gaze, and the numerous scars decorating his arms and neck.


    ¡°Greetings, Lord Orlein,¡± the tall man spoke with a stern voice. ¡°I¡¯m afraid there is little time for pleasantries, shall we go inside? I¡¯d like you to inform us of everything that has happened so far.¡±


    Lord Orlein nodded. ¡°Of course, Lord Aulorn. Please follow me,¡± he led the man inside, but not before shooting Alistair a meaningful glance.


    The young Orlein heir stepped forward in a hurry. ¡°Enforcers, please come with me, surely you¡¯d like to hear what my father has to say.¡±


    One of the Castor twins shook his head. ¡°No need, we will tour the city ¨C make sure no trouble arises.¡± Without giving Alistair a chance to speak, they walked off. Even the way they walked was near identical.


    Alistair turned to the fourth enforcer. ¡°Will you join my father?¡±


    The woman shook her head. ¡°No, there is no need. Victor will hear what he has to say. In the meantime, from the report I read, I understand that your four were at the centre of the events?¡±


    Alistair nodded. ¡°Yes, us and Lonan.¡±


    ¡°Lonan?¡± The woman tilted her head.


    ¡°Lonan Eirdre,¡± Midhir spoke up. ¡°A historian who was summoned here as an expert.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, my father asked for his expertise. Unfortunately, he was captured and dragged into the Old Growth by the terrorists,¡± Alistair hurriedly explained.


    The woman pursed her lips. ¡°There was mention of that in the report. Very well, young Lord Orlein. Please show me to my quarters, and in the meantime, explain everything that happened.¡± She paused for a split second, glancing at the others. ¡°I will visit the three of your later, so please don¡¯t leave the mansion for now.¡±


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    The window to Lord Orlein¡¯s study was wide open as always, and the raven sat upon a branch overlooking it.


    ¡°You endangered children!¡± The tall man with black hair hissed through a tight jaw. ¡°What were you thinking, Cormac?¡±


    ¡°What did you want me to do?¡± Lord Orlein shrugged. ¡°The Empress herself ordered me to send them ¨C they aren¡¯t just children anymore, Victor, they¡¯re warriors. All four of them are formidable, even Rianne admits that!¡±


    ¡°I wanted you to keep your own son safe,¡± The man¡¯s voice raised slightly. ¡°And my daughter!¡±


    ¡°They are safe. They made it.¡± Lord Orlein shouted. ¡°I sent them to the forest to rescue the historian accompanied by troops. The only thing they did alone was descending to the caverns one of them discovered below the city, and only because he had already killed their guardian!¡± He waved his hand in anger. ¡°Did you come here to shout at me, Victor, or to hear what happened?¡±


    The other man drew a sharp breath before pausing. He breathed out a sigh with closed eyes, then breathed in again. A few moments passed before he spoke again, with a much calmer tone. ¡°Fine, explain what happened.¡±


    Midhir sat in his room, watching the barrier above the city. It¡¯s blue light didn¡¯t seem quite as odd anymore ¨C it was almost calming. He had gotten used to it a bit, enough to comfortably sleep beneath it at least.


    He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, then opened them again. The weight on his shoulders hadn¡¯t quite lifted yet. He was constantly aware of the barrier. He could drop it whenever he wanted or change it a little. It felt like it was still his responsibility to keep the city safe, despite the arrival of the Enforcers.


    His gaze drifted off as he remembered how uncomfortable or surprised everyone seemed to be when they arrived. Arwen just glared at Cait, while Willow had grown pale as a sheet of paper. She looked like she¡¯d seen a ghost and left without a word as soon as Cait and Alistair had departed.


    With a sigh, he shook his head. He didn¡¯t quite understand why she was quite so surprised. It was common knowledge amongst the nobility that Lord Victor Aulorn ¨C the Lustrous Blademaster ¨C was an enforcer, and a leader of the organisation a that. Did she truly not know that? Or was she just surprised to see him?


    A knock on his door startled him. He breathed in, but before he could speak, the door swung wide open.


    ¡°Well, well, well!¡± Cait walked inside with a proud stride. Her lips curled up in a smile as the startled Midhir. ¡°Look who¡¯s here!¡±


    She opened her arms wide, walked up to him, and gave him a big hug.


    ¡°Missed you,¡± she whispered with a smile.


    Midhir hugged her back. ¡°Glad to see you Cait.¡±


    A moment later, she stepped back, looked around the room and whistled. ¡°I swear my quarters at the castle aren¡¯t as nice as these though.¡±


    He couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°And that is a lie ¨C you just commandeer my sister¡¯s room when you¡¯re back home.¡±


    Cait giggled. ¡°Yeah, true.¡± She threw herself on the bed. ¡°I miss her too. I¡¯ve been gone for months now.¡± She sounded tired. ¡°I wish we could go back home right now,¡± her voice was but a whisper.


    Part of him agreed. After everything that happened, he wished he could just go back home.


    She suddenly sat up. ¡°Say, do you mind if I take a look at you?¡±


    He felt his heart sink. ¡°I was going to ask you to do that.¡±


    She nodded, brushed her somewhat messy hair back, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. When her eyelids stirred open again, a crimson light cast a glow over the room. She looked at him.


    ¡°By the sun.¡± Her voice was but a whisper as her face turned pale.

 Chapter 89 – Unsettling Revelations (2)

    Stood under the crimson light of her shining eyes, Midhir gulped. His heartbeat fastened, and his chest tightened as he waited for her to speak.


    A moment passed in nerve wrecking silence. Cait breathed out, then finally spoke. ¡°Did something happen to your left eye?¡±


    Midhir hesitated. ¡°I think so.¡± He replied. The searing pain was still fresh in his mind from when the Old One struck his eye. Yet he wasn¡¯t sure whether that really happened, or whether if it was just a dream, or a hallucination. Taking a deep breath, he sat down on the couch. ¡°There¡¯s a lot Lord Orlein, or my friends don¡¯t quite know.¡±


    ¡°Clearly.¡± Cait stepped closer. ¡°Look at me, I need to take a closer look at this.¡± Holding his chin, she lifted his face up, and pushed his hair aside.


    Her lips were thin line, and her eyebrows were furrowed. Lines appeared on her forehead as she scowled. Her eyes narrowed as she inspected whatever it was she saw. Moments once again passed in silence before she finally stepped back. ¡°I can¡¯t quite tell what¡¯s wrong with your eye.¡± She sighed. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen this before, but what it looks like is¡­¡± she hesitated for a split second. ¡°It looks like a tear in the veil.¡±


    Her words didn¡¯t come as a surprise. They just confirmed his suspicions. Those dreams and hallucinations weren¡¯t what he hoped they were. They were real, and what he told Lonan in a moment of annoyance and exhaustion wasn¡¯t a lie ¨C one of the Old Gods had stirred awake.


    ¡°There¡¯s a lot you need to know.¡± He looked at Cait. ¡°A lot that I told Mother, and even more that happened after I spoke with her.¡±


    Cait left his room shortly after he finished retelling everything to find a sending mirror, claiming she needed to report all this to the Empress.


    He couldn¡¯t help but feel a little lonely once he was once again alone in his chambers. It was a shame their meeting had to be spoiled by disturbing truth but delaying it would have only made things worse.


    After pacing the room for a while, he snatched the sword Aodan had given him and made his way towards the training ground behind the mansion, overlooking the Old Growth, though he couldn¡¯t see beyond the wall ¨C the veil of power he had put around the city blocked the view.


    With a deep breath, he unsheathed his sword, grasped its hilt with both hands, and readied himself.


    ¡°That¡¯s a sloppy stance.¡±


    The deep voice startled him. His head jerked towards its source as he spun around to see its owner.


    Lord Aulorn stood not too far from where he was, with his back leaning against a tree. Since when was he stood there? How had Midhir not noticed him?


    ¡°Lord Aulorn!¡± He quickly spoke up with a bow. ¡°My apologies, I didn¡¯t notice you.¡±


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    ¡°That was by design.¡± Lord Aulorn stepped away from the tree. ¡°You are Midhir, aren¡¯t you? I read the report sent by the Empress.¡± He pointed towards his bandaged hand. ¡°You can¡¯t fight properly with a wound like that.¡±


    Midhir opened, then clenched his fingers. It didn¡¯t feel as sore as before. It was easier to move and hurt a lot less when he clenched his fist. ¡°It¡¯s about healed, sir. I wanted to get some practice in.¡± Why was he here? He would have expected him to speak with Willow.


    ¡°Good to hear,¡± the man walked past him, closer to the edge of the hill. ¡°It seems practice would do good for you.¡±


    Midhir tightened his jaw. ¡°Apologies for disturbing you, sir. I¡¯ll-¡°


    ¡°You will explain exactly what happened beneath Bareon,¡± the man cut him off. His fiery gaze turned to meet Midhir¡¯s. ¡°Lord Orlein¡¯s retelling of the events, and that of his son¡¯s was rather lacking. This power,¡± he gestured towards the protective barrier. ¡°Isn¡¯t something any normal person can control.¡±


    ¡°The power I used to create the barrier had been gathering at the altar beneath the city for a long time. Simply wishing for the barrier was enough to make it happen,¡± he shrugged. ¡°I wish I could tell you more, sir.¡±


    The man narrowed his eyes. ¡°Perhaps so.¡± He pondered for a moment before a faint smile appeared on his lips. ¡°You wanted to practice, did you not? Then ready your weapon.¡± As he spoke, he raised his hand. A sword appeared in the air, which he swiftly caught.


    A myriad of small gems were embedded into the middle of the blade of the longsword. He couldn¡¯t count how many even if he wanted to. The blade itself seemingly caught the light of the barrier, glowing a faint blue underneath its shine.


    Midhir felt his heartbeat fasten. ¡°It would be an honour, sir.¡± His hands itched in anticipation.


    ¡°Only if you put up a good enough fight.¡± Lord Aulorn spoke before saluting him. ¡°Start!¡± He spat.


    Midhir didn¡¯t even get the chance to properly raise his blade before it was swatted out of his hands, and he felt cold metal put up against his throat.


    ¡°Slow,¡± Lord Aulorn stepped back. ¡°Too slow to beat Willow in a duel. Are you not taking this seriously? Should I be offended?¡±


    Midhir gulped as a cold shiver ran down his spine. ¡°I was taken by surprise, apologies-¡°


    ¡°And had it been a true enemy, you would have been dead ¨C or worse.¡± He pointed at the sword on the ground with the tip of his own blade. ¡°Again.¡±


    Snatching the sword off the ground, he readied himself. The blade was heavier than his old sword, and its balance felt somewhat off, like the tip was too heavy, and the middle too light. It made him feel like it could snap at any moment.


    Once again, Lord Aulorn announced the start of the duel.


    He raised his blade just in time to meet the Lord¡¯s slash. The sound of metal hitting metal echoed across the hills as he slid back. The strength behind Lord Aulorn¡¯s strike numbed his arm for a split second. A second slash followed the first, then a third, and a fourth.


    He was relentless, there wasn¡¯t a single pause, or a moment of hesitation in his attacks. He was too fast to meet head on, too strong to fight back, and too experienced to make a mistake. Each second felt like an eternity as Midhir could only defend against the enforcer¡¯s attacks.


    As exhaustion began to set in, he raised his sword to block an overhead strike. The sound of metal hitting metal rang in his head, but before he could prepare for the next strike, the flat side of the Lord¡¯s blade struck his fingers, swatting his sword away.


    His instincts screamed at him to evade, and so he did, throwing himself to the side as the longsword struck the ground where he stood a moment ago, leaving a mark on the slabs.


    Without thinking, he reached for his earring. The sword-spear appeared in the air just in time for him to snatch it and block the next strike with it.


    He stood no chance against Lord Aulorn. But that was no reason not to at least try.


    Silver flames engulfed the blade of his weapon as he leapt back. He felt a dull pain in his eye as his gaze met with that of the Enforcer. A moment passed where neither of them moved.


    Then, Midhir lunged forward, leaving behind him a trail of white flames.

 Chapter 90 – Unsettling Revelations (3)

    The sound of metal clashing against metal echoed in the training grounds, muffled somewhat by the roaring white flames that trailed behind Midhir¡¯s sword-spear.


    Lord Aulorn¡¯s eyes widened for a split second, his lips parted in surprise, and he hesitated.


    Midhir lunged forward, his fingers clenched around the shaft of the sword-spear. The white flames roared, obeying his will, and leapt forward like a pouncing cat.


    One of the augments embedded into Lord Aulorn¡¯s sword glimmered. The enforcer raised his blade with a flourish, leaving behind a trail of water that quickly started to gather at the tip of his blade.


    Water gathering there lunged up, towards Midhir¡¯s flames while Lord Aulorn stepped forward with a swift strike, forcing Midhir to take a step back to avoid his sharp blade. That moment of hesitation was gone ¨C now the enforcer was focused. He watched Midhir with a fire in his eyes, brows furrowed and lips forming a thin line.


    Had he not known better, he would think Lord Aulorn looked at him with anger and bloodthirst.


    He swung his sword-spear, hitting the enforcer¡¯s blade. He felt the strength of his swing fade immediately, while Lord Aulorn seemed unbothered.


    The enforcer¡¯s strikes continued to relentlessly follow him, forcing him to either retreat or block. His arms began to ache, and beads of sweat rolled down his chin. No matter how much he tried, he couldn¡¯t keep up with Lord Aulorn ¨C and the enforcer didn¡¯t even seem to be trying.


    ¡°Is that it?¡± The enforcer asked with a pitiful voice. He clicked his tongue, and with a flourish of his sword, summoned bright red flames dancing around him. He simply pointed at Midhir with his blade, as if commanding his troops to attack.


    The dozen or so orbs of bright red flames lunged towards Midhir, leaving trails behind them.


    His eyes widened as his own white flames formed a barrier in front of him. With each hit the barrier absorbed, the more power he felt drain away, leaving him weakened. As the last ball of fire hit his barrier, it exploded in a flash of light, blinding him for a split second.


    He raised his sword-spear, trying to block the hit that was surely coming, but instead, he felt a wind blow his hair back, then something cold touched his right shoulder, pressed up against his neck.


    ¡°You¡¯ve surprised me,¡± he heard the enforcer¡¯s voice from behind.


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    When had he circled around him? His body was frozen as he was all too aware of the cold steel pressed against his neck. He wasn¡¯t in any real danger, he was well aware of that. Still, the sensation remained disturbing and nerve-wrecking.


    A moment passed in charged silence before the enforcer spoke again. ¡°I expected you to lose faster ¨C you¡¯re slow, indecisive. Afraid.¡± He finally pulled the sharp blade away, allowing Midhir a breath of relief. ¡°But you are odd. I see how you won against Willow.¡±


    Midhir turned around the face the man, only to meet a sharp gaze that almost seemed angry. ¡°I won because she was uncertain.¡± He couldn¡¯t help but feel somewhat annoyed. For the first time in his life, a fight against a more skilled opponent had left him so unsatisfied ¨C he had learned next to nothing from their duel.


    ¡°I can see why.¡± Lord Aulorn scoffed. ¡°You fight oddly ¨C that sword is a waste on you,¡± he tilted his head towards the sword laying on the ground. ¡°And when you cast a resonance, I can¡¯t feel it ¨C it¡¯s disturbing.¡± He raised his chin, folded his arms, and ordered, ¡°Explain.¡±


    Midhir pressed his lips together. ¡°I¡¯m unable to use spiritual power as everyone else does. I must use my own ¨C for everything.¡±


    Lord Aulorn¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me, boy.¡± He gestured towards the barrier surrounding Bareon. ¡°Do you expect me to believe you are powerful enough to create this, with just your own power?¡±


    Midhir shook his head. ¡°Perhaps you should speak with Arwen or Lonan, as they can explain it better. In short, the altar we found beneath the city had been gathering power. I was able to use that to create the barrier.¡± Despite the animosity Lord Aulorn showed, he was still an enforcer ¨C someone sent here to solve the crisis Bareon was facing.  As much as he wished to just not share any information, that wasn¡¯t an option.


    Lord Aulorn seemed unconvinced, though he did let his sword vanish into his holding gem. ¡°Very well. You will lead us there.¡±


    Midhir¡¯s heart sank. ¡°What?¡± He exclaimed without thinking. The thought of going all the way down into those caverns again was near-unbearable. ¡°Lonan would be a much better guide, sir-¡°


    ¡°No. You cast the resonance, your presence may be needed. Besides, the historian will be aiding us in other matters, as will your classmates. Prepare ¨C we depart at dawn.¡±


    Midhir clenched his fists. He didn¡¯t want to go down there again ¨C the witch could appear, and the enforcers wouldn¡¯t just let her leave peacefully, nor would she just go along with their questioning. Even beyond that, he still didn¡¯t feel fully well, and he was told to rest by the healer.  ¡°Sir, I-¡°


    ¡°That is an order, cadet,¡± Lord Aulorn snapped. ¡°Will you dare defy an order from an enforcer?¡±


    He could. He very well could. It took quite a bit of willpower not to snap back at him. He took a deep breath, then spoke curtly. ¡°I will meet you at the burned church at dawn.¡±


    He left in a hurry to go back to his quarters. The mere thought of standing below the inverted lake made cold shivers run down his spine. The unnatural, almost otherworldly place below the lake haunted him still.


    Don¡¯t take up that mantle unless you must ¨C you will never be able to return to how things were.


    His sister¡¯s warning lingered in his mind. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m getting closer to that point, sis.¡± He whispered to himself as he threw himself on his bed.


    And Midhir¡­ If it happens again, tell me. I¡¯ll come ¨C no matter where I am.


    He pressed his hand against his left eye. Her words reassured him, but he couldn¡¯t help but fear he truly may need to rely on her once more.

 Chapter 91 – Unsettling Revelations (4)

    The caverns under Bareon had become familiar at this point. He didn¡¯t feel the same unease as he did before as he descended there for the third time, with two enforcers in tow.


    While the presence of Lord Aulorn did make this whole ordeal a lot more unpleasant than it could have been, Cait coming along with them more than made up for it. The young woman had returned to her cheerful self.


    They didn¡¯t spend too much time in the first cavern, as there was nothing of interest there save for the focal point they mistook for an altar at some point. Afterwards, they reached the narrow tunnels beneath it, where Lord Aulorn paused often, inspecting every nook and cranny he could find.


    Cait mostly remained by Midhir¡¯s side, though the deeper they went, the more serious her expression and demeanour became. After spending some time in the tunnels, checking every dead end, Lord Aulorn finally requested Midhir take them to the temple.


    ¡°By the daughter and the sun¡­¡± Lord Aulorn exhaled as they stepped out of the tunnels, into the gigantic cavern housing the temple and the lake.


    ¡°Incredible,¡± Cait muttered as she hopped down some rocks and reached the bridge. ¡°I thought your reports were at least somewhat exaggerated ¨C instead they were underselling the size of this place.¡± She paused, looked up and scowled. ¡°Bareon is indeed built upon a hollow hill. This will never cease being a danger to the city.¡±


    She wasn¡¯t wrong, even if all the otherworldly threats were eliminated, these caverns¡¯ mere existence was a danger to the city. A powerful earthquake could bring the whole city down ¨C the death toll would be unimaginable.


    ¡°Indeed.¡± Lord Aulorn also made his way down to the bridge, then paused and waited for Midhir to follow them before he continued. ¡°The structural integrity of the city and the crust of earth its built upon must be investigated thoroughly. If it¡¯s too weak, Bareon may very well face evacuation.¡±


    The thought alone was disturbing enough to send a cold shiver down his spine. Bareon was one of the oldest cities of Eldoria, with a rich and terrible past. It was a trade hub, and home to many powerful lineages. He couldn¡¯t imagine the fallout of such a decision.


    ¡°In any case, that is not for us to determine,¡± Lord Aulorn sighed as his gaze scoured their surroundings. ¡°Cait, what do you see?¡±


    The young woman seemed hesitant. ¡°Give me a moment.¡± She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, then slowly exhaled. Her eyelids lifted to reveal her crimson eyes.


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    She slowly looked around, her gaze scouring their surroundings, occasionally lingering on things unseen to them. Her lips formed a thin line, and her brows furrowed as she slowly walked towards the temple.


    ¡°Cait?¡± Lord Aulorn asked with a scowl.


    A lump settled in his throat. ¡°The serpentine creature that attacked me was there,¡± he pointed inside the temple. ¡°The larger one we fought along with Alistair and Lonan was below the lake.¡±


    ¡°This place,¡± Cait¡¯s voice echoed in the cavern. ¡°The veil is thin here. Too thin. It could tear apart at the slightest disturbance.¡± Her steps took her inside, with Midhir and Lord Aulorn in tow. She looked around them, and the destroyed statues and the shattered tiles on the floor of the round chamber. ¡°Even worse here,¡± she whispered, pausing only for a split second to glance at them. ¡°And the worst is there, around that pool.¡±


    ¡°You went down through there, haven¡¯t you?¡± Lord Aulorn asked a moment later.


    Midhir nodded. ¡°Twice, for me. I went through there while looking for a way out of here on the night of the attack.¡±


    He saw the momentary stiffness on Lord Aulorn¡¯s face before he nodded.


    ¡°Then let us go. Lead the way.¡±


    They walked up to the edge of the pool. ¡°I don¡¯t have any water gems.¡± Midhir pointed at the still surface of the water.


    ¡°No matter, straight down right?¡± Lord Aulorn asked.


    Midhir nodded again.


    The enforcer extended his arm, his palm facing ahead. The air in front of his palm twisted and shifted, and his sword appeared out of thin air. He snatched it before it fell, and as soon as he did, two gems embedded into the blade started glowing brightly ¨C one blue, and one green.


    As winds enveloped them, his power pushed the water away.


    Midhir gasped as the winds pulled him over the pool.  They descended rapidly. Seconds passed that felt like hours. He could hear the water whirling just a few meters away from them as they descended. Doubts began to occur in his mind ¨C did this place even have a bottom?


    Then, white sands entered his field of view just as a dull, barely noticeable pain struck his left eye. His feet soon touched the ground, and the powerful winds carrying him dissipated. The enforcers landed only moments after he did.


    ¡°You can stop the water resonance as well,¡± he pointed at the wall of water whirling around them. ¡°It¡¯s safe here.¡±


    Lord Aulorn shot him an odd glance. He clearly doubted his words, his distrust was palpable. He hesitated for a few moments before finally ceasing the resonance.


    Water fell upwards, into the inverted lake. A few meters above them, the surface of the lake rippled with waves before it settled into a mirror-like smooth surface.


    ¡°By the daughter and the sun¡­¡± Lord Aulorn¡¯s voice was but a whisper as he watched the inverted lake in awe and terror. His fingers clenched around the hilt of his blade, and his lips formed a thin line. ¡°This is not right.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not.¡± Cait¡¯s voice echoed in the darkness. ¡°But the veil... I can¡¯t see it here. Either it¡¯s not damaged at all, or it¡¯s not¡­ here.¡±


    Midhir rubbed his left eye. The pain was steadily growing stronger. ¡°We killed the large serpent somewhere over there,¡± he pointed at the glass covering the white sands. ¡°And found the altar quite a ways away.¡± His gaze lingered on the darkness stretching seemingly forever. ¡°It¡¯s there.¡± He pointed. ¡°About half an hour of walk away.¡±


    Lord Aulorn furrowed his brows. ¡°How are you so sure?¡±


    ¡°I can sense it, because of the barrier. I know exactly where it is.¡±

 Chapter 92 – Unsettling Revelations (5)

    They walked on the seemingly endless white sands, with their only light being the glow of Lord Aulorn¡¯s sword. Both enforcers were on edge ¨C their gaze scoured their surroundings, and they constantly glanced up to the inverted lake.


    ¡°Such a place should be impossible.¡± Cait¡¯s voice was but a whisper, yet it echoed throughout the darkness. ¡°How far does it stretch?¡±


    Midhir shrugged. ¡°We didn¡¯t come across an edge, or a wall.¡± In fact, they hadn¡¯t come across pretty much anything else other than the serpentine creature and the altar. A part of him couldn¡¯t help but wonder if this place even had an end, or if it stretched beneath the world forever.


    They walked for about half an hour before finally arriving at the altar. The symbols etched into the chalk rocks surrounding the altar were shining bright blue, and the altar itself was glowing ever so slightly.


    ¡°How is the veil¡¯s state here?¡± Lord Aulorn asked after circling the structure.


    Cait narrowed her eyes. ¡°I can¡¯t see anything. It¡¯s either extremely healthy, or¡­¡± her voice faded as her gaze lingered on the altar. ¡°Or we are already on the other side of it.¡±


    Midhir stepped closer to the altar. ¡°We aren¡¯t on the other side of the veil.¡± He could say that for certain. His gaze met Cait¡¯s. ¡°Is it possible that your ability to see is being suppressed here?¡± Knowing how the Crimson Witch was able to converse with him without Alistair and the others noticing, he couldn¡¯t help but wonder if she was somehow preventing Cait from using her sight as well.


    ¡°We don¡¯t know what beyond the veil looks like.¡± Lord Aulorn scowled. ¡°Though I hesitate to believe this is it, we can¡¯t discount the possibility.¡±


    Cait shook her head. ¡°No, Midhir is right. I was mistaken.¡± She hesitated for a split second. ¡°It¡¯s not only the veil I can¡¯t see ¨C my sight is completely normal. Something is preventing me from seeing properly.¡± She shot Midhir a meaningful glance.


    Lord Aulorn nodded. ¡°Understood.¡± He circled the chalk structure once more before turning to Midhir. ¡°Can you end the resonance you cast here?¡± He pointed at the altar. ¡°We need the barrier to fall before we can start our own work. If you can¡¯t¡­ we¡¯ll need to break it.¡±


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    The mere thought of trying to harm the altar made Midhir¡¯s heart skip a beat. ¡°I can!¡± He quickly stepped forward. If they attacked the altar, surely the Crimson Witch would appear again. And as difficult as it was to believe, he couldn¡¯t help but think that she was way beyond Lord Aulorn and Cait ¨C they would stand no chance against her wrath.


    ¡°Give it a try.¡± The enforcer took a step back and struck the ground with his sword. He was ready to cast a protective resonance ¨C or perhaps even an offensive one.


    Midhir nodded as he approached the altar. He could feel the thread connecting them ¨C it was still bound to his will, but not for much longer. Placing his hands on the smooth chalk surface, he closed his eyes, and reached out with his mind to the resonance covering the whole of Bareon.


    He could sense the thread he needed to pull to unravel it all. He reached for it, and with a simple thought, ended the resonance.


    Power rushed through him, using him as a conduit to return to the altar. He shivered under the pressure of so much power, yet it only lasted a few short moments ¨C less than a handful of heartbeats. The glow on the structure faded, and soon their only light was Lord Aulorn¡¯s sword once again.


    He lifted his hands from the altar¡¯s surface with a sigh of relief.


    That relief only lasted a split second as he found himself looking at a gigantic, multicoloured eye so far away. A gigantic shape moved in the distance, causing his head to hurt as his mind tried and failed to fully comprehend what he was looking at.


    His heart raced, and his chest tightened as his gaze locked with that of the Old One¡¯s.


    Why was he here again? His mind raced as panic rose from within. Had the barrier been protecting him from the Old God¡¯s influence as well? No, that couldn¡¯t be. Was it unhappy with him undoing the resonance? But why would it care? He had so many questions, yet the being before him wouldn¡¯t answer any.


    ¡°What do you want from me?¡± He shouted at the top of his lungs. A part of him longed for an answer, while the other feared it. ¡°Let me go back!¡±


    The unblinking eye seemed unbothered and unconcerned by his voice. It did, however, seem to care that he was here.


    An image flashed before his eyes, searing itself into his mind. A monument ¨C tainted by blood, amidst a vast, dark forest. Silhouettes were gathered around it, many of them were smoky black shapes, while one of them was a dark, disturbing red.


    The image shifted, now he was looking at ash-covered fields. Reality was ripped apart before him, and things poured out of the tear. A cold, bone-chilling breeze blew the ash away, revealing the blood-soaked earth, and weapons littering it.


    The images faded, though he knew he¡¯d never forget them. ¡°Is that what¡¯s going to happen?¡± He asked with a tight jaw. ¡°Or is that what you want to happen?¡±


    There was no answer. The unblinking eye simply watched. Did it not understand? Or did it not bother to reply?


    ¡°Tell me!¡± He shouted, ¡°I don¡¯t understand!¡± He couldn¡¯t let any of what he saw happen ¨C the silhouette in red, it had to mean something. He knew that monument ¨C it was where all this began.


    Bloom¡­


    The booming voice sent his consciousness back.

 Chapter 93 – Unsettling Revelations (6)

    His eyes shot wide open as his consciousness was thrown back into his body. With a gasp, he breathed in sharply, his heart racing and his head still hurting from what his mind couldn¡¯t comprehend.


    A hand helped him sit up. ¡°Midhir?¡± Cait¡¯s worried voice sounded. ¡°What-¡°


    ¡°What happened?¡± Lord Aulorn¡¯s sharp voice cut her off. He was standing a few steps away, his sharp gaze fixed on Midhir. His hand rested on the hilt of the sword he had struck the ground with. ¡°Explain,¡± he demanded.


    Midhir wiped his left eye, bloodying his hand. How could he best explain it? Even Cait didn¡¯t seem to understand what had just happened, despite her knowing pretty much everything that he went through.


    ¡°There¡¯s a monument.¡± He breathed out after a few moments of indecisiveness. ¡°The one where we rescued Lonan, and my hand was wounded.¡± The image he saw was seared into his mind ¨C he couldn¡¯t forget it even if he wanted to. ¡°I think the Old One is trying to tell me that there¡¯s something happening there. Something that must be stopped.¡±


    Lord Aulorn¡¯s face twisted. ¡°The Old One is trying to tell you?¡± He hissed through gritted teeth. ¡°Are you suggesting the Old Gods have awoken?¡±


    ¡°One of them is awake.¡± Midhir got up on one knee, then grabbed onto the altar to fully get up. ¡°Whatever those cultists ¨C those terrorists ¨C did , whatever that ritual was that we interrupted when we saved Lonan, it succeeded. It was my blood instead of that of their leader¡¯s.¡± He clenched his fist. ¡°I saw two things ¨C a monument with silhouettes gathered around it ¨C the same one we rescued Lonan from, and a battlefield, covered in ash and broken weapons, with a tear in the veil in the centre.¡± His gaze jumped from Lord Aulorn to Cait. ¡°I can¡¯t prove any of this, Lord Enforcer, but know that I have no intention of letting the cultists tear the veil apart.¡±


    Lord Aulorn seemed hesitant for a moment. His gaze lingered on Midhir, as if he was trying to weigh his words, to ascertain the truth. ¡°Surely you understand how serious your accusations are ¨C and why it¡¯s not as easy for me to believe these ¨C especially when they¡¯re coming from someone with your family name.¡±


    Midhir barely quelled the rising wrath as his hand moved towards his earring. Just as he was about to call forth the item he needed, Cait caught his arm, pulling it away.


    ¡°Believe every word he says, Lord Enforcer.¡± Her voice was cold as ice, and her gaze filled with the fire of anger.


    ¡°Why?¡± Lord Aulorn narrowed his eyes. ¡°On what basis?¡±


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    ¡°Your Empress commands it.¡± Cait raised her chin. ¡°Confirm with her if you wish.¡±


    Taken aback by her words, Lord Aulorn¡¯s lips formed a thin line. His questioning gaze turned to Midhir. ¡°With the awakening of the Old Gods, I need more than a command ¨C the Induen family had a dark past already, before they plunged part of An¡¯Larion into the mist. I question, still ¨C why should I trust you?¡±


    It wasn¡¯t enough. It shouldn¡¯t have been enough ¨C Lord Aulorn¡¯s primary mission was to protect Eldoria from all otherworldly threats. Of course he needed more than a distant monarch¡¯s command to give his trust to someone with a tainted family name.


    He shook Cait¡¯s hand off and caught the ring forming mid-air. ¡°This should be reason enough, Enforcer,¡± he spoke coldly as he threw the ring towards him.


    Lord Aulorn caught it mid-air, then turned it around to look at the sigil on it. His eyes widened for a split second as his lips parted. Blood drained from his face as he quickly fell on one knee. ¡°My apologies, your majesty!¡±


    A shiver ran down his spine ¨C he despised this, this unearned respect and unfounded fear. ¡°Please get up.¡± He couldn¡¯t hide his irritation. ¡°And please don¡¯t call me that ¨C here, I¡¯m Midhir Induen, a student of Solus Academy. Nothing more.¡±


    Lord Aulorn hesitantly stood up. ¡°But your-¡° he stopped himself, the remained silent as he awkwardly searched for a way to address him.


    ¡°Just call him Midhir like I do.¡± Cait snatched the signet ring from him and gave it back to Midhir. ¡°You didn¡¯t need to do this ¨C remember what she told you, you idiot!¡±


    ¡°The Lord Enforcer can¡¯t have doubts about this.¡± Midhir put the ring back into the holding gem. ¡°Lord Aulorn,¡± he said, turning his gaze to him. ¡°My identity is to remain a secret ¨C your daughter included. Mother wanted me to experience life as I would have, had the incident never happened. I wish to see the world as it is ¨C not as it is shown to someone who bears the name I do. Lord Orlein and Cait are the only ones who know ¨C and Alistair suspects it, I believe.¡±


    Lord Aulorn nodded. ¡°Understood.¡± He narrowed his eyes. ¡°I must urge you to return to the capital though ¨C if the Old Gods are showing you things, it could mean you are in danger. The ritual could have had adverse effects. Your safety is of utmost importance.¡±


    Midhir was quick to shake his head. ¡°There will be ample time for that, but I can¡¯t leave now. Our focus is Bareon¡¯s safety at the moment.¡± He paused. ¡°Make no mistake, Lord Aulorn ¨C I am an Induen by blood. I will never truly have the authority and power this ring would have given to a true heir. My safety matters little when an entire city¡¯s existence is on the line.¡± He breathed out. ¡°Shall we return?¡±


    By the time they climbed back up to the surface, the sun had already reached its zenith. Midhir excused himself to go to his room, while Cait, Lord Aulorn and the Castor twins began preparations for the night.


    As he stood under running hot water, thoughts rushed in his mind. He had revealed his identity to Lord Aulorn. It was a risk ¨C the man was way too rigid in how he acted around him, and a secret was hardly a secret when half the nobility knew it.


    But what choice did he have? There couldn¡¯t be any doubts in the Lord Enforcer¡¯s mind about his words.  There was too much at stake, and no time to waste on doubt amongst their ranks. If somehow the others found out, so be it. The safety of Bareon was paramount.


    Still, despite knowing he had made the right choice, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a tinge of regret. His sister¡¯s words repeated in his mind over and over again.

 Chapter 94 – The Watcher’s Gaze (1)

    Standing on the city walls, he savoured the wind carrying the scent of wet earth and flowers. It wasn¡¯t the roses in Bareon he smelled, but the many different flowers growing on the upper branches of the Old growth.


    ¡°We¡¯re ready.¡± Cait¡¯s voice startled him. When he shot a glance over his shoulder, he saw her climbing the last step leading to the wall. ¡°It won¡¯t be as strong as the barrier you created using that altar, but at least it¡¯s not maintained by an apparatus of the Old Faith.¡±


    They didn¡¯t trust the altar ¨C naturally. He wouldn¡¯t have trusted it either if he hadn¡¯t been the one to use the power it held.


    Cait walked past him, standing at the edge of the wall. Her gaze fixed far away for a split second before she pulled out a sword from her holding gem. She held its hilt with both hands, its tip facing down as she lifted her arms as high as she could. With a cry of effort, she struck the ground with it, breaking the stone below and pushing the sword down, into the ground.


    As soon as the sword struck the ground, a clear, bell-like sound echoed in the silence, and the gem embedded into the sword¡¯s guard shone brightly. ¡°It¡¯s done.¡± Cait sighed a breath of relief. ¡°The Castor brothers will maintain the defensive formation.¡± Her gaze turned to Midhir. ¡°Lord Aulorn has spoken with her majesty the empress ¨C we ride tomorrow, to the monument you saw in that vision.¡±


    A shiver ran down his spine. ¡°Just the two of you?¡± They were very strong, and few could stand their ground against them, but he couldn¡¯t help but feel like this was a bad idea.


    ¡°No, she demanded you join us, and Young Lord Alistair and your classmate, Arwen Maloid, will also be joining us.¡± She narrowed her eyes. ¡°She demanded she come with, despite all our warnings. In fact, she went as far as to contact your headmistress to receive approval.¡±


    He could imagine Arwen standing up both to Moira and Lord Aulorn ¨C and her sheer determination would certainly win against their caution. ¡°What about Willow?¡±


    Cait¡¯s jaw tightened as she was quick to avert her gaze. ¡°I don¡¯t think Lady Aulorn wishes to speak to the Lord Enforcer at the moment. She was adamantly against accepting his visit shortly after we came back to the surface.¡± She fiddled with her cloak awkwardly. ¡°He was rather distraught about that.¡±


    Midhir pressed his lips together. ¡°Understandably,¡± he muttered silently. ¡°When do we leave?¡±


    ¡°Dawn.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Willow tried to shut the door to his face, but he was quick to catch it.


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    ¡°I understand that you¡¯re angry at him for not telling you ¨C it¡¯s a breach of trust.¡± He pushed back against the door, opening it fully, but didn¡¯t step inside. ¡°Besides, you didn¡¯t even hear me out. I didn¡¯t come here to ask you to join us.¡±


    Willow¡¯s brows furrowed with doubt. ¡°Then why are you here?¡± She narrowed her eyes with distrust.


    ¡°I wanted to make sure you were alright.¡± Midhir shrugged. ¡°We¡¯ll be leaving at dawn, so only the Castor brothers will be here in Bareon While I trust the enforcers fully, I still worry about more human threats, so if you¡¯re staying behind, please make sure Lonan is safe.¡±


    Willow¡¯s expression softened. ¡°I was sure you were here to try and convince me to come along tomorrow.¡±


    Midhir shook his head. ¡°I¡¯d rather none of us had to go ¨C it¡¯s not a threat students are supposed to deal with.¡± He broadly gestured towards the hallway. ¡°It safer for you ¨C for all of us ¨C to remain here.¡± He turned to leave, but something stopped him. ¡°Lord Aulorn is powerful ¨C but the identity of Enforcers are usually kept hidden from the public for a reason. They tend to make many enemies throughout their service, and even someone as powerful as him can¡¯t always protect you.¡±


    Willow¡¯s jaw tightened. ¡°I know-¡°


    ¡°I understand your anger and hurt.¡± He sighed. ¡°I also understand his fear.¡± He had already spoken too much on something that didn¡¯t concern him. ¡°We leave at dawn ¨C we¡¯ll see you again before dusk. Keep Lonan from doing something stupid.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Midhir. I will.¡± Willow smiled. ¡°Be careful tomorrow.¡±


    As the group of five left the city gates, dark clouds loomed over Bareon and the area around the city. Despite the sun beginning to rise, its light hardly illuminated the road leading away from the city.


    A frigid wind blew against them, tugging their cloaks and pulling their hair as they rode. It wasn¡¯t long before they arrived where Lonan¡¯s carriage was first attacked several days ago. The remains of the carriage were still there, albeit now covered in dirt and partially buried by the ever-spreading roots of the new growth.


    ¡°This is the spot closest to the monument Midhir saw.¡± Alistair¡¯s voice was cold and formal. He avoided meeting Lord Aulorn¡¯s gaze, instead staring directly to the forest.


    ¡°Let us not waste any time.¡± Lord Aulorn dismounted the black stallion he was riding, and everyone else quickly followed.


    While the horses galloped back to Bareon as they were trained to do, the group entered the forest following Lord Aulorn. The air grew heavy, and the already barely visible sunlight vanished entirely, unable to penetrate the thick forest canopy.


    The ground was uneven, covered in roots. They could hardly see more than a few steps ahead, yet Alistair led them through the forest with little hesitation, only pausing occasionally to check the barks of certain trees.


    They soon passed from the new growth to the old growth where a serene blue light illuminated the mist laden forest. Birds and small critters watched them pass by from the branches above with caution. Ignoring the gazes on them, they continued to march on in wary silence.


    ¡°Stop!¡± Cait¡¯s sharp whisper stopped them in their tracks. They looked behind them, as she was guarding the rear, only to see her point at the ground.


    Under the layer of intertwined roots covered in dead leaves and dirt, a dark crimson colour was faintly visible. Midhir crouched, pushed the leaves and dirt aside, and pulled the smaller roots away from it. He knew what it was before he even touched it. As his fingers brushed against it, a pain struck his left eye.


    ¡°It¡¯s spread so far already,¡± he whispered, raising his gaze to meet Alistair¡¯s. ¡°We must hurry.¡±

 Chapter 95 – The Watcher’s Gaze (2)

    The further they went, the more chalk-roots replaced the twirling and twisting roots of the Old Growth. The ground turned from a natural brown to dirtied crimson, as if the whole forest floor was dyed in blood.


    In a way, it was. Midhir clenched his fist. Perhaps none of this would have happened had he not been so careless.


    Wiping the blood off his face, he clicked his tongue. He needed to be more careful this time. The Old One had shown him two visions ¨C without proper context, it was difficult to ascertain their true meaning.


    ¡°We¡¯re almost there,¡± Alistair¡¯s words pulled him out of his thoughts.


    Lord Aulorn nodded silently, summoning his sword and loosely grasping its hilt. Cait did the same, her shortsword appeared in her hands, which she comfortably carried with her. Alistair¡¯s spear was already in his hand, and so was Arwen¡¯s staff.


    Midhir reached for his earring, summoning the sword-spear from the holding gem. He grasped its haft with both hands before moving forward.


    The ground was now fully covered in crimson chalk roots, with not a single tree root visible underneath. It took effort to walk silently as their heels clicked. And the few dead leaves they stepped on crumpled loudly.


    Only moments later, they arrived at the edge of the opening.


    The monument towered above them, seemingly trying to reach for the skies. Looking up at it, the weird shape once again hurt Midhir¡¯s eyes. His mind refused to comprehend it, as if it didn¡¯t¡¯ belong here.


    Around the monument a camp had been set up, taking up most of the opening in the Old Growth. Tents of various sizes had been put up, campfires were lit at various spots, and there was quite the crowd gathered there.


    They all wore the same clothes as the cultists, they carried the same insignia ¨C the twelve part serpent.


    ¡°Descendants of the alchemists of old, no doubt.¡± Lord Aulorn¡¯s voice was but a whisper, filled with seething hatred. ¡°Blasphemous people, with despicable greed for eternal life.¡± He tightened his grasp on the hilt of his sword. ¡°Which one was the figure dyed red?¡± he asked, glancing at Midhir.


    He felt cold sweat run down his back. He couldn¡¯t tell. He had only seen a silhouette ¨C a single red one amongst many forgettable ones. Was it their leader? Or perhaps another sacrifice? Was it a spy hidden amongst the cultists? There were countless possibilities, and the Old One had provided no context. He wasn¡¯t even sure whether following the visions was the right choice.


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    ¡°I can¡¯t tell,¡± he finally said. They all looked the same to him ¨C wearing the same clothes, carrying the same insignia, similar weapons¡­ None of the cultists stood out to him. ¡°I don¡¯t have much to go on with,¡± he admitted.


    Lord Aulorn nodded curtly. ¡°In that case, we shall begin. You three wait here ¨C watch for any who try to escape and stop them. Cait and I will take care of this place.¡± He stepped forward, with Cait in tow, brandishing his weapon as he walked into the sunlight.


    ¡°In the name of her Majesty the Empress, I command thee, surrender!¡± His voice boomed, echoing in the forest.


    The startled cultists hurriedly grabbed their weapons, rushing to group up, standing between the enforcers and the monument. Their faces twisted with confusion, fear, and uncertainty, their gazes switched between Lord Aulorn, the monument, and each other.


    They were already prepared to run.


    That fear turned into horror as the crowd split in two, making way for a tall woman, and a man wearing a metal helmet hiding his face.


    Midhir¡¯s chest tightened ¨C he had seen that woman before. She was the one who had her men chase them all the way back to Bareon. The man next to her looked rather comical next to her, carrying no weapons, but wearing that ridiculous helmet with an over-the-top feather attached to it.


    ¡°In the name of the Old Gods, I refuse!¡± The woman¡¯s voice rang in the air. ¡°Go back to your Empress ¨C she has no authority over the woods of our deities!¡± She waved her hand dismissively. ¡°We are watched by Them. Protected by Them. Try as you may, Enforcer of the Empress, you have no power here!¡± She raised her chin with pride and confidence.


    ¡°Then your lives are forfeit.¡± Lord Aulorn raised his sword in front of his chest, saluting his opponents. ¡°May your gods watch over your souls.¡± With a final prayer, he swung his blade in a wide arc.


    His sword burst into flames mid swing, sending a wave of fire towards the panicking crowd. He followed the flames with immense speed, striking at the woman.


    Her whip cracked, and a powerful wind threw the Lord Enforcer back moments before his sword could touch her. The winds picked up, scattering the flames.


    ¡°Your powers mean naught to me!¡± She shouted at the top of her lungs, her eyes glimmering with a maniacal flame. She cracked her whip once more, sending sparks flying as the ground exploded, forcing Cait to leap back.


    The younger enforcer slid back, landing on her feet, and wiped a bead of sweat off her forehead. Her grip on her sword¡¯s hilt tightened as one of the gems embedded into its blade started to glow golden.


    ¡°Your Gods will not protect you, give up!¡± Lord Aulorn shouted, brandishing his sword with flowing water. He pointed towards her feet.


    The sound of breaking branches and twisting logs sounded from afar. Not a moment later, a wave crashed out of the forest, rolling towards the crowd of cultists who were still standing there, weapons in hand and faces twisted with fear.


    ¡°I am their priestess!¡± She shouted, hitting the ground with her heel. The earth rumbled, and the crimson chalk-roots came to life, crawling up on the path of the wave, weaving an impassable wall. The wave crashed against it, ending the Lord Enforcer¡¯s resonance.


    Midhir drew a sharp breath as he watched wide eyed. She could control the chalk-roots. As the reality of the situation sank in, a lump formed in his chest. They didn¡¯t stand a chance against her. She had the power of the Old Faith under her command.


    There was no one to rival her here ¨C not while she commanded the power of the gods.


    Clothes rustled behind him as Arwen stepped forth, her staff in hand, and her eyes burning bright with decisiveness and confidence.

 Chapter 96 – The Watcher’s Gaze (3)

    ¡°You are a pretender!¡± Her voice echoed, filled with anger and determination. ¡°A charlatan, who would rather see the world end than lose what little power you hold!¡± Grasping the haft of her staff, she raised it high up. Her voice rang clearly. ¡°I deny your Authority! You have no power here, false prophet!¡±


    She struck the ground with the haft of her staff. Golden light spread out from its crystal, spilling into the air like a bucket of ink through water.


    The priestess visibly flinched. Partially covering her eyes, she looked at Arwen, and the bright light spreading throughout the air. Her eyes widened for a split second before her expression twisted with hatred. ¡°A fledgling witch dares defy my authority?¡± She spat with disgust. ¡°I am beyond your mortal understanding!¡± She raised her hand, pointing at Arwen.


    Midhir¡¯s body moved before his thoughts caught up with what had been happening. He leapt forward, tackling Arwen. Crimson chalk roots burst out of the ground, sharp as a blade, cutting through the air where Arwen was standing a moment ago.


    Midhir rolled aside, quickly getting up on one knee as he reached for his earring. Reality twisted, and the gold embossed wooden stake appeared in his palm.


    Arwen caught his wrist before he could strike the ground with it. As he shot her a puzzled glance, she wiped the blood coming from his eye, then pressed her palm against the chalk roots below them. Her eyes closed, she whispered something before reaching for her staff, and using it to help herself back up.


    ¡°I offer blood to the Great One ¨C blood used to awaken it!¡± Her voice rang loud and clear.


    ¡°No!¡± Lord Aulorn¡¯s shout sounded from afar.


    His heart raced; adrenaline rushed through his veins. The world grew vibrant, sounds became clearer, and scents became stronger. He could see the twisted expression of the false priestess, the fear in the eyes of her men. He could hear the panic in Lord Aulorn¡¯s voice.


    His eye throbbed with dull pain that slowly began to subside as he pushed himself back up on his feet, holding the sword spear with one hand. He looked at Lord Aulorn ¨C his fear and concern was well hidden behind a fa?ade of anger, but Midhir could see it in his eyes. Their gazes met. He raised his chin, letting the stake vanish into his earring as he tilted his head towards the false priestess.


    End Them.


    ¡°Now!¡± Arwen¡¯s shout startled the Lord Enforcer and Cait.


    ¡°Witch! I know your ways!¡± The false priestess¡¯ scream was one of desperation as she brandished her whip. ¡°I bested your kind before, I will do so again ¨C with or without the help of the gods!¡±


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    A shadow flew through the air as the whip cracked, striking the ground between Arwen and the false priestess. Water burst from where it struck, creating a wall between the two of them. ¡°Do what you must, Arwen!¡± Alistair hissed through gritted teeth. His gaze was fixed on the spear he had just thrown as he tried to maintain the resonance from afar.


    Not a moment later, screams sounded. Flashes of crimson and gold lit up the wall of water as it began to dissipate. A crimson blade cut through the water, ending Alistair¡¯s resonance, and revealing the battle that had begun on the other side.


    Lord Aulorn stood tall before the crowd of cultists and their false priestess. His blade was wreathed in fire, serpents made of water circled him, and the wind carried him forth as he raised his blade.


    Cait was quite some distance behind him, standing over a smaller group of cultists. Blood flowed on the ground, it dripped from her gold wreathed blades, and from her soaked clothes. She wiped it from her cheeks with the back of her hand while her blank gaze turned towards the rest of the cultists.


    Her cold, undisturbed gaze sent a shudder down his spine. He watched as she bent her knees. Her body glowed golden for a split second before she moved faster than any human should. In an instant, she appeared in front of the false priestess.


    The false priestess¡¯ eyes widened in shock. ¡°No-¡° Her voice cut out as Cait¡¯s knife found her throat, cutting it without even a split second of hesitation. Blood gushed out, spilling on the chalk-root covered ground.


    Screams filled the air as Lord Aulorn¡¯s blade cut through the remaining ones. The metallic scent of blood mixed with that of burned flesh and hair. What seemed like an impossible battle had ended in less than a few minutes.


    As the last of the cultists fell, Lord Aulorn allowed his blade to disappear. ¡°May your gods watch over your souls.¡± He breathed out in a prayer.


    It smelled awful. Like a battlefield should. He stepped forward, suppressing his disgust and horror, and walked up to the bodies scattered on the ground. ¡°He¡¯s not here.¡± He softly spoke after looking at each of them. He wasn¡¯t sure how he knew it, but the one he saw in red wasn¡¯t here.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Cait asked with narrowed eyes.


    Midhir nodded as his gaze was pulled towards the towering monument. ¡°Yes, he¡¯s not here.¡± He stepped around the bodies and walked up to the monument. Standing right in front of it, it seemed even larger and more intimidating than before.


    Hesitantly, he touched it.


    It felt like his mind stretched. He was aware of the monument, of the chalk roots spreading from it. They reached so far, covering so much ground. He could feel them spreading towards Bareon, towards the other monuments¡­ They reached down below, deep underground, and its branch-like top reached high up to the sky.


    He felt something familiar, then his mind snapped away from the monument as he fell down. His senses returned to just in time for him to feel the pain of his back hitting the chalk roots. He blinked once as his mind tried to adjust to being only contained in his own body.


    His vision finally focused, allowing him to make sense of what he was looking at.


    Arwen was standing over him, her arms folded, and her brows furrowed. ¡°Only madness awaits there. The Old Gods are far beyond what our minds can ever hope to comprehend.¡±


    </a>

 Chapter 97 – The Watcher’s Gaze (4)

    Searching what remained of the cultists camp provided little enlightenment on their goals, or their next target. There was nothing written down, no maps to scour¡­


    Midhir couldn¡¯t help but feel a little annoyed at Lord Aulorn and Cait. They didn¡¯t need to kill the leader of the cultists ¨C they could have easily taken her alive. Her knowledge would have been invaluable, had she chosen to share it. And if she didn¡¯t¡­ He didn¡¯t really want to think too hard about that ¨C surely the enforcers had their ways, however unpleasant they may be.


    With the bodies collected and stuffed into a holding gem to be identified later, the small group was soon ready to move out.


    ¡°You mentioned one more monument.¡± Lord Aulorn softly spoke while Arwen and Alistair helped Cait check the holding gems they collected from the cultists. ¡°Should we head there as well?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Midhir shook his head. ¡°We need to locate the one that escaped.¡±


    ¡°The one with the helmet.¡± Lord Aulorn confirmed. ¡°I¡¯m afraid neither me nor Cait are Scryers. We can¡¯t track him down.¡± He folded his arms and let out a rather annoyed sigh. ¡°He¡¯s a threat that must be eliminated.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d suggest capturing rather than killing,¡± Midhir dryly replied. ¡°I understand you worried about the false priestess¡¯ power, but killing her lost us a lot of information, Lord Enforcer.¡±


    Lord Aulorn narrowed his eyes. ¡°She wouldn¡¯t have spoken anyways ¨C her mind was lost to the Old Faith. You can¡¯t break an already broken mind. You just put it out of its misery.¡± He scowled. ¡°No human should suffer like that. I agree with your classmate ¨C only insanity awaits beyond that border.¡±


    With that said, the Lord Enforcer left him to stand there as he walked up to the others. His words lingered in Midhir¡¯s mind ¨C was it better to just¡­ kill someone? The thought alone sent shivers down his spine. He absentmindedly rubbed his left eye. At what point was death the better option?


    While he watched the four of them prepare to return to Bareon, a disturbing thought surfaced. Was he beyond that line? Had he crossed that border? Was Lord Aulorn one day going to raise his blade against him with the intention to kill?


    ¡°Midhir!¡± Alistair shouted. ¡°Come on, we¡¯re leaving.¡±


    With mortal thoughts occupying his mind, he followed them into the old growth.


    It was nearly dusk by the time they returned to Bareon. The city gates were only partially open and were quickly closed after they entered.


    While most of the guards seemed indifferent to the enforcers, some made sure to steer clear of them. ¡°Lord Enforcer!¡± A clear voice rang in the air, surprising them. Captain Rianne stepped forth from the ranks of her men and bowed before raising her head and looking Lord Aulorn directly in the eyes. ¡°We are thankful for your aid. Allow me to escort you back to Lord Orlein¡¯s mansion.¡± She then bowed towards Alistair as well. Her gaze turned cold, and her expression stiffened as she glanced at Midhir.


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    ¡°Your offer is appreciated, but not needed.¡± Lord Aulorn curtly replied, walking past her without sparing a second thought. ¡°Lord Alistair, I won¡¯t be visiting the mansion just yet ¨C Cait and young miss Maloid should accompany you to report to your father. Young man,¡± he glanced at Midhir over his shoulder. ¡°With me.¡±


    ¡°As you wish, my Lord.¡± Alistair quickly bowed his head before leading Cait and Arwen towards the Orlein Mansion.


    Midhir followed Lord Aulorn, well aware of the conversation that was to come. As they scaled the stairs leading up the walls, footsteps sounded behind them.


    ¡°My Lord!¡± Captain Rianne¡¯s voice echoed across the silent wall. ¡°I request a moment to speak with you ¨C it concerns the safety of Bareon.¡± Her fiery gaze landed on Midhir. Her lips formed a pale, thin line as her brows furrowed, and her hands clenched into fists, partially hidden under her fluttering cloak.


    Lord Aulorn didn¡¯t speak until he reached the top of the wall surrounding the City of Roses. He turned his back to the sunset, his cold gaze met that of Captain Rianne¡¯s. ¡°I¡¯m listening.¡± His voice was cold as ice.


    ¡°Privately,¡± she added, shooting Midhir a meaningful glance.


    ¡°No.¡± Lord Aulorn scowled. ¡°You may speak freely in front of your Lord¡¯s classmate and trusted friend-¡°


    Midhir raised his hand ever so slightly, cutting him off with a soft voice. ¡°I¡¯ll excuse myself, Lord Enforcer. Captain,¡± he bowed his head ever so slightly. Too slightly, for a student should have shown much more respect to a noble of an honourable lineage like Captain Rianne. But not so for another noble. He walked past them, along the wall surrounding Bareon. He could feel her wrathful gaze on his back as he walked away.


    Only when he was far enough away did he let his shoulders drop and leaned on the crenels of the battlements. The overgrowth stretched as far as the eye could see, occasionally giving way to a monument here, or a rock formation there. Its spread was frighteningly fast. He remembered how it looked from the window of his room in An¡¯Larion when he was but a child ¨C it was never quite this dense. The canopy used to let the sunlight through, and it wasn¡¯t so frightening at night.


    Back then, they didn¡¯t need airships to travel at night. Back then, small towns like Lohssa hadn¡¯t been cut off from civilization just yet.


    If things didn¡¯t change soon, there would be no Eldoria left in a century. Even Calador would slowly begin to suffer from the overgrowth ¨C if it somehow survived the current events it was suffering from now.


    He raised his gaze towards the sky. The last rays of sunlight had begun to disappear. Soon, Bareon¡¯s war against the new growth was going to begin.


    ¡°Here you are.¡±


    Lord Aulorn¡¯s voice startled him. ¡°Lord Enforcer.¡± He awkwardly chuckled. ¡°I was lost in thought.¡±


    The Enforcer¡¯s lips curled up for a split second before the cold and serious expression he was carrying returned. ¡°I must ask something of you, your majesty.¡±


    Midhir shot him an annoyed glance. ¡°Don¡¯t call me that-¡°


    ¡°I do because I call forth your duty to uphold.¡± Lord Aulorn¡¯s gaze turned towards Bareon for a short moment before he looked at Midhir again. ¡°So your fear doesn¡¯t compel you to refuse.¡±


    His chest tightened. ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°So far, the Great One called you to its realm whenever it pleased.¡± His voice was grim. ¡°Now you must enter that realm willingly ¨C to find out about the silhouette, and the tear you saw before.¡±

 Chapter 98 – The Watcher’s Gaze (5)

    Watching the nightfall, Midhir was silent as thoughts whirled in his mind.


    ¡°Your Majesty?¡± Lord Aulorn¡¯s pressed the issue.


    ¡°Don¡¯t call me that,¡± he waved his hand dismissively. Even if he tried what the Lord Enforcer asked him to, he didn¡¯t know where to begin. And if it somehow worked, how was he supposed to demand one of the Old Ones to just answer his questions?


    The image of that gigantic eye was seared into his mind. He couldn¡¯t just go to its realm and demand answers.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I can,¡± he finally said. ¡°What I saw when it pulled me to its realm¡­¡± his voice faded as a shiver he couldn¡¯t stop came over him. He hugged his cloak tightly and shut his eyes for a moment. ¡°It¡¯s beyond my comprehension. Our lives mean nothing to it, we¡¯re like dust in the wind, here one moment, gone the next.¡± His voice shook ever so slightly.


    ¡°If we don¡¯t find the terrorist who escaped, and your vision comes true, then too many lives will be lost, and these lands will be forever lost to us. This won¡¯t just affect Eldoria, your-¡° he stopped himself. ¡°¡­Midhir,¡± he corrected his words. ¡°It¡¯s going to spread across the whole continent, until nothing but golden sands and the Old Growth is left.¡±


    The ashen battlefield he saw came to min. He bit his lips before asking the question that had been bothering him for the past day or so. ¡°What if the Old God wants that to happen?¡± He asked, raising his gaze to meet the Lord Enforcer¡¯s. ¡°What if I¡¯m just a pawn to bring the end of it all?¡±


    Lord Aulorn¡¯s brows furrowed. He pressed his lips together, forming a thin line. His jaw was tight as he pondered for a while.


    ¡°That¡¯s what I thought.¡± Midhir let out a sigh. ¡°We can¡¯t trust the Old Gods. It¡¯s their awakening that started this whole crisis. Find your scryer, Lord Aulorn, find the terrorist and stop him before he tries to awaken the other Great Ones.¡± His gaze lingered on the Old Growth. ¡°Inform my mother of what transpired here.¡±


    Lord Aulorn seemed hesitant before he finally nodded. He didn¡¯t seem pleased with Midhir¡¯s answer ¨C naturally so. Had he been able to leverage his connection with this Old God, and somehow learned where the escaped cultist was going, the enforcers¡¯ job would have become quite a bit simpler.


    The restless night came to an end as the first light of dawn woke him up from disturbing nightmares. He climbed out of bed, stumbled into the bathroom, and let the warm water wash away some of the soreness in his body.


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    Coming out of his room, he couldn¡¯t help but notice the charged silence in the mansion. The servants were rushing about quietly, not pausing to even say good morning. Their expressions were dark and their jaws tight.


    With a scowl, he hastened his steps as he made his way towards the dining hall. Something must have happened while he was asleep.


    As he opened the doors, he came face to face with Willow who was just about to leave the dining hall. ¡°Midhir!¡± She exclaimed, putting her hand on her heart as she gasped. Startled, she awkwardly chuckled. ¡°You scared me,¡± she stepped back, letting him through.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± Midhir let the doors close behind him. ¡°Did something happen? Everyone seems on edge.¡±


    Willow¡¯s expression darkened instantly. ¡°You could say that.¡± She turned around, leading him to the table filled to the brim with plates of cheese, bread, fruits and the like. Aside from the food, there was also a folded newspaper near one of the corners.


    Willow snatched the paper, unfolded it and turned it towards Midhir.


    ¡®Civil War ¨C Calador in flames as the two factions clash in the capital¡¯


    Midhir felt his heart sink. Blood drained from his face as he read on. ¡°The royal family is missing?¡± he breathed out in shock. ¡°There is fighting all over the kingdom?¡± It was difficult to believe. It was too fast, it all happened too suddenly. Sure, there had always been some back and forth between the noble and commoner factions, but all-out war? At a time like this, when Eldoria was struggling with the tears, and the desert was spreading? Even most of the smaller countries had stopped their infighting.


    It was no wonder everyone looked so worried and on edge. Instability in the largest nation on this side of the continent was going to affect everything.


    ¡°I saw dad,¡± Willow spoke with a gentler voice as she put the paper back down. ¡°We didn¡¯t speak much ¨C he had to leave early. I think I understand though ¨C why he kept it a secret.¡±


    Midhir forced a smile. ¡°I see.¡± His mind remained on the grim news.


    ¡°Lonan left with dad and Lady Cait. Apparently the other two enforcers will remain here for a while.¡± Willow let out a sigh. ¡°Alistair said that we¡¯ll be leaving in a few hours as well. Apparently, our airship arrived sometime last night.¡± She scowled. ¡°He seemed a little shaken up. What happened out there yesterday?¡±


    Midhir¡¯s jaw tightened. ¡°The Enforcers took care of the cultists. One of them escaped, but they¡¯ll find him soon.¡± The scent of blood mixed with burnt flesh was still fresh in his mind. He couldn¡¯t forget the piled up dead bodies even if he wanted to. ¡°I think Bareon will be safe from them for a while.¡±


    Willow nodded. ¡°That¡¯s good to hear.¡± She averted her gaze. ¡°I should have come with you.¡±


    ¡°No. I think it was better that you stayed here,¡± he quickly said, shaking his head. ¡°It wasn¡¯t a pleasant sight.¡±


    Golden sands spread as far as the eye could see. The sky itself seemed to be aflame above the ancient desert. There was no life in those sands, nothing could survive that unnatural heat.


    In the distance, a bell tolled.


    The witch who called herself Circe turned east. ¡°It¡¯s begun then.¡± Her voice was but a whisper. ¡°You won¡¯t get away with this, old man.¡±

 Chapter 99 – Consequences (1)

    Midhir watched the lands below from the open deck of the airship. The Old Growth spread as far as the eye could see, taking up much of Eldoria¡¯s once fertile farmlands. His expression soured as his gaze scoured the forest. The cultist wearing that helmet had escaped, and he was clearly safe in the Old Growth at night. There was no telling which way he had escaped.


    ¡°He could hide there forever¡­¡± he muttered to himself.


    ¡°Indeed.¡±


    Alistair¡¯s voice startled him. His head jerked to the left, and his gaze landed on the young noble looking quite defeated.


    ¡°Did I startle you?¡± He asked with a wry smile. ¡°My apologies.¡± He waved his hand downward aimlessly. ¡°I feel our work was not done yet. We shouldn¡¯t have returned so quickly.¡± He scowled and furrowed his brows. ¡°Don¡¯t you agree?¡±


    Midhir hesitated. ¡°No, I don¡¯t.¡± He finally said, drawing a surprised gaze from his classmate. ¡°The Enforcers killed nearly all of the cultists, and two of them are stationed in Bareon for the foreseeable future. All that remains is pushing back the New Growth and waiting for the escaped cultist to surface somewhere else.¡± He shrugged. ¡°Our time is better spent elsewhere, learning.¡±


    Alistair pressed his lips together, forming a thin line. He didn¡¯t seem content with his answer. He let out a deep, troubled sigh, then stepped back from the railing. ¡°Clearly, my father agrees.¡± He curtly said before heading back down to the lower decks.


    Midhir waited for him to leave before dropping his fake smile. He could see why the young noble wanted to stay in Bareon ¨C it was his home, after all, and his future hold. In a way, it was his responsibility to keep the city and its people safe. But it was also his responsibility to grow and learn, so he could be a good leader.


    As things were now, Alistair was too emotional and too indecisive to rule.


    Footsteps sounded behind him. ¡°He seemed unhappy,¡± Arwen softly spoke as she walked up, then leaned on the railing. Her golden hair glimmered under the bright sunlight.


    ¡°Bareon is his home.¡± Midhir shrugged. His gaze remained fixed on her. An unpleasant feeling tugged at his thoughts, demanding attention. He wanted to push it away, but he didn¡¯t.


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    Arwen nodded with a faint smile on her lips. ¡°It¡¯s a beautiful city ¨C hard to imagine it was once lost to a tear in the veil.¡± She paused for a moment before lowering her voice. ¡°And to think something similar could have happened had we not intervened.¡±


    Midhir¡¯s brows furrowed. ¡°Indeed,¡± he spoke, trying to keep his voice neutral. ¡°Isn¡¯t it very lucky that we found the underground temple, and then the altar down there below the inverted lake?¡± He asked, watching her expression as he spoke. ¡°And Lonan was so adamantly against using the altar too. It¡¯s a good thing you knew more about it than he did.¡±


    Arwen chuckled, her eyelids fluttered as she brushed a few strands of hair aside. ¡°I¡¯m just glad we got out of there in one piece.¡±


    Midhir narrowed his gaze. ¡°I¡¯m glad too.¡±


    Arwen¡¯s smile vanished suddenly as she turned to look at him. ¡°I wanted to apologise.¡± She said with a clear voice. ¡°When the enforcers faced the false priestess and her men, I used your blood to get her powers to wane. I didn¡¯t ask you ¨C and I didn¡¯t think of the consequences.¡±


    Midhir felt a pit form in his stomach. ¡°What do you mean, what consequences?¡± he asked with a dreadful voice.


    Arwen seemed apologetic as she shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± She quietly said before drawing a sharp breath. ¡°She had Authority on the chalk roots. The area around that monument had become her domain ¨C or rather, the domain of the Old Faith. Since she acted as the priestess, it followed her commands.¡± She gulped before continuing to explain. ¡°Since your blood was used to try and awaken the Old God, I thought maybe your Authority would outrank hers. A promise of another sacrifice would probably be more important to the Old God than some priestess.¡±


    Midhir raised his hand to stop her. ¡°Wait ¨C a promise of another sacrifice?¡± He asked with a wary voice. ¡°All you did was use a little bit of my blood. There was no sacrifice made.¡±


    Arwen pressed her lips together. ¡°¡­ that is what may have some consequences.¡±


    Midhir pressed his hand against his forehead as he took a few steps back. ¡°Oh, gods¡­¡± he whispered without thinking. ¡°As if I wasn¡¯t dealing with enough¡­¡± He leaned his back against the ship¡¯s mast and closed his eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± Arwen rushed after him. ¡°It was either that or letting her kill the enforcers and probably drain your blood dry once she figured out who you were.¡±


    ¡°You know a lot about the Old Faith.¡± He said after a few moments of silence. ¡°A lot more than the historian who dedicated his life to learning about it.¡± He opened his eyes to see Arwen¡¯s worried expression. ¡°What will those consequences be?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know-¡°


    ¡°Guess!¡± He pleaded. ¡°You should have some ideas about it, right?¡±


    Arwen sheepishly nodded. ¡°I think I do,¡± she admitted. ¡°It may simply want more of your blood ¨C that¡¯s the best possibility anyways.¡±


    Midhir scowled. ¡°What¡¯s the worse one?¡±


    Arwen pressed her lips together, clearly conflicted on whether she should speak her mind or not.


    ¡°Arwen?¡± he pressed. ¡°What¡¯s the other possibility?¡±


    The young woman took a deep breath. ¡°Some legends speak of people offering the Great Ones part of their flesh.¡± She fiddled with her hair. ¡°Others speak of people who offer a part of their soul.¡±

 Chapter 100 – Consequences (2)

    Standing at the top of one of the castle¡¯s towers, Midhir watched the calm lake below. They had returned to the academy about a week ago, only to find most of their upperclassmen summoned for duty. The castle was quiet and empty, giving one plenty of time and opportunity to dwell on unpleasant thoughts.


    He let out a deep sigh and brushed his messy hair back. He had been meaning to cut it short but kept putting it off. The length of his hair didn¡¯t seem particularly important in the grand scheme of things.


    His gaze turned east. Somewhere beyond the mountains, and forests was Calador. The kingdom had been thrust into conflict ¨C civil war was tearing it apart, and the death toll kept rising. Refugees had already begun to seek asylum in Eldoria, since this was the only country they could escape to. Unless they tried their chances with the golden desert.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be preparing for your exams?¡± The gentle voice of instructor Theodore startled him.


    ¡°I needed some air,¡± he awkwardly chuckled. ¡°The library is a bit dusty, you know.¡± He averted his gaze as the instructor approached with a chuckle.


    ¡°It sure is.¡± He leaned on the embrasures. ¡°I read the reports you wrote, by the way.¡± His voice grew colder. ¡°Your class went through quite a lot, and from the looks of it, you saved Bareon from repeating history.¡±


    Midhir shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know about that¡­¡± he softly spoke. ¡°The enforcers took care of the cultists, and they protected the city. I think some stayed behind to help fight off the new growth.¡± It was the Castor brothers who stayed behind, though a mere student wasn¡¯t supposed to know those details.


    ¡°Ah right,¡± Instructor Theodore nodded. ¡°The enforcers protected the city.¡± He smirked. ¡°I¡¯m glad her Majesty the Empress was convinced to send them there, considering the state of the Olisar province.¡±


    Midhir narrowed his eyes. ¡°What¡¯s going on in Olisar?¡± He had heard a few things ¨C what Cait told him, and a single letter he received from principal Moira. It wasn¡¯t enough though ¨C it didn¡¯t give him the full picture of what was really happening there.


    ¡°I¡¯m not entirely in the know myself.¡± Instructor Theodore shrugged. ¡°I do have a wild guess though ¨C perhaps history isn¡¯t just trying to repeat itself in Bareon. Perhaps Olisar is also going through events it already went through all those decades ago.¡± There wasn¡¯t a hint of worry in his voice.


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    Midhir scowled. ¡°That would be¡­¡± he paused. ¡°I don¡¯t think there are enough Enforcers to stop that.¡±


    Instructor Theodore laughed. ¡°No, no there aren¡¯t.¡± His lips curled up with a smile. ¡°But don¡¯t count us out yet ¨C Eldoria doesn¡¯t just have the enforcers.¡± He stepped away from the embrasures, then stretched his arms. ¡°Well, I¡¯ve got a class to teach ¨C don¡¯t neglect your studies!¡±


    Wither


    The word echoed in his mind, startling him. His eyes shot wide open, only to reveal an endless darkness, and the beautiful and terrifying eye that seemingly peered into his soul.


    ¡°Not again¡­¡± he whispered through gritted teeth. He had enough of this. He struggled to break free, but the tendrils held him in place, wrapped around his limbs and his torso. He couldn¡¯t move even if he wanted to. ¡°What do you want from me?¡± He shouted at the top of his lungs, only to hear deafening silence in return.


    ¡°Answer me!¡±


    The eye moved ever so slightly. Or rather, perhaps it was Midhir that was moved closer to it. It grew closer, until it was all that he could see. His heart raced, beating as if it was trying to escape his chest. His throat was dry, and breathing took effort.


    The eye watched him, unblinking.


    Just looking at it hurt his eyes ¨C his mind. It always felt like he wasn¡¯t seeing it all. Like he couldn¡¯t comprehend it.


    ¡°What do you want from me?¡± He shouted again, unable to hide the desperation in his voice.


    A sharp pain struck his eyes, and his vision shifted.


    A woman walked down a marble hallway. She wore nothing but a white, partially opaque nightgown. Her bare feet made no sound as she stepped through a door, into a large, round chamber. Her black hair cascaded behind her back, reaching all the way down to her knees.


    She walked to the centre of the chamber and raised her hand in front of her face. For a split second, he saw a glimmer of blue in her eyes. Her lips parted with a half-smile before she bit into her own wrist.


    Red drops of blood spilled on the floor, and a blue light illuminated the room.


    His eyes shot wide open again as the sharp, searing pain subsided. He once again was looking at the colourful eye.


    Breathing heavily, he gulped. His mind raced ¨C what was that? It looked so vivid, so clear. It wasn¡¯t like any other visions the Old One had shown him so far.


    ¡°She tore the veil apart, didn¡¯t she?¡± He asked, though he felt like he already knew the answer.


    Wither


    Once again, the word echoed in his mind, pausing his thoughts forcefully.


    ¡°What is withering?¡± He shouted. ¡°I don¡¯t understand, you need to tell me clearly!¡± He only paused to take a deep breath before shouting again. ¡°Please, none of this makes any sense!¡±


    WITHER


    His eyes shot wide open again, this time to the ceiling of his small, uncomfortable room.

 Chapter 101 – A Dark Horizon (1)

    Their days were busy, filled with practice, studying, then more practice. Once dusk arrived, everyone but Midhir was free to do as they pleased, but he then had more practice to attend.


    Standing on the petite instructor¡¯s balcony, facing the strong winds blowing against him, he tried to keep a small flame at the tip of a dagger lit. The wind fought him, and so did his whirling emotions. His thoughts refused to clear, his mind refused to focus.


    The flame blinked in and out of existence, causing Instructor Caarda to purse her lips in disappointment. ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± she shook her head with a sigh. ¡°We¡¯re just wasting our time at this point ¨C you aren¡¯t even trying, young Induen.¡±


    With a gasp, he let go of the thread of power. The small flame vanished immediately as the glow of the crystal faded away. ¡°I¡¯m trying,¡± he wiped the bead of sweat off his forehead. ¡°I¡¯m just¡­ having some trouble.¡± His learning had just hit a wall ¨C no matter how much he tried, he simply couldn¡¯t get past it. He still was unable to control the flow of power fully.


    The instructor winced as she stood up from her rocking chair. With small steps, and leaning on her cane fully for support, she walked up to him. Her sharp gaze met his. ¡°You¡¯re not focusing.¡± She stated coldly. ¡°What could be more important to you than this?¡± Her eyes narrowed with suspicion. ¡°You must learn to control your power ¨C control your mind. You can¡¯t let emotions cloud your judgement.¡±


    Midhir averted his gaze. ¡°I know, Instructor.¡± He bit his lips. ¡°I¡¯ll do better.¡±


    ¡°Again!¡± Instructor Soraya¡¯s shout marked the beginning of another duel. Alistair¡¯s spear struck hard and true. He tried to defend against the strikes, but he couldn¡¯t quite follow them ¨C he retreated, until his back was against the wall, and he was out of breath. His hands shook, and his knees barely kept him standing.


    ¡°Enough!¡± Instructor Soraya shouted. ¡°Midhir! What in the Daughter and the Sun¡¯s name are you doing?¡± She marched towards them with a disappointed look in her eyes. ¡°Alistair, go spar with Willow. And you ¨C with me,¡± she pointed at Midhir, then marched off towards the edge of the lake.


    With a sigh, he followed her, preparing for what¡¯s to come.


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    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± She asked as soon as he reached her. ¡°You beat Alistair every single time, and now you can¡¯t even stand your ground for more than a dozen breaths?¡± Her eyes were filled with a fire ¨C was it anger?


    ¡°I¡¯m still getting used to the new sword-¡° he began to speak, but she cut him off with a wave of her hand.


    ¡°Keep your excuses to yourself, Induen,¡± she spat. ¡°You¡¯re distracted, your mind is elsewhere.¡± She furrowed her brows, and glared at him. ¡°If you keep this up, you¡¯ll die on the battlefield ¨C and it will be a pitiful death.¡±


    Pressing his lips together, he remained silent. What was there to say?


    ¡°Do better.¡± She barked before turning around and marching off to watch Alistair and Willow¡¯s duel.


    Sitting on his bed, he rested his head against his palms. His instructors¡¯ words were still fresh in his mind. He had to do better. He needed to be a better swordsman, he needed to be a better crystal manipulator, he needed to learn more about Eldoria¡¯s history, he needed to study Calador¡¯s situation, and learn more about how the civil war started¡­


    With a sigh, he collapsed on his side and pulled the covers over his neck. He needed to find the woman in white. He needed to figure out what the Great One was asking of him.


    There was so much that needed to be done, and he had no idea where to start. He was drowning, with no shore in sight. The weight of everything had started to come crashing down, and he didn¡¯t know how to stop it.


    His eyelids grew heavy, and his consciousness began to drift away.


    Wither


    The woman wearing a white nightgown walked down the marble hallway. Her bare feet made no sound as she stepped into a large chamber. With her silky black hair cascading behind her back, she walked to the centre of the room, raised her arm in front of face, and bit into her wrist.


    The short vision repeated itself, over and over again. The word ¡®wither¡¯ echoing in his mind until he finally rose from his restless slumber.


    Feeling even more exhausted than the day before, he prepared to leave his room. His steps were sluggish, and his thoughts preoccupied with the vivid, disturbing vision.


    Watching the two armies march towards each other, she pursed her lips and folded her arms. Calador was aflame, and that damned old man was nowhere to be found. The death toll kept rising, and all she could do was to watch from the other side of this damned desert, just waiting for the second bell to toll.


    ¡°It¡¯s not good, my girl.¡± She finally spoke after a long stretch of silence. ¡°The war won¡¯t end any time soon. You should prepare ¨C this won¡¯t be contained in just Calador.¡±


    The young woman on the other side of the sending mirror scowled. ¡°It¡¯s not good here either.¡± She said with a desperate voice. ¡°Things that shouldn¡¯t happen are happening all over the empire, and¡­¡± her voice faded as she bit her lips.


    ¡°What?¡± The witch glanced at the mirror.


    ¡°I think he¡¯s slowly withering.¡± Her voice was shaking. ¡°I think there¡¯s still a price to be paid.¡±

 Chapter 102 – A Dark Horizon (2)

    With beads of sweat rolling down his forehead, he swung his blade against his imaginary opponents. The blade cut through the air, its balance slightly off.


    He wiped the sweat on his forehead with a disappointed grunt, sheathed his sword, then sat down by the edge of the courtyard. Leaning to the side, he dipped his hand in the lake and watched the ripples spreading on its surface from the disturbance he created.


    The sun¡¯s reflection blinded him. It had only recently dawned, and with it had the world woken up. The silence he revelled in during his practice shattered while the air filled the sounds of nature waking up. Birds began to chirp, deer stepped out of the forest for a sip of water, and the castle slowly began to stir to life as well.


    With a tired sigh, he laid down on his back, watching the brightening sky. A raven circled the castle, and dark clouds clouded the horizon.


    As much as he wanted to just stay there, he gathered his willpower and pushed himself back up on his feet. After wiping the dust and dirt off of himself, he headed back into the castle for breakfast, and for the day¡¯s history class.


    ¡°As you know, Calador and Eldoria don¡¯t have a particularly pleasant past.¡± Instructor Theodore explained with a grim expression. His usual cheerful demeanour was nowhere to be found. He paced the front of the classroom with his hands joined behind his back, and his gaze fixed to the ground as he continued speaking.


    ¡°The Kingdom of Calador is biggest nation ¨C by the sheer amount of landmass it owns ¨C south of the Golden Sands. We can¡¯t speak for the northern parts of the world, since all communication has been cut off for centuries.¡± He paused momentarily to glance out the window before continuing.


    ¡°Calador is one of the first nations to be founded on Zamor. It already had a rich culture and history while Eldoria was unclaimed land, traversed by old tribes and covens of witches.¡± He pointed at the map on the wall. ¡°One of the tribes ¨C led by a young man named Damien Ardagh ¨C eventually settled on top of a hill. The very hill where the old imperial palace in Bareon lies in ruins today. Damien Ardagh founded a village there before he died, which in time turned into a town, and then a bustling city. It was generations later that our nation was given a name, and the first emperor of the Ardagh bloodline rose to power.¡±


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    Too many names had been lost to history, and to the Bareon Disaster. The fall of the Rose capital had destroyed too much knowledge on Eldoria¡¯s history.


    ¡°Calador had never considered occupying the unclaimed lands around it until Eldoria was founded and claimed these lands.¡± Instructor Theodore paused to point at the border between the two nations, marked by a mountain range that nearly spanned the continent. ¡°Eldoria lacks the fertile lands and the rick minerals of Calador ¨C our natural resources are few and far between, which has fuelled our people¡¯s drive to discover more about the veil ¨C and to use the crystals and their power.¡±


    He then pointed at the smaller nations down south. ¡°Some tribes who refused the Ardagh rule moved down south, settling near the shores of Zamor, and founded their own nations, albeit none as large or powerful as Eldoria. We have remained amicable with them, our trade allowed both sides to prosper, and many research projects were completed together, by the cooperation of several nations¡¯ institutes.¡±


    He pursed his lips for a moment as his gaze turned to his students. ¡°Eldoria never had such relations with Calador. Instead, we went into an arms race with them. One thing you should know about the Kingdom of Calador is that it¡¯s not as unified as it would at first seem.¡± He paused for a split second. ¡°I suppose recent events are proof of that ¨C Calador always had a divide between the nobles and commoners, and that rift only started growing larger since the appointment of their current Chancellor.¡±


    ¡°Now, onto the conflicts Eldoria had with Calador¡­¡± Instructor Theodore began explaining the past conflicts in full. While Arwen and Willow vigorously took notes, Midhir and Alistair simply listened. Midhir already knew all of this ¨C and more, and surely so did the young Orlein.


    What Instructor Theodore neglected to mention was the fact that the Chancellor was of common birth, and he seemed to play the King like a fiddle. Calador¡¯s policies had changed drastically since that man¡¯s appointment ¨C the nation was constantly churning out weapons and training more and more soldiers.


    Calador had been preparing for war for decades now ¨C and Midhir couldn¡¯t help but doubt this civil war was the end goal. It made little sense for it to be, as rich and powerful the nobles were, they were vastly outnumbered. Even without such advanced weaponry, they would have little chances of winning while the Chancellor was in command of Calador¡¯s resources.


    No, this was at best a bump in the road, at worst, a part of the plan in large.


    His gaze turned out the window, towards the dark clouds on the horizon. A raven circled the castle still.


    Were these omens of what was to come?

 Chapter 103 – An’Larion, The Chalk Capital (1)

    Once again standing on the deck of an airship, Midhir and his classmates watched the horizon. As moments passed, the overgrowth passed below them, and the white jewel of the Eldorian Empire finally entered their field of view.


    ¡°Beautiful¡­¡± Arwen breathed out in awe as her eyes widened.


    The circular city was built around a lake, fed by three wide rivers that flowed down from the mountains surrounding it. An island stood at the centre of the lake, connected to the mainland by a single wide, marble bridge. Atop that island was the Imperial Keep, the vermillion centrepiece ¨C home of the Ardagh House, where power consolidated.


    ¡°Breathtaking, isn¡¯t it?¡± Instructor Soraya asked with a mischievous smile on her lips as she approached them. Leaning on the railing, she winked at Willow. ¡°Many in the empire are envious of those who live in the capital.¡±


    ¡°I would have never imagined it to be so¡­¡± Arwen hesitated as she sought the right words. ¡°So clean,¡± she finished her sentence. ¡°I didn¡¯t think the waters would be so clear and pure.¡±


    Midhir couldn¡¯t help but smile.


    ¡°I also didn¡¯t think that the mist you talked about would be so prevalent.¡± Arwen added with a darker tone.


    The thirteenth district, the northern part of the city, which was bordered by two of the widest rivers, was covered in grey-silver mist. Rooftops, towers and eaves poked out, proving the city was under the mist somewhere.


    ¡°It¡¯s been growing thicker each passing year.¡± Instructor Soraya shrugged. ¡°The Enforcers are always busy containing it, but it¡¯s never affected the rest of the city.¡±


    ¡°Is it even safe for people to live so close to it?¡± Arwen asked, folding her arms. Her lips formed a thin line, and her eyes narrowed as she leaned forward to see better.


    ¡°It is,¡± Willow piped up. ¡°The real danger isn¡¯t the mist ¨C it¡¯s the weak veil beneath that section of the city. Apparently, about fifteen years ago, a tear formed, and plunged the whole place down into the abyss.¡± She snapped her fingers as if she was trying to remember something. ¡°I think the whole ground collapsed. How far was it? Ten meters?¡±


    ¡°Seven,¡± Midhir absentmindedly corrected her. ¡°Though it could fall further ¨C there supposedly are tunnels beneath the district.¡± He took a deep breath before turning to Instructor Soraya. ¡°Instructor, you still haven¡¯t explained why we¡¯re going to the capital, or why you¡¯re accompanying us.¡±


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    Instructor Soraya rolled her eyes. ¡°Always so serious, you and Alistair. Try and live a little, you¡¯re too young to be acting like this.¡± She stepped away from the railing. ¡°Someone else will do the debrief this time, I don¡¯t know much more than you do.¡±


    The airship shook as its nose turned down slightly. As they began their descent, Arwen quickly rushed back to the lower decks, while the others simply held on tighter, enjoying the view, and trying to suppress the worries surfacing.


    There was no one to welcome them at the hangar. Instead, they followed Instructor Soraya. She led them outside, then northward. As they walked on the central street, there was nothing blocking their view of the Vermillion Keep. It¡¯s towering structures cast a vast shadow on the earth. Simply looking at it made one feel small and insignificant.


    ¡°The view here never gets old.¡± Willow glanced at Alistair. ¡°You had seen it before, hadn¡¯t you?¡±


    The young Orlein noble hesitated. ¡°Once, when I was very young. It¡¯s just as terrifying as I remember it to be.¡± He clenched his fist. ¡°And I feel just as small as I did then.¡±


    ¡°It does that,¡± Willow nodded.


    Arwen was silent as they walked, her gaze fixed on the Vermillion Keep, her hands clenched around the cloth of her cloak, and her brows furrowed with what seemed to be worry.


    They soon reached the plaza where the bridge connected the city to the Vermillion Keep. The Imperial Guard stood by the entrance to the bridge, blocking the path to the Keep.


    ¡°It¡¯s so empty¡­¡± Willow whispered, shooting Midhir a quick, questioning glance.


    She was right, the plaza was almost always crowded with tourists from afar and citizens of An¡¯Larion alike. Now though, there were only a handful of people, and certainly no tourists. It was eerie how quiet it was despite it almost being noon.


    ¡°Calador.¡± He replied quietly. ¡°The civil war has already started affecting Eldoria.¡± It was only a guess, of course, but it was the only plausible reason he could come up with. Before he could continue, he noticed a familiar figure standing by the guards.


    Her white hair cascaded behind her back like a waterfall of moonlight. A glimmering silver sword was struck against the ground next to her, and her palm rested calmly on its pommel. She wore a simple, dark blue uniform.


    ¡°Principal!¡± Willow breathed out as they approached her.


    Principal Moira shook her head. ¡°You will address me as Commander Aoidh during your stay here.¡± Her voice was cold as ice, her gaze harsh and emotionless. ¡°Welcome to An¡¯Larion, the Chalk Capital. You mission is to shadow members of the Imperial Guard and enforcers who will be introduced to you later. You will follow any orders from them as they are the law.¡±


    Midhir gulped. Something was off. Moira was too cold, too distant, and too worried. He could see it in her eyes. Despite her stoic appearance, her eyes constantly scoured their surroundings, seeking something ¨C or someone.


    ¡°Understood.¡± Instructor Soraya bowed slightly.


    ¡°You will split in two groups.¡± Moira continued. ¡°Willow and Alistair will accompany Captain Herbert here,¡± she tilted her head towards the tall man on her right. ¡°Midhir and Arwen will accompany an Enforcer, Guard Aaron will take you to them.¡± She pointed to her left, towards a younger guard. ¡°Instructor Valien, walk with me. Dismissed!¡±

 Chapter 104 – An’Larion, The Chalk Capital (2)

    ¡°Please follow me,¡± the man Moira introduced as Guard Aaron kindly spoke, stepping away from the bridge. ¡°The Enforcer is by the lakeshore.¡±


    Midhir exchanged looks with Arwen before hurrying off to follow the young guard. He glanced over his shoulder as he left the plaza to see Willow and Alistair follow Captain Herbert. Relieved, he breathed out a quiet sigh of relief ¨C he had met the Captain of the Guard a handful of times in the past and though it was years ago, he still feared he¡¯d be recognised. Or perhaps he had been recognised, but Moira had made sure Captain Herbert would remain quiet about it. If that was the case, he was thankful to her.


    The young guard led them through the narrow pass between the lake and the buildings, towards one of the few remaining natural shores.


    Soon, a familiar figure entered his view, standing on the shore, her bare feet in the water. As they walked down the stairs that disappeared in the sand, Cait turned around with a faint smile on her lips.


    ¡°Took you two long enough,¡± she chuckled cheerfully, though that smile didn¡¯t quiet reach her eyes. She brushed her fiery red hair back and stepped away from the water. ¡°Thank you, Aaron, you may return to your post.¡±


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am!¡± The guard bowed before running off.


    ¡°Enforcer,¡± Midhir bowed slightly, shooting a glance at Arwen.


    The young woman narrowed her eyes as she bowed. ¡°Arwen Maloid and Midhir Induen reporting for duty, Enforcer.¡± She nearly stumbled over her words.


    Cait laughed. ¡°No need to be so formal with me,¡± she waved her hand dismissively. ¡°It¡¯s my off day, so we¡¯ll just be taking a tour of the city today. Unlike Lohssa and Bareon, An¡¯Larion isn¡¯t facing a crisis for your class to solve or assist with.¡± She turned back towards the lake glimmering under the sunlight. ¡°Did you know that most enforcers graduated from Solus Military Academy?¡±


    Arwen raised her eyebrows. ¡°Really?¡± She asked with a surprised voice.


    Cait nodded, her gaze still lingering over the lake. ¡°Really. Most graduates find their way to An¡¯Larion ¨C they either join the military, or they become leaders in their respective fields. Or, like me, they become Enforcers. So, your principal wanted you to experience the city beforehand. Come on, I¡¯ll take you to your lodgings first, then we¡¯ll visit a few important places. I do have errands to run after all.¡± With that said, Cait walked away from the shore, put on her shoes, then headed up the stairs.


    She first led them to the second district, where most of the city¡¯s commerce took place. The streets were somewhat crowded with citizens going about their day. The lively streets here were a stark contrast to the empty plaza in front of the bridge leading to the Vermillion Keep.


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    ¡°You¡¯ll be staying at the Red Tulip inn ¨C it¡¯s one of the establishments we often visit, and the owner is a Solus graduate as well.¡± Cait explained as they approached a two-storey building with an attached stable. She pushed the door open with a wide grin. ¡°Aluna!¡± She shouted as soon as she stepped inside. ¡°I bring you fledglings!¡±


    ¡°Fledglings?¡± Arwen leaned in closer to Midhir and whispered. ¡°She¡¯s a bit¡­ not what I expected an Enforcer to be. She was different in Bareon.¡±


    He couldn¡¯t help but chuckle, but a second shout startled him.


    ¡°Cait you rascal!¡± A woman shouted back at the enforcer. ¡°You still owe me for that keg of beer!¡±


    His eyebrows rose as he glanced at Cait. ¡°You didn¡¯t drink a whole keg of beer, did you?¡±


    Cait looked at him, offended. ¡°I did not!¡± She exclaimed.


    ¡°No, you broke it over that guys head instead!¡± The innkeeper shouted as she walked out the kitchen. Her face was read with effort, her forehead was sweaty, and her torso was covered in what looked like flour. She wiped her hands to her apron, but all she did was stick even more flour to the back of her hand. Giving up with a sigh, she smirked. ¡°So you two are the new first years!¡±


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am, two other classmates will also come at some point, I think.¡± He bowed his head.


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t do that formality thing with me,¡± Aluna waved her hand in annoyance. ¡°Your rooms are the first and second to the left, upstairs. Cait, show them, would you? I¡¯m baking a cake.¡±


    ¡°Later,¡± Cait folded her arms. ¡°We¡¯ve got places to be, but I¡¯ll come back this evening for some of that cake, ok?¡±


    Aluna narrowed her eyes. ¡°Only if you pay.¡±


    ¡°I thought you said most alumni join the miliary or become enforcers.¡± Arwen spoke up a while after they left the inn. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say being an innkeeper is either of those.¡±


    Cait shrugged. ¡°Aluna may not be working in the military, but she¡¯s still invaluable to us.¡± She waved her hand dismissively before pointing ahead. ¡°The second district ends here,¡± she continued explaining, ignoring Arwen¡¯s questioning gaze. ¡°The first district is where most nobles reside,¡± She continued as they passed through the district. ¡°On the other side of it is the seventh district ¨C that¡¯s where we¡¯re headed.¡±


    Midhir scowled. ¡°The church district,¡± he stated as the cathedral entered their view.


    The cathedral of the Sun and the Daughter took up most of the seventh district. It was a majestic, intimidating construction. Once a cathedral to the Old Faith, the now restored and changed building was one of the jewels of An¡¯Larion ¨C a great deal of history was preserved in its premises.


    ¡°The Grand Cathedral of the Sun and the Daughter is one of the oldest buildings in An¡¯Larion.¡± Cait explained as they approached it from the south. In front of the large metal gazes was a wide, spacious plaza decorated with fountains, flowerbeds and statues of the faith. ¡°It¡¯s older than the city itself, some say even older than Eldoria.¡±


    Midhir narrowed his eyes as his gaze turned to the cathedral beyond the metal gates. It was gigantic, and every surface was decorated with carvings or statues. While most of the details were lost to time, some were still visible.


    ¡°I don¡¯t see the usual statues of the Sun and the Daughter.¡± Arwen mumbled with narrowed eyes.


    ¡°No, they were never there.¡± Cait shook her head. ¡°This was once a cathedral to honour one of the oldest Old Gods ¨C The Veilbound Leviathan.¡±

 Chapter 105 – An’Larion, The Chalk Capital (3)

    A stone paved path led from the plaza towards the cathedral, snaking through the beautifully kept gardens. Weeping willows, cypress trees, yews and poplar trees cast cool shadows on the snaking path, drowning out much of the city¡¯s noise. The ground was covered in dark green moss and patches of flowering clover.


    ¡°I never liked this place very much¡­¡± Cait muttered as she hastened her steps. ¡°It always make me feel like I¡¯m at a funeral¡­ and like someone is watching me.¡±


    A soft breeze rustled the leaves around them. Nothing broke the solemn silence reigning over the cathedral grounds, it was serene and beautiful. Without many more words spoken, they continued walking until they arrived at the Cathedral of the Sun and the Daughter.


    Not a single surface on the outside of the grand structure was just flat stone ¨C every bit of it was covered with sculptures and the like. Detailed shapes of figures and creatures were carved into the walls. The flying buttresses were decorated with statues of serpents coiling around them. Gargoyles decorated the eaves.


    While none of the stonework even resembled anything related to the Sun and the Daughter, the rose window depicted her offering a rose to a ray of sunlight.


    ¡°I assume that was added later,¡± Arwen stated with a sour voice, pointing at the beautifully crafted rose window.


    Cait nodded. ¡°Yeah, the old window was long destroyed when they added that.¡± She hesitated. ¡°Besides, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s wise to keep depictions of an Old God around nowadays ¨C there are enough problems around the world anyways.¡± She paused, stretched her arms with a long sigh, then brushed her hair back in an attempt to seem more proper. ¡°Right, come on. This shouldn¡¯t take too long.¡± With that said, she walked up the wide steps leading to the grand door of the building.


    ¡°I certainly hope so¡­¡± Arwen¡¯s voice was but a whisper, carried towards Midhir¡¯s ear with the soft breeze. Her expression was a stiff, diplomatic smile as she followed the enforcer. Had he not known better, he¡¯d think she actively disliked the Sun and the Daughter.


    A heavy silence reigned inside the cathedral. The rows of pews were empty, with not a single soul in sight. The interior was just as breath-taking as the exterior of the grand cathedral ¨C the walls were covered with friezes depicting the wars of long-forgotten tribes. Reliquaries were put up against the walls between the half-columns, while the pillars supporting the vaulted ceiling were made to resemble serpentine creatures rising.


    ¡°Beautiful¡­¡± Midhir absentmindedly breathed out, drawing an odd glance from Arwen, and a scoff from Cait.


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    ¡°Isn¡¯t it?¡± A calm, gentle voice sounded, echoing in the silence and startling them. Arwen gasped, pressing her hand on her heart, while Cait¡¯s head jerked to the side as she whirled around to see the owner of the voice.


    It was a man with whitening hair, wearing old, somewhat tattered robes. His youth was clearly behind him as lines appeared around his mouth and on his forehead when he smiled. ¡°My apologies for startling you.¡±


    ¡°Father.¡± Cait let out a sigh as she shook her head and pressed her palm against her forehead. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t sneak up on people like that.¡± She paused, then glanced at Midhir and Arwen. ¡°This is Bishop Richard, he tends to the Cathedral grounds, and helps those in need who come here.¡± She narrowed her eyes. ¡°He also has this weird and disturbing fascination with the Old Faith, so take whatever he says with a few grains of salt.¡±


    Bishop Richard chuckled. ¡°We must respect those who came before us, Cait. We must study them, learn from them, so we do better than them.¡± His gaze turned to Arwen. ¡°Did I make you uncomfortable, young lady? You needn¡¯t stay inside if you dislike this place quite so much.¡±


    Arwen clenched her jaw. ¡°Then I will wait outside, if that¡¯s alright,¡± she curtly said before turning around and marching out without a second thought.


    He watched her leave with raised brows and parted lips. What had gotten into her? She did seem somewhat uncomfortable since they stepped into the cathedral grounds ¨C even when walking through the gardens, but to just leave like that, and so rudely¡­ A sliver of doubt ¨C a thought that hadn¡¯t crossed his mind since the incident in Bareon gnawed at the back of his mind, demanding attention and consideration.


    ¡°It¡¯s not unusual to be disturbed by imagery of the Old Faith.¡± The bishop shook his head with a wry smile. ¡°Even you are, Cait, so please don¡¯t be angry with the young lady.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not angry.¡± Cait finally stopped watching Arwen. ¡°I¡¯m just thinking.¡± She then took a deep breath. ¡°This is Midhir Induen, a student of Solus ¨C the girl who left is called Arwen Maloid, his classmate.¡± She folded her arms. ¡°They¡¯ll help me set up, so let¡¯s get to work.¡±


    The bishop¡¯s expression stiffened for a moment before he nodded. ¡°Of course.¡± He took a deep breath. ¡°I protest against your decision to involve students in a dangerous matter though.¡±


    Cait rolled her eyes and scoffed. ¡°Please ¨C they¡¯re more than skilled enough.¡± She extended her hand and wiggled her index finger back and forth. ¡°Give it to me so I can get this over with.¡±


    Bishop Richard¡¯s shoulders dropped as he rummaged through his pockets. A few moments later, he pulled out a piece of folded paper and handed it to her. ¡°Please make sure it¡¯s done correctly. This is important.¡±


    Cait nodded. ¡°I¡¯m well aware, Father. It will be done properly.¡± She took the folded piece of paper and handed it over to Midhir. A small pouch appeared in her other hand, which she also gave to him. ¡°There are statues of three-eyed serpents coiling around a basin in the locations marked there. You and Arwen are to make sure a crystal from this pouch is placed in each serpent¡¯s third eye. I¡¯ll join you in a bit.¡±


    Midhir nodded, though as he left the cathedral, he couldn¡¯t help but glance over his shoulder. What was Cait talking with the bishop about? She clearly disliked being in the cathedral, so what could be so important for her to spend more time in there?


    And why was Arwen so uncomfortable in there?

 Chapter 106 – An’Larion, The Chalk Capital (4)

    The sun glared in his eyes as he stepped out of the grand Cathedral. He covered his eyes for a moment, waiting for them to adjust to the bright sunlight. He hadn¡¯t noticed how dark it was inside the cathedral until after stepping outside again.


    Once his eyes adjusted, he scoured the area in front of the cathedral, looking for Arwen. She wasn¡¯t by the foot of the stairs, nor was she standing in the shade of the weeping willows. With a scowl, he walked down the wide stairs, and along the narrow, stony path that circled around the cathedral.


    The sound of a raven¡¯s caw shattered the serene silence. The beat of large, feathery winds sounded as the bird leapt into the air, shaking the branches of the weeping willow it had been sitting on. It circled the air once, cawing a couple more times before flying off eastward.


    Midhir scowled. He had seen crows in the city before, but those were smaller birds ¨C they could survive on scraps left out by the people or hunt small critters for sustenance. Ravens though¡­ those birds were too large to survive on just scraps. It wasn¡¯t just a rare sight to see one here, it was just odd.


    Once the raven was too far to see, he lowered his gaze back down to the earth, and looked around for Arwen. Where had the young woman gone? His steps carried him along the stony path. As he turned the corner around the cathedral, the sound of rushed footsteps reached him.


    ¡°Midhir!¡± She exclaimed as soon as their gazes met. She pointed over her shoulder, vaguely towards the back of the cathedral. ¡°I was looking around and didn¡¯t notice how far I had walked.¡± She nearly stumbled over her words as she quickly explained herself.


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s alright.¡± It took some effort not to scowl as a stray thought he had suppressed for a while once again demanded attention, clawing at the back of his mind. ¡°Did you see anything like a three-eyed serpent coiling around a basin?¡± He opened the folded piece of paper Cait had given him. ¡°There¡¯s apparently supposed to be one somewhere between that,¡± he pointed at the foot of the nearest flying buttress, ¡°and that one,¡± he pointed at the one somewhat farther away.


    Arwen narrowed her eyes. ¡°It¡¯s behind those chrysanthemums.¡± She pointed at a large patch of white flowers. ¡°Why, what do you need it for?¡±


    He raised and shook the small bag Cait had given him as he walked past her, towards the flowers. ¡°Cait¡¯s-¡° he stopped himself. ¡°The Enforcer¡¯s business. We¡¯re supposed to place crystals into the third eye of each stature.¡±


    The chrysanthemums were just about tall enough to reach his knees, though a few of them did reach his waist. As he circled around them, the statue immediately caught his attention.


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    Just like the cathedral and the various statues decorating it, this statue was also carved out of pale granite. What was so attention grabbing was the smooth surface, and the various details that yet remained ¨C something the cathedral had lost to time. The basin was quite large, and somewhat shallow. The serpent coiled around it, its tail wrapped around the base of it, and its head rising over it. It¡¯s mouth was closed, and the three eyes it had were empty sockets.


    Every scale of the serpent was visible as if the statue was just recently made. The intricate details in and around the basin itself were breath-taking. Symbols decorated the upper edge of the basin, both inside and outside ¨C scripts written in a long forgotten language, only seen in artifacts of old, and the monuments in the Old Growth.


    ¡°This is ancient.¡± He whispered quietly.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Arwen nodded, clearly apprehensive as she approached it. ¡°The script here, I¡¯ve seen it before. Isn¡¯t this old Eldorian? From before the Empire was even built?¡±


    It was. It was the language of witches and warlocks, of tribes who made blood sacrifices to appease the Old Gods. ¡°I don¡¯t think there are many left who can read this.¡± He reached into the bag and pulled out one of the crystals.


    ¡°Golden?¡± Arwen raised her eyebrows. ¡°Maybe its for a protective array.¡±


    There was no way to know aside from asking Cait. ¡°Let¡¯s get this one with.¡± He muttered as he stepped closer to the basin and placed the crystal into the serpent¡¯s empty third eye. It slid into place nearly perfectly.


    He braced himself for something, anything. Yet, the serene silence remained unbroken, his eye remained normal, and the veil remained intact ¨C as far as he could see around them. With a sigh of relief, he glanced at Arwen. ¡°That¡¯s one down.¡±


    She nervously chuckled. ¡°Right¡­¡±


    He checked the crudely drawn map, reoriented himself, then returned to the stony path. ¡°Over there¡­ I think.¡± He pointed between the next two flying buttresses.


    One by one, they found the statues. While he carefully placed the crystals into the sockets, Arwen inspected the scrip carved into the basins. ¡°Thirteen in total,¡± she stated as they got done with the final one. ¡°Not a pleasant number, considering where we are.¡±


    Midhir raised an eyebrow. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Arwen hesitated. ¡°I read that thirteen is an important number in the Old Faith ¨C thirteen prophets, thirteen vessels of the thirteen ages, stuff like that.¡± She shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s holy to the priests and such, but to the commonfolk it was apparently an unlucky number.¡±


    ¡°You know a lot about the Old Faith,¡± Midhir stated, watching her expression.


    ¡°After Instructor Theodore told us about how Bareon fell once, I got curious.¡± She awkwardly chuckled. ¡°So I started reading everything about Eldoria¡¯s history. The Old Faith was just a part of that.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± He nodded. It made sense, she was a foreigner after all. It was natural for her to be curious about Eldoria¡¯s history. It was probably not taught as thoroughly in her country of origin¡­ His own thoughts gave him pause, then they trailed off just as he felt like he was forgetting something important.


    ¡°Are you done?¡± Cait¡¯s voice startled him. She was standing at the foot of the stairs, clearly bored and ready to leave. ¡°Let¡¯s go ¨C the next place we¡¯re going, we need to leave before sundown, so hurry.¡±

 Chapter 107 – An’Larion, the Chalk Capital (5)

    While the sun started its slow descent to dusk, Cait¡¯s hasty steps led them out of the cathedral grounds. As they left though the gate, the sounds of the city once again filled the air.


    Arwen visibly breathed out a sigh of relief. Her eyes regained their wonder-filled glimmer as she began smiling again. Even her steps were energised once more.


    Midhir watched her with a scowl as he trailed behind the two women. She had been acting odd ever since they stepped foot in the cathedral grounds, and now that they left, everything about her seemed normal again. He couldn¡¯t help but wonder what that was all about. Hastening his steps, he caught up with them, and breathed in to talk, only to notice where they were headed.


    ¡°C-¡° he stopped himself. ¡°Is this¡­?¡± His voice trailed off as they turned a corner, and a terribly familiar view stretched out before him.


    A glimmering blue river, wide yet shallow, cut through the city. It flowed down from the mountains, feeding the lake at An¡¯Larion¡¯s centre. He could see the shadows of the fishes swimming beneath the water¡¯s surface.


    Dread filled his heart as he raised his gaze beyond the river.


    A thick, blue-silver mist covered the shore, and the city beyond it. A few spires and rooftops peeked out over it, though even that was a rare sight, and time had clearly taken its toll over those taller structures. The mist swirled and danced, ever-moving as it sought a way to spread further, beyond the confines the enforcers had put up around it.


    Arwen gasped, her eyes widened, and her hands clenched around her cloak. Her lips formed a thin line as she gulped, summoned her courage and approached the river. She visibly shivered as she stood by the shore, her gaze fixed on the mist.


    Midhir turned his gaze towards Cait. The young enforcer met his gaze with an apologetic glance before quickly looking away.


    ¡°This is the edge of the thirteenth district.¡± She spoke up, stepping closer to the shore. ¡°It was plunged into the mist fifteen years ago ¨C a terrible day for the whole Empire, not just An¡¯Larion.¡± She glanced over her shoulder, signalling Midhir to approach as well.


    He did so, albeit reluctantly. The familiar cold sent a shiver down his spine. Dread gripped his heart, and fear threatened to overtake his mind.


    ¡°The thirteenth district was home to many noble families ¨C many lineages were lost that day. My family perished there, and so did that of many others. Countless riches were lost to the mist, and even more importantly, knowledge that spanned ages simply sits there, unreachable.¡± She folded her arms, her gaze fixed on the mist. ¡°The Empress and we enforcers have been keeping the mist in check ¨C it will never leave the thirteenth district as long as we live, and probably even after we die.¡± She chuckled. ¡°But we haven¡¯t been able to push it back.¡± She added, her voice growing cold.


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    ¡°How is it kept confined there?¡± Arwen asked hesitantly.


    ¡°A powerful resonance. Back then, the enforcers and the Empress herself fought to save the people and the city. When they couldn¡¯t, and they were forced to retreat, they created an array made of stakes like these,¡± she twisted her hand as a simple silver bracelet glimmered under her sleeve. A metal stake, about as long as Midhir¡¯s forearm appeared in her hands. It was made of silver, with golden symbols and scripts carved around it. A golden gem nearly the size of a closed fist was embedded on it. ¡°These were struck all around the thirteenth district.¡±


    ¡°Why did you bring us here?¡± Midhir finally asked. Memories had begun to surface ¨C memories he¡¯d rather forget forever.


    Cait lowered her gaze. ¡°Commander Aoidh¡¯s orders. She felt all of her students should see this.¡± She took a deep breath, then turned around. ¡°Since you¡¯ve seen it, we can go back to the inn for today-¡°


    ¡°Do you mind if I stay here a while longer?¡± Arwen asked.


    Midhir¡¯s head jerked towards her, while Cait¡¯s lips parted. ¡°What for?¡± She asked, her confusion nearly palpable. ¡°There is nothing else to see here.¡±


    ¡°That may be so, but I¡¯d still like to stay a little while longer, if that¡¯s alright.¡± Arwen peered into the mist. ¡°It¡¯s fascinating, and terrifying at the same time. I can¡¯t imagine what it must have looked like as the district was plunged into-¡°


    ¡°Fascinating?¡± Cait hissed, her sharp gaze on Arwen. ¡°This is fascinating to you?¡± She pointed towards the mist with a fire in her eyes. ¡°People died there, and those were the lucky ones! We don¡¯t even know what happened to those who didn¡¯t die when the buildings collapsed, or the ground gave in, and you call this fascinating?!¡± Her voice grew louder as she glared at Arwen with anger. ¡°I pray to the daughter and the sun that my mother died that day. That my father died. That my little brother died. That they met a quick end. But they may not have ¨C maybe they were possessed, maybe they still wonder those empty, dilapidated halls in a stupor, forever lost!¡±


    Midhir bit his tongue. Every word she spoke hurt like someone was twisting a dagger stuck in his heart. Memories he wished he could forget forced their way into his thoughts. ¡°Cait.¡± He softly spoke, startling the young enforcer. ¡°I think that¡¯s enough.¡±


    Cait¡¯s shoulders dropped as she breathed out. ¡°My apologies.¡± She muttered, avoiding looking at Arwen. ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    Midhir nodded. ¡°We¡¯ll head back to the inn in a little bit, you don¡¯t need to wait for us.¡±


    Cait visibly flinched before nodding. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll drop by the inn later.¡± With that, she promptly left.


    Turning his gaze to a pale, shocked Arwen, Midhir let out a sigh. ¡°Fascinating wasn¡¯t the right word to use there.¡± He walked past her, stopping at the shore of the glimmering, bright blue river.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think she¡¯d be so angry,¡± the young woman muttered.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t think.¡± Midhir turned around. ¡°This isn¡¯t like the fall of the Rose Capital ¨C this is real. We remember it. We lived through it. It wasn¡¯t centuries ago ¨C it was just fifteen years ago. It¡¯s not fascinating, it¡¯s tragic. We all lost people that day.¡±


    Arwen lowered her gaze. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re apologising to the wrong person.¡± Midhir turned away from her. ¡°I was only five years old when it happened. I don¡¯t remember much ¨C and what I do remember, I¡¯d rather not think about. Cait lost her whole family that day, and she watched it happen from the Vermillion Keep. She watched part of the city collapse, and the mist rise from the earth. She won¡¯t ever forget that day ¨C it¡¯s why she became an enforcer after all.¡±


    Arwen raised her eyebrows. ¡°How do you know all this?¡±


    Midhir let his gaze wonder. ¡°She is somewhat famous ¨C the youngest person to become an enforcer, and an incredibly skilled swordswoman.¡± Besides, they had practically grown up together, though Arwen certainly didn¡¯t need to know that. ¡°You wanted to watch the mist ¨C so stop looking at the ground.¡±

 Chapter 108 – A Practical Lesson (1)

    Cait didn¡¯t visit them at the Red Tulip, nor did she show up the next day. While the group silently ate their breakfast, the captain of the guard arrived, accompanied by the young guard named Aaron from the day before.


    ¡°Willow Aulorn and Alistair Orlein,¡± Captain Herbert bowed his head ever so slightly. ¡°Your presence is requested by the enforcer. Aaron here will take you to him.¡±


    Willow grew pale as she placed her fork on her plate. ¡°Of course.¡± Her voice was forced, as was her smile. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t keep them waiting,¡± she added, glancing at Alistair. The young noble nodded. ¡°See you this evening,¡± he hurriedly said to Arwen and Midhir before they left, following the young guard Aaron.


    ¡°Arwen Maloid and Midhir Induen.¡± The guard captain¡¯s expression soured for a split second. ¡°You¡¯ll be accompanying me today, as per Commander Aoidh¡¯s orders. Please follow me ¨C there is work to be done, and I¡¯m already somewhat late.¡±


    They shadowed Captain Herbert throughout his day. He explained what he did, and why he did it in great detail. How the Vermillion Keep¡¯s bridge was protected, how many shifts were good for which situation, what was done in case a suspicious person appeared.


    ¡°Naturally, we were forced to increase out security measures nowadays.¡± He said as they took a break to rest and drink some water by the bridge. ¡°With the situation in Calador being what it is, we had no choice.¡± He turned to face them with a grim expression. ¡°Politicians may disagree,¡± he stated sharply, ¡°maybe even the Emperor disagrees, but war is never good ¨C even if it happens to a nation we don¡¯t have the best relationship with.¡±


    Arwen scowled. ¡°How so? From a purely strategical perspective, isn¡¯t it good that a rival is weakened or preoccupied?¡±


    The older man shook his head. ¡°Your purely strategical perspective is forgetting the human element. A sufficiently weakened rival is a cornered rival ¨C tell me, what does a cornered animal do?¡±


    ¡°It lashes out.¡± Midhir chimed in, knowing full well exactly how it felt to be cornered. ¡°At anything and everything, with no concern about anyone¡¯s life, including its own.¡±


    ¡°Exactly. Never corner your enemy, never make them feel so desperate, so helpless that death seems a better option than surrender.¡± He turned his gaze to Arwen once more. ¡°Always make them believe surrender is a good option. Understood? Now-¡° His voice trailed off as he scowled, and his gaze turned to the other side of the plaza.


    The young guard Aaron rode in on a brown mare, stopping just as he reached the bridge, and hopped down the saddle. ¡°Sir!¡± he exclaimed, stepping closer and lowering his voice immediately. ¡°Orders from the Lord Enforcer ¨C I am to bring Miss Maloid and Lord Induen to the western gate for a practical lesson.¡±


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    Captain Herbert grunted. ¡°I see.¡± Clearly displeased about the situation, he glanced at Midhir and Arwen. ¡°You better hurry. The Lord Enforcer doesn¡¯t like to be kept waiting.¡±


    An¡¯Larion had four entrances, one in each cardinal direction. Just like the other three, the western gate was also partially open during the day. Even at night, the smaller entrances at the side of the large gate allowed passage, though the security measures here were much stricter than those in Bareon.


    There were two tall towers on each side of the gate, each housing a powerful Pylon ¨C a crystal about the size of a tall man. While they were inactive now, they were activated every day at dusk, and only deactivated at dawn.


    The courtyard leading to the gate, and in and out of An¡¯Larion was pristine. Small gems decorated the outer edges, and imperial script was carved into the stone between each gem. If a creature taken by the mist ever stepped foot in this courtyard, this place would become an inescapable prison.


    Midhir couldn¡¯t help but think that Bareon needed to work on something similar.


    Unlike Bareon, An¡¯Larion didn¡¯t have a constant influx of on-foot travellers and traders coming in. Aside from the several dozen soldiers guarding the gate, he only spotted a stable boy and a group of three familiar figures in the courtyard.


    ¡°Lord Enforcer!¡± Guard Aaron exclaimed. ¡°I¡¯ve brought them.¡± He bowed deeply and waited for Lord Aulorn to dismiss him.


    ¡°Thank you, you may return to your post.¡±


    While the guard hurried away with a relieved expression, Midhir shot a quick glance at Alistair and Willow. The young Orlein heir seemed somewhat on edge, his lips had formed a thin line, and his gaze was clouded as he was lost in thought.


    Willow was quite pale and fidgety. She was constantly shifting her weight from one foot to the other, and her fingers fiddled with her hair and the corner of her cloak. Her gaze was locked to the ground as she bit her lower lip in worry.


    ¡°While it is unfortunate that your lesson with Captain Herbert was cut short, an opportunity for a practical lesson has shown itself. You may choose to remain here, since this may prove to be somewhat disturbing ¨C especially you, Cadet Orlein, and Cadet Induen.¡± Lord Aulorn paused, his gaze locked on them. He sought a sign of hesitation, of apprehension, perhaps even fear.


    ¡°I think we¡¯ve delt with our fair share of disturbing things. I, at least, think I can handle it,¡± Midhir commented after a moment of silence began to stretch for too long. ¡°Where are we headed?¡±


    A smile flashed across the Lord Enforcer¡¯s lips. ¡°The veil has been weakened considerably near the Prancing Lion Inn ¨C it¡¯s about two hours away from the city. We will head to the inn, locate the weak spot in the veil, and mend it if we make it in time. If a tear forms, we seal it, and return the area to its rightful state.¡±


    Arwen¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Isn¡¯t that very dangerous?¡± She exclaimed wide eyed. ¡°Especially for Midhir ¨C he spent too much time near a tear in the veil, and he¡¯s been unwell since the incident by the monument-¡°


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± He cut her off curtly.


    ¡°His health is not in significant danger.¡± Lord Aulorn calmly replied, ignoring Midhir¡¯s words. ¡°It¡¯s unlikely the veil will be torn in less than a day, so the danger is minimal to begin with.¡± He narrowed his eyes. ¡°I feel compelled to warn you, Cadet Maloid ¨C Solus Military Academy raises leaders and soldiers, people who will become the foundation of Eldoria¡¯s future. Cowardice is not the quality of a leader, nor is overprotectiveness.¡±

 Chapter 109 – A Practical Lesson (2)

    The sound of their horses¡¯ hoofs hitting the wide, stone paved road echoed around them as they rode out of An¡¯Larion. The air filled with the sounds of chirping birds as they headed west, towards the Prancing Lion Inn.


    ¡°Why is there an inn so close to the city?¡± Alistair asked a while later with furrowed brows, after much pondering. ¡°It makes no sense.¡±


    ¡°There are small, protected settlements ¨C inns, small villages, keeps ¨C all around An¡¯Larion. The Overgrowth isn¡¯t the same as Bareon here,¡± Lord Aulorn explained. ¡°The night is dangerous, but the forest won¡¯t swallow you. And to tell you the truth, neither will the forest around your home.¡±


    Seeing Alistair¡¯s bewildered expression, the enforcer chuckled. ¡°The forest may grow very fast, and spread everywhere it can, but those are just trees. You¡¯ll always be faster than trees, no matter how old they are. I believe the cultists were behind the disappearances. It¡¯s likely they spread the rumours that the forest was dangerous after dusk so they would be able to travel unseen, with no prying eyes anywhere.¡±


    ¡°The forest attacked us.¡± Alistair insisted. ¡°After the ritual-¡° he stopped himself. ¡°Wait, that¡¯s why it happened, didn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°The awakening of an Old God changes things, but I don¡¯t believe it was the forest itself that attacked you. It¡¯s much more likely that the leader of the cultists ¨C that woman who could control the chalk roots ¨C tried to cast a resonance from too far away and ended up killing her own people.¡±


    The Enforcer¡¯s words didn¡¯t convince him fully. The false priestess¡¯ resonance looked nothing like what chased them all the way to Bareon. There was more to this that Lord Aulorn wasn¡¯t sharing with them.


    They travelled the rest of the way in silence, arriving at the Prancing Lion Inn about an hour after they set off. The sun was still high up in the sky, and the weather was clear, with a pristine blue sky stretching towards the horizon.


    The Prancing Lion was an old, but beautifully constructed structure. Built on a sturdy, stone foundation that elevated if off the ground, the building itself was made out of wood. It was a two-storey building with an attached stable, a well not far from the entrance, and a small storage shack behind it. The entire place was surrounded with a sturdy wooden fence keeping a singular cow and two large dogs away from the road.


    A stableboy, accompanied by an elderly woman stepped out of the inn as they dismounted by the fence gate. They handed the reigns of their horses to the stableboy, who hurriedly took off towards the stable with the horses in tow.


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    ¡°Lord Enforcer?¡± The elderly woman asked with a worried, yet hopeful voice.


    ¡°Yes, we arrived as fast as we could.¡± Lord Aulorn glanced towards the inn. ¡°Was it you who noticed the damage to the veil?¡±


    The elderly woman¡¯s face lit up with a smile. ¡°Oh, thank the sun,¡± she whispered with visible relief. ¡°Yes, I noticed the animals acting strange ¨C and then we found something.¡± She turned around, pointing behind the inn. ¡°There¡¯s a lake, my granddaughter and I go there often to fish. But this morning, we didn¡¯t catch a fish.¡± Her voice grew shaky. ¡°You should see this.¡±


    With somewhat unstable steps, she headed towards the inn.


    Following her, Midhir couldn¡¯t help but notice how frail she looked. She was quite slim, her arms were so thin he could see her bones underneath the wrinkles. She wore a woollen dress with a simple cut, and a shale over her shoulders. She had clearly walked this world for many years ¨C yet she seemed so shaken up. He couldn¡¯t help but start to worry.


    The Prancing Lion only had a few other guests aside from them. Two young men, and a woman sat in the common area, playing cards. They paid little attention to Midhir and his classmates ¨C even the Lord Enforcer seemed to escape their notice.


    The woman led them behind the counter, to a storage area adjacent to the kitchen. She stood at the doorway, pointing at a bucket on the floor. ¡°We fished this out of the lake. Please, Lord Enforcer, stop this before the mist takes us all,¡± she begged, her hands clenched around her shale, and her eyes wide with a pleading look.


    ¡°We won¡¯t let harm come to any of you,¡± Lord Aulorn promised. ¡°You needn¡¯t stay here, go and rest, and don¡¯t worry about this.¡± His tone was soft as he gently led her out of the room. The woman seemed visibly relieved. With shoulders hanging from overexertion, she headed into one of the rooms at the back of the inn.


    ¡°Now then,¡± Lord Aulorn¡¯s voice grew cold. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect anything physical to be found so soon after the veil began to show signs of weakness.¡± He walked past them, stood in front of the bucket, and looked down.


    He was only silent for a few breaths, but it felt like hours. ¡°Unexpected but doesn¡¯t change things.¡± He gestured at them to approach.


    The bucket was filled to the brim with water. Water, that was tinted red with blood. Midhir narrowed his eyes as he crouched to take a better look. It took him a moment to realise what he was looking at. He visibly reeled back as a pain struck his left eye.


    He grunted, both with disgust and pain. A flower was floating in the water ¨C a flower made of flesh. Blood oozed out of its torn stem.


    Standing up, he stumbled back a few steps, pressing his palm against his left eye. ¡°This doesn¡¯t belong here,¡± he hissed quietly.


    ¡°That¡¯s a given.¡± Lord Aulorn scowled. ¡°Your eye ¨C is it not well?¡±


    Midhir shook his head, drawing a rather concerned gaze from Arwen. Her lips parted as if she was about to speak, but she changed her mind, and averted her gaze.


    Lord Aulorn¡¯s lips formed a thin line for a split second. ¡°Alright, we meet at the back of the inn in fifteen minutes ¨C make sure your weapons are sharp, your augments are in place, and you are prepared. We will head out on foot, so make sure to take some basic supplies with you. Ask the innkeeper for water, rations, whatever you think is necessary. Go.¡±


    As the others left in a hurry, Midhir hesitated. He watched the door to make sure they were all gone before he spoke up.


    ¡°This may not be as easy as you hope.¡± He pulled his hand away from his eye and wiped the blood in his palm with his handkerchief. There was something very wrong with this place, and it wasn¡¯t just slight damage to the veil.

 Chapter 110 – A Practical Lesson (3)

    The chatter from the common area of the inn broke the rather charged silence, prompting Midhir to speak up, albeit hesitantly.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been having visions of a woman.¡±


    The Lord Enforcer¡¯s gaze focused on him. He narrowed his eyes with suspicion.


    ¡°A woman wearing white, walking down a wide hallway. The floor and the walls were all white, like marble, and the woman had long, black hair that went all the way down to her knees. She steps into a round chamber, and bites her own flesh,¡± Midhir watched as the enforcer¡¯s eyes widened with what he could only describe as shock. ¡°You know her ¨C or the event.¡± He was sure of it, and Lord Aulorn hadn¡¯t done a good job hiding it at all.


    ¡°Of course I know ¨C I killed her.¡± Lord Aulorn shot a glance towards the common room, making sure nobody was listening in. ¡°She was Duchess Valery¡¯s eldest daughter, and the next in line to rule the Olisar province.¡±


    This time, it was Midhir who had no words as his heart sank. The next in line to rule Olisar meant her status was more or less the same as Alistair¡¯s. ¡°What happened?¡± he asked, his voice but a whisper as he tried to make sense of it.


    Lord Aulorn folded his arms. ¡°She was possessed. Her highness the princess and I got to her in the middle of a ritual ¨C a resonance cast with blood, made to tear the veil apart.¡± He raised his chin. ¡°But she¡¯s dead, and the spirit possessing her is gone. Why would you dream of that?¡±


    The heir of the Cathain family had died ¨C in the hands of the Lord Enforcer no less. ¡°The Old One is trying to tell me something¡­¡± he whispered absentmindedly. How come had he not heard of this? Lady Larna was adored by her people, she was constantly out there, trying to help those in need. How come had news not already spread? And once they did, what kind of unrest was this going to cause?


    Lord Aulorn pressed his hand against his forehead. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have let it come to this¡­¡± The regret in his voice was palpable. ¡°I should have taken you back to the capital as soon as our work in Bareon was done.¡± He raised his decisive gaze. ¡°The Old Faith cannot be trusted. No matter how helpful it seems, it will cause harm ¨C great harm. Once we are done with this,¡± he gestured vaguely towards the door.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go see mother,¡± Midhir cut him off. ¡°I know. I waited too long already.¡± He took a deep breath. ¡°I¡¯ll go and meet with the others now, we¡¯ll wait behind the inn.¡±


    ¡°Your highness,¡± Lord Aulorn said as he turned to leave. ¡°I urge you to be wary of what the Old One shows you. Lady Larna tore the veil apart twice before we stopped her. I won¡¯t make the same mistake a third time.¡±


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    Midhir tightened his jaw. While the words weren¡¯t spoken outright, the Lord Enforcer was crystal clear. ¡°No,¡± He said curtly. ¡°You will not. Because my sister won¡¯t ¨C and I won¡¯t let that blood be in her hands.¡± He hesitated. ¡°If it comes to that.¡±


    Lord Aulorn¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Be sure that it does not.¡±


    He found Alistair sitting on a hay bale put up against the hind wall of the Prancing Lion. The young Orlein was fiddling with a daisy in his hands. His gaze was cloudy, his mind somewhere entirely different.


    ¡°Where are the others?¡±


    Midhir¡¯s words startled the young noble. His gaze shot up as he let go of the daisy. ¡°The stables,¡± he pointed towards them. ¡°They wanted to make sure the horses were well taken care of.¡± He scowled. ¡°Arwen said she didn¡¯t quite trust the stableboy.¡± He shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know why she thought so. Where had you been?¡±


    ¡°I wanted to take another look at that¡­ thing.¡± He lied as he sat next to Alistair. ¡°I can¡¯t believe they actually carried it all the way into the inn.¡±


    Alistair nodded. ¡°They did well, their courage is commendable.¡± His gaze drifted off once more as his voice dropped off. Moments passed in silence as they waited.


    Approaching footsteps alerted them right before Lord Aulorn turned the corner of the inn. Arwen and Willow were right behind him, hurrying to keep up with his pace. ¡°We¡¯re moving out,¡± he announced, only sparing a glance towards the students.


    Vaulting over the wooden fence behind the Prancing Lion, they headed into the overgrowth. Lord Aulorn walked with his sword in hand, his gaze constantly scouring his surroundings. His steps were surprisingly quiet as he led them forward, towards the lake the elderly woman had told them about.


    The forest canopy blocked some of the sunlight, but it wasn¡¯t nearly as dark and oppressive as it was around Bareon. Instead, there were gaps in the canopy, and leafy plants and colourful flowers grew between the trees¡¯ roots. The sound of flowing water faintly reached them, though the leaves rustling with the soft breeze mostly drowned it out.


    They hadn¡¯t walked for more than a few dozen steps when they reached the lake. The lakeshore was blooming with life, and they could see a shallow creek merging into the lake seamlessly. It was a peaceful, serene scene, though something was missing. Something bothered him, though he didn¡¯t quite know what.


    ¡°Nothing weird here,¡± Willow muttered, looking around with some confusion. ¡°We are at the right place, aren¡¯t we?¡±


    Lord Aulorn nodded. ¡°Up the creek,¡± he said, gesturing them to follow. With hasty, yet cautious steps, he hurried on.


    For a while yet, everything seemed in order.


    Midhir suddenly scowled as he finally noticed it. ¡°It¡¯s too silent,¡± he hissed, reaching for his earring, and summoning the sword-spear. His gaze scoured the branches above them ¨C where were the birds and the small critters?


    While the others prepared their weapons also, he walked a few steps ahead. There was an odd sound in the air ¨C a faint ring that seemed to grow stronger as he continued to walk. His brow twitched, and he narrowed his eyes as he tried to pinpoint its source. The ringing was growing stronger, but it was difficult tell where it originated from. Circling around a rather tall tree with a conjoined trunk, he suddenly felt his boot sink into the wet ground. The smell of rot, blood and something awfully sour hit him.


    A sharp pain struck his eye as his gaze landed on the tear in reality, mere steps away from him.


    It was beautiful.

 Chapter 111 – A Practical Lesson (4)

    Reality itself had been torn apart, causing its surroundings to twist and change. The tear floated mid-air, above a large patch of beautiful blue flowers that glowed brightly despite the sunlight piercing the forest canopy. Bright lights floated upwards from the flowers, slowly dissipating as they rose. The exotic, yet calming scent of these flowers barely reached his nostrils, overtaken by the stench of the horrific flora surrounding them.


    Nature seemed at war with itself. The patch of beautiful flowers was surrounded by plant-like structures made of flesh. Thick stems crawled on the ground, decorated with disgusting flowers coloured black, brown and a dirty red, smelling of rot. Thick, tar-like blood oozed out of the fleshy flowers, seeping into the earth below.


    He heard someone gasp, then gag. Lord Aulorn grunted with disgust, while Alistair quickly covered his mouth and nose.


    The faint ringing he heard before had grown slightly stronger, its pitch changed occasionally, forming a simple, yet elegant melody. His gaze was drawn to the tear floating mid-air as he forced himself to take a step back. ¡°What happens now?¡± he spoke, trying to ignore the faint melody he could still hear.


    Lord Aulorn¡¯s expression twisted with disgust. ¡°We heal the veil.¡± He stated. ¡°Then we cleanse these abominations. Take formation around this area and get ready.¡±


    With cautious steps, they spread out, each taking one of the cardinal directions. The ground beneath their feet was mushy and wet with tar-like blood. Their boots sank ever so slightly into it. As much as they tried to keep their distance from the fleshy plant-like things surrounding the tear in reality, it wasn¡¯t always possible.


    He circled around the area to take his place on the other side of the tear in the veil. The stench was nearly unbearable as he walked past the fleshy plants. His stomach churned and a mild headache struck the back of his skull as he finally took his place.


    ¡°Ready your weapons,¡± Lord Aulorn¡¯s heightened voice sounded. The enforcer walked forward, his sword in hand. With a tight jaw, and sharp eyes, he raised his chin. Brandishing his blade, he raised it, its sharp end looking down, then with a grunt of effort, struck the ground with it.


    The myriad gems embedded into the blade of his sword glimmered with power. What started as a faint shine turned into a blinding sun as colourful as a rainbow as the gems filled with power in tandem.


    The tear in the veil also glowed, a ring of blue light spread from it, only to shatter as Lord Aulorn¡¯s resonance fully formed.


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    He melodic ringing he had been hearing until now distorted. What was a calm, almost serene sound became sharper as moments past. His eye twitched as the sound drilled into his ears.


    ¡°In the name of the Empress,¡± Lord Aulorn¡¯s voice sounded, overcoming the sharp ring, and commanding attention. ¡°I offer my blood to protect these lands!¡± He ran his left palm along the sharp side of his blade, leaving a crimson trail of blood behind. The crystals flashed brighter, and power leapt form his sword to the weapons of the students.


    The white gem embedded into the sword-spear glowed brightly. Arwen¡¯s staff¡¯s light followed. Willow raised her rapier high, while Alistair hit the ground with the haft of his spear, the blue gem glowing brightly.


    His power drained rapidly as Lord Aulorn¡¯s resonance continued to form. The Lord Enforcer¡¯s gaze was locked onto the rift in the air. He watched it like a hawk as it throbbed and began to distort. Odd sounds escaped from it ¨C inhuman screams, whispers in a language that didn¡¯t exist, and the sound of rustling leaves and flowing water.


    While the tear fluctuated, power from beyond the veil seeped through, almost as if it was trying to resist Lord Aulorn¡¯s resonance. The Lord Enforcer scowled, his jaw tightened, and he narrowed his eyes. He poured even more power into the resonance, pushing back the otherworldly force that was trying to stop him.


    A sharp pain struck his eye as he felt his consciousness slipping away. ¡°Ugh,¡± he grunted, resisting the pull of the Old One. Not now ¨C he couldn¡¯t pass out now. He needed to see this through first. They needed to close this tear and mend the veil. Nothing was more urgent than that.


    The pull grew stronger. ¡°No,¡± he breathed out, knowing the Old One wouldn¡¯t care. Desperate, he tightened his grasp on the haft of the sword-spear. No matter what, he needed to keep this link of Lord Aulorn¡¯s resonance going.


    The pull he felt suddenly vanished, almost as if the Old One had given up.


    Light shone through the tear. It was odd, distorted. It almost looked like a hand, trying to claw its way out from beyond the veil. The sound of wailing echoed in the air as Lord Aulorn¡¯s resonance began to force the tear closed.


    Lord Aulorn lifted his blade off the ground, holding its tip just a hair¡¯s width away from the tear as he directed more of the spiritual power in the resonance towards it. The Veil¡¯s glow began to fade, the tear¡¯s height now little shorter than a small child. It was closing rapidly, and reality began to heal around it.


    The sound of rustling leaves sounded, followed by the breaking of branches, and dry leaves being trampled.


    Midhir¡¯s gaze turned from the rift towards the source of the noise, only to see a muddy and panicked familiar young man run out of the shrubbery. His eyes were wide open with fear and panic as he stumbled out from behind the large tree. His bewildered gaze fixed on Lord Aulorn as he rushed towards him, bumping into Willow without even noticing.


    ¡°Be careful!¡± Midhir shouted as the young man practically threw himself against the Lord Enforcer¡¯s back, causing him to stumble forward. The tip of his sword slid forward in the air as Lord Aulorn tried to regain his balance. It cut through the air and touched the tear in the veil.


    They couldn¡¯t even react before bright blue and silver light burst out of the tear in the veil, sending them all flying.

 Chapter 112 – From the Other Side (1)

    The shockwave of the blast shook the trees, breaking off thick branches and tearing apart smaller shrubbery. It upheaved the earth, sending chunks of dirt and small rocks flying through the air. Blood splattered against the ground and the thick, sturdy tree trunks as the students, the enforcer, and the young man who attacked him were thrown in different directions.


    Searing pain jolted throughout his body as Midhir flew in the air and plummeted into an unfamiliar body of water. The frigid waters immediately numbed his body, doing away with the pain, and forcing his mind to recover from what had just happened.


    He opened his eyes to see the blurry depths. Lumps of seaweed reached up from the lake floor, all the way towards the surface. Sunlight easily pierced the clear body of water, allowing him to see at least a little. Holding his breath, he swam up. His lungs began to burn, but before long, his head broke through the surface of the water.


    Gasping for air, he coughed and looked around for the nearest shore. Summoning his strength, he swam towards it, pulling himself up onto the rocky surface as soon as he reached it.


    Bright rays of sunlight pierced the forest canopy above him. They warmed his body slowly, doing away with the numbing cold. While some of the pain he felt before falling into the lake returned, he was still glad to have regained finer control of his muscles.


    Getting up on his hands and knees, he coughed out the last bit of water he swallowed, then grabbed onto the nearest tree trunk and pulled himself up on his feet. ¡°Lord Aulorn?¡± He shouted, then held his breath and suppressed the urge to cough as he waited for a response. Moments passed in silence as a lump settled in his throat. ¡°Arwen? Willow?¡± He shouted again, this time looking around with narrowed eyes. It was difficult to keep the mounting worry at bay.


    Something glimmered just a few steps away from him, hidden amongst the leaves of a broken branch. ¡°Alistair?¡± He shouted as he stumbled towards the branch and crouched.


    What he saw was a piece of metal, clearly shattered from a bigger whole. It was silver coloured, and perfectly smooth on one side, no larger than the nail on his thumb. He scowled before getting back up. What was that even from? ¡°Lord Enforcer!¡± He shouted again, this time turning towards the lake.


    Where was the sword-spear? He was holding it when the tear just exploded and sent that shockwave that separated them. He must have dropped it at some point, but he wasn¡¯t sure when. With a tight jaw, he circled around the lake, looking for his weapon, and trying to figure out where he was at the same time.


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    He spied a few more pieces of shattered silver coloured metal, but there was no sign of the sword-spear, and it was difficult to see far into the forest, so he wasn¡¯t sure which way the tear in the veil was.


    His gaze turned towards the lake. The clear waters glimmered, reflecting the bright rays of sunlight. Despite his best attempts, he couldn¡¯t see if it was down below the surface ¨C he would need to dive down to look, and the lake floor was too deep to be able to reach without some sort of resonance to aid him.


    He hesitated. He needed his weapon, but he didn¡¯t have any more time to waste looking for it. The explosion was powerful, and it likely damaged the veil further. Lord Aulorn and the others hadn¡¯t made a sound yet. Fearing for the worst, he turned his back to the lake, and hurried uphill.


    The further he walked, the more damage he noticed around him. Thick, sturdy branches had been torn from the trees, and the earth itself had been upheaved. Tree trunks carried signs of damage, and there were more than a few dead birds and small critters around.


    With clenched fists, he continued uphill, only to stop in his tracks as he noticed a lump of twisted flesh on the ground. Black goo slowly oozed out of it, and it reeked of decay and mold.


    He covered his mouth and nose with his still dripping bet sleeve. ¡°Lord Aulorn!¡± He shouted again, relieved that this didn¡¯t belong to a human, but disgusted still by the smell and look of the flesh plant. There was once again no response ¨C the forest remained eerily silent.


    Suppressing his worst fears, he rushed past the lump of twisted flesh. Leaping over the broken branches blocking his path, he made his way up the hill, only slowing down once he arrived at the top.


    Reality was torn apart ¨C the tear stretched from one side of the opening to the other. It was as wide as the main streets of An¡¯Larion, and as tall as a small building. It throbbed, letting out small waves of silver and blue power that dissipated nearly immediately. The edges of the tear were shrouded in silver fog.


    His heart sank as his gaze landed on an object stuck against the ground just in front of the tear ¨C the upper half of a silver sword, once elegant and powerful.


    His gaze darted around, looking for even of a sign of Lord Aulorn and the others. ¡°Lord Aulorn! Willow, Arwen! Alistair!¡± He shouted at the top of his lungs, his desperation and fear palpable. He listened, but instead of them, he heard something from behind him.


    From the other side.


    Holding his breath, he turned around to face the tear in the veil once more.


    A field of crimson flowers stretched before him. A shape moved amidst the flowers ¨C it almost looked human. Almost.


    It¡¯s claw like hands reached forward as its ghoulish mouth opened, and a hostile grunt sounded, somewhat distorted as it passed through the tear. The creature stepped forward. It¡¯s hands touched the tear ¨C the thin, invisible barrier between him and it started to fall apart.


    It was passing through ¨C with its own physical body. Without possessing someone from this world. Its power could be unimaginable. No matter what, he couldn¡¯t let it pass through.


    As the creature stepped through the tear, Midhir broke into a dash his hands reaching for the broken sword stuck in the ground.

 Chapter 113 – From the Other Side (2)

    The creature from the other side pressed its claw-like hands into the tear. Something seemed to give it pause as it growled and pushed with more pause. It was almost as if an invisible wall was preventing it from passing through to this side.


    Light bent oddly around it for only a moment before it tore through that invisible wall.


    Midhir¡¯s hands gripped the shattered sword¡¯s hilt just as a frigid wind hit him, carrying with it a sweet, calming scent. He shivered with the cold ¨C and with crippling fear ¨C as he stepped back, holding onto the sword. It was his lifeline ¨C his only chance of survival.


    The creature stepped through the tear. It¡¯s bare, twisted feet touched the ground. The world seemed to lose some of its vibrance as the earth beneath the tear began to turn grey, and the nearest trees¡¯ leaves fell, brown and dead.


    The creature paused. It raised its chin, breathing in deeply. A spark appeared in its lifeless eyes, and its dried skin slowly began to regain colour. It stretched its fingers, breathed out, then smirked as its face continued to become more humanlike.


    Eyes as white as milk turned to Midhir as its hair became a pale silver. It opened its mouth ¨C two pairs of fang-like teeth in clear display ¨C and then, it made a sound.


    Words unfamiliar to him scratched his ears and his mind. It was a maddening voice, both soft and screeching at the same time. It¡¯s words echoed in the air, and in his mind.


    The creature pointed at him. It said something one more time, once again with words he couldn¡¯t understand. Then, it took a step. More of the world lost its lustre, and the creature¡¯s skin seemed to gain more colour. It¡¯s eyes were no longer a milky white ¨C there was a crimson halo there.


    It was draining the very life around it, using it to empower itself. It had to be stopped ¨C no matter what. ¡°Go back,¡± Midhir forced the words out, summoning his courage. ¡°Go back!¡± He reached within, calling forth his spiritual power.


    There were only four gems left in the intact part of Lord Aulorn¡¯s sword. He reached for the most familiar one. Crimson colour flashed as he stepped forward, and the sword burst into flames.


    He swung the blade towards the creature¡¯s neck, pouring his power into the flames to strengthen them as best as he could. Leaving a crimson trail behind it, the sword cut through the air, and hit the creature¡¯s palm. It¡¯s long, claw-like fingers gripped the blade despite the flames, stopping it just before it reached its neck.


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    Midhir¡¯s eyes shot wide open. It was fast. Too fast. He hadn¡¯t even seen its hand move to stop his strike. He needed to pull back, free the sword, and try again, before it decided to just kill him.


    Before his thoughts even finished, the creature pushed the blade away. As the weight of the blade suddenly shifted, it threatened his balance. He stumbled backwards, hitting his back against the large tree.


    The creature took another step. Colour fully returned to its eyes as dead leaves rained down from above, and even the flesh-like plants died beneath its feet. Its crimson eyes fixed on him, its lips parted. It almost seemed hungry.


    Ever fibre in his body, every single instinct he had screamed at him to run. He had to run. To get away. Warn mother, and father, and the Enforcers. He couldn¡¯t fight this ¨C no one could, alone. Without a second thought, he motioned to turn around, to try and circle around the tree and dash downhill.


    It appeared before him, its claw like hand gripped his throat and scratched his neck as it pinned him against the tree. A sharp pain jolted throughout his body as he felt a crack in his shoulder. It¡¯s hand squeezed his neck as it spoke again. Words unfamiliar to him echoed in his mind, piercing his thoughts clouded by the immense pain.


    He gasped for air. His feet weren¡¯t touching the ground. He couldn¡¯t feel his left arm. His right hand was still grasping something, but he couldn¡¯t remember. His thoughts grew foggier as his lungs begged for air. His chest felt as if it was on fire.


    A pair of crimson eyes was all he could see as his vision began to grow blurry and darker. The same words that he couldn¡¯t understand repeated themselves over and over again. He could hear the blood rushing in his veins. His body began to grow numb as the last drops of strength began to leave him.


    Where is it?


    Words he shouldn¡¯t understand pierced through his clouded mind. In that split second of clarity, he remembered ¨C he was still holding onto the shattered sword.


    He kicked the air weakly. The creature¡¯s eyes narrowed with what seemed like enjoyment. It¡¯s lips parted as it reached for his neck with its other hand. He felt it touch him, then it pulled its hand back, now covered in blood. It sniffed it, then licked it, its eyes closing for a split second as it seemed to savour the taste.


    He reached within and poured all of his remaining power into the blade. Four gems lit up as he pushed its sharp end towards the creature. Flames danced on the blade, a powerful wind blew from behind, the earth shook ever so slightly, and a soft, calming sensation washed over his shoulder, followed by the sharp pain of a healing resonance.


    The creature let go of him as it swiftly stepped back, avoiding the blade and the elements that accompanied it with ease.


    As soon as it let go of his throat, he collapsed on his knees, gasping for air. The world spun around him as air finally reached his lungs. Yet, he couldn¡¯t feel relieved just yet ¨C all he did was buy mere seconds, if any at all.


    Still holding onto the sword, he raised his gaze, only to be met with the cold, crimson gaze of the creature. It raised its hand, its claws red with blood. Silver mist rose behind it, almost mimicking its movements.


    He knew that he was looking at his end.

 Chapter 114 – From the Other Side (3)

    Time seemed to slow to a halt as silver mist rolled in from the torn veil, rising behind the creature like a dragon rearing its head.


    Whispers echoed in his mind, speaking words he couldn¡¯t understand. The cold wind turned his breath into fog, it numbed his arms and legs. He was weakened, his power was fully drained, and his body ached all over.


    A part of the rearing mist rolled into the creature¡¯s palm, overflowing through its fingers, and falling down to the dead earth. It almost seemed alive in how it moved ¨C it didn¡¯t stray from the creature¡¯s feet, swirling and ever moving in its place.


    The creature lowered its hand red with blood. It¡¯s lips curled up with what seemed to be enjoyment. It slowly crouched until it¡¯s head was at the same level as Midhir¡¯s. The mist gathering at its feet slowly moved forward, mimicking the motions of its hand as it grabbed his torn shirt.


    Words he couldn¡¯t understand echoed in the silence. He grunted with pain as the words clawed at his mind as well. They were different than before ¨C it wasn¡¯t saying the same thing.


    ¡°I,¡± he wheezed, grabbing onto the creature¡¯s wrist with the last drops of his strength. ¡°¡­don¡¯t understand¡­¡±


    The creature hissed, its eyes narrowed, and it tightened its grasp. It spat the same words once more, its voice rising as it spoke. The mist rose along with it, it wrapped around Midhir¡¯s lower body, its cold touch sending shivers down his spine.


    There had to be something he could do, anything! Desperately he tried to reach within, to find even a drop of spiritual power.


    A strong wind blew, shaking the trees and sweeping the dead leaves away. He thought he heard a sound from above, almost like the caw of a crow, or a raven. The sound of the wind rustling the leaves drowned it out as the creature spoke again.


    Midhir grunted as pain struck his mind. The creature¡¯s words almost familiar. Almost. They weren¡¯t, of course ¨C but they clawed at the back of his mind.


    ¡­ betray us?


    His eyes shot wide open as he recognised the last few words.


    His reaction made the creature pause for a split second as the wind grew stronger. It tilted its head to the side as it raised its other hand towards Midhir¡¯s chest. The mist followed it.


    A small piece of metal glinted as it flew by him. He felt its wind on his cheek just before it struck the creature¡¯s arm.


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    With an animalistic growl, the creature leapt back. Its claw gripped the piece of metal ¨C a small, insignificant dagger ¨C and pulled it out. Black blood oozed out of the open wound as the creature threw the dagger to the ground. Its hate filled gaze turned towards Midhir ¨C no, behind Midhir.


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s better.¡± A clear voice echoed in the silence as the wind suddenly stopped.


    His ears perked up. Was that really her? A part of him didn¡¯t trust his ears ¨C it couldn¡¯t be her. She shouldn¡¯t even be in An¡¯Larion right now!


    A young woman, only five years older he was, walked past him. She wore tight leather trousers, knee-high boots, and a white blouse with laced sleeves. Her blonde hair was tied in a simple, tight bun. ¡°Now,¡± she clenched her right fist, lightly punched her left palm and walked right up to the creature. ¡°Get the hell out of here!¡±


    Golden light enveloped her hand as she punched the creature¡¯s chin with an inhuman force. A loud, disgusting crack sounded as her fist connected, then a fiery explosion sent the creature flying towards the woods. It hit its back against a tree, then fell down, its neck bent at a weird angle.


    ¡°Il-¡° He began to speak but stopped as he met her gaze.


    She smirked, winked, then¡­ vanished. ¡°Give me a minute!¡± She called out from the other side of the opening.


    Midhir¡¯s gaze found her just as she raised her dagger, coated it in crimson flames, and struck the creature¡¯s chest. An animalistic scream echoed as it tried to claw her, but she masterfully evaded it, stepping back. ¡°Stop faking it.¡± Her voice was cold now. ¡°I know that didn¡¯t hurt you ¨C not really.¡±


    The creature¡¯s screams stopped. Almost as if it understood her, it stood up, fixed its head and neck, then parted its lips, showcasing its sharp fangs. Words he couldn¡¯t understand once again echoed.


    The woman¡¯s fingers visibly twitched as they stared each other down, each waiting for the other to make the first move. The charged silence began to stretch as the creature licked its lips, then raised its bloody hand to its face.


    The woman clenched her fist. Something glimmered beneath her long sleeve for a split second before she leapt forward. A blade, simple and elegant, materialised in the air. She caught it, brandishing it with flames. As she raised the blade mid-air, the creature bent its knees. It¡¯s crimson eyes glimmered with intelligence and enjoyment. It knew what she was about to do.


    She twisted her body, winds blowing from all sides to change her leap. Her left heel struck the creature¡¯s chest, and her right heel hit its nose, breaking it with a disturbing sound. With an elegant backflip, she landed on her feet, then lunged forward with her blade wreathed in flames, striking the creature¡¯s shoulder, once again drawing blood.


    The creature stumbled back, growled as the blade cut through its flesh, then lunged at her in retaliation.


    She easily evaded its attack, dancing around it as it tried to hit her in vain. It seemed so clumsy and slow compared to her speed and elegance. She made a mockery of it. Their duel continued on for a while. The wounds on the creature began to mount while she remained unharmed, and her speed never waned.


    Something was wrong though. Despite all of those wounds she inflicted on it, the creature was still alive, and it was just as fast as it was when it first came through the tear in the veil. She made it seem like a weak, pitiful creature, but Midhir knew that wasn¡¯t the case ¨C it was powerful, and no matter how many wounds she inflicted on it, and how many bones she broke, it didn¡¯t slow down.


    She could fight it, but he didn¡¯t think she could kill it. He didn¡¯t know if there was anything that could kill it.

 Chapter 115 – From the Other Side (4)

    Breathing heavily, the young woman leapt back, putting half a dozen steps between her and the creature. She wiped a bead of sweat with the back of her hand. ¡°You¡¯re something else¡­¡± she mumbled, smirking.


    Midhir gritted his teeth. She was tired. Of course she was ¨C how long had they been fighting? It felt like an eternity. No matter how gifted, how strong and skilled she was, she couldn¡¯t keep this up forever. This had become a battle of attrition, and despite the confidant fa?ade she put on, he could see right through her ¨C she was aware of this too.


    With a grunt, he struck Lord Aulorn¡¯s shattered sword into the ground, and used it as leverage to push himself up.


    ¡°You can walk?¡± She asked, sparing only a glance for a split second before fixing her gaze on the creature again. ¡°Get the hell out of here Midhir, Victor should be nearby, and-¡°


    ¡°No,¡± he cut her off weakly. ¡°It won¡¯t die.¡± He turned his gaze to the creature. It¡¯s body was riddled with cuts and bruises, with black ooze slowly seeping out of them. It shouldn¡¯t even be able to stand, let alone continue fighting. ¡°Ilya, you should leave.¡±


    Ilya¡¯s head jerked to the side as she shot him a deathly glare. ¡°What?¡± She asked, her green eyes glimmering with anger. ¡°You-¡°


    Midhir pulled the sword out of the ground and pointed it at the creature. ¡°That thing isn¡¯t dying!¡± He shouted, stepping forward. Each step was a fight, against his aching body and throbbing head. ¡°It won¡¯t, so get out of here and get some help. I¡¯ll¡­¡± He hesitated. ¡°I¡¯ll try and hold it off.¡±


    The creature raised its chin, its crimson eyes looking at them with what almost seemed like enjoyment.


    Ilya scoffed at the mere though, shooting him a meaningful glance. ¡°Bull,¡± she spat. ¡°Hold it off ¨C hah!¡± She laughed.


    He gritted his teeth. ¡°Just-¡°


    ¡°No,¡± She brandished her blade, turning towards the creature again. ¡°Shut up, find Victor, and bring him back here!¡± Her blade burst into flames. ¡°He¡¯ll seal the tear, and I¡¯ll take care of this one-¡°


    ¡°With what?¡± Midhir cried out. ¡°Ilya, I¡¯m holding his sword! I don¡¯t even know if he¡¯s alive anymore!¡±


    Ilya stopped in her tracks. ¡°His sword¡­?¡± Her voice trailed off as her bewildered gaze locked onto the shattered sword. ¡°Victor-¡°


    The creature leapt forward silently. Had it not been in Midhir¡¯s view, he wouldn¡¯t have even noticed that it moved. As it approached the bewildered Ilya, Midhir¡¯s heart raced. ¡°Look out!¡± He shouted as he kicked the ground, rushed towards her and pushed her aside as the creature¡¯s claws dug into his chest.


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    Searing pain jolted throughout his body as the scent of burnt flesh reached his nostrils. His vision blurred as a gasp escaped his lips.


    A flash of light sent the creature flying across the opening. The sound of it crashing into the trees broke the momentary silence. ¡°Midhir!¡± Ilya shouted. He felt her touch on his chest, and the warmth of a healing resonance. As the wounds on his chest healed rapidly, his back arched with the unbearable pain. As the pain subsided after only a few heartbeats, Ilya¡¯s hands latched onto his arm, pulling him back up on his feet.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± She said as she pushed the hilt of her sword into his palm. ¡°New plan ¨C you seal the rift, I keep it busy.¡± She shot a quick glance over her shoulder to see how far the creature was.


    Midhir¡¯s gaze followed hers. It had just gotten back up on its feet and was walking towards them. It was in no rush, as it took slow steps, and took its time licking the still wet blood on its fingers, all while looking at them with a maniacal glee.


    ¡°I can¡¯t!¡± He grabbed her arm before she could charge at it. ¡°I¡¯m out ¨C I¡¯m completely drained. I can¡¯t even light a candleflame right now!¡± He pushed the sword back towards her.


    Ilya¡¯s jaw tightened. Her eyes narrowed with a mix of anger and pity. ¡°Fine,¡± she spat. ¡°I¡¯ll seal the tear ¨C you¡¯ll survive.¡± She squeezed his shoulder, then rushed back towards the tear in the veil, sword in hand.


    ¡°I¡¯ll survive,¡± he whispered in repeat, mostly in an attempt to convince himself. Still desperately holding onto the broken sword, he faced the creature.


    It¡¯s gaze lingered on him for a while as it slowly walked towards him. With a twisted smile that showcased its fanged teeth, it pointed towards Midhir, then at its own chest.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Midhir breathed out, trying to steady his shaking arms as he grasped the hilt of the sword with both hands. ¡°I¡¯m your opponent.¡± He breathed in and out slowly, trying to calm his racing heart.


    The creature cackled, once again repeating its odd motion. It pointed at Midhir, then at its own chest. It¡¯s claw-like finger drew circles on its black blood covered skin. Then, it pointed at him once more.


    Was there something on his chest? He glanced down quickly. His torn, blood soaked shirt still somehow covered most of his chest, but through one of the tears, he spotted a line on his skin. ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± He asked, quickly raising his eyes. Ilya probably needed a few minutes to heal the tear and completely fix the veil in this area. All he needed to do was keep the creature busy.


    It spoke again. Words he couldn¡¯t understand mixed with words he could, sending his mind into disarray. He grunted, tightened his grasp on the shattered sword¡¯s hilt, and readied himself.


    ¡­Envoy¡­ Betrayed us!


    The creature shouted. He only knew what a couple of words meant in its long tirade. ¡°Who betrayed you?¡± He shouted back. Did it even understand them? ¡°What does any of that got to do with us? Go back!¡± It probably didn¡¯t understand.


    The creature growled, bent its knees ever so slightly, then broke into a dash.


    As it seemingly appeared in front of Midhir, a bright light shone from the tear.


    ¡°In the name of the Ardagh House, I offer my blood to protect these lands!¡± Ilya¡¯s powerful voice rang as she made a small cut on her arm and let the blood flow onto her sword.


    The creature¡¯s eyes widened. It stopped just as it reached Midhir, slid on the ground reorienting itself, then leapt towards Ilya.


    ¡°No!¡± Midhir shouted, dashing after it.

 Chapter 116 – From the Other Side (5)

    Time itself crawled to a halt as the creature jumped towards Ilya. Its claws stretched out and its eyes opened wide. For the first time since it passed through the tear in the veil, the creature seemed worried ¨C no, it was afraid. Afraid of Ilya sealing the tear and healing the veil around it.


    Ilya¡¯s gaze turned from the tear in the veil to the creature. Her lips formed a thin line, but she didn¡¯t stop her resonance. Her blade reached towards the tear, her blood gathering at its tip. As if gravity had shifted, the drops fell towards the tear. As they touched it, they began to form a shape ¨C a seal.


    She had to stay in place for the resonance to be completed. She couldn¡¯t defend herself. She shut her eyes tightly as the creature neared.


    He reached within as his heart sank, searching for even a drop of spiritual power. Yet all he found was a vast emptiness. He ran after the creature, but it was too fast, and he was simply too slow ¨C he couldn¡¯t help her. Realisation sank as he shouted her name. He couldn¡¯t save her.


    Pressurised air blasted against the creature¡¯s side, tearing apart its skin and sending it flying towards the woods on the other side of the opening. A shocked and pained growl escaped its lips as it crashed into the ground.


    Ilya¡¯s eyes shot wide open, her head jerked to the side as she looked at the source of that explosive resonance. Her lips parted in surprise as someone stumbled out of the woods.


    ¡°Willow?!¡± Midhir breathed out.


    The young woman was covered in mud, leaves, and something reddish ¨C it looked like blood. Her eyes were wide open, and her jaw was tight. She was visibly trembling, and her face twisted with pain as she limped closer. She pressed her left hand against her side, wincing with every step she took. ¡°Midhir¡­¡± Her voice was weak as she fully ignored Ilya. Her eyes watered as she forced the words out. ¡°Dad¡­ he-¡°


    ¡°Look out!¡± Ilya shouted, cutting her off.


    Midhir kicked the ground without a second thought, caught Willow¡¯s arm and pulled her away from where she was standing just as a shadow passed by them, leaving a trail of black blood on the ground.


    The creature slid on the muddied ground, crashed its side into a tree, and quickly recovered its balance, once again dashing towards them. It¡¯s bloodshot eyes were wide with hatred, claws extended and aiming for their throats.


    A cold shiver ran down Midhir¡¯s spine. It wasn¡¯t just toying with them anymore ¨C he could feel the killing intent it exuded. ¡°Willow!¡± he shouted, snapping the young woman out of her daze.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    Willow¡¯s eyes widened, her hands clenched around the hilt of her rapier. Her power flowed into the weapon, lighting up the green gem embedded into its pommel. The air seemed to grow heavy for a split second around them before pressurised air burst from the tip of her sword.


    The burst of air hit the creature, but this time all it did was push it back a few steps. It slid on the muddy ground, its crimson eyes focused on Willow as a growl escaped its drawn back lips.


    Reality twisted behind them. The edges of the tear began to rapidly shrink as Ilya¡¯s resonance finalised. Whispers rose from the other side, they assaulted their minds and filled their thoughts with foreign words.


    ¡­ betrayed us!


    The creature shouted at the top of its lungs, its voice sharp and distorted. Recovering its balance, it dashed towards Midhir, Willow and Ilya. It¡¯s maniacal gaze was filled with wrath and bloodthirst.


    He didn¡¯t hesitate. As the creature neared, he pushed Willow as strongly as he could and threw himself to the other side just as the creature¡¯s claws reached for him.


    ¡°Curse you!¡± Willow¡¯s hate-filled voice reached his ears. Laying on the ground, the young woman pointed the tip of her rapier towards the creature¡¯s back as it missed Midhir, slid on the ground, and tried to make a sharp turn towards Ilya. The gem on the pommel of her sword glowed brightly, illuminating their surroundings for a split second. Then, with a thump, pressurised air hit the creature¡¯s back with immense force.


    The creature had just recovered its balance when Willow¡¯s resonance hit its back. It stumbled forward, its claws desperately clawed the air as it tried to find somewhere to hold onto. There was nothing though ¨C just the mending tear in the veil. With a hate-filled shriek, it fell through the tear.


    ¡°Ilya!¡± He shouted. ¡°Close it now.¡±


    She nodded with a smirk. Her green eyes glimmered with satisfaction as the tear shut close with a bright shine. She slowly lowered her sword, then let it vanish into her holding gem. ¡°That¡¯s-¡° her voice faded as she noticed Willow.


    The young woman scrambled to get up. She stumbled towards Midhir and grabbed onto his arm. ¡°Dad,¡± she said with a catch in her voice. ¡°He needs help, please, Midhir.¡±


    He had completely forgotten about her plea just before the creature attacked. ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°Where is he?¡± Ilya¡¯s sharp voice startled them both as she approached them with long steps. ¡°And what¡¯s his situation?¡± Her gaze was cold and detached.


    Willow pointed east. ¡°At the foot of the hill.¡± Her voice was weak. Her sword slipped from her grasp as she stumbled forward. Her knees gave out.


    He barely caught her before she collapsed. He knelt down, carefully letting her sit as she muttered something. ¡°Willow?!¡± he exclaimed, then he stopped as he noticed his own, wet hand. He pulled his hand away from her side, revealing the warm blood that¡¯d wet it.  His heart sank as his gaze snapped between his hand and her pale face. ¡°Ilya, she¡¯s wounded!¡± He lifted his head, only to see Ilya hesitate. ¡°Ilya?¡± He asked in disbelief.


    The young woman tightened her jaw. Her expression was devoid of emotion, but her regret filled eyes betrayed her. ¡°I used up nearly all of my power. I¡¯m drained.¡± She muttered with a catch in her voice. ¡°I¡­ I must prioritise the enforcer.¡±

 Chapter 117 – A Question Never Asked (1)

    A moment of silence was broken by the sound of rustling leaves. Midhir stared at Ilya. He couldn¡¯t believe what he heard. He couldn¡¯t believe she wouldn¡¯t help. ¡°You must-¡° he stopped himself. ¡°She¡¯s dying, Ilya!¡± He shouted, pressing his hand against Willow¡¯s wound in an attempt to stop the bleeding. Blood still oozed out, flowing between his fingers and slowly dropping to the ground.


    Ilya looked away.


    He clenched his other hand. ¡°You won¡¯t.¡± He shook his head. ¡°You won¡¯t just leave an innocent person to die. You can heal her, and she can help you heal her father!¡± She wasn¡¯t so cruel ¨C he knew her, she wouldn¡¯t just walk away. She couldn¡¯t.


    Her hands clenched into fists. ¡°You can¡¯t guarantee that. Stem the bleeding, I¡¯ll come back once I helped the Lord Enforcer.¡± She turned around to leave.


    ¡°If you walk away,¡± Midhir hissed. ¡°I won¡¯t call for you if the time comes.¡±


    She stopped mid-step and whirled around with a fire in her eyes. ¡°You-¡°


    ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± he cut her off with a sharp voice. ¡°I won¡¯t trust you enough to.¡± He met her gaze. ¡°You¡¯re not father. You don¡¯t let innocent people die.¡±


    Ilya gritted her teeth. She seemed hesitant, her gaze shifting towards where Willow came from, then back at her and Midhir. ¡°This isn¡¯t the right choice.¡± She walked towards them with long steps, crouched, and pressed her hand over Midhir¡¯s hand which was covering Willow¡¯s wound. ¡°You only get to threaten me once, brother.¡± She stared at him. ¡°Understood?¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t need to do it twice.¡± He forced a smirk, but Ilya had already focused her attention on Willow.


    Warmth radiated from her hand as a small, silver ring on her index finger began to glow softly. There was a single, tiny golden gem embedded into the silver band ¨C the augment she was using to cast a healing resonance.


    Willow grunted as her wound began to rapidly heal. Lines appeared on her forehead as she scowled with pain. Her breathing grew shallow and rapid, and her hands grabbed each a fistful of mud. Midhir couldn¡¯t help but feel somewhat relieved that she wasn¡¯t conscious ¨C at least she wouldn¡¯t remember how much it hurt.


    Ilya¡¯s healing only lasted a handful of seconds. When she pulled her hand away, colour had returned to Willow¡¯s skin. Her lips weren¡¯t a pale blue anymore, and her complexion wasn¡¯t a ghostly white. Her expression slowly turned peaceful as the pain came to an end.


    ¡°Now ¨C we need to hurry.¡± Ilya stood up. ¡°Wake her up. She must help heal her father.¡± Her voice was cold.


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    As soon as he lightly shook her shoulders, Willow startled awake. Her eyes shot wide open, and she sat upright with a gasp. She quickly reached for the wound on her side, then turned towards Ilya and Midhir. ¡°You healed me.¡± She grew pale. ¡°Wait, what about dad-¡°


    ¡°We¡¯re going there now,¡± Ilya cut her off. ¡°You¡¯ll need to help, I used the last bit of my power on healing you.¡± She looked at Willow from head to toe, almost as if she was weighing the young woman¡¯s worth. ¡°Get up, we can¡¯t waste any more time.¡±


    ¡°Can you walk?¡± Midhir asked as he offered Willow his hand.


    She hesitated as he pulled her up on her feet, but then nodded. ¡°I can,¡± She took the rapier she dropped from the ground, then took a deep breath. ¡°This way.¡±


    The rare birds had begun to chirp as Ilya and Midhir followed Willow downhill. With the tear sealed and the veil mended, the forest was beginning to return to normal ¨C at least as normal as the overgrowth could be.


    As they made their way to the foot of the hill, Willow hastened her steps. ¡°There,¡± she pointed ahead. The ground was level where she pointed, they were likely somewhere east of the Prancing Lion inn, probably not too far from the building itself.


    Two figures entered their field of view as they hurried. Lord Aulorn was laying on the ground, his right arm bent in an odd way and covered in blood. The skin on his hand was damaged, some parts burnt while others covered in cuts. His clothes were tattered, and his cloak torn apart. He wasn¡¯t moving, but Midhir could see his chest slowly rising and sinking with each breath he took.


    Next to him was Arwen. She was on her knees, her hands hovering above the Enforcer¡¯s chest as a warm, golden light shine from them.


    ¡°Arwen!¡± Willow exclaimed, startling the young woman. She ran up to them. ¡°You¡¯re healing him ¨C how is he?¡±


    Ilya slowed her steps, and grabbed Midhir¡¯s arm, stopping him a few dozen steps away from them. ¡°That girl ¨C where is she from?¡±


    Midhir opened his mouth to answer, then scowled. Where was Arwen from? ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know¡­¡± he muttered as he felt his head hurt when he tried to remember. His brows furrowed further as he rummaged through his memories. He didn¡¯t know. It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t remember ¨C he didn¡¯t think he¡¯d ever asked.


    Ilya looked at him like he¡¯d grown a second head. ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± She whispered, raising her eyebrows in disbelief. ¡°How-¡° She stopped herself, furrowed her brows and narrowed her eyes. ¡°You don¡¯t see anything weird with that?¡±


    Midhir hesitated. It was weird that he¡¯d never thought to ask, but¡­


    ¡°What about that?¡± Ilya tilted her head towards the young woman. ¡°She¡¯s resonance casting.¡±


    Midhir nodded. Arwen¡¯s healing resonance was in plain sight.


    ¡°So where is her augment?¡±


    ¡°Her staff-¡° he turned to point at it, only for his voice to fade away. Arwen¡¯s staff wasn¡¯t in her hands, nor was it on her lap or laying next to her. In fact, aside from the warm glow in her hands, he couldn¡¯t see anything that indicated that she was resonance casting.


    ¡°Her name?¡± Ilya asked, her voice a low whisper that neither Arwen nor Willow could hear.


    ¡°Arwen,¡± Midhir replied after a few moments of silence. ¡°Arwen Maloid.¡±


    ¡°Your classmate seems to have some very special gifts, brother.¡± Ilya¡¯s voice was cold. ¡°Now, let¡¯s join them.¡±


    With that, she marched towards them, leaving Midhir standing there.


    All the doubts he had suppressed so far began to resurface as he watched Arwen slowly heal Lord Aulorn¡¯s wounds. Just who was she?

 Chapter 118 – A Question Never Asked (2)

    Ilya stood behind Willow, her sharp gaze fixed on Arwen as the young woman continued to heal Lord Aulorn.


    The wounds on the Lord Enforcer¡¯s hands and arms slowly continued to heal. It was an agonisingly slow process, though Lord Aulorn was taking it surprisingly well ¨C he didn¡¯t show any signs of pain at all.


    Midhir scowled. His lips formed a thin line as his gaze turned to Arwen. Healing resonances always caused pain. There was no way of avoiding it ¨C healing and recovery was a painful process, even at their natural speed. Healing resonances did little more than just make that natural process faster, which caused all that pain to be felt at once. So, why wasn¡¯t Lord Aulorn suffering from any pain?


    With a quiet sigh, he glanced around. While it was good that they¡¯d found Lord Aulorn, he couldn¡¯t help but worry about Alistair. Had he been able to, he would have returned to where the tear was. He shifted his weight from one foot to the other nervously. Alistair would have come there, but he hadn¡¯t.


    ¡°Ilya,¡± he spoke without spending any more time.


    His sister lifted her gaze, then circled around Arwen, Willow and Lord Aulorn before coming to stand next to him. She raised an eyebrow and waited for him to speak.


    ¡°Alistair isn¡¯t here ¨C I¡¯m worried.¡± He kept his voice low. ¡°I¡¯m no use standing around like this, I should go look for him.¡±


    Ilya pursed her lips and looked at him as if she was determining his capabilities. ¡°Can you walk long enough without collapsing?¡± She finally asked.


    Midhir nodded. ¡°Yeah, but I can¡¯t heal him if he¡¯s wounded.¡± It wasn¡¯t a possibility they could ignore after all.


    Once again, she nodded. ¡°Willow!¡± Her voice snapped like a whip, startling the young woman. ¡°Go with him to look for your classmate.¡±


    Willow¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°But my father-¡°


    Ilya waved her hand dismissively. ¡°You aren¡¯t helping her,¡± she pointed at Arwen. ¡°And your classmate may be gravely wounded. Midhir can¡¯t use any more spiritual power, he¡¯ll be useless in that case.¡±


    Midhir winced. Her words held nothing but the truth, but she was rather rude about it.


    ¡°But-¡°


    ¡°It¡¯s an order, Cadet.¡± Ilya¡¯s sharp voice rang as she glared at Willow. ¡°Now.¡±


    With a visible flinch, Willow scrambled to get up. She shot Arwen a pleading glance, then hurried towards Midhir with a tight jaw.


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    ¡°We¡¯ll meet back at the inn if we don¡¯t find you here,¡± Midhir said before they left with hasty steps.


    As they climbed the hill, Willow was silent. She seemed to struggle with her steps and grasped her somewhat torn cloak with clenched hands.


    ¡°He¡¯s in good hands.¡± His voice broke the charged silence about halfway up the hill.


    ¡°I know,¡± Willow muttered. ¡°He¡¯s dad. He¡¯ll be fine,¡± she whispered with a catch in her voice. A few moments passed in silence, then she took a deep breath. ¡°Midhir, I know I¡¯m wounded and maybe a bit confused, but I swear I know her.¡± She hesitated. ¡°I know of her.¡±


    ¡°Everyone knows of her,¡± he breathed out. There was really not much point in hiding who Ilya was ¨C it really wasn¡¯t possible to do that. Her statues and paintings were everywhere, and she often addressed the people of An¡¯Larion personally. She acted in place of their mother, and never shied away from mingling with her people. Only shut-ins and those who lived in small, distant towns wouldn¡¯t recognise her face.


    Willow¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°I know it!¡± She exclaimed. ¡°She¡¯s the crown princess.¡± She seemed excited for a moment before her eyes narrowed, and she folded her arms. ¡°But Midhir, why are you calling the crown princess by her first name?¡±


    He paused mid-step. ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± his voice faded as he desperately tried to come up with something that would make sense. Anything but the truth. Ilya¡¯s words echoed in his mind.


    Don¡¯t take up that mantle unless you must ¨C you will never be able to return to how things were.


    ¡°And she called you by your name as well. She was worried about you. She cared¡­¡± Willow¡¯s voice faded. Her arms dropped to her sides as she stared at him, lips parted and eyes slowly widening. ¡°Midhir¡­ are you close to her?¡± She asked after a moment of silence.


    He looked away. He didn¡¯t want to see the hurt in her eyes. He didn¡¯t want her to look at him differently ¨C not as a friend, but with fear.


    She gasped. ¡°Is she engaged with you?!¡±


    ¡°What? Eww, no!¡± He exclaimed instinctively.


    Willow seemed confused for a moment. ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡± She finally conceded. ¡°Who are you?¡±


    He let out a sigh. ¡°Let¡¯s keep looking.¡± He turned around, and as he continued their climb uphill, summoned the courage to talk.


    ¡°My family name, by birth and blood, is Induen. I was born the same year as you ¨C five years before the disaster happened that sunk the thirteenth district into the earth. The prevailing theory, backed up with as much proof as the Imperial family and their enforcers could get, is that it was the Induen House that caused the disaster.¡±


    Willow hastened her steps to walk next to him. She listened intently, with a dark, grim expression.


    ¡°I don¡¯t remember much. I remember being rescued by enforcers, and I remember seeing a tear in the veil.¡± He breathed out a sigh. Just reminiscing about those times made his eyes hurt. He was glad his vision was normal now. ¡°I¡¯m the only surviving Induen. One of the very few survivors of the thirteenth district disaster. I had no family when they rescued me. And I wasn¡¯t well ¨C I don¡¯t remember much, but I was very sick for a very long time.¡± He glanced at Willow, only to see her unchanged expression. ¡°What do you do with the only heir of a cursed dynasty?¡±


    Willow visibly flinched. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s how you should look at it-¡°


    ¡°I don¡¯t. But nobility does. They despise me. They despise my name. But blood carries power ¨C through authority gained throughout the ages, and through the conjoining of dynasties. The Imperial family needed the Induen bloodline to survive. So, the empress took the orphaned child in as her adopted son and gave him her own name.¡±


    Willow¡¯s eyes shot wide open. ¡°You-¡°


    ¡°My full name is Midhir Induen-Ardagh.¡± He finally said. ¡°To Ilya, I¡¯m nothing more than her little brother.¡±

 Chapter 119 – A Question Never Asked (3)

    The wind whistled, breaking the silence. The forest canopy rustled, and the already damaged branches of the trees creaked dangerously.


    Willow stared at him, her eyes wide, and lips parted slightly.


    He looked away, not wanting to see the betrayal that would appear in her eyes. He didn¡¯t want to see the moment their friendship shattered.


    She suddenly chuckled. ¡°I don¡¯t mean offense,¡± she looked at him with a smile. ¡°But you really don¡¯t act like a prince. Or look like one ¨C I mean, you dress like a lower noble, not like a prince.¡± She rubbed her arm sheepishly. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m just surprised. I¡¯m not making much sense.¡±


    This wasn¡¯t the reaction he expected. He shook his head, partially to shake off his surprise. ¡°I should be the one apologising. It¡¯s a rather big secret to keep.¡±


    Willow folded her arms. ¡°It is.¡± Her smile faded as she met his gaze. ¡°Everybody knew there was a prince ¨C younger than the crown princess, but not in good health. The Imperial family kept him away from the public eye.¡± She glanced over her shoulder with a sombre smile. ¡°I think I understand.¡±


    Midhir scowled for a split second before he realised what she was referring to.


    ¡°We should probably keep walking while we talk,¡± Willow suggested, pointing ahead. ¡°Do the others know?¡± She asked after they started walking again. ¡°I¡¯d assume Alistair knew ¨C he is an Orlein after all.¡±


    Midhir shook his head. ¡°He had his suspicions, but I never told him. Arwen doesn¡¯t know ¨C I don¡¯t think she suspects a thing either.¡± That woman was too unbothered by politics to notice anything.


    ¡°I see.¡± Her lips formed a faint smile. ¡°Then why tell me now?¡±


    Midhir let out a sigh. ¡°Considering what happened, I don¡¯t think I have the luxury to act like a normal person anymore.¡± They had arrived at the top of the hill, where the tear had formed in the first place. ¡°Alistair was standing here, right?¡± he asked, stepping on the muddy, bloody ground that had mixed with the remains of the flesh plants. He pointed at the spot where the tear had formed. ¡°And that¡¯s where the tear was.¡±


    Willow nodded. ¡°The explosion must have knocked him eastward then.¡± Her gaze turned behind Midhir. ¡°We should hurry-¡° She paused for a split second just as she was about to hurry. ¡°To clarify ¨C because this has become somewhat odd now ¨C you don¡¯t mind me calling you by your name, right?¡±


    He flinched. ¡°No, I¡¯d rather nothing change, though I understand if that makes you uncomfortable.¡± Of course it made her uncomfortable ¨C how could it not? There was a vast gap in power and authority between them. One too large to be ignored.


    Willow shrugged as she walked past him, carefully avoiding stepping into the black goo oozing out of the remains of the flesh plants. ¡°I admit it¡¯s a bit weird,¡± she shook her head. ¡°To be honest, you were a lot scarier when you created that barrier over Bareon or killed that serpent beneath the city.¡± She rubbed her palm with her finger as they started walking eastward, their gazes scouring their surroundings looking for Alistair. ¡°But I don¡¯t know if things can remain unchanged.¡±


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    They couldn¡¯t. ¡°I don¡¯t know either,¡± Midhir breathed out. If Ilya was right, then they couldn¡¯t. And Ilya was very rarely wrong. ¡°But-¡°


    Willow gasped. ¡°There!¡± She exclaimed, pointing ahead before breaking into a dash. They ran downhill, leaping over the broken branches and fallen trees.


    Alistair was sitting up with his back against a tree. His clothes were tattered and covered in mud and blood. His head was falling to his chest as if he had just fallen asleep there. While at first glance it seemed like he was just sleeping, they noticed the blood on his stomach as they approached.


    ¡°Alistair!¡± Midhir shouted as they reached him. He knelt, quickly putting his fingers against the young Orlein¡¯s neck. ¡°There¡¯s a pulse,¡± he breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°But it¡¯s weak.¡± He also couldn¡¯t help but notice how wet the ground was. Not all of it was blood though ¨C most of it just seemed to be water.


    Willow pressed her lips together. ¡°Midhir,¡± she whispered, pointing at the young noble¡¯s stomach. She lifted his cloak, revealing a small knife. ¡°I can¡¯t believe it ¨C Arwen was right.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°The stable boy,¡± Willow insisted. ¡°Arwen didn¡¯t trust the man from the start.¡± Her jaw tightened. ¡°I¡¯ll explain later, we can¡¯t waste time with that now ¨C help me, lay him down on his back.¡±


    He vaguely remembered Alistair talking about Arwen not trusting the man. He had assumed it was about their horses¡¯ care. He helped Willow lay Alistair on his back, then reached for his earring. A golden gem appeared between his fingers. ¡°Use this. It¡¯s stronger than pretty much anything Lord Aulorn would have given you.¡±


    Willow¡¯s eyes widened for a split second. Her lips parted, but she stopped herself. Now wasn¡¯t the time for questions. She snatched the gem from his hands, closed her eyes and focused. While her power flowed into the gem, the spiritual power all around them followed. The gem lit up with a serene, warm light.


    Alistair grunted. Lines appeared on his forehead, and his fists clenched.


    Midhir stood up ¨C Willow didn¡¯t need his help to heal Alistair. She was more than skilled enough to use that gem without help now. Instead, he turned his attention to their surroundings ¨C Alistair wasn¡¯t the only one he was looking for after all.


    That stable boy was standing behind Lord Aulorn when he pushed the enforcer and caused all of this to happen. Alistair was nowhere near Lord Aulorn though, so how had the boy come all the way here to stab the young noble?


    He scowled. Something didn¡¯t add up.


    ¡°Willow, give me your sword.¡± He quickly breathed out.


    The young woman seemed surprised. She extended her hand, and her ring glimmered as the blade appeared mid-air. ¡°Should we move?¡± She asked with a worried expression as she gave the sword to him.


    Midhir shook his head. ¡°Not before you¡¯re done healing him.¡± Moving him was too dangerous. At the very least, the stab wound on his stomach needed to be healed before they could do so. With narrowed eyes and furrowed brows, he tightly held onto the rapier. There was something that simply didn¡¯t add up.


    The stable boy wouldn¡¯t have ended up near Alistair at the very beginning. It was extremely unlikely that he somehow circled around the hill to find Alistair, stabbed him, then just walked off without making sure the wound had killed him.


    Were there others? But then the same question arose ¨C why didn¡¯t they make sure to kill Alistair?


    He glanced at where the young Orlein was sitting before they started healing him. His spear was on the ground there. He had somehow managed to hold onto it when the explosion blast them away. Glancing at the wet ground, he pressed his lips together. Had he fought them off?

 Chapter 120 – A Question Never Asked (4)

    Alistair¡¯s pained grunts shattered the charged silence. His shallow, gurgling breaths were loud, and so were the moans that escaped his lips.


    A wind blew from the east, shaking the trees and rustling their leaves. The thick greenery moved along with the wind, shaking and bending to its whims. Shadows danced as the forest canopy shook.


    Midhir tightened his grasp on the hilt of Willow¡¯s rapier. The hairs on his arms raised as his gaze leapt from one shadow to the other as they shifted and changed. The rustling of the leaves made it difficult to hear any possible assailants, and the dancing shadows made it nearly impossible to notice any subtle movements.


    ¡°Hurry.¡± His voice was but a whisper, though there was no point in keeping it low. Alistair¡¯s pain groans and shallow breathing was loud enough to alert anyone nearby.


    Willow bit her lower lip while her hands clenched around the small, golden gem. No matter how much she wanted to, she couldn¡¯t make her healing resonance any faster. As all things, there was a limit to it.


    Leaves rustled behind him. He spun around, holding the rapier¡¯s tip slightly downward as he bent his knees a little, and planted his feet firmly to the ground. His gaze leapt from the ground to the lower branches of the trees, looking for someone.


    There was no one there ¨C no one he could see at least.


    He straightened his legs, took a step back and looked around again. No matter how much he stared into the thick foliage, all he saw was the shadows of the trees, moving along with the wind. Then why couldn¡¯t he shake the feeling that he was being watched?


    Willow let out a sigh of relief as the glow of the crystal faded. She lowered her hands onto her lap. ¡°I did all I could.¡± Her voice was but a whisper. ¡°But I think we need to-¡° Her eyes widened. She ducked, and just in time as a burst of flames passed through where her head was just a moment ago.


    Behind her, hidden amongst the trees and tall bushes, a man clicked his tongue. The glimmer of a crystal revealed where he was as he began to prepare another resonance.


    Midhir kicked the ground, leaping over the unconscious Alistair, and dashed towards the man. He lunged forward with Willow¡¯s rapier. Sunlight glinted off the weapon as it found its target, piercing the man¡¯s arm.


    The man grunted as he dropped the gem he was holding. He jumped back, reaching for the sword hanging from his belt.


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    His opponent wasn¡¯t the only one there ¨C he was sure of it. He needed to finish him off quickly, before his ally came to help. With a sharp breath, he once again lunged forward. The tip of the rapier found the man¡¯s sword arm, piercing his clothes and flesh. As his opponent grunted and tried to retreat, Midhir lunged forward once more.


    The man¡¯s voice cut out with a wet gurgle as the rapier found his throat. Midhir pulled the blade out, letting the lifeless body fall to the ground. He couldn¡¯t waste time. He bent down, quickly searching the man¡¯s pockets.


    Aside from a couple of silver pieces, he carried nothing with him. With a scowl, he turned his gaze to his hands ¨C a ring. He snatched it, then turned around and glanced at the ground. The red gem was laying on a small mound of leaves, easily spotted. He threw it in his pocket, then hurried out of the shadows.


    ¡°Are you ok?¡± Willow asked as he walked out of the foliage.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± He handed her sword back to her. ¡°We need to move. There are likely others, so be ready.¡± He crouched by Alistair, and carefully picked him up. A grunt escaped his lips as his back and legs protested against carrying the young noble. ¡°Why did he have to be so tall?¡± He muttered.


    A smile flashed across Willow¡¯s lips as she picked up Alistair¡¯s spear. ¡°I can make him lighter,¡± she offered.


    Midhir shook his head. ¡°No, you need to conserve your strength in case others attack.¡±


    Instead of climbing uphill, they circled around. While he had hoped Alistair would wake up soon, the young noble didn¡¯t even stir once by the time they reached Ilya and the others.


    ¡°Ilya!¡± He called out as they approached. They walked out from behind the shrubbery, only to see Ilya standing over three bodies, her bloodied sword in hand. ¡°What-¡°


    ¡°I was about to come and get you.¡± The young princess¡¯ voice was cold as ice, though she did show them a warm, relieved smile. ¡°Is he alive?¡±


    Willow nodded. ¡°I healed him the best I could. He didn¡¯t wake up though.¡± Her gaze turned to the Arwen and her father. ¡°Is he¡­?¡±


    Ilya raised her chin. ¡°Victor is healed fully, but he hasn¡¯t woken up either.¡± She pointed towards him. ¡°Put him next to Victor, Midhir. I called for reinforcements, we¡¯ll wait here until they arrive.¡±


    He stretched his arms after putting Alistair to the ground. ¡°We were also attacked.¡± He rummaged through his pockets, then pulled out the ring and the red gem. ¡°The man had these on him,¡± he explained as he inspected the ring.


    As he turned it around, he felt a cold shiver run down his spine. ¡°The twelve-part serpent,¡± he whispered. The eyes of the serpent were two tiny blue gems. He quickly gave the ring and the red gem to his sister. ¡°They are part of the same cult then.¡±


    Ilya nodded. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Um, do you also recognise these men?¡± Arwen sheepishly spoke up, pointing at the three bodies on the ground.


    Midhir scowled. They did seem vaguely familiar, but he couldn¡¯t quite pinpoint where he had seen them before. ¡°I¡¯m not sure¡­¡± he muttered. Maybe his mind was just playing tricks on him.


    ¡°Oh!¡± Willow exclaimed. ¡°They were at the inn!¡± She pointed in the direction of the Prancing Lion. ¡°They were playing cards or something. I passed by this one, and nearly tripped over his cloak.¡±


    Ilya narrowed her eyes. Her chin tightened as she folded her arms. ¡°Then they followed you here,¡± she concluded. ¡°And tried to stop the sealing of the tear.¡±

 Chapter 121 – Homecoming (1)

    Reinforcements arrived soon after they returned with Alistair. Several dozen troops, fully armed and armoured, with their mounts in tow, stood in formation before Ilya.


    ¡°Captain Herbert reporting, ma¡¯am!¡± The captain of the guard stepped forward. His gaze didn¡¯t even linger on Midhir and the others. ¡°What are our orders?¡±


    ¡°Some of your men will return with us,¡± Ilya, vaguely pointed towards Lord Aulorn and Alistair, still laying unconscious on the ground. ¡°I want this area secured, the surroundings searched for any remaining assailants, and all bodies retrieved. I will send for an enforcer upon my return to the Vermillion Keep. You will accompany the enforcer while they make sure the veil has been healed properly.¡± She pointed at Midhir. ¡°He can tell you where the location of one of the dead assailants is.¡±


    Captain Herbert saluted. ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am!¡± He then turned around, barking orders as the troops scrambled to get moving. In mere minutes, patrol routes had been established, those who would return with Ilya and the others as guards had been chosen and were helping load Lord Aulorn and Alistair onto makeshift stretchers.


    After Midhir gave a detailed explanation of where their attacker was, they prepared to set off as well. As they mounted on the horses they were given, Midhir couldn¡¯t help but feel nervous still. There were still things left unfinished.


    ¡°Ilya,¡± he approached her as Arwen and Willow rode behind them. ¡°We still haven¡¯t found the stableboy.¡±


    The young princess¡¯ lips curled up with a smile for a split second. ¡°I was scrying the forest while you and the Aulorn girl were gone. I found him ¨C he crawled back to the inn.¡± She raised her chin as the inn slowly entered their view through the trees.


    A young woman he recognised leaned against the fence at the back of the buildings. Her fiery red hair left no doubt of who she was.


    ¡°Glad both of you are alright,¡± she shifted her weight from one foot to the others. Her arms were crossed, and her gaze lingered on Ilya. ¡°What did you want me here for?


    Ilya tilted her head towards the stable. ¡°There¡¯s a man in there right now. Arrest him and bring him to the keep.¡± She paused for a second as Cait simply nodded and vaulted over the fence. ¡°Cait,¡± Ilya called out. ¡°I want him alive.¡±


    Cait once again nodded sternly before running off. They read the sound of the stable doors open, then slam closed. Not even a handful of breaths later, the doors reopened. Cait walked out, dragging the man behind her.


    He was covered in blood, mud and leaves. His clothes were tattered, and his body was riddled with cuts and bruises. Tears ran down his cheeks as he cried. ¡°No, please! They made me do it, they made me do it! I had no choice, please!¡± His cries echoed in the forest.


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    Midhir glanced at the inn. ¡°Where is that old woman? And her granddaughter?¡± Why hadn¡¯t they stepped out to look at the commotion? His blood froze ¨C had he killed them?


    ¡°They are being escorted to the city for a few days,¡± One of the soldiers was quick to reply. ¡°Lady Sinath didn¡¯t want them to remain here undefended until the cultists are found and apprehended. The family is safe though, you needn¡¯t worry.¡±


    Midhir scowled. Cait had them escorted to the capital, but this was their home. They been taken from their home with little explanation, and even less reassurance. He couldn¡¯t help but worry for them.


    Their growing group soon got moving again. They rode fast, reaching An¡¯Larion about two hours before dusk. Only when they stepped through the city gates did Arwen seem to breath out in relief. That usual faint smile reappeared on her lips.


    After passing through the city gates, they headed west, then turned north through the main street.


    The silhouette of the Vermillion Keep on the island at the very centre of An¡¯Larion towered above the city. As they neared, the silhouette became clearer, and the beautiful architecture became easier to notice.


    As they neared the bridge leading to the Vermillion Keep, Willow began to scowl. Her brows furrowed as she shot a worried glance at her father. ¡°Your highness,¡± she spoke out sheepishly. ¡°We were-¡°


    ¡°I¡¯m well aware of your current lodgings, Lady Aulorn.¡± Ilya cut her off as she rode forth. The hooves of her horse clicked on the stone paved bridge. ¡°However, all four of you, and the Lord Enforcer were caught in unfortunate, and very perilous circumstances. The Veil is there for a reason, and any tears that it suffers has great effect on those nearby.¡± She turned on her saddle, looking directly at her. ¡°Remember what we faced ¨C that body belonged to a human once.¡±


    Willow¡¯s eyes widened, while Arwen seemed confused for a split second. ¡°What did you face?¡± She asked, her gaze locking onto Midhir. ¡°Was one of the cultists possessed? What happened?¡±


    Before he could respond, Ilya spoke up again. ¡°Not quite, but let¡¯s leave these inquiries to tomorrow. Today has been challenging, and I¡¯d rather all of you focus on recovering.¡± Her tone was sharp, and her words final. Arwen looked down, looking more worried than before.


    Midhir raised his gaze as they crossed the bridge, watching the ever nearing Vermillion Keep.


    He hadn¡¯t seen much of the world yet, not even much of Eldoria ¨C but he was quite sure there weren¡¯t many structures more majestic than this.


    A sharp pain struck his left eye. He flinched, quickly pressing his palm against it. A gasp escaped his lips before he felt his consciousness being dragged away from his body.


    The sky was dark and starless, and the Vermillion Keep¡¯s lights glimmered like a beacon. A man stood on the bridge. He wore silken clothes, and a long cloak. At first it was difficult to notice over his blonde, wavy hair, but a golden circlet rested on his head. A crown ¨C one Midhir had seen countless times before.


    ¡°Tell me,¡± the man¡¯s voice was uncertain, worried even. ¡°How will your witches help me when my skies darken, and my sun is swallowed?¡± He turned around to a face a woman wearing a black cloak. Her crimson hair cascaded over her back like a waterfall. ¡°How will they help my children fight that?¡±


    The woman, the same woman he had seen before, the crimson witch called Circe, folded her arms. ¡°They won¡¯t.¡± She simply stated. ¡°They can¡¯t.¡± She raised her chin. ¡°So make sure they know to come to me when it all begins.¡±


    The man pressed his lips together. ¡°Can you fight it?¡±


    She raised her eyebrows. ¡°Fight it?¡± She laughed. ¡°No, no one can fight Leviathan.¡± She looked up, at the starless sky. ¡°But I can help.¡±

 Chapter 122 – Homecoming (2)

    He grasped the front of the saddle as the vision faded. His gaze shot up, towards the skies above the Vermillion Keep. Rare clouds hung over the keep, dyed in crimson as the sun began to set. Dusk was fast approaching, and soon the stars would reveal themselves. Or at least they should.


    ¡°Midhir?¡± Arwen rode next to him, matching her speed to his. ¡°Your eye, it¡¯s bleeding again. What did you see?¡±


    Only then did he notice the warmth of blood slowly running down his cheek. He quickly wiped it with the back of his hand. ¡°I¡¯m not sure¡­¡± he muttered after a moment¡¯s hesitation. How had she noticed he saw something so quickly? ¡°I¡¯m fine, you needn¡¯t worry about me.¡±


    Arwen scowled. ¡°You¡¯re clearly not fine,¡± she retorted. ¡°You¡¯re white as a ghost, and barely holding onto the saddle.¡±


    She wasn¡¯t wrong. The rhythmic shaking of the saddle was usually something he was comfortable with. Now though, he needed to put in effort not to fall off. He desperately needed to rest and recover. ¡°I¡¯m tired,¡± he coldly replied.


    Arwen narrowed her eyes but remained silent. She was clearly not satisfied with his answer, but short of insisting for an answer, there was nothing she could do.


    Midhir took a deep breath, then lightly tapped the sides of his steed with his heels. He rode past Arwen and Ilya, stepping off the bridge before anyone else.


    A stone paved road led from the bridge to the entrance of the Vermillion Keep. The tall, metal gates were wide open as they always were. As he rode past the gates, he spotted one of the helpers at the stable. Without hesitation, he dismounted, handing the reigns to the young woman. While she quickly led the horse away, Ilya caught up with him.


    ¡°What happened?¡± She shot a glance over her shoulder, towards Willow, Arwen, and the soldiers accompanying them. Then, her gaze lowered towards his bloodied hand. ¡°Your hand-¡°


    ¡°I need to talk to mother.¡±


    Ilya¡¯s eyes widened. Her lips parted in surprise. ¡°Alright,¡± she nodded a moment later. ¡°Let¡¯s go to her then.¡± She only paused to pull one of the soldiers aside. ¡°We have guests, make sure they are cared for.¡±


    ¡°Yes, your highness!¡± The soldier bowed.


    Leaving the others behind, Midhir followed Ilya into the Vermillion Keep.


    No matter how much time he spent here, he simply couldn¡¯t help but feel so small whenever he walked the halls of the keep. The ceilings were high, decorated with depictions of starry skies. Tapestry hung from the walls, finely crafted and well cared for. Each of them were the masterpieces of different craftsmen from different times.


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    Crystal lights illuminated the Keep¡¯s hallways, either hanging from the ceiling or attached to the wall columns decorating both sides of the hallways. Statues depicting historical figures were placed into indents, with small name-plaques.


    A part of him wanted to see Arwen and Willow¡¯s awe they would surely feel when they stepped into the Keep. But a bigger part of him was filled with doubt and distrust. He couldn¡¯t help but constantly reimagine how Arwen was healing Lord Aulorn. There was no crystal in sight as she healed him ¨C her staff was stashed away in her holding gem, and she wore no augmented rings or bracelets.


    ¡°Once you¡¯re rested and recovered, we need to have a talk.¡± Ilya spoke softly as they approached large, ornate doors. About half a dozen imperial guardsmen stood by the doors, weapons in hand and eyes locked onto them.


    ¡°Princess!¡± One of them stepped forward. ¡°Her Majesty the Empress is currently in a meeting with a guest. She has instructed not to be bothered by anyone but you or his Majesty the Emperor.¡± The guard¡¯s eyes shifted towards Midhir for a split second. ¡°My apologies, my lord.¡±


    A faint smile flashed across Midhir¡¯s lips. ¡°No need to apologise, Lieutenant Jordan.¡±


    ¡°Who is this guest?¡± Ilya questioned the Lieutenant, not even bothering to hide her annoyance. ¡°Is he a lord of one of the great houses?¡±


    Lieutenant Jordan shook his head. ¡°No, you highness. It¡¯s a historian with no notable background. He had been requesting an audience with her majesty for weeks. His request was finally granted today, not hour before you arrived.¡±


    Midhir tilted his head. A historian ¨C it couldn¡¯t be Lonan, could it?


    ¡°Then he can wait a little longer.¡± Ilya breathed out. ¡°Wait here, brother. I¡¯ll be right back.¡± She marched on through the doors two of the guards quickly opened for her.


    Midhir couldn¡¯t help but sigh and shake his head. ¡°Apologies for the trouble, Lieutenant.¡±


    Lieutenant Jordan chuckled. ¡°Please don¡¯t, my Lord.¡± He glanced around before stepping closer with a somewhat more relaxed expression. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind my asking, are you alright?¡± he glanced at Midhir¡¯s bloody hand, then pointed at his own cheek.


    Midhir awkwardly shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m fine, it¡¯s been a tough and¡­ weird day.¡± For the first time since he arrived, he forced himself to look at his old mentor properly.


    Chiron Jordan was an older man with greying hair. There was a thin, yet clearly visible scar stretching from his chin to his left ear. His brown eyes were surrounded by wrinkles and smile lines.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while, hasn¡¯t it?¡±


    Lieutenant Jordan chuckled. ¡°A few months, yes. Looks like they were difficult months for you.¡± He gestured at him broadly. ¡°You look healthier than when you were just a little kid, but you aged a decade it seems.¡±


    Midhir couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. ¡°It feels like it, yeah.¡± He brushed his hair back. ¡°Chiron, I¡¯d like to speak with you before I return to Solus.¡±


    The older man nodded with a knowing smile. ¡°Of course.¡± Before he could speak any more, the doors to the throne room swung open.


    ¡°Midhir!¡± Ilya called out to him. ¡°Come,¡±


    He took a deep breath in an attempt to summon his courage before walking towards the throne room. A lump formed in his chest as he stepped through the ornate doors.


    A woman sat upon the bejewelled throne, her chin high with pride, and her eyes glimmering with intellect. Her gaze focused on him, and her crimson lips curled up ever so slightly.


    ¡°Welcome back, my dear son.¡±

 Chapter 123 – Audience

    The last rays of the setting sun shone through the stained glass windows on the western side of the throne room, dyeing it into vibrant colours. A crimson carpet stretched from the doors all the way to the steps which the throne was sat atop of.


    The Vermillion Throne was atop the half a dozen or so steps. Sunlight glinted off the crystalline throne that towered above them, forcing them to avert their gazes momentarily.


    At the foot of the steps leading to the Vermillion Throne, a man kneeled, facing down. His brown hair was messy and unkempt, his clothes tattered and worn out.


    The woman sitting on the throne slowly stood up, her black hair falling behind her like a waterfall of ink. Her red lips curled up with a compassionate smile, and her green eyes glimmered as she slowly walked down the steps. ¡°I was worried,¡± she said as she approached them. She reached out, gently caressing his cheek. ¡°Ilya rushed out, to find you. I couldn¡¯t.¡±


    The lump that had formed in his throat melted away. He let out a sigh of relief. ¡°She saved my life,¡± he sighed. ¡°Again.¡±


    ¡°Heh, this time you were really in trouble.¡± Ilya chuckled before her gaze focused behind their mother. ¡°Who is he?¡± She tilted her head towards the kneeling man.


    The Empress shot a glance over her shoulder. ¡°As I have told you many times, you may get up. No amount of kneeling and begging will make me consider your request.¡±


    The man visibly flinched. He stood up, turned around, then as his gaze locked with Midhir, they both gasped. ¡°Midhir?¡± He exclaimed.


    ¡°Lonan?¡± Midhir scowled. ¡°What are you-¡° he stopped. ¡°What request?¡± His gaze jumped between his mother and Lonan. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± His eyes narrowed, and his jaw tightened.


    Lonan shook his head quickly. ¡°I¡¯ve been trying to convince her Majesty to allow me to attempt to find the source of the mist in the thirteenth district. After everything I saw and learned in Bareon, I think I know how to stop it, maybe even push it away from our world.¡± His voice rose with each word he spoke. He stumbled forward, his bloodshot eyes wide open as he pleaded. He visibly trembled as he moved. ¡°You understand, don¡¯t you? You were in Bareon ¨C you used that altar to save the city. I can do the same here, I can reverse whatever happened fifteen years ago, before I-¡° He coughed into his palm. His jaw tightened for a split second, and his eyes narrowed before he quickly raised his gaze, and wiped his hand against his tattered cloak. ¡°Before we lose this war.¡±


    Midhir felt his chest tighten. Lonan was different, the calm, collected historian was gone, all that remained was a desperate husk of the man, begging and pleading for something that should be impossible.


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    ¡°I already told you,¡± His mother sighed. ¡°I can not and will not allow anyone to interfere with the mist and the thirteenth district. Now leave, before I have the guards remove you.¡±


    ¡°Mother,¡± He cleared his throat. ¡°Lonan is a distinguished historian ¨C perhaps we could show some grace, and allow him a night¡¯s stay so he can rest, and recollect himself.¡± He could only hope she would allow it.


    Her eyes narrowed for a split second. ¡°Very well. Ilya, would you arrange things for this¡­ gentleman¡¯s stay?¡±


    The young woman nodded. ¡°Of course. Sir Lonan, please follow me.¡± She gently pulled the man¡¯s arm, leading him out of the throne room. The ornate doors slammed close behind them.


    Midhir let out a sigh once Lonan and Ilya left the throne room. His thoughts were a mess. Seeing Lonan like this, here, now¡­ he wouldn¡¯t have dreamt of it. And the state of the man, he couldn¡¯t help but feel pity against him.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t come to see me for this Lonan person.¡± His mother¡¯s voice grew cold as she folded her arms, and narrowed her eyes. ¡°Speak freely son. I worry, especially since what you went through in Bareon.¡±


    Midhir shook his head. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to see Lonan. We need to talk about him too, but that can wait.¡± He glanced towards the closed doors. ¡°I hope,¡± he added with a sigh. ¡°I already told you much of what happened, with the altar and all, mother.¡±


    She turned around and slowly walked towards the Vermillion Throne. Midhir followed her as he continued.


    ¡°I continue to see things. Visions. I saw something from Olisar. Lady Larna Cathain ¨C she bit her own wrist and tried to tear the veil apart.¡±


    His mother stopped mid step, and her sharp gaze met with his. ¡°That did happen.¡± She coldly affirmed.


    Midhir nodded. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to make of it. After that, the visions seemed to stop for a while. But then, as we were passing the bridge, it happened again.¡±


    His mother raised her eyebrows. ¡°What did you see?¡±


    Midhir hesitated. ¡°A man with blonde hair, like Ilya¡¯s. And a woman in red.¡± He pressed his finger against his scarred palm, the dull pain reminding him of the ritual he unwillingly took part in. ¡°And a starless sky.¡± He scowled. ¡°What is Leviathan?¡±


    The Empress¡¯ eyes widened for a split second. Her lips formed a thin line as she turned around and climbed the steps leading to the Vermillion Throne. She sat down, placed her hands on the armrests, and gripped the crystalline throne.


    ¡°Did your vision tell you about Leviathan?¡±


    Midhir furrowed his brows. She knew. ¡°Yes.¡± She knew, but she wasn¡¯t going to tell him. Why?


    ¡°Did you see Leviathan?¡±


    Midhir scowled. ¡°No. Not that I know of.¡± He stepped on the first step. ¡°What is Leviathan, Mother? And who is the Crimson Witch?¡±


    The Empress leaned back, her gaze fixed on him. The silence stretched until he finally let out a sigh. ¡°Fine, you won¡¯t tell me.¡± He bit his lip. ¡°You have your reasons, I¡¯m sure.¡±


    His mother almost seemed apologetic as she sighed. ¡°I wish had all the answers, son.¡±


    Lies. But why? She wasn¡¯t like their father, she was smart, she knew information was power. There was a reason she wasn¡¯t telling him ¨C he just didn¡¯t know what it was.


    ¡°A creature came out of the tear in the veil.¡± He raised his chin. ¡°Ilya couldn¡¯t kill it. We sent it back through and healed the tear. It¡­ spoke.¡±


    This time, the Empress seemed stunned. Blood drained from her face, and her eyes widened. Her fingers clenched around the armrests, turning her knuckles white. ¡°What did it say?¡±


    ¡°That someone betrayed them.¡± He breathed out. ¡°That the Envoy betrayed them.¡±


    A single thought remained at the forefront of his mind; how did she know that he understood the creature?

 Chapter 124 – Crumbling (1)

    The soft light of healing resonances illuminated the otherwise dimly lit chamber. Lord Aulorn, laying on silken sheets, remained unconscious. A dozen or so healers stood around him in a circle. They wore simple, white robes, covered their heads with hoods, and held ornate staves, embossed with gold and housing crystals shining as bright as a small sun.


    Standing at the doorway, Midhir watched their resonances try and heal the Lord Enforcer. There was a weight on his chest, pressing down on his heart.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t our fault.¡±


    He flinched upon hearing Willow¡¯s voice. When had she arrived?


    ¡°You¡¯re the last person who should be trying comfort me.¡± He stepped aside, allowing her to step through, but the young woman shook her head.


    ¡°I know it¡¯s not my fault.¡± There was a newfound confidence in her voice. Certainty that wasn¡¯t there before. ¡°I did my best. You don¡¯t think you did, though. I can see it in your face ¨C you¡¯re not nearly as good at hiding your emotions as you think you are.¡±


    Midhir couldn¡¯t help but softly chuckle. She wasn¡¯t wrong. ¡°I should have been able to do more.¡± He breathed out as his smile faded quickly. ¡°I should have been able to stop him and Alistair from ending up like this.¡±


    Willow¡¯s forced smile tuned into a frown. She looked down, at her own hands. ¡°You fought till help came, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    He couldn¡¯t call that fighting. With a sigh, he stepped away from the door, and walked to the other side of the hallway, where another, larger door opened up to a balcony overlooking the lake, and the city beyond it.


    Willow followed him, almost relieved that they stepped away.


    ¡°I got beaten up, if that¡¯s what you refer as ¡®fighting¡¯.¡± He admitted, stepping outside and leaning on the marble guardrails. ¡°I would have died had Ilya not arrived in time.¡±


    Willow also leaned on the guardrails, her gaze lingering on the thirteenth district covered in mist. ¡°It was strong.¡± Her voice was but a whisper.


    Midhir nodded. ¡°Very. None of us stood a chance against it. Not even all of us at once.¡± It was a foe beyond them. It wasn¡¯t just experience they lacked to be able to stand their ground against a monster like that, but also sheer strength.


    ¡°How was her highness so fast?¡± Willow asked. ¡°Isn¡¯t she only five years older than we are?¡±


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    Midhir narrowed his eyes. ¡°Seven years older,¡± he corrected her. ¡°Ilya¡¯s stronger than most people you¡¯ll find in Eldoria though.¡± That fact made it even more terrifying that the creature had been able to tire her. ¡°Power takes many forms, most attainable by people like us, but some granted through birthright.¡±


    Willow narrowed her eyes. ¡°Hers is the latter, then?¡±


    ¡°The Ardagh bloodline has a long history, tracing back to before the Eldorian Empire was founded. The authority she holds is beyond just being the heir to the throne. Her blood grants her power.¡± He glanced over his shoulder. ¡°I¡¯d say the same about Alistair. The Orlein house was one of the first to serve the Ardagh house. Surely they carry such power as well, but Alistair hasn¡¯t quite learned to tap into that yet.¡±


    Willow looked down, at her own palms. ¡°So, I was right then.¡± She muttered with a low voice. Her shoulders dropped. ¡°We¡¯re not nobles. Not really.¡±


    She must have been referring to her father being granted a noble title. He was the first to rise into nobility in many centuries, and he had done so with nothing but sheer power and loyalty. ¡°I don¡¯t think you were right.¡± He hesitated before putting his hand on her shoulder. ¡°Willow, your father is incredibly powerful. I don¡¯t understand how he achieved so much as such a young age, but he is the picture of nobility ¨C much more so than many of the higher nobles I¡¯ve seen at the academy.¡±


    Willow shook her head. ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant.¡±


    He let out a sigh. ¡°I know.¡± She longed for power ¨C power to help her protect those she cared about. He could see it in how she always rushed to heal and save them. ¡°You¡¯re strong too, you know.¡± He almost absentmindedly spoke. ¡°You saved Ilya back there.¡±


    Willow raised her head, looking at him with a surprised expression. ¡°She would have been able to stop that creature easily.¡±


    Midhir shrugged. ¡°You didn¡¯t know that. You saw she was about to get hit, and used whatever power you had to save her.¡± He stepped away from the guardrails, and turned to face her. ¡°I should have said this earlier, but better late than never. Thank you,¡±


    A faint, hopeful smile appeared on her lips. ¡°You don¡¯t need to thank me. You would have done the same for any of us.¡±


    Midhir shrugged. He probably would have. ¡°Yeah¡­¡±


    They watched the city in silence for a while longer. The sound of heeled boots clicking on the ground broke the silence as the last rays of sunlight disappeared, and night covered the world. ¡°There you are,¡± Ilya¡¯s sharp, yet somewhat cheerful voice startled them.


    ¡°Your highness-¡° Willow flinched, quickly stepped away from Midhir and bowed, only to be met with a deep sigh.


    ¡°Just don¡¯t ¨C I think I just dealt with enough throne worship for a lifetime.¡± Ilya waved her hand dismissively. Her sharp gaze turned to Midhir. ¡°I was this close,¡± she lifted her hand in front of her face, bringing her thumb and index finger so close together that they were almost touching. ¡°To just knocking him out so he would shut up.¡± The frustration in her voice was palpable. ¡°Now tell me how he is supposed to be some renowned historian who is knowledgeable about anything.¡±


    While Willow straightened her back, she shot a confused glance at Midhir.


    ¡°Lonan was here,¡± he explained with a sigh.


    ¡°Oh. He is weird.¡± Willow nodded in understanding.


    Ilya scowled. ¡°This wasn¡¯t just weird. Midhir, the man is a mess. He claims he can fix the thirteenth district. By going to the centre.¡± She folded her arms, her voice grew cold as she spoke her next words. ¡°That much confidence in such madness is dangerous.¡±

 Chapter 125 – Crumbling (2)

    Distant stars glimmered in the night sky. Seeing them gave him relief. He had been half expecting to see a starless sky, just like how Ilya¡¯s ancestors had, once.


    ¡°He wasn¡¯t like this before,¡± Willow¡¯s voice pulled his thoughts back to their conversation. ¡°When he were beneath Bareon, he was a bit frightened, but aside from that-¡° she suddenly paused, glancing at Midhir.


    ¡°What?¡± Ilya pressed, narrowing her eyes and furrowing her brows slightly.


    ¡°Um¡­¡± Willow hesitated. ¡°He did seem a bit¡­ out of it, now that I think about it. When the serpent attacked us, do you remember?¡± She asked, her gaze shifting between Ilya and Midhir.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Midhir folded his arms. ¡°He just stood in front of the creature. I think he was trying to cast a resonance.¡± He scowled. He had found it odd then too ¨C Lonan wasn¡¯t a fighter, he¡¯d made that much clear. ¡°Ilya, do you mind if I check up on him?¡±


    The princess shook her head. ¡°Knock yourself out. Just keep him away from me, I can¡¯t take any more throne worship today.¡± Her discomfort was visible. ¡°Willow,¡± she quickly turned to the young woman. ¡°You¡¯ve been at your father¡¯s bedside for hours now. Come, let¡¯s get you some food, then I¡¯ll show you to your room.¡±


    Blood rushed to Willow¡¯s cheeks. ¡°Oh, please don¡¯t trouble yourself with my-¡°


    Ilya rolled her eyes, sighed, and dragged her off. ¡°I said I¡¯m done with throne worship, and I¡¯m starving. Come on, let my little brother sulk on his own for a bit.¡±


    He couldn¡¯t help but chuckle as they left. As silence took hold, he turned around and peered into the starry sky once more. ¡°Leviathan, huh?¡± He whispered. A being so large it could snuff out the stars and cover the world¡¯s sky. A few months ago, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to fathom it.


    With a sigh, he turned around and walked away from the guardrails. He ought to visit Lonan before going back to his room. The historian did seem more than a little troubled, and he couldn¡¯t help but worry. Their paths had crossed often and he didn¡¯t want to see him hurt himself in his own madness.


    The room Lonan had been given wasn¡¯t in a particularly luxurious part of the Vermillion Keep ¨C it was one of the most secure places though. There was no balcony he could leap out of, and the windows had metal bars preventing unwanted entries ¨C and escapes.


    He knocked on the metal reinforced wooden door, then stepped back. The sound of rushing and stumbling footsteps sounded before the door swung open, and a disheveled Lonan grinned as soon as he saw Midhir.


    ¡°You came!¡± He slurred the words a little as he spoke, his excitement palpable. He grabbed Midhir¡¯s hand, dragging him inside and letting the door close behind him. ¡°I knew you¡¯d listen to me.¡±


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    Every flat surface in the room was covered in notebooks, torn pages, parchments and sprawled out papers. There wasn¡¯t much space to walk, let alone sit. How he had made such a mess in less than a few hours, Midhir couldn¡¯t understand.


    ¡°Look!¡± Lonan exclaimed, rushing over the stacks of papers, and kneeling by a large, somewhat crumpled map of the city. ¡°After you used the altar below Bareon, I started to think!¡± He drew a sharp breath, waving his hand with fast, erratic movements. ¡°If there¡¯s an altar like that beneath Bareon, then there must be one beneath An¡¯Larion too!¡±


    He tapped a spot on the hand drawn map. ¡°Look!¡± His voice rose, it grew sharper. ¡°Here, below the thirteenth district, I found mention of old tunnels ¨C tombs and catacombs!¡± His eyes were wide open, his pupils large and cloudy. ¡°So I did some research!¡± He crawled on the ground, snatching some of the documents, skimming them, then throwing them over his shoulder. ¡°Aha!¡± he exclaimed with an odd glee, waving a rather old looking parchment in the air. ¡°There¡¯s an altar below the thirteenth district! I know it. It¡¯s there, and we can use it to make the mist go away. We can reclaim the district!¡± Somewhat out of breath, he stared at Midhir with excitement, almost like a child awaiting praise.


    Ilya was right. This was madness.


    ¡°Lonan,¡± he hesitated. ¡°When was the last time you slept?¡±


    The other man waved his hand dismissively. ¡°A few days ago, probably. It doesn¡¯t matter!¡± He raised his voice, and scrambled to get up, still waving that parchment. ¡°We can fix it! You understand, don¡¯t you? Surely you do, if not the Empress or princess, you must understand!¡±


    ¡°Ok,¡± Midhir carefully stepped over the papers and books on the ground, gently held the historian¡¯s arms and led him towards he bathroom. ¡°I understand,¡± he took the parchment and placed it on the dresser. ¡°I get it, you want to get rid of the mist. So do I.¡±


    Lonan nodded, his eyes glimmering with excitement. ¡°Then let¡¯s go! We can enter the tunnels through-¡°


    Midhir shook his head. ¡°You can¡¯t rush into it, Lonan.¡± He gently continued leading him here. ¡°Now, we must clear this with her majesty the Empress.¡±


    Lonan¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°She doesn¡¯t believe me-¡°


    ¡°Because you look like a homeless man who¡¯s lost his mind.¡± He hesitated for a split second. Was that too blunt? ¡°Listen, why don¡¯t you have a bath? I¡¯ll have someone bring you some clean, proper clothes. Then you¡¯ll get a good night¡¯s sleep while I go over the documents and prepare a proper presentation. Alright?¡±


    Lonan scowled. ¡°It¡¯ll take too long! We should go now and-¡°


    ¡°Alone?¡± Midhir asked. ¡°Did you forget what guarded the altar beneath Bareon?¡±


    The reminder of that gigantic serpent seemed enough to scare Lonan. He reeled back, his shoulders dropped, then he nodded. ¡°A proper presentation¡­¡± he muttered, accepting defeat.


    ¡°Exactly. I¡¯ll take the documents and prepare, ok? You should make sure to get some rest.¡± As Lonan nodded, Midhir closed the bathroom door, then let out a tired sigh. Ilya was right ¨C Lonan was obsessed, and this level of madness could prove to be dangerous.


    He didn¡¯t waste much time as he gathered all the papers, parchments and notebooks covering every flat surface of the room, then he left. Walking down the hallway, he quickly made his way to the guard barracks.


    ¡°Your highness!¡± The guards saluted him.


    ¡°There¡¯s a guest staying in the west wing. His name is Lonan, a historian. Make sure he is watched at all times ¨C he isn¡¯t allowed to leave the Keep. And send a butler with clean, fitting clothes. Confiscate any weapons he may have.¡±


    He couldn¡¯t let Lonan try to search for an altar beneath the thirteenth district. No one would survive the mist, and even if he did, an altar wouldn¡¯t be what he found¡­

 Chapter 126 – Crumbling (3)

    The door of his room slowly closed behind him with a loud, annoying creak. With a sigh, he collapsed on the stool by the wall and bent down to remove his boots.


    He¡¯d been up since dawn, and it was hours past dusk now. Calling today an eventful day would be an understatement. After speaking with Lonan, he had considered going back to talk with his mother, but he was simply too tired. His eyelids were heavy, and he could barely keep his mind focused.


    Kicking his boots to the side, he stood back up, stumbled towards the large, soft bed, and collapsed onto the sheets. As soon as his head hit the soft pillows, he felt his consciousness fade.


    The sound of a bell tolling echoed in the winding hallways. He could hear it clearly once, and faintly once more. His eyes were shut, and he covered his ears with his small hands. Curled up, he lay on his side on something soft.


    Faint conversations sounded around him, words were spoken that he couldn¡¯t quite hear over the tolling of the bell. It was so loud, and the lights were so bright. His heart raced, his chest rising and sinking with each shallow breath he took.


    ¡°Honey,¡± a woman¡¯s voice rang. Like a glass shattering, the tolling of the bell stopped. ¡°Can you open your eyes?¡±


    He shook his head. What if the blue lights returned? What if he started seeing twice again? What if those plants and roots started appearing again? He covered his eyes with his hands.


    ¡°I think that¡¯ll have to wait.¡± The woman let out a deep, tired sigh.


    ¡°It¡¯s important.¡± Another woman¡¯s voice rang. It was a beautiful voice, clear and gentle, yet decisive. He had never heard her voice before, but it commanded his trust. ¡°Little child,¡± the angelic voice spoke. A hand rested on his shoulder. ¡°Show me your eyes.¡±


    His arms went limp, falling onto the sheets. His eyes shot wide open.


    The vaulted ceiling was covered in vines. Large, black flowers bloomed on the intersecting arches. Sparks of black light slowly fell from the flowers, like a soft, gentle rain, only to disappear before they reached the floor. His gazer shot towards the floor. Blue flowers, exotic and beautiful covered the floor of the round chamber, glowing brightly as they bloomed.


    Tears welled up in his eyes. He couldn¡¯t shut his eyelids ¨C they refused to move.


    A woman entered his view. Her face was hidden behind a black veil.


    ¡°I see.¡± Her angelic voice struck his heart with fear. Why couldn¡¯t he close his eyes?


    ¡°Can you help?¡± The other woman ¨C the woman he came to call mother as the years passed ¨C asked, her pale face twisted with worry and uncertainty. ¡°Can he be saved?¡±


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    The veiled woman tilted her head. ¡°Saved? Perhaps. I can help ¨C but it¡¯s on him to do the work to heal.¡± She glanced over her shoulder at the Empress. ¡°But are you sure you want this accursed child to live, for this cursed bloodline to continue?¡±


    ¡°The child is innocent.¡± The Empress stated sharply.


    ¡°Does it matter?¡± The woman asked. ¡°Eyes so blue, so wrong, see through the unseen.¡± She leaned closer. ¡°What do you see, little child? Do you see flowers and plants around us? Lights that don¡¯t belong, and moving shapes hiding in the walls?¡±


    His eyes shot wide open to the vaulted ceiling of his room. He saw the dreamcatcher hanging from the intersecting arches that Ilya had brought from Olisar, gently swinging with the cold breeze blowing through the open window.


    He sat up, his gaze drifting towards the dark windows. It wasn¡¯t even dawn yet.


    Those were memories he hadn¡¯t recalled in years. He rubbed his eyes, half expecting to see blood on his hands. He felt wetness, but there was no blood. Had he cried in his sleep? He shook his head, then slowly climbed out of the bed and stumbled towards the bathroom to get cleaned up.


    The hallways of the Vermillion Keep were mostly empty at this time in the morning. A handful of guards patrolled the main corridors, and some servants rushed about as quietly as they could to prepare for the morning.


    Making sure not to get in the way of the workers, he made his way over to the medical wing of the Keep. Lord Aulorn was still laying unconscious, and the healers were still busy trying to heal him ¨C or wake him up, since there was no wound to heal anymore.


    Out of the dozen or so healers, one stepped back as he watched, breaking off from the joint resonance they were casting. She took a moment to reorient herself, then approached him with a stern expression. ¡°Your highness,¡± she bowed her head. ¡°It¡¯s much too early for you to be up ¨C you suffered injuries as well and need rest.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your concern, but I¡¯m well enough to walk for a bit.¡± He tilted his head towards Lord Aulorn. ¡°Is there any progress?¡±


    She hesitated. ¡°Not quite. His body is healthy ¨C there are no wounds or internal injuries. It¡¯s his mind that¡¯s damaged.¡± She folded her arms as she paused for a moment. ¡°We believe the contact of his sword against the tear may have caused his resonance to become corrupted by the other side, and essentially lash at his mind.¡±


    ¡°Is there a chance of recovery?¡±


    The woman nodded. ¡°Of course. There have been many cases of corrupted resonances harming their resonator. It takes time, but he¡¯ll be back to normal in a few months.¡±


    His eyes widened. Months? Did Eldoria have months to spare without the Lord Enforcer? ¡°I see.¡± He summoned his courage to ask the most pressing question that lingered in his mind. ¡°What about Alistair Orlein?¡±


    The woman¡¯s gaze wondered for a moment as she tried to remember. ¡°The student? He¡¯s in much better condition. His internal wounds were severe, but they¡¯ve been properly healed. He lost a lot of blood though, and he had completely depleted all of his spiritual power. He needs at least a week before we wake him up just to be on the safe side.¡±


    It was a relief to hear.


    ¡°You don¡¯t seem too well though, my Lord.¡± She continued. ¡°Perhaps you should return to your chambers and get some rest. Or we can arrange a medical check to ensure Princess Ilya¡¯s healing did in fact heal you fully.¡±


    Midhir shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m fine but thank you nonetheless.¡± He stepped back, ¡°Sleep does sound good, though.¡±


    He aimlessly walked the hallways, his mind preoccupied. Memories he¡¯d rather forget resurfaced following that dream. He slowly made his way to the balcony adjacent to the throne room, overlooking the northern part of An¡¯Larion.


    His gaze lingered on the starry sky. The sun would soon dawn, and the city would begin waking up. He could talk to his mother about Lonan in the morning. An unpleasant thought surfaced ¨C he needed to talk with Ilya about Arwen as well. He didn¡¯t even know what to think of her anymore¡­


    A flash of golden light interrupted his thoughts. His gaze snapped to the distant source of it ¨C the edge of the river bordering the thirteenth district. The mist reared, slowly spilling towards the river as he watched wide eyed.

 Chapter 127 – The Sunken District (1)

    Silver blue mist spilled onto the lake at the middle of An¡¯Larion, it slowly rolled out from the thirteenth district, through the gap that had formed in the defensive formation the Empress had created over a decade ago.


    He watched it for only a moment before turning around and dashing inside. He rushed past the working servants and shouted as he passed by the guards making their rounds. ¡°Wake the garrison!¡± He ran up the stairs two steps at a time, disregarding the protests of his knees and legs. As he reached the upper floors of the royal wing of the Vermillion keep, he paused only for a moment ¨C where had his sister moved this time?


    He shook his head, there was no time to find Ilya. He kicked the ground, ran up a shorter flight of stairs and reached an ornate set of double doors. He slammed his fist on the doors. ¡°Mother!¡±


    He could hear the guards rushing upstairs after him. He waited, each second felt like an eternity. Each moment lost cost the lives of his people. The mist was spreading, it was a silent, yet deadly invasion. One that would become impossible to fight against in a mere hour.


    The doors opened just as the guards reached the top of the stairs. They paused as the empress stepped out in her nightgown, her eyes barely open. ¡°Midhir?¡± She asked, then glanced at the guards. ¡°He¡¯s my son. Dismissed.¡± Her gaze turned back to him. ¡°What¡¯s wrong-¡°


    ¡°The barrier around the thirteenth district is compromised. I rallied the garrison, but the mist is spreading.¡±


    Blood drained from his mother¡¯s face. She seemed lost for words for a split second as her gaze erratically sought a window she could look out from. ¡°Have the guards summon the enforcers.¡± She turned back and hurried inside. ¡°Get dressed and get your classmates ¨C with Victor out of the fight, we need as many resonance casters as possible to try and repair the barrier resonance.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll rally at the gates.¡± He turned around, and hurried downstairs to his room.


    By the time he arrived at the gates with Arwen and Willow in tow, most of the Imperial Guard had already assembled.


    It was a sight that would strike fear into any enemy. The black, crystalweave armour of the guardsmen was half covered by their white cloaks. The crystal augments on their well-maintained weapons caught the first rays of sunlight. They were the most numerous troops, the elite guard that protected the Vermillion Keep, and marched out to defend against both otherworldly and worldly threats.


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    A smaller group wearing crimson and black stood next to them ¨C the Enforcers. Midhir marched his group next to them, joining Cait and the few he hadn¡¯t met before. Their black uniforms resembled the uniforms of Solus Academy, but embossed with gold, and created out of crystalweave instead of regular cloth. He knew from Cait that there were hidden crystals in the folds of their clothing, imbued with protective spells.


    Behind the Enforcers stood a larger group wearing white robes and carrying crystal staves. While their clothing was simple, only embossed with the image of a rose and a rising sun, they were probably the most important people to accompany any size of troop ¨C the healers and the chaplains, to mend the body and mind.


    They waited only a few mere minutes before Ilya and the Empress stepped out of the Vermillion Keep, both wearing black crystalweave clothes, and crimson cloaks embossed with the imperial sigil.


    ¡°The barrier around the sunken district has been compromised.¡± His mother¡¯s voice rang clearly, commanding their attention and compliance. ¡°Any enemy would fear us today ¨C but our enemy feels no fear. It is silent, unfeeling, uncaring, yet more deadly than any army you could fight. You are the Imperial Guard,¡± She paused for a moment, her gaze lingering on the enforcers. ¡°We don¡¯t march to kill today. We don¡¯t march to invade ¨C we march to protect. To protect our people, our families. We march to protect our home.¡± She took a deep breath. ¡°May the light of the daughter and the sun be upon us all!¡±


    They roared, fist rising into the air, and heels hitting the ground. It was a battle cry as they marched to face the silent invasion of the mist.


    ¡°Move out!¡± Ilya shouted.


    Silence reigned on the streets as the small army passed through ¨C the city guard kept the citizens in their homes, while evacuating the areas near the mist. It was the silence of fear, of anticipation. In a way, it was the silence before the storm.


    Despite their cry for victory, he could see the fear in the troops¡¯ faces. Their eyes and pale faces betrayed them. Their clenched fists, and too tightly held weapons gave them away. His gaze turned to the Enforcers. There were only six of them, including Cait. While he didn¡¯t know any of the others, he could tell they were new recruits from the simplicity of their uniforms. They didn¡¯t have the gold embossing Cait¡¯s uniform had.


    ¡°Should you be joining this?¡± Cait asked with a low voice once their gazes met.


    ¡°Even my mother marches today,¡± he replied, looking at the Empress leading the troops. Her swift, long steps decided their pace, and her straight back and confident demeanour gave them the hope and trust they needed. ¡°What kind of a son would I be if I cowered in the Keep?¡±


    Cait pursed her lips, her brows furrowed. ¡°What about your eye?¡±


    Midhir shook his head. ¡°It seems fine now.¡± Admittedly, he was worried about what would happen as they approached the mist, but it wasn¡¯t reason enough to stay behind. The mist needed to be stopped, and the barrier resonance rebuilt.


    Soon, they arrived at the shore of the wide river bordering the thirteenth district.


    As the troops began to spread out and prepare, Midhir stepped towards the shore. The mist had spilled onto the river, hiding the other shore from his view. The river raged, waves crashing against the shore. The water slowed down the advance of the mist, but it wasn¡¯t enough. Even as he stood there, he could see tendrils snaking forward.


    Footsteps approached, and Arwen stood beside him, her hands clenched around her staff. ¡°She was right.¡± Her voice was but a whisper. ¡°It¡¯s terrifying. I should have never spoken like that.¡±

 Chapter 128 – The Sunken District (2)

    The mist swirled, soaking up the warmth of dawn, and spreading a lonely cold around it. As it approached the shore they were standing at, their breaths turned to mist, and their minds were assaulted with distant, unintelligible whispers.


    The enforcers stepped forward, to the edge of the water, striking their weapons into the ground. The Empress stood just a few steps behind them. One of the jewels on her golden crown began to glow as she raised her chin and took a deep breath.


    Midhir clenched his fists. This wasn¡¯t going to be easy, not even for her.


    Golden light spread from the jewel on her crown. Tendrils of spiritual power reached for the enforcers¡¯ weapons, connecting with the augments embedded into them. They weaved a delicate pattern, forming a seemingly fragile barrier on this side of the shore.


    Arwen breathed in sharply. ¡°This is the same resonance you cast at Lohssa!¡± She whispered, her eyes wide as she glanced at him.


    Midhir nodded. It was his mother who taught him how to cast that after all.


    The resonance finalised only a handful of heartbeats later, allowing the Enforcers to step back. Leaving their weapons there, they stepped away from the shore and barrier, gathering around the Empress.


    ¡°Come,¡± Midhir muttered at Willow and Arwen as he hurried towards his mother as well. His gaze lingered on the enforcers ¨C where was Moira? She was in An¡¯Larion, so why wasn¡¯t she here now? She was about as powerful as Lord Aulorn, and much more experienced. Worry gripped his thoughts.


    The Empress¡¯ crown continued to glow ¨C the augment embedded into it was part of the resonance after all. ¡°This will hold for a few hours,¡± she was speaking by the time Midhir and the others joined the small crowd of enforcers around her. ¡°But it¡¯s nothing more than a temporary thing.¡± Her gaze turned towards the mist gathering at the other side of the barrier. It had completely covered the river by now.


    ¡°We need to find the damaged focal point and reestablish the resonance there.¡± Ilya folded her arms. Her brows were furrowed, her lips a thin, pale line. ¡°We need to go through the mist.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± The Empress nodded. ¡°No one has ventured into the thirteenth district since the disaster. We don¡¯t know what threats await you. Many of our people were taken by the mist. I fear like in Bareon all those years ago, they may have become enemies, alive, yet lost.¡± Her gaze turned to Ilya. ¡°Be vigilant.¡±


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    Ilya nodded. ¡°We will. Cait, Granos, Lector-¡° As she called out the names of the enforcers, voices rose behind them. ¡°Hey! Stop him!¡± One of the guards shouted.


    Midhir turned around just in time to see a familiar figure run past the Imperial guard. Winds whirled around him, carrying him forward, and knocking the guards chasing him away. ¡°Lonan?¡± He whispered as he recognised the man. His eyes widened. ¡°By the gods, no!¡±


    Lonan ran past the guards with ease as his abnormally strong resonance protected him. He didn¡¯t seem to hear the shouts, or even notice the commotion he caused. His gaze was on the mist as he ran towards it, passing through the newly formed barrier. The mist slammed against the barrier, hiding him from their gazes. The whispers seemed to grow stronger as even his silhouette disappeared.


    Stunned, they stood there for a split second.


    ¡°We need to bring him back.¡± Midhir clenched his fists. He hadn¡¯t had a chance to read any of the documents he took from Lonan. ¡°How did he even leave the Keep?!¡± His angry gaze turned towards the Imperial guard. The men and women seemed just as confused as he was.


    ¡°He gave his life for naught.¡± His mother let out a sigh. ¡°While it¡¯s a shame-¡°


    ¡°No!¡± Midhir cut her off without even thinking. ¡°The mist doesn¡¯t just take you as soon as you step into it ¨C neither me nor Principal Aoidh would have been alive now if that was the case. He isn¡¯t dead yet.¡±


    His mother narrowed her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m well aware, Midhir. What¡¯s your point? Would you rather sacrifice however many lives ¨C lives of our sworn guard to save the life of a madman?¡±


    The judgemental gazes of both the Imperial guard and the enforcers were impossible to shake off. ¡°No,¡± he breathed out. ¡°He wants to find an altar and somehow get rid of the mist.¡± He glared at her. ¡°Mother, I know how much power such altars hold.¡±


    Her lips formed a thin line as she considered. ¡°A madman cannot be allowed to tap into such power.¡± She finally decided. With narrow eyes, she glared at the mist. ¡°I want teams of two enforcers and half a dozen guards to prepare. Midhir, you and your classmates go with Ilya and Cait. Dismissed!¡±


    As the enforcers hurried off, Cait gently guided Willow and Arwen away from Midhir and his family.


    ¡°He shouldn¡¯t come.¡± Ilya glared at their mother. ¡°Mom, you¡¯re risking too much.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t sit back here and wait.¡±


    ¡°You should. You could die in there-¡°


    ¡°Enough.¡± The Empress cut them off with a stern voice. ¡°Ilya, he¡¯s going. It¡¯s his duty, both as an Ardagh and as an Induen.¡± She turned her gaze to Midhir. ¡°Be vigilant. I wish there was no need to send you ¨C I know it will cause pain. But you¡¯re right, that madman must be stopped.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to justify your decision.¡± Midhir forced a smile. ¡°I want to go.¡± His gaze lingered on the mist for a few short moments. ¡°I must go.¡±


    While Ilya scowled, his mother nodded with a faint smile. ¡°May the gods be with both of you.¡±

 Chapter 129 – The Sunken District (3)

    The wall of mist pushing against the barrier created by the Empress exuded a ghastly cold. As they stood at the edge of the barrier, Midhir¡¯s breath turned to fog, and his fingertips began to chill.


    Grasping a blade he took from the armoury before they left the Vermillion Keep, he lamented the loss of the sword-spear. He had gotten used to its weight and rather exotic shape. He didn¡¯t trust himself quite as much with this sword.


    ¡°Stay together,¡± Ilya said with a stern voice. Her fingers clenched around the hilt of her sword. She extended her left hand, took a deep breath, then exhaled softly. The gem on the ring she wore began to glow, and the raging river before them stilled near instantly. She glanced at them, her face pale and her lips a thin line.


    He found it hard to believe what he saw. Ilya was never afraid ¨C he had never seen her hesitate in the face of danger or avoid something dangerous out of fear alone. But now, it was clear as day to him that she wanted to be anywhere but here.


    She didn¡¯t have to be the first to step into the mist. Before she could summon her courage, Midhir stepped forward.


    He only felt the warmth of the barrier for in instant before it was replaced with the frigid cold of the mist. The air grew dense and heavy, and an unnerving silence settled. He could barely hear the sound of the Imperial Guard just beyond the barrier, and the regular sounds of the city had just vanished.


    Clenching his fingers around his weapon¡¯s hilt, he stepped forward. The mist slowly whirled around him, tendrils of darker colours reaching forth. A moment later, someone stepped beside him. The mist seemed to rear back, and the tendrils retreated into the depths.


    Cait forced a smile. ¡°Anything wrong?¡± She asked, pointing at her own left eye. ¡°Do you feel odd, or just uncomfortable?¡±


    Midhir shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± He chuckled softly at Cait¡¯s surprised expression before she could hide it. He had expected pain, or to be dragged back into the Old God¡¯s realm, he expected his eye to bleed again, but instead, he felt perfectly normal. ¡°How about you?¡±


    Cait looked away. ¡°I¡¯ll use my sight when we absolutely need it, and only then.¡± She raised her hand, allowing the thick, almost fluid-like mist to roll through her fingers. ¡°There is too much from the other side here.¡±


    Ilya soon joined them, followed by a rather nervous Arwen. Willow was the last to follow, and though she was clearly afraid, her determined gaze was unwavering. Without wasting any more time, they passed the river using the solidified water bridge Ilya had created.


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    They were one of the six teams going into the thirteenth district. Every team had a specific destination, and a goal. Theirs was to head to the centre of the district, since that was where the bright light originated from. The Empress suspected the central focal point of the protective resonance was damaged.


    As they stepped onto the other, always shrouded shore, Midhir felt something soft beneath his boots. Crimson blades of crass sprouted from between the slabs making up the pavement. Some slabs were cracked, some were fully shattered, allowing for more, larger plants to grow. Bushes that at first glance looked like roses sprouted at either side of the street.


    They couldn¡¯t see more than a few steps ahead. Even when walking in the street, the buildings around them were little more than dark silhouettes.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we protect ourselves from the mist?¡± Arwen sheepishly asked. Her hands were clenched around her staff, and her voice wavered for a split second, betraying the brave front she was trying to put up.


    ¡°How would you do that?¡± Ilya asked. Her initial fear was gone. She walked with a brisk pace, and a straight back, her hand comfortably hanging on her side, and her blade sheathed again. ¡°Not even my mother could maintain a proper protective barrier while moving, around five people. Can you?¡±


    Arwen looked down. She couldn¡¯t. No one could. It was especially difficult to try and keep the mist ¨C or anything otherworldly away using resonances.


    ¡°Keep your wits about you, and make sure not to wander off. Midhir was right ¨C the mist doesn¡¯t just kill you. If you¡¯re of strong mind, you¡¯ll come out unscathed.¡± Cait once again forced a smile. ¡°Just follow our princess¡¯ lead.¡±


    Arwen scowled. ¡°Yet Midhir is the one whose been affected the most by the otherworldly.¡± She retorted, shooting him a glance.


    He wasn¡¯t sure whether her glance carried worry or anger. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± he dryly replied. He turned away from her, just in time to see a shadow move not too far ahead of them ¨C a silhouette. ¡°Ilya, ahead.¡± He hissed.


    ¡°Keep up.¡± She broke into a dash. The ring on her left hand glowed again before leaving a trail of ink-like blue light in the air. Without a word, they ran after her, following the trail she left for them as she chased the silhouette.


    They ran through the back streets, straying away from the straight path leading to the centre of the district. They passed through winding alleys, moving further up north with each step they took, until they caught up with Ilya in a large round courtyard decorated with long dried out fountains.


    Her shoulders were drooped and her fingers clenched around the hilt of her blade as she stood in front of a large archway made from a single block of chalk-coloured granite. Tall, thick walls stretched on either side of the archway, hiding the building on the other side from unwelcome gazes.


    ¡°Where is it?¡± Cait asked as they caught up with her.


    Ilya simply pointed ahead, through the arch.


    ¡°Let¡¯s hurry then,¡± Midhir motioned to step ahead.


    Ilya caught his shoulder, forcefully pulling him back. ¡°We won¡¯t chase it any further.¡± Her words rang in the air like a bell. ¡°We¡¯re returning to our mission. I don¡¯t care what the historian tries to do with the power trapped in the mist ¨C he¡¯ll likely die anyways.¡± She turned to leave as the mist seemed to clear just a little bit ¨C enough to see the intricate carvings on the archway.


    Enough to see the words carved into the chalk-coloured stone.


    House Induen

 Chapter 130 – The House of Fall and Ruin (1)

    The mist swirled between their legs, dark tendrils reaching out to touch them, then suddenly pulling back when they moved even slightly. It was impossible to see farther than a handful of steps, yet the archway was in clear view.


    House Induen


    The words were carved into the chalk-coloured stone, may centuries ago. While all else began to corrode and fall apart, they had remained clean and undisturbed by the elements, and the corrosive effect of the mist.


    Cait¡¯s fingers clenched. Her knuckles turned white as her gaze fixed on the building beyond the archway. ¡°Of course he went there,¡± she breathed out through gritted teeth. ¡°To the house of ruin that-¡°


    ¡°Enough.¡± Ilya¡¯s voice rang clear. ¡°We¡¯re leaving.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Midhir shook his head. ¡°Ilya, we can¡¯t. We don¡¯t know what kind of power still remains there. And Lonan¡­ he¡¯s not in his right mind. He¡¯s not thinking straight. We can¡¯t let him die and be taken by the mist.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the Induen House!¡± Ilya¡¯s raised voice echoed in the mist, repeating itself over and over again as it slowly faded into obscurity. ¡°We are not stepping foot in there, and that decision is final. I won¡¯t risk you to save the life of a madman.¡±


    ¡°Then you¡¯d make a poor princess, and an even worse monarch.¡±


    Midhir felt his heart sink as he whirled around to face Arwen. The young woman¡¯s voice rang clear ¨C he hadn¡¯t misunderstood.


    ¡°And Midhir would make a poor prince ¨C a coward and a liar, who¡¯d rather escape and live, than fight to save his own people.¡± Her fingers clenched around her staff as all four of them looked at her in disbelief. ¡°But I know him ¨C he won¡¯t leave.¡± Her eyes narrowed as she stared at Ilya. ¡°He¡¯ll fight to save Lonan, and to make sure he doesn¡¯t use tainted power to repeat history. The only question is whether the future Monarch will escape or not?¡±


    ¡°Arwen!¡± Willow hissed with a pale face, but before she could continue, Ilya marched towards the young woman.


    ¡°Dare speak with me so again,¡± she hissed as she leaned forward, putting her face in front of Arwen¡¯s, ¡°go on, I¡¯m waiting.¡± She stepped forward, forcing Arwen to step back. ¡°What gives you the right to speak to me so? What gives you the right to speak to my brother so?¡± her voice was but a whisper, clearly spoken in the deafening silence.


    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    Arwen raised her chin. ¡°I speak to him as his equal ¨C as he wanted it.¡±


    ¡°Enough.¡± Midhir walked between them, forcing them both to take a couple of steps back. ¡°Ilya ¨C we must stop Lonan. Whatever happened fifteen years ago could happen again, Arwen isn¡¯t wrong.¡± He then turned to face Arwen. ¡°Arwen, you may speak to me as an equal ¨C I welcome it. But you will show my sister the respect she deserves. For your sake, most of all.¡±


    Ilya wasn¡¯t like her father. She was kind, giving and gentle. Had Midhir not been there, she wouldn¡¯t have hesitated to march into the old Induen estate, and dragged Lonan out. But if her father got wind of what was said here¡­ He didn¡¯t even want to think of what would happen.


    Ilya bit her lip before she finally nodded.


    She was worried about him, and it was for good reason. They still didn¡¯t know the entirety of what happened here the day the thirteenth district began to sink below the ground.


    Summoning his courage, he stepped through the archway, into the Induen Estate.


    The ground was shaking violently. Bottles and boxes fell from the shelves lining the walls, and the marble tiles on the floor began to crack. People rushed about, some attempting to hold the metal reinforced door closed, while others circled around the stone slab at the middle of the chamber, drawing things on the ground around it with a reddish black liquid from the jars they carried.


    The shouting, the deafening creaks and the blood-freezing cracking of the slabs drowned his own thoughts. His heart raced, almost as if it was trying to escape his chest. As the shaking grew stronger, and the sound of something collapsing echoed in the large, round chamber, someone finally paid some attention to him.


    Without a single word, a tall woman with crimson hair reminiscent of his own dragged him towards the large stone slab. He kicked and screamed until his throat hurt, but her grip was iron, and his screams fell on deaf ears. She pushed his chest against the slab, forcing his right hand onto its smooth, clean surface.


    ¡°I offer my flesh and blood!¡± Her voice rang in his ears. ¡°I offer my first born heir!¡±


    A knife struck the back of his hand, piercing it, and the slab beneath his palm. Searing pain blinded him, tears rolled down his eyes as he screamed until his voice was no more. Then, behind him, he felt the cold touch of what felt like death itself.


    The stone slab shattered in half, freeing him and his hand. He fell back as his vision began to return. Vines rapidly grew around him before he could even regain his sight properly. They wrapped around his legs, covered the room, and chased after the other people who escaped.


    The woman with the beautiful crimson hair ¨C the person he had loved and called mother, smiled. She opened her arms wide, her gaze lingering behind him.


    ¡°I welcome you-¡°


    Her voice cut off as the front end of a barbed arrow stuck out of her chest. Her victorious expression turned into shock before she collapsed.


    Her silhouette stood where she fell, looking down in shock. Her expression twisted into anger as she turned around, almost as if she was trying to escape. She could only take two steps before something invisible pulled her back. With an ear piercing scream that he only heard in his mind, she flew over his head, into what seemed like a blue vortex.


    As he made his way through the now dilapidated garden of the estate of his bloodline, Midhir reluctantly let unwanted memories surface.

 Chapter 131 – The House of Fall and Ruin (2)

    ¡°The Induen House was one of the most powerful houses in Eldoria.¡± Ilya¡¯s soft, solemn voice broke the charged silence as they walked through the gardens, on a winding stone path that led towards the mansion¡¯s entrance. ¡°Their members are in every legend. Our history book place them in every important event in the history of our empire.¡±


    Midhir wasn¡¯t sure whether she was talking to keep them calm, or to keep herself distracted.


    ¡°They were never at the forefront of the events though ¨C not like the Orleins or the Cathains.¡± She stepped over the stem and dried leaves of a dead plant. ¡°They were always in the role of supporters, strategists and guides. They had the respect of every noble house ¨C as true nobles, and as researchers and scientists who furthered out knowledge on the Veil, the crystals that are harvested from the mines, and resonance casting as a whole.¡± She only paused to point at Arwen¡¯s staff. ¡°The design of crystal staves were one of their inventions. Some of them were honestly beyond their time.¡± She let out a sigh.


    ¡°What happened here?¡± Arwen asked, her eyes scouring their surroundings as they approached the gilded double winged doors that marked the entrance of the large, lavish mansion. ¡°Why did you call it the house of ruin?¡± She glanced at Cait as she spoke.


    The young enforcer stepped forward, pressing her palms against either wing of the door. ¡°Because,¡± she breathed out as she pushed against the door, ¡°It was them that sunk the district,¡± she stepped forward, heaving as the doors slowly creaked open. ¡°It was them that killed everyone here,¡± she took another step forward. The doors were half open now, and the dust covered, dimly lit entrance was somewhat visible. With one final push, she swung the doors wide open. ¡°It was them that caused all of this to happen. Whatever we find here,¡± she pointed inside. ¡°It won¡¯t be pretty. And if that so-called historian gets his hands on the same power, then I can¡¯t imagine the fate of An¡¯Larion.¡±


    ¡°If he survives holding such power.¡± Ilya corrected her. ¡°But yes, he should be stopped.¡± She hesitated, shooting Midhir a glance.


    He took a deep breath. ¡°He must be stopped.¡± He corrected her, walking past them, into the dusty, dimply lit mansion that he didn¡¯t remember at all.


    The air was heavy, and it filled with dust with every step they took. The floors were hidden under a thick, white layer of dust. Their steps, however gentle hey tried to be, disturbed it, raising it into the air momentarily.


    Had it not been for the green roots covering every visible surface, this place could have been mistaken for an abandoned, yet fairly ordinary building. Instead, it looked almost like a painting filled with beautiful, mysterious flowers that didn¡¯t belong to this world. Bright blue flowers bloomed on the higher roots, their glowing petals shining a dim light that allowed them to see.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Willow drew a sharp breath as they stepped inside Her wide eyes scoured their surroundings, lingering on the flowers they slowly walked past. ¡°It¡¯s beautiful.¡± Her voice was but a whisper.


    ¡°None of this belongs here.¡± Cait scoffed. ¡°It¡¯s worse here than it was outside.¡± She pointed at the ceiling, then at the walls. The roots covered everything ¨C every piece of furniture, every wall and every column. She turned to look at Ilya. ¡°Where to?¡±


    The princess pointed ahead. ¡°If he¡¯s after the source of power that caused all this¡­ then he¡¯s probably looking for the altar. I don¡¯t know exactly where, but it should be down by the catacombs.¡±


    ¡°Catacombs?!¡± Willow exclaimed, tightly grasping the hilt of her rapier.


    ¡°Most noble houses have their own burial grounds ¨C the Induen¡¯s chose to bury their dead in the catacombs instead of a cathedral or church of their choosing.¡± Cait explained, somewhat amused. ¡°Surely your family will choose soon as well.¡±


    Like a deer in torchlight, Willow froze. ¡°I- uh, no, we¡¯re not like that¡­¡± she stammered.


    They walked the winding hallways of the Induen mansion for what seemed like hours before finally arriving at large, stone doors etched with gold. The left wing of the door was slightly open ¨C just enough for a single person to squeeze through.


    Ilya drew her sword, and the others quickly followed. ¡°Quiet now,¡± she whispered, then carefully passed through the narrow gap. Midhir followed her, and so did the others.


    A narrow, round stairway led down into the darkness. It was difficult to balance on the root covered steps, so their descent was slow. Aside from their rustling clothes and shallow breaths, there was nothing but silence down here. Not even the gentle sound of the cold breeze outside reached in here. Illuminated by nothing but the blue flowers, they slowly descended, until the steps ended with a narrow and rather damaged hallway.


    A faint sound reached him ¨C familiar, yet one he couldn¡¯t quite hear yet. He tilted his head and scowled. It was like a distant ring that felt like it was part of a melody ¨C a greater whole. ¡°Do you hear that? Like¡­ a whistle, or a ring?¡± He whispered.


    Seeing the confused and blank faces of the others, he quickly shook his head. ¡°Never mind. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    The ceiling was low, and the walls lined with indents that were decorated with statues of his ancestors. The name plaques had been long erased, and their faces were eroded beyond recognition.


    They walked down the hallway, weapons in hand and resonances ready to cast. Each step brought the faint sound he heard closer. He could now hear the faint melody it was a part of. It echoed in his mind. His racing heart began to calm, and his tense muscles relaxed a little.


    Something brushed against the ground, like a parson dragging their feet. Someone stepped out of a narrow doorway out of many, dragging their feet oddly. It was a tall, thin woman who walked with a limp her upper body leaning sideways quite a bit as she dragged their feet towards them. Her matted hair covered most of her face, but despite that, Midhir caught a glance of her glowing blue eyes.


    ¡°She¡¯s taken!¡± he hissed. Before he finished his words, Cait and Ilya lunged forward.


    ¡°Behind us too!¡± Willow exclaimed, readying her blade.


    More silhouettes began to appear in the mist covered hallway. They weren¡¯t getting out of here without a fight.

 Chapter 132 – The House of Fall and Ruin (3)

    Wearing tattered and ruined clothes, the people that stepped out into the hallway were people no more. Their eyes were glowing with an otherworldly blue light, and their bodies had long since begun to fall apart. Some missed a few fingers, while others had whole chunks of flesh missing, revealing the bare bones underneath.


    These were the bodies of the fallen who had been taken over by spirits from the other side of the veil. There was no human mind or soul behind those glowing eyes.


    Tightly grasping the hilt of his sword, he rushed to the nearest one. The blade met little resistance as he slashed across the creature¡¯s neck. A light thud sounded as the creature¡¯s head rolled off and fell to the ground. The blue light left the dead eyes and flew off into the mist.


    Willow ran past him before he could find his next target. Her rapier struck the left eye of the nearest creature. The light in its eyes flashed out of existence, and the lifeless body fell to the ground. She visibly flinched, glancing at her blade, then at the body. ¡°Why did it do that?¡±


    ¡°Stand aside.¡± Arwen¡¯s voice rang loudly, startling them both. Her staff glowed golden as she focused, her eyelids half closed, and her lips slightly parted.


    They threw themselves towards the walls just in time as a beam of light burst out of Arwen¡¯s staff. The creatures didn¡¯t even have the time to see it properly before it touched them. Their flesh disintegrated, their bones turned to dust, and what was left of the clothes they wore were no more. Blue lights violently flashed in the beam of gold before it finally vanished, leaving nothing but small piles of dust behind.


    Willow blinked a few times. ¡°I¡­ wow, Arwen,¡± she stammered, both impressed and confused. ¡°When did you learn that?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been practicing.¡± She looked away, turning her attention towards the other side of the hallway.


    There was nothing left of the few shambling, reanimated corpses that Ilya and Cait faced. ¡°Burning them is much easier.¡± Ilya dryly spoke, shooting a glance at the half a dozen or so piles of dust left by Arwen¡¯s resonance. ¡°Your way works too¡­ though it¡¯s rather flashy.¡± Her eyes were narrowed, and her gaze filled with distrust.


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind, thank you.¡± Arwen¡¯s reply was equally dry, and her gaze equally filled with hostility. The tension was palpable as they stared at each other.


    He really didn¡¯t have the patience to deal with this. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± he marched on, breaking the silence, and ending the glaring contest. It was clear why Arwen disliked his sister, she saw her as cowardly. And Ilya¡¯s suspicions against Arwen were certainly not unfounded ¨C but petty moments like this did nothing to further her goal to get to the bottom of this. Then again, Ilya had never been a particularly patient person.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    Ignoring them, he walked on, following the calming melody he could now hear much more clearly. The others followed him only after a slight delay. Their steps echoed in the hallway, drowned out by the melody that continued to grow louder and clearer.


    Before they had even walked for a whole minute, the hallway opened up to a large, hexagonal chamber. The floor of the chamber was covered in blooming blue flowers, and vines decorated with similarly glowing flowers hung from the high ceiling. Each wall of the hexagonal chamber housed a beautifully carved archway with a closed door.


    Midhir¡¯s gaze snapped to the door straight ahead of them ¨C it was a wooden door, reinforced with metal. There was a small gap at chin level, filled with metal bars. It almost looked like a prison door. The wood had rotten somewhat, and the door was hanging off a single hinge, left half open.


    He felt his blood freeze in his veins as he walked up to the door. The melody was much louder now, he could hear it almost wholly. It was a majestic sound, calming yet empowering at the same time. It didn¡¯t consist of any instruments, instead, it was ethereal. It almost felt like he didn¡¯t really hear it ¨C not normally. Instead, it rang in his mind.


    He placed his palm against the door, and gently gave it a push. A loud, deafening creak sounded as the door slowly swung open and hit the wall.


    There was a large, round chamber behind the door, boasting a high, vaulted ceiling. The floor was covered in blue flowers, just like the rest of the Induen Estate, though crimson flowers peaked through the sea of blue, creating a familiar symbol on the ground, around the very thing that caused the disaster ¨C a large, stone altar lay in two distinct pieces in the centre of the room. When it was whole, a person would have easily been able to lay on it.


    ¡°Gods¡­¡± Arwen whispered, her gaze shifting from the altar to the source of the blue light illuminating the room.


    On the other side of the room, near the wall, a blue vortex hung in the air. It whirled calmly, occasionally releasing specks of blue light into their world. Spirits from beyond the veil entered their world, flying past them in search of a host to possess.


    Ilya clicked her tongue. ¡°So here it is.¡± She hissed with a fiery gaze. ¡°We must close this tear-¡°


    ¡°That¡¯s not a tear.¡± Arwen¡¯s cold, trembling voice cut her off. ¡°Look at it ¨C it¡¯s stable. It¡¯s been stable for fifteen years. You can¡¯t close that ¨C none of us can.¡± She turned her gaze to Ilya. ¡°Can you?¡± She asked, with a hint of desperate hope in her voice.


    Ilya clenched her fists.


    ¡°You¡¯re not strong enough.¡± Arwen concluded. ¡°No one is. That¡¯s why it¡¯s been left here, right?¡±


    Midhir scowled. ¡°Mother¡­¡± he stopped himself. ¡°No, she knew it was here. She saw it.¡± She knew it was here ¨C and she had left it here, claiming the mist was too dangerous to navigate through. Claiming unspeakable horrors lay in wait. Claiming no one could survive coming so deep into the mist.


    But the path here was all but dangerous. Even the shambling corpses possessed by the spirits hadn¡¯t posed much danger. They were so slow and sluggish that even a child could outrun them with ease. Either they had been incredibly lucky, or danger wasn¡¯t the reason why the thirteenth district had been left to slowly sink further each passing day.


    ¡°We must find Lonan and leave. Fast.¡± Midhir said as he turned around, only to see the dozen or so crossbows pointed at his chest.


    A man stood behind the crossbow wielding people, wearing an almost comical helmet decorated with a fancy feathery plume. ¡°Who could have known we would find both the princess, and the ritual thief

 Chapter 133 – The House of Fall and Ruin (4)

    ¡°The priestess would have been overjoyed,¡± the helmet wearing man said with a mocking voice, slowly pacing back and forth behind his men. ¡°If she were still with us.¡± He added, glaring at them.


    Ilya clenched her fist. ¡°It¡¯s your doing then?¡± She asked, slowly sliding her left hand behind her back. ¡°You broke the barrier? Why would you do that?¡±


    The man let out a laugh. ¡°Why would I do that?¡± He mocked her. ¡°You and your false god have no place here!¡± He waved his hands vaguely upwards. ¡°We will awaken the old gods ¨C the gods who were here when we needed them!¡± His shouting grew louder with every word. ¡°The gods who answered our prayers and showed us a path to our future.¡±


    His men nodded in agreement, muttering something quietly.


    ¡°How dare you-¡° Cait hissed, but as soon as she took a step forward, the crossbows turned to her.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t do that if I were you, murderer.¡± The man folded his arms. ¡°I¡¯m afraid even the best resonance caster isn¡¯t faster than a bolt.¡± Despite his helmet hiding his face, it was clear that he was enjoying this.


    Midhir¡¯s gaze turned to his men. While they all seemed somewhat nervous, their aim remained steady, and their gazes focused Cait and Ilya especially. Even if he acted as fast as physically possible, he couldn¡¯t summon and activate the last stake he had. Not before the bolts hit their targets.


    ¡°How does disrupting the barrier even serve you?¡± For now, they needed to stall for as long as they could. ¡°Do you seriously think an old god slumbers here or something?¡±


    The man laughed. ¡°Here?¡± He shook his head. ¡°No, they are somewhere beyond our world.¡± He lifted his chin, pointing behind Midhir. ¡°That portal there, that will help us awaken them. And you,¡± he chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m so lucky that I won¡¯t have to search for you.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Ilya hissed.


    ¡°Now,¡± the man pointed at the ground. ¡°Weapons, on the ground. All of them. Or I¡¯ll have them shoot the black haired one.¡± He nodded towards Willow.


    Willow grew pale, her gaze darted towards Ilya and Midhir.


    Midhir gritted his teeth. ¡°Fine,¡± he slowly bent down, placing his weapon on the root covered ground. ¡°See,¡± he showed his open palms, then slowly got back up again. A moment later, Willow and Arwen did the same.


    ¡°You too, murderer and princess.¡± The man chuckled. ¡°Be smart like the ritual thief over there.¡±


    Ilya scoffed, and dropped her weapon. Cait hesitated for a split second longer before letting go ?f her two daggers.


    ¡°Gather them,¡± the man ordered. One of his men lowered his aim, then hurried towards them to collect the weapons. As he gathered them in a hurry, the sound of uneven footsteps reached them from the long hallway.Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    ¡°Go check out who that is,¡± the man ordered, pointing at two of his men. They hurried off, the man watching them as they disappeared in the slowly thickening mist.


    Midhir watched with frown as one of their assailants continued to collect their weapons. The man bent down to grab Arwen¡¯s staff, grunting as he tried to balance all of them with one hand.


    A loud grunt echoed, coming from the mist covered hallway the two cultists had just gone to. The others flinched, about half of them shooting quick glances over their shoulder. The man stepped towards the hallway, reaching for the small mace hanging from a hook on his waist. ¡°What the¡­¡± he muttered.


    Arwen reached out with her left hand, grabbing the weapon collecting cultist¡¯s throat. ¡°Burn.¡±


    The man¡¯s expression turned from surprise to terror as he stumbled backwards, letting out a pained groan as he dropped the weapons in his arms and clawed at his own throat. His agony only lasted for a split second before he combusted into crimson flames that blinded them all for a split second.


    Midhir fell on his knees as his hand brushed past his earring. He caught the stake mid-air, and truck it between the roots covering the ground. He felt the wood give way a little, and white sap seeped out of the damaged section of the roots. He poured whatever had recovered of his spiritual power into the stake.


    A golden beam of light shot up, hit the ceiling, then rained back down around them, forming that reliable, yet draining barrier. It¡¯s strength was immediately tested as bolts were loosed, and hit the veil of gold, spreading wrinkles along its surface.


    ¡°Willow!¡±


    The young woman crouched beside him, placing her hand around the stake. ¡°I¡¯ll maintain it.¡±


    While Midhir motioned to get up, Arwen snatched her staff and his sword off the ground, then quickly retreated behind him. ¡°Here.¡± She refused to look at him as she pressed the hilt of his sword against his palm.


    Theirs were the only two weapons that had fallen inside the barrier. Ilya¡¯s blade and Cait¡¯s daggers were piled in front of the ashes remained from the burnt man.


    ¡°Give me that.¡± Ilya brushed past him, snatching his sword, then yanked Arwen¡¯s staff from her hands before she could protest. She marched to the edge of the barrier, holding each weapon in each hand, and pointed at the man leading the cultists with the sword¡¯s tip. ¡°You,¡± she tilted her head, and gave him the most vicious smile Midhir had ever seen. ¡°Are under arrest.¡±


    ¡°Ha!¡± The man laughed. ¡°Do you really believe we¡¯ll just roll over and let you-¡°


    Ilya casually pointed the staff at him. The golden crystal sparked, then a white hot beam shot through one of the cultists¡¯ chest, and the man¡¯s raised left hand, and hit the side of the archway quite some distance behind them.


    The scent of burnt flesh filled the room before the afterimage of the beam cleared from their eyes. A split second layer, he let out an ear piercing scream, and fell on his knees, at about the same time the other cultists now dead body fell to the ground ¨C there was hole where his heart should have been that was still smoking.


    ¡°You witch!¡± He screamed in agony. ¡°Kill them all ¨C all but the ritual thief!¡± his voice was more of a shriek now, twisted and distorted by pain. ¡°What are you waiting for! Kill them!¡± He held his wrist ¨C once connected to a hand that had been reduced to ashes ¨C as he screamed again.


    Ilya once again pointed her staff at the remaining cultists. ¡°Well?¡±


    Midhir almost couldn¡¯t believe it when they threw their crossbows aside, drew their swords, and rushed towards Ilya. They were throwing their lives away¡­ for what?


    The staff sparked again. The air around the crystal vibrated.


    A figure wearing a tattered cloak stumbled into the hexagonal chamber from the mist covered hallway. ¡°You came!¡±

 Chapter 134 – The House of Fall and Ruin (5)

    ¡°You came!¡± Lonan¡¯s voice echoed as he stumbled into the hexagonal chamber. His steps were uneven, and his left arms hung on his side, covered in blood. His messy hair was untied, covering the left side of his face. ¡°I knew it! I knew you wouldn¡¯t let me down!¡± He exclaimed with glee in his voice.


    A red-hot beam shot off the crystal staff in Ilya¡¯s hand, passing through the cultists¡¯ flesh like it was nothing, and hitting the wall on the other side of the chamber, leaving melted stone as it faded away.


    ¡°Step aside, historian.¡± Ilya¡¯s voice was cold as ice as she turned the tip of the staff towards the next three cultists. Despite witnessing the fate of their allies, they continued their charge at her. Another beam turned them to ashes and melted another section of the wall on the other side of the chamber.


    ¡°For the Old Gods!¡± The cultists screamed, seemingly emboldened further by the loss of their allies. Ilya threw the staff back at Arwen and stepped forward. As she brandished the blade in her hand, the gem embedded in its hilt glimmered before it burst into flames.


    Midhir winced as the blade cut through them with no resistance. The flames burned hot, leaving streaks with each strike she swung. Screams filled the room, and the air grew thicker with smoke, accompanied by the disgusting smell of burnt flesh.


    Smoke rising from burning bodies mixed with the mist, obscuring their view further. In a way, it was a blessing as it hid Ilya¡¯s massacre from them somewhat. Though it was also dangerous as Lonan and a few of the cultists were impossible to see through it all. ¡°Cait,¡± he muttered as he squinted. ¡°Find their leader.¡± The man wearing the over-the-top helmet had backed off enough to be fully obscured by the mist and the smoke.


    Cait simply nodded before breaking into a dash. She snatched her dropped weapons off the ground as soon as she left the protective barrier, then ran into the mist and smoke. Her silhouette quickly faded from his sight.


    With a tight jaw, he watched the mix of smoke and mist, trying to see further than just a few steps. From time to time, silhouettes became visible, usually accompanied by the bright light of Ilya¡¯s flaming blade. The screams echoing the chamber began to grow rarer, until eventually he couldn¡¯t hear them anymore. Ilya¡¯s massacre was done ¨C she had either killed or knocked out every one of the cultists. At least those who didn¡¯t escape.


    A hand reached out from the mist, bloody and covered in grime. It touched the barrier Willow was maintaining. ¡°I knew I could trust you!¡± Lonan¡¯s voice echoed. The man stepped out of the mist. His hand pushed against the barrier.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    ¡°Lonan-¡° Midhir began to talk, but his voice faded as he noticed the cracks beginning to appear under the man¡¯s palm. They spread throughout the barrier. ¡°What are you ¨C how are you doing that?¡± he exclaimed, instinctively taking a step back.


    ¡°It¡¯s ok,¡± Lonan pressed further. ¡°They won¡¯t hurt you anymore ¨C the princess took care of them. You don¡¯t need this anymore.¡±


    Willow gasped. ¡°No-¡° A loud, crystalline crack echoed in the chamber, followed by a sharp ring as the barrier shattered. A small scream escaped Willow¡¯s lips when the crystal embedded into the stake broke into two distinct pieces.


    Lonan stumbled forward. His left arm dangling to the side, he stepped closer to Midhir. ¡°Thank you.¡± He whispered as he placed his right hand on his shoulder. His pale lips curled up with a genuine smile, and a tear rolled down his right cheek. ¡°I knew you¡¯d believe me.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Arwen snapped at him. Her fingers clenched around the shaft of her staff as she spoke through gritted teeth. ¡°We¡¯ve been looking for you-¡°


    Lonan¡¯s smile shattered as soon as she spoke. He shot her a cold, almost hostile glance. ¡°Shut up.¡±


    Midhir flinched. ¡°Lonan-¡°


    ¡°Don¡¯t trust her, friend!¡± Lonan cut him off. ¡°She¡¯s just like that woman ¨C a self-serving liar! Don¡¯t trust a word she says, don¡¯t trust anything she does!¡±


    ¡°Midhir, let¡¯s hurry.¡± Arwen ignored his words, though her fiery gaze remained locked on Lonan. ¡°We¡¯re done with our mission here.¡±


    Lonan¡¯s grip on his shoulder tightened. ¡°Shut up, witch!¡± He hissed, then turned his gaze at Midhir. ¡°You¡¯ll help me, won¡¯t you? It¡¯s right there ¨C the source of it all.¡± He turned his gaze beyond Midhir, through the doorway to the chamber where the broken altar, and the rift through the Veil was. His eyes widened as his gaze lingered on something there. ¡°What?¡± His voice was but a whisper. His shoulders dropped. ¡°It¡¯s broken? Why? When did that happen?¡± He stammered; his right hand fell off Midhir¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°It¡¯s always been broken.¡± Midhir gently placed his hand on the man¡¯s shoulder and tried to lead him away from there. ¡°Willow, find Ilya please.¡± He quickly spoke before turning his attention back to Lonan. ¡°We¡¯ll find some other way, alright?¡± He suggested, trying to step away from the door.


    ¡°There is no other way.¡± Lonan shook his head, distraught. ¡°No other, safe way.¡± He gulped, clenched his fists, and took a deep breath. ¡°We can¡¯t repair these altars. They¡­¡± he audibly gulped again, and sniffled. Was he about to cry? ¡°They used the power of the Old Gods to create them. We can¡¯t do that. We shouldn¡¯t do that.¡± He almost sounded like he was trying to convince himself.


    ¡°Come on,¡± Midhir once again tried to lead him away from the doorway. Where was Ilya? What was taking Willow and his sister so damn long to get back here? Worry gripped his heart ¨C had something happened? Had the mist taken them? He shot Arwen a glance, but she didn¡¯t seem concerned about her classmate or the princess at all ¨C her fiery gaze lingered on Lonan as her knuckles were white from her tight grip around the shaft of her staff.


    Lonan shook his head again. ¡°No, I have to stop this.¡± He muttered, his gaze darting between the altar and the rift at the back of the chamber. ¡°If the altar here is broken¡­¡± his voice faded. His gaze turned to Midhir. ¡°There is only one option left, isn¡¯t there?¡± His voice trembled.


    Midhir furrowed his brows. ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll meet again.¡± Lonan nodded. ¡°I promise I will fix this, once and for all.¡±

 Chapter 135 – We’ll Meet Again

    The historian¡¯s gaze filled with decisiveness. His pale lips curled up with a confident smile, he raised his chin with misplaced pride as he took a deep breath, and motioned to walk past Midhir, into the chamber housing the broken altar, and the rift leading to the other side.


    Alarm bells rang in his mind as Lonan brushed past him. Without even thinking, he caught the historian¡¯s arm as he stepped into the chamber. ¡°Wait-¡°


    A sharp pain struck his eye. He winced, quickly pressing his palm against his eyelid. Blood slowly ran down his cheek. The melodic ringing sound he had been hearing all this time grew louder, blocking his thoughts.


    The tear in the veil that had been open steadily for fifteen years until now fluctuated. The light it shed into the room grew brighter.


    ¡°Midhir!¡± Arwen exclaimed; her voice filled with worry as she stepped towards him.


    ¡°Let him be, Witch!¡± Lonan shrugged Midhir¡¯s hand off his arm and backed into the chamber. His lips curled up with a twisted smile. ¡°I can see though your enchantments, I can see past your spells that you use to hide among us!¡± His voice grew louder, overcoming the loud ring coming through the tear. ¡°I will do what your kind refuses to! I will stop this plague once and for all!¡±


    ¡°You fool!¡± Arwen rushed past Midhir, reaching out to Lonan with both hands. Her fingers caught the air as the Historian stepped back. ¡°There is nothing for you beyond the veil!¡± She shouted. ¡°It¡¯s not a place for mankind!¡± Her voice was more of a desperate plea.


    Light gathered at the vortex that was the tear ¨C particles of light spread out in a ring, blasting Arwen back violently. She fell far behind Midhir, disappearing in the smoke and mist still lingering in the air. A cold wind began to push it all away, originating from the tear.


    Midhir braced himself for the blast. The ring of light passed through his body, leaving an odd, cold sensation. ¡°Lonan!¡± He shouted, not giving himself the time to be surprised.


    The historian raised his chin. The frigid wind blew his messy, unkempt hair from one side to the other. Seemingly bothered by it, he brushed his hair back.


    The skin around his left eye was scarred beyond recognition. There was no eyebrow on that side of his face. His cheek was covered in old scars and new wounds ¨C numerous small cuts that had bled and healed over and over again. But that wasn¡¯t the most disturbing thing about the left side of his face. His eye glowed a bright blue. The entirety of his eye.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    There was no white, no pupil. It was a glowing bright blue.


    ¡°Ah,¡± His smile twisted as he noticed Midhir¡¯s horrified expression. ¡°I suppose the young witch wasn¡¯t the only one keeping lies.¡± He chuckled as he calmly walked towards the tear.


    He realised he was holding his breath when his lungs began to protest. He breathed in sharply. His mind raced ¨C was this all a ruse to let Lonan come close to the tear? Was this all his plan? Since when had his eye been like that? He spoke before his thoughts could catch up to his mouth. ¡°Who are you?¡± He hissed through gritted teeth, wishing he had his weapon in hand now.


    Lonan tilted his head. ¡°I¡¯m me,¡± he said as if that clarified anything at all. ¡°The same person you¡¯ve known since we¡¯ve met.¡± He gently touched the scars below his eye. ¡°I don¡¯t tend to show people these ¨C it makes them react aggressively.¡±


    ¡°Since when have you been possessing him?¡± Midhir snapped. ¡°Why-¡°


    Lonan laughed out loud. ¡°Possessing?¡± He shook his head, seeming almost disappointed. ¡°No ¨C I meant it, Midhir. I¡¯ve always been me. And I will stop this.¡± He vaguely pointed at their surroundings. ¡°An¡¯Larion was meant to be our final bastion after Bareon fell ¨C it was never meant to be breached by the other side. The veil here, it was supposed to be unbreakable.¡± He pointed at the altar. ¡°We could have fixed it all, but it¡¯s broken. We can¡¯t repair it ¨C so someone must fix it from the other side.¡±


    Midhir bit his lips. ¡°Why should I believe you?¡±


    Lonan smiled. ¡°I never lied to you.¡± He shrugged. ¡°You don¡¯t need to believe me though ¨C there¡¯s nothing you can do to stop me.¡± He turned around and walked towards the tear. The vortex of light seemed to pulsate with each step he took.


    ¡°Don¡¯t!¡± Arwen¡¯s voice echoed. She ran past Midhir, extending both hands forward, her palms facing Lonan. ¡°Stop!¡±


    Her voice echoed loudly, both in the chamber and his mind. He felt his body freeze, and so did everything else for a split second. Then, everything resumed. Lonan stepped through the tear as Arwen¡¯s fingers grasped at the air, and she fell on her knees.


    The tear seemed to return to normal as soon as Lonan vanished. The lights gathering at its centre disappeared along with Lonan, the brighter glow reflecting off the stone walls dimmed, leaving the chamber in shadows. The frigid wind also began to calm, albeit slowly.


    The back and the arms of Arwen¡¯s uniform were somewhat torn and scratched. He could see blood slowly spreading through the cloth, turning it even darker. She was breathing heavily, holding her throat with one hand, and pressing her other hand against her chest. Her shoulders shook with each breath she took.


    A part of him wanted to run up to her. To comfort her, to make sure she was alright. To pull her away from the still open tear that she had collapsed in front of. ¡°Who are you?¡±

 Chapter 136 – Shattered Trust (1)

    The young woman visibly flinched. She slowly turned around, still kneeling, and looked at him with wide eyes. Her gaze leapt from him to the door behind them, then back at him again. ¡°You don¡¯t really believe the words of a madman, do you?¡± Her voice trembled.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± He repeated himself. Simply focusing on this conversation took more effort than it should. It was exhausting, because his thoughts tried to wander. Or rather, something tried to force his thoughts to wander. ¡°Where are you from?¡± Every word took effort to speak. ¡°What have you done to me?¡±


    She looked like a deer caught in a light resonance ¨C her body froze, her eyes remained wide, and blood was drawn from her face. Her lips were a pale, thin line. She parted her lips as her gaze darted off. ¡°Midhir, are you alright-¡°


    ¡°Stop that!¡± His shout cut her off, startling them both. ¡°Stop messing with my mind. Stop lying!¡± He dug his nails into his palms. The pain helped keep his thoughts straight and kept his mind from wandering. ¡°Answer me!¡±


    Her shocked expression relaxed. She slowly stood up, dusted off her uniform and then straightened her back, finally lifting her gaze to meet his. ¡°This is a bother,¡± she let out a sigh. ¡°I¡¯m your classmate, and your friend, first and foremost-¡°


    ¡°No.¡± Midhir narrowed his eyes. ¡°You lit that man on fire with your bare hands. You made Lonan stop with just your voice. You healed Lord Aulorn without your crystal staff.¡±


    Arwen¡¯s lips curled down. ¡°All done to aid you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a witch.¡± Just like her. But he didn¡¯t speak his thought.


    Arwen flinched, visibly, one more. ¡°What-¡°


    ¡°You¡¯re a witch. You¡¯re not a foreigner at all, are you?¡± Witches were from old folktales, ancient stories that predate Eldoria. ¡°You¡¯re a descendant of one of the tribes.¡± Just like that woman ¨C the Crimson Witch called Circe. If he was right, then they could be acquainted. Or perhaps even more. He squinted, staring at Arwen¡¯s face ¨C they didn¡¯t resemble each other at all.


    Arwen¡¯s arms hung to her sides as she hesitated. She pressed her lips together, brushed her hair back, then let out a sigh. ¡°That part of history isn¡¯t taught in Solus.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± He curtly replied.


    ¡°You¡¯re mostly correct,¡± Arwen forced a weak smile. She reached under the top of her uniform and pulled out a piece of uncut crystal tied to a string. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for using this charm on you.¡± Her finger lightly touched the uncut crystal.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    A pressure lifted from his mind ¨C a pressure he hadn¡¯t even noticed he was under before. The force withholding his own thoughts from him finally released its grasp on him. It almost felt like he was waking up from a long slumber.


    ¡°I know you want answers,¡± Arwen ¨C was that even her real name? ¨C said with a gentle smile. ¡°But we are in the thirteenth district, at the place where the worst events imaginable happened. This place isn¡¯t safe. We should leave, fast.¡±


    Now, without that force making him want to agree with her, his mind filled with doubt. ¡°I don¡¯t even know if Arwen is your real name, and you expect me to wait? To trust you?¡± He shook his head. ¡°I may be na?ve, but I¡¯m no fool. I have no reason to trust you. You could just as easily force that charm on me, or worse.¡±


    She seemed hurt at his words. ¡°I¡¯m your friend.¡± She reminded him with a catch in her voice. ¡°I would never hurt you.¡±


    He scoffed. ¡°Are you? You played with my mind, changed my thoughts!¡± The sound of approaching footsteps stopped him from speaking more. He turned around, staring into the swirling mist to try and see who was approaching.


    Arwen rushed past him, standing in the doorway. She held one hand behind her back, while the other rested against the door hanging off its hinges. ¡°Willow?¡± She called out.


    ¡°Yeah, we¡¯re here.¡± Willow¡¯s voice reached their ears from inside the mist. ¡°It just keeps getting worse, keep talking so we can find you.¡±


    ¡°Ilya?¡± Midhir called out.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine!¡± His sister¡¯s voice snapped. ¡°Curse this damn mist¡­¡±


    A wave of relief washed over him. It had been chaos since they arrived down here. He hadn¡¯t even gotten the chance to worry about her because of Lonan, and then Arwen. His gaze shifted to the tear in the veil ¨C a vortex hanging in the air. The melody he had been hearing was still present, albeit much quieter now.


    Regret mixed with worry and anger as he watched the vortex slowly spin, with the occasional flashes of light illuminating its surroundings. Had Lonan even survived passing through the veil? He clenched his fists. He was unsure of what to wish for. Lonan¡¯s death, or survival? If everything on the other side was as powerful and bloodthirsty as the creature they fought against the day before, then perhaps death was a mercy to the madman.


    Willow and Ilya¡¯s footsteps neared, and they finally stepped out of the mist. ¡°Cait¡¯s still chasing their leader.¡± Ilya immediately said as she noticed Midhir¡¯s worried expression. ¡°He escaped the estate ¨C somehow, despite his wound. But she¡¯ll catch him, he can¡¯t get far.¡± Her words seemed to be spoken to reassure herself rather than him. ¡°The Historian¡­?¡± She asked, letting her voice trail off.


    ¡°He passed through the tear.¡± Midhir pointed over his shoulder. ¡°We couldn¡¯t stop him.¡± He glanced at Willow, who shook her head in regret. Surely she was also affected by Arwen¡¯s charm, but was she free of it too now? Or had Arwen lifted it only for him?


    ¡°I see.¡± Ilya pursed her lips. ¡°It¡¯s a shame.¡± She shrugged. ¡°Let us leave now, it¡¯s dangerous here, and our fight made a lot of noise.¡± It was only a matter of time before the more dangerous creatures in the mist began to flock here.


    ¡°Right.¡± Midhir shot Arwen a glance. ¡°Let¡¯s hurry then.¡±


    He took his weapon from Ilya and walked past them with a brisk pace. Once they were out of the mist, he was going to get his answers ¨C about Arwen, about Circe, and about that damned charm they were under this whole time.

 Chapter 137 – Shattered Trust (2)

    He walked out of the chamber housing the shattered altar and the tear, only to stop as he noticed the mist slowly retreat, revealing the dead bodies spread out on the ground. The roots covering the entire floor had been dyed red with blood.


    He felt blood drain from his limbs as his gaze lingered on the silhouettes standing above the bodies. It was almost as if they were formed from the mist, their wispy silhouettes fading in and out of existence. While their bodies were crude imitations of human bodies, their faces were visibly formed, mimic huma expression.


    A frigid cold spread throughout his body. His fingers went numb, and his steps staggered to a halt.


    ¡°Brother?¡± Ilya¡¯s voice was barely audible over the deafening sound of his racing heart, and his shallow, sharp breathing. ¡°Midhir?¡± she approached him and glanced in the direction he was looking at. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± she asked with furrowed brows, and a tense expression.


    They stood above the dead bodies, some kneeling, trying to shake them awake, while others seemed confused and lost, looking around aimlessly.


    He averted his gaze, only to see ethereal flowers blooming on the walls, and thick, burly roots hanging from the vaulted ceiling. The sound of flowing water reached his ears from afar. Shadows moved on the walls, but when he tried to look for what cast them, he found naught.


    It was happening again. The world overlapped with itself, allowing him to see things that weren¡¯t there. He could barely tell apart what was real, and what was simply a trick his mind was playing on him. With uneven steps, he marched on, past the bodies laying on the root covered floor, and the spirits hanging above them.


    The soft wailing of the spirits rang in his mind. Their hands reached for him, he felt their cold touch on his arms and legs. He shivered, hastening his steps to try and escape. He could hear the footsteps of Ilya and the others behind him, but he couldn¡¯t bring himself to turn and look ¨C not while the spirits pleaded for help, for direction.


    He couldn¡¯t help them.


    The hallway leading out of the catacombs was no different. There were no spirits lingering here ¨C the cultists had all died by Ilya¡¯s blade in the hexagonal chamber after all ¨C but instead, blooming flowers reaching his knees brushed against him as he marched on. Flowers that weren¡¯t there when they came here less than an hour ago.


    He heard hasty footsteps, then Ilya appeared beside him, matching her pace to his. Her hand gripped his shoulder, and she forced him to stop, and look at her. ¡°Tell me the truth.¡± Her voice was sharp, her eyes filled with concern. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°You were right. I shouldn¡¯t have come here.¡± He glanced around. ¡°It¡¯s happened again. Not as badly, but¡­¡± his voice trailed off as Ilya¡¯s eyes widened.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    She took a deep breath. ¡°Alright.¡± She nodded calmly. He felt her hand on his shoulder shake, but her expression was soft with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s fine, mom will know what to do.¡± She nodded towards the stairs ahead of them. ¡°Come on,¡±


    Despite her reassuring smile, he could tell how scared she was ¨C and it was for good reason. Ilya was just a child back then too. Seeing him like that before that veiled woman and their mother healed him must have been more than disturbing.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Arwen¡¯s voice snapped him out of his thoughts as they reached the stairwell. His brows furrowed as he shot her a cold glance, only to flinch as a shadow passed through the air a few steps behind her.


    She glanced over her shoulder, looked straight at the shadow, only to turn back at him with a confused expression. ¡°Is¡­ there something behind me? You look like you saw a ghost.¡± She hesitantly asked. Willow¡¯s gaze followed hers, and she seemed just as confused as Arwen.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Midhir shook his head, then turned ahead and walked up the stairs, following Ilya who had hastened her steps.


    ¡°There was something behind me?¡± Arwen asked, even more confused and somewhat alarmed. He heard the women¡¯s hasty steps behind him as they rushed up the stairs.


    As they reached the ground floor of the old Induen mansion, his surroundings changed quite drastically. The overlap he saw only got worse as some walls had whole tree trunks complete with leafy branches growing through them. He spotted more shadows moving around them, but once again there was nobody to cast them.


    It was difficult to navigate through these ethereal branches, but even that couldn¡¯t prepare him for the outside.


    The thirteenth district was wholly covered in a forest. The trees were so large, they dwarfed nearly every building around them. Even the large, ancient trees they saw in the Old Growth near Bareon were tiny next to these. Their roots created mounds on the ground, spreading across the earth like a blanket covering everything.


    It all made him feel so small. He couldn¡¯t even see the trees past a certain point because of the mist, but he knew they were there. He knew the whole of An¡¯Larion was covered in an ancient, terrifying forest.


    A hand gripped his shoulder, forcing him to turn around. Arwen¡¯s fiery gaze locked with his. ¡°What is going on?¡± She demanded to know. ¡°You¡¯ve been acting odd since Lonan went through the tear. What-¡° she abruptly stopped, and took a single, cautious step back.


    ¡°What?¡± He asked, narrowing his eyes.


    ¡°Willow, Princess,¡± Arwen glanced at them. ¡°Does either of you carry a mirror?¡±


    ¡°No. Why? We shouldn¡¯t waste any more time, come on,¡± Ilya impatiently shook her head.


    Willow reached for her bracelet, pondered a moment, then summoned a small hand mirror. ¡°Does this work?¡± She asked as she handed it over to Arwen. The other woman nodded.


    She took it, turned it¡¯s reflective side towards Midhir and held it in front of his face. ¡°Your sister was oddly against coming here. I pushed back because I feared what Lonan would do with such immense power. It was a mistake. I should have listened.¡±


    He stared at his own reflection. His clothes were damp from the mist, and somewhat tattered. There was blood on his chest ¨C blood that didn¡¯t belong to him. The streaks of dried blood going down from his left eye made him look far worse than he was, though most of that was covered by his messy hair. The ribbon he used to tie it had fallen off at some point, so he looked quite unkempt.


    Seeing his confused expression, she reached for his face, and gently pushed his hair behind his ear.


    A blue eye stared back at him, circled with dried blood.

 Chapter 138 – Everlasting Gaze (1)

    It was a light, vivid blue that was identical to the flowers he found blooming around every tear he saw. It shone brightly, like the eyes of that possessed girl. It didn¡¯t belong to him.


    It didn¡¯t belong here.


    He noticed he had been holding his breath when his lungs began to burn. He drew a sharp, shallow breath, unable to pry his eyes off of the reflection.


    He barely noticed Willow cover her mouth and step back, her eyes wide open and her face pale as a sheet of paper. Arwen remained calm, though her tight jaw betrayed her.


    Ilya clicked her tongue, snatching the mirror away from Arwen. ¡°We don¡¯t have time for this.¡± She snapped, grabbing Midhir¡¯s arm with her free hand. ¡°Mother will know what to do.¡± She marched away from the Induen Estate, dragging the still dazed Midhir along with her.


    Arwen¡¯s lips parted slightly before she quickly shook her head and ran after Ilya. Willow followed her, albeit half a dozen steps later.


    He couldn¡¯t get it out of his mind. The blue eye with the slit pupil that stared back at him. It was like looking at a stranger¡¯s face but seeing himself. Foreign, yet familiar at the same time. In a way, it felt right. Yet the sensible part of his mind couldn¡¯t accept that. His whole life, he had green eyes, just like those of his birth mother. He had looked at a mirror nearly every day, and always seen a pair of green eyes. Never this.


    ¡°Do you know what caused this?¡± Arwen¡¯s voice was oddly calm as she matched her pace with Ilya¡¯s.


    ¡°No.¡± The princess curtly replied. ¡°But I know mom can heal him.¡±


    Arwen scowled. ¡°Did this happen before?¡±


    Ilya shot her a cold glance. ¡°No.¡± She spoke through gritted teeth. ¡°Not quite.¡±


    It took him a handful of minutes before he finally was able to shrug off Ilya¡¯s grasp. They didn¡¯t slow down as she led them back towards the river, and only paused momentarily when they reached the shore. Ilya walked to the edge of the water, raising her hand as she did so. One of the gems embedded into her finger glowed brightly and the water seemed to halt before rising up to form a wide bridge.


    ¡°Cover your eye.¡± Arwen whispered before they passed, quickly pulling Midhir¡¯s hair in front of the left half of his face.


    ¡°Thanks¡­¡± he hadn¡¯t even considered what everyone else would think. He wasn¡¯t thinking about that ¨C he wasn¡¯t thinking at all.


    Leaving the mist-covered thirteenth district felt like emerging from a cold and dark cave to a bright, warm day. Sunlight washed over them, warming their bones, and relaxing the strained muscles they weren¡¯t even aware of.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    ¡°Aulorn,¡± Ilya¡¯s voice was like a whip as she looked at Willow. ¡°You and her,¡± she glanced at Arwen. ¡°Take Midhir back to the Vermillion Keep.¡± Her gaze turned to Midhir. ¡°Don¡¯t do anything stupid, brother. Rest, and I¡¯ll bring mom to help.¡±


    He pressed his lips together. ¡°I don¡¯t know if she can help.¡±


    Ilya narrowed her gaze. ¡°She did it once. She can do it again.¡± Her words were final. She whirled around and marched towards the Empress who was standing exactly where they left her ¨C maintaining the enormous temporary barrier protecting the city from the silent invasion of the mist.


    It was nearly impossible to recognise anywhere in the city. Even the streets he had traversed hundreds of times were unrecognisable to him as two worlds collided under his gaze.


    The gigantic trees he saw in the thirteenth district didn¡¯t stop there ¨C the ancient forest stretched along the whole city, the trees growing older the nearer they got to the lake at the centre. Some trees¡¯ trunks were as wide as whole houses, and no matter how much he lifted his gaze, he couldn¡¯t quite see the treetops. Large leaves blocked what would be sunlight, but even that was different. About a hair¡¯s width away from the sun, there was a much larger, yet much dimmer light source ¨C a dark, ominous crimson.


    ¡°Don¡¯t look at them.¡± Arwen¡¯s voice startled him. ¡°The more you look, the more you¡¯ll see. And you really shouldn¡¯t be seeing any of that.¡± Her voice lowered as she spoke mostly to herself. ¡°That world isn¡¯t for the mortal gaze¡­¡±


    Willow shot them an odd look but remained silent as she led them to the Keep.


    ¡°I never told you what I see.¡± He glanced at the young witch, only to be scoffed at.


    ¡°As if I need you to tell me. Your eye is proof enough.¡± She pressed her lips together. ¡°I mean it ¨C don¡¯t look at them. Stare at the ground if you must, or at your own hands and feet. Your mind won¡¯t be able to handle it otherwise.¡±


    ¡°Do you know what¡¯s happening?¡± he averted his gaze from the crimson ball hanging from the sky and turned his attention to Willow¡¯s back. The young woman led them with a brisk pace.


    Arwen hesitated. ¡°Not quite.¡± She finally admitted as they stepped on the wide, stone bridge leading to the Vermillion Keep. ¡°I truly hope her Majesty can heal you. Otherwise¡­¡± her voice faded once more, and she didn¡¯t speak further.


    She didn¡¯t need to. He already knew.


    He resisted the urge to look away from Willow¡¯s back ¨C to look at the Vermillion Keep that seemed to be central to this other An¡¯Larion. Instead, he walked through the gates with a brisk pace and marched directly to his chambers with Willow and Arwen in tow.


    The clash of two armies had left burnt villages, dilapidated temples, and ruined nature. The earth was still wet with blood, and crows feasted on the abandoned remains of soldiers from both sides. This particular battle had come to an end after an entire week of fighting. Soon, more scavengers would emerge, both animal and human.


    Watching the feast of crows, Circe shook her head gently. Calador was drowning. The golden sands encroached upon the kingdom¡¯s lands, and their people were split in two, locked in a conflict of their own making.


    ¡°We may witness the fall of a great and prosperous nation, friend.¡±


    The raven perched on a tall rock tilted its head and shuffled its feathers. It didn¡¯t respond by choice.


    With a sigh, Circe turned around to leave, only to stop. Her gaze snapped to the southwest. She closed her eyes, her fingers stretched as she reached for the world root monument. Her fingertips touched the smooth, chalk-like surface. Her mind stretched, her awareness reaching across nations, just in time to see a half-man step through a portal.


    She clicked her tongue in annoyance. She was too slow to see what happened. The wave of power that radiated had already dissipated ¨C or hidden away. She pulled her consciousness back, allowing her mind to relax as she separated it from the world roots.


    ¡°It¡¯s time we paid a visit to an old friend.¡±

 Chapter 139 – Everlasting Gaze (2)

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡± Willow sighed once Arwen finished explaining. ¡°Why did this happen?¡±


    Midhir shrugged. He was laying on his back on the soft mattress that was his bed. He kept his eyes closed, and his mind focused on the conversation. ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± He exhaled.


    ¡°It must have been because of the wave of power that spread from the portal.¡± Arwen muttered. The young witch was pacing the room anxiously. She seemed really worried about him. He couldn¡¯t help but wonder how much of this was genuine worry.


    The door swung open, startling all three of them. It slammed against the wall as footsteps rushed. Midhir¡¯s eyes shot wide open. He ignored the alien plant life decorating his room at the moment and focused his gaze on the two visitors.


    Ilya stopped as soon as she passed through the door, and closed it behind them, while his mother ignored Willow and Arwen fully, rushing to his side instead.


    He sat up with a wry smile. ¡°I-¡°


    ¡°We knew the risks when you went into the mist.¡± His mother¡¯s voice was kind, but firm. ¡°Ilya tells me the historian passed through the tear. Is that so?¡±


    Midhir nodded. ¡°We failed to stop him. The cultists¡­ they were behind all this.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m well aware, Midhir.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty.¡± Arwen spoke up before anyone could speak further. ¡°With all due respect, if you are able to cure him, please hurry. The more he sees, the more difficult it will be for him to remain as he is. The otherworld is not for a mortal to gaze upon.¡±


    The Empress¡¯ lips formed a thin line. ¡°Do you think I can cure him, girl?¡±


    Arwen¡¯s lips parted. ¡°The princess said you have once before.¡± She muttered, shooting a questioning glance at Ilya. ¡°Have you not?¡±


    The Empress glanced at Ilya as well. ¡°Oh,¡± she folded her arms. ¡°That¡¯s not quite what happened, though I suppose you wouldn¡¯t know. Your father didn¡¯t want you to know at the time¡­¡± Her voice faded. ¡°Midhir, I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t-¡°


    ¡°It was a woman wearing a veil.¡± He cut her off. ¡°I remember it vaguely. Who was she?¡±


    Passing through the hexagonal chamber, her steps slowed to a halt as she waved the mist away and looked at the ground. Roots covered most of the floor, sprouting small flowers and leaves. Her brows furrowed, and her lips formed a thin line as she stared at the dried blood covering most of the roots.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    She crouched and swiped her finger over the blood. It was cold, but not fully dried yet. It had only been a few hours since something bled here. With narrowed eyes, she corrected herself ¨C many things had bled here.


    With a sigh, she stood back up. The bodies were gone, likely taken by the spirits from the other side. With a brisk pace, she marched into the chamber on the other side ¨C the one housing a broken altar, and the portal connecting this world with the one beyond the Veil.


    Her gaze locked onto the vortex hanging above the ground. It was stable, undisturbed.


    ¡°What do you think happened?¡± She glanced at the raven.


    ¡°Nothing good.¡± It landed on the door hanging from its hinges. ¡°Many died here. It must have attracted attention.¡±


    ¡°Surely.¡± She nodded, then turned back and left the chamber. ¡°And I doubt the killers were the ones who took the bodies. And then there¡¯s what I saw¡­¡± Her voice faded away as she pondered a while. Her slow steps carried her out of the catacombs, and the estate of the accursed bloodline. She only stopped once she was outside. ¡°I worry, friend. A half-man passed through the portal. There will be repercussions.¡±


    ¡°Madness must have taken him.¡± The raven replied, hopping behind her. It avoided flying as it was easy to get lost in the thick, swirling mist that covered the sunken district. ¡°What will you do now?¡±


    ¡°Visit an old friend.¡± She replied. ¡°There is a lie I have uncovered. I must have answers.¡±


    They had all left his room, but Arwen.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Her voice was but a whisper as she looked at her own hands. She was sitting on the couch. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have insisted we go into the estate...¡±


    Her words didn¡¯t linger in his mind for too long.


    A friend, his mother had called the woman who healed him all those years ago. She had promised she would attempt to reach her.


    ¡°You¡¯re a witch.¡± He spoke up, startling Arwen. He narrowed his eyes, trying to ignore the vines and the black flowers growing on them all around the room. They hung from the vaulted ceiling and grew on every flat surface. Instead, he focused his gaze on Arwen, who had a soft, golden glow around her. ¡°You know more than what you¡¯re telling me.¡±


    The young woman¡¯s lips formed a thin line. ¡°Only bits and pieces.¡± She admitted with a sigh. ¡°Nothing that could help you. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    He gritted his teeth. ¡°Tell me.¡±


    Arwen raised her gaze to meet his, but immediately looked away. ¡°You should keep your eyes closed. The more you see, the more your mind will try and comprehend. It will kill you, if not worse.¡± She glanced at the window again. She had been doing that since they came into his room. It was almost as if she was waiting for something. ¡°Please try and sleep. You need to rest.¡±


    ¡°I need answers.¡± He insisted. ¡°Arwen, tell me why you¡¯re even here right now. I know you¡¯re a witch, and my mother will find out sooner or later.¡±


    ¡°She already knows.¡± Arwen grimaced. ¡°I¡¯m not a powerful witch, Midhir. I¡¯m weak, so I was given the task to roam the mortal world, to learn about Eldoria, to live here as if I was a normal citizen, so our coven knew what it was like out here.¡± She clenched her fists. ¡°The charm I cast on you ¨C it just makes you not think about a few things. Where I¡¯m from, mainly. It¡¯s too weak to have any real power.¡±


    Midhir scowled. ¡°It made me want to help you.¡±


    Arwen smiled. ¡°I think that¡¯s because you¡¯re a kind person. My charm had no such power.¡± Her smile faded. ¡°I suppose I betrayed the trust and kindness you freely gave.¡±


    She did. But she was still here, worried, afraid and remorseful.


    Once again the door swung open, slamming the wall behind it as his mother followed another woman inside, her face pale. ¡°Wait!¡±

 Chapter 140 – Everlasting Gaze (3)

    Her blood-red hair reflected the light of the chandelier hanging from the ceiling as the Crimson Witch barged into his room. Her red lips curled up as her crimson gaze locked on him. ¡°Now I see it,¡± her voice rang like a bell. ¡°He didn¡¯t have nearly as much hair back then. And he was all red in the face.¡±


    The Empress was pale as a sheet of paper as her gaze leapt from Circe to Midhir. ¡°I¡¯m-¡°


    ¡°Circe,¡± he coldly spoke. He could see Arwen with the corner of his eye ¨C the glimmer of hope in her eyes, mixed with fear. He had guessed it correctly. They knew each other. ¡°I take it you¡¯re the person who helped my mother heal me after the Disaster?¡± Being in the same room, her eyes were identical to those of the veiled woman in his memories.


    Both Arwen and the Empress looked at him like he¡¯d insulted the King of Calador. ¡°How do you know her?!¡± Arwen exclaimed, while his mother¡¯s sharp gaze snapped to the Crimson Witch.


    Circe waved her hand towards the both of them dismissively. ¡°I didn¡¯t heal you,¡± she clicked her tongue as she stepped closer. ¡°You¡¯re not damaged ¨C there is nothing to heal.¡± Her lips curled down with a mix of disgust and displeasure. ¡°I simply hid this¡­¡± she paused, seeking the correct word. A moment passed in silence before she spoke again. ¡°This curse that¡¯s been put upon you.¡± She glanced at his mother.


    ¡°Don¡¯t.¡± The Empress sharply warned her.


    ¡°I told you back then. I¡¯m telling you again. This child is wrong. You should have ended his misery fifteen years ago.¡±


    Midhir gritted his teeth. ¡°Can do you what you did back then?¡± He hissed with a tight jaw.


    Circe let out a sigh before turning her gaze back to him. ¡°Why?¡± She asked, raising a single eyebrow. ¡°For what purpose? I may not be able to see it, but I can sense it. Your eye,¡± she pointed at his left eye. ¡°It¡¯s wrong.¡± She folded her arms. ¡°No amount of hiding the otherworld will make that right.¡±


    ¡°You will help him.¡± His mother¡¯s sharp voice rang. Her fiery gaze fixed on Circe, and her crown¡¯s jewels began to glow faintly. ¡°You will heal him.¡±


    Circe glanced at her in disbelief. ¡°Really now? Will I?¡± She mocked the empress. She was as relaxed as always, not even reaching for an augment in self-defence. ¡°On whose authority?¡±


    ¡°Stop!¡± Arwen¡¯s scream startled all three of them. Both women had ignored her from the very start, they had likely even forgotten about her as soon as their notice shifted elsewhere. Now, all three gazes turned on her. ¡°Your Majesty, please don¡¯t attack. And Elder,¡± her gaze turned to Circe. ¡°That was a cruel thing to say to a mother. Don¡¯t toy with them.¡± Her sharp voice cut through the silence like a knife.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t toying with anyone, girl.¡± Circe finally spoke. ¡°This is the result of an accursed bloodline ¨C an experiment gone awry, by a witch who dabbled in powers beyond her understanding, and tried to grasp at authority she couldn¡¯t even comprehend.¡± She pointed at Midhir. ¡°He is whole, but his whole is wrong. No one can see the beyond, glimpse at the Great Ones, and retain their sanity.¡±


    Arwen¡¯s pale face suddenly twisted with a smile. ¡°Are you sure?¡± She asked, raising her chin with pride as she stepped between Circe and Midhir. ¡°Elder, he is communion with one of the Old Gods. He has seen it and was even granted visions. Does he look like madness has taken him yet? Does he not look sane to you?¡± She paused for a moment as Circe¡¯s eyebrow twitched. ¡°Is there truly nothing of value in him?¡±


    The witch tried to not show her surprise. Her lips parted for a split second, and her eyes narrowed. Her gaze leapt from Arwen to Midhir as she pressed her lips together. her hands remained hidden under her crimson cloak.


    The few seconds she stood still felt like hours. It took every bit of his willpower not to blurt out the first thing that came to mind. He bit his own tongue and met her gaze with defiance. If she didn¡¯t help him, he would find someone who could. Before madness took him.


    ¡°That is for me to decide.¡± Circe¡¯s voice rang. She pushed Arwen aside and placed her hand against his chest. ¡°Elsewhere.¡±


    The world slipped from underneath his feet as he felt ¨C no, he saw her power weave a pattern around them. It was beautiful and complex, but completely different than how he was used to using his spiritual power.


    His room vanished, and for a moment he was falling. Then, his feet landed on dead grass and ashes. Mountains that reached for the heavens rose on either side of him, and a desert with golden sands stretched before him as far as the eye could see. The air above the sands was so hot, it distorted his vision.


    The sands were there on the other side as well. The mountains, however, weren¡¯t covered in ashes ¨C they bloomed with fields of crimson flowers and the occasional willow-like tree. Hundreds, if not thousands of spirits dotted the field of flowers. Some looked human ¨C the souls of the dead. Others, however struck fear into his heart.


    They were mere shadows, his gaze just slid over them like they weren¡¯t even there. Like his mind tried to ignore them. He felt something warm flow down the left side of his face. But still, he caught glimpses ¨C glimpses of them. Some looked like a human¡¯s upper body had been attached to the body of a horse or a bison, while others towered above the dead¡¯s spirits, with arms and legs as thick as tree trunks.


    They were everywhere.


    ¡°Tell me what you saw.¡± Circe¡¯s voice rang in his mind as it forced him to pry his eyes off of the spirits. She stood in front of him, with a raven perched on her shoulder, and a wooden walking stick in her hand. Her eyes almost glowed as she met his frightened gaze. ¡°Tell me about the Old God you saw.¡±

 Chapter 141 – Everlasting Gaze (4)

    Circe had fallen into an unnerving silence once Midhir finished speaking. He hadn¡¯t hidden things from her ¨C he couldn¡¯t. Her voice compelled him to speak the truth, and the part of his mind that tried to resist simply couldn¡¯t.


    Now he understood why Arwen called herself weak. The strength of her charm was nothing compared to the power resonating behind Circe¡¯s words. He couldn¡¯t even imagine just how powerful the Crimson Witch was.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡± Her words startled him. With narrowed eyes and a sharp gaze, she turned away from the burning sands and faced him. ¡°The Old Gods care not for small trifles of mortals, nor do they care about the delusions of a maddened witch. You are nothing to them ¨C so why did one choose you to show visions?¡±


    If only he knew¡­ ¡°Maybe the ritual I interrupted stirred it awake?¡± He suggested with a shrug, while trying to ignore the lump forming in his chest. If even the Crimson Witch didn¡¯t know, then how would he ever turn things back to normal? Was that even a possibility?


    Circe pursed her lips. ¡°Perhaps¡­¡± She muttered quietly, though from her tone it was clear she didn¡¯t really give that much possibility. ¡°How clearly do you see the spirits?¡± She waved away from the desert broadly. ¡°Of humans,¡± she clarified.


    He glanced at them. ¡°Almost as clearly as I see you.¡± He could see their faces, though their clothes remained blurry and ever-changing.


    Circe furrowed her brows. ¡°Do you see anything else?¡±


    ¡°A field of crimson flowers, some trees, floating lights¡­¡± He counted as he looked around, ignoring the blood flowing from his left eye. His gaze lingered on one of the half-bull, half-human beings. ¡°Creatures,¡± he added with a lower voice. His gaze turned to another one ¨C she almost seemed human, except her goat-like legs and the horns on her head. ¡°What are they?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Circe snapped her fingers, drawing his gaze back to herself. ¡°Alright, stop looking.¡± She ordered him. ¡°My dear friend Celyn desperately wants you to be alright.¡± She scowled. ¡°Even back then, fifteen years ago, she begged me to save you.¡±


    He wiped the blood off his face, hoping the bleeding would stop already. ¡°I remember you vaguely. I remember her too. She was worried.¡±


    Circe chuckled. ¡°Of course she was.¡± She waved her hand dismissively. ¡°Celyn has a big heart. For an empress, of course. But still, she tries. She couldn¡¯t leave an orphaned child to die a gruesome death. I suppose it would have been fine to let you live after I hid the otherworld from you. Alas, she didn¡¯t heed my warning.¡± She walked past him, her gaze lingering on the tall mountains behind and on either side of them. ¡°You should have lived a simple life, far away from An¡¯Larion, and far away from any disturbance in the Veil.¡± Her voice grew sharper as she spoke. ¡°Crowning you as prince and sending you to Solus of all places¡­¡± she clicked her tongue as she shook her head in a mix of disappointment and anger.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    Midhir scowled. ¡°She knew this could happen?¡± he asked in disbelief. She had never warned him ¨C not of the consequences. He had only been told the same as everybody else; madness lies in the mist.


    ¡°She knew this would happen.¡± Circe corrected him. ¡°It wasn¡¯t a question of whether it would or not ¨C it was a question of when.¡± She scoffed. ¡°And she hid this from me ¨C so imagine my surprise when you appear beneath that damned hallow city and show me the imperial sigil ring!¡±


    Mother knew. She knew this could ¨C no, this would happen, and yet she let him enrol at Solus Military Academy and go to these field missions. He turned away from the Witch and sat down. His head was spinning. He didn¡¯t understand why she would do that.


    ¡°Why did she let me into the thirteenth district?¡±


    He didn¡¯t realise he asked that aloud until Circe replied. ¡°That is an answer I would like to hear as well.¡±


    It made no sense. Unless¡­


    ¡°Shall we see how I can try and save your sanity for a little while longer?¡± Circe¡¯s words pulled his attention as she circled around him and crouched in front of him. ¡°Or would you rather face reality as it truly is?¡±


    He shut his eyes. Arwen had a soft, gentle golden glow around her that he could see. Circe almost seemed aflame with golden and dark crimson fires dancing around her.


    ¡°I doubt the latter is an option right now.¡±


    She chuckled. ¡°I must agree. Now,¡± she let out a sigh. ¡°Let me see your eye again.¡±


    With a grunt, he reluctantly opened his eyes. ¡°You¡¯re much more powerful than Arwen, aren¡¯t you?¡± He glanced at the crimson and golden flames around her.


    She raised her eyebrows. ¡°I am. Why?¡± She absentmindedly asked as she gently touched his left cheek, then pulled his lower eyelid down, prompting a thin stream of blood to flow down.


    ¡°Because looking at you hurts.¡± He grimaced. ¡°Who is she to you?¡±


    ¡°One of my apprentices.¡± She then pulled his upper eyelid up, carefully inspecting his eye. ¡°The Coven raises the young witches. She was tasked with seeing the world and experiencing life in Eldoria.¡± She let go of his face and let out a sigh. ¡°Alas the times we live in did not allow her a peaceful time.¡± She stood up, gesturing him to do the same.


    ¡°What happens now?¡± He couldn¡¯t help but feel tense. She seemed displeased with what she saw.


    ¡°You said the Old God struck your left eye, and it has been bleeding like this ever since.¡± She folded her arms. ¡°I don¡¯t know why you see both worlds at once. It¡¯s wrong. I suspected the Old God replaced your eye with its own, but that¡¯s not the case. You have no memories of before your mother ¨C your birth mother ¨C used you in that ritual. I suspect something was done to you then. The ritual you interrupted in Bareon that supposedly awakened the Old God probably only hastened what was always going to happen.¡± She gestured at him. ¡°So,¡± she sighed, ¡°I can mask the otherworld from you, but it won¡¯t last. Your left eye doesn¡¯t belong, I could pluck it out, but I doubt the Old God would be very pleased about that.¡±


    Midhir visibly flinched, causing her to chuckle. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, child. I would rather not anger Leviathan.¡±


    ¡°How long will it last?¡±


    Circe¡¯s smile faded. ¡°A year, if you¡¯re lucky.¡± She finally said. ¡°That¡¯s the most I can do while the presence of the Old God still lingers.¡±

 Chapter 142 – Everlasting Gaze (5)

    The wind carried the scent of burnt wood as it blew down the mountains, towards the sands stretching as far as the eye could see.


    One year. That was all she could offer him despite all of her power. Sitting alone in the ash-covered valley, he couldn¡¯t help but repeat their conversation in his mind. With a sigh, he shook his head. One year. It was enough time to try and find a solution.


    His gaze lingered on the shadowy figures roaming the valley. While most were lost souls, some truly made his blood run cold. He felt something crackle behind him as he watched them. Startled, he turned around to see a sigil appear on the ground. Reality above it twisted, alarming him. He started on his feet and quickly backed off, reaching for his weapon instinctively before realising it wasn¡¯t with him. He had left it on the nightstand in his room.


    Light dimmed above the sigil, and darkness seemed to pour out before Circe appeared. Reality returned to normal, and the sigil vanished. As if all of what just happened was completely normal, she walked past him without sparing him a second glance and walked up to a rock sticking out of the ground.


    Midhir narrowed his eyes. It was one of those things that were more difficult to look at, because it was so different on the other side. While here it was just carriage-sized rock, grey in colour and carrying burn marks from the fires that ravaged this valley, it glowed brightly with living runes carved into it on the other side.


    Circe placed her hand on the rock. ¡°Shift.¡± Her voice rang in the air, then echoed once more in his mind as the rock flowed into a different shape. The uneven top smoothed itself at about waist level, forming a rectangular flat surface.


    ¡°That¡¯s better,¡± she muttered, placing the leather bag she brought with her on it. The next few moments passed in relative silence only broken by the sound of small glass bottles hitting each other. ¡°This should be everything¡­¡± she muttered absentmindedly before finally turning to look at him. ¡°Ready?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± He lied, then turned his gaze to the half a dozen or so small glass bottles she brought with her. ¡°What are those?¡± He walked up to her, trying to make sense of the two different versions of the rock he was seeing. In their world, it had been turned into a flat, rectangular block ¨C almost like the altars, but it wasn¡¯t made of the same material.


    On the other side, it kept its original shape, though the runes carved into it had begun to slowly change. It almost looked like they were melting, trying to adapt to its new form. A few of the shadows hurried over. Their mouths moved, but no sound reached his ears.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°They didn¡¯t like what you did.¡± He blurted out.


    Circe¡¯s left eyebrow raised. ¡°Is that so?¡± She seemed to ponder for a moment. ¡°I almost wish I could see what you do, just for a few moments.¡±


    He shot her a sharp glance. His lips curled down, and he furrowed his brows, prompting a laugh from her.


    ¡°I know, I know ¨C be careful of what you wish for and all that¡­¡± continuing to chuckle, she shook her head. ¡°No Old God would dare try to take my eyes.¡± She raised her chin with pride, then turned her attention to the bottles she brought with her. ¡°Now then¡­¡± She rummaged through the leather bag, then pulled put a stone mortar and pestle.


    ¡°How so?¡±


    ¡°Unless they wish to hear the bell toll for all things living, they need the Coven.¡± She didn¡¯t give much thought to her response as she measured the different dusts and herbs in the bottles and mixed them all in the mortar.


    ¡°Crystals you use in your weapons and jewellery ¨C you call then ¡®augments¡¯, am I right?¡± She glanced at him, and only continued when he nodded. ¡°They¡¯re infused with spiritual power. But a human can¡¯t infuse something with spiritual power, because they need a tool to control their spiritual power in the first place.¡± She explained while mixing what looked like a few drops of water into the mortar. ¡°So, your ancestors ¨C not yours specifically, but Eldoria¡¯s ¨C used already formed crystals. These uncut, unprocessed crystals allowed them to wield great power. Borrowed power.¡±


    She put the mortar down, then sat on the stone, facing him. ¡°Borrowed power comes at a cost. Soon, they began to lose something of their own.¡± She continued with a stern expression. ¡°At first, it was their dreams. Then, they began to lose time.¡± Seeing his confused expression, she let out a sigh. ¡°Life. Their lives grew shorter and shorter. Every generation lived less than the one before. Why do you think that is?¡±


    Thoughts raced in his mind. She was talking about hundreds of years before Eldoria was founded. Perhaps even thousands. ¡°How do you know all that?¡±


    ¡°Knowledge passed down through generations.¡± She gestured towards him. ¡°Why do you think they began losing parts of themselves?¡±


    He touched his left cheek as he pondered a moment. ¡°You said it was borrowed power. That¡¯s why, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Broadly, yes. The crystals they used ¨C and in a way, the augments your people use now, were formed of crystallised spiritual power that leaked from the other side of the Veil, through small tears that mended themselves without doing any real damage to this world.¡± She tilted her head. ¡°But in time, the tears began to grow larger, and more began to pass through the other side.¡±


    Midhir glanced at the mortar. ¡°Plants?¡± He asked after a moment of thought.


    Circe nodded. ¡°Indeed. Plants, crystals, some insects. Very rarely, a sentient being ¨C though those never survived for long.¡± She took the mortar in hand and stood up. ¡°Whatever comes through the veil, it always carries power. Always.¡± She gestured him to approach. ¡°That includes that eye of yours.¡±


    A shiver ran down his spine as she spoke her next words. ¡°Never reach for that power. No matter what happens, if you have even the smallest reason to live one more day, to see one more sunrise, do not use that power. It will take your time, because your dreams already belong to Leviathan.¡±


    Before the weight of her words settled, she dipped her fingers into the mix, then pressed them just under his eyebrow. ¡°Eclipse.¡±


    Half of the world¡¯s light vanished.

 Chapter 143 – Everlasting Gaze (6)

    Half of the world''s light vanished as he felt a cold line run down over his left eye. He shut his eyes, and braced for a pain that never came.


    ¡°You can open your eyes.¡± A hint of amusement filled Circe¡¯s voice. ¡°I thought you remembered how I took the pain away, not gave you more of it back then-¡°


    A sudden pull at his consciousness prompted him to open his eyes. He saw the world for a split second before his mind was ripped from his body, and he found himself facing the all-seeing eye of the Old One. Fear paralysed him. A lump settled in his throat as his breathing turned shallow, and his heart raced as if it was trying to leap out of his chest.


    He wanted to shout ¨C to beg to be left alone ¨C but no voice left his lips.


    Something moved in the darkness behind the multi-coloured eye. It was too large to comprehend, and too far to see anything more than just a moving shadow in an even darker space.


    Blind.


    The word poured into his mind, accompanied by images of complete darkness that filled his thoughts. It was suffocating, though short lived as the stream of consciousness ended within a heartbeat.


    ¡°What?¡± His voice was but a whisper as he tried to recollect his thoughts that had been scattered by the Old God. ¡°What do you want from me?!¡± He shouted through his coarse throat.


    An image filled his mind ¨C a field covered in a thick layer of ash. Weapons were struck to the ground, their owners nowhere to be found. The skies were crimson, and the sun almost looked like an eye, watching him as he stood there. Across the ash covered field, a vortex hung mid-air. In front of it stood a familiar figure with long, white hair, and crimson eyes that looked at him with maniacal glee.


    The image shifted, he now saw a foreign city bordering a desert on one side, and a swamp on the other. Vague silhouettes of people rushed towards the swamp without hesitation. Those who tripped and fell were ruthlessly trampled on, and those who were slower left behind. The desert was aflame, and so was the edge of the city bordering it. A part of the thick, seemingly sturdy city wall crumbled apart as he watched, reduced to nothing but gold-coloured sands.


    The image vanished, and he felt as if he was falling down. His eyes shot wide open to a cloudy sky, and the face of a rather worried Circe. She seemed just as confused he was. ¡°What do you see?¡± She immediately asked.If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    With a grunt, he sat upright and glanced around. ¡°Nothing I shouldn¡¯t be seeing.¡± There were no souls of the dead roaming the ashen valley, no nightmare spawn that struck him with fear. ¡°It worked,¡± he answered her unasked question as he rubbed the back of his head. He must have fallen down when the Old God yanked his consciousness away.


    ¡°I¡¯m not so sure, it shouldn¡¯t have hurt you so much that you fell unconscious.¡± Circe pursed her lips and furrowed her brows with worry.


    He shook his head. ¡°It didn¡¯t. It worked.¡± He dusted the ash off of his hair. ¡°Circe, did the desert spread to a city somewhere?¡±


    The witch¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°No.¡± Her voice was cold. ¡°Why do you ask?¡± She straightened her back and folded her arms. Her usually calm demeanour had suddenly become rather defensive and strained.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Retelling what the Old God showed him didn¡¯t take long, but answering the dozens upon dozens of questions Circe asked took until sundown. The sun set, and a cold wind began to blow down the mountains, raising clouds of ash into the air. ¡°No, I didn¡¯t see a second eye.¡± He repeated with a sigh. ¡°It¡¯s just this one gigantic eye. I don¡¯t get to look around much anyway. We¡¯ve been here for hours, can we go back?¡±


    The Crimson Witch thought about it for a moment before finally nodding. ¡°Very well.¡±


    Her spell was just as disorienting now as it was the first time he experienced it. The world slipped away from underneath his feet, and then he found himself in the room in the Vermillion Keep. The chandelier hanging from the vaulted ceiling was lit, the door was closed, and the windows shut to keep the cold out.


    His gaze immediately snapped to the only other person in the room. Arwen was sitting on the sofa, her knees pulled towards her chest and her arms wrapped around her legs. Her eyes were red and swollen, and her shallow breathing was the only thing breaking the silence. The next thing he noticed was the staff on the ground, broken in half, and its crystal shattered into many pieces.


    ¡°It seems Celyn was cruel today.¡± Circe muttered as she stepped over the broken staff and sat next to Arwen. Her voice startled the young woman, and her touch prompted her to look up. ¡°Did she do this?¡± the Witch asked, gesturing towards the staff.


    Arwen¡¯s gaze snapped to the staff, then as she noticed Midhir, she looked up to him. ¡°Your eye!¡± She breathed out. ¡°It¡¯s still-¡° tears welled up in her eyes.


    ¡°I don¡¯t see beyond the Veil anymore.¡± He cut her off.


    ¡°But its colour!¡± She exclaimed, quickly turning to Circe. ¡°Why is it not back to normal?¡±


    ¡°It was merely hidden before. I can¡¯t hide it again, not while the Old God watches over him.¡± Circe stood back up. ¡°Did the empress break your staff?¡±


    Arwen flinched. ¡°No.¡± She muttered, blood rushed to her cheeks as she averted her gaze. ¡°She wanted me to follow you, take her to you after you disappeared.¡± Her voice trembled. ¡°I tried. I couldn¡¯t replicate the spell.¡±


    Circe shook her head and clicked her tongue in disappointment. ¡°My dear apprentice,¡± her lips curled up ever so slightly. ¡°That staff can control merely a fraction of the power you need for that. Did you get hurt?¡±


    Arwen shook her head. ¡°No, but the empress was¡­ unhappy.¡±


    ¡°I imagine she was.¡± Circe raised her chin. ¡°Very well then, let us go and visit her.¡±

 Chapter 144 – Words of Warning (1)

    ¡°He escaped.¡±


    Cait¡¯s sharp voice rang in the throne room, startling Midhir and the two witches as they stepped through the large doors.


    The Empress was sitting upon her throne. She leaned forward, glancing at Midhir and the others. A relieved smile flashed across her lips for a moment before her stern expression returned, and her gaze turned to Cait.


    ¡°Explain, Enforcer.¡±


    Cait was standing at the foot of the steps leading up to the throne. Her hands were loosely joined behind her back. ¡°After Princess Ilya¡¯s resonance destroyed his hand, he ran away. I chased him through the mansion, into the gardens north of the main building. There were too many who were taken, and they were immediately hostile.¡± She looked at the ground. ¡°They allowed him to pass but engaged in battle with me.¡±


    His chest tightened as he walked across the throne room. So the man with that over the top helmet had escaped once more. Once more he was out there somewhere.


    ¡°Was the district not surrounded by the army?¡± Arwen piped up, her hands clenched around her dress. ¡°He couldn¡¯t have slipped past them, could he?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± The Empress stood up. ¡°Thank you, Cait. Please go and see a healer, then make sure to rest.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty,¡± Cait bowed, then quickly turned around and headed out of the throne room. She only hesitated as she passed by Midhir. Her whisper reached him as she hurried away. ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re ok¡­¡±


    She marched outside, and let the heavy doors slam close behind her. As soon as they did, his mother raised her chin, her ice-cold glare landing on Circe. ¡°Explain yourself, Circe. Where did you take my son?¡±


    The Crimson Witch¡¯s lips curled up. ¡°To the border between Eldoria and Calador, to see how far his condition had progressed.¡±


    His mother flinched. ¡°Have you lost your mind after all these years?!¡± She exclaimed. ¡°The border ¨C where the desert spreads! What if-¡°


    ¡°My mind is sharp as ever, old friend.¡± Circe¡¯s voice cut through the air. ¡°You, however, seem to have forgotten your place, Empress. The child is safe, for now.¡± She raised her chin, glancing at the throne with a pitying look. ¡°His eye is not his own ¨C and it hadn¡¯t been since the disaster fifteen years ago. I blocked his sight ¨C his true sight, when you asked me to all those years ago. You should have heeded my warning, friend.¡±Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t about to toss an orphaned child away!¡± Celyn shouted.


    ¡°No. But you made him prince and sent him where it all started.¡± She walked past Midhir, lowering her voice. ¡°What were you thinking, Celyn?!¡±


    ¡°Of my city, my nation and my people!¡± She shouted, her expression twisted with anger. ¡°Do you think I wanted this to happen? But the man had to be stopped, and Midhir knew him!¡±


    Circe breathed in to speak ¨C to tell her off further.


    ¡°I have one year before Circe¡¯s spell wears off.¡± He spoke up, prompting both of them to fall into silence. ¡°Putting that aside, mom, the leader of the cultists escaped, right? We need to find him before he can make it out of An¡¯Larion.¡± Now wasn¡¯t the time to worry about how long Circe¡¯s spell would last, or why his mother had taken such a big risk knowingly. The cultists had proven how dangerous they were time and again. They couldn¡¯t be allowed to continue operating.


    ¡°He did, yes.¡± His mother spoke after a moment of silence. The anger and hurt in her expression disappeared. ¡°I don¡¯t understand how he evaded Cait so easily, or why the mist spared him from the attention of the taken ones.¡±


    ¡°The mist spares no one,¡± Circe interjected. ¡°No one.¡± She repeated herself sternly. ¡°Either your enforcer is lying, or she saw something that was not truly there.¡±


    Cait wouldn¡¯t lie. ¡°This same man escaped Bareon once before as well.¡± Midhir said with a cold voice. He had escaped into the Old Growth and survived. He had somehow rallied the cultists behind him after the massacre at the foot of the monument and attacked the thirteenth district in An¡¯Larion. ¡°I loathe to admit it, but he is somewhat resourceful.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s dangerous.¡± Arwen spoke up sheepishly. ¡°Elder, do not underestimate him.¡±


    Circe¡¯s lips parted. ¡°I see.¡± Arwen¡¯s words seemed to surprise her, though she quickly hid that behind a faint smile. ¡°In that case, I shall aid you ¨C the Veil is thinning. More and more powerful creatures are able to pass through, and I fear it will only worsen. We cannot allow misguided groups of people led by a madman to do any further harm to it.¡± Her gaze turned to the Empress. ¡°Let us talk, friend.¡±


    His mother¡¯s tense shoulders relaxed as she smiled. ¡°Indeed. Eldoria owes you, Circe.¡±


    The Witch chuckled. ¡°Not for the first time, nor the first nation to do so.¡± She glanced at Arwen. ¡°Find yourself a new staff, my dear. I fear adversity still awaits.¡±


    ¡°Midhir,¡± His mother spoke up. ¡°We¡¯ll talk later, once this is resolved. Make sure to get some rest.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± He muttered. This was their cue to leave. Neither the Empress nor the Witch wanted them present for their conversation. ¡°Come on,¡± he gently pulled Arwen out of the throne room.


    As soon as he left the presence of some of the two most powerful people he had ever met, he felt as if a weight had been lifted off his chest. His shoulders finally relaxed, and he leaned against a wall, pressing his palms against his eyes.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Arwen sheepishly asked.


    ¡°Yeah, no, I¡¯m fine,¡± he staggered, trying to reorganise his thoughts. ¡°It¡¯s been exhausting.¡± It felt like he had last slept weeks ago.


    Arwen nodded in understanding. ¡°You should try and rest some.¡±


    ¡°In a bit,¡± Midhir opened his eyes and stepped away from the wall. ¡°I¡¯ll show you to the armoury first. Come on.¡± The Crimson Witch¡¯s warning was fresh in his mind. There was no time for respite.

 Chapter 145 – Words of Warning (2)

    The armoury was right next to the training grounds, situated in the same structure as the imperial guard¡¯s barracks. In an ordinary day, the training grounds would be rather crowded, but this was far from an ordinary day. The only people they saw were the on-duty guards, and a few rather winded looking people sitting in the courtyard, watching the starry sky.


    Midhir led Arwen through the courtyard, nodded at the soldiers as they passed by, then went back inside through the doors on the other side of it. The well-lit hallway split in two, the left side leading to the barracks, and the right to the armoury.


    His steps slowed down as he led her towards the armoury. Arwen seemed quite alright, all things considered. She seemed just as curious about the Vermillion Keep as ever. ¡°Are you alright?¡± He still asked.


    Arwen raised her eyebrows. ¡°I am. Why?¡± She tilted her head slightly.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± he mumbled, pushing the door to the armoury open. He stepped aside to let her pass before following her inside and letting the heavy door close behind them.


    The armoury was made of three parts. The entrance had a small bench to sit on, a counter in front of the door leading to the other sections, and a rather large stack of notebooks piled on a table leaning against the wall. Lit by torchlight, the air smelled of smoke, metal and oil.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a difficult day for you too,¡± he let out a sigh before making his hands into a fist and loudly knocking on the wooden door leading to the other sections. ¡°After Circe took me to the border¡­ what happened exactly?¡±


    A faint smile flashed across Arwen¡¯s lips. ¡°It was a bit awkward, to be honest. Her Majesty ordered Willow to check on Lord Aulorn¡­¡± She let her voice trail off as the door creaked open, and a man stepped out.


    ¡°If it isn¡¯t the young prince!¡± He exclaimed, his round and somewhat red face lighting up with a cheerful smile. ¡°A sight for sore eyes, I say! What can I do for you, Lord?¡± He let the door close behind him and limped over to the counter. He leaned his well-rounded belly against it and let out a winded breath.


    ¡°It¡¯s good to see you too, Gerart.¡± Midhir smiled, though he couldn¡¯t help but glance down. ¡°Your leg, it¡¯s not healed yet?¡±


    The quartermaster chuckled and shook his head. ¡°I suppose it will take a while,¡± he said cheerfully as he rummaged through his pockets and pulled out a handkerchief. ¡°What brings you here, lord?¡± He asked, wiping the sweat off his forehead.


    ¡°My friend here needs a crystal staff, and I¡¯m in need of a better blade myself.¡± He pointed at Arwen.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    Gerart¡¯s eyebrows raised. ¡°A crystal staff, huh?¡± His gaze turned towards Arwen. ¡°We have a few of those just sitting in the back, collecting dust.¡± He stepped back towards the door with a grunt and a wince.


    ¡°You needn¡¯t bring them here, friend.¡± He probably shouldn¡¯t even be standing with that injured knee of his. It wouldn¡¯t do to make the man carry a bunch of weapons across the armoury. ¡°Tell me which section they¡¯re in, then take some time to rest, will you?¡±


    Gerart¡¯s face lit up. ¡°I wish I was in better health to serve you, your highness.¡± He leaned against the counter again. ¡°The staves are in section three. Since no one really uses them, they¡¯re in the boxes lined by the back wall.¡± He pulled a stool from under the counter and carefully sat down, rubbing his right knee gently.


    ¡°Thanks, friend.¡±


    The second section of the armoury was a well-kept storage room. Weapon and armour racks line the walls, while there was a mending station in the middle of the large chamber. Shadows danced on the walls as they closed the door behind them. The wind had disturbed the torches and candles, causing their flames to dance awkwardly for a few short moments.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever seen so many swords in one place¡­¡± Arwen muttered, her eyes wide with amazement.


    ¡°There¡¯s only the standard equipment of the imperial army here.¡± He explained as he walked past them all, to the door in the back of this section. ¡°Good weapons and armour, made to strict standards. Usually swords, spears and halberds, and occasionally daggers.¡± The imperial guard was thoroughly trained in each of those weapons before each soldier picked which one they felt the most comfortable with. Armour was later given according to the weapons they chose.


    ¡°The staves should be here¡­¡± he added as he opened the door. A loud creak sounded as the door turned on its rusty hinges, revealing the large, but dimly lit chamber that was section three.


    Unlike the previous section, this one was only lit by two lanterns on the two walls to his left and right. Boxes and crates were piled on top of each other, creating small piles around the chamber. Most of these were weapons and armour donated to the imperial army, either by nobility or by blacksmiths and merchants seeking goodwill. Some, however, were the spoils of exploration and expedition. Unique, yet not particularly usable weapons that were stored here in hopes that one day they would prove useful.


    Midhir walked past the piles of crates and boxes to the back wall, where some long, yet narrow boxes were stacked against the wall. ¡°I think these are the staves.¡± He picked up one of them and carried it over to a waist-high crate at the middle of the room. ¡°Open it, I¡¯ll bring the others.¡±


    They opened the boxes one by one, revealing dozens of staves of different shapes and sizes. Some were nearly two meters tall, embedded with a myriad of crystals while others were only as long as his forearm, housing singular, small crystals.


    Each box they opened seemed to fascinate Arwen further. Her sparkling eyes growing wider with each unique staff she inspected. ¡°These are beautiful¡­¡± she whispered, picking each one up, caressing them and running her fingertips across the crystal augments. ¡°Some of them are so powerful, I can¡¯t even imagine how it would feel to use them.¡±


    ¡°Take your time,¡± he said with a faint smile. ¡°If you want to use them, we can take a few of them to the courtyard to try them out.¡± Surely the resting guardsmen would enjoy the spectacle a skilled crystal staff user could create too.


    Arwen¡¯s lips parted. ¡°Really?¡± She asked, beaming with excitement. ¡°Can I really try them out?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±

 Chapter 146 – Words of Warning (3)

    The night sky lit up with the glow of Arwen¡¯s resonance casting. Waves of flames covered the sky, then they scattered with powerful winds before light itself seemed to materialise.


    Midhir sat on the steps of the courtyard, his gaze captivated by the young witch¡¯s show of power. She reminded him of Ilya many years ago.


    He wasn¡¯t the only one watching. Scattered around the courtyard, small groups of soldiers and servants stopped whatever they were doing to watch her. He didn¡¯t blame them, after a gruelling day of work they deserved to pause to watch a fancy show of magical lights.


    He barely heard the sound of a door creaking open on the other side of the courtyard over the roar of the flames. Reluctantly he turned his gaze away from the spectacle in the sky, towards the two people who had entered the courtyard.


    He immediately recognised the greying head of Chiron. The lieutenant was accompanying another man, and carrying an oddly shaped object wrapped in several layers of cloth. The man beside him also carried something ¨C a long, narrow wooden box.


    The first thought that popped into his mind was a weapon delivery. But that wasn¡¯t Chiron¡¯s job ¨C he was too high of a rank to just accompany some blacksmith here. With a scowl, he stood up and walked towards them.


    ¡°Lieutenant,¡± He called out with a polite smile, just loud enough to be heard, but quiet enough to not alert the whole courtyard. Arwen¡¯s spectacle didn¡¯t need to be cut short just to sate his curiosity.


    Chiron immediately slowed his steps. ¡°Your highness,¡± he bowed. ¡°A pleasant surprise to see you here. I was going to seek you tomorrow morning.¡± He took a step back, gesturing towards the man he was accompanying. ¡°This is Arbiter Kaien, her majesty¡¯s guest from Calador.¡±


    He felt blood freeze in his veins.


    ¡°This is Prince Midhir Induen-Ardagh,¡± Chiron continued, this time turning to Arbiter Kaien and gesturing towards Midhir. ¡°Younger brother to Princess Ilya, who you met earlier.¡±


    The arbiter raised his eyebrows. ¡°A pleasure, highness.¡± His voice was low and coarse. He motioned to bow in an attempt to mimic Chiron.


    ¡°Please, there is no need for that.¡± Midhir politely stopped him. ¡°My apologies for not being able to properly welcome you to the Vermillion Keep.¡± He could only hope his voice didn¡¯t reflect how tense he really was.


    A guest from Calador, and an Arbiter at that. It couldn¡¯t bode well, could it? The country was still being ravaged by civil war, and the desert was slowly encroaching on its territory. If what he saw ¨C what the Old One showed him ¨C was true, then soon Calador would begin losing settlements, towns, and even cities.


    ¡°You are kind,¡± Arbiter Kaien replied with a momentary smile.


    ¡°Would you like to walk with us, your highness?¡± Chiron nodded towards the door leading inside. ¡°I was just showing the Arbiter to the armoury.¡±


    ¡°It would be my pleasure.¡± A small part of him cursed his own curiosity. He would much rather watch Arwen¡¯s lightshow than play diplomat. He suppressed those thoughts, knowing full well this needed to be done. Besides, he was also curious as to why an Arbiter had arrived, and unannounced too. ¡°What brings you to Eldoria, Arbiter?¡± He asked as they walked through the doors, towards the armoury.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    The man grimaced. ¡°I do not recognize my people anymore.¡± The spark in his eyes dimmed. ¡°I seek refuge here.¡± He looked down, at his own palm, then clenched his fist.


    It felt as if someone had spilled a bucket of ice cold water over his head. An Arbiter, in Eldoria, seeking refuge. What had the world come to? No wonder his mother and Ilya had been busy since he returned from the border between the two nations. This was an unprecedented event and could very easily turn into a crisis between the two nations.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you safely arrived, Arbiter.¡± His words sounded empty in his head in the face of what Calador was suffering from. Yet the Arbiter smiled, pressed his fist over his heart, and bowed his head ever so slightly.


    The door to the armoury once again creaked as Chiron pushed it open. Gerart was leaning on the counter, taking notes to one of the many leatherbound notebooks. The man raised his head, then immediately stood up.


    ¡°You highness, lieutenant.¡± He bowed, his gaze lingering on the Arbiter. He seemed confused, but didn¡¯t say more.


    ¡°This is our quartermaster, Gerart.¡± Chiron introduced him, then turned towards the quartermaster. ¡°This is Arbiter Kaien, from Calador.¡±


    Gerart¡¯s eyes widened for a split second. ¡°It¡¯s an honour, Arbiter.¡± He bowed deeper, once more. ¡°What can I do for you, gentlemen?¡± He closed the notebook, and straightened his back, his cheerful smile replaced with a polite, but stern expression.


    ¡°Greetings.¡± Arbiter Kaien placed the box he was carrying on the counter. ¡°I bring two things - a gift for Eldoria, and a gift for ruling blood.¡± He opened the latch locking the box and pushed its lid up.


    The box was lined with velvet. A series of parchments covered whatever was underneath. The Arbiter pointed at the parchments. ¡°My gift to Eldoria, the knowledge of metalworking passed down from my ancestors.¡± He looked Midhir in the eye. ¡°I do not give this lightly, highness.¡±


    He then carefully removed the parchments, giving them to Gerard one by one. He watched the quartermaster like a hawk as he handled the parchments with care. Once the last one was removed from the box, he reached for the cloth covering whatever else was in the box and pulled it away.


    Midhir drew a sharp breath. It was a blade, laying in its scabbard.


    ¡°My gift to ruling blood.¡± Arbiter Kaien said, his eyes glimmering with pride. ¡°A weapon crafted by my ancestors.¡± He gestured towards it.


    ¡°May I?¡± Midhir asked, unable to pry his eyes off of it.


    ¡°It would give me honour.¡± The Arbiter nodded.


    He gently picked it up, lifting it off the velvet lining the interior of the wooden box. The first thing he noticed was how light it was. It didn¡¯t feel like a streel sword and its scabbard at all. The scabbard was made of lightweight wood, polished carefully then decorated, depicting flowers and a setting sun. Where it connected with the guard of the blade was made of a bony material. ¡°Is this¡­ bone?¡± He asked.


    ¡°The horn of a water buffalo.¡± The Arbiter pointed at the lower end of the scabbard. ¡°These fittings are made of that too.¡±


    Hesitantly, Midhir took a few steps back, then placed his hand on the grip of the sword. It was wrapped in several layers of cloth, cut very narrowly, creating a pattern that reminded him of a braid. It was easy to hold ¨C his hand would slip on it. With a narrow breath, he unsheathed the blade.


    It was a slightly curved blade, one side dull, the other incredibly sharp. A faint line ran along the edge, marking the transition between the hardened cutting edge and the softer spine of the blade. It was longer than a shortsword, shorter than the bastard swords most of the army used, yet somehow lighter than both.


    ¡°It¡¯s beautiful.¡± He sheathed the blade and motioned to put it back into the box.


    ¡°This is a gift.¡± The Arbiter stopped him. ¡°Not to be kept in a box, nor to be shown as a piece of art.¡± His stern voice startled them. ¡°It is a weapon, Highness. One much better than that one, if you excuse my rudeness.¡± He glanced at the sword hanging from Midhir¡¯s belt. ¡°It should be used, not left to rot.¡±

 Chapter 147 – Words of Warning (4)

    The Arbiter¡¯s words rang in the air. The man stepped between Midhir and the counter, pressing his fist over his heart. ¡°It is a blade¡¯s purpose to cut. The Princess refused to take it, Majesty the Empress claimed she is no warrior. You are the ruling blood as well ¨C take it, use it. It will serve you well.¡±


    Midhir averted his gaze as Chiron and Gerard¡¯s uncomfortable glances met.


    ¡°What is it?¡± The Arbiter asked, immediately noticing their discomfort. ¡°Have I said something wrong?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Midhir shook his head. ¡°I am honoured for your offer, Arbiter. I truly am. This is a fine blade, one worthy of a master. I am no master, and I couldn¡¯t in good conscience accept this gift.¡±


    The Arbiter¡¯s lips formed a thin line. ¡°So Eldoria refuses my gifts.¡±


    Chiron¡¯s face turned pale. ¡°No, no Arbiter Kaien, that¡¯s not what his highness meant at all!¡±


    The Arbiter¡¯s gaze didn¡¯t even turn towards Chiron. It remained locked on Midhir, and the sword in his hands. ¡°Why will you not use this gift, highness? Is it not to you liking? Do you prefer cruder weapons?¡± He shot a glance at the sword hanging form Midhir¡¯s belt.


    Midhir let out a sigh. ¡°No.¡± He turned his gaze towards Chiron and Gerart. ¡°Quartermaster, Lieutenant, please deliver the Arbiter¡¯s other gift to the forgemasters before they retire for the night.¡±


    ¡°As you wish,¡± Chiron quickly bowed. Gerart followed him, carefully holding the box containing the parchments. They left in a hurry, carefully closing the door to the armoury after they left.


    The Arbiter waited, one eyebrow slightly raised.


    ¡°I can¡¯t accept this gift.¡± Midhir took a deep breath. ¡°It is meant for the Ardagh bloodline, is it not?¡±


    ¡°Yes. And you are the younger prince.¡± He scowled. ¡°I do not understand, highness.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m an Induen by birth and blood.¡± Midhir clarified. ¡°After the disaster, Her majesty the Empress took me as her own, but I carry no imperial blood.¡± Seeing the man¡¯s eyes widen for a split second, he continued. ¡°I know how much Calador¡¯s customs value ancestry and bloodlines. It would be wrong of me to accept this gift.¡± He held out the blade, intending to give it back.


    The Arbiter didn¡¯t move to take it from him. His gaze lingered on the sword for a few moments before he raised it to meet Midhir¡¯s. ¡°We do value such things. Blood¡­ it carries power. But perhaps that is a reason for our downfall. Perhaps it is time to change and accept things beyond what we are comfortable with.¡± He placed both hands on the scabbard and pushed it against Midhir¡¯s chest. ¡°I offer this to the Imperial family, bound by blood or bond.¡±Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    Midhir¡¯s lips parted, but he found no words. In Calador, blood was everything. People were burdened with the sins of their ancestors ¨C stains that never faded for millennia. Found families were scorned, and breaking familial bonds was looked at like treason.


    ¡°I know you don¡¯t speak lightly.¡± He finally was able to speak. ¡°I am honoured, for more reasons than one.¡±


    The Arbiter¡¯s expression softened. ¡°The honour is mine, for this blade will serve a people.¡± A smile flashed across his lips. ¡°Would you care to try it, highness?¡±


    The courtyard was much emptier than before. The crowds that had been watching Arwen¡¯s little show had scattered, and the young witch herself was sitting on the steps, staring at the crystal staves laid out on the ground before her. Her cheeks were puffy, and her expression rather troubled as he pondered. Her eyes lit up when she noticed Midhir step out into the courtyard, only to notice the Arbiter. She narrowed her eyes but remained silent.


    Midhir walked to the centre of the courtyard under the watchful gazes of the few soldiers that remained there. He gently unsheathed the blade. It¡¯s smooth surface seemed to catch the moonlight as he tested the balance of the weapon.


    A part of him expected the hear the weapon¡¯s call like Alistair had claimed to hear the spear¡¯s. He hoped he would feel like the blade belonged with him.


    ¡°The best way to learn is to do.¡± The Arbiter stood about half a dozen steps away from him. ¡°Shall we duel, highness?¡±


    Midhir raised his gaze from the reflective surface of the blade. He couldn¡¯t refuse this. ¡°It would be my honour.¡±


    The Arbiter unsheathed his own sword, one that was quite similar to his gift. He gripped its hilt with both hands and settled into a stance. The tip of the blade was looking up its sharp edge facing forth.


    Midhir released the breath he had been holding. His heart calmed, his thoughts quieted as he pushed his right foot forward, bent his knees slightly, and lowered the blade to his left, holding its hilt with both hands, albeit loosely.


    A moment passed in charged silence. They stared at each other, each waiting for the other to make the first move. What was only a few seconds felt like an eternity ¨C until the Arbiter charged forward, raising his sword above his head. He covered the six steps worth of distance in an instant, bringing his blade down from above.


    Midhir stuck upwards. Their blades met with a loud, yet clear clang. His arms ached as he felt the Arbiter¡¯s strike. The other man¡¯s blade slid off of his, passing him by harmlessly. Yet he didn¡¯t stop ¨C he whirled around, striking from the other side.


    Midhir barely had enough time to block the Arbiter¡¯s second strike. As soon as their blades met, he leapt back, putting a few steps of distance between them. His heart was racing, and beads of sweat began to roll down his forehead. His whole body pleaded him to stop ¨C he didn¡¯t have the strength to go on after this gruelling day.


    The Arbiter raised an eyebrow, then readied his blade once more, this time holding it to his side.


    He weighed what strength he had left, against the sharp gaze of his opponent. The answer was simple, and he had no choice but to accept it. He raised his left hand, gesturing him to stop. ¡°My apologies, Arbiter Kaien, but it seems I underestimated how exhausted I am.¡±


    A smile flashed across the Arbiter¡¯s lips. ¡°No apology needed, Highness.¡± He sheathed his sword. ¡°Many would have chosen to push through and ended up injuring themselves. It is wise to know when to stop.¡±


    Midhir softly chuckled. Had he not been through so much in one day, he would have chosen to push through as well. That thought stopped him in his tracks. No, he wouldn¡¯t have ¨C not if it was just a few months ago. He would have ignored his ailments and exhaustion to the point of injuring himself.

 Chapter 148 – Words of Warning (5)

    Once their duel concluded, the few people who had been watching scattered, each going their own way. The Arbiter watched them leave as he sheathed his blade, then turned his gaze to Midhir once again.


    ¡°Then I trust you will use the blade, highness?¡±


    A smile flashed across his lips as he nodded. ¡°I will, and I¡¯m honoured to be able to.¡±


    Arwen stood up and walked over to them. As she approached, the Arbiter glanced at her, then at Midhir, with a questioning look on his face.


    ¡°This is Arwen Maloid,¡± he quickly introduced her. ¡°A classmate of mine. Arwen, this is Arbiter Kaien, from Calador.¡±


    The young witch curtsied. ¡°An honour, Arbiter.¡± Her expression remained surprisingly steady. She had gotten better at hiding her emotions.


    ¡°The honour is mine, young lady.¡± The Arbiter bowed his head very slightly. ¡°A fine collection of staves you have gathered there.¡±


    Arwen awkwardly chuckled. ¡°They are all very well made weapons,¡± her gaze drifted towards the dozen or so staves lined up on the ground. ¡°I don¡¯t quite feel like any of them are meant to be mine, though¡­¡± her voice trailed off.


    ¡°Oh, how so?¡± The Arbiter walked up to the weapons and crouched, inspecting them. ¡°How is a weapon meant to be yours?¡±


    Arwen shrugged. ¡°None of them quite call to me, I suppose.¡± She made a vague gesture. ¡°I could choose any of them, but I would never feel like how our other classmates felt ¨C like their weapon is a part of them.¡± She scowled as she sought the right words, though her explanation was clumsy at best.


    The Arbiter stood back up. ¡°Then perhaps you ought to seek a sentient weapon as those classmates of yours clearly have.¡± He smiled cheerfully.


    Arwen staggered. ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant¡­¡± she mumbled.


    ¡°A weapon is a weapon.¡± The Arbiter picked up one of the staves, then stood up. ¡°They are created to be used. No weapon will ever call to you, no weapon will belong to you until you make it yours.¡± He pointed at Midhir. ¡°He made the blade his. He accepted my gift. It will serve him well, because he will make it serve him.¡± He then tapped on the staff¡¯s wooden haft. ¡°No weapon will choose you, young lady, you must make a choice.¡± He smiled again, putting the staff back then turned his gaze to Midhir. ¡°Lieutenant Chiron mentioned he had something that belonged to you, Highness. It seemed like a weapon. May I see it?¡±This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    He scowled. ¡°A weapon?¡± His sword he had used for the last couple of years had broken beneath Bareon, and the sword-spear had been lost in the explosion near the Prancing Lion inn. Had the soldiers found that? He hardly dared hope. ¡°I¡¯m not aware of such a thing, but if you wish, you can accompany me to the armoury.¡± He glanced at Arwen too, but she shook her head. The Arbiter smiled, his eyes glimmering with curiosity.


    Upon their return to the armoury, they found Gerard working on inventory, walking around in the back with a heavy leatherbound notebook in his hands. He saw them as they entered and hurried over to the counter.


    ¡°Your Highness, Arbiter.¡± He bowed. ¡°What can I do for you?¡±


    ¡°Did Chiron bring something of mine here, Gerard?¡±


    The other man¡¯s eyes shot open. ¡°Oh, yes!¡± He exclaimed before bending down and opening one of the boxes under the counter. He grunted as he stood back up, and placed an object wrapped in cloth on the counter. ¡°He did mention this was yours, but there was no opportunity to give it to you.¡± He shot a meaningful glance at the sheathed blade Midhir was holding.


    ¡°No harm done, friend.¡± Midhir smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t let us keep you from your tasks¡­ and Gerard.¡± He called out after him as the man bowed and motioned to hurry to the back rooms. ¡°Get some rest, would you?¡±


    The man smiled. ¡°I will, your highness.¡± He closed the door behind him as he went back to his work.


    As soon as the door closed, Midhir pulled the object wrapped in cloth closer to himself, and carefully unwrapped it.


    The familiar surface of the sword spear peeking out of the layers of cloth gave him relief. A faint smile appeared on his lips as he fully unwrapped it.


    The metal shaft covered in inscriptions was familiar in his hands, but the weight he had gotten used to was wrong. It was lighter than it used to be.


    ¡°A shame,¡± The Arbiter grimaced. ¡°It must have been a fine weapon once.¡±


    The blade was broken. The sharp section had shattered, only leaving the harder and more durable spine.


    ¡°It certainly was,¡± he muttered with a bitter smile. ¡°It saved my life more than once. Served me exceptionally well.¡± He turned the weapon around and breathed a sigh of relief as the white crystal glimmered beneath torchlight.


    ¡°A part of it lives on, highness.¡± The Arbiter pointed at the crystal.


    ¡°It does indeed.¡± Midhir carefully removed the crystal. ¡°I saw no augment on your weapon, Arbiter. Does Calador not use them?¡±


    The Arbiter chuckled. ¡°It is a strength too great to ignore, highness. But not one that needs to be declared to an opponent. May I?¡± he pointed at the blade in Midhir¡¯s hand.


    He pulled down the braided cloth covering the grip of the blade, revealing three small sockets hidden underneath. ¡°It is best to hide your strength. Let your opponent underestimate you, then strike with all you have.¡± He narrowed his eyes. ¡°There is no honour in the battlefield, highness. Only death and survival.¡±


    The chamber was empty save for the broken man and the same young woman who had helped Arwen and the Induen boy before. Their friend, or so Arwen had called her when she talked about her. She was sitting on a small stool, her hands clenched together, her eyes closed as she prayed to the daughter and the sun.


    Circe let out an audible sigh before stepping through the doorway. The things she did for her dear friend¡­


    Her voice startled the young woman. She started on her feet, her hand reaching for her weapon. ¡°You!¡± She exclaimed. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

 Chapter 149 – Omens (1)

    ¡°Your highness!¡± A voice echoed in the hallways, as its owner opened the door to the armoury, causing it to slam against the wall. ¡°Your highness,¡± the soldier exclaimed. He bowed, then paused for a split second to catch his breath before speaking. ¡°Lord Orlein is awake, and the Princess requests your presence.¡±


    His heart skipped a beat as his eyes shot wide open. ¡°Alistair woke up?¡± His gaze darted to Arbiter Kaien. ¡°Arbiter, my apologies, however I must attend to this matter. I do hope to be able to speak with you again, though.¡±


    ¡°As do I, highness.¡± Arbiter Kaien smiled. ¡°Attend to your matters, and I shall rest. The journey was arduous, and I am not the spry young man I once was.¡± He chuckled at his own words before turning to the soldier. ¡°Young man, can you show the way to my quarters? This castle is vast and confusing, and I am terribly lost.¡±


    The soldier shot a quick glance at Midhir, and as soon as he nodded, he spoke. ¡°Of course, Lord Arbiter. This way.¡±


    Allowing the gifted blade to vanish into the holding gem, Midhir also hurried out the door. He only slowed down to inform Arwen. They rushed to the upper floors of the Vermillion Keep, to the chamber Alistair was resting in.


    The young noble was seated on his bed. His usual calm and collected demeanour was nowhere to be seen. Instead, his face was pale, his eyes wide open, and he was staggering over his own words as he addressed Ilya.


    ¡°I- I don¡¯t remember¡­¡± his voice faded as he spotted Midhir and Arwen step inside. A smile flashed across his lips as he motioned to get up, only for a sharp voice to stop him.


    ¡°Your legs won¡¯t carry you yet, little lordling.¡±


    Only when she spoke did he notice her. Circe was standing by the wall in the far side of the room, her arms crossed, and lips pursed. She lifted her gaze to look at Arwen and Midhir, then lowered in again, seemingly lost in thought.


    ¡°How are you feeling?¡± Arwen approached Alistair. Her brows were furrowed, and her lips formed a thin line with worry. ¡°Do you remember what happened?¡±


    The young Orlein scowled. ¡°More or less, I suppose.¡± He glanced at Ilya, who was sitting on a stool with an almost angry expression. Her sharp gaze was locked onto him. ¡°I remember the explosion, but everything after that is a blur. Someone attacked me, I think, but that¡¯s about it¡­¡± Alistair¡¯s voice faded as he forced his memory seemingly in vain.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    ¡°You¡¯re lucky you still remember that much.¡± Ilya piped up. Her gaze turned to Circe. ¡°Aside from the memory loss, there are no issues, are there?¡± Her voice was sharp, and her piercing gaze filled with annoyance.


    Circe¡¯s lips curled down. ¡°No. Take a few days to rest and recover, little lordling, and you¡¯ll be good as new.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± Ilya stood up. ¡°Come, then. Your work isn¡¯t yet done.¡±


    Circe raised her chin. ¡°I see she raised you to be as impatient as her.¡± Despite her complains, the Crimson Witch walked towards the door, only pausing as she passed Arwen. ¡°You waste time, Arwen my dear. Threats loom over this city still, and you are unarmed yet.¡±


    Blood drained from Arwen¡¯s face. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± her voice faded as she looked down.


    Once Circe and Ilya left, Alistair visibly relaxed. His tense shoulders dropped, and his stiff back seemed to soften up a bit as he leaned against the pillows. ¡°What was that about?¡± He asked, but Arwen was quick to shake her head.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re with us again.¡± Her voice trembled ever so slightly. ¡°Make sure to rest. I have to go.¡± She quickly added before rushing out of the room. Her running footsteps echoed in the hallway for a few moments longer.


    Once silence settled back in, Midhir stepped forward. His lips parted, but he found himself lost for words. There was a lump in his throat, and a tightness in his chest.


    Alistair looked at him with a faint smile. ¡°I admit I find this a little awkward.¡± His words broke the silence. ¡°Your highness.¡± He added a moment later.


    Midhir visibly flinched. ¡°Please don¡¯t.¡± He blurted out.


    Alistair chuckled softly. ¡°Her highness did say you¡¯d say that¡­ and I admit I expected it too.¡± He brushed his hair back, then sat upright again. ¡°I had my suspicions, since our conversation in Bareon. I didn¡¯t quite guess correctly, but I was close enough.¡± He laughed, then raised his eyebrows. ¡°You do realise you look like a lost puppy, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Midhir couldn¡¯t help but laugh at the comparison. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Alistair. You have every right to want to distance yourself ¨C I hid something important from all of you.¡± He breathed out a troubled sigh.


    The young Orlein shrugged. ¡°Well, it¡¯s a big secret. I understand though ¨C you¡¯d be in far greater danger everywhere we went if you had disclosed it. And not to mention the hassle it would have caused both in Solus and in Bareon and Lohssa.¡± He shook his head, his lips parted as if he was going to speak more, but his gaze locked on something behind Midhir. ¡°Willow?¡±


    Midhir quickly turned around.


    Willow had just stepped into the room. Her cheeks and eyes were swollen, and red. He could still see her eyes watering, though she quickly wiped them and forced a smile. ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re ok, Alistair.¡± Her gaze turned to Midhir. ¡°You¡¯re¡­ fine, right? She healed you too?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Alistair¡¯s gaze darted to Midhir. ¡°What happened?¡±


    Midhir bit his lips. ¡°I¡¯m fine, for now. For about a year.¡±


    While Willow¡¯s eyes widened, Alistair¡¯s bewildered gaze darted between the two of them.


    ¡°What happened to you though, are you ok?¡± Midhir asked. They could explain all that happened to the young Orlein heir later. ¡°Is your father ok?¡±


    As soon as the words left his mouth, Willow¡¯s tears welled up again. She tried to wipe her eyes, but the tears wouldn¡¯t stop coming. ¡°He¡¯s not waking up.¡± She spoke with a trembling voice. ¡°Even the witch can¡¯t wake him up.¡±

 Chapter 150 – Omens (2)

    Tears flowed down her face. Her legs visibly trembled as she drew sharp, shallow breaths. ¡°She can¡¯t wake him up.¡± Willow muttered with a catch in her voice. She stumbled closer, reaching for Midhir¡¯s shoulders with her trembling hands. Her fingers clutched around the cloth of his cloak.


    Her lips parted, but no words came out. Her body shook, and muffled weeping sounded as she dug her head into his chest.


    He quietly wrapped his arms around her. His gaze met with Alistair¡¯s. The young noble¡¯s grim expression matched his own. Softly rubbing Willow¡¯s back, he gritted his teeth and tightened his jaw. It should have never come to this. That idiot of a man should have never been able to push Lord Aulorn.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Willow whispered, pulling herself away after a while.


    ¡°We¡¯ll find a way to wake him up.¡± The certainty in his own voice surprised him. ¡°Your father is one of the strongest, most resilient people I have met. He¡¯ll wake up.¡±


    Willow forced a smile through her tears. ¡°Yeah. Dad is strong.¡± Her voice was but a whisper. She wiped her eyes, then softly bowed. ¡°I¡¯ll go back there. I want to sit by him a little longer.¡± Her steps were rushed as she left the room, and her running footsteps soon echoed through the mostly silent halls.


    ¡°What happened to Lord Aulorn?¡± Alistair¡¯s words remined him that the young Orlein had lost about as much time as the Lord Enforcer. He knew nothing of the events since then. ¡°And what happened to you? What was that year you spoke of?¡±


    With a sigh, Midhir pulled the stool by the back wall of the room closer and sat down. ¡°What¡¯s the last thing you remember?¡±


    * * *


    Sleep came quickly once he laid down on his bed, but as his consciousness faded, he felt a familiar, disturbing pull. His eyes shot wide open to the view of a gigantic, colourful eye.


    Once again he was in the realm of the Old One. The endless darkness around them was vast, though this time he spotted glimmers of light in the distance. It was impossible to say how far away those lights were ¨C they were so small and weak, and it seemed as if the smallest breeze could snuff them out like a candle.


    His gaze returned to the gigantic eye. His mind refused to fully comprehend what he was looking at. He knew it ¨C he could feel it. Things slipped away from his attention despite his best efforts. The human mind wasn¡¯t meant to understand them.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    ¡°What do you want from me?¡± He shouted, not expecting an answer.


    As he expected, no answer came. Instead, an image appeared in his mind.


    He stood on sand ¨C golden sands that stretched as far as the eye could see. It was dark, too dark to be natural. The sky was black, and the stars had been snuffed out. The only light came from the circle of crimson fire surrounding him. Trapping him.


    Pain struck, blood dripped from his eyes, his skin broke on his arms, his nails grew longer and sharper.


    The sky fell, the sands burned, and his humanity slipped away from him.


    * * *


    He woke up, drenched in sweat and taking deep, fast breaths. The first rays of sunlight shone through the window into his room.


    Sitting up, he tried to calm his racing heart. He ran his fingers along his arms. He was fine. There was no broken skin, no wounds or scars. It was a dream.


    It was a vision. One of many the Old God had shown him.


    A cold shiver ran down his spine as he hopped out of bed and hurried into the bathroom and looked into the mirror. His bloodshot eyes made him look a lot more tired than he really was, but aside from that he looked normal. There was no blood running from his left eye. He was fine.


    For now.


    He needed to talk to his mother, and to the Crimson Witch. Unlike any other visions the Old God had shown him, this one hurt. The lingering pain of his breaking skin and growing nails remained, and every time he recalled it, his hands clenched involuntarily.


    A quick bath and some clean clothes allowed him to feel some semblance of normalcy as he left his room. His fast paced steps carried him to the throne room. ¡°Is my mother here?¡± He asked to the saluting guards.


    ¡°Her majesty hasn¡¯t arrived yet, your highness!¡±


    Midhir scowled. It was quite early in the morning, so this was hardly a surprise, but it was annoying, nonetheless. ¡°What about her guest, the woman dressed in red?¡±


    The guard paused for a split second. ¡°She passed through here, your highness. She was headed towards the medical wing.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Was she still trying to heal Lord Aulorn? He hoped she was ¨C for everyone¡¯s sake. His steps carried him towards the Lord Enforcer¡¯s chamber as his thoughts raced to drown out the part of his mind that wanted to think about everything that happened yesterday. He shook his head, forcing that part into silence.


    ¡°You¡¯re in a hurry.¡±


    A voice rang, startling him was he was about to enter Lord Aulorn¡¯s chamber. He whirled around, only to see Circe leaning against the rails on the balcony across the hallway.


    ¡°For good reason, I believe.¡± He stepped out onto the balcony.


    The frigid morning breeze pulled at his hair and tugged at his clothes. His breath turned into mist, and the cold air the made him shiver momentarily, though the mild numbness it brought along was quite welcome. ¡°I was looking for you.¡±


    The Crimson Witch¡¯s eyebrows raised as her lips curled up into a smile. ¡°Whatever could I do for you, prince?¡±


    He tightened his jaw. It almost felt like she was mocking him. ¡°The Old God showed me another vision.¡±


    Her smile shattered, and her gaze turned sharp as she stepped away from the railing. ¡°When?¡± Her voice was a low growl.


    ¡°In my sleep. Circe, what will happen a year from now?¡± He asked, stepping closer and meeting her gaze. ¡°I¡¯m not just talking about how seeing both worlds at once will break me. I know what. I want to know what happens after that.¡±


    Her lips formed a thin line. ¡°What did you see?¡±

 Chapter 151 – Omens (3)

    An¡¯Larion began to wake up along with the rising sun. While the usual noise of the city didn¡¯t reach them on the balcony, they could see people beginning to leave their houses and crowd the streets. The city guard prepared for a change of shift, and the imperial army continued to guard the barrier around the thirteenth district vigilantly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Circe finally spoke. She had been silent for so long since he told her his dream ¨C his vision ¨C that her words startled him. ¡°But such a fate shouldn¡¯t come to pass.¡±


    Midhir raised an eyebrow. ¡°What makes you say that?¡±


    The Crimson Witch pointed at the sky. ¡°For there to be no stars¡­ something extraordinary must happen. There are very few beings in existence that can snuff them out ¨C or come between us and them.¡± There was a hint of awe in her voice as her gaze drifted away, far into a past Midhir shouldn¡¯t know of.


    ¡°It happened once. It could happen again.¡± The Old God had shown him that past. ¡°How did you stop it back then, Witch?¡±


    Circe visibly flinched. Her sharp gaze turned to him. ¡°I didn¡¯t. Everything Leviathan wished came to pass, and our light was restored to us.¡± She raised her chin. ¡°Such a fate will not befall you.¡± There was certainty in her voice ¨C confidence that Midhir couldn¡¯t help but doubt was unfounded.


    She turned away from him, her gaze lingering on the waking city. ¡°Besides, what you described is simply impossible. You can¡¯t just turn into a creature ¨C even if Leviathan was to descend upon us.¡± With a wave of her hand, she dismissed the subject. ¡°I must talk to your mother. Accompany me, will you?¡± Without waiting for his answer, she marched off towards the throne room.


    He couldn¡¯t help but doubt her words. How could he trust the words of a witch against visions shown by one of the Great Ones? But then again, Circe was hundreds of years old, if not older. How could he not trust her words ¨C and the wisdom and knowledge that came with having walked this world for so long?


    He shook his head. He had no way of calming his worries, of resolving his fears. Thinking about them only made them worse. Burying them under superficial thoughts, he hurried after Circe.


    The steps leading to the throne room were quite crowded. Double the number of usual soldiers stood guard, their eyes sharp and hands resting on the hilts of their blades or shafts of their spears. They saluted him as he and Circe approached. ¡°Your Highness,¡± One of them stepped up. ¡°Her Majesty the Empress was looking for you, and your companion.¡± He shot a quick, meaningful glance at Circe. ¡°Please hurry.¡±If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Dread loomed over him as he nodded. There were both nobles and commonfolk here, all quietly muttering amongst themselves, clutching their cloaks or coats in worry. To bring people of all walks of life here, something important must have happened. Such events were rarely good news.


    His mind immediately went to the situation in Calador as he walked through the half-open doors and let them close behind him and Circe.


    Empress Celyn sat upon her throne, her lips pursed, and her gaze fixed on the parchment in her hand. She tapped the armrest of the throne with her fingers. Ilya was pacing in front of the throne, her long heeled boots clicking on the stone tiles as she walked back and forth. Cait and about half a dozen more Enforcers quietly stood off to the side.


    A tall man stood at the foot of the steps leading to the throne. His impeccable uniform was devoid of even a single particle of dust, or a single crease.


    Midhir¡¯s heart sank as his gaze landed on his cloak ¨C the imperial sigil was embossed onto the cloth with golden thread. A Flaming bird, its wings outstretched. The sigil of the Ardagh bloodline.


    His mother¡¯s gaze snapped to him as the doors closed behind them with a soft click.


    ¡°Midhir,¡± She spoke, her voice formal, and her gaze cold as ice. This wasn¡¯t a mother talking to her son. It was the Empress, talking to the prince.


    His body tensed up as he walked up to the steps and kneeled. ¡°Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°Rise.¡± She raised her chin, her gaze turning to the man still standing ready, his hands joined behind his back, and his back straight. ¡°Proceed.¡±


    As Midhir stood up, the man turned towards him and bowed. It was a deep, respectful bow. ¡°Your Highness, by the command of Emperor Eamon Ardagh the Third, you have been summoned to Derwen Hold. All students of Solus Academy who have not otherwise been posted elsewhere are to accompany you, as well as Enforcers Sinath and Castors.¡±


    Ilya drew a sharp breath. Her lips parted in anger, but a sharp glance from Midhir stopped her. She folded her arms, glaring at the man who repeated their father¡¯s orders.


    ¡°I hear and obey.¡±


    The man bowed once more. ¡°I must request my leave, your Majesty, your highness, princess, enforcers.¡± He bowed towards each of them, then raised his gaze towards the Empress, awaiting her permission.


    She lightly nodded once, her gaze as cold as always. As the man hurried off, she turned towards the enforcers. ¡°You heard him. Rally the Solus students, aid the lords Castors and lady Sinath in their preparations, and arrange escort and horses. They leave in three days.¡±


    Only when they too were gone did Ilya whirl towards their mother. ¡°You accept this?¡± She shouted. ¡°Students sent to the Northern wall! It should be me going there, not Midhir and a few dozen kids!¡±


    Circe clicked her tongue quite loudly. Ilya stopped in the middle of her tirade to spare a bewildered glance at the Crimson Witch.


    ¡°Calm down, child.¡± She mocked Ilya. ¡°Celyn, my dear. I have been busy with that Lord Enforcer of yours, so I haven¡¯t been paying much attention. Tell me what happened.¡±


    The Empress clenched her fist, crumpling the parchment. ¡°Calador¡¯s civil war has come to an end.¡± She hissed. ¡°The King has been dethroned, his younger son took the throne, his advisor is the previous counsellor, Masaru Vaydrick. That¡¯s General Vaydrick now, too.¡±

 Chapter 152 – Omens (4)

    ¡°General Vaydrick¡­¡± The Crimson Witch raised an eyebrow as she folded her arms and tilted her head. ¡°What a series of unfortunate events.¡±


    ¡°That has nothing to do with Father¡¯s orders!¡± Ilya¡¯s voice was sharp. ¡°You can¡¯t just send a bunch of students to the northern wall, mother!¡± She shouted. Her expression twisted. ¡°You can¡¯t.¡± She repeated herself, glaring at their mother.


    ¡°It has everything to do with your Emperor¡¯s orders.¡± Circe walked past Ilya and walked up a few steps towards the throne. ¡°Your military is stretched thin, your Lord Enforcer out for the count, and the rest of the enforcers simply can¡¯t keep up with the disasters taking place all over your lands.¡±


    Midhir¡¯s gaze snapped to his mother. Circe wasn¡¯t wrong, Eldoria was suffering from natural disasters, unnatural events, and the constant attacks from those terrorists donning the symbol of the alchemists of old. Lord Aulorn¡¯s ailment had only made things worse.


    ¡°We live in difficult times,¡± The Empress closed her eyes and took a deep breath. ¡°Ilya, your father commanded. It will be done. It must be done.¡± She then turned towards Circe. ¡°We will survive.¡±


    The Crimson Witch clicked her tongue. ¡°You rule a beautiful city, Celyn. A beautiful city that¡¯s slowly dying. A city that¡¯s only a single disaster away from being devoured by the mist. Your son isn¡¯t the only one whose affected by it.¡± She made a vague gesture towards the tinted windows. ¡°You have not enough people to fix this. Olisar, Bareon, An¡¯Larion, even the smaller villages that should have been safe ¨C the Veil is being torn apart by forces hiding in plain sight.¡±


    Ilya clenched her fists. ¡°We¡¯ll stop them.¡±


    Circe ignored her words, and her fiery gaze filled with determination. Instead, her gaze turned to Midhir. ¡°Heed my words, child. The Veil is a fragile thing. It is the only thing standing between this world, and the one beyond. If it¡¯s torn apart beyond repair, everything you saw will spill on this side.¡± She raised her chin. ¡°Do not allow those who have stolen the alchemists¡¯ sigil to do any further harm to it. It will not survive much more damage.¡±


    His mother leaned forward on her throne, her hands gripping the armrests. Her knuckles were white with the force of her grip, her eyes narrow, and her shoulders tense. ¡°How much damage can it survive?¡±


    Circe paused for a moment. She closed her eyes, tilted her head, and gently ran her fingers through the air as if she was pushing aside a curtain. ¡°You cannot allow any spirit that passes through to remain here. Too much damage was done already. Consider yourselves at knife¡¯s edge.¡±


    ¡°So, none?¡± Ilya asked, drawing a sharp breath.


    Circe only shot her a meaningful glance before turning her attention back to Midhir. ¡°I promised you one year. That promise is naught if the Veil is no more. Watch for the omens and sharpen your blade. Those who carry the sigil of the twelve part serpent must be stopped.¡±The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    * * *


    The Vermillion Keep bustled with activity as guards rallied to find all Solus staff and students currently in An¡¯Larion. Scouts rode out to secure the route, while the chosen escorts prepared for the week-long journey.


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t we using an airship?¡± Willow asked as she nervously paced the room. She, Arwen and the newly recovered Alistair had gathered in his quarters. Willow¡¯s words were the first thing to break the silence that settled after Midhir told them of the Emperor¡¯s summons.


    ¡°Airships don¡¯t approach the Northern Wall. They can¡¯t function near the pylons safely.¡± Alistair scowled as he spoke. He restlessly shook his leg and continuously ran his fingers over the creases of his trousers.


    ¡°Oh.¡± Willow muttered. ¡°And Derwen Hold is near the Northern Wall?¡±


    Midhir took a deep breath. ¡°Yes. It¡¯s a fortress at the foot of the mountain range separating Calador from Eldoria. It¡¯s not very well known by the public, so it unsurprising that you hadn¡¯t heard of it before.¡± After all, there was no reason for non-military personnel to ever go to Derwen Hold. In the public eye, it simply was one of the many strongholds of the Eldorian Empire.


    He turned his gaze to Arwen. The young witch had been silent up until now. ¡°Have you chosen a weapon yet?¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°I will,¡± she muttered quietly. Her voice trailed off as she avoided meeting their gazes.


    ¡°I¡¯ll help you out.¡± Willow immediately volunteered. ¡°Come on, lets go.¡± She practically dragged Arwen out of the room and hurried towards the armoury.


    ¡°Is there anything else we should know about?¡± Alistair asked after the door closed behind the two women.


    Midhir brushed his hair back. ¡°We must stop the cultists.¡±


    ¡°That was a given.¡± Alistair chuckled softly. ¡°I meant about you.¡± He pointed at his own left eye. ¡°The Northern Wall is lined with pylons ¨C enough of them that they distort the spiritual power in the whole region. Will you be alright?¡±


    Midhir shrugged. ¡°We¡¯ll find out, I suppose.¡± Circe hadn¡¯t given him a warning about that, so he hadn¡¯t really thought about it until now.


    Alistair furrowed his brows and straightened his back. ¡°How can you be so nonchalant about this?¡± He made a vague, annoyed motion towards him with his arms. ¡°It¡¯s your own life and sanity that¡¯s at risk!¡±


    A sigh escaped his lips before he could stop himself. ¡°It¡¯s a summons, Alistair.¡± He lowered himself onto his bed and leaned forward. ¡°From my father. From the Emperor himself. I don¡¯t get to refuse. I hear, and I obey.¡±


    ¡°Even if it ends up killing you?¡±


    ¡°I hear, and I obey.¡± He repeated once more before standing back up and reaching for his blade put up against the wall by the door. ¡°I should get better acquainted with this. Care for a spar?¡±


    Alistair looked away. ¡°I understand.¡± He took a deep breath before shaking his head. ¡°I¡¯ll have to pass on that ¨C I¡¯m not well enough yet. But I¡¯d like to watch, if you don¡¯t mind. It looks like a beautiful and elegant weapon.¡±


    ¡°That it is.¡± Midhir chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m far from elegant with it though.¡± He threw his cloak over his shoulders, took the weapon and attached its sheathe to his belt, then walked outside, only pausing for Alistair so he could catch up. They walked the short distance to the courtyard in uncomfortable silence.


    Was the young Orlein uncomfortable because of him? Was his status as prince causing this? Thoughts and questions he didn¡¯t know how to mention or ask crowded his mind. How much of how they treated him was genuine, and how much of it was to remain in the good graces of the Ardagh House? Doubts tugged at his mind. He could feel a lump in his throat as he repeated their conversations, and their actions in his mind.


    ¡°Highness,¡± A respectful, yet clear voice rang across the courtyard as soon as they stepped out into the open. ¡°I hoped to see you again!¡± Arbiter Kaien exclaimed. ¡°Spar with me!¡±

 Chapter 153 – Omens (5)

    ¡°Arbiter,¡± he forced a smile. ¡°A pleasant surprise.¡± Questions flooded his thoughts as he bowed his head, then gestured towards Alistair. ¡°This is Alistair Orlein, future Lord of Bareon.¡± He then turned to Alistair. ¡°This is Arbiter Kaien, from the Kingdom of Calador. He arrived here yesterday.¡±


    Alistair¡¯s eyes widened for a split second. His lips parted in surprise, but he quickly turned that into a polite smile. ¡°An honour, Arbiter.¡±


    ¡°Likewise.¡± The Arbiter¡¯s gaze lingered on the young Orlein only for a moment before he turned it back to Midhir. ¡°You seem refreshed, highness. Let us spar.¡±


    This was a request he could refuse ¨C not without offending the Arbiter. ¡°It would be an honour, Arbiter.¡± He removed his cloak, and let it fall to the ground before walking to the centre of the courtyard, marked by the sigil carved into the ground ¨C a bird, its wings aflame. He pushed aside the thoughts crowding his mind, and unsheathed the blade as the Arbiter took his place about half a dozen steps apart.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t a weapon of strength,¡± the Caladorian spoke, his eyes half closed, his own weapon also drawn. ¡°It is a weapon of speed and wit.¡± He opened his eyes fully, his gaze focusing on Midhir. ¡°On your mark, highness.¡±


    Midhir clenched his jaw. The Abiter¡¯s stance was low, and the man exuded confidence with every motion he made. ¡°Alistair, please be our judge.¡±


    The young Orlein nodded as he stepped back and to the side, where he could clearly see them both. He waited for a moment before raising his hand. ¡°Begin!¡±


    Arbiter Kaien raised his sword over his right shoulder, its sharp edge facing the sky, and its tip facing Midhir. His knees were ever so slightly bent, his grip steady.


    A moment passed in charged silence before the Arbiter lunged forward. Midhir raised his own blade to counter. The sound of metal clashing against metal echoed in the courtyard as a small crowd began to gather, standing by the edges. Murmurs and whispers barely reached his ears, threatening to distract him.


    His heart raced as the Arbiter¡¯s relentless strikes forced him to step back continuously. Sweat rolled down his chin, and his arms ached from the effort it took to defend. He sought an opportunity to strike, to try and land a single hit ¨C to force him to step back once. That opportunity didn¡¯t come.


    Their clash ended with Midhir facing the sharp edge of the Arbiter¡¯s blade. ¡°It was a duel well fought.¡± The Arbiter said with a cheerful smile as he sheathed his blade. ¡°You learn fast, Highness.¡±


    Midhir couldn¡¯t help but scoff at the thought. ¡°I was like a child who held a sword for the first time.¡± He shook his head as he also sheathed his blade. He hadn¡¯t landed a single hit, hadn¡¯t forced the Arbiter to defend himself properly once. With a sigh, he wiped the sweat off his face. He was exhausted already.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    ¡°You learn, Highness. It takes time.¡± The Arbiter raised his gaze towards the sky. ¡°If you excuse me, I must be on my way. Let us spar again soon.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± He stepped aside as the Arbiter walked away, into the keep. As the doors closed behind him and the crowd that had gathered scattered, he let out a sigh and shook his head.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t so bad.¡± Alistair commented with a half-smile. ¡°Not many could stand their ground against an Arbiter for quite so long. Especially using a weapon they¡¯re unfamiliar with.¡±


    ¡°It showed me how much I¡¯m lacking.¡± He took a deep breath and unsheathed the weapon once more. The light, well balanced blade was comfortable in his hands, though the unusual curve of the weapon often threw him off, causing his strikes to lose their balance, and not strike true. He needed to train more, he needed to get used to the weapon, make it a part of himself, an extension of his mind as Alistair¡¯s spear was a part of the young Orlein.


    * * *


    Three days passed in the blink of an eye, though the four Solus students used what little time they had to prepare the best they could. Arwen finally chose one of the crystal staves with the help of Willow and Alistair, while Willow spent most of her time by her father¡¯s bedside, praying to the sun and the daughter that he would wake up.


    Midhir spent most of his time sparring. Arbiter Kaien joined him sometimes, though most of the time his sparring partner was Alistair, or one of the many members of the Imperial Guard. Day by day, he grew more familiar with his new weapon, though mastery was still many years away.


    They gathered at the gates of the Vermillion Keep on the dawn of the fourth day. The guardsmen prepared their horses, while carriages were assigned to the groups of students and staff of Solus Military Academy. Scouts rode out ahead of them as they finished their preparations.


    Midhir helped Arwen and Willow load their belongings into the back of their carriage, then lifted his own luggage. While they all would have preferred to travel lighter, several sets of new uniforms had been prepared for them, as an audience with the Emperor was likely, and one needed to prepare such.


    With a grunt, he pushed his own luggage into the compartment in the back of the carriage, then turned around, only to come face to face with Ilya.


    ¡°I made it in time,¡± she said with a tired smile. Her eyes were bloodshot and had dark circles around them. Her hair was a mess, her clothes wrinkled and creased, as if she had slept in them.


    ¡°When did you last sleep?!¡± Midhir exclaimed. Ilya never walked around looking like this.


    ¡°Not important,¡± she chuckled, then stepped closer and hugged him. ¡°Promise me you¡¯ll be careful.¡± She whispered. ¡°Don¡¯t get into fights you can¡¯t win.¡±


    ¡°I know, I¡¯ll be careful. I¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    ¡°Be careful with Father too.¡± She added with a much lower, and much deeper voice. ¡°You can¡¯t waver, not once.¡±


    ¡°I know, Ilya.¡± He knew perfectly well. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    She stepped back, then smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t make me come get you, ok?¡±


    He couldn¡¯t help but laugh. If he was ever in such a situation, she would truly just drop everything and come. He knew that ¨C he had always known that. ¡°Alright, alright.¡± He said with a chuckle. ¡°I¡¯ll see you soon, sister. You be careful too. Take care of mom.¡±


    The convoy soon set off, passing through the city just as the sun began to rise. They silently watched as the city was soon behind them, and only the overgrowth was visible from the windows of the carriage.


    Their week-long journey to Derwen Hold had begun. The Northern Wall awaited them.

 Chapter 154 – Foot of the Northern Wall (1)

    Eldoria¡¯s lands were vast. Everyone knew that ¨C everyone learned about all the different places in the Empire. Everyone knew that the province of Olisar was temperate, filled with olive groves, fields of corn and spelt. The sun shone brightly there, the summers were hot, winters were temperate, and spring and autumn was always rainy.


    It was quite easy to know all that. It was another thing to experience the stark difference in climate and surroundings.


    The Northern Wall was nested between two gigantic mountain ranges. It covered the only passable terrain between Calador and Eldoria along the northern section of their shared borders. It was cold, snow was often seen, and the terrain was difficult to traverse. Everyone knew that.


    ¡°When you said it¡¯s cold¡­¡± Arwen covered her mouth and nose with her palms, breathing in and out rapidly as her teeth clattered. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect it the air to freeze!¡±


    ¡°Me neither.¡± Alistair muttered. He didn¡¯t seem as bothered by the cold, though he was wearing several more layers underneath his cloak.


    The of the carriage creaked open, and Willow stepped out. Her nose and cheeks were red from the cold, but she seemed cozy and warm in her newly changed clothes. ¡°I can feel my fingers now.¡± She said with a relieved tone and pushed Arwen towards the carriage. ¡°How did you know it¡¯d be so cold so fast?¡±


    ¡°Happened when Ilya was visiting Derwen Hold too.¡± Midhir absentmindedly replied. He had warned them as they struck camp in the morning. His gaze lingered in the front ¨C something had blocked their path, only after they set off. Whatever it was, the guardsmen were still busy trying to clear it. ¡°I¡¯ll check what the holdup is.¡±


    Somewhat trampled snow crunched under his boots as he made his way to the front of the convoy. The storm had only lasted half an hour, yet even such a short time had been enough to cover the area in a thick blanket of snow.


    As he stepped out from behind the foremost carriage, the biting wind slammed against him. The cold penetrated through his clothes, forcing him to wrap himself in his fur lined cloak. His lips went somewhat numb, and his fingertips hurt from the cold.


    Large mounds of snow covered the stone paved road connecting Derwen Hold to An¡¯Larion. Branches and roots sticked out of the snow.


    ¡°Fallen trees.¡± Cait¡¯s voice startled him. She was leaning out of the window of the carriage he had just walked past. ¡°It¡¯ll take time to move them.¡± Her eyes were narrowed, and she covered the lower half of her face with her hands as she spoke. ¡°Get some rest while they work.¡± She sounded awfully tired.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    ¡°Are you-¡°


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± she cut him off. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me, Midhir.¡± She forced a smile, lowering her hands for a moment before visibly shivering. ¡°The mist took its toll, so I need to rest. More than most.¡± She tapped her finger below her eyes, pointing at them. ¡°I overdid it in the Induen Estate.¡±


    ¡°I understand, I think.¡± He hesitated. ¡°Get some rest then.¡±


    With a smile, she nodded, then closed the window of her carriage, and pulled her curtains.


    Midhir turned his gaze forward once more and made his way to the guardsmen gathered in front of the mounds of snow and the trees beneath. Of course Cait was exhausted ¨C she rarely used her ability, and even when she used it outside of the mist, it took a toll on her. He couldn¡¯t imagine how much it must have drained her while she was chasing the man wearing that ridiculous helmet through the Induen estate.


    ¡°Your highness,¡± Two very similar voices spoke up at once as he arrived by the small crowd of guardsmen. He raised his gaze and met the gazes of two very much identical men. Had they not dressed in starkly opposite colours, he¡¯d have no way of telling them apart. One was dressed in pure white, while the other was dressed in black.


    ¡°Lords Castor,¡± He bowed his head ever so slightly before pointing towards the fallen trees and mounds of snow. ¡°Didn¡¯t scouts ride ahead of us this morning? How come did we not receive reports of this?¡±


    The Castor brother in white shook his head. ¡°We¡¯re not quite sure ourselves, your highness. We haven¡¯t received any reports from our scouts yet.¡±


    Midhir scowled. No sane man would think this wasn¡¯t something worth reporting. Had the trees fallen during the storm, after the scouts had already passed through here? ¡°You do have a wind augment, don¡¯t you? Blow away that snow, please.¡±


    The Castor Brother in black immediately turned towards the snow covered fallen trees. His hand rested on the hilt of his blade. The biting wind blowing towards them from the mountains whirled, its direction changed as his resonance took charge of it.


    He folded his arms as he watched the snow slowly get blown away, revealing the fallen trees somewhat.


    ¡°Old Growth.¡± The Castor Brother in white blurted out. He pointed at the guardsmen, then towards the side of the road. ¡°Check the roots.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Lord!¡± Half a dozen of them rushed towards the bottom end of the fallen trees.


    Midhir walked past the enforcer twins and rested his hand on the closest tree. ¡°Half a dozen trees at least¡­¡± he muttered, mostly to himself as he leaned to the left and right, trying to count them. They were all stacked on top of each other neatly. Too neatly.


    His gaze snapped to the guardsmen returning from checking the roots. ¡°They¡¯re torn, Lords!¡± They reported. ¡°All of them.¡±


    The Old Growth wasn¡¯t made of individual trees. They were all connected in one way or another ¨C either by shared roots, merged branches, or straight up fused trunks.


    He turned towards the twin enforcers as his hand went towards his earring. ¡°Unfortunate,¡± he spoke loudly. His voice echoed across the snow-covered forests climbing the two mountains on either side of them. He fiddled with his hair as his gaze scoured their surroundings.


    They had to be somewhere nearby, hiding, waiting. But where? Where were they?

 Chapter 155 – Foot of the Northern Wall (2)

    The wind howled as it shook the upper branches of the trees around them. The sound of rustling leaves was accompanied by the neighing horses. Even these usually gentle animals had become unruly. They shook their heads erratically.


    ¡°Your Highness?¡± The Castor Brother in black asked.


    ¡°Quite unfortunate.¡± Midhir repeated himself in a lower voice. How far did the wind carry his words? Or was its howl loud enough to shield them from eavesdroppers? It was difficult to judge.


    ¡°Pardon?¡± The enforcer asked louder, leaning in closer to hear him.


    Midhir let out an exaggerated sigh, visibly rolled his eyes, then covered both sides of his mouth with his hands as if he was trying to amplify his voice. ¡°Ambush, we¡¯re watched.¡± He whispered.


    The Castor Brother nodded. ¡°Indeed,¡± he loudly exclaimed. ¡°It¡¯s quite unfortunate, your highness.¡± His hand rested on his sword, while his gaze darted around for a split second. He made a grand gesture towards the fallen trees blocking the road, then shook his head as he marched towards his brother.


    He pointed at the fallen trees repeatedly as they spoke, shaking their heads and barking orders at the troops around them loudly.


    Midhir clenched his jaw. What were they waiting for? Why hadn¡¯t the attack begun yet? They were sitting ducks here, trapped between two steep mountains and a blocked off road. It would be trivial for even a small force to attack them from behind, thus blocking their only escape route. It would force them to either route into the overgrowth or take a stand and risk death.


    So why? What were they waiting for? He paused and scowled as he pulled his hood over his head. His gaze lingered on the shadows beneath the tall trees on either side of the road. To properly assault a force of this size, the cultists would need at least fifty men, if not more ¨C and that was without accounting for the three enforcers accompanying them.


    He drew a sharp breath. They were waiting for their own to arrive.


    ¡°Lords Castor.¡± He called out. Both of them stopped their theatrics and hurried to his side with stern expressions. Their hands rested on the hilts of their weapons, and their shoulders were visibly tense. ¡°Accompany me,¡± he said as he turned towards the overgrowth on the left side of the road.


    The biting wind blew against his back, tugging his cloak, pushing him forward, and howling in his ear. It was difficult to hear anything in the direction he was facing, but the murmurs of the guardsmen were carried by the wind quite clearly.


    He marched towards the overgrowth with the two enforcers in tow, only stopping for a moment to point at Cait¡¯s carriage. ¡°Inform her, she¡¯s to guard the convoy.¡±The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    The Castor in white nodded. He rushed towards her carriage and lightly knocked on the door.


    He would catch up in a few moments. Midhir continued to march towards the treeline. As soon as he stepped beneath the forest canopy, the air grew heavier, and the howling wind seemed to calm. It wasn¡¯t pushing him forward with such force anymore ¨C it had become a gentle breeze, barely penetrating the heavy, thick air underneath the forest canopy.


    Snow hadn¡¯t been able to pass through the thick canopy of large, still green leaves and thick, twisting branches, so while the ground was moist, it was covered in a layer of fallen leaves and broken branches. He could see with the corner of his eye the overturned earth where they had clearly torn the roots of the fallen trees ¨C it was so clearly made by men, and not nature. Did they consider the Empire¡¯s army fools, or had they simply run out of time, he couldn¡¯t help but wonder.


    He could still clearly hear the sounds coming from the convoy as he walked deeper into the overgrowth. Dead leaves crumbled beneath his boots, and fallen branches and twigs threatened to reveal his location. He waited for the enforcer to catch up with him before moving forward.


    Once they were an adequate distance away from the caravan, he glanced around. The ground was even, and there weren¡¯t too many bushes and shrubbery around. He lifted his foot and stomped on a broken branch.


    The sound of the snapping branch echoed.


    Was that movement he caught with the corner of his eye? Or was it just branches swaying with the wind? It was difficult to tell as it was so dark ¨C no sunlight could penetrate a forest canopy so thick and layered. Instead, their light source was the glowing vines, the flowers and such ¨C just like in the Old Growth surrounding Bareon.


    Leaves rustled behind them. As the Castor brothers whirled around to face the new threat, Midhir stared forward. That man loved his theatrics ¨C wasn¡¯t going to step out from behind them.


    ¡°Drop your weapons!¡± Someone shouted. One of the Castor brothers scoffed at the mere suggestion.


    ¡°I know you¡¯re there.¡± Midhir glared at the shadows. ¡°Stop hiding behind your flock.¡±


    A moment passed in silence. Was he wrong? Had the man with the helmet, the leader of this despicable cult not come here himself?


    Branches snapped, and the sound of footsteps approached before the man stepped out from behind a large tree. His comically ornate helmet seemed too heavy for his neck. ¡°I can¡¯t refuse a prince¡¯s summons, I suppose.¡± He leaned against the tree. ¡°Though I must say, you¡¯ve ruined our surprise.¡± He gestured broadly around them as more people stepped out of the shadows.


    They all wore the same dark clothes and black cloaks, with the mark of the twelve-part serpent embroidered over their cloaks, right above their hearts.


    ¡°You did that by yourselves.¡± Midhir raised his chin. ¡°Stacking trees so neatly over one and another? Did you take us for fools?¡± He had counted about three dozen people. Now the question was whether this man had yet another trick up his sleeve.


    The man shrugged. ¡°No, not at all. I took you for slow ¨C yet you travelled quite fast.¡±


    Lack of time it was, then.


    ¡°But perhaps I was wrong ¨C you are a fool, prince. Coming out here into the Old Growth, with nothing but two knights to protect you?¡± He laughed.


    ¡°Why even bother with the caravan?¡± Midhir scowled. ¡°Since when are you attacking the Imperial Army?¡±


    The man raised his chin. ¡°It was carrying something that belongs to us.¡± His voice grew deeper. ¡°My lady died for this ¨C I will not let her sacrifice be in vain.¡± He pointed at Midhir and the Castor brothers. ¡°Kill the knights,¡± he ordered. ¡°and bring him.¡±


    A shiver ran down his spine as he realised what the man meant.


    ¡°Your orders, highness?¡± The Castor brother in white asked.


    ¡°Capture that man alive.¡± He hissed. ¡°And only him.¡±

 Chapter 156 – Foot of the Northern Wall (3)

    ¡°As you command.¡± The Castor brothers spoke in tandem. Their movements were identical as they each took a step forward, bending their knees slightly. Their torso turned somewhat towards the left, they held their blades parallel to the ground, the tip pointing at their opponents.


    In tandem, they kicked the ground, dashing towards the cultists surrounding them. The sound of metal hitting metal echoed in the otherwise silent forest, followed by the pained screens, and cut-off grunts of the cultists as the Castor Brothers¡¯ blade found their hearts and throats.


    ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?!¡± The man with the helmet shouted. ¡°There are just two of them!¡± Was that a tinge of panic in his voice?


    Midhir shifted his gaze towards the Castor Brothers. The cultists they were fighting were better armed and armoured than the ones he, Ilya and the others faced in the catacombs of the Induen House. They wore a mix of chainmail and leather padded armour, carried both spears and swords, and he even spotted a few augments placed into their pommels.


    With narrowed eyes and furrowed brows, he turned his gaze back to the man wearing that ridiculous helmet.


    He was dressed differently than before too. Instead of his ragged clothes, torn cloak and boots that seemed like they could fall apart at any second, he was now wearing chainmail, with reinforced boots and leather gloves that each had a gemstone woven into the back of his hands. A black, fur lined cloak was attached to his shoulders with two golden pins.


    His gaze lingered on his gloves. Two of them. Two hands. Had he seen things wrongly? Hadn¡¯t Ilya burned off that man¡¯s hand? His parted as he breathed in to speak up, but a loud scream cut him off before he could begin.


    ¡°For the Old Gods!¡± One of the cultists shouted at the top of his lungs as he charged at Midhir.


    ¡°Prince!¡± The Castor brother in black warned him. He swung his blade and motioned to turn towards the assailant. He was too far away ¨C he wasn¡¯t going to make it in time to get between him and Midhir.


    He drew his blade just as the cultist lunged forward with his spear. The thick thud of wood hitting metal was mostly drowned out by the sounds of battle all around them. The flat side of the slightly curved blade had hit the spear¡¯s wooden haft, changing its direction just enough to miss Midhir. Instead, the cultist stumbled forward, stabbing the ground with his spear, and leaving himself wide open. His eyes widened just for a split second before Midhir¡¯s swift strike slit his throat.The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    The disgusting sounds of the dying man trying to breathe reached his ears. Steeling his resolve, he turned his gaze towards the others ¨C half a dozen men who hadn¡¯t yet engaged the Castor Brothers in battle.


    They were meant to catch him alive.


    He had no such reservations.


    Reaching within, he summoned his spiritual power, controlling its flow as it poured out, through his arms, down to his fingertips, and finally using the sword as a conduit, into the white crystal embedded into its hilt.


    White-silver flames danced on the blade as he bent his knees slightly, held the blade off to his left side, its tip dragging behind him, mimicking one of the many stances the Lord Arbiter had taught him. He breathed out to calm his racing heart somewhat, and his gaze settled on his opponents. As he took his next breath, he lunged forward.


    Leaving trails of white-silver flames burning hot behind, he stuck. The flames leapt from his sword onto the wooden hafts of his opponent¡¯s spears. He forced the flames to separate from his blade, he forced himself to control them despite there being no physical connection. The trails of fire left behind by his blade spread out, forcing the cultists to retreat and allowing him to turn this into a duel ¨C albeit only for a few moments. His strength faded quickly, and his power drained at an alarming rate.


    But a few moments was all he needed. No amount of gear and fine weaponry could make up for a lack of discipline and training. These men had perhaps a few weeks of training at most, and from how scared they seemed of him and the two enforcers wreaking havoc behind him, this was probably their first real battle.


    He pushed his emotions aside and struck. As they fell, he told himself he had given them fast, mostly painless deaths.


    When the last one fell, his gaze turned towards the man with the helmet. They both remained still for a moment, weighing their options.


    The man turned around and ran.


    Midhir kicked the ground, dashing after him. The flames faded away as he stopped the flow of spiritual power.


    The dense forest made it difficult to run. Bushes and large shrubbery  blocked the path, while low hanging branches made it difficult to stand straight. Vines and flowery plants hung from the forest canopy, providing them with pale blue light.


    Even when he lost sight of the man, he could follow him with ease simply by listening to the thudding sound of his helmet hitting the branches. He ran, and Midhir followed, until they came to a stop.


    The man was out of breath, he leaned his arm against a tree trunk, panting, taking deep, sharp breaths. His other hand was clenched, pressed against his chest. He lifted his head as Midhir approached. ¡°You don¡¯t give up, do you, prince?¡± He grunted.


    ¡°Not when my people are threatened.¡± Midhir grasped the hilt of his blade with both hands. ¡°What you are doing in the name of the Old Gods is doing irreversible damage to the Veil. Do you even know what the consequences of your success could be?¡±


    ¡°Ascension!¡± He spat, pointing at Midhir. ¡°We would have had it if not for your meddling! You killed our priestess, massacred our people, and for what?! To protect your precious church? The sun and the daughter?¡± He scoffed. ¡°False gods, false idols! The Old Gods await! They wait for us to see the truth once more! So they can bless us ¨C with power beyond comprehension!¡± he shouted, slamming his fist into the tree.


    A sharp pain struck Midhir¡¯s left eye as the forest seemingly came to life.

 Chapter 157 – Foot of the Northern Wall (4)

    Branches whipped down from above, striking the ground around him like spears from high.


    ¡°This is the power the Old Gods give me!¡± The man pointed at Midhir. ¡°What does your god give you, prince? What does the sun and the daughter do for you?¡±


    Midhir glanced over his shoulder. The branches had come down around him like a cage, not giving him much room for movement. He turned his gaze back to the man. ¡°Is this about how the new church failed you and your people somehow?¡±


    The ground beneath his feet shifted slightly. Like snakes slithering out of a cover of dead leaves, roots slowly curled around his ankles. ¡°You would destroy the world as we know it to exact revenge on the church?¡± He cast his mind back ¨C to the very first time he truly witnessed the power that brought the Overgrowth to life. What had Arwen done then?


    ¡°We will all ascend in the embrace of the Old Ones!¡± The man¡¯s voice trembled with glee. ¡°Immortality, and power beyond comprehension awaits. Can you imagine?¡± He raised his hands up, towards the sky. ¡°Can you imagine seeing them?¡±


    Midhir stared at him blankly for a moment. Was this man serious? They didn¡¯t even know what their ritual did! A tinge of anger, mixed with amusement rose within. A laugh escaped his lips. ¡°Is that what you want? To see them?¡± He shook his head as he pressed his palm against the sharp edge of his blade.


    ¡°What of it?¡± The man asked. ¡°What man doesn¡¯t want to see his god?¡± His voice faded towards the end as he watched Midhir cut his own palm.


    Midhir reached for the branches forming this rather small cage around him. He pressed his bleeding hand against one of them. ¡°I thought you competent.¡± He wrapped his fingers around the branch as streaks of blood flowed down. ¡°I believed you to be a danger ¨C not because of the forces you command,  but because of your resourcefulness. You were always where you could do the most damage ¨C and at first, nobody even noticed, did they?¡±


    The man raised his chin like a peacock ruffling its feathers.


    ¡°Lohssa was your doing. You first tried it there, didn¡¯t you? You destabilised a healed tear in the Veil. Made sure it was torn once more. That¡¯s why it was much more difficult than it should have been to heal. And then there was your work in Olisar ¨C you caused nearly all enforcers to be sent there, because of how many tears you caused.¡± He scowled. ¡°Lady Larna died because of you.¡±The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    The man scoffed. ¡°One of your enforcers killed her.¡±


    ¡°She tore the veil apart ¨C in the castle. Nearly killing her own bloodline. That would have been a great victory for you, wouldn¡¯t it?¡±


    The man simply shrugged.


    ¡°So what is then?¡± Midhir asked, ignoring the pain in his left hand. ¡°You attack an imperial convoy, say you succeeded ¨C you kidnapped the prince. What happens next?¡±


    The man chuckled. ¡°I think we¡¯ve talked enough.¡±


    The roots wrapped around his ankles tightened as they continued to crawl up his legs.


    ¡°No,¡± Midhir glared at him. ¡°You¡¯ve got a lot of talking to do before we¡¯re done.¡± He raised his gaze to the tree the man was leaning against. ¡°Now release me.¡±


    The roots retreated, and the branches rose back towards the canopy as the trees heeded his command.


    The man stumbled backwards with a gasp. ¡°You can¡¯t! I have the authority! She granted it to me!¡±


    Midhir showed his bleeding palm. ¡°Surrender.¡± He commanded.


    ¡°No!¡± The man shouted at the top of his lungs. ¡°How-¡°


    ¡°Capture him.¡± He was done letting him escape, over and over again. Circe¡¯s warning was fresh in his mind. He was not going let this man ad his lackeys harm the Veil beyond repair.


    As if the forest was waiting for his command, branches struck down from above as soon as he uttered those words. Roots whipped up from below the thin layer of fallen leaves, wrapping themselves around the mans legs.


    ¡°Your Highness!¡± He heard the Castor brothers¡¯ voice, accompanied by the rustle of branches and bushes as they made their way through the forest. They came to stop when they noticed the trapped man struggling to escape. ¡°We have dispatched of the other cultists, my Lord.¡± The Castor Brother in black quickly said, while his brother approached the man. ¡°What are your orders, sire?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re bringing him with us to Derwen Hold.¡± He turned around, and walked away, leaving them to deal with the struggling man.


    As soon as he was out of their field of view, he let out a grunt as his shoulders slumped, and his steps became uneven. Simply commanding the overgrowth to release him had left him exhausted. His second command was nothing more than a gamble ¨C either he was going to wrestle control of the overgrowth, or he was going to lose consciousness trying.


    He dragged his feet towards the convoy, half regretting not taking Cait along with him. Had she been with him, the man wouldn¡¯t have gotten the chance to start running in the first place.


    It took him a short while to reach the edge of the forest. A frigid wind slammed against him as soon as he stepped out of the overgrowth, carrying with it the scent of blood.


    His body tensed up as he rested his hand on the hilt of his blade, and his gaze darted towards the convoy.


    The white snow covering the area was dyed crimson with blood. Bodies laying face down had already begun to freeze as gentle snowfall started to blanket them in snow. On the road, the carriages were damaged, their wheels shattered, doors and windows smashed, and the horses either routed or dead.


    He bit his lips as a wave of dread washed over him. He should have never left the convoy.

 Chapter 158 – Foot of the Northern Wall (5)

    Midhir drew a shallow breath as he stood between the broken carriages, amidst the dead bodies. A part of him didn¡¯t want to know whether they were friend or foe. A part of him feared seeing Alistair¡¯s face, or Willow¡¯s.


    The sound of a snapping branch broke the fragile silence. His ears perked up as he rushed behind one of the broken carriages and peeked to the side.


    From the overgrowth on the other side of the road, a familiar face stepped out. Alistair glanced around as he tightly held onto his blood soaked spear. After spending a moment scouting, he waved his hand back and forth over his shoulder.


    A sigh of relief washed over him as he spotted Cait, Willow and Arwen step out of the woods, along with the imperial guard. He stepped out from behind the carriage, and marched towards them, only glancing over his shoulder once. The Castor Brothers hadn¡¯t returned yet, but he could hear the noise they made as they dragged their prisoner.


    ¡°Your Highness!¡± One of the imperial guards rushed over while the others gave him a quick bow and scattered around, checking the carriages. Or what remained of them.


    ¡°Report. What happened here?¡± He wasn¡¯t gone for long. How could have the convoy be attacked, and driven off into the overgrowth so fast?


    ¡°An attack by the cultists, sir.¡± The guard rushed to explain. ¡°They came from the forest, aiming not to kill but to disable the carriages. They routed the horses, and those that didn¡¯t run fast and far, they killed. We only have three wounded, no casualties otherwise.¡± He paused, though for s split second his lips parted as if he had more to say. Then, he simply bowed, deciding silence was the better option.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Midhir pressed.


    The guard uncomfortably shifted his weight from one foot to the other. ¡°I don¡¯t think they meant to survive, sir. They ran right past us, even the Lady Enforcer, like destroying the carriages and killing the horses was their sole purpose.¡±


    Midhir scowled. ¡°They meant to slow us down, then?¡± He pressed his lips together. Why? Was it because of something in Derwen Hold, or because their leader had been captured? ¡°Thank you, return to your work.¡±


    Soon the Castor Brothers returned with the captured cultist leader. He was still wearing his helmet, but he had been stripped of his weapons and armour.


    None of the carriages were in a state that could be easily mended, and of the rogue horses only half a dozen of them had been caught and brought back. They had no choice but to continue their journey on foot ¨C even if they returned to An¡¯Larion for vessels, it would take too long.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    They loaded their supplies and wounded onto the remaining horses, and soon set off, braving the frigid wind and freezing cold. The roads were untouched as if they were the first to pass through here. Even the tracks of the scouts had been covered by snowfall.


    They camped late, and set off early, at dawn, in an attempt to make it to Derwen Hold in time. No matter the circumstances, the Emperor didn¡¯t like to be kept waiting after all. Despite their best efforts, what would have been a week-long journey lasted a fortnight. It was the dawn of the last day of their journey that the snow and incredible cold subsided, and the sun begun to peek from behind the thick layers of clouds again.


    By the time Derwen Hold entered their view, the sun had begun to set, dyeing the world in gold, and the skies purple. The convoy stopped for a few moments, to rest and to appreciate the view stretched before them.


    A lone mountain, separated from the mountain ranges surrounding it and covering the northern lands of Eldoria, stood tall before them. It was quite small, for a mountain, and looked like it had been cut in half by a giant, as the other side of it was clearly visible through the massive chasm passing through it.


    ¡°That,¡± Midhir pointed at it. ¡°Is Derwen Hold ¨C the hollow mountain, and bastion of the Emperor. One of largest military bases in Eldoria.¡±


    ¡°Is it inside the mountain?¡± Arwen asked with disbelief.


    ¡°Mostly, as far as I¡¯ve heard.¡± Alistair said with a scowl. He seemed tense and uncomfortable, and so did Willow.


    Midhir nodded. ¡°Yeah, most of it is. You¡¯ll see.¡±


    They set off again, marching towards the military base. Nearly everyone had taken this short break as a chance to freshen up, fix their creased uniforms and wipe the mud off their boots. The road lead them straight to the chasm cutting the mountain half. They arrived at dusk, just before the sun disappeared behind the mountains, drowning the world in darkness.


    A large, metal gate lifted as they arrived, allowing them entry into Derwen Hold. Aides and stable boys rushed to take the horses, while soldiers approached to take the prisoner. While all that was taken care of, Midhir allowed himself a moment to catch his breath and look around.


    Derwen Hold ¨C the military base itself ¨C was completely carved into the two cliffs facing each other. While it wasn¡¯t fully visible from here, the base covered the entirety of both halves of the mountain, and also stretched down, underground.


    ¡°Your Highness.¡± A sharp, cold voice startled him. ¡°The Emperor commands your presence in the Obsidian Hall.¡± It was a high ranking soldier, wearing the black uniform of the elite guards. His cloak was embossed with the golden sigil of the Ardagh family. ¡°Now,¡± he added sharply before turning around and marching off.


    Midhir¡¯s jaw tightened. ¡°Cait, make sure everyone is settled in.¡± He ordered before rushing after the guard. He was one of his father¡¯s honour guards ¨C an elite force in the imperial army who solely answered to the Emperor. To the host of the Ring of Stone.


    His chest tightened as he followed the guard, and his throat knotted as the large, metal doors to the Obsidian Hall slowly creaked open. He took a deep breath to summon his courage, then marched forward.

 Chapter 159 – An Audience With the Emperor

    As soon as he stepped through the metal doors, they slammed shut behind him. All the sounds of Derwen Hold suddenly cut off. He couldn¡¯t hear the distant sounds of blades clashing, or the murmur of the guards outside. The silence here was deafening, and as his gaze scoured the Obsidian Hall, he also found it to be eerie.


    There was very little colour around ¨C the walls, floor and ceiling were all smoothed obsidian. The hall had simply been carved into the mountain. Some columns had been left to help support the high ceiling, their jagged edges still remained even after so many years.


    There was no crystal lighting here ¨C instead, lit braziers illuminated the hall, their lights dancing, dimming and flaring with then whims of the fires. Shadows danced on the walls, and the light of the braziers reflected off the smoothed and polished floor.


    His footsteps echoed in the otherwise completely silent hall. Not even the crackle of the flames or the pop of embers could be heard. His own heartbeat sounded too loud. He desperately wished it would stop racing. He needed to be calm and collected.


    Each step he took brought him closer to the other end of the hall. His gaze landed on the empty throne atop seven wide steps.


    The throne was massive  ¨C a testament to the power of the Eldorian Empire. Built out of smoothed and polished obsidian and melted crystal, it was a tribute to all the past rulers of the Empire.


    He couldn¡¯t help but glance at the pockets of crystal placed into the indents all around the gigantic structure. The flames of the braziers glinted off the crystal ¨C and off the items sealed within. Crowns, jewels and weapons, all sealed in crystal.


    He lowered himself on one knee in front of the first step, placed his right hand on his heart, and curled his left hand into a fist, pressing it against the ground. Then, he waited.


    He wasn¡¯t sure how long had past when footsteps sounded from behind the throne, startling him. The air seemed to grow heavy and more suffocating as they approached. He fought against the urge to raise his head and look at the person approaching. Instead, he held his breath, and waited as the footsteps approached, and climbed the steps leading to the throne, and eventually stopped. The rustle of clothes sounded, and eventually he spoke.


    ¡°Rise.¡±


    Midhir breathed out silently as he first raised his head, then slowly stood up.


    Emperor Eamon Ardagh, third of his name, was seated upon the obsidian throne. He wore a simple, black uniform, not dissimilar to what the honour guard wore. His cloak had the sigil or the Ardagh family embossed on it and was lined with black fur underneath.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    Seeing him reminded how Ilya was the spitting image of her father ¨C they had the same blonde hair, sharp features, and strong, dominating gaze. Though the Emperor¡¯s had his fair share of scars, the similarity was still obvious.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Midhir.¡± His voice boomed. It dominated the hall, despite him speaking quite softly. ¡°You have grown.¡±


    Joining his hands behind his back, Midhir bowed his head. ¡°Thank you, your majesty.¡± It took effort to keep his voice from cracking. His heart raced, and his throat felt like it was all knotted. How long had it been since they stood face to face like this? It was shortly after the An¡¯Larion disaster that the Emperor had left for Derwen Hold, and never returned.


    Midhir gulped. The mere presence of the monarch made the air suffocating. His thoughts became clouded, and his body felt heavy and sluggish, like he was trying to wade through mud as he moved.


    ¡°Report. An¡¯Larion, and the ambush you suffered on route.¡± He leaned back on the throne, his cold gaze lingering on Midhir.


    Midhir took a deep breath as he organised the events that transpired in his mind. ¡°An¡¯Larion¡¯s thirteenth district was disturbed by the cultists carrying the twelve part serpent insignia¡­¡±


    ***


    ¡°What do you make of that?¡± Circe asked her raven companion as she sat atop a watchtower.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need me to answer that.¡± The raven replied. It was perched right next to her, shuffling its feathers as it spoke.


    Circe let out a sigh. Her gaze lingered on the courtyard below.


    Men and women, conscripted into the army, were training below. Their red and white uniforms, decorated with silver thread, glimmered under sunlight. They trained with real weapons ¨C some were polearms with curved blades mounted on top, while the others were swords featuring similarly curved blades. They wore very little metal armour, instead opting for leather vests and reinforced boots.


    She lifted her gaze towards the rest of the city beyond the walls of this fortress. Kaerun¡¯s usual rustle and bustle was nowhere to be found. Instead, the city was silent with dread and despair looming over it. Only the children and the elderly remained, though how long they would remain was to be seen.


    ¡°It has begun.¡± She finally spoke, her voice but a whisper.


    ¡°The bell will toll soon, will it not?¡±


    She pressed her lips together. ¡°Not just one.¡±


    The raven tilted its head. While it was difficult to usually read the bird¡¯s emotions, its shock was clear from its large eyes.


    ¡°Disasters loom over this world, old friend. And I don¡¯t think any warning I gave will be heeded.¡± She paused. ¡°Perhaps one, but that one can¡¯t do much.¡±


    ¡°Borrowed power and borrowed time.¡± The raven cawed. ¡°Accursed blood. You were right a decade ago ¨C you should have let that one go.¡±


    Circe scowled. ¡°No. That¡¯s what the old man would have done.¡± She stood up her sharp gaze lingering on the palace on the other side of the city. ¡°I¡¯m better than that.¡±


    The raven ruffled its feathers again. ¡°You play with fire, Circe. You know the dangers better than I do. There exist powers beyond even you and the old man ¨C and borrowing from such powers will only bring the end closer. You should have ended things a decade ago, when the traitor¡¯s spawn tore apart the Veil.¡±


    ¡°Enough.¡± The anger she felt surprised even herself. ¡°I lent that time. It is mine to take whenever I wish.¡±

 Chapter 160 – The Obsidian Throne (1)

    ¡°I doubt that¡¯s the reassurance you think it is¡­¡±


    The raven¡¯s words lingered in her mind.


    * * *


    The Emperor sat back on his throne, his sharp gaze lingering beyond Midhir, lost in thought for a while. His jaw was tight, his hands resting on the armrests of the throne.


    After what felt like several minutes, he finally spoke. ¡°Dismissed.¡±


    Midhir bowed deeply before turning around and marched to the gates.


    ¡°Midhir.¡± His father¡¯s voice reached his ears.


    His heart sank as he stopped mid-step and turned around.


    The emperor stepped down his throne. His boots clicked on the smoothed obsidian, and his cloak wiped the floor behind him as he approached. His expression was cold and emotionless as always, but he thought he saw a glimpse of a smile ¨C a hint of emotion.


    ¡°How is your mother?¡± His voice was low, devoid of its usual commanding tone.


    Midhir¡¯s lips parted as he staggered. ¡°She¡¯s fine.¡± He averted his gaze. ¡°These are difficult times for all of us, but she¡¯s as powerful as always.¡± Considering all that had been happening lately, the empress had been working incredibly hard.


    The Emperor scowled. ¡°I¡¯m not talking about the Empress, Midhir. I¡¯m talking about your mother. How is she?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± It took effort to push the words out. How was his mother? He wasn¡¯t sure. He hadn¡¯t seen her ¨C her true self, feelings and emotions and all ¨C since Circe took him to the border of Calador. The few moments before that was all he saw of her. ¡°Worried.¡± He finally replied. ¡°Frightened. Angry.¡± He clenched his fists. ¡°Everything she sacrificed for was almost lost.¡± An¡¯Larion was almost lost. The mist nearly took over.


    The Emperor¡¯s lips formed a thin line. ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°How about you, father?¡± His own courage surprised even himself. ¡°How are you?¡±


    His father¡¯s gaze turned cold. ¡°Everything I sacrificed for is threatened.¡± There was a tinge of anger in his voice. ¡°You did well to capture that man. Their leader is lost to them ¨C they will make mistakes.¡± He raised his chin. ¡°And when they do, I will squash them like the cockroaches they are.¡±


    The burning hatred in his voice caused Midhir to recoil.


    ¡°However,¡± the Emperor took a deep breath as he turned around and walked towards the throne. ¡°We have other matters to attend to as we wait. You and the rest of Solus staff and students were not called here for no reason. Two days from now, an ambassador from the Theocracy of the Sunlit Summit. They will stop here for three days before continuing on their journey to An¡¯Larion ¨C and their meeting with the Empress.¡±


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    Midhir scowled. The Theocracy was well known for not sending any of their priests and priestesses on diplomatic missions. ¡°What for? Is something going on?¡±


    His father climbed the stairs to his throne, then lowered himself between the armrests. ¡°I assume it has to do with the Kingdom of Calador, and the reports about the desert.¡± He leaned back as his gaze lingered on Midhir. His fingers caressed the simple, yet thick grey ring on his right hand as his thoughts seemed to trail off. ¡°Make sure you and those who accompanied you are well informed of their roles here. The Honour Guard¡¯s captain will give them their tasks. They are to follow their orders. To the letter.¡±


    Midhir bowed. ¡°Understood.¡± He turned around and marched towards the doors. The doors were heavy, yet silent as he pushed them open, and they slowly closed behind him as soon as he left the Obsidian Hall.


    ¡°Where are the Solus students that arrived with the first convoy?¡± he asked one of the guards.


    ¡°The quarters on the eastern side of the Keep on the third floor were prepared for them.¡± The guard quickly replied, his cold gaze never once turning towards Midhir.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± He marched off, first crossing to the eastern section, then up the stairs. His thoughts raced. Why was the Theocracy of the Sunlit Summit sending an ambassador? It was a country ruled by religion ¨C its preferred way of diplomacy was proselytising. Nearly all of their contact with the rest of the world was done by their travelling priests, who roamed the world, converted people to their religion, and then convinced their countries to put up churches and cathedrals in the name of the Daughter and the Sun.


    His expression soured. There was even a small church in Lunum, and he¡¯d already seen the larger one in Bareon. Olisar housed a cathedral, and so did An¡¯Larion, though the capital city was a bit of an outlier ¨C there were temples and cathedrals dedicated to nearly all faiths there.


    An ambassador from the Theocracy could mean only a few things ¨C either they were worried about Calador, the desert, or were here to demand more temples and cathedrals for their faith.


    ¡°Oh, there he is. Midhir!¡± A voice called out to him. His mind returned to the present as he turned around.


    Arwen and Alistair were sitting by one of the hearths in a common area he was passing by. They both seemed tired. ¡°I was looking for you,¡± he breathed out as he approached them.


    ¡°And us for you.¡± Alistair replied with a scowl. ¡°There¡¯s something odd, have you noticed?¡± He asked, tapping his own left ear. ¡°Crystals ¨C augments, they¡¯re difficult to activate.¡±


    ¡°No, I haven¡¯t tried.¡± He folded his arms. ¡°Listen-¡°


    ¡°No, please.¡± Arwen cut him off, her voice filled with worry. ¡°It¡¯s not about the crystals and augments ¨C it¡¯s about the flow of spiritual power here. I¡¯ve been noticing it since this morning, but it¡¯s especially bad here. It almost feels like the natural flow of power is suppressed.¡± She joined her hands on her lap, nervously pressing her thumb against her palm. ¡°It¡¯s weird. It¡¯s wrong.¡±


    Midhir raised his eyebrows. ¡°Could be because of the pylons ¨C the Northern Wall is less than four hours away from here by foot ¨C that¡¯s not too vast of a distance, and the pylons hold and control incredibly large amounts of power. It¡¯s not unusual for them to disrupt the flow of power ¨C that¡¯s why we didn¡¯t come via airship, remember?¡± Half-truths made the best and most easily believed lies, after all.


    Arwen pursed her lips. ¡°I don¡¯t know. They¡¯re still so far away. It feels so stifled and suppressed here. It¡¯s uncomfortable.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s not wrong, Midhir.¡± Alistair added. ¡°It does feel odd, I had to try a few times just to summon my weapon from my holding gem. This can¡¯t be just because of the pylons, could it?¡±


    Midhir¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°It¡¯s possible. Don¡¯t underestimate how much power they¡¯re capable of manipulating.¡± They were made specifically to defend against attacks from the north. And there was a single country up there that could even attempt to attack Eldoria. ¡°Putting that aside,¡± he breathed out. ¡°Help me round up everyone from Solus, the captain of the Honour Guard will assign everyone tasks.¡±


    Arwen and Alistair shared a glance. ¡°Sure,¡± Arwen finally spoke with a low voice. She stood up, then walked away towards the quarters they were given.


    ¡°What was that about?¡± Alistair¡¯s words startled Midhir. ¡°You and I both know the Northern Wall can¡¯t be causing this.¡±


    Half-truths were powerful, but only when they were told sparingly, to people who didn¡¯t know as much as the Orlein Heir did. Midhir¡¯s cold gaze landed on Alistair. ¡°I have no other answer I can offer, Alistair.¡±


    The truth was not for him to know.

 Chapter 161 – The Obsidian Throne (2)

    ¡°We prepare to welcome a delegation!¡± A woman¡¯s voice echoed in the large hall. She paced pack and forth slowly as she spoke, her black cloak embossed with the golden sigil of the Emperor trailing behind her. ¡°You are tasked with aiding the Honour Guard ¨C you will follow your orders to the letter. You will take your orders directly from me, my subordinates,¡± she tilted her head towards the three men and women standing at attention behind her. ¡°And the prince.¡± Her razor sharp gaze turned to Midhir.


    Gazes fell on him. Fearful, worried gazes, filled with the hurt of betrayal, or the shock of truth. His secret was out ¨C with the final attack on An¡¯Larion, there was no way for him to keep the truth hidden anymore. Yet, the gazes of his fellow students pressed down on him. It was suffocating.


    ¡°Get to work. Dismissed!¡± The captain of the guard shouted. As soon as she did, her subordinates stepped forth, each ordering around a group of half a dozen students to follow them. The hall emptied significantly, leaving no one but her and Midhir.


    ¡°Your highness,¡± She marched towards him. ¡°Reports have arrived from our scouts while you were in the Obsidian Halls. The second group of Solus students, along with all the staff should arrive in two days. They are currently clearing the roadblock that forced your convoy to continue on foot.¡± Her raven black hair blew back as a sudden wind howled across the hall.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Midhir scowled as he glanced over his shoulder, to both entrances of the hall. One of these led to the guest quarters and amenities. There were several small training rooms, a mess hall, common areas and sleeping quarters.


    ¡°You asked to see the prisoner, shall we?¡±


    ¡°Please.¡± Midhir scowled. She was so familiar. ¡°Captain, I never caught your name.¡±


    ¡°Yuuna Marr,¡± she replied as she led him through the halls, down to the ground floor.


    ¡°Marr?¡± He snapped his fingers. ¡°Are you related to a Sorcha Marr? A Healer from Bareon?¡±


    Captain Marr paused momentarily. ¡°She¡¯s my sister,¡± she glanced at him. ¡°Have you met her, your highness?¡±


    A smile flashed across his lips. ¡°I have,¡± he chuckled. ¡°One of the best healers I¡¯ve ever met.¡± That included the host of healers that cared for him after the events of the thirteenth district.


    ¡°She is exceptionally skilled,¡± Captain Marr nodded. ¡°Though her lack of discipline disqualified her of serving here as the healer of the Honour Guard.¡± She shook her head. ¡°I am glad you think so highly of her.¡± She stopped as they entered a medium sized round chamber. Several guards were posted here, in front of the only other exit ¨C a spiral staircase leading further down.


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    ¡°The dungeon is accessible only through here,¡± she explained as she led him down. ¡°We currently only have half a dozen or so cultists imprisoned, though most of them broke quite easily. Their leader, however, seems to be much more resilient.¡± Her lips formed a thin line as they reached the bottom of the staircase.


    The dungeon was essentially a large, round chamber surrounded by cells separated from it by thick, metal bars. The well lit chamber¡¯s floor was etched with sigils and imperial script, and the strip of stone slabs in front of the cells was lined with small, red crystals embedded into the stone.


    ¡°Is that resonance active?¡±


    Captain Marr shook her head. ¡°Not while his Majesty is present. It can be activated in case of an emergency, though it would surely prove to be difficult under current circumstances.¡± She pointed at one of the cells. ¡°There is the cultist leader. We have been unable to extract any information as of yet.¡±


    Midhir approached the metal bars. The light of the torches easily reached inside the cell, illuminating the straw bed on the ground, and the man who was laying on it. His clothes were tattered from the journey, his wrists red with rope marks.


    He scowled. ¡°Why is he still wearing that helmet?¡± And why wasn¡¯t he reacting to his presence at all? ¡°What have you done to him?¡±


    ¡°Nothing.¡± Captain Marr shook her head. ¡°We tried to remove the helmet, as surely you did as well before you arrived. We failed. He certainly doesn¡¯t want it removed, every attempt ended in him attacking my men, and even going as far to hurt himself.¡± She folded her arms. ¡°And the one time my men did restrain him properly, the damn thing didn¡¯t come out. Some of our best people are working on trying to understand what kind of resonance has been weaved upon it.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s just asleep, then?¡±


    She nodded. ¡°We haven¡¯t started questioning him yet ¨C you arrived only a few hours ago after all.¡±


    ¡°Keep me informed of any changes.¡±


    The next days passed in a blur as preparations were underway. There was much to be done, and too few people. The hallways, walls and decorations were scrubbed until they glittered. The Honour Guard lined before the armoury as students and squires cleaned and polished their armour, though they refused to hand over their weapons, sharpening and caring for them in their own time.


    More patrols went out seeking the cultists, following the scout reports that spotted them. The road between the Wall and Derwen Hold was properly secured with even more soldiers.


    Their schedule was busy beyond belief, giving them no time for themselves at all. They woke up before dawn and got to work, only pausing for meals or for a short respite after the rigorous training they underwent.


    On the dusk of their third day there, the second convoy from An¡¯Larion, carrying nearly all of Solus¡¯ staff and the majority of its students arrived. Midhir felt the weight of the students¡¯ gazes once more as Captain Marr gave them the same speech, then dismissed them to their chambers for the night.


    ¡°The ambassador was delayed.¡± Captain Marr reported as soon as the students left the hall. ¡°They will arrive tomorrow at noon.¡± She glanced at Midhir. ¡°I will make sure the students play their part. Please make sure all enforcers know their roles as well, your highness.¡±

 Chapter 162 – The Obsidian Throne (3)

    Standing before the heavy oak door reinforced with metal, Midhir summoned his courage. He lifted his hand, hesitated for a split second, then knocked twice. The silence that followed was nerve wrecking, though it only lasted for a short moment as a familiar voice rang. ¡°Come in, door¡¯s open.¡±


    Taking in a deep breath, he pushed the door open and stepped inside.


    The chambers given to the Solus staff were quite spacious, though certainly not luxurious. There was no excess furniture save from a single chair. The bed was simple, and at the moment had a backpack full of clothes and tools strewn over it.


    His gaze turned to the woman standing at the foot of the bed, organising the clothes and tools. ¡°Instructor,¡± he greeted her.


    Instructor Soraya put the coat in her hands back onto the bed and turned towards him. A faint smile appeared on her lips. ¡°Prince Midhir,¡± She approached him, tilting her head slightly she looked at him up and down. ¡°You look exhausted.¡±


    Midhir let out a breath. ¡°Busy times,¡± he replied with a half-smile before his expression darkened. ¡°I must apologise for hiding-¡°


    ¡°Just stop,¡± She cut him off with a sharp voice. ¡°When the princess came to Solus, she probably had the worst time of her life. I remember it, and I¡¯m sure any other instructor you¡¯d ask would too. Students shadowed her constantly, staff feared ever correcting her, she likely learned very little aside from how to escape unwanted gazes.¡± She shook her head regretfully. ¡°You must have seen it, even the Orlein boy and the Aulorn girl were centres of attention. It was our suggestion to the high nobility and royalty to consider keeping identities and lineages a secret.¡± She paused, ¡°You should feel no shame or guilt, kid. You were there to learn, and learn you did.¡± Her gaze turned towards the blade hanging from his belt.


    ¡°I had some great teachers,¡± Midhir replied after a moment of hesitation. He knew about Ilya ¨C he knew how she only lasted less than half a year in Solus before declaring she was going back to An¡¯Larion. But she always told him that she missed the comfort of her home, the luxuries of the Vermillion Keep.


    ¡°Of course!¡± Instructor Soraya smirked. ¡°And you¡¯re not rid of them just yet.¡± She sat on the bed and started folding the few clothes she brought. ¡°As much as I¡¯d like to spar, I¡¯m afraid there are more pressing matters.¡± Her voice grew cold, her smile vanished as she scowled. ¡°We came across quite the bloodbath a few days ago. You lost men, but the cultists lost more. Is that why the whole of Solus was summoned here?¡±


    Midhir bit his lips. ¡°Not quite.¡± He replied with a sigh. ¡°The cultists are but one of the reasons. Tomorrow at noon ¨C unless any more delays happen ¨C an ambassador from the Theocracy of the Sunlit Summit will arrive.¡±


    Instructor Soraya lifted a single brow. ¡°How intriguing.¡± She muttered, gesturing at him to continue.


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    ¡°There have been too many incidents around the Northern Wall lately, and the troops are required for the hunt of the remaining cultists, so the students will likely be required to help with repairs and labour on the wall and the outposts near it.¡± He scowled. ¡°I¡¯d like you and Instructor Caarda to not go to the wall with the first group of students.¡±


    Instructor Soraya folded her arms. ¡°Why is that?¡±


    ¡°We have captured who we believe is the cultists¡¯ leader. I believe Instructor Caarda¡¯s expertise on crystal research would be invaluable, since he seems to be in possession of a rather peculiar item.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t see how that requires my presence.¡± Instructor Soraya bluntly said. ¡°You¡¯re requesting I leave my students to go to the Northern Wall, with only soldiers by their side. Sivhe is the one with knowledge on crystals, not me.¡±


    ¡°Instructor Caarda isn¡¯t a fighter, not is she particularly healthy.¡± She could barely walk without her cane. ¡°I fear more damage to the Veil. The Imperial guard and the honour guard are tasked with protecting this place and the Emperor respectively.¡±


    Instructor Soraya¡¯s brows furrowed, her eyes narrowed, and her lips formed a thin, pale line. ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°Please think about it. The first group will leave in two days, at dawn.¡± He bowed his head, then left her chambers.


    They likely couldn¡¯t damage the veil anywhere near Derwen Hold ¨C not while his father was here. If they did so deep in the overgrowth, the honour guard would deal with it.


    Circe¡¯s words rang in his mind as he walked the halls. The Veil was too damaged already. It couldn¡¯t handle any more tears, any more damage. They needed to find the cultists and stop them ¨C and their leader was their best bet to do so. If only Instructor Caarda could figure out what that weird helmet was¡­


    His line of thought was interrupted as Willow walked around the corner and stopped just before walking into him. Her scowl turned into a chuckle. ¡°Oh, sorry!¡± She exclaimed, stepping back. ¡°I was lost in thought¡­¡± She paused, then shot a glance over her shoulder.


    ¡°I could say the same.¡± He said with a chuckle.


    Willow nodded. ¡°Yeah¡­¡± She scowled again. ¡°Um, are you ok?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± He raised his eyebrows. ¡°Why do you ask?¡±


    Willow quietly shook her head. Her expression remained grim.


    ¡°Willow, what¡¯s wrong?¡± He pressed.


    She let out a sigh. ¡°It¡¯s probably nothing. I¡¯m probably just overthinking everything¡­¡± She shook her head again as her voice trailed off. ¡°But if you must know, I saw a few students lingering across the entrance to the armoury. I know I don¡¯t recognise every single student in Solus, but they were wearing first year uniforms, and I just can¡¯t remember ever seeing them before.¡± She again shook her head. ¡°Look, I¡¯m just paranoid since what happened to dad.¡±


    Midhir scowled. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t hurt to check, would it?¡± He asked, gesturing towards Instructor Soraya¡¯s chambers at the end of the hallway. ¡°You should ask Instructor Soraya, maybe even show them to her.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s probably nothing,¡± She repeated, but then nodded. ¡°You¡¯re right, it wouldn¡¯t hurt to check.¡± She motioned to turn, then paused. ¡°I also noticed some of the other students steer clear of you. I think they¡¯re frightened.¡±


    Midhir clenched his jaw. ¡°Yeah. Don¡¯t worry about that.¡±


    With his identity no longer a secret, of course people were going to avoid him, especially in the stronghold of the Emperor. It was fine. He didn¡¯t expect anything different. ¡°Keep me in the loop about those people you didn¡¯t recognise.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Willow nodded, hurrying off towards Instructor Soraya¡¯s chambers.


    Perhaps it was nothing. Perhaps she was just frightened, and her mind was playing tricks on her. Or perhaps it was something. With Circe¡¯s warning fresh in his mind still, he couldn¡¯t make any mistakes. Eldoria couldn¡¯t make any mistakes.

 Chapter 163 – The Obsidian Throne (4)

    Preparations of the ambassador¡¯s visit continued at full force as the next day rolled around. The students were busy with cleaning and organising, as well as preparing to set off to the Northern Wall, while the Enforcers, Midhir and the Emperor prepared for the political nature of the visit.


    It had been decades since any official figure had left the Theocracy of the Sunlit Summit, and even longer since a visit to Eldoria had happed. The once republican nation had closed its borders and forbidden anyone entry ¨C unless they were part of the church itself. It wasn¡¯t just odd that an ambassador was on route, it was practically unheard of.


    ¡°The republic was abolished over sixty years ago,¡± Instructor Theodore explained as he paced the large chamber. He paused in front of one of the lit braziers and held his palms over it in an attempt to warm himself. ¡°It was nearly three years of turmoil and civil war before the Sunlit Summit became a Theocracy dedicated to the Daughter and the Sun.¡±


    As he continued to talk about the civil war and the damage done by religious zealots on both sides, Midhir glanced around the room. All the enforcers were here, as well as some faculty members and a surprisingly large number of honour guards. He should have expected this ¨C very few people were knowledgeable about the Theocracy, and all these people needed this information in order to properly host the ambassador and their retinue.


    ¡°Once the Theocracy was established, the borders to the nation were closed, visitors stuck there since the start of the civil war were sent back ¨C even if they were in no state to travel. Many of the northern nations condemned the Theocracy for their inhumane behaviour. Soon after, priests and priestess began leaving the Theocracy. They travelled the world, village by village, spreading the Gospel of their Lord, and the Daughter. They preached hope, a bright future, prosperity, luck and success with no price but to pray.¡±


    Principal Moira folded her arms. ¡°And people believed,¡± she stated.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Instructor Theodore nodded solemnly. ¡°And people believed, because it was easy. The demands of the sun god and his daughter were simple ¨C believe us, pray to us. The  Old Gods demanded effort, they demanded sacrifice and gave power sparingly. Their faith in the Old Ones wavered because their priests preached effort and hard work and promised naught but a chance.¡± Instructor Theodore stepped away from the brazier as he stuck his hands in the pockets of his fur lined cloak. ¡°It was the villages and small towns at the fringes of civilisation that first began to believe the Sun God. They built small churches in his name, they gathered and prayed together. They put their hopes in him, forsaking personal responsibility, replacing it with the Gospel, and God¡¯s Word.¡± He nearly spat as he spoke the final few words. His sour expression silently told his thoughts about the Gospel.


    ¡°I suppose the question then becomes,¡± Captain Marr spoke up. ¡°Does the Sun God exist? When they pray to the Daughter and the Sun, do their prayers even matter?¡±


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    Instructor Theodore¡¯s gaze fixed on her. ¡°Of course they matter. All prayers matter.¡± He folded his arms and leaned against the wall. ¡°I don¡¯t know whether the Sun God exists, but we do know the Old Ones do.¡± He lifted his hand, making a vague gesture towards the sky. ¡°The Sun God is supposed to be omnipotent and omniscient, he knows all, sees all, and everything happens in accordance with his plan.¡± He shrugged, once again his raised eyebrows and half smile telling Midhir all he needed to know.


    ¡°Anything that should be avoided while speaking with the ambassador¡¯s retinue?¡± Principal Moria asked with a sharp voice.


    ¡°Don¡¯t question their beliefs ¨C right or wrong, it hardly matters. Keep your thoughts to yourself.¡± The Instructor smirked. ¡°Their Gospel preaches silent, unseen prayer. If asked to join their prayers, or if they begin to preach about their Lord and his Daughter, simply respond that your faith is yours ¨C that they are intruding.¡± His smirk widened. ¡°Some of them might find this difficult to accept, but surely they have been warned to be on their best behaviour, so it should be fine.¡±


    Principal Moira narrowed her eyes. ¡°What of the Old Faith?¡±


    Instructor Theodore¡¯s expression soured once more. ¡°My suggestion is to keep silent about it. Know nothing ¨C tell them you are dedicated to protecting your people.¡± He shot a glance at Midhir. ¡°They will deny the Old Gods. Even if they are faced with proof.¡±


    ¡°How unpleasant.¡± Cait scowled. ¡°Thank you, Instructor.¡±


    ¡°Indeed,¡± Principal Moira shot a glance at the honour guard. ¡°I believe we¡¯ve come to the end of our little lecture. We won¡¯t take any more of your time.¡± She then glanced at Cait and the Castor brothers, who had been silently listening this whole time. ¡°You three are also dismissed. Continue with preparations.¡±


    Both Castor Brothers stood up at the same time, bowing their heads. They left the chamber with Cait and the honour guard in tow.


    Midhir motioned to leave also, but the Principal¡¯s cold voice stopped him. ¡°Your highness, a moment of your time, please.¡± While she was polite, it was clear from her voice that declining wasn¡¯t a particularly brilliant choice.


    ¡°Instructor Theodore,¡± she turned her gaze towards him. ¡°Will your connection to the church be a problem?¡±


    Midhir narrowed his eyes as his gaze settled on the Instructor. How was he connected to the church of the Daughter and the Sun?


    The other man simply smiled. ¡°I was but a priest, and an unwilling one at that. They knew I would defect as soon as I was allowed to cross the border. They care not for the unbelievers ¨C see no need to punish or condemn them, as they will meet their fate in the afterlife.¡± He shrugged and chuckled light-heartedly. ¡°At least that¡¯s what their Gospel says.¡±


    Principal Moira¡¯s lips formed a thin line. ¡°You were hardly a random priest, but that is another matter entirely.¡± She glanced at the door before continuing. ¡°If you believe you will go unnoticed, feel free to join the ceremony. If not, surely the prince would speak with the Emperor on your behalf.¡±


    Instructor Theodore shrugged again. ¡°Perhaps that is for the best ¨C if only to avoid souring the ambassador¡¯s mood.¡±


    ¡°Then I will speak with father right away.¡± Midhir let out a sigh. ¡°Tell me such things beforehand though, both of you.¡± He turned around to leave.


    ¡°Your Highness ¨C Midhir,¡± Instructor Theodore called out. ¡°Your eye ¨C and your connection to the Old Ones,¡± he seemed hesitant. ¡°Keep it close to your chest. Lack of belief is a matter left to the afterlife, in their eyes. But such a connection, such borrowed power¡­ that is heresy. And they will not look kindly upon it.¡±

 Chapter 164 – The Obsidian Throne (5)

    As the sun climbed to its zenith, at the brightest hour of the day, the Theocracy¡¯s delegation arrived at Derwen Hold. It was an impressive sight of over a hundred armed troops, higher ranking members of the Church and the ambassador herself, accompanied by her aides. Their banners, carrying the insignia of the church billowed in the howling wind.


    Watching them from the balcony above, Midhir¡¯s lips curled down. It was an impressive force ¨C their troops were well armed and were clad in knight¡¯s armour. Even from this far up, he could hear the metallic creaks and clinks of their gear filling the silence.


    Adorned carriages each drawn by four horses finally came to a stop. Their doors creaked open, and the higher ranking officials of the church state stepped out into the courtyard.


    Moira stepped forth. She looked impressive in her official uniform ¨C clad in white and crimson, with her cloak fluttering behind her back. ¡°Ambassador, I welcome you to the Empire of Eldoria.¡± Her voice echoed in the courtyard. She commanded respect ¨C not to herself alone, but to the whole of Eldoria. They were in foreign lands, and her cold, yet polite voice reminded them of that.


    One of the women who stepped out of the carriages approached the Enforcer. ¡°We greatly appreciate the Empire¡¯s hospitality,¡± she said with a beaming smile. Her blonde hair glimmered under the bright rays of sunlight. Her simple white dress was quite the contrast to the darker robes of her companions.


    ¡°Please follow me,¡± Moira said after nodding once. ¡°The Emperor wishes to welcome you personally.¡±


    That was their cue. Midhir stepped away from the balcony and headed down the narrow set of stairs. They led him to the back of the Obsidian Halls. As he stepped in, A few gazes turned on him. ¡°Enforcer Aoidh is escorting the Ambassador here,¡± he quickly informed his father.


    The Emperor was sat upon his throne, leaning back as his gaze lingered on the doors. Midhir quickly took his place next to him, halfway up the steps leading to the throne. At the foot of the steps stood the Enforcers ¨C Cait, the Castor brothers, and a woman Midhir didn¡¯t know very well ¨C all he knew about her was that she was one of the few skilled crystals staff users in the Empire.


    A few steps away from the Enforcers stood Alistair, Willow, and the nobles that served and resided in and around Derwen Hold. Each dressed in their family¡¯s official attire, they looked quite impressive. Their family crests embossed onto their cloaks with golden thread glimmered brightly as the flames of the braziers danced behind them.


    Then there was the honour guard ¨C the most elite forces of the Imperial army, clad in black uniform. They stood in silence, their gazes fixed in front, hands joined behind their back, and expressions as emotionless as they could be.


    Before long, the heavy doors opened. A cold, piercing breeze pulled at his cloak and hair.


    The Ambassador and her entourage followed Moira inside. Their boots and high heeled shoes clicked on the smoothed obsidian floor, their cloak fluttered behind them, and the Ambassador¡¯s long, white dress swept the floor as she approached the Obsidian Throne.


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    ¡°Presenting her excellency, Ambassador Eliora Yvonne, High Priestess of the Church of the Daughter of the Sun, Lady of the Three Lakes, here to stand before His Imperial Majesty Emperor Eamon Ardagh, third of his name, Bearer of the Ring of Stone, Sovereign of the Eldorian Empire!¡± Moria¡¯s clear voice rang in the Obsidian Halls. She bowed, then stepped aside to stand with Cait and the other Enforcers.


    The Ambassador was a tall woman, with flowing golden hair, and captivating pink eyes. Her fair skin was almost unnaturally smooth. The dress she chose was hardly one Midhir would have expected for formal occasions ¨C it wrapped around her chest and waist tightly, leaving her back and shoulders exposed. A slit on the side nearly reached her thighs.


    ¡°I welcome you, Ambassador Yvonne.¡± The Emperor¡¯s voice boomed. ¡°Rest here, after your long journey, before you set off once more for An¡¯Larion.¡±


    The Ambassador bowed her head ever so slightly. ¡°You have my thanks, your majesty.¡± Her lips curled up. ¡°Your hospitality warms my heart.¡± She pressed her palm against her chest. ¡°We have indeed journeyed long, and my people are tired.¡±


    The Emperor glanced at Captain Marr, who immediately stepped forward. ¡°Quarters have been prepared for all. Allow me to show you to them.¡± Her voice was polite, though cold. She walked towards the doors and waited there as the Ambassador¡¯s entourage nervously glanced at their envoy.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± She pushed a lock of hair behind her ear, and before lowering her hand, waved with her fingers. Her aides, and the knights accompanying her bowed, then began making their way to Captain Marr. ¡°I myself have had an easy journey, your majesty.¡± The Priestess continued nonchalantly. ¡°I would ask a few moments of your time.¡±


    As her aides and knights left the obsidian hall, Midhir shot a quick glance at his father. His expression was cold as stone, though his gaze did momentarily shift towards the Honour guard, the nobles and the enforcers. His hand resting on the armrest of the throne lifted ever so slightly, his fingers pointing at the door for only a split second.


    The Honour Guard bowed, while most of them headed for the entrance, a few whispered at the nobles, making sure they understood they were dismissed as well. The Enforcers stepped back, circling behind the throne. Whether they had remained within earshot, or left the Obsidian Halls through the narrow hallways hidden in the shadow was unclear.


    Only a single knight remained with the Ambassador, and Midhir remained with his father.


    ¡°Thank you, your majesty.¡± Her gaze shifted towards Midhir. Her eyes narrowed, and her lips visibly curled down. ¡°First of all,¡± she turned her gaze back towards the emperor. ¡°Allow me to thank you personally for allowing the construction of our places of worship within your Empire. Our faith welcomes all, and it is heartwarming to see it is welcomed by all here as well.¡±


    ¡°Eldoria houses many faiths, ambassador.¡± The Emperor¡¯s voice was cold. ¡°We welcome all, so long as they cause no harm.¡±


    The Ambassador raised her chin. ¡°Indeed, I see that. Forgive me, the Sunlit Summits are a place of harmony and peace, unity and shared faith. This is the first time I come across one¡­ affected by such different power.¡±


    ¡°And you will come across many ¨C some who share your faith, some who believe in the Gods of old, and some who pray to the sands of Calador. I suggest you keep an open mind, Ambassador Yvonne, if you wish to understand our way of life as you mentioned in your letter.¡± The Emperor gestured towards Midhir. ¡°Our nations have not had communication through proper channels in decades, so it is likely you¡¯re not aware of many things. Midhir, my son, will assist you during your stay here.¡±


    Her polite expression turned into disgust in an instant. Her voice cut through the silence. ¡°I would rather he not.¡±

 Chapter 165 – The Obsidian Throne (6)

    The Emperor leaned forward on his throne, his sharp, cold gaze fixed on the Ambassador. His fingers curled around the armrests of the throne, and he gritted his chin. ¡°Pardon me?¡± His booming voice cut through the fragile silence.


    The Ambassador met his gaze. ¡°I would rather he not.¡± She repeated herself with confidence. ¡°We do not wish to inconvenience the prince. Besides,¡± her gaze turned to Midhir, her lips curled down with a mix of disgust and anger. ¡°I am a priestess of the Sun God, and our gospel decrees I remain pure. I will not be subjected to the presence of a tainted man any longer than necessary.¡±


    Midhir¡¯s jaw tightened. He clenched his fists under the cover of his cloak.


    ¡°Midhir will assist you during your stay here.¡± His father¡¯s words startled him. The Emperor leaned back on his throne, his lips curling up for a split second.


    The priestess¡¯ eyes widened. Her lips parted, but his father continued. ¡°I have read your Gospel, Ambassador Yvonne. There will be no issues pertaining to your purity. As I have said before ¨C Eldoria is home to many faiths, and if you wish for any success, you will respect them. Even those you deem ¡®tainted.¡¯¡±


    Midhir gritted his teeth as he watched the Ambassador¡¯s expression shift between shock, being offended and panic. His father was right ¨C Eldoria was indeed home to many faiths. Some believed in the Old Gods ¨C like Lohssa, and the majority of An¡¯Larion, while places like Bareon had adopted the church of the Daughter and the Sun. The province of Olisar put its faith in the endless sea, giving tribute to calm the waves before long journeys. There were even remnants of the old tribes¡¯ faiths all around the smaller and older towns, though Midhir hadn¡¯t come across any of them personally.


    With such a narrow view, the Ambassador was more likely to fail than not. His lips curled down. His father asserting this was objectively the best choice ¨C but it was certainly going to be unpleasant for him. After all, nobody wanted to deal with such seething hatred and disgust.


    ¡°I understand.¡± The Ambassador took a deep breath as her expression returned to neutral. Despite her attempt to hide it, her discomfort was quite obvious. ¡°While it was not in the itinerary, I have a request of you, your majesty. Would you be so kind as to hear it?¡±


    The emperor scowled. ¡°Do tell.¡±


    ¡°Since you¡¯ve read our Gospel, you are surely aware of our saviour.¡± The Ambassador spoke, raising her chin with pride. ¡°She protected her people from the terrors of the night and led them to see the light of the Sun God.¡± Her gaze turned to Midhir for a split second. ¡°Those who followed her were blessed with peace and prosperity, and abundant luck, while those who refused to see the light of our god and take the kind hand of his daughter remained trapped under sinful rulers and wrathful beings brazen enough to call themselves gods.¡±


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    She took a deep breath. ¡°One such ruler and his so called god struck our saviour down, on the shore of a lake not too far from here.¡±


    ¡°The Spring of Sun-Touched Waters.¡± Midhir spoke up. ¡°About a day¡¯s journey from Derwen Hold, under good conditions.¡± It was one of the places he had been warned about. A place belonging not to the Old Gods, but a different, unwelcoming entity. Whether it was a god, or a powerful spirit was to be discovered yet, of course.


    The Ambassador gave him an irritated look. ¡°Indeed. It is a blessed place for us ¨C a place we all long to visit on pilgrimage. Before we set off for An¡¯Larion to meet with her majesty the Empress, I would like to visit the Spring of Sun-Touched Waters.¡±


    Midhir shot an alarmed glance at his father. The spring was deep in the Old Growth. There was no clear path leading to it.


    The Emperor pondered for a while. ¡°I understand the importance of this visit, Ambassador Yvonne. You will have my answer at sundown. Midhir will tell you why I hesitate ¨C the Old Growth is foreign to you, yet a simple fact of life here.¡± He stood up. This meeting was over. ¡°Once again, your presence honours us. Midhir, show them to their chambers, and see to their needs.¡±


    As they all bowed, and the Priestess curtsied, his father simply walked away, not even sparing a glance at them.


    ¡°Ambassador,¡± Midhir walked down the steps of the throne, raising his arm towards the doors. ¡°If you will, I can show you to your chambers.¡± He desperately wished she wouldn¡¯t have any questions ¨C or pointed words directed towards him.


    ¡°Please.¡± She dryly said.


    The guest quarters for the Ambassador and her entourage were on the upper floors of Derwen Hold and not dug too deeply into the mountains. The hallway was lined with large, wide windows with a beautiful view ¨C the Old Growth was clearly visible from here. The Ambassador¡¯s steps began to slow as they approached a balcony, and she stepped outside, her gaze lingering southeast.


    ¡°A beautiful forest, isn¡¯t it?¡± She asked, glancing at her knight who stood at the entrance to the balcony. Then she glanced at Midhir. ¡°Is it visible from here?¡± She asked, her voice growing cold with discomfort.


    Midhir stepped out onto the balcony as well. The cold breeze pushed his hair back and tugged at his cloak.


    The ambassador drew a sharp breath as soon as she looked at him. ¡°Sun protect me¡­ your eye!¡± She clenched her hand around the delicate medallion hanging from a simple golden chain. ¡°You are cursed!¡±


    Midhir gritted his teeth. She was exceptionally rude for an ambassador. Why would the Theocracy send such a rude and impulsive person? ¡°I hear the Sunlit Summits are a peaceful place ¨C a place of harmony.¡± He couldn¡¯t be rash or rude like she was. She was still a diplomat after all. He could give her no reason for anger. ¡°I understand this,¡± he pointed at his left eye ¨C he could imagine how it looked, otherworldly and wrong. ¡°This is a very different and alien thing for you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve known the curses of the Old Ones,¡± she hissed, her eyes narrowed. ¡°They take, take, take. They take your body, they take your soul, they take until there¡¯s nothing left aside from a husk ¨C a hateful husk that seeks to kill and murder and saw chaos. A husk with bright blue eyes.¡± She shook her head, her expression a mix of pity and disgust. ¡°How Eldoria could let their prince ¨C the heir to the throne ¨C fall to such a fate, make such a mistake¡­ it is beyond me.¡±


    He couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°The heir to the throne is my sister, the crown princess Ilya Ardagh.¡± He explained. ¡°My fate is not the same as those husks you speak of, and it is not the Old Gods who make them into such creatures.¡± He scowled. ¡°It is the mist that causes it.¡±

 Chapter 166 – Words of Heresy (1)

    The ambassador¡¯s widened eyes narrowed. Her hateful gaze pierced through him. Her fingers clenched tighter around her medallion, while her other hand rested on the marble guard rails.


    ¡°And what is the mist, prince?¡± She hissed. ¡°If not an extension of your false gods? It is their doing ¨C they try to expand their domain, to devour our world!¡± She pointed at him. ¡°You must undergo a cleansing ritual ¨C your connection to these false deities must be severed, and you must remain in a holy place, protected from their influence.¡± She glanced at her knight, then back at Midhir. ¡°Only then may you survive.¡±


    His smile shattered. If only a simple ritual and staying inside a church could put a pause on the timer. ¡°Your concern is appreciated, Ambassador.¡± His voice grew cold. This wasn¡¯t her problem to worry about, and it certainly wasn¡¯t something her god or church could make right. ¡°You needn¡¯t worry,¡± he added before turning towards the horizon and pointing at the distant forest. ¡°You asked about the Spring of Sun-Touched Waters,¡± he continued. ¡°The forest you see there is the Overgrowth ¨C it spans nearly the entirety of Eldoria. The Spring should be somewhere behind that hill with the jagged rocks,¡± his finger moved, pointing at said hill. ¡°It¡¯s about a day¡¯s journey from here, though I¡¯m afraid you won¡¯t be able to travel via carriage.¡±


    The sound of metal clanking was accompanied by the heavy footsteps of the Ambassador¡¯s knight. ¡°May I ask why, your highness?¡± His voice was coarse, and he spoke slowly.


    ¡°The overgrowth is exactly that ¨C an overgrown forest that¡¯s essentially centuries old. Whatever paths there were once, whatever roads ran through it have all been destroyed, covered by layers upon layers of roots and overturned earth.¡± He shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s near impossible to clear a path for a carriage, and even horses have trouble traversing the forest floor.¡±


    The Ambassador narrowed her eyes. ¡°Is it dangerous?¡±


    Midhir pressed his lips together. It was ¨C but only because of the cultists. The usual threat of the Overgrowth was of no concern to such a well-armed and armoured group. ¡°It¡¯s dark, and full of spiritual power. One must always be careful within the overgrowth, but a well-armed and alert group of skilled knights should provide you with ample protection,¡± he glanced down, towards the courtyard between the two halves of the mountain, where the honour guard continued to train, and the other troops either watched, or conducted exercises of their own. ¡°Of course, your knights wouldn¡¯t be your only protection.¡±


    While the ambassador remained silent, her gaze turned from Midhir towards the forest.


    ¡°I understand. Thank you,¡± the knight bowed his head slightly before stepping back towards the hallway.


    ¡°Ambassador, shall we continue?¡± Midhir gestured back towards the hallway as well. He was supposed to be taking her to her chambers after all.


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    She seemed to hesitate for a few moments before finally nodding. They walked the rest of the way in silence. Only when they arrived did she finally speak again. ¡°You are tainted ¨C your soul won¡¯t ascend to the foot of the Sun God¡¯s throne when you die.¡± Her intense gaze met his. She raised her chin as her hand reached for her medallion. With a sharp pull, she broke the chain, then pressed it against Midhir¡¯s palm. ¡°Come to the Sunlit Summit, show this at the border, and they will lead you to our high priestess. Do not let your soul be devoured by one of the Old Ones.¡±


    A dull, annoying pain throbbed behind his eye as soon as the medallion touched his hand. He winced. ¡°What is this?¡± He asked, taking a step back. He prayed to the gods that his eye wouldn¡¯t start bleeding now ¨C it would send the ambassador into a panic. She thought he was only tainted by the influence of the Old Gods. If she ever found out what had really happened, he would surely be branded a heretic. He couldn¡¯t let something like this sour her mood further and possibly affect the diplomatic visit itself.


    ¡°It¡¯s made of amber and imbued with a protective spell. It won¡¯t stop something as powerful as a false god, but it may serve to protect you from further harm by the heretical.¡± A faint smile appeared on her lips. ¡°I dislike you, prince Midhir. I dislike that the empire has allowed their prince to be tainted as such. I dislike that your people still believe in the Old Ones, in false gods that feed on the souls of humanity.¡±


    Midhir clenched his fist around the medallion. The broken chain dangled from between his fingers as he raised his gaze to meet hers.


    ¡°I pity you.¡± She continued, her voice snapping like a whip. ¡°But you are a kind soul ¨C simply born into misfortune. And the Empress is a kind monarch, her acceptance of my faith and my people shows that. I believe our two nations can sustain a relationship, even if we don¡¯t fully see eye to eye.¡± She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, then met his gaze once more. Her dark pink eyes peered into his soul. ¡°I gift this to you, as a sign of goodwill. My visit here has taught me how little I have experienced in the Sunlit Summits. If we are to be allies in this cruel and ignorant world, it is not only your people who must change.¡± She glanced at the medallion. ¡°Use it when you must, and when its power is depleted, leave it in sunlight for a while. The Sun God will provide you with further protection.¡± She turned around, walked into her chambers, and let the door close behind her without another word.


    Midhir stood there for a moment as he tried to make sense of all she had said. She hated him, she pitied him, but¡­


    ¡°Apologies for the priestess¡¯ harsh words, your highness.¡±


    The knight¡¯s voice startled him.


    ¡°We knights travel often, but the clergy does not. Especially not those of her rank.¡±


    ¡°I figured,¡± Midhir muttered. ¡°No need for apologies, your room is that-¡° he gestured towards the door across the hallway, but the knight cut him off.


    ¡°Do not take her words lightly, prince. She isn¡¯t any priestess, and she did not tell a single lie.¡± The knight¡¯s voice remained low enough that only Midhir could hear him. ¡°She despises the Old Gods, and in turn, you. She pities you, because that is what we do to those who are blind to our Lord¡¯s light. In the eyes of the church, you are a heretic ¨C and the church does not look kindly upon heretics.¡± He pointed at his eye. ¡°I suggest you do not let her see that.¡±


    Midhir flinched. He reached for his eye, only to feel warm blood on his cheek.


    ¡°I thank you for your warning.¡±

 Chapter 167 – Words of Heresy (2)

    The Obsidian halls echoed to his footsteps as he approached the throne. His father sat upon it, his gaze fixed to the parchments in his hands, and his finger softly tapping against the armrest of the throne. The braziers¡¯ light danced as he walked past them, forming shadows that vanished soon after.


    ¡°What do you think of them?¡± His question came before Midhir even reached the bottom of the steps his throne sat upon.


    ¡°Believers of the church, through and through.¡± He walked up about half the steps before stopping. ¡°The ambassador made her dislike for the Old Gods more than clear.¡± Her words filled with pity and hatred were still fresh in his mind, even after hours had passed. And so were the words of warning of her knight.


    ¡°Indeed.¡± The Emperor raised his gaze from the parchments. ¡°I want you to accompany them to the Spring of Sun-Touched Waters.¡±


    Midhir visibly flinched. ¡°If that is your wish,¡± he bowed. ¡°I doubt they will accept this, though.¡± He hesitated before touching his left eye. ¡°She saw my eye, and it seemed to trouble her greatly.¡±


    The silence stretched for a short while before his father breathed out. ¡°The Ambassador has already made her dislike of you clear, Midhir. I doubt it has to do with your eye ¨C it seems she already knows some of what has happened.¡± His lips curled down as he scowled. His finger continued to tap against the obsidian armrest, the sound of his nail hitting it breaking the silence repeatedly. ¡°I would like to know how.¡±


    ¡°The clergy speaks, clearly.¡± Midhir muttered. The question that bothered his father had been on his mind for these past few hours as well.


    ¡°Clearly.¡± The Emperor¡¯s fingers clenched into a fist. ¡°The Theocracy has sent a poor diplomat.¡±


    The ambassador¡¯s rash, impulsively spoken words were indeed unbecoming of someone on a diplomatic mission. While Midhir himself cared little about her personal opinion of him, the way she spoke to him was no way to speak to the prince of a powerful empire.


    ¡°What have you come here for?¡±


    Midhir¡¯s gaze shot to the parchments in his father¡¯s hand. ¡°The noon patrols returned less than half an hour ago ¨C their reports are troubling.¡± He rested his hand on the hilt of his blade as he spoke, caressing the cloth wrapped around it. ¡°The cultists seem to be everywhere ¨C there were over a dozen sightings between here and An¡¯Larion, seven sightings between here and the Northern Wall, and three by the woods to our east.¡± He hesitated. The west side was clear, but only for now.


    The Emperor tapped on the parchment. ¡°Indeed.¡± His eyes narrowed. ¡°There are quite a few of them.¡± He tilted his head. ¡°Or they travel exceptionally fast. What do you make of the repots?¡±


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    Midhir pondered. They were clearly not just a handful of people ¨C every time they clashed, their leader had a fresh batch of armed recruits, seemingly ready to fight and die for their cause. It wasn¡¯t just that either. Every time they clashed, they had new, well made clothes and armour, as well as weapons that were higher than average quality.


    Even if they were so crowded, the groups seemed to be moving across the lands quite quickly. Since they were all at least a dozen or so men, that meant they needed to carry supplies, set up camps and such.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think they are just a few people.¡± He folded his arms, tapping his foot as he spoke. ¡°I think they¡¯re moving a bit too quickly too ¨C even if they somehow got their hands on holding gems, they would still need several days of travel to reach the Northern Wall from the road leading to An¡¯Larion.¡±


    His father¡¯s expression didn¡¯t betray his thoughts. It was impossible to make out what he was thinking.


    ¡°Has their leader spoken yet?¡±


    The emperor clicked his tongue. ¡°No, he¡¯s more resilient than I would hope.¡± His eyes narrowed. ¡°Despite being here, the weave of resonance around his helmet remains strong.¡±


    Midhir lowered his gaze. ¡°An artifact of old¡­¡± his voice was but a whisper.


    ¡°Indeed.¡± The Emperor stood up and walked down the steps. ¡°Lady Caarda is working with the best resonance casters of the Honour Guard. No matter how ancient a relic, it will bend to their will.¡±


    Midhir bit his lips. While that was true, he questioned just how much time they really had. A feeling of urgency had been tugging at his mind for the past few days, and it only got worse with each passing day.


    ¡°I have decided.¡± The Emperor¡¯s voice rang across the Obsidian Hall. ¡°I will accompany the ambassador myself, along with the Lords Castor.¡±


    Midhir drew a sharp breath. The Emperor often left Derwen Hold to his aides, to the enforcers, and to the honour guard to join patrols, visit the Northern Wall, and even the handful of remote villages. It was a common, even expected occurrence. ¡°With so many of the cultists around¡­¡± his voice faded.


    ¡°They are powerless.¡± He gently caressed an unassuming, grey ring around his finger. ¡°Enforcer Aoidh and the Honor Guard will oversee the daily operations in my absence. They will refer to you if any abnormality occurs.¡±


    A lump settled in his throat. ¡°Even in your absence, they shouldn¡¯t be able to assault Derwen Hold.¡±


    ¡°No, they shouldn¡¯t be able to.¡± His father walked past him, towards the large doors. ¡°Once I leave and the weaves allow, report to your mother.¡±


    Banners fluttered in the wind as the convoy set off. It was an impressive sight ¨C a showcase of the military might of the empire. Midhir watched from the balcony overlooking the entrance, his elbows leaning against the wide marble guard.


    The tense, heavy air he had been breathing up until now slowly became lighter. He could still feel the stifled spiritual power around him, but now he could breathe easier.


    ¡°Don¡¯t look so relieved.¡± Moira¡¯s voice startled him. ¡°You¡¯re in command now.¡±


    Midhir shot her an annoyed glance. ¡°Hardly,¡± he scoffed. ¡°You and the remaining Honour Guard are overseeing things. And that is how it should be,¡± he breathed out, and stepped away from the edge. ¡°It will take them one day to reach the Spring of Sun-Touched Waters, probably about a day to for the Ambassador and her companions to finish their worship, and one more day for them to return.¡±


    ¡°Three days is a long time.¡± Moira¡¯s lips curled up.


    Midhir nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± It certainly was. ¡°Even in father¡¯s absence, Derwen Hold is a powerful fortress, with skilled, experienced defenders. They can¡¯t breach the walls without an army.¡±


    An army the cultists didn¡¯t have. He was sure of it.

 Chapter 168 – Words of Heresy (3)

    Only hours after the emperor and the ambassador left, a second, smaller and much less ostentatious convoy set off in another direction. A group of two dozen or so students, accompanied by about thrice as many troops left towards the Northern Wall. The journey would take them about three to four hours on foot, and they would arrive shortly before dusk.


    He watched them leave from the balcony, his gaze lingering on the students. A part of him felt relieved when he couldn¡¯t find Instructor Soraya among them. His fingers tapped against the flat top of the marble guard. In three days his father and the ambassador would return. The next day, she would set off for An¡¯Larion.


    Soft, meek footsteps sounded behind him. He turned around and smiled upon seeing Willow.


    ¡°Principal Aoidh said I would find you here.¡± She approached the marble guard at the edge of the balcony and placed her palms on its smooth surface. ¡°The Emperor left, and some of the enforcers. Is that alright?¡±


    ¡°Father and the Lords Castor are hardly the first line of defence in Derwen Hold.¡± He scowled. ¡°Though I do wish Father had remained.¡± Already the natural spiritual power around Derwen Hold was becoming stronger. It wasn¡¯t stifled and suppressed anymore, and soon it would begin to flourish. Already he had started to feel his eye ache more often. Perhaps this was something he needed to talk with the Crimson Witch. Maybe, he thought as a spark of hope lit a fire in his heart, he could borrow more time. More than just a single year.


    ¡°I know, this is a powerful fortress.¡± Willow let out a sigh. ¡°I think I¡¯m just worrying over nothing again.¡±


    Midhir raised an eyebrow. ¡°What did instructor Soraya say about the students you saw?¡± He hadn¡¯t gotten the chance to ask earlier.


    ¡°They were gone by the time we came back to show her.¡± Willow shook her head with a scowl. ¡°She said they were probably third year students ¨C remember how they were all sent to Olisar at some point? She said we probably just didn¡¯t recognise them because we didn¡¯t get to see them often.¡±


    Midhir tilted his head. ¡°Right¡­¡± he muttered. ¡°But you¡¯re not convinced.¡±


    Willow nodded. ¡°I¡¯m not. I might be overthinking, but it¡¯s really bothering me. Just today I saw two girls lingering by the armoury entrance, trying to chat with the guards. They were told off but just stayed there for a bit.¡± She clicked her tongue with contempt. ¡°I mean, the armoury was one of the places Captain Marr said we are not allowed to enter under any circumstances.¡±


    Midhir¡¯s lips formed a thin line. ¡°No, you¡¯re not. It¡¯s worrying that they even tried.¡± He stepped away from the edge. ¡°I¡¯ll talk with Instructor Soraya and Captain Marr. Willow, I don¡¯t think you¡¯re just overthinking. Let me know if you notice anything else, please.¡±


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    Willow¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Really?¡± She asked. Her expression brightened. ¡°Yeah, I will. I¡¯ll also tell Alistair and Arwen to be on the lookout.¡±


    ¡°Them, but no one else.¡± Midhir warned her.


    The halls echoed to his footsteps as he marched towards the gaol. He spotted a few students lingering around a statue not far from the hallway entrance leading to the dungeons. They seemed to be inspecting it ¨C one was reading the plaque at its feet, while the others were pointing at the weapon in its hands. A bright-faced, glasses wearing young woman was rigorously noting something down, her gaze not once leaving the statue.


    A young man was sitting by one of the windows overlooking the courtyard between the two halves of the mountain. His back was against the window, his legs pulled to his chest as he read a book. He didn¡¯t seem to notice Midhir pass by.


    The young prince shook his head. Now he was overthinking. While he didn¡¯t doubt Willow, he couldn¡¯t start questioning why every single student was where they were. It just wasn¡¯t feasible, and doubting everyone always was just going to make him miss the obvious. No, there was no need for that.


    He paused once he reached the dungeon. The well lit chamber at the entrance was silent despite the half a dozen people standing in front of the cultist leader¡¯s cell. All wearing robes and cloaks, embossed with the imperial sigil, these were the best crystal manipulators in the imperial army ¨C capable of casting resonances even when the spiritual power in the vicinity was so stifled and suppressed.


    Two amongst the six weren¡¯t wearing those garments. Instructor Soraya was wearing a white blouse, and dark brown leggings. Her leather boots had tracked some mud in, probably from the training ground. Her blade was hanging in its scabbard from her hip as she waited at the side with her arms folded, and her sharp gaze fixed on the prisoner.


    The other one was Instructor Caarda. She held a staff that looked too big against her small frame, her pale hands clenched around it, her knuckles white. The staff was wooden, embossed with golden inscriptions. Carved out of the heart of a tree of the Old Growth, it radiated with power in the hands of a master. The red crystal the size of a child¡¯s head glowed brightly. The air crackled with power, causing the hairs on his arms to rise.


    Her eyes were closed as she formed the resonance, but they shot open as soon as she finished. She tilted the staff ever so slightly toward the prisoner quietly sitting behind the thick metal bars.


    The cultist leader hadn¡¯t moved since Midhir came down here. He sat cross legged on the straw bed, his back straight, and his expression hidden beneath the helmet. His hands were joined on his lap, his fingers twitching occasionally.


    According to his father, he hadn¡¯t spoken even once. According to Captain Marr, no matter what they tried, they weren¡¯t able to remove that helmet. They all believed it was an ancient artifact, its purpose and history long lost to the ravages of time.


    He couldn¡¯t see Instructor Caarda¡¯s resonance, but he could feel it. He could feel it move towards the prisoner. The other man grunted slightly as runes and tiny script lit up on the helmet. The feathery plume atop it rustled with a breeze he could not feel.


    ¡°Heed my command!¡± Instructor Caarda¡¯s strained voice echoed. Beads of sweat rolled down her chin. Her small frame shook, her legs looked like they could give in at any moment. The staff in her hands glowed ever so brightly.


    A loud crack sounded, followed by the sound of something falling to the ground.

 Chapter 169 – Words of Heresy (4)

    The shattered crystal pieces hit the ground with a clear, ringing sound. Instructor Soraya drew a sharp breath before dashing towards Instructor Caarda. She caught the petite woman just as she stumbled backwards. Her staff, now lacking its crystal, escaped her grip.


    Instructor Caarda pressed her palms against her eyelids, leaning against Instructor Soraya for a few moments before muttering a thanks and stepping away. Her shaking hands collected the crystal that had broken into three pieces, then reached for her now powerless staff.


    A chuckle sounded in the silence, echoing as it grew into a laughter. The prisoner¡¯s shoulders shook as he laughed.


    ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± Instructor Soraya growled. She clenched her fists as she walked up to the metal bars, standing right in front of them.


    The man¡¯s laughter subsided as he tilted his head. ¡°Your desperation,¡± he said with a chuckle. ¡°How you try and try and try, just to remove this!¡± He raised his hand ever so slowly, then tapped once on his helmet. ¡°But you can¡¯t.¡± He giggled. ¡°You will never be able to.¡±


    ¡°Awfully certain there, aren¡¯t you?¡± Instructor Soraya turned her back and stepped away.


    ¡°Of course I am.¡± The man¡¯s voice was suddenly cold. He stood up, approaching the metal bars. ¡°I am blessed by the Old Ones, their chosen ¨C why wouldn¡¯t I be certain?¡±


    ¡°There is no blessing on you,¡± Instructor Caarda¡¯s meek voice rang as she tightly clenched her fingers around the haft of her staff. ¡°All I see is the weaves of your helmet ¨C it¡¯s blinding.¡± She looked away. ¡°I¡¯m afraid you are nothing but a madman with delusions of grandeur.¡±


    She turned towards the members of the imperial guard. ¡°We¡¯ll try again later, I need to think. Thank you.¡± She walked towards the stairs, only pausing momentarily as she noticed Midhir. She bowed her head, then wordlessly walked past him.


    The members of the imperial guard followed her, their cloaks trailing behind them, brushing against the roughly cut stone slabs. They also paused in front of him, bowing deeply before continuing on their way.


    ¡°Well, well,¡± The man sat back down on the straw bed, leaning his back against the wall and crossing his legs. ¡°To what do I owe the pleasure?¡± He gestured towards Midhir mockingly.


    ¡°Instructor, a word?¡± Midhir turned his gaze to Instructor Soraya.


    ¡°You won¡¯t succeed.¡± The man continued. ¡°You can¡¯t stop us.¡±


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    Ignoring his ramblings, they left the dungeons.


    ¡°Sivhe needs to rest a while,¡± Instructor Soraya let out a tired sigh.


    ¡°Of course.¡± Midhir watched a group of four students as they passed by. He recognised them from Solus ¨C they were first year students like him. ¡°How many students from Solus came with you?¡±


    Instructor Soraya hesitated. ¡°I think¡­ two hundred and fifty.¡± She shot him a curious glance. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Willow spoke with you already, I share her concerns.¡± His gaze caught a lone student. He was tall, and clearly older than Midhir. A second, maybe third year student. He was sweeping the floors with a straw broom. His back was hunched as he slowly moved across the hall. ¡°I¡¯d like to ask you to warn the students again to steer clear of areas they are not allowed in, and to not linger near their entrances.¡±


    ¡°Sure, I can do that.¡± Instructor Soraya followed his gaze. ¡°That¡¯s William, a third year.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± He took a deep breath. ¡°I must take my leave.¡±


    A raven circled the skies, above her as Circe pressed her palm against the small chalk monument. This one, unlike the others, was smaller than an ox cart, though its surface was riddled with old script. Chalk roots spread from its bottom, overtaking the wet soil that made up the forest floor.


    The chalk roots had pushed the forest back quite a bit. There was a rather spacious opening around the monument.


    ¡°A hole in the ground, south of you. A lake?¡± The raven¡¯s voice rang in her mind.


    With a click of the tongue, she stepped away from the monument, and marched southward. She almost immediately spotted what he was talking about ¨C the chalk roots mixed with the roots of the Old Growth. Blue flowers bloomed on the dark brown roots, and she could hear the sound of water as the wind caressed its surface.


    ¡°You can hardly call this a lake.¡± She commented. It looked more like a tunnel that was filled with water. Crouching at its edge, she looked deeper.


    ¡°Oh.¡± Reality seemed twisted somewhat. The distances didn¡¯t match. The veil was damaged badly here ¨C worse than she first thought.


    ¡°Can you fix it?¡±  The raven cawed afterward in an attempt to scare off a few smaller birds circling around her. They scattered almost immediately, disappearing amongst the trees.


    ¡°I can try,¡± she muttered with a scowl. ¡°Where does it lead, I wonder¡­¡± she stretched her hand out, her fingers nearly touching the surface of the water. A small orb of crimson light gathered in her palm, then shot off into the water.


    She closed her eyes, allowing her mind to shift to the orb. She couldn¡¯t quite see where it was, but in a way, she was aware of its surroundings.


    It flew through the water, soon leaving the awkwardly short tunnel, and found itself in a larger cavern ¨C near its ceiling. It was also filled with water, though she could sense a small, round hole on the ceiling. Below, reality was even more twisted, though she feared allowing her mind to venture quite so deep.


    She ought to venture there herself. Her mind retreated, her senses returned to her own body and the orb of light vanished. Her eyes slowly opened, and her lips curled down as she glanced at her long, flowing dress. This was hardly the attire to go spelunking ¨C especially in water filled caverns near Bareon.


    ¡°I think I¡¯ll have to go down there myself.¡± She told her companion who hand landed on the roots next to her. ¡°Caves are hardly a place for ravens though. You should return to Arwen¡¯s side.¡±


    The raven cawed. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t be the first time I followed someone into a cave. Besides, I was with the kid ¨C I know where he went. You don¡¯t.¡±


    He was right.

 Chapter 170 – Words of Heresy (5)

    The long, empty hallway leading to his and the others¡¯ quarters echoed to his footsteps. The setting sun¡¯s last rays reflected off the windows, blinding him momentarily as he passed by.


    The prisoner¡¯s words rang clear in his mind. He claimed to be chosen by the old gods, he claimed Instructor Caarda¡¯s efforts would fail. He claimed his mission was going to succeed. He claimed many things. It wasn¡¯t an act either ¨C it was clear in his voice. He believed his own words.


    He paused the hallway opened up into a large chamber. There were several, narrower hallways leaving the chamber on the other side. The one in the middle led to his and Alistair¡¯s chambers, the one on the left led to Arwen and Willows¡¯, and the one on the right led to the quarters of the instructors.


    The crackling sounds of the lit fireplace broke the silence. Flames danced, creating oddly shaped shadows on the walls. His gaze turned couch by the fireplace. On the soft cushions sat Arwen, her gaze fixed on the dancing flames, and her hands clenching her staff.


    Instead of her dress uniform, she was wearing loose, dark green leggings with a brown, leather belt. There was a small, green gem on her faded gold coloured belt buckle. A holding gem, Midhir assumed, as she lacked her usual jewellery. She noticed as he approached, fixing the shoulders of her white blouse as he circled around the couch and sat on the other end of it.


    ¡°Ending the day early?¡± He asked, pointing in her general direction.


    She nodded, gently putting the staff on the other couch cushion. ¡°I¡¯m rather exhausted.¡± She admitted.


    It was obvious now that he could see her face. There were dark circles under her eyes, her cheeks were slightly red, and her hair seemed a little wet, like she had been out in the rain.


    ¡°You look well.¡± She averted her gaze. ¡°Better than you did yesterday.¡± She bit her lower lip. Lost in thought, she peered into the distance.


    ¡°Thanks?¡± he raised his eyebrows. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Arwen? You¡¯re not just exhausted.¡± Something was clearly on her mind. Was it students acting oddly? People where they shouldn¡¯t be, perhaps¡­


    ¡°We had resonance casting training today.¡± She opened her palms, staring at her hands as she spoke. ¡°It wasn¡¯t anything like what we were taught at Solus.¡±


    Midhir raised his eyebrows. ¡°One of the honour guards taught you?¡±


    Arwen nodded. ¡°She was so fast, I could hardly sense her resonances before they activated.¡± She clenched her fists. ¡°She said what we knew was useless in battle. That Solus hadn¡¯t been doing us any favours by teaching what we know. That we were wasteful with spiritual power.¡± She seemed to become more distraught with every word. ¡°I know we¡¯re not as skilled as her but¡­¡± she shook her head, her voice fading.


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    ¡°She¡¯s one of the honour guards. The best Eldoria has to offer.¡± Midhir let out a sigh. ¡°And she¡¯s not entirely wrong. All of you use a lot of spiritual power to cast your resonances.¡±


    Arwen¡¯s gaze shot up. ¡°Spiritual power isn¡¯t some limited resource!¡± She objected with a sharp voice. ¡°You¡¯d need-¡° she stopped with a scowl. ¡°A lot of powerful crystals¡­¡±


    ¡°Like the defensive pylons lining the northern border.¡± Midhir completed her thought for her. ¡°Or two armies, full of resonance casters clashing.¡± He smiled. ¡°You¡¯re already aware that the spiritual power around Derwen Hold and the Northern Wall is stifled ¨C dozens of human-sized crystals does that to their surroundings, not to mention the many soldiers all posted in and around this place.¡± Not to mention the Ring of Stone ¨C though she didn¡¯t need to know that.


    ¡°She told us to work on using as little power as possible to achieve the same result.¡± Arwen fiddled with her hair. ¡°It¡¯s difficult.¡±


    Of course it was ¨C especially for someone who could manipulate the spiritual power around her so easily. Using an augment, casting a resonance, these were simple things for her. She never needed to actually learn how exactly the power around her resonated with her own, and how much she really needed to achieve the same result.


    ¡°But did you notice?¡± Her voice came alive as her eyes glimmered with the excitement of discovery. ¡°It¡¯s different today. It¡¯s not quite so stifled, and it keeps getting better and better. It¡¯s almost as if the world is healing from some grave wound.¡±


    Of course she had noticed. ¡°Is that so?¡± He asked, blinking once. His expression was empty aside from a hint of confusion. ¡°One of the pylons must be inactive then.¡± He muttered.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t notice?¡± Her disappointment was palpable. ¡°How? I know you can sense the power around you, even if you have trouble using it.¡±


    That was quite the understatement. ¡°I¡¯ve not paid any attention.¡± He breathed out. ¡°As for what the resonance caster from the honour guard told you ¨C they are trained especially for battle. For large scale conflicts. The kind we hopefully never see in our lifetimes.¡± It felt like a slim hope. ¡°Pay attention to her words, but don¡¯t take them as gospel. Just make sure you can do what she asks of you. If there is ever the need for it, you should be able to.¡±


    He pushed himself back up on his feet. ¡°I¡¯ll be in my quarters.¡±


    His boots clicked on the stone slabs as he walked away. He was well aware of how much more spiritual power was all around them now. He could breathe. The relief he felt from it was palpable. It felt as if his mind had been clouded since he arrived, and that cloud was only lifting now ¨C and just a little bit.


    It was a frightening sensation. He gently touched his left eyelid. Since this morning, he was also much more aware of it. The Old God was still here. Sure, Circe had stopped him from seeing the beyond, but she couldn¡¯t sever whatever connection this was.


    He closed the door behind him and sat on his bed as he pondered. She said there was no way to fully prevent the influence of the Old Gods. She told him that he had one year at most. ¡°Maybe she¡¯s wrong¡­¡± he whispered.


    After all, she didn¡¯t know about the Ring of Stone.

 Chapter 171 – Words of Heresy (6)

    A loud, resounding knock on his door startled him awake from his nightmares. He sat upright on the mattress, allowing himself just a couple of breathes worth of time to calm his racing thoughts. He pushed the already fading memory of his nightmares to the back of his mind before climbing out of bed. He threw a woollen robe over his nightclothes, then dragged his feet toward the door.


    Whoever it was knocked again. ¡°Fine, fine,¡± he grumbled as he pulled the door open to see Alistair.


    ¡°You look terrible.¡± The young noble blurted out as soon as he saw Midhir¡¯s face.


    ¡°Thanks.¡± Midhir dryly replied. He turned around and walked towards a basin by the mirror. ¡°Come in, close the door.¡± He glanced at the mirror. Alistair wasn¡¯t wrong, he did look terrible. There were dark circles under his eyes, and the whites of his eyes were bloodshot. ¡°What brings you here this early?¡±


    ¡°Instructions from Principal Aoidh.¡± Alistair replied. ¡°Since his majesty the Emperor¡¯s return is expected tomorrow at dusk ¨C and the ambassador¡¯s, of course ¨C she wishes to speak with you about the preparations to be made.¡±


    ¡°At the crack of dawn?¡± Midhir sighed as he bent over the basin and washed his face. He then grabbed a towel and dried his face and the bits of hair that also got wet. ¡°Surely this could have waited until after I was awake.¡±


    Alistair just shrugged. ¡°Doesn¡¯t look like sleep was doing you any favours anyways.¡±


    Midhir shot him an annoyed glance. The young Orlein heir wasn¡¯t wrong, but at least he was warm under the blankets. The halls of Derwen Hold were perpetually cold, and even when he was dressed for it, his hands and face always felt somewhat numb.


    ¡°Putting that aside,¡± the young noble folded his arms. ¡°I came across Arwen yesterday evening. She seemed a bit distraught. About how you said you didn¡¯t notice the change in spiritual power around us.¡± He broadly gestured towards the door. ¡°She¡¯s worried about you.¡±


    This again¡­ Midhir closed his eyes and breathed a sigh. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± He was fine ¨C better than he was before, at least. ¡°I appreciate her concern, and yours,¡± he added quickly as he opened his eyes and turned to face Alistair. ¡°But there is so much to worry about ¨C I honestly didn¡¯t care about how much spiritual power is around us. I didn¡¯t notice, I didn¡¯t need to cast resonances since we arrived.¡± It was hardly a lie, though it did hurt to not speak the full truth.


    Alistair¡¯s lips formed a thin line. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re fine?¡±


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    Midhir forced a smile. ¡°I¡¯m tired,¡± he shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m worried because Father isn¡¯t here, and he left some of his responsibilities to me. I¡¯m worried because the Theocracy making a move now is just weird, in any way you look at it.¡± He folded his arms and paced the room. ¡°Why now? Are they frightened of Calador? Or this an attempt to proselytise?¡± He tapped under his left eye. ¡°The Theocracy coming out of their seclusion just as the Old Gods are starting to stir awake seems too perfectly aligned to be a coincidence,¡± he paused. ¡°Not to mention that we still have the cultist leader captive and haven¡¯t even been able to learn his name.¡±


    Alistair lowered his gaze. ¡°I¡­ understand.¡± He hesitated. ¡°I didn¡¯t notice how much was on your mind. We¡¯ve been dealing with a lot less. And a lot simpler things.¡±


    ¡°You also joined the same exercises as Arwen yesterday, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    Alistair nodded. ¡°It was difficult ¨C I¡¯m used to drawing as much power as I can. Limiting myself to a comparatively tiny amount of power is¡­ well, difficult.¡± He shrugged.


    Midhir chuckled. ¡°You¡¯ll get used to it.¡± Alistair, Arwen and Willow were all incredibly skilled resonance casters. They could adapt to pretty much anything.


    * * *


    The raven was heavy in her arms as she walked down the submerged tunnel. Water simply moved out of her way as she walked on.


    ¡°It¡¯s odd, isn¡¯t it?¡± Her raven companion softly cawed.


    She nodded. It was odd ¨C the distance they walked wasn¡¯t long at all ¨C it had taken her perhaps the entirety of a minute to reach the large, submerged cavern at the end of it. She watched the wall of water in front of her for a few moments, then closed her eyes, and directed her mind into the earth.


    Veins of spiritual power ran under the whole world, though they were most concentrated in Eldoria and the young nation that called itself the Theocracy of the Sunlit Summit. These veins ¨C called ley lines by most scholars ¨C commanded the winds of power, the flow of spiritual power across the whole world ran through the ley lines.


    Closing her eyes, she reached for the nearest lay line, running deep underground, filled with immense power. It was easy to locate them for someone like her. Once she did, she walked a few steps back. Her brows furrowed as she repeated the process a few more times, until she reached the other end of the tunnel.


    ¡°The distance is all wrong¡­¡± she whispered, walking back towards the cavern. What was only a couple dozen steps for her was almost an hour-long walking distance outside, in the surface. ¡°Reality is broken here.¡± She breathed out.


    The raven tilted its head but remained silent in her arms.


    Stood at the edge of the tunnel, her gaze turned down.. She could see the surface of the cavern below ¨C a white floor, dimly lit by unseen lights. Above was an oddly smooth surface, almost like a man made ceiling.


    Taking a deep breath, she stepped forward.


    * * *


    Sunlight shone through the rose window behind the golden throne as the gold embossed wooden doors closed behind an older man who stepped inside. His mere presence was enough to silence the nobles and soldiers alike. Even the young man sitting atop the throne paused his conversation with one of the high ranking soldiers.


    ¡°Your Majesty.¡± The man saluted. His lips curled up as he saw the map spread across the table at the centre of the throne room. ¡°Shall we begin?¡±

 Chapter 172 – Words of Heresy (7)

    He collapsed on the uncomfortably rough cushion of the high-backed armchair and rested his head against the equally rough and terribly dusty padded backrest.


    The round chamber, dimly lit by candles, smelled of dusty old parchment. Filled bookcases lined the walls, and an unused crystal chandelier hung from the arched ceiling. The soft rugs on the floor did little to keep the cold of the underground away.


    With a sigh, Midhir closed his eyes. His father and the Ambassador were returning tomorrow, probably shortly before dusk. There were many preparations to make. Too many. It had taken him and Captain Marr half a day to plan everything, and it would take the soldiers an entire day to set things up. He could only hope they could complete the preparations by then.


    He let his eyes rest for a while longer as he breathed in the dusty, dry air.


    Then, he pushed himself back up on his feet, and headed out of the dusty, rarely used chamber.


    Derwen Hold was even busier than before. Preparations for the Emperor¡¯s return were underway. But that wasn¡¯t all. He spotted a battalion of the honour guard ride out of the gates as he passed by the windows overlooking the rift between the two halves of the mountain.


    The cultists had been seen near the road to An¡¯Larion again. While the Imperial army had been unable to catch up with them, they still were effective at causing the scoundrels to retreat into the overgrowth.


    He clenched his fists as he made his way to the stairs and descended the steps into the more crowded sections of the fortress. Students, soldiers and servants alike were in a rush, either preparing to set off, or preparing for the arrival of the Emperor. Not a single person seemed to be lingering around or wasting time.


    For once, his gaze didn¡¯t linger of the nearby students. Instead, it was fixed on his path as he marched across the narrow, yet long courtyard between the two halves of the mountains. ¡°Captain,¡± he nodded towards Captain Marr as he passed by her. Amidst barking orders to her men, she saluted him.


    ¡°Your highness,¡±


    ¡°The prisoner, have they begun?¡±


    She nodded once, her gaze turning cold. ¡°Yes, only a few moments ago.¡±


    He thanked her before hastening his steps. A weight pressed on his chest as he made his way down the stairs leading to the dungeon.


    A dozen or so resonance casters had formed a half circle in front of the cultist leader¡¯s cell. They each gripped their staves tightly. Their eyes were closed, and brows furrowed with focus. In the centre of the half circle stood Instructor Caarda. Her petite frame seemed so small and weak amidst the Imperial Guard, almost as if she was a sickly child.


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    ¡°You don¡¯t need to come here every time.¡± Instructor Soraya¡¯s low voice startled him. She stood with her back against the wall, her arms crossed, and her chin held high. Her sharp gaze never left the prisoner, even as she spoke to Midhir.


    ¡°I hardly have other places to be,¡± he admitted. ¡°Besides, I¡¯d like to see the resonance on that helmet break with my own eyes.¡±


    Instructor Soraya clicked her tongue. ¡°I hope we do see that happen¡­¡± her voice faded as Instructor Caarda¡¯s staff lit up with a crimson light.


    The air suffocated him for a split second. His eyes shot wide open as he felt the spiritual power around them drain into the crystal embedded onto the instructor¡¯s staff. She drew on more power, her eyes shut, her brows furrowed, and her lips a thin, pale line. Her legs trembled, her torso shook as she held onto the glowing staff.


    ¡°Break!¡± She cried out, her voice sharp.


    The runes and script carved onto the helmet lit up as her resonance slammed into it. The cultist leader grunted, either with pain or annoyance. He clenched his fists and leaned forward ever so slightly. ¡°It won¡¯t work,¡± he said with a heave. ¡°Your Empire has no one strong enough to break this.¡±


    Midhir scowled. Ilya probably could. Mother certainly could. And had it not been for the Ring of Stone, his father could.


    Instructor Caarda stumbled backwards, the staff escaped her grip, falling onto the ground with a thud as one of the other resonance casters caught her mid-fall.


    ¡°Sivhe!¡± Instructor Soraya rushed towards her.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± the other woman meekly said. ¡°It didn¡¯t work.¡±


    One of the other resonance casters shook her head. ¡°No, I think it did.¡±


    Midhir¡¯s ears perked up. His gaze snapped to the imperial resonance caster. ¡°Explain.¡±


    His voice startled her. She saluted him, and so did the other resonance casters. ¡°The resonance didn¡¯t break fully, but it was weakened. It needs to be done a few more times, I believe¡­ but it will work.¡±


    ¡°Lies!¡± The prisoner shouted. ¡°Do you truly believe you ¨C mere mortals who refuse to see the light of ascension, can break a spell so powerful? Pathetic!¡± He started on his feet, rushing at the metal bars of his cell and grabbed them. ¡°Do you believe them, prince?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have to.¡± Midhir shrugged. His gaze turned to the left side of the helmet. ¡°Your helmet is beginning to melt.¡±


    One of the runes inscribed onto the metal had melted. It wasn¡¯t quite legible anymore. It clearly wasn¡¯t enough to break the script that maintained the ancient resonance, but it was enough to weaken it. ¡°Please take your time to rest, all of you.¡±


    ¡°Liar!¡± the cultist leader shouted.


    Midhir picked up Instructor Caarda¡¯s staff, then gestured at the stairs. The instructors and resonance casters headed out of the dungeon, and he followed them. The prisoner¡¯s yelling soon faded away as the heavy metal doors closed behind them.


    ¡°The rune melted?¡± Instructor Caarda asked as he handed her staff over. ¡°Are you sure, your highness?¡±


    Midhir nodded. ¡°You don¡¯t need to be so formal, instructor.¡±


    A smile flashed across her lips. ¡°A single rune?¡± She asked, clenching her fingers around the haft of her crystal staff.


    ¡°As far as I saw, yes.¡±


    She nodded. Her eyes lit up with determination. ¡°I knew it. The resonance won¡¯t break until the script has been weakened enough. I need to rest, then we will continue.¡± She nodded again, mostly to herself.


    ¡°Tomorrow.¡± Instructor Soraya chimed in. ¡°You and the others need rest today.¡±


    The other woman forced a smile. ¡°That we do.¡±


    A weight had lifted off his shoulders. There was a way to break the resonance, a way to finally get that god forsaken man to show his face. Once the helmet was off, then it would be trivial to find just who was supplying the cultists with so many resources. Who was funding them, and to what end? And just how were they tearing the veil apart?


    There were many questions to be asked. And soon, he would finally get some answers.